Baking Pan

Some people take pistachios for granted. We love them sprinkled liberally over ice cream. Shaved over salads. Toasted and chopped for a halibut crust. Packed for some crunch punch in cookies. Sunken like treasure in soups. Dusted with tangy spice rubs. Even straight-up with a drink at the game - they can give peanuts an inferiority complex. Pistachios are native to the Middle East and are likely the oldest cultivated nut tree in history. Archaeological evidence shows traces of pistachios as far back as 7000 B.C. The first commercial pistachio crop was grown in California in 1976 and it produced 1.5 million pounds of nuts.

Wanda Reynolds from Baltimore was looking for a recipe for baked shad. She remembered seeing a recipe for making the fish some years ago in a local newspaper. She thought the recipe called for a long baking time that helped soften the bones. Pamela Green from Arnold sent in a recipe that she says she found in either The Washington Post or the Capital in Annapolis in the 1980s that calls for wrapping the fish in foil and baking it for six hours at a very low temperature.

Wanda Reynolds from Baltimore was looking for a recipe for baked shad. She remembered seeing a recipe for making the fish some years ago in a local newspaper. She thought the recipe called for a long baking time that helped soften the bones. Pamela Green from Arnold sent in a recipe that she says she found in either The Washington Post or the Capital in Annapolis in the 1980s that calls for wrapping the fish in foil and baking it for six hours at a very low temperature.

Nancy Hawkins from Oliver Springs, Tenn., was looking for the recipe for a cake that a woman she worked with brought into her office for a birthday celebration. It was chocolate cake that was just dumped out of the pan and had "oodles and oodles of scrumptious melted chocolate inside." Hawkins said the woman who made the cake called it an "Aussie dump cake," but she would never share her recipe. While I did not receive any responses from readers about this cake, I knew that a "dump cake" was not that uncommon.

In the Dec. 4 Recipe Finder, the size of the baking pan, the cooking time and the baking temperature for the sour cream banana cake were incorrect. The cake should be baked in a greased 9-by-8-inch cake pan at 325-degrees for 45 minutes and then at 340-degrees for 15 to 20 more minutes. (The instructions for the sour cream banana bundt cake were correct). The Sun regrets the error.Pub Date: 12/18/96

I have a poundcake recipe that is baked in a large bundt pan. I would like to make smaller ones in mini-bundt pans. Is there a rule of thumb for this conversion? Timing and volume are the two main concerns when changing a baking pan from the one called for in a recipe. There isn't a rigid formula for the timing when changing the size of your bundt pan, so you'll have to check the doneness within a time range. We found Sarah Phillips' pan-conversion chart (which compares baking-pan size and volume)

Mildred Kriwko of Lake Zurich, Ill., wrote that she has had no success in finding a recipe for pork chops using brown sugar and Coca-Cola. Her response came from Nedra Shelly of Silver Spring, who noted: "This recipe comes from the Aunt Bee's Mayberry Cookbook. I have made it many times. It's easy and it's always a big hit. I also like to include onion rings. You can also make this in a crockpot." Recipe requests Albert W. Norman of Gore Springs, Miss., is seeking a cornmeal-dumpling recipe.

Do you love french fries, but worry about the fat they absorb during frying? These oven fries have less than half as much fat as homemade french-fried potatoes and about one-third as much fat as a serving of fast-food fries.Oven Fries4 small baking potatoes (about 1 pound total)1 tablespoon margarine, melted1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese1/2 teaspoon garlic salt1/4 teaspoon paprika1/8 teaspoon onion powder (optional)Non-stick spray coatingScrub potatoes thoroughly. Cut each potato lengthwise into eight slices.

Nancy Hawkins from Oliver Springs, Tenn., was looking for the recipe for a cake that a woman she worked with brought into her office for a birthday celebration. It was chocolate cake that was just dumped out of the pan and had "oodles and oodles of scrumptious melted chocolate inside." Hawkins said the woman who made the cake called it an "Aussie dump cake," but she would never share her recipe. While I did not receive any responses from readers about this cake, I knew that a "dump cake" was not that uncommon.

These mix and bake brownies couldn't be easier. The ingredients are dumped into one saucepan, mixed and poured into the baking dish. That's all there is to it. But the results are so lusciously rich people will think an expert chef has been in your kitchen.Kids over 11 can prepare these by themselves. Younger children will need the help of an adult or an older sibling to melt the chocolate and the butter and to use the oven. Some may need a hand mixing the ingredients since, when the sugar is added, the batter becomes thick and may be difficult for little hands to stir.

Some people take pistachios for granted. We love them sprinkled liberally over ice cream. Shaved over salads. Toasted and chopped for a halibut crust. Packed for some crunch punch in cookies. Sunken like treasure in soups. Dusted with tangy spice rubs. Even straight-up with a drink at the game - they can give peanuts an inferiority complex. Pistachios are native to the Middle East and are likely the oldest cultivated nut tree in history. Archaeological evidence shows traces of pistachios as far back as 7000 B.C. The first commercial pistachio crop was grown in California in 1976 and it produced 1.5 million pounds of nuts.

Ann Sillitto of Winchester, Va., was looking for a recipe for Molasses Fruit Bars with raisins. She says that they are a favorite of her 91-year-old mother and she wanted to make them as a treat for her. I found an easy recipe for the bars on a recipe-sharing Web site called Recipelink.com. It was adapted from the Brer Rabbit Book of Molasses, first printed in 1956. The recipe does not specify a pan size. I tested it using an 8-by-8 inch baking pan. It was ready in 25 minutes. Naturally, the cooking time will vary according to pan size.

After looking through recipes for easy dishes to serve out-of-town company, I have planned an uncomplicated menu that will give me plenty of time for catching up. A white bean soup with kale and chorizo, an all-in-one main course that can be prepared a day ahead, will anchor the meal, and will be accompanied by an arugula salad and a basket of warm bread. For dessert I have decided to make an old favorite - a plum clafoutis. Clafoutis is one of the simplest yet most delicious French desserts a home cook can prepare.

I have a poundcake recipe that is baked in a large bundt pan. I would like to make smaller ones in mini-bundt pans. Is there a rule of thumb for this conversion? Timing and volume are the two main concerns when changing a baking pan from the one called for in a recipe. There isn't a rigid formula for the timing when changing the size of your bundt pan, so you'll have to check the doneness within a time range. We found Sarah Phillips' pan-conversion chart (which compares baking-pan size and volume)

Can I use wax paper instead of parchment paper when baking? Wax paper is paper that has been impregnated and coated with food-grade paraffin to make it stronger and more moisture-resistant than untreated paper. The Web site of Reynolds Consumer Products, maker of Cut-Rite wax paper, states that wax paper can be used in the oven as long as it never is exposed directly to heat. This means you can use it to line pans when you are baking cakes, brownies or muffins. For cookies, or anything else where the paper will be exposed to direct heat, you will need to use parchment paper.

While visiting good friends who have a cottage on Cape Cod, I noticed the ease with which they served breakfasts each day. Our first early-morning meal took place on a small backyard deck, where we found a table set with casual blue and white linens and blue-and-white striped dishes. A large, shallow bowl was mounded with an array of sliced fruit, a rich, dark loaf cake rested on a platter, whipped cream cheese piled into a ramekin was at its side and a Thermos-style coffee pot was filled with steaming brew.

Q: I am trying to have a healthier diet. I recently saw on a cooking show an instructor line a baking pan with wax paper. Can this help eliminate the calories from greasing with butter and then flouring?A: It's most likely the baking pan was being lined with parchment paper, which is now used more frequently than waxed paper to prevent sticking in baking. This treatment can reduce the fat and flour calories that are used to prevent baked goods from sticking. However, you still need to use some Bakers Joy or vegetable spray coating to prevent sticking.

Ann Sillitto of Winchester, Va., was looking for a recipe for Molasses Fruit Bars with raisins. She says that they are a favorite of her 91-year-old mother and she wanted to make them as a treat for her. I found an easy recipe for the bars on a recipe-sharing Web site called Recipelink.com. It was adapted from the Brer Rabbit Book of Molasses, first printed in 1956. The recipe does not specify a pan size. I tested it using an 8-by-8 inch baking pan. It was ready in 25 minutes. Naturally, the cooking time will vary according to pan size.

From where we live in western Massachusetts, there are all sorts of outdoor cultural events nearby to enjoy during warm weather. The Boston Symphony Orchestra moves its home to Tanglewood in the Berkshires for the summer, and a few miles away there's Jacob's Pillow for those who love contemporary dance. In the farthest corner of our state, Williamstown plays host to a nationally acclaimed summer theater. All our friends take advantage of these neighboring attractions and typically take potluck picnic meals to enjoy before the performances.

Once again this summer my husband and I found ourselves living and working in Paris for several weeks. We rented the same apartment with its tiny but efficient kitchen, and as soon as we had unpacked our bags, I was out the door with my bright red shopping cart. I couldn't wait to fill it with crisp, slender baguettes from the bakery, with beautiful fruits and vegetables from the neighborhood produce store, with favorite cheeses from the fromagerie and, of course, with sweet indulgences from the patisserie.