Few must have's in your Refrigerator!!!!

FEW MUST HAVE'S IN YOUR REFRIGERATOR!!!

This is an article about few things you should always have in your refrigerator to deal with last minutes guests or spice up your food. Whether it is summer or winter, day or night? These are going to help you round the year, round the clock.

• Lemons or Lime: They are the panacea of all, from beauty fixes to food. Mix lemon juice with sugar to make homemade scrub for your body. Squeeze lemon or lime on our food for a little tangy taste or put it in water for refreshing drinks. Decorate your cocktails / mock-tails / or drinks with a wedge of lemon or lime. Do not throw the peel, keep it in the fridge to bust the smell. There are so many uses of lemons or lime, that I just decided to write a separate blog on it. 

• Tomatoes: Always keep tomatoes in your refrigerators. They not only colors to your salsa but also taste to your food. Cut your tomatoes, few drops of lemon, add sugar and salt to taste and you have homemade salsa to serve with chips. You can add onions, peppers, and chilies to add flavors and colors.

• Cilantro or Coriander: It is a very versatile herb which add flavor and taste to your food. Make it in form of chutney or paste, or just garnish salads, pastas, rice, entrees with it. It gives you endless possibilities. You can chop them or just use the leaves, it is totally up to you.

• Pasta Sauce: They are not only great for preparing pasta dishes on short notices, but also works great for entrees. There are lot of variation in the market, from veggies to cheese to meat. Pick the one appeals to you and try them differently. Use as a pizza sauce or add it to sauteed vegetables. If you are a big fan of curry and do not have time to sauteed onions and tomatoes, add spices, kidney beans or garbanzo beans and water to pasta sauce. Heat it up for 15 minutes and your curry is ready. Garnish it with cilantro and serve with rice. (NOTE: I am not advertising for 'Classico'. You can use any brand.)

• Frozen Veggies: I am a big fan of fresh vegetables, but believe me sometimes a packet of frozen corn or peas was a life saver for me. Microwave them and you have a vegetable side just in minutes. You can add them in your salsa or salads. I add frozen vegetables to my pasta to make it more healthy. It tastes great and I get my vegetables without worrying about them. (NOTE: You can select any brand. There are some brand which are organic.)

• Cheese: It doesn’t necessarily matter what flavor—you just want something you can quickly slice or cut into one-inch cubes. Take the cheese out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature before serving, which brings out its flavor. Add it to salad, or serve them with crackers. Add them to your tortilla chips, microwave for 1 minute, and here are you nachos with cheese. 

• Yogurt: This one is my favorite. They make a wonderful side dish in minutes. Add you leftover salsa or   any vegetable. (If you can eat it you can add it to yogurt. I mean do not use raw beans or potatoes, boil them). Add a little salt and sugar,  add some water, garnish it with cilantro, and serve. Add fruits and some sugar and get a instant dessert. 

• Eggs: Do not forget them. Boiled eggs, half boil, omelette, French toast, etc. Endless possibilities of tons of quick fixes. For beauty fixes: put egg white on face as homemade mask, or whisk it and put is on your hair as conditioner. 

These things will give you lot of options as well versatility to your cooking. If you have any other suggestion, do not forget to post it in comment box.