HELPFUL HINTS

LITTLE ROCK — DEAR HELOISE: I know you printed a recipe for pumpkin pie spice, but I lost it. Could you please reprint it?

• Anna F. in Minnesota

DEAR READER: This is a good recipe to have duringthe holidays, because it makes enough spice for one pumpkin pie. Feel free to double or triple it if making more than onepie. Gather the following ingredients: 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1/8 teaspoon allspice 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Store the spice blend in a labeled container until ready to use.

DEAR HELOISE: I live alone and sometimes have a problem of wasting food due to having to purchase more than I need because of packaging. Cereal is the only thing I need low-fat milk for, but I can use only a cup or so out of a quart, with the rest going bad after a while. I got a small box of dry milk, and I make 1 cup, which is sufficient for the cereal. I don’t know if all brands use the same ratio, but 1 I use a heaping /4 cup dry milk to 1 cup cold water.

• Dena in Silver Spring, Md.

DEAR HELOISE: I always liked the syrup dispenser with a spring-loaded lever found on the table at my favorite breakfast restaurant. I was so excited when I saw a couple for sale at a garage sale! I, of course, keep syrup in one, but I have milk in the other to add to my coffee!

• Betty G. in New Jersey

DEAR READER: I love these dispensers, too. I bought one in a thrift store, and I keep milk or creamer in it for my coffee, just like you do. If you can’t find one in a thrift store, garage sale or specialty kitchen store, go online.

DEAR HELOISE: I’ve found an easy and fast way to drain frozen spinach. I put a couple of layers of cheesecloth over the disc in my ricer, add the thawed spinach and press. The excess water drains into a bowl, and I’m left with dried spinach to add to my quiche recipe.

• Joyce in Vienna, W.Va.

DEAR HELOISE: I use a muffin tin, coated with cooking spray, to form patties from my mix of hot and mild sausage. Two pounds of mix fill the 12 pockets. The tin goes in the freezer, and after a day, the patties pop out.

• R.G. in Ohio Send a money- or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio,Texas 78279-5000; fax to (210) 435-6473; or e-mail Heloise@Heloise.com