I was never a big fan of frozen foods, no matter how convenient they might be. That all changed the first time I walked into a Trader Joe's. I was amazed at the selection and the quality of the vegetables, the seafood, and even the chicken. Ideas started running through my head and I began to put into concoct a recipe. One such recipe is below.

Chicken with Pineapple and Edamame

For those of you who do not know what edamame (pronounced "Ed a ma may") is: Edamame is a green soy bean, harvested at the height of ripening just right before it reaches its hardened state. You should try them boiled in their pods and sprinkled with salt-very delicious.

Ingredients (serves two):

Two chicken breasts (Trader Joe's sells frozen ones in a big bag, be sure to let them thaw completely)

Soy Sauce to taste

Fresh Ginger, grated (a piece the size of the top of your thumb would probably be a good start)

½ cup of diced pineapple (Trader Joe's sells this too. Let this thaw before cooking with it)

½ cup shelled Edamame (Trader Joe's sells these with both the shells on and the shells off)

Pepper to taste

Prepare a marinade by pour some soy sauce into a bowl and adding the grated ginger. Chop the chicken breasts into cubes and place into the marinade. Season with pepper. Set aside for at least 15 minutes to let the flavor soak in.

In boiling water, cook the Edamame for a few minutes. They are best if they still have a bit of a "bite". When finished, remove them from the hot water and plunge into cold water. Set aside.

Put about a tablespoon of oil into a frying pan. Let the oil come to what is called the "smoke point." Olive oil is great to cook with, but be careful-it has a lower smoke point than vegetable oil or corn oil. Brown the chicken-it will sizzle and spit. You can add a bit of the marinade to it if you like. Cook until the chicken is done (if in doubt, test by cutting a piece in half).

Lower the heat and add your pineapple and Edamame. Try not to overcook the pineapple-just let the mixture warm through. Remove from heat and serve over rice.

There are more recipes to come. Stay tuned for more ideas the things you can do with Trader Joe's products.

Paul Rinehart is the founder of Online Cooking.

About the Author
Paul Rinehart is the founder of Online Cooking.