HELPFUL HINTS

My rice DEAR HELOISE: always seems to stick together. I have no idea how to get fluffy rice. Do you? Please let me know what the secret is. — Candice G, Liberty, Pa.

Yes and DEAR READER: it’s so easy. To make fluffy rice, add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar to the cooking water. You also can add a teaspoon of vinegar to the water while boiling potatoes to keep the potatoes a creamy white. There are so many uses for vinegar in food preparation and for household hints. However, we have it on good authority from the American Egg Board that adding vinegar to water in which eggs are being boiled does not make them easier to peel.

How DEAR HELOISE: can I kill bacteria on my sponges?

— Georgia S., Boca Raton, Fla.

The U.S. DEAR READER: Department of Agriculture recommends two methods. First, place a sponge in bowl of water and microwave for about 50-60 seconds. Or place in the dishwasher and wash it with the rest of your dishes. Let it go through the entire wash and dry cycles. And remember, it will be very hot when it’s done, so handle with care.

I have a DEAR HELOISE: very small apartment kitchen, but I love to cook. I’ve found that if I open a kitchen drawer and place my large cutting board on top of the open drawer, I have a little more counter space. This can also work if you have a sink and a large cutting board. Just place the board over the sink.

— Christine D., Newport News, Va.

Recently DEAR HELOISE: my family and I went to a vacation area to enjoy a few days of relaxing in the sun. Our daughter was celebrating her 16th birthday that week, and I bought a large birthday cake. Everything was fine until I went searching for a knife to cut the cake and realized I didn’t have a large knife with me. My son said we could use clean dental floss to divide up the pieces, and we did. It turned out perfect and no messy, sharp knife to clean afterward!

— Gloria M., Boston

From a DEAR HELOISE: very early age, I taught my children to enjoy growing things, and one of our favorite lessons was growing fresh herbs on our windowsill. Not only has it inspired them to prepare foods with fresh ingredients, it’s also made them more aware of how good nutrition affects our bodies. They have also taught my grandchildren about the importance of a balanced diet. These lessons begin at home.

— Margaret A., Foothill Ranch, Calif.