GLOSSARY OF COOKING ITEMS

BAKE: to cook in an oven preheated according to recipe.

BATTER: a mixture of liquid, flour and other ingredients that can
vary in consistency.

BEAT: to mix two or more ingredients together, usually in a circular
motion, until smooth.

BOIL: to cook a liquid in a saucepan usually on the stove until
bubbles rise and break the surface and steam usually rises from
surface.

BROIL: to cook under the top element in an oven.

BROWN: to fry, broil or bake food to deepen it's natural surface
color but not cooking it.

CHILL: to refrigerate until cold.

CHOP: to cut food into small pieces.

COMBINE: to mix two or more ingredients together.

CREAM: to make soft, smooth and creamy by beating.

CUT IN: to combine solid fat with dry ingredients using a fork,
pastry blender or knives until mixture is crumbly.

DICE: to cut food into small cube like pieces.

DOUBLING: to double a recipe - use twice the amount of all
ingredients to make twice the size of the recipe.

DRAIN: to strain away unwanted liquid.

DRIZZLE: to dribble drops of icing or chocolate over food in a random pattern.

DROP: to scoop dough with a spoon, making rounded or heaping piles.

FOLD: to gently mix ingredients by using a spatula and moving food
from center and lifting towards edge of bowl turning bowl as you go.

GARNISH: to decorate food with edible items like sliced fruit or herbs.

GREASE: to rub the inside of baking pans with butter, margarine or
baking sprays to prevent from sticking.

GREASE & FLOUR: After greasing your baking pan adding flour to
lightly coat the pan.

HALVING: to reduce the amount of all ingredients in a recipe to make
only half the recipe.

KNEAD: to work dough into a smooth texture by pressing and folding
with the heels of your hands.

LET STAND: to let baked goods cool down on a wire rack or hot pad
wile it's still baking.

MASH: to squash foods with a fork or potato masher.

MELT: to heat a solid food until it turns to liquid.

PREHEAT: to prepare oven to correct temperature prior to baking.

PROCESS: to mix or cut up in a food processor or blender.

ROLL OUT: to lightly roll dough with rolling pin to required
thickness as per recipe.

ROUNDED TSP/TBSP: to mound ingredients or dough slightly in a
teaspoon or tablespoon.

RUB IN: to mix fat with flour using fingers until mixture has the
texture of crumbs.

SCRAPE: to use a rubber spatula to remove as much of the mixture as
possible from a bowl or saucepan.

SHAPE: to use hands to roll or mould dough into balls, rolls or other forms.

SIMMER: to cook liquids over very low heat.

SIEVE: to remove lumps from flour or icing sugar by pushing through a sieve.

SLICE: to cut food into thin sections using a sharp knife.

TOAST: to brown lightly in a toaster or frying pan or under broiler.

TOSS: to mix salad ingredients lightly.

BANANA POWER

Bananas have been found to be beneficial for a number of medical complaints. In addition to lifting your mood, bananas have been found to help you overcome a number of illnesses and conditions.

Here is the current official list of bananas health benefits:

Brain Power: 200 students at a Middlesex school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break and lunch in a bid to boost their brainpower. Research has shown the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert

Hangovers: One of the quickest ways to cure a hangover is to make a banana milk shake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body; so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Smoking: The B6, B12,potassium and magnesium found in bananas help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress: A high-potassium snack, such as bananas, can help normalize the heartbeat, send oxygen to the brain and regulate your body's water balance.

Mosquito bites: Next time you are bit, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

PMS: Forget the pills -- eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anaemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anaemia.

Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Blood Pressure: Bananas are extremely high in potassium yet low in salt. So much so that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is allowing the banana industry to make official claims that bananas can reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke

Ulcers: The banana is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in chronic cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Strokes: According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40 percent.

So reach out for the Banana and whip it in your favourite fruit salad and other desserts.