Cooking Hints and Tips   

Picnic

Fill plastic soda bottles with water to about 2 inches from the top and freeze until water is solid. Then put them in your picnic cooler instead of ice cubes. Food will keep cold without getting soggy, and as the ice thaws you will have ice water to drink. Keep sandwiches from becoming soggy by packing lettuce and condiments in separate containers. Add them to sandwiches just before serving. Avoid soggy tossed salads by packing salad dressings in separate containers with tight-fitting lids. Place salad ingredients in big plastic bags or bowls. Toss just before eating. When going on a picnic, if you'll be picnicking somewhere with fresh running water, pack powdered drink mix and bring a pitcher. That way, you can have fresh cold beverages without carrying the weight. Keep hot foods hot. Wrap hot casseroles in heavy-duty foil with layers of newspaper around them. Tight packing prevents spills and insulates the food to keep it warm for 2 to 3 hours. Foods frozen in resealable plastic food storage bags can help keep the cooler cold in addition to ice packs. By the time you are ready to eat, the frozen food should be thawed and ready to use. Keep picnic foods out of the sun. Set out small batches of food at a time and, as a general rule, discard any foods which have been left in the sun for over an hour. Also, keep foods covered until ready to serve. Always keep the cooler in the shade. To minimize the number of times the cooler is opened, keep the drinks in one cooler and the meats and salads in another cooler. Then, label the coolers. And finally, never leave the cooler in the hot trunk of the car. Fill clean milk cartons or milk jugs with water and freeze until solid. Add them to the cooler to help keep the chilled picnic foods cold. When thawed, the cold water can be used as refreshing drinking water or for cleaning up everything from the kids to rinsing off the dishes. Be prepared for bees. Open a can of sugary soda, place it away from you, and watch the bees keep busy with it and not bother you. Also, bring baking soda along on your picnic to mix with water for a paste that will take the sting out of any bee or insect bites until you get home. Cover the picnic table with a cloth that can be quickly tossed in the washing machine when you get home. A plastic table cloth or colorful bed sheet works great! Moisten several washcloths the night before your picnic, place in a sandwich bag, seal and freeze. Add to your picnic basket or cooler right before you leave to help keep your foods cool and later on provide a refreshing way to clean up after the picnic is over. Pack your favorite salads in sealed plastic bags. The filled bags are easier to pack in the cooler, lighter to carry and virtually leakproof!

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