Tips for bananas hold helpful appeal

Dear Readers: Storing bananas can be a problem for some people. Is there any way to keep them from going “bad”? Yes, there is:

• If you don’t plan to use bananas right away, purchase less-ripe ones or a few of each. Heat and air cause bananas to ripen. They can be stored at room temperature, but the warmer it is, the faster they will ripen up!

•Bananas may be stored in the refrigerator, but the skin turns brown even though the fruit is good. Green bananas will not ripen in the fridge.

•Green bananas may be put in a brown paper bag with an apple in a dry, warm place to ripen. It usually takes a couple of days for ripening.

•Individual bananas may be wrapped very tightly in plastic wrap, to keep them fresher longer.

•Bananas also may be frozen. Peel and place them in a self-locking plastic freezer bag. Cut into pieces and freeze. These make delicious and nutritious treats!

Of course, bananas are a good source of potassium! Heloise

Dear Heloise: When I buy the 1-pound roll of pan sausage, I put it in the freezer until frozen. Then I put it in the refrigerator until I can slice through it with a sharp knife. I remove the wrapper and slice into 12 rounds, place them in a freezer bag and use as needed. Virginia M., Jasper, Texas

Dear Heloise: I place deviled-egg yolks and other ingredients in a zippered-top bag and mash all the ingredients together. I snip off the bag corner and squirt the filling into the egg white. Jane, Indianapolis

Dear Heloise: To keep a head of romaine fresh and crisp longer, separate the leaves and rinse well. Then blot dry and bunch them back together. Wrap the head in a double layer of paper towel and store in a freezer bag in the crisper. The lettuce leaves will be more crisp than when you brought it home, and it will last a long time. Shelly Y., Lakeland, Fla.

Dear Heloise: I just read the article about how one of your readers cleaned the blades on her blender. I realized how much gunk had accumulated on mine, and I used dental floss to clean in the crevices. It worked like a charm. J.C. Smith, Winchester, Va.

Dear Heloise: I prefer a lengthwise-cut lemon with my drink. I find that holding it with the tines of the fork when squeezing seems to help steady it and keeps the juice from spraying all over. Try it! An Arkansas Daily Reader, via e-mail

Dear Heloise: While cleaning strawberries, I couldn’t find the little gadget to pull the green off. I took a grapefruit knife and cut through the top, and it cleaned it perfectly by even cleaning out the white center. What a timesaver! Lea A., Fallbrook, Calif.

SBlt 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