Tea strainers work in a pinch

Jun 28, 2023

Dear Heloise: I was preparing a dish for dinner, and the recipe called for using a piece of cheesecloth to place spices in. Well, I didn’t have any cheesecloth, but I did have four tea strainer balls, one of which was large. I filled the large tea strainer ball and one small strainer ball, and they worked just as well as cheesecloth! — Hannah M., Mellott, Indiana

Send a great hint to:

Heloise

P.O. Box 795001

San Antonio, TX 78279-5001

Fax: 1-210-HELOISE

Email: [email protected]

OLIVE NUT DIP

Dear Heloise: I think you could say my family went nuts for your olive nut dip last Christmas. My husband has asked me to recreate this dish for a get-together we’re having on the Fourth of July. I know you get a lot of mail requesting recipes, but could you reprint this one for me? I’ve misplaced the recipe, and we all enjoyed the olive nut dip so much. Thank you. — Michelle R., Charleston, West Virginia

Michelle, the Heloise Olive Nut Dip is a long-time favorite for many people, and I receive a number of requests for it. So, here it is:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup real mayonnaise

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

1 cup sliced salad olives (the jar usually says “salad olives” and is filled with olive bits and pimientos)

2 tablespoons juice from the olive jar

A dash of pepper (but no salt!)

Mix all ingredients well and refrigerate at least one hour before serving.

If you love chips and dip, you’ll love this recipe and the variations you can use to make this delicious dip. To get this recipe, along with many others, request my pamphlet “Heloise’s All Time Favorite Recipes.” To get a copy, go to www.Heloise.com, or you can send $5 along with a stamped, self-addressed long envelope to: Heloise/Favorites, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. When you’re at a loss as to what to serve for dinner, this pamphlet will definitely come in handy! — Heloise

NO PARSLEY

IN THE HOUSE?

Dear Heloise: I had a recipe that called for parsley, and I was out! I looked in the refrigerator and found some fresh celery, so in place of parsley, I chopped up some celery leaves. No one could taste the difference! — Jean D., Chandler, Arizona

COOKIE MAMA

Dear Heloise: I always have frozen cookie dough in my freezer for unexpected guests or when my family feels like have a warm snack during a movie. I found that sometimes a knife, even a sharp one, can squash cookie dough and make a weirdly shaped cookie. But then, my neighbor told me to use a wire cheese cutter, and it really worked. No more strange-looking cookies! — Greta N.,

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