DEAR HELOISE: Would somebody let me know what to do with a new package of brown sugar? After opening, it turns to rock and is not usable. Please help me as to what to do to keep it usable.
-- Kay S.,
Greenville, Texas
DEAR READER: This age-old problem is easy to fix. Place a slice of bread or some marshmallows (they both provide moisture) on top of the sugar, close the box, then put the whole box in a large, plastic zip bag. Also, you can keep the brown sugar in the freezer, because it thaws quickly when needed. In a pinch, if you've started cooking and discovered hard sugar, grate it, and you're set to bake.
DEAR HELOISE: You mention using the wax liner in cereal boxes for storing items in the refrigerator.
I found different uses for storing vegetables in them. It's perfect for keeping fresh-cut onions. There is no smell, and I am amazed at how long it keeps onions fresh. I always fold back the liner and close with a clip.
These liners come in handy to store leftover sliced vegetables -- carrot sticks, green/red peppers, cucumbers and celery.
The best is storage for heads of lettuce or leaf lettuce. Break and wash the lettuce, then drain and blot with a paper towel. Place in the bag. You can stack these bags, and they take up less space in the refrigerator. I no longer purchase plastic storage bags or containers.
-- Jan Taylor,
Hamilton, Ohio
DEAR READER: Very good hints to share. Just one note, though: Do not use the plastic liner to heat or reheat food in the microwave. That wax paper is not meant to be heated.
DEAR HELOISE: I have a hint about crystallized honey: If you're not in a hurry to use it, place it in a warm, sunny window. In a few days, it will be back to its original state. Or, if you live in a hot place like Texas, put it on a window ledge outside on a hot day, and in a matter of hours it will be good as new.
-- Nancy H., via email
DEAR HELOISE: We often host large buffets that necessitate plastic flatware. I liked to bundle the napkins and flatware to make things easier for the guests. I found that the spoons and knives often weren't used, but were thrown away. Now I just bundle the napkin and fork, and put the knives and spoons in cute containers on the tables. No waste.
-- A Reader, via email
DEAR HELOISE: Many recipes call for cutting butter into the dry ingredients. This was a difficult process, until I tried grating the refrigerated or even frozen butter using the coarse side of my grater.
-- Jordan A.,
Port Hueneme, Calif.
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 05/27/2015