Going green, but not in a good way
March 18th, 2010 by FiddledeedeeMy husband is not what you would call subtle. Recently he iChatted me a website that he wanted me to book mark for use whenever I step foot in the kitchen.
With 3 children, working at home, homeschooling, and all the insanity that combo brings, we often communicate best through technology. That way we’re not left staring at each other and yelling over the din, “WHAT WAS IT THAT I WAS SUPPOSE TO REMEMBER TO TELL YOU?” So we send each other messages willy nilly. “The toilet paper? It goes ON THE TOILET PAPER HOLDER.” Etcetera.
Anyhoo. I married a man who has certain ideas about cleanliness. Especially in the kitchen. It’s not that he’s a clean freak himself. HOOOBOY. NOT EVEN. But he has issues with germs, mold, bacteria, and general nastiness.
The first time he ever witnessed me licking a cake batter bowl, his eyes rolled to the back of his head just before he hit the floor. He didn’t know where to start. The raw eggs? The licking of the fingers? The licking of the beaters? His wife sticking her entire head into the bowl declaring that it no longer needed to be washed?
I attempted to explain to him that I come from a long line of southern women. And in the south, we eat raw cookie dough, cake batter, and would never dream of leaving any of those delicacies behind on a spoon, bowl, or whathaveyou.
He shuddered. And even after all these years of wedded bliss, I still don’t think he gets it. Or approves.
Therefore, a link to a website appeared in my in-box this week. Oh boy. Here we go again. Another interesting article about the perils of e-coli, or salmonella poisoning. I clicked, because never let it be said that I don’t listen to my husband. The link went to a website called StillTasty. It is a Shelf Life Guide about everything Food related. And unbeknownst to me, I HAD QUESTIONS.
Not only did I get the questions answered, but I learned things that I never even thought about asking.
One habit that I got into after marrying my food-cautious husband, was that I label all leftovers before they go into the fridge. I keep a roll of masking tape and a permanent marker in my kitchen drawer, and I label what the item is, and the date it was cooked.
This works well as long as we either eat the leftovers in question, or throw them out before they turn green and fuzzy. And sport wings. But how long is too long?
I learned some interesting facts when perusing this website. For example, I’ve been in the habit of tossing yogurt and other dairy products the day after the expiration date. DON’T NEED TO. According to StillTasty, the expiration date is a selling guide, and the dairy products are still good up to a week after the expiration date, as long as you follow safe storage procedures. Like keeping the temperature in the refrigerator at or below 40 degrees. Also, the FDA has a handy consumer tip guide on their website.
I thought this was an interesting fact. I’ve always heard that it’s unsafe to store food still in an opened can. According to StillTasty, while from a safety standpoint, it is okay, the USDA still doesn’t advise it. The reason is that “canned foods retain their flavor and appearance if you transfer them to glass or plastic storage containers after opening.”
There is also a guide to freezing foods. Did you know that you can freeze eggs? Me neither! You just need to do a little prep work, according to StillTasty. Always remove the eggs from their shells, because when a raw egg freezes, it expands. And you don’t need a science lesson to know what would happen to the shell.
After you crack open the eggs, pierce the yolks, and mix them to blend with the whites. Then you add in either of the following: 1) 1/2 teaspoon of salt for every cup of raw eggs, if you’re planning to use the eggs for a regular dish, or 2) 1 tablespoon of sugar for each cup of eggs, if you’re using them for baking or desserts. The salt and the sugar both prevent the eggs’ yolks from getting too gelatinous when frozen.
Then you simply place the egg mixture in airtight containers or heavy duty freezer bags and place in the freezer.
Who knew? What a great way to save money when eggs go on sale!
I’m able to search this sight by individual food as well, to get the information I seek. LOVE THIS SITE. Now my husband can no longer accuse me of trying to poison him. HE CAN LOOK IT UP if he doesn’t believe me.
Now that I’m armed with all this culinary information, I actually think of myself as “going green.” No more second guessing and food wasting for me.
And no unnecessary food-related trips to the emergency room for my spouse.
Win-win.
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Posted in My Life as I See It, Recipes | 12 Comments »
















