Dear Heloise: When I get home I’m usually tired and hate to bother with dinner. So instead of a big meal, I make soup from leftovers. I grab a big pot or saucepan, pour in water with a couple of bouillon cubes and bring it to a boil. Any leftover chicken, beef or pork gets chopped up and added. I season with spices and add any leftover veggies or open a can of white beans to add to the soup. I usually rinse canned vegetables to remove any excess salt. You also can add leftover rice or macaroni to your soup. This with a salad and some warm rolls can make a healthy soup on a chilly evening! — Lisa B., Newport, R.I.

HELOISE QUIZ

Dear Readers: Can you name the most popular type of cheese in the world? You can make delicious grilled cheese sandwiches from this cheese, add to eggs to enhance the flavor or add to a sizzling burger. It’s cheddar cheese, and it can be added to so many recipes. An ounce of cheddar cheese has about 1 carbohydrate and 7 grams of protein. Although cheddar cheese contains fat, a moderate amount of cheese will not harm your diet. — Heloise

SHRIMP SPREAD

Dear Heloise: I loved your Shrimp Spread recipe, but I gave my copy to my sister-in-law and she lost it. Would you reprint this yummy treat that’s so easy and quick to make? — Lois B., Oklahoma City, Okla.

Lois, this is a favorite at my house as well, so here is the Shrimp Spread recipe. You’ll need:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup mayonnaise

4 ounces tiny cocktail shrimp, drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons seafood cocktail sauce

1/2 cup finely chopped onion, yellow or white

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

Thoroughly mix the cream cheese and mayonnaise until well blended. Mash or chop the shrimp and add to the mixture; stir in remaining ingredients. Refrigerate until needed. Serve at room temperature with crackers or as a veggie dip, or spread on bread for a sandwich. Don’t let it sit out for more than an hour. This recipe makes two cups.

If you enjoy easy to prepare tasty dips, you’ll find this and more at www.Heloise.com. Or you can send a stamped (75 cents), self-addressed, long envelope along with $5 to: All Time Favorite Recipes, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001.

If you have a pool party or Hawaiian themed get-together, this shrimp spread will be a party favorite with all your guests. — Heloise

THE VALUE OF VINEGAR

Dear Heloise: Through the years I’ve read your column in the local papers, and I’ve got so many hints from you. Perhaps the best has been the value of vinegar. I use it to clean plastic hairbrushes with a mixture of 50-50 vinegar and water (no wooden brushes). I use it in the summer on fire ant bites to take away the sting and itching. If I’ve used too much perfume, I soak a cotton ball with vinegar and wipe some off by wiping the perfumed areas with the vinegar on the cotton ball. — Karen T., St. Joseph, MO.

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Hints from Heloise run occasionally in Lifestyles. Readers may send a hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000, fax it to 210-HELOISE, or email: Heloise@Heloise.com. Letters won’t be answered personally.