Interview With Pam Anderson – Answers To Your Questions

Earlier this month I invited readers to leave any cooking and entertaining questions they might have in a comment. We got some great questions and I now have the answers to them. Here you go!

1. For years I’ve tried dozens of different sugar cookie recipes but have never been able to find the perfect one to make cake-like, soft sugar cookies that can also be rolled and cut. Is there a secret ingredient I’m missing? – Submitted by Cat

I’m a thin, crisp sugar cookie person, so I’ve never done the research and testing for a cake-y cookie. My daughter, Sharon, is home for the holidays. Like you, she likes thick, cake-y cookies, so we just roll my cookie dough thicker and don’t bake them as long, which gives you a soft, thick cookie, but they’re still pretty dense. We think leavener (e.g. baking soda and/or baking powder) would give you a more cake-y cookie, and in developing my cookie recipe, I recall sour cream producing a softer cookie. So my guess is that leavener and sour cream could be the secret ingredients.

2. My mom & I have recently been discussing the difference between broth and stock. My question would have to be, what exactly is the difference and are they interchangeable in recipes? – Submitted by Lynne

Chicken stock is made from bones only. Broth is made from meat and some bones. Stock is less flavorful but has more body (when chilled, it’s gelatinous) and ideal for making classic French sauces. Broth has great flavor, but very little body (it’s liquid when chilled) and is good for soups.

3. I am interested in finding the best way to store spices. They are so expensive to have them expire so quickly. – Submitted by Karen

For the longest shelf life possible, store spices in screw-cap containers in a cool, dark place. Keep them away from windows and hot areas like near stoves and ovens.

4. I had to come back because I though of another question. For Thanksgiving dinner I made a new (to me) stuffing recipe that called for chopped shallots. I had never used shallots before and even had trouble finding them at the grocery. I did finally find some and am wondering what makes a shallot different than say… a yellow onion? – Submitted by Lynne

Shallots are onions with garlic undertones. Most often, I roast them and use them in vinaigrette. Since they’re much pricier, I’d stick with onions for dishes like soups, stews, and stuffing.

5. For years the signature ice cream in Disneyland was Carnation’s Fantasia. Carnation no longer supplies the park. I have researched and cannot find it anywhere. Can you help by giving me a guide “recipe” to make? I understand it involves pistachio, banana, and bordeaux cherry ice cream but am not sure. Perhaps it has been rebranded and/or renamed. It would be simply scrumptious ala mode. – Submitted by Pat.

Per fellow blogger and Disney enthusiast, Amber Bracegirdle (www.bluebonnetsandbrownies.com) the Fantasia Ice Cream recipe can be found on www.Disboards.comand is made as follows:

Fantasia Ice Cream Recipe

• Burgundy cherries
• Pistachio nuts
• Banana-flavored ice cream

Directions
Combine cherries and pistachios with banana-flavored ice cream and mix together.

6. How can I cook food economically for entertaining purposes? – Submitted by Cindy

My entertaining philosophy is to stop entertaining and just have people over. Cook like you’re cooking for a nice family dinner and just invite your friends. Rather than plan a meal based on what you want to cook, check the grocery stores to see what’s on sale and plan a meal around that. Focus on inexpensive meals like lasagna, strata (for brunch) and dishes that call for ingredients like eggs, beans, and pasta rather than large, expensive cuts of meat.

If you haven’t already, check out the Carnation holiday recipe booklet called Full of Flavor: Your Holiday Guide to Catering to a Holiday Houseful. It’s full of economical crowd-pleasing recipes. www.TheCookingMilk.com.

7. Is it ok for me to serve only appetizers at 2:00 in the afternoon, hoping that people would have breakfast or lunch before they got there? – Submitted by Cindy

Serving appetizers only at 2:00 in the afternoon sounds the perfect party. I’d do a mix of finger foods—sweet and savory.

8. Left over meats always seems to dry out and have their flavor change. What’s the best way to store leftover cooked meat in order to preserve flavor and moistness? – Submitted by Ann

Cut only what you plan to use and leave the rest in roast form until you plan to use it. So that it heats slowly and evenly, microwave it on defrost. Unless you plan to use it in a soup or casserole, don’t freeze it.

9. My son prefers boxed macaroni and cheese over that made from scratch. Is there a way to make it from scratch that will give it a similar taste? – Submitted by Angela

Here’s my easy macaroni and cheese recipe, use yellow cheddar to mimic the from-the-box color. Hope he likes it!

Stovetop Macaroni And Cheese
Serves 4 as a main course and 6 to 8 as a side dish

To make this macaroni and cheese stovetop, you need a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or large saucepan, otherwise the eggs could curdle and make the cheese sauce grainy.

• Salt
• 1/2 pound elbow macaroni
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 large eggs
• 1 can (12 ounces) Carnation Evaporated Milk, heated to warm
• 1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper sauce
• Ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard, dissolved in a teaspoon water
• 12 ounces (3 cups) sharp cheddar, American, or Monterey Jack cheese

Heat 2 quarts water to boil in a large soup kettle. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and the macaroni; cook until almost tender, but still a little firm to the bite; drain and return to pot set over medium heat..
Meanwhile, mix eggs, 1 cup evaporated milk, pepper sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and the mustard mixture in a small bowl. Pour egg mixture over noodles along with 3/4 of the cheese; stir until thoroughly combined and cheese start to melt. Gradually stir in remaining milk and cheese; continue to stir constantly until sauce thickens and mixture is hot and creamy, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

10. This one’s from me. It’s about my favorite food ever. I love heavy, rich cheesecake, a la New York Style. Any tips for a first time cheesecake maker? I understand they’re a lot of work to make so I’d want to do it right. Thanks. – Submitted by me (valmg)

Here’s my recipe. After lots of testing, I’ve found that you don’t want a water bath for a dense, New York-style cheesecake. Also, baking it on low heat allows the moisture to evaporate without causing the cheesecake to crack.

New York-Style Cheesecake
Serves 12 to 16

• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs
• 2 pounds cream cheese
• 11/4 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon zest from a small lemon
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup sour cream

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 500 degrees. Brush pan bottom and sides with butter. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over pan bottom. Tilt pan in all directions to coat evenly with crumbs. Meanwhile, beat cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add sugar and beat on medium speed until sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just incorporated and scraping down after each addition. (If you don’t scrape down bowl after each egg, cream cheese that sticks to the bowl will ultimately show up as lumps in the batter.) Add zest and vanilla and beat until just incorporated. Remove bowl from mixer; stir in cream and sour cream.Pour batter into prepared pan; bake for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 200 degrees (hold oven door open until oven temperature reduces) Bake until cheesecake perimeter is set, but center jiggles, about 1 hour longer.

Thanks so much to Pam Anderson for taking the time to answer, to the folks that handle media/PR for Carnation for facilitating the opportunity, and to my readers for continuing to read and for asking the questions!

Don’t forget to check out the website TheCookingMilk.com for all sorts of recipes, tips, tools and ideas!