Rethinking the kitchen items
DEAR HELOISE >> I went through my kitchen cabinets and pantry and suddenly realized I had too many things that I don't need or use. It made me ask myself why I kept certain items that were gifted to me but I don't use. That's when I decided to start getting rid of the clutter. I don't need or use an ice cream maker, a personal juicer or a slow cooker. I boxed up all my old pots and pans, which were an assortment of odds and ends, and bought a brand new set. I'm too embarrassed to tell you how many sets of dishes I owned!
I finally had a big garage sale and sold it all. That gave me enough money to buy that new set of cookware. It felt great to get rid of these things, to wash my cabinets and pantry, then repaint everything. I found that when you declutter your home, you have a habit of decluttering your life. — Lacy R., Marion, Ohio
DEAR HELOISE >> My 14-year-old son has Down syndrome. Since he loves strawberries in any form, I'd like to make your Strawberry Gelatin Cake for his birthday in August. I made it last year, and he absolutely loved it! Now I can't find the pamphlet it came from. Being a Down syndrome child, he has very few friends and a limited list of things he enjoys, but your Strawberry Gelatin Cake was such a big hit that I promised to make it again this year. Would you reprint it again for me? — Sandra W., Houston
Sandra, I would be happy to reprint this recipe.
STRAWBERRY GELATIN CAKE
1box white cake mix 1box strawberry gelatin (a little more than 6ounces) 1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup water
1box frozen strawberries 4 eggs
Mix the cake mix and the gelatin together well. Add oil, water and eggs and beat until smooth. Add half of the strawberries and juice. (Keep the rest for icing.) Bake at 350degrees for 1hour or so. This makes three round layers.
Icing
1box powdered sugar 1stick butter
1/2 box of strawberries, thinly sliced
Mix well and spread on cooled cake.
Do you enjoy easy recipes on these warm summer days? Does your family still love dessert after dinner? If so, you'll love my pamphlet “Heloise's Cake Recipes.” To get a copy, just go to Heloise.com or send $3, along with a stamped, self-addressed, long envelope to: Heloise/Cakes, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. I hope you love these recipes as much as my family and I do.
DEAR READERS >> During these long, hot summer days, remember your pets. Take them into the house during the heat of the day. Provide them with lots of clean, fresh water in a clean bowl and food. Some animals like a kiddie swimming pool filled with clean water in a shady spot to cool off. I usually add two trays of ice cubes to my dog's water both in the water dish and the kiddie pool to help them tolerate the heat. Remember, a dog or cat, or any pet, is a family member!