[CnD] Some thoughts on cooking and recipes.

Hi, all, I've stayed out of the recent fray over recipes, but have a few thoughts I'd like to share. The Mississippi Mud brownies is an example of an incomplete recipe; there are many of those out there with errors, items left out or a measurement written incorrectly. If I were to make these

[CnD] Quinoa.

Hi Christina and list. For those who don't know, quinoa is a seed, a little smaller than a grain of rice. It cooks like rice, a ratio of 2 cups water to one cup quinoa, and has a mile nutty flavor. It can be used like rice and is good mixed with black beans and corn, with some chopped onion

[CnD] Cooking pot roast.

Hi, A 2 pound roast sounds small, but doable. Have you thought of putting the meat on a large sheet of foil, sprinkling it with a packet of onion soup mix, wrapping it tightly and cooking it in the oven at 350 for about an hour? This should work nicely and taste good. You can boil potatoes,

[CnD] Never used the Digest Version.

Hi, Victoria, I've never use the Digest version of the list messages, so have no idea how that would work. You could experiment and try "reply to sender". Good Luck, Alice --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus

[CnD] instructions to unsubscribe.

Janet, Here is what to do to unsubscribe from the list. To remove your address from the list- If you haven't changed addresses since subscribing, send a message to: cookinginthedark-unsubscr...@acbradio.org To subscribe to the digest version of this list Send a blank email to:

[CnD] Recipe request for chicken drumsticks.

Honey Cornbread Chicken Drumsticks This delicious and simple recipe for chicken drumsticks coated in honey butter, then cornbread stuffing mix, will be a real hit with kids. Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 55 minutes Ingredients: 3 lbs. chicken drumsticks 3 Tbsp. honey 2 Tbsp. butter,

[CnD] Cooking Pork Chops.

Hi, Curtis, I love using Italian dressing as a marinade for pork chops; it adds a good flavor and helps to keep the meat moist and tender. Here is something else to consider: your butcher may be trimming all the fat off the chops. This will dry out the meat very quickly. You may want to ask

[CnD] Baking potatoes

Hi, Cindy, Baking potatoes in the oven is easy. Scrub them well. Set the oven to 500 (they need a very hot oven). degrees and bake them for about an hour. If you want to pierce them a couple of times with a fork, that's good, so they will vent. I don't wrap them in foil because I like the

[CnD] Roasted Vegetable soup.

Laurie, I don't have the requested recipe, but do you need one? Why not use a favorite vegetable soup recipe and roast the vegetables first? I would sauté the onions until they are caramelized, roast the carrots, parsnips, and whatever other root vegetables you want to add, and go from there.

[CnD] Cleaning burned pots.

Hi, Suzanne, It's simple and really works. Put about two inches of water in the pot and add a big handful of baking soda. Bring this to a boil; it will foam up. Then remove the pot from the heat and let it stand for a while. You should then be able to clean it with no difficulty. If not,

[CnD] pouring into a cup.

Hi all, A liquid level indicator is very helpful, but if you don't have one available, you can do several things, such as: putting the container on a tray to catch any spills, or putting the container in the sink for the same reason. If the liquid isn't boiling hot, you can use a finger on the

[CnD] Substituting fresh tomatoes for canned.

Hi all, Ellen, I don't think you need to add any liquid. The tomatoes will have plenty of juice. I would peel them though before using. Whatever you are making sounds yummy! Blessings, Alice --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.

[CnD] Making Pastry and making streusel.

Hi, Alex, When making pie crust, you want the shortening to be cold so that the crust will be flakey; it is the layers of fat and flour that make a flakey crust. For streusel, I think, to get a good crumbly texture, it is better to have the butter cold, although not necessarily directly out of

[CnD] Mixing streusel

Hi, Alex, Mixing streusel is like mixing pastry; you handle it as little as possible and keep the butter cold. From what I've read in your messages, you are using your hands to mix in the butter. In older cook books it instructs to rub the butter into the flour. I think it would be worth

[CnD] Frying chicken and potatoes.

Hi, Louise. I think it is difficult for a person who is blind to turn potatoes in hot oil, chicken, maybe less so. I would suggest cooking in the oven, seasoning and roasting the potatoes tossed with some oil, and the same for the chicken; breading it as you would to fry and baking at 375

[CnD] Recipe: chicken spaghetti with cream of mushroom.

Hi, Will, You could use canned chicken broth, cook the breasts in that, dice them, and proceed with the recipe; it should turn out fine. Hope this helps. Blessings, Alice --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus

[CnD] My Best Sour Cream Cake.

Hi, Shannon, This cake sounds very similar to my Sour Cream Coffee Cake. I bake mine in a tube pan with a filling and topping of brown sugar, cinnamon and nuts. I think mine takes about 45 minutes. Without the filling, it might take a little less time. Hope this helps. Blessings, Alice ---

[CnD] Slicing cookies from a log.

Hi, Ellen, If you are hesitant to slice cookies why not form the dough into 1/2 inch balls and then flatten them with the bottom of a drinking glass dipped in flour to the desired thickness. You can wrap the dough in plastic and chill it well first. If you have a knife with a guide you could

[CnD] Cooking Brown Rice.

Hi every one, For the one requesting a repost on cooking brown rice: you really don't need a recipe. Just remember two things: the ratio of water to brown rice is three to one (3 cups water to 1 cup brown rice). The cooking time is 45 minutes. You can use broth for the liquid and add other

[CnD] Recipe Request.

Hi, Nancy and Gary, What you had for dessert sounds like banana pudding. It is a layered dish, beginning with graham crackers, chocolate pudding, sliced bananas, more graham crackers, vanilla pudding and more sliced bananas. It is yummy, pure comfort food. Hope this helps. Alice --- This

[CnD] Cooking Brown Rice.

Hi, Will, Brown rice requires more liquid when cooking than white rice. For brown rice, the ratio is 3 to 1, so you need 3 cups of liquid to 1 cup of rice. Using broth is good because it gives the rice some flavor. Also, did you lower the heat once the rice and broth were boiling? Don't

[CnD] One more thing about cooking brown rice.

Hi, Will, I forgot to add to my last post, that brown rice takes about 45 minutes to cook. White rice takes about 20 minutes. Good Luck! Alice --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. http://www.avast.com ___

[CnD] Banana bread recipe using buttermilk.

Hi, all, This was posted some time ago on the list. I haven't tried it yet, but it sounds like a keeper. Hope this helps. Alice Best Recipes Banana Bread 3 ripe bananas pinch of salt 1/2 cup buttermilk 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 1/2 cup softened butter 1 cup packed brown sugar 1 egg 1

[CnD] Lamb and Sweet Potatoes.

Hi, Abbie, I have a recipe for a lamb stew with butternut squash and chick peas. The spices make a curry: coriander, turmeric, cardamom, red pepper among them. I'll find the recipe and post it later. Blessings, Alice --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.

[CnD] Questions about baking.

Hi, Brittany, This sounds like a very easy recipe to make. If you own a good electric mixer, it will be even easier. The term cream referring to the butter and sugar, means to blend them together until the butter is the consistency of whipped cream and the sugar is almost dissolved. It's

[CnD] Question about Macaroni and Cheese

Hi, Debbie, The heavy cream in the recipe, is there to help thicken the sauce. Because milk has less fat content, you probably can use it but won't get the same results as if you used the heavy cream. Experiment and see what you think. Happy Cooking, Alice --- This email has been checked for

[CnD] cleaning pots.

Hi, Bill, Put a good handful of baking soda in the pot, then about two inches of water. Bring it to a boil and let it sit a few minutes. Whatever is burned on should come off easily then. I've never tried the dryer sheets, but that's another trick. Good luck. I think some things like

[CnD] Using hands.

Hi every one, When I was working as a Rehabilitation Teacher, I used to tell people that every good cook uses their hands to mix things like meatloaf, knead bread dough and that as long as hands are clean, it's okay. Cooking is an art that uses all five senses as well as intuition. So, use

[CnD] Onion Question.

Hi, All, Hope every one had a happy and blessed holiday. As to onions being chopped or sliced, if you want the onion to be more of a presence, then it should be sliced. If you want it to blend in with the rest of the ingredients, then chop it. Happy Cooking! Blessings, Alice

[CnD] obscure replies

Kerry, To what are you referring in your message? Alice ___ Cookinginthedark mailing list Cookinginthedark@acbradio.org http://acbradio.org/mailman/listinfo/cookinginthedark

[CnD] Baking Frito Pie

Hi, Mary, Since everything in the pie is already cooked, my guess would be about 30 minutes, just to get everything hot and bubbly. Alice ___ Cookinginthedark mailing list Cookinginthedark@acbradio.org

[CnD] pumpkin pie disaster.

Hi, Claudia, It sounds like you didn't leave out all of the eggs; if that's the case, your pies are probably fine. Can you refrigerate them to be sure they are set, or check that the filling is firm? Distractions in the kitchen are not good, but they happen sometimes. I made lemon bars one

[CnD] Casserole question

Hi all, A casserole using ground beef requires cooking or browning the meat first, then adding it with the other ingredients to the casserole. Many chicken breast recipes also suggest browning them first then finishing the cooking in the oven. So, I would go with cooking or browning the meat

[CnD] Turkey, separating skin from meat.

Hi, Gail, It isn't difficult really. Start at the opening in the front of the bird; you will begin to separate the skin from the breast meat; this is where the butter or bacon is needed. If you work carefully, you won't tear the skin; it comes away fairly easily. Good luck! Alice

[CnD] Fingers and Forks.

Hi, Will, More often than not, pizza is a finger food. But there are some practical reasons for using a fork: if the pizza is very hot, it's easier to handle with a fork. Also, if there are a lot of toppings on the pizza, it may be necessary to use a fork to hold all of them. You are fine

[CnD] using what you have on hand.

Hi, Mary, You said you have frozen meatballs and tater tots in the freezer. What do you have in your pantry? Do you have pasta, spaghetti? Do you have a jar of spaghetti sauce? You could serve spaghetti and meatballs, keeping the tater tots for another time. It you have a can of cream of

[CnD] Baking potatoes in the microwave.

Hi, Brittany, It sounds to me like you are doing everything correctly. You may be over cooking the potato and drying it out. Try cooking for less time and letting the potato stand for three minutes or so before serving. A small to medium potato will take four to five minutes with a resting

[CnD] problems with baking.

Hi, Betty, It sounds like measuring cups and spoons are a step in solving whatever problems you had with the brownies. But, some more specifics would be helpful. Were you using a mix and perhaps didn't have good directions? Were you making them from scratch? Accurate measurements in baking

[CnD] Braille overlays for microwave.

Hi, all, GE. will supply Braille overlays for some models. You need to call and give the model number and they will send them. It is a sheet with the individual stickers which then can be placed (with sighted help), on the right buttons. Once there, they are very helpful. I think the only

[CnD] Mace and Nutmeg.

Hi all, For Charles: Mace in the context of the question asked about the taste, is referring to the spice, mace, which is the outside of the nutmeg. It has a flavor very similar to nutmeg, but more flowery and delicate. It is used in pickles and some cakes and cookies. I hope this clears

[CnD] cooking with turkey

Hi, all, Certainly ground turkey can be substituted for ground beef, but because of the differences in color and texture, it needs some doctoring if you want it to look like ground beef. It will need some extra moisture, (a little oil and water or broth, and some extra seasoning: paprika,

[CnD] baking breaded chicken.

Hi all. I think the length of time you bake breaded chicken depends on several things: whether the chicken is on the bone, how thick it is (chicken cutlets would take less time) and how many pieces you are cooking. So, if you have a talking thermometer, check the internal temperature of the

[CnD] Whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour.

Hi, Blaine, Whole wheat flour contains wheat bran and is heavier than all-purpose flour. While you can use whole wheat flour in a recipe, you will get a very heavy cake (if that is what you are making). I would suggest freezing the whole wheat flour and using it in breads along with white

[CnD] herbs for salad.

Hi, Nicole, Are your friends vegan? If not, you could use an Italian dressing and some grated Parmesan cheese. A vinaigrette with dry mustard, some herbs, such as oregano, thyme basil and rosemary would be delicious. If your friends are vegan, of course, omit the grated cheese. I've never

[CnD] Vegetarian salad ideas.

Hi, Nicole, I thought of something else. You can make a salad using quinoa with black beans and bell peppers with an Italian or vinaigrette dressing. It's simple and tasty. Blessings, Alice ___ Cookinginthedark mailing list

[CnD] using apple juice

Hi, Allison, You can cook pork chops (praise them) in apple juice with herbs and spices of your choice, or use chicken breasts. You could also poach fruit to make a compote. Add a little to cooked oatmeal with cinnamon and raisins. Hope this helps. Blessings, Alice

[CnD] writing errors in recipe.

Hi all, I think what is meant in the Blueberry cobbler recipe directions is Pour batter over the butter. I also found another error in the abbreviation for teaspoon; it is written as tst and should be tsp Blessings, Alice ___ Cookinginthedark

[CnD] Link to Nuwave Oven cookbook

For all who want this link, I'm not Gail, but here it is and it does work, because I downloaded the cook book. Blessings, Alice https://www.dropbox.com/s/t65lvy0h59syx80/nuwave%20cookbook.rtf ___ Cookinginthedark mailing list

[CnD] Grilling.

Hi, Allison, I would guess that you would cut the time in half, since the George Foreman grills both sides simultaneously. Also, I've found that as things cook, the sizzling slows down on the Foreman grill, so you can tell that way when things are done. Hope this helps. Blessings, Alice

[CnD] Soft foods.

Hi, Alex, What about tuna noodle casserole? You can add some frozen peas which would be soft for some vegetable with the noodles etc. Egg salad is another thought. Scrambled eggs flavored with herbs or mixed with mashed potatoes, cheese and a little onion powder can also make a lovely meal.

[CnD] distributing batter in cake pans.

Hi, Louise, Distributing batter in layer cake pans is not difficult, but takes some practice. All the tips you have received are correct. I would add, that I check the level often in each pan and pour some batter in one, then the other. You can also lift the pans to check the weight of each