Saving preparation time when marinating
Use bottled salad dressing, the most convenient and basic marinade available. Choose a dressing that complements the flavor and tenderness of the food to be marinated. Mild, rich dressings such as ranch work well with delicate foods such as fish, seafood, or chicken. You can also use a light vinaigrette for chicken. Higher-acidity dressings with lots of vinegar are better for tougher meats such as beef. Alternatively, you can use yogurt or buttermilk as a base for dressings. These naturally balanced marinades need only some seasoning added.

Saving marinating time
Keep in mind that marinades are used both for imparting flavor and for tenderizing, but imparting flavor doesn't take very long. For instance, delicate fish fillets or boneless chicken breasts do not need tenderizing, so the only reason to marinate them is for flavor, which can be accomplished in 30 minutes or less. Even with denser meats, such as beef or pork, full flavoring takes less than an hour or two, especially with thin cuts, such as steaks and chops. Extended marinating (over 12 hours) is necessary only for very large roasts or very tough game meats.

Saving cleanup time when marinating
Mix up the marinade in a zipper-lock plastic bag, then marinate right in the bag by adding the food, squeezing out air, and sealing. Shake the bag to coat the food completely, then refrigerate, turning occasionally. Marinating in a bag works great for cookouts where you bring your own food because you can simply throw the bag away.

** Asian Recipes **

Go easy on the acid in the marinade, which can toughen the proteins in food. Tender meats such as chicken breast will toughen fairly quickly in an overly acidic marinade. For beef, pork, or chicken, use no more than an equal part of acid to oil to make about half cup marinade per pound of meat.

To avoid tough seafood, use a marinade with little or no acidic ingredients (lemon juice, vinegar, and wine are common acidic ingredients). The acid virtually "cooks" the raw seafood. If acid is used, add no more than 2 tablespoons per quarter cup in the marinade. To marinate fish or seafood without using acid, use a non-acidic liquid such as a herb-infused oil, or use a spice rub instead. You can always add an acid for flavor once the fish is cooked.

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To avoid mushy marinated foods, always limit the amount of time that foods soak in the marinade. In general, foods with open-textured flesh, such as fish and seafood, need less than 45 minutes of soaking. Chicken breast break down after about 1 hour (skinless breast even faster), but thighs and wings can stand up to marinade for up to 2 hours. Foods with firmer flesh, such as beef and lamb, can spend several hours in a marinade without becoming mushy.

Also, ingredients such as yogurt, papaya, pineapple, and kiwifruit tenderize by enzymatic action. If your marinade includes any of these, marinate fish, seafood, and chicken for no more than 30 minutes, and marinate sturdier meats such as beef and lamb for no more than 24 hours.

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Typically blends of an acid (such as vinegar), plus oil, salt, and seasonings, marinades are a terrific way to boost the flavor of meats and fish. The acid and salt tenderize tough fibers, while the oil acts as a flavor carries. To marinate successfully, use a nonreactive container, such as one made of glass, ceramic, or even plastic. Avoid aluminum containers because the acid in your marinade will react with this metal and begin to corrode it, causing off flavors in the food. Also, always refrigerate foods while they marinate, and keep in mind that the larger the food, the longer its marinating time will be. If using the marinade for basting, avoid cross-contamination by setting aside a small amount of marinade before adding any raw meat, poultry, or fish to it. If you forget to do this, be sure to boil any used marinade for at least 5 minutes to kill harmful bacteria. Then, the leftover marinade can be used for basting. Or, you can boil it down to use as a sauce.

If you need the marinades to penetrate more deeply, prick the food with a skewer before adding to the marinade. Marinades can also be used to tenderize tough meats as well as delivering flavor. Avoid relying on them to make meat tender. Instead, choose naturally tender meats. That said, some marinade ingredients have a tenderizing effect that can be beneficial for tough cuts of meat. Yogurt, papaya, pineapple, and kiwifruit are natural meat tenderizers because of the enzymes that they contain. Add one quarter cup plain yogurt, fresh or canned papaya juice, pineapple juice, or pureed kiwifruit to the marinade for every 1 pound of meat being marinated. Marinate in the refrigerator at least 3 hours to allow the enzymes in the marinade to start to bread down the meat fibers. Or include buttermilk or sour cream in the marinade to help tenderize the meat.

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A simple emulsion of oil, egg yolks, and lemon juice or vinegar, mayonnaise is one of the classic French sauces. To make mayonnaise, for each egg yolk, use 1 tablespoon lemon juice, half teaspoon salt, and half cup oil. Using a whisk or food processor, beat together the egg yolks, lemon juice, and salt. While whisking constantly, or with the food processor running, blend in the oil drop by drop at first, then in a thin steady stream until blended and thick.

To make very thick mayonnaise, whisk lemon juice into the egg yolks and freeze for at least 8 hours before making the mayonnaise. Thaw in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature before using. Freezing thickens the yolks, helping to make a thicker mayonnaise. You can also add salt to the egg yolks.

To ensure that mayonnaise forms an emulsion, have all the ingredients at room temperature, and include a powdered ingredient, such as ground red pepper or powdered mustard. Also, be sure to begin by adding the oil one drop at a time, then in a thin, steady stream.

To make mayonnaise that won't separate, use refined vegetable oil, such as corn, canola, olive, or peanut oil. Unrefined oils, such as extra-virgin olive oil, tend to separate after a day or two.

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It is used as a butter substitute, stick margarine is made from vegetable oil that has been hydrogenated to transform it from a liquid oil into a solid fat. When choosing, read the margarine labels carefully so that you know just what you're buying. Regular margarine are 80 percent fat and 20 percent water, flavoring, coloring, and other additives. Butter-margarine blends offer more butter flavor and are usually 40 percent butter and 60 percent margarine. Reduced and low-fat margarines are mostly water and cannot be used for baking.

To store, you can refrigerate margarine for up to 2 months and freeze for no more than 6 months. If you need to reduce fat intake, buy tub margarine instead of stick margarine. Tub margarine contains less than half the amount of trans fatty acids (a harmful type of fat) that stick margarine does. And some tub margarines have no trans fatty acids. Generally, tub-style margarines are not suitable for baking because of their high water content.

** Delicious Baking Recipes **

Sweet, rich-tasting, pure maple syrup is made from the boiled and reduced sap of the sugar maple tree, which thrives in the cold climates of the northeastern United States and Canada. Excellent over pancakes and waffles, maple syrup also makes a delicious glaze for pork, poultry, and vegetables, and can be used to flavor frosting, puddings, cakes, and pies.

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Though considered exotic by many, mangoes are a staple in the equatorial regions of the world. They have been cultivated in India since 2000 B.C. Mangoes comes in all shapes and sizes, from oblong and pear-shaped to long and shinny. Some weigh 4 ounces; some weigh 4 pounds. Skin color ranges from greenish yellow to red-blushes, while the flesh can vary from lemon yellow to brilliant reddish orange.

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Although native to Australia, where it is also known by the names of Queensland nut and Australian hazel, the macadamia nut is practically synonymous with Hawaii. Macadamia nuts are among the richest nuts in the world. They turn rancid quickly, so store them in a tightly closed jar in a cool place and use as soon as possible. Always taste one first before using.

To chop macadamia nuts easily, just place a clean kitchen towel between the nuts and the cutting board so that the nuts won't bounce off the board while chopping.

Macadamia nuts could be used to add crunch in rice pilaf. Add about half cup chopped macadamia nuts when making your favorite rice pilaf. Salted macadamia nuts can also be used as sweets. Just place them in a strainer and rinse under running water to wash off the salt. Place them in a dry skillet and shake the pan over low heat until dry.

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When buying live lobster, don't worry about its mottled greenish-brown appearance. The deep red pigment in the shell, known as astaxanthin, will shine through as color-binding proteins break down during cooking. When choosing for a live lobster, look for live, active lobsters placed in seawater. Their tails should curl under when picked up. If stored on ice, they may be sluggish, but the tails should still curl under. Bacteria form quickly in dead lobsters, so make sure that lobsters are alive before you buy and cook them. One whole lobster (1 to 1.5 pounds) yields about a quarter pound of meat, which is enough for only 1 serving.

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One of the most nutritious organ meats, liver is best when it comes from a young animal. Calf's liver tends to have a more tender texture and better flavor than beef liver. When choosing liver, note that fresh liver has vivid color and a moist, but not shiny, surface. It should have a clean, fresh scent too. The more-tender calf's liver is pale pink-brown in color. Beef liver is reddish brown. Other popular animal livers include lamb, pork, chicken, turkey, and goose.

When storing liver, wrap it in waxed paper and refrigerate up to 1 day. To ensure a tender cooked liver, always avoid overcooking. Thinly sliced calf's liver should be cooked over medium-high heat, just until pink in the center, about 2 minutes per side.

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The two most popular types of limes on the market are Tahiti limes and Mexican limes. Of the two, Tahiti limes (or Persian limes) are the most common. They never have seeds, so there is no need to take precautions for catching seeds when juicing them. Mexican limes called limones in Mexico and Key limes in the United States, are becoming increasingly more available. Limes are more aromatic and slightly more acidic than lemons, but they can often be used interchangeably.

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In general, lima beans cook pretty fast and require no soaking. Sometimes, however, dried limas have been sitting on the shelf for so long that they never become tender when cooked. If you know that your lima beans are more than 1 year old, soak them to be safe before cooking. Fresh lima beans can be shell very quickly. Just cut a thin strip from the inner edge of the pod with scissors. The beans will fall out as the pod opens.

To avoid tough lima beans, hold off on adding acidic ingredients, such as tomatoes, vinegar, or wine, until after the lime beans have cooked through. Acids react with the starch in beans and prevent them from swelling.

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Sweet, juicy lettuce leaves are the base for a wide range of refreshing salads. When choosing lettuce, the best heads of lettuce are dense and heavy for their size with unblemished leaves. Avoid limp heads with brown spots or hollow centers.

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Lentils is one of the oldest cultivated crops in the world, high-protein lentils are small, thin-skinned, and fast-cooking, requiring no soaking. They are delicious, economical, and extremely versatile.

When choosing, please note that all lentils have an earthy, almost nutty flavor. Brown lentils, sometimes called green, are the most common type and are greenish-brown in color. Small French green lentils are smaller and darker green, and they cook up firmer than brown lentils. They hold their shape well and have excellent flavor. Red lentils are slightly smaller and more orange than red.

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