Menu Milestones:

(NC)—What’s your favourite baking memory? For one full century, Canadians have relied on the brand name flour Robin Hood® to create baking traditions. To celebrate and to mark this milestone, Robin Hood is inviting families across the country to make new baking memories at their innovative Bake, Batter and Roll pop-up bakeshops. The free, hands-on shops are fun-filled and interactive, allowing kids, parents and grandparents to make wildly imaginative baked goods such as Baby Bird Cupcakes, Bug Collection Cookies, and Caterpillar Cupcakes.

Designed for baking enthusiasts of all ages and levels, visitors can choose from six different recipes, and baking assistants are on hand to lead the way. Once the items are taken out of the oven, parents and children will be able to decorate them to their liking before taking their baked masterpieces home to enjoy. All prizing and appliances in the bakeshop were generously donated by Fridigaire, www.frigidaire.ca.

Canadians will get the chance to enjoy making these special, fun recipes at the month-long Bake, Batter and Roll location in Toronto starting in November. Mini bakeshops will also hit the road, spreading some baking goodness at stations in shopping centres in Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver.

Are you unable to attend a Bake, Batter and Roll location? Participate virtually at www.robinhood.ca/bakeshop, where you can follow along with how-to recipe video demonstrations and use an online timer to accurately track the progress of your baked goodies. The site also includes a family baker’s corner where parents and children can create and decorate their own baked treats, apply for a baker’s certificate, and download fun decorating tools such as stencils.

Happy baking!

www.newscanada.com

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If you want to make some tasty meals for your family with Dutch oven cooking, perhaps while camping, there are some useful tips that can increase the chances that your family will enjoy the meal.

Typically, Dutch ovens are made from cast iron or aluminum. The aluminum Dutch ovens have the advantage of being significantly lighter in weight. The aluminum version doesn’t need any curing and just like the cast iron types they have been designed for cooking on open fires and can be heated with coals.

The cast iron Dutch ovens have the advantage of being better at keeping their heat as well as being significantly more effective at evenly distributing the heat. Some experts of Dutch oven cooking claim that the aluminum variety adds a chalky type of taste to the foods while the cast iron dutch ovens provide a smoked flavor to the meals.

A Good Lid

Select a Dutch oven that has some legs and make sure the lid that is provided makes a snug fit for Dutch oven cooking. It’s a good idea to select a dutch oven that has a consistency regarding the thickness of the metal. Hot spots as well as cold spots can be created due to variations in the thickness of the metal in the oven.

Cast Iron

If you select a cast iron dutch oven for cooking meals the oven has to be properly cured. A Dutch oven that has been properly cured will not rust and will provide the inside of the pot with a surface that will keep your food items from sticking to the pot while Dutch oven cooking. After you have sufficiently cured the oven it’s a good idea to keep the cure and improve it by wiping the oven with a little oil, lard or shortening while the oven is dry and warm. Experts suggest that you never clean the Dutch oven with wire types of scrubbers or brushes since they can easily eliminate the curing that you have produced in the Dutch oven.

If you are going to do some Dutch oven cooking it’s also highly recommend that you purchase a lid filter which will prevent the lid from moving when you lift it. A wire handled type of hook is typically used while some prefer to use a more recent variation which combines a three legged type of a brace device with a hook.

In order to avoid your food from becoming dry, or burned on the bottom or not cooked enough on the top make sure to purchase the right sized coals and space them properly  in order to achieve the appropriate temperature inside the Dutch oven. You will want to use coals that are about the size of typical charcoal briquettes. Soon enough you will agree that Dutch oven cooking can provide you and your family with some excellent meals.

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For some people, cooking turkey is something that they do every month or every couple of months just because they cannot get enough of that taste. But for a lot of people, the hassles of cooking turkey are simply saved for Thanksgiving, and for even a smaller amount of people, for Christmas.

The reason for most people probably saving the task of cooking turkey for the holidays is because of the expense. The cost of a turkey is not cheap by any means for those who are on fixed incomes or that have a tight budget. If the cost of cooking turkey were not so steep, then more in likely there would be a lot more people purchasing these birds throughout the year.

Also, there may be another big reason that people tend to hold off cooking a turkey for the holidays and that is because how everyone says that it is so hard to prepare and to cook. But that is simply not that true if you really know what you are doing when cooking turkey.

There is not actually a lot of preparation that must be down to cook a turkey but it does take a long time to cook, several hours in fact. But when you think about it, while a turkey is cooking, you are not standing there staring at the oven because you are busy doing other things. So, the oven actually has a bigger job than you do so maybe you should try cooking turkey more then once a year.

Hints on Finding Recipes

The best way to find some recipes that you know you will like and that you know that your family will like is by talking with some relatives. Think about where you have had a great Thanksgiving dinner or who used to make it all and talk to them about sharing their recipes. This is an excellent way to find recipes and little tricks of the trade that you could never find anywhere else. Just know, that you are not the only one in the family who has experience in cooking a turkey so go ahead and use their knowledge and see how it comes out.

If you really never liked the recipes that other people in your family have followed, then you may want to consider making your own. If you are handy and creative in the kitchen, you may be able to come up with your own recipe to share with others. If you lack that sense of cooking knowledge and experience, you can always turn to the World Wide Web for suggestions and full-fledged recipes on cooking turkey. There are thousands, if not more, for cooking turkey at any given time. Just do a search and see what you find – you may be very surprised.

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Cooking outside is quite a challenge and as such you may need a few cooking supplies that are specifically made for outdoor cooking. These utensils need to be sturdy and hardier than those you use inside your home as they will be exposed to outside elements in addition to possible open flame and of course, being toted around with other outdoor gear.

Pots and Skillets

Perhaps the best material for your cooking supplies in regards to pots and skillets is cast iron or aluminum. Cast iron is best over an open flame, is quite hardy and the food cooked in it usually turns out great. Aluminum is best over an open flame as long as you have a grill or grate to set it down on, much like a burner on a stove.

A cast iron Dutch oven should be the first of any cooking supplies you purchase for cooking in the great outdoors. It is versatile and you can cook virtually anything you would in an indoor oven inside one of these large lidded cast iron pots. A cast iron skillet is a great addition to your cooking supplies too as you can also cook virtually anything you want on it.

Utensils

Cooking supplies, particularly utensils, need to be made of metal as plastic can easily become scorched or even melted. Metal utensils will not hurt your cast iron or aluminum pots and skillets and they are easier to clean, particularly when you need to use a steel wool pad for baked on messes.

Tongs and a long fork are important cooking supplies for the outdoors as they will keep your hands from being burned by the heat and flames of a campfire or camp stove. They are easy to manipulate and work best when cooking meats and when you have the need to turn things over without burning yourself.

A flat metal spatula, skewers and both a slotted and solid metal spoon should be added to your list of outdoor cooking supplies. The spatula is an obvious tool for flipping burgers and other food on the grill and skewers are a great way to cook meat and vegetables over an open flame without dirtying up a skillet. The spoons are important for stirring food as well as for the serving part of dinner plus they make a handy shovel when you need to dig a small hole!

Fireproof gloves or flame resistant mitts plus heavy duty aluminum foil are two final important items when purchasing cooking supplies for any outdoor adventure. Having pot holders that are flame resistant is important protection for your hands, particularly when you are cooking outdoors over an open flame. Also, foil is a much needed accessory to any outdoor cooking venture as you can line a grill, create food packets to place on the grill and you can even ball it up and use it to scrape off the grill! Choosing cooking supplies for your outdoor cooking adventures, whether in your backyard or camping should be considered with care and an eye for durability.

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Prime rib is a treat that most of us enjoy when we go out to dinner at a nice steak house or fine dining restaurant. But did you know that prime rib is easy to cook yourself at home?

There is no reason you should deprive yourself of prime rib except on those occasions when you go out to dinner. Surprise your family by cooking your own prime rib dinner, just like you get in the restaurant.

Choosing the Meat

Never skimp on quality when you’re buying meat. Go to the very best butcher shop you can afford for a prime rib roast. You will be charged by the pound for your roast, and you want to be cooking a prime rib roast that has at least three ribs attached. If you’re cooking for a small family of two or three people, you’re going to have some prime rib left over, so plan ahead on how you will use it up. Better yet, invite someone over for dinner and treat them to a lovely meal of home cooked prime rib.

Preparing the Meat

Leave the meat as it is when you bring it home from the butcher shop. You may be tempted to trim the fat, but when you are cooking prime rib, that fat will keep the meat moist and tender. Let each of your guests trim the fat off their own meat as they see fit, but don’t trim the meat before you cook it.

Prepare the meat by salting any meat that is not protected by fat with large crystals or flakes of salt, such as kosher salt or margarita salt. Do not use iodized salt or sea salt, or the meat will just taste salty without being protected. If the salt is not sticking to the meat, moisten the meat with water or red wine.

Cooking Your Prime Rib Roast

Preheat your oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit. Place your prime rib roast on a rack in a roasting pan, stick a meat thermometer into it, put it in the oven, close the door and wait. Cooking prime rib takes a few hours at a minimum, so make sure you can spend a few hours at home while the roast cooks.

Cook the roast until the internal temperature reaches 110 degrees for medium rare roast beef to 120 at the max, for well done, almost charred meat. Anything cooler isn’t safe to eat; anything hotter is too dry to enjoy. 

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While most people just worry about turkey cooking times around thanksgiving, there are many other occasions throughout the year when you can enjoy this lean, white meat alternative to chicken. Whether it is in stir fry’s, salads, sandwiches and pasta, turkey breast can be very versatile.

The turkey breast cooking time depends on a variety of factors, number one being size. Obviously, the bigger the portion of meat, the longer it will take to cook. However, to add to the variables the shape of the portion as well as how much bone it has in ratio to the meat also pays a role. Additional considerations include whether the turkey breast was fresh or defrosted after being frozen. The marinating techniques and the way it will be cooked also will affect the turkey breast cooking time.

Internal Temperature

Even though different cooks and cookbooks will give you their best guesstimate for the ideal turkey breast cooking time according to size of the piece, the surefire way of getting the roasting done just right is to buy a cooking thermometer an checking to see if the internal temperature has reached 170 degrees Fahrenheit. As soon as it has, not only is your turkey safe to eat, it is also not dry nor raw. The method you use to cook and the pan you opt for can also vary, but shallow roasting pans are deemed to be the best bet for cooking turkey breast time and time again.

Most turkey breast, especially smaller sizes are usually served without stuffing. However, bigger portions like 8 pound portions can be stuffed with your favorite herbs and spices. Some general guidelines for a 2 or 3 pound turkey breast is around 1 and a half to 2 hours in a conventional oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit. If the breast is 4 to 6 pounds, then 2 and a half to 3 hours is usually recommended and if the piece is around 8 pounds in weight, then 3 and a half hours should be a safe bet.

Easy Recipe

You can enjoy cooking a turkey breast time and time again by adding some zing to the recipe. Try a citrus turkey breast sandwich to take to work and you will be glad you didn’t walk down to the greasy burger joint. All you need for this recipe is some jalapeno paste, lime juice, orange juice, garlic and onion paste. Marinade the breast and roast it. Shred or slice and pack in individual baggies for several healthy sandwiches.

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When it comes to that time of year that everyone is looking forward to because of the delicious food that is served, there is always at least one person that is slightly tense about it and that would be the person who is going to be cooking a turkey.

Although it really is a simple job, a lot of people tend to get a little stressed out about cooking a turkey and it is not because it is a hard job, but because the turkey is the thanksgiving dinner and many people feel that if the turkey gets ruined, that thanksgiving is ruined. Even though that is not the case, a lot of people cannot get that thought out of their minds.

Remember, that cooking a turkey is not a hard job in itself and that is a fact but it is strictly the anticipation of whether or not it is going to come out right that is the problem. But when you think about it, your oven is actually doing more work than you are so when thinking about how hard cooking a turkey is, think about how much work your oven has to go through. All you really have to do is dress it and place it in the oven and the rest of the work from cooking a turkey is done by the oven while you prepare other things such as side dishes.

The Most Important Thing

Although messing up the turkey in that it came out a little dry or without a lot of flavor is heartbreaking to some; that is not the real danger to consider when cooking a turkey. When you are getting ready to begin cooking a turkey, you have to make sure that you have fully read over all of the instructions. By not following these instructions, you are either going to have a bird that does not taste all that great or you could end up giving your guests food poisoning.

When roasting a turkey, make sure that it has reached the proper temperature of 165 degrees by sticking a cooking thermometer into it. Any reading lower then that, you need to put it back in. All in all, when those few things are followed, cooking a turkey does not have to be anything to worry about or stress over. You can do it just as millions and millions and of people before you have done it. Cooking a turkey will soon become second nature to you and you will be a pro before you know it.

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If you have ever been to someone’s house when they prepared you a fabulous thanksgiving dinner and you just did not like the turkey taste, there may be one very good reason why. A lot of times, it is because they simply did not use a lot of flavoring according to your specific taste buds or even more times then not, it is because of the dryness of the turkey. A dry turkey can happen several ways such as not basting it properly and as often as one should in order to keep the juices flowing.

Another reason is that someone cooked the bird at too high of a temperature and then kept it in there for the recommended cook time or even longer. This would certainly be the cause the turkey to be dry because the proper turkey cooking temperature was not followed. When the proper turkey cooking temperature is not followed, you are going to end up with one of two cases. The first scenario is that the turkey ending up being over cooked because the temperature was too high which means it ended up dry. And the second is that the turkey cooking temperature was set too low which means it was not fully cooked at all.

How to Get It Right

In order to make sure that the turkey cooking temperature is correct, you will want to strictly follow the instructions on the oven. The general recommendation for the proper turkey cooking temperature is three hundred and twenty five degrees. And once you have it set, try to make sure all little children are away from the stove as we all know how they love playing with knobs and such. Also, try to refrain from opening the open door too often unless it is time to baste because every time you open the door, the built up temperature is lost and it has to build itself up again.

You are also going to want to watch the directions carefully in order to not remove it too early or too late. But something important that you will want to keep in mind is that all ovens are different so when it is time to remove the turkey, you will want to make sure to stick a thermometer into the turkey. If the proper turkey cooking temperature was used and it was in there long enough, the temperature of the inside of the turkey should read at least one hundred and sixty five degrees. Eating a turkey of anything less could mean getting sick in a very bad way such as food poisoning and no one wants to go through that.

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Cooking a turkey is actually pretty easy once you know what you’re doing. These tips for cooking a turkey will make everything go smoothly.

Tip #1 for Cooking A Turkey – Plan Ahead.

The truth is, it can be difficult to cook a turkey on short notice. In the United States, anyway, you need to plan ahead if you want to cook a whole turkey. Frozen turkeys are available year-round, but frozen turkey take a couple days to thaw, depending on how much they weigh.

Fresh turkeys can be cooked the same day you buy them, but in the U.S. you can only get fresh turkeys the week before the Thanksgiving holiday – unless you ask your grocer or meat market to order a bird especially for you.

If all else fails and you must have a turkey right away, you are best advised to buy a smoked turkey. A smoked turkey is fully cooked when you buy it, and all you have to do is heat it up and serve it.

Tip #2 for Cooking a Turkey – Use a Meat Thermometer

Turkeys come in a variety of different sizes, and ovens work in varying levels of efficiency. Eating raw turkey can make you and your guests very, very sick, so use a meat thermometer to make sure the internal temperature of the meat is at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit before you remove the bird from the oven. Insert the meat thermometer in the deepest part of the breast or thigh.

Tip #3 for Cooking a Turkey – Skip the Stuffing

Stuffing that’s cooked inside the bird is very tasty because it has been soaked in turkey fat; it is unhealthy for the same reason. Not to mention, there are issues with bacteria when you cook the stuffing inside the bird.

A turkey cooks faster without stuffing. It’s easier to maneuver because it’s lighter in weight when the stuffing goes in a separate casserole dish, not inside the bird. Stuff the turkey cavity with a bouquet garni or bundle of herbs to season the bird as it cooks, or stuff it with aromatic root vegetables like sweet onions and carrots. Discard the herbs and vegetables when you carve and eat the bird.

Tip #4 for Cooking a Turkey – Use a Cooking Bag

Sure, you can use a turkey baster to keep pouring hot juices all over the turkey, but a safer, more efficient way to guarantee that your turkey stays moist is to put the whole bird in a cooking bag. All the moisture will be trapped in the bag, making it next to impossible for your turkey to dry out.

Tip #5 for Cooking a Turkey – Let the Bird Sit

After you take the turkey out of the oven, the interior of the turkey will continue to cook for a short time after you remove it from the heat source. Don’t try to carve the turkey until all the juices have settled – usually about 20 to 30 m

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Whether it is the famous thanksgiving holiday or any other time that you are considering making turkey, the turkey cooking time is very important. This is because you wouldn’t want the turkey to be overcooked and dried out. Similarly an undercooked turkey is not a great idea as while steak can be consumed rare, poultry should never be eaten until it is well done to prevent the spread of disease.

Variables

Turkey cooking time varies as it depends on a lot of factors. The biggest thing is the size of the turkey and then whether it was frozen or fresh, the method of cooking (such as roasting or frying) and the dish unused to cook it in and other such considerations.

There are several websites and cookbooks that provide you with a good enough guideline for turkey cooking time. If all fails you ca ask a trusted friend, mother or mother in law as they would be more acquainted with your recipe, the type of oven you have, the marinating techniques and the like as compared to a website that has standard times based upon weight.

Another alternative is to call the turkey hotline several manufacturers have started and ask an expert as to what they think is the best turkey cooking time. Because there are so many variables it is always best to check the internal temperature of the turkey with a cooking thermometer than to just set the timer and forget bout it.

Guideline

However, to get you started, here are some guidelines you can keep in mind so that your guests are not left waiting at the table. The general rule is that if your turkey weighs in the range of 10 and 20 pounds roasting for around five hours should be enough. The best way to know that your meal isn’t dried out is to check if an internal temperature of 165 degrees has been reached. If the bird is bigger, say in the range of 20 and 30 pounds, then around six hours should be enough time for roasting.

If the turkey is the main course, and it usually will be, it is even more important for it to be perfect as even if you mess up the appetizer, you can skip it and if your dessert flops, you can run out for some ice cream. However, if your turkey cooking time gets messed up, the only alternative will be to order pizza!

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It comes around every year and yet, no one is ever really prepared for the hassle and stress that seems to come along with cooking thanksgiving turkey. In fact, there are women who have been in charge of cooking the thanksgiving turkey for 20 years and yet still, without fail, they get stressed and always seem to be running to the store for the last minute things they forget to buy.

You would think that after so many times, that most people would have it down pat but it may not be cause of a lack in cooking skills but rather something else. Most of the time the person who in charge of cooking thanksgiving turkey is more stressed about making everyone’s holiday picture perfect, than his or her abilities in the kitchen.

The best thing to do is to start preparing for this event a couple weeks in advance and go over your list of things to buy over and over again to make sure that there are not any last minutes items that are needed when all of the stores are closing down. Cooking thanksgiving turkey does not have to be stressful at all as long as you have everything that you need, you allow yourself plenty of time to prepare things, and you follow the directions completely. When all of that is done, cooking thanksgiving turkey will be a breeze.

How to Cook

For those who have been cooking thanksgiving turkey for many years, knowing how to cook it is not a problem they are going to have unless they are in search of a new recipe. But for those who have only been cooking thanksgiving turkey for a couple of years, or maybe this is even their first time, seeking advice early on is the best thing to do. There are many different techniques that are used when cooking thanksgiving turkey so you may want to turn to an elder in your family line to see how they used to prepare theirs.

But for those where that is simply not an option, doing a little bit of research on the Internet will open up an entire world of recipes for cooking thanksgiving turkey. Often times, these different recipes were tried by others just like you and then they come back on and rate the recipe or give ideas on what could be better. As long as you give yourself enough time to start searching for the best recipes on cooking thanksgiving turkey, you should not have any problem at all.

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If you enjoy tasty cooked pumpkin seeds there are a couple of basic procedures you can easily utilize. Let’s take a look at easy ways to roast them in the oven as well as cooking them in the microwave. When you are looking for a snack, cooked pumpkin seeds are a good choice.

In the Oven

After you have acquired your pumpkin seeds you need some cooking spray, some olive oil or you can use butter if you desire. Some people choose to add some salt, onion powder, garlic powder, seasoned salt as well as other types of seasonings for cooking pumpkin seeds. Before you cook the seeds rinse them thoroughly and take off the pulp with your fingers. Drain them good and then spread them on some quality paper towels and allow them to dry out overnight. It’s a good idea to place some foil on your baking sheet.

Toss the seeds with some olive oil or butter or spray them with a cooking spray. You can add some salt to the pumpkin seeds as well as other types of seasonings. Take your time while tossing the seeds in order to get a good coating on the seeds. For cooking pumpkin seeds it’s recommended to cook them in a 250 degrees Fahrenheit oven for approximately an hour and it’s a good idea to toss them about every 15 to 20 minutes. Typically they will have a golden brown color when they are done. After cooking pumpkin seeds, allow them to cool off before consuming them. Keep the seeds in an airtight container and enjoy them when you want a tasty snack.

Microwave

For two cups of pumpkin seeds use about two tablespoons of olive oil or butter and you might want to add some flavor to the pumpkin seeds by adding some salt, onion powder, garlic powder or other types of seasonings. As with any type of method for cooking pumpkin seeds, rinse them thoroughly and remove the pulp and let the pumpkin seeds dry on a paper towel overnight.

When you are ready for cooking pumpkin seeds, put the olive oil or the butter in a baking dish that is safe for microwaves. Heat the pan on high for about 30 seconds and then place the pumpkin seeds in the pan and toss them around to get a good coating on the seeds. While cooking pumpkin seeds in a microwave oven, cook them on high for seven to eight minutes and they should have a light golden appearance when they are done. After they have been cooked, add the salt or garlic powder or other seasonings. Cooking pumpkin seeds is easy to do and they make great snacks.

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Baking is as much a way of life as it is stress therapy. At the same time veganism is a lifestyle and a philosophy. Going vegan means that you are being conscious of being in harmony with nature, and the daily changes which is flowing and occurring with them

Just because you’re a vegan does not mean that you won’t get to eat a lot of your favorite things. Don’t you worry because it’s still possible to eat desserts and baked goods like cakes, cookies, brownies, muffins, and pancakes.

The common obstacle when it comes to vegan baking is how to substitute eggs, butter and milk. Aside from substitution problems there’s also the taste issue, most substitutes don’t taste like the real thing. A substitute generally diminishes or can’t compare to the real thing.

No worries, this article will give you a vegan cookie recipe to help you ease into vegan baking; and to show you that you can enjoy food even when you’re a vegan.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Vegan Cookie Recipe

This chewy chocolate chip vegan cookie recipe is chewy and brownie like. Don’t worry if you think 10 minutes is too short a time for baking, it really is not. The utensils you will use for this vegan cookie recipe are: cookie sheets, or a baking sheet, blender, 2 large bowls, and a spatula.

The ingredients of this chewy chocolate chip vegan cookie recipe are the following: ¾ cup canola oil, 2 cups sugar, 2 tsp vanilla, 1tbsp pus 1 tsp whole flax seeds, ½ cup soymilk, 2 cups all purpose flour, ¾ cup vegan chocolate powder, 1tsp baking soda, ½ tsp salt, and 1cup vegan chocolate chips.

After preparing all the ingredients, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Celsius. Grind the flax seeds in the blender until they are completely powdered, add the soymilk and blend them again for 30 seconds. In a large bowl, sift the cocoa together with the flour, baking soda, and salt, 3 times.

In a separate bowl cream together sugar and oil; afterwards add the soymilk and flax seed mixture plus the vanilla. Fold in the sifted dry ingredients by batches, when you feel that the dough is getting a bit stiff to use the spatula use your hands, and continue mixing until the mixture forms into dough, add the vegan chocolate chips. (Don’t over mix, or else your cookie will become a bit dry and tough)

Take a tablespoon of the dough and roll it in your hands, then flatten into a disk and place on an ungreased cookie sheet (make sure they are about an inch apart). Bake for 10 minutes, when done place the cookies in a rack and let cool for 5 minutes.  
 
A note to the wise: Flax seeds are an egg substitute, and canola oil is used instead of butter. Vegan chocolate can be found in vegan and health foods store. They are also available on line. Happy baking and enjoy this chewy chocolate chip vegan cookie recipe 

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Do cooking measurements matter? When a recipe calls for a pinch of this and a dash of that, does it really matter how much you put in? What will happen if you leave an ingredient out?

If you’re an inexperienced cook, you wonder about the answers to these and other questions. Let’s take the mystery out of cooking measurements once and for all.

What’s a Pinch or a Dash?

A pinch of an ingredient (usually a spice) is literally the amount of the ingredient that can be held between your thumb, your index finger, and your middle finger. A small pinch is the amount of an ingredient that can be held between your thumb and one finger (take your pick which one you want to use). A dash, on the other hand, is a measurable amount – less than one-eight of a teaspoon but more than one-sixteenth.

Converting Cooking Measurements

Follow this table to convert U.S. measurements to metric:

1/5 teaspoon …. 1 ml
1 teaspoon …… 5 ml
1 tablespoon…..15 ml
1 fluid ounce…..30 ml
1/5 cup ………..50 ml
1 cup ………….240 ml
2 cups (1 pint)…470 ml
4 cups (1 quart)… .95 liter
4 quarts (1 gal.)….3.8 liters
1 oz. weight…….28 grams
1 pound ………..454 grams

What If It Gets Left Out?

Including all the minor ingredients is more important in baking things like cakes, cookies, and pastries, than it is in meat loaf, omelets, and salads. Generally speaking, it’s a good idea to follow the recipe. Whoever wrote the recipe experimented with the cooking measurements to get them just right.

Now, if you know you can’t stand the taste of cumin, and you want to substitute oregano for cumin in a meat loaf recipe, that’s one thing. But leaving ginger out of ginger spice cookies is just wrong.

Measuring Tools

The importance of cooking measurements has led to a whole industry of cooking measuring cups and spoons. One of the most popular cooking measuring cup sets today is a blue ceramic set that looks just like a big coffee cup, marketed by Nigella Lawson the beautiful and famous television chef.

The most popular measuring spoons are heart-shaped measuring spoons by RSVP International. These spoons have arrow handles and heart-shaped measuring spoons. They make the user smile every time they use them.

The final cooking measurement device every cook needs is a scale. The best scales are digital, with the ability to accurately weigh items in bowls or plates or on slips of waxed paper.

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Grandma’s Well Loved Method

One of the classic methods of cooking ham involves boiling the ham in water prior to baking it.  This method for cooking ham is healthy for a couple of reasons: first, if you change the water halfway through the boiling part of the process you can remove much of the salt and nitrates present in the meat.  Secondly, this method lets you cook the meat without the addition of any fats or sweeteners, and the longer cooking time makes the ham more flavorful and moist.

If you would like to try cooking ham by boiling and then baking, start off with a large pot.  It should be of a size that will allow the ham to fit snugly but not be too crowded.  Cover it with liquid of your choice: usually its plain water with some herbs and seasonings, but you can experiment with wine, cola, or fruit juice added to the water for some interesting taste combinations.

You’ll then bring the liquid to a boil gradually, and when it begins to boil reduce the heat to simmering.  Cover the pot and continue cooking ham for 20-25 minutes per pound.  Test the ham for doneness with a meat thermometer.  It should register 155 degrees Fahrenheit when it’s ready for the heat to be turned off.

After it’s done cooking, ham will continue to develop its flavor for a while, so leave it in the cooking liquid for an hour or two.  Then, remove the ham and score the surface of the meat with a sharp knife.  You can either cover the ham with a glaze or just poke whole cloves into the surface to add flavor.  You may also want to add pineapple rings, but this is a matter of personal taste.  Then bake in a roasting pan at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes or until it’s nicely brown.

This method of cooking ham has been used for many generations.  It’s a simple, yet delicious way of cooking ham that your entire family is sure to love.

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The First Step

The first thing you should do if you are going to be cooking for a crowd is determining just how many mouths you are going to be feeding. Count and then count again, and then add on to this a bit just to make sure that you will have enough, especially in case some people are extra hungry.

Recipes

You will then have to come up with some large quantity recipes. Keep in mind that many of the standard recipes can be multiplied in order to feed larger crowds, whereas some are meant to be prepared for a smaller number of people. Also remember that not all ingredients need to be multiplied. If the recipe calls for fat for sautéing for instance you will not need to multiply this, and rather just use exactly what is called for in the original recipe.

Preparation

The preparation process is incredibly important when cooking for a crowd. First you should make a list of all the dishes that you are planning to prepare, and even make a menu if you can so that the guests will be aware of what to expect. Some of the kitchen work can be done ahead of time in order to save you time when the day actually comes, and this includes chopping vegetables, and making stews and sandwiches.

The presentation is going to be very important here so make sure that you have enough dishes and silverware and that it all matches or at least goes with a certain theme. You really want to tie everything in together and not only the dishes but the food as well. Each different course should be separate and have its own look and taste but they should all tie in together in some way.

Cooking for a crowd can really be quite an enjoyable experience as long as you take the time to prepare and follow the right steps to make sure that you make enough food and that your guests are pleased.

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Cooking can be a chore for some, but if you add a little twist to it, and involve other members of the family, it can be less of a burden for mom and more fun for the kids.

Many mothers hesitate to invite children in the kitchen because they are afraid of it creating an even bigger mess to clean up. However, by involving children, thee are quite a few valuable lessons that you can teach without them even knowing

Healthy Eating Habits

If children are more involved with the cooking and preparation of meals, they have a more up front chance to look and talk about different food groups. You can try a new color vegetable a week or explain the difference between whole grain and white bread or lean cuts of meat and other varieties. You can experiment with cooking lighter versions of their favorite like using skim milk in mac n cheese rather than whole milk and because they helped prepare it, they will never say that it doesn’t taste good.

Cultural Sensitivity

You can also give a social studies lesson in different ethnicities by cooking foods from different parts of the world. If you experiment with cooking Chinese food one day and Mexican specialties the other, you can take it as an opportunity to talk about the geography of that country, and a little about their culture and traditions so that children start looking behind their own comfort zone and begin to accept people even if they look a little different than they do.

Math & Reading

You can sneak in a mini math lesson by letting your children help you measure ingredients. You can test their skills by asking them to half a recipe or double it to make two batches of brownies. Children can practice their reading by reading out recipes aloud and then looking for those ingredients in the pantry or spice drawer.

Safety

You can even teach children about safety when cooking with them as you can explain what kinds of dishes can go in the microwave and what cannot. You can also talk about turning pot handles inwards and always using oven mitts and other safety precautions.

Bonding

Over and above all these lessons, you can use cooking as a family bonding experience and get the children’s input at every stage, from menu planning, grocery shopping, sorting things in a pantry, preparing the meal, serving it – and helping clean up afterwards too!

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You can even make bread with a Dutch oven as well as cobblers made with fresh fruit. Some campers have even made a tasty pizza with this nifty invention. Some camper guides to outdoor cooking will even recommend making a cake in a Dutch oven. You can basically make most of the meals that you make at home while camping if you cook with a Dutch oven.

While reading a campers guide to outdoor cooking that recommends utilizing a Dutch oven you will probably discover there are two types of cooking with the Dutch oven. You can place the food items into the Dutch oven or with the other technique you place the food items into another container which is then situated on a trivet which is placed in the bottom of the oven.

Aluminum Dutch Oven

Dutch ovens are made from cast iron or aluminum. The aluminum ovens are much lighter than the cast iron ovens. The aluminum Dutch ovens won’t rust and they are easy to clean up after your meal with soap and water. The aluminum models will heat up quicker when compared to the cast iron ovens, however you will probably have to use more coals for an aluminum oven.

Cast Iron Dutch Oven

Experts who write a campers guide to outdoor cooking typically recommend a cast iron Dutch oven when weight is not a primary factor for the campers. They retain their heat effectively and food will not burn as easily when compared to an aluminum oven. Cleaning up the cast iron Dutch oven requires more work than the aluminum version and rust can occur in the cast iron Dutch oven if it is not protected. You will have to perform a procedure to protect the oven from rusting after every time you have cooked.

A good campers guide to outdoor cooking will also provide some useful tips for cooking with a Dutch oven. When roasting meats and vegetables you will want a heat source that is situated on the top as well as the bottom of the oven. Place some coals underneath the Dutch oven and place some on the lid. While baking with the Dutch oven place coals on the bottom and on the lid but place about three times more coals on the lid. If you are going to fry some foods or boil a meal place all the coals underneath the Dutch oven. If you are going to simmer a meal place most of the coals underneath. There should be about four times more coals placed underneath than on the lid. A good camper’s guide to outdoor cooking will usually teach you how to use a Dutch oven and give you some easy recipes to take with you when enjoying the great outdoors.

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Treat your friends to a taste of your baking skills this holiday season with a recipe that yields delicious cookies and lasting friendships. Host a cookie exchange party. These festive swaps offer a time-saving way to share an assortment of baked-from-scratch treats.

Just invite eight to 12 friends and ask them to bring six dozen of their favorite holiday cookies. At the swap, exchange cookies to end up with a variety of six dozen new cookies.

The Secret to Cookie Success

“Reynolds Parchment Paper is my simple step to better baking for cookie exchanges,” advises Robin Olson, celebrated cookie exchange hostess and pioneer of the modern cookie swap. “Lining my pans with parchment paper ensures my cookies bake evenly and slide off the cookie sheet. I also use parchment paper to roll dough and stencil decorations. It’s my tool to keep cookie baking fuss-free.”

For more how-to’s on hosting a successful cookie exchange party, consider these tips from Olson:
* Timing is everything. Choose a convenient date and time, perhaps a weekend morning. Limit the party to two to three hours.

* The more the merrier. Eight to 12 guests provide a nice assortment of cookies.

* Bake six dozen. Instead of asking each guest to bring a dozen cookies for each attendee, pick a quantity that won’t change with each RSVP. I usually ask each guest to bring six dozen cookies.

*Variety rules. To ensure guests don’t all show up with gingerbread men, ask what type of cookie they will be bringing when they RSVP. If a guest wants to bring a cookie that’s already on the RSVP list, help her think of an alternate.

* Make your favorite at home. Ask guests to e-mail their cookie recipes to you in advance. This way, you can print off copies to hand out at the exchange so partygoers can make more at home.

When it comes to baking cookies for the exchange, Olson offers this time-saving advice:
* Roll dough with ease. Roll cookie dough between two lightly floured sheets of parchment paper to prevent sticking and to keep work surfaces clean.

* Speed up cookie baking. Arrange cookie dough on sheets of parchment paper and slide parchment onto the cookie sheet when it’s time to bake. When a batch comes out of the oven, simply swap out the sheets of parchment so there’s no waiting between batches.

* Line pans for brownies or bar cookies. Turn the pan upside down and press a sheet of parchment paper over the inverted pan. Remove the parchment paper, flip the pan over and drop the parchment paper liner inside, pressing folds in corners to fit liner inside pan. Spread batter in parchment-lined pan and bake as directed. When the brownies or bar cookies are cool, lift them by the parchment paper from the pan onto a cutting board. Fold back the edges of the parchment paper and cut into bars.

* Stack cookies with ease. To transport cookies to and from the party, place a piece of parchment paper between layers of cookies. This protects decorations and prevents cookies from sticking to each other.

For more cookie exchange tips and cookie exchange recipes, visit www.ReynoldsSimpleSecrets.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Minttens
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Makes: 1 dozen sets of MinttensIngredients:

Reynolds Parchment Paper
Your favorite sugar cookie recipe or mix
Red and green paste food colors
1 1/3 cups mint flavored baking chips
2 egg whites
Ribbon

Directions:

* Line 2 cookie sheets with Reynolds Parchment Paper; set aside.

* Prepare your favorite recipe for sugar cookies. Halve dough and tint with food colors.

* Preheat oven following recipe. Roll out dough 1/8-inch thick between 2 lightly floured parchment paper sheets.

* Cut out 48 cookies with a mitten cookie cutter. Place 12 cookies 1-inch apart on parchment-lined cookie sheets. Use mini cookie cutters to cut out decorations.

* Melt mint baking chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Spread melted mint chips over cookies on the cookie sheets. Top each with another cookie cut-out. Place mini decorations on cookies. (To hold decorations in place, brush underside with egg white beaten with a little water.) Repeat with remaining cutout cookies.

* Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven; immediately make a small hole in each mintten with a straw. Slide parchment with cookies onto a wire rack to cool. Tie two cookies together with ribbon.

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(ARA) – The holiday baking frenzy is in full swing. Get out your measuring cups and a mixing bowl — with a few helpful tips and these fool-proof recipes, your baking endeavors are sure to be a delicious success.

Award-winning pastry chef Mindy Segal, owner of HotChocolate restaurant in Chicago, shares her favorite holiday recipe for Gingersnap Cookies. Five different spices, including a pinch of pepper and a generous dose of ginger, give these buttery little cookies a flavorful kick.

Coffee lovers will enjoy the Whole-Wheat Caramel Lattes. This thumbprint cookie has a rich dough with hints of coffee, a caramel filling and is topped with a chocolate-covered coffee bean.

Before the baking begins, here are some tips to help deliver tasty results:

* Baking is a science; the more accurate your ingredient measurements, the better your end product.

* Never use spreads or margarine to replace butter in a recipe. Spreads contain less fat and more water than butter and will not perform the same.

* Keep your cookie dough chilled in between baking batches. Only work with one small piece of dough at a time; keep remaining dough in the refrigerator.

* Prevent cookies from sticking to baking sheets by covering sheets with a layer of parchment paper or greasing the sheet with butter.

* Cookies turn out best when the dough is placed on cool cookie sheets.

* Store soft cookies in a container with a tight lid, and crisp cookies in a container with a loose lid.

Visit www.ButterIsBest.com for more baking tips and delicious holiday cookie recipes made with real butter. Here are some tasty recipes you may want to try:

* Gingersnap Cookies (Makes 4 dozen cookies)
by Chef Mindy Segal

Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 3/4 teaspoons cinnamon, divided
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
1/2 cup sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, cream butter and dark brown sugar; add molasses and beat until blended. Add egg and mix until combined.

Combine flour, baking soda, 3/4 teaspoon of the cinnamon and ginger, cloves, nutmeg and pepper in a separate bowl; add to butter mixture and mix well.

In a small bowl, combine remaining 2 teaspoons cinnamon and 1/2 cup sugar. Shape dough into 1-inch balls, then roll in cinnamon and sugar mixture. Place dough on parchment-lined cookie sheets.

Bake 10 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. Store cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to one week.

* Whole Wheat Caramel Lattes (Makes 3 dozen cookies)

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup café mocha instant coffee crystals
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
18 caramels
1 tablespoon heavy cream
42 chocolate-covered coffee beans

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar and instant coffee crystals together until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat until blended. Combine flours in a separate bowl and add to butter mixture; mix well.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls, and place 2 inches apart on parchment-lined cookie sheets. Press thumb into cookie center. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until cookies begin to brown. Cool completely on a wire rack.

In a small saucepan over low heat, heat caramels and cream; stirring frequently. Using a teaspoon, drop melted caramel into each thumbprint, placing a chocolate-covered coffee bean on caramel immediately.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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