BY: Nancy B. Secrist

BY: Nancy B. Secrist

Extension Agent

With cool weather coming, we will be cooking more and using more energy. For those who have electric kitchens and have taken notice of the additional amounts charged for fuel adjustments and energy surcharges, efficient methods in the kitchen are a must.

A representative from Potomac Edison will present a program entitled Be A Watt Miser, which deals with efficient ways to use kitchen appliances, Thursday, Sept. 21, at 7:30 p.m. in the Flint Hill Fire Hall.

If you cannot come, the following fuel saving tips are offered:

Range-top cooking: Use the smallest container or cooking unit possible to fix foods. It costs twice as much to bake two medium potatoes in a standard oven as in a toaster oven, for example.

Match pan size and shape to range units. Small pots on large units waste heat. For short cooking time, flat bottomed copper or aluminum utensils conduct heat most efficiently. Cast aluminum or cast iron hold heat well and are best for long cooking times.

Place pots on range units before turning on the heat. Turn heat off before cooking is dompleted and use retained heat to finish job.

Use tight-fitting lids to retain heat when boiling water or cooking on the range.

Cook food in as little liquid as possible. If making instant coffee or tea, boil only the amount of water needed. Cooking time will be shorter.

Oven cooking: Foods requiring an hour or more of cooking time should be prepared in ovens or electric skillets, not on range tops. Ovens or thermostatically controlled skillets will be off part of the time, saving energy.

Glass or porcelain enamel baking utensils absorb heat well and allow oven cooking at temperatures 25 degrees lower than those needed for metal cookware.

Don't preheat ovens unnecessarily. Most baked goods, except for delicate