Cleaning peanut butter jar is sticky
Cleaning a Peanut-Butter Jar
Dear Heloise: I like to recycle — glass, foil and plastic. How do you clean an empty peanut butter jar?
I usually try to wipe out the dregs, then fill it with hot, soapy water and a little ammonia. It still doesn’t work. Do you have a hint? — Elaine B., Boynton Beach, Fla.
?First, if you are putting the jar in the recycle bin, then rinsing it or washing it out should be enough.
However, if you want to reuse the jar for storage and want it cleaner (because an oily residue will remain at first), persistence is the key. Hot water and dishwashing soap will work, but it may take several washings.
If you plan on reusing the peanut- butter jars to store other food, be aware that people with allergies to peanut products should not eat anything stored in the jars because of possible cross-contamination. — Heloise
P.S.: Many food containers, such as those used for mayonnaise, spaghetti sauce and margarine, are perfect for leftovers.
WINE-BOTTLE LABELS
Dear Heloise: In the Houston Chronicle, you had a hint for removing labels from wine bottles. I have not tried this on those items, but when I wish to remove a label, I use a hair dryer. I heat the label slowly from one end to the other and pull it off as I go. The heat softens the glue and makes it a breeze. — Cathy M., Spring, Texas
PIZZA-CUTTER USES
Dear Heloise: I read your column on other uses for pizza cutters. Here’s mine: Make pizza-slice-shaped cutout cookies. Roll the cookie dough flat, and use a large, round pan or bowl to cut out a big circle shape of dough. Then use the pizza cutter to cut “slices” that can be decorated to look like watermelon slices, candy corn or even pizza! — Becky, via email
KEEP TRACK
Dear Heloise: Sometimes I lose track when I’m cooking. For example, when I’m measuring cups of flour into a bowl, I’ll look at a half-filled bowl and wonder, Is that 3 cups or 4? More than once, I’ve had to pour it back into the bulk container and start again.
I can keep that from happening by counting out loud. Something about hearing it spoken aloud makes it stay with me longer.
I probably sound a little nutty while I cook, but what’s the harm? — Lisa Scott in Florida
POPCORN ON SALADS
Dear Heloise: Evidently, my taste buds are changing and rejecting packaged croutons as too spicy for the palate and too hard in texture. Making homemade croutons is not always convenient, but definitely is worth the effort. An alternative includes topping a salad with natural gourmet microwave popping corn in a mini bag. It’s ready by the time the salad is ready. My favorite additions are salt and cracked-pepper popcorn. Crumbled french-fried onions also are delicious. — Margarette Mattern, via email
(c)2011 by King Features Syndicate Inc.