Trader Joe's: Banana Bread

Usually I am an advocate of baking things from scratch, unless I don't have time, or much money. That's when Trader Joe's kicks in!

I ran across this banana bread mix the other day and thought, "well, might as well try it!" So I did. It's great! It took:

Two eggs
1/3 cup veggie oil
3/4 water
45 minutes in the oven
Willing stomachs (of which there were plenty)

The bread turned out really moist, and has kept moist for several days. There are no banana chunks or strings -- it's just a pretty smooth blend of ingredients. I would suggest adding some cinnamon or nutmeg to the dry mix beforehand -- it would have added a really good zing to it! You could also add probably a third cup of nuts of your choice, if you wanted!

Trader Joe's Banana Bread Mix: 3.5 (approx)

Trader Joe's: Chile Spiced Mangos

I went into the chip aisle to get, well, chips -- and came out with these things. They sounded intriguing. And they are, but holy moly, are they a whole lot of intriguing!

My unprepared mouth was assaulted at first -- it caught on fire, and started smoking. Maybe this was because I put an entire mango slice in my mouth at once.

I worked up the courage the next day to try again, knowing what could arise, and they were much better behaved. Dusted with paprika and cayenne pepper, these slices have a very slight saltiness to them. The mango is only mildly sweet, and what comes out is a really unique flavor combo!

I would recommend them highly, with a "take small bites!" caution.

Chile Spiced Mangos @ Trader Joe's: 2 (approx)

Trader Joe's : Oriental Rice Crackers

This is what needs to happen: you, readers, need to go to Trader Joe's, and get some of their Oriental Rice Crackers. They've got a few different brands. You can get wasabi-covered, less sodium-covered, etc. Whatever your needs are, rice crackers can fill them!

These crackers are little bite-sized crunchies, in various shapes and sizes. Watch out for the crescent moon-shaped ones -- they're spicy! But eat them anyway. I was just foreshadowing.

Tip: I recommend eating them in alternation with something chocolate. No, not because I think chocolate goes with everything -- though that is a good reason. Chocolate helps cool down the spicy ones, and just complements the soy salt flavor of the crackers! Try it!

Trader Joe's Oriental Rice Crackers: 4 (approx)