Contrary to conventional methods this process retains more of the foods nutrients, has a longer shelf life and maintains quality without preservatives.

The cup is plastic, sterilized in a form fill seal process. The lid is a mix of paper, polyethylene and aluminum with a tight polyethylene inside which is hermetically sealed to the cup… after filling of course. Together these materials form a tight seal against microbiological organisms, contaminants, and degradation, eliminating the need for refrigeration.

The first UHT milk was introduced in Switzerland in the early 1960s. In fact, aseptic processing has been a common method for years in Europe and Asia. This process is fairly young in the United States, about 30 years but growing to include not just milk but many other liquid foods in various packages.

An easy way to see if an oil or food contains satfat is in its hardness at room temperature.

For an example… remember the white hard ‘stuff’ left in your frying pan after the bacon is long gone? Yes you are correct, its the dreaded satfat. So what is the answer Annie, you ask? If you need to eat those 3 strips of bacon you’re gonna have to skip the coconut oil shots!

Coconuts are fruits of the coconut palm tree, native to the South Pacific, Southern Asia and now prolific in South America, Hawaii and Florida. Coconut water is found in the center of a fresh coconut, it is thin and almost clear with a slight almond flavor. For centuries, these tropical areas and their inhabitants have been familiar with coconut water’s health benefits.

It has less fat than whole milk with no cholesterol; it contains lauric acid [found in mum’s breast milk]. It has more potassium than a banana; it is low in sodium, low in sugars which are natural sugars and high in magnesium and chloride.

It is a natural isotonic beverage with the same level of electrolytic balance as our blood. It is rumored that in the Pacific coconut water was used as saline during transfusions during WWII.

In the tropics it is consumed fresh by drilling a hole to the center of the coconut breaking the naturally sterile barrier; you insert a straw and suck. Recently, I’ve seen a lot of buzz on the net to package this “agua de coco” elixir for consumption world wide, or least far from the tropics. Could this be an alternative to nutritional beverages?

Molasses is basically non-crystallized sucrose or sugar. It is either designated as sulfured or unsulfured. Sulfur dioxide gas is used as a preservative and bleaching agent in the sulfured molasses product. The sulfur may also give the molasses an unpleasant odor and cause an allergic reaction in some people. Unsulfured molasses tends to be lighter and have a cleaner sugarcane flavor than sulfured. Most brands of molasses will indicate whether they are sulfured or not.

Growing up, my kids favorite dessert containing molasses was Indian Pudding. Served in a stemmed large red wine glass topped with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream or both.

Yeild: 2 -3 cups

4 Apples ( Rome, McIntosh, Granny Smith, and Red Delicious)
1 Tbsp fresh orange juice
1/2 Cup fresh apple cider
1/4 Cup light brown sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon

Peel, core and cut the apples into large chunks, sprinkle with orange juice. Place apple chunks, cider, sugar and cinnamon into large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook with lid until apples are tender; about 15 minutes.

Remove pot from heat and remove lid letting the pot sit for 5 minutes. Mash mixture to desired coarseness. Cool to room temperature and refrigerate. Apple sauce will be good for up to five days.

Thanks for your comments and questions!!!

Or you want spicy… try my salsa recipe served with flour tortillas. But here’s a really quick and yummy recipe if you like crab. My friend Sue from Gilford shared this Crabby Cocktail Dip with me years ago.

Take 16oz soften cream cheese and spread it as the bottom layer of three on a decorative dish, I use a square white dish. Next spread your favorite cocktail sauce, 8oz will do as you just want a light layer. And then as the last & best layer sprinkle crabmeat across the cocktail sauce. Serve with cracked wheat crackers stacked along the plate edges. Bring a cheese knife so your guests can scoop up this dip getting all three layers on their cracker.

Not quick enough? Stop by any food market and pick up 4 – 5 pints of Ben&Jerrys Karamel Sutra, don’t forget spoons. Now thats Yummy!

I recommend that since this cut of meat is best served thinly sliced after grilling its best to slice what you intend to eat the first night. Then refrigerate the remaining cooked steak in a ziplock bag or airtight container removing excess air. Then slice off what you need for your sandwich up to 2 days… so for your day three 3AM snack might have to be popcorn.

Other cooked foods have a slightly longer shelf life if kept below 40F [a typical temperature for the frig] and if your leftovers are reheated to 138F to 155F.

As always wash your hands with warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling all food products.

Over time all foods will become moldy. Shop often and buy small quantities, for shelf life read labels of all the foods you buy. And as organic foods are deemed better for you take into account their short shelf life as they tend to mold quicker with of the lack of artificial preservatives.

Thanks for asking this important question, Jeanne!

Pancake mix does not generally contain yeast, the source of leavening in typically baking soda, baking powder or the like. When buying any dry ingredients like pancake mix I will re-package into an airtight container or ziplock bag for freshness.

When using yeast packets for baking I keep them refrigerated to not start the yeast reaction before needed.