Marie Kondo Your Fridge

By now every one has heard of Marie Kondo, the cute perky queen of organizing. Due to her Netflix show, hundreds of Americans are reorganizing their closets and thanking the items of apparel for sparking joy. Any home chef can do this with their fridge as well. This one did.
.
To be honest nothing I threw out sparked joy, especially the ones with thick layers of mold. (I know,  I know) I had more science experiments in my refrigerator than a biology lab and enough penicillin to cure half the East Coast. Not good. As anyone will know , it's so easy to buy stuff and then forget about it , thanks to the busy lives we all lead. To prevent this buy small. If you need sour cream for a recipe and you don't normally eat it, buy the smallest cup. All of it will usually get eaten. Even a medium sized tub can wind up be forgotten.You can buy bigger sizes of ketchup and mustard. One, these are used , and two an opened bottle of ketchup can last up to two years while an opened jar of  mustard can still be eaten after two to three years. Honey is another foodstuff that tends to get put at the back of the shelf. It can last six to eight months after its' jar is opened. Remember that it's not just for sweetening drinks, but can also be used to neutralize the acidity in tomato sauce and chili.

Another part of fridge clutter is leftover something. Too many times, we're guilty of even putting a mouthful of soup in the fridge, not wanting to waste a drop. Yet days pass, there are better leftovers to eat, that container gets forgotten. Next thing you know it's a month later and there's a layer of green gook on top of it. If you know you're not going to eat it after two or three days, then toss. Certain leftovers can be repurposed. Leftover chili can be slathered on hot dogs and burgers. Leftover rice can be refried with veggies for a main or side dish. If you've made egg noodles or spaetzle, then have what's left with just butter the next day. It makes for a filling  yet light lunch or dinner. The remainder of that Sunday roast can easily be refigured into not just sandwiches but also salads.Nothing beats a tomato and roast beef salad or a roast chicken laced Caesar one.Leftover ham and its' bones can be easily added to homemade pea soup.Any uneaten mashed potatoes lying around? If there's enough , then dip in beaten egg, dredge in breadcrumbs and fry for a tasty snack or meal.Just keep reminding yourself that leftovers need to be thrown out after a few days. Don't leave a bowl of something in the fridge for weeks. You'll never  eat it.

Konmari your fridge. Getting rid of all those uneaten or never eaten foods will make you feel better. They may not spark joy, but dumping them will give you some satisfaction.

Eating Up Summer TV

Summer isn't normally the time to stay in and watch television - unless you're a foodie or a home chef. There''s a tasty array of great shows to whet the palate.Crank up the AC, make yourself a snack and watch some serious food shows.

One of the most popular and most beloved is The Great British Baking Show. PBS is airing this previously unseen season on Friday nights between 9 and 11 PM (another season which feature's that season's winner Nadiya Hussein). Enjoy this first season, first televised in 2012. It has all the key components, Paul Hollywood to offer criticism and charm,Mary Berry for motherly comfort and advice and the comedic stylings of Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins who also help out contestants. It's a great show to watch for those who love to bake and want to experiment with different types of baked goods. Relish these because The Great British Baking Show as we know it is no more. It moved from the BBC to Channel Four. Mel and Sue walked as did Mary Berry. The show is still around with Paul Hollywood guiding it with Prue Leith, a chef and cookbook writer along with two new comedians, Noel Fielding and Sandi Tokswig. PBS has no interesting in picking up this latest creation so enjoy these earlier episodes.

Not so great bakers will be featured on Netflix 's(?!). new show, Nailed It! This is  a torturous  competition for amateur bakers with out the gentle kindness of The Great British Baking Show. Home bakers go through three bakes, similar to the The Great British Baking Show but that's where the similarities end. There is wackiness in the second bake thanks to a panic button. Contestants press it to get three minutes of valuable help from the celebrity judges, such as master chocolatier, Jacques Torres. He also is involved in one delay where he only speaks French to the contestant. Another distraction is where host, comedienne Nicole Byer nags them for a few minutes. A less crazier but just as fun food show is Wedding Cake Championship with Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir hosting and judging this ultimate baking contest. Six teams have to vie with each other to make a cake for Tara's upcoming anniversary. Their witty and sometimes catty banter is the icing on this TV gateau. Of course there the regular cooking shows celebrating another season. Grill masters have to check out Roger Mooking's (who has been interviewed by this blog) Man ,Fire, Food while those who love sand and snacks set aside time for Katie Lee's Beach Bites. with Katie Lee. Hot dog lovers will go wild for the televised , annual Fourth of July hot dog eating contest held at Coney Island's Nathan

Summer TV is going to be a delicious treat, There is such a wide variety of shows to sample. Sit back with your favorite iced drink and enjoy this buffet..