Tutorial - Home-Ec 101

Preheat or Not

Dear Home Ec 101: Please solve an argument between my husband and myself! When heating up the oven, I don’t wait for the required temp to reached before putting the food in, but do give extra time in case the oven wasn’t quite hot enough. My husband says that you have to wait until the proper …

How to Use Dry Beans in Recipes

Dear Home-Ec 101, Everyone acts like dried beans are the end all. How do I get the beans in the bag to work like the beans in the can? I’ve soaked them overnight and they still aren’t like what I get out of a can. Am I legume challenged? Signed, Baffled Bostonian Heather says: …

How to Debone Chicken Thighs

Dear Home Ec 101,
I’ve heard that you can substitute chicken thighs in some recipes that call for boneless skinless chicken breasts, but I am not sure what to do. How do you remove the bones?
Signed,
Boneheaded in Bonneville
Heather says:
It would be embarrassing for me to admit how long I sat here trying to think of a title that wouldn’t bring the perverts out of the woodwork. I’ve given up and decided to just say, I don’t think we’re offering what you have in mind, carry on, but thanks for the page view.
I am placing a page break for the benefit of some of our more sensitive viewers who probably don’t want to stare at raw chicken. Heck, I don’t want to stare at raw chicken. The tutorial follows the break.

How to Freeze Bell Peppers

Dear Home Ec 101, My neighbor is a gardening whiz and brought over a ton of sweet bell peppers. I don’t want any to go to waste, but there is no way we can eat them all. Can you freeze bell peppers? Signed, ~Peter Piper Gratuitous Pretty Pepper Pic Heather says: Not only can …

Dear Home Ec 101, I need to get our food budget under control, and we spend a ton of money eating out. It’s starting to cause fights. I can’t cook. I can’t plan, and even if I could, I would just quit. Can you teach me how to menu plan? Can you teach me to follow …

Let’s Talk: Buying Beef in Bulk

Heather says: This post is to help those who are intimidated by the process of buying beef in bulk. If you have strong views about the ethics of beef consumption, this is not the forum for that discussion. Inflammatory comments will be deleted at our discretion. Home Ec 101 is a place for both omnivores …

How to Freeze Ground Beef

Ivy says: Funny, it seems nearly every blogger I read is sick, and I’m no exception. Fortunately, we have fabulous readers who send in fabulous tips from time to time, so I don’t have to do much thinking. Thinking’s a dangerous pastime anyway. Our readerJimK shares this with us: I know this is a pretty …

Bread Making: Introduction to Basic Flours

Heather says: The first few bread recipes will be made with flours that should be carried by your local grocery store. All Purpose Flour – is also known as plain flour. It can be found in bleached and unbleached varieties. Unbleached flour has more of the wheat’s protein intact and is typically better for bread …

How to Use a French Press

Home Ec ladies, Do you know anything about making coffee with a French Press? I am not a coffee-drinker, but some caffeine addicts are staying with me this weekend, and I would like to provide them with a nice way to wake up in the morning. My French Press came with instructions on how to …

How to Cook Bacon in the Oven

Heather says: I use my oven to fry bacon. The thick cut bacon our family prefers takes between 12 and 15 minutes at 425°F. Even if I only need a few pieces I fry an entire cookie sheet, rather than waste electricity. The extras I drain, then wrap loosely in a papertowel and store either …