Thursday, December 6, 2012

Trader Joe's Opening - Oops The Shelves Are EMPTY! And Make Your Own Chocolate Covered Joe Joe's

Living close to Nevada and California we have
loved and coveted Trader Joe's for years and years
and when we were traveling there we were sure to bring
a suitcase to bring home goodies.

So you can imagine how excited we were when they
finally announced that they were opening one in
Salt Lake City.  About the same time my sister Jean
in Texas said they were finally getting one too.


I knew what I wanted this time of year
Dark Chocolate Covered Peppermint Joe Joe's!


My friend and I were planning on going up the opening
day, but I had too much to do with my granddaughter's
baptism and another granddaughter's third birthday so
I skipped out.

Somebody blew it big time!  My other friends
Wally and his daughters went up
the day after it opened and this is what they found:


I really thought he was joking - 


These pictures are real!


It was on the news.
The cupboards are bare!
Have you ever seen anything 
like this?


It really was quite unbelievable!


We went to Salt Lake (a 45 minute drive)
with some trepidation on Monday morning (two days later)
and fortunately they
had restocked the shelves.  The lines were long and crazy
and when we asked about the 
Dark Chocolate Covered Peppermint
Joe Joe's 
and they said they were 
gone for the season!!!!

What?!!!
A whole year?!!

They did have their Candy Cane Joe Joe's.
These are the regular chocolate sandwich cookies
not dipped in chocolate (as pictured above).

Of course we grabbed a few boxes 
of those (who knew
when you would see them again either!)
They said as soon as they came out they were gone 
off the shelves.

Wally had given us a box of the 
chocolate covered ones and honestly the plain cookies
 just don't compare.


An enterprising cook like me isn't going to let that stop me
from having this delicious holiday treat.


We can make our own!


Mine are on the left, theirs are on the right.
(I thought my candy canes had a little more color.)

Make Your Own Chocolate Covered Joe Joe's

1 box Candy Cane Joe Joe's 
or any sandwich cookie you like
such as mint Oreos or regular Oreos etc.
3 C. dark chocolate coating
or any flavor you like
(or you can use 3 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips plus 2 tsp. oil
which is a little trickier because you have to cool
it enough and keep stirring it so it won't develop streaks.)
3 drops peppermint oil
crushed candy canes

Melt the chocolate coating in a microwave safe bowl
for one minute, then stir and melt an additional 30 seconds
and stir.  Melt an 15 seconds if necessary. (Do the same for
chocolate chips, adding the oil.)

I had bought that handy dipping tool last year
for things like this that you can't hold onto or
you don't want to flip over.  This is the first time I used it.
It worked great for dipping cookies.  

I used a spoon to cover the cookie and even lifted the
cookie onto the dipping fork with the spoon.


Then I tapped the cookie quite a few times to shake off
a lot of the chocolate, then scraped the fork on the side of the
bowl.  Sprinkle with crushed candy cane right away.
I held the cookie on the fork over a small plate and sprinkled
the candy cane onto the cookie.  That way any excess
candy stays on the plate.

The cookie will slide right off the fork.  (I have read that you can use
a regular fork, but I have never tried it.) Let it slide onto 
parchment paper and let cool until the chocolate is solid.
If you need to you can push it off with a knife.  If the chocolate
gets too hard pop it in the microwave for about 7-10 seconds.  Stir
again. 
 (I made some with real chocolate and some with dark chocolate
coating and for easiness, the coating worked great and tasted
good too.)

This made about 30 chocolate covered cookies.


When these are gone, I can dip another batch!


I also dipped some as pops.  They were really easy as the 
candy sticks went right into the soft candy cane filling.  This makes
a really pretty presentation.  

I am definitely going to have more fun with this
dipping Oreos in Spring colors or white chocolate
or maybe some regular Joe Joe's.  Imagine
the possibilities.


After munching on one last night I turned over the box.

Since the writing is small, let me tell you what it says....
And like all holiday traditions, they disappear as fast as they appear
 and won't return until next year!
(They must have meant disappear off the shelves!!!)
In Trader Joe's defense, they said they had never seen
anything like this store opening!!!!



I will be posting this with





Jacqueline
Jacqueline

Chocolat - French for Chocolate. I adored chocolate from a young age when I had to sneak in the cupboard to find where my mother had hidden the Nestle's Chocolate Chips. Having read about the famous chocolat shoppes in Paris, when I finally got there I was determined to try a chocolate from every Paris shoppe. I invite you to share my adventures in creating, in travel, and in life.

24 comments:

  1. Omg these look sooooo yummy....
    I can hardly believe the pictures, wow everything was cleaned off the shelves....
    But I'm happy to know you got you joe joes cookies, and yours do look a lot more yummy.....lol.....

    Hugs~
    Mari

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  2. You can do anything! We don't have a Trader Joe's yet, but there is one scheduled to open something in the next year or so. I hope so!
    These look like my kind of cookie - chocolate and peppermint!

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  3. Trader Joe's is the bomb!! I used to drive to New Jersey but last Oct. 2011 they opened on Staten Island and I was there Opening Day, did a post about it too, went a little crazy, but I don't know if they sold out like this. I have never tried these cookies, I will be on the lookout. xo

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  4. Such a talent you have Jacqueline. I just looked at your beautiful aqua tablescape and it is stunning. The tree is gorgeous! I want those crown plates.....The cookie is so pretty and festive with the peppermints. It's been a pleasure.

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  5. Please check out my book, Trader Joe's Simply Indian. You can get the most out of your favorite store.

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  6. Too funny Jacqueline. I was in Cal. on Friday but went in to The Salt Lake store on Saturday night. It looked like the world was ending and people had stocked up. Trader Joes got 4 semis in Saturday and Monday night. By Tuesday the shelves were full again. I did manage to snag 8 boxes of the Candy cane Jo Jos on Saturday. Nary a sign of the chocolate covered ones. Thanks for the recipe.

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  7. There is a new Trader's opening within 2 miles of our home (in the Memorial area). I've visited the California ones many times...their wines are the drawing card I think, but I will go look at everything at my leisure when the DAY comes. Great post, Jacqueline !!

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  8. Those empty store shelves are incredible! I've never seen anything like it! The chocolate covered Joe-Joe's you made look fabulous and I'm sure they taste better too:)

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  9. It looks like the Grand Opening of your new Trader Joe's was well anticipated by many! It was amazing to see them sell out like this! Your cookies look even better than theirs!

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  10. Thank you! Super great ideas here, and can you believe we don't EVEN HAVE a Trader Joe's in Alabama. Sinful, and I have been craving these Joe Joes since seeing them all over Pinterest! Now I can make my own and I bet they're better!
    Merry Merry!
    Jenna

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  11. Child, I have so enjoyed reading your blog. It has given me, not only some wonderful recipes, but great joy. May I extend the pleasure back to you? Pretty sure my Trader Joe's still have these cookies in stock. I would be happy to send some to you. If you'd like.

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  12. I love the Jo Jo's, but haven't had the dipped ones. I do love Trader Joes. Kyle has one about a few minutes from his apartment and work, and he shops there often. Crazy, crazy that the shelves were empty. My SIL in AZ has sent us some Trader Joe's treats at Christmas. They look fab. Joni

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  13. So many US bloggers talk about Trader Joe's, I'm going to have to look for one the next time we cross the border.
    Your dipped chocolate cookies look absolutely yummy, and you're right - imagine the pretty ones you can make for spring.
    BTW, we're getting Target in Canada by spring - they bought our the Zellers chain and have totally gutted the stores for the transformation. Yay!
    Judith

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  14. Wow! That's crazy!!! We had two Trader Joe's open here in the Kansas City area last year, and I understand it was a mob scene on opening day. I don't know if they sold out like THAT, though! Wild!!!!!!!

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  15. Bare shelves? That is unbelievable! We just had a new TJs open close to us at the end of October. I knew I wouldn't go near it for at least a month and here it is longer and I still haven't been there - probably a good idea based on your store's opening :)

    Delicious Joe Joe cookie replica - thank you!

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  16. http://chocolateforus.blogspot.ro/2011/11/funny-video-topo-chocolate.html

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  17. YUMMY! YUMMY! YUMMY! YUMMY! YUMMY! These look wonderful!!! THanks for this fun Christmasy recipe, Jacqueline!!! I'm making these. I love Trader Joe's... our closest one is about 1 1/2 hrs away!
    You are amazing!!!

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  18. This is just crazy! I do love Trader Joe's. They are a delight.

    Your comment about the executor keeping the decor....shameful! I would send a packing service to their door.

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  19. Hey pretty girl, so happy to be here, I've missed you! This is incredible..empty shelves!! WOW! Fab recipe and fun, I'll make them with my grands, I'll have it all ready! Big thanks and big hugs,
    FABBY

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  20. Oh wow! Great recipe....something new to try this year. I will be going by Trader's when I get home...just to take a look!

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  21. Thanks, Jacqueline, for sharing with us how you made your own Joe Joe's! I love the ones on the sticks too...very cute! Hey, I adore your "new" ice/silver decorations on your staircase too. I can identify with finding treasures purchased at after Christmas sales too. I came over to your blog after being at your sister's blog. I like your idea of the chocolate dipping fork...I'm gonna have to get me one of those.

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  22. Amazing that the shelves were bare! I love the cookies you made ~ will have to try them.

    xo
    Pat

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  23. Just returned from my Trader Joe's here in Arizona and thought of you when I saw the display of Peppermint Joe Joe's. They are so good! The other item you will want to try now that you have a Trader Joe's is the Peppermint Pretzel Slims. They are so addicting we can't put them down.
    A salty and peppermint taste sensation! Merry Christmas!

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  24. Delight - did you quit blogging? I can't find you anymore.
    Jacqueline

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