Frosty Orange Dream Squares

from: kraftfoods.com

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours, 20 minutes
Makes 24 servings

40 Nilla wafers, finely crushed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 stick butter, melted
2 cups cold milk
2 packages Jello vanilla flavor instant pudding
1 tub (8 oz) Cool Whip whipped topping, thawed, divided
2 cups orange sherbet, softened

LINE a 13x9 inch pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan. Mix wafer crumbs and butter. Press onto bottom of prepared pan; set aside.

ADD milk to dry pudding mixes in medium bowl. Beat with wire whisk 2 min. or until well blended. Gently stir in half of the whipped topping. Spoon evenly over crust. Refrigerate 10 minutes. Add remaining whipped topping to sherbet; stir with wire whisk until well blended. Spoon over pudding layer; cover.

FREEZE at least 3 hours. Use foil handles to remove dessert from pan before cutting into squares to serve. Store leftovers in freezer.

Basil

An Italian herb that tastes like licorice and cloves. Commonly used in pesto, spaghetti sauce, pizza and other Mediterranian dishes.

Ginger Cookies

Prep & Cook Time: 30-45 minutes

Makes about 3 dozen

3/4 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup dark molasses
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 1/2 tsp. orange zest (grated orange rind)
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
2 tsp. baking soda

CREAM the butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Add the egg, molasses, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, orange zest, flour and baking soda. Blend well.

ROLL the dough into 1-inch balls and roll in a bowl of granulated sugar. Place the balls about 2 inches apart on a greased baking sheet.

BAKE in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes.

COOL on a wire rack, store in an airtight container.

Rice Pudding

Prep Time: 1 hour

Makes 6-8 servings

1 1/2 cups
1 cup uncooked regular long-grain rice
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups whole milk
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 almond
cinnamon-sugar mixture (optional garnish)

BRING water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the rice and salt. Cover the pot, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

ADD milk, cover loosely and cover until milk has been absorbed, about 40 minutes. (You may stir the rice a bit, but over-blending will make your rice pudding turn out more like porridge).

STIR in the butter, vanilla and sugar. Put the almond in the pudding.

SERVE in small bowls with the cinnamon-sugar mixture in a shaker on the side.

Chile Peppers 2

If working with fresh chiles here are some tips to make it easier:

• Capsaicin, the compound that gives chiles their "burn" is found mostly in the seeds and membranes. Include or omit those parts to control the heat.
• Wear gloves to avoid touching the capsaicin with your fingers.
• Never discard any part of a chile down the garbage disposal. The vigorous grinding action mixed with water creates a subtle mist that carries the capsaicin throughout the air.

Chile Peppers 1

A chile's heat depends on the conditions and locale in which it was grown. Capsaicin, the compound that gives chiles their heat, can vary dramaticially. There are 2 ways to measure chiles:

• Scoville Units - Human taste testers evaluate how many parts of sugar water it takes to neutralize a chile's heat. (In the list below, you will notice that the range can vary).


• HPLC Rating - A chemical process called High Performance Liquid Chromatography, or HPLC, measures capsaicin levels and ranks chiles from 0 (like candy) to a burn of 10.

Bell - All sweet and no heat, these peppers are used fresh or for stuffing and baking. Scoville units: 0; HPLC rating: 0

Anaheim - Large, mild, thick-skinned chiles are perfect for roasting and charring on a grill. Scoville units: 100-1,000; HPLC rating: 1.

Poblano - Large, heart-shaped Mexican peppers are moderately hot, Ohio-grown varieties are milder. Scoville units: 1,000-1,500; HPLC rating: 2.

Cascabel - Shaped like a red jingle bell, it has a hot, sweet and woodsy flavor that enhances salsas and marinades. Scoville units: 1,500-2,000; HPLC rating: 3.

Jalapeno - Regarded as bell peppers with a temper, jalapenos are widely used in Mexican cuisine. Scoville units: 2,500-10,000; HPLC rating: 4.

Serrano - Often mistaken for jalapenos until tasted. fiery flavor adds punch to Southwestern cuisine. Scoville units: 5,000-23,000; HPLC rating: 5

Chili de Arbol - Fairly hot red Mexican chile is a popular ingredient at chili cook-offs. Scoville units: 15,000-30,000; HPLC rating: 6.

Cayenne - The smaller the pepper, the hotter the taste. Fresh cayenne adds intense heat to Cajun sauces and stews. Scoville units: 30,000-50,000; HPLC rating: 7.

Thai - Widely used in Thai cooking to heat up soups and noodle dishes. Scoville units: 50,000-100,000; HPLC rating: 8.

Scotch Bonnet - With a floral flavor described as smokey apricots, Scotch Bonnets are the defining flavor of authentic Jamaican jerk. Scoville units: 100,000-350,000; HPLC rating: 9.

Red Savina habanero - According to the Guinness Book of World Records, it's the world's hottest chile. Used to make commercial hot sauces, it can be used fresh, but sparingly, in sauces and salsas. Scoville units: 350,000-855,000; HPLC rating: 10.

Easy Meatloaf

From: www.kraftfoods.com

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour

2 eggs, beaten
2 lbs. ground beef
1 pkg. (6 oz.) Stove Top stuffing mix
1 cup water
1/2 cup barbecue sauce, divided

PREHEAT oven to 375 degrees.

IN a small bowl, beat eggs lightly with a fork.

PLACE ground beef, stuffing mix, water, eggs and 1/4 cup of barbecue sauce in a large bowl.

MIX all ingredients with a wooden spoon until just blended.

SHAPE meat mixture into an oval loaf in a 13x9 baking dish. Using a large baking dish makes it easier to drain excess fat.

TOP meatloaf with remaining 1/4 cup of barbeque sauce.

BAKE 1 hour or until cooked through. If you have a meat thermometer, the inside temperature should be 160/f.

Southern Tea Cakes

From: Food Network, Day 2 of "The 12 Days of Cookies", December 4, 2003

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
Makes about 6-8 dozen cookies

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla

PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees.

IN a large bowl, sift flour, baking soda and baking powder together. Add remaining ingredients and blend well. Dough should be soft.

ROLL dough onto a floured surface to 1/4 inch thick.

CUT dough into desired shapes.

BAKE on a slightly greased baking sheet for 10 to 12 minutes.

Banana Tip

When you have bananas that are too green to eat, place them in a paper bag with an apple.
Fruits like bananas and pears are sensitive to ethylene gas that is emitted from apples, which will promote the ripening of fruit.

Sweet Potatoes

The most common varieties are the dark orange-skinned type. Moist with bright orange flesh. The pale yellow type is drier and crumbly like a white potato.
The terms sweet potato and yam are sometimes used interchangeably, but they are not the same. True yams grow in tropical climates and are long and cylindrical, while sweet potatoes are short with tapered ends.
Store sweet potatoes in a dry, cool place, such as a cellar or pantry. Sweet potatoes bruise easily so handle them with care.
You can substitute sweet potatoes for white ones in almost any recipe.

Apples

Here are a few different kinds of apples. Enjoy!

Braeburn - Color ranging from gold to red. Crisp. Liven up sauces and salads with sweet and slightly spicy flavor.

Granny Smith - Glossy-green and crunchy. Tart with a hint of sweetness. Ideal for pies.

Golden Delicious - Yellow-gold skin. Sweet and mellow. Excellet for pies and salads.

Fuji - Super-sweet. Great for sauces or baked.

McIntosh - Bright red with green splashes. Sweet with a hint of tartness. Great for applesauce.

Gala - Striped orange-red over yellow. Sweet and aromatic. Great in salads and for applesauce.

Vanilla Bites

From: Great American Home Baking

Prep Time: 10 minutes, 18-20 minutes baking

Makes 2 dozen cookies

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract or almond extract
2 tsp. water
2 cups all-purpose flour

Garnish

1 tbsp. confectioners' sugar or vanilla sugar

PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees.

BEAT together butter and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and water. Beat in flour until smooth.

ON a floured surface, using a floured rolling pin, roll dough to a 1/2 inch thickness. Using a 1 inch round cookie cutter, cut out cookies. Gather trimmings, re-roll and cut our more cookies.

PLACE cookies 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet.

BAKE until set and golden, about 18-20 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool. Sprinkle with sugar.

I made these for Christmas last year. I was able to freeze the dough for a couple of weeks before cutting and baking, but I cut them too thin. Because of that they were very crunchy. I like my cookies soft. So, if I make these again, I will (1) cut them thicker and (2) color the dough to shake it up a bit.

Simple Wine Guidelines

Use this guide when pairing wine with foods.

Chardonnay - Red Snapper, Striped Bass, Softshell Crab, Shrimp Scampi, Sushi, Chinese Food (Canton or Peking style), Duck, Goose, Chicken and Turkey, Seafood Quiches and Souffles, Cold Deli Meats, Parmesan, Jarlsberg, Brie, Camembert.

Sauvignon Blanc - Roasted Chicken and Turkey, Grilled Tuna and Swordfish, Sole, Trout, Crab, Lobster, Mussels, Scallops, Pasta Dishes with Shellfish and Light Sauces, Mild Chinese and Indian Dishes, Goat Cheese, Mozzarella.

Pinot Grigio - Pasta with Cream Sauce, Smoked Salmon and Trout, Mild Chinese and Indian Dishes, Mussels, Clams, Chowders, Antipasto, Prosciutto and Melon.

Cabernet Sauvignon - Well-flavored Stews and Casseroles, Steak, Roast Beef, Roast Lamb, Ham, Kidney, Fresh Raspberries and Strawberries, Brie, Camembert, Sharp Cheddar.

Gamay Beaujolais - Pizza and Pasta Dishes, Hamburger, Hot Dogs, Roast Beef, Beef Stew, Grilled Chicken, Fresh Salmon, Raw Vegetables.

Merlot - Roasts and Barbecues, Lamb Stew, Pork, Veal, Sausages, Salami, Roast Beef, Liver, Grilled Swordfish and Tuna, Mild Cheddar, Goat Cheese, Muenster.

White Zinfandel - Hamburgers, Deli Meats, Chinese Food, Grilled Swordfish, Hot or Cold Soups.

Sparkling Wines and Champagnes - Oysters, Sushi, Lobster, Fresh Salmon, Grilled or Fried Scallops, White Fish, Light Entrees and Cold Buffets, Poultry, Chinese Food, Caviar, Sweet Souffles, Fresh Fruit, Crepes.

Lemon Facts

• One medium-sized lemon yields about a 1/4 cup juice and about 2 tsp. zest.


• Go for weight, not size: Heavier lemons produce more and tastier juice.


• When grating lemon zest (skin), avoid the white pith underneath, which is bitter.


• Yellow skin is best; greenish skins may mean less savory fruit.


• To get the most lemon juice out of a lemon, roll it on the counter top before cutting and squeezing.


• When you have an abundance of lemons, squeeze the juice into an ice cube tray and freeze. Store the cubes in self-sealing bags and defrost as needed.