THE

ORGANIZED

KITCHEN

KeepYourKitchenClean,Organized,

andFullofGoodFood—and

SaveTime,Money,(andYourSanity)EveryDay!

BretteSember

Avon,Massachusetts

Contents

Introduction

PART1:TAKINGOWNERSHIPOFTHEKITCHEN

CHAPTER1:AnOrganizedKitchenIsaHappyKitchen

CHAPTER2:GoodVibesintheKitchen

CHAPTER3:TheHeartoftheHome

PART2:GETTINGORGANIZED

CHAPTER4:TheRightToolsfortheRightTasks

CHAPTER5:ShelfandStorageStrategies

CHAPTER6:PantryPrep

CHAPTER7:FridgeandFreezerFun

CHAPTER8:KitchenCleanup

PART3:COOKING,SHOPPING,ANDMEALPLANNING

CHAPTER9:ReadBetweentheLines

CHAPTER10:CookingMadeEasy

CHAPTER11:FoolproofRecipes

CHAPTER12:MealPlanningMadeEasy

CHAPTER13:ShopSmart

CHAPTER14:OnaPlate

AppendixA:WebResources

AppendixB:HelpfulBooks

AbouttheAuthor

Copyright

Introduction

Thekitchenisoneofthemostusedroomsintheentirehouse.

Americansdo(almost!)everythingthere.Inmanyhomesitistheprimary

gatheringarea.Askingoneroomtodosomuchcanleadto

disorganizationandchaos.Ifyou’veeverexperiencedthefrustrationthat

comesfromnotbeingabletofindwhatyouneedwhenyouneedit,this

bookisforyou!It’sacompleteguidethatwillhelpyoutakechargeof

yourkitchen.Notonlywillyoulearnusefultipsandstrategiesforfinally

tacklingtheclutterandcrazinessthatexistsonyourcountersandbehind

allofyourcupboarddoors,you’llalsodiscoverwaystoorganizehowyou

dothingsinthekitchen.Theendresult?Anorganizedkitchenthatmeets

yourneeds.

In

Part1

,you’lllearnhowtotakebackyourkitchen:

Chapter1

showsyouhowgettingyourkitchenundercontrolcan

benefiteveryoneinyourfamilyandofferssomequicktipstogetyou

going.

Chapter2

takesalookathowtobringenergyandharmonyintoyour

kitchenthroughtechniqueslikefengshuiaswellashowtoimbue

theroomwithyourpersonality.

Chapter3

discusseshowtomanageandorganizealltheother

(noncooking)activitiesthatareapartofkitchenlife.

In

Part2

,you’lllearnthenitty-grittydetailsofgetting—andkeeping—

yourkitchenorganized:

Chapter4

discusseswhatequipmentyoumostneedinyourkitchen

withtipsonhowtoorganizeandstoreit.

Chapter5

delvesintodrawersandcupboards,andwithlotsof

helpfulsuggestionsandideas,helpsyoupurge,reorganize,and

restructurehowyou’restoringthings.

Chapter6

tacklestheall-importantpantry.You’lldiscoverwhat

pantryessentialsyoushouldhaveonhandandhowtoputthem

awaysoyoucanactuallyfindthemagainwhenyouneedthem.

Chapter7

willhelpyouuseyourfridgeandfreezerinthemost

organizedandefficientway,soyoucanstorefoodsafelyand

organizeitforeasyuse.

Chapter8

isyourultimateguidetohowtocleanabsolutely

everythinginyourkitchen.

Finally,in

Part3

,you’lllearnstrategiesthatwillhelpyoustayorganized

whileyoudowhatyourkitchenismadefor—cooking:

Chapter9

givessolutionsforfinding,organizing,andusingrecipes.

Chapter10

isthesourceforcookingbasics,sothatyoucancook

safely,quickly,andefficiently,whileenjoyingit.

Chapter11

givesyouacollectionofstaplerecipesyoucanrelyon

overandover.

Chapter12

teachesmeal-planningtechniquesthatwillstreamline

thewayyoucookandrelievealotofstressinyourlife.

Chapter13

includestipsandtricksonbeingasmartshopper—itwill

showyoueverythingyouneedtoknowtobeanorganizedgrocery

storeshopper.

Chapter14

helpsyouserveyourfoodinbeautifulandattractive

ways,andorganizeallofyourservingpieces.

There’salottobedone,solet’sheadintothekitchen!

PART1

TAKINGOWNERSHIPOFTHEKITCHEN

1

An

ORGANIZED

Kitchen

Isa

HAPPY

Kitchen

Thekitchenmaybetheheartofthehome,butitisalsothe

placethatnaturallyattractsthemostclutterandmess.The

combinationofsuchawidevarietyofitemsthatneedtobe

stored,thehightraffic,thesheernumberofpotsandpansand

dishesinuse,andthehighactivityinvolvedinmealprepcan

makethisroomespeciallychallengingtokeeporganizedand

clutter-free.Butdon’tgiveup!You’lllearnhowtoorganizeyour

kitchen—andkeepitorganized—throughoutthebook.First,

though,let’slookatwhyyourkitchenissohardtokeep

organized.

KitchenChaos

Yourkitchenisprobablythegatheringspotforfamilymeals,projects,and

meetings.Ifyou’relikemanypeople,italsohasmoregadgetsthanthe

localelectronicsstore.Howseriousisyourdisorganizationproblem?Ask

yourselfthesequestions:

1. Isyourcounteralwayscluttered?

2. Isyourfridgesofullyouoftenforgetwhat’shidinginthebackofit?

3. Dothingstumbleoutofyourcupboardswhenyouopenthem?

4. Doyourdrawersjambecausetheyaresofull?

5. Doyoubuyabottleofketchuponlytoputitawayandrealizeyou

alreadyhadone,butjustcouldn’tseeit?

6. Isyourfreezerfullofunlabeledmysteryitems?

7. Doyousupersizeyourgroceryshoppingatadiscountwarehouse

club?

Ifyouanswered“yes”tomostofthesequestions,chancesareyou’ve

gotkitchencreep,thepeskyphenomenonthatoccurswhenitemsstart

bustingoutoftheirdesignatedspaces.Thecabinetdoorsdon’tquiteshut

alltheway;thefreezerdoorneedsanextragoodpushtocementthe

seal.

Thekitchenisaverydifficultplacetokeepclutter-freebecauseit’s

filledwithallthethingsyouneedforthesmoothoperationand

functioningofyourhousehold.Themorestuffyouhave,themoreyou

needanadequatestorageplan.Thekeyisorganizingyourkitchensoit

fitsyourlifestyle.Whatworksforasinglepersonwilllikelybeinadequate

foracoupleandfailmiserablyforafamily.

ReasonstoOrganizeYourKitchen

Weallhavethefantasyofadreamkitchen—oneofthosetricked-out

numberspackedwithtechno-wizardryappliancesandclean,clear

surfaceslikeyouseeintopmagazines.Youknowthatkitchen.Youlove

thatkitchen!Youwantthatkitchen!Needacouplemoreentriestoaddto

your“ReasonstoOrganizetheKitchen”list?Whenyouputthingsin

order,youcansavemoney.Howmanytimeshaveyoucomehomefrom

thesupermarketonlytodiscoveryoualreadyboughtthreeofthose

things(whatevertheyare)thelasttimetheywereonsale?Betterstill,by

gettingridofstuff,youcutdownonhousework.It’strue—upto40

percent,byonestudy.Gettingorganizedinthekitchencansaveyour

sanity,saveyoumoney,andhelpimprovethemultipleusesyourkitchen

iscalleduponfor—andbringyourkitchenclosertothatkitchenofyour

dreams.

PrinciplesofOrganizingYourKitchen

Keepinmindthatkitchenorganizationisnotaone-shotdeal.It’sa

lifestyle.Youneedtosustainit.Itisn’tjustamatterofgettingorganized,

butstaying(andthinking)thatway.Thereareboundtobeafewdaysof

backslidinghereandthere,ofcourse.Lifegetsbusy.Buttherearetwo

keystoavoidingamajorrelapse.

1. First,it’snecessarytoemployaprogramofongoingmaintenanceso

thatkitchencleanupoccurswhilemessisstillintheminimal—not

mountainous—stage.

2. Second,it’simportanttotakeaninventoryofyourorganizationand

storagestrategiesfromtimetotimetoensurethey’restillmeeting

yourcurrentneedsandlifestyle.Today’ssolutionsmaybe

tomorrow’sproblems,warnsprofessionalorganizerArianeBenefit.

Onceyou’vecompletedthehardworkoforganizingthatthisbook

outlines,don’tfallbackintobadhabits.Maintaintheeffortbyalways

puttingdishes,utensils,andpantryitemsbackintheirproperplaces.

Shortcutswillonlyundermineyourefforts.Aninvestmentoffiveminutes

ofdailytouchupsisallittakestokeepyourkitchenclutter-free.Make

thesetouchupsahabitandtheywillsoonbesecondnature.When

tidyingup,askyourselfifyoureallylikeit,useit,orneeditbeforeputting

athingbackinitsplace.

AskYourKitchentoDoaLittleLess

Thekitchenisthecenterofhomelifeformanypeople,andthismeans

thatmanykitchensarepullingdouble(ortripleduty)asahomeoffice,

homeworkstation,craftcenter,andmore.Beforeyoucangetagripon

themessthatisyourkitchen,youneedtomakesomedecisionsabout

howyourkitchenisgoingtobeused.Ifeveryoneisfloatinginandoutof

thisroom,bringingeverythingtheyneed(andthenleavingit)forallof

theiractivities,youaren’tgoingtobeabletocontaintheclutter.

First,makealistofalltheactivitiesthathappenregularlyinyour

kitchen,includingtheamountandtypesofsuppliestheyrequire.

Activitiesthattakealotoftime,supplies,androomaremuchmore

disruptivethanthosethattakeless.

Lookoveryourlistandmakesureit’scomplete.Then,makedecisions

aboutkitchendutybasedonthefollowingsuggestions.

MoveSomeActivitiesElsewhere

Askyourself,isthereaspacesomeplaceelseinthehousewherethis

activitycanbedone?Ifthereisanotherspace,whyarewenotusingit

forthat?Figureoutwhatyouneedtodotomaketheotherareausable.

Maybeyouneedtodoalittleorganizinganddeclutteringinsomeother

spacesofyourhome.Maybesomereorganizationoffurniturewillmake

spaceinanotherarea.Orperhapsyouneedtomakeaspacelikea

basementorgaragemoreusablefortheseactivities.

DecideWhatYourKitchenIsFor

Askyourself,whatactivitiesdoIreallywanthappeninginmykitchen?

Somepeoplelovetohavekidsdoinghomeworkorcraftsatthekitchen

table.Otherscan’tstandit.Maybeyou’reputtingupwithsomeactivities

inyourkitchenbecauseyoucouldn’tthinkofanotherlocationforthem.

Decidewhatmakesyoucomfortableandsetsomerules.

WhereWilltheMaterialsGo?

Ifyouplantocontinueusingthekitchenforanactivitylikepayingbills,

askyourself,doIhavestoragespaceinthekitchenfortheitems

routinelyneededforthisactivity?Ifyouwanttouseyourkitchencounter

asaspottopaybills,butthereisnoplacetokeepyourcheckbook,

calculator,laptop,andbills,maybethisisn’ttherightspotforthisactivity.

ShouldThisBeDoneintheKitchen?

Ask,isthisanactivitythatmakessensetodointhekitchen?Some

projects,suchasflowerarrangingormessycrafts,reallyneedtobedone

inthekitchenwherecleanupiseasierandthereisaccesstowater.

Projectswithlessdangertoyourcarpetscanprobablybedone

elsewhere.Andsomethingsreallyarenotwell-suitedtothekitchenatall,

particularlytasksthatinvolvepaperworkthatcouldgetwetordirty.

AttackYourKitchenSlowly

Oneofthebiggesttemptationsinalmosteveryareaoflifeistotryto

takeontoomuch,toofast.Thisisahugeproblemwhenitcomesto

gettingyourkitchenundercontrol.Insteadoftryingtotackle

organizationalproblemsinsmall,manageablesteps,peopleareoften

temptedtotrytotakeontheentireroom(oreventheentirehouse)at

once.

Whentoomuchistakenontoofast,peoplequicklyexperience“crash-

and-burn”syndrome.Youcanquicklybecomediscouraged,paralyzed,

andexhausted,collapsingonakitchenchairandlookingaroundwith

despair.Butitdoesn’thavetobethisway!

BreakItDown

Kitchenorganizingfeelsoverwhelmingbecausetherearesomany

thingsthatneedtobedoneanditseemslikeitwilltakehugeamountsof

timetocompletethemall.Thekeytogettingpastthisistobreakdown

yourkitchenprojectintosmallertasks.Usethefollowinglistofprojects

andtackleoneaday,afewperweek,orahandfulperweekendtoget

throughthem.

Cleanandorganizeoneshelfordrawerinthefridge.

Cleanandorganizeoneshelfordrawerinthefreezer.

Clearoffandcleancountertops.

Cleantheoutsideofoneappliance.

Organizeonecupboardordrawer.

Organizeoneshelfinyourpantry.

Organizeyourbulletinboard.

Sortandorganizematerialsinonebasketorboxinthekitchen.

Eachofthesetasksshouldnottakemorethantenminutes.

ManageExpectations

Approachallofyourorganizingtaskswithrealisticexpectations.You

arenotgoingtohaveashowroomkitchenbytomorrow.Youarenot

perfectandyourorganizingworkwillbegoodenoughbythetimeyouare

done,butitcannotpossiblylooklikethehomesyouseeinmagazines.

Don’texpectmorethanyou,oryourkitchen,candeliver.Don’tforget,

you’relimitedbythesizeofyourkitchen.Bykeepingyourexpectationsin

check—andgeneratingonlysmall,manageablegoals,suchastosort

throughyourplasticfoodcontainersoneday—youaremorelikelyto

keepgoing,evenwhenyoufeeltired.Afterall,small,achievablegoals

don’tweighonyouasheavilyaslargeronescan.Youknowthatyour

goalisrealisticwhenitfeelsdoable.Asenseofdespairisagoodsign

thatyourgoalsaretooloftyandthattheyneedtobecutbackdownto

size.

AsorganizerMarlaCilleyofFlyLady.netsaysaboutbecomingrealistic:

“PerfectionismwillkeepyoufromevergettingoutoftheCHAOS(Can’t

HaveAnyoneOverSyndrome).Thisprocessofbabystepsisallabout

progress,notperfection.”

PushBackonResistance

StephenPressfield’sbookTheWarofArtdefines“Resistance”asthe

universalderailingforcethatseekstoundousthemomentweattemptto

movetoahigherplaneinart,academics,relationships,andlife.If

Resistancehadavoice,itwouldsaythingslike,“Youcan’t,youcan’t,

youcan’t.You’renotsmartenough,organizedenough,savvyenough.”

Ifyouareattemptingtobringordertoyourkitchen,youcanexpectto

experiencesomeResistance.Itcancomefromtheinsideorfromthe

outside.Youmightdoubtyourself,andothersmightquestionyour

motives,especiallyiftheyarelosingthewaragainstResistanceintheir

ownlives.Remember—itisfareasierforotherpeopletopointoutthe

flawsinyourplanthanitisforthemtowagetheirownbattles.Itisalso

mucheasierforyoutositaroundandtellyourselfthatreorganizingyour

cupboardsisimpossiblethanjusttogetstartedactuallydoingit.Push

pasttheResistanceyouareencounteringandcreatingandjustget

started;you’llsoonfindyou’reonyourwaytoacleaner,happierkitchen.

BanPerfectionism

Perfectionismcanparalyze.Sometimesitjustfeelssohardtodo

somethingifyoufeelasifsomehowwhatyoudowillnevermeasureup.

Remember,thegoalisnottodoitperfectly.Youjustneedtodoitgood

enoughforyourownstandards(notanyoneelse’s!).Ifyousetthebartoo

high,you’lljustgiveupanddecideyoucanneverhaveakitchenthat

meetsthoseexpectations.Butifallyouaskofyourselfistodoalittle

bettertodayandalittlebettertomorrow,youwillslowlymakeprogress.

Sometimesyourkitchenprojectsmaynotworkout.Rememberthat

anyimprovementwillincreaseyourkitchen’susablespaceandmakeita

happierplacetowork.

QuickPickup

Insteadoftryingtocleanororganizetheentirekitchen,tryafive-minute

pickup.Setatimerforfiveminutesandthenfocusyourattentiononthe

kitchen,pickingupthingsandputtingthemawayasquicklyasyou

possiblycan.Thistechniqueisfunandfastandwillhelpalleviatesome

ofthedrudgeryofcleaningandorganizing.Inafive-minutewindow,you

canprobablygetallthedishesintothedishwasher,thecounterwiped,

thestovetopwiped,couponsputaway,utensilsstored,andpotholders

stashedinadrawer.

Itcanbecomearaceagainsttheclockasyouseektorestoreorderin

aminimalamountoftime.Itcanalsohelpcurbtheperfectionismthatso

oftenhauntsyouinthekitchen,becauseyoujustcan’taffordtodemand

perfectionfromyourselfwhenyou’retryingtobeattheclock.Theother

greatbenefitofaquickcleanupisthatitcanshowyouhowsimpleitcan

betotidyup.

StayFocused

Often,whenyoubegintotacklethemessinyourkitchenyou’re

stoppeddeadinyourtracksbyapileofmail,arecipeyouwanttomake,

abrokenmixeryou’vebeenmeaningtogetrepaired,andother

distractions.Whiletheseitemscanbefuntoworkon,youneedto

rememberthat,duringthefive-minutepickup,thoughtisyourenemy.It

willslowyoudownandpreventyoufrombeingobjectiveaboutclutter.

Thisisnotthetimetoperformdeeportime-consumingtasks.Itisjusta

quickbuzzaroundtheroom,straighteningandwipingthingsdown.

Ifyoufindyourselfsidelinedbythingsinyourkitchenyou’vebeen

meaningtogetto,scoopthemallupandputtheminabox.Attack

thatboxonarainySunday,butdon’tlettheitemsinitderailyou

fromdoingaquicksweepofyourkitchen.

Treats!

Anotherwaytoincreasethefunofthisactivityistointroducesome

kindofreward.Youmightconsiderputtingapotofcoffeeontobrew.As

thearomaticcoffeesputtersinthepot,yourusharoundtryingtocreate

order.Youpromiseyourselfthatassoonasthecoffeeisready,youcan

sitandrelaxwithasteamingcupofcoffeeinyourorderlykitchen.

Youcanalsousebeforeandafterphotostogiveyourselfasenseof

accomplishment.Theyhelpyourememberhowmuchyoureallydid

inyourorganizingandwillhelpyoustaypositiveaboutthework.

Eventually,youmightfindthatorderhasitsownrewards,butwhen

you’retryingtodeveloppositivehabits,itcanbehelpfultoattachrewards

tothetasksyoudread,sothatinsteadofthinking“Nopain,nogain,”you

willbemoreinclinedtothinkofyourtasksinapositiveway.

2

GOODVIBES

intheKitchen

Yourkitchenisthecenterofyourhome—itgroundsyourhome.

Ifyourkitchenisoutofbalance,it’slikelyyouareaswell.This

chapterfocusesonwaystomakeyourkitchenabalanced,

peaceful,andverypersonalspace.Themorecomfortableand

relaxedyoufeelwheninthekitchen,theeasieritwillbeforyou

tocook,cleanup,anddootheractivitiesinthespace.Oneway

tohelpyourkitchenbecomebalanced—andstaythatway—is

byapplyingtheprinciplesoffengshui.

WhatIsFengShui?

Fengshui,pronounced“fungshway,”isthestudyofenergyandhowit

affectspeoplepositivelyornegatively.FengshuiisanancientChinese

practicethatwasdevelopedbyagrarianpeoplewhorecognizedtheir

dependenceonthenaturalforcesoftheworld.Fengshui,byintegrating

theTaoistsearchforbalanceandtheBuddhistquestforharmony,seeks

toincorporatetheseprinciplesintothehome,andspecificallyhere,your

kitchen.

InEnglish,fengshuimeans“thewayofwindandwater”or“thenatural

forcesoftheuniverse.”TheancientChineselivedbytheseforces.

Europeanscalltheseforces“geomancy,”andHawaiiansandNative

Americanspracticetheirownmethodsofenergybalancing.The

fundamentalconceptsbehindfengshuihavebeenstudiedandexplored

throughouthistorybypeoplearoundtheworld.

EnergyFlow

Oneoftheprimaryprinciplesoffengshuiisthatyouwanttheenergyin

yourkitchentoconnectwiththenaturallifeforcesoutdoors.Youmust

allowtheenergytoflowfreelythroughyourkitchen,andnothamperitby

havingexcessclutterorbyleavingthingsbroken,includingdamagedor

crackedwindows.Accordingtothistheory,energyflowsbestalong

curvingspaces—ovalsandcirclesarepreferabletojuttingcornersand

straightlines.Anorderlykitchenismoreconducivetopositiveenergy

flowthanachaoticone.

Manypeopleareinitiallyquiteskepticalaboutfengshui.Although

someoftheprinciplesmightnotresonatewithyou,manyoftheideaswill

likelymeshwithyourownintuition.Itisasiftheyexplainsomethingthat

hasneverbeforebeenclearlyarticulated.

Whilesomeoftheideasassociatedwithfengshuimayseemalittle

oddandunrealisticforyourownspace,othersfollowthelinesofcommon

sense.Manyoftheideasassociatedwithfengshuiseemedtobe

fundamentalanduniversalconceptsthatcanmakesensetopeoplein

anylifecircumstanceandofanyreligiouspersuasion.

WhilefengshuiusedtobethoughtofasawackyinventionoftheNew

Agemovement,peopleareincreasinglybecomingawareofthespiritual

dimensionsofspaceandthevalueoflivingintentionallyinone’sown

home.Certainarrangementsoffurnitureandhomeorientationevoke

emotions—cluttercancauseafeelingofhelplessness,brokenthingscan

makeyoufeeldepressedanddark,dingyspacescanoppressyourspirit.

Thefengshuiprinciplethatcurvinglinesaremoreconducivetoahealthy

andaestheticallypleasingspace,forexample,makessensetoanyone

whohaslivedinashoeboxapartment.

PrinciplesofFengShui

Thebasicprinciplesoffengshuiareusefulforthosewhowishto

incorporatesomeoftheseideasintotheirlivesandkitchen.Manyofthe

ideasoffengshuimayresonatewithyou.Let’slookatwhatthese

principlesare.

CleartheClutter

Besidestakingupphysicalspace,cluttercanblocknewopportunities

andkeepyoulockedinthepast.Byclearingoutyourkitchen,youcreate

spaceforafuturefullofpossibilities.

AllowEnergytoFlowFreely

Energyshouldbeabletoflowthroughyourkitchentopromotegood

healthandharmony.Avoidinterferingwiththisflowwithclutteror

awkwardlyplacedfurnitureorappliances.Useroundplates,notsquare

orrectangularonesinyourkitchen.Roundplateshavethemostflowand

supportharmonyintheroomandduringyourdiningexperience.

BringinLivingEnergy

Freshflowers,plants,andbowlsoffruitsandvegetablesimprovethe

energyofthekitchen.Driedflowersaredeadandcreatedeadenergy.

Unhealthyplantscreateanunhealthyenergy.

ContaintheEnergy

Energyneedstobeabletoflowaroundthekitcheninordertonourish

you.Avoidsituationsthatallowenergytorushthroughthekitchenand

quicklyescape.Doorsinandoutoftheroomshouldnotdirectlyface

eachother.Ifthisisthecaseinyourkitchen,considerhangingwind

chimestomoderateandredirecttheflowofenergy.

MakeSureEverythingWorks

Stayontopofmaintenanceissues.Fixitemsquicklyandkeepyour

surroundingsascleanaspossible.Fengshuiteachesthateveryjobleft

half-donesomehowreflectsanaspectofyourlifethatisincompleteand

needsattention.

BeAwareofEnergyIssues

Accordingtofengshui,distortionsintheelectromagneticfieldscan

impactyourmentalclarityoveraperiodoftime.Expertsbelievethat

sometimesenergyneedstobe“rebalanced”byatrainedprofessional.

BeAwareofImagesandSymbols

Yourchoiceofart,forexample,isconsideredamessagefromyour

subconscious.Lookaroundtheroomtodeterminewhatkindsof

messagesyoumayhaveunwittinglyprojectedintoyourspace.Consider

changingyourarttoreflectmoreconsciouslyyourdesiresforthefuture.

Insteadofaprintofafruitbowl,hangoneofalargehappyfamily

gatheredtogether,oraprintofafarawayplaceyouwanttovisit.

MaketheKitchenaCenterofCalmness

Thekitchenisoftenconsideredthehuboffamilylife.Makethisrooma

containedareawhereyoucanpreparemealsinpeace.Accordingtothe

principlesoffengshui,theatmosphereofyourkitchenwillpermeatethe

foodthatyouprepareandserve.

LoveYourKitchen—andItWillLoveYou

Thinkofyourhomeasalivingbeing.Ifyoucareforitandnourishit,it

willinturnsupportandnurtureyou.Ifyouintegratesomeoftheprinciples

offengshuiintoyourkitchen,youmayfindthatyoucanrestbetter,live

better,andentertainmorefreelyinyourspace.

PracticalApplications

Thefirststepsinhealingyourout-of-balancekitchenarequite

concrete:Getridoftheclutter,fixthebrokenthings,andbringalittle

morelighttoyourroomthroughtheuseofmirrors.Clutteristrapped

energythathasfar-reachingeffects—physical,mental,andspiritual.All

formsofhouseholdcluttercankeepyoutrappedinthepast,congest

yourbody,andmakeyoufeellethargicandfatigued.

Accordingtotheprinciplesoffengshui,whenyouclearoutclutter,you

releasenegativeemotions,generatepositiveenergy,andcarveout

spacetodothethingsyoumosthopetodoinyourkitchen.Theideathat

clutterholdspeoplebackfromrealizingtheirpotentialseemstobea

universalbelief,heldnotjustbypractitionersoffengshui,butby

professionalorganizersaswell.

Oneoffengshui’sprimaryconcernsaboutclutteristhatitisnot

forwardlooking.Clutterisoftenawayofclingingtothepastanditcanbe

cripplingtoapersonwhowantstotakestepstomovetowardthefuture.

Accordingtothisphilosophy,bygettingridofclutter,youcreatespacefor

newpossibilities.

Followsomeofthesepracticaltipstofengshuiyourkitchen.

Fengshuisupportsthetraditionalkitchentriangleofstove,sink,and

refrigeratorbecauseitpromotesharmony.However,thestove

shouldnotbeplacedoppositeadoor,nexttothesinkorfridge,or

underawindowbecausethisdisruptstheflowofenergyandcreates

aclashingofelements.Ifyoucan’tchangetheplacementofthe

stove,placeavasewithwaterbetweenthestoveandtheother

appliance.

Keepknivesputawayinadrawerorknifeblocktokeeptheir

negativeenergyunderwraps.

Ifthekitchenisvisiblefromthemaindoorofthehome,putupa

screenorhangsomethinginthedoorway(acurtainorbeads)to

preventtheenergyfromflowingoutoftheroomandoutofthe

house.

Youshouldbeabletoseetheentireroomwhenworkingatthe

stove.Ifyoucan’t,placeamirroroverthestove.

Amicrowaveshouldnotbeplacedabovethestovebecauseit

disruptstheflowofenergyintheroom.

HiringaConsultant

Althoughitisfairlysimpletograspthebasicprinciplesoffengshui,it

cantakeyearstounderstandtrulyitsunderlyingprinciples.Somepeople

whointuitivelyresonatewiththeprinciplesoffengshuiandwanttolearn

more,hireprofessionalfengshuiconsultantswhocancomeintotheir

kitchenandhomeandofferpracticaltipsforincreasingenergyflowand

releasingtrappednegativeemotions.

Unlessyouarebuildinganewhomefromscratchordoingamajor

remodel,thebasicstructuresofyourkitchencan’tbeeasilymodified.

Thatsaid,fengshuiofferspractical,doableideasforusingsmaller

objectstochangeyourspace.These“cures”involvetheuseofsymbolic

items,color,andrepositioningoffurniture.Aconsultantcanhelp

diagnosethequirksinyourhomeandhelpidentifysolutions.

Thebestwaytofindalocalfengshuiexpertisthroughareferralfrom

someoneyouknowandtrust.YoucanvisittheInternationalFengShui

Guildat

www.ifsguild.org

.Thisgrouphopestopromotetheuse,practice,

andteachingsoffengshui.Thecostofhiringaprofessionalfengshui

consultantvariesaccordingtolocationandotherfactors,sobesureto

determinefeesandservicescoveredbeforebringingtheconsultantinto

yourhome.

HealYourKitchen

Afteryou’vebeguntheworkofdeclutteringyourkitchen,takeamental

inventoryofbrokenthingsandbegintomakeafocusedefforttofixthese

orgetthemoutofthekitchen.Itisalsowisetocleandirtyspaces.Be

especiallymindfulofwindows,becauseaccordingtotheseprinciples,

windowsaretheeyesofthechi(thelifeforceenergy)andtheyaffect

yourmentalclarity.Thisisoneofthoseintuitivefengshuiideas.Ifyou

standatthesinkwashingdishesandhavetolookthroughadirtywindow,

you’llfeellesshappythanifyouhadanunobstructedview.Dirtywindows

strainyoureyesandyouhavetofocustoseeout.Theyalsocanfeellike

areproacheverytimethesunlightexposesallthatdirt.

Onamorebasiclevel,smudgedorcrackedwindowscaninterferewith

yourexperienceoflightandbeauty—insteadofseeingyourlovely

garden,youmightjustseethoseflecksofdirt.Thedirtmightmakeyou

feelburdenedandworriedwiththoughtslike,howamIgoingtotackle

that?Thesesmallthingscandetractfromyourexperienceofbeinginthe

kitchen,andcanhaveasignificantnegativeimpactonyourmood.

Fengshuiteachesthatthesystemsofyourkitchencorrespondtoyour

bodilysystems.Youmighthavebeenabletoguessthatplumbing

correspondstoyourbody’sdigestivesystem,sothosewhobelieveinthis

modelwouldsaythatitiswisetorepairleakyfaucetsandcloggeddrains

promptlyifyouwishtokeepyourdigestivesystemingoodworkingorder.

Likewise,theelectricalsysteminyourkitchencorrespondstoyour

neurologicalsystem.

WhenYouCan’tFollowFengShuiPrinciples

AmericanandEuropeanhousesaren’tusuallybuiltwiththeprinciples

offengshuiinmind,sooccasionallyyouwillhaveaproblemapplyinga

principletoyoursituation.Forexample,itisconsideredgoodfengshuito

haveyourdeskfacingadoor.Butifyouhaveadeskinyourkitchenitis

almostalwaysbuiltinfacingawall.Itisalsobadfengshuitohaveyour

kitchenclosetothefrontdoororbackdoorofyourhome.Whatshould

youdo?Inthesekindsofsituations,followyourownintuition(orthe

architecturalconstraintsofyourkitchen),evenwhentheyruncounterto

fengshui.Youcanalsomodifytheeffectsoftheproblem,suchasby

hangingamirroronthewallaboveyourdesk.

AHospitableKitchen

Anotherwaytoattendtothespiritualdimensionsofyourkitchenisto

seektobeintentionallyhospitable,toopenyourkitchentowelcome,

feed,andnurturebothfriendsandstrangers.Onewaytoenjoyyour

guestsmoreistoallowthemtohelpinthekitchen.Especiallyifyou’llbe

havingalargegroupover,inviteafewfriendstohelpwiththecooking

andpreparations.Whenpeopleoffertohelpinthekitchen,takethemup

onit.Workingtogetherinthekitchenbuildsandenhancesrelationship

bonds.

OnephilosophyofhomemakingthatisslowlycatchingoninAmerican

societyiswabi-sabi.ThisancientJapanesephilosophyisrelatedto

creatingspacesthatareuncluttered,adornedwithweatheredor

handmadeitems,andintentionallyhospitable.Theelaboraterituals

relatedtotheJapaneseteaceremonyareexpressiveofthewabi-sabi

mentality,whichhasatitsheartconsiderationforothers.

Ifyourkitchenisorderlyandtheatmospherepeaceful,itwillbeaplace

wherepeoplewanttolinger.Afterguestsleaveanddishesarebeing

stackedinthedishwasher,theblessingoftheirpresenceseemstolinger

inthehome.Somepeoplebelievethathospitablekitchensdon’tjust

strengthenthosewhovisitthehome,butalsonourishthosewhodwell

theredaily.

ThethemeofhospitalityispresentthroughouttheNewTestament.In

thebookofHebrewsitsays,“Bemindfultoentertainstrangersbecause

insodoingsomehaveentertainedangelsunaware.”Thispassage

probablyrefersbacktotheOldTestamentstoryofthehospitalityof

Abraham,throughwhichAbrahamandSarahwerelikelymoreblessed

thantheirguests.

ThethemeofhospitalityisalsopresentintheancientEastern

Orthodoxweddingservice.Duringthecourseofthisservice,aprayeris

saidoverthecouple“thattheywillbeblessedwithwheat,wine,andoil

sothattheycangivetoothersinneed.”Thenotionofhospitalityisbased

ontheideathatgiftsareintendedtobeshared.Bygenerouslysharing

yourkitchenwithothers,younotonlyhelpothers,youcanalsohelp

yourselfandhelpyourhometoachieveitsfullpotential.Akitchenthatis

organizediswelcomingtoothersandfeelscomfortabletoyouwhenyou

bringpeopleintoit.

BlessThisKitchen

Anotherwaytoincreasethegoodnessinyourkitchenistodoakitchen

blessing.Manyculturesaroundtheworldhaveconceptsofhouse

blessings.WithinChristianity,houseblessingsoccurmostofteninthe

EasternOrthodox,RomanCatholic,andAnglicanchurches.Some

peopledonotfeelthataroomiscompletelyorganizeduntilithasbeen

spirituallyorganizedaswell.Ablessingisawaytodothis.

SpiritualTransformation

Thebasicideaofakitchenblessingisthatspacecanbetransformed

throughprayer.Inmostcases,blessedwaterfromthechurchwillbe

sprinkledthroughtheroom(andsometimestheentirehome)byapriest

whilemembersofthefamilyandclosefriendsfollowthepriestandsing.

Ablessingcancreateanopportunitytoremembereverygiftthathas

beengiventothosewhodwellinthespace,andalsotorememberthat

thefamilyismuchlargerthanthesmallgroupofpeoplewhodwellthere.

Familiesstretchbackgenerationsandincorporateboththelivingand

thedead.Thisiswhyprayersaretraditionallysaidforthoseonboth

sidesofthegrave.Familiescanalsoextendbeyondtheconfinesof

biologytoembracefriendsandthewidercommunity.Akitchenblessing

canhelpanchorpeopleinthislargerreality.

IntheJewishfaith,kitchensmustbethoroughlycleanedeachyear

priortoPassovertoremovealltracesofchametz(breads,grains,and

leavenedproducts).Theritualofcleaningisaspecialonewithasenseof

expectation.See

Chabad.org

formoreinformation.

ANativeAmericantraditionistouseburningherbstopurifyaspace

andremovenegativeenergy.Asmudgestick(abundleofdriedherbs,

usuallyincludingsage)islitandleftsmolderingandcarriedaroundthe

room.Itismovedalongtheperimetersofthespaceandintodarkcorners

andthespacebehinddoors,purifyingtheroomwiththesmoke.

BlessingPreparations

Beforeablessing,familiescleantheirkitchenstoashineandprepare

ameal,snacks,ordessertforthosewhowillcome.Theactofpreparing

theroomcanbeajoyfultime,fullofanticipation,hope,andgratitude.

Duringtheblessing,prayersmayalsobesaidovereachareaofthe

kitchen,asawayofconsecratingspecificroomstospecificpurposes.In

moreelaborateblessings,crosseswillalsobedrawnwitholiveoilonthe

fourmainwallsofthekitchen.WithintheEasternOrthodoxChurch,an

elaboratehouseblessingserviceisoftenperformedwhenafamilymoves

intoahome,andthensmallerblessingswillbeperformedeachJanuary

—afterthefeastofTheophany,whenwaterisblessedandChrist’s

baptismisremembered.

Thesmallerannualservicesareawayofcontinuallyattendingtothe

spiritualatmosphereofthespace,prayingforthosewhodwellthere,and

infusingthephysicalspacewithasenseofspiritualpurpose.Thismight

beconsideredaformof“spiritualhousekeeping.”Blessingsarealsoa

wayforcommunitiestocelebrateallthegiftsthathavebeengivenand

thewaythatallthesegiftscometogetherinthehome.

YourOwnRituals

Yourkitchenisyourspacetopracticeyourownritualsandceremonies,

formalorinformal.Formanypeople,theactofmakingdinnerandsitting

downtogetherisitselfacherishedritual.Perhapsyourfamilyhasa

Sunday-dinnerritual,whereyoupreferamorelabor-intensivemealand

usegooddishesandlinens.Somepeoplemaketheirownbreadandfind

thattheweeklyprocessbecomeslikearitual.Thethingaboutritualsis

thattheycreateorder.Youalwaysdoacertainthinginacertainwayand

itcreatescomfortandgoodfeelings.Increatingkitchenritualsyouwill

makeyourkitchenfeelmoreorderlyandmorelikeaspacethathas

significancetoyouandyourfamily;itwillbeeasiertomaketheeffortto

keepitneat.

3

The

HEART

oftheHome

Thekitchenistheheartofthehome.It’swherepeopledo

almosteverything—cook,eat,talk,craft,giftwrap,sew,feed

thecat,dohomework,paybills,playgames,andjustplain

hangout.Everyoneinthefamilypopsinandoutofthekitchen

throughouttheday.Withsomuchgoingon,youwantthistobe

aspacethatisorganizedandfocusedsoitcanaccommodate

everythingthat’shappening(notleastofallthecooking!).

Gettingyourkitchensorted,cleaned,andstockedareimportant

waystokeepitstreamlinedforfamilylife,butthebestkitchens

arenotonlypulledtogether,butwelcomingandinviting.Ifyou

makeyourkitchennotonlyneat,butalsowarmandfun,itwill

beaspacethateveryonewillenjoy.

PackAwayStress

Ifyouwantyourkitchentobetheplaceyourfamilyflocksto,makesureit

isaroomthatinvitestheminanddoesn’tpushthemaway.Resolvethat

thiswillbeastress-freeroom!Withalittleorganizationyoucankeep

stresstoaminimum.Takealookatyourkitchenandthinkaboutwhat

you’reseeingthatmakesyoufeelstressed.Takeyourcuesfromyour

gut.Iftheshoppinglistonthesideoffridgejustmakesyouworryabout

whenyou’regoingtofindtimetogettoastore,thatlistbelongsina

draweroutofsight.Don’tleavebillsonthekitchencounter—stashthem

outofsight.Don’tkeepyourto-dolistpostedonthebulletinboardwhere

itconstantlyremindsyouandothersoftasksyetunfinished.Doesyour

son’sbaseballschedulemakeyoufeeloverwhelmed?Takeitoffthe

fridgeandkeepitinyourdeskdrawerinstead(orbetteryet,justtransfer

allthedatestoyoursmartphone).Trytokeepyourcountersandkitchen

tableclear.Acleankitchenisalsoaninvitingkitchen.See

Chapter8

for

cleaningtips.

CreateaComfortZone

Yourfamilycomestothekitchenbecausetheyidentifyitwithcomfort.

Enhancethecomfortofyourkitchentoreinforcethat.Usethesetipsto

organizeyourkitcheninwaysthathelpeveryonefeelathome.

WindowTreatments

Fabricinthekitchensendsoutvibesofsoftness.Takedowntheblinds

andputruffledcurtainsonyourwindows.Usewarmandinvitingcolors.

Anorganizedkitchenhaswindowsthataredecoratedinawaythat

complementstherestoftheroom.

SoftentheSeating

Fabriccushionsonthechairs,stools,andbenchesinyourkitchen

makeitlookandfeelmorecomfortableandmoretogether.Useadark

colorfabricforcushions—ithidesfoodstainsandmakesyourcleanup

easier.Ifyou’reconsideringaremodel,installingbuilt-inseatingmakesa

kitchencozierandfeelsmoreorganized(nochairsaskew).

ShedSomeLight

Anotherfactorthatcangreatlyinfluencetheambianceandfunctionality

ofyourkitchenishowyouhaveyourlightingorganized.Oftenhomes

haveharshoverheadlightsthatglareonallwhoenter.Ideally,you’llhave

afewdifferenttypesoflightingsothatyoucanalternatethemdepending

onyourneedsandthetimeofday.Investinlightingthatyoulove—lamps

canworkinakitchen,ascanbeamorspotlightsthatwillgiveyousoft,

steadylightinexactlytheplacewhereyouneedit.

Thewaythatyoulightyourkitchenwillhaveadramaticeffectonhow

youworkandfeelinthatspace.Achangeinthelightingsituationcan

encourageyoutogetinthereandstartcooking.Soft,amplelightcan

increaseyourefficiency,improveyourmood,andtransformyourkitchen

intoaplaceofpeaceandhospitality.

GetUnderfoot

Arearugsmakeakitchencomfyandhelptodesignatespecificzones

oftheroom.Buttokeepthemorganizedandinplace,besuretouse

nonslippadstoavoidaccidents.Washablerugsareeasiest,butsturdier

types,suchasbraidedrugs,alsoholdupwellinthekitchen.Avoid

placingarugunderyourkitchentable.Itwillalwaysbecoveredin

crumbsandyou’llspendyourlifevacuumingit.It’salsodifficulttogetone

bigenoughsothechairsstayonit.Instead,placearuginfrontofthe

sink,alargearearuginanopenarea,orarunnerinawalkway.

DecoratetheWalls

Blankwallsarenotexcitingandwhattheyendupdoingisbringingthe

focustoanyclutteryouhaveonthecountersortable.Organizeanybig

emptywallspaceinyourkitchenwithframedposters,framedchildren’s

artwork,brightpaint,afamilybulletinboard,orevenamuralpaintedina

neatandbalancedfashion.Liveningupthespacethiswaymakesit

visuallyappealing.Noonewantstospendtimeinaplainwhiteroom,but

theydowanttocomeintoaroomthatiscolorfulandinteresting.

TieintotheHolidays

Whenyoudecorateyourhomeforseasonsandholidays,don’tforget

todressupyourkitchen,too.AbasketofEastereggs,holiday

potholders,abunchofdaffodils,seasonalplacemats,orasmalltabletop

Christmastreeareeasywaystomakethekitchenpartofthecelebration.

WanttoreallydressupthekitchenforChristmas?Youcouldhavea

smalltreethathasonlyfoodorcookingornamentsonit.Choosea

gingerbreadmanorcandycanethemetodecoratetheroom.Candyisa

beautifuldecorativeitemfortheholidays—fillglassjarswithcolorfulred

andgreencandiesandplacethemaroundthekitchen.Bowlsofcolorful

ornamentsareanotherinterestingtouchandofferaneasywaytouse

decorationsthatyouareunabletouseelsewhere.Thekeytoattractive

decorationsistokeepthemorganized—allsnowmentogetherinone

area,allEastereggsgatheredinabigbasket,andsoon.

Don’tgooverboardsothateverysurfaceiscovered,makingthe

kitchenhardtouseanddisorganized.Insteadaimforenoughtocreatea

feelingoffestivity.Storeandorganizeyourkitchendecorationsina

speciallydesignatedboxlabeled“kitchenChristmasdecorations,”

“kitchenspringdecorations,”etc.Ifyouhavespaceonthetopshelfof

yourpantry,storeyourdecorationsthere.Ifnot,keepthemwithallof

yourotherseasonaldecorations.

CreateaReasontoComeIn

Tomakethekitchentheorganizedcenterofyourhome,youneedto

havethingsthatdrawyourfamilyin.Theyneedareasontocomeintothe

kitchen,andareasontostay.Organizethefollowingreasonstocreatea

draw:

Alwayshaveabowlofhealthysnackssittingonthecounterortable.

Abowlofnutsintheshellthatmustbecrackedtobeenjoyedoffers

anactivityandatastysnack.Peoplewillsitatthetableandeat,

insteadofgoingelsewhereinthehomeandleavingcrumbsthere!

TurnonmusicortheTVwhenyou’reworkinginthekitchen.Your

familywillcomeintoseewhatyou’relaughingatorhumming.

Televisioncanstifleconversationifeveryonejuststaresblankly,so

useanyprogramasajumping-offpointforconversation.

Astackofrecentmagazines,coloringbooks,holidaycards,or

photos(neatlystashedonashelforinacutebasket)provideadraw

intotheroomandgivepeoplesomethingtodowhilethere.

Plantsandflowersmakeakitchenfeelaliveandinviting.Fordouble

duty,trypotsofherbsinyourkitchenasdecorationandascooking

aids.

Offersamples!Wheneveryou’recookingsomethingandwanta

secondopinion,orjustanexcuseforsomecompany,askforsome

tasters.

KidsintheKitchen

Ifyouhavechildren,orgrandchildren,theyareprobablynaturallydrawn

tothekitchen.Therearesomanycupboardstoopenandthingsto

explore!Olderkidslovekitchensbecausetheygettoassistwithcooking

orquietlyworkonhomeworkwithabelovedadultnearby.Keepingyour

kitchenorganizedwhenlittlehandsarearoundcanbeachallengebut

onethatiswellworththeeffort.

ChildproofingYourKitchen

Ifyouhavelittleonesunderfoot,theirsafetyisyournumber-onepriority

inthekitchen.Withalittleeffort,youcanmakeitaroomthatisnurturing

withoutanyhiddendangers.Animportantpartofstayingorganizedin

yourkitchenisstayingontopofsafetyprecautions.Ifyoufollowthe

followingsuggestionsyouwillalwaysknowtheroomissafeand

organizedforchildren.

Installcupboarddooranddrawerlocks.Youcanpurchasetheseat

discountorbabystoresororderthroughwebsitessuchas

www.onestepahead.com

.

Designateonecupboardforchild-friendlyitemsandtoysandkeep

thatoneunlocked.

Securebookcasesandshelvestothewalls,sochildrencan’tpull

themover.

Keepbreakableitemsoutofyourchild’sreachonhighshelves.

Usealockinggateontheentrywaytothekitchensoyoucanshut

childrenoutoftheroomwhennecessary.

Storecleaningsuppliesandthingslikecookingwineoutofreachof

littlehands.

Whenyoucook,turnthehandlesofpotsandpansawayfromthe

edgeofthestove.Usethebackburnersasmuchaspossible.You

canalsoinstallaplasticguardthatpreventschildrenfrombeingable

toreachthestovetoporitsknobs.

Keepappliancecordsoutofreachatalltimesandconsider

unpluggingcountertopapplianceswhenyouaren’tusingthem.

Designateasetofplaypotsandpansforkidstouse.Ifyouletthem

playwithyours,theywillthinktheyaretoysevenwhentheyareon

thestoveorcominghotoutoftheoven.

Keepovendoors,dishwashers,trashcompactors,clothesdryers,

andotherlargeappliancesclosedatalltimeswhenthereisasmall

personunderfoot.

Whenyourchildisinahighchairorboosterseat,usethestraps!

Theyaretheretoprotectyourchildfromfalls.

Keepyourtrashcanoutofsightunderthesink(behindalocked

cupboarddoor)orinsideyourpantry,oruseonethathasalocking

lidandischildproof.

Keepremotecontrols,telephones,andothertechnologyoutof

reach.

Alwaystestwaterfromafaucettobesureitisnothotbefore

washingachild’shandsunderit.

Movehotfoodsandbeveragesoutofyourchild’sreach.

Highchairsthatclipontothetablewillsaveyouspaceifyou’reina

smallkitchen.Besuretofollowallinstructionsandusethebelts.

Child’sPlay

Thekitchencanandshouldbeafunplaceforallchildren,butkidscan

bringalotofclutter,soyou’llwanttokeeptheiritemsorganized.Use

yourkitchentableasagreatplacetodocrafts,puzzles,orplaygames.

Setasidesometoysandpuzzlesthatarekeptinthekitchen.Some

activitiesthatkidscanworkonaloneforafewminutesatatimearea

greatresource,soyoucanturnyourattentiontocookingwhiletheyare

occupied.Stockyourkids’cupboardwith:

Stringingbeads

Blocks

Toydishesandplayfood

Dolls,animalfigurines,andactionfigures

Crayons,washableorno-messmarkers,andsomepaper

Toymusicalinstruments

Shapesorters

Books

Reusablestickers

Keeptheseitemsorganizedinbins,baskets,orboxesthatfitinsidethe

cupboardorareattractiveenoughtosetout.

Homemadeplaydoughisagreatkitchenproject,andwhenthatdough

isnotonlycolorful,butedible,youknowthereisgoingtobesomefun!

Makingyourownischeaperandmorefunthanbuyingcansofstore-

boughtdough(whichyouthenhavetofindaplacetostore).Mix3

teaspoonsofcreamoftartar,1cupofflour,

1

⁄

2

cupsalt,and1packageof

Kool-Aidinapot.Stirin1cupwaterand1tablespoonvegetableoil.Stir

overmediumheatuntilitbecomesdough-like.Coolanduseimmediately.

Purchaseaplasticboxthatwillfitinsideyourcupboardandfillithalf-

fullwithuncookedrice.Addsomescoops,plasticbowls,spoons,and

smalltoysandyourchildwillhappilydigaroundinitlongenoughforyou

togetdinnermade.Thisalsokeepsagreatplayareaorganizedinone

containerthatyoucaneasilyputaway.Addnewitemstoitoccasionally

tomaintaininterest.

Thekitchentableisoftentheprimeplaceforfamilygamesinvolving

kids(andadults)ofallages.Ifyoucanstashyourgamesonashelforin

acupboardinyourkitchen,itwillmakeforeasyorganization.Ifyour

spaceislimited,considerremovingthegamesfromtheirboxes.Youcan

easilystackthegameboardstogetherinaverysmallspace,orstand

themuponadeepbookcase.Placethegamepiecesandcardsforeach

gameinalabeledzip-topbag,orverysmallplasticboxorstorage

container.Decksofcardsshouldalwaysberubber-banded,orplacedin

azip-topbagforstorage(thereisnothingworsethanplayingawhole

gameandthenrealizingonecardismissing).

Keepasmallstepstoolinthekitchen;yourchildcanstandonitto

reachthecounter,orcancomfortablysitonittoreadabookorplay.To

becertainitwon’tslidewheninuse,makesurethestoolhasrubber

stoppersonthebottom.Keepthestoolinaclosetorcupboardwhennot

inusesoitisnotunderfoot.

CookingwithKids

Cookingwithchildrenisnotonlyawaytohavefun,butawayyoucan

teachmath,discussnutrition,andhelpkidseventuallylearnhowto

becomeself-sufficient.Thekitchenisawonderfulplaceforteachable

moments.Andwhenyou’recooking,there’salotoftalking,butnoneofit

isfacetoface(i.e.,confrontational),soit’sagreatwaytofeelcloseto

yourpreteenorteenager.Tellstoriesabouthowyourmom,dad,or

grandmacooked.Talkaboutthekindoffoodyouenjoymaking.Askyour

childquestionsaboutwhyheorsheenjoyscooking.Usethisasan

opportunitytosharewitheachother.

Theyoungestchildrenlovetosquishthings,sohavethemhelpmake

piecrust,cookies,andcupcakes.Ifsomeofitgetsintheirmouths,it’sall

safe.

Youngkidsalsocanhavehoursoffuninthekitchensink,fillingpots

andbowlsand“washing”themforyou.Kidsofthisagelovetobe

involvedinfoodpreparation.Youcanbuyaminiaturesetofrealpotsand

pansandcookingutensilsforyourchildtocookwithunderyour

supervision,andorganizetheminsideyourDutchovenforeasystorage.

Elementaryschool–agedchildrenareinterestedinreadingrecipes,

learningtousethestoveandoven,andbeingabletopresentdishes

they’vemadeallbythemselvestothefamily.Encouragethemtolearnto

makeentrées,vegetabledishes,andhealthywhole-grainbakedgoods.

Theyneedsupervisionwithknives,hotitems,andappliancessuchas

foodprocessors.ThisisalsotheperfectagefortheEasy-BakeOven.

Setituponthetableorcounterandwatchasyourchildhasfunbaking

withouthelp.

Preteensandteensenjoycookingandbakingthingsthatmeettheir

specifictastesandinterests,andifyouhaveakitchenthatiswell

organized,itwillencouragethemtocookontheirown.Don’tbesurprised

ifyourteenexperimentswithvegetarianism,veganism,rawfoods,

organicfoods,orgluten-freeitems.Thekitchenisagreatplaceto

exploreindividualinterests.Childrenthisagemaybeopentolearning

familyrecipesandpickinguptechniquesthatwillmaketheiradventures

inthekitcheneasyandsuccessful.Nowifyoucanjustgetthemtowash

thedishes.…

HomeworkCentral

Thekitchentableisoftentheperfectplacetodohomework.There’sa

bigopenspace,aparentnearbyforhelp,andsnackswithinreach.This

areaisespeciallygreatifyouhaveachildwhoneedsalotofhelpor

encouragementtogetthathomeworkdone.Youcanbeintheroom

withoutobviouslyhovering.Ifyoulikehavingyourkidsdotheirworkin

thekitchenandwanttoencourageit,designateadrawerorshelfwhere

youcanorganizepaper,pensandpencils,acalculator(theymightnotbe

allowedtouseit,butyou’llwantoneifyou’recheckingmathhomework),

erasers,scissors,apencilsharpener,glue,andastapler.Asmallcaddy

(suchasthekindusedtoorganizepicnicsilverware)isperfectforstoring

theseitemsanditcaneasilybegrabbedandmoved.It’sreallyvery

helpfultohavesomeInternet-connecteddevicehandy(laptop,iPad,

smartphone)forthosequestionsyoudon’tknowtheanswerto(“Dad,

what’sthecapitalofMontana?”).

Thehardestpartabouthomeworkinthekitchenisgettingyourkidsto

pickitallupwhenthey’refinished.Theyhaveatendencytofloataway

leavingalloftheirdebrisonthetable.InstitutearulethatthereisnoTV,

gaming,orInternettimeuntilthekitchentableiscleared.Allhomework

andbooksshouldbebackintheirbags,readytogobacktoschool.The

schoolsupplieskeptathomeshouldbeputawayintheirproperplace.

YourOther“Children”intheKitchen

Faceit.Yourpetsareprettyhighupthereinyouraffections.Andinmany

houses,thekitchenalsoservesasahomebaseforpets.Theirfoodand

waterbowlsareinthekitchen,theirbedsareinthecorner,andtheirtoys

arescatteredaround.They’renofools—theyknowwherethefoodaction

is.Andwhenyoubringapuppyhome,you’relikelytoshuthimorherin

thekitchenbecauseaccidentsareeasiertocleanupthere.Petsare

definitelyabigpartofkitchenlifeandgettingalloftheirparaphernalia

organizedwillkeepyourkitchenclutter-free.

Setupadesignatedfeedingstationsothewaterandfoodbowlsare

notunderfoot.Youcanbuyaspecialplacemattosetthemon.For

largedogs,youmightconsideraraisedfoodandwaterstationthat

makesiteasierforthepettouseandisalsomorecompactforyou

(someallowyoutostorefoodinsidethem).

Refillorchangeyourpet’swateratleastonceaday.Keepatowelor

shammyhandytocleanupdrips.

Donotstorepetmedicationsinthekitchen.Youdon’twanttorisk

mixingthemupwithhumanmedsorexposingthemtohumidity.

Keeptheminautilityclosetoranotherareawherethereislow

humidity.

Bestrictaboutpetsandfood!Youdon’twantyourcatsjumpingon

thecountertohelpthemselves,nordoyouwantyourdogstealing

chickenbreastsfromthetable.Storepetfoodinthekitchenif

possible.Ifyoudon’thavespaceforlargequantities,consider

storingthebulkofitinthegarageorbasementinastoragebinand

havingasmallerplasticboxinthekitchenyoufeedfromandrefill

whenneeded.Considerkeepingyourpet’streatsinadecorative

canisterorjaronthecounterforeasyaccess.

Ifyoukeepleashesinthekitchen,awallcoatrack(pieceofwood

withdecorativehooks)isgreatforstorage.Organizethetoysand

chewiesbyplacingabasketorbintheyaretobekeptinonthefloor.

Ifyou’reahighlyskilledtrainer,youmaybeabletoteachyourpetto

pickthemupandputthemaway!

Cleanyourpets’bowls,toys,andbeddingregularly.Useregular

soapandlaundrydetergent.Donotuseharshcleaningchemicalson

anythingyourpethasclosecontactwithinthekitchen.

Thekitchenisnotthebestplaceforalitterbox—whowantstosmell

thatwhileeating?Findanotherroomwhereitwillwork.Ifyoumust

keepalitterboxinthekitchen,emptyitfrequentlyandkeepitasfar

awayfromtheeatingareaaspossible.

OfficeSpace

Acommonuseofthekitchen,particularlythekitchentable,isasahome

office.Evenifyouhaveaseparatehomeoffice,thekitchentablecanbe

averyconvenientplaceforpayingbills,writingholidaycards,rolling

coins,orsettingupyourlaptoporiPad.Thetricktousingyourkitchenas

anofficeiskeepingthethingsyouneedaccessible,butnotsothatthey

takeoverthekitchen.Akitchentablethatisconstantlycoveredwith

magazines,bills,andpaperworkisnotconducivetofamilymeals,or

evenfamilytime.Andifyoutrytoeatatorcookonatablewithpapersor

electronicsalloverit,youruntheriskofspillingsomethingandruining

them.

Ifthekitcheniswhereyouliketowork,findaplacetostashallofyour

materials.Abenchthathasstorageinsideisonegreatoption.Aboxthat

youcanpackupandslideintoacupboardorstickinaclosetallowsyou

tomoveeverythingoutquickly.Tostayorganized,buysomedividersfor

yourbox,soyoucaneasilykeepyourpapersinanorderthatallowsyou

toaccessthemquickly.Makesureyoualsohavestorageforpensand

pencils,whichtendtoovertakedrawersunlesstheyareorganizedina

smallboxorplacedinamuginacupboard.

Ifyourkitchenhasabuilt-indesk,youalreadyhaveadesignated

space,butthetrickiskeepingthatsmallspaceneat.Trytheseitemsto

keepthisareaorganized:

Useasmallvaseorjartoholdpensandpencils.

Placetwosmallbasketsonthedesk,oneformailthatcomesinand

oneformailthatgoesout.Youcanalsousethesebasketsto

organizepapersandnotesthatcomehomefromschoolwithyour

kidsandpapersyouneedtosendbacktoschool.

Asmalltrayishandyforkeysandsunglasses.Youmightalsoinstall

hooksinthewallfortheseitems.

Ifyourdeskspacehasadrawer,useplasticorganizerstokeep

stamps,envelopes,paper,chargercords,andcomputerinkneat.

Ifyouarekeepingfilesinthekitchen,usehangingfilesinadrawer

orinaplasticbox.

Abulletinboardcanbeattractiveanduseful.Stickinvitations,cute

photos,drycleaningreceipts,giftcertificates,andotherimportant

itemsonit.

Ifyourdeskspaceisoverrunwithcordstochargeyourelectronics,

considerbuyingachargerorganizer.Thissmallunitplugsintothe

outletandthenhasdesignatedspacesforallofyourdevicesto

charge.

OtherKitchenActivities

Thekitchentableisaconvenientplacetoworkonscrapbooking,sewing,

calligraphy,jewelrymaking,andflowerarranging.Notonlycanyousitat

atablelargeenoughtospreadyourprojectout,butasyouworkyoucan

keepaneyeonthosecookiesyou’remakingforthebakesale.However,

followthesetipstokeepyourkitchenorganizedasyouuseitfor

noncooking-relatedactivities.

Sewing

Ifyou’resewinginthekitchen,youlikelyhaveaportablesewing

machine.Andthatmeansyouarepluggingyourmachineinfromthe

table,leavingoutacordthatcanbetrippedover;besureyousecure

yourmachineandonlykeepthecordpluggedinwheninuse.You’llwant

tomakesurethetableisreallycleanifyou’llbelayingfabricoutonit,so

alwayswipeitdownbeforegettingyoursewingitemsout.Storeyour

thread,needles,buttons,andothermaterialsinasewingstoragebox.

Thefabric-coveredonesarecute,buttheplasticstoragecasestendto

bemoreuseful,bigger,andeasiertoorganize.Inapinch,youcan

alwaysstickitontotheseatofachairandpushitunderthetableoutof

view.Ifyouhaveroominacupboardorclosetinthekitchen,arrangea

permanentstoragespace.Ifnot,findspaceinanotherroomandmakea

habitofputtingtheboxawayeverytimeyouaredonewithit.

FlowerArranging

Flowerarrangingisalsosuitedtothekitchen.Ifyou’reworkingwith

artificialflowers,besuretocleanupanyloosepiecesthatfallonthe

tableorfloor.Freshflowersarebeautifulandlikelyrequireyoutousethe

sinkasyoucutthemandfillthevases.Ifyouhaveagarbagedisposal,

don’tsendthestemsandleavesdownitastheycanclogitup.Flower-

arrangingsuppliesareperfectforstoringwayuphighinthathard-to-

reachcupboardoverthefridge.Unusedvasescanbeplacedaround

yourhomeasdecorativeitems.Considergroupingvasesbycolorfor

easyorganizingandalsoforaneye-catchingdisplay.

Crafting

Ifyou’recraftingatyourkitchentable,becarefulnottogetglueorpaint

onyourtableorcounters.Useavinyltableclothtoprotectthesurfaces.

Storeyoursuppliesinacrafttote,basket,orplasticboxandfindaplace

whereyoucanstashitoutofsight.

Ifyou’retightonspacebutwanttokeepsomeplasticstorageboxes

ofgames,craftitems,orotherthingsinyourkitchen,averytricky

storageideaistobuysquareorrectangularwickerbasketsand

upendthem,withyourplasticstorageboxhiddenunderneath.The

upendedboxthenbecomesadecorativelittletableonwhichyou

canplaceaplantoradishfullofrocksyou’vecollected.

Mr.orMs.Fix-It

Ifyoudon’thaveaworkbench,garage,orbasement(orifthey’refull!),

thekitchencanendupbecomingamakeshiftrepairshop.Youwillwant

tokeepatarponhandtocoverthetableorcounterforyourprojects.A

largewoodenorplasticcuttingboardisalsoessential,andwillprotect

anysurfaceyouareworkingon.Storeyourtools,glue,andotherhome

repairitemsinatoolcaddy,toolbox,or,ifyouhavespace,akitchen

drawer.AlittlebrushanddustpanoraDustBusterwillallowforquick

cleanup.Don’tattemptprojectsrequiringpowertoolsinyourkitchen—

youruntheriskofsawingorscrewingrightthroughyourworkboardinto

thetable!

WithoutaCrease

Thekitchenisaroomwheremanypeopleendupdoingtheirironing.If

thisisthemostconvenientspotforyou,considergettingawall-ordoor-

mountedironingboardthatfoldsawaywhennotinuse.Becarefulwhen

ironing.Thecordfromtheironcanpresentahazardandatippyironing

boardisarecipefordisaster,particularlywhenkidsorpetsareinvolved.

Neverputyourironawayuntilithascooled.

It’saWrap

Forholidaysorbirthdays,thekitchentableisaconvenientplacetodo

yourgiftwrapping.Ifyouusethisspaceforwrappingyearround,

considerbuyingagiftwraporganizerthatwillhangonthebackofadoor

andstorewrap,scissors,tape,andribbon.Youcanalsobuyanupright,

giftwrapstoragebinthatfitsintoacloset.Alwaysmakesureyou’re

workingonacleantable.

TheKitchenasMeetingRoom

Formanyfamilies,thekitchentableiswherebigdecisionsaremade,

plansarediscussed,andconfessionsaremade.It’stheplaceyougoto

workthroughproblems,calculateifyoucanaffordavacationoran

addition,andreallytalkwithoutinterruption.Inmanyways,itistheplace

youmeettogetotherareasofyourlifeorganized,soyouwantittobe

organizedalso.Withalittleeffort,yourkitchentablecanbeauseful

placeforameetingoftheminds.Startbyclearingoffthetablebefore

sittingdowntotalk.TurnoffradiosandTVs.Thefewerdistractions,the

better.Createnormalcyforthediscussion.Ifthereisusuallyacandle,

basket,orflowerarrangementinthecenterofthetablebetweenmeals

andprojects,leaveitthere.Ifthecurtainsareusuallydrawnatthattime

ofday,closethem.Sitinyournormalseats.Savethebigdiscussionsfor

afteramealiscooked,eaten,andcleanedup.Askingtohavethe

ketchuppassedinthemiddleofatalkaboutDad’schangingjobscan

reallyloosenthefocus.

Keepapadofpaperandapen(oryourtabletdevice)nearbyforthese

kindsofmeetings.Youmayneedacalculator,too,ifaheavyfinancial

discussionisinthemaking,sokeeponeinadrawer(orhaveyourphone

handytousethatfunction).Ifyouarehavingadifficultconversationwith

yourspouseorteenager,akitchentimercanbeusedtogiveeveryone

anequalopportunitytospeakwithoutinterruption.

CreateKitchenMemories

Becausethekitchenisintegraltosomanyholidaysandspecialmoments

andoccasions,it’saplacewherememoriesaremade.Youcanbecome

organizedsothatyouhighlighttheseandbuildontheminmanyways.

Ifyoudon’talreadyhavecertainmealsthataretraditionalforyour

familyatcertainholidaysorevents,starttocreatethese.Keepalistin

thefrontofacookbookdetailingfamilyfavoritessoyouwillrememberto

makethemagain.Whenyoumakespecialfoodsoverandoverforthe

sameholiday,theybecomelinkedtothespecialtimesyoushare.Not

surehowtopickafood?Thinknotonlyaboutwhatistraditionalforthat

holidayorseason,butalsoconsiderwhatsomeofyourfamily’sfavorite

treatsare.Occasionsaretheperfecttimetoservethese.

Enjoytheprocess,notjusttheresult.Cookingtogetherwithfamily

allowsrelaxedbondingtime,andthisbecomesevenmorerelaxedwhen

youareabletospendtimeinakitchenthatisorganizedandstreamlined.

Andwhenyouworktogethertowardsasharedgoal,youbuildmemories.

Relishthefailuresaswellasthesuccessesinthekitchen.Thetimeyou

droppedtheturkeyonthefloorwillbejustasfondamemoryasthetime

youserveditperfectlybrowned.

Worktopreservethosememories!Takefoodphotos.Thatdishyou

madelookstoogoodtoeat,sopreserveitforeverdigitallyanddigin.

Thesephotosareespeciallyeffectivewhenyoutakeaphotooftheentire

table,untouchedrightbeforeeveryoneeats.You’llbeabletocompare

whatyoumadefromyeartoyear.Anothergreatwaytoorganize

memoriesistokeepakitchenjournal.Writedownthedatesandmenus

ofspecialmealsyoucreate.Youcanmakenotesaboutwhoenjoyed

whichdishandwritedownhowyoumightimproveonthedishesnext

time.Thisjournalalsoallowsyoutobesureyouneverservethesame

thingtogueststwice!

CreateaFamily-MessageCenter

Ifyouliveinahouseholdwithotherpeople,chancesareyouallhave

verydifferentschedules—anditcanbehardtocoordinateallthese

schedules.Youmightwanttocreateafamily-messagecenterinthe

kitchen.Thismessagecentermayincludealargecorkboardordry-erase

boardforpostingmessagesandbinsforsortingeachindividual’smail.

Onthemessageboard,youcanmaintainafood-shoppinglisttowhichall

membersofthefamilycancontribute.

StoreslikeTarget,Staples,andtheContainerStorecarrylotsof

greatproductsyoucanusetocreateafamilymessagecenter—from

dry-eraseboardsandbulletinboardstobasketsandfilingtrays.By

buyingindividualpiecesatoneofthesestores,youcancustomize

yourfamilymessagecentertoaccommodateyourfamily’sunique

needs.

Afamily-messagecentercanhelpeasestressthatcomesfrom

miscommunication,becausetherewillbeacommonplaceformessages

tobeleft.Everyoneinthefamilywillknowtocheckthemessageboard

sothatevenwhenschedulesconflict,familymemberscancommunicate

aboutupcomingeventsandhouseholdchores.Youmightalsousethe

messageboardtoleavekindwordsforthoseyoulivewith.Alittlebitof

kindnesscangoalongwaytoeasetensionsandbringharmony.

Collages,Calendars,andBulletinBoards

Thekitchenisalsoaprimespottocreatelargecollagesandbulletin

boards,likegiantscrapbooks.Aphotocollageisagreatwaytosurround

yourselfwiththesmilingfacesofthoseyouloveandwhomyourkitchen

feedsandtoorganizephotosthatareimportanttoyou.Abulletinboard

allowsyoutotackup(orusemagnetsonamagneticboard)ticketstubs,

programs,invitations,cards,notes,andothermeaningfulitems.Some

familiesthatlovetotravelhavealargemapintheirkitchenandinsert

thumbtacksforeverylocationthey’vevisited.Thesetypesofmemory-

centeredspotsinyourkitcheninfuseitwithyourpersonalityandhelpyou

rememberthehappymomentsinyourlifeasyouworkinthekitchen.

Abigcalendarwithadifferentcolorforeachpersoninthefamilyisa

fantasticwaytobeabletoorganizethefamily’sscheduleandstayontop

ofwhohastobewhere.Chalkboardordry-erasepaintwillallowyouto

createanerasablecalendaronthewalleachmonth.Youcanalsouse

thispainttocreateanareatowriteto-dolists,shoppinglists,or

reminders.

PaintbyNumbers

Color!It’soneofthefastestwaystobringlifeandpersonalitytoaroom.

Paintingthewallsisobviousthough.Thinkoutsidetheboxforsome

colorfulandcreativewaystoinfuseyourpersonalityintotheroom.

Createadesignonyourwoodenchairbacks.Scrolls,flowers,oreven

people’snamesareafunwaytolivenupandorganizeyoureatingarea

(andchairswithnamesonthemeliminatesquabblingoverwhosits

where).Oldkitchencupboardsbecomenewwithacoatofpaintanda

fundesignstenciledonthem—youcanevencolorcodeyourcabinetsso

thatthedifferentcolorssignalwhatisstoredinside(whitefordishes,gray

forpots,redforcannedgoods,andsoon).Thewallsareagreatspace

toletyourcreativityshine.Whynotpaintafamilytreeandhanglittle

photosofeachpersonbyhisname?Agrowthchartisawonderfulwayto

seehowyourchildren(orgrandchildren)arereallygrowingand

changing.Geteveryoneinthefamilyinvolvedandpaintamuraldepicting

afavoritescene,book,familyactivity,orlocation.

LetYourPersonalityShine

Awell-organizedkitchennotonlykeepseverythinginitsplace,butitalso

allowsyourdistinctpersonalitytoshinethrough.Onceyou’vetackled

gettingeverythinginitsplace,youwillwanttofindwaystoletyour

kitchenexpresswhoyouare.Giveyourselffreereintodecoratethis

roomsothatitsuitsyouandmakesyoufeelhappywhenyouarethere.

Consideratheme—birdhouses,antiques,seaglass,fruit,etc.—anduse

itasanorganizinganddecoratingprinciplefortheroom.Ifallofyour

accessoriestiebacktothetheme,orrelatetoitinsomeway,theroom

willfeelcohesiveandputtogether.Don’toverdoitwithyourtheme,

though,sincethiscanmaketheroomfeelclutteredandoverdone.

SayIt

Afewplaquesorinscriptionsonthewallcanpersonalizeyourkitchen

andorganizeyourkitchenphilosophiessoallwhoentercanenjoythem.

Organizethemintogroupingsorspreadthemoutevenlyalongthetops

ofyourwallsneartheceiling.Considersomeofthese:

EatwellLaughoftenLovemuch.

Cookingislovemadevisible.

Nevertrustaskinnycook.

Eatdessertfirst.

Forthisgoodfoodandjoyrenewed,wepraiseyourname,OLord.

Iliketocookwithwine.SometimesIevenputitinthefood.

Countlessnumbersofpeoplehaveeateninthiskitchenandgoneon

toleadnormallives.

Today’sMenuChoices:TakeitorLeaveit.

Mealsandmemoriesaremadehere.

Realmenwearaprons.

PART2

GETTINGORGANIZED

4

The

RIGHT

Tools

forthe

RIGHT

Tasks

It’safactthatpeoplearemakingmoredemandsoftheirkitchen

nowadays,butwecan’tallhavemega-square-footkitchens

withhome-magazinecenterfoldallure.Andwereallydon’tneed

countertopsthesizeofhockeyrinks—atleastnotifwecanslim

ourpossessionsdowntosize.Itistherarekitchenthatis

appropriatelystockedwithkitchentoolsandequipment.Most

peoplehaveeithertoomanyitemsornotenoughoftheright

kind.Thetrickisinunderstandingwhatyouneedforwhatyou

willreasonablybedoinginthekitchen.Ifyou’resomeonewho

iscookingsimpledinnersafewtimesaweek,youprobablydo

notneedaspringformpanandanoffsetspatula.Ifyou’re

someonewholovestobake,though,thosetwoitemsshouldbe

onyourmust-havelist.

TakeInventory

Startatsquareonebytakinganinventoryofeverythingyou’vegotin

yourkitchen.Youmighthavesomekitchentoolsstuffedinadrawerthat

yourmomgaveyouandthatyoupromptlyforgotabout.Soyoureally

mustthoroughlygothrougheverything(don’tskipthecabinetoverthe

refrigerator)beforeyoucanknowwhatyouneedtothrowout,donate,

keep,oraddtoyourcollection.

Asyougothroughyourcollection,you’llwanttodosomepurging.Set

asideanythingthatisrusted,cracked,stained,chipped,broken,orbent

soitisunusable,orinanyotherwaysubpar.

ToolTime

Althoughthey’reusuallysmall,kitchenutensilscantakeupalotofspace

andtheycanreallymakeahuge,tangledmessifyou’vegotthem

jammedinadrawer.Theyalsoseemtomultiplysomehow,withstrange

toolsyouareunabletoidentifymakinganappearancenowandthen.

They’resoeasytobuy,too—JuliaChildsaid,“Indepartmentstoresso

muchkitchenequipmentisboughtindiscriminatelybypeoplewhojust

comeinformen’sunderwear”—andshe’sright!Howmanytimeshave

yougrabbedafun-lookingutensilwhileyouwereinthestoretobuy

somethingelse?

Utensilsalsotendtobeoddshapes,whichmakesthemhardtogather

togetherwithoutcrazyedgesstickingup.Tamingthosetoolswillgoa

longwaytowardsmakingyourkitchenneatandorderly.

TheNecessaries

Somebasictoolsyoumaywanttoconsiderhavinginyourkitchenare

listedbelow:

Instant-readthermometer

Rubberorsiliconebowlscrapers

Whisk

Woodenspoons

Ladle

Spatula

Offsetspatula

Stainless-steelboxgrater

Stainless-steeltongs

Vegetablepeeler

Slottedspoon

Cookingspoon

Long-handledfork

Kitchenshears

Kitchentimer

Vegetableslicer(mandoline)

Garlicpress

Citrusreamer

Bastingbrush(silicone)

Microplanezester

Wireskimmer

Potatomasher

Pizzacutter

Measuringspoons

Drymeasuringcups

Rollingpin

Kitchenscale

Pastrybrush

Doughscraper

Cookiecutters

Baster

Icecreamscoop

That’squitealistandyouprobablydon’thave,norshouldyouhave,

everythingonthelist.Instead,youwantonlyitemsyouwillactuallyuse.

Ifyoudon’tmakebread,youdon’tneedadoughscraper.Ifyoudon’teat

icecream,youdon’twantanicecreamscooptakingupspace.Few

peopleactuallymashpotatoesbyhandthesedays,sothatmaynotbea

usefulitemforyou.Lookthroughthelistandchoosetokeepitemsyou

actuallyuseintheregularcourseofcooking.

TestYourNeeds

Notsurewhatyouactuallyuse?Putallofyourutensilsinaspecial

box.Asyouusethem,washandputthemawayinthedrawerorbasket

wheretheybelong.Aftertwoweeks,anytoolsremaininginthetestbox

canbegivenaway,orattheveryleast,storedinahard-to-reachkitchen

areaorsomeplaceotherthanthekitchen(forexample,ifyourturkey

basterisaonce-a-yearitemthatisessential,keepitwiththe

Thanksgivingdecorations).

ParingDownYourTools

Youprobablyhavekitchentoolsthatareduplicatesordon’tworkwell.

Gothroughallofyourtoolsandexamineeachone.Isitingoodworking

order?Ifthereareanyconcernsaboutit(it’scracked,doesn’tworkas

wellasitshould,hasscratchesintheTefloncoating),youshouldgetrid

ofit.Counthowmanyyouhaveofeachitem.Youshouldnotneedmore

thantwoofmostitemsandformanythingsonlyonewillsuffice,

particularlyifyougetinthehabitofwashingitasyouwork.Allofthose

extrawoodenspoonsandspatulasarecrowdingyourkitchen,soremove

them.

GettingaGrip

Allofthesetoolstogethercancreatequitethepileup.Thereare

severalwaystoorganizethemsotheydon’ttakeoverthekitchen.

Rectangulardrawerorganizers(plastic,metalmesh,orwooden)or

expandablecutleryorganizerscanbeusedtocreatesectionsinyour

utensildrawer.Allofyourbakingtoolscangoinoneboxorsection,while

allofyourspatulasandwoodenspoonscanfindahomeinanother.Do

notoverfilltheboxesoryouritemswillspilloverthetopandpossiblyjam

upthedrawer.Anotherchoiceistoputanonstickmatdowninsideyour

drawerandlayyourtoolsoutonit.Theywon’tslidearoundandwillstay

inplaceforyou.

Placeadecorativecanisterorbasketonyourcountertopwiththe

utensilsyouusethemost,suchasspatulas,rubberscrapers,tongs,

andawhisk.They’llbeeasytograbandeasytoputaway.Besure

toplacecookingforkswiththetinesfacingdown.

Besuretoplaceitemsyouusemostofteninthefrontofthedrawer.If

youhaveverydeepdrawers,considerplacingyourutensilsinboxesand

stackingthem,soyoucanremovethecookingboxtogettotheboxof

bakingtools,forexample.

Two-timeyourtoolswheneverpossible.Apairofkitchenshears

worksforcuttingupachickenaswellasforcuttingcoupons.There

isnoneedforadditionalscissors.Ametalspatulaalsoworksasa

cakeserver.Acookiecuttercanserveasanegg-poachingring.

Ifyoudonothaveashallowdrawertostoreyourtools,youcankeep

theminalargerplasticstorageboxoruprightinatinorjarinsidea

cupboard.Anotherstorageoptionistoplacehooksonthebackofa

cabinetdoorandhangsomeofyourutensilsthere,iftheyhaveopenings

atthetopofthehandles.Youcouldalsoinstallhooksinthewallabove

thestoveandhangutensilsthere.

Youmaywanttospreadyourtoolsoutindifferentdrawersor

containersinyourkitchen.Spatulasandwoodenspoonsarehandiest

nearestthestove.Bakingutensilsshouldgonearanyopencountertop

younormallyusetoworkwithdoughorbatter.Thinkaboutwhereinthe

kitchenyouusethetoolandstoreitnearthatarea.

Tomaximizespace,usenestingmeasuringcupsandspoons.Youcan

purchasemeasuringspoonsandcupsthataremagneticandwillstickto

eachotherinasmall,neatpile.Kitchentoolswithrubbereasy-grip

handlesarenotonlyeasytoholdwhenyouusethem,butalsolesslikely

torollaroundinadrawer.Bundlemetalorbambooskewerstogetherwith

arubberbandtokeepthemtogether.

CuttingEdge

Knivesareanimportantpartofanykitchen.MarthaStewartrecommends

thateverykitchenhavethefollowingknives:3

1

⁄

2

"paringknife,8"heavy

chef’sknife,and8"breadknife.Youcandoalmostanythingwiththese

threeknives,butmanypeoplehavemoreknivesrattlingaround.

Evaluatetheknivesyouhave.Doyouneedallofthem?Oftheonesyou

doneed,aretheysharp?Ifnot,sharpenthemwithasharpenerortake

themtoahardwarestoretobeprofessionallysharpened.Arethe

handlesingoodcondition?Arethetipsintactandnotbroken?

Aknifeblockisanexcellentstoragesolution.Ifyouarepurchasing

newknives,youcanbuythiswiththemasaset.Ifyouareorganizing

existingknives,buyaknifeblockwiththecorrectnumberofopeningsfor

yourcollection.Youcanalsobuyaknifeblockthatmountstothesideof

yourcabinet,tosavecounterspace.Awall-mountedmagnetickniferack

isanothersolutionwhichkeepsallyourknivesinviewsoyoucaneasily

grabwhatyouneed.Ifyoudon’twanttoseeyourknives,anin-drawer

knifetray(likeaknifeblock,butflat)willallowyoutoorganizethem

safely,outofview.

PotsandPans

Yourpotsandpansdotheheavyliftinginyourkitchenandit’simportant

tohavegoodqualityitemsthatarestoredandcaredforproperly.Thefirst

stepistotakealookatwhatyou’reusingforcooking.Yourpotsand

pansneedn’tallbethesamecolororstyle,buttheydoallneedtobein

goodcondition.Aloosehandleisarecipeforakitchendisaster.Rusted

potsorpotswithchippedorpeelingnonstickcoatingsarehealthhazards.

Herearesomebasicsyoumayfinditusefultohavetomakethemost

ofcookinginyourkitchen:

1

1

⁄

2

-quartsaucepanwithlid

4-quartsaucepanwithlid

Cast-ironskillet

Sautépan

Steamerinsert

Dutchovenwithlid

Nonstickfryingpan

Stockpotwithlid

Shallowroastingpanwithrack

You’llwanttostoreyourcookwarenearyourstove,foreasyaccess.

Therearetwoprimarywaystostoreyourpotsandpans.Youcanstack

theminacupboardordeepdrawer,oryoucanhangthemfromapot

rack.Ifyouareusingacupboardordrawer,considerapotlidrack,which

allowsyoutostandallthelidsupinarowforeasylocation.

Topreventpotsandpansfromgettingscratchedifyouarestacking

theminacupboard,linethemwithcoffeefilterstoprotectthem.

Lookup!Don’tseeanything?Well,there’sanopportunity.Overhead

potrackssuspendedfromtheceilingareacreativeuseofairspace.

Makesuretherackissecurelyboltedinplaceanduptothetaskof

handlingaheavyweightload.Beforegoingthisroute,however,consider

theconditionofyourcookware.Youwantyourdisplaytoenhanceyour

kitchenaesthetic,whichmeansyourcollectionneedstobeinspit-shine

shape.Potswithscorchedbottoms,dullcopperfinishes,orchipped

surfacesarebetterleftincabinets.

Hanging-potracksrunthegamutofstyles,fromornateironworktothin,

minimalistwoodenstrips,tomatchjustaboutanydécor.Somehave

built-inshelvesforlidsoradditionaldisplaystorage.Creative

homeownershavebeenknowntoturnsomeoftheseracksinto

conversationpieces.Onehomeownerconvertedacast-ironregistergrill

intoapotrackwithstunningresults.Anotherinstalledanantiquewooden

ladderandhungpotsofftherungs.

Potracksworkbestwhenhungoverakitchenisland,althoughawall

potrackcanbeinstalledonanywall.JuliaChildfamouslyhadapeg

boardonthewallinherkitchen,withanoutlinedrawnforeachitemso

sheknewexactlywheretohangit.Youwillwanttoleaveatleast40

inchesfromthetopofyourcountertothebottomofthehanging-potrack.

Thekeytousingahanging-potrackisbalance.Whenhangingapotor

removingone,youwanttomakesuretherackisevenlybalanced;

otherwiseallthepotscouldslidetoonesideandpossiblyfall.

BakeTime

Ifyou’regoingtoturnoutdeliciousdesserts,you’vegottohavetheright

equipmenttomakethemagichappen.Bakingpansyoushouldhave

includetwo9"roundcakepans,a9"squarebakingpan,aspringform

pan,bakingsheets,nonstickbakingmats,coolingracks,a9"piepan,a

muffintin,andaloafpan.Ifyouaren’tabaker,youwon’tneedallthe

itemsonthislist.Ifyou’reabakingfiend,youwillalsowantatartpan,

jumbo-andmini-muffinpans,andavarietyofdifferent-sizedglassbaking

pans.

Thereareseveraltypesofbakewaretoconsider.Glassisusefulforpie

pansandsquarebakingpans.Ceramicpiepansareprettytoservein,as

areceramicbakingpans.Metalworksforallitems,butyoumaywantto

considernonstick.Siliconeisthelatestinbakewareandprevents

sticking.Allofthemstackwell,butsiliconehasthebenefitofbeing

bendablesoyoucanfolditovertofitintoasmallerarea.Don’tstockyour

cupboardswithallofthesethough!Youmaywanttohaveamixof

utilitarianitems(nonstickorsilicone)fortheheavybakingworkandafew

prettieritemsforitemsyouareservinginthebakeware.

Ifyouaretightonspace,youcanletdifferentpansdodoubleduty.The

rackfromyourroastingpancandoubleasacoolingrack.Or,youcan

considerspace-savingalternatives,suchasusingstackablesilicone

muffincupsinsteadofanunwieldymuffintin.

Also,considerthatyoumaybeabletosubstituteonepanforanother.

Ifyouhavetwo(ormore)pansofasimilarsize,fillonewithwaterand

thenpourthewaterintotheotherthatyouthinkmightbecomparable.If

theyholdthesameamountofwater,thepansareinterchangeable.Get

ridofone.

Tossanybakewarethatischipped,peeling,orrusted.Evenasmall

chipinnonstickbakewareisaproblemasitmeanstheTeflonisno

longerstableandsafeforuse.Storebakingsheetsuprightbetween

dividersinacupboardtosavespaceandalloweasyaccess.Other

bakewareitemsshouldbestackedaccordingtosize.

OtherKitchenWare

Nowthatyou’vegotthebigitemssortedandorganized,therearesome

oddsandendsyoumaywantyourkitchentohave.Keepyoursaltshaker

andpeppermillnearthestove.Bringthemtothetableasneededifyou

donothavesaltandpepperdesignatedjustforthetable.Storeoliveoil

inacruet(aglassbottlewithaspout),alsonearthestove.Thebigbottle

canbekeptinthepantryorotherstorageareainsteadoftakingupspace

inacupboardnearthestove.

Severalcuttingboardsareessential.Plasticissaferthanwood,

sincebacteriacanhideoutinthenooksandcranniesofthewood.If

youloveawoodcuttingboardandliketohaveoneoutonyour

counter,reserveitforthingslikebreadsandneverputrawmeaton

it.Useplasticcuttingboardsforproduceandmeats.Aswithother

kitchenitems,toomanyofoneitemcreatesclutter.Choosetwo

cuttingboardsandlabelonetobeusedwithmeatandonetobe

usedwithproduce.Keepanothersmallcuttingboardforthingslike

cheeses,nuts,andbread.Cuttingboardscanbestoreduprightorin

averyshallowdrawer.

Aglassmeasuringcuporaplasticmeasuringcupthatisangledto

allowaccurateliquidmeasurementsissomethingeverycookneeds.

Keepjustone2-cupmeasureandgetridofyoursmallerones.

Acolanderisneededtostrainvegetablesorpasta.Considera

collapsiblestrainerforeasystorage.

Mixingbowlscomeinmanysizes,butabigoneandasmalloneare

thebareminimum.Stainlesssteelisallpurpose,butyoumaywant

tohaveoneglassmixingbowlforrecipesthattellyoutousea

“nonreactive”bowl,topreventachemicalreactionwiththemetal.

Alwayschoosebowlsthatnestinsideeachothertosavespace.

Potholderscomeinanydesignyoucanimagine.Choicesinclude

fabricsquares,fabricgloves,siliconesquaresorgloves,orheat-

resistantovengloveswithfingerholesinthem.Thesetendto

multiply,sokeeponlyfourtosixoftheminthekitchenatatime.

Kitchentowelswillgetyouthroughcleanup.Besuretohaveatleast

onelinentowelfordryingglassware.

Atrivetwillkeephotdishesfromruiningyourcountersortable,andif

youchooseaprettyone,youcanstoreithangingonthewall.

Arollingpin(metal,marble,orsilicone)isamustforbakers.

Addpieweightstothelistifyouareapiebaker(driedbeanswork

almostaswellaspieweights)andstoretheminsideyourpiepansto

savespace.

ApplianceWrangling

Americanslovetheirelectronics.Thatcountertoprotisserie,icecream

maker,breadmachine,andslowcookeralllookedprettyusefulinthe

store,buttheymayjustbetakingupvaluablecountertopspaceifyou

don’tusethemregularly.Considerfindinganewhomeforthese

appliances—eithertuckthemawayinacabinetorgivethemtosomeone

whowillusethem.Ifyouhaveabasement,garage,orotherstoragearea

inyourhome,youmaybeabletostashsomeoftheseinthoseareasfor

thatonetimeayearwhenyoudowanttousethem.Tosaveenergy(and

money!)remembertounplugyourcountertopapplianceswhenyou’renot

usingthem.Evenifthey’renoton,theydrawasmallamountof

electricity.Thiswillalsoallowyoutocoilupthecordsoutoftheway,

whichwillmakeyourcountertopmuchmoreorganized

AppliancestoConsider

Ifyoutakeawalkthroughthekitchensectionofyourlocaldiscount

store,you’llbeoverwhelmedbyhowmanygadgetsyoucanfillyourcart

with.They’reallusefulforcertainthings,butasthebeginningofthe

chapteremphasized,theyaren’tusefulifyoudon’tactuallyusethem!

Herearesomeofthemorecommonkitchenappliancesyoumaywantto

haveinyourkitchen:

Anelectriccanopenerisveryhandy;howeversomepeoplejust

prefertousealittleelbowgreaseanduseasmaller-to-storemanual

canopener.

Themicrowaveisastapleinmosthomes.

Atoastercancomeinhandy,butyoumightconsiderhavinga

toasteroveninsteadsinceitoffersmoreflexibility(youcanbake

manythingsinitandittakeslesstimetoheatupthanafull-size

oven),aslongasyouhavethecounterspaceforone.

Afoodprocessor(ormini–foodprocesser)ishandyifyoudoalotof

chopping,grating,piecrustmixing,orpuréeing.

Ablenderisalsoterrificforpuréeing,andifyou’vegotathingfor

frozendrinks,you’lldefinitelywantone!

Acoffeepotislikelifesupportformanypeopleandifyouagree,

thenyouneedone.

Somekindofamixer,eitherahandheldorastandmixer,is

generallyconsideredessentialinakitchen.

Ifyoucanuseiteffectively,aslowcookercanhelpmakecooking

easier.

Therearemanypopularappliancestoconsider,butsomeofthemdo

thingsthatyoucanreplicatewithappliancesortoolsyoualreadyhave:

Air-locksystemforplasticfood-storagebags.(Ziplocbagsdoafairly

goodjobofsealinginfood.)

Handheldimmersionblender.(Aregularblendercandothesame

job.)

Electricknifesharpener.(Ahandheldmanualsharpenerdoesthe

sametaskanddoesn’tuseanyelectricity.)

Breadmachine.(Youcanmakebreadusingyourovenifyoudon’t

mindalittlekneading.)

Icecreammaker.

Pastamaker.

Ricesteamer.

Pressurecooker.

Iceshaver.

Wafflemaker.

Paninimaker.

Fonduepot.

Coffeebeangrinder.

Fooddehydrator.

Juicer.

Yogurtmaker.(Yogurtcanbemadeinaverylowtemperatureoven

anddoesn’trequireaspecialappliance.)

Popcornmaker.(Popcorncanbemadeinthemicrowaveorusinga

saucepanwithalidonthestove.)

Rotisserie.

Tocreatemorecounterspace,mountyourphoneonthewalland

useapapertowelrackthatattachestothesideofthefridgewith

magnetsortotheinsideofthekitchensinkdoor.

Alloftheitemsonthislistarefuntoplaywith,butdon’tbuythemor

keepthemunlesstheyreallyaresomethingyoucannotlivewithout.A

generalruleofthumbtouseisifitissomethingyouuseonceaweek,

keepitonthecounter.Ifyouuseitonceamonth,keepitinacupboard.If

youuseitlessoften,storeitinoneofyourharder-to-get-tostorage

spaces.Haven’ttoucheditinayear?Itmightbetimetogetridofit.

Rethinkallyourone-trickponyitems,especiallybulky,oversizeones

likesaladspinnersandwaffleirons.It’shumannaturetorespondtothe

latestandgreatestcome-ons.Ittakeswillpowertoresist.Ifyouhavea

hardtime,turnofftheinfomercials,skipshoppingchannels,andavoid

saledaysatthemall.

DishedUp

You’vegottohavedishes,buthowmanyareenough?Ifyou’vegottoo

many,you’retakingupvaluablecupboardspace—notenoughandyou’re

constantlywashingdishes.Considerwhatyouactuallyusebeforebuying

dishes(especiallywhenbuyingentireplacesettings)andwhensorting

throughyourcupboards.Somepeopleonlyusemugs,sofillingupyour

cupboardwithcupsandsaucersisacompletewasteofspace.Onlybuy

orkeepwhatyouwillneedofthefollowing:dinnerplates,saladplates,

dessertplates,soupbowls,andcerealbowls.Onetypeofbowlmaybe

allyouneed,andyoumayjustneedoneortwotypesofplates.For

example,dinnerplatescanbehuge;maybeyoucanusesaladplatesto

eatmealsfrominstead(thisisalsoagreatwaytoloseweight).Ofthe

dishesyouusemostoften,youmaywanttohavetwoforeachmember

ofthehousehold.Foritemsusedlessfrequently,onepermemberis

sufficient.

Forservingpieces,againconsiderhowatypicalmealisserved.Ifyou

dishontoplatesatthestove,thenyoucangetawaywithfewerserving

pieces.Formosthouseholds,oneplatter,twovegetablebowls,asalad

bowl,andalargeservingbowlwillserveyourneeds.Keepgravyservers,

sugarbowls,andcreamersinyourkitchenonlyifyouusethemdaily.If

not,storetheseitemselsewhereforcompanyuse.Bythesametoken,

unlessyouhostlargeparties,doyoureallyneedtokeepallthatchina

yougotforyourwedding?Maybeitwouldbebettergivenaway.Or,ifyou

douseitnowandthen,storeitinanout-of-the-wayplace.Thatwillhelp

cleartheclutterinyourkitchen.

Youcanhelpkeepyourkitchenorganizedbygettinginthehabitof

doingthedishesaftereachmeal.Thatmeansyouneedfewerpots,

pans,anddishesinyourcupboards.

Ifyouhaveprettyservingdishes,usethemasdisplayitemson

shelves,plateracks,oraswallhangings.They’llmakeyourkitchen

beautifulandwillfreeupsomespaceinyourcupboards.

BottomsUp

Isyourglasswarecupboardfilledwithmismatchedpieces,plasticcups

yourkidsgotatrestaurants,andamugforeveryMother’sDaysinceyou

startedhavingchildren?It’stimetostreamline.Getridofanythatare

chipped,cracked,orstained.Pardownyourmugcollectionsoyouhave

sixorfewer(ifthereareothersthathavesentimentalmeaning,usethem

aspencupsatworkorelsewhereinthehouse).Usesippycupsand

travelcupsdesignedspecificallyforchildrenforyourtoddlerand

preschoolersratherthanfreebies.Ditchtheplasticcupsfortheolderkids

andinsteadbuyattractivemelamineorafewpiecesofsmall,heavy

barwarethatdoesnotbreakwithoutconsiderableeffort.Glasswareis

inexpensiveatdiscountstores,soit’stimetofinallyhaveamatchedset.

You’llwantlargeglasses(12–16ounces,calledhighballglasses)and

smallerglasses,calledjuiceglasses(8ounces).Twoperpersoninyour

householdisprobablyenough.Anicesetofmatchingmugscanlivenup

yourmorningcoffeeandmakeyoufeellikeyou’vereallygraduatedto

realdishes;ifyoudisplaythemonarack,itwillsaveyouspaceinyour

cupboard.Storeglasswareupsidedowntokeeptheinsidesdust-free.

ForkintheRoad

Nowthatyou’vegotenoughcookingutensilsandpotsandpanstomake

yourfoodanddishestoserveiton,youneedsomethingtoeatitwith:

eatingutensils,alsocalledflatware.Stainless-steelflatwareismost

functionalforkitchendiningandcomesineverypatternyoucanimagine.

Allflatwaremaylookthesame,buttherearesignificantdifferencesin

quality.Flatwareisdescribedwithanumberlike18/10.Thefirstnumber

isthechromiumcontent.Thesecondisthenickelcontent.Thehigherthe

nickel,theshinierandmoredurabletheflatware.Bewareoflow-nickel

flatware,whichcanleavegrayscratchesonallyourdishes!

Takestockofexactlyhowmanypiecesofflatwareyouhave.Inmy

house,spoonstendtodisappear(orgetchewedbythegarbage

disposal).Ifyoudon’thaveenoughforyourneeds,itmaybetimetoadd

somepiecesortostartover.Anyflatwarethatisrustedorbentneedsto

bediscarded.

Whatdoyoureallyneedtohaveinyoursilverwaredrawer?Forks,

knives,andspoonsarethebareminimum.Otheritemsincludeserrated

knivesorsteakknives,dessertforks,seafoodforks,grapefruitspoons,

andicedteaspoons.Ifyou’llneverusethese,don’twasteyourmoneyor

yourspaceonthem.Twoutensilsperfamilymemberisagoodruleof

thumb.Ifyourfamilymembersareheavyusersofsomethings(suchas

spoons—familieswithyoungkidsinparticularseemtousealotofthese),

buymoreofthoseitems.Ifyouendupbuyingasetthathaspiecesyou

don’tuse(icedteaspoons,grapefruitspoons,etc.),don’tletthemclutter

upyourdrawer.Getthemoutofyourkitchen—storethemelsewhereor

givethemaway.Youcanbuyreplacementutensilsinyourpatternfrom

yoursilverwarecompany(suchasOneidaorGorham).Checktheir

websitesfordetails.

Replacements.com

isacompanythatsellshard-to-

findornolongerproducedpatterns.

Mostflatwaresetscomewithservingpiecesorofferthemforpurchase

separately.Themostusefularelargespoons,aprongedpastaspoon,

andaservingfork.Ifyoureallywantthem,youcanbuyabutterknife

and/orasugarspoon.

Thebestwaytokeepyourflatwareisinaflatwareorganizer.Buyone

thatmaximizesthesizeofyourdrawer.Iftheorganizerissmallerthan

yourdrawer,anonslipmatbeneathitcanpreventitwigglingaround.

Haveakitchenwithveryfewdrawers?Storeyoursilverwareinasetof

matchingjars,crocks,orcontainers,placedinsideabasketorholderon

yourcountertop.Itwillbeeasytoreachandwillfreeupdrawerspace.

5

ShelfandStorage

STRATEGIES

Thekitchenmaybetheheartofthehome,butitisalsothe

placethatnaturallyattractsthemostclutterandchaos.The

combinationofsuchawidevarietyofitemsthatneedtobe

storedandthehightrafficthatpassesthroughcanmakethis

roomespeciallychallenging.Thischapterwillexploreavariety

ofwaystoorganizeyourcupboards,countertop,anddrawers

transformingyourkitchenintoaplaceofbeauty,order,and

simplicity,whereyouandyourfamilywillwanttogather,cook,

andlinger.

TrafficPatterns

Keepinmindthattheheartofeverykitchenistheculinaryworktriangle,

orthetriangularalignmentoftherefrigerator,cooktop,andsinkforfood

preparation.Makingsurethelayoutdovetailswithyourfoodprepand

storageareasmakesforasmooth-operatingkitchenandahappychef.It

alsosavesyoutimeincleanup.Andlet’sfaceit:Whowouldn’twantto

spendlesstimewrappinguptheleftoversforanotherday?You’rebound

bytheconstraintsofyourkitchen’sarchitecture,butyoucanmakethe

mostofwhatyouhavebymakingsureyourwalkwaybetweenareasis

clearandthatyouhaveadequatecounterspacenearthesinkandstove

forfoodprep.

OrganizeYourCounters

Ineveryareaofhomeorganization,beginwiththebasics.Kitchen

countersoftenattractclutter,andthiscanleadtoacrowded,defeated

look.Installingsmallunder-the-cabinetappliancescanfreeupcounter

space.Therearemoreoptionsthaneverbefore.Youcanfindunder-the-

cabinetmicrowaves,canopeners,radios,andtoasters.Drop-down

televisionsets,forinstance,thatflipbackupanddisappearwhennotin

usearegrowinginpopularity.Mielemakesasophisticatedbuilt-incoffee-

makingsystemthatwhipsupespressos,cappuccinos,andlattesinno

time.Ofcourse,you’llhavetothinkaboutwhetheryoureallyneedall

thosegizmosinthefirstplace.

Trytoemptyyourdishwasherimmediatelyafterthecycleis

complete.Thisway,you’llreducesinkclutter(nodirtydisheswillget

trappedina“holdingpattern”)and,ifyourfamilymembersknowthat

thedishwasherwon’tbefullofcleandishesforhoursonend,they’ll

beeasier

totraintofillit.

Attachamagneticcaddytothesideofthefridgetoholdthosepens

thatarealwayslooseonthecountertops.Usetwisttiesorrubberbands

tocapturesmallappliancecordsandkeepthemtuckedoutofsight

behindtheappliance.

Under-the-cabinetlightscanbrightenupandmakeyourcountertop

comealive,andmakeitfeeldeeperbecauseitwon’tbesodark.You

mayliketokeepatissueboxinthekitchen,butleavingitoutdetractsnot

onlyfromyourdécorbutfromthestreamliningofyourcountertop.Stash

itinacupboardinstead.

DishDo-Over

Ifyoudoyourdishesbyhand,bewareofthedishrack.Notonlycanit

betemptingtoletdishespileupthere,butthemoisturecancreatean

idealclimateformoldandbacteriatogrow(unwelcomecreaturessuch

asroacheslovethiskindofdankenvironment).Youmightwanttobuya

stainlesssteelrackoranyrackthatiseasytocleanandattractive.Ifyou

beginwithanattractiverack,you’llfeelmoreinclinedtokeepitlooking

nice—you’llbebetterabletoseeitaswell,whenyoukeepthosedishes

moving!Awell-designedrackholdsmoredishesandkeepsthemneatly

organizedwhiledrying,whichalsomakesputtingthemawaymuch

easier.

Don’tleavedishtowelslyingonthecounter.Itcluttersuptheroomand

theydonotdrywell.Hangthemonarackinsidethecabinetunderthe

sinkortakethemstraighttothelaundryareaofyourhome.Sponges,

scrubbrushes,anddishsoapclutterupyoursinkarea.Stashthemunder

thesinkwhennotinuse.Ifyouwanttohaveyourdishsoapout,decantit

intoaprettyglassbottlewithaspoutattheend,likethekindusedto

dispenseoliveoil.

UseBaskets

Paperseasilypileuponthekitchencounter.Take-outmenus,receipts,

coupons,bills,newspapers,schoolnotices,andmorecanoverpower

yourkitchen.Ifyouaren’tcareful,thewholeroomcouldbewallpapered

inthese.Placeabasket(wireorwood)inoneplaceonyourcounter(or

inadrawer,ifyouhaveroom)anddesignatethatastheholdallforthe

loosepapersthatfindtheirwayintothekitchen.Thisshouldnotbethe

permanenthomefortheseitems,though,onlyaholdingplaceuntilyou

havetimetosortthemandputthemintheirproperplaces.Gothrough

itemsatleastonceaweek.Thiswillhelpyoustayontopofyour

kitchen’sorganization.

CabinetCraze

Ahyes,kitchencabinets.Everythingintheworldendsupstuffedinthem.

Andsometimeswhenyouopenthedoor,there’sanavalanche.Itdoesn’t

havetobelikethis,though.Youcangetyourcabinetsneatlyorganized

sothatyoucaneasilyaccesseverythinginthem.

CategoriesMakeItClean

Beforeyougetstartedreorganizingyourcabinets,makealistofallthe

thingsthathavetogointhem.Youmayhavesmallappliances,

cookware,dishware,andmore.Dividetheitemsintocategories,andplan

togrouplikeitemstogether.So,forexample,ifyoudoalotofbaking,

then“bakeware”willbeacategoryyouuse.Or,ifyoucookonthe

weekendsandfreezeeverythingforreheatingthroughouttheweek,you

mayhavemanyplasticstoragecontainers.Thatwouldbeanother

category.Ifyouentertainalot,youmayhaveawholecategoryofserving

plattersandbowls.Gothroughallofyourcabinetsandgroupallofthe

itemsintocategories.

Afteryourkitchenitemsaredividedintocategories,determinewhether

eachgroupneedscabinetspace,drawerspace,orsomeothertypeof

storage.Willalloftheseitemsbekeptinthekitchen,orwillsomeitems,

suchascandlesticksorfinechina,bekeptelsewhere?

Next,measureallofyouravailablecabinetspaceandmakesurethat

theitemsyouplantostoretherewillfit.Ifnot,youwillneedtorethink

yourplan.

Somanypeoplekeepthings“justincase.”Theproblemisallthese

hypotheticalusesgetinthewayoftherealwayyouuseyour

kitchen.Theonly“justincases”youshouldhaveinyourkitchenare

emergencysupplies,likeafireextinguisher,flashlight,weatherradio,

candle,andmatches.

Purging

Nowthatyouknowwhatyouhave,thinkaboutwhatyouneed.That’s

right,it’stimetopurge.Gothrougheachcabinetandfindoutwhat’s

lurkinginthedarkcorners.Allsortsofcrazythingsenduphiddeninthe

back,behindorunderotherobjects.

Throwoutanythingbroken,unusable,ordamaged.Whenyouuncover

yourfourthcolander,askyourselfifyoureallyneedsomanyanddonate

theextras.Youcannotemptyyourcabinetsoutandexpecttoreloadthe

sameamountofstuffandhavemorespace.Itjustcan’thappen.Soif

yourcabinetsareburstingattheseams,youmustreducewhatyou’re

keepinginthem.

ContemplateSpace

Beforeyouputthingsrightbackwheretheywere,takeamomentto

consideriftheoldspaceisstillthebestplace.Asanoverarching

philosophy,you’rebetteroffstoringitemsclosesttotheirpointsofusage.

Easyaccesstranslatesintogoodkitchenorganization.Saucepans,for

instance,makethemostsenseifthey’rekeptbythestove.Dishesand

glassesshouldbenearthesinkanddishwasher.Andyou’llsaveyourself

afewextrastepsifyoustackmicrowaveablecontainersnearthe

microwaveoven.

Makeyourownpotlidrack.Attachsmalltowelracks(thekindoften

foundinsidethekitchensinkcupboarddoor)tothebackofcabinet

doors.Youcanslidepotlidsinthemandthehandleorknobswill

catchandholdtheminplace.

Amodestinvestmentinstepped-up,tiered-rackshelvingwillkeep

itemsorganizedincabinetssoyoucanseeandreachthemall(for

example,youcangetsteprackstoorganizeyourspices).Reservetall

cabinetshelvesforoversizeitems.Setasidelowershelvesforheavier

items.Theyaremoresecure.

Ifyouhaveatallcabinetthatdoesnothaveshelves,youcaninstall

themorbuywiremeshstackingshelvesonlegs(similartolockershelves

forkids,butbigger).Thesewillallowyoutocreateshelvesandbetter

utilizethatspace.

Reloading

Whenyou’rereadytoloadyourcabinetsagainremembertoorganize

tallestitemsinthebackandshorteritemsinthefront.Itemsyouusethe

mostshouldbethemostaccessible.Remembertokeepthingstogether

intheircategories:dining,baking,cooking,etc.Makethemostoutof

limitedspacebykeepinglikeitemstogether.Storedisheswithdishes,

potswithpots,andservingtrayswithservingtrays.Stacksaucepansby

size.Thedifferencebetweenneatlynestledandclumsyclutteristhelids,

soinstallaseparaterackforthem.Stackingthingssavesyouspace,but

considerwhetheryoureallywanttomovethestackofdessertplatesoff

thedinnerplateseverysinglenightwhenyougotosetthetable.Ifthisis

goingtobeaconstantannoyance,it’snotworththespaceitsavesyou.

AStretch

Virtuallyeverykitchenisequippedwiththosetippy-topcabinetsthat

arecompletelyoutofeasyreach—thatis,unlessyou’retheforwardof

theNewYorkKnicks.ThoseshelvesaretheSiberiaofthecabinetry

world,theplacewherelesseritemsareexiled.

Well,notsofast.Hereareacoupleofoptionstomakethatspacemore

user-friendly.Ifyou’vegotatallledgeinawalk-inpantry,aslidinglibrary

laddercanmakethoseoh-so-highshelvesaproblemofthepast.Notso

steadyonyourfeet?Tryatelescopingrodwithagraspablehandle.But

don’tchanceitwithanythingtoofragileortooheavy.Aboxofcereal,yes.

ATiffanycrystalwineglass?Uh-uh.Useagoodoldstepstoolinstead.

Buyastepstoolthatfoldsflatandcanbeslippedinbetweenthefridge

andthewall,orbehindakickplateunderacabinet.

Ifyou’reshortoncabinetspace,havefloorspaceinthekitchen,but

don’twanttoorcan’tinvestinadditionalcabinets,buyan

inexpensive,unfinishedchestofdrawers.Paintorstainittomatch

yourexistingcabinetsandinstallmatchinghandlesandknobsand

you’llsuddenlyhavemorestoragespacethatwilllooklikeitwas

meanttobethere.Youcandothesamethingbyaddingsomeopen

shelvestoemptywallspace.

Thesehard-to-reachcabinetsareagoodplacetokeepthethingsthat

youuseonceamonthorlessofteninyourkitchen,butjustcan’tpart

with.They’realsoagoodplacetostorethingslikelightbulbs,candles,

birthdaycandles,cookiecutters,cakedecorations,andlargeplastic

storagecontainers.

WakeUpLittleSusie

Inquiringmindswanttoknow:WhoexactlywasSusan?Andwhywas

shesolazy?Theoriesabound,buttheimportantthingisthatherlaziness

ledtoaninventionthatmakesourliveseasier.Theturntableactionofthe

lazySusanoffersup360-degreeaccesstostoreditemswithsize-specific

modelsonthemarkettomatchjustaboutanyspacerequirement.Giveit

aspin,anditemscometoyou.Hard-to-reachitems?Problemsolved.

Youcanbuywedge-shapedplasticcontainerstofitonthelazySusanif

youneed.

Storebirthdaycakedecorations(candles,matches,sprinkles,cake

topfigures,icingtubes)inasmallcoloredbox.Thebrightcolorwill

remindofyouhappycelebrations,andyou’llhaveallyouneedin

oneplace.

Ifyou’vegotacornercupboardwithabuilt-inlazySusan,thetrickis

maximizingthespacewithoutusingthingsthatcaneasilytipofftheshelf

andjamupthespinningaction.Youalsomayhaveaverysmalldoor-

openingtogetthingsinandout.Placetheheavieritemsonthebottom

shelf.Thisisagreatplacetokeepabinofflourorabigjugofvinegar.A

smallertopshelfisgreatforbabyfood,akitchenscale,orglass

measuringcups.Becarefulstackingthingsonabuilt-inlazySusan,since

theycanbeveryhardtoretrieveiftheyfalloff.

ExpandYourDimensions

Full-extensionpulloutdrawersincabinetswillmakepots,pans,and

servingdisheseasiertogettoandofferuptheabilitytostackitemsmore

efficiently—andhigher.Pulloutsmakereachingforitemseasieronyour

back,too—nomorecrouchingorcrawlingonyourhandsandkneesto

gettothings.Ifyouinstallthese,you’llgainanywherefromthreetosix

moreinchesofusablespaceperdrawer.Makesurethedrawersyou

installhavesidesonthemtopreventitemsfromtopplingoffthesides.

IntheCorners

Swing-outshelvesfromacornercabinetwillhelpyouexploitevery

spareinch.Besurenottofilltheseshelvestoofullbecauseyoudon’t

wantthingstofalloffasyou’removingtheminandout.Evenseemingly

littleadd-ons—likeatilt-outsinktrayforyourspongesandsteelwool

pads—canmakeamarkedimprovement.Ifyouhaveabuilt-incooktop,

youmaybeabletoinstallatilt-outtrayunderitaswellandyoucankeep

caketesters,meatthermometers,andotherlittleutensilsinit.

UprightSpace

Stealawedgeofspaceinabasecabinetanduseverticaldividersto

organizebakingsheets,muffinpans,trays,oversizeservingplatters,and

cuttingboardsinsizeorder.Thesetupkeepsitemstidyandprevents

dishesfromgettingchipped.Speakingofcuttingboards—youcanlook

foronethathasadrawerbuiltrightintostoreknives,oryoumight

choosetohaveacustomversionbuiltthat’ssetrightintoacabinet

drawer.

Aneasy(andlessexpensive)alternativetobuyingverticalshelf

dividersisjusttousecurtaintensionrodsinstalledvertically.They

easilydividethespaceandcanbemovedaroundasyouplease.

PlasticProblem

Afamiliarslapsticksceneplayedoutinkitchensfarandwideisopeninga

cabinetdoorandbeingshoweredwithplasticstoragetubsandlids.A

coupleofpointerswillkeepthesituationundercontrol.

Note:Considergraduallyreplacingyourcurrentcollectionofplastic

witheitherBPA(bisphenol-A)-freeplasticstorageorglassstoragebowls

withplasticlids.Thesestoragesolutionswillnotleachchemicalsinto

yourfood.Thenewglassstoragebowlsarefreezersafeandvery

durable.

OneShapeFitsAll

Buyplasticcontainersinasingleshape.Goforsquareorround,but

don’thaveboth.Mismatchedshapeswilltakeupextracabinetspaceand

preventyoufromstackingtothemax.Mountaseparaterackforlids

insidethecabinetdoorandyourshelveswilllookdepartment-storeneat.

KeepOnlyWhatYouNeed

Areyoustillsquirrelingawaytheplastictubsandcontainersfrom

cottagecheese,margarine,andsoftcreamcheese?Doyoureallyneed

tosaveeverylastoneofthem?Youmaythinkyou’redoingyourpartfor

therecyclingeffort,butthey’repantry-hoggersthataren’tevenpractical.

Howmanytimesdidyoustore,say,teabagsinanopaquemargarinetub

andthencompletelyforgetwhatwasintherebecauseyoujustcouldn’t

seeintoit—and,ofcourse,didn’tbothertolabelit?Theseitemsarenot

intendedtobereusedforfoodstorageanditmaynotbesafetodoso.

Recycleallofthese.

PairUpYourContainers

Howmanyorphanedlidsandcontainersdoyouhave?Probablyquite

afew.Gothroughyourcollectionandplaythematchinggame.Setaside

thosewithoutmates.Ifyoucanusealidlesscontainerelsewhere(for

example,tostoresmallitemsinadrawer)thendoso.Otherwise,recycle

orthrowoutallthemismatchedlidsandcontainers.

KeepOnlytheBest

Howmanycontainersdoyouhavethatarestained,cracked,or

otherwisedamaged?Saygoodbyetotheseaswell.

StackThemUp

Tomaximizestoragespace,youshouldstacklikecontainerstogether

andplacethematchinglidsunderneath,whichkeepstheminplaceso

theydon’tslideallovertheplace.You’llsavetonsofspace.Place

smallercontainersinsidebiggercontainerswhenpossible—nesting

controlstheplasticmonster.

SeparatetheLargestContainers

Ifyouhaveverylargeplasticfood-storageboxes—forstoringholiday

cookiesin,forexample—theycanbeachallengetofitinyourkitchen.If

youonlyusetheseduringtheholidays,considerpackingthemawaywith

theholidaydecorations.Thesecanalsobehiddenonthetopshelfofthe

pantryorinahighcupboard.

WaterBottleStorage

Moreandmorepeopleareshyingawayfrombuyingbottledwaterand

insteadarestockinguponrefillableBPA-freeplasticandmetalbottlesto

fillathome.Thesebottlessavemoneyandtheenvironment,buttheycan

createabigstorageproblem.Trytokeeptwoorthreefilledbottlesin

yourfridgethatarereadytogo(storethemonashelfonthedoorfor

grab-and-goease).

Additionalemptybottlesneedtofindahomeinacabinet,buttheytend

tobehardtowranglesincetheyaretallandtipovereasily.Buyashallow

plastic,wire,orwoodenbasketandplacetheminitonashelf.Another

optionistoplacethemonanonslipmatinsideacabinet.Besurethe

bottlesarecompletelydrybeforeyouplacethelidsonandstorethem,or

moldcouldgrowinside.

Glassy-Eyed

Whenstoringglassware,thinklikeabartenderandlineitupbysizein

columnsinsteadofinrows.Inotherwords,wineglassesontheleft,juice

glassesinthemiddle,regularglassesontheright.Thatwayyou’renot

reachingaroundthejuiceglassesinthefrontrowtogettothewater

glassesbehindtheminthesecondrow.

Labeleverystoragebasket,box,anddrawersectionsoeveryone

whoworksinthekitchenknowsexactlywhatbelongsinit.Putthe

labelsontheinside.

Youcanfindsomeadditionalspacebystoringyourglassware

creativelywithasuspendedstemwarerack.Whatanelegantwaythisis

todisplaywine,champagne,andstemmedcordialglassesthataretoo

attractivetohidebehindcloseddoors.Agreatwaytoexpandyour

glasswarestorageistoplaceaflattrayontopofyourdrinkingglasses

(aslongastheyareallthesamesize)inthecupboard.Thiswillgiveyou

anothershelfontopofthemformoreglasses.Justbesureyoutake

glassesonlyfromthetopshelffirstoryou’llhaveatopplingshelf.

DrawerDo-Over

Forsomepeople,theideaoftacklingthosekitchendrawerscanbe

almostparalyzing.Thereisjustsomuchtodoanditcanbehardtoknow

wheretostart.Keepinmindthatyoudon’thavetodoitallatonce—in

fact,youprobablyshouldn’teventry,becauseyoumightcrashandburn.

Instead,takeitonedraweratatime—maybeoneadayorafeweach

week.Youdrawerswillbeorganizedbeforeyouknowit!Thenit’sjusta

matterofcreatinganongoinghabitofkeepingyourdrawersorganized.

OneDrawerataTime

First,thinkabouthowmanydrawersyouhaveandwhatcategoriesof

itemsyouhave.Ifyouhavethreedrawers,perhapsyouwantonetobe

flatware,onetobeplasticwrapandbags,andonetobekitchenutensils.

Andbesuretokeepitemsclosesttowhereinthekitchentheywillbe

used,sokeepyourflatwareinthedrawernearthedishwarecupboard.

Tobeginwith,takeasingledraweranddumpoutthecontents.The

incrediblevarietyofitemsmightevenmakeyoulaugh.That’sgood!

Enjoylearningaboutyourselfandyourownquirkyhabitsasyou

organize.Allsortsofthingsendupinkitchendrawers,andlotsofthem

don’tbelongthereatall!

Chancesareyoucanditchallthoseappliancemanualsthatclutter

upyourdrawers.Virtuallyallmanufacturershavetoll-freecustomer

servicenumbersandrepresentativesoncalltoanswerany

questionsortroubleshootproblemsduringbusinesshours.In

addition,you’llusuallyfindaround-the-clockhelponlineat

manufacturers’websiteswhereyoucanviewthemanualsonline.

Afteryou’veemptiedthecontentsofthedrawer,arrangetheitemsinto

fourpiles.Thesepilescanbetitledsomethinglike“Keepinthisdrawer”

(thethingsthatneedtostayinthatdrawer,accordingtoyourplan),

“Movetoanotherdrawer”(itemsthatbelonginthekitchenbutareoutof

place),“Storeinanotherplace”(thingsthatdon’tbelonginthekitchenat

all,likeatubeofglue,abrokennecklace,andcoinwrappers),and

“Goodbye”(allofthoseloosetwistties,plasticcutleryfromtake-outfood,

paperclips,oldshoppinglists,andpenswithnoinkinthem).Asyou

reducethebulkineachdrawer,you’llfindthatitwillbemucheasierto

keepthedrawerclean.

Gathertogetherallthebatteriesyoufindfloatinginyourdrawersand

puttheminabatteryorganizerinaspecificdrawer.Youcanalsobuy

wall-mountedorganizersthatincludespacesforeverysizebattery,

aswellasabatterytester.Testeachloosebatteryyoufind—some

maybedead,sopitchthem!

JunkDrawerArmageddon

Everyone’sgotone:ajunkdrawer,thatis.Itsverynamealmost

encouragestheabuseofspace.Callitajunkdrawer,andthat’swhat’s

goingtogoinituntilitbecomesapitofbottomlessexcess.Howmany

corncobholdersandapplecorersdoyouhavejammedinthere,sitting

underwarrantiesforappliancesyounolongerown?Youcouldcirclethe

worldwiththerubberbands,brokenpencils,anddeadbatteriesinit.

Usingthisspaceasacatchallwillcatchnothingofvalueinthelongrun.

Thejunkdrawerisasymptomofyourkitchen’sclutterproblem.Ifyou

storelikeitemswithlikeitems,thereisnothingthatendsupinajunk

drawer.Thereasonjunkdrawersareunrulyisthatthey’readumping

groundforeverymiscellaneousiteminyourhome.Ifyoudefineyour

spaceandstartthinkingintermsofkeepingcategoriesofitemstogether,

youwon’tneedajunkdrawer.Youshouldn’thaveadrawerthathasno

purpose.Asdiscussedabove,eachdrawershouldholdacertain

categoryofitemsandonlythoseitemswillgoinit,suchasserving

utensils,spices,orflatware.Ifyouhaveajunkdrawer,sortthroughitand

puteveryiteminoneofthecategoriesyoucreatedforyourdrawers.The

junkdrawerwillbecomehometooneofthosecategories.Stopcallingit

thejunkdrawerandyou’llstopusingitassuch.

DrawerOrganizers

Insertinganorganizationtrayorcustom-fitdividerstripscanhelp

subcategorizedrawersevenfurtherandkeepitemsfromjammingup.If

there’sextraroom,resisttheurgetofillthedrawertothebrim.And

remembertogobackandevaluatethecontentsfromtimetotime.

CleanandReady

Vacuumeachdraweroutusingthehoseattachmentofyourvacuum,

thenwipewithadampcloth.Somepeopleliketolinealltheirdrawers

andcupboardswithadhesivelinerpaper.Theproblemwiththisisitis

hardtoapplysmoothly,withoutwrinkles,andoftenpicksupatthe

corners.Iftheinsidesofyourdrawersarecleanandsmooth,thereislittle

reasontousethem.

Ifthedrawerishardtopullout,sprayalittleWD-40oilonthemetal

rollermechanismtohelpitrollmoreeasily.Ifyourdrawersareallwood,

rubtheslidingpartswithparaffinorbeeswaxtomakethemslidemore

smoothly.

Placethekeeperitemsbackinthedrawerusingdrawerorganizersto

keepthingsseparatedandneat.Itfeelsgreattoopenaformerlycluttered

drawerandfindthatyoucanimmediatelyspottheitemsyouneed—the

boostinefficiencyandeaseofusewillbewellworthyourefforts.Justtry

organizingonedrawerandseeifitdoesn’tmakeyouwanttodomore!

It’saWrap

Boxesofplasticbags,plasticwrap,foil,parchmentpaper,andwaxed

papertakeupalotofspace,andifyoustoretheminadrawer,cantake

upanentiredrawer.Ifyoudon’thaveenoughdrawerstospare,youmay

needtogetalittlecreativetokeeptheseitemsorganized.Wirerackson

thebackofapantryorclosetdoorareagreatplacetostorethese.A

deepwirerackwillallowyoutostoreeverythingupright.Youcanalso

purchaseaplasticwrapandbagdispenserwhichattachestothebackof

adoorandwhichyoufillwithyourbagsandwraps;thenjustpullout

whatyouneed.

GrocerySacksandTotes

Grocery-storeplasticbagsandgrocerytotebagsareanotherstorage

problem.Whenyoucomehomefromthestore,trytokeepplastic

grocerybagsoutoflandfillsaslongaspossible.AccordingtotheGreen

Guide,anewslettercoveringhealthandenvironmentalissues,

Americansthrowaway100billion

plasticgrocerysacksayear.Usethemtolinesmalltrashbasketsinyour

home.Ifyoucan’tusethem,bringthembacktothesupermarket.Many

grocerychainshaveplasticbagrecyclingbinsrightbythecheckout

counter.YoucanalsodoasmanyEuropeansdoandbringyourown

reusablebagstothestore.It’sanEarth-friendlythingtodo.Keepthe

plasticbagsinadispenser,eitherafabriconeyoucanhanginaclosetor

pantry,orahardplasticonethatwillmounttotheinsideofacabinetdoor

ortothewall.Fabrictotesarebestkeptinyourcar,soyoualwayshave

themwhenyouneedthem.

Makinga(Back)Splash

Ahanging-organizersystemcandoagoodjobofhelpingyoukeep

suppliesathand—anddoithandsomelyatthat.It’sstrongenoughto

supportspicesorthoseeye-catchingbottlesofoilandvinegar.Sleek,

stainless-steelversionsareavailabletoflatterthemostmodernof

kitchens.Orconsiderarailsystemthatallowsyoutoaddonsuch

accessoriesasacookbookrackandutensilbasket.Usewallhooksor

magnetichooksforapronsandtowelsandpotholders.They’reold

standbys,sure,buttheynevergooutofstyle,becausetheywork.

MaximizingSpace

Youcanekesomemorestorageoutofyourexistingkitchenwithout

doingamajorremodel.Checkaroundyourkitchenforopportunitiesto

convertidlespaceintoworkablestorage.What’sbelowyourlower

cabinets,nearthekick-toearea?Nothing?Good.Retrofittingthatgap

mightbeallyouneedtostorethoseno-good-place-for-ititemslike

recyclablenewspapersandpetbowls.

StorageinPlainSight

Storagesolutionsworkbestwhentheyaddordertotheworkspaceand

prettyupthesite.Inotherwords,aimforformandfunctionality.Oneway

toblendpossessionsintotheoveralldesignthemeofakitchenisto

makeproductiveuseofotherwisewastedspace.Theareasunderyour

shelvesandcabinetsareprimerealestate.Gotdecorativeteacupsand

coffeemugs?Screwinsomehooksandshowthemoff.Bins,tins,and

canistersontopoftherefrigeratormakestylishstowawaysforunwieldy

itemettesliketwist-tiesandchipclipsthatusuallyclutterupjunkdrawers.

Somesoupsandsaucescomeinjarstooprettytotossintherecycling

container.Rinseoffthelabelsandreusethem.Clearjarscombine

personalitywithpeek-a-boopracticality.

SlideoutSomeSpace

Youmaywanttoconsiderbuilding(orretrofitting)acabinet,pantry,or

closetwithslide-outshelvesandbuilt-inpowerstripsexpresslytohold

smallappliances.Then,whenyouneedtowhipsomethingupinthe

blenderorpopsomebreadinthetoaster,justslideouttheshelfanduse

theappliancesrightwheretheyare.It’slesscumbersome,more

utilitarian,andverytimeefficient.

Ifyou’vegotanicesliverofspace,rollingpantryshelvesareavailable,

andthenicepartisthatyoudon’tneedtorenovate,reconfigure,oreven

callinthecarpentertobuildthem.These“thin-man”pantrycaddiesfit

intothenarrowestofspaces—eventhatsliceofspacebetweenthe

refrigeratorandcabinets.Theyrollinandouteasilyonasetofcasters

andcomewithasetofsixfixedshelves.Thesmallspacebetweenthe

fridgeandthewallisagreatplacetostashbigcuttingboards,abroom,

ortrays.

UpintheAir

Grabsomespaceoutofthinairbyinstallingwirebasketsfromthe

ceiling.Theycanholdeverythingfromfruitsandvegetablestocoupons.

Buthere’sacaveat:Don’toverdoit.Toomanyceilingdanglerscan

quicklymakeakitchenfeelclutteredandclosedin,distractingfromits

streamlinedappeal.Anotherup-highstorageareapeoplerarelyuseis

thespaceabovedoorsandwindows.Installashelfupthereandput

collectiblesorcontainerswithrarelyusedkitchenitemsinthem.

TableIt

Whenyourgoalisefficiency,everyiteminthehouseneedstobe

lookedatwithadiscerningeye.Doyoureallyneedthis?Wouldyou

reallymissthatifitweregone?Castthatdiscriminatingeyeonyour

kitchentable.Howoftendoyoureallyuseit?Isitjustaplacetogulp

downaquickbowlofcerealinthemorning?Itmightseemsacrilegeto

partwayswithakitchenstalwart,butamultipurposeislandcouldbethe

smartersolution.Imaginereplacinganordinarytabletopwithaunit

featuringacountertoporbutcherblock,drawers,shelves,andevenafew

cabinetsorawinerack.Throwinsomebarstools,andyou’vegotaclever

placetoeat,prep,andstore.

Toothpicksontheloose?Corraltheminametalbreathmintboxand

labelit.

Anotherideaformakingspaceistoinstallatabletopthatisattachedto

awallandcanbedroppeddownflatagainstthewallwhennotinuse.

InstallSomeSpace

Asystemofmodularbookcasescanholdyourcookbooks,display

dishes,andcollectibles.Thebestpartisthatyoucantailoritaccordingto

yourneedsbyadjustingshelves,addingnewones,oraddinginsertsfor

suchthingsaswinebottles.Nofloorspaceforabookcase?Hangoneon

anemptywall.Ifyou’rereallycrampedforwallspace,wallcubesoffer

compactstorage.

OpenStorage

Ifyouhaveopenstorageinyourkitchen,suchasshelvesorcabinets

withglassfronts,youwanttheseareastoappearextremelyuncluttered,

butthatdoesn’tmeanyoucan’tusethespace.Keepyourdriedbeansin

anantiquecoffeecan.StoreyourPost-itnotesinalittlewoodenbox.

Keepbooksofmatchesinsidedecorativemugsorvases.Tothe

untrainedeyethiswilllooklikeattractiveitemsondisplay,butforthe

stealthkitchenorganizer,itisjustmorestoragespacethatcanbe

maximized.

GetCreative

Joe,aself-describedjunkenthusiastandavidantiquescollector,moved

intoanactualantique:ahomewhosefoundationdatesbacktothe

1850s,whenitwasoriginallyaPonyExpressstop.Needlesstosay,the

househasafewquirks—namely,nodrawersinthekitchen.Onesolution

JoecameupwithwastokeephisflatwareinattractiveFire-Kingglass

containers.Theyaddcolorfulaccentstothekitchenandarefaithfultothe

vintageaestheticofthehome.AnotherplusisthatwhenJoehostsa

dinnerparty,hejustgrabstheflatwarejarandbringsittothetablefor

easyplacesetting.

Letyourselfbeunconventional.Oneownerofaspace-deprivedvillain

Floridaneverusesherdishwasher,atleastnotforitsintendedpurpose.

Insteadoflettingallthosejuicycubicfeetgotowaste,sheusesittostore

hercleankitchenutensils.Notabaker?Theovenbecomesagreat

storageplacefordishesandpotsandpans.

TrashandRecyclables

Whatgoesinmustcomeout.Thisisespeciallythecasewiththekitchen.

Youbringinahugeamountoffood,packaging,andothercontainers

manyofwhichwillneedtobediscardedeventually.Stenchanddisarray

cancomeifyoudon’thaveagoodsystemformanaginggarbageand

recyclables.

ChoosingaGarbageCan

Garbagecanswithlidsareidealforkeepingbadsmellsinandpests

out.Stainlesssteelcanalsobeattractiveandcanendureformanyyears.

Ifyoupurchaseacanthatusesafootlever,you’llreducetheriskof

pickingupbacteriawhilecookingbecauseyourhandswillnevertouch

thetrashcan.Ifyouliketokeepyourgarbagecanunderthesink,

considerinstallingaslide-outforit,soyoucanjustslideitout,dumpyour

garbage,andletitrollrightbackinplace.

Afteryourgarbagebagisfull,sealanddisposeofitasquicklyas

possible.Keepastackofgarbagebagsatthebottomofyourcansoyou

canjustgraboneandreline.

Considercompostingforyourfoodgarbage.Aceramicjarwithatight-

fittinglidneatlyholdsallthescrapsuntilyou’rereadytotakethem

outsideandpreventsodorsfromescaping.Ifyou’retossingfoodscraps,

placethesescrapswithinasmallplasticbagthatcanbesealedandtoss

thatintothelargergarbagebag.Thiswillreducebadodors.Brokenglass

shouldbeplacedinapaperbagthatisfoldeddownandplacedinsidea

plasticbag(youcan’trecyclebrokenglass).

Oneofthebiggestmistakespeoplemakeisoverfillingthegarbage

can.Thismakesitverydifficulttogetthetrashbagoutwithout

thingsfallingalloverthefloor.Ifyou’replacinggarbageinthecan

andthetrashisattherimofthecan,it’stimetoemptythegarbage.

Tomaintainaclean-smellingroom,youmaywanttosprayyour

garbagecanwithdisinfectantspray(thatalsoremovesodor)andclean

thegarbagecanitselfonaregularbasis.

ManagingRecyclables

Recyclingisagreatwaytoreducewasteandtoconserveresources.

MostAmericancitiesnowhavedynamicrecyclingprograms.Minimal

effortisrequiredonyourparttomakerecyclingworkinyourhome.It’s

easytodoonceyouhaveasysteminplace.

Firstofall,makesurethatyourinseallcansandglassbottleswell.

Theycanstinkandattractpestsiftheyareleftwithresidueonthem.

Don’tforgettoseparateoutsodacansandwaterbottlesifyourstatehas

arefundpolicy.Thesecontainersshouldalsoberinsedouttoavoida

messwhenyouarereturningthem.

Inmostcities,youwillbeexpectedtofoot-flattenfoodcartonsand

plasticbottlesandjugs.You’llalsobeexpectedtoseparategreen,

brown,blue,andclearglassaswellasnewspapersandcerealboxes.

Youmaybeaskedtoseparateplasticsaccordingtothenumberonthe

bottomofthecontainer.Checkwithyourtownorgarbageservicetofind

outexactlywhattheyneedyoutodoandfollowtheirinstructions.

Ifyoupurchasearecyclingsorterwithatleasttwoseparatebins,this

cansimplifyyourtask.Keepinmind,however,that,liketrash,evenwell-

rinsedbottlesandcanswillcreateasticky,stinkyresidueinyourbin.The

binwillneedtobewashedfrequently.Wherewillyoukeepthebin?If

thereisn’troominyourkitchen,alaundryroom,mudroom,backhallway,

backporch,orgaragearepossibleplacestostashit.

Ideally,you’lltakeyourrecyclingoutasquicklyaspossible.Ifyoulive

inanareawhereyoukeeplarge,color-codedbinsoutbackatalltimes,

youcansimplystoreyourrecyclinginplasticgrocerybagsandthencarry

themouteachmorningorevening.Thisisespeciallythecasewith

newspapers—theytendtocreatealotofclutterandcanbecumbersome

ifyoutrytotakeouttoomanyatthesametime.Justasyoubringina

singlenewspapereachmorning,trytotakeout(orplaceinarecycling

container)asinglenewspapereachnight.Bytacklingyourrecycling

routinely,youcanpreventtheworkandmessinvolvedinmanaginga

largerrecyclingsystem.

Manypeoplestoremedications,vitamins,painrelievers,and

supplementsinthekitchenbecausetheytakethemwithmeals.The

problemisallthoselittlebottlescancreatecompletechaos.Placeall

oftheminaplasticorwirebasketthatcanbetakeninandoutofa

cupboardeasily.Theycanalsobestoredontheirsidesinashallow

drawer.Besuretoplaceanonslipmatunderthemsotheystaylabel

up.Regularlyremovemedicationsyouarenolongertakingorthose

thatareexpired.

OrganizingYourGrillAccessories

Ifyouhaveanoutdoorgrill,youprobablyhaveparaphernaliathatgoes

withit.Thisincludestongs,spatula,fork,skewers,barbecuebrush,and

accessorieslikegrillbaskets,grilllighters,andsmokingtrays.Onewayto

getthemoutofthekitchenistoputtheminanoutdoorcabinetnextto

thegrill.Youcanpurchaseaplasticpottingcartthathasdoorsanda

drawertostoretheseitemsin.Ifyouhaveagasgrill,considerbuyingan

extrapropanecanistersoyouwillneverrunoutofgas.Itwillfitinthe

cabinet.Ifyouhaveacharcoalgrill,youwillwanttokeepbriquettesand

lighterfluidonhandaswell.

Hard-to-StoreItems

Whenyourkidsbringtheirlunchboxeshomeforanextendedholiday,do

youneverknowquitewheretokeepthem?We’veallgotthoseitemsthat

don’thaveapermanenthomeinthekitchenbecausetheycomeandgo

somuch.Findingtheperfectspotcantakesomethinking,butonceyou

identifyaplaceforeachitem,you’llalwaysbeabletoputitaway.Those

lunchboxesandlunchbagscanbestashedatthebottomofapantryor

ontopofyourbakingpansinacabinet.Theyneedtobestoredlow

enoughsothekiddoscanreachthemwhenit’stimetoloadthemup

again.Thermosesareanothertoughitem.Keepthemwithyourwater

bottles.

Thentherearewackyutensilslikenutcrackers,churchkeys,

strawberryhullers,corncobholders,shrimpdeveiners,bambooskewers,

andmanualcanopenersthatrarelygetused,butyouwanttokeep.

Thesearebestkeptinabasketorboxonatopshelfofahard-to-reach

cabinet.Ifyouhaveplasticcutleryforpackedlunches,picnics,oroutdoor

meals,keepitinazip-topbagonashelfinacabinet,orinawide-mouth

jar.

Strawshaveawayofexplodingalloverthekitchen.Buyoneof

thoseold-fashionedglassstrawjarswithametallid,orjuststick

themallinaglass.

KeepingYourKitchenClutter-Free

Americansspendbillionsofdollarsayearrenovatingtheirkitchens,

turningthemintostatussymboljewelsofthehome.Andthen,poof!The

sleekandstreamlinedsuper-kitchenfaçadeislostunderapoorstorage

system.Clutterinfluencesnotonlythekitchenbuttheadjoiningroomsas

well.Withopenfloorplansfeaturedinsomanyhomesthesedays,a

clutteredkitchencanaffectanentiresuiteofroomsoryourwholehouse.

Becareful!Clutteriscontagious.

Thebesthabityoucanadoptwhenorganizingyourkitchenistogive

yourselfregularlyscheduledrealitychecks.Whatdoyouuse?Whatdo

youneed?Isanitemworththecounterspaceorcabinetspaceit

demands?Keepinmindthatthebestclutter-busteristheabilitytojust

sayno.Puttingeverythingawaytakesalittlebitmorethoughtthan

yankingitofftheshelves.It’scrucialtohaveadedicatedhomeforevery

item.Thealternativeischaos.

6

PANTRY

Prep

Thischapterisaboutorganizingyourpantry.Don’tpanicifyoudon’thave

anactualseparatepantry(lotsofpeopledon’t).Anyplaceyoustore

room-temperaturefoodinyourkitchenisapantry,whetheritisone

separatespaceorseveralcupboards.It’satoughareatokeepneat,

becausethecontentsareconstantlychangingasyouusethemandbuy

newthings.It’salsochallengingbecauseofthedifferentsizesofthe

items.

Therearemanygreattechniquesyoucanusetokeepyourpantryin

order.Byarrangingyourfoodinanaccessibleandeasy-to-spotway,

you’llfindthatcookingissimpler.You’llalsobefarlesslikelytobe

confusedaboutwhatyoudoanddon’tneedcomegroceryday,andyou’ll

savemoneyasaresult.

PantryPrinciples

Thepantryisonespotinthekitchenthatcangetoutofcontrol,with

boxesandcanstippingoverandtheonethingyoudesperatelyneed

hidinginthefarcorners.Takingchargeofyourpantrymeansnotonly

sortingandseparating,butstayingontopofthingssochaoscan’ttake

overagain.

Takeagoodhardlookatyourpantryarea.Areyouusingallthe

space?Areyouabletoreacheveryspotconveniently?Doyouhave

stableshelving?Wireracksarebestforpantries,butwoodenshelves

workalso.Besuretowipeoffyourshelvesbeforeyoubeginplacing

itemsinyourpantry.

Trickouteveryinchofspacewithwallracks,doorracks(either

screwed-in,orover-the-doorunits),hooks,under-the-shelfhanging

storage,tiered-stepstorage,andstoragecontainersdesignedforspecific

items,suchasasoupcanholder.

Verylargespacesbetweenshelvesshouldbeusedeithertostorevery

tallitems,orshouldhaveshelvesinstalledinbetweentomakethespace

moreusable.Anotheradditionalstorageideaistoplaceafreestanding

plasticboxwithaslidingdraweronashelf.Youcanjustpullthedrawer

outtogetwhatyouneed,andyoucaneasilycontainawholecategoryof

itemsinsidethebox.Thedrawercanbemovedanywhereyouwantitat

anytime.

Don’tstorefoodsincupboardswheretherearevisiblepipes.They

cancreatecondensationorevenworse,leaks,damagingyourfood.

LazySusansarenotthebestchoiceforpantries.Youcanprobably

storemoreifyoustackitemsorusestoragecontainers.Besuretomake

goodusesureofthefloor.Placelarge,heavyitemsonthefloor(like

sodabottles,largebottlesofoil,orbigbinsofflour).Ifyouhaveagood

amountoffloorspace,stackingmetalmeshbasketscangiveyou

additionalstoragespace.Youshouldalsolookupanddetermineifthere

isanyplacetoinstallahangingbasketsystem,oraveryhighshelf.

Theinsideofthepantrydoorisoftenwastedspace.Installsome

narrowshelvesthereandyou’llgainsignificantstoragespace.Ifyour

pantryisoneyoucanwalkinto,goinandturnaroundandlookabovethe

doorway.Youcanprobablyfitashelfupthere,oratleastsomehooks.

Remember,though,thatagoodpantryisnotonethatisjam-packed

withthemoststuff.Itisonethatusesspacewiselyandallowsyoutosee

whatyouhaveandeasilyaccessit.

StorageSystems

Theeasiestwaytoorganizeyourpantryistostorelikeitemswithlike.So

allpastashouldbetogetherandallbakingsuppliesgatheredinone

place.Makesubcategoriesandkeepcannedfruittogetherwiththe

cannedgoodsandoatmealtogetherwiththecereal,forexample.Jams

andjelliesgowithinthegeneralcategoryofcannedandjarredfoods.

Keepflourswiththebakingsupplies.Thismakesitveryeasytofind

somethingbecausetherewillbeaverylimitedareawheretheitemcan

be.Ifyouhaveduplicateitems,placetheitemthatexpiresfirstinfront,

soyouwilluseitfirst.Considerputtinglabelsonthefrontofyourshelves

soyouknowexactlywhereitemsshouldbeputawayandwheretolook

forthingsyouneed.

OrganizebyMost-Used

Clusterpantryitemsintheorderyouusethem.Themostcommonly

usedingredientsshouldgointhefrontandateyelevelsothere’sno

noodlingaroundwhenyouneedtolocatesomethingquickly.Storethe

gourmet(andrarelyused)items,likemullingspicesandedible

decoratingconfettiyouonlyuseforspecialentertainingorholidaybaking,

inthebackorontopshelves.

Gatherupsmall,looseitemsandkeeptheminboxesorbasketsoron

thedoorinnarrow,plastic,catchallfileholders,soyouknowwherethey

are.

TryMealPackages

Anotherstorageconceptyoumightwanttotryoutismealpackages.

Youstoreeverythingyouneedtomakeamealorspecificdishtogether,

soyousimplygrabwhatyouneedfromonespot.Soyoucouldkeep

spaghettinoodlesandspaghettisaucetogether.Orelbowmacaroni,tuna

fish,andcreamofmushroomsoupinonespot(fortunanoodle

casserole).Thisarrangementcanbealifesaveronabusynightwhen

youdon’thavethetimeorenergytofigureoutwhatyouhavethatyou

canputtogetherintoameal.It’salsoveryusefulwhenyouareleaving

dinnerinstructionsforsomeoneelse.

TipTop

Thehighestshelvesinapantryarehardtouse.Thisistheplacefor

thoserarelyuseditems.Dividetheitemsyou’rekeepingupthereinto

categoriesandplaceeachcategoryinastoragebox.Thatwayyoucan

justbringdownthewholebox,whichismucheasierthantryingtoreach

andfeelaroundfortheoneitemyouneed.You’llalwaysknowwherethat

cookiepressisorhowtofindthebambooskewers.

PantryPlus

Mostpeoplesimplydonothaveroomintheirkitchenstostorelotsof

extras.Ifyouareabulkorsaleshopper(orwouldliketobe!),youneed

tocreateanalternatepantrytostorethelargequantitiesyou’rebringing

hometosavemoney.Thebasementisthefirstplacetolook.Pickupan

inexpensiveplasticshelvingunitanduseitforallyourduplicateitems.A

guestroomclosetisanothergreatplacetosetupsomeshelving.The

garageisnotagreatplacebecauseofthetemperaturevariations.This

backuppantryisalsoagreatplacetokeepthosecookingtoolsand

appliancesyouuseonceayear.

Painttheinsideofyourpantrywhite.Thelightcolorwillmakeit

brighterandmakeiteasiertoseewhat’sinside.

TallyIt

Keepalistonaclipboardinsideyourpantryofeverythinginthepantry.

Whenyouusesomething,crossitoffthislist.Whenyoubringthings

home,addthemtothelist.Thisallowsyoualwaystoknowwhatyou

have,soyouaren’tdiggingaroundsaying,“IthinkIhaveajarofpeanut

butterinheresomewhere!”Anotherreallyfunideaistopaintthebackof

thepantrydoorwithchalkboardpaint(whichnowcomesinmanycolors)

ordryerasepaintandwriteyourlistthereinchalkorerasablemarker.

Eraseitemsasyouusethem.Consultyourlistwhenmakingoutyour

groceryshoppinglisteachweek.

AWell-StockedPantry

Theideaofapantryistohavesuppliesreadytousewhenyoucook.If

youhadtoruntothestoreeverytimeyouwantedtocooksomepasta,

openacanofsoup,orbakesomebrownies,youwouldn’tgetmuch

cookingdone.Yourpantryshouldbeatthereadysothatyouhavejust

aboutanythingyoucouldneedforyourregularcookingneeds.Hereare

somesuggestionsforwhattokeepinyourpantrysoyouarereadyto

rumbleatamoment’snotice.

Baker’sDozen

Basicbakingsuppliesinclude:

All-purposeflour

Wheatflour

Breadflour(ifyouareabreadbaker)

Cakeflour(ifyouareadessertbaker)

Granulatedsugar

Powderedsugar

Brownsugar

Cornstarch

Bakingpowder

Bakingsoda

Cocoa

Solidbakingchocolate

Salt

Cookiedecorationssuchascolored-sandingsugarandsprinkles

(must-havesifyoudoholidaybaking)

You’llwanttoconsiderwhatitemsonthelistfityourneeds.Ifyouwill

neverbakebread,there’snoreasontostockbreadflour,forexample.

Buyonlywhatyouwilluseonaregularbasisandifyouplantomake

somethingoutoftheordinary,simplybuyitinpreparation.

Takestockofthesuppliesyouhave.Mostoftheseitemsarestablefor

alongtime,butbakingsodaandbakingpowderdogetold;socheckthe

expirationdates.Ifyouhaveflourorsugarintheoriginalbag,checkto

makesureithasn’tgottendamporbeenrippedopen.

Storeflours,sugars,andcornstarchinclearplasticorglassstorage

containers(andaddasmall,terracotta,brownsugar–saverdisktothe

brownsugar,whichkeepsitfromgettinghardandwillsaveyoumoney

andthefrustrationoftryingtosoftenitwhenyouneedtouseit).Youcan

buysquareplasticcontainersthatallowyoutojustslipabagofsugaror

flourrightintothem,butdumpingthecontentsinmakesforeasier

measuring.Youwantsee-throughcontainerssoyoucaneasilytellwhat

isinthem.You’llalsowanttolabelthemwell.

Buylargecontainers(6quart)forflourandgranulatedsugarand

smallercontainersfortheotheritemsthatcomeinsmalleramounts.

Don’tleavemeasuringcupsinyourflourorsugarasyoudon’tknowwhat

amountyou’lluseandyoumayneedthecupsforsomethingelse.

Thesecontainersaregreatcandidatesforstacking,ifyouhaveroomin

yourpantry.Becarefulnottostacktoohighoryou’llhavealeaningflour

towerofPisa.Yourgrandmamighthavestoredherflour,sugar,andsalt

inceramiccanistersonherkitchencounter,butthisnotonlycluttersup

thekitchen,theceramiclidsarenotairtight,allowinghumidityandpests

togetin.

Preventpantrypests(smallmothsthateatgrains)withthePantryPest

Trap,asmallcardboardtriangle,whichtrapsthemandwhichyouleave

inyourpantry.Tokeepthemothsaway,storeallyourbakingsuppliesin

airtightcontainers.Youcanalsotapebayleaves,whichrepelthem,to

thebottomsofyourshelves.

ContainerCraze

Thepantryiswhereyouheadwhenyou’relookingforjarredorcanned

fooditems.Thebasicsyoumaywishtohaveinclude:

Tomatopaste

Tomatosauce

Wholetomatoes

Dicedtomatoes

Tunafish

Cannedsoups

Spaghettisauce

Cannedbeans

Cannedvegetablesifyoupreferthemtofrozenorfresh

Beefbroth

Chickenbroth(althoughthesebrothsarenowcommonlysoldin

cartons)

Pickles

Olives

Salsa

Pesto

Cannedfruit

Applesauce

Cannedpetfood

Youmayfindthatyouhaveotheritemsthatyouuseoftenandshould

keeponhand.Usethislistasaguidetostartfrom,notasaruletofollow.

Organizetheseintosections,withcannedfruitinonearea,canned

veggiesinanother,jarredsaucesinanother,andsoon.Alwaysplacethe

oldestiteminthefront:Ifyoubringacanofpeacheshomeandalready

haveone,placetheneweroneinthebacksoyouwillusetheoldestitem

first.Mostpeoplehaveotherstaplesthatarebasicsfortheirfamily,so

thinkaboutwhatyourfamilylikestoeatandwhatkindsofthingsyou

frequentlycook,likebakedbeans,cannedartichokehearts,anchovies,

pickledpeppers,andsoon.Onewaytodothisisjusttoalwaysreplace

somethingwhenyouuseitandtobuytwoofsomethingifyougotothe

pantry,needit,anddon’thaveone.Thatwayyou’llhaveoneinyour

pantryfornexttime.

You’llalsowanttohaveasupplyofcondimentsonhand.Stockthese

onlywhenyouarerunninglowontheopenedversionsinyour

refrigerator:

Ketchup

Relish,mustard(yellow,Dijon,stoneground,etc.)

Mayonnaise

Soysauce

Honey

Vinegar(applecider,whiteorrice)

Peanutbutter

Maplesyrup

Worcestershiresauce

Createadesignatedspotinyourpantryforeachoftheseitems,soyou

alwaysknowwheretolook.Groupthingslikevinegarstogethersoallthe

typesareinoneplaceforeasyaccess.

Ifyouhavemanycansofsoup,considerbuyingasodacan

dispenserracktostoretheminsothey’reallinoneplaceandeasy

toaccess.

Oilscanbeabigsectionofyourpantry.Thebasicsareoliveoiland

vegetableoil,buttherearesomanytypesofeachthatyoumayendup

withquiteacollection.Ifyouhaveflavoredorunusualoils(likepumpkin

seedorherb-infused)thatyouuserarely,storetheseonahighshelfat

thebackofacupboard.Keeptheoilsyouusemostoftentowardsthe

front.Ifyouuseoilregularlyandhavethespace,buylargecontainers

andthendecantasneededinglassbottleswithspoutsthatyouleaveby

thestoveforeasyuse.Youmightwanttoplaceonecategoryofitems

(suchassauces,flavoredoils,vinegars,etc.)onabakingsheetortrayin

yourpantry.Thiswillkeepthemtogetherandmakeiteasytopullthe

wholeassortmentouttolookthrough.

Ifyoustorejuicesinyourpantry(bottles,juiceboxes,orjuicebags)

theyareprobablyasabackuptotherefrigeratedonesyouhave.These

backupscanbestoredinahighorout-of-reachplace.Ifyoukeepjuice

boxesandbagsatroomtemperatureinyourpantryforuse,thesecan

tumbleallovertheplaceoncetheboxorplasticwrappingisopened.

Stackjuiceboxesontheirsides.Juicebagsneedtobecontainedina

smallplasticbox.Thestrawshaveatendencytofalloff,soifyouwant

themsecureforgrab-and-gouse,stickapieceoftapeovereachstraw

asyouloaditintothepantry.

Jarred,bottled,andcannedgoodsdoexpire,socheckthedatesand

tossthosethatareold.It’snotjustthatfoodslosetheirflavoraftertheir

expirationdates.Theycanturnyourstomach—orworse.Alsogetridof

anycannedgoodsthataredented.Thedentcancreatemicroscopic

holeswhichcanleadtocontaminationofthefood.

It’slikelyyouhavesomethingslingeringinyourpantrythatyouwon’t

everuse.Maybeyouboughttwojarsofabrandofspaghettisauceand

didn’tcarefortheonejaryoutried.Oryoumighthavegrabbedthewrong

kindofbeansanddidn’trealizeitbeforeyougotithome.Donatethese

items.Allthey’redoingistakingupspaceyoudesperatelyneed.

Theproblemwithjarsandcansistheytendtogetlostonshelves.

Purchaseagraduatedsteporganizerandyou’llbeabletosee

everything.It’stemptingtostackcans,buttheymighttoppleifyoudo.If

youmuststackthemtosavespace,placeacuttingboard,bakingtray,or

evenapieceofcardboardbetweenthelayers.Itaddsstabilityand

makesiteasytoremovethetoplayerifyouneedtogetatsomethingon

thebottom.

Makeadatewithyourselfeverysixmonthstoreassesstheitemsin

yourpantry.Thiswillallowyoutogetridofexpiredgoodsand

evaluatewhetheryouneedtobuysomemorestaples.

Beforereorganizingyourcansandjars,wipethebottomsandsides

down.Honeyinparticularcangetverystickyandendupmakingthe

entireshelfagiantmess.

DriedDos

Whocansurvivewithoutdriedpastaorriceonhand?Theseareso

importantfordesperationdinnersthatyou’llwanttobesureyouhavea

nicestockoftheminyourpantry.Manypeoplekeeponlywhiterice,but

brownricehasmanymorenutrientsandmorefiber.Ifyou’reintorice,

youmightwanttohaveothertypesonhand,suchasjasmine,black,

arborio,orwild.

Rice

Riceisusuallysoldinbagsorboxes.Mostbagsarenotresealable,

whichcreatesaproblem.Theboxesarealsoproblematicbecausethe

boxisusuallybiggerthantheactualamountofriceinside.Transferthese

itemstoplasticorglassjarsandlabelthem.Ifyouneedthecooking

instructionsfromthebox,riporcutthatsectionoffandtapeittothe

container.Besuretolabelthecontainersbecauseitiseasytomixupthe

differenttypesofriceifyoudon’tlookatthemclosely.

Pasta

Pastacanbeanotherunwieldyitem.Therearesomanytypesthatyou

canendupwithanentirecupboardfullofjustpasta.Themostcommonly

stockedkindsinclude:

Spaghetti(thinorregular)

Elbowmacaroni

Penne

Angelhair

Fettucine

Lasagna

Tortellini

Eggnoodles

Fusilli

Thereareprobably100othertypesyoucanbuy.Tocontrolyourpasta

problem,buyonlyoneboxofeachtypeatatime(unlessthere’sabuy

one,getonesale).Useitandreplaceit.Ifyouhavetonsofboxesnow,

workonwhittlingdownyourcollection.Keepsomestandardsonhand,

butonlybuyspecialtypeswhenyouhaveaspecificneedforthem.

Thebestwaytostorepastaisinglassorplasticcontainers(Wal-Mart

sellsbigglassjarsandBedBath&Beyondcarriesmanyclearstorage

items).Forthelongnoodles,likespaghettiorlasagna,averytall,glass

pastajarisagoodbet(Ikeasellstallsee-throughcontainersmeantfor

this).

Abigproblemwithpastaiswhattodoifyoudon’tusethewholebox,

buttheexcessisnotenoughforanotherentiremeal.Ifyoufindyourself

withahandfulofthisandahandfulofthat,useitalltogetherinacrazy

mixed-uppastadish.You’llwanttopayattentiontothecookingtimesfor

thedifferentvarietiesbecause,forexample,elbowscookfasterthan

penne;youdon’twanttojustdumpthemallinapot.

OtherDriedFoods

Ifyoubuypastamixes,driedpotatoes,orotherconveniencefoods,

theyarebeststoredintheirboxes,stackedontheirsides.Driedbeans,

nuts,anddriedfruitoftencomeinresealablejars,bags,orcontainers.

Storethejarsandcontainersontheshelves.Taketheresealablebags

andstorethemallinaplasticbin,sotheyarealltogether.Ifyoubuy

sauceorgravymixesinplasticpackets,controlthemallinsideaplastic

zip-topbag.

CoffeeandOtherBeverages

Coffeebeansandgroundslastlongerinthefreezer,sodon’tkeep

theminyourpantry.Teabagsandlooseteascanbeapantrychallenge.

Ifyouhavealargeassortmentofteas,purchaseaclearplastictea-

storageboxthatallowsyoutoseparatetheindividualteapackets(taken

outoftheboxes)intosectionsandclearlyseewhatyouhave.Cocoa

mixesthatcomeintubsstorewellintheiroriginalcontainers.Ifyou’re

buyingindividualpacketsofcocoaordrinkmixeslikeKool-Aid,theycan

beorganizedinaplasticboxorzip-topbag.Youcanalsoclipthem

togetherwithachipclip.

SnackZone

Snacktime!Thespecifictypesofcrackers,cookies,snacks,and

cerealsyoustockisamatterofpersonaltaste,butnomatterwhatyou

buy,youprobablyencountercommonstoragewoesfortheseitems.

Crackers

Youcanbuyaplasticstorageboxmeantforasleeveofcrackers,but

theproblemisthatifyouhavehalforfewerleft,there’smoreairinthe

boxthancrackersandtheywillgetstale.Thebetterchoiceistostorean

openedsleeveofcrackersorcookiesinazip-topbag(fromwhichyou

canremoveallair),thenplacethefoodbackinitsoriginalbox.

Cereal

Forcereal,storeinaplasticorglasscontainer.Thisnotonlykeepsit

fresh,butallowsyoutoseeexactlyhowmuchisleft(nomoregrabbinga

boxonlytofindjustcrumbsinside).Ifyouhaveindividualpacketsof

oatmealandotherinstantcereals,storethemstandingupinaplasticor

metalstoragecontainerorbasket.

OtherSnackFoods

Snackfoodsthatcomeinbagsarebestleftinbagsandsecuredwitha

chipclip.Snackssuchasgranolabarsandfruitbarscanbestoredina

plasticbin.Youcanalsotakethosebigbagsofsnacksanddividethem

upintoindividualportionsinsandwichorsnack-sizezip-topbags.This

makesiteasiertograbandgoandalsohelpsyouknowexactlyhow

muchyouhaveleft(whoknowswhat’slingeringinthatbigsnackbag;it

couldbeahandfulorabigbowlful).Keepnutsinthetubsorjarsthey

comeinforbestresults.

Aninexpensivealternativetooverpricedchipclipsistojustrollthe

bagdownandsecurewitharubberband.Orstealaplasticbinder

clipfromyourhomeoffice.

RootingforVeggies

Onions,potatoes,garlic,andrutabagasliketobekeptincooldark

places.Itisnotagoodideatostoretheseinhangingbasketsor

countertopbasketsbecausetheyareexposedtoheatandlight,which

cancausethemtospoilfaster.Ameshbasketorcontainerinthepantry

isagreatplaceforthem.Ifyoudon’thaveroom,rootveggiesarevery

happyinthebasement.

Takepotatoesoutoftheplasticbagsinwhichyoupurchasedthem.

Theywilllastlongeriftheycanbreathe.Oncepotatoesoronionsbegin

tosprout,throwthemout.Cutoffanygreensectionsonpotatoesbefore

eating.Throwoutanypotatoesoronionsthataresoft,wrinkled,or

mushy.

DownloadthePantryappfrom

www.thinkfresher.com

anditwilltrack

yourpantrystockandtransferitemstoyourshoppinglistwhenyou

usethem.

Garliccanbestoredinagarlicjar(aceramicjarwithholesinit);

however,manyofthesedon’thaveanopeningwideenoughtoallowyou

toplaceawholeheadofgarlicinthem.Itwillreduceitsshelflife,butyou

mightneedtobreakthegarlicdownbeforestoringit.

DailyBread

Longgoneisthedayofthebreadbox.Oneoftheproblemswith

storingbakedgoodsisthatifyoukeeptheminthepantry,theygetstale

morequickly.Ifyoustorethemintherefrigerator,theycandryout.Ifyou

freezethem,youmustdefrostthem,andriskdryingthemout.The

solution?Keepsandwichbreadinthefridge;bagels,muffins,rolls,

croissants,anddinnerbreadthatyouwon’tbeusingthatdayinthe

freezer;anditemslikebrowniesorcookiestightlycoveredorsealedin

thepantry.Ifyouhavecookiesyouwanttolastalongtime,theywill

freezewellinalargeplasticstoragecontainer.Piesmustberefrigerated

andcakesfarebestinthefridgeaswell.

Ifsomeoneinyourfamilyisonaspecialdiet(suchasgluten-or

lactose-free,orfornutallergies),considersettingupaseparate

sectionofyourpantryforhimorher,wherefoodsthataresafecan

bekepttogetherforeasyaccess.Thisalsopreventscross-

contaminationandreducesthetemptationtoeatsomething

potentiallyharmful.

Breadcrumbsthatyoupurchaseincanisterscanbestoredintheir

originalcanisters,butifyouliketobeabletoseehowmuchyouhave

left,transfertoaclearplasticorglasscontainer.Ifyoumakeyourown

breadcrumbs,theyarebestkeptinthefreezerbecausetheyaremore

perishablethanstore-boughtbreadcrumbs.

SpiceThingsUp

Spicesareyourfriends.Youcantakejustaboutanydish,worksome

magicwiththespicerackandendupwithaflavorfulanddeliciousitem.

Awell-stockedspicecabinetmakescookingabreeze.Someofthemost

importantherbsandspicesyoumaywanttohaveonhandare:

Allspice

Basil

Bayleaves

Cayenne

Chilipowder

Cinnamon—groundandstick

Cloves

Cumin

Currypowder

Dill

Garlicpowder

Ginger—ground

Nutmeg—ground

Onionpowder

Oregano

Paprika

Blackpeppercorns(foryourpeppergrinder)

Redpepperflakes

Rosemary

Saffron

Sage

Tarragon

Thyme

Vanilla—extract(notvanillaflavoring)andbeans

Usethislisttohelpyouweedoutitemsyouhavethatarenotgenerally

useful.Therearemanygreatspicemixesandblendsyoucanbuyaswell

thatareveryconvenientanduseful.Tacoorfajitaspicemixes,herbesde

Provence,applepiespice,ItalianorGreekseasoning,andChinesefive

spicepowderaresomegreatexamplesofmixesthatwillreduceyour

storagespaceifyoustocktheminsteadoftheindividualspicesthatgo

intothem.

StoringSpices

Theideaofadisplayspicerackisoutdated.Yourspiceswilllastlonger

ifyoukeepthemawayfromlight,heat,andmoisture,sodisplayingthem

outinyourkitchenisn’twise.Wireracksontheinsideofyourpantryor

ontheinsideofacupboarddoorworkwell.Youcanalsostoreyourspice

bottlesinaplasticbox,butmakesureyoulabelthetopsofthebottlesso

youcanfindthem.Youcanbuyanorganizerthatwillallowyoutokeep

yourspicesontheirsidesinadraweraswell.

Whileit’snicetohaveallyourspicesinmatchingjars,it’snot

necessary.Whatyoudon’twantisamishmashofshortandtalljars,so

thingscangethiddenbehindotheritems.

Considerstoringspicesalphabetically.Itmakesitmucheasiertofind

themandeasytoputthembackwheretheygo.However,youmightfind

youprefertogroupthemintocategorieslikebakingspices,ethnicspices,

extracts,etc.

KeepingTrackofExpirationDates

Spicesarenotmeanttobekeptfordecades.Theylosetheirflavors

andfreshness.Youshouldreplacethemabouteverythreeyears.Make

sureyouarereplacing,notjustdumpingfreshspicesintothejarsontop

oftheoldspices!Whenyoubuyanewspiceorrefillajaryouhave,puta

pieceofmaskingtapeorastickeronthebottomwiththedate,soyou

cantellhowoldthespiceis.

PaperProducts

Mostpeopleusepapernapkinsandpapertowelsintheirdailylife,but

they’rebulkyandhardtostore.Haveonepapertowelrollonyourholder

andhaveoneforbackup(ifyoubuyinbulk,storetheothersinthe

basementorgarage).Storetherollstandinguporonitssideonashelf.

Aspace-savingtrickistoinstalladowelcomingoutfromthewallhighup

inyourpantry(bytheceiling)andsticktheextrarolloverit.

Papernapkinsarebestcontrolledinanapkinholderordispenser,but

mostwon’tholdthe500napkinsyougetatatimeinapackage.Takethe

extrasandstacktheminabasket.Paperplatesandcupsarelikelynot

itemsyouareusingeveryday,soconsidermovingthemtothebasement

orotherstoragearea.

WatchYourWine

Winerefrigeratorsareperfectforsommelierwannabes,butifyouimbibe

onlynowandagainandcan’tjustifytheinvestment,youneedaccessible

storage.Keepwineinadarkplacethatisfreeofvibrations(read:notin

yourexerciseroomorwoodworkingshop).Makesuretheroomisata

relativelystablehumiditylevelandataconsistenttemperature.About

55°Fisideal.Basementsworkwell.Ifyoudon’thaveabasement,your

pantryisagoodspot.

Keepallofyourrelatedwinesuppliestogetherinoneareainyour

kitchen.Someofthesuppliesyou’llwantonhandincludeabottleopener,

bottlestoppers,corkscrew,andfoilcutter.Somewinerackshavespecial

shelvesorcabinetstostoretheseaccessories.

Ifyoudon’thaveaspecialwinestoragearea,youcanstoreyourwine

bottles,ontheirsides,inyourpantry.Topreventthemfromrolling

around,taketwopiecesofwoodandmakean“X”(cuttingoutonepiece

tofittheotherthroughit)ontheshelf,facingout.Placeoneopensideof

itagainsttheedgeofthepantryorcabinet.Iftheotheropensideisnot

againsttheotherwall,thenattachapieceofwoodtoittogiveitaside.

Thisgivesyoustoragespaceforabouteightbottles(twoineach“X”)and

theywon’tmove.

7

FRIDGE

and

FREEZER

Fun

Yourfridgeandfreezerareessentialtoyourkitchen.Learning

howtopackageandstorefoodsafelywillprotectyouandyour

family.Keepingthefridgeandfreezerorganizedwillallowyou

toactuallysee(anduse)whatyouhavestored,therebysaving

youmoney.Don’tbelikeanthropologistEdwardT.Hallwho

said,“Imaybeabletospotarrowheadsonthedesert,buta

refrigeratorisajungleinwhichIameasilylost.”Keepingthe

fridgeorderlywillalsokeepyousane.Youtrulycanloseyour

mindifyoucan’tfindtheyogurtyouknowyoubought.An

organizedfridgealsokeepsawaywhatmyfamilycallsthe

crankyoldman.Whenmyside-by-sidefridgegetsoverstuffed,

disorganizedandmessy,thingshaveatendencytojustfallout

whenyouopenthedoor.Wesaythere’sacrankyoldmanliving

inthere,throwingthingsatus.Keeptheoldmanawayby

keepingyourfridgeneat!

Chillin’

Thefirststepinorganizingyourrefrigeratorandfreezeristoemptythem

outandcleanthem.Startonthetopshelf.Decidewhatwillbekept;then

throwawayoldleftoversandletgoofitemsthatyouknowyou’llnever

eat.Openallcontainersandcheckwhat’sinside.Throwoutanything

that’squestionableorpastitsexpirationdate.Beruthless.The

lingonberryjellyyouboughtforarecipetwoyearsagomightnotbe

expired,butareyoueverreallygoingtouseitagain?Howmanytypesof

mustarddoesonefamilyneed?Cleanyourrefrigeratorthoroughly.Now

you’rereadytoloaditupandgetorganized!

Ifyoufindthatfruitsandveggiesoftenlanguish(androt)inyour

refrigerator,placethemateyelevelsothatthemomentyouopenthe

dooryou’llbeenticedtoeatorpreparethem.Anoverstuffed

refrigeratorcanalsocontributetothisproblem.Clearoutleftovers

quicklysoyoucaneasilyviewandassessthecontentsofyour

fridge.

FridgeSafety

AccordingtotheUnitedStatesDepartmentofAgriculture(USDA),

refrigeratorsshouldkeepfoodat40°Forbelow.Placearefrigerator

thermometerinyourrefrigeratortogaugethetemperature.Hotfoodcan

beplaceddirectlyintherefrigeratororitcanberapidlychilledinaniceor

coldwaterbathbeforerefrigerating.Alargepotoffoodlikesouporstew

shouldbedividedintosmallportionsandputinshallowcontainersbefore

beingrefrigerated.Alargecutofmeatorwholepoultryshouldbedivided

intosmallerpiecesorplacedinshallowcontainersbeforerefrigerating.

Rawmeat,poultry,andseafoodshouldbeinasealedcontaineror

wrappedsecurelytopreventrawjuicesfromcontaminatingotherfoods.

GoodStorage

Coverfoodstoretainmoistureandpreventthemfrompickingupodors

fromotherfoods.Somerefrigeratorshavespecialfeaturessuchas

adjustableshelves,doorbins,crispers,andmeat/cheesedrawers.These

featuresaredesignedtomakestorageoffoodsmoreconvenientandto

provideanoptimalstorageenvironmentforfruits,vegetables,meats,

poultry,andcheese.Stackablefridgetrayscandoubleyourstorageroom

byutilizingthefullverticalspacebetweenshelves.Usesquareplastic

containersforfoodstorage,whichallowseasystackingandconserves

space.

IntheZone

Createzonesinthefridgefordifferentcategoriessoyouknowwhere

tofindthings.Putjamsandjelliestogetheronashelfonthedooranddo

thesameforcondiments.Keepyourcheesesandmeatstogetherinthe

cheesedrawer.Createoneareathatisforleftovers,anotherfor

beverages.

TupperwaremakesstoragecontainerscalledForgetMeNot,which

aredesignedforleftovercheese,onions,andlemons.Youplacethe

foodinthecontainerandithangsfromashelfsoyoucanalways

findit.

StayOrganized

Alwayscondensefooddownintosmallerbowlsandcontainerswhen

youcan.Ifyourfamilyusesalotofbeveragesincans,buyacan

dispenser,whichkeepsthemneatlyorganized.Ifyouusemanyjuice

boxes,placetheminanarrowstorageboxsotheyaretogetheranddon’t

fallover.

Trytostoretallthingsinthebackandshortthingsinthefront.Also,

makeanefforttostorethethingsyouusetheleastintheveryback,or

onthebottomshelf.Storefoodsinclearcontainerssothatyoucan

alwaysknowwhatisinside.Neverplacefoodinanopencontainerinthe

fridge.Itwillspoilfasterandaffecttheairqualityinsidethefridge.Keep

veggiesinplasticbagstopreservefreshness.Trytospaceyouritemsso

thataircanflowaroundthem.

Andkeepthefollowingtipsinmindwhendecidingwheretoplace

refrigeratedfoods:

Don’tgeteggonyourface:Neverkeepeggsintheeggstorage

spotintherefrigeratordoor.Thiswillexposethemtoaireachtime

thedoorisopenedandclosed.Instead,keeptheminthecartonon

anuppershelfintherefrigerator.Thetemperatureofthestorage

binsinthedoorfluctuatesmorethanthetemperatureinthecabinet.

Gotmilk:Milkalsodoesnotbelonginthedoor.Keepitonatall

shelfwithotherbeverages.

Keepitcrisp:Crisperdrawersaregoodforvegetables,suchas

peppers.Thesedrawerstypicallyhavehumiditycontrolsdesignedto

helppreventvegetablesfromlosingmoisture.(Thedrawersseal

tightly,whichlimitsoxygenintake.Themoreoxygenintake,the

quickerafoodwilldeteriorateandspoil.)

Watchyourhead:Keeplettucefresherbystoringitunwashedina

heavy-dutyzip-topbag.Discardtheouterleavesthatcontainexcess

moisture.Wrapthelettuceinapapertowel,insertitintheplastic

bag,squeezeasmuchairoutofthebagaspossible,andsealthe

bag.

Labelallleftoverswithadatesoyouknowhowlongthey’vebeen

hangingaround.Whenyoubringhomethegroceryshopping,rotatethe

itemsinyourfridge,sotheoldercarrotsareinfrontofthenewerones,

andsoon.Thiswaywhenpeoplegrabsomething,theywillusetheolder

itemsfirst.Arefrigeratorfunctionsmostefficientlywhentheaircan

circulate,sodon’tjamthingsin.

Whenyouorganizeyourrefrigerator,don’tjustthinkintermsofmaking

itfunctional.Thinkintermsofbeautyaswell.Freshproducecanbe

placedinattractivebowlsinyourrefrigerator.Ifyouencounterbeauty

eachtimeyouopenyourrefrigeratordoor,youwillhaveanatural

incentivetokeepitcleanandtoeatthefoodsthatyourbodyneedsmost.

Room-TemperatureItems

Thoughyoumaybetemptedtoputallfreshfoodsinthefridge,this

isn’tagoodideaforcertainfoods.Forexample,don’tstorepotatoesin

therefrigerator.Thestarchbreaksdownquickly,whichleavesthepotato

mushyifbaked.Inthesameway,tomatoesandcucumbersshouldbe

storedatroomtemperature.Ifyouwanttheseitemscoldinasalad,chill

thembeforeserving.Bananas,avocados,andzucchinishouldalsobe

keptout.

TimeIt

Everwonderedhowlongyoucankeepmilkpastitssell-bydate?Or

sniffedsomecoldcutsandwonderediftheywerestillsafetoeat?Use

thishandychartfromtheUSDAtoanswerallyourrefrigeratorfood-

storagequestions:

S TO R A G E T I M E S F O R R E F R I G E R AT E D F O O D S

GroundMeat,GroundPoultry,andStewMeat

StorageTime

Groundbeef,turkey,veal,pork,lamb

1–2days

Stewmeats

1–2days

FreshMeat(Beef,Veal,Lamb,andPork)

StorageTime

Steaks,chops,roasts

3–5days

Varietymeats(tongue,kidneys,liver,heart,chitterlings)

1–2days

FreshPoultry

StorageTime

Chickenorturkey,whole

1–2days

Chickenorturkey,parts

1–2days

Giblets

1–2days

BaconandSausage

StorageTime

Bacon

7days

Sausage,rawfrommeatorpoultry

1–2days

Smokedbreakfastlinks,patties

7days

Summersausagelabeled“KeepRefrigerated”

unopened,3months;
opened,3weeks

Hardsausage(suchaspepperoni)

2–3weeks

Ham,CornedBeef

StorageTime

Ham,canned,labeled“KeepRefrigerated”

unopened,6–9months;
opened,3–5days

Ham,fullycooked,whole

7days

Ham,fullycooked,half

3–5days

Ham,fullycooked,slices

3–4days

HotDogsandLuncheonMeats

StorageTime

Hotdogs

unopenedpackage,2
weeks;openedpackage,1
week

Luncheonmeats

unopenedpackage,2
weeks;openedpackage,3–
5days

DeliandVacuum-PackedProducts

StorageTime

Store-prepared(orhomemade)egg,chicken,tuna,ham,and

3–5days

macaronisalads

Prestuffedpork,lambchops,andchickenbreasts

1day

Store-cookeddinnersandentrées

3–4days

Commercialbrandvacuum-packeddinnerswithUSDAseal,
unopened

2weeks

CookedMeat,Poultry,andFishLeftovers

StorageTime

Piecesandcookedcasseroles

3–4days

Gravyandbroth,patties,andnuggets

3–4days

SoupsandStews

3–4days

FreshFishandShellfish

StorageTime

FreshFishandShellfish

1–2days

Eggs

StorageTime

Fresh,inshell

3–5weeks

Rawyolks,whites

2–4days

Hard-cooked

1week

Liquidpasteurizedeggs,eggsubstitutes

unopened,10days;
opened,3days

Cookedeggdishes

3–4days

Sell-ByandUse-By

Someproductshavea“sell-by”date,whileothershavea“use-by”

date.Understandingthedifferencecanhelpyouknowwhentokeep

somethingortossit.TheUSDAdefinesthetermsasfollows:

A“sell-by”datetellsthestorehowlongtodisplaytheproductfor

sale.Youshouldbuytheproductbeforethedateexpires.Products

boughtbythesell-bydatewilllastaslongasindicatedinthechart

earlierinthissection.Additionally,accordingtotheDairyCouncilof

California,withproperhandling,milkshouldlast5to7daysafterits

sell-bydate.

A“bestifusedby(orbefore)”dateisrecommendedforbestflavoror

quality.Itisnotapurchaseorsafetydate.

A“use-by”dateisthelastdaterecommendedfortheuseofthe

productwhileatpeakquality.Thedatehasbeendeterminedbythe

manufactureroftheproduct.Use-bydatesusuallyrefertobest

qualityandarenotsafetydates.Butevenifthedateexpiresduring

homestorage,accordingtotheUSDA,aproductshouldbesafe,

wholesome,andofgoodqualityifhandledproperlyandkeptat40°F

orbelow.

“Closedorcoded”datesarepackingnumbersforusebythe

manufactureranddonotapplytoyouasaconsumer,soignore

these.

Ifproducthasause-bydate,followthatdate.Ifproducthasasell-by

dateornodate,cookorfreezetheproductbythetimesonthechartin

thischapter.

InsideandOut

Whenorganizingyourfridge,don’tlimityourselftotheinside.Inmany

homes,refrigeratorswindupbecominggiant,messycanvasesfor

magnetcollages.Doyourmagnetsmultiplylikerabbits?Itmightbe

handytohavethephonenumberofyourfavoritepizzadeliveryservice,

butyoucanputtherefrigerator’smagneticpropertiestobetteruse.

Consolidateitallwithafridgedoororganizer,averticalfilinganddry-

erasemessagecenterthatcanholdmenus,homework,orcoupons.

Smallmagneticshelvesareagoodideaforspices,papertowels,or

hooksforutensilsandpotholders.Butdon’tgooverboard.Refrigerators

dominateakitchenandcangetclutteredinnotime.

Ifatsomepointyouupgradeyourkitchen,considerholdingontothe

oldrefrigeratorandstoringitinthebasementoreventhegarage.It’ll

comeinhandywhenyouneedtheextrafridgespaceforentertaining

orstockinguponsaleitems.

FreezerFacts

Chestoruprightfreezersareaconvenientwaytostorefrozenfood.

Chestfreezersaremoreenergyefficientthanuprights,whileuprights

makeorganizationeasier.Ifyouhaveanextrastand-alonefreezer,store

itinthebasementorthecoolestpartofyourhome.Then,ifthepower

goesoff,theambientairtemperaturewillkeepthetemperatureinsidethe

freezercoolerforalongerperiodoftime.

Thereareseveralfactorsthataffectthefreezingprocess.Freezerfood

doesnotlastforeverandkeepingthingstoolongorstoringthem

improperlycannotonlyleadtofoodsafetyissues,butalsoimpactflavor.

TheUSDArecommendssettingyourfreezerfor0°F.Keepafreezer

thermometerinyourfreezertobesurethetemperatureiscorrect.If

possible,turnyourfreezertominus10°Fwhenyouaddfood.Whenthe

foodisfrozensolid,youcanturnthetemperaturebackto0°F.Ifyouare

openingyourfreezeroften,itwillnotbeabletomaintainthattemperature

andfoodswillnotlastaslong.

Thereareseveralfactorsinfoodthataffectthefreezingprocess.

Here’sabriefoverviewsoyoucangetthemostoutofyourfreezerand

thismethodofcooking.

ToFreezeorNottoFreeze

Manyfoodsfreezewell.Meats,mostvegetables,dairyproducts

(includingseparatedeggwhites),fruits,sauces,combinationdishes,

breads,cakes,andcasseroleswillallholdtheirqualityverywellinthe

freezerandwillreheatbeautifully.Handlingandpreparationforstorage

willbethekey.

Foodswithahigh-watercontent(lettuce,tomatoes,radishes)donot

freezewell.Allcellscontainwater,whichexpandswhenfrozen.Cellsof

water-richfoodsmaybreakdowntoomuchasthewaterwithinthem

freezes,resultinginanunacceptabletasteorsoggy,mushytexturewhen

thawed.Otherfoodsthatdonotfreezewellinclude:

Wholehard-cookedeggs

Raweggsintheshell(removefromshellifyouwanttofreezeand

thenuseincooking)

Choppedorcutpotatoes

Celery

Rawtomatoes

Mayonnaise

Custardandcreamfillings

Sourcream

Creamsauces

Friedfoods

Milk(itissafetouse,butthetastechanges)

Cannedrefrigeratordough

It’spossibletoworkaroundsomeoftheseproblemfoods.Purchase

already-frozenitems,suchasfrozenpotatoes;addthemtotherecipe

afterithascooled;thenimmediatelyfreezethedish.Whentherecipeis

thawedandreheated,thepotatoeswillbetenderandperfect.Oryoucan

alsosimplyleavethesefoodsoutoftherecipewhenyou’repreparingit

forthefreezer,thenaddthemduringthethawingandreheatingprocess.

Creamydairyproductscanbefrozenifastabilizerisaddedtothem,

likeflourorcornstarch.Theseitemsmayseparatewhenthawed,buta

simplestirwithawirewhiskwillsmoothoutthesauce.

FreezerTimes

Puttingfoodinthefreezerpreservesit,butnotforever.Frozenfoods

haveafiniteshelflife.Beonthesafesideandlabelanythingthat’snot

onthemenuintheupcomingweek.Youshouldtrytofreezefoodsasfast

aspossible,whichreducestheamountoficecrystalsthatform.

Consultthefollowinglistforthelengthoftimespecificfoodswilllastin

thefreezer:

S A F E F R E E Z E R – S TO R A G E T I M E S

Item

Months

Baconandsausage

1to2

Casseroles

2to3

Eggwhitesoreggsubstitutes

12

Frozendinnersandentrées

3to4

Gravy,meatorpoultry

3to4

Ham,hotdogs,andlunchmeats

1to2

Meat,uncookedroasts

4to12

Meat,uncookedsteaksorchops

4to12

Meat,uncookedground

3to4

Meat,cooked

2to3

Poultry,uncookedwhole

12

Poultry,uncookedparts

9

Poultry,uncookedgiblets

3to4

Poultry,cooked

4

Soupsandstews

2to3

Wildgame,uncooked

8to12

BacteriaandMolds

Bacteriaandmoldsarepresenteverywhere,evenonthefoodweeat.

Freezingdoesstopthegrowthofbacteriaandmoldonfoods;however,

whenthefoodisthawed,thesemicroorganismswillbegintogrowagain.

That’swhyitissoimportanttothawfoodsintherefrigeratorinsteadofat

roomtemperature.Bacterialactivityisstillsuppressedinthecoldairof

thefridge.Cookingdestroysbacteriaandmolds,soit’sveryimportantto

reheatfrozenfoodproperlyandthoroughlybeforeeatingit.

Burn,Baby,Burn

Afreezerisahostileplace.Foodsthatarenotproperlypackagedfor

thefreezerwillbecomedamagedveryquickly.Freezerburnisthemost

commonproblem;it’ssimplythedehydrationoffood.Whenfoodis

improperlywrapped,thedryenvironmentofthefreezerdrawsoff

moistureasthefoodfreezes.Thisdamagescellsinthefoodandresults

indry,hardpatchesthatwillnotreverttothehydratedstateevenwhen

thawed.Foodthatisaffectedbyfreezerburnisnotunsafetoeat,butit

willbetoughandlackflavor.Ifonlyasmallamountoffoodisaffected,

youcansimplycutoffthatareaandheatandeattherest.Ifthereis

freezerburnoveralargeareaofthefood,however,throwitout;thetaste

andtexturewillbecompromised.

Stews,soups,andotherliquidfoodsthathavebeenaffectedbyfreezer

burnmaybesaved.Thesenaturallyliquidfoodscanabsorbthedamage

causedbythedehydrationwhenreheated.Slowlyaddsmallamountsof

watertothedishwhenreheating,andstirgently,addingmoreasneeded.

Topreventfreezerburn,wrapfoodstightly.Alsobesurethesupplies

youpurchasetowrapandstoreyourfoodarespecificallydevelopedfor

thefreezerenvironment,suchasfreezerplasticzip-topbags.

EnzymesandOxidation

Enzymesthatarenaturallypresentinfoodcausechangesincolor,

flavor,andtexture.Enzymaticprocessesdonotstopwhenfoodisfrozen,

althoughtheydoslowdown.Somefoods,particularlyfruitsand

vegetables,needtobeblanchedorbrieflycookedbeforefreezingto

disabletheseenzymes.

Cellsarecompletepackageswithmembranesthatcontrolwaterand

airexchange.Whencellshavebeendamaged(cut,chopped,ortorn)by

preparingorcookingthefood,aircombineswithenzymesinsidethe

cells.Thisprocessiscalledenzymaticoxidation,anditdiscolorsfood

andchangesflavors.Fatsinmeatcanbecomerancid.Thecoloroffruits

andvegetablescanbecomedullanddrab.Freezingminimizesthis

process,andyoucanhelpbyremovingasmuchairaspossiblefromthe

foodwhenpackagingit.Also,whenyouarepreparingfruitsforthe

freezer,coatthecutsurfaceswithanacidicliquidlikelemonjuiceoran

ascorbicacidsolutiontoslowdowntheoxidationprocess.

GettheAirOut

Airistheenemywhenyou’refreezingfoods!Removeasmuchairas

possiblewhenwrapping.Whenyoupackagefood,pressdownonthe

containertogetridofexcessair.Youcanuseadrinkingstrawtodrawair

outbeforesealingthepackage.However,liquiditemssuchassoupsand

stewsneedasmallamountofspace,calledheadspace,inthecontainer

toallowforexpansionduringfreezing.Leave

1

⁄

2

"ofheadspaceinthese

containerssotheliddoesn’tpopoffwhenthefoodexpandsasitfreezes.

Whenaddingnewpackagesoffoodtoyourfreezer,trytoplacethem

inthebottomofthefreezeroragainstthesides.Thesearethecoldest

partsofthefreezer,sothefoodwillfreezemorequicklywithoutraising

theinternaltemperature.

FreezerZones

Thefreezercanbehardtokeeporganized—it’scoldinthereand

you’reusuallygettinginandoutquickly!Ifyouhaveanupright,designate

specificshelvesforspecifictypesoffoods,suchasvegetables,meats,

fish,prepareddishes,icecream,andstarches.Ifyouhaveachest

freezer,makeuseofthebasketsthatcamewithitandconsideradding

someplasticstorageboxesorcratestoallowyoutocreatethesame

zones.

PackItUp

Properpackagingandwrappingwillkeepyourfoodinexcellent

conditionwhileitisbeingfrozenandreheated.Makesurethatthereare

noloosewrappingsaroundthefood.

Thetypesofcontainersyouusewilldeterminehowmuchfoodyou’ll

beabletostoreinyourfreezer.Squareandflatpackagesandcontainers

makethebestuseofspace,soyoucanaddmorepackagestothe

freezer.Mostcasserolescanbefrozen,removedfromtheirdishes,and

thenstackedtostore.Todothis,linecasseroleandbakingdisheswith

heavy-dutyfoilorfreezerwrap.Freezeit.Whenthefoodisfrozensolid,

popthefoodoutofthedish,wrapagain,andstore.Whenyou’rereadyto

eat,simplyplacethefrozenfoodbackintothebakingdish,thaw,and

reheat.

Don’tstoretomato-basedfoodsinfoil;theacidinthetomatoeswilleat

throughthefoil,exposingthefoodtoairandriskingfreezerburn.Use

heavy-dutyheatprooffreezerwrapforthesefoods.

Freezersthatarefullaremoreefficient,sofill’erupwithsaleitemsand

bulkpurchases.Bagsoficecanhelpfillspaceaswell.Addingtoomuch

toyourfreezeratonceraisesthetemperatureofthefreezerand

compromisesthequalityandsafetyofyourstoredfood.Makesurethat

youneveraddtheequivalentofmorethan40percentofyourfreezer

spaceatonetime.Besuretorefertothemanufacturer’sinstruction

bookletforspecificsforyourtypeandsizeoffreezer.

Donotstoreorfreezemeatinitsstorepackaging.Makesurebreads

aresealedinsideplasticbags(notcellophanestorebagswhichcanrip

whencold).Storesoupsandbrothsinzip-topbagsandplacethemona

bakingsheetontheirsidessotheyfreezeflat.Youcanthenstackthem.

Frozenfruitsandvegetablescanbestoredinthefreezerastheycome

fromthestore.Ifyouplantokeepicecreamforalongperiodoftime,itis

agoodideatosealitinplasticwraporinaplasticbagorsetthebagina

plasticcontainer.

Ifyouwishtostorefreshherbssuchasbasil,storetheminthefreezer

doorinaplasticbag,orchoptheminafoodprocessorandfreezewitha

littlewaterinanicecubetray.Takeoutofthetrayandstoreinzip-top

bags.Thisisalsoagreatwaytofreezebrothandpuréedsoups.Make

sureyoulabelanddateallitems.

Therearesomeitemsyoumightnotthinkofasfreezerfoodsthatcan

bestoredverywellinthefreezer.Whole-wheatflourlastslongerinthe

freezer.(Whiteflour,however,canbestoredatroomtemperature.)Nuts

andseedscanbestoredinthefreezertopreventthemfromgetting

rancid.Freshlygroundcornmeallastslongerinthefreezer.

Youcancookfoodsrightfromthefreezer,buttheywilltakeaboutone

andahalftimesaslongtocookcomparedtodefrostedfoods.

GetReadyfortheDeepFreeze

Foodyou’vepreparedhastobeproperlypacked,wrapped,andfrozen

topreserveitinthebestpossiblequality.Donotplacehotfoodsinyour

freezer.Beforeplacingthefoodinyourfreezer,coolitasquicklyasyou

can.Hotfoodswillraisethetemperatureofyourfreezerandcould

compromisethesafetyandqualityofotherfoodsstoredthere.Whenthe

foodhasbeenpreparedastherecipedirects,placeitinametalcooking

orbakingpan,inanice-waterbath,orspreadthefoodinashallowpan

andplaceitintherefrigeratorforthirtytofiftyminutes.Thenpackthe

foodinthefreezercontainersorwrap,seal,label,andfreeze

immediately.

InaFlash

Flashfreezingissimplyfreezingfoodsasquicklyaspossible.

Individualappetizers,sandwiches,rolls,cookies,andothersmall-size

foodsretaintheirquality,shape,andformbestwhenflashfrozen.Spread

alayeroffoodonacookiesheetoranotherflatsurfaceandfreeze

individually—leaveaspaceof

1

⁄

2

to1"betweentheindividualpiecesof

foodsocoldaircancirculatefreely—thenpackageinonecontaineronce

frozensolid.Flashfreezingalsoallowsyoutofreezethingslikeberriesor

shrimpandthenplacethemallinabagtogetherandnothavethem

freezeinagiantlump.Theitemswillstayseparate.

Usefreezertapetosealseamswhenyouusefreezerwraptopackage

food.Buyerasable,reusablelabelsforyourfood-storagecontainers.

MeatMarket

Thereareveryspecificrulesyouneedtofollowwhenpurchasingand

storinglargequantitiesofmeat.Mostimportant,payattentionto

expirationdatesonmeatproductsandneverbuyorfreezemeatthatis

pastthosedates.Donotfreezemeatinitsoriginalpackaging.Wrapitin

freezerwrap,heavy-dutyfoil,orzip-topfreezerbags;labelandfreeze.

Dividethemeatintosmallquantitiesbeforeyoupackageitforrefreezing

soitwillbeeasiertothawandworkwith.Freezechickenpartsorfish

filletsseparately,andthencombineinalargerbag.Porkchopsshouldbe

separatedbyfreezerwrap,thencombinedinalargerbagorwrapped

togetherwithfreezerwrap.Largequantitiesofgroundbeefshouldbe

dividedintothinportions(patties)andpackageddividedbyparchmentor

freezerpaper.Dothesamewithothergroundmeats.

Checklist

Justasyoudidwiththepantry,youshouldcreatealistofeverythingin

yourfreezer.Crossitemsoffwhenyouusethemandaddthingstothe

listwhenyoubuythem.Keepthelistontopofanuprightfreezeror

attachedwithamagnettothefrontorsideofachestfreezer.

Defrosting

Mostrefrigerator/freezercombossoldtodaydon’trequiredefrosting.A

fewcombounitsthatdorequiredefrostingarestillsoldandyoumay

haveanoldoneinyourhome.Ifyouownone,frostwillbuildupinthe

freezercompartmentandyouneedtodefrostitperiodically.Moststand-

alonechestoruprightfreezersthataresoldtodayrequiredefrosting.

Whenfoodisremovedfromthefreezerfordefrostingandtheunitis

turnedoff,it’simportanttokeeprefrigeratedfoodscoldandfrozenfoods

fromthawing.Placethefoodinacoolerwithacoldsourceorpackitina

boxandcoveritwithblanketsforinsulation.Placefrozenicepacksor

bagsoficecubesontopofthefood.Thefoodwillbesafetorefreezeas

longasitisstillfrozensolid.

Whiledefrostingyourfreezer,discardpackagesthataremorethana

yearoldandstoretheremainingfrozenitemsinaninsulatedicechest.

Itisnotsafetouseanicepick,knife,oranythingsharptoremovethe

ice.Instead,youjustneedtoletitmelt.TheUSDAsaysitisnotsafeto

useanyelectricalheatingdeviceinornearthefreezertodefrostit.

Instead,justleavethedooropenanditwilldefrostonitsown.

Todefrostfoodfromthefreezerthereareonlythreesafemethods:in

therefrigerator,incoldwater(changingthewatereverythirtyminutes),or

inthemicrowave.Itisnotsafetoallowfoodtositouttodefrost.Ifyou

havedefrostedthefoodintherefrigeratorbuthavenotcookedit,itis

safetorefreeze.Cookedfoodscanberefrozenaswell.Leftoversshould

befrozenwithinthreetofourdays.

Ifyouhaveapoweroutage,yourfullfreezeroffoodisgoodfortwo

daysifyoukeepthedoorclosed.Ifitisnotfull,rearrangethefoodsso

theyaregroupedtogetherandwilllastlonger.Ifthefoodis40°F(forup

totwohours)whenthepowercomesbackon,itissafetorefreeze.

Puttingyourfrozenfoodoutsideincoldweatherisnotrecommended

sincethesuncandefrostitevenifitiscoldout.

8

Kitchen

CLEANUP

Cleaningandorganizingarecloselyrelated.It’sdifficulttoclean

untilyou’vereducedyourclutter.Afteryou’veorganized,

cleaningbringsthatfinalpolishtoyourkitchenandit’seasierto

keepacleankitchenclutter-free.Justasyou’vehadtodevelop

organizationalstrategiesthatwillworkoverthelonghaul,you’ll

alsowanttodevelopcleaningstrategiesthataresimpleand

effectiveandwillworkforyearstocome.Thischapterwilloffer

cleaningtips—fromspeedcleaningtogreencleaningand

everythinginbetween—thatwillhelpyoutackleeverycleaning

jobinyourkitchen.

ExpectImperfection

Perfectionismcanbeparalyzing,justasawillingnesstoembrace

imperfectioncanbeliberating.Cleaningisalwaysaworkinprogress

becauselifeinthekitchenismessy—themorepeopleandanimalsthat

shareaspace,andthemoreactivitiesyoudointhatspace,themessier

itbecomes.Oneofthebestwaystoadaptyourselftothisrealityisto

expectthatyouprobablywon’tbeabletoachieveconstantperfectionon

everyfrontallthetime.

Onceyou’vebeenabletorelaxintothisreality,you’llbebetterableto

developcleaningsystemsthatwillbeadaptabletoavarietyof

circumstances.Youmightwanttothinkintermsofdevelopingweekly

anddailyrituals.TheFlyLadyrecommendsthatcertaintasksbe

delegatedtospecificdays—forexample,youcouldplantowashthefloor

onFriday,dusttheshelvesonSaturday,andwipedownallthe

appliancesMonday.Thistypeofsystemcankeepyoufromfeeling

overwhelmed,becauseyousimplyfocusonthetaskthatyou’veplanned

todoonasingledayinsteadoffeelingswampedbyundonetasksand

worryingabouthowtomanagethemall.Thiskindofsystemmightalso

allowyoutokeepyourkitchenmoreconsistentlycleanbecauseyou’llbe

rotatingthroughthemajorweeklytasksinsteadofprocrastinatingfor

weeksonendontheprojectsthatyoufindleastdesirable.

Whateverkindofcleaningsystemyouadopt,allowforflexibility.Allow

yourselftofailwithoutbecomingoverlycritical.Mostpeoplewerenever

reallytaughttocleanwell—thisisaskillthatcanbelearnedwithtime,

patience,andpersistence.Differentphasesofyourlifewillplacedifferent

demandsonyou,andsometimesyou’llfindyourselfinamessierkitchen.

Justberealisticaboutwhatispossiblewithintheconfinesofyourown

life,paceyourself,andcontinuetotakestepstowardyourgoals.Know

thatyou’llsurelyhitobstaclesalongtheway,butifyou’renottoodaunted

byimperfection,you’llbeabletoovercomethem.

SmallSteps

Althoughcleaningisoftenthoughtofasachore,itcanbesimplified,and

insomecasesevenenjoyed,ifyoufindadeepermeaninginthework.

Themoreyoustrategizeaboutcleaningsolutionsthatwillworkforyou,

themorelikelyyouaretofeelinvolvedinandchallengedbytheprocess.

Cleaningdoesnotjusthavetobeaboutthefinalproduct,buttheactual

processcanbegoodforyou—cleansingyourmindandgivingyoua

breakfromthemoreabstractworkthatmightbeassociatedwithyourjob.

Andremember,ifyoucontinuetotakesmallstepseachdaytoorderyour

homeandtomakeitbeautiful,thatfeelingofpeaceandcontentmentwill

growuntilitpermeatestheentirehouse.

Oneofthebestwaystoincreaseyourcleaningefficiency(andyour

efficiencyinalmostanyareaoflife)istofindwaystoenjoythetask.If

youcanfindwaystotransformkitchencleaningfromachoreintoa

game,you’rehalfwaythere.

SpeedCleaning

Ifyouwanttoreducedramaticallytheamountoftimeyouspend

cleaning,tryspeedcleaning.Itwillhelpyounotonlyspendlesstime

cleaning,butalsotospendlessmoneyoncleaningproducts.

Workfromthetopdown.Becausegravitypullsdirtanddebris

downward,itmakesnosensetocleanthefloorbeforecleaningthe

counter.

Ifit’sclean,skipit!There’snothingthatsayseverythingmustbe

cleanedonacertainschedule;soifit’snotdirty,don’twastetime.

Speedistheword.Yourgoalistomoveasquicklyaspossible

throughthehouse,andlingeringwillslowyoudown.

Usetherighttoolsfortherightjobs.Insomecases,you’llneedto

investinheavier-dutytoolstotackletougherjobs.Keepallcleaning

toolsandsuppliesingoodshapesothatyouwon’twastetimeon

leakybottles,brokenbrooms,andvacuumsthathavelosttheir

abilitytopickupdirteffectively.

Putallcleaningitemsawayintheproperplacewhenyou’redone.

Otherwise,you’lllosetimehuntingforthem.

Payattentiontotheamountoftimeittakestospeedcleanyour

homeandstrivetogetalittlefastereachtime.

Usebothofyourhandsandyou’lldramaticallyincreaseyourspeed.

Finishonestepwithonehandandstartthenextjobwiththeother.

Withcleaning,therearemanyshortcutsyoucantake.Becreative

aboutdevelopingyourownstrategiesformakingtheworkfunand

efficient.

RaceAgainsttheClock

Manypeoplefeelthatthiskindofgamecanmakecleaningmuchmore

enjoyableandmanageable.Ifyouknowyou’regoingtosetthetimerand

onlycleanforadesignatedamountoftime,you’relesslikelytofeel

overwhelmedbythescopeofthetask.Itisalwayseasiertotakeona

five-minuteprojectthanitistoattempttotackleatwo-hourone.Another

benefitoftransformingcleaningintoagameisthatitismucheasierto

getchildreninvolvedinafungameorracethanitistotrytogetthem

involvedinhousehold“work.”

Kids,Too!

Ifyou’retiredofcleaningupafteryourkids,challengethemtojoinin.

Visitanywell-runpreschoolroomandyou’llseemanywaysthatteachers

integratetheworkofcleaningintotheschoolday.Insomepreschools,

childrensingasongastheyclean.Inothers,childrenarejustreminded

tocleanupafterthemselvesaftermealsandsnacks.Whilekidsmaybalk

atthesekindsofdirectivesathome,theygenerallyobeytheirteachers

becausetheyunderstandfromthebeginningthatcleaningispartofthe

arrangement.

Ifyouwanttomakecleanupfunforyourchildren,thereareafew

thingstokeepinmind.First,justasyouneednot(andshouldnot)

demandperfectionfromyourselfinthedomesticrealm,don’texpect

perfectionfromyourkids.Thinkofeverycleaningeffortontheirpartas

“training”forthem.Ifyouencourageandpointoutthegoodworkthey’re

doing,they’llbemoreinclinedtokeepgoing.Ifyoucriticizeandcorrect,

they’relikelytobecomediscouragedandquit.Eitherignoretheirfailings

sothattheycandevelopalong-termpositiveassociationwithcleaningor

offersuggestionsinanencouragingway,suchas,“You’redoingagreat

jobwashingthepots.WouldyoulikemetoshowyouhowIwash

glasses?”

Cleanupspilledoilbysprinklingitwithflour,lettingitabsorb,then

sweepingitup.

Youcanalsogetreallycreativewithchildrenandcleaning.Trymaking

sockpuppetsfordustingandhaveacontesttoseewhocanpickupthe

mostdirtinasetamountoftime.OrputonaCDandeverytimeasong

ends,switchtothenextchore.It’salsoagoodideatoinvestinkid-sized

cleaningimplementswhenchildrenaresmallsothattheycanmimicyou

asyousweep,vacuum,anddust.Thisway,cleaningmightfeelless

intimidatingtothemastheygrowolder.

CheckingoffaList

Somepeopleworkbetteriftheyhaveachecklisttogothrough.Createa

checklistforyourselforusethisone.Workingthroughthechecklistlets

youseewhatyou’vedoneandstillneedtodo.

CleaningChecklist

Daily

Wipekitchentableandchairswithdampcloth.

Wipecounterswithdampcloth.

Rinsesink.

Wipestovetopwithdampcloth.

Washdishes.

Wipenonwashableplacematswithdampcloth.

Weekly

Cleanstovetopwithcleaner.

Cleancountertopswithcleaner.

Cleansinkwithcleaner.

Cleandishwasher.

Wipecabinets.

Shakeoutorvacuumrugsandmats.

Sweepandmopfloor.

Cleanbaseboardsandkickplates.

Cleansmallappliances.

Cleanoutsidesofdishwasher,refrigerator,andoven.

Cleangarbagedisposal.

Dustdisplayitems.

Cleantabletopwithcleaner.

Dustwindowsills.

Washplacemats.

Emptytrash.

Seethesectionlaterinthischaptercalled“SpringIsintheAir”fora

springcleaninglistforjobstobedoneafewtimesperyear.

Warning:Accordingto

www.webmd.com

,thekitchenspongeisthe

numberonesourceofgermsinyourentirehouse.Thesiterecommends

placingyourdampspongeinthemicrowavefortwominutesonhighto

killallgerms.Replacedishragsonceaweekandallowthemto

completelydrybetweenuses.

GreenCleaning

Increasingly,peoplearesearchingforcleaningmethodsthataresafe,

cheap,andefficient.Duringpregnancy,especially,manywomencannot

toleratethesmellofmanyofthemoretoxiccleaners,suchasbleachand

ovencleaners.Althoughlimitedexposuretohouseholdcleanersmaynot

causeharmtohumanhealth,nobodyknowsforsurewhatthethreshold

is.Atwhatpointdohouseholdcleanersbecomeathreattothosewho

liveinahome?Somestudiessuggestthatcertainpeople—suchas

childrenandtheelderly—aremorevulnerabletonegativehealthimpacts

fromhouseholdcleanersthanaremoreresilientgroups.

Warning:Ifyouuseconventionalhousecleansers,nevermixproducts

—especiallyproductscontainingbleach.Somepeoplehaveactuallydied

fromthefumescreatedbyaccidentaltoxicblends.Alsobesuretorinse

wellbetweenproductstopreventthemfrommingling.Bemindfulaswell,

thatalthoughammoniaisacommoncleaner,whenitiscombinedwith

bleach,itbecomestoxic.Nevermixbleachwithanychemicalor“natural”

cleaner.

Ifyoucleantheinsideofyourhomewithnontoxicproducts,youand

yourfamilymightbecomehealthieraswell.TheUnitedStates

EnvironmentalProtectionAgencyhasdeterminedthat,inmanyhomes,

levelsofindoorpollutioncanbesomewherebetweentwotofivetimes

higherthanoutdoorpollutants.Surprisingly,newerhomes(thosebuilt

after1970)areatagreaterriskforthisproblembecausethesehomes

tendtobebettersealedagainsttheelementsthanolderhomes.While

thesehomesaregenerallymoreheatefficientthantheirolder

counterparts,thetightsealonthewindowsanddoorsalsoprevents

householdtoxins—notjustthosefromcleansers,butalsocarbon

monoxidefromgasappliances—fromescaping.

GreenChoices

Whileorganicfoodstypicallycostmorethanconventionalfoods,this

trendgenerallydoesnotcarryoverintocleaningproducts.While

purchasingready-madenaturalcleanersatahealth-foodstoremaybe

moreexpensivethanpurchasingcleaningproductsatyourlocal

drugstore,therearemanysimplehouseholditemsthatarecheapto

stock,easytoworkwith,andnontoxic.Theseitems,whichmostpeople

alreadyhaveonhand,canassistyouasyoubegintoexploregreen

cleaning.

Bakingsodaisacheap,environmentallyfriendlyalternativetoharsher

cleaners.Itissosafethatyoucannotonlyuseitonyourteethandin

baking,butyoucanalsouseittoscourtiles,removethegrimefrom

sinks,getridofodorsintherefrigeratorandoncarpets,andwipedown

yourkitchencounters.Usingthisasacleanermakesgettingorganized

forcleaningasnapbecauseyouwillmostlikelyalwayshavebakingsoda

inyourcupboard.Evenifyouprefertouseothercleaners,thisisagreat

backupcleanerinapinchbecauseyou’llhaveitattheready.

Notonlyaretheseordinaryhouseholditemscheaperthan

conventionalhouseholdcleaners,itcanbefuntoplaythechemistby

mixingupyourowngreencleaners.Asmallamountoflavenderoilor

lemoncanbringafresharomatomanyareas.Experimentwiththese

productsuntilyoufindcombinationsthatworkforyourhome.

Hereisalistofgreen-cleaningproducts,aswellaspossibleusesfor

eachofthem.

Oliveoil:Mixthreepartsoiltoonepartvinegartocleanwooden

cabinetsandtableandchairs.

Clubsoda:Useforwindowsandchrome.

Coffee:Placethegroundsinoldpantyhoseanduseasascrubber.

Vinegar:Perfectforcleaninghardwoodfloorsandalsogoodfor

cuttinggrime,soapbuildup,andformold.

Borax:Cankillmoldanddisinfect.

Salt:Whenmixedwithwater,cankillbacteria;makeapasteofitfor

scrubbingtoughgrime.

Lemons:Runthemthroughyourgarbagedisposalforafreshclean

scent.

Bakingsoda:Canbeusedtoscourandremoveodors,andcanbe

combinedwithvinegartocleanstainlesssteel.

GiveYourselfaHand

Asyoubecomemorerealisticwithyourselfaboutyourskillsand

capacities,considerhiringacleaningperson.Thishiringdoesnothaveto

beasubstantialinvestment.Youcouldhireacleaningpersontocome

justonceamonth,forexample,oreveryotherweek.Evenifyouareona

tightbudget,acleaningpersonmightstillbeinyourbudgetifyoucan

findwaystoreduceyouroverallspending.

Thecostofhiringaprofessionalcleaningpersonvariesagreatdeal

dependingonwhereyoulive.Inaruralarea,wherethecostoflivingis

generallylowerthanalargercity,youcanexpecttopaylessthanina

majorurbanarea.Thinkofhiringacleaningpersontocomeinanddothe

reallytoughjobs,likecleaningyouroven(ifitisnotself-cleaning),or

washingthewindows.

TheKitchenSinkandEverythingunderIt

Openupyourunder-sinkcabinetsandyou’llprobablyfindallsortsof

things,includingcleaningsuppliesyou’veforgotten.It’shardtoresist

samplinganewproductwhenthemanufacturerpromisesitsnewest

glasscleaner,stainless-steelpolisher,lemonoil,ordetergentwillmake

yourlifeeasier.Butaretheyallnecessary?Imaginehowmuchspace

youcouldfreeupifjustahandfulofcleanersservedmultiplefunctions.

Thereareafewmultitaskingproductsonthemarket.Aproductcalled

HolyCow(

www.holycowproducts.com

),forinstance,cancleanyour

walls,grout,andgranite,andevenyourjewelryandshoeleather.Pare

downyourcleaningsuppliessothattheitemsyoudohavecanmultitask,

savingyouspace.

Thespotunderyoursinkisavaluablestoragespacethatyoushould

maximize.Takeadvantageofthespacebyinvestinginadjustable-height

shelvingthatslidesoutalongrailsandisspeciallydesignedtofitaround

awkwarddrainpipes.

Anotherwaytoorganizeallthosecleaners,brushes,andspongesisto

buyatoolcaddy.Fillitwiththecleanersyouusemostoften,thenwhen

you’recleaning,youcanjustgrabthecaddyandhaveeverythingyou

needwithyouinahandycontainer.Installsomehooksonthewallor

doorunderthesinktohangbrushes.

Warning:Someofthehouseholdproductsstoredunderyoursinkmay

betoxicandfallundertheclassificationofhazardouswaste.Don’tpour

themdownthedrainorthrowtheminthetrash.Contacttheappropriate

environmentalagencyforyourareaorcallyourtownhalltofindouthow

todisposeofchemicalcleanersproperlyandsafely.

EndingtheScienceExperiment

Therefrigeratorandfreezeraretwoofthehardestspotsinthekitchento

clean.They’reneveremptyandit’schallengingtoreacheveryspot.Wipe

theoutsideofthefridgeandfreezer(andthehandles)weekly,andcheck

expirationdatesonfood.Cleantheinsideofyourfridgeandfreezer

everyfewmonths.

Thefirststepincleaningyourrefrigeratoristoemptyitoutandcleanit.

Removealloftheshelvesandcleanthem.Ifyouhaveglassorplastic

shelves,tryusinganaturalcleaner(suchasbakingsoda)without

harmfulchemicals.Becausetherefrigeratorisacontainedandwell-

sealedspace,youdon’twantchemicalscompromisingtheindoorair

quality—orleavingresidueonyourapplesandblueberries.Takeoutthe

drawersandwashtheminthesinkwithamildcleaner,orwithbaking

sodaandwater.Drythemthoroughly.Wipedownthewallsofthe

refrigeratorwithyournaturalcleaner.Cleaninsidethebutter

compartmentandalloftheshelvesonthedoor.Wipedowntheseal

aroundthedoor.

Cleanoutthecoilsunderneaththerefrigerator.Theygetcoatedwith

dustandpetfurandworklessefficiently.Pullouttherefrigeratorand

vacuumorsweepbehindit.Wipedownthebackandsidesofthe

refrigeratorwithadampcloth.Thefrontoftherefrigeratorshouldbe

cleanedwithamildornaturalcleaner.Ifyouhaveastainless-steel

refrigerator,purchaseastainless-steelcleaner.

Waterandicedispenserscanbecomecoatedwithhard-waterbuildup.

Tocleanthese,useLime-A-Wayorvinegar.Youmayneedtofillaglass

withsomeofthedilutedcleanerandholditupsothewaterandice

dispenserscansoakintheglassforafewminutes.Thehard-water

residuewillwiperightoffafterbeingsoaked.

Tocleanthefreezer,youneedtounloaditanddefrostit.Clean

shelves,drawers,andwallsasyoudidintherefrigerator,andwipedown

thesealaroundthedoor.Emptytheicebinandwashitinthesink.

FeeltheHeat

Thestoveandovencanbeoneofthedirtiestspotsinyourkitchen.

Keepingthisareacleanwillhelpyourkitchenseemneater.Tomake

cleaningeasier,alwaystrytowipeupspillsassoonastheyhappen.If

theygetcookedon,theyaremuchhardertoremove.

Startwiththestovetop.Unplugthestoveifyouaredealingwithan

electricstove.Ifyouhaveastovewithburners,removeallthegratesand

drippans.Soaktheseinamixtureofhotwaterandbakingsodaora

multipurposecleanermixedwithwater.Removetheknobsandclean

themwiththesamemixture.Ifyouhaveanelectricstove,youshouldnot

soaktheburnersinwater.Tocleanthem,wipethemwithadampcloth

soakedinawaterandvinegarmix;thenrinse.Ifthereareanyhardto

removespots,makeapasteofbakingsodaandwaterandallowittorest

forafewhours.AMr.CleanMagicEraserisanothercleaningoption.

Tocleanthestovetop,usebakingsodaoranall-purposecleaner.Allow

ittosoakongrimyspotsbeforewipingaway.Ifyou’restuckwithdirtyou

justcan’tgetoff,sprayitwithalittleovencleanerandletitsoak,then

wipeitoff.Glassstovetopscanpresentachallenge,becausethey

alwayslookstreaky.Cleanwithbakingsodaoraglass-stovetopcleaner.

Polishwithavinegarandwatersolution.

Mostovensareself-cleaningthesedays,butifyoursisnot,poursalt

onanyspillsassoonastheyhappen.Scrubitoutwhencool.Ifanything

remains,cleanitwithapasteofbakingsodaandwater.Cleanthewalls

andshelvesoftheovenwithbakingsodaandwater.Youcanalso

purchaseaspray-onovencleaner,butbecarefulnottobreathethe

fumesin.It’stemptingtowanttoputfoilonthebottomoftheovento

allowforeasycleanup,butitimpactsthemovementofheatandisnota

goodidea.

TacklingtheSink

Ifyouhaveastainless-steelsink,wipeitoutwithvinegarandwater,ora

multipurposecleaner.Scrubanyspotswithvinegarandwaterorcleaners

likeBarKeepersFriend.Ifyouwantthesteeltoshine,rubitwithalittle

vegetableoroliveoilwhenyou’redone.

Porcelain,enameledmetal,andsolidsurfacesinkscanbedifficultto

cleanbecauseyoucan’tuseabrasivecleaners.Wipeoutthesinkwitha

vinegarandwatersolution.Youcanrubacutlemononanystainstofade

them.Ableachpencanbeusedonawhiteporcelainsinkforverytough

spots.Solid-surfacesinkslikeCoriancanberubbedwithagreen

scrubbingpadtorubawaythestain.

CountersandCabinets

Yourcountersandcabinetsaretheareasofyourkitchenthataremost

easilyseen.Ifyoukeepthesecleanandshiny,yourwholekitchenwill

feelcleaner.Tocleanyourcountertop,takeeverythingoffit.Wipeupall

crumbsanddirt.Spraythecountertopwithavinegarandwatersolution,

oramixtureofwaterandmildsoap.Wipeitoff.Scrubanystickyspots.

Besuretogetundertheedgeofthecounterandthebacksplash,aswell

asinanyseams.

Ifyouhavewoodcabinets,you’llwanttouseawoodcleaner.Thereis

aspecialcleanerjustforcabinetscalledCabinetMagicthatworkswell.

Besuretocleanalldrawerpullsandhandleswithmildsoap.

GettingDowntoIt

Ifyouhavearearugs,vacuumthemorshakethemoutfirst,thentake

themoutoftheroomsoyoucancleanbeneaththem.Forathoroughjob,

turnthekitchenchairsupsidedownonthetabletogiveyoufullaccessto

thefloor.Pickupanybaskets,bowls,orplantsonthefloor.

Sweepthefloorwithabroomanddustpantogettheloosedirtcleaned

up.Youcanalsouseavacuum,butbesuretoputitonthe“nocarpet”

settingtostopthebrushesfromspinningandshootingthedirtaroundthe

room.

Ifyouhavetile,thegroutisprobablyyourbiggestchallenge.Todoa

thoroughjob,you’llwanttoscrubthegroutwithatoothbrushorother

smallbrush.Usegroutcleaner,bakingsoda,orforverytoughstainson

whitegrout,ableachpen.

Onceyou’vegotthegroutscrubbed,mopthefloorwithanall-purpose

cleanerdilutedinabucket.Amopyoucanwringoutisessential,andyou

maywanttofollowthemopwithatowel(putitunderonefootandrunit

overthefloor)togetthefloorverycleananddry.Thissameprocedure

workstocleanalinoleumorvinylfloor.

Ifyouhaveawoodfloorinyourkitchen,cleanitwithawoodfloor

cleaner.Aftermoppingthefloors,takeadampclothandwipedownthe

baseboardsandkickplatesoftheroom.

Little’Lectrics

Smallappliancesgetstickyandsmudged.Togetthemcompletelyclean,

firstunplugthem;thentakeapartpieceslikebowlsonfoodprocessorsso

youcanthoroughlycleantheentiresurfaceofthemachine.Wipethe

outsidedownwithacloththatisdampenedwithanall-purposecleaner

andwatermixture,orwaterandvinegar.Fortoughdirt,spraythecleaner

directlyonthedirt,orscrubwithamixofbakingsodaandwater.Drywith

acleancloth.Remembertowipedowntheelectricalcord,sincethis

oftengetsstickyanddirtytoo.

Emptyoutthecrumbtrayontoastersandtoasterovens.Cleanthe

glassonatoasterovenwithwindowcleanerorvinegarandwater.The

workingpartsandaccessoriesoffoodprocessors,blenders,andmixers

shouldbewashedinsoapandwateriftheyaredirty.Whencleaninga

canopener,liftthehandleandcleantheentiremechanismthoroughly.

Useabakingsodapasteonanycaked-ongrime.

Tocleantheinsideofthemicrowave,firstplaceaglassmeasuringcup

halffilledwithwaterinitandrunonhighforthreeminutes.Thesteamwill

loosenallthedirt.Removethetrayandwashwithdishsoap.Wipedown

theinsidewithabakingsodaandwatermixture.Youdon’twantharsh

chemicalsinsidethisspacewhereyoucookfood.Tiredofthings

spatteringalloverthemicrowave?Buyaplasticmicrowave-safelidthat

willfitoverjustaboutanysizedishorbowlinthemicrowavetocontain

explosions.

Enlightenment

Keepyourkitchenbrightandcheerybykeepingyourlightfixturesclean.

Cleanthemeveryfewmonths.Turnthelightoffandremovethebulbto

allowyoueasyaccesstotheentirefixture.Ifyouhaveafixturewitha

screw-onglasscover,carefullyremoveitandplaceitonatoweland

cleanitthere.Spraywithglasscleaner(orvinegarandwater)andwipe

untilsmudge-free.

Ceilingfanscangetincrediblydirty(puzzling,sincethey’reconstantly

inmotion).Cleantheseeveryfewmonths.Makesuretheswitchissetto

off.Carefullyclimbupastepstoolorstepladder(havesomeonespotyou

ifnecessary).Useaclothdampenedinanall-purposecleanertowipe

thetop,bottom,andsidesoftheblade.Alsowipethecoveringofthefan

mechanismandanychainsorcordsthathangdown.

TableandChairs

Keepyoureatingareacleanandcrumb-freesothatyouenjoythespace

foreatingandalsoforthemanyotheractivitiesthattendtohappenhere.

Wipethetabletopaftereachmealwithadampcloth.Wipecrumbsoffthe

seatsofthechairs.Onceaweek,cleanawoodentableandchairswitha

woodcleaner.Ifyouhavecushionsonyourchairs,shakethemoutevery

fewdays.Spot-cleanstainswithShoutWipes.Washyourplacemats

onceaweek.Iftheyarenotwashable,wipethemoffwithasoapycloth

severaltimesaweek.

Plasticandwoodenhighchairscanbehardtogetclean.Ifyouhavea

plastichighchair,itcanbeputintheshowerandscrubbedandsprayed

there.Usingthehoseoutsideisalsoagreatsolution.Cleanwoodenhigh

chairswithawoodcleanerlikeMurphy’sOilSoap.Thetrayonanyhigh

chairshouldbecleanedaftereachuse.

DishwasherDetails

ResearchersattheUniversityofBonninGermanydeterminedthatusing

adishwashercleanedthedishesbetterandsavedenergyandtimeover

doingthedishesbyhand.Ifyouareusingadishwasher,youdonotneed

torinseyourdishes.Moderndishwashersareabletocleananydishes,

aslongaslargerpiecesoffoodareremoved.

Loadtheplatesinthebottomrack,facingtowardsthecenter.

Potscanbeplacedfacedownonthisrack.

Flatpans,cuttingboards,andbakingsheetscanbeplacedin

upright;theyusuallyfitbestalongtheoutsideedges.

Glassesandcupsgoonthetoprack,spacedsotheyarenot

touchingeachother.

Placebowlsandsaucersdownthecentersectionofthetoprack,at

anangle.

Plasticcontainersanditemsshouldalsogoonthetop,sotheyare

farawayfromtheheatingelement.

Silverwareandutensilsgointhesilverwarebasket.Ifyou’llbe

washingbothsilverandstainless-steelflatwareinthedishwasher,

don’tputtheminthesamebasketsection.Youwanttoavoid

allowingonemetaltotouchtheother.Alternatethedirectionofthe

silverware—someshouldhavethehandleupandsomeshouldhave

itdownsothatyoudon’tendwithspoons“spooning,”makingit

impossibleforthemtogetclean.

Utensilssuchasspatulasandcookingspoonsshouldbeplaced

handledown.

Fillthesoapholderandalsobesuretofillthespotfortherinse

agentregularly.JetDryorjustplainwhitevinegarwillkeepyour

glasswarespot-andstreak-free.

Sincethedishwashercleansyourdishesandisconstantlyrunningwith

soapywateryoumightthinkyoudon’tneedtocleanit,butactually

regularcleaningwillhelpitlastlonger.Tocleantheoutside,wipewith

glasscleanerorall-purposecleaner.Ifyourdishwasherisstainlesssteel,

useastainlesssteel-cleaner.

Onceamonth,pulltheracksoutandscrubanyareasofgrimeor

crusted-ongoop(thisoftenaccumulatesaroundthewheels).Cleanthe

silverwarebasket.Wipearoundthesealsofthedoorandemptyoutany

basketatthebottomthatcatchesfoodscraps.Ifyouseeanyareas

insidethedishwasherthatarediscolored,scrubthemwithbakingsoda.

Runthedishwasheremptyonhightemperature,heateddry,withsoap,

afteryoudothis.

DishpanHands

ThereisanAmericanproverbthatsays,“Wisheswon’twashdishes.”If

washingthedishesisoneofyourmostdreadedchores,takeheart!

Therearewaystosimplifyandstreamlinetheprocess.Onegreattipisto

fillyoursinkwithsoapywaterwhileyou’recooking.Thenjustplaceyour

dirtydishesandpotsandpansinthesinktosoakasyoucontinue

cooking.Whenyou’rereadytodothedishes,they’llbehalfdonealready.

Anothereasycleanuptipistorinseyourutensils,pots,andcutting

boardsasyou’recooking,thenreusethemforthenexttask.Disheswon’t

stackup.

Todoyourdishesbyhand,usetwosinks:onewithhot,soapywaterto

washandonefilledwithcoolerwatertorinse.Ifyoudon’thavetwosinks,

placearubberbininsideyoursinkandusethatforwashingandthen

rinseintheremainingpartofthesink.

Startwiththeglasses,sotheyarewashedinthecleanestwater.Itis

besttodryyourglasseswithalinentoweltoremoveallstreaksand

waterspots.

Next,washyourplateswithasponge,softbrush,ordishtowel.As

youarewashingtheplates,placeyoursilverwareinthebottomof

thesink.Itwillsoakandbeeasytojustrinsebythetimeyougetto

it.

Getthosepiecesofsilverwaredonenext,beingsurethatthespaces

betweenthetinesoftheforksareclean.

Dotheservingdishesnext.

Washutensilsnext.

Savethepotsandpansforlast.Verygreasyorbaked-onfood

shouldbesoakedforatleastafewhoursandaddingbakingsodato

thewatercanhelp.DawnPowerDissolverisaproductthathelps

removebaked-onstains.Ifyouhavecooked-onfoodinapot,fillit

partwaywithwaterandputitonthestovetoboil.Theboilingwater

willloosenthedirt.

Ifyouarewashingverybreakableitems,linethebottomofthesink

withatoweltoprotectthem.

OddsandEnds

Therearemanyotherlittlethingsinthekitchenthatcanuseagood

cleaningnowandagain.Besuretocleanouttheinsideofyourgarbage

caneveryfewmonths.Takeitoutsideandsprayitwithahoseifyoucan.

Thefruitbowlneedstobewashedonceaweek.Wipedownyoursalt

andpeppershakersandthingslikeoliveoilbottlesandsoapdispensers

onceaweek.Cleandoorknobs,windowlatches,andallhandlesand

pullsintheroomwithanall-purposecleaner.Wipedownyourtelephone

completely.Washyourspoonrestinsoapywater.Goaroundthe

perimeteroftheroomwithafeatherduster,orwitharagontheendofa

mopandgetridofthecobwebsthataccumulatealongthewalls.

EliminatePests

Noonewantstoseeroachesscurryingorantsmarchingacrossthe

kitchencountersordownthewalls.Butbeforeusingpesticides,people

canconsiderotheralternativesavailabletocontrolpests.

Oneofthefirststepstoreducingpestsandinsectsinthehouseis

removingwhateveritisthatisattractingthem.Keepcountersandfloors

cleanoffoodscraps.Anddrippingfaucetsandsoakingdishesshouldbe

avoidedbecausetheyserveasawatersourceenticinginsectsintothe

kitchen.Keepfoodsthatpestsfindattractivesuchasflour,macaroni,and

cornmealintightlyclosedcontainerstoeliminateeasyaccessbybugs.

Therearenaturalwaystoridyourkitchenofsomeofthemore

commonpestswithoutusingpesticides.Followatrailofantstofind

wheretheyarecomingin.Sprinklechilipepper,driedpeppermint,or

boraxtosteerthemaway.Forcockroachesmixborax,sugar,andflour

andsprinkleitintheinfestedarea.Alsotrysprinklingboraxbehindlight

switches,undersinks,andinthebackofcabinetstokillroaches.

SpringIsintheAir

It’scalledspringcleaning,butyoureallycandoitatanytimeoftheyear.

Aspringcleaningisadeepcleaning,whereyoucleannooksand

cranniesyounormallymightnotgetto.Foracompletekitchenspring

cleaning,makesureyoudothefollowing:

Pulloutyourstoveandfridgetocleanunderneathandbehindthem.

Washcurtainsorwipedownblinds.

Turnthechairsupsidedownandwipeofftheglidesonthefeetofthe

chairs.

Wipethetablelegsandchairlegswithwoodcleaner.

Ifyourtabletakesaleaf,popitopenandcleanoutthecrackwhere

theleaffits—itgetspackedwithdirtandcrumbs.

Wipeoutwindowsills.

Cleantheoutsidesofthewindows.

Washscreensonwindows.

Emptyoutthepantry,cupboards,anddrawersandwipethemclean.

Thoroughlydustalldisplayitemsinthekitchen.

Washoutthesoapdispenser.

Cleanlightfixturesandfans.

Cleanlightswitches.

Replaceyourkitchenscrubbrushandsponges.

Washallwashablerugsandmats.

Dustthetopoftherefrigerator.

Wipedownthesidesofflowerandplantpots.

Useadampclothtowipetheinsideandoutsideofallbaskets.

Flamed

Ifyouhaveagrill,nomatterhowhumble,youhaveanoutdoorkitchen.

Yourgrillneedstobecleanedjustlikeyourstove.Youmaywanttoplace

yourgrillonagrillpadtopreventgreasedripsonyourpatioordeck.

CharcoalGrills

Cleanthegratebeforeeachusewithawirebrushorcrumpledpieceof

foil.Scoopoutanyashesfromthebottom.Emptyouttheentiregrillat

leastonceayearandrinseitout.Useabrushtoscrubanycaked-on

greaseanduseasteelwoolpadfortoughspots.

GasGrills

Cleanthegratebeforeeachusewithawirebrushorcrumpledpieceof

foil.Onceayeardisengagethegasandscrubdowntheinsideofthelids

andtheinsideofthecookingareawithanall-purposecleanerorasteel

woolpad.Changethebriquettes.Emptyorreplacethegreasecatcheras

needed.Ifthegrillisrusting,itneedstobepainted.Checkthe

connectorstothepropanetankforanycracksorproblems.

Tools

Cleanyourgrilltoolsaftereachusewithhot,soapywater.Include

thingslikefishbaskets,grilltrays,andpans,aswellasyourfork,spatula,

andtongs.

OnStage

Ifyou’retryingtosellyourhome,yourkitchenisaprime-sellingpoint.

Stagingisaprocessthatallowsyoutoemphasizetheroom’shighlights

toapotentialbuyer.Thefirststepisdoingaverythoroughcleaningofthe

room.Makeitshine.Then:

Geteverythingcompletelyorganized,downtohavingmughandles

facingthesamewayandcerealboxeslinedupaccordingtoheight

(doingsowillconvincethebuyeryouareoverlymeticulousandtake

incrediblecareofyourentirehome).

Putawayallscrubbrushes,dishrags,anddishsoapsothesink

arealooksspaciousandempty.

Putalittlevanillaonabakingsheetandplaceitontheovenon

warmforabouthalfanhourbeforeanyonecomestoviewthehome.

Thesmellwillbeinviting.

Removeanythingthatisblockingyourwindows(suchassun

catchersorhangingplants).Youwanttheroomtofeelbrightand

airy.

Unloadthedishwasherbeforeanyonecomesincasebuyersopenit

(andtheyoftendo).

Cleanoutyourdrawersandcupboardsbecausepeoplewilllook

insidethem.Youwantthemtolookroomyandlarge,notsmalland

crampedwithtonsofstuff.

Stashawayallsmallcountertopappliances(likecanopenersand

foodprocessors)sothecounterlooksbiggerandtheroomfeels

morespacious.

Therearesomeinexpensivechangesthatwillmaketheroomlook

terrific,suchasreplacingdrawerpullsandhandles,bringinginnewarea

rugs,replacingdriptraysonthestove,placingaplantonthecounter,and

touchingupthepaintintheroom.Ifyoudon’thaveroominyourkitchen

forafull-sizekitchentable,considerbuyingasmalltwo-persontablewith

chairstomaketheroomlookasifitdoeshaveaneatingarea.

Setyourkitchentablewithbeautifultablesettings,clothnapkins,nice

glassware,andalovelycenterpiece.Ifyoudon’thavedishesnice

enoughtosetthetable,placeabowloffreshfruitinthecenterofthe

table.

Depersonalizetheroombyputtingawayphotos,lists,calendars,and

anythingthatremindsabuyerthatsomeoneelseusesthiskitchen.Take

outthetrashbeforebuyersarrive,andconsiderremovingthetrashcan

completelywhilethehomeisbeingshown.Ifyouhavepets,stashtheir

dishes,toys,leashes,andlitterboxes.Buyersdon’tneedvisualnotice

thatananimallivesinthehome.

PART3

COOKING,SHOPPING,ANDMEALPLANNING

9

Read

BETWEEN

theLines

Ifyouenjoycooking,chancesare,overtimeyou’llacquire

manyrecipesinmanydifferentforms—fromcookbooksand

magazineclippings,toprintoutsfromtheInternetand

handwrittennotesfromfriendsandfamily.Keepingthose

recipesorganizedandeasytousetakesalittleplanning.You’ll

learnhowinthischapter.Youmayalsobewonderinghowto

findnewrecipesandcookingideaseasily,andthischapterwill

discussthataswell.Themoreaccessibleandusableyour

recipesare,themorelikelyyouwillbetotrynewthingsand

expandyourfoodhorizons.

Carded

Oneofthemosttraditionalwaystostoreandorganizerecipesisthrough

recipecards;index-sizedcardsstoredinalittlemetal,plastic,orwooden

box.Yourgrandmaprobablyhadone.Thefunthingaboutrecipecardsis

theycanbepersonalizedsoeasily.Youcanbuyallsortsoffundesigns,

bothincardsandinboxes.Recipecardsarealsoeasytousebecause

youjustpullouttheoneyouneedandputitonthecounterasyoucook.

Youcanbuycute,themedrecipecardholderswhichwillkeepyourcard

uprightwhileyouarecooking.

Recipecardshavesomedrawbacksthough.Verylongrecipesdon’tfit

onthecards,requiringyoutostapleorpapercliptwotogether.Most

recipesdon’tevenfitonthefrontofthecard,soyou’reconstantlyflipping

thecardovertoreadingredientsandinstructions.Ifyoucutarecipeout

ofamagazineorprintitoutonline,itwon’tfitonthecard.Andthecards

getdirtyandstaineasily.(Thereisasolutiontothelastproblem.Buy

clear,plasticindex-cardsleevesandslipthemovereachrecipe.)

RecipeNotebooks

Arecipenotebookallowsyoutofitanentirerecipeononepage.You

coulduseaspiralnotebook,oracompositionnotebook(andbothof

thesecomeinawiderangeofcolorsandstyles).Chooseonewitha

plasticcovertogiveitalonglife.Youcanwriterecipesinthenotebook,

orpasteinrecipesfrommagazinesortheweb.Thenotebookisvery

portableandfitsnicelyonashelfwithyourcookbooks.

Thebiggestproblemwiththenotebooksystemisyoucan’teasilymove

recipesaround,whichmeansyoucan’torganizethem.Theystayinthe

notebookintheorderinwhichyouaddedthem,whichcanmakeit

challengingtofindthatrecipeforstuffedmushroomsyouremember

addinglastyear.Thepagesarealsosusceptibletostainsandsmudges.

Manyoftheseproblemscanbesolvedbyusingrecipebinders.

RecipeBinders

Three-ringbindersofferagreatsystem,particularlyifyouhavealarge

numberofrecipes.Usedividerstocreatesectionslike“Appetizers,”

“Desserts,”“ChickenDishes,”andsoon.Ifyouhavealotofrecipes,you

maywanttobreakthemupamongseveralbinders.Buydifferentcolors

soitiseasytoknowwhichonetograb.Thebindersthatlocklastthe

longest.

Buyaboxofclear-plasticpageprotectorsandslidetworecipesineach

(onefacingeachdirection),soyourrecipeswon’tgetstainedasyou

cook.Thissystemisconvenientbecauseitallowsyoutomoverecipes

around,addnewones,andyoucansimplyopenthebinderandpullout

therecipeyouneed.It’salsoconvenientforsharingrecipes,because

youcanphotocopy,scan,orfaxarecipeeasily.Thebindersstorewell

withyourcookbooks.

Anotherstorageoptionistousecolor-codedfilestostoredifferent

categoriesofrecipes.Youcanstorethefilesinafilecabinet,orina

kitchendrawerorcabinet.Thefilesareeasytograbandeasytoadd

to,butarehardtokeeporganizedandclean.However,thesecan

workifyoudon’thaveroomforbulkybinders.

GoDigital

“There’sanappforthat.”Recipescannowbeeasilyorganizedand

manageddigitally,throughyourcomputer,tablet,orsmartphone.Scanor

typeinyourhardcopyrecipestocreateadigital-cookbookdocumentyou

cansearchandeasilymanipulate.SaveitasaPDFdownloadtoyour

tabletore-bookreader.Youcanalsosynchyoursmartphoneandopenit

there.Youcanuploaddigital-cookbookdocumentstoApple’siCloudso

youcanaccessitfromanydevice.Savingyourrecipesindigitalformat

allowsyoutokeepthemsafeforever(aslongasyoubackthingsupor

storethemsomeplacelikeiCloud).

SoftwarelikeLivingCookbookandMastercookallowyoutocreate

yourownrecipebookandhavemanygreatfeaturesthatcalculate

nutritionalvalue,generateshoppinglists,allowmealplanningandsearch

byingredient,offersubstitutionsuggestions,importrecipesfromany

source,printyourowncookbooks,andadjustrecipesforservingamount

youselect.

TherearelotsandlotsofrecipeappsyoucanfindintheiTunesstore,

whichallowyoutoaccessanindividualcookbook,website,orchef’s

recipes.Somerunatimertokeepyouontasktocompletetherecipein

theindicatedtime.Othersallowyoutocreateashoppinglistandare

handytousewhenyou’reinthemiddleofthegrocerystoreandrealize

youdon’tknowwhatyouneedtomakethatspecialdinnerforyourin-

lawsonSundaynight.

Ifyou’llbeusingatabletorsmartphoneinthekitchen,consider

purchasingaholderforitsoyoucanhaveituprightwhileyouare

working.You’llalsowanttobesureyouhaveascreenprotectortoguard

againstspatters.

CaptureFamilyRecipes

Everyfamilyhasthosespecialrecipesthatarehandeddownfrom

generationtogeneration,oratleastspecialdishesthataremadea

certainwaybyyourfamily.Youmighthavegrownuplovingyour

grandma’ssugarcookies,yourdad’sbarbecuesauce,oryourmom’s

beefstew,butifyoudon’tgettherecipeinwriting,you’llneverbeableto

replicateitexactly.It’stimetopindownthoserelatives.

Thebestwaytolearnexactlyhowtomakeafamilyrecipe,ifitisn’t

alreadywrittendown,istobeinthekitchenwhenit’sbeingmade.Stop

andmeasureeverythingbecauseapinchofthisandadropofthatmean

differentthingstodifferentpeople.Writedownallthestepsinvolvedwith

details.Considerhavingafamilyrecipeparty,whereeverybodybrings

hisorherownsignaturedishandcopiesoftherecipesforeveryoneelse.

Ifyourfamilyhasseveralcookingtraditions,considermakingafamily

recipebook.MakeaWorddocumentwithalltherecipes,oneperpage.

Organizethembysection.Includefunlittletidbitsaboutthem,suchas

howgrandmalearnedtomaketherecipe,whenitwasserved,and

whosefavoriteitis.Putafamilyphotoonthecoveroraphototakenin

thekitchen.Takethepagestoacopyshopandhavethembinditwitha

spiralbinding.Youcanlaminatethecoverorpagesifyouwant.This

makesanexcellentbridalshowerorweddinggiftforwomen(ormen!)

marryingintothefamily.It’salsoathoughtfulgiftforayoungadultwhois

movingouttohisorherfirstapartment.

Topreventcookbooksfromgettingdirtyandspatteredwhencooking,

investinacookbookholderwithaprotectiveshield.Theseproducts

comeinvariousstylesandsizes,andtheyholdyourcookbookopen

tothepageyou’rereferringtowhileprotectingthepages.Mostare

smallenoughorcollapsibleforeasystorage.Orbuyabigbeautiful

oneandregularlychangeoutthecookbookondisplay.

FoodExploring

Thereisneveranyshortageofrecipesavailableifyouneedideas.You

justhavetoknowwheretolook.Addingnewrecipestoyourcollection

keepsyou(andyourfamily)interestedincookingandspicesthingsup

withnewdishes.

GoOnline

Ifyou’relookingforarecipeforaspecificthing,yourbestbetisto

Googleit,orgotoabigfoodsitelikewww.foodnetwork.comor

www.allrecipes.com.You’llfindmanypossibleversionsofthedishyou’re

seeking.Besuretoreadthereaderreviewstohelpyoudeterminehow

tasty,easy,andaccuratetherecipeis.Thesesitesarealsogreatplaces

togowhenyouneedideas.Scrollthroughallthetopchickendishesor

typeinaningredientyouwanttouseforideas.

ReadMagazinesandBooks

Subscribetocookingandfoodmagazines(suchasBonAppétit,Taste

ofHome,Food&Wine,FoodNetworkMagazine,andEverydayFood),or

readthematyourlocallibraryfornewrecipes.Thelibraryisalsoagreat

placetobrowsenew(andoldcookbooks).Checkoutthecookbook

sectionofyourlocalbookstore,orsurfthecookbooksectionofanonline

bookstoreforbooksyoumightenjoy.Therearemanyonlinecooking

clubsandlistservsyoucanjoin,wherepeoplesharerecipesortogether

cookthroughbooksasagroup.

AskfortheRecipe

Whenyoueatsomethingyouenjoyatsomeone’shome,askforthe

recipe.Encouragethepersontoscanande-mailittoyou,whichismuch

lesstime-consumingthantypingitorhandwritingit,andgivesyoumore

flexibilityinhowyousaveit.Takeallthenewrecipesyoureceiveandadd

themtoyourrecipecollectionaboutonceamonth,afterallyournew

cookingmagazineshavecomeandyou’vehadachancetolookthrough

them.Keepapileofrecipestobefiledwithyourcookbooks.

HostaRecipeSwap

Planarecipeswapwithfriends.Makeadatetohaveadinneroncea

monthwhereeveryonebringsonedish.Bringcopiesofyourrecipeto

distribute.Noonehastocookanentiremealthatnight!

TryingOutRecipes

Itcanalsobeagoodideatotemporarilyfileyournewrecipesina

specialsectionofyourrecipecollectioncalled“RecipestoTry,”soyou

cangotherewhenyouneedanideaandyoucanalsohaveachanceto

tryarecipebeforeyoupermanentlyfileitinyourcollection.Youcould

alsofiletherecipewhereitbelongsandflagitwithastickynotesoyou

caneasilyfindittotryit.

Whenyouaddanewrecipetoyourcollectionmakeanoteofits

source.Asyoucookwiththerecipeyoumaywanttoaddnotesonitsuch

as“uselesssalt”or“addbasil.”Besuretowrite“good”orputastaron

recipesthatyoureallylike.Overtime,youmaynotrememberhowmuch

youenjoyeditunlessyoumakeanoteofit.

WordbyWord

Ifyouhaveacookbookcollection,youknowthatitcansometimesbe

hardtofitthisintoyourkitchen.Cabinetsarenottheidealwaytostore

cookbooks,andmostpeopleneedtousetheirkitchencabinetsforother

thingsifspaceisatapremium.Thereareotherplacestokeepyour

cookbookssotheyareaccessible.

Abookcase(freestandingorwallmounted)istheideallocation.Ifyou

arepressedforspace,you’llfitmoreifyoustackthem,ratherthan

standingthemup.

Thereareseveralwaystoorganizecookbooks.Alphabeticallyby

author’slastnameortitleisoneeasyway.Mostpeoplearelookingfor

somethinginparticularwhenbrowsingthecookbookshelves,though,so

youmaywanttotrytogroupthembyrecipetype(suchasbaking,

generalcookbooks,orevencategorieslikecookie,cake,andslow-

cookercookbooks).

Anotherideaistogroupbyfoodethnicity,whichworkswellifyouhave

severalcookbooksfeaturingfoodsofdifferentcountries.Categories

couldincludeItalian,French,Asian,MiddleEastern,Indian,andsoon.

Ifyoudon’thaveabookcase,therearesomeotherareasinthekitchen

thatcanworkforcookbookstorage.Youcanstackthemontopofthe

refrigeratorormicrowaveorstandthemupwithbookends.Abasketon

thefloorcanprovidecookbookstoragespace.Thetopshelfinthepantry

isagoodspotforcookbooksaswell.Ifyouhavenowhereelseandyour

collectionissmallenough,youcanplaceitstandingupwithbookendson

yourcountertop.

Donotstorecookbooksabovethestoveorovenastheheatand

greasecandamagethem.Ifyouareveryshortonspace,consider

breakingupyourcollection.Storethreecookbooksnexttothedinner

plates.Positionfiveinthepantry.Justtrytosortthemintocategoriesso

youknowtofindtheItaliancookbooksnexttothepastaandthebaking

cookbooksinthecupboardwiththemuffinpan!

Cookbooksarewonderfulsourcesfornewrecipes,butsometimesit

canbehardtokeeptrackofwhatexactlyisinthebookthatyouwould

liketomake.Usesmallstickynotestoflagpageswiththingsyouwould

liketotry.Itcanalsomakesensetomakealistoftherecipes(andpage

numbers)youareinterestedinandkeepitinthefrontofthebook.You

couldwritethelistononeoftheblankfrontpagesofthebookaswell.

Whenyoutrysomethinginacookbookandlikeit,makeanoteonthe

pageoronastickynotesoyourememberhowmuchyouenjoyedit.

Ifyouhavebookswhichcontainjustafewrecipesyoulike,photocopy

themandputthecopiesinyourrecipecollectionanddonatethebookor

storeitinanotherroom.

EatYourBooks.comisanonlineindexofover83,000cookbooks,and

410,000recipesfromthem.Ifyouknowyousawagreatrecipefor

lemoniceboxcake,butcan’trememberwhichoneofyour

cookbooksitwasin,insteadofpullingeverybookofftheshelf,use

thesitetohelplocatewhichbookitcamefrom;thenfindthebook

andgetcooking.

CullingYourCookbooks

Fromtimetotime,it’sagoodideatogothroughyourcookbooksand

removesomethatyouarenolongerusing.Theremaybebooksyou

receivedasgiftsanddon’tcarefor,booksthatdidn’tliveuptotheir

promise,andbooksyou’retiredof.Donatethemtoyourlocallibraryfora

taxdeduction.Youmayalsobeabletogivethemtofriendsorfamily

members.Considerholdingacookbookswappartywhereeveryone

comeswithsomecookbookstoswapandeveryoneleaveswithsome

newonestoexplore.

Cookbookscanbepartofaveryattractivedisplay.Trystacking

someuprightandsomeontheirsides.Interspersewithpottery,

antiques,orotheritemsthatmatchyourkitchen’stheme.Youcan

evenuseastackofcookbooksonthefloortocreatealittletablewith

aplantorbasketontopofit.

MagazineMadness

Cookingmagazinescanaccumulateintobigpilesveryquickly.Ifyoulike

tokeepyourcookingmagazinesafteryou’vereadthem,organizethem

intomagazineholders.Organizebymagazineandbyyear.Ifyouhave

roomtostoretheseonashelfinyourkitchen,doso,butifnot,theycan

easilybestashedinaclosetorevenunderabed.Considerbuyingthe

yearlyindexofferedbythemagazinesoyoucaneasilyfindrecipes.

It’sfuntokeepafewcookingmagazinesoutandaboutinyourkitchen

forquickinspiration.Theholidayissuesinparticularoftenmakebeautiful

accentswhenleftonatableorcounter,orinacookbookholder.

TakeoutTime

Let’sfaceit.Therearethosetimeswhenyouneedtoeat,butdon’tfeel

likecooking.Takeouttotherescue!Keepingtrackofallthosetakeout

menuscanbeaheadache.Solvetheproblembycreatingatakeout

menubinder.Slideeachmenuintoaplasticsleeve(ifit’safoldoutmenu,

getacoupleofthemanddisplayonepageatatime).Keepthemin

alphabeticalorder(orusedividerstocreateethnicfoodsections).Keepa

littlenotepadandpeninapocketinthebindersoyoucanwriteupyour

orderandhaveitinfrontofyouwhenyoucallitin.Youcanalsocreatea

separatebookmarkssectioninyourInternetbrowserandkeeplinkstoall

yourfavoritemenusrightthere.

Savethoseplastictakeoutfoodcontainers!Youcanreusethemfor

foodstorageandtheyalsoworkwellforstoringthingslike

cornstarchorcornmealinthepantry.AccordingtotheGreenGuide,

awebsiteandmagazinedevotedtogreenerlivingandownedbythe

NationalGeographicSociety,thesafestplasticsforrepeatedusein

storingfoodaremadefromhigh-densitypolyethylene(HDPE,or

plastic#2),low-densitypolyethylene(LDPE,orplastic#4),and

polypropylene(PP,orplastic#5).

SmartTakeout

Takeoutissoeasyandconvenient,buttherearesomewaystosave

moneyandbealittlesmarterabouthowyouorder.Ifyouhaveextrarice

fromChineseorAsianfood,freezeit.You’llbeabletouseitindishes

youcook.Pizzaalsofreezeswell,sobuythelargersizepizza(which

costslessperslice)andfreezetherestforanothernight.Saladsdonot

keepwell(unlessyouorderthemwithdressingontheside)sodon’t

ordermorethanyouneed.Sushiwillnotlastandshouldnotbekept

morethanoneday.Don’tstoreyourtakeoutinthecardboardfold-top

boxesitcomesin.Transfertoplasticorglassstoragecontainers.Itwill

stayfreshlonger.

10

COOKING

MadeEasy

Whetheryoulovecookingorarelukewarmaboutit,you’llfind

thatbeingorganizedaboutcookingmakesyourtimeinthe

kitchensafer,moreproductive,lessexpensive,simpler,andjust

morefun.Cookingdoesn’thavetobecomplicatedandmessy.

It’sallinhowyouapproachthetask.Ifyoucleanupasyougo,

stayorganized,anddon’tletyourselfgetoverwhelmed,cooking

isnodifferent,harder,ormessierthananyotherhousehold

task.Andinfact,it’slotsmorefunsinceyougetsomething

yummywhenyou’redone!

SafetyFirst

Foodsafetyisthemostimportantpartofanyfoodpreparation.Itdoesn’t

matterifyoupreparegourmetfoodsthateveryoneloves;ifthefood

makespeoplesick,allyourworkislost.Ifyouhavedoubtsaboutthe

purityorsafetyofthefood,throwitout.Theserulesapplytoallcooking

andbaking,notjustonce-a-monthcooking.

Foodsthatcouldcausetroubleifmishandledincludeallfreshand

curedmeats(cookedanduncooked),eggs,dairyproductslikemilkand

cream,seafood,cookedriceandpasta,openedorunsealedhome-

cannedfoods,andallfoodsthatcontainanyoftheseingredients.

Wheneveryoutouchrawmeatsoruncookedeggs(eventheshell!),

immediatelywashyourhandswithwarm,soapywaterbeforetouching

anythingelse.Donotopenacupboard,pickupthesaltshaker,ortouch

anythingthatwillbeeatenuncooked.Thinkaboutkeepingapopup

containerofhandwipesorabottleofhandsanitizerinyourkitchenfor

convenienceandtohelpremindyouofthisimportantfood-safetyfactor.

Morethan75millioncasesoffoodpoisoningoccurintheUnitedStates

everyyear.Almostallcouldbepreventedbycookingfoodtotheproper

internaltemperature.Followsafefood-handlingpracticestotheletter.

Remember,foodpoisoningisinvisible—itisimpossibletotellbytaste

orsmelliffoodissafetoeat.Mostbacteria,andthetoxinstheyproduce

thatcausefood-borneillnesses,arenotdetectablebyhumansenses.

AccordingtotheUSDA,perishablefoodsshouldbeleftatroom

temperatureforonlytwohours.Afterthatpoint,foodsmustbe

refrigeratedorfrozen.Bacteriapresentinallfoodgrowsattemperatures

between40°Fand140°F.Makesurethatyoukeeptrackofhowlong

potentiallyhazardousfoodhasbeenoutofrefrigeration.Keeprawmeats

separatefromallotherfoods.Useaseparatecuttingboard,knife,and

forkforpreparingrawmeats.

Evenifthebacteriainfoodarekilledinthecookingprocess,overtime,

somebacteriaproducetoxinsthatarenotdestroyedbyheatorfreezing

temperatures.Thosetoxinswillmakeyousick.That’swhyyoumust

followfood-safetyprocedurestotheletter,heatingfoodquickly,coolingit

promptly,andneverlettingfoodstandoutatroomtemperatureformore

thantwohours.

Ifsomeoneinyourfamilyfallsintoahigh-riskgroup(hasa

compromisedimmunesystemorachronicdisease,iselderly,orisunder

theageoffive),youneedtobeevenmorecarefulaboutfoodsafety.

Peoplewhofallintothesehigh-riskgroupscangetsosickfromfood

poisoningtheymustbehospitalized.

SafeTemps

Meatsmustbecookedtocertaininternaltemperaturesbeforetheyare

safetoeat.Hereareinternaltemperatureseachmeattypeshouldreach

whenitisdone:

M E AT C O O K I N G T E M P E R AT U R E S

TypeofMeat

SafeInternalTemperature

Chickenparts(lightmeat) 170°F

Chickenparts(darkmeat) 180°F

Wholechickens

180°F

Cutsofbeef

145°F

Pork

145°F

Fish

160°F

Groundbeef

160°F

Othergroundmeats

65°F

Checkmeatwithaninstant-readmeatthermometer.Besuretowash

thethermometerinhot,soapywaterinbetweentestsifthemeathasnot

reachedthepropertemperaturethefirsttimeyoutestit.

GetmorefoodsafetytipsattheUSDAwebsite,

www.usda.gov

.

ThawingandReheating

Whenthawingmeatintherefrigerator,placethebaggedorwrapped

meatinacontainersothejuicesdon’tdriponanyotherfood.Neverthaw

frozenmeatatroomtemperature.Youcanthawmeatinthemicrowave

oven,butonlyifyouaregoingtocookitrightaway.

Whenyoureheatthawedfood,besureitisfullycookedbeforeserving

it.Casserolesneedtoreachaninternaltemperatureof165°Fbeforethey

areserved.Testthecasseroleintheverycenter,sincethatisthelast

placetoreachpropertemperature.

CleanandSafe

Notonlyiskeepingyourkitchencleananabsolutemustformaintaining

anorganizedenvironment,it’salsocriticalformaintainingyourhealth.If

thekitchenisnotkeptclean,bacteriaandmoldcangrowonthesurfaces

andgetintoyourfood,whichcouldresultinseriousillness.Whether

you’restoringperishablefoods,cooking,orcleaning,thereareallkinds

ofsafetymeasuresyoushouldtakewithinyourkitchen.

ThePartnershipforFoodSafetyEducationsponsorstheFightBac!

websitewww.fightbac.org,whichoffersanabundanceofinformation

aboutkeepingyourfoodsafefromdangerousbacteria.Itrecommends

takingthesefourprimaryprecautions:

1. Clean:Washhandsandsurfacesoften.

2. Separate:Don’tcross-contaminate!

3. Cook:Cooktopropertemperature.

4. Chill:Refrigeratepromptly.

PuttingFoodSafetyintoPractice

Whenworkinginthekitchen,washyourhands,utensils,andkitchen

surfacesoften.Afteraknifeorplatetouchesrawmeat,washit

immediately.Washyourhands,usingwarmandsoapywater,beforeand

afteryouhandlerawfoods.Washyourcuttingboard,dishes,utensils,

andcountertopsaftereachuse(especiallyafterpreparingrawmeat,

poultry,orfish).

Useseparatecuttingboardsforrawmeatsandvegetables.Store

meats,poultry,andfishawayfromotherfoods.Wraporpackageeach

typeoffoodseparately.See

Chapter7

forinformationabouthowlongit

issafetorefrigerateorfreezecertainfoods.

Openingtheovendoorduringcookingletsheatoutandaffectsthe

bakingorroastingtimeofyourfoods.Ifyouneedtolook,dosothrough

theovenwindow.Aremoteread-outmeatthermometerallowsyouto

monitordonenesswithoutlettingtheheatout.

BasicCookingTechniques

Evenifyouarecomfortableinthekitchen,youmayfindthissectiona

handyreminderfordecodingrecipeinstructions.Thebetteryouareable

tounderstandrecipes,themoreorganizedyouwillbeasyouworkyour

waythroughthem.

HowtoHeat,Cool,Soften,orMelt

Followthesebasicrulesforheating,cooling,softening,andmelting.

Apreheatedovenisonethathasbeenturnedonandallowedto

reachthedesiredtemperaturebeforethefoodisplacedinside.

Unlessarecipespecifiesotherwise,ovensshouldalwaysbe

preheated.Inmostovens,10to15minutesisadequatetimeto

preheat.

Room-temperaturefoodsarethosethathavebeenremovedfrom

therefrigeratoraboutfifteenminutesbeforeuseinarecipe.

Softenedfoodsarethoselikebutterorcreamcheesethathavebeen

allowedtostandatroomtemperatureuntiltheyarenolongerhardto

thetouch,usuallyaminimumof15minutes.

Meltedfoodsarefoodsthathavebeenthoroughlyliquefied,eitherin

themicrowaveoroverheat.

Cooledfoodsarefoodsthathavebeenallowedtostandatroom

temperatureforaspecifiedamountoftime,oruntiltheycanbe

comfortablytouched.Stirringfoodspeedsitscoolingtime.

Chilledfoodsarethosethathavebeenallowedtostandinthe

refrigeratorforaspecifiedamountoftime,oruntilboththeoutside

andinsideofthefoodarebelowroomtemperature.Stirringfood

speedsitschillingtime.

Thoroughlychilledfoodsarethosethathavebeenallowedtostand

intherefrigeratoruntilboththeoutsideandinsideofthefoodhave

reachedtherefrigerator’sstoragetemperature.Thoroughchillingof

heatedfoodusuallytakesatleastanhourormore,dependingonthe

amountoffoodandshapeofthecontainer.

Tosoftencoldbutterormargarineinthemicrowave:Place1stick

unwrappedor

1

⁄

2

cupuncoveredbutterormargarineonaplate.

Microwaveonlow30to45secondsina1,000-wattoven.Adjust

timeifwattagevaries.

Tosoftencoldcreamcheeseinthemicrowave:Placeunwrapped

cheeseonanuncoveredplate.Heatonhigh,15to30secondsfora

3-ouncepackageor30to45secondsforan8-ouncepackage.

Adjusttimeifovenwattageisnot1,000.

HowtoMeasureLiquidIngredients

1. Usealiquidmeasuringcup—aglassorplasticcupwithgraduated

markingsontheside.

2. Placethecuponaflat,levelsurface.

3. Viewtheliquidateyelevel.

Tip:Liquidmeasuringcupscanbegreasedwithasmallamountofoil

orshorteningbeforemeasuringthickliquidslikehoney.

HowtoMeasureDryIngredients

1. Usegraduated,nestingmeasuringcups(drymeasuringcups).

2. Spoontheingredientintotheappropriatecup,ordipthecupintothe

containerofadryingredient.

3. Levelitoffwithaknifeorspatula.

Exception:Brownsugarmustbepackedintothemeasuringcup,

pressingfirmlywiththefingers.Thesugarshouldretaintheshapeofthe

measuringcupwhenitisdumped.

HowtoMeasureSoftIngredients

1. Usegraduated,drymeasuringcups.

2. Freshbreadcrumbs,coconut,shreddedcheeses,andsimilarsoft

ingredientsshouldbelightlypresseddownintotheselected

measuringcup.

Exception:Solidshorteningmustbefirmlypackeddownintoadry

ingredientmeasuringcup.Scoopitintotheselectedcupandpackwitha

spatulaorthebackofaspoon,thenleveloffwithaspatulaorknife.

Slicing,Dicing,andMixing

Itishelpfultofamiliarizeyourselfwiththedifferentcookingtermsfor

cuttingupandmixingfoodandwhatthesetermsmean.Youcanalways

referbacktothislistifthereisanyquestionaboutaterm.

Beat:tostirbrisklywithaspoon,awhisk,ahandeggbeater,oran

electricmixer.

Biasslice:tocutagainstthegrainatanangle.

Blend:tomixtwoormoreingredientsuntiltheymakeauniformmixture.

Chop:tocutintosmallirregularpieceswithaknifeorfoodprocessor.

Core:toremovethecenterofafruitlikeanappleorpear.

Cream:tobeatafatuntilitislightandfluffy,oftenincombinationwith

sugarorotheringredients.

Crush:topressorsmashseasoningsorotherfoodstoreleasetheir

flavor,usingagarlicpress,heavyknife,orotherimplement.

Cube:tocutfoodintosquaresabout

1

⁄

2

"onthesides.

Cutin:tocombineasolidfatwithdryingredients,untilthefatisinvery

smallpiecesaboutthesizeofsmallpeas,byusingapastryblenderora

fork.

Cutup:tocutintosmallirregularpieces.

Diagonalslice:tocutata45°angle.

Dice:tocutintoreasonablyuniformpiecesofabout

1

⁄

4

".

Fold:tocombineingredientsgently,usingaspatulaorspoontolift

ingredientsfromthebottomofthebowland“fold”themoverthetop.

Grate:torubafoodsuchascheese,vegetables,orspicesagainsta

sharp-edgedkitchentoolcalledagrater,makingsmallorfineparticles.

Julienne:tocutintothinstripsthatlooklikeabout2"longmatchsticks.

Knead:toworkdoughbycontinuouslyfoldingoverandpressingdown

untilitissmoothandelastic.Doughcanalsobekneadedwithelectric

mixerattachmentscalleddoughhooks.

Mince:tochopfoodintoverysmallbits.

Score:tocutthroughthesurfaceofafood(usuallyabout

1

⁄

4

"deep)to

tenderizeormakeapattern.

Section:tocutthepulpofapeeledcitrusfruitawayfromthemembranes

thatseparateitssegments.

Shred:tocutinnarrow,thinstrips,byusingakitchenshredderoraknife.

Slice:tocutintoflatpiecesthatareusuallythinandeven.

Snip:tocutherbsorotherfoodintosmallpiecesusingkitchenscissors.

Stir:tomixingredientsatamoderatepacetocombinethem.

Tear:tobreakintopiecesusingthehandsratherthanaknife.

Temper:togentlyheatasubstancethatcancurdle(eggsordairy,

usually)beforeaddingtoahotliquidbyaddingabitofthehotliquidto

thesubstanceandmixingthemtogether.Thisbringsthetemperatureof

thesubstanceclosertothetemperatureofthehotliquidtoprevent

curdling.

Toss:tomixingredientsbygentlyliftingthemfromthebottomofthebowl

andallowingthemtotumble,usuallyusingtwoforksorotherutensils.

Whip:tobeatrapidlywithawirewhisk,handbeater,orelectricmixer.

Whippingincreasesvolumebecauseitaddsairtotheingredient(s).

FoodPreparationandCooking

Basicfoodpreparationandcookingtermsyou’llneedtoknow:

Bake:tocookfoodwiththeindirectdryheatofanoven.Coveringfood

whilebakingitpreservesmoistness;leavingfooduncoveredresultsina

drierorcrispsurface.

Barbecue:tocookwithbarbecuesauceorspices,ortocookslowlyona

grillorspit,usuallyoutdoors.

Baste:tospoonorpourbroth,sauce,orotherliquidoverfoodwhile

cookingtopreventdrynessoraddflavor.

Blacken:tocookCajun-seasonedfoodsoveraveryhighheat.

Blanch:tocookfruits,vegetables,ornutsverybrieflyinboilingwateror

steam,usuallytopreservethecolorornutritionalvalueortoremovethe

skin.Thisprocessisalsocalledparboiling.

Boil:tocookaliquidatatemperatureatwhichbubblesriseandbreakon

thesurface.Tobringtoaboilmeanstoheatjustuntilbubblingbegins.In

afullorrollingboil,thebubblesarelargerandformquicklyand

continuously.

Braise:tocookfoodslowlyinatightlycoveredpaninasmallamountof

liquid.Usually,foodisfirstbrownedinasmallamountoffat.Braising

tenderizesfoodandcanbedoneeitheronthestovetoporintheoven.

Bread:tocoatfoodsbeforecookinginbreadcrumbsorcrackercrumbs.

Broil:tocookfooddirectlyunderadirectsourceofintenseheatorflame,

producingabrownedorcrispexteriorandalesswell-doneinterior.

Caramelize:tocoatthetopofafoodwithsugarandthenbroilitquickly

untilthesugarismelted.Or,tomeltsugarinasaucepanoveralowheat

untilitturnsintoagoldensyrup.Caramelizingcanalsomeanmeltingthe

sugarinacertainfood(onionsorbeef,forexample)togiveitabrown

colorandbringoutitsslightlysweetflavor.

Deep-fry:tocookfoodinhot,liquefiedfat(usuallykeptat350°to375°F)

thatisdeepenoughtocoverandsurroundthefoodcompletely.

Deglaze:toaddliquidtoaskilletinwhichmeathasbeencooked,stirring

toloosenmeatbitsandmakeabroth.Thebrothcanbeusedtomakea

sauce.

Dot:toplacepiecesofbutterrandomlyontopofafood.

Drizzle:topouraliquidtoppinginthin,irregularlinesoverafood.

Dust:tosprinkleadryingredientlightlyandfairlyevenlyoverafood.

Fry:tocookinhotfatoroil,producingacrispexterior.

Glaze:tospreadathincoatingsuchasjellyonfood,makingitappear

glossy.

Grease:tocoatthesurfaceofapanwithshorteningorcookingsprayto

preventfoodsfromstickingwhiletheybake.To“greaseandflour”isto

dustthepanlightlywithflourafterapplyingtheshortening.

Grill:tocookfoodsdirectlyaboveasourceofintenseheatorflame.

Foodscanbepan-grilledonastovetopbyusingaspeciallydesignedpan

withraisedgrillridges.

Marinate:toletfoodstandinaspecialliquidtoflavoritortenderizeit.

Theliquidiscalledamarinade.

Oven-fry:tocookfood,usuallybreaded,inahotovenwithasmall

amountoffat,usuallydottedordrizzledontopofthefood.

Pan-fry:tofrywithlittleornoaddedfat,usingonlythefatthat

accumulatesduringcooking.

Parboil:seeBlanch.

Poach:tocookinasimmering(notboiling)liquid.

Purée:tomakeintoathickliquid,usuallybyusingablenderorfood

processor.

Reduce:toboilaliquiduntilsomeofitevaporates,thusconcentrating

theflavor.

Roast:tocookmeatorpoultryintheindirectheatoftheoven,

uncovered.Roastedfoodsarenotcookedinaddedliquid(compare

Braise),butareoftenbastedwithliquidsforflavorandmoistness.

Sauté:tocookinasmallamountoffatoverhighheat.

Scald:toheataliquidtojustbelowtheboilingpoint,whensmallbubbles

begintoappeararoundtheedgesofthepan.Whenmilkisscalded,a

filmwillformonthesurface.

Sear:tobrownonallsidesoverhighheattopreservejuiciness.

Sift:toprocessdryingredientsthroughakitchensifterorsieve.Sifting

addsairtodryingredientsthathavebeencompressedinstorageand

alsoremovesanylumps.

Simmer:tokeepaliquidjustbelowtheboilingpoint;afewbubbleswill

riseandbreakonthesurface.

Skim:toremovefatorfoamthathasaccumulatedonthesurfaceofa

liquid,usuallyusingaspoon.

Steam:tocookfoodabove(notin)boilingorsimmeringwater.

Stew:tocookfood,covered,veryslowlyinliquid.

Stir-fry:tocooksmallpiecesoffoodinahotwokorskillet,usingasmall

amountoffatandaconstantstirringmotion.

BasicCookingTips

Keepthesetipsandhintsinmindwhilecookingtomakethingseasy,

safe,

andfun.

Alwayswashhandsbeforepreparingfood.

Alwaysusepotholderstotakeapanfromtheoven.Toindicatethat

apanishotfromtheoven,carefullymarkitwithflourorapotholder

ontheedgeofthepan.

Keephandlesofpotsandpansonthestoveturnedinfromtheedge.

Preventsteamburnsbyopeningpotlidsawayfromyou.

Neverleaveknivesinthesink.Knivesshouldbehand-washedafter

eachuse.

Alwaysuseatimerwhenbaking.

Useanoventhermometerforaccurateoventemperature.

Useameatthermometertocheckinternaltemperatureoffoods.

Keepafireextinguisherclosebyforemergencies.

Neverthrowwateronagreasefire.Smotheritwithapotlidif

possible.

Wipeupspillsonthefloorrightaway.Sprinklesaltorflouronthe

floorwheretherehasbeenagreasyspilltoabsorbtheoilbefore

wipingup.

SwappingItOut

Tomakecookingeasier,posttheselistsofmeasurementconversions

andrecipesubstitutionsinsideoneofyourcabinetdoorsforquick

reference:

MEASUREMENTCONVERSIONS

M E A S U R E M E N T C O N V E R S I O N S

½teaspoon = 30drops

1teaspoon = ⅓tablespoonor60drops

3teaspoons = 1tablespoonor½fluidounce

½tablespoon = 1½teaspoons

1tablespoon = 3teaspoonsor½fluidounce

2tablespoons = ⅛cupor1fluidounce

3tablespoons = 1½fluidouncesor1jigger

4tablespoons = ¼cupor2fluidounces

5⅓tablespoons = ⅓cupor5tablespoons+1teaspoon

8tablespoons = ½cupor4fluidounces

10⅔tablespoons = ⅔cupor10tablespoons+2teaspoons

12tablespoons = ¾cupor6fluidounces

16tablespoons = 1cupor8fluidouncesor½pint

⅛cup = 2tablespoonsor1fluidounce

¼cup = 4tablespoonsor2fluidounces

⅓cup = 5tablespoons+1teaspoon

⅜cup = ¼cup+2tablespoons

½cup = 8tablespoonsor4fluidounces

⅝cup = 1/2cup+2tablespoons

⅔cup = 10tablespoons+2teaspoons

¾cup = 12tablespoonsor6fluidounces

1cup = 16tablespoonsor½pintor8fluidounces

2cups = 1pintor16fluidounces

1pint = 2cupsor16fluidounces

1quart = 2pintsor4cupsor32fluidounces

1gallon = 4quartsor8pintsor16cupsor128fluidounces

C O M M O N I N G R E D I E N T S U B S T I T U T I O N S

Ingredient

Amount

Substitution

Allspice

1teaspoon

½teaspooncinnamon,¼teaspoonginger,and¼teaspooncloves

Bakingpowder 1teaspoon

¼teaspoonbakingsodaplus½teaspooncreamoftartaror¼
teaspoonbakingsodaplus½cupbuttermilk(decreaseliquidin
recipeby½cup)

Beer

1cup

1cupnonalcoholicbeeror1cupchickenbroth

Brandy

¼cup

1teaspoonimitationbrandyextractplusenoughwatertomake¼
cup

Breadcrumbs

1cup

1cupcrackercrumbsor1cupmatzomealor1cupgroundoats

Broth:beefor
chicken

1cup

1bouilloncubeplus1cupboilingwateror1tablespoonsoysauce
plusenoughwatertomake1cupor1cupvegetablebroth

Brownsugar

1cup,
packed

1cupwhitesugarplus¼cupmolassesanddecreasetheliquidin
recipeby¼cupor1cupwhitesugaror1¼cupsconfectioners’
sugar

Butter(salted) 1cup

1cupmargarineor1cupshorteningplus½teaspoonsaltor⅞
cupvegetableoilplus½teaspoonsaltor⅞cuplardplus½
teaspoonsalt

Butter
(unsalted)

1cup

1cupshorteningor⅞cupvegetableoilor⅞cuplard

Buttermilk

1cup

1cupyogurtor1tablespoonlemonjuiceorvinegarplusenough
milktomake1cup

Chocolate
(semisweet)

1ounce

1(1-ounce)squareofunsweetenedchocolateplus4teaspoons
sugaror1ouncesemisweetchocolatechipsplus1teaspoon
shortening

Chocolate
(unsweetened)

1ounce

3tablespoonsunsweetenedcocoaplus1tablespoonshortening
orvegetableoil

Cocoa

¼cup

1(1-ounce)squareunsweetenedchocolate

Cornsyrup

1cup

1¼cupswhitesugarplus⅓cupwateror1cuphoneyor1cup
lighttreaclesyrup

Cottage
cheese

1cup

1cupfarmer’scheeseor1cupricottacheese

Cream(half
andhalf)

1cup

⅞cupmilkplus1tablespoonbutter

Cream(heavy) 1cup

1cupevaporatedmilkor¾cupmilkplus⅓cupbutter

Cream(light)

1cup

1cupevaporatedmilkor¾cupmilkplus3tablespoonsbutter

Cream
(whipped)

1cup

1cupfrozenwhippedtopping,thawed

Creamcheese 1cup

1cuppuréedcottagecheeseor1cupplainyogurt,strained
overnightinacheesecloth

Creamof
tartar

1teaspoon

2teaspoonslemonjuiceorvinegar

Crèmefraîche 1cup

Combine1cupofheavycreamand1tablespoonofplainyogurt.
Letstandfor6hoursatroomtemperature.

Egg

1whole(3
tablespoons
or1.7
ounces)

2½tablespoonsofpowderedeggsubstituteplus2½tablespoons
wateror¼cupliquideggsubstituteor¼cupsilkentofupuréedor
3tablespoonsmayonnaiseorhalfabananamashedwith½
teaspoonbakingpowderor1tablespoonpowderedflaxseed
soakedin3tablespoonswater

Evaporated
milk

1cup

1cuplightcream

Fatsforbaking 1cup

1cupapplesauceor1cupfruitpurée

Flour—bread

1cup

1cupall-purposeflourplus1teaspoonwheatgluten(availableat
health-foodstoresandsomesupermarkets)

Flour—cake

1cup

1cupall-purposeflourminus2tablespoons

Flour—self-
rising

1cup

⅞cupall-purposeflourplus1½teaspoonsbakingpowderand½
teaspoonofsalt

Garlic

1clove

⅛teaspoongarlicpowderor½teaspoongranulatedgarlicor½
teaspoongarlicsalt—reducesaltinrecipe

Ginger—dried

1teaspoon

2teaspoonschoppedfreshginger

Ginger—fresh

1teaspoon,
minced

½teaspoonground,driedginger

Greenonion

½cup

½cupchoppedonion,or½cupchoppedleekor½cupchopped

chopped

shallots

Herbs—fresh

1
tablespoon
chopped
fresh

1teaspoon(choppedorwholeleaf)driedherbs

Honey

1cup

1¼cupswhitesugarplus⅓cupwateror1cupcornsyrupor1
cuplighttreaclesyrup

Hotpepper
sauce

1teaspoon

¾teaspooncayennepepperplus1teaspoonvinegar

Ketchup

1cup

1cuptomatosauceplus1teaspoonvinegarplus1tablespoon
sugar

Lard

1cup

1cupshorteningor⅞cupvegetableoilor1cupbutter

Lemongrass

2fresh
stalks

1tablespoonlemonzest

Lemonjuice

1teaspoon

½teaspoonvinegaror1teaspoonwhitewineor1teaspoonlime
juice

Lemonzest

1teaspoon

½teaspoonlemonextractor2tablespoonslemonjuice

Limejuice

1teaspoon

1teaspoonvinegaror1teaspoonwhitewineor1teaspoonlemon
juice

Mace

1teaspoon

1teaspoonnutmeg

Margarine

1cup

1cupshorteningplus½teaspoonsaltor1cupbutteror⅞cup
vegetableoilplus½teaspoonsaltor⅞cuplardplus½teaspoon
salt

Mayonnaise

1cup

1cupsourcreamor1cupplainyogurt

Milk—whole

1cup

1cupsoymilkor1cupricemilkor1cupwaterorjuiceor¼cup
drymilkpowderplus1cupwateror½cupevaporatedmilkplus½
cupwater

Molasses

1cup

Mix¾cupbrownsugarand1teaspooncreamoftartar

Mustard—
prepared

1
tablespoon

Mixtogether1tablespoondriedmustard,1teaspoonwater,1
teaspoonvinegar,and1teaspoonsugar

Onion

1cup,
chopped

1cupchoppedgreenonionsor1cupchoppedshallotsor1cup
choppedleeksor¼cupdriedmincedonionor¼cuponion
powder

Orangezest

1
tablespoon

½teaspoonorangeextractor1teaspoonlemonjuice

Parmesan
cheese

½cup,
grated

½cupgratedAsiagocheeseor½cupgratedRomanocheese

Pepperoni

1ounce

1ouncesalami

Pumpkinpie
spice

1teaspoon

½teaspooncinnamonplus¼teaspoongroundgingerplus⅛
teaspoongroundallspiceplus⅛teaspoongroundnutmeg

Raisins

1cup

1cupdriedcurrantsor1cupdriedcranberriesor1cupchopped,

pittedprunes

Ricotta

1cup

1cupdrycottagecheeseor1cupsilkentofu

Rum

1
tablespoon

½teaspoonrumextract,plusenoughwatertomake1tablespoon

Saffron

¼teaspoon ¼teaspoonturmeric

Semisweet
chocolate
chips

1cup

1cupchocolatecandiesor1cuppeanutbutterorotherflavored
chipsor1cupchoppednutsor1cupchoppeddriedfruit

Shallots,
chopped

½cup

½cupchoppedonion,or½cupchoppedleekor½cupchopped
greenonion

Shortening

1cup

1cupbutteror1cupmargarineminus½teaspoonsaltfromrecipe

Sourcream

1cup

1cupplainyogurtor1tablespoonlemonjuiceorvinegarplus
enoughcreamtomake1cupor¾cupbuttermilkmixedwith⅓
cupbutter

Sourmilk

1cup

1tablespoonvinegarorlemonjuicemixedwithenoughmilkto
make1cup:Letstand5minutestothicken.

Soysauce

½cup

4tablespoonsWorcestershiresaucemixedwith1tablespoon
water

Stock—beefor
chicken

1cup

1cubebeeforchickenbouillondissolvedin1cupwater

Sweetened
condensed
milk

1(14-
ounce)can

¾cupwhitesugarmixedwith½cupwaterand1⅛cupsdry
powderedmilk:bringtoaboilandcook,stirringfrequently,until
thickened,about20minutes

Vegetableoil
—forbaking

1cup

1cupapplesauceor1cupfruitpurée

Vinegar

1teaspoon

1teaspoonlemonorlimejuiceor2teaspoonswhitewine

Whitesugar

1cup

1cupbrownsugaror1¼cupsconfectioners’sugaror¾cup
honeyor¾cupcornsyrup

Wine

1cup

1cupchickenorbeefbrothor1cupfruitjuicemixedwith2
teaspoonsvinegaror1cupwater

Yeast—active
dry

1(.25-
ounce)
package

1cakecompressedyeastor2½teaspoonsactivedryyeastor2½
teaspoonsrapidriseyeast

Yogurt

1cup

1cupsourcreamor1cupbuttermilkor1cupsourmilk

OrganizedCooking

Yourtimeinthekitchencanbestreamlinedandmademoreefficientso

thatyoucangetmoredoneinthesameamountoftime.It’salwaysbest

tostartworkinginacleankitchen.Youhavemoreroomtoworkand

everythingyoumightneedwillbeclean.

Beforeyoubeginpreparingameal,thinkaboutwhatyou’remaking

andwhatyouwillneedtocookit.Gettingyourpots,utensils,and

foodsoutmakesitmucheasiertocookwithouthavingtorunaround

pullingthingsoutofthepantryandcupboards.

Makesureyoureadrecipesthroughcompletelybeforeyoubegin

cooking,soyoudon’trealizetoolateyouwereonlysupposedtoadd

halfofthesugaratthebeginningoftherecipe,orthatyoureggsare

supposedtobeatroomtemperature.

ReadyattheSameTime

Onethingpeopleworryaboutwhencookingmealsisgettingallthefood

readyatthesametime.It’snearlyimpossibletohaveeverythingreadyat

thesamesecond;instead,youneedtothinkaboutwhatfoodscansitor

bereheatedandletthosegetdonefirst.Thingslikefish,soufflé,orturkey

cutletsthatyouwanttoserverightatthemomenttheyaredoneshould

bethethingsyouwaitfor.Soifyou’remakingsautéedsole,you’vegotto

haveyourpotatoesandvegetablesreadythemomentthefishis.The

potatoescansitinawarmovenandthevegetablescanbecooked,

drained,andreturnedtotheirpotswithlidsontositafewminutes.Ifthey

needreheating,addalittlebutterandturntheburnerbackonforjusta

minuteortwo.

Heavy,thickmeatslikewholechickens,roasts,andwholetenderloins

holdtheirheatforquiteawhile,soifthey’redonebeforethesides,that’s

okay.Keepinmindthatmostwholemeatsshouldbeallowedtorestfor

atleastfiveminutesbeforeyouservethem;thisbuysyoutimetoget

yourotherdishesdone.

Alwayssetthetimerforbakedgoodsoranythingelsethatissupposed

tocookforasettimeperiod.Youmightthinkyou’llremembertotakeit

outin

fifteenminutes,butthenthephonewillringoryourkidswillneed

somethingandyou’llforget.

Shortcuts

Weallneedsometimesaverstomakelifeinthekitcheneasier.These

tipswillhelpyoustreamlineyoureffortsinthekitchen.

Cooklargebatchesandstore.Ifyou’remakingrice,cookalarge

batchandfreezeit.Ifyou’rebrowninggroundbeef,brownalotofit.

Usetherestinrecipeslaterintheweekorfreezeitforfutureuse.

Poachorgrillenoughchickenbreaststomakeseveralmealsor

dishes(useextrainsandwichesandsalads).Alwaysdoubleortriple

yourrecipesifyouaremakingsomethingthatcanbefrozen.Ittakes

almostnoadditionaltimeanditgetsmealsinthefreezerforthose

desperationdinners.Ifyou’rechoppingonions,considerifyouwill

needthemforotherrecipeslaterintheweek.Ifso,chopenoughat

once.Whenmakingcookies,doublethebatchandfreezethe

additionalamount.Makeitintoalogandwrapitinplasticwrap.

You’llbeabletosliceandbakewhenyoutakeitoutofthefreezer.

Insteadofusingadoubleboiler,meltchocolateinthemicrowave.

Cookforonlythirtysecondsatatime,stirringinbetweenandtakeit

outbeforeitiscompletelymelted.Itwillmeltasitstands.

Whenyoucookpasta,alwaysbringyourwatertoaboil;thenadd

thepasta.Saltingthewaterwillhelpitboilfasterandateaspoonof

oliveoilwillkeepthepastapiecesfromstickingtoeachother.

Washyourproducewhenyoubringithomefromthestore,before

youputitaway.Thiswayeverythinginthefridgeiscompletelytable

andrecipeready.

Insteadofsiftingdryingredients,useawirewhisktostirthemina

bowl.

Baketwothingsatonceinyouroventosaveenergyandtosaveon

preheatingtime.Coveredpotsandpanscookmorequickly,so

alwaysputalidonit.

Ifyouneedtoslicemeatverythinly,popitinthefreezeruntilit

beginstohardenandyou’lleasilybeabletosliceit.

Peelvegetablesoverapapertowelorpieceofnewspaper,thenjust

throwthewholethingout.

Putabowlonthecounterthatwillbeyourgarbagebowlwhile

cooking.

Placearubberbandoveracornerofacuttingboardtokeepitfrom

slipping.

Placeadamptowelunderamixingbowltokeepitinplace.

Getyourhandswetbeforeformingmeatloaformeatballs.Thefood

won’tsticktoyourhands.

Seasonyoursteaksasyouarewrappingthemforthefreezer.They’ll

bereadytogorightonthegrillwhenyoutakethemout.

Useasmallfunneltoseparateanegg.Theyolkwillgetcaughtand

thewhiteswillrunout.

Smashyourgarliccloveswiththesideofaknifeandtheskinswill

easilycomeoff.

Toeasilypeelatomato,dropitinboilingwaterforabouttwenty

seconds.Theskinwillcomerightoff.

Useanicecreamscooptofillyourmuffintinswithbatter.It’sexactly

therightamount.

Linebakingsheetswithparchmentpaperfornocleanup.

Setthetablewhenyouunpackthedishwasher.There’snoreasonto

putitallinthecupboardsandtakeitalloutagainlater.

Rollalemononthecounterwithyourhandsbeforejuicingit.The

juicewillcomeoutmoreeasilyandyou’llgetmore.

Alwayscrackeggsintosmallbowlsbeforeaddingthemtorecipes.

Thiswayitiseasytogetoutanyshellthatfallsin.

Refrigerateanonionorrunitundercoldwaterbeforepeelingand

choppingittoreduceoniontears.

Addasplashofwhitevinegartothewaterwhenyouhard-boileggs

tomaketheshellseasytopeeloff.

Shredcoldbutterwithacheesegraterbeforeusingitinabaking

recipe.Youcanavoidtryingtosoftenitinthemicrowave.

Putamarshmallowatthebottomofanicecreamcone.Itwillabsorb

themeltedicecreamandpreventmessyleaks.

Microwavepotatoesforthreeminutesbeforeusingtheminadish.

Theywillcookmuchfaster.

MakingaListandCheckingItTwice

“There’snothingtoeat!”It’salwaysachallengetohelpkidslearntofind

(healthy)foodontheirown,whetherthey’reputtingtogethertheirown

breakfasts,packinglunches,lookingforsnacks,ormakingdinnerfor

themselvesonan“everymanforhimself”kindofnight.Tomakethings

easier,createalistoffoodsyouhaveinthehouseforeachcategoryand

postitonthefridge,insidethepantry,orinsideacabinetdoor.

So,under“breakfast,”youcouldlistbagels,oatmeal,hard-boiledeggs,

coldcereal,etc.Underdinneritems,cookedbrownrice,coldchicken

legs,bagofsalad,andslicedmelon.Updatethelistweeklysoyourkids

alwayshavesuggestionsaboutwhattoeat.

FrugalFun

Ifyouareorganizedwhenyoucook,youcanfindmanywaystouse

thingstwice,extendthelifeorusefulnessofsomeingredients,andget

themostuseoutofthings.Ittakesalittleorganizationthoughtosave

theseitemsyounormallywouldthrowaway.

Thefreezerisyourfriend.Designateaspaceinthefreezerforyour

reusableitems.Freezesoftorspottedbananasintheskinanduse

tomakebananabreadlater.Freezelemonrindsanduseforzestin

futurerecipes.Keepyourmarshmallowsinthefreezertoprevent

themfromgettingold.Whenyoubuybacon,separateitoutinto

portionsandwrapeachportioninplasticwrapandfreeze.Youwon’t

wasteany.Savestalebreadinabaginthefreezeranduseitfor

breadcrumbsorstuffing.Useteabagstwice,keepingtheminabag

inthefreezerinbetweenuses.Savetherindsfromcheesesinthe

freezerandtossthemintosoupsforadditionalflavor.Tossleftover

veggiesfromdinnerintoacontainerinthefreezer.Thenexttimeyou

makesouporstew,dumpthemin.

Keepthepartsyoudon’tuse.Ifarecipecallsforaneggyolk,save

theeggwhitetouseinanomeletorinotherrecipes.Ifyouusehalf

anonioninonerecipe,puttherestinazip-topbaginyourvegetable

draweranduseatanothertime.Designateanareainyourfridgefor

thesetidbitssoyouwillalwaysknowwheretolookforitemsyoucan

repurpose.

Usetheleftovers.Forexample,keepthebonesfromaroasted

chickenandmakeyourownstock.Putitinastockpotandaddwater

(coveringthecarcass),acarrot,stalkofcelery,bayleaf,andhalfan

onion,alongwithsaltandpepper.Boilthensimmeronlowfor

severalhoursuntilthejointsfallapart.Strain.Useleftoverroast

chickentomakechickensalad.Useleftoverfruittomakefruitsalad.

Alwayslabelleftoverssoyouknowhowoldtheyreallyare(see

Chapter12

formoreinformation).

Useeverythingdowntothelastbit.Forexample,usebutter

wrapperstogreasepansinsteadofexpensivecookingspray.Store

theminaziptopbaginyourbuttercompartment.

Whenyouthinkallthedishsoapisusedup,addalittlewatertothe

bottleandswishit.You’llgetseveralmoreuses.

Buybigandbreakthingsdown;forexample,buywholeheadsof

lettuceinsteadofbagsofsalad.Separateoutintomeal-sizeportions

inzip-topbagsanditwillbereadytograbfordinner.Buyblocksof

cheeseandshredthemyourselfinsteadofbuyingbagsofshredded

cheese.Chopleftovergarlicandputitinalittlejarwitholiveoilto

coverit.Useinfuturerecipes.

ShakeItUp

Anorganizedkitchenallowsyoutofeelmorerelaxedandmoreableto

havefunwhilecooking.Andthemorefunyoucanhavewhilecooking,

themorelikelyyouaretodoit.Ifit’snotachore(anditwon’tbe,once

you’vedoneafullorganization),thetimewillgoquicklyandyou’llfeel

morepositiveaboutyouroutcomes.There’smuchtoloveaboutcooking

—thesmells,thetimeawayfromworkorthecomputer,thedelicious

tastes,makingsomethingforyourfamily,andbeingabletosay,“Imade

that!”

GetOrganized

Firstthingsfirst.Getyourkitchen(andyourself)organizedsothatyou

havearoutineinthekitchenthatrelaxesyou.Putonsomemusic.Almost

everyonecooksbettertogoodtunes.Themusichelpsyourelaxandgets

youinthegroove.Ifyou’renotinthemoodformusic,buthaveaTVin

thekitchen,putonacookingshow.Cookingwithsomeoneelseisfun,

evenifthey’reonTV.

InviteYourFamilytoJoinIn

Andspeakingofcookingwithsomeoneelse,getyourfamilyand

friendsintotheaction.Cookamealtogetherwitheachperson

responsibleforadish,orworkonabigprojectlikemakingcookies

together.Talk,laugh,tellstories,sing,dance,andtelljokes.Thekitchen

isaboutbondingandlaughter.

Experiment

Evenifyouthinkyoucan’treallycookwithoutarecipe,youdefinitely

can.Makeasaladandtryitwithdifferentveggies,cheeses,ortoppings.

Bakeapotatoandchoosetoppingstogoonthat.Tosssomeveggiesinto

thenextpastadishyoumake,evenifyoursaucecomesfromajar.

Listentoyourindividualtastesanddesiresandletthemguideyou.

Feelingadventurous?Makeupyourownmarinadeforsomechicken

breastsorbuildonasouprecipetoansweryourcravings.

AccepttheMess

Don’tgetupsetaboutthemess.Alittlesoapandwateranditwillall

disappear.Cleanupispartofthefun.YouwashandI’lldry.Makeita

teameffort.

Lotsofpeoplefindcookingastressfulactivity.Aswithanythingelsein

life,themoreyoudoit,theeasieritgets.Onebigpressureisthatyou’re

tryingtofeedpeopleandifthefooddoesn’tturnout,whatwillyoudo?Be

organizedenoughsothatyoupracticeallrecipesonyourimmediate

familybeforeyoutrythemonothers.Iftheyflop,youcanhavethe

backupplantoorderapizzaormakepeanutbutterandjellysandwiches

andlaughaboutit.Ifyou’recookingforguests,alwaysplantomake

enoughoftheotheritemssothatifonethingonthemenudoesnotturn

out,therewillstillbeenoughfoodtogoaround.Remember,it’sjust

cooking,notanexam.

11

Foolproof

RECIPES

Whetheryouareafantasticcookorsomeonewhodoesn’tfeel

veryconfidentaboutcooking,it’simportanttohaveastableof

basicrecipesonwhichyourelyandtowhichyoucanturn.This

chapterofferssolidrecipesformanycategoriesoffood,soyou

canhaveafallbackforeverysituationinwhichyoumightneed

arecipe.Knowingyouhavearecipethatwillworkwillhelpyou

feelmoreconfidentandorganizedasyougoaboutlifeinyour

kitchen.

TORTILLAPINWHEELS

Serves8

Thesefestivehorsd’oeuvresarealsocalledMexicanSushibecauseof

theiringredientsandtheirappearance.TheyresembletheCalifornia

Rollsyoumaygetatasushibarbuttheytastelikeadeluxetacotreat!

Thisisaneasyrecipetohaveinyourcollection.

2bunchesgreenonions

16ouncescreamcheese,softened

8ouncessourcream

1

⁄

4

cupsalsa

1

⁄

4

cupblackolives,chopped

1

⁄

2

teaspoongarlicpowder8ouncesCheddar

cheese,grated

1

⁄

4

bunchfreshcilantro,chopped10large(burritosize)flourtortillas

1. Setaside10wholegreenonions.Choptheremaininggreenonions

(greenandwhiteparts)andputintoamixingbowl.

2. Addcreamcheese,sourcream,salsa,olives,garlicpowder,

Cheddarcheese,andcilantrotothechoppedgreenonionsandmix

togetherthoroughly.

3. Layatortillaflatandspread4tablespoonsofthecreamcheese

mixtureoverit.Putawholegreenonionontheedgeofthetortilla

androlltortillaintoalog,squeezingfirmlyasyouroll.Repeatwith

remainingtortillas,greenonions,andfilling.

4. Wrapeachloginplasticwrapandrefrigeratefor4hours.

5. Unwrapplasticandcuteachloginto1-inch-thickslices.Arrangeon

aplatter,andserve.

ARTICHOKEDIP

Serves4

Perfectforanyparty,thisbakeddipcanbeservedhotfromtheoven

accompaniedbycrustyFrenchbreadslices.Itwilllooklikeyouspenta

lotmoretimeonitthanyoudid.

215-ouncecansartichokehearts,drainedandrinsed1redbellpepper,choppedfinely

1greenbellpepper,choppedfinely

3clovesgarlic,minced

2cupsmayonnaise

Whitepepper

1poundParmesancheese,grated

1. Preheattheovento325°F.

2. Mixtogetherallingredientsexcept

1

⁄

4

oftheParmesancheeseand

placeintoa9"×9"bakingdishor1

1

⁄

2

-quartcasseroledish.

3. SprinkletheremainingParmesancheeseoverthetopofmixed

ingredientsandbakefor45minutesoruntilgoldenbrown.Serve

withcrackersorbread.

MINESTRONE

Serves6

ThisItalianclassicisfillingandwarm.ServeitwithsomewarmItalian

breadandsomegratedParmesancheesetosprinkleontop.Itmakesa

fullmeal.

1

⁄

2

cupchoppedonion

1

⁄

2

cupchoppedcarrots

1

⁄

4

cupchoppedcelery2tablespoonsoliveoil

2clovesgarlic,minced

1

⁄

4

cupchoppedspinach1cupchoppedcabbage

32ounceschickenbroth

2cupschoppedzucchini

1cupchopped,peeledtomatoes

1

⁄

2

cupcutgreenbeans

1

⁄

2

cupbrokenspaghettiSaltandpeppertotaste

1. Sautétheonions,carrots,andceleryintheoliveoilovermedium

heatfor15minutes.

2. Addgarlic,spinach,andcabbage,andcookuntilgreensarewilted.

3. Addchickenbroth,zucchini,tomatoes,andgreenbeans.Bringtoa

boil.

4. Simmerfor15minutes.Addthespaghettiandsimmer15minutes

more.

5. Seasonsoupwithsaltandpepper.

CHICKENSOUP

Serves8

Thisisthetraditionalcureforthecommoncold!Buychickenalreadycut

intopartsorcutupawholechickenyourself.Ifyou’reinahurry,make

thiswithchoppedrotisseriechickenandcookonlyuntilthevegetables

aresoft.Addcookednoodlesorcookedricebeforeservingifyoulike.

4cupswater

4cupschickenbroth

14-poundchicken,cutin8pieces

4carrots,peeledandslicedinto

1

⁄

2

"pieces1largeonion,diced

2stalkscelery,slicedinto

1

⁄

2

"pieces1clovegarlic,sliced

3peppercorns

1bayleaf

1

⁄

2

teaspoonturmericSalttotaste

Choppedfreshparsley

1recipe

MatzoBalls

,ifdesired

1. Putthewater,chickenbroth,chicken,vegetables,peppercorns,and

bayleafinalargesouppot.Bringtoaboilandsimmeruncovered

for2hours.

2. Usingaslottedspoon,removethechickenfromthebrothandset

asideuntilitiscoolenoughtohandle.

3. Removebayleafandpeppercornsfromsoupbrothandaddturmeric

andsalttotaste.

4. Removethebonesandskinfromthechickenmeatanddiscard.

Chopthemeatintobite-sizedpiecesandreturnittothesoupbroth.

5. Servesoupsprinkledwithparsley.

MATZOBALLS

Serves8–10

4eggs

2tablespoonsoliveoil

2tablespoonswater

2teaspoonssalt

2teaspoonschoppeddill

1cupmatzomeal

1. Usingafork,mixeggsandoliveoilinabowl.

2. Addwater,salt,andchoppeddill;mix.

3. Addcupmatzomeal;mix.

4. Cover;refrigerate15minutes.

5. Scoopwalnut-sizeballswithwetfingersanddropintoboilingwater

orbroth.

6. Cookfor35minutes.Serveinchickensoup.

COBBSALAD

Serves6

ThisisaCalifornia-bornclassic.Itisaheartysaladthatincludesavariety

ofingredientsforadepthofflavorandtexture.TheCobbSaladwas

inventedattheBrownDerbyrestaurantinLosAngeles,afamous

hangoutofstarsandgossipcolumnistssinceitsopeningin1926.

1headiceberglettuce,chopped

1

⁄

2

cupvinaigretteorbottledItaliandressing2dicedtomatoes

1

⁄

2

cupdicedcookedchicken1dicedavocado

1

⁄

2

cupcrumbledbluecheese

1

⁄

4

cupbaconbits(bottledorfreshlyfriedandcrumbledbacon)

3hard-boiledeggs,chopped

1

⁄

2

cupwholechoppedgreenonions1recipe

VinaigretteDressing

(below)

1. Tosslettuceleaveswithdressing.Mounddressedlettuceonanoval

platter.

2. Topdressedlettucewithalltheotheringredientsarrangedin

separatestrips.

VINAIGRETTEDRESSING

Serves6

1

⁄

2

cupoliveoil2tablespoonsredwineorcidervinegar2teaspoonsDijonmustard

1teaspoonsugar

1

⁄

2

teaspoonItalianherbmix

1

⁄

4

teaspoongarlicpowder

1

⁄

2

teaspoonWorcestershiresauce

Saltandpeppertotaste

Placeingredientsinabottleorplasticcontainerandshake.

FRENCHTOAST

Serves4

Frenchtoast,knowninFranceaspainperdue(“lostbread”),isdelicious

servedwithwarmmaplesyrupandpowderedsugar.Usewhitebread,

challah,Frenchbread,sourdough,orbriocheforvariety.Forado-ahead

dish,youcanalsoplacethebreadinabakingpan,coverwiththeother

ingredientsandletitsoakovernight;thenbakeina350°Fovenfor30

minutes.

6eggs

1

1

⁄

2

cupsmilk1teaspoonvanillaextract

1

⁄

2

teaspooncinnamon8tablespoonsbutter

8slicesday-oldbread

1

⁄

4

cuppowderedsugar

1. Usingawhisk,combineeggs,milk,vanilla,andcinnamonina

shallow,flatbowl(likeasouporpastabowl).Meltbutterinafrying

panovermediumheat,beingcarefulnottoletitburn.

2. Dipbothsidesofeachsliceofbreadinthecustardmixtureand

immediatelypan-fryinmeltedbutteronbothsides.

3. CutFrenchtoastintriangularhalvesandsprinklewithpowdered

sugar.

4. Servewithbutterandwarmmaplesyrup.

VARIATION:CROISSANTFRENCHTOAST

TomakecroissantFrenchtoast,use1croissantperperson.Freeze

croissanttomakeslicingeasier.Usingaserratedbreadknife,slice

croissanthorizontallyinto3slices.DipinregularFrenchtoastcustard

(eggandmilkmixture—above)towhich1teaspoonorangezesthas

beenadded.Fryinbutterinanonstickpan.Servewithfreshstrawberries

andpowderedsugar.

BLUEBERRYMUFFINS

Serves12

Thisbasicmuffinrecipecanbeusedtomakedifferentmuffinsby

substitutingblackberries,raspberries,cranberries,chocolatechips,

peaches,orpecansfortheblueberries.Addorangezesttothecranberry,

lemonzesttotheblueberry,orchoppedhazelnutstothechocolatechip

formorevariety.

2cupsall-purposeflour

2

⁄

3

cupsugar1tablespoonbakingpowder

1

⁄

2

teaspoonsalt2eggs

1cupmilk

6tablespoonsbutter,melted

1teaspoonvanillaextract

1

1

⁄

2

cupsfreshorfrozenblueberries

1. Preheatovento400°F.Greasea12-cupmuffintinorlineitwith

flutedpapercups.

2. Combineflour,sugar,bakingpowder,andsaltinalargebowlusinga

whisk.

3. Combineeggs,milk,butter,andvanillainanotherbowlusinga

whisk.

4. Stirthewetingredientsintothedryingredients;thenfoldin

blueberrieswithaspatula.Fillmuffincupswiththebatter,distributing

thebatterevenly.

5. Sprinkletopswithsugar.Bake15minutes.

QUICHE

Serves6

Quiche,asavoryeggtart,isacustardwithcheeseandvariousadd-ins

bakedinapastryshell.TheclassicQuicheLorrainehassautéedonions

andbacon,butnocheese.Broccoli,ham,roastedredbellpeppers,and

sautéedmushroomsmakegoodquicheadd-ins.Thecheesecanbeany

kindyoulike.Thisworksfordinner,lunch,orbrunch.

1

⁄

2

recipe

PieDoughCrust

,prebakedin9"tartpanwithremovablebottom;orastore-

boughtpiecrust,prebaked

1

⁄

2

cupdicedleeks,whitepartonly1tablespoonoliveoil

1cupshreddedsmokedGoudacheese

1

⁄

4

cupbabyspinachleaves,packedintomeasuringcup2tablespoonsjulienned,sun-dried

tomatoes3eggs

1

1

⁄

2

cupsheavycream

1

⁄

16

teaspoonnutmeg

1

⁄

2

teaspoonsalt3dropscayennepeppersauce

1

⁄

4

teaspoonwhitepepper2tablespoonschoppedfreshchives

1. Preheatovento375°F.

2. Sautéleeksinoliveoiluntiltender.Spreadthemonthebottomofthe

prebakedpastryshell.Sprinklecheeseontopofleeks.Tuckspinach

leaveshereandthereinthecheese.Distributethetomatoesevenly

ontop.

3. Combineeggs,cream,nutmeg,salt,cayennepeppersauce,and

whitepepper.Stirinchives.

4. Poureggmixtureovertheingredientsinthetartshell,gently

pressingdownonanythingthatfloatstothetopsothateverything

stayssubmerged.

5. Bakefor30minutes,untilset.Servewarm.Ifyoulike,youalsocan

chill,slice,andreheatthequicheinanovenortoasteroven.

TUNANOODLECASSEROLE

Serves6

Thisrecipeistherealthingfromscratchandisperfectforpotlucks,orto

freeze.Itisjustaseasyasapackagedmix,andyougettocontrolthe

seasoningsandqualityofingredients.Thisrecipeusescrushedpotato

chipsforatopping,butyoucanusebreadcrumbsinsteadforamore

elegantpresentation.Enrichtherecipewith1cupshreddedCheddar

cheesestirredinbeforebaking.

8ounceseggnoodles,cooked

1cupslicedmushrooms

2tablespoonsbutter

2tablespoonsall-purposeflour

2cupsmilk

2canstuna,drained

3

⁄

4

cupfrozenpeasSaltandpeppertotaste

1cupcrushedpotatochips

1. Preheatovento375°Fandbuttera9"×13"casseroledish.Lay

cookednoodlesinthedish.

2. Sautémushroomsinbutter,sprinklewithflour,andcookforafew

minutes.Addmilk,andcookuntilthickened.Stirintunaandpeas.

Seasonwithsaltandpepper.

3. Pourmushroomsaucemixtureovernoodlesandgentlytossif

necessarytodistributeevenly.

4. Sprinklepotatochipsoverthetopandbakefor20minutes.

REALMACARONIANDCHEESE

Serves6

Thisisakids’classicthatisnotjustforkids!Thisrecipecanbedivided

intoindividualportionsandfrozenbeforeitisbaked,andthenbakedata

laterdateforaquickweeknightdinner.Substitutewhole-grainpastafora

biggernutritionalkick.

4tablespoonsbutter

1

⁄

4

cupall-purposeflour1teaspoondrymustard

2

3

⁄

4

cupsmilk1teaspoonsalt

1

⁄

8

teaspoonpepperPinchcayennepepper

3cupsshreddedCheddarcheese

16ounceselbowmacaroni,cookedanddrained1cupdrybreadcrumbs

1. Preheatovento350°F.Buttera9"×13"bakingdish.

2. Meltthebutterinamedium-sizesaucepan.Stirintheflouranddry

mustard;cook,stirringconstantly,overmediumheatfor2minutes.

3. Addthemilkandwhiskovermediumheatuntilmixturethickens,

whiskingconstantlytopreventburningonthebottom.Stirinthesalt,

pepper,andcayennepepper.Removefromheat.

4. Stirinthecheeseandletthemixturesitforaminute.Stiragainto

smoothoutthemeltedcheese.

5. Pourcookedmacaroniintothecasseroledish;addcheesesauce.

Mixuntilmacaroniiscoatedwithcheese.

6. Sprinklebreadcrumbsontopofthecasseroleandbakefor45

minutes,untilbrownedandbubblyontheedges.Servewarm.

LASAGNA

Serves12

Lasagnaistheperfectone-potdinner.Italsofreezeswellandisa

wonderfulitemtobringtopeoplewhoneedmealsbroughtin.Addabox

ofdefrostedspinachthat’sbeendrainedtothisforsomeextracolorand

fiber.

5cupstomatosauce

1poundgroundbeef,brownedanddrained1-poundboxlasagnanoodles

3eggs

16ouncesricottacheese

2cupsshreddedmozzarellacheese

1

⁄

2

cupchoppedfreshparsley

1

⁄

2

cupgratedParmesancheeseSaltandpeppertotaste

1. Preheatovento350°F.Oilalasagna(baking)panandspread1cup

tomatosauceonthebottom.Mixtheremainingtomatosaucewith

thecookedgroundbeef.Setaside.

2. Cookthelasagnanoodlesinboilingwater.(Besuretotakethemout

beforetheyarecompletelydone—about1minutebeforepackage

instructionssuggest—sotheydon’tovercookwhenyoubakethe

lasagna.)Placeonelayerofnoodlesoverthesaucelayerinthepan.

3. Inabowlcombinetheeggs,ricotta,and1cupmozzarellacheese

untilwellblended.Stirintheparsleyandsaltandpeppertotaste.

4. Spreadhalfofthericottamixtureoverthenoodlesinthepan.Top

thericottawithalayerofnoodles.Ladle2cupsofthemeatsauce

overthenoodles;topwithanotherlayerofnoodles.

5. Spreadtheremainingricottamixtureoverthenoodles.Topwiththe

lastofthenoodles.Ladletheremainingmeatsauceoverthe

noodles.

6. Scattertheremainingmozzarellacheeseoverthesauce;sprinkle

withtheParmesancheese.Bakefor1hourand25minutes.

POTROAST

Serves4

Whattastesbetteronacoldnight?AnItalianvariationforthismeal,

whichaddstomatoes,garlic,andwine,canbefoundfollowingtherecipe.

Thisrecipeisabasicmeat-and-potatoesversionthatcanbeexpanded

onwithwhateverflavorelementsyoulike.Usetheleftovermeatfor

sandwiches,orturnthemeatandvegetablesintopotpie.

1largeonion

1-to2-poundbeefroast

3carrots,peeled

2celerystalks

2largepotatoes,peeled

1cupbeefbroth

1

⁄

2

teaspoonsalt

1

⁄

4

teaspoonpepper1tablespoonchoppedparsley

1. Preheatovento325°F.

2. Cutonionintolargechunksandscatterthemonthebottomofa

roastingpan.

3. Putthemeatontopoftheonions.

4. Cutthecarrots,celery,andpotatoesinto2"chunksandscatterthem

aroundthemeat.Pourthebrothoverthemeat.Sprinklethesalt,

pepper,andparsleyoverthemeatandvegetables.

5. Coverandroastintheovenfor2–2

1

⁄

2

hours.

VARIATION:ITALIANPOTROAST

Makeyourpotroastwithtomatojuiceandredwineinsteadofbeefbroth

andaddcanneddicedtomatoes,oregano,andbasil.Pokeholesinthe

meatwithaparingknifeandinsertgarlicslicesbeforecooking.Serve

slicedpotroastandvegetablesovercreamypolenta.

MEATLOAF

Serves4

Meatloafcanbecookedwithavarietyoftoppings,suchasketchup,

barbecuesauce,brownsugar,mustard,onions,orbeefbroth.Leftovers

makegreatsandwiches.

2

⁄

3

poundgroundbeef

1

⁄

3

poundgroundpork

1

⁄

4

cupshreddedcarrots

1

⁄

4

cupmincedonion

1

⁄

2

teaspooncelerysalt1tablespoonDijonmustard

1tablespoonketchup

1teaspoonWorcestershiresauce

1egg

1tablespoonchoppedfreshparsley

Saltandpepper

1

⁄

4

cupoatmeal

1

⁄

4

cupbreadcrumbs3slicesbacon

1. Preheatovento350°F.

2. Inabowl,usingyourhands,combineallingredientsexceptforthe

bacon.

3. Shapeintoaloafandpressintoaloafpan.

4. Linethetopofthemeatloafwithbaconslices.

5. Bakeuntilmeatthermometerinsertedinthecenterofthemeatloaf

reads160°F,whichshouldbeafterabout1

1

⁄

4

hours.

OVEN-ROASTEDWHOLECHICKEN

Serves4

Itdoesn’tgetmoreclassicthanthis,anditalsodoesn’tgetmucheasier!

Thisentréeworksforeveryday,orforcompany.Useleftoverstomake

chickensaladorsandwiches.

14-poundroastingchicken,rinsed,gibletpackremovedSaltandpepper

1bayleaf

1onion,quartered

1tablespoonpaprika

1teaspoonherbesdeProvenceordriedthyme1teaspooneachsaltandpepper

1. Preheatovento400°F.Seasoninsideofbirdwithsaltandpepper,

thenputbayleafandonioninside.Tuckwingsunderthebackofthe

bird.

2. Mixtogetherpaprika,herbs,1teaspooneachsaltandpepper,and

rubthemixturealloverthechicken’sskin.Placechickenina

roastingpan,breast-sideup.

3. Roastthechickenuncoveredintheovenuntilyoucanmovethelegs

easilyandjuicesrunclear,about1

1

⁄

2

hours.

SOLEAMANDINE

Serves6

Solecooksquickly,sohaveeverythingelsereadytogowhenyouput

thisinthepan.Itlookslikeittookalotmoreworkthanitreallydoes!

1

1

⁄

2

poundssolefillets

1

⁄

2

cupWondraflour

1

⁄

4

cupbutter

1

⁄

2

cupslicedalmonds2

tablespoonsgratedlemonrind

Saltandpeppertotaste

2tablespoonslemonjuice

1. Dustthefishwiththeflour,shakingoffexcess.

2. Placehalfthebutterinalarge,nonstickfryingpanandmeltover

medium-highheat.

3. Placethefishinthepan;cookforthreeminutes,thenflip.

4. Continuetocookuntilfishiscompletelyopaque,dependingon

thickness,about2–4minutes.

5. Removefishfromthepanandplaceremainingbutter,almonds,

lemonrind,saltandpepper,paprika,andlemonjuiceinthepan.Stir

untilalmondsbegintobrown.Poursauceandalmondsoverfish.

RICEPILAF

Serves4

Ricepilafgoeswithalmostanything,soit’sagreatrecipetokeephandy.

Substitutebrownriceforwhitericeinthisformorewhole-graingoodness.

8tablespoonsunsaltedbutter

1

⁄

2

cupdicedonion1cuplong-grainrice

12ounceslow-sodiumchickenbroth

1

⁄

2

teaspoonsalt

1

⁄

4

teaspoonwhitepepper1bayleaf

1. Preheatovento350°F.

2. Inasaucepanovermediumheat,meltbutter.Sautétheonionin

butteruntiltender.

3. Addrice;sautéfor3–5minuteswiththeonion.

4. Pourricemixtureintoa9"×13"bakingdish.Addchickenbroth,salt,

pepper,andbayleaf.Stirtoincorporate.

5. Coverandbakefor45minutes.Removebayleafbeforeserving.

CREAMEDSPINACH

Serves4

Creamedspinachisadeliciousclassic.Useskimmilktocutdownon

caloriesinthisdish.

1

⁄

4

cupdicedonion2tablespoonsbutter

2tablespoonsall-purposeflour

1cupmilk

Pinchofnutmeg

1teaspoonsalt

1

⁄

4

teaspoonpepper4cupscookedspinachleaves,chopped2tablespoonsgrated

Parmesancheese

1. Sautéonioninbutteruntiltranslucent.

2. Sprinkleonionwithflourandcookovermediumheatforafew

minutes.

3. Stirinmilk;cook,stirringfrequently,untilmixturestartstothicken.

4. Seasonthesaucemixturewithnutmeg,salt,andpepper.

5. Stirinthespinachandcheese;heatthrough.

SCALLOPEDPOTATOES

Serves4

Add2ounceschoppedhamtothistomakeitanentrée.

4largerussetpotatoes,peeled

1

⁄

4

cupall-purposeflour1teaspoonsalt

1

⁄

2

teaspoonpepper1cupmilk

1

⁄

4

cupbutter,melted

1

⁄

4

cupgratedParmesancheese

1. Preheatovento350°F.Buttera9"×13"bakingdish;setaside.

2. Slicethepotatoesinto

1

⁄

4

-inch-thickslices.

3. Putdownalayerof

1

⁄

3

ofthepotatoslicesinthebakingdishand

sprinklehalfoftheflouroverthem.Thensprinkle

1

⁄

3

ofthesaltand

pepperoverthislayer.

4. Addanotherlayerofpotatoes,therestoftheflour,and

1

⁄

3

ofthesalt

andpepperontopofthefirstlayer.Topthislayerwithafinallayerof

potatoesandthefinal

1

⁄

3

ofthesaltandpepper.

5. Pourmilkoverthepotatoes;thendrizzlethemeltedbutterand

sprinklethecheeseoverthetop.Coverandbakefor1hour,until

potatoesaretenderandcanbepiercedeasilywiththetipofaparing

knife.

OVEN-ROASTEDREDPOTATOES

Serves4

Crunchyandtasty,yetsosimpletomake,thesepotatoesarean

excellentaccompanimenttoanydinner.They’reparticularlyyummywhen

servedwithfishorchicken.

3poundssmallredpotatoes

2tablespoonsoliveoil

1teaspoonsalt

1

⁄

2

teaspoonpepper

1

⁄

2

teaspoondriedthyme

1. Preheattheovento350°F.

2. Cutthepotatoesinquarters.Inalargebowl,tosspotatoeswithoil

andseasonings.

3. Spreadthepotatoesoutonasheetpanandroastuncoveredfor45

minutes.

STEAMEDASPARAGUS
WITHHOLLANDAISESAUCE

Serves4

Thehollandaisesaucecanbeusedinmanyotherways,suchasasauce

forbeeftenderloinorovergrilledsalmon.

1bunchasparagus,trimmed

HollandaiseSauce

1. Steamtheasparagusfor5–10minutesuntiltender.

2. Servewithhollandaisesauce.

HOLLANDAISESAUCE

2eggyolks

1

⁄

2

tablespooncoldwater4tablespoonsmeltedbutter

1

⁄

2

teaspoonlemonjuicePinchcayennepepper

Saltandwhitepeppertotaste

1. Whiskeggyolksandwaterinastainless-steelorglassbowlover

simmeringwater(makingsurethatthebowlisabitlargerthanthe

potcontainingthesimmeringwater)andcookuntilmixturethickens

toribbonstage.(Theribbonstageisthepointincookingaliquid

mixturewhen,ifawhiskisdippedintotheliquidandraisedafew

inchesabovethepot,theliquidformsa“ribbon.”)

2. Slowlypourmeltedbutterintoyolks,dropbydropatfirst,whisking

constantly.Continuewhisking,pouringthebutterinathinstream,

afterthesaucestartstothicken.

3. Removebowlfromheatandwhiskinthelemonjuiceandcayenne

pepper.

4. Seasonsaucewithsaltandwhitepeppertotaste.

BISCUITS

Serves8

Thisbiscuitdoughcanbecutintosmallerroundstomakeminibiscuits,

too.Servethewarmbiscuitswithbutter,honey,jam,sausagepatties,or

hamforbreakfast,orservethemwithdinnerinsteadofdinnerrolls.

3cupsall-purposeflour

4

1

⁄

2

teaspoonsbakingpowder1

1

⁄

2

teaspoonssalt1tablespoonsugar

6tablespoonscoldbutter

1

1

⁄

4

cupsbuttermilk

1. Preheatovento400°F.

2. Combineflour,bakingpowder,salt,andsugarinamixingbowl.

3. Cutbutterintosmallpiecesandaddtodryingredients.Mixbutter

intodryingredientswithapastrycutterorwithyourfingers.This

mixtureshouldbeabitlumpysobiscuitsturnoutflaky.

4. Addbuttermilkandmixwithawoodenspoontoformthedough.

5. Rolldoughonaflouredboardto1-inchthickness.Cutdoughinto

circleswitha2–3-inchroundcookiecutteroradrinkingglass.Place

roundsonanungreasedbakingsheetandbake12minutes.

APPLEPIE

Serves8

Applepieisalwaysawinner,andyoucanmakeitatalltimesoftheyear

sinceapplesarealwaysavailable.Thisdelicioustwo-crustedpieis

suitableforanyoccasion.AcombinationofGrannySmithandGolden

Deliciousapplesprovidesanicetextureandsweet-tartflavor.

PieDoughCrust

,2rolled-outcircles5cupspeeled,cored,apples,cutinto

1

⁄

4

"slices4

tablespoonscornstarch

1

⁄

2

cupsugar1tablespooncinnamon

4tablespoonsbutter,cutinpieces

2tablespoonssugar,forsprinklingontopcrust

1. Preheatovento350°F.

2. Linepiepanwithoneofthepiedoughcircles.

3. Mixapplesinabowlwithcornstarch,sugar,andcinnamon.

4. Piletheapplesintothedough-linedpiepan,andthendotthemwith

thebutter.Coverappleswiththeremainingpiedoughcircle.Crimp

edgestogethertosealthecrust.Cutfour1"slitsaroundthecenter

ofthepietoallowsteamtoescapeduringbaking.

5. Brushthecrustwithwaterandsprinklewithsugar.Bakefor1hour.

PIEDOUGH

Thisflakypiedoughrecipewillmakeenoughdoughfor2single-crust9"

piesoronedouble-crust9"pie.Ifyoucan’tfindpastryflour,all-purpose

flourmaybesubstituted.Rolled-outdoughcirclescanbemadein

advanceandfrozenorrefrigerateduntilyouarereadytousethem.

2

1

⁄

4

cupspastryflour4

1

⁄

2

teaspoonssugar

3

⁄

4

teaspoonsalt1

1

⁄

2

cupscoldunsaltedbutter

1

⁄

2

cupicewater

1. Combineflour,sugar,andsaltinabowl.

2. Cutbutterinto

1

⁄

2

"slices.

3. Mixbutterintodryingredientswithapastrycutteroraknifeandfork

untilbutterisinpea-sizedlumps.

4. Addicewater(icecubesremoved)toflour/buttermixture,stirring

withawoodenspoontocombineandformthedough.

5. Dividedoughinhalfandformintotwoballs.Wrapinplasticand

refrigeratefor1hourbeforerollinginto10"circles.

NOTE:PREBAKE(ALSOCALLEDBLIND-BAKE)

Toblind-bakeapiecrust(bakeitwithoutbrowning),lineapiepanwith

piedough,putcoffeefiltersoverthedough,andfillthefilterswithdried

beansorpieweights.Bakeat350°Funtilset,about25minutes.Remove

beansandcoffeefiltersandbakecrustabout10minutesmore,untilcrust

isalightgoldenbrownincolor.

CHOCOLATECHIPCOOKIES

Yields2dozen

Thesecookiescanalsobemadewithchocolatechunksinsteadofchips.

Othervariationsincludeaddingwhitechocolatechipsor1cupof

choppednuts.Thisdoughcanberolledintoalog,wrappedinplastic,

andrefrigeratedorfrozenforfutureuse.

2cupsunsaltedbutter,softened

1cupdarkbrownsugar

1cupsugar

2eggs

1teaspoonvanillaextract

2cupsall-purposeflour

1teaspoonsalt

1teaspoonbakingsoda

1cupsemisweetchocolatechips

1. Preheatovento350°F.

2. Withanelectricmixer,creamtogetherthebutter,brownsugar,and

sugaruntilfluffy.

3. Addeggsandvanilla;combinewell.Scrapedownthesidesofthe

bowl.

4. Mixtheflour,salt,andbakingsodatogetherinabowl.Addtheflour

mixturetothebuttermixture,mixingbyhandwithawoodenspoonto

combineintoasmoothdough.Stirinchocolatechips.

5. Usingtwospoons,dropdoughinmoundsontoanungreasedcookie

sheet.Bakecookies12minutes.Coolonarack.

BROWNIES

Yields16

Thisrecipeusesbothcocoaandchocolatechipstocreateadouble

chocolatebrownie.Youmayaddavarietyofthingstothisbatterbefore

baking,suchaschoppednuts,choppedcandybars,ordriedfruits.The

browniescanbesprinkledwithpowderedsugarorcoveredinchocolate

frosting(recipeinthischapter)aftertheyhavecooled.

12tablespoonsunsaltedbutter,melted1

1

⁄

2

cupssugar2eggs

1

⁄

2

teaspoonvanillaextract2tablespoonswater

3

⁄

4

cupunsweetenedcocoapowder

1

⁄

2

cupall-purposeflour

1

⁄

2

teaspoonsalt

1

⁄

2

teaspoon

bakingpowder1cupsemisweetchocolatechips

1. Preheatovento350°F.Greasea9"×13"bakingdish.

2. Mixtogetherthebutterandsugarinamixingbowl.

3. Beattheeggsintothebuttermixture;thenstirinthevanillaand

water.

4. Inaseparatebowl,combinethecocoapowder,flour,salt,and

bakingpowder.Addthisdrymixturetothewetmixture;stirto

combine.Stirinthechocolatechips.Scrapethebatterintothe

preparedbakingdish,andsmoothoutthetopofthebatter.

5. Bakebrowniesfor30minutes.Coolslightlyinpan,andthencutinto

16squares.Servewarmoratroomtemperature.

CHOCOLATECAKE

Serves12

Thischocolatecakeisaclassicthree-layercakethatcanbeservedwith

aglassofmilk,whippedcream,oricecream.Ifyoudon’twanttomakea

fancylayercakeyoucanbakethiscakeina9"×13"bakingdish,frostit,

andcutintosquares.

16tablespoonsunsaltedbutter,softened2

1

⁄

2

cupssugar4eggs

1teaspoonvanillaextract

2

3

⁄

4

cupsall-purposeflour2teaspoonsbakingsoda

1

⁄

2

teaspoonbakingpowder

1

⁄

2

teaspoonsalt2cupshotwater

1cupcocoapowder

ChocolateFrosting(recipeinthischapter)

1. Preheatovento350°F.Butterandflourthree9"roundcakepans.

2. Combinehotwaterandcocoapowder;setasidetoletcool.

3. Inalargebowl,beatbutter,sugar,eggs,andvanillatogetherfor5

minuteswithanelectricmixer.

4. Inanotherbowlcombinetheflour,bakingsoda,bakingpowder,and

salt.Adddryingredientstothebuttermixtureinthirds,alternating

withthecocoamixture.Scrapedownthesidesofthebowltomake

sureeverythingiswellincorporated.

5. Dividebatterevenlyamongthepreparedcakepans.Bakefor20–25

minutes,untilatoothpickinsertedinthecentercomesoutclean.Set

pansonrackfor10minutes;thenturnlayersoutontoracks.Ifthe

layersstickinthepan,trycarefullyrunningabutterknifearoundthe

perimeterofthepantoloosencakefromthesideofthepan.

6. Whencompletelycool,frosttopsoftwocakelayerswithChocolate

Frosting;stackthem;putthirdlayerontop.Spreadfrostingonthe

topandsidesofthelayercake.

CHOCOLATEFROSTING

Serves12

16ouncessemisweetchocolatechips

2ouncesunsweetenedbakingchocolate7ounceswater

1

1

⁄

4

cupsunsaltedbutter

1. Chopchocolatesintosmallchunksandputthemintoametalor

glassbowl.Addwater.

2. Setthebowloversimmeringwater.Stiroccasionallytocombine

chocolatewiththewaterasitmelts.

3. Cutbutterintochunksandstiritintothechocolatemixture.

4. Whenchocolateandbutterhavemelted,removethebowlfromthe

simmeringwaterandwhiskthefrostingtocombine.Itwillbemelted

andliquidatthispoint.Setthebowlinacoolplace(notthe

refrigerator)toset.

5. Stirthefrostingoccasionallywhileitiscoolingtoachieveasmooth,

creamyconsistency.Thiswilltakeatleast6hours.Beforefrostinga

cake,whiskthefrostingtofluffitupabit.

CHEESECAKE

Serves12

Thisrecipeisforabasiccreamycheesecakethatcanbeservedplainor

withavarietyoftoppingsandsauces,suchasjamswirledontopbefore

baking.

1

⁄

2

cupall-purposeflour2tablespoonssugar

6tablespoonsbutter,melted

1

⁄

2

cupgroundalmonds24ouncescreamcheese(donotusewhippedcreamcheese),

softened2cupssugar

2tablespoonscornstarch

3eggs

3

1

⁄

2

cupssourcream1teaspoonvanillaextract

1. Preheatovento350°F.Inabowlcombineflour,2tablespoonssugar,

meltedbutter,andgroundalmondswitharubberspatula.Press

mixtureintothebottomofaspringformpanthathasbeensprayed

withcookingspray.Bakefor10minutes.Removefromovenandset

aside.

2. Withanelectricmixer,beatthecreamcheeseuntilfluffy.Add1

1

⁄

2

cupsofthesugarandthecornstarch;creamtogether.Beatineggs

oneatatime,scrapingdownthesidesofthebowlaftereachone.

Stirin1

1

⁄

2

cupsofthesourcream.

3. Pourthisbatterintothespringformpanandbakeforabout1hour.

Themiddleofthecheesecakeshouldjiggleslightlywhenfinished.

Removefromovenandcoolatroomtemperature.Refrigerateand

chillcompletelyovernight.

4. Withanelectricmixer,whiptheremaining2cupsofsourcreamwith

theremaining

1

⁄

2

cupsugarandthevanilla.

5. Topthechilledcheesecakewiththewhippedsourcreammixture;

smooththetop.Letthecakesetintherefrigerator,covered,for1–2

hoursbeforeserving.

12

MEALPLANNING

MadeEasy

There’smoretomealplanningthanopeningthefridgeand

hopingtofindsomethingyoucangetonthetablebeforeyour

stomach(oryourfamily)riots.Withalittlethought,planning,

andperhapssomeadvanceprep,youcanmakemeals

somethingthathappenwithlittleangst,andnotakeoutunless

youreallywantit!Youcanplanmealstomakeaweekora

monthahead.Youcancookandfreezemealsforyourfamilyin

amadcapassemblylineonceamonth,andyoucanplanfor

leftovers.Howeveryougoaboutit,alittlebitofplanningwill

makeyourtimeinthekitchenfeelorganizedandcalm.

HealthyHabits

Recentresearchindicatesthatmanyseriousdiseasessuchasheart

disease,certaincancers,diabetes,andhighbloodpressurearediet-

related.ThetypicalAmericandietcontainsfarmorefatthanishealthy,

andsurprisingly,abouttwiceasmuchproteinasisnecessary.TheUSDA

providesdietaryguidelinesthatwillhelpyouplanhealthymeals.

DietaryGuidelines

Themostimportantpartofplanningmealsforyourselfandyourfamily

istomakesurethemealsarehealthy.Halfoftheplateinfrontofeach

personshouldbemadeupoffruitsandvegetables.Atleasthalfofthe

grainsyourfamilyeatsshouldbewholegrains.Proteinsshouldbelean

proteins,likechickenwiththeskinandvisiblefatremoved.TheUSDA

sharesitsfoodplate(thereplacementforthefoodpyramid)at

www.choosemyplate.gov,whereyoucanseewhatportionsizesshould

looklikeandgettipsfornutritionforallofyourfamilymembers.

ChecktheLabel

Nutritionlabelsalsoshowthepercentageofrecommendeddaily

nutrientintakecontainedinaservingoffood.Thesepercentagesare

basedontheUnitedStatesDepartmentofAgricultureFoodandNutrition

Serviceestimateof2,000caloriesperdayfortheaveragedailydiet.

Actualcaloricintakewillandshouldvarywithage,gender,weight,and

activitylevel.Ingeneral,menandyoungadultsneedmorecaloriesthan

dowomenandolderadults.Pregnantandbreastfeedingwomenneed

morecalories,aswell.

Basedon2,000caloriesperday,theUSDAsuggeststhefollowing

nutrientlevels:

R E C O M M E N D E D D A I LYA M O U N T S O F N U T R I E N T S

Nutrient

Amount

Totalfat

Lessthan65grams

Saturatedfat

Lessthan20grams

Cholesterol

Lessthan300milligrams

Sodium

Lessthan2,400milligrams

Totalcarbohydrate

300grams

Dietaryfiber

25grams

TheUSDAalsorecommends:

Maintainingadiethighingrains,vegetables,andfruits.

Maintainingadietlowinfat,saturatedfat,andcholesterol.

Maintainingadietwithamoderateintakeofsugarandsalt.

Eatingavarietyoffoods.

ProteinsAreKey

Proteinsarethe“buildingblocks”ofthebody.Theyarenecessaryfor

thegrowth,maintenance,andrebuildingofeverycell.Themost

concentratedsourcesofproteinareanimalproducts.Animalproteins,

whichincludemeat,fish,eggs,andmilk,containallofthenineessential

aminoacidsthatproteinscanprovideandarecalledcompleteproteins.

Vegetableproteinsarepresentinnuts,seeds,wholegrains,and

legumes.Allvegetableproteins,however—withtheoneexceptionofsoy

—areincomplete.Ifanimalsourcesofproteinarenotincludedinthediet,

vegetableproteinsmustbecombinedcarefullytosupplythebodywithall

essentialaminoacids.Thisiswhymanyvegetarianstakesupplementsto

achieveawell-balanceddiet.

CarbohydratesforEnergy

Carbohydratesprovidemostofthebody’senergy.Simple

carbohydratesincludeallkindsofsugarsandaresweet.Complex

carbohydratesincludegrainproductsandsomefruitsandvegetables,

suchasbeansandpotatoes.Becausecomplexcarbohydratesmustbe

splitapartduringthedigestiveprocessbeforetheycanbeabsorbedby

thebody,theysupplyenergyoveralongerperiodoftimethandosimple

carbohydrates.Complexcarbohydratesalsocontainvitamins,minerals,

anddietaryfiber.Fiberisthepartofaplantthatcannotbedigestedby

humans.Water-insolublefiber,foundinfruits,vegetables,andgrains,

stimulatesandregulatesthedigestivetract.Water-solublefiber,present

infruits,vegetables,oatbran,andbeans,mayslowtheabsorptionof

sugarintothebloodstreamandreducebloodcholesterollevels.

FatIsn’tAlwaysFlab

Althoughtheyhaveadeservedlybadname,fatsarenecessaryto

goodhealthinappropriateamounts.Theyprovidebodyinsulation,

cushioning,andenergyreserve,andallowthebodytousefat-soluble

vitamins.Inaddition,fatsmakethebodyfeelfullorsatisfiedaftereating.

Cholesterolisnotafat,butisasubstancethatispresentinsomefats.

Itisnecessaryforproperfunctioningofnervesandhormones.The

humanlivercanmanufactureallthecholesterolthebodyneeds.

However,dietarycholesterolisalsopresentinsomefoods.Ahighlevel

ofcholesterolinthebloodisrelatedtocardiovasculardisease.

SaturatedFats

Fatscontainbothsaturated-andunsaturated-essentialfattyacids.

Saturatedfatsnotonlycontaindietarycholesterolbutalsoencouragethe

bodytoproducemorethanitneeds.Allanimalfatissaturatedfat.Two

plantfats—palmandcoconutoils—arealsoheavilysaturated.Bothare

usedextensivelyinprocessed-andpackaged-bakeryproducts,sweets,

snacks,andotherjunkfoods.

Unsaturatedfats,whichincludemostvegetablefats,areactually

believedtoreducebloodcholesterollevelswhentheyreplacesaturated

fatinthediet.Monounsaturatedfatsincludefishoilsandolive,canola,

andpeanutoils.Polyunsaturatedfatsarefoundintunaandsalmon,and

insunflower,corn,andsesameoils.However,partiallyhydrogenated

vegetableoils(althoughunsaturated)containtrans-fattyacids,which

researchindicatesmayraisebloodcholesterol.Partiallyhydrogenated

oilsareusedinmanyshorteningsandmargarines.

FatFigures

TheAmericanHeartAssociationrecommendsadietinwhichnotmore

than30percentoftotalcaloricintakeisfromfats.Thenutritionlabelsthat

nowappearonmostcans,milkcartons,andotherfoodpackagesshow

howmuchprotein,carbohydrate,andfataservingcontainsingram

weight.Acaloriemeasurestheenergyvalueoffood,notitsfatcontent.

ChartedTerritory

Thebestwaytostayorganizedandplanyourmealsistocreateameal

chart.Planoutwhatyouwillcookforeverydinnerandwriteitdown.You

candothisaweekoramonthinadvance.Somemealplannersmakeup

alistoftwomonths’worthofmeals,andthenjustrotatethemthroughout

theyear.

Ifyou’replanningforthenextweek,makealistandstickitinsidea

cupboarddoororonyourfridgeforeasyconsultation.Checkoutthelist

whenmakingyourshoppinglistforthatweek.Ifyouwanttoplanfora

month,printoutacalendarpageforthatmonthandwritethemealson

that.

Youdefinitelywanttoplananentréeforeachnight.Ifyouareplanning

weekly,itmakessensetoplanyoursidesaswell.Ifyou’replanning

monthly,chartyourentréesforthemonth;thenplansidesoutasyou

cometoeachweek,beforeyoudothegroceryshoppingforthatweek.

ThinkSeasonally

Whenmakingupamealchart,taketheseasonsintoconsideration.

You’llwanttoincludedishesthattakeadvantageoffreshlocalproduce

thatisavailableatthattime.People’stastesandcravingsalsochange

withtheseasons.Inthesummer,youmaynotwanttocookacasserole

thatishotandheavyandinsteadmightfeelhappierwithsomegrilledfish

oracoldchickensalad.Theoppositeistrueincoldweather.Makeyour

plansothatyoucangrillinthewarmermonthsanduseyourovenmore

inthewintermonths.

ToEachHisOwn

Whenplanningoutwhatmealsyou’llbemaking,thinkaboutyour

family’slikesanddislikes.There’snosenseinincludingdishesmost

peopleinyourfamilywon’teatandyou’llwanttobesurethatfamily

favoritesarestronglyrepresentedinyourplan.Also,don’tforgettobe

nutritionallyminded,andplanmealsthatarebalanced.

Spontaneity

Whileit’stemptingtofillinachartforaweekoramonthwithaplanned

mealeachnight,therearegoingtobenightswhenallyoureallywantisa

takeoutpizzaorwhenyoujusthavetotryanewrecipeyourippedoutof

amagazine.Leaveafewnightspermonthblanktoallowyoutomove

thingsaroundtoaccommodatethesekindsofspur-of-the-moment

desires.

Rotate

Makesureyourotateyourmealswell.Don’tplanbeeftwonightsina

roworhavethesamedishtwiceinoneweek.Youalsodon’twantto

havethesamemenueveryMonday.Plannedmenusshouldnotfeel

boringortooroutine.

DesignateJobs

Whenyouplanoutawholeweek’sworthofmeals,orawholemonth’s

worth,youcanthinkaboutwhoisgoingtodoallthework.Whenit’sjust

youscramblingtothrowsomedinnertogether,thereisn’tmuch

opportunitytoenlisthelp,otherthanhavingsomeoneelsesetthetable.

Whenyouplanyourmeals,plantheworkaswell.Setupaschedule

alternatingchildrentodothedisheseachnight.Createaplanwherebya

highschoolchildcanputacasseroleintheovenandmakeasaladone

nightaweek.Delegatecarrotpeelingtosomeoneelseinthehouse.

Thinkaboutwhocandowhatandwriteitrightonyourmealschedule.

BenefitsofPlanning

Doingallthisplanningmightseemlikealotofwork.Itdoestakesome

timeandconsideration,butithasmanybenefits.Youcansitdownand

doalltheplanningatonce.Getoutyourcookbooks,yourcoupons,and

yourlistoffreezerandpantryitems(see

Chapters6

and

7

)tomaximize

yoursavingsandincorporateallthedishesyouwanttomake.Grocery

shoppingbecomesasnap.Nomorewanderingthroughtheaisles

lookingforinspirationandtryingtofigureoutwhatyoucanbuythatyou

cancookforthenextfewdays.You’llknowexactlywhatyou’llneed

whenyougettothestore.Youcanbuythingsinbulkorinlarge

quantitiesonsalebecauseyouhaveaplanforhowyouwillusethem.

Knowingtheplanwillhelpyousavetimebecauseyou’llbeabletodo

someprepworkthatwillworkforseveralrecipes.It’salso,frankly,abig

stressreliever.Scurryingtogetsomedinneronthetableeachnightcan

reallyaddtoyourstress.Knowingexactlywhatyou’llbemaking,andthat

youhavealltheingredientsonhandmakesyourlifesomucheasier.

Youwon’tbetemptedtobuyfastfood.Youandyourfamilywillsitat

thetableandeattogether.You’llknowexactlywhatyourfamilyiseating

andwillbesureitmeetscurrentdietaryguidelines.You’llspendtime

togetherandhavethechanceforface-to-faceconversations.

MarkYourTerritory

Howmanytimeshaveyouplannedameal,boughteverythingyouneed,

thengonetomakeitonlytodiscoversomeoneinyourhouseatean

ingredientbeforeyoucoulduseit?Onceyouknowwhatitemsyouplan

touseincookinginthenextweek,markthemsonooneeatsthem!

Placeapieceofmaskingtapeontheitemoracoloredstickerwhichwill

telleveryoneinyourhouse“handsoff!”Youmayalsowanttosetasidea

sectioninyourpantrytostashingredientsformealsyouhaveplanned

andleteveryoneknowit’sofflimits.

MonthlyMealCooking

Anotherwaytoplanyourmenusistodomonthlycooking.Once-a-month

cookingisamarathoncookingsessionthatinvolvesdecidingwhatyou

wanttocookforawholemonthofmeals,makinglists,shopping,and

thenpreparingandfreezingenoughmealstolastforawholemonth—all

ononedayoroveraweekend.Withorganization,planningskills,and

somefood-scienceknowledge,youwillneverneedtoordertakeout

again.You’llpulldelicious,healthymealsoutofyourfreezerandreheat

theminminutes.Simplerecipesfreezebest.Avoidrecipeswith

complicatedsauces,differentcookingtimes,multiplepreparationsteps,

andthosethatuseexoticingredients.

MixandMatch

Thinkaboutservingonerecipeindifferentways.Forinstance,abeef

chilirecipecanbeservedovertacochipsandgarnishedwithsalsa,

cheese,andlettuceasatacosalad.Thesamerecipecanbeservedover

bakedpotatoesorasatoppingforhotdogs.Thisplanningallowsyouto

varythemealsyouserveusingyourtried-and-truerecipes,combining

similarpreparationandcookingsteps.

Whenyouarecompilingyourlistofrecipes,thinknotonlyaboutthe

foodsyourfamilylikes,butalsoaboutwhat’sonsalethatweekatyour

localsupermarket.Forinstance,ifyourgrocerhasaspecialonground

beefinfive-poundpacks,pullrecipesformeatloaf,spaghettisauce,and

beefmanicottifromyourcollection.

VarietyIsKey

Aswithmenuplanning,makesuretocookagoodvarietyofrecipesfor

themonth.Forinstance,chooseseveralchickencasseroles,twogrilled

beefrecipes,threeslowcookerrecipes,onechickenandoneham

sandwichrecipe,andapepperonipizza.Writedowntherecipesyou

havechosenonablankcalendarpage;it’seasiertomakesurethatyou

areservingyourfamilyagoodvarietyofflavors,textures,colors,and

nutrientsduringthemonthwhenyoucanseethewholemonth’splanata

glance.

CookingDayDos

Sinceyou’regoingtobespendinganentiredaycooking,themost

important“do”ofallistoenjoytheprocess.Enjoythesoundsofcooking:

theknifebladechunkingintothechoppingboard,foodssizzlinginapan,

andeventheclinkingofmetalonmetalasyouflipthroughnested

measuringspoons.Thinkaboutallthetimeyou’regoingtosave,and

howwellyouaretreatingyourselfandyourfamily.Inaddition:

Dostockuponpapertowelsanddishrags.

Domakesureyouhaveseverallargeplasticgarbagebags

available,andremoveeachbagfromthekitchenassoonasitisfull.

Docookwithahelperortwo.Splitupsomeofthechores;for

instance,onepersoncancookafewrecipeswhiletheotherkeeps

thekitchenclean,andthenswitchplaces.

Dokeepafirst-aidkithandy.Whenyou’reworkingwiththismuch

foodandsomanyappliances,itpaystobeprepared.

Domakesureyourknivesaresharpandingoodcondition.Asharp

knifeslicesmoreeasilyandisactuallysafertousethanadullknife.

Dullknivescanslipasyouworkwiththem,makingitalltooeasyto

cutyourself.

Domakeaninventorybeforeyoustart,tomakesureyouhave

enoughpots,pans,spoons,forks,andknivesonhand,andthatthey

areallingoodworkingorder.

Domakesurethatallyourappliancesareingoodworkingorderand

areaccurate.

Doschedulemoretimethanyouthinkyou’llneed.

Dotakebreakswhereyouleavethekitchen,sitdown,andsipsome

teawhileputtingyourfeetup.Nobodycanworkforsevenoreight

hourswithoutabreak.

Dothinkaboutpreppingsomeofthefoodonthesamedaythatyou

shop.Youcouldcutupsomevegetablesormeatsandpackage

theminplasticcontainers,orstartmeatcookinginyourslowcooker

forthenextday.

AndaFewDon’ts

Themostimportant“don’t”ofall:don’twearyourselfoutorundertakea

dayofcookingifyoudon’tfeelwell.Ifyou’reunsureofyourstrengthor

stamina,startsmallbychoosingjustafewmealstomakeandfreeze.

Herearesomeotherimportantdon’ts:

Don’tattempttoomuch,especiallyonyourfirstexperiencewiththis

typeofcooking.It’smucheasiertoscheduleanothercooking

sessionifyouaren’texhaustedbythefirstattempt.

Don’tshopanddoallyourcookingonthesameday.

Don’tletpreparedfoodsitonthecounterwhileyouassembleother

recipes.Assoonastherecipesareprepared,coolthem;thenpack,

label,andfreezethem.

Don’tcookamealforyourfamilyoryourselfonmonthlycookingday.

Goouttoeat!Youdeservesomepamperingafteryourmarathon-

cookingsession.

Trytomakeyourcookingsessionfun.Ifyouseeitasapositive

challengeanddoeverythingyoucantomaketheprocessenjoyable,you

aregoingtowanttoscheduleanothersession.

Cookwithapartner—aneighbor,relative,orworkcolleague.Think

aboutorganizingacookingclubandpairoffwithadifferentmembereach

month.Yourrecipecollectionwillexpandexponentially,andyou’llpass

alongthisefficientandmoney-savingcookingmethodtomorepeople.

Youwillnotonlyexpandyourcollectionoffreezablerecipes,butthetime

willgobymuchmorequicklywhenanotherpersonistheretosharethe

chores.

Enjoythearomasasyourhomefillswithdelicioussmells.Whoneeds

potpourriorairfreshenerswhenbread,cookies,casseroles,and

vegetablesarebakingandsimmering?Andenjoythesafe,cozyfeeling

of“puttingfoodby”tofeedyourfamilyandfriends.

RecipesforaMonth

Whileyoucancertainlyplantocookthirtyindividualrecipesfor

freezing,it’smucheasiertocookdoubleortripleamountsoftentofifteen

recipes.You’llsavelotsoftimeandenergybydoublingortriplinga

recipeandpackagingandfreezingthatfoodinmeal-sizeportions.Then

rotatethefoodintoyourmealplanforthemonth.

It’simportanttomakesuretherecipesyouhavechosenarecooked

withdifferentmethods.Forinstance,youdon’twanttohavethirtybaked

dishesunlessyouhavethreeorfourovens.Choosesomerecipesthat

arecookedinaskilletorsaucepan,somethatarebaked,somethatare

frozenwithoutcooking,somethataregrilled,andsomethatareprepared

inaslowcooker.

Makenotesasyougothroughpreparationandcooking,toimprove

yourassembly-lineprocess,refineshoppinglistsandorganizationof

toolsandingredients,andstreamlinerecipepreparation.

Whenchoosingyourrecipes,youcanmakeadjustmentsto

streamlinecooking.Forinstance,ifonerecipecallsforgroundbeef

withonionsandgarlicandanotherusesjustgroundbeefandonions,

addgarlictotheseconddishoromitgarlicfromthefirstonesoyou

canpreparethefoodstogether.

Shortcuts

Considerusingsomeofthesequickoptionstokeepshoppingand

cookingeasyandorganized:

Buypreparedvegetablesfromasaladbarinyoursupermarket.

PurchasecookedricefromalocalChineserestaurant.

Buycoleslawmixinsteadofshreddingcabbage;purchaseonehead

ofcabbagefortherecipethatrequireswholeleaves.

Purchasetwiceasmuchmeatloafmixinsteadofsomeeachof

groundbeefandgroundpork.

Remember,theseshortcutswillcostmorethanbuyingitemsthataren’t

“valueadded.”Decidewhetheryourbudgetcanhandletheseadded

conveniences,andwhetherthetimeyouwillsaveisworththeextracost.

PlanningandPreparation

Therearesometasksthatyoucandoaheadofcookingday.Placeall

nonperishablefoodsonyourkitchentableingroupsastheyareneeded

fortherecipestomakesureyouhavealltheingredientsonhand.This

canbedonetwotothreedaysaheadofcookingday.Youcanprecook

chicken,brownbeef,peelandchoponionsandgarlic,seedandchop

peppers,chopvegetables,makepiecrust,andcookriceandpasta.

Labelfoodsaccuratelyasyougoalong.Oncemealsarewrappedand

frozen,itwillbedifficulttoidentifythem.Waterproofmarkers,grease

pencils,andwaxmarkersworkwellonmostfreezerwrapandplastic

containers.Besuretorecordthenameoftherecipe,thedateitwas

prepared,thawingandreheatinginstructions,andadditionalfoods

neededtofinishtherecipe.

LovelyLeftovers

Leftoversgetabadrap.Theydon’thavetobethedregsofmealspast

thatnoonewantstoeat.Leftoverscanbesomeofthemostin-demand

itemsinyourkitchenifyouapproachthemwiththerightattitudeanda

littleplanning.Afterall,PaulaDeensays“Bein’richishavin’leftovers.”

Leftoverscansaveyourlife!Ifyouknowyouhaveabusyweek,make

twiceasmuchofadishyouknowyourfamilylikesandstashtherestin

thefridgeforadesperationdinnerlaterintheweek.Cookonce,eat

twice.Thegreatthingisleftoversrequireonlytheabilitytopushabutton

(onthemicrowave)whichjustaboutanyoneinyourfamilycando,soyou

canuseleftoversfornightsyou’retootiredortoobusycook,orevennot

homeatall.

Leftoverscanbeusedinotherwaysaswell.Thinkabouthowyoucan

usefoodyou’recookinginlunches,thosethatarepackedoreatenat

home.Leftoversalads,pastas,andsoupsaregreatforat-homelunches.

Cookedchicken,turkey,andhamareperfectforpackedsandwiches.If

yourkidsmaketheirownsandwiches,slicethemeatbeforerefrigerating

it.Makesureeveryoneknowsthezoneinthefridgewhereyoukeep

leftovermeatsforlunches.Breadsyouhaveleftoverfromdinnercan

alsobeusedforlunchsandwiches,cuttingbackonsandwichbreadyou

needtobuy.Ifyouwantyourfamilytotakeleftoversaladintheirlunches,

storeitinportion-sizedplasticcontainerssoitcanbegrabbedand

packedeasily.

Repurposing

Thetricktobeingthekingorqueenofleftoversthoughislearningto

repurposethem—reusetheminsneakywayssoyourfamilydoesn’t

realizethey’reeatingthesamethingtwice.You’llnotonlysavemoney,

butcutdownonkitchentime.

Usecookedveggiesasatopperforgarlicbreadorinaquiche,

frittata,rice,orpastadish.They’realsoperfectforsoupsandstews.

Saveveggiesfromacoldveggieplatetobecookedatyournext

meal,orchopthemupandaddtoasalad.

Makebreadpudding,panzanella,garlicbread,orFrenchtoastfrom

leftoverbread.

Mashedpotatoescanbemadeintopotatopancakesorasthetop

layerforshepherd’spie(whichcanalsoincorporateleftovermeat,

veggies,andgravy).

Wholeorslicedpotatoesmakegreathash.

Ricecanbereusedincasseroles,turnedintoricepilaf,addedto

soup,andusedtomakefriedrice.

Extrapastamakesaterrificcasseroleorcanbeusedinacoldpasta

salad.

Useleftoverchickeninasalad,soups,enchiladas,casseroles,or

panini.Chopituptomakechickensalad.

Cutleftoversteaksintothinstripsanduseinbeefstroganoff.Put

leftoverscrambledeggsinfriedrice.

Makemeatballsintosloppyjoeswithsomesauceandalittle

mashing.

Remainsofaporkroastcanbeshreddedandmixedwithbarbecue

sauceforpulledporksandwiches.

Toomanyhamburgers?Savethoseforsloppyjoesoragroundbeef

casserole.

Salmoncanbecomesalmonpatties,whicharetastyservedona

bun.

Extrahotdogsmakebakedbeansafullmeal.

Shrimpworkswellinasalad,orchoppeduptomakeshrimpsalad.

LeftoverSecrets

Whenyoureheatfood,itoftendriesout.Lookforwaystoaddliquid

whenyou’reusingitagain.Addsomemoretomatosauce,milk,orbroth

toapastadishorcasserole.Soup,stew,andchilineedsomewaterto

replacethatwhichhasevaporated.

Ifyou’reworkingwithfoodtowhichyoucan’teasilyaddliquid,lookfor

reheatingmethodsthatwillhelpretainmoisture.Coverfoodscompletely

orwrapinfoilifreheatingintheoventokeepcondensationinside.Steam

thingslikefishorleanchickentowarmthemwithoutdrying.Uselowheat

toreusethingslikegraviesandsauces.Theytendtobreakifyouheat

overtoohighatemperature.Stiroften.Toavoidthatreheatedflavorand

texturewithroastsandmeats,reheatinthegravyorsauce.Thefoodwill

staymoist,won’ttasteold,andwillbereadytoeat.

Don’tputthingsthatneedtostaycrispyinthemicrowave.Puffpastry,

crusts,friedfoods,andthingslikecrunchypotatoesturntomushwhen

putinthemicrowave.Atime-savingtrickistoslightlywarmtheitemfirst

inthemicrowave;thenplaceinahotoventocrispit.

13

SHOP

Smart

Touseyourkitchenwisely,youneedtobesavvyabouthow

youbuytheproductsyou’rebringingintoit.Organized

shoppersusecoupons,shopsales,buyinbulk,shoplocally,

andstayfocusedwheninthestore.Allofthesethingscan

becomehabitsthatwillallowyoutosavetimeandmoney,buy

onlywhatyouneed,andbringhomefoodandsuppliesyouwill

actuallyuse.

ShoppingatHome

Beforeyouheadouttogofoodshopping,takeaninventoryofwhat

you’vealreadygotonyourshelvesandinyourrefrigeratortomakesure

youdon’talreadyhavesomeoftheitemsonyourlist.Moneyiswasted

bybuyingperishablesunnecessarily.Ifyou’rekeepingalistofwhat’sin

yourpantryandfreezer(see

Chapters6

and

7

),consultittoseewhat

you’veusedupandneed.Trytoreducewhatyouneedtobuythatweek

byconsideringwhatyouhaveathomethatyoucoulduseup.Ifyouhave

agarden,goseewhat’sgoingtobereadyinthenextweekandreduce

yourpurchasesinanticipation.Doyouhaveleftoversorsomethingfrom

thefreezeryoucanreheatorrepurposeforonemeal?Doingsowill

reduceyourshoppingbill.

CouponCraze

Howwouldyouliketosave$5,$10,oreven$50everytimeyoushopat

thesupermarket?Ifthissoundsappealing,couponclippingmaybethe

answer.Searchingforandclippingcouponsfromthenewspaperorfrom

advertisingcircularscanbeatime-consumingtask,butmanypeoplefind

thistobearelaxingrainy-dayorSunday-afternoonactivity.

Youcanuseabinderwithclearpocketstosort,categorize,andstore

yourcoupons.Forexample,youmayhavecategoriescalled“Cleaning

Products”and“PetCareProducts,”andyousimplyplaceallrelated

couponsinthatcategorywithinthesamepocket.

Analternativeistouseasmallfileboxorsmall,plasticexpandable

folderandstoreyourcouponsalphabetically,eitherbyproductnameor

brandname.Forexample,Ivorysoapcouldbefiledunder“I”for“Ivory”

or“S”for“soap,”dependingonyourcoupon-filingsystem.

Anotheralternativeistouseabatchofsmallenvelopes,eachmarked

withaseparatecouponcategory.Alltheenvelopescanbestored

togetherinalargeronesothattheyarekepttogether.

SelectingandStoringCoupons

Usingcouponscanbeafunwaytosavemoney,ifyou’rewillingto

investthetimeneededtoclipthecoupons,bringthemtothestore,find

therightproduct,andredeemthecoupon.Asageneralrule,clipand

storecouponsforonlythoseproductsyoualreadyuse(ordefinitelywant

totry).Ifyou’renotcareful,yourcouponfilecouldeasilygetcluttered

withcouponsyouhavenointentionofusing.

Beforeyoucutoutacoupon,payattentiontotheexpirationdateand

thefineprint.Also,beforeclippingit,determinewhatexactlyyouneedto

purchasetoredeemthecoupon.Ifyou’rerequiredtopurchaseanextra-

largecontaineroflaundrydetergentbutyouneedonlyasmallcontainer,

dothemathandfindouthowmuchthesavingswillbeifyoupurchase

thelargercontainerusingthecoupon.Somecouponsrequireyouto

purchasetwoofoneitemtogetthediscountandthiscanbeaproblemif

youdon’thavethestoragespace.Weighthestorageproblemagainstthe

potentialsavings.Ifyoucanpairthecouponwitharebateorsale,itmay

beworthhavingtostoretheadditionalitemunderyourbed.

Afteryouclipyourcoupons,createawrittenshoppinglistforyourself.

Onthelist,placeastarorsomeothernotationnexttotheitemsforwhich

youhaveacoupon.Nexttothatitem,listthespecificnamebrandand

sizeyouneedtopurchaseinordertoredeemthecoupon.

FindingCoupons

So,wherecanthebestcouponsbefound?Forstarters,trytheSunday

newspaperandlookforinsertsandcirculars.Lookalsointhe

newspaper’sweeklyfoodsection,whichtypicallyappearson

Wednesdays.Youcanalsofindcouponsingeneral-interestmagazines

andinwomen’smagazines.Don’tforgettheInternet.Beforeyoushop,

visitthewebsiteofthesupermarketwhereyoutypicallyshop.Online

coupons(whichyoucanprintoutandredeem)maybeoffered.Ifyoucan

matchastorecouponwithamanufacturer’scoupon,youcansavebig.

Therearealsowebsitesdedicatedspecificallytodistributingcouponsto

consumersonline.Checkoutthefollowing:

www.centsoff.com

www.ecoupons.com

www.refundsweepers.com/foodstores.shtml

www.smartsource.net

Gothroughyourcouponfileonceamonthonornearthefirstofthe

month,andculloutallthecouponsthatexpiredinthelastmonth.

CouponSwap

Manysupermarketsandlibrariesoffercouponswap-boxesfor

consumers.Dropoffyourunusedcouponsandgrabafewyou’llactually

useinordertosavemoney.Manysupermarketsalsohavein-store

displaysthatdispensecouponsthatyoucanuseatcheckout.Youmay

alsobeabletopairupwithsomefriendsandcutcouponsforeachother.

Rebating

Rebatescanbeagreatwaytosavemoneyaswell.Youcanfindthem

inthecouponsectionofthenewspaper,buttheymayalsobefoundin

storeads,attachedtoproductsinthestores,oronmanufacturer

websites.Somestoresofferrebatesthataccumulateinyourstoreonline

accountallmonth,andthentheysendyouacheckforallofthematthe

endofthemonth.

Rebatescanbetrickybecauseifyoudon’tfollowthetermsoftheoffer

exactly,themanufacturerwillsimplyignoretherequest.Youdon’tgeta

chancetocorrecttheproblem.It’simportanttoreadtheoffercarefully,

includingexpirationdateandtheexactrequirements.Willtheyaccepta

copyofyourregisterreceiptortheoriginalonly?Doyouhavetocircle

thepurchaseprice?MustyouincludetheUniversalProductCode(UPC)

orotherpartofthepackaging?

Whenyouhavetherebatereadytogo,makeaphotocopyof

everythingyouaresending.Writethedateonthephotocopysoyou

knowwhenyousentit.Ifyoudonothearfromthecompanyinthetime

indicatedontherebateform,contactthemwithacopyoftheinformation

andaskwhathashappenedtoyourrebate.Followinguplikethiscan

bringinbigbucks,sincemostpeoplejustmailitinandforgetit.

StoreSales

Storesalesshouldbeabigpartofyourplanning.Sitdownandreadthe

flyeroronlinenoticeforthestoresinyourarea.Ifyouhavetime(most

peopledon’t),youmightwanttoplantogotomorethanonestoretoget

allthebargains.Checktheadcarefullyandnoteitemsthatyouusethat

areonsale.Ifyoudon’tneedtheitemrightnow,considerhowgreatthe

priceis.Asavingsoftwentycentsmaynotbeenoughincentiveforyouto

bringhomeanotherboxofdishwashingdetergentandhavetofinda

placetokeepit.

ListIt

Consultyourmealplanfortheweek,couponsyouwanttousethatmay

beexpiring,rebatesyou’dliketosendin,andstoresales.Writeupthe

listofeverythingyouneed.Youmaywanttodividethelistintocategories

tomakeyourshoppingeasier.Ifyouareshoppingonabudget,writethe

numberyoucan’texceedatthetopofthelist.Youcantotalmentallyas

yougo,useacalculatorasyouaddthingstothecart,orwaittillyouget

totheregistertomakesureyou’reunderbudget.

Ifyou’retryingtopreventoverspendingorifyouarestickingtoadiet,

makeitarulethatyouwillnotbuyanythingthatisnotonyourlist.

Downloadyourgrocerystore’sappontoyoursmartphone.Some

storeshaveappsthatallowyoutocreateyourlistonyourphoneand

haveitautomaticallyorganizedbyaisle.Theseappsarealsoa

lifesaverwhenyou’reinthestore,thinkofsomethingyouneed,but

havenoideawhereitis.Checktheappanditwilltellyouright

wheretofindit.Ifyourstoredoesn’thaveone,useanapplike

GroceryiQtomakealistonyourphoneorganizedbyaisle.

CSAFYI

ConsiderjoiningaCSA(communitysupportedagriculture)foryour

produce.YoubuysharesintheCSAfortheentiregrowingseasonand

everyweekyougoandpickupbagsandboxesofwhatthefarmhas

producedthatweek.ManyCSAsofferorganicfood.Somehave

programsinwhichtheywilldropoffthesharesatspecificlocations

aroundthecityforeasypickup.

CSAsrequireyoutothinkdifferentlyabouthowyoucookandshop.

GetyourCSAweeklysharebeforeyougotothegrocerystoreor

farmers’market.Youdon’twanttogobuylettuceonlytofindagianthead

oflettuceinyourCSAbag.Planyourweek’smealsbasedonwhatisin

yourbag.Youmaybeabletofreezesomeofthefood(orifyou’re

adventurous,canit),butitmakesthemostsensetogetyourbaghome

andthenfigureoutwhatyoucanmakewithit.

GoOrganic

Theorganicfoodmarkethasgrownbyleapsandboundsoverthepast

decade.Whereorganicfoodwasoncelimitedtospecialtystoresand

markets,it’snowavailablealmosteverywhere.EvenWal-Martisgetting

inonthetrend,lookingtodoublethenumberoforganicproductsthey

sellinthenearfuture.Organicfoodhasevenbecomeanimportantpart

ofrestaurants,andfoodservicesarebeingrevampedinschoolcafeterias

andcorporatelunchcountersacrossthecountry.

Thedefinitionof“organic”variesdependingonwhoisinvolvedinthe

conversation.Generally,organicreferstothegrowing,raising,or

processingoffoodwithoutdrugs,syntheticchemicals,orhormones,

usingmethodsthatconservenaturalresourcesandlimittheeffectson

theenvironment.

FoodsmeetingtheUSDArequirementsforbeingorganicwillhavea

USDAseal.Toobtaintheseal,foodsmustbe95percentorganic.Foods

usingonlyorganicproductsandmethodsmayalsostate“100%organic”

onthepackaging.Alowerleveloforganiccertificationisavailablefor

foodsthatare70to95percentorganic.Thesefoodscanbelabeledas

“madewithorganicingredients.”

AccordingtotheOrganicTradeAssociation,thesaleoforganicfoods

increased16percentin2005alone,bringingin$13.8millioninsales.

Moreandmorefresh,whole-food,andorganicgrocerystoresare

poppingupacrosstheUnitedStates,andtraditionalgrocersandfood

producersarestartingtotakenotice.

BelieveIt—BrandNameOrganics

Feelingpressurefromgrowingspecialtyorganicstores,more

mainstreamgrocerystoresareincludingavarietyoforganicfoodintheir

inventoriesaswell.BrandssuchasNature’sBestandNewman’sOwn

arecommoninmanyconventionalgrocerystores.Manystoreshave

evenstartedtheirownlinesoforganicfoods.TheKrogerCompany,the

country’slargestsupermarket,startedtheNaturallyPreferredlinein

2002;itnowincludesmorethan275items.Evenlargefoodproducers

aregettinginontheorganicoptions.KraftFoodsnowmakesUSDA-

certifiedorganicmacaroniandcheese,andtheirDIGIORNOspinachand

garlicthin-crustpizzaismadeusingorganicingredients.

ShoppingSavvy

Shoppingisn’tjustaboutmakingalistandcheckingittwice.Besmart

aboutwhereyoubuyfoodandproducts.Shopforyourgroceriesina

storeyouwouldwanttogotoevenifyoudidn’tneedtobuyfood.Ifyou

bringhomefoodsthatyoulovefromastorethatyoulove,youwillbe

morelikelytowanttostayhomeandconsumethem.

Manycitiesandtownshavewonderfulfarmers’marketsthatprovide

local,seasonalfare.Bysupportinglocalfarmers,you’reabletoeatfood

thatyoucantrust.Becausetheproduceissofresh,itoftenlookslike

edibleart,anditlastslongerthanfoodtruckedinlongdistance.Youcan

makethemostofyourfreshitemsfromthefarmers’marketbydisplaying

veggiesinalargebowlonyourtable—thisfunctionalcenterpiececanbe

aslovelyasitisuseful.Andamorningspentatthefarmers’marketisa

funandrelaxingwaytodoyourownshopping.Don’tforgettobringyour

ownbagsorbasketstobringyourfindshome.

ShoppingforOtherProducts

Mostpeoplebuymorethanfoodatthegrocerystore.Over-the-counter

drugs,paperproducts,cleaningproducts,magazines,andhealthand

beautyitemsoftenmaketheirwayintocarts.Thegrocerystoremightnot

bethesmartestplacetobuythese,though.

Ittakessomesleuthingtofindoutwherebesttobuyproducts,butif

youhaveasmartphone,downloadtheappRedLaser,whichallowsyou

toscanabarcodeandthencomparepricesatlocalstores.Youmightbe

amazedatsomeofthepricedifferencesforsomeoftheseitems.

Amazon.com

alsohasanappthatallowsyoutocheckpricesonitssite,

whichcanoftenbeverylow,particularlyifyougetfreeshipping.

Ifyouaren’twiredforapps,visitdiscountstores,dollarstores,

drugstores,andhomestorestocheckforgoodpricesonnonfood

products.Makeanoteofwhereyoufindthebestpricesoyou’ll

rememberwheretogotogetcertainitems.

BulkingUp

BulkshoppingatstoreslikeCostco,Sam’sClub,andotherwarehouse

storescansavelotsofmoney,butitrequiresyoutobuylargequantities

ofitemsandpayayearlymembershipfee.Beforejoining,walkaround

thestoreandnotepricesonitemsyoucommonlyuse.Dothemathtobe

abletocomparetheproducttothesizepackageyounormallybuyatthe

grocerystore.Sometimesthesavingsarehugeandsometimesthey

aren’tthatimpressivewhenyoufactorintheyearlyfee.

Itcanbetemptingtogooverboardatthesekindsofstores,because

everythingseemslikesuchagreatdeal,butrememberyou’venotonly

gottofindaplacetokeeptheitemswhenyougethome,butyou’vegot

tomakesureyouusethefoodbyitsexpirationdates.Youmightthink

yourkidslikechocolatechipgranolabars,buthalfwaythroughaboxof

100,theymaydecidetheyneverwanttoeatanotherone.

Thesestorescanalsoenticeyoutobuysomethingyounormally

wouldn’t,becauseit’saproductyou’veneverseenbefore.Buyinganew

iteminbulkcanbeabigmistakebecauseifyoudon’tcareforit,you’re

stuckwithit.Somepeopleteamupwithafriendorrelativeandshopin

bulktogether,whichallowsyoutogetthediscount,butbringhome

smallerquantities.

StayOrganizedattheStore

Inadditiontoplanningahead,howyoubehaveinthestoreitselfhasa

bigimpactonhowmuchyouspendandwhatyoubringhome.Shopping

withkidsalmostalwaysmeansyouwillbuyadditionalitems,because

theywillaskforthem.Youcanalsobelessorganizedifyou’vegota

screamerinthecartthatdaybecauseyoujustcan’tfocusonwhatyou’re

supposedtobegettingineachaisleandyouendupmakingmultipletrips

aroundthestore,orforgettingthings.Whenyou’vegotanunhappychild

alongyoufeelharriedingeneral,whichmakesyoumoreapttotoss

conveniencefoodsinthecartbecauseyoucannotconceiveoftheideaof

actuallybeingabletocookfromscratch.

Manygrocerystoresofferfreeon-sitedaycarewhileyoushop.Make

surethereisanidentificationsystem(suchasmatchingbracelets)and

analarmontheentrancedoortothechildren’sarea.Scopetheplaceout

todetermineiftherearesickchildrenpresentorifitseemslikethereare

toomanykidsatonce.

Goingtothestorehungryisalsoproblematic.Ifyouknowyou’regoing

tohitthestoreafterworkoratanothertimewhenyou’relikelytobe

hungry,bringahealthysnackalongtoeatinthecarbeforeyougo.You’ll

belesslikelytosplurgeandyou’llbeabletofocusbetteronthetaskat

hand.

Savetimebyweighingyourproduceandbulkitemsyourselfifyour

storehasself-servescales.Rememberthatanythingthathasbeen

chopped,sliced,juiced,peeled,washed,cubed,ormadeintoacomplete

dishisgoingtoendupcostingyoumorethanifyouhandledthewhole

foodyourselfanddidtheworkinyourownkitchen.Expertsrecommend

focusingontheoutsideaislesofthestore,whereyouwillfindfresh

produce,meat,anddairy,asthehealthiestplacestospendmostofyour

storetime.

Ifyou’reshoppinginhotweather,bringaninsulatedcoolerbagalong

totransportyourfrozenitems.

CheckoutTime

Onceyou’veloadedallyouritemsinthecart,yourworkmayseemasifit

wereover,butthereareafewmorethingsyouneedtopayattentionto

beforeyou’reoutofthestore.Watchtheregisteraseachitemis

scanned.Thisisespeciallyimportantwhenproducecodesarebeing

enteredbyyourchecker.

Youknowthatyouboughtsnappeas,notsweetpeas,butheorshe

mightnotknowthedistinction,andtherecanbeabigprice

difference.

Keepyoureyeoutforunintentionaldoublescansofitems.

Makesureeverythingyoubuygetsputinyourbags.Checkersoften

putfragileorlightweightitemsaside,meaningtoputthemontopof

heavyitems,butthensometimesforgetthem.

Askifyourstoreloyaltycardwentthrough.

Makesureallyourcouponsscancorrectly.

Ifyoupaybycreditcard,besureyourcheckerenterstheamountof

yourpurchaseastheamountbeingcharged.

Makesureyougetareceipt!Contrarytopopularbelief,youcan

returnperishableitemstothegrocerystoreifyougetthemhome

anddeterminetheyareoutofdate,rotten,stale,etc.Youcanalso

returnnonperishablesifyoudecideyoujustdon’tneedorwant

them.

14

Ona

PLATE

Mealtimeisarelaxingtimewhenyoucanenjoyeachother’s

company,thebeautifulkitchenyouarein,andthemealthathas

beenprepared.Abigpartofamealishowthefoodlooks.If

somethingtastesamazing,butispresentedinanunattractive

way,peoplearelesslikelytoeatit.Sometimesyouworkso

hardtopullamealtogetherthatpresentationisthelastthingon

yourmind.Withafewsimpletricks,youcanmakeanymeal

looklovely.

Tabled

Makeyourmealslookattractivebysettingaprettytableforeachmeal.

Whenyourfamilycomestositdownatatablethatisorderlyand

pleasingtotheeye,theywillbemoreinclinedtostay.

First,completelyclearoffthetable.Takeawayeverythingthatisnot

relatedtothemeal.Setaplateinfrontofeachchairthatwillbeused.

Don’tuseplatesthatarecrackedorchipped.Feelfreetomixandmatch

dinnerware,aslongasyoumakeitlookintentional.Usetwotypesof

platesandsetthemeveryotherone,orusealldifferentplateswhich

coordinate.Placetheforkontheleftandtheknifeandspoonontheright

(knifeclosesttotheplate).Foldorrollthenapkinandplaceiteitheron

theplateornexttothefork.Setthedrinkingglassabovetheknife.

Whendininginthekitchen,trytostraightenupthecookingarea

beforeyousitdown.Evenifyoustackpotsinthesinkorhidethem

intheoven,itwillmaketheroomfeellessclutteredandneater.

Alwayshavesomethinginthecenterofyourtable,evenifitisa

houseplantorprettybowl.Setoutthesaltandpepperonthetable.Ifyou

willbeplacingahotdishonthetable,useatrivet.

Ifyourfamilyneedscondimentsforthemeal,consideringplacingthem

insmallservingdisheswithspoons.Itlookssomuchprettierthan

ploppingbottlesofketchupandmustardonthetable.

ServeItUp

Therearetwowaystoservemeals—family-styleandindividualplates.If

therearejusttwoofyoufordinner,individualplatingisanicewaytogo.

Itreducesthenumberofdishesandmakesthetablefeelcozier,like

you’reatarestaurant.

Whenyouservefamily-style,placeyourfoodinattractiveserving

bowlsandplatters.Theyneedn’tmatchyourdinnerware.Buyfunpieces

atyardsales,thriftshops,anddiscountstores.Useabasketwitha

kitchentowelornapkininitforbreadorrolls.Useaservingutensilin

eachdish.It’sokayiftheyaren’tthesamepatternasyourflatware.Mix

andmatchthose.

GetGarnished

Garnishingistheeasiestwaytomakeyourbowlsandplatesoffoodlook

goodenoughtoeat.Whenyoutaketwosecondstodecoratethefood,it

transformsitfromfoodintoameal.Youdon’tneedtobearestaurant

cheftodecorateyourplates.

Startbyseeingwhatyouhaveinyourfridge.Anythingleafyandgreen

worksasagarnish—parsley,spinach,lettuce,evencarrottops.Anyfresh

herblooksterrific.Tuckthegreeneryaroundtheedgeoftheplateand

youhaveinstantpanache.Cherrytomatoes,radishes,olives,lemon

slices,andlimeslicesalsoaddtotheattractivenessofaplate.Justbe

sureyouputgarnishesonthatsomehowworkwiththefood.Lemon

sliceswouldn’tworkwithabowlofcoleslawandlettucewouldn’tgowith

abowlofchili.

Thinkaboutplatingthingstogether.Steaksaloneonaplatterlook

prettyboring,butifyouputyourasparagusnexttoit,youhave

somethinginteresting.Ifyou’reservingcornandpeas,putthemnextto

eachotherinonebigbowl.

Useherbsandspicestodressupyourdishes.Sprinklepaprikaontop

ofpotatosalad,cinnamononricepudding,orchoppedcilantroona

chickenbreast.Ifyouareservingmeatwithasauce,placethesauceon

theplatterorplatefirst;thentopwiththemeat.Addingheighttoanydish

youservewillmakeitappealing.Dothisbylayingtheedgeofonepork

chopovertheedgeofanother,takingsomefreshchivesorothersprigs

ofherbs,andleaningthemagainstthefood,orcrisscrossingyour

asparagus.Arrangethefoodineye-catchingways.Forexample,if

you’vemadesomehomemadesweetpotatowedges,linethemuponthe

plateuniformlyinsteadofpilingtheminabowl.

EasyEntertaining

Evenifyou’renotMarthaStewart,youcanenjoyhostingpeopleinyour

kitchen,andyoucanputyourguestsateasewiththerelaxed,hospitable

atmosphereyouprovide.Whentheideaofentertainingfillsyouwith

dread,it’stimetoloweryourexpectationsforyourself.Yourownattitude

towardtheeventwillpermeatetheatmosphere,soyouwanttobeas

relaxedaspossible.Sometimestheonlywaytobecalmbeforecompany

arrivesistocutbackonceremonyandacceptyourownlimitations.You

might,forexample,serveafork-onlybuffet.Ifguestscanonlyuseone

typeofsilverware,youarelesslikelytospendhourscookinganduse

multipledishes.Yourkitchencounteristheperfectplacetosetupa

buffet.Ifyou’reshortonspace,putsomebutcherblocksoveryour

stovetop(aslongasit’scool)andsink.Thiswillgiveyoumorespaceto

placefood.

HaveaPlan

Developoneortwomealsthatareeasyforyoutomakeandwhichyou

enjoyservingtoguests.Keepthethingsyouneedonhandsoyoucan

pullthesequickmealstogetherwhenyouhaveunexpectedguests.You

mightevenconsiderfreezingsomedishesyoucanjustpulloutand

defrostandservetoguests.Casserolesaregreatforservingguests

becauseyoucanservealotofpeoplefromonebigdish.Thesealsodo

doubledutyasdishesyoucankeepinyourfreezertobringtopeoplein

need—thosewhoareill,haveexperiencedadeathinthefamily,orhave

justmovedintoanewhome.

TakeoutTips

Firstofall,thereisnolawagainstorderingtakeoutforguests—justuse

yourownplatestomakethemealfeelhomier.Todaymostgrocerystores

sellhome-stylemealsthatlookjustlikeadelicioushome-cookedmeal.

Noonewilleverknowyoudidn’tmakeit.Youcanalsobringsomefresh

flowersinfromthegardenanduseanicetableclothorplacemats

(perhapswithcandles?)tomakeyourhomefeelmorewelcoming.

GoPotluck

Ifyoufeeloverwhelmedbytheideaofhostingacrowdandfeeding

themafullmeal,byallmeans,takepeopleupontheirofferstocontribute

foodtothegathering—orevenletthemknowupfrontwhatyou’dlike

themtobring.Someguestsmightevenwanttojoinyouinthekitchento

preparetheirdishes.Cookingwithotherscantransformataskthatfeels

likeachoreintoajoy.Potlucksareabitofanadventure,becauseyou

neverknowexactlywhatyourguestswillcomeupwith—thiscanbepart

ofthefun,too.Justasallofyourguestswillbringtheirownpresenceinto

yourhomeforthecelebration,sotoo,they’llhaveachancetoplanand

preparetheirownpieceofthefeast.Keepinmindthatpotluckscan

simplifyyourlifeinanotherway—theguestsgohomewiththeirown

largeservingbowlstoclean.

TheGoodStuff

Onspecialoccasionsyoumaypulloutyourgoodchina.Mostpeopleonly

getitoutafewtimesayear.Sincemostfinechinacangointhe

dishwasher,whynotuseitalittlemoreoften?Setafancytablefor

Sundaydinnersonceamonth.Doingsowillmakeeveryonefeelspecial.

You’llwanttotakegoodcareoffinechina,though.

Protectyourfine,hard-to-replacechinafromchipsandscratches.Buy

somefeltpadsandnestletheminbetweenplatesandbowlstoactas

cushionswhenyou’restacking.Oldclothnapkinsandeveninexpensive

coffeefilterswilldothejob,too.Andnevercleandelicatechinawith

harshabrasivesorsteel-woolpads.Theharmyoudomaybeirreparable.

Perhapsyourkitchendiningareahasbuilt-instorageorastand-alone

storagepiece.Thisstoragecanbeusefulifyouareintentionalabout

itemsyouplacethere.Notonlycanyoukeepfinechinaseparatefrom

youreverydaydishes,butyoucanalsokeeppartofthisstorageempty

sothatyouhaveaplacetostowpapersandotheritemswhencompany

iscoming.

Ifyourcabinethasglassdoors,yourchinawillbeprettywellprotected

asyoushowoffthebeautyofyourpieces.Ifyourfinechinawillbestored

indrawersorclosedcabinets,however,you’llwanttotakestepsto

protecttheseexpensiveandfragileitems.Usingquilted-vinylcasesfor

china,forexample,willhelpkeepdustaway,andatthesametimewill

helppreventchippingandscratching.Topreventchipsandscratches

whilestoringchinainthesepadded-vinylcases,aseparatesoft-foam

protectorisplacedinbetweeneachitem.Thesecasescanthenbesafely

storedinadrawerorcabinet.

Ifapieceofyourfinechina,crystal,orformalflatwarehappensto

break,chip,orgetbadlyscratched,andyourpatternordesignhasbeen

discontinued,youcanfindcompaniesthatbuyandselldiscontinued

chinapatternsandotherformaldinnerware.

GoodSilver

Whilesterlingsilverisbeautiful,ittarnishesovertime.Therearemany

differentmetalpolishesonthemarket.Somepolishescanbecorrosive,

sotakecaretofollowthemanufacturer’sinstructions.

Keepingyourflatwareshiningisoneaspectofthe“glorywork”involved

inmakingyourdiningspacework.Whileitcanbeaheadache,itcanalso

besatisfyingbecausetheresultsarealmostimmediate—polishingyour

flatwarecanfeellikegettingawholenewsetforjustthecostofthe

polish.

Whenwashingyourfineflatware,useonlywarm,sudsywater.

Carefullyrinseawaytracesoffoodfromtheflatware.Avoidusingharsh

dishwashingdetergentsthatcontainchlorides.Also,avoidlemon-scented

detergents,whichcontainacidsthatmayharmthemetal.It’salso

importanttohanddrysilver,especiallyknifeblades,toavoidspottingand

pitting.

KitchenLinens

You’llwanttohaveaplanforthetimesyouuseyourlinens.Theycan

addalovelytouchtothetable,butstoringthemcanbealittletricky.Here

aresometipsformakingyourlinensworkforyou.

Beforeyoupurchasetablelinen,besuretoknowtheexact

measurementsofyourtable.Payattentiontotheshapeofthetableon

thepackage—itcanbeeasytofindtheperfecttablelinenthatwon’t

actuallyfitwhenyougethome.Aformaltableclothshouldhangdown

fromtheedgeofthetabletopapproximatelyeighteeninches.

Refrainfromstoringfinetablelinenintheoriginalplasticpackaging.A

plasticcontainerorbagwilltrapmoistureandbacteria,whichcould

eventuallycausediscoloration.Also,don’tstoreyourtablelinensso

tightlyfoldedthattheycrease.Keepingatightlyfoldedtableclothinan

overcrowdeddrawer,forexample,willdamagethefabricovertime.

Ifyou’reabouttoinvestinanexpensivetablecloth,beginyourtable-

linencollectionbychoosingaclassicwhitelinenorclassicdamask

tablecloth,alongwithamatchingsetofnapkins.Youcanlaterexpand

thiscollectionwithasolid-colorcloththatmatchesanaccentcolorinyour

dinnerwarepattern,forexample.Anotheroptionistobuyonegoodlace

tablecloth,thengotothefabricstoreandbuyaninexpensivelengthof

coloredfabrictoplaceunderneathitandpeekthroughthelace.Think

outsidetheboxfortablecloths.AlargeU.S.orworldmapwillcoveryour

kitchentableandcreateacolorfulbackdroptoyourmeal.Acollectionof

Sundaycomicscanalsocoveryourtableinafunway.Afunkytwin

bedspreadcandodoubledutytosetyourtable.

Linensalonewillnotprotectyourtable.Purchasetablepadstogo

beneathatablecloth.Thesepadswillgreatlyextendthelifeofyourtable

anddecreaseyourownpanicwhenahotitemissetdownonthetableor

aglassofwinespills.

Don’tbeafraidtowashgenuinelinentableclothsandnapkinsinyour

washingmachine.Justsetthewashertodelicateandusecoolwater.

Finelinenimprovesinappearanceandfeelwitheverywash.Justasyou

wouldwithexpensivebedlinen,ironyourtablelinenwhileit’sstilldamp,

onthebackside.Thiswillhelppreventanyshinypatchesfromforming.

Makesuretheironisn’ttoohot.Whenstoringfinetablelinens,always

launderandiron(orprofessionallyclean)themproperlybeforeputting

themintostorage.

Placemats

Placematsareanexcellenttabletopsolutionandusuallydon’trequire

anyironing!Checkthecarelabelsonyourplacemats.Mostfabric

placematsaremachinewashable.Thosethatarenotfabriccanusually

bewipedcleanwithadampcloth.Getcreativewithplacemats.A

bandanacanworkasacolorfulplacemat,ascanlargepiecesofpaper

coloredbyyourchildrenorwrappingpapercutoutwithazigzagscissors.

Don’tforgetaboutusingarunnerinplaceofatableclothorplacemats.

It’slesslikelytogetdirtyandprovidesabrightswathofcolordownthe

centerofthetable.

Foraspecialoccasion,leavealittlefavorateachplacesetting,likea

smallpieceofcandy,alittleflowerinavase,orevenascratch-offlottery

ticket.

NapkinsandRings

Aswithothertablelinens,thereareseveralaffordableandfunwaysto

createnapkinsandnapkinrings.Men’sshirtscanbecutdowninto

napkinsusingzigzagscissors,ascanjustaboutanyfabricyoufindatthe

fabricstore.Colorfulpapernapkinsarejustasprettyasclothandrequire

nolaundry.

Therearesomanywaystocreateyourownnapkinrings:ribbons,old

bentspoons,bangles,Christmastreeornaments,etc.Youcanalsotake

anyribbonandtie,glue,ortucksomethingseasonalorfunontoitorinto

it(likechestnuts:useadrilltomakeaholeinthemfortheribbontogo

through),sticksomewildflowersorafallleafinit,ortuckacandybarinit

forValentine’sDay,orafeather.

Centerpieces

Alleyesaredrawntothecenterofyourtable,sousethisasanareato

dressupthemeal.Centerpiecesdonothavetobeexpensiveflower

arrangements;theycanbeanythingpretty,fun,seasonal,orinteresting

thataddsinteresttothetable.Avaseofwildflowersisaneasysolution,

buttherearesomanyotherinexpensivewaystodecorate.

Scatterseashells,confetti,streamers,leaves,votivecandles,bows,

rhinestones,orlittleshapescutoutofpaperacrossthecenterofthe

table.Placeabowl/basket/vase/plateofrocks,shells,candles,sand,

driftwood,Christmasornaments,bark,fakesnow,candyhearts,Easter

eggs,oranges—almostanythingyoucanthinkof—onthetable.Tryto

comeupwithonethingyoucanjustleaveonthetableforatleasta

monthandnothavetothinkaboutit.

AppendixA

WebResources

Nowthatyou’vedevelopedaplanfororganizingyourhome,you’llwant

tohomeinontheservicesthatwillhelpyoutoachieveyourgoals.The

followingwebresourcesofferinformationaboutspecificstoragesolutions

andcharitableorganizations,aswellascontactinformationfor

professionalorganizers.

OrganizationalConsultants

CaliforniaClosets

www.calclosets.com

ClosetFactory

www.closetfactory.com

TheNationalAssociationofProfessionalOrganizers

www.napo.net

OrganizationbyDesign,Inc.

www.dressingwell.com

StoragebyDesign

www.storagebydesign.com

CompaniesThatCarryOrganizationalProducts

TheContainerStore

www.containerstore.com

ContainerWorld

www.storagesources.com

Frontgate

www.frontgate.com

Ikea

www.ikea-usa.com

LillianVernon

www.lillianvernon.com

LockandLock

www.LockandLock.com

Organize.com

www.organize.com

TheSharperImage

www.sharperimage.com

StacksandStacks

www.stacksandstacks.com

UniqueOrganizationalProducts

Brookstone

www.brookstone.com

RestorationHardware

www.restorationhardware.com

Rubbermaid

www.rubbermaid.com

ShelvingDirect

www.shelving-direct.com

Solutions

www.solutionscatalog.com

Kitchen/DiningProducts,Services,andInformation

Kitchens.com

www.kitchens.com

KitchenSource

www.kitchensource.com

Kitchenweb

www.kitchenweb.com

SetYourTable:DiscontinuedTablewareDealersDirectory

www.setyourtable.com

Williams-Sonoma

www.williams-sonoma.com

SafetyProductsandInformation

FightBac!

www.fightbac.org

Safety1stChildcareProducts

www.safety1st.com

UnitedStatesConsumerProductSafetyCommission

www.cpsc.gov

CleaningSuppliesandCleaningInformation

CleanReport

www.cleanreport.com

SeventhGeneration

www.seventhgeneration.com

HouseCleaningTips

www.housecleaning-tips.com/cleaning-a-kitchen.html

RefrigerationandFoodSafety

USDARefrigerationGuide

www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/refrigeration_&_food_safety/index.asp

USDAFreezingGuide

www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/focus_on_freezing/index.asp

AppendixB

HelpfulBooks

Theauthorwishesgratefullytoacknowledgetheworkofthefollowing

authors.Thesebooksprovidedinspirationduringtheprocessofwriting

andresearchingthisbook.Shouldyouwishtofurtherexploreanyofthe

ideasyou’vereadaboutinthesepages,theseresourcesareagreat

placetostart.Theyexploreavarietyofaspectsrelatedtohomemaking,

suchasaesthetics,organization,cleaning,andproductivityissues.

Anderson,Candace,withNicoleCormier.TheEverything

®

FreezerMeals

Cookbook(Avon,MA:F+WMedia,Inc.,2010).Thisbookispacked

withrecipesyoucanmakeandfreeze.

Cilley,Marla.SinkReflections(NewYork:BantamDell,2002).This

extremelydown-to-earthandpracticalbookiswrittenbytheFlyLady

inanaccessiblestyleandoffersmanyhelpfulhintsforgettingyour

home(andlife)inorder.

Hollender,Jeffrey,GeoffDavis,andMeikaHollender.NaturallyClean:

TheSeventhGenerationGuidetoSafe&Healthy,Non-Toxic

Cleaning(BritishColumbia:NewSocietyPublishers,2006).This

bookoffersanin-depthlookatthehazardsassociatedwith

householdcleanersandindoorairpollution.

Lawrence,RobynGriggs.TheWabi-SabiHouse:TheJapaneseArtof

ImperfectBeauty(NewYork:ClarksonPotter,2004).Thisbook

offersaninsightfulintroductiontotheconceptofwabi-sabi.Itisa

pleasuretoreadandisillustratedwithbeautifulphotographs.

Moran,Victoria.ShelterfortheSpirit:CreateYourOwnHaveninaHectic

World(NewYork:HarperCollins,1998).Thisbookisapersonal,

reflectiveguidetocreatingahomethatisbothaestheticallypleasing

andcomfortingtoyoursoul.

Morgenstern,Julie.OrganizingfromtheInsideOut:TheFoolproof

SystemforOrganizingYourHome,YourOfficeandYourLife,2nd

ed.(NewYork:HenryHolt&Co.,2004).JulieMorgensterndraws

fromyearsofexperienceasaprofessionalorganizer,distillingher

wisdomintothispractical,easy-to-readguidetogettingyourhomein

order.

St.James,Elaine.SimplifyYourLife:100WaystoSlowDownandEnjoy

theThingsThatReallyMatter(NewYork:Hyperion,1994).This

quickreadoffersusefultipsforstreamliningyourhomeandlife,

improvingyourhealth,andlearningtoenjoylife’ssimplestjoys.

AbouttheAuthor

BretteSemberistheauthorofTheParchmentPaperCookbook(F+W

Media,Inc.,2011)andTheMuffinTinCookbook(F+WMedia,Inc.,

2012).Sheistheowneroftheblog

www.MarthaAndMe.net

,whereshe

informallyapprenticedherselftoMarthaStewartforayearand

reorganizedherentirekitchenandotherareasofherhome,basedon

Martha’sadvice.Semberalsoblogsaboutcookingat

www.NoPotCooking.com

.

Shehaswrittenforover200magazinesaboutfood,family,and

organizing,aswellasoverthirtybooksaboutmanyothertopics.Sheisa

memberoftheInternationalAssociationofCulinaryProfessionals,the

AmericanSocietyofJournalistsandAuthors,istherecipientofaMothers

atHomeMediaAwardandwasaBenFranklinAwardfinalist.Her

websiteis

www.brettesember.com

.

Copyright©2012byF+WMedia,Inc.

Allrightsreserved.

Thisbook,orpartsthereof,maynotbereproducedinanyformwithoutpermission

fromthepublisher;exceptionsaremadeforbriefexcerptsusedinpublishedreviews.

Publishedby

AdamsMedia,adivisionofF+WMedia,Inc.

57LittlefieldStreet,Avon,MA02322.U.S.A.

www.adamsmedia.com

ISBN10:1-4405-3056-4

ISBN13:978-1-4405-3056-2

eISBN10:1-4405-3262-1

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Containsmaterialadaptedandabridgedfrom365WaystoLiveGreenbyDianeGowMcDilda,

copyright©2008byF+WMediaInc.,ISBN10:1-5986-9808-7,ISBN13:978-1-5986-9808-4;The

Everything®ClassicRecipesCookbookbyLynetteRohrerShirk,copyright©2008byF+WMedia

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byDianeGowMcDilda,copyright©2007byF+WMediaInc.,ISBN10:1-5986-9425-1,ISBN13:

978-1-5986-9425-3;TheEverything®HomeStorageSolutionsBookbyIynaBortCaruso,

copyright©2006byF+WMedia,Inc.,ISBN10:1-5933-7662-6,ISBN13:978-1-5933-7662-8;

TheEverything®MealsforaMonthCookbookbyLindaLarsencopyright©2005byF+WMedia

Inc.,ISBN10:1-5933-7323-6,ISBN-13:978-1-5933-7323-8;TheEverything®OrganizeYour

HomeBookbyJasonR.Rich,copyright©2002byF+WMediaInc.,ISBN10:1-5806-2617-3

ISBN13:978-1-5806-2617-0,TheEverything®FreezerMealsCookbookbyCandaceAnderson,

copyright©2010F+WMedia,Inc.,ISBN10:1-4405-0612-4,ISBN13:978-1-4405-0612-3.

Thise-bookedition:April2012(v.ep.1.1)

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