Fearless Shopping at Trader Joe's

In the heat of the summer, who really wants to turn the oven on to make a meal? I sure don't. I'm constantly looking for innovative solutions to this problem-- quick and tasty ideas I can either do stove-top, on the grill outside, or none of the above! Take a look at a few of my go-to's and share some of your own with me in the comment section or contact me via the side bar option.  1. Sally's Salad A friend of mine, three guesses on her name, came up with her own delicious version of this salad when we went out to eat. She'll have this no matter what time of day, and I quickly adopted a quick one liner when going out with her, "I'll have what she's having!" So, good! It's a little quirky-- it's a salad with no, I repeat, no lettuce, folks! Try it! You won't be disappointed.  Ingredients: Chopped up cucumbers TJ's Grilled Chicken Strips (green package)  TJ's Organic Pitted Kalamata Olives in Brine / EVOO TJ's Authenic Greek ...

Often when I'm packing a picnic, entertaining or even just making a meal for the family, I'm left with a head scratcher on the creativity-front when it comes to side dishes. Especially seasonal appropriate dishes. My go-to is Pinterest. I have a whole board dedicated to recipes. Since working at Trader Joe's, however, I've been able to drum up some of my own creations and pin my own kitchen concoctions. Of course, ringing at the register is fun too, because I get some great tips and ideas from customers.  1. Fig, Goat Cheese & Prosciutto Wrapped Crostinis  Ingredients: 1 jar of Fig Butter 1 baguette  1 log of plain goat cheese (not herbed, not honey) 1 package of prosciutto  ground black pepper grapeseed oil (or olive oil if you don't have grapeseed) Directions: Preheat the oven 350 degrees. Slice the baguette into 1/2" thick slices and brush oil on each slice just enough to lightly cover both sides (this will make them crisp up).  Pop in the oven for 15-20...