Celebrate Savings And A Healthier Diet With A Pantry Staple

(NAPSI)-A growing number of consumers are celebrating the fact that cooking and baking from scratch-instead of from a mix-can be just the recipe for saving money and adding important nutrients to their diets.

Cooking and baking from scratch can be very convenient if you stock your pantry with a few affordable staples. Whole wheat flour is one such staple that is drawing interest from consumers who are looking to boost the nutritional value of their favorite homemade foods, but they don't enjoy its taste, texture and appearance.

According to Phil Lempert, food trends expert and Supermarket Guru, "Today's consumers are looking for whole grain products that offer a balance of health benefits and taste. Ultragrain White Whole Wheat Flour from Eagle Mills is an example of a product that gives consumers the nutrition they need with the taste and texture they want."

Eagle Mills Ultragrain White Whole Wheat Flour is made from specially selected white wheat that is milled to the consistency of refined white flour so products are lighter in color with the taste, appearance and texture consumers know and love, but with higher levels of fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants-including 30 grams of whole grains and 4 grams of dietary fiber per serving.

It can also be purchased as a blended flour under the Eagle Mills label. Made with a blend of 70 percent premium white flour and 30 percent Ultragrain flour, Eagle Mills All-Purpose Flour made with Ultragrain is intended to give consumers a middle ground as they move from refined white flour to 100 percent whole wheat flour. The blended flour works as a cup-for-cup replacement for other all-purpose flours, and provides 9 grams of whole grains per serving and two times the fiber. Look for the flours at mainstream grocery stores nationwide.

The recipe below is a great example of how a well-stocked pantry can make affordable and tasty treats with the added benefit of whole grain nutrition:

Celebration Cupcakes

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Makes: 20 servings

Cupcakes:

2 cups Eagle Mills® All-Purpose Unbleached Flour made with Ultragrain®

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup butter, softened

1¼ cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 cup milk

Frosting:

2 tablespoons Eagle Mills®

All-Purpose Unbleached Flour made with Ultragrain®

½ cup milk

½ cup butter, softened

½ cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 375° F. Line twenty 2½-inch muffin cups with paper bake cups. Set aside.

2. For cupcakes: Combine 2 cups flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Place ½ cup butter in large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer 30 seconds. Add 1¼ cups sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla; beat until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating 1 minute after each. Gradually add flour mixture alternately with the milk, beating on low speed after each addition just until blended.

3. Fill each cup half full. Bake 18 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center of cupcake comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.

4. For frosting: Place 2 tablespoons flour in small saucepan; whisk in ½ cup milk until blended. Heat over low heat until thickened. Remove from heat. Cover and cool.

5. Beat ½ cup butter in large mixing bowl with electric mixer until fluffy. Add ½ cup sugar; beat on high speed 4 minutes. Gradually add milk mixture and 1 teaspoon vanilla; beat on low speed until combined. Beat on high speed 7 minutes, or until light and fluffy.

6. Frost cupcakes with frosting. Decorate as desired.

To learn more or for recipes, visit www.Ultragrain.com.

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A Makeover for Your Kitchen: Keep Your Ingredients Fresh

CC Note: The holiday season is upon us. While you're baking and singing all your favorite holiday favorites, be sure to follow these tips for keeping your pantry supplies fresh.

As you start to prepare for the holidays, are you afraid to open your cupboard and look for those baking ingredients? Do you wonder if they are OK or should be thrown out? Do these items ever get too old?

If seasonal baking is all you do, those leftover baking ingredients may be less than fresh. Even if you bake throughout the year, staple ingredients should be refreshed periodically.

It’s a good time of year to take stock of your baking stock. Make sure those homemade holiday cookies and cakes look and taste the best they can.

Dry ingredients like flours and spices are safe to use no matter how old they are. But they might not taste or perform as expected forever.

Be sure to always read labels, follow storage information and look at recommended use-by dates for all ingredients.

Remember that:

White flour keeps six to 12 months when stored in an airtight container or freezer bag in a cool, dry place to keep moisture low. Moisture content can affect your recipe.

For storage longer than a year, keep it in the refrigerator or freezer in an airtight container. All-purpose and bread flour will keep up to two years at 40 F in your refrigerator, according to the Wheat Foods Council. It can be stored indefinitely in the freezer.

Allow the flour to come to room temperature before using it.

Whole wheat flour keeps one to three months at room temperature. It becomes rancid if kept at room temperature for too long. For longer storage, put it in an airtight container or freezer bag in the refrigerator or freezer. It will maintain quality six months in the refrigerator and up to 12 months in the freezer.

White granulated sugar keeps indefinitely if properly stored. However, rotate the supply every two years for ease of use and quality. Store it in an airtight container or a heavy moisture-proof plastic bag. To soften hardened sugar, put it in a sturdy food-quality bag and pound it with a hammer. Smash smaller pieces with a mortar and pestle or break in a spice grinder.

Brown sugar keeps maximum freshness for four to six months. It’s important to store it in an airtight container to retain moisture and prevent hardening. Keep it in its original plastic bag, tightly closed, or transfer it to an airtight container or a moisture-proof plastic bag.

To soften brown sugar, heat it in a 250-degree oven for a few minutes. Or, place it in a microwave-safe container and cover loosely with a white, damp paper towel. Microwave on high and check it every 30 seconds.

Baking powder keeps 12 to 18 months and should be stored tightly covered in a dry place. Discard baking powder after its expiration date.

Make sure to use dry utensils to dip baking powder or soda. To test baking powder for freshness, mix one teaspoon baking powder with one-third cup of hot water. If it foams vigorously, it still has rising power.

Baking soda keeps 12 to 18 months and should be stored tightly covered in a dry place. Discard baking soda after its expiration date. To test its freshness, place one and a half teaspoons in a small bowl with one tablespoon of vinegar. If it fizzes, it will still leaven food. If it doesn't, use it in the fridge to catch odors.

Herbs and ground spices keep up to one year. Whole spices keep up to two years. Store them in a tightly covered container in a dark place. Air, light, moisture and heat speed their flavor and color loss. If you use a spice rack, place it away from light, heat and moisture.

Avoid storing above or near the stove, dishwasher, microwave, refrigerator, sink or heating vent. Use a dry spoon to handle spices or herbs. Don’t sprinkle them directly from the container into a steaming pot.

To check the potency of a ground spice, smell it. If its aroma is immediate, strong and spicy, it should still add flavor to your foods.

To test herbs, crush a small amount in your hand and smell it. If the aroma is still fresh and pleasant, it can still flavor foods. If there's no smell or an off smell, toss it.

Following these tips should help your holiday baked goods taste as fresh as possible. If you don’t check your supplies before the holidays, make a resolution to do it early next year.

By Elizabeth Andress
University of Georgia

Elizabeth L. Andress is a University of Georgia Cooperative Extension food safety specialist with the UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences.

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