HELOISE Response proves readers are best

Dear Heloise: You printed a letter from me asking if you knew what pink beans are. You said you were stumped and had to do a little research on them.
I just wanted you to know that I received a phone call that same night from Cynthia Simmons of Santa Maria, Calif. She went to all the trouble of getting my phone number and then called me to tell me about pink beans. She said they are very popular where she is from and that she would send me some so I could see them.
Today I received a package of seasoning and pink beans (canned and dried), all bagged and tied with pretty ribbon. She also sent a nice letter.
I've sent her a thank-you, but the greatest thank-you I could give her is if you could print this letter and let all of your readers know what sort of person she is. She has certainly made my day! Linda Fajardo, Rapid City, S.D.
Linda, we are tickled "pink" that Cynthia has "bean" so nice to you. We have always said that the Heloise readers are the best, and this just proves it once again! Heloise
Dear Heloise: Following is a great timesaving and money-saving hint for those who love cheese. Forget buying expensive, packaged shredded cheese. Use a hunk of cheese and a little kitchen tool called a potato peeler. Combined with a flick of the wrist, it will shred cheese for salad or casserole topping in a second with no fuss, no bother. It also does a great job if you want slices (for cheese/cracker snacks) or thin curls to top a special dish. Daisie Oden, Fredericksburg, Va.
Dear Heloise: I make broth from scraps of vegetables that one would normally toss while preparing them. Carrot and potato skins, leafy celery tops, mushroom stems, the woody bottoms of asparagus, spinach stems, tomato pulp and seeds -- just about any veggie scraps will do, depending upon personal taste. I toss them into my slow cooker with enough water to cover, salt and pepper and any herbs that strike my fancy. I let it all simmer for several hours, then strain and freeze for future use. No more waste of veggie goodness and vitamins! If I don't foresee making broth immediately, I keep a bag in the freezer to collect the scraps. Tess Bauer, Keizer, Ore.
Dear Heloise: To keep lunchmeat fresh, this is what I do: I take a cookie sheet and place a piece of plastic wrap across it. Then I place a single layer of luncheon meat on it, another layer of plastic wrap, etc., ending with plastic wrap. I place it in the freezer and when frozen, in a freezer bag. When needed, remove one slice at a time. A single slice will thaw out very quickly. Joanne from New York state
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.
King Features Syndicate