Recipes for flavored coffee stir up interest

Dear Heloise: Do you have a recipe to share for flavored coffee creamers? I prefer French vanilla and chocolate. Carol Parker, via e-mail

Yes, and it’s an inexpensive, delicious alternative to those pricey, store-bought brands. To make a low-fat coffee creamer, combine a little nonfat dry milk, low-fat liquid milk and a few drops of either vanilla or chocolate extract. Store in the refrigerator and give it a good shake before using.

You can also create several flavored coffee blends with recipes found in my Flavored Coffees and Teas pamphlet, which you can have by sending $3 and a long, self-addressed, stamped (59 cents) envelope to: Heloise/Coffee, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001, or visit www.Heloise.com for ordering information.

One of my favorites is Mocha. To make it, you’ll need 1‚Ñ2 cup instant coffee granules, 1‚Ñ2 cup sugar or equivalent measure of sugar substitute, 1 cup powdered milk or powdered creamer, and 2 tablespoons cocoa powder. Mix the ingredients together and store in a labeled container.

You’ll also want to try Vienna, Cinnamon Coffee, Spiced Coffee and Orange Coffee. There are even recipes for Coffee Ol and Coffee Au Lait — both will satisfy that need for a cup of hot, foamy coffee that can cost you a fortune in a coffeehouse. Heloise

Dear Heloise: Put dried apricots in a jar and then fill with orange juice. Cover and refrigerate for a few days until the apricots and the juice thicken. It’s delicious on toast and also over ice cream. Elaine Gaynor, via e-mail

Dear Heloise: I make bread pudding from day-old French bread. Cut bread into cubes, then sop in 3 cups of milk or half-and-half for 10 minutes. Combine 3 eggs, 1 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons melted butter and 1 tablespoon vanilla, then add the bread-and-milk mixture. Spoon into a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish and cook uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until firm and lightly browned. Optional: Add a chopped chocolate bar to the mixture before baking, stir well and bake as above. Paula, via e-mail

Dear Heloise: We were packing our lunch for a day at the creek, and I wanted to use a tablecloth with which we could cover the food yet could see what’s where instead of looking under all the corners.

I decided to go to a store that sells everything for a dollar and get a cheap, clear curtain, and guess what? It worked great.

When finished, I hung it on the line and sprayed it off, or you can throw it in the washing machine on the “gentle” cycle. Myrna S., Mount Hermon, La.

Dear Heloise: Use unsweetened coconut on cereal instead of sugar. It’s very tasty, and you don’t even miss the regular sugar.

Also, I don’t put lemon juice only in water and tea, but also in my coffee (black). It tastes great! Alice Duren, Oshkosh, Wis.

X 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