Pleasure, Work, Pleasure (plus donuts)

Hello friends and greetings from some massive altitude above the western side of the USA! I’m en route from Portland, OR to Los Angeles, CA almost at the midway point of my pleasure-work-pleasure west coast travels. Since I suck at sleeping on airplanes (you’d think the 5am wakeup would have been sufficient to knock me out!) I thought I’d take this time to tell you all about why Portland is an awesome place to visit.

1) Portland is awesome because OMG the food.

Recently I’ve noticed Portland popping up all over as an “it” restaurant city. This is not a lie. The food in Portland was so tasty and I consumed so much that I worried Delta was going to slap a “HEAVY” sticker on me as I boarded this morning’s flight to LA (where I assume I’ll eat nothing for the week, as most LA women do). Where did we eat you ask?

Clyde Common at theAce Hotel

Locally sourced/farm to table is kinda the vibe of all of Portland, and this restaurant did it really well. Dimly lit with an open kitchen and industrial chic vibe, Clyde Common served up an impeccable charcuterie board and several unique share plates of the octopus, lamb, pork belly and pasta variety. I also discovered that “share plate” meals are way more affordable when you’re not in NYC. NICE.

Ava Genes

I selected this spot in Portland’s Division neighborhood because Joanna of CupofJo fame called it one of the best meals of her life. High expectations officially met. This meal was DELICIOUS (and not just because we were starving and drunk off 2 tasting flights from Deschutes Brewery.) We ate SO much at this meal and one item was better than the next from the fresh salads and small plate appetizers (Dr. H declared the chicken liver toast one of the “top 7 foods I’ve ever eaten in my life”) to the fresh pasta in shapes and sauces too tasty for me to coherently remember. If you go to Portland, go to Ava Genes.

Pine State Biscuits

The fried chicken with gravy biscuit sandwich (with egg!) to the right was so good it almost made me forget that calories are I thing I care about. Almost.

Lardo

This place started as a food truck and became a brick and mortar restaurant likely because the sandwiches are just that damn good. Dr. H and I worked yesterday from a picnic table outside using Lardo’s free wifi while enjoying amazing fresh tuna melt and pork shoulder sandwiches. The bread was crispy and perfect, the insides were flavorful and unique. Gotta love a good sandwich AmIRight!?

2) Portland is awesome because DONUTS (and coffee)

Turns out this city has a thing for donuts and that’s a thing that’s a-ok with me. We started our adventure with “Voodoo Doughnuts” and ended it with “Blue Star Donuts” which are for two distinctly different types of donut lovers (and I’m not just referring to the spelling). Voodoo is ridiculous… decadent, silly, excessive are just a few words that came to mind over the 3 days it took Dr. H and I to polish off our box of 4 insane doughnuts. As opposed to Blue Star which was simply the tastiest glazed donut I’ve ever eaten (in one sitting. While Dr. H watched. Because he has respect for his body and I do not.)

Also, the original Stumptown Roasters is located in Portland and is just one of the many many small(ish) coffee shops in town (peace out Starbucks!) Stumptown has a serious "to go" selection which included chocolate milk chilled coffee. Be still my heart.

3) Portland is awesome because NATURE!

This place knows a thing or two about keeping it clean, green and beautiful. Not only is Portland itself a generally clean place with a river in the middle and lovely, simple architecture, but just outside the city limits are some amazing hikes, mountains, forests and waterfalls. Dr. H and I spent Sunday driving around the scenic byway, hiking Multnomah Falls (we went all the way to the top and I have the quad/ass-ache to prove it!) and generally appreciating how beautiful the Pacific Northwest is. I only wish we’d had more time there (possibly during summer weather) so we could have done more hiking, river floating and site seeing

4) Portland is awesome because SPORTS!

One of the unusual things Dr. H and I have done for 4 years running is visit a random college with a great football team and attend one of their games. It’s probably some sort of subconscious way of making up for the fact that our college (GDUB!) didn’t even have a football team. This year we drove about 90 minutes from Portland to Eugene to watch the Oregon Ducks take on the Utah Utes (it's a Native American tribe). This game did not pan out well for the Ducks, but I’ll take any excuse to drink beer, watch football in the mountains and be represented by a mascot that’s essentially Donald Duck’s football loving brother.

5) Portland is awesome because it’s a little WEIRD

The slogan is “keep Portland Weird” and the show Portlandia pokes fun of its weirdness with pride… I would agree – Portland is a little weird. Portland has funky food truck communes, a great weekend market (check out the “Saturday Market” and Saturday or Sunday!), super friendly people and a bizarre lack of bustle even on weekdays. The stores all sell the unique sorts of home goods you want but don’t need and people drink beer with every meal, even on Mondays. Portland is great and you should definitely visit.

Now off to LaLa Land!!!

Season of Plenty.

Liza Minnelli, 1948

Marilyn Monroe, 1958

Sigourney Weaver, 1983

Sofia Loren, 1954

Nothing says Thanksgiving like beautiful women stuffing their faces. 

Wishing you and yours a plentiful, tasty, health and happy holiday!

Hump Day Distractions

Me neither!

Friends. It is day 3 and the cold rages on. This is both literal and figurative as NYC is enduring a frigid 20-something degree day while I personally am still enduring a stuffed nose, icky cough and voice that sounds like something straight off the sex chat hotline (so hot). Here to get us through the day and over the hump are some goodies of the internet variety. Go heat up some tea and get your click on:)

* A cool giveaway opportunity for the bike-loving little in your life!

* If you love food like I do, this game is going to be a lot of fun (also, gut wrenchingly difficult).

* If you buy me this room, I will prepare Thanksgiving dinner for the fam for life. Promise.

* Calling all ballers/Brooklyn Nets fans (is that a thing that actually exists?!), THIS is for you.

* Brilliant!

* Seasonally appropriate and perfect for soothing a sore throat. Time to get yo soup on!

* Breaking news. BREAKING F*CKING NEWS!!!! (emoji lovers rejoice... there will be a taco!)

Hump Day Distractions

hehe.

What's a week without a hump!? Let's get over it together with these goodies from around the web. Enjoy!

* Get ready to salivate

* For anyone you know that's in the market for a wedding dress (eghm, Sis!)

* I might have to take a trip to London just to see THIS in person!

* Is it better to go fast or go far when you run?

* I want to wear you.

* This kid does not give a damn about meeting the President of the United States. You do you kid. 

* The truth behind a perfectly manicured Instagram life

* The perfect picture is all about the moment you go "click"

Some things I want to eat right now.

I swear I'd cook every night if I could do it here!

I thought I would kick off today and the week with a few tasty looking recipes that have made it onto my cooking to-do list recently. Nothin too complicated, everything so yummy. Enjoy!

A Tequila Lime Chicken Sandwich with Guacamole and Chipotle Mayo is pretty much the stuff my dreams are made of and the great news is that recipe is not nearly as complex as you might think! And though in my expert(!?) opinion a freshly baked bun from your favorite local bakery is (definitely) the way to go, you could also forgo the bun and serve this chicken/cheese/bacon/guac mountain with a side of beans or veggies for a slightly last carb-tastic meal. Pin it HERE, full recipe HERE.

This recipe is so simple that it's pretty much begging to be a part of your next Sunday brunch. Simply combine in an oven-safe dish 1-2 eggs (depending on the size of your dish), sauteed spinach, halved cherry tomatoes, a dollop (official term) of goat cheese and a few torn pieces of proscuitto. Sprinkle with pepper and a little sea/kosher salt and bake in the oven until the egg starts to firm up (but not all the way). Serve and enjoy!! Pin it HERE.

I always get afraid of recipes which call for shredded brussel sprouts because they seem like so much work, but this Bacon and Brussels Salad looks so tasty that I think I'm going to have to overcome my fears (and purchase a mandoline!) Using the age old trick of improving veggies with bacon, the 40 minutes of prep time will definitely be time well spent. Pin it HERE or check out the full recipe HERE.

And because there should never be a post about food that doesn't show a little love to dessert, check out these adorable Mini "Ice Cream Cone" Cake Pops! The recipe is just my speed (a pre-made glazed munchkin is the main ingredient) but those of you with more of a Betty Crocker inclination could certainly make your own "ice cream scoop" cake pop. Pin it HERE or check out the full recipe HERE.

Good Eats in NYC

What I found when I searched "pigs eating" on Pinterest.

This weekend might as well have been titled "Meri eats Manhattan" because that's pretty much what it was. Starting with a delicious home-cooked Blue Apron meal on Friday evening (followed by a slice of pizza at a party and then late night mac cheese (it was a fun Friday!)), Saturday included two delicious meals out (more on those in a minute) and Sunday started with Dim Sum, took a trip to Citi Field for a Nathan's hot dog and ended with sushi and bubble tea from the restaurants attached to my apartment building. I consider weighing anything less than 300 lbs this morning a modern miracle. But because all good meals should be shared, I wanted to tell you specifically about Saturday's eats so that you can venture out and (over)indulge just like I did.

* Cafe Habana (17 Prince St. at Elizabeth)

I have been walking past this little blue Cuban shop in Soho for years, reading that its a favorite of Matthew Mcconaughey's and keeping it high on my "for someday" places to eat list. Well, Saturday was the day and Cafe Habana did not disappoint. Ever since going to see Chef, I have been craving some delicious Cuban cuisine and Cafe Habana totally nailed it! A tiny restaurant that did require a 15 minute wait (not too bad for 2pm on a sunny Saturday) Dr. H and I sat at the bar counter and enjoyed every last bite of our Cuban and Molletes sandwiches (I also highly recommend the spicy bloody mary!) And though we didn't order the "famous corn", it was only because I went for chorizo and avocado on my molletes and even I would have had capacity issues at that point. Obviously we will have to go back. The perfect spot for summer brunch with your ladies or an informal but quintessentially ethnic NYC dinner with your man, check out Cafe Habana today!

* Babbo (110 Waverly btw 6th & Washington Sqr Park West)

Babbo is a fancy pants Greenwich Village spot serving up high-end Italian fare from the infamous chef Mario Batali. Thanks to a generous gift certificate from Mommy-in-Law and a fortuitous stroll past the restaurant that afternoon nabbing a reservation for that night (more on that in a minute!) we enjoyed a 3 course meal of impeccably prepared and served food. Babbo is one of those spots where everything on the menu is delicious and unique. From grilled octopus and warm lamb's tongue with a 3-minute egg to chianti stained pappardelle and black spaghetti with rock shrimp, it's nearly impossible to go wrong. And considering the prestige of the place, with main courses all priced within the $20-36 range, Babbo is certainly expensive, but by NYC standards not at all outrageous. Getting in on the other hand can be tricky, since reservations are almost all scooped up promptly 1 month in advance. But for my fellow night owls, Dr. H and I dined at 10:30pm on Saturday and once before  at 10pm (and neither time with much (any?) advance planning) so you can be organized or flexible, either way being worth the trip!

Hump Day Distractions

Shut up with this ridiculously random adorableness.

And then the never ending week reached Hump Day and Merry Meri declared, "hark! I can see the weekend in the distance! onward ho!!" For reals. Let's get on with it shall we!?

* A bit of inspiration for us all from one man's near death experience on an airplane.

* I cannot tell you how much self control it has taken not to buy THIS. (I'd be all "yel-low!? Banana Phone here!")

* This mom tackles the tough topic of explaining sex for pleasure (as opposed to just procreation) to her young son. It's an interesting read.

* Get your Gatsby hair on.

* A veggie/mexican skillet for dinner tonight anyone!?

* I want to go to there.

* Everything you need to know about for this summer in NYC.

* It's your journey. Own it.

* Never knew how so many of these foods grew (via exPress-o)

* Sure to make you smile, meet Biddy the Hedgehog (he's obvi my new fav Insta friend)

Finally, I made a super awesome sandwich for lunch yesterday and I was so pumped about its tastiness that I'm going to a) eat it again today and b) share it with you:

- 1 Toufayan Low Carb Pita (only 3 WW points and it's BIG!)

- Boar's Head Low Sodium Turkey Breast

- Thinly Sliced Granny Smith Apple

- Robert Rothschild Wasabi Ginger Sauce (gives it a nice little kick, awesome compliment to the apple!)

I whipped this bad boy up in 2 minutes in my office kitchen and was so happy with the result that I was literally announcing to my cubicle mates that my homemade sandwich was "f*cking awesome" (ya gotta take the cheap thrills when you can get em, AmIRight!?)

Hump Day Distractions

Awww hehe.

This morning, halfway down the stairs to exit my apartment building for my scheduled weekly workout, a little voice in my head said "Meri, you forgot to pack a bra..." And I said "really little voice? How do you know that?" But with no time to waste, just to be sure, I ran back up and straight to my dresser. Sure enough, my black bra was in there, not in my gym bag. I thought to myself "Thanks little voice! Today is going to be a good day". Here to ensure that good day are some delightful distractions from around the web.

* Some super tasty looking 2 ingredient sandwiches. Yum. (via CupofJo)
* Tina on women's body image. God I love her! 

* It always strikes me as funny that actors campaign for awards, but they do. And these Emmy campaign posters from the cast of Mad Men are pretty freakin good.

* Do you work from home? Dr. H used to and based on his experience, all these tips sound like a great idea.

* Good for you Natalie! All beautiful bodies are created equal!!

* "I think if we met I would find you insufferable" and other missed connections of the hysterical variety. 

* If you love Billy Crystal or Mindy Kaling, or both, read this (super cool behind the scenes When Harry Met Sally info enclosed!!) 

* Have you heard of oil pulling? I am kinda skeptical, gonna have to consult Sis (20 minutes!?)

* Behind the scenes of the Photoshop treatment for all those food pics that make us salivate!

* I think I've shared pics of this duo before... but who cares? Here's more!! (thanks Sis!)

Street Meat

My kinda lady :)

One of my favorite things about NYC is that beyond our incredibly diverse selection of outstanding restaurants (every cuisine at every price point!) we have a killer street vendor situation. Now yes, in the past few years there's been a proliferation of "food trucks" of every variety in NYC as well as in lots of other major metropolitan areas (a great roundup of the best NYC trucks HERE, HERE and HERE and a nifty truck tracker app HERE), but I'm not talking about food trucks, I'm talking about vendors, vendors who serve up freshly cooked, ridiculously tasty "street meat".

I LOVE street meat. To me there is nothing more delicious for lunch than a freshly prepared gyro meat salad, covered in mystery spices and sauces, served up by the friendly gentleman who runs the cart on the northeast corner of 46th and 6th. (My order = lamb gyro platter, no rice, yes to the soft boiled egg, spicy, all the sauces, toasted pita and sure I'll take a free samosa while I wait!! Grand total, $8) I've also been known to indulge in "chicken on a stick",  burritos, falafel, shawarma and egg sandwiches from various NYC vendors. 

But some people find street meat to be super sketchy. The idea that the food is stored and prepared in a cart on the street evokes concerns about sanitation and safety to which I say... meh. While I obviously recommend you take a look at the situation inside a cart before you get to ordering (how fresh does the meat look? is it generally clean inside?) the reality is that these vendors have permits they risk losing if they feed you something funky. Just like any food establishment, accidents can happen and carelessness is possible, but in my humble opinion that small risk is worth the mighty tasty reward. Plus, if NY Magazine is publishing lists about it, I'd say street meat is most certainly the real deal. Now excuse me, I've got some eating to do!

One Bad Bite.

I know dude. It's over.

The other day I was eating a huge salad, one of those "you combine the ingredients and we'll chop em up for you" lunch favorites, when I got a bite of "tough" grilled chicken. You know the kind... sort of rubbery, chewy and generally ick? Mid-chew, only about 1/3 of the way through my salad, I had to spit the bite out (because I'm super mature like that) and afterwards the entire salad seemed suspicious to me. My stomach pretty much did a 180 and I went from really hungry to nauseated by the idea of ingesting another forkful. Lunch was officially over thanks to that one bad bite. 

About 45 minutes later, when the offending salad was long gone and my appetite had returned (as you might have guessed, I'm not the type of gal that can skip a meal without complaint!) I thought about how ridiculous it was that one bad bite had turned me off to what was likely an otherwise perfectly fine meal. But that's my thing.... an icky chicken bite, a visually unappealing "slimy" part of the turkey breast, if it looks weird or acts funny, I'm out. So food... bring me your tasty, your unusual and your adventurous, but leave your imperfections on the cutting board.

Are you ready for some football (food)?

The sun is shining. The day is Friday. I am happy.

One thing I've noticed (via my obsession with reviewing the Google Analytics for this site... #BlogGeek) is that you guys loooove a good recipe. Given this excitement for eating (you are my people!) it's not surprising that one of the all time most popular posts I've ever had was THIS; because we all know that football food is the tastiest food, in all it's gooey, bite-sized, beer-complimenting glory. SO, given that I live to serve (you and your bellies) I've decided that every Friday for the rest of football season I'm gonna serve up a "Feed Your Football Face" Recipe of the Week. So without further adieu let's kick-off (hehe!) this new Friday tradition!!

"Feed Your Football Face" Recipe of the Week: Jalapeno Popper Dip*
* brought to you by Closet Cooking

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano (parmesan), grated
• 1 (4 ounce) can sliced jalapenos (pickled), drained
• 2 jalapeno peppers, chopped (optional)
• 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano (parmesan), grated

Directions
- Mix the cream cheese, mayonnaise, cheddar cheese, parmigiano reggiano and jalapenos in a bowl and pour into a baking dish.- Mix the panko bread crumbs and parmigiano reggiano and sprinkle over the dip.- Bake in a preheated 350F oven until the sides are bubbling and the cheese cheese has melted and turned golden brown on top, about 20 minutes.

Tip: Add crumbled bacon for the bacon wrapped jalapeno popper version!

Click HERE for link to recipe (which includes a printer friendly option) 

And because I don't plan* to use these recipe posts as an excuse to not deliver other awesome content on Fridays (*I hereby reserve all rights to use these recipe posts as an excuse to not deliver other awesome content on Fridays, should the need arise #LawyerGeek) please head into the weekend by checking out THIS. "BatDad" is 100% my new hero and truly one awesome dude (be sure to wait for the Vines to fully load and listen to each with sound. It's worth it!) Have a great weekend!!!

Going Bananas (b-a-n-a-n-a-s).

Hooooray! Bananas for everyone (even me!)

I'd like to tell you the story of the time I forced myself to like bananas. Forced myself as in, I ate the first full banana of my life in August (2012) and now I eat one almost every day. Banana party ova here!

You see, not too long ago, I decided that twenty-eight years of a banana free existence was no longer acceptable because though my tummy needs a constant intake of food to be happy, my bountiful booty requires that I monitor this intake closely. "Have a banana!" everyone says. "They're filling, sweet and so good for you" (ZERO weight watchers points!) So I decided, despite my dislike of the flavor and hesitation about their awkward consistency (so mushy!) to force bananas into my diet. Slowly but surely I managed to eat them without cringing and eventually (almost) enjoy them. When my tummy rumbles at 4pm, I'm thrilled to have a guilt-free solution that avoids a trip to the office snack machine! 

Now I admit, there were hurdles along the way - like the time I tried a greenish banana (I'm more of a brown spots gal apparently) or the time I unknowingly purchased a plantain and spent all morning remarking how "difficult to peel and funky tasting this ginormous banana is!" (live and learn:) But the moral of the story is that food may be more mind over matter than I first thought. I wanted to like bananas because they are a truly filling, healthy snack (move over grapes, there's a new fruit in town!) and though it may take me anywhere from 5-10 minutes to do it, I now eat them on a regular basis. So I challenge you to bring something new into your diet this fall - who knows, maybe you'll go bananas for it ;)

Time to eat (out)!

Illustration by Craig & Karl for NYC Restaurant Week

Be still my food-loving heart... NYC Restaurant Week has arrived! It's that time of year when prices drop and Manhattan foodies venture to places new and long lusted after in search of the tastiest prix fixe meal. From July 16 through August 10 some of the city's tastiest restaurants are serving up 3 course lunches ($24.07) and dinners ($35) for our tummy's enjoyment which means it's the perfect time to try somewhere new, get a great deal at your favorite spot or enjoy eats normally out of your budget (also, how often do you go out to a 3-course lunch?! DO IT!) As I consider myself a food fiend and restaurant lover (with a specialty in NYC dining) here are a few tips for making the most of Restaurant Week 2012.

* Tip #1: Be sure to check the menu in advance! Many restaurant week participants put together a very limited selection for their prix fixe menu and it's not worth the $ (even if it is a great deal) if they aren't serving up options you'll enjoy. Most menus are available online (HERE) so do your research in advance.

* Tip #2: Make sure to plan your culinary adventures wisely. Restaurant week menus are not available on Saturdays, are only available at some locations on Sundays and a few locations participate for lunch only (I'm lookin at you Il Mulino) so know before you go!!

* Tip #3: Reservations are key. Many people (eghm..!) wait all year for a chance to indulge in high end eats for cheap (A Voce; Blue Water Grill; Fig and Olive; The Hurricane Club; Lure Fishbar; Mercer Kitchen; Spice Market; Tao; and Tribeca Grill are all Meri tested and Meri approved in case you were wondering) so plan way in advance or risk getting closed out of prime dining hours (NYC'ers take their meals very seriously:)

Happy eating my friends! (PS- restaurant recommendations welcome in the comments section!)

My midday meal slump...

My lunch rarely looks this glam

What are you eating for lunch? I find myself eating the same half dozen or so lunches ad nauseam (hehe) out of a combination of habit, convenience and lack of creativity. I try to make lunch 4 of 5 days every week (though I'd say I average only 3 days) because my homemade lunches are healthier and eating out can be expensive ($8-15 per day adds up fast!!) You'd think that because I am the creator of my lunches, I'd get creative, but the reality is that I throw lunch together in a maximum of 10 minutes before I run out the door each morning (I have no interest in making tomorrow's lunch after making dinner each night) and when I buy lunch, I gravitate to the same handful of places where I order the same handful of foods. Here's what's on the menu:

Homemade: turkey sandwich (occasional variation of turkey type and condiment); tuna sandwich (both on "lite" bread with no lettuce or tomato - too soggy by 1pm); green salad w goat cheese and avocado; "sides" are almost always carrots and hummus, fruit, Popchips/Special K crisps and sugar free pudding snacks (might as well bring a lunchbox with a note from my mom right!?)

When I buy: udon soup; chicken salad sandwich; make your own salad (and I "make" the same exact salad 90% of the time!); veggie dumplings and egg drop soup

Perhaps for some this is a lot of variety, but after years of the same things, I'm looking to mix the routine up a bit. What are your favorite quick/easy/filling lunches? Healthy (specifically PointsPlus friendly) suggestions are welcome (leave a comment! share the tastiness! talk amongst yourselves my hungry, merry readers!) Plus, have you ever tried the "Wheel of Lunch"!? 

I'm in love with Joe.

In my fantasy world, ALL my groceries fit in 1 tote bag
and I look this chic traveling home from the store.
(Reality = 3 bags and 5 "stop and rests" en route)

We've never met; I don't know what exactly he "trades"; but I am in love with Trader Joe. Trader Joe's is my absolute favorite place to grocery shop because it is impossibly cheap (I live in fear of some sort of child labor expose) and though Dr. H and I love to cook, life doesn't always allow time for following recipes, no matter how few ingredients.  Also, their employees are clearly taking some sort of happy pills and they pack your bags with Tetris like precision. So here are some Merry Meri & Dr. H approved favorites for your next trip to the happiest grocery store on earth (and check out THIS great site for more ideas).

Trader Joe's refrigerated and frozen sections are filled with packaged foods which will give you the satisfaction of a "home cooked" meal in a fraction of the time. 

We love ALL the pre-marinated chicken breasts
(found in the refrigerated section)

We ALWAYS have a bag of these guys
in our freezer. So easy, so tasty.

Recommended by one of my girlies, this is now a staple
in our freezer for "I don't know what to make" nights.

AWESOME side dish for an otherwise homemade italian
dinner (or ya know, pasta with turkey meatballs!)

A few other AWESOME "TJ-sponsored" meal ideas: Vegetable or Shrimp Fried Rice and a few types of dumplings and shu mai (all found in the frozen foods section); Keep some pizza dough in the freezer for an impromptu make-your-own pizza night; Reduced Guilt Mac Cheese (small portion, but so tasty I pretty much lick the container clean); frozen Linguine with Clam Sauce (one of the only non-takeout meals Dr. H will feed himself if I'm not home for dinner); Quinoa Duo with Vegetable Melange (because I still haven't figured out how to cook quinoa flavorfully).

The broccoli florets are another favorite.

I also like to keep some frozen vegetables from TJ's in our freezer. Though they aren't nearly as tasty as their fresh counterparts, it's nice to know that I can always get my greens into a meal without stopping at the grocery store on the way home from work.

And of course, my friend Joe has you covered for sweet treats as well:

The perfect tart and sweet snack when you're
craving "just a taste". Get them. Get them now.

Be careful. Studies show that it is impossible to keep these
in your home without eating them all within 72 hours ("studies")

Are you a fan of Trader Joe's? Do you have any favorites which I should add to my next grocery list? Leave a comment - share the deliciousness!