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Where Food and People Still Meet
Where Food and People Still Meet
Where Food and People Still Meet
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Where Food and People Still Meet

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Where Food and People Still Meet will stimulate readers to create and spark excitement to try something new in their kitchen.

Inspired by Watts very rich journey to places where she meets an assortment of people experiencing different foods, Where Food and People Still Meet embraces valuable and memorable recipes for all ages. This captivating book contains modern-day dishes we all love and wish we could make at home. She also includes more from the past and uses things right in our pantry for appetizing soups to mouth-watering salads, family snacks and luscious meals to serve any company planned or last minute. Breads, cakes, the perfect grilled steak and hamburger, campout and tail-gaiting specialties, cookies and cupcake exchange ideas,a whole chapter on popcorn, pet treats, special occasion gifts and so much more, readers will relish the heavenly taste and essence of these enjoyable recipes. Supplemented with informative details on every page, invaluable tips and practical cooking methods, this book will surely make every kitchen a perfect place to create a lasting memory.

She makes it clear, anyone can be skillful in the kitchen and gives you the tools to do just that. Every family member can contribute and learn from her suggestions and hints. Equally appealing and practical as her first book, Where Food and People Meet, this one also covers personal stories of foods and easy-to-prepare recipes that are perfect for all kinds of occasions and includes memories of the people who made these foods taste even better.

LanguageEnglish
PublisherXlibris US
Release dateOct 12, 2010
ISBN9781469113975
Where Food and People Still Meet
Author

Phyllis Watts

I really thought after writing a 600 plus page cookbook, “Where Food And People Meet”, containing my travel stories, culinary information and over 900 recipes, I‘d shared all I knew about the North American continent. However, after contacts with many new people and reconnecting with those from my past, I was bombarded with requests for all the things I didn’t write about. So the first cookbook was what I wanted to share, this second cookbook is all the things everyone requested I share. There’s bits and pieces from my hometown St. Louis, items about Joe’s home area Baltimore, contacts traveling as nurses, more Montana experiences, our wonderful families and a whole chapter about Alaska. Yes, even a chapter for our 17-year old chow/golden retriever, Marlowe Frankie and all family “pets”. I also emphasized the multiple ways anyone can share their culinary skills, highlighting times together indoors and out. I’ve cooked, baked and collected cookbooks, recipes and friends for 40 years. The journey has introduced me to people, places and foods that are a picture book of my incredible life and I’m blessed for every moment and memory. Having the chance to share more of those wonderful times and recipes is my honor and I hope inspires others to reach out and share a meal, dish, snack, treat or food gift to another soul and experience the joy. One person at a time maybe we can bring about a real change in our world. Share your joy and enjoy your journey.

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    Where Food and People Still Meet - Phyllis Watts

    Copyright © 2010 by Phyllis Watts.

    All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

    Xlibris Corporation

    1-888-795-4274

    www.Xlibris.com

    55426

    Table of Contents

    PREFACE

    ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

    JOY IN THE JOURNEY

    My Recipe Language

    A Little Schoolin’ Keeps You Coolin’

    One Bad Apple

    Correct Measurements Rule

    Candy Making Stages

    Frying Problems

    A Little Bit Of This… A Little Bit Of That… .

    Joy In My World

    The Spice Of Life

    ENJOYING THE JOURNEY

    The Heat Is On

    Who Knew??

    Beverage Leverage

    She Knows!

    Ingredient Substitutions

    Just So You Know…

      Stock ? Or Broth?

    Check Your Oil

    Working The Wave

    Shake Shake Shake

    The Alcohol Substitution Solution

    Cooking And Baking With Beer And Wine

    The Biggest Cooking Mistake

    Eggs

    Chocolate

    Cheesecake Baking

    You Just Never Know

    EATING OUT

    Just In Case

    Ready For The Road

    Prepared For The Unexpected

    Zoo

    The Perfect Burger

    A Rare Occurrence

    Plan The Perfect Picnic

    Foil Is My Friend

    Have Meal Will Travel

    Go Team! Sis-Boom-Bah

    PANTRY POTENTIAL

    Close To The Warmth

    Canned Food

    Rampart, This Is Squad 51

    Canned Quality

    Rice Is Nice

    A Cupboard Bare

    Ramen Noodles

    One Skillet Meals

    A Case Of The Unexpected

    Lotsa Pasta

    Pound For Pound Cake

    Spectacularly Simple Trifles

    Bundt Cakes

    POPCORN POWER

    Naturally Delicious Naturally Fun

    Star Spangled Snacking

    Poppin Thru History

    Feeding The Flock

    Popping With Ideas

    It Just Makes Scents

    The Language Of Popcorn

    Life’s Simple Pleasures

    COMPANY MEALS

    Just Married

    Capture The Moment!

    Timeline

    Which Memories

    Preparing To Please

    Let’s Talk Turkey

    Menu Guidelines

    Crowd Control

    Breakfast Bonanza

    Football Fever

    Lots ‘O’ Nachos

    Helpful Hints

    Super Party Favorites

    Specialties Of The House

    Choose Fondue

    PAMPERED PETS

    Doggy Don’ts

    Good Goodies

    Our Surprise Gift

    We’re Having A Party

    Gifts For The Whole Family

    Family Treats

    Life’s Little Lessons

    Feline Favorites

    Pointers On Pets: Items To Avoid With Cats

    Smaller Creature Comforts

    Fuzzy Friends

    For The Fun Of It

    RTH TO THE FUTURE

    Quality With Ruggedness

    Rut-Roe!

    Out Of Town Dining

    Living Off The Land

    Life Living Among The Wild

    Mass Meeting

    THE GIFT OF GIVING

    Meet Me In St. Louis

    Lobster Tales

    Beef And Bison And Elk, Oh Yeah!

    Huckleberry Heaven

    O Canada

    Taste Of The Season

    Fantastic Family Options: Gift Jars

    KID CONNECTION

    Make A Serious Date

    Safety First

    They See-They Hear-They Do

    Eggs-Tra Special

    Kid’s Cafe

    Bright Ideas

    Kids’ Stuff

    Ice-Scream!

    Doing Things Right The First Time

    Making Ice Cream Without An Ice Cream Maker

    Sweet Somethings

    Enjoy Simple Pleasures

    DESSERT ALERT

    Portion Control

    Let Us Eat Cakes

    Dreaming The Dream

    Beary Berry Good

    Rummy Tum Tum

    Sweet Indulgence

    Expecting The Unexpected

    Fresh Is Best Fruit Pies

    It’s About Pie-Time

    Looky Lucky Cookie

    Objective: Fun

    Cupcake Mountains

    Icing On The Cake

    Daze & Amaze With A Middle

    MAKING LIFE ENJOYABLE

    Good Deals For The Grill

    The Perfect Steak

    A Good Cheap Steak

    Vegetable Grilling

    Grilling Fruit

    Safety Tips

    Hash For All Occasions

    I Say Hazelnut—You Say Filbert

    Just A Donut

    VALUABLE HARVEST

    Summer Salad Sensations

    Cooking Those Veggies

    Voila-Viva La Vinaigrette

    Vegetables For Dessert

    A Healthy Life

    Storing What We’re Growing

    Jamming In My Kitchen

    URE-PLAIN-SIMPLE

    The Life Of Bread

    Tips For Yeast Breads

    Bread Machine Magic

    Just Plain Cooking

    Simply Soups

    Tips For Quick Breads

    Wholesome, Natural And Uncomplicated ?

    WHERE FOOD AND PEOPLE MEET

    pref001.tif

    I find it fascinating that people who are reading my first cookbook are surprised to find themselves and their stories in it;

    Especially when I wrote about people and food meeting.

    The people who I’ve met are just as important

    as the recipes and there would be no book without both.

    Think how frustrating it would be to fix a grand meal for a huge party and have no one show up to share it.

    Or on the other end, to sit around the table with someone

    and have nothing in common,

    nothing to eat, nothing to share because

    we’re both too hungry to notice the other.

    I don’t plan on writing a third cookbook,

    but Joe says if we keep meeting people with stories and eating,

    I may have to—but it will be a cookbook

    with 900 stories about people and 2 recipes.

    Enjoy your journey with the stories, through the recipes

    and because of the people in your life.

    Blessings, Phyllis Watts

    2010

    dedication.jpg

    This cookbook is

    dedicated

    to our dear friend Joan Rardin

    God introduced us in 1980s

    and my life changed forever.

    She was the first to encourage me

    to put my stories in print

    and believed I was a writer.

    Her confidence in my abilities

    never lessened even after reading

    my first horrible attempt when she,

    a professional editorial specialist,

    advised me to write like you talk.

    She was right, as always.

    She passed away a month

    before the first cookbook was published.

    Without her

    I would never have achieved

    any of the writing I’ve done over the years.

    Thank You Joan,

    You Are Forever In Our Hearts.

    ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

    To everyone who took the time to remind me of the recipes that I missed putting in the first cookbook; and all who got in contact with me again—you brought back all those wonderful times we shared and gave me the opportunity to document our great times together.

    I’m so grateful for all my new friends and acquaintances—you are all beautiful new branches to our life tree—such a surprise reward from writing these cookbooks.

    Again thanks to all my Internet contacts and professionals who helped with the wording and details that can be overwhelming and seem impossible.

    To my family and friends in Maryland, Florida, Missouri, Texas, Pennsylvania, Montana, Alaska and beyond—who have always believed in me and supported me through more than even they realize; I’m so glad so many of us are reconnecting again.

    Thank you Joe, my third cord - for every part of who I am and what I am able to accomplish and for giving me Marlowe. When no one else believed, you never failed me.

    To God, for all the Joys in my life, I am so very grateful for your abundant blessings and my journey.

    JOY IN THE JOURNEY

    I love being able to help someone. I guess that’s why being a nurse was so rewarding for me. I also love making sure everyone is communicating. I work hard to know how a person will understand the information they need to have. I tell stories, use metaphors, give examples, demonstrate, illustrate, write, draw, mime, simplify, intellectualize, repeat and use slang. I’m willing to do just about anything a person needs to make sure they have the information and understand it.

    138384.jpg

    I definitely don’t consider myself an expert at anything, but I do know a little bit of something about just about everything. I think I could get a degree in Trivia, maybe a Masters Degree but not a PHD in it. I don’t however believe that makes me indispensible or more important. In fact I’ve seen a lot of problems caused by a person not letting others know what’s going on or communicating necessary information in a timely manner.

    138410.jpg

    So I guess for those who knew me, it’s no shock I joined a professional communications organization or became a supervisor as a resource nurse. My desire to exchange information with others, understand them and myself and bring people together in the effort to work toward goals that improve all our lives has been a prevalent theme in my career and life. I suppose it appeared to be a natural step for me to write a book about cooking; one of the main keys I’ve used to reach so many. However it was a surprise to me and even more astonishing to find out I had enough recipes and stories to fill two cookbooks.

    138430.jpg

    I’m not a professional chef or cooking expert, I just like to do it and have done a lot of it through the years. I’ve asked a lot of questions and learned a lot from the people who were experts. I especially liked picking the brain of someone who had a great deal of experience with their culinary task, area or field. I have no formal training in the culinary field—again I know a little in a whole lot of different areas. But it’s like my nursing, I enjoy doing it and it gives me enormous pleasure and personal satisfaction to be able to help someone with a need using the information or skill I have acquired.

    88481.jpg

    But even after writing a cookbook, I’m still surprised when someone asks me a question about cooking and expects me to know the answer. That’s what happened last year right after the first cookbook was published.

    Joe and I were spending a holiday with our Alaskan family, Steve, Bonnie, their daughters, son-in-laws and grandchildren. It was one of those times in the last 6 years when I wasn’t able to actually cook or make a dish to contribute to the dinner. I was out of sorts about not feeling included in all the preparations. Then Lindsey, their youngest daughter who's really caught the culinary bug and enjoys it like I do, asked me a question.

    image014.jpg

    She'd made a breaded topping to place over her pork dish before baking it. With quite a bit of it leftover, she was wondering if it could be used for something else rather than just thrown out. She specifically wanted to know what I thought. After tasting it, I suggested it would go well in a pasta dish. Her sister Jamie jumped in with the idea to top some ravioli and bake it. We all agreed that the combination would be marvelous. Not only was I now a part of what was happening in the kitchen, but Jamie, who isn’t really fond of cooking, was involved as well.

    image016.jpg

    On the way home I mentioned to Joe how fun it was to have someone ask me for my advice like that, as if I’m some expert that would know.

    He brushed off my surprise, Once people find out you cook or taste your cooking, they ask you questions all the time about food. I always use food as a subject to talk to other people because its comfortable for me and them, I hadn’t realized how much others initiated conversation with me because they valued the knowledge I had gained from all the years.

    Joe believes I’m an encyclopedia of knowledge. He doesn’t really think I know everything, but he says it all the time, even to other people. However he did help me decide to write this second cookbook when he said, Think of all the things people ask you about and you have a whole chapter for your second cookbook.

    So I guess this is my brain emptying itself in order to help.

    image018.jpg

    These are the answers when people call with a question, like my brother Paul who can roast a turkey in his sleep, needing to know how to bake a ham; or when a co-worker of Joe’s gives him a question to ask me about a cake I made because they have cake baking issues; or when someone likes a certain restaurant food and wants to know what flavors I taste in it so we can recreate it at home; or I get an email wanting to know how to fix something for a certain situation and they don’t know where to start.

    I really want everyone to be able to prepare a meal for anyone, using the skills they have and to be proud of it—whatever they want it to be: nutritious, special, personal, delicious, memorable or just good. So here we go, there is one thing I do know, if someone needs help, I’m the first one to volunteer my services, because helping really does give my life joy.

    image022.jpg My Recipe Language 3364.jpg

    Both my Cookbook’s terms are as follows

    unless otherwise stated:

    Flour means plain, all purpose flour - Baking with flour, sift first and spoon into dry measuring cup gently, without pressing or packing it in. Then level with a knife.

    OVEN BAKING: Preheat your oven unless the recipe says not to. Decrease oven temperature when using glass or dark pan by 25-degrees for example:

    if oven Temperature is 350-degrees turn down to 325-degrees.

    All oven temperatures are in Fahrenheit

    Sugar is white granulated

    Brown Sugar is always measured packed—Measure by patting it firmly in dry measure cup

    Eggs are always large

    Powdered sugar is same as confectioners’ sugar or icing sugar

    Salt is table salt

    Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Ginger, Allspice and all spices that are in recipes mean ground dried unless other wise specified.

    Butter or Margarine—1 stick equals 8 Tablespoons or ½ cup

    Pepper is just plain ground black pepper

    Salad Dressing refers to the sweeter mayonnaise like product such as Miracle Whip.

    Vanilla—means extract either real or imitation—real is best

    Vinegar—white is the type it means unless otherwise stated

    Yeast package contains 2 ¼ teaspoons of dry active yeast.

    Servings: I don’t put servings because it depends on the group I’m feeding: 2 servings for 2 hungry athletes is not the same as 3 servings for me and my husband and his car buddy or 4 servings for the ladies day lunchtime.

    Milk—is white preferably whole, but 2% and low fat can be used. When boiling milk, first stir in a pinch of baking soda. This will help keep the milk from curdling.

    88530.jpg

    A liquid measuring cup doesn’t work for dry ingredients: it’s impossible to level off the correct amount, as you do with dry measuring cups. Tapping a wet measuring cup to settle a dry ingredient like flour just makes it more compact, which wreaks havoc on baked goods, where accuracy is important. However, if you have a steady hand, you can fill a dry measuring cup with liquid—it will yield roughly the correct amount minus any spilling.

    image026.jpg

    Use a dry measure for powders, such as sugar, salt, and baking powder. Spoon or scoop the powder lightly into the cup and level by running a knife or spatula across the top to level the surface and scrape any excess back into the jar or canister.

    image028.jpg

    Measure a heaping or rounded Tablespoon, teaspoon, or cup. This is not precise, but is generally a moderately sized, round mound, or heap of the dry ingredient in addition to the spoon. Measure a scant cup or spoon by filling the measure not completely full, or by shaking or pouring a little bit out.

    Side dishes like green beans and sweet potatoes can be made ahead and reheated on the stovetop. Store cut-up veggies in self-sealing plastic bags; you’ll fit the foods into small spaces in the fridge.

    With grated cheese or chopped nuts, pack loosely into a dry measure until they are about even with the rim. Before using cheese grater, spray it with nonstick cooking spray, it will make cleanup a breeze.

    Cheesecloth In A Pinch: If you’re out of cheesecloth you can use a sheet of paper towel or a coffee filter to line a colander or strainer and then strain liquid. Single use only and you may have to do in batches.

    Protect Cookbooks & Recipes: Place cards and cookbooks in a clear plastic bag first before using them to prepare a dish. This will keep them from getting smudged up with gooey fingers, yet still be perfectly readable when doing a quick check on a measurement or instruction.

    Place the recipe file card that you are using between the first and last tines of a fork placed in a glass. This keeps the card off the worktable, keeps it clean and easy to read.

    Heat Up the Plates: If you have oven space, warm the serving plates there. Otherwise, run them under the hottest water available and quickly dry them.

    Remove Dough Quickly From Hands: Keep a small bowl of cornmeal nearby while kneading and working with dough. If you need to quickly answer the phone, the door, or rescue a runaway toddler while your hands are full of sticky dough, rub dry cornmeal on your hands. This removes dough faster than washing your hands in soap and water.

    Baking Soda Test: Do you have an old box of baking soda in the pantry and you’re not sure whether or not it’s still good? Fill a small cup half full with vinegar and drop a teaspoon of baking soda in it. If things start fizzing then baking soda is active.

    Baking Yeast bread: do not preheat. When you light your oven, pop in the bread pans immediately and you’ll be amazed at the resulting lightness of the bread. A teaspoon of sugar mixed with your yeast and water makes it raise better. Even if you are making bread you can use some sugar. Never mix salt directly with the yeast and water mixture as the salt kills the raising action

    Toast oatmeal in the oven before adding to other ingredients when making oatmeal cookies—for a delicious difference.

    A%20little%20Schoolin%20Keeps%20you%20Coolin.jpg

    Now in order for you to know what you are reading in my two cookbooks or other cookbooks, I'm putting the term explanations in the front of this cookbook. I’m keeping it all as simple as possible and most are just that—simple. But a few can be a little tricky and even more difficult to explain without an actual demonstration. I find it helps me to actually use the utensils and equipment as you go through the definition. Usually that makes it clear for me or makes more sense of the complexity. Most cooking and baking techniques are not hard, some can be several little steps but nothing is impossible if you break it down.

    image032.jpg

    Al dente—An Italian expression applied to processed pasta cooked just until enough resistance is left in it to be felt by a tooth; also applied to vegetables that have been cooked crisp by steaming, boiling, or stir-frying

    Au gratin—Topped with crumbs and/or cheese and browned in an oven or under broiler.

    Au jus—Served in its own juice.

    Bake—To cook, either covered or uncovered, in an oven.

    Barbecue—A cooking method involving grilling food over a fire. Usually some sort of rub, marinade, or sauce is brushed on the item before or during cooking

    Baste—To keep foods moist during cooking by pouring a liquid over them: meat drippings, melted fat, or other liquid.

    Beat—To make a mixture creamy, smooth, or filled with air by whipping it in a brisk motion with a spoon, fork, wire whisk or electric mixer.

    Bias cut—To cut foods diagonally into thick or thin slices, most often used in stir-fry.

    Bisque—A thick cream soup.

    Blanch—To precook a food briefly in boiling liquid or over steam; use for fruits and vegetables and also to loosen skin from tomatoes, peaches and almonds.

    image034.jpg

    Blend—To stir two or more ingredients together until they are smooth and uniform: usually using electric mixer, blender or food processor.

    Boil—To cook at temperature 212-degrees at sea level. When boiling a liquid, you will see bubbles forming rapidly, rising continually and breaking when they reach the surface of the liquid. The bigger the bubbles, the hotter the temperature. You can either boil liquid, or can boil some other food in a liquid.

    Bone—To remove raw or cooked meat from bones.

    Braise—to cook slowly in a small amount of liquid in a covered pan on the stovetop or in the oven. Generally used for less tender cuts of meat.

    Bread—To coat food with breadcrumbs, crackers or other crumbs onto a raw food after it is first dipped in beaten egg or milk or other liquid.

    Broil—To cook food placed directly under the source of heat or directly over an open fire.

    Broth—A flavorful liquid made by gently cooking the flesh only of meat, seafood, or vegetables, often with herbs, in liquid, usually water—in most modern recipes Broth and stock are interchangeable terms.

    Brown—To cook food in a small amount of fat over medium to high heat until the food becomes brown, sealing in the juices and developing rich pan drippings.

    3514.jpg

    Caramelize—The flavor of many foods: vegetables, meats, and seafood, is often enhanced by a gentle browning that caramelizes natural sugars and other compounds and intensifies their flavor. Meats for stews are usually browned to caramelize juices that if not caramelized are much less flavorful. Chopped vegetables, especially aromatic ones such as carrots and onions, are often caramelized—sometimes with cubes of meat—in a small amount of fat before liquid is added to enhance the flavor of soups, stews, and sauces.

    Chill—To put food in the refrigerator until it is cold throughout.

    Chop—To cut food in pieces about the size of small peas.

    Coat—To cover the back of a spoon with a layer of a thickened sauce or stirred custard or also to dip or roll foods in flour, sugar or sauce until covered.

    Combine—To place several ingredients in a single bowl or container and thoroughly mix.

    Compote—Is a chilled dish of fresh or dried fruit that has been slowly cooked in sugar syrup, which may also contain alcohol or liqueur and sometimes spices. Slow cooking is important for the fruit to retain its shape.

    Cool—To remove a food from the source of heat and let it stand at room temperature until it reaches room temperature; food should not be put in the refrigerator to bring the temperature down more quickly.

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    Core—To remove the seed area of an apple or pear using a coring tool or small knife.

    Cream—To beat butter, margarine or shortening alone or with sugar using a spoon or mixer until light and fluffy

    Crimp-To seal the edges, usually piecrust, by pinching at intervals with fingers or pressing them together with a fork.

    Crisp-tender—Defines a stage of vegetables that are cooked until they are crunchy yet tender enough to be pierced with a fork also known as Fork-tender.

    Crudités-An assortment of raw vegetables served as appetizers, usually with dips

    Cube—To cut food into little squares all the same size

    Cut in—To use two knives or a pastry blender to add shortening or cold butter or margarine by cutting it into tiny pieces during the blending process.

    DASH—A dash holds 1/8 teaspoon. 8 dashes = 1 teaspoon A dash was originally considered a liquid measure, a small but indefinite amount. More recently the term has been used as both a liquid and dry measurement

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    Deglaze—To add liquid to a pan in which foods have been sautéed or roasted in order to dissolve the bits and juices stuck to the bottom of the pan. The purpose of deglazing is to make a quick sauce or gravy for a roast, steak, chop, or a piece of seafood fillet or steak

    Degrease-To remove fat from the surface of stews, soups or stock. The food can be cooled in the refrigerator so the fat hardens and can be removed easily.

    Dice—To cut food in tiny pieces all of the same size and shape.

    Dot—To break up small pieces of butter and distribute over the top of a dish or casserole.

    Dredge—To coat raw meat with a dry mixture, usually flour or cornmeal prior to frying.

    Dress—To toss salads with salad dressing or to remove internal organs of fish, poultry or game.

    Drizzle—To slowly spoon or pour a thin stream of an icing, melted butter or other liquid over food.

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    Dust—To sprinkle sugar, cocoa or flour lightly over food.

    Dutch oven—A multipurpose cooking vessel that can range in size from 5-8 quarts and is used to roast meats, cook soups and stews, boil pasta or steam vegetables.

    Emulsify—To combine through a whisking action two liquids that traditionally separate, such as oil and vinegar, into a mixture that will not separate upon standing.

    Entrée—The main course.

    Fillet—A boneless piece of fish, chicken or meat.

    Fold in—To gently add a new ingredient to an already-beaten mixture. The new ingredient is dumped on top of the mixture; with a large spatula, the new ingredient is brought down through the middle of the mixture, and the mixture is scraped off the bottom of the bowl and brought to the top.

    Fricassee—To braise small, individual serving pieces of meat or poultry in a little broth, sauce, or water.

    Fry—To cook food in hot fat; no water is added, and no cover is used.

    To pan-fry—food is cooked in a small amount of fat (a few tablespoons to half an inch) in a frying pan turning only once or twice.

    Full roiling boil—To boil a liquid in which the bubble created by the boil cannot be stirred down.

    Deep-fry—food is cooked in a large kettle that contains enough hot fat to cover the food or allow it to float.

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    Garnish—Edible decoration that you put on the plate before you serve the cooked food such as parsley, slice of lemon or lime, a piece of fruit, small tomato or even swirl of syrup or sauce.

    Glaze—To cover a food with a mixture that hardens, adds flavor, and makes the food look glossy or shiny.

    Grate—To cut food into fine particles, usually with the use of a grater.

    Grease-To rub a pan with fat such as butter, margarine or shortening over the inside of the pan.

    Grill—To cook food on a rack directly under or over the source of heat.

    Grind—To transform a solid piece of food into smaller pieces using a meat grinder, food processor or mortar and pestle.

    Hull—To remove the green stem or leaves of strawberry or tomato or other produce.

    Husk—To remove the outer leaves from an ear of corn

    Incorporated—in cooking it means combining ingredients until they make one batter or dough.

    Jelly roll—This technique is used when any food is filled and rolled into a log shape.

    Jelly roll pan—A wide, flat pan similar to a cookie sheet with roughly a 1 inch lip on all four sides usually 10 x 15 inch pan

    Julienne—To cut and slice vegetables, fruits, cheeses and meats into match shaped slivers 2 inches long and ¼ inch thick.

    Knead—To make a dough or dough-like substance smooth and elastic by folding, stretching, and pressing it continuously until it reaches the desired texture. (When fondant for candies is kneaded, it gets satiny instead of elastic.)

    Line—To cover a baking sheet with a piece of waxed or parchment paper or foil to prevent sticking

    Marinate—To make foods more flavorful or tender by allowing them to stand in a liquid or rub for hours or overnight; the food is generally completely covered. Most marinades are a mixture of cooking oil and vinegar or lemon juice with a variety of spices added for flavor

    Macerate—The fruit equivalent of marinating

    Melt-To heat something solid, such as butter, until it becomes a liquid

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    Mince—To chop food in very fine pieces

    Mix—To stir ingredients until they are very well blended with a spoon or fork

    Moisten—To add enough liquid to dry ingredients while stirring gently to make a wet but not runny mixture. Often used in the making of muffins

    Pan-broil—To cook food in a heavy pan on top of the stove; the pan is usually ungreased, and any grease from the food is poured off as it accumulates so the food won’t start to fry

    Parboil—To cook a food in boiling liquid only until it is partly cooked

    Pan-Fry—To cook food on top of the stove in a skillet with small amount of oil, butter or other fat, a few tablespoons to half an inch, turning the food only once or twice

    Pare/Peel—To remove the outermost skin of fruit or vegetable.

    Phyllo dough—Pastry made with very thin sheets of flour-and-water dough layered with butter and / or crumbs; similar to strudel. Also called filo dough

    PINCH—A pinch holds 1/2 dash or 1/16 teaspoon. 2 pinches = 1 dash A pinch has historically been defined as an amount that can be taken between the thumb and forefinger but without any definite equivalent in other units of measurement.

    Pipe—To force a soft mixture such as whipped cream, frosting or mashed potatoes through an icing bag or pastry bag for a fancy garnish

    Poach—To simmer in a hot liquid slowly; poaching is a gentle process, food holds its shape

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    Pot-roast-To brown a large piece of meat in fat quickly, and then cook it in a covered pan in the oven or on top of the stove; liquid is usually added to make the roast more tender

    Prick—To pierce food or pastry with tines of a fork to prevent them from bursting or rising during baking. Also used when roasting ducks and geese to remove excess fat under the skin

    Punch down—To use a fist to deflate risen yeast dough after the first rising

    Puree—To blend a cooked fruit or vegetable until it is smooth and uniform throughout

    Reduce or Reduction—technique of cooking liquids down so that some of the water they contain evaporates. Reduction is used to concentrate the flavor of a broth or sauce and, at times, to help thicken the sauce by concentrating ingredients such as natural gelatin.

    Refresh—To run cold water over food that has been parboiled in order to stop the cooking.

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    Reserve—To set something aside to use later in the recipe, usually liquid or juice drained from a can of something or liquid from items cooked in the skillet or pan

    Roast—To make a food in the oven, uncovered, without added liquid

    Roux—A mixture of flour and fat that is cooked together until golden brown and used to thicken gumbo, soups and sauces

    Sauté—To cook a food quickly, turning the food over and over in small amount of fat until tender

    Scald—To heat liquid to just below the boiling point, tiny bubbles appear at the edges

    Scallop—To cook a food in a sauce; many scalloped foods are cooked in a cheese or a cream sauce and topped with browned crumbs

    Score—To make thin slashes on the surface of meats to tenderize or decorate

    Sear—To brown meat rapidly by using extremely high heat

    Seed—To remove seeds from fruits and vegetables.

    Separate—To divide eggs into whites and yolks

    Shred—To cut food in narrow, long, small pieces, usually with a grater

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    Sift—To pass dry ingredients, most often flour, through a fine-mesh strainer to remove lumps, add air and combine several dry ingredients

    Simmer—To cook a food in hot liquid just below the boiling point—usually above 185-degrees but below 210-degrees; bubbles form slowly, but break before they reach the surface

    Skim—To remove with a spoon a layer of fat or foam that rises to the top of cooking liquids

    Slurry—A slurry is a mixture of a starch and cold water. You can use cornstarch (the preferred for thickening milk or dairy sauces), arrowroot (great for defatted meat sauces or broths because it gives a wonderful glossy sheen), potato starch, rice flour, or regular flour

    SMIDGEN—A smidgen holds 1/2 pinch or 1/32 teaspoon. 2 smidgens = 1 pinch

    Snip—To cut herbs into small pieces using a kitchen shears.

    Soften—To bring butter, margarine, cream cheese or ice cream to a soft consistency by holding at room temperature for a short time.

    Soft Peaks—To beat egg whites or cream until peaks hold their shape, but droop slightly.

    Steam—To cook a food on a rack or in a perforated pan, and placed in a covered container that has a small amount of boiling water in the bottom. In some cases, the food is cooked in a container that creates pressure (called a pressure cooker).

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    Steep—To simmer a food in liquid just below the boiling point over an extended period of time so the flavor or other element is extracted into the water

    Stew—To simmer slowly in a small amount of liquid, usually for several hours

    Stiff peaks—To beat egg whites or cream until it is moist and glossy and the peaks stand up straight without drooping

    Stir—To use a spoon to thoroughly combine two or more ingredients

    Stir-Fry—To quickly sauté meats and vegetables while stirring constantly in a wok or skillet

    Stock—A long-simmered broth made from flesh and bones of meat, poultry, fish and/or vegetables with herbs and spices—in most modern recipes broth and stock are interchangeable terms.

    Strain—To separate solids from liquids by pouring through a colander or sieve

    Stud—To insert seasonings like whole cloves in the surface of food, such as ham

    Stuff—To fill a cavity in fish, poultry or meats with a bread or rice, vegetable, fruit or nut mixture

    Thread—To place pieces of meat, vegetables and fruit onto skewers… for instance when making kabobs

    Toss—To mix lightly and gently, usually with a slight lifting motion

    Warm-To hold food at a low temperature without further cooking, usually around 200 degrees

    Whip—To beat a food rapidly or vigorously so you add air to it

    Whisk-To use an instrument called a whisk, a wire beater used by hand, to stir ingredients together

    Zest—The thin, brightly colored outer part of the rind of citrus fruits. The oils make it ideal for use as a flavoring. Remove the zest with a grater, citrus zester, or vegetable peeler. Be careful to remove only the colored layer, not the bitter white pith beneath it

    To get more juice from lemon, limes and oranges, pop them in a microwave for 30 seconds on high power.

    Juice from 1 lemon = 3-4 Tablespoons

    Juice from 1 lime = 2 Tablespoons

    Juice from 1 orange = 4-6 Tablespoons

    One Bad Apple

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    We could tell something was wrong immediately. Steve opened the door before we could even get to it. The look on his face had more distress on it than the day we had to stop in and clean the 3-inch laceration on his hand from the neighbor's chain saw. We were looking forward to a special spring meal at Bonnie and Steve’s with the whole family. No one else was there yet and we were quickly escorted to the kitchen and the frenetic activity explained.

    Bonnie was in crisis mode. She was making a fancy entrée and the stuffing had gone all wrong. I’d never seen her this distraught. She thought we were Jamie and Joe, her older daughter and son-in-law who were expected at any moment. Bonnie had just made the stressful decision to remake the stuffing and was hoping they would be able to help get it done. All her preplanning and preparation was out the window and she was on a time crunch. We tasted the wrong stuffing and although a little sweet, didn’t taste bad.

    Bonnie doesn’t cook really involved recipes usually, but she wanted to do something special for this dinner with us. She had planned everything out and didn’t realize until she tasted the mix before stuffing the pork that she had used apple cider instead of apple cider vinegar. If you don’t know—the difference is like using honey instead of pepper.

    We all grabbed a corner of the kitchen and divided up the prep work. I chopped onions, Joe crumbled crackers, Steve chopped vegetables and Bonnie prepared a clean skillet. In record time we had her on course and she was stuffing the meat with the correct dressing by the time Jamie and Joe walked in. The dish was fabulous.

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    The point, check your labels carefully. All the preparation work went into the wastebasket with just one grab of the wrong bottle. New recipes come from using wrong or substituting ingredients all the time. The stuffing she made with the apple cider would have been really good with chicken or other poultry and I would have named it Sweet Apple Poultry. A few dashes of a hot sauce or peppers in the poultry rub and the dish would have worked. But the really cool part of the whole incident was the teamwork we pulled together and enjoyed to get the meal Bonnie planned on the table. It turned out just like she wanted and the look on her face made that day such an added thrill.

    Correct Measurements Rule

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    Be Careful. Always remember to double check your recipe. There is a big difference between Fluid Ounces and Dry Ounces.

    Fluid Ounces = Volume Measurement

    Dry Ounces = Weight Measurement

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    When deep-fat frying, add 1 Tablespoon vinegar to the fat before heating.

    This will keep the food from absorbing too much fat.

    Sauté Secrets

    These classic techniques seal in moisture and flavor.

    For foolproof sautéing of chicken, turkey, pork or even beef cutlets, keep these tips in mind.

    1. Use a well-balanced, heavy pan-it shouldn’t roll back and forth when on the countertop. The heavier the pan, the more even the heat.

    2. Be sure that your pan is large enough to hold your cutlets without them touching or overlapping at all. As a general rule, four average-size cutlets will fit in a 12-inch skillet. If you are cooking more, sauté them in batches.

    3. Heat your pan on medium-high heat before you add the oil, butter or a combination of both. Test this by holding your hand briefly over the pan. If you have to remove your hand after only a few seconds, then pan is ready.

    4. Add a quarter-size portion of oil and a small pat of butter. Tilt pan to coat; reduce heat slightly if butter browns immediately. Pat cutlets dry with paper towels, so they don’t spatter in skillet. Season as directed; add to pan. Cook, without moving cutlets, for a few minutes.

    5. Turn cutlets with a spatula or tongs-not a fork-so no juices are lost. If properly seared, pieces should release easily. Transfer cooked cutlets to a plate, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and keep warm.

    SOGGY AFTER FRYING

    With fried chicken and other fried food recipes, they tell you to drain the fried pieces on paper towels, which can cause some sogginess. I place the fried food on a rack with a paper towel-lined baking sheet underneath to catch oil drippings. Then blot food quickly with a paper towel and they are ready to serve, nice and crisp all the way around.

    FOOD DOESN’T BROWN

    Covering the entire surface of a pan traps heat and creates steam; steam is an enemy of browning, which locks in flavor and juices. To guard against overcrowding, use two pans or cook in batches. To prevent the first batch of food from getting cold while you cook the second, keep it on an ovenproof plate in an oven set at a low temperature—about 200-degrees.

    PAN/SKILLET TEMPERATURE

    The cooking surface has to be hot enough to seal in the juices and brown the food. Food also tends to stick to a pan that’s too cold, which makes it harder to sauté everything, from onions to potatoes. Heat the cooking surface on high for several minutes before adding the oil. You’ll know that the pan is hot enough when a few drops of water thrown on the cooking surface skitter and evaporate quickly. Now you can add the oil. When it begins to shimmer and ripple slightly, or a few seconds later, add the meat or the fish. If you’re using a nonstick pan, put the oil in the pan before you turn on the heat, as nonstick pans may release toxins when they’re heated up empty.

    EXCESS WATER IN PAN AND HEAT DROPS

    The excess water in a hot pan creates steam, leaving vegetables stewed and mushy rather than bright and tender. In addition, hot oil will splatter when it’s hit with cold water. To get tender greens, invest in a salad spinner. For best results, spin the greens, pour out the water, toss, and spin again. Wait until the pan is very hot before dumping in the greens. They should be sautéed only a minute or two, until they’re just wilted.

    Make sure you towel dry other vegetables, meat, poultry and fish if they have no coating or breading on them and they are not cold or they will lower the temperature of your oil too suddenly. Frozen vegetables, meats, poultry or fish in your pan—remove as much visible ice clinging to the food, then towel dry before putting into pan and again, don’t overcrowd which will cool your oil off too fast, as when deep frying or stir frying frozen items.

    Stop Meat Edges From Curling

    When grilling steaks or frying up pork chops the edges can curl and meat no longer sits flat in the pan or on the grill. To help prevent that, just cut a slit in the fat along the edge of the meat every inch or so before cooking

    OIL TEMPERATURE

    Whether you're pan-frying or deep-frying, food will absorb too much oil and become heavy and greasy if the oil is below 350-degrees. Use oil with a high smoking point (the temperature at which it begins to burn), and get it good and hot. Safflower, peanut, grape seed, and canola oils are ones to try. Then test to make sure the pan is hot enough for cooking. If you don’t have a deep-fry thermometer, do a test run. Dip a bit of whatever you plan to fry, like a corner of a fish fillet, into the oil. It should sizzle immediately if the oil is ready. You can also test a hunk of bread, which should brown in 10 seconds. If you goof up and put the food in too early, pull it out of the oil immediately. Let the oil heat and try again.

    A Little Bit Of This…

    A Little Bit Of That… .

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    These tidbits are from notes I have taken over the years about shortcuts and as Joe says, those things in my head that make what I do easier.

    Hope they help you too.

    HASHBROWNS—To get that wonderful crunch, while they are in the pan, top the potatoes with a layer of foil and another pan that nest comfortably inside. Then place a small but heavy object like a can of crushed tomatoes in the second pan to weigh it down. This forces out the air that causes spuds to steam instead of crisp.

    Muffins and cupcakes always stick to the liners, even when using the foil ones. Place liners in each well and coat with cooking spray before adding the batter. When the mini cakes are completely cooled, the liners will peel off.

    Muffin Tin Use: After stuffing peppers and tomatoes, arrange in a muffin tin before sticking them in the oven. They’ll stay upright and keep their shape perfectly! You could also do this with baked apples or other round or stuffed items.

    Fill Empty Muffin Tins With Water: If your muffin or cupcake recipe doesn’t fill all the spots in your muffin pan, fill the empty places 3/4 full with water. This will help protect those slots from darkening or getting scorched.

    To avoid having soggy biscuits on a meat pie, you can bake the biscuits separately while the pie filling is cooking. Then just a few minutes before the biscuits are completely browned, slide them onto the filling and complete the cooking.

    To liven up day old bread or rolls you can put the bread in a large bowl and place in a pot with a shallow level of boiling water. Remove from heat and cover the pot to steam the bread briefly. The bread will be warm and soft in a couple minutes.

    You can also use stale breads to make big batches of breadcrumbs and delicious homemade croutons.

    Greaseless Griddle Cake: When making griddle cake, grease pan for the first cake. After that rub a piece of raw potato over hot griddle instead of greasing. The cakes brown nicely and there will be no smoke

    Natural Peanut Butter Storage: If it is the type that separates after it sits for a while, store unopened jars in the cabinet upside down. The oil will want to rise to the top again and will pass through the solid part to do so, basically stirring itself.

    Flour Bugs: Keep a couple bay leaves in the flour canister to help deter bugs (flour Weevils). Toss the leaves loose in flour or make a rough pouch out of one layer of cheesecloth to keep leaves separated from flour. Another tip is to tape the bay leaves to the inside of the lid. Always try to keep flour and other grains in airtight containers to help keep pantry pests out.

    Soften Marshmallows: Slice open top of a marshmallow bag then place in a large zip lock freezer bag. Freeze. Remove the amount of frozen marshmallows you need as you need them. Thaw and they’re soft and ready to use. If you have hard marshmallows in the pantry, try tossing a piece or two of sliced bread in the bag. Seal, then check after a few days. The marshmallows should be soft again. Dip the blades of shears in hot water before cutting marshmallows, they won’t stick.

    Freeze Cookie Dough: Try preparing a few batches of cookie dough at once and freezing the extra that you won’t be baking that day. You can roll the dough in logs first before freezing (wrap dough really well) and then just slice off and bake what you need whenever you crave freshly baked cookies or unexpected guest arrive.

    Prevent cookies from spreading by dusting the baking sheet with flour after greasing or spraying it. The cookies will come out delicious and beautiful

    Sweet Time: Most desserts can be made a day or two ahead; remove them from the fridge an hour before serving. Reheat pies in a 350-degree oven for 15 minutes.

    Bigger Cakes From Mixes:

    To make a bigger cake from a mix, add

    Cracks and uneven surfaces on cakes are caused by too much flour or too hot an oven—remember when using glass or dark baking pans, decrease your oven temperature by 25-degrees. When making a cake, always add 2 Tablespoons boiling water to the butter and sugar mixture. This makes a fine textured cake.

    When making Chocolate cake, use coca instead of flour to coat your cake pan instead of flour. Place a drinking glass under your cooling rack at each end of the rack then make sure to let your baked goods rest until cool to the touch to avoid sogginess. About 15 minutes for cookies, 45 minutes for brownies and 90 minutes for breads and cakes.

    Icing Cakes:

    For one layer cakes, turn cake upside down before icing so that the top is perfectly flat and even. When icing two cake rounds or squares, place a layer of frosting on the top of one round, then place the other round upside down on top for a perfectly flat top.

    If the cake rose high and uneven in the middle when baking, you may need to slice a bit off across the top to lay it flat.

    Add a few drops of vinegar to your icing while beating and you will find it will stay soft and not grainy.

    Swift chocolate frosting can be made by melting chocolate candy (or chips) on the cupcake. Put in a warm oven. When chocolate is soft, spread with a knife.

    Neatly Cut Fudge: Use a pizza cutter to easily slice through flats of fudge and candy squares. Make sure the candy has been chilled or thoroughly set before cutting. The process is fast and easy and the result is nice, neat squares.

    When picking crabmeat free of bits of shell, spread the crabmeat in a thin layer on a baking sheet and place in a 350-degree oven for about 10 minutes.

    This will make it easier to see the bits of shell.

    Stuffing: This can be prepped a couple of days in advance; just don’t combine the bread with the sautéed vegetables until you’re ready to bake the stuffing.

    Gravy: To avoid last-minute panic and lumpy gravy, make the base ahead. Into a medium saucepan, measure 1 Tablespoon cornstarch or 2 Tablespoons flour for every cup of liquid you’ll use. Stir 1 cup of the broth into the starch until smooth. Add remaining broth and bring to a boil, stirring often. Boil 1 minute for cornstarch, 3 minutes for flour. Cover and refrigerate up to 2 days. While the turkey or roast rests before carving, skim fat from roasting-pan drippings (leave some to flavor the gravy). Add the gravy base to the roasting pan and boil, scraping up any brown bits. Strain the liquid into a saucepan; reheat. Salt added to flour used for thickening gravies, will help to prevent lumping.

    How to Make Poached Chicken Breasts

    The keys to poaching are: the size of the pan, the volume of liquid and the cooking temperature.

    Place chicken breasts in a pot that’s just about large enough to fit them in one layer. Add poaching liquid so that it completely covers the chicken by at least a half inch to an inch.

    After bringing the liquid to a boil, reduce heat to a bare simmer so that only an occasional bubble breaks the surface. At this point, partly cover the pot, cook for about 10 minutes, then turn off the heat, leaving the chicken to finish cooking in the hot water for 10-15 more minutes.

    Remove chicken, then enjoy it warm or refrigerate it for later use. Slice or shred your poached chicken depending on what you want to use it for.

    When bringing chicken home from store, wash it, put in a freezer bag, pour marinade on it and freeze the entire package. When ready to use, let it thaw in the marinade and then cook.

    Start your pork roast in a very small amount of apple juice instead of water; it improves the flavor greatly and gives it a sweet taste.

    MEATBALLS: Rolling meatballs is a fun project for kids but you end up with rounds that range in size from gumball to tennis balls.This can cause overdone and partially cooked meat. Redoing them will squelch the kids desire to help next time, so let them use a spring-loaded ice-cream scoop to form the balls, they will cook evenly and look great.

    PERFECT MEATBALLS: You want a slight crust and a tender center. To guarantee that texture combination, lightly coat the meatballs in flour just before browning. Once placed in the hot pan, the flour will immediately form a crust, sealing in moisture.

    Mixing Raw Hamburger: If you can’t stand mixing raw hamburger by hand and the wooden spoon just won’t do, try covering each of your hands in a clean plastic bag (or baggy) and dig in. The plastic bags will still give your hands and fingers free movement, yet keep them free from raw meat contamination. Did you know: Meatloaf experts declare that the ingredients must be mixed by hand or the meatloaf is doomed.

    You can substitute crumbled cornflakes for breadcrumbs when making meatloaf.

    Leftover ham: Lay ham slices in a baking dish then cover with maple syrup.

    To prevent shrinkage when cooking meat, avoid high temperatures. A low steady temperature also gives a nice brown surface to the meat.

    Slicing Meat Thin: Partially freezing meat before making your cuts. This will make the meat easier to slice very thin since it will hold firm while slicing.

    Prevent Bacon Spatters: Bacon can be quite a messy item to prepare, try lightly dusting the bacon with flour before frying. This helps prevent the spatters and meat shrinkage.

    Veggie Roasting Racks: Try roasting a chicken or roast on top of long slices of celery or carrot sticks. The vegetables act like a roasting rack plus add flavor to the meat. You can eat the vegetables too. Not only do the veggies work well as a roasting rack, there’s one less item to wash.

    CHEESE SANDWICH buttered bread slices can burn easily when trying to grill your sandwich, so instead, use mayonnaise. Spread it on each outer bread slice instead. With one swipe on each side of the bread, it will toast as the cheese melts and have a richer flavor.

    CHEDDAR CHEESE you melt for quick dip comes out lumpy? Stir in a few drizzles of white wine puts a stop to stringing and lumping and makes a perfect dip.

    BERRIES, DRIED FRUITS and NUTS are heavy add-ins and tend to sink to bottom of thin batter during baking and the flavor will be flat. Toss your add ins with 1-2 Tablespoons flour before folding into the batter. It will keep them buoyant.

    PEELING ORANGES To get the stubborn white membranes that stick to the segments, soak 1 whole unpeeled orange in boiling water for 5 minutes and let cool. The pith loosens from the flesh, so peeling it off is neat and easy. Grate orange and lemon peel before peeling. Dry and add to spice cake or any cookies or puddings. The dried grated peel will keep well in a covered jar.

    Strawberry Tip: Wash freshly picked strawberries and then take a wide plastic straw and insert it at the bottom of a strawberry—then push the stem out.

    Sugar In Fruit Pies: When making pie, sprinkle sugar under the fruit instead of on top. This prevents pie from boiling over.

    Baking Fruit Pies: Cut four small slits into top piecrust and stand one piece of tube pasta into each slit (choose pasta at least 2 or 3 inches long-cannelloni and cut ziti work well). The juices will bubble up the pasta ‘pipe’ and back down into the pie—instead of running all over your oven. Once pie has finished baking, remove pasta.

    First rinse raisins, dates and figs in very cold water before putting them through the food chopper. They will not form such a gummy mass.

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    Cornstarch is best known for thickening sauces, gravies, soups, pies, custards and puddings. To store cornstarch, keep it in an airtight container

    To use cornstarch—dissolve 1 teaspoon cornstarch in 1 Tablespoon cold liquid (water is fine). Stir or whisk this cold mixture (known as slurry) into 1 cup hot liquid at the end of the cooking time. Cook until thickened, about 30 seconds to 1 minute, stirring constantly. Cook 1 minute more to remove any cornstarch taste. These proportions will make about 1 cup of medium-thick sauce, soup or gravy. For thinner sauce, use 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch. For thicker sauce, use up to 2 teaspoons cornstarch.

    Replacing flour and arrowroot as a thickener—use 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch for each Tablespoon of flour called for in the recipe. As for arrowroot, use 2 teaspoons cornstarch in place of 1 Tablespoon arrowroot.

    To prevent cornstarch-thickened sauces from thinning—stir gently and cook for no more than 1 minute over medium heat after the sauce has thickened. Any longer and the starch

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