Soften brown sugar using a microwave

Dear Heloise: Help! It never fails — every time I buy BROWN SUGAR, it gets hard in no time. I end up throwing most of it away. I heard there are ways to soften it. Do you have any ideas on what could be done? — C.M., via e-mail

You bet I do! We re-researched these hints, then called a major sugar company. A representative said that there are a few methods for softening brown sugar:

• Wrap it in a paper towel and put it in the microwave for up to two minutes, checking every 15 seconds. If this method is used, you must USE the sugar IMMEDIATELY.

• Put sugar in a sealable plastic bag with a damp paper towel. When the sugar is soft, remove the paper towel.

• Put it in a sealable plastic bag with one or two slices of bread and leave the bread in for a couple of days.

Some are old hints that still work well today! — Heloise

Dear Heloise: When preparing banana bread and muffins one morning, I was short 1/2 cup of the 2 cups of flour called for. I substituted 1/2 cup of one-minute oatmeal. They were delicious!

So now I use the oats regularly, making the items nutritious as well. — Norma Carlin, Spring, Texas

Dear Heloise: Here's how I make mashed potatoes: Instead of putting all milk into the mashed potatoes, I thin out a can of condensed celery soup or mushroom soup and mix it with some milk, using just enough milk to be able to pour the mixture.

I whip it into the potatoes, and voila! — mashed potatoes with a distinct and delicious flavor. If you're dieting, you can skip the butter — you won't miss it. — Rita, New York City

Dear Heloise: My husband and I like an occasional breakfast of bacon and eggs, but we usually only use four to six strips out of the package, and the rest would go bad before we used it.

I finally found the solution. When opening a new package of bacon, I remove each strip and lay the strips side by side on wax paper, cover them with another piece of wax paper, press down, then put it in the freezer.

It's so easy to take out what we want, and the rest never goes bad. — Becky, Iowa City, Iowa

Dear Readers: Jack Stewart of Carson City, Nev., sent his handy hint for cutting pizza without using a regular pizza cutter. He found an easy way by using a pair of clean scissors. He said it works great! — Heloise

Dear Heloise: I buy the coffee creamers that come in plastic containers. When empty, I remove the labels (which come right off) and wash them out.

They make great "spillproof" drinking cups for the kids — put a straw in, and the kids and grandkids love it. — Grandma, Springfield, Ill.

Dear Heloise: I have found that a wire tea holder with the little chain and hook will hold dry herbs to flavor whatever you are cooking. Just lift it out — no herbs floating around. — Opal Rees, Port Hueneme, Calif.

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Send a great hint to: Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000; Fax: 210-HELOISE; E-mail: Heloise@Heloise.com © King Features Syndicate Inc.