Before we begin this week, a quick reminder: if you're asking about a recipe you saw on-air, please don't forget to include the station and/or Web site in your e-mail. If you're asking about a Mr. Food recipe, it can most likely be found at www.mrfood.com.

Q: I have a lot of my grandmother's cast-aluminum cookware. I have heard that the aluminum gets in the food and may cause Alzheimer's disease. Do you know anything about this? I'm not using mine now because of this. I purchased new stainless. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you. Del B.

A: The link between aluminum and Alzheimer's disease is still unproved, but aluminum in excessive quantities CAN have deleterious effects on the kidneys. However, most aluminum cookware is covered with something on the food-contact surface, such as stainless steel. The aluminum is used on the outside for its superior heat-conducting qualities.

The worst culprits as far as leaching aluminum into food are acidic foods, such as tomato sauce. It's always best to cook acidic foods in nonreactive cookware, such as enameled cast iron.

Q: What is the difference between jelly, jam and preserves? Larry J.

A: Great question, Larry! I'm sure this is one a lot of folks have wondered about, and it's just the sort of thing I like answering.

Q: Which is better, vegetable oil or lard? Alice M.

A: There really is no "better" between the two. It all depends on what you're doing. You wouldn't want to make homemade mayonnaise with lard, but your grandmother will tell you that there's nothing in the world better for skillet frying chicken than lard. It's all a matter of your purposes.

Always be very careful with lard. Remember that it is an animal product, and thus can be dangerous gastrically if consumed when it's spoiled.

Q: I have a question about frozen food. I bought some steak and had it ground up into hamburger and then put it in the freezer. Some time later, I defrosted the hamburger and made meatballs with it. Can I refreeze those meatballs now that they are cooked? Do you recommend refreezing meat that was frozen when it was raw? Thanks. Carolann D.

A: The one thing you should NEVER, EVER do is refreeze raw meat once it's thawed. Not only can it lead to bacterial contamination, but you'll end up with ice crystal formation within the meat fibers that will reduce the cooked product to a mushy, unpleasant mess.

However, once frozen meat has been thawed and cooked thoroughly, there's no problem whatsoever with refreezing it. I've got spaghetti sauce with meatballs in my freezer right now that's a product of such a process.

Q: How can I make good french fries at home? I have tried all kinds of oil from olive to peanut and they just don't turn out right like they do at restaurants or fast-food places. My only reason I can think of is that deep fryers for home use don't get as hot as restaurant types do. What do you think my problem is? Len

A: One of the secrets to good french fries is "double frying," but let's go step-by-step.

TIP: Be sure to season your fries as soon as they come out of the oil the second time, while they're hot. The seasoning will stick to the hot fries and give a much better result.

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