Question for Mom

Valencia Orange

I like to make freshly squeezed orange juice, but I have discovered that some oranges have more juice than others.  Which kind of orange has the most juice? —Becky M.

For a long time I thought oranges were simply oranges, but I’ve learned that they’re not all the same. Valencia oranges, which are generally available from March to November, are much juicier than navel oranges.  I have gotten as much as 1 cup of juice from a Valencia orange.

Naval oranges (which have what looks like a bellybutton on one end) are good to eat because when peeled they can be easily divided into sections. However, they don’t provide much juice.

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Turn Green Beans into an Athenian Delicacy

Years ago I spent a summer in Greece as a high school exchange student and learned a lot about Greek cooking.  I didn’t put it into practice, though, until I finished college and moved into my own apartment.

My first attempt was making Spanakopita, which are small pastries stuffed with spinach and cheese. I liked eating them, but making them was a disaster because I had no clue how to handle phyllo dough.  I still can’t do it well, so I order them at a restaurant.

Mom Cooking Tip 173

This Mom Cooking Tip comes from a life-long friend who spent many years working in a New York test kitchen.  She told me that whenever she buys a cooked rotisserie chicken, she roasts it for 1- 1½ additional hours at 375 degrees before serving it.  She thinks it tastes better that way.

I tried out this tip last night, and everyone at the table liked the end result.  The chicken was firmer and not as salty as usual.  I had planned on serving the leftovers tonight, but there was hardly anything left.

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Question for Mom

I like bananas but often they become over-ripe or turn black before I can eat them.  How can I use them up? –Shirley Z.

Super-soft bananas are one reason why Banana Bread was invented.  Here’s my Chocolate Banana Bread recipe.  My family loves it. 
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Basic Beef Stew--An Easy Meal

I don’t buy beef very often, but when I spotted a package of well-trimmed beef stewing meat at the grocery store I snapped it up.  I immediately thought of making Beef Bourguignon but then remembered that our dinner guests don’t like mushrooms.

I decided to take this opportunity to make a basic beef stew.

I Like Fried Chicken, But…

I like fried chicken, but I will never make it because of the amount of oil involved.  Years ago while working in a Little League snack bar, I learned how to handle a deep fat fryer. That’s when I decided I would not cook this way at home.  For one thing, I’m too clumsy to be around boiling oil.  For another, I don’t want to deal with all that oil in my kitchen.  It’s too potentially messy.  And if the words “fire extinguisher” are mentioned in the cooking instructions, that is a turn off.

Mom Cooking Tip 172

Marinades can provide a lot of flavor, but marinating meat for too long can turn it mushy.  I find 15 minutes is a good length of time to marinate salmon or other fish fillets.  For chicken 1-2 hours works well.  For pork, beef and lamb, I opt for 4 hours.

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