Two Local Roanoke, Va., Area Bloggers Win Food Lion “Frugal Cook-Off” Challenge

Public Company Information:
NYSE: DEG

Food Lion recently challenged eight Roanoke, Va., area bloggers to compete in the grocer’s “Frugal Cook-Off” Challenge and create nutritious, low-cost meals for a family of four using Food Lion store brands, as well as fresh beef and produce available at Food Lion stores.

The winning team included Elizabeth Chapman, who writes the blog E, Myself and I, and Angie Barrett, who publishes Big Bear’s Wife. The bloggers created a winning entrée of Stir Fry Beef with a side of Sautéed Mushrooms, Tomatoes and Spinach, which is included below. The dish is also available at Fork in the City, where the cook-off was hosted, through this weekend.

The two challenge winners each received two $250 Food Lion gift cards. Chapman has donated her gift cards to charity to provide Thanksgiving meals to Roanoke, Va., families in need.

The team created the winning dish in 45 minutes using items shopped from an onsite Food Lion pantry of store brand products. The total cost of the meal was $13.76. The bloggers were judged on creativity, taste and awarded points for being frugal.

Additional bloggers who participated in the event included Heather St. Clair, Desperately Seeking Sanity, Paula Skulina, Virginia Sweetpea, Amanda Powers, Casseroula Dolce Della Vita, Raki Wright, Outside the Box Mom, Alicia Vanatta, Fun Reviews and Giveaways and John Park, The Hungry Asian. Each participant received a custom gift bag filled with Nature’s Place and Taste of Inspirations store brand products and two $100 Food Lion gift cards.

Unused food from the challenge was donated to Feeding America Southwest Virginia to help support hunger relief in the Roanoke, Va., area.

Stir Fry Beef and Brown Butter Pasta with a Side of Sautéed Mushrooms, Tomatoes and Spinach

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 6 large servings

Ingredients:

• 1.5 sticks my essentials brand butter
• 1 box (16 oz.) small sized my essentials brand pasta
• 32 oz. my essentials brand chicken broth
• my essentials brand extra virgin olive oil
• Food Lion stir fry beef
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Dash of Food Lion soul seasoning
• 1.5 cups shredded my essentials brand mozzarella cheese
• 2 cups sliced mushrooms
• 1 can my essentials brand whole peeled tomatoes, cut in half
• 2 cups fresh spinach, washed and dried
• Green onions, diced for garnish

Directions:

Melt the butter in a large stock pot on medium heat. Once the butter is melted, continue to cook until it bubbles and turns a caramel brown color. Add pasta to stock pot and stir. Let the pasta cook for one minute, while continuously stirring. Add in chicken broth. Reduce to a simmer. Simmer until all liquid is absorbed by pasta, stirring occasionally.

While the pasta is simmering, add one tablespoon of oil to a skillet. Season the beef with a sprinkle of salt, pepper and soul seasoning. Heat oil to medium heat and add beef. Cook beef until medium /medium-well (slightly pink, but mostly browned).

Remove beef from skillet and set aside, cover with foil to keep warm. Leave any sauce from the steak in the pan.

Add the mushrooms and tomatoes to the skillet. Sauté until mushrooms are soft. Season with a dash of soul seasoning. Add in spinach and cook until spinach has wilted.

Once all of the chicken broth has been absorbed into the pasta, stir in mozzarella cheese until melted.

In a separate pan, sauté mushrooms, tomatoes, and spinach.

Serve beef with a side of brown butter pasta and a side of sautéed vegetables. Garnish with diced green onions. Add salt and pepper to taste.

About Food Lion

Food Lion, based in Salisbury, N.C., is a company of Delhaize America, the U.S. division of Brussels-based Delhaize Group (NYSE: DEG). Food Lion, with a longstanding heritage of low prices and convenient locations, operates more than 1,100 supermarkets in 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states, and employs approximately 57,000 associates. For more information, visit www.foodlion.com.

Contact:

Food Lion
Erin DeWaters, 704-310-2858, erin.dewaters@foodlion.com