In my kitchen pantry, there are several items I never run out of. Pam cooking spray is one of them. I also make sure I have the Pam baking spray with flour for baking. So much easier than greasing and flouring your cake pan. I always got more flour on me than I did in the pan.
In 1959, Arthur Meyerhoff and Leon Rubin started Pam Products Inc. in Chicago. They weren’t very successful for about two years until a local television personality began using the product on her cooking shows. Sales began to soar after her endorsement of the product.
While Pam is useful in the kitchen for cooking and baking, there are many other alternative uses for the product.
- Spray Pam to loosen metals. If you have a squeaky door, spray the hinges. If you can’t remove an old screw, spray it with Pam.
- Keep your faucets shiny. Spray some Pam on a paper towel and wipe your faucets for a nice shine.
- If you have a candle not in a container, find a safe container and spray Pam on the bottom. Place the candle in the container, and when candle melts, the wax won’t stick. Put it under running water and the wax slides right off.
- Spray your grater before you grate cheese. The grating will be easier, and the clean-up a breeze.
- If you have leftover pasta that is stuck together, spray Pam on the pasta and mix until separated.
- When measuring thick liquids, such as honey, spray Pam in the measuring cup and the liquid will slide right out. I also do this with mayonnaise.
- Got bugs stuck on the front of your car and headlights? Spray Pam on the bug to loosen and make easier to remove.
- Spray Pam in your plastic food storage containers to keep from staining.
- Spray Pam on spatula when spreading sticky ingredients in foods — think marshmallow treats.
- Spray the inside of your pots before adding water to boil rice or potatoes.
- Give your knives a slight spray before you begin chopping to keep things from sticking.
- When using parchment paper, give the pan a slight spray to keep the paper from slipping.
- Spray your hands before you form hamburger patties or meatballs.
- Spray the top of your dough before it rises to keep from sticking to waxed paper or Saran wrap.
I hope you will give today’s recipes a try. Thanks for reading.
PARMESAN ROASTED CORN ON THE COB
5 ears of corn, shucked and silk removed
½ cup mayonnaise
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut five squares of aluminum foil 1½ times the size of the corn. Stir mayonnaise, cheese, chili powder and pepper into a thick paste. Spread about 2 tablespoons of mixture over each ear of corn. Place on aluminum foil and fold up. Place ears of corn on a baking sheet, and bake for 10 minutes; turn and bake an additional 10 minutes.
(Spray the foil with Pam before adding corn to keep the cheese from sticking so badly.)
ROASTED ASPARAGUS AND MUSHROOMS
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
½ teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and pepper
1 pound asparagus, washed and ends trimmed
12 ounce button mushrooms, halved
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a small bowl combine olive oil, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Place asparagus on a large rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with 1½ tablespoons of olive oil mixture; toss evenly to coat and arrange in a single layer. In a medium bowl, toss the mushrooms with remaining olive oil mixture and spread on top of the asparagus. Bake for about 12 minutes. Remove and drizzle the lemon juice on top, and bake for another 4-5 minutes or until asparagus is fork tender and mushrooms begin to shrivel. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Transfer to a serving platter and top with Parmesan cheese and additional salt and pepper.
(Once again, spray pan with Pam to prevent sticking.)
ROASTED YUKON GOLD POTATOES
1 small bag yellow Yukon potatoes
Olive oil
Coarse sea salt
Coarse black pepper
Half or quarter potatoes; place on a rimmed cookie sheet that has been sprayed with Pam. Drizzle olive oil over potatoes, and stir to coat all potatoes. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Stir halfway through for even cooking and add additional salt and pepper. So easy and delicious and goes with any main dish, meat or poultry.
You may add any dried seasoning to this that you desire, rosemary, chives, basil, Italian, etc. My family just likes the salt and pepper.
- Contact Lee Ann Flemming at lafkitchen@hughes.net.
