Aldi's Home for the Holidays Cook Book

For those of you who might not have an Aldi's grocery store in your area, it is a store that specializes in private label groceries that are of good quality, but lower in price. There is also less overhead, because the customer brings her own bags and loads the groceries herself, kind of like a "grocery warehouse". I used to shop at Aldi's about once every month when we lived in WV because there was one close-by. This holiday cook book that I'm reviewing today was offered by Aldi's one year between Thanksgiving and Christmas; you know me...I'm a easy-sell when it comes to cook books!

This book turned out to be one of my favorites because of its simplicity and full-color photos of the recipes. There are only 91 pages of recipes-all baked goods and holiday desserts. As you open each beautiful 2-page spread, the left-hand page is the recipe, and the right-hand page is the full-color photo of the finished product. Told you! Simple formula, but very well-done. The recipes themselves are the stars of the book; each one is great from the Mexican Wedding Cookies (La Mas Rica) to the Coconut, Cherry and White Chocolate Bars. I chose a recipe for a holiday quick bread for our sample recipe. Its publication date is 2005 by Publications International and the ISBN is 1-4127-2271-3. It also gives a website for Aldi's: www.ALDI.com

page 50 Friendly Farms Cherry Eggnog Quick Bread
(makes 3 mini loaves)

2 1/2 C Grandma's Best all-purpose flour
3/4 C Sweet Harvest granulated sugar
1 TBSP Baker's Corner baking powder
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 1/4 C Friendly Farms dairy eggnog
1/2 C (1 stick) Happy Farms butter, melted and cooled
2 GoldHen eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp Spice Club pure vanilla
1/2 C chopped Southern Grove pecans
1/2 C coarsely-chopped candied red cherries

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray three 5 1/2x3" mini loaf pans w/ Ariel No-Stick Cooking Spray.

-Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and nutmeg in a large bowl. Combine eggnog, butter, eggs and vanilla in a medium bowl; stir until well-blended. Add eggnog mixture to flour mixture. Mix just until all ingredients are moistened. Stir in pecans and cherries. Spoon into prepared pans.

-Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 15 minutes. Remove and cool completely on wire racks. Store tightly wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature.


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