Helpful Hints

DEAR HELOISE: In several recipes, it says to let the meat sit 10 to 20 minutes before carving or serving. My question is: Before serving, are you supposed to once again put the meat back in the oven to warm up, or serve it at room temperature?

-- Linda S., via email

DEAR READER: No, you do not put the meat back in the oven or on the grill after it has rested, because it stays warm during this time as long as you don't cut into it.

Cooking meat causes the juices to go toward the center. By resting the meat, you are letting the juices redistribute throughout the meat. It's the juices that make the meat more tender and juicy when you eat it. Cutting into meat right after cooking causes all the juices to run out onto the plate, resulting in the meat being tougher when eating.

DEAR HELOISE: When I pack a lunch for my daughter to take to school, along with utensils, a napkin or paper towel, I include an individually wrapped, moist towelette. This way, I can be sure she has washed her hands before eating, because there is not always time for her to run to the bathroom.

-- Lauren H., via email

DEAR HELOISE: I have always been afraid to take home leftovers from a seafood restaurant. And I won't save seafood dishes that I have cooked, either. Can you safely keep leftover fish and shellfish dishes, and if so, for how long?

-- Linda W. in New York

DEAR READER: The U.S. Department of Agriculture states that fish and shellfish leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for three to four days, or stored in the freezer for up to three months. As always, though, make sure the food smells good and not "fishy" before reheating and eating.

DEAR HELOISE: When we buy eggs, we usually have a few left from the old carton. We have tried to precariously balance them on top of the new carton, with predictable, messy results.

I finally had the idea of cutting an empty egg carton apart and saving a portion of the end that can securely hold our leftover eggs. There is no room in the space in the refrigerator door where the egg carton fits, but there is extra room in the butter drawer. We know to use any eggs stored here first, as they are older, and we haven't had any breakage yet.

-- Jason S. in Ohio

DEAR HELOISE: I often mail cookies to friends. To protect the cookies, which are placed in bags, I recycle the plastic sleeves in which my morning paper is delivered. I fill the newspaper bags with the appropriate amount of air to cushion the box and keep the contents from moving about.

-- Ruth B. in Louisiana

Send a money- or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000; fax to (210) 435-6473; or email

Heloise@Heloise.com

Food on 05/21/2014

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