Cooking Tip: Try to plan just the right amount of foods to take for a picnic. That way, you won't have to worry about the storage or safety of leftovers.

Cooking Tip: The oil must reach a good temperature to brown the exterior of the food quickly while cooking it. That temperature is almost always between 350°F and 375°F degrees. To be sure the oil is right use a frying thermometer.

Cooking Tip: Use canola oil for frying. It is low in saturated fat, has a high burning point, and does not detract from the flavor of the food you are frying.

Cooking Tip: Avoid crowding food that is deep-fat-fried. The food must be surrounded by bubbling oil, and you must keep the temperature from falling too much. If you add too much food to a small amount of oil, the temperature will plummet, and the food will wind up greasy and soggy.

Cooking Tip: Never fill the pot more than halfway with oil; this will prevent bubbling over when the food is added.

Cooking Tip: Dry food well with paper towels before adding to the pot; it helps reduce splattering.

Cooking Tip: Be sure to measure your ingredients carefully. Use metal or plastic nested cups for dry ingredients like flour and sugar, and graduated glass or plastic cups with spouts for liquids.

Cooking Tip: If you use the liquid measuring cup for flour you may get an extra tablespoon or more per cup, which could make cookies hard and dry. To measure flour, lightly spoon it from the canister into the measuring cup and level it with a straight edge of a spatula or knife. Do not tap or shake the cup to level it.

Cooking Tip: When measuring brown sugar, pack it firmly into the dry measuring cup so that it holds its shape when it is removed.

Cooking Tip: Preheat oven for at least 10 to 15 minutes before starting to bake. Oven temperatures can vary from the dial settings by as much as 50 degrees, so you may need to check the temperature with an oven thermometer.

Cooking Tip: For the best flavor and texture, be sure to use the exact type of shortening - butter, margarine or vegetable shortening - called for in each recipe. Substituting one type for another could change the taste or the texture of your finished product.

Cooking Tip: Place an open box of hardened brown sugar in the microwave oven with 1 cup hot water. Microwave at high for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes for 1/2 pound of sugar or 2 to 3 minutes for 1 pound of sugar.

Cooking Tip: After stewing a chicken for diced meat for casseroles, let cool in broth before cutting into chunks. It will have twice the flavor.

Cooking Tip: To keep celery crisp, stand it up in a pitcher of cold, salted water and refrigerate.

Cooking Tip: Toast coconut in the microwave. Watch closely, as it browns quickly once it begins to brown. Spread 1/2 cup coconut in a pie plate and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring every 30-seconds after the first 2 minutes.

Cooking Tip: When you freeze bacon, there is no waiting for thawing if you arrange the strips flat, slice by slice, on waxed paper, then roll them up. Put them in a plastic bag in the freeze. To use, unroll and peel off the necessary number of slices.

Cooking Tip: Because the refrigerator is a rather humid environment, storing herbs and spices there is not recommended. To keep larger quantities of spices fresh, store them in the freezer in tightly sealed containers.

Cooking Tip: Do not use dried herbs in the same quantity as fresh. In most cases, use 1/3 the amount in dried as is called for fresh.

Cooking Tip: Unless the recipe specifically calls for it, don't use more than 3 herbs and spices in any one dish. The exception to this rule is Indian cooking, which often calls for 10 or more different spices in one curry dish.

Cooking Tip: Black pepper, garlic powder, salt and cayenne pepper are excellent after cooking seasonings. Allow guests to season dishes with these spices at the table.

Cooking Tip: If you're feeling adventuresome, try replacing herbs and spices called for in recipes with something different. Marjoram instead of oregano, savory instead of thyme, cilantro instead of parsley, or anise seed instead of fennel.

Cooking Tip: Agave nectar is a syrup made from the agave plant. Called agave, agave syrup or agave nectar, this liquid sweetener is similar to honey but has a thinner consistency and a slightly more intense flavor. Agave nectar has a low glycemic load so it won't elevate blood sugar levels as quickly as white sugar.

Cooking Tip: Agave nectar comes from the agave plant of which there are over 100 different species. It grows in the volcanic soils of Mexico where it has been used by natives of Mexico for many centuries. Aztecs prized the agave plant and believed it was a gift from the gods. Both the flowers and nectar of the agave plant are edible and for the Aztecs it was an important food source, harvested after winter and eaten as a vegetable.

Cooking Tip: Commercial sweetener made from agave nectar was developed in the 1990s in Mexico. All commercially available agave nectar comes from. Mexico - it is currently the only country producing it.

Cooking Tip: When the agave plant is 7 to 10 years old, the nectar is harvested from live plant. This process is similar to how maple trees are tapped. The top is cut off, and the core, called the pina, is hollowed out. The cap is then replaced and nectar is allowed to gather in the center for several days. The liquid is then removed for processing.

Cooking Tip: Agave syrup comes in a variety of shades from light to amber and dark in color. The light colored nectar is also the lightest in flavor ?€“ it is flavor neutral. It imparts sweetness but no flavor of its own. The amber and dark varieties impart a mellow flavor similar to that of honey or maple syrup. The darker the agave syrup, the more nutrients, minerals and flavor of the plant remain.

Cooking Tip: To substitute honey for sugar in recipes, start by substituting up to half of the sugar called for. With a little experimentation, honey can replace all the sugar in some recipes.

Cooking Tip: When baking with honey, remember the following: Reduce any liquid called for by 1/4 cup for each cup of honey used. Add l/2 teaspoon baking soda for each cup of honey used. Reduce oven temperature by 25 F to prevent over-browning.

Cooking Tip: Because of its high fructose content, honey has a higher sweetening power than sugar. This means you can use less honey than sugar to achieve the desired sweetness.

Cooking Tip: When measuring honey, coat the measuring cup with non-stick cooking spray or vegetable oil before adding the honey. The honey will slide right out.

Cooking Tip: To retain honey's wonderfully luxuriant texture, always store it at room temperature; never in the refrigerator. If your honey becomes cloudy, don't worry. It's just crystallization, a natural process.

Cooking Tip: Bring cheese to room temperature before melting. Melt cheese over a low heat to help prevent toughening and separation of oils and liquid.

Cooking Tip: Most ripened or aged cheese is low in moisture content and can be frozen without drastic flavor and texture changes. Thaw slowly in the refrigerator for 24 hours or more. If frozen for several months, the cheese may dry out somewhat and become crumbly when thawed.

Cooking Tip: In many recipes the directions say to line the sheets with baking pan liner paper or aluminum foil. Aluminum foil usually does almost the same thing that the paper does.

Cooking Tip: Cold eggs peel more easily than room temperature eggs. Gently tap the egg shell on the counter along the egg's "equator." Place the egg between hands and roll back and forth as if you were making a hot dog out of clay. You should feel the shell and membrane loosening from the egg white. Peel off the shell.

Cooking Tip: Olive oil, like all organic oils, will turn rancid over time if not properly stored. Keep it away from heat, air and light. Don't be tempted to store it in the cupboard over the range or above the refrigerator.

Cooking	Food For Thought
Cooking Hints & Tips Archive 41 Cooking Tip: Jambalaya and gumbo are similar with the exception of cooked rice. In gumbo, the rice is cooked separately and the gumbo ingredients are ladled over the rice. In jambalaya, the rice is slowly cooked in the same pot with the rest of the ingredients. Cooking Tip: Jambalaya is a rice dish that is highly seasoned and strongly flavored with combinations of beef, pork, poultry, smoked sausage, ham, or seafood. It is a very adaptable dish often made from leftovers and ingredients on hand. Cooking Tip: There is one rule in cooking jambalaya. After the rice has been added, jambalaya should never be stirred. Instead, it should be turned, as this prevents the grains of rice from breaking up. Most cooks turn jambalaya only two or three times after the rice is added, being sure to scoop from the bottom of the pot to mix rice evenly with other ingredients. Cooking Tip: Cheese curds are formed as a by-product of the cheese-making process. Most cheese curd are a cheddar cheese product. Some can be made from mozzarella, Colby, or Monterey jack cheeses. Cooking Tip: Cheese curds are little-known in locations without cheese factories, because they should be eaten within hours of manufacture. They have the same firmness as cheese, but have a springy or rubbery texture. They are usually orange in color. They are little nubs of cheese, roughly the size of peanuts, which, if very fresh, squeak when you bite down on them. Cooking Tip: Breads must have an internal temperature of about 80 degrees for the yeast to work properly. Cold dough will not expand properly. Make sure the bread rises in a warm draft free environment. Cooking Tip: Most of the time a pizza crust dough should be wet and sticky. Oil your pan with olive oil and try baking the crust first, then add any topping and bake only enough to melt the cheese. Cooking Tip: The secret to good crusty breads is to use very little fats, egg yolks, milks or sugar in them. Always serve crusty breads as soon as they are baked for the best flavor and appearance. Use only bread flour and make sure the dough is on the stiff side rather than soft and sticky. Cooking Tip: Save the drained juice from frozen or canned fruit and use fruit juice instead of water in your fruit pie recipe. Cooking Tip: Add fresh butter to your fruit pie filling after it has been cooked. Or dot pieces of butter over the fruit before you place on the top crust. Cooking Tip: Place a layer of celery and onions under fish when baking. Besides adding flavor, it will prevent the fish from sticking. Cooking Tip: Sprinkle a bit of salt in the frying pan before adding meat. It will cut down on the amount of grease splattering. Cooking Tip: Double the amount of the favorite casserole recipes you cook. Place half in a freezer container for dinner on a busy day. Cooking Tip: When making gravy from pan drippings, pour it into a tall, narrow jar. The grease will rise to the top for easy skimming and fat free gravy making. Cooking Tip: Run the measuring spoon under hot water before measuring shortening or tub butter. It will slide right out. Cooking Tip: Stains and sediment in cut glass or hobnob bowls or vases respond to olive oil. Pour some in and let stand until the stains or sediment disappear. Cooking Tip: To clean copper bottoms on pots and pans, simply open a can of tomato soup paste, rub it on and scrub then rinse. If you do this weekly, your pots and pans stay shiny clean. Cooking Tip: Whenever you empty a jar of dill pickles, use the left-over juice to clean the copper bottoms of your pans. Just pour the juice in a large bowl, set the pan in the juice for about 15 minutes. Comes out looking like new. Cooking Tip: Burnt food can be removed from a glass baking dish by spraying it with oven cleaner and letting it soak for 30 minutes. The burnt-on residue will be easier to wipe off. Cooking Tip: Stubborn stains can be removed from non-stick cookware by boiling, 2 tablespoons of baking soda, 1/2 cup vinegar, and 1 cup of water for ten minutes. Before using the pan again, season it with vegetable oil. Cooking Tip: Store spices in a cool, dark place. Humidity, light and heat will cause herbs and spices to lose their flavor more quickly. Although the most convenient place for your spice rack may be above your stove, moving your spices to a different location may keep them fresh longer. Cooking Tip: As a general rule, herbs and ground spices will retain their best flavors for a year. Whole spices may last for 3 to 5 years. Proper storage should result in longer freshness times. Cooking Tip: When possible, grind whole spices in a grinder or mortar & pestle just prior to using. Toasting whole spices in a dry skillet over medium heat before grinding will bring out even more flavor. Be careful not to burn. Cooking Tip: Because the refrigerator is a rather humid environment, storing herbs and spices there is not recommended. To keep larger quantities of spices fresh, store them in the freezer in tightly sealed containers. Cooking Tip: Use a light hand when seasoning with spices and herbs. Your goal is to compliment your dish without crowding out the flavor of the food. Cooking Tip: Thaw a turkey breast side up, in an unopened wrapper on a tray in the fridge. Allow at least 1 day of thawing for every 4 pounds. Cooking Tip: If the marinade recipe requires you to heat the ingredients, be sure to let the heated marinade cool to room temperature before pouring it over your turkey. Cooking Tip: If you decide to cook your stuffing in your turkey, Prepare your stuffing using only cooked ingredients. Use sauteed vegetables, cooked meats or seafood. Place the prepared stuffing in the turkey just before roasting. Stuffing the night before could cause food-borne illness. Cooking Tip: When preparing a whole turkey for the oven, return the legs to the original tucked position if they were untucked for stuffing. Turn the wings back to hold the neck skin in place. Cooking Tip: Preheat oven to 325°F. Drain juices from a whole turkey and pat dry with clean paper towels. Place turkey breast side up on a flat rack in a shallow roasting pan 2 to 2?? inches deep. The turkey is done when temperature is 180°F in thigh and 165°F in breast or stuffing. Cooking Tip: Turkeys range in weight from the 6- to 8-pound category to as large as 26 pounds. Very small and super-big are not better. Small ones get blotchy. Big ones present food safety problems because their mass resists total heat penetration. Best to go with a basic 12- to 16-pound turkey. Cooking Tip: The point of tying string around a turkey is to make the bird into a round - no protrusions, no wings sticking out. This prevents burning of exposed areas. Twist the wing tips, which will burn first, under themselves, using some force. Now run a strand of string under the turkey's girth and up each side, catching the wing tips under the string. Continue the string over to the drumsticks, catching them and the fatty tail flap, and tie tightly. Cooking Tip: A turkey lifter comes in two styles. One resembles an L-shaped metal prong. The prong goes right up the turkey's cavity while a handle remains in your hand. All you do it lift. If you've stuffed the turkey, get the type that looks like snow chains, lies under the bird, and acts like a sling. Either device ends burned hands, greasy potholders and lost drumsticks. Cooking Tip: An instant-read thermometer is your most important tool when cooking turkey. With this, you don't need a roasting chart or a clock. Read the facts on the dial. There will be no question about the internal temperature of your meat. Cooking Tip: If you dislike the memory of dry turkey, buy a fresh-killed turkey. They are juicier, tenderer, and tastier than frozen birds. Cooking Tip: Wash all fresh produce thoroughly. When preparing lettuce, break into pieces, then wash. Cooking Tip: It's a good idea to use a separate cooler for drinks, so the one containing perishable food won't be constantly opened and closed. Cooking Tip: When preparing dishes like chicken or cooked meat salads, use chilled ingredients. Make sure your cooked chicken has been chilled before it gets mixed with other salad ingredients. Cooking Tip: When taking foods off the grill, put them on a clean plate, not the same platter that held raw meat.
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