Cooking Tips

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#6699CC" TEXT="#080000" background="42fb85a3.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >OkEatMe</FONT><B>    </B><B> |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="OkEatMe"><B>home</B></A><B>      </B>back to  <A HREF="help_tips_fun.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Help Tips Fun"><B>Help Tips Fun</B></A></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="free_recipes.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Free Recipes">Free Recipes</A>   |   <A HREF="recycling_directory.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Recycling Directory">Recycling Directory</A>   |   <A HREF="help_tips_fun.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Help Tips Fun">Help Tips Fun</A>   |   <A HREF="contact_us.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us">Contact Us</A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=250 BGCOLOR="#BBBBBB" TEXT="#080000" background="431fa043.gif"> <div> <A HREF="health_alerts.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Health Alerts">Health Alerts</A></div> <div> <A HREF="pantry.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Pantry">Pantry</A></div> <div> <A HREF="food_storage.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Food Storage">Food Storage</A></div> <div> <A HREF="farmers_markets.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Farmers Markets">Farmers Markets</A></div> <div> <A HREF="local_buying.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Local Buying">Local Buying</A></div> <div> <A HREF="garlic.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Garlic">Garlic</A></div> <div> <A HREF="vote.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Vote">Vote</A></div> <div> <B>Cooking Tips</B></div> <div> <A HREF="reengineering_old_snacks.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="reEngineering Old Snacks">reEngineering Old Snacks</A></div> <div> <A HREF="fudge_club.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Fudge Club">Fudge Club</A></div> <div> <A HREF="pc_diet.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="PC Diet">PC Diet</A></div> <div> <A HREF="links.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Fun Web Links">Fun Web Links</A></div> <div> <A HREF="adams_chocolate.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Adams Chocolate">Adams Chocolate</A></div> <div> <A HREF="new_recipes.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="New Recipes">New Recipes</A></div> <div> <A HREF="privacy_policy.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Privacy Policy">Privacy Policy</A></div> <div> <A HREF="user_agreement.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="User Agreement">User Agreement</A></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 width="100%" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> <div> Baking soda as cleanser</div> <div> ORIGINAL PURPOSE: Leavening agent for biscuits and Toll House cookies</div> <div> <B>Idea:</B> Gentle, chemical-free scouring powder. Sprinkle on crusted casseroles and roasting pans and let sit for five minutes. Lightly scrub and rinse.</div> <div> <B>REWARD</B>: Clean dishes without having to call in the heavy artillery</div> <bR> <div> Orange peel for keeping brown sugar fresh</div> <div> <B>Idea</B>: Brown-sugar lifesaver. Prevent the sugar from getting hard by keeping a three-inch-long piece of orange peel in the box at all times. </div> <div> <B>REWARD</B>: Lump-free gingerbread. </div> <bR> <div> Chocolate Rescue</div> <div> If the chocolate you are melting seizes (clumps)</div> <div> stir in a tablespoon of vegetable oil or shortening (per 6 ounces chocolate) to smooth things out. </div> <bR> <div> From Conventional to Microwave</div> <div> -  Many conventional recipes can be successfully converted for microwave cooking. Here are some general guidelines:</div> <div> -  Moist foods convert well to microwaving.</div> <div> -  Look for a microwave recipe similar to the one you want to convert and use it as a guide.</div> <div> -  Recipes that serve up to 8 work best.</div> <div> -  Reduce or omit fats; use two-thirds of liquids since little evaporation occurs during microwaving.</div> <div> -  When converting casseroles, substitute instant or quick cooking ingredients for longer cooking ones. Cut vegetables into smaller pieces than normally called for.</div> <div> -  Use less salt or less highly flavored seasonings.</div> <div> -  Cut back cooking time by one-third to one-fourth of the conventional recipe time.</div> <div> -  Use lower power levels for less tender meat and more delicate foods.</div> <div> One of the  Dietary Guidelines developed by the USDA is to choose a diet with plenty of vegetables, fruits and grain products.</div> <bR> <div> Good Food Choices</div> <div> When choosing more vegetables, include dry beans and peas; fruits; and breads, cereals, pasta and rice.  A varied diet that emphasizes these foods supplies important vitamins and minerals, fiber and complex carbohydrates and is generally lower in fat.</div> <bR> <div> It's better to get fiber from foods which contain fiber naturally rather than from supplements.  Some of the benefit from a high fiber diet may be from the food that provides the fiber, not from the fiber alone.One of the  Dietary Guidelines developed by the USDA is to choose a diet with plenty of vegetables, fruits and grain products.</div> <bR> <div> When choosing more vegetables, include dry beans and peas; fruits; and breads, cereals, pasta and rice.  A varied diet that emphasizes these foods supplies important vitamins and minerals, fiber and complex carbohydrates and is generally lower in fat.</div> <bR> <div> It's better to get fiber from foods which contain fiber naturally rather than from supplements.  Some of the benefit from a high fiber diet may be from the food that provides the fiber, not from the fiber alone.</div> <bR> <div> Cooking Fresh Garlic</div> <div> The flavor you get from garlic depends on how you use and prepare it.  Heat and handling both affect its potency.  The longer garlic cooks, the more delicate the flavor becomes.  It's at its most robust when raw, either minced or pressed from the clove.  Garlic can become bitter if burned.  When sauteing, it should be cooked gently just until translucent and not allowed to brown.</div> <bR> <div> Choosing Honey Flavors</div> <div> Mild:</div> <div> clover, alfalfa</div> <div> Most versatile of all honey flavors; suitable for most applications especially sauces, dressings, dairy products.</div> <div> Medium:</div> <div> eucalyptus, orange blossom, tupelo</div> <div> Use for cereals, meats, confections.</div> <div> Strong:</div> <div> buckwheat, some wildflower</div> <div> Use for hearth baked breads, beers, honey cakes.</div> <bR> <div> Dietary Guidelines for Children</div> <div> Dietary guidelines for children 2 to 19 years old have been issued by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute’s National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP).  They recommend an eating pattern exactly the same as for adults--eat a variety of foods; maintain a healthful weight; choose a diet low in fat, saturated fat and cholesterol; eat plenty of vegetables, fruits and grain products; use sugar and salt only in moderation.</div> <bR> <div> Dried Bean Equivalents</div> <div> One pound dry beans equals approximately: </div> <div>   2 cups dry beans</div> <div>   5 to 6 cups cooked beans</div> <bR> <div> Eggs-A Good Source of Protein</div> <div> One egg equals one ounce of lean meat, fish or poultry from the meat group.</div> <div> One large egg provides 6.25 grams of protein or 10 to 13 % of the Daily Reference Value (DRV) for protein.</div> <bR> <div> Enhancing with Herbs</div> <div> Cut down on sodium by enhancing dishes with herbs such as basil, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, sage and tarragon.  Try fresh lemon juice and fennel seeds for additional flavor.</div> <bR> <div> As you work with these Recipes add and subtract at will EXPERIMENT, that's what it's all about, Right? PS Enjoy your cooking and don't forget to add a little love each time you do.</div> </td> </tr></table></body>