Logansport Pharos-Tribune from Logansport, Indiana • Page 7

Wednesday August 1,1979 The Pharos-Tribune, Logansport. Food Cooking Methods Affect The Real Cost Of Food By JEANNE LESEM UPI Family Editor Recipes alone cannot hold the line on your food budget today if they ever could. It is not just what you cook but also how you cook it that helps determine the real cost of food. It makes little sense, for example, to heat a full-size conventional oven to cook one pot of baked beans or any other inexpensive casserole if the fuel energy you use costs more than the money you save on ingredients. That can happen, as the cost cooking fuels continues to rise rapidly.

Thoughtless or careless shopping and storage habits also add up. Before driving long distances from store to store to buy specials, do you try to determine if the price of the gasoline will outweigh the savings on the food? Other mistakes include an over-stuffed refrigerator and a freezer so large it is only half to three-quarters full most of the time. In the first instance, cold air cannot circulate, and food quality deteriorates faster and spoilage occurs. In the second, you are paying dearly to freeze air. It might be more economical in the long run to replace the large model freezer with a size better suited to your household.

Even the type of kitchen range you use and your utensils and small appliances can affect your food budget. Electricity is more expensive than gas because it costs more to produce and transmit to customers. But small appliances such as countertop toaster-ovens, toaster-broiler ovens and electric skillets can be real bargains for small households. Even though they use electricity and take about the same time to cook a given food as a full-size conventional oven, the amount of fuel used is less in most cases because the space to be heated is smaller. Microwave ovens can also save time and fuel for some things.

But the savings dwindle when the ovens are filled to capacity sometimes to within a few minutes of the time needed on a rangetop burner or in a conventional oven. Convection ovens are another option, some in ranges and others as portable countertop appliances. They cook an estimated z5-30 percent faster than conventional gas and electric ovens because a fan in the oven cavity keeps hot air circulating constantly. While this does save fuel, the August issue of Consumer Reports found the results less than satisfactory with some foods. In an article evaluating electric and gas ranges, the magazine researchers reported the three convection ovens they tested proved "a bit faster than other designs maybe half an hour from the four hours needed for a roast.

"On the other hand, convection cooking may force a lot of changes in your cooking habits." Among the changes: lower temperature settings than normal recipes call for, placement of food in the oven qolden rule FIRST FLOOR DOLLAR DAYS Thursday Friday Saturday All Sales Final Ladies' Dress Shoes famous-makes values to 45.00. Off Ladies' Sandals Reg. to 24.00 Off Ladies' Canvas Shoes 5 00 TOO Selected Nikes. 33 Off Athletic Shoes for Men Women. MEN'S BOYS' SHOP FIRST FLOOR Men's 3-Pc.

Suits Sport Coats Off Men's Dress Sport Shirts Long Sleeve Off Men's Dress Shirts Short Sleeve Off Mens Mesh T-Shirts or pocket shirts off Men's Ties Off Boys' Sport Dress Shirts Off Back-to-School Specials Boys' Lightweight Jackets "Off Boys'Jeans. Off By Maverick Just arrived, sizes 8-18 Regular, slims, huskies 409 E. FRI. (positioned too high), "foods may be spoiled by the concentrated blast of hot air from ducts at the top of the oven." The researchers were not happy with results of sensitive dishes such as baked alaska but found a convection oven did a good job with a trayful of hamburgers and lamb chops. The ovens used were all part of ranges.

The magazine is currently testing tabletop convection ovens for a similar report. Another bad habit many of us tend to forget is food waste. A lot of what we throw out thoughtlessly could be used instead to save money and also make meals taste better. For instance, ends of loaves or bread crusts can be used to make melba toast, croutons, dried bread crumbs or coating mixes either in a gas oven with only the heat of the pilot light or in an unheated oven. The latter takes a little longer but works just as well.

Shopping habits are an important factor; so is unit pricing. If your community lacks a unit pricing law, a pocket calculator can pay for itself in the money you save by quickly determining which of two or mo.re products represents the better value. To determine the cost per pound or per (Juart, simply divide a product's price by the number of ounces, then multiply by either 16 or Chicken Makes Thrifty Osso Buco MACARONI meal gets zip from tangy dressing and sweet gherkins. Macaroni Salad Is A Meal By AILEEN CLAIRE NEA Food Editor Pasta dishes are economical, But most people who eat them regularly do so because they love them. What's a family gathering or picnic without macaroni salad, for example? Add zip to the salad with a dressing that includes the sweet-pickle liquid.

PICKLE-PLUS MACARONI MEAL tablespoons salt 4-5 quarts boiling water 12 ounces (about 5 cups) macaroni shells 4 hard-cooked eggs Vj pound cooked, peeled and cleaned shrimp 2 (7 ounce) cans tuna, drained cup chopped onion cups diced cooked carrots (10 ounce) package frozen green peas, cooked cups chopped sweet gherkins Salad dressing Salt and pepper Crisp romaine leaves 2 tomatoes, cut in small wedges Add I 1 tablespoons salt to rapidly boiling water. Gradually add macaroni shells so that water continues to boil. Cook, uncovered, until tender, stirring occasionally. Drain, rinse and drain again. In large bowl, combine 3 hard-cooked eggs ichopped), cooled macaroni shells, shrimp, tuna, onion, carrots, peas, chopped gherkins and salad dressing.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill several hours. At serving time, lightly toss salad. Turn into chilled salad bowl lined with romaine leaves. Garnish with tomato, sweet gherkin slices and remaining egg, cut in slices.

Makes 6 to 8 servings. Salad dressing Beat cup salad oil, cup sweet pickle liquid, cup vinegar and '4 cup prepared spicy brown mustard. By AILEEN CLAIRE NEA Food Editor Osso buco, a dish made with the shin of veal, is a popular Italian specialty that was perfected in Milan. Veal tends to be expensive and the shin is available only upon request in some areas. So, this Americanized osso buco uses chicken thighs prepared in the classic brown sauce.

Usually Italians top their osso buco with gremolata. You can make gremolata with a handful of chopped parsley, a chopped clove of garlic and the grated peel of 2 lemon. Mix well and sprinkle over chicken before serving. Alongside their osso buco, Italians often serve risotto alia Milanese rice cooked in white wine and chicken stock and then mixed with butter and Parmesan cheese. CHICKEN OSSO BUCO 1 recipe Brown Sauce Base 12 chicken thighs Vt cup flour 1 teaspoon salt 'A cup butter or margarine 1 cup chopped onion 1 clove garlic, minced 1 cup sliced carrots Vi cup chopped celery 1 (8 ounce) can whole tomatoes, undrained 1 teaspoon dried leaf basil 1 teaspoon dried leaf thyme Gremolata Make Brown Sauce Base- Rinse and dry chicken.

Combine flour and salt in small bowl. Dip chicken in flour mixture. In large skillet, melt butter over medhirn heat- Brown chicken well on both sides. Remove chicken. Saute onion and garlic until tender.

Return chicken to skillet. Add carrots, celery, tomatoes, basil, thyme and Brown Sauce Base. Cover and simmer 45 minutes. If desired, serve with additional sauce. This kitchen-tested recipe makes 4 servings.

Brown Sauce Base 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons Hour 1 cup canned beef broth or 1 beel bouillon cube dissolved in 1 cup water Vt teaspoon Tabasco pepper sauce In saucepan, melt butter and cook until golden brown. Blend in flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until dark brown. Stir in broth Add pepper sauce. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens and boils. This kitchen- tested recipe makes about 1 409-415 E.

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409 E. Broadway Entrance FLOWER BAKE SALE By Logansport Garden Club Saturday Bake Sale 9 a.m. By Church of the Brethren WINTER COATS OFF New Wool Coats Rule Quality Junior Missy Sizes 3 Days Only, Fri. Sat. SECOND FLOOR CHILDREN'S WEAR GIRLS'WEAR WINTER COATS For Boys Girls Off Bargain Tables 2- 3- 4- 5- 6 Infant to Girls'Size 14 and Boys'size 7.

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