Hints from Heloise

Dear Heloise: My mother very rarely made box cakes when we were growing up, but when she did, she always added a teaspoon of vanilla flavoring – a practice I continue to do. It makes the cake taste like it was made from scratch. – Martha in Houston

Dear Heloise: As a senior citizen, most of us have to wear glasses for close reading. When you have a number of prescriptions in bottles that are alike, it is hard to read the medicine on the outside of the bottle without glasses. When I get my prescriptions, I take a black marker pen and write quite large on the side of the label what the med is for (e.g., pain, diabetes, blood pressure, etc.), and the label is easily read without having to put your glasses on. – D.A., via e-mail

Dear Heloise: The large, plastic trays that bedding plants come in make good under-sink or cupboard storage. – Natalie Edgar, Maumelle, Ark.