Source: Recipezaar

These are great to make when you need to make a big batch of grilled cheese. They stay nice and toasty when dipped in soups!

Toasted Cheese Sandwiches 

12       slices  bread
6    slices cheddar cheese or American cheese
8     tablespoons butter or margarine

1. Butter each side of the bread slices with 1 t butter or margarine, and place on a baking sheet.
2. Place cheese on each slice of bread.
3. Top with remaining bread.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 6 to 8 minutes at 450.
5. Flip the sandwiches, and bake an additional 6 to 8 minutes, or until golden brown. 

Source: Recipezaar

Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup

1 tablespoon melted butter
1/2 medium chopped onion
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups half-and-half cream
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 lb fresh broccoli (I used one bag of Aldi frozen broccoli instead of fresh)
1 cup carrots, julienned
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese
salt and pepper

1. Sauté onion in butter. Set aside. Cook melted butter and flour using a whisk over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Stir constantly and add the half & half. Add the chicken stock. Simmer for 20 minutes.
2. Add the broccoli, carrots and onions. Cook over low heat 20-25 minutes. Add salt and pepper. Can be puréed in blender but I don’t. Return to heat and add cheese. Stir in nutmeg.

Note: If your kids are not keen on big hunks of broccoli, you can use an immersion blender, standard blender, or a food processor to puree the soup before serving.

We ate these for dinner tonight and they were heavenly! This is a great quick dinner and affordable to boot!

Ranch Pork Chops

4-6 pork chops (I purchase the center cut and not the assorted variety)
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup Ranch Dressing
1 teaspoon dried Italian Seasoning
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In one shallow container, mix together the flour and Italian seasonings. In another shallow container, pour in the Ranch dressing. Trim all fat from the pork chops and then dredge in the flour. Dip the pork chop into the dressing on both sides. Place pork chops on a greased baking dish and sprinkle the tops with a little Parmesan cheese. Bake for 35 minutes.

We served this with rice and baby sweet peas.

Bread Machine Calzone

1 1/4 cups water
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 tablespoons white sugar
3 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon powdered milk
3/4 cup sliced Italian sausage
3/4 cup pizza sauce
1 1/4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons butter, melted

To Make Dough: Place water, yeast, sugar, flour, salt and powdered milk in the pan of the bread machine, in the order suggested by the manufacturer. Select Dough cycle. After cycle is completed, roll out dough on a lightly floured surface. Meanwhile, brown sausage for about 8 to 10 minutes in a large skillet over medium heat. Drain excess fat and reserve.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).  Shape dough into a 16 inch by 10 inch rectangle. Transfer to a lightly greased cookie sheet, and spoon pizza sauce lengthwise down the center of  the dough, followed by the browned sausage and the cheese. Make diagonal cuts 1 1/2 inches apart down each long side of the dough rectangle, cutting to within 1/2 inch of the filling. Criss-cross cut strips of dough over the filling and seal edges with water. Brush top of calzone with melted butter.  Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 35 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes, then slice and serve.

Exquisite Pizza Sauce

1 can tomato paste (6 oz)
6 fluid oz warm water (110 degrees F)
3 TBS grated Parmesan cheese
1 TBS minced garlic
2 TBS honey
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
¼ tsp dried basil
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp dried red pepper flakes
salt to taste

In a small bowl combine all ingredients in order listed above, making sure to break up any clumps of cheese.  Cover the sauce and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Spread sauce over pizza dough and prepare pizza as desired.

I got this recipe off of one of my cooking boards (thanks Sandy!!) and am heading to the store today to get the ingredients. I plan to make a sticky chicken and use that meat for the wraps (to save on cost).

Chicken-Bacon-Ranch Wraps

3 cups coarsely shredded deli rotisserie chicken (from 2-2 1/2 lb chicken)
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (4 oz)
8 slices cooked bacon, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup chopped green onions (4 medium)
1 cup ranch dressing
8 (8-inch) flour tortillas
4 cups shredded romaine lettuce

In large bowl, gently mix all ingredients except tortillas and lettuce. Cover; refrigerate up to 3 days. To make one wrap, spread a generous 1/3 cup chicken mixture on tortilla. Top with 1/2 cup shredded lettuce; roll up. Note: Warm the tortillas slightly in the microwave so they are more pliable. The filling can also be heated in the microwave (heat individual portions on High for 30-45 seconds) to make a hot sandwich.

Serve with Shoestring Oven Fries

I made these tonight on the grill and they were delicious. Watch them carefully because they will cook quickly!

Salmon Pockets

1 bag of Aldi Salmon Fillets (should contain four fillets)
Lemon juice
Garlic powder
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Parsley (dried or fresh)

Preheat your outdoor grill for fifteen minutes. While it is heating up, take out four pieces of tin foil and make a pocket for the fillets to rest in each of them. I folded up all four edges on each pocket. Spray the pocket lightly with cooking spray and then rest the fillet inside. Drizzle the fillet with olive oil, a splash of lemon juice, and a sprinkling of garlic powder, salt, pepper, and parsley. Place the pockets on the grill and close the grill. Cook for eight to ten minutes, or until the fish is pink and flakes with a fork. Serve in the pocket.

Serve with baked potatoes and a garden salad.

Baked Potato Soup

4 large baked potatoes
2/3 cup butter
2/3 cup flour
6 cups milk (whole or two percent)
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
12 slices bacon, fried & crumbled
2 cups shredded cheese
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream

Cut potatoes in half. Scoop out the pulp and put it in a small bowl. Melt butter in a large pot. Add flour. Gradually stir in milk. Continue to stir until smooth, thickened, and bubbly. Stir in potato pulp, salt and pepper, & ¾ of the cheese. Cook until heated. Stir in sour cream. Top with remaining bacon & cheese.

Makes four servings.

Serve with grilled cheese sandwiches.

A common question I get is if I am taking recipes from our loyal readers. The answer is, ABSOLUTELY! I only have so many recipes in my collection and I would welcome any that people would like to share. The two requests that I ask for these is that they are actually something you have shared with your family, because I really want them to be a tried and true family favorite, and that they are Aldi-friendly or can easily be modified to include only Aldi ingredients.

Please send your submissions to amy@momadvice.com and title your emails “Aldi Recipe Submission.” I am looking forward to sharing some of the foods you prepare in your kitchen! Many thanks to Mary for our first reader contribution!

Notes from the chef: I don’t do the mushrooms (can’t stand mushrooms), so I can’t comment on how those are. I use a Cuisinart Contact Grill and it cooks the thinned out chicken breasts at about 5 min. I’ve also used the marinade on plain old boneless-skinless – not pounded thin chicken, and put it in the oven at 350 for about 20-25 minutes. On the pasta, I don’t always use the butter with the spices. I’ve been known to just mix the sourcream, lemon juice, and cheese, and toss it with the pasta, totally skipping the butter part. Kids still love it – one less pan for me to wash – less work, too.

I hope you enjoy!!!

Mary

Lemon Grilled Chicken and Mushrooms

Servings: 4

1. Preheat indoor grill. If you have a grill with a variable temperature control, set it to medium-high (1 or 2 steps below high) or to about 350 to 400 degrees F.

2. Marinade: mix the lemon juice, oil, Dijon-style mustard, garlic, pepper and salt.

3. Divide the marinade between two (1-gallon) zippered freezer-weight storage bags, 1-quart airtight containers or shallow square glass dishes (8 x 8 x 2-inch). Set aside while you prepare the chicken and mushrooms.

4. Spread a large piece of plastic wrap on a flat work surface. Arrange the chicken breasts in a single layer over the plastic wrap. Cover the breasts with another large piece of plastic wrap. Pound the breasts with the flat side of a meat mallet, bottom of a large heavy skillet or rolling pin until evenly flattened to about 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick.

5. Put the pounded breasts into one of the marinade-filled bags, containers or dishes. Turn the chicken so all surfaces are coated with the marinade. Zip the bag dosed, or cover the container or dish and marinate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or up to 24 hours.

6. Prepare and marinate the portobello mushrooms. Using a small pairing knife cut the stems from the portobello mushrooms and slice the caps into 1-inch thick strips.

7. Put the mushrooms into the remaining marinade-filled bag, container or dish. (Note: If you are marinating the chicken overnight, do not put the mushroom slices in the marinade filled bag or container until up to 2 hours before cooking. The mushrooms will get too soggy if marinated longer.)

8. With your fingertips, gently turn the mushroom pieces so all surfaces are coated with the marinade. Zip the bag dosed, or cover the container or dish and marinate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or up to 2 hours.

9. Grill the chicken and mushrooms. If you have a grill with a small grilling surface, grill the mushrooms first, then the chicken.

10. If you own a larger capacity grill, grill everything snnultaneously. Transfer the grilled food to a platter covered with aluminum foil to keep it warm until serving time.

11. Spray all surfaces of the mushrooms and chicken with cooking spray before putting them on the grill. Grill the mushrooms until grill marks appear, they are cooked through and a little over half their size when raw. Grill the chicken until the interior temperature reaches 160 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. (about 4-6 minutes on a hot double sided grill) The meat should no longer be pink in the center, and all the juices should run clear when pricked with the tip of a knife.

12. To serve, slice the lemon into very thin rounds. Place equal amounts of pasta on four dinner plates. Slice the chicken breasts across the grain into 1/4- to 1/2-inch slices. Arrange equal amounts of the chicken and the grilled mushrooms on top of the Lemon Cream Capellini on each plate.

13. Sprinkle each plate with equal amounts of the capers, and parsley. Garnish with the thinly sliced lemon. Serve immediately with hot garlic bread and a Caesar salad.

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Lemon Cream Capellini:

1. In a 4- to 5-quart pot, bring very hot tap water, salt and oil to a rolling boil over high heat with the cover on. (The cover helps the water boil faster because the steam is trapped.)

2. When water is boiling, add the pasta. Part of the pasta will be sticking out of the pot. Stir gently until the pasta softens and all the noodles fit in the pot. Cover the pot and bring the water back up to a boil, about 1 to 3 minutes. When the water begins to boil again, take the cover off, and cook for 8 to 12 minutes until tender but slightly chewy (al dente). Since cooking times vary per brand, read the package for exact timing.

3. When pasta is done, drain immediately in a large colander.

4. While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a 1-quart saucepan over medium low heat. Whisk in the pepper, salt and nutmeg. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes.

5. Measure the sour cream, lemon juice and Parmesan into a 2or 3-cup bowl or measure. Whisk the butter mixture into the sour cream.

6. Using a rubber spatula, fold the lemon cream sauce into the hot pasta right before serving. Cover to keep warm if chicken and mushrooms are not quite done.

Baked Salmon Dijon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a shallow baking pan with aluminum foil.
Place salmon skin-side down on foil. Spread a thin layer of mustard on the top of each fillet, and season with salt and pepper. Top with bread crumbs, then drizzle with melted butter. Bake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until salmon flakes easily with a fork.

Serve with baked potatoes & a salad.