Hard problem with frozen bread

Dear Heloise: How do I soften bread that has been in the freezer? Just one side of two loaves is semihard. I even double-bagged the bread. Diane H., via e-mail

Hmm — I’ve frozen bread too, and this has happened to me. I tested this again and had the same result, with part of the loaf hard and part soft once the bread was thawed.

This problem perplexed all of us at Heloise Central, so we checked with several experts in the bread industry, and here are some hints that were suggested:

UFirst, never use the fridge to thaw bread. It causes the bread to dry out faster, accelerating the staling process.

UAlways thaw bread on the counter (in a plastic bag so it doesn’t dry out).

UThe recommended time to freeze bread is three months. Longer may cause the bread to dry out.

URemember to use freezer-safe bags and seal them tightly. Or double- or triple-bag the loaf. You also can wrap the bread in foil and then place in a freezer bag.

Here’s another tip: Self-defrosting freezers partially thaw then refreeze on occasion, which is not good for bread. White crystals will form on the crust during a partial thaw, which will make the crust hard once thawed later. If you have a large chest deep freezer, put bread in that instead of your refrigerator’s freezer. Heloise

Dear Heloise: My sister has a barbecue every Fourth of July. My contribution has always been a tray of hot sausage and a tray of sweet sausage with red and green peppers. Everyone would ask, “Which is the hot sausage?” I would have to cut one in half to see.

So, this year, I made a tray of hot sausage with only red peppers and a tray of sweet sausage with only green peppers. I tell them that red is hot and green is sweet. Problem solved! Dotty N. of Toms River, N.J.

Dear Heloise: I read the hint for cleaning can openers by using a toothbrush. I’ve found an easier way. Put the opener, potato peeler and ice-cream scoop in large bowl, pour vinegar in and sprinkle in baking soda, then let it sit a few minutes. It cleans, with little scrubbing needed. Betty from North Carolina

Dear Heloise: I always keep slices of lemons, limes and oranges in my freezer, loosely stored in food-storage bags. This comes in handy for using in drinks or to accompany meals by microwaving the slices for a few seconds, allowing me to squeeze the juices onto the food. Sherry Knight, Margate, Fla.

Dear Heloise: A large variety of tasty waffles can be made from prepackaged muffin mixes. Just prepare as for muffins, but bake in your waffle iron. A single packet of muffin mix makes one and a half large waffles. John Fisher, Hedgesville, W.Va.

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.

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