In this issue
	Weekly Special Using Bread Machine Mixes in Your Oven Drizzle a Little Chocolate Aren't We Lucky Food and Safety Tips

Using Bread Machine Mixes in Your Oven

You don't have to own a bread machine to enjoy the variety of bread machine mixes. And you don't have to make blocky, square loaves with holes in the bottom. You can make wonderful rolls, traditional sandwich loaves, and artisan loaves with or without the aid of a bread machine. In this article, we will tell you how to convert any bread machine mix into great breads by hand, with your stand-type mixer, or with your bread machine. See the rest... »

Drizzle a Little Chocolate

It's really easy to drizzle a little chocolate (or frosting) on your cookies, cakes, or pastries. Here's how: Place ½ cup chocolate chips in a small heavy-duty plastic bag. Microwave the bag and chips for 40 seconds on high heat. Knead the chips to mix the melted chips through those that are not melted. Microwave again for 10 to 15 seconds or until the chips are completely melted. Cut a tiny corner from the plastic bag and squeeze a narrow stream of chocolate through the cut corner. You'll quickly get the knack and be able to create decorative patterns of your choice. You can use the same technique with frosting. The cookies shown are Buttery Shortbread Cookies drizzled with chocolate. Click here to see these cookies »

Aren't We Lucky

For most of history, any baking that was to be done was done around a fireplace-crude at best. As little as two generations ago, our forbearers were baking with brick or cast ovens, complete with draughts and dampers. Stoking the fire, letting the fire burn down, getting the temperature just right (by guessing and experience), and baking the week's goods was an all day operation. A successful baker had to be half engineer. It wasn't until the 1920's that practical ranges with thermostats appeared on the scene. In the 1930's, the new ranges became standard in kitchens. Only then, could a housewife turn a knob to get the temperature that she wanted and bake that cake or pie right way. Most of the development in techniques and recipes that we take for granted has evolved since then.

Food and Safety Tips

Supercharge that Oatmeal-Again Last week we suggested that you forgo those little packets of oatmeal found in the grocery store for the healthier, more exciting alternatives you can mix yourself. There is an endless variety of fruit and nuts that you can add to your oatmeal and you can still zap a bowl of covered oatmeal (and water) in your microwave. If you live near a health food store, you can find some other grains to add to your oatmeal to provide variety and additional nutritional content. Try adding rolled wheat or rolled barley to your rolled oats. Three cups of rolled oats to one cup of rolled wheat is about right. We often supercharge that mixture with a couple spoons of flaxseed. (Flaxseed is very good for you but goes rancid quickly so don't buy more than you need and store it in the refrigerator.) Carbon Monoxide Poisoning and your Car We know this doesn't have anything to do with baking but we wanted to share these important safety tips regarding carbon monoxide poisoning. Every year hundreds of people die from carbon monoxide poisoning. More die in the winter and most of them can be prevented with three simple precautions. First, never idle a car in a closed space such as your garage. The colorless, odorless carbon monoxide from the running engine can drift back into the house and quickly kill occupants. We recently read of a family that was overcome because of a car idling in the garage-and some of those family members were on the second floor of the home. If you leave a car idling in the carport (which probably isn't a good idea), make sure the doors into the house are closed. See the whole thing... »