One of the things I love doing is finding ways to preserve the life of the things I own, which equals saving money. Today I’m going to pass on some tips to you my dear readers, about preserving your precious fruits and veggies.
Bananas
My sister is a banana Nazi, if there is a little bit of softness it’s game over, she won’t eat it. Here’s how you can preserve them: Wrap the crown of a bunch of bananas with plastic wrap. They’ll keep for 3-5 days longer than usual, which is especially helpful if you eat organic bananas. Bananas also produce more ethylene gas than any other fruit, so keep them isolated on the counter.
I like to separate them, that way they are not encouraging the others in the bunch to ripen to quickly. (They’re mischievous like that).
The green and leafy
Wrap celery, broccoli, and lettuce in tin foil before storing in the fridge. It’ll stay crisp for 4 weeks or more.
Tomatoes
Don’t store tomatoes in plastic bags! (guilty) The trapped ethylene will make them ripen faster. Unripe tomatoes should be kept stem side down, in a paper bag or single layer in a cardboard box in a cool area until they turn red in color. To ripen faster, store with fruit. The gases emitted will help ripen the tomatoes.
Perfectly ripe tomatoes should be kept at room temperature, on the counter away from sunlight, in a single layer, not touching one another, stem side up. Overly ripe tomatoes should be put in the fridge, but let them come to room temperature before eating them.
Source: Yumsugar
Gingerly ginger
Keep ginger in the freezer. It grates much more easily, and the peel grates up so fine that you don’t actually need to peel it. Plus it lasts way longer. (Thanks mom!)
Mushroom
Speaking of mom, mom hates mushrooms but for the rest of us, keep mushrooms in a paper bag, not a plastic bag. A plastic bag will trap moisture and cause them to mildew. Put them in a paper bag in the fridge or in a cool, dry place.
How to store asparagus
Cut the stems, place in water, throw a plastic bag over them and refrigerate. They’ll stay crisp for a week or longer, and you can use this trick on cilantro and parsley as well. Or you can invest in one of these Prepara Herb Savor.
Source: Always Dessert
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Onions stored in pantyhose will last as long as 8 months. Put onions in pantyhose, and tie knots between onion. Don’t store onions with potatoes. They’ll spoil faster. In a cool dry place with good air circulation, onions will last 2-3 months.
For an easy weeknight meal, save and freeze leftover sauces from previous meals in ice cube trays. The cubes can be reheated in a sauté pan when you need a quick sauce –David Burke, source Maggi Cooks TNT.
Cool Kitchen Gadgets You Never Knew You Needed
The Prepara Herb Saver prolongs the life of your herbs for up to 3 weeks by keeping them hydrated. It is cleverly designed to fit comfortably on your fridge door. There are several other brands and designs on Amazon.com. To me this one is aesthetically pleasing, plus it seems easier to replace the water and has more features than the cheaper competitors.
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