HELOISE Readers offer tidbits for simple living

Dear Readers: Here are the remaining five readers who submitted tasty tidbits hints and will receive a copy of my book "In the Kitchen With Heloise & quot;:
UI cook a lot of Italian-inspired main dishes that call for tomato paste. Using a manual can opener, I remove the bottom end of the can, discard the metal piece, then open the top end but keep the can clasped in the can opener. Holding the can over the pot/pan, I give the can a few shakes, and the tomato paste slides right out. (Retrieve the metal end from the paste, as it will follow the paste out of the can.) No more messy scraping with the spatula. Works for canned soup, too. Melanie Gonzales, via e-mail
UBringing my lunch to work not only ensures that I eat right but that I save money as well. I often hear my co-workers lamenting that they don't have time to prepare a sack lunch. I just toss some extra veggies into a plastic container as I am making dinner salads each evening. Then I add a quick peanut-butter or turkey sandwich and a prepackaged snack such as yogurt or a granola bar. Brooke Cailleteau, Houston
URemove the label and thoroughly wash an empty spice container, such as for garlic powder, that has a plastic shaker top with evenly spaced holes under the lid. Fill with toothpicks and screw the lid on. When you need a toothpick, just shake one out. This method of storage keeps the toothpicks clean and easily accessible, and takes up only a little space in the kitchen cupboards. Donna Gonda, North Canton
UInstead of throwing out those elastics that are wrapped around produce like broccoli, I save them. You'd be surprised how handy they are for things such as holding closed half a bag of frozen vegetables in the freezer. Ann Lyness, Woburn, Maine
UWhen I make a meatloaf, I put all the ingredients in a large storage bag. It is very easy to mix all the ingredients together by mashing on the bag, and your hands stay completely clean! Susan Sikes, via e-mail
Tasty tidbits
U"Honey, 'dew' you know how to pick the best honeydew melon?" Choose melons that are firm and blemish-free. They should have a fruity or honey fragrance to them. Once a melon has been cut, it should be stored in the refrigerator and used within a couple of days. Heloise
Dear Heloise: My hint is about how to cut bread dough. Any fairly firm dough, such as for strudels or even thin baked bread, can be cut more easily by using a pizza cutter instead of a knife. To cut unbaked dough, it is easier if you begin on the inward part and roll the pizza cutter toward you. This prevents the dough strips from rolling up on the cutter. S. Thompson in Arkansas
XSend a great hint to: Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000, Fax: (210) HELOISE or E-mail: Heloise@Heloise.com.
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