What do Vidalia Onions, Summer Cherries and Pantry Organization have in Common?
Did you join us? It was our fourth FACEBOOK LIVE video yesterday for a little wine tasting, a couple of easy yummy recipes, good pantry organizing tips and LOTs of laughs. Carrie, the powerhouse behind Neatsmart and I talked pantry and recipes for the 4th and all summer long. If you didn’t catch it LIVE, make sure to check it out here: https://www.facebook.com/nancy.waldeck/videos/10213670888469222/
If you’ve watched and want the recipes, wines or pantry organizing ideas, (cause NEAT really is SMART), this is the place. Check them out below and if you have any questions, make sure to ask. You can always contact us through our websites: Neatsmart or TasteandSavor or just message us through Facebook! And stay tuned for our next FACEBOOK LIVE at 2 PM EST on July 20th. As always, we will have great tips and big fun.
Carrie’s Awesome Organizing Ideas for the Pantry:
- Take everything out of your pantry. Clean it top to bottom. It’s amazing how much dirt is in a pantry!
- Toss expired foods. “Best buy” date indicates you could still eat it after but you should probably eat is pretty quickly. “Expiration” means just that. Do not eat it past that date. Always do the smell test to see if it even smells good. When in doubt, toss it.
AND MAKE this Awesome Vidalia Onion Dip
- 2 Cups Water
- ½ Cup White Vinegar
- ½ Cup Agave Syrup
- ¼ Tsp Sea Salt
- 4 Cups Chopped Vidalia Onions
- ½ Cup Light Olive Oil or Canola Oil Mayonnaise
- ½ Cup Nonfat Greek Yogurt
- 1 Tsp Celery Seed
- 1 Dash Hot Sauce
- ½ Tsp Worcestershire Sauce
In a saucepan over high heat; bring the water, sugar and vinegar to a rolling boil. Put the onions in a large bowl and pour the vinegar mixture over them. Place in the refrigerator at least 8 hours or overnight. The next day, drain the liquid from the onions and add the mayonnaise, yogurt, celery seed, hot sauce, Worcestershire. Serve with crudités, crackers or chips.
Wine PAIRING
Man Chenin Blanc
About $15
Chenin Blanc hails from the Loire Valley in France, but grows deliciously in South Africa too! Man Vintners Chenin Blanc is crisp, clean and refreshing with enough body to stand up to the creamy pungent onion dip. A find for about $15. Great with this dip or a roasted whole vidalia from the group.
More of Carrie’s SUPER Tips for Organizing your Pantry:
Group foods together by type. This will be unique for everyone because we don’t all have the same diets but think broad categories like:
- Breakfast foods
- Condiments
- Paper products
- Canned vegetables, fruits, soups
- Baking items
- Sweet and savory snacks
- Rice & Pasta or Grains
- Beverages
And then whip up EASY SUMMERY Cherry Salsa
- 1 LB Dark Sweet Cherries, pitted and chopped
- 2 TB Fresh Lime Juice
- Zest of 1 Lime
- 2 TB Minced Red Onion
- 1 Whole, Finely Chopped Jalapeno, Ribs and Seeds removed
- 2 TB Finely Chopped Cilantro
Combine all ingredients in medium bowl and stir to blend. Cover and chill 1-2 hours to blend flavors. Serve with grilled fish, chicken, pork or with chips as an appetizer.
WINE PAIRING – Literally a pair of wines to go with the salsa!
Charles and Charles Rose
Columbia Valley, Washington State
About $15
This lovely blend of mostly Syrah and Grenache is crisp, lovely and beautiful. With just the right hint of softness to enhance the Indian spices in the burger, this wine is one that’s cheap, cheerful and ready to quaff all summer long!
And…
Grove Mill Pinot Noir
Wairau Valley New Zealand
About $15
Pinot Noir is the red wine grape of Burgundy, now grown successfully in many places – including the Wairau Valley in New Zealand. Grove Mill winery is sustainable and ecologically committed and its wines reflect that care. A great price for a luscious wine, it can be served lightly chilled for summery quaffing.
And the Rest of Carrie’s Awesome Ideas for Organizing your Pantry:
- When you put items back in the pantry, put things that you use frequently at eye level or with easiest access. Things that you use infrequently should go higher or lower depending on weight. Keep groups intact so it’s easy to find all of your snacks together or breakfast cereals together.
- Use lazy susans to prevent losing items in a back shelf. Make sure you measure the shelf first so you get the right size. I found the ones that I showed at The Container Store and Bed Bath & Beyond.
- Use multi level shelf organizers for spices and canned items but make sure you can pull off the top shelf without knocking everything down.
- Open baskets and bins are great for storing like items together like snacks or pasta and other grains.
- Decant flour and sugar into glass or plastic containers with airtight lids. Just remember that whole wheat flour doesn’t last longer than a few months so unless you go through it quickly, store it in the freezer instead.
- Measure first, shop second!
(My favorite? Number 6, above. Gotta remember to measure, first…)
Now YOU have time to Make Everyone Happy with Garam Masala Cashews and Sparkly Wine!
Check out how to make the cashews here – IMG_0211.MOV
- 3 Cups Raw Cashews
- 1 Tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Tsp Garam Masala
- 1 Tsp Sea Salt
Scatter the cashews on a sheet tray and slide into a 400F oven. Set your timer for seven minutes. After the timer has gone off – check to see if the cashews are lightly golden. If so, remove from the oven and drizzle, (or spray) with extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with garam masala and sea salt. They will crisp up as they cool, but are roasty-toasty good right from the oven.
WINE PAIR
Frexinet Cava
Spain
About $13
Just because you may have bought this inexpensive wine in college – doesn’t mean its not wonderful now! Lots of happy active bubbles live in this black bottle, Perfect for a cook-out and friends. Enjoying this wine is the perfect occasion to break out the funky 70s glasses your grandmother gave you.