HELPFUL HINTS

DEAR READERS: As promised, here are more kitchen mishap stories, and boy, are some of them a hoot:

Connie F. in Texas wrote: “I made tuna casserole many times. One day, we sat down to eat, and the casserole was horrible. I checked the tuna can and discovered that I had used cat food — one of the smelliest-fish cat foods ever. P.S.: Even the cat wouldn’t eat it.”

Stephanie R., via email, said: “I was married only two weeks and cooking my first Thanksgiving dinner. I had many dishes to prepare. When it came time for dessert, I cut the pecan pie. It seemed very oozy, but my husband said it was wonderful anyway. Later that day, I realized I had forgotten to bake the pie! It looked done, since I had pre-baked the crust!”

Diana C., via email, said: “My mom was visiting and decided to make monkey bread. She let it do a quick rise in the dishwasher, which had just run and was still warm. We watched TV, forgot about the bread, and in the morning found sloppy, gloppy dough dripping everywhere in the dishwasher.”

Readers, keep them coming. We’ve all had a cooking/ baking bummer.

DEAR HELOISE: I like to have a few plain almonds, walnuts or pecans each day because it is healthy. The ones from the produce section of the grocery store are much cheaper than ones in the baking aisle. With Christmas baking season coming up, this could be a way for all those bakers to save a little dough.

— Jeanette M., via email

DEAR READERS: So many of you wrote about how you open glass jars. Here are some of your hints:

Pia H., via email, said: “Use the round end of a can opener to lift the lower edge of the jar lid. This breaks the suction, and the lid unscrews easily.”

Lois S., via email, said: “Hold the jar firmly and give one hard pop on the lid with the palm or heel of your hand. Sometimes it takes a second pop, but I’ve never had it fail.”

Margaret S. in Arkansas wrote: “Insert a spoon handle backward under the edge of the lid. Then press down on the spoon, and you will hear a pop. That is the vacuum seal being broken. The lid will easily twist off.”

Shirley W. in Oklahoma wrote: “Simply put on … rubber dishwashing gloves!”