Strawberry Tips

Strawberries are my favorite fruit!  And apparently I am not the only one who feels that way.  Ninety four percent of US households consume strawberries.

When I bring strawberries home from the grocery store or the Farmers Market, I do not wash them until I am ready to consume them. Strawberries don't last very long when stored in the refrigerator, so  I try to consume fresh strawberries within 2 to 3 days of bringing them home.  If I am unable to eat all of the strawberries I purchased, I will freeze them. 

To freeze the strawberries,  I wash, hull, and dry them, then I arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and place it in the freezer.  After they are frozen, I place them in a resealable plastic freezer bag.  By doing this, I always have strawberries on hand when I want to make my Grilled Strawberry Shortcake recipe. 

On Friday I will post a recipe for:

Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffins

Visit my friends blogs!

You will love Bo and his blog,  Bo's Bowl.  Not only does he host great giveaways,  his recipes are incredible!  One visit to his blog and you will see why I faithfully follow it.

Also visit my friend Pam's blog, Pam's Midwest Kitchen Korner,  for more great recipes!  Once you read her blog, she will be your friend too!

How long do ingredients keep?

I either over purchased ingredients to bake goodies at Christmas, or I under baked.  Maybe it was a combination of the two, but whatever the reason is I have a lot of extra ingredients leftover.

To have the best results when baking, it is recommended that ingredients are used within the guidelines listed below. 

Best if used by:

Flour: Opened; 6 to 8 months.  Unopened; 12 months.
Sugar: Doesn't spoil, but may change flavor with age.
Brown sugar: Unopened; 4 months.
Confectioner's sugar: Unopened; 18 months.
Baking Soda: Opened; 6 months.  Unopened; 18 months.
Baking powder: Opened; 3 months.  Unopened; 6 months.
Solid Shortening: Opened; 3 months.  Unopened; 8 months.
Cocoa: Opened; 1 year.
Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: Best if used before 18 to 24 months after the date of purchase.

On Friday, I will be posting my Slow Cooker

 Sweet n' Sour Chicken recipe.

Giveaway!

On February 4th, I will be doing two drawings!  

One from the Followers of my blog, and one from the

Fans of my new Facebook page.

For more details, read my post about the Giveaway.

Winners will receive copies of my cookbook,

MY KIND OF COOKING 3,4,5 INGREDIENT COOKBOOK

Visit my friends blogs!

You will love Bo and his blog,  Bo's Bowl.  Not only does he host great giveaways,  his recipes are incredible!  One visit to his blog and you will see why I faithfully 
follow it.

Also visit my friend Pam's blog, Pam's Midwest Kitchen Korner,  for more great recipes!  Once you read her blog, she will be your friend too!

Tip: Storing Fruit and Vegetables

I love fresh fruit and vegetables.  Knowing how and where produce should be stored, not only extends the life of the fruit and vegetables but helps me get the most flavor out of them.   

How you store fruit and vegetables will effect not only their taste but their texture as well.  Almost all fruit and vegetables can be stored in the refrigerator.Some of the exceptions include:

• Bananas
• Lemons and Limes (They have a tendency to absorb odors / flavors from the refrigerator)
• Tomatoes (their texture becomes mealy if refrigerated)
• Potatoes, garlic, onions,  

All of these should be stored in a cool, dry place at room temperature, not in direct sunlight.

Both pineapples and apples can be stored in the refrigerator or at room temperature.  My husband likes pulling a crisp, cool apple out of the refrigerator on a hot summer afternoon. He says it reminds him of pulling them right off the tree on the way to school when he was growing up back in Iowa  Since most of the sugar in a pineapple is concentrated in the bottom of the fruit I like to store them upside down to allow the sweetness to spread.

Store berries in the refrigerator and wash just before you eat them.

Treat asparagus and herbs the same way.  Wash asparagus and herbs.  Dry them well.  Cut the ends off the asparagus and herbs.  Place stem side down,  in a glass of water. Wrap tops in a paper towel.

If you don't want to take the time to do all the prep work on the asparagus, just wrap the stems in a damp paper towel until your ready to prepare.

I don't have room in my refrigerator to store herbs in glasses of water.  I wash and dry my herbs, then wrap them in a paper towel and place them in plastic bags.

Always store meat and fruit and vegetables separate.  The crisper drawer is the best place to store produce.  The moisture produced in the drawer, will help to keep the produce fresher longer.

These are just a few of the tips I use to make the most of my fruits and vegetables.  I would love to hear your tips on storing produce.