product reviews

Trader Joe’s Mandarin Oranges

Trader Joe's Dried Fruit SOFT & JUICY MANDARINS Dried Orange Fruit 4 6 OZ BAGS | Dried fruit, Dried oranges, Orange fruit
So yummy!

A few weeks ago, I got to shop at a Trader Joe’s and I discovered a delightful and relatively healthy treat; dried mandarin orange sections.140 calories for 12 pieces. Sweet and tangy. Delightful and I love that I can eat just one or two sections for a tiny treat. Hard to eat half a muffin, half an orange or just a few tortilla chips…. Too bad they are all gone. I live over an hour away from the nearest Trader Joe’s. Longing for the day the move into my area. We are a large population center in Pennsylvania. Kinda mystifying why we don’t have one…. come on Trader Joe’s!! We NEED you here in the Lehigh Valley ASAP, for nothing else, for my addiction to these tangy tasty crescents of citrus flavor.

Cheddar Brats For the Win!

Quick update. So I went back last week and got some Cheddar Brats at Lidls…a German supermarket located in Wilson Boro. A plus is that they are super cheap; $2.49 a six pack. So…the bratwursts were on the menu twice so far. Yummy; not too cheddary, juicy as well as mildly smokey. We had them with a version of tater tots called tater crowns; discs of crunchy potato bits. Less than 8 minutes to brown them lightly before diving in. I recommend these brats for a quick tasty meal. Pleaser for the 8 year old. Go get em! smoked brats with cheese

Smoked Bratwurst from Lidl. Gut!

At Aldi’s two weeks ago, I couldn’t find my favorite imported uncured brats from Germany. Major bummer. Love them fried brown; delicate authentic bratwurst flavor.

This past week we were at a different grocery store, Lidl. I have been there a couple times since they opened in Wilson Boro last summer and got some great deals in the past. Their chocolate is amazing, even better than Aldi’s. Love the dark bars; pistachio, salted dark. Mmmmmm.

What my favorite new find is their smoked bratwurst sausages. 6 in a package for less than $3. Juicy and flavorful; far tastier than what I can find in the big-name grocery stores for far more money. I pan fried some in a bit of olive oil t o brown them; they are already fully cooked. Gluten free of course. We had them with pan fried potato slices, roasted butternut squash and some raw cauliflower.


Definitely getting them again. They come in a few flavors including cheddar brats and one with jalapeno in it for a little spicy! Enjoy.

Bratwursts From Aldi’s are the Best!

This re-post is one of my most popular posts ever. I don’t think any other product review even comes close. We had them for supper tonight. As great tasting as ever. So here it is again!

I bought the package of 4 uncured Bavarian bratwurst at Aldi’s. They were pale and unexciting looking in the shrink wrap but when I pan fried them in a bit of olive oil they browned up nicely. Each brat was still juicy and tender with a delicate flavor I was very impressed with. bratwurst

 

I have bought brats before at other grocery stores and found them rather dull and pedestrian. These are thinner, longer and far tastier.  bratwurst packageUncured means they have less junk added in the curing process of many sausages.  Definitely a yummy and healthy-ish choice for sausage in any recipe. They cook in about 8-10 minutes. They make a quick supper with some pan fried potatoes and a veggie. And grilling them is on the package as an alternative to the frying pan.I need try them on my grill. Maybe for camping next year…

They are imported from Germany and I have heard that they are very authentic compared to most of the brats made in the USA. I give these an A plus in every category. Enjoy!

Originally posted June 2018.

Great Hamburger Buns

I recently shopped at a Trader Joe’s in Massachusetts. Bought some interesting stuff. One item I was really pleased with was a pack of gluten free hamburger bun. They even had sesame seeds all over the top! The flavor and texture was very close to what I remember of gluten based burger buns. Firm enough to hold a burger and fine for a sandwich. The bonus for me was that each bun was full sized; my beloved ciabatta buns by Schar are a tad small when it comes to holding a typical burger. Great price point too. Win Win!

gluten-free-hamburger-buns

Longing for Trader Joe’s to take the plunge and put a store in the Lehigh Valley; third biggest metro center in Pennsylvania. Soon!