Sugar

In some circles, pork rinds are health food, rice cakes are no-nos and bunless burger orders and low-carb beer aren't out of the ordinary. For others, it's following the buzz words - "low-fat," "low-sugar," "low-carb" or "organic" - that direct health-food purchases. With all the options, it's getting harder for consumers to determine which foods are really health foods, said Tammy Thornton, director of the Washington County Health Department's Nutrition and Wellness Program.

Guests got a sneak peek at the Festival of Trees display Wednesday night at Robinwood Medical Center. The display is open to the public today through Sunday. Those who attend can view the decorated trees, try treats from the Sugar & Spice Bake Shop, find gifts at North Pole Limited and check out activities and live entertainment.

Lori Schiano of Hagerstown saw Lynn Little's July 21 column that included a recipe for Citrus Granita. Several years ago, Schiano had Lemon Granita in Italy and wanted to know if she could just substitute lemon juice for the orange juice in the citrus recipe or if the amount of sugar would need to be increased. [cont. from lifestyle ] Little, a family and consumer sciences extension educator for Maryland Cooperative Extension, Washington County, says lemon juice can be substituted for the 1 cup of fresh orange juice in the citrus version.

Chocolate Snowballs 1 1/4 cups butter or margarine 2/3 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup cocoa 2 cups finely chopped pecans Sifted 10x or confectioners sugar Cream butter or margarine. Add 2/3 cup granulated sugar until fluffy. Add vanilla. Sift together 2 cups of flour, 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/2 cup cocoa. Gradually beat dry ingredients into creamed mixture.

Pumpkin Flan 16-ounce can solid pack pumpkin 12-ounce can evaporated milk, undiluted 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar 3 eggs, beaten 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 cup whipping cream 1 tablespoon powdered sugar 8 orange twists or maraschino cherries Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In large bowl, combine pumpkin, evaporated milk, 1/3 cup of the sugar, the eggs, 1 teaspoon of the vanilla, the cinnamon, ginger and cloves.

For the syrup: 1 cup sugar 2 cups water 3 tablespoons butter 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon For the dumplings: 1/2 cup sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon butter 3 cups flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup shortening 4 tablespoons cold water 8 Golden Delicious apples Preheat oven to 450 degrees. To make the syrup, mix the sugar, water, butter and cinnamon in a large pot and bring to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes. For the dumplings, mix together the sugar, cinnamon and butter and set aside.

Walnuts and chocolate enrich creamy caramel squares This is the season for treats. Walnut Caramel Squares, set on a crisp baked crust, are rich with nuts and caramel-browned sugar and a topping of drizzled chocolate. continued The recipe was devised by Christine Riccitelli of Danville, Calif., and it won her first prize in a recent Ultimate California Dessert recipe contest run by the California Milk Advisory Board. - The Associated Press Walnut Caramel Squares 1 cup flour 1/2 cup butter 3 tablespoons sugar 1/3 cup chocolate chips 1 1/3 cups sugar 1/3 cup light corn syrup 1 cup butter 1 cup whipping cream 2 1/2 cups chopped walnuts 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, melted Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Orange Pineapple Ice Cream 2 cups sugar 6 large egg yolks 3 cups whole milk 2 (16-ounce) cans unsweetened, crushed pineapple, drained 2 cups mandarin oranges, drained 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 pint whipping cream 1 teaspoon orange extract Combine the sugar, salt and milk in a heavy medium saucepan. Place over low heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved and the milk comes to a boil.

This recipe is a go-to treat for Funkstown resident Cindy Parks. "I make them all year-round because I love them so much," she said. "They're simple. I can make them with and without a mixer, which makes them easy. " She said she learned to cook — at least to cook some things — from her mom. "She'd come home from work and try to cook stuff fast. But on the weekend, oh, she'd cook food to die for — fried chicken, stuffed peppers," Parks said. "But I taught myself the baking stuff.

The return of fall marks apple season. As days grow cooler and leaves change from golds to reds, you can sink your teeth into fall's finest fruit-enjoying all the varieties at their peak. There is a wide variety of apples. Try some new varieties this fall. Apples always are a delicious ingredient in baked goods, too. Fill your kitchen with the sweet aromas of baked apple, nutmeg and cinnamon as you bake apple desserts. Here are some apple recipes as you usher in fall. - Photos, recipes courtesy of Land O Lakes Crust 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup butter, chilled 1 egg, separated, yolk beaten with enough milk to equal 2/3 cup, reserve white Filling 1 cup crushed corn flakes 8 to 10 medium tart cooking apples, 8 cups, peeled, sliced 1 cup sugar 2 teaspoons cinnamon, divided 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 reserved egg white 2 tablespoons sugar Glaze 1 cup powdered sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1 to 2 tablespoons milk Heat oven to 350 degrees.