GNOCCHI WITH PESTO -A NO-RECIPE RECIPE, FIVE MINUTE $3 DINNER

25 Mar 2019 2 Comments

by promacnyc in cheese, Pantry, recipe, Recipes, Trader Joes Tags: basil, Italian, olive oil, Products, Rave, recipe, review, Trader Giotto, vegetarian

The other night I came home tired and hungry. I looked in the fridge and saw nothing really to eat.

I wanted something hot and delicious that would not require any time at all.

I looked in the cupboard and saw 2 things, a package of TJ GNOCCHI plus a jar of TJ PESTO ALLA GENOVESE.

Aha, dinner!

(NO-RECIPE RECIPE) FIVE MINUTE GNOCCHI with PESTO SAUCE

STEP 1 – BOIL WATER

STEP 2 – THROW IN THE GNOCCHI (ADD A PINCH OF SALT IF YOU LIKE) BOIL GNOCCHI THREE MINUTES

STEP 3 – DRAIN GNOCHI (NB: RESERVE A 1/2 CUP OF THE PASTA WATER!) TOSS THE DRAINED GNOCCHI BACK IN THE POT TO KEEP WARM

STEP 4 – ADD PESTO (I ADDED ABOUT 1/2 THE JAR). ADD A FEW TABLESPOONS OF THE SAVED PASTA WATER BIT BY BIT STIRRING GENTLY TILL YOU HAVE A SAUCE OF YOUR DESIRED CONSISTENCY. KEEP WARM WITH A TINY FLAME UNTIL READY TO PLATE

DONE

FANCIER? A drizzle of a great EVOO…. Freshly grated Parmigiano or Pecorino (or Mozz?) Fresh ground black pepper. Optional: Green it up with some chopped arugula (or parsley or baby kale). I added in some Arugula to the pot and stirred for about 45 seconds until it wilted a bit into the pesto. YUMMY! With 2 slices of toasted bread, some greens and dressing, a glass of wine…we had a full nice dinner that took almost no effort and very little time.

TIME (under 5 minutes not counting the water boiling)

COST – TJ’s Gnocchi (1 lb) costs $1.69. A jar of the Pesto Alla Genovese costs $2.49 (so figure 1/2 jar’s $1.25) So the dish costs less than $3 with 2 nice servings as a dinner, or about 4 as a side-dish.

So its a good idea to keep these 2 handy items on hand in your pantry! The Trader Joe’s Gnocchi is in the dried pasta section, and come in a shelf stable sealed plastic package that is good for many months at room temp. The Pesto once opened lasts a few weeksin the fridge. Covering the pesto with some olive oil will help it keep a bit longer.

I also see TJ’s has another fresh PESTO they carry in the refrigerated section. Must try that one too.

pesto2

RAVE

Trader Joe’s SHISHITO PEPPERS

17 Mar 2019 1 Comment

by promacnyc in Products, Rave, Trader Joes Tags: Asian, Japanese, produce, review, Trader Joes, vegan, vegan gluten free, vegetables, vegetarian

Shishito Peppers are a Japanese pepper variety, quite popular in Japan and just getting a bit known in the U.S..

But that might change soon, as they’re quite delicious — and especially now that you can find them so easily in your local TJ’s Produce Section, instead of having to look for them at a specialized Japanese grocery.

Shishito peppers are even a new “it” food you will see in upscale and trendy restaurants these days.

As a rule they are NOT SPICY (but one might be)

As a rule Shishito Peppers aren’t spicy. That is until you get the Spicy one hiding amongst them! They can be spicy but generally are not. The general rule about them is: “maybe 1 in 10 peppers could be the spicy one”. When you get a spicy one (my favorites) I would say they’re a bit less spicy than a jalapeño in level of kick. Meaning, yes it will be a bit spicy. So be warned, if you’re feeding them to your kid and or to grandma. If you bite into one and its spicy and you don’t like spicy, just put it to the side and the next one will in all likelihood be mild.

The usual way to make Shishito peppers are grill them in a pan over medium fire with a pinch of oil (sesame oil would be great) until they blister or get a tiny bit of char on one side, then turn them to the other side and do the same till cooked.

Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper and they’re ready to serve. They can be a great little side dish, so they will go great with most anything you might serve as the Main. In Japan they are famous as a drinks snack served to go with beer or sake. You can also use them as an ingredient in foods, just as you would put in some green pepper.

LINKS

https://www.foodandwine.com/vegetables/shisito-pepper-recipes#charred-shishito-peppers-garlic-herb-oil

SHISHITO / WIKI

TJ’s sells a bag of them for $2.29 so they’re pretty affordable to try out…

We really love them in our house, and you might too. Give them a shot.

TJ’s CINNAMON ROLL BREAD

09 Mar 2019 1 Comment

by promacnyc in General Tags: bread, Food, fresh, healthy, homemade, product, Products, Rave, review, Trader Joes, vegetarian

TJ’s CINNAMON ROLL BREAD

The name of the bread is a wee bit of Hyperbole if you expect this to ooze like a Cinnabun. However this is very, very good raisin bread with lots of cinnamon flavor. I love this Cinnamon Bread. It’s another of my “Must Have Always on hand” things from TJ’s (yes there are so many of those). The package says it’s “ooey, gooey…” well, its not really that ooey gooey it’s just a tiny bit gooey which is fine if you want to put this in your toaster…which you absolutely should! While it’s not bad as is untoasted, to get the full potential, do toast this bread up as by toasting it, the heat brings out the maximum cinnamon and raisin flavors. Don’t they sell Cinnabuns just out of the oven for this reason, so the smell wafts in the air? This bread toasts up to yummy perfection, however be careful and keep your eye on it and don’t let it burn or you’ll be sorry. Its a fine line from perfectly toasted, to burnt toast, i mean a few seconds.

TIP 1: I go Full Monty Maximum Cinnamon… after its toasted, I put on some butter and a sprinkle of a wee bit more ground Cinnamon and Brown Sugar on it…Heavenly! Really try it.

To die for.

Or try: Cream Cheese instead. Cream Cheese and chopped Dates (or dried cranberries)!

Or just by itself with some butter. Even thats very good. You can’t go wrong with this excellent product at breakfast time. Your family will go nuts for it when they smell it. A 24 oz loaf goes for $3.49.

(UPDATE = WENT UP TO $3.79 since this was written)!

I would recommend you freeze the bread to keep it as fresh as possible, and take it out as you need it to toast it up.

TIP #2 Sunday I woke up thinking hey this would be great to make French Toast with. I made it. Yup. It was fantastic for French Toast! Try that yourself.

RAVE

TJ RECIPE: Channa Masala Tomato Soup

05 Mar 2019 Leave a comment

by promacnyc in Indian, Products, recipe, Recipes, Trader Joes Tags: Fearless Flyer, Indian, Products, recipe, vegetarian

Channa Masala Tomato Soup

A veteran of our line of frozen Indian entrées, Trader Joe’s Channa Masala is moderately spicy, belly-warming, and undeniably comforting—basically everything you’re looking for when it comes to cold weather cuisine. Paired with full-flavored Organic Roasted Tomato & Red Pepper Soup, it’s ready before you can ask “What’s for lunch?” (Well, almost.) Don’t forget to warm up Trader Joe’s Malabari Paratha for dipping!

Serves: 4 Cooking Time: 10 Minutes Print Recipe

INGREDIENTS

1 package TJ’s Organic Low Sodium Tomato & Roasted Red Pepper Soup
2 packages TJs Channa Masala
TJ’s Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream and chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)
TJ’s Malabari Paratha, cooked according to package directions, for dipping (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Add soup to a medium saucepan. Heat over medium-low, stirring occasionally.

While soup heats, microwave channa masala according to package directions; stir.

Divide soup among 4 shallow serving bowls. Divide channa masala and gently spoon atop center of soup. Garnish with a dollop of yogurt and a sprinkle of chopped parsley. Enjoy!

CHICKEN BREAST STRIPS TREATS FOR DOGS (AND CATS!!)

04 Mar 2019 6 Comments

by promacnyc in All Natural, General, pet, pets, Products, Trader Joes Tags: cat, cats, healthy, natural, pet, pets, Products, Rave, review, Trader Joes, treats

INGREDIENTS: DRIED CHICKEN BREAST FILETS
These are simply all natural, strips of chicken breast that have been dried. They are sold as Dog Treats. Now I don’t have a dog. But I have 2 cats. They love chicken. I thought I am going to get a pack of these “dog treats” and see if my cats like them. Did I say “see if they like them?” Who are we kidding? When I opened the package up, they could smell it instantly and went nuts, pawing at me to give it to them. Relax, I don’t give my cats a whole strip, first I break one into smaller pieces, easy to do as they have score marks on them. When I give these to my cats and they go crazy…chewing, chewing, chewing….crunching them up till they are gone as they devour these treats. Who says, “these are just for dogs”! Equality, people! Cat rights!!

One of my adopted cats came with some dental issues. I have been taking good care of his teeth and gums since I got him. A (holistic) Vet told me the act of chewing is the best thing for his teeth and gums. She suggested I give him raw organic chicken with tiny bones, and especially chicken necks as chewing up the chicken necks are really good for his teeth and gums, yes crunching up the little bones and all. So I buy chicken necks but also give these dried strips which is very good chewing exercise. I break a strip into a long piece and hold it so my Siamese cat Aspen can gnaw and really get into chewing it, switching sides of the mouth. Just watch your fingers, as he gets carried away whenever I break these out. Your cat will love these I’m sure.

Of course your dog will too!

Summary: Great product. All natural. $4 a package. Whether you have a dog, or cats like me, your pet will love these treats. If you give to your cat, just break up a piece into smaller pieces for them, and watch them carefully as they eat these.

DOGGY TASTE TEST : I gave these treats to my neighbor’s dog, and Blue loved it of course. So I’m saying these are good treats whether you have a dog or a cat! Equal Opportunity treats.

aspen&kuro2017

TJ’s WHOLE WHEAT COUSCOUS

03 Mar 2019 5 Comments

by promacnyc in All Natural, DIY, General, Pantry, Trader Joes Tags: carbohydrate, couscous, healthy, homemade, Middle Eastern, no preservatives, Pantry, product, Products, Rave, Staple, vegan gluten free, vegetarian, wheat, Whole grain

(UPDATE: This product is no longer available. It was replaced by “Organic Couscous“)

I always keep a box of TJ Whole Wheat Couscous in my pantry as it’s incredibly fast and easy to make staple, quicker to make than for example rice or even pasta. It’s versatile, healthy, and tasty. Couscous (“koos-koos”) is a pasta-like grain made from wheat that is a staple of North African cuisine, in Algeria and Morocco. It’s even part of Sicilian cuisine (Arab influence from the Moors)

Couscous is generally made out of semolina wheat. Trader Joe’s sells this whole grain version made from whole durum semolina. The box says PRODUCT OF FRANCE (yeah baby!) The French love couscous. I have lived in Paris where they have couscous restaurants almost like we have pizza places as there are so many people of Algerian and Morrocan origin.

One of the reasons I love couscous, is it its so fast and easy to make. It is ready in 5 minutes. Here’s the basic method: Put a cup of water in a pot. Bring it to a boil. Add Salt and Butter (or olive oil) Dump in a cup of this couscous (1-1 ratio). Turn off the fire, cover the pot, and let it sit for five minutes, then fluff it up with a fork. Thats it, done!

You can use couscous as a side dish, as you would rice or pasta. It really soaks up sauces or stews. Use it as a “bed” for your Main and add a bit of sauce on top. It’s a great base for a “protein bowl”. You can do other things as well with it like serve it as a salad or make a super healthy couscous tabouli salad hot or cold. A box of Trader Joe’s French imported Whole Wheat Instant Couscous sells for only $1.99 for 500 grams, (a bit over a pound). This is an excellent product to always keep on hand in your pantry and try. Here are some links related to peruse.

https://www.thespruceeats.com/simple-couscous-recipe-2355404

http://www.chefday.com/couscous-merguez

http://www.cliffordawright.com/caw/food/entries/display.php/id/58/

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/232205/whole-wheat-couscous-tabbouleh/

https://food52.com/blog/22956-sicilian-couscous-alla-trapanese-recipe-history-behind-it