BUYING FRESH DAIRY
When you are shopping for dairy products, take a few extra minutes to check your expiration dates.

A lot of the time if you look back a few rows you will find products that have a later expiration date.

Be especially careful with items like sour cream and cottage cheese.

They are not as quick of movers as milk, and when they are left out in the coolers than can tend to warm up.

If you pick cartons that are buried in the back or toward the bottom they will have been kept cooler and will also keep longer once you get them home.

 [report anonymous abuse]

Tip for Cleaning Kitchen Counters

Bleach and commercial kitchen cleaning
agents are the best sanitizers--provided
they're diluted according to product
directions. They're the most effective at
getting rid of bacteria. Hot water and soap
does a good job, too, but may not kill all
strains of bacteria. Water may get rid of
visible dirt, but not bacteria.

Also, be sure to keep dishcloths and
sponges clean because, when wet, these
materials harbor bacteria and may promote
their growth.

Pre-Cut Produce

Pre-cut produce, including salads, broccoli, carrot sticks, and cauliflower, are more costly than whole fruit and vegetables.

Zesting Up Ice Cream

To add a little punch to your ice cream, frozen yogurt, or sorbet, add a little lemon or orange zest (peel). Try some different combinations and see how it turns out!

Boiling Vegetables

Use only a small amount of water or broth if you plan to boil vegetables -- many
nutrients, such as potassium, are water soluble and will tend to leach out in
the cooking water. Whether boiling, steaming or microwaving, cook until just
crisp-tender to retain the optimum amount of nutrients.

Kitchen tips:  Tea Making Tips

Here are some tips for better-tasting tea:
* You can store tea bags or loose tea at room temperature in an airtight container for up to two years. Be sure to keep each kind or flavor of tea in separate storage containers.
* To make the perfect cup of tea, pour boiling water over one tea bag or a tea infuser containing one teaspoon of loose tea. Allow to steep for 3-5 minutes or until the desired strength has been reached. Remove the bag or infuser.
* "Quick" iced tea can be made by pouring 4 cups boiling water over eight tea bags in a heat-resistant container. Cover and steep 3-5 minutes. Remove bags and sweeten if desired. Add 4 cups cold water or ice. Chill until ready to serve.

Source: North Carolina Cooperative Extension

Kitchen tips:  Storing Flour

* Store all-purpose or bread flour at room temperature for up to 12 months. Temperatures higher than room temperature invite bugs and mold. Store flour indefinitely in the freezer. Flour may dry out with long storage and so at the maximum storage time may lose baking quality and the same results may not be realized as with fresher flour.

* All flour should be stored in an airtight container. If flour is stored in the refrigerator, the flour should be brought to room temperature before using.

* The amount of moisture in flour will affect the results of your baked product. Flour absorbs moisture during high humidity; it loses moisture in high altitude, cold weather or during long storage. Moisture in the flour can change quickly, so if the amount of flour to use is listed as a range, begin with the least amount and add additional flour as needed.

* Store whole wheat flour in the freezer to prevent rancidity. When whole wheat flour is rancid it smells old or stale. Whole wheat flour may be frozen, tightly wrapped, for up to one year, as compared to one to four months at room temperature.

* Store cake flour in an airtight container to maintain freshness. To keep cake flour longer than 6 to 8 months, place cake flour into a resealable plastic freezer food bag and freeze for up to 12 months.

 [report anonymous abuse]

Storing Celery

When storing celery in the refrigerator, wrap it in tin foil instead of plastic.
This lets it stay fresher longer.