The Shadow
Dear Heloise: What are the differences among vegetable oil, canola oil, corn oil and olive oil? How should EACH OF THESE OILS be used, and can they be substituted for each other in recipes? — Debbie, via email
Good question, and it can be confusing! The main difference is what each is made from. All are “vegetable” oils, except for the olive oil.
Vegetable oil is made from soybeans. It is good for all-purpose cooking and baking because of its light taste.
Canola oil is made from canola seed and also has a light taste, which makes it good for all types of cooking. It is a healthy choice for using in dressings and marinades.
Corn oil is made from corn. It is good for deep frying and rich in flavor.
Olive oil is made from olives, which are actually a FRUIT from the olive tree. It has a fruity, full-bodied flavor, but every olive will create different-flavored oil depending on the olive used and where it was harvested.
In baking, oils can be a substitute for melted butter, margarine or shortening in recipes. You can substitute and experiment with the oils in all of your cooking. Let your taste be the guide for how you use them. — Heloise
SEND A GREAT HINT TO:
Heloise
P.O. Box 795000
San Antonio, TX 78279-5000
Fax: 210-HELOISE
Email: Heloise(at)Heloise.com
GINGER HINT
Dear Heloise: I use fresh ginger in brewing tea and cooking. However, I have found that as a root it deteriorates quickly, even in the refrigerator. So, I peel and grate all of the ginger at once, measure it in half teaspoons onto a plate, freeze it, put the frozen lumps into a plastic zip bag and store them in the freezer. The ginger is ready to brew or cook with the next time I need it. — Jamie D. in Houston
I love ginger, too! Freezing ginger does work well, and it can be stored for up to six months this way. Refrigerator storage requires wrapping the leftover, unpeeled ginger tightly in paper towels and then placing in a sealable plastic bag. The ginger will store for up to three weeks this way. — Heloise
SUGAR CONVERSION
Dear Heloise: I would like to know how many cups there are in 1/2 pound of powdered sugar. I have recipes that call for a pound or 1/2 pound of sugar and don’t know what that equates to in cups. Thank you. — Allie, via email
The answer, Allie, is 1 and 7/8 cups. Just a reminder: Powdered sugar (also known as confectioners’ sugar) should be sifted before placing it into your measuring cup and then leveled off with some type of flat surface. — Heloise
HANDY TWO-TINED FORK
Dear Heloise: My all-time favorite Heloise hint was to use a large, two-tined fork when breaking apart ground meat in a skillet. Since my skillet of choice is a large, two-generations-old, cast-iron skillet, I still use this technique. — Barbara Evans, Ventura, Calif.
(c)2012 by King Features Syndicate Inc.
