—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, November 5,1977 50 This season prepare energy-saving holiday meals Mrs. Nancy Wenrich By JOANNE SPAHR Editor’s Note: On November 1 and 2 over 800 women from Lebanon County attended a Homemakers Christman program held by the Lebanon County Extension Service. That day-long program was divided into several areas which will be published in Lancaster Farming during the up coming three weeks. LEBANON—Remember last Winter’s energy crunch? Remeber the 68 degree F. homes and the push to conserve energy? If you want to prepare early so that you are ready this Winter if and when the crunch hits again, than Mrs. Nancy Wenrich, director of home economics at Metropolitan- Edison Company in Lebanon, has some pomters for you. Mrs. Wennch spoke to the recent Lebanon County Extension Homemakers Christmas program elaborating on the topic, “Energy Saving Holiday Meals.” According to information prepared by Met-Ed, most customers use more elec tricity between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. and much less after 8 p.m. Therefore, as much cooking as possible should be done after 8 p.m. But, everyone has to cook during the daytime hours, so Met-Ed offered some energy-saver tips for the daytime rush. First of all, homemakers should use portable ap pliances whenever they can. Items such as toasters, frypans, slow cookers, coffee makers, microwave ovens, etc., use less energy than the same jobs done on the stove or range. Second, entire meals should be cooked in the oven or broiler as much as possible to get the most use out of each one. A homemaker can also double or triple recipes and freeze the surplus for later use. Baking two cakes at once uses less energy than baking each separately. As was said before, each cook should wait, whenever possible, until after 8 p.m. When using frozen foods, roasts, poultry, and casseroles should be thawed before cooking to reduce the oven time. For best results, these foods should be thawed in the refrigerator. In oven cooking, there are four hints which can reduce the use of energy. First of all, the oven racks should be arranged properly before preheating the unit. This preheating should only be done, however, for baking. It is not necessary for broiling, roasting, or for casseroles. And, instead of peeking into the oven to check if the food is done, a tuner should be used to avoid the escape of heat. Also, to take every ad vantage of the heat your range produces, the pans should be placed on the surface units before the heat is turned on. Since retamed heat can complete the cooking bf foods, the last few minutes of surface cooking should be done with the heat turned off. For energy-saving hohday cooking, Mrs. Wenrich suggesting making “Beef Mushroom Loaf.” The oven can be used to make a complete meal with this recipe if baked potatoes, a green frozen vegetable, and baked apples are also cooked at the same time. The recipe is: BEEF MUSHROOM LOAF 2 pounds ground beef 3/4 cup milk 1-1/2 cups soft bread crumbs (about 3 slices) 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper 1 package (1-1/2 oz.) dehydrated onion soup 1 can (4 oz.) chopped mushrooms, undrained 1/4 cup catsup 2 eggs, beaten Pour milk over bread crumbs. Add ground beef, salt, pepper, soup, mushrooms with the liquid, catsup, and eggs. Mix thoroughly; shape into two loaves. Bake one now at 325 degrees F. for 50 to 60 minutes. Freeze one for later use. One loaf serves four. Two electric skillet recipes, which are really energy savers due to the use of the small appliance are “Country Sweet ‘N Sour Cabbage” and “Sweet-And- Sour Meatballs.” An electric skillet is thermostatically controlled, which helps to save electricity. The wat tage used by such an ap pliance is quite a bit lower than by surfact units. For instance, Mrs. Wenrich estimates that an electric skillet uses anywhere from 1200 to 1500 watts, while a surfact unit on a range uses about 2600 watts. The skillet recipes: COUNTRY SWEETO SOUR CABBAGE butter 2 tablespoons margarine In the case of the date -2 apples, peeled and chopped pecan cupcakes, icing is not 1 small onion, chopped needed, and they can be 1/2 medium cabbage, made ahead and frozen. shredded (approx, four When making the recipe, cups) 1-1/3 cups of boiling water is 1/4 cup water called for. Mrs. Wenrich 1/4 cup brown sugar, firmiy sugg e sts heating only as Packed much water as needed for 3 tablespoons wine vinegar the recipe, as well as using a 1/4 teaspoon salt tea kettle or covered 1/8 teaspoon pepper saucepan. Set electric skillet at 260 “I find it amazing the degree F. Melt butter; add number of people who heat a apples and onions. Saute full kettle of water when they until omons are soft. Add only need a small amount,” cabbage, water, sugar, s h e said. “You should also vinegar, salt and pepper, use a covered utensil and not Place lid on pan. Bring to an open pot to heat the water boil. Reduce heat to sun- 0 n the range. Boiling water mer and cook for ap- man open saucepan is not an proxunately 15 minutes or efficient use of energy. The until cabbage is tender crisp. Serves four. SWEET-AND-SOUR MEATBALLS 1 cup granola (any flavor) slightly crushed legg 1/4 cup milk 1/3 cup finely chopped onion 1-1/2 teaspoons salt 1-1/2 lbs. ground beef 1 tablespoon shortening 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1/2 cup brown sugar (packed) 1 can (13 1/4 oz.) pineapple tidbits, drained (reserve syrup) 1/3 cup vinegar 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1/3 cup chopped green pepper Mix granola, egg, milk, onion, and salt in large bowl. Stir in ground beef thoroughly. Shape mixture by rounded tablespoonfuls mto 30 balls. Heat shortening in electric skillet until melted. Cook meatballs at 340 degrees F. until done, about 15 minutes. Remove meatballs; keep warm. Pour fat from skillet. Mix corn starch and sugar. Stir in reserved pineapple syrup, the vinegar and soy sauce until smooth; pour into skillet. Cook over medium heat, about 260 degrees F. stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils; boil and stir one minute. Add meatballs, pineapple and green pepper; heat until mixture is hot. Serves six. (Note: don’t hold the tem perature to 340 degrees F. if meatballs are cooking too fast.) Another tip for energy saving when creating holiday foods, is “Smaller does it,” according to Mrs. Wenrich. This means making cupcakes instead of cakes, muffins instead of bread, and so forth. These smaller portions take less tune, therefore, less energy when baking. The two recipes Mrs. Wenrich shared with the Lebanon homemakers to utilize this tip were “Six Weeks Bran Muffins,” and “Date-Pecan Cupcakes.” The bran muffins make a huge quantity-about two dozen-and the dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to six weeks. “I made a batch and then stored the rest of the batter for four weeks,” explained Mrs. Wenrich. “And, I assure you, the muffins I made after four weeks were just as delicious as the first batch.” recipes for the “Smaller Does It” tip are as follows: DATE-PECAN CUPCAKES 1 8 oz. pkg. (1-1/3 cups) pitted whole dates, cut up 1-1/3 cups boiling water 1-1/3 cups sugar 3/4 cup shortening 2 eggs 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup chopped pecans Combine dates with water; cool to room tem perature. Cream sugar and shortening till light. Add eggs; beat smooth. Stir together flour, baking soda, and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with date mixture, mixing just to combine. Stir m chopped nuts. Fill muffin pans, lined with paper bake cups, half full. Bake in 375 degree F. oven for 18 to 20 minutes. Cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. To freeze, place in plastic freezer bags. Seal, label, and freeze cupcakes. Makes 2-1/2 dozen cupcakes. XXX SIX WEEKS BRAN MUFFINS 5 cups flour 3 cups sugar 5 teaspoons baking soda 2 teaspoons salt 4 eggs beaten 1 cup oil 1 quart buttermilk 15 oz. raisin bran cereal In large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, beat eggs. Add oil and buttermilk; blend together. Add all at once to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Stir in raisin bran. Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 400 degrees F. for 15 to 20 minutes. Store remaining batter in refrigerator for up to six weeks. Microwave ovens are also great energy savers. And one dish that does extremely well in a microwave is a casserole. Usually, it only takes only eight to ten minutes to cook a casserole. The ingredients should be stirred halfway through cooking their times. Two great casseroles for left-over holiday meats are “Gourmet Cheese and Ham Casserole” and “Crunchy Chicken Casserole”. Their recipes follow. GOURMET CHEESE AND HAM CASSEROLE 1/2 cup celery, sliced 1/4 cup green pepper, chopped 1/2 cup boiling water 1 cup milk 1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated 2 cups cooked ham, diced 1/2 lb. pkg. medium noodles, cooked, drained Cook celery and green pepper in boiling water for five minutes. Drain. Gradually add milk to cream cheese, blending until smooth. Place over low heat and stir until heated. Add seasonings, half of cheese, ham, celery and green pepper; mix well. Pour (Continued on Page 52) ADAMS CO. O.C. RICE, INC Biglervifle, PA 717 677 8135 ROY H BUCK, (NC Ephrala, RD2 717-859 2441 YINGLING’S IMPLEMENT A B U C G S° FF ’' NC RDI Gettysburg, PA 4191 717 359 4848 717 354 4191 BERKS CO NH FLICKERS SONS INC MAXATAWNY Ph 215 683 7252 STANLEY A KLOPP INC Bernville Ph 215 488 1500 LONGENECRER FARM SUPPLY Rheems 717 367 3590 MILLER EQUIPMENT Bechtelsville Ph 215 845-2911 SHARTLESVILLE FARM SERVICE RDI, Hamburg, Pa 215 488-1025 H Daniel Wenger, Prop C i. WONSIDLER BROS ZIMMERMAN’S FARM SERVICE Jcl - Rl - 309 and 100 Bethel Pleasant Corners, Pa Ph 717 933 4114 215-767-7611 BRADFORD CO CARLL PIERCE RD2 Columbia Cross Roads, PA 717 297 3513 WYNNE S GARAGE Canton, PA 717 673 8456 BUCKS CD. CJ.WONSIDLER BROTHERS Trumbauersville Road Quakertown, PA 18951 215-536 1935 PAUL HISTAND CO.. INC. 397 North Mam Street Doylestown, PA 215-348 9041 CECIL CO. AG INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT CO. Rising Sun, Md 301 658 5568 CHESTER CO. CHAS.i. McCOMSEY & SONS Hickory Hill, PA 215-932 2615 STOLTZFUS FARM SERVICE Cochranville, PA 215-593 5280 MS YEARSLEY & SONS West Chester 215-696 2990 COLUMBIA CO. ORANGEVILLE FARM EQUIPMENT Orangeville, PA 717-683 5311 WILLIAM F. WELLiVER Jerseytown, Pa. 717-437-2430 ' CUMBERLAND CO. ERNEST SHOVER FARM EQUIPMENT 19 West South St., Carlisle, PA 717-249-2239 DAUPHIN CO SWEIGARD BROS. RD3, Halifax, PA Ph 717-896-3414 FRANKLIN CO. CHAMBERSBURG FARM SERVICE, 975 S. Main St., Chambersburg, PA 717-264-3533 MEYERS IMPLEMENTS, INC Greencastie, PA 717-597-2176 LEBANON CO. A.C.HEISEY FARM EQUIP!. INC. RDI, Jonestown 717 865-4526 UMBERGERSMILL RO4, Lebanon | Fontana] 717-867-5161 LOOK FOR LANCASTER CO A L HERR & BRO Quarryville 717 786 3521 LANDIS BROS. INC. Lancaster 717 393-3906 N.G. HERSHEY & SON Manheim 717-665 2271 ■LEHMSQ, LYCOMING CO RICE FARM SUPPLY, INC. Jersey Shore, Pa 717 398 1391 MONTGOMERY CO WENTZ FARM SUPPLIES Route 29 Palm, PA 215 679-7164 NORTHAMPTON CO GEORGE V SEIPLE & SON Easton, PA 215 258 7146 NORTHUMBERLAND Gfl MECKLEY’S LIMESTONE PRODUCTS, INC. Herndon, Pa 717 758-3915 SCHUYLKILL CO LL ECKROTH FARM EQUIP., INI New Ringgold 717-943 2367 STANLEY’S FARM SERVICE RD, Klingerstown 717 648 2088 SNYDER CO. ROYER’S FARM SERVICE RDI, Winfield New Berlin - Middleburg Hwy 717 837-3201 TlOjfc£fl. CANYON IMPLEMENT, INC Mansfield, Pa 71 724 2731 WAYNE CO MARSHALL MACHINERY Honesdale, PA 717-729 7117 WYOMING CO ACE-JURISTA, INC. Tunkhannock, Pa 717 836 2610 rCiKT.ui AIRVILLE FARM SERVICE Airville, PA 717 862 3358 ANDERSON BROTHERS New Park, PA 717-382-4272 GEORGE N. GROSS, INC. RD2, Dover, Pa 717 292-1673 CARROLL CO.. MD WERTZ GARAGE, INC. 4132 E. Main St. Linboro, Md. 301-374 2672 HARFORD CO., MD. ROBINSON BROTHERS Cardiff, Md. Ph 717-456-5215 WALTER G. COALE, INC. Churchville, MD 2102 S 301-734-7722
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