Donating That Extra Fat

     It would be lovely to get rid of all that extra fat gained over the holidays by donating it to a charitable cause; however, it just doesn't work that way.  There is an alternative, though!   But let's get things straight first.  If you're not a vegan or a vegetarian, do you really want to give up the traditional Thanksgiving Dinner with all it's fixin's?  
     If you said no, this is for you:  Since the foods cooked for the traditional holiday meal are in season anyway, try shopping at your local farmers' market to get the freshest, locally grown produce.  If you're first choice is shopping at the grocery store, try staying with organic produce and poultry.  
     At dinner time, pile up on the fresh produce and a small slice of turkey, leaving as little room in your stomach for the "extras"--pumpkin pie, grandma's stuffing, fresh baked cookies, etc.  
     Now, ideally the turkey would be roasted in an oven with as little extra fat as possible, but there are many who enjoy a deep fried turkey--and who knew, these people could be contributing to a greener environment by donating the fryer oil! This is exactly what folks in Plano, Texas did a few years ago.  After deep-frying their turkey, rather then leaving the fat to head for the landfill and rot, polluting the surrounding air, the Plano City workers collected the bird fat from residents for use in the bio-fuels industry! 
     FYI: the Green Restaurant Service, a program run by a California based company is where the fat was sent.  Biodiesel Industries, Inc. collects fryer oil from restaurants in Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties and converts it to biodiesel, a non-toxic, biodegradable replacement for petroleum diesel that can be used in all diesel engines with little or no modification. Cool alternative, don't you think? 

Thanksgiving Is Upon Us

Table setting is
made from recycled glass

Halloween is over.  The Christmas decorations are out in our local stores, so I guess it's Thanksgiving.  But I'm not panicking.
     My first concern when I entertain, is always the comfort of my guests, and in my mind that includes--mind you, not a fancy, expensive place, but a beautiful, welcoming home:  A clean house with sparkling bathrooms is a given.  Soft lights and warm drinks as people come in.  Light nibbles before the meal is served.  And above all, a "green" table setting is what's on my mind today.
     While we can make our Thanksgiving celebration eco-friendly by shopping locally and shopping organically, we can often forget where our food is served and stored.  In other words, if we're having a sizable party, are we going to be using styrofoam plates and plastic utensils which will end up, at the end of the day in our trash, and at the end of the week, in our overcrowded landfills? And worse yet, are the leftovers going to be stored in plastic containers so that when we eat them the next day, we will also be "eating" a little bit of plastic that's leached onto our food?
     I vote for bringing out our best china--if you don't have a set of china, bring out your mismatched, chipped, stoneware; spread a softly worn cotton, bamboo or if you must "Evolution" table cloth--made from recycled plastic bottles.  Lay down your diligently, hand polished stainless steel forks and knives over cloth napkins--silver is not necessary!  And line the middle of your table with flowers or greenery from your back yard.  Sit back and enjoy the food you and your family cooked and most importantly, remember to feel gratitude for another year on this planet, for the food before you, and for the people surrounding your table.
(Next time: eco-friendly storing and cleaning)