Friday, April 01, 2005
The Practical Pantry Newsletter Issue #1
April 2005
Visit our website at http://www.practicalpantry.com every week for new columns, recipes, tips, and more!
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In this issue:
—News from the Kitchen
—Reader Questions
—Tried and True
—Direct from the Pantry
—‘Tis the Season
—Nibbles
—Pantry Staple of the Month
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-- News from the Kitchen --
Welcome to the first issue of The Practical Pantry newsletter! We hope you will find the recipes tasty and the information helpful. Although we are starting small, we look forward to adding more sections in the future and may increase the frequency of the newsletter. Your input is important to us and will help us improve the newsletter. Email any comments or suggestions to .
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-- Reader Questions --
Q: How many cups of confectioners’ sugar make one pound?
A: 1 pound of confectioners’ sugar equals 4 cups unsifted confectioners’ sugar. If it is Domino’s confectioners’ sugar, their website says 1 pound equals 3-3/4 cups unsifted confectioners’ sugar.
Q: I have a recipe that calls for self-rising flour, but I only make it once or twice a year so I don’t want to buy it. What can I add to regular flour to make it self-rising?
A: To make 1 cup of self-rising flour, put 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt into a 1-cup measuring cup and then add all-purpose flour to make 1 cup.
If you have a question about a cooking technique or ingredient, or if you are just looking for a recipe, write to The Practical Pantry at .
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-- Tried and True—
I make this recipe often because it is simple and filling. I used to make it with boneless skinless chicken breasts that I cut into bite-size pieces, but I found the ground chicken or turkey was easier and tasted just as good.
WHITE CHILI
1 pound ground chicken or turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
1 15-ounce can chicken broth
1 4-ounce can chopped green chilies, undrained
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Dash cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 15-ounce can white kidney beans, drained
In a saucepan coated with nonstick cooking spray, sauté chicken and onion until no longer pink; drain if desired. Stir in broth, chilies, garlic, oregano, and cayenne. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Stir in beans; cook 10 minutes longer. Serve over rice if desired. Makes 4 servings.
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-- Direct from the Pantry --
When time is short, combine a few canned goods from the pantry into an easy meal.
EASY SOUTHWESTERN SOUP
2 10-ounce cans diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 15.25-ounce whole kernel corn, drained
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
Shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream, optional
In a saucepan, combine tomatoes, corn, and beans; heat through. Garnish servings with cheese and sour cream if desired. Makes 4 servings.
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-- ‘Tis the Season --
Spring is a wonderful time of year. Asparagus is in season, but there are still days where it is cool enough to enjoy a hot and creamy bowl of soup.
CREAM OF ASPARAGUS SOUP
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken broth
1-1/2 pounds asparagus, washed, woody ends snapped off, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 cup milk
In a large saucepan, melt the butter over moderately high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes or until tender. Add the flour and cook until bubbly, stirring constantly. Whisk in the stock. Stir in the asparagus, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until the asparagus is very tender. Using a slotted spoon, remove ½ cup of the asparagus to a plate.
In a food processor or blender, in batches if necessary, puree the soup for 45 seconds or until smooth. Return soup to the saucepan, add the milk, and cook, uncovered, over moderate heat until hot, stirring frequently. (Do not let it boil.) Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with the reserved asparagus. Makes 6 servings.
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-- Nibbles --
Check this space monthly for news about products, contests, cookbooks, and more.
(NAPSI)-Maybe you don’t cry over spilled milk, but if a spilled milkshake is grounds for tears, a new contest may be for you. It asks milkshake fans to stir up some creative milkshake recipes, using unusual combinations of flavors and ingredients.
If you’re having a brain freeze, here’s an idea to get you started: a peanut butter and jelly milkshake.
The contest winner’s just desserts: ten shares of Martha Stewart stock and an actual Holstein cow (think of all the milkshakes you could make)-or its cash equivalent, about $1,000.
The contest is sponsored by Idea Kitchen, a kitschy company that knows a thing or two about ice cream and shakes. Among other fun kitchen products, it offers a Motorized Ice Cream Cone that spins the ice cream for you and the Hand Crank Milkshake Mixer-to use it, just add frozen ingredients and turn the hand crank.
For more information or to enter the contest, visit the web site http://www.ideakitchen.net.
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-- Pantry Staple of the Month --
The best line of defense against take-out food for dinner is a well-stocked pantry.
Few things make us think of the pantry like a can of tuna. Tuna is a handy pantry staple that you easily can turn into a nutritious lunch or a quick dinner. And with the varieties available, you have far more choices than water or oil packed. Purchase tuna flavored with lemon, herbs, and more in containers that vary from pop-top cans to pouches.
As with any fish, mercury is a concern. For more information about mercury in tuna, check out “What You Need to Know About Mercury in Fish and Shellfish” at the FDA’s website at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/admehg3.html.
GARDEN TUNA SALAD
To lighten this dish, use fat-free mayonnaise and sour cream.
1 6-ounce can water-packed tuna, drained and flaked
2/3 cup chopped seeded and peeled cucumber
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup finely chopped green onion
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Pepper to taste
8 slices bread
4 lettuce leaves
In a bowl, combine tuna, cucumber, carrot, onion, mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, and pepper. Spread on 4 slices of bread; top with lettuce and remaining bread. Makes 4 servings.
Remember to rotate your pantry ingredients. If you buy tuna in bulk, don’t stack new cans on top of old cans.
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The Practical Pantry, in print since 1998 and on the web since 2000, is a weekly column with recipes to turn pantry staples into easy and healthy dishes.
Copyright 2005, Tammy Perry Olson
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