Cappuccino is inexpensive when made at home

Dear Heloise: I am wondering if you have a recipe for iced cappuccino that can be made at home and tastes like what you buy in restaurants. I have tried different recipes, but haven’t found one that tastes the same as what you buy in restaurants. I have bought it in cans at the grocery store, but they are so expensive. A Faithful Reader, Minerva

Yes, I do! You can make iced cappuccino at home. Pour one shot of freshly brewed espresso over ice and add 3 ounces of cold milk, then spoon foamed milk on top and sweeten to taste.

What is espresso? Espresso is made by forcing water through a machine and through a tightly packed bed of coffee into a small cup. It’s strong and tasty!

Sometimes I use a cup of strong, intense-flavored coffee and add foamed milk — put the milk in the blender to get the foam. Or, add a big teaspoon of creamy ice cream. You can stir with a cinnamon stick or sprinkle a little nutmeg, cocoa powder or cinnamon on the top for an added treat. This might not taste just like the bottled kind, but it’s close and a lot cheaper. Want to try other tasty, low-cost and fabulous coffee or tea blends? Please send $3 and a long, self-addressed, stamped (59 cents) envelope to: Heloise/Coffee, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. Drop hard flavored candies — think peppermint, butterscotch or even root beer — in a cup of hot coffee for a different taste. Heloise

Dear Heloise: When my market was out of strawberry whipped cream cheese, I bought regular whipped cream cheese, mixed in 2 tablespoons of strawberry jam and enjoyed it. C. Archer, Anaheim, Calif.

Dear Heloise: During a mishap transporting a casserole to a party, my husband thought of this great hint to avoid spills. He lines a plastic laundry basket with an old, clean blanket or towel and sets the casserole dish, pie plate, etc., in it, being careful to pack the sides with excess towel fabric. This keeps the food from moving or tipping during normal vehicle turns and bumps. It works every time! — Michelle in Anaheim Hills, Calif.

Smart! Add a thick layer of newspapers on top of the towels for insulation and easy cleanup, just in case. Heloise

Dear Heloise: I have many bottles in my refrigerator, and they are always being tipped over. I solved this problem by purchasing plastic shoe boxes and standing the bottles in them. No more tipping over, and the box slides out with ease. Betty Darnell, Houston

Dear Heloise: I got in this habit when I bring a new bottle of herbs or spices into the house: I take a marker and write on the lid or face of the spice the date I bought it. Tracy Kleinhans, via e-mail

• Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or you can fax it to (210) HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com.

King Features Syndicate