Simply Natural Organic Vanilla Cake Mix

I was thrilled to see a vanilla organic cake mix at Aldi last week.  I love to bake and yellow cake with chocolate frosting is my husband's favorite.  

This mix called for milk, oil and eggs instead of the usual water, oil and eggs. 

I mixed the ingredients in the mixer and poured the batter into the pans.  

I used 4 personal pizza pans instead of normal cake round pans.  I wanted a tall mini cake. 

 

When the cakes came out of the oven they looked like corn bread.  

I made some chocolate frosting.  Recipe from here.  

Got my cake frosting spatula and my mini cake plate.  

And started with my first layer.  

I decided three layers was plenty!  It was delicious.  

Pork Chops with Lemon, Onion and Thyme

My husband loves pork chops and when he goes to Aldi he always buys them.  This is an easy way to prepare them that can be done using only one pan.  

You will need pork chops, onions, lemon juice (or lemons), butter and chicken broth.  I added some fresh thyme and if you have some growing on your window sill, it goes well with the lemon flavor.  

First, in a medium skillet, chop and brown an onion with a tablespoon of butter.  Set them aside in a bowl.  Then add a tablespoon of butter to the hot skillet until melted.  

Add a 1/2 cup of lemon juice and 3/4 cup of chicken broth.  Add 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat and simmer until reduced slightly.

Poor the sauce in with the onions.

Season the pork chops with salt and pepper and brown them in the skillet.  When they are almost cooked through poor the onion and sauce back into the skillet until warm.  

Serve with some baguette slices and Sweet Harvest Apple Sauce!  We also had a kale salad.

Pork Chops with Lemon, Onion and Thyme

Ingredients:

3-4 Pock Chops (I used a 3 pack of Bone-In Loin Center Cut Pork Chops)

1 Lemon or 1/2 cup Nature's Nectar Lemon Juice

1 Bland Farms Sweet Onion

2-3 Tablespoons butter

3/4 cup Simply Nature Chicken Broth

Directions:

1.  Heat a medium skillet

2.  Add a tablespoon of butter

3.  Chop and brown an onion

4.  Set onion aside

5.  Add lemon juice and chicken broth (Add thyme if using)

6. Bring to boil, then simmer until reduced, about 8 minutes

7.  Add sauce to onions

8.  Brown pork chops in butter until almost cooked.  

9.  Return onions and sauce to the pan.  Cook until heated through.

Aldi Staple: Caesar Salad Fixings

There are several items that I always buy when I go to Aldi.

I buy romaine, parmesan and caesar croutons every time.  

That way I can easily make a quick caesar salad.

Don't forget the fresh ground pepper!

Aldi Review: Specially Selected Arancini Bites

These arancini, or risotto balls, are a fantastic appetizer to keep in your freezer.

Simply heat them in the oven and serve with tomato sauce for dipping.  

I used Simply Nature organic Tomato Basil sauce.  

Tuscan Baked Chicken with Spinach, Bacon and White Beans

 This Tuscan chicken recipe can be made in only one pan!  You will need an onion, chicken breasts, white beans, canned tomatoes, and spinach.  

Cook the bacon in an oven safe skillet. Chop the cooked bacon into small pieces and set aside. 

 

 Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Brown and set aside.  

Chop and brown an onion.

Return the bacon to the pan.  Add the spinach, canned tomatoes (do not drain) and beans.  

Mix and return the chicken to the pan.  Add some rosemary from your garden.  

Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees.  

And enjoy. 

Tuscan Baked Chicken with Spinach, Bacon and White Beans

Ingredients

• 
  
• 2 Kirkwood chicken breasts 
• 4 slices Simply Nature bacon 
• 1 chopped onion 
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 2.5 ounces Simply Nature spinach
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary (optional)
• 1 16 ounce can Dakota's Great Northern Beans
• 1 10 ounce can diced tomatoes (do not drain)

Directions

1. 1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. 2. Cook bacon in an ovenproof skillet until crispy. Chop and set aside.
3. 3. Brown chicken pieces.  Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
4. 4. Cook onion until brown. Stir in bacon, spinach, rosemary, beans, and tomatoes. 
5. 5. Place chicken on top of mixture.
6. 6.  Bake uncovered for 40 minutes. 

Recipe adapted from here.