DEAR READERS: Worcestershire sauce is a staple in many kitchens. I love the stuff and mix it with soy sauce or red-wine vinegar to use as a dip for egg rolls. Chances are there is a bottle in your kitchen. But how much do you really know about it? Which of the following is not an ingredient in regular (original) Worcestershire sauce?
A) Tamarind extract
B) Molasses
C) Pepper
D) Anchovies
E) Garlic
The answer is C, pepper. Tamarind extract, molasses, anchovies and garlic all are found in Worcestershire sauce. The tamarind extract comes from a fruit and is actually one of the ingredients that sets Worcestershire sauce apart from other sauces.
DEAR HELOISE: I use a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop to fill mushrooms after I mix up my stuffing mixture. This results in perfectly mounded stuffed mushrooms every time.
-- Laurie B. in Connecticut
DEAR HELOISE: I keep a bottle of my favorite Italian-style salad dressing in my pantry. This "can do" liquid helps make a delicious meal. I marinate chicken in it before baking and add it to cooked pasta and vegetables for a delicious pasta salad. And I place cut-up meat in the slow cooker, add some salad dressing and put it on rolls for a dinner sandwich.
-- Janet D. in Indiana
DEAR READER: These are all clever uses for Italian dressing and examples of how cooking can be fun and easy when experimenting in the kitchen. I like to add different spices and substitutes in recipes. Another simple marinade for meats is equal parts soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce.
DEAR HELOISE: The roasting pan is not just for chicken anymore. I love cooking spaghetti in it, and it's great for corn on the cob. It's my new favorite pan to cook with. The shape of the pan just works better for many foods. I have a stainless-steel one, but I'm sure any type would work.
-- Claire in Florida
DEAR READER: Many people use this hint, especially if cooking for a crowd. Readers, try it, and you may discover that you have a new cooking tool.
DEAR HELOISE: When making stuffed peppers the other day, they kept falling over. I placed them in my fluted cake pan. Much easier to stuff.
-- Gina W. in Kentucky
Send a money- or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000; fax to (210) 435-6473; or email
Heloise@Heloise.com
Food on 08/27/2014