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Organizing Your Pantry
Refrigerator and Freezer, Approximate Storage Times
Breads, pastries and cakes can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer, for up to one year, depending on the type.
Unbaked breads and rolls can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks and in the freezer up to 1 month, longer time inactivates the yeast.
Cinnamon rolls that have been partially baked, baked quick breads unbaked fruit pies and unfrosted baked cakes can be frozen for up to 2 months.
Baked muffins, cookies, angel food cakes and fruit cakes can be stored in the freezer from 6 to 12 months and still have good flavor when they are thawed out.
Dairy products require different freezer times; Butter and margarine can be stored up to one year in the freezer, but only 3 months in the refrigerator.
It is not recommended that you freeze buttermilk, heavy or whipping cream, milks or commercial or homemade dips.
Cottage, cream cheese and ricotta cheese can be frozen up to a month but should be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 2 weeks. Natural, aged cheeses and pasteurized process cheeses can be frozen up to 8 months.
However, freezing changes the texture of soft cheeses and they become crumbly.
Eggs still in the shell should not be frozen, to freeze fresh yolks and whites for up to 12 months break shells and stir until well blended, adding a small amount of salt or sugar improves storage quality.
Most fresh fruits, except citrus fruits can be frozen up to a year, it is not recommended that you freeze avocados.
Opened canned fruit can only be frozen for 1-2 months.
The majority of fruits should not be kept in the refrigerator for more than 3 weeks.
Beef roasts and steaks can be frozen up to 12 months, veal or pork roasts and lam and veal chops should not be frozen longer than 9 months. Meats should not be kept in the refrigerator longer than 5 days.
See Also:
A Nice Morning
Meal Planning
The Basics of Spices
Dried seeds (caraway and celery), fruits (allspice and chilies), roots (sassafras, angelica, sarsaparilla, licorice and horseradish) and barks (cinnamon) make up the family called Spices.
Used in small quantities they are used as food additives or more specifically flavoring for foods.
Spices are usually ground into a powder, unlike herbs which are the leafy part of a plant, which can be used fresh or dried, like basil or oregano.
Certain of the spices serve multiple purposes, such as turmeric which is also a preservative; licorice and garlic which are also used medicinally and garlic which is also used as a vegetable.
Some spices are used in religious rituals, burning sage is used by the Native Americans in many of their rituals for cleansing; however, sage is actually an herb.
Cinnamon is used as a base for many perfumes, including Tabu by Cody.Spices have been around sin the beginning of human history, and were some of the most valuable trade items in the world in ancient times.
Joseph was sold to spice merchants and the male speaker in the Song of Solomon refers to his love as many types of spices.
Explorers including Vasco Da Gama, who sailed to India from Portugal, and Christopher Columbus, both were either in search of spices, or used the find of new spices to peak the interest of investors in their travels.
Spices have been used for centuries to excite the senses and defend against illness. Cinnamon not only tastes good, but has been show to reduce the growth of bacteria that may cause food poisoning, this includes only 1 teaspoon in bottled apple juice.
Garlic, sage and clove assist in keeping cooked hamburger from spoiling by cutting down on food contamination. Using spices on your outdoor cooking could keep a picnic from being ruined by food poisoning.
Spices are an amazing part of cooking, increasing not only the aroma and flavor of food, but as a serious part of remaining healthy. |
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Pressure Canning
1Put 23 inches of hot water in the canner, using a jar lifter, place filled jars on a rack.
2.Fasten canner lid securely. Leave the weight off the vent or open the petcock, heat at the highest setting until the steam flows from the petcock or vent.
3.Maintain high heat and exhaust the steam for 10 minutes, place weight on vent or close petcock. In the next 3-5 minutes the canner will pressurize.
4.Begin timing when the pressure is at the recommended pressure or the weight gauge begins to jiggle or rock.
5. Adjust the heat to maintain a steady pressure at or slightly above the correct pressure.
6.When the timed process is complete, turn off the heat, and remove the canner from the heat if possible, let the canner depressurize. Do not force cool a canner, it can result in spoiled foods or damage to the seal.
Cooling with cold water or opening the vent before it has depressurized will cause seal failures and loss of liquid from jars. It may also warp the lid of older canners causing steam leaks. Older models will require about 30-45 minutes for depressurizing.
7.After it is depressurized, remove the weight from the vent or open the petcock, wait about 2 minutes, unfasten the lid and carefully lift away from your face, this is to prevent burning.
8.Remove the jars with a lifter and place on a towel or cooling rack. Do not retighten the lids when you remove the jars from a canner, this can cut the gasket and cause the seal to fail.
Cool the jars at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours. Place jars on racks or towels to prevent damage to the counter top.
After 24 hours, remove the screw caps and test the lids for proper seal using one of these methods:
*Press the middle of the lid with your finger, if it springs up when released it is not sealed.
*Tap with the bottom of a teaspoon, a well sealed lid will make a high-pitched, ringing sound.
*Hold at eye level and look across the lid, it should be slightly concave in the center, if flat or bulging, it is not sealed.
If a seal fails, the jar may be reprocessed and resealed.
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