Cooking with Trader Joe's

Please visit our new site

Wona Miniati — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 09:12:00 GMT

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

Ring in the New Year with Prosecco

Deana Gunn — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 00:21:00 GMT

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

Pear Cranberry Crostata

Wona Miniati — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 06:56:00 GMT

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

Using warm spices - cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin pie spice

Deana Gunn — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 14:38:00 GMT

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).

Win $100, $50, $25 in our Spicy Holiday Giveaway

Wona Miniati — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 22:48:00 GMT

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.

Along with our giveaway, we're pleased to unveil our new website: www.cooktj.com. Now you can upload recipes, rate recipes, and even create a master shopping list to take to the store. How convenient is that?

PRIZES: In addition to gift cards, each winner will also receive a copy of our new Dinner's Done with Trader Joes' cookbook!

1st prize: $100 TJ gift card + cookbook
2nd prize: $50 TJ gift card + cookbook

3rd prize: $25 TJ gift card + cookbook

Winners will be selected randomly among entries received through midnight Sunday, December 19. On Monday December 20, we will announce the winners. To enter:

1. Upload recipes. Each recipe you upload gives you 1 chance of winning. The more recipes you submit, the higher your chances of winning! At least one ingredient in each recipe must be from Trader Joe's.

2. Upload photos. Try out recipes and share a photo. Each photo you upload gives you 1 entry into the contest. You can upload photos for other people's recipes too, not just your own.

Ready? Click here to see the new site and enter our giveaway. And to get your juices flowing (along with some laughs) check out this hilarious comedy bit on the neglected bottles in your spice cabinet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvi0ZLEHj3A

Happy cooking!

How To: A gift anyone would love to get!

Deana Gunn — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 15:58:00 GMT

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!

50% off Trader Joe's cookbook!

Wona Miniati — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 20:31:00 GMT

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!

Roasted Turkey Breast and other Thanksgiving dishes

Wona Miniati — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 15:15:00 GMT

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!

Cranberry Sauce & Pomegranate Fresca are great condiments for turkey. Try both the traditional version and a crunchy fresh version using pomegranates.

Harvest Glazed Carrots & Pumpkin Spice Turnovers feature TJ Pumpkin Butter, a popular seasonal item. Put a unique twist on carrots, and make delectable turnovers in a snap using frozen puff pastry (now back in stock!).

No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake - try this easy cheesecake using pumpkin butter and cream cheese. What a bonus that you don't need the oven during critical turkey time.

Looking for a classic grean bean casserole recipe? I haven't had a chance to test this yet, but people have been raving about the recipe that's on the back of TJ Fried Onion Pieces. It uses green beans, portobello mushroom soup (new item), and fried onion that's only available this time of year. If you get a chance to test it out, please report back, especially if you think of twists on the classic.

And if you're looking for a truly low-stress way to do Thanksgiving, read here for one example of how to simplify and get it all done in one afternoon.

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!

Pumpkin Blueberry Breakfast Cobbler

Deana Gunn — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 17:49:00 GMT

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!"

'Tis the Season for all Things Pumpkin at Trader Joe's!

Deana Gunn — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 05:41:00 GMT

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!

Pumpkin Hummus and other Halloween treats

Wona Miniati — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 18:28:00 GMT

Today's recipe idea comes from Jamie Davidson , a weight management coach in the San Francisco bay area. Jamie has long taught cooking classes using Costco and Trader Joe's products, and her classes are very popular. We were exchanging emails about Halloween plans and she mentioned making pumpkin hummus and serving with homemade chips using tortillas cut with Halloween cookie cutters, and I just knew I had to try it! Thanks for the idea, Jamie - the kids and I had a lot of fun with it!

For the chips, use any tortillas you have on hand. I like the olive oil wheat wraps at TJ's. Jamie used corn and wheat tortillas and suggests that orange-colored tortillas (sundried tomato or other flavor, available at other grocers) might also be a fun option. Simply cut tortillas into fun shapes, spray with oil, sprinkle with your favorite seasonings (we like 21 Seasoning Salute), and bake for 7-10 minutes until edges are golden. Chips will harden as they cool.

Below is a pumpkin hummus recipe I played around with. I tend to like garlic and spice, but if you prefer subtler flavors, you can cut down on the garlic, cinnamon, and cumin. If the idea of making homemade hummus makes you run the other way, just grab a container of pre-made hummus at Trader Joe's and mix with half a can of pumpkin puree, adding seasonings such as cinnamon, cumin, and salt to taste.

To use up the rest of the can of pumpkin puree, try our Pumpkin Oatmeal or No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake.

Finally, click here for Halloween recipe ideas from previous years, including Mashed Boo -Tatoes, Cobweb Guacamole, Halloween cupcakes , Halloweenie Mummies, Spooky Fingers, and Poofy Pumpkin Puffs .

Wishing everyone a safe and fun Halloween weekend!

Pumpkin Hummus

1 15 oz can garbanzo beans, drained
1/2 can pumpkin puree (about 3/4 cup)
1 tsp crushed garlic (1 clove or 1 cube frozen garlic)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp sesame tahini paste (in refrigerated section next to premade hummus)
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon

1. Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and puree until hummus is smooth. If mixture is too thick, add water, one tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is achieved.
2. Taste and adjust for seasonings.
3. For best flavor, store in fridge for a few hours before serving.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Serves: 8

Soy-Chorizo Stuffed Mushrooms (and Trader Joe's Party Tips)

Deana Gunn — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 17:21:00 GMT

Trader Joe's is a great resource when you're entertaining, whether it's the variety of affordable wines, the selection of cheeses and other ready-to-go appetizers, or time-saving ingredients for feeding a crowd with ease. I recently interviewed cooking instructor and food blogger Tracy Holleran about her best entertaining tips, her favorite TJ party helpers, and her party Do's and Don'ts. We love Tracy's ideas so much that she has been featured in two of our Trader Joe's cookbooks! You'll find her Souper Fast Alphabet Soup in The Trader Joe's Companion and her Herbed Citrus Shrimp with Quinoa and Goat Cheese is in the brand new Cooking with Trader Joe's Cookbook: Dinner's Done! Tracy also has a fantastic Soy Chorizo Stuffed Mushroom recipe, perfect for kicking off any party (vegetarian too!) that she was nice enough to share below. I really enjoyed trying the recipe myself - very easy and very tasty. The Soy Chorizo receives rave reviews from Trader Joe's fans, and the heat and "meaty" texture fit perfectly with these mushrooms, the flavor balanced nicely by Parmesan, parsley, and cream cheese. As a party appetizer, I love that it can be prepared ahead of time and put in the oven when guests arrive. (The recipe is below. For other stuffed mushroom recipes, try our Spinach and Feta Stuffed Baby Portobellos or Creamy Stuffed Mushroom Caps.)

Deana: Tracy, what are the challenges of entertaining and doing it easily, well, and affordably?

Tracy: Entertaining can be stressful! Deciding what types of foods to serve is just the first step. Pulling everything together is the key. This can be challenging if you don't have a plan in place. I like to make 'to do 'lists for the days leading up to my party. Which things can I do a week ahead of time, which things can be done a day or so in advance, and which things need to be done the day of the party? It helps to keep me on track and not forget anything. It also helps to keep to your budget so you're not at the store the day of the party just buying everything in sight because you haven't thought it all through.

Deana: I tend to be a freeform shopper, but when I'm throwing a party, I always make a list too! What are your Do's and Don'ts of stress-free entertaining?

I like to serve a combination of homemade dishes and simple, no-cook/no-prep items. For instance, I'll spend the time on a few 'signature' things like my stuffed mushrooms everyone always loves (recipe below), but then I'll also have a cheese and cracker platter and some chips and dip which don't require anytime or effort. If I'm having a dinner party I focus on the main course, but will then purchase a dessert to save on time and stress.

Deana: Any suggestions on what to serve in general - are more people doing cocktail parties with just drinks and small bites?
Tracy: I think dinner parties can be overwhelming to a lot of people because everything has to be ready at the same time, so people tend toward the cocktail parties where timing is less of an issue. However, usually at a cocktail party you're serving a larger number of different things, so if you're not careful it could end up as MORE work than a dinner party! The key to ANY party is being organized and doing as many things ahead of time as you can.

Deana: That's a good point! If serving dinner in particular, what are some tips to follow to avoid spending the whole night in the kitchen?

Tracy: In the warmer weather I'll try to grill only the entrée, and have all my side dishes prepared ahead of time and served cold or at room temperature (like different salads--green, bean, pasta,or veggie). In colder weather I might start out with a soup that I've prepared ahead of time and only requires reheating, then do some sort of entrée that is baked or roasted and holds well. Pair that with a nice big salad and perhaps one simple side dish you've prepared ahead of time and you're set! Don't forget the store-bought dessert! I avoid dishes that require too much last-minute, hands-on stovetop cooking (like risotto) or things that don't hold well (like a stir-fry that might get mushy).

Deana: Your favorite do-ahead apps or favorite party helpers from Trader Joe's?

Tracy: As I mentioned before, cheese and crackers are key. TJ's has such a great selection of delicious, well-priced cheeses (the Goat Gouda, Cambazola and the St Andre are my favorites), and a huge variety of crackers (I'm in love with the Pita Bite Crackers). I also love their dips---the White Bean with Basil is always a huge hit, and everyone loves the guacamole sold in the refrigerator section. There are also so many yummy things in the frozen section---I like to heat up an Alsace Pizza and cut it into bite-sized pieces as an appetizer, or the frozen steamer clams that cook in their own butter sauce are a perfect super-simple first course (and are fabulous over linguine too!).

Deana: Those are great tips. The Tarte d'Alsace is one of our favorite zero-fuss appetizers as well!

Soy-Chorizo Stuffed Mushrooms

(Makes about 2 dozen)

These stuffed mushrooms are a great vegetarian alternative to the traditional sausage-filled variety, and pack a punch with their spicy kick! Trader Joe's Soy Chorizo is the secret ingredient that will keep your vegetarian and meat-eating friends all coming back for more...if they can take the heat!

2 - 10 oz packages Baby Bella Mushrooms (look for packages with larger-sized mushrooms)**

6 oz Trader Joe's Soy Chorizo, casing removed (half of one package)

3/4 cup fresh parsley (loosely packed, larger stems removed)

4 oz cream cheese, at room temperature

1/3 cup grated cheese (I prefer the parmesan/pecorino romano blend)

1 egg

1.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2.) To prepare the mushrooms, brush off any dirt from the caps and remove and discard the stems. Set aside.

3.) Add the chorizo (remove from casing) to the workbowl of a food processor (fitted with the metal blade). Pulse a few times to evenly grind (so no large pieces remain), and then add parsley, cream cheese, grated cheese and the egg. Pulse until thoroughly combined and creamy.

4.) Using a teaspoon, place filling into each mushroom cap, being careful not to overfill (filling should be about even with sides of mushroom and not overflowing). Place mushrooms (filled side up) in a baking dish.

5.) Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until mushrooms have softened (they will release some of their liquids and appear 'wet' and darker in color), and filling is bubbly. Serve hot.

NOTE: any unused filling can be stored in anairtight container in your freezer for up to three months.

**Deana's note: On the west coast, the stuffing portobellos will likely be in 6-oz packages (with 6 mushrooms per package). When I made the recipe, I used 3 packages (18 mushrooms). I also took Tracy's tip on freezing the stuffing - I made a double batch and froze half of it. Making a double batch allowed me to use the entire chorizo sausage and the entire brick of cream cheese, so that no ingredients were left over. The mushrooms were a hit with us!

Thanks Tracy! For more of Tracy's recipes and tips, visit Tracy at her blog, Season To Taste. If you're in the Fairfield, CT area, you can sign up for one of her classes at The Secret Ingredient Cooking School.

Yellow Curry Tofu with Red Quinoa and Jasmine Rice Pilaf

Wona Miniati — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 03:43:00 GMT

I was delighted recently to meet Amy Fothergill, known as The Family Chef. I had heard about her through a number of moms in San Francisco who had taken her cooking classes, and I was intrigued. Amy was kind enough to chat with me over delicious home-brewed coffee and gluten-free madeleines in her home, and the more we talked, the more I discovered we had in common. The love of good, nutritious food. The struggle to juggle cooking with a busy lifestyle. Strategies we'd developed over the years to make it possible to cook every day, even with young kids in the picture. We talked for hours!

In addition to specializing in family-friendly meals, Amy also cooks gluten-free. Below is an abbreviated Q&A with Amy, along with one of her delicious, healthy gluten-free recipes.

Wona: Why do people call you the Family Chef?

Amy: I suppose it's because my cooking style is so family orientated.Regardless of the size and age of a family, it can be hard to find time to cook. My philosophy is that cooking should be healthy, easy and always tasty. I've merged my culinary background with my current role as mom to create recipes that meet this criteria.

Wona: Your cooking classes are very popular. What do people like most about your classes?

Amy: The comment I get over and over is that people feel they could go home and cook the dishes they make in class. I often receive emails after classes telling me they recreated a dish and how much their family loved it. Some classes teach you how to make homemade pasta or Asian dumplings, but you never do it again. The one cooking class I took before I become an instructor was how to make tamales. Guess what I have never made at home?

Wona: What types of foods do you enjoy cooking most and why?

Amy: My food definitely has an Italian slant to it since that is where my family is from. There's nothing like homemade tomato sauce with what I call "mama's meatballs". I also am very fond of Asian food so I tend tolike anything with ginger, soy sauce and sesame oil (how can you go wrong with that?). I always feel better, mentally and physically, when I eat a meal which includes a vegetable and/or a whole grain and that tastes really delicious.

Wona: What would you do if you had a picky (child) eater? What do you suggest for parents who struggle with picky eaters?

Amy: There are three parts to this answer: how to try to prevent it, how to manage it if you are in it and what to do long term. When they are young, introduce them to as many tastes, flavors and textures as possible. Never assume what they will and won't eat. My son ate yellow curry when he was 2 and my daughter eats spicy food. They both eat sushi and salad; I would have never predicted that! And the best way for your kids to be good eaters is for you to be as well; model good behavior.

What I think is most important is good nutrition. If my kids choose not to eat the food I've prepared, they won't get something more enticing, like a cookie. They have to have healthy food first. Connecting food with what it does in our bodies can be taught as young as 4 years old. Often children don't like certain textures or flavors; many adults are the same way. My own children (6 and 4) have had their moments of picky eating. I do think there's a balance between respecting their tastes and them respecting your time; I decided I didn't want to be a short order cook and adopted the "this is your meal" rule. Put it on their plate and ask them to try. How you react might determine what they do next.

If you do have a child who is a picky eater, do the best you can. My advice is to keep introducing different foods, at least 20 times.I've noticed this with my own children. My son used to like scrambled eggs, then didn't and now does. The same thing happened with my daughter with sweet potatoes. Don't give up. You are doing the best you can!

Wona: Great advice, Amy! I'm chuckling because you, Deana, and I all have young kids that love sushi! It's so true that we shouldn't assume what kids will like. I'm curious, what do you and your kids like most about Trader Joe's?

Amy: I like the variety, quality (especially organic and/or natural) and the prices. I can walk into Trader Joes and create hundreds of meals by looking at the shelves; it's corny but for me, that's fun! My kids have always loved the natural peanut butter, reduced sugar preserves, hummus, guacamole and taquitos. I've just switched the family over to a gluten-free diet so now the favorites are the brown rice pastas (it's all in how you cook it), rice pasta mac n' cheese and red quinoa (I add it to regular rice). We used to love the thin crust pizza, spinach lasagna, broccoli and cheese individual quiche, and mandarin orange chicken. The spinach lasagna was a great example of them eating something I did not expect. Think beyond nuggets, pizza and hot dogs for kids!

Wona: Thank you, Amy, for your wise tips and healthy recipe. And for those in the Bay Area, I encourage you to check out Amy's cooking classes. You can see her full schedule at www.amythefamilychef.com.

Yellow Curry Tofu with Red Quinoa and Jasmine Rice Pilaf
By Amy Fothergill, The Family Chef (photo courtesy of Amy Fothergill)

You’ll think you just had take-out delivered from your favorite Thai restaurant when you taste this dish. Everyone in our family loves this, even the young ones. If tofu isn’t your thing, you can substitute it (see the Variation below). Best of all, try making it with a combination of red quinoa and white (or brown) jasmine rice. It not only looks pretty, it boosts the nutrition of the dish!

1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 tsp Trader Joe’s extra virgin olive oil
3 carrots, peeled and cut into thick circles (or 6 baby carrots, chopped)
8-10 Trader Joe’s Baby Dutch Yellow potatoes
1/2 jar of Trader Joe’s yellow curry sauce
1 can of regular coconut milk*
8 oz firm tofu, cut into cubes

*Note 1: If you like your curry more spicy, use the whole jar and omit the coconut milk. The coconut milk is a good option for children or those who may not like spicy food. Many children seem to like the creaminess and flavor of the coconut milk.

1. Sauté onion in olive oil and cook for 3 minutes. Add carrots and cook until onion softens and is lightly browned.
2. Wash the yellow potatoes and then add to pot. Add 1/2 jar of sauce plus the can of coconut milk.
3. Simmer covered, stirring occasionally, for about 15-20 minutes, or until potato is almost soft. Add tofu, stir, remove cover and cook another 5 minutes.
4. Serve over red quinoa jasmine rice (recipe follows).

Variation: If you want to use chicken breast chunks, cook chicken with onion, remove and add back in for the last 5-10 minutes of cooking. If breast cooks too long, it will become chewy. If you are using chicken thighs, cook that with the vegetables. Cook shrimp the same way you would the chicken breast. If it simmers for a long time, it will also become very chewy.

Red Quinoa Jasmine Rice Pilaf

1 1/2 cups Trader Joe’s jasmine rice, rinsed with water
4 cups water (use less if you want it stickier)
1/2 cup Trader Joe’s organic red quinoa, rinsed

Place all ingredients in a rice cooker and set to cook. If using a pot, bring to a boil, cover and lower to a simmer. Cook about 20 minutes or until all water is absorbed.

Trader Joe's new Cake and Frosting Mixes

Deana Gunn — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 04:51:00 GMT

Whew! After making 100 cupcakes this week and a batch of cinnamon crumb cake, I feel qualified to review the new Trader Joe's cake mixes. These three cake mixes, along with a chocolate frosting mix, have hit the shelves recently complete with adorable retro packaging. Not only are they pretty convenient, but they're excellent cake mixes.

Yesterday when I served a batch of the cupcakes to a group of 2nd graders, I watched as they finished the cupcakes and then practically ate the cupcake wrappers (I'm glad I use unbleached all-natural wrappers!) Three 2nd-graders approached me afterwards asking if they could please have the "recipe" for the cupcakes. I smiled and said it was a cake mix and could they guess where I bought it (wink). "Trader Joe's!" they yelled, jumping up and down.

Well, if it gets the unanimous approval of 2nd graders, you know it has to be good. The Chocolate Cake Mix is dark, rich, and moist. The batter mixes up smooth and silky and bakes up with an intoxicating aroma. While I was baking the cupcakes, I stepped into my front yard for just a minute and a neighbor stopped to ask me what I was making, saying it smelled heavenly. The Golden Yellow Cake Mix is equally delicious and moist.

I frosted the cupcakes with two kinds of frosting. I used the Trader Joe's Chocolate Frosting Mix for the chocolate cupcakes and made my own lemon buttercream frosting for the yellow cupcakes. You may be thinking, "Hey, isn't frosting mix just powdered sugar and cocoa? Is it a waste of money to buy this box?" It's true that buttercream frosting is basically powdered sugar and the butter you add. And yes, the chocolate frosting mix is primarily powdered sugar and cocoa. However, at $2.69 for a 12 oz box of mix, the price is equivalent to buying powdered sugar ($2.79 for a 16 oz bag at Trader Joe's). If you don't stock powdered sugar and cocoa in your pantry, or you simply want to skip the measuring, I think the frosting mix is a perfectly fine thing to buy. The ingredients were great quality and the frosting was smooth and delicious. Make sure that when you're mixing up the frosting, you add the hot water very slowly. If you have not made this kind of frosting before, you will be tempted to add a lot of hot water to the large amount of powdered sugar, but believe me that it takes very little. Go slowly, mix thoroughly, and stop when the frosting is smooth and spreadable.

For other frosting options, you can use a whipped cream frosting like the one we use in our Star Spangled Berry Cake. It's flavored with vanilla and just a touch of sugar. If you like, substitute 1/4 cup of maple syrup for the vanilla and sugar - it's a really nice fall flavor on cakes and cupcakes. For an all-natural dye-free cake/cupcake decoration, I love to use berries, chocolate sprinkles, or Trader Joe's Chocolate Covered Sunflower Seed Drops. And for some seasonal decorating ideas, here are our Halloween cupcakes !

The Cinnamon Crumb Cake is also delicious and would be a nice and sweet add-on for a brunch. When you mix the batter up for this one, two things will happen. You will think, "this doesn't seem like very much batter" and then you will think, "this seems too thick...did I mix it up right?" The batter will be thick like brownie batter. Just spread it in the bottom of your pan (I used an 8-inch oval dish) - it will bake up great. The smell of this one is amaaaaazing while it bakes.
When you open the package, there will be two bags of mix inside. One is the cake mix, and one is the crumb mix. They are labeled, but it's not easy to see. The slightly larger bag is the cake mix.

These mixes are more or less foolproof, but here are some hints when baking cakes or cupcakes:

1) Preheat your oven and make sure it has reached the indicated temperature. If you try to get a "head start" by putting your item in the oven while it's preheating, your baked goods won't bake evenly, the texture may be affected, and final cooking times will be off.

2) Don't skimp (or skip) when greasing and flouring pans. Nothing is more frustrating than baking a cake and not being able to pop it out of the pan. Get the butter or oil into all the corners and edges, then flour the pan if indicated. Are you baking a chocolate cake? Then use unsweetened cocoa powder instead of flour, otherwise your baked cake will have a haze of white all over it...not attractive.

3) For birthday parties, consider cupcakes instead of a cake. They're easier and faster to serve and the pieces are all the same. And no plates or forks are necessary! There's no cutting, no panicked plating, and no complaints over the size of piece or getting a corner piece vs. a center piece. I like to use baking cups (cupcake wrappers) - they're available in a variety of designs as well as plain, unbleached ones.

4) Take it easy when mixing batters. Mix gently only until combined. Enthusiastic over-beating with gluten-containing flours will create gluey, chewy, and tough baked goods.

5) Don't peek! You're in a hurry but if you constantly open the oven door to see how far along your cake is, you're going to disrupt the heat circulation and your baking will fall flat or cook unevenly.

And in closing, an annoucement:
Did you hear the news!?!? Our newest cookbook, "Cooking with Trader Joe's: Dinner's Done!" is about to be released! We're so excited and hope you love it too. It's hardcover, full of great new recipes, with color photos and nutritional information for every recipe.

Rice Cakes with Hummus

Wona Miniati — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 04:59:00 GMT

When you're looking for a quick and healthy snack to tide you over between meals, consider this rice cake and hummus combo. It's an open-faced sandwich or mini-pizza of sorts, topped with fresh vegetables.

You're probably familiar with all the varieties of hummus at Trader Joe's - there are so many to choose from. If you want to try making your own hummus, click here for our easy recipe. Bonus tip: when I buy tahini sauce, a key ingredient in homemade hummus, I scoop out spoonfuls onto a tray and freeze, since I can never use up a container right away. I store the frozen pellets in a Ziploc bag, and whenever I make a batch of hummus, I have dollops of tahini sauce ready to go.

I happened to have crisp Persian cucumbers and homegrown tomatoes on hand, so that's what I used to top these rice cakes. I'm also eager to try avocados, shredded carrots, or roasted peppers. For extra protein, you could top with a slice of cheddar cheese or, for a Mediterranean theme, feta cheese and olives.

I used brown rice cakes (shelved next to chips and pretzels at my Trader Joe's store); I usually buy brown because no one in our family seems to tell the difference between brown vs. white rice cakes. (It's an entirely different story with steamed brown vs. white rice -- if you ever see my family feverishly wolfing down white rice at an Asian restaurant, it's because they're so white-rice-deprived at home ever since my crusade to eat more fiber and nutrient-rich brown rice.) These brown rice cakes are crisp, slightly salting, and just as satisfying as the white ones.

I hope you enjoy this snack idea! Just be sure not to let the assembled rice cakes sit for too long, or they'll get soggy from the hummus. They're best eaten right away.

Rice Cakes with Hummus

Per serving:
1 brown or white rice cake
3 Tbsp hummus, any flavor
1 handful microgreens or salad mix
Sliced cucumber, tomato, avocado, or other vegetable

1. Spread rice cake evenly with hummus.
2. Top with microgreens and your choice of vegetables.

Party Shortcuts and Tasty Bites

Deana Gunn — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 05:31:00 GMT

I love having friends over to my home to share food and a glass of wine, and we've had many nice get-togethers lately. There are a few ready-made Trader Joe's items that seem to have popped into the rotation and I wanted to share them with you here in case you hadn't seen them. These products are great time-savers: an easy appetizer that can be tossed into the oven right as guests arrive, two desserts that just need some thawing, and versatile frozen puff pastry. There's nothing wrong with taking advantage of tasty shortcuts like this and spending more time focusing on friends or the other dishes you're preparing.

Tarte d'Alsace: This thin crust is covered with ham, gruyere cheese, and caramelized onions. Place the frozen tarte in a preheated oven, and 10 minutes later you have a crispy, savory tarte that can be cut into small squares and served to your guests. It also comes in a vegetarian Tarte d'Champignons (mushrooms) version. I served both the other night as an appetizer while Coq Au Vin was simmering on the stove and veggies were roasting in the oven. It was a great, hands-off way to spend the evening, chatting with friends and enjoying a glass of wine instead of messing with a lot of prep.

Puff Pastry: This seasonal item at Trader Joe's is a favorite of ours. Good puff pastry is so laborious to make and it takes all day. Trader Joe's has it in frozen sheets and this is the real thing: Made with real butter and no trans fats (unlike other well-known brands...). It's fantastic stuff and you can do so much with it. Cut the sheet into 9 squares, top each square with a dollop of bruschetta or tapenade or goat cheese and toss into the oven to bake. For dessert, top with fruit or jam or make little turnovers with a fruit filling. It's true that puff pastry is fattening, but when you serve it at a party, it's just a few bites for each person. (It's even great for entrees: In our cookbooks , you can top chicken pot pie with it, wrap salmon in it, etc)

Macarons: These French macarons are simply fantastic. A delicate and light crust - so airy it almost isn't there - with a filling that is thick and rich and luxurious. They're a great price too - $4.99 for a dozen (combination of chocolate and vanilla). Thaw them for 30 minutes and serve with coffee and tea.

Raspberry Tarte: I had never tried this item until Celine Coussou raved about it on her list of Trader Joe's must-haves. "Well, she's French and would know...it must be good then." Well, it really is. Every time I served it, it received rave reviews. It's pretty, easy to serve, and made in France. Don't worry when you first open the package - it will become more attractive once it has thawed (and you can also take it out of the foil pan and place it on a pretty platter or cut into individual servings). I have served it a couple of times with our Nearly Instant Homemade Mango Ice Cream . It was the kids' idea to make it and to serve it with the tarte - not a bad combo, actually.

Enjoy! And if you have your own party favorites at Trader Joe's, share them below!

Mediterranean Baked Fish

Wona Miniati — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 17:13:00 GMT

This easy and elegant entree combines the flavors of the sunny Mediterranean - tomatoes, olives, parsley, and wine - with delicate fish. Its a great way to add vibrant colors and bold flavors to otherwise bland white fish.

I love dishes like this that you can assemble ahead of time and pop in the oven. If preparing for guests, simply have all the ingredients prepped ahead of time. Assembly is a cinch, and then you can pop into the oven while guests are enjoying drinks or appetizers, and let dinner cook while you catch up with friends. This dish smells absolutely delicious while it's baking, whetting appetites as the aromas fill your house.

I used tilapia, but other white fish such as cod, flounder, or sole would work well too; just adjust cooking times is using thicker fillets. White wine keeps the fish from drying out and makes a yummy sauce for dipping bread or pouring over rice.

The simple flavors in this dish are complex enough to satisfy adult palates, and mild enough that my 3-yr-old licks up every last bit. I usually serve with a side of sauteed Swiss chard and steamed brown rice or crusty bread. It's a winner!

Baked Mediterranean Fish Recipe

1 lb tilapia, thawed if frozen (4 fillets)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved, or chopped Roma tomatoes
¼ cup chopped Kalamata olives
½ small onion, chopped, or ½ cup refrigerated Diced Onions
2 cloves garlic, crushed, or 2 cubes frozen Crushed Garlic
2 Tbsp chopped parsley
2 Tbsp olive oil
¼ cup white wine
½ tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 375˚ F.

2. Place fish in a single layer in an 8 x10-inch baking dish.

3. In a bowl, mix tomatoes, olives, onion, garlic, and parsley. Spoon mixture evenly over fish.

4. Whisk oil, wine, and salt. Pour evenly over entire dish. It won’t seem like enough liquid, but more juices will be released during cooking.

5. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes, or until fish flakes easily.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Hands-off cooking time: 25 minutes
Serves 4

An Almondina Giveaway - 3 cases, 3 winners!

Deana Gunn — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 20:44:00 GMT

A few months ago we reviewed Almondina cookies and gave away a few cases of Almondina in several varieties. It was also a great way to celebrate Almondina's new flavor, Chocolate Cherry, which had just landed at Trader Joe's. Have you tried them? These delicious, crunchy cookies were such a hit and the giveaway was so successful that Almondina is generously sponsoring another one! Hooray!

THREE lucky random winners will each get a 12-pack sampler case of Almondina cookies.

How to enter (do one, or do all three to increase your chances of winning):

* Comment (once) below this blog post.
* Comment on our Facebook page under the Almondina post.
* Tweet about it (reply to @cookingwithTJ so we can track it).

Deadline: Enter by Midnight PST Friday September 24, 2010. Winners will be contacted and winners will announced on the blog, twitter, and facebook. US residents only please! Good luck! As before, we are not paid to review or give away Almondina products - we do it because we simply love them!
To see the many Almondina flavors, check out their website. Original and Chocolate Cherry are at Trader Joe's.

Embracing the Un-Bready Breakfast (Featuring a Veggie Scramble recipe)

Deana Gunn — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 04:15:00 GMT

Coffeeshops, restaurants, and grocers have, over the years, tried to convince us that breakfast means a giant sugary muffin, a big chewy bagel, pancakes, waffles, scones, toast, and other high carb delights. The problem with those treats is that they're not nutritionally stellar and they often leave me either hungry or energy-less as I crash two hours later. Furthermore, many of those bready breakfasts can take a toll on ones waistline as well over time. Don't get me wrong - I love the occasional croissant or muffin, but not as a my breakfast.
Back in July, I decided to cut all breads, pasta, and other flour-based items out of my diet for a month. I was curious how I'd feel, and I also wanted to turn the focus more to all the fresh produce that was pouring out of my veggie garden, our farmer's market, and at Trader Joe's.   Without breads, cereals, and other flour-y fare, I started to think a even more outside the box for breakfast. Sure, there's oatmeal and scrambled eggs, but what else. Brown rice and black beans...why not? A veggie burger...why not? Smoothies, yogurt parfaits, frittatas, quinoa flavored with vanilla and cinnamon...lots of choices!
My un-bready month is now over and honestly, I really haven't gone back to eating much bread or pasta in general. I like having my focus first on proteins, legumes, vegetables, fruits, and dairy, and I definitely feel more energetic throughout the day.   The funny thing about cutting out the breads and pastas is that I dropped more than 5 pounds unintentionally that month even though I felt like I was eating more food.   I'll take that!
Here are a few ideas below that I enjoy for breakfast. I'd love to hear yours!

1) Yogurt Parfait - layer your choice of yogurt with your favorite granola (Pecan Praline, Granola & the 3 Berries, and Gluten Free Granola are a few choices) and seasonal fresh berries. It's a simple combination that is amazing. You can even make homemade granola from those odds and ends in your pantry. A homemade granola bar and a individual container of yogurt is a good on-the-go option.
2) Eggs. Make a frittata with eggs and veggies (use any mix of Trader Joe's frozen vegetables to make it more convenient) Check out the frittata recipe in our "Cooking with All Things Trader Joe's" cookbook, page 236. Scramble them. Serve them sunny-side-up with salsa and guacamole in our Hey Huevos Rancheros. Like Hello Kitty? Make eggs shaped like Hello Kitty! For most people, eggs are fine in moderation but check with your doctor if you have restrictions.
3.) Quinoa - cook quinoa, adding vanilla, cinnamon, honey, nuts or dried fruit to the cooking mixture. Add milk if desired (as you would eat oatmeal). Check out the recipe in our "Cooking with All Things Trader Joe's " cookbook, page 238.
4.) Poach an egg and serve on top of brown rice and black beans and even corn (like frozen Roasted Corn, back on the shelves after a long hiatus). I love this combination with a mild fruity salsa like Trader Joe's Peachy Salsa.   Black beans are a great energy-super-food and most people might not consider them for breakfast. Canned black beans and frozen brown rice make it a snap.
5) Smoothies: Your choice of fruit blended with yogurt and milk (regular, soy, rice, or almond milk). You may want to add a little bit of Trader Joe's Green or Red Powders (blended fruit and vegetables powders). If you like avocados, try a delicious Avocado Smoothie. Smoothie recipes are also included in "Cooking with All Things Trader Joe's" page 233 and 235.
6.) Veggie Scramble: A Veggie Burger for breakfast? Yes! They're not just for lunch and dinner. I really like scrambled eggs, and I like them even more mixed with a chopped up veggie burger. Of course you can add frozen vegetables, sliced sausages, pancetta , whatever you like. Scrambled eggs are like pizzas - there really aren't any rules holding back your creativity!

I am a recent fan of the Trader Joe's Vegetable Masala burgers and I think they go well with eggs. They're only very slightly spicy but it's balanced out with the mildness of the eggs, inc ase you were questioning a little spice in the morning. (Trader Joe's regular Veggie Burgers are another option - I find thatthey really need to get nice and hot or else they taste a little dry.) The meal below is very satiating and comes in right around 270 calories and is ready in less than 10 minutes.

Veggie Masala Scramble (photo at top)

1 frozen Vegetable Masala Burger
2 large eggs
5-6 crimini or white mushrooms (optional)

1.) Heat the veggie burger per package instructions (I like to heat in a non-stick skillet with just a touch of spray oil.
2.) While the burger is heating, slice the mushrooms and beat the eggs.
3.) When the burger is done, remove, chop up, and set aside.
4.) Saute the mushrooms in the pan. When softened, add the eggs and cook over low heat until eggs start to set up. Stir in the chopped burger and remove from heat.    Let residual heat of pan finish cooking the eggs.

Serves 1

Ham and Brie Sandwich

Wona Miniati — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:05:00 GMT

School is in full swing for us in San Francisco, and for his lunchbox today, my son requested a sandwich we had over the weekend. It's a simple sandwich made in the style of sandwiches I remember tasting in Italy and Paris - minimally accessorized, giving the few fillings easy prominence without a lot of competition.

I've always had a hard time with sandwiches that are piled high with an inch of meat and all kinds of sauces and condiments. Maybe that's why I was drawn to the simple sandwiches I had in Europe. They were usually served with just 1 or 2 slices of deli meat and cheese, and condiments such as mayo or mustard were optional. I remember tasting a sandwich with JUST ham and cheese (no mayo, no mustard) and marveling at how good it tasted! I was able to really taste the ham, cheese, and bread, and boy! were they delicious on their own.

Ham and Brie is a classic French combination which is delightful in a sandwich. I used Trader Joe's Aioli Garlic Mustard Sauce and added a handful of peppery arugula for an extra layer of flavors, but you could leave the mustard or arugula out if you're going for a really mild sandwich, or if you're assembling more than a few hours in advance.

Enjoy these at school, the office, or on a picnic, and imagine yourself relaxing at a cafe in Paris!

Ham and Brie Sandwich Recipe

1 serving baguette or French bread
1-2 slices Healthy Ham or your favorite ham
1 oz Brie cheese, sliced
1 tsp Aioli Garlic Mustard Sauce
Handful arugula leaves

1. Slice baguette open; toast if desired.
2. Spread mustard on bread. Assemble sandwich with Brie, ham, and arugula.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Serves 1

Gluten-free option: Use brown rice bread.
Vegetarian option: Substitute roasted red pepper slices for the ham.

Pigs-In-A-Duvet, cousins to Pigs-In-A-Blanket

Wona Miniati — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:18:00 GMT

No cocktail hour is complete without Pigs-in-a-Blanket, sausages or hot dogs wrapped in dough. Our upscale and healthier version of this popular hors d'oeuvres is made with prosciutto and asparagus. They're easy to assemble and popular with kids and adults alike. In fact, whenever I make these for a birthday party, picnic, or potluck, it's the first dish to get plucked clean.

Trader Joe's recently started carrying crescent rolls in the refrigerated section, along with cans of buttermilk biscuits (try them in our Monkey Bread) and ready-to-bake cinnamon rolls. Crescent rolls was one of those items I always had to get elsewhere when planning for a party, and I'm delighted I can pick everything up at TJ's now. As usual, the ingredients lists on the TJ versions are shorter than other national brands, and there's no chemical aftertaste that you sometimes get with other brands.

For vegetarian options, try asparagus and cheese, or apples and cheese. Hard slices of cheese won't melt as easily, making for easier cleanup.

Although they're utterly irresistible warm out of the oven, they're also surprisingly good at room temperature. Leftovers can be tucked into lunchboxes or eaten for breakfast the next day.

Pigs-in-a-Duvet Recipe

1 (8 oz) tube refrigerated crescent rolls

8 asparagus spears, trimmed and cut in half
1 (4 or 5 oz) pkg prosciutto, or 8 pieces prosciutto, sliced in half

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Separate crescent dough into 8 pieces along dotted lines. Cut each triangle in half to form long,narrow triangles of dough.
3. Wrap each piece of prosciutto around asparagus. Wrap each bundle with dough, rolling from widest end to the triangular tip. Place onto baking sheet that is lightly oiled or lined (Silpat baking mats work well).
4. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Hands-off cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves 8 (2 rolls per serving)

Shrimp and Rotini Salad

Wona Miniati — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 07:17:00 GMT

Today's recipe submission comes from designer and illustrator Mia Adams, who created this crowd-pleasing dish for a cookout earlier this year. We tried this recipe at home and really enjoyed the burst of bright flavors from tangy balsamic vinegar, fresh lemon juice, and basil. Definitely not your average pasta salad. It was even good for lunch the next day!

In addition to Mia's original recipe, I also tried a version without mayonnaise and liked it just as well. Simply increase the proportion of dressing, to make up for the lack of mayonnaise. The recipe as written makes a huge batch, so if you're cooking for your just your family, cut the recipe in half.

This recipe is sure to be a hit at your next picnic or potluck!

Wona: It's always nice to meet a fellow TJ fan. What do you like best about cooking with TraderJoe's products? Any favorite items you'd like to share?

Mia: I find that Trader Joe's products offer a better quality than your standard grocer, as well as things that are not-so-typical. I have never gone wrong with a "Trader Joes Experiment" yet, and I really enjoy the variety TJ's offers me to come up with new recipes. Also, the prices are always fair - and in comparison to other Specialty Grocers, like Whole Foods, for example - TJ's lets me stay within my budget (and my 5-year-old daughter enjoys shopping there more than I do, I think! - she especially loves tasting samples! She has quite a gourmet palate!). As for favorites- there are way too many to list them all, but TJ's Tuscan Style Salad Dressing is definitely one of them!

Wona: My kids love shopping there too. They love the kids' size shopping carts they can push themselves. How would you describe your style of cooking?

Mia: "Opportunistic"

Wona: That sounds like me too! What do you do in your spare time when you're not cooking?

Mia: I take day trips to 'wherever' with my daughter, watch movies, scrapbooking, do crafts projects... whatever we're in the mood for.

Wona: Sounds like a great balance. And now onto the feature recipe... How did you come up with the idea for the Shrimp & Rotini Salad you're sharing with us today?

Mia: I really love pasta salad, and I am always experimenting with new ways to make it more "exotic" - considering how hot it's been, I wanted to make a cool treat as my contribution to a cookout I had made this for. It tastes DEEE-LISH-USSS!!

Shrimp & Rotini Salad Recipe
by Mia Adams

18 oz tri-color rotini
2 lbs shrimp, cooked and peeled
7-8 diced scallions
2 cups broccoli, cooked and cut small
1 large Persian cucumber, cut into small wedges
3 Roma tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp grated lemon rind
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp crushed red pepper
3/4 cup light mayonnaise
1 (8 oz) bottle Trader Joe's Tuscan Style Salad Dressing

1. Cook pasta 'al dente' with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Rinse, cool indrainer with ice cubes and let them melt. Set aside in a large bowl.

2. Combine shrimp, broccoli, cucumber, and green onion in a medium bowl.

3. In a small bowl,stir together mayonnaise, salad dressing, lemon juice, lemon rind, basil, salt and pepper. Pour mixture over shrimp & veggies, stirring gently to combine. Add to cooled pasta, and blend/toss gently.

4. Top with tomato wedges and fresh basil as a garnish. Refrigerate before serving.

Note: This makes a very large batch for a big crowd!

An Expert's Guide to Trader Joe's: My interview with Celine Cossou

Deana Gunn — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 04:13:00 GMT

When I first met Celine Cossou, prolific cook and owner of of Celine's Cuisine, I found her so engaging that I completely lost track of time. It was a rainy morning and we met at my favorite coffeeshop, The Pannikin, in Encinitas. Nearly 3 hours later, we glanced at our watches and couldn't believe how the time had flown. Celine is a joy to talk with and it's so easy to feel her passion about food. Celine grew up in the south of France and it reflects in her simple yet sophisticated style of cooking (see the recipe below for just one example). She teaches cooking classes in Temecula and Murrieta, the latter of which includes a popular "Cooking with Trader Joe's" cooking class. Her shopping is a blend of Trader Joe's and the farmers market and local sources, which is also the way I love to shop for my food. And take it from me, she knows her Trader Joe's inside out! Read on for Celine's favorite TJ products, great tips, and two wonderful recipes - you won't be disappointed!

Deana: Tell me about your favorite finds at Trader Joe's. What can't you live without?

Celine: Yes, my fridge, freezer, and pantry are filled with TJ's finds; even for regular cooking classes I use TJ's products. Here are some favorites:

Misc
- Almond Meal
- Dark Morello Cherries (jarred)
- Peaches in white grape syrup (jarred)
- Organic pastas
- Nuts: Halzenuts, Almonds, Walnuts.... great selection at really affordable prices
- Olive Oil
- White balsamic vinegar
- Organic quinoa
- Chocolate Petite Batons (tiny crispy cookies; I buy between 6- 10 boxes at a time!)
- 72% Cacao Dark Chocolate imported from Belgium

Frozen
- Chocolate croissants: my family's favorite
- Croissants: the same as in Paris
- Wild mushroom and Truffle flat bread (my 5 yr old daughter's favorite) done the Tuscany way!
- Tarte Alsacian: so delicate it makes my mouth water
- Orange chicken (my 5 yr old daughter's favorite)
- Fried rice (my 5 yr old son's favorite)
- Pie crust: a real find! Great for savory tarts, quiche, sweet tart, fruits tarts
- Haricots Verts, frozen: the best, in a salad or served warm
- Parisian Macarons: so delicate and elegant
- Raspberry Tart: summer on your palate!

Yogurt/ dairy/ cheeses
- Plain Village yogurt, cream on the top
- Organic Probiotics Strawberries Smoothies
- Heavy cream: the best for whipped cream and homemade ice cream
- Trio Goat Cheeses
- Raclette cheese

Bread/ cakes
- Artisan Par-baked breads: Filone, Ciabatta, Baguette ... the kitchen smells like a real Parisian Boulangerie when you "bake" these!
- Brioche: the best, like the ones in France, great for French toast or just plain

Deana: Great list! What's the question people ask most often in your cooking classes? What are the cooking issues they're interested in?

Celine: Most people tell me they see a product or ingredient and they do not know what to do with it. They are a little scared to try.

I always say to my students that cooking must be fun and that grocery shopping is an adventure at Trader Joe's! You never know what you will find...it is never a chore. It's like being on vacation somewhere, shopping for new foods: German, Italian, French, Indonesian.... what can be more fun than that!?

I have 3 different categories of people coming to my TJ's Cooking classes:

First of all, I have people who come to my classes who have never entered a Trader Joe's store. They think it is for the elite and they are afraid to go there. "I thought it was not a store for me, but I saw your cooking classes and wanted to see what they have there!" I demistify Trader Joe's for them. I place emphasis on the quality of the products - natural and organic at good prices. I tell them how the store is different and why. And after the class when they see the products and the results, they are hooked and go shop there.

I have people who shop at Trader Joe's but always buy the same products (and of course, a friend or someone had to introduce them to this product first) and are afraid to try new ones. So I am there to open the door for new products, new flavors, new tastes.

And I have the person who shops there regularly who likes to try all their products but wants to learn some twists and shortcuts.

In fact all my TJ's cooking classes have been an "introduction" to new products, because even the people who shop regularly at TJ's did not know all the products/ ingredients we used during the classes.

The theme of my "Cooking with Trader Joe's" Cooking classes is : Good Food Fast. You take a few products, put them together and then you have a delicious and healthy meal. We cook a 3 or 4-course meal at each class.

Deana: Your approach is right up our alley. What's the single best tip you give people too busy to cook?

Celine: If you buy good, delicious ingredients or products your meal will be delicious, too. Very simple. And after shopping 10 years at TJ's I have never, never thrown away anything - I love all their products.

Deana: Is there a favorite TJ product that you introduce people to in your classes?

Celine: So many, the list is long. I have a lot of returning students to my classes (each class has a different menu) so they tell me what they buy at TJ's: the Frozen croissants, the pie dough, the quinoa, the goat cheeses, the breads, the brioche, the cherries, the frozen haricots verts, the cooked beets, the cooked lentils, the heavy cream, the yogurt, .... almost everything on my favorite list is now on their favorite list.

Deana: Thank you, Celine! So much fun to get new insights from a fellow Trader Joe's fan. Tell us about the recipe you're sharing with us.

Celine: Savory tarts and quiches are very popular in every bistros or homes in France as a main dish, always served with a salad on the side. Very easy and quick to make, this quiche has a sweet richness and is full of Provencal and sunny flavors perfect for a summer Sunday brunch, lunch or dinner.

Celine’s Provencal Quiche with Avocado Goat Cheese Salad **

1 bag of Fire Roasted bell peppers and onions ( frozen)
1 can of Organic Tomatoes, diced no-salt added (strained)
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pie crust (thawed)
Flour
2 organic eggs
1 tsp heavy cream (optional)
½ tsp salt, divided
¼ tsp ground pepper

Variation: add diced bacon, ham, mozzarella, Pancetta, goat cheese.

1.) Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and bell peppers, sprinkle ¼ tsp of the salt, and stir. Cook for 10 minutes until onions are soft. Then add the diced tomatoes and garlic, and cook for another 5 minutes stirring regularly, until most of the liquids have evaporated.(This can be prepared in advance and kept in the fridge.)

2.) Remove the pie crust from the fridge. Preheat the oven to 375F. Grease a 10-inch glass or ceramic tart pan with olive oil or butter.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough in a 12-inch circle. Transfer into the pan, prick the bottom all over with a fork.

3.) In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and cream. Season with the remaining salt, the pepper. Fold in the onion, bell pepper, and tomato mixture and transfer into the tart shell.

4.) Bake for 25-30 minutes until cooked.

5.) Serve warm, with the Avocado and Goat Cheese Salad (see below).

Avocado and Goat Cheese Salad

2 avocados ( peeled and cut in small pieces)
¼ cup goat cheese, crumbled
1 tsp olive oil
Salt
Pepper

1) In a bowl, add avocado, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix all ingredients and top with goat cheese.

Bon Appetit!

** Deana's Note: If you're used to eggier quiches (like the quiche recipes in our cookbooks ) you may not be familiar with Quiche Provencal which is lighter on the eggs and cream. This traditional quiche captures the flavors of Provence with the delicious combination of peppers, tomatoes, and garlic. Thank you, Celine, for sharing this wonderful recipe.

Baked Pearfection

Deana Gunn — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 04:31:00 GMT

These baked pears are an elegant dessert, rich with aromas of vanilla,honey, and spice. Baked pears are a true classic - a light dessert that can be enjoyed any day of the week, yet sophisticated enough for your fancier dinners. Serve them plain or topped with nuts, vanilla whipped cream, sweetened mascarpone, or even a tiny scoop of ice cream. Baked pears are versatile enough that they could even be served as a side to a main meal - no really, picture them as a side to roasted pork, chicken or Cornish hens. You can even top them with a savory sprinkle of crumbled blue cheese or gorgonzola - a classic pairing with pear (check out our Perfectly Peared Gorgonzola Quesadillas in our original Cooking with All Things Trader Joe's cookbook, page 23)

Here, however, they're intended to be a simple dessert. It’s traditional to bake pears in Brandy, but in this recipe I decided to use Drambuie, a scotch whisky** liqueur from the Isle of Skye, Scotland. Are you familiar with Drambuie? (If you've ever had a Rusty Nail cocktail, you've had Drambuie) Drambuie was one of the first drinks I ever had - my dad introduced me to it a gazillion years ago, simply served over ice. Drambuie is sweet, infused with spices, herbs, and heather honey; it brings a fantastic layer of flavor to baked pears. If you don’t have Drambuie, substitute brandy for the classic version of this dessert.

Butter, vanilla, and honey round out the sauce used to bake and flavor the pears. The sauce is brushed onto and poured over the pears, and after baking, the sauce is reduced just a bit to thicken it into a delicious syrup. Here's a tip for when you're brushing on sauces or butter: use a silicone brush. I used to struggle with traditional pastry brushes and I always avoided the act of brushing in any recipe, knowing it would be a pain to clean afterward. That was until, one day many years ago, Wona bought me my first silicone brush! Unlike traditional pastry brushes, silicone brushes are very easy to clean and won’t fray or get gunky over time.

Baked Pearfection

2 pears (Bosc are best for baking, but most pears in season will work)
1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp honey
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp Drambuie
1/4 cup Candied Pecans or Candied Walnuts (optional)

1.   Preheat oven to 375˚ F
2.   Peel and halve pears. Use a spoon to remove cores. Arrange pear halves, cut side up, on an oven safe dish.
3.   In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, honey, vanilla, and Drambuie. When mixture is warm and butter has melted, remove from heat. Brush mixture onto all sides of each pear half, and then pour mixture onto the pears, letting excess liquid run off the sides into baking dish. Set saucepan aside for further use. Drape baking dish with foil and bake pears for 20 minutes.
4.   Plate pears, leaving any liquid in baking dish. Pour liquid into the same saucepan and reduce over medium-low heat for 5 minutes until liquid is syrupy.
5.   When serving, sprinkle with a few pecans and spoon syrup over each pear.

Serves 4

Not including the optional nuts, this dessert comes it at a slim 129 calories with nearly zero sodium.
If you like pears, try our Cinnamon-Pear Baked Brie - delicious (but not low fat like this recipe!)

**Whiskey or Whisky? Well, both spellings are correct, but it depends on what you're drinking! If it's from Scotland, it's whisky. If it's from Kentucky or Tennessee or Ireland, it's spelled whiskey. One notable exception is George Dickel Tennessee Whisky - George Dickel refused to put the "e" in his whisky because he said it was just as good as the best scotch.

Quinoa Mulligatawny: Vegetarian Curried Soup

Deana Gunn — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 03:27:00 GMT

Do you remember Seinfeld's Soup Nazi? "No soup for you!" The first time I heard of mulligatawny was on the “Soup Nazi” episode, as Kramer’s favorite soup. No wonder people were willing to wait in line for this fantastic soup of vegetables, sweet apples, mild curry, and creamy yogurt. I make a lightning-fast version using mirepoix (chopped onions, celery, and carrots - Trader Joe's sells mirepoix ready-to-use), a ready-made curry sauce (the tasty Masala Simmer Sauce), and all-natural applesauce. It's more traditional to use chopped apples that are cooked down over hours of simmering, but I think applesauce is a great shortcut and brings the flavors together in minutes.

Mulligatawny is usually made with chicken, but I decided to make a vegetarian version using quinoa. If you don't use quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wa), it's a seed that cooks up similarly to rice, but it's very high in protein, providing about 13 grams of protein per 1/2 cup serving. Unlike other plant proteins, quinoa is a complete protein meaning that it provides all essential amino acids. Quinoa is also very high in vitamins and minerals including magnesium, calcium, and iron (9 mg of iron per serving!) No wonder Inca warriors pounded quinoa before going into battle. Trader Joe's carries regular white quinoa and recently started carrying red quinoa. Both taste kind of nutty, and red quinoa is described as being a little more "earthy" in flavor. Red quinoa also maintains its texture more strongly than regular white quinoa, so I usually use white quinoa in things like soups and stews and chilis since it gets softer and works well as a thickener. Either one is a great substitute for rice or couscous in most dishes and packed with nutrition. Quinoa is also gluten-free.

If you'd like to make the chicken version instead: Skip the quinoa and use one boneless chicken breast that has been diced up. After you've sautéed the mirepoix, add the chicken and brown it for an additional minute. Then continue with the recipe, ignoring the part about stirring in the quinoa.

Mulligatawny

1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 (14.5-oz) container Mirepoix, or 1 cup each chopped onions, celery, and carrots
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 (15-oz) jar Masala Simmer Sauce
1 (14.5-oz) can diced tomatoes with no salt added
½ cup plain yogurt such as Plain Cream Line Yogurt

1. Cook quinoa according to package instructions.
2. While the quinoa cooks, add oil to a medium pot over high heat and sauté mirepoix for 4-6 minutes. If you like the vegetables in your soups to be very soft, sauté a little longer.
2. Add applesauce, Masala Simmer Sauce, and tomato. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Take out ½ cup of soup and slowly stir into yogurt (this will temper the yogurt) and then add mixture back into soup, stirring well. When adding yogurt to a very hot soup or curry, first temper the yogurt by adding some of the hot soup to warm up the yogurt. If you add cold yogurt directly to a hot soup, the yogurt may curdle.
4. Stir in cooked quinoa and simmer for another minute until soup is heated through. This soup is meant to be thick, but if you’d like it thinner, add water or broth.

Enjoy!

Prep and cooking time: 15 minutes
Makes 8 1-cup servings

Sloppy Joe's

Wona Miniati — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 19:09:00 GMT

This all-American classic is a favorite of kids and adults alike. Ground meat is seasoned in a tangy tomato-based filling with tangy barbecue flavors and served on a hamburger bun. It's meant to be messy, but if you're nervous about picking it up, it's okay to use a fork.

There are a couple of ways to make this cafeteria-style entree healthier. First, use lean ground beef or turkey (we used 93% lean). Second, try using no-salt-added marina sauce. If you've tried no-salt-added sauce before and thought blech, give it a try in this recipe since barbecue sauce and ketchup contribute quite a bit of flavor. It's a nice option for those watching sodium intake. Finally, choose bread with higher fiber content, such as whole wheat buns or even slices of whole grain sandwich bread

To make a vegetarian version, use crumbled tempeh or firm tofu. Helpful tip: to give tofu a meatier texture that crumbles easily, freeze and thaw before using. For a gluten-free version, serve over brown rice bread, or nacho-style over corn tortilla chips. A classic we can all enjoy!

Sloppy Joe's Recipe

1 lb 93% lean ground beef or turkey
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped, or 1 cup refrigerated Diced Onions
1 small green or red bell pepper, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, crushed, or 2 cubes frozen Crushed Garlic
2 cups marinara sauce
¼ cup ketchup
3 Tbsp barbecue sauce
2 Tbsp chopped parsley
4 hamburger buns, such Honey Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns (toast if desired)

1. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add onion, pepper, and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes.
2. Add beef, breaking it up as it cooks, and cook until no red pieces are visible. Drain or scoop off excess fat.
3. Add marinara, ketchup, and barbecue sauce. Stir to mix and continue cooking until sauce is incorporated and thickened, about 2 minutes longer.
4. Remove from heat and sprinkle on parsley. Serve between hamburger buns.

Prep and cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves 4

Instant Homemade Guacamole

Deana Gunn — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 04:27:00 GMT

If you want guacamole, Trader Joe's makes it easy. I'll show you a quick "homemade" version I like, but the options don't end there. There are several ready made varieties such as Avocado's Number Guacamole and many Trader Joe's stores carry handy guacamole kits (a produce container containing two avocados, an onion, a jalapeno, a garlic clove, a shallot, and a tomato). Or you can make your own guacamole from scratch using the bags aplenty of ripe avocados and any additions from fresh lime to chopped cilantro to sea salt to diced tomato. We have two huge avocado trees in our backyard, and we've made endless variations. With delicious, creamy avocados, it's hard to mess up, so don't get tied down by feeling you can't stray from a particular recipe or formula.

An easy way to make guacamole in minutes, without much prep work, is to add salsa to mashed avocados. Salsa usually has some combination of tomatoes, jalapenos, onion, cilantro, salt - all the things you might want to add to guacamole but without the chopping and mincing. So pick your favorite salsa and stir some in. More heat? Pick a spicier salsa. One of our readers, Trista D., suggested making guacamole by adding a few spoonfuls of refrigerated Pico de Gallo, salt, lemon and a clove of garlic. Brilliant! When I was sitting at a restaurant in San Antonio last month, watching them make guacamole table-side in quaint molcajetes (ok, so they were plastic but the ambience was there...), I thought that there simply isn't just one way to make guacamole. There they were putting freshly squeezed orange juice in theirs - another option still.

Serve guacamole with tortilla chips,with pita chips, with baby carrots or cucumber spears, on quesadillas and tacos, or on any sandwich or wrap.

Instant Homemade Guacamole

2 ripe avocados
Juice of 1/2 lime
2 Tbsp Chunky Salsa or your favorite salsa
I tsp finely chopped cilantro or parsley, or 1 cube frozen Chopped Cilantro (optional)

1. In a small bowl, mash avocado. Stir in lime juice.
2. Add salsa and cilantro, stirring until just combined. Do not overstir.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Serves 4

Shrimp Avocado Salad

Wona Miniati — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 17:49:00 GMT

Remember the shrimp salad you had growing up, slathered in mayo and piled onto avocado halves? Our modern version is lighter and more sophisticated.

Chilean langostino tails, which is meat from the squat lobster, are a real treat when you can get them. Langostinos are actually not really lobsters (they're technically more closely related to crabs), but they taste kinda like lobster. And because they usually come pre-shelled and are the size of shrimp, they're easier to eat. Langostino Tails don’t appear often at Trader Joe's, so when they do, stock up!

This salad pairs langostino tails with creamy avocado, fresh grapefruit, and sweet butter lettuce. It's a winning combination for a light summer meal or appetizer.

If you can't find langostino tails, fret not, shrimp will do just fine.

Shrimp Avocado Salad Recipe

1 (12-oz) bag frozen Langostino Tails, thawed, or 3/4 lb. cooked shrimp
1 large ripe avocado, cut into wedges or bite-size chunks
1 grapefruit, peeled and segmented
1 (5-oz) bag butter lettuce
1/4 cup chopped pistachios (optional)
White Wine Vinaigrette (recipe below) or 1/3 cup of your favorite light-flavored vinaigrette

1. Arrange butter lettuce onto serving platter or individual platess.
2. Lightly toss avocado and grapefruit pieces; acid from the grapefruit will keep avocado from turning brown. Place evenly on top of lettuce.
3. Toss langostino tails with vinaigrette. Scatter evenly on salad, drizzling any remaining vinaigrette on top.
4. Sprinkle with pistachios.

White Wine Vinaigrette
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar (I love Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar at TJ)
3 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 clove garlic, crushed, or 1/2 cube frozen Crushed Garlic
1/4 tsp salt
Pinch of sugar or agave nectar

1. Whisk together all ingredients until combined.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4

Becky's Israeli Couscous Salad

Deana Gunn — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 05:43:00 GMT

I recently met Becky Nero - mom, cook, and creator of the blog, Becky's Big Bytes, filled with her funny insights and useful tips. I enjoy asking what other people love at Trader Joe's, so I asked Becky and she didn't hold back in telling me! Being a mom myself, I asked for Becky's pointers on cooking with (and for) kids, and she had some great ones. Becky also shared her fantastic Trader Joe's-inspired recipe using Israeli Couscous (recipe below).

Deana: Becky, what are your favorite finds at Trader Joe's? What keeps you coming back?

Becky: So many things to love, so little space to tell. My 2 young sons, ages 7 and 2, love the Blueberries & Cream/Vanilla and Strawberry/Banana yogurt packs. I love that they don't have artificial colors in them. I am addicted to TJ's Non-Fat Plain Greek Yogurt. I eat it as a snack w/ TJs toasted sliced almonds and TJ's semi sweet chocolate chips. I also use it as a light salad dressing and just mix a few teaspoons with fresh lemon juice, salt/pepper and whatever fresh herbs from the garden.

Love the multigrain pancake mix, lite feta cheese, Thai Curry Sauce, anything from the candy department, their well-priced organic produce, their coffees, Ciabbata rolls, frozen veggies, the Chocolate Lovers Dilemma cheesecake!!!, their California rolls for a nice "mommy lunch", and their jams. Their white flour makes my pizza dough the best, whole wheat pastas for cheap, and all of their stocks for quick soups. I always have these on hand as I don't make my own chicken or vegetable stock. I could go on and on. I love that I can zip in and out of the store quickly and always get reliable service. I also love their guarantee policy. If you are not happy with a product, return for a refund!

Deana: You certainly know your way around Trader Joe's! What is your single most important bit of mealtime advice for new moms or busy families?

Becky: Find a way to make cooking work. Don't give up because your health and your family's health are too important. The house cleaning can wait. Kids need to start off on the right foot with good nutrition. Don't view cooking as drudgery and then it will be a joyful event for you and the family! Also, don't become a slave to your family by becoming a short order cook. Everyone needs to eat the same thing or at least try 3 bites!

Deana: Excellent advice. Any tips on cooking with/for kids or keeping them occupied while you cook?

Becky: Let them help as much as possible (without stressing yourself out!). Give the real little ones very simple tasks (stirring w/ wooden spoons or even just playing on the floor with plastic containers so they can copy you), make sure you have step stools ready, and that everyone gets to take a turn for less chaos. Don't take it all so seriously; you're not painting the Sistine Chapel so when there is a mess or mistake, don't go nuts on your kids! If you're in a rush and you really don't need their "help", you can always use the kitchen timer to tell them when the helping time is "up". The timer works wonders in my house for many things like taking turns, etc. Once their time is up, I thank them profusely for helping and then send them on their merry way to play with something else . Also, let them taste-test and smell everything!! My son Luca was only 3 when he started his love affair with dried herbs. To this day, he still pours dried oregano in the palm of his hand and eats it just like that! You never know what kids will like. Don't assume their tastebuds want boring food. Eventually they will come around but you do have to offer them variety and make it all positive. Don't give up! (My kids like to suck on lemons!)

Deana: My kids also surprise me with the things they like to eat (ginger, seaweed, etc). Never assume! OK, you've just been rescued from a desert island. You sit down to your first real meal in months. What is it?

Becky: I love my homemade pizza or any kind of seafood, like lobster fra diavolo; that would be a great meal after being rescued or the last meal to eat before heading to the electric chair...not that it would ever happen!! LOL

Deana: Any last thoughts about TJ's?

Becky: I really love the "sample lady"! My cooking has been in a rut lately and every time I go to TJs I get to try something new for free and then end up buying something I wouldn't have normally purchased. Like the Thai Curry Sauces....I use these to spice up a bland rice dish and just add some fresh chopped cilantro or mint and suddenly, my senses are alive again.

Deana: Becky, thanks for a fun interview and for sharing your recipe. My family really likes Israeli couscous and the almonds, cranberries, basil, and feta you added were a great combination with the sweet dressing.

Becky's Israeli Couscous Salad

Becky: This is a great versatile side dish and a huge crowd pleaser! Enjoy!! The great thing about this salad is that you can swap out different ingredients. See the variations listed at the end.

The Dressing:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp chopped garlic (or use 1 cube frozen Crushed Garlic )

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp kosher salt or to taste
black pepper to taste

1/4 cup sugar

1 box Trader Joe's Israeli Couscous (found in the pasta/rice aisle)

1/3 cup unsalted dry toasted sliced almonds

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil

2 oz Lite Feta cheese, crumbled or 2 oz Crumbled Feta (regular or fat free)

1.) Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, and sugar in a medium bowl. Set aside.

2.) Follow cooking instructions on the Israeli Couscous box. Add cooked couscous to the bowl containing the dressing. Toss with the dressing and let it cool (about 20-30 minutes), stirring occasionally. The couscous will absorb the dressing as it cools.

3.) Add the almonds, cranberries, and basil. Toss the feta cheese in lightly. Add more salt and pepper if needed.

Serves 4

Variations:

If you don't have Israeli couscous, substitute 1 1/2 cups of dried orzo or TJ's Harvest Grains. Cook until al dente, drain and then add to the dressing.

If you don't have fresh basil, substitute fresh parsley (or a combination of both) . If you don't like almonds, substitute toasted pignoli nuts.

Sesame Toasted Sugar Snap Peas

Wona Miniati — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 18:10:00 GMT

Crunchy, juicy, and sweet. Are we describing a vegetable? Yes! Sugar snap peas are among my kids' utmost favorite vegetables. They're delicious right out of the bag, but we sometimes stir-fry them in sesame oil for just a couple of minutes. The less you do to them, the better, to let their crunchy sweet taste shine.

Sugar snap peas are a cool weather crop, perfectly suited for our tiny garden in San Francisco. They grow spectacularly fast, making them fun for kids to watch, and they can be eaten whole, pods and all. My kids have been picking them right off the vine and crunching away like madmen. Half the harvest is eaten before we get inside the house.

If you're short on space and sun like we are, sugar snap peas are a great vegetable to grow. They produce quite bountifully, so you'll get quite a few peas even if grown in a pot. Unlike our meager strawberry patch, which produces a single ripe strawberry every few days, which we dutifully split 4-ways so all family members can have a taste. Sugar snap peas are much more generous to us.

Trader Joe's sells sugar snap peas in a convenient microwaveable pouch. You can eat them raw with dips such as hummus, spinach dip, or yogurt dip. You can microwave in the bag and serve as a nutritious side dish to any entree. Lightly stir-fry them as in our Gyoza Salad. Here we make the peas glisten with just a smidge of nutty sesame oil. A quick burst of heat enhances their naturally sweet flavor and vibrant color. Do not overcook.

Sesame Toasted Sugar Snap Peas Recipe

1 (12-oz) bag Sugar Snap Peas or snow peas
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup water
1 tsp sesame seeds

1. Heat skillet or wok over medium-high heat.
2. Mix peas and sesame oil in a mixing bowl until evenly coated.
3. Toss peas into skillet. Add water and quickly stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until water evaporates and peas are bright green and still crisp.
4. Remove from heat and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Prep and cooking time: 5 minutes
Serves 4

Summery Shrimp Capellini

Wona Miniati — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 13:48:00 GMT

Summer plans may not include a trip to Italy. But with quick and easy dishes like this one, you can bring the taste of Italy to your kitchen with very little effort.

The motto of this dish is fast and fresh! It's best when you can get ripe, sweet tomatoes. And everything cooks up very quickly in this meal. Boiling the pasta water might be the most time-consuming part. Because it all cooks so quickly, it helps if you can prep the ingredients beforehand and have them all laid out, ready to go.

The shrimp will be cooked just as the tomatoes are starting to burst. Ah, I love it when timing works out like that. How convenient! If you don't have a pan large enough to hold all the shrimp and tomatoes, cook in two batches.

I opted to serve the shrimp & tomatoes over capellini pasta, which is similar to angel hair. The delicate texture of the pasta goes well with light sauces, and cooks up in no time. Perfect for a busy weeknight, and also elegant enough to serve to company.

I like the look and texture of slightly softened whole cherry tomatoes in this dish, but you could also use Fresh Bruschetta Sauce, a refrigerated mixture of tomatoes, garlic, and basil. I might try scallops next time too. Mangia!

Summery Shrimp Capellini Recipe

1 lb uncooked shrimp, thawed if frozen
1 lb cherry, grape, or sugar plum tomatoes
8 oz (half pkg) capellini or angel hair pasta
1/3 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed, or 4 cubes frozen Crushed Garlic
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese or Romano/Parmesan blend

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions. It cooks quickly! Drain and place on serving platter. Sprinkle liberally with Parmesan cheese.
2. Heat olive oil in a very large skillet or pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, red pepper, salt, shrimp, and tomatoes. Cook for 2-3 minutes until shrimp is opaque and cooked through. You may need to cook in 2 batches if your pan isn't large enough to accommodate the entire recipe.
3. Add basil to shrimp and toss quickly. Remove from heat and pour over pasta. Serve with additional Parmesan if desired.

Cooking and prep time: 15 minutes
Serves 4

Review and Giveaway: Thumbs up for Almondina, Original and new Chocolate Cherry

Deana Gunn — Thu, 27 May 2010 19:08:00 GMT

We are big fans of Almondina cookies. Trader Joe's carries the original flavor of these thin, crisp cookie-biscuits and we almost always have it in our carts. Wona and I don't do a huge number of straight product reviews aside from things we use in recipes, but once in a while we'll tell you about something we really love. We contacted Almondina not too long ago and asked if they would please sponsor an Almondina giveaway to our readers. We were thrilled for two reasons: First of all, they said yes (woohoo! details below!). Second, they told us that a new flavor was going to be hitting Trader Joe's stores. What!? Yes, they said, (cue fanfare)...Chocolate Cherry.

Trader Joe's has carried the Original Almondina flavor for a long time. I would describe these cookies as a super-thin biscotti, light, very crunchy, and pretty addictive. Every cross-section has almonds, raisins, and lots of dense crunch. They're not overly sweet, which I like, and there's no added fat or salt, which is another plus. They're also free of artificial ingredients and preservatives, check! Occasionally, I'll pack a couple as a dessert in the kids' lunches, and I feel like it's a nice and healthy cookie option. My kids are highly anti-raisin and always have been, but they happily munch away on Almondinas. If you have never tried them, they're the kind of cookie-biscuit that goes great with a hot cup of tea of coffee. If you want to get fancy, you can spread a little fresh goat cheese, cream cheese, or mascarpone cheese on them. You can even top it off with a few thin slices of cucumber! (Good appetizer idea...just don't make them too far ahead of time or else they will get soggy)

I have to be honest and say that I never knew how many varieties of Almondina there are! Most of my shopping is at Trader Joe's (I figure you already know that) and I had never looked for Almondina at other grocers. Taking a look at the Almondina website, I'm pretty sure I counted 11 varieties, including Cinnaroma, Gingerspice, Choconut, and an Anniversary cookie that has a touch of anise. The Sesame variety is great for savory toppings.

And of course, now there's Chocolate Cherry! My kids and I did a taste testing of these and they are just as good as they sound. The cocoa-y flavor is a perfect complement to the sweet tang of cherries, a classic combination that really comes together in this crunchy treat. If you haven't already spotted it on the shelves at Trader Joe's, it should be arriving any day. OR, maybe you'll get lucky and win the sampler pack in our giveaway - comment below to enter!

Giveaway: One lucky random winner will get a 12-pack sampler case of Almondina cookies. The rest of us will be so jealous! Enter by commenting below on this thread. That's it! Tell us if you're an Almondina fan, if you've tried them, how you enjoy them, or if you've explored any of the other flavors. If you've never tried Almondina, comment and maybe you'll get lucky and hit big! One entry per person and US residents only please!

Deadline: Enter by Midnight PST Friday June 4th, 2010

Strawberry Mango Salsa

Wona Miniati — Fri, 21 May 2010 14:24:00 GMT

Lots of ripe, big, juicy strawberries have started appearing on shelves here in California. It is a cheery announcement that summer is upon us!

Unlike traditional salsas that have onions for some bite and spice, this one is intentionally kept simple to let the fruit really shine. If you're looking for a more complex salsa to serve with meats or an entree -- add some onions, perhaps some jalapeno, and read our list of a dozen things to do with salsa.

If strawberries or mangos aren't available yet where you live, try substituting other fruits such as melons, kiwi, pineapple, or whatever is in season and fresh. This dish will only be as good as the fruit you can find.

There was quite a bit of dicing and chopping, I will admit, and the task was interrupted often by eager little ones who kept returning for more juicy samples. But the colorful and flavorful confetti was worth the wait. I cut the fruit into a small dice to make the salsa easier to pick up with chips. And the chips of choice? Try cinnamon pita chips for a real flavor surprise. It would be a great appetizer for any poolside party or back yard BBQ. If you prefer milder flavors, serve with regular pita chips or tortilla chips.

And please, don't throw away any leftovers! Simply throw into a blender with some yogurt and ice for a delicious smoothie. You can even freeze the smoothie mixture into popsicle molds for a tasty afternoon treat.

Strawberry Mango Salsa Recipe

2 cups diced strawberries
2 cups diced mango
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice (from 1 lime or lemon)
¼ cup chopped mint or cilantro (optional)

1. Stir all ingredients gently in a serving bowl.
2. Allow to rest for 15 minutes for flavors to meld.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Serves: 8

Five-Minute Shiitake Fried Rice

Deana Gunn — Fri, 14 May 2010 07:21:00 GMT

Last night we enjoyed fried rice, freshly made in just minutes. This fried rice gets its delicious flavors from umami-rich shiitake mushrooms and the combination of ginger, garlic, and sesame found in Trader Joe's Soyaki. The best part is that it's ready in a snap with nearly zero prep work. My husband walked in just as I served up the finished dish and I exclaimed "less than five minutes!" He laughed and asked if I was raising the ante on how short recipes should be.

Sure, you can buy frozen fried rice already in a bag, but why not have the option of making it yourself in about the same amount of time and being able to customize the ingredients to your own tastes. Add your own blend of vegetables, use Frozen Brown Rice instead of Jasmine Rice, use regular mushrooms instead of shiitake, add tofu or pre-cooked chicken (sold as Just Chicken), or tweak the seasonings to your tastes. For a gluten-free version, just substitute tamari for the Soyaki.

This recipe is a good example of taking advantage of a few time-saving ingredients to cut prep times down to just minutes. Frozen rice, frozen vegetable blends, and Soyaki are all very convenient in cutting out many of the steps involved in making fried rice. If you haven't tried the frozen rice yet at TJ's, check it out the next time you go. I once saw a woman filling her cart with about 30 boxes of the frozen brown rice. It's that popular!

Serve this fried rice alongside any stir fry, a couple of egg rolls, some teriyaki chicken, or some garlic shrimp. To make it more of a meal on its own, add a fried or poached egg on top.

Five-Minute Shiitake Fried Rice

1 packet (2 cups) Frozen Jasmine Rice
1 tsp olive oil
1 1/2 cups frozen Organic Foursome or Soycutash
5-6 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbsp Soyaki
1 Tbsp Seasoned Rice Vinegar
1 tsp Toasted Sesame Oil
2 green onions, chopped or cut lengthwise* (as in photo)

1.) Heat rice according to package instructions (3 minutes in microwave).
2.) Heat oil in a pan or wok over high heat and saute mushrooms and frozen vegetables (no need to thaw) for 2 minutes until mushrooms soften.
3.) Remove pan from heat and add Soyaki, vinegar, and sesame oil, stirring mixture. Add rice and stir to combine. Serve immediately, topped with green onion.

4 servings as a side
2 servings as an entree

* To make green onion curly, cut it in long thin ribbons, encourage the curl by wrapping around your fingers, and place it in cold water. After a few minutes,the cold water will cause the green onion to curl tightly. It's a cute garnish for Asian soups, stir frys, or here in this fried rice dish.

Tamale Bake

Wona Miniati — Tue, 04 May 2010 17:06:00 GMT

Happy Cinco de Mayo! In honor of this festive celebration, I wanted to create an easy Mexican dish that could be assembled in minutes and feed a crowd. What I came up with resembles the flavors of tamales, in an easy baked casserole.

Many of you have raved to us about Trader Joe's Soy Chorizo, so I knew that would be a star ingredient. I first tried the chorizo with scrambled eggs for a hearty breakfast, and I was sold! I think even meat-eaters would enjoy this vegetarian chorizo. And since Trader Joe's has discontinued regular chorizo, I was delighted to find a great substitute.

The other key ingredient in this dish is precooked polenta. My good friend (and excellent cook) Gloria turned me onto using polenta rolls as a base for making layered Mexican-themed casseroles. I've tried versions she's made with vegetables like butternut squash, or with different cheeses such as goat cheese for those with lactose-intolerance. Thank you, Glo, for this great meal idea!

The polenta is firm and a bit crumbly when cold, but when heated, it turns into warm, soft layers of cornmeal. Absolutely delicious!

You can throw in any combination of vegetables you have on hand. I used zucchini this time. I think I'll try versions with mushrooms, red peppers, or eggplant too. You can play around with different cheeses, or omit the cheese altogether for lighter fare. This recipe is very forgiving and open to many variations.

Another Mexican-themed meal that would be great for a crowd is Taco Soup. Happy Cinco de Mayo to all!

Tamale Bake Recipe

2 (18 oz) tubes cooked polenta, sliced into 1/3" rounds
1 pkg Soy Chorizo, removed from encasing, or substitute 1 lb meat cooked in Taco Seasoning
2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained
3 zucchini squash, sliced
1 large onion, chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese
1/2 cup Enchilada Sauce
1/4 cup cilantro
Sour cream as garnish (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Heat olive oil in a frypan. Saute onions for 5 minutes. Add zucchini and cook 5 minutes longer, until zucchini is softened.
3. Lightly grease a 9"x13" baking pan (or use an 8"x8" pan if making half a batch). Place half the polenta on the bottom, overlapping as necessary or leaving in a single layer. Sprinkle on half the chorizo, black beans, onion/zucchini mixture, enchilada sauce, and shredded cheese. Repeat with the 2nd layer.
4. Bake for 30 minutes until cheese is melted and casserole is piping hot. Sprinkle cilantro evenly on top. Serve with sour cream.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Hands-off cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves 10

White Lightning Chili

Deana Gunn — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 04:34:00 GMT

White chili is a delicious alternative to traditional tomato-based versions. This sweet and spicy white chili gets its flavor and kick from Trader Joe's well-known and loved Corn and Chile Tomato-less Salsa. To thicken this chili, I added quinoa, which is a great way to add body to any soup, chili, or stew. The quinoa will absorb most of the liquid and soften, becoming a flavorful component that binds it all together. Quinoa is also a healthy addition to any dish since it's packed with protein and high in magnesium, calcium, and iron.

You may wonder why quinoa cooking instructions always recommend rinsing quinoa. Quinoa seeds naturally have a soapy coating that can be bitter. Processing usually removes this coating, but it varies from brand to brand, so it's a good idea to give quinoa a quick rinse before using. If the water becomes slightly sudsy, then you know that the coating was there.

Chicken and beans round out this white chili. For a vegetarian version, use a vegetarian broth and substitute two packages of Trader Joe's Chickenless Strips. Alternatively, you can simply leave out the chicken and add extra veggies or increase the quinoa.

The chili has a little bit of a kick from the salsa, but the heat is balanced out with some sweetness. I thought it was slightly spicy for the kids, so for them I mellowed it out by serving with some plain brown rice and a dollop of greek yogurt. They happily ate it up.

White Lightning Chili

1 1-lb container of Just Chicken (or 4 cups of cooked and shredded chicken) cut into bite size chunks
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 15-oz can White Kidney Beans (Cannellini Beans), drained and rinsed
1 15-oz can Pinto Beans, drained and rinsed
1 13.75-oz jar Corn and Chile Salsa
Optional: Shredded cheese for garnish

1.) Pour the broth into a medium or large pot. Add the quinoa (make sure quinoa is rinsed and drained). Bring to a boil.
2.) Add the remaining ingredients (making sure beans are rinsed and drained) and return to a boil. Lower heat, cover, and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed.
3.) Serve in bowls, topping with shredded cheese.

Serves 8

Note: For leftovers, add a little extra liquid, either broth or water, when reheating.

Roasted Cauliflower with Olives

Wona Miniati — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 15:07:00 GMT

So simple, and so incredibly delicious. Roasting at high heat brings out the natural sweetness in cauliflower, and the sweetness is balanced by salty Kalamata olives. A great rustic dish that's equally good as an appetizer or side.

I remember hating cauliflower as a kid because the school cafeteria always boiled the life out of them, and when they're boiled that long, they stink. Literally. So I'd given up cooked cauliflower and opted instead to always eat cauliflower raw, usually with hummus or other dip.

The first time I tried roasted cauliflower as an adult, I couldn't believe my senses. It didn't SMELL like the nasty cauliflower of my youth. It certainly didn't TASTE like dead veggie. And thus my opinion of cauliflower was changed overnight.

I think roasting has become one of my favorite ways to cook, ever since becoming a mom. It's fast, it imparts great flavor to foods, adds terrific color, and best of all, is hands-free. Meaning I can let something cook away in the oven while I tend to my active toddlers.

I happened to have some extra Kalamata olives on hand and decide to toss them in with the cauliflower. I think they really pair nicely together, and the olives added enough saltiness such that I didn't need to add salt. If you skip the olives, sprinkle lightly with salt, or add some grated Parmesan after roasting.

Roasted Cauliflower with Olives Recipe

1 (12 oz) pkg Cauliflower Florets, or 4 cups cauliflower cut into florets
4 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp 21 Seasoning Salute, or your favorite seasoning
1/2 cup olives, about a dozen

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Toss cauliflower with olive oil to coat evenly. Sprinkle on 21 Seasoning Salute and stir evenly. Mix in olives.
3. Place seasoned cauliflower on a baking sheet, spreading evenly in a single layer. Roast for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through baking time to roast evenly. Cauliflower will be crisp-tender. If you prefer softer cauliflower, continue roasting for an additional 10 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and serve.

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

My brief culinary tour of the deep South

Deana Gunn — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 17:09:00 GMT

I spent most of last week in Southern Mississippi, via travel through New Orleans, and far far away from a Trader Joe's. While this post in no way captures the breadth of Southern cuisine, I thought I'd share a sampling of what I ate with you (and share a very simple dish or two I made while I was there).   I forgot my camera back in San Diego, so all the photos are taken with my new iPhone - please excuse any blurriness or other issues as I fumbled with my phone taking shots of the meals. Upon landing in New Orleans, we met up with my husband's parents (who live in Mississippi) and headed over to Drago's Seafood Restaurant where we enjoyed their famous Charbroiled Oysters. The crew put on quite a show (dangerous prying with sharp knives, setting tall flames, and a few tiny pearls they gave us) as the kids and I watched them shuck and cook the oysters. The oysters were fresh and good - lots of butter, garlic, spices and salt (maybe a bit too much salt for me...) It was balanced out with a nice Mediterranean salad tossed with a vinaigrette and topped with fresh lump crabmeat (and a lemon slice dipped in red pepper to squeeze over it all). More than anything it shows the importance of freshness of your ingredients - in seafood-oriented places like New Orleans, take advantage of local and fresh seafood when you can.

My father-in-law Larry (who has been featured on our blog making his Fish Court-Bouillon ) asked my kids what they wanted to do in Mississippi. They both excitedly replied, "fishing!" so we set out a few days later to catch dinner. We drove to a friend's man-made pond stocked with fish an hour or so away. On the way there, I heard Larry make a call to someone named Dickie Joe telling him, "If you see someone fishing in your pond, it's just us so don't shoot." I think he was joking... maybe. We caught plenty for dinner and a few hours later we were back home with cornmeal-dusted and panfried fillets on our plates. Now that's fresh. While my mother-in-law Mary was preparing some grits and a squash casserole, I found some nice asparagus in the fridge that we could add to the meal. Asparagus is an early season crop and there is plenty of nice and well-priced asparagus in the stores and at farmer's markets this time of year. The stovetop was busy, so I roasted it in the oven, which is a great way to prepare anything from Brussels sprouts to bell peppers to potatoes to green beans to carrots.

Roasted Asparagus
One bunch of asparagus
1 Tbsp olive oil
Dash of salt and pepper

1.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
2.) Toss asparagus with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast in oven for about 10 minutes if asparagus is slender, longer for harder or thicker vegetables.

Looking around, I found a bag of mixed greens in the fridge, a ripe avocado, some nice-looking tomatoes, and some French feta (milder and creamier than Greek feta) that I crumbled on top.   Salads are so easy and you can be very casual and playful with the ingredients. Use whatever you have on hand. For an easy dressing, make a vinaigrette by mixing 2 parts oil to 1 part acid: that's the magic ratio. For example, you can use olive oil and balsamic vinegar, which most people have in their cabinets. No balsamic? Use lemon juice, lime juice, or another favorite vinegar.  For an Asian dressing, maybe seasoned rice vinegar and a touch of sesame oil. If you like, add fresh herbs, add a little kick with a stoneground mustard or a little chili oil, stir in some garlic, or add a little sweetness with agave or honey.   I added a little honey to ours since my in-laws also have their own bee hive out in their woods! Can't get honey that's more local than that!

Easy Salad Vinaigrette
4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar
1 tsp honey or agave nectar
Optional: fresh herbs, 1/4 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 clove crushed garlic (or 1 cube frozen Crushed Garlic )

1) Whisk together all ingredients, drizzle over salad, and toss.

When asked what I wanted to do during the trip, I thought it would be great to visit some antebellum homes. Natchez, Mississippi has a really nice collection of historic homes, several of which are still in the hands of the families that originally owned them. All the docents are dressed in period costumes, and it's kind of magical to hear them talk about growing up in the house or saying something like, "that was my great-great--great-grandaddy's desk." Neat!   In the town of Natchez, we grabbed a bite at the Stanton Hall restaurant. My mother-in-law Mary had been there before, so when it came time to order, I said, "I'll have what she's having." It turned out to be Tomato Aspic followed by a plate of classic Southern Fried Chicken and sides. If you've never had Tomato Aspic, it's a very old-fashioned food and I can only describe it as a mold of V8 Jello. Yeah, that's what I thought too.   Mary mentioned that she hardly ever sees Aspic served anywhere and wondered why. "Perhaps it's the name," I suggested. (If I ever want to have an immature Beavis & Butthead-style chuckle, all I have to do is say,"Tomato Aspic" out loud and that seems to do it).

On our way out of town, we spent an afternoon back in New Orleans, strolling the French Quarter and visitng a few art galleries and antique shops (most memorable being M.S. Rau Antiques - an amazing museum-caliber collection without the intimidating atmosphere one might expect of a place where nearly everything is too expensive for price tags). We grabbed a bite at Luke's Brasserie, which is a John Besh Restaurant. I ordered a Louisiana Shrimp "En Cocotte" (means served like a small casserole) with McEwen & Sons White Corn Grits and Poche's Andouille. I also ordered a Grilled Paillard of Organic Chicken with Local Greens, Crostini, and Pepper Jelly Vinaigrette. The chicken was exceptionally tender with fantastic flavor, and the shrimp was fresh, complex, and spicy (a bit too spicy for the kids, but they happily ate the chicken).

Later in the day, we made a stop for beignets (French doughnuts topped with tons of white powdered sugar) and coffee with chicory. Cafe du Monde is the most famous stop for beignets, always crowded, and open 24 hours a day, seven days a week! My two new rules for eating beignets:
1) Never wear black when eating beignets.
and
2) When taking a bite, do not sharply inhale or else you will choke on the powdered sugar, cough on the beignet, and cover the table with a white cloud of powdered sugar. At which point refer to rule #1.

If you like joining us for eats on the road, check out our travels to Scotland and Venezuela .

Linguine and Clams

Wona Miniati — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 18:31:00 GMT

Spring is in the air, and I love dining al fresco when we can. I recently made a simple one-dish meal of clams and linguine, which we enjoyed outdoors with a glass of crisp white wine, admiring the spring crop of herbs and veggies we recently planted.

Now I must admit upfront, this is more of a product review than a recipe. And that's because the box of frozen clams at Trader Joe's comes fully seasoned and is delicious as-is. I added a big squeeze of lemon and a heavy sprinkling of herbs because that's what I usually do with seafood, but you could make it even easier on yourself and still impress guests.

I learned about Trader Joe's Steamed Clams from my Japanese hairdresser. I usually chat with her about best places to get fresh sushi, her favorite sake brands, or travel. But on my latest visit, we started talking about Trader Joe's and she went on and on about the frozen clams and how they're as good as any you'd get at a restaurant. She keeps them constantly stocked in her freezer. I hadn't even noticed the clams until she mentioned them (and how many thousands of times have I shopped there?), but I knew I had to try them.

You'll find Steamer Clams in the freezer case next to other seafood items. They come in a sealed tray with garlic butter sauce. Toss all the contents into a frypan and voila! Done in about 6 minutes. I chose to squeeze a whole lemon into the sauce for an extra burst of freshness, and I also chopped up some fresh basil leaves from our herb garden. I think you could also stir 1/4 cup heavy cream into the sauce for extra creaminess. I also tried a version with Fresh Bruschetta Sauce (one of our favorites!) stirred in, but I felt that the strong tomato & garlic flavor of the bruschetta overpowered the delicate clams.

I served the clams on a bed of linguine pasta. There was enough sauce in the pan to lightly coat the pasta, but if you like lots of sauce on pasta, you'll probably need to make extra sauce. Or you could serve these clams on their own as an appetizer.

Linguine and Clams

8 oz linguine or other pasta
1 (16 oz) box frozen Steamer Clams in Garlic Butter Sauce
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Shredded Parmesan Cheese (optional)

1. Cook pasta in salted boiling water.
2. About 5 minutes before pasta is done, cook clams in a frypan according to package instructions. Drain pasta while clams are cooking.
3. Add lemon and stir into clams. Pour clams over pasta, and sprinkle liberally with basil. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Serves 2-3

Warm Spinach Salad

Deana Gunn — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 06:04:00 GMT

I love a good spinach salad and this one is a winner, with the smokiness of bacon, creamy richness of avocado, and warm mushrooms that wilt the salad just the tiniest bit. It's a great combination brought together by a simple balsamic vinaigrette.

In similar salads, the dressing is often made of the leftover bacon grease, but I like to use extra virgin olive oil instead. Bacon grease can certainly taste great but it's full of saturated fat, as opposed to olive oil which has healthy unsaturated fats and has fantastic flavor as well. (By the way, if you're an olive oil fan, don't forget to enter our olive oil giveaway!)

Washed and bagged fresh greens are one of the things I love about Trader Joe's, especially the great organic selection of baby spinach, arugula, and mixed greens. It makes it so easy and convenient to make a salad. In our backyard we have a vegetable garden and this time of year we have plenty of a Mesclun salad mix growing. Last night we picked some and enjoyed the fresh grassy and peppery aroma of the greens. However, there had been some rain earlier in the day and with this batch there was a lot of washing and cleaning and a bit of sorting involved. While I love everything grown in my own garden, it made me appreciate the ready selection of bagged salads and greens at TJ's.

The spinach here features bacon, avocado, and mushrooms against the backdrop of baby spinach and brought together with a great vinaigrette. I like to use TJ's fully cooked bacon because it's fast and avoids the usual splatter of cooking bacon. The bacon is a perfect complement to the ripe avocado chunks. Right now it's still avocado season here in California and good avocados are plentiful and flavorful. We're lucky to have a Fuerte avocado tree in our backyard which supplies us (and all our friends!) with beautiful avocados all winter. The trick to ripening avocados is to let them ripen on the counter, never placing them in the fridge unless they are fully ripe. When an avocado is soft to the touch and the flesh gives to gentle pressure, it's ready. To dice an avocado, start with cutting it in half and removing the pit. With a sharp knife, make crosshatched cuts (see photo to right). Then take a spoon and scoop the cubes of avocado out of the skin. This method is the easiest way to make clean cubes of avocado (or even slices, cutting in one direction only).

Avocados are another example of healthy monounsaturated fats. If you like them, give our Avocado Smoothie a try.

Warm Spinach Salad

1 (6 oz) bag baby spinach
4 strips bacon (your choice of uncooked bacon or TJ's Fully Cooked Uncured Bacon)
1 (8 oz) container white mushrooms, sliced or 1 (10 oz) bag TJ's Sliced White Mushrooms
1 ripe avocado, diced or sliced

Dressing:
4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp honey or agave nectar

1.) If using cooked bacon, crisp in pan. If using uncooked bacon, cook in pan and remove bacon. Drain excess grease.
2.) In the same pan, saute mushrooms for about 3-4 minutes until mushrooms are plump and before they are beginning to release water. Don't overcook them.
3.) Combine dressing ingredients, stirring or whisking well. Toss with spinach. Add warm mushrooms.
2.) Crumble bacon on top, add avocado, and toss gently.

10-15 minutes prep time
Serves 4

Salmon Panzanella

Wona Miniati — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 16:49:00 GMT

Panzanella is a popular bread salad from Italy, celebrating summer flavors of ripe tomatoes, cool crunchy cucumbers, and fresh basil. It is one of those peasant foods using simple ingredients that has become fancy enough for restaurant menus and party spreads.

Panzanella is made using stale bread, day-old or even week-old. Don't try to use fresh-baked bread because it will get soggy when tossed into the salad. Stale bread crisps nicely in the oven and retains its texture when tossed in dressing, so it's important to use bread that's at least a day old. I like using a baguette or ciabatta, but any hearty crusty bread would work. I routinely toss scraps of leftover bread in a Ziploc in the freezer, and when the bag is full, I'm ready to make another batch of panzanella.

It was in one of these regular panzanella-making moments when the idea dawned on me to roast salmon in the oven along with the bread cubes. My son had requested salmon for dinner that night, and I had planned on making panzanella anyway, so I thought, why not combine the two? I think I hit upon a new favorite twist on panzanella.

Conveniently enough, I found that the salmon pieces cooked in the same time it took to toast the bread pieces in the oven. (If you're

skipping the salmon, you can toast the bread cubes in a skillet with some olive oil.) I don't like raw onions, so I tossed onions in with the salmon and bread, and they softened nicely. But if you like the bite of raw onion, you can toss them into the salad uncooked.

I've served panzanella at umpteen parties and potlucks, always to rave reviews. Soemtimes I'll make a Greek version by adding feta cheese and olives. Sometimes I'll add other crunchy veggies like sugar snap peas or carrots. Or freshly shucked corn when it's in season. Play around with it and add your favorite veggies.

Let the salad sit for about half an hour to let the bread soak in all the wonderful, fresh flavors. The bread will burst with flavor in every bite, and it's probably my favorite part of the salad. Still crunchy and chewy, but full of flavor. Never throw out stale bread again!

Salmon Panzanella Recipe

1 (approx 1 lb) pkg salmon, cut into 1-inch chunks

5 cups cubed baguette or ciabatta bread (day-old is fine)

2 Tbsp olive oil

Half a red onion, thinly sliced

2 cups chopped tomatoes or halved cherry tomatoes

2 cups sliced cucumbers (preferably Persian or hothouse)

1 bell pepper, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 Tbsp capers, drained

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

For vinaigrette (or use 1/3 cup bottled dressing):

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp crushed garlic, or 1/2 cube frozen Crushed Garlic

2 Tbsp Orange Muscat vinegar or white wine vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 tsp salt

Pinch of black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

2. Season salmon with salt and pepper. Toss with 1 Tbsp olive oil until pieces are evenly coated.

3. Toss bread cubes with 1 Tbsp olive oil until evenly coated. Place salmon, bread, and onion on a baking sheet in a single layer (or if you prefer the bite of raw onion, reserve uncooked). Bake for 6-7 minutes or until salmon is just cooked through, stirring halfway to roast evenly.

4. In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, cucumbers, bell pepper, capers, and basil. Add salmon, bread, and onions.

5. Whisk together vinaigrette ingredients(or use bottled dressing), add to bowl, and toss until evenly coated. For optimum flavor, allow salad to sit for 30 minutes for flavors to meld.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Serves 4-6

Martinis Olive Oil giveaway

Wona Miniati — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 14:13:00 GMT

It's no secret that we love olive oil. Not only is it our oil of choice for just about every recipe, but we also love dunking warm bread into olive oil, savoring its fruity flavor in every bite.

Olive oil -- and especially extra-virgin-olive oil -- in addition to ts superb flavor, also boasts many health benefits. Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fat (the good kind) and has antioxidant properties. It reduces heart disease, controls cholesterol, lowers blood pressure, prevents colon cancer, and the list goes on.

So naturally, we were quite happy to oblige when Martinis offered to let us sample their newest line of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Our families and guests devoured it all; we loved the robust flavor of olive oil pressed from Kalamata olives, and the balsamic vinegars were also outstanding, especially the 12-year aged syrupy balsamic vinegar. You may recognize the Martinis name from bottles of olive oil and Kalamata olives at Trader Joe's. Their newest line is called Agape Martinis, a premium private reserve line of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. 25% of all sales this month at the Agape Martinis website will be donated to MarchForHaiti, a fundraising project to support earthquake victims in Haiti. The Agape line is available only online and is not sold in stores at this time.

Agape Martinis has graciously offered a gift set of olive oils, balsamic vinegars, and olives valued at $100, to be given away to our readers. All you need to do to enter this drawing is to comment below, telling us your favorite uses of olive oil. The winner will be chosen randomly among all comment submissions received by midnight PST on April 15, 2010.

In addition to our gift prize here, you can also enter Agape's own separate giveaway at Agape Martinis.

Good luck, and here's to healthy cooking with olive oil!

Sunflower Butter Cookies

Deana Gunn — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 21:16:00 GMT

These very easy sunflower butter cookies are a tasty variation on traditional peanut butter cookies. They're sweet, dense, heavy, nutty, and slightly chewy the way I think a peanut/sunflower butter cookie should be. It's kind of an accident that they are also flourless and gluten-free - I tried both ways and just liked the texture best without flour. It also makes for an even easier recipe! You can use the recipe with either peanut butter or sunflower butter.

If you haven't tried Trader Joe's Sunflower Butter and you like sunflower seeds, give it a try! The taste is very similar to peanut butter. For anyone who avoids peanuts

or has an allergy, consider sunflower butter as a great- and similar-tasting alternative to peanut butter.

I first wanted to make these cookies for St. Patrick's Day because sunflower butter has the unique property of turning green under certain baking conditions! The naturally occurring chlorogenic acid that is found in all plant leaves and stems is also present in the seeds of the sunflower. Chlorogenic acid is an antioxidant and is one of the reasons that sunflower butter is good for you (as well as being a great source of vegetable protein, potassium, vitamin E, and other vitamins and minerals). When chlorogenic acid meets alkaline baking conditions (i.e., if you add baking soda), it turns a dark green (see photo, below right). This completely harmless effect happens after the cookies completely cool down (and increases with additional hours.) Green cookies! That sounded perfect for St. Patrick's day. Well, except after I made the version using baking soda, I realized it really wasn't a happy bright green, but more of an ominous "something evil is growing in this cookie" dark mossy green. The kids didn't seem to mind, but I wasn't sure that it was the most appetizing-looking cookie....maybe more appropriate for Halloween than St. Patrick's? What do you think? In any case, if you'd like a more fluffy, softer cookie (or you just want to make green cookies!), add 1 tsp baking soda to the batter. To reduce or eliminate the green effect in recipes that use baking soda, add a squeeze of lemon juice to counteract the alkalinity of the batter. The green effect also happens with whole sunflower seeds. Make our Irish Soda Bread and substitute sunflower seeds for raisins. Let it cool or make it the night before - when you cut into it, you'll see green sunflower seeds!

                                                                                                                                     Regular vs. Baking soda recipe:
                                                                                                                                     What happens when sunflower butter
                                                                                                                                     meets baking soda? Green cookies!
Sunflower Butter Cookies

1 16-oz jar Sunflower Butter (about 1 3/4 cups) at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 pinch salt

1.) In a medium bowl, mix together the sunflower butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and salt until smooth. The batter will slightly thicken after being mixed together.
2.) Refrigerate for about 1 hour.
3.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
4.) Take walnut-size portions of the batter, lightly roll in hands and place on a lightly oiled baking sheet (I really love using a Silpat baking mat). The batter will be very soft but holds together without being sticky. Place cookies about 1-2 inches apart, as they will not spread much.
5.) After filling the baking sheet, take a fork and make imprints on top of the cookies. If the fork sticks, dip the fork in sugar or just sprinkle a tiny bit of sugar on each cookie before pressing the fork into it.
6.) Bake for 12 minutes. Don't overbake these cookies! (err on the side of underbaking if in doubt) Allow cookies to cool.

Makes 30 cookies

For more info about us or our cookbooks, please visit our website at www.cookingwithtraderjoes.com.

PS. - If you like sunflower seeds, you should also check out Trader Joe's Chocolate Sunflower Seed Drops,chocolate covered sunflower seeds with a naturally colored candy coating. They're tasty and perfect for decorating cupcakes and cookies.

Irish Soda Bread

Wona Miniati — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:17:00 GMT

In preparation for St. Patrick's Day next week, I dusted off an old recipe for Irish soda bread that a friend gave me years ago. If you've been averse to soda bread because you find it tough and dry, try this version. Sour cream and eggs make this bread more moist than traditional soda bread, a quality that may offend die-hard , but will likely appeal to the rest of us.

Breads generally fall into two categories: quick breads or yeast breads. Quick breads, as the name implies, are faster to prepare because you simply mix the ingredients and bake. Baking soda or baking powder is the leavening agent that makes quick breads rise. Yeast bread, on the other hand, uses yeast at the leavening agent, and needs to be proofed, dough kneaded until elastic, and then allowed to rise twice before baking. Yes, quite a bit more time and effort, and hence my affection for quick breads like Irish soda bread.

Soda bread is a staple in Irish cuisine, served at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This version with raisins is mildly sweet and perfect for breakfast or afternoon tea. In fact, when I served toasted slices to my kids, they squealed in delight, "Oooh! Giant biscotti!" You could make a savory version by reducing the sugar and using caraway seeds (available at most health food stores or specialty grocers) or sunflower seeds (note: baking soda makes them turn a dark green, so don't be alarmed).

This bread is a cinch to make, but another option for St. Paddy's day is beer bread mix at Trader Joe's. Simply mix the box with 1 bottle of beer, and drizzle melted butter on top before baking. I found that the 1/4 cup butter called for on the box was too much and would reduce to 1-2 Tbsp next time.

The one warning about quick breads like soda bread and beer bread is that they're best eaten immediately, right out of the oven, or within a day or two. After that, the bread starts to get harden rapidly, and you could put your teeth at risk by trying to eat it.

This recipe makes 1 large loaf, or split the dough in two and make an extra loaf to share with a friend or neighbor.

Irish Soda Bread recipe

3 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup raisins
2 eggs
1 (16 oz) container regular or light sour cream (2 cups)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Add raisins and mix them in with your fingers, making sure raisins separate and are coated with flour. This way the raisins won't all clump together in the dough.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, and then add sour cream and combine again. Add to flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon just until combined. Dough will be sticky, like biscuit dough. Do not overmix, as this will result in tough bread.
4. Dust your hands with flour and lightly shape dough into a circular mound, approx 8" wide. Use a gentle touch; do not knead or handle dough too much. Transfer to a lightly oiled baking sheet (or line baking sheet with a Silpat), and cut a big X on top. Not only does this make your bread look quite professional, but it also allows the heat to get to the center. I've also read that Irish folklore says the cuts "let the fairies out."
5. Bake for 45 minutes or until lightly browned and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. If splitting dough into 2 loaves, check for doneness at 35 minutes.

Sweet variations: substitute cranberries, currants, or dried blueberries for the raisins.
Savory variations: reduce sugar to 2 Tbsp, omit raisins, and instead use 1 Tbsp caraway seeds or 1 cup sunflower seeds.

Note: white flour will yield softer, fluffier bread, but for extra fiber, you can a mixture of white flour and whole wheat flour. Whole wheat flour versions won't rise as much and will be noticeably denser.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Hands-off cooking time: 45 minutes
Serves 16

Quick Appetizers: Stuffed Mushroom Caps and Artichoke Dip

Deana Gunn — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 21:53:00 GMT

It's fun to entertain but it's not fun to stress about it. Delicious appetizers get things off to a great start and I've got two excellent and easy ones lined up today. Over the years, I always go through phases when I have a favorite appetizer I go to again and again. A few years back, I liked doing an Italian-themed party platter complete with olives, various bruschettas, fresh mozzarella, fresh goat cheese, prosciutto, fresh basil, and a variety of crackers and crusty breads - it was easy to make a big colorful platter and guests could assemble their own creations from these ingredients. An all-time favorite of mine is our Apricot Baked Brie featured in our first cookbook. Lately it's been stuffed mushrooms as well as a fantastic artichoke dip shared by one of our readers. They're both made from just a handful of ingredients and they can be assembled ahead of time and popped into the oven right before guests show up.

Creamy Stuffed Mushroom Caps

Some family friends recently brought over a pan of mushroom caps stuffed with an herbed cheese, similar to this recipe. We put them in the oven and enjoyed them piping hot.   Everyone loves stuffed mushrooms and the creamy filling makes these little bite-size morsels so satisfying. If you're not familiar with Boursin, look for a cheese boxed in white cardboard packaging. Use larger stuffing portobellos/mushrooms if you want to serve them as a side, but I thought they worked great as an appetizer using regular-sized white mushrooms. For a tangy variation you can also try our Feta and Spinach Stuffed Baby Portobellos.

40 regular mushrooms or 18 stuffing mushrooms/portobellos, cleaned with stems removed
1 5.2-oz container Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs Gournay Cheese
3 cups frozen spinach (1/2 a 16 oz bag) thawed
¼ cup bread crumbs or Just Almond Meal

1.)    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2.)    Drain the thawed spinach, squeezing out the water firmly with hands. 3 cups frozen spinach should reduce to ½ cup thawed if all the water has been squeezed out.
3.)    Add Boursin and spinach to a small bowl, stirring together until fully combined.
4.)    Stuff mushroom caps with the mixture.
5.)    Press the tops into the bread crumbs and arrange caps on baking sheet or dish.
6.)    Bake 12-15 minutes just until water starts to appear under the caps.

Kickin' Artichoke Dip

Marcy C. from San Juan Capistrano was one of the winners of our holiday contest with this great recipe. Trader Joe's sells ready made artichoke dips, but we think this one is even better and takes only a few minutes of prep work. I've made it several times over the last couple of months and have made a few little tweaks. It makes a nice big batch, perfect for a large crowd or dinner get-together. I made this just last night for my book club meeting, and again, most everyone commented on it and asked for the recipe. It's very, very good.
The star of the recipe is the topping of sweet and spicy pecans that contrast beautifully with the creamy dip. If you've never tried these pecans - they're really flavorful and not too spicy (my young kids always steal a few when I prepare the dish and they love them). Even if you're devoted exclusively to TJ's ready-made artichoke dip, you can still use the trick of adding this pecan topping - buy 2 containers of the Grilled Artichoke Dip, empty into a small oven-safe dish, top with the chopped pecans and pop into the oven at 350 F for 30-35 minutes until bubbly on edges.

1 jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 cup mayonnaise (reduced fat is ok)

1 cup Freshly Shredded Parmesan Cheese

8 oz. light cream cheese, softened

1 pkg Sweet & Spicy Pecans, chopped

Pita chips, tortilla chips, or Savory Thins

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2.) Mix all ingredients together except nuts.

3.) Transfer to a small baking dish. Sprinkle chopped pecans on top.

4.) Bake for 35 minutes or until top is bubbly. Serve warm with pita chips, tortilla chips, or crackers.

Monkey Bread: An Easy Version of Cinnamon Rolls

Wona Miniati — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:27:00 GMT

Many moons ago, I was introduced to Monkey Bread, and I just couldn't get enough. Warm, pillowy soft dough covered with cinnamon caramel-like goo... For a carbo-holic like me, it was pure heaven. Yes, it's so 1960's, but it's so darn good.

I think of monkey bread as a lazy version of cinnamon rolls or sticky buns, and many people serve it as a breakfast treat. In our home, monkey bread is a dessert and shall remain so until the kids go off to college. I've tried over the years to make healthier versions by severely reducing the butter and sugar, but the quest has been unsuccessful. In fact, my friends used to beg me to make monkey bread for any brunch gathering. But the last time I brought my famous monkey bread, I had altered the recipe so much that it had hardly any butter or sugar left, resulting in fairly dry, tasteless bread that hardly anyone touched. No one has asked me to make monkey bread since that disastrous day. So I've given up on trying to make this classic "healthy," and accept it for what it is -- a yummy gooey pastry that doesn't make any pretense about being a diet food. Moderation, people! Moderation is the answer! Please don't eat the entire pan in one sitting.

The original recipe I had used bread dough, which is available ready-made in the freezer case at most grocers. But that version required letting the dough rise to double its size before baking. This recipe uses canned buttermilk biscuits instead, which you can bake immediately without waiting for it to rise. Trader Joe's buttermilk biscuits are larger than other brands, so note the size difference and if using other brands, you may need 3 cans instead of 2. If you don't have a Bundt pan, you can use a 9"x13" pan, or halve the recipe and bake it in a 8" or 9" round pan, reducing cooking time to ~25 minutes.

I couldn't resist the urge to reduce the sugar and butter -- but I didn't go too far this time, so hopefully I can win my friends back with this version.

Monkey Bread Recipe

2 (16 oz) cans refrigerated Buttermilk Biscuits
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
6 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1/3 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1/4 cup raisins (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl. Cut biscuits into fourths and toss biscuit pieces in cinnamon sugar mixture until each piece is coated. Alternatively, you can shake biscuit pieces in a Ziploc bag to coat, but I find it's just as easy to toss in a bowl.

3. If using nuts and raisins, sprinkle several spoonfuls into the bottom of a Bundt pan. Arrange biscuit pieces into the pan, sprinkling in remaining nuts and raisins as you go along. Pour any remaining cinnamon sugar into pan.

4. Melt butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan, stirring until dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in maple syrup. Pour this mixture evenly over biscuits.

5. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until browned. Invert immediately onto a serving plate, letting the sticky syrup seep through (otherwise syrup will harden on bottom of pan). Serve warm if possible.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Hands-off cooking time: 35-40 minutes
Serves 10

Lemon Ricotta Almond Cake

Deana Gunn — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 21:07:00 GMT

I'm really excited to share this Lemon Ricotta Almond Cake with you. It's a twist on cheesecake, made primarily with almond meal. For the last couple of weeks, I've been experimenting with almond meal (sold as "Just Almond Meal" at Trader Joe's).   Not only do I love the flavor of almonds but it's a healthy and delicious alternative to regular white flour in breads and cakes. The bonus is that it's also gluten free, for those who avoid gluten by need or choice.   Trader Joe’s has convenient bags of ground almonds, ready to use in breads, desserts, or as breading on chicken or fish. If you want to make your own almond meal, just grind raw whole almonds in your food processor until you achieve the consistency you like.

I made some Almond Bread a few weeks ago and decided to make an almond-meal-based dessert next. I first started playing around with cakes using only almond meal when I ran across this recipe for a Clementine Torte. We have a clementine tree in our backyard and this time of year, we're overrun by ripe, juicy clementines. The Clementine Torte recipe is time consuming but I really liked the results. I started to experiment on my own and came up with a recipe that I fell in love with - a cake that combines the nutty richness of almonds, the sweetness of ricotta, and the zing of lemon.   (Yes, we also have a lemon tree in the backyard and this time of year, we're often squeezing up some lemonade or working on this season's batch of limoncello.) The lemon zest adds so much to this cake - choose a fresh, fragrant lemon and make sure you get just the outer peel, avoiding the bitter white pith. Use a microplane grater or use a citrus zester. Use a citrus zester if you want to add the strips of lemon as a garnish (like in the photo). Both tools are inexpensive and good to have in your kitchen drawer.

The texture and denseness reminds me more of a cheesecake and the way you check for doneness in the oven is kind of like a cheesecake also. When baking, the cake will rise, puffing up, and then finally firming up in the center. When the center has lost its "jiggle" and the edges have turned very golden, then the cake is done. When you remove it from the oven, it will deflate. Allow it to cool completely - don't disturb it while it's warm since it will literally fall apart. For best flavor and texture, you can even leave it overnight in the fridge - similar to a cheesecake, it will be better the next day. If you use a springform pan, you can unmold it when it's cool. Otherwise, if you use a regular pan or dish as I usually do, the first piece is usually sacrificial but the other pieces will come out easily and cleanly.

Lemon Ricotta Almond Cake

2 cups Just Almond Meal
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 15-oz tub (2 cups) fresh ricotta ("Traditional Fresh Ricotta Cheese" at Trader Joe's)
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 Tbsp)

1.)   Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2.)   In a large bowl, combine almond meal, baking powder, and salt.
3.)   In a medium bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and mix well.
4.)   Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir well until smooth.
5.)   Pour mixture into oiled 9-inch pan, deep pie dish, or springform pan. Bake 50-55 minutes until the cake is completely puffed up, no longer “jiggly” in the center, and very golden on the edges.
6.)   Cool cake completely and thoroughly chill in fridge before serving. Cake remains very moist and is even better the next day. Serve with whipped cream or garnish with lemon zest.

Serves 12
Prep time: 10 minutes
Hands off cooking time: 50-55 minutes

If you try this cake, I'd love to hear your review of it!

Chocolate Mousse Pie with Joe-Joe's Crust

Deana Gunn — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:59:00 GMT

The votes are in. My two young kids announced, "Mom, this is the best dessert you've ever made." With praise like that, I knew I had to share this latest recipe. I rarely make rich chocolate pies like this, but I've been making quite a few this last week. It started as a joke based on a book we read in my bookclub and I kept playing around with a few variations, trying to find what I liked best. Fortunately we've had lots of happy and willing dinner guests available to participate in the taste tests. The variations included a cream-based pie, a pudding-based pie, and the best one of all was one based on light coconut milk. It's similar in idea to the No Moo Mousse I blogged about back in 2008, but with a thicker pie consistency. It contrasted perfectly with the intense, thick crust made of crushed Joe-Joe's.

If you're not familiar with the Joe-Joe's cookies, they are Trader Joe's version of classic Oreos. They have all natural flavoring and no hydrogenated oils. They come with a vanilla bean filling or a chocolate filling, and of course you know the holidays are here when Candy Cane Joe Joe's make their limited appearance on the shelves and cause Trader Joe's fans to stampede down the aisles. You know who you are.

The crust here is easy - crush the cookies, mix with a bit of melted butter, and press into a pie dish. The easiest and best way to crush the cookies is with a food processor. I use my trusty classic Cuisinart that I've had for over 12 years. When I first got it, I rarely used it (in fact Wona was the first one to use it, not me!). I thought that food processors were a pain to take out, assemble, and clean. But the truth is that they shorten lengthy tasks to just seconds and are a breeze to clean despite their multiple parts. Once you get into the habit of using them, they're a great timesaver. If you're like me and you're slow to take out appliances unless you really need them, believe me that this recipe is worth it and the cleanup is a cinch.

The texture of the mousse filling is firm and smooth and silky, and it's only two ingredients! Alternatively you can use Trader Joe's "Instant Chocolate Pudding" mix to fill the pie. The texture and taste is that of eating a thick classic chocolate pudding rather than a silky mousse, but it's an option to try. If you make a pudding filling, use two boxes of the mix and 3 cups of cold whole milk. On the box it suggests 3.5 cups for two boxes, but I think reducing it to 3 cups yields a pie you can cut and serve more easily.

Chocolate Mousse Pie with Joe-Joe's Crust (more appropriately renamed Chocolate Truffle Pie with Joe-Joe's Crust by reader Stephanie)

28 Joe-Joe's Cookies with Vanilla Bean filling (2 rows out of the package)
1/4 cup melted unsalted butter (10-20 seconds in the microwave or low heat over the stove)

Filling:
1 (12 oz) bag Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 (14 oz) can Light Coconut Milk

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2.) Crush the cookies in a food processor. Pulse the processor until the cookies are fine crumbs. Pour in the melted butter and pulse till combined. Press the crumbs firmly into an oven-safe pie dish. I use a glass/cup to press and compact the crust.
3.) Bake the crust for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely.
4.) Melt the chocolate on the stovetop or in the microwave. (Microwave for 1 minute and then in 30 second increments, stirring well in between until completely smooth and melted. Do not scorch.)
5.) Pour the coconut milk into a blender and add the melted chocolate. Immediately, blend until completely smooth (about 20-30 seconds).
6.) Pour filling into crust and chill for 4 hours or overnight in the fridge.

Serves 12
Prep and cooking time: 15-20 minutes, not including cooling/chilling time

Quick and easy Valentine's Meals

Deana Gunn — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 19:22:00 GMT

Skip the restaurant crowd and enjoy a romantic dinner at home this Valentine's. Simple is best. Keep things easy, so you can focus on the romance instead of slaving over an elaborate meal. And the best part is that it's possible to have dinner and dessert for two, under $20. Today's post is a roundup of a few recipes that have appeared previously - they fit the bill for easy, elegant, and tasty. If you don't want to cook at all, read on for some suggestions of heat-and-eat meal and dessert selections. Do you have favorite meal ideas for Valentine's? Share them below!

For a classic dish, exemplifying simple Italian cooking at its finest, try our recipe for Spaghetti alla Carbonara. It is elegant yet easy, proving that fancy dishes don't have to be complicated.

Another easy, unfussy meal idea is the Dressed Up Lobster Ravioli in our cookbook. A

simple tomato and cream sauce dresses up fresh refrigerated lobster ravioli that cooks up in minutes.

Other suggestions are Eggplant Parmesan, Seared Ahi Tuna on Lemon Pappardelle,or Herb Crusted Tilapia.

Or, for even easier options, pick up one of these gourmet ready-to-cook entrees in the freezer case.

French Cheese Souffle, ready-to-bake. Dish out individual servings into ramekins, or bake a larger souffle to share. Enjoy with fresh spinach or arugula salad.

Saucy Scallops with Mushrooms in a creamy white sauce. Serve over a simple bed of pasta or with a crusty bread for mopping up the sauce.

Pork Roast Florentine stuffed with spinach, cheese, and roasted peppers. Serve with brown rice or mashed potatoes.

Other easy selections include a wide variety of refrigerated stuffed chicken breast or salmon in the refrigerated case, fully cooked Rack of Lamb, or frozen Asparagus or Mushroom Risotto.

While you're in the freezer aisle, pick up an appetizer. Great choices include the Tarte d' Champignon, Spanakopitas, Arancini Bites, Seafood Crab Cakes, or 3 Plus Blue Flatbread.

And for dessert, choose from a tempting selection of ready-made desserts in the frozen case. You can't beat just $1-2 per serving for desserts like Apple Blossoms, Chocolate Mousse, Creme Brulee in 4 Chocolate Dishes, and Peach & Blueberry Panna Cotta.

For more Valentine's meals under $20, click here to read last year's roundup.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Taco Soup

Wona Miniati — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:28:00 GMT

Superbowl Sunday is coming up this weekend, and if you're looking for an easy, crowd-pleasing dish, here's one you can try for game day. One-pot meals like this are great for crowds because each person can tailor the toppings according to their own tastes, and you can serve it all buffet style. (See vegetarian option below)

This soup combines the flavors and textures we all love about tacos, into a hearty soup. I was inspired to create this dish when I spotted Taco Seasoning Mix on the "new items shelf" at my local TJs. I'd often wondered why TJ didn't carry taco seasoning, so when it finally appeared, I had to find a way to use it. I decided to make a soup rather than regular tacos for two reasons: it's been raining heavily for weeks, and a soup just felt like the right thing to have for dinner; and also because a soup is easier for my young kids to handle than regular tacos.

I had originally intended to put some jalapenos or chiles into the soup, but decided to wait and see how spicy the taco seasoning was. Yowza, it has a kick! The spice level was just perfect for the spice-loving adults at the table, but the kids ended up adding quite a bit of sour cream and yogurt to cut down the heat. So if you like fiery-hot spices, you could try experimenting with jalapenos or chiles. But if you prefer mild heat, don't add any additional spices.

I used chicken, but for a vegetarian version, try substituting Trader Joe's Chicken-less Strips in the refrigerated section. It has gotten good reviews, and apparently people really like the flavor AND texture. Please report back and let us know how you like it!

Offer guests any combination of toppings you'd like. I think the one that is mandatory is tortilla chips!

Taco Soup Recipe

1 (approx 1.3 lb) pkg boneless chicken breasts or thighs, or 1 pkg Chicken-less Strips (vegetarian option)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 pkg Taco Seasoning Mix
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
2 (15 oz) cans black beans
1 (15 oz) can corn, or 1 1/2 cups frozen corn
2 cups chicken broth (optional; omit for a thicker stew)

Your choice of toppings:
Tortilla chips
Fresh cilantro
Sour cream
Shredded cheese
Avocado
Fresh chopped tomatoes
Chopped green onions or red onions
Jalapenos or chiles

1. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook onions for 5 minutes, or until softened.
2. Add remaining ingredients and heat to boiling. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 1 hour.
3. Remove chicken, shred, and return to pot. Stir and heat through before serving.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Hands-off cooking time: 1 hour
Serves 6-8

Slow cooker method: Place all ingredients into a crockpot and cook for 5-6 hours on low setting. Remove chicken, shred, and return to crockpot. Stir and heat through before serving.

Chicken Cacciatore

Wona Miniati — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 14:51:00 GMT

Chicken Cacciatore and lasagna are among the dishes my husband, who is part Italian, requests most often. Cacciatore means "hunter" in Italian, and it's said that if a hunter comes home empty-handed, this dish is a consolation prize of sorts, using chicken in place of the wild game that got away. Hunters would throw in wild mushrooms they had collected from a day in the forest, to flavor the tomato-based sauce.

There are many variations of chicken cacciatore depending on the region. In Southern Italy, red wine is used to boost the flavor of the sauce, while Northern Italians use white wine. The classic dish uses bell peppers and mushrooms, but you could also add zucchini, potatoes, carrots, or a host of other vegetables.

If you're in a hurry, you can get away with cooking the chicken just 30 minutes. But if you have the time, I prefer to let it simmer away for an hour or more (the actual cooking time is rather forgiving) for more tender, fall-off-the-bone chicken. I find that boned chicken is juicier in this dish, but you can substitute boneless breasts and thighs; the searing in step 1 will help lock in juices so they don't dry out. The sauce is a bit runny, so I serve with a crusty bread for mopping. But you can also thicken the sauce at the end by stirring in 1-2 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in a little water. Serve over pasta, polenta, or rice.

Note: to make this recipe gluten-free, omit the coating of flour, but don't skip the searing in step 1.

Chicken Cacciatore Recipe

1 whole, cut-up chicken (skin removed if desired)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup all purpose flour, for dredging
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed, or 2 cubes frozen Crushed Garlic
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 large bell pepper, chopped (any color)
1/2 cup white or red wine
1/3 cup olives
1 tsp dried oregano
1 (8 oz) pkg mushrooms, halved
Chopped basil or parsley for garnish

1. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge in flour, shaking off excess. Heat oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven, and fry chicken pieces for 3-4 minutes on each side, until browned. Remove from skillet.
2. Add onion and garlic to skillet and saute for 5 minutes, until onion is slightly browned. Return chicken to the skillet and add tomatoes, bell pepper, wine, olives, and oregano. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes (or up to 1 hour) over medium-low heat.
3. Add mushrooms and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 10 more minutes.
4. Remove from heat, and sprinkle on fresh herbs right before serving.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Hands-off cooking time: 30-60 minutes
Serves 6

Swiss Muesli

Wona Miniati — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 05:51:00 GMT

Most people think of muesli as dry cereal in a box, similar to granola but not as sweet. This version uses fresh oats that are soaked overnight, combined with crisp apples and nuts for a truly satisfying breakfast. Full of whole grains, calcium, vitamins, and fiber, this is a power-packed breakfast that gets your day started right.

Muesli was first introduced by a Swiss physician in 1900, who used it in his hospital as part of a health diet for his patients. But believe me, this tastes nothing like hospital food! What a bonus that it's healthy and tastes great too.

We discovered muesli last year while visiting Nanny and Nonno (Italian for grandfather). Nanny had found this recipe for muesli in the local newspaper, and we all loved it. I've been making it every week ever since, and my family seems to never tire of it. Here's a photo of my 3-year-old, ready to wolf down his bowl of muesli.

The original recipe used twice as much honey, and if you have a sweet tooth, you can make it sweeter. It also called for peeling the apple, but I like leaving the peel on, not only for the extra fiber, but I also think it LOOKS better with colorful flecks of apple throughout. I usually use a crisp red apple such as Gala, Fuji, Pink Lady, etc.

The recipe as written will yield a thick muesli. If you like the consistency of thick oatmeal, you can eat it as-is. Those who prefer runnier oatmeal will want to stir in some extra milk before serving.

Swiss Muesli Recipe

2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups milk
1 cup plain yogurt
2 Tbsp honey
1 crisp apple, chopped in small pieces (keep the peel on for extra fiber)
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup raisins (optional)

1. Whisk milk, yogurt, and honey in a glass bowl.
2. Stir in oats, apples, almonds, and raisins.
3. Soak overnight in refrigerator to allow oats to soften. Muesli will be thick after soaking, and can be thinned with additional milk before serving.

Prep time: 15 minutes (not including overnight soaking)
Serves 6

Potato and Kale Soup

Wona Miniati — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 15:18:00 GMT

This is a quintessential winter soup, starring kale, a hardy leafy winter vegetable. Trader Joe's doesn't carry kale, but Marcy Rosenthal, who sent me her recipe, suggests using spinach instead. Great idea! I think this soup would also be good using TJ's Southern Greens blend of collard greens. But if you can get fresh kale, try it while you can - it's packed with nutrition and antioxidants.

I'm not sure why I never tried kale until just a few years ago. I always had the misconception that it was bitter, so I was delightfully surprised when I bit into some kale, wincing in anticipation of the bitterness, and instead was met with an earthy, almost sweet flavor. I've loved kale ever since.

I decided to put a Latin spin onto this recipe by making it similar to Caldo Verde, a popular Portuguese soup. By cooking the kale (or spinach) for just a few minutes, the leaves retain their vibrant green color. I love how the specks of blended greens make almost a pesto-like base for the soup, with larger chunks of kale and potato lending a satisfying heartiness. Sausage or chorizo chunks can be added for an extra punch of flavor and protein.

Note: I used chicken broth, but if you'd prefer to use vegetable broth, I have a tip for you. Make your own veggie bouillon using this quick tip from Heidi Swanson: http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/homemade-bouillon-recipe.html. I tried making potato & kale soup with the boxed vegetable broth, and I wouldn't use it again. The broth had a weird, canned after-taste that I didn't care for at all. But if you use the right broth, the soup is absolutely delicious.

I hope you try both versions of potato and kale (or spinach) soup, posted below. For more soup recipes, see our January newsletter, which has 12 more soups you can try.

PORTUGUESE STYLE POTATO AND KALE SOUP RECIPE

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed, or 2 cubes frozen Crushed Garlic
6 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 lb potatoes, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large bunch kale, chopped, or 1 pkg frozen spinach
Salt and pepper to taste
Smoked sausage or chorizo, cooked and chopped (optional)

1. Heat olive oil in a soup pot. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1-2 minutes longer.
2. Pour in broth, potatoes, and chopped kale stems (these cook longer than the leaves). Bring mixture to boil, then cover, lower to simmer, and cook for 10 minutes until potatoes are almost tender.
3. Increase heat and add kale (if using spinach, add it at this time). Cook for 5 minutes until leaves turn bright green. Do not overcook.
4. Blend half of the soup using an immersion blender or regular blender. Combine soup and check for seasonings, adding salt and pepper to taste. Top with sausage if desired.

POTATO AND SPINACH SOUP RECIPE
by Marcy Rosenthal

1 Tbsp olive oil
1-2 Tbsp butter
1 container Mirepoix (or use 1 cup each: chopped onion, carrot, and celery)
2 leeks, white and light green parts, washed and thinly sliced
6 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
4 red potatoes, chopped in big dice with skin on
1 tsp salt or Herbamare
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 pkg frozen chopped spinach
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
4 chicken garlic & herb sausages, sliced (optional)

1. Heat oil and butter in a big soup pot and sauté mirepoix and leeks for about 10 minutes until golden, soft and sweet.

2. Add veg broth, potatoes, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and cover and simmer on low for 45 minutes.

3. When the soup is cooked, take half of it and place it in a blender to puree. Add this back to the rest of the soup and then add the frozen spinach, the beans, and sausage if you like sausage and want more protein.

Almond Bread: Low carb, high protein, gluten-free, and tasty!

Deana Gunn — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 07:30:00 GMT

Do you use Trader Joe's Almond Meal? It seems that people either love it or they haven't noticed it yet! Almond meal is simply finely ground almonds with the skin on. It's perfect for making this firm but moist almond bread that is low carb, high protein, and gluten-free! I love the nutty taste of it and find the texture pretty appealing - the kind of bread to be enjoyed with some cream cheese, jam, honey, or just plain. The bonus is that almonds are packed with nutritional value, including plenty of protein, vitamin E, monounsaturated (good) fats, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, calcium, folic acid, and fiber. Most other breads can't really compare.

My husband is gluten-free and I often bake and experiment with alternative flours. I was curious about making a bread out of almond meal since it's so conveniently available at TJ's. I stumbled upon a recipe at Elana's Pantry, an inspiring gluten-free recipe blog. Elana's bread recipe uses almond flour, which is pretty similar to almond meal, except that almond flour uses almonds that have been blanched (skin removed). In Elana's recipe, she made a mini loaf in a 4x6.5-inch pan. I played around with the recipe, adjusting so I could use nearly the whole bag of TJ's almond meal and make a larger standard-size loaf. The recipe is really simple - just a quick mix of a small number of ingredients. In fact, I was done measuring, mixing, and loading the pan in the few minutes it took my oven to preheat!

I haven't experimented yet with additions to this recipe, but I think it would yield great banana bread or blueberry muffins.

What else can you do with almond meal? You can use it to coat chicken or fish before baking or pan-frying. In "Cooking with All Things Trader Joe's" we feature a unique and tasty almond pudding recipe - simple with a lot more nutritional value and flavor than your typical pudding. And the world of almond-based cookies, cakes, and breads seems endless. My kids and I recently made some light crunchy almond cookies using just the almond meal and no other flour - they loved the cookies and named them "marzipan cookies." Do you have any favorites uses or recipes?

Almond Bread

4 1/2 cups almond meal
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking soda
5 eggs
2 Tbsp agave nectar
1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1.) Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
2.) In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients.
3.) In a medium bowl, beat the eggs and add the remaining wet ingredients.
4.) Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix thoroughly.
5.) Transfer the mixture to a 5x9-inch standard loaf pan, lightly oiled (a spray oil makes it easy).
6.) Bake for 60+ minutes or until a skewer/knife inserted in the bread comes out clean.
7.) Cool and slice.

Makes one loaf (if you want to try a mini loaf, just follow Elana's original recipe, substituting almond meal for almond flour)

Grilled Veggie Sandwich with Lemon Garlic Sauce

Deana Gunn — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 04:05:00 GMT

Looking for a hearty, satisfying vegetarian sandwich? My favorite veggie sandwiches feature either grilled portobello or grilled eggplant, both of which have a meaty robustness. Trader Joe's carries a product in the freezer section called "Misto Alla Griglia," marinated grilled eggplant and zucchini, which takes the work out of enjoying these grilled veggies. I used them in a sandwich here, but they're perfect for serving alongside an arugula salad or incorporating into a lasagna (grab some TJ's pasta sauce and no-boil noodles, and that lasagna really can't get any easier.)

In this sandwich, the rich eggplant and zucchini slices contrast nicely with some fresh, peppery arugula and tangy feta. Don't skip the lemon garlic sauce - it adds so much flavor and brings it all together. If you're not crazy about garlic, start with a little less and see how you like it. We all mmm-ed and aah-ed as we ate these sandwiches, so I hope you love it too!

For some other tasty vegetarian sandwiches, check out recent posts on a Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Sandwich and our Eggplant Cutlet Sandwich.

Grilled Veggie Sandwich with Lemon Garlic Sauce

1 bag frozen Misto Alla Griglia (Marinated Grilled Eggplant & Zucchini)
Petits Pains Rustiques (4 Country Style French Rolls)
Fresh arugula (a few handfuls)
Crumbled Feta with Mediterranean Herbs

Lemon Garlic Sauce (enough for 4 sandwiches)
4 Tbsp mayo
4 tsp lemon juice
4 cubes frozen Crushed Garlic (or 3-4 small cloves garlic, crushed)

1) Thaw bag of eggplant overnight in fridge, or microwave until warm per package instructions.
2.) Cut rolls in half.
3.) In a small bowl, stir together the ingredients for the Lemon Garlic Sauce until smooth.
4.) Build the sandwiches by drizzling a bit of the sauce into the bottom half of each roll. Add a big handful of arugula, then 1/4 of the warmed eggplant and zucchini slices, and finish with a topping of feta.

Serves 4.
To make just one sandwich: use one roll, a handful of arugula, 1/4 of the veggies, and for the sauce use 1 Tbsp mayo, 1 tsp lemon, and 1 clove/cube garlic.

Black Beans: Put it on your grocery list!

Deana Gunn — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 18:03:00 GMT

Looking for a food that can help make you trim, fit, healthy, pump you full of anti-oxidants, and give you great skin? Who isn't? (especially after all those January resolutions!) Well, while I can't make any promises, few foods are as well rounded and have as many health benefits as black beans.Ounce for ounce, black beans have the same amount of protein as beef but contain no cholesterol, are packed with anti-oxidants, essential fatty oils, and fiber, and have only a third of the calories.

Here are some of the benefits:

1.) Fiber and Protein. The American Dietetic Association says that Americans barely eat half the amount of recommended fiber per day. Black beans are high in dietary fiber, which makes it an effective food for lowering cholesterol and improving digestion. 1 cup of black beans provides 15grams, or 60% of the RDA, of fiber. The high fiber and protein content in black beans makes it a nearly perfect food for maintaining controlled blood sugar levels and avoiding glycemic index peaks and lows. The added benefit of keeping blood sugar levels even is that metabolism remains strong. Your body will burn calories throughout the day, rather than slowing down as your blood sugar dips.

2.) Nutritional Content and Trace Minerals. Black beans are extremely high in nutritional value as well and excellent sources of many vitamins and minerals, including folate,molybdenum, and iron. Molybdenum is a mineral that counteracts the effects of sulfites, such as those found in red wine. So for those sensitive to sulfites, a serving of black beans may help avoid that red wine headache.

3.) Anti-oxidants. Black beans also have high flavonoid anti-oxidant levels which can battle cancer, heart disease, and aging. It's a lesser known fact that black beans are an anti-oxidant powerhouse. A study that appeared inthe Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found flavonoid levels similar to those found in red grapes and cranberries. The anti-oxidants are found in the skin of the bean, and the darker the skin, the higher the levels of anti-oxidants.

4.) Get your omegas! Black beans also contain omega-3 essential fatty oils. The benefits of omega-3's are becoming well known and include skin health and lowered blood pressure. Many people with sensitive skin or dermatitis notice a dramatic improvement after incorporating omega-3 supplements or omega-3-rich foods into their diet (even one of my dogs was put on omega-3's to improve skin allergy symptoms and it worked!). Fatty fishes such as salmon are the primary source of omega-3's. For vegetarians or people who don't eat fish regularly, black beans or other omega-3-rich foods are a must.

There are many ways to incorporate black beans into meals. Many South American or Mexican dishes include black beans. An easy way to create a complete protein is to pair it with some brown rice like I sometimes do for a near-instant lunch. Or just serve along fajitas, a quesadilla, or huevos rancheros.

This soup is one of my favorite recipes (from our cookbook "Cooking with All Things Trader Joe's"), smoky with cumin and tangy with lime. It's a healthy and low-fat meal that can be part of a weekly menu. Canned beans preserve the nutritional value of the beans and make itmuch easier and convenient to use them in recipes. If you're on a sodium-restricted diet, make sure you check the label, as most canned beans tend to be already seasoned with some salt.

If you prefer a smoother soup, you can puree one of the cans of beans (often I make a double batch of this soup and puree 2 of the cans). You can also let it simmer longer and get very thick for a terrific bean dip or burrito filling! This soup also freezes well, although we usually never have any left over to freeze!

Black Bean Soup

1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped (or use 1 1/2 cups TJ's Freshly Diced Onion)
1 clove crushed garlic, or 1 cube frozen Crushed Garlic
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin
2 (15-oz) cans black beans (do not drain)
1 cup (half a jar) of your favorite salsa, such as TJ's Chunky Salsa
2 Tbsp lime juice (juice of 1 lime)
Plain yogurt or sour cream (optional)

1. In a medium pot, add the olive oil and sauté the onions until they are soft and translucent.
2. Add cumin and garlic, sautéing for an additional minute.
3. Pour in black beans (including juices), salsa, and lime juice. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Simmer covered for 20 minutes.
4. When serving the soup, top with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Hands-off Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Makes 4 hearty servings, Calories per serving: 280, Fat per serving: 6.9 g, Protein per serving: 10.9 g (not including sour cream)

Panettone Bread Pudding and French Toast

Wona Miniati — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 19:47:00 GMT

Panettone is a traditional Italian sweet bread that is served during Christmas and New Year. It's a fluffy sweet bread studded with candied fruit. And it makes for fabulous bread pudding and French toast this time of year.

My local Trader Joe's sold out of the boxes of cylindrical panettone a couple of weeks ago. If you don't already have one, fear not -- Trader Joe's also has loaves of panettone bread that look like raisin bread, sliced like regular sandwich loaves. You can use this instead for either recipe. In fact, I prefer using the presliced panettone bread for French toast because it's a bit firmer and easier to work with. It won't break apart as easily as traditional panettone when it gets wet.

I decided to up the holiday flavors in the bread pudding by using eggnog. Because both the panettone and eggnog are sweet, I opted not to add any other sugar in the bread pudding. But if your tooth is sweeter than mine, you could add a little sugar into the custard mixture.

And with these recipes, we officially close out 2009. Happy New year!

Panettone Eggnog Bread Pudding Recipe

1 (750g) loaf panettone
5 eggs
4 cups eggnog
1 tsp vanilla

1. Cut panettone into 1-inch cubes. You should end up with about 12 cups of bread.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs. Add in eggnog and vanilla and blend well. Toss in bread cubes until all pieces are coated.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Let the bread pudding mixture sit to soak in liquids further.
4. Lightly grease 12 ramekins, a muffin tin, or a 9x13" baking dish. Pour in bread pudding mixture. Place pan into a larger pan and pour boiling water into the outer pan, being careful not to get water into the bread pudding. This is a water bath and will ensure that the bread pudding cooks evenly without drying out.
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes if making individual pieces, or 50-60 minutes if using a large pan. Cook until bread pudding puffs and top is lightly browned. Sprinkle powdered sugar on top, if desired. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Serves 12

Panettone French Toast Recipe

6 slices panettone bread
3 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
Pinch of salt
Mascarpone cheese for topping (optional)

1. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, vanilla, and salt.
2.In a cast-iron skillet or other non-stick skillet, heat a tsp or two of oil over medium-high heat. Add an optional tab of butter for extra flavor. Soak bread in the egg mixture, letting bread soak in the liquid on each side. Place soaked bread in the skillet. Add another piece or more if there's room.
3. Cook 3-4 minutes on each side until golden. For a traditional Italian flavor, serve topped with mascarpone cheese. Or serve with maple syrup, whipped cream, or fresh berries.

Makes 6 slices

Pomegranate Cocktail and 10 Best Wine Deals at Trader Joe's

Wona Miniati — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 23:02:00 GMT

Holidays are a great time for festive cocktails like this one. Pomegranate seeds make a colorful and edible garnish that dance to the top of each glass.

For a non-alcoholic version, use mineral water (plain or lemon-flavored) instead of champagne. Or, use straight sparkling pomegranate juice garnished with pomegranate seeds. It's a great option for kids -- now they can have their own drinks that look just like the adult version! To make things even easier, Trader Joe's sells pomegranate seeds preshelled and ready to go -- no need to struggle with the whole fruit.

If cocktails aren't your thing, Trader Joe's is well-known for their terrific wine selection. For great wine buys, check out Jason's Trader Joe's Top 10 wine list, just updated this week with best value wines < $10 at Trader Joe's. Jason is a wine blogger and connoisseur, known for finding wines that deliver great value to the wallet and the palate. The first 3 wines in Jason's list are shown below. For the full list, check out Jason's Top 10 Wine List.

1. 2007 Trentatre Rosso ($6) – A wine that has grown on me with every bottle. I am now smitten with this well balanced effort that offers a very nice finish to boot. Supplies are waning and I’ve been grabbing every bottle I can find…

2. 2007 Rabbit Ridge Allure de Robles ($5) – If my readers haven’t emptied stores of this one by now you may still have a chance to get some. The only reason this didn’t make the top spot is the high ABV%. That said, I just grabbed another case of this a few days back. Fantastic stuff!

3. 2008 Sauvignon Republic Stellenbosch Sauvignon Blanc ($7) – I’ve yet to try the Marlborough (91 points from the Wine Spectator) or the Russian River but already stocked up on all three. Pretty soon I intend to do a blind tasting of the lot. Can I pick out the differences in terroir? Stay tuned!

Continue reading more of Jason's tips on his blog.

Hope these drink suggestions come in handy as you prepare to ring in the New Year!

Sparkling Pomegranate Cocktail Recipe

6 tsp refrigerated fresh Pomegranate Seeds
1 bottle champagne or sparkling wine, chilled
1 cup Just Pomegranate juice, chilled

1. Put 1 tsp pomegranate seeds in each cocktail glass.
2. Combine champagne and pomegranate juice in a pitcher. Pour into cocktail glasses and serve.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Serves 6

Split Pea Soup

Wona Miniati — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 16:39:00 GMT

We had a spiral ham for Christmas dinner, and whenever I bake a large ham, I make split pea soup with the leftovers. Split pea soup is one of those earthy, satisfying soups of winter. Although I usually make it with ham, you can leave out the ham and bones for a delicious vegetarian version.

I'll admit upfront that I'm veering from our rule of sharing recipes made ONLY with ingredients from Trader Joe's. You have to get the split peas elsewhere, but just about any grocer carries them. When I went to my local market, I grabbed the last bag of split peas on the shelf, so clearly a lot of people are making split pea soup this week.

I just leave the soup chunky and textured, but if you want a smooth soup, simply puree the soup in a blender or with an immersion/stick blender. You can also cook the soup in a crockpot. The longer the soup cooks, the more the peas will break down and make for a smoother soup.

Serve with some crunchy croutons or crusty bread, and it makes for a filling, inexpensive meal. It's a nice balance to all the heavy holiday meals that are popular this time of year.

Split Pea Soup Recipe

1 (16 oz) pkg green split peas
1 pkg Mirepoix (or make your own by chopping 1 onion, 2 celery ribs, and 1 carrot)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 (32 oz) carton chicken broth or vegetable broth (4 cups)
4 cups water
2 cloves garlic, crushed, or 2 cubes frozen Crushed Garlic
1 tsp oregano
Leftover ham bones and up to 1 cup chopped ham (optional)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Optional garnish - croutons, chopped ham, or parsley

1. Wash and drain peas (no need to soak).
2. In a soup pot, saute Mirepoix (onions, celery, carrot) in oil for 10 minutes or until vegetables are softened. Add broth, water, peas, garlic, oregano, ham bones, ham, salt, and pepper.
3. Bring soup to a boil, then lower heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour or until peas are tender and soup is a green color.
4. Remove bones, tearing off any ham meat to add back to the soup. Taste and add more salt if needed.

5. Soup will thicken as it stands. If you prefer a thicker soup, let stand for 15 minutes, and then reheat. Ladle into bowls and garnish with croutons, chopped ham, or chopped parsley.

Serves 8.

Variation: use 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary instead of oregano

Last Minute Holiday Party Tips!

Deana Gunn — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 17:26:00 GMT

Having a holiday get-together in the next couple of days or next week? Don't let your fun holiday party stress you out or keep you in the kitchen all night long. Take advantage of some of our easy recipes and Trader Joe's products to create fast and easy appetizers and meals. Instead of slaving over the stove, join the festivities and enjoy delicious and interesting food without breaking a sweat in the process. Here's how:

1. Plan ahead of time and shop early. A few days before the party, figure out your menu and pick up all the ingredients. Trader Joe's has great party-friendly foods from appetizers to desserts - the Trader Joe's holiday guide has some great ideas.

2. Keep drinks simple. Fancy up plain water by adding raspberries or slices of cucumber to the pitcher. Make sparkling spritzers by combining juice with sparkling water, Champagne, or Prosecco (Italian sparkling wine - the Zonin brand at TJ's is $6 and terrific). For an elegant touch, garnish the glasses with lemon slices or pomegranate seeds. There is a great selection of bargain wines from Trader Joe's. There are many good choices for $4-5/bottle. Our friend Jason at Jason's Wine Blog shared some of his favorite TJ wines under $10 with us this year.

3. Tasty appetizers. Have a great selection of appetizers including cheeses, crackers, olives, and breads. Try the Apricot Baked Brie recipe from our original cookbook (which is a steal on Amazon for $10 now), or the recent Pear Baked Brie we featured on the blog. Have you tried TJ's Grilled Artichoke Dip (in the refrigerated section)? Dump two containers into a small oven-safe baking dish, top with some crushed pecans and bake until bubbly on the edges. Yum! Other easy appetizers include the frozen Tarte d'Alsace cut into squares or puff pastry topped with savory tapenade or bruschetta. There are lots of party favorites/tips here as well in the interview we did with chef Tracy Holleran (her Soy Chorizo Stuffed Mushrooms were a hit at my house).

4. Cook ahead of time. Think of meals that you can prepare ahead of time and serve at room temperature, so you're not trapped in the kitchen worrying about timing and synchronizing dishes. Even a dish like salmon can be prepared ahead of time and served at room temperature or cold. Pair broiled salmon with peanut sesame noodles or an Asian slaw, two dishes that keep well when made ahead of time. Dishes like lasagna or roast chicken are also great because they can be prepped ahead of time and simply stuck in the oven at the right time.

5. Use inexpensive ingredients to create sophisticated meals. Pasta is an elegant yet economical way to feed a large gathering of guests. Stir in some arugula or basil, add vegetables, and complete the dish with fancier items such as pine nuts, sun dried tomatoes, or a sprinkle of goat cheese.

6. For dessert, keep things simple and concentrate on presentation. Choose a dessert you can make ahead of time such as mousse (the South Seas Chocolate Mousse in our cookbook is my go-to make-ahead dessert!), brownies, fudge, or cake. We recently covered a few easy holiday favorites here. You can also buy plenty of prepared desserts at Trader Joe's - the Blueberry Peach Panna Cotta, Rasberry Tarte, and Chocolate Ganache are highly recommended. They're excellent and affordable too. Top the dessert or individual servings with Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Stars for a festive touch. Coffee and tea are inexpensive and provide a relaxed ending to a great evening.

Here's wishing you a very happy holiday!

Deana Gunn & Wona Miniati
Cooking with Trader Joe's

Easy but Impressive Holiday Sweets

Deana Gunn — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 07:12:00 GMT

I love this time of year. The parties, the food, the festivities, and stockings hung by the fire. Trader Joe's is so much fun to shop as well with aisles of Candy Cane Joe-Joe's, Chocolate Stars, Marzipan Stollen, and Sipping Chocolate, just to name a few seasonal goodies. Today I wanted to share a few dessert ideas that we've featured in the past. They're all easy desserts that stand out with holiday flavor. Read on for an Eggnog Tres Leches cake, a rich Chocolate Truffle Trifle, and our favorite Chocolate Coffee fudge. The fudge is especially great for adding to a gift basket or taking over to someone's house - and it just takes minutes to make!

When you serve a dessert this month, "fancy up" the individual servings by placing a TJ's chocolate star or a French truffle on each piece.   It's a small touch that makes each piece really pretty.

Holiday Tres Leches Cake
**** Since we blogged about this recipe, it looks like something has changed with either the eggnog or TJ's cake formulation because the recipe no longer seems to work. Tres leches cakes are very common, so you might want to give it a try with another brand cake mix or follow a similar recipe online! ******
Eggnog is one of those mega-nostalgic drinks - it always brings back holiday memories for me and all those friends that have their secret eggnog recipes and serving tips. Another way to use eggnog is in a Tres Leches cake. It gives the cake a subtle eggnog flavor - not at all overpowering. Tres leches means "three milks" and refers to the traditional blends of milk, cream, and condensed milk that are used to saturate this cake,making it ultra moist without being soggy. The holiday version of this cake uses eggnog and rum, imbibing the cake with delicious festive flavor.

1 Box Vanilla Cake & Baking Mix
3 cups eggnog
1 Tbsp rum (such as Captain Morgan's Original Spiced Rum)

Whipped Cream Topping:
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp sugar
Cinnamon or nutmeg, optional

1)   Bake cake according to instructions. I used a 9 x 13" pan. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick and seeing when it comes out clean.
2)    Cool cake completely. For a formal presentation, flip cake onto a platter. I left it in the pan.
3)    Using a wooden skewer or chopstick, pierce 30-40 holes into cake.
4)    Mix egg nog with rum, and pour this mixture slowly over the top of the cake, allowing it to soak in through the holes.
5)    Refrigerate for 2 hours, allowing cake to absorb the liquid. Spoon liquid over cake if necessary.
6)    Whip heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add vanilla and sugar, mixing until dissolved. Spread evenly on cake.
7)    Dust with ground cinnamon or nutmeg or top with a Dark Chocolate Star and berries as shown.

Note: One thing I've noticed is that the Trader Joe's Vanilla Cake and Baking Mix doesn't release from the pan easily after baking as compared to other mixes. Make sure that you oil/butter and flour the pan before pouring in the batter. Usually it takes a little encouragement to pop it out of the pan. For this recipe, I usually leave it in the pan, but either way works.

Chocolate Coffee Fudge

This recipe is from our second (new!) cookbook "The Trader Joe's Companion." It's a delicious rich, old-fashioned fudge that just takes three ingredients and about as many minutes to make! It's a cinch with great results. The special ingredient is a touch of instant coffee. In general, a hint of coffee or espresso really enhances and intensifies the taste of chocolate.

1 14-oz can Organic Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 Tbsp instant coffee (or espresso powder)
1/2 Tbsp water
1 12-oz bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

1.) Heat the condensed milk in a heavy saucepan over medium heat.
2.) Dissolve the instant coffee in the water (it will be thick) and stir into the condensed milk.
3.) Add the chocolate chips, lower the heat, and stir until melted and smooth (don't scorch it!).
4.) Pour into a lightly oiled 8x8-inch pan. Chill in fridge until set (about 2 hours).

Tip: When cutting the fudge, a plastic knife is easiest. If using a regular knife, wipe it clean in between making cuts. Then use a spatula to lift out the pieces. You can also line the pan with wax paper for easier removal of fudge.

Chocolate Truffle Trifle

A trifle is a layered dessert that is more or less the British version of an over-sized parfait. It typically consists of sponge cake or pound cake layered with fruit, cream, custard, and sometimes nuts. I tend to associate trifles with New Orleans, where I've seen chunks of cake mixed together and moistened with alcohol or syrup. You'll usually see trifle served in a large bowl, kind of like a dessert centerpiece.   There's even a special footed bowl called a trifle bowl, and you can find mini-versions of it as well if you want to present the dessert individually.

I decided to make a decadent chocolate version, made of chocolate and even more chocolate, with a hint of peppermint that really makes the topping sparkle. A trifle is not usually made of chocolate, but no harm in exploring uncharted dessert territory. The layers start off with a moist brownie full of gooey chocolate bits, followed by rich Belgian chocolate pudding, and finally topped with whipped cream hiding chunks of dark chocolate peppermint bark.

1 box Brownie Truffle Baking Mix
1 container refrigerated Belgian Chocolate Pudding
1 cup heavy cream
3-5 oz Peppermint Bark, coarsely chopped with a knife

1)    Bake brownie mix according to package instructions. Let cool.
2)    Whip heavy cream until soft peaks form. Stir in peppermint bark pieces.
3)   Serve either in a large bowl or in individual cups. Make a brownie layer on the bottom, followed by pudding, and top with the whipped cream mixture.
4)    Optional: garnish with Peppermint Bark, as shown.

Baked Brie: What's not to love?

Deana Gunn — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 06:28:00 GMT

Baked Brie is a favorite special treat in our household. I love it , my young kids love it, and it's always a hit with guests. My go-to recipe is the "Apricot Baked Brie" that appears in our cookbook, but I haven't yet met a variation of melted Brie that I haven't liked. I've had it topped with preserves (apricot and raspberry are my favorites), nuts, wrapped in puff pastry, topped with chutney or a sprinkle of curry powder, sweet or savory. Served simply with crackers, crusty bread, or apple slices, it truly must be one of the world's easiest and tastiest appetizers.

Trader Joe's has a wonderful selection of soft and creamy Brie cheeses. This time of year they also have their Brie wheels in addition to their usual wedges. If you like the idea of brioche-wrapped Bries with near-zero-effort, Trader Joe's has three variations ready to go: En Croute (plain); Cranberry, Apricot, Almond, & Brandy; and a savory Mushroom & Chive. Experimenting with your own baked Brie variations is almost as easy!

The recipe featured here today comes from one of our readers, Stephanie, and it has become one of our new favorites. Stephanie says "It’s divine and a snap to put together! Sometimes my husband and I make this just for ourselves to enjoy with a chilled bottle of white wine or champagne." Thanks Stephanie! My husband loved it as well. He commented that the lightness of the pear chunks was a terrific contract to the richness of the Brie.

Cinnamon-Pear Baked Brie

1 Brie wheel
1 jar of pears in juice
1 baguette or any crusty bread loaf from Trader Joe's fresh baked bread section
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Hazelnuts or pecan bits (optional)

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2.) Slice off the very top rind of the Brie and discard. Place Brie inside oven-proof casserole dish or on top of a cookie sheet, face up.
3.) Cut up 3-4 pear halves into big chunks and scatter overtop of Brie.
4.) Sprinkle cinnamon over top of pears, and a couple hazelnuts or pecan bits if desired.
5.) Bake in oven for 25-30 minutes or until Brie is starting to melt (ovens may vary).
6.) Remove and serve with sliced crusty bread.

Beef Stew

Wona Miniati — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 18:05:00 GMT

It is bone-chilling cold in San Francisco this week, and at times like these, I yearn for warm stews and soups. It's really comforting to warm up with a steaming bowl of stew on a cold winter night.

Marcy Rosenthal, holistic health counselor and one of our top recipe contributors, was reading my mind when she sent in her recipe for Beef Stew. Our recipes are very similar - for example, hers uses tomato paste and I use diced tomatoes; hers uses balsamic vinegar and I use red wine, etc. I loved Marcy's suggestion to use baby onions that you see in bags of white, yellow, and red, which weren't available when I originally wrote my recipe (my original version is in our new portable cookbook, The Trader Joe's Companion). And that's the great thing about stews -- they're very flexible, so I often experiment and substitute whatever vegetables and herbs I have on hand.

The other great thing about stews, and part of the reason they're popular around the globe, is that the slow cook method allows you to use inexpensive cuts of meat that would otherwise be tough. After a few prep steps, you can leave the stew unattended while it simmers and fills the kitchen with aromas. You can cook it over low heat on the stovetop, or in the oven like Marcy does. Either way, the end result will be a delicious, thick stew your whole family is sure to love.

Serve with fresh biscuits or crusty bread to mop up the wonderful gravy.

Beef Stew recipe

1 (approx 1.5 lb) pkg beef stew meat, or beef chuck cut into 1-inch cubes
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup flour
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, or 1 small can tomato paste
2 cups beef broth (use 3 cups if using tomato paste instead of diced tomatoes)
1/4 cup red wine or 1.5 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp Steak Sauce
2 cloves garlic, crushed, or 2 cubes frozen Crushed Garlic (use up to 4 cloves if you like garlic)
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs fresh thyme, or 2 tsp dried thyme
1 large onion, chopped, or 1 1/2 cups tiny onions
1 lb Teeny Tiny Potatoes, or potatoes cut into 1-inch chunks
2 carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks or 1/2 bag baby carrots
2 cups green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces, or 2 cups frozen peas (optional)
1/2 cup chopped parsley (optional)

1. If you plan to bake the stew, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Lightly salt meat and dredge in flour, shaking off excess. Sear meat in hot oil until browned, about 1 minute per side. Browning meat seals in juices, for more tender meat. Don't overcrowd the pot or you'll steam rather than brown the meat. Cook in 2-3 batches.

2. Return seared meat to pot. Add remaining ingredients (except green beans and parsley) and stir. When liquid is boiling, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 2 hours. If you prefer to bake, place covered pot in oven for 1.5-2 hours, making sure to use an oven-proof pot.

3. Add green beans during last 15 minutes of cooking to preserve crispness. For softer green beans, add during the last 30 minutes of cooking.

4. Remove from heat and remove bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Sprinkle on fresh parsley right before serving.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Hands-off cooking time: 2 hours
Serves 6

Fig & Prosciutto Roll-Ups

Wona Miniati — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 14:04:00 GMT

With holiday season parties in sight, it's nice to have easy appetizers you can count on. That's what we had in mind when we ran our holiday appetizer contest last week, and today we're sharing one of the winners.

Michelle T. sent us this classy and easy appetizer idea. We loved the contrast of flavors and textures: creamy goat cheese with crisp arugula, and sweet figs with salty prosciutto. It's an easy appetizer you can make ahead and keep in the fridge until show time.

Figs and prosciutto are a classic Italian flavor combination, fit for any celebration. For a warm version, bake figs stuffed with goat cheese or gorgonzola cheese and wrapped in prosciutto. Or use them as toppings on a gourmet pizza.

So whether you're hosting holiday get-togethers or bringing a dish to a potluck, you can impress guests with delicious and easy appetizers that take only minutes to prepare. To see other recipe winners in our holiday appetizer contest, click here for our December newsletter.

Fig & Prosciutto Roll-Ups

1 (4- or 5-oz) pkg prosciutto

1 (5-oz) pkg goat cheese, at room temperature

2 cups arugula, loosely packed

1/2 cup chopped dried figs

Black pepper

1. Lay prosciutto slices out a sheet of Saran wrap, slightly overlapping the slices until you have a rectangle of approx. 6 x 14 inches, and have it facing you in landscape orientation. (We found it helpful to use a double layer of prosciutto, since the thin layers are quite fragile.)

2. Spread goat cheese on prosciutto, being careful not to tear prosciutto. Lay arugula evenly on goat cheese, leaving a 1/2-inch border on the far long edge; this will make it easier to "seal" the log when you're done rolling. Scatter chopped figs over arugula, and sprinkle liberally with cracked black pepper.

3. Using Saran wrap, roll the prosciutto up along the long edge, pressing down to "tighten" roll up. Wrap roll in the Saran Wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.

4. Slice into 1/2 inch thick slices and serve. Serving on extra arugula leaves makes a pretty presentation.

Prep time: 15 minutes (not counting 1 hr refrigeration time afterward)
Serves: 8

Sweet Potatoes with Balsamic Maple Glaze

Deana Gunn — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 21:25:00 GMT

Roasting sweet potatoes and adding a flavorful Balsamic maple glaze is a great way to enjoy this highly nutritious root vegetable. They're so tasty, so easy to cook, and I haven't met a kid yet that doesn't love sweet potatoes.

And I wasn't kidding about sweet potatoes being nutritious - they actually rank #1 as determined by nutritionists at the Center for Science in the Public Interest. They earned the honor by being full of dietary fiber, natural sugars, vitamin C, beta carotene, and Vitamin A. Trader Joe's makes it easy to enjoy these because they carry bags of conveniently peeled and cubed sweet potatoes. TJ's also carries bags of sweet potato spears with are just perfect for making oven-roasted sweet potato fries. My kids love those and so do I.

When I do a sweet potato recipe, someone usually asks me "what's the difference between a sweet potato and a yam?" Well, it seems that what we interchangeably call a yam or sweet potato is really a sweet potato. It's a misnomer to call them yams - yams are an unrelated tuber that comes in all shapes and colors and doesn't grow in the US. 95% of yams are grown in Africa and are more starchy and dry than a sweet potato. Some yams apparently can grow to 6 feet tall. You certainly can find yams here in international markets, but what you're commonly used to eating is a sweet potato. The Department of Agriculture now requires that anything (incorrectly) labeled a yam to also be labeled as a sweet potato. If you want to delve into the heated yam vs. sweet potato controversy, you can see photos and a comparison chart here. And of course, none of them are even potatoes, but we won't go there...!

Sweet Potatoes with Balsamic Maple Glaze

1 2-lb bag Cut Sweet Potatoes (or cut your own into 3/4-1 inch cubes)

5 Tbsp peeled and minced shallots (~3 shallots)
3 Tbsp vegetable oil, divided
3 Tbsp maple syrup, divided
2 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper

1.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2.) In a medium bowl, toss the sweet potatoes with 2 Tbsp oil and 2 Tbsp maple syrup until well coated. Spread the sweet potatoes on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Make sure they are spread out well so that they roast evenly.
3.) Roast sweet potatoes in oven for 20-25 minutes, giving a toss halfway through. Roast till fork-tender.
4.) While sweet potatoes are in the oven, saute the shallots in a small saucepan with 1 Tbsp oil until shallots are soft. Add Balsamic vinegar and the remaining 1 Tbsp maple syrup. Simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes until sauce is slightly reduced and thickened. Remove from heat.
5.) Remove sweet potatoes from oven and transfer to medium serving bowl. Drizzle with the sauce and toss to coat.

Serves 4-6

Win Autographed Cookbooks in our Holiday Recipe Contest

Deana Gunn — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:16:00 GMT

As we gear up for holiday parties and festivities, our thoughts are on delicious dips, savory spreads, tasty bites, and finger foods. We thought it would be fun to hear your favorite appetizer or hors d'oeuvre recipes, using Trader Joe's ingredients. We'll pick three winners and share the recipes in our December newsletter. Hurry and send them in!

THE CONTEST: Simply email us your favorite appetizer or hors d'oeuvre using Trader Joe's products. Send entries to contest@cookingwithtraderjoes.com

THE DEADLINE: Get cooking! Entries must be received by this Saturday, December 5, 2009 at midnight.

THE PRIZE: Three lucky winners will each receive both a signed copy of "Cooking with All Things Trader Joe's" and a signed copy of "The Trader Joe's Companion." If you want, we'll even personalize them - great for gift-giving or for yourself.

The Fine Print
1) Recipes must be your original creation. Recipes become the property of Cooking with Trader Joe's.
2) Ingredients for recipes must be available at Trader Joe's stores.
3) All recipes must be received by midnight PST December 5, 2009.
4) Winner must reside in the United States and provide physical mailing address for shipment.
5) Recipes and suggestions will be judged on taste, originality, ease of preparation and appearance.

For that Trader Joe's Fan on your gift list...

Deana Gunn — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 05:09:00 GMT

If you've ever seen someone in the Trader Joe's parking lot, assembling a gift basket on the hood of their car, it just might have been me on the way to a holiday party. It's one of the easiest gifts to put together, it's affordable, and it's always happily received. Who wouldn't love a basket filled with Trader Joe's gourmet goodies? It's a perfect do-it-yourself holiday gift, client gift, hostess gift, or housewarming gift.

The great thing about giving a Trader Joe's gift basket is that you can customize it however you like. Fill it with chocolate-themed products for your chocoholic friend, herbal teas and biscotti, or perhaps a margarita kit complete with pomegranate limeade, margarita mix, limes, tequila, and triple sec. You can always add extras, for example a lime squeezer into the margarita basket or a pair of mugs into a basket filled with Sipping Chocolate or teas. Visit our Amazon store to see some of our other must-have kitchen items.

And of course, yes, our very favorite extra is to add one of our Trader Joe's cookbooks to the basket! At one of our bookstore signings, a customer told me that she was giving Trader Joe's baskets as gifts this year - she was filling the basket with our cookbook and all the ingredients for one recipe, the "Peanutty Sesame Noodles" recipe. Cute idea! If you don't want to do a basket, another easy gift idea is to fold up a few colorful Trader Joe's reusable shopping bags (~ $1 each), put the cookbook on top, and tie it all together with a pretty ribbon. Our cookbooks are available at bookstores everywhere (Barnes & Noble, Borders, independents) or on Amazon.

Here are some tips on making a fun, modern gift basket come together perfectly and easily.

1.) Start with a simple basket sized for the amount of goodies you're planning on getting. Some Trader Joe's stores carry gift baskets now and then. For most of last year, my store carried nice square baskets in three sizes, making it very convenient to throw together a gift basket on the go. You can also pick up inexpensive gift baskets at stores like Michael's or recycle baskets that you may have received in the past.
2.) Go to Trader Joe's and pick out your favorite goodies, themed or not.
3.) Add some crumpled kraft paper to the bottom of the basket to help lift up the items. It will make the basket look fuller if the items are propped up and visible. You can also add some raffia which will give it a nice look.
4.) Put in your items. As a general rule, taller items go in the back and shorter items go in the front.
5.) As an optional last step, use a cellophane bag to wrap it all up and add a bow if desired.

For the two gift baskets pictured here, the ingredients are listed below:

Asian Express:
"Cooking with All Things Trader Joe's" cookbook
Rice Sticks
Soyaki
Toasted Sesame Oil
Thai Red Curry Sauce
Lite Coconut Milk
Savory Thins Sesame Crackers
Thai Lime & Chili Cashews
Jasmine Pearls Green Tea
Cookie Thins: Triple Ginger

Il Italiano:
"Cooking with All Things Trader Joe's" cookbook
Organic Spaghetti Pasta
Organic Marinara Sauce
Pesto alla Genovese (Basil Pesto)
Mushroom & Herb Risotto
Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar
Italian Roast Coffee
Toscani Biscotti with Almonds
Bottle of wine

Want to see a quick demo on how it's all put together? Wona recently did a TV segment on assembling gift baskets. Take a look! Just a note that we don't sell or ship the gift baskets ourselves - they're a do-it-yourself!

After Thanksgiving Turkey Soup

Wona Miniati — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 17:23:00 GMT

My in-laws have a tradition of making a huge pot of turkey soup the day after Thanksgiving. It's a great way to use every last bit of the bird, and you'll have enough to freeze several batches to enjoy throughout the winter months. Our kids love Nonno's turkey soup!

In addition to using up leftover turkey, you'll also use up any leftover vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, green beans, potatoes, yams, butternut squash, corn, or whatever else was served with the turkey. You can even stir in leftover stuffing for a thicker soup.

The main time-consuming part is boiling the turkey bones to create rich stock. Boiling the bones for hours may seem daunting, but it's the only way to get that true depth of flavor that you simply can't get out of a box or can. It's worth it, we promise! And especially after all the gorging on Thanksgiving day, it's nice to balance it out with a light meal of turkey soup and fresh salad.

So while you're recovering from Thanksgiving food coma, put a pot ofturkey soup on the stove while you relax on the couch or get an earlystart on holiday decorating.

After Thanksgiving Turkey Soup

1 leftover turkey carcass
4 qts (16 cups) water or chicken broth
1 pkg Poultry Blend, or any blend of rosemary, thyme, sage or sage, tied together with twine
2 bay leaves
1 pkg Mirepoix (or chop up 1 onion, 3 carrots, and 2 ribs of celery)
3 cloves garlic, crushed, or 3 cubes frozen Crushed Garlic
1/2 cup uncooked wild rice, brown rice, barley, or other grains
4 cups leftover vegetables, cut into bite size pieces (such as Brussels sprouts, potatoes, yams, green beans, butternut squash)
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Break turkey carcass into pieces so that it fits in a large pot or Dutch oven. Cover with water or broth. Using broth will yield a richer tasting soup. I used half water, half broth. Add herbs and bring to a boil. If you don't have fresh herbs, you can use 1 tsp each of dried herbs. If you are using just water, add 1 tsp salt. When water is boiling, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 2 hours.
2. Optional step: you can refrigerate the broth, which makes any fat in the broth rise to the surface, for easy removal with a spoon. I found that I didn't have much fat at all, since I didn't throw in any skin with the carcass. However, if you want to make sure every last bit of fat is removed, you can take this step. I did do this with the juices that came out of the turkey while roasting, and after removing the fat, added the fat-free juices to the pot for the soup.
3. Remove carcass using a slotted spoon or tongs. Allow to cool. While carcass is cooling, add Mirepoix and rice to the soup and continue cooking. If you're using raw vegetables instead of leftovers, you can add them to the soup at this point. Pick meat off carcass and tear into bite size pieces. You'll have about 3-4 cups of meat. If you don't, and want more, you can add leftover turkey meat. Add this meat into the soup and continue cooking about 45 minutes longer.
4. Add cooked leftover vegetables and simmer for 10-15 minutes until heated through. Remove from heat and add salt and pepper to taste.

If freezing, allow soup to cool completely before placing into containers or Ziploc bags for freezing.

Variation: For an Italian turkey soup, use red peppers and zucchini for the vegetables, add some beans, and use pasta instead of rice (add the pasta during the last 10 mintues of cooking so it doesn't overcook).

Prep time: 20 minutes
Hand-off cooking time: 3 hours
Serves 16

No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake

Wona Miniati — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:07:00 GMT

If you're looking for a twist on the traditional pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving, try this quick, easy, and light pumpkin cheesecake. It's a great no-bake option for those who don't have double ovens at their disposal.

We start with gingersnap cookies for the crust. Trader Joe's has both regular gingersnaps (their Triple Ginger cookies - made with fresh ginger, powdered ginger, and crystallized ginger - are sinfully addictive!) as well as a gluten-free variety. A tasty variation from regular graham cracker crust. Most stores sell ready-made graham cracker crusts, so you can save a little time by going that route, and then this recipe is truly no-bake (we fudged a bit, as the crust does need a little pre-baking if you're making it yourself).

To crush cookies, place them in a large Ziploc bag, break into pieces by lightly hammering with the end of a rolling pin, and then roll into crumbs. The gingersnap cookies are firmer than graham crackers, so really use some elbow grease to break up the cookies. You can also pulverize them in the food processor or blender.

The filling is made with just 1 block of cream cheese, instead of most cheesecake recipes that use 3 or even 4 blocks of cream cheese! As a result, this filling is light and airy compared to the dense texture of traditional cheesecake. I actually prefer this light version and don't feel as guilty eating it. You can use neufchatel or light cream cheese if you prefer.

Pumpkin Butter, available only seasonally at Trader Joe's, has all the spices you need for this pie. In fact, just mixing Pumpkin Butter and cream cheese makes a great filling for mini tarts or turnovers. We added sour cream and pumpkin puree to make this easy and delicious cheesecake filling.

Finally, the whipped topping is optional. If you can go the extra mile and whip your own cream, it's a luxurious treat that really makes this dessert shine. We used maple syrup to lightly sweeten the cream, and the maple flavor is a terrific complement to the pumpkin filling.

You can make this dessert a couple of days ahead and keep it in the fridge. Just before serving, sprinkle extra crushed gingersnap cookies or graham crackers for a rustic-looking garnish.

No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake

Filling:

1 jar Pumpkin Butter

1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened at room temp

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 cup sour cream

Crust:

1 1/2cups finely crushed gingersnap cookies or graham crackers

6 Tbsp butter, melted

Optional topping:

Whipped cream

Extra gingersnaps/graham crackers or pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (this is just for the crust).

2. Mixcrushed cookies and butter to make crust. Press into a 9" pie pan,pressing up the sides to form a crust. If you don't have enough crustmixture, add more crushed cookies.

3. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and turn oven off, as the rest of the pie isn't baked.

4. Mix pumpkin butter, cream cheese, pumpkin puree, and sour cream until well combined. Pour into pie crust.

5.Chill for at least 2 hours or overnight. If desired, top with whippedcream and extra crushed gingersnap cookies or candied pecans. For aneven more luscious topping, make maple whipped cream by whipping 1 cupheavy cream + 1/4 cup maple syrup.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes (for the crust)
Serves 8

Roasted Turkey Breast with Cranberry Apple Stuffing

Wona Miniati — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:44:00 GMT

If you're cooking for a smaller gathering this Thanksgiving, Trader Joe's pre-stuffed turkey breasts are just perfect. They can easily feed 6 people and make a gorgeous, impressive presentation with cranberry-jeweled stuffing in the center.

Grab this turkey, add aside of vegetables, and dinner is done! If you go this route, we demand that you sear the outside first. Do not just toss it in the oven like the package instructions say, or you'll end up with a dried-out hunk of meat. Repeat: Do not just follow the package instructions! I tried this the first time. I was on autopilot just following instructions, and before I knew it, I had a seriously dried-out turkey. The only way to salvage it was to dice it up and make soup with it.

As I stood there scratching my head, wondering what went wrong, I realized I had forgotten my cardinal rule of roasting when there's no bone or skin to protect meat: sear first! Searing the outside forms a protective layer that locks juices in and keeps meat from drying out. It also gives the outside a mouthwatering golden color that you can't get from simply baking. So please, I beg you to take a few extra minutes to sear the outside before baking.

Look for pre-stuffed turkey breast in the raw meat section of the store. It's a great dinner option for an intimate gathering.

Roasted Turkey Breast with Cranberry Apple Stuffing

1 (approx 3 lb) Turkey Breast with Cranberry Apple Stuffing

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp butter

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Heat olive oil and butterin a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place turkey breast inskillet (leaving trussing yarn on) and sear each side for 1-2 minutes,until golden brown. Taking this important step will lock in juices and ensure tendermeat.

3. Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes per pound (total cooking time will depend on size of turkey breast).

4. Let meat rest under a sheet of foil for 10+ minutes before removing yarn and slicing into rounds.

Prep time: 5 minutes

Hands-off cooking time: 60-90 minutes (varies)

Serves 6-8

Thanksgiving made easy, thanks to Trader Joe's

Deana Gunn — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:08:00 GMT

Trader Joe’s is your one stop shop for Thanksgiving. It’s easy to get overwhelmed when making a big meal, but a Thanksgiving feast really can be a stress-free and low fuss event with a little bit of planning and a few easy shortcuts from Trader Joe's. Here are our favorite Thanksgiving buys -- it was tough to keep this list short!

Turkeys! Turkeys have landed at Trader Joe’s! Last year, we tried the brined turkeys and they were juicy and delicious, receiving raves from all our guests. We like to rub the turkey with olive oil, season with salt and black pepper, and then stuff the turkey with 2 lemons cut in half, a a bulb of garlic with cloves cut in half and a few sprigs of fresh rosemary. Roast at 325˚ F until turkey reaches temperature (varies depending on size). Vegetarian? Look no further for Tofurky, also available at TJ’s.

Turkey Gravy: Trader Joe’s all-natural boxed turkey gravy is thick, rich and savory, and so convenient. Perfect for pouring over juicy turkey or using in our Shepherd’s Pie (recipe below)! Good news for those who have wheat sensitivity – no wheat ingredients used in this gravy.

Cornbread Stuffing Mix: Hearty croutons bursting with savory flavor. Serve as prepared, or add your own selections of cranberries, nuts, mushrooms, or diced sausage. We like to sauté one chopped trimmed leek (about a cup's worth) and one container sliced crimini mushrooms in 1 Tbsp olive oil and add it to the prepared stuffing.

Spiced Apple Cider: For the best smelling kitchen in the neighborhood, simmer cider in a pot with cinnamon sticks or your favorite mulling spices. Serve warm.

In the mashed potato department, you’re minutes away from fluffy white peaks of buttery potatoes. Try frozen Mashed Potatoes or boxed instant Garlic Mashed Potatoes.

Fried Onion Pieces: Perk up that boring green bean casserole or vegetable gratin with these crispy toppings. If you make a green salad or a soup, top with some fried onion pieces.

Pumpkin Pancake & Waffle Mix: Don’t forget breakfast! This delicious mix, perfect for Thanksgiving day, has been getting cheers across the country. Serve with maple syrup and pumpkin butter.

Pumpkin Butter: Use this sweet pumpkin blend to fill little tarts, stir into soups, serve on scones, add to ice cream or yogurt, fold into puff pastry turnovers, or spread on pumpkin pancakes. Try a dollop on top of Pumpkin Oatmeal. For an easy side dish, use in Harvest Glazed Carrots.

Adorable Vegetables: Who can resist Teeny Tiny Potatoes, Tri-Color Pearl Onions, or Organic Baby Sweet Potatoes. Almost too cute to eat.

Pie Crust: These convenient frozen gourmet crusts bake up flakey and delicious. Each package contains 2 crusts and this year they are boxed so that there is no unfolding involved. Fill with your own pumpkin filling using Organic Canned Pumpkin for an Old Fashioned Pumpkin Pie. For a zero-fuss ready-made dessert, try Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Tart, Honey Pecan Tart, or Baked Apple Pie. Top with some whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Fill out your recipes with Free Range Chicken Broth, TJ’s Whole Kernel Corn in the famous yellow can, Cornbread Mix, Pumpkin Bread and Muffin Mix, Organic Sweetened Condensed Milk, ready-to-use Wild Rice, and fresh whole cranberries for making your own homemade cranberry sauce.

Miso Noodle Soup

Deana Gunn — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:48:00 GMT

This week, even Southern California felt a tiny bit more brisk and temperatures finally dropped from the 70-degree days earlier this week. Working at home and feeling a bit chilled, I felt like I wanted a meal that would warm my body and soul simultaneously. I had just been reading my friend and fellow blogger Eric Gower's post here on soba noodles, and nothing sounded better than a big bowl of steaming Japanese noodle soup.

You've probably seen the boxes of Instant Miso Soup at Trader Joe's. I decided to use that as my soup base, adding shittake mushrooms, spaghetti noodles, garlic, shredded carrots, and green onion. If you have udon or soba noocles, of course you can use those, but plain spaghetti will do the job just fine. The fresh shittake mushrooms are the star here for me, turning up the volume of the umami-rich flavor of the miso soup. The layering of these flavors is what really hits the spot. Like sweet, sour, salty and bitter, umami is one of the basic tastes, very popular and well understood in Asian cooking. It's described as a savoriness. Umami-rich food is all around us - mushrooms, many cheeses, olives, capers, even bacon. Umami layers with other flavor sensations, enhancing them or contrasting with them. For example, that's the reason so many things (even sweet flavors) taste better with bacon!

Miso Noodle Soup

8 oz (1/2 pkg) spaghetti noodles
2 packets Instant Miso Soup
2 cloves garlic, crushed or 2 cubes frozen Crushed Garlic
1 cup shredded carrots (available pre-shredded at Trader Joe's)
1 (3.5 oz) pkg fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced (or substitute 1 bag TJ's Mixed Wild Mushroom Medley, hydrated per instructions)
1-2 stalks green onion, sliced lengthwise into strips or chopped.

1.) Boil noodles according to package directions, omitting the salt in the boiling water (the miso soup has plenty for me). Cook until al dente. Drain, rinse and set aside.
2.) Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, empty the contents of the soup packets into 4 cups water. Add garlic and bring to a simmer.
3.) Add carrots and mushrooms. Simmer for a few minutes until mushrooms look tender and cooked.
4.) Divide noodles between two bowls, ladle half of the soup over the noodles in each bowl and top with green onions. Serve immediately.

Serves 2 as a main meal or serves 4 smaller portions

Note: If you are vegetarian, this soup may seem like a great option at first glance, but traditional miso soup is not vegetarian. Miso soup ingredients include dashi which is a stock that contains a bit of fish flakes, and the TJ ingredients concur. You can't really taste a fishiness, but the dashi is there and adds the umami-rich taste of miso soup. If you want a vegetarian version, you can make miso soup by stirring miso paste into a vegetarian broth, or buy vegetarian miso soup packets at other grocers.

Quick Egg Scrambles: Pancetta and Asparagus

Deana Gunn — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:31:00 GMT

Last night we were running home late, and on the drive home I was thinking about what I would make for dinner that could be on the table in about 5 minutes. I remembered the fresh asparagus I'd picked up from Trader Joe's as well as the container of pancetta, cubed and ready to use. Why not combine them in a hearty egg scramble - no reason to have egg dishes limited to breakfast and brunch. The crisp-tender asparagus and the pancetta were a winning combination with the moist scrambled eggs. Some fresh multigrain bread went perfectly on the side but I think that even garlic bread would also go really well with this Italian-themed creation.

Here, I used Trader Joe's pancetta which is conveniently diced into tiny little mini-cubes. Pancetta is a cured Italian bacon but without the smoky flavor. It's terrific in egg scrambles or omelettes and it's so nice not to mess with the cutting and dicing. If you like pasta, it's a perfect (and authentic) fit with Spaghetti Alla Carbonara.

Few dishes are simpler to make than an egg scramble, and it's a great way to make use of any vegetables or leftovers you have in the fridge or freezer. Add sundried tomatoes, olives, and goat cheese, with some fresh basil sprinkled on top. Or scramble up a Mexican version with diced chorizo and red bell pepper, with salsa and cheese added on top. In the same way a pizza is limitless in creative possibilities, so are eggs.

The poor egg has been vilified in years past, mostly because of misconceptions about how blood cholesterol is affected by cholesterol in foods. Nowadays, eggs have redeemed themselves and are considered an important part of a healthy diet, in moderation. They're high in protein (just the whites have 4g of protein and only 16 calories!) They contain healthy unsaturated fats and are high in choline, which has been linked with preserving memory, and lutein and zeaxanthin, which may protect against vision loss. If you do have special considerations regarding cholesterol (such as diabetes), you can use less yolks or just the whites in many recipes. Here's just a sampling of some other egg-cellent recipe ideas. Eggs have the starring role in quiche (check out our Leek and Parmesan Quiche or our SImply Quiche recipes), Huevos Rancheros, sweet and savory Summer Squash Strada, or the easy Egg Muffin Breakfast Sandwich. If you have a little more time, take a look at our favorite Egg Salad (great in pita sandwiches) or Spinach Timbales (straight out of the 1950's). And if you like your eggs in the shape of Hello Kitty (no, we're not kidding) you might want to learn about Japanese Molded Eggs, which are very popular with our kids!

Pancetta and Asparagus Scramble

The trick to cooking moist eggs is to cook them slowly over low or medium heat. Cooking them quickly over high heat is really only good for creating a chewy futuristic polymer - it makes eggs very rubbery. I didn't add salt to this dish because the pancetta has plenty for me, but you may want to check the seasonings and adjust to your tastes. Serve with bread or plate over a bed of greens such as spinach or a spring mix.

8 eggs
1 (4-oz) container Pancetta minicubes
A dozen slender stalks of asparagus, cut into 1-2 inch lengths
Black pepper to taste
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan to sprinkle on top, optional

1.) In a medium bowl, add the eggs and whisk until combined. Set aside.
2.) In a skillet or omelette pan over high heat, add a drizzle of olive oil and the pancetta cubes, and give a stir. Very little oil is necessary as the pancetta will provide some. Add the asparagus and continue sauteeing for a couple of minutes until the pancetta begins to look crisp.
3.) Reduce the heat to low and pour in the eggs slowly. Move the eggs around until they are just cooked, moist, creamy, and tender. I usually remove the pan from the burner near the end and let the residual heat of the pan finish the cooking. Add pepper to taste.

Serves 4

Pumpkin Oatmeal

Wona Miniati — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:04:00 GMT

We always have a lot of pumpkin on our hands after Halloween. I like roasting pumpkin seeds with some olive oil, cumin, and salt for a crunchy snack or topping for salads or vegetables. Then I'll steam and puree the pumpkin flesh and make large batches of pumpkin bread, stir pumpkin into chili or black bean soup, and savor warm pumpkin oatmeal on chilly mornings.

Pumpkin is one of the most nutritional fruits available year-round. Sidebar: did you know pumpkin is actually a fruit, not a vegetable? The rule is -- if it has seeds, it's a fruit. So technically, these are all fruits: cucumbers, tomatoes, squash, zucchini, bell peppers, green beans. But modern society refers to all these fruits as vegetables.

Getting back to our friend the pumpkin, there are so many reasons to eat pumpkin as much as possible. It is low in fat and calories, and packed with antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins C and E. It boosts immunity, reverses skin damage, and reduces the risk of heart disease. Both the seeds and flesh are highly nutritious, so take advantage of the plentiful pumpkins this time of year. And when the season is over, go for canned pumpkin as well. It's one food item that is just as nutritious canned as fresh.

We'd love to hear other ways you use pumpkin, so please share favorite pumpkin ideas by commenting below!

Pumpkin Oatmeal

1/2 cup old-fashioned oatmeal
1 cup milk or soy milk
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or more if you like more spice)
Dash of salt
1 Tbsp chopped nuts
1 Tbsp dried cranberries
Honey or maple syrup to taste

1. Place milk, oats, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Remove from heat and place in bowl. Stir in nuts and cranberries. Sweeten with honey or maple syrup to taste.

Serves 1

Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce

Wona Miniati — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:42:00 GMT

A friend once joked that all food tastes better on a stick. I haven't done any formal tests, but I suspect he may be onto something.

Grilled chicken is healthy but can get tiring. Slice them into strips and thread them onto skewers and voila! Instant fun. There's nothing boring about chicken on a stick.

I made these for a large party last week and served them at room temperature to make it easy on myself. They're phenomenal straight off the grill too, of course. I served them with the peanut sauce below and also with our Cucumber Yogurt Dip (or Raita) from our cookbook. They both made excellent dips for this flavorful chicken satay.

The trick to juicy grilled chicken is to marinate the meat and grill at high temperature for just a few minutes. If you don't want to heat the grill or broiler, you can also pan-fry. Don't overcook the chicken, or it will dry out.

Leftovers, if you have any, can be de-skewered, cut up into pieces, and substituted for cooked chicken in any of our recipes. Chicken Curry Pitas in our cookbook comes to mind as a great way to use any leftovers.

Chicken Satay
1 lb chicken tenders, or chicken breast cut into strips
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 Tbsp peanut butter
1 tsp curry powder
2 cloves garlic, crushed, or 2 cubes frozen Crushed Garlic
2 tsp soy sauce
Wooden skewers, soaked in water for 15 minutes or more

1. Combine coconut milk, peanut butter, curry, garlic, and soy sauce in large glass bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.
2. Preheat grill, broiler, or fry pan. Thread chicken strips onto soaked bamboo skewers.
3. Grill for 2-3 minutes per side or until done. Cooking time will vary depending on thickness of chicken.
4. Serve with Thai Peanut Sauce (recipe below).

Thai Peanut Sauce
1 cup coconut milk
2 Tbsp peanut butter
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp curry powder
1. Place all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. Remove from heat and cool before serving. Sauce will thicken as it cools.

Serves 4

Mashed Boo-Tatoes and other Halloween ideas

Wona Miniati — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:37:00 GMT

Earlier this week, we made Halloween finger foods like hot dog mummies and witch fingers using crescent roll dough and puff pastry. The fun continues with even more Hallowen-themed foods that should spruce up any party!

First are Mashed Boo-Tatoes, a really cute side dish idea from Martha Stewart. Trader Joe's sells frozen mashed potatoes, or you can make your own. Simply "pipe" out ghosts using a piping bag if you're fancy, or just make your own using a Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off. For these, you'll want to cut a fairly generous hole, about 1/2" in diameter. Squeeze out the mashed potatoes, lifting the bag as you go along to create an upright ghost. You can wet your fingers and create a pointy head if it doesn't form naturally. Black sesame seeds are the perfect size for eyes.

Also shown here are little pumpkin shaped mashed butternut squash, or you could also use mashed sweet potatoes, yams, or pumpkin. Pipe out a ball of squash, and decorate with pecan pieces for stems and herbs such as dill, cilantro, or parsley for leaves. Serve with our Turkey Mini Meat Loaves.

Cobweb Guacamole is super easy using pre-made guacamole and sour cream. Place sour cream in a Ziploc bag and snip off a small corner for the webbing. Pipe out cobweb design. Since guacamole turns brown, you don't really want to make this ahead of time. Serve with your favorite quesadillas for a fun Halloween meal.

Finally, end the meal with these cute Halloween Cupcakes. Deana made these for a Halloween party yesterday and they were an absolute hit. The butter cream frosting recipe is from the Magnola bakery: www.recipelink.com/cookbooks/2005/0743246616_4.html. Or you could use lightly sweetened whipped cream for a lighter version. Remember to let cupakes cool completely before frosting, or the frosting will melt!

Garnish ideas, pictured from left to right:
1) Halloween confetti with chocolate covered sunflower seeds. We love these because they are colored using natural foods such as spinach, turmeric, and beets.
2) Ghost faces. Use chocolate chips in 2 different sizes for eyes and mouth.
3) Mummy faces. Use dollops of icing and then chocolate chips nestled on top for the eyes.
4) Pumpkin Gummies using Ghoulie Tummy Gummies, gummy candy from Trader Joe's.

Happy trick or treating!

Halloween Finger Foods

Wona Miniati — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:59:00 GMT

Halloween is this weekend, and we've gathered some fun finger food ideas for you. These are easy appetizers you can make ahead of time, and they're a real hoot for kids and adults alike. Shown here are Halloweenie Mummies, Spooky Fingers, and Poofy Pumpkin Puffs.

You can use puff pastry, which is available seasonally at Trader Joe's. I checked and my Joe's doesn't have it in stock yet; they expect to get it in next month. But most grocers these days carry puff pastry in the freezer case. Or, use refrigerated crescent roll dough from any grocer. In fact, the mummies work better with crescent roll dough than puff pastry.

You can take these ideas and modify them in endless ways. For example,instead of using dough for the fingers, you could use string cheese and"glue" fingernails made with vegetables onto the cheese with cream cheese; no baking required. I happened to have pumpkin-shaped cookie cutters for the pumpkin puffs, but you could use other Halloween themed shapes such as bats, ghosts, etc. and use a different filling, such as jelly or Cranberry Apple Butter. We encourage experimentation and creativity!

Halloweenie Mummies
Adapted from Pillsbury

Hot dogs
Crescent roll dough (or puff pastry sheets)
Mustard

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cut dough into 1/2 inch strips. Wrap "bandages" around hot dog to cover entirely. Spread open a gap near one end for the "eyes". I cut the hot dogs in half to create mini-mummies and used 3 strips per mummy.
3. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
4. Cool for a few minutes then add dots of mustard for eyes.

Spooky Fingers
Adapted from Taste of Home

Crescent roll dough (or puff pastry sheets)
Almonds (whole or sliced)
Egg white

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cut dough into finger-sized strips. If using puff pastry, mush the dough a bit between your fingers to create a more realistic finger shape, else you'll end up with sharp-edged rectangles. Use egg white to glue almonds onto the tips.
3. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Poofy Pumpkin Puffs
Adapted from Martha Stewart

2 puff pastry sheets
1/3 cup Pumpkin Butter
4 oz cream cheese, softened (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix pumpkin butter and cream cheese. Set aside.
2. Use cookie cutters to cut dough into desired shapes. If making pumpkins, score ridges using a sharp knife.
3. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool.
4. Split open each pastry and spread with filling. You can fill with plain Pumpkin Butter if desired, or any other filling.

Our big announcement: It's here! It's here!

Deana Gunn — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:50:00 GMT

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!

Chicken in Pomegranate and Walnut Sauce

Deana Gunn — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 04:33:00 GMT

I love seeing all the fresh pomegranates this time of year. My Trader Joe's store has has overflowing bins of them stocked for the last couple of weeks, and it reminded me of a unique and delcious dish I've been meaning to blog about for a while now. Yes, yes, I know it's not the most photogenic dish I've ever made, and I hope you'll look beyond that, but it's hard to style most brown sauces and stews. The base of this dish combines ground walnuts and pomegranate juice to create a sauce that is rich with a multi-layered sweet and tangy flavor. Think about all those mouthwatering sweet-and-sour flavors most of us love. Usually made with chicken or duck, it's a classic Persian dish named "fessenjan," and it has pretty broad appeal. My husband (Scottish bred Southern boy) claims it as one of his favorite meals, served over plain basmati rice with a little plain yogurt on the side.

If you're a vegetarian, fret not, because there's also a traditional vegetarian version of fessenjan that uses butternut squash instead of the chicken. Simply substitute an equivalent amount of cubed butternut squash, about 12-16 oz (available peeled and cubed at TJ's) for the chicken. Brown the squash in the pan with the onions and add to the walnut/pomegranate mixture in the pot as described below.

Buy an extra pomegranate at TJ's and use the ruby-red jewel-like seeds (called arils) as garnish. The whole aril is edible - the juicy outer pulp as well as the inner hard seed. When I was little I would sit and patiently remoe all the arils into a bowl and then eat the whole thing with a spoon. Another trick that I learned from my grandfather is to take a whole pomegranate and roll it firmly on a table or countertop with enough pressure from the palm of your hand to cause the arils inside to burst and release their juice. You'll hear them popping as you press and roll. The skin of a pomegrante is leathery and thick enough to withstand it. When you feel like you've burst as many of the arils inside and the pomegranate feels soft, bite a small hole in the side of the pomegranate and drink up all the juice. My kids LOVE doing this - it's like nature's juice box!

For more pomegranate recipes, take a look at our Sparking Pomegranate Cocktail, and as you get ready for Thanksgiving season, don't forget our Cranberry Pomegranate Sauce.

Chicken in Pomegranate and Walnut Sauce

1 bag (12 oz) Organic Raw Walnuts
1 small (or 1/2 medium) yellow onion, sliced thinly
1 1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil, divided
2-3 chicken breasts
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/3 cups 100% Pomegranate juice (also sold as "Just Pomegrante" juice at TJ's)
1 Tbsp sugar
Optional garnish: Pomegranate seeds (removed from the fruit, or often available in a container near the refrigerated prepped fresh fruits)

1.) In a food processor, grind the walnuts into a coarse meal (in my food processor, this takes 10-15 seconds).
2.) Drizzle the chicken breasts with about 1/2 Tbsp oil and sprinkle with salt. Heat the remaining oil in a pan over medium-high heat and add the onions and chicken. Brown chicken for a few minutes on either side, lowering heat if onions start to burn.
3.) While the chicken is cooking, place the ground walnuts in a pot over medium heat and stir continuously, allowing the walnuts to heat and slightly toast. (No additional oil is necessary since the walnuts have plenty of their own.) Do this until the aroma of the walnuts is released, about 5 minutes.
4.) Add the pomegranate juice and sugar, stirring until combined well. Don’t worry if the sauce is somewhat mauve colored at first---it will be brown and thick when finished. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to low.
5.) When chicken is nicely browned on both sides (but likely still raw in the middle) add the chicken to the pot and submerge in the sauce. Cover, allowing it to cook for about 30 minutes, stirring every once in a while to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pan. Allow the onions to remain in the pan over lowest heat to caramelize, removing from the heat once they have done so. Near the end of the cooking time, use a fork and knife to tear each piece of chicken into 3 or 4 smaller pieces and continue to cook in the pot.
6.) When serving, garnish with the caramelized onions and a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds. Serve over steamed basmati rice.

Serves 4

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

Deana Gunn — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Spaghetti alla Carbonara exemplifies basic, amazing Italian cooking. A few ingredients come together simply, making the point that delicious elegant food doesn't have to be complicated. When I made this last night, my husband said, "wow, that looks delish and you just knocked it out in about 6 minutes."

The first time I had Carbonara was during my college days in Cambridge when I went to the Italian neighborhood in Boston called the North End. I had never heard of this traditional Italian pasta dish before then, but fell in love with it at first bite. I've heard a few explanations as to the name "Carbonara." The first is that Carbonara is named after the carbonari (charcoal sellers) who would come into the city to sell their goods. Many people say that carbonara is instead a reference to the black pepper in the dish. No matter what the story, it's a pasta dish that will please just about anyone.

The traditional ingredients are pasta, pancetta or bacon, egg, Parmesan cheese, parsley, and black pepper. Many restaurants and recipes add cream to Carbonara, but this is not authentic. Garlic is not an authentic ingredient in this dish either, though many people add it - an Italian friend told me that hey, there's a little garlic in almost everything Italian.

No cream, butter, or oil are necessary in this dish. The creamy sauce is created by the rich combination of egg yolks and cheese. Like other dishes such as Tiramisu and Caesar salad, Carbonara uses raw eggs. The egg yolk heats enough to create a creaminess but not heated so much that it scrambles. Some people fret that using the raw egg creates a risk of salmonella exposure. Salmonella contamination affects 1 in 10,000 eggs (= rare), but it's always a good call to err on the side of being too careful. I'm pretty paranoid myself, and I have a method of making Carbonara that I'm very comfortable with. When I make Carbonara, I drain the pasta quickly and within seconds (don't rinse pasta!) toss it into the egg sauce mixture, stirring it in, allowing the egg to cook on the noodles. With a food thermometer, I have measured the temp of the finished dish to be well above 170 F degrees, above the temperature for killing salmonella. If you're even more paranoid, what you can do is to blanch the whole eggs in boiling water since the salmonella is said to be on the outside of the shell. While the pasta is boiling, just use a spoon to dip the egg in boiling water for a couple of seconds, then break and remove the yolk.

With the bacon or pancetta, you have a few choices. Trader Joe's sells regular bacon, turkey bacon, or fully cooked bacon. With the fully cooked bacon, you won't have much in the way of drippings after you heat it up. With the others, you might want to drain off the drippings before adding the bacon to the dish. If you use pancetta, Trader Joe's sells 4-oz containers of mini-cubed pancetta, ready to cook and use. If you're a vegetarian, you can try to use fake bacon ("fake-on") or your favorite bacon substitute - I have to admit that even when I was a full-on vegetarian I still ate bacon because I never found a good substitute! Let me know if you know of one. You can also just saute mushrooms and use those instead.

Serve Carbonara very quickly! You don't want it cold. Carbonara conoisseurs will even serve it on heated plates to help retain the heat and creaminess of the sauce (not necessary but a nice touch!)

Spaghetti Alla Carbonara

1 lb (1 pkg) spaghetti
3-4 oz bacon or pancetta (I used TJ's fully cooked bacon)
3 egg yolks
1/3 cup Grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1/4 cup chopped Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1.) Add spaghetti to salted boiling water per package instructions.
2.) Meanwhile, using kitchen shears, cut bacon into 1-inch pieces. Heat and crisp bacon in pan.
3.) Stir together egg yolks and cheese in a large serving bowl. One Tbsp at a time, stir in about 4 Tbsp of boiling pasta water to the mixture to temper the eggs and prepare them for the hot pasta. You don't want to shock the eggs with the heat and end up scrambling them. (You want them cooked but creamy.)
4.) When pasta is done, drain and immediately add to the egg mixture in serving bowl and stir vigorously until pasta is coated. Do not wait and do not rinse the pasta before you do this step. Do it quickly so that the intense heat of the pasta will bring the raw eggs to a safe temperature.
5.) Stir in bacon, parsley, and black pepper. Serve immediately.

Serves 4-6

Note: I usually don't add salt since I find that there's enough salt from the pancetta/bacon and the cheese, as well as the salt that is introduced to the pasta during boiling. You may want to adjust to your own tastes.

Low-Fat Wide Awake Coffee Shake

Deana Gunn — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:19:00 GMT

I love the taste of coffee. Recently, I decided to make a low-fat version of a thick tasty coffee shake using Trader Joe's Nonfat Plain Frozen Yogurt. Wait, it gets better! For some added sweet crunch and bursts of coffee and chocolate flavor, I tossed some chocolate covered espresso beans into the blender. I love that addition, but if you are interested in a fat-free version of this shake, just leave out the beans.

I had seen similar shakes made by others using vanilla or coffee ice cream. However, at a whopping 600+ calories per 1 cup serving of ice cream and half of those being fat calories, it's quite a calorie commitment. The nonfat frozen yogurt at TJ's has a great sweet tang and at only 200 calories per cup and zero fat, you can freely enjoy this tasty treat. If you don't like the tang of plain yogurt or you're not a big frozen yogurt fan, you might want to opt for the ice cream version after all (just substitute an equivalent amount in the recipe and optionally throw in some ice cubes to lighten it up).

So if you need a little pick-me-up on a hot morning, after lunch, or before a late night, I think this shake will do the trick! If only Wona and I had come up with this recipe during our all-night college study sessions together...

Low-Fat Wide Awake Coffee Shake

2 cups Nonfat Plain Frozen Yogurt
1/3 cup water with 1 Tbsp instant coffee dissolved in it (or use 1/3 cup cold strong coffee, perhaps some leftover coffee)
12-15 Dark Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans (about 1/4 cup)

1.) Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. All blenders are a little different so you may have to adjust the amount of liquid to get the consistency you like.
2.) Serve immediately.

Makes 2 servings

Grilled Lentil Wraps with Spicy Tomato Chutney

Wona Miniati — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 14:36:00 GMT

If you mourned the day Trader Joe's India Relish disappeared, like I did, you'll be happy to hear that Tomato Chutney does decent job of filling that void. Lately, it seems like I'm just looking for excuses to use this bold, spicy condiment (note: it's very spicy, unlike the other chutneys Trader Joe's carries, which tend to be sweet and mild). I enjoy it in everything from curries, to scrambled eggs, and now as a dip for this warm toasted wrap.

I was tempted to call this a panini wrap, because a panini press is perfect for achieving the crisp outer crust. But the truth is that you don't really need a panini machine. I used a cast iron skillet and just placed a bag of flour (or anything semi-heavy) on the wraps to hold them down while they toasted. I've seen TV chefs suggest that you wrap a brick in foil, but who has bricks lying around in a kitchen? So if you're like me, just use a bag of flour.

What's nice about toasting the assembled wraps is that the tortillas "glue" into place when toasted. No butter or olive oil necessary; simply dry-toasting will glue the seams together. You wouldn't believe how scrumptuous wraps are when they're warm and have a crisp crunch to the outside. Another bonus is that the grilled/toasted wraps don't fall apart like regular wraps do, so they're easier for my toddler kids to eat.

You can use just about anything for the stuffing. I happened to have leftover lentils and brown rice, so I created a healthy filling using those and Swiss chard. Kefir and cheese in lieu of a cream sauce worked nicely to bind it all together. I had Kefir on hand so that's what I used, but plain yogurt or sour cream would be just as good.

If you have a milder palate, mix equal parts Tomato Chutney and yogurt, and use the mixture as a dipper. This also happens to be a terrific marinade for Tandoori Chicken.

Grilled Lentil Wraps

1 small onion, chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 pkg frozen Organic Brown Rice, cooked according to package instructions (about 2 cups)
2 cups Steamed Lentils
1 cup cooked Swiss chard or spinach
3/4 cup kefir or plain yogurt
1 cup shredded cheese
8 flour tortillas

1. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook onions for 5 minutes or until translucent.
2. Add rice, lentils, and Swiss chard. Stir until combined and remove from heat.
3. Mix in kefir and cheese.
4. Heat ungreased griddle or skillet over medium heat. Assemble wraps by placing filling in the middle and folding all sides toward the middle. Place wraps, seam side down, on hot skillet. Place a bag of flour or some other object on top to achieve the effect of a panini press. Toast for 3-5 minutes on each side until toasted brown and crispy.

Serve with Tomato Chutney

Makes 8 wraps

Nearly Instant Chicken & Roasted Pepper Quesadillas

Wona Miniati — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:13:00 GMT

Don't you love recipes where you can run into Trader Joe's, grab a few products, and then make an impressive dinner in just a few minutes? This is one of them. It comes from holistic health counselor and regular contributor to our blog, Marcy Rosenthal. She saw these flavorful chicken quesadillas demo'd at her local Trader Joe's last week and sent us the suggestion.

You need just 4 ingredients to make this meal:
1. Tortillas
2. Grilled Chicken in Chipotle Lime Sauce - fully cooked
3. Fire Roasted Bell Peppers & Onions - frozen
4. Shredded cheese

Optional: dippers and toppings such as guacamole, sour cream, or salsa

The quesadillas are really flavorful from the chipotle lime sauce, so these additional toppings aren't necessary. My kids enjoy dippers, but they tasted terrific even without the added sauces.

I hadn't seen this line of fully cooked chicken at Trader Joe's until Marcy pointed it out, and I was surprised to find that there are several flavors to pick from including: Lemon Pepper, Balsamic Vinegar & Rosemary, and the one used here, Chipotle Lime. They're shelved in the refrigerated case with Just Chicken and other fully prepared entrees.

So grab these 4 products on a busy weeknight, and enjoy a delicious meal in minutes!

Chicken & Roasted Pepper Quesadillas

1 pkg Grilled Chicken Breast Strips in Chipotle Lime Sauce
1 pkg frozen Fire Roasted Bell Peppers & Onions
4 cups Fancy Shredded Mexican Blend cheese
8 flour tortillas

1. Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat.

2. Roughly chop chicken into smaller pieces (I do this so the quesadillas are flatter and bind together better). Mix chicken and roasted peppers in a glass bowl. Microwave for a few minutes to warm chicken mixture. Drain excess juices.

3. Place tortilla in pan and place 1/2 cup chicken mixture and 1/2 cup cheese on one half of the tortilla. Fold in half. Grill for 3-5 minutes on each side, until cheese is melted and quesadillas are lightly crisp on both sides. You can also make whole quesadillas by placing another whole tortilla on top. I find the half-moon shapes easier to flip, though.

4. Serve immediately.

Note: If you'd prefer to use the oven, preheat to 350 degrees and place assembled quesadillas on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Serves 4

Tips on Freezing Foods

Deana Gunn — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 15:27:00 GMT

Do you (or have you) ever done batch freezing of meals for convenience? I recently had someone ask me about the best way to freeze servings of meals and I thought I'd share my tips here with you. I don't freeze meals very often, since I rely more heavily on quick and easy recipes, but I will occasionally make a double batch of a stew or soup and freeze some portions for later. One of my favorite recipes to freeze is our Greek Chicken Stew which freezes perfectly (freeze just the stew and then make fresh quinoa or rice when serving). It does make an easy meal when all you have to do is thaw! I also will freeze fruits (you can even use them later to make our Nearly Instant Homemade Ice Cream!). And every year, I freeze lemon juice from our tree at the end of the winter/spring citrus season so that I have plenty of lemon juice during the summer months for recipes and lemonade. This summer I planted a couple of the Trader Joe's basil plants in my garden which grew to provide some huge harvests of fresh basil that I made into pesto a few weeks ago and froze (follow the pesto recipe but don't add the cheese. Freeze. Add the cheese when you thaw and use). I know a few people who freeze cooked brown rice themselve in individual bags, but as you probably know, Trader Joe's does this for you with their wonderful Frozen Organic Brown Rice if you don't want to do it yourself.

If you have any tips of your own, I'd love to hear them!

1.) Freeze recipes such as soups and stews, sauces, casseroles, and lasagnas. Cut up fruits, such as ripe peaches, and freeze for an easy pie filling.
2.) As a general rule, don't freeze things that are cream based since the fats may separate when thawed - same goes for a cheese sauce. Potatoes (for example cubed in a soup) also tend to freeze poorly and have degraded texture when thawed. And although it may be obvious, crispy fried foods do not freeze well and become soggy after thawing.
3.) To make the most of your efforts, double or triple your recipe. Doubling or tripling a recipe doesn't take much more effort than making a single batch, and it's so much more economical money-wise and time-wise. You can enjoy the meal, and then still have plenty to freeze.
4.) Cook the food, cool it and freeze right away for best results. Don't stack packages in the freezer as you don't want to slow down the freezing time. The faster it freezes, the better the final quality. Spread out dishes in the freezer until they are frozen and then stack them.
5.) If there is only one or two of you, freeze individual portion sizes. For a family, you can freeze a whole lasagna or larger batches of meals.
6.) Freeze in freezer-safe containers or bags and make sure they are air tight. Liquids expands when frozen, so be sure to leave enough room. Make sure you label the food with contents and date so that you can keep track of what it is and how fresh it is. If you don't label it, chances are you'll forget what it is and youll be throwing it out in a couple months.
7.) Eat foods within 3 months. Frozen food can keep much longer than this, but after 3 months, the quality of texture begins to deteriorate.
8.) When ready to eat the meal, thaw it in the fridge overnight and the reheat it thoroughly before serving. Don't re-freeze leftovers!
9.) If you have babies or toddlers, puree homecooked vegetables or soups and freeze in ice cube trays. When frozen, pop the cubes into a freezer safe bag or container and label. For each meal, you can choose a couple of cubes out of each batch, warm, and have a great homemade, organic, all natural meal.
10) When lemons and limes are in season and at their peak (winter time), buy a bunch and juice them. Freeze the juice in an ice cube tray and you'll have lemon juice to use in dishes or to make lemonade throughout the summer.

TJ-inspired Indian recipes from the "Indian Martha Stewart"

Deana Gunn — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 18:40:00 GMT

I met Komali Nunna earlier this year at the LA Times Festival of Books, and I instantly fell in love with her stunning Indian cookbook as well as her warm personality. A lot of people shy away from cooking Indian food because they assume that it's either too complex or uses ingredients that are too exotic and hard to come by, but Komali really makes Indian food approachable. Her mouthwatering recipes are particularly showcased by the gorgeous photography throughout her book (and if you have our cookbook, you know how much I love photos in cookbooks!) - I can't tell you how many people have sat in my living room ooh-ing and ahh-ing over the pages of her book. I was thrilled when Komali agreed to do an interview on our blog as well as share two recipes that both use Trader Joe's ingredients! Read on for the interview and some great tips.

Deana: Komali, you've been called the "Indian Martha Stewart." What inspired you to find creative ways to entertain and what makes Indian cooking a good match for entertaining?
Komali: Indian food is a perfect combination of grains, beans, meat, vegetables and spices. It is a kaleidoscope of flavors and textures which makes it ideal for entertaining. I want to promote the health benefits of Indian spices and I want demystify Indian food. That is the inspiration for my book Entertaining From an Ethnic Indian Kitchen. This book is a product of my rich diverse experiences in India and in America. It is a fusion of Eastern philosophy and Western style.

Deana: What are your best entertaining tips - what are the secrets to throwing a successful ethnic party?

Komali: When you want to throw a great ethnic party, first know your ingredients and recipes. It will help to know the culture and traditions behind the cuisine. Do not experiment on the guests. Cook recipes that you are familiar with. Include ethnic fabrics and accessories in your décor. Entertaining with ethnic cuisine can be a cultural experience that your guests will remember forever. Most of all, entertaining is all about spending time with your family and friends and creating memories with them.

Deana: A lot of people associate exotic/global ingredients with complicated cooking. What do you say to them?
Komali: I do agree that people are intimidated by global ingredients. This is because people are not familiar with the ingredients and the cuisine. For example, it's hard to imagine that before Italian food became popular, we could never find "mascarpone cheese" in regular supermarkets. Now this cheese is available even in Wal-mart. Similarly, Indian food can become as popular as Italian food in mainstream America. Garam masala powder can be sold in all supermarkets. Indian cuisine has 5,000 years of culinary experience in their repertoire, not to mention all the health benefits of spices.

Deana: What are some easy ways to incorporate global flavors into simple, everyday cooking? Where should people start?
Komali: My book features simple dishes to elaborate dishes along with entertaining ideas. You can flavor day to day salads with cumin, ginger or turmeric. Some of the Indian flavors such as cardamom and ginger can be added to everyday tea to get that exotic flavor.

Deana: I love cardamom - we even put it in lemonade! Can you give us a primer on Indian spices? What are the top ones to have in our spice cabinet?
Komali: With Indian food, flavor comes from spices rather than from fat. Turmeric, the spice used in almost all Indian curries has anti-inflammatory properties. Diets rich in curcumin - a compound found in the spice turmeric - is also said to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. According to research, low dosage treatment of curcumin can reduce the amyloid protein ``plaques'' within the brain. That may help explain why the occurrence of Alzheimer's disease is much lower among the elderly in India compared with their Western peers. Ginger is a digestive aid. Cinnamon reduces blood pressure. The health benefits of spices in your diet goes on and on. Overall, if you want to lead a healthy long life, eat Indian food.

If you have turmeric, cayenne, coriander, cumin. fresh ginger, garlic, cilantro and limes in your pantry, you can cook Indian food in no time.

Deana: What are your favorite items at Trader Joe's?
Komali: Trader Joe’s curry sauces are great to have on hand. If you have curry sauces and naan in your pantry, you can have an Indian meal any day.

Here are two recipes from Komali using Trader Joe’s ingredients!

Handov
Handov is usually made with different legumes, which is a vegetarian favorite in India. Here you can make Handov using cornbread mix.

One 15 oz. Trader Joe’s cornbread mix
1 cup finely chopped cabbage
1 cup grated carrots
½ cup finely sliced green beans
½ cup sliced green onions, divided
1 tsp – 1 Tbsp minced green chilies
1 Tbsp finely minced fresh ginger
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk

1.) Preheat oven to 350˚ F.
2.) Mix all the ingredients together, except ¼ cup of sliced green onions. Spray 8 x 8 inch glass baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Transfer batter to the pan and sprinkle the top with reserved green onions. Bake for 35 minutes.
3.) Remove the pan from the oven. Let it rest for 15 minutes and serve.

Serves 6-8

Chole and Naan (photo at top)
Chole and naan is a scrumptious meal that can be prepared in minutes using Trader Joe’s prepared sauce and ready-made naan.

Two 15 ½ oz. cans garbanzo beans, rinsed
One 15 oz. bottle curry simmer sauce

Raw seasoning:
             ¼ cup chopped red onion
              1 tsp – 1 Tbsp finely minced green chilies
              2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
              1 Tbsp lime or lemon juice

Trader Joe’s Naan

1.) Combine garbanzo beans and curry sauce in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat. Simmer for 15 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish.
2.) Just before serving, mix raw seasoning ingredients and mix in with chole. Serve with naan.

Serves 4-6

Thanks Komali! (For more information on her or Indian cooking, visit Komali's website)

Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Sandwich

Wona Miniati — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 14:20:00 GMT

I was flipping through Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa at Home cookbook, and this sandwich caught my eye. It was just what I was looking for - an Italian themed sandwich for a picnic lunch. I served it with some colorful tomatoes, veggie chips, and fresh fruit... and voila, a gourmet lunch in a snap.

The most time-consuming part of Ina's recipe is roasting the red peppers. Not only does roasting them take 30-40 minutes, but then you have to let them cool before you peel them. Trader Joe's sells ready-to-eat jarred roasted bell peppers, and using the ready-made version cuts out more than 1 hour of prep time from this recipe. These roasted peppers taste great right out of the jar and are wonderful in all kinds of sandwiches, salads, or pasta dishes, so I always keep some on hand.

I omitted red onions that were in Ina's original recipe, because I'm not a fan of raw onions, but you can add them. If you can't get fresh basil, you could try spreading on some pesto, also available ready-made at Trader Joe's in the refrigerated section; they also have a jarred version, but we prefer the refrigerated one.

My husband, who is prone to ask, "Where's the beef?" whenever I serve a vegetarian entree, was pleasantly surprised at how satisfying this sandwich was. This is the type of fancy sandwich you'd expect to see at a gourmet cafe, and it takes just minutes to make!

Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Sandwich
Adapted from Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa at Home

For each sandwich:
Baguette or other crusty bread
1-2 pieces Fire Roasted Red or Yellow Bell Peppers
2 oz. goat cheese
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
4 fresh basil leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Slice baguette open and toast if desired.
2. Spread goat cheese on one side and balsamic vinegar on the other. Add a layer of roasted red peppers and a layer of basil leaves.
3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Close sandwich and serve.

Chocolate Lava Cake

Wona Miniati — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:21:00 GMT

Chocolate Lava Cake, or Warm Soft Chocolate Cake, is an all-time favorite dessert at our home. It is a brownie-like cake with a warm pudding-like center that oozes out when you cut into it. For chocolate lovers, this is heaven on a plate. I must have made this dessert 100+ times over the years, and every guest I've served it to has raved hysterically about it. Trader Joe's sells them in the freezer case, ready-to-heat. Just pop them in the oven for 15 minutes, and you have a decadent dessert for special occasions with no effort.

It's interesting to me that warm soft chocolate cake was invented by mistake, when a baker forgot to put flour in the cake batter. There's a lot of dispute about who actually invented this heavenly dessert, but regardless of who it was, I think it's one of the best mistakes in baking history.

My husband contends that the homemade version is far better than TJ's frozen ones, and I have to agree that the texture is superior when you make it yourself. From start to finish, it probably takes the same amount of time to heat the frozen ones (15-17 minutes) as making them yourself (7 minutes in the oven). The key difference is that with the frozen ones, you can just sit back and read a book while they're baking, so they get points for low effort. But when you read the recipe below, I think you'll agree that making them yourself isn't so hard!

Either way, I hope you enjoy trying this impressive chocolate dessert! Serve with fresh fruit and/or vanilla ice cream.

Warm Soft Chocolate Cake
Adapted from Jean-George Vongerichten

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, plus extra for buttering the molds
4 oz dark/bittersweet chocolate, preferably Valrhona **
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp instant coffee, dissolved in 1/2 tsp hot water (optional)
2 Tbsp flour, plus a little more for dusting the molds

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. Break up chocolate into 1-inch pieces in a glass mixing bowl. Cut up butter into chunks and add to the chocolate. Melt chocolate and butter over a double-boiler or in the microwave (use 30-second intervals, stirring in between) until chocolate is almost completely melted. Whisk together to distribute heat and melt final pieces of chocolate.

3. Combine eggs, egg yolks, sugar, and coffee. Pour egg mixture into melted chocolate and stir well. Add flour and stir just until combined. Do not overmix.

4. Butter 4 (4-oz) ramekins or molds, and dust with flour, shaking out excess. Divide batter evenly among the molds.

5. Place ramekins on a baking tray and bake for 7 minutes, or until the sides are set. The center will be soft and look undercooked.

6. Wait for 10 seconds before inverting molds onto serving dishes. Serve immediately.

Serves 4
Prep time: 15 minutes

** Note: Valrhona is widely acknowledged as the premium chocolate bar for bakers. If you're making this dessert for a large crowd, Trader Joe's Pound Plus dark chocolate is an acceptable substitute and offers a great value.

Warm Honeyed Figs with Goat Cheese

Deana Gunn — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 04:11:00 GMT

The sweet and tangy combination of ripe figs and goat cheese is a classic that is perfect as an appetizer or even dessert! Here in San Diego I've been enjoying the ripe figs off our trees and I noticed that Trader Joe's is also stocking fresh figs right now. They're delicious by themselves or you can take a few minutes to create a simple dish like I did here.

Did you know that there are actually two fig seasons? Figs bear a first crop of fruit (on last year's growth) in spring and a second crop (on new growth) in early fall. So usually figs appear in the markets twice a year. Take advantage of the late season harvest to make these yummy appetizers. I think they would go over well with almost anyone - the first time I made them, my kids and husband were eating them up and fighting over the last ones.

Figs spoil pretty quickly, so when you get them, plan on using them within a day or so. In this recipe, I paired them with goat cheese, but you can also pair them the same way with mascarpone cheese, also sold at Trader Joe's. If you want to take it to another level, wrap a little prosciutto around the fig/cheese combination and enjoy a taste explosion!

Warm Honeyed Figs with Goat Cheese

10-12 medium or large figs
1 tsp olive oil
1 Tbsp honey
2 oz goat cheese

1,) Cut each fig in half, from stem to end.
2.) In a skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil. Place the figs in the skillet cut side down and saute the figs for 1-2 minutes until the faces are softened, hot, and slightly caramelized. Remove from heat.
3.) Drizzle the figs with the honey and gently toss to distribute honey.
4.) Place the figs face up on a platter. The figs will be warm and the centers softened. Place a small chunk or a few crumbles of goat cheese in the center of each fig. The goat cheese will soften slightly from the heat. Serve immediately.

Serves 4-6

Note: If the figs you get are very small, you can just cut the very tops off, slice down into the tops just a little, saute, and then "stuff" with a little goat cheese.

A Dozen Things to do with Salsa (beyond chip and dip)

Deana Gunn — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 05:03:00 GMT

Salsa is fat-free, fresh-tasting, and so flavorful. There are plenty of uses for salsa beyond just eating it with tortilla chips. Watch the short video of the TV spot I did last week talking about the many uses of this versatile condiment. Read on for some ideas and add your own!

Trader Joe's has so many varieties of salsa, both refrigerated and shelf stable. There's green tomatillo salsa, double roasted salsa, chunky salsa, fruit salsa...even if you don't like tomatoes, there's corn and chile salsa! Here is just a sampling of things you can do with salsa, several of which are featured in our cookbook:

1.) Serve salsa on eggs. Stir into scrambled eggs, or create a lighter Mexican-flavored alternative to Eggs Benedict by taking English muffins and topping with poached eggs, guacamole, and salsa. Serve on corn tortillas for Huevos Rancheros.

2.) Use salsa in place of pizza sauce. In our cookbook, we make a Southwest Pizza using salsa, beans, and cheese...after it comes out of the oven, we top with guacamole and cilantro. The perfect mesh of hot and cold!

3.) Use salsa to liven up plain dishes. Add salsa to dishes like macaroni and cheese, rice and beans, or a grilled cheese sandwich.

4.) Add salsa to soups and chilis (We use salsa in our Black Bean Soup as well as our Chipotle Turkey Chili recipes among others).

5.) Add salsa to ground beef or turkey and make tasty burgers.

6.) Marinate chicken in salsa and grill. Brush with a little olive oil before tossing on the grill to preserve juiciness.

7.) Make gazpacho by blending salsa with cucumber, bell pepper, and tomato.

8.) Mix salsa with lime juice for a great ceviche marinade.

9.) Use salsa to bake chicken or fish (see our "Go Go Mango Chicken" recipe demonstrated in the video, photo above)

10.) Use salsa as cocktail sauce for shrimp. (Get creative with other dipping sauces for shrimp such as chutneys, wasabi mayonnaise, aioli mustard, and stir-fry sauce)

11.) Stir salsa into mashed avocado for a quick guacamole.

12.) Thin salsa with olive oil and lemon juice and use as a salad dressing (we use it in a Blue Corn Taco Salad!)

Exclusive Giveaway: Win a FREE Laptop Lunchbox!

Wona Miniati — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 07:34:00 GMT

School is in full swing, and on the top of moms' minds is what to pack in their kids' lunchboxes. Please share your favorite portable lunchbox meal by commenting below, and you will automatically be entered into a drawing to win this Laptop Lunchbox, which includes everything pictured here: lunch tray with compartments, silverware, bottle, insulated carrying case, and manual. Please be sure to include your e-mail address so that we can contact you if you're the winner. (Note: your e-mail address will NOT be visible to the public, just us, and we will safeguard your e-mails.)

Laptop Lunches have become quite popular here in California. They're bento-style colorful lunchboxes that open like a laptop and contain the entire lunch on one tray. Laptop Lunches was started by two California moms who realized that most children were bringing unhealthy, processed foods to school, in wasteful single-use containers that filled trash cans and landfills. They decided to create a fun lunchbox that kids would love. Their lunchboxes are now sold all over the world, and it's an inspiring story of two moms who came up with a great business idea and ran with it.

So let it rain lunch ideas! Please share what you like to pack in your children's lunchboxes. We'll assume everything can be found at Trader Joe's, unless noted otherwise. We know parents everywhere would love to hear about your favorite lunch ideas!

US residents only. Winner will be chosen at midnight on September 30, 2009 and notified via e-mail.

Note: Laptop Lunches are BPA-free. They are made in California using plastics (polypropylene and polyethylene) that are FDA-approved for food use. None of their products contain phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA), or lead

Healthy Haystacks: A Mediterranean Lentil Supper

Wona Miniati — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 14:37:00 GMT

Today's fast and easy dinner idea comes from Daneen Akers, author of the blog www.LifewithLilybird.com. It's based on a taco salad she had growing up called "haystacks", and she created a healthy vegetarian version using two of our favorite time-saving products from Trader Joe's: frozen Organic Brown Rice and refrigerated Steamed Lentils, both pre-cooked. Daneen writes, "There are quite a few things I cook that I don't think I would if I had to prep everything from scratch. My new favorite dish from TJs to feed a crowd is a brown rice and lentil dish using their pre-cooked lentils. It's been a big hit every time, and it's quite healthy."

We tried it for dinner last night, and our whole family enjoyed this healthy twist on taco salad. The kids enjoyed assembling their own haystacks and picking out their choices of toppings. All combinations were delicious!

Judging from how popular pre-cooked brown rice and lentils are at Trader Joe's (I always spot people stocking up on these two items - they seem to fly off the shelves!), I'm guessing this dinner idea will be popular with Trader Joe's fans. Thank you, Daneen, for the recipe! And for even more ways to use steamed lentils, check out our cookbook for soup, salad, and wrap ideas using lentils.

Healthy Haystacks
A Mediterranean Lentil Supper
by Daneen Akers

1 pkg Steamed Lentils, available pre-cooked in the refrigerated case
1 Tbsp olive oil
1.5 cups chopped onions
1-2 cloves crushed garlic, or 1-2 cubes frozen Crushed Garlic
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup marinara sauce or Starter Sauce
2 pkgs frozen Brown Rice, cooked according to instructions
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
Your choice of toppings - suggestions include:
   - feta cheese
   - avocado chunks
   - Greek olives
   - chopped lettuce
   - Persian cucumbers
   - salsa

1. Heat olive oil in a fry pan over medium heat. Saute onions and garlic until onions are soft.
2. Toss in lentils with vegetable broth and Marinara. Cook until lentils are heated through and sauce is combined.
3. Assemble haystacks by putting brown rice in bottom of each bowl. Top with lentils and your choice of toppings.
4. Sprinkle with lemon juice and drizzle with olive oil.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Serves 6

Travel Food Journal, Part 2: for the love of fresh seafood!

Deana Gunn — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 05:57:00 GMT

After our food tour through the Scottish Highlands, we moved off the mainland. The middle part of our trip was spent on the islands, Orkney (to the north) and the Isle of Skye (off the west coast), treating us to amazingly fresh seafood and some culinary surprises.

Orkney is an archipelago of 70 islands 10 miles off northern Scotland, 20 of which are inhabited and the largest which is called Mainland Orkney. Orkney is part of Scotland, but the character is a unique mix of Scottish and Norse - Orcadians are Orcadians. The fascinating thing is that Orkney has been inhabited for over 5500 years, and is just full of amazing neolithic, pictish, and Viking features. These include the 5,000-year-old neolithic village of Skara Brae complete with stone furniture, the standing stones that make up the Ring of Brogdar, the massive standing Stones of Stenness (pictured to the left) dating from 3100 BC, and neolithic 5000-year-old tombs like MaesHowe which were later visited (and graffitied) by Vikings. Orkney and Shetland Islands, further out, are most definitely on my list of places to revisit.

The food we ate on Orkney was, probably obviously, very much influenced by the sea and lochs (lakes). With its fertile pastures, Orkney is also famous for its lamb and Orkney beef, considered exceptional throughout Great Britain. Orkney ice cream is also well known - it's an old-fashioned ice cream made from home produced milk and cream. We tried some our first day after a meal of crab and prawns at a restaurant in the harbor town of Stromness. The ice cream flavors we tried were Toffee with Orkney fudge (also made locally on Mainland) and Vanilla Honeycomb. The ice cream was absolutely delicious, but as my husband pointed out, it had a strange aftertaste of "wet cow." Oh well, I'd have it again in a second.

One of the best meals we had on the whole trip was at Appie's Tearoom, a tiny restaurant set waaaaaay back on a farm driveway and run by a lady named Pam Farmer. The food was creative, fresh, and wonderful. Practically everything on the menu had been grown on the premises or sourced locally on the islands, including the lettuces she'd picked from her backyard. Incredibly, she also offered a gluten-free version of practically everything on her menu, and everything was ridiculously affordable! We tried Oatcakes and Bere Bannocks with Orkney Nature Cheddar, Grimbister Farmhouse Cheese, and a selection of homemade chutneys of which the best was rhubarb chutney (lots of rhubarb everything in Scotland, all terrific!) The cheeses were wonderful, the cheddar tangy and the farmhouse cheese mild and crumbly. My husband followed it with a plate of Smoked Mackerel Patties - these are potato based, coated in breadcrumbs, and then shallow fried. They were served with a colorful array of baked beans, rice, lentils, and mixed salads. I'm not a huge fan of smoked fish, but Scotland certainly is, and so is my husband. The pastoral view from Appie's (pictured just above) was incredible and as we sat and watched, there was one rainbow after another. Ahhh....

The next night we found ourselves at the Merkister Hotel Bar Lounge, which has an amazing view of the Loch of Harray on Orkney (below). A bar menu is a common thing throughout Scotland and the rest of Great Britain. You basically sit yourself down and give your order at the bar or to a waitperson. We ordered Hand Dived Orkney Scallops - these were pan fried with butter, garlic, and herbs and were delicious. If you look closely in the photo on the left, you will see that the scallops under the lemon slice have a red pocket attached to them. This is the roe which is left intact - very desirable and very hard to come by served this way. We also had the Grilled Harray Trout, grilled with garlic and lemon. It was delicious and as I ate it, I looked out at the Loch of Harray watching a lone man fishing there and wondering exactly where the trout was caught. It was very fresh. The photo shows the view from the window at the restaurant, overlooking the Loch, the old stone millhouse, and the amazing landscape. We finished dinner by trying two local whiskeys - Scapa Scotch and Highland Park Scotch, both Orkney distilleries.

After our trip to Orkney, we caught the ferry back to the Scottish Mainland and drove clear to the west coast to the Isle of Skye. On the

way, we visited the Gunn castle - well we visited where it once stood before my husband's ancestors ticked off the King of Norway and some other Vikings... We continued the drive all the way to the Isle of Skye to Dunvegan where the Dunvegan Castle still stands for 800 years as the seat of the Clan MacLeod (this is my husband's other ancestral line). The Isle of Skye is very lovely, very unpopulated, full of lochs and fingers of land, and well...quite rainy. Our first night there we had an elegant and delicious meal at the Old School Restaurant. They had so many interesting things on the menu ... Duck Breast in a Soft Fruit and Drambuie Sauce, Lamb Cutlets served with White Pudding in a Hazelnut and Whiskey Sauce, etc. The most outstanding thing that

night was the Mussels in garlic butter. We had the same dish at another restaurant the next night and it just didn't compare. The second it arrived at the table, the aroma was so enticing and we just dug in. Before we had gobbled it all up, I had to say "Stop! I have to take a photo of what's left!" The other local catch we had was the Loch Dunvegan Langoustines which were simply cut in half lengthwise and grilled with garlic butter. Also delicious! The whole thing was complemented by a nice French Chablis.

Foodwise, I think the main thing I took away from the islands is that fresh seafood is amazing in itself and really doesn't require much else ( although a little of any combination of lemon, butter, and garlic certainly seem to do just fine!)

I had a great time in Scotland and as I heard "Haste ye back!" I hoped so!

Travel Food Journal: From TJ's to Scotland, Part 1

Deana Gunn — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 03:56:00 GMT

I spent much of the last two weeks far, far away from a Trader Joe's, so I hope you'll enjoy hearing about the food that I did eat! I was in the Scottish Highlands and truly enjoyed my tour of Scottish food. Did I try haggis? Read on and see! Today I'll cover the Highlands and later this week, I'll cover the Islands (Orkney and Isle of Skye).

This trip was my first to Scotland. I had been to Ireland and England multiple times, and honestly, I wasn't too sure about the food that was going to greet me in Scotland. Sure, we all know about fish and chips, haggis, and deep fried Mars bars... in fact, the deep fried Mars bar originated at a chip shop in Stonehaven, near this lovely castle ruin pictured on the left. It's foods like this that have gotten Scotland the reputation for unhealthy food, but I have to say that pretty much everything I ate in Scotland surprised me in a most positive way!

I started off in Aberdeen on the east coast and headed toward Inverness, stopping in The Clockhouse Inn in Tomintoul for a bite to eat. Sitting in this restaurant, I was right on the Highland Whiskey Trail, just a few miles from both the Glenfiddich and Glenlivet distilleries. I wanted to try an Irn Bru (pronounced "Iron Brew") which is one of the most popular soft drinks in Scotland, kind of like a bright pale orange cream soda (you can see the glass pictured behind the bowl of soup). Irn Bru has a reputation for unhealthy/controversial ingredients and colorants but seems to be quite loved nonetheless. I'm not big on soft drinks but it was good. Lunch was a Mushroom Soup made with locally picked wild chanterelles - delicious. My husband had a Scottish Breakfast/Brunch - this was early in the trip before he had completely burned out on it. The typical Scottish Breakfast is a farm egg, bacon, grilled mushrooms, grilled tomatoes (typically two halves), sometimes a Scottish pancake, and black pudding (I'll come back to this in a minute...). Now, the bacon you get there is not the same fatty crisped cut you get here - it's more like a slice of ham. And black pudding, well, it's one of those things where you don't want to ask "what is it?" It's a sausage of cooked pig's blood - the outside is blackened to various degrees and the inside is a burgundy/maroon color. Every butcher has their own recipe, so the flavor varies from place to place. Did I try it? Yes of course! It was good and tasted just like a hushpuppy, of all things.

Here to the left is a view into a Scottish bakery window. On the top left are bannocks, which are basically wheat flatbreads, kind of like a very thick pita bread. The Scots would say it's like a flat wide scone, but scones (pictured on the far right) are more like a round biscuit and not the dense sweet scones we're used to in the US. To the right of the bannocks are Scottish pancakes - much like our own pancakes or like a crumpet.

That night we made it to Thurso which is a small fishing town on the northern tip of Scotland. We were taking a morning ferry to Orkney, a cluster of islands north of the Scottish mainland. Orkney is fascinating for a number of things, including 5,000-year-old neolithic villages and circles of standing stones (like Stonehenge). I'll get to Orkney later on, but that night we took advantage of the fabulous fresh fish in Thurso. I was a little thrown by the ambience of the restaurant to which our innkeeper sent us. It was called Le Bistro, filled with quite a few Italians, and Billy Joel's Uptown Girl was playing on the speakers. Kind of a culture mash. We ordered a line-caught sea bass with lemon butter and garlic ( it came whole - as the waitress said, " just the head is cut off") and some steamed North Sea Haddock with a little herb dressing. The fish was all excellent, fresh, flakey, and perfectly cooked. Like we all know, when fish is fresh, you just don't have to do much to it - it's wonderful. It was also the first time we'd spotted a green vegetable in two days - some overcooked broccoli. While the food was quite good so far, the lack of vegetables was already noticeable... Dinner was finished with some whiskey from the local Pulteney distillery.

At Le Bistro, like most restaurants in Scotland, the menu usually has traditional fare along with some international flavor. Pretty much all throughout Great Britain you can find a host of very good Indian restaurants and most menus will usually feature some sort of curry. On menus, I saw everything from curry to Moroccan couscous, even Tex-Mex fajitas. The one thing we realized was that more traditional restaurants seemed to close pretty early - some had a last seating as early as 6 pm! So if you're looking for dinner at 9 pm, the Indian restaurants generally stay open much later and we took advantage of that a time or two.

After our trips to the islands, we continued our trek across the Highlands. As we finally came back to Aberdeen, we crashed at the Dunavon House near the airport. After a long day of visiting castles and ruins, I was really looking forward to a nice meal and I was a little disappointed when my husband suggested we eat at the hotel's restaurant. I'd walked by and it definitely had a divey pub feel. Really, here?? He said that the lady that runs the place assured him it's the best place around. Well, OK... What can I say - I won't be so quick to judge in the future because I sat down to one of the best meals I'd had in weeks. It started off with a Mushroom Cap with Sun Dried Tomato and Goat Cheese over greens. It was a portobello cap, grilled to perfection, filled with tangy whole sun dried tomatoes, topped with a grilled round of Brie, and drizzled with an herbed olive oil. And it was served over real greens - not the shredded iceberg lettuce to which I'd become accustomed, but gourmet lettuces and frisee! We ooh-ed and ahh-ed as we ate it, savoring each bite. It wasn't until I had come home and tried to recreate it myself that I realized what very simple magic the chef had orchestrated. The mushroom was perfectly cooked and not watery, and the Brie was panfried but not soft and oily, the greens were still crisp against the warm mushroom - just wonderful. My entree was.....drum roll....chicken stuffed with haggis. Yes, of course I had to have haggis. I'd had it served to me before as a slice, but this was really the way to go. The dish was Balmoral Chicken, which is chicken breast stuffed with haggis and covered with a yummy whiskey cream sauce. Haggis is like a cross between sausage and seasoned minced meat...seasoned, nutty, and savory. Traditionally, it's made of organ meats (heart, liver, lung) of a sheep cooked in an animal stomach, but in modern times more likely in a casing. In full disclosure, I have to say that I'm not a red-meat-eater, but I ate the haggis and really liked it. You just have to make a point of never ever reading the recipe for haggis in detail. I looked up to see my husband staring at me. "You know," he said, "I never thought I'd see the day when I'd sit across from you and watch you wolf down haggis."

You really can't get haggis in the US except for one or two USDA-approved companies - my understanding is that the USDA has pretty much banned it for various reasons.

I really enjoyed the meal - the plate was done nicely and there were even some vegetables! Even though it reminded me a little of cafeteria-style, it was the most variety of vegetables I'd seen on a plate in about 10 days. The chicken sat on mashed potatoes and was was topped with handmade sweet potato chips and fresh thyme. It was all delicious.

Portobello with Sundried Tomato and Brie Over Greens

2 portobello caps
10-12 pieces of jarred Sun Dried Tomatoes in Olive Oil
Brie, a 1/2-inch thick round (available during the holidays at TJ's) or just slice 1/2-inch thick pieces from a wedge
1 tsp finely chopped basil (or 1 cube Frozen Basil)
Organic Herb Salad Mix or other greens

1.) Add about 1 Tbsp olive oil from the jar of sun dried tomatoes to a pan over medium heat. Add the portobellos and saute for about 6 minutes until beginning to get soft.
2.) With the gill-side of the cap facing up, place 5-6 pieces of sun dried tomatoes in the cap and heat for an additional minute until mushroom is soft. Cover the pan if needed to increase heat.
3.) Place a big handful of greens in each of two bowls and place one cap in each bowl.
4.) Wipe the pan, and heating over high heat, quickly pan-fry a few slices of Brie on each side and add on top of each cap.
5.) Mix 1-2 Tbsp of oil from the jar with the basil and drizzle on both caps. Serve immediately.

Makes two (large) servings

Superquick Lowfat Mushroom Faux-Risotto

Wona Miniati — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 14:00:00 GMT

Quick risotto? Isn't that an oxymoron?! We'll make you a believer with this easy version of risotto, submitted by Susan Raider in Los Gatos, CA. Susan writes, "This recipe is super simple, super delicious, and healthy. My 12 year old daughter loves this and requests it often." The trick is using Trader Joe's fully cooked frozen brown rice. We playfully named this recipe faux-risotto because the texture isn't as creamy as traditional risotto, but our tasters (including kids) gave it the thumbs up.

In the past, I'd always reserved risotto for special occasions, because it's laborious and time-intensive. Risotto is a famous Italian rice dish made with starchy Arborio rice, and you get that creamy consistency by cooking the rice slowly, adding a ladle of broth at a time, and stirring frequently to achieve that distinguishing creaminess. Not an easy dish to make when you only have a few minutes to get dinner on the table.

If you ever wished you could make risotto in a snap, try this recipe! You can even experiment with other vegetables such as asparagus, peas, corn, butternut squash, or leeks. It's easy enough to make after a hectic day, even during the middle of the week. We enjoyed this dish with leftover roast chicken and a side of steamed broccolini. Not bad for just a few minutes of work on a school night!

Superfast Lowat Mushroom Faux-Risotto
by Susan Raider

1 bag TJ frozen brown rice
1 pkg TJ diced onions (about 1.5 cups)
1 pkg TJ sliced mushrooms, any variety
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp fresh thyme or 1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/2 cup white wine
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (preferably Reggiano), plus more for garnish

1. Heat olive oil in a large fry pan. Add onions andcook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and thyme, and continue cooking until mushrooms are soft, stirring often.
2. While vegetables are cooking, cook brown rice in microwave for three minutes, per package instructions.
3. Add brown rice to mushroom mixture and stir. Add white wine and cook, stirring frequently, until wine is absorbed. The rice will have a"risottoish" look. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, stir, and cook for a half minute longer, allowing cheese to melt.

4. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese if desired.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Serves 3

Homemade Granola Bars

Wona Miniati — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:45:00 GMT

School started this week for many kids in San Francisco, including my son who started kindergarten. In preparation for the big day, I made a batch of granola bars to stuff into his backpack for a quick snack, or take to the park for soccer practice. Sure, it's more convenient to buy store-bought granola bars, but I like making my own when possible. Many popular brands are full of high-fructose corn syrup, and by making granola bars yourself, you can choose healthy sweeteners and serve a snack you can truly feel good about.

If you've tried making our Homemade Granola, you'll notice this is quite similar. The main difference is that instead of baking the honey mixture into the oats, we're now using the honey mixture as the "glue" to hold the bars together. I've experimented with granola bars that are baked in the oven, but they invariably toast unevenly, browning too much on the edges and staying uncooked in the middle. This method works much better for me.

You can use any combination of your favorite dried fruits. I recommend making dates one of them, because the Medjool dates that Trader Joe's carries are lusciously sticky inside, which means they do a superb job of holding the oats together. These are a great portable snack for school, the office, or anywhere you want to enjoy a quick snack on the run.

Homemade Granola Bars

2 1/2 cups oats
1/4 cup flax seeds or wheat germ (optional)
3/4 cup sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds
1 cup nuts, such as peanuts, almonds, cashews, walnuts, macademia nuts, etc.
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup almond butter, peanut butter, or other nut butter
1 tsp vanilla
Pinch of salt
1 cup dried fruit, cut into small pieces - any combination such as dates, apricots, cherries, cranberries, mangos, raisins, etc.

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Mix oats, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, and nuts on a large cookie sheet or baking dish. Bake for 10-15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to toast evenly. Keep an eye on these so you don't burn them.
3. While oats are toasting, heat honey, almond butter, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan just until it starts simmering. Don't overboil or the honey will harden when it cools, resulting in brick-hard bars.
4. Place toasted oats in a large mixing bowl. Add honey mixture and stir until oats are evenly coated. Add dried fruit (cut all fruit, including smaller fruit like raisins and cranberries -- this will expose more "sticky" sides to hold oats together) and mix well.
5. Line a 9x13-inch baking dish with waxed paper or parchment paper. Pour in granola mixture and spread evenly. Place another piece of waxed paper on top, and really press hard to flatten the granola out. Place a telephone book, cast iron skillet, or other heavy object on top and let cool completely, at least a couple of hours and up to overnight.
6. Cut granola bars into desired size pieces. I got 24 bars from this batch. Individually wrap each piece if desired, or store batch in airtight container. Bars can also be frozen.

Makes 24 granola bars.

Eggplant Cutlet Sandwich

Deana Gunn — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:32:00 GMT

I was looking for a quick and easy, satisfying sandwich and I remembered the eggplant cutlets at Trader Joe's. I had used them a couple of months ago to make a very easy Eggplant Parmesan. The cutlets take all the work out of preparing eggplant (no salting, breading, or frying) making it easy to enjoy in minutes. I decided to pair the cutlets with some fresh mozzarella, basil, and red pepper for a fantastic sandwich. I loved the contrast of the warm, silky eggplants in their breading with the fresh mozzarella, the zing of fresh basil, and the deep sweet taste of roasted red pepper...all packaged up in a crusty panini roll straight out of the oven.

The panini rolls are terrific (I really like the parbaked breads at Trader Joe's) but you can also use pita bread to make a pocket sandwich, or even a tortilla to eat this quesadilla-style! Fresh tomato slices would also work well in lieu of the roasted red pepper. The eggplant slices are so rich that I didn't feel it needed a spread or any other additional condiment. If you do, you can always add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil or a thin spread of mayonnaise or pesto.

Eggplant Cutlet Sandwich

1 Panini Rustic Roll (these are parbaked rolls) or pita bread
3 frozen Eggplant Cutlets
2 1/4-inch slices of Ovoline Fresh Mozzarella
1 piece of Fire Roasted Red Pepper (about half a pepper's worth)
A few fresh basil leaves

1.) If using a panini roll, place in the oven to heat ( at 400 F degrees until the top is golden). If using pita bread, cut the top off to form a pocket.
2.) Heat eggplant cutlets per package instructions (I heated them in an oiled skillet over medium-high heat).
3.) Cut the roll into top and bottom halves. Place the red pepper and eggplant cutlets on the bottom half, top with mozzarella slices, basil leaves, and the other half of bread. Enjoy!

Makes 1 sandwich

Nearly Instant Homemade Ice Cream

Deana Gunn — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 14:32:00 GMT

I don't have an ice cream maker, but I still love to make homemade ice cream. Yes, it's possible to make ice cream at home, without an ice cream maker, and to do it in just a few minutes!

The trick is to use frozen fruit and to combine it with half-and-half or with heavy cream in a food processor. When processed together for a few minutes, the result is a soft ice cream, made with any fruit flavor you like. Eat it right away, or if you like hard-frozen ice cream, put it in the freezer for about 2 hours. The texture is not exactly the same as commercial ice cream or that made in an ice cream maker, but it's pretty close. My kids like their ice cream soft, so we eat it right away and freeze any leftovers.

The best thing about this method is making ice cream with different fruits and experimenting with unique combinations. For this entry, I made two batches - one mango and one strawberry - but the possibilities are endless. You can start with any of the frozen fruits available at Trader Joe's: strawberry, cherry, mango, papaya, tropical blend, mixed berries, peach, etc. If you get bored with those, you can even buy fruit, freeze it, and then follow the recipe.

If you make your own ice cream at home (especially if you do it without an ice cream maker!) I'd love to hear your tips and favorite flavor combinations. The other method I've used is the plastic bag method,a.k.a. "shake, shake, shake," which was very popular with my kids for awhile. It's fun, they do 100% of the work, and can instantly enjoy their own single servings of ice cream.

Homemade Mango Ice Cream

12 oz (about half the bag) Frozen Mango Chunks
2/3 cup half-and-half (or heavy cream, but I prefer half-and-half)
1/4 cup sugar

1.) Combine half-and-half and sugar and stir for 30 seconds or so until sugar starts to dissolve.
2.) Do not thaw mango; for this recipe it should be frozen hard. Add frozen mango to a food processor, and process just to chop it up roughly. Add heavy cream and process until mixture is smooth (1-2 minutes).
3.) Serve right away. Or, for a hard-frozen ice cream, pour into a freezer-safe container and place in freezer for about 2 hours. I like to stir it every 30 minutes or so until it freezes, helping to break up ice crystals that may form.

Variation: For the strawberry ice cream, I used a 12-oz bag of Frozen Organic Strawberries and I substituted heavy cream for the half-and-half. Process the same way.

Makes 4 1/2-cup servings (double the recipe for a larger batch)

Watermelon Cucumber Salad: Summer in a Bowl

Wona Miniati — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 20:51:00 GMT

I have been buying watermelons almost every week this summer. For a short while, Trader Joe's had yellow-flesh watermelons, but they disappeared almost as quickly as they arrived. If you happen to see any, grab one while you can. They are super sweet and make for a pretty fruit salad.

I first had watermelon cucumber salad years ago and have always been intrigued by this combination. Crisp, juicy, and ultra refreshing on a summer day. It's great as a side dish to any barbecue, or as a healthy snack on a hot day.

I used Persian cucumbers, which are small, seedless, and thin-skinned so you don't need to peel them. If you're using regular cucumbers, I recommend peeling and seeding.

I decided to add some yellow tomatoes from a box of Trader Joe's heirloom mix tomatoes I had on hand, and I liked how they added happy sunny yellow color to this summer dish. You could add other crunchy vegetables such as jicama. I think orange supremes (fancy word for orange segments) would be great too. And if you like feta cheese, try sprinkling some on top.

Try this dish for your next barbecue or potluck!

Watermelon Cucumber Salad

3 cups watermelon, cubed
3 cups cucumber, cubed (peel and seed if using regular cucumbers)
2 cups tomatoes, chopped (optional)
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup fresh chopped basil, cilantro, or mint

1. Place watermelon, cucumber, and tomatoes in a large bowl. Add lime juice and salt, and toss gently to coat. Garnish with basil.
2. Let sit for 15 minutes before serving. If making ahead, store in fridge.

Serves 8

Nutty Wild Rice Salad

Deana Gunn — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 04:14:00 GMT

Wild rice has wonderful nutty flavor and hearty texture making it perfect for salads, stuffings, pilaf, and soups. On the down side, it also takes a long time to cook. The good news is that Trader Joe's has fully cooked Wild Rice, sold in 1-lb shelf stable packages. It's ready in two minutes - all you have to do is open and heat. The other thing I like about TJ's wild rice is that, like so many of their products, there are no artificial ingredients or preservatives. Other brands of precooked rice products have additives, but TJ's just contains wild rice and water.

For this entree salad, I simply heated the rice to revive the texture (straight out of the bag, it's a little stiff) and added a few other ready-to-go ingredients. There is a symphony of texture in this dish: the chewiness of the wild rice, the sweet burst of grapes, the crunch of cashews and water chestnuts, and the crisp bite of green onions. Add the chicken or leave it out for a vegetarian version.

Did you know that wild rice isn't even a rice? It's actually a marsh grass seed. There are a few species native to North America, the best known from the state of Minnesota where the wild rice is harvested from the cold rivers and lakes. (I find it especially interesting that wild rice harvesting is regulated and must be done the traditional Native America way - from a canoe!) Wild rice is high in protein and fiber, and like actual rice, wild rice is also gluten-free.

Nutty Wild Rice Salad

1 (16 oz) pkg fully cooked Wild Rice
2-3 cups pre-cooked Just Chicken (or cook your own, instructions below)
1 1/2 cups red grapes, halved
1 cup roasted cashews, whole or pieces
1 (8 oz) can sliced water chestnuts
2-3 stems green onion, chopped

Dressing:
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (for a creamier dressing, substitute 1 Tbsp mayonnaise for 1 Tbsp of the oil)
1 Tbsp lemon juice

1.) Open the package of wild rice and put the contents into a large bowl, breaking up the rice. Cover and microwave for 1 minute. Cool.
2.) To the rice, add chicken, grapes, cashews, water chestnuts, and green onion. Stir to combine.
3.) In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil and lemon juice. Pour over the salad and stir to distribute evenly.

Prep time: 10 minutes, Serves 4

Note: If cooking your own chicken, drizzle two boneless chicken breasts with 1 Tbsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Saute over medium-high heat, 2 minutes each side. Lower the heat to medium, cover, and continue to cook until chicken plumps and is cooked through (about 10 minutes). Cool and then cut into bite size pieces.

Sweet Corn and Arugula Salad

Deana Gunn — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 16:21:00 GMT

These warm days of summer are perfect for fresh summer salads and burgers on the grill. Trader Joe's has a terrific selection of ready-to-go burgers including beef, chicken, turkey, salmon, and vegetarian. On the side, try this easy and delicious summer salad, made with corn, arugula, red onion, and colorful heirloom cherry tomatoes. This recipe was sent to us by Marcy Rosenthal, holistic nutritionist, who shared her yummy Quinoa Salad with Lime Dressing and Shrimp recipe earlier this year.

Most of the burgers at Trader Joe's are available frozen and usually seem to be frozen in an oval shape rather than round. I'm not sure why, except for ease of packaging.   Interesting varieties include the Never Never Angus Beef Burgers which are called so because there are "Never Never any hormoes added, antibiotics, steroids, artificial flavors, or anything but natural."   In the frozen aisle, you can also find the Classic Buffalo Burgers, which are flavored with roasted mushrooms, onions, and white cheddar cheese. If your preference is chicken or turkey burgers, take a look at the Chile Lime Chicken Burgers or the Pesto Parmesan Turkey Burgers. The chicken burgers are actually featured in a winning recipe on the Trader Joe's Sandwich Faceoff (the recipe is Crunchy Chicken Sandwich). And if you like vegetarian burgers, there is a wide selection at TJ's, including Dr. Praeger's brand.

Top these burgers off with some cheese, tomatoes, pickles, lettuce, and any traditional condiments. You might consider other convenient toppings such as the fully-cooked bacon at Trader Joe's, the ready-to-serve guacamole, salsa, or the Wasabi Mayonnaise. On the side, of course, here is our fresh and crisp summer salad bursting with the sweetness of corn and tomato, complemented by the peppery bite of arugula and tang of balsamic. Thanks Marcy!

Sweet Corn and Arugula Salad

1 lb (16 oz) fresh corn kernels (either cut off the cob or frozen sweet corn, thawed)
1/2 bag (3-4 oz) fresh arugula, roughly chopped
1/2 red onion, diced
1 lb (1 container) cherry tomatoes (Heirloom Tomato Mix)
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinaigrette (or make your own, easy recipe below)

    Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette
    2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
    1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
    1 tsp honey
    1/4 tsp dijon mustard

1.) If using frozen corn, thaw in a strainer under cold water and drain.
2.) Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl. For homemade vinaigrette, whisk together all ingredients and pour over salad. Toss salad to distribute dressing and ingredients.