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View our collection of easy to prepare casserole recipes that will help make your weeknight meal planning simple. Most of these recipes can be made in advance and pop them in the oven when your ready to bake them.

From fresh salads to sautéed side dishes, spinach makes a nutritious addition to any meal and cooking spinach is easy to do. Look for creative ways to use this leafy green vegetable in pasta, soup, casserole or other main dishes.

Potluck Tips Hosting a Potluck Choose the type of potluck that will work the best for the guests attending. For example: (1) appetizers only, (2) bring your favorite dish, (3) assign each guest to bring an appetizer, main dish, or dessert, or (4) as the host, you will provide the main dish (a turkey, ham, sloppy joe's, etc.

Organize Your Storage Area | Storage Charts Storing your food properly and under the best condition possible will extend its life to its maximum potential. Some foods can be stored at room temperature and some must be refrigerated.

Cleaning/Rinsing Grain | Soaking Grain | Toasting Grain Preparation of whole grains before cooking is fairly simple: most require only washing or soaking before they can be cooked.

Cookware Materials | Types of Pots and Pans Cookware consists of different types of pots and pans that are used for specific purposes. Some of the pieces of cookware can be substituted for a type you may not have and still accomplish the type of cooking you need to perform.

crock pot, slow cooking

Tools for Preparation | Potato Preparation | Potato Cooking | Tips Potatoes The most popular tuber vegetable in the world. It is available in hundreds of varieties, which vary in size, shape, taste, color, and starch content.

Fresh Beans | Fresh Bean Preparation | Fresh Bean Cooking | Fresh Bean TipsDried Beans | Dried Bean Preparation | Dried Bean Cooking Beans A generic name given to various plants in the legume family.

There are a large variety of pasta shapes and noodles available. When selecting the variety of pasta you are going to purchase, you must consider the size and shape of the pasta and which varieties will go best with the sauce or dish you are preparing.

Basic Types | Flavors and Colors | Pasta Shapes | Pasta Sauces Pasta is a basic staple ingredient used in cooking. It is available in hundreds of shapes worldwide and in many different flavors.

Winter Squash Preparation | Winter Squash Cooking | Tips Winter Squash Squash: The fruits of various members of the gourd family, which fall into two classifications, summer squash and winter squash.

Packing the cooler safely for an afternoon picnic or a weekend getaway will help to protect your family from food borne illnesses. A properly packed cooler will keep your food below 40º F.

Sweet Corn Preparation | Cooking Corn on the Cob | Grilling Sweet CornCreamed Corn | Freezing Sweet Corn | Tips Sweet Corn Corn is a tall cereal plant consisting of strong jointed stems supporting large ears containing kernels.

Bakeware Pan Sizes | Bakeware Materials | Types of Bakeware Bakeware Pan Sizes When you are preparing to create a recipe that requires the use of bakeware, you should first determine whether you have the proper size pan.

Reading the Recipe | Ingredient Preparation | Scaling Your Recipe Knowing how to follow and read your recipe will help make your cooking or baking experience a success. Properly preparing your ingredients, using proper cooking times and temperatures, and proper bakeware or cookware all assist in the success of your end product.

Contamination Prevention | Cooking Safety | Proper Storage Contamination Prevention Cleanliness: A clean working environment is essential in the prevention of contamination in working with pasta and other foods.

Summer Squash Preparation | Summer Squash Cooking | Tips Summer Squash Squash: The fruits of various members of the gourd family, which fall into two classifications, summer squash and winter squash.

Sweet Peppers | Chile Peppers |Pepper Preparation | Pepper Cooking | Tips Sweet Peppers A sweet pepper is a mild to sweet flavored pepper that can be eaten raw or cooked.

Herb Bundles A mixture of herbs, either fresh or dried, that are placed into savory foods as they cook to enhance flavor. A bouquet garni may be made from either fresh ingredients tied together or dried ingredients mixed and placed in cheesecloth tied into a bag for dipping into soups, stews, sauces, casseroles, or meat dishes.