Saving Money at the Store

Reporter Matt Sanders needs your help for a story he will write for Thursday's Marketplace edition. With gas now over $3.50 a gallon and food costs rising, many grocery shoppers feel the pinch. How do you save money at the grocery store? Do you use coupons? Or read the store circulars and buy only what's on sale? Or do you have a discount card (Kroger, etc.) that you use along with coupons and a close eye on the sale?

If you want to offer your 2 cents worth, e-mail Matt at msanders@paducahsun.com with your comments, name and phone number in case he wants to talk more to you.

New Second Helping column runs in Sun

Kentuckians have their attention turned toward all things Derby this weekend for entertaining.
Come Monday, think Cinco de Mayo or the Mexican holiday, literally meaning the fifth of May. Although many people think the Mexican holiday celebrates independence, it actually commemorates the victory at the Battle of Puebla in 1861.
According to the Culinary Institute of America, Cinco de Mayo, celebrated across the United States, actually carries more of a regional flavor in Mexico, according to Iliana de la Vega, a Latin cuisines specialist at The Culinary Institute of America, San Antonio.
To celebrate, try her recipe for Rajas Poblanos con Creme that she shared with the CIA (no, not the government), the Culinary Institute of America.

Rajas Poblanos con Crema
(Poblano Slices in Creamy Sauce)
Serves 6
6 poblano chiles
1 cup vegetable oil
2 medium white onions, finely sliced
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup Queso Fresco (Mexican cheese), cubed (or a mild feta)
Make a 1-inch slit on each chile. Heat the oil in a medium skillet. Fry the chiles in the oil, turning them until completely blistered. Set aside to cool.
Peel the cooled chiles. Discard the seeds and stems. Slice the chiles.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large sauté pan. Add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the chiles and sauté for another 3–5 min, until cooked. Add the cream, salt to taste, and bring the mixture to a boil. Just before serving, add the cheese. As soon as the cheese is warm, serve immediately.
Variation: You can add cooked corn kernels.
Chef's notes: Serve with hot tortillas, over white rice, or with grilled meat, chicken, or fish.
Nutrition information, per 9-ounce serving: 220 calories, 5 grams protein, 16 grams fat, 14 grams carbohydrates, 45 milligrams sodium, 60 milligrams cholesterol, 3 grams fiber.

Think you can’t cook? Or that anything you create in the kitchen turns into a pile of disgusting mush?
The American Egg Board might have just the cure. The group seeks “America’s Worst Cook” in an online contest. To enter, tell your story of culinary failure and why you need help in 200 words or less and send along a photo or video at www.Americasworstcook.com.
The winner will be featured in promotional materials for the egg organization and will receive a trip for two to New York City for cooking classes and tourist activities. The contest is open through June 30.
Those who can cook also might visit the Web site for recipes, tips and how-to videos.

Rib lovers, mark your calendars for May 23-26 in St. Louis for the 9th annual Rib America Festival at Soldier’s Memorial Plaza.
Barbecue teams from Illinois, Tennessee, Arkansas and Kentucky battle for bragging rights. In case you’re wondering, the Kentucky team, the Texas Outlaws, hail from Elizabethtown and have a restaurant of the same name.
Besides barbecue and festival-fare food, the weekend also features concerts from the Georgia Satellites, KC and the Sunshine Band, Blind Melon, Night Ranger and .38 Special.
More info: www.ribamerica.com/stlouis.html

For more food-related tidbits, check out our Second Helping blog on www.paducahsun.com.

Leigh Landini Wright, The Paducah Sun’s features editor, can be contacted at 575-8658 or llandini@paducahsun.com

Living on the Lite Side

When most of us in the region think about places to eat in Grand Rivers, we immediately think of Patti's 1880s Settlement with its thick-cut pork chops and mile-high meringue pies. With a parking lot already full of cars (and at least one tour bus) last Friday during Quilt Week, I decided that ordering a carryout at Patti's wasn't feasible after completing interviews at the Grand Rivers Quilt Festival. Co-worker Angie Kinsey suggested her favorite, Craig's Dairy Barn, for a quick lunch when she found out where I was going. Unfortunately, Craig's was closed.

However, I found the Lite Side Bakery and Garden Cafe on Ky. 453, about three-tenths of a mile from the Light House Landing Marina. As the name implies, the menu features lighter fare, which at that point of Quilt Week was a welcome break from higher-calorie fare found at vendors outside the Executive Inn. I ordered a grilled chicken sandwich served on homemade sourdough bread. It probably wasn't the lightest item on the menu, but it offered a healthier alternative than a funnel cake and corn dog. 

The restaurant also serves bison burgers (yes, made from buffalo), veggie burgers, black bean burgers, homemade soup and salads for lunch. Patrons may eat in or carryout for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Breakfast items such as Belgian waffles, breakfast casserole and oatmeal are served from 7 to 10:30 a.m. For dieters, the bakery lists the calories and fat grams for 36 varieties of low-fat muffins, including (believe this or not) chocolate muffins. 

Definitely worth the stop for a good lunch without too much guilt.

Have you found good off-the-beaten path restaurants in the region? Drop me a line and let me know.

Found!

Look what we found at the Quilt Show!

The Boy Scout booth selling Strawberry Shortcake is located in the parking lot outside the entrance of the Julian Carroll Convention Center. Other food vendors include Back Yard Burgers, Larry Darrell and Darrell Barbecue (former BBQ Fest champs), a stand with corn dogs, nachos and polish sausage and another stand with other festival-like fare.

On the Hunt for Strawberry Shortcake

It's Quilt Week in Paducah!

Although the restaurants are jammed, and the streets are impossible to maneuver because of all the tour buses, Quilt Week brings along its share of good tastes. Every year, the Boy Scouts offer homemade strawberry shortcakes at a booth downtown or near the Executive Inn. Just imagine the taste of hand-churned vanilla ice cream topped with fresh strawberries over a sweet shortcake and topped with layers of whipped cream.

Besides the deliciousness of it all, the shortcakes are a fundraiser for a worthwhile organization.

When Quilt Mania hits on Wednesday, I'll be on the hunt for my once a year treat. When I find it, I'll let you know so you can drop by and help the Boy Scouts.

Mother's Day Brunch

Becky Haus at West Kentucky Community & Technical College sent along an idea for pampering Mom on her special day. The college's "a la carte" series will sponsor a Mother's Day Lunch, catered by Laura Duff, beginning at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, May 11 in the courtyard at Max's. A gourmet cheese course will begin at 12:30 p.m., with the lunch following at 1 p.m. The cost is $30 for adults and $15 for children under age 10. Reservations are required. Phone 534-3086.

Duff will post the menu on her Web site, www.lauraduff.com, next Monday (April 28).

P.S. -- In case of inclement weather, lunch will move inside to Kirchhoff's Bakery.

A Taste of the Islands

After such a long and chilly winter, anything with a tropical feeling sounds wonderful.

Lawry's, the spice and marinade company, sent along a press release declaring that April is Caribbean-American Heritage Month. When we think of Caribbean food, we naturally think of jerk chicken. Caribbean cuisine is a melting pot of flavors ranging from fruits, vegetables, meats to grains and spices. European colonists introduced sugarcane, later fermented into rum. The Spanish introduced chick peas, eggplant, onions, garlic, cilantro and coconut. The West Africans brought along okra, plaintains, breadfruit and taro. The Mexicans introduced papaya, cocoa and avocado. Natives in the Caribbean combined those flavors with meat from wild pigs and cattle.

If you're feeling a need for a tropical taste, try this recipe:

Chile Lime Steak with Black Bean and Mango Salsa
Four servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes Marinate Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

3/4 cup Lawry's Mexican Chile & Lime Marinade With Lime Juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1- lb. boneless sirloin steak, about 1 inch thick
1 medium ripe mango, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 tsp. garlic salt

In small bowl, combine marinade with cilantro; set aside.
In large resealable plastic bag, pour 1/2 cup marinade mixture over steak; turn to
coat. Close bag and marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes. Reserve remaining
marinade mixture.
Remove steak from marinade, discarding marinade. Grill or broil steak, turning once
and brushing with 2 tablespoons reserved marinade mixture, 10 minutes or until
desired doneness.
Meanwhile, in large bowl, toss remaining reserved marinade mixture with remaining
ingredients. Chill, if desired. To serve, top steak with salsa.

More recipes are available at www.lawrys.com throughout the month.

If you have other recipes, send them along for blog readers to enjoy.