HELPFUL HINTS
DEAR HELOISE: Should I put my wine glasses in the dishwasher?
— Cindy in Indiana
DEAR READER: Yes, hand-washing wine glasses runs the risk of breaking them by dropping them in the sink. So washing them in the dishwasher is best. Load them on the top rack, if possible. They shouldn’t touch each other or any other items. Use a rinse aid if you have hard water, and set the dishwasher on a non-heated drying cycle. DEARREADERS: Thanksgiving is right around the corner, so I thought I’d share my mother’s original cornbread dressing recipe, which hopefully will be a big hit with your family.
This cornbread dressing is not only delicious with turkey, but is a tasty complement to a holiday ham.
Heloise’s Original Dressing
1 cup of turkey broth from cooking the giblets and neck, or 1 cup chicken broth 6-8 slices stale bread, torn
into pieces
1 ½ packed cups crumbled
cornbread
½ to 1 cup chopped celery ½ cup chopped onion
1 stick butter or margarine 2 eggs, beaten
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning 1 teaspoon sage
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Pour broth over breadcrumbs and cornbread in a large bowl. Mix until all the “bread” is moist. Using a large skillet, saute the celery and onions in butter until tender. Combine the bread mixture, celery, onions, beaten eggs, salt, pepper, poultry seasoning and sage. Mix well.
Place the dressing in a greased 12-by-9 casserole dish. Cover and bake for 35-45 minutes.
DEARHELOISE: I was given a set of anodized aluminum cookware as a wedding gift, but I know nothing about this type of cookware. How safe is it to use every day?
— Paula in Delaware
DEAR READER: These surfaces are hardened and sealed by an electro-chemical process to get a nonstick, scratch-resistant surface that allows for fat-free cooking. These pots and pans tend to be durable, cook evenly and quickly and don’t leach materials into foods.
DEAR HELOISE: My mother-in-law recently taught me a trick to keep my pasta from boiling over and onto my stove. She said to take a wooden spoon and lay it across the top of the boiling pot while my pasta is cooking. Sure enough, it works.