Favorite Trader Joes Item #24: Dried Fruit Bars

Because I’m always hungry (it’s the Italian in me) I have to carry around little snacks in my bag.  If I don’t have a little snack in between meals, I tend to OVER-eat at the next meal.  My grandma says that you know you’re Italian when you are eating breakfast, and you’re thinking about what you’ll eat at Lunch and Dinner that day.  It’s true. I do that!

So, I always make sure I have a few of these dried fruit bars with me.  I stash some in my desk at work too!  They are incredibly easy & tasty.  They make a perfect snack and help keep you energized.    The passion fruit flavor is actually my #1 favorite.  There’s little bits of passion fruit seeds in them.  Love that crunch!

They are about 45 cents each.  Totally worth every penny!

Favorite Trader Joe’s Item #23: Chipotle Ranch Fries

The other night I came home from work and craved a hearty meal. The cold weather mixed with the chaotic day battling spreadsheets warranted something REALLY comforting. I decided to make Casey & I a steak with fries and a salad.

One of my friends told me about these Chipotle fries a few weeks ago- so I HAD to pick some up. Don’t be turned off by the Chipotle- it comes in a package that you can use/not use if you feel the inclination.

I put the fries on a baking sheet lined with foil & cooking spray (because I don’t like having to spend a lot of time cleaning my baking sheets!)

I heated up the Chipotle sauce by soaking the package in HOT water. The directions recommend dumping the entire packet all over the fries, but I’m just not that into soggy fries. Who wants to eat soggy fries with a fork? Not this girl!

The sauce is pretty good by the way. It’s like a tangy BBQ sauce.

Here are the golden babies after I took them out of the oven:

Closeup:

I have to say that they were delicious! They tasted a lot like Burger King fries–but substantially larger. I would keep these in my freezer all the time….but due to my carb addiction, I will restrain myself from stocking up! I can never be trusted near french fries. I clearly do not have THAT much discipline.

The all-around comforting meal. Everything on the plate came from Trader Joes:

today was a good day…..

I hope that when look at these pictures tomorrow, I will still be hungry. I’m soo stuffed! Hope your holiday was yummy!

I made this pumpkin tiramisu for dessert. It was a hit! I substituted crushed up ginger snaps for amaretto cookies for the topping. I highly recommend!

Favorite Trader Joe’s Item #22: Vanilla Cake Mix

So, last weekend I decided to make a coffee cake out of this mix. It was a Sunday, and I was aching to bake the second I woke up. The sun was out and I wanted something warm and nutty to go with my coffee.  This cake mix is extremely versatile by the way!

I followed the directions on the box (add an egg, some milk & a melted stick of butter). Here’s an extreme closeup. Notice the vanilla beans?

To make the topping, I combined a heaping 1/2 cup of brown sugar with a teaspoon of cinnamon. Then I added some Trader Joe’s chopped pecans to that & mixed it all up in a small bowl. I poured the cake into a greased (9×9) brownie pan. Then I topped the cake with the brown sugar/pecan mixture. I baked it in the oven for the required time- checked with a toothpick to make sure it was done. Watched out for burning bits!

I noticed that even though I spread the topping on the entire cake, the edges came up while baking and brought some of the topping towards the center. Don’t fear, the edges were still pretty darn good!

Here’s the little baby fresh outta the oven:

Extreme closeup of my favorite crunchy/sugary combo:

Witness my first piece:

And yes, I did save some for my husband :

If you make this, you will have a deliciously moist cake with a nice crunchy topping.  I’m pleased to tell you that it gets better on the second day!  It’s not as moist, but it’s easier to dunk into your cup of coffee.  That’s why it’s coffee cake!

I hope that this cake fills your house with a warm cinnamon vanilla aura. I’m dreaming of a piece right now……

p.s.  HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!! XOXOXO

Favorite Trader Joe’s Item #21: Candy Cane Joe-Joe’s (seasonal for obvious reasons)

Last night was the first time I tried these. I’m now totally hooked. They taste like Oreos infused with Peppermint Patties!!! Every now and then you get a little crunch from a candy cane bit. Oh dear GOD!

So many beauties waiting to be devoured…..

One of the things I love most about Trader Joe’s is that they have these really cool/fun/seasonal items like these cookies that I can’t help but try. Because their prices are so reasonable, I can just buy an *adventurous* item on a whim and not feel regret for spending too much money. When an item like this turns out to be fabulous, the price always becomes a shock! This whole box was less than $3.

I don’t mind if I do…

Eat them plain- or crush them up and top them on ice cream.  Is it bad to have cookies this early in the morning?

today i’ve been tagged by Jen.

Here are five weird/ random things about me:

1. I have a squeezing problem. I like squeezing things a little too much. I have to watch out when I’m in stores because I’ve been known to ruin bags of hot dog buns. I’ve broken a few hollowed chocolate Easter Bunnies & Santas….

2. I’m the first girl in 3 generations on my dad’s side of the family.

3. One of my favorite things in the world is diving into a fresh container of peanut butter with a spoon.

4. I have over 25 striped shirts in my closet. (i’m wearing one right now)

5. Watching people trip makes me laugh.