HELOISE: Should we hold the mayo or not?

Dear Heloise: I was wondering if it is OK to heat a sandwich that has mayonnaise on it. My husband and I have an ongoing debate about this.

Susan Toadvine in Katy, Texas

Oh my, the “he thinks, she thinks” situation! If you heat a sandwich with mayonnaise in a toaster or microwave, then it is fine. Since you can cook or bake with mayonnaise, heating it should not be a problem. Hope this helps!

Heloise

Dear Heloise: Whenever I accidentally get a little bit of eggshell in whatever I am baking, I use the eggshell that I was cracking to get it out. It is much easier to get out the little shell than if you use a spoon.

Dawn in Texas

This does work, but please note that eggshells can contain salmonella. To ensure that your food is safe to eat, it must reach at least 160 degrees while cooking.

Heloise

Dear Heloise: I hate it when I am mixing something with a hand mixer and I know it’s going to make a huge mess if it splatters. I have solved this problem by placing the bowl in the sink and using my hand mixer in there. Now if it splatters out of the bowl, I can just rinse out the sink!

Phyllis in Kerrville, Texas

Dear Heloise: I keep an updated list on my computer of everything in my freezer so I can be sure to remember — and easily find — what I have in there, without having to grope through everything. I use a magnet to stick it on the side of the refrigerator. As I remove an item, I scratch it off, or I put in the new number of packages remaining.

M.L.W., Fountain Valley, Calif.

This is a super hint, especially if you have a big freezer or a large family.

Heloise

Dear Heloise: When copying a recipe from the Internet, I place a note on the bottom of the recipe card with the website that I got the recipe from.

Jane, via e-mail

Dear Heloise: If you use premixed frosting, save those little plastic tubs that the frosting comes in. Many recipes begin with “brown 1 pound of ground beef.” These are great to use when you buy and freeze bulk hamburger and sausage. They hold just a bit less than 1 pound. They pack nicely in the freezer, too, and you save money over buying small packages of hamburger.

M. Lee in Poland, Ohio

Dear Heloise: Here is a hint that I think helped me a lot when getting my home appraised, whether for selling or refinancing. I use my bread maker not so much to make fresh bread but to fill the house with the wonderful aroma.

Tom Hammond in Costa Mesa, Calif.

Send a 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