How to Choose Ripe Pears

woensdag 18 september 2013

Pears are the perfect fall treat. Not only are they delicious, they are packed with lots of goodies like vitamin C, potassium and fiber. But here’s one little-known fact about pears: they don’t ripen on the tree. Once the fruit is picked, it needs a little more time to develop its natural sugars and ripen. So how can you be sure that your pear is perfectly ripe? Just use your senses!

Feel: Hold the pear gently in your hand. Push on the pear right at the neck where the stem meets the fruit. If the fruit gives in just a little bit, it is ripe. If it’s rock hard, it’s not ready yet. If your thumb sinks into the fruit, your pear is overripe (and you’ve got to go wash your hands).Look: Look at the skin of the pear. The fruit is ripe if its skin is matte and smooth. You may notice brown freckles on the skin—that’s called “russeting” and is completely normal. But don’t confuse those cute splotches with dark blemishes or bruises, which means your pear is likely overripe.Smell: Go ahead, take a whiff of that pear. A ripe pear will smell sweet, fragrant and slightly tart. In other words, it should smell like a pear!

Stand your pears up and store them at room temperature until you’re ready to eat them (or up to one week). You can also refrigerate pears to extend their life by about three more days. Don’t wash before you store them, though—this speeds up the decaying process.

Find yourself with a bunch of rock hard underripe pears? Don’t fret! You can leave them on the counter for a few days and they should ripen nicely on their own. Want to speed up the process? Pop them into a paper bag. The bag will trap the ethylene gas that’s naturally given off when the pear ripens and speed things up.

Pears are the perfect addition to sweet treats like pear crisp and cookies. Or you can dice pears and bake them into bread.

For a more savory dish, dice your pears and add them to butternut squash soup. You can also layer pear slices onto your pizza before baking or toss pears into your favorite blue cheese salad.

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How to Choose Ripe Squash

donderdag 12 september 2013

Squash is one of our family’s favorite fruits—yep, I said fruit, not vegetable! It has a sweet, rich flavor that compliments any meal, no matter the time of day. Unfortunately, squash does not typically ripen after it’s been picked, and an underripe or overripe squash can be flavorless or mushy. So how do you choose wisely at the grocery store or farmer’s market? Read on:

Size: Look at the size of the squash. A ripe squash will be anywhere from 8–12 inches long with the stem intact. Why is the stem so important? It actually prevents the squash from drying out too fast!Color: The color of a ripe squash varies depending on the type. Get out your no. 2 pencils and paper, kids. It’s time for a quick lesson: Butternut squash: Look for a deep tan color.Acorn squash: It will have a dark green color with splashes of orange (which is a sign of maturity).Hubbard squash: These guys are a bit funny looking with pale grayish/blue or dark green skin.Spaghetti squash: This squash will have a bright-yellow hue when it’s ripe.Appearance: No matter the variety of squash, be sure that there are no bruises, mold or blemishes, which indicate overripeness or damage.Heft: Hold the squash in the palm of your hand. A ripe squash will feel solid and heavy for its size.Tap it: Just like with a watermelon, rap that squash with your knuckle. A ripe squash will sound hollow inside.Firmness: Look at the texture of the squash’s skin. Is it firm and smooth? If so, it’s likely ripe. Press into the squash with your fingernail. Your nail should not be able to puncture the skin. If it does, put that squash back—it’s not ripe! Do this gently—stop before your nail actually goes through the skin, if possible. After all, you don’t want to damage all the produce!

Once you cut your squash, wrap it in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container. It will stay good in the refrigerator for a week or longer. An uncut squash will last for about three months in a cool, dark place (like the bottom of your pantry). Don’t put an uncut squash in the refrigerator. Cold temperatures can actually encourage moisture loss and make the squash spoil faster.

 Add squash to a savory dish like squash soup, squash casserole or even squash crab cakes.Try squash in sweet treats too! Add it to your favorite pumpkin bread recipe, or quarter your squash and roast it with butter and brown sugar. You can also blend it up and make squash cheesecake bars.

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5 Things I'd Choose Over Owning a House

donderdag 11 juli 2013

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota
by Mary Fischer 17 hours ago

Wow. Have you heard about the Toddlers & Tiaras family who chose pageants over owning a home? Yep. The parents of 2-year-old Maddi are so hooked on seeing their little girl take center stage that they live with her grandparents so they can put all their money towards enrolling her in pageant after pageant.

And I know what you're thinking -- that's just plain nuts. What family wouldn't want a house of their own as an investment instead of chasing some dream that may or may not lead to the Miss America crown down the road?

But while this family's story is a bit outrageous, to say the least, it really got me thinking. Are there certain things I'm so passionate about I'd probably give up my house for them?

Yes. Yes, I believe there are. Like these five things, for example.

Traveling the world -- I won't lie. I spend a small fraction of my day trying to come up with some sort of master plan to turn my life into one big, never-ending vacation. And if I ever manage to hit the lottery like I fully plan on doing, I'll pack up my stuff and be out of my house and headed for a luxury resort so fast I won't even have time to blink.Daily salon trips -- I think I might be on to something, here. Instead of putting my paycheck towards contributing to our home finances, maybe we should just sell the house and rent for a while so I never have to go through the hassle of blow-drying my hair or doing my nails ever again.A personal chef and maid -- Who cares where you live if you don't have to do any cooking or cleaning? Having someone scrub my floors and prepare my meals sounds a hell of a lot more appealing than this stupid mortgage we have to pay every month.An ocean view -- If I can ever manage to buddy up to a pal with a fat beach house who doesn't mind me shacking up there for a while, I'll gladly trade using my kitchen island as an office in favor of staring at the sea in between posts.Top education for my son -- Ok, I'm shifting things a bit and getting serious. I can't lie -- sometimes I wonder whether public school is really enough for my kid or if he needs to be more challenged. But all the best private schools around here cost like $25,000 or more a year, which we simply can't afford. But I might be willing to unload our home and move into an apartment in order to foot the bill for his tuition. (Ask me again after he gets through second grade.)

Is there anything you'd give up your house for?

Image via kansasphoto/Flickr

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mary Fischer

is the writer behind The Mommyologist, and the mom of a future famous comedian. Her current loves include cosmopolitans, reality TV, and shoes that don't pinch her feet.

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