Dear Heloise: Your mother had a recipe for a cheese spread whose primary ingredient is cream cheese. Unfortunately, I can't remember its name. Please reprint it for me and others.-Marnie W., The Villages, Fla.
Marnie, yes, that would be the Olive Nut Dip or Sandwich Spread, and here it is:
HELOISE'S OLIVE NUT DIP OR SANDWICH SPREAD
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup real mayonnaise
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1 cup sliced olives (the jar will say "salad olives" and is filled with bits and pieces of olives and pimientos)
2 tablespoons juice from the olive jar
Dash of pepper but no salt
Mix all ingredients well and refrigerate for an hour or so.
This has been a favorite of nearly everyone I know. If you would like this recipe and other family favorites, I have a pamphlet you can order by going to www.Heloise.com, or by sending a stamped (70 cents), self-addressed, business-size envelope, along with $5, to: Heloise/Favorite Recipes, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. Let my family favorites become your favorites, too, from the time-tested kitchen of Heloise. Bon appetit!-Heloise
FIGHTING
WITH SHRIMP
Dear Heloise: If you are frustrated by not getting the cocktail-shrimp tail meat out of the shell, here is a solution: Grab the tail as you do when dipping the shrimp in the cocktail sauce, but instead of trying to bite and pull the shrimp tail from the shell, squeeze the shell at the end of the shrimp body, and out it comes.-Ed Y., Villa Park, Calif.
JUNK-FOOD JUNKIE
Dear Heloise: I worry about my young children (I have three, all under 10 years of age) consuming too much junk food. Any suggestions on how to get them to eat fresh fruit, or anything that's healthier than high-calorie, low-nutrition foods?-Abby V., Gulfport, Miss.
Abby, first, don't buy any of the items you consider junk food. If it's not within easy reach, if it's out of sight at home, your children likely won't eat it.
Maybe going "cold turkey" isn't for you, so try setting limits. For example: If they finish their homework or clean their room, they can have one scoop of ice cream. Make them work for it.
Find healthier alternatives. Arrange banana slices on a plate with some strawberries, or give each child a lunch-size bag of baby carrots to snack on.
Keep them busy. Obesity is becoming a serious health threat in America, and it often starts in childhood. Get your kids into activities that make them get up and move. Go for walks in a park, bike rides, hikes in the woods or swimming.
Make sure they get enough sleep. When people are tired, they often will reach for an unhealthy snack to keep them going.
All too often we indulge in mindless snacking while watching TV. Don't let your kids form that habit.-Heloise
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