“Trader Joe’s Amaryllis Bulbs come to us conveniently pre-sprouted and carefully hand-dipped in a paraffin Wax. Fascinatingly enough, all of the nutrients and moisture that the Amaryllis will require for growth & bloom are already packed into that one big, round, colorful, Wax-covered Bulb. Which means that when you get your Bulb home, you can just place it on a counter (or in a window—anywhere that receives filtered light is fine) and periodically turn it to encourage tall, straight growth. That’s it. No water. No soil. No constant watching. No kidding! The Amaryllis Bulb in Wax is the must-have, must-gift plant of the season, no green thumb required.”
So I got one of these. Both my wife and I were a little bit skeptical that this would work as they said it would. Or that it would work so well. It was just a waxed bulb with a tiny green shoot at the time peeking out at the top of this round wax ball, containing the amaryllis bulb. But guess what? It absolutely did work, and then some. I mean, Wow!
I placed the bulb in a sunny place. And waited. Thats it. It took about a 6 weeks or so. One could see where the flowers would come. About a week or so later there were flowers emerging and after about another week the thing looked magnificent as you can seet bloomed with 4 huge Amaryllis flowers.
This could be a fabulous gift. Maybe next Easter time?
“Our supplier gives the beans a light roast, highlighting the inherent notes of molasses, dark chocolate, sweet plum, and apple. You get a crisp, clean cup with dense, satisfying flavors.”
I am pretty sure this is the first coffee from Peru I may have tasted.
I found this latest Organic Small Lot coffee from Peru at Trader Joe’s to be pretty interesting, if not astunning remarkable find a few of the Small Lot coffees they’ve had in the past that were amazing (For that read my post on the UGANDA RWENZORI coffee). This is in the middle. Brewed up this was pretty good, a bit fruity with notes of “chocolate, molasses and apple or plum”. I get a bit of a wine-y after taste note that I usually associate with some African coffees.
Try this is you like to try every Small Lot they come out with, as I do, hoping for the best. This is not that but good. Overall though as my standard every day drink these days I prefer the Bolivian coffee they have.
I’ve thought about posting something like this for awhile, instead of a review. The issue: Wasting money. Wasting food. Argh !!! I’m sure you are with me. I just hate discovering produce wasn’t used fast enough and is basically garbage now. I hate to throw out food. I’m sure you feel the same. With everything costing more and more, frankly now it seems more important than ever.
We all know all too well, the horrible feeling of looking in a bag of greens or something only to find something black and melted and looking like it’s ready for the garbage. Some things go faster than other. Pre-washed soft little greens for one.
Say washed, ready to eat Mixed Greens at Trader Joe’s. I’ve found those really don’t last long. Great for 3, 4 days. They go bad pretty fast. Faster than almost anything else I buy at Trader Joe’s as the little mixed lettuces are very delicate. After four days, I will usually find a few rotten pieces deep in the middle.
So how do you keep your veggies and stuff from going bad for as long as possible?
Every vegetable and package presents a different challenge. A lot of stuff at Trader Joe’s is packaged in plastic. Most? Way too much plastic and of course Plastic doesn’t “breathe”. Moisture is both the friend and enemy with veggies. Just enough is good to keep them as fresh as possible. But if no air, it will rot faster.
My so called hack is a mix of air (holes) and paper towels to try to regulate the moisture in the bag.
AIR FLOW. What I usually do is I make holes if there aren’t any already. Even if there are (bagged carrots for example) I may add some more holes. What I do is a combination of things to regulate the moisture. Sometimes adding a paper towel in the bag to absorb moisture (and provide it slowly). On occasion both the two together, poking lots of holes and a paper towel in the bag. It’s tricky as you don’t want stuff to dry up, but not have too much moisture either.
For example take that bag of ARUGULA – which I buy frequently. The first thing I do before I put the bag in the fridge is take a sharp pointy knife – and STAB IT all over to make a lot of holes. Seriously stab it. Not two or three holes. I stab the bag maybe 10 times on each side. A lot of little holes to make it more breathable. I might slit open the bag and put a paper towel in along the side.
Mixed greens? Air holes and paper towels in the bag. Close up with a clothes pin or similar.
GREEN ONIONS – Same thing. Air holes all over.
Once you open a bag, which I usually do with scissors, i use clips or clothes pins to seal shut.
With green onions, sometimes I will remove them all from the bag and wrap a paper towel around the bottom which is barely moistened with a few drops of water to keep those root ends moist. A wonderful Cantonese chef I watch alot of cooking videos of, recommends standing green onions upright in the fridge, in a plastic bag with the roots wrapped in barely moist paper towels. That does work but I usually have them horizontal.
What about say a package of PERSIAN CUCUMBERS? They have cardboard on the bottom which is breathable, so better. The plastic wrapping them, I pierce all over and make (more) air holes. Keep loosely covered.
What about Trader Joe’s plastic square boxes of parsley or cilantro? I stab the plastic box like crazy to make holes in them and take a paper towel and wrap up the whole bunch of parsley in the paper towel. Maybe add a few drops of water to keep it moist – barely. Freshen every few days.
Another thing I do, is when things start to look no longer perfect is I will cook the greens when they get past prime time (a bit not garbage). Lets say I have half a bag of arugula left over, It looks a little past it’s prime but not too bad. Not great for a salad but not ready to toss in the garbage. So I cook it. I remove any really bad leaves, give it a quick rinse, and toss it in a pan with oil and garlic. Sauté it for a few minutes till wilted. Arugula is great to cook with too. Or if I’m cooking something, throw it in at the end for 1 minute or so till its wilted / cooked.
“With notes of clementine, vanilla and dark chocolate“
This is the latest Small Lot coffee Trader Joe’s has released, this one from the Republic of Rwanda, East Africa. Rwanda is described as the “land of a thousand hills”.
I think this is the first coffee I’ve tasted from Rwanda. In general I’ve found African coffees are interesting and unique, and I found this interesting with a unique taste. This coffee is grown high in the mountains, on a plantation where banana trees used to be. When I first tried it I didn’t love it but it kind of grew on me as I kept drinking it over the week. It’s an interesting coffee. Pretty tasty with background notes they describe as “clementine, vanilla and chocolate”. It is labeled “Medium Roast” which I find accurate. I might even go “light medium”. It had an interesting background note of…. yeah I guess you could say “clementine”.
Still I measure these Small Lot coffees from all the past ones I’ve tried. Many have been pretty good, some average with every now and then, one not worthy.
I have found however a few of them have been outstanding, incredible coffees. My all time favorite probably being that MOUNTAINS OF THE MOON – which was a gem of a coffee from Uganda. And there’s been a few others. So I always like to check out TJ’s Small Lot coffees, in case I might find another gem.
This RWANDAN coffee isn’t one of those outstanding Small Lot coffees, but it is kind of interesting and actually grew on me. If, like I do, you like to check out every Small Lot coffee they come out with, I would say worth this is one that is at least trying once. I don’t love it but I do like it. It is a dollar more at $11 than some coffees there.
$10.99 for a 12 oz bag
Side Note: This package has a “Roasted On” date! Bravo. I think that’s something new….
“This awesomely herbaceous spread was designed expressly with bagels and lox in mind—we find the notes of Dill are particularly suited to bringing out the best in smoked salmon or Steelhead Trout. That said, it also happens to be great when simply enjoyed with crackers or charcuterie, and a mixed-in spoonful will add all kinds of depth to a pan of soft, scrambled eggs.” – trader joe’s
The internets seem to have gotten a bit abuzz about this new Trader Joe’s spread. I loved the last one I tried (whipped feta spread). So I got this newer one to try out for review.
I opened it up and tried a small taste of it. Is this dip any good? Yeah Baby! Here’ my honest review.
Yes, yes, yes! I love it. I found this just SO good! Very dill-y and herbaceous, and I am a fan of dill. If you like it, you will also love this. Corny but yes this is “dill-icious” as they have named it.
Trader Joe’s say it was designed to match with smoked fish. For sure! They suggest spreading it for a “shmear” on a bagel, then top with some smoked salmon, or smoked trout or what have you. Certainly this will be wonderful for matching with any kind of smoked fish.
It is good for other things too of course. I liked it just as a dip with veggies: sticks of carrots and cucumbers, radishes, peppers. Anything.
It also tasted great simply spread on a few crackers I tried it with. I then spread it on TJ’s yummy Euro Grains Bread which I topped with slices of cucumber. This combo was excellent. Try it on that wonderful bread or crispbread.
Whipped Feta Spread is made with 51% feta cheese mixed with cream cheese, Greek yogurt and olive oil.
“Tangy feta cheese whipped with cream cheese and smooth Greek yogurt. Mega-dippable”
“To create this Spread, our supplier whips fresh Feta with cream cheese, Greek yogurt, and a bit of olive oil to create a creamy, ultra-spreadable, mega-dippable concoction”
The people at Trader Joe’s seem to love to come out with all kinds of spreads and dips. Some have been better than others. This one? It is very good. I am loving it.
They say this: “Feta fans also know that feta cheese’s crumbly texture can be somewhat limiting in certain culinary contexts. Now, thanks to Trader Joe’s Whipped Feta Spread, feta fans will also soon know the delight of enjoying it with unbelievable ease—on a bagel, on a chip, at the end of carrot stick, and beyond!
Yes, yes, yes. This makes the feta smooth and creamy into a fabulous tangy spread/dip. Not too salty either. Just right.
It is great used as a dip for some sliced vegetables. I cut up cucumbers and carrots and tried that as a dip for them and loved it. It’s equally great spread on a bagel or crackers, what have you. I can see this added to sauces, dolloped out on top of a pasta dish or a pizza. Top it with a pinch of honey (or hot honey). Very versatile stuff.
I love the ideas you can get from how they used it here on this shot from Trader Joe’s site. Spread out like hummus as a dip on a plate and gussied up with olives, olive oil and lemons. Served with pita bread of similar breads.
Trader Joe’s Pizza Bianca (Made with Parmesan cheese sauce, Mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, Onion and Rosemary)
Trader Joe’s added this slightly “controversial” pizza to their line of frozen pizzas, many of which are pretty good.
Why controversial? “PIZZA BIANCA” is of course a white pizza, meaning it doesn’t have tomato sauce or tomato. To some, that means, its “not a pizza”.
This pizza is made with three different cheeses which make a rich, creamy and delicious sauce which also includes some onion and rosemary. The description on the box sounded intriguing to me, even though I admit I am a bit of a traditionalist and generally think of pizza having tomato of some kind on it.
However the word from the internet was that Trader Joe’s new PIZZA BIANCA was good. Really good. So I thought I should try it. My honest review?
This white pizza is really tasty. If you served this to friends and hid the box you could probably fool them that you ordered it in!
I must say I was impressed at just how tasty this actually is. I found it pretty delicious and my wife loved it as well. So this new pizza is yet another very good frozen pizza you can get from Trader Joe’s, which has a ton of good ones to choose from. And, another great buy for a pizza at just $4.99. Which can feed two.
(right out of the package)
The crust has been partially pre-baked, as you can tell from a few dark spots on it already.
When I was preparing I did have an idea to Hack this Pizza Bianca.
Who says it has to be completely white? I love me some tomatoes, so think “why don’t I cut up a tomato and put some on!?” It’s not a bad idea at all. As a test, on half the pizza I put some sliced Roma tomato.
Guess what? It’s fabulous also that way. We both loved the result. Adding tomato is not a sin. I would say its a terrific hack for you to try as well. Though try it on half to start with, so you can taste it as intended too. It is very tasty “au natural”, but I loved it with some fresh tomatoes (use Roma or cherry tomatoes sliced). Trader’s suggests topping it with some arugula for nice veggie flavor to mix in with the cheesy sauces.
I might recommend trying either after you try it the first time, just “bianca”. Just so you can see this is versatile. You could even add Prosciutto after baking though that would be even richer.
The crust is thick and chewy with a nice flavor. The mix of Parmesan cheese sauce and all the other cheeses are delicious, with the back notes of onion and that rosemary.
(before baking – yes i put some tomato on half!)(after)
HOW TO COOK PIZZA BIANCA – As per the package: Pre-heat oven to 400 (Give your oven a good 1/2 hr to get to steady temp). Place the pizza on a baking sheet, sheetpan or foil in the center of the oven. Bake at 400 for 14-16 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the pizza is heated thru (bubbly). I turn at the halfway mark as many oven heat unevenly.
“Enjoy pizza as is or top with arugula for a zesty contrast to the rich melty cheese”
“To create the vacation-in-a-jar that is Trader Joe’s Organic Guava Spread, our supplier starts with organically grown Guavas from Brazil picked at the peak of ripeness. The luscious pink fruit is simmered with organic cane sugar, fruit pectin, and a bit of water (plus ascorbic and citric acids) to create a thick, brick red, tart & tangy spread, teeming with tropical flavor. Simple? Somewhat. Tasty? You bet.”
That bit about vacation in a jar? I have to say, it’s not far off. The moment I simply opened up this jar, something wonderful hit my brain which just registered as a “tropical” smell, before I even put any in my mouth.
Then I put some on a spoon and tasted it. Tropical? Absolutely. This just has the most amazing flavor. I put it on everything to see what it works with.
It works with almost anything. Cottage cheese, toast with butter, or even better, cream cheese. In fact it pairs up so wonderfully with all kinds of cheese. Monterey Jack. Pepper Jack. Cheddar cheese. UNEXPECTED CHEDDAR (on a cracker spread with this guava jam.
You name it. Put some on pancakes. Try with vanilla ice cream or chocolate ice cream, in fact it pairs great with chocolate. Peanut butter and J. Crackers. Cheese boards!
“And who wouldn’t want to level up their summer cheese board with a swoosh of this Spread on a cracker, topped with a cube of TJ’s Unexpected Cheddar Cheese? (Fun fact: this is exactly how the Spread was served and ultimately approved at the TJ’s tasting panel—the combo is absolutely worth tasting for yourself!)” – TJ
All over the internet, everyone seems to agree that it is incredibly tasty
I just loved this Guava Fruit Spread. I bet you will too.
Product of Canada. The guava is from Brazil. Certified Organic
I would buy this again. It’s considered a very good price too as guava is not cheap.
Trader Joe’s ORGANIC GUAVA SPREAD $2.99 (10.5 oz jar)
If you had to pick out the single “healthiest” item you can buy at Trader Joe’s, what would you pick?
Here’s an item I might choose: Trader Joe’s STEEL CUT ORGANIC OATS. “Ingredients: Organic Steel Cut Oats” That’s it. Simple. Whole grain. Classic. Super food. Minimally processed (less than rolled oats).
These are different than “oatmeal” cooked from rolled oats. Steel Cut Oats cook up to a distinctively chewy texture with a nutty flavor, hearty flavor. Yes, they take a bit more time but not much. These take a bit longer to cook than rolled oats. However it’s worth that extra 10 minutes for the better texture and nutty taste steel cut oats have.
Steel cut oats are a natural food that has minimal processing.
Steel cut oats are whole grains of oats, dried and cut with very sharp steel blades into smaller pieces. This makes them cook a little faster (25 mins) than if they were left whole. To make rolled oats, they partially cook the grains, then press them between steel rollers to flatten them. Doing this makes them cook quicker (15 mins) So called “quick oats” are rolled even thinner (I don’t bother with those)
As far as oatmeal goes, steel cut oats are my favorite. They have a lovely chewy texture and a lovely nutty flavor (which you can increase even more with some toasting them before cooking in your pot before you cook them).
Steel Cut Oats take a bit longer to cook than rolled oats but I think the effort is worth it, as they taste better. These take about 25-30 minutes. To save time, in the morning do what I do. I generally make a batch the night before so they are all ready in the morning.
I usually will make a big enough batch to last us about 3 or 4 days. I do like rolled oats however steel cut oats have better texture (chewy) and taste (nutty).
You can even double the recipe (8 c water / 2 c oats) and even freeze some.
How to cook STEEL CUT OATS:
The basic ratio is 1:4 1 cup oats to 4 cups water. Use a pot big enough so that there is a few inches at the top to avoid boil overs. Be sure to use a nice big heavy pot with a thick bottom to avoid burning.
Boil 4 cups of water. Then stir in 1 cup of oats. I suggest adding a pinch of salt (optional but it tastes better)
They start to thicken after about 5 minutes. They need 30 minutes total. When the oats start to boil, lower the heat till they are just simmering. I then cover the pot loosely (watch it, as oats can easily boil over and make a mess of your stove). Or just leave it uncovered, adding a little water if it looks too thick. If you cook it and find it’s too thick or the bottom is burning, just add a little more water. As it cools, it will thicken.
STIRRING: Every 5-8 minutes or so you should stir the oats occasionally to make sure the bottom doesn’t stick or burn. If you feel oats stuck on the bottom, just scrape the bottom to loosen them with the (wooden) spoon.
Let them cook slowly for about 25-30 minutes total.
ADDITIONS: The list of stuff you can add is almost endless. We like to add a good sprinkle of cinnamon as they are cooking. Apples: to a batch (1 cup oats) we dice up a whole apple and throw that in too and let it cook in the oats. I leave the peel on. My wife removes the peel (peel has flavor) Dried fruits: Add, Raisins. Dried cranberries. Most any dried fruit. I add those at the very end so they don’t over cook.
To Serve: again, optional additions are endless – A little butter or cream, brown sugar, raisins, bananas, frozen blueberries or other fruit. Whatever strikes your fancy. You can change them up easily so you can make it different every time. Sure some of that stuff makes them a bit less healthy but I feel I balance it all out. If you are a purist, just eat them plain (boring)
By the way, as the author mentions here, if you order them at a restaurant or diner, especially in New York, the price for a bowl of steel cut oats can be outrageous! ($11-13? No thanks, we will make them ourselves for 50 cents!)
“Oats are considered an exceptionally healthy, nutrient-dense whole grain, packed with fiber (especially beta-glucan), protein, vitamins, and minerals. Regular consumption supports heart health by reducing cholesterol, aids in weight management by promoting fullness, and helps stabilize blood sugar levels.
Key Health Benefits of Oats:
Nutrient-Dense: Rich in magnesium, iron, zinc, phosphorus, and antioxidants. There’s a reason horses are fed oats. Frankly these are practically the same as oats horses eat, the real difference being the grains here have been cut smaller. STEEL CUT as the name implies has the oats cut with steel blades, with a grain cut into about 2 or 3 pieces just to make it cook faster. That’s it. Minimally processed.
Trader Joe’s Organic Oatmeal $4.49 (30 oz tub) CERTIFIED ORGANIC
“Serving Suggestions: serve with milk, cream or butter. Add honey, agave or maple syrup, brown sugar, dried cranberries, raisins….”
PS – I still buy Rolled Oats too as they are good for making Overnight Oats, Oatmeal Cookies, and other things… So I have both kinds of oats in the cupboard usually.
There used to be quite a few items you could find at Trader Joe’s that cost 99 cents. There aren’t many now. There are a few pasta items that still cost 99 cents, though some that used to cost 99 cents went up to $1.29-49 like farfalle/bowties.
Trader Joe’s ORZO, which still costs 99 cents! It’s great and so useful. Orzo is that rice shaped pasta frequently used in Greek and other cuisines. I find orzo just so handy. So here’s my Ode To Orzo.
One thing I love about orzo is how fast it cooks. Its says, “Boil5 minutes” ?! Yup. Five minutes. It probably will take you longer to boil the water.
Many meals when I realize I don’t have enough stuff for a meal, I will find myself reaching for my package of Orzo. Because it’s ready in no time at all and yes it is a pasta, and I love any pasta.
All I need to do is dump a cup of orzo into boiling salted water. After five minutes just drain it, add it to a bowl and throw in a nice hunk of butter – or olive oil (or mix of the two). Grind on some black pepper. Taste if and see if it still needs a sprinkle of more salt. BOOM; your buttered orzo side dish is ready. Optional; Grate on some cheese. Parmesan, Pecorina, Grana Padano or cheddar or goat for that matter.
You can equally expand on buttered orzo with adding a vegetable to that. Perhaps diced fresh zucchini which is a lovely combination especially with some feta cheese for a Greek dish. The cubed up zucchini can cook in the water along with the orzo and be ready when the orzo is, in about 5 minutes. Or even easier vegetables? Use a frozen vegetable. Maybe French Green Beans? Or frozen peas? The green beans can go in with the orzo (about 5 minutes). Add the peas about the last minute or two before the orzo is cooked as those are ready very fast.
It’s great for adding to soups or stews as well. Chicken soup with orzo is fantastic and very comforting.
Orzo is fantastic to make whole dinners around. For example, a ONE POT dish of Garlic Butter Chicken Orzo; here’s the recipe.
So this is why I always have some orzo in the cupboard, and suggest you should as well. If not, the next time you are at Trader Joe’s just grab a a package of what I think is one of the handy dandiest items there that only costs 99 cents! The 99 cents pasta (spaghetti, capellini, orzo, etc) and cans of beans there are good ways to stretch your dollar at Trader Joe’s.
Trader Joe’s Rants & Raves (mostly raves, a few rants) 
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