I cannot tell you how addicted I am to pinning!!! Yep! I am an addict! I love it!  The next thing I want to attempt to do is to cook every single recipe I have pinned. Maybe not likely since I have three kiddos and hardly no time. It is amazing all the stories about how fast this sensation is growing. I would love to have your follow my pins if you are interested…I consider myself an EXCELLENT PINNER!! HA!

Shanda Bauman

SUBSCRIBE TO MY PINNING FEED!

If you have not tried it yet..send me an email with your email address and I will send you an invite. I don’t want anyone to be left behind!!

GET PINNING!!!

This is for a special someone out there who I believe reads my blog!! You know who you are…on the fence then read this? This post will only make sense to one special person in my life.  For others who read this..I hope you feel this way about yourself!! I know you are hurting and you need the time to heal! Take care my friend!

HUGS! MISS YOU! XOXOXO Shanda

This holiday we did a lot of shopping at Aldi’s! Now I have a lot of friends that do not shop at Aldi’s and have never been! Let me tell you that you are missing out. Why spend the high prices at the normal everyday stores when you could spend about half of the bill at Aldi’s. The products are great and it is a blessing since my husband lost his job..I don’t have such a huge bill and we don’t miss out on anything. This store is getting more and more great products to choose from. I was so pumped when I found out that they were now carrying a great selection of wines and cheeses. I love to shop for both and my favorite BRIE CHEESE is there also. I love BRIE..and I eat it almost every night! I took a trip and picked up everything we needed for the holidays. From wine to bread I got everything on my list.

A couple bottles of wine are going to go as part of  my mothers gift. She loves wine and I can afford to get her a few bottles! YUM. Then I got a ton of cheeses and the BRIE so that I can make my favorite Brie pastry.  I bought some puff pastry dough and wrapped it around the Brie…just before wrapping all of it I choose a fruit preserve from Aldi’s that is slathered all  over the Brie. Then I wrap the whole thing in the pastry and bake it in the oven.  After taking it out of the oven I then top with with some dried cranberries which were also purchased at Aldi’s! YUM!

I selected a bunch of crackers and viola…a fantastic appetizer is served.

We also bought a large ham..I always get my hams from Aldi’s because the are fantastic!!!

I took the blocks of cheese and also made a mashed potato bar and melted the Gouda and Havarti cheese in the mashed potatoes in the crock pot.

All of the topping can be added to taste and my mashed potatoe bar is always a hit!!

Aldi’s offers a ton of great recipes:

Tomato Bisque: Serves 5
Sure to please the kid and adult in everyone by warming you up on a fall day.
Serve in a bowl and with Grilled Cheese on the side.

You will need a large saucepan
3 tbsp. Olive Oil
1 1/2 Medium Vidalia Onion, diced
3/4 cup Baby Carrots, diced
1/2 cup Medium Bell Pepper, diced
14 Vine-Ripe Roma Tomatoes, cut into eighths
3 tsp. Chopped Garlic
1 tsp. Dry Parsley
1/8 tsp. Ground Cumin
1/2 tsp. Ground Thyme
1/8 tsp. Basil
2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
3 cup Water
1 cup Half and Half
1 1/4 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Pepper

Prep time: 20 min - Cook time: 30 min - Total time: 50 min.

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan.
2. Add the onions, carrots and bell peppers.
3. On low heat, sweat the vegetables for 10 min. until they are tender.
4. Add tomatoes, garlic, parsley, cumin, thyme, basil, and Italian seasoning. Heat for another 5 min.
5. Add the water and simmer for half an hour.
6. Blend the broth in a blender until it is pureed. CAREFUL, IT IS HOT. Return to saucepan and add half and half. Add the salt and pepper. Add more or less depending on taste.

Nutrition Per Serving
Calories: 260
Fat: 18g
Saturated Fat: 6g
Cholesterol: 20mg
Sodium: 820mg
Carbohydrate: 21g
Protein: 5g
Recipe courtesy of Michelle Schmidt,
ALDI Test Kitchen

Asparagus or Broccoli Frittata: Serves 2-4
Impress your guests with this terrific breakfast or brunch.

Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 17 min.

You will need a 10 inch oven proof pan
2 tsp. Olive Oil
1/2 cup Onion sliced thin
1/2  tsp. Salt
1/2 lb Asparagus or Broccoli
4 large Eggs – lightly beaten
1/2 tsp. Pepper
1 cup Shredded Swiss
 

Cut ends of asparagus and cut into 1 inch diagonal pieces

1. Heat oil in a 10 inch oven proof pan
2. Sauté onions and salt – 3 min.
3. Add asparagus or broccoli, sauté 6 -8 min.
4. In a bowl, lightly beat eggs with the pepper.
5. Pour in eggs and cook until almost done. Do not stir.
6. Sprinkle cheese on top and put in broiler until brown and melted.

Nutrition Per Serving
Calories: 220
Fat: 14g
Saturated Fat: 7g
Cholesterol: 240mg
Sodium: 410mg
Carbohydrate: 7g
Protein: 15g

Recipe courtesy of Chef Alyssa,
ALDI Test Kitchen

So let me tell you that if you want to save money while  not sacrificing on taste then start shopping at Aldi! You will not be sorry! You can get so much more for your money! The wine and cheese selections are fabulous and way more affordable. They taste fantastic and no one can tell the difference from the name brand wines and cheeses! So start saving some money and make the switch! We highly recommend it!!

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of ALDI and received a gift certificate to facilitate my review.”

FERRO ROCHER

Who doesn’t love to receive chocolate for the Holidays!! I love it. For this Holiday you can find these decedent sweets everywhere. These are great for a last minute gift idea.

Product Features

Treat someone special to the delicious taste of Ferrero Rocher this Christmas, with this seasonal chocolate box containing 15 foil wrapped treats. The unique tree shaped box adds a fun festive cheer to a classic favourite.

Contains Original Ferrero Rocher; Whole roasted hazlenuts in a chocolatey filling and covered in a crisp wafer.

Ingredients
sugar, cocoa butter, cocoa mass, skim milk powder, butteroil, lecithin as emulsifier, vanilin, hazelnuts, sugar, palm oil, wheat flour, whey, lowfat cocoa powder, lecithin as emulsifier, sodium bicarbonate as leavening agent, salt, vanilin.

Febreze

 Febreze Fabric Refresher eliminates odors and freshens fabrics, carpets, and air.

We love spraying all of our house with Febreze…being stuck in the house all winter with the windows closed can make for a stale smelling home. Thank goodness for Febreze!! Our house smells great all year around!!

SWIFFER

With a one-two cleaning punch, Swiffer Sweeper is designed to give you a deep clean on virtually any surface in your home. Our new Wet Cloths to give you a deeper clean than a mop and bucket by dissolving dirt and grime, trapping it in the cloth, and locking it away forever. Our dry cloths use a great dirt grabbing texture to pick up 50% more dirt, dust and hair than a broom. Plus the Swiffer Sweeper 360 swivel head cleans deeper into corners than a mop or broom, giving you a truly deep clean you’ll love.

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Brush parts are fully ionic i.e. ions have relaxing benefits for user.

Unlike the latest style trends, taking proper care of your teeth and gums is not a passing fad. Everyone knows that it is important to brush and floss daily, however, 80% of Americans have admitted to not flossing regularly, which can lead to various forms of gum disease. Making the task fun, fast and easy is key. The Waterpik® Ultra Water Flosser, is perfect for those who do not like to floss – it is easy to use and only takes about a minute a day to start improving gum health. It utilizes pulsating water to clean deep between teeth and below the gumline where traditional brushing and flossing can’t reach, and it’s been clinically proven to be even more effective than traditional string floss.

New this year, is the Waterpik® Water Flosser For Kids, specially designed for kids ages 6-12. It is the newest tool to help parents ensure that their children are taking good care of their teeth. It features the technology of a traditional Water Flosser unit, and recent studies have shown that it removes 99.9% of plaque from treated areas and is more than three times as effective as string floss for cleaning around braces.