Trader Joe’s PORK AND GINGER SOUP DUMPLINGS (Xiao Long Bao)

12 Nov 2024 3 Comments

by promacnyc in Asian, frozen, General, News, Prices, Products, recipe, Recipes, review, snacks, spices, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,


Review of Trader Joe’s steamed PORK AND GINGER SOUP DUMPLINGS (aka Xiao Long Bao)

Now I am what you might call a devotee of Xiao Long Bao or “soup dumplings”. I am crazy for them. I mean really good ones and thankfully New York City has a number of places where one can get excellent soup dumplings. One of my favorite places is in Flushing, Queens at a well known restaurant that specializes in them called, “NAN XIANG XIAO LONG BAO “(If you can, go there!) This place is famous for soup dumplings and the restaurant even has huge glass windows so you can see into the kitchen and watch a swarm of kitchen workers making them continuously in front of you. First rolling out the delicate dough wrappers. Stuffing those wrappers with the famous stuffing that has lots of gelatin which dissolves into liquid when they get steamed to make a bit of soup inside each one.

I think I had these Trader Joe’s version before and was not overly impressed. Especially as I had microwaved them – which I’ve now learned is not the best method (steam them)!

What prompted me to give them another try was we recently went to a new smaller sister place called Nan Xiang Express which recently opened up in New York City. We went to one on the Upper West Side and got the classic pork Xiao Long Bao.

Trader Joe’s version can’t equal those of course. Never the less when I made the Trader Joe’s dumplings the next day to compare them, we actually enjoyed them. This time I steamed them which gives a better result. Both of us said the same thing “Of course these are not as good as the restaurants but these are actually tasty. These are not at all bad.” For what these are, for the convenience and the price I have to say these are well worth your trying.

We enjoyed them with the sauce I made*. Sure the wrappers in these are a bit thick, not anywhere near as delicate or beautifully plated like Nan Xiang’s but again overall these are quite tasty and they did have a little spoonful of hot soup which you could suck out. Pour a little dumpling sauce* on and these make a pretty yummy snack or appetizer. Sure you can build a dinner around these (figure six per person for dinner plus some veggies, rice and other goodies)

Some people I hear are saying making these in soup and eating them like that.

Certainly the price here is great, six dumplings for $3.49 (at the restaurant: these are $10 for 6 pork dumplings and about $12 for the even yummier pork and crab version).

RECIPE: CLASSIC SOUP DUMPLING SAUCE (mix 3 parts Chinese black vinegar, 1 part soy sauce and a small knob of peeled fresh ginger, julienned or grated)

HOW TO COOK TRADER JOE’S SOUP DUMPLINGS – TIP: The traditional steaming method will give you a better result than microwaving these!

STOVE-TOP/STEAMED: “Fill a pot fitted with a steamer basket with water and bring to a boil. Place dumplings into steamer with space between them. Do not crowd. Cover with lid and steam for 8-10 minutes until fully heated. Remove carefully. Caution: these dumplings will be really really hot! Carefully pick up dumpling (chopsticks) and place on a spoon. Carefully bite dumpling to release the soup into the spoon. Slurp carefully. Eat dumpling”

Enjoy these with a little dumpling sauce. The way I eat these is I pick up a dumpling very carefully with chopsticks by the top, and finagle it gently into a deep size spoon (you don’t want to pierce accidentally and loose any soup inside). Carefully nibble a hole and suck out the soup and pour a drizzle of sauce onto my spoon.

A little bit of chili crisp too can be nice if you like spice (my jam is the real Lao Gan Ma).

Enjoy!

https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/steamed-pork-ginger-soup-dumplings-065259

“From the same supplier that helped us bring Steamed Chicken Soup Dumplings to Trader Joe’s, we are thrilled to introduce Trader Joe’s Steamed Pork & Ginger Soup Dumplings. Inspired by the same original soup dumplings, xiao long bao, that originated in the Jiangsu province of China, this type of dumpling is traditionally prepared in a xiaolong, the small bamboo steaming basket from which it gets its name. In English-speaking countries they’re most often called Soup Dumplings because they are filled with hot soup (and therefore must be eaten carefully!) Xiao long bao are traditionally filled with pork, so this second entry in our freezers adheres closer to culinary tradition.”

Trader Joe’s WHEAT CRISP CRACKERS Review

31 Oct 2024 2 Comments

by promacnyc in All Natural, baked, condiments, DIY, fresh, General, New, News, Pantry, Prices, Products, Rave, review, snacks, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,


“Trader Joe’s Wheat Crisp Crackers will tantalize your taste buds with an addictive crunchy wheat flavor. They will hold up to your favorite cheese, dips, or peanut butter. But most folks don’t wait for the topping, they’re great for snacking right from the box.”

RAVE

I am a huge fan of WHEAT THINS, a well known cracker made by NABISCO which has been around forever. Well make that since 1947. Since I was a little kid we almost always had Nabisco Wheat Thins in the house as they were Dad’s Numero Uno favorite cracker. They became one of my favorites too. So when I saw these I said to myself, these look like Wheat Thins! I have to try them.

Trader Joe’s WHEAT CRISP CRACKERS to me seem to be TJ’s version of the classic cracker. All I can say is these new crackers taste really good to me. They have a lovely wheat-y taste from whole wheat, which is listed as the second ingredient.

Even if you never had the original, these are well worth trying. These are just good all around crackers. Since I grew up eating the original and just love them I could not resist wanting to try TJ’s version of them. Walking back home from the store, I stopped and decided I had to try them RIGHT NOW. I put my stuff I was carrying on a park bench and opened up the box. I could not wait to taste these.

So are what I think of as Trader Joe’s version of Wheat Thins good? A big yes! I found them really good. I meanI pretty much could not stop eating them right out the box on the street. After about a half dozen, I had to stop myself and put the box away.

When I got home, I’d say things got even better of course when I tested them out with something on top of them.

For instance, how about cheese? These were especially terrific with cheese. They were of course yummy with TJ’s excellent, and very properly British, English Coastal Cheddar which I recently gave a big thumbs up. The crackers were good even with just plain old cottage cheese, as well as good with peanut butter, and honestly whatever else I found that I could put on them.

These are as the name say thin. Crunchy, with a nice whole wheat flavor. Small, one bite sized. Just made to be devoured. Well baked. The edges are a bit darker then the middle. Perfectly baked.The ingredient list doesn’t look terrible either.

All I can tell you is that first box I bought went fast. Way too fast. Even pacing myself, I saw it was almost empty after a few days. So I need to go now and get another box!

I am probably going to want to have these around all the time now. A dangerous but yummy temptation. As 15 crackers have only 120 calories probably better than other crackers.

These are a great Anytime Snack. I would buy them again. $2.49 (9 oz)

Trader Joe’s CARAMELIZED ONION GOAT’S MILK CHEESE

23 Oct 2024 Leave a comment

by promacnyc in All Natural, cheese, condiments, dairy, fresh, General, New, News, Prices, Products, Rave, review, seasonal, snacks, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,


“SUPPLIES ARE LIMITED”

I heard about this new cheese and had to try it. My review? Yes, it’s as good as they say. I really, really liked it. In fact, I could not stop eating it. This cheese is pretty damn delicious.

Try this spread on crackers or on a slice of good crusty sourdough bread. Toast some up and spread this on a Crostini. It pairs great with fruit. Apples, grapes, figs….. On the other hand, they recommend putting on a burger!! Even a turkey burger or Veg. Masala Burger would be improved if you put some of this on top.

This would be great for #Holidays, gatherings….

If you included it on a #cheeseboard or charcuterie board I think this would get a ton of “where did you get this cheese ?” comments.

Goes great with eggs, I am thinking about mixing this into an omelet. Should be wonderful like that…

$2.99 – Says “LIMITED SUPPLY” so grab one while you can… (or two!)

https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/caramelized-onion-goats-milk-cheese-079153

“…And for a tangy and tart goat’s milk cheese? Something sweet, umami-rich, and irresistibly alliaceous will make it sing— something like the combo found in Trader Joe’s Caramelized Onion Goat’s Milk Cheese, in fact. Whether it’s enjoyed on a cracker, a bit of crostini, or a well-toasted bagel, this Caramelized Onion Goat Cheese creates a synergistic symphony on the palate. It elevates cheese plates and charcuterie boards with its balance of sweet and savory. It uplifts burgers and sandwiches when used as a spread. And when baked with a bit of puff pastry and fresh fig, makes a truly unforgettable hors d’oeuvre. Just be sure to stop by the cheese section of your neighborhood Trader Joe’s soon, because supplies are limited!”

Trader Joe’s SLICED CRACKED WHEAT SOURDOUGH BREAD reviewed, plus a few recipe ideas!

17 Oct 2024 3 Comments

by promacnyc in All Natural, baked, bread, cheese, condiments, fresh, New, News, Pantry, Prices, Products, Rave, review, snacks, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,


“FLAVORFUL AND HEARTY, GREAT FOR MAKING LARGE SANDWICHES”

For years, I’ve been buying the very decent round loaves Trader Joe’s calls “San Francisco Style Sourdough” . I’ve found it’s just a great all around sliced bread to have on hand at a very affordable price.

They eventually came out with this variation on that one. This new sourdough they call “CRACKED WHEAT SOURDOUGH” which is also quite good. It’s a slightly heartier version of that original SF style bread.

Here’s my honest review of Trader Joe’s (new) CRACKED WHEAT SOURDOUGH loaf sliced bread.

I liked this, it’s very good. This cracked wheat version is a nice variation on the original. In the new bread they’ve added cracked wheat which gives this one a little bit of a heartier taste and texture as well as slightly thicker slices compared to the original bread, TJ’s San Francisco sourdough bread.

The Cracked Wheat Sourdough Bread has some whole wheat flour mixed in plus a bit of cracked whole wheat. This bread is little darker than the SF style bread. This is a light brown with flecks of cracked wheat visible. Like the original SF bread, this is a round, sliced loaf which is 24 oz (1 1/2 lbs). The loaf is sliced a bit thicker. Here, one loaf has about 13 slices, compared to the “SF style” loaf which has about 16 slices. The slightly thicker slices make it “heartier”, which might be good for building hearty sandwiches for one thing, or just a bit bigger piece of yummy sourdough toast.

Ingredients include: bread flour, malted barley flour, whole wheat flour, sourdough starter, cracked whole wheat…

The cracked wheat in the recipe makes a hearty slice with a nice soft chewy interior and a nicely chewy crust.

This bread makes a nice hearty slice of toast. I just find it reaches its full potential toasted or grilled, even a little bit. Which is true for a lot of breads.

Tip: I find this is best toasted or at least warmed. I say this bread is made to be toasted, even if just lightly.

BREAKFAST TOAST: I toasted this up till golden brown, and it does makes a great piece of toast. I spread it simply with some good butter and a little jam. So if for nothing else, this thick sliced bread will make you a hearty slice of toast at breakfast, though you will find plenty of uses for it as you will see below.

Now just as is, un-toasted, this bread is fine, but for me, nothing like what it tastes like, after being toasted, even a little. Toasting or grilling this even a wee bit, really brings out the flavor as well as texture.

Of course the thicker slices here will make great sandwiches as it will be a bit sturdier than the slightly thinner slices of the SF Style Sourdough (also great toasted). Sturdy enough to even make a Dagwood sandwich. These thicker slices would certainly, as TJ’s sign says, just be perfect “for making large sandwiches” not to mention Open Faced sandwiches. Think of this for some Avocado Toast as it will be perfect, for one just idea. Grilled cheese? A No Brainer. How about a Tuna Melt? Yes again.

I made a closed TUNA MELT with the Cracked Wheat bread, and that turned out great.

I also used the bread to make an open faced sardine sandwich on a slice of this, lightly toasted. Toast bread, spread a little butter then load it with my favorite smoked sardines from TJ’s mashed up with a little mayo and lemon juice. Very yummy.

What about this bread for Grilled Cheese, you ask? Perfect for grilled cheese sandwiches of any kind. I made a yummy grilled cheese kimchi sandwich (no really, that is a thing now and it works great!) I used cheddar and mozz with a little bit of TJ’s KIMCHI. Super delicious.

Kimchi Grilled Cheese

So good for sandwiches and good just toasted for breakfast spread with some good butter, with or without jam.

For my next endeavor using this bread, I am thinking of doing an “egg in the hole” for next Sunday’s breakfast, which I expect would be great using this hearty bread grilled up.

So my review is that TJ’s sliced cracked wheat sourdough bread is it is well worth checking out if you want slightly healthier sourdough at Trader Joe’s and you want your slices a little bit thicker.

(PS – This seems pretty popular and sometimes they do seem to sell out of this, but it usually comes back in a day or so; Ask the store Captain if you don’t see, it when they expect it back in stock)

STORAGE – Generally I will freeze it if keeping it more than three days in the fridge. Since it’s sliced, its pretty easy to take out a slice or two as needed. In the freezer its good for a month or two, but can get freezer burn if you are not carefully wrapping it. So wrap tightly. Double bagging it, isn’t a bad idea. Many people I know, always keep bread out on the counter at room temp (bread will develop mold after maybe a week if no preservatives like this one)

https://www.allrecipes.com/article/freeze-bread-for-freshness/

Cracked Wheat Sourdough $3.49 (24 oz)

I would buy this again.

Here is the “SF Style” sourdough bread I mention, also quite good, which is sliced just a bit thinner tht the cracked wheat version….

Trader Joe’s dried sweetened GREEN MANGO “a tart and sweet treat”

15 Oct 2024 Leave a comment

by promacnyc in All Natural, Asian, Dried Fruits and Nuts, fresh, General, New, News, Pantry, Prices, Products, Rave, review, snacks, sweets, Trader Joes, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: , , , , , , , , ,


NEW, Dried Fruit Item!

Wow is this new dried Green Mango from Trader Joe’s good. I found it just delicious. All I know is that bag went fast as I could not stop eating it.

Strips of green mango which have been cut into thin strips, then sweetened and dried. They are not hard or tough, just pleasantly chewy. Now green, or unripe mango is tart. These are sweet with just the tiniest hint of tartness which makes this quite savory and delicious.

TJ’s has this to say: “Just how does our glorious Green Mango get its tangy twist? It’s pretty simple, actually. Our Thai supplier picks their mangoes early, before they’re ripe. The mangoes are peeled, sliced into strips, and sweetened with cane sugar, then dried in a unique process that uses vegetable-based glycerin to keep the Mango soft, but never mushy.”

https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/sweetened-green-mango-095105

All I can tell you is once I start eating these, I find it very hard to stop. The bag went pretty quickly. I need another one, pronto.

This is a super snack. I would buy this again.

$2.49

PRODUCT OF THAILAND.

RAVE

Trader Joe’s Red Bell Pepper, Garlic and Parmesan Cream Cheese Spread

05 Oct 2024 2 Comments

by promacnyc in bread, cheese, condiments, dairy, fresh, General, Italian, New, News, Pantry, Prices, Products, Rave, recipe, Recipes, review, snacks, spices, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: , , , , , , , , ,


“Our newest Cream Cheese Spread is celebratory, creamy, super savory, and full of flavor for all your summer schmearing needs. Trader Joe’s Red Bell Pepper, Garlic & Parmesan Cream Cheese Spread is a zesty combo with a heavy-handed sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, is flecked with red bell pepper, and studded with minced garlic throughout.”

( FYI it says “Limited”) so you may or may not find this…)

When I just tasted it on a spoon by itself. It seemed a bit on the strong side, predominately tasting of parmesan cheese. Of course its meant to be a spread, so I put a shmear of this cream cheese on a cracker. They were very good together. I used this spread the next morning on a toasted bagel spread with this stuff, topped with lots of slices of cucumber. That was quite good. It was good on bread and many things. In fact, I can easily see using some of this added to a pasta dish, thinned out with a bit of pasta water to make a creamy sauce. I’ve learned recently that some Italians actually use cream cheese mixed into pasta to make it creamy! I think this could match well in a sauce with sauteed cherry tomatoes.

So I do think this is worth a try if you see it. I would buy it again and experiment some more with it on different things, IF I can find it.

$2.79 (8 oz tub)

Trader Joe’s SALTED EDAMAME (cooked, Soybeans in pod) Healthy, delicious and fun to eat

12 Sep 2024 Leave a comment

by promacnyc in All Natural, Asian, frozen, News, Products, Rave, recipe, Recipes, review, snacks, Staple, Trader Joes, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: , , , , , , , ,


“Trader Joe’s salted edamame (soybeans) are blanched, salted and then quick frozen to seal in the freshness”

If you’ve every been to a Japanese restaurant, you probably have know what edamame are. Served warm they are soybeans still in their fuzzy pods. The beans are inside the a green fuzzy pod. You eat them extracting the beans with a combination of mouth and fingers, pushing a bean out with your finger plus sucking them out of the pod. The experience is kind of fun. This is legit playing with your food.

Trader Joe’s “Salted Edamame” are cooked edamame soybean in pods, which get frozen. These really only need heating up which you can do in either in a microwave or on the stovetop. I usually rinse the frozen pods under cold water in a colander for a second, then toss them into pot with a tablespoon or two of water and let them steam covered for about two minutes until they are hot, then serve, sprinkling on a bit of freshly ground pink salt when serving them.

TJ’s frozen edamame in pods make a delicious and healthy appetizer, snack, or side, or ingredient. Everybody seems to love edamame, young or old, and maybe especially kids? Because these are an accepted way to play with your food! Gotta eat with your hands.

Soybeans are just full of protein of course. Just a 1/2 cup have 8 grams Protein not to mention fiber. So Good Eats! Trader Joe’s frozen edamame are terrific to buy ($1.99) $2.29. Equal to way more expensive frozen edamame you might find in a Japanese or Asian market where they might double the price. I love having these in the freezer at all times for whenever the edamame mood strikes. Actually I buy both versions of at TJ’s, shelled and these unshelled ones in the pod. Shelled soybeans are great for an ingredient. I use those the same way I might use or add frozen peas. They are terrific on top of rice of course with a little butter.

Remember to put an empty bowl on the table for the empty pods!

I would buy these again

Product of Thailand

NEW @ Trader Joe’s: SQUIGGLY NOODLES with “Spicy Garlic Sesame Sauce”

21 Aug 2024 Leave a comment

by promacnyc in Asian, DIY, fresh, General, New, News, Pantry, Products, snacks, spices, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, vegetarian Tags: , , , , , , ,


My recommendation? Don’t buy the version of these noodles which are in the red package. Get this one (black package) they came out with later, as it has a way better sauce (“Spicy Garlic and Sesame”)!

They came out with an improved sauce flavor of the popular SQUIGGLY KNIFE CUT NOODLES – this one with “spicy garlic sesame” sauce, as opposed to the the original one’s packet of “soy and sesame” sauce (which I found so crappy I suggest you not use it and make your own sauce)

This one comes with the sauce in 2 packets, one being the sesame sauce in a separate packet.

NEW VERSION REVIEW HERE

(update: this one is definitely better!)

Trader Joe’s DARK CHOCOLATE COVERED MARSHALLOWS have an ingredient you probably weren’t expecting!

14 Aug 2024 3 Comments

by promacnyc in French, fresh, General, News, Pantry, Products, Rant, review, snacks, sweets, Trader Joes Tags: , ,


Oh those French! They have such wonderful charcuterie and other pork products. However I wasn’t expecting to see it listed in these sweets which are a PRODUCT OF FRANCE.

A friend gave us these pretty tasty chocolate marshmallows to test out. They are pretty good if a bit sweet for my tastes. However as we were looking at the ingredients listed, we were all a bit surprised when when one of us noticed something we weren’t expecting.

She said “hey did you know this has pork in it?” I wasn’t expecting that! We looked at the label yes its got “pork” (“pork gelatin”). Now gelatin is in lots of food products (as gelatin or collogen) and I believed it was usually made from (cow) bones. However it can be made from other products too.

Just so you know.

Anyway just so you know!

So this could make this problem a bit of a no-no for some people, like Kosher Jews or Muslims. Sure Kosher products are clearly marked “K” for Kosher but but not Halal items have no markings to my knowledge. And there are many people who avoid pork for other reasons…

Just saying, always read the label carefully

Trader Joe’s MINI MINT ICE CREAM MOUTHFULS (mini ice cream sandwiches)

01 Aug 2024 Leave a comment

by promacnyc in dairy, frozen, ice cream, New, News, Prices, Products, Rave, review, snacks, sweets, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: , , , , , , ,


MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP ICE CREAM BETWEEN TWO CHOCOLATE WAFERS

Well, my wife bought these for us to try. All I can say is this… about two days later she told me I had to go buy her another box as she found only one left. I had eaten most of them.

She barely got a chance to eat any of them and she wasn’t too happy about it. OK I confess this was true. I did eat almost all of them. I couldn’t stop myself! These are “Dangerously Good”, as we say in our house.

Basically these are small ice cream sandwiches; with mint chocolate chip ice cream between two chocolate wafers, like an Oreo/Joe Joe’s but these wafers are pretty soft.

The combination of mini and double chocolate inside and out is really good!

Eating just one of these is nigh on impossible, in fact I dare you to try eating just one (you will want another as soon as its finished)

Four of these have 240 calories, so figure one of the mini mouthfuls comes out to 60 calories.

The box goes for $4.49 (15 oz/12 mini ice cream sandwiches)

I would buy these again. (I have to. I ate almost the whole box myself)

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