HINTS FROM HELOISE
PRACTICAL, DEPENDABLE TIPS FOR TODAY’S BUSY CONSUMERS
Dear Heloise: I designed a very simple and handy tool that I use around the house and yard. It is an old wooden broomstick. At one end, I attached a larger-sized cup hook. (I think it’s 1 inch.) It easily screws into the end of the broomstick. I use it to reach items such as wind chimes, hummingbird feeders, and decorative light strings that are hung up by the eaves. I don’t need to use a ladder, and I can easily remove and hang such items. Hope this helps! — Dixie Duncan, Redondo Beach, California
Dear Heloise: When we don’t
feel like cooking, but also don’t feel like getting cleaned up and dressed for dinner, it is my wife’s job to place the order for takeout.
It is my job to drive to the restaurant for pickup. Most restaurants pack the order well so it rides safely in the passenger seat. But it only takes a quick stop to make the order fly all over the floor and ruin dinner.
If I think about it beforehand, I try to bring a box or a basket with me, but I forget sometimes. It is unsafe to drive with one hand and hold the food with the other. So, I started putting a seat belt across the food bundle, just like it
was my passenger, and it worked perfectly!
— Johnny, In Ohio
Dear Heloise: Since summer is nearly here, I try to bake early in the morning.
I lay all the ingredients out on the counter the night before getting the baking pans prepared, so I’m all ready. It saves the house from getting hot, and it also saves on electricity.
— Corrinne Berkland, Universal City, Texas
Dear Heloise: If you order a sheet cake from a store, you can use the clear, plastic lid as
a seed starter. Simply fill 6 plastic cups with dirt and plant seeds. Then arrange the cups in two rows and cover them with the cake lid. I started two dozen tomato plants this way.
— Doug Benn, Via Email
Dear Heloise: It’s potato salad season again, so I thought I’d share my tip for an easy and quick dressing.
After assembling my ingredients, I simply combine equal parts mayonnaise and salad dressing (like Miracle Whip), then add a good dollop of yellow mustard to taste. That’s it! It doesn’t need anything more besides salt and pepper.
Also, if you accidentally overcook the potatoes, don’t worry. Use them anyway and call it “Smashed Potato Salad.” It will still taste great! I had a friend who always made it with mashed potatoes, and I always looked for it at get-togethers. On the other hand, there’s really nothing worse than undercooked, hard potatoes in the salad! Happy potato-ing!