HELOISE Roasting bag isn't recommended

Dear Heloise: Your slow-cooker hints in the newspaper prompted me to offer one of my favorite timesaver hints. My slow cooker is an older model with a nonremovable bowl. I line the bowl with an oven roasting bag, and when the cooking is over, so is the cleanup! Just lift the bag out and toss it in the garbage.
Thanks for the great column -- a frequent reminder that you can, indeed, teach an old dog new tricks! Janet, McAllen, Texas
Janet, glad this hint worked for you. However, we did a little research and contacted a roasting-bag manufacturer. A representative said they don't recommend using the bag in a slow cooker, because the bag might come in contact with the heating element, melt and damage the cooker. Also, the bag should not be used on an oven rack (only in a pan), in a roaster oven, in a convection oven or on the stovetop.
An easy way to keep food from sticking is to spray the slow cooker well with some nonstick cooking spray. These sprays also come in flavors like butter, olive oil, garlic and roasted garlic. So, give them a try. And as soon as you remove the food, fill with warm, soapy water to soak. This way, when dinner is over, the pot should be easy to clean. Heloise
Dear Heloise: I was baking the other day and forgot to get the butter out, so it was frozen solid. I just needed a little for the top of a loaf of bread. So, I got out my potato peeler and peeled away. This made it easy, and I got the butter I needed without waiting for it to thaw. Ginny in Arizona
You could also try this if you need more butter: Fill a bowl with some boiling water, pour the water out and then set the container upside down over the butter dish. The butter will soften and won't melt. Heloise
Dear Readers: Here are some delicious yogurt and oatmeal variations:
UIn summer, add fresh fruit -- try mixing flavors.
UPut yogurt in ice-pop containers and freeze.
UDon't like wrinkles in your raisins? Try cooking them with the oatmeal -- they plump up.
UQuick cobbler: Add instant cinnamon oatmeal to applesauce in a casserole dish and bake.
USprinkle yogurt with granola cereal. Heloise and Heloise Central
Dear Heloise: I hate cooking and shopping! They are chores that I wish I didn't have to do. To make them a little easier, I make a menu for the week and then make my grocery list from that. It does make those chores less time-consuming, and I know exactly what I will need for the week.
I think that since my kids are getting older, I'm going to assign them a week to make the menu and the list. Sounds like a good idea to me! Margie in New Mexico
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