Tips to Make Your Refrigerator More Efficient!

Pull the fridge forward an inch or two.

In many kitchens, refrigerators are pushed back as close to the wall as possible in order to save a few more inches of floor space. Those few inches are really expensive.
If your refrigerator is pushed back as far as possible, pulling it forward one inch can reduce the energy usage of the refrigerator by as much as 40%, and you’ll barely notice the difference in your floor usage.

Vacuum the Back: 

So much dust and dirt can get trapped behind your refrigerator (especially if you have pets) and this collects on the condenser coils. As that dust builds up, your refrigerator doesn't run as well as it used to. The condenser kicks on more often, because it has to work harder, it eats up more energy (costing you), and it wears out quicker (costing you). Once you've cleaned them off, the heat from your refrigerator will be able to be carried away without as much resistance, making your cycles run for a shorter period of time.

Check the Door Seal: 

Use a thin piece of paper or dollar bill to check whether your seal is losing air. Hold it up next to the closed refrigerator door and see if it flutters at all. The rubber or plastic door seal on your refrigerator can be easily replaced and although it might seem like a pain, it really is not. Refrigerators are expensive to replace and so is the food you want to keep fresh inside.

Cover Everything: 

Most foods in the fridge contain moisture. When left uncovered, foods will leach this moisture into the air and the compressor in your refrigerator will have to work twice as hard to remove it. (Plus, most foods will suck up smells of other foods and that is not something you would want)

Let Your Food Cool Before Putting it Away: 

Sometimes you make a big batch of soup and you're really tired. Sleep needs to happen ASAP, and you just don't want to wait up any longer. Sure, you can toss it in the fridge, but your refrigerator will have to pull double duty to cool it down. Try to let foods sit as long as possible before placing them in the fridge (not too long for bacteria to start growing)

Fill your empty milk or juice jugs with water, then stick ‘em in the freezer.

A freezer, whether it’s a deep freezer or a freezer housed in the same appliance as a refrigerator, functions best when it’s really full, as the cold items help keep other items cold and maintain the low temperature.
If you currently don't have enough food to fill up your freezer, fill it with water.
It’s simple. Take an empty milk jug (or juice jug), rinse it out, then fill it about 75% full with tap water. Stick that jug in the freezer and just leave it there. It’ll freeze, then it will help keep the temperature of your freezer low over the long haul, causing your freezer to kick on a bit less often to keep your items cool.

Stick a thermometer in your fridge.

The ideal temperature in your refrigerator holds pretty steady around 37 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit (3-5 C).
If you keep it below 37 degrees, you’re pushing up against the freezing point of water, which can affect food quality and burns a lot of extra energy. If you keep it above 40 degrees, it can affect food quality in a different way, leading towards spoilage. The range between the two is optimal – and it’s also optimal for refrigerator efficiency, since devices are designed to run in this range.
Get out a thermometer, put it in a glass of water, then put that cup in your refrigerator for 24 hours. Check the temperature afterward – that’s the true temperature of your fridge. Adjust upward and downward as needed – you might be surprised how much your temperature is off.
A freezer has a different optimum temperature – 0 to 5 F (-18 to -15 C). You can get this temperature by putting your thermometer between two frozen items for 24 hours.

Have you found any other ways to keep your fridge running efficiently? 

Feel free to comment and share :)

some of this information was sourced from "Trent at thesimpledollar" and "Sarah Trover at thekitchn"

Freezing unused potatoes

Have you ever purchased a bag of potatoes and some of them were spoiled?

Yesterday I had to clean up some of the "Red Potatoes" I purchased at the supermarket, because a few of them had yucky spots.... so I had to cut off the rotten spots to save the potato.

I was not ready to cook them though, so I had to think of a way to save them without them turning brown...so I put them in a container, filled it just over the amount of potatoes with water and freezed them.

And as you can see in the picture, there has been no browning to the potato.

When I'm ready to use them which will most likely be for mashed potatoes, I will just thaw and dump into boiling water to boil.

Yayy for no wasted potatoes :)

Freezing Mangoes!

It's Summer Time and you should be stocking up on your fruits!

Here's a Tip if you have too much of one fruit that's ripened...

- In this case I had a good few mangoes that were over ripe and too soft to enjoy eating... so I cut as much of the mango off the seed and blended it with a little water.
Filled into ice-cube trays and freeze.

Now, you can make mango smoothie anytime you wish :)

You can go right ahead and make the smoothie if you have enough people to finish it, but mango drinks are something that do not last long in the 'fridge' so it's best to freeze the ice cubes and use as you need.

Enjoy :)

Types of Potatoes

Knowing the different types of potatoes, helps to determine what would be the outcome of that delicious potato dish you love to make...

Potatoes fall into three basic categories: starchy, waxy, and those in-between, which may be used for any dish.

Starchy potatoes are great for baking and frying. Because of their starch, they don't hold together very well when cooked, but they are are fluffy and absorbent, perfect for butter on a baked potato or the oil in a fryer. They are decent mashed, but care must be taken not to over work them, else you'll have a gluey mess.

Waxy potatoes have a smoother, more waxy texture so they hold their shape while cooking. They work well in dishes like soups, stews, potato salad and scalloped potatoes where you would need to boil, slice, or roast.

All-purpose potatoes have a less starch than starchy potatoes, but not so much that they completely fall apart when cooked. They will work for most potato dishes.

Avoid potatoes with a green-tint to the skin. These have been exposed to too much light and have developed the toxin 'solanine' which can cause some nasty conditions like cramping, headaches, diarrhea, and fever. Such a potato also will have a bitter flavor.

Here is the list of potatoes and their best uses:

Russet also known as Idaho Potatoes (starchy) This is the potato most people have fixed in their minds as the classic potato. The term Idaho potato technically refers to any potato grown in the state of Idaho, although it is most frequently used to describe Russet potatoes from Idaho.

Idaho potatoes are large, starchy potatoes with brown skin and white flesh. Because of their high starch content, Idaho potatoes are good for baking and mashing as well as making French fries and potato chips.

Yukon Gold (all-purpose) Golden inside, rough brown skin. Great mashed, boiled for salads, fried... you name it.

Jewel Yam (starchy) Actually a sweet potato, not a true jam, this is the most commonly found market sweet potato. Great baked or roasted.

Japanese Sweet Potato (starchy) This variety has a pink to purple skin with white flesh. Its flavor is sweet and nutty. They can be grilled, steamed or baked.
Hannah Sweet Potato (starchy) Very much like a Jewel potato, but with lighter skin and flesh.

Rose Finn Apple(waxy) This is an heirloom fingerling with a pink, often knobby skin with golden buttery yellow flesh. It has an earthy flavor and is great boiled, grilled, sauteed, deep fried, and served in salads.

Russian Banana (waxy) This potato has a pale yellow skin with rich yellow flesh and a firm texture. It is good grilled, sautéed, fried, roasted whole or steamed for potato salads.

Red Thumb (waxy) Fingerling with a bright red skin and pink flesh. Best boiled or roasted. A favorite among chefs.

French Fingerling (waxy) Pink skins and yellow flesh. This heirloom fingerling has smooth skin and yellow flesh. There is usually a little pinkish ring right under the skin. It is a great potato for roasting.

LaRette (waxy) These are little fingerling-shaped potatoes with a silky texture and a nutty flavor. Best roasted or boiled whole. They were discovered in the Swiss Alps by French Farmer named Jean Pierre Clot.

Austrian Crescent (waxy) This is an heirloom variety with yellowish, tan smooth skin and very light yellow flesh. It is best in potato salads, but also great boiled, steamed and roasted.

Red Gold (all-purpose) These are medium sized tan and red skinned potatoes with golden flesh. The texture is smooth and moist and the flavor is sweet and nutty. They are best baked, boiled, roasted or mashed gently.

Purple Majesty (all-purpose) Oblong potatoes with very dark purple skin and purple moist, firm flesh. It keeps its color when cooked and is high in antioxidants. They are best roasted, baked, in soups and mixed into potato salads.

Norland Red (all-purpose) Red skin and moist, creamy white flesh that holds up well when cooked. The farmer suggested serving them boiled, sliced and topped with butter and herbs. Can be boiled for potato salads as well as roasted, mashed, baked. Great boiled for potato salad, or whizzed into a soup.

Kennebec (all-purpose) This is a large potato with tan skin and white flesh. Baked, mashed, fried, or shredded into potato pancakes. It holds together well in boiling water as well.

All Blue (all-purpose) This potato is truly blue both inside and out. It has a dry texture, but holds its shape well, so it's best baked and drizzled with butter or olive oil, or boiled/steamed for a potato salad. Steaming and baking will ensure it keeps its color best.

Hope this was helpful :)

Information sourced from Sara Kate at The Kitchn

How to warm bread in the microwave without it becoming rubbery.

So you have some bread in the fridge, and you warm it in the microwave, and it becomes soft but rubbery...

Here's a simple solution to this frustrating problem...
Keep a small spray bottle in the kitchen with water. Lightly dampen a clean kitchen towel and wrap the bread or whatever else inside the cloth and microwave for one minute or more, depending on how much you are warming.
The dampened cloth creates steam which warms the food without making it chewy...

This method works for frozen bread, roti, cookies, tortillas etc

Happy cooking :)

DIY Kettle Cover

So I purchased one of these Electric kettles with intent of using it to boil tea...only to read the instructions saying that; it is to only be used to boil water...and if any other type of liquid was boiled in it, they will not honor the warranty...blah blah blah...

Notice they said it will not destroy the unit, it just said they won't honor the warranty...simply because they want you to pay more and purchase an actual "tea" kettle separately..lol
An actual 'tea' kettle made for boiling tea will have a cover on the spout though...so since this kind of kettle wasn't made for 'tea' boiling...it doesn't have a cover on the spout, and hence the tea, upon reaching boiling point, bubbles over and spills like crazy through the spout.
I was so upset but a simple piece of foil folded to cradle the spout, solved this little problem...

Take a piece of foil, fold it cover and wrap around the spout and leave it on your kettle just like a cover...remove it to pour and replace it...
You only need to change the foil out, when the foil looks like it has served it's time :)

Important Tips!

• DO NOT put milk to boil in it though...milk can burn...add your milk after.
• DO NOT pull the strings off your tea bags...let the string hang over the top of the kettle and snap the cover in place to hold it...You don't wanna chance letting the tea bags boil inside and burst...

Foods You Shouldn't Refrigerate

Potatoes: The cold temperatures in your fridge will actually turn potatoes' starch into sugars, giving it a sweet flavor when you cook them (and not in a good way). These can be stored at room temperature.

Tomatoes: If you've tried this, you probably know why Tomatoes shouldn't be stored in the fridge. They get really mushy and gross. Leave them out.

Honey: A lot of people put honey in the fridge, but this will thicken it too much, and it doesn't require refrigeration to stay good.

Onions: Onions will last longer in the fridge, but not without cost. Like tomatoes, your onions will soften a bit if you put them in the fridge, and they won't be quite as crisp. Also, they'll make your other food smell like onions. Keep them out of the fridge at room temperature, and away from your potatoes.

There is an odorless, harmless and tasteless gas that fruits and vegetables give off after they are picked, called "Ethylene": 

All fruits and vegetables produce it, but some foods produce it in greater quantities. When ethylene-producing foods are kept in close proximity with ethylene-sensitive foods, especially in a confined space (like a bag or drawer), the gas will speed up the ripening process of the other produce. Use this to your advantage if you want to speed up the ripening process of an unripe fruit, for example, by putting an apple in a bag with an unripe avocado. But if you want your already-ripe foods to last longer, remember to keep them away from ethylene-producing foods, as designated in the chart above.

Here is a simple chart I found to help you better understand which fruits and vegetables to safely store where:

some info derived from: lifehacker.com and www.sparkpeople.com

Organize Your Measuring Cups and Scoops

Do you have a hard time looking for your measuring spoons and containers, when it's time for baking, or to follow a recipe?
Well here's a simple solution to this...

So it's time to bake some cookies, and you can't seem to find your teaspoon scoop anywhere?

I always get so frustrated rummaging through a drawer looking for these things; so I thought hard and came up with a simple genius plan...

Use the empty space at the side of your fridge or cupboard and stick some cheap hooks with double sided tape... (make sure that your scoops can fit on the hook first).

If you have more than one in each size, that's ok... you can hang each size on one hook.

You can print nice labels for each on your printer, or just use a dry erase marker and right the size of the scoops at the top...

So easy and simple...no more lost measuring scoops... :)

Happy cooking.

xoxo

Preserving Your Fresh Herbs and Seasonings

Aren't you frustrated of opening the fridge and looking at a sad, droopy bunch of chive or chadon beni or some other herb or seasoning, that you bought at the market but didn't get the time to use all of it just yet but it's already wilting and rotting??

Well if spoiling herbs or seasonings is a problem in your kitchen there’s a solution for it... And it’s a simple one.

I wish these things were available to purchase in smaller quantities like one or two at a time, because I hate letting things go to waste.  Most times recipes only call for a very small amount... So what to do with the rest of the package? Instead of letting them sit in the fridge and rot; here are two ways to save them and save money!

Method 1:  Freezing them as Ice Cubes;

Wash, pat dry and remove stems at your preference. Chop and press into ice cube trays and carefully drizzle a little water over to fill, so a cube will form when frozen. You can also process the herbs with a little water as the base and then make cubes. When ready, pop cubes out into freezer bags or freezer safe containers.

Method 2:  As pesto (using oil as the base)

Why use oil instead of water?
Because preserving herbs in oil reduces some of the browning and freezer burn that these can get in the freezing process.

It's also a great way to have portion sized fresh herbs/seasoning on hand for your stews, roasts, soups, or any other dishes that need oil; then you can take a cube, out of the freezer and use this as the base of your dish. Cook the onions and garlic in this herb-infused oil and let the taste of herbs spread through your whole dish.

Wash, pat dry and chop...
Pack the wells of ice cube trays about 2/3 full and pour extra-virgin olive oil over the herbs.
Or you can use your food processor and puree the herbs in an olive oil base...
Cover lightly with plastic wrap and freeze overnight.
Remove the frozen cubes and store in freezer containers or small bags.
Don't forget to label each container or bag with the type of herb (and oil) inside!

You can use the above two methods for most soft green herbs such as chives, parsley, basil, oregano, cilantro, arugula, sage, chadon beni etc...

For hard herbs which are things like rosemary, thyme, savory, and sage which are suitable for longer cooking times, take the branches, wash them in cold water and blot dry with paper towels.

Spread out in a shallow container and put into the freezer. Once frozen, put them into freezer bags and make sure there is little or no air left in the bag. After about a week or more in the freezer, you can take the bag out and roll a rolling pin over the bag.
Most of the leaves will come loose from the stem, but if some don't you can easily remove those by hand.
Then pack the frozen leaves quickly back into freezer jars or bags.

PS: if a recipe calls for a "dried" hard herb, just double the amount if you're using frozen herbs...

NOTE: These are all herbs that would be cooked when added to a dish.

Three cheers for no more wasted herbs!!! xoxo

Is Cooking with "Cooking Spray" Good for your Health?

Cooking sprays have made baking and cooking sticky meals so much easier!

No more greasing of pans manually and getting your fingers all gooey and greasy...

But is it really a health hazard in the kitchen that we are consuming and are we better off doing it the old fashioned way or just making our own?

Here are some reasons to toss the whole idea of purchasing a cooking spray!

- Ingredients in a cooking spray - soy lecithin, mono and diglycerides, dimethylpolysiloxane, dimethyl silicone, or artificial flavors

I never understood why a cooking spray doesn't just have oil in it?

- Did you know that your cooking spray has genetically modified ingredients?... This simply means that some or most of the ingredients come from seeds that have been genetically modified or altered so that more pesticides can be used to grow the plant faster without the plant dying.

- Your cooking spray contains SOY - A Harvard University study, reported that eating as little as one half serving of soy per day can result in problems such as infertility in males and increased breast cancer risk in females.

- What good is the empty can to our environment? The amount of unnecessary waste created by the packaging. While we could argue that they are recyclable, we still must keep in mind that the recycling process also requires a great deal of energy, in the form of heat, electricity etc.

So is there a solution to this problem?
Yes there is!

Use an ordinary small spray bottle or if you happen to have any hair oils that came in a spray bottle..even better..

A bottle that is made for spraying oil will work if you just fill it with oil only..

If you have to use an ordinary spray bottle use the following mixture: 

1/2 water

1/2 cooking oil (preferably coconut oil)

So, we can finally stop wasting money on the expensive and harmful non-stick sprays!! ...and make our own :)

Reference: examiner.com/

Revlon Colorstay Aqua Mineral Makeup Review...

I am fast becoming a Revlon lover…especially loving Revlon’s “Colorstay” line.  I have been wanting to try a ‘Mineral Powder’ for ages and couldn’t find myself affording ‘Bare Minerals’ for the life of me!  Seriously?  More than $100TT for a face powder?  Nah not worth it… I love Revlon and figured their Colorstay line would be worth a try, …so I got all excited to try their “Aqua Mineral Makeup”

By the way Ladies…If you want good powder, be prepared to pay at least $40-$50 bucks.  I believe this powder is no more than $60.00TT…depending on where you purchase it. (Pennywise-best price)

However I am really glad I gave this product a try.  The coverage is nice.  It isn’t heavy or cakey.  People say its sorta ‘shimmery’ and don’t get me wrong, there are "sparkles" in it, but I am sure that is from the minerals. I do not notice them unless I am looking super close in the mirror or I have intense direct light. I am a person who absolutely hates shimmer in powders and I don't think it's that bad. If you are just in a classroom or office, you don't see the shimmer at all.   It feels really nice to put on, like your dusting water on your face. It leaves a really smooth, moisturized finish and it feels very soothing when applying.  The brush is actually pretty good too.  It’s really soft and is small so it can fit in small areas and blend it out… but using a ‘brush’ for application is a personal preference, cause I still rather use a ‘puff’

It is mineral powder so, no fragrance and doesn’t clog pores.

I know it’s kinda pricey for just a face powder, but I really think it’s worth it!  I can totally justify getting this again.