Chicken BBQ Pizza
Pull leftover Chicken BBQ from the fridge and the extra pizza crust you prepared. Parbake crust as was directed. After you pull the crust from the oven, spread the Chicken BBQ over the crust. Top with mozzarella cheese (as much as your family prefers). Place bake in the oven and bake fifteen minutes. Slice and serve with a garden salad.
Note: Save half of the Chicken BBQ for another night!
Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken
Serves Eight
4 chicken breasts – can be frozen
2 cups ketchup
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon vinegar
½ teaspoon garlic powder
Mix together all ingredients (except chicken) in slow cooker. Add the chicken, coating each piece in sauce. Cook on high for four hours. Remove chicken and shred/pull with forks. Return to pot and stir in sauce to coat. Serve on toasted buns.
Nutritional facts per serving (daily value):
Calories 80kcal
Protein 2g (3%)
Total Fat 0g (0%)
Sat. 0g (0%)
Chol. 0g (0%)
Carb. 20g (7%)
Fiber 1g (4%)
Sugars 17g
Calcium 18mg (2%)
Iron 1mg (3%)
Shoestring Oven Fries
Serves 4
Russet potatoes – cut into thin wedges
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Slice potatoes into thin shoestrings and place them on a greased cookie sheet. Pour olive oil over the potatoes and seasonings. Using fingers, toss gently. Cook for fifteen to twenty minutes or until the potatoes are done. We then give them a generous shake of Parmesan cheese.
Easy One-Bowl Milk Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes
Courtesy of Recipezaar.com
1 3/4 cups  all-purpose flour
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa (sifted)
1Â teaspoon baking powder
1Â teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8-1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
1 cup milk or half-and-half cream
1Â egg, slightly beaten
1/3Â cup salad oil (use Canola or vegetable oil)
1Â teaspoon vanilla
1Â cup semisweet mini chocolate chips
1/2Â cup chopped nuts (optional)
Set oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 regular size muffin tin with paper liners.
In a medium-size mixing bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, sifted baking cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon (if using); mix with a wooden spoon to combine.
In a two-cup measuring cup or bowl whisk together the milk, egg, oil and vanilla.
Add the milk/egg mixture to the dry ingredients; mix very well with a wooden spoon to combine well. Mix in the chocolate chips and nuts (if using). Divide the batter evenly between the lined muffin tins. Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean (don’t overbake!). Cool, and frost with favorite frosting
Peanut Butter Frosting
Courtesy of Recipezaar.com
1/2  cup  peanut butter, smooth
5Â tablespoons margarine, softened
1Â cup powdered sugar (or more, to taste)
1-3Â tablespoon milk (only if needed to thin) (optional)
Beat butters together with electric mixer, add sugar. If too thick, add a little milk.
Note: The only ingredient unavailable at Aldi is the yeast. The cheapest place to purchase the yeast is at Sam’s Club. The price on two pounds of yeast is $3.87. The cornmeal is available in the baking section of the store.
This crust recipe yields enough for one pizza and a small order of breadsticks. I prepare my breadsticks by rolling out the dough and scoring the dough into breadstick size pieces. I then drizzle with a little olive oil, a sprinkle of garlic salt, and top with some cheese. Use the extra sauce for dipping! The kids love these breadsticks more than they do the pizza.
You can save time later this week by making an extra crust. We will be having a Chicken BBQ pizza later in the week!
Pizza Hut Style Pizza Dough
1 1/3 cups water
2 tsp sugar
1 1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp cornmeal
3 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp yeast
Add ingredients to bread machine, according to manufacturer’s settings, and run dough setting. After the machine beeps, roll out the dough. You can roll the dough into two 9×13″ pizzas (great for kid’s lunches!) or into two medium pizzas or a large pizza and an order of breadsticks (as instructed above). Parbake the crust with a drizzle of olive oil on it at 450 degrees for ten minutes. Remove the crust and add sauce and toppings. If making breadsticks, add your breadsticks at this time. Place into the oven for another ten to fifteen minutes or until golden and bubbly. Enjoy!
Pizza Sauce
1 (6 ounce) can  tomato paste
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1Â tablespoon mixed Italian herbs (oregano, basil, and parsley combined)
1Â Â tablespoon olive oil
Salt
1 1/4Â cups water
Mix the first six ingredients together. Spread evenly on prepared dough.
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Friday Features:
Visit “the Aldi Queen” blog where you can get free menu planners, recipes using Aldi ingredients, and great dinner ideas for your entire family!
Get in the spring cleaning mode and read our articles on, “Frugal Storage Solutions” & “Spring Cleaning for Today’s Mom.” Do you need to reorganize the entire house? Just visit our Organization section for inspiration on how to tackle each room in your home and create a routine that you can live with.
Are you missing any important records in your house? Find out where to go to replace these priceless documents.
Freebie Friday Samples & Offers:
Get a free sample of Nicorette Fruit Chill & a $10 coupon towards your next purchase.
Stainmaster Carpet is offering a free subscription to Savvy Home Design Magazine. This is a quarterly source for home interior style solutions. Sign up and you will automatically begin receiving this publication.
CVS Pharmacy is offering thirty free prints on their website, if you order your prints online.
Sign up for a subscription to Custom Home Magazine. This is for construction professionals, professional architects, or those of you who are planning to build your own home.
If you sign up for a MyPoints.com account, they will give you 500 United Airlines bonus miles for creating this free account.
Take a short survey and receive a free sample of Secret Clinical Strength Deodorant. This sample will arrive in six to eight weeks.
Join the LongHorn Restaurant email club and receive a complimentary appetizer.
Sign up for Culver’s eClub and receive a free gift for signing up.
Get a free 2-load sample of the new Snuggle Exhilarations Fabric Softener. Please allow six to eight weeks for this freebie to arrive and limit one entry per household.
Sign up to receive a free subscription to Games for Windows Magazine. You can sign up for one or two years to this publication.
This is a great freebie for the cooks out there. Cooking Light Magazine is offering a free DVD and mini-cookbook to aid you through the process of hosting a Supper Club. Just sign up for their monthly newsletter full of tips & ideas, and you will receive this freebie. This freebie should arrive by the beginning of August.
Receive a free sample of Cutivate Lotion made especially for people who suffer from eczema. You will also receive a $20 coupon towards your next prescription of this lotion.
Get a free sample of the new Dove Cream Oil Body Wash. Simply click on the, “Free Sample” link for this freebie. This offer is good only while supplies last. This free sample should arrive in six to eight weeks.
Join the Family Fun Magazine Reader Panel where you can share tips and ideas with their readers. If you answer just two of their email questions, you can receive either one of Family Fun’s newest craft kits or a one year free subscription to their magazine. This does have a quick survey that you will need to fill out in order to qualify for their panel.
Receive a free six ounce sample pouch of Naturals from Purina Cat Chow Cat Food.
Join the OJ Quench Club from Orange Julius and they will send you a coupon for a free treat and special coupons just for members.
Delta is offering 250 bonus Delta SkyMiles if you take their short survey.
If you are planning a trip to Disney World, this is a great freebie. Disney is now offering Customized Maps where you can receive a free, full-color, keepsake quality map of the park you will be visiting.
The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore is offering a free day on March 3rd & 4th (tomorrow & Sunday), in celebration of their opening weekend. Visit their site for more information on these free days.
Franklin Park Zoo, in Boston, is offering free admission if you share your past experience visiting their zoo. Complete their survey and they will send you a free guest admission. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the link under, “Guest Experience Survey.”
Receive a free sample from Godiva’s new chocolate line, “Chocoiste.” Just take a quick survey and choose your favorite type of chocolate. This is a free 1.5 oz tin! Please allow six to ten weeks for delivery.
Are you a yoga or pilates instructor? Do you know someone who is? They can register to receive a wonderful YogaFit gift pack full of information and freebies! Check this link for all the details. The form was not showing up for me, but it does offer an email address and phone number where you can make your request.
Have someone in your life who is getting married? Have them register for the Macy’s Wedding & Gift Registry Dream Book.
This is not technically a freebie, but it is a great buy one, get one free offer. Mrs. Smith’s is offering a take the cake challenge. You can receive a coupon for a free Mrs. Smith Pound Cake if you purchase one and get your rebate in by March 31, 2007. Visit this link for more details.
Register to receive a coupon for one free Atkins Advantage Nutrition Bar.
Claim a complimentary subscription to Charisma Magazine. This does have a survey, but you can reply, “No, Thank You” to the offers listed.
Visit this site to print your own free customized Warning labels for your home.
Sign up to receive a free can of Mighty Dog Food. The link is in the bottom right-hand corner of the website.
Happy Friday, everyone!
Meals:
Italian Chops served over Spaghetti Noodles
Bruschetta Chicken Bake with a Garden Salad
Amy’s French Toast with Hot Cocoa
Pan Grilled Salmon with Chicken Flavored Rice & Green Beans
Chicken Tacos with Carrot Sticks
Chicken Wings with Honey BBQ Sauce, Cheese Quesadillas, & Carrot Sticks
Snack:
Shopping List:
BAKERY
White bread 1 (Amy’s French Toast) & save a portion for Cheesy Toasts
Flour
Baking Soda
Sugar
Brown Sugar
Honey
Chicken Flavored Stuffing mix
Chicken broth canned 2 cans- 1 (Slow Cooker Taco Meat) & 1 (Green Beans)
Vegetable canned Green Beans
Tomatoes canned 1 can diced (Italian Chops) | 1 can (Bruschetta Chicken Bake)
Spaghetti sauce, any variety
Shredded mozzarella cheese 1 package (Bruschetta Chicken Bake) & save a portion for Cheesy Bread
Mexican Cheese
Vegetable oil
Olive oil
Barbecue sauce
Soy sauce
Maple syrup
Milk
1 package Butter
1 dozen eggs
Taco shells 2 packages (for Cheese Quesadillas & for Taco Night)
Salmon Fillets in Frozen Section
Bananas
MEAT
1 package center-cut pork chops
Spaghetti 1-2# box of thin spaghetti noodles
Rice- Chicken Flavored
1 bag chicken breasts (split for Brushetta Chicken Bake & Slow Cooker Taco Meat)
1 bag of chicken wings
Salt
Cinnamon
Basil
Vanilla Extract
1 Taco Seasoning Packet
Carrot 2 bags of carrot sticks or 1 bag of regular carrots cleaned and sliced
Garlic (you can substitute this ingredient with garlic powder, if you like)
1 package Romaine Hearts (for Slow Cooker Tacos & a Garden Salad)
White wine (For Italian Chops)
APPROXIMATE COST for meal planner: $60 (this will include everything you need for baking and will also leave you leftovers for lunches & such)
Sometimes it is fun to have a finger food night. We did just that last evening and it was a roaring hit. Who doesn’t love having a big tray of yummy appetizers to munch on? My husband and children are big snackers, so this really fit the bill with our family. Step outside of the box and have a finger food night!
Finger Food Night: Chicken Wings With Honey BBQ Sauce
Serves 10Â
3 pounds chicken wings (purchased in the frozen section of Aldi)
1 cup honey
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup BBQ sauce
1/8 cup vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced
Season wings with salt & pepper. Place frozen wings on broiler pan and broil for twelve-fifteen minutes on each side. Transfer wings to the slow cooker. Combine ingredients and pour over wings. Cook on high two hours or low for four hours.
Nutritional facts per serving (daily value): Calories 438kcal; Protein 26g (51%); Total Fat 24g (38%)(Sat. 6g (31%)); Chol. 103mg (34%); Carb. 30g (10%); Fiber 0g (1%); Sugars 28g; Calcium 22mg (2%); Iron 2mg (10%)
The wings were served with a big bowl of carrot sticks, a bowl of apple slices, and cheese quesadillas (made from the leftover soft shells & Mexican cheese from the Chicken Taco night). I just took the soft shells and filled them with cheese, folded them in half, and then popped them in my panini maker. The same idea could be used with a George Foreman grill or you can just heat them in a skillet. Cut these into triangles and you can add any ingredients you like for topping or just serve them plain (as my family seems to enjoy!)
We have fast food on occasion over here. The typical type of fast food we have is something I can throw together without really thinking about it. Last night ended up being a fast food night and even though it isn’t really a recipe per se, it is still something that you can have on hand for a night when you don’t have a lot of time or you are short on groceries.
Fazoli’s Night: Plain Old Spaghetti
Serves Six
1 jar of your favorite type of spaghetti sauce (mushroom, meat, three cheese, or plain)
1/2 a box of thin spaghetti (Aldi’s packages their boxes of spaghetti in two pound boxes, so you only need half of one for this dinner)
Prepare pasta as directed on the box. Heat spaghetti sauce. Drain pasta and toss the pasta with the sauce.
Cheap Cheesy Bread
Serves Four
Leftover bread from the loaf used for French Toast night (I even use the heels of the bread loaf for this)
Spreadable butter
Garlic Salt
Handful of Italian Cheese blend cheese
Preheat broiler. Arrange slices on a cookie sheet. Spread butter on them. Sprinkle with garlic salt & cheese. Toast under your broiler for two minutes or until the bread is golden & toasty.
After some of your comments, I have decided how I will be arranging this blog. This week will be a bit different than the usual week, but I do want to get some more of your opinions on this. If you would like to leave a comment, please just click on the entry title to open the comment box.
I will put together one week’s worth of recipes. Each recipe will be an individual entry, that way you can print just that recipe versus a giant file. At the end of this week, I will put together a shopping list and an APPROXIMATE amount of money you will need to spend to make these dinners. This is approximate, as I don’t want anyone to hold me to it. It should give you a rough idea of how much you will need to spend. The grocery list will also include all of the recipes at the top of it, with the links to the entries, so you know what you will be preparing.
I am also trying to supply nutritional data for each of the recipes to help those of you who are watching calories or who are diabetic.
Each week I will also try and highlight if there is anything worth noting in the Aldi fliers for the week. If they carry a “Special Purchase” that week or they have a great deal on something non-food related, I will be sure to mention it.
In addition, I am trying to take pictures of the food so that you know how it looks. I hate when I read a recipe and I can’t visualize what something is “supposed” to look like. If you click on the picture, it will expand to a bigger size so you can see the food in more detail.
We are going to be adding more things and tweaking things on the blog, but I hope that this is something that you will find useful & beneficial in menu-planning and staying on target with your budget.
Again, bloggers please share this with your readers & readers share this with your friends. I do want to make sure we are getting enough hits that the work on this is worthwhile. I need your help in spreading the word!
We will see if I can keep up with all of this. Some of the recipes will make repeats on the blog, as we do eat things more than once over here! Regardless, I will do the best I can to add some variation to the planners and share food that I think your families will enjoy!
The FruitaBu Twirls look exactly like a fruit roll-up. Miles of smooshed fruit in various flavors are available. What kid could resist this kind of product?
Much thanks to FruitaBu for giving us the opportunity to sample their new products. We have become big fans of this company and their endeavors to enable us to eat more healthy. The best part about this company is that they do not sacrifice the taste factor in the process.