Ask Mary: Lunch Meat

Mary:
How long can lunch meat stay in my refrigerator?
Sally

Lunch meats are loaded with salts and preservatives, helping them to stay safe and tasty longer. However, the best rule of thumb is still to buy deli meats fresh after just a few days. If the meat is bought from the deli counter, it will typically last about three to four days in the refrigerator. If you buy it at the grocery store prepackaged it will last around 1½ weeks, sometimes longer. Always check the label if you’re uncertain. Some unsliced meats can be kept for about three weeks, but to be honest, I wouldn’t eat any type of lunch meats after a couple of days. Better to be safe and eat fresh!

Happy Cooking!
Mary

How Long Do Things Last?

Food spoils, so it’s important to remember how long things can stay fresh in the refrigerator – especially this time of year. Here’s a cheat sheet:

Opened condiments (ketchup, mayo, mustard, etc.): 1-2 months
Jarred Items (red peppers in oil, olives, pickles, artichoke hearts): 1-10 days
Cooked Meats: 4 days max
Raw meats: 3-6 days
Raw Fish: 2-3 days
Cooked Fish: 2 Days
Sliced Lunch Meat: 3-4 days
Cooked, Hard-boiled Eggs: 4 days
Raw Eggs: 2 weeks
Vegetables: Around 10 days
Lettuces: 4-5 days
Cooked Foods: 3 Days
Butter: 2-3 months
(Frozen foods: 1 month)


Happy Cooking!
Mary

What I Cooked Today… Roasted Root Vegetables!

1 bunch carrots: peeled and chopped into equal size but roughly chopped pieces
2 turnips: peeled and chopped into equal size, roughly chopped
3 parsnips: peeled and chopped into equal size, roughly chopped
1 bunch flat leaf parsley: finely chopped
2 sprigs of thyme
5 cloves garlic
¼ cup olive oil
Chef pinch of kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Parchment Paper
Nonstick spray

Directions:

In a large bowl combine all the vegetables. Add the leaves from the thyme sprigs (or dried thyme). Add olive oil, salt and pepper. Add non-stick spray to the parchment paper that is on top of a cookie sheet (if your cookie sheet is dark, the bottoms of the vegetables will cook faster, so beware). Add the vegetables and beware of over crowding. If it seems like there are too many spread the extra on a second cookie sheet. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees, stirring frequently. Top with the fresh parsley.

Ingredient of the Day: Root Winter Vegetables

Root vegetables may not appeal to you on first glance. They’re funny to look at and are not the go-to vegetables for most everyday dishes. However, in these cold winter months, nothing is more satisfying than a delicious root veggie. Our bodies actually crave the delicious taste of these special vegetables, especially when even a small serving is vitamin and mineral-packed. Here’s the low down on some of my favorites.

Parsnips:

These lovely veggies look like beautiful white carrots, but they are much stronger in flavor. Unusual as they are to look at, parsnips are a delicious addition to any root vegetable mixture. Raw, fried, boiled or roasted, parsnips are actually very popular in some traditional holiday feasts.

Turnips:

These purple, white and very round veggies are extremely rich in vitamin C. Turnips turn purple where the light has hit them – the insides, however, are white. Turnips “greens,” or the top of the turnip, can be eaten in salads. You can also use the greens in cooked dishes. The older the turnips, the more bitter the greens. The inner part of the turnip resembles a radish in taste and use.

Carrots:

Of course you know carrots, but did you also know they come in variations of color like red, purple, yellow and orange? Carrots are delicious. They are loaded with B-carotene, which converts to vitamin A, and are known to help improve your vision during both the day and night. When my brother was little, he loved carrots so much that he actually turned orange. Luckily he went back to the way he was, but it scared my mom to death in the meantime!

Happy Cooking!
Mary

Ask Mary: Washing Spinach?

Mary, Should I wash spinach before I cook it?
Thanks, Dirty Greens

If you are buying market spinach or any green for that matter, you should definitely wash it. The trick is to not bruise it while you wash it. I usually fill up a bowl of water and then pour in my spinach. After it has soaked for about 4 to 5 minutes, I take it out and do it again. You are waiting for the dirt and grime to fall to the bottom of the bowl and then you can remove the leaves off the top. Make sure that you don’t pour the water out with the leaves in the bowl because you could put the dirt back into the leaves. For pre-washed spinach, you do not need to re-wash.

Learning to Cook!

Sometimes I forget that that not everyone has been to culinary school, and that not everyone has the basic cooking skills necessary to prepare a simple meal. Having these skills can be a great gift, and that’s why I write to you weekly, hoping to help give you the tools you need to prepare healthy and delicious meals in your own kitchen. In these economic times, having basic cooking skills is more important than ever.

Before I really learned how to cook in detail, I made the basics: Caesar salad, tacos, tortellini with alfredo sauce, spaghetti, roasted whole chicken and chocolate chip cookies. That was the extent of my culinary palette. After chatting with some new friends recently, who avoid the kitchen unless absolutely necessary, I realized that this limited knowledge is still a common theme in so many lives. Why? Most of us lack the time to learn, the budget to purchase premium ingredients and the experience to prepare the meal.

First thing’s first. Make a weekly budget. Cooking at home costs considerably less than eating out. All it takes is a little information on how to shop and cook wisely and simply. For instance, you may buy a can of green beans for one, open the can, take a few bites, and then put it in the fridge and never eat the rest. For someone who is on a budget, $3 spent on less than half of a can of green beans isn’t worth it. Menu-plan and find ways to stretch that can out for a couple of meals.

Secondly, it’s time to make the time, people! I know this is a tall order - someone is not going to want to cook a fancy meal after a long hard day at work or at home with the kids. But if you can learn the basics, you can pretty much prepare a fairly decent and tasty meal in about 20-30 minutes, tops.

And lastly, experience comes with practice. The more time you spend in the kitchen, the better you’ll be at whipping out delicious meals in seconds flat. Food education is key here. The more you know, the more comfortable you will feel with what you do. If you can’t take a class, I suggest reading magazines or searching the internet for information about the things you don’t know.

Unlike knitting, writing, or biking, cooking is not a hobby. Cooking is a lifestyle. We can’t live without eating. It is a crucial part of our daily life. By just expanding your knowledge of food and cooking a little, you can change your family’s life and make them healthier, happier and more satiated.

Happy Cooking!
Mary

What I Cooked Today… Greens! Kale, Swiss Chard, and Spinach

Sautéed Kale:

Remove the stem of your kale by leaving the kale whole and slicing the stem out of the leaf. Next, roughly chop the kale into equal size pieces. Place in a large bowl. Heat a large sauté pan and on medium high heat add a little olive oil. Add kale to the sauté pan, move around with tongs, and add salt and pepper to taste (chef pinch of salt). You can also add lemon juice, garlic powder or fresh garlic, sautéed onions, and many more extras.


Sautéed Swiss Chard:

Remove the stem of your swiss chard by leaving the chard whole and slicing the chard stem out of the leaf. For added crunch, you can small dice the stem and sauté before you cook the chard and then add it in. Next, wash thoroughly and roughly chop the chard into equal size pieces. Place in a large bowl. Heat a large sauté pan and on medium high heat add a little olive oil. From here, follow the instructions for kale.


Sautéed Spinach:

Remove the stem of your spinach by pinching them with your fingers and leaving the leaves in tact. Wash thoroughly. Place in a large bowl. Heat a large sauté pan and on medium high heat add a little olive oil. Follow instructions for kale or chard from here.

Ingredient of the Day: Dark Green Vegetables Spotlight!

Kale, Swiss Chard and Spinach

Today I am discussing multiple varieties of greens that are very good for you: kale, swiss chard and spinach. My favorite out of the three is kale. It is a delicious and strong flavored green filled with tons of vitamins and minerals. And no, these greens are not just for garnishing a plate! They actually serve an important role in keeping us healthy and strong.

Kale: There are many types of kale, but for the most part these amazing greens are usually dark emerald green with a grayish tint. Kale is a member of the cabbage family, along with broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and collard greens. It is loaded with beta-carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, lutein and zeaxanthin, and is also a great anti-inflammatory.

Swiss Chard: Also known as Silverbeet, Perpetual Spinach, Crab Beet and Mangold, this is also a delicious green. Chard is very bitter and can be used in sautéed dishes or in salads if it is young enough. Swiss Chard stems are one of my most favorite parts about the plant. They look like they belong in a candy store with their brilliant array of colors ranging from red to yellow to white.

Spinach: Typical and familiar, spinach is one of the most popular dark greens around. I was amazed to learn that spinach actually contains more iron than a hamburger. Spinach is also loaded with vitamins A and K, folate, magnesium, iron, vitamin C, vitamin B2, calcium, potassium and vitamin B6. So as you can see, there are tons of reasons to eat this delicious vegetable. I personally like baby spinach versus big hearty spinach. It tends to have a milder taste and works best in salads.