Mia Teal
Marketing Coordinator, Paid Media
December 24th is National Eggnog Day, which is very fitting for this time of year. Eggnog can be purchased in the Dairy Section at any of our Price Chopper and Market 32 locations. If you want to try and make your own eggnog this holiday season, then this is the article for you! We have all of the fresh, delicious ingredients for this festive drink. Be sure to browse through our Price Chopper Website and our Price Chopper Ready for more holiday recipes.
What is eggnog? For those of you who may have never tried this drink, eggnog is a creamy, sweet mixture of milk, heavy cream, eggs, sugar, and spices. Often, people may mix rum, bourbon, or brandy in eggnog as well. There is always an option for everyone, and there are many ways to make your eggnog dairy-free or vegan.
Ingredients needed:
3 cups PICS whole
1 cups PICS heavy cream
2 PICS large eggs
½ cup PICS granulated sugar
1 teaspoon PICS vanilla extract
½ teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
½ cup Dark Rum (optional)
6 Cinnamon sticks (optional)
Step 1: Heat milk and cream on medium heat until steaming. Whisk occasionally.
Step 2: Whisk egg yolks and sugar in a separate bowl. Carefully add in ⅓ of the warm milk mixture into the egg yolk combination to temper the eggs. Be sure to keep mixing.
Step 3: Transfer the milk & yolk mixture into the pot on the stove, and cook until thickened (about 5 minutes, or until mixture reaches 165°). Whisk continuously. At this point, you can add in alcohol for a spiked eggnog drink, OR wait until the very last step to beat in alcohol.
Step 4: Strain eggnog through a fine-mesh strainer and whisk in vanilla and nutmeg. Refrigerate eggnog for at least two hours.
Step 5: If you did not add in alcohol in step 3, you can beat it now on medium speed. Otherwise, pour into glasses, add some PICS whipped cream, and enjoy!
Dairy-Free Eggnog:
There are many different add-ins and recipes for dairy-free eggnog, but there are some key factors that stay the same throughout all dairy-free eggnog recipes: Omit the regular milk and cream and use almond, soy, coconut, or oat milk. People often use 2-4 tablespoons of maple syrup or honey in dairy-free eggnog.
Check out the full recipe here!
Vegan Eggnog:
Vegan eggnog calls for plant-based milk as well as the option to add in 1 tablespoon of canola or vegetable oil for a creamer drink. All of the spices stay the same.
Check out the full recipe here!
We hope you have a safe and happy holiday!
Mia Teal
Marketing Coordinator, Paid Media
The Christmas holiday is a beautiful time of year. For many people, ornaments are continuously collected from their children while in grade school, family trips, and other memories throughout the years. No matter your age, you are never too old to create an ornament to hang on the tree. Let’s take a look at making meaningful ornaments with food that you can purchase right at your local Price Chopper and Market 32 store. This is a great family activity that will bring laughs and beautiful memories.
Salt Dough Gingerbread Men
As the name suggests, these gingerbread men are going to be salty, so not ideal for eating! They are, however, ideal for ornament-making. The salt helps preserve the ornaments. After all, these gingerbread men are made for hanging on the tree – not for eating!
What you will need:
1/4 cup ground ginger
1/4 cup ground cloves
1 cup salt
3 cups flour
1 1/2 – 2 cups water
Parchment Paper
Baking Pan
Twine/ribbon/string
1 straw
Directions:
Mix dry ingredients together & slowly add the water. Roll the dough so that it is about 1/4 inch thick and create your desired shape. Use a straw to poke a hole in the top for the string later on. Bake at 250°F for 1-2 hours and let cool. Once dried, decorate and hang!
Melted Peppermints
This craft is simple, yet intriguing! You can use red or green peppermints here, or even a mix of both!
What you will need:
Peppermint Candies
Cookie Cutter
Parchment Paper
Toothpick/straw
Twine/ribbon/string
Directions:
Line a cookie sheet with cookie cutters of choice, and spray the inside of each cutter. Line the peppermints inside the cookie cutters and bake at 350°F for 3-9 minutes, but please pay attention to how quickly they are melting. Once the candies have melted together, remove from the oven. Gently use a toothpick or straw to poke a hole in the top of the ornament and let them completely harden. Remove the cutter from melted mints and hang!
We wish you a safe & happy holiday season!
The Salvation Army Bell Ringer
When 72-year-old Ed Evans read in a newspaper article that his local Salvation Army wasn’t going to be able to put out all their Red Kettles for the annual fundraiser because of a shortage of Bell Ringers, he knew what he had to do.
“I had previously volunteered in a Salvation Army shelter helping to serve lunch and I really enjoyed my experience there,” Evans said. “With no golf matches, garden or lawn work to do in the winters of upstate New York, I knew I had the time to volunteer my services as a Bell Ringer.”
The Red Kettle fundraiser helps The Salvation Army provide local families and individuals in need with food, clothing, and other resources throughout the year, as well as presents under the Christmas tree for local children. And, as the need for Salvation Army assistance has continued to increase due to current economic hardships, so has the need for volunteers.
Whether it’s ringing bells at a Red Kettle for a couple of hours, sorting donations of toys and clothing, or helping parents pick out that perfect Christmas present for their child at a Salvation Army toy shop, volunteers are the backbone of The Salvation Army.
During his multiple shifts as a Bell Ringer, Evans said he was heartened by the many shoppers who not only donated to the Red Kettle, but who also thanked him for volunteering.
“When kids asked about the Bell and Kettle, parents would explain about helping the less fortunate and would give them a dollar to put in the Kettle,” Evans said. “It felt great to be a part of this enlightening experience and to see the immediate reaction of a child’s contribution.”
Evans added that he had a lot of fun and met many interesting people during his multiple shifts as a volunteer Bell Ringer.
“A dollar here, five dollars there…one man put in a twenty,” Evans said. “A few even wrote checks or ran out to their cars to be able to contribute. At the end of each of my volunteer shifts I felt as if I had given $1,000 myself. I knew that the money I had help to raise would go on to help those in need in my community.”
To enquire about Salvation Army volunteer opportunities, call your local Salvation Army, or text “TSAVolunteer” to 31333
Mia Teal
Marketing Coordinator, Paid Media
Can you believe it is November already? The end of the year brings all-things holidays, joy, love, and baking of course! Cream cheese is a staple in many United States households, but this time of year many will choose to bake with cream cheese. Whether you are making cheesecakes, cakes, brownies, or muffins, cream cheese adds a rich and creamy dimension that elevates your creations. At Price Chopper and Market 32, not only do we have a variety of cream cheeses, but we also have some incredible recipes on our website. Let’s explore some favorites!
- Cheesecakes are known for their dense, creamy texture. Price Chopper and Market 32 have many cheesecakes pre-made in the bakery, however, take a look at this Sweet Carrot Cheesecake and Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe if you would like to experiment on your own!
- What’s better than a pumpkin and cake combo? If you are looking for an easy recipe for a gathering, then you need to try this Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting!
- Blueberry French Toast Bake is the perfect Sunday morning breakfast! While the mornings are frigid, warm up with this delicious meal.
- Brownies are another common baking item that can be made with cream cheese to give it a dense, creamy texture. In our Red Velvet Brownie with Cookies & Cream Frosting recipe, you will explore making your own cream cheese to coat on the red velvet brownies.
Check out our YouTube for more recipes on baking with cream cheese!
Happy Pumpkin Spice Season!
Mia Teal
Marketing Coordinator, Paid Media
What a beautiful time of year this is! The weather is cooler, the leaves are falling, and there are pumpkins wherever we look. Even better, it is officially pumpkin spice season! Pumpkin spice items line the shelves at Price Chopper and Market 32, local coffee shops are advertising pumpkin spice lattes, and maybe you have even started carving pumpkins. We are surrounded by pumpkin spice, but how can one complain? Pumpkin spice has become so popular in the last two decades that Merriam Webster put the term “pumpkin spice” in the dictionary! Surprisingly enough, pumpkin is actually not in pumpkin spice. It is the lovely blend of nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves that give us a feeling of happiness, warmth, and most of all, nostalgia.
At Price Chopper and Market 32, we have a variety of pumpkin spice products ranging from PICS pumpkin spice coffee, pumpkin spice coffee creamer, and pumpkin spice baking products. Be sure to check out some pumpkin spice recipes we love below.
Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting: The aroma of this delicious spice cake will fill your hearts (and bellies) with love! Be sure to grab spice cake mix and other PICS baking goods in our baking aisles!
Pumpkin Soup: This creamy, filling soup is the perfect fall lunch or dinner. Pair with Market 32 bread from the bakery section.
Pumpkin Pie Roll Ups: Whether you need an easy dessert for your guests or want to surprise the kids with a fun breakfast, these pumpkin pie roll ups are a favorite!
Pumpkin Shandy: All this talk about pumpkin foods, but how about this pumpkin drink? This easy five-ingredient drink is perfect for your guests, or just a relaxing night at home.
Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes: These mini pumpkin cheesecakes are the best dessert for any fall party!
Harvest Chili: Hear us out on this one…pumpkin pie spice in your chili. Don’t knock it ‘till you try it! Besides, what’s better to have on a cold fall night than warm chili?
Creative Cookies for the Holidays!
Mia Teal
E-Commerce Marketing Department
Cookies, cookies and more cookies! The holidays are quickly approaching, but do not panic! Whether you are baking cookies for a holiday party, an office cookie swap, or getting your baking out of the way now and freezing everything, Price Chopper and Market 32 have you covered. We have all the best ingredients needed to make cookies from scratch. However, we understand that finding time to make homemade cookies can be troublesome. Not only do we have an abundance of cookie mixes in our baking aisles, but we also have a wide variety of gourmet cookies from our bakery department. Our bakery teammates are readily available to assist and answer any questions you may have. Be sure to check out our outstanding variety of cookies that are out on display. The collection of our gourmet cookies is located at the end of this blog.
Considering today is National Cookie Day, we want to provide you with some delicious cookie recipes from our website. These are perfect for the holidays, or just to try something new. Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s celebrate National Cookie Day the right way – by enjoying our favorite cookies of course!
Hot Chocolate Cookies: Can these cookies get any cuter? Tip: Pick up PICS hot cocoa mix to enjoy while serving these cookies!
Almond Macaroons: With just six ingredients, these macaroons are simple, nutty, and a great addition to your cookie platter!
Classic Holiday Sugar Cookies: What’s a holiday without decorating sugar cookies? Be sure to grab icing, sprinkles, and any other candy the kids will love in our baking aisles.
Pumpkin Cookies with Orange Glaze: Pumpkin and fresh orange are the perfect pair. Surprise your guests with a different type of cookie this holiday season.
Cranberry, Lemon, & Pistachio Shortbread Holiday Cookies: The flavors in this cookie are unmatched. Click on the link to watch a short clip on how to make this incredible recipe!
Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal, & Dried Cherry Cookies: There is a lot going on in this cookie! To add even more to the batter, feel free to roll in chopped walnuts or pecans.
Happy holidays from Price Chopper and Market 32!
Let Us Bake the Cake!
Mia Teal
E-Commerce Marketing Department
With Thanksgiving all wrapped up, it is time to start thinking about your next holiday celebration. At Price Chopper and Market 32, we are proud to have a fantastic Bakery Department at all of our stores that produce the finest baked goods, including custom cakes for any celebration. Since today just happens to be National Cake Day, we wanted to give a special shout to our incredibly talented and dedicated bakery teammates who make this all possible!
What type of cakes will you find in our bakery? We have an array of bakery cakes including sheet cakes, specialty cakes, cupcake varieties, ice cream cakes, cheesecakes, and cookie cakes just to name a few. Be sure to browse our bakery cake collection below, or speak with a bakery associate for a customized cake!
If you are looking to be more adventurous this holiday season, take a look at some of our mouth-watering cake recipes below. They are sure to be a hit!
Orange-Scented Olive Oil Cake: Yes, you read that right – A cake made with olive oil! The combination of cinnamon and orange is sure to have your guests in awe.
Dried Cherry-Lemon Tea Ring: This dessert would be perfectly paired with a hot cup of tea. Be sure to include red, green, & white icing to make this cake super festive!
Spiced Apple Coffee Cake with Pecan Oat-Streusel: With only six ingredients, your tastebuds will be jumping for joy this holiday season!
Eggnog Poke Cake with Cinnamon Whipped Cream: What’s a holiday without eggnog? Well, have you ever had an eggnog cake? Now that you have this easy recipe, why not give it a try?
Create the Perfect Charcuterie Board!
Mia Teal
Marketing Coordinator, Paid Media
What is better for snacking than a big, beautiful charcuterie board? Whether you are having a friend and family gathering, holiday party, or some sort of celebration, a charcuterie board is a great option. The best part is, there is no “right” or “wrong” way to create one, and you can theme the board to match the occasion.
What exactly is a charcuterie board? A charcuterie board typically contains some type of assortment of the following: Meats, cheeses, crackers, artisan toasted bread, fruits, veggies, olives, nuts, dips, desserts and whatever else you choose! Of course, you tailor your board to what you and your guests prefer. Additionally, with the holidays right around the corner, there are many fun desserts you can sprinkle onto your board.
Unsure of where to begin? We have you covered. The volume of items you need depend on how many guests you are providing for. Here are a few popular items for each category:
Meats: Prosciutto, salami, pepperoni, ham, smoked salmon
Cheeses: Goat cheese, Feta cheese, Swiss cheese, blue cheese, Brie Cheese
Crackers: PICS Oil & Herb Crackers, Wheat Thins, Ritz Crackers, pretzels
Artisan Bread: Ciabatta, sourdough, French, rye
Fruits: Grapes, blueberries, raspberries, apricots, figs
Veggies: Carrots, celery, snap peas, grape tomatoes, broccoli, pickles
Olives: Castelvetrano olives, Kalamata olives
Nuts: Walnuts, almonds, cashews, pistachios, pecans
Dips: Hummus, cream cheese, salsa, guacamole, honey, fig spread
Desserts (for holidays or any occasion): Chocolate covered strawberries, jellybeans, mints, candy corn, Hershey kisses, mini cookies, mini candy canes, peppermint bark, M&Ms
Charcuterie boards are a fun way to let your creative mind flow, as well as giving your guests something to admire. Enjoy!
Eggnog is always a holiday staple, but many find themselves with more in their refrigerator than they know what to do with. You may not even know how many other uses there are for eggnog besides just drinking it. With the main ingredients being sugar, eggs, milk and heavy cream, eggnog is a perfect substitute in baking and breakfast recipes. The richness of eggnog makes it a great ingredient to bake with all while making your recipe a bit more festive.
Here are a few ways to use up that extra eggnog:
- Milkshake
No one can refuse a milkshake, even in the winter! Use a blender to combine ¼ cup of our PICS eggnog and 4 scoops of the ice cream of your choice (we suggest PICS vanilla: a classic). For an extra festive treat, top with whipped cream, holiday sprinkles and a cherry.
- Pancake and waffle batter
Instead of using milk in pancake or waffle batter, use eggnog. It will feel like Christmas morning every day!
- Icing
This holiday icing is perfect to use on cinnamon buns, cupcakes, cookies or just about anything! You’ll just need ½ cup melted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, and 6 tablespoons eggnog. Combine the ingredients, while slowly mixing in the confectioners’ sugar. Incredible!
- Oatmeal
Whether you’re using rolled oats or instant oatmeal, you can swap out water or milk for our PICS eggnog. This makes a quick and easy holiday breakfast.
- Mashed sweet potatoes
Rather than adding sour cream to your mashed sweet potatoes, use eggnog! It’ll make it extra creamy and sweet.
The holiday season will be over before you know it, so be sure to try one (or a few, or all) of these methods, and head over to your local store to grab our PICS eggnog before it’s too late. Happy holidays from our family to yours!
Much of the holidays is centered on food. From snacks, to family feasts, cookies, and desserts, it’s a certainly a time of food-filled festivities. But we don’t stop there. We love food so much during the holidays that we decorate our homes with it. Need some ideas? We’ve got you covered with a few spirited tips!
Do you have any edible ornaments on your Christmas tree? They make a cute addition and the whole family can partake in the fun! Simply roll out some cookie dough and use your holiday cookie cutters to create different designs. Make sure to poke out a hole at the top of the dough to put some string through, and follow the baking directions on the package. Once they’re baked, decorate with icing and sprinkles and thread the string or ribbon through the hole!
For a simple, yet fun and effective holiday decoration try making a candy cane vase. Use a larger vase of your choice and line it with candy canes, keeping the candy canes in their wrapper. Take a smaller vase and put it inside the larger one. Grab some red carnations and put them in the center and you’re set!
How about a creative centerpiece? Try your hand at making a garlic knot Christmas tree centerpiece. Buy a Styrofoam cone, stick some toothpicks it in and press garlic knots onto the toothpicks. Some freshly grated parmesan cheese can simulate fresh snow and the garlic knot tree can be completed with a star on top made out of cheese. To make your creation extra festive, create a tree skirt with fresh sprigs of thyme and rosemary, and serve with small dipping bowls of marinara sauce.
It’s always fun to decorate during the holidays, especially when you’re coming up with creative ways to make sure the halls are more decked than ever before. Food is a great option for unique ideas and there are number of options to try out. Whether you give one of these examples a go or try an idea of your own, stop by your local store for everything you need!