Spring Cleaning for the Kitchen—Part 2

Congratulations to our very own Julie Hyzy on her **starred review** for Grace Under Pressure! Way to go, Julie!

Yes, the spring cleaning bug is still in full swing here at the Craig household. And my family is getting seriously tired of it by now! :)

You know how the beginning of a New Year gives you that fresh, starting-out feeling?

I seem to get that same feeling from cleaning, too.

Back to Basics Cleaning Tips!

Dishwasher—This appliance gets a lot of abuse at our house! It always seems ready to run. One good way to keep it healthy is to run an empty load with either vinegar or baking soda to clean it out.

Disposal—Clean your garbage disposal by pouring a half cup of baking soda into the unit, followed by a cup of white vinegar. Allow it to fizz and clean before flushing the mixture out with a pot of boiling water.

Running ice cubes through the disposal can clean it, too…and keep the blades sharp.

Microwave—Boil a bowl of water and lemon juice or water and baking soda in the microwave. Allow the mixture to sit in the unit for a few minutes to loosen up any stains in the appliance. Then (carefully! It’s been boiling) take out the bowl and wipe down the inside of the microwave.

Sponges—A damp sponge can be microwaved for 1 minute (they’ll be hot—be careful!) to eliminate germs. Or you can run them through the dishwasher (check your manual to make sure this is all right with your model)…or just throw those suckers out and replace them!

The Fridge:

It’s amazing how quickly our refrigerator and freezer can get out of control, fast! Here are some cleaning suggestions to whip them into shape:

Baking soda is your fridge’s best friend! Not only is it inexpensive and not a harsh chemical, but it’s the perfect way to clean and deodorize your refrigerator. Make a paste out of the baking soda and use it to remove food stains. You can also keep an open box in your fridge to help keep it odor-free!

Now that the inside of the fridge is clean, it’s time to clean out the condenser coils for a better-performing appliance. Carefully pull out the refrigerator and unplug it (turn off the circuit breaker if it’s a built-in appliance.) Take off the front panel at the bottom of the fridge and vacuum out all the dust with the nozzle. Replace the panel, turn the appliance back on, and carefully push the fridge into place.

Ovens

There’s so much that can be cleaned with an oven or range top—especially if you have an older model unit. Take off knobs and remove spill pans of older ovens to give a good cleaning (dig out your owner’s manual for specifics about your model.)

You can always run your oven’s self-cleaning cycle, if your model comes with that feature. I’ve found, though, that this is a time-consuming thing…and heats up my kitchen. And smells horrible! So I’ve been sticking with the elbow-grease method of oven cleaning. I hate the smell of commercial oven cleaners, though, so I’ve decided that baking soda is a good alternative.

Wipe out your oven and consider using a baking soda paste instead of a harsh, commercial oven-cleaner for the scrubbing job. You can sprinkle the soda in a cool oven, spray it with water (and continue spraying once every few hours), scrape out the power, and wipe out the oven with a damp cloth.

Happy cleaning!

Riley/Elizabeth
Delicious and Suspicious (July 6 2010) Riley Adams
Pretty is as Pretty Dies –Elizabeth Spann Craig

http://mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com

**************************************************

New April Contest!!!!

The first book in the Memphis Barbeque series, Delicious and Suspicious, will be released July 6. To celebrate its upcoming release, I’m throwing a giveaway! :)Are you interested in winning Williams-Sonoma’s Ultimate Grilling Rub Collection? It’s easy to enter! Just send an email to MysteryLoversKitchen@gmail.com with

“Contest” in the subject line.

Really, really want to up your chances?You’ll get one extra entry if you follow us on Twitter, one extra if you subscribe to our posts (in the right hand sidebar under “Subscribe”), and one extra for becoming a follower (by clicking the “follow” button in the right hand column under our book covers and blog roll.) Just send us an extra email at MysteryLoversKitchen@gmail.com and let us know what you’ve signed up for. If you’re already a follower or subscriber, let us know that, too!

Spring Cleaning…for Kitchens, Part 1

Yes, it’s happened—the spring cleaning bug has bitten me and all I can think about is cleaning.

I’d actually caught the bug a couple of weeks ago, but my urge to clean was stymied by a deadline and spring break. Now I’m playing catch-up with a vengeance, though!

So today, I thought I’d indulge myself with some cleaning tips for the part of the house that we cooks like spending lots of time in—our kitchens. I’ve found that sometimes I don’t know exactly when different foods need to be thrown out. Sometimes I err on the side of caution (which is probably a good thing to do, though) and throw out ingredients before they’re ready for the trash. After a little research on expiration dates, I thought I’d share my findings with you.

Clearing out the fridge and pantry….

Is it old? Should I toss it?

First of all, a little info about those food expiration dates. There’s a great article on WebMd about this…I’ll quote a little from it here.

“Sell by” date—you should purchase the product by this date: The "sell by" date is the last day the item is at its highest level of quality, but it will still be edible for some time after.

"Best if used by (or before)" date. This refers strictly to quality, not safety.

"Guaranteed fresh" date. This usually refers to bakery items. They will still be edible after the date, but will not be at peak freshness.

"Use by" date. This is the last date recommended for the use of the product while at peak quality. The date has been determined by the manufacturer of the product.

How long are these foods okay to eat? Milk should be okay a week after the sell-by date. Eggs are all right for 3-5 weeks after you bring them home. Poultry and seafood should be cooked or frozen within a couple of days. Beef and pork should be cooked or frozen in 3-5 days. Butter

What about dry goods? Dry goods aren’t actually legislated as far as expiration dates. Most flours don’t expire, but if your flour has a higher fat content (like whole wheat flour) you should store it in the fridge if you haven’t used it up in 2 months from purchase.

Food Coloring? It doesn’t expire or lose its coloring ability.

The following are expirations based on storage from the date of purchase. If there is a use-by date, use that date instead. For a more expansive listing, check out this site by the Gourmet Sleuth. Or this site, Still Tasty, to find out particulars on specific foods (and for tips on storage to keep your foods fresh longer.)

Cereals—2-3 months

White Rice—1 year

Corn meal (room temperature)—1 year

Soup mixes—1 year

Ground spices-6 months

Whole spices—1-2 years

Vanilla extract—2 years

Shelled nuts—4 months (Unshelled—6)

Organizing the Fridge and Pantry

If you’re like me, you keep a lot of food in the house. I never know when I’m going to play hostess to a houseful of hungry children.

But if you have a lot of food, it’s hard to keep organized. There’s only so much room! Here are some tips:

Fridge:
Consider a basket for the fridge for ready-made snacks. Here you can keep fruit, cut-up veggies in Ziplocks, and yogurts. The basket is easy to grab when you’re in a hurry!

Shelving: Could you use an extra shelf for your fridge. You can buy mini shelving at most home improvement or discount stores. One man even put a Lazy Susan in the fridge to help him find condiments and other items.

Pantry:

Use containers to keep food fresh.
Group like items in your pantry to help you find them
Consider adding shelving or a spice rack to hang over the back of the pantry door
Use lots of baggies—I live by Ziplocks!

If you’re more visual and are looking for more kitchen organizing ideas, go to YouTube and plug in “organize your kitchen” or “pantry” or “fridge” and see all the great videos that come up to inspire you!

Happy cleaning!

Riley/Elizabeth
Delicious and Suspicious (July 6 2010) Riley Adams
Pretty is as Pretty Dies –Elizabeth Spann Craig

http://mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com

**************************************************

New April Contest!!!!

The first book in the Memphis Barbeque series, Delicious and Suspicious, will be released July 6. To celebrate its upcoming release, I’m throwing a giveaway! :)Are you interested in winning Williams-Sonoma’s Ultimate Grilling Rub Collection? It’s easy to enter! Just send an email to MysteryLoversKitchen@gmail.com with

“Contest” in the subject line.

Really, really want to up your chances?You’ll get one extra entry if you follow us on Twitter, one extra if you subscribe to our posts (in the right hand sidebar under “Subscribe”), and one extra for becoming a follower (by clicking the “follow” button in the right hand column under our book covers and blog roll.) Just send us an extra email at MysteryLoversKitchen@gmail.com and let us know what you’ve signed up for. If you’re already a follower or subscriber, let us know that, too!