9/18/13 Cook’s Corner
Betty Kaiser
Last week the Chatterbox looked into the depths of her email
inbox and found some interesting trivia from readers. Today we’ll look at some
of the many ideas that Cook’s Corner readers had to offer.
One of the main topics of food conversation this year seemed
to revolve around the antioxidant qualities of lemons—especially frozen lemons.
Some of the healing claims were so over the top that I can’t address them here
but almost all of the emails mentioned freezing lemons to eliminate waste and
enhance the taste of many foods.
Right now I have a bag of lemons in my refrigerator that is
going to go to waste if I don’t do something with them. So, I’m going to act on
the suggestion from many readers and first wash the lemons and then freeze
them. Then, once the lemons are frozen, they can be removed as needed, shredded
whole (no need to peel them) and sprinkled on a variety of foods—everything
from ice cream to zucchini.
The theory behind this concept is that lemon peels contain
5-10 times more vitamins than the lemon juice itself. By freezing the whole
lemon we get the benefit of all those healthy nutrients. So, I popped three
very large lemons in the freezer, left them overnight and brought them out to
be shredded.
The results were interesting. First, the lemon zest (outer
peel) came off quickly and plentifully. Personally, I couldn’t stomach the
white pithy part. I peeled it and tossed it. The remainder of the lemon grated
fairly easily but was basically fluffy, frozen lemon juice. I don’t think I’ll
be doing it again. Too labor intensive for the results.
However, I had to use up the frozen lemon juice so I made my
favorite lemon Betty Crocker Lemon Cake Pudding recipe. It’s quick, easy and
delicious. Try the recipe at the bottom of the column. Then, while that is
baking you can check out these other handy hints from readers. We’ll start with
some baking tips.
Here’s an oldie but goodie: For a cool
brownie treat, make brownies as directed. Melt Andes mints in double broiler and pour over warm
brownies. Let set for a wonderful minty frosting. I also unwrap
Hershey’s mint kisses and place them on top of hot brownies. As they soften I
spread them over the chocolate. Delicious!
Leftover snickers bars from Halloween make
a delicious dessert. Simply chop
them up with the food chopper. Peel, core and slice a few apples. Place them
in a baking dish and sprinkle the
chopped candy bars over the apples. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Serve alone or with vanilla ice cream. Yummm!
Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill with hot
water.
Dump out the hot water, but don't dry cup. Next, add
your ingredient, such
as peanut butter or corn syrup and watch how
easily it comes right out.
If you buy a container of cake frosting
from the store, whip it with your mixer for
a few minutes. It will double in size. You not only eat less sugar and calories per serving but you
can frost more cake/cupcakes with
the same amount.
If you like rich and moist scrambled eggs or omelets add a couple of spoonfuls of sour cream, cream cheese, or heavy cream to the eggs and then beat
them up.
To make your banana ripen
slowly, take them apart when you get home from the store. They ripen quicker when still connected.
Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating. Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.
Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground
beef.
It will help pull the grease away from
the meat while cooking. Drain thoroughly!
Add garlic immediately to a recipe if you
want a light taste of garlic, and at the end
of the recipe if your want a stronger taste of garlic.
Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick
skillet on top of the stove, set heat to med-low and
heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy—no soggy micro pizza.
If you’re planting a garden this month, work the nutrients in your soil.
Wet newspapers. Put layers around
the plants overlapping as you go. Cover with mulch, and forget about weeds.
Weeds will get through some gardening plastic; they will not get through wet newspapers.
At this time of year I have lots of pesky fruit flies and I’ve tried everything
to make them go away. I have mixed results with this hint so give it a try. Take
a small glass, fill with ½” Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dish washing
liquid; mix well. The flies are drawn to the cup and they can’t swim. Or so it
claims.
LEMON PUDDING CAKE
1/4 cup flour, sifted
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind (I lemon)
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 egg yolks, well beaten
1 cup milk
2 egg whites, stiffly beaten
Preheat oven to 350° F. Place pan of hot water in oven large
enough to fit baking dish.
Sift dry ingredients together in mixing bowl. Stir in the
lemon rind and juice; 2 egg yolks and 1 cup milk. Mix well. Fold in beaten egg
whites. Do not over mix. Pour into 1 round quart size baking dish or 6 custard
cups. Set in pan of hot water (1-inch deep). Bake 50 min. Remove from water and
serve warm or cold with sweetened whipped cream.
Keep it simple and keep
it seasonal!
Betty Kaiser’s Cook’s Corner is dedicated to sharing a variety of
recipes
that are delicious, family oriented and easy to prepare.
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