I first made this for a group of writers at a retreat in a lovely home overlooking the Pacific Ocean. It’s a quick and easy dish that presents beautifully for brunch and is filled with bright flavors. It does not require the traditional pre-cooking in a pan; it bakes fully in the oven and the clean up is a breeze.
Let’s talk about the meat selection at Grocery Outlet Alameda. You know that most of the products are acquired by buying excess inventory at deep discounts, moving it quickly into the stores and passing on the savings to the shopper. But in order to ensure that stores have an ample supply of essentials … meat, milk and eggs … they are ordered from from the source just like the larger chain grocery stores. This means that the discounts may not be as deep as their other products, but they are still comparable and, most often, less expensive than the competitors. This also means that you can rely on getting the same quality meat every time you shop. (Click HERE to read the company statement on how they keep the prices low.) You’ll find weekly specials on fresh meat and fish in a refrigerated display near the entrance.
Her head hit the shower door hard and she slumped onto the cold tile floor. He slammed the door behind him with a bang without looking at her or saying a word. Enough had already been said. Blood dripped down her cheek and she licked the droplet as it reached the corner of her lips. Warm and metallic tasting.
She heard the crackling noise and looked up. A dozen cracks crept from the spot of impact, creating a spider web across the glass. Fascinating. She shifted into a more comfortable position and waited patiently. Even the slightest sound would bring him back in a renewed rage.
The combination of ingredients in this lasagna make it every bit as delicious as a traditional recipe using beef and ricotta, but with half the calories. The total cost of these ingredients at the Alameda Grocery Outlet was a whopping $12. It can be assembled in the morning and refrigerated; then the chill taken off while the stove heats. There’s no need to boil the noodles, saving time and a pot.
Hubby and I were invited to an evening of glass creation at a friend’s home art studio. He has all the tools, molds, a kiln, and oodles of gorgeous pieces of glass in all colors and sizes. (Plus an amazing collection of fabulous wine to stimulate the creative juices!)
I offered to bring dinner and decided on several small bite dishes. I was limited to about 45 minutes of prep at home, then assembled the plates in his kitchen. In the future, I’d make the poke about an hour earlier so the fish could sit in the marinade a bit longer and I’d make homemade meatballs. I shot for an array of flavors and a combination that would be substantial for a full meal, and all but one were served cold. It made for a casual meal with good conversation and friends, and I didn’t spend much time in the kitchen. Continue reading
One year ago today I sat vigil at Nana’s bedside, her last on Earth after 98 years. I held her hand, brushed her hair, sang her favorite old hymns, recited psalms and prayed. My husband, daughter, son-in-law, grandboys and rabbi came for visits throughout the day. and my son and sister called with their goodbyes. My only break was a short walk to sit alone on a bench across the street from the rest home.
I love Grocery Outlet. First and foremost because it reminds me of my Nana. The only thing she loved more than a bargain was her grandchildren. We didn’t shop there often as she lived in Alameda and the nearest stores were in San Leandro and Oakland. Leaving the island and traveling above 25 mph gave her anxiety; instead we opted for the various dollar stores around town so she could get her discount fix.
Grocery Outlet opened in Alameda a few months ago on Buena Vista at Lincoln (the site of the old Liquor Barn for you old timers, and more recently West Marine) and I made a trip to check out the deals. I take after my Nana in loving a bargain only slightly less than my own Grands and enjoy creating delicious and eye-pleasing meals so I challenged myself to come up with a week’s worth of dinners using only their products. The menus consisted of roasted game hens over root veggies (pictured at the top of the page), seared ahi tuna and arugula salad, a low-cal and low-carb lasagna (recipe next week), barbecued chicken and grilled asparagus, and steaks and artichokes.
This week we’re having tortellini with chicken meatballs and veggies in an Alfredo sauce (pictured above), orange peel chicken stir-fry over cauliflower rice, barbecued tri tip with coleslaw, and roasted butterflied leg of lamb over spinach with crispy polenta cakes. Each meal costs between $9 – $15 total for hubby and I, with leftovers for lunches.
I post many of my recipes on this blog and thought that it would be fun to post my bargain meals from Grocery Outlet. Then I took it a step farther and got up the confidence to meet the store owner, Elie Zgheib, also an Alamedan, and pitched my idea. He loved it and offered to feature the link to my blog on their Facebook sponsored post which has a huge reach. Win-win … we’ll promote each other! I’m pretty excited about this partnership and fun challenge.
Beginning next Tuesday I’ll be posting “GO To Tuesday” weekly recipes for meals made from Alameda Grocery Outlet products in my tiny kitchen. I don’t consider myself a gourmet chef in any way, shape or form, but I enjoy feeding my family and friends with simple but tasty and cost-effective meals. I hope you’ll check out your local Grocery Outlet and give my recipes a try!
Lisa was a bartender at a local club and always terrified that she’d be hit by a drunk driver on her way home after closing up at 2 am. What she didn’t account for was nodding off at the wheel, blowing through a red light and being broadsided by a produce truck on its way to market.
She opened her eyes to a shattered windshield and blood everywhere. It seemed hours before the fire department arrived and pulled her out with the jaws of life. She felt herself slipping into unconsciousness in the ambulance as the paramedic jabbed a needle into her arm. Then the world went black.
Crabcakes Benedict is my hubby’s favorite breakfast and here in Northern California we have access to fresh crab year-round. If you are already doing a crab dinner, just buy a bit extra and save some meat for the next day. You could also do it with canned lump crab, as I did this time since we were traveling to a vacation spot and it transported easier than whole crab. (The kitchen in our vacay home wasn’t any bigger than the galley!)
This is a lovely, rich meal that is perfect for brunch on it’s own or paired with fresh fruit and/or potatoes. And mimosas … always mimosas!
It’s been a month now. I haven’t done much writing other than my morning pages. My practice of handwriting three pages as soon as I get out of bed and have my first cup of tea brewed is more therapy than creativity; a brain flow without any deep thinking, editing or re-reading with a critical eye. I let my thoughts and feelings fly directly from mind to pen onto paper. This daily ritual was my saving grace as I grieved for my Nana … pages of tear-stained anguish that eventually became sweet memories.
Vivo O Sonho 