I'm loving it....

As I continue to age I try to spend less and less time in the kitchen dealing with the task of putting dinner on the table seven days a week. Fortunately, my wife can exist in large part on salads, fruits, nuts and other items in that vein. So whenever I find a good product I can buy, it just makes my life so much easier. I thought I would list a few gems, perhaps not gourmet enough for some, that I have come across lately. Btw, Jenese I tried the brown tomatoes from Trader Joes and they will help to fill the void until the growing season begins. Also they have a 79 cent tomato that has some flavor in it too.

From Trader Joes...

Lasagna Bolognese... not bad... as good as I can make it and without the chaos of a zillion dishes to wash afterwards
Wild mushroom & black truffle flatbread... 8 minutes in the oven and you have a rather nice appetizer
Pates... Two pates that perhaps I just simply missed on earlier shopping trips. We liked the mousse truffee and the mushroom pate. Didn't care much for the smoked salmon mousse though
Cucumber wonton rolls... surprisingly refreshing appetizer. I simply steam them and in a flash they are ready.
Coconut shrimp... not bad
Pulled pork bbq... as good as I can make it and once again... no cleanup... hooray
Sweet chili oil... many uses for this item including as a simple little dip for eggroll.
Yellow fin tuna... I don't even like tuna but when someone suggested this I now keep a couple of tins in the pantry
Veggie burgers... not bad... my wife likes them which is what counts (these come 2 each in a round clear plastic wrap)
Smoked salmon & spinach filled crepes... not bad... I don't have them every day though
Bay scallops and peas in a cream sauce... again not bad at all... over rice or pasta = a quick meal

Ok... last item and this comes from my supermarket shelves. Grands buttermilk biscuits. These come in a bag so you don't have to go through the process of perhaps blowing yourself up when you have to puncture a pressurized can. It took me a long time to learn how to make a good biscuit but I don't even think about making them from scratch these days. These biscuits brown nicely on top and when you make sure they are touching each other they rise very nicely. I keep the large bag size in the freezer these days... one can never have enough biscuits available.

Tim

Thanks for sharing your TraderJoe finds, Tim. I've been gradually trying a few of their frozen, prepared products and have been very disappointed. I usually don't even buy that type of food item, but like you I am getting older and being able to have some convenience in the food department is a treat. I do love their Burgundy, peppered boneless leg of lamb in the fresh meat dept. It is all ready for the oven or grill. It is company worthy. Those boxes of frozen croissants, package of 8 are very nice.So far, that is all I have found that I repeat buy.
Oh yes, and I agree with you on the Grands buscuits...very good.

I particularly like their frozen puff pastry.

[Jenise]

I particularly like their frozen puff pastry.

Me too!

And to Tim: though I understand why you and many do so, I don't buy prepared foods but have to admit every time I'm in Trader Joe's I try whatever they're demo-ing in the back. And I bought quite a few things while we were under construction for zapping in the microwave or toaster. I did/do find a preponderence of fake butter flavor and more-sugar-than-I'd-like in those foods, though the fake butter flavor was actually sort of pleasant in an over the top kind of way in the butternut squash and sage gnocchi they were showing off last weekend. I believe you've said before your wife is a vegetarian, she might enjoy that product. But I am a regular buyer of the brown tomatoes (glad you like them, too), the canned tuna, and goat cheese as well as things like microgreens I can't get anywhere else.

[Jenise]

Oh, and don't let me near a box of their Triscuit-like wheat crackers. They beat Triscuit at their own game--thinner, a bit more delicate, and less salt so more good wheat flavor.

My closest TJ's is about 100 miles north in Cincinnati Oh, so, I am not versed in their food or wines. I am going to go to Northern Ky sometime soon, and could then go on across the Ohio river and check them out. The brown tomatoes are what has me intrigued. Are we speaking of fresh tomatoes, or canned? if fresh, where are they from? if canned are they imported and therefore rather expensive when compared to Red Gold. Inquiring minds etc......

I shop at TJ's for basic staples and sauces that I use in my food preparation. I usually use the sauces as part of a recipe and seldom use them standing alone. For example, I use their black pepper sauce as a base for my pastrami rub.