We've decided to make some big changes.  In an effort to bring you a better and more user-friendly experience, we're moving our "Cooking with Trader Joe's" blog to a new address blog.cooktj.com.  We will be using an updated format and platform that we're very excited about.   Please bookmark this new URL and visit us often.

But wait, there's more!  we've also launched our new site cooktj.com where you can browse Trader-Joe's-inspired recipes and add your own.  We look forward to seeing you there!


Cheers,
Deana Gunn & Wona Miniati
www.cooktj.com

It's been another fun and wild year, complete with a new Trader Joe's cookbook (hooray, our third!) and the launch of our new recipe website.   This year, my New Year's Eve celebrations will include popping the corks on a couple of bottles of Prosecco.  Prosecco is an Italian dry sparkling wine, and the Zonin Prosecco at Trader Joe's is a great, easy-drinking, affordable ($6.99 a bottle) choice.  It's been a favorite of mine all year long and has earned a spot in our year-end libations. 
Prosecco stands on its own, but there are also plenty of great cocktails using Prosecco.  Here are just a few:
1) Limoncello Sparkle: Add an ounce of limoncello (Italian lemon liqueur) to a glass and fill the rest with Prosecco.
2) Pomegranate Cocktail: Another option is to mix Prosecco with sparkling cranberry or pomegranate juice - Trader Joe's has both. Add pomegranate seeds for a sparkling jewel-like garnish.
3) Spritz: If you're a fan of bittersweet (mostly bitter) Campari, mix Prosecco with 1/4 part Campari for a drink popular in Venice (Spritz al Bitter).  Trader Joe's usually carries Campari.  Aperol is another similar choice available elsewhere (buy at BevMo or other liquor store).
4) Bellini:  Bring back the memory of summer with the classic combination of peach and Prosecco.  Trader Joe's Dixie Peach juice or another other peach juice/nectar will work well here. 

Bellini

2/3 cup Prosecco, chilled

1/3 cup Dixie Peach juice or other peach nectar, chilled

1.     Add peach juice to highball glasses or champagne flutes. 

2.     Add Prosecco and serve immediately.  Do not stir or the drink will fall flat.

1 bottle of Prosecco serves 4

NUTRITION SNAPSHOT: Per serving: 85 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 g protein, 11 g carbs, 0 g fiber, 9 mg sodium

As we close out another year, Wona and I thank you for your support of our Trader Joe's cookbooks and recipes and for your kind words and praise.  We love hearing about your favorite TJ products and sharing ours.  We look forward to another fun, delicious, and exciting year!
Cheers,
Deana and Wona
www.cooktj.com

This pie was inspired by one made famous by Mission Pies in San Francisco.  Long lines of customers mob the bakery at holiday times to buy their fresh baked pies, and this is one of their bestsellers.

I decided to take the Pear Cranberry theme but make a crostata instead of a traditional pie.  A crostata is a freeform pie baked on a cookie sheet instead of a traditional pie pan.  I love the rustic look of the dough folded over the filling.  Don't worry about being too precise - keep the shape freeform and rustic.

My son and I visited Mission Pie to taste-test this pie last week, and I could barely get in a taste - that's how fast my son was wolfing it down.  We got home and experimented - using crushed gingersnap cookies in lieu of a crumb topping - and my little taste-tester says it's just as good as the one we had at the bakery.  We hope you'll agree!

In closing, I wanted to highlight some holiday recipes from our new recipe website: www.cooktj.com where you can add recipes, rate recipes, and print a master grocery list to take to Trader Joe's.  Happy Holidays to all!

Panettone French Toast - made using sweet Italian bread, Panettone, popular during the holidays
Green Bean Casserole - recipe from TJ's Fried Onion Rings can, rated highly by testers
Cranberry Pomegranate Relish - deliciously crunchy accompaniment to holiday entrees
Holiday Tres Leches Cake - white cake soaked in eggnog and cream
Chocolate Truffle Pie with Joe Joe's Crust - a rich chocolate mousse-like filling in a chocolatey crust
Panettone Eggnog Bread Pudding - a dessert combining Panettone and eggnog
Pomegranate Cocktail - a festive drink to ring in the New Year

Pear Cranberry Crostata Recipe

1 pie crust, thawed
4 pears, peeled and cut into 1/8 wedges
1/2 cup fresh cranberries
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon or powdered ginger
1/3 cup crushed gingersnap cookies
1 tsp milk (optional)
1 tsp sugar (raw Turbinado sugar looks great) (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Roll out pie crust into a larger circle, approx 15-16 inches wide. Place pie crust on a baking sheet, preferably lined with a Silpat or parchment paper.

3. In a large bowl, mix pears, cranberries, maple syrup, lemon juice, flour, and cinnamon. Pour this mixture on pie crust and spread to within 1 inch of edge. Sprinkle with gingersnap cookies.  Fold edges of pie crust over fruit filling, overlapping every few inches and pressing to hold.

4. Brush pie crust edges with milk. Sprinkle with sugar. (This step is optional but makes for a pretty presentation.)

5. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until crust is golden. Allow to cool before moving to a serving plate.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

Serves 8

My kids love cinnamon sticks.  Whenever I make rice pudding (shown here), spiced cider, or oatmeal, I add a cinnamon stick much to their delight.  I think it started during the time they went to a Waldorf preschool.  The teacher would make oatmeal for them and put a cinnamon stick in the pot.  The cinnamon stick would disappear into the simmering oatmeal, to be discovered by the lucky child who had it scooped into their bowl.  Except they didn't call it a cinnamon stick - they called it a "wishing stick."  My children call them wishing sticks to this day. (Might be a good way to get your kids interested in oatmeal if they aren't...who wouldn't want a wishing stick!?)

Warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ginger, cardamom, black pepper, and cayenne aid digestion and warm our bodies by increasing circulation.  It's no wonder they're even more popular in winter.  A warm cup of spiced chai combines a few of these spices in a hot, steamy mug (Sidenote: I love the Ruby Red Chai at TJ's.  I brew it and then add some almond milk and a touch of honey.  Delicious!)   Trader Joe's carries many of these warm spices including cinnamon (ground and sticks), nutmeg, and pumpkin pie spice (seasonal).  Fine ground black pepper, curry, and red pepper (cayenne) are new additions to the TJ's spice shelf.  There are actually quite a few new spices at TJ's recently - have you noticed? -  and the whole line has undergone a packaging makeover.  See our roundup of the new spices here as well as the Trader Joe's Gift Card giveaway they inspired (there's still time to enter for $175 worth of gift cards!)

If you don't use these warm spices very often in your cooking, this is the time of year when they are extra-appealing.  Here are just a few ideas to get you started.

Cinnamon: Cinnamon works in everything from breakfast to dessert to main meals.  My kids love it in oatmeal, rice pudding or a little in hot cocoa.  It even works in unexpected combinations such as Cinnamon Pear Baked Brie, which is a fantastic holiday appetizer for you to try in the next week or two.  For dessert, you can't beat sticky gooey Monkey Bread (I always giggle at Wona's attempt to make this indulgent creation healthier).  For breakfast, sprinkle some in your oatmeal (along with a splash of vanilla) or morning coffee, make Multigrain French Toast, a Baked French Toast Casserole, or even Homemade Granola .   In main meals, cinnamon adds great flavor to sauteed vegetables or a vegetable casserole such as our Vegetable Mushroom Moussaka .   Cinnamon even adds great flavor (especially in combination with cumin) to chili, spiced rice dishes (there's a tasty Green Bean Rice dish in our first cookbook "Cooking with All Things Trader Joe's," and our Turkish Minted Kebabs.


Nutmeg: Nutmeg is also versatile, going from entrees to desserts much the same way as cinnamon.  Be careful with nutmeg because it's amazing in the right amounts but there is such a thing as too much.  Start with smaller amounts and increase to taste.  One of my favorite dishes is Gnutmeg Gnocchi , using Trader Joe's convenient packaged dry gnocchi.  The combination of gnocchi, spinach, caramelized onions, nutmeg, and cheese is amazing.  Nutmeg also goes well on plain pasta.  Boil a pot of your favorite pasta, toss with extra-virgin olive oil, a sprinkle of nutmeg, and Parmesan - it's shockingly good.  In general, a sprinkle of nutmeg pairs well with cheese and cream sauces such as the yogurt topping of our  Vegetarian Mushroom Moussaka.  For other dishes that use nutmeg, try our Butternut Squash Soup (from scratch but easy!  It's so good that my son grabs a butternut squash every time he sees one at TJ's), Leek & Parmesan Quiche , or Spinach Timbales (cute retro side dish).

Pumpkin Pie Spice:  Stir this seasonal spice blend into oatmeal or yogurt, make your own pumpkin bread or pumpkin pie , or spike your morning coffee with a little holiday flavor.  Pumpkin oatmeal is one of our favorite cold-winter-morning breakfasts (I can already hear my non-Southern-California friends muttering that I've forgotten what cold weather is).

Next time you feel the chill in the air, grab a sweater and make something using these warming spices.

Do you use spices in your cooking?  If you have some recipes you'd like to share with other TJ fans, you can share them here (and every recipe you upload gets you chance to win our Spicy Holiday Giveaway).

New spices appeared on TJ shelves last month, and we love the new modern look!  Newcomers are: curry, cayenne pepper, sesame seeds, thyme, rosemary, and black pepper.  At a mere $1.49-$1.99 per bottle, they're a terrific value!  Special holiday spices that only come around this time of year are: cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, and pumpkin spice.  It's a great time to clear out old spices and stock your cabinet with fresh bottles. Happy cooking!

During December, we're all trying to think of gifts for an office mate, a neighbor, Mom, a sibling, a kid at college, or the host of the party to which we're headed.  The gift has to be festive, fun, classy, affordable, and something they'll simply love.  Over the years, I've found that a gift basket of Trader Joe's goodies goes over very well and is easy to put together.  You can customize it to the recipient, theming it around certain foods or just choosing your holiday favorites.

A basket like this has been one of my favorite host/hostess gifts and I've been known to swing by Trader Joe's on the way to a party, creating a gorgeous last-minute gift basket right in the parking lot!  (Don't tell!)  This time of year, most Trader Joe's stores even carry gift baskets and gift basket kits (crinkle paper, cellophane bags, ribbon and gift tag).  You can also pick up cheap baskets at places like Michael's or just reuse one you have at home. 

I created the basket shown above with some of my seasonal favorites from TJ's including:
Wintry Blend Coffee
Candy Cane Joe-Joe's
Pumpkin Pancake and Waffle Mix
Powerberries
Gingerbread Cake & Baking Mix
Candy Cane Green Tea
Dark Chocolate Orange
Cranberry Apple Butter
Gold Coins
A bottle of Trentatre Rosso wine
Milk Chocolate Advent Calendar
A Trader Joe's cookbook

Themes for baskets can range from an Italian basket to an Asian basket, a basket filled with teas and scones, a basket of microbrews and munchies, or a basket of chocolates including cocoa and brownie mixes.  You can fill a basket with as little as $20-25 depending on what you choose.  We have other ideas here on our gift basket idea page and don't miss the video of Wona demo-ing how to put a basket together.  If you like our cookbooks, a cute idea some readers have shared is to have a cookbook paired  with all the ingredients for a particular recipe.  (Side note that our original cookbook "Cooking with All Things Trader Joe's " is part of a special in-store 50% off holiday promotion at Barnes & Noble and Borders.  It's a great deal, but remember it's in-store only.  If the books aren't stickered, ask someone to ring it up and check the price for you).  You could even add an apron or a favorite kitchen gadget to make a bigger gift.  If you're looking for a gift for a wine buff, check out Jason's wine blog for his top 10 picks of Trader Joe's wines under $10 .  TJ's even sells $2 corkscrews that are pretty good! 

Trader Joe's has lots of other smaller single-item gifts as well.  Take a look at the cute and classy Chocolate Palette to the right.  It's a collection of 8 bars of dark chocolate (minimum 60% cocoa) from all over the world.  The attached card contains information about each bar including suggested wine and tea pairings.
Another gift item I've seen at Trader Joe's is the giant tins of popcorn.  They're cute, and the large tin can be reused as a storage container. 

In the non-food and non-wine department, take a peek at the Trader Joe's poinsettias or holiday wreaths.  There are all kinds of pine wreaths from $6.99 to $12.99 but my favorite every year is the eucalyptus wreath pictured here.  I was going to wait another week but I picked mine up today (I couldn't resist!)  The drive home was filled with the intoxicating fragrance of eucalyptus and the wreath is gorgeous. 

What are some of your gift favorites? Enjoy your holiday shopping!

Black Friday is here early this year!  Our bestselling original Trader Joe's cookbook is now 50% off while supplies last.  What a steal!

This is the original cookbook that delighted TJ fans everywhere and quickly became a cult classic.  Packaged in a longlasting hardcover, our original book is full of easy, healthy recipe ideas using shortcuts from Trader Joe's.  Every recipe has a full-color mouthwatering photo, so you can see exactly what you're preparing.  Check out our reviews on Amazon!

This promotion is available at Barnes & Noble and Borders while supplies last.  Your favorite local independent bookstore may have it too, just ask them to order it for you before we run out.  Some stores are only honoring the sale price in stores, while others offer it online too.

At these prices, you can afford to buy a copy for everyone on your Xmas list!  So get started on your holiday shopping early.  For a truly special holiday gift, pair our cookbooks with your favorite TJ products in a gift basket that anyone would love to receive.  Click here for gift basket ideas and shopping lists, and watch our  video on how to make your own gift basket.

Happy shopping!

Gobble gobble!  In preparation for turkey day next week, I thought it would be helpful to repost tried-and-true Thanksgiving recipes.

The first is elegant Roasted Turkey Breast with Cranberry Apple Stuffing, perfect for smaller gatherings.  Please click the link above to read an important tip on how to prepare this dish.  Do not follow package instructions on this one!


We'll be back with ideas on how to use up those Thanksgiving leftovers, so don't throw anything away.  Wishing you a safe and healthy Thanksgiving!

Trader Joe's Pumpkin Pancake and Waffle Mix has received cheers all around from Trader Joe's fans.   With this handy mix, it's a breeze to whip up fluffy pancakes with a distinct pumpkin-y flavor, a nice seasonal twist on ordinary pancakes.  I grew up with the other classic pancake variation: blueberry pancakes.  Would pumpkin and blueberry work together?  Why not.  I decided to combine them in a new format - instead of cooking pancakes on the stovetop, I'd just bake it all up in ramekins while we got ready in the morning. 

Cobblers take the work out of flipping pancakes and have a bit more personality when served at breakfast or brunch.  I used Trader the pumpkin pancake mix, but regular pancake mix would work just fine for making a cobbler.  In fact, one of our popular desserts over the years has been the "One Bowl Peach & Blueberry Cobbler" in our original cookbook "Cooking with All Things Trader Joe's ."  That one is made with TJ's Buttermilk Pancake Mix and baked up in an 8x8-inch pan. 

When serving, top the warm pumpkin cobbler with a drizzle of maple syrup or a spoonful of plain yogurt or Greek yogurt.  Thinking of serving it for dessert?  Top with a tiny scoop of ice cream (vanilla or the rich Pumpkin Ice Cream now at TJ's) or a dollop of Maple Whipped Cream (recipe below).


Pumpkin Blueberry Breakfast Cobbler

1 ¼ cup Pumpkin Pancake and Waffle Mix
1 large egg
3/4 cup milk
2 Tbsp melted butter
½ cup frozen blueberries

1.    Preheat oven to 375˚ F.
2.    In a medium bowl, beat egg and add pancake mix and milk, stirring to combine.  Divide this mixture between six small, lightly-oiled ramekins or oven-safe bowls (1/4 cup batter for each).  
3.    Top each with a heaping Tbsp of blueberries (no need to thaw).
4.    Bake for 18-20 minutes until cobblers begin to turn golden on top.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Hands-off cooking time: 18-20 minutes
Serves 6


Maple Whipped Cream

When you’re looking for a luscious, lightly sweetened topping that isn’t overloaded with sugar, try whipped cream.  Maple syrup adds a hint of distinctive flavor to whipped cream without overpowering it.  Use real maple syrup for best flavor; imitation pancake syrups with high fructose corn syrup won’t taste the same.  This topping is terrific on pancakes or waffles, or as an alternative to frosting on carrot cake. Serve alongside warm desserts rather than on top, since the heat will make the whipped cream melt quickly.

1 cup heavy cream
¼ cup maple syrup

1.    Pour cream and maple syrup into a mixing bowl.  Beat with a mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form.  Do not overmix, or cream will turn into butter.
2.    Use as you would whipped cream or light frosting.  Store in fridge until ready to serve.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Makes 2 cups whipped cream


The Maple Whipped Cream is one of the many recipes featured in our newest cookbook "Cooking with Trader Joes Cookbook: Dinners Done!"

As we turn the corner into November, the aisles at Trader Joe's are filled with all kinds of pumpkin-themed goods.  Pumpkin butter, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin cream cheese, even pumpkin ice cream!  For today's post, if something doesn't include the word "pumpkin," I'm probably not going to mention it. 
If you're itching for some recipes using the Organic Pumpkin Puree, we've got some really good ones!  Start your day off with some warm and spicy Pumpkin Oatmeal , then try some tasty  Pumpkin Hummus , and for dessert you can choose between traditional Pumpkin Pie or our yummy No-bake Pumpkin Cheesecake!  Make pumpkin puree from your leftover pumpkins or buy this convenient canned pumpkin.  Pumpkin is not only tasty, but it's full of nutrients and anti-oxidants.  With canned pumpkin, you can enjoy pumpkin year-round, so buy a few extra cans for your pantry.

Pumpkin Butter:  This sweet spread is great on pancakes, toast, yogurt, apple slices, or ice cream.  Trader Joe's has wonderful frozen puff pastry and you can use it to make delicious, delicate turnovers filled with some pumpkin butter - a nice brunch item or even dessert.  Pumpkin butter is also an easy way to flavor a side dish like roasted sweet potatoes or some steamed carrots - just stir some in as a glaze.


Pumpkin Pancake and Waffle Mix:  Yum!  These delicious pancakes will be a hit at any breakfast table.  The batter is simple to stir up, and the pancakes cook up light and fluffy. 


Pumpkin Cream Cheese: Last year, we would stir together pumpkin butter and cream cheese, noting it was a delicious combination.  I guess we weren't the only ones since Trader Joe's has packaged up the magical combination for all. Enjoy on toast, muffins, or biscuits. 

Pumpkin Ice Cream:  This is a new one!  My kids loved it, comparing it to pumpkin pie but cold and creamy.

Pumpkin Pie Spice:  This spice blend is great for stirring into oatmeal or yogurt, making your own pumpkin bread or pumpkin pie, or spiking your morning coffee with a little seasonal flavor.


Pumpkin Bread & Muffin Mix: I love this sweet and spicy pumpkin bread mix.  I usually make muffins with it (Pour batter into a muffin tray lined with baking cups.  Bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes, Makes about a dozen.)  Stir in cranberries, chocolate chips, or top the batter with a sprinkle of rolled oats before baking. 


Pumpkin Ale: The Kennebunkport Pumpkin Ale seems to be very popular at my Trader Joe's, but my husband wasn't so enthusiastic about it, calling it "girl beer."   I tried it and liked it, but maybe I made his point.  It's pretty mild and light and not particularly pumpkin-y.  If you think other seasonal brews are overly spiced or overly sweet, then I think you'd like this one.

Enjoy all the seasonal selections at Trader Joe's this time of year!