Copyright (c) 2010 New Albany News Exchangehttp://www.newalbanynews-exchange.com/section.asp?id=14Featuresen-us9/10/2010 5:52:18 AM609/8/2010http://www.newalbanynews-exchange.com/article.asp?id=11247http://www.newalbanynews-exchange.com/article.asp?id=11247

The French have a fancy way of steaming in foods in parchment paper called cooking" en papillote." The food essentially steams in its own juices, a healthy method of cooking since little or no additional fat is required. There’s an easier way to do this and get pretty much the same delicious results.  In fact, you can prepare the packets using foil and throw them in the fridge for use at a later time, bake them in an oven, toss into a fire, or place on a grill for easy cooking and clean up.

When cooking en papillote, layer the ingredients carefully…greens on the bottom for insulation, meat in the center and tender quick-cooking vegetables on top, far from the direct heat. Parchment is attractive when serving but aluminum foil is easier to fold and seal. Brush the foil with a little olive oil or flavored butter before stacking your ingredients. The Italians call this type cooking "in cartoccio" meaning" in a bag." Boy Scouts call it hobo packs. The cool nights we’ve enjoyed lately are perfect for building a fire and nothing is better than fire roasted veggies and meats.

Tips:

• Parchment paper can safely be used at temps up to 450 degrees.
• Aluminum foil may be substituted for parchment paper but do not substitute wax paper.
• Parchment paper is great as a nonstick liner on baking sheets and reduces clean –up.
• Use small cuts of meat and slice veggies thinly so they will cook quicker.
• Use fresh or dried herbs and spices to add flavor.
• Be creative and add a dash of vinegar, juice, broth or coconut milk for extra flavor and aroma.

Stuffed Chicken Breasts En Papillote
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (may substitute cherry tomatoes)
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
2 teaspoons basil, chopped (may substitute 1 teaspoon dried)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup chicken broth

Combine tomatoes, cheese, basil, and garlic. Place chicken breast halves between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and pound each piece to an even thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Cut a horizontal slit through one side of each chicken breast half to form a deep pocket. Stuff each with tomato mixture and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Brush four pieces of foil with butter and place one stuffed chicken breast half on each. Place a slice of lemon on top of each stuffed chicken breast half, and drizzle each with 1 tablespoon chicken broth. Fold foil over chicken, and tightly seal edges. Place packets on a baking sheet in 400-degree oven or grill for 20 minutes or until chicken is done.

Caramel Apples En Papillote
4 apples, peeled and cored
1/2 cup brown sugar
8 caramels
4 teaspoons red hot candies
4 tablespoons butter

Place each apple on a foil square. Fill each with the sugar, caramel candy, red hot candy and butter. Fold foil and seal edges. Place packets on a baking sheet in a 400-degree oven or over a fire for 15 minutes or until tender.

Magic Ingredient: Vinegar
Whether you’re cooking up a pot of black-eyed peas or making soup by the gallon, a splash of vinegar can take it from dull to dramatic. Bonus: new research shows that vinegar may help you lose weight by producing enzymes in the body that break down fat. Vinegar has hundreds of uses and is one of my go-to ingredients.  My favorite vinegar story is that of Cleopatra dissolving precious pearls into it to win a wager that she could eat a fortune in a single meal.

Doves En Papillote
6 dove breasts
Fresh spinach leaves
1/4 cup Italian dressing
6 slices bacon

Brush foil with Italian dressing. Wrap one slice of bacon around each dove breast. Do not use toothpick to secure as it will pierce the foil and allow steam to escape. Place a few spinach leaves on each piece of foil. Top with dove and drizzle with remaining Italian dressing. Fold foil and seal edges. Place packets on a baking sheet in a 400-degree oven or grill for 10-15 minutes or until dove is done.

Five Bean Salad
1 can (16 Oz.) Green beans
1 can (16 Oz.) Lima Beans
1 can (16 Oz.) Garbanzo beans or other type
1 can (16 Oz.) Kidney beans
1 can (16 Oz.)  English peas
1/2 cup cauliflower, chopped (optional)
1/2 cup celery, chopped (optional)
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1/4 cup pimento, chopped
1-1/2 cup sugar
1 cup cider or white distilled vinegar
1/2 cup Olive oil

Drain beans and peas; place in a large bowl. Add cauliflower, celery, onion, green pepper and pimento. In a small bowl, combine sugar, vinegar and oil. Pour over vegetables; mix well. Cover and refrigerate prior to serving.

Bruschetta
1 loaf of bread
1/2 cup Olive oil
3 Cloves Garlic, minced
2Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
8 Oz. Mozzarella cheese, grated
4 tomatoes, chopped

Slice bread into thick slices. Mix garlic with olive oil. Grill bread on both sides and brush with oil. Place tomatoes on toast and drizzle with vinegar. Sprinkle with cheese and grill until it melts.]]>9/8/2010http://www.newalbanynews-exchange.com/article.asp?id=11249http://www.newalbanynews-exchange.com/article.asp?id=11249
Closed this summer due to extensive restoration, the house was to re-open for the annual Tennessee Williams Tribute and Tour of Victorian Homes September 6-12. While the total renovation is not quite complete, guests may tour the home and see the many changes since the project began in early May. The full restoration is expected to be completed by the end of September.

Visitors will find the home now organized into a house-museum with a dining room, parlor, upstairs bedroom that is believed to have been Williams’, and a Tennessee Williams library.

“We wanted to restore the house as closely as possible to the time it was built,” said James Tsismanakis, executive director/CEO of the Columbus/Lowndes County Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Columbus Cultural Heritage Foundation. “All the colors have been exhaustingly researched. We looked at exterior colors for the house, tying in the color of the roof, and for authentication, we went to the premier Victorian-era exterior expert Dr. Roger W. Moss, a renowned historic preservationist and Victorian color expert. He confirmed that we had indeed chosen authentic period colors.”

 The new earthy colors are quite different from the light blues and pale yellows previously adorning the house and literally paint a more accurate picture of how a typical Victorian home would have been decorated. The greens, golds and accent colors are all carefully-chosen Sherwin-Williams paints. Working with Tsismanakis on the choice of colors was Nancy Carpenter, project manager with the Columbus/Lowndes County Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Columbus Cultural Heritage Foundation.

Interior colors were confirmed authentic by Moss’ wife, Gail Caskey Winkler, also a Victorian paint color expert. “We consulted with her on the colors inside. She suggested we decorate the dining room differently than the rest of the house and make it more formal, more colorful, which was customary of the time,” Tsismanakis added.

The restoration includes not only new interior and exterior paint colors but a new roof and new furnishings, all original to the Victorian era. These were obtained from Columbus, West Point and Jackson and from local private donations. Tsismanakis said that period chandeliers and gasoliers will also be featured in the home.

The restoration was made possible with a $108,000 grant from the Mississippi Department of Archives and History and the Columbus/Lowndes County Convention & Visitors Bureau Reserve Fund.

Items once owned by Tennessee Williams will also be featured in the house including a book signed by his grandfather and a Poet Laureate wreath which adorned his casket at his death in 1983.

Thomas Lanier Williams was born in Columbus, Mississippi, on March 26, 1911. His grandfather, the Rev. Walter Dakin, was rector at the Episcopal church located a block behind the home. Although the family remained in Columbus only a few years, the collective memory of the place that they took away was passed on to “Tennessee,” many of whose plays reflected a fascination with the old South and its antebellum and Victorian mansions.]]>9/8/2010http://www.newalbanynews-exchange.com/article.asp?id=11248http://www.newalbanynews-exchange.com/article.asp?id=11248Jill Cataldo saves hundreds on groceries by making the most of the common coupon. You can, too. Here’s how.

• Couponers: A Threat to the U.S. Economy?

Most of my reader mail is positive, but I also receive comments from readers who aren’t completely on board with the whole idea of coupon shopping. Occasionally, the questions that show up in my inbox surprise me. Here’s one.

Q:“Jill, don’t you ever think about what you are doing on a larger scale? In encouraging people to not pay high prices, wait until products go on sale and use coupons to get them at extremely low prices, people are going to get used to paying less for everything. If everyone did this, people are never going to want to pay full price for anything again. Not just groceries but clothes, travel, cars and more. I just can’t help but think you could be responsible for an economic collapse.”

A: I suppose I should be flattered by the idea that I, merely by encouraging people to save money on groceries with coupons, could bring down an entire economy. Coupon use is nothing new. It originated back in the late 1800s. Coca-Cola and Grape-Nuts were among the first products to offer coupons in magazines and via the mail to encourage shoppers to buy their products.

While couponing has seen highs and lows in popularity, it’s never truly gone away. Certainly, since the recession began in 2008 coupon use has enjoyed resurgence. CNN reported that coupon use increased 27 percent in 2009, noting that this was the first time in 17 years that shoppers had used more coupons than they’d used the previous year. So, there’s no doubt that many more people are using coupons.

But, here are a few truths about couponing it’s important to keep in mind:

• Manufacturers would not offer coupons for their products if they hadn’t already budgeted for the cost of redeeming them. Whether it’s to raise recognition of a new product or to boost sales on an existing one, coupons are here to stay. If a manufacturer provides a $1 coupon for a $1.99 product you like and use, why wouldn’t you want to save half the price on it?
• Legitimate coupon use does not hurt stores. Excluding coupon fraud in all its forms, stores receive the dollar value of the coupons they accept from the manufacturer. So if a shopper buys a $1.99 product with a $1 coupon, the store still receives $1.99, the price it charges for the product.

You mentioned that if people become accustomed to saving significantly on their groceries that they will likely want to pay less for everything – and this is true. But again, most people already do this on many levels. Do you decide to buy a new car and look for the worst possible deal on it? Do you plan a vacation and choose the flights with the highest prices? Given a choice, most people want to save money and gravitate toward better prices instinctively, especially if cost comparison is easy.

Not everyone who uses coupons on groceries will become a Super-Couponer, either. It does take some time, effort and desire to want to achieve lower grocery bills. Effective coupon shoppers also use stockpiling techniques, buying enough of an item to last until the next time it goes on sale. Not all shoppers care to do this. The “average” coupon shopper looks at the coupon inserts in the newspaper on the day they arrive, cuts the ones they’ll use this week and tosses the rest in the recycle bin.

Super-Couponers know these people are throwing away money.

I don’t think the economy is in danger because people are coupon shopping, and I don’t think it will it get worse due to coupon shoppers’ thriftiness. On the contrary, I think people are waking up to overspending in general. But for every person who cuts their weekly grocery bill by 50 percent or more, there are plenty who don’t plan shopping trips based on getting the best prices at the store that week.

Next week, we’ll discuss the demographics of a coupon shopper. Who’s using coupons and who isn’t may surprise you.

Jill Cataldo, a coupon workshop instructor, writer and mother of three, never passes up a good deal. Learn more about couponing at her website, www.supercouponing.com. E-mail your own couponing victories and questions to jill@ctwfeatures.com.
]]>9/1/2010http://www.newalbanynews-exchange.com/article.asp?id=11206http://www.newalbanynews-exchange.com/article.asp?id=11206

This past Thursday night, Aug. 26, The Tallahatchie Arts Council, Coffee Addict, and Gray & Co. sponsored their second “The Official G.N.O. (Girls’ Night Out)” event with about 45 women participating. The event was held at the Coffee Addict at 6 p.m. beginning with a light meal followed by participants painting canvases for entertainment. Leslie Gray led the canvas-painting with a sample canvas in the front of the restaurant and instructed the ladies step by step on how to complete their masterpieces. ìThe Official G.N.O.î is only for women 18 and older...at least this time. Women came from Memphis and Tupelo to enjoy the festivities and organizers hope to make this a monthly event.]]>9/1/2010http://www.newalbanynews-exchange.com/article.asp?id=11199http://www.newalbanynews-exchange.com/article.asp?id=11199

When you spend time in the kitchen your math skills improve or else you get a bigger garbage can.

Math has an important role in cooking, especially when it comes to measurement. I first learned to cook from my grandmother who seldom used measuring cups or spoons, but instead would drop in a handful of flour, a pinch of salt, or a splash of buttermilk. Amazingly everything always turned out perfect.

When I taught food courses I would stress the scientific aspect of cooking…always use the correct measurement tools, consider the interaction of the ingredients, and understand why dough rises and meats brown. I now travel the middle road… some ingredients I measure precisely, while others get tossed in based on look or feel.

"Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff" was taboo in class. If a student mistakenly mixed 1/2 tablespoon of salt instead of 1/2 teaspoon into the batter, then those students would generously share that loaf of banana bread with the teachers instead of eating it themselves. That’s why I always put a disclaimer on the tray before they placed it in the faculty lounge…just kidding!

To check your math skills take this Chocolate test. (It should only take a few seconds to complete.)
1. First of all, pick the number of times a week that you would like to have chocolate.  (More than once but less than 10 times)
2. Multiply this number by 2.
3. Add 5.
4. Multiply it by 50 – I’ll wait while you get the calculator.
5. If you have already had your birthday this year add 1760.
If you haven’t had a birthday, add 1759.
6. Now subtract the four digit year that you were born.
You should have a three digit number.
The first digit of this was your original number (the number of times you wanted to have chocolate this week).
The next two numbers are:
YOUR AGE! (even if you wish it wasn’t!!!!! or you need to refresh your math skills)

Creamy Easy Fudge
(just don’t double the salt)
1-7oz. jar marshmallow cream
1 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups chocolate chips (your choice: milk or semi-sweet - I usually do half of each or do 2 of chocolate and one butterscotch or peanut butter chips)
3/4 cup chopped nuts, optional
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Line an 8-inch pan with aluminum foil. In a large pan over medium heat combine marshmallow cream, sugar, milk, butter, and salt.  Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and pour in all chocolate or other flavored chips. Stir until melted and smooth. Add nuts and vanilla. Pour into foil-lined pan. Chill until firm.

Fudge Making Tips:

• Gather all equipment and do all prep before beginning
• Follow directions carefully
• Use good equipment like a heavy saucepan to prevent scorching
• Using ingredients like marshmallows and corn syrup prevent the crystallization of sugar so the fudge texture will remain smooth
• Cream or evaporated milk is less likely to curdle than regular milk

Hot Crusty Chicken Salad with Poppy Seeds
1-8 oz can crescent rolls
1 cup chicken salad (see recipe below)
3 Tablespoons Poppy Seeds

Unroll crescent rolls and separate along perforations. Spoon 2 tablespoons chicken salad onto each triangle and roll up, pinching edges to seal. Place on a greased baking sheet. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with poppy seeds. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Chicken Salad
3 cups chicken, cooked and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup seedless grapes, cut in half
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup nuts, chopped
1/2 cup mayo or salad dressing
3 tablespoons coleslaw dressing (optional, may use mayo instead)
Salt and pepper to taste
Mix together well and chill.

Slow Cooker Apple Barbecue Chicken
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
2 apples, cored and grated or diced finely
1/4 cup lemon or lime juice
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8 slices smoked bacon
Salt and pepper to taste

Wrap 2 pieces of bacon around each chicken breast. Place in slow cooker. Mix barbecue sauce, apple, and lemon or lime juice together. Pour over chicken. Cook in slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours.

Easy Coconut Shrimp
1/2 cup coconut
1 cup bread crumbs or Panko (Japanese bread crumbs made without using crusts)
1/4 cup flour
3 egg whites
1 teaspoon coconut extract
12 large shrimp, peeled and deveined with tails on
8 ounces fresh pineapple

Mix together coconut and panko or finely diced bread crumbs. Beat or whisk egg whites until foamy, then stir in the coconut extract. Place flour in a separate shallow bowl. First, coat the shrimp with the flour and then dip in the egg mixture to completely coat. Toss in the coconut-panko mixture. Place on a baking sheet or broiler pan and bake in a pre-heated 450 degree oven for 8-10 minutes.

Dessert Burritos
4 tortillas
3/4 cup mini marshmallows
3/4 cup chocolate chips or small peanut butter cups
Fill each tortilla with marshmallows and chocolate. Roll up and heat in 400-degree oven or over the grill for a few minutes or until chocolate is melted.

Devils on Horseback
1 pkg whole pitted dates
1/2 cup cubed cheese (I use Asiago and Jarlsberg but any firm cheese will work)
8-10 slices smoked bacon, cut into thirds (you may use slices or ham or prosciutto)

Stuff dates with a piece of the cheese. Wrap bacon or ham or prosciutto around each date and secure with a toothpick. Thread onto a skewer and grill or place on broiler pan and broil for 10 minutes or until bacon is crisp.
]]>9/1/2010http://www.newalbanynews-exchange.com/article.asp?id=11183http://www.newalbanynews-exchange.com/article.asp?id=11183Jill Cataldo saves hundreds on groceries by making the most of the common coupon. You can, too. Here’s how.

• Should coupon shoppers leave shelves bare?

Q:“Recently you wrote in your column about the ethics of point-of-sale coupon pads, and how shoppers shouldn’t take more than they can reasonably use. Here is a hypothetical version of a similar situation. Your family loves Cereal X. A supermarket ad has it listed for a terrific price; it’s such a great deal that you’re ready to stock up. At the store, you find just six boxes of the cereal on the shelf. Without knowing if the store has any more in the stockroom, do you buy all six or do you leave some for other customers?”

A: I’m asked this question often. As a coupon shopper, I do stock up during great sales. So, would I consider myself a “shelf-clearer”? It’s never my intention to clear the shelves at any store, although, as this reader points out, when there’s a great sale going on smart shoppers who spot the deal may wipe out the store’s stock before the sale ends, especially if the store didn’t anticipate demand for a particular product.

Any time I speak with a group of coupon shoppers, it quickly becomes clear that when it comes to great sales, there are two camps in the world of couponing. Some feel that shopping is a “first come, first served” situation. Others believe shoppers should buy in moderation and leave some behind for other shoppers.

To me, a shelf-clearer is someone who will buy a disproportionately large quantity of an item, more than they’ll likely use any time soon – 20 or more of the same item comes to mind. There’s a difference between buying a reasonable number of products and buying everything in sight.

If, in the above example, I want to buy six boxes of cereal and there are only six boxes left on the shelf, I will likely buy them even if they’re the last six in the store. My logic is this: if it’s a particularly hot item, there’s not much difference if I buy four and leave two (which will be snapped up by the next shopper, leaving the shelf bare) or just buy six (also leaving the shelf bare.) Stores often receive stock several times a week. While these may be the last six boxes of this particular cereal at this time, tomorrow night the shelves could be full again.

Understand, too, that if a product takes up a lot of space on the shelf, it also doesn’t take many shoppers to clear it out completely. One of my stores had a great sale on vegetable oil, which was involved in a Catalina sale. Shoppers received a $10 Catalina back for buying 5 bottles of oil. But how many bottles of one brand of vegetable oil are normally on the shelf at the store? Perhaps 20. So, the first four people that came in to buy 5 bottles cleared the shelf until it was restocked.

I do find it interesting that when the shelves are empty during a great sale, shoppers blame other shoppers. I look at the other side of the equation. Why didn’t the store anticipate that the products in question would move quickly off the shelves? Stores know well in advance what their sales will be, though they tend not to look at these ads through the same eyes as a coupon shopper. When stores are better prepared to anticipate what shoppers will buy during a great sale, they can try to order enough stock to meet demand. The flip side of this is that stores also don’t want to over buy, and be stuck with too much of a particular item.

When all else fails, though, don’t forget to get a rain check. Many stores offer rain checks, which will ensure you can buy the item at the same price (usually for the next 30 days) once it’s back in stock.

Jill Cataldo, a coupon workshop instructor, writer and mother of three, never passes up a good deal. Learn more about couponing at her website, www.supercouponing.com. E-mail your own couponing victories and questions to jill@ctwfeatures.com.
]]>