A Trader Joe’s fan blog with some NYC attitude. Mostly raves with a few rants.
09 Aug 2023 Leave a comment
in All Natural, fresh, General, Home Goods, New, News, organic, plants, Prices, Products, Rave, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: gardening, Home, plants
JUMBO MONSTERA – (NYC Bway & 72nd 8/9/23) I gave them a really close look. These “Monstera Deliciosa” plants looked super healthy and robust with lots of new growth. Different stores may get different items so check your store. These plants were $12.99. A pretty good price for these highly sought after Monstera’s which everyone wanted to during Covid. I’m pretty sure if you repot these asap, you will get a lot of growth. Monstera care tips in the link below…
09 Aug 2023 2 Comments
in All Natural, cheese, dairy, fresh, General, hot sauce, New, News, organic, Pantry, Prices, Products, Rave, recipe, Recipes, snacks, sweets, tea, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: #cottagecheesetoast, cottage cheese, ideas, Jewish, recipe, snacks, toast
For a long time I planned to review Trader Joe’s Cottage Cheese (in short, it’s quite good) but frankly I thought I’d be talking to the wind, reviewing an old fogey food that nobody buys anymore except me. I love cottage cheese and usually have some in the fridge.
I was really surprised to read recently that Cottage Cheese is now a thing. Due to lots of people posting on TikTok, cottage cheese has become a viral phenomenon among young people. Especially with their recipes like how to make “cottage cheese toast” (you need a recipe for that. Gotta laugh). So cottage cheese has gone viral? Funny but now I can write a review and offer my “recipe” for Cottage Cheese Toast:
Cottage Cheese Toast: Lightly toast a slice of bread. Spread with a little butter. Top with a good scoop of cottage cheese. I like to sprinkle on seasoning such as TJ’s AJIKA seasoning and black pepper. Or zing it with a little BOMBA or PERI-PERI (cottage cheese is bland) to jazz it up. A little chopped parsley or scallion on top would be great.
Trader Joe’s cottage cheese is very good. I like the Small Curd 4% version but there are other versions like low fat as well as Organic. The small curd one I get went up from $2.49 to $2.99 (1 lb). Strangely TJ’s sells a 2 lb container (twice as much) for only one dollar more ($3.99)! So the big container is a much better deal at $2 per pound. Nutritionally, it contains a whopping amount of protein (12g in a 1/2 cup serving) with only 110 calories (4% cottage cheese).
By the way, I think cottage cheese is great to eat with the super spiced ORGANIC ELOTE CORN CHIPS or CHILI LIME ROLLED CHIPS as a “dip”. The blandish cottage cheese balances out the spices and they make a great combo together. Obviously its easier to eat and scoop with the corn dipper chips than the rolled chips.
This is a very old recipe my mom used to make and it probably comes from my (Jewish) Grandmother a long time back. I assume its probably Eastern European in origin. Its like the inside of a blintz, minus the blintz. Cottage cheese is similar to “farmer’s cheese” which is drier.
Cook Trader Joe’s Farfalle (bowtie) noodles and when they are done, drain them and put them back in the pot. Turn the heat to the lowest possible setting. Now add a tablespoon or two of butter and then a good amount of powdered cinnamon (a teaspoon). Next add a few teaspoons of good sugar like Organic Sugar or Turbinado or Coconut Sugar. Stir in a cup of cottage cheese, or more if you like. Stir gently until the cheese just so slightly starts to melt into the noodles and everything is well mixed. Eat immediately. This is delicious as a snack or kind of dessert.
Link for more recipes below
09 Aug 2023 Leave a comment
in fresh, General, News, Pantry, Prices, Products, Rave, recipe, Recipes, spices, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: classic, condiments, deli, sauce, sauces
I’m guessing by phrasing it like that, Trader Joe’s can avoid MacDonald’s suing them but we still get it: “Magnifisauce” is like a certain “secret sauce” that comes on a Big Mac (and on In-And-Out Burgers too I’ve heard).
In reality these so called secret sauces are not secret recipes, they are more or less the classic deli dressing, Thousand Island dressing being some mayonnaise plus tomato (ketchup) and onion and pickle relish. So is Trader Joe’s Magnifisauce any good? It is. I like it.
I found Magnifisauce really tasty, then I’ve always liked Thousand Island and Russian dressings. I put it on as many things as possible to taste test it and found it was good on lots of different foods, it even works as a salad dressing.
First off, on a hamburgers of course. The sauce was really tasty on a burger, they make a great combo. You will also find it works well on many other things. For example I liked it with chicken. You can just drizzle some of this over slices of grilled chicken breast or any chicken and Voila, its looks like you made something fancy. This sauce compliments any kind of chicken quite well. You can even put it on some chicken you are grilling or broiling during the last minute of cooking as a glaze. Its good on plain old chicken nuggets. Shrimp. Its good for making deviled eggs. I just tried it on cottage cheese and I liked it too on it. Sandwiches? Of course. Its pretty much tasty on many things.
Just don’t forget its not shy with calories, though. Its has 100 calories per 2 tbls. so just be aware of that. Magnifisauce was 3.49. It was out of stock for a while. When I saw it back in the store recently (Aug ’23) I realized they raised the price. Its now $3.99 for a 9.5 oz bottle.
Want to make your own (not too) secret sauce? Make some Thousand Island dressing….
Ingredients: Canola oil, Water, Relish, Sugar, Vinegar, Tomato paste, Egg yolks, Salt, Garlic, Onion, Xanthan gum, Mustard, paprika and other spices
06 Aug 2023 1 Comment
in All Natural, fresh, General, Health & Beauty, Home Goods, Italian, jar, New, News, Pantry, Prices, Products, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, vegetarian
Seen at Trader Joe’s NEW ITEMS. “Italian Sparkling Mineral Water” $1.99 (25.3 oz bottle)
Interesting. Compares with to say San Pelligrino? I didn’t try it yet but then I like and drink NYC tap water (well known to be good water!) My wife is the “only bottled water” one.
04 Aug 2023 2 Comments
in All Natural, coffee, fresh, General, New, News, Prices, Products, Rave, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: #traderjoescoffee, coffee, drip, espresso, estate, gourmet, moka pot, Nicaragua, no preservatives, product, Products, Rave, review, single, Trader Joe's, Trader Joes
“A medium roast Arabica with note of cocoa, pineapple and cherry”
NICARAGUA La Bastilla Estate, Small Lot Coffee
“The coffee beans within this bag are also known as “blueberry candy” on the farm – dubbed so for their unique sweetness and subtle aroma….”
Here’s another recent addition to Trader Joe’s collection of Small Lot (limited edition) coffees that I recently saw on display in New Items. This is a coffee from Nicaragua. I’m pretty sure I never tasted a coffee from there before. After tasting it, all I can say is I was very impressed, and found this small lot coffee to be excellent. The description on the bag in this case was not all hyperbole, it delivers.
The bag says its a “Medium Roast” and in this case that is fairly accurate, with beans a lovely cinnamon color. When I opened up the vacuum sealed bag I got wonderful fresh aroma and the beans looked and smelled really promising. A bit fruity in a nice way. When I ground them up and took a big whiff of the ground coffee, I did get a heavenly smell with yes, “notes of cocoa, pineapple, cherry, blueberry….” I would say pretty much all of that but lovely and subtle and natural. And the resulting brew I made (Moka pot)? It was so good. To me it tasted pretty much like what I would call a “perfect cup of coffee”, hitting all the right notes. I found this coffee really, really drinkable, so much so that when I finished it I wanted to brew another cup. That’s really when you know you found a good coffee. I have a feeling any brewing method will produce a nice brew including espresso machines.
So if you are interested in a very nice coffee, I would say this Nicaraguan one at Trader Joe’s is well worth trying. It was a bit higher in price than other small lot coffees I’ve gotten for around $8.99. Trader Joe’s is selling this Nicaraguan Single Estate coffee for $10.99 (12 oz.) But I bet you if it were some cool Williamsburg coffee vendor they would be selling this for more like $20.
Here’s a link I found to the website of the coffee producer in Nicaragua so you can learn more about the region and the farm (in English)
https://www.bastillacoffee.com/our-coffee-1
(The 360 virtual tour of the estate is pretty cool; check it out)
https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/nicaragua-la-bastilla-estate-small-lot-coffee-075204
30 Jul 2023 Leave a comment
in All Natural, can, DIY, General, Mexican, News, organic, Pantry, Prices, Products, Rave, recipe, Recipes, snacks, spices, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: Cuban, Food, healthy, Mexican, product, Products, Rave, review, Trader Joes, vegan gluten free, vegetarian
So what’s the best (not to mention one of the healthiest) things you can buy for less than $1 at Trader Joe’s? Probably a can of beans for 89 cents.
Just a few years ago, TJ’s used to have a number of items one could pick up for a buck or less, but these have dwindled to a mere handful, especially over the last year due to price increases at all supermarkets.
However one tasty and healthy food you can still buy at TJ’s for less than a buck at TJ’s are canned beans. Here I will focus on the ever so useful black beans. However TJ’s has lots of kinds, including chick peas (garbanzos) and red and white/canellini beans as well. All are good and I always have a mix of at least a few cans in the pantry.
I especially like having black beans around as I find black beans really useful to come up with a quick meal or side dish. For instance for some fast and easy CUBAN BLACK BEANS.
I’ve been known in the past to make black beans from scratch, meaning soaking dried black beans, etc etc. But sometimes I’m lazy or forgot to soak them the night before, so I just open up a can of beans. However I always doctor them up and you should too. Straight out of the can black beans are OK but boring.
With very little effort you can make them very tasty into Cuban Black Beans.
EASY CUBAN BLACK BEANS – For a fast and easy recipe – sauté about 4 cloves of chopped garlic and 1/2 a chopped onion in a good slug of olive oil for 5 minutes. Then add a can or two of black beans; dump them without draining into the pot. Add dried oregano and ground cumin. Let it simmer for 10-15 minutes. Before serving I suggest you mash up about 1/3 of the beans with the back of a spoon or a potato masher, as this gives a lovely creamy texture. Voila, you have a nice dish of Quick Cuban Black Beans, a perfect match for a plate of rice or tortillas or what ever you want to serve with these.
They will go great with Carnitas. These will match well with TJ’s CORN TORTILLAS too and of course some Thai Jasmine Rice.
Spend a little more time and you can really make a decent Cuban or Mexican bean dish with a few more ingredients so follow the links below for some recipe suggestions. BTW for a little more you can buy Organic beans, now $1.09.
24 Jul 2023 1 Comment
in All Natural, can, General, Italian, New, News, Pantry, Prices, Products, Rave, recipe, Recipes, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: Food, healthy, Italian, no preservatives, pasta, pizza, product, Products, Rave, review, sauce, vegan gluten free, vegetarian
Everybody now knows that San Marzano Tomatoes are considered the ultimate canned tomatoes to make an Italian dish. Trader Joe’s came out with these that are “Marzanino tomatoes” (little Marzano) which I guess are in the same family but smaller than the standard San Marzano and possibly sweeter. The can has the small tomatoes in juice, cooked and peeled and ready to use in a dish. I usually get down and dirty and just dump them into a bowl and crush them up with my fingers to prep them for cooking in a sauce or dish.
These tomatoes were very tasty and a little sweet. They are great for making any tomato sauce or dish that calls for tomatoes, including pizza. I did make pizza using these as my fresh sauce. After crushing the tomatoes with my fingers, I used this as my fresh tomato sauce for my own version of a pizza Margherita, with fresh basil and mozzarella. The finished pizza came out terrific*. “Product of Italy” $2.99 a can.
*(Pizza dough – I made my own from scratch but if that’s too much for you, just buy the bag of fresh pizza dough from TJ’s ($1.49) – or you can use the ready to bake rectangular pizza crust there in the breads section.
22 Jul 2023 3 Comments
in All Natural, can, General, Italian, jar, New, News, Pantry, Prices, Products, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: Food, Italian, no preservatives, product, Products, Trader Joes
Seen at Trader Joe’s New Products section (Bway & 72nd St./NYC)
MUTTI TOMATO PUREE “SUL CAMPO”. In a nice glass jar. The sign says, “this is a robust tomato purée made with Rossoro tomatoes. Perfect for shaksuka, curry, marinara sauce and more….”
“Sul Campo” basically means “from the farm”. Meaning they make this right at the fields where the tomatoes are harvested to be a fresh tasting as possible. Unlike us in the US, Italians don’t really buy prepared tomato sauces in a jar. Typically most Italians open up a jar of a tomato purée or “passata” (they bought unless the family put up jars on their own from their tomatos). First you put a few tablespoons of olive oil in a pan, add some garlic, maybe some onion, and pour in the “passata”. Let that simmer for maybe 15 minutes and Voila! They have a fresh homemade tomato sauce in minutes, practically as easy as opening a jar of sauce. But this fresh sauce really tastes homemade.
Of course we can do the same. So when I just saw this I was intrigued enough to do an internet search, as in the past I bought the brand “POMI”, another big Italian brands purée that is well distributed in the US. I wasn’t familiar with this brand, MUTTI. In Itally its as well known as POMI. I’ve now seen MUTTI ads here so they are making a push into the American market.
Now the most interesting thing with this one is this purée is even more special than the regular tomato puree from Italy from Pomi or Mutti. This one says Sul Campo, a special “limited edition” version of Mutti’s regular passata. “From the field (farm)”. Its processed right at the harvest and Mutti labels this limited edition puree as “tasting like tomatoes just picked off the vine”.
This jar was $3.99 for about 20 ounces. PS – I’ve not tried it yet but intend to review it in future. It looks/sounds good! You can read more on MUTTI’s website below.
UPDATE: I went back and couldn’t find any. It seems to be all gone! Oh well. I hope there’s more of this coming someday. Maybe next summer?
17 Jul 2023 Leave a comment
in All Natural, General, Italian, New, News, organic, Pantry, Prices, Products, Rave, recipe, Recipes, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: Food, no preservatives, product, Products, review, Trader Joes, vegetarian
NEW PRODUCT section. Five different shaped pastas. Trader Joe’s organic pasta is really good quality pastas and this new one looks like a good addition to the lineup. One thing that came to mind looking at these shapes was it could be good for a cold summer pasta salad. $1.99 for 1 lb bag. PS- Her first summer pasta dish looks like it uses a very similar mix of these shapes.
16 Jul 2023 7 Comments
in General, New, News, Pantry, pet, pets, Products, Rave, snacks, Staple, Trader Joes Tags: cat, cats, product, Products, review, snacks, Trader Joes, treats
“MADE WITH REAL CHICKEN”
These were in the NEW PRODUCTS sections and when I saw this package I couldn’t resist getting it for my felines Aspen & Kuro to “guest review” for the blog. Let’s face it, this package is just too cute and makes you want to buy it. As far as my Guest Reviewers, all I can tell you when I opened up the bag both of my cats immediately went bonkers. They loved these and went crazy, even trying to tear the bag right out of my hands!
The package says “Made with real chicken”. OK but to be honest Joe, the first ingredient listed is “chicken meal” and lower down the list it says “chicken”. These treats list “Chicken meal, potato starch, rice flour, bone marrow, chicken, chicken fat….”
Ingredient wise I don’t think these treats hold up to little jar of cat treats I regularly buy at Trader Joe’s, the really good Bench & Fields HOLISTIC CAT TREATS. Still if you want to give your cats a different treat they may love these, especially if they don’t like the B&F treats which are fishy. My cats love both brands. These treats come out to 4 calories per treat. With 19% protein (B&F has 32%) . These treat are $2.99 a bag (5 oz)
These treats are way better than another cat treats TJ’s once sold a few years back and thankfully dropped. That one listed potatoes as the first ingredient.
I do hope though TJ’s plans on keeping the Bench & Fields treats and not replacing them with these. Over the last few years Trader Joe’s have really screwed us pet owners, especially us cat owners with horrendous changes , like completely dropping carry any canned cat food, dropping TJ’s own brand of dry cat food and most maddening to me, dropping their TJ Pine Kitty Litter which was so convenient to buy at TJ’s for a reasonable price. ARGH!!!#$! At least they still are carrying B&F Natural Dry Cat food which is an excellent dry food.
Trader Joe’s Rants & Raves (mostly raves, a few rants) 
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