Today I stopped by the grocery store for a couple of items for my menu plan.  Why can’t I find Barilla Tortellini anywhere?  What happened to it?  Is it off the market?  Do I need to write a letter begging for its speedy return?  I’ve searched three stores for it to no avail!  I often prefer fresh tortellini, but the recipe I use for my tortellini bake is better with the bagged dry tortellini.  Work with me, grocery stores, work with me!

I pushed my cart through the store, slightly agitated about the no-tortellini-discovery, but my mood lifted rapidly as I approached a sign in aisle 9 that read, “70% off or more.”

MOVE. Outta my way, friendly shoppers.  If it’s 70% off, it’s probably waiting for me.

Here’s my “70% off or more” loot:

Now before you start judging and associating me with the mustard and candy hoarders of Extreme Couponing fame, let me explain my purchases (the recipe binder isn’t part of the loot).

I have read rave reviews about the french vanilla marshmallows.  We don’t use marshmallows a lot in our home, but my little one loooooves hot cocoa and she will be over the moon about snowman and holiday marshmallows.  Her little heart doesn’t care if it’s not Christmas when she pops em in her mug.  And neither does mine.  Not when they’re only $0.39.

That bagged holiday-themed candy doesn’t expire until 2013.  Some of it will be used for a much-anticipated baking/cakepops/ebelskiver day in the near future I have planned with my friend Sandi.  The rest of it will be used later this year–those candy cane Hershey’s Kisses?  A special ingredient in a scrumptious cookie recipe I found this past holiday season.   And each bag was under $0.60.  We are huge hot cider fans in this family and since I know I’ll be lazy and not want to brew a large pot anytime this week or next (I can predict my lazy spells up to a month in advance), I snatched up those two bottles at $0.69 each.

I’m stashing the under-$1 Littlest Pet Shops toys.  Annalise is a fan, but doesn’t need them anytime soon (see New Toy Ban) so they might be a little gift for someone else.  The sprinkles were nearly free and the snowman-themed foil bake pans at $1.50 for 6 will come in handy for baked goods deliveries.  The pumpkin spice pudding was $0.19 each and although I didn’t try them during the season, I do recall reading two highly recommended mousse recipes requiring the seasonal pudding.  So I don’t mind testing it out at a mere $0.38 investment.

I have wanted to try this liquid breakfast which Sandi claims tides her over until lunch and tastes good.  That’s a relief because I’ve been known to eat a meal or two between breakfast and lunch.  It calls for almondmilk which was on sale and I had a handy dandy coupon so I grabbed half a gallon along with a few Fage with Strawberry Goji yogurts.  My dad got Annalise hooked on them last week and now I sense my own addiction coming on.  Mmmmmmmmmm.

Did you find any grocery bargains this week that you couldn’t resist snatching up?