Dear Heloise: A tip I find very useful is to take the crumbs I find at the bottom of the cookie jar and pour them into a plastic bag and store them in the freezer. Whatever is left over, whether it is the cookie crumbs, raisins or nuts, they all go into the bag.

Then when I make a dish of ice cream, I sprinkle some of the crumbs on top. It’s a great treat and saves having to throw away the crumbs that can be saved in the freezer and served at a later time. - Vincent Covello, Park Ridge, N.J.

Dear Heloise: I was going to make oat bran muffins and found I didn’t have any bran. So, I decided to use quick oats. I put the oats in my food processor. It worked great and that is what I use all the time now. - Mary Schulz, Ashland, Ohio