DEAR HELOISE: I use rubber gloves for most of my household cleaning. I had a special pair I used when washing dishes, but it had a small hole that allowed water inside the glove. I set the glove aside and let it dry out completely. Then I took a band aid, cut off the sticky portion on one side and put a super glue around the hole. Then I took the sticky portion of the Band-Aid and placed it over the hole, making sure that it also rested on the super glue. After it dried, my old rubber gloves back were as good as new.
-- Frances Y.,
Alexandria, Va.
DEAR HELOISE: Would you put your Pumpkin Bread Recipe in the paper again? I made it and my whole family loved it. I would truly appreciate it.
-- Vickie M.,
Mechanicsburg, Pa.
DEAR READER: This recipe always seems to be a hit at any time of year.
Pumpkin Bread
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 ¼ cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
2 eggs, slightly beaten
½ cup chopped pecans
1 cup raisins, optional
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
Sift together the dry ingredients. Add nuts and raisins, if using, and mix well. Set aside. Combine remaining ingredients and add to 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 to 75 minutes.
This is an easy and quick bread to make and is a hit with the whole family.
DEAR HELOISE: My family loves having a fresh baguette with stews, chili and soups. Unfortunately, they tend to go stale rather quickly. To freshen a baguette that's about two days old, I quickly run it under the tap water and then place in the oven at 350 to 375 for about 5 or 6 minutes. It comes out warm and just as fresh as if it had come from the bakery.
-- Tory A.,
Portland, Ore.
DEAR HELOISE: I ran short of oats when I was making oatmeal cookies one day and decided to open a couple of packets that had a banana-nut oatmeal mix and use it to complete the needed additional oats. To my surprise, the oatmeal cookies had a banana-nut flavor and were delicious. I'm sure you could use any number of flavors of instant oatmeal to add just a little extra flavor, making your cookies different and tasty.
-- Mary S.,
Terre Haute, Ind.
DEAR HELOISE: When I buy butter by the stick, I always cut it up by the tablespoon or teaspoon-size squares. This saves time when I'm cooking and just makes it easier for me to measure out.
-- Ann R., Cody, Wyo.
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