Life is Short - Eat the Spaghetti!
Mia Teal
E-Commerce Marketing Department
Pasta makes the world go round! Let’s face it – pasta can be paired with almost any meal, or be a meal of its own. At Price Chopper and Market 32, our focus today is specifically on spaghetti, because January 4th is National Spaghetti Day. Be sure to join us in celebrating today by trying some of our delicious recipes below. You can find a variety of pasta recipes on our Price Chopper Website and our Price Chopper Ready Website.
Did you know?
- The average Italian consumes about 62 pounds of pasta per year. That is the same weight as a female Golden Retriever!
- Sicilians created the first modern spaghetti noodles in the 12th century.
- Spaghetti today is about 10-12 inches long, but it was much longer when it was first invented.
- Spaghetti and meatballs are an American dish, not Italian.
- Spaghetti has evolved over the years. Today, you can find different varieties including gluten free, whole grain, protein, and veggie spaghetti.
Try some new recipes!
Anchovy Cacio e Pepe Spaghetti with Fried Capers: While this dish is drastically different from your traditional pasta and meatballs, you will not be disappointed. The fresh taste of olive oil, parmesan cheese, lemon, and crushed red peppers are sure to be nothing short of delicious!
Chicken Teriyaki Noodles: Quick, easy, filling, and tastes like a Hibachi restaurant!
Slow Cooker Spaghetti with Italian Sausage: Dinner ready in 16 minutes? Say less! Pair this meal with some fresh bread from our bakery.
Happy National Spaghetti Day!
Introducing Barilla Al Bronzo: Pasta With Extraordinary Sauce Grip
New from Barilla is Al Bronzo pasta, a line of premium pasta made with a reserve batch of non-GMO durum wheat and expertly crafted using innovative micro-engraved bronze dies for a robust texture and extraordinary sauce grip. You can find Al Bronzo in the pasta aisle in 6 delicious shapes: Spaghetti, Bucatini, Linguine, Mezzi Rigatoni, Penne, and Fusilli.
Try Al Bronzo in these two delicious recipes. Al Bronzo Mezzi Rigatoni with Tuscan Ragout is a hearty recipe made with three kinds of meat that will leave you and your family craving more. The homemade pasta sauce features beef, pork and lamb simmered with fresh plum tomatoes, garlic, rosemary and sage. The wide opening of the Al Bronzo Mezzi Rigatoni is the ideal shape for capturing the meat sauce. Al Bronzo Bucatini with Lemon, Ginger, Parmigiano & Thai Basil features an amazing combination of ingredients where the fresh lemon and ginger are balanced by the Parmigiano cheese and the Thai Basil leaves. Served over Al Bronzo Bucatini, this recipe is the perfect weeknight meal.
Al Bronzo Mezzi Rigatoni with Tuscan Ragout
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 25 Minutes
Total Time: 40 Minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 box Barilla®
- Al Bronzo Mezzi Rigatoni pasta 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
- 1 white onion chopped
- 2 leaves fresh sage
- 1 sprig
- fresh rosemary
- 1 clove garlic gently pressed
- ¼ pound ground beef
- ¼ pound ground pork
- ¼ pound ground lamb
- ¼ cup red wine
- 2 fresh plum tomatoes
- 2 cups chicken stock
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Romano cheese to taste grated
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet; add onion, sage, rosemary and garlic; allow the onion to sweat for 10 minutes over low heat.
- Add beef, pork and lamb; cook until the meat begins to stick to the bottom of the pan; deglaze with red wine and continue cooking until the liquid is reduced well; discard the rosemary, sage and garlic.
- Meanwhile, blanch and peel tomatoes, remove the seeds and cut the pulp in dices; add to the meat sauce along with chicken stock; simmer until the liquid is evaporated; season with salt and pepper.
- Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and toss with the sauce.
- Finish with cheese and remaining olive oil.
Al Bronzo Bucatini with Lemon, Ginger, Parmigiano & Thai Basil
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Total Time: 30 Minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 box Barilla® Al Bronzo™ Bucatini pasta
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- ½ lemon, zested
- 1 lemon, juiced
- ½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
- ½ cup Thai basil leaves, julienne
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Cook pasta three minutes less than package directions.
- Meanwhile, in a skillet sauté garlic and ginger in 2 tablespoons olive oil for a minute, add lemon juice and 1 cup pasta cooking water, bring to a simmer.
- Drain pasta and toss with lemon juice mixture over high heat, add pasta and more pasta cooking water as needed.
- Turn off heat, finish with remaining olive oil, cheese, lemon zests and black pepper. Top with basil before serving.
For more recipe inspiration, please visit https://www.barilla.com/en-us/al-bronzo.
Chocolate Now, Dinner Later!
Mia Teal
E-Commerce Marketing Department
Everywhere we look, we are surrounded by chocolate, chocolate, and once again…chocolate! It is the best time of the year to be creative and festive. Speaking of creativity, have you ever wondered how to make your own chocolate? We found a fun and easy chocolate recipe that would be a great activity for the family, or for you to try on your own!
Five main ingredients are needed to make your own chocolate:
- 1/4 cup Unsweetened Cacao Powder or Cocoa Powder
- 1/8 cup Dry Milk Powder
- 2 ¾ tablespoons Cacao Butter
- 1/8 teaspoon Salt
- Chocolate mold
- Sweetener (optional)
- Candy Pieces (optional)
Step 1: Add 1-2 inches of water to a medium saucepan. Next, insert a heat-proof bowl on top of the saucepan. Bring water to a simmer (not boil) and add tiny, proportional pieces of cacao butter into the heatproof bowl. The cacao butter should not be touching the water. Whisk the cacao butter frequently.
Step 2: Once the cacao butter is melted, add cacao or cocoa powder, a pinch of salt, dry milk powder, and any other add-ins to the heat-proof bowl. Stir these remaining ingredients until completely blended.
Step 3: Pour the chocolate mixture into the molding of your choice. Transfer to the freezer for 20-30 minutes.
Step 4: Try not to eat all the chocolate at once!
Not feeling up to making your own chocolate. We understand! At Price Chopper and Market 32, not only do we have fantastic chocolate dessert recipes, but we also have a wonderful Bakery Department that strives to go above and beyond for our customers. We have so many options to make your holiday season extra special!
Other digital sites where you can locate our chocolate-filled recipes:
Some holiday must-tries!
Chocolate Cinnamon Scones: Chocolatey, cinnamony, and festive! You cannot go wrong with these Chocolate Cinnamon Scones. Try pairing with your favorite PICS coffee blend or PICS hot chocolate.
Double-Chocolate Peppermint Bark: With only four key ingredients, these are easy to make and do not have to look any specific way. No pressure when making this delicious dessert!
Minty Hot Chocolate: Exactly how it sounds – This mint hot chocolate is everything and more! Be sure to give it a try.
Homemade Chocolate Source:
Cacao, Cocoa, and Chocolate: What are the Differences?
Mia Teal
E-Commerce Marketing Department
‘Tis the season for curling up by the fire while drinking a delicious cup of hot cocoa. Cocoa can be used for so many different food recipes, as well as in drinks. Before we get into that, what exactly is cocoa, and what is the difference between cacao, cocoa, and chocolate? Let’s dive in!
Cacao (pronounced kuh-kau) comes from the Theobroma cacao tree which is Native to South America, West Africa, and parts of Asia. Cacao and cocoa are essentially the same thing, but in different forms. Cocoa is made from cacao, to put it simply. Cacao is the natural form, whereas cocoa is more processed. Cacao tends to have a bitter taste compared to cocoa which is sweeter.
Now that we understand the difference between cacao and cocoa, where does chocolate fit into the picture? Chocolate is made from cocoa powder mixed with other products, such as milk, sugar, and cream. Depending on the type of chocolate and where you buy it from, there may be other ingredients mixed in, such as almonds, cranberries, sea salt, etc.
Check out some of our easy and delicious recipes! Happy National Cocoa Day!
Spinach, Black Bean, & Corn Salad with Chipotle-Cocoa Vinaigrette: Who says salads can’t be fun? Try this nutrient-packed salad with a cocoa twist!
Chocolate-Zucchini Muffins: Are you a fan of muffins? Try this super easy recipe for a breakfast on-the-go!
Double Chocolate Chunk Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches: It may be cold outside, but a warm chocolate chip cookie with ice cream in the middle will make anyone’s heart melt!
Fabulous, Fudgy Brownies & More!
Mia Teal
E-Commerce Marketing Department
There is nothing better than taking a bite out of a warm, fudgy brownie with creamy vanilla ice cream on top. Brownies are so good that not only do they have one national day, but they have two! December 8th is National Brownie Day and February 10th is National Have a Brownie Day. Since today is December 8th, Price Chopper and Market 32 have so many ways for you to celebrate that you may not even realize. Some of our options include freshly baked brownies from the bakery, brownie mixes in the bakery aisle, brownie ice cream, brownie energy bars, and more! Be sure to check out our fantastic brownie recipes at the bottom of this blog.
For those of you that may be interested in making your own brownies either from scratch or from a mix, did you know that there are so many add-in options? While walnuts are the most popular addition to brownies, take a look at some other choices below!
Nuts: Chopped Walnuts, pecans, and almonds add the perfect amount of crunch to the gooey-goodness! Sprinkle in coconut for some extra flavor and sweetness.
Morsels (Milk/Dark/White Chocolate or Peanut Butter): Morsels are a great addition to add on top of the brownies or directly in the batter. If you are feeling like taking your brownies to the next level, try adding in all four morsel flavors above!
Candy Pieces or Candy Bar Chunks: You cannot go wrong with adding in candy pieces or candy bar chunks. Try M&Ms, Reese’s Pieces, peppermint pieces (perfect for the Holidays!), heath bar pieces, etc.
Peanut Butter: Name a better combo than peanut butter and chocolate…If you are a peanut butter lover, try adding in ½ cup of melted peanut butter either in your brownies, on top of the brownies, or both. Microwave for no longer than 30 seconds. There is also the option of chopping up Reese’s Peanut butter cups for the batter.
Nutella: Adding Nutella to your brownie mix is a must! Just like adding peanut butter, microwave ½ cup of melted Nutella for 30 seconds and add in the batter or on top of the brownies.
Cookie Pieces: Crush up some cookies and add to the mix. Crushed Oreos work perfectly in or on top of brownies.
Marshmallows: Mini marshmallows are perfect to add in your brownie mix or to place on top of the batter before baking. Please keep an eye on the marshmallows as they bake – You do not want them to brown or burn!
Caramel Syrup: If you have never had caramel in your brownies, stop what you are doing and pick up some caramel syrup and brownie mix! It will not disappoint.
Frosting, Powdered Sugar, or Fruit: We have so many frosting options in our baking section. If you rather keep it simple, powdered sugar and fruit are great add-ons as well!
Magic Brownie Bars: Only five ingredients? Yes, please! The mix of chocolate with nuts will instantly bring a smile to your face!
Brookie Muffins: On a time-crunch? All you need is your favorite brownie mix, nonstick baking spray, and peanut butter cookie dough!
Red Velvet Brownies with Cookies & Cream Frosting: Bring some holiday cheer in your home with these delicious Red Velvet Brownies!
Boasting About Blueberries
It’s always blueberry season. Production in North and South America make blueberries an option all year round. Here in the U.S., they are grown coast to coast, with blueberry farms functioning in 38 states. However, more than 98% of blueberry production in the U.S. happens in just 10 states, Oregon, Washington, Georgia, Michigan, California, New Jersey, North Carolina, Florida, Texas, and Minnesota. Let’s celebrate this year-round superstar by highlighting some of our favorite recipes!
Blueberry-Mango Crisp: Blueberry teams up with mango to make this delicious crisp a must-try.
Blueberry French Toast Bake: Waking up and enjoying some French toast in the morning is a great way to start the day. Take your recipe to the next level by adding blueberries.
Blueberry-Banana Chia Seed Muffins: In this tasty muffin recipe, blueberry and banana flavors work in perfect harmony.
Zabaglione with Fresh Berries: Zabaglione is an Italian dessert made with egg yolks, sugar, and sweet wine. Blueberries, along with raspberries and strawberries, make great additions to the dish.
Grilled Fruit Pizza: Tired of your same old pizza order? Try this Grilled Fruit Pizza featuring cream cheese, pecan pieces, honey, and an array of tasty fruits, blueberries included.
Four-Berry Hazelnut Crisp: Another cozy crisp for the cold winter months. This Four-Berry Hazelnut Crisp does the trick every time.
Whole Wheat Blueberry-Nut Pancakes: Much like French toast, blueberries elevate breakfast when they are added to pancakes. In this recipe, the blueberry-nut addition is excellent.
Granola Bites: This Granola Bites recipe is a tasty snack for any occasion. In this case, dried blueberries make for a great ingredient.
Homemade Vanilla Pudding with Berries: Lastly, add some berries to your homemade vanilla pudding with this recipe. You’ll be surprised how delightful it turns out.
For more, visit: https://blueberry.org/
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?
Thanksgiving Appetizer Sale!
Mia Teal
E-Commerce Marketing Department
With Thanksgiving only four days away, we understand that preparing for the holidays can get hectic. We want to make your holiday as peaceful, enjoyable, and easy as possible. Oh, and saving money is crucial! We are excited to provide you with delicious appetizers for your Thanksgiving meal on sale this week only from November 20th to the 26th. We have everything you need including cheese, crackers, frozen appetizers, and Market 32 strombolis and much, much more. While we have a very large variety of appetizer items on sale, do not be overwhelmed. We have an option for everyone!
If you prefer to make your own appetizers but are not sure what to prepare, check out the recipes in this blog. Still be sure to browse the sale items in the collection below for your homemade appetizers!
Turkey Cheese Ball: Nothing screams Thanksgiving like this Turkey Cheese Ball! Be sure to include some of the crackers on sale to surround the cheese.
Spicy Caribbean Peel & Eat Shrimp: With a variety of shrimp marked down this week, this recipe is a must!
Strawberry, Basil, and Mozzarella Skewers with Balsamic Reduction: All tasty, fresh items in one appetizer! The best part is, we have select Market 32 mozzarella cheese included in this week’s sale!
Original Nachos and Nachos Today
Mia Teal
E-Commerce Marketing Department
Happy National Nachos Day to our nacho-loving customers! Since National Nachos Day falls on a Sunday this year, what better way to celebrate than serving Nachos at your Sunday football get together! Whether you prefer just cheese on your nachos or loading every topping possible, there is truly no right or wrong way to eat them.
How these cheesy, fried tortillas came to be so popular is actually quite the story. Dating back to 1940, a group of women who were the wives of soldiers stationed in Eagle Pass, Texas went to the Victory Club in Piedras looking for a bite to eat. Unfortunately, they had arrived after hours, but Ignacio (Nacho) Anaya would not turn the women away. He whipped up whatever he could find in the kitchen to serve to these ladies, which included Colby cheese, jalapenos, and fried tortillas. The women loved this meal so much that they called it “Nacho’s Special” and asked for more. Anaya added the dish to his menu, where they flourished with his customers. Later, Anaya opened a restaurant called “Nacho’s.”
Over time, people began to experiment with different nacho toppings. Today, some popular toppings include pulled chicken, ground beef, ground turkey, pulled pork, steak, chili, jalapenos, guacamole, cubed avocado, salsa, hot sauce, scallions, olives, lettuce, beans, corn, peppers, onions, sour cream, and cheese of course! Check out some of our favorite nacho recipes for the big game!
Tortilla Chip Street Pan Nachos: The simple nachos we know and love! While this recipe only calls for four ingredients, you can add any toppings that you see fit!
Smashed Cauliflower Nachos: A spin on traditional nachos, these Smashed Cauliflower Nachos are exploding with flavor!
Irish Nachos with Crispy Brussel Sprouts: Brussel sprouts in your nachos? Don’t let that scare you. They are crisped in a little oil and salt to make for a delicious addition for your nachos.
Grilled Foil Chicken Nachos: These chicken nachos are sure to be a fan favorite! The chicken can be shredded or cubed depending on preference.
Enjoy!