Cartwheels. Top Gun high fives. Smiling from ear to ear. I did all of these things when I discovered TJ had opened up a store in Buckhead. I know, I know. Huge dork. But TJ happens to be one of my numero uno's. I love me some TJ. Organic, el-cheapo, bucks the brands, grrreat quality, what's not to love? So to have one at arm's length is saweet. So in honor of this outstanding revelation I present...1) Trader Joe's Bavarian Style Hefeweizen. This brewskie is full of citrus, bubble gum, clove and banana flavors and is brewed with 50% malted wheat. Around $5 for a 6-er, $1 to try to just one. One of the best hef's I've ever had. No joke.
2) Maitre Pierre Tarte D'Alsace. French style flat bread with ham, caramelized onions & gruyere chees (It looks like a thin-crust pizza but it is more of a tart). To. die. for. Based on 100-year-old recipe from the Alsace-Lorraine region of France. TJ employees say they fly off the shelves so fast, its hard to keep them in stock!
3) Trader Joe's Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels. Pretzies are unsalted. Only 150 cals for about 11 pieces, and trust me they are filling! Peanut butter melts in your mouth. The purfect snack.
4) Trader Joe's Gnocchi of Gorgonzola. Heaven comes pretty cheap these days. At $3 a pop, this frozen pasta dish is a piece of cake. Pan to stove. Olive oil & Gnocchi to pan. 7 minutes, finito. Wayyy too easy to taste that good.
5) Trader Joe's Banana Waffles. Maybe we can sleep in. I'll make you banana waffles. Pretend like its the weekend now. And we could pretend it all the time. Can't you see that it's just raining, ain't no need to go outside. At my last TJ visit, I didn't see these bad boys. I'm hoping they are just out of season and not discontinued. I opted for the Blueberry for a satisfying alternative.
6) Harmony Bay Hazelnut Creme Ground Coffee. I kept the empty canister in my cabinets for weeks after the coffee was gone because the smell is that soothing. And don't even get me started about the smooth and creamy taste.
7) Fire Roasted Vegetables with Balsamic Butter Sauce. Seriously, its hard to imagine slaving over the stove for hours when you can buy frozen bags upon frozen bags of restaurant level food at TJ. How do they pack so many amazing flavors into their frozen food, without losing the integrity of the food in the short cooking process? This is a staple in my freezer, a great side dish for any meal.
8) Candy Cane Trader Joe-Joe's Cookies. Because I claim ownership to the world's largest sweet tooth, I had to include a sweet on this list. It was hard to pick, TJ does sweet very sweetly. These Candy Cane Joe- Joe's are giving Oreo's three snaps in a Z formation. Cocoa sleeves with minty, fluffy vanilla inset & candy-cane flecks throughout. Resist eating them all in one sitting. Seasonal.
9) Sharon's Raspberry or Lemon Sorbet. Both have za-zero fat and are under 150 calories per serving. No-brainer here! But maybe a little bit of brain freeze.
10). Two Buck Chuck. Last, but certainly not least, Charles Shaw brand vino. Ranging from $1.99-$3.49 per bottle (depending on the region), TBC is some of my favorite wine out there. According to TJ, these super-valued wines came to life when California wineries had an oversupply of that sweet, sweet nectar. The epitome of bang for buck. Take that Napa.
For more TJ product information, reviews and recipes, go to Trader Joe's Fan. com.
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