Being on thin icing
Dear Heloise: My CAKE ICING is usually just too thin when I make it from scratch. How can I correct this problem? — Brooke H., Seaford, Del.
Brooke, just add a little more powdered sugar until you get the consistency you want. And speaking of cakes, the following letter has another cake question! — Heloise
Crumbling cakes Dear Heloise:
My cake always seems dry and crumbles too easily. Any hints on how to get a moist cake? — Nicole R., Dalhart, Texas
Nicole, add two additional tablespoons of oil to your cake mix, and crumbling shouldn’t be a problem. But be sure not to overbake, either. For unique cake recipes and cake-baking hints, order my four-page Heloise’s Cake Recipes by sending $3 and a long, self-addressed, stamped (71 cents) envelope to: Heloise/Cakes, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. Or you can order it online at www. Heloise.com. FYI: To avoid lumpy cake mix, add the water to the bowl first, then the cake mix. — Heloise
Citrus peel Dear Heloise:
When a recipe calls for lemon zest or grated lemon peel, I manage to turn it into mush! What am I doing wrong? — Rosalinda N., Jupiter, Fla.
Rosalinda, freeze your lemon or orange peel before trying to grate it. This really simplifies the task. — Heloise
Crying in Ohio Dear Heloise:
How can I keep onions from making me cry when I’m cutting them? — Lillian B., Brunswick, Ohio
Lillian, the best way is to keep those onions refrigerated until you need to cut them. The cooler the onion, the fewer the tears. Or try keeping your mouth tightly closed while cutting them. Some of my readers have suggested cutting or peeling onions under cold running water. — Heloise
Storing sharp knives Dear Heloise:
I have some very expensive, and very sharp, kitchen knives that I don’t want to just toss in a drawer. How can I store them properly to keep them sharp? — Valerie K., Preston, Idaho
Valerie, there are magnetic strips today that keep knives separated and close at hand, or you also could take an empty coffee can, fill it with rice and store your knives blade down in the rice. — Heloise
Did you know? Sugar fix Dear Readers:
A serving of sugar is 8 grams, or 2 teaspoons, and it has about 30 calories. — Heloise