Next day, cover ham with boiling water to which 1 cup brown sugar and vinegar have been added. Boil ham for 1 1/2 hours and allow to cool in the water.

Then remove the skin, leaving the fat layer on. Rub well with brown sugar and stick whole cloves all over it.

Bake 2 hours for a 10 lb. ham.

Baking powder can be used in place of yeast as leavening, to make a flour mixture rise.

Baking powders are composed of soda, an acid and a small amount of starch. There are three kinds of powders, according to the kind of acid used.

1st - Cream of Tartar 2nd - Phosphate 3rd - Alum

Use 1 teaspoon soda and 2 1/2 teaspoons of Cream of Tartar for 1 quart of flour.

Use 1 teaspoon soda to 1 pint of thick sour milk, sour cream, buttermilk, kefir, or yogurt.

Use 7/8 teaspoon soda to 1 cup molasses for batters.

Use 3/8 teaspoon soda to 1 cup molasses for stiff doughs.

Salt: 1 teaspoon salt to 1 quart of water in soups and sauces.

Pour batter: 1 cup liquid to 1 cup flour. This will make pancakes, crepes, waffles, etc.

Drop batter or sponge: 1 cup liquid to 2 cups flour. For muffins, thicker griddle cakes, waffles, cakes, quick breads, cupcakes, funnel cakes, fried doughnuts, dumplings, spaetzle, sweet yeast doughs, light airy cookies, etc.

Soft dough: 1 cup liquid to 3 cups flour. For fried dough, sweet yeast breads, rich white yeast breads, pretzels, drop cookies, pastry shells, pie crusts, etc.

Stiff dough: 1 cup liquid to 4 cups flour. For pizza, pasta dough, extruded doughs, noodles, pierogi, crusty artisan style breads, rolled cookies, etc.

Note: there are crossovers between each category for various products and these proportions are given for general estimation.

Salt: 1 teaspoon salt to 1 quart in soups; 1 teaspoon salt to 3-4 cups flour for doughs; 1 teaspoon salt to 2 cups water for cereals

The green leafy tips of the herb are used to flavor drinks, while the dried leaves can be used for tea. The entire plant (leaves and roots) can be distilled for use in perfumery. The dried plant is sometimes mixed in sachets to contribute a light lemon-like scent.

The consistency of a batter is a crucial characteristic which is determined by the proportion of the ratio of flour to liquid in the recipe. The properties of the finished product are a result of the consistency of the batter.

For example, different consistencies of batter will produce popovers, fritters (batter for fried foods), pancakes, quick breads, cakes, muffins, cookies, crackers, biscuits, breads (dough), pastas (paste), etc.

A pour, or thin batter flows easily from a spoon or ladle. It varies in consistency (thickness) from a popover batter, which has nearly the thickness of cream to a waffle or pancake batter, which is thicker. A drop, or thick batter (which is used for cakes, muffins, cookies, etc.), does not pour, but must be shaken or pushed from a spoon.

Older recipes often did not specify an amount of flour to be used by measurement, but instead would describe the consistency of the batter desired to achieve the result (for example, drop batter or stiff batter). Experienced cooks could then simply add sufficient flour to produce the correct consistency called for in the recipe.

Proportions:

1 cup liquid to 1 cup flour = pour batter
1 cup liquid to 2 cups flour = drop batter or sponge
1 cup liquid to 3 cups flour = soft dough
1 cup liquid to 4 cups flour = stiff dough

Egg whites require a perfectly clean bowl and beaters, and so should be beaten first, or else the bowl should be thoroughly washed. The bowl may be wiped lightly with vinegar, or a copper bowl can be used for better volume in the beaten whites. It helps to add a pinch of cream of tartar to the egg whites to stabilize them and increase volume.

Yolks are usually beaten until thick and a light lemony color. When yolks are beaten with sugar, they are often beaten until they form "ribbons" when the beater is lifted from the bowl, as is done when making cakes.

Both the beet root and the leafy green tops are edible. The tops are high in Calcium, Potassium, and Vitamin A. The beet root is high in Potassium and Boron.

Avoid selecting old, very large and woody beets since they cannot be tenderized and will always be tough. Their weight is not as heavy as beets which have been grown adequately watered and in light soil.

Allow about 2 1/2 lbs for 6 people.

To prepare beets, wash well and remove the leafy tops, leaving 2 inches of stem above the beet root. If the leaves are fresh and in good condition, they may be used as greens and prepared similarly to spinach.

Beets may be boiled, steamed, baked, or prepared using a pressure cooker. The length of cooking time varies according to the maturity of the beet. When they can be pierced with a fork and are tender, plunge them into cold water; then rub off the peel using a paper towel. Small beets can be served whole, while mature beets are usually thinly sliced.

Harvard Beets are a popular sweet and sour side dish.

A hearty Russian soup called Borscht is prepared with beets.

Beets Nutrition Facts

Biscuit doughs should be handled as little as possible and the ingredients should be kept cold. These formulations are normally baked in a high temperature oven in order that the dough will "set" before the shortening has had a chance to melt.

Have a sauce pan of slightly salted water heating to a boil.

When the water is at a hard boil, pour off the cold water from the rice, and sprinkle it into the boiling water gradually, so as to keep the particles separated.

Boil the rice steadily for 15-20 minutes, then remove from heat and drain off all the water.

Place the saucepan with the lid partly off, over veru low heat to allow the rice to dry. The moisture will evaporate and each grain of rice will be separated, so that if shaken the grains will fall apart. This is the way rice is cooked in the South where it is grown. It is especially suitable for long grain Carolina rice.

A sweetener such as sugar, molasses, honey, or corn syrup may be added to the salt and water solution for added flavor and to improve browning of the meat during cooking.

The salt has two effects on poultry, reports Dr. Alan Sams, a professor of poultry science at Texas A & M University. "It dissolves protein in muscle, and the salt and protein reduce moisture loss during cooking. This makes the meat juicer, more tender, and improves the flavor. The low levels of salt enhance the other natural flavors of poultry."

To prepare a brine solution for poultry, add ¾ cup salt to 1 gallon of water, or 3 tablespoons of salt per quart of water. To make a brine use ordinary table salt, Kosher salt or canning salt (sodium chloride).

Use food-grade plastic, stainless steel, or glass containers to hold the brining solution. Poultry should be totally submerged in solution and store under refrigeration (below 40°F. For best results, refrigerate at least overnight. Poultry may be left in the refrigerator up to 2 days after thawed or purchased fresh. Remove poultry from brine. Discard brine after use. If stuffing poultry, brine the poultry first. Cook immediately after stuffing.