HELOISE Make tasty cinnamon rolls in a hurry

Dear Heloise: My son-in-law loves to cook, and he came up with this idea: Take a tube of crescent rolls (or regular dinner rolls -- Heloise) and, after opening, flatten each roll and spread generously with Heloise's cinnamon butter. Roll up and bake according to the directions on the tube. It makes delicious cinnamon rolls in a hurry and is so simple that even my 5-year-old grandson loves to do it (with supervision using the oven, of course). Nuts, raisins, etc., can be added to the spread if you wish. Grace R., Griswold, Iowa
Yummy! I tried this, and it's tasty. For those who don't have the cinnamon-butter recipe, here it is. You'll need:
1/2 pound of margarine
3 tablespoons of cinnamon
1/2 pound of powdered sugar
Combine the ingredients and mix well using an electric mixer. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This recipe only makes 16 ounces, so keep the ingredients on hand. For other seasoning recipes, send for my four-page pamphlet, Heloise's Seasonings, Sauces and Substitutes. To receive a copy, please send $3 and a long, self-addressed, stamped (60 cents) envelope to: Heloise/ SSS, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5001. FYI: Spices and herbs will keep longer if they are stored in airtight containers away from heat, moisture and light. So don't store them above the oven, stove, dishwasher or sink. Heloise
Dear Heloise: I was making a recipe that called for 1/4 cup milk, and I didn't have a drop of milk in the house! I didn't want to have to go to the store. Here is what I came up with: powdered nondairy creamer. I mixed it with a little water and added it to my recipe. It worked just fine, and now I have an emergency substitution! Robyn Price, Billings, Mont.
This does work well in a pinch for a small amount of milk. Remember, though, that when you make substitutions, the taste and texture might be somewhat different. Heloise
Dear Heloise: I finally have a great hint to share, all about cooking bacon! I have found that whether cooking in a skillet or in the microwave, bacon doesn't "curl up" if you cut the slices in half first. I don't know why this works, but it does! Rebecca B. from Richmond, Va.
Dear Heloise: I always use masking tape (2-inch size) on lids and one side of frozen foods for my freezer. I mark with a pen the contents and dates. I can see at once what they contain.
Also, I make a list of everything in the freezer on a sheet of paper (that I put on the door), with the amounts and dates of the foods. When I remove something, I subtract it from that particular food amount, and I then always have an accurate list of what is available in the freezer. Darlene T., Tipp City
Dear Readers: FYI: An easy way to tell if eggs have been hard-cooked is to put a couple of drops of food coloring into the water when cooking. Easy to tell now! Heloise
King Features Syndicate