Leap Day: An Extra Day of Dinner

Every four years our calendar adds Leap Day, a 29th day in the month of February. The purpose of Leap Day is to keep our daily calendar aligned with the solar calendar. It takes the Earth approximately 365.25 days to complete its orbit around the sun, therefore every four years we need a 366th day to keep things in order. For us, thinking as a grocery store, this means every four years we have to prepare an extra day of dinner.

365 days of dinner plans can be complicated enough, let alone a 366th! But have no fear, we’re here to help. We look at February 29th as an opportunity to be adventurous and try something new. Check out our list below for some of our more unique recipes that you may not have made before. If there’s something on the list below you’re unfamiliar with, give it a try!

Here are 5 Leap Day recipes to check out:

General Tso’s Shrimp Tacos: General Tso’s chicken is a hit, but have you tried General Tso’s Shrimp? These tacos are an easy route to a blast of flavor. You’ll appreciate General Tso’s sauce even more.

Chorizo & Egg Chilaquiles: This recipe for Chorizo & Egg Chilaquiles is delicious at any time of the day. It’s great for breakfast, dinner or anywhere in between. A creative use of chorizo, eggs and tortilla chips leads to deliciousness. Plus, it features some of our favorite PICS products!

Grilled Stuffed Anaheim Peppers: Stuffed peppers are awesome when in need of some filling comfort food. These Grilled Stuffed Anaheim Peppers feature a team of mouthwatering ingredients that come together to make this dish a winner.  

Grilled Swordfish Kabobs with Peanut-Chili Sambal: Sambal is an Indonesian chili sauce made from a mix of peppers and other ingredients. It also makes a great enhancer for your swordfish kabobs! If you’re a fan of big flavor you’ll love this recipe.

Roast Beef & Gorgonzola White Pizza: Pizza is a dinnertime staple, and this Roast Beef & Gorgonzola White Pizza definitely makes for an adventurous slice. We love pretty much anything on a pizza, but this is one of our favorites!

Don’t stress over an extra day of dinner preparation in 2020. Give one of these tasty recipes a try, or check out a wide variety of others on our recipes page. After all, nothing says “step out of your normal comfort zone” more than a 366 day year!

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Written by Sarah Palmer It’s never been easier to cook like a chef! Market 32 presents Chefs’ Menu, an easy way to cook gourmet meals at home in less than 15 minutes! Look for the Chefs’ Menu offering in the Butcher section at your store. fb_chefsmenu1080 In 3 easy steps you can whip up a delicious meal!

Step 1: Pick an entrée from our menu

Step 2: Select the ingredients

Step 3: Follow our simple cooking instructions & serve!

Chefs’ Menu offers a wide variety of protein options and flavors. Choose from chicken, beef, pork or seafood entrees. Pick-up a brochure and select one of the recipes inside, or mix & match sauces and sides to make a custom meal of your choice! Each entree serves 3-4. Click here to learn more about Chefs’ Menu and view recipes!     Happy Thanksgiving! From Our Family to Yours! Thanksgiving is a wonderful time of year to get together with your family, friends and loved ones. As you gather to celebrate what makes you truly thankful, Price Chopper & Market 32 want to make it easier for you to prepare and enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner! Let us help you with tips, recipes and party planning options so you can focus on what makes you thankful (and not stressed!). holiday_meal THANKSGIVING DINNER PLANNING The Weekend Before: The Days leading up to Thanksgiving: The BIG Day: THANKSGIVING Early in The Day 4-6 hours before Serving 2 hours before Serving 1 hour before Serving 15 minutes before Serving ENJOY YOUR MEAL! Written by Sara Lilkas, Marketing Intern  Thanksgiving is right around the corner and for almost everyone it is a day to be thankful for what they have, spend time with family, and most importantly eat a delicious Thanksgiving Feast. Since the majority of us are guests at these Thanksgiving events we do not have to worry about cooking many of the complex dishes that are expected to be served as part of the festivities. Now even for experienced cooks, the Thanksgiving meal can be a daunting task. Even if you aren’t cooking for a large group of people there are usually high expectations that go along with Thanksgiving dinners and no one wants to disappoint their guests. Holiday dinnerIf you are hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year, it is essential to sit down and plan out the tasks that need to be completed ahead of time and create your plan of attack. At this point you have to think about what kind of planning works for you. I like making lists where I can check things off as I do them. (For some reason the physical act of checking something off makes me feel like I’m actually accomplishing something and makes the whole task seem more bearable.)  I find it especially helpful when I am presented with tasks that seem overwhelming or difficult. As with almost everything in this world what works for me might not work for you, so it might be beneficial to host a smaller gathering (maybe with a few friends) as a test run to see how you like to plan or organize these kind of events. Now that you know how you want to organize your Thanksgiving dinner, it’s time to actually plan it. Starting to prep around two weeks in advance is the ideal time frame. This is when recipes should be gathered and narrowed down to the final menu. When planning the menu think about what time you are planning to serve dinner as well as what kitchen tools will be needed for each dish and how long everything takes to prep and prepare. As part of the planning process you will want to make sure you have everything required to complete those recipes. Timing is another thing to consider. Since it’s safe to assume most people only have one oven, planning out the space andiStock_000006683483_Medium time every dish needs to be fully cooked is essential. At this point go back through your planned menu and see what can be prepped and prepared ahead of time. Items such as pie crust dough and cranberry sauce can be made a few days ahead a time. Many vegetables can also be chopped and prepped ahead of time. Take a look at the menu and decide which items can be prepped early to save you some time on Thanksgiving Day. Now let’s get talking about that turkey. The weight of your turkey determines how long it takes to defrost if you have purchased a frozen turkey. It could take DAYS!( Please refer to our We Know Turkey guide for more information about defrosting and cooking turkeys!)Make sure you plan accordingly, no one wants a frozen turkey on Thanksgiving Day! Also make sure you have a safe environment to thaw your turkey out in. Plan out how you are going to cook your turkey and if you are worried about how it will turn out, it’s not a bad idea to practice on a smaller turkey or a whole chicken in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving. Pricechopper has plenty of different turkey recipes to try out and who knows maybe one will become your new holiday favorite! I hope these tips help to make your holiday season less stressful and more enjoyable! Make sure to share your Thanksgiving table pictures with #PriceChopper and #Market32 on Twitter and Instagram!