Let Me Help You Save Some $$ This Easter

What other celebration can you have friends over and serve them pickled beets and eggs? Seriously, if it was my husband’s birthday and I said to my friends, “Let’s play games and I’ll order a pizza. Oh, and we’ll also have pickled beets and eggs!” I’d probably just get a smile and a nod. They wouldn’t even know what to say. BUT, I can get away with it at Easter! I love hosting Easter dinner, mainly because it reminds of me of childhood traditions with my grandmother…Anthony Thomas chocolate bunnies, orange peel candy, and Easter eggs masterfully hidden by my granddad. This year, though, my bank account is stretched (doin’ some learnin’ at the university) and I had to do a little digging to find ways to save this holiday. Have you heard of Aldi?

Aldi is a small discount grocery store. They offer quality brand foods at more than half the cost of the leading grocery store chains. The reason I mention Aldi is because I know how challenging it can be to afford groceries when you have kids, or host a big meal. I buy local as much as I can, but simply cannot afford organic, Ohio-grown food all of the time. I need to buy what I can when I can, and Aldi offers great savings on staple items. They carry all you need for a week’s worth of groceries.

Be sure to bring your own bags and a quarter for a cart. Aldi does their best to cut costs on groceries so you can save, but that also means they need to cut costs on average items we take for granted, such as bags and grocery carts. They also do not accept credit cards. Be prepared to pay with cash or your debit card.

Please also note: my husband bought camping chairs and great food items for camping at Aldi. Be sure to check out their coupon page if you get The Dispatch or online for non-food items!

Aldi
4664 Sawmill Rd
Columbus, OH 43220
http://www.aldifoods.com

Doing a brunch instead of a dinner? Be the hostess with the mostest with the Aldi Easter brunch menu below (all items can be found at Aldi and at seriously cheap prices). Serve some fresh fruit, yogurt, and offer some tasty beverages such as coffee or juice and let the egg hunts begin! *They are also carrying flowers and Easter candy*

Easter Brunch Menu:

Sunnyside Breakfast Casserole

Recipe courtesy of Chef Michelle Schmidt, ALDI Test Kitchen

Serves 20

• 7 each Season’s Choice Frozen Hash Brown Patties
• 1 bag Little Salad Bar Flat Leaf Spinach, sliced
• 1/2 bag (9 patties) Breakfast Best Pre Cooked Sausage Patties, Original
• 1 bag Happy Farms Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 12 Goldhen Large Eggs
• 3/4 cup Friendly Farms Half and Half
• 5 medium tomatoes, ends removed and sliced into quarters
• 2 tbsp Stonemill Essentials Parsley Flakes
• 1½ tsp Stonemill Essentials Salt
• 1 tsp Stonemill Essentials Ground Black Pepper

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

Total time: 60 minutes

Directions:

1.    Preheat oven to 350° and coat 13×9-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.

2.    Pan-fry the hash brown patties in a skillet according to packaging directions. Once fried and cooled, crumble the patties and evenly spread them into the baking dish.

3.    Microwave the sausage patties for 40 seconds and then crumble them.

4.    Evenly top the hash browns with the sliced spinach. Follow with the sausage, and 2½ cups of the cheese.

5.    In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, half and half, salt and pepper. Pour over the casserole and pat down the mixture with a flat spatula.

6.    Evenly top with the sliced tomato and sprinkle with remaining cheese and parsley.

7.    Bake 45 minutes. Serve hot or cold.

Baked French Toast with Orange

Recipe courtesy of Chef Alyssa, ALDI Test Kitchen

Serves 10-12

• 16 oz L’oven Fresh Sandwich Bread, any flavor, toasted
• 4 Goldhen Eggs
• 24 oz Friendly Farms Hazelnut Coffee Creamer
• 8 oz Nature’s Nectar 100% Pure Florida Orange Juice
• 1/4 cup            Baker’s Corner Brown Sugar
• 1/4 cup            Baker’s Corner Granulated White Sugar
• 1 tsp Stonemill Essentials Ground Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Stonemill Essentials Ground Nutmeg
• 1 tsp Stonemill Essentials Pure Vanilla
• Zest and juice from 1 orange
• 2 cups Millville Natural Granola
• 1/2 cup            Countryside Butter, softened
• Cooking spray

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 60-90 minutes

Total Time: 70-100 minutes

Directions:

1.    Prep the day before and refrigerate overnight before baking.

2.    Spray a 13×9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

3.    Layer slices of toasted bread in the baking dish.

4.    Whisk together eggs, creamer, orange juice, sugars, spices, vanilla and orange zest and juice.

5.    Pour mixture over bread. Make sure it covers all pieces and press down gently if needed.

6.    Mix together butter and granola and spread over top.

7.    Cover with plastic and refrigerate overnight.

8.    Preheat oven to 350°.

9.    Bring to room temperature, remove plastic cover and bake for 60 minutes covered in foil.

10.  Remove foil and bake for 15-30 minutes until casserole bounces back when touched and a toothpick comes out clean.

11.  Top should be golden brown.

12.  Top with Berryhill Pancake Syrup and serve with Breakfast Best Pre Cooked Sausage Patties.

 **Cbusmom was not given discounts or products to write this post. She did it out of the kindness of her heart to help her fine readers save MONEY!**