Fast
Oven Baked Potatoes:
To bake potatoes quickly, place them whole and unpeeled in boiling
water for 10-15 minutes. Remove and pierce skin with a fork and then
bake in a preheated oven.
Freshen
up tomatoes:
If you want to use fresh tomatoes, but all you can find are tasteless,
out-of-season ones, you can freshen canned tomatoes and liven up their
taste in order to make them into a viable substitute. Simply drain
a can of plum tomatoes and cut each one into 2 or 3 slices. Place
them in a shallow glass dish and pour orange juice on top. Refrigerate
overnight, then drain, chop and use for your favorite recipe. Great
on pizza.
Cooking
Beans and Corn
To avoid toughening beans and corn when they are cooking, only add
salt to the pot when cooking is half finished.
Soy
Beans (Edamame)
These large soybeans are harvested when the beans are still green
and sweet tasting and can be served as a snack or a main vegetable
dish, after boiling in slightly salted water after 15-20 minutes.
They are high in protein and fiber and contain no cholesterol. Edamame
is more often found in Asian and natural food stores, shelled or still
in the pod.
How
to cook beans:
For each 1/2 cup soaked beans, do the following:
1) Put the beans in a large pot and add 4 cups water.
2) Bring to a boil, skimming off any foam that forms on the surface.
3) Turn down the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until you can
pierce the beans with a knife. This will take anywhere from an hour
(kidney beans, pinto beans, chickpeas) to an hour and 40 minutes (black
beans, white beans).
Note: To cook lentils, refer to specific recipes.
How
to Soak Beans:
1) Rinse the beans in a sieve and pick through them, throwing out
any pebbles or discolored beans you may find.
2) Put them in a large pot and add enough water to cover them by at
least an inch.
3) Cover and refrigerate overnight. Drain any remaining water, and
add fresh water for cooking.
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