Vegetable storage

Since I did a big spiel about buying produce, I figure we need to also say something about storing it. Some things are fine stored on the counter, apples, bananas,citrus, pears are all fine on the counter for a while, putting them in the frige does extend their shelf life some also.  Fresh herbs should be stored in the frige wrapped in a damp paper towel, and put in a zip top bag. Lettuce should be refrigerated before washing (wash it just before you use it). Potatoes should be kept in a dark cool spot, but not with onions (onions will quicken the rot because of offgassing). Tomatoes should never be refrigerated, as it causes them to lose flavor. Onions also need a cool dark place, but not with other veggies. Mushrooms should be removed from the plastic wrap, and have a damp paper towel placed over them in the frige. Nothing should be stored wet (as a matter of fact that spray they do at the store actually hurts the veggies, not help, but it makes you think they are fresher yay marketing) there are a bunch of others, but this hits the highlights. I know I for one was storing potatoes and onions together, but we go through a ton of onions and potatoes.

It's Mardi Gras time, so time for king cake

Since I live in the town where Mardi Gras originated (nope New Orleans didn't create it) I figure I better do something about a king cake. There are a few different ones depending on who you ask, but traditionally it's a roll similar to brioche, and covered with colored sugar, with a plastic baby inside. It is served from 12th night (Epiphany)and goes through Mardi Gras day (Fat Tuesday). It is to represent the 3 wise men, with the baby being Baby Jesus. My favorite is made using a simple cinnamon roll twisted (they say braid it, but everyone that sells them here just twists them) with the icing topped with the 3 colored sugars. To make it easy I use the store bought tube rolls (the ones I make don't taste that much better, especially for the time it takes) to make the sugar just add purple, green and yellow food coloring to some sugar. I do make my own powdered sugar icing
Ingredients:

3 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 tablespoon melted butter
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract.
3-6 tablespoons of milk

Directions:
add sugar, butter and vanilla to a mixing bowl, add milk and stir to desired consistency.

Cheese crackers

Ok the ex found a recipe to try for some cheese crackers, and made me make some. They are actually in the oven now, and I will update with flavor opinion tomorrow.


Ingredients:

1/2 cup BUTTER (margarine doesn't work well) at room temperature
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups ap flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325
Place all ingredients in food processor, and pulse until well mixed
On lightly floured surface form into a ball of dough
Roll out to very thin layer, about 1/8 inch thick
Use pizza cutter to cut into cracker sized pieces
place onto foil lined cookie sheet, and bake for 11 minutes, or until edges get golden
cool on cooling rack

Cooking vegetables

We all know veggies have lots of nutrients, but so many people cook all the good stuff out. Basically if your water changes color those are the nutrients. So how do we cook them, and not lose too many? Microwave is great, except cauliflower, steam, and then shock until just tender, roasting works well for many also, and adds some flavor. Boiling should be a last resort, but is really convenient. Remember most veggies when cooked should still be fairly crisp, and never limp. 

Antibiotics in your food

Did you know that most of the meat you eat is treated with antibiotics from birth? It's in the feed, and doesn't matter if the animal is sick. What this does is makes the animal grow faster, but causes resistant bugs, the big one being staph. It has been banned by Europe and Canada. Studies are ongoing, but they are finding a higher rate of resistant bacteria in meats. I also have an issue because I am not sure if the drugs completely leave the meat after such high doses, other antibiotics have been found in the meat, and warnings given. I have loved ones who are allergic to antibiotics, so if there are even trace amounts it could be deadly, there is actually a tolerance level allowed, and the animals are supposed to be kept separate for a set amount of time to let the drugs leave the system, but doesn't always happen, especially with the way checking is done. Some more information can be found here http://www.sustainabletable.org/issues/antibiotics/

Mac and cheese

This is the simplest macaroni and cheese, and my kids devour it. You can use almost any cheese you like, but it has to be real cheese. It helps to let the cheese warm a little (I pull it from the fridge while I cook the noodles) I don't bake it, never saw a reason to, it just makes a crust of cheese, and I don't care much for that.
Ingredients:
8 oz (about a half a box) elbow macaroni
water (enough to cook macaroni)
tablespoon butter
1 cup milk
1/2 pound cheddar cheese (I use block, but good shredded works ok, cheap stuff will separate and be oily)
salt
Directions:
boil water add a little salt, and macaroni. Cook until tender, and drain. Return to pot add milk, and butter, and stir in cheese slowly (add a little and stir until melted) add a little more milk to make creamier, salt to taste.

That's it, pretty easy, and takes about 30 minutes or so.

Honey that isn't honey

I read an article yesterday that talked about honey that had the pollen removed. Seems that in order to be called honey in the U.S. it has to have pollen. They got some from different places, and tested it, and quite a few came up without. The process they use to extract the pollen was started in China, where they also add antibiotics to the honey that isn't allowed here. The food safety divisions of the  World Health Organization, the European Commission and dozens of others also have ruled that without pollen there is no way to determine whether the honey came from legitimate and safe sources.The only reason to remove the pollen is to hide it's origin, so it is safe to say that the pollen free stuff came from China, and should be avoided."The FDA -- either because of lack of interest or resources -- devoted little effort to inspecting imported honey. Nevertheless, the agency had occasionally either been told of, or had stumbled upon, Chinese honey contaminated with chloramphenicol and other illegal animal antibiotics which are dangerous, even fatal, to a very small percentage of the population." Not to mention that it is subsidized by the Chinese government, and therefore is cheaper here than "homegrown" honey. It is subject to tariffs, but unscrupulous suppliers get around that by doing what is called transshipping which means it goes to a country without tariffs, and is then sold to our suppliers. Here is a list of the brands that failed http://www.foodsafetynews.com/honey-without-pollen-food-safety-news1.pdf so you can make a semi-educated buying choice. One thing to look for also is if the honey is really clear it probably isn't honey, and if it doesn't crystallize it sure isn't.

More info can be found here http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/11/tests-show-most-store-honey-isnt-honey/