Mar 14, 2012 3 min read

Dear Heloise: In a recent column, a reader gave suggestions for how to KEEP COOKBOOK PAGES CLEAN. Though I understand her reasoning, I wonder how younger generations will know how to find “Mom’s” favorite recipes.

When my cousin passed away, she had many cookbooks. Her children weren’t sure which recipes she used on a regular basis. I told them to look through the cookbooks for dirty pages, then to look at the recipes on those pages. I’m sure that many are ones she made more than once. As I have gone through my own mother’s cookbooks, I treasure the splatters and fingerprints that were left there by her hands. — Kathy F., Canton, Ohio

You are right “in my book”! I just went through one of my mother’s cookbooks looking for an old recipe, and it was a wonderful experience to see those old, old recipe pages and notes in the margin. — Heloise

ALTERNATING EGGS

Dear Heloise: When I buy eggs and put them in the refrigerator, it is difficult to tell the difference between the old ones and the new ones. I have solved that problem by alternating the purchase of brown eggs and white eggs — easy to spot the difference! — Barry M., via email

This is a good hint, Barry. Another hint from The American Egg Board is to store eggs in the egg carton (which will have the expiration date on it) on a SHELF in the refrigerator, not in the door.

An informal poll in Heloise Central showed three out of four stored eggs in the carton (two on the shelf and one in the door). Another keeps two dozen eggs: one dozen out of the carton in a clear, plastic egg container (tearing the date off the carton to save with the eggs), and the other carton on the shelf to be used later.

Where in the fridge do you keep the eggs? Send to Heloise@Heloise.com, or mail to Heloise/Eggs, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279. — Heloise

SEASONING HINT

Dear Heloise: Growing up in rural Tennessee gave me a love for such foods as turnip greens and seasoned cured ham. Now, however, I have to watch my calorie and fat intake. So, I now use fat-free beef-flavored bouillon for the seasoning, and it is delicious, with almost no added calories. — Doug J., Watson, La.

CRINKLED FOIL

Dear Heloise: Whenever I use aluminum foil for cooking, be it chicken or especially pizza, I crinkle up the foil, which makes for less contact with the item being cooked, making it less apt to stick to the foil. The more crinkles, the better. I find it especially handy when reheating pizza, because the foil hardly sticks to the pizza at all. — Gerry V., via email

FROZEN

HASH BROWNS

Dear Heloise: I recently discovered a use for frozen hash browns (uncooked). The hash browns are perfect for potato soup, vegetable soup or other recipes requiring whole potatoes. — Norma J., Springfield, Ohio