COOKING TIPS.

SUBSTITUTION FOR BUTTERMILK.   For baking recipes that call for buttermilk, a perfectly  fine substitute for the buttermilk can easily be made by stirring 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar into 1 cup of milk, and let it rest for five minutes.  Alternatively, buttermilk powder is handy and widely available in supermarkets. 


RECIPES CARDS.  Does your recipe get "lost" on your counter while you make the dish.  Attach the recipe card to fork tines and place the fork handle in a tall glass. 

EGG WHITES. You can freeze leftover egg whites. Place a single egg white into each square of an ice-cube tray. Defrost and use the egg whites as needed.


EGG YOLKS.  There are many things you can make with egg yolks.  
*  Mayonnaise
*  Butterscotch pudding
*  Lemon curd
*  Hollandaise sauce
*  Kolache dough
*  Chocolate mousse
*  Spaghetti carbonara
*  Lemon tart
*  Avoglemono soup
*  Key lime pie
*  Creme brulee
*  Egg Yolk pasta
*  Zabaglione or sabayon


BREAKFAST. A mix of applesauce and vanilla yogurt is delicious!


VANILLA. Many recipes call for vanilla beans, which are very expensive. Substitute 1-1/2 to 2 teaspoons of extract for each whole bean called for in the recipe.

RECIPE TEST. When it really matters, check your recipe for COLOR, TEXTURE, FLAVOR and INTEREST.  If one of these components is missing, fix the recipe by adding ingredients.

STORING OILS.All oils should be resealed as tightly as possible and stored in a cool, dry location, preferably the refrigerator. Cloudiness is common when oil is refrigerated and the oil will return to normal if allowed to remain at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes. If a container of oil is left out of the refrigerator for even a short period of time on a hot, humid day, the oil will start to become rancid very quickly. Oil that has been opened is only fresh for about 4 months and should be discarded after that. It would be wise to date the oil container when it is purchased. Rancidity will usually begin about 4 months after the oil is purchased regardless of the method of storage. Exposure to light for long periods will cause almost any oil to turn brown.  Oil that is in a sealed, unopened bottle will stay fresh for 1 year. When oil is poured out of the bottle into any other container for any reason, it should never be returned to the original container and mixed with the clean oil. Contamination is possible and may ruin the balance of the oil left in the container. Unrefined oils high in essential fatty acids only have a high quality shelf life of 3-6 weeks and must be refrigerated. If you wish to freeze the quality oil, it will be good for about 12 months.

BACON.  Lay strips of bacon on a sided baking sheet.  Bake in a 400º preheated oven for 15 minutes or until crispy.