HELOISE: Dump-cake recipe is really as easy as pie

Dear Heloise: I have lost my copy of your recipe for dump cake. Could you please provide me with a copy? Carolyn Stonesifer, via e-mail

I believe you are requesting the no-mix cherry-pineapple nut cake, because you just dump the ingredients into the pan. It is an easy-yet-delicious cake to make. This is what you need:

1 (20-ounce) can of crushed pineapple in heavy syrup

1 (21-ounce) can of cherry pie filling

1 (2-layer size) package of yellow cake mix

1 (3-ounce) package of pecans, or 1 cup chopped

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine (chilled works best)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Spread the pineapple with its syrup evenly in the prepared pan. Spoon the pie filling evenly over the pineapple. Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the fruits, then sprinkle the chopped nuts over all. Slice the butter into thin slices, then place the pieces evenly over the top. Bake for 50 minutes or until golden. Serve warm. Makes 12 servings.

This is only one of many unique and delicious recipes in my fabulous four-page cake pamphlet. To order a copy, just send $3 and a long, self-addressed, stamped (61 cents) envelope to: Heloise/Cake, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. Extra tip: This cake also can be made with other fruit combinations, like pineapple/strawberry, pineapple/apple, pineapple/blueberry, apple/cherry, etc. Serve it with vanilla ice cream and/or whipped cream. Heloise

Dear Heloise: No more being frustrated trying to spread rock-hard butter on my toast. I simply slice off a chunk from the stick of butter, then place it in a small metal measuring cup on top of the toaster as the slices of bread are toasting. By the time the toast pops up, the butter is just right for spreading. An added bonus is that it’s energy-efficient, too! Caution: A too-small cup might fly off when the toast pops up, so be careful. Ernie Henninger, via e-mail

Dear Heloise: Several years ago, I accidentally froze a small plastic bag with my freshly purchased garlic bulbs. What a great mistake, I thought! No more soft garlic or cloves that start to “stem out.”

I discovered that the garlic thaws within minutes, and the skin simply falls off! It’s easy to slice when still cold, or you can let it thaw to room temperature to mince or crush. Simply remove as many cloves as you need from the bulb, and put the remainder back in a freezer bag in the freezer. The odor does not permeate — even to your ice-cube trays. No more dry, shriveled or wasted garlic. It’s always fresh for your favorite dishes. Eileen Gustafson, Perkins, Mich.

Dear Heloise: Dampen a microfiber dust cloth, wring out well and wipe your satin-finish stainless-steel appliances. Fingerprints disappear! Those fingerprints were driving me crazy, and this has saved the day for me. Jeanette in Nebraska

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