Turn stale French bread into something edible

Dear Readers: Don't throw out that stale French bread. It is still good for eating. Most French bread, if not eaten the day it's baked, will be hard as a rock the next day. But you can turn it into something wonderfully edible. Here's how:
Slice it, then bake it until it's brown and hard. Sprinkle the slices with some yummy grated cheese and let the cheese melt for a few minutes in the oven. I like to float the crispy, cheesy bread in a bowl of soup.
You can make croutons for salad, soups or snacks by baking French-bread cubes in a 275-degree oven for 30 to 45 minutes or until golden brown and crunchy.
For a quick breakfast or light supper, cut stale bread into cubes, mix with beaten eggs and fry in a small amount of butter, margarine or vegetable oil, as you would French toast. Serve with syrup. This is easy for little ones to eat -- no cutting needed! Heloise
Dear Readers: Did you know that cheddar cheese is the most popular cheese in the world? Cheddar is a hard, natural cheese that can range in color from white to yellow. Cheddar has a slightly crumbly texture and is delicious added to just about anything. Heloise
Dear Heloise: After making my first rum cake, I realized I had no cake dish with a cover to keep it fresh. My options were to either run to the store to buy one or look around the kitchen to see what might work. I found that by taking my plastic colander I use to drain pasta, turning it upside down and wrapping the outside with aluminum foil, I had the perfect cake cover without spending a dime.
Since I'm also limited on space, the colander now serves a dual purpose. Hope you'll find this idea helpful. D. Drury, Naples, Fla.
Dear Heloise: I am a diabetic and do not care for maple flavoring in anything. I melt butter to pour over my waffles or pancakes and then sprinkle with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar substitute. The taste is wonderful -- at least I really enjoy it. Mary Bixby, Lancaster, Calif.
King Features Syndicate