Tips for great soup & bean tips

On Friday I shared some yummy bean soup recipes with you. This week, I wanted to share a couple of articles with great information about both beans and soup!

The first one has tips on storing, sorting, and soaking beans to get them ready for cooking. The article also has several recipes referenced! To read the article, go to Bean Tips on Alicia's.

The other article tells you what to do if you add too much salt, want to thicken your soup, explains a bouquet garni, and more. To read the article, go to Soup Tips on Annie's. There are several recipes listed on this one as well.

If you would like to try your hand at making cream soups, we have some great tips and recipes on Old Fashioned Living here.

Enjoy :)

25 Uses for Coffee Filters

I received this list via email, so I'm not sure who compiled it, but I definitely learned a few new tricks! You can pick up large packages of coffee filters from the dollar store, I believe there are 1,000 per package!

1. Cover bowls or dishes when cooking in the microwave. Coffee filters make excellent covers.

2. Clean windows, mirrors, and chrome. Coffee filters are lint-free so they'll leave windows sparkling.

3. Protect China by separating your good dishes with a coffee filter between each dish.

4. Filter broken cork from wine. If you break the cork when opening a wine bottle, filter the wine through a coffee filter.

5. Protect a cast-iron skillet. Place a coffee filter in the skillet to absorb moisture and prevent rust.

6. Apply shoe polish. Ball up a lint-free coffee filter.

7. Recycle frying oil. After frying, strain oil through a sieve lined with a coffee filter.

8. Weigh chopped foods. Place chopped ingredients in a coffee filter on a kitchen scale.

9. Hold tacos. Coffee filters make convenient wrappers for messy foods.

10. Stop the soil from leaking out of a plant pot. Line a plant pot with a coffee filter to prevent the soil from going through the drainage holes.

11. Prevent a Popsicle from dripping. Poke one or two holes as needed in a coffee filter.

12. Do you think we used expensive strips to wax eyebrows? Use strips of coffee filters..

13. Put a few in a plate and put your fried bacon, French fries, chicken fingers, etc on them. It soaks out all the grease..

14. Keep in the bathroom. They make great "razor nick fixers."

15. As a sewing backing. Use a filter as an easy-to-tear backing for embroidering or appliquéing soft fabrics.

16. Put baking soda into a coffee filter and insert into shoes or a closet to absorb or prevent odors.

17. Use them to strain soup stock and to tie fresh herbs in to put in soups and stews.

18. Use a coffee filter to prevent spilling when you add fluids to your car.

19. Use them as a spoon rest while cooking and clean up small counter spills.

20. Can use to hold dry ingredients when baking or when cutting a piece of fruit or veggies. Saves on having extra bowls to wash.

21. Use them to wrap Christmas ornaments for storage.

22. Use them to remove fingernail polish when out of cotton balls.

23. Use them to sprout seeds. Simply dampen the coffee filter, place seeds inside, fold it and place it into a plastic baggie until they sprout.

24. Use coffee filters as blotting paper for pressed flowers. Place the flowers between two coffee filters and put the coffee filters in phone book.

25. Use as a disposable "snack bowl" for popcorn, chips, etc.

More Kitchen Tips

Last week I wrote about a few things that help me in the kitchen. I asked if you had any and Deb in Wisconsin was kind enough to share all these wonderful ideas. Thanks Deb!

Using your favorite pancake recipe.....bag up all the dry ingredients in a quart-size zipper bag. I sift the dry ingredients into a bowl first, then pour into the baggie. You can also do this with scones, johnny cake (cornbread/cakes), and pizza dough. I've been doing this for years, and the only "problem" I've ever encountered was ONE TIME when the baking soda in the scones mixture kind of clumped up, so the batter didn't rise properly....so I DID use up that batch (I make about 10 baggies at a time), and simply added another portion of baking soda to the mixture before adding the wet ingredients.

To make this really simple, I posted the Wet Ingredients needed for each recipe, on a sheet posted on the inside of my cupboard door nearest my baking/cooking center in my kitchen. So I don't need to get a recipe book out, just open the cupboard door, and there's a note with the needed ingredients.

Another "step ahead" you can do, when you're freezing or canning any of your garden veggies, make them in sizes that you'd use in your regular recipes. For example, my favorite pumpkin cake recipe uses 2 cups of pumpkin, so when I can or freeze our pumpkins, I do them up in 2-cup portions. Same for grated zucchini (or yellow crookneck summer squash) for
my Chocolate Zucchini Cake recipe.

It also helps to do some mega-chopping sessions with nuts...then freeze them in portion sized zipper bags--they're ready for your recipe!

When red, orange or yellow sweet bell peppers are on sale I buy a slew, then wash, dry, slice and chop into small-ish pieces, lay them out on a cookie sheet (or two), then pop the cookie sheets into the freezer for a few hours (or even longer--as I usually forget!). After they're frozen, I use a pancake turner/spatula to loosen, and then pour into a large plastic container
(with a tight-fitting lid). Whenever I make spaghetti, chili, sloppy joes, or any Oriental recipe, I grab out a handful or two (or more) and into the sauce it goes. They don't stay as firm as "fresh" peppers do, but they still have that great flavor--and the color is just what perks up a winter-time dinner!

Another EXCELLENT time-saver at the end of August or beginning of September...when your tomatoes are all turning red at the same time, and you can't stand another minute cooking in a hot-n-humid kitchen, or you don't have time "right now" to make up tomato sauce.... Put your tomatoes (right off the vine) into a large brown paper grocery bag. Fill that right up,
then close it tightly. Put in the freezer and in about January, when you dig in there after all the holiday fuss, you'll see that bag (or bags!) of 'maters. Then all you have to do is SO SIMPLE: fill the sink with HOTTEST tap water, drop about 13 'maters in there, let float for 20-30 seconds, and the skin should slip right off. Plop the de-skinned tomato in your LARGE canning pot; when the pot is as full as you want, then cook at low to medium heat, they will be juicy and need stirring every so often. Once they break down, you can add your other ingredients. I run mine through a blender--after they've cooked down. I like my
tomato sauce to be broken up.

Thanks for all those fabulous tips Deb! I especially love the tomato idea, excellent. If you have some time saving kitchen tips, send them my way and I will post them here.

Tuesday Tips: In the Kitchen

I've been thinking about all the little things I do around here to make life in the kitchen just a little less hectic. Recently I posted on my cooking blog about how I store canned chipotle peppers so that I don't waste the leftovers and so they aren't so hard to access afterward. It received a great response, so I thought I would share that here, as well as some other things that I do to make my life easier.

Storing Canned Chipotle Peppers

Most recipes don't call for an entire can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. They usually call for 2 or 3, leaving you with a bunch of peppers that you glop into a baggie and store in the freezer, then find it impossible to get them out. A much better solution is to wrap each pepper (with some of the sauce) individually in plastic wrap. Then store all the wrapped peppers inside of a zipper sandwich bag in the freezer. When you need 1 or 2, take the individually wrapped peppers out and unwrap them while still frozen. They will thaw pretty quickly, so if your recipe calls for chopped or diced chipotles, go ahead and do it while they are still frozen. Trust me on this, it's a lot easier that cutting them up when defrosted! Here's a yummy recipe for Chipotle Chicken if you would like to try something different tonight!

Making Your Own Taco & Chili Seasoning Packets

My family loves tacos and chili. Years ago I found some recipes for chili seasoning mix and taco seasoning mix, and have never used a seasoning envelope from the store since! the only hassle with that is you have to measure out all the ingredients for the seasoning each time you make dinner. I made things a little easier on myself by mixing up about 4 batches at a time. I set out 4 bowls and measure the ingredients into each one. When finished I pour each one into it's own zipper sandwich bag, then I wrap each sandwich bag in foil. I mark the foil packets with "taco" or "chili" and keep them in the pantry. Next time I make chili or tacos, that's one less step and makes dinner just as convenient as if I were using those stale tasting grocery store packets. :)

French Toast Sticks

My kids love French toast sticks. I'll buy an extra loaf of bread specifically for making this. Mix up your favorite French toast egg mixture. Mine is just eggs, a splash of milk and a few shakes of cinnamon. I cook each slide and set them on cooling racks until they have completely cooled. Then I cut them into dipper sized pieces and place them all on cookie sheets. Put the cookie sheets in the freezer and leave them there for several hours (I leave them in there all day). Then take them off the cookie sheets and toss the frozen dippers into a plastic zipper storage bag and store them in the freezer. Kids can grab out a handful and toss them in the microwave for about a minute and they have instant breakfast.

These are just a few tips from my kitchen. Do you have any great tips to share?

Eleminating Pantry Pests

Brenda wrote an article a while back on Old Fashioned Living on how to eliminate pantry pests. I thought I would share this with you today!

We all get them at one time of another-pantry pests-Indian meal moths, grain/flour beetles and many other tiny bugs that infiltrate our pantries, cupboards and storage areas.
Pantry moths most likely got into your house with some type of purchased food. They are found in flour, dog food, biscuits, pasta, cereal, dried beans, bread, spices, cookies and very often in bird seed, because it's not regulated the same as food. Store birdseed, dog food and that type of thing in a shed or garage if possible. Many times the eggs hatch after you bring these items home, and before you realize it, you have a problem.

The larva are very small, not much bigger than a piece of rice. The moths are small too, but easier to see and identify. If you see small moths flying around, especially near or in your cupboards or pantry, then you need to start searching! Look everywhere--grains, nuts, spices, dried peppers, and even things you wouldn't consider suspect. If you find it, you'll know. Most likely you'll see webbing, or larva. If you throw out that item--outside in the trash-and use a few of the following tips you may get on top of it quickly. A note on the Indian meal moth---they may not be limited to kitchen areas if you've had them for awhile. Check all dark places for the webbing.

Traps: Buy non-toxic moth traps that use pheromones to lure the moths. One trap per room is all you need-more than that will confuse the moths and it won't be effective. Usually this method will work if combined with cleaning and finding the source of the moths.

Alternative trap: Mix boric acid with cornmeal-at a 1 to 3 ratio. Place mixture in jar lids or washed tuna cans in pantries and cupboards. Keep this away from kids and pets.

Clean: Remove everything from cupboards or pantries. Vacuum out every nook and cranny-top and bottom! Take the vacuum outside, remove the bag, and place it in a garbage bag. Tie and place in the trash can---don't keep it near the door. Afterwards, wipe down the cabinets with a vinegar solution. Use a sponge or a rag, but make sure it's really saturated. You want to get in all the crooks and crannies.

Essential oils: consider washing everything down once a month or so, and putting cotton balls with 10 to 15 drops of Eucalyptus essential oil in the corners of the cupboards, pantry and closets.

Extreme cases: IF your moth infestation is really bad, you will need to throw out all items made of grain and the other things we've talked about today. Get rid of it all and clean, clean, clean. I came close to having to do this, but managed to limit it to one cupboard that I knew was the problem. I also had them in the basement and discovered it was birdseed I was storing. I now store that in the garage in a large can with a tight lid.

PREVENTION

What can you do to prevent pantry moths? Sometimes nothing, but you can follow these tips to minimize the chance.

-When you purchase items that I've mentioned today put them in the freezer for 3 days to kill anything that may have come home with you.

-Store your rice, flour and cornmeal in the refrigerator or freezer. I do this mostly when I buy a lot of extra that doesn't get used right away. Don't mix old and new grains or flour. Use up the old, then wash and dry the container before storing the new batch.

-Place bay leaves in your grains--but this is only prevention. It won't kill the eggs or larva, but it will usually keep them away. Use 2-3 leaves in each container.

-Watch your rodent population. The pantry pests can breed in their nests AND in the bate traps for rodents.

Thrifty Thursday: Make Your Own Applesauce

I guess the most frugal way to make applesauce is if you have apple trees growing on your property. However, if you don't, and you happen to have some apples that are getting past their prime, this is a great way to make use of them. If you are using a sweet variety, like Red or Yellow Delicious, then you won't even need to add sugar!

There are a couple of ways to make applesauce, I'll give you the two basic methods, stovetop and slow cooker. There are also varied opinions on whether or not to peel and core the apples. Some people do and other don't. If you choose not to peel and core, you will need to push the finished product through a sieve to eliminate the seeds and skin.

PREP

Peel and core the apples, then cut into quarters for small apples, eighths for large apples. Put the core and peels in your compost pile or throw them out for the birds. You can eat the peels if you like!

STOVETOP

Put one inch of water in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Fill the saucepan with apples,cover with lid, and turn the flame on high. When the mixture is really going turn the flame down to medium high and cook until the apples are soft. If you used a sweet variety you will not need to add sugar. After removing from heat, add cinnamon and mash with a potato masher. You can also run the mixture through a blender or food processor. Add sugar if desired.

CROCK POT / SLOW COOKER

Add 8-10 peeled and cored apples to the crock along with 1/2 cup of water and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. If you are using a less sweet variety or just enjoy your applesauce on the sweeter side, add 1/2 to 1 cup sugar. You can always add sugar and spices after your applesauce has finished cooking.  Cook on low for 7-8 hours. 

CANNING

I'm not going to give you any advice on how to can your applesauce. Years ago a method was used to can produce that is no longer considered safe. Therefore, follow the manufacturer's directions for your canning equipment for best results. 

The University of Minnesota Extension has a page on Safe Home Canning here. Additionally, here is the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning from Penn State.

SMALL PORTIONS

If you aren't interested in making a huge batch of applesauce for canning, etc, and if you are someone that prefers a solid recipe with measurements, here's one that will yield 4 servings:

Homemade Applesauce

4 medium apples, peeled, cored and cut into chunks

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

In heavy bottomed saucepan over medium high heat, combine all ingredients. Cover pot and cook for several minutes until the mixture gets going, then reduce heat to medium for 15-20, or until the apples are soft. Let the mixture cool then mash.

RECIPES

Now that you have made your applesauce, you'll probably be looking for ways to use it or enjoy it. Here are some recipes to help you with that!

Chocolate Applesauce Bread

7-up Applesauce Cinnamon Molded Salad

Applesauce Puffs

Banana Applesauce Bread

Applesauce Custard

Honey Peach Butter

See more frugal ideas by visiting Thrifty Thursday.

Tuesday Tips: Tea Time Etiquette

Ellen Easton is a contributing writer for Old Fashioned Living. She is the author of Tea Travels™, Tea Parties and Good $ense For $uccess™. Below are some great tea time etiquette questions and answers from Ellen I thought you would enjoy.

1. Does one drink tea or take tea?

One drinks tea. During the Victorian era, the term to take tea was used by the lower classes and considered a vulgar expression by the upper classes.

2. Why is the shape of a teapot different from a coffee or chocolate pot?

The teapot is designed with a lower rounded body to insure the tea leaves have the proper room for expansion during the infusion process. The lower placement of the spout on the vessel allows for the tea to be poured without interfering with the leaves.

3. What is the correct placement of the teapot on the table?

The spout of the teapot and the tea kettle faces the hostess or pourer.

4. Are tea urns used for brewing or infusing tea?

No. Tea urns were designed to heat and hold hot water for larger quantities of water. Their function was the same as a tea kettle.Ideally, one would dispense the hot water from the urn into the teapot. "Bring the pot to the Kettle, not the kettle to the pot."

5. How does a teacup differ from a coffee or chocolate cup?

Traditionally a cup equals four ounces. However, the time of day and the beverage served will dictate the proper size of the service piece. Except for demitasse cups, which are served half full, all other cups are served three quarters full. A teacup is 3 1/4" to 3 3/4" in diameter and 2" to 2 1/2" in height. the companion saucer ranges from 5 1/4" to 5 5/8" across. A teacup is shallow and wider than a coffee or chocolate cup, giving the beverage a chance to temper before drinking.

6. What is a moustache cup?

A moustache cup is a nineteenth century variation of the teacup created in England by Harvey Adams. It is designed with a slit ledge projecting from the front side of the rim, allowing the tea to flow through while a gentleman's moustache remains dry resting on the top lip.

7. Why in older pictures of tea settings are spoons placed across the top of a teacup?

Tea was very expensive during the early years of its popularity. As such,the actual tea wares were small in size. There was no room for a teaspoon to rest on the saucer. A guest rested their teaspoon on top of their teacup as an indication they had had sufficient tea. This was a signal to the hostess to stop pouring tea. Today, to indicate the same signal, due to the larger size of the teacup and saucer, the proper placement of the spoon would be across the top of your saucer, not the cup.

8. What is a tea plate?

Native to England and Europe, tea plates were customized to hold a teacup without a saucer.The plate was embedded with a shallow well to secure the teacup. The foods and tea were served together on one plate. When one is using separate tea service pieces the customary size today is either a salad/dessert plate of seven to eight inches or a bread and butter plate of six to seven inches.

9. Where does the expression "not my cup of tea" come from?

To refer to one as "not my cup of tea" derives from the fifteenth century Japanese Teaism. "No tea to him." As one "insusceptible to the seriocomic interests of the personal drama." It is used to describe those one does not care for.

10. How is a traditional English trifle made?

Ruth Darley's advice, whether made from scratch or not, for an easy and quick English trifle recipe. Preferably set in a large footed bowl, alternate layers of the following ingredients: sponge or pound cake moistened with Sherry, egg custard or pudding, sliced strawberries, whipped cream and slivered almonds, repeat layers until bowl is filled. Fruit juice may be substituted for Sherry. Custard and pudding flavors may be changed to taste as well as seasonal berries.

11. When drinking tea does one lift the teacup and saucer or just the teacup?

If one is seated at a table, the proper manner to drink tea is to raise the teacup only,placing it back into the saucer in between sips.

If you are at a buffet tea, hold the tea saucer in your lap with your left hand and hold the tea cup in your right hand. When not in use, place the tea cup back in the tea saucer and hold in your lap.

In either event, never wave or hold your tea cup in the air.

12. What are the proper protocols for wearing gloves at an afternoon tea?

The protocols for wearing gloves are the same, whether one is attending an afternoon tea or any other event where foods and beverages are served.

While gloves are often highly designed with decorations and adornments, their sole purpose is to cover and protect ones hands from the elements.

When greeting another, remove the glove from the right hand, place the removed glove in your left hand and shake hands skin to skin.

It is improper to dine with ones gloves on. Remove your gloves before sitting down to dine. The exception is for long, formal gloves with buttons at the wrist. It is acceptable to unbutton, remove ones fingers and hands and fold back, to the wrist ,the lower portion of the glove without removing the upper portion from your arm. If the gloves have no wrist buttons, the gloves should be removed in their entirety before dining.

Wishing you happy Tea Travels! (TM)

More of Ellen's Articles:
Planning a Tea Menu
A Spring Tea Menu
Tea and Silver
Tea at the Holidays
Understanding Tea Time Service
The Afternoon Tea Gown
The History of Chocolate
A Summer Rose Tea
Etiquette Faux Pas

Thrifty Thursday: Making Simple Syrup

Simple syrup (also known as sugar syrup) is basically 2 parts sugar and one part water, boiled together until the sugar dissolves. Why make simple syrup? If you are like me, you enjoy iced tea and lemonade in the summer. You would also know that if you need to sweeten your drink and you add a spoonful of sugar to a cold beverage it doesn't dissolve well. Many finer restaurants serve simple syrup aside a glass of iced tea as a sweetener. It's also used by bartenders to sweeten certain cocktails.

A week or so ago I shared some strawberry recipes with you. Well I happened to have a freezer bag full of strawberries from the last batch I bought. I have been cleaning out my freezer in preparation of my new side of beef, so I decided to try to make some simple strawberry syrup as I absolutely love my tea flavored (no one else here appreciates that) forcing me to flavor one glass at a time. I usually just add a splash of cranberry juice from a bottle, but felt this was a perfect way to reuse that strawberry juice that was draining from my thawing strawberries.

This can be made with any frozen fruit's juices, next time I'll try blackberries as I have some of those in the freezer as well. Once you've made the syrup, store it in a small glass jar with a tight fitting lid in the refrigerator indefinitely. 

How to Make Simple Sugar Syrup

1 part water

2 parts sugar

Bring water to a boil in a saucepan, then add the sugar to the pan. Stir to combine until sugar is dissolved. Once the sugar is completely dissolved, remove the pan from the heat and let it cool. Pour cooled syrup into a jar and store in the refrigerator.

How to Make Simple Strawberry Syrup

1 part strawberry juice from thawed strawberries

2 parts sugar

If possible, place a fine grate cooling rack over a cookie sheet. Place the frozen strawberries on the cooling rack so that the juice drips down onto the cookie sheet. If you don't have a fine grate cooling rack, just thaw the berries directly on the cookie sheet. Remove the thawed berries and carefully pour the juice into a measuring cup. Make note of the measurement and pour juice into a saucepan. Add two times the amount of sugar that was in your measuring cup (so if you had 1/4 cup strawberry juice, add 1/2 cup of sugar). Bring juice to a boil in a saucepan, then add the sugar to the pan. Stir to combine until sugar is dissolved. Once the sugar is completely dissolved, remove the pan from the heat and let it cool. Pour cooled syrup into a jar and store in the refrigerator (I used a small glass empty spice jar).

Use one spoonful of syrup to sweeten and flavor your tea or lemonade. :)

To see my post on uses jars as glassware, be sure to visit my cooking blog! This is an entry into this week's Thrifty Thursday event. Visit and see what other thrifty ideas are out there!

Meals in 30 minutes or less?

Is it really possible to walk into the kitchen and make a home cooked meal, using fresh ingredients, not convenience foods, in 30 minutes or less? Most people would say no. Even celebs like Rachel Ray and Sandra Lee depend on prepackaged, preservative laden foods to cook their quick meals. While there's certainly nothing wrong with that, some prefer not to use prepackaged foods, whether it be because of a heart healthy diet, being more aware of what they eat, or perhaps they just like the freshness that real ingredients lend. 

Again, every once in a while using a prepackaged product is ok, but it's certainly healthier to use fresh or even frozen fruits and vegetables, whole grain rice and pastas, and real herbs and spices instead of frozen dinners, minute rice, and seasoning envelopes. 

So how can you do all of that if you work full time, go to school, usher kids to and from sporting events, clean the house, do the laundry, take the dog to the vet, pay your bills, visit grandma in the nursing home, attend doctor's appointments where you sit in the waiting room far longer than you should, help kids with homework.... (catches breath.). Well, with some extra effort, and yes it does take some extra effort on your part, you can begin to convert yourself over to using more fresh ingredients and less of the prepackaged stuff.

Preparation

One of the most time consuming things when preparing a recipe from scratch are all the little things that have to be done before you actually cook. These include measuring, chopping, mincing, and slicing. There are quite a few things that can be done ahead of time to help you make fairly quick meals on busy weeknights. Here are just a few:

Chop and Store

Chop, mince, or dice your veggies ahead of time and store in zipper sandwich or gallon storage bags, depending on how much you make. If you use chopped onion in a lot of your recipes, chop it up, toss it into a zipper gallon bag and squeeze out the air. Store it in the freezer, then just grab what you need when you need it. Same goes for other veggies such as bell peppers, garlic, and mushrooms. All of these can be frozen and then just tossed into soups or the skillet for sauteing. Of course, you wouldn't want to freeze these if they are to be used in salads, so store some in the refrigerator if you need them fresh. Also, when you are chopping onion for one recipe, go ahead and chop extra to toss into a bag.

Measuring dry herbs and spices

I personally prefer to make my own homemade taco seasoning. It tastes so much fresher and everyone loves it. It's a pain to measure though, so I make several at once, using 4 or 5 different bowls. Once they are all measured out, I store each one in a zipper sandwich bag, then I roll up the sandwich bags and lay them together, then I wrap them all in foil together and store in the cabinet. I do this with my chili seasoning too, and you can do it with just about any dish that calls for several herbs and spices to be added at the same time. 

Make Two Meals

When I make a meatloaf, I make two or three of them. Once the meat and seasonings are all combined, I put the extra into freezer bags, flatten out the meat in the sealed bags, mark them with a Sharpie, then lay them flat to freeze. Once frozen they are easily stacked on top of one another or standing up in the freezer. I posted something similar with making meatballs, I can make several batches and not have to roll all the little buggers in one sitting. If you enjoy Chicken Piccata, Schnitzel (or pork tenderloin sandwiches), or Chicken Fried Steak, always make extra. Layer between sheets of wax paper and place in freezer bags for future meals. If you enjoy marinated steak, pork chops or chicken, place extra fresh meat in a freezer bag, add marinade and place flat in the freezer. When you are ready to grill, remove from freezer and thaw and your meat will be perfectly marinated.

Always, Always, Always Read the Recipe

I can't say this enough. When you want to make something, be sure to read the entire recipe through. It's an awful feeling to get halfway through making something only to find out that something has to simmer for 2 hours or chill in the refrigerator overnight.

Menu Plan

Sitting down on your day off and taking half an hour to go through your recipes, build your grocery list and write down what meals you are making for the week is a huge time saver. Also, knowing what you will be making each night removes the stress of "what the heck am I going to make tonight"? You'll know that morning before you head out the door what needs to be defrosted. Also, be sure to make use of the meals you made extra of! So if you have a meatloaf in the freezer or a package of Chicken Fried Steak breaded and ready to go, add it to your menu plan. 

Freezing Vegetables and Fruits

Frozen fruit is great for smoothies or making jams. There are many recipes that call for frozen fruit, so instead of tossing out and wasting fruit that is getting too ripe, toss it into a freezer bag and use it for a refreshing summer drink. For vegetables, you can prepare your own for freezing through a method called blanching. I don't do this too often, only because it's fairly cheap to buy frozen veggies and I just check the package to make sure there aren't any preservatives or additives. Last week I posted about making your summer corn on the cob last throughout the winter, which includes the process of blanching. There's a handy chart on oChef with blanching times for different vegetables.

Crockpots and Pressure Cookers

Using a slow cooker is great for those days you'll be gone all day, especially for those that work outside the home. Toss in the meat, a little liquid, seasonings and some veggies. Cook on low all day and you'll come home to a wonderful smell and a cooked meal. Pressure cookers, on the other hand, are another very handy tool. Pressure cookers have come a long way from years ago when you heard horror stories of the appliance exploding in kitchens everywhere. I use my pressure cooker fairly regularly and it has definitely saved me from those nights when I forgot to put the roast in early enough, or I want shredded chicken but don't have hours to wait. For example, I place a 3.5 pound chuck roast in my pressure cooker, cover it with water or broth, position the lid and rocker and 30-35 minutes later I have a roast with meat that just shreds. Slow cookers as well as pressure cookers are fairly inexpensive these days, if you don't have one, you may want to check them out. Here's an article on pressure cooker recipes, some basics of using a pressure cooker, and one on slow cookers (crock pots).

Fastest Meal Ever

Do you have a favorite FAST hot cooked meal aside from grilled cheese? Mine is meatless spaghetti. I make my own sauce, but it's not rocket science. One 6 oz can of tomato paste, an 8 oz can of tomato sauce, 18 oz of water (3 tomato paste cans), a couple shakes of Parmesan cheese, several shakes of dried basil, a couple shakes of garlic salt, and some ground pepper. Put the water on to boil for the noodles. Put the sauce ingredients into a saucepan and stir to combine, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. When water boils add your spaghetti noodles. By the time the noodles are done your sauce is ready and you can eat. Butter a couple pieces of bread and you're good to go :) I have 6 people to feed, so I double this recipe.

Hope some of these ideas helped. Do you have any tips along these lines?

Corn on the Cob

I am fortunate to live in a rural area. That means every summer I have access to mass quantities of delicious sweet corn picked from the stalk. There's a farmer down the street that has a money box and a huge wagon full of corn that his teenage kids continuously restock. But alas, the fields are eventually harvested and the fresh sweet corn is gone for yet another year. Sure, you can get corn on the cob in the grocery store or the freezer section, but it's just not the same.

Here are some tips for enjoying summer's corn bounty all year long:

Selection

Select cobs that have green tightly closed husks and dry, brown silk that is not brittle. Rows of kernels should be plump and in tight rows up to the tip. The kernels should be firm enough to resist slight pressure.

Blanching & Freezing

Remove the husks and stems and break off the undeveloped tips. Use a dry vegetable brush or your fingers to remove the silk from between the rows and rinse the ears in cold water. Set up a large pot of water and bring to a rolling boil. This is important. If you don't have a very large pot, only blanch a couple of ears at a time as the more corn you put in the longer it will take to get the water back to boiling. If it takes longer than a minute, there's too much corn in the pot. Also have a large bowl of ice and water sitting at the ready. Blanch the ears by dropping them into boiling water for:

7 minutes for small ears

9 minutes for medium ears

11 minutes for large ears

Remove the ears and plunge them into the ice water for the same amount of time you blanched them for. Drain the ears thoroughly. Wrap each ear in plastic wrap then place into zipper storage freezer bags. Be sure to mark your bag with the date they are good until, corn will freeze well for 10-12 months if wrapped properly. If you are able, a food sealer system is even better!

Cooking

Remove corn from freezer and thaw in the refrigerator for several hours. If you don't have that kind of time, go ahead and pop it into boiling water for 5-6 minutes or in the microwave for 3-4 minutes.

Freezing Kernels - No Cobs

If you don't have a lot of freezer space to spare, you can freeze just the kernels. Follow the instructions above for blanching, cooling and draining the corn. Remove the kernels with a sharp knife.

whole kernels: simply cut the kernels off the cob and store in freezer bags.

cream corn: cut the tips of the kernels about 1/2" deep and scrape the cobs with the back of a knife to remove the juice and the heart of the kernel.

Take some of this summer's bounty with you!

~ Amanda

Check out this article (with recipes!) on OFL: Harvesting and Using Fresh Corn

The How To of Peeling Hard Boiled Eggs

Just when I thought I had heard all the different ways to cool and peel perfect hard boiled eggs, I find yet another way in a cookbook I was perusing. There's even that wacky "blow the egg out of the shell method" and it actually does work! I've done it several times, though I don't know how your guests would feel about it. I'll share that here too.

Shake the Shells Off

So okay, I am pretty impressed with this one. There's a video on You Tube that shows how it's done, but basically you cook the eggs, then run them under cold water. Keep the eggs in about an inch of cold water in a container that has a lid. Place the lid on the container and shake the container vigorously. Shake it to the left, the right, and up and down. Remove the lid, and like magic, the shells are off of the eggs!

Roll, Dip & Slip

Cook eggs and cool in cold water. Crack the egg shell at each end by tapping the egg onto the counter. be sure to crush the air bubble at the large end of the egg. Place the egg on its side on the counter and roll forward for one full turn keeping the palm of your hand firmly down on the top of the egg. Place the egg into a bowl of warm water. The entire shell will slip right off.

Blowing the Egg from the Shell

When I first saw this I watched it over and over, and then of course I had to try it myself! Though I must not be as big a blowhard as this guy, so it took me 2-3 times before my egg came out, but it did! However, not sure if your guests would appreciate this method. ;) Here's the video for this method.

Teaspoon

Peel off a little of the shell and membrane, just enough to gently insert a teaspoon, with the bowl facing the egg. Run the spoon around the curve of the egg, and it will pop right out.

What's your method?

Join me for Kitchen Tip Tuesday over at Tammy's blog. Read the other kitchen tips there as well!

Old Fashioned Cooking Terms

Several months ago I picked up a small cookbook at a thrift store called "Good Ole Country Cookin'". I'm sure you've seen these types of books before. It's a compilation of recipes from women all over some small town in rural America. There books are put together and sold as a fundraiser at church or the county fair. 

While it's a wonderful treasure trove of recipes that have been handed down from generation to generation, they are so old and out dated that the directions are often lacking our modern terms, temperatures, ingredients and methods.

There are quite a few recipes in this book I would like to try, but when the instructions for Aunt Mildred's Sweet Cakes say to bake in a hot oven, what exactly does that mean anyway? Well, don't give up on those old recipes just yet. Below are quite a few "translations" that may come in handy when you run across one of these nostalgic books!

Oven temperatures:

Slow = up to 300 F

Very moderate = 300 F - 350 F

Moderate/Medium = 350 F - 400 F

Hot/Quick/Fast = 400 F - 450 F

Very Hot/Very Quick = 450 F - 500 F

Baking times:

Cookies: bake until just golden

Cakes: bake until cake begins to pull away from sides of pan and toothpick or butter knife inserted in center comes out clean

Bread: bake until bread pulls away from sides of pan, or when tapped you hear a hollow sound

Custards: bake until just set

Single crust filled pies: hot oven (425-450 F) for 1st ten minutes to crisp the crust, lower to moderate (350 F) to finish

Unfilled pie shell: bake at 425 F for 18-20 minutes, or until lightly browned

Unfilled tart shell: bake at 425 F for 12 minutes

Baking Temps:

Cookies, cakes, quick breads: 350 F

Yeast bread: 375 F

Yeast rolls: 400-425 F

Tarts: 375 F

1 pound yields:

4 cups sifted flour

4 1/2 cups sifted cake flour

3 1/2 cups graham flour

3 cups cornmeal

5 1/2 cups rolled oats

2 1/4 cups white sugar

2 1/2 cups brown sugar

2 3/4 cups powdered sugar

1 1/3 cups molasses or honey

2 cups milk

4 cups nut meats, chopped

3 cups dried fruit

lard = use shortening

fat = means butter

sour milk = buttermilk OR 1 tablespoon vinegar added to 1 cup whole milk

sweet milk = milk (whole is best for baking, but 2%, 1% and skim can be used succesfully)

cake compressed yeast = 1 package active dry yeast

pint = 2 cups

quart = 4 cups

gill = 4 ounces (1/4 pound, metric = 5 ounces as a metric pound is 20 ounces)

peck = 8 quarts

bushel = 4 pecks

And just for fun, here's a recipe you might enjoy:

Tea Bread

2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup sugar

3 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup peanut butter

3/4 cup chopped dates or raisins

1 cup milk

Mix dry ingredients, rub in peanut butter, add fruit, stir in milk. Pour into small greased bread pan and bake in moderate oven about an hour.

Enjoy!

~ Amanda

Reference: The Farmer's Wife Baking Cookbook: Over 300 blue-ribbon recipes!, Lela Nargi, Voyageur Press

Cleaning and Storing Your Dutch Oven

I just recently bought my first Dutch oven. For a long time I thought A Dutch oven was just a big soup pot with a lid, I had no idea they were cast iron. 

I'm quoting from an article on Old Fashioned Living called Cleaning and Storing Your Dutch Oven:

Dutch Oven care begins with seasoning, but it's important to clean them properly after each use. Cleaning cast iron is easier than scrubbing pots and pans. As soon as possible after using your Dutch Oven, scrape out as much food as possible with a plastic scraper. Put 1-2 quarts of hot water in your oven and scrub with a plastic scrubbing pad or a vegetable brush. DO NOT USE SOAP of any kind or you will wash off the seasoning and have to start all over again. (See comment below from a reader)

Immediately after washing, dry the oven thoroughly by putting it in your kitchen oven at 150 to 200 degrees for about 10 minutes.

Cast Iron can only be dried by heating. Heat dries out the moisture in the pores. If a pot is not completely dried after it is used, it will rust. The pores must be opened by heating up, and the moisture dried out of it. Don't let the oven set around after washing, go straight from draining the rinse water into the kitchen oven if possible. If you are camping and don't have a kitchen oven to dry a Dutch Oven, dry it the best you can and try and store it away from moisture.

Dutch Ovens, when cared for, will last for generations. Be sure your oven has been cleaned and lightly oiled before putting it away. Try to keep your ovens in a dry, warm place. Remember, moisture with cause cast iron to rust. Leave your lids slightly ajar, allowing the air to circulate. I like to store with a paper towel rolled up and sticking out from under the lid. The towel inside the oven acts as a wick and will help absorb moisture.

From one of our readers, Max:

One should NEVER use any kind of Soap to clean or wash cast iron. Hot water only, steel wool if you must, but never any kind of Soap or astringent. Hot water and heating in the oven will kill whatever Bacteria may exist in Cast Iron. Over sixty years I have been handling Cast Iron in just this way, and have never been sick a day in my life. Soap and other astringents will destroy the seasoning of the Iron, and cause it to cook unevenly, and eventually to rust, even if it is properly dried.

~ Max Davis, Chef, Eatwell Cafe

Right you are Max! For more tips on caring for cast iron and some great recipes, go to Cast Iron Cookware.

Tuesday Tips: Ingredient Substitutions

If you are like me, and probably the rest of humanity, you have found yourself in the middle of making a recipe only to find that you are missing some key ingredient. There's nothing more frustrating, especially if the recipe calls for precise timing and running to the store just isn't an option. Now sometimes you can simply leave an ingredient out, especially if it's a small portion of flavoring or spice, but that's not always the case. 

I had this happen last week and instead of panicking, I did a quick search which yielded this fabulous list of ingredient substitutions from North Dakota's College of Agriculture, Food Systems, & Natural Resources. I won't list them all here, but have chosen some of the ones that I feel would be commonly used and most helpful. You can visit the link above for the full list:

~ Amanda

Ingredient	Amount	Substitutes
Baking powder	1 teaspoon	* 1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 5/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
		* 1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2 cup sour milk or buttermilk or yogurt (decrease liquid called for in recipe by 1/2 cup)
		* 1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice used with sweet milk to make 1/2 cup (decrease liquid called for in recipe by 1/2 cup)
		* 1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/4 to 1/2 cup molasses (decrease liquid in recipe by 1 to 2 tablespoons)
		* 1/3 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
Beef stock base,	2 teaspoons	* 1 beef bouillon cube
instant
Beef stock base, instant	4 teaspoons dissolved in 1 1/4 cups water	* 1 can (10 1/2 ounces) condensed, undiluted beef bouillon or consumme'
Bread crumbs, dry	1/3 cup	* 1 slice of bread
Bread crumbs, soft	3/4 cup	* 1 slice bread
Broth, beef or chicken	1 cup	* 1 bouillon cube dissolved in 1 cup boiling water
		* 1 teaspoon powdered broth base dissolved in 1 cup boiling water
Butter	1 cup	* 7/8 to 1 cup hydrogenated fat plus 1/2 teaspoon salt
		* 7/8 cup oil plus 1/2 teaspoon salt
		* 7/8 cup lard plus 1/2 teaspoon salt
		* 1 cup margarine
		* 7/8 cup oil
Catsup	1 cup	* 1 cup tomato sauce, 1/2 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons vinegar (for use in cooking)
Chicken stock base, instant	1 1/2 teaspoons	* 1 chicken bouillon cube
Chicken stock base, instant	1 tablespoon dissolved in 1 cup water	* 1 cup canned or homemade chicken broth or stock
Chili sauce	1 cup	* 1 cup tomato sauce, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, dash of ground cloves and dash of allspice
Chives, finely chopped	2 teaspoons	* 2 teaspoons finely chopped green onion tops
Chocolate chips, semisweet	1 ounce	* 1 ounce sweet cooking chocolate
Chocolate, semisweet	1-2/3 ounces	* 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate plus 4 teaspoons sugar
Chocolate, semisweet pieces, melted	6 ounce package	* 2 squares unsweetened chocolate plus 2 tablespoons shortening and 1/2 cup sugar
Chocolate, unsweetened	1 ounce or square	* 3 tablespoons cocoa plus 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
		* 3 tablespoons carob powder plus 2 tablespoons water
Cocoa	1/4 cup or 4 tablespoons	* 1 ounce (square) chocolate (decrease fat called for in recipe by 1/2 tablespoon)
Corn Syrup	1 cup	* 1 cup sugar plus 1/4 cup liquid (use whatever liquid is called for in the recipe)
		* 1 cup honey
Cornstarch	1 tablespoon	* 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
		* 4 to 6 teaspoons quick-cooking tapioca
Cream cheese		* Part skim milk ricotta cheese or lowfat cottage cheese beaten until smooth
Cream, half-and-half	1 cup	* 7/8 cup whole milk plus 1/2 tablespoon butter or margarine
		* 3 tablespoons oil plus milk to equal 1 cup
		* 1 cup evaporated milk
Cream, heavy	1 cup	* 3/4 cup milk plus 1/3 cup butter or margarine (for use in cooking and baking)
		* 2/3 cup buttermilk plus 1/3 cup oil
		* Evaporated skim milk or equal parts of part-skim milk ricotta cheese and nonfat yogurt beaten until smooth (this mixture cannot be heated because of separation
Cream, sour	1 cup	* 3 tablespoons butter plus 7/8 cup sour milk
		* 7/8 cup buttermilk plus 3 tablespoons butter
Cream of tartar	1/2 teaspoon	* 1 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar
Egg 1 whole	(3 tablespoons)	* 3 tablespoons slightly beaten egg
		* 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon frozen egg, thawed
		* 2 1/2 tablespoons sifted dry whole egg powder plus 2 1/2 tablespoons lukewarm water
		* 1/4 cup egg substitute
		* 1 egg white and 2 teaspoons oil
		* 2 egg whites
		* 2 yolks plus 1 tablespoon water (in cookies)
		* 2 yolks (in custards, cream fillings and similar mixtures)
Flour, cake	1 cup sifted	* 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons sifted all-purpose flour
Garlic	1 clove, small	* 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder or 1/4 teaspoon instant minced garlic
Garlic salt	3/4 teaspoon	* 1 medium size clove or 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh
Herbs, dried	1 teaspoon	* 1 tablespoon fresh, finely cut
Herbs, fresh	1 tablespoon, finely cut	* 1 teaspoon dried herbs
		* 1/2 teaspoon ground herbs
Honey	1 cup	* 1 1/4 cups sugar plus 1/4 cup liquid (use liquid called for in recipe)
Lemon	1 teaspoon juice	* 1/2 teaspoon vinegar
	1 medium	* 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 to 2 teaspoons rind
Milk, buttermilk	1 cup	* 1 cup plain yogurt
Milk, buttermilk or sour	1 cup	* 1 cup minus 1 tablespoon sweet milk plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice or  vinegar (allow to stand 5 to 10 minutes)
		* 1 cup sweet milk and 1 3/4 teaspoons cream of tartar
Milk, evaporated	1 can (12 oz)	* Whip until smooth:
		1 cup nonfat dry milk
		1 3/4 cups warm water
		Keep refrigerated
Milk, sweetened condensed	1 can (1 1/3 cups)	* Heat the following ingredients until sugar and butter are dissolved:
		1/3 cup and 2 tablespoons
		evaporated milk
		1 cup sugar
		3 tablespoons butter or margarine
	1 cup	* Heat the following ingredients until sugar and butter are dissolved:
		1/3 cup evaporated milk
		3/4 cup sugar
		2 tablespoons butter or margarine
		* Add 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons dry milk powder to 1/2 cup warm water. Mix well. Add 3/4 cup sugar and stir until smooth.
Onion	1 small	* 1/4 cup chopped, fresh onion
		* 1-1/3 teaspoons onion salt
		* 1 to 2 tablespoons minced onion
		* 1 teaspoon onion powder
Orange	1 medium	* 6 to 8 tablespoons juice
Sugar, brown	1 cup, firmly packed	* 1 cup granular sugar
		* 1 cup granulated sugar plus 1/4 cup molasses
Sugar, confectioners'	1 cup	* 3/4 cup granulated sugar
or powdered
Tomatoes, fresh	2 cups, chopped	* 16-ounce can
Tomato sauce	15-ounce can	* 6-ounce can tomato paste plus 1 cup water
Tomato soup	10 3/4-ounce can	* 1 cup tomato sauce plus 1/4 cup water
Wine	1 cup	* 13 tablespoons water, 3 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 tablespoon sugar
Yeast, active dry	1 tablespoon	* 1 cake (6/10 ounce), compressed (2/3 ounce)
		* 1 packaged (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
Yogurt, plain	1 cup	* 1 cup buttermilk
		* 1 cup cottage cheese blended until smooth
		* 1 cup sour cream