HELOISE: Coffee creamer saves the soup

Dear Heloise: I was making potato soup and discovered I was out of milk. I looked around the kitchen for something to replace the milk and saw the powdered coffee creamer. I used about 3/4 cup (more or less), according to how large the pan of soup is. It turned out to be the best potato soup I had ever made. Now I will never use anything else in my potato soup. Hope you like this idea.

Margie in Oklahoma

Sure do! Isn’t it nice to substitute and not have to run to the store? Soup usually can be an easy, quick and low-cost meal when you add a salad and bread. Want to try a new soup? I have some wonderful family recipes. For a copy of the six-page pamphlet filled with 15 recipes as well as soup hints, just send $5 to: Heloise/Soup, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. Did you know that adding a small amount of pur ed carrots to vegetable soup will give you a sweeter taste and will add some veggies?

Heloise

Good morning, Heloise: I am a great lover of iced coffee, all year long. When I buy one, I save the cup and lid. It is amazing how long you can wash and reuse those items. I even use the small size to give my 5-year-old grandson juice, and he loves it. When they wear out, I put them with the recyclables.

Mary Ellen Harmon, Goshen, Conn.

Dear Heloise: Here’s a hint on how to keep from tearing plastic wrap when pounding chicken or meat: Use a 1-gallon plastic freezer storage bag and cut the two sides, leaving the bottom intact, so three sides are open. Then place the chicken or meat between the two sides and pound away.

Will, via e-mail

Dear Heloise: After covering leftovers with plastic wrap, I use a marker to write the date and contents on the wrap. No more mystery food in the refrigerator. Draw a smiley face to let the kids know it’s OK to eat that food, or a frowny face if you are saving it for a recipe.

Any special cooking instructions also can be included, or a reminder to add other ingredients.

Joan P., Prescott, Ariz.

Dear Heloise: To sweeten cantaloupes that aren’t as tasty as we like, we slice whole cantaloupe and place it in a plastic container. We sprinkle on one packet of sweetener, put on the seal-tight lid and gently turn the container to distribute and dissolve the sweetener. We put it in the fridge for a few hours or overnight, and every bite is delicious!

Pat in Texas

Dear Heloise: When I need to use storage containers in the fridge, I use the square containers I have. They can be stacked nicely on top of each other, and they don’t take up as much room as round ones would.

Rita, 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