I actually made this recipe about a month ago, before I posted my Potato Soup with Bacon and Truffle Oil, but just finally got around to sharing it. But once again, the bacon and truffle oil combination totally kicked one of my favorite recipes up a notch. I loved it! The subtle undertones of the truffle oil and the smoky, salty crunch of the bacon paired perfectly with the creamy mac and cheese. And while I chose to make this version stovetop, you could also easily sprinkle it with some breadcrumbs and pop it in the oven for an extra-delicious baked version.
Of course, one thing I’m excited to share about this particular mac and cheese is that I made it with a healthy pasta I was recently introduced to — Dreamfields Pasta. This pasta is seriously delicious and has the flavor and texture of classic pasta, yet it has fewer digestible carbs, about the same high fiber as whole-wheat pasta, and it can help you manage your blood sugar. It has definitely become my new favorite pasta — I love it!!!
So I’m excited that Dreamfields is going to be giving one lucky Gimme Some Oven reader an entire case (12 boxes!) of Dreamfields long-strand pasta to enjoy! Be sure to enter the giveaway below (underneath the recipe in the Rafflecopter box). And then you can also read more all about what makes their pasta healthy and delicious on their website.
This is the third and final post in our ALDI 101 series. But I have to be honest — I kind of don’t want this series to end!
I have been having so much fun reading your comments over email, tweets, Facebook, Instagram, and in the comment section below about Aldi! From those of you who have been longtime fans and have shared your great tips and favorite items, to those of you who may have never set foot in an Aldi but are considering giving it a try, it has been so cool to hear about each person’s unique experience with the store. I have to admit that a reader totally made my day when she shared that she ventured into an Aldi for the first time this week, and loved it. That is so cool!!!! :-)
Well after our first two posts — Why I Shop At Aldi and How To Shop At Aldi — today is the post that gets down to specifics on what to buy at Aldi. I feel like I should probably give a huge disclaimer that this post is based 100% on personal opinion. I have all of my own quirks and preferences, and as you will see below, there is a large section of the store (cereals, many non-organic meats, pet food, makeup, etc.) that I have not tried because those areas do not fall in my normal grocery shopping. And I’m sure there are plenty of items where our opinions may just simply differ! The pina colada popsicles that I adore just may not be your thing.
So please feel free to take this post with a a big grain of Aldi’s sea salt. ;) My hope is to offer a few starting points, and then hopefully you can try some new items and form your own opinions. To organize this post, I have included a few brief thoughts about each section of the store, and then a brief “to buy” and “not to buy” list of specifics. As always, I would love to have you share your thoughts on what you like to buy in the comments below.
This concludes our Aldi series! Thanks so much for joining in the conversation, and I look forward to resuming regular recipe posting with you tomorrow!
ALDI 101 continues! For those of you who are just tuning in, I am taking a mini-break from recipe posting to share a 3-part series with you about one of my favorite places – ALDI! After my first post yesterday on Why I Shop At Aldi, we are continuing today with How To Shop At Aldi. Then be sure to tune in tomorrow too for What To Buy At Aldi.
As I mentioned yesterday, I do about 50% of my grocery shopping at Aldi and am a huge fan of the store. But without a doubt, there are a few quirks that differentiate Aldi from traditional grocery stores. So I thought it would be fun to do a little “how to” post about the entire shopping experience there — from planning your trip, to arriving, to finding your way around, to checking out, and then leaving with your bags and boxes of affordable Aldi goodness.
Ok, I’m interrupting our regularly scheduled recipe programming to hop on a little soapbox and share a 3-part series with you about one of my favorite places as a foodie — ALDI!
Over the years, countless friends have been surprised and intrigued when I tell them that I do at least half of my grocery shopping at Aldi. Yes, I also frequent Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s (did you know they are owned by the same company that owns Aldi?), and our local Kansas City large grocery stores. But about eight years ago, I set foot in my first Aldi and have been a happy and loyal customer ever since!
Snowmaggedon 2013 did not get off to a great start for me. You know that foot of thundersnow and ice that whirled into Kansas City in a few hours and brought the city to a standstill? Yep, I unwillingly got caught out in the middle of it and then ended up stranded twice on the way home when my little Prius couldn’t make it through the drifts, and pulled my back in the process too. And all of this before 10am!
Still, I have to say one thing about major storms — they bring out incredible stories of all the good Samaritans out there. Really.
I know, I know. Most of my friends give me the serious raised eyebrow when they find out that every Monday night (or usually, every Tuesday morning on Hulu) I tune in along with millions across the nation who just have to see if Bachelor Sean will once again say that “this process is working for him”. Or to watch the incredible dates that he has “planned” for these eager girls. Or, to hear my favorite line (that is used 3928 times in every single episode) — that they are all just so optimistic that they will “find love”.
Whew. This 9-word recipe title may win the award for the longest I’ve published so far.
Actually, I really wanted to name it Healthier Wheat-Germ Crusted Crispy Oven-Baked Chicken with Greek Yogurt Ranch Sauce. But I’m pretty sure that Google and the concise-ness police probably wouldn’t have been too happy with me. :)
