Trader Joe's - Westheimer/Royal Oaks [Houston, TX]

I’m a sucker for French Onion soup. Is this a normal item and how is it?

Can’t speak for Houston but they usually have it in KC. It’s fine but time consuming because it really needs to be baked for an hour as opposed to microwaving. Costco sells the same thing in the cooler months.

I haven’t tried it yet but someone told me they liked it.

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Thanks, baked, yikes too hot to turn an oven on until at least mid-November.

40 mins in oven or microwave.

Ok, I heated this in the oven last night. I’m not the best reviewer of meatloaf since it’s not something I make or eat much. This was okay, I think it would be better on sandwich bread though. I have left overs for that.

Today I made the rack of lamb, and oh my was it delicious. I also had a plethora of summer squash from the farmer’s market this week as you can see!

Also last night I blistered the shishitos and salted them for an appetizer, also good and hard to find item, I will buy those again.

Bravo to you for cooking ----- I don’t even want to turn on the lights in the kitchen these days, much less the oven or cooktop :sweat:.

Meatloaf is good cold! I may give it a try. I’ve got a couple of good recipes for meatloaf but haven’t made it in maybe close to a decade. Just had a hankering for it recently.

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It was a sweaty process in the kitchen, I’ll grant you. But I briefly considered that I should probably self commit to trained medical professionals for grilling outside in this hellacious heat today at 1 p.m.

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I chuckle inwardly when tv commercials proclaim grilling season begins on Memorial Day. My grilling season is October thru April.

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I have to say Amen to that. 103 yesterday at a Personal Weather Station about 7 blocks from me yesterday; I think it hit 101 @ IAH. And it isn’t even August yet.

Forecast says ‘much cooler’ today. Yeah. Right. Already 96 @ 11:15 am.

I had the lasagna today. It was easy, heat in the oven from frozen for about 1 hour 20 mins.

It is better than Stouffer’s ,but it’s not better than mine.

It has a lot of ricotta, the dry crumbly cheese I don’t like which is why I make it with…cottage cheese. Cottage cheese melts into a creamier filling with the mozzerella and sauce, don’t knock it. I don’t eat it plain or use it in any other recipe but it is great in lasagna.

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Thanks for the report.

I don’t eat much Italian food. My ‘Italian period’ was almost 30 years ago, for a few years following the release of Marcella Hazan’s first cookbook. I kind of od’d on Italian food for a few years and hardly ever touch it since.

The pic on the box isn’t very appealing to me.

And yeah, I like the cottage cheese versions, too.

I was there earlier this week. Got the Cornbread Crisps recommended on the national board - they’re good but fortunately not ‘I can’t believe I ate the whole package’ good :yum:.

Also the 1# clamshell of plumcots - $2.79/5 pieces. I love these. Recommend eating over the sink and if you’re wearing long sleeves, roll 'em up past the elbows.

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Good to know, I got some too!

Tonight I cooked some Sunflower shaped ravioli type pockets called Trader Giotto’s Girasoli Ricotta & Lemon Zest that was raved about on a TJs page. It’s seasonal and I don’t know if they have them anymore.

I boiled them and then pan sauteed with white and red onion, diced tomatoe, garlic, olive oil/butter, basil and parmesan. Some of TJ’s “baby asparagus” on the side.

They were fresh tasting and I enjoyed them, stuffed with ricotta, Italian lemon zest, breadcrumbs and salt.

Today I picked up some Cotswold cheese and their pita bite crackers with are uber-crispy for hurricane snackage. Also some Vietnamese coffee flavored caramels because disaster is a license.

Hope everyone stays dry and well lit!

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Looks good. I don’t buy a lot of TJ’s entrees so I’d never seen that.

Love the Cotswold, haven’t seen the caramels.

Why, thank you - don’t mind if I do. :imp:

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Did you ever get around to trying this? I’ve seen it every time I go but couldn’t remember if you’d reported on it. I’ve been on something of a soup kick for a few months.

I just got my new Cuisinart Convection Steam Oven and I’m up for some oven cooked fare! First thing I did was the Harvest Gorgonzola Tarte from TJ’s. Went today and picked up the mushroom tarte and a Sicilian pizza. The new oven is big enough for a 12" pizza which my old one was not.

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I’ve not seen a steam oven! I’ll have to look it upk I assume it’s a countertop oven?

I have had the mushroom tarte twice and love the deeply mushroomy flavor.

I bought the onion soup and my mum started feeling bad and only wants soup lately so I took it to her and she said it was very good. I also took her a cauliflower soup I made and a split pea with ham bone soup. I also have been on a bit of a soup binge lately. Wishful thinking for cooler weather, it’s mid 90s today in Houston but I do look forward to the promised high 70s next week.

I have purchased the onion soup again for me and will make it soon.

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Yep.

Having fun. Love getting a new kitchen toy.

This and the Insta-Pot Multi Cooker are the two most talked about kitchen toys over on eG. Both have long running threads with 1000s of posts.

I’ve only used Convection Bake so far. It heats up my kitchen more than my previous unit though it’s smaller.

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Thumbs up for this multi-tasker. So convenient to have an easy steamer for whole fish (small), steamed pork hash, chawanmushi, etc…

Use same device as a toaster oven for morning bread, bagels, muffins…

Have not used the convection for a whole chicken yet, but very nice for a tray of lasagna, enchiladas, nachos…

The steam/oven (combination) feature works well for frozen tortillas, buns, breads, fresh and steamy. (or crispy, on your preference)

We originally eyed the Miele steam oven. The Miele is $2500+. The Cuisinart was 10% of that, easy decision for first steam oven. When we move into our dream home …

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Thanks very much for the info and encouragement. The thread on eG has been going on for a long time. I don’t follow it closely anymore as it gets repetitive, but there certainly are some enthusiastic owners over there.

@Lambowner - $247 @ Amazon; I checked Costco with a friend - they don’t stock but apparently you can order one through them. I didn’t get a price. None of the Bed Bath and Beyonds here stocks it (@$299) but you can see models with similar dimensions there and order it on their website.

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