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!

Who Needs Take Out?! Asian Style BBQ Pork Tenderloin Recipe with Power Pressure Cooker XL!!

Are you ready for another delicious and quick pressure cooker recipe?  Today I used my new Power Pressure Cooker XL to make this delicious Asian Style BBQ pork tenderloin.

This was super delicious and the sauce hit all the right notes!  I used a thawed pork tenderloin and an onion, a few carrots and some celery.  But the secret is in the sauce!  I used some Hoisin sauce and honey and soy along with garlic and ginger.  Mixed that all up and poured it into the cooker along with the tenderloin and veggies.  I cooked this for 25 minutes on the meat setting and allowed it to naturally release.

This meat was super tender and easy to slice.  I made some rice on the side and we enjoyed this with the veggies and that delicious sauce!  I think next time I will add some pineapple chunks after it is cooked and just let them heat through.  That would make a lovely addition as well as a sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds and maybe a drizzle of sesame oil.  Truthfully, you could take this as far as you like.  No matter what you choose this is going to be delicious!

Cheaper, faster and healthier than take out and you have it in just about the same amount of time as if you had called it in for delivery or pick up!  The sauce is delicious and rich and flavorful.   I served mine sliced but you could easily shred this and serve it mu shu style in little flour tortillas or rice pancakes that you pick up from the grocery.  Add some sliced green onion, shredded fresh carrot and bean sprouts for a delicious Asian style taco night!

I hope you give this Asian style BBQ pork tenderloin a try in your pressure cooker some time soon and I hope you love it!

Happy Eating!

You can find the Power Pressure Cooker XL on Amazon: http://amzn.to/2cS1lHn

You can get a printable version of this recipe on my website here:

http://bit.ly/2dzBfvh

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

Noreen's Kitchen

Pressure Cooker

Asian Style Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients

1 package plain pork tenderloin 1 medium onion, sliced 2 carrots, sliced 2 stalks celery, cut into chunks ½ cup Hoisin sauce

¼ cup honey ¼ cup soy sauce 3 -4 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon ginger paste

Step by Step Instructions

NOTE:  I am using a 6 quart Power Pressure XL pressure cooker.  This machine has designated presets for certain types of foods.  Please consult the owner’s manual for your brand of machine should you have one that is different from mine. 

Place all ingredients into the vessel of the pressure cooker and give them a toss being sure to coat the meat well.

Place the lid on the pressure cooker and adjust the valve to pressure.

Set the machine to the meat setting and cook for 25 minutes.

Allow the pressure cooker to have a natural release instead of a quick release.  This will ensure that the meat is very tender.

When the cooker has come down off of pressure and you can remove the lid, allow the tenderloin to sit for five minutes before serving to avoid anyone scorching their mouth on the very hot dish.

I served mine with steamed rice, but this would be equally as delicious with quinoa, lo mein noodles or even pasta.

Enjoy!

Old World Comfort! Slow Cooked Garden Style Pork Ragout Recipe!

Here is a super delicious, quick to put together pork ragout that will make everyone at the table happy!  This has a bit of a Neopolitan flair with all the different and rich flavors that I have incorporated.  It is very "caccitore" tasting, but oh so delicious!  The slow cooker makes easy work of this rich and decadent tasting sauce and you are going to love it!

In the summer, making pasta sauce can be a daunting and hot prospect, but the slow cooker comes to the rescue and I love to employ it during those dog days when the heat tends to get the better of me.  See, I am NOT a summer lover.  In fact, I would love it, if winter could be all year.  But, alas, Mother Nature has other ideas and I must deal.  

A typical "ragout" is a thick sauce that includes meat, veggies and lots of seasonings.  It can be served alone or with pasta, rice, potatoes or noodles.  If you are inclined, this would be great with some homemade egg noodles or spaetzel.  Instead of using a jarred pasta sauce as a base, I built one for myself using a couple 28 ounce cans of good quality crushed tomatoes along with one standard small can of tomato paste.  I added 1, 10 ounce jar of roasted red pepper strips,  and an equal sized jar of pitted and halved, Calamatta olives.  Then I added some green bell pepper, sweet onion, celery, shredded carrots and lots and lots of garlic.  For meatiness I added four Portobello mushroom caps that I diced and then for the real meat of this dish, one package of beautiful pork tenderloin that I cubed like stew beef. 

all the ingredients got tossed into the slow cooker and then I seasoned that bad boy up with some dry spices like roasted garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, oregano, basil, thyme salt and pepper.  I did not add a ton of salt because the briny olives will add saltiness as well as the final ingredient the Parmesan rind.  This will slow cook and add a deep and delicious flavor that will be mellow but salty to this sauce.  In the end, it did not require further seasoning once it had cooked all day.  It was perfectly delicious.  

If you are not familiar with using a Parmesan rind in your sauce or soup, then this is going to be a real treat.  If you shop at a store where they offer better cheeses and freshly grated Parmagiano Reggiano, they will always have cheese rind off of those giant wheels.  They will want to recoup their cost because those wheels are no laughing matter to the wallet so when you see them, they will usually sell them in a tub filled to the brim.  They are not expensive.  Like I sometimes can get a quart container of Parmesan rinds for less than three dollars.  Take them home vacuum seal or store in a freezer bag and stick them in your freezer for the next time you make a pasta sauce or tomato based soup or even a chicken soup.  You will love what it does for the flavor.  When the dish is ready to eat, simply fish out the rind and discard.  It has given you all it has to offer and you won't want to eat that.  

My pork ragout cooked on high in my slow cooker for six hours.  The meat was fork tender and fall apart, delicious.  Everything married amazingly well and the four of us enjoyed this sauce over chunky rigatoni pasta that evening for supper,  I also filled a two quart container for the freezer and that is in the slow cooker again, as of this writing a few weeks later getting ready for an easy, freezer banked dinner for a busy night of meetings.  I also had another quart which fed Rick and I for lunch a few days after I initially made this meal.

I hope you give this slow cooked, garden style pork ragout a try and I hope you love it!

Happy Eating!

You can find the recipe on my website:

http://bit.ly/2cpJk1q

You can see how I made this in my YouTube Video

Noreen's Kitchen

 Slow Cooked Garden Style

Pork Ragout

Ingredients

2-3 pound pork tenderloin, cubed 3-4 Portobello mushroom caps, diced 1 medium sweet onion, diced 2 stalks celery, chopped 2 carrots, grated 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped 4-6 cloves garlic, minced 1, 10 ounce jar Calamatta olives, drained 1, 10 ounce jar, red pepper strips, drained 2, 28 ounce cans, crushed tomatoes 1, 6 ounce can tomato paste

¼ cup Balsamic vinegar ¼ cup granulated sugar 1 tablespoon roasted garlic powder 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning 1 tablespoon dried oregano 1 tablespoon dried basil 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper 3 –4 bay leaves, fresh or dry 1 Parmesan rind, optional

Step by Step Instructions

Add both cans of crushed tomatoes and tomato paste to the crock and stir well to combine. 

Add all remaining ingredients and stir well.

If using the Parmesan rind, tuck it into the center of the crock and sink it in. 

Cover and set on high for 6 to 8 hours on low for 8 to 10 hours.

When meat is fork tender the sauce is done. 

Remove the Parmesan rind and discard.

Taste for seasonings and serve.

This Ragout is delicious served over pasta, rice, mashed or boiled potatoes or egg noodles.  This would even be nice served over hot cooked grains such as wheat berries, qunioa or barley.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.  In the freezer this can be kept for up to three months.  I like to cook from frozen by tossing the block of frozen sauce right into the slow cooker and setting in on high until it is warmed through.  Then keep warm till ready to serve.  This is a great option for freezer banking when you are getting ready for a busy night! 

Enjoy!

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:

Easy Peasy & Fancy Schmancy! Pork Scallopini!

Today I want to share my quick and easy pork scallopini recipe with you!  Yes, you read that right!  Pork!  I accidentally took out a package of hand cut, boneless pork loin chops out of my freezer thinking they were chicken breasts because I forgot to label them.  So I needed to do something with these beauties.  Since I live in pork country, this is a super economical meal to make for my family and they love it.  You can, of course do this dish with thin chicken cutlets or even with the traditional veal cutlet if you prefer. 

This dish could not be any easier to make.  The end result is a silky, rich dish that is a mushroom lovers delight.  The light sauce is super flavorful and the perfect accompaniment to hot buttered pasta, rice or couscous.    

I started by slicing my pork chops in half.  I had hand cut some fairly thick chops off of a large whole pork loin I purchased.  So I got between two and three pork cutlets off of each chop and I had a total of four.  Then I pounded the cutlets with a meat mallet or something closely resembling a meat mallet.  In my case that would be a mini cast iron skillet.  That gets the job done.  You should use what you have available to you.  Then I dredged the meat pieces in a seasoned flour to coat.

The meat was sauteed in a mixture of butter and olive oil, in batches until they were all cooked and a bit browned.  Then I removed the meat to a warm plate to build my sauce.   I added onion garlic and a passel of mushrooms to the pan.  I also added a splash of chicken stock to de-glaze.  Then I let all the veggies steam saute for a bit to soften.  

Next I added chicken stock and lemon juice to the pan and gave everything a good stir.  Again I let this simmer for a few minutes to reduce and build flavor.  Then I added some additional butter to finish the sauce and give me a beautiful rich and glossy finish.  

I added the meat back to the pan and nestled those cutlets down in all that lovely sauce and mushroom loveliness.  I turned the heat down just a bit and let that simmer for a few additional minutes before turning the heat off and letting everything come to a peaceful rest before serving.

I served this on a bed of cooked and buttered angel hair pasta, but this would be just as delicious served with rice, plain or pilaf, couscous, quinoa or even cauliflower rice if you are on a low carb diet.  In which case, you can always leave out the flour and just sautee the meat in the butter and olive oil.  

This dish is quick and simple.  It has tons of flavor and a satisfying air about it.  I love this dish for a busy weeknight or a lazy weekend evening when I don't really want to do a bunch of work.  This is excellent served as I have shown or it can be dressed up for company and nobody has to know how easy it was for you to make!  I promise you though, they will be asking for the recipe!  So your secret won't be a secret for long.  

I hope you give this recipe for pork scallopini a try and I hope you love it!

Happy Eating!

Get a printable version of the recipe here:  http://bit.ly/1tdjvbx

Noreen's Kitchen

Pork Scallopini

Ingredients

2 pounds thin boneless pork loin chops 4 tablespoons butter, divided 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 cup all purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 pound Crimini mushrooms, sliced 1 large onion, minced 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced Juice of 1 lemon 1 cup chicken stock or dry white wine

Step by Step Instructions

Heat 2 tablespoons of butter and all of the olive oil in a large heavy bottomed skillet, over medium high heat.

If necessary, pound the pork chops with a meat mallet until they are about 1/8 inch thickness.

Mix together flour, salt and Italian seasoning in a shallow dish.

Dredge the pork chops in the flour mixture to cover completely.  Set aside on a dish until all of your chops are finished.

Working in batches, brown the pork chops for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until they are browned and slightly crispy looking.  Remove to a covered plate to keep warm while to finish the rest.  Remember not to crowd the pan or you will not get a nice brown coating.

When the pork chops are cooked, add the onions, garlic and mushrooms.  Using a flat spatula, gently coax the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.  If needed, add a splash of chicken stock to help you along.

Allow the vegetables to cook for 5 minutes until the onions are translucent and the mushrooms are softened.

Add the remaining chicken stock and the lemon juice to the pan with the veggies.  Stir well and allow the mixture to simmer for five additional minutes to reduce the sauce just a bit.

Add the butter to the sauce to finish.  Stir until it is incorporated.

Add the pork chops back to the pan and nestle them into the vegetables and sauce.  Allow to simmer for five more minutes.  This will help to thicken up and bind the sauce even further for a beautiful silky finish.

Turn off the heat and allow to sit for five minutes before serving over rice or pasta.

See how I made this in my YouTube video: