Tracking Trader Joe's

Gingerbread House Fun Project for Kids

They still had plenty of Trader Joe's Gingerbread House kits ($6.99) at my local store, and the Tracking Trader Joe's Lab Techs (my daughters) had a blast putting the house together.

Quick Quesadillas

I love Mexican food, and a BBQ pork quesadillas is a quick and easy lunch.

I start with Trader Joe's Shredded BBQ Pork, Reduced Carb Tortillas, Fancy Shredded Mexican Cheese, and Peach Salsa. You can also use the Shredded BBQ Chicken, the wide variety of tortillas that TJ's sells, and any one of the salsas (another of my favorites is Trader Joe's Habanero & Lime Salsa). I usually add either home-made guacamole or the prepared TJ's stuff, but I was out of avacados this time.

I start by heating up a pan, and microwaving a bit of the Shredded BBQ Pork (about a minute, or until hot). I heat one side of a tortilla until brown, and then flip it. I immediately add the cheese, which should start melting. I put the BBQ pork on the cheese, and when the tortilla is brown on the bottom I put it on a plate. Before I fold it over I add a bit of salsa and/or guacamole.

Candy Cane Joe-Joe's

I hope you got a chance to try the limited edition Candy Cane Joe-Joe's (they're already sold out from my local TJ's).  I've always been a big fan of Joe-Joe's, but this was an interesting take on the traditional sandwich cookie, with a light peppermint taste and a suprising candy cane crunch ($2.99).

I'm Back...

It's been a long time, but the day job,  a 15-hour per week commute, 2 young kids, and my main blog HackingNetflix kept me so busy I had little time to update this site. However, the job and commute, more than 55 hours per week, are gone (I got riffed), so I have more time on my hands.

This site has always been a labor of love. I shop at Trader Joe's at least twice a week, and it's rare that I visit Stop'n'Shop (our large supermarket). I love to try new products, and we only cheat on TJ's with a few items from Costco and Stew Leonard's.

I'll be posting news, reviews, recipes and more soon. Feel free to contact me with questions, comments, requests and story ideas: trackingtj [at] gmail.com.

- Mike