Unfortunately, our basic cake mix recipes also contain shortening, a hydrogenated
fat. Look for our Snack Cake Mix recipe and Sand Castle Brownie Mix recipe, though, that both use vegetable oil. To find these homemade mix recipes,search our site.

In most recipes, whipping cream may be used instead of whipped topping. But there may be some differences in texture and stability, which could result in minor changes in the end product. Whipping cream also doubles once is it whipped. If a recipe calls for an 8-ounce carton of whipped topping, use 1-1/2 cups of whipping cream, which will yield 3 cups.

We’ve found the easiest way to grate citrus peel is with a microplane grater. Originally designed as a woodworking tool, this relatively new gadget easily grates citrus rind into fine wisps. It also does a great job grating hard cheese, chocolate, ginger and garlic.

Browning sauce is a condiment that adds rich color and flavor to gravies, sauces and microwaved meats. Its ingredients often include caramel coloring, salt, mixed vegetable stock and spices. Only a small amount is needed to achieve the desired color, so use it sparingly.

Recipes with uncooked eggs put you at greater risk for food-borne illness. An easy substitute is pasteurized eggs, which are heated in the shell to 140º and kept at that temperature for 3-1/2 minutes. This destroys salmonella bacteria.

If you can’t find pasteurized eggs, we recommend Classic Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (available at our Recipe Finder at bestsimplerecipes.com). Its flavor and texture are similar to those of the layer you described, and it’s been made food-safe by cooking the eggs in a sugar syrup mixture.

The greatest concern with mercury in fish is the damage it may cause to the developing nervous systems in unborn children, infants and toddlers. For adults and older children, there’s a small chance of neurological health issues as mercury accumulates in the body.

The mercury level in commercially caught fish varies, depending on the species, but they’re highest in fish that are large and long-lived. The FDA reports that the highest mercury levels are in shark, swordfish and king mackerel. The general population should limit consumption of these fish to one serving (about 7 ounces) per week.

As you’ve found out, milk scorches easily. When scorching occurs, the milk’s protein and lactose (milk sugars) stick to the bottom of the pan, causing a major cleanup headache. Heating milk for too long at too high of a temperature, infrequent stirring and using a thin-bottomed pan can all cause milk to scorch. To prevent it, choose a heavy saucepan that you’ve rinsed in cold water prior to heating or use a double boiler and stir milk frequently as it heats.

All candies, including brittles and toffee, can safely be made in nonstick pans. We recommend a large, heavy-bottomed pan with straight sides to allow for candy mixtures to boil up. To determine the correct pan size, plan on a capacity of three to four times the volume of ingredients. A disadvantage of nonstick cookware is that the dark surface can make it difficult to determine the color of sugar syrup. In this case, it’s even more vital that an accurate candy thermometer is used.

To convert these recipes, we suggest starting with a cook time that is one-third shorter than what’s called for in the recipe. For instance, if a recipe says to microwave on high for 12 minutes, microwave for 9 minutes instead. Be sure to follow any doneness test mentioned, such as “cook until tender.” To help you out, we’ve converted all of our older recipes. Visit www.bestsimplerecipes.com for microwave recipes that can be used in 1,100-watt microwaves.

According to Diane Werner, our on-staff dietitian, no cooking method can retain all the healthful water-soluble vitamins, such as the various B vitamins and vitamin C, in raw foods. However, microwave-cooked foods (especially vegetables) typically retain a higher percentage of such vitamins. That’s because microwave cooking takes less time and uses a minimal amount of water.

In a study from Cornell University, researchers reported that, on average, microwave-cooked vegetables retained 11 percent more vitamin C than baked, 32 percent more than steamed and 75 percent more than boiled vegetables. So microwave to your heart’s content. Just be sure to use microwave-safe containers when cooking and reheating food.