Dear Heloise: I can't find my copy of your Texas Caviar recipe. Please reprint it in your column.

Dear Heloise: I can't find my copy of your Texas Caviar recipe. Please reprint it in your column. Thank you. Virginia, Lubbock, Texas
Virginia, I'd be happy to reprint this often-asked-for recipe that originally came from my longtime friend Faye Leavitt. This recipe can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for at least 24 hours before serving to allow the flavors to blend, or you can mix it up and serve it fresh as a side "salad."
You will need:
1 large jar medium or hot picante sauce
2 16-ounce cans black-eyed peas, drained
1 16-ounce can white hominy, drained
1 cup diced green bell pepper
1 cup chopped white onion
1 cup chopped fresh tomato
1/2 cup fresh cilantro (aka Chinese parsley), finely chopped
1/4 cup seeded and chopped jalape & ntilde;o pepper
1 cup chopped green onions (include green tops)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
2 tablespoons ground cumin (aka comino)
Combine all the ingredients in an extra-large bowl. Use as a dip with tortilla chips or crackers. Heloise
P.S. Visit Heloise.com for this and other favorite recipes.
Dear Heloise: My husband and I always purchase a funnel cake whenever they are available (fairs, theme parks, etc.). When I went to make them at home, I noticed that I do not own a funnel. Instead of going out and buying one, I decided to experiment. I took all the ingredients and poured them into a gallon-size freezer bag. I mixed it all up by smooshing it around, then cut off a tiny corner of the bag to squeeze the batter into the oil. When finished, I just threw away the bag. No mess to clean up, and it worked great. My husband was very impressed by my funnel-cake-making skills. If he only knew ... Natalie, via e-mail
Dear Heloise: Once when I was cooking, I forgot about the pan on the stove and burned oatmeal so badly that it set off my smoke detector. I thought I would have to throw out the pan, but as I was setting it in the sink to soak, I added some dishwasher detergent. The next day, every speck of food easily washed out. The dishwasher detergent has some strong stuff in it that can make burned-on food a breeze to remove. Lynn M. Harper, Houston
Dear Heloise: After reading the letter about buying onions and celery at a salad bar for cooking, I remembered what I do. When I have celery and/or onions I need to use up, I cut them into pieces for stuffing or stir-fry and freeze in freezer bags. Bell pepper can be cut into strips and frozen also. I often do the cutting while watching TV so I feel like I'm not wasting time in front of the boob tube! When needed, a gentle tap of the bag on the counter breaks the clump of frozen vegetables apart, and you can pour out what you need. Bobbi in Minnesota
Send a great hint to: Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000, Fax: (210) HELOISE or E-mail: Heloise@Heloise.com.
King Features Syndicate