Homemade Baking Powder

Baking powder is an essential ingredient for many recipes but, unfortunately, most brands contain sodium aluminum sulfate. This is a quick and easy way to make your own aluminum-free baking powder.

1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon corn starch (optional, but recommended if you are going to store it)

Combine the ingredients well.

Yield: One tablespoon of baking powder.

To store baking powder: Add a teaspoon of corn starch to the mixture, and stir. This will absorb any moisture from the air, and prevent the baking powder from reacting before you need it. Store in an air-tight container.

Cooking Dried Black Beans

Cooking with dried beans is easy and economical. Black beans can be used in so many recipes that it pays to always have them on hand. If you aren't successful with having tender beans, it may be because the dried beans you have aren't fresh. DO NOT ADD ANY SALT! Salt and tomatoes will cause the softening process to stop.

This method can be also be used when cooking chickpeas/garbanzo beans and kidney beans.

1 lb. dried black beans
1 quart water

Soak beans overnight. Rinse well. Put beans in a large pot or Dutch oven; cover with cold water and boil 1 hour. Skim any foam that may appear on the top. Rinse. They are now ready to use in your recipes.

Note: If you are making black beans and rice you may wish to omit the last rinse and use that water.