Recently, I pulled a couple lemons out of the fridge drawer, and the rinds were dry. They'd been there for who-knows-how-long! BUT, inside, the juice is still good, so I got out my handy little juicer, then strained out the pulp and seeds, and added the juice to my bottle of lemon juice in the fridge.
If it's carrots that are looking rather sad, just remember that the first detriment in vegetables' aging process is the loss of their natural sugars. So, pare them, cut them in edible pieces, sprinkle on 1 tsp. of sugar, a bit of water, and microwave or cook them just as you would normally. Green beans, corn, mushrooms, carrots, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, etc. They'll taste almost as fresh as they did the day you bought them!
If they're starting to shrivel a bit, then pare them, wash them, and dehydrate them! They're still usable when rehydrated; they've just started the dehydrating process for you! This applies to most veggies, as does the addition of sugar to cooking the fresher ones.
A few weeks ago, I discovered some apples that were starting to dehydrate, so I peeled and cored them, cut them in thick slices into a buttered 9 x 13 casserole dish, added some cinnamon and sugar, and a cover, and put the whole thing in the freezer. This morning, I topped the frozen apples with a streusel mix, and threw it in the oven. Voila! Apple crisp! And the apples maintained their crispness, having cooked from frozen to done.
And while we're on the subject, if you want to buy the freshest fruits and veggies, go to your grocer's freezer section. Those are processed from field to finished product more rapidly than your fresh vegetables, which have been out of the field for over a week, most likely, by the time they get to your store. And then, who knows how long they've been resting under the sprayers in the "fresh food" section before you buy them? They've lost nutrients and flavor.
Have you ever heard of Fridge Night? I hadn't till my former mother-in-law introduced me to it. She was a creative cook, but when she mentioned this, I wondered how I'd manage to handle dinner without hurting her feelings. To my shock, it was delicious! She kept a large bowl in her fridge, and when she had bits of leftover whatever, she'd dump it into this bowl. Friday night was Fridge Night...she dumped the contents of that bowl: veggies, meats, spaghetti, casseroles, etc., all into a large pan, got it warmed up, and put it in the middle of the table. On the side was a good bread and a salad, usually.
In all the time I lived with my parents-in-law, this was the norm. We never had the same mixture twice, and it was always good. Sometimes she'd add some herbs to the mixture, but after a couple times, I began to look forward to Fridge Night.
I'd best close and get these grandsons to bed. You all enjoy your week!
W
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