HELPFUL HINTS

DEAR HELOISE: I use lemons a lot for the zesty taste that they give a number of dishes. I was going to make a recipe that called for the lemon zest as well as fresh squeezed lemon juice, but my lemons went bad only a couple of days after I bought them. Now, as soon as I get home from shopping, I zest my lemon peels and freeze them in a plastic bag. I also squeeze the lemon juice and freeze it too. This way I always have fresh lemon to use when I need it.

— Karen M., Ardmore, Okla. DEAR HELOISE: Many supermarkets provide cardboard six- pack bottle holders free, and there are so many things you can do with them. One of my favorites is to spray paint them inside and out and use them to hold gifts. For example: I might put two bottles of wine in them and a bottle opener, a package or two of nuts, maybe some napkins, then put a bow on it and give it away as a gift. Several of my friends have recycled these bottle holders to hold plastic picnic items or rolls of plastic bags, wax paper, etc. All it takes is a little imagination.

— Tori D., Marysville, Ohio DEAR HELOISE: Please print the War Cake recipe. I want to make it for my kindergarten class. — Sherry

F., Harrington, Del. DEAR READER: Here it is:

War Cake

2 cups brown sugar

2 cups hot water

2 teaspoons shortening

½ to ¾ cup raisins

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Using a large-size cooking pot/pan, mix together brown sugar, hot water and shortening. Add raisins and salt, cinnamon and cloves. Boil for 5 minutes after the mixture begins to bubble.

When the mixture is cold (and it must be cold), add flour and baking soda that has been dissolved in a couple of teaspoons of hot water. Mix well. Pour into a greased tube pan and bake for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

As you can see, this is a very easy, simple recipe and it tastes terrific.

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