So it's no wonder that someone -- actually two hip working moms -- came up with the brilliant idea to write a cookbook focused exclusively on Trader Joe's products. Cooking with All Things Trader Joe's by Deana Gunn and Wona Miniati has all the qualities that fans of the grocery chain like: it's easy to follow, uncomplicated, and doesn't take itself too seriously.
As busy working moms, Gunn and Miniati know how hard it is to cook and eat healthfully: "If you're like us, you love to eat natural, delicious, home-cooked foods, but due to career, family, or simply a busy modern lifestyle, you can't meals from scratch every night. There's a time and place for take-out and frozen entrees, but there's never a substitute for home-cooked meals."
That's where the cookbook comes in. Gunn and Miniati offer dozens of appetizing recipes featuring Trader Joe's products such as pasta, stir fry vegetables, quinoa, organic tofu, and free range roasting chicken. Most of the recipes average 3-5 steps and come with prep and cooking times, so you can plan ahead. One potential drawback to the book is that Trader Joe's rotates its products, so you may not find every item in your local store.
With simple and straightforward recipes, this cookbook will be a saving grace for busy cooks and kitchen novices. It contains categories for "Appealing Appetizers," "Soups, Salads, and Light Meals," "Main Meals," "On the Side," "Delicious Desserts and Daring Drinks," "Begin with Breakfast," and "Bachelor Quickies," which features frozen and ready-to-eat foods.
For a bonus feature, many of the dishes come with a suggested wine pairing, which is helpful. Also each recipe is accompanied by a picture, which the authors claim are "REAL." That is, they were taken in their home kitchens, with no professional styling or lighting. Though some are better than others, overall, they're functional and work just fine.
Now here are some of my favorite recipes. For fast and fun fare, you can't beat chipotle turkey chili, south of the border pizza, and tiramimousse (nope, that's not a misspelling; it's a combination of tiramisu and mousse).
If you're looking for something more adventurous, then try one of their many ethnic recipes such as Asian dumpling soup, curried chicken pitas, and spicy Szechuan tofu.
For those times when you want an elegant meal in minutes, try the polenta with truffle mushrooms, calamari brodetto, or lobster ravioli with vodka sauce.
Now for the best part: One lucky Food Blogga reader will receive a complimentary copy of Cooking with All Things Trader Joe's. Here's what you have to do to win:
Just tell me why you'd like to win the cookbook. Please respond by the end of the day, Tuesday, April 7, 2009. That's it.
With the help of random.org, 1 winner will be randomly selected and announced in a future post, so please check back. The give-away is open to all Food Blogga readers wherever you live. The winner will need to provide her or his real name and mailing address. Don't have a blog? Just leave an active email address where you can be reached. Good luck, everybody!
114 comments:
I love our neighborhood Trader Joe's but shop there for only the vegetarian items I have trouble finding elsewhere. I tend to cook my way, page by page, through any cookbook I purchase. What fun would it be to cook my way through this cookbook with the added bonus of trying other Trader Joe items!
That is why I'd like to win!!!
Thanks
Krickett
timkrick@columbus.rr.com
Love Trader Joes - we have a son with PKU, and they have lots of vegan friendly foods there - would love the cookbook!
Thanks!
Heidi
heidisrecipes.blogspot.com
A Trader Joe's cookbook! Now why didn't I think of that!!!! I have been going to Trader Joes and loving it for over 20 years now! I am all about TJs and didn't even know they had a cookbook. I would love to win of course!
I'd like to win because I love trying new recipes!
I would love to win because I am a HUGE fan of Trader Joe's... I drive 45 mins to the closest one to me in warwick RI!!
The book sounds fabulous! The nearest TJ's is about an hour away, but I make regular trips to stock up on their great food. I would love to have a book that gives me new ideas about ways to use their products.
I've actually never been to trader joe's but my sister and friends rave about it! it's about 45 minutes from us, so if I win the cookbook I'll have even more incentive to go! Either that or I'll have a wonderful gift!
i'm returning to my vegetarian/ health conscious days, and would LOVE some globally conscious inspiration. :)
i also love trader joes- i have friends who live across the country ship me their nuts about raspberries and chocolate trail mix on a regular basis!
because I love TJ's!
i love trader joes and i love cooking! especially quick recipes (i'm a busy foodie!). and wine pairings makes it even better!!!
I love trying new recipes! And Trader Joe's is a fun place. They always have great items that are hard to find anywhere else!
I love cookbooks in general and would love to see what ideas the Trader Joe's cookbook would have!
Unfortunately the closest TJ's are 45 minutes away form my home. SO when I go, I make it a trip and load up on the things we use. It's always interesting to see how they combine foods---the cookbook would be a treat :-)
I used to live in Milwaukee, where we had a great Trader Joe's. Now I live in Miami, where there are no Trader Joe's for MILES...it's very sad.
but if i had this cookbook, I think it would help.
We don't have trader Joe's in France, but I'd really like to try and be a pioneer here!
I'd love to discover Trader Joe's through this book... We don't have such stores here in Switzerland.
Cheers,
Rosa
I love cookbooks, I love Trader Joes lemon yogurt, and I only wish I lived in the same country as Trader Joes! I currently have to drive (with an ice chest ready for the return trip) from Vancouver, BC to the nearest one in Bellingham Washington which is an hour plus an international border each way, away. Even so, I would LOVE to purchase more varied and interesting items to make into recipes from the cookbook! this is especially true of any recipes that use the Lemon yogurt. Yum!
I love Trader Joe's, too! I like how they have so many organic things, and how they're usually pretty cheapo. I'd like to win because I don't live near a Trader Joe's these days, so now I just dream about shopping there. But I'm guessing I could still substitute stuff so that I could actually use the cookbook, right?! Otherwise I'll just dream until I'm around a TJs again!
Thanks!
A Trader Joe's cookbook? Who knew! LOVE the store... I imagine I'd love the cookbook!
*maybe with a little prodding, you'll post some recipes out of there for any of us who don't win it?
Love Trader Joe's. I always ask their employees what their favorite item is--I have discovered some yummy new items this way.
Sadly, I don't live near a Trader Joe's...but my parents do! This would make a perfect mothers day gift for my mom!!
Thanks for the chance to win!
I love going to Trader Joe's. There is always something new to explore as well as many standard Trader Joe products I keep stocked in my pantry, refrigerator and freezer. The staff is always helpful and make shopping there a happy experience. Plus their newsletters are clever and make me smile!
While I have a large cookbook collection, there is always room for more cookbooks and ideas on how to use Trader Joe's products.
We've had rumors of a Trader Joe's opening in our town for a couple of years now, and it finally happened! They will be opening the first of May. I'm so excited to finally have one an it would be great to have a cookbook using their products. I could use it as a guide to help me with my first shopping trip since I will probably be overwelmed an have no clue what to buy. Great giveaway!!!
I LOVE Trader Joes! I go every chance I can get! I would love the cookbook- what a creative idea! Thanks for the chance.
Erin from Ohio
Trader Joes is a fun place. It would be fun to have a cookbook and seek out some items I may be missing.
I love Trader Joes. Who knew they had a cookbook?!?! Great idea. I was at TJ's last weekend and they were giving out samples of curry chicken with Israeli couscous. I asked the woman how it was made, bought the 3 simple TJ's ingredients and made it the next day. It was delish.
I always shop TJs and find interesting things I want to use, but as I'm more of a recipe-follower-with-a-little-tweaking-here-and-there rather than a throw-stuff-together-and-see-what-works, I'd love, love, love this cookbook!
Thanks for the opportunity!
I LOVE TJ's!! I love to just walk around the aisles trying to think of wasys to use their fun ingredients. A cook book would make that a ton easier! Thanks!
Hello i live on the other side of the world and here we don't have Trader Joe's so to know what Trader Joe's is i need to win this book.
Thank you
I would love to win this cookbook because shopping at the Trader Joe's in Newton, MA IS actually a really good time. And they always have interesting products that I would LIKE to use, I just don't know how. Hope I win! :o)
I would love a Trader Joe's cookbook. I have been waiting for 9 years for one to open in my town... and my patience has paid off - one is opening May 1st down the street from my house. Winning their cookbook would make my day.
I would LOVE a Trader Joe's cookbook! I did most of my shopping at TJ's when I lived in CA...now I drive over 100 miles to go to TJ's...they keep promising us one here, but so far nuthin'...so sad.
I find new things there every time I make a TJ's run, so a cookbook would be awesome.
klhardingatcableoneonedotnet
We don't have Trader Joe's here. We love this store when we stayed in LA for 2 weeks.
I'd like to win it because I only shop at TJs
Mmmmmm, I 'heart' Trader Joe's!! I am currently living in Italy. This is one of the stores that I miss the most! We will be returning to the States soon and I would love to have a new cookbook for TJs recipes!
The closest TJs to our last home was 45 minutes away... we would drive there once a week! There are some things that I just have to have... the unique beers, almond champagne, guacamole tortilla chips...etc, etc ;)
Who wouldn't like a TJ's cookbook! I love the store, shop there every week.
I would love the cookbook because it would give me more recipes for the week! I'm newly married and need some variety and I just adore Trader Joe's! Thanks. Jenn Gray, jennc315@yahoo.com
I'm very curious to know what TJ's is all about...I've gotta get this one Susan!!
I.m an avid cookbook fan. I love TJ's food an would not only enjoy the book but cook from it quite often. This is one great giveaway!!
thanks
momcorliss@gmail.com
I love cookbooks! I love Trader Joe's!! I'd love a Trader Joe's cookbook!!! I guess it's just that simple. Thanks for hosting the giveaway. :-)
One word: tiramimousse. How can you go wrong combining my two favorite desserts?
I would love a Trader's Joe Cookbook.... haven't seen them. Love to try new recipes
I love Trader Joe's and have one maybe 15 minutes away from me. But I don't wind up going there very often. Winning this cookbook would inspire me to take better advantage of it!
I love trying new recipes and think this would be an awesome cookbook to add to my collection!
Thanks!
I would love it because we don't have TJ in Canada. Great giveaway.
I do almost all my shopping at TJ's. The cookbook sounds great!
You can never have too many cookbooks!!!
TJ's is our food savior! We always run there for quick finds and cheap wine.
Because I love me some trader joe.
-Monica-
rideit4@comcast.net
My brother regularly brings treats from Trader Joe's. The nearest one is about two hours away from my house.
I'd love to own this cookbook, after looking at some of the authors' recipes.
Mary
mary (at) jcrmusic (dot) com
Love Trader Joe's. I go several times a week and a cookbook sounds great.
I'd love the chance to see some new healthy and interesting recipes. I often go online for these recipes, but it would be great to have a cookbook full of them.
Thank you!
I have a confession: cooking is my least favorite of household activities. I'd rather scrub the toilet with a toothbrush. For years I have tried to embrace the act of cooking and would like nothing more than the enthusiasm of those who love it. Baking? Absolutely! But pots and pans are not my friend! I do love Trader Joe's however, so maybe a flame could be ignited. I am hopeful!!!
I am completely obsessed with TJ. Would LOVE this cookbook :)
I moved to a state with no Trader Joes....:-( But I'd love to win this as a gift for my wonderful big sis who is still within walking distance from TJs!!
If that Cookbook is even half as good as the products that Trader Joe's carries, I think it would be a fantastic addition to any home chef's cookbook collection!! I would love to get my hands on it, b'coz from the way you describe it, looks like it has quite a few simple everyday recipes!:)
this sounds like a wonderful cook book thanks for the giveaway
I'd love to win because I'm obsessed with cookbooks.
I havent stopped by your blog in so long. I saw your post at La Dolce Vita and stopped in to say hello. Lo and behold you are giving away a cookbook. I always think to myself when this happens, gosh does the writer of this blog think I only stop in when there is a giveaway? Ah, but I cant resist the idea of possibly winning a new cookbook, especially Traders Joes that I miss so much from AZ. I would love to have this book to dream of TJ again.
Trader Joe's is my favorite store!!! I'd love the opportunity to shop there even more! :)
I would like to win because instead of going to the Cheers bar where "everyone knows your name", now that I have 2 children, I go to Trader Joes where they all not only know my name, but my 2 boys!! They know my 3 year old likes the blue balloons and that my younger one likes the green, but most importantly they know to tell me all the new things they have and actually all taste them and then tell me what I would love and not love. It is a crazy obsession and the cookbook would help me put all the ingredients together!!! I buy stuff I think I will use and then never do because I don't know what to make!! Maybe I need a Trader Joes therapist? aaaah!
Hello, my name is Dragon and I'm a cookbook addict. It is my mission to have every cookbook every made. :)
What an awesome giveaway! I would loooove to win this book, because it would be great to just shop at Trader Joe's some weeks. When the sales are bad at other stores (and since we don't have a good produce place in town) I find myself just at Trader Joe's, but I don't have a lot of ideas for what to cook when that is the only store I am shopping at.
I'm a loyal Trader Joe's shopper and would love to win this.
Thanks for the giveaway!
Kimspam66(at)yahoo(dot)com
As a student pressed for money and time to cook proper meals for myself, I especially appreciate Trader Joe's for its healthy and inexpensive groceries! I would love the cookbook to discover new ways to enjoy my favorite grocery store.
I'm always looking for healthy meals and love shopping at Trader Joes, both for the healthy products and the incredible prices. This cookbook sounds like a winner! utgal2004[at]yahoo[dot]com
Love Trader Joes brand becos I heard from blog friends that it's good brand for trying Naan and other products. rajikarthik@hotmail.com
I love Trader Joes but we tend to go for the the ready-made meals and snacks. I'd love ideas for how to use the brand to make other things.
what i miss most about CA is trader joe. we have none in idaho. a TJ cookbook is a great idea.
I would like to win the cookbook because I love Trader Joe's products and the cookbook must be a good one!
janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com
Wow! This is my first time at your blog. What an exciting offer! Thanks for the opportunity. My cupboards, fridge, and freezer are filled with Trader Joe's products at all times. I love shopping there! Since our family is on a gluten-free (and milk and soy-free) diet, it is so great that their ingredient labels clearly state if there are any gluten-containing ingredients. They also have good manufacturing practices to avoid cross contamination. To top it off, they don't use artificial anything!
I spend way too much time cooking and not enough time with my kids. I actually have a handful of recipes I've made up entirely from TJ's products. It would be so helpful to get some new ideas for whipping up tasty meals for our family of five. I cook from scratch most of the time for cost and health, but I'm so grateful for quick, inexpensive, and healthy meals.
Thanks,
dianebyrd [at] cox [dot] net
A girl can never have too many cookbooks, I dont have a TJ near me, but I do about 2 hours away and would make the trip if I received this cookbook!! Thanks for the chance.
Karen C emailed me her entry.
I love TJ's and shop there often. I would love to add the cookbook to my collection as well as take a go at making some of the recipes. Thanks!!
I like TJ's for their specialty items you don't find anywhere else and that wine selection they have is great
msboatgal at aol.com
I'd love to win this cookbook because I am a great fan of TJ, and I KNOW I'll be putting those recipes to good use instead of setting them aside to collect dust! I'm trying to try a new recipe every day, so I need all the inspiration I can get! And TF is just that freaking awesome!
love tj but none are around so whne we travel i go and stock up on what I can when we go by one-ok we don't go by I yell stop its a trader joes- would love this.
I adore Trader Joe's. For a law student with lots of loans, I need an economical place to shop--but a place that still has great variety and healthy options. Enter TJ's. I love it! I make weekly trips there. I love just roaming up and down the aisles, checking out all of the products. The cookbook would be just one more way to appreciate all of TJ's awesome products!
I would like to wn this cookbook because I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Trader Joe's!
Mina
TJ's is practically my second home (we live just a couple of miles from the first one ever!) so I'd love to try out some of the recipes.
I love Trader Joe's and cookbooks, so this would be perfect!
Erica
emlawton13@yahoo.com
Ha, I was just there last night getting some things we ran out of. I love that we are literally down the road from ours, and you can't beat their prices and great products. I was going on and on about them to the cashier.
Anyways, I'd love to know about what to make with TJs ingredients. I wander up and down the aisles looking at all the great stuff you can't find at the grocery chains!
I absolutely adore cookbooks. And I don't have a local Trader Joe's, so I can't just pick one up next time I'm out.
Please enter me.
rsgrandinetti(at)yahoo(dot)com
we do not have a TRADER JOE`s here the cookbook would like being there
Love Trader Joe's and love your blog.
Thanks for the contest!
Linda
sullivanjavanet@gmail.com
The commitment of TJ's to bring good organic food at affordable prices is what compels me to visit every week. and I would love to have a dedicated cookbook for TJ's :)
Thanks Susan for this giveaway!
Best,
Siri
I've been going to TJ's since I was kid and they opened in the early 70's in LA. It's amazing to see what they were and what they have evolved to. The cookbook sounds great.
--Marc
I'd love to win the cookbook because I recently finished grad school so now I actually have time to prepare nice meals!
-Monica
alittleredbox@yahoo.com
Sounds like a great cookbook!
I would love a Trader Joe's cookbook just because I love the store and I think the cookbook would be awesome too!
I am headed to Seattle on a shopping ladies weekend at the beginning of may. maybe I will be able to take my first steps into a Trader Joe's:D
I don't want the goddamn cookbook, i want the store. TJ's has consistently said they're not coming to Salem, OR, yet they have no idea how many of us make the trek up the highway 30 miles just to score a case of two buck chuck. i got one yesterday for $5.98. Come to Salem, we're not all high here.
If I had the cookbook I wouldn't HAVE to go to the store...the one in Manhattan is always horrifically crowded, I can't even stand shopping there! Which is a bummer, since it's a great store!
We have a lot of dietary restrictions in our house (gluten-free, low-sodium, low-sugar) and it's REALLY hard to find recipes that meet all our needs. I'm always looking for new ideas and I love the idea that the store would actually have all the ingredients if we used their book!!
I live for TJ's!!! It is my life purpose to turn everyone on to the joys of Trader Joes
Trader Joe's has fun, exciting food that is different and keeps us from getting bored and into food ruts! I would love a cookbook from TJ's that will show us how to make different, more inventive meals!
Love to have the cookbook, but would love to have the store even more. I like to try new recipes.
I'd love to win the cookbook because Trader Joe's is basically my home away from home and I often find myself altering recipes to make them "Trader Joe friendly." I live pretty much next to a TJ's and don't know what I would do without it!!!
Sues
Trader Joe's wow I got to know Susan what this is all about - I would really love to win this cookbook.
Rosie x
I would love to gift this book to my son who recently moved away and has discovered Trader Joes in his new neighborhood! Got to love a kid with taste!
[Adore your blog btw!]
I love Trader Joe's!! I love to sink my teeth into cookbooks. I even read the blog all about Trader Joe's. Ever since the first TJ's in our neighborhood opened when I was a teenager, I have loved to shop there. This is often the only place I can find some French specialties, or Italian or German. I love that they like wholesome, healthy, natural or even organic ingredients. They are one of the best places in my area to find a good cheese. I want to win this cookbook. Thank you for the chance to win it!
Joy
Joy Of Desserts
http://joyofdesserts.blogspot.com
I have quite an extensive cookbook collection, which I use frequently, and would love to add this book to it. *s*
I'd love to have this cookbook!
My sugar and I love to make the trip to T.J.'s once a week together to stock our cupboards.
Since having been laid off from my architecture job, I have been cooking a lot more and we rely on their wonderful variety of foods at reasonable prices.
The one we go to is in Silverlake, CA, where it is the best place to run into our friends and people watch too!
kris10erickson@hotmail.com
Love love love TJ's! I wanna win to learn how to utilize more TJ's ingredients in my recipes for family meals.
nfabrey@mac.com
I'd love this cookbook - I just moved into a new house with a boyfriend who's completely new to natural and ethnic foods, and I think this would be a great way to introduce him to the lifestyle!
I love cookbooks and am always looking for a new one to add to my collection!
Love to have this. We are finally getting a Trader Joe's in my neighborhood and I am beyond excited. I would love to have some new recipes to try out.
Thanks,
darkfyre1(at)gmail(dot)com
lucky comment #109! =)
I didn't know trader joe's had come out with a cookbook, but I would love to win it. I've always grown up with a trader joe's nearby, but now live 100s of miles away from the closest one, so it's sweet nostalgia for me. (that doesn't stop me from stocking up at TJ's whenever I visit my mom or anyone else with one near them!)
I love Trader Joe's, and have been very pleased with their brand of products. I love to cook, and I love to try new recipes, so I would like to win this cookbook.
Hooray! I've been meaning to pick up this cookbook since I first heard about it (have it on my little cookbook wishlist for now). They've got some interesting items in that store that I don't always know how best to use, so I'll bet this book would help.
Oh, so I missed the deadline? I would love to win this book especially because their stores are not in Brazil and I love them... Happy Easter Susan!
Hi Susan,
Love your recipes and family stories. I'm struck by how similar our food history is.
I live in Rhode Island and have a fledgling food blog named "Munchsense". At this time of year all my thoughts turn to rice pies; and I chomp at the bit, waiting to gather the sumptuous ingredients and produce the final treasure. I also have this obsessive love affair with Italian cookies. I've printed out some of your recipes because they so closely resemble the ones I've always associated with Italian cookie trays.
Thank you for the charming, and informative, website.
Seeker
Such a fun giveaway - I have heard so much about Trader Joe's! They are not here in Canada that I know of. I am in the US a lot and would love to win the giveaway :)
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