Oh Trader Joe's, I Love You So!

Sharing some yummy things I've come up with in the past few days, with Trader Joe items:  

Trader Joe's Pumpkin Butter
This is delicious! I think that even if you're not a pumpkin flavor fan, you'll enjoy this pumpkin butter. It's not overly pumpkin-y, and not too sweet. I just picked up the jar and tried it for the first time the other day. This will be a staple in my kitchen.


Cookies
Trader Joe's Gluten Free Ginger Snap Cookies
Trader Joe's Pumpkin Butter

Spread some pumpkin sauce on top of a ginger snap. Snazzy and elegant treat!  
Fruit compote with Pumpkin Butter
Sliced banana
Sliced peach
Chopped walnuts
Pumpkin butter.

Put all the above in a bowl. Drizzle pumpkin butter, and enjoy. Very tasty desert.



Pasta with Tomato and Lemon Alfredo Sauce
1 Jar Trader Joe's Alfredo Sauce
Trader Joe's spiral brown rice pasta
 Sliced lemon
1/2 small can tomato sauce
Red pepper flakes
Parsley
Oregano,
basil,
black pepper to taste
Cherry tomatoes, halved

 I use the rice pasta or corn pasta because I try to avoid gluten as much as possible, but any type pasta will be fine. Heat contents of Alfredo sauce in sauce pan. Add half can tomato sauce, tomatoes, spices. Squeeze in lemon juice to taste. Pour over cooked pasta.

Olivia Steger, 8, Writes A Wise, Awesome Note To Dwell Magazine

Wise and awesome for sure :)

Olivia Steger, 8, Writes A Wise, Awesome Note To Dwell Magazine (PHOTO): "If you're going to send a girl an Architect Barbie, then you should send something about architecture with it so that she knows what the doll means," Olivia noted. She went on to suggest several more ways to teach girls about architecture -- like sending them LEGOs or a book.
Story continues below photo.
note to dwell


We're especially impressed by young Olivia's name drop -- Frank Lloyd Wright -- and her ability to recognize that though she personally is a fan of Wright's, he may not be the best role model for girls because he, in fact, is a man.

'My Boss Told Me My Hair and Makeup Were Holding Me Back' Jezebel.com

I realize in probably the "real world" this is absolutely true. I just can't relate; I've always avoided, or chosen, another path. Fortunately, where I live, combined with the job I have -- and the union -- I'm kept from ever having to experience this total bizarre bullshit. Also, I'm close to retirement and don't give a damn.

Rosalind Russell, His Girl Friday 1940

In many ways what Jezebel went through is for the reasons stated: getting ahead, and the corporate world rewards those who look the part. But another part of this is simply the game of control. I've had crummy jobs that paid minium wage or less, if you were in the food industry, since tips were considered part of your wages. I worked in places that held inspections. One chain restuaurant had us -- adults, mind you, -- line up while a female corporate executive walked up and down, making the most personal and rudest of comments about our hair, faces, looks, size, breasts, jewelry, make-up, you name it. I was told once by a male boss to "wear a bra" -- I was! -- and from then on he made it a point to have me stand off in a corner while he looked at my chest for five mintues to make sure I was wearing a bra. Oh I could go on but you get the picture.

My Boss Told Me My Hair and Makeup Were Holding Me Back

Kitschy Kitschy Coo: Magazine Mental Illness

I love this; found it on the Kitschy Kitschy Coo blog:Kitschy Kitschy Coo: Magazine Mental Illness. Here's what they say about this magazine, published by Popular Mechanics back in the 1940s:

Home Kinks magazine isn't what you think it is. Or maybe it is; maybe you're not as twisted as I am. Or maybe you are just as twisted, but you just knew this was a Popular Mechanics publication (1947)

.

Carmen Dell'Orefice, 81, is Fashion Week's Oldest Runway Model. She's Also the Best. | Style Crush - Yahoo! Shine

This woman is beautiful! Carmen Dell'Orefice, 81, is Fashion Week's Oldest Runway Model. She's Also the Best. | Style Crush - Yahoo! Shine

Patti Smith - A Reading Of Virginia Woolf

You're Either Too Skinny or Too Fat But You're Never Right...

Between the ages of 21 and now (58) my weight has varied a lot. I've been 100 lbs, I've been 220. Now I'm at an all right weight; my doctor is reasonable (maybe her being female has something to do with that, I don't know) and realizes that a post menopausal woman who's struggled with weight literally her entire life isn't, nor should be, 98 lbs. She'll be satisfied, as will I, if I lose between 15 and 20 pounds. I'm working on it and already have lost a few. I'm not "on a diet" but watch I don't overeat, eat small meals throughout the day, protein, lots of iced drinks and water, of course no sodas. Just basic "works for me" stuff.

So, I've been all these contrasting weights all my life, and no matter what my weight, someone, somewhere, always had a comment to make! Sometimes, even strangers! I was too skinny: what's wrong with me, I need to put on weight, I'd look better and would have boobs if I gained weight, etc. Or, I'm too fat, what's wrong with me, why don't I lose some weight, just use will power, etc.

Weight. Something others feel is perfectly acceptable to comment on, even if they don't know you (though whether they do or not is none of their business.) Weight. Something that is always, always, never good enough. If you were a size 20 and got down to a 12, not good enough. Someone else will come along and tell you, unasked, what they think of your weight. A size 5, too skinny, not good enough.

Now I feel pretty comfortable although I want to lose and that's my own business. I'm not depressed about it or beat myself up. And -- maybe this comes from age -- when someone does make a comment about my weight I say, politely, it's none of their business, and I ask them why they're concerned. That usually shuts them up, after a few stammerings about "just trying to help" and "concerned about your health," etc. Sometimes it's a "Wow, don't be so defensive." Feh. You brought it up.

I just remember that, no matter what weight I or you may be, there's always someone who thinks you're not the right weight. You can't satisfy everyone, and you shouldn't try to satisfy anyone, except yourself. :)

BBC News - Japan's women footballers irked by Olympic flight seating

BBC News - Japan's women footballers irked by Olympic flight seating

Members of Japan's women's football team have complained about having to fly economy class to the Olympics while the men's team were in business class.

The women, strong contenders for gold, flew premium economy to Paris. The men are not expected to win a medal.

The article notes that the agency responsible for the upgrade is the "Japan Football Assciation" and the seat upgrade for male players "was in recognition of their professional status..."

Anastasia Steele was Clearly Not a Mother of Three — Brittany. Herself.

This hysterical, and also very realistic. I'm going to get all TMI on anyone, but let's just say I can relate. Also, good to know I'm not the only one. Anastasia Steele was Clearly Not a Mother of Three — Brittany. Herself.

Love = Green Earth Frying Pan by Ozeri

About 7 years ago I invested in some more expensive cookware than the normal cheap Walmart frying pans I had been buying.  I found that this really made a difference, especially the expensive teflon pans didn't chip the way the cheap ones do.  One of my purchases was a 12" Cuisinart Nonstick Hard-Anodized frying pan.  Several months ago the non-stick surface pretty much stopped working.  7 years was a pretty good run and I had thought I would buy another similar pan, but then while browsing pans at Amazon I saw the Green Earth ceramic coated pans and that they had good reviews, so I decided to try one of those instead.

Turns out that I made a great choice!  I am incredibly impressed with this pan.  Not only is the non-stick coating better than any pan I have had before, it also is amazingly easy to clean and I love the color!  I was so impressed I started trying to think of why I needed to replace my 7 year old Emeril brand non-stick pan, which is still in pretty much perfect condition.  The reasons I came up with is that the Emeril pan is teflon and Amazon has the Green Earth pans on sale for less than half of the list price, so I just ordered the 10".

I suppose I may change my mind about these pans being that I have only been using my new one for a week, but I kind of doubt it.  If so, I will let you know.