Organizing Your Food Storage

            Know what you have in the pantry, refrigerator and freezer.  Date and label everything.  Weekly, I clean out one of these areas.  Anything that is many months old needs to be removed.  This keeps the chance of infestation to a minimal.  Things that you know you will not use are candidates for disposal or donation to the local food bank.  However only donate useable food to the food bank, check expiration dates and do not donate opened containers.  Rule of thumb, only donate what you would use yourself.

 

Refrigerator

            It’s important to know what you have in the refrigerator.  Keep it clean and rotated.  The fresher the food the more healthy it is and more nutritional value.  Spoiled food can contaminate other food.  The day before trash day, I clean out the crisper and take a mental inventory of other food in the fridge.  If food is bad I throw it out.  If it needs to be cooked, I try to do it that day. It really helps to have everything labeled.  It reminds me what needs to be used up right away.  This is also a good time to work on the grocery list.

 

Freezer

            In the old days, if I didn’t use leftovers right away I would send them to the freezer.  Several months later, I would end up throwing it away.  It’s an easy habit to fall into. Now I only freeze food that I know I will use later.  I clean out the freezer once a month.  It reminds me what I have in the freezer and it helps me to plan meals as well.  Labeling and date is most important in the freezer.  Over time frozen food can be hard to identify.  As a rule frozen food should be used within 3 to 6 months, but I have used food that has been frozen longer.  It’s my understanding that the food does not go bad, but loses nutritional value and appetizing appearance.

 

Pantry

            Organize the pantry with like things together.  I use turntables for my collection of vinegars, oils, syrups and seasoning sauces.  I store herbs and spices on the doors.  This is a great help to know what I have and to avoid duplicates.  I have some tall things on the top, one shelf is for baking, one has canned fruit and sweets on one half and the other half is canned vegetables.  Look at what you have and group things together.  I look through the pantry about every other month.  I check for vermin.  I’m very lucky to have very few problems with this, but you never know when it will rear its ugly head.  Sometimes contaminated products are brought into the house.  Rotating and labeling will cut the likelihood of these kinds of problems happening.

 

 

 

My new pantry cleaned, painted, papered and organized. 

This Week’s Challenge

            Clean out your pantry or freezer.  Remove all old food.  Clean the shelves and repaper if you like.  Organize the ingredients that you are keeping, like items together.  One of the best things I did was install spice racks on the doors of the pantry so I can see everything.  I discovered I had more than one jar of some spices.  I also date my spice when I open them so I know how long I have had them.  

 

Tip for this Week – Labeling

            Make it a habit to label and date all food storage.  I use the date that the container was opened, so the open date and the expiration date can be compared.  I use a sharpie marker to label storage bags.  Masking tape will work with reusable containers.   Write the contents and date on the tape and label the container.   Use the sharpie to date boxes and cans in the pantry.  Never reuse a container that is clearly marked for other contents without clearly labeling the contents.  For instance storing oatmeal in a coffee can.  You will be reaching for coffee and get oatmeal.  Another solution is to make quick labels with your computer.  It doesn’t have to be fancy, but labeling will take the guest work out of cooking and eliminate mistakes.

 

This Week in Punkin’s Kitchen

 

Rainbow Salad

 

This is one of my strange recipes.  It never comes out the same twice.  It is a good way to use what you have.  Basically, you use your favorite greens and then add things form each color of the rainbow.  Remember to use fruits and nuts, as well as vegetables.  Marinated and pickled vegetables, like artichoke heart and pickles, or cured vegetables, like olives, can also be added.   Try using dried fruits like craisins and sun-dried tomatoes. Leftover meat can also be added to make this a complete meal.  The key is to be creative.  Don’t limit yourself with my list.

Greens of your choice

Something red, like tomatoes, bell peppers, radishes

Something orange, like bell peppers, chilies, mandarin orange or kumquats

Something yellow, like bell peppers, tomatoes, or squash

You can add more green, like bell peppers, peas, cucumbers, green onions or edamame

There are no natural blue foods, so I add blueberries or you can skip the color blue altogether.

Add something purple, like cabbage, radicchio, radishes, beets or blackberries.

Add something white, like onions, jicama, pears, palm hearts, cheese, pine nuts, pasta, croutons or other crunchies.

Something brown, like mushrooms, beans, bacon bits or nuts

Something black, like raisins, olives or radishes

 

Julienne sliced red and green bell peppers

Sliced Mushroom.  The right mushroom is at the perfect ripeness. 
It has not opened around the stem like the left mushroom.

Chevron cut celery

 

Orange carrots and yellow tomatoes

 

Purple cabbage shredded

Cucumber with some of the peel left on for color.

Add blueberries, feta and pine nuts

1.    Place the ingredients in a large salad bowl.  Gently toss.

2.    Dressing can be added and the salad tossed again or the dressing can be served on the side and each person can add what they want.

 

Gently toss and serve

Use any dressing you like.  If fruit is added, a sweeter dressing will work.  Look in the pantry and use what you have on hand.  Keep in mind what your family likes and really stretch your creativity.  Dressings are basically oil, vinegar and seasoning.  So experiment with different kinds of oils, like different kinds of vegetable oils, avocado or grape seed oil, or even nut oils.  Experiment with different kinds of vinegars, like different wine vinegars, rice vinegar, fruit vinegars and flavored vinegars that you can make yourself.  Seasonings can be mustard, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, or other kinds of condiments and herbs and spices.

 

I’ve stopped buying bottled dressings and make my own as I go.  This way I can make small amounts and always have fresh dressings.  Try using Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise or use low fat mayonnaise for fewer calories.

 

Quick Cesar-Like Dressing

 

½ C     Mayonnaises

2 T       Parmesan, freshly grated

2 T       Light corn syrup

1 ½ t    Cider vinegar

1          Garlic clove pressed or minced

            Pepper to taste

 

Place the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to blend.  Cover and refrigerate for an hour before use.

 

Basic Vinaigrette

The ingredients

 

2 T       Olive oil

1 T       Vinegar

1 t        Dijon mustard

            Squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice

            Salt and pepper to taste

 

Olive oil

 

Balsamic vinegar

 

Dijon mustard and a squeeze of lemon juice

 

Minced garlic

 

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Whisk to blend.

Place all the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Try different oils or vinegars.  This works well with balsamic or raspberry vinegars.  Fresh herbs can be added as well.  Try different mustards and herbs.  A little water can be added if the dressing is too strong.

 

Also this week

 

During the dog days of summer, a refreshing treat is a cold soup like gazpacho, ceviche or vichyssoise.  This is one with a yogurt base. The beauty is no hot oven or stove is needed. It’s made in a blender.

 

Refreshing

Cold Basil Soup

 

The ingredients

Ingredients prepared



 

2 med.            Cucumbers, peeled and sliced

2                      Green bell peppers, sliced

3                      Tomatoes, preferably green or yellow, sliced

½                     Onion, sliced

2                      Garlic cloves

25                    Basil leaves, more for garnish later

5 C                  Water, cold

1 container    Plain yogurt, prefer Greek, about 16 oz.

                        Salt and pepper to taste

                        Shredded basil for garnish

 

Blend the vegetables



Transferred to a pitcher.  Yogurt and salt and pepper added

Chilled, stirred and ready to serve

Place the vegetables in a blender and mix thoroughly.  Transfer to a bowl or pitcher and added the water, salt, pepper and yogurt.  Blend by hand to mix thoroughly.  Refrigerate three hours.  To serve, stir the soup and pour in to deep bowls.  Garnish with a mound of shredded basil in the center.

 

Adapted from Twelve Months of Monastery Soups, by Brother Victor-Antoine d’Avila-Latourrette.  Ligouri, Missouri; Triumph Books: 1996. p. 112

 

 

Happy cooking!