Speaking of brownies... I always loved the Ghiradelli brownie mix (never made them but had them at a neighbor's house and asked her for recipe since they were so good and she told me they were this mix). Anyway, it turns out that I always liked boxed brownies better than my own because they were chewier and I love a chewy brownie. Then one day I came across this (link below). Cooks Illustrated set out to figure out why boxed brownies were better than home made and this recipe is what came out of that. If you like chewy brownies, these are really, really good. I was so excited to find this because first I don't use boxed stuff for baking. Always make from scratch. And, second the Ghiradelli mix has articifial ingredients so even if I was going to buy one, it couldn't be that one. Sorry for the hijcak, but you got me thinking about brownies. Here is a link that might be useful: Chewy Brownies

We have 3 major chain groceries stores in the area, Market Basket/Demoulas, Shaw's and Stop & Shop. Stop & Shop has always had a limited selection compared to the other two stores. MB has a good selection but is a not a flashy store. I shop there for the basics plus. For example, MB has the best fresh cilantro in the area. Shaw's has a wonderful selection is more upscale but tends to be pricey. I have noticed that all three have started to limit their selections more than they used to. I haven't been able to find duck breast which all three used to carry. Luckily the local butcher shop can get it for me. I shop a lot at farm stands and farmers' markets, the local family owned grocery store, local butcher shops and order online. It's not as easy as it used to be to one stop shop. I agree that cooking from scratch which used to be the norm has become hobby cooking. My family has always been scratch cooks but I noticed more and more of my friends and co-workers leaning toward convenience. My BFF is a marvelous cook who always had a passion for cooking has decided that cooking is too much WORK and she NEVER cooks now. :-( Now she eats out or buys convenience items; ten years ago she would have been horrified at the thought! I still love to cook and the bonus is my 18 year old daughter is now taking an active interest. We're sharing some great bonding time. This week we are working side by side each evening preparing for our annual Winter Open House this Saturday. We're expecting about 50 or so guests for laughs, camaraderie, tall tales, oh and food....Turducken, sides, appies and of course dessert. We've served Turducken the last 15 years hence it's become tradition and is always requested so.....

For those who didn't see the link, I divided up and listed what several posters on GW's Cooking Forum like to buy at Trader Joe's, separated by ----s ---- organic, vegetarian baked beans which we really liked (no HFCS). vegetarian low fat refried pinto beans "salsa style" Cuban style black beans which we have not tried yet cacciatore simmer sauce for chicken/pork breads beautiful orchid plants. Fage whole milk Greek yogurt ---- *Pistachios *Savory thin mini Crackers (a sesame cracker) they come in a larger cracker too, but I like the minis. *Sesame Sticks *Cambozola cheese (semi soft brie type veined with blue cheese) *Capers *Morella Cherries (next to the jams) *Creme Fraiche *Sun Dried Tomatoes *Rice Pilaf *Greek style Yoghurt *Saffron (great price) *Two Buck Chuck wines *Hand lotions *Yellow kitchen sponges (the kind that are thin until you wet them I could go on and on...I do most of my grocery shopping there and love to just browse up and down the aisles ---- Dried monmorency cherries Spices (cheap and good) Balsamic vinegar EVOO Grapeseed oil TJ Barbecue sauce Organic ketchup Artichoke hearts Joe-Joe's (TJ's healthier version of Oreos) Dark chocolate covered raisins Graham crackers Cereals-just tried Whole Grain Chocolatey-filled Cereal Bites Moka Java Coffee Semi-sweet chocolate chips ---- Sweet Potato Fries ---- Pound Plus Chocolate Cereals Tuscan Beans (in a can) Papadums (in the snack aisle) Grade B maple syrup usually cheaper than anyone Peanut butter filled pretzel nuggets Flavored pistachios Flax seed tortilla chips cookies shaped like cats, birds, various animals. ---- Candied ginger (yum!) dried fruits of all kinds grape seed oil olive oil - I like the Greek stuff Good price on McCann's Irish Oatmeal 3 buck chuck - my fave is the the rose simmer sauces - various types nice to have on hand for a quick dinner chicken gyoza - frozen - also nice for a quick dinner ---- New Mexico Piñon Coffee ---- ham steak (it's about a pound, from the Niman Ranch, & has excellent flavor frozen biscuits (six to a box stuffed pork chops & chicken breasts. good prices on nuts (cashews, pecans, almonds, peanuts, available, salted, non-salted, light salt, roasted & raw) & dried fruits, too. The lemon loaf is excellent, & good for morning coffee or dessert. They're also known for their wine selections & prices, & prices on selected liquor. ---- nuts blocks of chocolate for dipping organic sugar vanilla roasted red peppers Greek yogurt dried bananas low sodium deli turkey cheeses eggplant hummus Judy's Breadsticks (sunflower seed studded whole wheat bread) mini pita bread (so cute) 21 Seasoning Salute wine coffee beans truffle oil (seasonal) naan maple syrup graham crackers chocolate truffles cheese puffs ---- milk and eggs ---- Their flour tortillas are the closest to home made that I've ever found in a store. ---- I love the Trader Joe's Hummus quartet, and the fresh mozzarella is the cheapest around. ---- Bread Fresh-cut flowers, plants TJs Habanero Lime Salsa, TJs Vegetarian Chili, Cream Cheese, shredded cheese to make dip for Chips/Tortillas Wine -- NOT 2-buck Chuck Milk, Eggs, Yogurt, Cottage Cheese, Cheese Cereals Frozen: fish filets, Sweet Potato Fries, vegetables, Streudel, fruits and berries TJs Ice Cream -- especially their Mint Chip! Some frozen prepared foods -- as the whim suits me Tejava Ice Tea Lavander Sachet bags, Scrubbers, Dish Soap, shampoo ---- Yea - get all the stuff listed above..... And several cases of 2 Buck Chuck - we like the Merlot, Cab. and Chardonnay the best ---- orange champagne vinegar cheapest crumbled feta and goat cheese around orange cranberry scones mini challah kettle corn popcorn (it is addicting!!!) frozen creamed spinach (however, the calories will kill you! frozen juice bars...i love the mixed fruit ones My one hate is the frozen vege enchilladao ---- Picatta sauce - jar - great for a quick dinner w/ leftover grilled chicken breasts - I add a can of artichoke hearts-serve over angel hair pasta Sweet Potato fries - frozen Wasabi peas Sesame sticks Gorgonzola roasted crackers Roasted Red pepper soup - in a carton - add nothing - just heat. Stuffed Olives - 2 kinds - garlic & blue cheese - jars Marinara sauce - jar Alfredo sauce - jar Sour cream - can't remember the name - Red & wht container - cheap & thick ---- TJ's Gourmet Fried Onion pieces. Ingredients are onions, vegetable oil (canola and palm), wheat flour and salt. ---- Greek yogurt -- not TJ's Greek style, but the real Greek stuff "soft whole wheat bread". Monte Pollino olive oil canned beans beef broth concentrate in little packets Havarti cheese whipping cream that's not ultra-pasteurized triple gingersnaps ---- I looked over many of the fresh beef labels yesteday, and I couldn't find one that didn't say 'natural, no anti-biotics, no hormones, vegetarian diet'. All of them. I could have missed a package, but my impression is all of their beef was 'clean'. I have seen grass fed product on the shelves. ---- White balsamic vinegar TJ fat free Balsamic Vinegarette, Eggplant Garlic Spread, Honey Wheat Pretzel sticks, Sun Dried Tomato Brushetta, Swiss Almond crunch Cookies, TJ Mini Chocolate Chips, Fruit sticks (like roll-ups), Vegetable Fried Rice, Chicken Shu Mai, Ground Buffalo STeak Burgers, Vegetable Egg Rolls, Tri Sampler Goat Cheese, Corn and Chile Tomato-Less Salsa, Fire Roasted Tomato Salsa, All frozen Vegetables, Pumpkin Butter, Red Pepper Spread w/Eggplant & Garlic, Trader Giotto's Spaghetti Lunghi (extra long spaghetti) ---- I like their Salsa Verde, and their Double Roasted Salsa is one of the best jarred salsa's I've had. If you get this, make sure it's the Double Roasted and not the Fire Roasted. Their Chimichurri Rice is fabulous! It's in a bag in the frozen section ---- Dried fruits, nuts spices jarred Indian simmer sauces Plugra butter (cheapest around!) Frozen veggies (green beans are the BEST) Jarred marinated mushrooms (the only ones I can find w/out peppers) pasta varietal rice (wild, brown, jasmine, basmati, etc) oils gluten free products (with flavor, thank you!) seasonal stuff (this year it was Mexican Hot Chocolate cookies) Chocolate covered, peanut butter filled pretzels! ---- Triple Ginger cookie thins (really delish) Cheeses-Port Salut, Compozola,most of their blue cheeses are good, mascarpone Creme Fraiche Spicey hummus capers Dijon mustard Roasted unsalted nuts DH likes Chas Shaw merlot (3$ here) most of their organic dairy products are good ---- Multigrain vegetable lasagna (frozen) Chicken burritos (frozen) Brown basmati rice Parmesan cheese, grated Meyer lemons (in season, the only place I can get them locally) Flaxseed and soy tortilla chips Whole wheat pitas Nutty Chocolate breakfast bars (kids love 'em) Marinara sauce Whole wheat pastas Smoked salmon (fresh) Ak-Mak crackers - Stone ground whole wheat sesame flats Menage a trois sliced sweet peppers (frozen) Marinated tuna or mahi mahi steaks (frozen) Canned beans and tomatoes Fage Greek yogurt Harvest grains blend Orange champagne vinegar Makes a wonderful dressing Sweet & Spicy Pecans - Serve on a salad w/ above dressing and strawberries! ---- GLUTEN FREE chocolate cake! It is yummy and worry free! A special treat for me. They also carry a variety of other products that make life easier -- pizza that doesn't taste like cardboard and GF tortilla (rice flour). ---- frozen Pineapple... Almond Meal... General Tso's sauce... Chamomile/Lavender hand soap. Envirokidz cereal Ketchup. Pad Thai Brown Rice Pasta Italian chopped salad ---- blue cheese, crumbled feta and fresh mozzarella. I love their caponata. Unsweetened vanilla almond breeze (great for low-carbers). I also use their soaps - body - clothes and dishes.

For those who didn't see the link, I divided up and listed what several posters on GW's Cooking Forum like to buy at Trader Joe's, separated by ----s ---- organic, vegetarian baked beans which we really liked (no HFCS). vegetarian low fat refried pinto beans "salsa style" Cuban style black beans which we have not tried yet cacciatore simmer sauce for chicken/pork breads beautiful orchid plants. Fage whole milk Greek yogurt ---- *Pistachios *Savory thin mini Crackers (a sesame cracker) they come in a larger cracker too, but I like the minis. *Sesame Sticks *Cambozola cheese (semi soft brie type veined with blue cheese) *Capers *Morella Cherries (next to the jams) *Creme Fraiche *Sun Dried Tomatoes *Rice Pilaf *Greek style Yoghurt *Saffron (great price) *Two Buck Chuck wines *Hand lotions *Yellow kitchen sponges (the kind that are thin until you wet them I could go on and on...I do most of my grocery shopping there and love to just browse up and down the aisles ---- Dried monmorency cherries Spices (cheap and good) Balsamic vinegar EVOO Grapeseed oil TJ Barbecue sauce Organic ketchup Artichoke hearts Joe-Joe's (TJ's healthier version of Oreos) Dark chocolate covered raisins Graham crackers Cereals-just tried Whole Grain Chocolatey-filled Cereal Bites Moka Java Coffee Semi-sweet chocolate chips ---- Sweet Potato Fries ---- Pound Plus Chocolate Cereals Tuscan Beans (in a can) Papadums (in the snack aisle) Grade B maple syrup usually cheaper than anyone Peanut butter filled pretzel nuggets Flavored pistachios Flax seed tortilla chips cookies shaped like cats, birds, various animals. ---- Candied ginger (yum!) dried fruits of all kinds grape seed oil olive oil - I like the Greek stuff Good price on McCann's Irish Oatmeal 3 buck chuck - my fave is the the rose simmer sauces - various types nice to have on hand for a quick dinner chicken gyoza - frozen - also nice for a quick dinner ---- New Mexico Pin Coffee ---- ham steak (it's about a pound, from the Niman Ranch, & has excellent flavor frozen biscuits (six to a box stuffed pork chops & chicken breasts. good prices on nuts (cashews, pecans, almonds, peanuts, available, salted, non-salted, light salt, roasted & raw) & dried fruits, too. The lemon loaf is excellent, & good for morning coffee or dessert. They're also known for their wine selections & prices, & prices on selected liquor. ---- nuts blocks of chocolate for dipping organic sugar vanilla roasted red peppers Greek yogurt dried bananas low sodium deli turkey cheeses eggplant hummus Judy's Breadsticks (sunflower seed studded whole wheat bread) mini pita bread (so cute) 21 Seasoning Salute wine coffee beans truffle oil (seasonal) naan maple syrup graham crackers chocolate truffles cheese puffs ---- milk and eggs ---- Their flour tortillas are the closest to home made that I've ever found in a store. ---- I love the Trader Joe's Hummus quartet, and the fresh mozzarella is the cheapest around. ---- Bread Fresh-cut flowers, plants TJs Habanero Lime Salsa, TJs Vegetarian Chili, Cream Cheese, shredded cheese to make dip for Chips/Tortillas Wine -- NOT 2-buck Chuck Milk, Eggs, Yogurt, Cottage Cheese, Cheese Cereals Frozen: fish filets, Sweet Potato Fries, vegetables, Streudel, fruits and berries TJs Ice Cream -- especially their Mint Chip! Some frozen prepared foods -- as the whim suits me Tejava Ice Tea Lavander Sachet bags, Scrubbers, Dish Soap, shampoo ---- Yea - get all the stuff listed above..... And several cases of 2 Buck Chuck - we like the Merlot, Cab. and Chardonnay the best ---- orange champagne vinegar cheapest crumbled feta and goat cheese around orange cranberry scones mini challah kettle corn popcorn (it is addicting!!!) frozen creamed spinach (however, the calories will kill you! frozen juice bars...i love the mixed fruit ones My one hate is the frozen vege enchilladao ---- Picatta sauce - jar - great for a quick dinner w/ leftover grilled chicken breasts - I add a can of artichoke hearts-serve over angel hair pasta Sweet Potato fries - frozen Wasabi peas Sesame sticks Gorgonzola roasted crackers Roasted Red pepper soup - in a carton - add nothing - just heat. Stuffed Olives - 2 kinds - garlic & blue cheese - jars Marinara sauce - jar Alfredo sauce - jar Sour cream - can't remember the name - Red & wht container - cheap & thick ---- TJ's Gourmet Fried Onion pieces. Ingredients are onions, vegetable oil (canola and palm), wheat flour and salt. ---- Greek yogurt -- not TJ's Greek style, but the real Greek stuff "soft whole wheat bread". Monte Pollino olive oil canned beans beef broth concentrate in little packets Havarti cheese whipping cream that's not ultra-pasteurized triple gingersnaps ---- I looked over many of the fresh beef labels yesteday, and I couldn't find one that didn't say 'natural, no anti-biotics, no hormones, vegetarian diet'. All of them. I could have missed a package, but my impression is all of their beef was 'clean'. I have seen grass fed product on the shelves. ---- White balsamic vinegar TJ fat free Balsamic Vinegarette, Eggplant Garlic Spread, Honey Wheat Pretzel sticks, Sun Dried Tomato Brushetta, Swiss Almond crunch Cookies, TJ Mini Chocolate Chips, Fruit sticks (like roll-ups), Vegetable Fried Rice, Chicken Shu Mai, Ground Buffalo STeak Burgers, Vegetable Egg Rolls, Tri Sampler Goat Cheese, Corn and Chile Tomato-Less Salsa, Fire Roasted Tomato Salsa, All frozen Vegetables, Pumpkin Butter, Red Pepper Spread w/Eggplant & Garlic, Trader Giotto's Spaghetti Lunghi (extra long spaghetti) ---- I like their Salsa Verde, and their Double Roasted Salsa is one of the best jarred salsa's I've had. If you get this, make sure it's the Double Roasted and not the Fire Roasted. Their Chimichurri Rice is fabulous! It's in a bag in the frozen section ---- Dried fruits, nuts spices jarred Indian simmer sauces Plugra butter (cheapest around!) Frozen veggies (green beans are the BEST) Jarred marinated mushrooms (the only ones I can find w/out peppers) pasta varietal rice (wild, brown, jasmine, basmati, etc) oils gluten free products (with flavor, thank you!) seasonal stuff (this year it was Mexican Hot Chocolate cookies) Chocolate covered, peanut butter filled pretzels! ---- Triple Ginger cookie thins (really delish) Cheeses-Port Salut, Compozola,most of their blue cheeses are good, mascarpone Creme Fraiche Spicey hummus capers Dijon mustard Roasted unsalted nuts DH likes Chas Shaw merlot (3$ here) most of their organic dairy products are good ---- Multigrain vegetable lasagna (frozen) Chicken burritos (frozen) Brown basmati rice Parmesan cheese, grated Meyer lemons (in season, the only place I can get them locally) Flaxseed and soy tortilla chips Whole wheat pitas Nutty Chocolate breakfast bars (kids love 'em) Marinara sauce Whole wheat pastas Smoked salmon (fresh) Ak-Mak crackers - Stone ground whole wheat sesame flats Menage a trois sliced sweet peppers (frozen) Marinated tuna or mahi mahi steaks (frozen) Canned beans and tomatoes Fage Greek yogurt Harvest grains blend Orange champagne vinegar Makes a wonderful dressing Sweet & Spicy Pecans - Serve on a salad w/ above dressing and strawberries! ---- GLUTEN FREE chocolate cake! It is yummy and worry free! A special treat for me. They also carry a variety of other products that make life easier -- pizza that doesn't taste like cardboard and GF tortilla (rice flour). ---- frozen Pineapple... Almond Meal... General Tso's sauce... Chamomile/Lavender hand soap. Envirokidz cereal Ketchup. Pad Thai Brown Rice Pasta Italian chopped salad ---- blue cheese, crumbled feta and fresh mozzarella. I love their caponata. ÂUnsweetened vanilla almond breeze (great for low-carbers). I also use their soaps - body - clothes and dishes.