Just in case I needed some ideas for our party I had brought along my copy of Cooking With all things Trader Joe’s cookbook that they had sent me to review. I knew that there was a Trader Joe’s in Warwick, RI – which was an easy trip for me. I needed appetizers and I needed them FAST!
I had 16 people coming over to visit on a Sunday and although people were bringing food and I had ordered pizza and cake, I wanted a little something else (especially since I had some non-meat eating guests coming). I hightailed it to Trader Joe’s with my copy of Cooking With all things Trader Joe’s and began my adventure. The decision to make the Black Bean and Ricotta-Stuffed Poretabellas was easy. Like all of the recipes in this cookbook, the items were inexpensive, found at Trader Joe’s and mosts importantly not overly complicated!
I found EVERYTHING that I needed (and a few extras that I just HAD TO HAVE) and checked out. Then it was back to the cottage to begin cooking.
It was more like a quick assembly than cooking as it took me a whopping 5 minutes to throw it all together and another 12 minutes to cook it. By the way – I AM NOT A COOK!!! I married a man in the restaurant business so I wouldn’t have to cook, so I’m no expert in the kitchen – but SURPRISE – this came out GREAT. Not only did it make a great appetizer, but because the recipe called for those HUGE Portobello Mushrooms, it was big enough for DINNER.
We’re back in Florida now and I have my trusty copy of Cooking with all things Trader Joe’s on the counter to use REGULARLY. Oh & my friends and family actually think that I can cook!!
If you’d like to see recipes that are from items at Trader Joe’s – check out their BLOG. There are recipes, reviews and even contests listed! You can pick up a copy of Cooking with all things Trader Joe’s at Borders, Waldenbooks for $29.95 or Amazon for only $19.77.
Bon Apetit!
