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Bread is too soft to slice: Freeze it and slice it frozen.

Bread Stale: Sprinkle it with a small amount of water, put it in foil, and bake in an oven at moderate heat for about ten minutes.

Cake Stuck to Pan: Let it sit until it is a little cooler, and then try again. If it’s already cold, reheat for a minute or two.

Cheese tough or rubbery after cooking: Blend in a blender or food processor at low speed for a minute or two, then cook slowly.

Coffee or broth cloudy: add eggshells.

Coffee overcooked: Add a pinch of salt

Dough is lumpy: Add more liquid and pound the dough thoroughly.

Dough won’t rise: Put the bowl of dough in a warmer place - in an oven, for instance, with a pilot light (do not turn the oven on). You could also mix a bit more yeast in ¼-cup warm water and knead into dough.

Dough won’t shape: Let it rest for 15 minutes.

Eggs crack when cooking: Put in 1 teaspoonful of salt and a bit of lemon or vinegar into the water to keep whites from oozing out of the shell.

Egg whites won’t whip: Add a bit of baking soda or salt.

Fudge hard: Add a tablespoon of milk and 2-3 tablespoonfuls of corn syrup and beat, then pour. Put in an airtight container for 24 hours.

Gelatin stuck in mold: Dip the mold in hot water, but not so the gelatin is touched by the water, for just a few seconds. Put the mold on a plate, turn it upside down and shake.

Gravy gray: Add red currant jelly, soy sauce, a bit of sherry, meat extract, or 1 teaspoon instant coffee.

Gravy lumpy: Beat it with eggbeater or wire whisk. Strain it.

Gravy salty: Make more. Sometimes adding a bit of brown sugar helps. Cook small pieces of potato into the gravy.

Ham salty: Soak slices in milk for 15 minutes to a half-hour. Wash off.

Icing sugared: Add a bit of vinegar and keep cooking.

Lemon hard: Heat it for 5 minutes in boiling water or for 15 seconds in a microwave on HIGH, then try juicing it.

Meat burned: Cut off burned parts, cube and sauce the rest. Serve over pasta.

Pasta stuck together: Put back in boiling water with a tablespoon or so of oil in it.

Pie dough burning on edge: Cover edge with aluminum foil.

Popcorn won’t pop: Soak corn in water for 5 minutes, dry off and try again. For very recalcitrant corn, freeze overnight and pop while frozen.

Rice burned: Get it off the flame, then put a piece of bread on top of it, cover for 5 minutes.

Scummy stock: Add leek tops and tomato peels, which absorb the scum.

Soup too salty: Slice in potato, simmer until potato turns translucent, then lift potato out.

Stew meat tough: if you haven’t had the time to let the stew continue cooking under gentle heat, add a few tomatoes or a teaspoon of sugar to tenderize it.

Vegetable old: To pep them up, add a pinch or two of sugar and a little salt to the cooking water.

Vegetables overcooked: Puree them. Or make a cream soup of them Or put them in an oven-safe dish, cover them with bread crumbs and grated Parmesan cheese, and broil for a couple of minutes.

Vegetables too salty: Pour the water out, rinse them off, and return them to the stove in new water. If you are already done, wash in hot water.

Whipping cream won’t whip: chill everything (bowl, cream, beaters) and try again. If that fails, add an unbeaten egg white or 3-4 drops of lemon juice and whip as hard as you can.
KiyaSama is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Writers

Your grandmother did it and maybe your mother. You may have sampled some of the best tasting preserves ever made. When it comes to preserving fruit it may be time consuming but you can do it. Generations ago preserving foods, including fruit was not only a way of life it was also a necessity in order to survive throughout the winter when fruits were not available any more. Because of the many different fruits to preserve you can offer your family the same way of life as your grandmother offered hers.

Sometimes when you have too many good quality fresh fruits, the only way to keep them from spoiling without having to consume them all at once is by preserving. There are different ways to do this - freezing, drying, and making jams are the most common. You can experiment and decide on the method that works best for you. Whatever form of preserving you choose, it is always best to use the freshest fruit, as that will affect the overall quality of your finished product.

Fruit contains a natural substance called pectin. As fruit boils during the jam-making process, the pectin in the fruit thickens the preserves. Usually, though, putting in additional, separately-packaged pectin is necessary in order to arrive at the right texture. Added pectin also allows the jam to finish cooking faster. Another thing to keep in mind when making jellies and jams is to use lemon juice; the acid in it will keep harmful bacteria from developing. Of course, it’s important to use all ingredients in the right proportion; for this, it’s best to find a good recipe and follow it. To store the jam after it is finished you need to pour it into jars that have been washed in hot water, seal them tightly, and boil the filled jars in water. This will keep the preserves from going bad. When cooled, keep them tightly sealed and store in a dark, cool area.

Freezing is the one preservation method that involves the least amount of preparation. All you have to do is separate the fruits into freezer bags and keep them in the freezer. Small fruits such as berries can be frozen whole, and larger fruits can be cut into smaller pieces or pureed before storing.

Dehydrating fruit is a good option if you’re trying to save space, and it is also fairly uncomplicated. Fruits can be dried in the sun, in the oven, or in a dehydrator. Specific drying procedures depend on the type of fruit being used, but there are general rules that should be followed for all fruits. Prior to drying, you should always cover fruits with an acidic mixture, such as lemon juice. This will keep it from discoloring during the dehydration process. You can cut or slice them in almost any way you like, but remember that the smaller the pieces you cut, the faster they will dry. Once dried, the fruit should have a rough texture and bend easily. You can then store it in containers someplace dark and cool.
Whether you are cooking with apples, bananas, peaches or any other fruit, you need to know about when fruit is in season and how to store fruits

Yikes I can hear all the modern gals shrieking in high pitched tones. But the truth is if you want to seduce a man you got to cook for him.

Listen up. Men are hungry creatures.

As a woman I can let him take me out to restaurants for each meal we ever eat together or I can stand by and watch him do the cooking. Don’t get me wrong I love eating in restaurants. But not all the time. I’m vegetarian you see and the choices on the menu are limited. Besides I’m not sure what’s going on behind the scenes. Let him cook? Okay but then I’ll only get to eat occasionally!

Ask a few questions first. Like whether he likes hot and spicy food. Once I invited a man to dinner and made a hot curry and he hated hot food. That was not a good idea. In fact it was a disaster because in those days I still hung onto my bad boy preferences and thought he was a wimp for not liking hot food!

If you’re just getting to know him cooking for him will reveal a whole lot about him. You’ll be able to see if he has manners or if he’s an uncouth burping and belching type that wipes his mouth on his sleeve. Uuugh - wouldn’t you rather know about that sooner than later? And wouldn’t you rather see it in privacy than be exposed to his manners in public where you could be spotted in his company?

My mother was so right when she told me that old cliché about the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. If you plan to ask him for something get that appetite stilled first. Men are like lions - on the prowl when they’re hungry and relaxed when they’re fed.

Want something from him? Feed him first.

Please if you are going to do this cooking thing make sure it’s an exciting and good meal that goes beyond his expectations. One of the top 10 lies men tell is the one about how they love your cooking. Ouch.

So what do men like to eat then?

Most fellas like meat - mine too. I hate working with corpses so I use good soya substitutes. He knows that it’s soya and enjoys it the way I prepare it. This does not mean he’s vegetarian - he eats only this way when I do the cooking.

Starchy vegetables like potatoes. Quick tip - peel and quarter potatoes. Pat dry and coat in olive oil. Add a sprig of rosemary. Place in a hot oven and leave to bake to crisp for 1 hour. You should check every twenty minutes and turn when necessary.

Bread rolls - I dunno why men like these so much but they do.

I’ve noticed that males like lots of butter. They don’t worry about weight!

Males generally like lots of onions and garlic.

As I said before it’s wise to find out what his fave type of food is before you get cooked up.

Stir love and passion into the pot.

He’ll be back for more.
Claudia Apfelthaler is intrigued by the law of attraction between the sexes. She owns the website http://www.howtoseduceaman.net - Get Winning Love by Wallace Wattles for free by signing up to her newsletter.

There are a number of satisfying and nutritious meals you can cook up in no time. You don’t need to be overly skilled in the kitchen, but by using common sense and following these basic guidelines, you can easily create an impressive dish to satisfy any taste.

A great quick and easy meal you can cook tonight is traditional Spaghetti Bolognese. It’s healthy and delicious, and only requires around fifteen to twenty minutes cooking time if you’re in a hurry. Firstly take minced beef, proportionate to the desired number of eventual diners and brown in a pot. Next add a whole onion (chopped) and cook with the beef until soft. You can also add in all manner of vegetables to your Bolognese, including peppers, mushrooms, carrots - it really is up to you. After you’ve added your vegetables, it’s a good idea to turn your attention to the spaghetti whilst they are softening in the pan. With one eye on the Bolognese, pour boiling water over some pasta, and bring to the boil, leaving to simmer until cooked. Next, add a can of chopped tomatoes, about quarter of a tube of tomato puree, and a clove or two of garlic to flavour. Mix well, and allow it to simmer until the spaghetti is ready. Finally, serve up on top of the spaghetti, and sprinkle some cheddar cheese to finish.

Alternatively, why not try something more exotic, with this spicy chicken curry idea? Firstly, take some raw chicken breast and cut into strips or cubes. Seal in a pan with oil or butter, and add a whole onion chopped. At this stage, it is also wise to add curry powder and spices to effectively marinade the chicken. This will allow all the flavours to circulate whilst you cook. Next, add around half a can of chopped tomatoes and further mixed spices to taste. Then, boil some rice in a separate pan, and add some coriander to taste, leaving the curry to simmer until the rice has cooked. Serve the curry on top of the rice, and add some bread to finish, for a really great, easy meal. Additionally, you might also like to add some single cream with the chopped tomatoes for that creamy taste.

Overall, by taking simple basic ingredients and using some common sense, you can create tasty meals with very little input. As long as you remember each crucial step, and cook meats well, feel free to experiment, and who knows what you might end up with on your plate next?
Jonathon Hardcastle writes articles on many topics including Cooking, Nutrition, and Health.

With just three checklists you can bring your meal scrambling days to an end and serve your family nutritious delicious dinners.

1. Grocery Shopping List:

With a grocery shopping list you are less likely to stray and buy things that might catch your eye. Grocery shopping lists keep you on task and that saves you money. You won’t buy what is not on your list. Your grocery list should sit in a prominent place all week. A place where all the members of your family can see it and access. As you notice things needing to be replaced add to the list. When you get to your menu planning ingredients add them to the list.

2. Pantry List:

With a pantry list you know what ingredients you have in the house. If you have guests drop by or need to make a last minute meal knowing what you have on hand saves a lot of time and trouble. To use a pantry list have a chart of the food items you use on a regular basis in your home. Have a slot next to those items. In each slot mark how many of that item you have on hand. If none then you know you need to add that item to your grocery list.

3. Meal Planning List:

Meal planning saves time and money. With a meal planning list you don’t have to think about dinner, just do it. Your groceries have already been purchased from your time and money saving grocery list so you know what you’re eating for dinner. Just follow the recipe and you have a great home cooked meal your family will love. To use a meal planning list get a piece of paper. List your days of the week in a column and then make three more columns next to that. The three columns are for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Use each column to write in what recipe you will serve on that day at that time. Some people omit the breakfast and lunch because the dinner hour is the big worry. That’s okay too. On the day you will be serving your meal refer to the list and you will know if you need to thaw any meats or prepare any items in advance.
For complete checklists for home and life visit Household Notes and for information on organizing your home visit Homemaking Organized.

There is Southern Cooking and then there is SOUTHERN COOKING! You can follow a recipe and still come out with a dish that does not resemble what the recipe intended. The reason is technique and the little secrets that are not included in the recipe.

Technique is as important as the ingredients and proper technique helps you avoid the following common mistakes made by novice cooks. You can find many free Southern recipes on the internet, but few web sites provide the additional information needed to to be a real Southern cook. So when you find a site that does, bookmark it and stick with it for your Southern recipes. (See Resource Box below for recommendation).

7 Biggest Mistakes:

1. Failure to Properly Preheat Oven When Baking.

Have you ever made cornbread that came out soft and crumbly without a crust? Or biscuits that did not rise and have a gray color? It was probably due to the fact that your oven was not properly preheated. When baking, the crust is set in the first 10 minutes. So, if you want a nice, golden crust on your cornbread, be sure to get the oven up to 400 degrees before you put the cornbread in.

Ovens vary in how long it takes to reach a given temperature. Some ovens will reach 400 degrees in 4-5 minutes. Some will take as long as 15 minutes. A good practice is to get a thermometer (any food thermometer that goes up to 425 degrees will work) and time how long it takes your oven to reach 250, 350, 400 and 425 degrees. Write it down and keep it handy if you can not remember. Then always allow the alloted time to reach the desired temperature before beginning your baking.

2. Undercooked Vegetables

Keep in mind we are talking about Southern cooking. Not Chinese or West Coast casseroles. Many vegetables, Southern Style, are cooked considerably longer than most people tend to cook them. Specifically, green beans are cooked until soft and dark green in color. They are not crunchy and bright green. Okra and green tomatoes, are cooked until some burned edges appear and are very crunchy. As a general rule boiled vegetables are cooked until very tender and fried foods are cooked until crunchy (this goes for cornbread, fried chicken and pork chops, too).

3. Failure to Use Cast Iron

I have never researched all the reasons why, but Southern cooking is best cooked in cast iron cook-ware. The cast iron holds and transfers heat unlike any other type metal. Food just does not cook the same in aluminum or steel. Especially cornbread. Besides, it is the traditional way to cook Southern.

Older cast iron tends to have problems with rust and food sticking, but the newer cook-ware comes already cured (seasoned) so it is not as much a problem. However, it is not difficult to cure your cast iron if you have an older style. You can get complete, free instructions in the web referrals below.

4. Failure to Use Onions and Bacon

Onions and bacon (or bacon grease) are used extensively in Southern cooking. Some cooks, however, stray away form cooking real Southern because they (or family members) do not like onions and/or concerns about the fat content in bacon.

They do this because they fail to understand the reason for using bacon and onions. They are NOT in the recipe so that you taste onions or bacon. They are there only to provide subtle flavor. A unique Southern flavor. If you do not like onions, use only a small amount and remove the onion from the dish before serving (put onion in cheesecloth while cooking and it is easy to remove). If you are concerned about the calorie content of bacon, do not use whole bacon. Just add 1/2 tsp of grease from previously cooked bacon. And, accept the fact that Southern cooking is not inherently low fat. It is meant to be flavorful and robust. So, use that bacon and onion for real Southern dishes.

5. Overworking Dough

Southern breads are meant to be light and fluffy. Even cornbread should not be heavy and solid. Many Southern cooks never learn how to make good biscuits. And homemade Southern Biscuits are the trademark of good Southern cooks.

Three errors cause bad biscuits (and other breads). First, do not overwork the dough. Biscuit dough should only be kneaded three times. No more. Just enough to shape it for cutting out the biscuits.

Second, when cutting the dough, do not push down and twist the biscuit cutter. Push straight down and straight back up. Twisting compacts the edges of the dough and causes uneven cooking.

Third, remember the previous mistake above…preheat your oven. A cold oven can result in flat, hard biscuits.

6. Yellow Cornmeal and Sugar in cornbread

Everyone has their own preference, but, please do not use yellow cornmeal in cornbread. It may be mental, but it just does not taste the same as white cornmeal. Besides it looks funny. And, NEVER, NEVER put sugar in cornbread if you want authentic Southern cornbread. Cornbread is bread to accompany a meal. It is not dessert. It is not cake! It is BREAD. So, if you like sweet cornbread…go ahead and use your sugar…but, do not call it Southern Cornbread!

7. Failure to Use buttermilk

All good Southern cooks use buttermilk in everything except desserts. Regular milk does not add the flavor that buttermilk does. Especially in any dish with cornmeal (cornbread, hush puppies, tamale pie, etc.). If you do not have buttermilk, you can make a reasonable substitute by stirring 1 tablespoon of white vinegar in a cup of regular milk. Allow to sit for a minute before use.

These are some of the most common mistakes (or lack of Southern cooking technique) made in Southern cooking. You can ignore all of them and make eatable food, but it will not be traditional Southern. Even some good Southern cooks fail to comply with all the above, but they have probably developed a variation of these same techniques.

So, get in that kitchen, fire up the stove and make your family a real Southern dinner tonight.
Ken Miller is a free lance writer and webmaster for http://www.olsouthrecipes.com, Southern Recipes - Southern Cooking, where you can find FREE recipes for the most popular, authentic Southern dishes like fried chicken, fried okra, biscuits and gravy, cornbread and many more.

Many consumers have emailed me on the use and care of terracotta cookware. They have said: “OK, I purchased my clay bakeware, now what?”

Excellent question and I will try and help.

Before using your terracotta cookware for the first time, wash thoroughly with hot water. Do not us soaps.

Each time you use your clay bakeware, immerse both the top and base in cold water for about 15 minutes. Pour off excess water. After adding all the ingredients place your terracotta bakeware in the center of a COLD oven.

DO NOT ADD COLD LIQUIDS once the clay cookware is hot.

DO NOT PLACE your terracotta bakeware over on open flame or hot cooking plate.

Regular recipes can be converted for clay pot cooking by increasing the cooking temperature by 100F and deducting one-half hour of cooking time.

Terrcotta bakeware is ideal for the microwave. Because microwave ovens vary to such a great degree, use the oven manufacturer’s guidelines for cooking times.

Take care not to shock by clay pot cookware by moving it from one extreme temperature to another.

Use pot holders or oven mitts to move your terrcotta bakeware when hot, and place it on a trivet, mat or folded dishtowel when moving it out of the oven.

Cleaning after use: use hot water only, and a stiff natural bristle or mylon brush, or a nylon scouring pad to clean your clay pot cookware after each use. DO NOT USE SOAPS. A little baking soda will cut any grease. Never use cold water when the terracotta bakeware is hot.

When not in use, keep your clay cookware in a place where the air circulates. Place lid upside down on top of base when storing, to allow air to circulate inside the bottom of the roaster.

Use one clay pot cookware for fish and a separate one for meats, to keep the flavors separate.

In summary:

Hand wash your terracotta bakeware in hot water with some baking soda and a nylon or natural bristle pad or brush.

Do not wash with soaps or detergents.

Always place your clay pot cookware in a COLD oven.

Take care to avoid extreme temperature changes, ie. placing it in a hot oven.

Never pour hot liquids into a cold clay pot cookware, or cold liquids into a hot terracotta bakeware.

Always pre-soak for 15 minutes.

Avoid open flame or hot plate.

Clay pot cooking saves time, reserves nutrients and vitamines, avoids excess fats in cooking.

Terracotta bakeware for healthy natural cooking.

One of the best holiday meals I have tasted recently was baked in a clay pot.

You can find terracotta bakeware and cookware here www.BigBargainMatrix.com
Max VonHelsing is a noted cookbook author, chef and reviewer of cookware

Ready for Thanksgiving? Do you have your turkey, your guests, and all of your other recipes in order? What are you waiting for? It’s only a week away!

If you are entertaining at your apartment for Thanksgiving this year, you seriously better get to cracking. Trust me…you don’t want to wait until the last minute to get things done because if you do…your life is going to get extremely difficult.

There are several steps that you can follow to insure that your Thanksgiving dinner will go off without a hitch and with the least stress as possible.

Get Your Guests In A Row- Check out your [BREAK] list of guests. Make a few calls and send out the emails. The first step to keeping your sanity is to find out who is coming and who isn’t as soon as possible. Once you find out who is coming, divvy up the food bringing responsibility. It would be helpful to make a list of the traditional things needed and mark down who is bringing what, so that you don’t get confused and end up with two dishes of dressing and missing a green bean casserole. Here is a quick sample list that may help you out:

-Turkey and Gravy (Typically that is the hosts responsibility)
-Mashed Potatoes
-Green Bean casserole
-Dressing/Stuffing
-Cranberry Sauce
-Pumpkin/Pecan Pie
-Rolls
-Salad
-Drinks

Shopping Spree- Hit the stores several days early. If you wait until the day or even a couple of days before Thanksgiving, you are truly asking for trouble. Not only will you run into a frantic, overcrowded, melee of destruction as soon as you hit that market parking lot, but you will more than likely not be able to find most of the stuff you need because the stores shelves will have already been picked dry by those who got their shopping done before you. Get to the store…Hurry! Time is running out.

The Turkey Prep- There is way more to a great Thanksgiving turkey than just popping the sucker in the oven for several hours, carving, and then gobbling it up. The proper prep of a turkey takes a little care. If you are going with a frozen turkey, you must keep in mind that when defrosting that frozen gobbler in the fridge, it takes an entire day for each 5 lbs. So if you have a 20 pound turkey…it’s going to take 4 days to defrost.

Also, decide how you are going to cook the turkey and have all of the necessary tools ready. There are literally hundreds of ways to cook a turkey and each year new recipes and techniques are created. Generally, at 350 degrees, the roasting time of your turkey of average weight should be between 3 and 4 hours. Don’t be intimidated, but it’s more challenging than you’d think. Cook it too long and you end up with a dry turkey. Cook it too short and it could be unsafe to eat. The important thing to always keep in mind is that if the internal temperature of the turkey is between170 and 180 degrees, you should be safe and good to go.

For any turkey questions you can call Butterball’s Turkey Talk Line at 1-800-Butterball

Clean, Inspect, Then Clean Again- If there is ever a time to make sure that you apartment is extra spotless and in perfect condition, it’s now. No one wants to be sitting down to a hefty celebratory Thanksgiving dinner only to notice dust all over the backs of the chairs, or candy wrappers on the carpet. Clean like you are getting paid to do it. Make sure that your silver and glassware is polished and spotless. The kitchen and bathroom need to look institutionally clean. Make several runs with the vacuum to make sure you don’t miss any spots. Dust in places you usually overlook.

Two Minute Warning - On the couple of days before your dinner, make sure to double check your lists and make sure that everything is covered. Run the vacuum over the carpet one last time. Check to make sure you are stocked up on everything from napkins and toilet paper to bottled water. Put everything in its proper place. And make that last minute store run…only if you have to…

Keep these simple steps in mind as you prepare for your awesome Turkey Day and you should be good to go. Thankfully, I am not entertaining this year. Woo hoo! No work for me!!! I’m sure I’ll end up having to wash the dishes

Did you know….

- If a turkey looks up when it is raining it can drown
-The entire United States of America will go through 675 million pounds of turkey on Thanksgiving day alone
-The heaviest turkey ever raised was the size of a large dog at 86 pounds
-Turkeys’ heads change colors when they become excited
-The five most popular ways to serve leftover turkey is as a sandwich, in stew, chili or soup, casseroles and as a burger
-”Big Bird’s”feathers on Sesame Street are rumored to be from a turkey

Later Turkey’s

For more information on apartment living, visit Apartment Home Living.com
Jeff’s just a regular guy with a funny goatee that really enjoys people and life. On top of that he is a bit of an expert on apartments, living in them, and getting the most out of the apartment living lifestyle.

As a Managing Partner of Apartment Home Living, Jeff wants to help you find the right apartment by getting to know you. Not only where you want to live & what you want to pay, but what you like. This way, we can help you find an apartment that fits your personality, not just your budget.

At AHL Apartmentites have a platform to share their own stories, get great info & tips on apartment living, read Jeff’s entertaining blogs/stories, find Answers to a wide array of apartment related questions, and have a ton of fun sharing their love of apartment living with others. Don’t forget to go and set up your own MyPlace page to really get the full Apartmentite experience!

1) To save money on expensive oils, purchase large bottles that you can split with family and friends.

2) If you buy olive oil in bulk, it is suggested to transfer to smaller containers - most preferably a can or dark-colored bottle.

3) Keep in mind that olives are a fruit; therefore you are purchasing a fruit juice that can become rancid when exposed to too much air, light, and heat.

4) You can tell when your olive oil is rancid when it possesses a buttery taste.

5) The best temperature for storing olive oil is 57 degrees. Typical room temperature of 70 degrees also works well.

6) When storing olive oil, make sure that the cap to the container is on tight.

7) If you wish to refrigerate your olive oil, keep in mind that this does not compromise most grades of oil, but it isn’t suggested for an expensive extra virgin since condensation may develop in the bottle, which can ultimately affect the flavor.

In cold temperatures, don’t forget that olive oil may cloud or become solid. Once the olive oil is taken out of the refrigerator, it will resume its original, liquid composition when exposed to a room temperature environment.

9) The best kind of containers for olive oil is made out of tinted glass, porcelain, or stainless steel. Never store olive oil in a plastic container or something that is made out of reactive metals.

10) When cooking with olive oil, the most expensive kind (extra-virgin) is best saved for salads, dressings, and vinaigrettes. Extra virgin olive oil also adds life to cooked vegetables, fish, and meat.

11) When sautéing or frying, it is OK to combine extra virgin and regular olive oil. As for deep-frying, choose regular olive oil, as virgin or extra virgin oils tend to smoke quicker.

12) When substituting olive oil for butter, you will not use the same measurements. One teaspoon of butter equates to 3/4 teaspoons of olive oil. Also rely upon the following butter-to-olive oil conversions: 2 teaspoons = 1 1/2 teaspoons; 1 tablespoon = 2 1/4 teaspoons; 2 tablespoons = 1 1/4 tablespoons; 1/4 cup = 3 tablespoons; 1/3 cup = 1/4 cup; 1/2 cup = 1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons; 2/3 cup = 1/2 cup; 3/4 cup = 1/2 cup and 1 tablespoon; 1 cup = 3/4 cup
San Javier
http://www.greatkitchentools.com

One of the biggest problems with grilling poultry, especially turkey, is that the meat can become dry and tasteless. A great way to add moisture and additional flavor is with a brine.

To brine a turkey you’ll need to start the night before you plan to cook it. A good rule of thumb is to brine your bird for one hour per pound. Here’s what you’ll need:

a large stock pot (or another large container of your choice) and enough room in your refrigerator for it

salt

water

sugar

seasonings (whatever you like)

Start with a clean and completely thawed turkey. To make the brine, mix 1 cup of salt with 1 gallon of water. You’ll need more than that, but keep the ratio of 1 cup salt:1 gallon water. You’ll probably need 2-3 gallons. Add whatever seasonings you like, but don’t add anything that will add additional salt. Here’s a simple brine recipe, but feel free to experiment with your own concoctions.

Ingredients:

2 quarts vegetable stock

1/2 cup salt

1 tablespoon dried rosemary

1 tablespoon dried sage

1 tablespoon dried thyme

2 quarts cold water

In a large pot combine the vegetable stock, salt, and herbs over medium heat. Simmer for about 15 min until the salt is dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Add the water.

Place the turkey in your large container, and add enough brine to completely cover the turkey within an inch of completely covering the entire bird. Now put it in the refrigerator.

Don’t have room in the refrigerator? A large cooler makes a good container for your turkey and brine. If it’s cool outside you may not need to worry about it, but if it’s warm you’ll want to add enough ice to keep the turkey cool. Monitor the temperature of the brine closely during the process to make sure it stays cool.

When you’re ready to prepare your turkey, pull it out of the brine and rinse it off with clean, cold water. Throw it on the grill and you’re good to go. The additional moisture will really make a difference!

Finally, be careful how you dispose of your leftover brine. Remember, this is saltwater, so it’ll kill your lawn. I usually pour it down the sink along with additional clean water.
Jay Lotz is a blogger at http://www.drinkmowgrill.com