Dear Answer Angel:
I have the following questions:
1. How to store sugar (or any) cookies?
2. To determine the size of a pie plate do you measure on the bottom or on the top rim?
3. I don’t have a rack for my turkey pan and don’t intend to buy one. What’s the best thing to use instead of a rack?
— Shosh
Whoa, my first triple query! For that many answers, the Angel had to turn to Donna Pierce, the director of the Tribune’s test kitchen:
1. Store soft cookies and crisp cookies separately in airtight containers. A good trick for soft cookies is to place a bread slice in the container to keep them soft. (The bread slice hardens and the cookies stay soft.) Most will keep several days but crisper cookies, which don’t contain a lot of fats (think biscotti or gingersnaps), keep longer. For longer storage and optimal flavor, double-wrap unfrosted cookies and store them in the freezer; they’ll just need a few hours to defrost.
2. Measure the pie plate from inside rim to inside rim.
3. A rack is a really good investment because it keeps the turkey above the drippings and allows it to cook more evenly. You can, however, place the turkey on a flat wire rack fitted into the roasting pan or improvise a rack out of long celery ribs.
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Have a holiday dilemma you need help with? Send your questions to the Answer Angel (a.k.a. Ellen Warren): answerangel@tribune.com. We’ll spotlight questions in the Chicago Tribune’s print and Web editions throughout the holiday season.
