HELPFUL HINTS

After the dill and sweet pickles are gone, save the juice to marinate different vegetables in.

Adding a slice of soft bread to hardened brown sugar for a few hours will soften the sugar.  Be sure to close the bag tightly during this process.

Heating soggy crackers on a cookie sheet in the oven for a few minutes will make them crisp again.

If you want to re-use deep frying oil, try frying a few bread slices until it absorbs the odors and flavors of the previous frying.

If you place lettuce leaves in a pot where fat is present, they will absorb the fat, or you can put an ice cube in a paper towel and skim the top surface as the fat will cling to the towel.

Adding cornstarch to French toast egg mixture will make a crisper piece of toast, also for very light pancakes, use club soda instead of the regular liquid.  Use all batter at once as it will go flat if saved for later.

When cooking pastas, add your favorite oil or butter to prevent sticking together or boil over.  If your drained pasta sticks together, try boiling it for about a minute, drain, rinse, and drizzle with oil if desired.  Sometimes the sauce won't stick very well to the pasta if there is too much oil.  Also to prevent spaghetti or lasagna from sticking together, bring a  large pot  of water to a boil, drop in pasta and stir until it comes back up to a boil, put the lid on tight and remove from heat.  Let stand about 12 minutes and drain into colander.   Pasta should not be sticking together. 

As an example, if the recipe calls for 1 cup flour sifted, this means to measure then sift.  If it calls for 1 cup sifted flour, this means to sift then measure.

If the recipe calls for 1/2 cup of chopped nuts, this means to chop  then measure.  If the recipe calls for  1/2 cup nuts chopped, this means to measure then chop.

                           SUBSTITUTIONS

Are you missing an ingredient right in the middle of making that special recipe?  Here are some substitutes to try.

1 tsp. allspice ---use 1/2 tsp. each cinnamon and ground cloves.

1 tsp. apple pie spice----use 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg and 1/8 tsp. cardamom.

3 Tbs. carob----use 1 ounce chocolate                    

 semi-chocolate chips----use 1 ounce sweet cooking chocolate

unsweetened chocolate---use 3 Tbs. cocoa plus 1 Tbs.  fat of choice, or 3 Tbs. carob plus 2 Tbs. water.

1/8 tsp. ginger----use 1 Tbs.  finely chopped, rinsed, candied ginger or 1/2 tsp. raw ginger

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice----use 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. ginger, 1/8 tsp. allspice, 1/8 tsp. nutmeg

Usually a ratio of one part dried herbs to three parts fresh herbs works quite well.  Most dried herbs have a more concentrated flavor than fresh ones.  If a recipe calls for 1 Tbs. of fresh herbs you can use 1 tsp. of the dried herbs instead.

1/3 cup fresh onion-----use 1/4 cup onion flakes

1/2 tsp. minced garlic----- use 1/4 tsp. dried garlic

1 clove garlic----use 1/8 tsp. garlic powder                

1/2 cup bell pepper---- use 1/4 cup dried bell pepper

1/2 cup diced celery----use 1/4 cup dried celery flakes       

1 tsp. grated lemon or orange peel, ----use 1 tsp. dried orange or lemon peel, or 1/2 tsp. extract                        

1/2 cup parsley-----use 1/4 cup dried parsley

1/4 cup chopped mint----use 1 Tbs. dried mint

1/2 cup chopped fresh ginger----use 1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 cup celery, onion, peppers, carrots-----use 1/4 cup mixed vegetable flakes                                                           

I like to add 1/8 to 1/2 tsp. of almond extract to the liquid in my peach cobbler.  It gives it a delightful flavor.