What's in THG's Basket?

Food Maven, another terrific food blog that I enjoy reading, recently asked readers to blog about their recent shopping trips for an upcoming round up.

Unlike my mother, who typically made one grocery excursion per week, usually on Saturday and to as many as three or four stores to get the best bargains, I make a couple small trips each week depending upon what we're having for dinner and what I'm out and about doing. Since I work from home I typically make a trip or two to the post office, office supply store, coffeeshop, movie rental place, etc. during the week and will squeeze in a sidetrip to the grocery store while I'm out.

On occasion we'll make a big shopping trip (over $60 worth of groceries) and since we did one of those on Saturday night after seeing THE QUEEN (far better than I expected and a probably lock Oscar for Helen Mirren) I kept the recipe so I could fill you in on what we bought.

Here's the scoop:
STORE: Wegmans, Hunt Valley, MD
DAY: Saturday, January 20, 2007
TIME: 6:30 PM

OUR ORDER
Wegmans Hearty Multi-Grain Bread: I have a sandwich almost every day for lunch and I like their private label brand of bread.

Wegmans Part Skim Shredded Mozzarella, Part Skim Ricotta and Whole Milk Ricotta, Organic Parsley: Chris planned on doing a bunch of cooking over the weekend and needed these items for her Lentil Casserole and her Stuffed Shells.

Wegmans Jumbo Cinnamon Rolls: we had just been talking about cinnamon rolls, the ones that come in the tube with the white icing, a few weeks ago. We turned the corner in the refrigerated secion and WHAM! there they were. We made them on Sunday morning and I'd forgotten how good the damn things could be. (See photo.)

Better'N Eggs Egg Substitute: Another Lentil Casserole ingredient.

Ezekial Organic Sprouted 100% Whole Grain Flourless Almond Cereal: When we were out visiting friends in LA a couple months ago they had Ezekial cereal for breakfast one morning. Mixed with yogurt it immediately became my favorite breakfast. If you had told me that my daily breakfast would be made with Organic Sprouted Whole Wheat, Organic Malted Barley, Organic Sprouted Whole Millet, Organic Sprouted Whole Barley, Organic Almonds, Organic Sprouted Whole Lentils, Organic Sprouted Whole Soybeans, Organic Sprouted Whole Spelt, Filtered Water, and Sea Salt I would've told you that you were nuts. Instead, I find that I love this stuff. Don't ask me why.


Bryers Natural Light Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry Ice Cream: Chris is expecting our first (a daughter) in the spring and was having a hankering for Bryers Mint Chocolate Chip Light Ice Cream. They were all out so she settled for this. Buying the V/C/S (as the receipt refers to it) always reminds me of the episode of The Simpsons where Homer keeps taking the V/C/S out of the freezer and the chocolate is gone but the rest remains. He then complains to Marge that they're all out of ice cream.

Newmans Own Organic Spelt Pretzels: one of Chris' favorite snacks.

Martisco Lentils: naturally, a main ingredient of the Lentil Casserole.

San Giorgio Jumbo Shells, Prego Tomato Sauce with Basil and Garlic, and Hunts Tomato Sauce, Bagged Spinach, Grated Locatel: more Stuffed Shells and Lentil Casserole ingredients.

Wegmans Generic Special K with Berries: a favorite cereal in our house.

Starbucks House Blend Ground Coffee: one of my favorite coffees to have in the house, half of which I dumped on the kitchen floor today at 6 AM when the cannister slipped from my hand.

Avalon Organic Liquid Soap: fragrant, but not overpowering, bathroom soap.

Organic Salsa (Medium): I wasn't sure if there was enough salsa in the fridge or pantry in case we wanted to make salsa and Velveeta during the football games on Sunday. There was.

Tostitos Resturant Style Tortilla Chips: backup snack chippage.

Utz Ripple Potato Chips: best onion dipping chips on the market.

Fuji Apples, Rosemary & Olive Batard, Packaged Prosciutto: we use these for an appetizer, side snack we make with toasted bread topped with prosciutto, sliced apple and goat cheese mixed with thyme. The whole thing gets placed under the broiler so the edges of the prosciutto melt and the cheese gets a little soft and warm. Top notch.

Aluminum Casserole Dish with Lids: Chris made a double batch of shells, half we'll cook tonight and the other half are in the freezer for some night when I don't feel like cooking.

$2 Donation to the Maryland Food Bank: hell, it's the least I can do.

Total Cost: $89.82

And I already have to go back to the store today for orange juice, dog treats, fat free milk, and bagged salad.