Dear Home Ec 101,Here’s a question for those of us in Nashville who are conserving water due to the flood, what’s the best way to conserve water while washing dishes? I know the dishwasher is out. Should we wash dishes individually, or do the whole fill-up-the-sink-with-water thing? Does that really get dishes clean? It always …
Heather says: There are two things on today’s to-do list. First get out the shopping list and plan your attack. Second, figure out how long your frozen turkey will take to thaw. Frozen turkeys need a full 24 hours per 5lbs to thaw in a 40F refrigerator. Once thawed the turkey can be held for …
Dear Home-Ec 101, I’ve seen recipes for 40 garlic clove chicken, but they are mostly for a whole chicken. I’m trying to figure out how I can make it for my husband and I using chicken breasts. Any ideas how I can do this? (I’d like to bake it rather than putting it in the …
The following is a guest post by Dr. Alice of Feet First. Dr. Alice says: “Cleanliness is next to godliness” is a well-known saying, but my recent experiences have changed my mind: It would be more accurate to say that cleanliness is next to survival. Granted, many readers might not go quite that far, but …
This emailed question was answered immediately upon receipt, but I’d like to share it with you. Dear Home Ec 101, So, I’ve been given a turkey that was in my mom’s freezer. It thawed for a few days in the fridge, now it’s in the oven. As I was figuring out the weight and how long …
Hi Home Ec 101, My fridge had an unexpected surge of over-efficiency and froze a lot of stuff, including 3 dozen eggs. Will they be okay after they thaw (still in the fridge)? Signed, Eggspecting Disappointment Heather says: It is not recommended to freeze eggs whole, in the shell, but hang tight before you toss …
Dear Home Ec 101, I was hoping you might be able to explain how a water bath thaws out a chicken faster than sitting on the counter when the water is colder. Also, why is it safer ? It seems to me the water would just be a good place for germs to grow. Signed, …
Dear Home Ec 101, I would like to know if it is possible to freeze cooked rice. I would like to cook a bigger batch and freeze single servings. Cooking a single serving for lunch just takes too much time, but I really don’t like the quicker cooking alternatives. Also, we frequently have stir fry with …
Dear Home-Ec 101, Can bechamel be made in bulk and frozen, or do you need to make it little bits at a time? Signed, I Cook for Crowds Heather says: The jury is out on this one. Some dairy products can be compromised when frozen, how much they are compromised depends on factors over which …
Ivy says: I recently noticed that we were wasting food quite often because of the disorganization of our refrigerator. I talked it over with Mr. Ivy, who just happens to be a restaurant manager and was a kitchen manager for many years and he said, “You really ought to organize the refrigerator the way we …