Trader Joe's Products (2017–)

[rotuts]

The parking lot @ MyTJ's is ample.

 

I do go early.  it might not be so ample peak hours when Tj's is packed.

 

It can get very busy .

 

its the only parking lot where Ive seen people back in , sometimes several at a time.

 

I asked some of the WineBuds I have there about that , they smiled and chuckled a bit.

[Shel_B]

11 hours ago, Smithy said:

Oh boy, I had the other Chile Relleno from the package for tonight's dinner. I'm glad I bought two packages! I'd stock these on a regular basis if I could. This time I remembered to take better cross-sections.

 

 

Mine came out looking much paler than yours. How did you prepare them. I microwaved and then gave 'em a bit of time under the broiler, cooked and thickened the sauce a bit. I may try them again ... for my taste  there was enough to like to offset that which was disliked. They are definitely worth trying. Results, I'm sure, will vary.

Edited August 26 by Shel_B (log)

[Smithy]

31 minutes ago, Shel_B said:

Mine came out looking much paler than yours. How did you prepare them. I microwaved and then gave 'em a bit of time under the broiler, cooked and thickened the sauce a bit. I may try them again ... for my taste  there was enough to like to offset that which was disliked. They are definitely worth trying. Results, I'm sure, will vary.

 

I cooked them in a convection mode; I happen to have a Cuisinart Steam Oven which has a Convection Bake cycle, so I didn't have to heat my entire oven for a single chile. I cooked them at 375F, flipped them at about 20 minutes, and stopped cooking when they were crisp and browned to my satisfaction. Total time was probably 45 minutes, maybe only 40.

[Shel_B]

22 minutes ago, Smithy said:

 

I cooked them in a convection mode; I happen to have a Cuisinart Steam Oven which has a Convection Bake cycle, so I didn't have to heat my entire oven for a single chile. I cooked them at 375F, flipped them at about 20 minutes, and stopped cooking when they were crisp and browned to my satisfaction. Total time was probably 45 minutes, maybe only 40.

I imagine the Breville could provide a.similar result. I'll give it a try when I get back home. Thanks.

[Shel_B]

4 hours ago, Maison Rustique said:

Dang it! I wish TJs would open nearer to me. I want chili rellenos!! Maybe I'll get some take out from the Cuban place to console myself.

As good and.as convenient the TJs item is, if you've got a nearby place to get good "CRs", that would be a better choice, IMO. I

[blue_dolphin]

3 hours ago, Smithy said:

@blue_dolphin, I rarely buy any prepared foods these days, and as noted in an earlier post it was @JAZ who inspired/tempted/corrupted me to try some of TJ's offerings. The ingredient lists of the items I bought looked like things I'd normally eat anyway (i.e. not highly processed), so you may wish to take a peek at what they have to offer

I’ll take a look.  It’s usually the salt that puts me off.  I’m kind of a lightweight in that department! 

[Shel_B]

5 minutes ago, blue_dolphin said:

I’ll take a look.  It’s usually the salt that puts me off.  I’m kind of a lightweight in that department! 

Like you, I'm not a heavy salt user, and I find that the TJs items that I regularly purchase are not at all salt offensive. The usual YMMV disclaimer applies.

[blue_dolphin]

28 minutes ago, Shel_B said:

Like you, I'm not a heavy salt user, and I find that the TJs items that I regularly purchase are not at all salt offensive. The usual YMMV disclaimer applies.

 

Yeah, I’ve had to discard many due to inedible salt levels and hate wasting food so I’m wary. 

[Shel_B]

New-to-me today at TJ's: Have you seen them where you shop?

 

TJ's Compound Butter formed into a small, 4-oz log

 

 

Organic chicken bone broth. Although I regularly make my own chicken stock, it might be nice to have a package in the freezer. This item was found in the refrigerated section.

 

 

Edited August 28 by Shel_B
Clarity of intent (log)

[Katie Meadow]

4 hours ago, Shel_B said:

New-to-me today at TJ's: Have you seen them where you shop?

 

TJ's Compound Butter formed into a small, 4-oz log

 

 

Organic chicken bone broth. Although I regularly make my own chicken stock, it might be nice to have a package in the freezer. This item was found in the refrigerated section.

 

 

I thought you were on the road to Montana. But yoi are still shopping at TJ's apparently. 

[Shel_B]

6 minutes ago, Katie Meadow said:

I thought you were on the road to Montana. But yoi are still shopping at TJ's apparently. 

☺️That was a light-hearted, tongue-in-cheek, compliment, not a travel itinerary. I just got back yesterday from Eureka and Redwood country. 

[Shel_B]

This popped into my mailbox this morning.

14Trader Joe’s Items To Try In September (Before They’re Gone) 

 

https://share.google/LCXQeEM6no3X2YSk8

[Shel_B]

22 hours ago, Shel_B said:

This popped into my mailbox this morning.

14Trader Joe’s Items To Try In September (Before They’re Gone) 

 

https://share.google/LCXQeEM6no3X2YSk8

 

The Apple Cider Donuts are great! I buy 'em every year ...

 

[Smithy]

I broke into another of the packages I bought back here: this time, the Papas Rellenas: mashed potatoes around a beef filling, with a crispy outer coating. I hadn't planned far enough in advance to thaw one of the other treasures i'd purchased. These are to be cooked from frozen.

 

 

 

The cookery is easy enough, as you see from the package instructions. I fired up my Cuisinart Steam Oven (which still needs to be cleaned so it actually produces steam) and preheated it, on convection bake mode, to 350F. Then I put in half the box's worth, i.e. two spuddy thingies. I wondered whether it would be enough, but I had already been pecking away at snacks and sandwiches earlier. Besides, I wanted the other half of the package to sit in reserve in case I could think of refinements.

 

 

Not bad. The coating was indeed crisp, and the mashed potatoes inside the coating tasted good. I think I'd prefer a higher ratio of crisp coating to soft interior, as in mashing them to get a flatter surface. That might not be practical for this packaged food, but gives me ideas about how I might could do it better at home.

 

I found the filling itself rather disappointing. Sure it was ground beef with seasonings, but I thought the onion was overpowering; also, some spice (they don't list cloves or allspice, but it's along those lines) wasn't to my taste. If I'd especially liked the beef filling I might have been disappointed in the ratio of beef filling to potato coating, but as it was I didn't mind.

 

For my tastes, a dab of salsa improved the flavors. Here are some attempts at cutaway photos, to show the interior as well as the exterior.

 

 

I still have half the box's worth: that is, another package of two. I'll have no trouble eating them later, but I wouldn't bother getting these again. On the other hand, they make a fine template for something to try making from scratch!