HELOISE: Cookies journey overseas in cans

Dear Heloise: My son is on his second tour of Afghanistan. Knowing he likes chocolate cookies with peanut-butter chips, I came up with a way to send the cookies overseas and not have them arrive in pieces. I put the cookie dough in cupcake liners, and I bake them in muffin tins. I pack the liners and cookies in potato-chip cans. Each can holds one dozen packed tightly. They arrive intact and stay fresh.

Bonnie Q. in White Haven, Pa.

Bonnie, any service person away from home loves home-baked goodies! The love and care that go into the project are very well-received. However, it’s wise to do homework before shipping food items.

We checked with Treat the Troops, www.treatthetroops.org, an organization that bakes cookies expressly for servicemen and -women, and here is something to keep in mind: the time of year! Hot conditions, especially from May through October (depending on where you are sending from and to), can cause food items to spoil, so it’s recommended to use candy-coated chocolate and peanut-butter morsels rather than chips.

Heloise

P.S.: Any more hints for sending goodies? E-mail Heloise(at)Heloise.com, and we will print as many as we can!

Dear Heloise: Here is a hint on what to do with leftover mashed potatoes. I decided to try freezing them. It turns out they taste just as good as fresh mashed. Now when I make mashed potatoes, I double the amount and freeze what’s left over. I put them in a 1-quart freezer bag and flatten them out as much as possible. That way, I can break off just the amount I need. Now on holidays, I make the potatoes ahead of time and freeze them so I don’t have the hassle of making them on the morning of the holiday.

Dick S., via e-mail

Cook once, eat twice! Sure enough, mashed potatoes can be frozen, according to our experts.

Heloise

Dear Heloise: I use my slow cooker a lot. The plastic handle on the lid broke. When I checked with the manufacturer, the replacement lid was $10, plus shipping and handling. That seemed like just too much! So, I went to a thrift store and found a slow-cooker lid, and it cost less than $1! What pleases me most is the time and energy I saved, and I don’t feel like anyone took advantage of me!

S.B., via e-mail

Dear Heloise: I enjoy fresh peaches on my cereal, so I always cut up and freeze sliced peaches when in season. I place a portion size in a sandwich bag, and then place the small bags in a larger freezer bag (don’t forget to get as much air out of the bags as possible). Then I just remove a sandwich bag, thaw, and I’m ready to enjoy a bit of summer! Works for any fresh fruit you enjoy.

A Reader, via e-mail

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

King Features Syndicate