Best Way to Cook Bacon

I used to have a fear of bacon, I jumped every time it spit and burned me. I had stopped cooking with it unless my husband was home. Luckily I found a tip for cooking it without greasy splatters all over the stove top (and clothes). Bacon can be easily baked in the oven, resulting in amazingly flat slices:

Baked Bacon  

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 
2. Line baking sheet with foil ensuring it curls up the edges as well. This will allow for easy clean up.
3. Place a cooling rack inside the baking sheet or use a broiler pan.
4. Lay out slices in a single layer on rack.
5. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on desired doneness level. 
6. Voila! Crispy bacon with no curls

Cooking Conversion Charts

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Emergency Substitutions

Food		Substitute
Allspice(1 tsp)		1 tsp. cinnamon plus 1/8 tsp. ground cloves.
Apple Pie Spice		4 parts cinnamon, 1 part nutmeg and 1 part ginger.
Baking Powder (1 tsp)		1 tsp baking soda plus 1/2 tsp cream of tartar.
Balsamic Vinegar (1 tbsp)		1 Tbsp cider vinegar.
Bouquet Garni		Equal measures of thyme, parsley and crushed bay leaf; OR Equal measures of thyme, chervil and crushed bay leaf; OR Equal measures of basil, marjoram, and summer savory.
Bread Crumbs (1/4 cup)		1/4 cup finely crushed cracker crumbs, corn flakes or quick-cooking oats.
Butter (1 lb)		7/8 Cup solid shortening plus 1/2 tsp. salt
Buttermilk/Sour Milk (1 cup)		1 Tbsp lemon juice or vinegar plus enough milk to make 1 cup. Let stand 5 minutes before using. Or use 1 cup plain yogurt.
Capers (1 tbsp)		1 Tbsp chopped green olives.
Chili Seasoning		2 parts chili powder & 1 part paprika.
Chocolate
Semisweet (1 square)		1 oz unsweetened baking chocolate plus 1 Tbsp sugar.
Unsweetened (1 square)		3 Tbsp baking cocoa plus 1 Tbsp shortening or margarine.
Cornstarch (1 tbsp)		2 Tbsp flour or 4 tsp quick-cooking tapioca.
Corn Syrup
- Light (1 cup)		1 cup sugar plus 1/4 cup water.
-  Dark (1 cup)		1 cup light corn syrup; 3/4 cup light corn syrup plus 1/4 cup molasses; or 1 cup maple-flavored syrup.
Cream, heavy (1 cup)		2/3 cup milk and 1/3 cup butter.
Curry Powder		Combine equal parts coriander, cumin, pepper, turmeric, and ginger; 4 parts coriander, 2 parts tumeric, 2 parts cumin & 1 part ginger.
Eggs (1 large)		2 egg whites; 1/4 cup store-bought egg whites; 2 egg yolks (for custard or puddings); or 2 egg yolks plus 1 Tbsp water (for cookies or bars); 1 tsp. cornstarch;. or 4 extra tbs. of whatever liquid was used in the recipe.
Flour
- All-purpose (1 cup)		1 cup plus 2 Tbsp cake flour.
- Cake (1 cup)		1 cup minus 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour.
- Self-rising (1 cup)		1 cup all-purpose flour plus 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt.
Garlic, finely chopped (1 medium clove)		1/8 tsp garlic powder or 1/4 tsp instant minced garlic or 1/2 tsp garlic salt.
Gingerroot, grated or finely chopped (1 tsp)		3/4 tsp ground ginger.
Herbs, chopped, fresh (1 tbsp)		3/4 to 1 tsp dried herbs.
Herbes de Provence		4 parts thyme, 4 parts savory, 2 parts lavender & 1 part rosemary.
Honey (1 cup)		1 1/4 cups sugar plus 1/4 cup water or liquid used in recipe.
Ketchup		1 cup of tomato sauce, 1 1/4 cups brown sugar, 2 tbs. vinegar, 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, pinch of ground cloves and allspice.
Leeks, sliced (1/2 cup)		1/2 cup sliced shallots or green onions.
Lemon, medium 1		1 tsp. grated rind plus 2 tbs. lemon juice.
Lemon Juice, fresh (1 tbsp)		1 Tbsp bottled lemon juice or white vinegar.
Lemon Peel, grated (1 tsp)		1 tsp dried lemon peel.
Milk (1 cup)		1/2 cup evaporated milk plus 1/2 cup water; or nonfat dry milk prepared as directed on package with 2 1/2 tsp melted butter added.
Molasses (1 cup)		1/2 cup honey (flavor will be milder).
Mushrooms, fresh (1 cup cooked)		1 can (4 oz) mushroom stems and pieces, drained.
Mushrooms (1/2 pound)		4 oz. canned mushroom caps or 1 1/2 oz dried mushrooms.
Mustard (1 Tbsp)		1 tsp ground mustard (dry).
Onion, small 1		1 tbs. instant minced or 1 tsp. onion powder.
Orange Peel, grated (1 tsp)		1 tsp dried orange peel.
Oregano (1 tsp)		1 tsp. marjoram.
Poultry Seasoning		Equal parts sage, thyme, oregano and marjoram.
Pumpkin Pie Spice		4 parts cinnamon, 2 parts ginger, 1 part nutmeg, 1 part allspice and dash of cloves.
Red Pepper Sauce (3 or 4 drops) be careful, HOT!		1/8 tsp ground red pepper (cayenne).
Seasoning Salt		1 cup salt, 2 1/4 teaspoons paprika, 2 teaspoons dry mustard, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon onion powder.
Sesame Seeds (1 tbsp)		1 Tbsp finely chopped blanched almonds.
Shortening, melted (1 cup)		1 cup salad oil (cannot be substituted for 1 cup solid shortening)
Sour Cream (1 cup)		1 cup plain yogurt.
Sugar, brown, packed (1 cup)		1 cup granulated sugar plus 2 Tbsp molasses or dark corn syrup.
Sugar, granulated (1 cup)		1 cup light brown sugar (packed) or 2 cups powdered sugar.
Sugar, superfine		Blend regular granulated sugar in the blender.
Tomato Paste (1/2 cup)		1 cup tomato sauce cooked uncovered till reduced to l/2 cup.
Tomato Sauce (2 cups)		3/4 cup tomato paste plus 1 cup water.
Tomatoes, canned (1 cup)		About 1 1/3 cups cut-up fresh tomatoes, simmered 10 min.
Vanilla Extract		Grated lemon rind, orange rind, cinnamon or nutmeg combined with a small amount of the liquid called for in the recipe to make up the amount of vanilla extract specified in the recipe.
Whipping Cream (1 cup)		1 cup frozen (thawed) whipped topping or 1 cup prepared whipped topping mix.
Wine, Red (1 cup)		1 cup apple cider or beef broth.
Wine, White (1 cup)		1 cup apple juice, apple cider or chicken broth.
Yeast, regular or quick active dry (1 pkg or 1/4 oz)		2 1/4 tsp regular or quick active dry or 1 package (6 oz) compressed cake yeast.

Ginger

Ginger adds wonderful flavour to a variety of dishes and desserts. Aside from its use in the kitchen, it has also been known to have medicinal benefits including treatment of nausea, diarrhea and colds.

Fresh ginger can be substituted for ground ginger at a ratio of 6 to 1, although the flavors of fresh and dried ginger are somewhat different. Powdered dry ginger root is typically used as a flavoring for recipes such as gingerbread, cookies, crackers and cake,ginger ale, and ginger beer.

Fresh ginger may be peeled before eating. For longer-term storage, wrap unpeeled ginger in aluminum foil and freeze. Grate from frozen with ease whenever needed.

Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs

The kids love when I make hard boiled eggs. They like to help with the peeling and slicing for egg salad sandwiches.  I frequently get requests for special plates with a hard boiled egg, some rolled ham, cottage cheese and assorted fruit and vegetables.  Here is the recipe to ensure you cook the eggs correctly without grey patches:

Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs

Cover raw eggs with cold water in pan. Bring to boil. Shut off heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and rinse with cold water. When cool enough to handle, peel before completely cooled.

All about leeks

Leeks are a good source of dietary fiber and they contain beneficial amounts of folic acid, calcium, potassium, and vitamin C.  Leeks are also known to have laxative, antiseptic, diuretic, and anti-arthritic properties. With a more delicate and sweeter flavor than onions, leeks add a subtle touch to recipes without overpowering the other flavors that are present. They can be used in place of green onions in many cases.

Washing leeks

Leeks tend to have a lot of sand/grit embedded between all the sections that can be very difficult to remove.  Best way to clean them is to chop the leeks first, break the sections apart, then swish in a bowl or sink filled with water.  Drain through a sieve and you are ready to go.

Healthy ways to enjoy

Breakfast

• Make an egg white omelet with sautéed sliced leeks, diced red peppers and shredded spinach.
• Make a low fat breakfast English muffin topped with sautéed leeks and broccoli, then topped with grated part skim cheddar cheese.

Lunch

• Top a fresh green salad with thinly sliced sautéed leeks.
• Make homemade Vichyssoise, a chilled soup made with potatoes and leeks.

Dinner

• Serve sautéed leeks with a warm vinaigrette as an appetizer.
• Garnish a grilled burger with sautéed leeks in place of onions
• Use sliced leeks as a garnish on homemade soups
• Toss thickly sliced leeks with other root vegetables, such as carrots, potatoes and garlic and roast in the oven at 375°F (190°C) for 45 minutes, or until cooked through.
• Grill leeks over the barbecue on medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, or until slightly wilted and cooked through.