Friday Things
1. Last Saturday, I went to a hockey game with my mom, so all of my boys spent the afternoon together. On Monday I went to download some food photos and found a bunch that my husband took of Joseph with Duke and Einstein while I was gone. Best surprise!
2. I made these Thai Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes last week and they were DELICIOUS! I would cut the crushed red pepper flakes and chili sauce in half because it was too spicy for my liking, but my husband loved it as-is.
3. I didn’t watch the Grammy’s last week; were there any must-see performances that I should check out on YouTube?
4. Interesting article about the history and future of breakfast cereals. What was your favorite growing up? In our house, Golden Grahams, Raisin Bran, Honey Nut Cheerios and Frosted Flakes were on a steady rotation.
5. 34 Trader Joe’s Products That Are Totally Worth It >> What would you add to this list? I still haven’t shopped at a Trader Joe’s, but I no longer have an excuse since I live less than 15 minutes from one. I need to get there!
6. This sushi chef made sushi from doughnuts… so talented!
7. The Oscars are this weekend! Have you watched any of the movies up for best picture?
8. Loving this sugar cookie shortcut! >> How To Cut Shapes From Graham Crackers.
9. Fuller House releases on Netflix today! Are you planning on watching? How about this compilation of the “where are they now” of all of the old boyfriends from the show? I’d say Steve and Viper aged pretty well.
10. TGIF! Another photo of Joseph having a squinty staring contest with Einstein :)
so went to TJ’s yesterday….bought the cupcakes….OH MY!! and the chocolate croissants….I didn’t expect them to be in the frozen breakfast area, lol….and they have almond ones too…and mini plain croissants….bought the chocolate…next time I will buy the plain minis….saw the churros….love their frozen white corn….bought the Belgian waffles too….had one for breakfast smeared with peanut butter, my favorite way to eat a waffle….here in Colorado we can’t be trusted to buy wine at a grocery store, so the store seems larger…but no wine dept….but hey we can grow, buy and smoke marijuana….@@….also sourdough rolls, they don’t exist here….what is wrong with folks here, lol….so thanks for tips on new to me items…
Joseph is Einstein’s kid. If you want your own kid, you need to have another one, although there’s little doubt he’ll steal that one too. I had a basset hound that helped me raise my son; she would snitch on him in a second if he was doing something she didn’t think he should.
I love Trader Joe’s and have shopped there ever since they moved into my city. Although I haven’t tried many snacks on the list, they got some of them right. The Mediterranean hummus is better than I can make. Belgian chocolate pudding is an addiction, and so are the Chocolate Croissants and chocolate and caramel ripple ice cream.
Some other things I love there are the organic whipping cream that isn’t ultra-pasteurized (very hard to find where I live), organic free-range eggs, organic unsalted butter, sour cream and cream cheese. TJ’s is the only place I buy cheese now, and their salad greens are great. So are their bananas and organic potatoes and onions. Their sweetened condensed milk is ever so much better than Eagle Brand. All of their juices and coffees are wonderful. I could live on their heavenly Alsatian tart (soft flatbread topped with onions, gruyere cheese and ham). Frozen Belgian waggles are so good I don’t bother to make them any more. During the holiday season, they have great frozen all-butter puff pastry. If you’re in a hurry, their all-butter frozen pie dough is excellent. Don’t hesitate to buy any of their frozen fruits and vegetables because they’re all very good. I always have several bags of frozen mixed berries in my freezer and use them for all kinds of things. I’ve liked all of their canned goods I’ve tried — beans especially. Their organic ketchup and mayonnaise are both excellent. Be sure to try their olive oils, all of which are excellent and the price is right.
There are very few things I haven’t liked. Their flour isn’t good because it’s not milled well and it”s gritty. I’m not crazy about their baked goods, except that they have a partially baked French bread that’s quite nice.
My poor baby girl is home sick from school today and we’ve been watching Fuller House all afternoon! I have to say, I kinda like it! It’s definitely a little cheesy and the acting isn’t always super awesome but I think the same could be said about the original!
You need to make that Trader Joe’s trip happen this weekend! 2 buck chuck is a favorite but I enjoy checking out the other wines there too. Vegetable Birds Nests in the frozen section is a recent discovery- we paired them with http://iowagirleats.com/2016/01/27/kung-pao-chicken-meatballs/ last night. They have pumpkin flavored dog treats (at least in the Fall) and my pup LOVES them! Hope you find some good discoveries at TJ’s when you make it there!
My favorite performance at the Grammys was the tribute to Lionel Richie. I have always loved his music and I thought the artists singing his songs did a great job. And he was loving it so that made it even better!
P.S. I love your blog! Last week was my birthday and I asked my daughter to make the yellow cake with chocolate frosting you posted recently. It was delicioius! Thanks for all the great recipes :)
The only Oscar movie I’ve seen so far is The Big Short, and I loved it. I didn’t know that it was also a book by Michael Lewis. Some of his books have been made into really good films.
I watched the first episode of Fuller House this morning! It had some good flash backs and homages to the old series, but I hope that the story line is somewhat modernized.
The pictures of Joseph and Einstein and Duke are too cute. I don’t think I have watched any of the Oscar nominated movies this year…I do want to see a couple of them but it will have to be later.
I would LOVE to live that close to a Trader Joes! The 2 1/2 hours away! NOne of the items on that list are on my must have list. Here is my list: Sea salt brownie bites (bakery)
Maple pecan Just the Clusters cereal
Chocolate chip brownie and oat bars
milk chocolate peanut butter cups (the best ever!!)
dark chocolate caramel and black sea salt candy bar
baking cocoa powder
organic maple syrup
organic ketchup
can pumpkin (in season)
If I were you I’d get there SOON! I’ll love hearing about what you decide to try and what ends up being on your must have list :)
I have been in love with Trader Joe’s since the first time I ever set foot in one in Scottsdale, Arizona in 1996. When they finally started opening stores in the Chicago suburban area I was a pig in mud and in the past year they have opened one within 2 miles of my office. I can pop in on my lunch break or on my way home after work. To the list of “best items” I would add the Honey Roasted Almonds – they are great for sprinkling on yogurt or oatmeal or on banana bread as well as their frozen Chocolate and Vanilla Macarons and more recently, I can’t live without their Beet Hummus. If you are a beet lover you must check this out.
They also carry Marzano Cherry Tomatoes in produce section – so, so good!
Friday’s post is my favorite. I love watching Joseph grow up. I love the sweet relationship between him and the dogs. Thank you for sharing.
Michelle, once you go to Trader Joe’s you will be so hooked. Get a jar of the crunchy cookie butter and life will never be the same!! And in the produce section they have vacuum sealed peeled garlic cloves for half the price of the grocery store. I never buy garlic any other way. And the candy!! Oh. My. Gosh. Don’t get me started…. :)
My favorite two things from the Grammys were the performance from
Hamilton and Lady Gaga’s tribute to David Bowie.
As for Trader Joe’s, there are so many things I buy there. I guess my top 10 are packets of instant oatmeal with added protein, jicama sticks (refrigerated & really convenient for snacking!), fat free refried beans, olive tapenade, frozen naan, frozen Indian entrees (esp. paneer tikka masala), frozen veggies (esp. the roasted corn), frozen macaron assortment, unsalted dry toasted nuts (sliced almonds, chopped pecans & cashew pieces), & handmade flour tortillas.
I shop at Trader Joe’s regularly. When I first started shopping there I mentioned to a clerk that Trader Joe’s reminded me of an upscale Aldi’s. I don’t know if he realized how close I was to the truth. Aldi’s was owned by the Albrecht brothers in Germany. They divided the company in the 1970s with one of them controlling most stores in Europe and the other controlling some in Europe, England, Australia and the U.S. One of them eventually bought the Trader Joe’s chain and applied the same principles to it that were applied to Aldi’s: keeping stores fairly small and limiting selection.
I’ve purchased 2 of the 34 products mentioned. The Mini Cinnamon Sugar Churros were pretty good. I hate the steamed lentils — they taste too vegetal or herbaceous, but I do like the dry green and red lentils. I haven’t tried the Chickenless Mandarin Orange Morsels, but the Mandarin Orange Chicken is good. I also haven’t tried the Chocolate Croissants, but the Almond Croissants are delicious. I want to try the Milk Chocolate Covered Potato Chips. I generally don’t buy any prepared foods.
So what do I buy?
1. Some produce — their bagged salad greens are better priced than anywhere else, even when they’re on sale. I buy quite a bit of their bulk fruits and vegetables. Some things, like zucchini or cucumbers, are only sold in packages of 2 or more and whether or not I buy them depends on how much I need. They have the best price on red bell peppers — can’t find them cheaper anywhere else.
2. Cheese The prices can’t be beat.
3. Nuts. It’s my understanding that Costco has the best prices on nuts, but since I’m not a member, Trader Joe’s is the best and I don’t have to buy huge quantities.
4. Frozen fruits and vegetables. Good quality and selection and I can find things there that are next to impossible to find elsewhere (frozen pineapple and mango chunks, frozen artichoke hearts).
5. Dairy and eggs — generally better priced than elsewhere.
6. Olive oil
7. Vinegar — I buy red wine vinegar and rice vinegar most often.
8. Dry herbs and spices — not a huge selection but great prices.
9. Dry pasta — good quality and great price (99¢/lb)
10. Almond butter
11. Frozen chicken tenders, breasts or thighs in 2.5 pound bags. Generally better price than at other stores.
12. Coffee — good selection and good prices
13. Coffee filters — I make coffee using a cone and the pour over method. Their coffee filters are the best price and they’re unbleached.
14. Salsa Autentica and Salsa Verde.
15. Roasted Sesame Oil
If it’s important to you, Trader Joe’s branded products are GMO free. They have a great return policy — no receipt needed. I’ve returned products months after purchase with no questions asked. I do wish they carried more dried beans.
I nearly always try the samples when I’m there, but rarely buy what they’re sampling. For some reason I’m never as satisfied with the product at home.
Joseph, Duke and Einstein. Can’t get better than that on a Friday morning. Thank you for sharing your handsome son and dogs with us. Happy Friday!
I just love it that your Joseph is getting to grow up with your dogs. That is really special. I love these pictures of them together – precious and priceless!
I never watched Full House, but speaking of shows – do you like Stephen King? If you do, there is an 8-part miniseries based on his fictional book about the JFK Assassination – 11.22.63 – on Hulu. I haven’t been able to catch it yet, but i LOVED the book. A little supernatural because he goes back in time several times, but once he’s there, everything is real with no “magic.” From the few previews I’ve seen, looks like it’s gonna be good!
You and all your boys have a great weekend! It’s supposed to be beautiful and warm here in Arkansas!
Regarding breakfast cereals, I completely loved Quisp as a kid. I have read that it has been sold sporadically the last couple years, but have never seen it anywhere.
Oh my goodness, Michelle!…..you haven’t yet been to Trader Joe’s….AND you have one 15 minutes away…??? We live in a very small, rural town and have to drive almost 2 hours to TJ’s! Get in the car, girl!! I read the recommended product list, and actually haven’t tried any, except for the flowers and cards, which are wonderful, and GREAT deals. There are so many TJ products I love, but I’ll mention just a few. First, for your fur babies, their dog treats (biscuits) — the assorted pack — are great. Our dogs adore them. I also love their uncrystallized candied ginger for a zippy snack. And finally, TJ’s carries a mixed grain that’s mostly couscous, but has rices, and orzo. It’s excellent, especially paired with roasted veggies and chicken. Happy shopping! (Joseph continues to be a golden boy!)
Oh yeah, Trader Joes is where we buy the majority of our food! Totally love that place! Like someone else mentioned, I haven’t tried a lot of things on the list, but we have had the gummy tummies which are very good, the peanut butter and jelly chocolate bars (which are SOOO good!) and the maple leaf cookies, which are seasonal but are drop dead amazing!!!
We get noodles, they have really good canned beans, chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, the seasonal white chocolate chips and peanut butter chips, frozen fruit and vegetables, mixed nuts, dried fruit, etc, etc, etc!! It’s an awesome store!
Here are my favorites at Trader Joes: Cowboy Bark, Sea Salt Dark Chocolate Caramels, Frozen Brown Rice, Bananas, Apples, Carrots, Trader Joes Almond Milk, Gloucosamin/Chondroitan (sp?) for dogs (we have a 12 year old Golden), Peanut Butter Dog Treats, Peanut Butter filled Pretzel Bites, Trader Joes Chocolate Chips and Chunks, Trader Joes 7 Grain Bread and Sprouted Bread, Cage Free Eggs, Trader Joes Bar Soap, Coffee, Olive Oil. I could go on and on!!
Trader Joe’s is the bomb!
I use a lot of their products for baking.
The “Pound Plus” 72% chocolate bar.
They now also have unsweetened chocolate for baking.
They have shelf-stable heavy cream, which is the thickest, richest cream ever, but I understand it is seasonal, so not available now. The price of nuts can’t be beat. I also love their frozen organic brown rice. Just put a pouch in the microwave for 3 minutes. Whole wheat cous cous . The only problem with Trader Joe’s is that sometimes they will have a product that you LOVE, and then they discontinue it. I am still mourning the loss of my beloved peanut butter malted milk balls…..
…and peanut butter baking chips as well as canned lite coconut milk…gone.
What???? You live that close to a Trader Joe’s and have never set foot inside?? I live about 7 minutes from a TJ’s and go there for so many things I can’t find in my regular grocery store. Funny, I hvaen’t tried many of the products listed…except for the cherve…I tried the cranberry version over the Holidays and was hooked.
Here are some of my favorites: Edamame hummus, mini peanut butter cups, one pound chocolate bars( I break these up into 2 oz packets and use in assorted recipes calling for melted chocolate), assorted spice/salt/sugar grinders, dried whole wheat pasta products, nuts, fig butter, mini alphabet cookies(these would be fun to use as Joseph begins to learn his letters), and so much more. You might want to go alone so you can slowly check out all that they offer.Finally, not all products are always available. During the Holiday season last year, they offered PB baking chips that were really delicious…not super sweet and no artificial taste…but they were not on the shelves this last season.
Forgot to mention…Bridget over @ Bake at 350…posts a review each Saturday of some Trader Joe’s product she has tried. She and one of her kids comments and then gives a 1-5 star rating of the product. It might be fun to check out on her site.
Honestly the Grammys weren’t that great. If you are a David Bowie fan, Lady Gaga’s performance is a must. She is just so incredibly talented. I also likedon’t Little Big Town.
Just like the Grammys, I think Trader Joe’s is overrated too. Sure there are a few things I buy, but in general I go there every few months and don’t see the real attraction.
On the other hand, I’ve seen all the Oscar best picture flicks except the Revenant and Brooklyn (I’ll watch Brooklyn this weekend) and I’ve loved them all. There are some seriously incredible films and I would recommend them all.
Joseph, Einstein and Duke are so lucky to have each other! It’s great to have the dogs for Joseph and wonderful for the dogs to have Joseph to entertain them! I’m going to try the Thai Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes. Thanks and have a great weekend! Each day is precious!
Your boys look very happy :) I didn’t watch the Grammy’s either, but ‘Alabama Shakes’ is,in my opinion, worth a look.
OMG! Such cute pictures of Joseph with Duke and Einstein. ????
I personally am not of fan of the Grammys at all. I don’t really watch any award shows because to me they’re kinda boring. I just wait to hear about it the next day.
Trader Joes is a great store. We have one by me that’s always crowded but that doesn’t stop me from buying Trader Joes Cookie Butter and Cocoa Swirl spread YUMMY!!
Have a wonderful day ??
As far as Trader Joe goes I’m never without his coconut body butter and their flowers are fantastic. I bought a bouquet and it lasted for three weeks. Yes, I did get the additional packets to put it water and I religiously cut the stems down and put in fresh water. I’ve never seen such beautiful flowers and such a great price. Also their wines are great and reasonable. Buon fine settimana.
I love the photos. I have a very big softspot for dogs. Yes, Joseph is a cutie, too. Lol
Hey Teresa, I just love your motto :) :) ) And, Michelle, Joseph just keeps on getting cuter and cuter. Have a nice weekend, everyone!
Hi Michelle, I’m Teresa, an Italo-Australian girl (at over 50 I still think of myself as a girl :-) ) now living in Italy since 1981. I follow your blog and never miss out on your Friday things…Joseph is such a cutie and your dogs are adorable. I too love cooking and baking and I’ve tried quite a few of your recipes and they always turn out well. If ever you need any help with Italian recipes or ideas, I would be more than happy to give you a hand. Keep up with the good work. My motto is….”Keep Calm and Bake a Cake !” Have a nice day.