need to grab something from TJs for dinner tonight - what to get?

[Anonymous]

Just realized there is no plan for dinner tonight. TJs is the only grocery in walking distance from my office.

I'd like to walk over & grab something (or a few things) to make for dinner. I have about an hour commute home (on Metro) so something I can transport. Probably better if it's not frozen. We had Indian last night so don't want that again. If it's something refrigerated, like uncooked chicken, I can put it in the freezer at work for a few hours and I think/hope it'll stay cold enough to survive the ride home.

Does not have to be a super-fast 5 min. recipe (though I'm not opposed to that!) I do have a little time to cook once I'm home, I just don't have time to stop & shop on the way home.

I don't shop at TJ's that often, and I know they have some yummy, somewhat "non-typical" stuff, and tonight would be a good night to try out something new! It's me, DH, 3 kids ages from 9-5.

Any ideas?

[Anonymous]

I like their carne asada and handmade flour tortillas. They also have good ready made guacamole. Or you could make a pasta with pancetta (they sell it already cubed) and arugula and parmesan. That is always a hit at my house and it is fast and easy to make.

[Anonymous]

Or you could make a pasta with pancetta (they sell it already cubed) and arugula and parmesan. That is always a hit at my house and it is fast and easy to make.

How exactly do you prepare this? Sounds really good and I have pasta and both shredded and grated parmesan at home so I'd only have to pick up the pancetta and arugula.

[Anonymous]

OP again. Found a recipe online for pasta with pancetta & arugula. Looks perfect - that's what we're having tonight, with crusty bread, and of course a glass of red wine!

Thanks!!

[Anonymous]

Pancetta and arugula poster here. Glad you found a recipe online. The trick is to reserve some of the pasta water as you drain. My husband always forgets to do that if he happens to be draining the pasta and then it is a little too dry. You can also do this recipe with spinach or escarole. If you do it with escarole, throw in some lemon zest too. Hope you love it!

[Anonymous]

Turned out great. I'm adding this to the rotation!

Thanks a bunch!

[Anonymous]

what's TJ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:what's TJ?

TRADER JOES

[Anonymous]

Do you mind posting the pancetta/arugula receipe? It sounds delicious and I'm in desperate need of easy (but tasty) dinners
Thanks.

[Anonymous]

OP here. This is the recipe I found online and made last night and it was very easy and tasty!
(I used grated and shaved parmesan instead of romano since that's what I had in the house, I got the diced pancetta from Trader Joe's so I didn't have to dice it, and I used fusilli instead of gemelli.)

Pasta with Pancetta, Arugula and Peccorino

1 lb short pasta (I used organic pasta with a shape called gemelli)
5 oz diced pancetta (you can also use a thick cut bacon)
4 oz wedge of pecorino romano (1/2 grated, 1/2 shaved)
7 oz fresh Arugula
2 cloves fresh garlic, sliced very thin
2 oz olive oil
fresh ground pepper
kosher salt

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water. Cook until al dente and drain, reserving a 1/3 cup of pasta cooking water.
While the pasta is cooking, dice up the pancetta and grate the cheese. Slice the garlic.

In a large saute pan or wok, cook the pancetta over a medium flame. When the pancetta is crisp, toss in the sliced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Turn down the flame and toss in the arugula. Quickly saute until soft with the pancetta. Add in the pasta with the reserved water and combine. Drizzle in the olive oil and the grated cheese and combine. The cheese and olive oil, when combined with the pasta water, thicken to coat the pasta, making the “sauce” for this dish.
Grind in some black pepper, add a pinch of salt, and at the very end, add in the shaved pecorino, reserving some for the top garnish.