You said you wanted a cookbook that you could carry with you to the store, and we went to work on one!  Wona and I are happy to announce that our second cookbook is out and it's called "The Trader Joe's Companion: A Portable Cookbook."

We came out with our original Trader Joe's cookbook "Cooking with All Things Trader Joe's," almost two years ago and we were blown away by the positive response, cheers, and great reviews we received from you. (Thank you!)  People love Trader Joe's and it seemed that we weren't alone in appreciating quick, easy, and tasty meal ideas using the products there.

Soon after, we started hearing that some TJ fans were carrying their cookbooks into Trader Joe's stores and planning their meals right then and there, consulting the cookbook and picking out ingredients as they shopped through the store.  One person even said they kept an extra copy in their car! As you might guess, I'm in Trader Joe's practically every day - The first time I saw someone with their cookbook propped up in the cart, I was so excited. (I was buzzing around, nervously wondering if it was appropriate to say hello, when a crewmember who knew me came along and said, "oh! and here's the author!")   It made sense to take a cookbook to the store, picking out ingredients as you're actually looking at the recipe.  And if you decide to make something different or see a particular product that catches your eye, the cookbook is right in your hand.

When we designed the new cookbook, we decided to make it portable - something that was easy to carry around as opposed to the larger, heavier cookbooks that are the norm.  So the new book is tall and skinny, about 9 inches tall and 4 inches wide, similar to a Zagat's guide or a wine guide...the right size to stick in a purse or even back pocket.  We filled it with 200 pages of recipes and made it "flexibound" which means that it's a hybrid between a paperback and a hardcover.  The binding is sewn (like a hardcover is) so that it can open flat, and the cover is thicker and sleeker than a paperback, but it still has the lightness and portability of a paperback.

Our cookbook treats Trader Joe's as our "prep crew," taking advantage of all the wonderfully convenient items like their sauces, mixes, washed and cut/shredded veggies, prepared doughs and puff pastry, and all their affordable buys.  The list goes on and on.   The collection of recipes in "The Trader Joe's Companion" is comprised of new ones, gems from the blog, and a few from the first hardcover that were popular readers' favorites.  As before, our recipes go from comfort classics to ethnic fusion, many vegetarian (or vegetarian options included), and a few real back-to-basics recipes such as sauteed chicken breasts and lasagna.  Prep times are short, as before, and included for every recipe. 

Both books are available at bookstores everywhere - Barnes & Noble, Borders, Amazon, and your local independent bookstores.  Hope you enjoy it - Cheers!