Heloise

Dear Heloise: I work from home and have many Zoom meetings. Most last 45 minutes to an hour. I have found many things that I can put covered in an oven set to 300 or 325 F that are ready to eat by the time lunch comes around.

Here are some ideas: cut-up chicken and vegetables, baked potatoes, meatloaf, ham hash, pot pie, starting a stew or soup, frozen vegetables, steak, baked apples and so on. Just add some liquid to some dishes. If things are not quite done, they finish up quickly in the microwave or stovetop. — Lyn Doucet, Maurice, Louisiana

OVEN RACK CLEANING

Dear Heloise: I just read a hint from Marilyn Rice in Vancouver, Washington, about keeping unneeded oven racks out of the oven in order to save the trouble of cleaning them. I don’t have the storage space, so I leave the racks in the oven — but I also have an easy method to clean them.

On any sunny day that is even moderately warm, I take my dirty racks out to a sunny spot in the yard, such as the driveway. I place them on an old card table that I turn over so the rim holds the racks inside. Then, I spray them with oven cleaner (I use an entire can) very thoroughly and cover them with clear plastic (I use an old, clear shower curtain). I let them bake in the sun for several hours, then rinse them off using a power washer.

They always come out really clean, and there is no scrubbing involved. — Kirk Sullivan, Colorado Springs, Colorado

DITCH THE PURSE

Dear Heloise: Mary in Texas suggested leaving her purse in the car and taking only credit cards into the store, but I have a better solution. Why do we women think we need a purse to carry all sorts of rarely used items with us? It can be a heavy burden in some cases. We should take a lesson from our menfolk. I purchased a cellphone cover that has pockets for cash and cards. I put my cell phone in one pocket and car keys in the other, eliminating my purse problem. Any other incidentals can be stored in car glove compartment. — Linda, Huntington Beach, California

DELAYING MOLDY CHEESE

Dear Heloise: Your advice to Dee W., in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, left out something that will help her delay her cheese from molding. Mold can be inhibited in a low pH (or acidic) environment. Simply wrap your hard cheeses in cheesecloth, or even a paper towel, that has been moistened in vinegar. (Use the cheap stuff.)

After wrapping mine, I store it in a zip-close bag to prevent the vinegar from evaporating, and the bag also minimizes the mold spores that the cheese gets exposed to. The cheese still won’t last forever, but it’ll probably last until you use it all up. — Mike L., in Montana

Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001, or you can fax it to 1-210-HELOISE or email it to Heloise@Heloise.com. I can’t answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column.