HELPFUL HINTS
DEAR HELOISE: I looked in the refrigerator last night and realized that I had a lot of leftover food from the holidays. Some leftover roast beef, cranberry sauce, fresh tomatoes, cake and much more were crowding my shelves. It was a little of “this” and a lot of “that.”
Since I hate wasting food, my family and I hauled everything out, heated up some of the food, left some cold and gave a generous portion of roast to the dog. We dined on all the leftovers. Actually, it was fun
because we got to taste a bit of the holidays all over again, and as crazy as the meal was, we loved it. We set out the pears from a fruit basket, some homemade chili, pasta salads, along with some delicious cheese, and included the chocolate candy my brother sent us. My teenage son invited two of his friends to join us, and there was more than enough to go around. I’m convinced teenage boys don’t eat food; they just inhale it.
It was all very impromptu, which is probably what made it so much fun. Since nothing was planned, we could just sit back and relax while munching on delicacies and recalling the things we liked most about Christmas and the people we entertained and visited.
— Glenda L., Lyons, Ohio
DEAR READER: That sounds like a lot of fun. Just like you, I hate wasting food, and this seems like a great way to use up the leftovers.
DEAR READERS: Here are some New Year’s resolutions to consider for 2022:
■ Plant a garden.
■ Paint the interior or exterior of your home if it’s needed.
■ Call a friend you haven’t spoken to in a long time.
■ Take a class to learn a new skill (pottery, cooking, a foreign language, etc.).
■ Adopt or foster an animal and take excellent care of it.
■ Clean and organize that hall closet (or any closet).
■ Practice patience and kindness more often.
DEAR HELOISE: Now that I have grown older, it has become harder to thread my sewing machine. So, about eight years ago, I held a piece of white paper (like the back of a business card) behind the eye of the needle on my sewing machine. It makes the hole in the needle much more visible. Since then I have kept one or two cards by my machine to help me find the eye of the needle.
— Darlene B., Ontario, Calif.
Send a money- or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000; fax to (210) 435-6473; or email