77~To save calories in cake--substitute 12 oz. diet cola or sprite for the eggs and oil. Use cola for dark cakes and sprite for light ones. No one will know the difference! (This is also good to use for people who have egg allergies or are vegan)
78~
Can sizes for recipes:
No 1 picnic = 10-12 oz can
No 300 = 14-16 oz can
No 303 = 16-17 oz can
No 2 = 20 oz can
No 2 1/2 = 27-29 oz can
No 3 = 51 oz can
No 10 = 6 1/2 lbs - 7 lbs 5 oz
79~
Meringue: Boil 3/4 c. water with 1/2 c. sugar. Beat egg whites til halfway stiff.
Slowly add boiling water mixture in. Makes mile high meringue. *This recipe was passed down from a woman who worked for a Nashville restaurant and made all the pies for 17 years.
80~
Melting Chocolate: Microwave chips or bakers squares with shortening uncovered on full power. Use 50 % power for squares melted alone. When it is ready, the chocolate will look shiny and lose its shape. Avoid overcooking. Stir. *some newer chocolate chips have different directions on their packages, follow instructions on bags.
*Follow pkg instructions for melting almond bark--usually doesn't require shortening, avoid overheating.
81~Keep fruits/berries or baking chips from sinking to the bottom of batter by rolling them in flour before adding to batter. If using chocolate chips, roll in cocoa instead of flour.
82~To cool a baked cake faster and make it easier to release from pan, cover the inverted pan with a damp dish towel and allow to set for several minutes (I usually do about 10) The towel will pull the heat out of the pan and the cake should come right out without sticking (if you've sprayed well)
83~ If a recipe calls for buttermilk, you can substitute milk + 2 T. vinegar or lemon juice
84~If a recipe calls for 1 oz. Baker's unsweetened chocolate, you can substitute 3 T. cocoa + 1 T. butter or margarine
85~8 oz. baking chocolate = 1 1/3 chocolate chips; *4 oz. baking chocolate = 3/4 c. chocolate chips
86~Adding cornstarch to the meringue on a humid or rainy day will absorb the moisture.
87~If you don't want meringue on a pie, leave them in the oven 6-7 minutes longer than bake time for a firmer pie.
88~Zap a lemon in the microwave for 10 seconds to break down cells and make it easier to get the juice for vinaigrettes or baking.
89~Butter may be substituted for shortening, in equal proportion, if desired. It may alter the flakiness of some recipes, but it works just fine.
90~Spraying the pan with butter/oil (not garlic) spray before using, in sticky recipes, makes for quicker clean up and doesn't effect the recipe.
91~Slice cake layers in half by using a thread. This is what my mother did..I don't have that steady a hand, which is why I don't make layer cakes!
92~To get more juice out of your fresh lemons, limes, oranges, ..Roll them on the counter before slicing them,
or Place them in the microwave for 10 seconds.
93~Use cornstarch with flour for extra crispy fried chicken
94~Soften butter quickly without melting by pouring hot water in a tall glass, then pour the water out and stand the butter on a saucer, (still in the wrapper) and place the glass over the butter. It will soften while you gather other ingredients.
95~Use white vinegar on inside of glass mixing bowl before whipping egg whites to clean any residue off & to make meringue better.
96~ 1 cube beef bouillon equals 1 t. granules equals 1 c. broth when dissolved in 1 c. boiling water. (Just use one or the other, not both.)
97~ 3 slices cooked bacon = 1/2 c. chopped (can substitute real bacon bits)
98~ For every c. of uncooked rice, (in casseroles) use at least 2 T. liquid to make sure rice isn't crunchy.
99~ Covering a baking/casserole dish while baking helps the food cook more evenly, stay moist, & prevent burning.
100~ Uncovering a dish while baking helps with browning, allows steam to release, & to melt cheese.
101~ To ripen bananas quickly for a recipe, place on a baking sheet, heated at 350 for 15 minutes until peel turns black.
102~ If cookies come out uneven/not round, place a glass over them while they are still warm on the baking sheet and swirl the glass around. This will cause the cookies to become round.
