Everyday Cheapskate

Fresh corn on the cob would be summer's perfect offering if it weren't for those annoying husks. It's a lot of work to get them off cleanly, including the fine silk threads. Read on to learn how to make shucking corn a lot easier.

QUICK CORN. A quick and easy way to cook corn on the cob is to put it in a 350-degree oven, husks and all. Don't bother preheating the oven or soaking and peeling the corn. Cook it from a cold oven for 25 minutes. When it's done, the husks peel off easily. I like to put chili powder and a little lime zest into the butter that I serve with it. — Jo M., Ohio

BANANA PUDDING. I have an easy, healthy no-cook dessert: Peel 2 bananas per serving. Cut them into pieces, and place them in a food processor. Add 1 teaspoon of cocoa powder per banana; adjust to taste. Blend until smooth. This makes a mousse-like chocolate pudding. If you freeze the bananas first, the result is like chocolate ice cream. Add nuts and you've got rocky road. My granddaughters love it. — Sandy, e-mail

PRODUCE PRINCESS. By the end of the summer, I have more produce from my garden than we can consume. I chop zucchini, summer squash, green peppers, onions and celery. Then I put them in quart- or gallon-size freezer bags so I have an abundant supply of colorful vegetables all year. Sometimes I make my own stir-fry mixes just like the ones that you can buy at the store. This has cut my annual produce cost, especially in the winter months, and it helps us eat more healthful meals.

EASY CHERRY. The pointed end of a potato peeler works to get the seed out of a cherry. Just push it in the stem end and pull out the seed. — Karen I., Minnesota

BREEZY BUTTER. I was out of spreadable butter with olive oil, so I made my own. I mixed 1/4 cup of olive oil with 1 pound of softened butter. Be sure to refrigerate. — Constance K., California

TUNA MELT. My mother always crumbled potato chips on top of tuna casserole. Then she put cheese on it and baked it for a few minutes just to brown the top. It gave it a nice crunch! — April P., e-mail

SMART NUT. Last week at the store, all they had were nuts that were salted or completely unsalted. I prefer lightly salted, so I bought a jar of each, mixed them together and rebottled them. The mixture is just right! — Judy S., Oklahoma

SPINACH SQUEEZE. My favorite way to squeeze moisture from thawed spinach is this: Stab the sides and bottom of the spinach box with a steak knife. Then squeeze firmly until no more green juice runs out. Then you have dry spinach to use in your recipe when you open the box. — Jeanne, Ohio

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