"Say Cheese
First off, AIR is cheese’s worst enemy. When cheese is exposed to air, mold forms.
DOUBLE WRAP IT To keep cheese moist—but not mold-prone—first wrap it tightly in waxed or parchment paper and then loosely in aluminum foil. Or, take the cheese wrapped in waxed or parchment paper and store with other wrapped cheeses in an airtight container!
What are Leeks?
Leeks look somewhat like giant scallions, but with wide flat leaves rather then thin, hollow stalks. Unlike scallions, leeks are prized for the white portion – the tough, leafy green portion generally gets tossed (although since leeks are so pricey and I hate the thought of all that veggie going to waste, I freeze those bits and add them to my stocks). Leeks are delicious slow-cooked in soups and stews and can also be grilled or sautéed.
To prepare your leeks, remove the dark green, tough outer leaves by cutting all the way down to where the leaf color becomes more of a pale green and cut off the end. Then, cut the leeks down the center lengthwise, taking care not to pierce all the way through and leaving them connected at the root. This will help keep the leek intact while you rinse it. It’s very, very important to wash leeks thoroughly in cold running water, taking care to get rid of all the grit and dirt that’s collected between the tightly layered leaves (there’ll be quite a bit) seeing that they are from the ground. Then slice thinly and use in soups or stews. The leeks are “milder” than onions, have a subtle flavor and a texture that just about melts when cooked!!!!!
This is a vegie that is sooo misunderstood and yet, sooooo good!!! So don’t be afraid of them…TRY ‘EM!!!
Buttermilk….you need it for some recipe and use maybe 1 cup and then what????? it just sits and sits until you throw it away. well, i decided to research how to make “buttermilk” so that I wouldn’t have to waste…
For 1 cup of buttermilk:
Whisk together 3/4 c plain low-fat yogurt AND 1/4 c low-fat milk
How easy is that????????????
Yes, my friends, like us…everything needs to be cleaned!!!! The refrigerator is the MOST used appliance in your house and it works harder than anything else!!! So why not give it the respect it is due……CLEAN IT!!!!!!! It will thank you tenfold!!!!
What is the dirtiest room in your house…you will be surprised!!!!
Thanks for following!
Sister D2
The Kitchen Sponge
After cooking numerous meals over the holiday’s it occurred to me that the kitchen sponge was getting quite gnarly….so i thought “hmmm….how long does one keep a kitchen sponge around before tossing it”???… and you will see what i learned below!!!!
Your kitchen sponge probably has more bacteria than anything else in the house. It’s worse than the toilet.
Bacteria thrive in moist environments. Let your sponge dry out between uses. Don’t leave the sponge sitting in the bottom of the sink. Squeeze it and let it dry. Replace it every week or two.
It’s also recommended that you wet a sponge and then microwave it for two minutes every two days. The high heat kills bacteria on it. You can also put it in the dishwasher but that’s not quite as good.
Dishrags are another have for germs. Let them dry between uses and wash them frequently. Even better: use paper towels or disposable wipes.
So, there you have it…just a little tidbit from Chef-Boy-R-D2!!!!
We love to chop on our cutting boards…whether it be fish, raw meat, vegies, lettuce…you name it!! BUTTTTTT…..do you clean/sanitize your cutting board after cutting say, chicken…and before you start cutting up fresh vegetables?????
Let me show you an easy way to make sure that you do not transfer any little “buggers” that could lead to “foodborn” illnesses!!
Bottom line is : “ALWAYS CLEAN IN BETWEEN”
Chef Boy-R-D2
Chef-Boy-R-D2 