Creative Cooks

Do you know how to tell if fruit and veg is fresh?


Apples
How to select:
The best way to determine the ripeness of an apple is by looking at the base of the stem. It should be slightly green. If it’s brown, it means the apple is old. Likewise, if the core is dried out, the apple is old. When you tap your knuckle on the side of an apple it should sound hollow. When you sniff the stem, it should have a fresh apple fragrance. If it has a musty smell, then it’s old and likely to be floury.
How to store:
Apples keep better in the refrigerator crisper or in a cool dry space. Polish them with a pair of pantyhose before you put them in the fridge to get rid of wax and finger marks. Polishing buffs the skin and makes it crunch. It’s a good idea to wash the apple again before eating. Don’t refrigerate for longer than 2 weeks.

Capsicums
How to select:
No matter what the colour is, capsicum should be firm, shiny and sound hollow when tapped. The stem should be bright green and firmly attached. There shouldn’t be any dark or soft spots.
How to store:
Store capsicum in the crisper until they soften, which could be any time from 3 days to 3 weeks. You can make a green capsicum go red by placing it in a brown paper bag with a banana.

Honeydew Melons
How to select:
When tapped with your knuckle, honeydew melon should sound hollow, but heavy. The stem should be green and grassy and smell sweet. The skin should be smooth with a faint powdery blue.
How to store:
Store in the fridge for 3–4 weeks.

Mushrooms
How to select:
Button mushrooms should be firm and quite white. The spore casing should be closed, which means you shouldn’t be able to see the brown veins inside the mushroom. Field mushrooms will have the brown veins showing. Choose dry field mushrooms with an earthy smell. Avoid slimy skinned ones.
How to store:
Don’t wash mushrooms under water because they’ll rot and go soggy. Instead, wipe them clean with a damp paper towel, then store them in a paper bag in the fridge crisper for up to 2 weeks.

Parsnips
How to select:
Parsnips should be hard and not wobbly. Colour is not an indicator. The top should be a fresh green.
How to store:
Store parsnips in a paper bag in the crisper.

Raspberries
How to select:
Raspberries should be plump and not damp. They should have a dry, slightly bluish bloom and no stems.
How to store:
Remove raspberries from the punnet and rinse the punnet in water. Place a piece of paper towel inside the punnet, replace the raspberries and place in the fridge for 3–4 days. Don’t wash raspberries until you’re ready to eat them.

Zucchini
How to select:
Zucchini should have firm, glossy skin and green tops.
How to store:
Store unwashed zucchini in a plastic bag in the fridge crisper for up to 1 week. Wash before preparing

Organic Weed Killer Spray

1/2 gallon of Apple Cider Vinegar
1/4 c table salt
1/2 tsp Dawn liquid dish soap

Mix and pour into a spray bottle Spray weeds thoroughly. It makes 1/2 gallon for around $6.40. It worked better than Round Up killed the weeds on first application. The Dawn dish soap strips the weed of its protective oils so the vinegar can work with deadly force. Safe to use a yard used by pets

I just finished making the Austrian Potato Salad I posted a couple days ago. It's....different. Not in a bad way, just not what you'd expect.

Suggestions-use twice as much raisins/nuts-I substituted pecans for the walnuts because I'm allergic to walnuts. 1/4 tsp cinnamon is enough, and use less lemon zest (add some, taste, and adjust to your own tastes), and twice as much sour cream.

I like it, I'm not sure how much I'll make it, time and expense a major consideration.

Positive benefits of eggs
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Found a nice place for converting measurements - http://greekfood.about.com/library/blmeasurements.htm?val=1+teacup#