Throw a dinner party for four, under $40? And it takes under 30 minutes? I know what you are thinking, and I must say, oh ye of little faith. With some help of some very friendly crewmembers at Trader Joe’s South Lake Avenue store, you too can make a delicious meal that tastes like it’s been cooking for at least an hour or two without all the stress.

I met with Alison Mochizuki, Director, National Publicity, and Teresa Kelley, Captain (Store Manager) for what I thought would be a stroll through the store talking about some of the great new items they carry. I was pleasantly surprised.

Kelley told me with a glimmer in her eye that the team is “ready for you,” and I immediately knew that they had been cooking. I met several crewmembers, all of who are encouraged to taste the products they carry in the store (Kelley said that 90% of them have tried everything). The most refreshing part of my visit (besides the Volcano Blood Orange Juice imported from Italy) was how excited everyone I talked to was about the food. They believe in the product because they use the product, in creative and interesting ways.

We headed back to the employee-area, and there it was, a complete dinner, with flowers and wine. It smelled amazing. To start, I tried the Hummus Quartet, with pita bread and fresh veggies. I have to say, having four different hummus options was really nice, a perfect appetizer for a small party of 4-6 people. Trader Joe’s offers a wide selection of salad kits that are ready to go with toppings, cheese and dressing. The Complete Baby Spinach Salad is a classic, but try warming the dressing up for a nice twist (tip from Mochizuki).

The star of my early lunch was the Chicken Gorgonzola. It’s located in the freezer section, and takes minutes to heat through. It was so flavorful and tender; I could have eaten the whole plate (and practically did). They served it with the Organic Brown Rice, but as we were talking, different team members mentioned they liked it with pasta or mashed potatoes.

For dessert, we had the Apple Blossoms, that are so heartwarming and perfect (also made in the microwave), Kelley said they reminded her of the apple pie from her childhood. While I enjoyed the spike in my blood sugar, Kelley and I talked about all the store has to offer. I asked her what she suggested for people who may not be as adventurous in eating as they wanted to be. She said that with the exception of wine and vitamins, crewmembers could open any product to let a customer try it. In fact, they encourage it.

While I’ve always had positive experiences shopping for myself at TJ’s, I never thought to talk to someone who worked there about ideas for dinner. The team at Lake Avenue is highly knowledgeable and approachable, and truly enjoy talking to customers about food.

Stay tuned for more recipes and tips from our friends at Trader Joe’s!

Trader Joe’s, 345 S. Lake Ave., Pasadena, (626) 395-9553.