News & Articles

Dear Heloise: How do I keep my potato skins from CRACKING when I make baked potatoes? - Lana S., Golden Valley, Minn.

Lana, it’s easy! To keep that from happening, just rub butter or shortening over the skin before you bake them. - Heloise

HELOISE’S COLESLAW

Dear Heloise: I had your recipe for coleslaw, but I misplaced it. Would you repeat it? It is delicious! -- Carmela Z., Amarillo, Texas
Carmela, I love this recipe, too! Here it is:

Heloise’s Coleslaw
1 head cabbage (about 2 pounds)
Ice water to cover
2 ounces of vegetable oil
1 ounce vinegar or lime juice or lemon juice (not all three)
1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard (yellow, not powdered)
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
1 ounce real mayonnaise
Salt and pepper to taste
Dash of paprika

Shred the cabbage and soak it in the water for 30 minutes. If you use bagged cabbage, you can skip this step, but it does make the cabbage very crisp. Meanwhile, mix together the remaining ingredients. Drain the cabbage and mix into the dressing. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
If you like this recipe, you can get it and many of my others in my pamphlet All-Time Favorite Recipes by sending $5, along with a stamped (70 cents), long, self-addressed envelope, to: Heloise/All-Time Favorites, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. Or you can order it online at www.Heloise.com. When choosing a head of cabbage, look for outer leaves that are fresh and crisp, and the cut end should not be brown. - Heloise

TOO MUCH WAFFLE BATTER

Dear Heloise: I never know how hungry my boys will be (husband and four sons), so I always make a large amount of waffle batter on Sunday mornings. The problem is, I usually make too much. What can I do with all that leftover batter? - Willow C., Watertown, Conn.

Willow, make the rest of the batter into waffles, then wrap them up so they’re airtight and freeze them. When you want a snack, just pop one in the toaster. - Heloise

SLIP-SLIDE

Dear Heloise: My mixer bowl slides all over when I’m using it. How can I stop that? - Jennie L., Telluride, Colo.

Jennie, place a damp washcloth or towel under the mixing bowl. - Heloise

MESSAGE CENTER

Dear Heloise: I want a bulletin board in my kitchen, but I don’t have the wall space. Got any hints to help me with this one? - Amber K., Hungry Horse, Mont.

Amber, get some chalkboard paint and paint either the inside or outside of one of your upper cabinets, and you’ll have a message center. -- Heloise

PERCOLATOR

Dear Heloise: My percolator is still in good condition, except that the glass knob doesn’t fit tightly anymore. What can I do about this? - Margaret, Ivanhoe, Mich.

Margaret, wrap a strip or two of aluminum foil around the bottom of the knob until it fits snugly, or go to an appliance repair store or perhaps a hardware store to see about a replacement knob. - Heloise

LAYER UPON LAYER

Dear Heloise: In this chilly season, I’ve found layering works wonders in keeping warm: A few thin layers of T-shirts, leggings and even thin blankets are more effective than one heavy shirt or comforter. And if I get too warm, I can always remove a layer or two. - Helen B. in Michigan

Try knee-high stockings under socks for an extra layer of insulation for your feet, and this will work for the fellas, too - don’t be embarrassed, men; be warm! -- Heloise 

TEA BALL

Dear Heloise: After baking a chocolate cake recipe, I was about to dust the top with powdered sugar when I realized my sifter was broken, and my sieve was still wet from using it as a sifter. So I scrounged around and found a tea ball. I put powdered sugar in the ball, screwed the top back on and shook it over the cake. It worked perfectly! - Pam P., Billings, Mont.

TATER TALK 

Dear Heloise: Potatoes can be treated with several pesticides. Peeling the skin off removes only several of the pesticides used; the rest are in the flesh. Buying organic potatoes allows you to enjoy the taste and nutrition of the skin, as well as the flesh. - Andi B., via email

STOCK OPTION

Dear Heloise: Isn’t broth the same as stock? - Ida L. in Oregon
They are sisters, but not twins. Stock is the beginning point of soups, stews, sauces and, yes, broth.

It’s broth without the seasoning. Broth is salted and seasoned. - Heloise

Is tofu for you?

Dear Readers: Bean curd (or coagulated soy milk) probably doesn’t sound all that appetizing, but TOFU? Cool, trendy, nutritious and, when prepped and seasoned, delicious!
Varying in firmness and texture, tofu is, in fact, made of bean curd; it is low in calories and is chock-full of nutrients like protein, calcium, B vitamins and iron. It’s often used by vegetarians as a substitute for meat. It has a bland flavor and lends itself nicely to rich, spicy or even sweet recipes. If you have the chance, give tofu a try! - Heloise

(c)2019 by King Features Syndicate Inc.