How to Store Cut Basil

Oh, we love our fresh basil. Every year, even if I grow nothing else edible, I have a few pots of basil. And it's quite easy to store for a week or more once you cut it. This is handy when you need to cut sprigs off to keep it from flowering and don't have time to make pesto right away. It's also an easy way to root more basil. Frequently, one or more of the stems will root for me if left long enough. This week, not only do I have my own basil, but I got another big bunch from the Colvins in my CSA basket. Pesto, here we come!

Simply cut stalks right above a pair of leaves. Sharp scissors are helpful, but I've used sharp fingernails in a pinch. Then, plunk the stalks into a cup of water. Any leaves that are below the water line will turn back. It's best to have enough water to cover the bottom stem ends by an inch or so and just replenish. If you're getting basil from somewhere like a CSA basket or farmer's market, you may want to give the stems a fresh cut.

Do not store in the fridge. I store mine on my kitchen windowsill which gets filtered sunlight. Any similar spot should work fine for you.

You can also pull the leaves off and freeze them on a cookie sheet. When frozen, toss them all in a bag. They'll turn black, but the flavor will be far superior to the dried stuff and will work well in cooked dishes (like spaghetti sauce or tomato basil soup) in the months to come.

Tupperware Fridgesmart Containers

I rarely do product placement on this blog, but this time I'm making an exception. My sister, Carrie, is a Tupperware consultant, and she's gotten me HOOKED on the containers you see above: Fridgesmarts. These things are truly amazing. I don't know how/why they work as well as they do, but they are produce lifesavers. There are some venting options (the little white "buttons" you can see on the end) and a nice little picture guide as to what fruits/veggies can be in which venting options (and you can put different fruits/veggies together as long as they need the same vent requirements).

Here are some examples of what I've kept fresh in my one medium-long container (but I just picked up a few more sizes from my sister!!! SO EXCITED.):

• radishes for several weeks--still crisp
• cucumbers--cut up and whole--for at least a week (really remarkable for the small pickling cukes)
• zucchini for a couple of weeks
• lettuce for a couple of weeks
• broccoli for 10 days--and it looked even better than when I put it in the fridgesmart!! Crisp and green.

I'm looking forward to experimenting with other options now that I have some other sizes to play with. I think this is going to be a big help this summer with my CSA produce as well as enable me to shop a bit more ahead this coming school year. No more wasted Sam's produce this winter! And, no more wasted produce that we didn't quite finish up before leaving town for a week ☺.

If you're interested, check out the online catalog. You can also contact Carrie through that same site if you want to place an order. I think you can also request sales notification through her website, too. These babies aren't cheap, but after getting one as a birthday present (oh, you sneaky sister, you ☺), I'm a total convert and have since ordered some more for myself (the ones I just picked up this week when I was at my parents' house).

A Lean, Mean Grocery Shopping Machine

We are cutting back across the board due to some unexpected expenditures the past couple of months. I thought it might be worth reminding those who read this blog of the relatively easy ways to cut corners--especially short term--in the grocery budget.

"Cutting back" always involves some sort of sacrifice, but it needn't be too grim. A little creativity and non-instant gratification go a long way (this is true, of course, no matter which area of the budget is getting short changed in any given month: clothing, dining out, home improvement, etc.).

Here are ways we can quickly tighten the belt in our grocery budget.

1. Eat Less!

All that snacking, extra desserts, munchies, treats, etc. that we, as a nation really, tend to do for entertainment more than satisfying true hunger--it gets the sack first.

2. Eat What We Have!

Our freezer and pantry have a plentiful supply of food. Sometimes, the meals we create from existing stashes aren't the nutritional powerhouses we'd prefer, or the groupings might be a little odd (rice as a side dish with soup instead of crackers, for instance). But it tastes pretty good, is "free" from the perspective of the current month's budget, and meets our needs. Sometimes, this even leads to more gourmet meals--we might use up that jar of roasted red peppers or sun-dried tomatoes because we have them and it enables us to dress up otherwise plain/incomplete ingredients.

3. Shop Less!

Sounds obvious, but every time I go to the store, I'm likely to see something I "need" that might not have been on my list. Or, there's a sale going on that I *really* should take advantage of. When there's a month or two where we really need to stick to our existing grocery budget, then I try to shop fewer times. Or, I might try to stretch a Sam's run to every 6-8 weeks instead of every 4.

4. Keep It Simple and Seasonal!

We're still serving up food to more than our family--taking food to folks, having people over. But it's simple fare right now: chili and cornbread. No elaborate salad to go with it. You know what? Most folks won't care. They'll enjoy the fellowship. If they ask what they can bring, give them something to bring! Apple season is just around the corner. We make killer apple dumplings every fall; they're inexpensive and we can have people over just for dessert. NO ONE ever leaves here after an apple dumpling complaining :).

5. Make It or Take It Yourself!

Cornbread is pretty darn cheap, so we have that with our chili and other soups much more often than chips or crackers. Instead of going out for ice cream, we'll take advantage of the $1 sale on storebrand ice cream sandwiches and take the kids to the park to eat them.


What are ways YOU cut back on your grocery budget?

Kid-Friendly Citrus: Some Tips and Tricks

We try to eat seasonal fruit whenever possible. That means we truly gorge on strawberries during the month of May and eat them rather sparingly the rest of the year. Do we miss them? Not when peach season hits in all its juiciness. Then, the crisp mult-dimensional apple flavors take over. And then the perfect winter complement arrives: citrus! Just like other seasonal fruit, citrus fruit is far better this time of year than other times (and it packs a nice vitamin C punch right when we need it most).

Unfortunately, the poor orange doesn't make its way to a kid's plates as often as other fruits. Who wants to peel a million oranges, pull off any rough strings, then cut them into bite-sized pieces? It takes so darned long. Think again!

Here's a quick primer to citrus types and some strategies for getting them onto your kids' plates more often.

Grapefruit: by far, the best grapefruit are red/pink (this refers to the INSIDE color; the outside is still yellowy-pink) Texas grapefruit. If you can get them, bypass all other choices. Trust me on this. How to eat: slice in half through its equator. Slice around each section (painstaking work, I'll admit) and spoon out into a little bowl. For older children, let them spoon their own sections out. This really doesn't take that long; I usually cut ours up while toast is toasting or even while the kids are already eating their cereal. My kids like grapefruit plain (as long as it's that sweet Texas grapefruit), but you can always sprinkle a bit of sugar on it to tempt little palates.

Naval Oranges: generally, the best naval oranges for eating out of hand (as opposed to juicing) come from California. We like the giant ones Sam's Club usually has in stock (in 10-pound bags!). But you can find CA oranges in most grocery stores. How to eat: score the skin (not cutting into the flesh) twice around--in perpendicular lines--making an "x" over each end of the orange. The peel will come off easily in four big pieces. If cutting up for young children, split the orange into two halves and cut the sections horizontally across into small pieces. Then, separate the individual sections. This saves you a lot of time over splitting the sections apart and then cutting each section into smaller pieces.

Tangerines: We like tangerines, we really do. But, honestly, these are my last choice in the citrus line-up. They have a wonderfully perfumy flavor that is very different from the rest, but they are a PAIN to deseed for young children.

Clementines: Readily available this time of year (even though they frequently come from Spain), these are the easiest of the group to peel. They are also usually seedless, juicy, and a perfect size for small hands! How to eat: Older children can peel their own! Peel for younger children and split into two halves. Slice horizontally through each half once. Separate sections into individual pieces.

Mandarins: Available at places like Sam's club. These are similar in size to clementines, but a bit harder to peel. They're not quite as juicy, but they have a terrific flavor (my kids love these best). How to eat: Older children can peel their own! Peel for younger children and split into two halves. Slice horizontally through each half once. Separate sections into individual pieces.

Canned Mandarin Oranges: for very young children, this is a perfect option. Citrus fruits can have hard to chew sections, so these canned slices are an excellent choice. They have the same vitamin C and can be found packed in juice instead of syrup (Kroger brand actually).

A word on cost: sometimes, the price of a 5-pound box of clementines looks prohibitive. They go on sale around here frequently for $6/box. If you think about it, that's only $1.20/pound--what you pay for most in season fruit. Berries are always more than that; apples are often, too, unless they're on sale. Even when on sale in most stores, apples rarely drop below $1/pound. So, indulge in that box of easy-to-peel and kid-friendly citrus. Your kids will love them, and you'll have a nice change from the usual apples.

10 Tips to Tempt Those Tiny Palates (the ethnic version)

I've written about this before, but it bears repeating: whatever you feed your kids when they're young is what they learn to like. We think that curry, hot chili pastes, weird Asian greens, and the like are too weird for young children. What do you think 3-year-olds eat in India, China, Mexico, etc.? They eat "weird" stuff because that's what their families eat.

We have tried a variety of ethnic foods on our children. This has worked to our advantage and our disadvantage. Advantages: they frequently eat fish in most any form, they like most curries, they like Asian stir-fries and have even eaten bok choy, etc. However, they do not appreciate spaghetti or other tomato-sauced dishes (sigh).

This is part of my strategy with the different theme weeks I'm doing: I want my children exposed to a variety of foods, particularly the ones my husband and I enjoy. I think the more frequently they see/taste something, the better. Their memories are still pretty short, so seeing something several times in a week is not a bad idea. And, it helps me to know where the shortcomings are. For instance, during our Indian week, I learned that the kids don't mind a mild curry dish! Who knew?! But, they're not as crazy about garam masala (really, another curry type). I would have expected the opposite.

So, how do you go about introducing your kids to different "weird" flavors?

1. Keep the main ingredients recognizable: chicken, potatoes, rice, whatever. They'll be more likely to try it if they recognize it.

2. Start small: plain rice with a side of chicken curry or stir-fried beef.

3. Start mild: include some minimal heat, but don't throw chipotles in your chili just yet.

4. Provide condiments that enhance flavor and also provide nutrition: marinara sauce, mild salsa, yogurt-based sauces, and so forth. If they end up eating all the sauce and leave the main course, they're still getting some vitamins in!

5. Expect them to eat it! Don't have a back-up plan. Don't allow them to only eat rice. Our kids have to try one bite of everything before they can get seconds or leave the table. (And, yes, this causes WWIII at the dinner table many times.)

6. If they really hate a category of food you love (like pasta), then continue to serve it, but don't overdo it.

7. Keep it varied: continually try new things, eat some old favorites, and try not to get in a rut.

8. Model good taste-testing and food-appreciation. If you don't like something, feel free to say so (after you have tasted it). If they don't like something, don't allow complaining, but don't force it down.

Some Cookie Tips and Reminders

We like cookies.

We like cookies a LOT.

We like to make cookies. (If anyone's a Frog and Toad fan, then I would here direct you to the classic story "Cookies" in which Toad makes delicious cookies, and the two friends try to use some willpower to refrain from eating too many cookies....)

But cookies aren't good for us--at least not the quantity we would prefer to consume. So, how do we get around that small little fact? Make all our cookies "healthy?" Of course not--not all of them at least. There are some ways around this as well as some other tips I've learned over the course of the past few years of my cookie baking:

1. Make your cookies smaller--most older cookbooks have recipes that make 6 dozen or some other large amount. When your attempt only turns out 3 dozen, examine the size cookie you're making. Most recipes say drop by "teaspoonful." That's a pretty small amount--about a 1-inch ball. Then, it's easier to give your kids 2 cookies because the cookies are petite.

2. Freeze cookie dough: freeze in rolls of wax paper or flash freeze as little cookie-sized dough balls (my preferred method). Store in ziploc bag and pull out required number when you're suddenly needing a small dessert or cookie fix. This helps keep you from eating that 6 dozen cookies in 3 days....

3. Sub in half whole wheat in cookies like gingersnaps, chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal cookies, and the like.

4. Stick with the old classics: chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal raisin, gingersnaps, sugar cookies, snickerdoodles, shortbread etc. They're usually less expensive than the really elaborate cookies, less time-consuming to make, and easier to make with your children. (And you'll always have the ingredients on hand for at least one of these)

5. Get over your healthy fix long enough to bake cookies and eat them with your children at least once a month. Especially at this time of year--schedule a cookie decorating party with some friends and let the kids go wild.

6. Pull cookies from the oven the second they look done and let them cool 1 minute on the cookie sheets. This will make them easier to remove with spatula to a cooling rack and help ensure they don't get overdone.

7. Teach your children self control and portion control. Sure it's okay to have a cookie once in a while or 2 small cookies for dessert. But don't go overboard. Share those monster cookies you get at bookstores, mall stores, and so forth; we divide those in fourths when I'm out with the kids and it's more than enough. Teach your children what a normal serving of sweets should look like. Then it's not a problem to have a cookie every now and then.

8. Make it a rule to make all of your own cookies. There are several benefits here: you won't eat quite as many because it will require a teeny bit more effort to provide them for dessert. You won't spend as much money. You won't consume preservatives and all sorts of questionable ingredients (hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, etc.). The cookies will taste infinitely better.

What is your favorite cookie or cookie tip? Leave a comment with any recommendations, tips of your own, favorite cookies, and so forth. I'll be posting my own favorite recipes in the next few weeks--we'll all need them when the holidays hit in full force!

Favorite Recipe Tip

Have a favorite recipe that you make a lot but just can't quite remember? I've started printing a few recipes that I make a lot, but have trouble remembering completely (like cottage cheese pancakes, basic vinaigrette, etc.), and taping them to the inside the cabinet housing the majority of the ingredients or which is located next to the most likely prep area. Out of sight and a big time saver when you just need to double check the amount of garlic or vanilla.

Ginger: Tips and Tricks

I used to use powdered ginger in everything, thinking the fresh stuff was too much effort. Not only have I been won over fully to the taste difference of using fresh ginger, I've discovered some tips and tricks that make it easier to prepare.

1. You can freeze fresh ginger! Simply drop the root in a ziploc bag, seal, and toss in the freezer. I've started breaking up the fresh ginger into 1- to 2-inch size chunks before freezing; then I can pull out a smallish chunk whenever ginger is called for in a recipe.
2. Frozen ginger is easy to peel--sort of shave off the skin with a sharp knife.
3. To do pretty much anything except slicing it, I use a small microplane on the frozen, peeled ginger. This is cold work on your fingers, but it quickly and easily gets the ginger into a good state for use in stir-fries, salad dressings, and the like. It will burn soon if you saute it in this form; add to a hot skillet just before you add the rest of the ingredients.
4. To slice ginger, start with a peeled, frozen chunk and just slice away!
5. Fresh ginger is potent stuff--warn anyone who might be eating a dish in which it's sliced instead of minced finely.
   

Farmer's Market Tips

My friend Bridgette and I met up this morning at one of our many local farmer's market spots (the same farmers, for the most part, come to 5 area locations throughout the week; the Saturday morning one is the biggest and is downtown). This was the second week for both of us this year, and we are learning as we go. Some tips:

1. Find out where your area has a farmer's market or local produce stands! (Check out localharvest.org)
   
2. Go once to check it out with no expectations (i.e. what specific produce you'll find).
3. Bring cash (we can also use a debit card to get wooden tokens called "market money"--my daughter loves to "pay" with these and it helps keep me to my budget...ahem...).
4. Bring your own bags, if possible.
5. GO EARLY for best selection (and to beat crowds).
   
6. Know before you go how much produce your family will/can consume. The produce you buy at the market is super fresh and will taste best if you can consume it promptly (certainly within the week). Otherwise you may, like me, be giving away excess to neighbors later in the week!
   
7. Stop and talk to people! Ask questions about what they're selling. Sometimes the vendors can tell you how to cook an unfamiliar type of cabbage or will introduce you to a new kind of sheep's cheese they make.
8. Enjoy the day: buy a sweet treat for your kids; bring the dog; stroll around.*
9. Remember that the majority of the money you're paying will go back to those same farmers (maybe all), unlike what you'll spend in the grocery store. The farmers can tell you how they grow the produce/what they put on it for pest control and the like. I've been amazed at how a relatively small amount of produce goes a pretty long way; the price is worth it, in my opinion. I also tend to waste less if I've paid a slightly higher price. On the flip side, some farmer's market produce can be much, much cheaper than your local grocery store.
10. Try a new vegetable each week! (or buy something you might now buy in the store).
    

*Even if your farmer's market is in a massive area with the same vendors nearly all year, you can still make it a "local" experience. My sister and I used to go to the Georgia State Farmer's Market in Atlanta, and it was HUGE. We'd split a big bag of freshly shelled purple hull peas, a bushel of local peaches, and buy up all the red peppers (3/$1) we could carry!

Stir-Fry Tips and Tricks

We love stir-fry at my house. It's healthy, inexpensive, and always a little different. We all use some variation of chopsticks (for some kid-sized ones, see here). It's becoming our go-to meal for a quick, healthy meal. Here's what I've learned:

1. Have it all ready: Stir-fry is incredibly easy if you have everything prepped before you begin the cooking part. I often chop veggies (and meat/tofu) during the kids' naptime and hold it in various bowls until dinner. Then, I measure out all seasonings and liquids into tiny prep bowls before I begin. (This is pretty crucial--even if you don't have young children at home).
2. Have the right ingredients: Soy sauce from the Asian grocery store tastes better! I promise. We did a small taste test, pitting Kroger brand, Kikkoman, and the Asian stuff.... Much better and more "dimensional" instead of merely salty. Rice wine and rice vinegar can be found in your local grocery store, but they, too, will taste better if you get the real deal from the Asian store (and will be much, much cheaper).
3. Be willing to experiment and combine whatever veggies you have lingering in your crisper. Carrots, onions, broccoli, cabbage, and peppers are all frequent "players" in our stir-fries, but we've recently discovered the joys of bok choy and other Asian greens as well.
   
4. If you're going the marinade route (and I recommend it), you can freeze the meat in the marinade ahead of time; stir-fry is that much easier to "whip up."
5. Rice also freezes; I usually make a big batch and have it bagged in the freezer in meal-size portions.
6. Work with your kids: Since you stir-fry the ingredients in batches, just hold some out from the final combination if your kids don't like something. We frequently serve stir-fry to our children as follows: rice in one pile (doused with teriyaki sauce), veggies they like in another, meat in a third pile. They happily eat it up this way, but for some reason still don't want it all mixed up. We sometimes sneak a piece of cabbage or red pepper in, and sometimes it gets eaten with gusto! Just the other night, one formerly carrot-hating son wolfed down carrots and bell peppers.

Our favorite stir-fries:

• Perfect stir-fry (we've recently had this with tofu marinated instead of chicken and it was INHALED by our children; we froze the tofu so it would be chewier...)
• Tofu Stir-Fry with Vegetables (coming this week)
• Stir-Fried Asian Veggies (coming this week)
  

Keeping Cilantro Fresh

My mother taught me this trick, and it's one worth knowing if you're a cilantro fan. The picture here was taken 2 weeks after I purchased this bunch of cilantro at the store--and it looks perfect!

Here's what you do:

1. Fill a small glass (wide enough for stems to fit easily, but short enough not to interfere with the leaves much) with water.
2. Trim cilantro stems about 1/2-inch.
3. Place the bunch in water like you would with cut flowers.
4. Place plastic bag from the store loosely over the top, folding up the bottom edge if necessary to still allow air flow (see small picture).
5. That's it!