"springcleaning" news and stories

Eggs, milk, even jarred mayonnaise (which we know could probably withstand nuclear fallout) all have expiration dates, but what about the dried goods in your pantry? Some of the things have a "Best when used by" date, but not everything. This list of shelf-lives for common pantry items is taken from a book that my father bought me when he helped me "clean out" my own pantry. I think he was scared.

Baking

• All purpose flour - 12 months unopened, 6-8 months opened
• Whole wheat flour - 12 months unopened, 6 months opened (if refrigerated)
• Granulated sugar - 2 years unopened, 6 months opened
• Brown sugar - 4 months unopened, 4 month opened (in freezer)
• Confectioner's sugar - 18 months unopened
• Solid shortening - 8 months unopened, 3 months opened
• Cocoa - 2 years unopened, 1 year opened
• Baking soda - 18 months unopened, 6 months opened
• Baking powder - 6 months unopened, 3 months opened
• Cornstarch - 18 months

Have unmarked cans lurking around the back of your pantry? Spices you bought when they were on sale and never used? Well, dust off your under-utilized waffle iron or crock pot and get cooking with it! At Slashfood, we think that there is no better time to clean out your cupboards and start off with a fresh batch of ingredients than the beginning of spring. Today, we're pulling everything out of our cupboards and trying to use it up - after all, how else can we make room for all the new goodies we'll find at the grocery store in the next couple of months? We'll be thinking up ways to maximize the canned and dry goods that we never seem to quite run out of and offer suggestions for restocking the pantry once your cleanup is done.

Stay tuned for lots of suprises and some of the following:

• How to stock a basic pantry
• Making buttermilk scones with white chocolate chips
• Marshmallow cereal bars for kids and kids at heart
• What do bachelors keep at home?
• Uses for basic marinara sauce
• Shelf lives of common pantry items

Yes, in case you weren't paying attenion the first time we asked you nicely, we're reminding you that this Thursday, March 30, Slashfood would like for you to please, get up off the couch and clean up ... your pantry!

All day, we'll be emptying out our cupboards of those dried, canned, and preserved things and making stuff to eat to make room in our kitchens for spring's bounty. Pasta? Of course. Canned chicken broth? Absolutely. Dried beans and tomato paste for a cassoulet? You bet!

Hell, we might even throw in that can of Spam we bought back in 1981. Don't worry. It's still good. 

If you're in the mood, please post about your pantry clean-up and let us know on Thursday!