The potato debate
Dear Heloise: My husband said he no longer wants potatoes because they’re too fattening and he’s trying to lose weight. However, I read that a medium-size potato has only about 100 calories. Which of us is right? — Lynette I., Silverdale, N.C.
Lynette, actually, the average medium-size potato does have about 100 calories. It’s the butter, sour cream, bacon bits and the rest that add the calories. Potatoes are rich in vitamin C and potassium and low in sodium. They’re also a good source of fiber. A baked potato with a small amount of butter, salt and pepper won’t hurt his diet. — Heloise
SHRIMP DIJON
Dear Heloise: My family loves seafood, and I love your Shrimp Dijon recipe. I’d like to make up a batch fairly soon but can’t find the recipe. Would you reprint that one so your readers can enjoy a delicious recipe? — Anna Y., Westlake, Ohio
Anna, here it is. You’ll need:
1 ½ pounds peeled,
deveined shrimp
¼ cup butter or margarine 1 medium onion, thinly
sliced
¼ cup flour
1 ½ cups milk 2 tablespoons Dijon
mustard
¼ teaspoon nutmeg ½ teaspoon salt ⅛ teaspoon pepper 1 6-ounce package cream cheese, softened
Melt butter or margarine in a frying pan, add shrimp and onions and saute for 3 minutes, but DO NOT brown. Sprinkle flour into the mixture, while thinning the mixture with milk, a little at a time to avoid lumping. Add mustard, nutmeg, salt and pepper and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in cream cheese until blended and warm, but do not boil. Serve over rice.
If you like this recipe and want more mouthwatering dishes to serve your family and friends, just go to www.Heloise. com, or you can send us a stamped (75 cents), selfaddressed envelope along with $3 to Main Dishes, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001.
BEANS
Dear Heloise: I love homemade bean soup but hate the way it can produce gas. Is there a way to reduce or eliminate that problem altogether? — Beatrice F., Garden City, Kan.
Beatrice, yes, there is a way to help that problem. Dried beans are less likely to produce gas if you soak them overnight, discard the water in which they’ve been soaked and then cook them in fresh water. You also can add a pinch of ginger to reduce the gaseousness of homecooked beans. — Heloise
GREASY RESIDUE
Dear Heloise :Ifrya number of foods, and I found that the grease can get on everything over time. While cleaning my kitchen, I found a greasy residue on top of my refrigerator. I now place newspaper or plain, brown wrapping paper on the top of my refrigerator to catch the grease that gets on everything. I can just throw the paper out and replace it with a clean new sheet. It makes housekeeping a little easier. — Sherry A., Slidell, La.