Category Archives: Tid-Bits & Funnies

Canning Suggestions

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JUST THE RIGHT SIZE
Get ready to preserve a bit of summer when the abundance of fresh produce flits farmers markets and roadside stands. Large canning jars are great for the big jobs, but you need tiny jars, such as those made by Bali, for saving goodies from backyard gardens. Their wide-mouth, one-piece, screw-on lids make it easy to save small batches, and the size is right for gifts from your kitchen. Pick up a carton of them as soon as they appear in stores—they get away quickly. That way, when the spirit hits to can a little something you’ll be set.

Frozen Tid-Bits

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Frozen Sweets
If you’re an ice-cream fanatic like I am, you’ll love preparing a luscious batch your­self. But when you want it fast, there’s al­ways something tempting in the grocer’s freezer. Let these reminders help you grab the one you need. •Ice cream is a rich mix­ture of cream, milk, at least 10% milk fat, along with sugar or other sweeteners. •Ice milk contains less milk fat and milk solids than ice cream does, making it lighter and lower in calories than its heavier cousin.
• Frozen yogurt can be made from whole milk or low-fat and nonfat milk sweetened with sugar or artificial sweeteners. These products can be lower in fat but not neces­sarily lower in calories.
• Sherbet is usually made from sweetened fruit juice, milk, and water.
• Sorbet contains no milk, a good choice for those who need to stay away from dairy products.
• Granita is water and sugar combined with fruit juice, wine, or coffee. This one is a firm slush of icy crystals.

Blueberry Tid-Bits

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Here are a few nuggets of information to help you make the most of this glorious fruit.
• Blueberries belong to the same family as the wild huckleberry or azalea.
• The powdery gray-blue bloom on the sur­face of the skin helps the small berry retain its moisture after harvest.
• Blueberries do not ripen further after they’re picked.
•Blueberries aren’t as perishable as other berries and will keep about a week if handled properly. Place them in a plastic container and refrigerate as soon as possi­ble. Don’t wash berries until you’re ready to use them. (Added moisture will hasten growth of mold.)
•Washing blueberries before freezing results in toughening of their skin.
• A pint of blueberries serves four people generously.

Words Of Wisdom

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“Forgiveness is the fragrance the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.” — Mark Twain

“Power without love is reck­less and abusive, and love with­out power is sentimental and ane­mic.” — Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Donuts. … Is there any­thing they can’t do?” — Homer Simpson

“I never did give them hell. I just told the truth, and they thought it was hell.”—Harry S. Truman

“Life is a long lesson in humility.” — James M. Barrie

“A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is brave five minutes longer.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Everywhere I go, I’m asked if the universities stifle writers. My opinion is that they don’t sti­fle enough of them.” — Planner)’ O’Connor

“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view.”
— Harper Lee

“My life has no purpose, no direction, no aim, no meaning, and yet I’m happy. I can’t figure it out. What am 1 doing right?” — Charles Schulz

“Just cause you got the mon­key off your back doesn’t mean the circus has left town.” — George Carlin

“There is science, logic, reason; there is thought veri­fied by experience. And then there is California.” — Edward Abbey

“To get back my youth 1 would do anything in the world, except take exercise, get up early, or be respectable.” — Oscar Wilde

Successful Frying

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•The secret is using the right oil. Smoke point is the temperature at which fats and oils begin to smoke, indicating they’ve begun to break down. The higher the smoke point, the better it is for frying. Lard and some vegetable oils such as corn, canola, safflower, and peanut are good choices. Shortening is not suitable for high-temperature frying.
• Moisture and food particles break down oil, so don’t reuse it more than twice. If you see smoke, discard the oil, and start over.
• Achieving and maintaining proper oil temperature is a must. If it’s not hot enough (often caused by overcrowding), the food soaks up oil, leaving it greasy. Too hot, and the outside burns before the inside cooks, creating food that’s soggy.
• Use heavy-duty aluminum, stainless steel, or cast-iron cookware for even heat distribution and the retention of high temperatures. Iron speeds up the breakdown of oil, so when using cast-iron cookware, it’s best to use the oil only once.
• Choose cookware that’s large enough to leave at least 3 inches between the surface of the oil and the top of the skillet or Dutch oven.
• Always allow the oil to return to its proper temperature between batches. We like to use a candy thermometer, which can handle high temperatures and be attached to the side of a large skillet or Dutch oven for instant readings.
• Make sure food is dry. Adding moist food to hot oil will cause spattering and popping.