[Illustration: =Blanched Nuts=: Drop shelled nuts into boiling water. Let stand 2 to 5 minutes (until skins are loosened). Pour off hot water, add some cold. Pinch each nut between thumb and finger to push off skins, and lay nuts on plate or paper toweling to dry.] [Illustration: =Sliced or Slivered Nuts=: First blanch ... then cut with very sharp knife while nuts are moist and warm.] [Illustration: =Ground Nuts=: Use fine knife of food grinder for finely ground ... coarse knife for coarsely ground. Nuts should be dry.] PREPARING DRIED FRUITS [Illustration: KNOW YOUR RAISINS =Seeded= raisins are the large variety from which seeds have been removed. The sweetness released when they were slit open makes them sticky.] [Illustration: =Seedless= raisins are the small variety, both dark and light ... dried from seedless grapes. Cut them to get the full sweetness and flavor.] [Illustration: =Plump= seedless raisins by washing and spreading them out in a flat pan. Cover. Heat slowly in mod. oven (350°) until they puff up and wrinkles come out.] [Illustration: DATES =Cut up= dates and other sticky fruits with wet scissors. Dip scissors in water occasionally.] [Illustration: PREPARING COCONUT =Snip through= long shreds of coconut with scissors to shorten them. The shorter shreds blend into doughs more evenly.] [Illustration: =To tint= shredded coconut: Soak it in milk or water (¼ cup for ½ cup coconut) with a few drops of food coloring added. Drain, dry on absorbent paper.] [Illustration: =To cut citron= or candied orange or lemon peel, first _slice it thinly_—then cut slices into ½″ or ¼″ squares.] EQUIVALENT WEIGHTS AND MEASURES ————NUTS IN SHELL———— ————SHELLED NUTS———— =ALMONDS= 1 lb. = 1 cup nut meats 1 lb. = 3½ cups nut meats =PECANS= 1 lb. = 2¼ cups nut meats 1 lb. = 4 cups nut meats =PEANUTS= 1 lb. = 2 cups nut meats 1 lb. = 3 cups nut meats =WALNUTS= 1 lb. = 2 cups nut meats 1 lb. = 4 cups nut meats 1 CUP WHOLE SHELLED NUTS [Illustration] = [Illustration] broken = [Illustration] cut-up = [Illustration] coarsely chopped — minus 1 tbsp = [Illustration] finely chopped — ⅞ CUP WHOLE PITTED CUT-UP FINELY CUT =DATES= 1 lb. = 2¼ cups 2 cups 1¾ cups 1½ cups =PRUNES= 1 lb. = 2⅓ cups 3½ cups 3 cups 2⅞ cups (cooked) (cooked) (cooked) =FIGS= 1 lb. = 2¾ cups —— 2⅔ cups 2½ cups =RAISINS= 15-oz. pkg. = 2¾ cups —— 2¾ cups 2½ cups [Illustration: A Full Cooky Jar Makes a Home “Homey”]