Cleaning out the Fridge

It all started with a watermelon. This past weekend, I bought a large watermelon at the grocery store. They were all the same price, no matter the size, so I figured I'd get a big one. The only problem was, I didn't have room in my refrigerator for the thing once I got it home. It sat on my kitchen counter for a couple days before I worked up the energy to tackle the necessary task: cleaning out the fridge.

Yesterday, armed with the appropriate supplies, and with the kitchen trash can nearby, I began my work. Why did I have three half-empty jars of  raspberry jam on the top shelf? I pulled them out, made some raspberry vinaigrette (you'll find the recipe in my post, Dressing Up a Simple Salad), then consolidated the remaining jam into one jar. As I worked through the refrigerator, I found a pomegranate that had been hiding in the back since December! It looked a little shriveled, but I decided to open it up and see what was inside. Surprisingly, the thing still appeared to be good, so I removed the arils from the fruit and put them in a container to use later.

I wiped down the shelves as I sorted through bottles and jars, storage containers filled with leftovers, multiple packages of cheese, and lots of fruits and veggies. I must confess, I did find a few items that were obviously beyond their prime -- produce that had seen better days, and a sandwich bag containing a mysterious substance that I didn't recognize. But the end result of my effort was a clean, organized refrigerator that actually had room for that giant watermelon.

I rewarded myself with a delicious salad for lunch: romaine lettuce and spinach, Vidalia onions, sliced radishes, slivered carrots, and a few tiny broccoli and cauliflower florets. I sprinkled on a couple dried cranberries, and topped it off with pomegranate arils, candied walnuts (recipe to be found in Dressing Up a Simple Salad) and crumbled goat cheese (where has this delicious cheese been all my life?). A little raspberry vinaigrette made my salad taste just like something one would get at a fancy restaurant.

And today, I will enjoy that delicious watermelon!