Does size matter?

Heloise
Heloise

Dear Heloise: When a recipe calls for large eggs, how large do they have to be? The recipe I'm speaking of was written in the late '20s by my grandmother, and I don't know if eggs were smaller back then. - Cindy K., Thousand Oaks, Calif.

Cindy, we checked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and "large" does not refer to the size of the egg, but rather to minimum weight. No two eggs will be exactly the same due to body weight of the hen, type of feed used and the amount of food intake. The large eggs of today are in more demand than smaller ones, but should have no adverse effect on the outcome of a recipe. - Heloise

Black Olives

Dear Heloise: When I open a can of black olives, I usually use only a few at a time. I've placed the remainder in the refrigerator while they are still in the can, but they look terrible after a week or so. What is the best way to store leftover olives? - Jean W., Taos, N.M.

Jean, black olives won't be at their best if not used within a week or two, so store them in a glass or plastic container, along with their liquid, and keep in the refrigerator. If you enjoy a frozen pizza once in a while, you can slice some black olives (an egg slicer works well for this) and sprinkle on top of the pizza before baking. Black olives in a salad increases the favor and looks attractive to the eye. You might want to experiment with using black olives in a number of recipes. - Heloise

Fast Shrimp Spread

Dear Heloise: You have a recipe for a shrimp spread that I just love! I'm having a little get-together at home to celebrate my son's return from missionary work and would like to serve this, but I no longer have the recipe. Would you reprint this for me? - Sylvia M., Provo, Utah

Sylvia, this is one of my personal favorite recipes, and I would be delighted to print it for you. You'll need:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup mayonnaise

4 ounces tiny cocktail shrimp, drained and rinsed, preferably fresh

2 tablespoons seafood cocktail sauce

1/2 cup finely chopped onion, yellow, white or red

1/8 teaspoon garlic salt

Thoroughly mix the cream cheese and mayonnaise until well blended. Mash or chop the shrimp and add to mixture; stir in all remaining ingredients. Refrigerate until needed. Serve at room temperature with crackers and/or veggies as a dip or on bread for a sandwich. Do not let it sit out for more than one hour. - Heloise

To get a copy of this recipe, just go to www. Heloise.com, or send $5 along with a stamped (75 cents), self-addressed, long envelope to: Heloise/All Time Fav., P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001.

It's always good to have some new recipes to treat your friends and family to and to keep meals interesting. My All Time Favorite Recipes will supply you with quick and easy recipes that everyone will love.

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