News & Articles

Dear Heloise: How do I keep ANTS out of my cat’s dish of food in the kitchen? - Bernice N. in Honolulu

Bernice, place the cat food dish in a clay tray that you put under a plant pot to catch water, and make sure the tray is larger than the cat dish. Then put a little water in the clay tray. The ants won’t be able to get to the cat’s food. - Heloise

CREOLE ROAST

Dear Heloise: Years ago, you printed a recipe using a beef tenderloin that my family loved, but I’ve somehow lost the recipe. Would you please reprint it? -Theresa, via email
Theresa, I’d love to! It’s my Creole Roast. You’ll need:

2 to 2 1/2 pounds beef tenderloin

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon snipped parsley, 
or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried 
parsley flakes

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon celery seed

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground 
red pepper

1/8 teaspoon onion powder

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Trim off any fat and rub the meat with Worcestershire sauce. Combine the parsley, salt, pepper, celery seed, red pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and ground cloves, then sprinkle the mixture over the meat and rub it in. Cover the roast and let stand at room temperature for one hour or overnight in the refrigerator.

In a covered grill, arrange preheated coals around a drip pan; test for medium heat above the pan. Insert a meat thermometer near the center of the roast and place on a grill rack over the drip pan but not over the coals. Lower the hood and grill until the thermometer registers 140 degrees for rare (about 45 minutes), 160 degrees for medium (about 55 minutes) or 170 degrees for well-done (about 1 hour).

This recipe and many more of my family’s collection of favorites are included in my Main Dishes and More pamphlet that you can have by either going to my website, www.Heloise.com, to order, or by sending $3 and a long, self-addressed, stamped (70 cents) envelope to: Heloise/Main Dishes, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. FYI: For a quick lunch, cube leftover meats and mix with noodles or rice, or slice for a delicious sandwich. Enjoy! - Heloise

THE MIGHTY TOMATO

Dear Heloise: I’ve been reading about various foods to avoid, and the tomato has come up a few times. I thought tomatoes were supposed to be good for you. - Bridget H., Scottsdale, Ariz.

Bridget, if you have acid reflux or some other condition that your doctor tells you is aggravated by tomatoes, then it’s probably best to avoid them. However, tomatoes are a good source of vitamin C, potassium, folate and vitamin K. They are a major source of the antioxidant lycopene, which is believed to reduce the likelihood of cancer and heart disease. Most tomatoes are about 95% water, with the remaining 5% being fiber and carbohydrates. - Heloise

FROZEN DOGS

Dear Heloise: I used to freeze hot dogs in the entire package, but they were difficult to separate when I needed only one or two. Now, I remove them from the package, lay them one by one on a cookie sheet and freeze them. While still frozen, I place them a freezer bag, and when I am ready, they come right out, and they don’t stick together. - Betty Lou R., Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 

Suicide prevention

Dear Readers: Different types of people can contemplate SUICIDE: teens, veterans, LGBTQ+, the elderly and trauma survivors.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (suicidepreventionlifeline.org) recommends supporting someone who might be contemplating suicide with the following action steps: Ask; Keep Them Safe; Be There; Help Them Connect; and Follow Up. 
The NSPL has a toll-free number staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year: 800-273-TALK (8255).
Assure people that you care, that their feelings are real and valid, and that help is available. - Heloise

HOMEMADE CLEANING SOLUTIONS

Dear Heloise: I rarely disagree with you, but I must. Many of the items you recently listed to stock up on for spring-cleaning are not necessary because another product in the list will serve two or more purposes. For example: Chlorine bleach is an excellent toilet bowl cleaner, eliminating the need for a special toilet bowl cleaner.

White vinegar is a wonderful all-purpose cleaner, bathroom cleaner and window cleaner, eliminating the need for special cleaners. - Carol J.R., Texas City, Texas
Carol, you’re right! Of course we want our cleaning products to do double duty and to cost less! I’ve compiled a collection of my favorite homemade cleaning solutions in a handy pamphlet. Getting one is simple: Visit www.Heloise.com to order, or send a stamped (70 cents), long, self-addressed envelope, along with $5, to: Heloise/HCS, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. FYI: Heating vinegar amps up its cleaning power! - Heloise

COVER ALL YOUR BASES

Dear Readers: Eye shadow base serves many purposes: It evens out skin tone, gives shadow something to “grab on to” if your lids tend to be oily, it can reduce creasing, and it can make colors more vibrant and long-lasting.
Also, you don’t need a special eye shadow base. Concealer has the right consistency to act as an eye shadow base. Give it a whirl! - Heloise

IS THAT FRIED?

Dear Heloise: Your readers should be aware: If an item on a menu is described as “crispy,” “crunchy,” “browned,” “breaded” or “golden,” bet your bottom dollar it’s fried. - Delores O. in Dallas

CLEAN BLENDER

Dear Heloise: My sister told me just to squirt dishwashing liquid in my blender, pulse it a couple of times and voila - clean blender!
That’s OK, but every other week I take the blender completely apart, scrub it with a bleach cleaner and let it dry thoroughly. Tiny seeds and other residue can get in there; a deep cleaning is necessary. - Marie W., Marion, Ohio

BEAUTY SPOT

Dear Heloise: I am willing to spend extra on a good anti-wrinkle cream. To help it go further and cover more evenly, I first daub my face with two or three drops of water. 
I read your column in the Statesman Journal. - Cindy U., Salem, Ore.

Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001, or you can fax it to 1-210-HELOISE or email it to Heloise@Heloise.com. I can’t answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column. (c)2019 by King Features Syndicate Inc.