Trader Joes Sold Me a Bag of Goods

I dislike hearing a sales pitch. When sales people approach me, I head in the other direction or I smile politely and tell them that I am fine. Either way, I prefer to be left alone to judge the value of a potential purchase on my own.

Today at Trader Joes, the nerdy-looking guy behind the samples counter convinced me to try the featured dish. He told me the queso he was serving was from two Trader Joes' products: a can of Turkey Chili and one container of cream cheese. I tasted it with some tortilla chips and... it was pretty darn good. Begrudgingly, I admit that I was sold.

The canned chili was tasty with beans cooked just right, lots of diced peppers and onions, and a good kick from the spices. Heated up and mixed with the cream cheese with some chopped up green onions and cilantro thrown in (and jalapeños if you have them), it is competitive to some of the best queso dips I have ever eaten and definitely beats the yellow stuff they probably microwave-cook at Tortilla Coast.

The can of chili was $1.99, the cream cheese was $1.79, and the bag of tortilla chips cost $2.49. For an appetizer that costs less than $7, I will be making this my go-to contribution during football season. Just remember to garnish with some cilantro to make it look more expensive.

(the picture doesn't do this queso justice. )

DC Food Blogger Happy Hour - Haven Pizza - June 6th

The beautiful Bethesda Foodie and the great Anita from Greg's List will be co-hosting the next DC Food Bloggers Happy Hour which will be at Haven Pizzeria in Bethesda, MD.  Come hang out with a great crowd on Wednesday, June 6th starting at 6pm.  It is always a great time and I hear that Haven has some really delicious pizza.

RSVP Here.

Croissants Are for Lovers

Baking bread is f-ing hard.  This weekend, I attempted to make four loaves and only one was a success (though a bit dense.)  There is so much to consider: temperature of the water, timing of the rise, etc.  I found myself looking at my risen dough and scrutinizing the bubbles to see if it was ready for the oven.  This took a lot of energy.  Spent and covered in flour, I vowed to myself that I would try again.

There is one baked item I don't think I will ever be able to conquer, the croissant.  If you read a recipe for croissants, it would make your mind spin. There is just much to it. Luckily for me, there are a few places in DC that make great croissants.  My favorites are Watergate Pastry, Buzz Bakery, and Paul.  

Paul opened their third location in the DC area today on Connecticut and K Street NW and offered a free large macaron or a baguette with any purchase. I happily purchased a delicious croissant and picked up a free baguette.

Happy Eating!