You too can be a bag lady!

The next time you go to the grocery store look around just inside the door. There is a plastic bag recycling box. In my little Texas town, I have found boxes at Brookshire Brothers, Lowes and Wal-Mart (west side door). If you know of other stores that recycle please let me know. By now I hope we have all heard about the importance of recycling.

     Yes, it is hard to remember, but let me give you a few tips. First start a place near the back door to collect the bags. You already have a container right there in your hand. Hang that bag on a knob and start collecting. You can collect plastic bags from all stores, the one from your newspaper, retail store bags, dry cleaning bags, bread bags, wrappers from bathroom tissue, paper towels, napkins, beverage cases, diapers and wipes. You get the picture.

     Do not use plastic bottles or tubs that foodstuffs or drinks come in. This is a different type of plastic and must be placed in a different collection spot. Many bags or wrappers are marked with a recycling symbol. It is a triangle made of arrows and has a number in the center. The numbers 2 or 4 are the grade of plastic suitable to the type of recycling we are discussing. 

     When you have collected a good amount, take them to the store with you on your next trip.  If you use a green bag (all cloth bags are considered a green bag no matter what color) put the plastic bags into the green bag. This helps you remember to take it into the store. Better still when making out your grocery list put (green bag) at the top of your list. Yes, some of us even get to the car with it but forget to take it into the store. When you get in the car, put it in the front seat if you can – this will help. One more tip after emptying into the recycling box put your green bag in the top end of the grocery cart. This way you do not have all your groceries on top of your bag when you go to check out.

     BUT what happens to the bags? Number one, they do not go the landfill. If you have further uses for them by all means do so. But when you are done with them move them on to a better use. The bags turned into recycling centers go on to become other useful items. Did you know that the new composite decking is made of recycled plastic bags? Trex composite decking is one of the biggest users of recycled bags. They have used 2.5 million pounds of the stuff in the past decade. Hilex Poly has recycled 400 million pounds into new materials such as larger garbage and lawn bags. Some playground equipment and furniture was once plastic bags. Playgrounds are now concerned about safe surface areas and they have turned to recycled plastic material to provide a safe and healthy environment for our playgrounds. There are many other products, but do I need to make a longer list????

     If you travel outside of Texas you might notice the lack of road trash other states have. Did you know that that lost plastic bags now have a nickname: a Texas tumbleweed. Let’s change that.

     If you locate more recycling boxes around the county please let me know. I will be happy to pass it on.  If you would like to chat I can be reached at PatsChat@livingston.net.  

Onions

Do you know the difference between a scallion and a shallot? They are both alliums. Yes, we are talking about onions. That wonderful vegetable that has been with us since the Bronze Age, dating back to 5000 B.C. In the Middle Ages, onions were so important people paid their rent with them. These days, most of us just like to eat them.

     Scallions are really baby green onions or immature onions that do not form a bulb. Shallots are a two-clove onion that are purple and white and have a more delicate, musky and nutty scent. They are usually found in a mesh bag at a premium price.

     The common onions come in three colors: white, yellow and red. The white ones we see used most often in Mexican food. The red ones are often tossed with salads, but are becoming more popular in general cooking. It is interchangeable with the yellow onion. The yellow one is the most popular for cooking, with its rich color and flavor bringing that signature taste to French onion soup.

     Sweet onions have a higher sugar content and are milder in flavor. These are the 1015, Vadalia and noon onions.  These you can bite into raw and eat.There are two combinations using onions that are cooking basics. In French cuisine, a mirepoix is made up of chopped carrots, celery and onions. In Cajun cooking, the combination of bell pepper, celery and onion is called “the holy trinity.” These are the go-to combinations for starting many dishes.

     When a recipe calls for one large onion it usually means about one cup chopped onion. If it calls for a medium-size onion that would be about 3/4 cup chopped onion. When buying onions, choose ones that have absolutely no smell. If they smell they are probably bruised and will not keep very long. Look for ones that feel heavy for their size with dry papery skins. Store your onions with good air circulation around them. Do not put them with your potatoes.  The onions will draw moister away from the potatoes and cause them to shrivel and dry out.

     One way to store onions is put them in a mesh bag or tie them in old clean stocking (remember panty hose?). Drop one in and tie a knot; drop in another and tie another knot and continue until all of your onions are stored. When you need one just take your scissors and cut one off. This time of year, with fresh onions available in local farmers markets, take the time to stock up. Properly stored onions should last up to three months.

     Onions give a savory and aromatic quality to food, but cutting and preparing onions can be another story. There are many tales of how to avoid tearing up while processing onions. If you need a chopped onion, use a food processor. The closed container helps significantly. If you chill the onion before cutting this also helps. Put them only in the door or vegetable crisper just until chilled, as very cold temperatures will destroy the savory flavor. Peel the outer papery skin before refrigeration. Be sure to put the onion in a closed container or wrap it tightly. You don’t want that onion to share its aroma with other foodstuffs in the refrigerator.

     After prepping your onions you will want to rid your hands and cutting board of the lingering odor. Old fashioned baking soda that everyone has in the kitchen will do the trick. Simply make a paste in your hand with a small amount of baking soda and a few drops of water. Wash your hands and then do the same for your cutting board. Don’t forget your breath after eating raw onions. Parsley will take care of that problem. If you are dinning out that cute sprig on your plate is there for a reason. Just chew a small piece to get rid of the pungent aftertaste. If at home just put parsley in anything you are preparing. It aids in digestion, too.

     TIP: To caramelized onions put a teaspoon of butter and a teaspoon of olive oil in a cool skillet. Warm it just slightly over medium heat. Add onions and watch carefully stir frequently. Do not let the onions brown.  This will take 5 or 6 minutes depending on the amount of onions. The resulting flavor is worth the time. Use this in many recipes or just as a finish on top.

If you have questions or just want to chat I can be reach at PatsChat@livingston.net

A Southern Cook's Bucket List

A few years ago a movie came out called The Bucket List, staring Morgan Freemen and Jack Nicholson. This movie was about two men making a list of things they wished to do before they die. Well, lately my friends and I have been kicking around the idea of just such a list. I don’t think anyone has gone so far as to write anything down but I am sure there have been a few mental lists made. 

     I have always been interested in fine china and some of the beautiful old patterns, so one of the things on my personal list has been to go the Greensboro, NC to a place called Replacements, LTD. This is a company that specializes in finding discontinued china, crystal, and silver. Bob Page started collecting old sets and odd pieces in his attic and helping people find missing pieces in 1970. The business soon out grew the attic and by 1981 had become a full time business.  Page left his job as auditor for the state of North Carolina to devote all of his time to the growing business.  That business now covers 4000,000 square feet (the size of 7 football fields). And they are actually in the process of adding a new warehouse.

They not only carry discontinued patterns, but are the go-to place when looking for extras and helping to complete a set you have been collecting or for gifts. Check their Web site at www.replacements.com. This is a great place to do research and to identify unknown patterns.  

     If you have items to sell they are always interested. They will evaluate your items and give you a quote. I took a set of dishes with me on my trip knowing we would be going there. For years I have done business with them by e-mail and phone and read about their museum. The showroom is wonderful and beautifully laid out, not just stacks of dishes and silver. I took the tour and got to see the behind the scenes. They have more than 340,000 patterns, some of which are more than 100 years old. Without the computer age this place could not exist. Think of the huge inventory problem of keeping track of all those items.

     This stop was only the first of our loosely planned trip. I wanted to reconnect with as much family as I could. I had not seen my dad’s side of the family for 35 years, which includes my aunt and uncle, my father’s siblings, and several cousins of my generation, who all live on the East Coast. These are people I spent summer vacations with and even aa to school with in Southport, NC. There is also a wonderful beach there that I am sure I learned to walk on. Putting my feet in that sand during the trip was a moving experience that I will never forget. This trip made me feel so much closer to my family.  It was great to learn all about them and their adult lives, after only knowing each other as kids.

     We went on to Charleston, South Carolina and had time to spend with a cousin who I had hardly known. He is a certified tour guide for five states and we spent time seeing through his eyes the historic city of Charleston. We immersed ourselves in the atmosphere of the old city and the wonderful food it is famous for.

     Also, I am seeing the senior generation with more open eyes. I understand what they are going through and know my turn will come. All of a sudden my bucket list became a lot more important. There are a lot of things I have said one of these days I would like to see or do. Well, those days are here and I better get busy.

     Let me hear from you. I can be reached at PatsChat@livingston.net

The Many Faces of Pasta

All pasta starts out with the same ingredients but each type achieves its own unique qualities. There are between 400 and 600 styles of pasta. I will not attempt to discuss all of them -- many types you will not likely ever see outside of Italy.  The basic recipe is very simple flour, egg, salt, water and oil. Once the pasta is made, the creativity really kicks in. It is interesting to discover that many were designed for specific sauces, but can be interchanged if desired.  For simplicity’s sake, let’s break pasta down into six styles

1.  Long Pasta.  This includes what most of us know as Angle Hair, a translation from capellini d’angelo. Others include fettuccine, which is flat, and the assorted spaghetti -- thick or thin -- with a whole in the middle and a few more.
2. Ribbon pasta is wider, flat sheets, such as lasagna, and often used in al forno dishes (baked in the oven).
3. Tubular pasta. These come in small and large forms. The most famous in the U.S. is macaroni. What made it famous is the classic comfort food and favorite of children, Mac and Cheese, but macaroni is used in soups and many meat dishes.  Other popular tubular pastas are penne and manicotti (little muffs). Penne is used in cold salads and hot dishes with vegetables and meats. Manicotti is stuffed with cheeses and served with a sauce, usually a tomato-based sauce.
4. Special Shapes.  Here, bowtie (or tripolini) comes to mind first. We see it in salads and is often paired with pesto sauce. Shells, both large and small, are in this group, along with wheels, rotini and many of the unusual shapes we see.  Some have no specific purpose, other than what strikes the cook’s fancy that day. 
5. Soup pasta. These are designed to fit well in the spoon and are small to mix well into broth.  Remember alphabet soup? There are many other shapes if you will just look for them in the store.
6. Stuffed pasta. Ravioli and Tortellini are the most well known here. They can be stuffed with meat, cheese, and/or vegetables. If you’re not making these yourself, you can find fresh versions in better grocery stores or frozen. Once you master making pasta, ravioli is not very complicated. It can be fun, especially as a family or group effort.   

     Cooking the right amount of pasta can be very challenging, so here are a few guidelines. For medium pasta shapes such as macaroni, rotini, bowtie, penne, ziti, etc., 8 oz. by weight will yield 4 cups of cooked pasta. For 8 oz. of uncooked long pasta or a 1-1/2 inch diameter bunch of spaghetti, linguine, vermicelli and fettuccine will yield 4 cups of cooked pasta. With egg noodles, 8 oz. uncooked pasta produces 2 1/2 cups cooked. To reheat pasta, put 4 oz. cold pasta in a colander or strainer and submerge in boiling water for 40 to 60 seconds. Lift to drain and toss with sauce.

     Now for sauces: there are four basic sauce types.  Cream-based sauces bring a rich, heavy flavor such as Alfredo and Carbonara. Tomato-based sauces include marinara, Bolognese and vodka sauces. Wine-based sauces are usually fortified with Marsala or Madeira.  The last type is a no-cook style: pesto.

     Choose a sauce that matches your pasta or vice-versa. Angel Hair and vermicelli are the lightest and most delicate. Choose a soft, thin sauce that will not tear up the pasta when mixed. Combine at the last moment before serving. The lightest sauce I know simply involves melting butter and sautéing chopped garlic until it starts to sweat (releases its aroma). Do not let the garlic brown. Toss with pasta. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese (fresh grated, of course) and for a final touch top with fresh chopped basil or parsley.  As a side dish or main course this is balisamo.

     TIP:  Serve your pasta dish on a warm plate or in a rimmed soup bowl placed on top of a plate for presentation.

Chickens & Eggs

I would like to share my thoughts about chickens.  No, I do not have the answer to which came first the chicken or the egg.  But I think you will agree, the chicken brings a lot to the table.

     First let’s consider the incredible egg. We use it raw, poached, scrambled, fried and hardboiled. What self-respecting southern home doesn't have deviled eggs on the table at Easter or other family gatherings? We can divide the egg and create puddings, custards and meringues.  It comes with its own package and sometimes in various colors. Children delight in hunting for decorated eggs that the Easter Bunny brings. (How the parents get that by them I don't know). Who put that bunny in charge of eggs? A chicken gives us one egg a day most days and ask nothing but a little feed and to be left alone.

     But that is not all for the hen. Chicken meat has become the food of choice for the healthy eater.  Yes there is fat on a chicken, but it is easy to get around. You can trim it off and remove the skin and we are down to pure meat.  This meat is so ready to accept any flavorings and preparations you wish to impart. For the healthy approach broiling, boiling and baking are the best choice. We cannot overlook everyone’s first choice: Fried Chicken. They now use the term to describe other forms of food preparation, i.e. chicken fried steak.  Add a little gravy and mashed potatoes and here comes that saying, "finger licking good."  We find chicken in the store cut in pieces or whole.  The fryer/broiler is the smallest at less than four pounds. It can be a male or female chicken. It is best for frying and quick preparations.

     A stewing/hen is best for soups or baking.  For soup you need stock or broth.  There is a difference. Broth is made from boiling chicken meat on or off the bone with seasonings such as celery, onion, carrot, bay-leaf, salt and pepper.  But, stock is made by breaking the bones and allowing the gelatin to release by slow simmering the bones.  Stock has a richer flavor and in soup worth the extra time.  This is true of beef stock also but you will never hear of vegetable stock because there are no bones.

     But we are not through with the chicken yet.  Remember those wonderful feather pillows?  My grandmother made them long after the chicken was gone. 

So you see the chicken is truly a remarkable animal and our lives would be quite different without them.

TIP: Eggs should always be stored in their original carton. If you plan to hard-boil them, plan ahead and purchase a few days early.  Place them in tap water and bring to a boil with a pinch of salt. Let boil at full boil for one minute.  Cover and remove from heat. Set for 15 minutes.  Drain and rinse with cool water. They peel best while still warm.

If you have questions or just want to talk contact me Pats Chat@livingston.net