Cookin' Pantry Style Tips

• Many of my older cookbook recipes for baking do not include a temperature in degrees. The recipe will call for a Hot, Moderate, or Slow oven. What temperature is that? Here is a guide to help. I used the converter on my phone for the Celsius temperatures. 

Oven Temperatures

Slow.....................................................................300 degrees F-149 degrees C

Slow Moderate...................................................325 degrees F-163 degrees C

Moderate............................................................350 degrees F- 177 degrees C

Quick Moderate.................................................375 degrees F- 191 degrees C

Moderately Hot..................................................400 degrees F-204 degrees C

Hot......................................................................425 degrees F- 218 degrees C

Very Hot.............................................................475 degrees F- 246 degrees C

• No candy thermometer or deep fryer with a temperature control? Here is a guide for telling the temperature of your oil.

Deep Fat Frying without a Thermometer

Method: Time how long it takes a one inch cube of bread to turn golden brown in hot oil.

degrees F            degrees C                           Time in seconds

345-355..............174-179.........................................65s
355-365..............179-185.........................................60s
365-375..............185-191.........................................50s
375-385..............191-196.........................................40s
385-395..............196-202.........................................20s

• Need crumbs for frying or making a pie crust? Here is a quick guide to help you.

Make 1 cup of fine crumbs with:
28 saltine crackers
4 slices of bread
14 square graham crackers
22 vanilla wafers

Frugal Food Tips

1. Buy meat in bulk when possible. Even if you are single, buy the family pack. It is the better deal. Go home, divide the pack into single portions. Wrap with plastic wrap. Place the wrapped portions into a quart freezer bag. Freeze. 

2. Check the cost per pound, or cost per oz. label before buying a sale item. Compare that price with items that are not on sale. Sometimes, a store brand will be cheaper than the sale item.

3. Buy cheese in a block and shred it yourself with a kitchen grater or mandolin. It can save you up to $1.00 per pound.

Example from a local grocery store:

• A 16 ounce block of Colby Jack cheese sells for $3.99.  
• The deli counter is selling Colby Jack cheese for $4.99 a pound. 
• The shredded, 8 ounce bags of Colby Jack cheese are on sale for $2.50 each = $5.00 per 16 ounces. 

4. Freeze cheese and butter. Buy extra when it is on sale, place in the freezer for up to 3 months.  However, it must be thawed in the refrigerator. I use frozen, shredded cheese all the time.

5. Buy four pound bags of  brown sugar or powdered sugar. I recently bought four pound bags of brown sugar and powdered sugar. How much did I save? about eighty cents. Not a lot, but it does add up.