NEW ITEM! Trader Joe’s Sweet & Spicy RICE CRACKER MIX (GF)


NEW ITEM!

GLUTEN FREE

SWEET AND SPICY RICE CRACKER MIX

These are a good new addition to all of the many wonderful snacks that Trader Joe’s sells. If you like things that are a little Spicy you may love these new rice crackers. These are a little similar to those rice cracker snacks called Rice Cracker Medley. These however have a bit of spice added to them along with the sweet.

These are made from RICE so naturally Gluten Free. Theses don’t have a laundry list of chemical names in the ingredients either, it looks pretty simple.

As a fan in general of “spicy”, albeit not crazy spicy, I found these Just Right in the heat department as the spiciness is counterbalanced by the slight sweetness of the crackers. There are about four or five different shapes. I found they are a really good match with a little cheese.

We found these to be ever so slightly addictive! The two of us could not keep our hand off the package.

Product of Thailand

$2.49 bag (8 oz) I would buy these again

NEW ITEM! Trader Joe’s OKONOMIYAKI (Savory Japanese Pancake)


NEW ITEM: Trader Joe’s frozen OKONOMIYAKI, a Japanese Savory Vegetable Pancake with a sweet and savory sauce and dried bonito flakes

Product of Japan

What is OKONOMIYAKI you ask? Okonomiyaki is a kind of savory pancake, which almost everyone in Japan loves. They are eaten all over… at home, at restaurants (see picture) and from street vendors. They are really popular, and they’re delicious.

(note: Just to be clear this is Hiroshima style Okonomiyaki which has noodles. Someone from Osaka would get into a fight over this and Osaka vs. Hiroshima style, like New York Pizza vs Deep Dish pizza.)

These pancakes have chopped cabbage and a few other veggies mixed into batter with flour and eggs, like a pancake batter but savory. This is poured onto a grill and cooked. These will usually have some kind of protein element added as well, such as thinly sliced pork belly or squid or shrimp. But they can have just about anything in it as its very name states. “OKONOMI” in Japanese means something like “however you want”, or as you like it.

Trader Joe’s says: “Directly translated, Okonomiyaki is derived from two words, yaki (meaning “grilled”) and okonomi (meaning “as you like it”), a testament to its customizable nature. In Japan and in Japanese-inspired street food scenes across the globe, these savory pancakes can be made with a wide variety of ingredients, including different veggies, proteins, and cheeses, and topped with everything from mayo to seaweed to dried, shaved fish flakes. For Trader Joe’s Okonomiyaki, our supplier in Japan has opted for a relatively simple, yet sublimely satisfying combination of cabbage, yam, and green onion held together in an eggy batter. When prepped at home, it takes on a crisp texture on the outside and a light and creamy texture on the inside. And if that wasn’t enough, they’ve also included a packet of sweet and savory okonomi sauce and delicate tuna flakes so that you can enjoy your Okonomiyaki, appropriately enough exactly as you like it. ” – Trader Joe’s

https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/okonomiyaki-japanese-vegetable-pancake-077090

(what it looks like just out of the package)
(here’s what mine looked like all done – the yellow bit is an egg I added)

So I saw that Trader Joe’s came out with a frozen OKONOMIYAKI. Frankly I had my doubts that a Trader Joe’s version would be any good. My wife (Japanese) was especially skeptical. But guess what? We were both pleasantly surprised at how tasty these actually are. These are good! They are made for Trader Joe’s in Japan. This one is a simple basic version that has chopped cabbage, scallions, Japanese yam, and other items. My one gripe is the Okonomi sauce they give you could be a bit better (the best being OTAFUKU brand). This sauce is just OK. If you have Worstershire sauce, I would add a bit of that.

Word seems to be getting out about these too, with the internet saying this is a Good New Item. Its going a bit viral.

For five bucks, this is well worth trying. One could be a snack for two people. But better one each!

These as we’ve said, can be added to, as you recall these are “however you like it?” You can learn how to customize these. To start with for example we just said to each other lets add an egg (scrambled) when it was almost finished cooking and that improved it quite a bit. I suggest at a minimum think about adding an egg if you want.

As Trader Joe’s says, these are a very simple basic version of something you may learn to customize with other things. You can add things to put on top like some grilled pork belly (very typical), cooked bacon or other grilled pork, grilled shrimp, squid (typical), chicken or tofu for that matter. (Hmm, I think these might work with sliced up grilled Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs? I think those might match well with this Okonomiyaki.)

Believe it or not these pancakes are terrific when you add cheese and get the cheese melted all over. Grate up cheddar and when you are finishing the bottom, put it on top and cover till the bottom side is done.

But even just as is this fairly basic version that Trader Joe’s gives you is fairly tasty. In the package you will find a cooked frozen pancake plus two little side packages. One is the sauce you will put drizzle all over it and the other has the yummy dried bonito (tuna) flakes, known as katsuobushi, which are a linchpin of Japanese cooking. Most people in Japan drizzle Kewpie mayo on it too so if you have that great, if not you can add a bit of sweetener to some mayo and spread that on.

TIP: you can add other toppings. If you have TJ’s FURIKAKE flakes, sprinkle a bit on top. Pickled red ginger (benishoga) is a typical thing many Japanese add.

This version from TJ is more or less a basic vegetarian Okonomiyaki (not counting the dried tuna flakes which you add as a topping)

HOW TO COOK Trader Joe’s Okonomiyaki: Open it up and take the sauce packet and put it in a dish of warm water to defrost. The package instruction says to nuke the pancake first a minute or two to defrost it, then grill it in a pan. (TIP If you do the defrost stop there. I strongly suggest you DO NOT COOK this by microwaving it. The pancake should get pan fried for correct crispy outer texture)

TIP: I skipped nuking altogether. I just let it left it on the counter for about 20 minutes to defrost and that worked fine. Then tossed it into a hot cast iron pan

Pan fry the pancake with a little oil or butter on low-medium heat until it looks GDB on the bottom and gets a bit of crispiness. Flip and let the other side finish.

OPTIONAL, of course but i think adding an egg makes this way better and a bit more of a meal. I removed the pancake from the pan to a plate, then tossed in an egg with a little butter, scrambled it and put the pancake back on top of it and cooked it for about a minute. Or just do a sunnyside up egg and put that on top before you dress it with your sauce.

When the pancake is golden brown and delicious, plate it, then dress it. Cut the corner of the sauce package and drizzle the Okonomiyaki savory sauce on all over it, in lines, then top that with the whole package of dried bonito flakes (katsuobushi, which are an Umami bomb). Another option you can add is a drizzle of mayonaisse, especially Kewpie which is sweeter than our mayo. Pickled shredded ginger (benishoga). Nori flakes…

TJ’s NORI FURIKAKE

If you are interested in learning more about this dish, this site has a recipe plus great pictures of what it can look like properly dressed up.

$4.99 (10 oz package) Frozen

I would buy this again

Note Re: GF – This has wheat flour. NOT Gluten Free (but see below about making a GF one if you want to try your hand) *

For a Gluten Free version, I found a recipe where this guy has a GF version using rice flour instead of wheat: https://platesbynat.com/gluten-free-okonomiyaki/

Also it has great pictures of what the real McCoy looks like!

It just so happened that right after i wrote this post, there was a Japanese street fair festival nearby that I passed which had a vendor selling Okonomiyaki and it had the longest line of people waiting to buy it (sticker shock, they were 12 bucks!) I took a few pictures to share.

Trader Joe’s GARLIC BUTTER IRISH POTATO CHIPS (Warning: Addictive!)


NEW ITEM

IRISH POTATO CHIPS WITH GARLIC BUTTER.

“Made with bold, full-flavored garlic and rich, creamy inimitably Irish butter, that was churned in the green rolling hills of County Cork”

I had read all over the internet about these new Trader Joe’s potato chips. That they are really good. Crazy good.

I was lucky to be at TJ’s when they happened to be giving out samples of these chips. The nice lady giving them out, jokingly warned us “Careful with these, they’re kind of addictive”. I ate a chip. Just one bite in and you realize she was not kidding. These chips are crazy good. They should come with a Warning Label on the package.

Once you start eating these, it will be hard to stop.

The chip are a PRODUCT OF IRELAND, and of course made from Irish potatoes. They have the perfect crunch, being cut just a little bit on the thick side, along with having ruffled edges. That garlic butter seasoning on these is so tasty and so good. The ingredient list even lists mushroom extract, which would supply some more Umami. All which leads to the “addictive” warning label I think these should come with.

My wife bought a bag of these. I was lucky to get a few to taste as she held onto the bag with here life. She got very possessive. I had to beg her for a couple of chips which she grudgingly gave me. When I asked for a few more, she told me to buy my own bag. She admitted she could not stop eating them. She was already Addicted. So be warned.

GARLIC BUTTER IRISH POTATO CHIPS, $2.99, 5.5 oz bag. Trust me the bag will go fast.

Better buy two while you are there and save yourself an extra trip.

Trader Joe’s “Caro Sugo” Italian Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce, review


NEW ITEM

RAVE

Trader Joe’s New Item

(“Caro Sugo” loosely translates to “dear sauce / favorite sauce”)

CARO SUGO Italian tomato basic pasta sauce seems to be all over the internet with people saying this new Trader Joe’s tomato sauce is Da Bomb.

The best pasta sauce ever. That it is better than the highly rated Rao’s (and cheaper). So I had to check this out for a review. Well, guess what? Sometimes the hype is true. This sauce is SO GOOD. I was really impressed with this.

The freshest, most natural tasting, perfect, artisanal tomato sauce. It could have been cooked by your Italian nonna back in Italy.

I found this as good as everybody seems to be saying it is. A 10 out of 10.

Caro Sugo just has such a fresh, natural taste from excellent probably freshly harvested tomatoes plus Italian olive oil and fresh (not dried) garlic, and whole basil leaves. It’s got bits of tomato, a few little chunks. It’s not smooth like many jarred sauces are. Meaning not over processed.

Imported of course, this sauce is produced in Italy for Trader Joe’s. Specifically from the region of Puglia, which is the “heel of the boot” on a map. The supplier who makes this also grows the tomatoes, picks them and processes them. Close to where they are grown, so the tomatoes are as fresh as possible and you can actually taste that freshness.

Ingredients listed are: Whole peeled tomatoes, olive oil, diced onion, sea salt, chopped garlic, chopped basic, dried oregano.

Everything except for the oregano is a fresh ingredient. There is no sugar added. The sauce has a slight natural sweetness from good tomatoes.

Where’s what Trader Joe’s says about this sauce:

https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/caro-sugo-italian-tomato-basil-pasta-sauce-079753

TJ’s : “….Our supplier not only makes this sauce, but also grows the sweet, juicy tomatoes that make it so special. The rest of the ingredients are simple and fresh, including olive oil, diced onion & chopped garlic (not powders), chopped fresh basil, and sea salt. The only “dried” ingredient is oregano, which was chosen purposefully for its more concentrated flavor. 

What will you do with Trader Joe’s Caro Sugo Italian Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce? The answer is: anything you like! As you can imagine, it’s delicious with your favorite TJ’s pasta or ravioli. Try it with our Homestyle Angus Beef Meatballs on a Sandwich Roll topped with melted Sliced Provolone. You’ll also find this Tomato Sauce shines on pizzas, in shakshuka, or even as a dipping sauce for our Breaded Mozzarella Cheese Sticks!”

As they say do not limit yourself to just thinking of this pasta sauce. This sauce is a great sauce for cooking. PIZZA? Yes, I am thinking. I definitely want to try making a pizza using this Caro Sugo sauce and the Mozzarella log for one thing. My dough is developing now in the fridge. I will report back here with pix!

This is a Must Try. Granted this costs more than some other quite good pasta Trader Joe’s sauces which cost less than half the price ($1.99) However if you want to taste an artisanal imported Italian sauce which is truly Gourmet Level, this is well worth trying at least once. People who have are saying they go back and buy a few jars at a time.

CARO SUGO Italian tomato basic pasta sauce $4.99 (24 oz)

PIzza made with this Caro Sugo sauce (my wife said I should have used more sauce). I made dough but you can buy TJ’s dough. Whole milk mozz. Fresh basil. It was yummy.

Trader Joe’s 100% WHOLE GRAIN FIBER MULTIGRAIN BREAD


INGREDIENTS: Water, whole wheat flout, oat fiber, wheat gluten, cracked wheat, honey, brown sugar, plus steel cut oats, sunflower seeds, canola oil, yeast, cultured wheat, millet, salt, molasses, ground flax, rye, golden flax, vinegar, wheat starch, soy lecithin, brown rice, barley, triticale, buckwheat, enzyme, ascorbic acid

So as you can see from the Ingredients in this bread, you are getting a lot of variety of whole grains for one thing. You are also getting a good amount of fiber in this 100% Whole Grain High Fiber bread. Each slice has 5 grams of fiber.

That is about 18% of the recommended dietary amount. It’s not hard to eat two slices, perhaps in a sandwich or just as toast. Do that and you are getting 10 grams of fiber, which is about 1/3 or more of the daily recommended fiber amount (daily dietary fiber is recommended at 25-38 grams).

How does this bread taste? I like it. It actually tastes pretty good. Like a 100% whole wheat bread. I find it just the tiniest bit on the dry side, but you have to take all that fiber into account.

This tasted quite good when I toasted it up, and ate with butter and marmalade.

It’s got no preservatives, and no additives. Seems pretty All Natural. I would buy it again.

$3.49 (1 1/2 lbs, 24 oz)

Trader Joe’s yummy new KOREAN YANGNYEOM SAUCE


SAVORY, SPICY AND STICKY SWEET SAUCE WITH A PLEASANT UMAMI NOTE THROUGHOUT

Pronounced “YANG-nyum”

https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/yangnyeom-sauce-079548

“…while it is indeed incredibly delicious on some crispy-fried chicken, that’s just the beginning, as far as we’re concerned. We recommend trying it on everything from roasted veggies to grilled short ribs, air-fried salmon, shrimp tacos, and omelettes. Frankly, we’ll even use it as a dip for French fries… or as sauce on a homemade Pizza topped with Pepper Jack Cheese, Spicy Chicken Nuggets, and cilantro or green onions (trust us on this one—it’s delicious.)”

This new sauce is getting a lot of notice all over the internet. I was familiar with this Korean sauce as a family member made a homemade one, so got the new Trader Joe’s one to try out and review.

I like it. It has sugar, soy sauce, red miso, molasses, ginger, rice vinegar, red pepper and sesame oil. Very tasty. While not quite as good as homemade versions of the sauce that I’ve tasted, this commercial version is still quite tasty.

It’s a dark sauce which is a bit thick and it’s just loaded with umami. It had a slight spicy back note but it’s not crazy spicy. This will be great on lots of things. Certainly most any Asian dish, especially noodles. Especially SQUIGGLY NOODLES plus all the things they list: chicken, salmon, and other fish, shrimp, omelettes. I want to try the pizza idea they mention with chicken and pepper jack cheese….!

You can also use this as a marinade or glaze.

$3.99, 16 oz bottle

Trader Joe’s SEVILLE ORANGE MARMALADE Fruit Spread


SEVILLE ORANGE Marmalade Fruit Spread

If you are a fan of ORANGE MARMALADE you will be glad to hear Trader Joe’s came out with this. Maybe “kind of glad”.

If you are a fan, you know doubt know that Trader Joe’s used to carry a terrific “true” orange marmalade. BUT THEY DISCONTINUED IT Yup. That beloved SEVILLE ORANGE MARMALADE they used to carry was terrific. Outstanding. A proper marmalade made with Seville Oranges. It was one of the best marmalade’s – and sold for an amazing price.

It had tons of fans (based on the feedback here). Unfortunately Trader Joe’s famously discontinued it (back in 2019).

Thousands of us fans of it were devastated. In fact, my old review of that marmalade – plus the fact that they had discontinued an outstanding product – happens to be probably my post with the most COMMENTS of this entire blog! Seriously. Their getting rid of it is one of the biggest RANTS here. People were shocked, aghast, angry and dismayed that an excellent product got the ax, and wrote something on this site to voice that anger. Over 80+ people took the time and effort to Comment and complain here.

Well guess what? About 5 years after they discontinued that Trader Joe’s came with this new product called: Seville Orange Marmalade Fruit Spread (yes it adds the words “fruit spread” after marmalade)

Frankly I was pretty surprised to see it . I had to try it and review it.

My honest review? While not exactly the same, it is in fact tasty… But this is a fruit spread. Basically meaning less thick. This new marmalade fruit spread is made in Belgium. That older (“real”) marmalade was from Canada.

So how is it? To be honest, I do find it tasty. As good as the old one? No. But I am glad I can pick up a jar at Trader Joe’s.

It is made from Seville oranges, and is actually pretty tasty with a good balance of bitter and sweet. Thin cut slivers.

A) VISCOSITY: This is looser than that original marmalade. A “fruit spread” is not as tight / thick as a jam (or marmalade). This lists apple juice concentrate as an ingredient. It is much less viscous (thick). So runnier than a true marmalade. You will use more of it.

B) SIZE. The original Seville Orange marmalade came in a big jar of about 17 ounces. This jar is just 7.5 ounces. Less than half the size of that old marmalade. Yet it costs about the same. So twice the price of the old one, and as less thick so will you use a bit more?

The ingredients on the old one (pictured below with a yellow green label) were: SUGAR, SEVILLE ORANGE PEEL, SEVILLE ORANGE JUICE. Plus pectin , the natural gelling agent in fruit.

(this is the label on the old jar of Trader Joe’s marmalade)
(label of the new version, marmalade fruit spread)

This version lists sugar and Seville oranges but also apple juice from concentrate as the ingredient after Seville oranges. Which is why I assume this is described as ORANGE MARMALADE FRUIT SPREAD and not simply “Marmalade”. Now Trader Joe’s says something about this, and even puts a positive spin on it…. Ha-ha!

“A great marmalade is a bit of a balancing act. First, you’ve got to balance the sweetness of the fruit juice and sugar involved with the tartness of the citrus and bitterness of the orange rind. Then, you’ve got to find just the right balance of fruit and rind within the physical makeup of the marmalade—too much fruit, and it’s more like a jelly, too much rind, and it’s an overly-chewy mess. Luckily, when we decided to bring in a seasonal Seville Orange Marmalade Fruit Spread to our shelves, we had some real experts in our corner. Made by the same supplier in Belgium who previously demonstrated their mastery of balance with our Apricot Cardamom and Green Tea Yuzu spreads, this sweet, citric, and properly proportioned Marmalade is a triumph of harmonious flavors and textures on the palate.” – Trader Joe’s

https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/seville-orange-marmalade-fruit-spread-079516

So while I like the taste of TJ’s new “orange marmalade fruit spread” of course as a fruit spread it’s not as thick as it would be called just “orange marmalade”.

I’m glad I can buy something akin to orange marmalade at Trader Joe’s again, period. But. Its a small jar. My jar went fast. Again, so a bit of a mixed bag.

Cost: This small 7.5 oz jar will go much faster than the 17 oz one of course especially as its not as thick and concentrated. The new marmalade costs more than double what the old one cost. Granted it was 2019 but the old bigger jar went for $3.50.

Some people might actually like this “marmalade fruit spread” – ie, people who are new to marmalade 0 who may not like the (thicker) more intense versions of marmalade they might have tried in the past. If you are a marmalade lover, at least this is worth trying, even if not ideal for the true English marmalade lover. Again, a mixed bag.

Spread this new Marmalade fruit spread on an English Muffin or an English Crumpet with butter for breakfast. Put marmalade on some sliced Brie with crackers or toast.

Besides muffins or toast, try this on top of cottage cheese as Trader Joe’s suggests. I tried it and thats a nice match.

Trader Joe’s SEVILLE ORANGE MARMALADE FRUIT SPREAD $2.99 (7.5 oz)

So I do give this a thumbs up, as I am glad I at least I can buy something akin to “marmalade” again at Trader Joe’s

Let us know what you think in the Comments!

UPDATE: I haven’t gotten it in some time but just bought some, and after opening a jar it seemed a bit thicker than the first time I tried it. Is this true? Possibly they’ve changed the recipe and made it thicker and more concentrated?

PS – Over the years I used to make my own orange Marmalade which I gave away to friends for an Xmas gift. Want to try your hand it it? Here’s a recipe

https://www.biggerbolderbaking.com/easy-orange-marmalade/

COOKING WITH MARMALADE : Versatile as an ingredient. Mix marmalade with some mustard (Dijon is best) and use as a glaze with salmon or chicken or pork!

Trader Joe’s VERY BERRY GRANOLA


TJ’s: “Our supplier starts with hearty clusters of rolled oats – the kind of foundation that very important breakfasts are built upon – then sprinkles in bits of dried and sweetened blueberries and dried strawberries, so that every bite has an elegantly balanced blend of crunchy textures and sweet, fruity flavors. In other words: important, fun, and unarguably delicious.”

This is one of the newer granola’s Trader Joe’s introduced. Trader Joe’s VERY BERRY GRANOLA, as it name indicates, has a berry flavors, from dried strawberries and dried blueberries. It is just a wee bit on the sweet side. So rather than snacking out of hand, I think you want to eat this with something… milk, almond, soy milk, yogurt. I think its especially good with plain unsweetened yogurt, or especially Greek yogurt.

I liked it and found it good. Generally I don’t eat a whole bowl full of granola. I’m usually using it as topping, for a nice crunch on top of whatever else is in my breakfast bowl, which might have a mix of things: chia seeds, overnight oats, kefir, yogurt, bananas, blueberries or whatever fruit I have. This granola with it’s crunchy clusters is perfect for a bit of crunchy topping for me.

PAIR THIS WITH: plain Greek Yogurt and fruit.

While I would not say there are a ton of dried strawberries and blueberries in it, as typical with Trader Joe, you get just enough so you don’t feel they gypped you. You taste the strawberry flavor in almost every bite as the dried berries have mostly broken up into small pieces so you will get a bit in almost every bite of it. As far as the dried blueberries, I wish they had more. I add frozen wild blues.

So this is a tasty granola and I would say this is worth trying.

I am still waiting to try the chocolate and coffee granola (huh?) people are talking about and see if that’s actually any good.

Trader Joe’s VERY BERRY GRANOLA $3.99 (12 oz)

NATURALLY, GLUTEN FREE

Trader Joe’s “NEW & IMPROVED” SQUIGGLY NOODLES with Spicy Garlic Sesame Sauce (black package)


Trader Joe’s SQUIGGLY KNIFE CUT STYLE NOODLES with Spicy Garlic Sesame sauce, review

Trader Joe’s came out with a newer version of their popular “SQUIGGLY RUFFLED NOODLES”. This one is in the black package and has a different sauce than the original version.

“New and Improved” isn’t what they said but it’s what I say. Why? Simple. The newer version comes with a way better sauce. I mean I had actually suggested just tossing the sauce package in the original red package and making your own.

Now you don’t have to. The newer “spicy garlic sesame sauce” sauce packet is so much better than the original.

Not only did they fix the newer version up with a better sauce, they even somehow managed to reduce the Sodium content at the same time. Color me impressed.

So my advice is buy this version (black package) over the original version (red). If you are afraid of the word”spicy” in the name, actually I don’t think it is very spicy at all. This is barely spicy, unless you are very sensitive.

Each noodle pack in the black version comes with two little sauce packets you mix together. One is labeled “Sesame Seed Paste“. The other “Creamy Spicy Garlic Sauce“. When you mix these, they make a decent Asian sauce.

Why are they separate? The sesame paste clumps up. So much so that I found it hard to squeeze out of the bag TIP: Some people recommend squishing it up to mix. I also put it in hot water for a few minutes. I even cut the packet open with a pair of scissors, and can use a small spoon to scrape out all the paste. Worth the trouble as this dark roasted sesame paste has a ton of flavor.

SPICY? To me, I didn’t find it very spicy. I say “Mildly”? But of course your mileage may vary, as spice tolerance is so personal. I would say unless you are super sensitive to spiciness, this is at most “mildly spicy”. Certainly not fire level spicy. In fact I want it spicier so I add a little Lao Gan Ma (chili crisp) and suggest you do that if you do want it spicy.

my stir fried noodles (with eggs and scallions)

Other than that sauce fix, the noodles themselves are the same as in the original (red) package. Personally I see no point in buying the red package anymore; this (black) one is better, sauce wise. Same noodles and same amount. So that’s the one I now get.

I made the noodles Stir Fried with eggs and scallions, pretty easy-peasy. See my other post which goes into detail on par-boiling the noodles a minute or two and then stir frying them with sauce.

Compared to the original Soy/Sesame version, this Spicy version has a bit less sodium listed, now 700 mg sodium here (vs. 920 mg in the original soy and sesame version). That’s good. Especially as the sauce here even tastes better.

If you want to just boil them and mix the sauce in, that’s OK now, which wasn’t the case before with the not great sauce in the red package IMO

Of course, a few other ingredients could improve your dish starting with adding some of your own chopped scallions. I do like the stir fry way though of making these noodles too.

These noodles are not only savory and satisfying but also versatile, making them an ideal addition to various dishes. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or a more elaborate meal, they pair beautifully with vegetables, proteins. In a pinch even just on their own.

At about $1.25 per noodle pack, these are an good choice for anyone looking to elevate their home cooking without breaking the bank. TIP: Spend another $1.29 on some scallions. Cilantro too perhaps? You will use some of them on top of your finished noodles. Plus havehave those for other dishes for about a week…

Trader Joe’s Squiggly Noodles SPICY GARLIC SESAME SAUCE version are $4.99 – $5.49

How to Cook: If you are just boiling and serving, first prepare your sauce by opening the 2 packet(s) and putting the sauces together into a bowl and mixing them thoroughly. Add a teaspoon of water if needed to thin things out. If you have any “topping extras” such as scallions, baked tofu, hard boiled eggs, or cooked veggies, prep them now and cut into bite size or noodle like pieces. You will top the noodles with them later.

Boil a pot of water. Add the dried noodles. Cook about 4 minutes; drain yes but leave a little water left on them and put the noodles into your bowl with the sauce. Toss gently to combine the sauce and noodles. Add on your scallions or other ingredients on top. You can mix those in as you eat (or mix now)

Enjoy noodles while they are still hot.

If you are stir frying them, reduce the time boiling them, to about a 2 to 2 1/2 mins. Drain and put in bowl with about a teaspoon of oil. Toss to coat. This prevents them sticking. Cook your other ingredients in a wok or non stick pan. When ready add the noodles and your sauce (these two packets, or your own plus 1/4 water or stock) and cook about one minute or so tossing to coat well. Serve.

Can you add anything to the sauce that comes with this? Sure, if you like, you can still add a bit of other things. Like a drizzle of Trader Joe’s Toasted Sesame oil which will add great flavor, or Korean Gochujang sauce, or Lao Gan Ma or CHILI ONION CRUNCH.…. whatever you like.

As with almost any noodle dish, something as simple as throwing on chopped scallions, or cilantro will add a good deal of Asian flavors. Here I have added the TERIYAKI CHICKEN MEATBALLS , cut up and cooked with yellow bell peppers in a stir fry with these noodles.

YOU should also check out my original post on the Soy and Sesame version of the SQUIGGLY NOODLES which has a lot of ideas about how to upgrade and cook them HERE

Suggestions: Slice up some of your favorite TJ’s chicken meatballs, saute till brown, throw in some veggies and cook and mix those with these noodles and sauce; voila, a real dish…

Trader Joe’s SAN FRANCISCO STYLE SOURDOUGH BREAD, reviewed


Trader Joe’s “San Francisco Style Sourdough” is a popular bread at Trader Joe’s. And for good reason. Its just a really good tasting bread which everybody seems to love and it’s priced reasonably at three and a half bucks.

How about this for a review? I buy this all the time. This has consistently been one of my standard Go-To items to pick up whenever I shop at Trader Joe’s. One of my favorites breads they sell, and they have a lot of good breads!

This is a handy bread to have on hand. Good for many purposes.

I bet you love ingredient lists where the list is nice and short, like I do. Which it is here. Basically the ingredients say: “unbleached enriched flour, malted barley, water, salt.”

No preservatives.

Its a round loaf, sliced. The slices here are a bit thinner than another TJ sourdough, their CRACKED WHEAT SOURDOUGH which I also reviewed with a thumbs up. That bread is sliced thicker with about 13 slices to a loaf, while this one has about 16-17 slices per package. One slice has about 100 calories.

The crust looks slightly shiny, typical of sourdough bread, and has a nice hole structure in the interior. Its slightly dense, slightly chewy, with a nice taste and a hint of that “sour dough” flavor. It makes excellent toast.

I love a slice of this toasted, say for breakfast with some butter and good jam. This make great sandwiches of course. You can not go wrong making a grilled cheese sandwich with this. Ditto avocado toast.

I found some (incorrect) rumors online last summer about it being discontinued which seemed to upset lots of people, only to learn it was not discontinued. Just to confirm that again, I just bought it recently (Jan 2025) As it is popular you might find it sold out, on occasion, but just ask at the front desk when they expect to get more in, if they sold out of all the stock that day.

If you haven’t tried this yet, try it. I would say its well worth every penny.

San Francisco Style Sourdough Bread, $3.49 (1 1/2 lb, 24 oz round slice loaf)

I would buy this again

I freeze it for long term storage wrapped inside another bag (double bagged). If its hard to pry a slice off frozen I just use a knife to pry one off. Can last 1-2 months frozen.

RAVE

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