Friday, June 27, 2003
Dear Heloise: Years ago, your column published a cookie recipe made from cake mix. I moved recently and lost my copy. Would it be possible to repeat it? Suzanne Van Pelt, Scottsdale, Ariz.
I would love to! Judging by how many requests come in for this recipe (and it has been a while since we printed it), I know it must be a keeper. So enjoy!
First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Then mix 2 eggs and 1/2 cup vegetable oil (Do not add anything else!) with a box of your favorite regular cake mix.
Next, be creative by adding a small amount (1/4 to 1/2 cup) of other ingredients, like chopped nuts, raisins or chocolate chips.
Drop the dough by teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Watch to make sure they don't burn, then let them cool before serving.
For some different and fun cake recipes, send $3 and a long, self-addressed, stamped (60 cents) envelope to: Heloise/Cake, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5001. Note: If you're using a white or yellow cake, you can add food coloring to the batter to make it festive. Heloise
Here are two hints from Judy C. of Seattle:
UI often need 1 tablespoon of tomato paste for a recipe. I open a fresh can and measure out individual tablespoons of the paste onto a sheet of waxed paper. I place it in the freezer and then transfer the little blobs into a freezer bag later. Whenever I need 1 to 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, I help myself.
UA friend gave me a bag of lemons from her yard. They were small but very juicy. Not wanting to waste them, I squeezed them all and put the juice into ice-cube trays. I made each cube to equal 1 tablespoon. After freezing, I dumped them into a plastic bag, and I had real lemon juice for whatever recipe called for it.
Let's test your Heloise spice hint IQ. Where should spices not be stored?
A. In the pantry.
B. On a spice rack.
C. Above the stove or dishwasher.
Do you "C" the right answer? Don't store spices or herbs above the stove or the dishwasher. The heat and/or steam can cause the spices to age prematurely. So, store them in the pantry or on a spice rack. Heloise
Dear Heloise: My solution to make carrying food easier in a buffet line is to put the plates and napkins at the front of the line as usual, but put the utensils at the END of the line, so there's one less thing to worry about. I hope more people realize that this will simplify the serving of food in a buffet line! Molly O'Boyle, Reston, Va.
King Features Syndicate