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Home Cooking/Questions Answered by Expert Jana Turner
| Subject | Date Asked |
| marmalade | 1/19/2012 |
| Q: I love to cook my own food. I use the Internet alot for that. My] husband is diabetic so I have to ... A: I have found that when using someone else's recipe it is always best to follow it to the letter. My ... | |
| baking soda or baking powder | 11/17/2011 |
| Q: I have a recipe that I haven't tried since I was a teen and I haven't baked in a while. What it is ... A: You need to use the Baking Powder. I am familiar with the type of biscuits you are making and ... | |
| Canning Garlic Sauce | 11/16/2011 |
| Q: I make this great garlic sauce that friends keep asking me for. I would love to be able to can it at ... A: First of all your sauce sounds wonderful, I have all these possibilities of pasta dishes and salads ... | |
| Beating Egg Whites Into Submission | 11/6/2011 |
| Q: I have a recipe for Meringue Cookies that I found online and have been dying to try...which I did ... A: Unfortunately you probably need to start over with the egg whites. Don't throw those whites out ... | |
| food processor | 10/29/2011 |
| Q: Making a cheesecake used a processor,small one maybe 2 or 3 cup one. Now I have 2cups pecans 2 cups ... A: I hope I'm not too late to help you with this as I was stuck at work! I recently had this problem ... | |
| golden superfine sugar | 10/28/2011 |
| Q: What is "Golden Supefine Sugar" exactly? Is it light brown sugar , or is it white sugar with a hint ... A: As I understand it, Golden super fine sugar is common in many British recipes. It is simply a finely ... | |
| Deep frying chicken | 10/14/2011 |
| Q: Does milk have to be used for deep frying? "southern" A: The answer is no. There are a lot of ways to make southern fried food without using milk. I ... | |
| help | 8/8/2011 |
| Q: Your server brings you a plate with a tough grayish brown piece of meat and limp colorless ... A: You didn't say what type of meat you was being served but generally meat that is gray and tough is ... | |
| Left over yolks | 7/18/2011 |
| Q: I'm following a very restrictive diet. Every day I eat 3 egg whites for breakfast and I don't know ... A: I did some research and it seems that yolks can be frozen but you must process them first by adding ... | |
| storage | 6/30/2011 |
| Q: I'd like to know, after cooking, how long it is safe to keep(refrigerated) grain foods, such as ... A: When refrigerating cooked grains and beans I use the 7 day rule. If there is meat,shell fish or egg ... | |
| Problem with cheese & milk mixing | 4/23/2011 |
| Q: I often make stove top macaroni and cheese without any problem. However, once in a while when I add ... A: As home style cooks we are all bound to have a failure once in awhile. You are making a sauce out of ... | |
| Food Coloring? | 4/18/2011 |
| Q: I was wondering if food coloring comes in only red, yellow, green, and blue? In particular I was ... A: Food coloring comes in pretty much only the basic colors red, blue, green and yellow. You can make ... | |
| cooking broccoli | 3/25/2011 |
| Q: Can you tell me if there is a way to cook broccoli without stinking up the entire house? Thanks A: The only way to cook Broccoli without the odor going through the whole house is when you are using ... | |
| PROBLEMS WITH POTATO CAKE RECIPE | 3/22/2011 |
| Q: This is a fairly easy recipe to make. Slice potatoes, coat them in butter and spices, layer them in ... A: I followed the link (thanks for that by the way!) and found it really seems like there are a lot of ... | |
| cooking beans (lentils) | 3/18/2011 |
| Q: I would like to eat more beans (lima, kidney, etc), but when I do I get a lot of gas and bloating. I ... A: I actually have to give credit to my mother on this one. Her trick was to presoak the beans and add ... | |
| Cooking oil | 3/4/2011 |
| Q: Hey, I would like to know the boiling point of different cooking oils, please give as many as you ... A: I looked at a lot of answers on the web and the following is my favorite. Please keep in mind that ... | |
| slow cooker | 12/19/2010 |
| Q: how do i season the water.when i use a crock pot?nothing seems to work.whats a good website for ... A: I usually season the water with a broth if I am cooking meat. You can find chicken and beef broth at ... | |
| Yule Log Recipe? | 12/1/2010 |
| Q: I love cooking, and for Christmas this year, I was thinking about baking a yule log completely from ... A: I did some research too and I think I found you a perfect recipe! Yule Log cakes or "Buche de Noel" ... | |
| Turkey Gravy | 11/14/2010 |
| Q: In trying to make Thanksgiving easier each year, this year I am buying a cooked turkey. My previous ... A: I personally don't like to make gravy the day before when using the cornstarch method. It tends to ... | |
| Dinners to Freeze for Later | 10/19/2010 |
| Q: I love your profile! You sound like such a cheerful mom who loves what she does! I like to cook ... A: you made my day! I realize how hard it is to please everyone and get a nutritious meal on the table ... | |
| Fall poultry recipe ideas | 10/16/2010 |
| Q: I'm making a fall dinner for 4 people. I decided to make acorn squash with brown sugar, but I just ... A: I was trying to think of something that would be easy and kind of elegant at the same time and the ... | |
| chicken stock | 9/27/2010 |
| Q: I have been saving the backs from the chicken when I have it cup up at the butcher. How long is it ... A: As a general rule chicken is good in the freezer up to 4 months. I use a vacuum sealer to avoid ... | |
| crockpot roast | 9/22/2010 |
| Q: how do i thicken the juice from my roast for gravy A: Good morning Tammy, There are several ways to make au jus into gravy, but the easiest is this: ... | |
| chinese no bake cookies | 9/1/2010 |
| Q: Jana, A million yrs ago I had a recipe for the above cookies that did NOT include butterscotch ... A: I think I found your recipe on a website that is so awesome I added it to my favorites list! I don't ... | |
| cabbage one pot dinner | 6/27/2010 |
| Q: i have a small head of cabbage, a package of ekrich smoked skinless sausage-fully cooked,a small to ... A: I agree with you on cooking the red potatoes first. Cut into small cubes and saute with a little ... | |
| substution | 3/26/2010 |
| Q: t do chocolate so i was thinking carob THanks Barb A: I have to tell you my favorite web site for low fat sweets is www.lowfatlifestyle.com. They have a ... | |
| Cooking gadget identification | 2/28/2010 |
| Q: Can you tell me what the attached item is? I've found a number of these at thrift shops... I think ... A: OK, I am going out on a limb here and please keep in mind that this is a guess and not even an ... | |
| sour cream | 2/6/2010 |
| Q: I OWN A RESTAURANT AND I HAVE 3 BIG TUBS OF SOUR CREAM AND I NEED QUICK SIMPLE RECIPES ON HOW TO USE ... A: Without knowing what type of restaurant you have I am going to say the easiest way would be to make ... | |
| cake flours | 1/27/2010 |
| Q: do you need self raising flour for cake all the time? A: I play it safe and follow the recipe as written. I figure that the person who wrote the recipe has ... | |
| Thin Cheesecake Topping | 12/24/2009 |
| Q: first of all, congratulations on raising 4 children. what an amzing feat, in and of itself. now, i ... A: JJ, The only thing I can think of would to be to cut out the triple sec all together. I thought it ... | |
| Thin Cheesecake Topping | 12/24/2009 |
| Q: first of all, congratulations on raising 4 children. what an amzing feat, in and of itself. now, i ... A: It's really hard to tell from here what is going wrong with a tried and true recipe, and I hate when ... | |
| homemade pizza | 12/17/2009 |
| Q: new to cooking: i am going to challenge myself by making homemade deep dish pizza. .i just bought a ... A: Yes the meats should be cooked before you put it on the pizza, especially if it is sausage, bacon, ... | |
| Homemade Stuffing | 12/16/2009 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could help answer a question that i can't really find surfing websites. Every ... A: I applaud your gumption to do an entire holiday meal from scratch. It's hard but not impossible. The ... | |
| can goods | 10/30/2009 |
| Q: how long after the expiration date is it still safe to use can goods? A: Most canned goods don't have an expiration date. Some do however have a "best by" date. This is just ... | |
| Best Crock Pot? | 10/7/2009 |
| Q: I don't know if you're allowed to endorse any one or two products, but it would be great if you ... A: I think the best I've used in 30 years of cooking is Rival. I have the large oval and it is ... | |
| cooking eggs | 9/24/2009 |
| Q: Is it possible to make scrambled eggs (or any other type of eggs) in a stainless steel skillet, or ... A: No, butter and margarine will taste very close when used to cook eggs. When using cooking spray ... | |
| Food storage | 9/3/2009 |
| Q: How should you store uncooked potatoes,refridgerater or pantry? A: I was always taught to store potatoes in a cool, dark, dry place. I think your fridge would have too ... | |
| flakey crust | 8/24/2009 |
| Q: Is it egg whites that you brush on pastries to make them flaky? A: What makes a crust flakey is having just right balance of moistness and using a good quality ... | |
| scallion pancake | 8/12/2009 |
| Q: This is regarding those green onion/scallion pancakes that you get at Chinese restaurants. I am new ... A: Recipes that call for yeast are going for a fluffier texture. You'll see the same thing in biscuit ... | |
| Canning Salsa | 8/3/2009 |
| Q: I am wanting to can some salsa with the tomatoes from my garden. My problem is that I'm getting a ... A: I am having the same problem with my tomatoes this year. I wanted to make salsa for a family party ... | |
| sloppy joes | 7/31/2009 |
| Q: i dunno how to cook at all i just got married so i have to start cooking, i wanna make sloppy joes i ... A: Sloppy Joes are so yummy! But seriously, I buy the canned mix and add browned hamburger, pour on ... | |
| Quiche refreeze | 7/25/2009 |
| Q: I made quiche a couple of days in advance for a birthday party. I froze the quiche and re-heated it ... A: I don't think it's a good idea to re-freeze. With this egg based dish the problem would be having ... | |
| Difficult Eater | 7/9/2009 |
| Q: Ok so I just started dating this guy and I've already run into a problem. He doesn't eat vegetables. ... A: First of all, if you are a practicing Vegan you know you'll have to cook separate meals, otherwise ... | |
| boil? | 6/29/2009 |
| Q: Ok, new to cooking. When you boil potatoes, pasta, or longasina ( this is a sweet filipino sausage ... A: I always get the water to boiling before I put the food in, especially with noodles or rice. It will ... | |
| molasses | 5/14/2009 |
| Q: I have a recipe that calls for 2 cups of molasses, but I only have one cup..can I substitute ... A: I would try to stick to the recipe. Molasses has a thickness and taste that would make it difficult ... | |
| pan sauces | 5/3/2009 |
| Q: I'm new to cooking and want to make pan sauces for steaks. I want to stop grillin steaks and try ... A: Sauces for steaks can be made of almost any of your favorite ingredients. You had many components to ... | |
| Oatmeal | 4/25/2009 |
| Q: When a breakfast menu calls for a 1/2 C. of oatmeal,is that dry measure or after it's cooked?Thanks! A: If you are referring to the actual menu which describes to the guests what they will be served, the ... | |
| Slow cooking (crock pot) | 4/10/2009 |
| Q: and thank you for your time. I recently bought a crock pot and I want to experiment with soups. I ... A: My suggestion would be to make sure the broth is very hot before you put raw chicken meatballs in ... | |
| Scalloped or escalloped corn? | 4/4/2009 |
| Q: Jana- My co-worker would like my recipe for the corn I make for Easter. As I was writing down the ... A: Most recipes for Escalloped vegetables and fruits are the same as the Scalloped versions except that ... | |
| Chicken Parmesan | 3/23/2009 |
| Q: I am serving chicken parmesan for a party of 10-12 people. I would like to make this dish a day ... A: I seriously can't think of a way to do this dish the day before and have it turn out right. I assume ... | |
| RiCotta ChEEsE | 3/10/2009 |
| Q: I love ricotta cheese in lasagna, manicotti, and even in calzones... i want to cook these things ... A: I too love Ricotta. It is lower in fat than cream cheese and lower in sodium too. I was surprised to ... | |
| Roast Beef and Potatoes | 3/9/2009 |
| Q: When I put potatoes around a roast beef, no matter what roaster or how much I pre heat the roaster, ... A: When I am roasting with potatoes I always put either water and a spice blend or canned beef broth in ... | |
| fried chicken | 3/7/2009 |
| Q: I am going to be frying alot of fried chicken for a birthday dinner. How can I keep the chicken ... A: I was raised by Southern cooks and fry a lot of chicken! You can keep chicken warm in the oven. I ... | |
| home baking | 1/28/2009 |
| Q: Can I use plain flour instead of self raising flour in a victoria sponge cake ? A: Actually the recipe that I have calls for all purpose flour. I always follow cake recipes to the ... | |
| apple crostata | 1/14/2009 |
| Q: I am preparing an apple crostata that is open. I would like to prepare this a few hours ahead of ... A: In all honesty I had to pull out the old recipe file on this one! From a food safety standpoint ... | |
| frying | 1/11/2009 |
| Q: Can you tell what I am doing wrong? When ever I make fried crab cakes or shrimp balls they fall ... A: It sounds like your seafood cake mix is a bit too dry. Try some different recipes from cooks you ... | |
| Marinara sauce | 1/7/2009 |
| Q: can you refreeze marinara sauce after it has been thawed one time? Thank you, Verda A: Yes, you can refreeze marinara after it's been thawed. If you are freezing something that has been ... | |
| freezing casseroles | 1/6/2009 |
| Q: Jana, when you prepare a big casserole & divide it into two pans, one for now & one to freeze, do ... A: If the casserole does not have pasta in it, I bake then freeze as leftovers, that way I can portion ... | |
| Lasagna | 12/23/2008 |
| Q: I have premade my lasagna for the holiday today and put it in the frig. Will be leaving for church ... A: I definitely don't recommend leaving a dish of that type on the counter for more than 30 minutes. ... | |
| wines for cooking | 12/2/2008 |
| Q: I am new to cooking. I am not a wine drinker so I have extremely limited knowledge when it comes to ... A: First of all welcome to the fun world of cooking! I'd like to suggest that you be adventurous in the ... | |
| turkey | 11/21/2008 |
| Q: I am cooking a 23lb. turkey (stuffed). I would like to know approximately how long it will take, at ... A: A stuffed turkey of that weight should take about 4.5 to 5.5 hours in a 325 degree oven. If you are ... | |
| Left over dough -- can I do anything with it? | 11/8/2008 |
| Q: I made some dough to make chicken and dumplings. It is flour, milk, pinch of salt, and some baking ... A: I would try to freeze it. Wrap it in plastic wrap with as little air inside as possible. It can be ... | |
| Ripening Fruit | 11/6/2008 |
| Q: I've heard that one can ripen underripe bananas by putting them in a brown paper bag for a period. ... A: Most fruits just need a little open air and natural light to be coaxed into ripeness. The thick ... | |
| food storage | 10/31/2008 |
| Q: I use cream cheese when making candy. What is the best way to soften cream cheese, room temperature ... A: Cream cheese will melt around the edges in the microwave, it is best to set it on the counter in a ... | |
| stuffed peppers with NO rice | 10/16/2008 |
| Q: Please help. My 92 year old Dad does not like rice, but loves stuffed peppers. I am looking for a ... A: You most definitely can use stuffing mix instead of rice, in fact that sounds really good! My ... | |
| homemade applesauce | 9/23/2008 |
| Q: I just recently made my first batch of homemade cinnamon applesauce. I put the apples in a pot with ... A: I think there are two things that may have happened to make your applesauce too thick. The first and ... | |
| lunch | 9/7/2008 |
| Q: I am having a small group for lunch. I plan on serving chicken salad sandwiches. Can you give me ... A: With luncheons dessert seems to be a sure way to go. If the weather is still pretty warm where you ... | |
| lunch | 9/5/2008 |
| Q: I am having a small group for lunch. I plan on serving chicken salad sandwiches. Can you give me ... A: If you are trying to keep it simple you might want to serve a fruit salad and veggie platter. All ... | |
| freezing home made spaghetti sauce | 9/1/2008 |
| Q: Is it possible to make spaghetti sauce and freeze it rather than canning it? ANSWER: Hi Ellen, I ... A: Marinara Sauce Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis Level is easy prep time 30 minutes cook time 1 ... | |
| freezing home made spaghetti sauce | 8/31/2008 |
| Q: Is it possible to make spaghetti sauce and freeze it rather than canning it? A: I freeze spaghetti sauce all the time. It's a family favorite so I cook a large batch, portion it ... | |
| Freezing Hash Browns | 8/29/2008 |
| Q: My Mother use to grate potatoes into hash browns and then put them in the freezer for later use. I ... A: When I am making hash browns ahead I like to cook the potatoes almost all the way done before ... | |
| tortillas | 7/23/2008 |
| Q: What on earth can I use all the cracked never used tortillas for that I have? A: Joan, Once the tortillas are cracked it means they are drying up and on the verge of being ... | |
| how to crystalize ginger | 7/22/2008 |
| Q: i wanted to make my own chocolate coated ginger chunks but i seem to be unable to find anyone who ... A: I love crystallized ginger but have never made it. I searched the web and actually found a very ... | |
| Deglazing... | 7/15/2008 |
| Q: I've noticed a strange trend. Whenever I sear porkchops, and then deglaze the pan subsequently to ... A: I can understand your curiosity. I think the best way to investigate this is to look around your ... | |
| Proper Marination | 7/12/2008 |
| Q: I'd like to marinate cucumbers, onions, plus jalapeno, green, banana, & red peppers in some vinegar ... A: Sorry this answer took so long. I had e-mail issues! Marinating veggies and peppers is fine and ... | |
| Tomato sauce | 6/19/2008 |
| Q: I am hosting a family birthday gathering in July. I am planning on serving meatballs in an italian ... A: The aluminum is reacting to the acids in the tomato based sauce. If the chafer is a nice polished ... | |
| frying | 6/14/2008 |
| Q: I want to make funnel cakes. But I can only do it tommorow. Can I just make the batter and fry it ... A: I hope I'm not answering too late to help you, I was at work when you emailed! I did some ... | |
| Heavy Cream | 6/13/2008 |
| Q: this recipe is calling for heavy cream to make soup. I read up alittle on heavy cream/aka for ... A: I too have been confused on the cream issue and recently did some research for a similar question. ... | |
| cupcakes | 5/16/2008 |
| Q: I am making cupcakes and frosting with cream cheese icing. Should I refrigerate if making them a ... A: Baking and frosting ahead of time is ok but you need proper storage containers. Your local discount ... | |
| Cooking Eggs | 5/2/2008 |
| Q: I was a cook in the military back during 72'thru 76' and cooked many orders of eggs on a big ... A: I too like to cook in stainless steel. It usually has a copper core that conducts neat more evenly ... | |
| creams | 4/4/2008 |
| Q: whats the difference between fresh cream and dairy cream A: I'm not sure what you mean by "dairy cream". There are a lot of terms for different cream types, but ... | |
| Using Cooking Water for Soup Base | 4/3/2008 |
| Q: What might be the pro and con on using nutritious loaded water used to cook (boil) fresh kale, as a ... A: If I understand you correctly, you are thinking of using vitamin enhanced water instead of tap water ... | |
| tomato sauce with paprika | 3/19/2008 |
| Q: I was following a recipe for tomato sauce (using fresh toms) and despite my apprehension , i ... A: If you can't find liquid molasses you can still make the sauce using brown sugar to sweeten it. Just ... | |
| freezing rolls | 3/18/2008 |
| Q: Is it possible to freeze home made cinnamon rolls after they are rolled and cut but before they ... A: It actually is fine to freeze the rolls for up to one month. When you are ready to bake them, take ... | |
| tomato sauce with paprika | 3/1/2008 |
| Q: I was following a recipe for tomato sauce (using fresh toms) and despite my apprehension , i ... A: It sounds like you can save the sauce, just turn it into something else! Defrost what you have, add ... | |
| amout of potatoes | 2/8/2008 |
| Q: how many potatoes to cook for mashed potatoes for a dinner for 20 people? A: My rule of thumb for mashers is about 1 1/2 average size potatoes per person. If the potatoes are ... | |
| Cooked Kidney Beans | 2/7/2008 |
| Q: I cooked some kidney beans last night and forgot to put them in the fridge. If I put them in the ... A: Good Morning, I checked the FDA site and it says there are no food warnings on plain red kidney ... | |
| Food Processor kitchen appliance | 1/21/2008 |
| Q: For some reason it's become almost impossible to find a right expert, and you may get questions ... A: I have been shopping around for a new processor myself and I too have a blender that is horrible ... | |
| recipes | 1/16/2008 |
| Q: I work a new job 12:00 am to 6:00am and I am looking for some fairly easy recipes for a family of 5. ... A: I am totally sympathetic to your position with the odd shift work. I have been there and with a ... | |
| Quiche | 1/4/2008 |
| Q: I am serving quiche for 24 at a bridal shower. Is it okay if I make the quiche a couple of days ... A: I don't recommend making Quiche that far in advance and re-heating for a couple of reasons, mainly ... | |
| Food Processor Alternatives | 12/22/2007 |
| Q: I'm making a cider glazed ham for Christmas the only problem is it calls for a food processor to ... A: I very rarely use recipes that I didn't write, but when I do I follow them to the letter. I always ... | |
| Prime Rib | 12/19/2007 |
| Q: When I have left over prime rib, is there any ways that I can reheat it to serve the next night ... A: The secret is to use the center and rarest of the roast last. So when you serve the first night use ... | |
| short term storage of freezer jam | 12/13/2007 |
| Q: My husband is a nursing home patient and I made strawberry freezer jam last summer to give to each ... A: I really don't think being at room temperature is going to hurt the jams, I personally have left jam ... | |
| I can't cook! | 12/5/2007 |
| Q: I can’t cook, but I would like to prepare a casual meal for a friend in my home. I am thinking of a ... A: An indoor picnic sounds fun. Why don't you serve a fruit and cheese tray, a salami and cracker tray ... | |
| Less Starchy or No Starch Substitution | 11/25/2007 |
| Q: I have high cholesterol and triglycerides and am on medication for them. I switched from potatoes to ... A: First off, if you want a good healthy sub for potatoes try brown rice. It still has starch but ... | |
| Making Hash Brown Potatoes | 10/28/2007 |
| Q: Every time I try to fry freshly chopped up hash brown potatoes from fresh poatoes in a little oil in ... A: I too love homemade hash browns. I have found through trial and lots of error that partially baking ... | |
| picky toddler | 10/25/2007 |
| Q: I have a 2 1/2 year old son who is one of the fussiest eaters I have ever seen. He will only eat ... A: I just did this one the other night, my grandson loved it and it is so easy. 1 ready to bake pizza ... | |
| picky toddler | 10/25/2007 |
| Q: I have a 2 1/2 year old son who is one of the fussiest eaters I have ever seen. He will only eat ... A: I feel for you, my daughter has the same problem with her son too. I think the best advice I can ... | |
| twice baked potatoes | 9/24/2007 |
| Q: I am preparing twice baked potatoes for a dinner for 12 but I have to travel 4 hours to my ... A: Sorry it took me so long to get back to you, work and all. I really thought a lot about this ... | |
| whole wheat pizza dough | 9/12/2007 |
| Q: What's a good recipe for whole wheat pizza dough? Or can you make your own? This is a neat site!! I ... A: I found a really great one. This recipe follows very basic bread making guidelines. If you are new ... | |
| Macaroni and Cheese | 9/11/2007 |
| Q: I use my mother's old recipe for Macaroni and cheese, my family loves it. We use 1-28 ounce can ... A: I'm not 100% sure why it would be grainy in texture but I do have an educated guess. It may be that ... | |
| country gravy | 8/10/2007 |
| Q: I want to make country gravy from scratch like my mom did when she made fried chicken. I know it was ... A: All creamy gravies start with a good rue. For those that don't know what rue is...a paste made from ... | |
Home Cooking
Answers by Expert:
Jana Turner
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
First of all, I LOVE to cook. I raised four kids and worked so quick and easy was very important. I can answer most any food/recipe question. Home style cooking is my favorite forum, but I also am knowledgable in sauces and some saute. Questions about food storage, food safety, quick and easy meals, cook ahead meals for freezing and hostess ideas are welcome here.
Experience
I have over 30 years in the food and hospitality industry. I am a certified serve-safe manager. I have entered a few recipe contests and won grand prize in one. I write recipes for fun and am working on a collection of favorites.
Education/Credentials
Serv-Safe Managers Series Certification
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