Daily Recipes and Cooking Tips

Recipe of the day: Venison Jelly

2005-12-13T17:29:00.000-05:00

You'll need:
1 peck wild grapes
1 quart vinegar
1/2 cup whole cloves
1/2 cup stick cinnamon
6 pounds sugar

1. Put first 4 ingredients into preserving kettle, heat slowly to boiling point, and cook until grapes are soft.
2. Strain through double thickness of cheesecloth or jelly bag, and boil liquid 20 minutes; then add sugar, heated, and boil 5 minutes.
3. Turn into glasses.

Recipe of the day: Spiced Rhubarb

2005-12-12T06:44:00.000-05:00

You'll need:
2 1/2 pounds rhubarb
2 pounds sugar
7/8 cup vinegar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon clove

1. Wipe rhubarb, skin, and cut stalks in 1 inch pieces.
2. Put in preserve kettle, add remaining ingredients, bring to boiling point, and simmer until of the consistency of a marmalade.
3. Fill jelly glasses with mixture, cool, and seal.

Recipe of the day: Pecan Nut Bread

2005-12-09T06:42:00.000-05:00

You'll need:
2 cups unsifted coarse whole wheat flour
1 cup pastry flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups buttermilk
1 1/8 teaspoons soda
1 cup pecan nut meats, finely cut

1. To whole wheat flour add pastry flour, sugar, and salt, and baking powder.
2. When thoroughly mixed, add remaining ingredients.
3. Turn into buttered bread pan, cover, and let stand 20 minutes.
4. Bake at 325 degrees.

Recipe of the day: Southern Baked Hominy

2005-12-08T06:40:00.000-05:00

You'll need:
3/4 cup fine hominy
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup boiling water
1/4 cup butter
1 tablespoon sugar
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 cups milk

1. Mix water and salt and add hominy gradually, while stirring constantly.
2. Bring to boiling point and boil 2 minutes.
3. Cook in double boiler until water is absorbed.
4. Add 1 cup milk, stirring thoroughly, and cook 1 hour.
5. Remove from range and add butter, sugar, egg, and remaining milk.
6. Turn into buttered dish and bake 1 hour at 325 degrees.

Recipe of the day: Brussel Sprouts and Celery

2005-12-07T07:06:00.000-05:00

You'll need:
1 quart boiled Brussel Sprouts
1 1/2 cups celery, cut in pieces
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups milk

1. Melt butter, add celery, and cook 2 minutes.
2. Add flour and milk gradually.
3. Bring to boiling point, add sprouts, and season.
4. If desired, turn mixture into buttered baking dish, cover with buttered crumbs, and bake at 400 degrees, until crumbs are brown.

Recipe of the day: German Cabbage

2005-12-06T07:09:00.000-05:00

You'll need:
4 cups red cabbage, sliced and soaked 20 minuted in cold water
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
Few grating nutmeg
Few grains cayenne
2 tablespoons vinegar
1/2 tablespoon sugar

1. Cook cabbage, covered, with other ingredients except vinegar and sugar, until tender.
2. Add vinegar and sugar.
3. Cook 5 minutes.

Recipe of the day: Cauliflower Polonaise

2005-12-05T06:45:00.000-05:00

You'll need:
1 cauliflower
2 cups milk
1 tablespoon salt
2 hard cooked egg yolks
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
1/3 cup coarse bread crumbs, cooked in butter until delicately browned

1. Cook cauliflower in 1 quart boiling water to which has been added milk and salt.
2. Drain.
3. Force egg yolks through puree strainer, add parsley and crumbs, and sprinkle over cauliflower.

Recipe of the day: Corn Souffle

2005-12-01T07:05:00.000-05:00

You'll need:
2 cups canned corn
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
Few grains pepper
2 eggs

1. Melt butter, add flour and milk gradually.
2. Stir and bring to boiling point; add corn, seasonings, egg yolks beaten until thick and lemon-colored, and egg whites beaten until stiff.
3. Turn into buttered dish and bake 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Recipe of the day: Eggplant Timbales

2005-11-30T06:25:00.000-05:00

You'll need:
1 eggplant, pared and cut in 1/4 inch slices
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup soft, stale bread crumbs
2 eggs, well beaten
Few drops onion juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Canned pimientos
Buttered crumbs
Parsley

1. Cook eggplant in boiling, salted water until soft.
2. Drain thoroughly, mash, and add butter, crumbs, egg, onion juice, salt, and pepper.
3. Line small buttered molds with pimientos.
4. Fill with mixture, sprinkle with buttered crumbs, and bake 15 minutes at 375 degrees.
5. Remove from molds and garnish with parsley.

The mixture may be baked in a baking dish.

Recipe of the day: Rice and Raisin Pudding

2005-11-29T06:38:00.000-05:00

You'll need:
1 cup boiled or steamed rice
1.2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 quart milk
1/2 cup seeded raisins(washed)
Few grains nutmeg

1. Combine ingredients.
2. Put in buttered baking dish.
3. Bake at 325 degrees until milk is absorbed.

Recipe of the day: Creamed Mushrooms

2005-11-28T06:42:00.000-05:00

You'll need:
1 pound mushrooms
5 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
Few grains pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup thin cream

1. Brush mushrooms and slicely thinly.
2. Melt butter, add mushrooms, and cook 3 minutes.
3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, dredge with flour, and add cream.
4. Cook 5 miuntes, stirring constantly.

Recipe of the day: Mackerel en Mayonnaise

2005-11-25T06:52:00.000-05:00

You'll need:
2 medium-sized mackerel, cleaned
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup tarragon vinegar
12 cloves
1 teaspoon peppercorns
1 teaspoon salt
Bit of bay leaf
Mayonnaise
Sliced cucumbers, lemon baskets
Parsley

1. Put mackerel in baking dish with water, vinegar, and seasonings.
2. Cover with buttered paper and bake at 350 degrees.
3. Arrange on serving dish, skin, cool, and mask with mayonnaise.
4. Chill, garnish with parsley, cucumbers, and lemon baskets filled with mayonnaise and sprinkled with chopped parsley.

Recipe of the day: Prune Pudding

2005-11-24T06:50:00.000-05:00

You'll need:
1/2 pound prunes, roughly 22 prunes
2 cups cold water
1 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 inch piece stick cinnamon
1 1/3 cups boiling water
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon lemon juice

1. Pick over and wash prunes, then soak 1 hour in cold water, and boil until soft in same water; or use 1 cup stewed prunes, pitted, and 1/4 cup juice.
2. Obtain meat from stones and add to prunes and juice.
3. Add sugar, salt, cinnamon, boiling water, and simmer 10 minutes.
4. Dilute cornstarch with enough cold water to pour easily, add to prune mixture, and stir constantly while cooking 5 minutes.
5. Remove cinnamon, add lemon juice, and serve with cream.

Recipe of the day: Potato Apples

2005-11-23T06:50:00.000-05:00

You'll need:
2 cups hot, riced potatoes
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup grated cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
Few grains cayenne
Slight grating nutmeg
2 tablespoons thick cream
2 egg yolks

1. Mix ingredients in order given and beat thoroughly.
2. Shape in form of small apples, roll in flour, egg, and crumbs, and fry.
3. Insert a clove at both stem and blossom end of each apple.

Recipe of the day: Lime Dressing

2005-11-22T06:43:00.000-05:00

You'll need:
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
5 drops Tabasco Sauce
Few grains cayenne
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon celery salt
2 teaspoons sugar

1. Mix ingredients.
2. Chill.
3. Shake thoroughly.

Recipe of the day: Lobster Chowder

2005-11-21T06:37:00.000-05:00

You'll need:
2 pound lobster
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup cracker crumbs
4 cups milk
1 slice onion
1 cup cold water
Salt
Paprika or cayenne

1. Remove meat from lobster shell and cut in small dice.
2. Cream 2 tablespoons butter, add liver of lobster(green part), and crackers.
3. Scald milk with onion, remove onion, and add milk to mixture.
4. Cook body bomes 10 minutes in cold water to cover; strain and add to mixture with lobster dice.
5. Season with salt and paprika.

Recipe of the day: Cream of Arichoke Soup

2005-11-18T06:14:00.000-05:00

You'll need:
6 Jerusalem artichokes
4 cups boiling water
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Few grains cayenne
Few gratings nutmeg
1 cup scalded cream
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 cucumbers pared and cut in 1/3 inch cubes

1. Cook artichokes in boiling water until soft and run through sieve.
2. Melt butter, add flour and seasonings, pour on hot liquor, and cook one minute.
3. Add cream, egg, and cucumbers fried(sauteed) in butter.

Recipe of the day: Corn Dumplings

2005-11-17T07:03:00.000-05:00

You'll need:
1/2 cup yellow corn meal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups boiling water
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

1. Combine meal, salt, water, and onion.
2. Steam two hours.
3. Add eggs and parsley.
4. Shape in small balls, roll in flour, and cook 10 minutes in hot soup.

Recipe of the day: Swiss Steak

2005-11-16T06:47:00.000-05:00

You'll need:
1 1/2 pounds lean beef
1 1/2 tablespoons melted suet
1/4 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
Few grains pepper
1 1/2 cups hot tomatoes

1. Sift flour with salt and pepper and pound thoroughly into steak.
2. Sear steak in suet in heavy pan.
3. Add tomatoes.
4. Cover and simmer 2 hours or until meat is very tender.
5. Add water from time to time as needed.

Vegetables may be added as desired. Meat may be cut in pieces for serving before cooking.

Recipe of the day: Corned Beef Hash

2005-11-15T07:19:00.000-05:00

You'll need:
2 cups cooked corned beef, chopped
3 cups cold boiled potatoes, chopped
Salt and pepper

1. Combine beef and potatoes
2. Season and moisten with milk or cream, put into a hot buttered frying pan, stir until well mixed, spread evenly, then place over low heat where it may brown slowly underneath(40-45 minutes).
3. Turn and fold on a hot platter.
4. Garnish with sprig of parsley in the middle.
5. Chopped parsley, chopped green or red pepper, or pimientos cut in small pieces may be added to hash mixture.

Recipe of the day: Clam Juice Cocktail

2005-11-14T06:59:00.000-05:00

You'll need:
1 1/2 dozen clams in the shell
3 tablespoons water
1/3 cup catsup
3 drops Tabasco Sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
Few grains celery salt
1 cup clam juice
Finely crushed ice
Celery salt

1. Wash clams thoroughly, put in saucepan with 3 tablespoons water, cover, and cook until shells open.
2. Remove clams from the shell to get all the liquor and strain through double thickness of cheesecloth.
3. Mix catsup with seasonings, strain through fine strainer, add to clam juice, shake with crushed ice, and put in cocktail glasses, adding a dash of celery salt to each glass.

Recipe of the day: Poor Man's Pudding

2005-11-11T21:02:00.000-05:00

You'll need:
4 cups milk
1/2 cup rice
1/3 cup molasses
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter

1. Wash rice, mix, and pour into buttered pudding bish.
2. Bake for 3 hours at 325 degrees, stirring 3 times during the first hour of baking to prevent rice from settling.
3. At the last stirring, add butter.

Recipe of the day: Banana Pie

2005-11-10T06:35:00.000-05:00

You'll need:
1 cup milk
1/3 cup sugar
2 2/3 tablespoons flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1/4 cup thin cream or top milk
3/4 tablespoon lemon juice
1 large banana
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon lemon extract

1. Mix sugar, flour, and salt, and add egg yolks.
2. Pour on milk gradually, while stirring constantly, and cook in double boiler 15 minutes, stirring constantly until mixture thickens, and afterwards occasionally.
3. Cool and add cream, lemon juice, and banana, peeled, scraped, and cut in 1/4 inch slices
4. Chill thoroughly and turn into baked pie shell.

Recipe of the day: Soft Sugar Gingerbread

2005-11-09T06:29:00.000-05:00

You'll need:

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 3/4 cups flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ginger

2/3 cup thin cream

1. Beat egg until light and add sugar gradually.

2. Mix an sift dry ingredients and add alternately with cream to first mixture.

3. Turn into buttered cake pan, and bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Recipe of the day: Sand Tarts

2005-11-08T06:36:00.000-05:00

You'll need:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg, well beaten
1 3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 egg white
Blanched almonds
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Cream butter, add sugar gradually, egg, and flour mixed and sifted with baking powder.
2. Chill, roll 1.8 inch thick, and shape with doughnut cutter.
3. Brush over with egg white and sprinkle with sugar mixed with cinnamon.
4. Split almonds and arrange 3 halves on each cookie at equal distances.
5. Place on buttered sheet and bake 8 minutes at 325 degrees.

Recipe of the day: Pound Cake

2005-11-07T06:46:00.000-05:00

You'll need:

1 pound butter

1 pound sugar

10 eggs

1 pound flour

1/2 teaspoon mace

2 tablespoons brandy flavoring

1. Cream butter, add sugar gradually, and continue beating; then add egg yolks beaten until thick and lemon-clored, egg whites beaten until stiff, flour mace, and flavoring.

2. Beat vigorously 5 minutes.

3. Bake in deep pan 1 1/4 hours at 300 degrees, or if to be used for fancy ornamented cakes, bake 30-35 minutes in shallow pan.

Recipe of the day: Maple Frosting

2005-11-04T06:00:00.000-05:00

You'll need:
1 1/3 cups sugar
2/3 cup grated maple sugar
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup cream

1. Cook until mixture forms soft ball when tried in cold water, 238 degrees.
2. Cool, then beat until its the right consistency to spread.

Recipe of the day: Spanish Sandwich Filling

2005-11-03T06:28:00.000-05:00

You'll need:

2 anchovies

2 pickles

1 sprig parsley

3 tablespoons capers

1 teaspoon prepared mustard

2 tablespoons salad oil

2 tablespoons vinegar

2 hard cooked eggs

Salt and pepper

1. Pound first 7 ingredients in mortar.

2. Add finely chopped eggs and season to taste.

Recipe of the day: Apple Catsup

2005-11-02T06:42:00.000-05:00

You'll need:
Sour apples
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon mustard
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 tablespoon salt
2 onions, finely chopped
2 cups cider vinegar

1. Wipe, quarter, pare, and core apples.
2. Cover with boiling water, bring to boiling point, and simmer until soft, when nearly all the water should be evaporated; then run through a sieve(to make 1 quart pulp)
3. Mix other ingredients and add to pulp.
4. Bring to boiling point and simmer 1 hour.
5. Bottle, cork, and seal while hot.

Recipe of the day: Veal Forcemeat

2005-11-01T06:59:00.000-05:00

You'll need:
1/2 cup finely chopped raw veal
2 tablespoons finely chopped fat salt pork
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 egg, slightly beaten

1. Cook crumbs and butter 3 minutes.
2. Add veal and pork.
3. When well blended, add other ingredients.

Recipe of the day: Bavarian Cream

2005-10-31T06:46:00.000-05:00

You'll need:
1/2 lemon, grated rind and juice
1/2 cup orange juice or wine
1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon granulated gelatine
1 tablespoon cold water

1. Mix lemon, orange juice, sugar, and egg yolks; stir vigorously over fire until mixture thickens, add gelatine soaked in water, then pour over egg whites beaten stiff.
2. Set in pan of ice water and beat until thick enough to hold its shape.
3. Turn into a mold lined with lady fingers and chill.

Recipe of the day: Peppers Stuffed With Cheese

2005-10-28T07:21:00.000-04:00

You'll need:

4 green peppers

1 1/2 cups grated cheese

1 3/4 cups bread crumbs

1 teaspoon chopped onion

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Paprika to taste

1. Cut off thin slice from stem end of peppers, remove seeds.

2. Parboil peppers 2 minutes in salted water, drain, and fill with mixture of remaining ingredients.

3. Put as much stuffing in each pepper as it will hold and cover top with grated cheese.

4. Place in a greased baking dish and bake about 20 minutes at 350 degrees, increasing the heat the last 5 minutes to brown the tops.

Cooking tip of the day: Measurement Equivalents

2005-10-28T07:16:00.000-04:00

30 drops = 1/4 teaspoon

60 drops = 1/2 teaspoon

3/4 teaspoon = 1/4 tablespoon

1 teaspoon = 1/3 tablespoon

1 1/2 teaspoons = 1/2 tablespoon

3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon

4 tablespoons = 1/4 cup

8 tablespoons = 1/2 cup

16 tablespoons = 1 cup

1 pint = 2 cups

2 pints = 1 quart

4 quarts = 1 galloon

8 oz = 1/2 pound = 230 grams

16 oz = 1 pound = 455 grams

Recipe of the day: Indian Pudding

2005-10-27T07:10:00.000-04:00

You'll need:
5 cups milk
1/3 cup corn meal
1/2 cup molasses
1 teaspoon salt

1. Pour milk slowly on meal, cook in double boiler 20 minutes, add molasses, salt, and ginger; pour into buttered pudding dish, set in pan of hot water, and bake 2 hours at 325 degrees.
2. Serve with cream.
3. If baked too rapidly, it will not whey.
4. Ginger can be omitted if desired.

Cooking tip of the day: Emergency Substitions II

2005-10-27T06:38:00.000-04:00

If you are out of:

Arrowroot, 1 tablespoon use 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour OR

2 1/4 teaspoon cornstarch or potato starch

Baking powder, 1 teaspoon use 1/4 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon cream or tartar OR

1/4 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 cup buttermilk or soured milk(reduce liquids in recipe by 1/2 cup) OR

1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 6 tablespoons molasses(reduce liquid in recipe by 1/4 cup and adjust sweetener)

Bread crumbs, dry, 1 cup use 3-4 slices over-dried bread, crushed, OR

3/4 cup cracker crumbs OR

1 tablespoon quick-cooking oats

Corn syrup, dark, 1 cup use 3/4 cup light corn syrup and 1/4 cup light molasses OR

1 cup packed brown sugar and 1/4 cup water or liquid used in recipe

Corn syrup, light, 1 cup use 1 cup sugar dissolved in 1/4 cup water or liquid used in recipe

Cream, half-and-half, 1 cup use 1/2 cup light cream and 1/2 cup whole milk OR

1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter and enough whole milk to equal 1 cup

Cream, heavy, 1 cup use 1/3 cup melted unsalted butter and whole milk to equal 1 cup

Cream, light, 1 cup use 3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter and whole milk to equal 1 cup

Cream, sour, 1 cup use 1 cup plain yogurt OR

1 cup plain yogurt and 1 tablespoon cornstarch OR

1/3 cup melted unsalted butter and 3/4 cup buttermilk, soured milk, or plain yogurt OR

1 cup evaporate milk and 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice OR

1 cup cottage cheese blended with 2 tablespoons milk and 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Recipe of the day: Potato Fritters

2005-10-26T07:19:00.000-04:00

You'll need:

2 cups hot, riced potatoes

2 tablespoons cream

1 teaspoon salt

Few grains cayenne

Few gratings nutmeg

3 eggs, well beaten

2 egg yolks, well beaten

1/2 cup flour

1. Mix ingredients in order given and beat thoroughly.

2. Shape in form of small apples, roll in flour, egg, and crumbs, and fry like Croquettes.

3. Insert a clove at both stem and blossom end of each apple.

Cooking tip of the day: Eggs III

2005-10-26T06:54:00.000-04:00

Eggs can be brought to room temperature quickly be cracking the eggs into a metal bowl and setting the bowl into another bowl of lukewarm water for five minutes. You can also place whole eggs in a bowl of lukewarm water. It will take longer this way for the center of the egg to lose their chill.

If you have pieces of eggshell in your bowl you can remove them by using a clean wooden spoon to lift out the shell pieces. This method prevents introducing bacteria into the eggs.

Lift out specks of egg yolk from egg whites with the end of a cotton swab. It is still likely, however, that the egg whites will not whip to their optimum volume.

Whole eggs can be replaced by egg whites in recipes by substituting 2 egg whites for each whole egg. If you need an accurate measurement of eggs in baking recipes, replace each whole egg with 3 tablespoons egg white. To facilitate measuring, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt to help break down the egg protein and loosen the texture.

Recipe of the day: Smothered Cabbage

2005-10-25T07:17:00.000-04:00

You'll need:

5 cups finely chopped, raw cabbage

5 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup milk

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1. Melt butter in heavy frying pan, add flour, and stir until well blended.

2. Add milk gradually, while stirring constantly.

3. Bring to boiling point, season, and add cabbage.

4. Mix thoroughly, cover, and cook over very slow heat 50 to 60 minutes.

Cooking tip of the day: Butter

2005-10-25T07:11:00.000-04:00

Butter is made from churned cream.

Butter is vulnerable to spoiling and picking up odors, so store butter tightly wrapped in foil or plastic and freeze it until needed. Your refrigerator's butter compartment is the worst place to store butter. It's too warm. If you must refrigerate butter place in the center of the refrigerator near the back.

Before freezing butter score sticks of butter with a table knife along the tablespoon marks on the package. When you need to use the butter later, you can remove the wrapping and the indentation will remain along the side, making it easy to measure.

Running a small stainless steel bowl under hot water until hot, then place it, upside down over the butter will help to soften cold butter. You can alo soften a sick of wrapped butter by holding it in both hands and massaging it gently until it begins to soften.

Use stick butter only. Whipped butter has air incorporated into it and this can affect cooking recipes.

Recipe of the day: Spiced Cranberry Jelly

2005-10-24T07:58:00.000-04:00

You'll need:

1 quart cranberries

1 cup boiling water

2 cups sugar

1/3 cup cold water

2 inch piece stick cinnamon

24 whole cloves

6 allspice berries

Few grains salt

1. Pick over and wash berries.

2. Add boiling water and spices and boil until cranberries are soft.

3. Rub through a sieve and add remaining ingredients.

4. Bring to boiling point and simmer 15 minutes.

5. Turn into a mold and chill.

Recipe of the day: Spiced Cranberry Jelly

2005-10-24T07:20:00.000-04:00

You'll need:

1 quart cranberries

1 cup boiling water

2 cups sugar

1/3 cup cold water

2 inch piece stick cinnamon

24 whole cloves

6 allspice berries

Few grains salt

1. Pick over and wash berries.

2. Add boiling water and spices and boil until cranberries are soft.

3. Rub through a sieve and add remaining ingredients.

4. Bring to boiling point and simmer 15 minutes.

5. Turn into a mold and chill.

Cooking tip of the day: Jelly

2005-10-24T06:43:00.000-04:00

Jelly is best made when the fruit is rinsed well and has any pith, damaged bits of flesh, stalks, or pits removed first. Put the fruit into a wide, shallow pan, crushing the bottom layer to provide moisture as the fruit cooks. Fruits that tend to be less juicy, like apples and pears, will require some extra water. You need enough so that you can see water through the top layer of fruit but not so much that it causes the fruit to float. Cook over low heat until the fruit is quite soft and has begun to lose its color. Wet a jelly bag with cold water, then strain the juice through the bag. Measure the juice and transfer it into a large, shallow, stainless steel pan. Simmer the juice, uncovered, for around five minutes. Add the sugar(about one cup sugar for each cup of juice) and stir until the sugar dissolves. Cook it until the jelly is firm enough to hold its shape, between 10 and 30 minutes depending on the fruit that is used and the amount of sugar used.

More flavor comes when less water is used.

Pour the hot jelly into hot, scalded preserving jars, leaving 1/8" headspace. Wipe the rims clean and attach the lids, and tightly screw on the caps. Process in a boiling water canner. for five minutes. Cool on a rack. Processing the jelly like this allows you to store the jelly at room temperature, otherwise you need to store it in a refrigerator.

Recipe of the day: Peanut Butterscotch Tapioca

2005-10-21T07:22:00.000-04:00

You'll need:

1/4 cup quick cooking tapioca

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 cups milk

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup peanuts, skinned and chopped

1. Add tapioca and salt to milk.

2. Cook in double boiler until tapioca is clear, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes.

3. Melt butter, add sugar, cook until brown.

4. Add to tapioca mixture and cook until dissolved.

5. Add nuts.

6. Chill.

7. Serve with whipped cream.

Cooking tip of the day: Tapioca

2005-10-21T07:18:00.000-04:00

Tapioca is a cooking starch that is derived from the cassava plant. It can be used to thicken soups, sauces and fruit fillings for pies. It is also used for the ever popular tapioca pudding.

Tapioca comes in several forms but is usually found as a finely textured, quick-cooking type that is sold in grocery stores.

Store tapioca in a dark cool spot, and it will last indefinitely.

Do not let a tapioca mixture boil after adding tapioca to a hot liquid. This could make the tapioca stringy. Instead remove the mixture from the heat while it is still a little thin, as tapioca continues to set as it cools. Do not stir the mixture while it is cooling. This causes the tapioca mixture to become too gelatinous.

Quick-cooking and tapioca and pearl tapioca are done when the grains are translucent and no longer gritty.

Recipe of the day: Shrimps a la Newburg

2005-10-20T07:24:00.000-04:00

You'll need:

1 pint shrimp

3 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon flour

1/2 cup cream

2 egg yolks, slightly beaten

2 tablespoons Newburg Sauce

Salt and pepper

1. Clean shrimp and cook 3 minutes in 2 tablespoons butter.

2. Add lemon juice and cook 1 minute.

3. Melt 1 tablespoon butter, add flour and cream; when thickened, add egg yolks, shrimp, and sauce.

4. Season and heat.

Cooking tip of the day: Shrimp

2005-10-20T05:22:00.000-04:00

Shrimp is usually frozen are sea right after it has been caught. Once at the grocery store shrimp is then thawed back out before been sold. Shrimp freezes well and makes it generally the best buy. You can also find fresh shrimp and live shrimp as well.

When purchasing frozen shrimp press on teh bag or box If you hear a crunchy covering or ice crystals, the shrimp has thawed partially and refrozen. Look for a bag that doesn't make the sound. Also, you should feel around for areas that are soft or empty. This is a sign that the box is beginning to thaw or may have been refrozen.

If you purchase thawed shrimp make sure you smell before you buy. It should smell sweetly of the ocean. A stale ammonia scent indicates that the shrimp has started to deteriorate. Black spots along the sides of the shrimp are another sign that the shrimp is past its prime and should be left for someone else. Buy gray shrimp, they will turn pink when cooked. Buy unpeeled shrimp whenever possible. The peels help keep the shrimp moist and flavorful. If purchasing cooked shrimp make sure that it looks plump, moist, and succulent.

Place fresh or thawed shrimp in a colander that is filled with ice and set over a bowl to provide for drainage. Thawed shrimp will keep for up to one day. If you wrap frozen shrimp in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil, and freeze them, they can last up to two months.

Recipe of the day: Clam Fritters

2005-10-19T17:37:00.000-04:00

You'll need:

1 pint clams

2 eggs

1/3 cup milk

1 1/3 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

Salt and pepper

1. Clean clams, drain from their liquor, and chop.

2. Beat eggs until light, add milk and flour mixed and sifted with baking powder, then add chopped clams, and season highly with salt and pepper.

3. Fry like other fritter recipes.

Cooking tip of the day: Clams

2005-10-19T06:18:00.000-04:00

Clams can be served baked, fried, steamed, raw, in chowders, or with pastas.

Their are two main types of clams soft-shell and hard-shell.

You can know you have a soft-shell clam by the necklike siphon that sticks out from the shell. The siphon should retract slightly when touched gently. This is a sign that the clam is fresh. If the siphon doesn't move then you know that the clam has passed on and that it is not safe to eat.

Soak soft-shell clams in, 1 tablespoon salt for each 3 quarts water, salt water to cover and place in the refrigerator for at least three hours or overnight. Soaking in salt water helps remove the sand that naturally enters through the gaping clam shell.

Before you eat soft-shell clams you should remove the black sheath covering the siphon on the side of the clam.

Hard-shell clams are sold according to their size. The smallest, roughly 2 ounces each, are known as littlenecks. Their meat os tender and has a sweet flavor. They are an excellent choice to be served raw, steamed, or used in pasta sauces.

Cherrystones are medium sized clams and can be up to 3" across. Cherrystone clams are good for baking and stuffing.

Chowder clams measure over 3" across their flavor is not as delicate as littlenecks', but their low price and size make them the most practical choice for soups.

Whichever kind you buy look for shells that tightly closed and completely intact with no broken bits. They should have a pleasant, mild ocean scent.

Scrub hard-shell clams with a stiff brush under cold running water to remove and grit on the shell.

Recipe of the day: Deviled Chicken

2005-10-18T06:54:00.000-04:00

You'll need:

1 chicken, dressed for broiling

Salt, pepper

4 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon vinegar

1/2 teaspoon paprika

3/4 cup buttered, soft crumbs

1. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.

2. Broil in well greased broiler for 8 minutes.

3. Cream butter, add mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, vinegar, and paprika and spread on chicken.

3. Sprinkle with crumbs and bake until chicken is tender and crumbs are brown.

Cooking tip of the day: Chicken II

2005-10-18T06:01:00.000-04:00

Chicken has a tendency to dry out when placed in the refrigerator so soak a large, thick kitchen towel in ice water, wring it well, and use it to line a large, rimmed baking sheet.Arrange the chicken pieces in a single layer on top of the wet towel and cover loosely with waxed paper. This will help to keep the chicken moist in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours.

If your chicken has become dry due to overcooking you can chop it up small and use it to prepare chicken salad. Or you can slice the chicken thin on a diagonal and serve with a quick sauce, chutney, or gravy.

Do you need to thaw out a chicken faster why not leave the chicken in its packaging and place it in a bucket of cool water in the refrigerator.

Removing the skin from the chicken reduces the calories by up to one half. Leave the skins on while cooking to help retain moisture but remove the skins from the chicken just before serving.

Grabbing the skin with a paper towel and pulling back firmly helps to remove slippery chicken skin.

Set the chicken, breast down in the roasting pan to keep the breast meat moist while roasting a chicken.

Recipe of the day: Chili con Carne

2005-10-17T07:42:00.000-04:00

You'll need:

2 pounds round or neck beef

1/4 cup chopped suet

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 clove garlic, finely cut

2 quarts cold water

1. Cut meat in small cubes.

2. Sprinkle with salt and flour.

3. Heat suet in kettle; brown meat and garlic in suet, stirring as it heats.

3. Add other ingredients and simmer until meat is tender(2 or 3 hours).

4. Serve with Lima or other shell beans.

Cooking tip of the day: Garlic

2005-10-17T06:53:00.000-04:00

Garlic is a relative of onions. Garlic has an assertive flavor and is an essential ingredients in many of the world's great cuisines. Heating garlic mellows its flavor, while chopping garlic intensifies the taste. Whole bulbs of roasted garlic have the mildest flavor, while raw, minced garlic has the most intense garlic taste. Oversized bulbs of elephant garlic has a very timid flavor and may disappoint true garlic fans.

Garlic bulbs should be firm, heavy for their size and show no signs of mold or sprouting.

Keep garlic in a cool, dark place wtih plenty of ventilation. Refrigerating garlic promotes rot and should be avoided.

Set the garlic bulb upside down on your work surface and press down hard on the root with the palm of your hand to get the clove to break free from the bulb. You can microwave a head of garlic on high for one minute, turning it halfway through cooking. Let it stand until it is cool enough to handle. This skins should slip right off. You can use the cloves immediately or simmer leftover garlic in oin to cover for five minutes. Store in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Put the flat side of a large chef's knife over the garlic, and smack it assertively with the heel of your hand or your fist. The jolt will crack the peel, making it easy to remove. If you pound harder you will separate the peel and crush the clove at the same time. This will help you with chopping or mincing. Rolling a garlic clove back and forth on a counter with your palm loosens the skin, making it easier to peel. Also, you can drop the clove into a pot of boiling water for 45 seconds. Drain and cool briefly, then you can pinch the cloves, and the peel should pop right off. This idea works real well when you have pasta water boiling anyway.

Recipe of the day: Mock Bisque Soup

2005-10-14T07:57:00.000-04:00

You'll need:

2 cups raw or canned tomatoes

2 teaspoons sugar

1/3 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 onion, stuck with 6 cloves

sprig of parsley

bit of bay leaf

1/2 cup stale bread crumbs

4 cups milk

1/2 tablespoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1. Heat milk with bread crumbs, onion, parsley, and bay leaf.

2. Remove seasoning and rub through sieve.

3. Cook tomatoes with sugar 15 minutes(shorter time if canned tomatoes are used.)

4. Add baking soda and rub through sieve.

5. Reheat bread and milk to boiling point, add tomatoes, butter, salt and pepper.

Cooking tip of the day: Emergency Substitutions

2005-10-14T06:58:00.000-04:00

If you are out of...

Allspice, ground, 1 teaspoon use 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Chopped chives, 1 tablespoon use 1 tablespoon minced scallion tops

Cracker crumbs, 1 cup use 1 1/4 cup bread crumbs

Lemon zest, grated, 1 teaspoon use 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon extract

Milk fat-free, 1 cup use 1/3 cup nonfat dry milk and 3/4 cup water

Tapioca, 1 tablespoon use 1 tablespoon flour(for thickening)

Tomato juice, 1 cup use 1/2 cup tomato sauce and 1/2 cup water

Vinegar, distilled, 1 teaspoon use 2 teaspoon lemon juice

Wine, white, 1/2 cup use 1/2 cup apple juice or cider

Yogurt, 1 cup use 1 cup buttermilk OR 1 cup milk and 1 tablespoon lemon juice.

Recipe of the day: Fricasse of Lobster and Mushrooms

2005-10-13T07:21:00.000-04:00

You'll need:

2 pound lobster

1/4 cup butter

3/4 pound mushrooms

few drops onion juice

1/4 cup flour

1 1/2 cups milk

salt

paprika

1. Remove lobster meat from shell and cut in strips.

2. Cook butter with mushrooms broken in pieces and onion juice 3 minutes; add flour and pour milk on gradually.

3. Add lobster meat, season with salt and paprika.

4. If desired, add 2 tablespoons cooking sherry.

Cooking tip of the day: Lobster

2005-10-13T06:49:00.000-04:00

Lobsters will have a mottled greenish-brown appearance. The deep red pigment in the shell, known as astaxanthin, will come through as proteins break down during cooking.

Look for live, active lobsters in seawater. Their tails should curl underneath when picked up, even if they are stored on ice. The ice may cause them to be sluggish though. Make sure that lobsters are alive before you buy them as bacteria forms quickly in dead lobsters. One whole lobster(1-1.5 pounds) yields about 1/4 pound of meat.

Live lobsters can be wrapped in a wet cloth and refrigerated on a bed of ice for one day. They best prepared as soon as possible though.

To kill a lobster instantly insert a large knife between its eyes.

Assuming the lobster has been killed before you cook it, insert a skewer, bamboo or metal, along one side of the tail. If it is still alive, strap a heat-safe chopstick to its tail and up to its torso. This should keep the lobster tail from curling at it cooks.

Recipe of the day: Samoset Scallops

2005-10-12T07:51:00.000-04:00

You'll need:

1 pint scallops

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon flour

1/2 cup thin cream

1/3 cup stewed and strained tomatoes

few grains baking soda

1 cup finely cut, soft mild cheese

1 egg, slightly beaten

salt and cayenne

mustard

1. Parboil scallops in their own liquor; drain and cut in quarters.

2. Melt butter, add flour, and stir until well blended; then add cream gradually, while stirring constantly.

3. Bring to boiling point, add slowly tomatoes mixed with baking soda.

4. Again bring to boiling point, add cheese and, as soon as cheese has melted, add egg, scallops and seasoning.

5. Serve on toast.

Cooking tip of the day: Scallops

2005-10-12T07:18:00.000-04:00

Scallops have many parts that are quite edible. The abductor muscle normally used to open and close the scallop shell is the most popular part, but the pale pink roe(eggs) is also quite tasty.

Look for creamy white or slightly pink scallops, rather than bright white. This indicates that they have been soaked are probably less flavorful. Look for the mildest scent when you smell the scallop. They will always have some odor. If you can find scallops still in their shells, buy them, even though they will cost more then shucked scallops. Their fresh taste is well worth the extra expense. The shells usually gape open a bit, and as long as they close slightly when tapped and they smell fresh, they're fine. Quick frozen scallops are frozen as soon as they are shucked and tend to have a better flavor than those that have grown old on a ship out to sea for several days.

Buy scallops the day you plan to use them and keep them refrigerated until you are ready to cook them

Run scallops under cold water and, if desired, pull off the little white tendon that MAY appear on one side of the scallop. If you see a little coral-colored pouch on the scallop, leave it intact and cook as planned. This is the scallop roe that I mentioned earlier and it is delicious.

Scallops can be cooked using a wide range of methods. They are wonderful, sauteed, steamed, grilled, fried, poached, or baked. Scallops cook through in just a few minutes, so watch the time carefully, or they will turn rubbery and dry.

Recipe of the day: Baked Halibut, Swedish Style

2005-10-11T07:51:00.000-04:00

You'll need:

1 pound sliced halibut

salt

pepper

melted butter

3/4 cup canned tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon powdered sugar

1/2 onion

1/3 cup heavy cream

1. Wipe halibut and remove skin.

2. Place in baking dish, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and brush over with melted butter.

3. Drain tomatoes and add sugar.

4. Spread over fish, then cover with onion, thinly sliced.

5. Bake 20 minutes at 375 degrees, pour cream over and bake 10 minutes.

6. Remove onion and serve at once, from dish in which it was cooked.

Cooking tip of the day: Fish

2005-10-11T07:11:00.000-04:00

Fish are best bought with an open mind. Don't go to the market planning on buying one kind of fish, buy the fish that is the freshest. Fish should smell like the ocean or a clean pond. If it smells fishy, it isn't fresh. The fish should be firm, and the skin should be taut and shiny. The eyes should be bright and protrude slightly from the head. Be cautious not to buy/prepare fish that is too fresh. If the fish hasn't had rigor mortis set in, it will contract when heated and result in a very mushy fish.

Wild fish has a far superior flavor to farmed fish and it is also healthier for you.

Rinse fish with cold water as soon as you can. Fill a colander with ice, set it over a large bowl, put the fish on top of the ice, cover the fish with more ice, and refrigerate until you are ready to cook the fish. This prevents the fish from sitting in a puddle which will harm its texture and flavor.

Leave fish fillets and steaks in its wrapper and refrigerate on ice in a colander as you would for the whole fish above.

Bake fish fillets on a bed of vegetables to keep them from sticking.

Make sure to dry the fish well before dipping the fish into flour. Also, shake off any excess flour before dipping into egg and bread crumbs. This should help prevent the breading from fall off.

Set the fish fillets on a cooling rack rather than placing them on a plate after you finishing breading them. This should help to keep them from turning soggy.

Recipe of the day: Roast Beef Gravy

2005-10-10T15:58:00.000-04:00

You'll need:

4 tablespoons fat from pan

5 tablespoons flour

1 1/2 cups boiling water

salt and pepper

1. Remove some of the fat from pan, leaving 4 tablespoons.

2. Set pan on top of stove.

3. Brown flour in fat, add gradually boiling water.

4. Cook 5 minutes, season, and strain.

Cooking tip of the day: Gravy

2005-10-10T15:38:00.000-04:00

Gravy should be made in a roasting pan that encourages sticking. The brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan add intense flavor to the sauce. Avoid nonstick pans.

To make the gravy after cooking the meat, transfer the meat from the pan to a serving platter. Tip the pan so that all the fat and drippings collect in the corner. Spoon out all but 1-2 tablespoons of the fat and discard it. Keep the brown bits in the bottom of the pan.

With the pan on medium heat, whisk a little flour into the fat, scraping the brown bits on the bottom of the pan as you whisk. Cook the gravy until a smooth paste forms and the flour begins to smell toasty, 1-2 minutes.

Whisk in the reserved pan juices and/or other hot liquids. Simmer the gravy until it has thickened and no longer taste floury, about 10 minutes. Strain the gravy and season it with salt, pepper, and/or herbs. Keep it warm until you are ready to serve it.

Use a flat edged wooden spatula or a flat wire whisk to stir gravy. This allows you to reach into the corners of the pan and get to all the goodies so your gravy can be the best it can be.

If you end up with a runny gravy you can try cooking it down over medium heat to help evaporate excess liquid. You can also thicken runny gravy with cornstarch, flour or arrowroot. Use 1 1/2 tablespoons flour for each cup of liquid. 2 teaspoons of cornstarch or arrowroot dissolved in 1 tablespoon cold water. Stir it into 1 cup of hot broth at the end of cooking time, and cook until thickened, 30 seconds to 1 minute, stirring constantly. Then cook it one more minute. This will give you about one cup of medium thick gravy.

Beat the gravy vigorously with a whisk if you develop lumps. You can pour the gravy through a mesh sieve, pressing out the lumps, as well. You can also use flour that has been formulated not to lump, such as Wondra.

Recipe of the day: Butterscotch Pudding

2005-10-07T07:06:00.000-04:00

You'll need:

2 cups milk

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 egg whites, beaten until stiff

1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Mix cornstarch with 1/4 cup milk.

2. Heat the rest of the milk.

3. Melt butter, add sugar, and cook, stirring constantly, until sugar melts.

3. Add slowly to hot milk, stirring constantly until well blended.

4. Add cornstarch, stir until thickened.

5. Cook 20 minutes.

6. Add vanilla and salt, fold in egg whites, and chill.

Cooking tip of the day: Milk

2005-10-07T06:59:00.000-04:00

Milk should be purchased with the furtherest out expiration date possible. Organic milk is of a higher quality and should be marked "certified organic." It is usually produced on farms where no steroids, hormones, pesticides, or antibiotics are used.

Milk is highly perishable and needs to be stored in a refrigerator. It shouldn't be kept longer than the expiration date and in some cases may already start to taste different by that time.

In the old days milk had to be scalded to kill bacteria. With pasteurized milk their is no need for scalding unless you are simply heating it to help melt fats such as butter or to dissolve ingredients such as sugar.

Before heating milk on the stove top, rinse out the pan with cold water. This will keep the milk from scorching and sticking to the pan.

Always stock dry milk in your cupboards in case you run out of regular milk. Evaporated milk will also work in a pinch. Reconstitute it first with equal parts water.

Lower fat milks also have the denses calcium content. Both fat-free and 1% milk have 10 more milligrams of calcium than whole milk.

Recipe of the day: Cauliflower With Mushrooms

2005-10-06T08:03:00.000-04:00

You'll need:

1 head cauliflower, boiled

1 cup mushrooms, fresh or canned, chopped

4 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup cream or milk

salt and pepper

1. Separate cauliflower into flowerets.

2. Melt 2 tablespoons butter, add 1 cup mushroom liquor from can or water.

3. Add mushrooms and simmer 5 minutes and add cream.

4. Melt remaining butter, add flour, and pour on mushroom mixture.

5. Stir, bring to boiling point, and season.

6. Pour over cauliflower.

Cooking tip of the day: Cauliflower

2005-10-06T07:09:00.000-04:00

Cauliflower tends to be most flavorful during the colder months just like other members of the cabbage family. While white is the most familiar color, purple, green, and golden varieties of cauliflower are also possible.

Look for firm and dense cauliflower heads with no bruises that are vibrant.

Wrap cauliflower heads in perforated plastic bags and refrigerate for several days. Cauliflower loses its sweetness with time. Precut florets are even more perishable, so you'll wan to use them the day that you buy them.

To flush out any debris inside of cauliflower heads soak them in salted cold water for 30 minutes or more.

Take a large knife and slice through the stem end close to the base of the head to remove the leaves. Using a thin knife, cut around the core as close as possible to the florets to remove the core and tough stem ends in one piece.

Cook cauliflower quickly and if you want to speed the cooking time you can divide the cauliflower head into floretss. Florets can be boiled, steamed, or cooked in a microwave oven on high power. It takes about five minutes to cook a pound of cauliflower florets to tenderness.

Cauliflower head, 1.5 pounds or larger, should be steamed. Core just like mentioned above and then with a large knife, slice through the stem end close to the base of the head. Insert the tip of the knife deeply into the core, making two perpendicular cuts(or a deep X), to allow steam to permeate the tough core and stem areas more quickly. Steam the head over boiling water with the core end down, until a knife can pierce the core easily, fifteen to twenty minutes.

To cook a cauliflower head smaller than 1.5 pounds using a microwave oven is the fastest method. Core the cauliflower head like mentioned earlier then slice through the stem end, just like for the larger heads. Place the head in a microwave dish, core end down, cover and microwave on high until the core can be easily pierced with a knife, six to seven minutes.

Adding vinegar, lemon juice, or milk to the cooking water will help to preserve the white color.

Recipe of the day: Deviled Tomatoes

2005-10-05T07:02:00.000-04:00

You'll need:

3 tomatoes, sliced and sauteed

4 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons powdered sugar

1 teaspoon mustard

1/4 teaspoon salt

few grains cayenne

yolk 1 hard-cooked egg

1 egg slightly beaten

1. Cream butter, add dry ingredients, egg yolk rubbed to paste, egg, and vinegar.

2. Cook over hot water, stirring constantly, until thickened.

3. Pour over tomatoes.

Cooking tip of the day: Tomatoes

2005-10-05T06:23:00.000-04:00

Tomatoes do not ship well, so the best place to buy them is from a farmer's market or local produce stand. Look for them during the warm summer months when they are at the peak of the growing season. Tomatoes should be firm but not hard, and they should be heavy for their size. They should have a sweet tomato aroma.

Fresh tomatoes should be kept in a cool but not cold location. Temperatures below 55 degrees make tomatoes spongy and destroy their flavor.

Run a paring knife around the stem end to remove the inner white core.

Use a serrated knife the slice tomatoes.

If you want to peel a few tomatoes you can rub them with the dull edge of a paring knife. If the tomato is ripe enough the skin will buckle up and then readiily peel off. You can char each tomato by holding it over a flame with tongs until the skin is blistered and loosened all over.

If you are trying to peel several tomatoes you can a small X at the base of several tomatoes and then drop them into a pot of boiling water just until the skins begin to loosen, about ten to fifteen seconds. Remove the tomatoes with a sieve or a pair of tongs, and hold each tomato under cold running water. The peel will slip off easily.

To seed tomatoes cut the tomato in half crosswise. Hold one of the halves in your hand and gently squeeze. Remove the seeds and gel with your fingers or the tip of a paring knife. Repeat with the other half. You can also chop it and run it through a food mill.

Recipe of the day: Baked Stuffed Eggplant

2005-10-04T07:49:00.000-04:00

You'll need:

1 eggplant

1 1/2 cups ham stock or water

3/4 cup coarse, dried bread crumbs

1/4 cup melted butter

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg, slightly beaten

buttered crumbs

1. Wipe eggplant, cut in quarters, lengthwise.

2. Remove pulp close to skin, leaving thin shells.

3. Force pulp through food chopper.

4. Drain.

5. Add stock or water, boil 20 minutes.

6. Add crumbs, butter, lemon juice, salt and egg.

7. Fill shells, sprinkle with buttered crumbs, bake 15 minutes at 375 degrees.

Cooking tip of the day: Eggplant

2005-10-04T07:03:00.000-04:00

Eggplants should be bought in the summer, during their peak season. Fresh eggplants aren't as bitter and have thinner skins than eggplants sold out of season. Choose the heaviest eggplant that you can find. If the eggplant is ripe it will spring right back when you press gently on the flesh. If a dent remains then the eggplant is past its prime. Look for smooth, taut skin. Purple eggplants should be glossy. White eggplants should show no signs of any yellow. The green caps and stems should be intact and have no signs of mold. White eggplants hold their shape the best.

Eggplants are very perishable. Use them the day you buy them. To keep them longer, place in a plastic bag and keep in a cool spot at room temperature. Do not refrigerate them as this speeds up the deterioration process.

Place sliced or chopped eggplant in a colander and sprinkle all over with salt. Let them drain in teh sink for one hour, rinse well and pat dry before cooking. This helps to reduce bitterness in mature eggplants that are out of season. It also helps to keep the eggplant from absorbing excess oil when they are sauteed.

Brush the cut flesh with lemon juice or dip in acidulated water to prevent eggplant from discoloring.

Top overcooked eggplant with grated cheese, a quick tomato sauce, or a meat sauce.

If your cooked eggplant have a bitter taste you can mask it with a vinaigrette.

Recipe of the day: Corn Fritters

2005-10-03T07:50:00.000-04:00

You'll need:

1 cup canned corn

5/8 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Few grains paprika

1 egg

1. Chop corn, drain, add dry ingredients mixed and sifted.

2. Ad egg yolk, beaten until thick.

3. Fold in egg white, beaten until stiff.

4. Drop by spoonfuls and fry in deep fat at 370 degrees.

5. Drain on paper.

Cooking tip of the day: Salt

2005-10-03T07:09:00.000-04:00

Salt has more than 14,000 uses and only four percent of all the salt produced each year is used for cooking.

Use a plastic funnel or make a cone with a piece of paper to fill a salt shaker without spilling any salt.

Add 1/2 teaspoon raw rice grains to the salt shaker to absorb moisture and help keep salt from clumping and clogging shakers.

Use your fingers to sprinkle salt over food. Not only does this give you more control over how much salt you use but also helps you to realize just how much salt you have put on your food as you prepare it. Put the salt and pepper on toward the end of the cooking process. Remember you can always add more salt but trying to take it away isn't as easy.

If you have a dish that you have oversalted and it has liquid in it than you can drop in a few peeled potato slices for the last ten minutes of the cooking. Potatoes will absorb some of the excess salt and they can be discarded before serving the food. Consider possibly doubling the recipe to balance the salt content. Consider stirring in 1 teaspoon each sugar and white vinegar; cook three minutes, and then taste for balance. Add more sugar and vinegar if needed.

If the dish contains no liquid you can rinse the food with water to remove excess salt.

Recipe of the day: Cranberry Jelly Salad

2005-09-30T08:10:00.000-04:00

You'll need:

2 cups cranberries

1 cup boiling water

1 cup sugar

1 1/4 tablespoons granulated gelatine, soaked in

1/4 cup cold water

1/2 cup finely cut apple or celery

1/4 cup chopped nut meats

Mayonnaise

Lettuce

1. Cook cranberries and water twenty minutes.

2. Force through strainer.

3. Add soaked gelatine, stir until gelatine is dissolved, and add sugar.

4. When mixture begins to thicken, fold in apple or celery and nut meats.

5. Mold and chill.

6. Slice and serve on lettuce with Mayonniase.

Cooking tip of the day: Gelatin

2005-09-30T07:12:00.000-04:00

Gelatin gives many classic desserts their characteristic light-as-air-body. Gelatin is most often found in powdered form, but sheet gelatin, used in professional kitchens, can sometimes be found in specialty shops. Both types of gelatin produce the same results but sheet gelatin requires a longer soaking period.

Keep gelatin wrapped airtight and keep it in a cool, dry place. It will last indefinitely.

Use a 1/4 cup liquid for each 1/4 ounce package of gelatin. Sprinkle it over a little bit of cold liquid in a bowl and let it soak five minutes. Once the gelatin has softened, melt it by stirring it into a warm mixture or by warming the liquid directly on the stove over low heat. Do not let the mixture boil as this will destroy the gelatin's gel-ability. Once it has melted, put it into other ingredients as directed in your recipe.

Refrigerate for about six hours to set an gelatin based dessert. Do not freeze the gelatin as it will separate when it is thawed.

If a mixture sets up too much before you can add other ingredients, gently warm the gelatin mixture until it softens up.

Avoid adding mango, pineapple, papaya, kiwi, figs, honeydew, melon, and fresh ginger to gelatin as these ingredients will keep it from setting up. You can use these ingredients after they have been cooked or if they come from a can. Highly acidic ingredients can prevent gelatin from setting up as well. If you must use acidic ingredients, then add another package of gelatin to ensure that the dessert sets.

Recipe of the day: Chestnut Roulettes

2005-09-29T07:53:00.000-04:00

You'll need:

Boiled French chestnuts

2 eggs

Few drops onion juice

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1/4 teaspoon salt

Few grains paprika

1. Mash chestnuts to make one cup.

2. Add other ingredients, stir and cook two minutes, and cool.

3. Shape a little larger than French chestnuts, crumbs, fry, and drain like Croquettes.

Cooking tip of the day: Chestnuts

2005-09-29T07:10:00.000-04:00

Chestnuts have lower fat content than most nuts, less than one gram per ounce(cooked).

Look for plump, firm chestnuts with no blemishes on the shell in markets from September to February. At this same time you will find chestnuts in cans, which save the time-consuming step of peeling.

Refrigerate chestnuts in a ziplock bag for up to two weeks. You can freeze chestnuts for up to five months.

When roasting and peeling chestnuts you need to cut a slit in the flat part of the shell to prevent the chestnut from exploding. Place them on a baking sheet and roast at 400 degree for ten minutes, if you want to peel them only. Bake the chestnuts for twenty minutes if you want cook them all the way through. Using a towel or oven mitt, remove and discard the shells and inner brown skins while the nuts are still hot. The nuts will be more difficult to peel if you let them cool. Chop or use them as desired.

If you want to boil and peel the chestnuts, cut a slit in the shells and place the nuts in a saucepan with water to cover. Bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for four minutes to peel. If you want to cook them all the way through cover and let simmer for 25 minutes. Peel and chop or use as desired.

To use a microwave for peeling chestnuts, place one pound of chestnuts in a shallow, microwaveable dish and cook them on high for eight minutes. Peel them while they are warm.

Recipe of the day: Stewed Okra and Tomatoes

2005-09-28T07:43:00.000-04:00

You'll need:

2 cups okra, cit in small pieces, crosswise

2 cups tomatoes

1 tablespoon butter

Salt and pepper

1. Cook okra until tender in small amount of water so that all water will be absorbed.

2. Add tomatoes and simmer ten minutes.

3. Add butter, salt ,and pepper.

Cooking tip of the day: Okra

2005-09-28T06:55:00.000-04:00

Okra came to the United States with the African slaves. The ridged, green pods contain seeds and tend to become slippery or gelatinous when cooked. The texture makes okra a key ingredient in gumbo and other stews.

Okra is best chosen during the summer growing season. Look for okra pods that are heavy for their size. Okra pods should be plump, moist, and brightly colored, with their stems intact and no blemishes, bruises, or browning. While large okra pods tend to be fibrous, okra pods that are no bigger than your little finger are better.

Okra is best kept fresh in a paper bag on one of the upper shelves of your refrigerator for no more than a day or two. Okra is damaged by temperatures less than 45 degrees and does not keep well.

If okra pods are extra fuzzy, remove the fuzz by rubbing them in a towel before you wash and trim them.

Okra pods need to be rinsed and trimmed of their stems. On larger okra pods trim off their caps, but take care not to expose the seeds.

Recipe of the day: Stuffed Mushrooms

2005-09-27T07:59:00.000-04:00

You'll need:

6 large mushroom caps

2 tablespoons chopped mushroom stems

2 tablespoons bread crumbs

2 tablespoons chopped lean, cooked ham

2 tablespoons finely chopped onion

1 teaspoon grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley

3 tablespoons butter

1 cup Tomato Sauce

Salt, pepper, and cayenne

1/3 cup bread crumbs mixed with 1 1/2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

6 rounds bread, slightly larger than mushroom caps, fried(sauteed) in butter

Parsley

1. Cook chopped mushrooms, bread crumbs, ham, onion, cheese, and parsley with butter three minutes.

2. Moisten with 1/4 cup Tomato Sauce and season to taste.

3. Brush and peel caps and stuff with mixture.

4. Sprinkle with crumbs and cheese.

5. Arrange in baking pan, pouur remaining sauce around, and bake twenty minutes at 425 degrees.

6. Remove mushrooms to sauteed bread, pour around sauce from pan and garnish with parsley.

Cooking tip of the day: Fresh Mushrooms

2005-09-27T07:01:00.000-04:00

Only experts in picking mushrooms should ever consider picking their own mushrooms from the wild. Unless you know the edible kind of mushrooms in your area you could end up very sick or dead from eating poisonous. mushrooms.

Mushrooms can act as both a seasoning and as a vegetable. The white button mushroom contains umami, a natural flavor enhancer that boosts the flavor of any food that the mushroom comes in contact with.

Mushrooms should be firm and slightly moist, with no signs of decay. They should be heavy for their size and smell like the woods.

For a young, mild-tasting mushroom that will last longer, check that the gills on the underside of the mushroom are tightly closed. If the gills are open, the mushroom in more mature and will have a more concentrated flavor. It will not last long once you get it home though. Use the older mushrooms first.

Mushrooms kept cool and dry in a basket or an open paper bag will stay fresh for four to five days.

Avoid cleaning mushrooms until you are ready to use them. Trim the stems but avoid washing the mushrooms because they absorb moisture like a sponge. Wipe them with a damp cloth or scrape them gently with a paring knife. If bits of dirt still remain, go ahead and rinse them off, but cook them soon afterwards as the water promotes decay.

Recipe of the day: Shortcake

2005-09-26T07:50:00.000-04:00

You'll need:

2 cups flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

3/4 cup milk

1/4 to 1/3 cut butter

1. Mix dry ingredients, sift twice, work in butter with pastry mixer, fork, or finger tips, and add milk gradually.

2. Bake and serve.

Cooking tip of the day: Shortcakes

2005-09-26T07:06:00.000-04:00

To bake a shortcake:

1. Toss mixture on floured board and divide in two parts.

2 Pat, roll out, and put half in round tin.

3. Spread lightly with melted butter and place other half on top.

4. Or cut out with large biscuit cutter and bake on bettered cookie sheet.

5. Bake twelve minutes at 450 degrees.

To serve shortcakes:

1. Split with fork and spread with butter.

2. Spread fruit between layers and on top.

3. Cover with whipped cream, using pastry bag and tube, if desired.

4. Cream may be put between layers as well as on top.

5. If cake is used, do not spread wtih butter.

6. For fruit, you can use any of the following:

A. Warm apple sauce.

B. Sliced bananas, sprinkled with sugar and lemon juice.

C. Strawberries, slightly crushed and sweetened to taste. Warm.

D. Raspberries, prepared like strawberries.

E. Peaches or apricots, sliced and sweetened, fresh or canned.

F. Stewed blueberries.

Recipe of the day: College Beets

2005-09-23T08:06:00.000-04:00

You'll need:

12 small beets, cooked and cut in slices, cubes, or fancy shapes

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup vinegar

2 tablespoons butter

1. Mix sugar and cornstarch.

2. Add vinegar and water and boil 5 minutes.

3. Add beets and let stand over low heat 30 minutes.

4. Just before serving, bring to boiling point and add butter.

Cooking tip of the day: Beets

2005-09-23T07:07:00.000-04:00

Even though beets are high in sugar that are actually low in calories, about 70 calories per cup.

Buy during their peak season, June through October. Spring beets tend to be woody and tough. You want firm, regularly shaped roots. Misshapen roots indicate that beets may have struggled to grow and their flesh will be bitter and tough. Buy them with their greens/tops still attached. Fresh tops should be bright green with no signs of wilting or yellowing.

Cut off the greens when you get home. They tend to drain moisutre and nutrients from the beets. Leave only about one inch of the stem attached to the beet to help minimize "bleeding" while cooking. Wrap the green in a moist paper towel and refrigerate ia a ziplock bag for up to three days.

Pare off the skins with a vegetable peeler before using. They are quiteful flavorful and slightly sweet when eaten raw. They can be used on salads or as toppings on cold soups.

If you plan to cook the beets leave the skins intact. They are much easier to remove when cooked. It also helps to preserve colr and retain nutrients. After cooking let them cool enough to be handled and then rub the skins off using a paper towel or under warm, running water.

Recipe of the day: Onion Souffle

2005-09-22T07:55:00.000-04:00

You'll need:

1 pound onions

4 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup water in which onions were cooked

1/3 cup cream

Salt and pepper

3 egg yolks, beaten until thick and lemon-colored

3 egg whites, beaten until stiff

4 tablespoons, flour

1. Boil onions and rub through sieve.

2. Melt butter, add flour, and pour on gradually onion water and cream.

3. Add onion pulp and bring to boiling point.

4. Season.

5. Add to egg yolks.

6. Cut and fold in egg whites.

7. Turn into buttered baking disk and bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes.

8. Serve at once.

Cooking tip of the day: Onions

2005-09-22T06:54:00.000-04:00

Look for onions that are firm and crisp, without soft spots or signs of mold. There are two basic types:

1. Fresh, sweet onions

These come into season in early April and most are named for the region where they're grown:

A. Vidalia

B. Maui

C. Walla Walla

D. Nu-Mex or Texas 1015 Super Sweets

They are prized for their sweetness. They have a high water conteent and are not at all hot. They are low in sulfur, which makes them less likely to bring tears to your eyes when chopping them.

2. Storage

Usually picked at the peak of the summer harvest and dry cured to help prevent decay.

A. Yellow

B. Spanish

C. Red

D. White

E. Shallots

Remember, when choosing storage onions that Spanish onions are nothing more than large yellow onions and that red or purple onions are among the sweetest and hottest in the category. White onions are the mildest and juiciest with less sweetness.

Slice onions just before using them to enjoy them at their best. After cutting onions they oxidize quickly when exposed to air. This gives them a bitter flavor. To help preserve the flavor after cutting them you can rinse them in water and store them in an airtight glass jar filled with ice water. Stored this way they will keep their fresh onion flavor for three to four hours.

Recipe of the day: Spinach Timbales

2005-09-21T07:57:00.000-04:00

You'll need:

2 cups cooked spinach, finely chopped

2 tablespoons butter

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 cup milk

2/3 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Few drops onion juice

2 teaspoons vinegar

8 round slices bread, fried(sauteed) in butter

8 slices tomato or 1 cup tomato sauce

1. Combine the first eight ingredients.

2. Fill the buttered timbale molds.

3. Bake in pan of hot water at 300 degrees.

4. Cover bread with tomato.

5. Turn spinach mold on each.

6. Serve with Hollandaise sauce.

Cooking tip of the day: Spinach

2005-09-21T07:16:00.000-04:00

Originally spinach was brought to the United States from Spain. Spinach is well known for being gritty because it grows on short stems close to the ground.

Look for spinach with crisp, dark green leaves. Choose the small "baby" spinach leaves if you was the most delicate flavor and tender texture. Larger spinach leaves tend to be more bitter and chewier.

Baby spinach has tender stems that do not need to be removed.

Spinach leaves will keep in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Fold large spinach leaves in half vertically and pinch the sides together where the leaf meets the stem. Pull on the stem and it will tear away from the leafy part. You can save the stem for flavoring in broth, or you can discard them.

To loosen dirt and grit, swish the spinach leaves around in a bowl of cold water. Lift the spinach leaves out of the bowl so you don't disturb the sediment on the bottom of the bowl.

While a carbon steel knife will discolor spinach, a stainless steel knife won't.

Recipe of the day: Mashed Potato Baskets

2005-09-20T08:24:00.000-04:00

You'll need:

3 cups hot, mashed potatoes

3 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon salt

3 egg yolks, slightly beaten

Milk to moisten

1 egg white, slightly beaten

1. Add butter, salt, egg yolks, and milk to potatoes.

2. Shape in small baskets with pastry bag and tube.

3. Brush over with egg white and brown in over.

4. Make handles of parsley.

Cooking tip of the day: Potatoes II

2005-09-20T07:48:00.000-04:00

To test a potato for its starchiness slice the raw potato with a knife. If the knife is coated with a creamy white substance or the potato clings to the knife, it is a starchy potato. If not it is a waxy potato. An all-purpose potato will fall somewhere in between. Good baking potatoes will sink when placed in a brine of one part salt to eleven parts water, because they are high in starch.

To make good mashed potatoes you want potatoes with high starch content. You want them to be about the same size so they will cook evenly. Boil the potatoes with their skins still intact as this will help them hold their shape better, absorb less water, and have better flavor. They'll be easier to peel after they have been cooked. Avoid usign a food processor to mash the potatoes, about anything else will due. The food processor makes for gluey mashed potatoes. Make sure that you don't overbeat the potatoes. To prevent any lumps, warm any milk or cream before adding it.

If the rest of the meal isn't finished but the mashed potatoes are, place a kitchen towel beneath the lid covering the pot of mashed potatoes. The towel will absorb condensation, preventing it from falling back into the potatoes.

Recipe of the day: Maple Nut Puddling

2005-09-19T08:29:00.000-04:00

You'll need:

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

2 cups boiling water

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/4 cup cold water

3 egg whites, beaten until stiff

1/2 cup English walnut meats

Few grains salt

1. To brown sugar add boiling water and cornstarch diluted with cold water.

2. Cook over flame until mixture thickens, stirring constantly; then cook in double boiler 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Remove from range and add egg white, nut meats broken in small pieces, and salt.

4. Mold and chill.

Cooking tip of the day: Cornstarch

2005-09-19T07:02:00.000-04:00

Cornstarch is used for thickened sauces, gravies, soups, pies, custards and puddings.

Keep in an airtight as cornstarch will loose its thicken power when exposed to air over a long period of time.

Use 1 1/2 teaspoons of cornstarch for each tablespoon of flour called for in a recipe.

Use 2 teaspoons cornstarch in place of 1 tablespoon arrowroot.

If a cornstarch mix has thinned while cooling you can recover from it. Try any of these methods:

1. Add a little more liquid. It might seem counterproductive, but occasionally cornstarch does not fully swell and remains thickened if there is not enough liquid in the mixture.

2. A higher proportion of sugar than liquid o a particularly high proportion of fat in a mixture can also be the cause. Again try adding more liquid.

3. Lemon juice and other acidic ingredients can also reduce the thickening power of cornstarch. If it appears that this could be the cause you can slightly increase the cornstarch.

You can avoid the last problem by adding acidic ingredients after cooking.

To keep the cornstarch from thinning the sauces in the first place you can stir gently and cook for no more than one minute on medium heat after the sauce has thickened. Make sure you don't lick the spoon as enzymes in your saliva can break down a mixture thickened with cornstarch. Also, do not freeze mixtures thickened with cornstarch.

Recipe of the day: Sour Milk Gingerbread

2005-09-16T07:07:00.000-04:00

You'll need:
1 cup molasses
1 cup sour milk
2 1/3 cups flour
1 3/4 teaspoons soda
2 teaspoons ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons melted butter

1. Mix sour milk and molasses.
2. Sift together dry ingredients, combine mixtures, add butter, and beat vigorously.
3. Pour into buttered shallow pan and bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Cooking tip of the day: Ginger

2005-09-16T07:04:00.000-04:00

Ginger is a tropical rhizome, an underground stem. It is an essential flavor of Asian cuisines.

Choose the hardest, smoothest pieces of ginger you can find. The longer ginger sits around the more wrinkled it becomes. Avoid any pieces that show sign of mold. If ginger is fresh you can break off one of the knobs and it break with a clean snap.

Store ginger at room temperature for up to a week, or wrap it in a paper towel, seal it in a plastic bag and refrigerate it for up to three weeks.

Unpeeled ginger will keep in a container of horticultural sand. Cover it with well-pierced foil to provide ventilation and store it in a cool, dark place.

You can also freeze whole, unpeeled knobs of ginger in a ziplock bag for up to three months. Freezing will rupture the cells and change its texture but it will not affect the flavor. Avoid freezing ginger after it is peeled or chopped.

Place pieces or slices of ginger is glass jar and fill it with dry sherry or vodka. You can store ginger this way for four to six weeks in the refrigerator. The sherry, or vodka, and ginger will exchange flavors during storge. You can use the ginger kissed sherry in stir-fry sauces or marinades.

Recipe of the day: Peanut Brittle

2005-09-15T07:54:00.000-04:00

You'll need:
1 1/2 cups shelled, raw peanuts
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

1. Sprinkle nuts with salt and warm in oven.
2. Put sugar, corn syrup, and water in a pan, stir until it begins to boil, wash down sides with wet pastry brush, and cook to 295 degrees or until mixture is very brittle when tried in cold water.
3. Add butter, flavoring, and nuts.
4. Pour into a shallow, buttered pan.
5. As soon as it can be handled, turn the mass over and pull and stretch it out as thin as possible.
6. Break in irregular pieces.

Cooking tip of the day: Peanuts

2005-09-15T07:04:00.000-04:00

Peanuts are not really nuts at all, we may call them that but they're actually legumes. Peanuts start out as a stem where a flower grew, but after the flower dies, the stem bends over and as the peanut develops, it mysteriously buries itself in the ground. After they mature the peanuts get dug up and sent off to be sold.

Spanish and Virginia peanuts are the two most common varieties found. Spanish peanuts are small and round, while Virginia peanuts aer larger and oval shaped. Spanish peanuts are often seen in peanut mixes, while Virginia peanuts are often sold in the shell.

When buy in the shell peanuts, look for clean shells with no breakage. Shake the peanuts and buy those that make no sound. If they rattle they are old and beginning to dry out.

Unshelled peanuts can be kept at room temperature for a few weeks but it is best to refrigerate them. Tightly wrapped unshelled peanuts can be keep in the refrigerator for up to six months.

Once vacuum packed, shelled peanuts have been opened they can be kept in the jar for up to three months.

Cooking tip of the day: Oysters

2005-09-14T07:44:00.000-04:00

Oysters can be eaten anytime of the year but they just aren't as good during the warm water months of the summer. This is when they spawn and their flesh turns milky and soft. Winter is the best time to be eating oysters.

When you're at the store the oysters should be kept flat on a bed of ice or in a refrigerator. If they are all mixed together in a bag, their juices will run out. Also, make sure that the shells are completely closed. If the shell is open, even a crack, the meat will dry out.

To pick the safest oysters stick with those from the North Atlantic and Pacific Coasts. You want the cold-water oysters. Gulf Coast oytsers carry a toxic, naturally occuring marine bacterium, that has results in outbreaks of illness. Also, never eat an oyster that isn't icy cold. Harmful bacteria are relatively dormant when oysters are cold, but once the temperature starts to rise, then cause trouble. Alcohol can lower your resistance to bacteria. If you are pregnant or your sick, avoid oysters altogether.

Recipe of the day: Oyster Soup

2005-09-14T06:50:00.000-04:00

You'll need:
1 quart oysters
4 cups milk
1 slice onion
2 stalks celery
1 blade mace
Sprig of parsley
Bit of bay leaf
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup flour
Salt and pepper

1. Pick over oysters, removing bits of shell.
2. Reserve liquor, add oysters slightly chopped, heat slowly to boiling point, and simmer 20 minutes.
3. Strain, reheat liquor, and thicken with butter and flour cooked together.
4. Scald milk with onion, celery, mace, parsley, and bay leaf; remove seasonings, and add to oyster liquor.
5. Season with salt and pepper.

Cooking tip of the day: Breads

2005-09-13T07:27:00.000-04:00

Dough rises best in a warm, moist, draft free environment. The ideal temperature is 85 degrees. To create this temperature:

1. Fill a heat proof bowl with boiling water and let it stand while you are preparing the dough. Throw out the water, dry the bowl, and let the bowl rise in the warm bowl.
2. Fill a large stockpot with a couple inches of tepid(not hot) water. Place the covered bowl of dough inside and cover the pot.
3. Boil a cup of waater in a microwave over for 2 minutes, place it in corner of the microwave oven. Put in the covered dough and close the door.
4. Run the dishwasher on the rinse cycle, wait a few minutes, then place the covered dough inside.
5. Preheat the over for 2 minutes, then turn it off and place the covered dough inside. Place a baking pan on the bottom shelf of the over and pour a teakettle of boiling water into the pan.

Store dough in the refrigerator for as long as overnight to control the doughs rate of rise. Remove it from the refrigerator and let it stand at room temperature for an hour before baking.

After giving the dough a good poke with your finger the indentation slowly but resolutely rises back, your dough is ready for sharping. If the indentation springs back very quickly then the dough needs more rising time. If it doesn't spring back at all you dough has risen too long.

If you wish to freeze your dough, prepare it at least through the first rise. Punch out all the air and seal in a ziplock bag, leaving a little room for expansion. Freeze as quickly as possible in an empty section of the freezer. After it is frozen solid, remove any air space in the bag, reseal, and store for up to two months.

Recipe of the day: Cream Bread Fingers

2005-09-13T07:09:00.000-04:00

You'll need:
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 tablespoon salt
1 yeast cake dissolved in
1 cup lukewarm water
1 1/4 cups flour

1. Scald cream and add sugar and salt; when lukewarm, add dissolved yeast cake and flour.
2. Toss on slightly floured board and knead.
3. Return to bowl, cover, let rise, toss on slightly floured board, and pat and roll 1/4 inch thick.
4. Shape with lady-finger cutter, first dipped in flour, arrange on buttered cookie sheet, cover, again let rise, and bake at 375 degrees.
5. Brush over with 2 tablespoons milk, mixed wtih 1 tablespoon sugar, and return to oven to glaze.