Turkey BLT

I missed BLTs so I looked in Trader Joe's for a healthier alternative to bacon. I went through about 5 products and found their turkey bacon which has no added nitrities or nitrates and decided to try it out on the family in the form of a BLT. Despite some initial skepticism, they all tasted it and said it was a keeper. Yes, another gourmet TJ's sandwich to offer to the mix.

Ingredients:

• Trader Joe's whole wheat bread, toasted or fresh whole grain bread sliced and toasted
• Trader Joe's uncooked turkey bacon
• Trader Joe's fresh plum tomatoes or other variety
  
• Trader Joe's Boston lettuce
  
• Mayonnaise or nayonnaise
• salt and pepper
  

Preparation per Sandwich:

1. Cook 2 slices of turkey bacon per sandwich in a skillet over medium heat, turning frequently and remove when the fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp. Drain on a paper towel lined plate.
2. Clean and slice one tomato per sandwich. Clean and dry lettuce and remove any tough veins.
   
3. Assemble sandwiches by spreading a thin layer of mayonnaise on both sides of bread, placing sliced tomatoes on one side and sprinkling with salt and pepper, layering on the bacon and then the lettuce and covering with the second slice of bread. Cut in two and serve with sandwich pickles.
   

Ants Inside a Log

My four-year-old wanted a peanut butter and graham cracker snack for preschool, but they have a strict nut policy so I had to invent something equally appealing. He liked the name and really enjoyed the snack. I hope your kids do too!

Ingredients:

• Trader Joe's cinnamon grahams
• Trader Joe's no rBST light cream cheese
• Trader Joe's organic Thompson seedless raisins

Preparation per snack:
Spread a thin layer of cream cheese on inside of two cinnamon grahams, sprinkle raisins on top of one, pressing to make sure they stick to the cream cheese. Cover with the other, cream cheese side in, and pack or serve.

Cappellini Pesto

Homemade pesto is one of the quickest and easiest pasta sauces you can make if you have a food processor. Food choppers and mills are usually too small. My Braun immersion blender came with a small food processor that's the perfect size for pesto.

You can dress any kind of pasta with pesto. I used multi grain cappellini (fine spaghetti) because it cooks quickly and makes a nice bed for the scallops I made with it. If you make the pesto ahead, just store it in the refrigerator with a thin layer of olive oil covering the surface. It's important to put the pesto in the serving bowl and dilute it with some pasta cooking water before adding the pasta. My kids love pasta pesto and I think yours will too. Let me know! (They also asked for seconds on the scallops.)

Makes enough for 3/4 pound pasta.

Ingredients for Pesto:

• 2 packages Trader Joe's basil (2 cups packed)
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup Trader Joe's toasted pine nuts
• 1/2 cup Trader Joe's extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/4 cup grated Trader Joe's Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preparation:

1. Wash and spin dry the basil; remove stems and discard. Place all ingredients in bowl of a food processor, except cheese, and process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides and adding more olive oil if it isn't coming together. It should be quite thick. Pour into serving bowl, add cheese, and stir to combine. If making ahead, store in refrigerator in a small prep bowl with a thin layer of olive oil on the surface.
2. Cook pasta in salty water according to package directions, reserve 1 cup pasta water and drain. Do not rinse pasta. Add up to 1/4 cup pasta water to pesto in serving bowl and stir to combine. You do this to loosen the sauce so it will coat the pasta evenly. Add drained pasta and toss well. If it seems dry and sticky slowly add more pasta water and toss until it's evenly coated and the pasta doesn't clump together. Taste and adjust seasoning.