When baking a pie, whether it is a meat or fruit pie, always cover the edges of the crust with aluminum foil. An easy way to do this is to cover the whole top of the pie with foil and then, using a sharp knife or scissors, cut out the center of the foil. Be sure that the foil does not wrap under the pie or the bottom crust will not cook properly and it will be soggy.

            The bottom of your pie crust will bake more thoroughly if you place the pie in a preheated oven right on the oven rack. Place a cookie sheet on the rack below to catch any drips. This way the bottom of the pie will heat more evenly and cook all the way through. Be sure to leave the pie on the oven rack in the oven until cool! If you try to move the pie before it is completely cool you could be burned by the scalding hot filling.

            To keep lettuce crisp and fresh simply wash your lettuce as soon as you get home from the store. Fill a large bowl with cold water and break off the leaves, about ½ inch above the core, and place the leaves in the cold water broken ends down. Place the bowl of lettuce in the refrigerator. The lettuce will draw the cold water up through the leaves and this will keep your lettuce from wilting. You can do the same with celery, cabbage and any other leafy vegetables. If they start to wilt just break off another ½ inch of the bottom of each leaf and place the leave back in fresh cold water. The leaves will perk right back up. Keeps fresh lettuce for about ten days. 

            To take burned on food from a cookie sheet simply soak a dish cloth in cold water and lay it on the cookie sheet and over the burned on food. Leave it in place for about 15 minutes or until the burned food has softened. Take the dish cloth off and scrub the cookie sheet with an abrasive cleanser.

            To keep sliced apples from turning brown, just place them immediately in cold water and add a little salt.  You can do the same with sliced potatoes.

Craft
Village

            Combine the ingredients as written in the recipe.  Cooking is a matter of chemistry. If the chemicals (ingredients) are not mixed in the right order, they will not perform correctly.

            Do exactly as the directions say. If the directions tell you to fold one ingredient into another then don’t beat them together.  Again, it’s chemistry.

            The length of time spent mixing is equally important. If you over mix a cake it will be a flat cake. If you under mix a cake the texture will be course.

            Don’t ever substitute one ingredient for another unless you are very sure that the end result will be good.

            The size of the pan used to cook any batter is very important. Use the size and type of pan called for in the recipe. Cake pans should have straight sides and be no more then 1 ½ inches deep. The batter must be at least one inch deep when poured into the pan.

            Always cook or bake at the temperature stated in the recipe. If the oven is too hot when baking, a hard crust will form on the top of your cake and the batter will not rise enough causing internal pressure and the crust will crack.  If you cook meat at too high a temperature the meat will shrink significantly. Too high a temperature in cooking dairy products will give watery results.

            When a recipe calls for flour use all-purpose flour. King Arthur is excellent flour and I recommend it highly.

            When a recipe calls for sugar use granulated sugar.

            When a recipe calls for shortening use butter. The flavor is always much better especially in cookies. It’s worth the cost.

            Always tear leafy foods apart. Tearing allows the cells in the leaves to pull apart naturally. Never cut leaves as this will damage the cells and the edges of the food will turn brown quickly.

            Rinse a gelatin mold with cold water before pouring the gelatin into it.

            Measurements should always be level unless otherwise specified.

            To beat an egg quickly add a pinch of salt.

            Set eggs in a pan of water and allow the temperature of the eggs and the water to equalize. Place the pan on the stove and turn on the heat. This way the eggs will not crack.

            Heat the milk before adding it to mashed potatoes. The potatoes will stay warmer and be creamier.

            To blanch almonds soak them overnight in cold water. Remove the skin and they will be crisp and delicious.

            Shelling pecans is easy when you pour boiling water over a small quantity and let stand until they cool. Crack them from end to end in a nut cracker.