Nob Hill/Raleys—Getting More from Your Grocery Store

My primary grocery store is Nob Hill. I love my Nob Hill. They have the best produce, know me by name, know my girls, and go out of their way to help me find something I'm looking for.

My sister-in-law, and BMCC member, is an even bigger fan. Here is her tip:

"I am a fan of Nob Hill/Raleys and especially their “Extra” magazine.  I am on their mailing list and get coupons for free groceries every week. That’s a good deal too, but what I’m really jazzed about is their website that has 25 recipes you can make with a rotisserie chicken. BTW Their chickens are WAAY better than Safeway and are great if you can’t get the Costco one. 

And do get the Extra magazine. I can’t tell you how many recipes that have wowed my family. You have access to all the recipes online too."

Thanks GG! I've signed up for Nob Hill's email coupons! I can't wait to get extra savings. We love there rotisserie chickens too. It will be fun to try some of their recipes.

If you have a tip to share please email me or leave your tip in the comments of my entries.

Fresh Tomato-Basil Caprese Kabobs

This was the other appetizer I made for our potluck. It was easy and fun to make. Even the kids loved them.

Fresh Tomato-Basil Caprese Kabobs

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Start to Finish: 1 hour 30 minutes

Makes: 34 Kabobs

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

2/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil or lemon basil leaves

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 pint red cherry tomatoes

1 pint yellow cherry tomatoes

2 medium zucchini or yellow squash, cubed

1 lb fresh mozzarella cheese, cubed

34 (6 inch) bamboo skewers

Fresh basil leaves, if desired

1 In large bowl, mix oil, lemon juice, basil, salt and pepper, using wire whisk. Add tomatoes, zucchini and cheese. Cover and refrigerate about 30 minutes.

2 Drain vegetables, reserving olive oil mixture. Thread skewers alternately with tomatoes, zucchini and cheese; top with basil leaf. Serve kabobs with reserved olive oil mixture.

When I made this the grocery store didn't have yellow cherry tomatoes. I just bought 2 pints of the red cherry tomatoes and put one cherry tomatoe at each end. 

Virtually any skewer-able vegetable will work in this recipe. Try red, green or yellow bell pepper pieces or fresh pea pods.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft); No change

Per Kabob: Calories 60; Total Fat 4.5g; Sodium 90mg; Dietary Fiber Og

Caramelized Onion Puffs

This is a recipe I found in a Pillsbury grocery store cookbook. You know the little cookbooks at the check out stand. I love those little books. I have dozens of them.

Anyway, we had a potluck get-together with friends and I was scheduled to bring some appetizers. I didn't want to just bring chips and dip. I wanted to bring something different. Here is one of the two dishes I brought. It was very easy to make and everyone loved it.

Caramelized Onion Puffs

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Start to Finish: 50 minutes

Makes: 24 Appetizers

2 Tablespoons butter

3/4 cup coarsely chopped onion

1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

2 eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon red pepper sauce (I used Tabasco)

3/4 cup finely shredded Cheddar cheese (3 oz)

1 can (80z) Pillsbury refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

1 Heat oven to 400˚F. Spray 24 mini muffin cups with cooking spray. In 10-inch skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add 3/4 cup onion; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium; add bell pepper. Cook 5 to 7 minutes longer, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and golden brown. Remove from heat.

2 In medium bowl, beat eggs. Stir in sour cream, salt and pepper sauce. Stir in cooked onion and 1/4 cup of the cheese. Spoon mixture evenly into mini muffin cups.

3 Unroll dough into 1 large rectangle; press perforations and edges to seal. Using a 1-1/2 inch biscuit or cookie cutter, cut dough into small rounds. Place dough round on top of onion mixture. Top with remaining cheese.

4 Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown and set in center. Cool 5 minutes; run knife around edge of each muffin cup. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tip: Try using Monterey Jack or mozzarella in place of the Cheddar cheese.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): No change

Per Appetizer: Calories 80; Total Fat 6g; Sodium 135mg; Dietary Fiber 0g

Meat and Potato Casserole

Here is a recipe one of our members (SCJ) has shared. SCJ recently joined an organic co-op (in Florida) so she ends up with a bunch of food and not much creativity. In desperation SCJ called a friend, a foodie to the core. SCJ's friend gave her an easy recipe she made that very night.

Meat and Potato Casserole

1 large Yam (peeled and sliced in 1/2 inch wheels), you can substitute sweet potatoes or carrots

2 medium Potatoes (peeled and sliced in 1/2 inch wheels)

Pile these into a baking dish, drizzle with a generous amount of olive oil, lightly salt and pepper

Bake at 400˚F for 30 minutes or until tender

While roasting the yams and potatoes, cook up a meat of your choice. I had ground turkey which I browned, drained, and set aside.

Once potatoes are tender, pull them out of oven (leave oven on), cover them with meat, pour 1 cup chicken broth over the casserole, cover with 1/2 cup cheddar cheese. Optional: add 1/2 tsp. Paprika or Chili Powder.

Bake for an additional 20 minutes.

Serve with a green veggie for a balanced meal.

Thanks SCJ for this yummy sounding recipe. I can't wait to try it.