Who Knew?!?

Who knew Grocery Outlet would ever carry a gluten, wheat, casein, milk, soy, and nut free macaroni and cheese?  And for only $1.49?!?  (I've only seen one other frozen mac n' cheese like this and it cost over $4.00!)  

But last week I spotted this Ian's Mac & No Cheese in my Crown Hill Grocery Outlet's frozen food section and put a few in my cart to take home.  I bought one for myself and a couple for my friends with food sensitivities.  

Reviews for this product ended up being lukewarm.  The mac n' cheese had an okay taste, kind of like tuna noodle casserole without the tuna.  Or better yet, like that canned chicken noodle soup they used to make years ago, the one with the thick noodles.  

But the consistency of Ian's Mac & No Cheese was little mushy for me, and it didn't cook evenly in the microwave.  I suppose if you didn't know what real mac n' cheese tasted like or you've been on a restrictive diet for quite awhile, you would think it's pretty tasty.  Otherwise, I'd probably pass on this item next time I see it in the freezer section.  

-Kami

A Quick Dinner Idea

Looking to make an inexpensive dish for your next work potluck?  Perhaps you need a quick idea for a red-themed Valentine's Day dinner?  Or maybe you're just tired and don't know what to make for dinner tonight?  Well, whatever your reason, you may want to pick up these two staple items from Grocery Outlet and get cooking!

While Grocery Outlet always seems to have some sort of pasta sauce available, this particular brand turned out to be quite tasty.  It's called Grandessa Signature, and I tried the cabernet marinara this time.  Yum!  And it only rang up $1.99.

The pasta in the photo is called fideo, and I've been told it's quite common in Mexican households.  It cooks fast and only costs around $0.40 a package!  (If you're not into red sauce, consider picking up some fideo for your next pot of homemade soup!  It's perfect for that!)

Happy cooking!
-Kami

What did I purchase from Grocery Outlet?  Grandessa Signature cabernet marinara ($1.99) and Pagasa cut fideo (~$0.40 a package)

It's White Wine This Wednesday!

When I made my trip to Grocery Outlet this week, I decided I was in the mood for a chardonnay.  No particular reason, just something to help me focus my wandering through the wine aisles.  I ended up taking home a 2009 bottle El Corazon Reservado from Argentina.

I found this wine to be fresh and light.  It kind of reminded me (in a good way) of the free wine they hand out at educator preview nights at the Seattle Art Museum.  Anyway, the wine seemed both fruity and slightly tart.  According to the label, it suggests you serve it with "Sea and River Fish, salades and pasta."  Its small, red, heart logo and $4.99 price tag make it a perfect choice for a Valentine's Day treat for yourself or for someone else.
Happy Tasting!
-Kami

P.S.  The next educator preview night at the Seattle Art Museum is on February 9th, from 5-8pm.  I don't know if they'll have wine at this event, but you can check out the Gauguin & Polynesia exhibit for free and get some resources for the classroom.  If this sounds like the event for you, make sure to register by February 3rd!  Here's a link for more information:  http://www.seattleartmuseum.org/calendar/eventDetail.asp?eventID=21779&month=10&day=5&year=2011&sxID=&WHEN=