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Kitchen

This Week’s Garden Overflow: Fresh Sage

by thisjess.cooks July 26, 2021

I’d love to make this a weekly series on “what’s in the garden,” but let’s call it an occasional series for now (wink). Today we’re talking about the overflowing fresh sage from the garden.

I often choose what I’m cooking based on what is overflowing in my garden or in the grocery store. To be clear, my garden is a series of planter boxes on the porch of our Chicago condo. You gotta work with what you have, right?! I try to put everything to use rather than letting it go to waste, but sometimes I’m more successful than others (looking at you, dill!).

Now that we’re in the height of summer, I’m keeping an eye on what is overflowing in the garden and needs to be used. This week, it’s the sage.

Recipes Featuring Fresh Sage

If your garden looks anything like mine and you have an abundance of fresh sage, here are a few ideas to put it to good use.

Pan Seared Gnocchi with Brown Butter & Sage from Fine Dining: This could easily be made with pasta or ravioli, and would be great to throw in some italian sausage, grilled corn…. We’re on to something here!
Focaccia: I love, love, love a good focaccia bread, and you can top them with anything. This recipe from Gimme Some Oven is the one I use most frequently. Top it with an apple and sage combination, or a garlic, sage and onion combination. It’ll be delicious!
Sous vide pork chops: I don’t have a recipe for this (might have to put one together!) but I love sous vide pork chops with fresh sage, apples, garlic, onions — it’s such a powerful flavor combination. If you need a good guide on temperatures for sous vide pork, I use this one from Serious Eats.
And if you’re looking for an option that you can store, make compound butter! For me, this is a better way to preserve the flavor than drying the herb — it’ll be more useful and it’s insanely delicious. Plus, you can keep it in the freezer and use it all year round!

Is it worth drying fresh sage?

Last year I dried sage from the garden and kept it in the pantry. And one year later, I’ve hardly used it. Dried herbs just aren’t the same as fresh, and I find myself buying fresh herbs if I don’t have them growing. Drying is certainly an option, but for me, it ends up being something that just sits in the pantry.

Happy cooking! How are you using up or storing your fresh sage this year?

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Chocolate chips and nuts in organized bins for spring cleaning your pantry

Kitchen

Kitchen Spring Cleaning Guide: The Pantry

by thisjess.cooks April 14, 2021

Welcome to episode 3! (Just kidding, but not). This is the third part of our kitchen spring cleaning guide and today we’re tackling everyone’s favorite: spring cleaning your pantry.

If you missed the previous posts, be sure to check out our guide to spring cleaning your fridge and your freezer. At a very minimum, take a deep clean of these three areas once per year to make sure you’re getting rid of items you no longer need, but also taking stock and reminding yourself of what you do have. Let’s dig in!

Let’s get to spring cleaning your pantry

This one is tough. For one, pantries can be so different — is yours one or two cabinets above your fridge? Or an entire walk-in closet that somehow is also the entry to your attic and stores your grandmother’s china? There is a lot of ground to cover here. You can do this! Let’s get to spring cleaning your pantry!

1. It’s cleaning time

Things are about to get weird. Take everything — and I mean everything — out of your pantry. This is the time to clean all surfaces — shelves, walls (yes, walls), floor, any storage bins that you may be using. If you think about it, these are some of the most highly touched areas in your home, with a ton of ingredients constantly moving in and out, yet it’s an area that we very rarely clean (unless something spills).

A clean pantry shelf while spring cleaning your pantry!

2. Take stock and cull your pantry items

This might be tough, but think about this in a few ways:

Is there anything here that has expired / gone bad? Throw them away! (And please, remember what we said about recycling, composting when possible, right? We’re all adults here!)
Are any of these items duplicates that could be combined? This one happens a lot for me — check for spices that you might have multiples of, or containers that are actually both storing flour or some other ingredient. Combine anything you can!
- If you have many multiples of things (for example, if you have 5 bottles of cream of tartar that you know you couldn’t possibly use up in the next year), consider donating them to a food pantry if they’re unopened.
Are any of these items you’re never going to use? Maybe you bought something for a specific recipe but then didn’t like it, or you have something lingering that you bought for a house guest that one time. Whatever the reason, if you’re not going to use it, either give it to someone that will (a friend, family member, neighbor, etc.) or throw it away.
- Another way to think about this: have you used this item in the past year? If the answer is no, then you’re likely not going to and it should be thrown out or given away.
I don’t mean this as a joke, but literally ask yourself: do you know what this is? Is there anything in your pantry that you really don’t know what it is anymore? Perhaps it was repackaged from its original wrapping and now you’re not sure what’s in that bag / box / container. It’s time for that one to go. Do not let this back into your pantry.

Organized pantry items in bins while spring cleaning your pantry

3. Think about organization

Again: a mighty task. But you’ve already tackled spring cleaning your fridge and freezer, and you can absolutely do this too! The pantry organization is critical. If it’s chaos in there, you can pretty much guarantee that you won’t be able to keep track of what you have, let alone make sure you’re using things up before they expire.

Do you need more storage supplies?

A few questions to ask yourself about your storage supplies:

Do you have enough shelving? You may be restricted by space, but with the space you have, are you maximizing it? This could be something as simple as buying a metal shelving unit from Amazon or a home improvement store.
- We also use this door-mount spice rack, which opens up a ton of shelving space.
Do you have enough storage bins? These are some of my favorites:
- These iDesign storage bins (available on Amazon, but you can also buy at Target, The Container Store, and I even saw some the other day at Lowe’s!) come in a wide range of sizes. The clear plastic lets me see what’s inside while also being easy to clean (which is why I’m not a fan of wicker or other baskets that aren’t as easy). You can also stack them.
- This iDesign Turntable organizer is GREAT for bottles or small items. I use one for bottles of vinegar, oils, etc. and then a second turntable for my baking essentials (salt, baking powder, baking soda, etc.) so they’re all together. It’s shocking how life-changing a turntable in your pantry can be!
- We also use these Rubbermaid Food Storage Bins — they come in a wide range of sizes are great for providing a tight seal, sleek design, and easy to see the contents inside.

Chocolate chips and nuts in organized bins

Do you need to rethink your storage layout?

At least at our house, the pantry is an area where I could throw an UNLIMITED number of storage bins at it, and they will always get sucked up with something. I swear the term “enough storage” doesn’t actually exist! So know that this can always be a project that you slowly work on. Storage bins are not always cheap, and if you suddenly want to buy 50 of them, that could be pretty hefty. Work up to it. Start with the most essential, and then next time (whether that’s in a few months, or next year), branch out to a few more items. This way your pantry can always grow with you.

When you’re thinking about your pantry layout, a few questions to ask yourself about the storage layout specifically:

Can you easily access things you use often? For your essential items, are they within easy reach? Are they in bins that are easy to pull out? If they’re things you’re using all the time, make sure you’re not putting them all the way on the top shelf where you need to get a step stool to reach.
Can you easily see everything? If not, consider using clear plastic bins rather than transparent bins that don’t let you see through.
If you’re storing things in clear bins (or other bins), can you easily identify what is inside? Meaning, can you easily see it, and can you easily recognize what it is? If not, consider labeling the contents so you don’t forget!
Are you storing things on the floor? Do they need to be there? If no, try to move them elsewhere to keep the floor clear and clean. If they do need to be there, are they in a good container, or do they need one?
Are you storing things in your pantry that don’t need to be there? Has your pantry become a kind of catch-all closet? If it’s not related to the kitchen / dining, try to move it out of the pantry.
Are you keeping “like” things together? For example, keep all of your oils together, all of your pastas together, all of your water bottles together. You shouldn’t have an area for oils over here, but then a different area for oils over there — keep “like” things together!

You did it!

There is no better feeling than a clean and well-organized pantry (plus at this point, you’ve done the fridge and freezer too, right??). You did it! Hopefully after spring cleaning your pantry, you’ll be enjoying a nice spritzer on the patio and dreaming of all the wonderful things you’re going to cook 🙂

What other pantry hacks do you use for storage and organization? I’d love to hear!

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Hands washing ice cube molds in the sink

Kitchen

Kitchen Spring Cleaning Guide: The Freezer

by thisjess.cooks April 14, 2021

We’re continuing our kitchen spring cleaning guide and spring cleaning your freezer today! If you missed it, our first post covered what you should consider when spring cleaning your fridge, and we’ll be doing the pantry next.

Since it’s now fully spring, we have all of this “spring cleaning” energy, right?? One great place to put that energy is into a serious kitchen deep clean. Appliances, drawers, etc. are great, but the main areas that really take a beating during the year: the fridge, the freezer, and the pantry.

Let’s dig into spring cleaning your freezer

For me, the freezer is a tough one. Nature of the beast: you put things in the freezer that you know you’re not going to use right away, right? So of course some of that stuff has been in there a while! But….. how long has it really been in there? Be honest!

Freezer items on the countertop while spring cleaning your freezer

At a minimum (and hear me out, this is truly a minimum), you should do a full turnover of your freezer once per year. Ideally, nothing hits that one year mark. So if you’re freezing berries (I do!), you should use up all of those frozen berries before you get to the next summer where there are fresh berries again.

1. It’s spring cleaning time

This one may not be that easy, because if items have been in the freezer for a long time, they can become ice blocks. But for that very reason, it’s important to do. Take everything out of the freezer. Remove any dividers you have and clean all surfaces. Since the surfaces are frozen, it might be easier to wash whatever you can in the sink (shelves, dividers), but the walls you’ll need to wipe down. And if there are any really stuck-on pieces (melted ice cream, anyone?), now is the time to really dig into those and get them out!

One area that gets overlooked: the ice maker (or any ice you have in ice molds). Dump them out and refill with water / reset. It’s good for your freezer to start with new (sometimes the old ice turns to a big block rather than individual chunks), and if there is anything in there that needs a spring cleaning, this is a good time.

2. Take stock and cull your items

There will likely be less culling than you had with spring cleaning your fridge because these items are frozen and don’t have as hard of an expiration date. Regardless, you should ask yourself:

How long has this been in there? Are you approaching the one year mark? If yes, make a plan to use it up. Do you have a bunch of frozen berries from last year? Plan on making some muffins, smoothies, an olive oil cake with berries — anything to really start moving through those before you’re snapping up those fresh summer berries at the market.
Does any of this look “off”? Has it changed color, or does it look overly frozen (freezer burn)? If yes, it’s time to get rid of it. Think about it this way: do you want to eat it? If not, then don’t put it back. If you don’t want to eat it now, you’re not going to want to eat it later.
In the ice drawer, have you accumulated a million ice packs and various ice molds? Take stock — do you really need all of them? If not, perhaps you can store them somewhere else, or give them away if they’re items you don’t need at all.
Are you storing things in your freezer that are not food / ice related? For example, spoons, glassware, ice cream bowls, etc? Do they really need to be there? Now would be a good time to give them a wash and store them in a better place.

One of the best parts about spring cleaning your freezer and a serious culling is that you now know exactly what you have, and you probably have an idea of when you need to use it up! Something to keep in mind as you’re doing your meal planning!

3. Think about organization

Now that you know what you’re putting back in the freezer, think about how you’re going to do it. Keep “like” things together — all your meats in one section, all your frozen fruits / veggies in one section, all your ice / ice-related items together, etc. That way, you only need to look in one section / on one shelf to see if you have something rather than having to search through your whole freezer.

An organized, clean freezer drawer after spring cleaning your freezer

Also, make sure everything is securely wrapped / packaged before it goes back in. Is everything closed? If there is anything open (perhaps a bag of frozen peas that had the top cut off), make sure it gets closed / placed inside a sealed bag, etc. Does it look like one of the plastic bags full of berries is on the verge of breaking? Transfer to a new bag before putting back in the freezer. This way you’ll help avoid spillage, but also any freezer burn that might damage those items.

You did it!

It’s not a glamorous place for cleaning, but a once-per-year spring cleaning of your freezer is so necessary! For me, I already know I have some berries and some pureed pumpkin in there that needs my attention! What do you have in your freezer that you knowww is needing to be used up?

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Kitchen

Kitchen Spring Cleaning Guide: The Fridge

by thisjess.cooks April 14, 2021

The first truly warm weather days are here! The windows are finally open, flowers are blooming, and suddenly I have so much energy for doing small around-the-house projects and cleaning out areas that have been a bit neglected all winter (or, more likely, used hard and need a bit of a reset). And let’s be serious, one place that needs it: spring cleaning your fridge.

Since we’re all foodies here, one area that gets used pretty hard is the kitchen. A lot of ingredients move in and out, but let’s admit it — there are a few that get stuck there. That random bottle of an obscure condiment you swore you would use? Or the fancy olive oil you’re reserving for “special occasions” but have yet to touch? Something you tried and didn’t like, or duplicates of spices you forgot you already had?

Of course, if things are expired, we can all admit it’s time for them to go, but at the VERY least, once per year you should take a look at everything that you have in three key areas:

The fridge
The freezer
The pantry

We’re going to split these into separate posts, but we’ll be covering spring cleaning your fridge here. Once you’ve tackled that, be sure to check out my guide on spring cleaning your freezer and your pantry!

Time for spring cleaning your fridge

For some, the fridge is an easy area that has really high turnover. For others, this is an area that gets jam-packed with condiments, odds and ends, and maybe you can’t remember the last time you saw the bottom of your vegetable drawers.

1. It’s cleaning time

First, take everything out of the fridge and clean the shelves, walls, drawers and doors. They’re areas that don’t get cleaned very often, so this spring cleaning is even more important, and look incredible as soon as they do (one of those “why don’t I do this more often?” things, but honestly — because it’s the fridge!)

This might be just a simple wipe down with a Lysol wipe, or a full all-pieces-in-the-sink operation. Once the shelves, drawers, etc. are clean, dry and back where they go, it’s time to re-stock.

2. Take stock and cull your items

Take a look at all that you took out of the fridge and ask yourself:

Are any of these items expired? Throw them away! (And let’s make sure we’re clear here, we’re all recycling / composting, etc. where possible, right??)
Are any of these items duplicates that could be combined (for example, two bottles of the same kind of ketchup). Combine them!
Are any of these items you’re never going to use? Maybe you tried it and didn’t like it, or bought something specific for a guest that was staying that one time. Whatever the reason, if you’re not going to use it, either give it to someone that will (a friend, family member, neighbor, etc.) or throw it away.
- Another way to think about this: have you used this item in the past year? If the answer is no, then you’re not going to and it should be thrown out.

Fridge items on the counter top for organizing

Even after a deep spring cleaning and culling, you might still have some duplicates, but now you’ll remember that you have something in there you DO want to use! It’s a good reminder to yourself so you’ll actually use it next time!

3. Think about organization

Once you’ve tackled the cleaning and culling portion, think about how you’re going to do it:

Is there anything here that would benefit from a different kind of storage? Should you get a few clear plastic organizing bins to help store smaller items that you have a lot of? Would a turntable storage tray help you reach things that tend to get lost at the back?
- I LOVE these iDesign storage bins and this iDesign Turntable organizer (available on Amazon, but you can also buy at Target, The Container Store, and I even saw some the other day at Lowe’s!). They come in a wide range of sizes and the clear plastic let’s me see what’s inside while also being easy to clean.
Is there anything you’re storing in your fridge that doesn’t really need to be there? Maybe an odd question, but sometimes you need to ask! For example, unopened canned items — those are shelf-stable. If you have the space, move them out of your fridge and to the pantry.
While you’re starting from an empty fridge, think about where you want things to go. It’s a clean slate! You don’t need to put things back to where they were before, so feel free to organize however makes the most sense for you!

You did it!

There is nothing better than a clean (and then, well-stocked) fridge to really get the creative cooking juices flowing! Even if you only do this once per year, it’s enough to keep from accumulating things you don’t use and just make your fridge feel cluttered.

Good luck with the cleanout and let me know how it goes! Are there any other fridge cleanout / fridge storage hacks you use? I’d love to hear!

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