Pasta Tips:
* Use a lot of water and an 8 quart (8 L) pot: 5 to 6 quarts
(5 to 6 L) of water for a pound (500g) of pasta.
* Salt the water to add flavor and to help the pasta absorb
the sauce.
* Oil is for salads, not for pasta water.
* Cover the pot to hasten heat recovery.
* Test pasta after about 7 minutes.
* Save 2 cups of the cooking liquid when the pasta is done.
You can use the liquid to add moisture to the sauce. The
starch in the water binds the sauce, helping it adhere to
the pasta.
Squash Varieties & What to do with Them
Acorn:
This is the most common variety, but there’s also a yellow,
cream and multicolored acorn with green, cream, gold, white
and orange flesh. Its skin is hard and ridged, making it
impossible to peel before cooking, but its sweet, dry flesh
makes it ideal for baking and also great for stuffing.
Butternut:
The skin is thin, making it easy to peel. Especially good
cubed and baked, but its small cavity makes it difficult to
stuff. Has a delicious creamy, satiny texture. Good in soups
and stews.
Buttercup:
Its rich orange flesh is fine-textured and has a sweet,
nutty flavor. Prepare like you would an acorn squash. Good
for soups, purees and baked goods, especially cakes.
Delicata:
Try halving it and roasting with a sprinkling of butter,
fresh lime juice and chili powder.
Hubbard:
This one’s a big boy, or can be, often weighing up to almost
40 pounds. The larger, irregular-shaped ones are sold precut,
but you can always find a nicely shaped smaller one. Comes
in a rich orange, dark green or a subtle sage shade. The
flesh has a tendency to be dry, but it’s also quite sweet
and flavorful. Best when it’s quartered, seasoned and baked
covered, then mashed with cream and butter.
Pumpkin:
For eating, select the pie pumpkin or sugar pumpkin. Great
in pies, breads, soups and as a pasta filling. The miniature
Jack-Be-Littles are perfect for stuffing.
Spaghetti:
This squash gets its name from its flesh, which once baked
is scraped with a fork to produce spaghettilike strands.
Toss with some freshly grated Parmesan and butter, or dress
with a light tomato sauce.
Turban:
When you see this squash, you’ll understand its name.
Sometimes called Turk’s Turban, its brightly colored shell
makes a spectacular presentation, especially for serving
soup made from the rich flesh. Can be used in most recipes
that call for pumpkin or butternut. Also great in baked
goods or purees.
Pumpkin Pie Tips:
Select pumpkins that are between five to eight pounds, free
from blemishes and heavy for their size. Store whole pumpkins
at room temperature up to a month or refrigerate up to 3 months.
Pureed pumpkin is also available canned. Pumpkin may be prepared
in almost any way suitable for winter squash. It's a good source
of vitamin A.
Pumpkin is highly perishable and must be cooked the same day it
is cut open. Otherwise, the flesh will develop a feathery black
mold. Cooked pumpkin should be refrigerated immediately. Pureed
pulp should be used within 36 hours, or freeze for later use.
Using Fresh Herbs
* Snip chives and fresh dill or parsley onto fish, baked
potatoes or new potatoes.
* Snip chives and tarragon into scrambled eggs.
* Press sage or rosemary onto fresh pork chops and then grill.
* Snip fresh dill or mint over thinly sliced cucumber and add
balsamic or rice wine vinegar.
* Combine fresh herbs for a new taste like parsley and chive,
rosemary and garlic or basil and oregano.
* Use herbs with your bar-b-q. Toss a few on the coals or in
a smoker box to produce a fragrant smoke or use a few sprigs
as a brush for brushing on your marinade for a delicate flavor.
Always start with a little and adding in small bits until
you get the desired taste. Don't ruin a dish by overloading
it with herbs, you can always add more.
Keeping Potatoes Fresh
Here are some tips to make sure your potatoes are the freshest
and most delicious potatoes available:
* Store potatoes in a cool, dark place at about 50 degrees.
Do not wash potatoes before storing, because the moisture can
cause sprouting.
* Do not refrigerate potatoes. Storage in temperatures cooler
than 45 degrees converts the potato starch into sugar which
changes the taste and causes the potatoes to darken prematurely
when cooked.
* Protect potatoes from turning green and acquiring a bitter
taste by keeping them out of strong light. If a potato has any
green spots, simply pare these areas off before cooking.
Cake Tips
* When a cake recipe calls for flouring the baking pan, use a
bit of the dry cake mix instead, no flour mess on the outside
of the cake.
* For perfect shaped cakes or jelly rolls, first grease the
pan, then line it with greased waxed paper. After baking,
invert pan and peel off the waxed paper. No more broken
corners or edges! Great for fudges and bars!
* When frosting cakes, always anchor the bottom cake layer
to the serving plate or lazy Susan with a dab of frosting.
That way, the cake won't slide about as you frost. This also
helps keep a cake from sliding on its plate during transit.
The frosting will hold the cake in place deliciously and your
dessert will arrive in perfect shape.
* To prevent icing from running off your cake, try dusting
the surface lightly with cornstarch before icing.
* When filling and frosting a cake, place first layer(s) with
bottom side up; place last layer with the top side up.
* For best results in cake baking, let eggs, butter and milk
reach room temperature before mixing.
* To prevent nuts and fruits from sinking to the bottom of a
cake during baking, warm them a bit in the oven and toss them
with flour. Shake off excess flour before mixing them into the
batter.
HAPPY BAKING!
Safe Pork Handling Tips
Wash hands with soap and water before and after handling
fresh meat. Refrigerate meat as soon as possible after
purchase. Place meat package on a plate or in a container
before placing in refrigerator to prevent juices from dripping
onto other foods. Always defrost in the refrigerator. Always
place cooked meat on a clean plate, not one which has been
used for uncooked meat. when using an automatic, clock-
controlled oven, do not leave fresh, unfrozen roasts or
casseroles longer than one hour before start time. For
longer periods of time use a frozen product.
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