DEAR HELOISE: I often purchase the frozen pie shells to bake pies, and I have difficulty removing slices from the pan after they are baked; the pie crust is always stuck. Do you have any suggestions for how to make this easy without breaking up the slices?
-- Carole Owings,
Wildwood, Fla.
DEAR READER: Carol, that's just a plain ... well ... pain. Here are some hints to consider. Switch brands to see if a different one does not stick -- it may be that simple. It may be the type of pie you are baking. If you pre-bake the pie crust, poke holes in it, bake, then add the filling.
However, if you are baking a pie with filling (pecan or pumpkin, for example), do not poke the shell with a fork. Doing so will let sticky liquid seep through and will cause the crust to stick. Do let the pie (and crust) cool before cutting.
Last resort? Remove the frozen crust, grease the pan, put the crust back in and proceed.
DEAR HELOISE: Every year around the holidays, I buy a bottle of cocktail sauce. I use only a small amount. It sits in the refrigerator for several months, then I toss it out. Is there any other use for it? I checked the label, and it only lists shrimp. Should I just buy more shrimp?
-- Dan in McDonald, Ohio
DEAR READER: Dan, don't toss the sauce or buy more shrimp. This sauce is basically "spicy ketchup," so get adventurous. Put it on burgers, hot dogs and fries. It works with crab, too.
It makes a zingy "dip" when poured over cream cheese. I run a fork through the slab of soft cream cheese to score it, then pour on the sauce. Set out with crackers, and ta-da ... quick-and-easy eating.
DEAR HELOISE: I purchased a 12-cup coffee maker. It's the same model as my previous one. The paper coffee filters almost always collapse, and grounds end up in the coffee. Any help would be appreciated.
-- Bonnie, via email
DEAR READER: Yes, the same filters (do be sure they are the "old" filters) should work. However, I bought some "same brand, same size" filters on the Internet, and they did this too. You can wet the filter to make it stick -- this should help. Or try a permanent filter that you wash out.
DEAR HELOISE: I buy honey at a big-box store. After a while, it crystallizes, and I would heat it in a pot of water to thin it out.
I solved my problem by putting it into small jars. If it starts to crystallize, I put it on the top rack of the dishwasher. When the cycle is finished, the honey is back to the way it was before. It works perfectly. Just be sure the lid is on tight.
-- Shirley L. in Florida
DEAR HELOISE: Shirley, this is a honey of a hint, and I love it!
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 03/04/2015