Trader Joe's ~ one of my favorite places

I've had my nose in the Trader Joe's cookbooks all morning and just had to make a trip to the one at Easton.  The store was VERY busy for a Tuesday and I've begun to think no one works any more.  That, however, did not deter me.  I plowed through the crowd with the concentration of a fruit fly on Quaaludes. Assaults from every side...flowers blooming right next to the artisan breads, wines of every sort.  I had to pick an aisle and settle down.  The bottom of the shopping cart was filled before I got to the end of the first row.  I am going to do this post in sections so you can see and enjoy these products some of which are recipes found in the first 20 pages of the book in the picture.  I could not read on until I shopped.  By the way, it's a cooking teacher, Cherie Mercer Twohy, writing the books and in her home and in her business she uses supplies she buys  from any number of Trader Joe's (only).  I don't think the company hired her--like me, she just loves the store and its wares. During one of my first trips ever to Joe's I found those long strip cookies called dippers. I could never make these as good as Joe.  Having these in the morning with coffee or afternoon with tea...ahh, it doesn't get any more refreshing.

Trader Joe's oatmeal cranberry Dunkers with white fudge drizzle. Amen.

 

  Trader Joe's pasta sauces run a close race with Carfagna's in Columbus. The family enjoys both, but this three cheese Romano-parmesan-asiago  Pomodoro pasta sauce is kissable.
In the same picture white balsamic vinegar, a product of Italy, is a favorite and I have used many bottles of this.  Have you ever put the dark balsamic on a salad or in a dressing and the results look dirty.  No problem with this white balsamic vinegar. Pure as the driven snow. The little jar hold Joe's green olive tapenade which I got for the recipe that follows:

Warm Almonds and Olives
2 (10 ounce) containers Trader J. green olive tapenade or Greek Olive Medley, drained and drained well.
1 cup dry-roasted salted almonds (or unsalted) I get these at Joe's
3 tablespoons olive oil
several long swaths of orange and lemon peel which is removed with a vegetable peeler or channel knife
rosemary sprigs
Preheat oven to 375. In an ovenproof baking dish, combine the drained olives, almonds, olive oil, and all but a couple of the orange or lemon peel swaths and the rosemary sprigs. Place the dish in the oven and heat until warm about 10 minutes.  If the citrus peel and rosemary look too charred, replace with the reserved ones.  Serve with bread for dipping in the olive oil after the olives and almonds are gone.

     Slicing Brie.  As you can see it is a square and it is long.  Made for toppings as shown on the cover.  So easy to handle.  I can't wait to open it and start applying toppings. I bought some more of Joe's jams and jellies, one boysenberry and one raspberry.  This is for the men who get in my cupboards at night for the peanut butter and jelly treats.

                      I am saving the fleur de sel caramel sauce for the beach house in January. I have never had it but salt and caramel just seems right.  The Spanish extra virgin olive oil is new to me too, but it was such a great price I bought 2. (One liter, $5.99.) I have not had this goddess (it's not green) dressing and will let you know how it is.  Now the corn and chili goes in 'this little piggies' recipe:

Little Piggies
8 sesame seed pull-apart rolls or other rolls like Brioche buns, panini rolls etc.
1 (18 ounce) container Trader Joe's BBQ shredded pork
about 1/2 cup Trader Joe's corn and chili tomato-less salsa
1 ripe avocado
Slice the rolls horizontally and toast them. Heat the pork according to package. Pile 2-3 tablespoons of pork on each roll and top with a tablespoon of salsa. Add a slice of avocado (dipped in lemon to keep the color) to finish off the roll.

I understand these go really fast, so, for our crowd at Thanksgiving, I will double or triple this recipe.

Now the far left squat jar is a fat free spicy black bean dip.  I have several uses for this, but have not tried this product.

I am going to publish what I have done so far, but will be back to finish this post after I put away the groceries and check the stew.

                            I have had the  frozen  langostino tails from T. Joe's before.  I've used them in salads and in pasta Alfredo. They are delicious in these dishes.

Pasta Alfredo with langostino tails and Argentine shrimp from Trader Joe's.

The author raves about Trader Joe's frozen puff pastry which I have not tried, but going on her word, I bought four boxes for the freezer.  I had to ask where they kept their puff pastry because it looks nothing like the Pepperidge pastry that I have always used.  Trader Joe's is in a flat pizza like box.  No perforations to worry about, according to her, I have not actually opened a box since I just got them yesterday. I will let you know the first time I use a sheet.

Another thing I am eager to try, and will do so this week end, is mac & cheese bites.  They are appetizers... balls of mac & cheese. One time for a party I made these balls, but when the servers put them in the deep fryer they fell a part. So my experiment did not work.

 

Nate could not wait for the week end. He finds them delicious. I, however, find them just okay.  I see now why mine fell a part.  It takes a lot of breading, too much for me, to hold them together.  These were baked and mine were tried in a mini deep fryer.  I might try mine again, but in the oven and with a little more breading--not as much as Trader Joe's.  I think at a party, hot out of the oven, with a spicy dip for the balls, they might be a hit. (I really didn't care too much for these.  Always a first time; normally I like everything from TJ's.) NOTE: I am also not fond of the ready made pie crust.  It thaws in strips and is difficult to get in the pie dish. It tastes okay, but it is too much trouble to use. So that's a NO. So back to my other stand by in ready made.

From the English Kitchen:
Make Your Own Pumpkin Pie Spice: Mix together 1 TBS ground cinnamon, 2 tsp ground ginger, 1/2 tsp ground cloves, 1/2 tsp ground allspice, 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg and a pinch of ground mace or ground cardamom. Stir. Store in an airtight container.

After reading all of this post, you won't have time to do anything but concoct this luscious recipe from An English Mum's Kitchen.

1 large cauliflower, broken into florets, cut the florets in half if they're big.
2-4 cloves of garlic, skins on
2 medium onions, quartered
Olive oil
A sprinkling of red pepper flakes
2 lemons
Chopped parsley
1 cup of toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup of black kalamata olives
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
Salt and pepper

1 box of your favorite pasta - I used orecchietti

Heat the oven to 425F

Place the cauliflower, onions and garlic cloves on a baking sheet. Pour over a tablespoon of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, the red pepper flakes and a handful of chopped parsley. Mix so that everything is lightly coated in the olive oil.

Place in the oven and roast for approx 40-50 minutes. Stir around from time to time so that the veggies brown evenly.

Meanwhile toast the pine nuts and set aside.

In a large serving bowl place a large handful of chopped parsley, a good grinding of salt and pepper, a healthy gulg of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of butter and the juice and zest of two lemons.

Chop the olives and add them to the serving bowl.

Cook the pasta. Drain and pour into the serving bowl. Add the cooked cauliflower, onions and pine nuts and toss together.

Check the seasonings and add more salt and pepper, lemon juice and parsley if required.

Serve warm.