It is about time for a Costco post!  I know there are those of you out there about as obsessed with Costco as I am Trader Joe’s.  Take my aunt, for instance.  She and her husband go to Costco whenever and wherever they can, even on vacation.  They wish Costco sold t-shirts to commemorate their vists.  “Aloha from Costco Oahu!”…or how about…”I’ve been to the First Costco”  You get the idea.  She loves Costco.  And I know she’s not the only one!

What do you always buy at Costco?  What are your favorite items, food or otherwise?  What are the best values?  Any insider tips?  Bring it on!

My one and only tip…buy your electronics at Costco.  Good prices, good return policy.

I have a Costco membership and I’m ready to make better use of it.  Can’t wait to get your suggestions!

This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you!

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner…which means ProFlowers is ready to offer a giveaway!  Two lucky winners will each win a $100 ProFlowers gift card to use as they wish on the ProFlowers website…yummy treats, beautiful flowers, cool RedEnvelope gifts…I just wish I could win the giveaway myself!

To enter, simply add a comment to this post by Midnight PT on Sunday, February 15. The winners will be announced next Monday, February 16.

And if you’re looking for the perfect Valentine’s Day gift, click on any of the ProFlowers links in this post to receive 15% off your purchase! The Candy Heart Tulips are pictured above…they are BEAUTIFUL in person.

Good luck!

Time to announce the winner of the Taste This! and Oilcloth Alley apron giveaway!  And the winner is…

Allison, who said, “ooh, the adorableness! love love love.”

Congratulations, Allison!  And thank you to Gina von Esmarch for such a fantastic giveaway!

What a great weekend it has been…I hopped on a plane with my girls to surprise my grandmother for her 80th birthday.  It has been a very touching couple of days.  

I really need your menus this week!  I’m only cooking for half of the week…yea for me!

MONDAY:
- Traveling!

TUESDAY:
- Traveling!

WEDNESDAY:
- Bistro Chicken (this is EASY and YUMMY)
- Mashed Potatoes
- Veggie or Salad

THURSDAY:
- Paninis

FRIDAY:
- Corn Chowder

SATURDAY:
- Leftovers or eat out

SUNDAY:
- Orange Chicken
- Rice
- Veggie

What are you eating this week?  By the way, I LOVED all the first-time (and long-time) menus last week! Keep it coming!

My friend Natalee brought over this Southwestern Layered Bean Dip for our Super Bowl party last week and it was scrumptious. (How’s that for a new descriptive food word? ‘Yum’ and ‘delish’ are used far too often on this here food blog.)

It’s similar to the classic 7-layer Mexican dip, but a bit different, a bit healthier…and it’s always nice to mix it up!

Southwester Layered Dip
From Eating Well

• 1 16-ounce can nonfat refried beans, preferably “spicy”
• 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
• 4 scallions, sliced
• 1/2 cup prepared salsa
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 cup pickled jalapeño slices, chopped
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack, or Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 1 medium avocado, chopped
• 1/4 cup canned sliced black olives, (optional)

Combine refried beans, black beans, scallions, salsa, cumin, chili powder and jalapeños in a medium bowl.

Transfer to a shallow 2-quart microwave-safe dish; sprinkle with cheese. Microwave on High until the cheese is melted and the beans are hot, 3 to 5 minutes.

Spread sour cream evenly over the hot bean mixture, then scatter with lettuce, tomato, avocado and olives (if using).

I saw this delicious Hershey’s Cookies ‘n’ Cream bar at Target the other day.

It was calling out my name.  I couldn’t turn it down.  I have had it for well over a week now, which I thought exhibited some pretty decent self-control on my part. Until this afternoon, when I opened the wrapper.  And the candy bar was gone in a matter of minutes.  So much for self-control.

A few disclaimers about today’s post:

1) I don’t really like candy bars all that much.  Don’t want you all getting the impression I just sit around stuffing my face with candy bars all day.  Not that I’m not stuffing my face with other things…

2) Since my mom works for M&M/Mars, and she will just LOVE seeing ‘Hershey’s’ plastered across my blog…I must say the following, in order to maintain mother/daughter harmony: I never buy Hershey’s products. This was the first time ever.  It must have been a moment of temporary insanity. I will never buy Hershey’s items again {wink, wink}.  Now, everyone go buy a bag of M&Ms so I can feel better about myself.

Happy news! Remember last Friday when I was all fired up? Quick follow-up…the Consumer Products Safety Commission has granted a one year stay of testing and certification requirements until February 10, 2010. This pretty much saves the necks of many small businesses. Good work to everyone who spoke up!

The fact that this stay was granted means the lawmakers understand that the law as it is written is problematic.  What a relief.  Here’s hoping this well-intentioned law will be re-written in a beneficial way for all.

Click here to read more!

If you failed the last Cookie Dough 101 Pop Quiz, now’s your chance to redeem yourself.

What is the very best thing to do with leftover cookie dough?
A. Bake it all at once.
B. Eat it all
B. Put in the fridge for future bakinig.
C. Make individual balls, freeze them on a baking sheet, then put in a ziploc freezer bag for future baking.

If you answered A…did you learn nothing from the last Pop Quiz?

If you answered B…I like how you think.

If you answered C…you learned from the last quiz.  Good job.  Half credit will be granted.

If you answered D…you are a cookie genius.

After the last quiz, many of you suggested D.  I kind of thought it seemed like a pain, but I’ve learned the error of my ways.  Seriously, making up the balls and freezing them RULES.  The dough lasts longer in the freezer and it is SO EASY just to through a few cookie dough balls on a sheet and pop them in the oven.  Actually, maybe too easy…let’s not think about how many cookies I bake how often.  Anyway…thank you all for the advice.

There IS one drawback to freezing the dough…you can’t sneak bites of dough out of the fridge throughout the day.  Okay, maybe that’s a benefit…

This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you for your interest!

Remember the Taste This cookbook signing I recently wrote about?  I am excited to announce that the author Gina Von Esmarch is offering a special giveaway to TWFD readers!

One lucky, random winner will receive a copy of Taste This, signed by Gina and photographer Tom Vano.  The winner will also receive TWO Oilcloth Alley aprons – one Mom-sized and one kid-sized!  Practical AND adorable, you definitely want to get your hands on these great oilcloth aprons!

To enter the giveaway, please add a comment to this post by Midnight PT on Sunday, February 8.  The randomly-selected winner will be announced on Monday, February 9.

Big THANKS to Gina! And good luck, everyone!

Yesterday was This Week for Dinner’s 2nd Birthday! I hope my blog can forgive me for my belated birthday wishes. I can’t believe the blog has been around for two years already. Where does the time go?

MONDAY:
- Asian Spinach Salad

TUESDAY:
– Paninis
- Oven Fries (if I’m feeling adventurous) or chips

WEDNESDAY:
– Bistro Chicken (this is EASY and YUMMY)
- Mashed Potatoes
- Veggie or Salad

THURSDAY:
– Leftovers

FRIDAY:
– Traveling

SATURDAY:
– Eat out

SUNDAY:
– Traveling

In honor of TWFD’s birthday, let’s get as many menus up here as we can! If you haven’t posted a menu before…please do! And if you post every week, keep it coming! Remember, ANY kind of menu is welcome…fancy, not fancy, easy, hard.  Just share your ideas!  And Happy 2nd Birthday!