A terrific vegetable-beef soup

DEARHELOISE>> My mother-in-law made a terrific VEGETABLE-BEEF SOUP, which she said was from a recipe found in one of your pamphlets. Could you reprint that soup recipe for me? — Charlotte S., Dime Box, Texas

DEARCHARLOTTES.>> Charlotte, this was one of my mother’s favorite recipes. You’ll need:

10 1/2ounces unsalted chicken broth

1/2cup water

2 cups frozen mixed vegetables for soup

16-ounce can of tomatoes

1 cup beef, cooked and diced 1 teaspoon thyme leaves, crushed Dash of pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 bay leaf

2 ounces (about 1 1/4 cups) narrowwidth noodles, uncooked

Heat broth and water. Add vegetables, meat and seasonings. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and boil gently, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Add noodles; cook until noodles are tender, about 10 minutes. Remove bay leaf before serving. Makes about four 1-cup servings. If you really enjoy a tasty, hot bowl of soup on a chilly day, you’ll love all the recipes for soup I have in my pamphlet Heloise’s Spectacular Soups. To order a copy, send $5, along with a stamped (70 cents), self-addressed, long envelope, to: Heloise/Soups, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. Or you can order it online at Heloise.com. FYI: When adding noodles in a soup, cook them until they are firm or “al dente.” Drain and add to the soup.

DEARHELOISE>> I have a problem: I bought a jar of onion salt, used it a few times and then it hardened. How do I avoid this situation? Your column appears in the Antelope Valley (Calif.) Press, and I read it faithfully!

— Christine F., Lancaster, Calif.

DEARCHRISTINEF.>> Christine, the next time you buy onion salt or garlic powder, consider placing a few kernels of rice in the container, and make sure the cap is on very tight. This may eliminate the moisture and prevent clumping.

STOP THAT ROLL!

DEARHELOISE>> I was going to wrap a pie with plastic wrap when the roll suddenly came out of the box after I pulled, and it fell to the floor. I told my son that the plastic wrap and foil both come out when I try to use them. My son showed me two cutouts on the ends of the boxes. You push them in, and they hold the roll in the box while you unroll the product. I wonder how many of your readers are unaware of this also. I thought it might be worthwhile passing it on.

— Jim J., Girard, Pa.

DEARJIMJ.>> GRANDMOTHER’S METHOD

DEARHELOISE>> I remember my grandmother’s method of boiling eggs. She’d bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and, with a slotted spoon, gently and slowly immerse eggs, one at a time. She’d boil the eggs for 15 minutes (for hard-boiled eggs), then remove them from the pan of hot water and place them in cold tap water. She never had a messy egg.

— Bettie B. in Houston

Write to Heloise at P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000; Fax 210-HELOISE; or email Heloise@ Heloise.com.