Cooking with All Things Trader Joe's

Like many people, you may be cooking more at home rather than an going out for expensive restaurant meals. An evening at home is so much more romantic and intimate than a dinner out. As a bonus, it's budget-friendly as well! For right around $20, you can enjoy any of the meals below, for two, including dessert.

Here's a quick meal you can whip up in minutes. I served this with Apricot Baked Brie (from our cookbook) and a ready-made TJ dessert, roughly $20 for two:

Zesty Shrimp over Roasted Aspargus

1/2 pound frozen Jumbo Uncooked Shrimp
12 spears fresh asparagus
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt & black pepper
1 cube Frozen Crushed Garlic (or 1 clove crushed fresh garlic)
3 Tbsp Sun Dried Tomato Bruschetta (Pesto would be a nice alternative)
1 Tbsp parsley, coarsely chopped

1.) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2.) Thaw the shrimp by running under cold water. When thawed, pull off the tails if desired.
3.) Trim the ends off the aspargus spears, cut spears in half, and place in baking pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Put in oven for 10 minutes.
4.) In a skillet, heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil and add the garlic. Toss in the shrimp and saute until the shrimp looks opaque and nearly cooked (this should take less than 1 minute. Never overcook shrimp). Quickly add the bruschetta and stir till coated. Remove from heat.
5.) Plate the dish by making a layer of asparagus, adding the shrimp on top, and garnishing with parsley.

No evening is complete without dessert! You can't beat Trader Joe's frozen ready-made desserts for ease, elegance, and affordability combined. Panna Cotta, Lemon Tarts, Cherry Clafoutis, Chocolate Lava cakes....YUM! For example, the Raspberry Creme Brulee comes in cute little ceramic ramekins; two servings in a package for $4. The Apple Blossoms look like mini French bakery pies; two servings in a package for $2.

If you don't want to cook at all, here are some ready-made menus from our recent newsletter that you can simply heat and eat. Just add a ready-made dessert to any of these menus to complete the night. You can have a fuss-free dinner and focus on having a romantic evening together.

Dinner #1
Rack of Lamb
This elegant entree is available pre-cooked in the refrigerated section. Simply pair with steamed French green beans and miniature carrots, and you're done! This meal will make even the most novice of cooks look like a 5-star chef, with no effort.

Shopping list
Seasoned Rack of Lamb
Baby Green Beans
Sweet Baby Carrots

Dinner #2
Crab Cakes
Treat yourselves to warm, soothing French Onion Soup, ready in minutes. The next course is decadent crab cakes, served on a bed of mache leaves lightly tossed in a lemon-olive oil vinaigrette. Avocado slices make a wonderful creamy garnish.

Shopping list
French Onion Soup (frozen)
Maryland Crab Cakes (frozen)
Crusty French bread
Mache lamb's lettuce (or other salad mix)

Dinner #3
Asparagus Risotto
Start off with delectable puff pastry bites filled with caramelized onions and goat cheese. Your next course is creamy risotto paired with your choice of boxed gourmet salad kits. Look for the salad kits next to hummos and ready-made lunches (not the produce section).

Shopping list
Pastry Bites (frozen)
Asparagus Risotto (frozen)
Goat Cheese, Walnut, Red Bell Pepper salad (or your choice of pre-made salad)

Between work and errands, kids and classes, time is so tight these days that it's easy to get in the habit of eating takeout and hitting the drive-through. More Americans are giving up on their kitchens and opting for faster fare. Few of us have hours every day to cook meals from scratch. Unfortunately, skipping out on healthy meals adds to increasing obesity and health problems--not to mention missing out on the personal satisfaction of cooking a delicious meal for yourself or your family.
Cooking healthy and cooking at home can easily fit within the pace and time of a busy lifestyle. We promise. By taking fresh ingredients and strategically coupling them with prepared sauces and mixes from the grocery store, it's easy to create good, healthy food in a fraction of the time it takes to make it from scratch. Grocers commonly have fresh ready-to-use ingredients: washed and cut veggies, washed and bagged salads, and even pre-marinated meats.
If you're a mom, working professional, or pretty much anyone who likes good food but can't spend all day in the kitchen, we have good news. Here are our top 12 kitchen tips and shortcuts for cooking delicious and easy meals at home, without compromising taste.

1) Take advantage of prepared sauces, from marinaras to curries. Simmer chicken or veggies in a marinara and serve on top of plain pasta. Add cauliflower, frozen peas and canned garbanzo beans to a jar of curry sauce, simmer, and serve alongside steamed rice and tandoori bread.

2) Keep jars of bruschettas, tapenades, pitted olives, sundried tomatoes, and pesto in your pantry as well as a bag of pine nuts. When your fridge is bare, toss these ingredients with your favorite cooked pasta to create a delicious Mediterranean pasta dish.

3) For a great appetizer idea, put a wedge of Brie in a small ovenproof dish, top it with your favorite jam (such as apricot or raspberry) and some almond slivers. Cover with foil and bake in a 400 degree oven for 12-15 minutes or until the Brie has started to melt. Serve with crackers alongside a selection of cherry tomatoes, baby carrots, olives, and roasted red pepper (available in jars at your grocer).

4) Pick up a fully-cooked rotisserie chicken at nearly any grocery store. Steam a side of broccoli or seasonal vegetables and you have a complete meal. Or use the chicken as a base for an endless array of recipes such as a casserole, a sandwich wrap or a quesadilla. For an easy quesadilla, melt some cheese inside a tortilla, add strips of chicken and top with a dollop of sour cream and store-bought guacamole and salsa. As you know, Trader Joe's has a great selection of all of these ingredients.

5) Fresh herbs can perk up nearly any meal, whether it's fresh basil added to a simple pasta dish, cilantro stirred into plain rice, or rosemary sprinkled on roasting potatoes.

6) Forget the washing, rinsing, and spinning. Pre-washed and bagged salads make it easy to toss together a healthy salad any time of day. Perk up any green salad with the tasty combination of feta or gorgonzola cheese, dried cranberries or cherries, toasted pine nuts, and a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar. A bag of spinach, gently steamed with a little salt, pepper, and garlic is an easy side.

7) Take advantage of the huge array of dressings and use them as marinades for chicken or meats. Lemon dill, balsamic, Asian sesame-just marinate for a few hours or overnight for delicious flavor in a snap.

8) Transform boxed meals such as flavored rice or mac-n-cheese with a few simple additions. Add peas, cubed ham, and a little curry powder to make ordinary mac-n-cheese into a meal. Take a Spanish rice mix, add shrimp, sausage, and peas or edamame to create a paella. Do the same with a jambalaya rice mix to transform it from a side dish into a hearty meal.

9) Put an end to greasy pizza delivery. Use ready-made dough to roll out quick pizza crusts that you can top with your own favorite and healthy ingredients. Use a pizza stone and a hot oven (500 degrees or as hot as your oven will go) and enjoy the best crusts you've ever had.

10) Buy a pound cake or other dessert loaf and make it your own by topping the cake slices with whipped cream, lots of fresh berries, and a drizzle of chocolate syrup. You can serve one person or a crowd just as easily with this quick and pretty dessert.

11) In general, choose recipes for the week before going shopping. If you shop with meals in mind, you'll save both time and wasted groceries.

12) Finally, streamline your kitchen and workspace. Most kitchen drawers are overstuffed with too many utensils, contraptions, and duplicates. Get the basics, get good quality equipment, and get rid of the clutter.

1) Value and quality. At Trader Joe's, you'll find everything from the very basics to high-end gourmet food at prices you won't believe. All the food is high quality and delicious, with organic and natural food options found throughout the store.

2) Unique products. Trader Joe's scouts the world for new and inspiring foods and beverages. Only the ones that pass Trader Joe's employee taste tests make it to stores

3) Just food, no preservatives. When you compare the labels on Trader Joe's products to items found at other stores, you'll notice something missing: the long list of chemicals, fillers, artificial flavors, and preservatives.

4) Nothing genetically engineered. Trader Joe's was among the first national grocers to remove genetically modified food from its private label products.

5) Actively "green". Trader Joe's has made all kinds of environmental "green lists" for its commitment to responsible sourcing of food. Trader Joe's brand eggs are all cage-free, no seafood is obtained from suppliers that are involved in seal hunts, hormone-free dairy is the norm, and all the tuna is from "dolphin-safe" water (and as a result, low in mercury). Shopping bags

6) Wine and beer. In addition to great foods, Trader Joe's brings a wide and ever-evolving assortment of value-priced wines from all over the globe, including the famous "Two Buck Chuck."

7) Fun shopping experience. Balloons, hand-written chalkboard signs, lively music, and cheerful crewmembers decked in Hawaiian flair create a fun, friendly, casual atmosphere.

ALL of the ingredients below can be found at Trader Joe's. Not near a Trader Joe's?--You can improvise with other brand/generic ingredients. Write us if you need any help.
We'll rotate these recipes every month or so with some new ones, so please check back every now and then. Hope you enjoy them! Let us know if you liked them by commenting below (or rating our lens)

I recently made dinner for 3 other adults, all of whom are lactose-intolerant. We had been out all day sightseeing, and I was worn out! Fortunately, I know a thing or two about quick and easy cooking. However, I soon realized that I don't know quite as much about quick and easy vegan/dairy-free desserts... Most of the ones I've made are a little more time-consuming. I had plenty of fruit on hand (and cheese, but that wasn't going to work)... Dessert needed a little more something.

So I decided to make a dairy-free chocolate mousse. It wasn't such a huge stretch since it's a slight variation on a nearly-diary-free mousse that's in the cookbook (South Seas Chocolate Mousse). But I have to say, I love my Valrhona chocolate, and those times that a recipe doesn't work out and perfectly good chocolate is wasted...there is no consoling me.

Fortunately, it worked like a charm. Here is the recipe, and it was wonderful (and took all but 5 minutes to whip up). I filled each mini-ramekin with chocolate mousse and put it in the fridge for 2 hours. Right before serving, I topped it with blueberries and mango. It was delicious and very satisfying. I would typically add mascarpone cheese to this recipe, but without it, the texture and taste was still very good. Vegans and lactose-intolerant folks everywhere can rejoice. And light coconut milk has a fraction of the calories of heavy cream...even better!

No Moo Mousse

Mousse:
2 (7-oz) bars dark bittersweet chocolate such as Valrhona 71% Cacao
1 (14-oz) can Light Coconut Milk
2 Tbsp Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum or Malibu Caribbean Rum

Topping:
Any selection of fresh berries or mango

o Microwave method to melt chocolate: Break up chocolate bars into squares (8 squares for each bar) and place in a small Pyrex bowl. Microwave for 1 minute and stir. Repeat with 30-second intervals, stirring after every interval until fully melted and waiting a minute between intervals to let the heat of the bowl dissipate. Melting 2 chocolate bars should take about a total of 2 minutes. Be careful not to burn the chocolate.
o Add coconut milk and rum to your blender. Pour melted chocolate into the blender and blend right away for about 30 seconds. Pour or spoon mousse into individual cups and place in the fridge for at least one hour. If you will be leaving them in the fridge longer than a couple of hours or making it the day before, cover mousse cups with plastic wrap.
o Top each mousse cup generously with fresh fruit right before serving.

Prep time: 5-7 minutes. Make at least 2 hours ahead of time.
Makes 8 mousse cups

I'm finding lots of great uses for the Organic Broccoli Slaw (shredded broccoli and carrots, available in 12 oz bags). The latest is a nice healthy baked dish that my whole family loved. It's a cross between a quiche and a casserole. I cut it into squares and serve alongside the main dish. Between the 4 of us, the entire recipe was gone in one sitting.

You don't have to use the bagged slaw at Trader Joe's, but it sure makes it convenient. If you like, just substitute about 3 cups of your own shredded broccoli stems or zucchini (also delicious!) mixed with 1 cup shredded carrots.

Broccoli Squares

1 bag (12 oz) Organic Broccoli Slaw
4 eggs
1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 tsp salt
1 clove garlic (or 1-2 cubes frozen garlic, thawed)
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup Shredded Parmesan
1 cup Buttermilk Pancake and All Purpose Baking Mix (or 1 cup Bisquick)
Sesame seeds (optional)

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2) Lightly beat eggs in a large bowl. Add herbs, oil, salt, and garlic to the bowl and combine.
3) Saute onions until soft. Add onions, Parmesan, and slaw to the bowl and mix thoroughly. Add baking mix and mix again.
4) Put mixture in an oiled oblong baking dish or an oiled 8x8-inch square baking dish, and evenly spread mixture in dish. Sprinkle the top with sesame seeds.
5) Bake for 35 minutes or until top is turning golden brown.

Just a note: If you're not a baking-mix/Bisquick person (or you're like me and forgot to plan ahead), it's actually pretty easy to wing your own. Just mix together about 1 cup of white flour and 1 Tbsp of baking powder and 1 tsp sugar, then add 1/4 cup of oil and mix till it's a corn meal consistency. That's close enough, and you'll be set for this recipe!

One of our favorites. This soup is a hearty, spicy soup with the warm earthy flavor of cumin and the zing of fresh lime. We like it with tortilla chips on the side. It makes a great meal by itself, or it can be paired with one of our quesadilla recipes for a bigger meal. Not only are black beans high in fiber and folate, but they rival grapes and cranberries for their antioxidant properties. Sensitive to sulfites? Black beans contain the trace mineral molybdenum, which counteracts sulfites. So uncork that bottle of red later tonight.

1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped, or 2 cups bagged Freshly Diced Onion
1 clove crushed garlic, or 1 tsp jarred Crushed Garlic
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin
2 (15-oz) cans Organic Black Beans (do not drain)
1 cup (half a jar) Chunky Salsa
2 Tbsp lime juice (juice of 1 lime)
Plain yogurt, such as Plain Cream Line Yogurt, or sour cream

1. In a medium pot, sauté onions in olive oil until they are soft and translucent.
2. Sprinkle in cumin and garlic and sauté for a minute; pour in black beans (including juices), salsa, and lime. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Simmer covered for 20 minutes.
3. Ladle soup into individual bowls and top with a dollop of yogurt. Chili and Lime Tortilla Chips or other white corn tortilla chips go nicely on the side.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Hands-off Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves 4-6

This dish is fusion cooking at its most eclectic. Most people might not pair Indian and Italian cooking, but the combination of spinach and ricotta is the crossover reminiscent of Saag Paneer and spinach lasagna. This tasty twist on two classics is delicious without being heavy.

1 pkg Fresh No Boil Lasagna Noodles or dry "no boil" lasagna noodles
2 (15-oz) jars Punjab Spinach Sauce
1 (16-oz) bag frozen chopped spinach
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 (15-oz) container Traditional Fresh Ricotta cheese
1 (16-oz) bag Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375º F.

2. Spray or wipe a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with olive oil. Spread a few Tbsp Punjab sauce on the bottom. Add a single layer of lasagna noodles.

3. Thaw spinach, or place it in a colander under cool water until thawed. Drain well, squeezing out excess water with your hands.

4. In a bowl, combine spinach, peas, and remaining Punjab sauce. Mix well.

5. Layer ¼ of spinach mixture over noodles, followed by 1/3 of the ricotta and another layer of noodles. Press down lightly to compact layers. Repeat layering 2 more times. Spread final ¼ of spinach mixture on noodles and top with mozzarella.

6. Cover loosely with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and cook 20 minutes longer, allowing cheese to get bubbly and golden.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Hands-off cooking time: 45 minutes
Serves 6-8

All aboard! Shrimp, mango, and jalapeños set sail on endive boats. No utensils needed for this seafood adventure. The sweet flavors in the fruit salsa offset the slightly bitter taste of crunchy endive. Be prepared for the salsa's spicy kick!

1 cup frozen Medium Cooked Tail-Off Shrimp, thawed
½ cup Fire Roasted Papaya Mango Salsa
Salt and pepper
1 head fresh Belgian endive, leaves separated
2 Tbsp refrigerated Cilantro Dressing
Cilantro for garnish

1. Dice shrimp into cubes. Mix shrimp and salsa. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Spoon shrimp mixture onto endive leaves. Arrange shrimp boats on serving platter and drizzle with dressing.
3. Garnish with cilantro.

Variation: For a more traditional (and less spicy) shrimp salad, use ¼ cup Cilantro Dressing or other creamy dressing instead of the fruit salsa. Garnish with cilantro.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Serves 4 (2 boats each)

Quiche is healthy, sophisticated, and will please nearly any palate. Use this as your "foundation recipe," adding ingredients such as cubed ham, sausage, veggies, and herbs per your own likes.

1 frozen Ready Made Pie Crust, thawed and put into ovensafe pie dish
1 ½ cup crimini mushrooms, chopped or sliced.
1 cup half and half
4 eggs
1 cup Quattro Formaggio shredded cheese
½ cup chopped canned artichoke hearts (not marinated!)
1 cup frozen spinach, thawed and drained (once thawed and drained, it will measure about 1/4 cup packed)
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp salt

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2) Saute the mushrooms in olive oil just until they start to brown (takes about a minute).
3) Whisk together the eggs and half and half. Stir in the cheese, artichoke hearts, spinach, nutmeg, and salt.
4) Pour mixture into pie crust and bake for 40 minutes (or until a knife inserted into center comes out clean).
5) Let it cool for a few minutes, then slice and serve.

Servings: 6 pieces

Puff pastry is one of the simplest yet most complicated things to make. It is made with minimal ingredients (flour, water, salt, and butter) but takes all day to prepare. The butter and dough are folded together over and over and put in the fridge between foldings so that the layers stay cool and separate. The folds add up quickly (after 10 folds, you have over 1000 layers!). When in the oven, the butter steams the layers up and creates the signature flaky layered puff.

Fortunately, TJ's makes it a snap with their frozen puff pastry dough. Now, puff pastry isn't for every day (it's quite fattening) but it makes for easy and tasty appetizers and desert ideas that are impressive to boot!

Try this easy recipe:

1 sheet of puff pastry(each box has two sheets)

Your favorite jar of tapenade or bruschetta

Preheat the oven and thaw the sheet of puff pastry according to the box instructions. But the sheet into 9 equal pieces (like a tic-tac-toe board) On each piece, put a teaspoon of tapenade. Spread the pieces evenly on a baking sheet and bake according to directions.

Remove from oven and serve immediately.

The topping options are endless: Try your favorite jam, slices apples, cheese, goat cheese...

1. Basil is terrific for salad dressings, pastas, curries, pizza sauce, poultry, and meats. (I prefer fresh basil, but dried basil is great to have on hand)
2. Oregano is great for pasta sauce, pizza sauce, seafood, and roasted chicken.
3. Rosemary imparts great aroma and flavor to seafood, pasta, roasted potatoes, and roasted chicken.
4. Cumin adds smoky depth to soups and chilis, is essential for making a great hummus, and is a critical spice for many Indian and middle-eastern dishes.
5. Cinnamon is a versatile warm flavor that is great on everything from simple desserts like rice pudding, to warm oatmeal in the morning, to savory dishes like middle-eastern rice.
6. Curry powder is the star ingredient in curried vegetables, curried rice, curried sweet potatoes, and flavoring curries.
7. Garlic is indispensable for pastas, stir fry, vegetables, or garlic bread.
8. Vanilla extract is a "must" for many cookies, desserts, pies, and puddings...even in oatmeal, coffee, or warm milk.
9. Salt is the king of basic seasoning, enhancing the flavor of foods. Salt and pepper can be bought in containers with built-in grinders for maximum flavor. Try kosher salt or sea salt for best taste.
10. Black pepper goes hand-in-hand with salt and is best freshly ground. Besides basic seasoning, it can be mixed with lemon zest and heavy cream for a great linguini sauce.

You don't need every new gadget that comes along for a well-equipped kitchen. In fact, what you need are a few basics (and a once-in-a-while splurge on a kitchen luxury)

Rule number one: Buy quality pieces. If you can afford a 16-piece set of cheap cookware or 1 piece of quality cookware, go for the latter. Build your collection (one at a time if need be) with good, heavy, durable pieces and they will last a lifetime.

Rule number two: Avoid the kitchen clutter. If you haven't used a utensil or appliance in a while, either learn how to use it or get rid of it.