By Lisa Golden Schroeder

When I was a kid there was no greater treat than when my mom placed a small bowl of fresh mushrooms—sautéed in real butter—on the dinner table. She served up just one lonely bowl for a family of five to share with whatever she’d grilled for summer suppers. Fresh mushrooms (the regular old garden variety button mushrooms) from the grocery store were expensive then and considered rather exotic.

Fast forward about 20 years and I had the opportunity to spend an afternoon at a famous restaurant in Seattle, cleaning a case of foraged golden chanterelles. My reward? The trimmed ends of those gorgeous fungi—their buttery flavor just amazing when simply sautéed. A few years later I became the lucky recipient of my father-in-law’s contraband morels, illegally gathered just inside the border of Yellowstone Park (part of his haul was confiscated by a park ranger—while another huge bag sat hidden in the back of his truck). So what’s the passion about a wild harvest that is essentially a fungus that thrives in the warm wet spring weather, on the forest floor or at the base of dying trees (sounds luscious, doesn’t it?)

You may have heard the term umami lately. This new buzzword is difficult to translate, but it’s basically defined as the “fifth flavor” after bitter, salty, sour and sweet. It‘s often referred to as the perception of taste intensity—or absolute, addictive deliciousness. From the food scientist’s point of view, it’s actually a substance called glutamic acid. The term umami is Japanese, whose use of flavor-boosting ingredients and flavor-enhancing techniques has been practiced for more than a thousand years. Japanese scientists first recognized the flavor-enhancing potential in kombu or kelp broth, leading to the development of Aji no Moto—or MSG. But despite added MSG getting a bum rap for eater sensitivity in restaurants and processed foods, there are lots of foods high in naturally occurring glutamates—including mushrooms. Other foods that have this extraordinarily rich, deep flavor (especially in combination with each other) are ripe tomatoes, Chinese cabbage and other green leafy vegetables, anchovies and other seafood, fermented or aged foods like Parmesan cheese, fish sauce and soy sauce, dashi (broth made from sea vegetables and fish flakes), and cured meats. There’s a wonderfully long-lasting balance of flavor in a dish when there’s a high degree of umami—and it’s a melding of taste that is more than the sum of its parts. So my love affair with mushrooms makes a lot of sense. Try this pasta dish rich with wild mushrooms, teamed up with grilled chicken—a match made in spring heaven.

Hunting wild mushrooms is an art—and it’s important to know what you’re doing. But if you live someplace where you might find the elusive morel or other delicious fungi, find someone to take you out for a look around (though passionate mushroom hunters are pretty cagey about their favorite haunts). Otherwise search the farmers market, where you might stumble on a treasure trove of local delicacies to toss with your fresh pasta and chicken.  To clean them, just brush off any dirt.

SPRING FOREST MUSHROOM PASTA

Makes 4 servings

CHICKEN

1 package (14 ounces) Just BARE® Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Fillets

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 tablespoon dried rosemary or Montreal Chicken seasoning, crushed

PASTA

8 ounces fresh pappardelle or fettuccine pasta

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium leeks, trimmed, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

12 to 16 ounces mixed fresh wild mushrooms (such as morel, chanterelle, oyster, shiitake), cleaned, sliced*

3 plum tomatoes, chopped

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 tablespoon butter

Shaved fresh Parmesan cheese, small fresh sage leaves, if desired

INSTRUCTIONS

• Heat grill to medium-high heat. Rub chicken with 2 teaspoons oil and rosemary. Place on grill; cover. Grill about 10 minutes, turning once, until no longer pink in center.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boiling. Cook pasta until al dente; drain. Heat 3 tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add leeks and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add mushrooms; sauté about 5 minutes or until they release their juices. Stir in tomatoes, red pepper, salt and pepper. Cook and stir 1 minute longer.
• Toss hot cooked pasta with sautéed mushroom mixture and butter. Serve with grilled chicken, sprinkled with Parmesan and sage.

*If fresh wild mushrooms are hard to come by or super expensive, you can mix them with some domestic button mushrooms or some dried mushrooms, like Italian porcini. The dried mushrooms need to be rehydrated in hot water before sautéing them.

Lisa Golden Schroeder

I was in elementary school in San Francisco at the start of the Hippy era—as Flower Power took hold, free love was celebrated, and the wasteful ways of grown-ups were rejected. I went though my own “hippy” phase when I was in high school and college, rejecting meat and shopping in what were then grungy co-op groceries. I did grow up, graduated with a foods degree, and returned to eating meat. But some of the awareness of my childhood (my mom made us sprinkle wheat germ on our cereal and grilled year ‘round to avoid turning on the oven) tenaciously held on in my habits. I do think about alternative ways of cooking that save energy, along with my ingrained obsession with turning off lights. But when discussions turn to reducing our carbon footprint in the kitchen—or if you do a bit of Googling—you’ll get lots of blueprints for making solar ovens in the backyard or cooking everything in a pressure cooker or on an induction cooktop that requires costly equipment.

So if we want to lighten our environmental impact when we make dinner, what will really make a difference, without entirely remodeling our kitchen?  Just BARE® recently went through a lifecycle assessment study, that examined the entire process, from growing the chickens to the point of taking them to market soup kettle-ready. Every bit of energy expended was counted, including surveying home cooks about their favorite methods for cooking and determining the most efficient ways. And the good news about chicken? The carbon dioxide emitted by the growing and transport of 1 pound of beef is an astounding 14 times greater than producing 1 pound of chicken. So just by choosing to make chicken burgers you’re already making a dent.

Here are few quick (quick being the operative word when it comes to the actual cooking process) thoughts to get you started on this journey…

• Make a chicken stir-fry—that super-quick, high heat cooking on the stovetop is efficient is so many ways. You use the least amount of fuel, cook for the shortest possible time, plus get dinner on the table at warp speed. And stir-fry doesn’t have to be Asian—I stir-fry strips of boneless thighs or breast tenders to wrap in tortillas as fajitas or toss with chopped sun-dried tomatoes and briny olives to sauce pasta.
• Fire up the grill more often—again, the high heat allows you to cook quickly and you aren’t heating up the kitchen. The amount of time to cook drumsticks is cut in half when you grill, as compared to baking them in the oven. And if your oven is like mine, you’re using a lot of energy just to preheat it.
• If you do want to use your oven, roast at a high temperature—by turning the dial to 425˚F you reduce cook times dramatically, with the added bonus of crusty golden chicken that’s still moist inside.
• You can always engage your microwave oven on occasion—it’s not my personal favorite way to cook chicken, but I know there are terrific sources for great microcooked recipes. There’s no question it’s a fast way to go.

Make this Earth Day the start of more conscious cooking—most of us are far from willing to cook in a solar oven on our deck, but we can pour some of our personal energy into planning for regular “low carbon” suppers, try to reduce food waste, and be more efficient about how we use water in the kitchen.

By Lisa Golden Schroeder

I first heard of smoked Spanish paprika several years ago. It appeared on the spice scene as more “exotic” seasonings became more commonplace and spice companies began introducing lesser-known flavors to the American grocery store. But I hadn’t made a point of buying it—and to be honest, paprika in general held a none-too-exalted place in my seasoning pantry. It was that red stuff that got sprinkled onto deviled eggs or anything that Grandmother deemed needful of some “color”. I also had a bit of fear of artificially smoky ingredients, like hickory smoke salt, that could be so pungent they blew you out of the kitchen if you weren’t careful.

So when I finally bought some good smoked paprika (pimentón de la vera, dulce—the sweet version rather than picante, which is spicy hot), I was blown away in a GOOD way. Its brick red color is from ground red peppers that are dried slowly over an oak burning fire for several weeks. It’s earthy, sweet, and smoky—and subtly blends with other spices to create amazing seasoning rubs. If you can’t or don’t want to grill, a dash of smoked paprika is perfect for an oven-roasted bird that tastes like it’s been cooked outdoors. Traditionally, it’s used widely in Spain in paella dishes, gratins or stews of leafy greens and tender potatoes or chickpeas, and with fish and meats.

So now a lovely jar of Spanish smoked paprika holds a prominent position in my collection of grilling go-to ingredients. I’ve found it at mainstream stores—no need to order it online or trot across town to a spice specialty shop. I mixed up a generous spoonful with some ground cinnamon and coriander for the following grilled chicken salad—I just can’t get enough of it. And this salad is a little different, as it stars bone-in chicken pieces rather than the regulation boneless, skinless chicken breast that’s expected on a summer salad (though this rub would be fabulous on boneless breasts). Go ahead and pick up the chicken in your fingers, if you want!

It’s fun to use a grill sheet (those flat metal pans with holes or slats in them) when grilling vegetables, so they don’t fall through the wider grill grate during cooking. But if you don’t have one, you can make your own with a piece of foil with holes cut in it. When slicing the onions, cut the wedges through the root end, so the wedges hold together.

SMOKY CHICKEN & GRILLED VEGGIE SALAD

Makes 6 servings

CHICKEN

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 package (3.5 to 4 pounds) Just BARE® Whole Chicken, cut into 6 to 8 pieces

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 medium Vidalia or red onions, cut into ½-inch wedges

4 small beets (red and/or yellow), cut into ½-inch wedges

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

SALAD

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

8 cups torn red leaf, curly endive, and/or radicchio lettuces

4 ounces soft goat cheese, crumbled, if desired

INSTRUCTIONS

• Heat grill to medium-high heat. Mix paprika, cinnamon, and coriander in small bowl; rub over the chicken pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Brush vegetables with 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper.
• Place chicken on grill; cover. Grill about 40 minutes, turning once, until meat reaches an internal temperature of 165˚F near the bone and juices run clear. Place onions and beets on grill after turning chicken. Grill veggies until chicken is done, turning occasionally, until tender and charred.
• Meanwhile, whisk 3 tablespoons oil and lemon juice together. When chicken is done, toss dressing with greens. Divide between 4 plates, top with grilled chicken and veggies. Garnish with cheese.

By Lisa Golden Schroeder

My first professional job was as a Home Economist in a corporate test kitchen. But I was among the last American college students crowned with what’s now considered a rather old school title. Home economics, a term coined in the early 20^th century by progressive female academics, paved the way for professional opportunities for young women. Domestic skills were emphasized, but over time home economists studied nutrition and other sciences related to food and issues important to family life. Soon after I graduated the School of Home Economics morphed into the College of Human Ecology (what?) and now Family and Consumer Science. All sort of vague names for what’s basically the stuff we deal with every day. Keeping everyone on an even keel, well fed, in clean clothes, and healthy! Sadly, the home ec classes of yore are quickly fading away from public classrooms. At a time when our economy is screaming for thrift and common sense, which is what I think home economics is all about. Need kids to excel in math and science? Get them into the kitchen, where they learn to follow directions and understand the chemistry of cooking. Or into the grocery store, where they have to figure out what things cost and how to get the most value out of the dollars they have to spend. Which brings me ‘round to my soapbox for the week: thinking about cost-effective ways to stock my pantry and stretch my food budget.

I try to get the most from every grocery dollar by leveraging my kitchen—making the most of its potential by creating my own “supermarket”. If I shop smart and store carefully, I can take advantage of sales, bulk discounts, and multi-item coupons (if I remember to bring them to the store). Stocking strategically means savings.

• Pantry shelves should house long-lasting staples like pastas, grains, canned beans, soup, tomatoes, and broth. If you don’t have a dedicated pantry, get creative—look for convertible space. A small dresser, freestanding cabinet or shelving unit, or a place in your garage or basement can become a pantry. Use stackable shelving or small “lazy Susans” inside cupboards (or the refrigerator for all those condiments) to make finding things easy, even if an ingredient is hiding in the far reaches of a shelf.
• Store grains, dried beans, and grains in airtight containers (I love using old canning jars I find in antique stores) so they stay fresh longer. Organize similar ingredients so you can find ingredients quickly and see if they need restocking. I put odd-shaped items in baskets or wire organizers. Buying in the bulk foods area of the grocery allows you to stock just enough, but not too much. Try to mark cans and containers with the date you bought them or their expiration date. Keep a permanent marker and freezer tape close by!
• The freezer is a great place to stockpile staples, as long as they’re packaged correctly. Breads, flours, vegetables, meats and poultry…wrap securely in heavy-duty foil, moisture-proof paper, or freezer bags—or covered storage containers. When you first put anything in the freezer, leave room for air to circulate, then once it’s well frozen you can stack things closer together.
• Truly be sure to mark everything in the freezer—and note cooking times if you’ve taken food from its original packaging. If you know you’ll want to microwave anything, freeze it in a microwave-safe container. And please don’t use recycled containers from other food (margarine tubs, etc.), those plastic tubs are really for one-time use—try to recycle them if you can.

I’m always trying to perfect—and weed out—my “home market”. And I really do try to maximize using what I have on hand—and I know that I spend less and get more.