[CulinaryJen]

Cooking Tips:

Cook vegetables without defrosting. Cooking time is less than for the fresh product. Defrost meats before cooking, or cook frozen, if desired. Fish and poultry should be defrosted before cooking, This may be done in the refrigerator, allowing 4 1/2-5 hrs. per lb., at room temperature for 2-3 hrs., or in front of an electric fan for 3/4-1 hr. Fruits are best defrosted in the refrigerator, and should be served when they are barely thawed.

Instead of cooking spaghetti or noodles in a pot the regular way, cook them in a fryer basket. No sticking to the bottom because they are all in the basket. All one has to do is lift out the basket and quick as a wink, they're drained.

When making spaghetti sauce, rub cold butter or oil all around the inside of the pot, from the top right down to the sauce. Do this and you will never have sauce splatter on your stove. It will simmer just to the butter line and no further.

Keep empty pots and pans away from high heat or sudden temperature changes. If you move a pan from the cooktop to cold water, it may warp.

If undissolved salt is allowed to sit on aluminum or stainless steel, it may cause the inside of the utensils to pit or become marred.

Drop cookies will spread less while baking if the cookie sheet is not too heavily greased.

For best results, make candy on a fair, still day. On a damp or cloudy day, cook candy 2-4 degrees higher than specified in the recipe.

More Cooking Tips:

When rolling out cookie dough, use powdered sugar instead of flour on the board. The cookie tastes better and the dough does not stick.

The shine or gloss of chocolate is one key to the quality. It isn't a question of whether the chocolate is light or dark, it is the brightness of the color that indicates good quality.

Instead of using onions, use a pkg. of onion soup mix when making spaghetti sauce.

Cook spaghetti, macaroni, and other pasta ahead of time to use in salads the next day. Keep it refrigerated, under water, in stainless steel or glass jars for as long as 2 or 3 days.

In creaming butter and sugar for a cake, a little hot milk added will aid in the creaming process.

After using the oven, leave the door open until the oven is cool, so that moisture will not condense and rust any metal.

Even More Cooking Tips:

To decorate a cake without a decorator, cut an envelope from one of the top corners to the middle of the bottom of the envelope. Cut a little piece off the corner.

An apple cut in half and placed in the cake box will keep the cake fresh several days longer.

When making a cake always add 2 Tbsp boiling water to the butter and sugar mixture. This makes a fine textured cake.

Do not grease the sides of cake pans. How would you like to climb a greased pole?

To cut a fresh cake, use a wet knife.


Do not discard rinds of grapefruit, oranges or lemons. Grate the rinds first, put in tightly covered glass jar and store in the refrigerator. Makes excellent flavoring for cakes, frostings and such.

When you do not want to heat your oven for a short cake, make a short biscuit dough with a little sugar added, to a thin batter and bake in a waffle iron.

A good quick frosting is made by boiling a small potato, mashing it, and adding powdered sugar and vanilla.


Cookie And Cake Tips

To keep crisp cookies crisp, and soft cookies soft, place only one kind in a cookie jar.

Any cake will be greatly improved if a tsp of lemon juice is added to the butter and sugar. This makes the cake very light and shorter. Fresh milk makes cakes close grained and more solid.

For a nice decoration on white frosting, shave colored gum drops very thin and stick them on. They will curl like little roses.

Baking pans: For best results use correct size pan. The time and oven temperature should be adjusted to the type of pan being used. For shortening type cakes, bake cup cakes at 375 degrees for 18-20 mins. Layer cakes at 350 degrees for 30-35 mins., and loaf cakes at 350 degrees for 40-45 mins.

A cake is done when it shrinks from sides of the pan; it springs back when pressed lightly with finger; a cake tester or toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Always test your cake for doneness. Warm cake is fragile, so let it stand in pan 5 mins. before removing it. Loosen the edge with knife and turn cake out on wire rack.

Sift flour before measuring when used in batters and doughs. (Nowadays, some/most flour has already been sifted for you. We suggest you follow miller's directions.)

Did you know that yeast is a tiny plant that produces carbon dioxide from sugar when temperature and moisture are favorable for it's growth? It comes in two forms--active dry and compressed. Soften active dry yeast in warm water (110 degrees) before using. Soften compressed yeast in lukewarm water or milk for the same length of time.


Lots Of Food & Cooking Tips

Soften cream cheese by removing foil wrapper from package and microwave, uncovered, on med. (50%) until softened. (Cheese will hold it's shape while it softens.) Softening will take approximately 35 seconds for 3 oz. and 70 seconds for 8 oz. of cream cheese.

When making ginger bread, substitute coffee for water. It will improve the taste and the color.

When rice is burned, place a piece of fresh bread on top of the rice and cover the pot. Within a few minutes the scorched taste will disappear. Later, just remove the bread.

When cooking rice, add a spoonful of vinegar or the same amount of lemon juice. The rice will be light, separated and fluffy.

To make mashed potatoes taste richer and creamer without adding calories, add some non-dairy coffee creamer to them. The more you add the creamer they taste.

Toss in a handful of instant mashed potato to quickly thicken thin stew.

An oiled knife or scissors will make chopping dates a snap.

For just a drop or two of lemon juice, pierce lemon end with toothpick and gently squeeze. Use the toothpick as a plug and keep in fridge.

Substitute light brown sugar for granulated in your apple pie to really perk up flavor.

To keep costly "red" spices like cayenne pepper and paprika fresher longer, store them in the refrigerator.

Favorite muffin calls for buttermilk? Use 1 c. plain yogurt, or add 1 T. lemon juice or white vinegar to 1 c. mild and let stand for a minute or two.

Chilled salads will unmold neatly and easily if you mist vegetable shortening spray (PAM or something similar) on salad mold before pouring in gelatin mixture.

Sprinkle mini-chocolate chips on brownies before the last 5 mins. of baking. Spread topping evenly after removing from oven.

Whatever glaze you choose, add a little honey to give baked hams a lustrous golden color.