New to Me

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I came across a few new-to-me products and I am digging them.

First, is this Hot & Sweet Pepper Jelly from Trader Joe’s that I’ve been digging.  Digging into, literally.

Trader Joe's Hot & Sweet Pepper Jelly in jar

It reminds me a bit of their Mango Ginger Chutney

Shelf of Trader Joe's Mango Ginger Chutney

The pepper jelly is less chunky than the mango chutney (below) is because there are no big mango chunks and it’s much smoother are more jelly-like but still has a nice kick, no garlic, no onions, and very little added sodium.  All great in my book.

Inside of can of Trader Joe's Mango Ginger Chutney

I’ve been dipping veggies into it, putting it on crackers, and want to use it as a tofu marinade.

Can of Trader Joe's Hot and Sweet Pepper Jelly

Same concept as Mango Ginger Maple Tofu, just use Pepper Jelly.

Mango Ginger Maple Tofu
Mango Ginger Maple Tofu

I know Pepper Jelly Tofu will be good when I get around to making it.  But I need to pick up another jar because I have already gone through the first jar.  Whoops.

Next up is this cleanser.

Trader Joe's Nourish All in One Facial Cleanser soap pump

I love Lancome, but I don’t love the price.

Lancome receipt: total - $65.25
Mousse radiance Clarifying self-foaming cleanser

So far, the TJ’s product is fine.  No breakouts and nothing horrible happening with my skin after just a couple uses, so that’s good.

However, it’s not as luxurious feeling, not as foamy and just nice as Lancome, but for 1/10th of the price of Lancome ($2.99 vs. $29.99 give or take), I can deal with this deal$.

Trader Joe's Nourish All in One Facial Cleanser soap pump

I can alternate between the two to stretch the Foam from the Gods my Lancome a bit farther.

Two bottles of Lancome's Mousse Radiance Clarifying cleanser

I also ordered this card reader.  My other card reader was on it’s last leg and it was slow.  Like molasses.  So hopefully this new-to-me find will speed things up.

White card-reader with usb and stand

I shoot all my photos in RAW file format and the files are pretty huge and so anything to speed up the transfer from memory card to computer is a beautiful thing.  I decided to give this new card reader a try.  It’s USB 3.0 compatible and backwards compatible to USB 2.0 so when things change and we’re all using 3.0, my cardreader is ready for action.

One thing that’s not new to me are Nutter Butter Special K Bars (No Bake)

Nutter Butter Special K Bars stacked

Familiar is good sometimes

Questions:

1. What new-to-you products have you tried lately? 

2. Are you a creature of habit or do you like to try new items?

I am mostly a creature of habit.

Yes, variety is the spice of life and it’s fun to try new things but I also like my old standby’s:

My Drugstore Top 10 Products

Hair & Beauty Products I am loyal to

And there are foods I am loyal to and buy over and over and over.

But there are also foods I have bought solely because of the ‘sphere and have been happy to try those, too.

Thanks for the Not Nuts! Giveaway entries and have a great day!

 

About the Author

Welcome to AverieCooks! Here you’ll find fast and easy recipes that taste amazing and are geared for real life. Nothing fussy or complicated, just awesome tasting dishes everyone loves!

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Please note: I have only made the recipe as written, and cannot give advice or predict what will happen if you change something. If you have a question regarding changing, altering, or making substitutions to the recipe, please check out the FAQ page for more info.

Comments

  1. I’m in serious need of a new card reader – thanks for the reminder!

    I just bought TJ’s Lavender body oil spray for the first time (after eyeing it for years), and I really like it. I’m not sure if I will repurchase it, because I prefer Tahitian Monoi oil as a body oil (moisturizer).

  2. I LOVE TJ’s Mango Chutney!!!

    Pepper Jelly Tofu sounds simply amazing. I bet it could make a very easy sweet & sour sauce for stir-fry & rice too. Thanks for sharing your find!

  3. my favorite new-to-me product lately is whole foods fig jam. i spread it on crackers with goat cheese, bake it with brie, slather it on toast with some almond butter… all ways delicious!

    i am most definitely a creature of habit. during the winter i eat almost the same meal every night!

    1. TJs has fig butter at many of their stores but the san diego tj’s I go to has been sold out all season. Apparently it’s super good.

  4. I think I’m going to try and make my first ever tofu dish! That looks too good not to try. Also, don’t be too bummed about the price! in Canada we have a 12% tax!!! I love shopping in the states for this reason alone.. also, I love going to Trader Joes!!

  5. I always see trader joes on your blog and it makes me want to go there even more =/
    Haha, someday! :)
    I am usually a creature of habit but I really do try to try new things. I find it fun!

  6. Trader Joe’s is the greatest store to shop at, always find fun things there. I’m just about to crack open a jar of Sunflower butter :) ~Skin care-I make my own “cleanser” it’s made with baking soda, aloe vera gel and glycerin (both gels are from a health food store). Dump some b.s. into a container, add squirts of aloe and glycerin till you get a consistency you like. It exfoliates and moisturizes–been using it for years. ~ Toner, spritz on lavender witch hazel. Saw this lotion made on a pbs show and made some. I pretty much just use this during the winter months for dry skin http://borganic.net/projects.php?subj=2&category=2&project_id=125 Great Lash by Maybelline-absolutely–need to try the BIG! ~Hair, I love http://moroccanoil.com/en/our-products.html It’s wonderful! In addition to conditioning your hair, it’s makes it shiny and it dries faster. A little goes a long way, the bottle lasts a long time. ~Deodorant, I use the Thai deodorant stone. Have had the same stone for years and years. Every now and again I like to buy a new lipstick or gloss whether I “need” it or not. I think there are 7 or 8 in my purse as we speak. Fun post!

    1. moroccan oil is great, agreed!

      and yes, in my Drugstore top 10 post that I linked in this post, maybelline great lash made that list :)

  7. owww! Totally trying the TJs face wash! Awesome! Love that price. I am a creature of habit with certain things, but TJs always gets me to branch out a bit ;)

  8. i’m hoooome!! and totally exhausted! new to me products: i just ordered one love organics skin care! lots of great reviews! kinda expensive but what can i say, i love to take care of skin! :) will tell you how i like them.

  9. I’m a creature of habit but do like trying new things if I find something that jumps out at me!

  10. Pepper jelly! Yes!

    Boy are you fancy! Or maybe I’m just a hygiene heathen (that’s probably it!). Whatever shampoo I’m using is what I use as a face and body wash.

    I used to be very much about habit. I bought the same brand and color of makeup for almost 25 years! Now, almost no matter what it is, I want to try something new. I think it’s age. I’m old enough now that I realize we have a finite amount of time to try things, and I want to sample as much as possible!

    1. If I used shampoo on my face, I would be a broken out mess. You’re lucky in that regard!

  11. I would love to try that jelly! Ha, and I CAN, I just have to wait 4,5 more weeks until I am in LA :) (and so ready to hit Trader Joe´s. Multiple times.)
    Usually, I stick with products I like, but I also like trying out new stuff (like different brands of peanut butter until I find “the one” ;)).

  12. OH! so much goodness in this post. i like that new tjs face wash except i don’t feel like it cleans my face as much as i want so its usually my morning cleanser when i’m not THAT dirty yet haha at the end of the day i’ve been using clinique cleanser which i’m pretty obsessed with!

    and i thought of you this weekend when i saw that new tjs jelly!

    AND i keep meaning to email you back but i suck at email right now, but thanks for the heads up. haha of course i went and checked it out and it is what it is, i don’t really care what other people say about me so that’s fine. people are always gonna find things to bitch about and i’m cool with it because i bitch too. i guess its what makes teh world go round? anyways they’re just jealous biotches who have no time but to hate on others, their loss of time right! thanks for the heads up lady love xoxo

    1. yeah girl, 100% agreement! glad you’re just doing your thing and keeping on, keepin’ on :)

  13. oooh wow red pepper jelly? I just recently made my own strawberry plum jam which was realy super- it has such a real flavour!
    mmm expensive face products- I hope they’re worth it! My mom once got suckered into some dead sea mineral thing at the mall. She was there for so long talking to them and getting samples! They turned out wel, at least.
    I love trying new things!

  14. I’m a creature of habit when it comes to certain things. I usually get a makeup/skincare routine and keep it for a while. When it comes to food products, I am ALWAYS buying the newest things! I love changing up my meals.

  15. Hi Avery,

    Do you know if that card reader will work with 16GB class 10 cards? It seems that all the ones I look at are only good on cards up to 8GB

    THanks

    Janet

    1. If you click the link to the product that I gave in the post, it directs you to the site where I bought it with ALL the technical specs so you can read up on things for you own usage/needs. And if that one doesnt work, they have TONS of card readers for sale.

  16. I’m typically a creature of habit and stick with the same brands. I guess the rice pasta I blogged about was a new-to me item and I picked up some tasty stone-ground mustard during my last WFs trip.