trader joe’s top 10

I am big fan of Trader Joe’s. Almost every time I make a trip there, I end up coming home with something not on my list.
Their prices are great, food is good and there are so many specialty items you can’t find in many other stores.
As a tribute to one of my favorite stores, I’ve come up with my top 10 favorite Trader Joe’s products, at least for right now. In no particular order:

1. Milk Chocolate Mini Pretzels: I crave these. I love the salty and sweet; the melt-in-your-mouth from the chocolate and the crunch from the pretzel – it’s perfect. If you haven’t tried them yet and are a fan of the salty/sweet combo, watch out – you might become addicted like me.

2. Garlic Chipotle Salsa: I like that this salsa is not too spicy, but has a tiny kick. I also like the tomato chunks and taste of the chipotle. It’s great not only with tortilla chips, but topped on tacos and quesadillas. A spoonful also mixes well with cooked brown rice to give the rice a little more flavor.

3. Fresh flowers: The seasonal tulips and peonies are two of my favorite flowers, so when Trader Joe’s sells these, I almost always come home with a bundle. The cost is great and they usually have a large selection of colors too.

4. Mandarin Orange Chicken: If I’m really feeling lazy and lacking inspiration in the kitchen, this is the first dish that comes to mind. Served with TJ’s vegetable fried rice (I add two scrambled eggs to doctor up the rice), this is a great at-home dinner that tastes like you made a visit to the local Chinese restaurant.

5. Cilantro Salad Dressing: This dressing is so good with a simple salad. I love it with romaine lettuce, black beans, corn, tomatoes and chicken. The one thing I’m not crazy about is the long-lasting taste it leaves in my mouth.

6. Organic Vodka Sauce: I just recently tried this pasta sauce and really loved it. It’s also great for a quick meal – cook up the pasta, heat the sauce and sprinkle with cheese and dinner is on the table in 20 minutes.

7. Apple Blossoms: My dad introduced these to me and I’m glad he did. They’re a great mini dessert, topped with vanilla bean ice cream. I even have a method to eating these, saving the perfect bite of apple and crumble for last.

8. Carne Asada: Alex loves fajitas. He could eat them every day if he had his way. I have yet to find a great fajita marinade, so when he brought home TJ’s carne asada for fajitas one night, it was worth a try. It was amazing – so moist, so flavorful and so tender. Served with grilled up bell peppers and onions and wrapped into a warm flour tortilla, topped with guacamole, sour cream and salsa, it’s one of our favorite Trader Joe’s meals.

9. Trader Joe’s beer and wine: Large selection and small prices make TJ’s my favorite spot to pick up beer or wine. Two-buck Chuck has become our recent favorite, as well as Trader Joe’s light beer.

10. Basil: Their large container of fresh basil is perfect for making a fresh batch of pesto. It’s also a good fresh addition to pasta sauce, homemade pizza, scrambled eggs, salad and so many other dishes.