Come Into My Kitchen
by

Let's see now, what New Year's resolution would head the list of a well-organized kitchen-minded woman of the nineties? 

• To clean as she goes? (That was last year's resolution.) 
• To ignore the temptations of new products on store shelves. 
• Buy only what she came to the store or? (Good idea but too hard to keep.) 
• To tackle that Fibber McGee-and-Molly closet? (Hm.) 

There really should be a law against plastic containers and another one outlawing their lids.They come home from the market in beautiful togetherness, but just let them sit around for a while and no power on heaven or earth can get those lids to fit anything again, least of all their original bottoms. 

Every homemaker who shops regularly for, say, coffee, will find herself carting home standard-size, tight-fitting plastic lids to replace the metal ones she removes with her can opener. When the coffee has been consumed, she regards the empty can fondly, visualizing the many uses she'll have for that nice can with that guaranteed air-tight plastic cover. She can save a few for, say, small cookies or candy; she can use a couple to soak paint brushes in, but inevitably the supply will exceed her ingenuity and then what? Out may go the can, but what frugal person can bring herself to discard that neat, perfectly round, well-designed plastic top? No, it stays. 

If you were reared as I was, to the constant litany of "Save it, it'll come in handy", you'll understand the compulsion that drives many homemakers to save every well designed container of any kind. The little round plastic covers are so neat, with such potential for future use, what a shame to throw them out. 

Some loving-hands-at-home have converted plastic buckets into lampshades, made footstools of giant fruit juice cans hitched together, steamed puddings in coffee or orange juice cans. But what do you do with all those lids? 

So, with New Year's resolutions on my mind, I recently spent one entire afternoon sorting out my wealth of plastic cartons--round, square, shallow, deep--arranging them inside one another in neat, beautifully organized rows. 

Then came the payoff -- The Lids. Now they're also arranged by shape and size, dozens and dozens of them. Who knows what they'll fit? 

The noble resolve I had when I tackled the job has gone by the board. I found none of the little treasures I could bring myself to discard. Our plastic society has won again. 

Heloise, where are you? 

2 sticks (1 cup) butter or margarine 
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate 
4 eggs 
2 cups granulated sugar 
1 cup all-purpose flour 
1 tsp. vanilla 
1/2 tsp. salt 
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts 
1 14-oz. pkg. caramels 
1/3 cup evaporated milk 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter and chocolate together; allow to cool. In large bowl of electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar thoroughly. Add cooled mixture, then flour, vanilla and salt. Stir in nuts. Spread half of this batter into greased 9 x 13 inch pan; bake 15 minutes. 

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat caramels and evaporated milk over low heat, stirring constantly until caramels are melted. Spread on hot brownies and top with remaining half of batter. Bake 30 minutes longer. Cool and cut into squares. Freezes well. 
 
 

6 large all-purpose potatoes 
2 Tblsp. butter or margarine, cut into chunks 
1 3-oz. pkg. reduced-fat cream cheese, softened and cut into chunks 
1/4 to 1/2 cup low-fat milk 
1/2 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese 
salt and white pepper to taste 

Peel potatoes and cook until tender, then mash with butter, cream cheese and milk until fluffy. Beat in Parmesan, salt and pepper to taste, then turn into a greased casserole. 

Cool briefly, cover and refrigerate. To serve, heat at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until hot. Serves 6 to 8. (Leftovers may be frozen and reheated in microwave.) 
 
 

2 medium eggplants 
1 qt. home-made tomato soup (or Prague Ragu) 
1 1/2 cup dry bread or cracker crumbs 
3 Tblsp. mayonnaise mixed with: 
      2 crushed cloves garlic 
      and 1 tsp. dry Italian seasoning 
8 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, grated 
8 oz. Baby Swiss cheese, grated 

Peel and slice eggplants 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick. Salt heavily and let stand 45 min. 

Drain and rinse well; pat dry. Spread one side with mayonnaise mixture. Place crumbs on sheet of wax paper; place coated eggplant slices face down on crumbs, then spread other side similarly. Place on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees about 40 minutes or until done. 

In greased baking dish place eggplant slices in layers, topping each slice with a mound of thick tomato sauce, a sprinkling of Italian seasoning, then both cheeses. Be generous. Repeat so you have two layers. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees about 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Serves 6 generously. 
 
 

1 cup low-fat cottage cheese 
1 to 3 Tbsp. mayonnaise 
1/4 fresh lemon juice 
1 tsp. dried tarragon (generous) 
2 tsp. Dijon-style mustard 
1/3 cup water 
4 Tblsp. finely minced green onion 
1/2 cup finely minced fresh parsley 
1 tsp. dill weed (generous) 
Salt and pepper to taste 

In a blender combine cheese, mayonnaise, lemon juice, tarragon, mustard and water. Blend well, scraping down sides occasionally until mixture is smooth. Add onion, parsley, salt and pepper, blending until dressing is smooth again. Best made day before. Makes at least a pint. 
 
 

3/4 lb. ground lean beef 
2 slices bread, crumbled 
1/4 cup milk 
1 egg, lightly beaten 
1 clove garlic, crushed 
1/2 tsp. salt 
1/8 tsp. pepper 
Dash nutmeg; dash ginger 
1/2 tsp. ground or whole caraway seed (optional) 
2 Tblsp. butter or margarine 
1 medium onion, chopped 
1 1/2 Tbsp. flour 
1 1/2 cup beef or chicken broth 
3 Tblsp. sour cream 

In mixing bowl toss bread with milk. Add egg, then all seasonings. Stir well; add meat and beat thoroughly. 

In large skillet with a cover heat butter. Moisten hands and shape meat mixture into about 12 balls the size of a golf ball. Brown quickly in butter, turning to brown on all sides. Remove to casserole; add a little more butter to skillet and saute onion only until yellow. Blend in flour, then gradually add broth. Stir until smooth, blend in sour cream. Check seasoning and pour over meat balls. Cover and bake at 350 degrees about 45 minutes, basting several times during cooking so gravy will penetrate meatballs. Serves 4.