12 Cute Cupcake Recipes For You and the Kids

Here are some great ideas for you from http://www.recipe4living.com/articles/12_cute_cupcake_recipes_for_you_and_the_kids.htm/?utm_source=dailyrecipes&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=Daily%2BRecipes

 

While a chocolate cake or ice cream cake may seem like the best way to celebrate your kid’s birthday, why not change things up with a whole bunch of delicious cupcakes? They’re big enough so that each kid will be full after one, and small enough that they won’t get a dreaded stomach ache after eating them. Your kids can even join in and help you bake a batch of these sweets too!

1. Brownie Candy Cupcakes – Kids AND adults will love these easy to make, delicious cupcakes!
2. Sprinkles Red Velvet Cupcakes – Sprinkles in by far our favorite bakery. We just can’t resist buying their tasty cupcakes by the dozen. Their red velvet cupcake is one of the absolute best cupcakes on the menu.
3. Lemon-Kissed Cupcakes – These light cakes have a touch of lemon on top – absolutely delicious!
4. Chocolate Cupcakes – Make completely from scratch, this is an easy batch to whip up for a school snack or whatever other reason.
5. Black Cat Cupcakes -These adorably cupcakes are easy to make and the kids can help with them too!
6. Pumpkin Cupcakes – The perfect autumn treat, these festive cupcakes have a delicious cream cheese frosting that makes them absolutely irresistible.
7. Banana Cupcakes with Dark Chocolate Chunks – I made these for my birthday to bring to the office and they were a big hit! The ganache is a cinch to make and totally worth the tiny bit of extra time.
8. S’More Cupcakes – Don’t trust your little ones (or yourself) near an open flame? Whip up a batch of these cupcakes that taste just like the real thing… without catching on fire.
9. Warm Chocolate Cupcakes with Molten Centers – Baking these is one of the easiest and tastiest ways I know to make a great impression on your dinner guests. Most recipes, including my own, call for just a few ingredients — chocolate, butter, sugar, eggs, and a dash of flour. You combine them very quickly. And the cakes don’t take long to bake — barely more than 10 minutes.
10. Bursting Flower Cupcakes – Serve these sunny little cakes and watch the smiles bloom! They’re sweet delight with every bite.
11. Marshmallow Peeps Cupcakes – These festive cupcakes have coconut, Peeps and jelly beans for a sweet Easter treat.
12. Decadent Chocolate Cupcakes – Not your ordinary cake mix cupcakes, these treats are rich and melt in your mouth.

Just some great ideas for you and your family.

Tammye Honey

Real Women of Philadelphia Culinary Quiz

Calling All Cooking Experts: It’s Time for a Quiz!

Happy Friday!

It’s time for another pop quiz.

Recently, we tested your cooking knowledge by asking: HOW WELL YOU KNOW CULINARY LINGO?

And yes, you ladies know it like the back of your hand!

Since this online cooking community has grown so much over the years thanks to your fabulousRECIPE contributions and the tips and tricks you’ve shared, why not keep growing with more knowledge?

Take the quiz below:

Speaking of GLAZE, how delicious does this GLAZED FRUIT PO-BOY look? Bananas, berries, powdered sugar—YUM! Get the recipe…

 http://realwomenofphiladelphia.com/blog/post/calling-all-cooking-experts-its-time-for-a-quiz

Post your answers below and don’t stop at just ONE word, if you think of more, comment again! Don’t forget to share this with your cooking whiz friends to test their knowledge!

What Does Your Favorite Dip Say About You?

Dips You’ll L-O-V-E and What They Say About You!

From cool and creamy to thick and spicy, we love just about any dip we can dive our favorite potato chip into, but we always have a favorite we spoon on our plate first. Do you?

See what your favorite dip says about you below and then tell us in the COMMENTS! Scroll down to find all the delicious recipes!

1. CRAB DIP

Creamy Crab Dip

Dishing Gourmet

posted Aug 15, 2012

A savory mixture of Philadelphia Cream Cheese, crab meat, and Old Bay seasoning make this dip a party favorite. Best of all there is no cooking or baking required. Simply follow the instructions below, refrigerate and serve with crispy wheat crackers or pita chips!

INGREDIENTS

• 8 ounces Kraft Philadelphia 1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese, room temperature
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning (or other seafood seasoning)
• 2 dashes of cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 8 ounce container of claw crab meat, drained
• 3 green onions, chopped (green parts only)

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise and milk in a medium sized bowl.
2. Stir in the Old Bay Seasoning and cayenne pepper (if desired).
3. Using a garlic press, press the clove of garlic in to the mixture, and combine thoroughly.
4. Add the crab meat and mix thoroughly.
5. Reserve one tablespoon of the chopped green onions. Stir the rest in to the mixture.
6. Add the remaining green onions on top as garnish.
7. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend together. Then serve with crispy wheat crackers or pita chips. Note: This dip can be made the night before.

2. CHILE & CHEESE DIP

Green Chile and Cheese Chip Dip

Shauna Evans

posted Aug 16, 2012

Prepare your tortilla chips for this scrumptious, savory dip with a kick. The lemon and tomatoes give it a fresh taste. It’s chunky and smooth thanks to Philadelphia Cream Cheese. This is the perfect appetizer for any occasion. Plan on doubling the recipe because this delicious dip goes quick.

INGREDIENTS

• 8 ounces Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 cups mild cheddar cheese, shredded
• 4 ounces canned green chiles, chopped
• 1 cup fresh tomato, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules

DIRECTIONS

1. In medium bowl, combine all ingredients.
2. Garnish with chopped tomato and shredded cheddar cheese.
3. Serve with artisan tortilla chips.

3. ONION DIP

Kiss Me Onion Dip

MEH

posted Sep 22, 2010

Sooooo good! This dip is so easy to make that you will never buy one at the store again.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 Vidalia Onions, finely sliced
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 6 ounces PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese
• 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the oil in a large pan. Add onions; season with salt and pepper
2. Cook stirring often about 12 – 15 minutes or until well browned and caramelized.
3. Add the vinegar and let cool
4. In a bowl combine onions, sour cream, cream cheese and salt & pepper to taste
5. Tip: Reserve 1 TBSP of the onion mixture as a topping to the dip. Can serve in a ramekin or small red pepper
6. Tip: Can serve with crudites, chips, crackers or toast points. You can also use it as a spread for sandwiches or burgers

4. BUFFALO DIP

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Real Women of Philadelphia

posted Feb 28, 2013

Love buffalo wings but don’t love the mess that comes with eating them? All the delicious, tangy flavor you love plus hot sauce and blue cheese is packed into this scrumptious dip.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
• 1 pkg. (6 oz.) OSCAR MAYER Deli Fresh Oven Roasted Chicken Breast
• 1/2 cup hot pepper sauce for Buffalo wings
• 1/4 cup KRAFT Natural Blue Cheese Crumbles
• 2 green onions, sliced

DIRECTIONS

1. Spread cream cheese onto bottom of microwaveable 9-inch pie plate. Mix chicken and sauce; spoon over cream cheese. Top with blue cheese and onions.
2. Microwave on HIGH 2 min. or until heated through.
3. Serve warm with celery sticks and WHEAT THINS Original Snacks.

5. EGGPLANT DIP

Curried Eggplant Dip

eyemagination.imaging

posted Aug 19, 2012

Simple and scrumptious, this Caribbean-inspired dip is filled with savory flavors of the islands

.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup diced yellow onion
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chicken bouillon
• 3 cups cubed eggplant
• 1/2 teaspoon all purpose seasoning salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 ounces Philadelphia cream cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for about 2 minutes.
2. Add curry powder and chicken bouillon and stir.
3. Add eggplant, thyme and all-purpose seasoning salt. Stir for about 3 minutes.
4. Add water and cream cheese. Allow to cook for about 4 minutes, stirring intermittently.
5. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
6. Transfer cooked eggplant to a food processer and pulse for about 20 seconds.
7. Transfer to serving bowl. Enjoy with your favorite chips.

6. SPINACH DIP

EZ cheeZee Spinach dip!

alicia dewolfe

posted Sep 22, 2010

Need a appetizer this football season! This is going to be your friends new fav!

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 10 ounces spinach, thawed from frozen package
• 8 ounces Cream cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 14 ounces canned artichokes, chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Melt butter in skillet.
2. Add onions and cook till translucent.
3. Then add each ingredient one at a time and stir well each time.
4. When all ingredients are mixed well transfer to serving dish.

 

Did your favorite dip match your personality? Let us know in the comments! And if your favorite dip matched someone else’s personality, hit their “THUMB’S UP” button!

Home Made Reese’s Eggs Repost

TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 2013

Homemade Reese’s Eggs

Growing up, our favorite treat in our Easter baskets were Reese’s Eggs. They only come out for a few months each year, but with this recipe, I can eat them all year long!

Ingredients
3 Cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 Cups creamy or crunchy peanut butter
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 Tablespoons milk
oval or egg-shaped cookie cutter
1-2 bags milk chocolate chips (11 oz. each), divided
2 Tablespoons shortening

Directions
Beat powdered sugar, peanut butter and butter together.  Dough will be crumbly.  Add two tablespoons of milk and continue to beat together, until the dough softens.  (Note, dough will still be crumbly- this is fine!)
Working with about 1-2 cups of dough at a time, roll the dough into about 1/2 inch thickness on a flat, floured surface, and use cookie cutter to make eggs.
Place the eggs on a cookie sheet and chill in freezer for at least one hour.
When ready to dip, melt 1 bag of milk chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon of shortening in a  microwave.  You may need a bit more shortening to thin it out.
Dip each egg, covering completely, and place on wax paper until set.
If you need more chocolate, melt second bag with more shortening.
I got about 20 eggs using my cutter and rolling to 1/2” thickness.

The amount of chocolate needed will vary, again, based on thickness and shapes of eggs.


Adapted from: Blog is the New Black

Looking for More Easter Treats? Here are some of our favorites:

Easter Egg Basket Cupcakes

Snicker’s Bar Easter Train

No-Bake Chocolate Bird Nest Egg Cookies

Cadbury Mini Egg Blondies

I am a recipe finder today…woo hoo…I so wish I could make these corn free lol…

Hope you enjoy

Tammye Honey

An Irish Dessert

So today I am all about the Irish…Hey now my last name is Green lol…

This one is courtesy of another great site I love http://www.chow.com

Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes

 

Adapted from Dave Lieberman

I love cooking with beer, and that’s no exception when it comes to desserts. Of all beers, Guinness is the perfect one for desserts because of its distinct chocolate and coffee notes. Pairing it with actual chocolate is the obvious choice. These cupcakes are light in texture but heavy in the chocolate department. The white cream cheese icing reminds me of the creamy white head that Guinness is famous for.

This dish was featured as part of ourSt. Patty’s Day Recipes photo gallery.

TIME/SERVINGS
Total Time: 50 mins
Active Time: 25 mins
Makes: 24 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS
For the cupcakes:
Unsalted butter, melted, for coating the muffin pans (optional)
1 (11.2-ounce) bottle Guinness stout
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine salt

For the frosting:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
Pinch fine salt
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 pound powdered sugar
Natural unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting

INSTRUCTIONS

For the cupcakes:

1. Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Place cupcake liners in two (12-well) muffin pans; alternatively, coat the wells with melted butter. Set the pans aside.
2. Whisk together the Guinness, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla in a large bowl until combined. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, until completely incorporated. Whisk in the sour cream.
3. Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a second large bowl to aerate and combine. Gradually fold this mixture into the wet Guinness mixture. Divide the batter among the muffin wells.
4. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Set the pans on a wire rack and let the cupcakes cool completely before removing from the pans.

For the frosting:

1. Place the cream cheese and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. With the mixer on medium speed, gradually beat in the heavy cream until smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. With the mixer on medium speed, gradually mix in the powdered sugar until completely incorporated and smooth, about 3 minutes.
2. Top each cupcake with a heap of frosting and dust with cocoa powder.

Happy Baking and preparing for your festivities… hope this helps

Tammye Honey

Related articles

• Guinness Chocolate Cheesecake (thebakingbird.com)
• Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes (shinylifeblog.com)
• Guinness Cupcakes with Bailey’s Irish Cream Frosting (5minutesformom.com)

Recipes in Time for St. Patrick’s Day

No Pinching Here: Five Green Dishes for St. Patrick’s Day!

Mar 13, 2013

1 OF 7

Next

 

Hello Everyone!

Looking for a green dish to help you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? Look no further.

We’ve got five recipes that won’t get you pinched, all created by Real Women like you in our wonderful online cooking community!

Click through our slideshow to get recipes for these delicious green dishes and test your Irish food knowledge on each slide—answers are at the end, tell us how many you got right!

Smashed Peas & Mint

MEH

posted Oct 15, 2010

I love peas mostly fresh but frozen too. I even grew my own for awhile… so good. One day while visiting my parents, my mom (not a huge veggie fan) said let’s do something different with the peas… mashed… maybe?….it has been a family favorite since then…

INGREDIENTS

• 10 ounces 2 – 10 oz bags frozen peas
• 1 cup milk
• 4 ounces PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons mint, finely chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Thaw and drain the peas
2. In a medium saucepan roughly mash the peas; Add the butter, 1 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp ground pepper and cook over low heat
3. Add the cream cheese and milk until well blended; Add the mint, stirring until bubbly

Green Beans and Sautéed Potatoes

 

Smoky bacon, hearty potatoes, fresh cut green beans—we’ll be honest, you’re going to want to make this for St. Paddy’s day and then some…

GET THE RECIPE

Fresh Cut Green Beans, Sauteed with Potatoes, Bacon and Onions

Rebecka Evans

posted Aug 1, 2012

This recipes is one of my favorite summer fresh creations. Filled with flavorful memories of hot summer days in the garden with mom, the crisp cut green beans snap alongside the creamy texture of the sauteed potatoes and onions. Bacon rounds out the dish with its savory smoke flavor. The simple flavors of summer express themselves in perfect harmony in this basic side dish!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound fresh cut green beans
• 1 medium onion
• 4 medium potatoes
• 1/4 pound bacon
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 scallions
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook bacon in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat until crisp, remove bacon and all but 1 tablespoon bacon fat
2. melt 1 tablespoon butter in pan
3. add potatoes and onions and cook covered, stirring frequently until potatoes are tender but not soft
4. add cut green beans, remaining 1 tablespoon butter, cover and cook for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally
5. salt and pepper to taste
6. serve with red wine vinegar, garnish with chopped scallions

Lettuce Soup

 

Serve up a warm bowl of green soup. Fresh mint, broth, iceberg lettuce—your taste buds will thank you.

GET THE RECIPE

Minty Lettuce Soup

MEH

posted Sep 24, 2010

I love serving soup in a shot glass as an appetizer. You would never guess it’s lettuce. How many times have you had to throw out the lettuce because it turned brown in the crisper (or rotter as I call it)? Now you can put it to delicious use.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 heads iceburg lettuce, roughly chopped
• 1 cup onion, sliced
• 1/2 cup packed fresh mint
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 4 ounces PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Put the lettuce, onion, mint and chicken broth in a large pot
2. Bring to a boil then lower heat to medium and simmer for 25 minutes
3. Let cool slightly then place in a blender for one minute and strain the soup. (You will have to do this in 2 stages to not fill the blender too much) set aside;
4. Melt the butter in a medium pan over medium heat, add the flour and stir one minute
5. Add the soup and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly
6. Remove from heat, add the cream cheese and salt & pepper to taste
7. Tip: You can serve this soup in shot glasses; add a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and a fresh mint leaf to decorate
8. Tip: You can use any lettuce you have on hand and for a vegetarian meal you can use vegetable broth

Green Guacamole

 

Rich and creamy guacamole? Make an extra batch because you won’t be able to put this down!

GET THE RECIPE

Awesome Guacamole

Erika Christian

posted Aug 3, 2012

Rich and creamy guacamole, hard to stop eating!

• 

Tags: None

INGREDIENTS

• 8 ounces Philadelphia whipped cream cheese
• 3 Ripe avacadoes
• 1 packet of guacamole seasoning mix (your choice)
• 1 pinch garlic salt (season to your taste)

DIRECTIONS

1. Peel and remove seed from avacadoes then mash in a bowl.
2. In the same bowl mix in the whipped cream cheese.
3. Stir in seasoning packet and garlic salt.
4. Place in fridge for 20 min to bring out flavor.
5. Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy!

Green Brownies

 

They’re rich with chocolate and they’re green? What’s the special ingredient that makes these brownies pinch-free? Find out…

Green tea Cream cheese Brownies

Yumiko Eto

posted Sep 16, 2011

These brownies are rich and chocolaty, and absolutely fabulous! Green tea cream cheese mixtures make these brownies outstanding! A little bite is not enough. Every time I make these brownies, I put them as snack’s in my girls’ school lunches. After they come back from school, they tell me, ” Mommy, those brownies are very popular among my friends! Next time put more brownies in my lunch, PLEASE!!”

INGREDIENTS

• 5 ounces Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened to room temperature
• 2 ounces sugar
• 2 teaspoons green tea powder
• 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 325*F. Grease an 8×8 inch square pan.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, butter and water. Cook over medium heat until boiling. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips until melted and smooth. Mix in the eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the chocolate mixture. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
3. Mix together softened cream cheese, sugar, green tea powder well.
4. Drop Green tea cream cheese mixture onto sections the chocolate mixture and use a toothpick to draw the Green Tea mix across the brownie to create a look like marble.
5. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until brownies rise. Do not overbake! Cool in pan and cut into squares.
6. Serve and enjoy!

I do not always copy and paste an entire article…this time I did just so you are not jumping screens.  This is such a great website for ideas.

http://realwomenofphiladelphia.com

Enjoy cooking

Tammye Honey

What’s Your Cooking Manifesto?

Mar 12, 2013

Hi All,

In life, there are many manifesto’s we live by, so it’s only natural there are manifestos we cook by, right ladies?

Since this fabulous online cooking community of ours has grown so much, and continues to grow by the day, we think it’s time to share our cooking manifesto:

The Real Women of Philadelphia Manifesto!

We hope you’re all inspired by this manifesto from this day forward!

And speaking of trying new dishes, how about trying zucchini in your sandwich? DEB is an expert at finding ways to use all the extra zucchini her garden gives her like in this ZUCCHINI SALAD SANDWICH! Yum.

Now that we’ve shared our cooking manifesto we want to hear yours:

Tell us your cooking motto in our comments! Don’t forget to PIN the Real Women of Philadelphia manifesto on PINTEREST so fellow bakers, chefs and cooking enthusiasts like you can be inspired!

Photo Excerpt Source

What is your Manifesto?  I would love to hear.

Related articles

• Zucchini Noodles (yonderwild.wordpress.com)
• Tortiglioni with Zucchini (giangiskitchen.com)

What Can I Make with Peanut Butter (Besides PB & J)?

Straight from http://realwomenofphiladelphia.com/blog/post/what-can-i-make-with-peanut-butter-besides-pb-j

I could not think of three ideas that are better…

Mar 11, 2013

Happy Monday!

We love peanut butter: crunchy or creamy, it’s the perfect spread on an apple or warm slice of toast, and you can never go wrong with a classic pb & j.

But what else can we make with peanut butter?

Thanks to the talent and creative skills in this online cooking community of ours, peanut butter has been transformed.

A. Peanut Butter fanatics, this is it: smooth caramel, decadent chocolate and that nutty flavor we LOVE! Grab this CANDY BAR CHEESECAKE SWIRL BROWNIES recipe and make these tonight!

B. Enjoy the creamy peanut butter and crunchy peanuts in this SWEET AND SOUR THAI CHICKEN recipe. Make sure there’s enough for seconds…

C. Rich chocolate, bananas, white chocolate curls, and creamy peanut butter inside? Heaven. ThisCHOCOLATE-PEANUT BUTTER MOUSSE PIE recipe is tonight’s dessert, and maybe tomorrow’s too…

So how do you want to eat peanut butter? A, B or C? Tough choices. Leave us a comment!

Happy Cooking

Tammye Honey

Can You Unscramble These Tasty Treats?

Try uncovering the names of these desserts without clicking the link—use their ingredients as clues! Leave us a comment telling us how many you unscrambled but don’t look down at others’ answers!

Recipe clues: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4

How many did you unscramble? Tell us below and if you like what someone else said, hit the “thumbs up” button on their comment! If you haven’t tried this new feature, you must!

 Excerpt Photo Source

http://realwomenofphiladelphia.com/blog/post/can-you-unscramble-these-tasty-treats

So let me know how many you were able to do and if this was fun for you…I love a brain teaser and when it has to do with food it is even more fun for me.  Let me know how you feel.

Thank you for reading

Tammye Honey

A Must Have For Your Fridge To Post (It May Save Your Life)

Have you ever wondered how long you can keep certain foods safely?  Well Chow just did an article on this and here are the answers for you.

 

[via Foodbeast]

This is a must have for every home to keep it safe.  My hubby and I are horrible about stocking up then forgetting to check the expiration dates.  Since it is just the two of us we do not use products as quickly as most people.  Our milk is a great example of this.  We go through streaks where we use a lot then other times we hardly use any at all.  This can prove to be embarrassing when you have company and they want real milk for their coffee.

That was when I came to realize that I had to start checking my fridge for expiration dates. We had just opened a ketchup and it had expired a year prior.  That was a scary fact.  I did a deep cleansing of the fridge which looks like a bachelor lives here now but we are safe.

The article in Chow that I was reading was from http://www.chow.com/food-news/135542/how-long-can-you-keep-foods-before-they-go-bad/

If you are even in doubt there is an entire website set up with answers for just about anything on the market that you could ask about in various categories:  http://www.stilltasty.com/

Sturdy Staples: 9 Foods That Can Outlast You

 

You’ve just gotten halfway through a recipe, only to discover that a key ingredient is missing because you tossed it during your last cleaning spree.

It’s a predicament you shouldn’t have to face again — at least when it comes to the nine kitchen staples we’ve listed here.

When stored properly, these everyday items will last for years — sometimes decades — even after they’ve been opened. And they’ll lose very little, if any, of their original quality as time passes. So think twice before tossing one of these items. If you’ve been handling it correctly, chances are it’s just fine.

1.     HONEY

Pure honey is as durable as it is delicious; it keeps safe indefinitely. Honey may change color or crystallize over time, but that won’t make it unsafe.

Keep it fresh: Store in a cool area and keep tightly closed. Revive crystallized honey by placing the opened jar in warm water and stirring until dissolved.

 

2.     RICE

White, wild, arborio, jasmine and basmati rice all have an indefinite shelf life, when kept free from contaminants. The exception: brown rice. Thanks to its higher oil content, it won’t keep nearly as long.

Keep it fresh: Store in a cool, dry area. Once opened, place rice in a sealed airtight container or place original package in a resealable heavy-duty freezer bag. For added protection, store rice in the refrigerator or freezer.

3.     SUGAR

White, brown or powdered — sugar never spoils because it doesn’t support bacterial growth. The real challenge is to prevent it from becoming rock-hard.

Keep it fresh: Keep sugar in a cool, dry area. To prevent sugar from hardening after opening, place it in an airtight container or cover the original package in a heavy-duty plastic bag and seal tightly.

4.     HARD LIQUOR

Whipping up some penne alla vodka and a pitcher of cocktails? Distilled spirits —vodka, rum, whiskey, gin, tequila and the like — don’t spoil, even after opening. The taste and aroma may fade gradually, but it’ll take ages before you notice.

Keep it fresh: Store in cool, dark area, away from direct heat or sunlight. Keep bottle tightly closed when not in use.

5.     MAPLE SYRUP

Pure maple syrup not only makes your pancakes special, it adds tremendous flavor to a whole range of dishes. Best of all, it keeps forever in the freezer.

Keep it fresh: Refrigerate after opening. For long-term storage, freeze maple syrup in airtight plastic containers.

6.     PURE VANILLA EXTRACT

Yes, it’s more expensive than its imitation counterpart. But pure vanilla extract keeps forever, so you’ll never have to waste a drop.

 

Keep it fresh: Store in cool, dark cupboard and keep tightly closed when not in use.

 

7.     DISTILLED WHITE VINEGAR

A reliable standby in everything from marinades to salad dressings, distilled white vinegar will remain virtually unchanged as the years pass by.

Keep it fresh: Store vinegar a cool, dark area and keep tightly capped after each use.

 

8.     CORNSTARCH

A must-have for thickening sauces, gravies, and puddings. Cornstarch will keep indefinitely if it’s kept dry and free from contaminants.

Keep it fresh: Store in cool, dry area; keep package tightly closed between uses.

9.     SALT

From the basic table variety to fancier versions like kosher and sea, salt is a flavor enhancer that never spoils or goes stale.

Keep it fresh: Store in cool, dry area.

For more information visit: the National Honey Board; the USA Rice Federation; the Vinegar Institute; McCormick & Company; Ach Food Companies; The Liquor Control Board of Ontario, the Sugar Association; the Salt Institute.

http://www.stilltasty.com/articles/view/35

Hope this helps to keep your family safe and happy.

Happy Cooking

Tammye Honey