Choosing the Right Cut for National Pasta Day
Happy National Pasta Day! Today we celebrate our favorite noodles. Traditional in Italian cuisine, pasta has made its way across the globe and become a staple in pantries far and wide. With so many styles and varieties to choose from pasta can quickly become complicated. In spirit of the holiday, we decided to break down the different types of pasta and how to make sure you’re choosing the right cut.
Long Cuts: Let’s start with the long cuts. In this category we have many favorites such as, spaghetti, linguine, fettucine, and capellini. Longer pasta works well with light olive oil as well as heavy meat sauces. Bolognese sauce benefits fettucine and Mafalda, while spaghetti and linguine are complimented nicely by a lighter olive oil or tomato sauce. Capellini and angel hair pasta work with simple butter or cream sauces, as heavier options will break down these finer strands.
Short Cuts: Now onto short cuts, such as penne, rigatoni, farfalle, or orecchiette. Shorts cuts are prepared for heavier, chunky sauces. They stand up in ragus and vegetables sauces as their ridges and edges capture the flavoring. It all comes down to choosing a sauce that gets caught up in the ridges of your pasta. For example, Italian sausage crumbles fit nicely into rigatoni, while tiny vegetables get trapped in the corkscrew style of fusilli.
Soup Cuts: Finally, soup cuts like orzo, ditalini, acini di pepe, and stelline. Also known as, pastina, soup cuts range from small tubes to tiny grain-shaped noodles, perfect for scooping with a spoon. Not only are these examples delicious in soup, but they’ve evolved into popular additions in pasta salads as well as side dishes.
For more information on different pasta varieties and how to use them visit our website. Hopefully we’ve put you on the path to National Pasta Day success. We recommend giving any of these cuts a try to celebrate the occasion. For all your pasta needs, visit your local store or shop with us online.
Mangia!
Goofy Gourds with Jodie Fitz
Ready to have a little family fun making goofy gourds? Follow these easy steps…
- Go for a hunt through your local Price Chopper/Market 32 Supermarket as a family and discover a whole lot of crafty fun.
- Bring your finds home.
- Make memories together creating goofy gourds!
It’s that easy.
Skies the limit…create a Cyclops, give your gourds hair and silly faces, dress them…whatever you envision you can create.
Suggested Supplies:
You can find everything you need at your local Price Chopper/Market 32 Supermarkets. Here’s a list along with an aisle aide for your shopping fun
Seasonal and Produce
- Gourds
- Spider Web
School Supplies
- Construction Paper
- Rubber Cement (glue)
- Pipe Cleaners
- Tape
- Scissors
Baking Aisle
- Candy Eyes
- Cupcake liners
Card/Wrapping Supplies
- Tissue Paper
- Ribbon
MINIMIZE the MESS!
Take a Price Chopper/Market 32 paper bag. Fold it flat and create on top of the bag so that you can simply fold it up and toss out the mess when you are finished.
New Gluten Free Bakery Items
We’re excited to introduce our NEW line of gluten free bakery items! Now available in a specially marked case in select stores. Staying gluten free can be challenging, and we look forward to providing more options to our customers. Check out some of our new items!
Goodman Gluten Free Products: Launched in 2015 by Founder & CEO Bob Goodman, the Goodman Gluten Free Products mission is to “bring breakthrough taste to gluten free baked goods.” Goodman products are scratch-baked in dedicated gluten-dairy-peanut-soy free bakeries. We’re proud to now carry Goodman items such as, hamburger buns, hot dog rolls, bagels, breads, and cookies.
The Maine Pie Co.: Over the years, Jill Miller made a name for herself with her local favorite bakeries in both Nyack, New York and then Kennebunkport, Maine. She saw much success in her full-service bakeries, but after continuously hearing customers ask about gluten free options, Miller decided to do something about it. She created a moist and flaky gluten free pie crust, now used in Maine Pie Co’s products. We’re proud to offer Maine Pie Co. products such as, blueberry pie, apple pie, and even packs of pie shells.
Gluten-Free Natural Foods Cakes & Muffins: GFN Food Products LLC, are the makers of Gluten-Free Naturals line of baking mixes. These mixes are made in a dedicated gluten free area of their facility, using 100% gluten free ingredients. We’re proud to provide GFN items such as, lemon pound cake, blueberry muffins, chocolate cupcakes, and carrot cake cupcakes.
We’re excited to offer these new items from Goodman, The Maine Pie Co., and GFN in our stores. Be on the lookout for their items and more new gluten free bakery items from our friends at ALLfree Bakery, Inspired Gluten Free, Gillian’s, and Better Bites Bakery.
See the list below for participating locations
Torrington | CT |
Putnam | CT |
Newington | CT |
Middletown, CT | CT |
Pittsfield | MA |
Lenox | MA |
Marlborough | MA |
New Webster | MA |
Mountain St | MA |
Gardner | MA |
West Lebanon | NH |
Wilton | NY |
Cobleskill | NY |
Endicott | NY |
Newburgh | NY |
Amsterdam | NY |
Bethlehem | NY |
Clifton Shopper’s World | NY |
Loudon | NY |
Rome | NY |
Commercial Dr | NY |
Johnstown | NY |
Niskayuna | NY |
Catskill | NY |
Fulton | NY |
North Oswego | NY |
Eastern Parkway | NY |
Genessee St | NY |
Ogdensburg | NY |
Glenville | NY |
North Utica | NY |
Altamont Ave | NY |
Massena | NY |
East Greenbush | NY |
Westgate | NY |
Hudson Valley Plaza | NY |
Brunswick | NY |
Glen St | NY |
Route 50 | NY |
Plattsburgh | NY |
Erie Blvd | NY |
Western Lights | NY |
Cicero | NY |
Vails Gate | NY |
Edwardsville | PA |
Westfall | PA |
Barre | VT |
Bennington | VT |
Morrisville | VT |
Shelburne Rd | VT |
Happy Octoberfest!
In 1810, Munich, Germany held its very first Oktoberfest festival. Originally a celebration of the marriage between King Louis I and Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen, the annual party has made its way across the world. Now, in the United States, each year we highlight seasonal beers, foods, and activities all in the spirit of Oktoberfest. Here are some of our favorites!
Pretzels: Soft pretzels are a prized possession at Oktoberfest. In 610 A.D., as the story goes, Italian monks made the first pretzels from leftover bread-dough scraps. The twisted knot shape was meant to symbolize arms folded in prayer, and in Europe they became considered a holy food with healing powers. This explains its presence at such a large European gathering. Eventually pretzels made their way to America and we fell in love with them, especially with a Dark Lager, IPA, Brown Ale, or even German Märzen beer! Check out the video below for our Bavarian Soft Pretzels recipe.
German Märzen / Oktoberfest Beer: Speaking of German Märzen, what exactly is it? It’s essentially the beer of Oktoberfest and the style that breweries in the United States refer to as Octoberfest. For a great-tasting take try Samuel Adams Octoberfest. For a tasty, authentic food pairing outside of soft pretzels try Beer Mustard Crusted Pork Loin, Pork Schnitzel, or German Potato Soup!
Würstl or Sausages: Whether it’s Bratwurst, Weisswurst, or any of the many other varieties, sausage is a major player in German and Oktoberfest cuisine. Of course, most often served with a generous amount of mustard and sauerkraut. If you’re looking for the perfect beer to pair with your sausage, a good tip is mildly spiced sausages work well with sweet malt flavors and light hops, compared to the spicier varieties which pair with darker and heavier brews.
Desserts: No festival is complete without dessert. At a typical Oktoberfest celebration, Strudels and Kuchen, the German word for cake, are appropriate. In America, seasonal pies are also fitting for the occasion. All excellent while paired with a nice Märzen!
Pumpkin Beer: Although it’s more American than German Oktoberfest, everything is pumpkin in the fall, including the beer. It’s a signature seasonal flavor that truly brings the essence of October to your tastebuds. We carry a number of different options in our beer aisle. Looking to enjoy pumpkin beer with a meal? We recommend slow-cooked meats, chicken and waffles, or chili. Maybe some pecan or apple pie for dessert. YUM!
Oktoberfest has taken off since the original festival in Munich. It’s inspired many across America and given us a number of awesome seasonal flavors. We love celebrating this annual tradition and hope you join us by trying one of these delicious food and beer pairings. For everything you need to enjoy your own Octoberfest visit your local store, or shop with us online!
Enjoy your hardwood-smoked BBQ meat with a WORLD CHAMPION SAUCE!
A match made in BBQ heaven
What do you get when you combine a best-selling heat-and-serve barbeque partners with a two-time world champion barbeque sauce? Nothing less than pure deliciousness! The maker of the Lloyd’s® Barbeque brand recently announced its newest products – pecanwood-smoked pulled pork and hardwood-smoked chicken – made with Brooklyn-based Pig Beach’s mustard barbeque sauce.
“Barbeque is all about bringing families and friends together,” said Eric Jacobson, Lloyd’s® Barbeque brand manager. “Our new hardwood-smoked pulled meats made with Pig Beach mustard barbeque sauce are perfect for any backyard barbeque or hectic weeknight meal, bringing delicious and smoky competition-style authenticity to your plate.”
In 2014 and 2016, the Pig Beach mustard barbeque sauce was crowned the winner of the Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest. Recognized by USA Today as the “most prestigious barbecue contest,” the four-day competition draws nearly 250 teams from all over the world.
More to the point, Pig Beach’s mustard barbeque sauce pairs beautifully with Lloyd’s® lightly seasoned hardwood-smoked pulled meats. Pig Beach’s founders are as enthusiastic as the team from Lloyd’s.
“The Lloyd’s® brand offers a meat that is moist, tender, flavorful and perfectly smoked, and is arguably better than a lot of barbeque that I’ve eaten at restaurants,” said partner Matt Abdoo.
“We are really excited and passionate about what’s in that package going out to consumers,” fellow partner Shane McBride added.
As an added bonus, the team at Lloyd’s Barbeque and Abdoo offered a melt-in-your-mouth Lloyd’s® Pig Beach BBQ pulled pork arancini. What premiered on the Pig Beach Instagram account is now yours to make at home. Check out the recipes here.
You can find Lloyd’s® Pig Beach products at select retailers across the United States.
Beetle Juice
Beetle Juice, Beetle Juice, Beetle Juice! After you sip on this yummy blend you will definitely be calling out beetle juice three times.
It’s a fruity drink with just the right amount of fizz that’s fun and festive, but incorporates fresh, healthy ingredients .
Beetle Juice by Jodie Fitz
4 cups ice
2 lemons, fresh
2 cups water
½ cup PICS honey
½ cup PICS fresh frozen mixed berry medley
1 teaspoon PICS vanilla extract
1 teaspoon raspberry extract
Triple berry seltzer
PICS Raspberry sherbet (optional)
Cut the lemons in half. Squeeze the lemon juice from the lemons.
Note: If you have a citrus juicer simply squeeze the juice right into a blender pitcher. If you have to squeeze by hand, squeeze the juice into a glass or bowl first so that you can remove any seeds with a spoon before adding the juice to the blender.
Add the ice, lemon juice, water, honey, frozen mixed berry medley and extracts into the blender. Blend the ingredients together well.
Depending on the size of the glass, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the triple berry seltzer to add fizz to the mix. Fill the rest of the glass with the blended fruit mixture.
The kids! Remember there are always valuable lessons to learn in every recipe. Here are a few with Beetle Juice…
- Blending
- Blender safety
- Measuring ingredients
- Following Directions
- Extracting juice from lemons
- Exploring healthier alternatives
The Brains! If you want to add a little dessert style fun add sherbet brains to the mix. If you want to keep it healthier, freeze some of the beetle juice without the seltzer in ice molds of either brains or bugs and add them to your finished drink before serving.
Basic Witch Hat with Homemade Chips
Looking for a healthy Halloween nosh? Look no further. Check out these festive homemade witch hat chips served with an orange Pico de Gallo salsa. The entire combination is total yum!
Basic Witch Hat Homemade Chips by Jodie Fitz
1 package of cedar spinach wraps
1 witch hat cookie cutter
2 tablespoons PICS canola oil
PICS Sea salt
Nonstick cooking spray
Place the spinach wraps, one at a time, on a cutting board. Use a cookie cutter to cut out witch hat shapes. Each cedar wrap should yield approximately 8 hats depending on the size of your cookie cutter.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Coat a nonstick baking sheet with the nonstick cooking spray.
Baste each hat lightly with the canola oil and then sprinkle them with sea salt.
Bake them for 5-7 minutes until the edges start to toast. Let them cook completely to finishing the crisping process.
Lessons and life skills to focus on when making this recipe with the kiddos:
- Basting
- Baking
- Oven safety
- Following directions
Homemade Pico de Gallo Salsa by Jodie Fitz
2 orange heirloom tomatoes, small
1 orange bell pepper
½ cup sweet onion, finely diced
1 small clove of garlic, minced
4 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon PICS balsamic vinegar
Wash the tomatoes. Remove the top and bottom of the tomatoes. Slice the tomato and dice the tomato into small pieces.
Wash the bell pepper. Remove the top, seeds and insides of the peppers. Slice and dice the pepper.
Stir the diced tomatoes, the diced bell pepper, diced sweet onion, chopped cilantro and balsamic vinegar together.
Serve with your homemade witch chips.
Lessons and life skills to focus on when making this recipe with the kiddos:
- Dicing
- Knife safety
- Mincing
- Chopping
- Stirring
- Following directions
- Measuring ingredients
Herdez Salsa Cremosa
Pour on the flavor with endless possibilities. Inspired by generation of Mexican, this craveable combination of tangy tomatillos and lime with garlic and jalapeno will transform your fish tacos, grilled chicken or garden salad. A perfect addition to your daily dish. Check out our Salmon Salad featuring Cilantro Lime Salsa Cremosa! This hearty salad is sure to make a delicious lunch win!
HERDEZ® Roasted Poblano Salsa Cremosa
Excite your grilled chicken, pep up your shredded pork and make Taco Night a new adventure with the perfectly balanced flavors of roasted poblano peppers, garlic and cilantro. Try it over grilled chicken and pasta and as a dressing for your favorite cobb salad.
HERDEZ® Chipotle Salsa Cremosa
Inspired by Mexican cuisine from the ages, this creamy chipotle salsa will flavor your favorite dishes in a whole new way. Pour over chicken or pork, top your favorite taco or create something new your family will love.
Downy Defy New Items
DOWNY DEFY:
Tired of your clothes stretching, fading and fuzzing?
Clothes are exposed to a lot of damage in the washing machine. Instead of avoiding laundry or having anxiety every time you wash, give your clothes the protection they can’t live without.
Downy DEFY Damage Total-Wash Conditioning Beads protect your fabrics: from the first wash, you’ll notice the damage protection as an elevated feel of your fabrics. With consistent use, you’ll see that Downy DEFY protects the shape, color, and appearance of your favorite garments. Not to mention that even in-wear, your clothes will become more resilient and comfortable! Delight in how soft your favorite clothes feel and how good they smell with the airy and awesome scent of Fresh.
Compatible with all washers, including HE washing machines: just toss a scoop of laundry beads from the convenient tub into your washer. The best part? Downy DEFY works with your favorite detergents and can be paired with scent beads and fabric softener for an extra boost.
Are you ready to protect your fabrics against stretching, fading and fuzzing? Keep your clothes looking newer longer. Visit the laundry aisle to add the protection of Downy DEFY to every wash.
KCC Sun's Up Smoothie
by Jodie Fitz
3 cups ice
2 cups PICS 100% orange juice
1-cup PICS low fat milk
½ cup 100% pure carrot juice
1 banana
6 oz. PICS low fat vanilla yogurt
1 teaspoon PICS vanilla extract
1 tablespoon PICS honey
Add the ice, orange juice, milk, carrot juice, banana, yogurt, vanilla extract and honey into a blender. Blend the ingredients until the ice is fully crushed.
Serve and enjoy! After all, who doesn’t want to start their day with a cup of sunshine?
More on the Sun’s Up Smoothie Ingredients:
Dairy Allergies:
- The Milk: If you have a dairy allergy, replace the milk with your favorite dairy alternative. Depending on your allergy concerns, I suggest you consider rice milk or coconut milk for this recipe. The rice milk is very gentle in flavor. It allows the other flavors to ‘shine’ in this smoothie recipe. It does make the mixture a little icier. If you use coconut milk it adds a bit of a tropical flavor to this mix and is creamier. However, always use alternatives based on your dietary needs.
- The Yogurt: Replace the yogurt with one of your favorite vanilla dairy free yogurt alternatives based on your dietary needs. There are many great options on the market.
Leftovers? No worries turn them into freeze pops! Pour the leftovers into the 7 oz. PICS paper coated cups and place them in the freezer for one hour. Then add a wooden craft stick to the center and let them freeze overnight.
Carrot Juice: 100% carrot juice can be found in the produce aisle at Price Chopper/
Market 32 Supermarkets. There is also a delicious blend of 100% carrot juice with turmeric and ginger added.
Lessons for Children when making this smoothie recipe;
- Measuring ingredients
- Pouring
- Blending
- Blender Safety
KCC Crustless Sandwich Pockets
by Jodie Fitz
OPTION 1:
2 slices of honey wheat bread
2 tablespoons PICS Peanut butter
1 tablespoon PICS Honey
1 Banana
PICS Cinnamon
Cut the bread slices with a large circle cookie cutter to create circular shapes.
Stir the peanut butter and honey together. Spread it on one side of each of the circles.
Cut half of the banana into thin slices. Add several slices onto one side of the peanut butter and sprinkle a light coat of cinnamon on top of the banana pieces.
Add the other piece of bread to create a sandwich.
Using a fork, press around the edges of the circle so that it forms a sandwich pocket.
OPTION 2:
2 tablespoons PICS vegetable cream cheese
1 tablespoon of ranch dressing
Cucumber, sliced thin
Cut the bread slices with a large circle cookie cutter to create circular shapes.
Stir the cream cheese and ranch dressing together. Spread it on one side of each of the circles.
Add the cucumber slices to one side.
Add the other piece of bread to create a sandwich.
Using a fork, press around the edges of the circle so that it forms a sandwich pocket.
More thoughts:
PICS Vegetable Cream Cheese can be located near the bagels at your local Price Chopper/Market 32 Stores.
Ranch Dressing: Use your favorite. My personal favorite is the avocado ranch dressing located in the produce aisle at Price Chopper/Market 32 Supermarkets.
Lessons for Children when making this recipe;
- Measuring ingredients
- Stirring
- Spreading
- Slicing
- Knife safety
- Following directions