Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 10, 1993 TAG: 9302100033
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Toni Burks
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
THERE'S ALMOST NO EXCUSE FOR NOT EATING DRIED FRUITS
Dried fruits old-fashioned? No way. One of the first convenience foods, they're still a great idea for snacks and recipes. Dried fruits need no peeling, no preserving, there's nothing left to throw away, and they're easy to carry.
Storage:
The concentrated sugars in dried fruits serve as natural preservatives, making storage simple. Unopened packages will keep for 6 to 8 months in a cool, dry place or in the refrigerator. During hot weather or in hot, humid areas, dried fruits always should be refrigerated.
Store partly-used packages tightly covered.
Cooking dried fruits:
To cook, rinse fruits and cover with water 1 inch above fruits. Bring to boiling. Cover and simmer as directed below. If desired, add sugar during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
- Apples or peaches: Cook 20 to 30 minutes; add 3 to 4 tablespoons sugar per cup of uncooked fruit.
- Apricots: Cook 15 to 20 minutes; add 3 to 4 tablespoons sugar per cup of uncooked fruit.
- Figs: Cook 35 to 40 minutes; add 1 tablespoon sugar per cup of uncooked fruit.
- Mixed fruits or pears: Cook 20 to 25 minutes; add 2 to 3 tablespoons sugar per cup of uncooked mixed fruit, 3 to 4 tablespoons for pears.
- Prunes: Cook 10 to 15 minutes; add 2 tablespoons sugar per cup of uncooked fruit.
- Raisins need no cooking, but if they've become dry because of improper storage or a recipe calls for plumped raisins, place them in a saucepan and cover with water about 1 inch above raisins. Bring to boiling; remove from heat. Cover and let stand about 5 minutes; drain.
Nutrition:
Dietitians recommend we eat 20 to 30 grams of fiber per day. Five uncooked dried figs contain nearly 12 grams; 1/2 cup uncooked dried apricots almost 8 grams; and 5 uncooked prunes about 8 grams. Dried fruits are not low calorie, but all the calories are from carbohydrates. Dried fruits contain no fat or cholesterol.
New dried fruits:
Dried cherries, blueberries, cranberries and papaya are now available in the produce department of some supermarkets, in specialty food shops and from mail-order sources. Use the fruits in snack mixes and baking. - Associated Press
\ QUICK AND SWEET Like baked apples? Try this speedy four-ingredient version that cooks in 10 minutes in a saucepan.
Top-of-the-stove baked apples\ 1 6-oz. can unsweetened pineapple juice
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
4 small cooking apples
4 pitted dates
In medium saucepan combine pineapple juice and cinnamon. Remove core and a strip of peel from the top of each apple. Place apples in juice mixture in saucepan. Stuff center of each apple with a pitted date. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes or until apples are tender when tested with a fork. To serve, spoon apples and juice into dessert dishes. Makes 4 servings. - Associated Press
\ SIGNS OF THE TIMES According to 1992 field reports from Domino's 50,000 pizza-delivery drivers nationwide:
Phony pizza orders went up 15 percent when "The Simpsons" was on TV.
Deliveries to anyone claiming to be Elvis went down 15 percent.
For the first time since Domino's started keeping track three years ago, more men answered the door in boxer shorts than in jockey-style underwear.
In another new development, drivers started making deliveries to car-phone owners who were stuck in traffic jams. Foreign cars - especially Mercedeses, Hondas and Nissans - were most frequently served. - Knight-Ridder/Tribune
\ HELP!!! DEAR SOS: Someone accidentally threw out my recipe for sticky bones, a great, simple recipe for beef ribs. Do you have the recipe? - ANNE
DEAR ANNE: You've struck the right chord. Here's the recipe.
Sticky bones 1 cup vinegar
1/2 cup honey
2 Tbsps. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
4 lbs. beef ribs
In a saucepan, combine vinegar, honey, Worcestershire, ketchup, salt, mustard, paprika, pepper and garlic. Cover. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Place ribs in single layer in baking pan. Cover with the hot sauce and let stand 1 hour. Drain marinade and reserve. Bake ribs at in 325-degree oven for 1 hour, turning and basting often with marinade. Makes 6 servings. - Los Angeles Times
\ WHAT A PRO! When the inimitable Julia Child felt her new false teeth slipping while addressing the National Press Club Jan. 27, she handled it with characteristic aplomb: She stopped, adjusted the mischievous molars, then told guests, "I'm having tooth trouble. I have some new ones, and they haven't quite been put in."
When the teeth continued to trouble her, she asked, "Is there a dentist in the house?" Then she did the only thing she could: Kept a stiff upper lip and kept talking. - The Washington Post
\ MICROWAVE IT You can't top this cake, because it tops itself. It's an upside-down cake crowned with golden caramel, pineapple and raisins. You pour the batter over the topping, cook in the microwave oven and invert.
Pineapple-raisin upside down cake\ 1 8-oz. can juice-pack pineapple slices
2 Tbsps. butter or margarine
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tbsps. raisins
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsps. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup shortening
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
Drain pineapple, reserving liquid. Cut pineapple slices in half. In microwave-safe 8x1 1/2-in. round baking dish cook butter or margarine, uncovered, on high (100 percent power) for 40 to 50 seconds or melted. Stir in brown sugar and 1 Tbsp. of the reserved pineapple liquid. Add water to remaining liquid, if necessary, to measure cup; set aside. Arrange pineapple in the dish. Sprinkle with raisins.
In a small mixing bowl stir together flour, baking powder and salt. In a mixer bowl beat shortening with electric mixer on high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and vanilla. Beat until fluffy. Add eggs. Beat until combined. Add flour mixture and juice mixture alternately to egg mixture. Beat until combined. Spread over pineapple mixture.
Cook, uncovered, on medium (50 percent power) for 16 minutes (in low-wattage ovens, cook on high for 10 to 12 minutes), giving the dish a quarter-turn every 4 minutes. If not done, cook on high for 30 seconds to 2 minutes more. Let stand in the dish on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Loosen edge. Invert cake onto a serving platter. Remove dish. Serve warm.
- Associated Press
\ BET YOU CAN'T EAT JUST ONE There are 25 calories in one Hershey's milk chocolate kiss.