I once had a conversation I no longer recall with a nutritionist about reusing oil. So I had to go looking. From GoAskAlice: Alice, I am trying to convince my good friend not to save the grease she cooks with for re-use. Instead of draining grease out of a pan after frying it, she saves and stores it to use again. It seems to me that grease that is cooked once is bad enough, twice must be horrible. Am I unjustly picking on her, or am I right that there is an even greater health risk when you cook with pre-cooked oil/grease? Dear Reader, Reusing cooking oil has been done for ages. There really isn't a problem, if done properly. The greatest hazard is allowing the fat to become rancid (spoiled) and deteriorated to the point it produces undesirable flavors and odors. Besides ruining what would have been a perfectly good meal, rancid oils also contain free radicals that are potentially carcinogenic. To understand how to best re-use oil, it is important to know about smoke points �" the temperatures at which oil begins to decompose. If you heat oil to a temperature that is too high, it produces smoke fumes. Acreolin, a substance that makes your eyes burn, is given off as well. The optimal temperature to fry foods at is 190°C (375°F). At higher temperatures, the food will burn on the outside, and at lower temperatures, the food absorbs too much oil and tastes greasy. Different oils have different smoke points. Oils with higher smoke points are better for frying. The following is a list of smoke points: Type of Oil Smoke Point Temperature safflower oil 265°C sunflower oil 246°C soybean oil 241°C canola oil 238°C corn oil 236°C peanut oil 231°C sesame oil 215°C olive oil 190°C lard 183 - 201°C* (*varies depending on the diet fed to hogs and the part of animal fat that is derived) Each time the oil is re-used, the smoke point becomes lowered. This is due to: * foreign matter in the oil (such as batter) * salt * the temperature to which the oil was heated * exposure to oxygen and light * length of time the oil remained heated * the number of times the oil was reused Combining different types of oils also lowers the smoke point. When oil becomes deteriorated, it appears dark and thick (viscous). It may have an off odor, and smoke appears before it reaches 190°C. If the oil smells funky and old, better to toss it away and replace it with fresh oil. To re-use oil safely, use these tips: * Strain it through a few layers of cheesecloth to catch any food particles. Be careful with hot oil, though, because you can easily get burned. * Shake off excess batter from food before frying it. * Use a good thermometer to fry foods at 190°C. * Turn off the heat after you are done cooking. Exposing oil to prolonged heat accelerates rancidity. * Don't mix different types of oil. * Store oil in a cool, dark place. * Avoid iron or copper pots or pans for frying oil that is to be reused. These metals also accelerate rancidity.

From my "Essentials of Finer Chinese Cuisine" cooking class: SIMPLE VEGETABLE FRIED RICE Master Recipe 2 tablespoons peanut oil 2 eggs, beaten 1 slice (cross) fresh ginger root 4 mushrooms, diced 2 cups cooked rice ½ cup bean sprouts, coarsely chopped ½ cup frozen peas, thawed ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon white pepper 1 stalk green onion 1 tablespoon soy sauce Rub rice with wet hands so all grains are separated. Heat ½ tablespoon oil in wok over medium heat and add eggs. Cook and stir until soft curds form. Remove from heat and break eggs into small pieces. Heat remaining oil in wok over high heat and add ginger and mushroom; stir-fry for 15-30 seconds. Add rice and toss until heated through. Add sprouts, peas, salt, pepper, green onion, soy sauce, and cooked eggs. Toss just to heat. VARIATIONS: Chicken fried rice -- after cooking eggs, put in small dices of ½ chicken breast (boneless, skinless); remove from wok before adding ginger and mushroom and return with sprouts, etc. Eliminate sprouts. Shrimp fried rice -- put in 2-4, coarsely chopped shrimp (as you would the chicken) and add 1 tablespoon fish sauce or oyster sauce. Eliminate sprouts. Santa Maria style (with linguica, chicken, shrimp) -- cook Linguica (1/2 small link, diced), chicken (1/4 chicken breast), shrimp together (2, chopped). Season with 1 teaspoon SM-style seasoning (eliminate salt and pepper). Eliminate sprouts. Sub chicken stock for soy sauce. Add 1 teaspoon (more?!) Tabasco. Toss in 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro just before serving. VELVET CORN SOUP WITH CRAB MEAT 1 cup Crabmeat 1 slice Fresh ginger, minced 2 tsp Cornstarch 1 Tbs Sherry 3 cups Chicken broth 1 cup Sweet corn, cream style 2 Eggs, separated; yolks lightly beaten, ONE white stiffly beaten 1/4 tsp Salt 1/4 tsp White Pepper Marinate the crab meat in the ginger, sherry, and cornstarch for 30 minutes. Heat the chicken stock. Add the corn and bring to boil. Add the crabmeat mixture and again bring to a boil. Turn heat down and gently stir in the egg yolks, then fold in the egg white. Serve immediately. Garnish with chopped cilantro and/or finely chopped green onion. "LIONS HEAD" (MEATBALLS) 1 pound lean ground pork 4 ounces shrimp, shelled, de-veined, chopped ¼ cup sliced water chestnuts, finely chopped 1 teaspoon fresh ginger root, minced 1 stalk green onion, finely chopped 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon dry sherry ½ teaspoon sugar 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 whole egg, lightly beaten 2 tablespoons peanut oil SAUCE 1-½ cup chicken broth 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 head Chinese (Napa) cabbage (1-1/2 pound) 3 tablespoons cold water 1 teaspoon sesame oil 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1. For meatballs, combine all ingredients except oil in large bowl and mix well. Divide mixture into about 12 portions and shape into balls. 2. Heat peanut oil in hot wok over medium-high heat. Brown meatballs, shaking or stirring occasionally so meatballs brown on all sides and keep their shape, 6 to 8 minutes. 3. Transfer meatballs to a larger stockpot or deep saucier pan. Add chicken broth and soy sauce. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 5-10 minutes. 4. While meatballs are cooking, core cabbage, remove hardest stems, and cut leafy tops in half. (Save hard leaf bases for another dish.) Place leafy tops over meatballs and simmer 5 minutes more. 5. Use slotted spoon to transfer cabbage and meatballs to serving platter, meatballs on top. Blend cornstarch, water, and sesame oil in small cup. Stirring constantly, slowly add cornstarch mixture to pan juices; cook on high heat until slightly thickened. Pour sauce over meatballs. Garnish with thin sliced green onion and/or whole stems of cilantro ("Chinese Parsley"). Ground turkey can be used in place of the pork. Use 2/3 pound turkey and 1 cup cooked white rice. Also add a touch more soy sauce. CHICKEN AND ASPARAGUS WITH BLACK BEAN SAUCE 1 Tbs dry sherry 4 tsp soy sauce, divided 5 tsp corn starch, divided 1 tsp sesame oil 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts halves, cut into bite-size pieces 1 Tbs black bean sauce (or just chopped "fermented black beans" and 1 clove garlic, minced) 1 tsp fresh ginger root, sliced ½ cup chicken broth 1 Tbs oyster sauce 3 Tbs peanut oil, divided 1 lb asparagus spears, trimmed and diagonally cut into 1-inch pieces ¼ small red bell pepper, cut into thin strips 1 medium yellow onion, cut into 8 wedges and separated 2 Tbs water 1. To make marinade, combine sherry, 2 teaspoons of the soy sauce, 2 teaspoons of the cornstarch, and the sesame oil in a large bowl. Add chicken and stir to coat well. Let stand 30 minutes. 2. Combine chicken broth, bean sauce, remaining 2 teaspoons soy sauce, the oyster sauce, and the remaining 3 teaspoons cornstarch in a small bowl; mix well and set aside. 3. Heat 2 tablespoons peanut oil in wok over high heat. Add chicken and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Remove and set aside, covered. 4. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in wok. Add asparagus, bell pepper and onion and stir fry 30 seconds. Add water, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until asparagus is crisp-tender; about 2 minutes. 5. Return chicken to wok along with chicken broth mixture (stir well before adding); cook and stir until sauce boils and thickens. CHINESE BANANAS FOSTER WITH COCONUT CARAMEL 2 small bananas, sliced crosswise 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted ("sweet") butter 1 tablespoon flour 4 tablespoons brown sugar ½ teaspoon cinnamon 2 small pieces candied ginger root, thinly sliced ½ teaspoon orange zest 3/4 cup coconut milk 1 pint Vanilla ice cream (or butter pecan) Melt butter in large sauté pan. Add flour, brown sugar, candied ginger root, and cinnamon. Add banana pieces and turn often until they JUST start turning soft. Add coconut milk and stir until smooth. Cook, stirring, over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens, then simmer 2 minutes longer. Serve over ice cream. From "Low Country, Up Scale" (for Chinese food with a twist): CATFISH AND BLACK BEAN SAUCE Ingredients: 1 Tbs dry sherry 4 Tbs soy sauce 5 tsp cornstarch, divided 1 tsp sesame oil 3 large catfish fillets, cut into 1" cubes (or about 2 lbs of "nuggets") 1 Tbs black bean sauce 1 tsp fresh ginger root, minced 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced ½ cup chicken broth 1 Tbs oyster sauce 5 Tbs peanut oil, divided 1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed, cut into 1" 1 medium yellow onion, cut into wedges 2 Tbs water Directions: For marinade, combine sherry, 2 teaspoons of the soy sauce, 2 teaspoons of the cornstarch, and the sesame oil in a large bowl; mix well. Add catfish and turn to coat well. Let stand 30 minutes. Combine bean sauce, ginger, and garlic; chop together. Combine chicken broth, remaining two teaspoons soy sauce, oyster sauce, and the remaining 3 teaspoons corn starch in a small bowl; mix well and set aside. Heat two tablespoons of the peanut oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add half the catfish and toss gently until catfish turns opaque (about three minutes). Remove the cooked catfish from wok, add another two tablespoons of oil and heat the other half of the catfish. Remove cooked catfish and set all catfish aside. Heat remaining one tablespoon of oil in wok. Add asparagus and onion and stir-fry for 30 seconds to one minute. Add water, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until asparagus is crisp-tender (about 2 minutes). Return catfish to wok. Stir chicken broth mixture and add to wok. Cook and stir until sauce boils and thickens. BANANA EGG ROLLS 8 4-inch egg-roll wrappers 2 medium ripe bananas 8 tsp apricot-pineapple jam/preserves About 1 cup oil for frying (3 parts vegetable oil and 1 part peanut oil is best) Slice bananas crosswise and then lengthwise to get four long quarters. Spread each wrapper with jam/preserves. Place banana quarter in center of each and roll up like an egg roll. Heat 2 inches of oil in saute pan on medium. Deep fry 3-4 at a time until golden. Cut each egg roll at a slant at the midsection and serve with vanilla ice cream and a good drizzle of Island Chocolate Ganache: Island Chocolate Ganache: Ingredients: 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped 1 cup heavy cream 1 Tbs dark rum Directions: Place the chocolate into a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil, watching very carefully because if it boils for a few seconds, it will boil out of the pot. When the cream has come to a boil, pour over the chopped chocolate, and whisk until smooth. Stir in the rum. Allow the ganache to cool slightly before pouring. Joe

I'm no help on the Nutella, but there is another way to skin hazelnuts, though I generally follow the toast-rub-and-curse method. I do a big batch at once then freeze the excess. Here's another way to skin, recommended by the staff of the Oregonian. [Oregon produces 99% of the nation's hazelnuts/filberts. It's the state nut, though I can think of politicians here who would qualify just as well.] Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a saucepan, and add 3 tablespoons baking soda and the hazelnuts. Boil 3 to 5 minutes, or until the water turns black. Drain nuts in a colander, then transfer to a bowl of cold water. Skins should slip off easily between your fingers. Place drained, skinned nuts on a baking sheet and toast as directed. You might want to try this method with a small amount as a trial and see how it works for you. Carol

blizlady, that would be Sherry (sheshebop), she makes the spinach "brownies" and I love 'em. How many people do you have to serve appetizers to, Dawn? Little pate choux puffs, tiny cream puffs, can be filled with various fillings including chicken salad, egg, tuna or seafood salad, a thick southwestern chicken kind of filling, whatever you like. I make rye puffs and fill with reuben fillings and they can be done ahead of time easily. Reuben Puffs 1 cup water 1/2 cup butter, cubed 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup rye flour 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 4 eggs Caraway seeds CORNED BEEF FILLING: 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened 2 packages (2 ounces each) thinly sliced deli corned beef, chopped 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup sour cream 2 tablespoons minced chives 2 tablespoons diced onion 1 teaspoon spicy brown or horseradish mustard 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring water and butter to a boil. Add flours, parsley, garlic powder and salt all at once; stir until a smooth balls forms. Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat until smooth. Drop batter by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets or make puffs with a pastry bag. Sprinkle with caraway. Bake at 400° for 18-20 minutes or until golden. Remove to wire racks. Immediately cut a slit in each puff to allow steam to escape; cool. In a large bowl, combine the first eight filling ingredients. Split puffs; add filling. Refrigerate. Yield: 4-1/2 dozen. I make these cheese thumbprints filled with hot pepper jelly, they are pretty popular. I make my own habanero jelly to fill them with, but anything you like could be used, including salsa. I got the recipe from Carol (Readinglady) and she's never given me a bad recipe! Savory Cheddar And Jalapeno Jelly Cookies 8 oz (about 2 1/2 cups) finely grated (use smallest holes on grater box) extra-sharp cheddar cheese 6 tbs (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 cup all purpose flour 1/3 cup jalapeno jelly, apple butter, or chopped chutney Place cheese ad butter in a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add flour and process until mixture forms a soft dough. Gather up dough and divide into two flat disks. Wrap in wax paper and freeze until chilled, about 45 minutes. Position two racks in center and top third of oven. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone pads. Place the jelly in a small plastic bag and force it into one corner. Snip off the corner of the bag to make a small hole. Set bag aside. Using 1 tsp of dough for each, roll the dough into small balls. Place the balls 1-inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven. Using the end of a wooden spoon or a 1/2-inch wide dowel, poke an indentation in each cookie. Pipe the jelly from bag into the indentation. Return to the oven and bake, switching the position of the sheets from top to bottom, halfway through baking, until the tops are lightly browned, about 10 minutes (the cookies will continue to crisp as they cool). Transfer to a wire cake racks and cool completely. Can be prepared 2 days in advance in stored in air tight containers at room temperature. OK, first I use a spoon, not a bag, for the jelly, I made a big mess with that ziplock bag thing. Second I bake them one pan at a time, I don't do the remove/switch thing, it's easier for me to do one pan at a time. Third, this dough is very similar to another one posted here by Weed, so you could wrap it around an olive or pecan, etc., and make a whole difrferent kind of appetizer. I doubt I'd take the time to wrap the dough, I'd probably plunk an olive in the middle of the "cookie" and call it good, LOL. If you don't do something like the puffed sandwiches, Ann T's Gougiere would be lovely, I think. An antipasta plate could be nice and could be entirely assembled ahead of time and I've had Caprese-on-a-stick, which was basically a cherry tomato, a chunk of marinated mozzarella, an olive and a leaf of basil, all skewered for serving. Meatballs would stay hot in a crockpot or small Nesco roaster without any last minute prep at all, as would chicken wings, although those could be messy unless they are boneless. Do you need something sweet, or just savory stuff? Annie