May 2004 “Cooking Tips” Winner —
Valerie Muller

Baking powder has an expiration date on the box. If the date has passed, you may still be able to use it for baking. To test if the baking powder is still good, pour ¼ cup of very hot tap water over ½ teaspoon baking powder in a cup. The fresher the baking powder, the more actively the mixture will bubble. If the reaction is weak or does not occur, your baking powder will not properly raise whatever you are planning to bake.

Valerie Muller

Prize:

• Cooking tips:
  Pasta Sauce Blends
  Pasta Partners

May 2004 “Cooking Disasters” Winner —
Michelle Henriquez

Alcohol was never allowed in my home. I had one grandfather who was a minister and another who I never met because he was an alcoholic who abandoned his family.
I have been married for 20 years, and although I don't drink, I cook like a gourmet and will use alcohol for certain recipes. I am known for my chicken soup and I use wine in it.
Last month, I was preparing chicken breasts with leeks in a wine sauce. My corkscrew had disappeared. So, I tried to improvise by using a screwdriver. First I chipped the top of the bottle; luckily no glass got inside. Then I couldn't get the cork to go up, so I tried to push the screwdriver further down. The cork went down and I was splashed all over the head and my blouse with the wine. One of my kids came into the kitchen and asked about the smell. I decided to pour a little wine into the dish before I showered. First the cork didn't allow any wine to come out. Then it moved and a whole bunch poured into the dish.
I was teased about being a wino by my husband. And just a few minutes before this happened I had seen a police patrol car summoned to my street. I am sure glad that they didn't come to my house.

Michelle Henriquez

Prize:

• Cooking Disasters:
  Sicilian Selection
  Pasta Partners

Previous Winners

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