What To Do If You Run Out Of...

Written Friday, March 12th, 2010 by Penny Hawkins

I have posted about this cook's dilemma before. No matter how carefully you check your ingredients before starting to cook (or bake), the day will inevitably arrive when you find yourself  halfway the recipe and you realize you're missing something! Sound familiar? I know it sounds familiar to me, because it happened to me just this past weekend!

It's because this happens often enough to be aggravating that I started looking for and keeping a list of "emergency" substitutions, and they come in handy more often than I care to admit! So, if you've never seen my previous post, check it out...print it....keep it handy...and don't forget to add my updates from today's post! The next time you run out of an ingredient in the middle of a cooking session, you'll be glad you did!

Brown Sugar- 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 tbsp. molasses. Combine in a bowl using a fork or an electric mixer. Store in an airtight container and use as you would regular brown sugar.

Baking Mix- 6 cups all purpose flour, 3 tbsp. baking powder, 1 tbsp. baking soda, 3 tbsp. sugar, 1 tbsp. salt, 1 cup vegetable shortening. Combine all your dry ingredients in a large bowl. Using two forks or a pastry blender, cut the shortening into the flour mixture until it resembles fine cornmeal (no lumps!). Store in an airtight container in the fridge and use as you would your favorite "Quick" baking mix.

"Cream of  xxxxxxx" Soup- 2 tbsp. butter or margarine, 2 tbsp. flour, 1 cup milk or chicken broth, 1 tsp. salt, 2 tbsp. onion, celery, or mushrooms (optional). Melt the butter over medium heat and saute the vegetables if you are using any (this is entirely optional). Whisk in the flour until smooth. Add milk or broth, whisking as you pour. Continue to stir slowly until the mixture begins to simmer and thicken. Reduce heat and simmer 1 minute. Use in place of 1 can of "cream of xxxxxxx" soup in your recipe. The real beauty of this recipe is that it has less sodium than the "cream of" soup in a can!

Onion Soup Mix- 3/4 cup dried onion, 1/3 cup powdered beef bouillon, 4 tbsp. onion powder, 1/4 tsp. sugar. In a small bowl, mix everything together using a whisk or two forks. Store in an airtight container. 5 tbsp. soup substitute = 1 envelope onion soup mix. Note: To reduce the sodium, use a low-sodium beef bouillon.

Seasoned Salt- 2 tbsp. sea salt, 2 tsp. sugar, 1/2 tsp. paprika, 1/4 tsp. turmeric, 1/4 tsp. onion powder, 1/4 tsp. garlic powder. Combine ingredients together in a small bowl, using a fork to make sure there are no lumps. Store in an airtight container or shaker jar.

Sweet Or Savory Soufflés

Written Saturday, February 27th, 2010 by Theresa H Hall

A soufflé has to be one of the easiest yet most elegant of dishes. They have been admired and loved since the late 1780’s and were created in France by a chef who really used his head. It is lightened by whipped egg whites and the frothiness expands with the heat from baking and pushes the dessert to rise, rise and rise, to the top and a bit over the rim of the soufflé dish.

First you’ll want to chose a recipe and decide whether you want it as a main course, a side dish or as your dessert. Once you have made up your mind, pre heat your oven for 20 minutes and be certain it is at the right temperature. Next, prepare your baking dish by buttering every inch of the inside of your dish. For a sweet soufflé you’ll want to generously butter every crevice, and dust it with fine sugar before adding the batter. For a savory soufflé`, butter and then dust with fine breadcrumbs or a grated hard cheese, such as Parmesan.

A soufflé is no more than a simple sauce or a fruit puree that is lightened by folding in whipped egg whites. If you are using a large dish fill it, but leave at least an inch of space from the rim so it will not spill out while baking. If you are using individual ramekins then you may fill the dish almost to the very top. The little size will keep the soufflé from falling and this is what no cook wants, a deflated soufflé.

If you bake in a big dish make sure it is a deep, straight-sided mold. The straight sides will allow the soufflé to rise and appear tall with a poufy crown. It is served immediately and you spoon it from the top and the soufflé sauces itself. Smaller dishes should be baked on a sheet pan and since the dishes are hot use tongs to pick them up and set them gently onto serving dishes.

Once you have your recipe it is time to create a base, or use fruit puree and then whip your egg whites. The rule here is to be sure the beater(s) and bowl are squeaky-clean. Whip on medium-low speed until frothy and then turn up speed to medium. Continue whipping until they are at soft peaks, when the beater is lifted from the bowl and hold very soft peaks. Do Not Over Whip. If you do then your eggs will not have any place to go. They will not rise very much and you have wasted them. You must start over. Trying to add another egg white will screw up your proportions. This is baking chemistry remember? So now fold in the eggs and pour the batter into the dish or dishes and bake-away.

Classical French technique is to bake @ 425º to 450º, quicker rise and a little undercooked resulting in more sauce.  However, I have heard Americans want theirs baked longer and prefer a sauce on the side, so the temperature is reduced to 375º to 400º.

There you have it. You understand a good beginning of what to do and how to do it. Pick out a recipe and try it out. Before you know it you’ll be popping soufflé out of your oven in no time and experimenting with both savory and sweet ones. Bon Appetit.

Sweet Soufflé

Prepare 1 1/2 to 2 quart mold beforehand by heavily buttering the bottom and sides and dusting with granulated sugar.

Chill before using.

1 1/2 oz butter

1 1/2 oz flour

3/4 c milk heated

------------

3 yolks

2 oz sugar

1/8 to 1/4 c Grand Marnier

------------

6 oz egg whites

1 oz sugar

1) Melt butter with flour making a very light rue; the consistency of applesauce.

2) Make bechamel by adding heated milk to the rue and blending together.

3) Dissolve the sugar into the mixture. Pour into a clean bowl and cool over ice bath.

4) Stir in yolks. Add Grand Marnier.

5) Whip egg whites and sugar to softest peaks.

6) Fold whites into mixture, light to heavy and heavy into light.

7) Pan molds. Which means to pour batter into the pans.

Bake 375º to 400º 18 to 20 minutes. DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR.

The souffle will appear brown and caky on the top.  If you tap the side there should be just the slightest jiggle.

Serve immediately. Two spoons in the middle at the top…and the souffle sauces itself.

Note: the photograph is of a Cheese Soufflé we made in French culinary school. 

Fast and Easy Madeleines

Written Wednesday, February 10th, 2010 by Theresa H Hall

One of the most delightful things I learned to prepare while attending culinary school was this recipe. Madeleines are traditional petit sponge cakes from the northeastern regions of France. If you do a little research you can find the cool history surrounding this confection. They are also referred to as cookies.

They even have their very own adorable baking container. The Madeleine Pan is found in speciality stores that cater to the serious and professional cook. It is one piece of metal, and sometimes comes with a non-stick coating. The one I own is stainless steel and is a good weight. The lighter a baking instrument, the more the possibility exists of burning or uneven baking. The Madeleine Pan is similar to a muffin pan and has a dozen half-shell shaped depressions. As you can readily see in the picture of these petit cakes, the sides showing are actually the bottoms, the tops being rather dome shaped and smooth.

There are many variations for this recipe and you can even bake Savory Madeleines. In one restaurant where I once worked for a short time, they served Thai and Asian fusion foods. The pastry chef there taught me to prepare them with sesame oil and other spicy flavorings, and I have to admit they were very good to eat.

These little sponge cakes present well, and you must always remember to grease and flour your pans between every batch. If you have a deep container for flour, such as a floor container, like they use in big kitchens, you can dip your pan into the flour and pull it out to find it is evenly covered. When you pipe your batter inside the prepared shell pan, squeeze evenly from base to tip and back down again. Because the batter will expand while baking, you only fill the shell 3/4 full. As soon as the cakes are a golden brown color, they are done. Wearing a heavy oven mitt, remove the pan from the oven and tap the side of the pan to release all of the little Madeleines. They will jump out of their baking container. Shake confectioners sugar over top right away and take a bite.

These cakes are well received because they are light, airy, are full of flavor, whichever you decide to use, and you or your guest need only eat one. They are smaller than a cupcake and may be iced or not. You can store them in your freezer for up to a month, and take them out as you need them. You can pipe fillings into them and dip the ends of the bottoms in chocolate. Sprinkle decor on them and ship them to your friends and relatives as gifts. People love Madeleines. Look at everyone's smiling faces!

This recipe can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for several days. Pipe the batter and bake as you need them. Baking time is perhaps 8 to 10 minutes. Watch them closely because if you over bake them they will be dry and no good.

Madeleines

This cookie has its very own cookie pan.  The characteristics are a shell on the front and a hump on the back.  You can make the batter, and take it out to use as needed, for up to a week.  Take out, warm up the batter to room temperature and pipe. Grease and flour the pans.

8 oz  butter softened

8 oz   sugar

1 tsp   vanilla

1 tsp   lemon zest (or any kind or zest or flavorings)

4   large eggs

1   egg yolk

12 oz  all purpose flour

a pinch of salt

2 1/4 tsp  baking powder

---------------

Finish with 10 X sprinkled on top

1) Cream butter, sugar, zest and salt.

2) Sift baking powder and flour together.

3) Alternate adding the dry ingredients and then eggs, a little bit at a time to incorporate; ending with the dry.

4) Stir until well combined.

5) Pipe batter into Madeleine pan with #5 tip, and fill about 3/4 full. Start at the base, go up, and come back.

Bake 375º for 8 to 10 minutes.  They will puff up a bit and be brown on the backside.  Remove from pans immediately by tapping the mold onto a mat, and they will fall out.

Serve plain, with 10 X sugar, a lemon glaze or with tempered chocolate. Be sure to let the edges show.  Serve fresh out of the oven in a warm container.

Freezes nicely.

Just remember once you have made these a few times and see how easy they are to make, put your own spin on them with flavorings, sweet versus savory, for your next meal.

Food Volume and Weight Equivalents Part 2

Written Tuesday, January 12th, 2010 by Penny Hawkins

Today's post continues our series that started last week on food volume and weight equivalents. I know that some of you may be wondering why anyone would need or want to know information about volume and weight equivalents. Why should you care how many teaspoons of grated peel you can get from an orange? How could this possibly be useful? Trust me HHMers, I have been cooking for a very long time and I still find myself needing information just like this on a regular basis! I promise...knowing how many oranges you need to get 4 tsps. of grated peel will help you plan your grocery list, and save you time and money as well!

So check out today's information on volume and weight equivalents for grains, then print it out and put it somewhere handy...I guarantee that someday soon you will have a reason to use it!

P.S. You need 1 medium-sized orange to get 4 tsps. of grated peel.

Barley: 3/4 cup uncooked pearl or 1-1/4 cups uncooked quick cooking = 3 cups cooked

Flour (all-purpose): 1 pound = 3-1/2 cups

Flour (whole wheat): 1 pound = 3- 3/4 cups

Macaroni: 1 cup (3-1/2 oz.) uncooked = 2 cups cooked

Noodles (medium): 3 cups (4 oz.) uncooked = 4 cups cooked

Oats (quick cooking): 1-1/2 cups uncooked = 3 cups cooked

Oats (rolled): 1 cup uncooked = 1-3/4 cups cooked

Rice (brown, long-grain, or wild): 1 cup uncooked = 3 cups cooked

Spaghetti: 8 oz. uncooked = 5 cups cooked

The ultimate cupcake

Written Sunday, January 3rd, 2010 by TrishB

100 people for New Year's Eve dinner. 18 house guests. 29 items (or more) on the menu. 3 days later and I am still exhausted. That's correct, I did not accidentally add a zero to the number 10. On New Year's Eve I had 100 people for dinner in my home. I awoke this morning realizing that amidst the craziness of the last week I had forgotten to write my Sunday HHM blog post. So today's will be short and sweet. Of the 29 plus items on my menu one of the favorites of both adults and kids were the cupcakes I baked.

If you are a cupcake connoisseur, and know New York City, then you know the Magnolia Bakery. Their cupcakes are sinfully delicious and ridiculously expensive. Thankfully, they have a cookbook. So whenever I make cupcakes I use their easy to follow recipes. I cannot state with absolute certainty that this is exactly how they make them, but I do know that cupcakes made from their recipes get rave reviews. I think next year cupcakes will be the only thing on my menu, and a little bubbly, of course.

CUPCAKES

- 1 1/2  cups self-rising flour

- 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

- 2 cups sugar

- 4 large eggs, at room temperature

- 1 cup milk

- 1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers.

In small bowl, combine the flours.  Set aside. In a large bowl, on medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about three-quarters full.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing. Ice with Vanilla Buttercream.

Vanilla Buttercream Icing (makes enough for about 2 dozen cupcakes):

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

6-8 cups confectioners sugar

1/2 cup milk

2 tsp vanilla



Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes.

Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of a good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar.

If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly.  Use and store the icing at room temperature. Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

What a gift

Written Sunday, December 6th, 2009 by TrishB

Just when you thought you had recovered from Thanksgiving you realize that the holidays are only weeks away.  While a wonderful time is spent with family and friends, holidays are often overshadowed by gift giving mayhem.

We live in a time of midnight sales, internet shopping, gift cards, and the latest and hottest presents. Homemade gifts are a thing of the distant past.  This year in particular has been tough for many.  Why not take a break from the commercialism that defines the holiday season.


Here are some of my favorite delicious items from HHM members that can be given as gifts. They are inexpensive to prepare and will almost certainly be met with joy by the recipient.

Try Amanda’s Peppermint Bark, ambyrd21‘s Chocolate Meringues, GuiltyKitchen’s Idle Hand Bars, Theresa111‘s Coconut Macaroons, Sarah’s Lemon Bars, Annacia’s Pecan Clusters, dollydoesdesserts Dolly does the Hello Dolly Bars, chilly’s Peanut Butter Bars, Lady Gourmet’s Rice Krispy Treats, Amanda’s Holiday Snowball Cookies, or KarenB’s Holiday Cheesecake Squares.  These are baked goods that can be wrapped in cellophane with a beautiful ribbon.

If you still have time after making our members mouth watering treats, try this simple recipe for chocolate bark.

Marshmallow Bark

1 lb. bittersweet or milk chocolate, chopped (can also combine the 2)

2 cups miniature marshmallows

1 1/2 cups pecan pieces, lightly toasted

Line a jelly roll pan with waxed or parchment paper. Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of hot water.  Stir frequently until chocolate is melted and smooth.  Remove from heat.



Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the marshmallows and 1 cup of the pecans.  Pour the mixture into the pan and spread with a spatula (about 1/2 inch thick). Sprinkle the remaining pecans and marshmallows over the top.  Press gently into the chocolate.


Refrigerate the bark until completely firm.  About 2 hours. Break or cut into chunks.  Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day or in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Easy Entertaining

Written Sunday, October 11th, 2009 by TrishB

A few weeks ago Jews around the world celebrated the religion’s holiest day of the year, Yom     Kippur.  During this holiday, celebrants pray in synagogue and fast for 24 hours to atone for sins committed that year. A dairy meal is traditional for “breaking” the fast. As a child, my family always hosted this meal.  It was a time spent with family and friends after the final religious service and completion of the fast.

Since then, I have married and had my own children.  The “break” fast meal has been handed off by  my mother to me and is now my responsibility.   This year we planned to host friends and family, 36  people confirmed the day prior to the holiday.  By “break fast” we picked up another 9 and we were  up to 45 people.

So why did I choose this event for my “half hour meals” blog post?  I can’t say I prepared the whole  meal in half an hour but many of the dishes can be. I have found the key to having successful meals  for large parties is to prepare a number of dishes, any one of which could be a family meal  prepared in 30 minutes or less.

I choose dishes that are easy to prepare, delicious, and can be frozen after preparation. I’ve  learned this lesson the hard way.

I used to spend the 24-48 hours prior to a party cooking with little or no sleep. Preparing for these  larger events over a longer period helps me maintain my sanity and has kept my husband from  divorcing me. Okay, I’m not 100% but I’m definitely better.

THE MENU

Bagels, white fish, tuna salad, smoked salmon, cream cheese and all the  trimmings...
Mushroom crepes
Asparagus crisp
Pineapple Noodle Kugel (pudding)
Creme brulee french toast - I never make enough of this!
Bulka -   a traditional South African pastry made for break fast.  Served warm  with butter they are similar to cinnamon buns but not as sweet.  Forget the  recipe..these are a two day process and certainly not a half hour meal.
Fried Tilapia with tartar sauce

DESSERT

Pecan Puffs
Shortbread cookies
Scones with jam and cream - find it in the bread and baked goods section of Half Hour Meals
Brownie Pops - these are my quick version of those amazing cake pops that  Bakerellas has made famous in the food blogging world)  I probably should have  stuck to her recipe because they didn’t come out like I would have liked but they  looked pretty...not perfectly round like I would have liked, but pretty enough for  the kids to dive in.
Chocolate chip cookies
Poached peaches
Almond tart
Coffee meringue with strawberries and whipped cream

So here are a few pictures from our most recent Yom Kippur “break” fast a some of the easy recipes that you can prepare in advance or last  minute till you learn the hard way...

ASPARAGUS CRISP

2 cans asparagus, drained

1/2 cup mayonnaise (can use low fat)

1 cup cheddar

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2-1 tsp lemon juice

plain potato chips

paprika

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Grease a pyrex.  Place asparagus in a single layer in dish.  Mix mayo, cheddar, sugar and lemon juice (to taste).  Spread over  asparagus.  Sprinkle cheddar over asparagus and mayo mixture.  Sprinkle with paprika.

Bake for 25 minutes.

Mayo mixture can be prepared a day in advance.  Put all ingredients together morning of party and bake before guests arrive.

CREME BRULEE FRENCH TOAST

(the prep time is very fast but you do need to let it sit overnight)

1/2 cup butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons corn syrup

6 (1 inch thick) slices French bread or 1 Challah bread cut into 1” slices

5 eggs

1 1/2 cups half-and-half cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with Pam.

Melt butter over medium heat.

Add brown sugar and corn syrup, stirring until sugar is dissolved and consistency is smooth.

Pour into baking dish.

Remove crusts from bread. Arrange in the baking dish in a single layer. You can squeeze the pieces in so they fit.

In a bowl, whisk together eggs, half and half,  and vanilla extract.

Pour over the bread.

Cover, and chill at least 8 hours, or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Remove the dish from the refrigerator, and bring to room temperature.

Bake uncovered 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven. The french toast should be puffed and lightly browned.

SWEET PINEAPPLE KUGEL

1 Packet medium egg noodles

3 eggs

1 pint cottage cheese

1 pint sour cream

1 tsp. vanilla

1 scant cup sugar

1 (8oz.) can crushed pineapple, well drained

Frosted flakes (or corn flakes)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook noodles 8-10 minutes.  Drain.  Place in a bowl.  Add butter and stir until melted.  Add remaining ingredients (except for frosted  flakes) one at a time. Stir after each ingredient is added.

Place in a 9 x 12 x 2 inch pyrex, sprayed with Pam.  Cover with crushed frosted flakes.

Bake 1 hour.

Can be prepared a day in advance and baked day of meal.

POACHED PEACHES

4-6 peaches

4 cups of water

2 cups sugar

1 tsp lemon juice

Make an x in each peach.  Pour boiling water over peaches for a few minutes.  Peel skin off peaches.  Bring water and sugar to a boil.  Turn down and simmer in a heavy saucepan. Stir to dissolve sugar.  Add peaches.  Cover and simmer for about 15-20 minutes, making  sure peaches don’t get too soft.  Remove peaches.  Add lemon juice to syrup.  Pour over peaches when cool. Refrigerate at least 3  hours.  Serve cold.

Can be made 3 days in advance.

PECAN PUFFS

1/4 lb. butter

2 tbs. sugar

1 tbs. vanilla

1 cup finely ground pecans or walnuts

1 cup flour

Confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Cream butter and sugar.  Add vanilla and pecans.  Add flour.  Roll the dough into small balls and place on greased baking sheet.  Place  in freezer for about half hour.

Bake in oven for approx. 40 minutes.  Roll while still warm in confectioners sugar.  When cool, roll again in confectioners sugar.

Can be stored frozen.

& Brownie Pops,  the kid's favorite...
of course

Ten Time-Saving Tips

Written Saturday, September 12th, 2009 by TrishB

I've loved cooking for as long as I can remember. While I have taken a number of cooking classes, I am for the most part a self-taught cook. I am a voracious cookbook reader. My collection of cookbooks numbers in the hundreds and cooking magazines in the thousands. I have taken bits and pieces from the best of the best and fused them into palate pleasers for friends and family.

One of my favorite magazines is Fine Cooking and one of the most useful sections is their Readers Tips. I have scoured these for years. Over time, I plan to share many of my favorite tips with the you. Here are just a few to get started:

1. A level cake
For those of you who like to ice the middle of your cake, here is a great tip. It is often difficult to realign a cake perfectly after cutting it in half to ice it. So, before you cut, insert a toothpick horizontally into the side of the cake close to the bottom and insert another toothpick near the top, directly on top of the first one. Then cut the cake horizontally between the two toothpicks, ice it, and put the top back, making sure the toothpicks are aligned. Now you have a level perfectly aligned cake.

2. Keeping pie dough cold when you roll it
Place your rolling pin in a freezer for about 30 minutes before rolling your pie crust. The cold pin will keep the dough from getting warm when its time to roll it.

3. Saving those egg whites
How often do you find a recipe that calls for egg yolk and you end up throwing away the egg whites (unless you're in the mood to make some meringues). Instead, freeze the remaining egg whites in an ice cube tray. Put one egg white in each section. When a recipe calls for 2 egg whites, for example, all you have to do is push out 2. Before using, let the egg whites come to room temperature.

4. Another use for those ice trays
Who doesn't enjoy an iced coffee on a hot summer day? How disappointing is it when, after a few sips your drink becomes a watered down version of your former beverage? Solution: Freeze hot coffee in an ice cube tray. Use these coffee ice cubes the next time you make iced coffee.

5. Preserving berries
How often do you take that container of "perfect" looking berries out of your fridge to find the ones underneath squashed in the carton? The secret to preventing berry "squash": Line a baking sheet with 3 or more layers of paper towels. Scatter the berries over the paper towels. Keep them in your refrigerator until you are ready to wash and eat them.

6. Floss in the kitchen
Slicing a cake in half often leaves your table covered in crumbs. Use a plain piece of dental floss to split the cake in two. No mess, no fuss.

7. Separating dried fruit
I often like to bake with dried fruits including raisins. How often do you open the box to find the individual pieces stuck together? Try taking a pinch or so of flour and rolling the pieces stuck together in your hand. Then I add them to my batter. The flour helps separate the pieces of fruit and keeps them from bunching together in the batter. This allows for more uniform distribution in cakes or cookies. Don't worry, the flour on the fruit "disappears" with baking.

8. Defatting soup or stocks with frozen spoons
Toss a few slotted spoons into the freezer while you are making soup or stock. After the soup/stock cools a little, skin the top off with the "frozen" spoon. The stock glides through the slots while the fat congeals on the back of the "frozen" spoon.

9. Squash and an ice cream scoop
Fall is almost here. That means it is time to roast squash (butternut and acorn are my favorites). An ice cream scoop is a great tool to remove the squash after roasting.

10. Freeing a cake from a pan
You've just removed the most perfect looking cake from your oven. Now the hard part: getting it out of the pan intact. Instead of running a knife around the edge, which often tears the cake, use a 1 inch, narrow, HEAT RESISTANT rubber spatula. You will be surprised how easy it is to free the cake from the pan.

2-Minute Cheesecake

Written Monday, September 15th, 2008 by April Boland

Kraft now has a Ready-To-Eat Cheesecake Filling product, which is incredible for those of us who are interested in making a fancy, delectable dessert within a couple of minutes. This tub of cream cheese-based filling can be spooned right into a pie crust, and you're done!

Alternatively, my mother suggested to me the other day that you can put it in a glass with crushed graham crackers on the bottom and top it with fresh fruit. In fact, there are plenty of ways to garnish your cheesecake:

• Cookies/graham crackers
• Fresh berries
• Fruit jam
• Whipped cream
• Chopped nuts
• Maraschino cherries
• Chocolate syrup, drizzled on top

Baking... With Seltzer?

Written Thursday, August 28th, 2008 by April Boland

Has anyone ever heard of the "Diet Coke Cake"?  I don't know who invented it, but this recipe is all over healthy cooking message boards on the Internet.  The premise is that if you buy a box of cake mix and add a can of Diet Coke to it (instead of eggs, oil, etc) and bake it according to the directions on the box, it will rise and be fabulous and have way less fat and calories.  Many people have tried variations on this with different cake flavors and different diet sodas.

I first tried this a while back and, while I was amazed that it actually produced a cake, the diet soda added a sweetness that I did not care for.  I started to experiment and found that - voila! - seltzer/club soda/bubbly water does the trick.  You can literally bake a cake that tastes delicious with the amount of fat and calories per serving that the box attributes to the 'mix' but not to the 'prepared' result.

I even started doing this with muffin mix.  I buy a small bag of blueberry or banana nut for under $1 which yields 6 muffins, add 1/2 can of seltzer and enjoy.  I have served these light muffins to friends who do not consider themselves healthy eaters, without telling them, and they complimented me on how delicious they were.