Affordable easy mac

[Shari]

I keep quick and easy things for lunch in my desk as a backup for when I can't away for lunch. I stopped at Aldi's today to refill my stash.

They had a box of "Express Mac" for $1.69. It is 6 packets of the equivilent of Kraft Easy Mac.

I had one just a few minutes ago, and I'd venture a guess that its at least as good as (in my opinion better than) the Kraft version, for less than half the price.

Just FYI.

I love Aldi's.

 

[susiestar]

Aldi's rocks. They have the BEST nacho flavor chips (like doritos) that we have found, and for a fraction of the price. The also have some VERY good chocolates (in Europe they are considered a very good brand and even sell wine) as you walk into the store. I got one that is 70% cocoa which is too bitter to eat straight but made an incredible chocolate mousse. I also have one with chili peppers in it which husband says is incredible. The container has 5 small bars so it is easy to dole out. Then they had some big bars of milk and dark chocolate that we tried - they were very good quality.

 

[Shari]

THeir off brand oreo type cookies are brand equivilient, too. We had frozen lasagna from there tonight. Very good, served us all, cost 2.79.

 

[Marguerite]

I find it hard to shop at Aldi's with a list, the products change too much.

That 70% cocoa is really good for a lot of things. I like to eat it when I'm dieting, because one small square gives me a huge chocolate hit that lasts for an hour or more. And ALL my diets include chocolate, including the one where I lost 25 Kg.

I have a great recipe I lifted off an episode of Oprah (went online later to get the recipe). It uses choc bits but I break up a block of 70% cocoa and use that. I use a wand-style blender, it's brilliant.

Rachael Ray's Mother's Chocolate Cups
Put in blender:
Two cups semi-sweet choc chips or chopped chocolate
Three eggs
4 T sugar
2 T preferred liqueur - ie rum, Tia Maria, hazelnut

Blend. While blending, add
One and a half cups of VERY hot milk, poured in thin stream while blending. [I microwave the milk and pour it in while you can see it still boiling]
The almost boiling milk should melt the chocolate chips and cook the egg smoothly.

Pour into tea cups and chill in the fridge, 30 minutes or even overnight [I do overnight - half an hour or even several hours is not long enough]. Serve topped with whipped cream, try and make it look like cappuccino. Be sparing - this is VERY rich. If possible, serve in demi-tasse cups.

I'm planning a variation on this, topping it with a layer of castor sugar or brown sugar then using a kitchen blowtorch on it to make a chocolate creme brulee.
I went out searching for demi-tasse cups for this. Far too small for a decent cup of coffee, you can often pick up these coffee sets cheap at garage sales and op-shops. I keep them just for this recipe.

Marg