Food
Most Recently Answered Questions
Questions 16 - 35 of 1880 (Page 2 of 95)Submitted by Darlene from Terre Haute, IN
Q:Today is tuesday. Baked and sliced sweet potatoes for casserole to bake on thuraday.Do I need to put anything on them and will they be ok until thurs.
A: Sweet potatoes unfortunately will darken if you make them ahead like that. In this case, it would have been better to bake them and refrigerate them with the peels left on.
Submitted by Judy from Old Lyme, CT
Q:Can I freeze Mashed Potatoes?
A: Potatoes don't freeze well, Judy. They darken and they can get an off taste.
Submitted by Cindy from Dubuque, IA
Q:Can Cool Whip be substituted for whipped cream in a molded jello salad recipe? It's an orange jello salad with orange sherbet and I don't have whipping cream but I do have a tub of Cool Whip. Thank you for your help.
A: Sorry, Cindy. I was on vacation last week and missed a few questions. Yes, in a recipe like that, frozen whipped topping would probably work.
Submitted by Greg Vossekuil from Indian Trail, NC
Q:I promised my wife I would cook dinner for a week after Thanksgiving. I recently clipped and promptly lost 2 receipes that I would like to prepare that I saw in the Observer. The 1st is for mashed potatoes using golden potatoes and brown mustard. The 2nd is for a pork loin that is butterfied and grilled with a sauce or marinade of some type. Both have been in the paper in the past 60 days or so. Is there any chance you could hook me up with these receipes? Thanks.
A: Sorry, Greg. I was on vacation myself last week. However, next time you need a recipe we've run recently, try looking in the recipe database. You can find it on our web food page, at www.charlotteobserver.com/food. If you scroll down and click on "Observer tested recipes," you get a search form. All you have to do is enter one or two words, like potatoes or mustard or pork loin, and you'll get the recipes we've run with those ingredients. (The potato casserole is excellent, by the way. It came from Virginia Willis' book "Basic to Brilliant, Y'All.")
Submitted by loretta ferriss from concord, nc
Q:do you have a receipe similar to the the Southern supreme fruit cake that is full of nuts instead of fruits? i love that cake thanks
A: I don't, Loretta. But you might try looking online for a recipe called a Kentucky Bourbon Cake. That might be similar.
Submitted by acton porcher barnwe from litchfield,sc
Q:When I was small, my mother, Harriet Latta porcher Barnwell would order amazing cakes from a "Mrs pressley"(sp?)...they were white cake w/some flavor... almond/marischino ish..divine!!! AND the icing was referred to as "butter cream", but trust me, I've tried a zillion recipes so called over the years and have NEVER come across anything like either the cake or icing in flavor!! She would create incredible cakes..ladies hats covered in flowers, disnet characters/whole scenes from fairy tales...etc..I'm 63/mom's still living @ 88 and was reminiscing the other day about those cakes..I would LOVE to find out how/who where to get a recipe or, if they were sold to some one (did she have a son named Bill??) so mom and I and my children/6 grangchildren could experience what we so loved so long ago!!??? Any help w/this would be appreciated!
A: Eva Pressley was a very popular caterer in Charlotte in 1950s and '60s. I still occasionally get questions about her and memories of her recipes. One of her popular cakes was a version of a Lady Baltimore Cake that some people remember getting for a birthday cake. My predecessor, Helen Moore, once asked readers if anyone had a copy of it, but we never received one. So the recipe apparently disappeared with her.
Submitted by Jennifer Thompson from Tega Cay, SC
Q:I can't seem to find a definitive answer on this, but I trust you to give me one. Can you freeze a sweet potato casserole, prior to baking it? Thanks!
A: It should be fine, Jennifer. Defrost it in the refrigerator overnight.
Submitted by Marion Harris from Charlotte, NC
Q: I need Jane Holmes' macaroni and cheese recipe that was in the newspaper many years ago. Thanks, Marion
A: Marion, there isn't enough room to post recipes here. If you'll email me at kpurvis@charlotteobserve.com, I'll see if I can find a copy. One caveat, though: If it ran before 1985, I don't have access to it. Our searchable archives came online after 1985.
Submitted by Robin from Gastonia, NC
Q:Can you freeze a cheesecake? How long will they stay good if frozen?
A: Yes, you can freeze a cheesecake for up to a month. Defrost it in the refrigerator overnight. If it has a topping, particularly fruit, it's better to skip that until after you defrost it so it doesn't get runny.
Submitted by Susan Weber from Albany, New York
Q:I'm an experienced cook and do a fair amount of baking, too. I've long been puzzled by recipes that call for UNSALTED BUTTER as well as salt as an ingredient. Can I just use salted butter and not add salt? Is there a big difference?
A: Once upon a time, butter was commonly salted to preserve it. Now that we have reliable refrigeration and supermarkets with inventory control, preservation is less important, but salted butter remains because some people prefer it. However, baking experts prefer unsalted butter partly because it has more of an unadulterated butter taste, and partly because of the belief that unsalted butter may be fresher. The second thing to consider, is that there isn't a standard for the amount of salt added to salted butter. One maker might use a little and another might use more. So you don't know for sure how much salt you're replacing in the recipe. Since one of the aims of good recipe writing is to help bakers achieve a reliable outcome, writers usually call for ingredients that are likely to be the same for everyone making the recipe.
Submitted by Carol Bayus from Boston Ma
Q:When I make lasagna, after It's cooked and I start to cut it up ..It falls apart and doesn't hold it's shape. What am I doing wrong. I
A: How long do you let it stand before you cut it, Carol? Very dense dishes like that usually could use about 10 to 15 minutes standing time to set up.
Submitted by Gloria Hevel from Morganton, NC
Q:I recently opened a new bottle of extra virgin olive oil that was so bitter that I couldn't tolerate it. Is it safe to cook with it? I have never encountered this problem before.
A: That's odd, Gloria. Is the oil bitter in flavor naturally, or do you think it's rancid? All oils are susceptible to getting rancid, particularly if they are exposed to too much heat or light. If you think there is something wrong with the oil, I'd return it to the place of purchase and ask for a refund.
Submitted by caren barnes from Kemp, texas
Q:Hi, I bought 2 expensive beef mesquite flavored filets. I cooked one on the grill the mesquite flavoring was so strong we couldn't eat it. I have another and wondered what to soak it in apple vinagar, buttermilk? I want to draw some of the strong flavoring from the meat. I will not do that again.
A: I'm with you on the mesquite, Caren. No offense to Texas, but I find it strong and acrid compared with the hickory and oak we use for smoking meat here in North Carolina. But removing mesquite flavoring after it has been added, possibly artificially, may be difficult. Soaking the meat in something would just add another flavor instead of reducing the original flavor. I think I'd go ahead and cook the meat, then slice it and serve it in smaller amounts with another ingredient, such as grilled vegetables. That would spread out the meat's flavoring so it wouldn't be so noticeable.
Submitted by MARY from LOUISVILLE , KY
Q:cAN CHEESE BE FROZEN?
A: Yes, Mary. Hard cheeses such as cheddars and Parmesan can be frozen, although they were be more crumbly when thawed. Soft cheses, such as bries and cream cheese, cannot.
Submitted by Lenny from Boynton Beach, Florida
Q:How could I fry something ,say a vegetable, and keep it soft and still nutritious?
A: Anything will keep at least some of the nutrition, Lenny. Are you trying to avoid deep-frying? I often use a technique with vegetables called pan-braising. Put the vegetable in a wide skillet with about 2 tablespoons olive oil and about 1/4 cup water. Bring to a simmer, cover the skillet and cook a few minutes, until the vegetable is beginning to soften. Then remove the lid and continue to cook until the water evaporates and what's left is the oil and some of the vegetable's juices.
Submitted by carolyn perry from concord,nc
Q:I have received 4 Pomegranates as a gift. What do I do with them and how can I tell if they are ripe?
A: That's a sweet gift. If they were bought in a store, they should be ripe already. They usually are picked ripe. The skin should be tight and shiny. If the sides are looking a little sunken, the pomegranate is getting dried out and overripe and should be used soon. You eat the seeds, which are crispy, juicy red jewels inside the leathery skin. You can just scatter them on a salad, or you can crush them and strain out the juice. Since pomegranates will stain, there is a trick to getting the seeds: Fill a sink or a large bowl with cold water and submerge the pomegranate. Holding it under water, make a few cuts in the tough skin and pull the fruit apart in chunks. Use your fingers to free the seeds. The seeds will sink and the light pith will float. Skim it off and discard it, then use a strainer or slotted spoon to get the seeds from the water.
Submitted by Sue from Charlotte NC
Q:I've grown herbs outdoors during the summer - basil, flat leaf parsley, oregano and rosemary. What's the proper way to harvest and store or freeze them for use over the winter?
A: That's a big subject, Sue. There really isn't one answer. Different herbs respond to different ways of preserving them. Thyme and oregano, for instance, dry well. You can do that by removing the leaves and spreading them in a single layer, then air-drying. Some people dry them in a very low oven. Or you can tie them in a bundle and hang them upside down for a couple of days. Herbs with larger, softer leaves, such as parsley, cilantro and basil, lose flavor in drying. They're better frozen. A good way is to chop them, mix them with a little water and freeze them into cubes using plastic ice cube trays. Rosemary could be dried, although I've found that in this climate, it doesn't stop growing and can be left on the bush all winter.
Submitted by Violet Bozek from Burlington Ontario canada
Q:What ratio of lavender seeds as compared to culinary oil
A: Sorry, Violet. I don't know the answer to that one. Perhaps someone else will share their knowledge.
Submitted by Linda from Charlotte NC
Q:I've moved here recently from New England. I have not been able to find hotdogs in natural casings in any of the grocery stores. Plenty of skinless and red hotdogs, but none with natural casings. Do you know where they can be purchased?
A: You could try Hebrew National Hot Dogs. They're available at a number of local supermarkets, or you could check with Gleiberman's Kosher Mart, on International Drive near Providence Road, 704-563-8288. Some of the local-meat farmers also have hot dogs. I particularly like the Sam's Dogs, made by the Weeping Radish in Eastern N.C. You can find them at the Gilcrest Natural Farms stand at the Charlotte Regional Farmers Market on Saturday mornings. They're not cheap, $7 for 4 the last time I checked, but each dog is much longer and makes a full meal.
Submitted by Susan from Wedddington, NC
Q:In reference to Peggy Donovan's question on Yankee hot dog rolls, Cobblestone Mill's rolls are split on the top. I purchased them previously from Harris Teeter but haven't checked recently.
A: Thanks for passing that on, Susan.
