No time to wait while gravy gets going? Turn up the heat
Heloise
Dear Heloise: I hated the directions for COOKING GRAVY MIXES, starting in cold water and constantly stirring until done. Now, for a 1-cup package, I put 3/4 cup water in a pan to boil. Meanwhile, I dissolve the mix in 1/4 cup cold water, add this to the boiling water and stir constantly. The gravy is done in less than a minute.
I also make a substitute white sauce from a 2-cup package of country-gravy mix. I bring 1 1/2 cups water to boil, dissolve the mix in 1/2 cup milk and stir into the boiling water until thickened. Then I add 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter. — Carol M., Colorado Springs, Colo.
Carol, I agree, and thank you for sharing this hint. I make no-fat brown gravy and country gravy from a package, and the directions are just this. — Heloise
Dear Heloise: My hint involves the plastic card holders placed in a lot of flflower arrangements.
I’ve saved three or four of these picks, washed them and used them in my casserole or salad bowls that I bring along to potlucks and picnics. I use a by-5-inch card to tell people if there are any allergy-aggravating ingredients in my dishes and stick them in before the dish is served. I’ve also used them to hold a copy or copies of the recipe for people to take in case my dish is a hit! — Becky B., via email
Becky, this is a wonderful hint. So many potlucks are, well, potluck. It’s nice to see the recipe and not have to guess what the ingredients are.
Plus, having the recipe there for folks to take is just plain nice. Why scribble down on a piece of paper to then get lost somewhere? — Heloise
Dear Heloise: I put a small bead of reusable adhesive behind the bottom edge of the cupboard door over my kitchen counter work-space. When it’s time to cook something new, I stick the recipe to it, and it hangs right in front of me at eye level, offff the counter and out of the way. — Josh L., Riviera Beach
Dear Heloise: The top of the refrigerator is diffificult to clean, especially for a short person like me. I repurposed a vintage tablecloth from my mom to cover the top, overlapping the back a few inches. I just toss it in the washing machine every month or so. Looks nice, and reminds me of my mother. — Evie G., Templeton, Calif.
Why dust if you don’t have to? You can cover the top with foil or plastic wrap and just toss when dirty. — Heloise