Tag Archives: Trader Joe’s

Chocolate Dipped Mint Sandwich Cookies

If you were at the Trader Joe’s on Pico Boulevard, in Santa Monica California, just before Thanksgiving, and heard a woman squealing, I apologize. That was me discovering that the Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Covered Peppermint Joe Joe Cookies had finally arrived. They only make a short appearance at holiday time, and then they’re gone. I buy several boxes and hoard them in the freezer. No need to hide them from my husband, as he hates mint, but if my daughter finds them, I’m in trouble.

This year I decided to see if I could recreate them myself. I started with Martha’s chocolate cookie wafer recipe. I rolled the dough quite thin using cocoa powder, so it wouldn’t stick, instead of flour so that the dough maintained it’s gorgeous deep chocolate hue., I chilled it, cut out circles and baked it for only about 7 minutes, so that they would be done but still have a bit of chew in the centre when cooled.

Next, onto the filling. I made a simple American buttercream, flavoured it with mint extract and added just a whisper of pink food colouring.

Next, time for the chocolate bath. I decided to take the extra step and temper the dipping chocolate.

Tempered chocolate has a nice shiny finish and won’t melt in your hand at room temperature. But, it’s totally optional. They will still taste very delicious if you decide to skip this step. I got to pull out my special chocolate dipping fork, from when my girlfriend Marla and I used to make hundreds of truffles every December. I always feel like such a professional when I pull out these seldom used tools.

While the chocolate is still wet, let it rain crushed peppermint candies.

In a statistically significant tasting of two subjects, the verdict on these cookies, was a split decision. I loved them even more than the Trader Joe’s version because the chocolate wafers were a bit chewy in the centre. My daughter preferred the crisper TJ’s cookies.

Click here to print recipe for Chocolate Dipped Mint Sandwich Cookies

I’m bringing these cookies to a Virtual Cookie Party, hosted by the charming Cosette.

Virtual parties are perfect for introverts like me! Check out what all the other virtual guests are bringing.

Cosette’s Kitchen Tahini Pinwheel Cookies

Kathryn Pauline’s Sesame Blossom Cookies

Candice Walker’s Dark Chocolate Gelt with Matcha Mousse

Tawnie Graham’s (Krolls_Korner) White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

¡Hola! Jalapeño Peppermint Mocha Milk Fudge

Rylee Foer (About to Sprout) Spiced Honey Cardamom Cookies with Orange Glaze

Gina Fontana (Healthy Little Vittles) Cookie Dough Stuffed Dates

Christine Ma (Cherry on My Sundae) Southern Butter Pecan Skillet Cookie

Alexa Blay’s (Key To My Lime) Gluten Free Vegan Sugar Cookies for Cutouts

Tamara Giebel (The Herbalist & The Carnivore) Chocolate Espresso Dipped Hazelnut Lace Cookies

Ashley Cuoco’s (ashcuoco) Stamped Citrus Shortbread

Mike Johnson’s (MikeBakesNYC) Chocolate Peppermint Macarons

Elizabeth Waterson (ConfessionsOfABakingQueen) Viennese Whirls

Erin Kowal’s (Down to a Simmer) Date Drop Cookies

Lily Morello (lilybubbletea) Holiday Fuel Cookies

Kathleen Culver, The Floured Table Triple Ginger Molasses Cookies

Taylor Carson (Crust and Confections PNW) Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies

Kimberlee Ho (kickassbaker) White Chocolate Peppermint Ice Cream SandwichesCindy Feingold (saltandserenity) Chocolate Dipped Mint sandwich Cookies

Tamara, Tina, Tara (ThreeTeasKitchen) https://threeteaskitchen.com/lawzena/

Jean Choi’s (whatgreatgrandmaate) Cranberry Pistachio Paleo Chocolate Cookies

Tristin Rieken’s (onearmedmama) Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies

Kathryn (wornslapout) Rocky Road Chocolate Bark

Taylor (allpurposeflourchild) Mulling Spice and Orange Marmalade Thumbprint Cookies

Dana (olivemeetscoconut) Cranberry Orange Halaweh CookiesKendellKreations Pecan Butter Balls

Yellow Split Pea and Parsnip Soup

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If I’m being completely honest, I need to tell you that this soup was inspired by a bag of parsnip chips from Trader Joe’s!

As I crunched my way through the entire bag, it occurred to me that these salty and slightly sweet chips would be a welcome bit of crunch crumbled on top of a creamy parsnip soup. Luckily I had the foresight to buy two bags. I found a forgotten jar of yellow split peas in the cupboard and decided to use them as the soup base.

After shooting all day, the last thing I want to do it eat is whatever I have been photographing. I have usually plated it 3-4 different ways, transferred it from bowl to plate to mug to see what looks better and by the time I am finished, I never want to see that food again. Depending on what it is, I will either deliver it to a friend, send it off to my husband’s office or wrap it up and stick it in the freezer.

The recipe for this soup makes a big pot so it’s perfect for freezing, and pulling out on those nights when you just can’t face cooking.
Parsnips are an under-utilized vegetable. I love them roasted but they make a stellar soup ingredient. They have an mild spice flavour, reminiscent of nutmeg and cinnamon.

Start by sautéing the all-powerful culinary trio of onions, carrots and celery and add a heaping pile of diced parsnips.
Ground cumin and smoked paprika really complement the slightly earthy flavour of parsnips.

Packed with fibre and protein, yellow split peas will make a healthy counterbalance to the parsnip chip garnish!

Vegetable stock was my liquid of choice.

Click here to print recipe for Yellow Split Pea and Parsnip Soup.

Autumn Grain Bowl

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Leaf peepers everywhere are bummed out that the fall foliage was delayed this year. I’m still walking around without socks, which makes me very happy, because I hate socks. (But I do love a great pair of black tights. They smooth everything out and make me feel so sleek.)

While I have yet to pull out my heavy sweaters, I know that fall is officially here because the pumpkin spice haters are out in full force and my Trader Joe’s annual pumpkin spice flyer arrived in the mail.

I’m going to pass on pumpkin spice and ease my way into fall with an autumn grain bowl.
While everyone is roasting their broccoli and brussels sprouts, I’m bucking the trend and going raw. I love raw broccoli when the florets are chopped into tiny pieces and the stems are stripped of their woody bark, and the tender core is thinly sliced. Shredded brussels sprouts, pickled red onions, cucumbers, radishes and mint round out the crunch party.The dressing for this grain bowl packs an umami punch, thanks to anchovy paste!I like to dress the vegetables at least 30 minutes before eating to give the salad a chance to marinate and soften up a bit. My grain of choice is farro, but it would be delicious with brown rice, barley, wheat berries or quinoa, if you must! I served the farro on the side and let everyone fill their own bowl. A shaving of Parmesan to top the bowl is an excellent idea.

Click here to print recipe for Autumn-Grain-Bowl.

Multi-Grain Salted Caramel Apple Cake

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It’s time to stop the pumpkin spice insanity! Is it just me or have have you also noticed the proliferation of pumpkin spiced products at this time of year? People are out of their ever loving gourds with pumpkin excitement. I blame Starbucks. They started the trend in 2008 with their Pumpkin Spiced Latte. Breaking news kids, Starbucks has added real pumpkin to their latte this year. Which begs the question, what exactly was in it before? Tim Hortons jumped on the band wagon with a pumpkin spice bagel and latte to guzzle it down with it.

Pumpkin spice m&m’s (just weird), Pumpkin spice Pringles (just plain wrong – cloves and cinnamon have no business sticking their nose into salty chips!), Pumpkin spice doggie treats (no comment!), and Pumpkin Spice scented motor oil (ok, now I’m just messing with you!).

My blogger friend Wendy, over at The Monday Box, loves all things pumpkin, but I don’t hold that against her. Check out her adorable 3-2-1 Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte Cake. She alerted me to the fact that Trader Joe’s has over 40 pumpkin related items this year. If you happen to be a pumpkin lover, head on over and check them out. Let’s celebrate fall the correct way, with apples. This gorgeous multi-grain apple cake was inspired by whole-grains maven Kim Boyce’s Apple Graham Coffee Cake. With three kinds of flour, the texture of this cake is outstanding. Graham flour adds flavour and a pleasant sandy texture, all-purpose flour helps to lighten the graham flour and whole wheat pastry flour adds a tender crumb and nuttiness. Kim sautéed sliced apples in butter, sugar and cinnamon and added them as a topping to the cake before baking. I decided to dice the apples and toss them, raw, in sugar-cinnamon and mix them into the batter.I used my fancy Bundt pan, because really, who couldn’t use a bit more fancy in their life?

The final change I made to Kim’s coffee cake recipe was to add salted caramel. Everything is better with salted caramel, right? I made a quick sauce with brown sugar, butter, whipping cream and salt. I drizzled some of the sauce right into the raw cake batter and saved the rest to serve on the side. This is a very cozy cake, tailor-made for a cool fall day. The graham and whole-wheat pastry flours add a nutty grain-like flavour. Super moist, thanks to the apples and drizzled caramel sauce, this cake is made for snacking. Take that, Pumpkin Pie Pop Tarts!.

Salt and Serenity

Tales from my kitchen