Don't just decorate your table.
Serve wine during your meal or
dessert for added flavor.

Starting Up

Do you enjoy a glass of wine with your meal but wonder how to store the rest of the bottle? Once the bottle is opened, a process called oxidation begins. Oxidation causes the wine to lose flavor. If you have leftover wine and plan to drink it the next evening, recork the bottle and store the wine in the refrigerator. Chilling the wine slows oxidation. Chill both red and white wines, but allow red wines to return to room temperature before drinking. If you plan to wait a few days before drinking the wine, look for a handy device that pumps the oxygen out of the bottle. The vacuum created will preserve the wine for 4 to 6 days.

Many supermarkets cater to smaller households by cutting beef and pork roasts into 2- to 3-pound pieces. Look for roasts that weight 3 pounds or less. Eye of round, center-cut tenderloin, and tri-tip beef roasts are readily available in the 2- to 3-pound range. For pork roasts, check out a boneless top-loin roast or a sirloin roast. Pork tenderloins come in 3/4- to 1-pound pieces and are delicious when roasted. If you need to buy a roast larger than what you want, cut it in half and freeze one half for later. Even with these smaller roasts, you'll have some leftovers. Set some of the meat aside for sandwiches or salads for the next day's lunch. Slip the rest into a plastic freezer bag to use at some other time in recipes that call for cooked meat.

Grilling Guide

When a recipe calls for less than a whole can of broth, tomato sauce, tomato paste, or spaghetti sauce, measure what's left in the can and pour it into an airtight container or resealable freezer bag; then freeze it until you need that ingredient again. Label the container with the contents, the amount, and the date.