tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73012423511440259422024-03-27T16:53:41.226-07:00Trader Joe's 365Trader Joe's: A grocery store. A culture. A DESTINATION. I don't work for TJ's, I am simply a customer who loves the store, the products, & the experience.
This blog was a year-long project. In 2015 I reviewed 1 TJ's product EVERY SINGLE DAY. I visited lots of TJ's stores around the country, and when the year ended I couldn't stop. I still post often (though not daily) & I welcome your comments on the products & reviews.STGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11250015231001004499noreply@blogger.comBlogger483125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301242351144025942.post-21434955151070128552020-09-27T16:55:00.001-07:002020-09-27T16:55:12.370-07:00Trader Joe's Shampoo Bar<p>I have not written a Trader Joe’s product review for a long time. But every once in a while, we buy something that just need reviewing, and this was sure one of those items! </p><p>I saw someone online write about Trader Joe’s Shampoo Bar and they loved it. I had never used a bar shampoo but thought the idea sounded fun, so I hunted for it. Our usual Trader Joe’s didn’t have it in stock, but I found it at another location. </p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS9Ty1J5puqZVqBmjSz3vsNSQ6L-5ddiDjcYybnQ4RFBVxyYpFrcv00XOUxiEdzaFfi9rPtZcjBaGBMBOkoZLe5LiTZlmr1Fjd9W16DwTbhybb52n7XDz4xkvayrgWLsUesEwKR8M5lxY/s5184/trader+joe+s+bar+soap+on+david.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3888" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS9Ty1J5puqZVqBmjSz3vsNSQ6L-5ddiDjcYybnQ4RFBVxyYpFrcv00XOUxiEdzaFfi9rPtZcjBaGBMBOkoZLe5LiTZlmr1Fjd9W16DwTbhybb52n7XDz4xkvayrgWLsUesEwKR8M5lxY/w300-h400/trader+joe+s+bar+soap+on+david.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trader Joe's Shampoo Bar in action!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>First off - I really like the packaging. It is a very sturdy box with great graphics. There is a lovely mermaid on one side, and a studly sailor on the other. This makes the consumer think, “Oh! It doesn’t matter if I am a male or female, THIS is the shampoo for me!”. Clever marketing there, TJ’s. I have never understood why beauty and hygiene products are marketed to only one gender (then we get into the whole “pink tax” issue, but that would be a long discussion…). Anyway, I have an affinity for mermaid mermaids, so it was easy to impress me with the graphics.</p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5A2m-DBS7ZeVd04wT6bnRsGYTkqcHyZCo2kEmwhpCdYhiGHl9NypXAy5LLDbyl83wnwR3oB4ypGbCywcW3xbAkee9LhoU7sq4Q_hyBph2_WJKYciFR6CybxFkjEaWKdqznD5qX8UXYQc/s5184/trader+joe+s+bar+soap+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3888" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5A2m-DBS7ZeVd04wT6bnRsGYTkqcHyZCo2kEmwhpCdYhiGHl9NypXAy5LLDbyl83wnwR3oB4ypGbCywcW3xbAkee9LhoU7sq4Q_hyBph2_WJKYciFR6CybxFkjEaWKdqznD5qX8UXYQc/s320/trader+joe+s+bar+soap+1.JPG" /></a></div><p></p><p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdm25Sxw4zdyDLE2D7-tOAxqnrelVQz1gfp95mW01I37SdgA9lVAR5mAcy_2srDmkWKPBKmcLjO4muE6qprcI2Lpg_atAMZr4qKscPGzkBerYMjgNN6FMFTrOVz-90FkAqypaJAsrDbOI/s5184/trader+joe+s+bar+soap+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3888" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdm25Sxw4zdyDLE2D7-tOAxqnrelVQz1gfp95mW01I37SdgA9lVAR5mAcy_2srDmkWKPBKmcLjO4muE6qprcI2Lpg_atAMZr4qKscPGzkBerYMjgNN6FMFTrOVz-90FkAqypaJAsrDbOI/w240-h320/trader+joe+s+bar+soap+2.JPG" width="240" /></a><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCN0mHMY3TNAYNG07jGzY6O4mlWXtbq1dEXoHUpVv9UQqU0cUP2qsIZ_e5zgwU2wPEiMhihD66MwVyCfM4w4s2_3GcYOLz2Z-wOhYKNXHMKEVffdALCVXEX9ZGcBMw4re_9-SCnU1xkHA/s5184/trader+joe+s+bar+soap+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div>And the ingredients listed in large print seemed good. I mean, what is not healthy about peppermint, tea tree, coconut, olive, and jojoba oil?? It practically sounds like a salad for your scalp! And the price point was not bad either. Each bar is $3.99. <p></p><p>My partner and I both have short hair, so a shampoo bar seemed like it would be a good fit. And technically, it WAS. It was downright FUN to use! You just get it wet, slather it on wet hair, and you get bubbles galore!! It smells good and tingles a bit, too. It really feels like you are getting your hair CLEAN when you use it. </p><p>Here’s a funny video (not to worry, it is perfectly SAFE to watch) of my partner using it. </p><p><a href="https://youtu.be/LuLDkt3QqZM">Click here to see TJ's Shampoo Bar in Action (totally safe (but sideways...) video)</a> </p><p>But after the fun of using it, you need to deal with the aftermath on your hair. The shampoo bar made our hair super dry. It was as if it sucked every drop of oil from our scalp and hair. Our hair was straw-like, which is NOT the look we were going for.
In short, this product is very fun to use – it makes lots of bubbles and foam. But the fun doesn’t last when your hair turns out dry, brittle, and a little bit gross. </p><p>We ended up returning this for a refund. I am glad we gave it a shot, but it won’t be on our shopping list again. </p><p>Price -<span style="background-color: #fcff01;"> </span><b><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">$3.99</span> </b></p><p>Rating – <span style="background-color: #fcff01;"><b>2.5</b></span> (that is for the fun factor, not for how it actually worked on our hair)
</p>STGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11250015231001004499noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301242351144025942.post-42805296451843463742020-04-19T17:39:00.000-07:002020-04-19T17:46:04.858-07:00Trader Joe’s Kitchen Garden Scented Candle Collection<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">First off, <u>HOW ARE YOU</u>? Are you safe?
Are you hunkered down in your home?
And when you venture out, are you staying at least 6 feet away from
humans that you do not live with and wearing your mask?? I hope so!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">We are squirreled away in
our house.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I have worked from home (by
choice) for a few years.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Given that
fact, you would think that this quarantine life would not be that different for
me.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I should be used to it, right?</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Alas, it is not that easy.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I have actually been finding it really
depressing.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I made a huuuuuge list of
things I planned to get done while “stuck” at home, and I swear I have done
maybe 1/12</span><sup>th</sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> of them.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It is
just </span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">hard</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> to get motivated these days!</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Between watching the news, reading the newspaper, and keeping an eye on
my social media feed, I feel overwhelmed with Covid 19 about 17 hours of the day.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">(But ahhh, those glorious 7 hours of amazing
dreams…)</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpYzibU29KU3XIGW_DzP77Cd2x-y7K6f7PX4vmoMFEhCnOPvWyU5iE_vUNTO-KeHygubsDZZCkWXXI4cj7_rUtmG3kj9HUBymkP7bB2UT8Mdyp2xXHnixvBPSy0wkoH5lZjJ00f5uMN5U/s1600/DSC01534+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpYzibU29KU3XIGW_DzP77Cd2x-y7K6f7PX4vmoMFEhCnOPvWyU5iE_vUNTO-KeHygubsDZZCkWXXI4cj7_rUtmG3kj9HUBymkP7bB2UT8Mdyp2xXHnixvBPSy0wkoH5lZjJ00f5uMN5U/s400/DSC01534+%25282%2529.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spotted on a walk</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">We get out and take a walk
around our neighborhood at least once a day, but the only places we have </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">been</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
are GROCERY STORES.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">And, of course, the
one we go to most is our favorite, Trader Joe’s.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I think this was our 3</span><sup>rd</sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> trip
there in the last 6 weeks.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">That’s great
for us, since we love grocery shopping and normally go every couple of days. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">But we are trying really hard to stay home and
help flatten the curve.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">That means
insanely long receipts when we check out now!</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Instead of buying 3 or 4 items we are buying a CART FULL (well, more
like 2 carts full this last time, but hey, lots of it was stocking up on </span><u style="font-size: 12pt;">wine</u><span style="font-size: 12pt;">!!).</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEuzIAj4_12mLNe3Btyq7Jhqv_gCY8FUgDUYB91BRLLGlnOuNX-GZR65ckZCvMXpiFWyULiQ42R4Gq4-5iF-0CmSPI9naVe27rRT0AOQsWVuw5NZjAaxDU_MydIbWveTwvJgqLRupBVcY/s1600/trader+joe+s+wine+stock+up.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEuzIAj4_12mLNe3Btyq7Jhqv_gCY8FUgDUYB91BRLLGlnOuNX-GZR65ckZCvMXpiFWyULiQ42R4Gq4-5iF-0CmSPI9naVe27rRT0AOQsWVuw5NZjAaxDU_MydIbWveTwvJgqLRupBVcY/s640/trader+joe+s+wine+stock+up.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We may have gone a little overboard... But we won't have to buy WINE again in a long time!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">When we went to TJ’s this
time we brought along 25 $5 Starbucks gift cards and a thank you note.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The cards were purchased with money raised at
a Kindness Yard Sale last Spring.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I gave
them to a manager and asked that he hand them out to staff working.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Oh my goodness, it was fun!</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Grocery store workers are “keeping the light
on for us”.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">They are stocking shelves.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Wiping down carts.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Making sure lines are distanced
appropriately.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">And checking out orders –
ALL WITH A SMILE.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Well, you can’t really
SEE their smiles now because they are wearing masks, but you can see the grin
in their eyes.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Next time you pop into TJ’s
please be sure to thank the workers.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQBsN43dWeb-jfTzlLpBbGauUfEnC27vMtpcEj2qq1Qzmy-ZE9-03N70aEeJrrJCTPINvw22HxO81hZm-jVvyUASpHJdKLgKLgw8QRNvIU6i0ttHXd3aBlvtSuaaghTMDmWqXwJXNgSiI/s1600/trader+joe+s+gift+card+delviery.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQBsN43dWeb-jfTzlLpBbGauUfEnC27vMtpcEj2qq1Qzmy-ZE9-03N70aEeJrrJCTPINvw22HxO81hZm-jVvyUASpHJdKLgKLgw8QRNvIU6i0ttHXd3aBlvtSuaaghTMDmWqXwJXNgSiI/s640/trader+joe+s+gift+card+delviery.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Have mask, have Starbucks gift cards, READY TO GROCERY SHOP!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">OK, let’s finally get to
the review.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s been so long since I reviewed
a Trader Joe’s product, and I think it is past time!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When
we were in the store rushing to shop and exit, I peeked at the “New Products”
end cap and saw something we hadn’t had before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It wasn’t a FOOD item, and it was nothing we NEEDED really, but still I plopped
one in our already overflowing cart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
so, on deck for today’s review is <b>Trader Joe’s Kitchen Garden Scented Candle
Collection</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">The collection comes with
3 candles. The scents are Lemongrass, Tomato Leaf, and Fresh Mint (much like a little KITCHEN GARDEN!) </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Each is a soy candle in a 3 oz. glass jar,
sealed with a metal lid.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">They are quite
sweet looking.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6h0TDDjPZrfdIC0E53I4aqrGqzEGX2ht8npRNS32HxnZdAJUL34SMklACBEN-lLxfD0tnwUitZck719-0xoivF4RO9EiOgrfwT6rNTpwCP6V6rlGbOk9QVrnliMXI3utgoZqG11EdvuM/s1600/trader+joe+s+kitchen+candles.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6h0TDDjPZrfdIC0E53I4aqrGqzEGX2ht8npRNS32HxnZdAJUL34SMklACBEN-lLxfD0tnwUitZck719-0xoivF4RO9EiOgrfwT6rNTpwCP6V6rlGbOk9QVrnliMXI3utgoZqG11EdvuM/s640/trader+joe+s+kitchen+candles.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorry, I didn't save the packaging to show you what they look like on the shelf at the store. <br />
But here is what they look like when you bring them HOME!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">The Tomato Leaf sounded
like the strangest scent to me, so it was where I began.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Smelling the candle before it was lit – WHEW,
was that a strong scent!!!</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The first
whiff I took I was not so sure this was going to be a pleasant experience.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Then I closed my eyes and took another
try.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Hmmm…</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Instead of overwhelming and weird, it smelled
like…</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Like what??</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Ahhhh – I figured it out!</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It smelled like SUMMER.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It smelled like working in the garden,
picking tomatoes, watering plants.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Then coming
back inside and noticing that your hands smell like TOMATO LEAVES!</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">They nailed it!</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">And the scent when burning the candle is not
as strong as it is when you are sniffing it unlit.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Next up I tried the
Lemongrass candle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a bit of an
overpowering scent, much like Trader Joe’s Lemongrass body oil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like the smell (and taste when it is in
food) of lemongrass, but I guess a little goes a long way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Finally, Fresh Mint.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It smells nice and airy and MINTY.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think this one should be in a bedroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would be a nice pre-sleep scent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">In order of best to not as
good (I won’t say best to <i>worst</i>, because none of them were <i>bad</i>…) I
rank them Tomato Leaf, Fresh Mint, then Lemongrass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They all light very easily and hold a steady
flame.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think they are great candles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I guess the thing I like
most about them is that they brought a little bit of indulgence into my “focused
on getting through his shit” life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
bring a new light, a new scent into what is feeling like a stale environment from
being locked in it for so long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the
Tomato Leaf scent made me remember that no matter how bad it is right now,
summer <b><u>is</u></b> right around the corner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The days are getting longer and warmer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sun is shining.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The fresh tomatoes in the garden can’t be <i>too
far</i> away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Price:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>$9.99 <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Rating:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">4.5</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhksmiQL9l86Fq3mDB36sdfFu3honANpaouCVR049F3QUNTnlvGW8pcXpk5DsL2V9g14PfP9TsrJNG9zbxAnJB7qQBkZYar0UmWh9Jc6B_8OqpA6cT06movxNTTuSK8UWUYvH6i8mas32o/s1600/DSC01447.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhksmiQL9l86Fq3mDB36sdfFu3honANpaouCVR049F3QUNTnlvGW8pcXpk5DsL2V9g14PfP9TsrJNG9zbxAnJB7qQBkZYar0UmWh9Jc6B_8OqpA6cT06movxNTTuSK8UWUYvH6i8mas32o/s400/DSC01447.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">STAY SAFE!!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<br /></div>
STGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11250015231001004499noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301242351144025942.post-13188634412468018072020-01-30T11:12:00.002-08:002020-01-30T11:12:59.042-08:00Hyacinth in Glass Vase<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I have not written a
review in quite some time, sorry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
last night’s shopping trip at Trader Joe’s revealed that it is TIME!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is TIME for the <b><i><u>hyacinth</u></i></b>!!!!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH2mIcW9u3TAqBzusyvBl2oM0p9f1Kx7xtLAMnLiNMVRUFA4u4CjHDDvdArSQz2PWE_afsQGOFUfdexjOqOfE5xwcBGyqIZQDYrM8_Ezu95uezfMDbgqcMLJkM2cFJonQyZfnYf0t7kko/s1600/DSC00200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH2mIcW9u3TAqBzusyvBl2oM0p9f1Kx7xtLAMnLiNMVRUFA4u4CjHDDvdArSQz2PWE_afsQGOFUfdexjOqOfE5xwcBGyqIZQDYrM8_Ezu95uezfMDbgqcMLJkM2cFJonQyZfnYf0t7kko/s640/DSC00200.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hyacinth standing in line - waiting for new homes</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Here is a review I wrote
of them in 2018:</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> <a href="https://traderjoes365.blogspot.com/2018/04/hyacinth.html" target="_blank">Hyacinth Review here</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Here it is, 2 years later, and they are <i>still the same
price</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thanks, Joe!!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For a mere $2.99 you get a hyacinth bulb in a
clear vase of water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Now for this part you need to trust me…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just keep that little vase almost filled with
water, give it some sunshine, and in just a wee bit you will have the most
lovely smelling flower!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will brighten
up your home’s LOOKS and SMELLS!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I have been really down lately, but seeing these back on
the shelves made me smile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And knowing that
soon I will have purple blooms gives me something to look forward to.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Advice – go get yours NOW.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are a harbinger of SPRING, and I can’t
wait for Spring. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22KeiJFNqUVZyulc74We-aN6mgEl0lFzj6bTXWrpY-3Ieb6IZ4_kXaKIhBqJhyZy9TJUCOEIrFighKJrv0UQew7SeGgQbPo8Pd1aPdJHGg7sKh576V503MkQmujTxMdM4pCdjikLt4mc/s1600/DSC00198.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22KeiJFNqUVZyulc74We-aN6mgEl0lFzj6bTXWrpY-3Ieb6IZ4_kXaKIhBqJhyZy9TJUCOEIrFighKJrv0UQew7SeGgQbPo8Pd1aPdJHGg7sKh576V503MkQmujTxMdM4pCdjikLt4mc/s640/DSC00198.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dirt cheap - yet they contain no dirt!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Price: still a
crazy cheap $2.99</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Rating:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>duh, no
brainer, a <b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">5</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<br /></div>
STGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11250015231001004499noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301242351144025942.post-12774469000198643252019-11-19T21:25:00.000-08:002019-11-19T21:25:36.270-08:0012 Days of Beauty - A Curated Beauty Collection<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">First off, did I NEED 12
days of beauty?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mean, that sounds like
a funny question…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>YES, I could definitely
use some help in the “beauty” department.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But NO, I didn’t need any more random lotions and potions at the
moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am temporarily living with
family – they made a little basement bedroom for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have 3 suitcases (and a duffle) and I came
prepared with soaps, lotions, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t
have ROOM for more “beauty”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">But on the other hand…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am at a sad point in my life, and sometimes
when you are sad, there is an urge to splurge!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s almost as if, “Sure, I am sad now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But maybe, just maaaybe, if I spent $20 on a ridiculous beauty countdown
calendar, I would be happy!!”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs_ryBng4lN26_eYYSFjZ-gQWBnPjS8UPfbTBRlIOhe_fypMPLRtBS0s5mnX5d8KrXKp82mAxn0Caw3qfgi4chyH3ndOXIaQnjcWIVzPdHGD3cz2QSqHW9O85fkhccQwFLRFJjSzeGRHY/s1600/12+days+of+beauty+shot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs_ryBng4lN26_eYYSFjZ-gQWBnPjS8UPfbTBRlIOhe_fypMPLRtBS0s5mnX5d8KrXKp82mAxn0Caw3qfgi4chyH3ndOXIaQnjcWIVzPdHGD3cz2QSqHW9O85fkhccQwFLRFJjSzeGRHY/s400/12+days+of+beauty+shot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Awkward still photo taken from video of me (I thought) opening all 12 Days of Beauty.<br /> But the filming accidentally stopped at day 11...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Alas.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I have opened all 12 days (early, I know!)
and I am still sad.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">But that is a story
for another time.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Because NOW is time to
review 12 Days Of Beauty!!</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I opened all 12 days at
once.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was difficult for me to
do!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am the kind of person who hates
things ending.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like, hates endings so
much that I like to buy another jar of mustard before the first jar ends, so instead
of the mustard “ending” it just eases into the new jar!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My partner and I seriously have a BIG pile of
UNOPENED gifts at our house that we have given each other for various holidays
over the years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are still wrapped,
gathering dust, waiting for us to open them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I am sure some will be old moldy chocolate and pants that are too
small.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But hey, that’s how we roll!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">All that is to say –
opening all 12 days before the month of December even started was very NOT
ME.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I thought if I was going to sit
down and review this calendar I needed to do it while stores would still have it
in stock, so you could say I DID IT FOR YOU.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I tried to video opening all of the little doors and seeing the products,
but my camera storage filled up before I got to day 12.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ugh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So,
you will have to imagine what opening the doors looked like.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpzY8UddmlcM5x7ScYESwKmgKDEkOdMC7mXWOBkg-l9QqN63AXxZIq1s-8NQ_laz4RZThYLtXeTiXsnMBuEOstRh5biGGXZuFaoOm3_9Lkr2fQK2oh3oxqS8EuZzc-s94ixonraN3Ygd0/s1600/12++days+of+beauty.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpzY8UddmlcM5x7ScYESwKmgKDEkOdMC7mXWOBkg-l9QqN63AXxZIq1s-8NQ_laz4RZThYLtXeTiXsnMBuEOstRh5biGGXZuFaoOm3_9Lkr2fQK2oh3oxqS8EuZzc-s94ixonraN3Ygd0/s640/12++days+of+beauty.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bos. Drum roll - let's open it!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">But here is the low down
of what you will find if you, too, invest in one of these puppies (if you haven’t
read my reviews before, the ratings are 0 – 5, with 5 being the highest):</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Cranberry Cider
Shimmer Body Wash – I am practically a middle-aged woman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ok, chances are that technically I am PAST
middle age…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, do I want to <i>shimmer</i>
when I am done washing??<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am not so
sure…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe this product is like H &
M stores – made for someone younger than myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it was in the countdown calendar, so I <i>had</i>
to try it, right??<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It didn’t leave my
skin <i>shimmery</i> as much as a bit <b>SMELLY</b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cider smell overpowered the cranberry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Honestly, it smelled like one of the body
washes at Bath and Body Works that ends up being on the clearance rack on sale after
the holidays 2 for $5.00.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some people might
dig this stuff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess it just wasn’t
my cup of (shimmery) tea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Rating:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">2.5</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Winter Citrus Ultra
Moisturizing Hand Cream – I was conflicted about this product even before I tried
it…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On one hand, I was super stoked
because I love the hand lotions in little metal tubes that TJ’s normally gets
every holiday season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I secretly think
they are L’Occitane brand with TJ’s labels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I usually stock up on them at the holidays, keeping some and giving them
as gifts, too (see great review of them here: <a href="https://traderjoes365.blogspot.com/2017/10/a-terrific-holiday-product-is-back-and.html" target="_blank">Ultra Moisturizing Hand Cream Trio Review</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But on the other hand, the
name of the scent scared me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Winter
Citrus”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What the heck is “Winter Citrus”??<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it different than, oh, I don’t know, <i>summer
citrus</i>??<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I feared it might smell
like potpourri, a scent I didn’t want on my hands…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it is not as bad as I feared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cream is a great texture and the tube
makes it really easy to apply.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the
scent is not too over-powering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Rating:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">4.5</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQxg71cZ5uV6FCZQy5Moo81B9Yq98nCMNzv8cjS88mYvjPJjfXXsK76-s5DF-cXC3-xx6IqMUsralC_FQyAoRRmGtlGnwIwnD4N-P-fktxDyp2tWZySo7LWpIVvR5lrOecu2sANiZL7g0/s1600/12+days+hand+cream.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQxg71cZ5uV6FCZQy5Moo81B9Yq98nCMNzv8cjS88mYvjPJjfXXsK76-s5DF-cXC3-xx6IqMUsralC_FQyAoRRmGtlGnwIwnD4N-P-fktxDyp2tWZySo7LWpIVvR5lrOecu2sANiZL7g0/s320/12+days+hand+cream.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a swell hand cream</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">3.</span><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">All for One One
for All Shampoo, Conditioner, Body Wash – products that profess to be not only
shampoo but also conditioner and body wash worry me. If one bottle can contain all 3 products,
then have I been a sucker all of these years for buying them separately?? Not wanting to be found out to be a sucker, I
never buy the “all in one” products. But
this one came in the kit, so I of course needed to try it. It is fine.
I mean, it works, it is soap, right?
But it is still creepy to use it for <u>everything</u>. It would be good if you were traveling and staying
in a hotel that did not gave you free toiletries. And it would be good for people who don’t
like to clutter up their showers with multiple bottles. But for me, I will stick to shampoo,
conditioner, and body wash (packaged separately).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Rating: <b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">3.75</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Coconut Body
Butter – I like TJ’s body butters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
are a great consistency – not too thick but not at all runny.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They moisturize well and make your skin feel
good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, this coconut one smells a
bit too sweet for my taste (for my nose actually, I swear I didn’t taste it). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It smells more like COCONUT CREAM PIE than
just coconut to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The smell wore off
after a while, but still, I don’t want to smell like a pie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Granted, it does not smell barfy like the TJ’s
PUMPKIN BODY BUTTER does (reviewed here:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <a href="https://traderjoes365.blogspot.com/2015/10/day-285-pumpkin-body-butter.html" target="_blank">Original Review of Pumpkin Body Butter</a> </span>), but it is still not a scent I would buy a whole tub of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Rating:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">3.75</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Warm Vanilla Body
Butter – vanilla is not normally my favorite scent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does adding “Warm” to it make it smell
better?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It turns out it does!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This body butter is the same lovely cream
that goes on so nicely and the scent is not overpowering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t smell like a candle when I was
wearing it (and that is a good thing).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
would buy a big tub of this one (but I probably won’t need to for about 30
years because I have so many bottles of creams and lotions at the moment).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Rating:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">4.25</span></b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Peel-Off Charcoal
Face Mask – if you think I am posting a photo of myself wearing this mask, you
are w-r-o-n-g.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But of course, I TRIED
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like face masks and hadn’t tried a
charcoal one before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It felt weird going
on and tightened on my face very quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The package said to leave it on around 20 minutes then peel it off, but
after around 5 minutes I started to feel sort of “warm” under it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nevertheless, I persisted!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because – BEAUTY!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When it was time to peel it off I couldn’t
find any “finger holds” to start peeling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It didn’t crack or anything – my face was just covered with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to work a bit to get it started peeling
and then it came off in small-ish chunks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And let me tell you, that mask was STUCK on my face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It stung a bit peeling it off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was like a cross between a face mask and a
Biore nose strip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think it may have
cleaned out my pores from the peeling and my face felt very clean (even if a
bit raw…) after I washed it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My cheeks
were rosy when I was done!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I followed up
this mask with some of the Rose Facial Oil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If you have a little mustache this might be a cheap answer to “waxing”
it </span><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol-ext; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji";">😊</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> .<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I only used part of the Charcoal Mask package,
but this definitely feels like a product I wouldn’t want to do again very
soon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, it is messy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you have a white sink you are going to
need to clean it after finishing your “beauty routine”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Rating:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">4</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXjS7dVyDk7tDD72x0FHcQnSmHmfNk_Mm6kKkaB1JCqcVvPYZrjkQIuixYDS0IeQ_7VfdqRwnznFJdymPQLORv-5OzYinkkPAQGtUdSFgW7pchZy0yAJjjRPzsiPDbdMGL4gCRF-d_MG8/s1600/12+days+face+mask.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXjS7dVyDk7tDD72x0FHcQnSmHmfNk_Mm6kKkaB1JCqcVvPYZrjkQIuixYDS0IeQ_7VfdqRwnznFJdymPQLORv-5OzYinkkPAQGtUdSFgW7pchZy0yAJjjRPzsiPDbdMGL4gCRF-d_MG8/s320/12+days+face+mask.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A MASK, and a WAXER, all in one! How convenient!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">7.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Enrich
Moisturizing Face Lotion – I am pretty fussy about my face lotion. I like my face lotion to be light but
moisturizing, not greasy, and not to have too much scent. I had never tried this TJ’s Enrich Face
Lotion before, but I got the small tube in this calendar and I really liked it!
It goes on well and did not leave my face feeling “lotion-y”. It didn’t make me shiny. Plus, it has sunscreen (SPF 15)! As someone who has had skin cancer removed from their face, this is a big PLUS. This product is a winner! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Rating: <b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">4.25</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiApi_buDiszfL0gY9CWAUUV5NI6U13EWmfjwJ6Wd3Qfr_LOuJrP5JnrTixCYoiXSpFjz-H5X11mzpBoTxu-jsm_HBtkvBF4Mn2qLT31VwF9B6GVxb0PstHs7KQ1oXtWBMfpCs4-aTOIcs/s1600/12+days+face+lotion.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiApi_buDiszfL0gY9CWAUUV5NI6U13EWmfjwJ6Wd3Qfr_LOuJrP5JnrTixCYoiXSpFjz-H5X11mzpBoTxu-jsm_HBtkvBF4Mn2qLT31VwF9B6GVxb0PstHs7KQ1oXtWBMfpCs4-aTOIcs/s400/12+days+face+lotion.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Winner winner chicken dinner</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">8.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Rose Facial Oil –
I love this stuff!!! I have a bottle of
it at home and brought a bottle of it with me on this trip, too. So I was excited to see a teeny tiny bottle
of it in this kit. The word “oil” in the
title might scare you off, but I swear it doesn’t make you feel too greasy. The scent name might scare you, too, if you
(like me) associate “rose” scented beauty products with 85 year old women (not
that there’s anything wrong with 85 year old women). But this Rose Facial Oil is lightly scented
and smells delightful!! I like to put
this on before bed. I will keep this
cutie patootie bottle of it in my travel kit.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Rating: <b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">4.75</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Brown Sugar Body
Scrub – This was nice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has a nice
scent and is not too abrasive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My skin
felt smooth after using it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This one
gets a thumbs up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Rating:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">4.5</span><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Blueberry and Acai Facial Scrub – Bleck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This product gets a thumbs down from me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think it gave me flashbacks to my junior
high school days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First off, the <b>scent</b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It smells like one of those chunky Bonnie
Bell Lip Smackers that I had in 1979.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then
the <b>texture</b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I used it on my face
as instructed and it reminded me of that cheap ass peach pit facial scrub we
used to get at K-Mart when I was a teenager.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Do you know the one??<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It scraped
your face up and felt like there were actual ground up peach pits in
there??<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No thank you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am not sure who this product is aimed it,
but it ain’t me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Rating:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">1.25</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1gcBjqK6Zzizd29lzaHMv6Elk2Ktn10z_gRtNyDCu7TwRKcN7FZdlO5LQRuhbr7zF3JtBY9kln1o22ozKSFfnNxYiPGbwlE64Dxz5MW0WoFHqMRXsqb2_3Fdh_RxMEBAe7xLb31F7OT4/s1600/12+days+of+beauty+scrub+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1gcBjqK6Zzizd29lzaHMv6Elk2Ktn10z_gRtNyDCu7TwRKcN7FZdlO5LQRuhbr7zF3JtBY9kln1o22ozKSFfnNxYiPGbwlE64Dxz5MW0WoFHqMRXsqb2_3Fdh_RxMEBAe7xLb31F7OT4/s400/12+days+of+beauty+scrub+1.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bit and pieces scrape your skin and it leaves you stinking.<br />No thanks.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">11.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Pomegranate Moisturizing Lip Balm – This is the <u>BEST</u>
product in the box!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wish TJ’s sold
this sucker on its own, I would stock up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is not waxy and goes on smooth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The pomegranate scent is delicate (what do pomegranates even SMELL like
anyway?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had some pomegranate seeds in
yogurt for breakfast today and don’t remember a scent).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyway, I don’t like lip products that are
too stinky, cuz my lips are right next to my NOSE and I don’t want to smell my
lips all day. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, this one fits the
bill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My only complaint about this product
is that I don’t think I can pop into TJ’s at any time and pick up another one
when I inevitably wash this one in the pocket of a pair of jeans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Rating:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">5</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMd0P9Gs3tNPfEhWkQgTjaAXe_Mq2vcjcn6jPP4rbzP_iGtvEqcT57qT20aURuv5ABbsMtrpg3FS7JVIo7mDQ93u-I57ivOVTA-HfHIIvTRHlzB4FYSJY1vetJrysh1YTWLnTVJoRztPI/s1600/12+days+of+beauty+chap+stick.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMd0P9Gs3tNPfEhWkQgTjaAXe_Mq2vcjcn6jPP4rbzP_iGtvEqcT57qT20aURuv5ABbsMtrpg3FS7JVIo7mDQ93u-I57ivOVTA-HfHIIvTRHlzB4FYSJY1vetJrysh1YTWLnTVJoRztPI/s640/12+days+of+beauty+chap+stick.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes please - I would like 5 more of these.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">12.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Exfoliating Sugar Cube – this one is WEIRD.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is nothing written on the packaging.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It just looks like a squishy little pink
sugar cube.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I first opened the tiny
calendar door to reveal the last day’s product, I wasn’t sure what I was
looking at.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to read the back of
the box to get an understanding of what it was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It feels like they opened a big box of individually wrapped Exfoliating
Sugar Cubes and plopped one into each calendar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Honestly, I haven’t tried this one yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It looks like it is going to be tricky to open with wet fingers in the
tub or shower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I am just feeling
scrubbed out!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, I will save this one
for a later date and not give it an official rating here (sorry).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Rating:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>not rated<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Overall impression of the
12 Days of Beauty Curated Collection:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
like that the products are petite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will
for sure put some of them in my toiletry bag for trips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They would easily get thru TSA in your
carry-on, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Three scrubs seemed a bit
of overkill for my taste, I would have preferred another lip product instead of
one of the scrubs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">My favorites were the Pomegranate
Lip Balm, the Rose Facial Oil, and the Winter Citrus Ultra Moisturizing Hand
Cream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would buy all of those again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The worst by far was the Blueberry and Acai
Facial Scrub.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That won’t be on my
shopping list any time soon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I am glad I bought this
countdown kit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a very fun way to
try new products.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will reuse some of the
containers when they are empty because they are sturdy and great sizes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Would I buy the 12 Days of
Beauty again?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>12 items were plenty for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I would purchase it again next holiday
season!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was fun to play with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it would be a good teacher or co-worker
gift.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Happy Holidays to you
all!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And happy shopping at Trader Joe’s!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Price:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>$19.99<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Average of 11
ratings:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">3.5</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br /></div>
STGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11250015231001004499noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301242351144025942.post-41872359104284795872019-09-21T16:17:00.002-07:002019-09-21T16:17:24.008-07:00Pumpkin Spice Biocellulose Face Masks<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">I am feeling down this
weekend – my heart hurts and my eyes are tired from crying because we got bad
news in our family this week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">I’ve decided to take a
break from crying to think about something FUNNY – Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Spice
Biocellulose Facial Masks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let me say
that again for you, PUMPKIN SPICE FACE MASKS.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">If you shop at Trader Joe’s,
you know this is the time of year when the shelves there are flooded with
pumpkin crap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is pumpkin
ravioli.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pumpkin ice cream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pumpkin coffee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pumpkin everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But pumpkin FACE MASKS???<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now that is just a/ step too far, my friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Trader Joe’s, you have officially jumped the
shark.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">So, of course, I bought
them!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I picked up 2, thinking I would
force my sisters into being guinea pigs and trying them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only one of my sisters was too smart to spend
the night on the night I was busting them out, which was BAD NEWS for my
nephew, cuz he had to fill her spot!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lucky
for me, Trevor is a really good sport.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Trev has a full beard, and
I wasn’t sure how well the mask would work on the facial hair, so for HIM I turned
it upside down and put the<i> MOUTH hole</i> up on his bald head, then covered
his face down to his beard with the mask.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH-bKnycY7RHbIJNgk3BtCldfDc6CphkHxc6He5XPxDZx2QSEmr5GK1jxRyd24_pM8Jz12UEucHhpwksDTrg0Y5pJPAp_Gt-syHkwa7U-jhQznoBcKMCLu5JKdrL9aowA8HXth0GX6g1g/s1600/trevor+and+sherry+mask.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH-bKnycY7RHbIJNgk3BtCldfDc6CphkHxc6He5XPxDZx2QSEmr5GK1jxRyd24_pM8Jz12UEucHhpwksDTrg0Y5pJPAp_Gt-syHkwa7U-jhQznoBcKMCLu5JKdrL9aowA8HXth0GX6g1g/s640/trevor+and+sherry+mask.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The brave product testers</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">As the pretend esthetician
for the event – my take on these masks was “Ewwww”.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">First off, they are STINKY.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Secondly, they are SLIMY.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">And thirdly, you have to peel not 1 but 2 pieces
of goo off the sides to get to the actual product.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">They are messy to put on.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">After touching them a lot they made my
fingers STINK.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">They smelled like a gross
over-powering autumn candle that would be an ugly brown color.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnUEqU_PGn_p2oJ_yrUR6XLWZ7DTIUPaVLb8p2KzYwoBZN_h0tLEYIs9ss1JYrEMiMYZM08sxcjEXBx1T96rxGO8zEVpasYPNI4DYMe_7APqaYKzSsj4fDqxwo6ER07PtPDVhNTUGS0C8/s1600/pumpkin+spice+mask+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnUEqU_PGn_p2oJ_yrUR6XLWZ7DTIUPaVLb8p2KzYwoBZN_h0tLEYIs9ss1JYrEMiMYZM08sxcjEXBx1T96rxGO8zEVpasYPNI4DYMe_7APqaYKzSsj4fDqxwo6ER07PtPDVhNTUGS0C8/s640/pumpkin+spice+mask+%25283%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even before OPENING these they sounded smelly...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Now let’s hear what the
product testers had to say!</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">First up was
my nephew Trevor:</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">“I do not usually use
facial products.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I wash my face every day
but never put lotion on it.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">To be blunt,
I didn’t really enjoy the experience of this mask…</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">When it got put on it smelled like a mix of
Bath and Body Works and </span><b style="font-size: 14pt;">fake vomit</b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">
</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">And a little bit of spicy pumpkin.”</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">
</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">After I took his mask off and rubbed in any remaining goo (there was not
much, most of it seemed to soak in) I asked Trev how it felt.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">“It feels fine I guess.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I mean, I don’t have anything to compare it
to.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I have never used these products
before.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I probably will </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">not</i><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> be
using this again in the future.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I don’t especially
like this.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I don’t like the feeling of
my face being </span><u style="font-size: 14pt;">greasy</u><span style="font-size: 14pt;">.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">If I am
going to use a facial product I would rather it be CLEANSING.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I would not buy this product.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I hate to give it an awful score because
maybe it is good at what it is intended to DO, but I am not the target
audience.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">To be generous, I will give it
a .</span><b style="font-size: 14pt;">75</b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGaTmDDvuSI-jSC87DZAy46P_DPi0aTcNlmqZzA6p0HGtn_0nW7bxs2Bk3jzmwQth0H9lu3EYveXdooKtCDl_2_44tJ2sMgeIPgzxQNRfBmSBog3nFpralaNpq70Y4WZ3nAur08KJW5u0/s1600/trevor+mask.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGaTmDDvuSI-jSC87DZAy46P_DPi0aTcNlmqZzA6p0HGtn_0nW7bxs2Bk3jzmwQth0H9lu3EYveXdooKtCDl_2_44tJ2sMgeIPgzxQNRfBmSBog3nFpralaNpq70Y4WZ3nAur08KJW5u0/s400/trevor+mask.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tester #1 - not a fan</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Soooo, Trevor was not a
fan.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Maybe my sister, who actually LIKES
beauty products, will like it!!</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I didn’t
tell her the scent before I put it on.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Let’s
see what she thought.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Sherry: “I use face
products, but I only use face <i>masks</i> when my sisters are all together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did not like the SMELL of this face mask at
all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought it smelled like a <b>funeral
home</b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like, the overpowering smell
of flowers or something trying to disguise a smell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once you
told me it was Pumpkin Spice scented I could tell – I mean – it was spicy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it doesn’t at all smell like <i>pumpkin</i>,
just spice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It smells like a spice cake
or something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t like the smell of
it at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I didn’t like the <u>feel
</u>of it on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I didn’t like the feel
when it got taken <u>off</u>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have had
other face masks before and this wasn’t that different, but it made me feel <b>SLIMY</b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to go wash my face and I am afraid I will
have zits tomorrow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wouldn’t buy it
again, unless I was buying it for someone’s Christmas stocking…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Note:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>our family makes funny gag stockings, and now I fear I know what might
be in mine…)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am not a huge fan of
masks. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People who buy it are probably
people who like pumpkin spice and face masks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I don’t like this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will give
this a <b>2</b>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-qqT2pZ5nJBvAIlLSMwaJ8TvXAu5PonWStnUcRjTWN4XipkH_I5GiivNBKudFjnwlTkk9ru-RLZIZxP16nmgfcO2VPJq-UuO91UXsdKjsnPkSG_fc0JrYN0zhYXEdWVl4P6DwaCi8rKg/s1600/sherry+mask.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-qqT2pZ5nJBvAIlLSMwaJ8TvXAu5PonWStnUcRjTWN4XipkH_I5GiivNBKudFjnwlTkk9ru-RLZIZxP16nmgfcO2VPJq-UuO91UXsdKjsnPkSG_fc0JrYN0zhYXEdWVl4P6DwaCi8rKg/s400/sherry+mask.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tester #2, also not going to stock up on this product</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">There you have it
folks.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I as the applier and both testers
thought this one was a big F-A-I-L.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">If
you like pumpkin and you like spice, there are pleeeenty of other things to
spend your money on at Trader Joe’s this fall.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">
</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Leave this one on the shelf!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Price:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>$2.99 (so not worth it)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Score:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">1.5</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPTpjQ-HKKtQlzrW9DNLz6wG14EKfpNOM14adAlvIwnvLx39Tz_vz3eQyDmCYFofaDg2p3K9jP7AQnc_zRr1SPjLkQv55jCcPDnRRRhKTPlCUM3ZEm5ekMeXS3CN4ZiuxJWTTjqJO0Lro/s1600/pumpkin+spice+mask+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPTpjQ-HKKtQlzrW9DNLz6wG14EKfpNOM14adAlvIwnvLx39Tz_vz3eQyDmCYFofaDg2p3K9jP7AQnc_zRr1SPjLkQv55jCcPDnRRRhKTPlCUM3ZEm5ekMeXS3CN4ZiuxJWTTjqJO0Lro/s320/pumpkin+spice+mask+%25282%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But don't buy it</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPX9T2auUAxEPSFeg2GO9DkcMaIb4dz76NLmXQYS7f1-k0CQEcKOW8tCEm_4BSjZJCnakw5IzsupHSt2s9S4KCYzX4PTTNaMZa3dgyb0xsCWmD8iLJEUSsinRvFiqUOzkBq8PWOO7G8UU/s1600/pumpkin+spice+mask.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPX9T2auUAxEPSFeg2GO9DkcMaIb4dz76NLmXQYS7f1-k0CQEcKOW8tCEm_4BSjZJCnakw5IzsupHSt2s9S4KCYzX4PTTNaMZa3dgyb0xsCWmD8iLJEUSsinRvFiqUOzkBq8PWOO7G8UU/s320/pumpkin+spice+mask.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's what to look for</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<br /></div>
STGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11250015231001004499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301242351144025942.post-82545127373795456402019-09-14T08:44:00.000-07:002019-09-14T08:44:59.557-07:00Creamy Pink Primavera Pasta Sauce<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">In 2015, I had this crazy
idea to write a review of one Trader Joe’s product every.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Single.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like, EVERY DAY.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and I did it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I went to Trader Joe’s stores all across the country and I tried 365
products (actually, more than that, but that is the number I REVIEWED that
first year).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was super fun and I loved
doing it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">But it was also really <u>time
consuming</u>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And more than that, it was
<b>LIFE CONSUMING</b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So much of my
focus and energy was put into that project that I didn’t have a lot of “fuel”
left for other creative outlets.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">And then life happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started a NEW (time consuming) project
about Kindness (</span><a href="https://kindnessactivist.blogspot.com/">https://kindnessactivist.blogspot.com/</a> )<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I travelled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I enjoyed myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">And then, as sometimes
happens, life got messy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My sweetheart
broke his collarbone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My sister got
diagnosed with brain cancer (glioblastoma (GBM) ),<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And in the midst of her treatment, our dad
suddenly had a heart attack, and after surgery, surprised everyone by dying in
the hospital.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">So yeah, life has sort of
sucked the last 13 months.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">But that doesn’t mean I stopped
shopping at Trader Joe’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It just means I
stopped being anal about reviewing my purchases.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">But now I think it is TIME
to review something new!!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s fall,
which means the shelves are filling up with new seasonal products.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My Trader Joe’s review blog (insert link) has
almost 800,000 views (isn’t that wild??), and it is time to refresh it a bit!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So here we go – let’s talk about this new (to
us) product that we had for dinner:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Creamy
Pink Primavera Pasta Sauce.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibzKQrO7MLDJitpx56iA3qrApQRIfS0MdXL4LpqunMRZ39srH9rS-HAufJbE-3ra1hid2AKiyMwbhuYSrWs8gsoZ-eZblOyzpmjvHTtRCV91ZeJ4W-0vUCwPTsptFlYPdjeqMhemBeTzw/s1600/DSC02103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibzKQrO7MLDJitpx56iA3qrApQRIfS0MdXL4LpqunMRZ39srH9rS-HAufJbE-3ra1hid2AKiyMwbhuYSrWs8gsoZ-eZblOyzpmjvHTtRCV91ZeJ4W-0vUCwPTsptFlYPdjeqMhemBeTzw/s640/DSC02103.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David was skeptical from the get-go</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">First off, I bought it because
it is PRETTY.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">That is the same
philosophy I apply to wine shopping when I don’t have a specific bottle in
mind:</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">which one has a beautiful or funny
label?</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Buy that one!</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">So, I picked this sauce because of its’ very
pretty dark pink color.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigjQmK96tuFjk9okn71CKb-tQHGb59l62mEflCpkpzPxfpfbDufw2s1U0hnPEl3kPjnfjKfnZfaW22opmGracqwncm0emCQSsHp_1kFF-yROGfWrES2zAReBueGY-DexJ3mETENOhxRog/s1600/DSC02102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigjQmK96tuFjk9okn71CKb-tQHGb59l62mEflCpkpzPxfpfbDufw2s1U0hnPEl3kPjnfjKfnZfaW22opmGracqwncm0emCQSsHp_1kFF-yROGfWrES2zAReBueGY-DexJ3mETENOhxRog/s320/DSC02102.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">PRETTY!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">There is not a lot of PINK
food in the world.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Think about it –
cotton candy…</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Gum balls…</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">So yeah, I thought the
world needed more PINK FOOD.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My partner
David wasn’t so sure from the get-go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
I figured he could be easily convinced if it was as tasty as I hoped it would
be!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">It wasn’t.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">He was right.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">This stuff is yucky!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The label says this sauce has tomato, beet, cauliflower,
chickpea, and a touch of citrus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
served it over TJ’s linguine with a side of TJ’s baby bok choy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-bTIeq4gELPxaTE16QScbQbJSwcQoE7R5h_mYz8z99QRc5vqoNg3r_m6zd9vuxw7POLQZ-0dSglQ-GaZ12B-lYZ8qAFeSTbi3skHqJBQU9FoiBw42y2k8E4vP1kEfiL0Jy8_cTRFxzgs/s1600/DSC02337.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-bTIeq4gELPxaTE16QScbQbJSwcQoE7R5h_mYz8z99QRc5vqoNg3r_m6zd9vuxw7POLQZ-0dSglQ-GaZ12B-lYZ8qAFeSTbi3skHqJBQU9FoiBw42y2k8E4vP1kEfiL0Jy8_cTRFxzgs/s400/DSC02337.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starting to look a bit like blood on pasta...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Here is what we thought of
it:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">David</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think it is
a stretch…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t think…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It doesn’t taste BAD…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, I mean, for me it’s not a PASTA SAUCE…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mean, it’s a little citrus-y, which is
interesting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the rest of it is kinda
a hell of a lot of BEET.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good luck to ya!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I give it a <b>2</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Susan</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pretty – yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tasty – no.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I agree with David.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know –
but the LINGUINE itself tastes better than the sauce that is on it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is very BEETY, and I <i>love</i>
beets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like to eat TJ’s baby beets from
the produce section.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I put them on my
salads and they are delicious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">But for some reason, in
this format, the beets didn’t work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe
this sauce should be served cold (which David suggested and I poo pooed)?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sauce
eerily has a look of BLOOD on the pasta, which is obviously a bit off putting
(but might work well for a Halloween dinner).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In the JAR the color was great, but on the pasta it is not as
pretty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8xgRw0djluAXxRnV0PnjQFwGqwYGuVivt-A0y9QGWerTEsZYPPYGqtQcYBveVEgwNpGMJWfc-HiPfFdX-HInZBH4l7CBRszfLHLWGZo5UsgrRD4vSv7W_gF2UrsIF8V62vSFiG2o2Ieg/s1600/DSC02335.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8xgRw0djluAXxRnV0PnjQFwGqwYGuVivt-A0y9QGWerTEsZYPPYGqtQcYBveVEgwNpGMJWfc-HiPfFdX-HInZBH4l7CBRszfLHLWGZo5UsgrRD4vSv7W_gF2UrsIF8V62vSFiG2o2Ieg/s320/DSC02335.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It doesn't look as PINK here as it does in real life</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Maybe shredded cheese on
top would help.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I LOVE most of the ingredients
in it:</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">tomatoes, beets, chickpeas.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">And I LIKE the other ingredient:
cauliflower.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">But when they put these
things together as a pasta sauce it was a fail.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">In fact, it was </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">so much</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> a fail that for the first time in history
(that I can remember) David literally </span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">RINSED HIS PASTA OFF</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> and tried to “clean
it”, then added pesto to cover the yucky remaining Creamy Pink Primavera Sauce.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I will give this a <b>2.25</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBztAbCLDaRW2Nvzr3efFJpqCBdUE5EWPLYg-gN58a_ex3W4jRLsRLPLK5nlxbnOw7seUlBpXaHdhGqCreS16QC2dKBCzb6d3D6rLYouHnXHlb3NKQOMPoG6BOQHknPeREmOvQVHp7MAs/s1600/DSC02101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBztAbCLDaRW2Nvzr3efFJpqCBdUE5EWPLYg-gN58a_ex3W4jRLsRLPLK5nlxbnOw7seUlBpXaHdhGqCreS16QC2dKBCzb6d3D6rLYouHnXHlb3NKQOMPoG6BOQHknPeREmOvQVHp7MAs/s400/DSC02101.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't waste your $3.69. But, as always, if you TRY it and DON'T LIKE IT, don't be afraid to take it back! <br />
Trader Joe's is awesome about returns!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">I assume this is a fall
seasonal item.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">David (a bit
sarcastically but with a bit of sincerity) </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">says, “</span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">Why</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> must we suffer at Trader Joe’s
every fall?</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Damn "autumn this" and "pumpkin
that"…”</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Price: $3.69</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Rating:<b> <span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">2</span> </b>(I lowered my score
to match David’s for the final rating, because let’s face it, he RINSED THE
PRODUCT OFF his dinner it was so bad.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p>In loving memory of my dad John, who thought many of the things I do with my life are nutty, but was behind me all the way. He showed me how to enjoy life and I miss him every day. Love you, Dad.</o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3SNFKCGka1O8Zo9iBeMYP2qq-ezM2ksBPuyIx7tz4qFMPYYzAWGQBqaAJEWIGtJeN8c9oEaG0NDzPlhRJ-XVjmtX13Ka_RJGhBDNmsJdO7faQ6kmHdpOlcrEALczG6axKV6Qw5ftxj_g/s1600/dad+and+evelyn+from+brenda+1+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="255" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3SNFKCGka1O8Zo9iBeMYP2qq-ezM2ksBPuyIx7tz4qFMPYYzAWGQBqaAJEWIGtJeN8c9oEaG0NDzPlhRJ-XVjmtX13Ka_RJGhBDNmsJdO7faQ6kmHdpOlcrEALczG6axKV6Qw5ftxj_g/s640/dad+and+evelyn+from+brenda+1+%25282%2529.jpg" width="280" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
<br /></div>
STGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11250015231001004499noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301242351144025942.post-48308919145234382922018-07-07T08:01:00.000-07:002018-07-07T08:01:27.171-07:00Popcorn in a Pickle is BACK AGAIN!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
GUUUUYS (I mean that generically, as in "huuuumans", not "this one is for the fellas only....):<br />
<br />
It is summer time, and you know what that means...<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>POPCORN IN A PICKLE IS BACK!</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBPqNpBPNCYbw8ikBk7cf4jgJtXT_WYKkQN5iwsSTOrYO_XVGFrxL9CsxZEQMrrtmoUjwa6AOJG3ntweqG3AMDMlr1L5crqdBbLeP-7sHz1eJI88W_xHs3X2DhVazXYSSSttad1WZNYO4/s1600/DSC04601.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBPqNpBPNCYbw8ikBk7cf4jgJtXT_WYKkQN5iwsSTOrYO_XVGFrxL9CsxZEQMrrtmoUjwa6AOJG3ntweqG3AMDMlr1L5crqdBbLeP-7sHz1eJI88W_xHs3X2DhVazXYSSSttad1WZNYO4/s640/DSC04601.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">POPCORN IN A PICKLE IS BACK! Can you tell I am excited???</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Yes!!! It is time for the Trader Joe's snack that sounds utterly disgusting (to me at least) but tastes ammmmazing - popcorn with pickle flavoring! It sounds gross, but for some reason, it just <b><i><u>works</u></i></b>!<br />
<br />
In the original review of this product, we gave it 4 stars (<a href="http://traderjoes365.blogspot.com/2015/09/day-258-popcorn-in-pickle.html">Original Popcorn in a Pickle Review</a> ).<br />
<br />
In the first "It's Baaaack!" reminder review, we also gave it 4 stars ( <a href="http://traderjoes365.blogspot.com/2016/04/popcorn-in-pickle-its-baaaack.html">Last Year's Excited "Popcorn in a Pickle It's BAACK" Review</a> ) .<br />
<br />
This year it is the same great popcorn, the same low price, but the number of stars is INCREASING to 4.25! It is like on "Naked and Afraid" when the people's PSRs go up, and you as a viewer are not quite sure why, but they did, so you just go with the flow... (What?? You don't watch "Naked and Afraid" on the Discovery channel?? Fear not, it jumped the shark many seasons ago, but that doesn't stop me from tuning in every once in a while and watching people eat ants and make fish baskets that never catch annnnything!) <br />
<br />
Anyway, the point is, Popcorn in a Pickle is back, and you should try it. It is definitely a LOVE IT or HATE IT kind of product. I am on the LOVE IT end of the spectrum, but I totally respect you if you get it, try it, and take it back because you can't stand it. But DO GET IT. I mean, what have you got to lose? Trader Joe's will happily give you your money back if you find it yucky.<br />
<br />
We lugged our TJ's popcorn, along with a slew of other picnic snacks, through the 105 heat index afternoon to Wolf Trap Theatre in Virginia, where once the sun went down we rocked out to the Bare Naked Ladies. The only problem was, we ate the other stuff and forgot to open the popcorn...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy4XS9qKHWyT01Pi4DkTi3S00LswObJ3P3ewJFLJiD_VsNfwLsTJJvEWtqjXHOndx8VMoPJozu1KsZy8q5ysi77DSKYUt_QsI-yARgiyowCceFFQbovsVZcSKfTiIWQ4SRQ69_-5mcmE4/s1600/DSC04719.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy4XS9qKHWyT01Pi4DkTi3S00LswObJ3P3ewJFLJiD_VsNfwLsTJJvEWtqjXHOndx8VMoPJozu1KsZy8q5ysi77DSKYUt_QsI-yARgiyowCceFFQbovsVZcSKfTiIWQ4SRQ69_-5mcmE4/s400/DSC04719.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If I had a million dollars....</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So, we hauled it AGAIN with more picnic supplies, on the 4th of July to the Air Force Memorial in Arlington, Virginia. There we dined on delicious popcorn and watching the fireworks go off in Washington DC. May I just say, thanks for paying your taxes everyone, the fireworks were beautiful this year! <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOirSIlZ4amca-ArUly42nNJOyfiA18-wgRB6tPjz898yGAymXib-oVeoDCuDANA2GIrlduCK-DbO7BX2JayXb0vtuVc30Yx81bfET43_QUmeJEdQIsbZIWcXmzhIGTLOWWKz_ptTykzk/s1600/DSC04764.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOirSIlZ4amca-ArUly42nNJOyfiA18-wgRB6tPjz898yGAymXib-oVeoDCuDANA2GIrlduCK-DbO7BX2JayXb0vtuVc30Yx81bfET43_QUmeJEdQIsbZIWcXmzhIGTLOWWKz_ptTykzk/s640/DSC04764.JPG" width="640" /></b></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>If you squint your eyes and look by one of the red squiggles, you will see the Washington<br />Monument, shrouded in darkness, heat, and fireworks smoke </b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Price: still $1.99<br />
Rating: <b style="background-color: yellow;">4.25</b><br />
<br />
<br /></div>
STGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11250015231001004499noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301242351144025942.post-69061694025920103192018-06-26T15:48:00.000-07:002018-06-26T15:48:25.890-07:00Baked Cheese Crunchies<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">This bag of TJ's Baked Cheese Crunchies boasts that these
snacks have “33% less fat than regular fried cheese flavored corn
snacks**”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It took us a while to hunt
around on the packaging to follow the asterisks after that statement to find
what they connected to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I finally found
the mouseprint (did you know that is what teeny tiny print is called, isn’t that
a fun phrase??) that told us:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span> -one 28 gram
serving of TJ’s Baked Cheese Crunchies will set you back 6 grams of fat</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> -whereas a 28 gram serving of Regular Fried Cheese Flavored Corn Snacks will
ding you 9 grams </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> of fat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">All of that being said, I
would posit that if you are worried about eating FAT, perhaps cheese doodles
should not be on your shopping list. There are much tastier "cheat foods" in my opinion!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Also, anyone who thinks that David is going to eat a 28 gram serving of
Cheetos, be they “real” Cheetos or this Trader Joe’s version, is mistaken.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, David is a Cheetos aficionado and once ate
so many on a road trip that he barfed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
think Cheetos are the only food he has ever done that with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7aL6yIna_b9BiPRorEg3-MVEh-N7Hyk_fMUNNM46ZFMV_q1Afbyr6AI_Zj6VlCKTsc6i9HRNIP96Om0w3mn_fsd0_vBObnrCpqqYiUivVkBMCJGvNZ4EnynjQLD4Um2kiZmCS6eVkUVw/s1600/baked+cheese+crunchies+2018+1.99.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7aL6yIna_b9BiPRorEg3-MVEh-N7Hyk_fMUNNM46ZFMV_q1Afbyr6AI_Zj6VlCKTsc6i9HRNIP96Om0w3mn_fsd0_vBObnrCpqqYiUivVkBMCJGvNZ4EnynjQLD4Um2kiZmCS6eVkUVw/s320/baked+cheese+crunchies+2018+1.99.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snack time</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So, I recu<span style="font-size: 12pt;">sed myself from
reviewing this product, since obviously David is the cheese doodle expert in
our family.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I myself only eat Cheetos
Puffy “Natural” Cheetos – the white ones.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">And don’t lecture me, I knooooow they are not “natural”, ok?</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">But those are the ones I eat!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Here is what David said
about this snack food:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">“I will eat crunchy or
non-crunchy Cheetos, because the crunch is amusing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But these are not quite as amusing as a
Cheetos brand baked crunchy snack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These
<i>will do</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have a bit less cheese
taste than traditional crunch Cheetos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Otherwise, they are <i>fine</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuhaDnGTH-nA5gt6h9rWgnkohB5NijuRcl9dcix78j03dFkXCHVbUqrOD2kZSm-Gx-3O8d63WBnsbMfKMXoXGZ4Q9N56kEMmW6WkMHFjkFhSV88fXVorKRd8oMhtITDCvJ6WvyTrG0OcM/s1600/baked+cheese+crunchies+in+action.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuhaDnGTH-nA5gt6h9rWgnkohB5NijuRcl9dcix78j03dFkXCHVbUqrOD2kZSm-Gx-3O8d63WBnsbMfKMXoXGZ4Q9N56kEMmW6WkMHFjkFhSV88fXVorKRd8oMhtITDCvJ6WvyTrG0OcM/s640/baked+cheese+crunchies+in+action.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Does this man look excited to eat this snack food? I think not.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">I will go back to my fried
puffy Cheetos “Naturals” and not get these again.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">When you need a snack, these will do.*</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I will give them a 3.5.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Price: $1.99<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Rating:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="background-color: yellow;">3.5</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">*Editor’s note:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When David said, “When you need a snack these
will do,” I pointed out to him that if you really neeeeeded a snack, a fried
turd would do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He stressed that he would
give a fried turd a lower score than these TJ’s Baked Cheese Crunchies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">EDITOR'S IMPORTANT NOTE: I find this very funny: I just realized, after writing this review, that we have previously reviewed this product. It is bound to happen, there are probably around 500 reviews in my blog. But I totally forgot that we rated these way back in September 2015. I am impressed that they got almost the same score back then, and also impressed that TJ's has not increased the price at all. I smiled when I read a reader's comment on the original review (that I had forgotten) dissing name brand Cheetos. Link to original review here: <a href="http://traderjoes365.blogspot.com/2015/09/day-254-baked-cheese-crunchies-cheese.html">Baked Cheese Crunchies Original Review</a></span></span></div>
<br /></div>
STGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11250015231001004499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301242351144025942.post-81905832854427200712018-06-15T14:44:00.000-07:002018-06-15T14:44:24.879-07:00Maria Jola Sangria - NEW PACKAGING!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Guys, summer time is here, and you know what that means...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8S2E7RRdZXuYmo5MoVB7oSLE1ZeHaFrAL44gbMCidzaL7rti9MTokAqNbMQZXyqwcdnN5-SoDGCioLxZiCKBLUobtOLcic_X_kPaKV7bkNdOgEu8zZWCStucGuZPpc_37Khg8UwLh1u0/s1600/DSC04280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8S2E7RRdZXuYmo5MoVB7oSLE1ZeHaFrAL44gbMCidzaL7rti9MTokAqNbMQZXyqwcdnN5-SoDGCioLxZiCKBLUobtOLcic_X_kPaKV7bkNdOgEu8zZWCStucGuZPpc_37Khg8UwLh1u0/s640/DSC04280.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SUMMMMMMER!!! Vacation beach jump - Poipou Beach, Kauai, Hawaii </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i>SANGRIA AND SUNSHINE</i>!!!<br />
<br />
I just made a trip to Trader Joe's to stock up on sangria (the sunshine was already provided by Mother Nature :) ). I got a little nervous when I didn't see the brightly colored Maria Jola bottle of yore.... <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVnnWAINXSPEhaCKtJT9TOUzJaIlKHtIcFXX3gWYa70ajb9ODPg-MgxT-7HOS5RNdH97sbTO6X1UsDsGKQeeEDR_h9v3rQiecghoi2rm-aPOM95yjih7c4eeW27VAWjZo87TnAvw_yALg/s1600/maria+jola+sangria+need+price.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVnnWAINXSPEhaCKtJT9TOUzJaIlKHtIcFXX3gWYa70ajb9ODPg-MgxT-7HOS5RNdH97sbTO6X1UsDsGKQeeEDR_h9v3rQiecghoi2rm-aPOM95yjih7c4eeW27VAWjZo87TnAvw_yALg/s400/maria+jola+sangria+need+price.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is from LAST YEAR, when I was ever so excited to grab a bottle of sangria!! <br />I thought I would find this same bottle on the shelf today, but no luck...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
But then I found THIS cutie patootie:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_KPL3NkxWzQe0HfygzOPeYTGVt1eUPXx3P6TYk_GKDj9KznKkk5zsRmaxIOewBC6lmcQvKgLkfttrowrctgw32mrVWlWLrmLNV6fOw857SJd3zdNVI2ELi4mfiqcqXO186nhAEwivBLM/s1600/DSC04365.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_KPL3NkxWzQe0HfygzOPeYTGVt1eUPXx3P6TYk_GKDj9KznKkk5zsRmaxIOewBC6lmcQvKgLkfttrowrctgw32mrVWlWLrmLNV6fOw857SJd3zdNVI2ELi4mfiqcqXO186nhAEwivBLM/s640/DSC04365.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New packaging!! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
The TJ's employee assured me it is the same sangria, just in a newly designed package. I have to say, I think this is a big improvement over the old bottle! The dots are FUN, fun, fun and the whole thing just looks, oh, I don't know, classier I guess. It is still made of plastic so you can easily toss it around for picnics or travel without worrying. <br />
<br />
Our local TJ's did not have the white sangria version today, which was a-ok with me because we think that kind tastes like bathroom cleaner. And if there is one thing I do NOT want to sip on a warm summer night, it is bathroom cleaner... <br />
<br />
Original review of both the red and white sangrias here: <a href="http://traderjoes365.blogspot.com/2016/08/maria-jola-sangria-red-and-white.html">Maria Jola Red and White Sangrias</a><br />
<br />
I am planning on making a batch of this tonight and sitting out on the front porch for dinner and drinks. Ahhhh, summer!<br />
<br />
Price: $5.99 (though I am not certain the bottle holds the same amount as the old one)<br />
Rating: we haven't drunk it yet to be SURE, but if the TJ's person was correct that it is the same product, I will stick with our previous rating of <b style="background-color: yellow;">4.25</b><br />
<br />
HAPPY SUMMER!<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
STGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11250015231001004499noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301242351144025942.post-30603334831142625352018-05-13T09:46:00.003-07:002018-05-13T09:46:34.722-07:00Matcha Joe-Joe's*<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Joe-Joe’s* (for the
uninitiated) are Trader Joe’s version of Oreos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Or, if you grew up in my partner David’s household, Trader Joe’s version
of Hydrox.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Either way, if you know Oreos
or Hydrox, you have a mental image of the cookie I am referring to – cookie
wafers hugging a layer of cream (or, in some instances, kreme).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be honest here, we are not Joe-Joe’s
eaters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are super popular with TJ’s
shoppers, but for some reason they are one item that we never grab off the
shelves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Regardless of our shopping
tendencies, Trader Joe’s must sell a ton of Joe-Joe’s, because they make
special Joe-Joe flavors all the time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Pumpkin Joe-Joe's.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Peppermint Joe-Joe's.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mango Joe-Joe’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Joe-Joe’s aficionados fawn over the flavors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately for us, we jumped on board at <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Matcha Joe-Joe’s</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDPYSiWcZDeBabHLC3P2awTvfDPkQmd1m0hacrwTvqBvI1fzt3CIWGVVBGS5LnNnowyWeHAS2u79bPw9vZl9_J3z7zhnpg88ZkKYcHqVA2TaQHSH5wwsXKwhVmMPp8JHxPbSsyUicwwc4/s1600/matcha+joe+joe+s+box.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDPYSiWcZDeBabHLC3P2awTvfDPkQmd1m0hacrwTvqBvI1fzt3CIWGVVBGS5LnNnowyWeHAS2u79bPw9vZl9_J3z7zhnpg88ZkKYcHqVA2TaQHSH5wwsXKwhVmMPp8JHxPbSsyUicwwc4/s400/matcha+joe+joe+s+box.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The box is a pretty color!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">I put these cookies in our
cart during a massive shopping trip last summer.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">At that time TJ’s was going crazy with weird,
exotic flavors.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">We were getting ready to
escape to Florida for a couple of months, where our nearest Trader Joe’s is a
90 minute drive away.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I wanted to stock
up and this box of Joe-Joe’s was something that looked a bit “exotic” that I
thought we should try.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">David, as you can
see in the photo, did not really agree…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijODftzKx7TsW32G6eGaA4TaekMpBBovbUy8Z9ROLRBDZ6_VP5VxgJ_3OvmcGPxb2Veu-3OMDT2tXbS_3aWVFuwNpl99mS421hWcNcG3R_JqGits0UT12YgQ5_l9GfjejoEsJ4j9lH__0/s1600/matcha+joe+joe+s+with+david.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijODftzKx7TsW32G6eGaA4TaekMpBBovbUy8Z9ROLRBDZ6_VP5VxgJ_3OvmcGPxb2Veu-3OMDT2tXbS_3aWVFuwNpl99mS421hWcNcG3R_JqGits0UT12YgQ5_l9GfjejoEsJ4j9lH__0/s640/matcha+joe+joe+s+with+david.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He hasn't even tried them and already he is cranky.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Anyway, the Joe-Joe’s came
with us to Florida. And never got
opened. So, they came back home to DC
with us. And never got opened… They lay in wait in the darkened cupboard,
sealed and patient. Every time I saw the
box and thought about opening it, something else caught my eye and that got
eaten instead. But we finally decided to
bite the bullet and see what Matcha Joe-Joe’s are all about. I wasn’t going to review them – it sort of
didn’t seem fair since they <b>expired</b>
November 10, 2017 and we <b>opened</b> them
April 13, 2018. OK, so they were 5
months expired by the time we (honestly, not “we”, HE) were brave enough to
taste them. Also, I thought I wouldn’t
post a review because I didn’t think Trader Joe’s sold them anymore. But when David reported that they were BACK
ON THE SHELVES at the store, I figured I better put this word of caution out
onto the interwebs </span><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">😊</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> .</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">The first thing David did
when he busted this box of cookies open was to rip apart a Joe-Joe so that all
he had was the wafer bits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Woah, woah,
hold on,” I told him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“If we are
reviewing Matcha Joe-Joe’s, you have to buckle down and eat some of the matcha!”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeGYJbzkx9qmYy9wupmGdoK_IFUQbGOPgNgIxZm0vDz4lKk6v8892Kz4y0PzdbSUsOdqe9swtl41WZz4XlIEoe9lSRkXcTAvjG6SqR2pmIlKLmKfh5g4PKTaN6UQP51Qyh4CsDGghpn_E/s1600/Matcha+Joe-Joes+inside.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeGYJbzkx9qmYy9wupmGdoK_IFUQbGOPgNgIxZm0vDz4lKk6v8892Kz4y0PzdbSUsOdqe9swtl41WZz4XlIEoe9lSRkXcTAvjG6SqR2pmIlKLmKfh5g4PKTaN6UQP51Qyh4CsDGghpn_E/s320/Matcha+Joe-Joes+inside.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A dissected Joe Joe.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">For my part, I just
SMELLED these cookies.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I was not interested
in actually </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">tasting</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> them.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">And smelling was pleeeenty for me – they smelled
gross!</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The matcha is a pretty color, it looks
like WASABI.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Hey, now that I think about
it, let me recommend that to TJ’s – </span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">WASABI
JOE-JOE’S</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">!</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Those would definitely
fall into the “Go Big Or Go Home” category!</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Anyway, I did not taste these cookies so of course I recused myself from
reviewing them.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Here is what David thought
when he tried the Matcha Joe-Joe’s:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“These
are terrible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The filling is awful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t like the flavor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cookie itself is not as nice as one might
hope when one is scraping the matcha goop out of the middle to try to get a
nice sugar or shortbread cookie-ness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps
that is because it has been contaminated by the matcha goop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am going to give these cookies a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">.5</b>, only because they are COOKIES.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the rest – NO THANKS.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYnqVzBRHBfEIAwqjun-O52qKSplCzW0WN3B1IIUw2y0b07SAmdUtl2lEysiLfZlgr2f9aYePI8_ZlqGwF8SRPWCz1GSYlIJIhTstI2k_EH2_27NMP92SM9aFiOCXBvbxq7xPOHKcK9Tg/s1600/Matcha+Joe-Joes+in+action.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYnqVzBRHBfEIAwqjun-O52qKSplCzW0WN3B1IIUw2y0b07SAmdUtl2lEysiLfZlgr2f9aYePI8_ZlqGwF8SRPWCz1GSYlIJIhTstI2k_EH2_27NMP92SM9aFiOCXBvbxq7xPOHKcK9Tg/s400/Matcha+Joe-Joes+in+action.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our intrepid taster.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Editor’s note:</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I asked our reviewer if he felt these cookies
might have been tastier if he had tried them before they expired, and he flatly
replied, “No.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Not at all.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">David wanted to take these
cookies back to the store, but I felt guilty about doing that since they had
been in our cupboard so long and were expired.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So, we just ended up throwing them away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXQyf5ai_OU3R6mZ3McYNp45Crd-vFHc-oOFYZem1ToF5VdNq-20dBHLUZbfOsrD5lhx86h8vQRCWdrQaZDgzpvU94oUtcsOo6hIM-wQsnU4mYqomtD5QvQvwd_IaaABzWwDarFoTJr-c/s1600/matcha+joe+joe+s+price+tag.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXQyf5ai_OU3R6mZ3McYNp45Crd-vFHc-oOFYZem1ToF5VdNq-20dBHLUZbfOsrD5lhx86h8vQRCWdrQaZDgzpvU94oUtcsOo6hIM-wQsnU4mYqomtD5QvQvwd_IaaABzWwDarFoTJr-c/s320/matcha+joe+joe+s+price+tag.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Price tag from 2017 - price may be different this year </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Another editor’s
note: I know some people are going to
disagree vehemently with this review. They
are going to be <b>PRO JOE-JOE</b> no
matter what sort of goop is between the cookies. They are going to be matcha fiends who find
our uneducated matcha palates are crude and uncultured. To you – I say – BUY THE MATCHA JOE-JOE’S!! Trust me, we won’t be fighting you for them </span><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">😊</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Price: $2.99 (in 2017, not sure of 2018 price)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Rating:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">.5</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">*Why is “Joe-Joe’s”
possessive?</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Like, what exactly does this
cream filled cookie POSSESS?</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This is a
strange grammatical wonder.</span></div>
<br /></div>
STGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11250015231001004499noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301242351144025942.post-88890944488791471442018-04-24T12:06:00.003-07:002018-04-24T12:06:36.526-07:00Hyacinth<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Normally, I would not write a review of a blooming plant
like this hyacinth until it actually BLOOMED.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I mean, the FLOWERING is the whole point of it, right?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF3oqIx1m7CoTSoUfO1lghlXGbqGr3GYfFJOonuqTUxOHkMx6LhYoUhc9vje9mGZOjTHT3gZjp53sbisOhPEHNjrxCpbdIyFJ8tcEgLxXGX8F_0XHfQ0F6X05dfNGZ-nk8LJJcwTyb4UQ/s1600/DSC03179.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF3oqIx1m7CoTSoUfO1lghlXGbqGr3GYfFJOonuqTUxOHkMx6LhYoUhc9vje9mGZOjTHT3gZjp53sbisOhPEHNjrxCpbdIyFJ8tcEgLxXGX8F_0XHfQ0F6X05dfNGZ-nk8LJJcwTyb4UQ/s640/DSC03179.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I got mine! You better hurry, these beauties won't be at Trader Joe's very long...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
But the thing is, Trader Joe’s is only going to have
these for a limited time, and you <b><u>need
to get one</u></b>. So, I decided to go
ahead and run this review now, while my hyacinth is still pre-bloom, to give
you time to rush out to your local TJ’s and pick one up!</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZC_Aa6zOJONC5vgDsDnd-N2h9EfgodJU0PizY-5hBLZiQEIDr16Afb_VI3Bfxjjz_uBE0LNuDJn7ECXbZY4kaRvdKRg9hTr5wRdrejPA1DE1RdEfceSxNzMobgWfewrK7UonaDlIkH20/s1600/DSC03177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZC_Aa6zOJONC5vgDsDnd-N2h9EfgodJU0PizY-5hBLZiQEIDr16Afb_VI3Bfxjjz_uBE0LNuDJn7ECXbZY4kaRvdKRg9hTr5wRdrejPA1DE1RdEfceSxNzMobgWfewrK7UonaDlIkH20/s320/DSC03177.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tag shows us how pretty this bulb will be when the flowers bloom</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Here’s the deal – they are CHEAP, CHEAP, CHEAP. Seriously, you get the bulb and the sweet
little glass vase for only $2.99. That
is cheaper than a coffee at Starbucks (or Caribou Coffee if you are boycotting
Starbucks right now…). And when this
baby blooms it is going to be loooovely and the smell will be DIVINE! (Bonus, when you are done with this year’s
bloom, you can plant the bulb in your yard!
And you can re-purpose the vase or put another bulb in it and start all
over!)</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNlm_1t6r45R53UQVYXl4PJ4hq590sKarWsESQXJvzu_z5GAzwxmsuuIw8O9di79Zp32i9Nxs8-txUfA8C22srwOvQAHrwDfiZgBkHEW2cieLCVSA0zWkb1Td24bvPuYGH0aU05SpSzUo/s1600/DSC03178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNlm_1t6r45R53UQVYXl4PJ4hq590sKarWsESQXJvzu_z5GAzwxmsuuIw8O9di79Zp32i9Nxs8-txUfA8C22srwOvQAHrwDfiZgBkHEW2cieLCVSA0zWkb1Td24bvPuYGH0aU05SpSzUo/s640/DSC03178.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See? Sweet little glass vase. You need one. So does your neighbor. Hurry up! Go now.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Please, put down what you are doing right now and just
run out to Trader Joe’s. Get yourself
one, and hey, be kind and buy a couple for your neighbors! Just put them on their front porch so when
they get home from work they are delighted, surprised, and confused, as in, “Oh
my! A beautiful hyacinth almost ready to
bloom! How delightful! And what a surprise! This wasn’t here when I left for work this
morning… But, color me confused. I mean, WHO PUT IT HERE??”. Go for it! </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p> </o:p> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Price:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a crazy
cheap $2.99<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Rating:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">5</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="background: rgb(217, 234, 211);">P.S. - if you DO get one for your neighbor, please comment here and tell me! I would love to see a bunch of people get surprised by hyacinth! :) </span></div>
<br /></div>
STGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11250015231001004499noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301242351144025942.post-86705853500881963612018-04-12T15:51:00.000-07:002018-04-12T15:51:42.062-07:00Strawberry Rhubarb Pie<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Let me begin by saying, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">DAVID DOES NOT LET PIE GO TO WASTE</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>David <u>loves</u> him some pie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I mean, he loves all desserts, including pie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This being his reality, his eyes lit up when
he saw this Strawberry Rhubarb pie in Trader Joe’s this week.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Of course, he got it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Heck, he has been working hard lately and deserves a special treat!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only, when we served it later the same
evening, it didn’t turn out to be a treat at all…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBqk-ClzEOafLtDwTySN0emL4a3wHT_nrmTw8zERtL7tfoYAAGly4uiu26SBbQiUmLBFAoVyqRgGBaqT5lRZFDiq99OmElcipEKIVwSE0kmKD9DrfJ7X7iQRFN214q5d2B337lTARnf40/s1600/strawberry+rhubarb+pie+label.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBqk-ClzEOafLtDwTySN0emL4a3wHT_nrmTw8zERtL7tfoYAAGly4uiu26SBbQiUmLBFAoVyqRgGBaqT5lRZFDiq99OmElcipEKIVwSE0kmKD9DrfJ7X7iQRFN214q5d2B337lTARnf40/s320/strawberry+rhubarb+pie+label.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The label promised the dessert would be "mouth watering"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Here is David’s review of the pie: “Surprisingly, I don’t like this pie. And the <u>CRUST</u> is the heart of why,
really. The crust is underdone or
something – it is <i>not</i> pleasant. And then once you get through the crust all
you have is tart rhubarb and not very strong strawberry taste. I would like to take it back and return it,
it’s that bad. I would rather have a
cherry pie instead of this, and I am not a big fan of cherry pies. I like strawberry rhubarb pies, they remind
me of when I lived in England and my friend Toby’s mom would make it. But this pie by Trader Joe’s is not
good. I give it a 2, but those points
are just because it is a <b>PIE</b>.”</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaV7yGPu2NTj3LL9rVKFspEXLMSU8Y_rh2AXCa28Cz5l2lz0yX5bgo0X0VMD8VwufjkhVLmObKNPsurP48DgLRI3Roy9BcoAs98n_qtYs1D21Yq5FswZVUdt7wtjq9gUIoQrjklgwxhsE/s1600/strawberry+rhubarb+pie.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaV7yGPu2NTj3LL9rVKFspEXLMSU8Y_rh2AXCa28Cz5l2lz0yX5bgo0X0VMD8VwufjkhVLmObKNPsurP48DgLRI3Roy9BcoAs98n_qtYs1D21Yq5FswZVUdt7wtjq9gUIoQrjklgwxhsE/s640/strawberry+rhubarb+pie.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Isn't it pretty? Looks like something your Great Aunt would bring to the 4th of July picnic or something.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Here is what I thought of it: “This was a beautiful pie. It had sweet stars on the top, which gives it
extra points in my book because they make the pie pretty. <span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji", sans-serif;">😊</span> The
colors of the strawberries and rhubarb peeking through the stars is also
appealing to the eye. I am not a “pie
person”. I would not usually choose <i>pie</i> from a dessert menu, but since David
wanted this one, I jumped on board.
Surprisingly, I liked it. the
sweetness of the strawberries and the tartness of the rhubarb were a nice
combination. Sadly, the CRUST was underdone
and sort of dough-y. That was a
turn-off. I give it a 3.25.”</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie-H2XtUPYSHuh6eybSsF2MerAWY-z9s0kIK4XjAMdrVwyS-6_HjOaQ0UaDmrsh6x1T76eArQNaiGhCFz8dz8WdZFvssasmp2F4LiJDXgeCYhCxZZMJZ_vE-IE0SP3jFqgMRdBNWg2NoM/s1600/flower+jump.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie-H2XtUPYSHuh6eybSsF2MerAWY-z9s0kIK4XjAMdrVwyS-6_HjOaQ0UaDmrsh6x1T76eArQNaiGhCFz8dz8WdZFvssasmp2F4LiJDXgeCYhCxZZMJZ_vE-IE0SP3jFqgMRdBNWg2NoM/s400/flower+jump.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The trees are all in bloom in Washington DC! HAPPY SPRING EVERYONE!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Note: David did
not end up taking the pie back. He
wanted to, but I cut another little slice out to eat for breakfast, and it
seems tacky to take a product back and say, “This tastes crappy” when there is,
like, 1/3 of it already eaten. Trader
Joe’s are great about accepting returns of things you do not like, and if we
get a real clunker we don’t hesitate to take it back, but we don’t want to
abuse their kind return policy.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Price:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>$6.99<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Rating:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">2.5</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<br /></div>
STGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11250015231001004499noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301242351144025942.post-29043533910226783302018-03-31T07:23:00.000-07:002018-03-31T07:23:05.922-07:00Milk Chocolate Truffles<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMtkI2z8JIe7PCyMTRHNEFy_eg6IZCmI0VYyro9BMJX3myDn3mQ5BRgjPCU2SfJzOrmXr66SjyVGQdsdOwtnDyQfkFybuw9J7fPkMg9jsker4ew0yD-J5tvS4Q0H9Vtx8Fb16px3zVP2w/s1600/milk+chocolate+truffles+bag.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMtkI2z8JIe7PCyMTRHNEFy_eg6IZCmI0VYyro9BMJX3myDn3mQ5BRgjPCU2SfJzOrmXr66SjyVGQdsdOwtnDyQfkFybuw9J7fPkMg9jsker4ew0yD-J5tvS4Q0H9Vtx8Fb16px3zVP2w/s400/milk+chocolate+truffles+bag.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Milk Chocolate Truffles with Soft Creme Center</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
The wrappings on these truffles are very, very pretty. They are extremely detailed little pieces of
artwork. The truffles are made in
Germany and the nutritional information says that a serving size is 2
pieces. For ME, 1 piece of these is a
serving.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirhTdyTS-Jp6BBrscrE4J9VBCF6UaTzKYm4Z4wCcYd0yPa7s9oCeZ4DqAaWM6yuf7KR9c6mCq_VWyuTXCL7J4MLZH0o5b4RJAF4NRnE7qdWMgEX8q4IClH8CRpHLxlSJVqw7J6PVodrU0/s1600/milk+chocolate+truffles+wrapper.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirhTdyTS-Jp6BBrscrE4J9VBCF6UaTzKYm4Z4wCcYd0yPa7s9oCeZ4DqAaWM6yuf7KR9c6mCq_VWyuTXCL7J4MLZH0o5b4RJAF4NRnE7qdWMgEX8q4IClH8CRpHLxlSJVqw7J6PVodrU0/s320/milk+chocolate+truffles+wrapper.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This photo really doesn't do the wrapper justice. They are very pretty.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
David is our resident sweet expert, and here is what he thought of
these truffles: “There are 3 different
colors of wrapper, but the truffles inside are all the same. The chocolate is excellent, really
great. The overall truffle is good. I think the inside is a little bit <i>heavy</i> for me. I wouldn’t mind something a little more
mousse-like. The crème is very rich and
buttery. Maybe most people would pop a
whole one of these in their mouth – and the balance is very good. (Editor’s note: David would never eat a treat like this all
in one bite <span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji", sans-serif;">😊</span> ). I give these a <b>4.25</b>.”</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidVYlBCg2m2lto3NNuTnMcN-lL40Nl1fkkny9Q8ekDAjgQiIXtdmNjT-0ArT_wUU3T4EWSami6dy-Kck0Ao1XNxZIcRQZ8YcviRtYd6oici2wmaaMjvY7HNdP__r5GO8jAR4_dCMGOgz8/s1600/milk+chocolate+truffles+with+david.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidVYlBCg2m2lto3NNuTnMcN-lL40Nl1fkkny9Q8ekDAjgQiIXtdmNjT-0ArT_wUU3T4EWSami6dy-Kck0Ao1XNxZIcRQZ8YcviRtYd6oici2wmaaMjvY7HNdP__r5GO8jAR4_dCMGOgz8/s400/milk+chocolate+truffles+with+david.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even before we opened the BAG David's mouth was watering.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
As for my take on this special treat, I am surprised at how cheap
these are. There are 10 truffles in a
bag and they sell for only $2.29. I
think they would be GREAT to buy a bag of, open, and put a few into Easter
baskets. They are very tasty. They beat “normal” Easter candy hands
down. (In other words – I would prefer
one of these truffles over a fake-y hollow chocolate bunny any day.) </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The milk chocolate quality in these truffles is very nice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The size of each truffle is a little too big
for me, but I think most people would be perfectly fine with the size.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The flavors are a very nice blend – the
crème-y, truffle-y inside and the milk chocolate outside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These would be good to give as gifts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I give them a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">4.25</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif_k43V-ULZbGzw-_zuAjoFY-UJ1aX7YOyvtVZSB8daauabWQrleXJv_J1Ush5BvpkLe4Ued8nkV_1i3jDA5uWuOcCsHchXG-NP_rN3MNAH_84CtSHkCYEjNbqb9hhHJRQkP3kd5ddacg/s1600/milk+chocolate+truffles+inside.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif_k43V-ULZbGzw-_zuAjoFY-UJ1aX7YOyvtVZSB8daauabWQrleXJv_J1Ush5BvpkLe4Ued8nkV_1i3jDA5uWuOcCsHchXG-NP_rN3MNAH_84CtSHkCYEjNbqb9hhHJRQkP3kd5ddacg/s320/milk+chocolate+truffles+inside.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is the creme center</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
So, there you go! We both
really liked this new treat from Trader Joe’s.
It may well be seasonal, so you should get some soon. I think we will grab another bag. Or two…
Ok, probably two… </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">P.S. – We liked these better than TJ’s Milk Chocolate Truffle BAR.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can see a previous review of that product
here:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <a href="http://traderjoes365.blogspot.com/2015/09/day-263-milk-chocolate-truffle-bar.html">Milk Chocolate Truffle Bar Review</a></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Price: $2.29</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Rating: <b style="background-color: yellow;">4.25</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_x2SE-dkpRMmmmD6AtlbQU7Uw1k8JbrxEgv3dz8-NpJtAl4v-AzVO_FCQpdDsSczbI5C3o-KRpiNS_yEvfKMTTxQ9swp2WdQERI6MRbJHayOLflq3VCLJAw6I1tiZtj0HpLw5ipY2cvc/s1600/121+Sherry%252C+Annette+and+Susan+as+little+girls+on+Easter.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="474" height="638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_x2SE-dkpRMmmmD6AtlbQU7Uw1k8JbrxEgv3dz8-NpJtAl4v-AzVO_FCQpdDsSczbI5C3o-KRpiNS_yEvfKMTTxQ9swp2WdQERI6MRbJHayOLflq3VCLJAw6I1tiZtj0HpLw5ipY2cvc/s640/121+Sherry%252C+Annette+and+Susan+as+little+girls+on+Easter.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bonus photo: HAPPY EASTER (to those who celebrate) from my sisters and I. <br />I think this photo is circa Easter morning, 1968 or 1969. Attractive, no??<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
<br /></div>
STGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11250015231001004499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301242351144025942.post-20051843564860994782018-03-15T07:12:00.000-07:002018-03-15T07:12:10.796-07:00Beer Bread Mix AND Charlottesville, VA Trader Joe's<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We went on a road trip recently, and if you know me, you know what
that means:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>EXPLORING NEW TRADER JOE’S
LOCATIONS!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time we went to the TJ’s
on Bond Street in Charlottesville, Virginia. I believe it was the 31<sup>st</sup>
Trader Joe’s location (in 14 states) that I have set foot in since I began this
project.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol-ext; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji";">😊</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol-ext; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji";"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3s4QvDTXZQMZJrtaXzfCl-Xy7L_Y9Gj7P3V2a5yBgjrpICijJKMkDztSrOZCiouEVwYUEgaN3FaCh5tvJS6PJMVotSWrSgKEr4YYFCiGYscY5pNutGK_5PpAHGh79qVrWTonw7-VUwm0/s1600/Trader+Joe%2527s+Charlottesville+VA.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3s4QvDTXZQMZJrtaXzfCl-Xy7L_Y9Gj7P3V2a5yBgjrpICijJKMkDztSrOZCiouEVwYUEgaN3FaCh5tvJS6PJMVotSWrSgKEr4YYFCiGYscY5pNutGK_5PpAHGh79qVrWTonw7-VUwm0/s400/Trader+Joe%2527s+Charlottesville+VA.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wheee - Trader Joe's in Charlottesville, Virginia <br />(and me in a new scarf I bought earlier on the road trip)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
The Charlottesville store is a little hard to <u>get to</u> because of
its placement in a chichi outdoor mall.
Once you make all the necessary twists and turns to arrive, it fits
right in with the upscale environment.
There is free parking, always a plus.
We were there on a Friday afternoon and it was a bit crowded. The signage (each store has their own sign
artists) was alright, not my favorite.
One thing that was really good (that I haven’t seen in other stores) was
that right in the foyer they had a sign telling you what they were sampling
today. That meant you could start
dreaming about what you would get a nibble of as you meandered the aisles doing
your shopping!</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLhh56DNSzhcytQW8xavJh1Lp5O7IR4wIc44y5EuTyjqp9V2fAVFqf95TuUzaX1VY1ShHY53NbUNQmdsJ-qtp-d67HQpuppH6ajsGwKiWtTCAQDQ2DA5m_3ZZ4GUZOs0KDKDRcjaR7a9w/s1600/TJs+Charlottesville+sign.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLhh56DNSzhcytQW8xavJh1Lp5O7IR4wIc44y5EuTyjqp9V2fAVFqf95TuUzaX1VY1ShHY53NbUNQmdsJ-qtp-d67HQpuppH6ajsGwKiWtTCAQDQ2DA5m_3ZZ4GUZOs0KDKDRcjaR7a9w/s400/TJs+Charlottesville+sign.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sign right when you enter the store telling you what is being sampled, cool!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXhOq8eHUUdsOrj2g-fW41oOE-IK8cxmIBXACeHFmiJCbhod_JkwlWZ3BiAJnUOeyVbxSwTJc80aacwxQuOqUzQ9OAQ98y2wNwjHfTibEnyBf7E1XLvHgKbHxqScpd70chyphenhyphenOra9mC3LKU/s1600/TJs+Charlottesville+art.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXhOq8eHUUdsOrj2g-fW41oOE-IK8cxmIBXACeHFmiJCbhod_JkwlWZ3BiAJnUOeyVbxSwTJc80aacwxQuOqUzQ9OAQ98y2wNwjHfTibEnyBf7E1XLvHgKbHxqScpd70chyphenhyphenOra9mC3LKU/s400/TJs+Charlottesville+art.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the store artwork. As always, very appropriate subject matter for the location.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Every time I visit a new store I ask if they have a local item
that is not sold nationwide at other TJ’s locations. Some stores have no idea what I am talking
about (and explain that all TJ’s stores carry identical items, which you know
is not true if you have followed this blog as I have discovered cool regional
items). This store did not have any
local things, though they did mention that they carry the big tin of Virginia
Peanuts over the holidays (those are now in all TJ’s stores as seasonal items,
and as a Virginian I think that is pretty cool). We did find one local wine (from Horton
Winery). Speaking of wine, a great thing
about this location is that they had some wine CHILLED. Our usual TJ’s does not do that. But if you live in Charlottesville, you can
pop in for a bottle of white wine and pop that puppy open as soon as you get
home! Sweet.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuFKiI_8NzQueA-NQ6gLGqJyldVxCPK2uphlzEy6GhnlEYTY7H5ISCXdyVWl6Ki8ZCQnQSBeK8by5M3Z5BQmIP0GPjdwwBYB0vKYgP5gjexjfj0OnxgiepILLLg8O0DEPDfHF1gyWcpM8/s1600/TJs+Charlottesville+wine+cooled.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuFKiI_8NzQueA-NQ6gLGqJyldVxCPK2uphlzEy6GhnlEYTY7H5ISCXdyVWl6Ki8ZCQnQSBeK8by5M3Z5BQmIP0GPjdwwBYB0vKYgP5gjexjfj0OnxgiepILLLg8O0DEPDfHF1gyWcpM8/s320/TJs+Charlottesville+wine+cooled.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Need some already chilled wine? They've got you covered!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I believe this is the first Trader Joe’s I have ever gone into
where I left <i>empty handed</i>. Yup, we didn’t
buy a single item. Granted, we were on a
road trip and had a car full of Trader Joe’s snacks and had already munched on
some before we got to Charlottesville, but still, strolling through a grocery
store and not coming out with something is rare for us. </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
But just because we didn’t purchase anything in Charlottesville
doesn’t mean there won’t be a product review today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will review something we bought at our
local store – <b>BEER BREAD MIX</b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have you tried
it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If not, you are seriously missing
out!!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUzolmI1a48_6XTIMDmqLuKjj-d-FBOeOHdPO6YHLZ228ht6i8-OkbjhK7RnoOo7zt3LphvhERiZ97-Jb9jnf71PkeYyzw7HZr8T45yXKRVwDEzSSnk2g5h70NUvVkmi6lTd3CkZ2_Zsc/s1600/beer+bread+with+david.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUzolmI1a48_6XTIMDmqLuKjj-d-FBOeOHdPO6YHLZ228ht6i8-OkbjhK7RnoOo7zt3LphvhERiZ97-Jb9jnf71PkeYyzw7HZr8T45yXKRVwDEzSSnk2g5h70NUvVkmi6lTd3CkZ2_Zsc/s640/beer+bread+with+david.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David looks a bit funny when considering the purchase of Beer Bread Mix</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Here is what I think of it:
The worst thing about this bread is that it tastes <i>so good</i> when it is fresh
and warm is that you might eat <i>so much</i> of it (because it is soooo tasty) that
you won’t be able to eat the rest of your dinner. And really, is that such a bad problem to have??</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It is super easy to make – you just need the bread mix and one
bottle of beer, plus some butter to put on top.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We used a Pills beer and the bread was delicious!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can also add cheese, which we did not do
since we were serving it with a homemade cheesy potato soup.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy3M44q-U_l5YDfkpfCKER6gr-iTWkxFqj4gQimbHjw9RY3yKN3ibe4m9jvqD_n_qlFA73QzWUVF24t03pHMv0d9Lrzv36qHevyMoYF0TxZYfkWckc0wo0s68-4uaoFiHuNdDlkWzv3Z8/s1600/beer+bread.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy3M44q-U_l5YDfkpfCKER6gr-iTWkxFqj4gQimbHjw9RY3yKN3ibe4m9jvqD_n_qlFA73QzWUVF24t03pHMv0d9Lrzv36qHevyMoYF0TxZYfkWckc0wo0s68-4uaoFiHuNdDlkWzv3Z8/s320/beer+bread.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just add beer and butter! Easy peasy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
It tastes like a soda bread and I think it would be great with chili. It is not sandwich making bread, but it is
great alongside a meal. It doesn’t taste
too much like beer, but there is a hint of the flavor. I don’t know how well the bread will hold up –
it seems like something you will want to snarf down the day you make it. </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-0GMq6g0zWwfUjMIgmWEaQ3ilP2B1kowdBm_Z17hQ6b_YDJ_exzDKIw9OrWbLLtZI6nAgHrf4MN1BD0nMs6Z6fAu6xAqtZplnViLdbJTGtksrfZh7nI99XcICW8HLFtxWtQBpid22p6Y/s1600/DSC02289.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-0GMq6g0zWwfUjMIgmWEaQ3ilP2B1kowdBm_Z17hQ6b_YDJ_exzDKIw9OrWbLLtZI6nAgHrf4MN1BD0nMs6Z6fAu6xAqtZplnViLdbJTGtksrfZh7nI99XcICW8HLFtxWtQBpid22p6Y/s640/DSC02289.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A warm piece of Beer Bread? Yes please....</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
In all honesty, our box of this mix sat in the cupboard a looong
time before I baked it. Ours expired February
16<sup>th</sup> and I made it 11 days later, but it still turned out
great! I am not sure if it is still on
the shelves at TJ’s, I think it is/was a winter seasonal product. If you see a box, grab it. And if you do not see a box now, do not fear. It should come ‘round again next fall! I will give this product a <b>5</b>!</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
David:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It is like Irish soda
bread and also a bit like cornbread.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is
delicious and hearty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is good to put
butter on it even though there is already a lot of butter on it when you bake
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think it is a good idea not to add
cheese to it because it is so tasty without it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>it is quick and easy to make.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It might
be interesting to see what it would be like baked in tiny pans or like
muffins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will give this a <b>5</b>.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Price:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>$2.79<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Rating:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">5</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">And here is a bonus photo for anyone still reading. On the same day of this road trip we also stopped at Cox Farms. A photo of one of their signs, it says RESIST WHITE SUPREMACY, recently went viral. We saw that sign along with several others. This one was my favorite :).</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><br /></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicVK7kHwIIqrTGKmD6v-Rgwd4v-343xKpnaDuYUto0rL5WTsvWcl77d8NlvAopHJndXpXG0aTicbIAuxiy-IAAyqC6G_NOnEkdLMvLPAuFs8mMNg3Y8-HKY1KQYqAyu0H0u4TJTiS5x8k/s1600/DSC02081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicVK7kHwIIqrTGKmD6v-Rgwd4v-343xKpnaDuYUto0rL5WTsvWcl77d8NlvAopHJndXpXG0aTicbIAuxiy-IAAyqC6G_NOnEkdLMvLPAuFs8mMNg3Y8-HKY1KQYqAyu0H0u4TJTiS5x8k/s400/DSC02081.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But SRSLY....</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><br /></span></span></div>
<br /></div>
STGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11250015231001004499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301242351144025942.post-74638126685098445022018-02-21T16:47:00.001-08:002018-02-21T16:47:26.581-08:00Spud Crunchies Potato Snacks*<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
This is a first for this review blog – not only do we have a <b>guest reviewer</b> today, we have a guest <b>ANIMAL</b> reviewer!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, this is our first review by an animal,
specifically, a <b><i><u>DEER</u></i></b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I’m getting
ahead of myself – let’s set the scene first.<o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhBjLJy5RIMb9E2H7xbxHKQZCq9B06UebjMSYflQOwtkwH6_w5vHRNoLI5u866bvkB2pFrkHc5bmBw16vQx5VZEEtOCcJygKxnNAG9yr6iHNqq2BcvzfvYuQzADHQjT0lBvKed33nrdlg/s1600/spud+crunchies+with+david.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhBjLJy5RIMb9E2H7xbxHKQZCq9B06UebjMSYflQOwtkwH6_w5vHRNoLI5u866bvkB2pFrkHc5bmBw16vQx5VZEEtOCcJygKxnNAG9yr6iHNqq2BcvzfvYuQzADHQjT0lBvKed33nrdlg/s400/spud+crunchies+with+david.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David with our bag of Spud Crunchies</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Trader Joe’s Spud Crunchies Potato Snacks* have a cute little
package. On the front are “spud
crunchies” with faces drawn on them – one has a mustache and one looks like a
wiener dog <span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji", sans-serif;">😊</span> . The
bag says, “A chip crunch in a fun fry shape,” and lets us know they are gluten
free.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO5wlgwQMMYaySSSTOitGCw6d4TTbaaBTcks20Na7gUyhyphenhyphenRvig6D6y_QCUZLG7lSr-ywx-NrZfVbr1IaPCuTbXGa-5KWVfjn41bHP3tTROZ87SeSau66UCMzUd5j9JmwkAIcQIJ-imYSw/s1600/spud+crunchies+bag.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO5wlgwQMMYaySSSTOitGCw6d4TTbaaBTcks20Na7gUyhyphenhyphenRvig6D6y_QCUZLG7lSr-ywx-NrZfVbr1IaPCuTbXGa-5KWVfjn41bHP3tTROZ87SeSau66UCMzUd5j9JmwkAIcQIJ-imYSw/s320/spud+crunchies+bag.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Those are some cute little crunchies, no?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Here is what David thought of this snack: “My first impression is, it is like a frozen
French fry that is warmed up. It is kind
of <i>dry</i>. It has a hint of potato chip-ness
about, but more of a hint of potato <i>stick</i>-ness about it. Now, I’m a fan of both chips <u>and</u> sticks, but
the disadvantage here is that it is so <i>thick</i>, the dryness overtakes it and it
is not counterbalanced enough SALT. With
regular potato sticks you are getting a fair does of salt to give it some tang… So, I would say, I give this a 3.25. It’s not a big winner.”</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYexVYivkvD-vwtDGwDceU-Z9zoAxTTCvwZEpWzZGjP8tnuy-R-z5-_Xl2uRExDHd0C3X0dBxHvbEV1AhHmg5F-HzXIUZaovxsBfVW0kxc3zPMFF8I_SjchVZ8GRd-yO4-jml8Kn1uh98/s1600/spud+crunchies+being+smoked.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYexVYivkvD-vwtDGwDceU-Z9zoAxTTCvwZEpWzZGjP8tnuy-R-z5-_Xl2uRExDHd0C3X0dBxHvbEV1AhHmg5F-HzXIUZaovxsBfVW0kxc3zPMFF8I_SjchVZ8GRd-yO4-jml8Kn1uh98/s400/spud+crunchies+being+smoked.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ahhh, who can pass up a snack that doubles as a pretend cigarette???</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
And now for my opinion: I agree
with David. I thought that these tasted
like frozen french fries that were brought to room temperature but not
<u>cooked</u>. And before you say, “Susan, how
in the heck would you know what <i>that </i>would taste like??” let me tell you that when I
was a little girl, I had a friend who would only eat french fries if they were
straight out of the freezer. Anyway,
when I eat these Spud Crunchies, I have memories of sitting with that person chomping on
frozen french fries in the kitchen of a little house in Omaha. </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I agree with David, also, in the fact that the <b>thickness</b> of these
crunchies dries them out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, to me, it
also makes the inside of the crunchy tastes like styrofoam.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know if that is a <i>TASTE</i> or a <i>TEXTURE</i>
thing really, but I would prefer the potato sticks of my youth that came in a
little can and were super greasy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do
they even make those things anymore???<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>These TJ’s Spud Crunchies are making me hungry for some of those
unhealthy crappy potato sticks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Note to
self: go to a store other than TJ’s and see if they still make those
things!)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>David and I agree that this
Trader Joe’s version probably has less salt and less fat than the potato sticks
of our youth, resulting in less <u>taste</u>, and c’mon, how fun is THAT?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBMEqc0P5WKpdHgI8DvsrZWCSW6GDILas5z4be0g21Od_a9_YF21l-0ckxNXo4jSqOA9YqMiANgW8y3OGUC4MCOvaIEAAplfzMUL2CN0SnhpCuHYtXbecUNI-8P999qWkOsT1LxPp78VU/s1600/spud+crunchies+price+tag.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBMEqc0P5WKpdHgI8DvsrZWCSW6GDILas5z4be0g21Od_a9_YF21l-0ckxNXo4jSqOA9YqMiANgW8y3OGUC4MCOvaIEAAplfzMUL2CN0SnhpCuHYtXbecUNI-8P999qWkOsT1LxPp78VU/s320/spud+crunchies+price+tag.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reasonably priced at $1.99</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
All that being said, they don’t taste horrible or anything. The texture is just weird. And I guess if you are gonna eat something
chip like, you might as well eat a <b>chip</b>!!!
I am gonna give these a 3.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
And now for our final reviewer – <b><u>THIS DEER</u></b>!!!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjREpueLqg0OKZzncMIIOnhHNX_-BgV9FZ2WA1m5Fe7peQ8pgenT5EXVHwexIMpYpwd7dgBAaFsOqI3-cfUAbdhS451U27gx12tkPv9sp3NBDU3pXEbrDqo1AmyhLnFLd7VUqzyj2LVbno/s1600/DSC02169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjREpueLqg0OKZzncMIIOnhHNX_-BgV9FZ2WA1m5Fe7peQ8pgenT5EXVHwexIMpYpwd7dgBAaFsOqI3-cfUAbdhS451U27gx12tkPv9sp3NBDU3pXEbrDqo1AmyhLnFLd7VUqzyj2LVbno/s640/DSC02169.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#CutestReviewerEver</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We drove to Kentucky recently, and on our way home we stopped at
Mammoth Cave National Park to check out the “world’s longest cave”. When we pulled into the parking lot, we spied
this beauty over by some unoccupied rental cabins. We drove over near her and lo and behold if
she didn’t walk <i>right up</i> to the car and stare at us. I rolled down my window to say hello, but she
was so close I was afraid she was going to put her runny nose right into our
front seat so I had to put the window back up!!! She was adorable, and obviously knew that
<u>people = food</u>.<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Sooooo….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">David checked out our backseat food pile to see what she might like. It
was between “Naturals” Cheetos and these Spud Crunchies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Guess which one won??<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEKn9eFZZTh2KWBJvJdscL1ySFve9gsI3U541pyDyNqK1SIj4enAV6i1hKN9jUw9QLmXCUUFviacBXVKAVhb6adXMRJ4ML9F1Dv1-v_bL5qNZDLbZRRaZMgvAsWk9hu0RAXs1sk4WHJHU/s1600/DSC02171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEKn9eFZZTh2KWBJvJdscL1ySFve9gsI3U541pyDyNqK1SIj4enAV6i1hKN9jUw9QLmXCUUFviacBXVKAVhb6adXMRJ4ML9F1Dv1-v_bL5qNZDLbZRRaZMgvAsWk9hu0RAXs1sk4WHJHU/s400/DSC02171.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David was a bit timid at first, but Doe A Deer wasn't!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b>SHE LOVED SPUD CRUNCHIES</b>! She
ate them right out of David’s hand! She
was ever so gentle (if a bit slobbery…) and really enjoyed the snack. (And please don’t go on about how we should
not feed the animals. There were no signs up to warn us of that until we got
inside, and then we looked at each other and went, “Oops!” and David excused
himself to wash the goo off his hand…)**</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSSnF90FKPDT2u13RCep5yrFe23HSyaqGTmHLwPw81DuOGGMeMAGT-aTqi6cZ7gJiRu_FdTErr4IlOEtdlcuMKsyaWiy84Exflz_igkVrjDhgogJLgRUxYVDvF1LOnYhVSZgjh__RkNlU/s1600/DSC02174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSSnF90FKPDT2u13RCep5yrFe23HSyaqGTmHLwPw81DuOGGMeMAGT-aTqi6cZ7gJiRu_FdTErr4IlOEtdlcuMKsyaWiy84Exflz_igkVrjDhgogJLgRUxYVDvF1LOnYhVSZgjh__RkNlU/s640/DSC02174.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ahh, product placement! See, she loves 'em!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Anyway, the deer (who we named Doe, A Deer) loved this
product. She had zero complaints about not
enough salt or styrofoam-y texture. She gave
them a solid 5 star rating!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwyhODJm8TbQTp4fgTBnZXU-PocWr50EfcfOoNgJRqYnoBWX0Db4VqnweuNbmhUKGXGY55TSmMK3tJm32v4YOlbvkyV-BHqweI-9zmzJF4qU-oyKxZZ7UrMsJufnV8Jtm6YbaGKo2bJU8/s1600/DSC02173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwyhODJm8TbQTp4fgTBnZXU-PocWr50EfcfOoNgJRqYnoBWX0Db4VqnweuNbmhUKGXGY55TSmMK3tJm32v4YOlbvkyV-BHqweI-9zmzJF4qU-oyKxZZ7UrMsJufnV8Jtm6YbaGKo2bJU8/s400/DSC02173.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Thanks for the snack, mister!"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Price: $1.99</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Rating (average of 2 humans and 1 deer):<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">3.75</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">*If you saw the article going around that said all of Trader Joe’s
products could be sung to the tune “Eleanor Rigby”, then THIS product is an
example of how, sadly, that claim is untrue. (<a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/andyneuenschwander/you-can-sing-the-name-of-almost-any-trader-joes-p?utm_term=.nhmEE4QR6G#.hgOAAq8r5Z">Link to Buzz Feed article about TJ's products being sung to the tune of Eleanor Rigsby</a> ) I sooo wanted it to be true!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mean,
how hilarious if every product on TJ’s shelves could be sung to a Beatle’s song,
specifically to “Eleanor Rigby”!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Alas,
it was too good to be true.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Try this one
– SPUD CRUNCHIES POTATO SNACKS.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It sort
of works if you leave off “snacks”, but let’s be honest, I hate to say this,
but that whole Eleanor Rigby thing was, as some would say, fake news….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br /><br />
**I am in no way advocating for you to feed wild animals anything, let alone Spud Crunchies. <br />
<br /></div>
STGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11250015231001004499noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301242351144025942.post-790838359386069962018-02-14T10:08:00.000-08:002018-02-14T10:08:56.890-08:00Cinnamon Sugar Muffin and Baking Mix<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Happy Valentine’s Day!
I am writing and posting this review on February 14<sup>th</sup>, but
the product being reviewed has nothing to do with the holiday. Even so, may your day be full of love, hugs,
and chocolate (if you are into those kinds of things). <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Now for the review.
I found this box of Cinnamon Sugar Muffin and Baking Mix on a Trader
Joe’s “end cap” (that’s the big display at the end of an aisle for those of you
who have never worked retail <span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol-ext; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji";">😊</span> ).
The picture on the package looked like a tasty muffin, so I grabbed a
box and made them on a recent Sunday morning.
(I say “morning”, but on days that my partner and I both have off of
work, “morning” can be any time we are still in our robes and sitting down to
coffee and breakfast. On lazy days it is
usually past noon. <span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol-ext; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji";">😊</span>
). <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGBabqqqXazbNif08URea1shDfbRmna_KALTr1kSzH6rx8JPpDz5uImQ4kVKNCe8yPKgGmU_PJWybDUh_zbefATaErmz6tAdLItfG5ARcH-0JpUQ6jqVA9F0V2tKCBhxPX5LQP3kRzjoI/s1600/DSC01714.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGBabqqqXazbNif08URea1shDfbRmna_KALTr1kSzH6rx8JPpDz5uImQ4kVKNCe8yPKgGmU_PJWybDUh_zbefATaErmz6tAdLItfG5ARcH-0JpUQ6jqVA9F0V2tKCBhxPX5LQP3kRzjoI/s320/DSC01714.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THIS is an end cap. Lovely!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxNRZLVYGSdC5c2VXOkqstsMAaueCum_lOyD_NDvXYGtqmUocWFTlqEFbm3h-59jRWrrRPf4C5NQSSWhMvu3335cbb-eaGxLijM-QBK-1OIKTtw0dEArC0FItqo-FRuuy-Wcsd4MTdD6E/s1600/DSC01713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxNRZLVYGSdC5c2VXOkqstsMAaueCum_lOyD_NDvXYGtqmUocWFTlqEFbm3h-59jRWrrRPf4C5NQSSWhMvu3335cbb-eaGxLijM-QBK-1OIKTtw0dEArC0FItqo-FRuuy-Wcsd4MTdD6E/s320/DSC01713.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good signage, too</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
The box has two versions – muffins or coffee cake. I made them as muffins. Here is what we thought of them:</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
David: “I am gonna
give these a <b>5</b>. The taste is great! I would recommend slicing them in half and
then re-dipping them in the melted butter and cinnamon sugar (editor’s note:
that muffin eating style may not be the <u>healthiest </u>of choices but it is a
delicious and creative option). The taste
is good. The texture is good. The amount of butter, cinnamon, and sugar is
delightful! Plus, they are very easy to
make – you just get up in the morning and your girlfriend has already made them
for you!!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaZkVJCAIXWCj5bsnwUHw0SOPLMCmiZ7kgjuygP8QvMMTtl6RnxuLv3rteZST7OlUQJMemNdsnk5oyNW716EJ4fXOGyWn5IZOGFJ9Dtis-BYTnGoBc-ipZtciKAWn4B1FketNROq7twCQ/s1600/muffins+in+action.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaZkVJCAIXWCj5bsnwUHw0SOPLMCmiZ7kgjuygP8QvMMTtl6RnxuLv3rteZST7OlUQJMemNdsnk5oyNW716EJ4fXOGyWn5IZOGFJ9Dtis-BYTnGoBc-ipZtciKAWn4B1FketNROq7twCQ/s640/muffins+in+action.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Muffins, espresso, grapefruit, fresh squeezed OJ, and the Sunday morning Washington Post. <br />David in his "happy place". </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
My take: Even
though I was the one who actually <i>made
them</i>, I agree with David that they were easy to prepare. All you need is water, one egg, and
butter. They are easy to mix, too. You know how some muffin mixes are all lumpy
when you mix them up? This one was not
like that. One baking note though: the box says to melt 6 tablespoons of butter
(which is used to dip the baked muffin tops in before rolling them in the
cinnamon sugar). I had 5 tablespoons of
butter handy, so used that, and it was more than enough. I would say start with 4 or 5 tablespoons
then melt a bit more if you need it.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8qItYDcc3zW8zysqeH7Or58qxDfSeK5IapC7g8iXAiTRFIXzsWDyuMoG0yWnPTX1gyfs9ZyxwiZO5OpeDWuCYy37ePdtMoU6MGxx95yTbR2T9JUmFHJF2JtUHlblcxqbQH1zJrA9Aqx0/s1600/muffins.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8qItYDcc3zW8zysqeH7Or58qxDfSeK5IapC7g8iXAiTRFIXzsWDyuMoG0yWnPTX1gyfs9ZyxwiZO5OpeDWuCYy37ePdtMoU6MGxx95yTbR2T9JUmFHJF2JtUHlblcxqbQH1zJrA9Aqx0/s400/muffins.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These muffins and PRETTY and TASTY, a good combination</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I will buy these again.
They would be good to make if you are having people over for breakfast or
brunch. I like that they are not <i>toooooo</i> sweet as some box muffin mixes
are. That might be because these, being from Trader Joe’s, have more natural, “hippy”
ingredients. The box says these, “…make
a light and fluffy muffin with the flavor of a donut,” which we agree
with. The texture of the muffins is terrific
– they have a fluffy quality and are not as dense as some muffins are. TJs also says these are, “A perfect
combination to a cup of joe or alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream”. We paired ours with cups of joe (and I drank
mine our of my new espresso cup!).<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9liEfs_iExmwsbNF5FTKYfxpsvkBRgbj_Nuv5wUSUq4QGLw2aF9ZNSYGZFzbMV0dGh9K0ARJWZIGQRf3t4Sl8sm_T3B6r_v7oWyztm1iG0_ZL1uDsmgMgmlm221LKqLqvRznT-u3F6Xg/s1600/hugggge+cup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9liEfs_iExmwsbNF5FTKYfxpsvkBRgbj_Nuv5wUSUq4QGLw2aF9ZNSYGZFzbMV0dGh9K0ARJWZIGQRf3t4Sl8sm_T3B6r_v7oWyztm1iG0_ZL1uDsmgMgmlm221LKqLqvRznT-u3F6Xg/s640/hugggge+cup.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My new espresso cup was the perfect compliment to these muffins</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The box says it makes 12 muffins, I got 10 (which I guess
only proves that I put more batter in the muffin cups than they expected me
to). I am going to agree with my
Valentine and give these muffins a 5 star rating, too. I am not sure if they are a seasonal item or
if TJs will continue to carry them, but I recommend picking up a box soon. They are tasty!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghG1XNFyoyPJU28vJtJ1-WbleBSqMzcCg8gcyW8Tn2nmkO2zgnMy_avN6GG_EfgVBtfi6n8fltz6rbQiynhlL7M2oMD0BzY0xDZaUTHisYl2WRuNQKT2JlGJmPVZ5mvQOpyACOVvc-_oQ/s1600/DSC00962.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghG1XNFyoyPJU28vJtJ1-WbleBSqMzcCg8gcyW8Tn2nmkO2zgnMy_avN6GG_EfgVBtfi6n8fltz6rbQiynhlL7M2oMD0BzY0xDZaUTHisYl2WRuNQKT2JlGJmPVZ5mvQOpyACOVvc-_oQ/s400/DSC00962.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bonus cheesy kissing photo for Valentine's (which was actually TAKEN on Christmas,<br />making the whole thing a bit confusing really...)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Price: $2.99<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Rating: <b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">5 stars</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
STGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11250015231001004499noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301242351144025942.post-45245279225964233252018-02-04T15:47:00.000-08:002018-02-07T17:29:55.367-08:00Fruit Fancies<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
If you are new to Trader Joe’s, you may not know about
<i>HOLIDAY PRODUCTS</i>. Oh, November and December
are magical months at Trader Joe’s!!
Products appear on the shelves that you have never seen before (or at
least haven’t seen since last holiday season)!! The die hards (like me) rush to Trader Joe’s
as soon as word gets out that the holiday items are trickling in. And each trip to the grocery store turns into
an exciting journey – what will I find this time? What will be new? What special treat will make its way into my
cart???<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
It was in that <i>holiday
haze </i>that the <b>FRUIT FANCIES</b> made their way into our lives. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfHUVIDRYOC9gbnEm7yUgFKBpGJzNEtpI_5FjIt__zsKb8X74h_VnYMOAksgNE507f_ATM_VfKwug1L-gCNTgu9Iiv940w3ST4opmslQQxjXNCByvQCxw1lHNwjr4JrinR8vLT9zZ9KYM/s1600/fruit+fancies+package.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfHUVIDRYOC9gbnEm7yUgFKBpGJzNEtpI_5FjIt__zsKb8X74h_VnYMOAksgNE507f_ATM_VfKwug1L-gCNTgu9Iiv940w3ST4opmslQQxjXNCByvQCxw1lHNwjr4JrinR8vLT9zZ9KYM/s640/fruit+fancies+package.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aren't they pretty? And don't they look FANCY? I mean, the word FANCY is right there in the NAME!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC8AH6CjAPnDxiwTg8WjGecVdUdIkgWXcCSAElRbQP2ZKjcIM0D6ovZFiqyz17wPxkvC7ETzsmgKIW71a5CqjrZh2yaVz2c12Zvv-vRtvoft-2INYXnwAZYhQnlySOT_9VohEK3yp-0TU/s1600/fruit+fancies+price+tag.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC8AH6CjAPnDxiwTg8WjGecVdUdIkgWXcCSAElRbQP2ZKjcIM0D6ovZFiqyz17wPxkvC7ETzsmgKIW71a5CqjrZh2yaVz2c12Zvv-vRtvoft-2INYXnwAZYhQnlySOT_9VohEK3yp-0TU/s320/fruit+fancies+price+tag.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Do you think the sign maker at the Fairfax Virginia store had tasted these and KNEW they were not fancy, thus made them this pretty non-fancy sign? That's my theory. It was a SIGN... A sign I should have paid attention to...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
What can I say, I was smitten??? They looked good to me for some reason… Sure, they seemed sort of like “Grandma and
Grandpa” treats. Or like little rolled
up turds covered in sesame seeds and coconut.
But the BOX – oh man – the BOX they came in was lovely! It had dovetailed corners! The box is what sold me. That, and the fact that we were heading to
Omaha to celebrate the holidays, and we would be staying with my dad and his
wife, who are not only Grandparents, they are Great-Grandparents! So even if this treat was “Grandparent food”,
we would be sharing it with actual grandparents, so all would be good!<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPuk415v43_6bcmC7eit4Rt2gbzXu89vAZjwruG8ddMiBdHMu1ATTL08Q_ujK6Bf2miJddCz2MpNNGBRndr7hFD6MJ5s5M8on612RaAjVzQLrgTt4hb0VeMPDQfKI4HBmIHugoJmpuU9Y/s1600/dad+funny+face.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPuk415v43_6bcmC7eit4Rt2gbzXu89vAZjwruG8ddMiBdHMu1ATTL08Q_ujK6Bf2miJddCz2MpNNGBRndr7hFD6MJ5s5M8on612RaAjVzQLrgTt4hb0VeMPDQfKI4HBmIHugoJmpuU9Y/s400/dad+funny+face.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I asked my dad to make a funny face. He did. I love it. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Only, we never got around to eating them in Omaha… So, they came back, unopened, <i>then</i> made their way to Florida! “We will bring them next door and share them
with the neighbors,” I reasoned. Only,
you see where this is going, we didn’t do that either.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfq0cfRSGrhQ_dSvcuBOfdZJR8xkNoi-VVMPoUjBE3vgu5GNM3yBZiKWwzbLb_AEunqyNSIHatdOtu104SzkT7sSijS_FgnO-h1vfWb47BloGrBrpAigjhYv_MX6IqT6vfHcUlhNPiEP4/s1600/christmas+day+jump.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfq0cfRSGrhQ_dSvcuBOfdZJR8xkNoi-VVMPoUjBE3vgu5GNM3yBZiKWwzbLb_AEunqyNSIHatdOtu104SzkT7sSijS_FgnO-h1vfWb47BloGrBrpAigjhYv_MX6IqT6vfHcUlhNPiEP4/s640/christmas+day+jump.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christmas Day 2017 - too busy to be bothered by Fruit Fancies...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
So, before you know it, it was the last day of January and
the Fruit Fancies were still unopened. But
after we ate dinner while watching “Amazing Race” (go team Brainiacs!) , David ripped
into these special treat, and, well, they ended up being not so special after
all… Oh, and before you say, “Susan, of course they
tasted like %&*#, they were a HOLIDAY ITEM and you let them sit until
almost February! They were too old!” –
N-O. They didn’t expire until 11/18. </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
OK, here is what we thought of them:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
David: “Well, these
are <i>different</i>. They are like Fig Newtons that have even less
moisture in them, and perhaps a little extra fiber. They are dry.
The mouth feel is not a joy ride for me.
These things suck the moisture right out of your mouth! I give them a <b>1</b>. The reason I am not giving
them a 0 is that they do not taste <b>bad</b>,
they just do not taste <b>good</b>. The box is alright, but it is a little skinny
to use for anything else. I have to
respect the dovetail jointing.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0dsh6Ehi1dODsW9Ulhg3P11qMCQvqRl5PR5el5iswUzNpVLm4XsYKCfeaFWQvGszw5_z1RS_maOHTgp4eFWDoVG3jKngKX2pBd7rBjSENB1Yro9raABEyMEDAwG4WdtmTVXa-UXIfBr4/s1600/fruit+fancies+in+action.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0dsh6Ehi1dODsW9Ulhg3P11qMCQvqRl5PR5el5iswUzNpVLm4XsYKCfeaFWQvGszw5_z1RS_maOHTgp4eFWDoVG3jKngKX2pBd7rBjSENB1Yro9raABEyMEDAwG4WdtmTVXa-UXIfBr4/s640/fruit+fancies+in+action.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David didn't fancy these, did fancy them at all. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Susan: I am just
gonna say it – I was duped by the wooden, dovetailed box. They punked me! I think the term for this type of duped is “The Hickory Farm Effect”. You know how Hickory Farms always had (is it has – does PF still exist in the MALL SETTING
where they had special displays of meat and cheese for the holidays?) really
attractive PACKAGING? Like, “Put it in a
basket, then the dyed orange cheese with pimentos and nuts will sell!!”. Yeah – Trader Joe’s <i>Hickory Farmed</i> me with this one! </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
The treats looked very pretty in the packaging. Each one was topped with a whole nut on top –
some with almonds and some with walnuts.
The things that “encrusted” each piece – sesame seeds or coconut – looked
lovingly applied. Each piece looked like
a fancy, Mediterranean delight. To my <i>EYES</i>, they looked like they would taste
a bit exotic, sweet, a bit juicy, perhaps fig-like, and yummy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
But <i>EYES</i> are
not what actually <i>TASTE </i>things… <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
These are a product from Turkey. But they are not “from Turkey” in a sexy,
romantic, exotic kind of way. They are
not good. I ate 2 – one of each
variety. I thought David ate ONE, but
later learned he could only stomach ¼ of 1 and threw out the rest (that man never
throws out a sweet!!). <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
The NUT on top of each piece was nice, but there was only
one nut per piece. I guess a person
could just pop the nut off the top of each one and eat only that, but it would
be easier and cheaper just to head over to the TJ’s nut aisle and get yourself
a whole bag of nuts. I will give this
product a <b>1.5</b> (the majority of the
score is for the cool box and the nuts on top).<o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj_rCm3SrfRSWdjDZ_Dn9IQXDj6fodYCeFuVS70cob_MayBahBJpgO4XDNXba-6xQUtDS3rQvZ1RhzBgz3Kzx1VPGvA8jsPcV9GvfK5O_PCxa3cwFB114zDKNC1Kxwhq8lk_FxjF6bKe4/s1600/fruit+fancies+return.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj_rCm3SrfRSWdjDZ_Dn9IQXDj6fodYCeFuVS70cob_MayBahBJpgO4XDNXba-6xQUtDS3rQvZ1RhzBgz3Kzx1VPGvA8jsPcV9GvfK5O_PCxa3cwFB114zDKNC1Kxwhq8lk_FxjF6bKe4/s640/fruit+fancies+return.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorry Trader Joe's, we don't really want these anymore....</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Let this be a lesson to me (and to you): not ALL Trader
Joe’s holiday products are lovely. Even
the pretty ones are sometimes duds.
Luckily, Trader Joe’s happily accepts any returns, so we took this back. Our cashier saw the return and said, “Oh
yeah, I didn’t like those things either…” <span style="font-family: "segoe ui emoji" , sans-serif;">😊</span> . </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
You can’t get this product at Trader Joe’s right now
since it was seasonal, but if it does come back next year, I suggest you pass. Grab some of the other delightful items, and
leave them for some other sucker to get Hickory Farmed. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Price: $5.99 <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Rating: <b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">1.25</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
STGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11250015231001004499noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301242351144025942.post-28151979528646812812018-01-30T12:51:00.002-08:002018-01-30T12:51:52.729-08:00Updated Review: Authentic Greek Feta in Brine<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Well folks, it doesn't happen often, but it is happening today.<br />
<br />
A Trader Joe's product is getting a <u>BUMP UP</u> in the number of stars it got on my original review!<br />
<br />
And not only is it getting a BUMP UP in stars, it is going from <b>4.75 stars</b> to the elusive <b><i>5 STAR REVIEW</i></b>!!!! Can I get a round of applause for <u>Trader Joe's Authentic Greek Feta in Brine</u> please??<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgljOO3RBl0ETyK_Fj1KCWfMGjSa1VqIU6JxJZsiNBXnPFpc2iDRiwfDrapMbHXZLAWo-MGpbNZR77dZCv3B_43jmM8-yyCFb-nVlAHiV1AapryWMYvNg87_isbo1mtKHD_i4VRoXPyqTU/s1600/Jump+for+equality.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgljOO3RBl0ETyK_Fj1KCWfMGjSa1VqIU6JxJZsiNBXnPFpc2iDRiwfDrapMbHXZLAWo-MGpbNZR77dZCv3B_43jmM8-yyCFb-nVlAHiV1AapryWMYvNg87_isbo1mtKHD_i4VRoXPyqTU/s640/Jump+for+equality.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So excited about this feta that we are JUMPING! (OK, that was really us jumping in front of the <br />Supreme Court because a decision came down that we were psyched about, but still, the jump fits...)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Here's the scoop: <b>We</b>. <b>Love</b>. <b>Feta</b>. As cheeses go, feta is super high up on our list. And this Greek Feta in Brine from Trader Joe's is, as Oprah might say in her sing-songy voice, Ahh-Maahhhzzz-Zing! The only thing that kept it from getting a 5 star review the first time 'round was the <i>crappy packaging</i> it was in. <a href="http://traderjoes365.blogspot.com/2015/08/day-232-authentic-greek-feta-in-brine.html">Original Authentic Greek Feta in Brine review here</a><br />
<br />
Our household is not divided by gender. We are a home of 2, David and I, and we don't divide roles up by "male" and "female". We both cook. We both grocery shop. We both clean... Wait, who am I kidding, neither of us cleans...<br />
<br />
But OPENING THE FETA, sigh, opening the feta has been a "male task" at our house since we got addicted to this TJ's feta in brine. I <u>could not</u> open that dumb container for the life of me!! It had a little plastic bit you had to bust off, I could do that. But then the rest of the opening was IMPOSSIBLE for me. At first I thought it was just because I had long fingernails (so sue me, I didn't want to bust a nail). But I have also tried opening the containers when I had very <u>short</u> nails, and that was a fail, too. So each and every time I wanted to eat feta (which, let's face it, was often), I had to call David into the kitchen to open the dumb package. Laaaame!!!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSRlmlyDu0oitTtD0syCxG9TOlzzE25LC1F16GxKtznn48NqZ-spzOS49WFzUqGIHgVFirgDjNXus1fXl51WcyD6ORDbhOpSkXven_CaoxXYKrodsFeFCDX6hizNfVHmtbBwl3Xgu_KBM/s1600/DSC01738.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSRlmlyDu0oitTtD0syCxG9TOlzzE25LC1F16GxKtznn48NqZ-spzOS49WFzUqGIHgVFirgDjNXus1fXl51WcyD6ORDbhOpSkXven_CaoxXYKrodsFeFCDX6hizNfVHmtbBwl3Xgu_KBM/s400/DSC01738.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
But Trader Joe's must have heard my frustration (ok, they likely did not read it here, but maybe they sensed it magically, or maybe I was not the only one to hate the packaging). THEY CHANGED THE PACKAGE!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS-MB8MJIEbVMDz0-r3oDv8p9QAEPTa2k2rESWp8i7dhnPcVD-UBUE9Pigp__tVfrdxagMd73Pp3i-dJwr-fMqJFKRWip0n2ak4plo5Mt0SOeFd-Czu5pmMW3ynu37VpwTRb4RtzzU71U/s1600/DSC01737.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS-MB8MJIEbVMDz0-r3oDv8p9QAEPTa2k2rESWp8i7dhnPcVD-UBUE9Pigp__tVfrdxagMd73Pp3i-dJwr-fMqJFKRWip0n2ak4plo5Mt0SOeFd-Czu5pmMW3ynu37VpwTRb4RtzzU71U/s640/DSC01737.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
The new one is oh so nice!!! I just opened it and made a big ol' salad, and David is not even <i>home</i>! :) I feel so liberated now that my feta consumption no longer replies on his muscles. <br />
<br />
Thanks Trader Joe's. This new packaging is awesome. I feel independent again! Who knows, when David comes home and I show him my new discovery, he may feel a twinge of sadness that I no longer "need him" for the feta... Not to worry - I can find another chore to give him (shhhh)! <br />
<br />
Price: still $6.49 I believe<br />
Rating: <b style="background-color: yellow;">5 STARS!</b><br />
<br />
<br /></div>
STGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11250015231001004499noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301242351144025942.post-14884193801561042752018-01-09T18:08:00.000-08:002018-01-09T18:08:24.331-08:00Incanto Chardonnay Pinot Grigio<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">First,
let me lay this on the line: I have <i>coveted</i> this big ass blue bottle of wine
every year when Trader Joe’s brings it out around the holiday time. TJ’s always have special, super huge wine
bottles, and they are sooooo appealing to my eyes! Seriously, every year I want to buy
them. David and I normally grocery shop
together, and I know that he, being the more realistic (and once in a while the
more responsible) of the two of us must think these big ol’ wine bottles are
ridiculous. And, in my heart, I have
always known he was right. So, year
after year I have held back and not snuck one of these big wines into our cart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">But
this year – oh, this year I WENT FOR IT!
I got brave enough to snag one of these bottles on a night I was
shopping without David actually </span><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol-ext; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji";">😊</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> . But look at it – it is gorgeous! The shape of the bottle. The size.
But mostly, the <i>color</i>! I mean,
how bad would this Italian blend have to <i>taste</i>
to undo all of <b>those</b> positives???<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqbQSj2FANzhaZ-KsJBrZXKT5tTTyhAA53CJ-dQtP_D1ap8u-uPK2Jk7DXhKsiFVXRwSC2kjpFpFEoX6OSd-fKFWy1t37kyq6sjcYyg4KigjS42mQQR5vxmnRuyxVturlI9YvGGgzB6_w/s1600/DSC01231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqbQSj2FANzhaZ-KsJBrZXKT5tTTyhAA53CJ-dQtP_D1ap8u-uPK2Jk7DXhKsiFVXRwSC2kjpFpFEoX6OSd-fKFWy1t37kyq6sjcYyg4KigjS42mQQR5vxmnRuyxVturlI9YvGGgzB6_w/s640/DSC01231.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is David before the bottle was opened. See - it is LARGE!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">So,
this holiday season, I got one and we hauled it down to Florida with us. I thought we might drink it if we had friends
over, but (as almost always happens in our lives), we were hermits and didn’t
have a dinner party. We were invited to
a friend’s house for New Year’s Day dinner, and I guess it would have been nice
to bring this bottle, but it just felt a little strange. There were going to be 5 people at the meal,
and in we would walk with a huge ass bottle of wine? What if we were the only wine drinkers?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoPN-PnHcThrK8ZupI4olMVyc1dKKyHN2NHGRgHzz6TWGYkd08FulEdBw9tD24OnFwY6UJxgD4CBhk8iWul3QbDqEyou8iO7hpvWd7s_FEI6YU9A_PiDUd1nub9SdACE1Nl2AEMPMHCeU/s1600/DSC01265.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoPN-PnHcThrK8ZupI4olMVyc1dKKyHN2NHGRgHzz6TWGYkd08FulEdBw9tD24OnFwY6UJxgD4CBhk8iWul3QbDqEyou8iO7hpvWd7s_FEI6YU9A_PiDUd1nub9SdACE1Nl2AEMPMHCeU/s320/DSC01265.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />Close up of the label</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Now
January is ticking by and we still hadn’t opened this bottle...</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">One night our friend Sarah said she was going
to stop by (and I know she likes wine).</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Voila – there’s my chance!</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I had
David open the bottle and the 3 of us did a taste test.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Here is what we thought:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY5dQnFF47VdvPQyCesri_EhYQfMNYsVWQ3tSZ7-TH_3YONFFbhCBq0HaatYAvvVceturkm6ytAOZIHoxn9tlysnXJs6kVbokw6cf3CZvNBAtnuIoSgKgikhKF5a9UAkr-_o4DWATIDwE/s1600/DSC01230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY5dQnFF47VdvPQyCesri_EhYQfMNYsVWQ3tSZ7-TH_3YONFFbhCBq0HaatYAvvVceturkm6ytAOZIHoxn9tlysnXJs6kVbokw6cf3CZvNBAtnuIoSgKgikhKF5a9UAkr-_o4DWATIDwE/s320/DSC01230.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Well isn't this elegant?? Bottle is too big for the fridge</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Susan:</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Before I can discuss the </span><u style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">taste</u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> of the
wine, I must talk through the </span><u style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">logistics</u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> of it.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">This.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Wine bottle.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Is.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Ridonkulous!!</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">It is white wine and we wanted it chilled, but the big bottle most
certainly could not stand up in our refrigerator.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">It ended up lying on its side and taking up a
big chunk of the fridge (though to be honest, for a day or so it served as a “shelf”
as David rested his used paint brush (wrapped in Saranwrap) on top of the
horizontal bottle…).</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">OK, now on to the
taste:</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The taste is sort of water-y to
me – there is not much taste.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Because of
that I wound up drinking it pretty fast.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">So, if your goal is to down wine quickly (and therefore feel a bit tipsy
quickly…), this might be a good pick.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><u style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Artistically</u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">
it is beautiful.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><u style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Logistically</u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> it
is stupid.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">And to be honest, the actual </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i><u>wine</u>
</i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">seemed sort of incidental!</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I will
give the </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">taste</b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> of this wine 3.75.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">If I gave a score for the </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">look</b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> of the bottle it would be a 5, but
if I gave a score for the </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">usability </b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">of
the bottle (squishing it in your fridge) it would be a 2.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">So, I will average those scores together and
give the overall product a score of </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">3.5</b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJo1x9tI5C2XKoGyUx72F3AnLUL4hFXttyy0a0rUVYqyE-jtlGxEXUI9cRRs5zsrDkW9oTH8QXptXunnaBEgqRY_y2jP2Gn1k1h3RxfC_U4ruFw3BKVyVFtkus-2wMUEC1SYb-cXuYPxY/s1600/DSC01233.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJo1x9tI5C2XKoGyUx72F3AnLUL4hFXttyy0a0rUVYqyE-jtlGxEXUI9cRRs5zsrDkW9oTH8QXptXunnaBEgqRY_y2jP2Gn1k1h3RxfC_U4ruFw3BKVyVFtkus-2wMUEC1SYb-cXuYPxY/s400/DSC01233.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David gives Incanto a try</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">David:
“I think this is good, it is nice and cold which is good for this wine. It has a little bit of a fruity taste. It has a hint of a chardonnay kind of
oakiness – I don’t like chardonnay but this was not too much, so I thought it
balanced it out kind of nice. This is
not a wine I would seek out, but I am delighted to drink it. I guess I will give it a <b>4</b>. (David added that he
should have docked his score because of the unwieldy size of the bottle.)”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZmZCfyTSzMbm-eA9g9He_Pj4VtXPsjpAIRIOBZTe7YR3zqdAOoC9KB4C4OTV2U_A4p_J1iB9wxc4vJ8CUPP9Mpkug1jS52z5J1JjBPFjKwnOdHOXG9OfaNdOjp-OhgMWwB99Ba-CzoJM/s1600/DSC01234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZmZCfyTSzMbm-eA9g9He_Pj4VtXPsjpAIRIOBZTe7YR3zqdAOoC9KB4C4OTV2U_A4p_J1iB9wxc4vJ8CUPP9Mpkug1jS52z5J1JjBPFjKwnOdHOXG9OfaNdOjp-OhgMWwB99Ba-CzoJM/s400/DSC01234.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sarah refilling her glass<br /> (by the way, this bottle is hard to pour, too! It comes out super fast.)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sarah:
“I did not like this wine at the first sip, because it tasted like chardonnay and
I do not normally </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">like </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">chardonnay.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">But I kept drinking, and (like most wines)
then I enjoyed it more. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">It ended up being
more fruity than dry, which I liked.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">This
is a super easy wine to drink.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I will
give it a solid </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">4.5</b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Overall,
I suggest only buying this big bottle of wine if you have plans to drink it all
in one sitting.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">That way you can chill
it, uncork it, and drink it all without having to worry about re-corking it to
lay sideways in your fridge.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Price: $12.99 (cheap when you consider it is the equivalent of 2 bottles of wine)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Rating
(average of 3 raters): <b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">4</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
STGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11250015231001004499noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301242351144025942.post-59601891055841639332018-01-06T13:32:00.000-08:002018-01-06T13:33:04.684-08:00Lay's "Do Us A Flavor" Potato Chip Finalists 2017<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">OK,
this is unusual… This is a blog to
review TRADER JOE’S PRODUCTS, and here I am about to review a special selection
of <b>Lay's Potato Chips </b>(not sold at TJ’s). But it is a very unique circumstance, this is
the one and only time I am going to stray in the blog mission, and I am feeling
the need to do it, so please, humor me, ok?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Our
next-door neighbors in Florida are James and Carol. I say “James and Carol” as a <i>unit</i>, a <i>grouping</i>. We never refer to
them as “James” and “Carol”. It is really
JAMES-AND- CAROL, a one-word unit. But now
Carol is very sick. It is inevitable
that it will soon be James (sans Carol), and that is a sad reality for all of
us. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5xl4MovRPvZPgNO4DGv4OArr89shvIOE9eF9XGwCAfwikiW85JOE30lOuLKufVk6-JjStvY9IcG16TF2O_mKvdm2R4bmetyDjEnOgalBQt3IfAUv1EF_-F4f-p-6TQq_hrDr5e0s2dsg/s1600/Carol.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5xl4MovRPvZPgNO4DGv4OArr89shvIOE9eF9XGwCAfwikiW85JOE30lOuLKufVk6-JjStvY9IcG16TF2O_mKvdm2R4bmetyDjEnOgalBQt3IfAUv1EF_-F4f-p-6TQq_hrDr5e0s2dsg/s640/Carol.JPG" width="430" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carol, one of the sweetest neighbors you ever could meet</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">James-and-Carol
are about as different from my partner David and I as you can imagine.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">They are true Southerners – from the accents
to the attitudes.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">It is fun to hang out
with them and chat.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">They look at things
from a whole different perspective than we do, and they think David and I are a
bit crazy with our </span>gallivanting<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> around the world (ok, more than a </span></span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">bit</i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> crazy…).</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">In fact, just yesterday when I was visiting
and a hospice nurse remarked to James that there was a “crazy neighbor” she had
seen on our street, Carol (in her morphine induced state) smiled and quietly
said, “Susan and David!” – calling </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">us </b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">the
crazy neighbors!</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">When we were in Florida
late summer of 2017 the doctors had announced Carol’s cancer had spread.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">It was getting bad, and honestly, no one knew
if she would still be around when we came back to the Sunshine State in the
winter.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">So,
before we left town, I thought of what I thought was a fun project we could all
do together: <u>they would help me
review potato chips for my blog</u>! I had
seen Lay's Special Flavors Potato Chips advertised and had never heard of the
concept before. Apparently Lay's has a
contest (called “Do Us A Flavor” – a catchy title that sounds like something
Trader Joe’s would come up with, no??) to see who can come up with the best NEW
flavor, and the winner gets $1,000,000 and their chip flavor is made and sold!!
People who taste the chips go online and
VOTE for which new chip flavor they like best.
I ran around to a couple of different stores to collect bags of the 2017
finalist flavors:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Crispy
Taco<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB-VUqeb0I52M2wtKxiQvclEytrABlPZLIvxnyho0uiz7Go-MUYdRpeqZnnuV2s0UwiAudvhdqA-dutgGdTzg7ZYf9BY4PcA4s83_908NeQi6py4nxatxlyNWWik0YUYyorTqncGsbZSQ/s1600/DSC08626.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB-VUqeb0I52M2wtKxiQvclEytrABlPZLIvxnyho0uiz7Go-MUYdRpeqZnnuV2s0UwiAudvhdqA-dutgGdTzg7ZYf9BY4PcA4s83_908NeQi6py4nxatxlyNWWik0YUYyorTqncGsbZSQ/s200/DSC08626.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Wavy Fried
Green Tomato<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtyGHp8_7PdLvgaTJFbO5fVIVmPhp2Vz-22jYrvmbf0ubjCc6syliZx1BgOdv95aCWtgxBBxXWmjIEb2hw1mVtrjBGJqFfG71qcppDNRNjknfgUlh2S7BABMJAcw6jJc-Y1DMOkhZy8-s/s1600/DSC08625.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtyGHp8_7PdLvgaTJFbO5fVIVmPhp2Vz-22jYrvmbf0ubjCc6syliZx1BgOdv95aCWtgxBBxXWmjIEb2hw1mVtrjBGJqFfG71qcppDNRNjknfgUlh2S7BABMJAcw6jJc-Y1DMOkhZy8-s/s200/DSC08625.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Kettle Cooked Everything
Bagel (with Cream Cheese)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiY7fyb_g5H8wSk4J0bi2aehrfXs_Vf31g9YiijDxqYgCYv6iX9LGM5ewOuwZ1jpEyGVyemZOmJDCToT9JSPDeeQ3KJ8MPrsjDb6yBt8dUODqAVKCLQphMODOtQcGMYEfQh4LqzHuEdcc/s1600/DSC08627.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiY7fyb_g5H8wSk4J0bi2aehrfXs_Vf31g9YiijDxqYgCYv6iX9LGM5ewOuwZ1jpEyGVyemZOmJDCToT9JSPDeeQ3KJ8MPrsjDb6yBt8dUODqAVKCLQphMODOtQcGMYEfQh4LqzHuEdcc/s200/DSC08627.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">And
then, one night shortly before we left to drive back up to DC, I busted out the
chips! I figured, hey, one of the
flavors is <i>Fried Green Tomato</i>, they
are <u>bound</u> to like that one! And it
was a game we didn’t have to leave the comfort of their home for, so it seemed
perfect.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf-gVPjVUJoeB8TlVYZRCXOjuogsK8otPRZlZISsnHc7RqZ2P8yYfpPqP-fm7cdhQgsI97i7sInykH7CD273N-s4S_zlrDZQo0JWICSmDMKeQbxAOC0iMlPrAKQMvvgEzQaSClNXFVZFw/s1600/DSC08624.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf-gVPjVUJoeB8TlVYZRCXOjuogsK8otPRZlZISsnHc7RqZ2P8yYfpPqP-fm7cdhQgsI97i7sInykH7CD273N-s4S_zlrDZQo0JWICSmDMKeQbxAOC0iMlPrAKQMvvgEzQaSClNXFVZFw/s400/DSC08624.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everyone was all smiles before the bags were opened...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Perfect,
that is, until we actually tasted the chips……</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">James-and-Carol
(who will have to be separated and referred to individually for the rest of
this article, since they reviewed the food individually) did <b>NOT</b> like these chips! Their comments cracked me up – I was rolling
on the floor laughing as they ate them.
The whole idea of reviewing food seemed ridiculous to them, too. But hey, it was crazy neighbor Susan’s game,
so they went along with it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Meet
the reviewers:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">James
– age 77, from Kentucky<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Carol
– age 67 – also from Kentucky<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">David
– our normal TJ’s reviewer, from a suburb of Washington DC<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">And
me – originally from Nebraska, but a tried and true East Coast girl since 2000<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">We
rated these chips like David and I normally rate Trader Joe’s products – on a
scale of 0 – 5, with 5 being the highest).
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">First.
we tried the <b><i><u>CRISPY TACO</u></i></b> chips.
Here is what the reviewers thought:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">James:
“Well, it sorta tastes like a regular old BBQ chip. It smells like it’s done been eat <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">once before! This ain’t something I’d buy. It smells like it’s been eat once and threw
up! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I give it a <b>2</b>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Carol:
“This smells like <b>poop</b>! I’ve never tasted <i>poop</i> before… This is NOT
ok. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">James gave it a <b><i>2</i></b>? That is too many! I give it <b>0</b>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">David (lover of most snack foods): “Hmmm, taco…
This tastes like a taco to me. It
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">smells ok.
I wouldn’t <i>buy</i> this chip, but I
would <i>EAT</i> it. It’s ok.
I give it a <b>4</b>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Susan:
“Peeuuu – this bag of chips smells b-a-d. The taste is like you are eating a packet <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">of taco seasoning. This isn’t a chip I want to eat much of. I give it a <b>2</b>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG0vTGorxuozqGZ3O_M8rRAC7OvnhftoV3t-iOyxJ4OBCnDqs9NlfRqUK7sFDqAVlGnrQWjEBzVgiHwAkPawWu8H5baGvpQyXqNrar1Q1s7PcNP0JmKw1hNdkGkLwD1wpgIsbwl70ljQQ/s1600/DSC08628.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG0vTGorxuozqGZ3O_M8rRAC7OvnhftoV3t-iOyxJ4OBCnDqs9NlfRqUK7sFDqAVlGnrQWjEBzVgiHwAkPawWu8H5baGvpQyXqNrar1Q1s7PcNP0JmKw1hNdkGkLwD1wpgIsbwl70ljQQ/s320/DSC08628.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"This smells like POOP!" - Caro</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Next up was the <u style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">FRIED GREEN TOMATO </u>chips, the one I suspected our Southern friends might like:<br /> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">James:
“It tastes like they left the tomatoes out! Well, these I could eat. They are a <b>lot</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">better than them taco chips. I could eat these all day. They are bland, but I could eat <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">‘em.
I give them a <b>3.5</b>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Carol:
“These are <i>bland</i>! There is no <i>taste</i>. I keep waiting for it
to <i>taste</i>, but there is <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">nothing.
It says they are “Green Tomato” but they taste like I am eating <b><i>air</i></b>! I give them <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">a <b>1</b>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">David:
“These taste odd to me. They are astringent
– tastes like vinegar. I am not a <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">big fan of this one. I give them a <b>2.5</b>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Susan:
“These are not bad. I would never, ever have guessed the flavor was
Fried <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Green Tomatoes though, it doesn’t taste
like that to me. But I could eat
these. I give <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">them a <b>3.5</b>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUimIhAiUYISnDdSATybwIgQnN7-ArRrrBRbXqcpjRqOo3YlWL_SXhcxkGvJWutoEzuYFpvwWNWG820ndLs0y1hu_TksTxqA51liTGGuQfwCAC4duoXPQRp_hYzy41sdxEe35gKgm-ZnQ/s1600/DSC08630.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUimIhAiUYISnDdSATybwIgQnN7-ArRrrBRbXqcpjRqOo3YlWL_SXhcxkGvJWutoEzuYFpvwWNWG820ndLs0y1hu_TksTxqA51liTGGuQfwCAC4duoXPQRp_hYzy41sdxEe35gKgm-ZnQ/s320/DSC08630.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I could eat these all day," James<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">And
finally, we tried the <b><i><u>EVERYTHING BAGEL</u></i></b> flavor:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">James:
“Well, these are not my favorite, but I could eat ‘em. If you had a <i>dip</i> it would <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">probably work out ok. I give them a <b>2</b>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Carol:
“These are as bad as the taco ones.
They taste like stale chips that have been in <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">the cabinet for a whole year. All the flavor is gone out of ‘em. I give them a <b>0</b>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">David:
“The cream cheese flavor is a mistake.
I do not like the texture and the taste is <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">greasy.
I might not even eat these if they were open and left in front of
me. (Editor’s <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">note:
this is highly unusual! David
will normally eat any snack food placed in front of <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">him.)I give them a <b>1.5</b>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Susan:
“These taste just like sour cream to me – I do not get any “bagel”
taste. These are <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">a chip flavor fail.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">I give them a </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">2</b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">.”</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL6ktvG8svt3BgJ5i9_PC_jcd0TbP2KspJ6feUe_aX6CRRCK1l-4i4KshNHDV3EJqUNqcUyxsDZ38Vs6T4n89FVuaOOgKPeMc2ehMFKMGqBc1slaPr09PVVXbKlGRFKGG0oBHZIfmU0Z0/s1600/DSC08629.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL6ktvG8svt3BgJ5i9_PC_jcd0TbP2KspJ6feUe_aX6CRRCK1l-4i4KshNHDV3EJqUNqcUyxsDZ38Vs6T4n89FVuaOOgKPeMc2ehMFKMGqBc1slaPr09PVVXbKlGRFKGG0oBHZIfmU0Z0/s320/DSC08629.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David, a very discerning taste tester</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">So,
as you can see, poor Carol, the one who is sick and I thought might have fun
doing this project, HATED EVERY SINGLE CHIP.
Hahahaha! Poor Carol! It was as if I was doing a taste <i>torture</i> on her instead of a taste <i>test</i>.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">When
we average our scores together these are the results:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">CRISPY
TACO: <b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">2</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">FRIED
GREEN TOMATO: <b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">2.5</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">EVERYTHING
BAGEL: <b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">1.5</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
guess we can all be thankful that I didn’t hear about this chip flavor contest
until after the finalists were selected, otherwise we might have had to suffer
through lots more tasting (though I am not sure these other 2017 semi-finalist
flavors were available to the general public):<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; color: #373737; line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Lay's Bacon-Wrapped
Jalapeno Popper" from Nick Arndt (Massillon, Ohio)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; color: #373737; line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Lay's Toasted
Ravioli" from Trezette Dixon (St. Louis, Mo.)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; color: #373737; line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Lay's Wavy Avocado
Toast" from Vanessa Herberger (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; color: #373737; line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Lay's Kettle Cooked
Everything Bagel with Cream Cheese" from Lindsay Hoffman (Palm
City, Fla.)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; color: #373737; line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Lay's Nashville Hot
Chicken" from Hope Pan (Gainesville, Fla.)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; color: #373737; line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Lay's Wavy Fried Green
Tomato" from Gregory Pope (Charlotte, N.C.)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; color: #373737; line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Lay's Kettle Cooked
Smoked Gouda and Honey" from Brandon Foster (Saratoga
Springs, Utah)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; color: #373737; line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Lay's Wavy Spinach
Artichoke Dip" from Scott Merz (Grand Haven, Mich.)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; color: #373737; line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Lay's Crispy Taco"
from Ellen Sarem (San Antonio, Texas)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; color: #373737; line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Lay's Sloppy Joe"
from Chris Vail (Seattle, Wash.)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #373737; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
winner of the votes in the “Do Us a Flavor” competition ended up being (drum
roll….) … CRISPY TACO!!! Yes, the chip that Carol said smelled like
poop and James said tasted like vomit took home the grand prize of $1 million
bucks. <a href="http://www.pepsico.com/live/pressrelease/america-has-voted-lays-crispy-taco-crowned-2017-lays-do-us-a-flavor-winner10112017">Big Winner Announcement from Lay's link</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">So,
while we did not quite agree with the rest of the voting public on the winning
chip, I think all 4 of us neighbors had fun trying the finalists. I think James summed up our evening pretty
clearly when he declared that the Fried Green Tomato chips were the best
because, and I quote, “They had no taste”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">We
will miss you, Carol. Thanks for being a
great neighbor all these years, making us laugh, watching over our house, and
putting up with our craziness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKzTNVHagTWrjItxOyEUM92ES0WSOReXoyEPG8Xd8N8zxdjGpBQkUdV5eawRig-p9xIku5pfJO_azzkkcnTe5TQfcb7H3o9KtQnvSmgpUa76N0fo87_iC9Bjaw2ltiV9cw39wqM5Z01Pk/s1600/DSC08238+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1420" data-original-width="1600" height="566" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKzTNVHagTWrjItxOyEUM92ES0WSOReXoyEPG8Xd8N8zxdjGpBQkUdV5eawRig-p9xIku5pfJO_azzkkcnTe5TQfcb7H3o9KtQnvSmgpUa76N0fo87_iC9Bjaw2ltiV9cw39wqM5Z01Pk/s640/DSC08238+%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carol, one sweet neighbor </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
</div>
STGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11250015231001004499noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301242351144025942.post-19184710991753427852017-12-24T15:27:00.000-08:002017-12-24T15:27:56.515-08:00Bust Out The Mistletoe<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It's that time of year -<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>BUST OUT THE MISTLETOE!!!</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi7KxP7gDEDGDUpd1wZz6_WZe-QAHiIbx-wzpPW9T_vCT1V7cpJzhoENLT41IwweZU2NH9Jt2Mx5dpbDlu_oQP4dj87zhph9OuAX87vZ6rn1Lu86l2amAjgwVyMNT0rn6xwJvlXXSHql4/s1600/DSC00738.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi7KxP7gDEDGDUpd1wZz6_WZe-QAHiIbx-wzpPW9T_vCT1V7cpJzhoENLT41IwweZU2NH9Jt2Mx5dpbDlu_oQP4dj87zhph9OuAX87vZ6rn1Lu86l2amAjgwVyMNT0rn6xwJvlXXSHql4/s640/DSC00738.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mistletoe from Trader Joe's - the most important decoration of the season!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We have been a bit frantic this holiday season - traveling, working, rushing about... So, I am just gonna tell it like it is:<br />
<br />SO FAR THE ONLY HOLIDAY DECORATIONS WE HAVE OUT ARE A MENORAH (with no candles in it yet...) and A MISTLETOE from Trader Joe's (that is not actually HUNG UP yet...). <br />
<br />
And, umm, it is Christmas eve! And Hanukkah is over. Yes, it is December 24th and we have practically NO decorations! <br />
<br />
But honestly, we are non-traditional celebrators. We celebrate <b>any</b> and <b>all</b> holidays (hence the menorah AND the Christmas spirit). Oh, and we do not celebrate <u>ON TIME</u>. We celebrate when we choose! Why be ruled by a silly calendar when you can celebrate on whatever day feels right??<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUy59lkHGuZrXfJHJR8CyefigrXr7ZwHkbPnnfq-wRlr0zTmPwnhhUjK3kw83ZD9lU1OsH_rtwQH2mgO7YBkZre9eYKXZCiyEixBLLtfZvNOeKrMYduXd7B3cYEUlieGS7MPe-ho581uc/s1600/DSC00441.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUy59lkHGuZrXfJHJR8CyefigrXr7ZwHkbPnnfq-wRlr0zTmPwnhhUjK3kw83ZD9lU1OsH_rtwQH2mgO7YBkZre9eYKXZCiyEixBLLtfZvNOeKrMYduXd7B3cYEUlieGS7MPe-ho581uc/s640/DSC00441.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is us under what we deemed THE WORLD'S LARGEST MISTLETOE in Stockholm, Sweden, November 2017</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So perhaps we will find someone's Christmas tree put out for the garbage men in a day or two... And perhaps we will "recycle" that and make it our own. Or maybe (most likely) we will forego a tree this year all together and find another way to express our holiday spirit.<br />
<br />
In the meantime, we are holed away in Vino Volo at the St. Louis airport (near gate E18 :) ) enjoying our Christmas Eve dinner during a 3 hour layover. We visited my family in Omaha all week and are on the way back home. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxCKt3wOT2mdVgVPy8q8pTeeANf4kit3k_JqDEWkdsVer41Dstu6c1tyeTQIZ1a_g1ZKW96EdK68BH2Jpm6n9KCentcUZuh7BnkZBWJFyzn1pr5DDey07217D0MJVb4wHVqMFAU3uLA88/s1600/DSC00956.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxCKt3wOT2mdVgVPy8q8pTeeANf4kit3k_JqDEWkdsVer41Dstu6c1tyeTQIZ1a_g1ZKW96EdK68BH2Jpm6n9KCentcUZuh7BnkZBWJFyzn1pr5DDey07217D0MJVb4wHVqMFAU3uLA88/s640/DSC00956.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ho ho ho - Merrrrry Christmas (with a wine flight)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
But we wanted to take a moment to wish you a happy, merry, joyous WHATEVER (and whenever) you celebrate. <br />
<br />
And though it is probably too late to snag some mistletoe at Trader Joe's THIS YEAR, just know that next year when you see it you should grab some. It is totally effective and works wonders! (Original reviews here: <br />
<br />
2016 crop Trader Joe's Mistletoe review <a href="http://traderjoes365.blogspot.com/2016/12/real-mistletoe-2016-crop.html">click here</a><br />
2015 crop Trader Joe's Mistletoe review <a href="http://traderjoes365.blogspot.com/2015/01/day-19-real-mistletoe.html">click here</a><br />
<br />
THIS PRODUCT STILL RATES A 5 STAR REVIEW! Year after year, Trader Joe's mistletoe delivers.<br />
<br />
Happy holidays to all.<br />
<br /></div>
STGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11250015231001004499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301242351144025942.post-69368015423960127782017-12-22T09:17:00.001-08:002017-12-22T09:17:46.633-08:00Flowers -- Holidays or Everyday<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This is my periodic reminder to YOU, dear reader, to <i><u>BUY FLOWERS FOR YOUR MOTHER</u></i>.<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Go to Trader Joe's. Pick up a poinsettia if they still have some in stock. Get one of those sweet little Christmas trees in pots. Get a bouquet of pretty colored blooms. Get ANYTHING - just <i>GET FLOWERS FOR YOUR MOTHER</i>!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Sure, she may say, "I don't need flowers,". She might say, "Oh, you shouldn't have...". But trust me, you SHOULD.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And you might think, "But I can't afford flowers! I mean, it is the holiday season, I have spent so much on gifts already, I am strapped for cash". But flowers at Trader Joe's are very, very reasonably priced, and your mom will SMILE when you give them to her. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Don't wait for a special occasion- do it today. Think of all she has done for you - all of the "gifts" she has given over the years (some that came in boxes and some that were gifts of time and love). Gift her back! Show her you care. Do it today.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Do it while you can still look her in the eye as you hand them to her. Tell her how thankful you are for all she has done for you. If you are 6, 16, or 50 - if your mom is still here on earth, GIVE HER FLOWERS.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Because someday, you won't be able to hand them to her. Sure, you might still buy them in her memory, but trust me, it is not the same. Give them to her NOW, while she can appreciate them.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyrBCVMjA5CnECOEbTSKKVfTcU_A5XsLPvaLVKSJI_bieZp3lttDnT5S0YnS2m7R8PkpCGik0b6l_7psmaTelKNgCk8fAmQH8HafdYJEcHhyvd-cWSms2Ort-B_81l65V7YFOBtSKihmg/s1600/DSC00906.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyrBCVMjA5CnECOEbTSKKVfTcU_A5XsLPvaLVKSJI_bieZp3lttDnT5S0YnS2m7R8PkpCGik0b6l_7psmaTelKNgCk8fAmQH8HafdYJEcHhyvd-cWSms2Ort-B_81l65V7YFOBtSKihmg/s640/DSC00906.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Happy holidays one and all. And God bless us, every one. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
STGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11250015231001004499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301242351144025942.post-7105801841093191082017-12-19T13:41:00.001-08:002017-12-19T13:49:33.476-08:00Cinnamon Roll Wreath<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Today’s review is of a holiday product – Trader Joe’s Cinnamon
Roll Wreath. We are visiting Omaha,
Nebraska to have an early Christmas celebration with my family, so I thought,
“Who better to invite to be guest reviewers than my dad and his wife??”. May I present – John (my dad) and Evelyn (his
wife)!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT7TB3Ll9KBQqUJYVO937QOY0OfvAsBF5Xy0TqhHCOUfhFo0l6eU8957hksEYXVhdNpxBhXP7ZetdGXk4vMGiCKijumIz6gPHwEegvLxqTEj99v7e0agQ-gWlDbogucYZSWzVOLtSq1Do/s1600/DSC00845.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT7TB3Ll9KBQqUJYVO937QOY0OfvAsBF5Xy0TqhHCOUfhFo0l6eU8957hksEYXVhdNpxBhXP7ZetdGXk4vMGiCKijumIz6gPHwEegvLxqTEj99v7e0agQ-gWlDbogucYZSWzVOLtSq1Do/s640/DSC00845.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ho, ho, ho - MERRRRRY CHRISTMAS! Santa stopped by early!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">This photo was taken the night of our family Christmas, when Santa
showed up!</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Yup, the big man himself made
an appearance!</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It was quite fun.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We have 5 believers in our family – well, 4
believers and 1 too young to really get it…</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But they all liked Santa (wellll, that is stretching it…</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">In all honesty, the 2 toddlers were not so
fond of the jolly old fat man).</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But the
adults loved him!</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxCQxgKUJhoyjiaAQoyC5lduD4o2V1uTgDPPsK1cT_Fz7HwD1QglMetpxhxGVU1ZUlMhbPhDrIO4XgGrxePiPf9l1wpF2lLgY8av2zstGv_fUOmp8ZbECLeFlVcvfTMJxPquYpp-r_4hc/s1600/DSC00825.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxCQxgKUJhoyjiaAQoyC5lduD4o2V1uTgDPPsK1cT_Fz7HwD1QglMetpxhxGVU1ZUlMhbPhDrIO4XgGrxePiPf9l1wpF2lLgY8av2zstGv_fUOmp8ZbECLeFlVcvfTMJxPquYpp-r_4hc/s400/DSC00825.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tallis is one of our BELIEVERS. She WHISPERED what she wanted to Santa!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Anyway, David and I stopped at the Omaha Trader Joe’s in One Pacific
Place and picked up a few things, including a CINNAMON ROLL WREATH.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The whole family was crashing my dad’s house
(uninvited) to eat pizza after a hockey game, and I thought a few cinnamon
rolls after pizza sounded great.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">However, I failed to read the package instructions…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTX1626gvfDzlginjPT0TXIXBN6Fx75Ngy0d8s8nUOnryy_iZuVpHH0TueZAV6C7qEoy7lIWL6TcHpAqcxUkwqP3tRS7Z46_1N1ovKOlR2PE68SuxtPRTFojuPI7zgLNOqzl4wxcef9xk/s1600/DSC00766.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTX1626gvfDzlginjPT0TXIXBN6Fx75Ngy0d8s8nUOnryy_iZuVpHH0TueZAV6C7qEoy7lIWL6TcHpAqcxUkwqP3tRS7Z46_1N1ovKOlR2PE68SuxtPRTFojuPI7zgLNOqzl4wxcef9xk/s320/DSC00766.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oops, I should have turned the box over and read the other side...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">These suckers are not simple to prepare.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I mean, they are not DIFFICULT by any stretch
of the imagination, but they are not like a tube of Pillsbury rolls that you
just pop open and bung in the oven.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">These need to sit and rise before baking.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Also, they do not come with the GLAZE…</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Again, I should have read that and known
before we bought them, but it was a “grab and run” because we are rushing
around doing family things.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Had I KNOWN
we needed to make glaze, we would have picked up some powdered sugar (because,
let’s be honest here, my dad and Evelyn do not cook much., let alone BAKE, so
finding powdered sugar that was not expired a decade ago in the pantry would have
been impossible…).</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">In the “fly by the
seat of your pants” category, David Googled and learned he could make the glaze
with regular (not powdered sugar), which he found and mixed with water and
vanilla to make glaze.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So, due to these treats needing to rise before baking, having them
as a late night snack was out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheX_SGFE3kWDTLYdee_fUdZi-o1KIWYZ4k5xkT9IYhW6NAJrIlY03uGuJlwZ9Apfcr9HtjvlKjdKrvkeHoEqn2ngYwwLm1Pqc_zzqGJDCfVygXYFTIxUimfKKKanlflIoA3wyXRZDJEI4/s1600/DSC00793.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheX_SGFE3kWDTLYdee_fUdZi-o1KIWYZ4k5xkT9IYhW6NAJrIlY03uGuJlwZ9Apfcr9HtjvlKjdKrvkeHoEqn2ngYwwLm1Pqc_zzqGJDCfVygXYFTIxUimfKKKanlflIoA3wyXRZDJEI4/s640/DSC00793.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hey look - a WREATH made out of CINNAMON ROLLS! (Pre-glaze)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But that left them for breakfast the next morning!</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Evelyn had sort of a hard time waiting for
them (because, like I said, they had to rise).</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But when they were finally ready, she was thrilled with the
results.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Here is what everyone thought:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad: “These are
delicious! I give them a 4.95. It sounds hard to make them, but it really
wasn’t. Susan is making it sound like
they are very difficult to make, but they really are not (editor’s note: Dad did not assist with the preparation… </span><span style="font-family: "segoe ui emoji" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">😊</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> ) .
I like them WITH the frosting best – David makes a mean glaze. If they were any better they would be
perfect! I give these a 4.95. (Editor’s note: I explained that normally in this blog we
only use .25 variations, so he could give them a 4.5 or a 4.75 or a 5. But he INSISTED on the 4.95. And he is the dad, so he gets to pick his
score!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQNx0CsDHpcvrEQBaYf9Powf7U1F6QjwHQ_PzBAx0UPJXYdNiEPhTCCWmPeMfPd06VCrTmE_itiPdcOQxCSl01VJIZ5hTk35qTZU5foh_tnzN2vYi-YU3W7g91mWf7uJCzTo0EF18q3Eg/s1600/DSC00794.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQNx0CsDHpcvrEQBaYf9Powf7U1F6QjwHQ_PzBAx0UPJXYdNiEPhTCCWmPeMfPd06VCrTmE_itiPdcOQxCSl01VJIZ5hTk35qTZU5foh_tnzN2vYi-YU3W7g91mWf7uJCzTo0EF18q3Eg/s320/DSC00794.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dad loved them</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Evelyn:</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I would say these
are perfect!</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I prefer them with the
glaze.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They are perfect! </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Let’s have them again!</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I give them a score of 5.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">David: “The taste is
nice. The glaze is good. They are a little under-cooked, a bit
under-done tasting. (Editor’s note yet
again: I followed the instructions and
baked these right in the middle of the recommended baking range time.) I like them.
I give them a 3.5.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYdM-3CF_FoAoXVhwK3GmYZsmFmWpjeK_jr23oP8FYA3R_Avw05WKj7F4hQK2Thho60pXsLCMvVvr0byngiL8E-HdpHR9cQEMafEytJLxslKfc8bzDq-d5nfFVyIEWqN4PhkY1VyLbRPM/s1600/DSC00795.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYdM-3CF_FoAoXVhwK3GmYZsmFmWpjeK_jr23oP8FYA3R_Avw05WKj7F4hQK2Thho60pXsLCMvVvr0byngiL8E-HdpHR9cQEMafEytJLxslKfc8bzDq-d5nfFVyIEWqN4PhkY1VyLbRPM/s320/DSC00795.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David liked 'em</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Susan:</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I agree with David that
the centers of the cinnamon rolls were a bit underdone, but I sort of like that
taste.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I agree with everyone else that
the frosting/glaze is a good addition.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I
think the whole “wreath” concept is super pretty.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">If I got them again I would bake them a bit
longer.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">These would be good for Christmas
morning breakfast.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I give them a 4.5.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Gm6F3vtW82gV_kJRhJiQ2W2yufm9zeB-SNkzcJcEYMPYtvaCndiOKr_UZQ0C_py3kZjQf1ME6HgtiXi-MUvARVpC1VAFJYxjOOFgDk52WHOg8xBYz1g60A4twT4AgyAkbiDV0FVAPbs/s1600/DSC00765.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Gm6F3vtW82gV_kJRhJiQ2W2yufm9zeB-SNkzcJcEYMPYtvaCndiOKr_UZQ0C_py3kZjQf1ME6HgtiXi-MUvARVpC1VAFJYxjOOFgDk52WHOg8xBYz1g60A4twT4AgyAkbiDV0FVAPbs/s320/DSC00765.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet, fluffy, and buttery - good description</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">There you have it. If your
Trader Joe’s still has these in stock, grab a box. They are fun and tasty.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0vJLvLKxV26uNEaDZ4umUbBwz_h9QLg94DDZ5NSbk11bcHMTexiIK0EYRwBmfb-LUmCBvTJLWeTZOzKkj6hM83vpm2kbPleUD381AWU7HOGB7GQ6eFIi-4GzU_VZJk7Hnjl572TBAZ4I/s1600/DSC00850.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0vJLvLKxV26uNEaDZ4umUbBwz_h9QLg94DDZ5NSbk11bcHMTexiIK0EYRwBmfb-LUmCBvTJLWeTZOzKkj6hM83vpm2kbPleUD381AWU7HOGB7GQ6eFIi-4GzU_VZJk7Hnjl572TBAZ4I/s400/DSC00850.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MERRY CHRISTMAS from Susan and David (and Santa, of course)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Price: $4.99</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Rating (average of 4 raters):
<b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">4.5</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
STGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11250015231001004499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301242351144025942.post-55640413507600335402017-12-15T09:09:00.000-08:002017-12-15T09:13:16.671-08:00Sweet Corn, Burrata and Basil Ravioli<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">This
is a fancy review, because not only does it include a product review, not only
does it also include a STORE LOCATION review, but it also includes a GUEST
REVIEW!!! One of my readers, who is also
a friend, WARD, asked a looong time ago if I would consider a guest review from
him and his wife. I answered with a
resounding YES, because he is a fun guy, a great writer, and because it would
be something new and different for the blog!
A fresh point of view!! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5hU9i7Whyv2q76FHKMGMkuB2XpfRS3BA9oedoW074KDoJnI3fIpxiGDnouyGaYq5oCT8Y7r4UMwkMElHDSS7UnaKNb1WmbXGvKYeqfria-nIxAZ8I__vSR5okHkkNX7eC3QmiWFGR_pg/s1600/sweet+corn+basil+burata+guest+reviewers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="437" data-original-width="450" height="387" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5hU9i7Whyv2q76FHKMGMkuB2XpfRS3BA9oedoW074KDoJnI3fIpxiGDnouyGaYq5oCT8Y7r4UMwkMElHDSS7UnaKNb1WmbXGvKYeqfria-nIxAZ8I__vSR5okHkkNX7eC3QmiWFGR_pg/s400/sweet+corn+basil+burata+guest+reviewers.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">May I present Ward and Ann - the guest reviewers!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So here it is – let’s start with what Ward and Ann have to say about Trader Joe’s Sweet
Corn, Burrata and Basil Ravioli:</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“This is one of those
meal items that has me saying, “It’s good, but it needs … something…” I am
talking about Trader Joe’s Sweet Corn, Burrata & Basil Ravioli. The
subtitle on the package says, “Creamy ricotta and burrata cheese ravioli filled
with sweet corn and basil.” It comes in
a sealed, refrigerated eight-ounce plastic tray with two servings per
container. It is not a gluten-free product, nor is it vegan, but it qualifies
as vegetarian.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1vUOyQY6jhodNbMQ3L_gDoovdoatsA7BeNLTZ38y9w0sBXW7SeGf8QJPvMpYLo48sKChP5NSO9zHa_3gnKD3ijRfBMYmKMwYqloXfH1eQcmqlu9OEYR4-KkHYtyahnLs9u67I6yzOgu8/s1600/sweet+corn+basil+burata+ravioli+package.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1vUOyQY6jhodNbMQ3L_gDoovdoatsA7BeNLTZ38y9w0sBXW7SeGf8QJPvMpYLo48sKChP5NSO9zHa_3gnKD3ijRfBMYmKMwYqloXfH1eQcmqlu9OEYR4-KkHYtyahnLs9u67I6yzOgu8/s320/sweet+corn+basil+burata+ravioli+package.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is the package</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Ann loves ravioli and
loves to impulse shop at TJ’s. So, this came into our kitchen, and I made the
meal. The ingredient list is long, including mostly recognizable things like
durum wheat, cheese, canola oil, sea salt, turmeric, cayenne powder, and
microbial enzymes (which I believe are used in cheese-making as a vegetarian
substitute for rennet.) At our Trader Joe’s in Rochester, NY, this ravioli
package sells for $3.49.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">(Editor’s note:
Rochester, NY is where I met my sweetheart David!</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And on our very first date we went to a
grocery store, Wegman’s!</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I wish I could
say we went to Trader Joe’s, but I don’t think there was one in Rochester at
the time, and besides, Wegman’s is a quintessentially Rochester experience…)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Before adding anything
else to it, I sampled a plain cooked raviolo. (Yes, raviolo is the singular of
ravioli!) It was good, but not very
exciting. The filling was mostly corn, and the corn was fairly coarse and
unsweet. Maybe I am spoiled by having the luxury of choice when it comes to
seasonal sweet corn in upstate New York. If we get corn that is not tender or
sweet enough, it goes into the freezer for soups or stews. The corn in these
ravioli would have barely met my soup standards. The cheese and basil part of
the filling was fine, but there could have been more of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjivJat1CE9JveU_ewkjYAtQbkcmPK3_gh_xTbEIiofq7Ckkk4Tv_eZXwuO8YnjeoZEy6v8QvsdGeTBbIltzMk1e_1UdDurNai4CyQhCmjtQI3r68m40W06Cu4J313fllXjjj2Igi_NX_c/s1600/sweet+corn+basil+burata+ravioli.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjivJat1CE9JveU_ewkjYAtQbkcmPK3_gh_xTbEIiofq7Ckkk4Tv_eZXwuO8YnjeoZEy6v8QvsdGeTBbIltzMk1e_1UdDurNai4CyQhCmjtQI3r68m40W06Cu4J313fllXjjj2Igi_NX_c/s320/sweet+corn+basil+burata+ravioli.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty good price for this item</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Now, about the pasta -
the casing of these ravioli was rather fragile. As a result, a few of the
ravioli spilled their guts in the cooking water (and I was very careful not to
overcook – the package directions are clear about not boiling.) So, if this
happens when you cook it, make sure you drain through a sieve or colander that
will catch all the interior bits that have escaped into the cooking pot.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So, here are my secret
magical additives to bring this dish from a 2.5 to a 4.5: greens, chickpeas and
garlic. These are my basic go-to additives for many pasta dishes. Sauté some
chopped greens like chard, spinach, or rabe until tender. Add minced garlic and
cooked chickpeas (canned is okay, but I prefer cooking dry beans in a pressure
cooker – less salt and more flavor.) When the veggies are tender, melt in
plenty of butter (yes, <i>real</i> butter)
and add red pepper flakes and salt to taste. The chickpeas will add a nutty and
creamy protein factor. The greens will add a fresh garden goodness. And, well, <i>garlic </i>is <i>garlic</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGORUh-3eak54KSLqMRSO0idylKOs5mLOLXbH_xpyIXJxubuKm_7t2R_rZmb8R-G4UEZcjqBGGA0TWuz1nU_YI2GN_vjLJSLhbKNNmV-q24pHN2yqkXd1AFLzVf3bXMWyFbgapbgAEzJQ/s1600/sweet+corn+basil+burata+ward+s+addition.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGORUh-3eak54KSLqMRSO0idylKOs5mLOLXbH_xpyIXJxubuKm_7t2R_rZmb8R-G4UEZcjqBGGA0TWuz1nU_YI2GN_vjLJSLhbKNNmV-q24pHN2yqkXd1AFLzVf3bXMWyFbgapbgAEzJQ/s400/sweet+corn+basil+burata+ward+s+addition.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ahhh, with Ward's magical enhancements it looks delightful, no?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Drain the ravioli (and
whatever filling has spilled out) and add them to the skillet with the other
ingredients. Toss and serve onto warmed plates (editor’s note: warmed plates?? Remind me to eat dinner at Ann and Ward’s
house next time we are in Rochester – fancy!) with grated parmesan to sprinkle
on top. Ann suggests a wine pairing of Pinot Noir. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Since
we live near the Finger Lakes, we poured one from Ravines Winery.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Rating: without Ward’s magical enhancements – <b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">2.5</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Rating: with Ward’s magical enhancements – <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><b style="background-color: yellow;">4.5</b><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="background-color: white;">"</span><span style="background-color: yellow; font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And
now let’s look at what David and I thought of Trader Joe’s Sweet Corn, Burrata & Basil Ravioli, shall we? We
served it with fresh basil (from our garden) and grated parmesan on top. It will be interesting (to me anyway…) to see
if our tastes are similar to Ann and Ward’s!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">David: “These ravioli are very nice. They are light, a little bland, but the cheese
inside is a nice choice to give them some flavor. I would personally prefer – I mean – the pasta
itself is VERY tasty, so it is nice that the sauce doesn’t obfuscate that, but I
like a little bit more taste, so I would recommend serving this with sprinkled
bacon bits, or a tomato and sausage sauce.
Something that would bring a little more <b>zing</b> to the flavor palate. But,
that is not the ravioli’s job! Their job
is to be the best pasta ravioli they can be!
And since the ingredients are corn and a kind of bland cheese, I think
it does a great job. I give it a 4.0.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ZP1ZnIVnFCwMu_pLcEDSX6FKJwFOlZzuXJWiTVri-kr2P5YqblWSy8CRE2ozis0vtEJ_0qMyyB4ZlLPA7y5dhnxZlVNVSGzwptEQ6Vo5WCo-xa1mphzyx4iKtPN6XGdZsJBRBGzL2rc/s1600/sweet+corn+basil+burata+in+action.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ZP1ZnIVnFCwMu_pLcEDSX6FKJwFOlZzuXJWiTVri-kr2P5YqblWSy8CRE2ozis0vtEJ_0qMyyB4ZlLPA7y5dhnxZlVNVSGzwptEQ6Vo5WCo-xa1mphzyx4iKtPN6XGdZsJBRBGzL2rc/s640/sweet+corn+basil+burata+in+action.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David looks a bit unsure of this product before we tried it... Aren't the stripes on the raviolis pretty?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And here is my take:</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I am
glad we added the fresh basil and parmesan, I think those were good with this
dish.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The label said that the ravioli included
basil, but I couldn’t taste that in it at all (and neither could David).</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We served this with just olive oil for a “sauce”,
and I think that is the only way to go with it, because the taste is so mild
that any other sauce would overpower the ravioli.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The corn is chunks of corn, which I thought was nice. This pasta has the problem that other TJ’s
raviolis have – how do you safely get them OUT of the pot after they are
cooked? You really need a large slotted spoon to
gently remove them, and when we had these we were not in a kitchen that was
stocked with one of those. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Overall, I like the taste of these.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I agree with David’s score of 4.0.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1AOGT7zw9Qe8wphkHpCub3jYZlkTcd29kpePLg3dlKEs4_OpW26inyMIHdhRw-TTdiPnoGJdc5hxrYJzjLtxrMMpwIlkO5ezsoGd5x2DIhkZk0doqGlPy5gPWRWeyX74h8ixFHDDIJ0U/s1600/orlando+store.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1AOGT7zw9Qe8wphkHpCub3jYZlkTcd29kpePLg3dlKEs4_OpW26inyMIHdhRw-TTdiPnoGJdc5hxrYJzjLtxrMMpwIlkO5ezsoGd5x2DIhkZk0doqGlPy5gPWRWeyX74h8ixFHDDIJ0U/s400/orlando+store.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look - we are visiting YET ANOTHER Trader Joe's! <br />
I think this brings the total to around 33 locations visited in 12 states so far.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And finally, a note about a new to us Trader Joe’s location – the store
on West Sand Lake Rd in Orlando: This
was a very nice store. It was clean,
well lit, and well laid out. The employees
were friendly (although none offered to help us). I did not notice anything really unique about
the store, but they did have some cool flamingos at the check-outs. I asked if those are always up and they said
that they had put them up months earlier and just left them, because customers
liked them. </span><span style="font-family: "segoe ui emoji" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">😊</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "segoe ui emoji" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihFV-6V46FjZRK7050_cO9n1j2UqA2m2HfHeKedzjiiLiVyV4eYJ7Tjf64atMdeXmTL-vjO9mL45RKN6OvvJun_YsAWAHyoE6DS5gi2fe12ZEE_Ai4SRtPBdi1qWLe539J0rPa6AI5tlg/s1600/DSC07451.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihFV-6V46FjZRK7050_cO9n1j2UqA2m2HfHeKedzjiiLiVyV4eYJ7Tjf64atMdeXmTL-vjO9mL45RKN6OvvJun_YsAWAHyoE6DS5gi2fe12ZEE_Ai4SRtPBdi1qWLe539J0rPa6AI5tlg/s400/DSC07451.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flamingos make anything look more "Florida", even check-out lanes</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2iTCZKAyTEaJeJhFnEAj_zheDnyTQcwQtmpsI7dZUAjQgMLKYPR6jsCBbqz4SeTb2dK-BeL4yoJVCSvNdVz8CgQoVZl-_nDACA95BYj5SYtgARyWpg8k8_v_u0A537kt-ieDHizi7lso/s1600/orlando+store+sign.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2iTCZKAyTEaJeJhFnEAj_zheDnyTQcwQtmpsI7dZUAjQgMLKYPR6jsCBbqz4SeTb2dK-BeL4yoJVCSvNdVz8CgQoVZl-_nDACA95BYj5SYtgARyWpg8k8_v_u0A537kt-ieDHizi7lso/s320/orlando+store+sign.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Orlando Trader Joe's signage</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "segoe ui emoji" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Here is a recap of ravioli scores:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Price: $3.49<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Rating: (average of 6 raters, since Ann and Ward rated it using 2
different cooking techniques) <b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">3.75</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
STGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11250015231001004499noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7301242351144025942.post-42587449847278376412017-11-11T08:26:00.000-08:002017-11-11T08:26:14.445-08:00Honey Crisp Apple Cider is BACK!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Everyone who is a regular at Trader Joe's has their "go to" items, their favorites. We mourn them if TJ's discontinues them. But if they are seasonal, we DELIGHT when their season rolls around and they magically appear on the shelves again...<br />
<br />
May I have a drum roll please....<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiudxWeeK8aINkGjZr9-jGCbdETiUF2l7tYT-CCAXp2QT30BnuzkP5pPxn76nUD2tI8MATwcRpm4Qm8ZSUc0uCHTdUzJkPVZO6_Q_FK1guCPsw8LxF0d0nMrwtDz9e4rw840V2FuX3utC8/s1600/honey+crisp+apple+cider+returns+2017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiudxWeeK8aINkGjZr9-jGCbdETiUF2l7tYT-CCAXp2QT30BnuzkP5pPxn76nUD2tI8MATwcRpm4Qm8ZSUc0uCHTdUzJkPVZO6_Q_FK1guCPsw8LxF0d0nMrwtDz9e4rw840V2FuX3utC8/s640/honey+crisp+apple+cider+returns+2017.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Party in the juice aisle - Honey Crisp Apple Cider is BACK!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
HONEY CRISP APPLE CIDER IS BACK AT TRADER JOE'S!!<br />
<br />
If you haven't had the pleasure of drinking this cider, boy are you in for a treat :) . It. Is. Delicious! I have to warn you though - last year I developed a bit of an "addiction" to it... Every afternoon last winter for about 90 days I would get incredibly sleepy around 3:00 pm. It was like clockwork! The clock struck 3:00, my yawning started. But the yawning was accompanied by a CRAVING... I neeeeeeeeed a mug of hot Trader Joe's Honey Crisp Apple Cider! Lucky for me, that is an easy, healthy, cheap, and legal craving to satisfy! So for about a month and a half there, I drank a mug of this warmed up every afternoon!<br />
<br />
And, truth be told, I sort of drank too much of it. "OD-ed" on it, if you will. I had stocked up on a few bottles, but left them untouched until this fall rolled around. I have since busted them open and resumed my adoration of this cider. And you should, too!!!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilkV1KEuu0dihtL-aZ2PWx2RUZcf-ldhv9v7uNRJZeFHr0gL94fJyd37IfNRUxz8ES9HdPvyGDD9UuUDP0iqbLlHYLzYQq_dR5ALgJQiQqiRDq_0mBSCj58FguxuPXgWq-BtQm5H6AcGo/s1600/honey+crisp+cider+price+2017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilkV1KEuu0dihtL-aZ2PWx2RUZcf-ldhv9v7uNRJZeFHr0gL94fJyd37IfNRUxz8ES9HdPvyGDD9UuUDP0iqbLlHYLzYQq_dR5ALgJQiQqiRDq_0mBSCj58FguxuPXgWq-BtQm5H6AcGo/s400/honey+crisp+cider+price+2017.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who has 2 thumbs and think this price point is perfect for a cider this good? THIS GIRL!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
If you have tried the other TJ's ciders and think those are good - well I hate to say you are wrong, because we all have our own preferences. But... TRY THIS ONE, TOO!<br />
<br />
And if you like it (and you will) make sure to squirrel away a few bottle down in your wine cellar (ok, seriously, is anyone who shops at TJ's rich enough to have a WINE CELLAR? Perhaps I guess. I squirrel away my collection WITH the wine in the basement, which just so happens to be stored in a rack on top of a shrunk (which is like an extra pantry closet). <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtGVG47FWZ4Sa4533mJtRN-Q8UGjEDPexpTyQjJFJmA81AuR3HqgguPzhGSxivRStBbqBCKIIaW-Ci9tuQEmmLKnAd738jtpXNOhnjU2NWuXPuGyIHeoWLUFCJP6mk6_DCXSCVuuYZL_4/s1600/Honey+Crisp+Apple+Cider+%25242.99.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtGVG47FWZ4Sa4533mJtRN-Q8UGjEDPexpTyQjJFJmA81AuR3HqgguPzhGSxivRStBbqBCKIIaW-Ci9tuQEmmLKnAd738jtpXNOhnjU2NWuXPuGyIHeoWLUFCJP6mk6_DCXSCVuuYZL_4/s320/Honey+Crisp+Apple+Cider+%25242.99.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THIS IS THE ONE YOU ARE LOOKING FOR!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Wherever you have room to store it, all I am saying is, get a few bottles! Because it is seasonal, and like most good things, seasons will change and this will disappear until next year. <br />
<br />
Price: the same as it has been since I first wrote about it 2 years ago, $2.99 and not a penny higher<br />
Rating: still an amazing <b><span style="background-color: yellow;">5 stars</span></b></div>
STGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11250015231001004499noreply@blogger.com0