photo by house of sims

DEAR SARA: I have a question about baking from scratch that is probably a no-brainer, but here goes. I bake everything from scratch. Can I mix the dry ingredients for, say, a chocolate cake and store it in canning jars or some kind of airtight container with a label on it and then just add the wet ingredients? It sounds like an easy plan, but you know how those go at times. There are times when I run out of money before the end of the month and need snacks for lunch but have some of the staples like eggs and oil on hand, so this would help stretch things. — P.W., Pennsylvania

DEAR P.W.: Yes, you can put the dry ingredients in canning jars or plastic zip-top baggies. Brown sugar will sometimes harden when stored in a jar for a couple of weeks. Keep in mind that this isn’t for long-term storage, so aim to make the recipe within a few months. Layer each ingredient and press each layer down firmly to fit into the jar.

DEAR SARA: I was given 12 quarts of heavy cream. Can I use it to make ice cream? All of my recipes so far say to use light cream, half-and-half or regular milk. — Laurie, Florida

DEAR LAURIE: Yes, you can use it. The difference in creams is the fat content. If a recipe calls for lower-fat cream, you can use a higher-fat cream. Results will be more rich tasting. Plus, you can always cut your heavy cream with milk, if needed. But if a recipe calls for higher-fat cream, I don’t suggest you go much further lower fat or you might not get the desired results. For example, half and half won’t whip. You’ll get less thick and creamy results when it’s used in soups, and there’s a higher chance of curdling. However, I’ve used milk for cream soups with acceptable results by adding flour, using a whisk and cooking it over low heat.

DEAR SARA: We have been discussing whether or not to try dehydrating. I am concerned about the amounts of time and electricity it takes up. We have found a small one that works in the microwave. I think the size of it would be OK for us to start out with. What are your feelings on the use in the microwave compared to electric? — Dolfin, e-mail

DEAR DOLFIN: Electric dehydrators are wonderfully frugal if you have a cheap food source, such as a home garden, or discounted food at your local grocery store or farmers’ market. It’s worth the investment to have food that has a long shelf life, is easy to preserve in comparison to canning and takes up minimal space to store. Electric dehydrators don’t cost much in electricity to run (cents, not dollars). I have never used a microwave dehydrator, but it would cost more to use your microwave than an electric dehydrator.

You’d be limited on temperature control and the amount of food you could dehydrate at one time, too. Plus, many electric dehydrators have timers so you don’t have to monitor the drying process as frequently. In the microwave, you might overdry and cook or harden foods by accident. I’d hold off on buying the microwave dehydrator and check garage sales, thrift stores, eBay or freecycle for an electric one. If you’re mostly planning on drying herbs, then the microwave without a dehydrator would work fine. If you still have your owner’s manual, there’s typically a section on drying.

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