My home office was in dire need of a thorough fall cleaning, so I took the afternoon and got on the ball. I am a very organized person, but it always puzzles me how I can find so many bits and pieces scattered hither and yon that didn't make it into a column.

I do enjoy hearing from my readers and dedicating an entire column to answering your interesting questions is always fun for me to do. Please feel free to email me (pander@maine.rr.com) with your thoughts, ideas, questions and suggestions. And now onto your questions!

Question from Julia: “I've had absolutely no success making a decent risotto and quite frankly, the whole process is just too tedious! Is there a quicker method that turns out a good finished product?”

Answer: I found this recipe tucked in one of my files labeled "to try" and finally got to it a couple of weeks ago. It was a hit in my house — delicious and easy! Give it a try, Julia and please let me know what you think.

CREAMY OVEN BAKED RISOTTO
2 Tbsp. butter
1 small onion, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1-1/4 cups Arborio rice*
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 cups reduced sodium chicken stock, heated to a boil
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Melt butter in a Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic and salt. Cook 4-5 minutes, stirring often, until onion is tender but not brown. Add Arborio rice and cook 1 minute (still stirring) Add wine and simmer 3 minutes or until wine has evaporated. Add boiling chicken stock and stir. Cover and place in a preheated 400 F oven; bake 15 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir in lemon juice and Parmesan. Season to taste with more salt if desired. Yield: 4 servings.

*Arborio rice is available in most supermarkets. It is a short-grain rice and it releases a lot of starch as it cooks. This is what gives a classic risotto its creamy texture.

Question from Bobbie: “I see all sorts of different types of sweeteners in the market. Is there really a difference especially in calorie count? (I don't mean the artificial sweeteners like Splenda, etc. — the natural sweeteners are what I am questioning.)”

Answer: There really isn't much difference, Bobbie. Here's a break-down of what you can expect from several sweeteners:

• Common white granulated sugar is made from sugar beets and sugar cane. It has about 45 calories per tablespoon.
• Agave nectar comes from the same plant (the agave plant) that tequila is made from. It is 90 percent fructose, has a mild flavor and is sweeter than granulated sugar so you can use less. It has about 60 calories per tablespoon.
• Turbinado sugar (sometimes labeled "raw sugar" is crystallized sugar cane juice and is typically pale brown in color with a crunchy texture. It has about 45 calories per tablespoon.
• Honey is more concentrated than sugar so you can use less and it has the added bonus of containing antioxidants. Each tablespoon is about 60 calories.
• Brown rice syrup is processed from cooked brown rice and has a slightly nutty flavor. It isn't quite as sweet as white sugar and has more calories, about 75 calories per tablespoon.
• Maple syrup made from the sap of sugar maple trees also has some antioxidants and contains about 52 calories per tablespoon.

Question from Joe: “I hate canned condensed cream soups — not only do they have little flavor but the consistency is so gummy. However I have several recipes that call for cream of mushroom soup specifically. Do you have a substitute (easy and quick, please).”

Answer: I am with you on this one, Joe. The only time I enjoy those prepared soups is at Thanksgiving — have to have green bean casserole just like Mom used to make! This homemade alternative can be substituted for one (10-3/4 oz.) can of condensed cream soup. It can be kept in the fridge for three days in a tightly sealed container or it can be frozen.

NOT YOUR GUMMY CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 small shallot, peeled and minced
1/4 cup crimini mushrooms, cleaned and finely minced
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/8 tsp. salt (or more to taste)
1/8 tsp. white pepper
2-1/2 Tbsp. all purpose flour
1/2 cup chicken stock (may substitute vegetable stock)
1/2 cup whole milk

Melt butter in saucepan set over medium heat. Add shallot and cook 4-5 minutes or until tender. Add minced mushrooms, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper; cook, stirring often for 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle with flour and whisk to blend. Cook 2 more minutes, whisking constantly. Whisk in chicken stock and milk; increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to medium low and cook 7-8 minutes whisking constantly until thickened. Season to taste with additional salt if desired.

Question from Cynthia: “Are ‘mince’ and ‘finely chop’ the same thing?”

Answer: No. Minced is a little bit smaller than finely chopped. Minced is smaller than 1/8 of an inch, while finely chopped is smaller than 1/4 inch and coarsely chopped just a little bit bigger.

Question from Brian: “I would like a recipe for a homemade marinara sauce. Any that I've bought in the store are too sweet for my taste. Help please?”

Answer: A good marinara sauce can make or break a dish, and I agree, the commercially prepared ones are quite sweet. I've used this recipe for years (sorry I cannot give credit to where it came from, but it might have been an old issue of Cook's Magazine) and it is delicious. It freezes well so make a big batch and you'll always have some on hand.

BASIC MARINARA SAUCE

3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 cup diced onion
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 tsp. dried red chili pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. fennel seeds, crushed
2 cans (28-oz. each) whole, peeled San Marzano tomatoes (or standard plum tomatoes)
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 dried bay leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. sugar, as needed

Place olive oil in a large pan set over medium heat. When hot, add onions and garlic; cook and stir 3-4 minutes or until softened but not browned. Stir in the chili flakes, oregano, fennel seeds and cook 1-2 minutes more. Pour tomatoes (with juices) into a large bowl and using very clean hands, crush them discarding any hard bits from the core. Add crushed tomatoes and juices to the pan; add parsley and bay leaves. Bring to a low boil; reduce heat to medium low and simmer, partially covered, for 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally. When sauce is desired consistency, remove pan from heat and stir in basil leaves. Using an immersion blender (or you can do the sauce in batches in processor or blender) puree until smooth.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Depending on the acidity of your tomatoes, add the sugar or not. Yield: 6 cups.

Question from Tina: “I buy lettuce (usually red leaf) at the grocery store and before I can use the whole head, it is a slimy mess and ends up going down the disposer at $3+ a whack. How can I make lettuce last longer?”

Answer: The best way to store greens is to first remove and discard any leaves that have brown, rusty spots. Cut the core off the bottom and separate the leaves and put them in a large, clean pan (I use my dishpan) with lots of cold water and even a handful of ice cubes. Let the lettuce sit in the cold water bath for 30 minutes. This helps to rehydrate it - lettuce loses a lot of moisture after harvesting. Then spin the leaves dry in a lettuce spinner and wrap them very loosely in paper towels. Then carefully slide the whole "packet" into a zippy bag and partially close it. Gently squeeze out as much air as you can and then close bag all the way. (Exposure to air causes rapid spoilage.) Store in the veggie bin of your fridge.

Question from Meg: “You've probably been asked this question a million times, Paula, but I am going to ask once more! I seem to be very sensitive to the ‘sting’ when peeling and chopping onions. Is there anything that really helps?”

Answer: There are all sorts of gadgets that are supposed to help — special goggles, cutting on a metal surface, holding an unlit match in your mouth while cutting and probably dozens more. The one thing that does help costs nothing and is easy-peasy. Simply pop your onions in the fridge for 15-20 minutes before chopping and be sure and use a good sharp knife. Cut the area closest to the root end last - it has the highest concentration of the sulfur compound that is the culprit of all your tears.