So I found a use for paper towels

The other week, I mentioned that I use leftover fast food paper napkins to help drain fried foods. Well, the other day, I remembered one other good use (for either paper napkins or towels). To place at the bottom of a grocery store plastic clamshell, full of berries.

If strawberries are left in the plastic clamshell for more than a few days, the moisture from the bottom layer of berries has no place to escape to, and I find I'm inclined to discover moldy berries after just a handful of days.

However, if I place a paper napkin under the berries, inside the clamshell, my berries keep fresh and in good condition for up to a week (if they don't get eaten). And I get a few uses out of these paper napkins. Because they don't become truly soggy with this use, I just fold them loosely and put in the cupboard above the counter. I use them a few times over the course of the season, and they end their useful life, either to drain fried foods, or to wipe out a greasy pan.


The trick is to get the paper towel/napkin under the berries, without unloading the entire clamshell. Here's how I do it.

right-side up

After I pull out a few berries for that first meal or snack, I reseal the clamshell shut.

upside down

I carefully turn the clamshell over and rest on the counter.

Then I carefully open the upturned container and lay a couple of unfolded paper napkins over the berries, inside.

I reseal the container, and once again turn the clamshell over, very carefully. That's it. The paper napkins are now on the bottom of the container, under the berries.

For other fresh produce, I prefer to use my salad spinner for storage, or wrap items in a non-linty tea towel. I'm reluctant to use a tea towel for storing berries, due to potential staining. But I've been thinking to try some unbleached muslin fabric squares at the bottom of berry containers. I'll let you know how that works when I try it.

In my mind, using paper towels/napkins isn't an all or nothing proposition. I am satisfied to use them very, very sparingly, while still finding alternatives wherever I can. I just think that's a sensible approach.

Favorite Uses for Cabbage

Many of us bought a head or two of cabbage this past week. Now, the challenge is to find interesting ways to use it up.

Cole slaw is always a good stand-by. I also like to add it to stir fries and fried rice. But two of my favorite ways to use cabbage are for a particular soup and in a salad.

The soup is one I used to order in a diner near us over 20 years ago. This restaurant called it Cabbage Patch Soup. I've done my best to replicate it over the years. However, I've never settled on a set recipe.

Basically, it's a tomato-based soup, with onions, garlic, carrots, celery, canned tomatoes, ground beef, or crumbled, cooked Italian sausage, or TVP granules, or as in our case the other day, lentils, plus lots of shredded cabbage. If I have some homemade pasta sauce, I'll add that, as well as added oregano and salt, as desired.  The key to Cabbage Patch Soup is to add the shredded, raw cabbage just 5 minutes before serving. Here's an approximate recipe, in case you want to give it a try.

Cabbage Patch Soup

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 of a large onion, chopped
8 oz. any meat (Italian sausage, Kielbasa, smoked sausage, ground beef) OR a combination of 1/2 cup dry lentils (or 1  1/2 cups cooked beans) and 1/2 cup barley OR 1 cup of dry TVP (textured vegetable protein) granules 
1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
14 oz. can of diced tomatoes, drain and save liquid
1 to 2 carrots, sliced
1 to 2 stalks celery, diced
2 tablespoons tomato paste OR 1 cup of marinara sauce
herbs, 1/2 teaspoon total of oregano, savory, or basil
1 teaspoon chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
optional, splash of vinegar
2 to 3 extra-large handfuls of shredded cabbage

• In a large pot, heat vegetable oil. Saute onions, chopped, sliced or ground meat, and garlic until meat is cooked and onions are translucent. Drain excess fat, if needed.
• Add stock plus the liquid from the can of tomatoes (set drained tomatoes aside). Add sliced carrots, celery, dry lentils and barley (if using). Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer 30 to 40 minutes (until lentils and veggies are tender).
• For more intense tomato flavor, add tomato paste or marinara/pizza sauce. Adjust seasonings to taste by adding salt, pepper, chili powder, plus oregano, savory, or basil. (I also like to add tang with a spoonful of vinegar added to the soup.)
• 5-8 minutes before serving, add TVP granules (if using) and shredded green cabbage. Bring back to simmer and cook 5 additional minutes.

Garnish with grated Parmesan or sour cream, if desired. 


Using cabbage in tossed salads

My other favorite way to use up the cabbage is added to other raw, green veggies and tossed with a vinaigrette dressing.

The other night I had some lettuce, cucumber, and celery that needed using up. I tossed in some shredded cabbage and leftover homemade raspberry vinaigrette. Used in a salad this way, the flavor of cabbage is downplayed considerably. But it still adds a nice crunch.

So tell me, what are your favorite ways to use cabbage? I bought 4 heads this past week. Perhaps you can guess, I'm very eager to hear how you like to use cabbage.