Hints from Heloise

FROZEN GRAPES

Dear Heloise: Use frozen grapes to cool a glass of wine. This does not water down the beverage, and you can eat them when done. -- Jane G., Woodbine, Pennsylvania

HEATING FOOD

Dear Heloise: When I heat food in my microwave, I always cover it with a wet paper towel. The food stays moist, and the wet towel controls any splatter. My microwave is always clean. -JoAnn A., San Pedro, California SEND A GREAT HINT TO: Heloise

P.O. Box 795001

San Antonio, TX 78279-5001 Fax: 1-210-HELOISE

Email: Heloise@Heloise.com BOOTLEG BEANS

Dear Heloise: Please reprint your Bootleg Beans recipe. Everyone I know loves them. -- Kathy K., Norman, Oklahoma

Kathy, it’s one of my favorites, too, so here it is. You’ll need: 3 strips bacon

1 small onion, chopped

1 (15 ounce) can pork and beans in tomato sauce

1 tablespoon packed brown sugar

2-3 tablespoons ketchup

Fry the bacon in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until almost crisp. Add the onion and continue frying until the onion starts to brown. Pour off almost all of the grease. Add the remaining ingredients. Stir to mix well, cover and simmer until heated through. -- Heloise

RHUBARB

Dear Heloise: It’s time to harvest fresh rhubarb from our garden. I like to use tapioca as a thickener for my pies, but haven’t been able to find it in our stores. I tried substituting a 3.25 ounce box of tapioca cook-and-serve pudding and pie filling in my recipe. Fold in the dry pudding mix along with 1/2 cup of sugar to coat the fruit for a 9-inch pie. Bake as usual. The filling has a tapioca texture and is firm but tender. A box of tapioca pudding will be a new addition to my pantry. -- Marcia S., Inman, Kansas GARLIC POWDER

Dear Heloise: Is there a way to keep garlic powder from becoming hard? It isn’t old but won’t come through the shaker. -Lavonda O., Joplin, Missouri

Lavonda, if you keep your garlic powder in a shaker, the holes are exposed to moisture and air. It should be kept in a cool, dry place, away from the stove and oven. Make sure it’s also stored with a cap that is securely tightened. Air dries out your garlic, making it form one dried-out clump. -- Heloise

TO SEAR OR NOT TO SEAR Dear Heloise: I was cooking a large roast, and the instructions in the cookbook said to “sear” the meat. Well, I know that means to cook it to seal in the juices, but for some reason I burned one side of the roast. It was black and hard. Needless to say, my girlfriend was less than impressed with my cooking skills. What am I doing wrong? -- Chad T., Maddox, Tennessee

Chad, when searing meat, it means to brown the surface of the meat at a high temperature so that the juices are kept inside. To do that you need very high heat, and you must stay with the roast, watching carefully that you brown the meat, not burn it. When you’ve done that, then you can continue cooking the roast in the oven at a lower heat of about 350 to 450 degrees, depending on the size of the roast. -- Heloise