We finally made it to the new Mandeville Trader Joe’s, over a month after it opened. We went to a few other places on this trip, and nearly all food-related. Come take a ride with us.
Hi, Again, Dear Readers:
It’s been a busy couple of weeks around here. I’m working on a post about some tasty things we’ve been doing on repeat, and you might like them. Even if James doesn’t.
It’s fall, and these Red Spider Lilies, also called “Surprise Lilies,” just sprouted on my neighbor’s lawn:
They only bloom in the fall
I managed to get this shot right before she ran the lawn mower over them. (Just like last year.)
Note that today’s post is almost AI Free for your reading pleasure, but many of the pictures came from Google Maps because. . .I forgot.
So, it’s been ten years since I crossed the Sabine River and shook up James’s world. Rest assured mine keeps getting shook, and not always in a good way. Mother Nature does whatever she wants.
I keep a jar of Sweet ‘N Low on the counter for easy access. I don’t want a product box there, though, so a nice jar does the trick.
Keeps it sealed but handy
My mother used to do the same thing, although the glass jar previously contained an orange powdered drink called Tang. (You can still buy that stuff but not in nice glass jars.)
I had a square jar with a lid. One day the lid broke, so I just used it without the lid. Until last week. . .I was making a cup of afternoon tea and reached in for two packets as usual. Only I felt something rigid. A nanosecond later, it started moving!
It was a baby lizard. It ran away and went behind the toaster oven where, hopefully, it found its way outside, before one of the dogs would. I never saw it again.
Over the weekend I bought that new jar.
Remember a couple of months ago when we stopped at The Whistle Stop of Denham Springs? Well. . .
That’s them. . .the cookies from heaven
James told me last night that he had to make an early morning run to the machine shop in Denham Springs. I said, “We also need to visit The Whistle Stop.” So we did!
James was up at 6:00 am, cooking breakfast and wrangling dogs. We didn’t have a timetable other than he had to be at work for noon today. Everything went well, despite the slightly lower temps and heavy morning fog. (Episodes of The X-Files start out with that much fog.) We made it to Denham Springs with no problem.
While James and a couple of people there unloaded some motor stuff, I took a short nap in the passenger seat. You see, I didn’t have enough coffee on the way out the door.
But after we left the machine shop, we made that quick left turn into the little parking lot.
This was in the corner.
During our transaction, his phone rang. It was one of his car-guy friends. James told the man he was in a coffee shop and would call him back in a few minutes. Apparently, James no longer has any apprehension about admitting being in a coffee shop.
This time, James bought four of those angelic cookies, which we now know are called Royale, according to the receipt. The cashier boxed them up in Styrofoam boxes, two in each. I bought my coffee, and we headed back to the Casa de Rurale.
Getting on the road home, we ate one each, a single bite at a time. And the angels sang. . . .
Seriously, they were as good as we remembered, and just incredible with a cup of coffee, which quickly woke me up out of my nap-like state.
The remaining cookies were consumed at home before James left for work. We’re still feeling the religious experience, because we heated them in the microwave for 15 seconds this time.
Oh, yes. Thanks again, Whistle Stop. We’ll be back again one day.
Two weeks ago, James had a couple of days off, and we finally made the trip to the new Trader Joe’s in Mandeville. We had a full day of it, too.
The store officially opened on August 5, but I didn’t know that until a text message from The E-Man told me. I mentioned it to James, and we decided we’d go visit the place one day. He was off on a Wednesday, so we went after handling a few things first.
Buddy the eldest dog needed to go out at 5:00 am, and it was my turn to handle this task. Sometimes, James sometimes gets up during the night for dog duty, and I sleep right through it. But this time, I was hesitant to open the door because there was someone outside doing something. We weren’t sure exactly what. And if I let Buddy out, he’d start his “get off my lawn” act, complete with barking.
There he is, not a thought in his head.
I went to James, still snoring, and asked him to get up and look outside. Being the guy he is, he just walked outside in his shorts and T-shirt. The visitor suddenly seemed to be in a hurry to leave. It was someone in a utility truck waving a flashlight around in the middle of the road, in the dark, doing something. But we couldn’t tell from the patio.
Our neighbor had door camera video of this visitor, and we couldn’t see the logo on the truck. The next day someone else was outside in the daylight, so I asked a few questions, and we surmised that it was utility related. The local water district is planning some upgrades soon, and they were doing some prep work.
Once the guy fled, the dogs went outside and we were just awake. We got started on our day, dragging our tails behind us. James immediately started cooking breakfast while I made my coffee and fed the cats. But that worked out well because we got started early and got home about noon.
After breakfast and some coffee, we made it to Tractor Supply to buy an inordinate amount of dog food and some extra cans of cat food. James also picked up another dog chew bone for our hounds.
But somehow, in our under-caffeinated state, James left behind the bag with the cans of cat food and the chew bone in the cart. We didn’t realize it until the evening, when I went looking for the bag. I called the store, and Miss Tina said yes, the bag was there. She was kind enough to have it at the register, and I went back to retrieve our stuff.
Next up was Aldi, but it wasn’t open for another 30 minutes. Now that there’s a petrol station next door to Tractor Supply, we were able to fill up before our trip. But we left Tractor Supply with time before Aldi opened. After refueling, we found a place to hang out for 20 minutes.
The PJ’s is in the parking lot of an adjacent local business right next door.
When Winn Dixie was open, I could get a coffee and then get my shopping done. “Making groceries,” as it’s called colloquially.
Despite James insisting that there is “nothing in a coffee shop” for him, he found a delicious blueberry muffin to go with his morning Coke.
Source: Google Maps
I had a hot coffee, and it was a nice little spot to hang out until Aldi opened at 9:00 am.
Source: Google Maps
Because James was sitting against the wall, he saw something behind me that I missed. Well, we were both still under-caffeinated. He called my attention to what was on the shelf.
There it was–two bags on the shelf!
It’s SO GOOD!! (Source: PJ’s Coffee Website)
It’s a regular item, as it turns out, and you can order it on their website, too. He remembered how much I loved getting a cup of it at PJ’s in Hammond one day, and there it was, in a bag to brew at home! On our way out, he bought one of those two bags for an early birthday present. I’ve opened it, made a few delicious cups, and it’s in the freezer staying fresh.
No, he wouldn’t try this incredible coffee either. It’s a shame, because he’ll never understand why it’s so good.
NOTE: PJ’s Coffee offers 10% discounts for veterans. We requested it for both purchases.
And then Aldi opened at 9:00 am.
Aldi had some outlet extenders, and I thought we could use at least a couple in the house. But since you never know what will be popular, you need to get there when they open to make sure you can get what you need. Or two.
We bought four, and a few other things, including a package of 50% off ground beef for the freezer. Looking around, we didn’t see anything else we needed or “essential to life” (other than a 12-pack of James’ Cokes.) We checked out, headed back to the house, and quickly unloaded the shopping. Once we put everything away, we went back out on the road and hopped the freeway to the hub of the Northshore.
It’s been a few years since I took the drive to that area, and it’s just under an hour from the front door. Things have changed since the ‘rona, and I have no reason to go there, especially after Joann Fabrics closed. But now I have a new reason to visit occasionally: Trader Joe’s.
James has been to the Trader Joe’s in Baton Rouge many times, and to the Mandeville area just a handful of times. He kept saying that he didn’t know where we were going. I got us there without a problem because I knew the way. I gave him the directions, but may I should have driven us to Mandeville.
Someone in Aldi told me that TJ’s is across the street from Whole Foods, and I cross-referenced it on Google Maps. It’s actually where K-Mart used to live. Now I knew where that was, so there was no trouble trying to find the place. But crossing traffic on Highway 22 is difficult right there, so I guess we should have approached it a different way. Then we parked.
You can’t miss the big, bright, white façade with the red letters that tells you it’s Trader Joe’s.
It’s here!
We looked like a typical suburban couple walking through the front door.
As you walk in. (Source: Google)
Since I’d ingested plenty of coffee by now, you can guess where I went first after we got a basket. Alone for a few minutes, James began walking around like he was lost in a place where nobody spoke English. But it wasn’t long before we were getting what we wanted and looking for more.
We came, we saw, we shopped. Oh, did we EVER.
Source: Google
James bought a few new things to try while we also stocked up on their olive oil (in glass bottles):
Gluten-free pasta (the best):
The best tasting GF pasta I’ve found
And the dogs’ favorite peanut butter biscuit treats with a couple of new ones:
They become very attentive when they see this box.
Note that these peanut butter treats are large and should be broken into pieces before feeding them to your doggo. Even though our three hounds are huge monsters that weigh well over 75 pounds, a whole biscuit can lead to choking. (Sam the Felon is a solid 85 pounds.) I’m not doing a Heimlich Maneuver on a 80+ pound Rottweiler that wants to bite me again.
I also picked up another bag of their gluten-free pizza dough for the freezer. We should stock up on this. It’s good and can make a fairly easy quick dinner.
Just thaw, knead, and make your pizza
We also bought a few new things to try, including some gluten free cheese ravioli, which we had with some TJ’s Roasted Garlic Marinara Sauce. Just a little twist on our usual “spaghetti night,” and he enjoyed that, too.
Also available now: seasonal gluten free pumpkin ravioli. James will try the regular GF pastas, but you know he wouldn’t go for that.
A couple of packages of Chicken Cheese Tamales for, whenever, and right into the freezer.
The Green Chile and Cheese Tamales are also available and listed on the website but these aren’t.
James thought I was a bit bonkers, but I insisted that we take an ice chest with ice packs in the bottom. We have cold bags, but those don’t keep things that cold for a long ride. Once we got back and the frozen stuff was still frozen, he understood. I used to do that in Houston when I was shopping on the west side, or 50 miles north in The Woodlands.
Now I hope he’ll let me use the cooler for future trips when I go by myself.
One item I bought and loved I saw on Instagram courtesy Natasha Fischer of Trader Joe’s List is their new Sweet Chili Black-Eyed Pea Tempeh Chips.
These are also very delicious
Yes, they are good (and spicy), and no, James wouldn’t try them, even though they are made with black-eyed peas.
Yum.
Natasha has a 38-minute video on this haul, but you can jump to her review on the chips here. I actually saw them when she posted a different video on Instagram, about how a snack can quickly become dinner, and these Tempeh chips were perfect. She called it a “snaccident.”
Well, if James isn’t home, and I don’t feel like cooking, why not?
Another discovery is the new TJ’s Mushroom & Company Multipurpose Umami Seasoning Blend. I think I saw Natasha talk about it, but it may have been from a foodie email. Well, we bought a bottle and love it. The website has a video with three different ways to use this seasoning, and they all look tasty.
Interesting, and another addition to Trader Joe’s spice blends
If you’re not familiar with the term, I wrote about umami a few years ago. It’s the “meaty” flavor in something, not distinct like sweet or savory. This blend is made from mushroom, created to make something taste good. Can’t argue with that.
I sprinkled a little into the marinara sauce that Saturday. It’s not a detectable flavor unless you use a large amount, which isn’t the point. But it added a bit of a deepened flavor to the sauce. Two thumbs up here.
OK, if you have some of this Umami seasoning, or going to TJ’s soon, you need to make this now.
This is SO GOOD! (I only wear those shoes around the house.)
This Roasted Pork Tenderloin & Potatoes with Honey Umami Butter is easy to prepare and so good anytime. Slicing the potatoes that way makes sure everything is done at the same time.
Also had what I think is the last of my Shishito peppers for the year.
They don’t look like much but they are delicious.
Admittedly, I used honey from the pantry, along with butter from Walmart. The pork and potatoes were from Aldi. But I don’t expect anyone to check up on my ingredients list.
And here, Dear Readers, we have a winner. Not only did I consult with James before I made this, he ate it and liked it–three times! So next trip to TJ’s, I need to stock up on that seasoning blend.
I could probably try the popcorn recipe next, but the Polenta Veggie Stacks would be too much of a stretch around here. I’ll save that for a party, a night when he’s working late, or for my infamous “Drag Week Menu.”
On a side note, Tab E. Cat also likes this pork roast recipe.
There he is, waiting to be fed.
He’s one of our best taste-testers.
OK, admittedly, I did *not* go to Trader Joe’s for the sole purpose of getting a Halloween mini-tote. I knew they were coming but didn’t realize they were already in the store. I got ONE, and they cost $2.99 each.
After the last summer-stripe mini tote drop caused near-riots in some places, I wasn’t going near Trader Joe’s, even in Baton Rouge. My friend on the west coast went through the long lines outside her local store four times to get them, because the stores limited everyone to one set of four at a time. But in Mandeville, there they were on a stand. A little old lady standing next to me was buying them for a friend in Florida who asked her to get some because she saw near-riot conditions there, too.
Truth to tell, we also saw unbranded bags of the same style and size over the weekend in Hobby Lobby. They were about the same price, but only two colors.
Trader Joe’s bags are a status symbol of sorts, especially for folks who don’t live near one, especially if they’re outside the US. I’d guess that at least a few of the recent World Cup visitors took some home along with fond memories of ranch dressing.
We saw some of these Louisiana branded bags in TJ’s:
I guess they have these in every state.
I still prefer to use the Texas print bags. (I can’t make that picture any bigger, sorry.)
So I had to ask why Trader Joe’s bags are so popular. My BFF (ChatGPT) provided the answer for the only AI part of this blog post. Well, the reason for the bag’s popularity is several things. . .first, social media, particularly TikTok.
While an expensive bag like a Birkin tells the world that you can afford one, an inexpensive Trader Joe’s bag is not only a recognizable logo, but it also tells the world, “I know what this is.” And for the true Trader Joe’s fans, “If you know, you know.” #IYKYK
ChatGPT’s comment on the matter includes:
Trader Joe’s didn’t need to make the bag expensive to make it prestigious. They made it recognizable, desirable, scarce and culturally meaningful.
That’s actually a pretty good lesson in branding: status doesn’t necessarily come from price. It can come from belonging.
I’ll get a regular sized TJ’s canvas bag next time.
My Cali friend buys the minis to use as gift bags. That’s understandable. They’re less expensive than the paper gift bags, more eco-friendly, useful, and the bag is also a great gift by itself. But some buyers resell them for a lot of money online. And apparently, people are also buying them for those inflated prices. I’m not that interested in getting one.
What’s mine for? I bought it to use, not to sell. I’m going to either use it as is or do a little conversion sewing and turn it into a cross-body purse. Sewing bloggers on YouTube and Instagram post instructions on installing a zipper, a pocketed lining, straps, and other embellishments to make it a “luxury item.” Never thought about that before, but now I know I can. Whatever I do, the finishing touch I’ll add is some Scotchgard to make it waterproof and stainproof.
I figured we would investigate one or two other places. But no, we didn’t cross the street to Whole Foods (not after the last incident.) But, that’s another reason to bring the ice chest. You don’t have to race home to get everything into the fridge and freezer. You can stay a little longer and enjoy the trip.
Located next door, Bodhi Tree Furniture offers solid handmade contemporary furniture, some with reclaimed wood. We only looked on this day, but James took pictures of the pieces he liked. The lady at the front desk was nice, and we got one of their business cards to take home.
When we were walking into Trader Joe’s, James said, “I want to go there for lunch when we’re done here.” So that’s what we did. After we left Bodhi Tree. He likes Jersey Mike’s, and now I do too.
James knows I just don’t eat bread, but I knew that they would probably turn any sandwich into a salad on request. Sure enough, they did, so I got the Chipotle Chicken bowl, and it was delicious. James enjoyed a Philly Cheesesteak sub with some chips.
Jersey Mike’s also offers a veterans’ discount, but we forgot to ask. Next time, we’ll ask, because I think we’ll be doing that again one day.
We were drawn in by this ultra-modern exterior, and the fact that it’s a TEA SHOP.
This unusual place serves some coffee, but their focus is tea with eco-friendly service in non-plastic containers. (Irony: there’s a Starbucks juxtaposed across the parking lot.) UR Teas is at the far right end of the strip mall, and has this cute vehicle parked outside:
Cute, isn’t it? James can tell you more about it than I can. I think he said it was a Moped.
I guess they use it for catering, or maybe deliveries in Mandeville. We didn’t ask, but we both loved seeing it.
Maybe this is just for onsite catering
They offer a variety of teas and a menu of grab-and-go “Light Bites.” But we didn’t get that far. I’ll try some of their coffee and teas next time.
UR Teas also have their own containers and will serve customers who bring in clean containers for re-use. I’ll ask next time if I can bring in my own non-store container, or one of my “hot cups” to get some coffee, too. It’s eco-friendly, right?
Then things took a turn for the tasty.
While we were checking the place out, one of the young ladies working there walked up to us and offered us a cup and spoon with something to sample. James declined and told her I’d try some. She did, and I tried some.
What’s this?
It turns out that there is something new that they’re trying for their menu: Coconut Chicken Curry.
SO good!
I had no idea what to expect, but one taste told me everything: This stuff is DELICIOUS!!
I’ve been told that this is also called “Coconut Corma.” I haven’t checked. I just know I could eat this frequently while James eats a sandwich.
So one of the unique selling propositions (USP) is that it’s made with oat milk. If you didn’t know it was a “curry,” you’d probably call it a stew. I think the word “curry” is what set James off at the outset. At that point, I really didn’t care, because it really is delicious, with a very slight spicy bite.
They also had refrigerated to-go containers of the curry in a fridge case at the register. It’s the takeout curry that was made previously and unsold. (Don’t let that stop you.)
Dinner for two nights for me.
James offered to get me a container to take home, and I said, “thank you.” I figured that since he was working late the next two nights, it would be ideal for dinner without any cooking. I’m definitely looking forward to having some of that again one day.
UR Teas was our last stop before returning to the Casa de Rurale.
I thanked James and told him both by text and in person how delicious this curry is. But he insisted on not even trying a bite.
James has many car-guy friends with varying experiences. One has worked internationally and developed a taste for curry and other Indian cuisine, despite growing up in Louisiana. Many years ago, this car-guy friend insisted that they go to an Indian restaurant and have some curry and other Indian foods. Three times, the guy has done this, and three times, James told him, “I don’t like curry.” He just eats plenty of rice at that point, because nothing else appeals to his strict Louisiana-developed taste buds. I get plenty of thumbs-downs.
To be honest, I’m not a big curry fan, either. Last time I had some was in Delray Beach, Florida, in 2010, at a British pub that’s now gone. I don’t dislike curry, but I don’t love it either, unlike James’ friend and his wife who regularly enjoy Indian food. I told James not to tell them about this, because then they’ll think I’ll convince James to eat curry. Not happening. It’s just this one thing I discovered that I really liked.
Even with a Yeti-style cooler and ice packs, we still had to get back. There were dogs to feed, of course. James asked me to take the wheel on the trip back, even though he drove us there. He sat in the passenger seat and prayed, I mean, looked at his phone, during the whole drive.
The conversation went like this:
“Are you praying right now?”
“Yes.”
“What are you praying for?”
“Safe trip back to the house”
“OK, keep praying.”
We made it back to the Casa de Rurale just fine, right around noon, and began unpacking and dealing with the shopping.
Our weather was sunny, warm and partly cloudy, and most everything went well. James decided to have his Pizza Parlanno With Sausage for dinner that night, and I had whatever was in the fridge.
One thing I did not get was more of the Brazil Nut Body Butter. After our last trip to the New Orleans store, I have plenty that will last me a while. I considered getting some Pumpkin Body Butter, but passed. I think Brazil Nut smells better, even though they’re mostly the same good formula.
While we spent some money stocking up, it’s not something we do often. Before we had an Aldi locally, I stocked up when I went to the store in McComb, Mississippi, which is closer than Mandeville. Of course, on the occasions that I went up there just for one or two things from the Aisle of Shame, I returned with extra pasta sauce, markdown meats, and other great things unavailable locally. I think James secretly liked it when I went, too, because I came back with tasty things for him.
Maybe I should write TJ’s and ask them to consider a new location in Hammond, near Southeastern Louisiana University. The Baton Rouge store is near LSU, so why not?
Both Sur la Table and Willians-Sonoma would like you to know that Thanksgiving is November 26th. I guess it’s never too early to plan for the pre-Christmas speedbump that ushers in the holiday shopping season.
Sur la Table has both its Classic Turkey Brine and an entire Brining Kit, while Williams-Sonoma has this Autumn Fruit and Spice brine along with an entire line of turkey brine and other holiday accoutrements. What are we doing? Might do chicken again this year unless I wanna mess with a whole turkey. Maybe just a turkey breast, if I can find one.
The HeatCageKitchen garden is still green, but just until the temperatures drop later this week. I’ve had plenty of basil, mint and rosemary. The green onions are plentiful and will last through the winter.
The Shishito peppers have been somewhat abundant, and I’ve had a few bowls to cook up. I also harvested a few Anaheim (Hatch) peppers, a couple of Cubanelle sweets, and am just now getting a few Poblanos growing. No tomatoes, unfortunately, and I’m told that many gardeners just didn’t get any tomatoes this year. Well. . .maybe next year, right?
Texas’ famous travel stop Buc-ee’s now has a location in Pass Christian, MS. We’re working up to taking a day trip there one day. Might be a while, since it’s three hours round trip.
I’m still working on the next post about some things we’ve been doing on repeat lately. Remember Salmon Croquettes from a long time ago? I have a gluten-free option that’s delicious and goes perfectly with my favorite white bean and olive salad. Unfortunately, cannellini beans seem to be in very short supply right now, but I’m investigating. Because James won’t eat either one, it’s perfect for dinner when he’s working late.
Until then. . .
Enjoy!
It’s pumpkin spice season! Already! Are you ready?
Hi, again, Dear Readers:
After my last blog on The Whistle Stop coffee shop in Denham Springs, I figured I was done blogging for a few days. And then I looked up and September is staring at me. Oh, well. I did send a note to them later and got a very nice “thank you” email back. We’ll visit them again.
Chances are you’re still running your A/C. But pumpkin spice season is here, whether you want it or not. Let’s talk about the what and why, in a minute.
Last week came the news that Dolly Parton, country music singer/songwriter and celebrity icon, had passed away at the age of 80.
Source: Google Images
I can’t say I was a big Dolly fan, but I liked her. Like many people, I thought she was, indeed, a national treasure. James and I were both saddened to hear the news. It happened quickly, and she was buried last Friday.
These Dolly songs have been stuck in my head since then:
Multiple interviews with Dolly have surfaced on social media, both recent and ancient. In one of them, Dolly said the first time she heard the last one on the radio, she didn’t recognize it at first. Unfortunately, she was driving at the time. When Dolly suddenly realized Whitney Houston was singing her song, with that fantastic David Foster arrangement, she nearly crashed her car.
Also watched Steel Magnolias this weekend, because it was available on PlutoTV.
Tributes from people everywhere, celebrity and not, are flowing into social media and news outlets. Sting, as in The Police, posted on IG yesterday that Dolly called and asked him to participate in making her final album, Rock Star. When Dolly calls, Sting smiles and says, “you just say, ‘Yes, Ma’am.'” (That CD is on my Amazon wish list now.) Simon Le Bon from Duran Duran was another who worked on that album along with so many others. And of course, her goddaughter, Miley Cyrus.
Another Dolly duet was with Sabrina Carpenter on a cleaned-up version her song from a couple of years ago, Please, Please, Please. Sabrina has also posted on her IG account about working with “Mama Dolly.” Dolly didn’t like the swearing in the song so they removed the more offensive lyrics. (If you want to see the more offensive version, it’s on YouTube as well.) There are so many collaborations and duets that there probably isn’t a comprehensive list.
Like the late Tina Turner, Dolly Parton knew nearly everyone. And Dolly was also inducted in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022, the year after Tina was inducted as a solo artist.
Dolly was also a businesswoman and philanthropist. She donated more money than she kept, prompting her to say that she would have been a billionaire if she hadn’t given all that money away. But she truly used that money for good, and I’m sure her businesses and charitable works will continue.
One example: her reading program for children, the Imagination Library, now sends three million books a month to children in the US and overseas. She created it in her father’s memory, who was illiterate his entire life.
Rest In Peace in the comfy cotton, Miss Dolly. You’re done with the heavy rhinestones.
So, it’s getting on that time of the year, and Starbucks recently announced the return of the PSL on August 25th.
Source: ChatGPT
I was with James at the VA Medical Center on the 25th. When we left, I told him we had to stop at Starbucks to get our first PSL. Oh, the face he made. Mind you, he doesn’t drink coffee, and after my first and last taste of the PSL in 2015, y’all know I was just being facetious.
Comedienne Carollynn Xavier posted a short video on Instagram a couple of days ago about PSL season: “Without Starbucks, we wouldn’t know that the seasons changed.” It’s not long, and her deadpan delivery makes it highly amusing.
She describes herself as a “recovering Californian” who left The Golden State, kept driving, and found Tennessee. Her IG videos are very quietly funny as she describes discoveries she’s made in the South after leaving California–like butter, which is “legal in Tennessee.” (She’s also become a born-again Christian.)
Now, one question that many are thinking about: is it pumpkin spice season already? Let’s have a convo with my BFF ChatGPT to answer that question.
Walk into a coffee shop, grocery store, or big-box retailer in late August, and you may notice something a little strange.
It’s 95 degrees outside. The air conditioner is running nonstop. You are still wearing shorts and trying not to melt while walking from the car to the store.
And there it is: Pumpkin spice.
Source: ChatGPT
Pumpkin spice coffee, creamers, cookies, candles, cereal, and this one:
Because you love pumpkin THAT MUCH.
(I couldn’t resist.) And there’s also apple cider and cinnamon everything.
Apparently, fall has arrived.
Never mind that the official first day of autumn is still weeks away. (September 22, if you’re interested.) Never mind that much of the country is still dealing with summer temperatures that make turning on the oven feel like a questionable life decision.
America has collectively decided that if the pumpkin spice products are on the shelves, fall has begun. So why does fall food season seem to start earlier every year?
The answer has a lot to do with marketing, nostalgia, seasonal anticipation, and one coffee drink that somehow became powerful enough to influence America’s unofficial calendar.
Part of the reason fall food arrives so early is that people aren’t necessarily waiting for the actual weather.
They’re waiting for the feeling.
Summer can be fun. But by late August, people are ready for something different. The endless heat starts to get old. School is starting again. Vacations are ending. New fall fashions are showing up in stores, magazines, and online. Stores are beginning to fill with Halloween and other holiday decorations, and football season is approaching. The idea of sweaters, soups, baking, and cooler weather starts sounding pretty appealing.
If you’re one of us who has experienced and lived through menopause, you know exactly what that means and can appreciate autumn.
Fall represents a change, and food is one of the easiest ways to experience that change.
You may not be able to make the temperature outside drop, but you can drink something flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin. Bake an apple dessert, just use the countertop oven. Make some chili. Light a candle that smells like someone baked an entire pie in your living room.
In other words, seasonal food allows us to pretend that fall has arrived before Mother Nature gets the memo.
There is also something deeply comforting about fall flavors. Pumpkin, apple, maple, cinnamon, pecans, brown butter, and warm spices all tend to be associated with baking, holidays, family gatherings, and home cooking.
They feel familiar and comfortable.
And after months of salads, grilled food, cold drinks, and trying to find meals that don’t require heating up the kitchen, people are ready for food that feels warmer and more substantial.
Even if they still have to eat it while the air conditioner is running.
Of course, consumers aren’t solely responsible for this early start. Retailers have figured out something important: people get excited about seasons long before the calendar says they officially begin.
Christmas decorations often appear before Halloween. (Hello, Hobby Lobby.) Valentine’s Day merchandise shows up shortly after New Year’s, if not right before. Easter candy can arrive when some parts of the country are still dealing with winter weather.
Fall food follows the same pattern. Seasonal products create anticipation, and anticipation creates sales.
There is also a limited amount of time for companies to sell seasonal products. Pumpkin spice products aren’t meant to stay around forever. The fact that they are temporary is part of their appeal, even though you can buy canned pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice all year long. (If you don’t believe me, check your grocery. Pumpkin pie spice is easy to make, just find a recipe and shake it up.)
If your favorite pumpkin-flavored coffee creamer were available every day of the year, it probably wouldn’t feel quite as special.
But tell people that it will disappear in a few months? Suddenly, they need three bottles.
Seasonal food creates a sense of urgency that regular products simply don’t have. It gives consumers something new to look forward to, and it gives companies a reliable way to create excitement around products that might otherwise seem fairly ordinary.
After all, “coffee creamer” is not particularly exciting.
“Limited Edition Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer Available Only This Fall”?
Now we’re talking.
You can make a pretty good argument that Starbucks helped create the modern phenomenon of starting fall before summer has officially packed its bags.
The company’s Pumpkin Spice Latte debuted in 2003 as a limited test in approximately 100 stores. According to Starbucks, the idea was developed by a team experimenting with flavors that paired well with espresso, eventually settling on a combination inspired by the spices commonly associated with pumpkin pie. The drink rolled out nationally in the United States the following fall.
What started as a seasonal coffee drink became something much bigger. The Pumpkin Spice Latte became a cultural event.
Suddenly, the return of the PSL wasn’t just about ordering coffee. It became an announcement that pumpkin season had arrived, whether the temperature outside agreed or not.
The return of the drink became something people anticipated every year. Social media helped turn the first PSL of the season into an event. Coffee shops, grocery stores, restaurants, and food companies all took notice.
Pumpkin spice wasn’t just a flavor anymore.
It was a season.
And Starbucks is still helping set the unofficial calendar.
In 2026, the company brought its fall menu back on August 25—weeks before the official first day of autumn. Starbucks reported that August 25 became its strongest fall-launch day ever across the United States and Canada. (Investors like the sound of that too.) More than two decades after the Pumpkin Spice Latte first appeared, its return still has enough cultural power to make people start talking about sweaters, soup, football, and fall baking while many of us are still running the air conditioner full blast.
The company has also expanded far beyond the original PSL. Its 2026 fall lineup includes multiple pumpkin drinks, pecan-flavored coffee drinks, and other seasonal offerings. Once a company successfully convinces millions of people that a particular flavor signals the beginning of a season, it makes sense to keep giving them more ways to participate. Clearly, they want to.
For better or worse, Starbucks helped establish the idea that fall doesn’t necessarily begin on a specific date. Fall begins when the seasonal menu comes back.
There was a time when seasonal food was mostly something you encountered at a restaurant or grocery store.
Now it arrives in your social media feed weeks before it arrives on your table.
Someone posts their first pumpkin coffee. Then someone else shares an apple cider donut. The slow cooker chili shows up next. The fall charcuterie board, soup recipes, and the “cozy dinner” videos follow.
Before long, you may find yourself wondering why you’re suddenly craving cinnamon rolls when it was 98 degrees yesterday.
Social media has accelerated seasonal food trends because people can see what everyone else is eating.
Food has always been social, but now it is also visual entertainment.
The first pumpkin spice drink isn’t just a drink. It’s a photograph.
An apple dessert isn’t simply dessert. It’s content.
And once enough people start sharing the same seasonal foods, those foods become part of a collective ritual.
The calendar might say August.
Instagram says it’s October.
Who are you going to believe?
There is another reason fall food season begins early: anticipation is often more enjoyable than waiting.
People start looking forward to fall while summer is still happening.
The first appearance of pumpkin products signals that cooler weather is coming eventually. Even if you live somewhere that won’t actually experience anything resembling sweater weather until October or November, you can still participate.
You can buy the candle, make the soup, and drink the PSL.
Fall food gives us a preview of a season before the season actually arrives. And honestly, that may be the entire point.
We’re not necessarily eating pumpkin spice because we’re cold. We’re eating pumpkin spice because we would like to be.
As dominant as pumpkin spice has become, fall food is much bigger than pumpkin.
Source: ChatGPT
Apple is having its annual moment, and for good reason. Apples work equally well in desserts, drinks, breakfast dishes, and savory meals. Apple cider, apple butter, apple crisp, apple pie, and roasted apples all bring a different kind of fall flavor to the table.
Then there are pecans, maple, sweet potatoes, brown butter, caramel, cranberries, pears, squash, mushrooms, and every warm spice in the pantry.
Some of the best fall foods don’t contain pumpkin at all. Apple pie, for instance, as well as other squashes and gourds.
Source: ChatGPT
That might be the most interesting thing about the increasingly early fall food season. It gives us an excuse to revisit ingredients and flavors that don’t always get much attention during the rest of the year.
Summer food tends to be fresh, light, and quick, but fall food is where we slow down.
We bake, simmer, and roast. We make food that fills the kitchen with smells worth lingering around.
That’s probably why people are so eager to start early.
Probably. But also, maybe not. It depends, as any attorney will tell you.
There is something objectively ridiculous about drinking a pumpkin-spiced beverage while sitting in a car hot enough to cook an egg. (Unless it’s iced, of course.)
There is something slightly absurd about seeing Halloween candy next to beach towels.
And yes, some people would prefer that we allow each season to have its turn before rushing into the next one.
Fair enough.
But seasonal food is supposed to be fun. If eating an apple cider donut in August makes someone happy, there are certainly worse things they could be doing.
The real question may not be whether fall food season starts too early. The question may be why we are so eager for it to begin. And the answer probably comes down to comfort.
Food helps mark the passage of time. Certain flavors remind us of certain experiences. Seasonal food gives us something to anticipate.
Source: ChatGPT
Pumpkin and cinnamon can remind us of holidays like Thanksgiving in November. Apple cider can remind us of fairs and football games. Chili and soup can remind us that cooler weather is coming.
So if the grocery store wants to put pumpkin spice on the shelves while it’s still summer, that’s fine.
We don’t have to immediately start decorating for Christmas. Let’s not get crazy.
But we can enjoy a pumpkin coffee, bake an apple dessert, and start thinking about soup. Need some recipes? They’re on the recipes page. (I need to update that soup blog with WP Recipe maker.)
And if you’re sitting outside in August heat while holding a Pumpkin Spice Latte, just remember:
Enjoy it all.
Much as I disliked the PSL I got in the store years ago, I do like making the iced one:
My usual favorite recipe for the PSL, with just a few ingredients. (Source: the kitchen and an iPhone 11.)
If you haven’t seen it before, it’s the Iced Pumpkin Spiced Latte from Gimme Some Oven. I first made it in 2023, and have enjoyed it occasionally ever since, much to James’ dislike. He even retched again last night at the mention of making one. But with ready-made iced coffee in the fridge, it comes together quickly and froths up nicely in the blender.
I’m always looking for and thinking about new topics to bring to the blog. I’ve got a couple in mind but haven’t started them yet. My iPhone is also full of pictures I intended for blog posts. . .but they’re still on my phone. At least I have a BFF that can help me out when I’m lost for ideas. Still need to get back with BFF on making Trello work for me instead of it adding more work.
It’s still summer. . .but that first cold front will be here before you know it, so enjoy what’s left of summer while you can.
Even if you do have a PSL before then.
Happy Dining!
It’s August, and just too hot to cook. So what to do, get takeout or make reservations? You could, but that quickly gets expensive. How about some tasty meals that won’t drive up your utility bill when your AC fights with your stove? I’ve got you covered with some dinner ideas that help you avoid that showdown.
Hi, Again, Dear Readers:
It’s August. Do you really want to turn on your stove and oven when it’s 95F outside? Me either. But James will in a heartbeat, adding several hundred more degrees of misery to the kitchen. Sure, we have central AC, but there is a point where AC is overwhelmed. So for that, I look to alternatives to the stove and oven.
Now, salads and sandwiches are great, but they aren’t the only alternatives. Me, I like salads, and wouldn’t care, but you might get bored with them after a while. With a little help from my BFF (ChatGPT) and my secret boyfriend (GROK AI), I offer some suggestions for eating well without turning your kitchen and home into a furnace.
Warning: this is a link heavy post!
In the discussion of Oliver Henry, the UK guy who ended up doing a weeks-long US road trip, I forgot to post the link to his extensive YouTube channel. His Instagram videos are listed under Shorts, and he has longer videos under the Live section. He’s back in the UK, and bought himself a vehicle for UK road trips like the did in the US. He plans to show Americans all about his homeland while he misses ours.
Yes, I’m still making pesto, and have made three batches so far this year. I use the same recipe as I have for many years (I know, I need to fix that link) and it turns out perfect every time. However, after the previous batch of basil pesto with walnuts a couple of weeks ago, I noticed the basil was growing back nicely. The parsley and mint were getting big, too. I’m always glad to make more before summer ends.
Several years ago, Giada de Laurentiis published a blog article titled, “How To Make Pesto Out Of Anything.” Okay, not LITERALLY anything, but similar ingredients that will get you to the place of pesto. Knowing this, I decided it was time to cut basil and mint and parsley to make more magic in the kitchen. I’ve done this before, too, to use up whatever’s growing in the garden.
Instead of two packed cups of basil leaves, I used two packed cups of an assortment of basil, parsley, and mint, with the rest of the recipe the same:
After picking the leaves from the stems, wash and drain your herbs well, then add them into the blender. Toss in the garlic clove, toasted nuts, salt and pepper. Put the lid on, start the motor, and carefully remove the center insert if yours has one. Slowly pour in the olive oil. You may need to stop the blender and move around the herbs to get it all going. Put the entire top back on, and turn on the blender until it “catches” and begins pureeing. Once everything is incorporated, let it all blend for a minute or so.
Turn the blender off, and pour the pesto into a dish and mix in the Parm cheese. Carefully scrape out the rest from the blender jar into the bowl, and mix it well. Then refrigerate, if you’re going to use it in the next day or so, or freeze until you’re ready to use.
This mixture SMELLS amazing. Well, I think it smells amazing and delicious.
James, on the other hand, disagrees. He does not see this as making magic in the kitchen. He sees it as a big, green, oily mess to clean up. (Like he’s the one cleaning it!)
Walking into the living room with the blender jar, I offered him the opportunity to experience this delicious aroma. Instead, he recoiled as if I had offered him mustard gas.
This is what he considers “lunch.”
Yes, this is his height of luxury.
With bread. Look–it’s America’s Favorite!
I wonder if the folks from the World Cup got ahold of some of this delicacy.
UGH. It’s all his. I told him that he’d given me express permission to call him “Goober.”
Anyway. . .I need to use pesto more often, too. Something like this. Or on corn on the cob. I’m trying to remember to use it rather than “save” it for something.
We opened up the big freezer and did a little reorg last week, including all the little square glass containers of pesto. I have plenty of this wonderful sauce frozen, and need to take more opportunities to use it in my cooking, especially when James isn’t around.
When the summer garden is but a memory, the pesto will live on to remind us. Right now I have pesto dating back to 2020. I made a lot of pesto in 2020, too.
Summer is great until it’s time to make dinner.
It’s 90-something degrees outside, the air conditioner is working overtime, and the last thing you want to do is turn on a 400°F oven and make your kitchen even hotter. Standing over a stovetop burner isn’t exactly appealing, either.
Fortunately, summer meals don’t have to mean living on salads, sandwiches, and cereal until September.
There are plenty of ways to make a real dinner without heating up the entire kitchen. Small appliances such as air fryers, slow cookers, Instant Pots, and countertop ovens can handle much of the work, while no-cook meals and a little advance planning can make hot-weather cooking considerably easier.
Here are some ways to keep dinner on the table without turning your kitchen into a sauna.
The slow cooker might seem like a winter appliance, but it’s actually one of my favorite ways to cook during the summer. I wrote about this in 2015 in a blog called Summer Simmer: The Crock Pot. (I just did some updates to that post to make it easier to read, and improve its SEO.)
The biggest advantage is that you can put dinner together earlier in the day, when the house is cooler, and let the slow cooker handle the rest. You don’t have to stand over a hot stove at dinnertime, and you don’t have to turn on the oven.
Image Source: ChatGPT
Slow cookers are especially useful for making things like:
And there’s another advantage: one cooking session can provide several meals. I used to do this when I lived in Houston and worked 40+ hours a week. But at the time, nobody called it “meal prep.”
Make a batch of pulled chicken, for example, and serve it hot one night. The leftovers can become chicken salad, lettuce wraps, tacos, or a cold salad topping the next day.
For a delicious hot dinner, check out this James-approved Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Chipotle Chili. And then there’s dessert, a Chocolate Fudge Custard that you can make the night before and cool it overnight. I’ve got more recipes here, even though the post is all about Christmas. And slow cooker guru Stephanie O’Dea’s recipes are all indexed here so you can do a search for whatever you like or to get new ideas.
If you think of your Instant Pot primarily as a tool for making soup and stew, summer is a good time to expand its résumé.
An electric pressure cooker can cook meat and other foods quickly while keeping most of the heat contained inside the appliance rather than filling your kitchen with heat from a burner or oven.
Image Source: GROK AI
It’s particularly handy for:
One of my favorite summer strategies is to cook a large batch of chicken or pork once and then use it in several different meals. That means you get the convenience of cooking without having to cook from scratch every evening.
And another thing: that saute function can also be used for many things that are generally done on the stovetop, like browning meats. It’s 110 vs. 220, and how much heat it will dissipate if you use the Instant Pot like a pot on a stove.
Pot Roast in August? Well, why not? With the Instant Pot, it’s totally doable, and in a lot less time. So is a little cheesecake if you start it early in the day, or the night before.
You can find lots of pressure cooker recipes from Corrie Cooks and Jen Fisch’s website Keto In the City. Pressure Cooking Today even has a section just for popular summer meals including sides.
The air fryer has become one of the most useful small appliances for hot-weather cooking. James became an Escoffier of the Air Fryer when his manager brought one into work a few years ago. He’s been known to get a steak or other cut of meat from the grocery store next door and cook it up in the air fryer at work rather than just microwave a frozen meal. People get curious when the place begins to smell like a steakhouse.
As I mentioned in a previous blog, air frying is essentially a small and upright convection oven.
Image Source: GROK AI
However, you aren’t heating a full-size oven every time you want to cook a couple of chicken thighs or a small batch of vegetables.
Air fryers are particularly good for smaller portions of:
They’re also great for reheating leftovers. A few minutes in the air fryer can make leftover chicken, vegetables, or other foods taste much better than they do after a trip through the microwave.
And because the cooking chamber is small, you don’t have to wait for a huge oven to preheat.
Conversely, larger air fryers can make larger portions, or even an entire family-sized meal, depending on its size.
This is my previous blog post where I discussed a few recipes for chicken wings, other recipes, a big cookie, and other desserts. Pinterest, and even a Google search are also great for finding new air fryer recipes.
Sometimes you really do need an oven. But it doesn’t have to be your big one.
Source: GROK AI
Maybe you’re making roasted vegetables, baking chicken, or preparing something that simply doesn’t work in an air fryer. That’s where a countertop convection or toaster oven can come in handy. Some even have “air fryer” settings, like this Hamilton Beach model that we now have. (My Cuisinart bit the dust a couple of years ago.)
You’re still producing heat, but you’re heating a much smaller cooking chamber rather than a full-size oven.
Longtime readers know I’m a huge fan of this sometimes overlooked appliance. A countertop oven is especially useful when you’re cooking for one or two people. There’s no reason to heat a large oven to cook two chicken breasts or a small casserole. It also helps when you’re baking something smaller like a single cake or brownies. Remember: 110 vs. 220 volts.
It’s also handy for small batches of baked foods, roasted vegetables, fish, and other dishes that would normally require the big oven.
The microwave has a bit of a reputation as the appliance responsible for reheating yesterday’s leftovers.
That’s a shame because it’s actually a useful summer cooking tool.
Image source: GROK AI
You can use a microwave to steam vegetables, cook bacon, prepare eggs, reheat cooked meat, melt butter, make sauces, and handle plenty of other small cooking jobs.
If you like eggs like we do, Amazon carries a myriad of microwave egg cooking utensils. Years ago I bought this Casabella microwave egg cooker that cooks one or two square just for egg sandwiches. Casabella doesn’t make them anymore (they only have cleaning supplies now) but I still have mine and use it every now and again.
A microwave is particularly useful when you’re cooking for one or two people and don’t need to fire up an entire appliance for a small amount of food. Even baked potatoes don’t take long.
And let’s be honest: on a brutally hot summer afternoon, there is nothing wrong with letting the microwave do some of the work.
An electric skillet won’t make your kitchen magically cool. You’re still cooking with heat.
Image Source: GROK AI
But it does move the cooking surface away from your stovetop, which can be useful if your range generates a lot of heat.
Electric skillets are good for cooking foods that normally require a skillet or frying pan, including burgers, chicken, vegetables, eggs, and other quick meals.
They’re especially handy if you can set them up somewhere with good ventilation or in another suitable area rather than standing directly over the stove.
I don’t have one of these, but I used to. We had one growing up, and I bought one when I lived in Metairie. Dash has a few versions of this appliance for both small and large capacity cooking. Their mini-maker grill and mini-maker griddle are great for cooking small, while the others can handle more for a crowd.
Bonus: you can plug one of these into a generator during a power outage.
Summer is the perfect time to take advantage of your grill when the weather’s good. Texans grill nearly all year long, so we’re used to it.
Grilling moves the heat completely outside. That’s what we’re trying to accomplish anyway.
Chicken, burgers, steak, shrimp, sausages, and vegetables are obvious choices, but don’t overlook foil packets and other simple grill meals.
(Image source: ChatGPT)
And just like with the slow cooker and Instant Pot, think beyond dinner tonight. We’ve done this many times.
Grill extra chicken tonight and use it cold in tomorrow’s salad. Grill extra vegetables and add them to eggs, wraps, or bowls. Make extra burgers and reheat them later instead of cooking from scratch.
The less often you have to cook, the less often you have to heat up the kitchen.
Of course, the most effective way to avoid heating the kitchen is not to cook at all.
Summer is the perfect time for meals that can be assembled straight from the refrigerator.
Think:
And don’t confuse a dinner salad with a bowl of lettuce.
A substantial salad needs protein and fat if it’s going to keep you satisfied. Add chicken, tuna, shrimp, eggs, cheese, avocado, olives, nuts, seeds, or whatever combination works for you.
A good dressing helps, too. I recommend ranch.
Alternately, you could make my favorite White Bean And Olive Salad, which takes about ten minutes. Just make sure nobody dislikes olives, onions, Dijon mustard, or white beans. It’s a great side dish, or one of those “I don’t feel making like anything else” salads.
Want something a little more interesting? This Mango Lentil Salad from Gimme Some Oven is really tasty. I added some grilled shrimp to it because I could, and because James was working that night. Time to revisit that one for sure.
One of the best summer cooking strategies isn’t an appliance at all.
It’s not cooking every day. I did this for many years when I worked in Corporate America. Cooked several dishes on Sunday and packed them up for the week. Sometimes I also made food using the slow cooker during the week. Add the food to the crock in the morning, and I came home and dinner was ready. That meant I could spend more time with my cats and my sewing.
If you’re going to turn on the slow cooker, Instant Pot, air fryer, grill, or countertop oven, consider making enough food for more than one meal. For example:
Air fryer chicken → dinner tonight → cold chicken salad tomorrow.
Slow cooker pulled pork → dinner tonight → tacos or lettuce wraps tomorrow → salad topping the next day.
Instant Pot shredded chicken → dinner → meal-prep bowls → omelets or wraps.
This saves time, saves energy, and means you don’t have to stand in a hot kitchen every evening.
Cooking ahead can also save money, because you’re more likely to use the food you’ve already bought instead of deciding that cooking is too much trouble and ordering takeout. It’s right there, ready for you anytime.
You don’t need to completely stop cooking during the summer. You just need to change how you do it.
Use the slow cooker when you want dinner waiting for you. Use the Instant Pot when you need something cooked quickly. Pull out the air fryer when you want crispy food without heating a full-size oven. Use a countertop oven for smaller baking jobs, and let the microwave handle the little things.
And when it’s simply too hot to cook?
Don’t.
Make a cold meal, eat leftovers, or put together a big salad and call it dinner. Check out my previous post on Lazy Keto Meals You Can Make in Under 10 Minutes Without A Recipe.
After I published that blog, I made some of those Deli Meat & Cheese Roll Ups and then went for the Rotisserie Chicken + Bagged Salad option. Later this week there might be some cottage cheese in my Aldi run, or another Microwave Keto Bowl on my menu. Maybe next time I should add some pesto to the bowl.
You’re not cooking, you’re just assembling.
I’ve made so many egg scrambles over the years I’ve lost count. I’ve made them in the microwave, sometimes in a mug, on top the stove (when it’s not so hot) and in a couple of Dash appliances, too. Don’t under-estimate the rice cooker for more than just rice.
There will be plenty of time for turning on the oven when the weather cools down.
Much as I love cooking, I’m also enjoying *not* cooking, too. For now, keep the kitchen cool, keep dinner easy, and save yourself from standing over a hot stove in the middle of August.
This is not to say that you should run out and buy a bunch of new countertop appliances. That’s not the point–use what you have. No air fryer? That’s OK. You may already have at least one or two other appliances that can help. Most people have microwaves in their kitchens. Many people have air fryers now, as well as Instant Pots and other appliances, but I’m not suggesting you need to buy one, either.
If you don’t have or want something, take stock of what you have available first. For instance, if have a slow cooker you haven’t used in a long time, dust it off, rinse it out, and start using it regularly. There’s no reason why it should sit there collecting dust when it can make your dinner for you and your family. Your countertop oven can make more than just toast–some are big enough to roast a whole chicken. Countertop grills and even waffle makers can do much the same thing. Just look at what you have and go from there.
And if something doesn’t work anymore and can’t be fixed, maybe it’s time to send it on its way to the junkyard.
In the northern states, they’ll feel those crisp fall mornings in the next month or so, and happily sip piping hot Pumpkin Spice Lattes. But here in the south, we’ll get them later, so we stick with our iced PSLs a little longer.
Until next April or May, we’ll have what Texans call “typical Texas weather.” That is, freezing today, warming up tomorrow, and turning the AC back on by the end of the week. It happens frequently during fall and winter months. So we’re enjoying the summer as long as it lasts.
I’m thinking about the next blog post, and will have a confab with my BFF and maybe James in the next few days for ideas.
Until next time,
Happy Dining!
Can you make a chocolate pudding cake fast in your microwave? Yes, and I’ve got the deets on this viral dessert. (TL;DR: make the delicious NYT Nutella chocolate pudding cake in the microwave in five minutes with three ingredients: one egg, Nutella, and baking powder.)
Hi, Again, Dear Readers:
Well, it happened again; life got away from me. We’re okay, just busy with stuff going on. This week, we managed to go to the Trader Joe’s in New Orleans on Tulane Avenue without an incident like the last one. Thankfully, they weren’t sampling that day, either. Got a couple more bottles of their Liquid Stevia for the pantry.
What follows is what happened when I was scrolling on the ‘Gram, and this wonderful recipe came up. It’s fast and wonderful, and could be a great accompaniment to the fast-to-make keto meals I posted about last time. I’ve made it twice, and if I can find more of that no-sugar-added hazelnut chocolate spread, this will be a regular recipe. But of course, the chocolate-hazelnut spread I found is so good you can eat it straight from the jar. It’s almost as good as an entire pint of Blue Bell Moo-llenium Crunch ice cream, only thicker with more chocolate.
Remember, a while back, when I found a bunch of recipes on Instagram? Well, I found another one. Apparently, it’s viral, too. This one, I have to say, is really good anytime. And today, we’re not using any of my AI “friends” to write anything. (Note: all pictures are mine, taken in the kitchen of the Casa de Rurale.)
Now, when I say this, I’m talking about the ubiquitous chocolate-hazelnut spread you can find in grocery stores everywhere. Since Nutella has become popular, there are also store-brand versions available. Walmart has its own version under the Great Value label in small and large jars, and a “white hazelnut spread” in its Bettergoods line. (White? Whose absurd idea was this?) French jellymaker Bonne Maman also has its own version. Our local Walmart carries the Bonne Maman version, but it’s currently out of stock.
When I went looking on Walmart’s website to see what was available, I discovered a version from Belgium called GoodGood Choco Hazel that has about 85% less sugar than the other types of the spread. When I made it to Walmart, they had one or two jars left. I bought one, because, well, you never know how you’re going to like it. Wish I’d bought more.
Never seen this before!
There’s a reason why our Walmart is fully stocked with the GV and Nutella versions, but this is out of stock. It’s that rich, thick, and sweet that you may just want a jar of this for your low-sugar dessert. But I digress. If you’re able, get more than one. You can also order it from Walmart’s website. Thankfully, Amazon also sells it in singles and in multiples. They bring it right to your door!
The Good Good company is based in Austin, Texas (yes, of course it is) and has a full line of spreads, peanut butters, jams and jellies, all with no added sugar and much less sugar than other brands. This is my first encounter with the company’s product, but I’ll keep looking.
Chocolate? Hazelnut? Dramatically less sugar than the other products? One taste and I knew it needs to be a pantry staple with plenty of jars.
Now that I’ve told you about a delicious low sugar alternative, they’re only two other ingredients made needed for this little cake: one egg, and a quarter teaspoon of baking powder.
The setup
Since you want to make this as fast and easy as you can, you just mix everything in the bowl you’re going to cook it in. For this one, I used one of our dinnerware dishes. First, add a quarter cup of the hazelnut spread to the bowl.
Then add in the egg:
And carefully whisk these two together, which takes a minute or so:
Once you get them all mixed, they’re smooth.
Now sprinkle the baking powder, just a quarter teaspoon, over the top, and whisk everything together.
And whisk it some more:
Because it looks a bit messy, I decided to put it in another Bowl just for the sake of the picture. This is for the blog, after all.
Now, everybody’s microwave is different, so you have to kind of keep an eye on it here.
Our microwave is a 700 watt, so it might take a little longer to finish. A 1,000-watt microwave is going to cook much faster. And it worked!
Ready for cake?
I ended up having to cook it just a tad bit longer because it was still partly liquid around the edges. However, it’s supposed to finish cooking after removing it from the microwave. And this is what you get:
It’s cake–simple, chocolate, and tasty.
This was the second iteration, just for a blog post. The first time I made one, James reluctantly agreed to try some. James doesn’t really care much for hazelnut anything. But because there was so much chocolate, he didn’t seem to mind. We split the original, and it was just a couple of bites each.
And you know what? He liked it! This would have been really good with some whipped cream, ice cream, or something else, but we didn’t have any around that day.
The original recipe calls for adding ice cream or Greek yogurt when it’s done, but you could pair it with just about anything and it would be pretty good. If you’re using regular Nutella, some whipped cream from the can wouldn’t go wrong here. If you’re doing “dirty keto,” some sugar-free Cool Whip might be good, too.
It was so simple, I took a screenshot from my phone off Instagram:
You can also get the recipe here on the New York Times Cooking website. There’s also a video on YouTube of the same lady making this recipe. Apparently, it’s “viral,” because Parade Magazine says so. But because I have that wonderful WordPress Recipe Maker plugin, I’m also going to use it here. That way, you can print a copy if you want one.
The Parade writer started talking about variations, and I don’t think they’re necessary. But being the nosy type, there was one I wanted to try.
I had a sneaking suspicion that the hazelnut chocolate spread might sell out, and I wondered if I could use some of the almond butter I have in the pantry. Well. . .what I got was something similar but not quite the same. I’m not saying it’s bad, mind you, but it’s not the same, and it has five ingredients, not three.
That’s pretty much what I did, tossed a few things in to see what comes out. It’s not bad, but not as tasty as the original chocolate hazelnut variety. In addition to the quarter-cup of almond butter, I added:
Almond butter isn’t really sweet, so it needed help from the Liquid Stevia. Microwaved it for about a minute or so, watching it the whole time.
It’s OK. I mean, you can make this in the microwave quickly, but it’s just not the same. I’m sticking with some kind of chocolate hazelnut to make this one.
More tasty things are planned. For now, have a little cake whenever you need some.
Enjoy!
If you’re still trying to eat healthy, or even healthy-ish, but it’s getting difficult to keep up, this easy keto blog post is for you. (TLDR: lazy keto recipes to make a fast and easy meal.)
Hi, again, Dear Readers:
Today’s blog post is courtesy of one of my AI BFFs, ChatGPT. I asked for ideas and it provided. It’s spring now, and we’re heading into the middle of the year. Summer is always coming, as my favorite fashion designer says, and we’re back at full steam after the holidays. So, my AI BFF has some ideas to offer.
Before we jump in, let me tell you about our little road trip last week.
Longtime readers may remember our incident with overnight oats a few years ago. James never lets me forget this along with a few other “food incidents.” But last week, we had another one. (Aunt Ruth and another friend have already read this story.)
James needed to go to Baton Rouge to drop off some parts at a local machine shop. When he told me he was going, I asked if I could tag along and maybe we could visit Trader Joe’s while we were there. He reluctantly agreed. I only wanted to stop in for a couple of things, such as the Salmon Rub Seasoning Blend that I like. I just opened the last bottle we bought in the recently opened NOLA Trader Joe’s by the VA Medical Center, and I wanted to get another.
Last Thursday was one of those days with heavy rain that came ahead of a brief cold front. When we arrived, James dropped me off at the door and parked the vehicle. When he walked in, I was already at a sampling station and waved him over.
“Come here!” I said enthusiastically when I saw him walk inside. “You gotta try this!” The sample was a small bit of graham cracker and a small dollop of Whipped Carrot Cake Cream Cheese Spread, a seasonal product for Easter.
Source: Trader Joe’s website
He picked it up and ate it without looking at what he was sampling. The look on his face told me everything.
You see, it was in that moment that I remembered: James doesn’t like carrot cake.
His first words through the frown: “you got me again!” I apologized profusely because I really did forget. (The kid sampling wasn’t sure what was going to happen next.) James hustled us out quickly and refused to go to the back corner of the store where there are usually more samples. We spent $10.50 on the salmon rub and one other item.
Last year I made some of these Keto Carrot Cake Bars from Carolyn Ketchum’s All Day I Dream About Food, and he really enjoyed those. I need to make more of those carrot cake bars soon, because they’re delicious.
We did make one more stop on our way back to I-10 East. In the strip mall across the street from TJ’s, James visited the AT&T store, and I went next door to a little place called Coffee Joy. It’s on Perkins Road in the LSU area. It’s not the kind of place James would frequent. But like TJ’s and other places, he’ll take me because I want to go. Highly recommended.
Let’s talk about eating healthy and maybe keto on days you just don’t wanna.
Do you feel like life is dragging you around by a rope some days? Yup, me too. When James does, he finds solace in a drive-through or at the Piggly-Wiggly near his workplace. Me, I just want some food and just don’t want to mess with anything. That’s usually how I end up doing the drive-through at Taco Bell, or walking into Aldi or Walmart for a pricey frozen cauliflower crust pizza.
Let’s be honest: most of us don’t fall off keto because we love carbs. We fall off because we’re tired, hungry, and the idea of cooking feels like a full-time job.
This is not that.
These are the meals you make when your energy is low, your patience is gone, and you still want to stay healthy and low-carb or keto. No recipes, no measurements, no fancy ingredients or equipment, and no nonsense. Just food that works.
If you have eggs, you have a meal.
Source: Google Images
Crack a couple into a pan, toss in whatever you find—cheese, leftover meat, spinach that’s one day from going bad—and call it done.
Why it works: High protein, high fat, and endlessly customizable.
This is barely “cooking,” and that’s exactly why it’s perfect.
Source: Tablespoon.com
Take slices of deli turkey, ham, or roast beef. Add cheese. Roll it up. Done.
If you want to upgrade:
Why it works: Zero prep, zero cleanup, and still totally keto.
This recipe for Italian Deli Rollups on Tablespoon.com is a bit more complex. I just liked the picture. But you get the idea.
I know, it’s not for everyone, especially for those of us who grew up with mothers and other female relatives who ate it with pineapple or something. But hear me out—cottage cheese is underrated.
Source: Google Images
Scoop some into a bowl and top it with:
Why it works: High protein, surprisingly filling, and takes about 30 seconds to assemble.
This can also work with Greek Yogurt but skip the nonfat kind. If you can find Cabot Creamery’s Whole Milk Plain Yogurt with 10% milk fat, get that.
The best Greek yogurt I’ve tasted. Source: CabotCreamery.com
If you flavor and sweeten it enough, you’ll feel like you’re having ice cream. Winn-Dixie had it, but they’re gone, so I can’t get it locally anymore.
This is your “I refuse to cook but still want to eat like an adult” meal.
Source: Google Images
Grab a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken and pair it with a bagged salad.
Why it works: It feels like a real meal with basically no effort.
Yes, the microwave. We’re going there.
Throw this in a bowl:
Microwave until hot, stir, eat.
Why it works: Hot, filling, and ready much faster than takeout. No picture because it probably won’t be pretty for Instagram.
Not every meal needs to be Instagram-worthy. Some days are about survival and staying on track without overthinking it.
If it takes longer than 10 minutes, it’s not on this list for a reason.
Keep these on hand and you’ll always have a backup plan:
If you’ve ever stood in your kitchen thinking, “I don’t have time for this,” here is your solution.
Lazy doesn’t mean failing. Sometimes it’s exactly how you stay consistent.
Stay lazy, my friends, because you can still have a healthy meal without too much trouble or thought.
That trip to Baton Rouge wasn’t over when we left Trader Joe’s. We also stopped at a local business closer to home we’re happy to know about. More on that soon, and I haven’t forgotten about long-term storage food blog, either. I’m still trying to keep the pantry in some kind of order.
Until then,
Enjoy!
