Fresh Is Best! Sign Up for Zaycon Fresh and Get 20% off your First Order!

Sign up here for emails and notifications of Zaycon sales in your area!  http://bit.ly/Zaycon-Fresh 

Use coupon code BL20 and get 20% off your first order!

You can get great deals on ground beef, chuck roasts, steaks, whole chickens, chicken breasts, tenders and thighs, bacon, hot dogs, fish and more!  They always surprise me with their variety!  In the summer they even have fresh, locally sourced produce from time to time!  

In this video I am sharing how we picked up our Zaycon Fresh order of 80/20 ground beef, took it home and processed it.  We also got a little interview with our pick up guy Jerry!  Thanks to him for answering all our questions and being so awesome!

Here is some information about Zaycon Fresh that will help you know more about who they are:

How does it work?

You need food. Fortunately, our food tastes great.

You go online to ZayconFresh.com and place your order, your jaw dropping at how much great food you can get for such low prices.

On the day of your local Zaycon sales event, you bring your order confirmation to a designated location a short drive from your home, and you get your fresh, delicious, nutritious food!

That’s it, just three easy steps! And let’s be honest, that first step wasn’t even time-consuming.

We represent the greatest value in the food industry today. Here’s how we do it:

Combined Buying Power

We combine the buying power of many families together, enabling us to negotiate huge savings on food purchases for your family

Direct Farm-To-Consumer

We bring products direct from the farm / processor (or as nearly as direct as possible). The products are as fresh as if you had your own farm, but without all the chores

Sold By The Case

We sell food products only by the case. No extra costs for handling. And no more empty shelves in your pantry

Select Products

We sell only what we eat ourselves—high quality, healthy food. Our focus is on a select number of commonly consumed food items such as fresh meats like chicken, beef, turkey, pork and fish

Sales Event Model

Our unique sales event approach turns traditional food purchasing on its ear. Convenient, quick, organized—about 2 minutes and you never even need to get out of your car

OK, here’s a bit more info about us, because you seem so nice!

Zaycon Fresh is a privately owned company based in Spokane, Washington. The company was founded in 2009 with the simple mission to bring farm fresh meats direct to consumers at wholesale prices.

You see, we knew all the farmers who had the best stuff around. Thanks to our experience in the grocery industry, we knew how to quickly move that great stuff from point to point, preserving its freshness, taste, and nutrition.

So we asked ourselves: “Why are there middlemen involved? Why aren’t we just getting this food directly from the farms to the people who are going to eat it?”

That idea grew into the company we are today.

When we started off just a few short years ago, we offered only a few meats in a few areas. But thanks to the overwhelmingly enthusiastic response we’ve gotten from all of you, Zaycon has grown like wildfire!

We now offer a wider range of fresh foods to over 1,200 locations nationwide. If we have not been to your area yet, let us know and you can bet we’ll be there soon. And if we’ve already been through a dozen times, you know we’re coming back again, too.

If you are interested in signing up to find out how you can purchase Zaycon Fresh meats in your area, please use the link above!  

I hope you try Zaycon Fresh and I hope you love them!

Happy Eating!

Thai One On! Home Style Pad Thai! Easier Than You Think!

Today I am doing an awesome collab with my friend Mary Ann from the Frugal Chef channel!  If you don't know her, please go and check out her channel here:  http://bit.ly/2aOd0r2  She is making an awesome Red Thai Curry meatball today so be sure to check that out when you are done enjoying my Homestyle Pad Thai recipe today!

This may look intimidating, but it really isn't.  Pad Thai is just a simple noodle dish with over the top flavor!  There are as many ways to make Pad Thai as as there are cooks who make Pad Thai.  This is considered the official dish of Thailand and has its roots in the days of WW 2 when the leaders encouraged people to eat more noodles in an effort to reduce rice consumption.  Now Pad Thai is as familiar as spaghetti is to folks the world around.

Pad Thai has many variations, but there are some constants.  Always fish sauce, always cilantro or Thai basil, always tofu and chili flakes or sauce as well as bean sprouts and rice stick noodles and crushed peanuts.

The sauce is simple to make with ingredients that are readily available in the ethnic section of your grocery store.  If you have a hard time finding them, then seek out your local Asian market where you are in for a treat and an adventure all at the same time!  You will be giddy with all the new and amazing ingredients that are waiting there for you!  Did you know you can get barley flakes at the Asian market?  How about boba for boba tea?  Yep you can!  But that is something for another day!  

We start with the noodles which need to be soaked in hot tap water for 10 minutes and drained.  Get all your ingredients ready.  I have chicken, shrimp, tofu and eggs in mine along with green onions, shallots, ginger paste, lemon grass paste, garlic and bean sprouts.  The sauce is easy to throw together with fish sauce, soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, rice vinegar and water along with some palm sugar for sweetness.  

Peanut oil is my oil of choice for high heat flash stir fry.  Everything gets cooked then mixed with the noodles and sauce and then eggs are scrambled right in the pan and mixed in. Then ready to serve with more bean sprouts for crunch and more peanuts sprinkled over.  

This is super delicious and if I do say so myself, tastes just like the pad Thai from our local restaurant and I can make a pan full for my family with leftovers for less than it costs for one portion at the restaurant.  Not that I don't love going there, but it is not cheap.

I hope you will give this home style Pad Thai a try and I hope you love it!

I also hope you will go and check out the Frugal Chef channel where Mary Ann is making an amazing red Thai curry meatball for you to enjoy.  Also be sure to check out her vast library of videos that she has been making for a number of years!  She is my long time YouTube friend and I know you are going to love her as much as I do!

Happy Eating!

You can see how I made this in my YouTube video:

You can see my friend Mary Ann of the Frugal Chef channel's video for Red Thai Curry Meatballs here:

Noreen's Kitchen

 Home Style Pad Thai

Ingredients

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast 1 pound fresh shrimp, shelled & deveined 1/2 pound extra firm tofu, cubed 2 eggs 8 ounces flat rice noodles 1 cup green onion, sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups mung bean sprouts 1/2 cup dry roasted unsalted peanuts, chopped

1/4 cup palm sugar, crushed 1/4 cup fish sauce 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar 1 tablespoon tamarind paste 1 tablespoon ginger paste 1 tablespoon lemon grass paste 1/4 cup sweet Thai chili sauce Lime wedges for serving 2 tablespoons peanut oil

Step by Step Instructions

Cut chicken breast into thin strips. Set aside with the shrimp.

Soften noodles by placing in a bowl with hot tap water. Allow to soak for 10 minutes

before draining. They will not be completely hydrated at this point, however they will

finish cooking with the rest of the dish. Set aside softened noodles.

Mix sauce together by adding palm sugar, fish sauce, rice wine vinegar, tamarind paste

and sweet chili sauce to a bowl. Stir well to combine. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of peanut oil in a wok or large, heavy bottomed skillet.

Fry tofu until it is nicely browned on the edges. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add just a small amount of oil back to the pan. Add the chicken and cook through.

Add shrimp, garlic, ginger and lemongrass paste, as well as 1 cup of the bean sprouts

and the green onion. Stir fry well until shrimp is nearly done and everything is hot.

Push the contents of the pan to one side. Add a bit more oil to the exposed part of the

pan and add the eggs in. Cook until set on the bottom then stir until scrambled.

Add tofu, noodles, peanuts and sauce to the pan and stir well to incorporate everything

together.

Remove from pan and serve along with additional raw bean sprouts, lime wedges,

chopped peanuts and dry Thai chili powder

Enjoy!

Get a printable version of this recipe on my website: http://bit.ly/2aM5AT5

10 Minute Lemon Paprika Shrimp and Pasta!! A "Tasty" Recipe Trial! Did It Work? You Be the Judge!

Tasty videos are so popular in everyone's Facebook feed, that we wanted to give some of these recipes a try to see if they really are what they appear to be.  In a previous installment, we shared a slow cooker apple crumble that was good, but not great.  Today we are sharing a dinner recipe that my daughter Molly shared with me for this Lemon Paprika Shrimp and Pasta.  You can find the original Tasty video and recipe here:  http://bit.ly/lemonpaprikashrimp

This dish was super simple to make and it was good.  However it was a bit on the spicy side and if you like that, great!  But if you like it a bit milder, add less of the smoked paprika and add in regular paprika that will not be so spicy.  I also thought the sauce was a bit on the thin side so at the end, in an attempt to not over cook my shrimp into eraserville, I added a bit of a cornstarch slurry to tighten up the sauce a bit.  The sauce was still a bit on the thin side, but I was not going for a gravy consistency and just let it remain the way it was and it was easily soaked up into the pasta.

One of the other things I did differently was to not add the pasta to the pan because I did not want to have everything mashed together in case there was leftover pasta.  So we served them separately.  We enjoyed this and the next time I would make a few changes that would boost the flavor.  Other than spicy, this was a little bland for my taste and feel like it may need a bit more flavor.  That is the beauty of giving new things a try.  They actually give birth to even more new things!

In the end, we had a great dinner and it spawned a few new ideas for future recipe ideas.  We love shrimp, so anything with it, is going to be a great dinner anyway.  

I hope you will check out this recipe and give it a try for yourself and see what you think!

Happy Eating!

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You can see how I made this in my YouTube Video!

A Twist On A Classic! Mango Pineapple Salsa!

Here is a delicious and fresh twist on salsa that you may not have considered!  Salsa directly translates to simply "sauce" in Spanish do just about anything qualifies.  However we have come to know and love salsa as a dip that is typically full of tomatoes, jalapenos and other peppers along with onions, lime juice and spices.  Today I want to share with you a different kind of salsa that I know you are going to love and that is perfect to take to summer gatherings.  Just as perfect on a chip as it is draped over a beautifully grilled piece of chicken, fish or pork, you are going to want to give this delicious mango and pineapple salsa a try!

I have always been a fan of fruit with grilled meats or even used in a glaze for chicken, pork or fish.  This is like a fresh chutney that will compliment a grilled chicken breast fabulously.  The sweet mango along with the sweet and tangy pineapple complimented by lime juice and the mild heat from both the red onion and jalapeno, this is a real winner.  

One of the secrets to making a fruit salsa like this that is both savory and sweet is the way you cut the ingredients.  I, personally feel that it is important to cut the fruit in a fairly small and even dice and the jalapeno and onion at a mince, which would be even smaller.  You don't want to bite into a big chunk of jalapeno so this will even out the flavors and make everything meld together really well.

This salsa is best when made fresh, but you can make this a day ahead and then store in the fridge until ready to serve.  That way if you are getting ready for a party you won't be chopping things at the last minute!

If you like yours a bit on the spicier side, you can always add a bit of minced habenero pepper if you dare, but be sure to warn guests that you have done that because they may get a very unpleasant surprise!  While a little would be  nice warm heat, a whole pepper may be too much so start off with just a little.  

This mango and pineapple salsa if perfect to take along to holiday picnics and barbecues or even as a nice alternative to a summer potluck or church gathering.  I always love to take something different and seasonal and fresh!  This certainly fits the bill!

I hope you give this fresh and fruity mango and pineapple salsa a try and I hope you love it!

Happy eating!

Noreen's Kitchen

Mango Pineapple Salsa

Ingredients

1 cup diced fresh mango 1 cup diced fresh pineapple 2 tablespoons fresh jalapeno, minced 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

1/2 cup red onion, minced 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1 tablespoon honey 1/2 teaspoon salt

Step by Step Instructions

Combine all ingredients together in a large bowl and stir to combine. 

Serve with chips or over grilled meats.

Store unused portion in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

This is best made and eaten fresh so only make what you think you will use in a few days.

You can see how I made this in my YouTube video here:

Love from the Bayou Me Oh My Oh! Skillet Jambalaya!

Time to get my Cajun on!  Jambalaya is a favorite dinner in our house.  We don't indulge often, but I don't know why.  This dish is super simple to make and has easily accessible ingredients that you may even have on hand.  I make mine in a skillet in just under 45 minutes time and everyone loves it.  This makes a lot and this recipe will easily serve 12 people a hearty meal.  We always enjoy the leftovers for another dinner and a couple of lunches. 

I have chose a pretty traditional protein combo for this skillet jambalaya of chicken, smoked sausage and fresh peeled and deveined shrimp.  I have the luxury of living on the coast where I can access good fresh shrimp that is caught on a daily basis in season, so I took the time to peel and devein.  If you don't, you can easily pick up frozen shrimp and do the same or if you really want to save time you can grab a bag of cooked, peeled and deveined shrimp and that makes this dish even quicker.

I sauteed the chicken and sausage in some neutral oil until the chicken was opaque.  Then we added the "holy trinity" of vegetables traditional to Cajun cooking, chopped celery, bell pepper and onion as well as a few cloves of chopped garlic.  Nothing fancy, just good simple, southern peasant style food.  I also added in a good dose of my homemade, salt free creole seasoning and gave everything a good stir to get all those flavors melding together.

Then went in some chicken stock and a couple cans of petite diced tomatoes with their juice.  Stir again before adding rice.  I prefer and almost exclusively use par cooked rice in my everyday cooking, but you can use long grain if you like or whatever rice you choose, however be aware of the rice to water ratios and adjust your recipe accordingly.  Some rice takes more or less liquid, so just be aware. 

Give everything another good stir and bring the jambalaya to a simmer then cover, turn the heat down to medium and allow this to cook for 10 minutes or until your rice is tender, but there may still be a bit of liquid. 

When your rice is ready, lay your shrimp on top, turn off the heat and put the lid back on.  The shrimp will cook in about five minutes from the residual heat of the jambalaya.  Then you stir the shrimp in to distribute and allow the pan to sit for five minutes before you dish this up for dinner.

Jambalaya originated in southern Louisiana by a group of immigrants knows as the  Cajuns.  Cajuns came from Brittany, France then migrated to Nova Scotia and then  down to the swampy bayou of Louisiana.  Foof was scarce and the group had to make due with what they had as well as their own knowledge and culinary experience from where they came.  Out of their hardship grew an amazing cuisine that we know and love today known as Creole or Cajun, but we always know as delicious!

The word "Jambalaya",  is said to be a combination of the French word for ham, "Jambon" and the African word for rice  "Aya".   The French and the African American population grew together to create an amazing culture and out of this grew their fantastic cuisine.  A Common belief is that Jambalaya originated from the Spanish Paella, which is a rich dish that includes chicken, sausage, and a variety of seafood and shellfish as well as a rich broth with saffron as it's main flavor enhancer.   Jambalaya is a bit different  but similar, as it incorporates seafood , ham, link sausage rounds and chicken.  However it does not have to include all of these at once and can be easily made with only one protein at a time and still be substantially satisfying

I love this dish for it's simplicity and it's amazing flavor.  This is an incredibly satisfying meal that is great for a busy night after work, or a lazy weekend night at home.  Even great for sharing with guests or taking to a pot luck supper.  I mean, who is going to turn this down right?

You can mix up the meat if you don't like shrimp or smoked sausage, add in some cubed ham or Andouille sausage.  You can leave the shrimp out altogether if that is not something you prefer.  Truth is this is good with just one protein if that is all you have available.   But when you do have them, it is a wonderful combination of goodness!

I hope you will consider giving this skillet jambalaya a try some time soon.  I hope if you do that you and your family love it!

Happy Eating!

You can get the printable recipe here:   http://bit.ly/NKJambalaya

 Noreen's Kitchen

Skillet Jambalaya

Ingredients

1 pound chicken breast cut into chunks 1 pound smoked sausage, sliced 1 pound fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined 2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil 2 cups rice (not instant) 1 cup celery, chopped 1 cup onion, chopped

1 cup bell pepper, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon salt free Creole seasoning ** 4 cups chicken stock 2, 15 ounce cans, petite diced tomatoes

 Step by Step Instructions

 Heat oil in a large, heavy bottomed skillet over medium high heat.  Brown chicken and smoked sausage until the chicken is opaque and the sausage is slightly browned. 

Add vegetables and stir well to combine.

Add in chicken stock and tomatoes and stir.

Add the rice and stir making sure that is it not clumping together.

Bring to a simmer and turn heat down to medium. Place a lid on the skillet and allow to cook for ten minutes or until the rice has become tender.

When the rice is tender, but there is still some liquid in the skillet, place the raw shrimp on the top of the rice in a single layer.  Turn off the heat and place the lid back on the skillet.  Allow the pan to sit for 10 minutes for the shrimp to cook from the residual heat of the jambalaya.

Remove lid and test shrimp to make sure they are perfect.  Then stir into the jambalaya and allow the pan to sit for five minutes before serving.

This is a dish that his hearty enough to serve on it's own but a salad and a crusty loaf of bread is always a lovely addition.

Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eaten within 7 days.

You can see how I made this in my YouTube video:

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What's for Dinner? Easy Oven Shrimp Scampi

A Shrimp By Any Other Name Would Still Be As Delicious

I have vivid memories of being a child and going out for fancy dinners with my family.  Not all the time, but for special occasions.  It was on this special trips that my parents introduced my brother and I to a world of culinary delights.  It would be these dinners that would develop our likes and dislikes and help us to be adventurous eaters later in life.

You most likely have similar memories, perhaps not like the one I have described, but one of your own.  One that you refer to when you are seated in a special restaurant and are reading the menu, maybe you look for your favorite, whether it be Beef Wellington, Veal Oscar or Chicken Kiev.  It will bring you back to that place when you were a child, when the table was much larger and the napkins seemed more like a bed sheet.  When your mother would let you take a sip of her wine.  You were allowed to order Chocolate Mousse, Baked Alaska or Cherries Jubilee, for dessert.  The latter set aflame table side for maximum impact.  Truly a spectacle to behold!

For me, there are a couple dishes that take me back to that place, when the napkins were big and I had to make an effort to be on my best behavior.  Veal Oscar and Shrimp Scampi are my two favorites that I always search for on a high end menu.  The first is one that I reserve for an evening out, and it is getting more and more difficult to come by, but the scampi, is easy to make yourself and even though you cook at home, you can still achieve the same flavors and memories that you love. 

There is also no reason to kill your self while making this dish.  I mean this is simple and making it anything else would be criminal.  Simple ingredients yield maximum flavor and that is what you want.  This dish is even easy enough to prepare on a busy weeknight.  It literally takes minutes to cook and aside from the cleaning and shelling of the fresh shrimp, really takes little time.

So, relive a happy memory, go back to a simpler time and do it the easy way.  I invite you along for the trip, here is how you make shrimp scampi the oven style, no brainer, maximum flavor way!

OVEN SHRIMP SCAMPI

Here is what you will need to make this dish:

2 pounds shrimp peeled and deveined

1 stick butter

4 cloves minced garlic

Juice of 2 lemons

1 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning

1 tsp. Mrs. Dash

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. sea salt

Prepared Angel Hair Pasta

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a baking pan place the stick of butter and place in oven until melted.  When butter is sizzly and melted remove from oven and add minced garlic and shrimp and toss to coat.  Return pan to oven and allow to cook for 5 to7 minutes or until the shrimp are opaque and no longer translucent.  Don’t let them cook for too long otherwise they will be chewy and tough and you don’t want that. 

When shrimp are cooked through remove from oven and add Salt, Old Bay, Paprika and Mrs. Dash along with the juice of 2 lemons, toss to combine and you are ready to serve of some angel hair pasta or rice, your choice.

I hope you try this and I hope you enjoy it!  As Always, Happy Eating!