Cooking and Cleaning Tips

This article from the Old Farmer's Almanac website was meant for the holidays, but they are great tips for any day of the year! I have added the website link on the sidebar for future reference . . . check out their cooking and recipe section, it is awesome!

• Before you cook even one holiday recipe, remove kitchen clutter, making as much room as you can for holiday preparations. Cast a cold, hard eye on those kitchen counters. Get out a large cardboard box and fill it with all the things you won't need, and stash the box in the attic or basement.
  
  
• Attack the refrigerator. Discard everything that's past its prime. Make space to chill bowls of cookie dough, batches of eggnog, and perishable food gifts you may receive.
  
  
• Read recipes carefully and think through every special meal you'll cook. Organize your work area. Pay special attention to pan sizes and the space you will need for such activities as rolling dough and combining several bowls of ingredients.
  
  
• Check to make sure you have plenty storage containers and materials, including of plastic wrap, waxed paper and aluminum foil. If you use glass or plastic containers with snap-on lids, organize them so they're easy to find—and that includes the lids that fit them.
  
  
• Clean as you go. Make a habit of washing, drying, and putting away equipment as soon as you can after using it.
  
  
• If you face a roasting pan with baked-on grease and gunk, fill the sink with hot water, add 2 tablespoons of dishwasher detergent, and soak the pan overnight. Then scrub it with steel wool.
  
  
• If you burn something and it sticks to the bottom of the pan, let the pan cool off. Scrape out as much of the burned food as you can. Then fill the pan with cold water and add 3 tablespoons of salt or baking soda. Let it sit overnight. In the morning, bring the water slowly to a boil and let it simmer for 20 minutes. The pan should just wipe clean.
  
  
• If your glassware looks cloudy, put 1 to 2 tablespoons of lemon juice in the offending vessel and fill it to the top with hot water. Let it sit for at least three hours. Then rinse it out and wash it in warm, soapy water.
  
  
• When cleaning heavily tarnished silver, rub it with a damp cloth sprinkled with salt; then wash off the salt and polish the silver. If you run out of silver polish, use toothpaste. It works just as well and smells a whole lot better.

Source: Old Farmer's Almanac website

Salsa Cornbread

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup buttermilk, or equivalent buttermilk powder
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 cup drained canned corn kernels
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1/2 cup chopped tomato
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
• 1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 425° F. Place a 9-inch cast-iron skillet (or similar ovenproof skillet, see Tip) in the oven to heat.
   
   
2. Whisk all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl.
   
   
3. Whisk eggs, buttermilk, butter and honey in a medium bowl. Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients; mix with a rubber spatula. Stir in corn, onion, tomato, garlic and jalapeno.
   
   
4. Remove the skillet from the oven and coat it with cooking spray. Pour in the batter, spreading evenly. Sprinkle cheese over the top. Bake the cornbread until golden brown and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm.

Source: LifeScript.com

Almond Party Spread Cream Cheese

1 package cream cheese -- (8 ounce) 1 1/2 cups grated Swiss cheese -- (6 ounces) 1/3 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing 2 tbl chopped green onion 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg 1/8 tsp pepper 1/3 cup sliced -- toasted almonds Crackers

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Thoroughly mix all ingredients
except crackers and spread into a 9
inch pie plate.

Bake 15 minutes, stirring after 8 minutes.

Serve with crackers.

Makes approximately 2 1/2 cups

Super Bowl Sunday Snacks
Source: Home Cooking January 1996

Caramel Pecan Pie

1 9-inch pie crust -- pre-baked for 12 minutes at 350
degrees

1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup butter
1/2 cup honey
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups pecans (toasted and chopped)

Combine sugars, butter, and honey in a heavy-bottom sauce pan; cook over medium heat, and stir only until melted. Heat until mixture reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer.

Remove from heat and stir in heavy cream and pecans (mixture will bubble slightly).

Pour into pre-baked pie shell and bake for approximately 30-35 minutes.
Cool.

Serves 6-8


Source: The Florida Department of Agriculture
http://www.fl-ag.com

Cream cheese pound cake

Can't wait to try this one out!


1 1/2 C. butter softened
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese softened
3 C. sugar
6 eggs
2 t. vanilla extract
1 t. lemon extract
3 C. all purpose flour
1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
Confectioners' sugar
sliced fresh strawberries and whipped cream optional


In a large bowl cream the butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extracts. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; beat into creamed mixture until blended.

Pour into a greased and flour 10" fluted tube pan. Bake at 325 for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Garnish with confectioners' sugar, strawberries.


http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DoriesRecipeBox/

7-Layer Meatless Tortilla Pie

from Campbell's Kitchen

Prep Time: 20 min.
Bake Time: 40 min.

Ingredients:

2 cans (about 15 ounces each) pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup Pace® Picante Sauce

1/4 tsp. garlic powder or 1 clove garlic, minced

2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1 can (about 15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 small tomato, chopped (about 1/2 cup)

7 flour tortillas (8-inch)

8 oz. shredded Cheddar cheese (about 2 cups)

Directions:

Mash the pinto beans in a medium bowl with a fork. Stir in 3/4 cup picante sauce and the garlic powder. Stir the remaining picante sauce, cilantro, black beans and tomato in a medium bowl. Place 1 tortilla onto a baking sheet. Spread 3/4 cup pinto bean mixture over the tortilla to within 1/2-inch of the edge. Top with 1/4 cup cheese. Top with 1 tortilla and 2/3 cup black bean mixture. Top with 1/4 cup cheese. Repeat the layers twice more. Top with the remaining tortilla and spread with the remaining pinto bean mixture. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 400°F. for 40 minutes or until the filling is hot. Uncover the pie. Top with the remaining cheese. Cut the pie into 6 wedges. Serve with additional picante sauce and sprinkle with additional cilantro, if desired. Serves 6.

			If you like spicy food, stir some minced jalapeno into the Pace® Picante Sauce and garlic powder.

Turtle Praline Tart

1 refrigerated pie pastry
36 caramels
1 C. heavy whipping cream divided
3 1/2 C. pecan halves
1/2 C. semi sweet chocolate chips

On a lightly floured surface unroll pastry. Transfer to an 11" fluted tart pan with removeable bottom; trim edges. Line unpriced pastry with a double thickness of heavy duty foil. Bake at 450 for 8 minutes. Remove foil; bake 5-7 minutes longer or until light golden brown.
In a large saucepan, combine caramels and 1/2 C. cream. Cook and stir over medium low heat until caramels are melted. Stir in pecans. Spread filling evenly into crust.

In a small microwave safe bowl, melt chips, drizzle over filling. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until set. Whip remaining cream serve with tart.



Source:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DoriesRecipeBox/