Dear Heloise: As a tomato lover, I've been subtly peeved at the cost of simple tomato juice. Looking on the can, virtually all tomato juice today is prepared "from concentrate."
So, why not just add water to your own "tomato concentrate" — also known as tomato paste?
Well, it works. It works so well that I just have to share my formula:
1 part tomato paste to 3 parts cold tap water (more or less — you can adjust to your taste); blend in blender (this makes it completely smooth and creamy), and salt and pepper to taste.
Not only is it cheap, it's the richest and most delectable I've found. I'm afraid to add a splash of vodka, because I know that the combination could truly be habit-forming! —Tomato Reveler in Baltimore
Sounds delicious! Well, we gave this a try here at Heloise Central, and you know what? You are right — it's great! Thanks so much for sharing the juice. —Heloise
Dear Heloise: To drizzle frosting over cookies or cakes easily and mess-free:
Put 3-4 squares of almond bark in a plastic food-storage bag with zip closure (quart or gallon size), and place the bag in the microwave to melt the bark. Once the bark is melted, cut a tiny hole in the corner of the bag. Then, squeeze the bag over cookies or cake, and toss the bag when empty. —Nancy in Kansas
Dear Readers: What fruit is brown, furry and oblong? If you guessed a kiwi, then you are right on the money! Kiwis are a source of vitamin C and potassium. They taste similar to melons, strawberries or nectarines. —Heloise
Dear Heloise: I use powdered infant formula for my daughter. I found that making about two days' worth at a time worked well. However, that called for about 25 scoops. I would often lose count until I started counting out 25 toothpicks.
Now, I just drop a toothpick into a paper cup every time I drop a scoop of formula in the jug. No more losing count if I have to stop to answer the phone, soothe the baby, etc. —Amanda in North Carolina
Dear Heloise: Our Women's Club holds a charity fundraiser each year to supply new shoes and socks for schoolchildren. We make all the food ourselves. This year, one of the items we made was mini-cheesecakes. We made more than 700 of them.
I filled a turkey baster with the batter and squeezed it into the miniature tins. It worked great. There wasn't any drippy mess when pouring from one cheesecake to another. —Cindi in Indiana
Dear Heloise: Keep your boxes of snacks in the freezer. You'll never need to worry about stale treats! Just take out what you want. Great for cereal and for sale items you won't use soon. —L.B. in Arizona
With salads all the rage, why not add some Swiss chard to your next bowl? Did you know that the greens are actually a member of the beet family? You only eat the top greens and not the root. When buying chard, look for crisp, green leaves. Stay away from leaves that are wilted, discolored or have holes in them. The next time you make a salad, toss this around. —Heloise
Dear Heloise: I use "cheap" paper plates (the kind that sort of stick together, have to be separated and cost about a penny each) when chopping, measuring, etc. For example, I measure a cup of nuts, chop them in my chopper and empty them onto a paper plate. You can then gently fold the plate and easily direct the pouring of the nuts into batter, etc.
Or, put your pyramid grater on the plate, grate the carrots, cheese or whatever, then fold the plate to easily put the grated item into the measuring cup.
Or, sift flour or powdered sugar onto the plate, then fold to easily put into the measuring cup. Once you start doing this, you'll find many ways to utilize these cheap paper plates and make much less mess on your work counter. —Mary Grace, Baton Rouge, La.
Dear Heloise:Spread butter on both sides of a knife to make cutting a meringue pie easier. —Wilma M. Spindler, Bloomington, Minn.
Send a great hint to: Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000; fax: 210-HELOISE; e-mail: Heloise@Heloise.com. © King Features Syndicate Inc.