Crunchy Wife in the Kitchen: Smoked Turkey Sausage Saute

So technically, it's not Wednesday, but we had company last night, and I didn't have a chance to sneak away and post.

I had a difficult time deciding what to post up this week, mostly because this week has been crazy and I really didn't make anything interesting.... until last night.  I had stopped by the hump day farmer's market that occurs here on the Health Sciences campus.  Unfortunately, Morgantown (excluding surrounding areas) only has one day of farmer's market... on Saturday morning.  Recently, the hospital campus decided to host a smaller Wednesday farmer's market to increase health awareness and all that jazz.  Luckily for me, I work in that area, and it's super convenient for me to pop over during lunch, grab some things, and take them home after work.  There usually isn't a very good selection, and there tends to be more crafts than food, but it's still nice to go have a look around.

Yesterday, I was able to snag 3 beautiful cucumbers, 2 heirloom tomatoes for slicing, and 3 inferno peppers for $5 total.  I would have taken a picture, but unfortunately, I tore into my stocks before the photo opp.  What happened next was a meal of convenience.

I had some smoked turkey sausage I had purchased a couple weeks back.  If you know anything about me, you know that I don't eat much meat, but I can never turn down a good kielbasa-like product.  I have excellent childhood memories of my mom grilling up some kielbasa to go with homemade biscuits and creamed tomatoes from the garden.

Given the rest of my meal was from a sustainable source and benefited a couple local farmers along the way, I felt justified in posting this recipe up. If you like a zesty hot pepper, the inferno is for you.  It is banana pepper-like, but has a pleasant warmth that can be deceiving after a few bites of fresh pepper.  After a while, the fresh pepper could easily set most peoples' mouths on fire.  Disappointingly, I am not equipped with the normal "hot" taste buds and can only feel my lips burn when encountered with capsaicin.   Therefore, I added 2 hot peppers in this recipe and purposely let some seeds cling just to get more of the hot flavor for my tastes.  If hot peppers aren't your style, feel free to substitute a milder pepper, such as a sweet banana variety.  Even with run-of-the-mill bell peppers, this recipe is still delicious.

Smoked Sausage Saute with Crunchy Peppers

1 package smoked sausage, sliced into medallions
~8 red potatoes, sliced into ~1/4" thickness
2 small onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 green peppers, sliced
1-2 inferno peppers, sliced, seeds removed  (mostly... :) )
1 tbsp basil-infused olive oil
Salt and pepper to season

Heat oil in large saute pan on medium-high heat.  Season potatoes and saute until golden, then ad onions and garlic and saute until onions and garlic are lightly browned and onion is translucent.  Add smoked sausage medallions and saute until sausage is fully heated and browned.  Add pepper slices and cook until peppers are desired done-ness. (I like a Crunchy pepper!)

Serve it all up with a fresh salad to combat the sausage.  Given the sausage is a little on the fatty side, you may chose to reduce the oil or cook the sausage separately and then add it to the mix to reduce the fat content.  How much you cook the inferno peppers will determine how much heat you have.  Heating a pepper more tends to spread the flavor throughout the dish and usually produces a calming effect on the heat of the pepper.

Anyway you choose to go about this recipe is fine.  You really can't mess it up!  You may even want to add some different vegetables or leave out the meat completely.  Some sliced grape tomatoes would probably be excellent, as well as some fresh corn cut off the cob in place of the potatoes.  You can also leave the starchy vegetables completely out of the recipe and serve this stir-fry up with some brown rice.  If you try this recipe and mix it up a little, let me know how it turned out!  Green Appetit!

Crunchy Wife in the Kitchen: Caprese Sandwich Rounds

I had one lone heirloom tomato left from last week's trip to the farmer's market.  Given my husband doesn't like tomatoes unless they are ground up beyond recognition (how dare he!), I decided to be a little selfish and use it all for a meal all by my lonesome.  It worked out pretty well since he had to work late and I was going to have to make him something much later than I was willing to wait.

So what's a girl to do with a fresh tomato that is begging not to be thrown absent-mindedly into a salad or cooked until all the deliciousness is just a memory?  While browsing the fridge for compliment ingredients, I spotted the most delightful sight.  Luckily, I had picked up some fresh mozzarella from the grocery store on clearance.  I paid only $2.49 for 4 "bite-size" balls of mozzarella that could only be considered bite sized if you had a mouth the size of Joy Behar's (sorry Joy, your enormous smile is quite beautiful, if that makes you feel any better).  First dish that popped into my head?? Caprese!  Especially since I am the proud owner of a couple of large basil plants (which my husband said I would never use, by the way), I deemed it necessary that I hop on the caprese band wagon.

But I wasn't in a salad sort of mood.  I also needed a little more sustenance than what some cheese, basil, and tomato could do me.  That's when I saw them.....the whole wheat English muffins.  I can work with that.

So here's what I did, and although it's not entirely original, it was entirely delicious, and I ate it all.  Two entire open-faced sandwiches worth.  In my defense, I don't normally gorge like this... except perhaps during a certain moon, which was shining brightly that night.

Caprese Sandwich Rounds

2 whole wheat English muffins, split

1 large tomato, sliced into at least 4 thick slices  (preferably of the homegrown heirloom variety) 

2 bocconcini mozzarella balls, sliced in 1/4 in slices

Leaves from 2 sprigs fresh basil

1 tbsp olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Toast the English muffins in the toaster oven to your desired crispness.  When done, promptly remove from oven and top each muffin half with a couple of slices of mozzarella and a few leaves of basil.  Layer on a slice of tomato.  Top with a couple more slices of mozzarella and leaves of basil.  After all sandwich halves have been constructed, drizzle with olive oil and grind on desired amount of salt and pepper.  Immediately enjoy.

  

Easy and effective.  And did I mention delicious?  Since I stocked up, I have several more bocconcini mozzarella balls to use.  My mouth can't wait.

Let me know what you think.  Do any of you have a go-to recipe you crave occasionally?  If so, share it in the comments below, and I may even write a blog your favorite recipe in the future!  Green Appetit!

Crunchy Wife in the Kitchen: Creamy Summer Pasta Salad

Sorry I am a bit late on posting today.  Been very busy with summer wrapping up.  But this still qualifies as Recipe Wednesday, right??!!

I wanted to share one of my favorite recipes ever.  I have had many a pasta salad in my lifetime, but none quite like this.  My mother made this all the time for special occasions, but the most memorable was always my birthday.  When I went out on my own, it was one of the first recipes I harassed her to give me.  She can attest that I do this often and quite randomly.  The conversation usually goes something like this.  I call her up, usually at a random time in the afternoon when I'm thinking about dinner.  "Mom, do you happen to have that ___________ recipe handy?  Could you send it to me?", "I think it's around here somewhere, let me see if I can find it...." Proceeds to rummage through about fifty cookbooks.  Anywhere from 5 minutes to a week later, I get an email with the recipe attached, either as a word document or a photocopy if it's too laborious to type up.  One day I'm going to miss that about my mom.  It is nice to be able to get these precious family recipes with just a phone call.  The best part is... she always knows which recipe I am talking about even though she has at least 20 different versions of the same dish.  It is amazing for a woman that mixes up my name some days, and will go through a list of names including all of her sisters, my sister, and yes... even the cats.  I have been known to answer to "Trixi".  I am not very proud of that.

It is one of those dishes that is perfectly suited to a hot summer day, and given that most of the vegetables in this are in their peak season this time of year, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to share it with you.  This also makes enough pasta salad for quite a crowd, but it goes pretty quickly in our house.  You can also add a lot of veggies or a little, and substitutions are always in order.  Sometimes I add carrots, and other times I've been known to add squash.  Sometimes I leave something out entirely because I don't feel like making a trip to the grocery store or I'm making it for someone who doesn't like a particular veggie (Crunchy Husband's list is quite long, but most of the time he can pick out what he doesn't like).  However, I feel the vegetables I have listed are absolutely key because they give a lot of their flavor to the dressing.  Of course, that's my opinion :)

Creamy Summer Pasta Salad

1 lb pasta shells, cooked in salted water, rinsed in cool water, and drained

1-2 Large onion, diced

20 or so cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

6 stalks of celery, strung and diced

2 green bell peppers  (or mixture of green, red, orange, and/or yellow)

2 medium cucumbers, peeled (if desired), quartered and sliced

1 cup light Miracle Whip

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp celery seed

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

pepper and paprika, to taste

Ahead of time, whisk together Miracle whip, lemon juice, sugar, and seasonings together in a measuring cup.  Refrigerate dressing until needed.

Lightly toss pasta and veggies together in a large bowl, being careful not to tear pasta.

Using a rubber spatula, pour dressing over pasta and veggies.  Adjust amount of dressing added if needed.  (Sometimes I have to make more last minute)

Lightly toss mixture to evenly coat with dressing. 

Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight to meld flavors.

May adjust Miracle Whip, lemon juice, and seasonings to taste.

Before serving, place in decorative bowl and sprinkle top of salad with paprika, celery seed, and/or veggie slices for decoration.

Keep in mind, if you cook your pasta until it is al dente, it will absorb the liquid from the dressing overnight in the fridge.  This may be advantageous because the pasta itself will gain more flavor.  However, you may find that you need to add more dressing so your salad isn't on the stiff side.  

The most desirable texture for the dressing is going to be kind of runny after overnight refrigeration.  It is often the result of the veggies losing some of their juices into the dressing... this means a more favorable salad!  However, if the sauce is too runny, it won't coat your pasta salad.  So striking a balance is key!   

This salad is best when allowed to marinate for at least a day.  I always like it better the second time around because it's had more time to blend! My husband and I can make a meal out of leftovers by serving the salad  as a main dish.  It is one of the few dishes he can see a tomato in and not mind so much.  

Like I said, you can swap things in and out, depending on your tastes or what you have on hand. I grew some super sweet heirloom black cherry tomatoes that I'm sure would be really great in this recipe.   Also, I usually end up with more veggies than pasta!  Just play with it until you get it right, but let it marinade overnight before you go tweaking the dressing.  I usually add some extra lemon juice or even lime juice for a different citrus note.  I almost always end up adding some onion and garlic powder for extra flavor.  I have also added chili powder, red pepper flakes, or a dash of hot sauce for an extra kick.  It is all up to you!

Let me know how it turns out for you!  I would love to hear about your recipe tweaks, and even your suggestions for future recipes.  Just give me a shout in the comments below!  Green Appetit!

Crunchy Wife in the Kitchen: First Recipe Wednesday!

This week, I'm going to take a break from the "Getting Clean and Going Green" series and do something a little more fun.  I'm calling it "Crunchy Wife in the Kitchen".  If there's anything I love to do (even more than cleaning), it's cooking.  I pride myself on being a pretty good chef.  Though I'm not classically trained, I have taught myself a variety of useful techniques over the years.  I know it can seem daunting if you're just starting out, and I'm here to tell you that ANYONE can cook.  Even the Crunchy Husband can cook... even if he's forgotten how, after all the years I've done it for him :)

There's nothing like a Wednesday that really sets you up for the rest of the weekend.  It's the middle of the typical work week and by that time, you've probably already dealt with your usual onslaught of Monday syndrome and have tried to recover on Tuesday.  So I see Wednesday as a great time to relax a little, celebrate the crossing of the hump... and getting out of the cooking slump.

I'm going to try to make this a regular (weekly) thing, but if it happens to be biweekly or monthly, I apologize in advance.  Life is crazy!  So welcome to the Crunchy Kitchen.  Take a look, get some ideas, and let's get cooking!

Falling in line with my "Don't Have a Cow!" post, I'm going to gift you with one of my favorite vegetarian pasta recipes.  This could also qualify as a vegan recipe if you leave off the cheese.  For the meat eaters out there, I will share one of my favorite chicken recipes.  If we're in a meat mood, I make a double batch for my husband and I so we can eat it as leftovers (or on a pig-out-on-a-diet cheat day).

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Mediterranean Pasta
by the Crunchy Wife WV
(4-6 servings)

2 cups penne, uncooked
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 small zucchini, halved and sliced
1 tsp dried oregano
1-14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1- 6 to 12 oz jar marinated artichokes, liquid reserved
1- 2-4 oz can black olives (sliced or whole), drained
Fresh basil, minced, to taste
2 cups fresh spinach
Salt & Pepper, to taste
Crumbled Feta, to taste

1.  Cook pasta according to package directions, draining when to desired tenderness.  While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a large saute pan on medium high.
2.Add onion and garlic and saute for approximately 2 minutes before adding zucchini.  Saute until onion is translucent, stirring occasionally to prevent garlic from burning.
3. Add dry ingredients (oregano, salt & pepper) before adding tomatoes and liquid. DO NOT DRAIN.
4. Bring tomato mixture to a simmer, add artichokes and olives.
5.  Bring to boil again and reduce to a simmer.  For extra flavor, add artichoke marinade.  Depending on desired thickness, simmer until mixture reaches approximately the desired consistency.
6.  Fold basil and spinach into the mixture and simmer over medium heat.
7.  Fold in pasta.  When heated thoroughly, top with feta and serve immediately.

Recipe notes:  This recipe also works well with fresh plum tomatoes.  If using fresh tomatoes, you may wish to cook in vegetable broth prior to addition for extra liquid.
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Crunchy Wife WV Oven Chicken (Double recipe for two)

4 bone-in chicken thighs with skin
Italian seasoning or thyme
Your choice of pepper seasoning (Jerk spice, garam masala, lemon pepper, curry, chili, taco, whatever!)
Salt to taste (if pepper seasoning is without)

1.  Preheat oven to 400F. Rinse chicken and pat dry.  Dry chicken is the first key to crunchy chicken!
2.  Toss in or dash on enough of all dry ingredients to coat to desired spice level (I recommend dashing on the salt pre-tossing).
3.  Heat a large nonstick frying pan on high heat.  Test temperature by adding a small sliver of chicken skin.  Pan is ready when skin immediately begins to fry and brown.  Reduce heat to medium high to prevent burning.
4. Carefully place seasoned chicken in hot frying pan.  Cook on each side until golden brown.  Browning is the second key to crunchy chicken!
5. Place chicken on a greased cookie cooling rack (the third key to crunchy chicken!) on top of a jelly roll pan (cookie sheet with sides) covered in foil.
6.  Bake until chicken reads 165F with a meat thermometer (approximately 30-60 minutes).  Juices should run clear.
7.  Turn off the oven and let chicken rest before serving.

Recipe notes:  Breading can also be used for this recipe if you want a true fried chicken layer.  Just dip your in some beaten egg before coating in a 50:50 mixture of seasoned flour and bread crumbs.  I like to use Italian bread crumbs and forego the Italian seasoning in the flour mixture.  Fry as directed after coating the nonstick pan in cooking spray, being careful not to burn the breading.  Then bake as directed.

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Both of these recipes can certainly be tweaked to your tastes or increased for more than two people.  I have added a variety of different veggies to the Mediterranean Pasta.  I have sampled at least 5 different cheeses to top the pasta, and feta just happens to by my favorite... although they're all delicious and I would eat all 5 at the same time if Crunchy Husband wouldn't judge me.  I have also used almost every herb, pepper, and seasoning under the sun for the chicken.  Neither recipe is EVER the same twice! I basically use what I have on hand, keeping the onion, garlic, and the tomatoes constant and varying everything else. If your pasta dish still has too much liquid after simmering it down, you can add some tomato paste to thicken it up.  It all depends on how much liquid the vegetables you choose add to the mixture.

Both of these recipes make for excellent leftovers.  The pasta is actually better reheated because it gives the flavors time to meld.

You certainly do not have to use exact measurements with anything in either recipe.  If you're used to cooking, I'm sure you have found this is true with almost any recipe, except for possibly baked goods or candy.    Honestly, I hardly ever pull out a measuring cup or spoon except when making rice or baking breads and desserts.  If you really don't have a clue on how much of something to use, let me know in the comments section below, and I'll try to help you decide.  Some people like consistency, so if that's what suits you, go for measuring everything the same every time.  I just think variety is the spice of life :)

A "splatter screen" or "grease guard", as my mother sometimes calls it, goes a long way when browning your chicken.  It will prevent having to clean as much grease from your stove top, as well as save your clothes and skin from the inevitable popping of hot chicken fat.  Also, if your oven is anything like mine, the rendered fat from the chicken will eventually smoke in the oven towards the end of cooking.  This is escalated by the placement of the chicken on the cookie rack, but it's the third key of three keys to crunchy chicken and cannot be sacrificed! This chicken is worth a smoke alarm or two sounding off in protest.  Be prepared to fan out your kitchen, if necessary... especially if your neighbors aren't fond of that sort of thing.  Cooking at a lower temperature may prevent this, but will result in a longer cooking time and isn't as fun as alternating between running through the house to find a fan while your equivalent of Crunchy Husband opens doors and windows and standing in a kitchen wearing oven mitts and waving two cookie sheets wildly through the air.  Look at it this way, you are burning off some extra calories in preparation for being able to eat that delicious, crunchy skin on the chicken.  And if you don't like the skin (how dare you), you can view it as sacrificing a smoke-free home for the sake of the moist and surprisingly flavorful interior.

As for a way to green up your meat eating, try buying a whole chicken and section it into the portions you will use. A huge plus is that you'll be come rather handy with some kitchen sheers and a meat cleaver.  This will make your Crunchy Husband equivalent both respect and fear you.  It's good for any relationship.  Freeze what you're not going to use right away.  What you won't use for regular recipes (drumsticks, breasts, thighs, etc), use to make chicken stock for a delicious soup, or roast what's left, separate out the meat and make some chicken and dumplings.  There are endless possibilities.

If you're not game for hacking up your own fowl, try buying in bulk.  Wholesale clubs and supermarkets often offer bulk packages that are great for dividing up and freezing.   Although I haven't gotten up the guts to ask, word on the street is that small stores with butchers may be able to discount large orders.  I like to freeze my pieces of meats in fours, to leave the possibility of leftovers when feeding two and because any time we have anyone over for dinner, they almost always come in twos.  For ground meats, I usually freeze in half pounds because there's no way Crunchy Husband and I are going to eat a whole pound of meat in one sitting, and if I want to make enough for someone else and/or leftovers, I can always thaw another pack.

Questions, comments, suggestions, recipe reviews?  Put them in the comments section.  I look forward to hearing your feedback!  Green Appetit!

Getting Clean and Going Green (without cleaning out your wallet) Pt.2: Paper Towels, or Lack Thereof

Thanks to Wikipedia Commons for providing this photo for defacement 

Sorry for the lack of posting last week.  Work was kind of hectic and *insert mutliple excuses here*.  Pretty much, I forgot in the midst of trying not to procrastinate and such.  It was one of those death loops of procrastination that only exists when you seemingly have a lot to do but can't pinpoint out exactly why it was so important in the first place.

This week, I'm going to rant a little about paper towels.  Who doesn't love a paper towel?  After all, they're handy, they can soak up some amazing messes, they're convenient, you can use just the right amount for the job, and when you're done, you can throw them away, right?......Wrong! (Fooled you for a second, didn't I?)

Paper towels are honestly like an addiction for me, and probably everyone that has ever used one (Please agree with me.  I need the closure.).  Once I start using them, before you know it, I've gone through a half of a roll in only a few days.  Not only does this fill up my wastebasket and the ever-crowded landfills, but I find that some months, I spent A LOT of money on paper towels.  Once upon a time, I would buy a bulk size of paper towels at Sam's Club.  I actually found that their Member's Mark brand was just as good or better *gasp* than Bounty, and also came in the convenient select-a-size format.  Every two to three months, minimally, I spent $15.98 or so on a 12 pack of paper towels.  That's a lot of paper towels in that amount of time.

Luckily, I kicked the habit, and you can, too.  I bought my last bulk pack of paper towels so long ago, I can't even remember when it was.  I know it was shortly after our move to our new two bedroom apartment, which was in April 2011.  So, I've definitely been milking that pack of paper towels for over a year.  The only times I use these delightful little sheets of wastefulness for nowadays are for two reasons:  1) Washing my hands after handling meat products in the kitchen and 2) Cleaning up really disgusting bouts of cat puke.  Since I have cut down on our meat consumption significantly in the past year or so, reason 1 is pretty obsolete, and reason 2 doesn't happen as much now that I switched my cats to a food that doesn't result in as much intestinal distress for them (and therefore, myself, as well).  

So what do I do instead of going for the good stuff?  A couple of years ago, my husband bought a 24 pack of microfiber towels.  Why?  Firstly, a thing I've yet to tell you about my husband is that he is really into anything automotive.  Microfiber towels are one of those common cleaning items that you can walk into an auto parts store and they're EVERYWHERE.  Second, he's really into buying stuff we don't need, or things I don't think we need.   Well, write this down in the history books.... because I am about to tell you I was wrong.  Not a casual wrongness in the sense of "Oops, I made a mistake in thinking I didn't NEED that", but wrong in the sense that I have never experienced something material that has fulfilled my life with so much purpose and has greatly fed the joy I receive when going through a bout of angry cleaning*.  

These towels are my new crack.  They are not just amazing in that they soak up almost ANYTHING liquid I lay them on (I literally soaked up an entire quart of apple juice that fell out of the fridge and of course landed on the one spot that would shatter and cause liquid leakage with ONE of these).  They also leave virtually no streaks on my granite countertops, glass smooth top range, glass windows, mirrors, or my stainless steel appliances.  Even more, they are the perfect size for me to stash in my car door compartment for roadside cleanup or to pinch into the handle of the fridge door for quick clean ups around the kitchen.  

The best part? I have been using these things for two years straight and have NEVER had to throw one away because it was worn out, and I've only put a dent into the package.  I literally have at least half a pack (12) of these cloths left, completely brand new and never used.  Granted, I had a few random ones laying around from my husband's auto obsession.  So, you know what I do?  If I know someone who's getting married or moving into a new home, I stick one or two of these bad boys in with their gift.  At first they may go, what the heck is this in there for?  Then they realize... I have just given them the pure gold of home and automotive cleaning.  You are very welcome!

My favorite thing about these cloths is that when used with my favorite semi-enviro-friendly store-bought cleaner, they get up all the nasty stuff I let fly around the kitchen when I am cooking.  Ask my husband.  The kitchen should literally be declared a disaster area when I start cooking up a storm, but when I'm finished and have time to clean up the gunk, there's not a spot, thanks to God's gift to housewives everywhere.  In my defense, my cooking is fabulous (more recipes to come).  

So after I've thoroughly soiled on of these things, which is hard... believe me... I just throw it in the wash with my usual weekly loads.  They take up a very small amount of space in the wash, so the added cost of laundering is negligible.  Of course, being sort of a clean freak during my bouts of angry cleaning and having access to well over 24 microfiber towels, I have to resist the urge to clean a couple of things and grab a fresh one. 

So, go buy a pack.  Okay, maybe not a 24-pack, but start out small with a pack of 3 and work your way up if need be.  Believe me, it's worth the investment and you'll save some green... trees AND money!

*Note:  Definition of "angry cleaning":  I am notorious for viciously cleaning the absolute crap out of my house when I am worried, frustrated, anxious, bored, premenstrual, stressed out, and/or straight up pissed the *insert inappropriate, misguided, and vulgar word, here* off.  

Getting Clean and Going Green (without cleaning out your wallet) Pt.1: Laundry

Green cleaning is currently a hot source of marketing for big companies like SC Johnson and Proctor and Gamble.  Unfortunately, most of their products don't hold up to their environmentally-friendly image as some would hope.  Not to mention, although most are made with "natural" products, you'll be forking out an unnatural amount of money to restock your cleaning pantry with the goods.

This will be the first of a multi-part series on cleaning your home and your body without breaking the bank or poisoning our waterways.  Fish like clean water, too!  

Today's topic is most people's  most-hated chore, but happens to be my favorite... laundry!  I'm the weirdest housewife you will ever meet because I LOVE TO DO LAUNDRY.  Granted, I don't have children yet, and my tune will probably change rather quickly when I'm having to do a load or more a day, especially with the our planned use of cloth diapers... Long story short, I love hopping into freshly washed sheets and clean clothes absolutely fantastic on my skin.  

For now, we're not going to go into the specifics about water use, so that's a topic for another day.  Today, I'm going to discuss laundry products.  

There are many "green" laundry detergents on the market.  See this link for a review of 6 of the most commonly available.  The biggest complaint with nearly all of these detergents is that they don't actually remove stains!  Why?, you ask.  Watch out, I'm about to bring the science.  

Most of these "detergents" don't actually contain what chemistry would call a detergent. DISCLAIMER: THIS IS ABOUT TO GET VERY TECHNICAL Most of them contain mild or plant-based surfractants, while a "detergent" is indeed a member of this group, not all sufractants are detergents. Let me explain. A surfractant breaks water tension by having two ends, like a magnet. One end is hydrophilic, meaning it likes to hang out with water (anything "aqueous" or "water"-like). While the other end is hydrophobic, meaning it would like to get away from water, as far as possible (like fat). Having this property is termed "amphiphilic". A surfractant diffuses through water to allow hydrophobic and hydrophilic things to interact more readily. This can produce a phenomenon that almost allows fat or oils to dissolve into water. A detergent, however, is similar, but oh so very different. It is a SURFRACTANT that has "cleaning properties". Therefore, not all surfractants get stuff clean. For example, some salad dressing companies put surfractants in their salad dressings to keep the oil and aqueous components from separating as readily, but you don't see people washing their clothes with salad dressing, huh? Therein lies the real difference.

Photo: Courtesy of Wikimedia.org

In addition to these "eco-friendly" detergents not really being detergents at all (for the most part), they are pretty hard on the pocketbook. A 20 oz bottle of Method brand Free+Clear will cost you about $12.50. It claims there are about 50 loads-worth in there. I would say this is reasonable if you have a high efficiency machine and aren't doing a large load, which for me is ALL of the time, because I almost never run a load unless it is full. Wastes water, wastes energy, wastes my time, and I don't like it. Anyway, if you go by their calculations, that's $0.25 a load. Not bad, right? Look at it this way. I am a two-person launderer. I do about 4 loads a week if I am doing all of our bathroom and kitchen towels, and our sheets. In a 30 day month, that leads to approximately 17 loads of laundry a month. That means I am spending almost $4.30 a month, just on the detergent. That's over $50 a year. That may not seem like much. But just wait, there's more.

Essentially, I am saying that not only is almost every "eco-friendly", but you are spending $50 a year on something that doesn't do it's job.  Now what if you want to get out stains?  That means you are probably going to spend at least another $50-100 a year on an additive or pretreament that will get out the stains your green laundry detergent was supposed to get out to begin with.  Not to mention, you may suck it up and wash your clothes with your green detergent alone, only to find out you need to wash the item again to get out the stain it missed the first time around.  This cost does not include fabric softener. Which, let's face it, there's not really an environmentally-friendly option for, even though some companies claim this.  After all, it's essentially emulsified wax (they did that with a SURFRACTANT!) that coats your clothes to make them feel and look soft, but actually it seals in stains and makes odors harder to get rid of.  

Boy, do I have a solution for you.  Thank God, right?  Because you were wondering where I was going with all this chemistry and cost analysis junk, right?  OK.... here it goes....

MAKE YOUR OWN!  Yes, I said it, and no I'm not crazy.  I know you're overworked.  I know you don't have time.  I know one of the main reasons you buy this multifunctional detergent to begin with is so that you'll save time and money.  But I also know if you somehow found your way to this obscure blog, you're probably serious about greening up your life and your wallet. Here's what you need for a powdered detergent. You can also make the liquid version, which is the same recipe, but requires A LOT of hot water and overnight dissolving, and my opinion, is a huge waste of time and water. Plus, all of these are great for cleaning things other than your laundry. More to come at a later date.

All of these products can be found at *most* chain grocery or superstores.  I have had luck finding it at Wal-Mart (as long as it's not laundry day and I'm out of everything listed).

-1 bar Fels-Naptha **(note:  this cleans the best from what I've seen, but almost any dye-free bar soap will do, and if you are vegan, this bar contains tallow and is not 1st choice for your beliefs)

-1 cup Borax (boric acid... you know... 20 MULE TEAM???!!)

-1 cup washing soda (read:  NOT!! baking soda.. you want sodium carbonate, not bicarbonate.  Small name difference, huge chemical property difference)

That's all you need!  Now, take that old rusty cheese grater you kept because you knew one day you'd find a use for.  Lock your children in their room with a super pack of Legos and a promise of a much-desired prize if they keep quiet and build the biggest Lego fort ever.  Send your husband out to change the oil.  Turn on that show you haven't seen since before you got married.  Yes, I am giving you permission to waste some electricity.  Just please tell me you've invested in a low-energy usage TV.....

Now that you've set yourself up, grate the crap out of that bar of Fels-Naptha.  Some food processors can take the beating out of crumbling up a huge bar of soap, but I wouldn't recommend this method.  It can get messy really quickly, it's hard to clean up due to the tallow in the soap, and your food processor will smell of Fels-Naptha for the next 3 cleanings (even in the dishwasher).  Plus, ew... you eat stuff out of there, and I doubt you want to feel like you just said a curse word and your mom made you clean your mouth out.

Now, take a big bowl and wooden spoon/stirring paddle.  Mix in your Borax and washing soda until everything is equally distributed.  Done!

It only takes about 2 tbsp for a big load of laundry. I like to use an old OxiClean scoop because it's just about the right size.  If the clothes are REALLY dirty, I use two of these scoops, but don't use too much.  This won't allow for the detergent to dissolve entirely, and you may get the notorious detergent scuz left over after the rinse.  To soften, you can use your regular eco poision fabric softener, but you really may not need it.  I find this detergent gets my clothes super soft and static-free.  If you want an eco-friendly option, I have used white vinegar in my bounty ball, which is great for people with fragrance allergies and kills residual odors (but if you're using this detergent, you probably won't have any leftover odors, even old ones!).  

The hardest part of all this is literally the grating and I find it relaxing in a monotonous sort of way.  Just don't try to grate your finger.  Been there, it's not fun!  I like to get about three batches together at the same time, so I just grate soap like crazy through an online episode of Army Wives and then I'm done for the next couple months.  

The best part of all this the cost and the fact that it's more eco-friendly than *almost* anything on the market and definitely gets your clothes cleaner than ANYTHING (eco-poision included) I have EVER tried.  Let me be clear... I took my husbands filthy dingy gray socks and without bleach (another topic), I washed them once in this detergent and they were cleaner than I had ever seen them since like the 2nd time he wore them. That's saying a lot!  My husband's feet are one of the nastiest things I've ever smelled, let alone had the pleasure of washing clothing that touches them.  (Love you, dear!)

SO.. for the cost break down. Fels-Naptha: $0.99/bar. Borax: ~$5.50/76 oz box (8oz/batch= 9.5 batches... approx $0.58/batch). Washing soda: ~$4.50/55oz box (8oz/batch= 6.875 batches.. approx $0.65/batch). That's $2.22 per batch. Each batch makes enough soap to fill up an old bulk potato salad 4 lb container I cleaned and reuse for this purpose. It's filled to the brim and I can barely get the lid on, so we'll estimate that a 70 oz instead of 64. Two tablespoons or 1 OxiClean scoop is 1 oz. That means one batch has approximately 70 loads-worth of detergent. That means each load is just a hair over $0.03! That's an insane difference compared to the minimum of $0.25 if you're using commerical detergent alone, without the cost of fabric softener or pretreatment added! Instead of $50/year spent on detergent, I am spending less than $6.20! That means I can go to the movies, out to eat, and still have money left over from the money I didn't spend on detergent (that is, if I had both time and the money I saved :) ). Now, how's that for the geeky green science wife who looks like an idiot grating soap with a cheese grater by the TV at 2 PM on a Saturday? Not such an idiot, huh?

Now, do you see the reason for my insanity? Just be glad I love laundry so much that I spent the last two hours doing all these calculations for you guys. Thank goodness I am putting my future PhD to good use!

Happy Green Cleaning!

Don't have a Cow!

With all the craziness of the past few months, I have neglected to get to the meat of this blog. So that's the first thing I'm going to talk about.... meat! This is quite a controversial issue with some people, so I thought I'd share my OPINION and the few facts that I know about the "environmental-friendliness" and economics of eating meat in an American diet. This is just a scratch at the surface, and I would love to hear your experiences or research about this topic. Just shoot me a comment!

First of all, let me say I sometimes crave a healthy portion of red meat and certain types of pork. Not such a big fan of chicken (I think my Momma tuckered me out on chicken since it was so cheap and available in the 80's and 90's). Fish, although not truly considered a "meat" by a lot of people's standards (although I'm not sure why??), is going to be placed in the meat category for the sake of argument.

I tolerate, and sometimes thoroughly enjoy, the stuff, but in high school I spent almost 2 years as a vegetarian. The only exceptions I made were for 3 family holidays, Easter, Christmas, and Thanksgiving. The reason for this? Let's be honest. Tofurkey is NASTY. There is no such thing as a good ham substitute, although veggie bacon can be quite delectable. Seriously... it is! It may look like cardboard, have the texture of cardboard, but it tastes far from cardboard! It makes me wonder what's REALLY in that junk...

Anyway, my husband is crazy about steak. Or any type of meat, really. Like if he had the choice between winning $1 million dollars in the lottery or a year's supply of red meat, it would be a pretty close race. If given the opportunity to order a big juicy ribeye, this man's eyes light up like Christmas on MacCorkle Avenue as if residents were competing for Charleston's tackiest Christmas decorations*.

I already considering my self a "part-time vegetarian". About 80% of the meals I eat contain zero (or pretty close to zero) meat. Most of the time, I load up on fresh, steamed, or sauteed veggies and get my protein from a variety of cheeses, nuts, beans, etc. So, for me to give up meat in my diet for health, cost, or green reasons? Done! Or at least most of the way there...My husband on the other hand, would fight tooth and nail for his meat. In fact, many a lengthy discussion in our household once revolved around why we're not buying or consuming as much meat. However, he has adjusted really well to what I would call a healthy lifestyle.

If I use meat in any meal, I either use very little or much less than what a recipe would typically call for.  However, for the most part, again, my diet is vegetarian.  I cannot say the same for my husband because I am sure he sneaks the occasional Arby's Roast Beef, and I am completely okay with that.  I know he's not gorging himself, and although I want him to live a healthy lifestyle so that we both can live to be 100, it is his body, his choice, and I don't like to argue with my husband about issues that would be a no win situation for either of us.

Here are MY reasons for going *mostly* meat-free. Firstly, it is EXPENSIVE. Have you looked at the cost of even chicken lately? At our local Morgantown Kroger, a 1 lb. package of chicken breasts will set you back by about $4.59. Don't even get me started on the cost of steaks. You're usually looking at a price of at least $7.49/lb if you're not shopping the sales. Granted, I have never bought ANY type of meat at that price. I usually buy any meat products at Sam's Club, where chicken is usually somewhere around $2/lb +/-**. I can also buy in bulk, which saves me time in food prep because I can freeze individual meals worth, plus, it cuts down on the plastic and styrofoam (ugh) packaging used in transportion and safety of my meat.

Secondly, I am concerned about the environmental impact of the meat industry. I'm sure if you have done any type of research on this topic, you have come across the horror stories about the quality of life of the animals used for human consumption in industry farms. Not only does this concern me, but the issue of the effect of the meat industry on the production of greenhouse gases is something we should all be paying attention to, due to its effect on global warming. Also, the waste produced by this industry can be extreme. While some "farmers" (I say "farmer" because most of the time, this is regulated by the corporation and not the farmer), make an effort to use every part of the animal, some may take only what they need, and allow the rest of the animal to be disposed of, and sometimes not so satisfactorily .

Lastly, but most importantly, the health issues surrounding the consumption of meat are tremendous. Read this article I found on the use of antibiotics in the poultry industry. That's just the tip of iceberg. If you don't believe the news media hype and want to look at actual data, read this peer-reviewed scientific journal article on the effects of red meat on human health and mortality. Scary! If you want more information on this aspect of the issue, do a quick Google search. The evidence for cutting back on meat, if not eliminating it from your diet entirely, is pretty overwhelming.

So what can you do to make a transition to a meatless or nearly meatless diet? Take it slowly. Do no not cut out meat cold-turkey if you are used to consuming it on a daily basis. Not only will this make you feel deprived of something you probably enjoy, but it could shock your system and you may find yourself dealing with larger problems than trying to stay away from the local burger joint. Digestive upset can happen with any food that you quickly add or remove from your diet, so it is important to balance loss or gain of an item from the diet with something that compensates for the change.

I always recommend trying to include less meat in a recipe you already eat on a regular basis. For example, in meaty marinara spaghetti, I would normally use a 1 lb of lean ground beef. To go meatless, I would maybe only use 0.75 or 0.5 lb but add extra veggies and cheese, such as mozzarella, Parmesan, or Romano. Not only does this boost good-for-me minerals from the veggies, but the cheese and some types of veggies help compensate for the loss of protein. However, this comes with a warning. Cheese has a lot of fat, as well, and eating too much can give you less than desirable bathroom side effects :) Also monitor your additions, you don't want to compensate for the loss of meat by adding an extreme amount of carbohydrates or fat from other sources. So don't double up on the pasta just because you're cutting down on your meat!

I have compiled a few recipes that will help with weaning off the meat. The first is a recipe from my mother that I tweaked. The second is one I found on Allrecipes.com. This website is a great resource for finding tried-and-true menus, browsing for ideas, or when you're in a pinch for a quick meal that will leave everyone satisfied. Their rating system is extremely useful because you can often weed out recipes that you probably won't like based on member reviews.

One of the most important things to remember with any recipes is....if you are experienced with cooking, you can tweak almost any recipe according to your tastes. So feel free to make flavor/vegetable substitutions and even add or remove ingredients as you like. Green Appetit!


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Not So Crabby Patties:

2 1/2 cups shredded zucchini (may use half yellow squash for a softer and different flavored cake)
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1 med-large onion, minced
1 cup italian bread crumbs
1/4 c flour
2 eggs
1 tbsp Light Miracle Whip (Mayo may substituted, but it will have less flavor)
1-2 tbsp Old Bay Seasoning (depending on taste)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Canola or vegetable oil

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until all components are easily distributed. Do not overbeat eggs. Shape into patties approximately the size of your palm and about 3/4" thick.
Heat on medium-high enough oil in a large skillet or deep saute pan to cover the bottom of the pan. Test the temperature of the oil by dropping a small pinch of zucchini batter into pan. When the batter sizzles and begins to brown, your oil is hot enough. Heat may need to be adjusted during cooking to prevent burning or undercooking.
Carefully place patties into oil and allow to brown on each side until middle of patty is thoroughly cooked. Patties may have to be flipped a few times over the course of 5-10 minutes to prevent overbrowning and allow for thorough heating.
After patties have reached golden brown status, place on a heat resistant plate covered in a few layers of paper towels.
After a few minutes, flip patties to drain the grease from the other side.
Patties are now ready to eat!

Try them with some mac n' cheese and broccoli. They taste almost like real crab cakes but provide loads of vitamins and minerals! You may also want to try them with some tartar sauce or make your own by adding sweet pickle relish and/or spices to a few tablespoons of Miracle whip.
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Vegetarian Penne Recipe:

2 cups uncooked penne or medium tube pasta
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1 small yellow summer squash, sliced
1 small zucchini, sliced
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 teaspoon minced onion
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute the onion, summer squash, zucchini, mushrooms and garlic in butter until tender.

In a bowl, whisk the flour, seasonings and cream until smooth; add to the skillet. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until thickened. Drain pasta and add to vegetable mixture. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until heated through.
Serve immediately.

You can try this with a variety of different vegetables and herbs. I like to include spinach and substitute basil and oregano for the thyme and parsley.






*Note: I was told by a South Charleston resident this is actually a REAL radio station contest and every year, three houses on MacCorkle Avenue try to out-compete each other for the prize. The results are quite horrifying, but entertaining, nonetheless.
**Certain stores will have prices on meat that can floor you.. for example, I found a 4 lb. pack of chicken tenderloins (great for stir-frys, etc) on sale for $0.88/lb! That's incredible!