Hattie's Helpful Hints: tips on cooking, cleaning

This week, I am paying homage to Heloise Bowles, who first began writing a column titled “Readers Exchange” in 1959.

Later renamed “Hints from Heloise,” the column went into worldwide syndication. After her death in 1977, her daughter assumed the mantle and the moniker. Today, the column appears in more than 600 newspapers around the world.

Here are a few hints I have discovered over the years, which I hope you find helpful:

Line your cookie sheet with parchment paper to eliminate washing it between baking batches. This not only saves time but also prevents cookies from sticking to the pan.

When a recipe calls for buttermilk, you can substitute one cup of milk mixed with one tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar. Mix ingredients together and let set for about five minutes before using.

One of my secret ingredients (Well, I guess it’s no secret anymore.) is fat-free Half ‘n’ Half. I substitute if for milk and heavy cream in almost all of my recipes, especially puddings, cream soups, gravies and even mashed potatoes. It’s richer and thicker than milk, has fewer calories and is a more healthful choice.

You can substitute plain yogurt for sour cream and vise versa in recipes. I use fat-free Greek yogurt, which has fewer ingredients than fat-free sour cream.
Some recipes call for self-rising flour, something I never buy. Substitute one cup of all-purpose flour mixed with one-half teaspoon of salt and one teaspoon of baking powder.

A one-pound box of powdered sugar, also called confectioner’s sugar, contains three-and-a-half cups. This is good to know, as it is more economical to buy it in a large bag.

If brown sugar dries out forming rock-like chunks, put it into a microwaveable container. Place in microwave along with a glass, measuring cup filled half-full of water. Microwave on high for about three minutes, making sure the water boils for more than a minute. Wait about five minutes before removing sugar. The steam will soften the sugar.

If you like soft, chewy cookies, place a fresh piece of bread in your cookie jar. The cookies act as sponges, drawing the moisture from the bread. Replace hardened, stale bread as needed.

To remove the smell of garlic or onions from your hands, wash them with soap under running cold water while rubbing a stainless steel spoon.
You can substitute three or four tablespoons of baking cocoa plus one tablespoon of butter for one square of baking chocolate.

To clean your coffee grinder, grind two tablespoons of raw converted rice, not instant.

To remove soap scum from shower curtains, place it in your washing machine along with several large bath towels, adding one-half cup of vinegar.

Remove the curtain promptly before the spin cycle starts and hang it immediately.

To prevent your steel-wool pad from rusting, place it in a small bowl with a tight-fitting lid, such as a margarine tub, filled with a mixture of water and three tablespoons of baking soda. Store it in your cabinet or under your sink for easy access.

Save your old Patriot Talon newspapers for later use. Use them to eliminate odors in plastic food storage container by placing a crumpled ball of newspaper inside the container before securing the lid. Odors should be gone overnight.

Another use for newspapers is to use them for cleaning mirrors and windows to get a streak-free shine. Just spray on window cleaner – the foaming, automotive type in an aerosol can works best – and wipe it off.