the cotton candy (or kotton kandy, according to the package)

March 15, 2011 No comments

shaw's cotton candy

I have a love/hate relationship with Boston’s grocery store scene. Shaw’s is not on my love list, but some of the hatred melted away a little bit when I saw their giant stack of cotton candy containers, priced at $1 apiece. Is it normal to buy cotton candy at the grocery store? I had never seen it sold that way, in a nice, airtight container, but it is a great idea. Wouldn’t it be perfect for a carnival- or circus-themed party? It’s a good-size tub for just a dollar — and it goes a long way since it’s so light and fluffy. Sugar rush, here I come.

shaw's cotton candy container

the condiment spoon

March 14, 2011 1 comment

crate & barrel condiment spoon

The dollar items at Crate & Barrel are few and far between, but don’t think that stops me from checking the store frequently to see what’s new. I love this porcelain condiment spoon with all of my heart, and it was only $0.95! It’s adorably petite and perfect for small scoops of jams or sauces.

the spaghetti sauce

March 12, 2011 No comments

del monte spaghetti sauce ocean state job lot

I’ve been a little bit into making my own sauces when we have pasta for dinner. (And we are pasta lovers… I would estimate that more than 60% of our meals include pasta.) But every now and then I want the ease of canned/jarred sauce, especially if I’m just throwing everything into a dish for a baked ziti-type meal. Ocean State Job Lot sells 26.5 ounce cans of Del Monte tomato sauce for just $0.99! This is definitely not the most gourmet of pasta sauces, but I think the secret is to add a lot of extras to spice it up. The ziti I made with it was lacking in flavor, so if I take the canned route again I’ll remember to add a lot more of my own herbs.

the bulk candy

March 11, 2011 Comments: 5

hidden sweets haribo gummi peach grapefruit

I love a good candy store. I’ve been on the lookout for spots in Boston that offer bulk candy, because knock-off packaged peach rings from Target and CVS aren’t cutting it for me anymore. (Not that I buy candy a lot… I typically only indulge if there is a specific reason, like a road trip or finals week for Tim.) I’ve walked by Hidden Sweets in Harvard Square a million times, but I’d never gone inside until recently. From the exterior the place looks like a run-of-the-mill souvenir shop, with Celtics jerseys and “Make Way for Ducklings” paraphernalia galore.

hidden sweets cambridge harvard square

But inside is a magical wall full of the very best in bulk candy — more than 250 varieties! I was most excited about all the Haribo gummies. I’ve never seen so many of my favorites (peaches! watermelons! raspberries! pink and regular grapefruit!) in one spot. I also love that all their chocolate covered fruits and nuts are available in dark and milk chocolate. The only problem? Everything there is $12 per pound. Sadly, the six candies in the image above are all you can buy with a $1 bill.

hidden sweets harvard square

the book

March 10, 2011 Comments: 2

eats shoots & leaves brattle books

We live in a world of plummeting punctuation standards, says Lynne Truss, author of the bestselling book “Eats, Shoots & Leaves.” I’m an editor by trade, so I’ve had this little book on my mental must-read list for some time now. Poor punctuation is one of my biggest pet peeves. You know all those blogs that show images of signs with grammatical errors? I can’t even read them because they get me all fired up. (See examples of said blogs here and here.)

It was quite the lucky day when I found this gem on a $1 cart at the Brattle Book Shop. The Brattle is something like the third oldest bookseller in the country, and they’ve got three floors of used books plus an outdoor sale lot. I can’t wait for springtime so I can comfortably spend time browsing the carts and shelves outside.

So, now that I’ve asserted myself as a punctuation pundit, I fear I may be judged for my missteps on this blog. If you EVER notice an error ANYWHERE on this site, please email me promptly. I will be mortified, but grateful.

the black beans

March 9, 2011 1 comment

trader joe's black beans

Black beans are a staple ingredient in my cupboard. It is not exactly a good idea to pay $1 for a can, however. When I’ve run out of black beans, I usually pick up a can wherever I am grocery shopping — this item was $0.89 at Trader Joe’s in Brookline. Black beans are a nutritional powerhouse, with loads of fiber and decent amounts of protein, calcium, iron, folic acid, and potassium. They’re also rich with antioxidants, falling in line with fruits like grapes, apples, and cranberries.

Do you want to know my favorite black bean recipes as of this moment? Try a few of these tasty dishes for dinner this week:

Black Bean and Corn Quesadillas: The filling is a great way to mix things up from a standard cheese quesadilla. I don’t cook my quesadillas in butter, like the recipe says. There’s no need for that.

Tortilla and Black Bean Pie: This is similar to a quesadilla, but look how pretty it is! Leftovers were great as well.

Refried Beans: It’s so easy to make your own, and then you have full control over what you’re eating (no lard here, thank you very much).

the glass jar

March 8, 2011 1 comment

savers glass jar

I have a major fear of commitment when it comes to decorating. My walls are bare because I just can’t decide what should hang there. It has been stressing me out since the day I left my roommates and moved into a place I have full control over. Since our bathroom is a (very) small space, I decided it is the one room I could put a minor amount of effort into and call it finished. We (Tim) hung three glass IKEA shelves, with the intention of filling them with items that didn’t fit in the medicine cabinet or under the sink. But then I realized the practical approach might not be so aesthetically pleasing — who wants to see that sort of clutter in plain sight? So I promptly lined the shelves with a hodge podge of glassware. This $1 jar of cotton balls hails from Savers in Framingham. I guess the shelves are slightly practical, since they’re holding cotton balls…

the croissant

March 7, 2011 No comments

iggy's croissant

Sometimes I like to dream that I live in Paris and eat fresh croissants and baguettes every day. Luckily, there are plenty of wonderful bakeries in Boston. I recently tried a croissant at Iggy’s in Cambridge, and it was just what a croissant should be — golden brown and crispy on the outside, and flaky, airy, and buttery on the inside. While I love to bake, I don’t know that I could ever attempt my own croissants. The process is supposedly very intense and takes almost two days — the dough requires resting, deflating, rolling out, buttering, and folding. And anything that is too dependent on humidity and temperature (of ingredients and environment) makes me wary. So I’ll stick with Iggy’s, even if a dollar only gets me the small croissant and not the full size or chocolate-filled.

the envelope

March 5, 2011 Comments: 4

usps mailer

I probably make more trips than necessary to the post office. I think the smart people do it all from home these days. But alas, I do not have a printer (I took mine to Goodwill during a recent purge) and I rarely have proper mailing supplies (boxes, envelopes, and the like). So post office trips are necessary for sending the goods I find around the house to sell on eBay and Amazon. I recently sold a book I had never read (I don’t know how it made its way to my shelf in the first place — its origins are a mystery to me), so I coughed up $0.99 at the USPS to buy this mailer and send the package off to Florida.

If you want a great post office experience, check out the Chestnut Hill branch. Parking is free, there are never lines, and the mail ladies are a delight to interact with.

the slim jim

March 4, 2011 No comments

7-11 slim jim

I must begin by stating that I do not eat Slim Jims. There is nothing about this substance that entices me. However, this $1 7-Eleven purchase became necessary when I discovered a small and unwelcome creature in my kitchen. I don’t know how a tiny mouse could make his way to the third floor of my building, but after witnessing the little guy’s perseverance I’m not surprised. The mouse has been around for a few months, and nothing will kill him. The exterminator has been by three times and we have traps set throughout the kitchen (loaded with a variety of baits — cheese, Slim Jims, and peanut butter). I’m not sure why the mouse keeps returning — he hasn’t invaded any of my food yet, and the floors are crumb free. He’s not here to snack. I suppose I should be grateful that he’s been respectful of my space (he doesn’t even leave droppings, as far as I’ve seen). He simply likes to wander the kitchen floors when he thinks no one is watching. If anyone would like to volunteer to catch our little creature, I will offer the reward of your choosing.

And if anyone is now thinking about eating a Slim Jim, first read this article from Wired Magazine.

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