Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Best storage for Vegetbles

I found this list of how to store particular vegetables to get them to last their longest and be their best. Very useful.

Artichoke

Refrigerate whole for up to two weeks.
Asparagus
Store upright in the refrigerator in a plastic bag with either an inch of water or with a damp towel wrapped around the base, just like you would have flowers in a vase. They’ll last three to four days that way.
Avocados
Ripen on the counter. Can be stored in the refrigerator for three to four days once ripe.
Bananas
Store on the counter. To ripen place in a brown bag in a warm location (on top of fridge works!) with a couple apples. To slow ripening separate the bunch and store away from other fruit.
Beets
Remove green tops an inch or two above the crown. Refrigerate beets in a plastic bag to prevent moisture loss, which leads to wilting. (They’ll last seven to 10 days.) Refrigerate greens separately, also in a plastic bag.
Berries
Grower Driscoll’s recommends refrigerating berries, unwashed and in their original container. Blueberries and strawberries should keep for five to seven days; more fragile raspberries and blackberries up to two days.
Broccoli
Refrigerate in a sealed plastic bag. It’ll keep for three to five days.
Carrots
Refrigerate in a sealed plastic bag for up to three weeks.
Cauliflower
Refrigerate, stem side down, in a sealed plastic bag. It’ll last three to five days.
Celery
Refrigerate one to two weeks in a sealed bag. Keep in the front of the refrigerator, where it’s less apt to freeze.
Citrus fruits
Store oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruit on the counter. They can last up to two weeks.
Corn
Refrigerate ears still in the husk. They’ll last up to two days.
Cucumbers
Refrigerate, either in the crisper or in a plastic bag elsewhere in the fridge. They’ll last four to five days.
Garlic
Store in the pantry, or any similar location away from heat and light. It’ll last up to four months.
Green beans
Refrigerate in a plastic bag for three to four days.
Green onions
Refrigerate for up to two weeks.
Herbs
Fresh herbs can last seven to 10 days in the refrigerator. “When I use fresh herbs and store them in my refrigerator at home, I keep them in air-tight containers with a damp paper towel on the top and bottom,” says Raymond Southern, the executive chef at The Back Bay Hotel in Boston. “This keeps them fresh.”
Leafy greens
Refrigerate unwashed. Full heads will last five to seven days that way, instead of three to four days for a thoroughly drained one. Avoid storing in the same drawer as apples, pears or bananas, which release ethylene gases that act as a natural ripening agent.
Mushrooms
Take out of the package and store in a paper bag in the refrigerator, or place on a tray and cover with a wet paper towel. They’ll last two to three days.
Onions
Stored in the pantry, away from light and heat, they’ll last three to four weeks.
Peaches
Ripen on the counter in a paper bag punched with holes, away from sunlight. Keep peaches (as well as plums and nectarines) on the counter until ripe, and then refrigerate. They’ll last another three to four days.
Pears
Store on the counter, ideally, in a bowl with bananas and apples, and then refrigerate after ripening. They’ll last another three to four days.
Peas
Refrigerated in a plastic bag perforated with holes, they’ll last three to five days.
Peppers
Refrigerated, they’ll last four to five days.
Potatoes
Store them in the pantry away from sunlight and heat, and they’ll last two to three months.
Radishes
Refrigerate. They’ll last 10 to 14 days.
Summer squash
Refrigerate in a perforated plastic bag. They’ll last four to five days.
Tomatoes
Spread them out on the counter out of direct sunlight for even ripening. After ripening, store stem side down in the refrigerator and they’ll last two to three days.
Tropical fruit
Mangoes, papayas, pineapples and kiwifruit should be ripened on the counter. Kat Bretcher of Cottonwood, Ariz., ripens mangos in a paper bag in a cool place, and then refrigerates them for another two to five days.
Watermelon
Kept at room temperature on the counter, it’ll last up to two weeks, Bretcher says.
Winter squashes
Store on the counter for up to two weeks

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Yelids: 18-24 regular cupcakes

3 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup vegetable/canola oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
3 1/2 cups (about 3-4 large) carrots, grated
1/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 tsp. orange zest
1/2 tsp. ground ginger

Cream Cheese Frosting (see recipe below)

Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly grease muffin tin or fill with cupcake liners. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar until foamy and thickened, about 2 minutes. Gradually pour in the oil and beat for an additional minute after it is completely added. Sift together the dry ingredients and then add to the egg mixture. Mix dry ingredients with wet ingredients until fully mixed. Try not to over-mix once all incorporated. Fold in the carrots, walnuts, spices and orange zest. Spoon into cupcake liners. Bake until cake springs back in the center and a knife/toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Frost with cream cheese frosting.


For the Cream Cheese Frosting makes about 2 cups (enough for the cupcake recipe above)
1 cup cream cheese, softened and cut into small cubes
1 tbsp. milk
1 1/3 cups confectioners/powdered sugar

Directions
Using a hand mixer, stand mixer or a whisk, beat cream cheese and milk until smooth. Gradually beat in the sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, until the desired thickness is reached. If you are planning to pipe the frosting, you will want the frosting to be harder and more sugar will be needed. Spread over cupcake with knife or pipe onto cupcakes as desired.

Almond Cookies



Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup almond meal
1 cup maple flakes
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp baking soda
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Stir together almond meal, baking soda and maple flakes, then blend in the butter, egg, and vanilla. Refrigerate dough for half an hour. Spoon out one-inch balls onto a greased or non-stick cookie sheet and flatten with a fork. Bake for eight minutes or until set. Be careful not to let your cookies brown, because that means they’re too well done. Allow them to cool for 2 minutes on the sheet before moving them.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Makes 24 Ingredients
2 1/2 cups cake flour (not self- rising), sifted
2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon red gel-paste food color
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

Cream Cheese Frosting (see below)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line standard muffin tins with paper liners.

Whisk together cake flour, cocoa, and salt. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, whisk together sugar and oil until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Mix in food color and vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and whisking well after each. Stir together the baking soda and vinegar in a small bowl (it will foam); add mixture to the batter, and mix on medium speed 10 seconds. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers. To finish, use a small offset spatula to spread cupcakes with frosting. Cook's Note Gel-paste food color is much more concentrated than the supermarket liquid variety; if you substitute the liquid, you may need to add an entire bottle (1.5 ounces) to achieve the desired shade.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting makes about 2 cups (enough for the cupcake recipe above)
1 cup cream cheese, softened and cut into small cubes
1 tbsp. milk
1 1/3 cups confectioners/powdered sugar

Directions
Using a hand mixer, stand mixer or a whisk, beat cream cheese and milk until smooth. Gradually beat in the sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, until the desired thickness is reached. If you are planning to pipe the frosting, you will want the frosting to be harder and more sugar will be needed. Spread over cupcake with knife or pipe onto cupcakes as desired. Topped with Red Sugar Sprinkles