Albany Times Union (Sunday)

Kitchen prep can make cooking easier

- HINTS FROM HELOISE — Diane Kirwan, via email Write to P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000

DEAR HELOISE: When I go into my kitchen to either bake or make a meal, I first do a little kitchen prep before I start cooking/baking:

■ I place my composting bucket on the counter so that it’s ready for use.

■ I put a dinner plate on the counter to rest various cooking implements, to keep them handy for reuse and to keep the counter cleaner. The dinner plate can go into the dishwasher. Standard spoon rests are often too small and do not do well in a dishwasher. I often have two plates, as my husband eats meat and I am a vegetarian, and I frequently prepare variations on the entree to suit our individual dietary preference­s.

■ I get out one of my small, soft material rags (or something like an old cut-up dish towel) to use for various spills so that I do not use paper towels. These rags are used only for these specific projects and go into the laundry after one use.

Keep up the good work in your column. I especially appreciate suggestion­s that support the care of our environmen­t.

— Judith MacLellan,

Bedford, N.H. DEAR READERS: Baking soda is also excellent for cleaning and deodorizin­g. For more on this, check out my six-page pamphlet “Heloise’s Baking Soda Hints and Recipes” by sending $5 and a long, self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Heloise/Baking Soda, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001.

— Heloise DEAR HELOISE: Folks should think twice about silencing or ignoring calls from unknown numbers originatin­g in the U.S. I recently had a family member in a hospital and rehab center. Many of the calls I got were from numbers not in my contact list — nurses, social workers, dieticians, occupation­al therapists, physical therapists, etc. And maybe additional facility numbers or their cell number when not at their desk? I don’t know, but I would have missed a lot of calls. It only takes a few seconds to answer, and then block any illegitima­te number afterward if the call seems suspicious.

— G.W., Staten Island,N.Y.

DEAR HELOISE: I have one more suggestion for the lady with too many knickknack­s: Ask for gifts of time. Maybe they can go do something together, or she can teach them something or go to lunch. I also loved the idea of letting them take some of the knickkanck­s home with them. Love your column!

— Ann, via email

DEAR HELOISE: I soak my teaand coffee-stained pots/pitchers in hot water and powdered dishwasher detergent. The pots come out sparkling clean.

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