Finally! A Costco Find

Every time I visit our local Costco I keep my eyes peeled for the line of Martha products sold there, but I’ve never been successful in finding them. That is until a few weeks ago when I came across Martha’s turkey soup.

The soup was in the refrigerated section, in the area where they keep pre-made spinach dip, crab salad and the like. I picked up a package which included two 24 oz. containers for about $12.

I kept the soup in my freezer until a few nights ago when I defrosted one container and heated it up to serve alongside BLTs. The soup was tasty, brimming with noodles, mushrooms, carrots, onions and, of course, chunks of turkey.


On the package, it notes that this soup makes a “satisfying main course” served with crusty bread or an iceberg wedge. I would have to disagree. The package says that there are five servings per container, but my husband and I were the only two eating this soup and one container did not fill our two soup bowls. A family of four would definitely need to serve both containers together, and at $12 a pack (plus a side dish of some sort), I don’t think that makes an economical meal.

Overall, I did enjoy the soup – It’s a nice alternative to the canned variety. But I don’t think I’ll be dishing out $12 when I could make the same thing at home for far less.

Another Perfect Union!

It's pretty clear that I love Martha Stewart and everything that she creates. But do you know what else I love? Costco! My family teases that anytime I am regaling them with my newest purchase, it always starts, "Guess what I just found at Costco!?"

So I could not have been happier than when I opened my mailbox today, pulled out The Costco Connection and found Martha as their cover girl! Inside, she praises the large warehouse store stating, "The Costco member is me...someone who appreciates quality, who is attracted to the range of products, yet is frugal." Which makes her partnership with them seem like an obvious choice.

Last December, she came out with The Kirkland Signature Martha Stewart Favorite Holiday Ham. This is no ordinary ham! Even though the yummy Christmas dinner was sold by CostCo, it certainly didn't mean that the special Martha Touch wasn't used.

The Kirkland Signature Martha Stewart Favorite Holiday Ham reflects the quality control and attention to detail at each stop that is the hallmark of both companies.

The Recipe "The inspiration came from a ham that I've been eating since I was a little child," Martha tells The Connection on the day the ham is introduced on The Martha Stewart Show.

The Ingredients While most hogs are fed a diet that includes antibiotics to promote growth and prevent illness, the hogs for the [ham] are raised only on natural foods without antibiotics. "We wanted pigs that were raised on good food, ones that would appeal to the Costco Shopper and us," Stewart says.

The Curing Each artisanal ham is rubbed with a salt and spice mixture, cured for three to five days (an overnight process for most hams) and then slightly smoked over applewood chips for 12-14 hours. This longer preparation time adds a subtle smoky flavor without drying out the meat.

The Packaging Weighing in at 7 to 10 pounds, the ham comes packed in a decorative cloth bag that can be reused after washing. Cooking and carving instructions are included along with recipes for two glazes and split pea soup.

The Cooking Although fully cooked, the bone-in ham can be reheated according to Stewart's instructions [included]. The ham serves 10, and leftovers can be used in myriad ways...

-from The Costco Connection March 2008 Vol 23 No 3

And, thankfully, with Easter just around the corner, the ham is back! Check your local Costco during the month of March to find your Kirkland Signature Martha Stewart Favorite Holiday Ham.

And coming soon...Martha will be bringing home more than just the bacon for Costco. Keep an eye out for a line of soups and party foods.

Now it's even easier to be like Martha Stewart!

Martha Expands Empire Into Food

Martha Stewart does just about everything: cookbooks, homebuilding, decorating, crafting, you name it. But now her company is developing plans to enter into unchartered territory in 2008. Stewart has recently penned a deal with the warehouse club, Costco, to sell a line of food. Yes, food - frozen, fresh, and refrigerated. You can read more about it here.

Personally, I am interested to see what types of foods are carried in this line and what the ingredients are. Will Martha's food have no-no ingredients like partially hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup? Or will she resist the cost-savings for a higher quality product line?

She has also recently reached agreements with Michaels and Loews on other product lines.