For a couple of years, MarkdownMom has wanted to visit Aldi. Some have referred to this grocery store as a thrift store grocery, but like their chain membership counterparts, Aldi provides an opportunity for customers to save money on staples and specialty groceries.
For instance, lump crab claw meat usually sells for around $15.00/lb., MarkdownMom found it for $4.99 8 oz., carne picada great in burritos, tacos, and recipes requiring shredded beef for $ 3.29 /lb., 16 oz. frozen mussels $2.99, frozen huge akia eggrolls $2.49 pkg., vacuum packed sliced genoa salami $2.49/lb., 12 oz.can of frozen limeade 77¢, and fresh fruit such as seedless grapes 77¢ lb., bananas 39¢/lb., Moser Roth chili flavored chocolate bar $1.69, and more.
This might not be huge savings, but when you factor in the quality, the savings mount up little by little; MarkdownMom recommends adding Aldi to your grocery resources to spice up family meals for less!
Years ago MarkdownMom planted two cherry trees with the underlying reasoning that if you want to add ornamental design to your landscape, you might as well go for a twofer and produce something edible. Well, this past year both trees produced a bountiful harvest, so MarkdownMom put on her Martha Stewart apron and decided to make cherry pie from scratch. I mean this is really a moment in history, well MarkdownMom’s history anyway, that may never come again. So, in keeping with this once in a lifetime moment, here is MarkdownMom’s recipe for cherry pie from scratch including the preparation of homegrown cherries that was shared with family members to rave reviews.
First of all, you don’t have to grow your own cherries–you can purchase them as a summer seasonal item. Many cherry producers are located in Michigan and other states and they ship their product. To pit cherries, you can either use a cherry pitter, a bobbypin, or a toothpick. By going into the center of the cherry from the stem, you can remove the pit easily. To prevent getting your hands stained red, if you pit a number of cherries, you can use rubber gloves, not the thick ones for cleaning, but thin surgical type ones.
Fresh Cherry Pie Filling
This pie filling can be made ahead and frozen for future use.
4 Cups Cherries
1 Cup Sugar
1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
4 Tbspns. Cornstarch
1/2 tspn. Almond Extract
Method: Combine pitted cherries, sugar, lemon juice. Stir and let sit 6 hours, stirring occasionally. Drain and reserve cherry juice. Set drained cherries aside.
Take the juice from cherries and combine small amount syrup with cornstarch in a separate measuring bowl to make paste. Put syrup into pan over medium heat and cook, slowly adding the cornstarch and juice paste slowly to thicken syrup. Remove from stove and let cool.
Add drained cherries to cooled syrup and pour into unbaked shell. Cover with another pie shell or weave pie strips to cover top of pie. Sprinkle with sugar. Put pie dish onto pan to catch the juices that may bubble over during baking. Bake at 350 for about 25-45 minutes depending upon your oven, until filling is bubbling. Remove from oven and let cool.
Despite the popular California Dairy Ad Campaign, the proof is in the pudding, or the product to determine the happiest cows. Franklin Foods located in Duluth, Minnesota is the distributor of Arrowhead Cottage Cheese. How good can cottage cheese be?
Well, let’s put it this way, locals now living in Minneapolis make runs to Duluth and load up on Arrowhead Cottage Cheese. The consistency is creamy, and the taste is absolutely yummy without any of the sour or bitterness you can encounter in some of their competitors. Add fruit, or herbs, makes a wonderful substitute for ricotta in lasagna, or eat it just plain. Great way to meet your calcium needs, too!
Once a yearTarget Super Centersoffers freshwater frozen lobster tails. For $6.99 a piece, this is a super deal if you have checked what having a lobster in a restaurant costs. You can steam these, put them with other seafood, or better yet, they are perfect for the grill. Here’s your chance to feast like a king, but hurry as this comes once a year, and in Minneapolis, MN and probably others it’s here forValentine’s Day!
Even the most frugal of us likes a sweet goodie or two, and if you have the time to try your hand at pastry, here’s how to make homemade and save big bucks!
MarkdownMom visited the store forNordicware®, a store located next to its’ factory in Minneapolis. Famous for their bundt cake molds and mixes, you can buy nordicware cookware at 10%-30% off retail, and if you go to the far left wall as you enter the door, you will find their markdown area with 50% off and more. On her visit MarkdownMom picked up a shortcake pan at 50%off and premixed bundt cake mixes for about $3.00.
Plus if you are new to baking or want to hone your skills further, they offer instore classes. There’s nothing better than homemade, and now you can cut your costs even more at this factory store! When you do, tell them MarkdownMom sent you.
To make ends meet, the consumer during economic hard times has to think out-of-the box. Here are 5 sourcesMarkdown Mom found with deals on canned goods and other food products at a substantial savings.
Menards andFleet Farm Stores. Expanding to meet the camper in all of us, these stores have carried many items including BBQ sauces, munchies like taco chips, beef jerky, nuts, fish batter, etc. However, recently MarkdownMom found Progresso Soups at Menards, including clam chowder and other varieties that are not always carried in your local grocery stores, for a bargain price of $1.50/can. Check out their dried soups like the Shore Lunch creamy wild rice and cheddar broccoli soup mix (made from scratch).
Big Lots!. Since this is an overstock store you never know what you will find, but in a recent visit MarkdownMom found spices like herbes de provence and other specialty items comparatively inexpensive and usually found in high end grocery stores . Plus join theirBuzz Club and earn an extra 20% off purchases!
Dollar Stores. This is a given thatMarkdownMompreviously has written about this store genre that goes by various names such as The Dollar Tree, Family Dollar Store, The Dollar Store, etc.–cereals, cookies, pickles, artichokes and specialty items to name just a few—and they are either just $1.00 or sometimes 2/$1.00.
Thrift Stores. From time to time, you can find after the holidays at Goodwill Stores some overstock grocery items like cake mixes and Holiday specialty items from Target. Just be sure that the package has not been opened before buying to prevent tampering. Items are usually 50%+ off store prices.
Looking out at the snow blowing across the street, bare trees, icicles hanging from your spouse’s whiskers–and this is Florida! Just kidding, although at 40º it must feel like it’s freezing. For the rest of us, we could use a little Florida sunshine. For a little comfort and to keep healthy, color your world orange with these deals.
Lunds & Byerly’s has great deals to brighten your chilly mornings. First, get 5 lb. box of clementines for $4.99, save $3.00. 2). Save 50¢ lb. on Tropicana Oranges.
Plus get a online coupon for a 64oz. carton of Tropicana Orange Juice for 99¢ with a $10 purchase, ordering online use Promo Code: 010710 at checkout. Coupon good until 1-13-2010.
The ‘Coupon Mom’ went on the Today Show this morning and showed the hosts how she was able to purchase $100 worth of groceries for only 25 cents. Her handy tips will help you save money every time you go to the supermarket.
A bygone frontier era included a self-sufficiency seldom experienced in our present mechanized society. However, either because of a desire to become green or a desire to create our own homemade gourmet products, a demand for the manual machines of yesteryear has increased.
Markdown Mom has been watching auction sites, thrift stores, and antique stores and one item that goes for a hefty price , no matter the condition, is a hand butter churner.
Now, the butter churner has been reproduced atQVC. The Paderno World Cuisine Butter Maker has the same mechanism updated and made out of metal rather than wood. Simple to use, just add cream and you can have your own delicious butter. With additional ingredients such as herbs, you can give your guests and family a gourmet treat–a potential addition to homemade gifts. QVC offers this at $109.97+sh. Made in Italy.
For a couple of years, MarkdownMom has wanted to visit Aldi. Some have referred to this grocery store as a thrift store grocery, but like their chain membership counterparts, Aldi provides an opportunity for customers to save money on staples and specialty groceries. 
First of all, you don’t have to grow your own cherries–you can purchase them as a summer seasonal item. Many cherry producers are located in Michigan and other states and they ship their product. To pit cherries, you can either use a cherry pitter, a bobbypin, or a toothpick. By going into the center of the cherry from the stem, you can remove the pit easily. To prevent getting your hands stained red, if you pit a number of cherries, you can use rubber gloves, not the thick ones for cleaning, but thin surgical type ones.
To make ends meet, the consumer during economic hard times has to think out-of-the box. Here are 5 sources 
Lunds & Byerly’s
MarkDownMom