Produce & Pantry

Why pay extra for a can of salted, shelled peanuts? Salted peanuts made from raw nuts at home taste fresher than those sold in stores. Purchase in-shell raw peanuts in bulk to save even more...

There are three commercial grades of rice: long, medium and short grain. Many people choose to cook with long grain rice for its long and fluffy texture, its complex and aromatic flavors, and its...

Raw peanuts can be purchased at most health-food and grocery stores throughout the United States. Unlike other nuts that grow on trees, the peanut is grown in the ground much like a potato. Also,...

Mushrooms are a popular ingredient in many dishes, from garnish to main dish. To ensure optimum freshness, you can harvest them yourself. Mushroom-hunting also makes a good science project....

Erythritol is a natural and low-glycemic sweetener. Studies show that it does not have the same effect as regular sugar on tooth enamel or blood sugar, and that it doesn't cause indigestion the...

Although the slimy, hairy texture of anchovies may be unappealing to some, their taste is a fine addition to any culinary preparation. Anchovy paste can be found at most grocery stores in the...

Penne is a popular type of pasta that is recognizable for its unique, quill-like shape. The name penne comes from the Italian word for pen or quill.

Tapioca flour is used as a sweetener for baked goods, as well as a thickening agent for such things as pie fillings, gravies, and soups. The tapioca flour that is seen on store shelves has gone...

Acai is a type of berry found in the Central and South American rain forest. It is touted as having high nutritional value, health benefits and unique taste. Marketers often label it as a...

Natural or organic peanut butter typically contains just peanuts and salt. Without any additives to stabilize the consistency of the peanut butter, the peanuts and peanut oil will separate after...

Powdered milk contains lactose, or milk sugar. For people with lactose intolerance, there are some lactose-free fresh milk products and lactose-free, non-dairy powdered milk products.

Cold-pack canning is a process of preparing and canning fresh foods that are not fully cooked before processing. This entails longer processing time for the foods in the canner and a scrupulous...

Buying peanuts in bulk can save you money, but how you store raw peanuts once you get them home determines whether you spent your money well. Improperly stored raw peanuts turn rancid and you...

Although brown sugar and sugar in the raw are both brown in color, they are very different products. Brown sugar is highly refined, while sugar in the raw is less processed. The two sugars taste...

Sure Jell is fruit pectin that cooks use to make homemade fruit jams and jellies. Pectin is a natural thickening agent that you add to fruits during the jam-making process to thicken the fruit and...

Boiled peanuts are a longtime Southern tradition prepared by simply boiling raw, shelled peanuts for hours in salty water. By the end of the process, the peanut shells are soggy and the peanuts...

Vital to the rising of bread, how you store active dry yeast determines how it performs. You might not realize that the yeast in those envelopes lives. Drying the yeast extends its storage time....

If an emergency strikes, you won't have time to prepare. The key is to prepare before an emergency arrives. One aspect of emergency-preparedness is food storage. If you store enough food to feed...

Tupperware brand food preparation and storage products are sold primarily through in-home gatherings of neighbors and friends at "Tupperware Parties." Seasonal catalogs and monthly flyers with...

Luster Dust is a nontoxic powder used for decorating desserts. Accenting ordinary cakes and cookies with gold Luster Dust creates festive desserts during the holidays or formal events. Use gold to...

A key ingredient in homemade jams and jellies, pectin can be made from many citrus fruits and berries. Grapefruit pectin, however, is more often used as a dietary supplement and like all citrus...

The food in your family survival kit has a different purpose from the food in your pantry. If you're forced to evacuate, you'll take your survival kit but not your pantry. Canning, freezing and...

Cottonseed oil and palm oil are both edible oils commonly used as an ingredient in manufactured foods and as cooking oils. However, both of these oils have potentially adverse health effects.

Vegetables can be dried whole or sliced, using the sun, air or heat. Some vegetables dry best when strung; others have their tops braided together. Still others must be sliced thin and placed on...

Many grains, beans and nuts can become flour to use in bread making or pastries. With the use of a grain grinder, either manual or electric, making these flours at home is a simple task. You can...

Peanuts are a tasty, nutritious snack---although they are high in fat, they're also packed with protein. "Raw" peanuts are defined as peanuts that have not been cooked or roasted; they differ from...

Cracked corn is an ingredient in many animal feeds and is often fed by itself to chickens or other home-raised fowl. Finely cracked corn can also be used to add texture to breads, soups and stews....

The sunflower seed is native to the United States. Sunflower seeds are also produced in other parts of the world.

Pectin is a substance extracted from fruit such as citrus that acts as a solidifier and preservative for canned food such as jams and jellies. Pectin can be purchased in powdered form in most...

Certo is a brand name for liquid pectin. Pectin, a naturally occurring substance found mostly in the skins and cores of some fruits, is added to cooked fruit in order to make it jell for...

Dried beans, whether purchased at the grocery or homegrown, will keep up to one year if stored properly. Simply tossing the bag of beans on the pantry shelf can often result in tough beans, even...

Dehydrating food is a method of preserving food by removing its water content. A raisin--once a grape--is an easy example of a dehydrated food. And although plenty of foods are commercially...

Buying in bulk is a great way to save money and purchase multiples of items that you use frequently. You may shop in a bulk-item store or you may purchase bulk items on the internet. Buying in...

If hunting season has rewarded you with more venison than you can use right away, consider freezing it for future use. Ground venison will store well in the freezer for about five months, while...

Turmeric is a flavorful rhizome that's popular in Middle Eastern and Asian cuisines. Fresh turmeric is similar in appearance to its more popular cousin, ginger---except that its flesh is bright...

Healthy all natural creamy peanut butter can be made in a home blender. Most commercially available peanut butters contain additives, preservatives and stabilizers to keep them from separating or...

Foods often contain added colorings that make them appear attractive. These colorings generally are unnatural, and many have chemicals in them--chemicals that people ingest, often unknowingly....

You can enjoy the flavor and nutrients of fresh fruit long after they have gone out of season by properly storing the fruit in your freezer. Freezing and storing fruit at home is a simple process...

Many people still aren't sure what they're looking at whey they come across a bunch of stout, white-and-green leeks in the supermarket. But the leek is a versatile vegetable that works well in...

Canned foods can cause food poisoning in the form of botulism, a spore-forming rod that releases a potent neurotoxin. It can cause diarrhea, vomiting, blurred vision, difficulty swallowing, muscle...

Being able to preserve foods you've picked in the summer gives you the opportunity to enjoy local garden or farm produce all year long. You can also preserve foods that you find on special at the...

Vinegars used in food preparation have an acidity ranging from 4 to 6 percent while those with 10 to 20 percent acidity are usually used in the industrial pickling processes or as natural...

Having a stockpile of food in case of an emergency could mean the difference between life and death, depending on the situation. Homeland Security recommends having a two-week food supply on hand...

Dry plums using a centuries-old technique requiring no electricity or pricey equipment. With the power of the sun, you can dry plums to preserve them for later use. Plums require several days to...

Many meat eaters revel in debating the various merits of consuming either a rib eye steak or a New York strip cut. Of course, some simply do not care and will scarf down either one. But there are...

Deep frying produces crispy and tasty food, but there's often questions of what to do with the oil after making your fried chicken or French fries. Do not discard old oil, but save it for your...

The pineapple is one of those "scary" fruits that, even though you know it's delicious and healthy, you may just pass it by while grocery shopping. All those spikes and leaves and prickly...

Vacuum sealing, or removing the air in a container prior to sealing it, is a common way to prevent food from spoiling. But you can only enjoy the well-preserved food if you can open the...

Heinz Distilled White Vinegar, made by fermenting grains into an acid, is naturally an antibacterial agent and inhibits mold. This makes it an excellent base for household cleaning. It can be...

Many people are making changes to the way they eat. Along with learning how to prepare meals with fresh fruits and vegetables, you also need to learn how to properly wash your fresh produce to...