TIP OF THE DAY: Baking Cookies, One Sheet At A Time

Photo by Molly Little | SXC.   Here’s our first baking tip of the 2011 “baking season”: cookies. With a lot of holiday baking to do, it’s tempting to put two cookie sheets into the oven at once. But unless you have a convection oven, you need to place just one sheet dead center for…
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TIP OF THE DAY: Make A Bento Box, American-Style

If you dine at Japanese restaurants, you’ve probably seen a bento box. Bentos provide a selection of smaller bites. A traditional bento consists of fish and/or meat, pickled and/or cooked vegetables and rice. In the U.S., dumplings, sushi and fruit are often included. The bento comprises a box-shaped container with compartments. The boxes range from…
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TIP OF THE DAY: How To Prevent Stale Nuts

Nuts are healthful and flavorful additions to baked goods and other recipes. But if you don’t use them, they go stale. First, they’ll loose their crispness and get soft. Then, the oils in the nuts will go rancid. Factory-sealed bags have an expiration date, but that only promises that nuts in the unsealed bag will…
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TIP OF THE DAY: How To Brine A Turkey

It takes extra effort, but brining a turkey produces a moister, more tender bird. Brining is the process of soaking the turkey, for an extended period of time, in a liquid that contains salt and other flavorings. The salt in a brine draws the natural moisture out of a turkey and allows it to be…
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Real Maple Syrup & Maple Syrup-Glazed Pork

With maple syrup, as with most things, you’ve got to pay attention to the details. The next time you drown your pancakes in sweet syrup, ask yourself what you’re pouring on that stack. Do you know the difference between maple syrup and pancake syrup? Many bottles of what appears to be maple syrup are simply…
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