A versatile tool

DEAR HELOISE » My family loves fresh pineapple, so I often buy a pineapple and cut it up for them. The one chore I disliked the most was cutting out the center core, but by accident I found a simple way to do that chore. I use a doughnut cutter to get the center core out. It’s easy and quick for this task.

— Lauren in Florida NEAT AND TIDY

DEAR HELOISE » Several recipes I have for baking say to flour the greased pan. It always caused such a terrible mess. Then I had an idea! I took an empty plastic spice bottle, cleaned it and filled it with flour. Now I can sprinkle flour on my pans without the mess I used to have on my kitchen counter. The holes in the shaker cap are just the right size for sprinkling, and it makes baking much easier.

— Esther in Iowa FAST SHRIMP SPREAD

DEAR HELOISE » I lost my shrimp spread recipe when we remodeled the kitchen. Would you please repeat that recipe? My son and my husband both loved it.

— Donna in Wisconsin Donna, here it is. You’ll need: 8 ounces cream cheese, softened ½ cup mayonnaise 4 ounces tiny cocktail shrimp, drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons seafood cocktail sauce

½ cup finely chopped onion (yellow, white or red) 1/8 teaspoon garlic salt Thoroughly mix the cream cheese and mayonnaise until well blended. Mash or chop the shrimp and add to the mixture; stir in remaining ingredients. Refrigerate until needed. It’s best served at room temperature with crackers and veggies as a dip or spread on bread as a sandwich. Do not let it sit out for more than one hour.

INSTANT CUTTING BOARD

DEAR HELOISE » I have always hated waste. I found that the bacon I buy has a firm plastic sheet under the bacon. I usually remove it from the package, wash it with soap and hot water, and use it as a cutting board. It’s saves my countertop from being cut into.

— Jason in Connecticut Jason, that’s a clever use for the bacon backing, but please make sure the paper is thoroughly clean to reduce any cross-contamination.

DISHASHER SAFETY

DEAR HELOISE » Just a reminder to your readers to never place knives in the dishwasher with the pointed end facing upward. I cut myself on the arm with a knife I had left pointing up as I was reaching into the back of the dishwasher. I know I should wash knives by hand, but I don’t.

— Charles in Oregon

Write to Heloise at P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 782795000; Fax 210-HELOISE; or email Heloise@Heloise.com.