Going Crackers

I can’t recall the last time I personally purchased crackers, yet I always seem to have them in abundance. People bring them and leave them and I try to ration them into my lunches, so I don't eat too many at once. As a kid I was not keen on saltines but considered Captain’s Wafer’s a fancy treat. Now my sister goes crackers when she visits and hits H-E-B. Their lines came in jalapeno, rosemary, beet and more. Can’t “beet” that. So then I begin to wonder why we say “going crackers” crazy or wacky. Turns out we can thank the Brits for this naval expression referring to firecrackers in one’s head. Or it could mean becoming extremely annoyed or angry, as if someone ate all your crackers.

 

Prime Shrimp makes is easy. Say you’re in the Cajun Capital of Texas (Port Arthur) and you’re dreaming of Louisiana Boil or New Orleans Style BBQ shrimp for supper. You pull out some Prime Shrimp boxes of those varieties and in 10 minutes you could be sopping up the juices from your plate. But plan ahead Cajun food lovers. You’ll want to make a pot of rice, acquire a loaf of French Bread, eye some corn or make a salad to go with your feast. Prime Shrimp is a box of frozen stuff that gets rave reviews online. I agree. Cook in the bag with no thaw and no mess and you get two servings sure to impress. These compact boxes fit in your freezer so you’ll always have something special in the house. The “about us” section at www.primeshrimp.com shows a young fella at work. In 1943 the founder was 16 and dreamed up a shrimp peeling machine for his dad’s packing plant in Houma, Louisiana.

 

     Wild Mackerel - Maybe I wasn't supposed to eat all the olive oil, but it was so good on the fresh cucumbers and cherry tomatoes I brought to augment my can of wild caught fish. Omega-3s make a great lunch date when you are otherwise alone. Insert joke here about eating boring cans of smelly fish. But wait, this was neither boring or smelly in any way. Safe Catch Skinless Boneless Wild Mackerel is from the North Atlantic and joins the line's better-for-you fish products. It's clean protein touted for kids, pregnant women and lunch-box divas like me. This was a delicious quick  noon meal or it could have been inspiration for a more fancy dinner. No rules here, except the Safe Catch high standards you can read about at www.safecatch.com My can was refreshing and my body felt good absorbing the nutrients and olive oil in the tin. It also prompted me to ask why we say Holy Mackerel and it is apparently a reference to Catholics eating fish on Fridays.

 

     Bonus Kitchen Thing - Lock Socket is a charger lock that screws into an outlet so your USB charger cube is always ready for your iphone. If charger-lock.com could make your life easier, you can install this in minutes. Lock Socket

 

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie going crackers in search of fun foodie research. Reach her at darraghcastillo@icloud.com

 

Astros still trending

 

Go Astros – Some Texas things we all seem to like are H-E-B, Astros and ice cream. If you haven’t heard, the store is presenting a limited edition Creamy Creations in honor of the 2022 World Series champs. It’s got Orbit and the ball park on the label and inside you get a triple play of peanut butter ice cream with peanut brittle pieces and a caramel swirl. I tried some in H-Town.

Cajun Heritage Festival – If you like crawfish (I know you do) and good music, join us at Cajun Heritage Festival on Saturday, April 1, and the Carl A. Parker Multipurpose Center. The Southeast Texas Arts Council is bringing it back to Port Arthur and there are several opportunities to visit area restaurants and attractions. Call your Cajun cousins from Louisiana and have them join us. Get the scoop at www.cajunheritagefest.com

Pound of Ground – The No. 1 reason I cook ground meat just about once a year is the mess. It’s frozen and messy. Okay Pound of Ground Crumbles (insert registered trademark sign here)  is what the phrase “game changer” is about. Tacos, spaghetti or chili is now on your weeknight menu without much planning ahead or defrosting. Change your mind mid-day? #PoundofGround is right there for you in your freezer. I mixed some with a can of tomatoes and cream of mushroom soup to go back to a ‘70s childhood comfort food. It’s 100 percent natural beef that cooks in less than 10 minutes. www.poundofground.com 

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie always down to try something new. If you have a scoop, share it with her at darraghcastillo@icloud.com

Mixta

Corn or flour? I used to say flour until my calculations show corn as being slightly in my weight loss favor.

My husband still picks flour tortillas.

I would have thought that H-E-B Mixta would work in our favor. They’re fluffy and have speckles of corn and look old world and taste great. He still picks flour, so more Mixta for me.

One of the treats I made up is lightly frying the tortilla in oil, try coconut oil, and adding a measured spoonful of raspberry jam. It’s a breakfast or a dessert delight. 

Frozen Asparagus

If you haven’t tried asparagus since the mushy canned varieties from your youth, check out the frozen foods section. I found different thicknesses that were not too-pricey and firm to the bite. Just add a little olive oil and heat to serve with eggs, or thaw for a summer vegetable plate.

Wiener skewers

Really don’t remember how those wieners got in the fridge. I’m not a fan. But they are a summer kind of thing. So I threaded some on fancy skewers with cherry tomato, purple onion and mushrooms. I broiled them in the oven until they were crispy and served with a homemade honey-mustard dipping sauce.

I enjoyed it, but won’t need to eat another wiener for at least a year.

Darraghcastillo@icloud.com