Comparison of Cookware Materials for Baking

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cookie bottom

If last year’s holiday breads and cookies didn’t turn out exactly as you hoped, don’t blame it on your oven – at least not yet.

The type of cookware material you choose affects cooking results.

Consult this handy comparison of cookware materials from Whirlpool so you know what to expect when using different pans and sheets.

Light-colored aluminum:

Light golden crusts and even browning. Use temperature and time recommended in recipe. This durable and affordable baking sheet makes great chocolate chip cookies.

Dark aluminum and other bakeware with dark, dull and/or nonstick finish:

Brown, crisp crusts. May need to reduce baking temperatures 25°F (15°C). Use suggested baking time. For pies, breads and casseroles, use temperature recommended in recipe. Place rack in the center of the oven.

Insulated cookie sheets or baking pans:

Little or no bottom browning. Place in the bottom third of the oven. May need to increase baking time.

Stainless steel:

Light, golden crusts, uneven browning. May need to increase baking time.

Stoneware:

Crisp crusts. Follow manufacturer’s instructions.

Ovenproof glassware, ceramic glass or ceramic:

Brown, crisp crusts. May need to reduce baking temperatures 25°F (15°C).

Are Your Thanksgiving Leftovers Safe to Eat?

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leftover Thanksgiving sandwich

Because leftovers only remain safe to eat for four days, you’re going to want to eat up all your turkey, stuffing and gravy by Monday.

(The importance of Thanksgiving leftovers as immortalized in pop culture by the Friends Moistmaker episode)

To ensure your Thanksgiving leftovers are safe to eat, you should freeze them as soon as possible. If you throw the leftovers in freezer-safe bags or containers, they will be good to eat for another six months.

Food technically remains safe to eat forever if it’s frozen. It just loses flavor and moisture over time.

Reheating Leftovers

The USDA wrote these guidelines for safely reheating stored leftovers:

  • When reheating leftovers, be sure they reach 165° F. Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of the food. Reheat sauces, soups and gravies by bringing them to a rolling boil. Cover leftovers to reheat. This retains moisture and ensures that food will heat all the way through.
  • Thaw frozen leftovers safely in the refrigerator, cold water or the microwave oven. When thawing leftovers in a microwave, continue to heat it until it reaches 165 °F as measured with a food thermometer.
  • Any leftover “leftovers” thawed by the cold water method or in the microwave should be reheated to 165 °F before refreezing.
  • In a real hurry? It is safe to reheat frozen leftovers without thawing, either in a saucepan or microwave (in the case of a soup or stew) or in the oven or microwave (for example, casseroles and combination meals). Reheating will take longer than if the food is thawed first, but it is safe to do when time is short.

Make sure to occasionally stir foods when microwaving them, because foods won’t heat evenly (especially if you don’t have a turntable) and cold spots will develop in which bacteria hasn’t been properly killed.

Celebrate Plaid Friday with Warners’ Stellian

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2011_logoI’m not going to judge anyone for camping out to shed plasma for a flat screen TV today, but I’d like to think the holidays are about more than just “stuff.”

Remember when holiday shopping was leisurely and fun, and shops and gifts were unique and thoughtful? That’s the idea of Plaid Friday, a movement started on the West Coast to celebrate the diversity and creativity of independent businesses.

Plaid Friday is the fun and enjoyable alternative to the big box store “Black Friday,”and is designed to promote both local and independently owned businesses during the holidays.

Warners’ Stellian is participating in our own Plaid Friday-like program with other Twin Cities  independent retailers.

The Buy Local/Buy Smart Holiday Gift Guide is a selection of gift ideas from local, indie retailers. The money you spend with them recirculates an average of 3x more than the money you spend at absentee-owned national chains.

Plus, the shopping experience and products are usually much better.

Use your American Express card at a local, independent business on Small Business Saturday (Nov. 26) for a $25 statement credit.

As a local (family-owned!) business, Warners’ Stellian is proud to support our community, source our business needs from other local businesses and pay our employees who live and shop nearby.

What to Do If Your Stove Dies on Thanksgiving

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Many stoves choose to stop functioning right around the time you’ve finally finished thawing, brining, trussing and stuffing that huge bird on Thanksgiving morning.

Now your oven very well might be dead, but sometimes you just need to give it the ol’ Fonzie treatment.

Good as new

Oven Troubleshooting

Now, I’m not actually suggesting you punch your juke, er…range; but try shutting off your circuit or unplugging your appliance for 20 minutes. It’s always the first advice I give customers before we attempt service – and it’s worked before! Best case scenario, you’re back in business once you plug it back in or reset the circuit.

If you have a gas range and the cooktop is working but the oven isn’t, flip the regulator switch (which automatically cuts off the flow of gas at a certain pressure).

If you’re still getting an error code or the unit is still dead, you’re probably going to need service. You can call us on Friday at 651-222-0011 (opt. 4).

But at least you tried. In a pinch, fire up the grill.

Win a Frigidaire Double Oven Range

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A double oven range sure comes in handy if you want to quickly cook one small dish and especially for cooking multiple dishes at two separate temperatures for a Thanksgiving crowd.

Stop drooling. You can enter to win this Frigidaire Gallery double oven range (FGEF306TMF – we sell it for $1,699!) over your lunch break this week.

Visit Frigidaire’s Facebook page (facebook.com/frigidaire) at 11 a.m. CST this Wendesday, Nov. 23 to watch live streaming of  Celebrity Food Network Chefs Anne Burrell (Mario Batali’s crazy-haired sous chef on Iron Chef America) and Geoffrey Zakarian (of Chopped) compete in the Double or Nothing Holiday Challenge in Times Square.

People everywhere can watch and vote for their favorite Chef to be entered for a chance to win the new range.  AND for every vote, Frigidaire is donating $1 to Save the Children.

Following the event, you can find recipes and videos on Facebook, so stayed tuned.