Heather says:

Do you ever have a snippet from a TV show stay with you for eternity?

Now that you’ve had a peek into my twisted little mind, let’s talk chicken bog. At first glance, some long time readers may say, “But Heather, that looks just like chicken pilau.” Nay nay my friend, there are many heated arguments between Lowcountry residents and PeeDee residents about the superiority of one over the other. As long as someone is willing to share, I refuse to take sides. The grains of rice in chicken pilau are separate, where in a traditional bog, the grains will mold to a fork. Additionally, chicken bog is typically more savory.

This dish is economical, it utilizes a whole chicken which creates a rich broth to flavor the rice. It can feed a crowd or freezes for an easy night in the future. Andre Pope has been kind enough to share his recipe for chicken bog.

Chicken Bog

Chicken Bog

Ingredients

• 1 (3-5 pound) chicken (cut up)
• 1 pound smoked sausage
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 teaspoons Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
• 1 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 pinch of salt
• Dash of garlic powder
• 3 bay leaves
• 8 cups water
• 3 cups raw white rice

Directions:
1. Cut the sausage into 1/2-inch pieces.

2. Combine the chicken, sausage, butter, seasonings and bay leaves in a large stock pot.

3. Add the water and bring to a boil. Cover and cook for 40 minutes at a low boil.

4. Remove the chicken. WARNING: VERY HOT

5. Remove the meat from the bones of the chicken. (Throw away the bones and skin. )

6. Add the rice to the pot with remaining chicken broth and seasonings.

7. Bring to a boil, stirring well.

8. Boil for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to simmer, cover the pot and let cook for 10 more minuets or until the rice is done.

9. Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaves, return the chicken to the pot, mix well, and serve.

10. Pour your self a big glass of iced-tea and enjoy.

Thank you very much, Andre, for sharing your recipe.

Ivy says:

Heather and I have been talking about the aggregator. We’re quite undecided about whether or not it adds value to the site. As you know, we hate clutter here at Home Ec 101, so if our readers don’t think it’s a useful addition to the site, we might get rid of it.

However, our readers could find it to be a great resource. People who are on the aggregator may find they get some traffic from it. We’re not sure, and that’s why we’re opening it up to you guys. Please take the poll and leave us a comment about what you think!

Dear Home Ec 101,

My popover pan that has been with me through thick and thin (and one husband and a couple of boyfriends!) has suddenly started misbehaving. Where before I could simply tip the pan over and golden fabulous popovers will pop right out.. Now when I pull the pan out of the oven, all my popovers STICK TO THE PAN.

I never grease the cups (the recipe I used never called for that). It’s one of those black Teflon ones.

What could be causing this?

Love,

Hellz (and Popovers) NOT a’poppin

Heather says:

Teflon has a limited lifespan. There are several things you can do to ensure your pans meet their expected use, but the nonstick properties will only last a finite amount of time even following all instructions to the letter. Since your pan was used for popovers, which are cooked at high heat, I’m surprised it lasted as long as it did.

Eventually, even with perfect care the nonstick coating will lose its effectiveness. At normal cooking temperatures Teflon is inert. This simply means it is nonreactive. However, at high temperatures (572F) the PTFE (polytetrafluoethylene, the chemical name of the nonstick coating) will break down, releasing fumes that can cause flu-like symptoms that is fatal to birds. The bird owning community suggests that it can happen at lower temperatures, but I have only seen anecdotal evidence.

Here are five tips for ensuring your Teflon meets its expected lifespan.

1. Never, ever, ever, ever (did I make that clear?) use metal utensils. Do not use them to stir, to cut, or to scrape your Teflon cookware. Seriously, put the fork down and use a nylon, rubber, or wooden utensil. I mean it.
2. Keep the cookware out of the dishwasher. Most detergents are too harsh for the coating and will cause it to wear out prematurely. Hand wash with dish soap and use either nylon scrubbers or scrapers for particles that don’t wipe off easily.
3. Carefully store your pans. If you must stack them due to space limitations, use a dish towel between pieces to prevent unintentional dings or chips.
4. Do not use Teflon pans with acidic foods. Nonstick cookware is best used for foods such as eggs, baking, or foods that are pan fried. Avoid vinegar or tomato based sauces. Never use your nonstick cookware to store foods. Remember, it’s called cookware.
5. Finally, avoid temperature extremes or sudden changes in temperature. If you have a hot pan, do not place it in cool water, these temperature extremes stress the coating.

If you are worried about cooking with Teflon, seasoned cast iron is a fabulous, if heavy alternative.

Submit your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com.

Dear Home-Ec 101,

I managed to get that reddish Tennessee clay all over the cuffs of my favorite pair of white pants. Can you help me get the stains out?

Signed,

Mr. Lavender

Ivy says:

What in the world were you doing wearing white before Memorial Day!?!?! Just kidding, if I didn’t have 3 Pigpen-like kids, I’d probably wear white before Memorial Day myself. Although- it’s usually less muddy after Memorial Day, and that might have had something to do with why you have all those mud stains. Or perhaps you should stop mowing the lawn in your favorite white pants. Just sayin’.

We discovered this method of getting mud and grass stains out of white pants when my brother was playing baseball. Why baseball players all have white pants when they are sliding and diving into the mud and grass is beyond me, but here’s the solution: soak the pants overnight in a half- full bucket with about a half cup of automatic dishwasher detergent and water. My personal favorite brand for this is Cascade, however I figure just about any brand would work as well.

Once it’s soaked overnight, rinse them out and make sure the stains have completely faded. Then just wash and dry as normal. Make absolutely sure you have gotten the stains out before you put the pants in the dryer- once they’ve been run through the dryer, there’s a good chance that they may never come clean.

Heather says:

This week’s menu is a preview of recipes that will soon be posted. My mother was a little overzealous with her herb planting and we are reaping the benefits. Look for a post on preserving cilantro. If I find a deal on tomatoes, there may be a post on salsa, but the budget makes no promises.

What about you? What are serving this week? Are you trying anything new?

• Monday - C.O.R.N.*
• Tuesday - Andre Pope’s chicken bog, green beans, cornbread, steamed broccoli
• Wednesday - Pulled pork sandwiches, collards, corn
• Thursday - Basil pesto penne with blackened chicken, garden salad
• Friday - pan fried catfish, cheese grits, squash casserole, butter beans
• Saturday - pizza night**
• Sunday - Lasagna***, garden salad

*Clean Out Refrigerator Night

** I believe I may have found the crust that earns the seal.

***If you go to the trouble to make one pan of lasagna, make two and freeze the second.