Storing Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

Now that garden season is here, here are some tips on how to store fresh food.
Some fruits give off a gas called ethylene and unless you WANT your fruits and vegetables to ripen quicker, you need to keep them away from your produce.
Here are the foods that contain ethylene and should NOT be refrigerated:

• Avocados (ripen on the counter, then refrigerate)
• Apples 
• Bananas
• Tomatoes (if refrigerated, they will become mealy and will have less flavor

If you would like to print the complete chart here is the link to the pdf file:

More Food Tips:

POTATOES AND SWEET POTATOES	When potatoes are chilled, the starches in the flesh change to sugars. This will make the potatoes taste sweet when cooked.Make sure to keep potatoes and onions separate when stored.
HONEY	Honey will thicken and crystallize if stored in the refrigerator, even after opening. If this does happen, you can place the opened jar of honey in a pan of hot water and it will return to a pourable, smooth texture.
OILS EXCEPT NUT OILS	Most oils will thicken and turn cloudy if stored in the refrigerator. The exception is nut oils, which can turn rancid very quickly and should be stored chilled.
BAKED COOKIES	Do not refrigerate cookies if they do not contain a cream or custard filling. They will go stale much faster and lose quality quickly if stored in the refrigerator.
PEANUT BUTTER	Read the label on the peanut butter you buy. Some fresh, organic brands do require refrigeration. But most ordinary peanut butters should be stored, tightly covered, in the pantry, even after opening.
BREADS	The starch in breads will change structure under refrigeration (called retrogradation), making the bread texture tougher. Breads also lose moisture faster in the dry refrigerator environment. Do not refrigerate breads until the label says to.
CHOCOLATE	When chocolate is kept too cold, and is then brought to room temperature, condensation can make sugar condense on the top of the product, forming a rough surface called sugar bloom. Unless directed on the label, store chocolate, tightly wrapped, in a cool cupboard.
ONIONS	Do not store onions in the refrigerator. They should be stored in an open container in a cool, dry place - away from potatoes!

My house in Colorado is for sale. Several weeks ago a young couple looked at it and when they saw my rhubarb patch, one of them asked me what it was. I told them it was rhubarb. His comment was "what is rhubarb?". It wasn't until then I realized that rhubarb wasn't as well known in some parts of the country as in other parts. So I decided to post this for all of those who either don't know what it is or don't know what to do with it!


Here's what it looks like....

Basic things you should know about rhubarb:

• It's a staple in the Midwest. ;-)
• It's tart
• It's most common use is for desserts/sweets (pie, cobbler, cake, muffins, jams, sauces,etc.) See link for WAY more uses and recipes
• It's leaves are poisonous. (don't let you pets nibble on them!)

If you want to know more and want hundreds of recipes to choose from, go to 
The Rhubarb Compendium

Strawberry Rhubarb "Lemonade"

This recipe is simple and very refreshing (especially with a splash of Vodka!)

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups water
1/2 pound rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
3/4 cup sugar, or to taste
Two 3-inch strips of lemon zest removed with a vegetable peeler
plus additional for garnish
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups sliced strawberries
1 cup fresh lemon juice

Procedure:

In a saucepan stir together the water, the rhubarb, the sugar, 2 strips of the zest, and the vanilla, bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved, and simmer it, covered, for 8 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of the strawberries and boil the mixture, covered, for 2 minutes. Let the mixture cool and strain it through a coarse sieve set over a pitcher, pressing hard on the solids. Stir in the remaining 1 cup strawberries and the lemon juice, divide the lemonade among stemmed glasses filled with ice cubes, and garnish each glass with some of the additional zest. Makes about 7 cups, serving 6

How to Make Bagel Chips

It's cool and cloudy today and I have to take something to the neighbor's Memorial day barbecue. Bagel chips and Hummus are always a favorite! If you make everything yourself it will not only taste better, but will also save you money.

Most bagel/coffee houses will sell their day old bagels at a discount. Buy a bag or two and freeze them. If you slice them BEFORE you put them in the freezer, you won't have to defrost them (to slice) before they go into the toaster.

TO MAKE BAGEL CHIPS YOU WILL NEED:
1-6 bagels any kind (the sweet ones aren't as good for dipping)
Cooking spray
Seasoned salt (such as garlic salt, onion salt)

my favorite- Essence of Emeril (see recipe below), or whatever sounds good!)

(Click on Photos to enlarge)

 Start by slicing the bagel 1/8-1/4" thick (you will need a sharp or large serrated edged knife). 

Lay them on a cookie sheet in a single layer (this on "an 11x16" baking sheet)

• Next, spray them with cooking spray and sprinkle on your seasoning.
• Turn each one over and repeat
• Place in the center of a 360 degree oven for 5-7 minutes (watch them carefully, depending on the thickness, they will cook sooner than later)
• Take them out of the oven and turn them over.(If some are already light golden brown on the flip side, take them off)
• Cook for a few minutes more until they are a very light golden brown (see photo)

They should be a VERY LIGHT golden brown

Let them cool and place them in a bag. They will keep at room temperature for quite awhile. They usually never last more than one sitting so don't worry about them going "bad"!!

Make some fresh Hummus to dip into.

Hummus

2 cans (15.5-oz) garbanzo beans (chickpeas) drained, with liquid reserved
2 teaspoons cumin powder
3/4 teaspoon Freshly ground pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh garlic ; chopped
1/3 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)

If you want a hotter, spicier (non traditional) hummus, add 2-3 tsp. of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (the excess from the can can be frozen in a ziploc bag)

Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend til smooth. Add liquid from the chickpeas for desired consistency.

Essence of Emeril 

(don't buy it when you can make it!)

Ingredients:
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Directions:
Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Genetically Modified Food-Guess who is really to blame?
Here are two great documentaries on genetically modified food:

The Future of Food free on Hulu

The World According to Monsanto on YouTube (airs on Link TV)

If you are not familiar with GE (genetically engineed)/GM (genetically modified) food here's a brief explanation. Genetically Modified foods (GM foods) were first put on the market in 1996. Typically, genetically modified foods are transgenic plant products: soybean, corn, canola, rice, and cotton seed oil. In other words, a plant (or animal) can have strands of it's DNA cut and spliced with another kind of DNA...Typically to change the way the plant behaves or grows. There is an on growing controversy about the safety of these foods and impact on the environment. Most importantly, why aren't these foods labeled? Huge corporations like Monsanto (the makers of Round Up) and Dow have genetically Modified the seeds of the plants mentioned. Monsanto calls their "new" seeds Round Up Ready. A farmer can plant this seed and spray the hell out of it with Round Up...and I DOESN'T DIE!!  Monsanto (like so many other large corporations, OWN the politicians they support. (After all, if you're a politician it's all about the money and getting re elected.) It doesn't matter what your party affiliation....One side is often times no better than the other. We vote them in and we can voter them out. So should we blame Monsanto for doing what big corps do? Let's start blaming the men and women who take their money. Click below to see if any of your congressmen or women are supporting Monsanto. The more you know about Monsanto, the more you will be appalled! DO NOT SUPPORT THEM! 

The Center For Responsible Politics

Eating Healthier Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

We have all become aware of the chemicals in our food and water supply. A website called Environmental Working Group (EWG) has a list of  foods that contain the most and least pesticides. You can download and print the list or, if you have an Apple ipad, iphone, or ipod, you can get the App called Dirty Dozen. Dirty Dozen

EWG's Dirty Dozen

Freezing Dried Beans

Someday I will have enough garden space to grow my own beans, but until then, I have to buy them in bulk. They are considerably cheaper than canned (after all, you are paying for the can which will either take up space in the land fill or have to be recycled). So buy them in a bag or in bulk (cheaper yet), cook them up and freeze them! I live alone and often times a can of something is too much for me to finish in one dish. So here's what I do. I will use pinto beans as an example:

1. Measure out the amount of dried beans for the amount you want to have COOKED (it's approximately 1 cup dried =a little more than 2 cups cooked.
2. Soak the beans for about 8 hours (or overnight) or according to package instructions. They will double in size so use a large enough pan and plenty of water
3. Cook the beans (about 1 1/2 hr.)
4. Using a one cup measure, scoop them into a large size muffin tin (they will pop out easier if you spray them with a cooking spray). 
5. Freeze them, then pop them out and put them in a Ziploc bag and back into the freezer.

You now have serving sizes of about 1 cup...take out more if you need to. NO waste!

Beer Bottles Goggles-What a great idea!!

 I found a website that I just love! http://greenupgrader.com/. It's got all kinds of craft ideas for "repurposing" as well as great articles on sustainable living. I came across it by looking for some information about New Belgium Brewery (WAY TOO MUCH FUN if you ever get to Fort Collins, CO).
So, here is a unique way to repurpose a beer bottle!

Don't ya just love it?

Beer Bottle Goggles