Fall has arrived and the Pumpkinundation has begun! There are old favorites and new soon-to-be favorites, and I'm sure a few treats that await to accompany Halloween tricks.
What items have you tried recently, and would you rate them a YAY, MEH or NAY?
Huge NAY - Sacha Inchi seeds. I'm a fanatic of most nuts and seeds, so much so that I don't buy them because my self control falters. No need for self control with these seeds, they taste like dirt.
Pumpkin Macarons - MEH - Not bad but I would have enjoyed them much more if they dialed back the sweetness considerably and let the pumpkin flavor really come through.
Mini Ginger Pumpkin Ice Cream Mouthfuls - TBD - Unfortunately these were mushy and melted by the time I got them home and oddly enough they never fully firmed up in my freezer even 48 hours later. The salty spicy gingerbread cookies balance the sweet ice cream nicely. Anyone had these firm and still holding their shape or are they always soft even when they haven't melted in transit?
Organic Pumpkin Spice Granola Bark - MEH - Even though it's only 66% the dark chocolate is more bitter than any of the TJ's 70% dark bars. This one could actually be a bit sweeter for my taste and that's coming from someone who generally finds many popular items at TJ's way too sweet. Not too heavy on the pumpkin spice for those who are averse. Anyone who enjoys their treats with only the barest hint of sweetness should definitely give this a try.
Belgian Almond Butter Thins - YAY - Title says it all. Very buttery indeed.
I didn't think the Sacha Inchi seeds were all that bad. They definitely taste more like seeds than nuts. Perhaps that ALA stuff they are rich in has an earthy taste to it. But Mr. H and I thought they were ok.
It is FINALLY turning somewhat fall-ish here in San Antonio which reminds me that I really enjoy keeping TJ's Mint Melange tea bags at work. A blend of peppermint, spearmint and lemongrass, I believe. YAY - a very nice afternoon pick-me-up!
YAY-Herbs de Provence. I have picked this up to purchase it, then put it back 4-5 times recently. Today finally I did not see any other new products to try.. therefore, I finally bought it. BE WARNED: the seal under the lid (at least on mine) was not sealed and some of it went everywhere when I opened it, but it was probably only about a tablespoon (but that seems like a lot when you're not expecting a spice-shower). Also I think the price is high, but probably not, I just don't usually buy specialty spices. Anyway, it makes my salad taste great.
FYI: NEW Salad Palette Turkey Harvest $4.99 with turkey, sunflower seeds, brussels sprouts, and sweet potatoes.
Last spring we bought a GF cornbread mix and it was a huge Yay! Recently in TJ'S in Cambridge Mass and couldn't find it. Has anyone else seen it? It was too nuts in the store to ask for help. Sunday afternoon. Football.
I believe I saw it the other day in ATL... I will check to make sure this week. I was looking for the fig, honey cream cheese and they told me that a lot of their seasonal items are just starting to come in and to check again this coming week. Perhaps it hasn't reached your area yet. I cannot imagine this would not be coming back....
I thought that I saw it last week--however, I did not see it at my TJ's today. At this point I've been burned too many times (walking 3 miles to arrive and not find the ingredient that I need); therefore, if I really need something I call in-advance to find out when the shipment will be in. That mix if pretty good too--last year I ended up buying it a few times, and I have to be careful because they often flip the placement with the gf pumpkin muffin/bread mix, and one time I took the wrong one when I was supposed to take the cornbread to a chili party. It's quite good if you bake it with peppers and cheese on-top too
Where I live people don't use turn signals, and I've been almost hit so many times as a pedestrian, that I think I probably wouldn't make it to see this year's Holidrizzle Popcorn if I got a bike. In the future, I need to just only rent apartments within 10 minutes (walking) of Trader Joe's; deal-breaker.
Thank you, Russ! I was born in Chicago.. and am definitely craving some good pizza. I cannot wait to try it! Plus 2 crusts for $3.69 is UNHEARD OF in the gluten-free land of expensive goods.
Grace, come home! You can go to TJ on the subway!
In June, I will know. If I can find a job here, I will stay. If not, then I will be back to teaching in Chicago.. with a car in suburbia and plenty of TJ's from which to pick. I'd probably spend at least the first week drowning my sorrows in the 2 pack GF brownies at Trader Joe's (which aren't available on the west coast; THEY ARE SO GOOD WHEN WARMED UP and cheaper (calorie-wise) than making a whole box) because I rather hope to never see a Chicago winter again--even though I do love Chicago.
Fyi i noticed gf chocolate chip pancake mix, coconut pancake/waffle mix and brownie mix (maybe the brownie mix isn't new..?)
:-O What! They've had the coconut/pancake waffle mix and brownie mix for a long time.. but even yesterday they didn't have a gf choco chip pancake mix (which sounds less dangerous than having an entire bag of chocolate chips). --I did notice that the aforementioned missing GF cornbread mix is still MIA.
These were at the aforementioned uws nyc store, i want to say there was also some sort of pumpkin baking mix that was gf but obviously my exact memory is spotty due to overwhelming/stressful shopping situation.... IIRC there was a gf pumpkin bread mix last year
Here is what I found today in ATL. Did not see the corn bread, though. We are not GF, but took a look for y'all. :-)
Tasted the butter nut squash Parmesan, the veggie part was okay, but the amaretti crumble topping sent the whole thing to a NAY for me. Not a licorice fan.
Aha! Yes, that what it was that i saw!
I saw that frozen butternut squash parm and the topping just sounded odd....
It was so very odd. ;-) Ruined it for me. I asked at the tasting station if it was an add on/ sprinkle it on before baking, but no... it is all put together before packaging. The actual squash dish was pretty good, though.
BTW: I forgot to mention the new cranberry/ pumpkin seed pita chips. A little hard (as pita chips tend to be), but very tasty. Bought a few bags. Thinking they would be great with the honey chevre.
Weird.....
Those pitas are definitely a YAY for me, i love that they're sturdy and extra crunchy. Per a suggestion upthread i tried a few smeared with nut butter (the maranatha almond butter i love) and that was a great combo
Crumbled amaretti is not an uncommon ingredient in winter-squash filled pasta (see recipe links below), so I assume it is meant to echo that Italian combination. Not getting the association between amaretti (almond flavored, though sometimes, like amaretto liqueur, made from apricot kernels) and licorice, though.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/pum...
https://food52.com/recipes/7408-butte...
http://www.mominthecity.com/lidia-bas...
Love these chips- they also taste great with the harvest salsa.
TJ's classic brownie mix is the Truffle Brownie Mix which is wonderful---has Belgian chocolate chips in it which, if you eat the brownies warm, are still gooey. And there are couple of newer brownie mixes I haven't tried. Soon now the seasonal Gingerbread Mix will be in.
Rustic apple tart is back in the frozen section! Delighted that they brought this back for the fall
Yay/meh pumpkin spice granola bark. I like it, and found it plenty sweet, but don't love it.
Meh cuckoo for coconut trail mix. This, too, is good, but I expected it to be amazing. And it's not quite amazing.
YAY!! Finally TJs has light coconut milk again! It's organic and a little more than the previous non-organic version that they sold but it's still a great deal. Just in time for soups and stew season.
MEH- pumpkin spice cookies (like the pink and whites just a different color) no distinct flavor, the shape is cute and they're tasty enough but with my eyes closed I couldn't tell you the flavor
YAY! Refridgerated olive tapenade, all the great flavor of fancy olives without the pitting and chopping prep. It won't last long for me.
YAY! Inspired by the kid telling his mom he wanted yogurt pretzels for snacks i decided that was a good call and it's been years since i had some. Totally live up to my memory of a sweet creamy shell and crunchy salty innards. Hardly health food but taste way more indulgent than they are
NAY- sticky pumpkin cake with hard sauce, i was surprised this was at the tasting station, but for me it tasted like wet pumpkin spice cake with a waaaay too sweet sauce
UGH- i guess i was hoping that with the holiday uws store wouldn't be insane sunday evening, wrongwrongwrong. Out of stock of meatless balls (maybe that's a good thing? Can't possibly be just vegetarians and vegans buying them out), out of stock of mango chunks, and various produce items all of which "would be on tomorrow's truck". Ummm. No. Not going to face that chaos two days back to back!
Spotted:
Molasses (new, but i don't need any)
Pumpkin cheesecake (frozen)
Pumpkin frozen waffles
Pumpkin joe joes
Macaroons (in bakery section), as well as chocolate covered version- i think both were labeled as gf and kosher
Fresh cauliflower rice
Just tried the pumpkin pink and white copycats and really enjoyed them. I give them a YAY for cookies that will satisfy a sugar craving without being overly sweet. We tried the frozen waffles last years and they were MEH to us. Not enough pumpkin flavoring.
I wonder if the molasses will be seasonal along with some of the other holiday baking items they carry.
Thanks for the heads up on the light coconut milk, I think it's been over a year since they have had it!
You know i actually got used to buying thr coconut cream that they did always have in stock and just whisking with water to make coconut milk- you actually end up with about 3xs as much coconut milk that way! Worked out well when i needed a lot for a soup
I agree! Now when I use the light coconut milk, I am disappointed at the lack of flavor and texture.
I bought a few cans of the light coconut milk but haven't used them yet. I think the creamed coconut plus water works out about the same nutrition as just the light...?
I love that they sell the creamed coconut by the can because if you chill it and whip it you get coconut whipped cream!! Kind of the best thing ever. I use an immersion blender and a bit of vanilla
http://minimalistbaker.com/how-to-mak...
Hmmmm...........I'll try that coconut whipped cream idea, using my N2O cream whipper https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...
Why, yes!!!
An all-TJ's coconut mango crème:
1 can mango juice (sold at TJ's 4 for $2.99)
1/2 can TJ's crème of coconut ($1.49/can)
2 tbs. powdered sugar
Voilà!
(The whipped volume is roughly equivalent to a can of supermarket whipped cream.)
Hmm,will have to give that a try!
Yay--whole milk Greek apple caramel yogurt. Not overwhelmingly sweet, the flavor is in the yogurt and not some gloppy sauce.
I think it's relatively new, but they do! I just picked some up the other day. It was by the hot sauces/mustards/etc. in my store. Still trying to figure out what to do with it though...
The harissa is great stirred into hummus.
Here are a bunch of recipes I have bookmarked that call for it as well:
Marcus Samuelsson's Chickpea Eggplant Dip
http://s126850.gridserver.com/recipe/...
Cauliflower Soup with Chestnut Dukkah
https://foodblogandthedog.wordpress.c...
Nutty Sweet Potato Soup with Harissa and Spinach
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe...
Red Bean, Chard and Harissa Soup
https://lukasvolger.com/2012/01/06/a-...
Spicy Moroccan Carrots
http://feedmephoebe.com/eat-yourself-...
Ah, thanks! This is great.
Try taking a carton of TJ's Latin Style Black Bean Soup and add a can of Bush's Cocina Latina Frijoles Negros Machacados (not sold by TJ---get them at any chain supermarket). The TJ black bean soup has a wonderful flavor but is as smooth as velvet. If you add the Frijoles Machacados to it you get texture and additional flavor. A little sherry poured into your bowl of soup doesn't hurt either. The whole thing takes five minutes and the result is seriously like homemade Cuban black bean soup which, if made properly, takes half a day and messes up your whole kitchen. This is a very worthwhile shortcut.
The "cuban beans" at TJs are a perpetual YAY from me, i'll totally try those in the soup- last time i had the soup i was definitely missing some kind of chunky bits of texture in it
Querencia, never heard of Bush's Cocina Latina Frijoles Negros Machacados before. Looked them up, they sound great (though seem to only be available on west coast): http://www.bushbeans.com/en_US/produc...
Amazon has them in bulk, though, I see: https://www.amazon.com/Bushs-Concina-...
Which sherry would you use for this purpose? I want to get more into using sherry in cooking, but I'm still a newbie at that sort of thing....
Yes, they (now) have a Tunisian version (from Tunisia, in fact.) It was commented on in either last month's or the month's-before "TJ's yay/meh/nay" thread, generally favorably, though not with "wild enthusiasm", as I recall. I haven't tasted the jar I bought yet, but I can say it's priced very well ($2.49?) compared to most of the brands that have cropped here in the US over the past couple/few years...
Yes, there was a "Dig In" post about it on TJ's website in September but it doesn't seem to be there now. It's $2.69 and it is good but nothing unusual or special about it. I have been using it in hummus.
Mild "yay" to Pumpkin Spiced Caramel Corn. A bit sweet, a bit too much coating, but if it was any better I'd be addicted, so it's sort of right at the optimal point of enjoyable-yet-not-deadly.
In other news....
I haven't been keeping up (having hit peak TJs data buffer), so forgive me if this has been covered, but have the beloved/evil Baci di Dama cookies ("hazelnut kisses bound by chocolate") been discontinued? I haven't seen them in weeks.
Or were they caught up in the Organic Foursome e-coli recall scandal?
It was on your recommendation i started buying those Baci di dama cookies! They really hit the spot with the hazelnut flavor for me (and thankfully come in those mini packets)
It's been a long time since i have seen them too.... I'm optimistic they will return in the wave of holiday products that comes after pumpkin-craziness dies down.
The Baca di Dama cookies (a personal addiction) are on the regular cookie shelf above the frozen foods in my TJs in Shoreview, Mn. I kind of wish they would go away, as i am unable to resist them on my own.
Havent been to TJ in awhile...
Yay-Ginger GF cookies, riced cauliflower, bacon onion vinegarette, Hungarian Merlot, popping corn, local Midwest ginger gold apples, hash browns, turkey corn dogs, tomato Tiro Triangles, Morello cherries
Meh-autumn Harvest Pasta Sauce and spinach, fontina, roasted garlic sausages.
Triple ginger brew is back and on the shelves. Hopefully without the exploding side effect of last year's batch!
NAY to Chili Lime Chicken Burgers. They were not as spicy as I would have liked, but the texture was the real problem. They were very thin and seemed very processed. I expected a heartier, more rough-chopped burger, and these were very smooth and uniform. I am sure because they are not hand-formed, but even still...they seemed so un-TJ's.
YAY to Trader Joe’s Block wine. Perfectly decent wine, great price, stayed fresh.
My local TJ's (Darien, CT) used to devote a lot more space to coffee than it now does. Has TJ's de-emphasized coffee in all their stores? That would be strange to me because there is increasing interest in good coffee in the US nowadays. I switched my whole bean coffee buying to Costco many years ago. I would like to try some TJ's beans. I. I like strong coffee. I buy Kirkland House Brand, or Peet's Major Dickason or Starbucks French Roast when on sale. What should I try @ TJ's?
Thanks!
Compared to supermarket coffee, TJ's is arguably "better", but compared to "good" coffee, it's not very good...
I also buy Peet's Major Dickason's (or nowadays Stumptown, ZOKA, or Raven's Brew because I'm on the west coast), but I've never cared for any of the coffee at TJ's. Coffee was one of the first, lengendary things that I was told was a "must-buy" at TJ's, but over the years, I've worked through most of them and not cared for a single one. In my opinion, TJ's is just not the place to buy coffee--if you like strong coffee.
If you like those try the TJ's Bay Area Blend. It's not coffee snob coffee but it's perfectly adequate if you like a dark roast.
I too, love strong coffee...and have tried but don't like TJ. The best coffee --that I order online--is from Zabar's in NYC. They roast their own and sell thousands of lbs a week. I think it's $9.98 a lb mail order -- or that's the in-store price and mail is $1 more. It is THE BEST! I agree, I would try your local Fairway too...
After watching all summer, I have come to realize that the Smoked Ghost Chilies in the spice grinder are not returning. They were a seasonal item summer 2015. My jar is down to the last flake. Let me know if you know of any substitute. Maybe I could just buy smoked ghost chilies somewhere and put them in the grinder.
Is that the South African Smoke chilies in the grinder? I have almost a full bottle, don't really need it. I'd be more than happy to mail you mine .. I can mail it in one of those padded envelopes. Let me know.
YAY-Organic Powdered Sugar--I never bake anymore or make treats.. but I needed to make puppy chow for a gift. If you're making an entire box (of Chex cereal), then this bag is the perfect amount--which is great because otherwise it just sits in my cabinet and has that odd powdered sugar smell.
On that front, it would help if TJ's offered one of their chocolate chips in the milk variety; now that I no longer bake, I never noticed that they only have semi-sweet chunks and chips. You'd think that could offer some milk (probably just have to chop up a bar of it). And our store didn't have the no-stir peanut butter that came out a few months ago, was that discontinued?
Follow-up absolute YAY of YAYs on the Herbs de Provence. Now whenever I don't use it, then I miss it. Plus there is so much in that jar, I can only hope it lasts until next autumn. Our store sold out of this, so if you are at all inclined to buy it, then grab it while you can.
Our bakery has a few new cookie-bar type things but none of them are GF or appealing--not to mention their pre-made bakery items are inferior to their frozen items. Anyway, I need to stop bribing myself with an apple on the walk home, but I still have yet to see fresh cranberries (anyone see them, yet?). I need them.
What's interesting is that the TJs semi sweet choco chips are actually dairy free (!) but but no milk chocolate, just white chocolate and maybe pb chips. Chopping one of the milk choco bars is your best bet - or just swap in the semisweet, puppy chow is certainly sweet enough the darker chocolate would help balance it.
haven't seen that no stir pb for a while but i also haven't been looking for it.
Cranberries don't seem to show up til closer to halloween
Have you seen this thread? What items do you wish Trader Joe's would make/stock? http://www.chowhound.com/post/items-t...
http://www.chowhound.com/post/items-t... milk chocolate chips, requested.
While for many of us chowhound is a way of life, 100 posts here is nothing compared to tens of thousands of direct comments they receive.
The only way to be certain your product request is actually taken into consideration by TJ's is to contact them directly:
http://www.traderjoes.com/contact-us/...
Only takes a few seconds more than posting to the other thread where there is no guarantee it will ever be noted.
The same could be said for these yay/nay threads. It's what we do.
That's not the same thing at all! :) These Yay/Nay threads are entirely self-fulfilling. The intrinsic value is fellow consumers sharing what we loved and didn't, helping each other identify things we might want to buy, or potentially avoid.
The explicitly stated intention of the other thread is entirely different, to hopefully be heard by decision makers at Trader Joe's corporate.
Of course we can discuss amongst ourselves what we'd like just for the fun of it, but I'm simply pointing out that if anyone wants their product requests to have the greatest chance of being actually realized they should be using the official Trader Joe's feedback form where such requests will reach their intended target.
Grace, I stopped buying powdered sugar many years ago when I learned that you can just put regular sugar in a blender, food processor, or electric coffee grinder and make your own. I never use it often, though, and it might be worth buying if you use a lot.
I don't know, that creates superfine sugar in my experience (which is handy, given how pricey superfine can be), but true powdered/confectioners' sugar has a different, much more, well, powdery texture. I will give a Yay to all TJ's organic sugars (regular, brown, powdered, turbinado), which aren't better or different than other organic brands, but are much better priced.
I've had no problem using turning regular granulated sugar into the exact same powdery consistency as confectioners. The difference between superfine and confectioners is just a bit more time. Perhaps you didn't use an appliance with enough power or sharp enough blades?
What appliance do you use? I've never been able to come close to what I consider "powdered"/confectioners' sugar at home, though I also don't have a heavy-duty blender like a Vita-Mix or Blendtec.
I've got a Vitamix.
In a pinch in the past I've also gotten decent results from a cheap spinning blade coffee grinder. Granted that was only for dusting (garnish on chocolate dessert, zeppoles, etc.) as opposed to an actual confectionary recipes where uniformity is more critical.
Ah, that explains it. I really wouldn't have enough use for one to spend the money on a Vita-Mix, but ever since I first saw ads for them as a kid in the 70's (in the likes of Mother Jones, etc, back when they were basically still squarely within the "health food" domain, as it was called at the time), I have always wanted to try one out just for the fun of it. ;)
What I've been able to get in a coffee grinder is never really fine enough to suit me for "dusting", since it doesn't "quite" have that really powdery/immediately-melt-on-the-tongue quality the commercial stuff does, though in a real pinch it would certainly be better than none, and for something like making a pattern on top of a cake, I think it might even be a little better since it wouldn't dissolve with the merest hint of moisture...
The secret with the uneven result you get from a coffee grinder is using a really fine mesh strainer/sieve to do the dusting with. Anything a bit more coarse is left behind and can go back into the grinder for an extra whizz.
You can get a Vitamix or Blendtec refurb pretty cheap and they last forever. Once you have one, it gets used for way more than you would initially imagine.
I've never been successful using a Vitamix to make powdered sugar from granulated sugar to make frosting (butter plus sugar). The resulting frosting is gritty and has an odd metallic flavor. Possibly a dusting of it across the top for looks would work.
No idea where the metallic flavor is coming from but as for texture it sounds like you didn't blend long enough. Did you sift the sugar before making the frosting? If you google Vitamix + confectioners sugar + frosting you'll see thousands of pages online of people having success.
There are also other reasons a frosting can turn out gritty even with store bought confectioners:
https://www.leaf.tv/articles/how-to-k...
If you are actually making frosting it would probably be easier to just buy the powdered sugar. I only use it every once in a while in small quantities, for sprinkling on desserts (dutch babies or popovers) or berries or occasionally making a little lemon glaze for a poundcake or with cinnamon for sweet rolls, something like that. A small box always lasted me for many years so it is better just to use regular sugar since i have a small kitchen. I never noticed that it was not powdery or consistent enough for my uses.
I use a blender (Breville, used to have a Waring until the blade broke off and it worked fine, too) or a no-name coffee grinder similar to a Krups. with spinning blades. You do have to shake the container a couple of times while you are pulverizing to keep larger pieces from clumping in the corners.
YAY - to the Palak Paneer. Didn't have time to fix my lunch one morning this week so grabbed this out of the freezer to take to work. Very nice - I just wish it had a bit more Paneer. Also wish I had grabbed some naan out of the freezer as well for scooping the spinach sauce. I will next time!
Just don't read the nutrition info. Those small chunks of cheese add up to a surprising amount of fat and sodium. Calorie count's ok, though. http://www.traderjoes.com/images/fear...
NAY pumpkin kringle. Can't believe I saying this after we loved the raspberry kringle, but the icing was WAY too sweet on this one. The filling was delicious but the icing overpowered it
MEH family sized frozen lasagna. They were sampling this at the store and it tasted like a standard frozen lasagna. Nothing special.
NAY pumpkin spice cake. Ended up returning this as it was extremely dry and starting growing mold the second day.
YAY chimichurri rice. Impulse buy and was pleasantly surprised! The flavors were absolutely delicious and the whole family enjoyed it.
YAY- butternut squash parmigiana. Another impulse buy that we loved! The flavors all worked so well together and I would love to try to recreate a copycat recipe for it.
Mild YAY- tarte aux fruits. This was meant to replace the beloved frozen raspberry tarte, and while it was delicious it did not quite live up to the raspberry tarte. The filling was more sour and the crust was a tad thinner. The instructions were also much different, with them stating to just defrost the tart rather than baking it. We loved the old tart taste after baking so we tried to bake this one as well and the fruit topping got a tad gooey. We still loved it however!
To me, the pumpkin kringle is like seeing your favorite uncle sloppy drunk. It's unfortunate, but, after all, it's still beloved him.
I just cut myself very small slices and push off the icing.
It wasn't creamy like a risotto, but it did have a nice richness to it. We LOVE the Japanese fried rice! We sauté it in a little coconut oil and add some more veggies
Definitely not creamy and has a pleasant but not overwhelming touch of heat. As dreamer noted, it lends richness but if you didn't know it was there you'd never guess it had dairy in it.
It's a long time freezer staple for us.
Toss with a can of black beans and bag of the TJ's Fire Roasted Bell Peppers and Onions, and you've got a single pan meal that takes 5 minutes from freezer to table.
Infinitely customizable too. Various proteins, corn kernels, mushrooms, kale, tomatoes, and zucchini have all made appearances in my pan on occasion.
I need to make room in my freezer for a few almond kringles! I just had a piece out of the freezer from last season and it was still really good!
YAY for the Cinnamon Crumb Coffee Cake in the bakery section! Really nicely crunchy streusel topping that also makes an appearance inside the cake. Definite repeat here.
NAY for the $1.99, No Pulp, Orange Juice from Concentrate. Blech. Nowhere near as tasty as their No Pulp, 100% Florida Orange Juice, Not From Concentrate (HUGE YAY)
YAY for the Shooting Stars Cookies - I like the actual cookie (shortbread cookie with chocolate stripes), and the popping candy was not to obtrusive this time around with this particular box.
I guess the pumpkin frozen croissants did not return this year. Missing last year too. /sniff Will just have to eat the almond and chocolate ones.
Sort of yay - the pumpkin spice babka (fresh, next to the chocolate and mango varieties). It wasn't too sweet, which was nice, and you could taste some pumpkin, but it was a bit overwhelmed with the spices. It actually tasted like pumpkin pie to me.
YAY+NAY--Pumpkin spiced pumpkin seeds. I was really enjoying these, but then I hit something hard, and I'm a little worried that I chipped a tooth. ...Eat at your own risk.
NAY--Potato thins in the ghost shapes. These taste like air, and to be honest: I've inhaled tastier air before. Might as well, just take a big breath of crisp fall air. (If you do have these or already bought these, then sprinkling them with Kernel Season's white cheddar powder makes them incredible! Otherwise they are just ghost-shaped air, not even a hint of salt.)
FYI--I spotted new Quadruple Almond Butter cookies (to be clear: these are almond packed butter cookies, not almond(nut)-butter cookies) in a clear tub. And the new pumpkin-spiced RX bar. The apple cinnamon goat cheese log is back.
I am so glad you clarified on the Almond Butter Cookies because I would absolutely have imagined nutter butter style sandwich cookies filled with almond butter. (which would be AWESOME)
Thank you Google:
http://www.paleorunningmomma.com/chew...
Those cookies sound right up my alley, thanks!
Yeah...a year or two I bought the pumpkin spiced pumpkin seeds and was enjoying them until I spotted a flower-shaped plastic bead in amongst them. Which...WHAT?! I immediately thought "well, if THAT'S in there, who knows what else might be?" Instant turn-off.
Should've taken 'em back but kept forgetting to; ended up just throwing them away. :(
I do not need another condiment in my life. But i've been diligently making my way through my mustard assortment and decided to try the
Garlic mustard aioli since i remembered multiple YAYs on previous threads.
YAY!!!
At this rate i'll need a jar a week....! The garlic is very mild, there's a nice kick to the mustard yet it's not as potent as straight dijon, and even though it's called aioli i wouldn't identify it as a flavored mayo. I've used it as a dip for raw veggies the most, but also to make my basic vinegrette and just smeared onto some boring roasted sweet potatoes. LOVE this stuff.
MEH- PB and J bars, i wanted more pb and j flavor here but that was overwhelmed by the hohum bar part. They're gluten free but i don't think that's why they're not quite delicious
I have consistently given the garlic aioli mustard HUGE YAY's! It is my go to for all dressings, marinades, pasta/ potato salad dressings, etc. It is also terrific mixed with mayo for a cold poached salmon or shrimp cocktail. Glad you like it! I have turned so many friends onto it, as well.
I have a recipe for a pasta, roasted veggie orzo salad that I have had to share with friends, I will find it and post it.
If you haven't tried it yet, mix some of the mustard into eggs before scrambling! This combo with some goat cheese is so delicious.
I'm only slightly embarrassed to admit that my jar only lasted about a week...! Ha!! That does sound like a good combo although i'll skip the goat cheese (somehow i dislike all goats dairy with a passion)
I think that the roasted sweet potato chunks with this mustard as a dip while eating was my favorite combo as a condiment, and it really made a fantastic addition to my basic vinegrette for salads
Just bought the almond butter cookies, not "almond butter" cookies. Since it is Yom Kippur, dd not have a chance to try them. I am stuffed on bagels and lox, whitefish salad, etc. Will try them tomorrow, but the rec below, did not find it in a quick search, made me pick them up. Will report. Though, I will say, they look different from what I imagined.
Different than the almond butter cookies which I definitely like (right up my alley), just a little hard for me (I like a softer cookie), I forgot I had bought Belgian Butter Almond Thins a few weeks ago. I was looking for something in the pantry and noticed them. Just opened them and they are delish! It is a square Belgian biscuit, very thin. Also hard, but so thin it is not an issue for me. Delicate, not too sweet, with sliced almonds baked in. Not bad in the calorie fat department, either. Definite YAY!
The problem with those Belgian Butter Almond Thins is that it is so easy to eat half a box! They are so thin and crispy that they almost melt in the mouth. They are on my "so good I can't buy it except as a rare treat" list.
You aren't kidding. I do not want to tell you how may I ate last night. I put them on my ongoing shopping list, but I may need to take a page from your book and keep them on the rare treat list.
Good thing I am off to boot camp in a bit. ;-)
I'm just glad the Butter Almond Thins plastic insert has a center divider to remind us that there are actually two separate servings per box. That is what it's there for right? RIGHT???
HA! Did not deter me... I actually went into the second side before I stopped myself. Something about those suckers...
Same here. The problem is I say, "Okay I've eaten half which is twice as many as I intended, but it's okay to eat just one more from the other side because I will eventually eat it anyway." Next, it's, "Okay, I will save three to eat tomorrow." Then I think, "The whole box probably weighs less than one of those giant muffins."
Next thing you know. . .
For lunch one day earlier this week, I tried the Mahi-Mahi Burgers, discussed on last month's thread. Right now, I say MEH ... BUT I cooked it in my toaster oven (on a baking stone). I think it might be a YAY for me sautéed in a skillet. I would like some color on it and maybe just a bit of crunch. In the toaster oven, even on the stone, it came out colorless and textureless. Taste was okay-good.
YAY french brioche- they were sampling this and it was so soft and flavorful and fresh. Very impressed
YAY new pumpkin scone mix with maple icing. We made half with the icing and half without and they were very good. A lot of flavor but not overly spicy with the pumpkin pie spice. The icing gave it a little extra sweetness that we liked both with and without it drizzled on.
YAY frozen chicken quesadillas- always had seen these but was iffy about a frozen quesadilla,but they turned out much better than expected. There was a TON of filling with a lot of flavor, and actual chicken chunks. Made them in the oven and they turned out crispy.
Spotted: Sweet potato pie, root vegetable tart, and sweet potato biscuits in the frozen section.
Has anyone tried the feta cheese spread? If so, what did you make with it?
We enjoyed those pumpkin spice scones very much, too! Very easy to make and quite tasty.
Sweet potato biscuits..?!? Those sound promising!
Is the brioche new? I don't recall seeing that before, but i also don't usually buy my bread at TJs
They've had brioche *rolls* forever (or at least a very long time), but they're not amazing (though they are about half the price of other packaged ones can find at places like Fairway, and are better than "half as good" as those.) But I'm definitely interested in trying this "French brioche" if it's more reasonably priced than its competition. I love the stuff, and it's certainly easier to make than some baked goods, but still enough of a PITA that I don't do it very often (and really don't have the freezer space to make it in large batches...)
The employee said they had them last year and highly recommended them. The brioche is new and imported from France. They were sampling it with coconut oil spread on it and then pan fried like french toast
I love the feta cheese spread. I used it as a topping for smoky beet burgers and also have mixed it with that canned eggplant and tomato stuff that a lot of people don't seem to like around here, but the feta really helps imo.
... smoky ... Beet ...
Recipe?
Most recipes I can find online are derived from this one:
http://www.laweekly.com/restaurants/a...
MEH - I did not care for TJ's Mediterranean Hummus. I guess it would do in a pinch, but if I am going to do store-bought hummus, I greatly prefer Whole Foods' store-brand Lemon Hummus. There is also one that is locally made here in the San Antonio area that I like. Other than those, I make my own when I have the time!
I like the Butterscotch Macarons that you can heat in the microwave, 2 to a box.
Today, I bought some Cabot cheddar, the wrap said Extra Sharp, but the card on the shelf said it was Seriously Sharp which I love. I'm hoping it's the SS.
I bought a squeeze tube of "Umami", I'll try adding it to brown gravy.
I'm enjoying the Umami Paste but don't think brown gravy is likely to be a particularly harmonious pairing. Would you be enticed by a brown gravy recipe that called for olives? sun dried tomatoes? capers? lemon? The paste is quite tart/tangy which is a flavor I'd find quite off in a brown gravy. Though I suppose it *might* give it a Marsala Sauce kind of quality?
I don't think you'd use enough of the Umami Paste to give discernible taste of olives, etc. Just a little dab is enough. I added some to egg salad last week and it was quite good. I should add that my father always added a tiny dab of anchovy paste when he made egg salad ( I guess he was ahead of the curve when it came to umami) and it really did take it up a notch.
Oh, I wasn't at all suggesting it would have a discernible olive flavor but wanted to point out that it most definitely adds a distinct tartness/tanginess. That's a flavor note I don't personally imagine being particularly complimentary in a typical brown gravy. Egg salad on the other hand almost always has some kind of acid added (usually mustard) so that makes much more sense.
HUGE HUGE YAY - Butter Almond Thins Cookies: Oh my goodness...thank you to all of you who recommended this one! Almost too good...difficult to stop eating them once you start! Definite repeat buy here.
MEH - Pumpernickel Tuscan Pane Bread: This is new at my store...the taste just wasn't quite what I am used to for pumpernickel bread. Sampled it, but decided to stick with my favorite, the regular Tuscan Pane bread!
HUGE YAY for the Phillipine Mango Juice in the 4pk. carton. Very refreshing, and tastes like fresh mango juice. I am going back soon to get a couple of more 4 packs - that is how much I enjoyed the juice!
Picked up the brioche loaf today, mentioned by someone below...will see how we like it. Though, I cannot imagine not loving it. It looks and smells so good!
BTW: Not sure where the GF post is, but saw these today, for those interested.
Forgot to mention the soups in the refrigerated section, by the pre-made salads. Picked up Pea, Lentil and Chicken/Veggie/ Barley. Haven't tried yet, but I think these are very new. Will report back. BTW: Very low cal and low-fat.
BTW: The brioche is REALLY good! Big YAY! Went to pick up another loaf and they were out. They re-ordered, should be there tomorrow. Cannot wait to try it as french toast this weekend. It will be football food this weekend, as the Giants are playing in London, we will be eating breakfast while we watch the game. ;-)
FYI: Another one of those "really should not keep in the house" items. So good to nosh on just by itself, even better with butter. Bet the french toast will be criminal...
YAY--Sriracha Bacon Jerky. Please just take all of my money and give me more bags of this. I had always held off on buying this because $5.99 is quite a large part of my budget for something that only has 2 servings. But I already sent a picture of this to my family that said: "For Christmakkah, I will only take gifts of TJ's bacon jerky; all other gifts will be exchanged for cash, with which then bacon jerky will be purchased." I don't often eat or make meat, but this is so tasty. I think the spice also helps with portion control (granted there are only 2 servings in a bag). If only it was cheaper and had less sugar, but in reality, I may be able to get through the holiday season by convincing myself to "put the carb-filled sweets back and buy the at-least-it-has-protein: bacon jerky."
YAY - Whole Milk Apple Caramel Yogurt - thanks to whoever mentioned this, I typically would have passed for plain Greek whole milk yogurt and flavored it at home. I thought the kids would like this. They didn't, so I grabbed it for a sweet - 16g of sugar - late breakfast yesterday. Good enough for dessert! Very thick and creamy. The whole milk balances any sourness. Light apple flavor with caramel. 5.3 ounces. 11 g protein. I'd prefer more protein, less sugar. I'll buy several more for desserts along with whatever other flavors there are.
??? - I've been watching for the pumpkin almond milk and the gluten-free cornbread mentioned in the thread. Haven't seen either in my store so expect it is too late for them to show up.
YAY - Aloo Chaat Kati Pouch - two frozen "hot pocket" style, Indian-spiced, vegetarian. Yum, I'd buy these again as long as I was happy to have the carbs. I'd like this with a sauce. I thought the chutney mentioned would be on the side to dip but is instead inside the pocket. The crust is like a less-fatty piecrust. I haven't had a hot pocket in .. maybe literally forever but imagine this is much better. Almost homemade. While accompanied by a microwave crisper-wrapper, I popped the pocket into the non-preheated oven, started the oven, brought it out after 22 (a couple extra over the suggested 20 to account for the non-preheat). 320 calories each so could stand a cilantro, garlic, whole milk Greek yogurt dip with chopped cucumber and tomato. I'm mixing my nations but it is all a melting pot here.
You might still get the GF cornbread, because my store hadn't had them at all until 2 days ago. They were unloading the first boxes of them while I was in the store. I hope you get them!
Update: Aloo Chaat Kati Pouch - I made the second pouch in the microwave in the crisper-wrapper provided for 2 minutes. Much closer to Meh. I strongly recommend the oven to maximize the texture of the wrapper. In the microwave, the wrapper is soft and I found myself wanting to just peel it off. The package image may be misleading as it looks to me like something you'd eat with a fork while these are easily eaten out of hand. The first flavor description is actually spicy so beware.
I followed my Pouch with:
YAY - Tomato Soup in a shelf box, an oldie but goodie. I fwant to try the 4 box pack of Tomato Soup from Costco since it is .70 cheaper per soup box but don't want to be disappointed. Add siracha and blue cheese for dinner-party worthiness (or just part of lunch!) though good plain too!
The Kati Rolls are great with Mrs. Balls Chutney. (available at Fairway / World Market)
Another update: I went to pick up more Apple Caramel yogurt and it *is* Greek. The 11 g of protein is less than the usual larger number from the added ingredients not usually found in plain yogurt. I bought several as they are probably seasonal and .99 versus 1.29 for the other whole milk flavors. Side note - no wonder some people don't like the non-fat flavors - sour and thin without the yummy fat (in my opinion). On additional thought, I should have bought some plain to mix in so less sugar.
Can someone please remind me which is the good pesto? The refrigerated one or the shelf stable in the jar? Thanks!
NAY - Miso Ginger Broth (grocery). I was excited to see this on the shelf but it's insipid, with very little flavor or umami and I couldn't taste any ginger at all.
TJ's has long sold instant miso soup, packets of powder with little dehydrated tofu cubes; far from the real thing but at least it tastes more or less right.
I tried the shrimp soft tacos tonight. Not bad, not good. Wouldn't buy again.
Has anyone tried the frozen spinach and kale bites, frozen garlic parmesan potatoes, or any of the stir fry sauces (general tsao's)? They always seemed appealing to us, but I was hesitant to buy them.
New to us:
Cilantro salad dressing (YAY)- we started trying more of the refrigerated dressings and really enjoyed this one. There's lots of flavor and would be great drizzled on top of tacos.
Pumpkin bar bites (mild YAY)- loved the soft brownie-like texture of these, but wish they were a little sweeter and had more pumpkin flavor. The spices overtook the pumpkin
Pumpkin soup crackers (YAY)- couldn't taste the pumpkin at all, but they were good nonetheless. They almost had a cheese like flavor, but were very good.
The frozen spinach and kale bites are a YAY, be sure to use the oven, and add a good five min maybe more to baking time for a crisp outside. Good for party food or apps
The general tsao stir fry sauce is crazy popular, a bit too sweet and thick for me but has a kick to it. Like a chinese american delivery kind of thing
What the hell IS it with Trader Joe's and their almost universally poor cooking/reheating directions? It's almost as if they either just make stuff up at random or give affirmatively wrong ones out of some sort of perverse sense of humor.<lol> I haven't tried a web search, but has anyone who worked for the relevant "department" there ever spilled any beans about that, or anyone else come up with even an arguably rational hypothesis to explain it? It's just so-o weird...
Just guessing they only use convection in testing and guess for regular ovens and microwave. Would love to know real story.
It's consistent across nearly any frozen items! My own suspicion is that they just aren't testing with home kitchen equipment
Yep. Judging by the look on the team leader's (?) face, I think it must've been the first time anyone had ever actually based a request for a replacement on those grounds, but at one point something got so totally trashed that I asked for (and it being TJ's, needless to say got), another one (the frozen spinach lasagna) after the first was almost literally incinerated when I followed the package instructions.
He: "oh, you just didn't like it?" (shrug)
Me: "Well, no, not exactly. The instructions were the problem, not the lasagna itself. I managed to salvage a little bit from the middle just to taste it and that was pretty good, actually, but a good inch and a quarter on 4 all sides were hard as a rock and turned nearly black when I followed the package instructions for reheating reheat it in a microwave. So if it's OK, I'd like another one and I'll try to figure out how to reheat it on my own." (Which I did, basically using the heat-on-high-then-on-low method that brands like Stouffer's label theirs with...)
He apparently couldn't come up with a response (or not one he thought was professional and/or appropriate as a TJ's employee, anyway<chuckle>), but his facial expression was priceless as he said "oh, OK" and went back about his business...<lol>
Am I going crazy or are the pumpkin O's different this year? Last year I remember them being more dense and similar to the other O's products. The ones I'm eating right now are the same texture as Cap'n Crunch.
I just noticed my TJ's has smallish tubes of ginger paste. Has anyone tried subbing this for fresh ginger in anything?
YEA - Quinoa Cowboy Veggie Burger (frozen). Savory, slightly spicy, flavorful enough to have as a sandwich (a hamburger bun may be too much). Texture is soft, loose, not juicy; when done pick it up with a spatula rather than tongs, as it won't hold together. A nice alternative to my favorite, Vegetable Masala Burger.
I thought TJ's was 100% non-gmo but the Morningstar sausage package says "produced with genetic engineering ". So a NAY for confusing info.
From their FAQs: "Given our position on GMO ingredients in Trader Joe's label products, and the work done in support of that position, it is our expectation that our products test as non-GMO. We're unable to make the same claims for branded products (products not in the Trader Joe's label)."
Of the various faux meats sold at TJs morningstar is the one with questionable ingredients- and just not as tasty as TJs other options for me anyhow
FYI: I found that the bars of baking chocolate are back at my TJ's--last year those were a YAY for the once a season baking that I now do.
Another note: the regular lemons are back to 5-6 per bag. As opposed to the 3 lemons per bag. YAY
Also final note: I did recently find a little fuzzy bug in my beloved butter lettuce.. but it's 80% of my diet (a bag as part of my salad for lunch and a bag for my salad-dinner, some days) so I'm still buying it. But watch out, like any produce, for this extra protein--if you, like me, prefer not to eat bugs.
--Almond Kringle has returned. If you look up the company (which makes all of the kringles), they are $20+9.99.. so you're getting a $30 kringle for much less.
--New almond butter granola has arrived. I wasn't sure if I could stick to one serving--so I will wait to hear if it is good and/or deathly.
--New fall seasoned nuts or something like that. I was tempted but at $6.99 that just doesn't fit my budget this week.
--Frozen sweet potato pie is now available alongside a pumpkin pie in the frozen section and a pumpkin pie in the bakery section.
--Gingerbread cookie sticks are now featured in the bakery section near the new sea salt chocolate chip cookie sticks.
--Cinnamon Brooms have returned. (At least the mini ones.)
--Bloggers reported the maple leaf candies like you can get in Canada, but our TJ's hasn't had those.
--Maple leaf cookies.. not sure if these are out all year because I cannot have them, but they look so good!
^^^ All of this! And yet no cranberries (our Safeway has had cranberries for at least two weeks).. I had to buy myself a grapefruit to make up for it. Also it appears that the gf cranberry cake thingy in the bakery isn't/won't be back, which is kind of bad because I was banking on taking that to a Friends-giving. I might just have to take one of the red Pound-Plus chocolate bars and wine--that combination always makes people really excited.
The European Cookie collection in the big red tin is out again. This kind of surprised me because it seems odd to put it out so far before the holidays, but I know people buy loads of them to give as gifts.. so maybe they want to sell out early to make space for other things (like the knock-off Holidrizzle popcorn, I hope).
Somehow there was a cute, but continually in my way grandma in the store; it was near comical how she kept reappearing and blocking me--although I would suppose I was probably doing the same to her. Yikes. Anyway, she checked out right behind me and had a walker basket full of Vermouth and other hard liquor.. bless her heart, wow.
Those maple cookies are always around. A MEH at best, somehow the cookie is too thick, the filling too sweet, and it's not especially maple flavored. You're not mising out ;)
Could you tell if the gingerbread sticks were soft or crunchy? I'm anxiously awaiting the mini gingerbread men in a box, they have a nice ginger kick and crunchy texture.
For your party IIRC the excellent cocoa dusted truffles are always a YAY!! anywhere i take them,and gluten free, just $3/box and a deep rich chocolatey flavor
http://www.traderjoes.com/fearless-fl...
I looked at the gingerbread sticks; they're sliced like biscotti (and around 1/2" thick), but feel soft, not crunchy. They're in a cellophane bag, 10 cookies per bag.
I bought the sea salt chocolate chip sticks which are similarly packaged (suitable for "gifting" as they are tied with a ribbon and have a To/From tag on them). They are indeed soft and they didn't separate easily--when I tried to lift them out of the bag, they came apart from the bottom, not from each other. The salt is too forward IMO but the chocolate tasted like it was good quality. Overall a meh
Thanks for the intel! I'm going to hold out for the gingerbread men, soft is a dealbreaker for me on this type of cookie...
I saw maple sugar candies by the register.
strangely enough, my local store had the display of Kringle not in the area with the other baked goods, but in a freestanding rack back by the cheese. Along with some baguettes (which make some sense being back by the cheese).
I haven't been shopping at TJ's much lately, thanks to all for new product info.
Something I must comment on that I tried today in a salad - NAY to canned wild sockeye salmon. It had a lot of small bones and some skin in it, most of it got picked out for the cat. Small pin bones aren't a big deal, they're crumbly, but gotta draw the line at vertebrae. The canned salmon at Costco is cleaner and I think tastier, as well.
YAY - Beecher's cheese sampler. (Yes, that Beecher's.) $9 for four wedges, each 3 oz, for a total of 12 oz. I did the math and it's cheaper than flying to Pike's Place. Flagship, Marco Polo, and Dutch Hollow Dulcet are all great. I am not yet sure about No Woman. Wish I could taste the cheese a little more.
My closest TJ's has it, but another a little further away does not. Not sure if it's something your store has to specifically request (they have items like that from time to time.)
Husband brought home some chicken pot pie ravioli. ???? haven't had it yet and wondered what kind of sauce to serve with it?
I remember those from last year, though I can't recall if I tried them or not. I would simply top with melted butter, but I imagine a brown butter sage sauce would pair quite nicely.
We have made it several times and we have tried an alfredo sauce, butter sauce, and then just tossed in olive oil. We thought a simple butter sauce with thyme, garlic, parsley, and cream was the best, topped with grated parmesan.
Yes, a simple butter sauce with Parmesan is what we do. BTW: The beef Bolognese ravioli is our favorite. Served with either the same simple butter sauce or a red sauce, also lots of parm.
YAY for the seasonal turkey harvest salad. It has a lot of stuff going on - turkey, cranberries, pumpkin seeds, butternut squash, spinach, kale, brussels sprouts, and apple cider vinaigrette - but it works. It's $4.99 at my TJs for what's meant to be a single serving. I split it between two servings and paired with sides to round it out (today, bread and deviled eggs). Not for the salt averse. I loved the salty bursts from the brussels sprouts, but others might not.
I love the little gingerbread men, too, but I think the gingerbread sticks are worth a try!
YAY - Not sure if this is new or not but my store was sampling the Korma Fish Curry and it was really good. I'm hit or miss with curries but it had a nice little heat (not too much) and wasn't overwhelming. Picked up a couple boxes.
MEH - Harvest Gorgonzola Tarte. Not great but not bad either. Very rich with the creme fraiche, gorgonzola and blue cheese but didn't seem to have much of a gorgonzola flavor. Probably won't buy again.
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