We Tried Trader Joe’s New Jambalaya

Can we talk about Trader Joe's new Jambalaya in the frozen section ($5.49 for a 16 oz. bag)? I made it for a quick lunch today, just tossed one serving in the microwave after I quickly sauteed some kale with garlic and cajun seasoning. And you know what? I really liked it! Now, this…

ByMichelleMarch 3, 20260Comments

Product Review

Trader Joe’s Now Has 7 Fried Rice Varieties. The Newest is BBQ Pork.

I usually don't pay much attention to Trader Joe's Fried Rice. Sure, I've tried a few of the more recent additions to the lineup, like the the Bulgogi Beef Fried Rice and the Korean Japchae Fried Rice. But for the most part, it's a home food for us, cooked from leftover rice. Until this week,…

ByMichelleFebruary 3, 20260Comments

Product Review

Quick Lunch Inspo: Trader Joe’s Butternut Squash Risotto Over Arugula

We got our first full on rainy day of the fall, so it was a perfect day for risotto for lunch. I've had both Trader Joe's Butternut Squash Risotto and Risotto Semplice chilling in the freezer, and decided to bust out the butternut today. You just put half the bag in a microwave-safe bowl…

ByMichelleOctober 9, 20250Comments

Product Review

We Tried Trader Joe’s Jumeokbap (Korean Rice Balls)

TJ's Version is Vegan with Plant-based Beefless Bulgogi and Vegetables Trader Joe's capitalizes on the popularity of its frozen kimbap, rolling out another Korean snack favorite: Jumeokbap. Triangle-shaped, they're still considered rice balls. In my Japanese family we'd call these onigiri. But it's a similar idea, a hand formed rice ball, usually stuffed with a…

ByMichelleMay 1, 20240Comments

Product Review

We Tried Trader Joe’s Chicken, Lentil & Caramelized Onion Pilaf

If you're looking for a side dish to go with Trader Joe's Middle Eastern Style kebabs (koobideh), Trader Joe's new pilaf is a pretty decent option. Trader Joe's Chicken, Lentil and Caramelized Onion pilaf ($4.49) is flavored with saffron, cinnamon and cumin and cooks up pretty quick in the microwave. It's similar to something we…

ByMichelleJanuary 4, 20240Comments

Product Review

We Tried Trader Joe’s Cacio e Pepe Puffs

We finally finally got Trader Joe's Cacio e Pepe Puffs. Made with corn and rice like the Jalapeño seasoned version, I think these might actually be crunchier and less airy. They're definitely less styrofoam-like than the jalapeño. And I thought I was gonna love them. The cheese isn't too in your face, and some…

ByMichelleMarch 1, 20220Comments

Product Review

We Tried Trader Joe’s Plant-Based Pork Rinds

Sometimes you should just try to call a thing what it is, instead of doing word gymnastics to make it fit a food trend. Hey, let me get some of those Spicy Porkless Plant-Based Snack Rinds? How 'bout just some Trader Joe's Spicy Rice Crunchies? For simplicity's sake, I'm just gonna call them Trader Joe's…

ByMichelleJune 22, 20210Comments

Product Review

We Tried Trader Joe’s Jalapeño Seasoned Corn & Rice Puffs

I won't lie, eating Trader Joe's Jalapeño Seasoned Corn & Rice Puffs, is a little bit like eating styrofoam peanuts. But in a good way? They've got some extra crunchiness from the corn. And the good news is they don't stick in your teeth. And hey, they're vegan and gluten-free! They've got a decent…

ByMichelleSeptember 10, 20200Comments

Book Reviews

FRIED RICE by Danielle Centoni | Cookbook Spotlight

Review copy provided by the publisher Danielle Centoni’s Fried Rice delivers bold, delicious dishes that’ll get you rethinking your notion of fried rice. Danielle Centoni's latest, Fried Rice, reminds us there's more to the dish than leftovers. She writes, “[T]his book takes the virtues of fried rice — fast, cheap, customizable — and runs with…

ByMichelleAugust 13, 20190Comments

Book Reviews Recipes

Butternut Squash Risotto with Charred Radicchio

Jasmine Guillory's The Proposal Inspires a Fall-Flavored Risotto Review copy provided by the publisher In Jasmine Guillory's upcoming rom-com, THE PROPOSAL (Berkley, October 30), Doctor Carlos Ibarra knows his way around a kitchen. He happens to be at the Dodger game when Nik Paterson is on the receiving end of the worst Jumbotron proposal of…

ByMichelleOctober 24, 20180Comments

We Tried Trader Joe’s New Jambalaya

Trader Joe’s Now Has 7 Fried Rice Varieties. The Newest is BBQ Pork.

Quick Lunch Inspo: Trader Joe’s Butternut Squash Risotto Over Arugula

We Tried Trader Joe’s Jumeokbap (Korean Rice Balls)

We Tried Trader Joe’s Chicken, Lentil & Caramelized Onion Pilaf

We Tried Trader Joe’s Cacio e Pepe Puffs

We Tried Trader Joe’s Plant-Based Pork Rinds

We Tried Trader Joe’s Jalapeño Seasoned Corn & Rice Puffs

FRIED RICE by Danielle Centoni | Cookbook Spotlight

Butternut Squash Risotto with Charred Radicchio

Book Review: A Ghastly Catastrophe by Deanna Raybourn

The Fourth Princess by Janie Chang

26 New Asian and Pacific Islander Books for your 2026 TBR