Busygals in the Kitchen - Cooking With Trader Joe's

My husband and I have recently been assessing why we aren't saving money every month, when we clearly should be. Upon a quick look at our credit card statements, the answer is clear: We go out to meals ALL the time. A HUGE cost. The new plan? Start cooking at home. Simple, right? Ha!


I'm a Busygal by nature, and my husband is no different (he should have a blog called BusyGuyTips or something ;) ). He has a very busy and long day at work, and many of his lunch meals are also eaten at restaurants. We often find it easier to spend quality time in the the few hours we do have together in the evenings dining together, and not worrying about prepping/cooking/cleaning (I know...it's ridiculous...we're spoiled). However, our bank account doesn't like it so much. 


Since we want to save money, the new plan is to try to make as many meals at home for dinner and to make as many meals to take to work as well.


I have been on a tireless search for the perfect and most simple way to plan meals. Today I found it through a tweet from cookingwithTJ: "cookingwithTJ Trader Joe's Recipes Grilled Veggie Sandwich with Lemon Garlic Sauce, delicious & quick to make using #traderjoes Misto Alla Griglia.http://bit.ly/hCNujW"

This recipe sounded amazing, I was intrigued...I had to try it out for myself! I went straight to TJ's, and bought all of the ingredients, which totaled only $10 for 4 servings. I am no chef, but this thing was so dang quick and easy to make (5 minutes total), and the resulting sandwich tasted like a restaurant-quality meal (this sandwich would be at least $10-$15 in a restaurant we would usually frequent). It was DELICIOUS! And affordable!!! I was hooked.

When I got home, I checked their facebook fan page (which you can find here). With fingers crossed, I hoped I might find a link to a blog or web site with a few more recipes I could try out. I was MORE than pleasantly surprised to find not only the web site (which you can find here), but also HUNDREDS of amazing recipes!

Wait...I'm not even at the good part yet!!

The authors of cooktj.com (and also The Cooking with Trader Joe's Cookbook: Dinner's Done!, The Trader Joe's Companion: A Portable Cookbook, and Cooking With All Things Trader Joe's) Deana Gunn & Wona Miniati offer some fantastic features on their web site. 

*First, there's easy-to-use tabs on the left in which you can view recipes by Category, Special Diet, or Main Ingredient. I'm vegetarian, so I found that tab incredibly helpful.

*Second, you can create your own profile on the web site. Why is this so cool? Because when you view any recipe and you like it, you can simply click on either "Save" or "Add to Grocery List." It will save it straight to your profile so that when you return to the web site, your favorites are right there waiting for you! 

  

The reason I find this so incredibly helpful, is that because I am a Busygal, I often find myself parked in the TJ's parking lot, searching on my phone for some great recipe to make that evening. This web site will be a lifesaver! 


I have added 66 recipes to my Grocery List. If I plan ahead a little (hey, we can all set goals, right?), I am going to look through the recipes, find some that have similar ingredients, and create a menu (a-la-Clare) for the week. This will save me time, money, and wasted/un-used groceries. 

     

I will simply be able to click on the web site, log into my profile, and all of the shopping lists will be right there! Sweeeeeeet! :)

If you are a lover of Trader Joe's like I am, this web site will be incredibly helpful for you!

Happy cooking, Busygals!

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