To Plump Up Raisins...
To plump up raisins and dried fruit, cover with water and bring to a boil. Remove from a heat. Let stand for one minute before draining. This method works for dried mushrooms too.

To Toast Nuts...
To toast nuts (pecans, walnuts, almonds, etc.), place in shallow pan. Bake in 350º F oven for about 5 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until desired doneness. This works well for coconut too.

Chopping Parsley...
If you have difficulty chopping parsley, hold briefly under hot running water and then squeeze-dry with paper towel. Chopping will be noticeably better. Or use your kitchen scissors to snip off just what you need in nice tiny bits.

Tell When It's Hot...
To tell if the inside of something you are heating up is hot, put the blade of a knife down into the center and hold for 10 seconds. Remove and hold the tip between your fingers for 5 seconds. If the blade feels very warm or hot, then your food is heated enough.

Quickly Thaw Ground Beef...
To quickly thaw 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef, remove any wrapping and place in a small bowl in microwave. Cover bow with waxed paper. Microwave for 10 minutes on defrost (30%). Let sit in microwave for another 10 minutes. The meat should be thawed, but not cooked and so can be used to make hamburgers or meatballs.

Golden Rule for Microwaves...
The golden rule for microwaves: you can always add time, but you can never take it away! Don't overheat food. It will toughen and dry out as it cools.

Melting Chocolate in the Microwave...
To melt chocolate in the microwave, place in a small, deep micrwave-safe bowl. Microwace on medium (50%) for 30 second intervals, stirring between each interval. The chocolate will keep its shape even when melted, so stirring is important. Reduce time to 10 seconds if you think chocolate is close to being melted. Then letit sit for about 30 seconds to complete the melting process.

Frying Pan Advice...
Always heat your frying pan before adding butter or cooking oil. Then add the oil and let it heat quickly. Add your meat or vegetables once the oil is hot. You won't have a problem with sticking.

Deep-Frying Advice...
The best oil for deep-frying is lard or solid vegetable shortening, melted. Both are clear with a high smoke point — meaning its ability to withstand high temperature without burning.

Cooking Oil Advice...
Oil can be used 3 or 4 times before it has to be discarded. Oil will last longer if food particles are skimmed off after each batch of food has been fried. To store, add 2 tablespoons cornstarch. Stir. Cool. Strain through cheesecloth and keep in the refrigerator for up to three months.

Safety Tip...
Hot liquids (such as oil or soup) can burn the careless cook or innocent onlooker. Turn the pot handle away from you, toward the counter so that it cannot be accidentally bumped.