DEAR HELOISE: Over the past 30 years, I've lived in eight different houses. Some had big kitchens and some had small ones, but no matter the size, I found that the fewer items on my counter, the cleaner it looked. When visitors dropped in, they often commented on how clean my kitchen looked, but that was due mainly to not having a mixer, condiments, knickknacks and more sitting out. It also made the kitchen look bigger, as well as clean. So, if you want a tidy kitchen, get rid of or hide your clutter.
-- Geena in Rhode Island
DEAR HELOISE: Please reprint your Pumpkin Bread recipe. I want to make some large batches to give out as Christmas gifts to some of my friends.
-- Ella M., Michigan
DEAR READER: This is one of my favorite treats and is so easy to make! You'll need:
12/3 cups flour
11/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup salad oil
1 cup canned pumpkin
Sift together dry ingredients. Add nuts and mix well. Set aside. Combine remaining ingredients and add to the dry ingredients. Mix just enough to blend. Pour into a 9-by-5-by-3-inch greased and floured loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 60-75 minutes.
DEAR HELOISE: My family loves potato salad all year long, so I found a way to make it faster than I used to. I cut the potatoes into small cubes, then boil them rather than boiling the whole potato. The cubes take much less time to cook, saving energy. After they finish cooking, I rinse with cold water, mix with the other ingredients, and I have potato salad in 30 minutes!
-- Taylor K.,
Lewistown, Pa.
DEAR HELOISE: My grandchildren love playing with toy food. I have a child-size play grocery cart in my kitchen, and as I cook throughout the week, I place clean recyclable items in the cart.
I'll clean out plastic peanut butter jars, oatmeal boxes, egg cartons, cake boxes, etc. When the children visit, the cart has new surprise items. After getting lots of play hours from the items, I recycle them.
-- Theresa V.,
Hamilton, Ohio
Send a money- or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000; fax to (210) 435-6473; or email
Heloise@Heloise.com
Food on 12/04/2019