Chinese Beets a tangy, unusual side dish

Dear Heloise: Everyone at my house loves your Chinese Beets. Unfortunately, I lost the recipe, and I’m not sure what ingredients to use, or the amounts. Would you reprint this recipe?— Stacy W., Portland , Maine

Stacy, I love this recipe, too, so here it is:

CHINESE BEETS 6 cups cooked sliced beets, or 3 (16 ounces each) cans sliced beets

1 cup sugar

1 cup vinegar

2 tablespoons cornstarch 24 whole cloves (but if you don’t care for a strong taste, start with 12)

3 tablespoons ketchup 3 tablespoons oil 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Salt to taste

Drain the beets. Set aside 1 1/2 cups of the liquid. In a medium saucepan, place the beets and reserved liquid. Then add all the remaining ingredients. Mix well and cook for 3 minutes over medium heat or until the mixture thickens. Let cool before storing in the refrigerator. Serve as a side dish or in a salad. Want more tasty treats for your family? To get this and other recipes to delight your family and friends, send $5, along with a stamped (71 cents), self-addressed, long envelope, to: Heloise’s All-Time Favorite Recipes, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 782795001. Or you can order it online at Heloise.com. This dish is very “tangy,” but if you enjoy waking up your taste buds, you’ll love my Chinese Beets.—Heloise

DEBUG THE PANTRY

Dear Heloise: I found weevils in my rice and cereals! If a box has a pour spout or any closure that’s not airtight, then go to a dollar store and buy a cheap set of containers with a twist-off top or a snap closure, and put food in them. Tiny bugs can get into nearly any container that’s made of paper.—Grace W., Chalmette, La.

GREEK YOGURT VERSUS HEAVY CREAM Dear Heloise: In recipes that call for heavy cream, can I use Greek yogurt instead?— Lois D., Buckhall, Va.

Lois, it’s not uncommon for cooks to use Greek yogurt in place of heavy cream in recipes for cold soups or sauces. However, heavy cream usually contains about 36 percent fat, while Greek yogurt usually contains a much lower fat content, making it less ideal for baked goods, such as custards, cakes and any recipe that relies on fat content.—Heloise

YOU CAN CLEAN MANY THINGS IN THE

DISHWASHER

Dear Heloise: I’ve discovered that there are a number of things you can clean in your dishwasher besides dishes. Things such as makeup trays that are plastic, my husband’s baseball caps (he has several!), my daughter’s plastic teacup set and much more!—Joan G., La Crosse, Ind.

CART ART

Dear Heloise: I was at a grocery store that had grocery carts placed around the store with a sign stating: “Change your mind? Put the items here and we will restock them.” Great idea!—Kathy M., via email