Tapenizza: A new taste sensation

Last winter, I brought Trader Joe’s killer tapenade to a party. The jar was emptied in about 15 minutes. It was that delicious.

Dazed in an appetizer stupor, little minced olives danced in my head until somehow they found their way tapping across a field of dough and an idea was born. What if you had a whole pizza topped with tapenade?

How would it taste? Unbelievably delicious.

What would you call it? Tapenizza.

And a few months later, topped with a little Parmesan, voila …

A Tapenizza is born: Warm and ready to devour.

It was just like I imagined, after combining the key ingredients:

Tapenizza’s tasty trio.

Thank you for fulfilling my dream, Trader Joe’s.

And thank you for visiting Things I Love at Trader Joe’s!

We’d love to hear your thoughts. Have you tried the tapenade? What did you think?

Follow Things I Love at Trader Joe’s on Twitter: @TraderJoesKC

Follow Things I Love at Trader Joe’s on Pinterest: Trader Joe’s

Like Things I Love at Trader Joe’s on Facebook: Trader Joe’s KC Fans

Related Links:

How to pronounce tapenade

Kalamata olive recipe (AllRecipes)

Tapenade with figs recipe (Saveur)

Delicious, demi-sized and unexpected from Trader Joe’s

Things happen for a reason, right? A series of fortunate events proved that point.

Last weekend included a series of impromptu gatherings, one of those rare occasions where open schedule meets spur-of-the-moment invitation. The subject of this post came together on Sunday.

In the morning, a friend called pleading me to help her out that night with an overabundance of ham-and-bean soup.  I was happy to be of assistance.

Shortly after that call, another friend texted to join her for lunch and a TJ’s shopping trip. Loyal friend that I am, I obliged.

Then, while at TJ’s, there was a special mid-store temporary tasting station by the cheese section, sampling a new dairy item: Unexpected Cheddar Cheese.

In the words of Monty Python: No one expects the Parmesan cheese!

What’s unexpected is the Parmesan cheese that laces the cheddar. SO delicious!

Then I walked a few steps and saw the cutest demi-baguette of olive bread ever:

Cutest little olive bread ever!

Everything came together at that moment! The cheese and bread would be my contribution to the soup dinner. And, voila, I made that happen with Trader Joe’s help.

Thanks so much, Trader Joe’s!

And thank you so much for visiting Things I Love at Trader Joe’s! If you love cheese, bread and olives, you have GOT to try these! Let us know what you think when you do.

Follow Things I Love at Trader Joe’s on Twitter: @TraderJoesKC

Follow Things I Love at Trader Joe’s on Pinterest: Trader Joe’s

Related Links:

Nutrition info – olive demi-baguette

Nutrition info – Unexpected cheddar cheese

Spicy pumpkin grits with bacon and cheddar

Ezekiel Bread: a religious experience

Today’s guest post from Sheila:

These days, we’re told to avoid “bad” carbs and embrace “good” carbs.  But how does one recognize food with good carbs? It doesn’t have a halo or angel wings.

Ezekiel Bread, one of the healthiest breads you can eat, doesn’t have angel wings, but it does have a dove of peace on the package.

Ezekiel Bread 4:9 – A slice of heaven from Trader Joe’s

The bread is named for a scripture verse, Ezekiel 4:9: “Take also unto these Wheat, and Barley, and Beans, and Lentils, and Milet, and Spelt, and put them in one vessel and make bread of it …”

The bread is made with freshly sprouted live grains and contains no flour. Combining these six grains and legumes creates a complete protein that parallels the protein found in milk and eggs.  It is 84 percent as efficient as the highest recognized source of protein and contains all nine essential amino acids.

It tastes good, too. And … TJs sells it for a dollar less than most grocery stores.

Amen, brothers and sisters! Can you hear the cherubim singing?

Thanks, TJs.

Thank you, Sheila!

And thank you for reading and following these posts! If you’ve tried Ezekiel 4:9 Bread, what did you think?

Follow Things I Love at Trader Joe’s on Twitter: @TraderJoesKC

Follow Things I Love at Trader Joe’s on Pinterest: Trader Joe’s

Related Links:

LowCarbFriends chat

Nutrition info

Why sprouted matters

Dough babies

I remember why I bought my first package of Trader Joe’s Pizza Dough. I was visiting the tasting bar (ahhh, the tasting bar….). The featured taste was garlic dough twists. The tasting barista took small pieces of the dough, rolled them, baked them for a few minutes and then dropped them into a pool of garlic flavored olive oil. So good, so fresh, so easy.

It was Halloween, when I join my neighbors to sit outside one of our homes and hand out candy to trick or treaters, while we enjoy a glass of wine and appetizers. At the TJ tasting bar, I found my appetizer. That’s why I bought my first package.

Since then, though, I’ve made dinner rolls and chicken in a blanket, with and without cheese. I haven’t made a pizza, yet. But it’s in the plan.

What do you make with your pizza dough?

Pizza dough

Thanks, TJ’s.