The clarifying and boiling of sugar to the different degrees must be considered as the key to all sorts of stove working, and I will give here the method used for clarifying sugar. The pan used must be perfectly clean and bright. Whisk two whites of eggs in one pint of water; break 30 lbs. of good lump sugar into small pieces and put it into the pan; pour over it 6 quarts of water, set it on a clear stove to melt, but be careful it does not blubber and boil before it is melted; when you see it rise it is then boiling, and must be stopped immediately by putting in 1 quart of water; when it rises again add the same quantity of water, and so on two or three times; this prevents the scum from boiling into the sugar and makes it rise to the top. Draw the pan to one side of the fire and take all the scum off; let it continue to simmer. Keep adding a little water to make the remaining part of the scum rise. By this time the scum will be very white and tough, which also take off if the sugar appear clear. Dip in your finger, and if a drop hang from it, it is of the first degree, called smooth, and may be put by for use.
When it comes to making and serving summertime desserts, I like to avoid using my oven to save on my air conditioning costs. To solve summertime baking issues, I prefer to use no-bake or stove top recipes.
With our economy in a downward spiral, we are all looking for ways to cut back on our food expenses. Turkey is one of the best ways to do that. They are inexpensive and usually provide more than one meal; there are so many ways to use turkey leftovers. So whether it is holiday time or you just have several to feed or you are looking for economical meal ideas, give this Turkey and Apple Raisin Herb Stuffing a try. Pumpkin is another good food that is inexpensive. Pumpkin is a nutritional plus and is good for anytime of the year. If you want something different in a pumpkin pie, try this Paradise Pumpkin Pie recipe.