Great Info Tips » Food Tips

Honey

Rosie — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 18:54:44 +0000

We found our jar of buckwheat honey was begginning to crystalize a bit. In doing some Internet research I learned a few things about honey. You can reliquify honey by placing the jar in a pan of water and gently reheating it. It’s not harmful if it does crystalize and it’s not deteriorating. Honey has an indefinite shelf life. Some honey had been found in the Pharoah’s tombs in Egypt. It’s best to store honey is a cool, dark location. Keeping honey away from direct sunlight in a tightly covered container is the best thing to do. Refridgerating honey is not necessary. It’s easier to use if you don’t keep it too cold.

Honey has been used medically for ages. Topical use may reduce odors, swelling, and scarring when it’s used to treat wounds. It can also keep the dressings from sticking to a healing wound. Honey can reduce the time it takes for a burn to heal.

There are many varieties of honey. Most of the honey sold in grocery stores is of the clover variety. If you want a large selection most natural food stores will carry different types. Buckwheat honey is a darker variety with a stronger taste. Honey is used mainly to substitute for sugar. I suggest you check out different sites online about honey. It’s a very interesting topic.

Packing Cookies to send

Rosie — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 20:21:44 +0000

I wish I had come across this before Christmas, but perhaps we can use this all year round when we send home made baked goodies to the troops overseas. First you need to make sure the cookies are cool completely before you store them. Cut bar cookies while they are still slightly warm. If you have icing on the cookies you need to make sure the icing is completely dry before you store those. Soft and crisp cookies need to be stored separately in airtight containers. If you store these types together the soft cookies with make the crisp cookies lose their texture.

Flavors can also blend together in storage, so be careful about storing these flavorable morsels. If you are putting cookies in a container that will allow you to layer them, place a sheet of wax paper between the layers. Store all cookies in a cool, dry place. Foil covering a pan of brownies (uncut) and bars will keep them soft. Some cookies need to be stored in the refridgerator. Check the recipe and follow those instructions if it’s noted. You can freeze any cookies up to 3 months. Thaw cookies and bars at room temperature before frosting or serving them.

Shipping cookies requires some thought. Pick sturdy cookies that will travel well such as bars, brownies, drops, slice and bake, and sandwich cookies. Cookies such as cut outs might crumble while ones that require refridgeration would also be a poor choice. All cookies must be cooled completely before shipping. Wrap 2 cookies in bundles, bars separately, using plastic wrap. Use some cushioning the the bottom of the box you will use for shipping. Crushed wax paper or bubble wrap works well. Fill in gaps between the cookies and put some more on top to cover the cookies. After sealing the box make sure to mark the package “Fragile and Perishable” before sending. You can also use some popped popcorn between cookies. That works well, too.

Quick shopping at the grocery store

Rosie — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:16:44 +0000

The #1 rule: make a list and stick to it. Why do you think grocery stores put all those expensive items in the front of the store? Why do they have the milk and the bread in the last aisle? To make you want to buy more stuff. If you only go in for bread and milk, you won’t spend a lot. The store managers are savvy to that. They will put lots of specials in the aisles so you pass them on the way to that last aisle to get the two items you really need. Your grocery bill for that trip just got bigger than what you had intended to buy.

Secondly, go by yourself. If you take the kids along, chances are you will end up buying sugary cereal, cookies, ice cream, donuts, etc. Or the hubby will put it in the buggy. All those calories…and you know you are going to want to eat that stuff, too. Keep the sugar people at home.

Third, the inner aisles of any grocery store contain the processed foods. Fresh foods are found around the perimeter. If you don’t want to buy the processed foods, then you need not go down those aisles. Also, if you know your grocery store and have your list, you can avoid aisles that don’t have things you need that particular shopping trip. This saves time, a valuable commodity.

Last, but not least, take coupons for the items you intend to purchase. Get together with family and friends and trade coupons. Make sure you match the coupons with specials the store is having to get the best value. And always, always make sure the expiration date is a valid one!

Spaghetti sauce

Rosie — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 20:52:57 +0000

The Roma tomatoes have started to turn red and I am filling my freezer with bags of tomato sauce. It’s not a hard process although it does take a bit of time. We don’t care for the processed sauces on the market. Too much salt, too many preservatives. So we take the time to grow the tomatoes. Roma’s are the best as they have more “meat” inside and aren’t as watery as other tomatoes. We then wash them, slice them into chunks and process them in the juicer. This eliminates the seeds and the skins. The tomato juice then goes into the largest pot we have, along with whatever spices we want to add. Mostly a little salt, pepper, oregano, Italian seasonings, fresh basil, chives, onion, and parsley. If we want to we can add more spices when we are making whatever dish we need the sauce for later. Now we cook the sauce to thicken it, about 2 to 3 hours on medium heat. Next the sauce is left in the pot to cool down. I then transfer it to square containers with lids (I use Ziploc containers). These containers then go into the freezer. When the sauce is a solid mass I run some water onto the side of the container to loosen the sauce, then put it in plastic bags. I use the sealing machine to keep the sauce fresher. Date the bags and the sauce is done. It’s so easy to take a square of sauce out of the freezer, let it thaw, and use it later. So nice to be able to enjoy the tomato sauce in December, knowing I am not eating all those preservatives.

How to Chill a Drink Quickly

Rosie — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 16:06:48 +0000

from wikiHow – The How to Manual That You Can Edit
Have you ever forgotten to stock your refrigerator with your favorite soda or beer? All you are left with is that room temperature beverage. Fortunately, it is possible to chill canned and bottled drinks quickly.

Steps

Take the temperature of the drink. This step is optional; once you open a can, this method won’t be as effective. If this is your first time trying it, though, it may be interesting to record how drastically the temperature can change.
Fill a bowl (the thicker and/or more insulated the better) with water and add ice to it. Add as much ice to the water as you can, but not so much that it prevents the entire beverage container from being submerged into the water. A 50/50 mix of ice and water is a good rule of thumb.
Add table salt to the ice. A small handful should do. Adding salt lowers the melting temperature of the ice.
Place your drinks in the ice water solution and rapidly stir them all around. By stirring, you’re using forced convection to speed the transfer of heat out of your drink and into the ice water solution.
Wait two minutes. Take the temperature of one of the drinks – the temperature should have fallen dramatically in a very short time. If it needs more time chilling, stir the remaining drinks in the salted ice water for another minute or two.
Enjoy your cold drink. It should now be about the perfect temperature to quench your thirst.

Tips

This will work with just about any drink, in a conveniently sized can or bottle.
This method is amazingly better than merely adding ice cubes to the glass of warm coke. Placing ice cubes directly into the drink causes it to become diluted and lose its fizz and snappy flavor.
Smaller containers will chill more rapidly than large containers because the smaller ones have much more surface area in contact with the cold water per unit volume. Smaller containers will also chill more rapidly because they contain less liquid.
If you don’t have salt, then plain water plus ice is still more effective than ice alone at chilling containers. This is because the liquid water is a better heat conductor than air (many times better), and the ice by itself can’t cover much of the container’s surface.
If you want a cold drink immediately and happen to have an extra CO2 gas fire extinguisher laying around, there is another, faster way. By blasting your can of soda with the extinguisher for only a few seconds, your drink will be icy cold. This only works with CO2 extinguishers which leave no residue as others will leave you with nothing more than a drink covered in fire retardant powder, stale water, or a mess of foam. However, it is recommended that you save your extinguisher for a true emergency.
An inverted electronics duster (canned air) will cost quite a bit less than the fire extinguisher, and work instantly as well, but caution is required because of the risk of freezing the beverage and the toxic fumes emitted.
If you do not have extra clean water available, using ice alone and stirring it and the drinks around in the ice is still better than just putting the drinks in an ice chest with ice still in the bag with the drinks sitting on top or in a refrigerator. Air which is less dense than water can not absorb and conduct as much heat away from the containers compared to water.
- So to have cooler air circulating among the pieces of ice, try putting the bowl in a bag and tie it closed, and then swirl the bowl a little every 15 to 30 seconds to stir the drinks.
Make sure to at least rinse the can top in clean, potable water before you drink the beverage. The salt that may be left on the can lid may cause the beverage to taste very salty.

Warnings

Carbonated cans may become pressurized after rapidly stirring in the ice water. Opening cans before the carbonation has a chance to settle may cause an overflowing mess.

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world’s largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Chill a Drink Quickly. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

MSG

Rosie — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 00:17:58 +0000

Monosodium Glutamate, a flavor enhancer, if often found in processed foods (like canned soups), snack foods, frozen dinners, and fast food. The FDA says MSG is safe, but people have had some side effects from too much of it. MSG can trigger headaches, nausea, and prompt asthma sufferers to experience difficulty in breathing.

To limit MSG intake it’s better to cook food from scratch and check the list of ingredients on packaging to make sure there is not a lot of MSG in the food. As always, it’s better to spend a few minutes to read the labels carefully before putting a product in the grocery cart!

Mom has been ordered by her doctor to watch her sodium intake. She’s become someone who checks package lists for certain ingredients, especially MSG. She’s lost weight since starting this, so maybe it really is a good idea to cut back on the amount of sodium she uses daily.

Low Fat/Low Sodium/Low Sugar products

Rosie — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 00:38:16 +0000

Being diabetic I look for these items in the stores. Sometimes they will work for me and sometimes they give me problems. One thing to watch for is the term sugar alcohol. Too much of this can cause stomach cramps which can be very painful. Bloating, gas, and just so much pain that you can’t sit or stand for long. I have been there! Just be careful and don’t eat too much of the food item that has this listed as one of the primary ingredients.

The FDA specifies that foods labeled “low” fat must contain 3 grams of fat or less per serving.” Low” calorie foods must pack 40 calories or less per serving. ” Low” sodium foods must have 140 milligrams or less per serving. “Low” sugar can be applied to any product since the FDA has not defined a recommended intake for the sugar in the product at this time.

Just because the label says “low” doesn’t mean it’s healthy for you. Be careful, read the labels. Avoid eating a lot of foods that are processed even the ones labeled “low”. Try whole grains, fruits and vegetables which are naturally lower in fat and calories. These foods are higher in nutrients and better for you.

Food Storage- dry goods

Rosie — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 20:20:10 +0000

Below is a list of storage times for dry goods, including oil, peanut butter, and other items normally stored in your pantry. Make sure you check the dates on the boxes as some items will expire before you completely use them.

FOOD………………………….STORAGE TIME………………. SPECIAL HANDLING

Baking powder or soda …..18 months………………………..keep in an airtight container after opening

Bouillon cubes or granules..1 year

Cake/brownie mixes ……….1 year

Canned foods………………..1 year

Cereals………………………. check package date………….. keep in an airtight container after opening

Chocolate/baking ………….1 year…………………………….. keep in a cool place

Coconut ……………………..1 year……………………………… keep in fridge after opening package

Coffee, fresh ground……… 2 to 3 weeks ……………………refrigerate open packages

flour……………………………15 months…………………………can be frozen

flour, whole wheat …………6 months…………………….. keep in fridge or freeze during warm weather

fruit, dried…………………… 6 months……………………..refrigerate open packages

gelatin ………………………..18 months……………………. keep in dry place

herbs, dried ………………..1 year………………………….. keep in cool, dark place

honey ………………………..1 year

jam, jelly …………………..1 year …………………………….refrigerate after opening

dried pasta ……………….1 year ……………………………..keep in an airtight container after opening

molasses…………………. 2 years

dry milk powder……….. 6 months………………………….. keep in an airtight container after opening

olive oil …………………..1 year………………………………. keep capped-away from heat and light

peanut butter……………. 6 months…………………………. keep in fridge during warm months

pudding mixes …………..1 year

rice, white……………….. indefinite …………………………keep in airtight container in cool,dry place

salad dressings …………6 months…………………………. refrigerate open bottles

shortening……………….. 8 months…………………………. store in cool dark place

sugar, brown…………… 4 months………………………….. keep in airtight container after opening

sugar, granulated ………2 years…………………………….. keep in airtight container after opening

syrups-corn, maple…. 1 year ………………………………..refrigerate maple syrup after opening

vegetable oil …………..1 year……………………………….. keep in bottle, away from heat & light

yeast, active dry……… check package …………………….date refrigerate during warm weather

Food Storage-Frozen or Refrigerated

Rosie — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 20:04:21 +0000

Below you will find a list of how long food can be stored frozen or refrigerated. I hope the list will help you. One big tip is to mark everything! When you place items in the fridge or freezer use a permanent marker on the bags or containers to put the date on the packaging. It’s also a good idea to keep a list on the front of the freezer of what meats and veggies you have on hand and to cross off the item or change the amount of items when you use it. That will save you time when you need to make that grocery list before shopping.

Make sure you wrapped or package foods to keep them from drying out or getting freezer burn. Keep meats in the coldest part of the fridge. Store vegetables in the crisper drawer. Fridge temperature should be kept between 34 and 40 degrees.

FRESH MEAT:………………. REFRIGERATOR……………….. FREEZER

lamb or pork chops …………..3 t o5 days………………………. 4 to 6 months

ground stew meats …………….1 to 2 days ………………………3 to 4 months

beef roasts ………………………3 to 5 days ………………………6 to 12 months

roasts-lamb,pork,veal……….. 3 to 5 days…………………….. 4 to 6 months

sausage (fresh pork)………….1 to 2 days ……………………..1 to 2 months

steaks ……………………………3 to 5 days……………………… 6 to 12 months

COOKED MEATS…………. 3 TO 4 days …………………..2 to 3 months

PROCESSED MEATS

bacon & hot dogs…………….. 1 week (check use by date) ..1 to 2 months

lunch meats………………………3 to 5 days ………………………..1 to 2 months

ham-fully cooked……………… 3 to 5 days ……………………….1 to 2 months

sausage (smoked) ……………..1 week……………………………. 1 to 2 months

FRESH POULTRY

chicken & turkey (whole)……. 1 to 2 days ………………………1 year

chicken pieces…………………… 1 to 2 days……………………… 9 months

duck and goose (whole)………. 1 to 2 days…………………….. 1 year

turkey pieces ………………………1 to 2 days …………………….9 months

COOKED POULTRY

covered w/gravy or broth…….. 1 to 2 days…………………….. 6 months

not in broth or gravy …………….3 to 4 days ……………………..4 months

in casseroles (cooked)…………. 3 to 4 days……………………. 4 to 6 months

FISH ………………………………..1 to 2 days……………………. 3 to 6 months

EGGS: yolks or whites (separated) can be kept for 2 to 4 days in the fridge, 12 months in the freezer

whole eggs in shells……………… 3 weeks……………………… cannot be frozen in this form

CHEESE

cottage cheese ……………………5 days …………………………cannot freeze

hard cheeses ……………………..3 to 4 months ……………….6 months

soft cheese ……………………….2 weeks ………………………4 months

ICE CREAM can be kept for up to 3 months in the freezer

BUTTER/MARGARINE…… 1 month………………………… 3 to 6 months

Cookies 101

Rosie — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 23:59:47 +0000

Icing cookies can be messy, but there is an easy solution. Put the icing in a plastic bag and snip off the tip just a little. You can twist the bag to begin to push the icing out. This works great and the cleanup is so simple…just toss the bag in the garbage!

Don’t use margarine to bake cookies. Use the real stuff- butter. It tastes better. Also use real chocolate, cocoa, and vanilla. The imitation stuff just won’t cut it. There is nothing better than the real chocolate chips. They just work out better.

Before you start baking, make sure you have all the ingredients you need on hand for the recipes you want to make. Assemble all the bowls, spatulas, pans, and meauring cups and spoons before you begin so you know where everything is when you need it. Read the recipes first to make sure you know what you will be doing. Pick out a few to start.

Warm cookies taste great, but be careful not to eat them immediately out of the oven or you might burn your fingers, lips, and mouth.