The Villages - May 2020 - 45

S TO R AG E T I P S F O R

MAXIMUM
FRESHNESS
Tired of finding fuzzy fruits, limp vegetables
and curdled dairy in your fridge? So are a lot
of people. America wastes 40 percent of its food, and
fresh fruits and veggies account for the largest loss
from consumers. Keeping things fresh is a challenge,
but with a few storage tweaks, you can reduce waste
and enjoy your foods longer.

* KEEP DAIRY AWAY FROM THE DOOR.

Sure it's convenient to keep milk cartons and halfand-half containers close to the door for easy access,
but these items are sensitive to temperature changes
and may spoil more quickly upfront. Store them at
the back of your fridge whenever possible.
* KNOW WHEN TO TRANSFER.

Keep bananas, apples, avocados and tomatoes out
of the fridge while they ripen. Once they're ready
to eat, transfer them to the refrigerator to keep
them fresher longer. To speed up ripening of certain fruits (rock-hard avocados for example), place
them near ready-to-eat fruit so the ethylene gases
can help the process.
* WAIT TO WASH.

While it may be tempting to wash your produce as
soon as you bring it home, the moisture can age
these foods. Wait to wash your produce, with the
exception of green onions and herbs such as parsley, basil and cilantro. Like flowers, they will stay
fresher in a bit of water.
* KEEP CELERY CRISP.

If soggy celery is a problem in your kitchen, use foil
to keep moisture out. Simply wrap up a bunch and
place it in your crisper drawer for up to a full month.

EMPTY THE PANTRY STEW
INGREDIENTS

One half package of turkey kielbasa; 1 small onion, about
3/4 cup, chopped; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 can
(14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained with juice reserved;
1 quart chicken (or vegetable) stock; 4 red potatoes,
quartered (about 2 cups); 1 can red kidney beans, drained
and rinsed; 1 cup carrots, shredded or chopped;
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes; 1/4 teaspoon black
pepper; 1 package baby kale; 2 dashes hot sauce
INSTRUCTIONS

1. Coat a large stock pot with nonstick cooking spray and
place on medium heat.
2. Add onions and sausage to the warm pot. Cook until
the onions soften and the meat is browned on all sides.
3. Remove the meat from the pan and set aside.
4. Add the garlic and drained tomatoes to the pan and
cook, stirring constantly, until the tomatoes start to dry out
and a brown color appears on the bottom of the saucepan.
5. Slowly add the stock and reserved tomato juice to
the pan, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden
spoon to remove any browned bits.
6. Add the potatoes to the pan and simmer for 10
minutes, then add the beans, carrots, meat, and peppers.
7. Cook 5 more minutes, then add the kale and simmer
for 3 minutes, until the kale is wilted.
8. Season with hot sauce and serve warm.
MAGAZINE

The Villages - May 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Villages - May 2020