Buying Good Cookware

Stainless steel cookware sets and individual pots and pans purchased at the Bargain-Marts may or may not actually be bargains. Sure you will know the price you paid for the product, and how that price compares to the other Marts in town, but did you get a deal? The only way to know the value of your stainless steel cookware set purchase is to know the basics of cookware language. After you get the very basics of cookware terms, you can then make better purchasing choices. In this article we will discuss material thickness and how this improves quality. The information we will cover in this article includes stainless steel cookware, aluminum cookware and cast aluminum cookware whether purchased in sets or individual pots.

Sometimes the Marts due in fact have very good deals on quality cookware products. This may not always follow the brand name rules that at first come to mind. Most brand name products have different product lines, and these lines usually are of different level of quality. The good news is if you buy brand name products, even the low cost lines, you will be getting a product that is normally much better quality that the better or the best of the non-brand name cookware. The brand name producers do not want you to associate their name with low-quality products. If this association happens you will not be a repeat buyer of that brand. If you go into a store or even a web site and the manufacturer’s name is not readily seen or advertised, the buyer should be cautious. Manufacturers of quality products want the consumer to know their name.

Now let get started on some cookware terms and the very basic knowledge you will need to know. As I mentioned above, we will begin with thickness of a pot or pan and the terms used. Metal thickness can be stated in inches (thousandths), millimeters, or gauge. Since many manufactures are now in Europe, they sell to Europe as well to the USA; those brands will be rated in MM or millimeters. Do not let metric measurements scare you; 1.0 MM is 0.0394 inches thick, a 0.5 MM is one half that thick or 0.0197 inches thick and 2.0 MM is twice that thickness or 0.0787 inches thick. The higher the MM rating the thicker the utensil will be. The next term for thickness is called gauge. Gauge can be hard to understand. The measurement in gauge works the reverse of normal thinking. The larger the number of gauge the resulting material will be thinner. A 16 gauge material is 1.3 MM thick, an 8 gauge material is 3.25 MM thick and a 4 gauge material is 5.18 MM thick.

We have now talked about all three measurement systems, inches thick in thousandths, millimeters and in gauge we will see where these units are used. If you are buying aluminum cookware or cast aluminum cookware the thickness will be in gauge. Most stamped aluminum cookware in the mass market is 10 gauge on fry pans and a thinner 12 gauge on saucepans. Better quality aluminum cookware would use a heavier 8 gauge on fry pans and 10 gauge on other pieces. Cast aluminum cookware is equivalent to 6 gauge. Consumers are moving up to more durable fry pans in recent years - either 6 gauge or a very heavy 4 gauge. Bargain basement lightweight fry pans with "generic" non-stick coatings are usually 12 gauge or 14 gauge. This is too thin to provide any length of time in service. The first time the heat is high under these fry pans the bottoms could warp, the contents burn or both. If you are buying stainless steel cookware the measurement of thickness will be in millimeters, (if the manufacturer is in the USA it may be listed in thousandths of an inch). The standard for top of range stainless steel cookware is 0.6 MM. Premium department store brands will have stainless steel cookware in the range of 0.7 MM to 1.0 MM thick. Low end stainless steel cookware is generally 0.5 MM thick. If you have the choice between two pots one is 2.59 MM thick (0.102 inches or 10 gauge) and the second is 5.18 MM thick (0.204 inches or 4 gauge) the best pot for even heat distribution is the 5.18 MM pot.

If you look at the bottom of your stainless steel cookware or your aluminum cookware and you see discolored, almost black shaded areas on the surface. If the pot does not set flat due to being warped, the likely cause is the utensil has had too much heat applied for its’ thickness. Once the utensil is warped it will never be able to transfer heat uniformly.

Dale Crouse is a certified Six Sigma Black Belt; he has been dealing with facts and data for the past 6 years in his work. Linda, his wife started a website selling quality cookware and she wanted to know how the products she sold compared to other “quality cookware”. Dale will be writing additional articles showing how to make the best choices in purchasing cookware from his research. Visit Linda’s website for quality cookware and accessories at http://www.mypothandle.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dale_Crouse

Cooking Has Changed A Lot!

I have a cookbook from my Grandmother dated 1940. If you think cooking is difficult now, just wait for these recipes. These recipes assume a lot. For example:

Buns

4 cups water
16 cups flour
1 cake yeast
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon shortening
1 rounded tablespoon salt

That’s it. No mixing instructions. No baking instructions.


How about Fried Carrots?

Boil until tender, and peel the carrots cut lengthwise in thin slices, dip in egg and roll in cracker crumbs, and fry until crisp.

Last one:

Noodles

2 eggs
1 cup cream
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon lard (I guess that they didn’t have a problem with cholesterol back then)
Flour to stiffen.

Again no cooking instructions.


In 1938, this is how they made Hollandaise sauce.

This is called Never-Fail Hollandaise Sauce

½ cup water
1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
4 tablespoons butter
2 egg yolks
juice of 1 lemon
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
little onion

Cook water and cornstarch together until clear. Add butter and eggs and stir. Finally add lemon juice and season with salt, pepper and onion.

Here is a look at today’s recipe.

1 cup butter, unsalted
3 egg yolks, large
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
½ teaspoon salt
1-2 dashes cayenne or hot pepper sauce

Notice how even the ingredients have changed. There is no water in today’s recipe, but the butter has increased from 4 tablespoons to 16 tablespoons. Cornstarch is not used as the thickener, and the egg yolks increase form 2 to 3. Vinegar and lime are added in the more modern recipe. The first recipe is a little more bland.

But look at the difference is instructions. Today’s recipe:

1. Heat the butter in a heavy saucepan until hot and foamy, but not browned.
2. Ladle off the clear butter and place in a container.
3. In a small stainless steel bowl, whisk or beat the egg yolks with the vinegar, lemon juice, lime juice, salt and cayenne until foamy.
4. Place the bowl over a pan of low-simmering water and whisk quickly to thicken the egg yolks. Do not let the mixture get too hot, as the eggs will scramble.
5. When the yolks start to thicken, remove the bowl from the heat and slowly whisk in the clear butter.
6. Return the bowl to the saucepan and heat over very low heat until the mixture is slightly thickened. Adjust the seasoning with salt and hot sauce if desired. Serve immediately or let stand over warm heat.

Why the difference? This is just my opinion. In the 30’s and 40’s, women played a different role in society. You went to school, got married and raised a family. You learned how to cook as a matter of course, while you were growing up. Families lived in close proximity to each other. Mom and Grandma were close enough to run over to their house for information.

Today, you may live across the country or the world. You are expected to, as the commercial used to say, “Bring home the bacon and cook it up in a pan”. A lot of women don’t learn to cook in their childhood. Women are expected to work outside the home, raise a family, feed the family, wash the clothes and in her spare time to volunteer for a worthy cause. More and more frequently, you will see more prepared food in the market, frozen entrees, quick and easy this and that.

But, cooking is truly a skill. After working eight hours outside the home, it’s hard to come home and create a masterpiece. But on the weekends, the wonderful weekends, cooking is your time to relax, be creative, be in control of what your family digests. The sense of satisfaction when you put that dish on the table and everyone starts to ooh and ah, and then to say mmmm and yum that feeling is hard to beat.

Cooking Substitutes

Cooking Substitutes


· 1 cup sifted all purpose flour = 1 cup unsifted all purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons or = 1 1/4 cups sifted cake and pastry flour.

· 1 cup cake and pastry flour = 1 cup minus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour.

· 1 cup sifted self-rising flour = 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour plus 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt.

· 1 tbsp cornstarch (for thickening) = 2 tbsp flour or = 2 tsp quick cooking tapioca.

· 1 tsp baking powder = 1/4 tsp baking soda plus 3/4 tsp cream of tartar.

· 1 tsp double-acting baking powder = 1 1/2 tsp phosphate baking powder or = 2 tsp tartrate baking powder.

· 1 cup butter = 1 cup margarine (hard/brick type) or = 1 cup shortening.

· 1 cup liquid honey = 1 1/4 cups sugar plus 1/4 cup liquid.

· 1 cup corn syrup = 1 cup sugar plus 1/4 cup liquid.

· 1 cup granulated sugar = 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed or = 1 1/3 cups brown sugar.

· 1 cup buttermilk or sour milk = 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar in a 1 cup measure plus add milk to make the 1 cup. Let stand 5 minutes.

· 1 cup buttermilk = 1 cup plain yogurt.

· 1 cup sour cream = 1 cup plain yogurt.

· 1 cup milk = 1/2 cup evaporated milk plus 1/2 cup water.

· 1 cup skim milk = 3 tbsp skim milk powder plus 1 cup water.

· 1 cup cream = 3/4 cup milk plus 1/4 cup butter.

· 1/2 cup oil = 1/2 cup melted butter or = 1/2 cup solid shortening, melted.

· 1 ounce chocolate (1 square) = 3 tbsp cocoa plus 1 tbsp butter or shortening.

· 1 package active dry yeast = 1 tbsp active dry yeast or = 1 cake of compressed yeast.

· 1 whole egg (approximately 1/4 cup) = 2 egg yolks plus 1 tbsp water. Omit the water for custards and similarly textured food.

· 1 cup meat stock (eg. beef broth) = 1 cup consomme or canned meat broth.

· 1 cup meat stock = 1 bouillon cube dissolved in 1 cup hot water or = 1 tsp instant bouillon.

· 4 cups chicken stock = 1 4 to 5 pound chicken, boiled for stock or = 4 cups canned broth or = 4 tsp instant chicken bouillon. Another cooking substitution would be 4 instant bouillon cubes plus 4 cups of water.

· 1 cup tomato juice = 1/2 cup tomato sauce plus 1/2 cup water.

· 1 cup tomato sauce = 1/2 cup tomato paste plus 1/2 cup water.

· 1 cup ketchup = 1 cup tomato sauce plus 1/2 cup sugar plus 2 tbsp vinegar.

· 1 clove garlic = 1/8 tsp garlic powder or 1/2 tsp garlic salt.

· 2 tbsp fresh chopped green or red pepper = 1 tbsp dried pepper flakes.

· 1 tsp dry mustard = 1 tbsp prepared mustard.

· 1 small onion = 1/4 cup chopped or = 1 tbsp dehydrated minced onion or = 1 tbsp onion salt.

· 1 tbsp fresh herbs (eg. parsley or basil) = 1 tsp dried.

· Juice of 1 lemon = 3 to 4 tbsp bottled lemon juice.

· 1/3 cup rum = 1 tbsp rum flavoring.

The 10 Worst Days to go Grocery Shopping

Supermarket managers across the country developed this list of the worst days to go grocery shopping. Here are the days when your store may not be as well-stocked and well-staffed as it should be:

#1 Labor Day weekend

#2 Sundays

#3 Saturdays

#4 Memorial Day weekend

#5 Afternoons between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.

#6 Thanksgiving Eve

#7 The day after a major disaster Such as an earthquake, tornado, hurricane or snowstorm.

#8 Christmas Eve

#9 Fourth of July Especially if it falls on a weekend.

#10 The day after Thanksgiving

Easy Summertime Recipes

Spinach Salad

1 bag fresh spinach
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons grated onion1/2 teaspoon dry mustard1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup finely chopped apple
crumbled cooked bacon, for garnish, optional


Fiesta Salad Dressing over Salad greens

8 ounces plain yogurt
3 Tablespoons minced onion
1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 clove minced garlic
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Combine ingredients in small bowl; mix well


Apple Dumplings

These are great and they are very easy.

1 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored
2 (10 ounce) cans refrigerated crescent roll dough
1 cup butter
1/2 cups white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (12 fluid ounce) can Mountain Dew (tm)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.

3. Cut each apple into 8 pieces.

4. Separate the crescent rolls into triangles.

5. Place each apple slice at the smallest end of the dough triangle and roll up.

6. Pinch the edges to seal the rolls and put into a baking dish.

7. Melt butter in a small saucepan and stir in the sugar and cinnamon. Pour over the dumplings.

8. Pour the can of Mountain Dew (tm.) Over the dumplings.

9. Bake for 35-45 minutes until golden brown.

Serve with either ice cream or shipped cream


Garlic and Cheddar Chicken

1/2 cup butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
11/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded thin (place chicken between 2 sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap and pound thin with a meat tenderizer or any heavy object)

1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat, and cook the garlic until tender, about 5 minutes.

3 In a shallow bowl, mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, Cheddar cheese, parsley, oregano, pepper, and salt.

4. Dip each chicken breast in the garlic butter to coat, then press into thebread crumb mixture.

5. Arrange the coated chicken breasts in a 9x13 inchbaking dish.

6. Drizzle with any remaining butter and top with anyremaining bread crumb mixture.

7. Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until chicken is no longerpink and juices run clear.



Salmon Filet (you need at least 2 hours to marinade)

1 1/2 pounds salmon fillets
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup olive oil

1. Season salmon fillets with lemon pepper, garlic powder, and salt.

2. In a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, brown sugar, water, and vegetable oil
until sugar is dissolved.

3. Place fish in a large resealable plastic bag with the soy sauce mixture, seal,and turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

4. Spray a broiler pan with non-stick cooking spray.

5. Cook salmon for 6-8 minutes. Or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.



STIR FRY SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
sesame seeds (optional)
1 green bell, diced into large pieces
1 clove of garlic - chopped
1 ½ Tablespoons of coconut oil
1 jar of sweet and sour sauce


1. Cube chicken into chunks, set aside

2. Heat oil over low heat

3. Add sesame seeds and chopped garlic, stir to mix together

4. Turn up heat to medium heat and add chicken

5. Stir fry until chicken is thoroughly cooked

6. Add green pepper and sweet and sour sauce

7. Stir and turn down heat to low

8. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes until the green pepper is tender.



Creamy Asian-Style Salad Dressing served over salad greens

3 cups mayonnaise
½ cup soy sauce
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2Tablespoon sesame seeds
1 Tablespoon sesame seed oil

1. In a mixing bowl, whisk all ingredients together.

2. If too thick, add a few drops of water

3. Cover and refrigerate.


Chocolate-Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pie (very long prep time)

1-1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
4 Tablespoons finely chopped salted peanuts, divided
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 pint chocolate ice cream, softened slightly
2 pints vanilla ice cream, softened slightly
1/3 cup peanut butter
Chocolate syrup

1. In a small bowl, prepare pie crust by mixing together cracker crumbs, sugar, 2 tablespoons of the chopped peanuts and melted butter.

2. Pour mixture on the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch or 10-inch pie (do not use an 8-inch pie pan).

3. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees for 6 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned.

4. Remove pie crust from oven and cool completely.

5. Spread softened chocolate ice cream over the cooled pie crust.

6 . Freeze until firm (approximately 30 minutes)

7. In a large mixer bowl, combine vanilla ice cream and peanut butter, mix at low speed, scraping the bowl often, until peanut butter is evenly distributed.

8. Freeze until ice cream and peanut butter mixture holds into mounds (30 to 45 minutes).

9. Spoon ice cream and peanut butter mixture over chocolate ice cream layer.

10. Spread to edges of crust, mounding slightly higher in the center.

11. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons of chopped peanuts.

12. Freeze for 4 to 5 hours or until pie is firm.

13. Let pie stand at room temperature for 5 minutes before serving

14. Drizzle with chocolate syrup.


Chicken Nuggets

3 boneless chicken breasts
½ cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 thyme
1 teaspoon basil
½ cup melted butter

1. Cut the chicken into 1 ½ inch squares.

2. Combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, thyme, basil and salt.

3. Dip chicken into the melted butter.

4. Then dip in the bread crumb mixture.

5. Place on a cookie sheet in a single layer.

6. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.


Seasoned Potato Fries

4 russet potatoes, sliced into 1/4 inch strips
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons Italian seasoning
2 Tablespoons garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

1. Place the potato strips in a large resealable plastic bag.

2. Add the oil and shake

3. Add the seasonings and shake

4. Put the potato strips on a greased baking sheet in a single layer.

5. Bake at 425 degrees for 25 minutes, or until crispy.


Grilled cheese and bacon sandwiches

Bread - enough for 2 slices per sandwich
American or Swiss Cheese - 2 slices per sandwich
Bacon - 3 slices per sandwich
Butter

1. Butter all the bread on one side.

2. Microwave bacon until crisp

3. Assemble sandwiches - bread (butter side down, 1 slice of cheese. 3 slices of bacon, slice of cheese, bread ( butter side up)

4. Heat skillet on medium high.

5. Place a sandwich in skillet and cook until golden brown or darker depending on taste.

6. Flip over and cook on other side.


Pork Tenderloin

These are in your grocer’s meat case. They even come preseasoned. They usually take 20 minutes per pound to cook.


Baked Potato Wedges

6 medium Potatoes
4 tablespoons Melted Butter
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon parsley
Salt & pepper


1. Scrub potatoes. Do not peel.

2. Cut each potato lengthwise in quarters.

3. Stir together melted butter, garlic powder and parsley.

4. Arrange potatoes skin side down on a shallow baking pan.

5. Brush seasoned butter over cut surfaces of potatoes.

6. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

7. Bake, uncovered, at 400F degrees for about 1 hour or until golden brown and tender when pierced.



Green Beans and Almonds

2/3 cup slivered almonds
1 1/2 pounds green beans, ends trimmed
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar
Coarse kosher or sea salt
Coarsely ground black pepper


1. Place almonds in small nonstick skillet.

2. Stir over medium heat until lightly toasted, about 8 minutes.

3. Sprinkle with salt and set aside.

4. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring water to a boil.

5. Add the beans and partially cook for 4 to 5 minutes

6. Remove from heat.

7. Drain the beans in a colander and immediately immerse them in ice water to stop from cooking; drain and set aside.

8. Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat.

9. Add beans and vinegar; toss to coat and heat through, about 2 minutes.

10. Season with salt and pepper.

11. Sprinkle with almonds and serve.
Makes 6 servings.

Time for some recipes

Sloppy Joes and Cheese Fries

1 pound ground beef or ground turkey
1 cup chopped onions
6 ounce can tomato paste
15 ounce can tomato sauce
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
4 hamburger buns

1. Saute the onions until they turn translucent.

2. Add the meat and brown

3. In a small bowl, combine the tomato paste, tomato sauce, lemon juice, sugar and garlic powder.

4. Pour over the browned meat and let simmer for 25 minutes.

5. Spoon the sloppy joes onto the hamburger buns

Options - Some people like to add a slice of provolone or American cheese to their sandwich.
Instead of making the sauce, some people like to use a bottle of chili sauce. How much you use depends in how sloppy you want your sloppy joes to be.I read somewhere about instead of sloppy joes, you can hollow out the inside of a hard roll, fill the roll with the sloppy joe mixture and top with shredded mozzarella cheese - these are called “Tidy Josephs”.

On to the Cheese Fries...

1 package of frozen steak fries
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/3 cup (or more) ranch dressing

1. Prepare the steak fries according to package directions.

2. Cook the steak fries until golden brown.

3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

4. Arrange the fries on an oven-safe plate.

5. Sprinkle on the Cheddar cheese, then the Monterey Jack cheese.

6. Sprinkle the crumbled bacon over the cheese.

7. Bake for 5-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Serve with ranch dressing.

Kitchen Skills, Tips and Hints

Safety Tips

1. Always turn the handles on your pots and pans towards the center of your stove top. It's possible to catch the handle of your pan on your clothing as you walk by. If you have small children you don't even want to imagine what could happen.

2. Tip the lid of a pan away from you when you take the lid off a hot pan. This keeps you from having hot steam in your face.

3. If food or grease should catch on fire.Smother the flames with the pan lid or a cookie sheet. You want to shut off the oxygen supply to the fire.You can also throw flour on the fire.
NEVER pick or carry a pan of grease that has caught fire.


BASIC KITCHEN SKILLS


Bake - To cook by dry heat, usually in oven

Baste - To moisten surface of food during cooking with melted fat or liquid

Beat - To combine ingredients by rapidly lifting over and over with a spoon

Blend - To mix two or more ingredients until well combined
Boil - To cook in liquid (usually water) in which bubbles constantly rise to the surface and break

Braise - To cook meat in moist heat in a covered pan

Broil - To cook foods in the oven broiler

Brown - To cook over low to medium heat in a skillet on stove or under a broiler

Chop - To cut up into small pieces with a knife

Cream - To mix or work with a spoon into a smooth, soft mass

Fold In - To combine ingredients by cutting down through the mixture with a spoon or rubber spatula across the bottom of the bowl and bringing it up the side — a down, under, up and over motion

Fry - To cook in a skillet in hot fat that covers the food partially or completely

Grate - To rub on a grater and separate into small pieces

Knead - To work and press dough with the palms of the hands, turning a small amount after each push

Marinate - To soak food in seasoned liquid before cooking

Mince - To chop or cut very fine

Poach - To cook in a hot liquid (often water) that is kept just below the boiling point

Preheat - To heat oven to desired temperature 5 to 10 minutes before putting food in the oven

Roast - To cook in a dry heat in an open pan in the oven

Sauté - To cook in a pan that has been coated with a small amount of fat

Shred - To tear or slice into long, narrow pieces

Sift - To put dry ingredients through a sifter or a sieve

Simmer - To cook slowly over very low heat with liquid moving slowly

Toast -To brown directly under the broiler

Whisk - To beat into a froth



FOOD WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

dash, speck, a few grains = less than 1/8 teaspoon

3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon

16 tablespoons = 1 cup

8 tablespoons = 1/2 cup

4 tablespoons = 1/4 cup

5 1/3 tablespoons = 1/3 cup

8 ounces = 1 cup (liquid)

2 cups = 1 pint

1 cup = 1/2 pint

2 pints = 1 quart

4 cups = 1 quart

4 quarts = 1 gallon

8 quarts = 1 peck (dry)

4 pecks = 1 bushel

16 ounces = 1 pound

1 pound butter = 2 cups or 4 sticks

1/2 pound butter = 1 cup or 2 sticks

1/4 pound butter = 1/2 cup or 1 stick

1 pound granulated sugar = 2 1/4 cups sugar

1 square chocolate = 1 ounce chocolate

1 square chocolate = 3 Tbs. cocoa + 1 T. fat

10 miniature marshmallows = 1 standard size marshmallow

4 1/2 cups of min. marshmallows = 1/2 pound marshmallow


OVEN TEMPERATURES

Very Slow 250° to 300°

Slow 300° to 325°

Moderate 350° to 375°

Hot 400° to 425°

Very Hot 450° to 475°



Tips and Hints


Brown Sugar - Add a slice of soft bread to a package of rock-hard brown sugar. Close the bag tightly, and in a few hours the sugar will be soft again.

Crackers - To crisp soggy crackers, put them on a cookie sheet and heat in the oven for a few minutes.

Fat - Lettuce leaves absorb fat. Place a few into the pot and watch the fat cling to them.To remove fat from stew, soup or pot roast, wrap an ice cube or two in white paper toweling and skim the surface. Fat will cling to the toweling.

Glasses - When one glass is stuck inside another, do not force them apart. Fill the top glass with cold water and dip the lower one in hot water. They will come apart without breaking.

A small nick in the rim of a glass can be smoothed out by using an emery board.

Use a wet paper towel to pick up broken glass slivers. Simply blot them and they will stick to the paper.

Scratches on glassware will disappear if polished with toothpaste.

Make glasses extra shiny by adding lemon peels to the water in which they are rinsed. The lemon acid released gives glasses a clear shine.