HELOISE Suggestion speeds preparation of recipe for pea soup

Dear Heloise: Here is a tip for speeding up preparation of delicious pea soup. Use an electric coffee grinder (that has been cleaned of the coffee grinds, of course) to grind dry split peas, then put about 1/4 cup of the ground split peas into about 11/2 cups boiling water -- the pea soup cooks in only 10 minutes, rather than the usual 40 minutes for the unground split peas.
The cooked soup can be blended at high speed with salt, celery seed, onion, etc., to make delicious split pea soup.
Total preparation time: a little more than 10 minutes (add about 3 to 4 minutes to boil the initial water, or use a microwave to prepare the boiled water to speed things up more); the total preparation time increases for larger serving sizes in order to boil more water and blend the larger portions. Microwaving the ground peas in the water is not recommended, since they generate too much foam and make a mess in the microwave.
I have a grinder specially set aside for grinding only split peas. The soup is fast and tasty, and can be modified in many ways, e.g., by adding bottled or bagged ground bacon, chopped ham or grated Parmesan. Francis Lorin, Arlington, Va.
Francis, this sounds delicious. Did you know you can thicken many soups by adding instant mashed potatoes, just a little at a time? I have a pamphlet that includes some of my staff's and my favorite soup recipes. To receive a copy of the six-page pamphlet, please send $4 and a long, self-addressed, stamped (83 cents) envelope to: Heloise/Soup, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5001. For a limited time, anyone who orders a pamphlet will receive a different, additional Heloise pamphlet for free. Hint: To get cream soups out of the can, open the top and the bottom of the can, and the contents will slide right out. Heloise
Dear Heloise: Here's how we like to fix low-calorie Mexican food: I use chicken cooked in a little olive oil or no-stick spray, and add taco seasoning as directed. Then I add a jar of salsa to the chicken and cook it down some. Use no-fat soft shells and lots of tomato and lettuce. We like it! Buckeye Bandit and Family, via e-mail
Dear Heloise: Here are a few suggestions that I find helpful when making peanut brittle: First, I cook it in an 8-cup, oven-safe cookware pitcher. The handle doesn't get hot, and it is easier to pour. I then pour the mixture out on a piece of heavy aluminum foil that has been lightly sprayed with cooking oil. When the candy has cooled, I just turn it over onto a counter slab and crack it with my fist. If it needs to be stored for a while, a plastic zipper-top bag should be used to keep it from getting sticky. Mary Holm, Hot Springs Village, Ark.
Dear Readers: Never can remember when to change the box of baking soda in your refrigerator? A good reminder is to change the box with the seasons.
XSend a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000, or you can fax it to (210) HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com. I can't answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column.
King Features Syndicate