A Fresh Adventure

    So I have been enjoying cooking! It's so weird because I never liked to cook and when I lived by myself I LIVED off of tv dinners or quick meals. Pasta was the only thing I would hover over the stove for! Turns out I have a real talent for cooking...about 90% of my elaborate meals that I have experimented with have turned out absolutely delicious.  According to my sister she is happy that I got pregnant because I have been "throwing down" in the kitchen. (for all you NON slang people that means that I've been putting my all in)
    I've been researching about all of the different ways to cook and use fresh items while cooking. FRESH TASTES SOOOO MUCH BETTER!  The problem that i had at first with using fresh is buying too much. Especially being most of the things i bought for the recipe was my 1st time and i new I'd rather buy too much than not enough, cause I could just use the same ingredients in my next dish. BUT how much is too much?? That is the question when, your recipe calls for all of these retarded fresh varieties, and  your refrigerator is overfilled with freshness that you know will soon turn bad! Maybe it was my fault that I didn't do the research on "what equals this... and what equals that... " I assumed I would be cutting up the veggies so I could possibly need what I was purchasing.(sighs)MOVING ON...
    According to a good ole' proverb the way of abundance is "waste not, want not "...I don't want to send my pockets into a Great Depression needing more money cause I wasted it on unused produce!(laughs, bad joke. I know, only people who know their history would have tied the two together) Ok! I was able to find some ways to keep veggies fresh longer. I found a really go informative website one of the most simple yet thorough you can click here to see a list of the shelf life of items besides veggies, such as, poultry, meat, fruit, etc by clicking here .
    Below is a list that I copied from the website. I like the fact that it tells you how to store them as well.  One thing that I noticed I was doing wrong was stupidly leaving them in those little grocery bags! My mom called me out on that one.  Another thing was the storing them after washing them, because moisture encourages mold, which in turn spoils faster. Go figure.

Storage Chart - Vegetables Storage times are refrigerated times unless otherwise indicated.
Food Item	Preparation Method	Refrigerator Storage
Commercially Frozen	Store in original package	1 year - In Freezer
Canned Vegetables (Opened)	Store in airtight container. Do not store in the opened can.	3 days
Artichokes	Sprinkle with a little water and place in an airtight plastic bag.	1 week
Asparagus	Do not wash asparagus before storing. Wash it just before using. To store, wrap in a paper towel and place in a plastic bag that is not airtight, or place upright in a jar or glass containing 1/2 inch of cold water.	3 to 5 days
Beans, Lima	Beans should be shelled and store in a perforated plastic bag.	3 to 6 days
Beans, Snap	Leave beans whole and unwashed. Store in a perforated plastic bag in warmest area of the refrigerator.	3 to 6 days
Beets	Leave roots and trim stems to 1 to 2 inches in length. Brush off dirt but do not wash. Allow to dry in shady area. Place in a plastic bag with a moist paper towel. Check weekly.	4 to 8 weeks
Broccoli	Store in a perforated plastic bag.	5 to 7 days
Brussel Sprouts	Trim damaged leaves and store in a perforated bag.	2 to 3 weeks
Cabbage	Remove any loose leaves from the outer surface and place the cabbage head in a plastic bag.	4 to 8 weeks
Carrots	Trim tops, leaving 1/2 to 1 inch in length and clean dirt from roots if necessary. Wrap them in a paper towel and place in a plastic bag or place in a perforated plastic bag.	1 to 3 months
Cauliflower	Do not wash. Place in a perforated plastic bag.	10 to 14 days
Celery	Wrap a damp paper towel around the celery and then wrap with aluminum foil.	3 to 4 weeks
Corn, Sweet	Store with husks on	3 days
Cucumber	Wrap with plastic wrap.	10 to 12 days
Endive	Wash leaves thoroughly, shake to remove excess moisture, and gather leaves together and tie. Place tied head in a plastic bag. Disgard outer leaves as they wilt but inner leaves will still be good and crisp.	2 to 3 weeks
Fennel	Store in a plastic bag.	6 or 7 days
Kale	Remove as much moisture as possible by blotting with a paper towel. Store in a loosely sealed or perforated plastic bag.	7 to 10 days
Kohlrabi	Trim roots and stems and place in a loosely sealed or perforated plastic bag.	2 to3 weeks
Leeks	Remove excess moisture by blotting with a paper towel. Place in a plastic bag or wrap with plastic.	1 to 2 weeks
Lettuce, head	Do not wash before using. Remove the core and outside damaged leaves. Wrap with a damp paper towel and place in a plastic bag.	10 to 12 days
Lettuce, leaf	Wash leaves and dry in a salad spinner or by shaking off excess water. Layer leaves between paper towels and place in a plastic bag.	10 to 12 days
Mushrooms	Place in a single layer on a shallow tray or plate. Cover loosely with a damp paper towel or place them in a paper bag, leaving the bag open.	2 to 3 days
Okra	Store in a plastic bag and place in the warmest area of the refrigerator.	5 to 7 days
Onions	Be sure onions are dry and then store in a mesh bag or a basket. Storage area must have good air circulation.	1 to 3 months (refrigerate or cool, dry area)
Parsnips	Be sure leaves have been trimmed and store parsnips in a perforated plastic bag.	1 to 2 months
Peas	Store unshelled peas in a perforated plastic bag. Shelled peas can be stored in a regular plastic bag.	5 to 6 days
Peppers	Do not wash. Wrap in a paper towel or place in a paper bag. Do no use a plastic bag. Store in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator.	1 to 2 weeks
Potatoes, Sweet	Place in a well ventilated box or basket and store in a cool (55° to 60° F), moist area with good ventilation. Do not refrigerate. If potatoes are harvested from your garden, they must be cured by setting in a warm, dark place for about one week before storing them. This will help toughen the skins and sweeten the potato.	2 to 4 months (do not refrigerate)
Potatoes, White	Place in a well ventilated box or basket and store in a dark, cool (around 40°F works best), moist area with good ventilation. Do not refrigerate and do not store in plastic bags. If potatoes are harvested from your garden, they must be cured by setting in a warm, dark place for about one week before storing them. This will help toughen the skins and store longer.	2 to 4 months (do not refrigerate)
Radishes	Trim off leaves and place in a loosely sealed or perforated plastic bag. Wash radishes and trim roots just before using.	2 to 3 weeks
Spinach	Remove damaged leaves, wash thoroughly with cold water and drain well. Using a salad spinner also works well to dry. Wrap with paper towels and store in a plastic bag.	2 to 3 days
Squash, Summer	Store in a perforated plastic bag. Do not wash until ready to use.	1 week
Squash, Winter	Store, whole, in a cool, dry place. Do not wash until ready to use. If cut, store wrapped in plastic and refrigerate for up to 1 week. If whole squash is properly cured in the sun (at 70° to 80° F) for 10 days, it will extend storage time.	2 to 3 months (do not refrigerate)
Swiss Chard	Store unwashed in a open or perforated plastic bag. If leaves are damp, pat dry with a paper towel before placing in the plastic bag.	2 to 4 days
Tomatoes, Ripe	Store with stems down at room temperature.	5 to 7 days (do not refrigerate)
Tomatoes, Green	Wrap individually in newspaper and store with stems down at room temperature. Can also be placed in a deep box in 1 or 2 layers, unwrapped. Allow for adaquate air circulation. Avoid exposure to temperatures below 50° F. Check weekly for ripeness.	2 to 5 weeks (do not refrigerate)
Turnips	Leave unwashed and trim leaves off. Store in a perforated bag.	1 to 3 weeks