Mac and Fitz Speaks...: July 2013

Monday, July 29, 2013

A Favorite Grocery List...

Don't you love lists?

"Top Five Beaches in the World",

"The Top Ten Worst Celebrity Face Lifts!",

"The Best New Restaurants, 2013",

" People Magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive",

and here's a good one...

"Consumer Reports: Best Front Loading Washers"...

Okay, the last one is boring,

but I think we all like to read about

"the best of," or ranks of people, cars

or even lawn mowers...

We like to feel like we are in the know,

and/or have an educated mind

about consumer products, right?

And here is where I present

my not-so-scintillating list of AWESOME products

I have found/used/loved

from my two favorite grocery stores:

Aldi

and Trader Joes...

Ok, you might already be nodding off...

If you are, check back with me

in a few days...

Maybe I'll have a post more to your liking...

You know what, though?

I love it when a friend raves

over an item she found at the store...

First of all, the item is probably something

I may not have noticed on the shelves, ever...

Secondly, her high rating gives the product

instant credibility, increasing my chances

of giving that product a road test...

You can forget commercials,

magazine ads or pop ups on Facebook...

If a friend says that the frozen pizzas at Aldi rock

and they are only $4.99, I am so there...

Look, these days it's not like my life is about

comparing emeralds or the newest cabin cruiser...

It's about finding small glories in less precious,

but quite satisfying finds,

like a cheap, but delicious rose' wine...

So, without further soap boxing,

the following are items I have found, tested

and LOVED at Aldi and Trader Joes...

No, I have not been compensated, either,

with product or cash...

These are just things I like...

If you don't have these stores in your town,

I am sorry and I hope they open there very soon!

Also, if you have found totally awesome products

that you would like to share,

PLEASE DO!

I love hearing about cool, new stuff!!

1. Benton's Caramel Coconut Fudge Cookies:

Hold onto your sashes, People!

These cookies taste EXACTLY like

Girl Scout cookies Samoas!

I am going to have to close my eyes

and zip right past them at Aldi because

it is tempting to buy 10 boxes.

The kids went crazy, they are so good...

2. Trader Joe's Bacon Cheddar Ranch Dip:

aka Crack in our house...

This dip is a chunky, cheesy, bacon-y narcotic

and my father would have main lined it if possible...

Great with crackers, baby carrots

and sugar snap peas...

3. La Ferme Julien Rose':

T$ and I are whisked away to Paris

when we enjoy this wine...

Okay, maybe Paris, Texas,

but it is a tasty, light summer wine,

and at only $4.99 a bottle,

a great deal at Trader Joes...

4. Trader Giottos Balsamic Glaze:

If you are a fan of the tomato/basil/mozzarella salad,

this glaze is for you...

It is so delicious drizzled over the salad,

but it is also wonderful with grilled meats...

Forget reducing balsamic vinegar over the stove...

The kitchen gets that acidy,

almost acrid smell and trust me,

it won't taste nearly as good as this velvety glaze...

5. Aldi's Specially Selected Plain Goat Cheese:

Cheese ain't cheap...

Have you priced out a nice hunk

of parmesan cheese lately?

Might as well re-mortgage the house!

I am a big fan of goat cheese

and Aldi sells logs of it, same size,

but half the price...

Oh yeah!!

Oh, and try the goat cheese with blueberries

smeared all over it...

Delectable with crackers!!

6. Trader Joe's Mediterranean Hummus:

There is something about the spices

and bunch of marinated pine nuts

decorating this tub of hummus that speaks to me...

Mainly it says,

"C'mon...Hoover me...

You know you want to..."

7. Angry Orchard Hard Cider:

I bought a case of this at Binny's

after an English friend of T$'s introduced me to it...

Yum...

But I can only have one or it's lights out!

8. Trader Joes Steamed and Peeled Baby Beets:

I'm on a serious beet jag right now

and these beets are ready to go

when I want my favorite beet salad...

9. Trader Joes Spanish Cheese Tapas Sampler:

You get three great cheeses to try

and they are shaped in cute, small triangles...

They make your antipasto platter look so chic.

Also, try TJ's salami and cheese kits

which are also a quick way to amp up

the wow factor for those tailgate parties...

10:Trader Joe's Soy Creamer:

A few months ago I gave up sugar in my coffee,

only because this creamer

makes sugarless coffee more palatable.

It has only 32 calories per serving,

no fat and only one carb, too.

Actually, it is very creamy

and I use it in place of heavy cream

for cooking sometimes...

11: Aldi's Mama Cozzi Frozen Pizzas:

At $4.99 a pizza,

this is my go to for after school kid throw downs

or for those nights when cooking

seems the worst chore ever...

They are pretty tasty...

They aren't Happy Joe's, Harris or Art of Pizza,

mind you, but they suffice in a pinch

and a cheap one at that!

12: Aldi's Turano Italian Bread:

This massive loaf of bread

lasts me at least a month...

Thinly sliced, it make the best bruschetta

or breakfast toast...

Kept in the freezer,

it's a good thing, Martha!

13: Aldi's Savoritz Pita Crackers:

The crispy little rounds of snacking goodness

were a exciting find since they are so much less expensive

than the pita chips

at the regular grocery stores...

And I think they taste better, too...

14: Biscoff Cookie Spread:

Holy Elixir from God, Batman!

This stuff is unbelievable...

I saved the best for last...

This cookie spread tastes like

the yummy little cookies they serve to you on the Delta flights

or at Julius Meinl coffee shops

here in Chicago...

Ground into a spread,

this buttery cinnamon-y confection

is fantastic in a sandwich with sliced bananas...

Or as Gooey Bars (try this recipe; you will thank me)

If you buy nothing else on this list,

just give Mrs. Biscoff a try.

I think there is a similar product at TJ's

called "Cookie Spread"...

So, these are some of my favorite food treasures...

I hope you test out a few of them yourselves...

Share with me your finds, too!

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Make a Splash...

Installing a back splash scares me...

Any home project having to do with tile seems like

it should be left to the professionals...

But when a friend recently boasted

of tiling her own bathroom,

I was intrigued...

However, upon further rumination,

I believe had I attempted the task myself,

the end result would have looked terrible,

there would have been a paint-curling tirade

of swearing,

and many tears would have been shed...

Thankfully, T$ willingly stepped up

to do the installation...

He is the master of precision

and power tools...

Watching him expertly man the diamond blade tile saw

gave me the shivers...

Men don't realize that doing chores for us

is very sexy...

Ahem....we LOVE it!

And they look quite manly handling power tools...

I have wanted a back splash in my kitchen for years...

So, in the spirit of our current
home improvement journey,

I hit the Home Depot

in search of affordable tiles...

This glass mini subway tile in mint

spoke to me...

Arctic Ice...

It looks sleek, cool and the color somehow

makes our tired, old, eighties laminated cabinets look whiter...

At $8.97 per square foot, it was affordable and rather chic...

After flagging down a kind Home Depot employee

who filled my cart with all the tools and mixes

needed to complete the job,

we were ready to get tilin'!

This DIY video is an excellent tutorial

on how to install a back splash...

The number one rule we learned was

to measure twice,

cut once...

The tiles are not super forgiving,

so if you are off by 1/8th inch, it will show...

The tile saw is fifty dollars a day to rent,

but you must have it to cut glass tiles...

A tile nipper or hand tile cutter is fine

for natural or porcelain tiles, though...

The mortar should be mixed to the consistency of peanut butter

or else your tiles will slide right off of the wall...

Not that this happened to us or anything...

The job took about four hours

to tile eighteen linear feet...

After the tile was applied,

it must sit for twenty four hours

before the grout can be smeared on...

I applied the grout while T$ was at work...

It was more difficult than I anticipated...

Note to self:

Get a small float to apply grout
in back splash area...

I felt like I was using a dinner plate to apply the grout...
It was a mess!

Once the grout is applied and the tiles are wiped clean,
the grout must cure for a couple of days...

Then the grout sealer is sprayed

onto the new grout...

So, it is a four day process...

Total cost: Approximately $220.00

Not bad for a splashy new effect in the kitchen!

With a new paint job on the walls and wood work,
my kitchen looks fresh and bright...

Last on the kitchen to do list,
a new top for the island...

I am sourcing low cost options as we speak...

DIY may take longer than dialing your favorite handyman,
but it's so much cheaper
and satisfying when completed!

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Turnovers...

I wish I was talking about the hot, flaky kind,

oozing with crimson juice

and plump, warm cherries...

Add vanilla ice cream

and now you are talking ala' mode heaven...

Nope, this is about friends turning over...

Time and again we have made new friends,

only to learn they are moving away...

"Hey!

We just met!

You can't just up and leave!

We haven't grilled out together yet..."

Oh, it can be frustrating when a budding couple friendship

fizzles as they load the Mayflower truck

and speed off to the suburbs or further...

What's worse, though, is when long-time,

reliable and comfortable as a cozy sweater kind of friends

decide to move away...

Without your permission...

Whaaa?

How can they do this?

What about Wine Fridays where we laugh

and drink while the kids destroy the house?

No more catching up between CCD carpools,

sitting on the front steps,
cocktail in hand,

watching the kids zoom down the sidewalk...

We have history here!

Three of our friends are moving out of state...

They will leave holes of varying sizes...

We will sorely miss all of them,
but our neighbors,

who are moving back to their original home out east,

will leave the largest void...

We have watched our babies grow up,

we have spent major holidays together,

we have shed tears and laughed until we cried...

My friend was one of those who got me,
warts and all, and still, she liked me!

She and I could talk for hours about anything...

When I miscarried, she was there
with the best, most comforting hug...

My friend had a gift for flowers
that grew into a business
and yet she always had time
to help make my flower pots spectacular...

Her parties were lively, bursting with delicious food
and always memorable...

But most of all, my dear friend was
as real as it gets
and was truly lovely in all ways...

Yesterday was the day their house was emptied...

I couldn't watch the moving truck pull away...

My heart is breaking to see our friends leave our street...

It will take a while to get over their absence,

but in time, they will settle in their new home

and we will fill that hole, too, I guess....

It won't be the same,

but it will be okay...

The only constant in life is change,

and embracing upheaval

can be rough sometimes...

But I can choose to be miserable

about what life slings my way

or I can laugh and open my arms

to what may come...

Turnovers...

Maybe the UAE will call us sooner than later

and our next move will be to Abu Dhabi...

We are hopeful our kids will experience a distant culture...

The difference is that, at some point,
we will return
to our familiar street ...

Turnovers can be so good,

even if they are tinged with sadness...

So, to bring back some sweetness,

here is a tantalizing turnover recipe for you...

Bye, dear Friends ...We love you all...

Sweet Cherry Hand Pies, courtesy of Wives with Knives

: July Issue ~ Bon Appetit Magazine

Ingredients

1-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups fresh cherries, stemmed and pitted, or about 12 ounces frozen pitted cherries, unthawed
⅔ cups dried cherries
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
½ teaspoon salt
1 14-ounce package puff pastry
Flour for dusting
1 large egg white
2 teaspoons sanding sugar

Instructions

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Stir constarch and 1-1/2 tablespoons cold water in a small bowl to blend. Combine fresh cherries and next 5 ingredients in a large saucepan. Cook over medium high heat, stirring constantly, until cherry juices are released, about 5 minutes. Add cornstarch mixture, bring to a boil, stirring often. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface to an 18″x15″ rectangle. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut dough into nine 6″x5″ rectangles. Whisk egg white with 1 tablespoon water in another small bowl for egg wash.
Working with one pastry rectangle at a time, place on a work surface and brush edges with egg wash. Scoop 3 tablespoons cherry mixture onto one side, fold dough over filling so that short ends meet, forming a 5″x3″ packet. Crimp edges with a fork to seal. Using a sharp knife cut a few slits in top of pastry to vent. Place on prepared baking sheet, repeat with remaining dough and filling.
Brush tops with egg wash, then sprinkle with sugar. Chill for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake pastries until tops and bottoms are golden brown, 30-35 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes on baking sheet. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.