How to easily store cupcake wrappers
Dear Heloise: My cupcake wrappers used to be all over the place in the cupboard. Finally, I used an empty frosting can to hold the wrappers. No more wrappers spread all over the shelf.
— Corrine K., Amarillo, Texas
Shrimp Dijon
Dear Heloise: You have a recipe for Shrimp Dijon that I dearly love. However, I’ve lost the recipe. Would you repeat that in your column? My brother is coming for a visit, and I’d like to make that recipe for him.
— Mary Ellen C., Sedona, Arizona Mary Ellen, this is one of my most requested recipes. Here it is. You’ll need:
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 1/2 pounds peeled, deveined shrimp 1 medium onion, thinly chopped
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 6-ounce package cream cheese, softened
Melt butter or margarine in frying pan, add shrimp and onions, and saute for 3 minutes; do not brown. Sprinkle flour into mixture while thinning the mixture with the milk a little at a time to avoid lumping. Add mustard, nutmeg, salt and pepper and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in cream cheese until blended and warmed through, but DO NOT BOIL. Serve over rice.
If you enjoy this recipe, I think you will like all the recipes in my pamphlet “Heloise’s Main Dishes and More.” There are so many ways to invigorate a meal with a new recipe. To get a copy, just go to www.Heloise.com or send $3 along with a stamped, self-addressed long envelope to: Heloise/Main Dishes, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. Nothing feels more like home than a hot, delicious meal at the end of the day.
— Heloise
No more batter dripping
Dear Heloise: I used to have waffle batter dripping all over my counter, until I made a discovery. After I pour the batter into the waffle iron, I leave the top of the waffle iron open for about 30 to 40 seconds and then close the top. No more mess on my counters. — Allison D., Santa Rosa
Instant potatoes
Dear Heloise: Whenever I made crab cakes for dinner, I used to use breadcrumbs. One night I discovered that I was out of breadcrumbs, so I replaced the breadcrumbs with instant potato flakes. They proved to be a good binding agent, and my family seemed to enjoy the instant potato flakes a little more than the breadcrumbs.
— Sarah T., Oakdale, Louisiana
Gravy
Dear Heloise: Every year the whole family celebrates Thanksgiving at our place. While everything is usually served hot, the gravy used to get cold rather fast. I finally figured out that if I served it in an insulated coffee carafe instead of a gravy boat, not only would I have hot gravy, I wouldn’t have to keep filling gravy boats.
Also, I used to use cloth tablecloths, and after the holiday that meant a lot of washing and ironing. Now I use a paper tablecloth and just wrap it up and toss it out.
— Helen R., Ogden, Utah
Send a money-saving or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001, or you can fax it to 1-210-HELOISE or email it to Heloise@Heloise.com. I can’t answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column.