Cleaning Out the Refrigerator
Ugh! Every couple of weeks or so, it’s time to play “what’s green and fuzzy and living in the back of the refrigerator?” I always vow to keep up on leftover rotation but somehow it always gets away from me. I made up my mind years ago that I would not invest in any expensive plastic containers because of this very day right here. All the plastics that I own are old cottage cheese tubs, margarine tubs, yogurt cups, etc., because when it’s all said and done most of the containers will be tossed along with the unknown concoction that was once part of a food group. We always have leftovers from Chinese takeout – like shrimp with vegetables, minus the shrimp. All that’s left now are some limp bamboo shoots and a tired piece of broccoli. Oh, but we have rice. Boy do we have rice! Why do I always end up with like FIVE cartons of rice? I HATE RICE!
As I cautiously peel back a lid, I brace myself. Will it be green or blue? Fuzzy or slimy? Will I bowled over by its overwhelming stench? What is this? Or better yet, what was this? I move slowly down to the vegetable bin. This right here would be a treasure trove for Jonas Salk. I’ve had this onion forever. It’s hard to tell about onions because this one still feels and looks okay. It doesn’t give me much of a hint as to its age (and I can’t really go by smell can I?). I have to think back on when I did a big grocery shopping because why else would I buy an onion unless it were for some special recipe or something? It’s not like I know how to cook with them or anything! And I still don’t know why I insist on keeping that last bite of pie? I mean, it’s literally ONE bite. I don’t want to waste it yet I’m not a big fan of pie either so…
Let’s see here. Oh here is maybe a half cup of milk in a gallon jug. That makes me so mad! It just hangs out there, daring me to dump it down the sink for the sake of more room. But I don’t. I figure I can make some ‘onion soup’ or something with it later. (Perhaps someone may want a tad of milk to go with their bite of pie?).
It’s funny. When I’m cooking, everyone asks the same question they do when they find the leftovers. “What the heck is THAT?” I guess coming out of the fridge as a great mystery or going in as last night's leftovers seems to mean the same thing around here.
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