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
Actually one of the best things about Trader Joe’s CORN TORTILLAS is what’s NOT in them. True, authentic corn tortillas, like these, contain only three ingredients. Which makes these tortillas already better than most corn tortillas you may find in a supermarket. This package lists three ingredients: “white corn, water, lime” (and by the way “lime” in this case refers not to the citrus fruit but to rather a natural chemical called Calcium hydroxide (Spanish, cal) which is essential to breaking down dried corn kernels and releasing proteins. This chemical process is known as Nixtalmization (pronounced Neesh – ta – mal, a word from the Aztec Nahuatl language).
These days it’s not easy to find corn tortillas with only 3 ingredients. Check the label on most brands of tortillas at your local supermarket. You’ll see there about ten ingredients listed, as most commercial tortilla manufacturers have switched in the last few years to adding preservative chemicals and other ingredients that extend shelf life and make tortillas feel softer when you buy them. So besides CORN, WATER, LIME…. you will see things like: “contains 2% or less of: cellulose gum, guar gum, amylase and propionic acid, benzoic acid and phosphoric acid (to maintain freshness).”
Versus, Trader Joe’s Corn Tortillas: WHITE CORN, WATER, LIME
Ya dig? Its pretty clear why I (and you too probably) will prefer Trader Joe’s tortillas, which are – All Natural ! Now as they don’t have those extra preservatives of course TJs Corn Tortillas won’t stay as soft and fresh as long as the ones with preservatives. So plan to use these TJ tortillas within about a week or two. I keep them tightly wrapped and DOUBLE BAGGED in still another plastic bag in the fridge with a zip lock. Unfortunately corn tortillas don’t freeze well at all, they get mealy defrosted, but these are right cheap and there aren’t that many in a package (12 tortillas). These go for $1.50 for the bag. Now Whole Foods sells an artisanal tortilla which are good but crazy expensive at $5+ a bag. I have tried this brand, VISTA HERMOSA tortillas. They are very good but the price is kind of outrageous. Read about them here as they have lots of good info about Tortilla making in general, if you’re interested in this!
The reality is tortillas in Mexico are so far better tasting that anything we can buy (at least on the East Coast, I can’t speak for West Coast) it ain’t funny. In any Mexican town you can buy a kilo of “artisanal” tortillas made from nixtamalized freshly ground corn, mixed and baked on the spot probably no more than an hour before made from ancient varieties of corn that have a hundred times the flavor of what we have here in the States. And they cost around $1 for a kilo. They have to. The government keeps the price low for the masses. Tortillas are the staple of life there for millions. Corn and beans together make high quality protein.
TJ’s also sells a Corn & Wheat (mixed) tortilla. They are softer and are not bad. I sometimes buy those too but I find these 100% Corn tortilla have much more flavor. The corn & wheat ones last longer and are softer. I do use both on occasion but these corn tortillas not only possess more flavor, they get pleasantly chewy when cooked,
IMPORTANT TIP: Corn Tortillas need to be served as HOT as possible and eaten ASAP. To heat, I put a tortilla right on the gas burner of my stove and flip them over and over for about 30 seconds. I try to get a few “burnt spots” as I like the way they taste. But don’t over do it. You can also put them under a hot broiler instead for a few minutes until you see them puff up with a few cooked spots, but again they can burn easily so keep an eye on them. Or nuke them in the microwave for 20 seconds. Keep your tortillas warm in a covered basket or bowl with lots of tea clothes/dish towels, etc. Or if you eat them often you might get a real tortilla warmer (Amazon has tons for sale: https://amzn.to/2M3YX3u)
For tacos, you can also heat them as above. Or heat with a small amount of oil in a pan till slightly crispy. Remove and fill and eat immediately. Or make Quesadillas with some cheese and other fillings, like shredded chicken or soy chorizo and arugula. I love these, they’re to die for: crispy, chewy, oozy-gooey cheesy deliciousness!
RECIPE – QUESADILLAS
Ingredients
– Corn Tortillas (are best, but you can use flour or corn/wheat tortillas if you wish. I feel all corn tortillas give a better taste and crispy chewy texture)
– Cheese (Monterey Jack with Peppers is ideal, or use any cheddar, Jack or even Mozzarella for ooey-gooeyness)
OPTIONAL EXTRA STUFF: add a bit of something like shredded chicken, steak, ham, soy chorizo, crumbled baked tofu and/or arugula, spinach….
For the topping: Arugula, Chopped Tomatoes, Salsa, Sour Cream/Crema, Greek Yogurt, Bomba Hot Sauce, Zhoug….. VEGGIES on top: Sliced radishes, lettuce, cabbage….
Put about a teaspoon of oil in a non-stick or cast iron pan large enough to hold at least 2 tortillas; top one 1/2 of tortillas with grated cheese; (option) top this with some extra ingredient (as per above) Cook for a minute just until you can fold the tortillas over into a half moon without it breaking (will soften as it cooks). Cook until bottom side is just a little browned and crispy and cheese is melted; press down gently, flip and cook the other side, till slight golden. If you don’t want to fold, just put another tortilla on top of the first one and flip over carefully. The cheese is the glue! Plate and top with something… guacamole, sour cream/creama, greek yogurt, salsa, hot sauce or Sriracha (optional) and some more fresh arugula, or cilantro, or eat plain!
THE REST OF THIS POST IS AN ANTHROPOLOGY FOOD HISTORY LESSON IF YOU ARE INTERESTED: Corn Tortillas are one of the most important Historical Foods on Earth dating back over over a thousand years or more. If you want to learn about the history of Tortillas, Masa and “Nixtamalization” (processing corn with lime) you can learn more with the links below.
Nixtamalization is a food science/process discovered and used by the Ancient Peoples of Meso-America as long as 2-5,000 years ago. In many kitchens in Mexico today you can find the exact same utensil, called a Metate, many found intact in Mayan tombs, used the same way now they were by the Maya and Aztec peoples. This is a modern one.
PS – Sometimes I make tortillas from scratch with Masa Harina. Maseca is another common brand of Corn Masa easy to find in many supermarkets. Bob’s Red Mill is an organic, gourmet (pricey) kind but gives good results.
Making tortillas from Masa isn’t terribly hard but takes a little time. But the results are amazing, you can’t get fresher better tasting tortillas than hot off the comal (grill). Homemade of course tastes better than anything pre-packaged. Here’s a link to a video of a guy explaining how to make them if you want to try.
And if you really want to see the real thing, the whole process of making Masa (dough) from soaked cooked corn kernels to a finished Tortilla, watch this video. The “metate” (stone grinder) she is using is the exact same design used today as those found in ancient Mayan tombs. I bet her tortilla’s taste out of this world. Any tortilla you might buy made on a street corner by some lady by hand in Mexico City, Oaxaca, or anywhere in Mexico is going to blow any we buy in the U.S out of the water.
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 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.”
(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…..
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)
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!
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!
Unexpected Cheddar Cheese “tastes like an aged premium cheddar cheese with hints of Parmesan”.
In this case the hype is justified. Year in year out, Trader Joe’s Unexpected Cheddar is one of their best selling products, and for good reason. It’s a fantastic cheese. A knock it out of the ballpark item. This is a cheese which if you put it on a cheese plate for people who never tried it, you are guaranteed to get “where do you buy this?” Now while I have not tried every cheese that Trader Joe’s sells (I wish!) I can say Unexpected Cheddar is one of the best cheeses I have gotten there, or anywhere frankly.
I am a big fan of a good Cheddar, and for my tastes, the sharper the better. Is it because I’m a damn Yankee (well a New Yawkah at least? Sharp Cheddar is a very East Coast/Yankee preference. On this side of the Atlantic at least as Cheddar is quite English in origin. Historically in my taste memories the Sine Qua Non of a classic sharp Cheddar, and one that was in our house since we were kids, is CABOT CHEDDAR cheese from Vermont. If we didn’t have a piece of CABOT Extra Sharp in our fridge we would at least have a package of Extra Sharp Cracker Barrel. The reason being my dad’s favorite cheese was sharp cheddar.
TJ’s Unexpected Cheddar is a bit different from these classic cheddar’s. Cabot Extra Sharp is wonderful, and in fact it’s sold at TJs ( I recommend you try it)! But “Unexpected Cheddar” is unique with a texture unlike most any Cheddar you’ve tried. As Trader Joe’s own description is so perfect I’ll simply quote it: “Unexpected Cheddar has been a best-seller since it first hit our cheese cases, back in 2011. It presents itself as an aged Cheddar, and tastes like one as well. Until, it doesn’t. That creamy Cheddar takes an unexpected flavor turn, the texture seems to change as you eat – you might swear you were enjoying an aged Parmesan. On first try, it’s an unexpected pleasure. With subsequent purchases, the only unexpected part of the experience is that it continues to be such a great value. Then again, you’ve come to expect great values at Trader Joe’s, so our price of $3.99 for each seven ounce piece may not be so unexpected after all.”
Ignoring the marketing, the description of the taste and texture is exactly right. When you slice this, it might crumble on you, not unlike a piece of Parmegiano Reggiano. Unexpected Cheddar has some flavors which have that same “umami” overtones of a Parmigiano, Grana Padano or an aged Pecorino too. I’ve tasted this with wine, and it pairs wonderfully with both whites and reds. Or beer for that matter. I can see this as a good pick for a wine tasting or a beer tasting.
At $4 for 7 oz. figure this costs a bit under $10/lb. for a super premium cheddar, a very good deal as usual from Trader Joe’s. Once you buy this you may find it makes it onto your “Always Buy” list. To be honest in our house, the biggest problem with UNEXPECTED CHEDDAR is it goes so damn fast. Its too damn tasty, and it is way too easy for a package to get eaten in one day. So be warned. Be sure to try this melted, as it is perhaps even better melted! A slice on top of a burger? OMG. Grilled cheese sandwich? This may make the best grilled cheese you ever made. In an omelet? On pizza or as quesadillas… Yes, yes, all fantastic. So be sure to try it melted (tip: I would grate it up to use somewhere melted)
Fruits: It also goes exceptionally well with fruits. Apples, grapes, pears or figs. In particular, I find the ENVY or FUJI apples that TJ carries pair very well with U.C.C. It is a little tricky to slice this cheddar perfectly as it tends to crumble a bit but that’s OK as I promise you every last crumble will be consumed. If you serve this to guests, you will get praise. This is a must for your next “cheese plate”. Seriously if you always wondered what the buzz on this cheese was about, you must try it and you will understand.
As mentioned too, TJ’s carries the CABOT EXTRA SHARP VERMONT CHEDDAR., also well worth trying if you’ve never had it, as it is the classic East Coast sharp cheddar. You will find both the Cabot and the U.C.C. usually in my fridge.
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.
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!
UPDATE! SUMMER 2019 – out of stock all year, this product has finally is back in stores !
(Updated, Nov 2019) This product is in stores!
RAVE
These can easily be on any Trader Joe’s Top 10 List.
Easily best “first try” of a TJ product in a while, I was quite impressed with the quality of these frozen green beans. These are are extremely high quality French Haricots Verts (“green beans”). They are “IMPORTED FROM FRANCE”. These Haricot Verts are the real McCoy and a super bargain.
French “Haricot Verts” are better and higher quality bean than our usual standard green beans. Haricots Verts are a skinnier French green bean variety, thinner and more tender than our regular US green beans.. These are the expensive-ass skinny green beans you get next to that $35 entree you ordered when you go to an expensive restaurant. When I see fresh HARICOTS VERTS, imported from France, at a top green grocer like Fairway for example, which does carry them, they are always quite expensive, something like $8-10 per lb? As opposed to $2/lb for our “normal” fresh green beans. I always think ‘who can afford to buy these 12 bucks a pound green beans?! They must have money to burn.’ Well now thanks to Trader Joe’s great buying skills, all of us non-Rockefeller normal folks can afford to buy these wonderful French green beans, just they’ve come flash frozen.
TJ’s sells a package of the frozen HARICOT VERTS in a 24 oz bag. (1.5 lbs) for $1.99! Do the math, thats comes out to about $1.50/lb so thats about the same price or LESS, than I might buy regular fresh green beans (a price check followup in April 2012 show this is still the same price!)
These are those same wonderful thin, french haricots verts, all prepped and ready to use, which have been flash frozen. Dark, nice green color. Blanched for a few seconds prior to being flash frozen. Certainly easy to use: they are all prepped (tip and tailed) which you would spend time doing with fresh beans. This is a big time saver as prepping beans is the one thing I don’t like about when I buy fresh green beans, they take a bit of work to tip and tail a pound of beans. These come trimmed and cut into bite size lengths, ready to use. Handy. To cook, throw them in boiling salted water.
Or you can also just toss the beans into a hot sauté pan with some butter and oil (and garlic?) Cook either way for only 1-2 mins till just tender. Don’t overcook these! You can easily ruin them. With a bit of minced garlic and butter you have a nice French side dish of haricots verts, ready in minutes. Salads? Yes! I threw them into a salad after boiling them for about 45-60 seconds, dumping them in a colander and running cold water to cool them, and they were really good tossed with some good Virgin Olive Oil and White Balsamic vinegar…Delicious. Toss in some diced hard boiled eggs, and parsley, and you have a nice “salade composé”. I also use these a lot by just adding them to any dish I’m making, generally breaking them in half first as I add them to stews, soups, etc…..
To sell at this price, I can only imagine these are one of those items TJ’s makes a huge deal with the farmer or vendors. TJ’s purchases in such huge quantities directly from the vendor and they say pays in cash for the next crop and thats how TJ’s makes deals so they can sell products at such bargains (case in point is Olive Oil, right? They buy HUGE massive quantities from vendors all over the world)
Anyway TJ’s FRENCH GREEN BEANS (Haricots Verts) are my new favorite vegetable, and are now on my “always these have on hand” Trader Joe’s List. I now always buy a package to have in my freezer at all times. Right next to TJ’s Frozen Peas and Frozen Edamame, also all staples in my house. These are very versatile things to have on hand at all times. Try them, you won’t be sorry.
(If you make this remember the recipe assumes using fresh haricots verts so adjust the cooking time down)
Have you tried this product? Let me know what you think in the comments section!
NOTE: THIS WAS M.I.A FOR SOME TIME AS NOTED BY MANY READERS. I INQUIRED ABOUT IT WITH THE CAPTAIN AT MY LOCAL TJ (NYC) WHO TOLD ME THE PRODUCT WAS NOT DISCONTINUED, THEY RAN OUT OF IT, AND HADNT BEEN AVAILABLE FROM THE SUPPLIER. HE TOLD ME THEY WERE WAITING FOR THE NEXT HARVEST AND SHIPMENT TO COME IT. IT SHOULD AGAIN BE AVAILABLE IN JUNE (2019) – As of July 2019, I still don’t see it
AUGUST 2019 – I think I found it again finally!! Package looks different (white bag instead of clear) and instead of “Trader Joe’s” label says “DU JARDIN” but seems to be the Haricot Verts “extra fine green beans” “Product of France”…. so this must be it?…Except now bag is 16 oz instead of 24 oz and its $1.99. So price went up. Of course.
UPDATE2 (SEPT 2019) This product (original package) is back in the stores!
You will see this bread on many a “Trader Joe’s Top 10” and “best products” lists, and rightly so. I think its one of the best breads they sell, among the best packaged bread I’ve had, period.
TUSCAN PANE is a good, country style bread. Pretty sure this is a slow rise sourdough; its usually full of air holes. Its has a very nice chewy texture and a good crust, of course which is better heated. In fact it gets 10x better toasted or grilled. Tuscan Pane makes unbelievably good toast, and many a morning this bread toasted is what I crave at breakfast. Top the toast with butter, jam, cream cheese, cheese, veggies or just about anything and you have a little slice of toast heaven. One of my faves would be with cream cheese and tomato. Or brie with jam, warmed till the brie is a bit melty.
A large 27 oz. loaf of Tuscan Pane original “white” was until recently $2.29. It has gone up to $2.49 (All wheat products are up) The Whole Wheat version goes for $2.69. Flavorwise I think I prefer the original “white” one to the whole wheat one but the whole wheat is still good too if you prefer that. I usually always prefer to buy whole wheat breads, but this one, not really. Since first trying this, this is yet another TJ product I’ve been become totally hooked on. I must have Tuscan Pane on hand at all times now. I keep it in the freezer; it keeps well frozen at least a week or two.
This bread can be the base of many easy sandwich, snacks and other recipes (croutons? yes!) I make quick and easy Bruschettas using this all the time. Here’s a fast, simple recipe:
BRUSCHETTA
-TJ’s Tuscan Pane
-Fresh garlic, ripe tomato, olive oil
Grill or toast a few slices of bread. When golden brown, immediately rub a cut clove of garlic on the bread. Take a slice of ripe tomato and ’smush’ it into your toast. If you want to be neat, you can dice your tomato and top it (but rubbed in is authentic Italian or Basque Pa Amb Tomaquet style) Drizzle on a nice splash of olive oil, sprinkle with some fresh black pepper and sea salt. A little herbage (basil) on top can’t hurt, but if you don’t have, thats fine. If you want something heartier, add some sliced or grated parmesan or other cheese or perhaps some prosciutto. Done. YUM!
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