Ingredient Inspo: Nian Gao with Trader Joe’s Rice Cakes

I usually buy rice cakes at my local Asian market, but I want Trader Joe's to keep stocking Asian ingredients along with the pre-made frozen meals. So I picked up a bag of Trader Joe's rice cakes a couple of weeks ago. I made the Nian Gao from The Woks of Life, adding a red…

ByMichelleMarch 20, 20230Comments

Product Review

We Tried Trader Joe’s Strawberries and Cream Gelato

Trader Joe's was on a streak with great ice creams. The Yuzu Ripple and the Chocolate Raspberry sorbet/ice cream mix are pretty dang good. And this Trader Joe's Strawberries and Cream Gelato with candied strawberry pieces had the potential to be win #3 in a row. But...it reminds me a lot of a strawberries and…

ByMichelleFebruary 21, 20230Comments

Product Review

3 Cheeses to Try Now at Trader Joe’s

The winter holidays are basically the best time of year in the cheese section at Trader Joe's. Now, everyone has their year round favorites -- I'm looking at you, Unexpected Cheddar -- but there are a few cheeses in store right now that you gotta check out. Fromage Pave, Kaamte Gouda Style, and the 40-month…

ByMichelleDecember 12, 20220Comments

Product Review

We Tried Trader Joe’s Sweet Cannoli Dip

Until I saw Trader Joe's Sweet Cannoli Dip, I had no idea it was even a thing. But a quick search around the Internet says people have been making this at home for ages. And for me, I think making it "from scratch" would probably be the way to go. Because that way you can…

ByMichelleNovember 22, 20220Comments

Product Review

We Tried Trader Joe’s New Date Royale

New for Holiday 2022, Trader Joe's Date Royale is a deglet noor date stuffed with peanut butter and "enrobed" in dark chocolate. At $8 for a box of 10, it's a little spendy. But they come individually wrapped and you could easily put them out in a dish for a little sweet treat at a…

ByMichelleNovember 14, 20220Comments

Product Review

Run, Don’t Walk: Trader Joe’s Italian Custard Cream Puffs

If you need a little break from pumpkin desserts, grab yourself a box of Trader Joe's Italian Custard Cream Puffs. The most important thing you need to know is THEY NEED TO THAW FOR 90 MINUTES. And at my house, they took the full hour and a half. I checked at an hour and the…

ByMichelleOctober 18, 20220Comments

Food News

Preview: Trader Joe’s Maple Dijon Marinated Chicken

Officially it's Trader Joe's Spatchcocked Sweet and Savory Chicken We're having Trader Joe's Spatchcocked Sweet and Savory Chicken for dinner tonight, so review will post tomorrow. I picked the smallest one I could find, it's just 2.88 lbs!, just in case I didn't like it. We'll see! We're having it with Roasted Potatoes and…

ByMichelleOctober 10, 20220Comments

Product Review

What Sauce Should You Have with Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Gnocchi?

When it comes to pumpkin pasta everyone automatically goes sage and brown butter. But I have to admit, I don't really like butter as a sauce. I like it to enrich other sauces, but not just on its own. So for Trader Joe's Pumpkin Gnocchi, I went with inspiration from an unexpected place. An…

ByMichelleSeptember 19, 20220Comments

Recipes

5 Great Ways to Use Trader Joe’s Gochujang

This post includes affiliate links that kick us a small percentage at no cost to you if you use them to shop. If this post is helpful, please use them to support my work - thanks! So did you see Trader Joe's now carries gochujang, the red pepper paste that's core to many Korean…

ByMichelleJuly 20, 20220Comments

Product Review Recipes

We Tried Trader Joe’s Salsa Verde Tortilla Chips

You remember that old Tiffany song from the late 80s...."Could've been so beautiful, could've been so riiiiiight. Could've been my lover every day of my liiiiife." Remember? That's me trying Trader Joe's Salsa Verde Tortilla Chips. Man. The salsa verde seasoning on these is super tasty with a nice hit of lime. I was into…

ByMichelleJuly 6, 20220Comments