Refrigerate or Not - Part 1

I thought this would be very beneficial information to share.  I knew about a few of them but not others.  Since there are so many I'll be posting them in groups of 5.  This information is from Daily Savings

You just hit the grocery store, and your fridge is overflowing. But do all those things actually belong in the refrigerator? The thing is, most fresh fruits and vegetables can survive without refrigeration — along with some other interesting foods, too.

According to the US Department of Agriculture, there are two types of bacteria that cause problems. Pathogenic bacteria leads to food-borne illnesses, and spoilage bacteria changes the way foods look, smell, and taste. When food develops dangerous levels of pathogenic bacteria, it could look, smell, and taste normal while still being dangerous. But when spoilage occurs, something can taste gross but won’t necessarily make you sick. Confusing, right? Here’s a list of 31 items that will do just fine outside the fridge.

1. Potatoes: When too cold, starches found in potatoes turn to sugar, yielding an off flavor. Keep potatoes stored in a paper bag in a cool, dark cupboard or drawer. Same goes for sweet potatoes.

2. Honey: Your luscious honey will turn to crystallized gunk if it is stored in the fridge. Store it at room temperature and out of direct sunlight for happy honey.

3. Tomatoes: Tomatoes actually start losing their flavor and become quite mushy if left in the fridge. Leave on the counter and use when they have a slight give to the outside skin.

4. Apples: Apples, just like tomatoes, start to loose flavor and texture after spending time in the fridge. Leave them on the counter, and toss them in the fridge for 30 minutes prior to eating if you want a crisp bite.

5. Onions: The best place for onions is in a paper bag in a cool, dark cabinet or drawer. If stored in the fridge, they soften and impart an oniony scent on nearby foods.

BBQ 101

BBQ 101

It's BBQ time so when I ran across these tips I decided to share. (From May 2012 - dashrecipes.com)

Chicken

Grill boneless, skinless breasts for 8-12 minutes on direct medium heat, covered, turning once.  Drumsticks or bone-in thighs take 36-40 minutes (6-10 minutes on direct heat, plus 30 on indirect heat).  All chicken should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

Tomatoes

Slice in half, then brush the cut sides with a little olive oil.  Grill for 6-8 minutes over direct medium heat, covered.  Grill whole tomatoes for 8-10 minutes, turning a few times.  Thread cherry tomatoes on skewers, brush with oil, and grill for 2-3 minutes turning once.

Corn on the Cob

Soak in water for 15 minutes, then remove the husk and silk, or leave the husk on (for moister corn) and remove the silk only from the tops of the ears.  Either way, grill ears over direct medium heat, covered - husked corn for 10-15 minutes and corn in the husk for 25-30 minutes.

Flank Steak

Grill a 3/4" steak weighing 1 1/2 - 2 lbs. for 8-10 minutes on direct medium heat, covered, turning once.  cook to a temperature of 145 degrees F for medium-rare, 160 degrees F for medium, or 170 degrees F for well-done.  Let steak rest 5-10 minutes before carving.  Be sure to slice very thin.

Hamburgers

Grilling time varies by thickness.  Make all of your patties the same size so you only have to check one for doneness.  In general, grill burgers for 8-10 minutes over direct high heat, covered, turning once.  All burgers should be cooked to 160 degrees F.

Peaches

Slice in half and remove the pit, then coat the cut side with a little olive oil or nonstick cooking spray.  Grill, cut side down, over direct medium heat for 8 minutes.  Drizzle with honey before serving.  Grilled peaches will keep at room temperature for up to 2 hours.

Pineapple

Cut into 1/2" thick slices or 1" thick wedges, then coat with a little olive oil or nonstick cooking spray.  Thread onto wooden skewers that have been soaked in water for 30 minutes.  Grill on direct medium heat, covered, for 4-8 minutes.  Drizzle with honey to serve.

Shrimp

Peel and devein the shrimp; you can leave the tails on or remove them.  Grill for 2-4 minutes on direct high heat, covered, turning once.  Cooking time depends on the size of the shrimp.  You want them to look opaque but not shriveled, a sign of overcooking.

4 Wonderful Tastes of Italy

There's nothing like a bowl of pasta with tomato sauce flavored with garlic, topped with cheese and pesto.  These 4 ingredients are what you always want to have on hand when making your tasty Italian dishes.

Tomatoes:
Fresh - Tomatoes are at their peak during late summer but they can be found year-round.  When buying look for vine-ripened for best flavor.  When out of season, you can choose canned which can be just as flavorful.
Sun-dried - For a richer taste, sun-dried tomatoes are a great choice.  They're vine-ripened and have been naturally dried to remove all of their water, leaving them chewy and full of concentrated flavor.

Garlic:
This is actually a cousin of the onion.  When cooking, break apart the head of garlic and remove the skin form individual cloves before shopping.
The smaller you chop garlic, the stronger the flavor.  Chopping or pressing releases more of its essential oils, giving the strong garlic aroma.

Cheese:
Mozzarella - This popular, mild-tasting cheese is great for cooking and foods like pizza because of its great melting qualities.
Parmesan - Is known for its sharp flavor.  This firm cheese is excellent for grating and enhances the flavor of your favorite Italian dishes.
Romano - Is another firm cheese with a tangy, robust flavor.  It makes a great topping for vegetables too and can be substituted for Parmesan when you want a bolder taste.

Pesto:
This delightful sauce is usually made with a mix of basil, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, garlic and olive oil.  You can also find other types made form sun-dried tomatoes or red bell peppers.
If you grown your own basil or purchase it fresh, you can make your own pesto.  This sauce adds rich flavor to soups, chicken, fish dishes and pasta.

I've found that these 4 ingredients are a must for my kitchen and I try to never be without them.

Tomatoes

 

 

Extremely popular and nutritious, tomatoes are in moderate to liberal supply throughout the year.  Florida, California, Texas, and a number of other states are major producers, but imports supplement domestic supplies from late winter to early spring.

 

Best flavor usually comes from ‘home grown’ tomatoes produced on nearby farms.  This type of tomato is allowed to ripen completely before being picked.  Many areas, however, now ship tomatoes which are picked after the color has begun to change from green to pink.  These tomatoes have flavor almost as satisfying as the home-grown ones.

 

If your tomatoes need further ripening, keep them in a warm place.  Unless they are fully ripened, do not store tomatoes in the refrigerator – the cold temperatures might keep them from ripening later on.  Once tomatoes are ripe, however, you may keep them in the refrigerator for some time.

 

When buying look for tomatoes which are well formed, smooth, well ripened, and reasonably free of blemishes.  For fully ripe fruit, look for an overall rich red color and a slight softness.  Softness is easily detected by gentle handling.  For tomatoes slightly less than fully ripe, look for firm texture and color ranging from pink to light red.

 

Avoid overripe and bruised tomatoes (they’re both soft and watery) and tomatoes with sunburn (green or yellow areas near the stem scar) and growth cracks (deep cracks around the stem scar).  Also avoid decayed tomatoes with will have soft, water-soaked spots, depressed areas or surface mold.