
Last week, I made it a Trader Joe’s Friday. Take a ride with me.
Hello again, Dear readers:
I know, it’s been a minute, but I do have an adventure to tell you about, plus a couple of other news items that have surprised the heck out of me.
Saturday was a Tractor Supply visit for pet supplies. It was also an adoption day, and I almost brought home a new kitty:

Such a sweet little kitten.
There’s nothing wrong with the old ones. But I knew what kind of trouble I’d face if I did. Make no mistake—this Catmandu kitty was $22 to adopt. But I just knew it would be bad for that beautiful little furball if I did. The poor thing wouldn’t stand a chance around Tab E. Cat and Tiger Cat. I hate leaving this one behind but I did.
Let’s get started.
Two News Items
These two news items come from Fast Company, a tech magazine that I follow on LinkedIn.
For a few years now, you’ve probably seen those commercials for company called Daily Harvest. This company aims its advertising at millennials who want to eat better and easier. From what I’ve seen, it’s frozen vegetarian food as different forms of meals that make it convenient and easy to eat healthier. At least, that’s how they’re advertising their products. They’re not cheap, either—each meal runs between $6 and $10, for one. They also have some coffee pods that come in two to a package.
The Daily Harvest Debacle
Back in June, the magazine reported on a story about Daily Harvest’s lentil and leek crumbles that made quite a few people very sick. Although these people were young and healthy, nearly 400 of them became ill from this meat-substitute blend. The problem was an ingredient called “tara flour” added as a plant-based protein. Tara flour is rarely used in the US and was not tested for safety before this product was rolled out.
The FDA has not yet evaluated tara flour to be “generally recognized as safe,” or GRAS, but it’s not used much here, either. It only became available in the last year or so. Most of the people sickened by this product developed gallbladder and liver problems. Of those, 133 went to the hospital for surgical procedures, with 25 of those being gallbladder removal. The company promises to do better, but lawsuits could bankrupt the company. They’re working with the FDA, and the crumbles have been recalled. We’ll see how this plays out. Their products are available in some grocery stores, but not in my area.
If you see a food product with “tara flour” in its ingredient list, drop it. There is also something called “tara gum” that’s used as a thickener, but apparently it’s not the same thing.
Beyond Impossible Meat
The second article is about the imminent demise of the plant-based meat industry–again. These reports have happened a few times, claiming that this fake meat is on its way out, but they’re still around and haven’t gone yet.
Honestly, who’s buying this stuff? I see it in the grocery stores all the time, but I don’t see anybody buying any. That may be different in a place like Houston, Dallas, New York, or anywhere in California. But the truth is, much of America is not eating plant-based meat. If they do, it’s once and they realize why real meat is better. There’s plenty of it available, but nobody’s buying it up like ground beef.
Because I even found some in Dirt Cheap this weekend:

When they’re here, they’re at the last stop
The ingredient list:
That’s intended to replace meat. Seriously? No. That’s a lot of processing to make it look and taste something like meat. I’m sure Spam tastes better.
It’s like that picture that emerged during Hurricane Harvey of an HEB refrigerated case, that was emptied of everything but the soy-based vegetarian food products. No self-respecting Texan is going to eat tofu or fake meat, even in an emergency. Looks like there was more anticipation than actual demand for alt-meat, and the industry isn’t as strong as the cattle industry.
Do you know why it’s called “Impossible?” Because it’s impossible to get normal people to eat that stuff. Bonus: alt-meat is not healthier than meat. The article goes on about “planet friendly,” “saving the planet,” and “climate change,” showing its intentional bias. Even though there are some folks who buy the stuff, alt-meat isn’t universally wanted. I don’t know anyone who wants it, either.
Aldi, Aldi, Everywhere!
I only just discovered that Germany-based grocer Aldi has bought one of the south’s stalwart stores, Winn-Dixie. No kidding—they just remodeled ours in the last year, and now they may change it over to Aldi.
Honest—somehow, I did not get this news, our friend MY told us in a phone conversation last week. How did BF know about this but not say anything to me? I thought she was kidding when she told us, but she wasn’t.
The modern world comes to rural Louisiana, whether they want it or not. No word on how many stores will stay branded as Winn-Dixie and how many will change to Aldi. But Aldi’s stores are much smaller than the average Winn-Dixie, so they’ll make those decisions once the merger is complete.
We got a letter just today from our local Winn-Dixie informing us that our local Winn-Dixie pharmacy closed last week. I hadn’t heard about that part either. Aldi doesn’t do pharmacy, and its core competency is grocery, so the pharmacy component wasn’t part of the deal. Now, Winn-Dixie is transferring everything to CVS and Walgreens and closing their pharmacies ahead of the merger. Here, the transfers are to the local Walgreens. The Hammond Winn-Dixie has a CVS nearby.
I did notice some conversation in the pharmacy area when I was shopping there last week but didn’t think too much of it. So, in the store that was only renovated a few months ago, there will be an empty space where the pharmacy was. Wonder what they’ll do with it once it’s all cleared out.
Bankruptcy Relief
Southeastern Grocers is thankful since they’ve been limping along for many years now and remarkably close to bankruptcy. I haven’t seen too much on the topic, although it was just a quick search that yielded articles that said much the same thing.
This may also impact Rouses, Louisiana’s “premier” grocery chain. It’s the closest thing you’ll find to HEB this side of the Sabine. If Aldi does move into Hammond, there will be some VERY serious competition.
Of course, in a text message later, MY responded, “How about you work on getting us an HEB?” Well, I’ll see what I can do, but they tried it once in Lake Charles. The gent in the Texas Welcome Center in Orange said, “There was some kind of Louisiana regulation and they had to close.” There’s always some kind of Louisiana regulation to bungle up anything. That’s why there’s no Buc-ee’s here, and there likely won’t be, even though it was announced a few years ago.
Maybe Trader Joe’s will make the trip up this way next. New Orleans has one, and so does Memphis, TN, which also has an IKEA. Hammond would be a great place for Trader Joe’s, especially with Southeastern Louisiana University around. I sent them an email suggesting Hammond, and the autoresponder message I got back said:
Thank you for your interest in a Trader Joe’s store – it matters to us. We’ve received your request and will share it with our real estate team for consideration.
If you have other comments or questions you’d like addressed, please submit them through our general feedback form at: https://www.traderjoes.com/home/contact-us
Thank you.
But folks in Mandeville and Covington have been wanting and praying for a Trader Joe’s there for years. Not happening, and I know that from the company directly.
My Trader Joe’s Friday
Last week, I decided I wanted to go to Trader Joe’s in Baton Rouge. See, They’ve got new fall and pumpkin stuff all over the place, and I was out to get some to bring back.
I found out that they have a new pumpkin body butter that I wanted to try. BF, on the other hand, did not want me to go anywhere near anything that smelled like pumpkin or pumpkin spice, But he was not going to stop me.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get any pumpkin body butter, because they sold it all on the first day. Like the Brazil Nut Body Butter that BF really likes, there’s plenty of it available on eBay and Amazon—for a premium price. That’s what happens when you put a Trader Joe’s near LSU. Fortunately, I did score some of the pumpkin body scrub.

If you score some, you’ll definitely enjoy it
It smells nice and warm, and I must hide it, so BF doesn’t throw it away.
I put the pumpkin spice gluten-free bagels into the freezer right away, too.

Gluten-free!
I had one already, toasted with butter, and it was pretty darn good. The canned pumpkin will go into the pantry for Iced Pumpkin Spiced Lattes and homemade dog treats.
Non-pumpkin purchases included two packages of Texas Tamales:
Because they are less than Rouse’s. And one of these little totes, with a full-sized nylon grocery bag inside.

Aren’t they cute?
Keep it in your bag, car, or pocket, and you’ll have a reusable shopping bag handy. The small tote is good for keeping small items corralled like loose change.
The Store Visit
I saw lots of pumpkins:

Look at them all!
And these new bags for fall:

I didn’t get one, maybe next time.
This nice lady was sampling:

This nice lady’s name is India, and she was sampling some lovely granola and yogurt.
Plus a wide range of new and familiar delicious things:
And this:

I wanted to but it would not have lasted the trip home in the heat.
The samosas next to them are probably pretty good, but you know what would happen if I brought a box home? “She’s tryin’ ta kill me!” Same with this one:

Interesting, no?
Delicata Squash:

He won’t eat that, either.
I bought a small one and will put it in the air fryer. I saw DaniMade Kitchen do that the other day on Instagram, and it’s really simple. Slice off the ends, then in half lengthwise, don’t peel, remove the seeds, slice into half-rounds, toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper (or whatever seasoning you like), and air fry at 400F for 10 minutes, or 20 minutes in the oven. Dani also adds a fresh herb like thyme into the mix. Yeah, that’s for me when BF is not home.
BF won’t eat anything remotely related to pumpkin, like this:

That would not go over well. Next to his strawberry bars.
Or this:

Even though they’re not pumpkin
I did pick up a box of this tea last time I was there but haven’t opened it yet:

They may be unwrapped, too.
I hope it’s as good as HEB’s English Breakfast Tea.
The Frozen Foods
In addition to our favorite Texas Tamales, Trader Joe’s has some other interesting frozen foods in their cases:

Pumpkin ice cream, and waffles? Sounds good but no for BF.
Don’t forget the scones and cheesecake:
At least Trader Joe’s appreciates Hatch chiles:

Hatch chile salsa and frozen tacos–perfect!
Gluten-free pie shells? I almost bought some.

This could be the start of something delicious!
One day I’ll try this, too, if it’s gluten-free.

A fan favorite, but we’ve never had it.
Still, BF doesn’t mind that I go, and says the same thing: “It’s just a grocery store.”
Trader Joe’s List
If you’re not familiar with Instagram, there are several bloggers and brands that hang out there. The main reason I got on Instagram was to follow. Jen Fisher of Keto in the City, Mimi G, and a couple of others I like. I also follow multiple brands on Instagram, and as you know, I’ve won twice this year from Instagram giveaways.
Another blogger that I discovered is a lady named Natasha Fisher who has a blog and an Instagram channel called Trader Joe’s List. She lives in California and has a Trader Joe’s nearby. So once a week, and sometimes more, she goes to Trader Joe’s, does some grocery shopping, and then does a video about what she bought. She does the videos in her own kitchen.
Natasha and her partner Simon recently went to Phoenix for a few weeks for his job, so she just took her Trader Joe’s trip there. They stayed in an Airbnb, she was still cooking like she was at home.
I try to catch Natasha’s videos whenever she posts a new one. Sometimes she even does them live, but I don’t always catch those. But she talks about a lot of different TJ’s things in the videos that I’m interested in trying. Natasha is not affiliated with Trader Joe’s, she’s simply a happy shopper with a blog.
It was Natasha’s video that showed me the Pumpkin Body Butter that I wanted to try. Oh, well. At least I got the Brazil Nut Body Butter before it sold out.
Making My Own Video
On the way back from Baton Rouge, I got the idea to make my own video, just like Natasha’s. I’m not trying to compete or “steal her thunder,” of course. It was just for fun. I did mine in one take and uploaded it to Instagram. But for those of you not on Instagram, I uploaded it to YouTube so you can see it there.
If you watch it, please do not expect my video to be as good as Natasha’s. I’m not a professional and the intent was just to have a little fun on my own. BF is not in the video but does get a few mentions. (If you listen close you can hear the TV blaring in the other room because he couldn’t help himself.) But if you like Trader Joe’s, I highly suggest checking out her website. If you’re on Instagram, follow Natasha so you can see her videos in your feed when she posts them.
Next Up: Aldi
The littlest grocery store has done very well in recent months because of their well-priced basic offerings. So, it’s no wonder that they keep expanding, especially in the South.
I’m planning to visit the Aldi in McComb, Mississippi this week to do a little stocking up (and to get out of the house for a while.) BF doesn’t mind, since I’m not doing anything wrong, and he likes many of the new things I bring home. Unless, of course, they’re pumpkin-spiced. I try to bring back nice things that he wouldn’t ordinarily buy or something that wouldn’t ordinarily cross his path. He’s still a fan of Jammie Dodgers.
I’ve got one recipe to try out for an upcoming blog post, and hopefully, it will be worth the wait. Until then. . . .
Happy Dining!
Is MSG the culinary bad guy we’ve been told it is? It’s been around for more than 100 years. But one day, monosodium glutamate became one of the things to avoid. MSG has never gone away, and finally, it’s making a comeback.
Hello Again, Dear Readers:
After I read last week’s published post to BF, he informed me that he has three New Year’s Resolutions this year, and he’s mostly accomplished one of them. It’s a long story.
In my case, I’ve decided that I’d like to get up early again, every morning. I’ve done a fair amount of it since BF went back to work since he’s been working many early days. The trick is to keep getting up early every day no matter how long BF hibernates. I’m not there yet.
I found something interesting that I thought I should pass along. But before I begin, I must mention two things:
- There are a few live Amazon affiliate links, which may send me a few rubles if you click and buy anything, not just what I described
- Remember that I’m a food blogger, not a medical professional. If you have concerns about using MSG, ask your doctor and maybe do a little research before you start sprinkling. Chances are you’ll find plenty of information on both the plus and minus sides, so it’s up to you to decide for yourself.
Now let me tell you what I found.
What Is MSG?
Monosodium glutamate is a flavor enhancer used in many processed foods like canned soups and seasoning blends like this one.

I used to buy this until I discovered it had soybean oil, but that’s been removed.
Commonly used in Asian cooking, MSG is a type of salt made from a natural amino acid called glutamic acid. Despite the similar-sounding name, there is no gluten in MSG.

You’ll likely find this in the kitchen of your favorite Asian restaurant.
It’s a white crystal-like powder made by fermenting starch, sugar beets, sugar cane, or molasses.

Looks a lot like salt.
Much like salt, it’s added to enhance savory flavors and used to add the “umami” taste to foods. (Keep reading for that one.) But it doesn’t have the same amount of sodium as salt does.
But is it the allergen we’ve been led to believe? Some people may be sensitive to it and experience flushing or headaches after consuming MSG. It’s similar to people who are allergic to another type of food, such as egg or wheat.
The Umami Factor
Most people know about the four tastes: salty, sweet, sour and bitter. But there’s a fifth one, that’s known in Japan as umami, or the “savory” or “meaty” taste. Umami is present in meats, fish, soy sauce, mushrooms, and Parmesan cheese, and is believed to be caused by the presence of other amino acids in foods.

This would be one ideal place for MSG
MSG adds to or enhances the umami in foods during cooking but isn’t necessarily a thing on its own. Just like adding a touch more salt to a dish, MSG enhances the umami that makes it taste even better.
Where You Find MSG
Asian cuisines are well known for using MSG in dishes such as:
- Chinese dishes, like Kung Pao chicken and hot and sour soup
- Japanese dishes, like miso soup and teriyaki sauce
- Thai dishes, like tom yum soup and green curry
- Vietnamese dishes, like pho noodle soup and spring rolls

I wonder if BF would take me to our local Chinese place this weekend.
Back in the day, MSG was popularly available in the US as a product called Ac’cent™ .

The original
(The name is trademarked by B&G Foods in Parsippany, NJ.) Now you can buy MSG from multiple vendors, like Badia, a brand I bought in Houston.

You may find this in a smaller bottle in the grocery.
And I just discovered that Texas’ own Fiesta Spices sells MSG, although I’ve never seen it in a store:
You don’t see ads for MSG anymore. But years ago, one television ad featured none other than Sammy Davis, Jr. One cute commercial told cooks to “wake up their food” with Ac’cent™, and another spot from 1986 featured soothing sax music (no doubt marketed to housewives of the era.)
Making A Comeback
It’s been years since I’ve even thought about MSG, much less looked for some. But it’s always been available, despite the negative press. Today, it’s still available as Ac’cent™ as well as other brands, and available nearly anywhere. I didn’t see it on my last trip through Albertson’s in Hammond, but found it in our local Winn-Dixie, on a lower shelf.

There it is, just sitting on the bottom. On sale!
But I’ve never even paid attention to MSG since it was allegedly “unhealthy.”
The other day, BF was watching CBS Mornings while we were eating breakfast. I happened to look over and see a segment on Asian restaurants who are again embracing the use of MSG. I also found a little more info on the CBS News website.
If you’re old enough to remember, you might be thinking, “wait a minute. Isn’t that the stuff that created a big brouhaha in the 1970s about how it was unhealthy for everyone?” It is. Well, 50+ years on, times have changed and we know more than we used to. It’s been time to look at MSG in a new light.
Appropriately, it figures that Asian chefs would pick up the torch and begin using it again.

How can this be bad?
Now, that’s not to say that MSG was ever banned from the market. Far from it. In fact, after the news that MSG caused health problems, it was still available, just avoided by a lot of people. Like me.
Using MSG
MSG is useful for savory foods but does nothing for sweet foods. (That’s OK, there are plenty of other ways to enhance sweets!) Because I have no experience with it, I’ll tell you what it says on the Ac’cent™ bottle:
- Add ½ teaspoon per pound of meat.
- Add ½ teaspoon for each of 4 to 6 servings of soups, stews, casseroles, sauces, salads, and vegetables.
That’s not a lot of MSG. Honestly, on a couple of chops I cooked for dinner, I gave a light sprinkle on each side along with the seasoning salt I used. (They were good!) Ac’cent™ has 60 mg of sodium versus 194 mg of sodium per 0.5 grams of salt, which is helpful if you’re trying to cut down on sodium consumption.
Honestly, it’s something you can sprinkle in lightly or use a small amount as directed. More will likely not result in a significant improvement and may ruin your dish. B&G’s website has more information on using their product, and even a few recipes.
Is It Unsafe?
Surprise—it really isn’t unsafe unless you have a reaction, just like anything else. So how did MSG get this reputation and decades-long bad press?
Well. . .it started with a letter allegedly written by Chinese-American doctor “Robert Ho Man Kwok” back in the 1960’s to the esteemed New England Journal of Medicine. In the letter, the alleged doctor described what he called “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome” which began the campaign against MSG.

Asian Orange Chicken with Green Onions
Guess what? That letter and the named “syndrome” was a hoax. No kidding. Fifty years later, everything that came from that letter is based on a hoax. Someone made up a fake Chinese name, and it just took off like a snowball rolling down a steep hill. Amazingly, it’s still in the NEJM’s archives behind a paywall. Makes you want to believe in BigFoot, doesn’t it? (Check out a couple of pictures of the elusive beast that I’m sure BF has already seen.) Colgate University has more on the fake Chinese doctor story if you want to read more.
Scientific research into MSG’s safety is the subject of debate since the hoax began. The “news” also set off reams of negative press against the Chinese. Lots of racism and ethnic negativity started because of the one letter that had no truth to it–long before social media!
No Proof
Despite claims of symptoms such as headaches, flushing, sweating, and difficulty breathing after consuming MSG, scientific studies have never consistently found a link between MSG consumption and any reactions. That’s not to say no one would suffer these side effects, but they’re not a widespread problem as we’ve been led to believe. Just like a milk or wheat or soy allergy, not everybody has the same experience.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified MSG as a food ingredient that is “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS). The FDA states that MSG is safe to consume at normal levels and that most people can tolerate MSG in normal amounts without reactions. But restaurants and food producers must list MSG if they’ve added any—just like other allergens.
If you know you’re sensitive, check the ingredient lists of foods before consuming something.
Are You Allergic?
MSG isn’t unsafe, really, unless you experience a reaction after consuming some. But think about it this way—if you know you’re allergic to eggs, milk, shrimp, corn, wheat, nuts, or like me, soy, you avoid the allergen, right? Treat MSG the same way. If you have any concerns, always consult with a healthcare professional before using or consuming MSG.
But you knew that already.
I Bought Some
For the first time in I don’t know when I bought a bottle of Ac’cent™ to try in our cooking. Lucky me, Winn-Dixie had it on sale. I expect that little bottle to last a long time.
I don’t think I have a single recipe anywhere that calls for MSG, but that’s OK, I’ll try some. I’ve used it once, and so far, so good. I’ll let you know if it’s good, or bad, or does anything bad to the food. Or us.
But considering MSG’s consistent culinary use over the last 100 years, and the availability of Ac’cent™ in grocery stores since 1947, it can’t be all bad, right?
Happy Seasoning!
Aldi—it’s the newest little grocery store around. Do you have one nearby? (TL:DR version: Aldi’s is a great place to grocery shop with great prices.)
Hello, again, Dear Readers:
We’re halfway through the first month of 2023. BF corrected me on my earlier statement that he has no resolutions, he does. He’s already got one of them checked off, although the process isn’t complete yet. Long story there. Two others are a little farther off, but reachable.
I didn’t make any “resolutions,” but I would like to start getting up early in the morning again. I’ve been able to do that with BF’s work schedule since he returned to work after vacation, but he’ll be back on his usual day/night alternate rotation soon. When he goes back to sleep, so do I. So. . .we’ll see how it goes.
The “New” Aldi In Our Area
Sort of.
A few days ago, we received a card in the mail letting us know that there is a new Aldi store that’s actually less than an hour from us—just north in Mississippi. No kidding. Because we’re so close to the state border, it’s closer than Baton Rouge or New Orleans. The announcement included a $5 coupon off a $30 purchase, which I happily accepted. So, I made my plans and drove north.

Cute!
I know this sounds a bit odd, going to another state to grocery shop, but people in the smaller northeastern states do cross-border trips all the time. Remember that in Houston you can drive 100 miles in a day and never leave the city. You can drive for days and never leave the state. So going to Mississippi to visit the newest and closest Aldi store isn’t a big deal. Even if BF thinks it’s a bit bonkers. (Bonus: the sales tax is also 3% less than in Louisiana.)

The place was quite crowded!
HEB is a long drive from here, but I’d happily go as far as Beaumont to get to one. (I’m not sure about the ones in Vidor and Orange, I’ve never been.) But because the Mississippi border is just 30 minutes away, McComb isn’t the hour-drive to get to the Slidell Aldi location. Might as well go to Baton Rouge if I’m going to drive that far, because Whole Foods, Fresh Market, Joann’s, Bed, Bath and Beyond, and Cost Plus World Market are also there, too. (Just not all in the same place.)

I just made it!
Admittedly, I wasn’t impressed with Aldi when I went to the one in Friendswood in 2014. It was on the way home from LK’s place, but I didn’t find it to be a better option. Reminded me of a convenience store, really. Lots of boxed mixes, junk food, and a little fresh food.
A well-known male celebrity from the UK is a big fan of Aldi, too. He lives in Palm Springs with his partner and has many times touted Aldi’s food and its greatness. He even did a video in his local Aldi, and it wasn’t a paid promotion–he was just a fan. That Aldi was nothing like the one I visited. After my original experience in Friendswood, I just never went back. I’m not naming him here because I later found him to be quite foul. Therefore, I don’t want his name in the blog or ranking for his name, either.
However, our friend Beverly loves Aldi and told me that they’ve upped their offerings in the fresh food area. Beverly and her husband drive to an Aldi about once a month or so to stock up on staples. Aunt Ruth loves her local Aldi as well. So, I decided to revisit Aldi’s and see what I might be missing. Beverly was right!
The Trip to McComb
It was a lovely day for a drive. It was cool, and sunny, with no traffic. Until I got there.
I drove myself because BF was working. I guess he was glad because he didn’t want to go anyway. He’d rather watch shows about Bigfoot and that weird guy who lived among the bears and became bear food. (I really need to repossess my little Roku.)

Everyone was anxious to get in and shop
Two things to know about going to Aldi: bring a quarter to unlock your cart and bring your own shopping bags. These are two of the ways Aldi keeps costs down and passes along the savings. (New Orleans readers may remember The Real Superstore from back in the late 80’s introducing the “quarter for the basket” trend from Europe.) Stores are accepting reusable shopping bags again, so wash them and take them with you when you shop, especially at Aldi.
But because I wanted to make the grand opening (and I did!) they were not requiring shoppers to use a quarter to unlock the carts. I made it in time to see the grand opening but not to get a picture. The local newspaper, the McComb Enterprise Journal, was also on hand to record the opening. You can read the nice article here, and the picture of the ribbon cutting is available here.
And when people returned the baskets, they offered them to other shoppers rather than fuss about the quarter. Remember, I was in Mississippi. Everyone was nice and as crowded as the place was, they were all happy to be there.
The first 100 shoppers—designated by numbered cards—received a “swag bag.” That is, an Aldi shopping bag that contained some bagel chips and a quarter holder. They gave me a shopping bag on the way in, but it only had a cute little quarter holder (no complaints from me):

Neat!
I was going to buy a bag anyway, but it was nice to be gifted one.

Yup!
On the way out, someone gave me two more, and those will be gifted to others.

Nice
And if you lose that quarter holder, you can actually buy them on Amazon, no kidding.
While waiting for the opening, I spoke with a lady who said that not much happens in McComb. Nice place to go if you don’t want to be found, am I right? She laughed. We saw the Mayor and a few of his people go in and walk out with a swag bag, but I don’t think he did any shopping.
As it turns out, our friend MY went to college in McComb, no kidding. She’s going to rustle up her gang and pay them a visit.
Once we got inside, it was a madhouse.
Again, everyone was polite and nice, and no one caused any problems.
Another customer asked me a question about something. Suddenly she began telling me about something she makes in the air fryer, “while you make your chicken and biscuits.” I held back my “keto-mostly” self as I listened to her description. She was also nice, so I just smiled and agreed, then thanked her because I couldn’t follow everything. I still don’t know what she was telling me to make, honestly. I guess I looked like I needed to know.
It probably won’t be crowded like that every day.
Shopping Haul
There’s a deli area right when you walk into the place, on the left:

That’s where they have the cauliflower pizza, on the far left. I thought I got a better picture of it.
I saw the words “cauliflower pizza” and it was all over:
Lunch! No wheat in the crust or anything, so that was first since BF was working late the next day. Then tortillas, including some marked “keto” for our next Taco Tuesday adventure:

BF would love this area
Plus a nice selection of cookies and pastries. Lots of snacks on the right side:
And more snacks!
Against the back wall are bacon and other meats:
I’m going to go ahead and admit that we needed a bag of onions:
Right next to them were little roasty potatoes, aka, Triston’s potatoes:
And salsa!
I forgot the tortilla chips, but these didn’t last long:

Sweet potato chips are my kryptonite
This quinoa meal will absolutely horrify BF if he ever finds it because he wants to know what it’s doing in his house:

I’m currently hiding this from BF
Aunt Ruth and Aunt Kathy are laughing as they read this because they’ve met BF and they know I’m right. But it was so weird I was compelled to get one. I haven’t tried it just yet.
I’m not going to disclose how much I spent. . .let’s just say I got some things we needed, as well as some extra things, plus something for dinner. This definitely won’t be my last trip to McComb, that’s for sure—especially with a Starbucks, Hobby Lobby and Walmart in the same spot. It’s an enclosed mall called Uptown McComb, but I didn’t realize that until I was leaving. Next time.
How Was The Pizza?
Regular readers know I’m a fan of Caulipower pizzas, and get them occasionally. So far, nothing beats Caulipower, and I’ve tried a couple of them that Walmart has available. (I may try the new Walmart brand one day soon.) So this caught my eye, although they only had Veggie available. That’s OK, too.
The Aldi’s pizza isn’t frozen—remember, it came from the deli section as you walk in the front door. (There’s only one way in and out, and that’s a thing with Aldi, too.) The crust is rather “floppy,” because it’s a “grab and go” thing. So you want to be extra careful sliding it onto the oven rack.
At $7.99, it rivals Caulipower and is also larger.
All you do is preheat the oven to 400 degrees and put it directly on the oven rack. I had to use the big oven because it’s too big for the countertop oven, but it was chilly so that was fine. In about 16 minutes, you have pizza:
I think I should have left it in the oven a bit longer because the crust wasn’t as crispy as I anticipated.
The toppings were all cooked, of course, and it was quite tasty. Just don’t want to burn the pizza.

Giving Caulipower a run for its money.
No complaints here, it tastes pretty good, and it’s big enough to have a leftover half for the next day.

That’s a bit of red onion, not beet, thank heavens.
I like to have both the regular and cauliflower pizzas in the freezer for us, but of course, we tend to go through them quickly. These pizzas from Aldi can be frozen, apparently, because it has directions for cooking from frozen. So, my next Aldi trip may involve getting more of these for the freezer, plus a couple of the non-cauliflower ones for BF.
Sweets For Your Sweet
I did manage to get a few things for BF. He loves chocolate as I do, so:
These were just too cute to pass up:
These cookies from Germany look just like the Krakus cookies from Poland that I used to buy at Phoenicia Foods in Houston in several flavors:

I have tried to straighten out this picture to no avail.
I hope they taste as good, too. If so, BF will love them. And for myself, chocolate and raspberry are together again:
I didn’t eat it all at once, honest. And it was only one. I passed on the chocolate truffles, because, well, I can get into trouble with those.
Aldi has an aisle full of sweet treats and other non-food gifts like candles and pajamas for Valentine’s Day.
So there’s something for nearly everyone, including yourself.
Non-Food Items
Unlike Trader Joe’s, Aldi’s has an entire center aisle of non-food items:
There you’ll find all manner of things, like these cute things for your kitchen or coffee bar:

“May your coffee kick in before reality does.” Oh, yes, seriously!
Coffee pots and cups are also available, as well as their own espresso maker:
Aldi Finds are lots of different things, including rugs and small pieces of furniture. Presumably, you must assemble them just like anything from IKEA. But maybe it was because I was in a hurry that I didn’t see any of those, or maybe the store didn’t have them. I wanted to look at a storage ottoman from the app, but that may be coming next week. Gives me an excuse to go back, doesn’t it?
Well, this was just what I wanted:
And magically, it made its way into the cart. Guess what? It takes a range of vacuum seal bags. Those vacuum freezer bags and replacement gaskets are easily available on Amazon. I’ll check our local Walmart for availability too. I sealed up the pork chops and the ground turkey I bought at Aldi, and they’re already in the big freezer. More vacuum seal freezing and a blog post on this one soon.
We’ve been talking about getting a vacuum food sealer for some time, but they are kind of pricey, so we waited. After reading this article by Jill Nystul on One Good Thing By Jillee, I told BF that we should consider getting one to start making our food last a bit longer.
You can find a huge selection of them on Amazon. In fact, Dash has a brand new model of its own. When I brought up the subject, BF just nodded his head “OK” and that was the end of the discussion, although we have talked about it since. Even though this was a rushed trip during a busy time, I saw it and was glad to see it was $30.
Not Just A. . . .
BF’s favorite comment about Trader Joe’s is, “it’s just a grocery store.” He just doesn’t get excited about that sort of thing. Between TJ’s and Whole Foods, there were too many guys wearing man buns and skinny jeans for his military buzz-cut comfort level. He never lets me forget about “ManBun/SkinnyJeans.” In this store, there were none of those, as MY tells me that it’s mostly country folks. Everyone was happy about the new Aldi, that’s for sure.
In all seriousness, Trader Joe’s is the grocery store, while Aldi’s is groceries and more. Both stores focus primarily on their own private brands with some national brands alongside. Aldi also carries a selection of limited-time goods from small stuff to all manner of things. Most of it is seasonal, and they don’t last long before they’re replaced with something new.
They Didn’t Forget The Furbabies
Aldi also carries pet food and supplies:

This smells like stinky cat food, but the dogs couldn’t get enough.

But the cats were not impressed with these offerings.
Some apparel, kitchen items, and even fitness things:
All in that aisle for Aldi Finds.
Great Stuff In Store
Like Trader Joe’s, Aldi also has devout fans. This article from The Kitchn talks about a bag of frozen vegetables that the author says to get at least one more since they’re “ready to roast.” They have carrot and sweet potato and a Mediterranean blend with yellow and red bell peppers, zucchini, red onion, and cherry tomatoes. Before you ask, no, BF won’t eat this because of the zucchini.
Because Aldi was so busy, I didn’t really get a good look at the freezer section. But what I did recognize immediately was the Texas Tamales!
And they were $2.50 less than Rouses. The bad news is that they only had pork tamales, no beef.
What Aldi’s isn’t is a salvage or overstock place like Dirt Cheap (the top retailer of major brand returns, they say) or Ollie’s Bargain Center (“Good stuff cheap—up to 70% off the fancy stores!”) Aldi sells fresh and first-quality product for less than other grocery stores.
These tea bags are a good example of what that means. Chances are the two different brands are from the same producer with different labeling.

The bag on the left is from Aldi’s, and the one on the right is from Winn-Dixie. Taste about the same.
Aldi’s was $2.19, and Winn-Dixie’s is about $2.69. Sometimes Winn-Dixie puts them on sale, two for $4, or buy two and get one free. Next trip to Aldi’s I might buy a couple of extra boxes.
An Aldi Fan Story From Down Under
Although Aldi is growing in the US, this Germany-based company is not just in the States. This blog by Australian copywriter Pauline Longdon describes her and her partner Rae’s adventure getting themselves a couple of Stand-Up Paddleboards, or SUP. If you’re not familiar with them (and I’m not either), you can get an idea of what they look like from what’s available on Amazon. (There’s a bit of language and self-deprecating humor involved, too.) Note: I’m friends with Pauline and Rae on Facebook but have not yet met them in person like other copywriters I know who have.
Admittedly, I know little to nothing about stand-up paddleboarding, and Pauline’s blog is also written primarily for writers. But the story is interesting enough that I wanted to link to it here, because it involves Aldi, and researching a purchase. If you have a few minutes, click over to Pauline’s website, and read the story in her words. Pauline kindly gave me permission to link to her blog, so she knows why you’re there.
Why Shop At Aldi?
It’s a little like going to Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, or even the Rouses in Hammond—they have what you want or need. They’re not as big as a Rouses, Winn-Dixie, or HEB, but they’re a good basic grocery store with, well, basics. Eggs are the notable exception since they’re currently as expensive as controlled substances. (Yes, that’s sarcasm.) But Aldi’s prices are good on their store brands, with their store brand offerings being considerably less expensive. So far we’ve noticed no difference in quality, either.

They’re all golden eggs now, aren’t they?
For example, this jar of Aldi’s store brand Tomato & Basil Pasta Sauce was $1.95.
By comparison, the one we usually buy, Classico Tomato & Basil, runs $3.79, and sometimes $3.00 on sale at Winn-Dixie.
Used it for dinner and BF gave a thumbs-up. Unlike Winn-Dixie, Aldi doesn’t have a rewards program. Their prices are what they offer, no reward points are needed. So there’s that.
I’d like to go back to Aldi occasionally and stock up on canned and jarred foods, frozen things, and other foods to stash and keep on hand. We’re planning a pantry reboot soon to utilize the wasted space (thank you, Pinterest!) Once we have that completed and the pantry cleared and sorted, it’ll be easier to keep track of what we have and need. Stocking up on basics at Aldi will help keep our pantry full for less.
In a quick chat with Rafael, he says has an Aldi store about two miles away from his home with Carmen. He said they have some nice European products, which he prefers because they “tend to make cleaner stuff.” Agreed—and he has access to more of that kind of thing than we do.
I mentioned to the very harried manager in a red shirt that this new Aldi is an option if we need to travel north again for a supply run. During the two weeks our area was running on generators, we traveled north first to Brookshire and then McComb, Mississippi, to get food, fuel, and other supplies. That Aldi is close but probably would have been filled with people like us getting food and things. It’s an option, and it’s literally right off the freeway. You can see it before you get to the exit because it’s on the furthest corner of the mall. (That’s one of Aldi’s trademarks when they look for real estate.) Even if there was a closer store, it’s good to know Aldi’s is in McComb if we need it one day.
Besides, it’s nice to get away occasionally and do something different, isn’t it?
Third Fastest Growing Grocery In the US
That’s right, they are. And much as I like HEB and Trader Joe’s, Aldi is a nice place to shop, too.

Fast and easy to get out, too.
I did write the company to tell them about the fun grand opening and request a store in Hammond. Someone wrote back and said they were always looking for new sites that fit their criteria. Hopefully, Hammond will fit, and they will build one. Southeastern Louisiana University is there, so there’s bound to be enough interest. I think that’s why Trader Joe’s is so close to LSU.
You can find more on Aldi’s website, and they even have an app you can download. Look for a store near you at their Store Finder, and sign up for their emails too.
More To Come
In addition to the overdue posts on Rafael & Carmen’s wedding and the rest of our Houston trip, I’ve got a few more topics waiting. The vacuum food sealer is going to get its own post, because now I want to seal up everything. I just need more of the bags.
I still have no idea what we’re doing for Valentine’s Day, but hopefully, we’ll find something on the Roku we can both enjoy.
Of course, I hope to have more tasty recipes to cook up in the New Year. Because feeding BF can be, shall we say, challenging, and requires more effort.
Happy Shopping!
Crab cakes in your air fryer? Yes—and they’re pretty good. Of all the versions of crab cakes you can find, this one is simple and easy to make. And if you want, it’s gluten-free, too. (Note: plenty of live affiliate links included today.)
Hi Again, Dear Readers:
Here’s hoping you had a great Labor Day. I sewed for most of the day, but I’d imagine Miss Alice, who is a teacher in HISD, slept in. Can’t say that I blame any teacher for that.
With fall in our forward sights, I need to use the basil and make some pesto soon. This year’s basil didn’t take off like it normally does, so next year it’s back to buying new plants or starting seeds inside. I was kind of proud of saving and propagating two cuttings from last year’s crop, but it just didn’t work well.
I’ll use up the basil, more mint, and some leftover parsley from this weekend’s recipe to make one or two batches of pesto for the freezer.

Most of this will be for pesto.
I only needed this much:

That’s it.
Thankfully, I’ve got a big pesto stash in the freezer from the last two or three years to hold me over. I just need to stock up on frozen peas.
Hungry? Let’s get started.
Finding A New Recipe
OK, this is part procrastination, and part “you need to know about this.”
Friday afternoon, I found a new recipe for crab cakes on Instagram and I just had to make some for us. BF, as always, was skeptical. After all, he can always have a ham sandwich or bowl of cereal if he doesn’t like what I made. But not this time.
For this occasion, I pulled out our little air fryer from the back of the cabinet.

It’s not much, but it works.
If you’ve not seen my previous blog post on the air fryer, you can read it here. At first, Neighbor E said he wasn’t getting an air fryer, but eventually, he decided to get one.

Nice, isn’t it?
E’s air fryer is a 2.5 quart, while ours is 1.9 quart. Most are not terribly expensive, and many are under $100. There’s even a Pioneer Woman branded 6.3-quart model. You can find them as big as 8 quarts or even more. Some have two baskets, so you can air fry two things separately at once, like burgers and French fries.
I bought ours for $30 two years ago. It now costs $50 in the store at Walmart but shows up as $40 on their website. If I was going to spend $50 on an air fryer, I’d get a bigger one. We may buy a bigger model one day, but for now, I’ll use this little dinky one.
The Crab Cakes Recipe
This comes from a blog called DanniMade Kitchen, and you can read Danni’s bio here. The Dash Company featured it on their ByDash Instagram account to show off their air fryer. It’s a quick and simple recipe that’s tasty, and you can make it anytime.
To make it easy, I’m putting the recipe here so you can print it and take it to the grocery with you. Heck, I need to print one for myself so I can add it to my notebook of recipes I have on the bookshelf.

Air Fryer Crab Cakes
Equipment
- 1 air fryer Cooking time will depend on the size of your air fryer; you may need to cook in batches
Ingredients
- 8 ounces lump crabmeat you can also use canned crab meat
- 1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
- 1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs gluten-free Panko also works well
- 1 tbsp plain greek yogurt
- 1 to 2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
- 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 1 tsp Worchestershire sauce
- 1 tsp Hot sauce of choice I used Tabasco Chipotle for the flavor but not heat
- 1 egg, beaten
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together until evenly combined. if the mixture is too wet, sprinkle more Panko breadcrumbs until they reach the desired texture and are easier to shape into patties.
- Form into six even balls, and lightly flatten balls to create patties,
- Lightly spray the air fryer basket with oil. Place the patties in an even layer inside the fryer basket. Spray lightly with oil then cook for six to eight minutes at 400F.
- Serve patties hot, warm, or at room temperature with tartar sauce, ketchup, or condiment of your choice for dipping.
So here are the ingredients:

The setup. Don’t tell BF about the Greek yogurt!
I made one change, and that was to use gluten-free panko breadcrumbs. I found them at Rouses, but I’ve bought them at our local Winn-Dixie before.
Longtime readers know I always like to measure everything out before I get started.

Ready to roll.
I do this even when I’m not taking pictures for a blog post because it just makes the process easier. Additionally, there’s no risk of “oops, I put too much salt” or something else in the mixing bowl, pot, etc. Then it’s one-two-three and you’re on your way.
Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa recommends cracking each egg into a separate bowl before you add it into your recipe. This is in case you get a bad egg, and you don’t ruin the entire recipe. I usually do that, too, although I’ve never found a bad egg.
Once you’ve got everything taken care of, it’s time to get started.
In the original recipe, Danni lists eight ounces of lump crab meat from Whole Foods. On Instagram, Dash lists “eight ounces of lump crab meat.” Of course, when Amy was buzzing through our Rouses on a busy Saturday after running errands, she read “eight ounces of canned crabmeat.” So that’s what I bought.
And it worked just fine.
Drain the Crabmeat
The cans are 6 oz, but once you drain the liquid off, it’s about 4½ ounces of crab meat. That’s why I bought 2, which comes to just over 8 oz.
Danni says that if the mixture is just a little too wet, add a little more of the panko. I drained the crabmeat as best I could, pressing it with my hands to squeeze out more of the liquid.

Quick drain
I didn’t spend too much time on that task, so the resulting mixture was a bit damp. Decided to add one or two more tablespoons of the panko, and that was perfect. The mixture must stick together like ground beef, or it will fall apart in the air fryer basket.
Bottom line is that if you can get fresh crab meat, great, but if not, the canned is available. I also know from another book by keto author Jen Fisch that Trader Joe’s has affordable crab meat in their own freezer section.
Mix And Air Fry
Really, once you have all the ingredients measured and the parsley chopped, it comes together quickly.

Just mix it and it’s ready.
Mix well, and pat down into the bowl:

Like this
Separate the mixture into 6 sections like you would ground beef:

Like this.
And shape them into little patties.

Easy!

The cutting board makes it easy.
Spray the inside of your air fryer basket with oil.

Just like you would with a frying pan, really
My air fryer’s instructions say to preheat it for five minutes before cooking. So if yours says that, do so now. Then spray the patties with oil.

Right before you cook them.
Add the crab cakes into the basket and cook at 400F degrees for about ten minutes. With my little air fryer, I had to do this in batches, but that’s OK. I put them into the countertop oven to keep them warm until dinnertime.
They really do come out nice and crispy and tasty.

Tah-dah!
What to serve with it? Well, I made some Triston’s potatoes in the big oven:

These went well with the crab cakes.
Of course, if you’re making a keto dinner, you’ll have something else. The frequent rain means a not-so-hot summer, so it was OK to turn on the big oven. As always, they were delicious.

Dinner is served.
Danni suggests serving these with tartar sauce. BF didn’t want tartar sauce, so he didn’t buy a bottle. I just had some sugar-free ketchup with mine, and BF had his regular ketchup.
We both enjoyed dinner that night, with a thumbs-up to make them again sometime.
About The Oil
One of the more prominent features of air fryers is that they only need a small amount of cooking oil. But you still need some oil for most recipes. The difference is that compared to regular deep frying, you don’t need nearly the amount of oil that’s required to get the crispy texture.
Additionally, remember the quality of oil you use is also important. We use a lot of olive and coconut oils even when the recipe calls for vegetable oil. That’s because vegetable oil, which is toxic hydrogenated soybean oil, is banned at the Casa de Rurale.
You can use cooking spray, or get an oil sprayer, which sprays a fine mist of whatever oil you put in it.

Buy it or get a sprayer, your choice.
Olive oil, avocado oil, and coconut oil cooking sprays are available now, so it’s easy to use them. But oil sprayers easily and inexpensively do the same thing.
That white one in the picture is from the old Martha Stewart Everyday line at Kmart. I used to have two, but I think I threw one out. Only when I went to use the second one did I discover that you’re not supposed to fill it more than halfway full. You pump the cap a few times to build up the pressure and that’s what propels the oil through the sprayer nozzle. Works perfectly.
I recently washed it to get the old oil out and refilled it with fresh oil. I don’t know how long it’s been sitting since I moved here. Now that it’s clean and refilled, it still works perfectly.
But Amy, I Don’t Have An Air Fryer
Well, nobody said you had to use an air fryer. Like the Instant Pot, it’s 110v vs. 220v. It’s a neat little appliance that offers another way to cook meals. Some folks have reconfigured nearly all their cooking to the air fryer. They are devotees. An air fryer is not a bad thing, but not an absolute necessity.
I’m thinking about Aunt Ruth and Aunt Kathy dismissing the idea of getting an air fryer for this type of thing. Really, though, you don’t need one to enjoy these tasty crab cakes.
If you have a toaster/countertop oven or even a regular oven that has a convection setting, you already have an air fryer. But even if you don’t, there’s no reason why you can’t make them either in a 350F degree oven, or even in a frying pan with a small amount of olive oil.
Other Alternatives
Have a countertop grill like the Cuisinart Griddler? You can also fry them this way. There’s also the sauté function on your Instant Pot if you’re itching to use yours. If you’re lucky enough to have one with an air fryer lid, that would likely work too. I can’t see pressure cooking as a benefit to this recipe. But if you’re on a generator, as we were a year ago, the Instant Pot sauté function and the countertop grill are both good options for frying them.
You’ll still need to use a little oil. So don’t be afraid to use some however you cook them.
If you decide to make these crab cakes, I do hope you enjoy them as we did. It’s another recipe to add to our regular dinner rotation, long as we have some crabmeat and a few other ingredients available. There are two crabmeat recipes we like, so I guess I need to stock up on a few more cans. I don’t want to disappoint BF if he decides we should have crab cakes again.
Much as we both enjoyed them, BF says that they should be served alongside fried fish, as you would see in a restaurant. Maybe next time.
Incidentally, I told Neighbor E about this recipe on Saturday when I was making dinner. But because he no longer has a Facebook account, I had to send him two screenshots so he could see the recipe. He says he’ll try them one day this week.
Coming Soon
Labor Day is over, and so is “summer,” officially. All the fall décor is out at Hobby Lobby, Walmart, and every other retailer in the US. Next month is when retailers begin up-shifting for the holidays. They’ll shift into top gear the day after Thanksgiving when the fall frou-frou goes on sale for 50% or more off.
Here in the South, we know that cooler weather won’t be coming for a while. We’re still going to experience heat, humidity, and of course, mosquitoes for quite some time. But I’ll soon be sewing up fall things, including a sweater, this weekend because one day we’ll wake up and it’s chilly again.
I’m late on the Easy Dirty Keto book review, I know, but it’ll be worth the wait. It’s already a long blog post, and I just need to finish it up and load it and the pictures into the website. Plus, I have a couple more topics in the draft queue that I need to finish up soon.
Our sixth anniversary is on the 15th of this month, and I’m wondering what kind of nice dinner to make for BF that day. It’s not a “wedding anniversary,” but our date for getting together. I say we celebrate six years together no matter what. I’ll find something. I’ll blog it if I do anything spectacular.
As always, if there’s a topic you’d like me to research and write about, let me know.
Happy Dining!