Heloise

Dear Heloise: I have a few hints for those who worry that their pie crusts aren’t as flaky as they would like. First, while making the dough, place all utensils in the refrigerator. Make sure they’re cold before taking them out. After you’ve made your dough and the utensils are cold, roll out the dough. Always handle the dough as little as possible. Take a fork and punch a few holes in the bottom of the pie crust — but just a few.

After you have the dough in the chilled pie plate and a crust on the top, take a piece of tin foil and fold it in half. Cut out a circle the size of your pie and lay it over the edge of the pie to keep your crust from burning.

Some people like to use butter for their pie crusts, but I’ve always had better luck with a vegetable shortening. — Ann T., Majestic, Kentucky

SEND A GREAT HINT TO:

Heloise

P.O. Box 795001

San Antonio, TX 78279-5001

Fax: 1-210-HELOISE

Email: Heloise@Heloise.com

CHERRY SURPRISE

Dear Heloise: I lost my recipe for your Cherry Surprise. Since my kids loved it, I’d like to make it again. But I need you to publish the recipe because I don’t remember the measurements for all of the ingredients. Thank you. — Jackie K., Owosso, Michigan

Jackie, here is my Cherry Surprise recipe:

Cream together 2 sticks of butter or margarine and 2 cups of sugar. Beat 3 eggs and add into the above ingredients. Mix in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons of almond extract and 1 pint of sour cream. Then add 3 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 1/2 a teaspoon of salt; mix to blend. Last, stir in 1 cup maraschino cherries and 1 1/2 cups of chopped nuts.

Bake in a greased and floured tube pan at 325 degrees for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

If you want icing for it, combine powdered sugar, cherry juice and a drop of vanilla. Mix well and spread over cooled cake. — Heloise

CHURCH DINNER

Dear Heloise: Now with COVID being so dangerous, the ladies of our church use gloves and masks when we prepare food for the homeless. In fact, we like it enough that we’ve decided that this will be standard practice in the future. Our church provides hot meals for many people on many occasions, and we would never want to pass on any germs that might harm someone. — Gracie C., Houston, Texas

LEFTOVER POTATOES

Dear Heloise: I love to cook potatoes and carrots with a pot roast, but we often have leftover potatoes. The next day, I usually serve open-face, hot roast beef sandwiches and mash the leftover potatoes. Since they were cooked with the roast, they have a nice flavor, besides the butter and milk I add. — Lois R., Sun City, Arizona

OLIVE OIL

Dear Heloise: My mother always said I should never fry chicken in heated olive oil. Why is that? — Linda G., Colby, Kansas

Linda, there was a time when it was considered a bad idea, but that came from misinformation. It’s OK to cook chicken in hot olive oil but NOT if the oil is producing smoke. Current information says olive oil is safe for frying except when it reaches the stage of smoking, and then it’s actually too hot and not good to fry foods in. — Heloise