Bacon Jam

This picture of Trader Joe’s Uncured Bacon Jam was sent to me by my sister with the message, “YOU HAVE TO TRY THIS!” Well, she certainly knows me. Since picking up my first jar, I’ve spread this jam on everything from toast to tortillas to waffles to sandwiches – and it’s great every time! One of my favorite quick snacks with this jam is to spread it on Trader Joe’s Middle Eastern Flat Bread along with TJ’s Organic Hummus and a little TJ’s Tabbouli. It’s so satisfying.

The jam is delicious; sweet and savory. And don’t expect the bacon to be tiny, second-rate pieces. You get nice meaty chunks. YUM! The possibilities with this jam are really limitless so please share your favorite uses in the comments section.

Rating: 5 out of 5 Hawaiian shirts. It’s so delicious and versatile I find myself looking for excuses to add a spread to everything! Give it a try and I can’t imagine you’ll be disappointed.

Frozen Wild Argentinian Red Shrimp – Review and Recipe

While looking for an alternative to fresh shrimp, I came across these Argentine Wild-Caught Frozen Shrimp. It’s important for me to have wild-caught shrimp as they are more flavorful, tend to have less bacteria than farm-raised shrimp (Consumer Reports “Special Report: Shrimp Safety“), and shrimp farms can have large negative impacts on the environment. Of course, purchasing wild-caught means you pay a premium over farm-raised shrimp. Fortunately, you’re covered with TJ’s Frozen Wild Uncooked Argentinian Red Shrimp. It’s not too expensive and a bag of this in the freezer means you’re ready to go anytime a seafood craving strikes. Since they’re uncooked, you can easily incorporate them into your favorite recipe – pasta, stir-fry, soup, etc.

*UPDATE: Jan 2016 — Lately, I’ve had a difficult time finding these shrimp in the two TJ’s locations closest to me so if you come across some, I suggest you stock up (And let me know where you found them!)

*UPDATE: June 2016 — I’ve seen it in stock in two TJ’s I’ve visited recently. Get it while the getting’s good!

Rating: 4 out of 5 Hawaiian Shirts – Not as flavorful as fresh shrimp. Undeniably the next best thing.

RECIPE SUGGESTION: Stir-Fried Shrimp with Garlic Butter Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 lb of TJ’s Argentine Wild-Caught Red Shrimp
• Olive oil
• Old Bay Seasoning
• Fry the shrimp in a pan with the olive oil on medium heat. When they’re about half-way cooked, add the Old Bay Seasoning. Serve as soon as the shrimp are cooked all the way through.
• For the sauce: slowly melt 2 tablespoons of butter on a stove top in a sauce pan with finely diced garlic until it starts to brown. Then it’s ready to serve.