Start out the new year with a clean kitchen
Dear Heloise: With a new year comes the desire to clean out my pantry in the kitchen. It’s a great time to get rid of those foods that are out of date or those that have been invaded by insects, usually weevils. I use a cup of bleach to a gallon of water to wash down the shelves, then I dry them and return the food to the pantry. Everything is organized and clean for the new year.
— Mazie J., Klamath
Falls, Oregon Mazie, that’s a great idea. To all my readers, I wish for you a happy and healthy 2020.
— Heloise
Sweet cement
Dear Heloise: After years of having my brown sugar turn into cement once it was opened, I found a solution. I sealed it in a vacuum sealer, and voila. Even after a month or two, it is still soft. I thought others might find this helpful.
— Pat C., Bessemer, Alabama
Cherry surprise
Dear Heloise: Please reprint your Cherry Surprise recipe. I haven’t made it in a long time and have forgotten how, but it was the special request of my son who is coming home on leave from the military.
— Carrie in Mississippi
Carrie, anything for our men and women in uniform.
You’ll need to cream together 2 sticks butter or margarine and 2 cups sugar. Beat 3 eggs and add into the butter/sugar mixture. Mix in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons almond extract and 1 pint sour cream. Then add 3 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt; mix to blend.
Last, stir in 1 cup chopped maraschino cherries and 1 1/2 cups chopped nuts. Bake in a greased and floured tube pan at 325 F for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. When the cake has cooled, sprinkle on powdered sugar.
If you like this delicious, easyto-prepare dessert, you’ll love my pamphlet Heloise’s Cake Recipes. To get a copy, send a stamped (70 cents), self-addressed, long envelope, along with $3, to: Heloise/Cakes, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. Or you can order it online at www.Heloise.com. FYI: When using powdered cake mix, put the water in the bowl first, then the dry mix. This helps prevent powder pockets at the bottom of the bowl.
— Heloise
Gone to seed
Dear Heloise: I always had a problem when I cleaned peppers. I never could get all the seeds out. I seemed to work forever to get them all out, but always had a lot left.
I don’t know how I found this out, but now I use a grapefruit spoon, and it works like a charm. Just scrape the inside of the pepper, and out they come.
— Big D. in Ohio
Handy hints
Dear Readers: Here are a few handy hints:
• Microwave a lemon for 12-14 seconds and you’ll increase the juice it produces.
• Use latex gloves to open stubborn jar lids.
• Instead of using toothpicks for closing up stuffed pork chops or chicken breasts, try raw spaghetti. It’s edible.
— Heloise
Send a money-saving or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001, or you can fax it to 1-210-HELOISE or email it to Heloise@Heloise.com. I can’t answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column.