Bargain Shopping at Grocery Outlet

I love a good deal, so you'll frequently find me perusing the wares at garage sales, thrift shops and outlet stores (not to mention sale racks!). Bargain hunting might as well be called 'treasure hunting,' as far as I'm concerned. Nothing beats the thrill of finding a long out-of-print copy of Better Than Store Bought cookbook, a discarded Moulinex meat grinder, or Santander chocolate priced to move (all things I've scored). Actually, the thrill is in just the possibility of finding something, which is exactly why I like shopping at Grocery Outlet.

Grocery Outlet buys closeouts and discontinued items so you never know what they will have. Unlike similar stores, they focus on quality brands and they have just about everything you'd find at a regular supermarket, including some organic produce. Sometimes you can figure it out why the product ended up there, because the size or the packaging gives it away. It might be something that was packaged for food service or a big box store. Or it might have been a seasonal promotion or flavor.

As you can imagine, each product has a story to tell, on an insider tour I learned why a terrific wine ended up being sold at a bargain price (a bank note was due and the winery needed cash) why an expensive beauty product ended up being discounted (the packaging changed and they needed to reduce inventory), why some fancy imported cookies were available (an order was cancelled after the shipment had already left Germany for the US) and why an adorable stuffed toy was being cleared out (a typo on the label). Prices vary but are often discounted 50% or more.

I also learned that Grocery Outlet is a third generation family owned company and that each store is independently operated and very involved in the local community. Employees even participated in a 'hunger challenge' style effort to experience what it was like to live on a food stamps budget.

Here are some the excellent finds from my most recent shopping trip:


Ok, so clearly this is NOT Baby Romaine! But who cares? It's an organic salad mix for an unbeatable price.


Greek yogurt. This stuff normally sells for $1.65 each at my local supermarket, and here it was 2 for a dollar!


Thomas' English Muffins really are the best you can find at any supermarket as far as I'm concerned, and $2.49 a pack is a steal.


I am crazy about Numi's puerh tea! Even with a coupon I can't get it this cheap.


Not on my usual shopping list, but how could I resist Terra Chips with Olive Oil, Roasted Garlic and Parmesan and for only $1.99 a bag? They are delicious by the way.


I'm guessing the new name 'mascarpone fresca' is what caused this to end up discounted from what the regular price $5.49 to only $1.99 (is it just me or does mascarpone sounds like the name of an Italian crime syndicate?) All that really matters is that the price is amazing for this luscious ingredient necessary for tiramisu. It's not on my regular shopping list, but like I say, I can't resist a bargain...

My thanks to Grocery Outlet for giving me a tour, introducing me to your buyers, sharing your stories and for giving me a gift card. (It will probably come as no surprise that I spent much more of my own money because I found so many good deals!)

What's the best closeout you've found or store where do you routinely find them?

DO NOT REPRINT WITHOUT PERMISSION! ©2011 Cooking with Amy. All rights reserved. This material may NOT be published, rewritten or redistributed without permission. If you are reading this post somewhere other than Cooking with Amy, the Oyster Local blog or Gather.com, then the site where you found this post is illegally publishing copyrighted material.

PIDI KARUNAIKIZHANGU CHOPS / YAM FRY

I love chops made with vazhakkai and senaikizhangu ( Elephant yam ).Recently I bought small sized black colored pidi karunai kizhangu from my native.I heard its a good remedy for piles. We usually make vatral kulambu by adding this kizhangu. This time i tried chops by searching the recipe.I got from a discussion forum hub. It was very nice and aromatic with the perfect blend of spices. The original recipe was named as 'Karunai kizhangu kola ' and it was told to deep fry. But i followed the same recipe and made in dosa tawa instead of deep frying. I would say this recipe is apt for making with elephant yam and raw banana. My doter loved it very much.We enjoyed with sambhar  and curd rice !!
                                                             
INGREDIENTS

Pidi karunai - 4 nos TO GRIND: Pottukadalai/ Fried gram dal/ Dalia - 3 tbsp Tamarind paste - 1/2 tbsp Turmeric powder - A pinch Cloves - 2 nos Cinnamon - 1 inch piece Fennel seeds/ Soambu - 1 tsp Garlic cloves - 4 nos Red chillies - 5 - 7 nos Shredded coconut - 1 tbsp Ginger - 1 small piece Salt & water - As needed. Lime juice - Optional Coriander leaves - To  garnish.

METHOD

1. Wash & soak the kizhangu in abundant water for sometime to remove all the mud.
   
2. Pressure cook in high flame for 1 whistle.It should be half done.(Skin should be hard to touch)
   
3. Now grind all the items given above adding required salt & water to make a smooth paste.
   
4. Remove the skin of the kizhangu and chop it round.
   
5. Now mix the paste ans marinate for sometime. The  kizhangu should be fully coated with the paste.
   
6. Now heat the dosa tawa and sprinkle some oil. Cover Cook the marinated pieces for sometime.Keep the flame low for even cooking. flip the pieces to cook the other side and do the same.
   
7. I Wanted a brown layer to be formed so i kept for a longer time.
   
8. Finally garnish with coriander leaves and add lime juice if necessary.
   
9. Karunai kizhangu Chops is ready !!

NOTE:

• If u want to try kolas , just cook the kizhangu well till it mashes.Mash it with ur hands and add the paste.Mix well. Add finely chopped onions and coriander leaves . Make small balls and deep fry them in batches.
  
• If u wish to try the same with senai / elephant yam , add little more tamarind paste by avoid the irritation in tongue.Add less tamarind paste to make the same with raw banana.

 I am glad in sending this recipe to priya's event..

KITCHEN CLINIC

Description These tender and tropical perennials grow up to a height of 12-18inches (around 30-45cm) in a spacing of 24-36inches (around 60-90cm). The leaves are around 50 cm in length and consist of many oval leaflets. These plants bloom around spring producing mauve or magenta colored flowers with fragrance. 3-4 years are generally required for the corms to be harvested. These evergreen plants can be grown in container as well if the soil is acidic. Elephant yam is an edible tuber. It is one of the oldest plants known to provide food. It is so called because of its huge size and resemblance with the elephant foot. It is widely consumed as a food crop, usually boiled or baked. Buying tips It is preferred to buy elephant yam from the markets where it is available is a fresh condition. It is preferable to wear gloves while handling the elephant yam as the sap of these plants causes skin irritation. Culinary usage Karunai Kilangu (elephant foot yam) can be consumed in many ways safely only after removal of its toxic materials. In scarcity of different staple foods, yam is used. So it is also sometimes referred to as a 'famine food'.  Before cooking, the wild forms must be soaked in water and boiled for a long time to remove bitterness. The outer brown skin of Karunai is thoroughly washed and removed. Then they are generally cut into small cubes. It can be boiled in clean water as well as with a pinch of turmeric in water. Delicious recipes are available for cooking elephant yam. Elephant yam can be cooked in tangy sauce. Using minimal oil and by shallow frying yam kabab can be made. Deep frying half boiled Karunai in red chilli and turmeric powder can make a nice side dish. Adding paste made of coconut, snuf and jeera to the deep fried Karunai, it can be roasted and served as a delicious dish. Boiled Karunai can be also consumed by mixing it with lemon-juice, mustard paste and salt. Green chillies can also be added to the preparation for enhancing its taste. Yum pulusu ia a dish made of elephant yam. It is made by cooking it in nice tangy and spicy tamarind sauce. Yam can also be eaten as a supplement of cereals. Storage For planting purposes only the fully matured, cured and graded tubers are used for storage. Cool and well ventilated places are used for storing. Generally the tubers are stored in single layer. If there is insufficiency is storage space, then the tubers can be stored in two layers as well. But storing the tubers in a heap should be avoided. In seed bank vaults, the dried and packed seeds are stored at a sub zero temperature. The seeds resemble a flat lens. The light brown, apical seeds of diameter 5mm have membranous wings which are usually 10mm long and about 7mm wide. Medicinal values It has been proved that Karunai Kilangu (elephant foot yam) has many medical benefits as its root is highly stomachic, restorative, carminative and tonic. The cooling effect of Karunai Kilangu can be a cure for Hypertension. It is often use as a treatment for piles. Yam helps to reduce cholesterol levels in blood. It can even act as an anticoagulant. Elephant yam can be safely consumed by diabetic people. Karunai Kilangu helps to maintain the hormonal balance by increasing the estrogen level in women. It can relieve the women from pre-menstrual syndrome as well. Hemorrhoids patients are also prescribed to have elephant yam. Powerful antioxidant Vitamin C is present which delays aging. It is also provided as a medicine for treatment to patients suffering from acute rheumatism. Irregular bowel movements and constipation can also be cured with its intake. However, it should be borne in mind that elephant yam is a cooling food. Hence patients suffering from cold, sinus infection or asthma should avoid its intake. Where to buy the vegetable in US This plant is grown mostly in tropical regions like Florida. Altamonte Springs, Brooksville, Cape Coral, Fernandina Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Gainesville, Lakeland, North Fort Myers, St. Augustine, Tampa, Winter Haven are the places in Florida where the plant grows. Clayton and Sacramento in California, Kenner in Louisiana, Portland in Oregon, Reynoldsville in Pennsylvania, Puyallup in Washington and Cabin Creek in West Virginia are also known for growing this plant. Nutritional and dietary information Karunai Kilangu (elephant foot yam) has a rich nutritional profile. It provides energy about 330KJ/100g (approximately). Potassium, Phosphorous and Magnesium are the key minerals found in elephant yam. It also contains trace minerals like zinc, copper and selenium. It also contains Calcium. 50-56mg/100g of its contents is Calcium. Its 18-24% is carbohydrate content. About 0.8% is fibre. Its water content is about 72-79% 1.7-5.0% of its content is protein. It has omega-3 fatty acids. Diosgenin, a molecular hormone which has potential anticancer effects, is found in yam. Elephant foot yam is high on vitamin B6 content. It also contains Vitamin C and Vitamin A. From its wide medicinal benefits and nutritional profile we can hereby conclude that elephant yam is very potent source of nutrition. So its consumption will prove beneficial to health. It can also be consumed by people looking for weight reduction as it is low on fat content (0.2-0.4%).

Technorati Tags: KARUNAI KILANZHU CHOPS,KARUNAI KIZHANGU VARUVAL,kArunai Kizhangu poriyal,Pidi karunai fry,pidi karunai dry curry,pidi karunai poriyal.

STUFFED VEGETABLE IDLY

I am making this stuffed idly for the third time. Whenever i get bored of usual idly sambhar , i make this.This is one of the best ways to incorporate vegetables into idly.My daughter never eats the vegetables i add in sambhar. But she likes this idly a lot…U can just play around with different combinations of stuffing in it.I've given my method of making the filling. Do try this and leave ur feedback.

INGREDIENTS

IDLY batter – 1 bowl Water – little to dilute For stuffing Carrot – 2 nos Beans – 6 nos Potato – 1 no Green peas – 1/4 cup Big onion – 1 no Cooking oil – 1tbsp Turmeric powder – a pinch Salt – As needed Red chilly powder – 1/2 tsp Garam masala – 1/4 tsp To grind Cinnamon – 1 inch piecee Cloves – 1 no Fennel seeds – little Grated coconut – 1 tbsp Dalia / Fried gram dal – 1tsp Ginger – small piece & garlic – 6 cloves or GG paste – 1 / 4 tsp To garnish Coriander leaves – a few Lime juice -  As needed.

METHOD

• Heat a kadai with a tbsp of oil and add the onion pieces.
• Saute till it turns transparent. Now add the ground masala paste.
• Saute till the raw smell disappears.Then add the cooked vegetables and the powders.Mix well for few mins.
• Add the required water and boil well till the  stuffing thickens.
• Finally  add the lime juice and garnish with coriander leaves.
• In an idly pot, pour a tbsp of batter and keep a tsp of filling in the center.
• Then pour another tbsp of batter to cover the filling.Steam for 15 mins.
• Insert a fork, if it comes out clean, the idly is done.

Serve hot with sambhar ,coconut chutney  or tomato chutney !!

 

Here is a picture of stuffed idiyappam which i made the next day with the left over stuffing

 

Note:

• U can make the above version in chinese style by adding cabbage , little soya sauce , ajinomotto and white pepper powder.But avoid using garam masala pwd, red chilly powder and ground masala paste..Hope u all know this. Sometimes i make like this too.
• If u dont want to stuff the idly, just mix the above stuffing in the batter directly and make idlies.It tastes good in that way too..
• While making for kids , add a tsp of ghee over the stuffing in each idly .that gives an additional flavor..

Technorati Tags: Stuffed idly,vegetable idly,stuffed idiyappam,vegetable idiyapam,idly varieties.

Six wines under £6 from Sainsbury’s

This week it's Sainsbury's turn to knock 25% off any wine in their range if you buy six bottles. I thought their wines were showing particularly well at their recent press tasting, especially their own label 'Taste the Difference' range. Here are six bargains under £6

Macon Villages 'Les Côtes Blanches' 2010 (down from £7.99 to £5.99)
A good chance to pick up a very decent basic white burgundy at a knockdown price. Very useful Christmas drinking - would work particularly well with Christmas leftovers and smoked salmon.

Taste the Difference Coolwater Bay Marlborough Sauvignon 2011
If you're a Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc fan you've got to go for this. It's already down from £8.49 to £6.49, now £4.87 when you buy 6 bottles. (That doesn't mean I think you should take advantage of the other cut price offers being advertised on top of the 25% off deal which are by and large pretty dull.)

Taste the Difference Tuscan Red 2009 (down from £5.99 to £4.49)
At the full price this is a good value Chianti alternative. At the discounted price it's a steal. Great drinking with pasta and pizza

Flor de Nelas Seleçao, Dao 2009 (down from £7.99 to £5.99)
Portugal is currently offering some of the best value drinking in Europe and this is a rich, spicy characterful red that you should enjoy if you're a fan of wines from the Rhone. Good with roasts, braises and pies - posh enough to serve at a dinner party

Taste the Difference Fairtrade Carmenère 2010 (down from £6.99 to £5.24)
A typically Chilean red - very lush and ripe so possibly not for you if you're a fan of more classic French styles but a great wine to drink with spicy stews and curries - and even with the turkey. And it's Fairtrade which is always worth supporting.

Chateau David Bordeaux Supérieur 2010 (down from £6.49 to £4.87)
Bordeaux under a fiver? Yes, hard to believe but it's true. An attractive young fruity claret that would drink well with cold turkey, ham and other Christmas leftovers. Or with hard British regional cheeses like cheddar.

If you don't want to buy six bottles Sainsbury's also has a 'buy 4, save 10%' offer on its range 'in selected stores' (but not locals) which will save you a bit but I'd go for the six if you can run to it. Both offers finish at midnight on November 1st.

Chestnut, chorizo and lentil soup

I meant to post this just after Christmas to suggest what you might do with your turkey stock and other leftovers but events overtook me (including rather disastrously spilling a glass of wine on my computer) and here we are on New Year's Eve. Still, this is a great soup, whether you have turkey stock or not, which I've adapted from Sam and Sam Clark's excellent Moro cookbook.

The point I was going to make about turkey stock - and which you might like to bear in mind for next year if you haven't thought about it already - is that it's really rich and strong and therefore doesn't lend itself well to delicate soups or sauces. This one includes chestnuts, though in lesser quantities than the Sams use, chorizo and saffron and I also added some outer Savoy cabbage leaves I'd saved after making a slaw to go with the ham on Christmas Eve which adds a bit of colour as well. When I heated up the leftovers of the soup I dropped some torn pieces of sourdough toast which were also a good addition. (Note: this is less of a soup than a stew. You won't need much else, if anything, to eat!)

Serves 4-6
3-4 tbsp olive oil
2 medium onions or one large one, roughly chopped
1 carrot, chopped into small pieces, roughly the same size as the onion
125g semi-soft chorizo, chopped (Tesco has a good one in its 'Finest' range)
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chilli flakes or a crushed whole red chilli
1 tsp finely chopped thyme leaves or 1/2 tsp dried thyme or oregano
1/2 a 400g tin of chopped tomatoes or a couple of whole tinned tomatoes, chopped
200g vac packed or roasted or boiled chestnuts, roughly chopped
75g green or brown lentils
a pinch of saffron threads infused for 10 minutes in 3-4 tbsp hot water (optional*)
about 1 litre turkey stock or water
4-5 outer cabbage leaves or cavolo nero leaves
salt and black pepper

Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion, carrot and chorizo, season lightly with salt and cook for about 10 minutes over a low to moderate heat until beginning to brown. Add the garlic, cumin and chilli flakes or crushed chilli and thyme and cook for a minute, then add the chopped tomatoes, chestnuts, lentils and saffron, if using. Add the stock or water, bring to the boil then turn the heat down and simmer for about 15-20 minutes until the lentils are cooked. Remove the central rib from the cabbage or cavolo nero leaves, shred finely and drop into the soup about 5 minutes before the end of the cooking time. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

* If you haven't got any saffron you could use half a teaspoon of turmeric which I'd add at the same time as the cumin. If you want to keep the soup veggie use 1-2 tsp sweet pimenton or paprika instead of the chorizo and maybe a touch of hot if you've got it.

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/sBff/~3/RmljLux7HD0/next-up-burrata-with-fig-brulee.html

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/sBff/~3/0px300_BS3M/miso-maple-glazed-salmon-canadian.html

While Canadian Japanese fusion cuisine may not actually be the most popular dining trend right now, this tasty combination of cultures suggests maybe we should explore this further. The salty and very savory miso paste is a perfect match for the sweet Canadian sap. The rice vinegar marries the two, and a few drops of hot sauce are all you need to complete this incredibly easy, yet sophisticated preparation.

Cooking fish this way is virtually foolproof, and will take less than 15 minutes start to finish. As you'll see, by searing the fish briefly in the pan before going under the broiler, the filets will cook much faster and more evenly. This is the perfect recipe for beginners to get over their fear of cooking fish, and will work with a wide array of seafood.

Below you'll note that I'm encouraging you to taste and adjust the ingredient ratios. Keep in mind that the glaze should taste fairly intense, since you are counting on such a thin layer on the surface to flavor the whole filet. This is one of those things that doesn't necessarily taste great by itself, but once caramelized on the salmon, really is amazing.

By the way, just because my maple syrup was from Canada doesn't mean you can't substitute something from New England. Japanese-New English fusion cuisine is very similar. Enjoy!

For the glaze (make enough for 1 large rounded tablespoon per piece of fish):

1 part yellow miso paste

1 part seasoned rice vinegar

1 part real maple syrup

hot sauce to taste

*you should taste and adjust these proportions to your liking

GREEN GRAM RICE UPMA

I made this upma for dinner yesterday. Its a simple one pot meal. It tastes best with sambhar.I add equal amount of rice and green gram dal in this upma. So its very filling and rich in protein. We wanted little mushy . So i added more water.But if u add the quantity of water given below , u'll get the rice grains separate and fluffy..Please use the water according to ur choice.

INGREDIENTS

Steamed rice or Raw rice - 1/2 cup Green gram / Pacha payaru - 1/2 cup Water - 1 - 1.25 cups Salt - As needed To temper Cooking oil - 1 tbsp Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp Urad dal - 1/2 tsp Channa dal - 1/2tsp Green chilly - 1 no (slit into two) Curry leaves - A few Ginger- 1 inch (cut into pieces) Hing / Asafetida - 3-4 generous pinches

METHOD

• Heat a kadai and dry roast the rice till it slightly puffs up.
• In the same kadai add a tsp of oil and roast the green gram until nice aroma arises.It may take 5-8 mins.
• Now heat 1 tbsp of oil and temper the items given above in the same order.
• Then add the roasted rice and dal. Add the required water and salt .Transfer everything into a pressure cooker.
• Add a drop of oil and a pinch of hing .Pressure cook for one whistle.

Delicious upma is ready to serve. I served with AAB sambhar.

KITCHEN CLINIC

GREEN GRAM The green gram is one of the most wholesome among pulses in India. It is free from the heaviness and tendency to flatulence, which is associated with other pulses. The green gram forms a very nutritious article of diet. It is consumed in the form of whole dried seeds and in the form of dal prepared by splitting the seeds in a mill. The sprouted mung beans are a highly nutritious food. The beans are soaked overnight, drained and placed in containers in a dark room. They are sprinkled with water every few hours and the sprouts are ready in about three days. One pound of dry beans gives six to eight pounds of sprouts. There is an amazing increase in nutrients in sprouted beans when compared to their dried embryo. Natural Benefits and Curative Properties of Green Gram. Cooked dal of green gram is a very digestive food for invalid and sick persons. Its regular use during childhood, pregnancy and lactation helps one to get the required nutrition and promote health. It is an aperient i.e. a laxative. when given in large quantities. The soup made from it is the best article of diet after recovery from acute illness. Applied in the form of powder. it is said to be useful in relieving the heat or burning of the eyes. A poultice of this powder is useful for checking secretion of milk and reducing distention of the mammary glands Fevers :- Water in which green grams arc soaked is an excellent medicine during cholera, measles, chicken-pox, small-pox, typhoid and all types of fevers. It can be given in a small quantity even during acute phase of appendicitis. Beauty-Aid :- Flour of the green gram is an excellent detergent and can be used as a substitute for soap. It removes the dirt and does not cause any skin irritation. Its application over the face bleaches the color and gives good complexion. Black gram flour is also used for washing the hair with green gram paste to lengthen hair and prevent dandruff. Uses of Green Gram The dried beans are boiled and are eaten whole or after splitting into dhal. They are parched and ground into flour after removal of the seed-coat. This flour is used in various Indian and Chinese dishes. The green pods are eaten as a vegetable. In China and the United States it is used for bean sprouts. Green Gram (Whole dried Seeds)* Food Value Minerals and Vitamins Moisture - 10.4% Calcium - 124 mg Protein - 24.0% Phosphorus - 326 mg Fat - 1.3% Iron - 7.3mg Fibre - 4.1% Small amount of Vitamin B Complex Minerals - 3.5% Carbohydrates - 56.7% Calorific Value - 334 *Values per 100 gm's edible portion