HELPFUL HINTS
DEAR HELOISE: When I am finished with a jar containing spaghetti sauce, olives or another food product, I wash it out, remove the label, rinse and dry. I have a small box of clean jars to put flowers in to deliver to my friends or people in care centers. They do not have to worry about returning the “vase.” I recycle the lids rather than throwing them in the trash. Some lids can be used for spoon holders while cooking or for other messy activities.
— Pat Rittscher, Webster City, Iowa DEAR HELOISE: I had to write and tell you that my favorite thing to do with leftover hot dog buns is to make “Nana Dogs.”
I spread mayonnaise or peanut butter on the bun and lay a whole banana in there. Anything you can do with regular loaf bread, you can do with hot dog buns.
— Peggy H., Dallas, NC DEAR HELOISE: My neighbor said you have a recipe that you call Chinese beets, and I’m trying to entice my family to eat beets. Would you print yours for all of us beet lovers?
— Mae in Indiana DEAR READER: This was a favorite of my mother’s. You’ll need:
6 cups cooked, sliced beets or
3 cans sliced beets
1 cup sugar
1 cup vinegar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
24 whole cloves (you might want to try 12 cloves if you like a milder taste)
3 tablespoons ketchup
3 tablespoons cooking oil (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
A dash of salt
Drain the beets, reserving 1 1/2 cups of beet liquid. Place the beets in a medium saucepan with the reserved liquid and the remainder of the ingredients. Mix well and cook for 3 minutes over medium heat or until mixture thickens. Let it cool then store in the refrigerator.
If you enjoy this recipe, you’ll love my pamphlet “Heloise’s All-Time Favorite Recipes,” which has other delicious recipes, including olive nut dip, corn chowder and apricot preserves. To get a copy visit www.Heloise.com or sent $5 along with a long, self-addressed, stamped (70 cents) envelope, to Heloise/All Time Favorites, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX. 78279-5001. Beets are a good source of fiber, are fat-free and low in sodium, and a cup of beets has about 2.2 grams of protein.