Trader Joe’s ORGANIC COLESLAW “KIT”

10 Aug 2019 8 Comments


Super easy, organic Cole Slaw Kit. Just dump the contents into a bowl, fish out the packet of dressing and mix everything up together. That’s it, you’re done. Now, when making a slaw its best made about an hour in advance (and keep in the fridge, to keep crisp). Everything will become all nice and cole-slaw-y when the cabbage has “pickled” a bit and the flavors meld together. You could let it rest more, say 4 hours or even make it the night before. Slaws change over time. From crispy to mellowed.

The package contains shredded green and red cabbage and carrots, all organic. The organic dressing is a tangy, slightly sweet & sour dressing in the mayonnaise/ thousand island vein with lots of poppy seeds which add a nice flavor. Everything blends up well to make a nice, tasty fresh “homemade” cole slaw. Could you make this yourself easily with some cabbage, some carrots a hand shredder and some dressing? Of course, and I do many times during the summer especially, but if you don’t feel like doing “all that work” this kit makes it super easy. It doesn’t make a huge amount of cole slaw, about a pint of finished slaw after you let it sit for at least an hour when it will “shrink up” a bit as it marinates. A package is 10 oz and costs $2.69

Image by promacnyc

Trader Joe’s (spicy!) ZHOUG SAUCE

16 Apr 2019 21 Comments

by promacnyc in All Natural, fresh, General, hot sauce, New, Prices, Products, Rave, spices, Staple, Trader Joes, update, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,


RAVE

Trader Joe’s ZHOUG SAUCE is a very delicious, traditional Yemeni green hot sauce. It is taking the internet by storm. Warning, when it says “very spicy” here, Trader Joe’s is not kidding. It is SPICY! But it is delicious, not just “spicy”, it’s so flavorful if you try this, you may fall in love with it too, as I have. This sauce is a must have for me in the fridge always. For me, this is a Top 10 Trader Joe’s product.

Trader Joe’s ZHOUG (sometimes written ZHUG) is a thick green, herbal sauce originating from Yemen, made from cilantro, jalapenos and chile flakes, wonderfully seasoned with garlic, cumin and cardamon. It’s popular in the middle east. TJ’s ZHOUG is simply one of the the most bloody wonderfully unique condiments you may ever taste. I’ve tried it on just about everything you can think of…chicken, tofu, eggs, fritattas, pasta, fish…. you name it. It makes almost any food better. You can’t go wrong with this on just about anything you put it on, it will make you smack your lips, yum. I suspect it would be good on shoe leather. You can use just a little bit and get a lot of flavor, and you will probably use this in small amounts, just a few dashes as its so spicy. A little goes a long way. Also you can “tame” it easily by mixing it with some yogurt, or mayo. Frankly this was even a bit too spicy even for me, kind of a rare statement. So unless you are a total chile-head, capsaicin obsessed, death-head sauce freak, you might want to “tame” this sauce a tiny bit, as I tried and did easily. I just added some olive oil and lemon juice to cut down the heat ever so slightly by dilution. It was still excellent this way. I have also use it mixed into Greek yogurt (or regular yogurt) with great success. In fact, Yogurt and Zhoug are an excellent combo and make a wonderful, easy creamy variation. Adjust the ratio of yogurt to zhoug till its perfect for your personal taste. I actually like the Zhoug tamed a wee bit. As is out of the container just a few small dollops is enough to make your mouth on fire. Again if you’re a chile-head  you will love that, so pour it on. How long does it last in the fridge? I’ve found it lasts for quite some time, maybe a month. I also have found if I cover it with olive oil, the oil will help it last even longer, maybe up to 2 months.

You will find TJ’s ZHOUG SAUCE in the refrigerated section in an 8 oz container which is $2.99. Frankly this is a steal (but don’t tell TJ’s lest they raise the price) update: They did raise it a bit!

Seriously you should try this. IMHO this is a Top-10.

ZHOUG matches wonderfully with grilled SHAWARMA CHICKEN!

And if you want to try your hand at making ZHOUG yourself here’s a DIY recipe for it I found online

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/diy-trader-joes-zhoug-sauce_n_5b96758ce4b0511db3e480d0

https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/059192

“Zhoug likely originated in Yemen, and is now popular throughout the Middle East. It’s a cilantro-based sauce/condiment that’s been likened to “Middle Eastern pesto,” but we think that description shortchanges the originality of this spicy, fragrant, fabulously flavorful culinary creation. It’s a sauce that’s taking the internet by storm – from food blogs to social media feeds, Zhoug is having its moment in the digital sun. This really is the ideal time to introduce Zhoug to our stores.

Trader Joe’s Zhoug Sauce comes to us from a California vendor well-versed in the art and science of Middle Eastern foods. Here, they’ve put together a very straightforward collection of ingredients – cilantro, canola oil, jalapeño peppers, chile flakes, garlic, cardamom, sea salt, and cumin seeds – to create a sauce/dip/spread/ condiment that bursts with vibrant flavor and color. We call it “very spicy” on our label, and some will find it “very spicy.” Those more into spicy foods may find it only moderately spicy. Everyone who tries it will be impressed by how the flavor of every ingredient comes through, even as the flavors blend beautifully into the finished product.”

from Trader Joe’s site

 

Trader Joe’s SHAWARMA CHICKEN THIGHS

02 Apr 2019 12 Comments

by promacnyc in New, Products, Rave, spices, Trader Joes, update, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: , , , , , , , , ,


SHAWARMA SPICE MARINATED BONELESS SKINLESS CHICKEN THIGHS

RAVE

(update: I still give this a Rave but I do have a Rant about the continuous price increases since I originally wrote this post. (from $4.49/lb-> to currently 6.99)

I don’t know about you but it’s pretty rare for me to buy pre-marinated meats. Generally I will just make my own and marinate it myself.

Still when I first saw Trader Joe’s “Shawarma Chicken Thighs” I was intrigued enough to buy it, because I happen to LOVE Shawarma. In NYC we have quite a few Mediterranean style restos that sell it.

So I gave this a try and in short, not only did I like TJ’s Shawarma Chicken way more than I expected to, I liked it so much that since that first time, I’ve bought it over and over again. So if you don’t want to read this whole piece and just want to know if this is worth buying, the answer is a Yes. But if you want to know more, read on dear reader (including how to make a marinade so you can do these on your own for way less…. )

SHAWARMA CHICKEN THIGHS are flavorful having been deeply imbued from many “Shawarma spices” they use which include: “Onion, garlic, sea salt, cumin, cinnamon, coriander, paprika, turmeric, annato, parsley, lemon, vinegar, rosemary…”. This ready-to- cook chicken is convenient. Pretty much toss it into a pan. In less than 20 minutes you can have a tasty dinner ready with the addition of a few sides (Naan, maybe some rice/grains, veggies). The unopened package can easily stay a week or so in the fridge. They say way longer but personally I find TJ’s “good until” dates are way too generous. Naturally you can freeze it for longer than a week or two, and if you do, I suggest a slow 24hr defrost in the fridge.

Cut the bag open (carefully!) You’ll immediately smell the wonderful “Middle Eastern Shawarma” style spices (Be aware the Turmeric and Anatto in the marinade are natural dyes and can stain things easily, even a cutting board. If so use diluted bleach later to clean up).

If there is any fat on the chicken, it will melt during cooking and it keeps the meat moist so I say don’t trim it off. I do make a few shallow slashes in the thickest parts of the thighs to help even out cooking with the thinnest part. Optional: blot the chicken with a paper towel to dry them a bit before adding to the pan. TIP: I actually sprinkle on more spices (Smoked Spanish Paprika, Ajika, another sprinkle of ground cumin, etc) as more dry spices on the surface will make it brown better).

Chicken cooked halfway, with added onion and garlic
Cooked, sliced up and put back in the pan (with some arugula)

COOKING: I grill in a cast iron or non-stick pan. I add 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil (or better still, an oil/butter mix; the butter adds flavor and browns up well). Grill the the first side on medium heat for about 7-8 mins on the first side until deeply seared and browned. Turn and cook about another 6-7 minutes. Your kitchen will smell great cooking these from all those nice Middle Eastern spices. TIP: I let the thighs cook without touching or moving them until they get a good sear on them (see picture) Totally optional but adding sliced onion and garlic about half way during cooking will make for great additions (and possibly green/red/yellow peppers).

If you can grill these on a real grill with wood or charcoal of course and they would probably taste even better. Baking in the oven may work too for 20 minutes on high heat (450). You could even bake this as a Sheet Pan Supper with veggies for an easy one-pan dinner. Some people do these in an Air Fryer.

This marinade is not spicy so if you want a little heat just add something like Bomba or Zhoug goes especially well with these, with a bit brushed on at the very end and/or served on the side after cooking. Cooking veggies in the same pan on the side (onions, peppers, cherry tomatoes…) is good.

Pan grilling is my my preferred method as it browns great this way and seals in juices. The good thing about chicken thighs is they are way harder to overcook than breasts which as you know can dry out pretty easily (side note, I have a pretty foolproof method for cooking juicy boneless chicken breasts if you want to check that out here): (juicy chicken breasts).

Shawarma chicken, served on TJ’s Garlic Naan with Tzaziki, and veggies. Super yummy!!

When the thighs are done cooking, i would let them rest a few minutes before slicing (resting meat keeps in juices). Slice them however you like. One guy I saw online recommended cutting it into “french fries” size pieces. I put the sliced chicken back in the pan with the cutting board juices and mix it in with the grilled onions or veggies. Chopped fresh cilantro, parsley or arugula, is nice for some green color.

SHAWARMA SANDWICH ASSEMBLY – warm your naan or pita or tortilla. Place the sliced chicken down the center, top with sauce (TJ’s TZAZIKI sauce is perfect). Add a few veggies. To eat, you fold gently and eat it taco style. Or use knife and fork if you are fancy. Now no one says you must make it into a shawarma sandwich; you can just put the chicken on top of a salad or rice or noodles or what ever you wish.

As mentioned I find these go great with TJs’ “ZHOUG” spicy sauce which matches perfectly for a spicy Yemeni flavor. To tame the Zhoug you can mix Greek Yogurt and some Zhoug together 50/50 to make it less spicy. You can serve the chicken many ways but a great way of course is as SHAWARMA wrap with Naan or other flatbread. Use flatbread, warm pita or TANDOORI NAAN (it’s perfect for this) or even TJ HABANERO LIME TORTILLAS as a wrap …. add chopped veggies (tomato, cukes, shredded lettuce, scallion, parsley…) Top with sauce, a tahini or yogurt garlic sauce (TJ’s tzaziki sauce is perfect). These are messy to eat but oh so good. Your family will love them. Basmati Rice on the side, or as a bed, would be a great match with this.

Another Shawarma meal: this a DIY version from scratch on whole wheat pita bread with sauce and veggies

Shopping list : Shawarma Chicken, Tzatziki, Naan or Pita, onion, garlic, veggies…..

https://gimmedelicious.com/the-best-ever-shawarma-white-sauce/

The second dish I made with these chicken thighs was to use them for Chicken Tacos / Fajitas. Despite the cultural melange (middle east/mexico) the chicken works great for Tacos or Fajitas. Sidenote: Of course you knew that Lebanese immigrants to Mexico had a big part in Mexican food culture and even created the famed Tacos Al Pastor! Green Dragon hot sauce with it’s tomatillo and cilantro flavor went really well and was perfectly Mexican on our chicken shawarma tacos.

(note: the price has gone up a few times since I wrote this!): TJ’s SHAWARMA CHICKEN THIGHS is $4.49 a pound* (currently 6.99) The 1.5 lb package I bought was just over $6 and I got two meals out of it, with sides, so more than if you just bought plain chicken but not a bad deal. (Sidenote: same package now costs $11!) The marinated chicken is great for cooking in other dishes. I made an Arroz Con Pollo kind of dish with the chicken thighs and it came out terrific! (brown the meat with onions, throw in rice, cover with chicken broth, cook 18 minutes…)

TJ’s SHAWARMA CHICKEN THIGHS are a good product and worth trying and these are a TJ hit. If you want to save money, naturally you could buy chicken thighs and add your own blend of “middle eastern style” spices for a marinade and let it marinate a few days in the fridge (see tips below how to make this yourself for less)

(LINK) TJ’s ARCHIVED INFO PAGE FOR SHAWARMA CHICKEN THIGHS

My DIY Shwarma on Naan

DIY SHAWARMA – IT’S CERTAINLY POSSIBLE TO MAKE THIS YOURSELF FOR LESS . Buy boneless skinless thighs. Marinate in with yogurt and shawarma spices (from 2 hours to up to 3 days in the fridge) “Middle Eastern spices” – Ground cumin, fresh and/or dried garlic, ginger, onion salt, turmeric, black pepper, Ajika, Zhoug, Hatch Flakes... Trust me, your own DIY marinated Shwarma style chicken will be really good and cost about 1/2 of the premade one!

SHAWARMA SPICE MIX BLEND RECIPE here: https://mayihavethatrecipe.com/crazy-good-shawarma-spice-mix/

(LINK) Here’s A Recipe I found on TJ’s site with these for Shawarma Chicken Rice Soup

Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas

AUTHENTIC CHICKEN SHAWARMA COOKING ON A HUGE ROTATING SPIT. MEAT THEN SLICED OFF. If you ever get the chance, try it!

Trader Joe’s IRISH BREAKFAST TEA

12 Feb 2019 10 Comments

by promacnyc in All Natural, drink, General, Products, Rave, Trader Joes, update Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,


new irish tea
Update (fall 2020) – Note that the Irish Tea packaging changed since I first wrote this. The picture with guy on bicycle above is what it now looks like. They also changed from using 2 foil packs (great!) to the bags now wrapped in 2 plastic packs (humbug!). Me and 99.9% of the drinkers would prefer foil packs for freshness. Oh well. Some report the tea’s blend changed too. At least this is still 8 oz (80 teabags). For comparison Whole Foods sells their Black Tea whic is 70 teabags and 4.9 oz!! Wow, thats a lot less tea for your money! So at least TJ has kept the amount of tea the same, plus gives you more period which of course makes for a stronger cup of tea from a bag.

 

 

If you enjoy a nice “cuppa” like I do, you’ll likely enjoy TJ’s IRISH BREAKFAST TEA.

Trader Joe’s ORIGINAL IRISH BREAKFAST TEA BAGS is a newer incarnation of a previous version of Irish Tea they carried, then “revamped” a few years back. That previous Irish Tea packaging looked a bit different and tasted different too, according to the Internet’s tea aficionados. This new version is an improved, better version, also according to them who say it has more flavor and is a stronger blend, which is what you definitely want in a cup of “Irish Tea” as Irish tea should be strong enough to stand up to milk and sugar, the way most people probably drink it there, as well as in the UK. And the way I takes me tea, as well!

TJ’s gave the box a new design too,  and the tea which was in a square bag, now comes in a round tea bag (no strings). Inside the box are 2 foil-wrapped packages with 40 tea bags each, which is great way to sell tea as the foil wrapper keeps 1/2 the tea totally fresh and airtight until you need to open the second package. When you rip open the foil pack you will smell the tea easily, its got a very nice earthy (boggy?) deep tea aroma. To me this is what good tea should smell like. I won’t be a snob and say no one should use a tea bag, let’s face it they are mighty convienient (yes on occasion, I will make a pot with loose tea).

According to the info on the box, TJ’s IRISH BREAKFAST tea is a blend of tea from 5 countries: India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Malawi, and Kenya. A box is 80 teabags has a Net Wt. of 8 ounces which basically means each tea bag contains a decent amount of tea, enough to make a strong “cuppa”. When you see cheap tea that has 100 tea bags and says “6 oz” you already know that means there’s simply not enough tea in each bag to make a strong cup. Lipton comes as 8 oz of tea in 100 bags, so obviously each has less tea and won’t brew up as strong as this stuff. This is a black tea and properly steeped (4-5 minutes) the tea gives you a nice very strong, dark cuppa with a deep brown color. It is strong enough to stand up to milk and sugar, or not, as you like. The box with 80 tea bags sells for $2.99 (or $6/lb) which is a good deal even compared to TJ’s ENGLISH BREAKFAST TEA (which comes in a box of 48 bags for $2.99) As the box says, “The Irish love their tea”. Some of us Yanks do too and we can easily enjoy this brand of tea easily and affordably from TJ’s to make our daily cuppa.

RAVE

Trader Joe’s FRENCH CULTURED BUTTER

28 Jan 2019 24 Comments

by promacnyc in All Natural, dairy, General, Prices, Products, Rave, Staple, Trader Joes, update Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,


If you want to “up” your butter game at home, you have to try this excellent, High Quality French butter that Trader Joe’s sells. But be warned, if you try this butter, you may never go back to regular.

Butter is important. Especially in France. Even in France, the butter from Brittany is considered to be among the finest in the country. Spread a bit of this French Cultured butter from Brittany on almost anything… Say some asparagus, or cooked peas, green beans, or a baked potato… Maybe on some steamed Yukon Gold potatoes, or a nice slice of of toasted bread (or sliced Brioche?)… on top of an omelette…

Try this on almost anything and you will notice how good, really high quality premium butter is.

I’ve lately grown to buying two kinds of butter at Trader Joe’s. “Regular” butter and “Premium” (meaning imported). Good stuff. And this French butter is definitely the Good Stuff. If I’m having some toast in the morning and I put some of this French butter from Brittany on it, or anything, its heavenly. At any other store you would pay something like $6-7 for this 1/2 lb. pack. Trader Joe’s now sells it for about $3.80 for 8,8 oz.

I’ve gotten to really like the two Imported “premium” butters that TJ sells. Irish KERRYGOLD butter comes in a gold or silver package (salted/gold, silver/unsalted). Imported from Ireland, Kerrygold is an excellent high quality butter, and I love that one too. It costs a bit less than the French one: Kerrygold Irish butter is $3.19 for 8 oz. 

“Trader Jacque’s FRENCH CULTURED SALTED BUTTER” comes in a blue package. It may have the slightest of edges on the Kerrygold Irish butter (but frankly both are superb butters). The French butter comes from Brittany (Bretagne), the region in the North West of France famous for cows, butter and cheeses (and Calvados!)

I’ve tried to do taste tests comparing the Irish vs. French butter and pick one over the other but they are both so good I almost can’t pick one as “better”. Both have a rich flavor that says “imported” premium butter. I started to buy the French butter as a neighbor says the French one has a slight edge. The difference may be that the French butter is “cultured” (fermented with enzymes similar to those in yogurt) to give a little bit of a tangy taste vs. the non-cultured Irish Kerrygold. Honestly though, I go back and forth on which I like more, the Irish or French butters, and always give up. Try them both and see which you prefer (if you can)! Both the Kerrygold Gold and the French Cultured are salted butters but are way less salty than you may think for salted butter you are used to (like Hotel Bar). Still, if you want an UNSALTED butter get the silver Kerrygold package. The gold package is salted (but lightly).

These imported butters naturally cost more the regular butter Trader Joe’s sells for $3/lb. I would say the normal TJ butter is equal to Hotel Bar butter or similar. But this French butter (or Irish Kerrygold) does up your “butter game”. FRENCH CULTURED BUTTER comes in a 8.8 oz pack which sells for $3.49, (PRICE INCREASED SINCE WRITING*) So figure its costs about twice as much as the regular butter. Still TJ’s French butter is I think the equal to butters you might buy in a supermarket in France. And if you compare this to imported premium butters you might see sold in an upscale supermarket here which carries imported butters, well they are crazy expensive (12/lb?). So as usual Trader Joe’s is selling this premium imported butter at a still fairly reasonable price (around $6 lb.) for an excellent French butter. The Cultured French Salted French butter only comes in a salted version but I find it fine, not overly salty at all, it’s just right for most applications. I’ve grown to love it. In fact, my Japanese sister-in-law loved this butter so much when she was visiting us that she actually carried back two packs all the way home to Japan in her bags!

Give it a try. Say slather some of this butter on a piece of warm French baguette just out of the oven, and you may never go back to regular butter, mes amis, c’est La Vie en Rose!

“Cultured butter is typically created by adding live bacteria (cultures) to the butter before it’s churned, versus regular butter which is cream that just goes straight to the churning machine. … Results in a higher-fat product, which in turns makes the butter more silky and gives it a richer taste.”

RAVE

* UPDATE: Price of the French Butter price went up. Now $3.69 (Summer 2019) Irish Kerrygold still $3.19. To save a little I’ve been getting the Kerrygold recently.

Current price: $4.50?

UPDATE 2 (Nov 2020) This French butter was M.I.A. for some time. due to a supply chain problem (Covid-19). The Irish Kerrygold butter is in stock so I have been buying that instead. Its as good or better but prices have gone up some though.

TJ’s UNCURED BAVARIAN BRATWURST

28 Dec 2018 8 Comments

by promacnyc in General, News, Pantry, Products, Rave, Recipes, spices, Trader Joes, update, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,


I saw this package of Trader Joe’s “BAVARIAN BRATWURST” sausages the other day, and they looked worth trying for review. They were indeed worth it. These are just terrific, an excellent product that I would gladly buy again. The sausages come fully cooked so they only need browning about 4 minutes per side. It’s labeled PRODUCT OF GERMANY as well as NO NITRATES OR NITRITES (ie, uncured) – two big pluses obviously. Originally for Oktoberfest and though they look a bit like “Weisswurst” (sausages made from veal) these delicious TJ “Bavarian Bratwurst” are made from only pork, water and spices… and we are talking an impressive variety of spices blended perfectly for a unique, great flavor. It’s these well-balanced spices and perfect texture which make these sausages quite different from say, the flavor of your typical American “Brats” or other sausages. The spices include: black pepper, marjoram, nutmeg, mace, ginger, coriander, and cardamon. Reading this spice list sounded to me like typical Christmas spices…. so I thought this could be a nice meal around Xmas time (or Oktoberfest for that matter!) But of course these are great any time of the year if you see them.

What I did with these was grill them up in a little butter with sautéed potatoes and onions. I served this classic combination with some really nice red cabbage in a jar (from Poland) I had just happened to find in a 99 cents store (!) Bratwurst and Potatoes are of course perfect together and and this actually became a Christmas Eve dinner along with the red cabbage and some nice German beers plus bread and veggies. Everything matched up perfectly for a small German-style mini feast (recipe below). But if you want easy peasy simple these also great just grilled and put on a hot dog bun, brioche bun, crusty roll or baguette with some good mustard and sauerkraut. Classic! These sausages make an easy meal. A 12 oz package with 4 good size sausages goe for $3.99 (ie, $1 each). So another pretty good deal from TJ’s and more than worth your trying. When I first saw these it was Xmas season and was not sure if they are available all year or if they’ seasonal (Update: TJ’s seems to carry these sausages all year!)

If you cooked these on a grill in summertime, it would be a huge hit I would think. You could try them with potatoes as I did or go the Easy Route, just brown them and serve them with mustard, kraut and some good bread or buns.

A NO-RECIPE RECIPE: Cut up some Yukon Gold potatoes into cubes and par-boil them for 5-10 minutes in salted water till almost tender but not completely cooked. Drain them and sauté them with some onions in oil (with a little butter for extra flavor). Cook on medium heat, toss occasionally until golden brown on all sides. Make room in the center and grill the Bavarian Bratwurst 4 mins per side until browned. I slash them slightly before grilling. When done serve with good mustard. Cold beer would of course not be amiss with these Bavarian Bratwursts!

FYI = No Pink Slime at TJ’s

30 Mar 2012 1 Comment

by promacnyc in Blog, News, Products, Trader Joes, update Tags: , , , , , , ,


FYI –

—–Original Message—–
From: (trader joes rants)
Sent: March 23, 2012 4:34 PM
To:  Trader Joe’s Web Customer Relations
Subject: Trader Joe’s Product Information Form

Your Trader Joe’s: NYC, Bway, 72 St
Product Name:     Ground Beef

Your Comments:   I read that 70% of all supermarket ground beef now contains ‘pink slime’ as filler. What about TJ’s ground beef ?

———–

Hi,

Thanks for taking the time to reach out to us. Our ground beef is 100% pure beef with nothing added. Please be reassured that this is not something that would be permitted in our products– NO pink slime in any of our meat. We only work with reputable suppliers, many of which are actually generally much smaller in comparison to other markets, just so that we can ensure the quality and integrity of our products. We also have third party audits of our products and vendor facilities to ensure that our standards are met.

At Trader Joe’s, food safety is of the utmost importance, and we take seriously the work done to ensure our products are wholesome and safe; after all, we’re customers, too – and we would not sell anything we would not eat, drink, or use ourselves!

Kind regards,
Kerry
Trader Joe’s Customer Relations

Raw Ground beef

Easy Home-Made Pizza using TJ’s Pizza Dough (Re-Visited!)

04 Mar 2012 14 Comments

by promacnyc in General, Prices, Products, Rave, recipe, Recipes, Trader Joes, update Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,


I noticed that the all-useful TRADER JOE’S PIZZA DOUGH which had been only 99 cents (!) for as long as I can remember, went up to bit by bit and is now $1.29. While I loved it for under a buck, its still not a bad deal, say compared to Whole Foods prices.

The “pizza recipe” post I did before seems to be one of the more popular posts here, so I’m re-visiting the topic of PIZZA (Yeah, baby!) Pictured below is yet another pizza I made for dinner using TJ’s ever useful bag of Pizza Dough sold in the refrigerator section.

To make this I used some homemade spaghetti sauce, with some extra veggies I had leftover from another dinner (eggplant, peppers, and onions). Mozzarella, and some hot Italian sausage. At the end I put on some cooked Kale with garlic I had made another night too. See, part of the “pizza night” ethos is to use up whatever one can find in the fridge, that might work on it!


Seriously, doesn’t this home-made pizza look so damn yummy and delicious that you wish you could eat it right now?! Well guess what, you can! Make your own pizza at home, folks. No really, it’s pretty easy. Do you need to use home-made sauce? Of course not, a jar or canned sauce like TJ’s Marinara would be fine. Making your own pizza is easy, fun, super delicious and is of course cheaper than buying one. There is nothing like eating a pizza you made yourself and just pulled fresh out of your oven, bubbly and browned. If you have never made pizza at home before, you must try making one yourself at least once. I promise once you do, you’ll want to make a pizza once a week. Every time I go to Trader Joe’s I buy a package of dough to keep in my freezer to always have it on hand for these occasions. It will defrost on the counter in about 3-4 hours (or leave to defrost in the fridge overnight).

Is a Recipe needed to inspire you? OK then heres how to make a pizza:

pizza5HOMEMADE PIZZA WITH TJ PIZZA DOUGH

Ingredients needed: 1 package of TJ’s Pizza Dough, about 8 ozs of some sauce (Marinara, etc),  about 1/2 lb cheese (Mozzerella, Parmesan, Pecorino, Grana Padano, Jack, etc ) and using more than one cheese is even better (optional: fresh garlic, diced tomato, fresh/dried basil, onion, parsley, cooked mushrooms, zucchini, broccoli, kale, etc) and of course Italian Spices (oregano, basil, rosemary, red pepper, black pepper….)

1) Take your (defrosted) package of TRADER JOE”S PIZZA DOUGH out of the fridge –  leave it out at room temperature for at least one hour (the package says ’20 minutes’ but it is too short). Room temperature dough will be easier to work and press out,so plan ahead! (around the 1/2 hour point, turn on to pre-heat your oven to 450-500…very hot) Do not nuke it.

2) Prepare a clean work surface thats large enough to work your dough on. Dust it with flour. Remove the dough from the package (TIP: Its sticky! I invert the plastic bag to remove and just keep tugging and pulling till I get it all out). Dust the dough with flour so you can work it. Now you shape it. With your hands well floured and adding a little extra flour (or cornmeal) on the surface of the dough as needed, start to press out the dough using your fingers. Keep working and turning it until it is your desired size and shape. I generally use a square non-stick “half-sheet pan” to cook my pizza in. Its a little trickier to make the dough into a square/rectangle instead of a round but I like it like this. If using this kind of sheet pan, put a little olive oil in the pan on the bottom, put in your dough, put some oil your fingers and on top of the dough and work it into shape using your fingers, pressing it out gently. The oil will help you to stretch it out and work the dough towards the corners. Let the dough rest five minutes if you find its not ‘listening’ and keeps pulling back on you. Normal dough behavior. Just let it rest 5-10 minutes, then come back. Try to be careful and not to make the pizza “too thin” (or rip it!) if you can. And not too thick either or it will be tough! Get it just right. Build up the outside edge a bit. You can gently brush the edges with some olive oil if you want (optional). Another Option: Use a rolling pin to get it started and transfer that carefully to the pan and then work it. Remember if its the pan style its a rectangle you are shooting for. Shaping the dough is the only tricky part of making a pizza. The more you do this, the more you will get the hang of handling dough. If its not perfectly shaped your first time don’ worry. It will still taste as good! Don’t give up. Check YouTube for some videos on making pizza, study a bit, practice and keep doing it. You will get the hang of it and find it much easier in future. If you want to go the traditional round pizza route, of course try that. Moving the raw pizza into the oven is a tricky part, though personally I have found a square one in a sheet pan works.

IMG_0003READY TO ASSEMBLE (I am using smoked mozz and a little provolone) 
Now that you have your pizza dough base ready, its time for the ingredients
3) Spread your tomato sauce out with a large spoon. Do not oversauce – that will make the pizza harder to cook evenly and soggy. Add sauce as a thin layer. Now add your other ingredients, again in moderation, and spaced out. Don’t place too much stuff on it. Sprinkle on grated mozzerella or other cheese as desired. I like to use more than one cheese (Parmesan is great as well as Grana Padano) If using sausage, pre-cook a bit just till you can slice easily (I cooked mine covered for 5-6 minutes, let it cool in the pan, then sliced it up and added it) Add extra spices as desired (Oregano, Rosemary, Basil, Red Pepper flakes….). Add fresh cracked pepper. Drizzle a bit of Olive Oil all over just before baking (Are you vegetarian? Vegan? Adjust the ingredients as needed. I’m sure you know how. Soy cheese perhaps?)

4) BAKING: When its ready to bake, place the pizza in pre-heated 450-500 degree oven. Very hot! Real pizza ovens are much hotter than your home oven can go but we can work with just longer baking. TIP: I have started to put the pan on the oven floor for 7-10 mins then move it to the middle or top rack for the rest of the baking time. This really bakes the bottom (if you don’t have a pizza steel or stone). If moving it sounds too complicated, just use the middle rack.

Check pizza after 15-18 minutes (ROTATE the pan after 10 minutes, to even the baking. The pizza will probably need a total of around 20-25 minutes to bake, but your mileage may vary, as every oven is different. Check it frequently until you think its done. When it is done, I think you will know; it should be bubbly and slightly browned on top (as well as the bottom) However be careful not to over-cook your pizza or it may be a bit tough. Real pizza ovens are 600-900 degrees or hotter, so a pizza bakes in mere minutes….we just do our best with our regular home ovens. When your beautiful pizza looks – and smells – like its done, it probably is, so remove it from the oven. Check it. If its finished, you should let it rest 2 minutes before cutting as it will be easier to slice. Yes, waiting is the hardest part. SLICE it up with your favorite tool. I’ve got a pizza cutter from a 99 cents store, and it works fine. Believe it or not I even use kitchen shears to cut up pizza, and that works fairly well. If you have fresh Basil, now is the time to add it – use kitchen shears as I learned to do watching master pizza maker Dom DeMarco at the legendary DiFara’s Pizza in Brooklyn)! Dom’s pizza’s are to die for.

IMG_0002Before and After. The hardest part in the above may be waiting 20 minutes for the pizza to come out of the oven.

IMG_0004

The thing is, once you get the hang of making a pizza yourself a few times you will find its really not that hard to make, nor takes that much time. You must try making pizza yourself.

Please leave some feedback on your successes (or failures)

UPDATE / TIP: I have been experimenting with “aging” the TJ dough in the fridge and let it sit for a few days before use. It will ferment slowly and will get sourdough-y taste this way as the dough ferments. Try this aging for 1 (or 2 days) past the “sell by” date. Experiment with the aging of the dough tip and see if the crust and flavor is improved. I find it so.

Personally I have found the regular dough is the best version TJ has  – I have found the whole wheat version too tough, and the herbed version too off-tasting and bitter. Your mileage may vary. If you really want great pizza, eventually you may even make your own dough!

Buona Fortuna (good luck!) and Enjoy…

Instructions as written on the package ( i don’t find these accurate!):

Gently remove dough from bag and place on lightly floured work surface. Let dough rest for 20 minutes, then, for best results, stretch by hand or roll out with rolling pin to 12-inch diameter. Top with your favorite toppings and bake in a preheated 450 degrees oven or BBQ grill for 8-10 minutes, or until cheese begins to boil and the bottom of crust is golden brown.Use a hot pizza stone or lightly oiled pan for optimum results. Mangia!

(another pizza: this used feta cheese, tomato, onion, capers, garlic, olive oil, basil, arugula…) 
Related articles

AND YET MORE PHOTOS OF MAKING OF A PIZZA USING HOMEMADE DOUGH

HALF ZUCCHINI / HALF TOMATO

TJ’s Fresh Cranberries (and RECIPE)

23 Nov 2011 3 Comments

by promacnyc in All Natural, can, condiments, DIY, Fall Season, fresh, General, Pantry, Prices, Products, Rave, recipe, Recipes, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,


Every year this post becomes the most popular post around Thanksgiving, ENJOY~

FRESH VS. CANNED CRANBERRY SAUCE

To me the greatest sin one can make for Thanksgiving is not making the cranberry sauce from scratch and just opening up a can.

There is simply no comparison to MAKING YOUR OWN CRANBERRY SAUCE fresh, and no reason not to. It’s literally the EASIEST thing in the world to make. If you do it this year, I promise you everyone will say how wonderful the cranberry sauce is. Seriously it could not be easier to make. Recipe follows….

If you’ve never made your own cranberry sauce and are used to opening a can of that jiggly jelly stuff (ugh!) you owe it to your family to make it this year. The “work” involved may take you about 1 minute, plus maybe 15 minutes just letting it do its own thing cooking. TIP: Make it at least an hour ahead of eating so it can be served at room temp (hint, even better do it one or two days before to get it out of the way). It will set up beautifully in the fridge. Take it out of the fridge an hour or so before eating.

EASY “RECIPE” :  Open bag. Dump berries in a pot. Add one cup water* and one cup of sugar. Bring to a boil. Basically that’s it. When it boils, just lower the heat down to a simmer and let it alone until the cranberries “pop” in about 15 to 20 minutes. When the berries have popped, they’re done so just turn off the fire. DONE! Let it cool for 30 minutes or so. As it cools it will thicken up (cranberry skin contains a great deal of pectin, a natural thickener).

If this easy recipe seems “too easy” for you and you want to get a tiny bit fancier and more creative, here are things you try…  * Instead of water, you can use orange juice. A bit fancier? Grate in a little orange zest. Even more creative? This year I added a tiny bit of cayenne pepper and a pinch of fennel seeds and some lime juice. Ginger can be nice in a cranberry sauce.

Once you try this you will be shocked at how easy it is to make and how infinitely better this fresh sauce is over the canned stuff. At the time of this writing a 12 oz. bag cost $1.99, a decent price. (UPDATE: 2018, a bag was $3.49 at TJ’s) Update 2: 2022, a bag was back down to now $2.29. UPDATE 2023: Organic ones are $3 a bag so buy those!

You can even buy an extra bag of berries and throw it as is in the freezer where it can keep for a few months if you want it outside of just Thanksgiving.  It goes great with grilled chicken breasts.

Once you make your own, you will realize how easy it was to make and and like me, will never buy the sauce in a can again, or even TJ’s pre-made stuff.

 Now go, and sin no more…

#DIY #CranberrySauce

RECIPE VARIATION: Indian Cranberry Chutney. In a saute pan, melt a tablespoon butter, and add some chopped garlic, a quarter chopped onion and saute stirring for 3 minutes. Add a teaspoon of TJ’s curry powder (or more to taste) and cook one minute. Add the zest of one orange and its juice with 1/4 cup of water and 1/4-1/2 cup of brown sugar or Palm Sugar (or more or less to taste). Add the package of cranberries and simmer 25-30 minutes stirring frequently. If you want heat add a few dashes of Cayenne or your favorite Hot Sauce (PeriPeri, Green Dragon.…) to taste.

TJ’s Multigrain and Flaxseed Water Crackers

13 Jul 2011 7 Comments

by promacnyc in Discontinued, General, Prices, Products, Rave, Trader Joes, update, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: , , , , , , ,


These looked worth a try, and they were! Is this is a “healthy” cracker? “Whole Grain Flour (Wheat, Quinoa, Spelt, Millet, Kamut), Enriched Wheat Flour, Sunflower Oil, Whole Flaxseed, Salt, Sugar”. That looks pretty /healthy natural to me as just about every healthy grain on the planet is in this cracker. So you don’t have to feel too bad eating these. The label states 4 crackers are 60 calories. Also not too shabby right?

Taste? Very good. They do NOT taste like cardboard, as some “healthy” products tend to. These taste great: Natural and fairly neutral as a “water cracker” should. Like “Carr’s”, which are the standard, but a bit more flavorful, no doubt due to the whole grains. They are a fine base for anything: cheese, dips, meats, etc, and yes I’ve eaten some on their own and I think they are better than Carr’s this way, which are way too bland for me. These are crisp and delicate but sturdy enough to support anything you top them with. These sell for a very good price too – well at the moment, TJ”s is now raising prices on a weekly basis! They are a great deal for $1.29!

A RAVE

REPORTED DISCONTINUED FEB 2021….

Previous Older Entries Next Newer Entries