photo by cyndiesmithdesigns
DEAR SARA: I’m looking for something around the house to polish copper bracelets with. I know toothpaste works well on silver. Any tips? — Gayle W., e-mail

DEAR GAYLE: Use vinegar and salt. Place the bracelets into a container filled with vinegar and about 1 teaspoon salt. Let soak. You can use a toothbrush for any stubborn areas. Rinse them with water, and pat dry with a cloth. I’ve heard people mention that they’ve used ketchup or lemon juice. I tried it and didn’t get positive results without scrubbing. Both are more expensive than vinegar, too.

DEAR SARA: I’ve read a lot of different tips on how to remove melted crayons off fabric car seats. Most use WD-40, which seems to work well, but I’ve also read that WD-40 is a chemical that will remain in the seat fabric. I’m concerned with its flammability. How have you cleaned melted crayon? — Tina, Texas

DEAR TINA: Scrape off as much of the crayon as you can. I’ve used toothpicks and a lot of patience. Vacuum the scrapings from the fabric, and try a product called Goo Gone. According to the manufacturers of Goo Gone (www.googone.com), their product isn’t flammable.

DEAR SARA: I don’t bake from scratch, but Momma gifted me with a five-quart KitchenAid mixer, and I’m willing to learn. Do you have a really good old-time pound-cake recipe to share? — Kristine, Alabama

DEAR KRISTINE: This recipe was shared by a reader, and it’s absolutely delicious.

Cream-Cheese Pound Cake

3 sticks margarine or butter
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese
3 cups sugar
6 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups cake flour (plain)

Preheat oven to 300 F. Cream margarine and cream cheese well. (I set it on the counter about one hour before so they will soften.) Add sugar 1 cup at a time, and beat mixture well after each cup. Add 1 egg at a time, beating well after each one. Add vanilla. Beat in flour 1 cup at a time. Put in bundt pan sprayed with cooking spray, or greased and floured. Bake at 300 F for 1-1/2 to 2 hours. — Tracy, Georgia

DEAR SARA: What can I do with a few cups of leftover brown rice apart from throw it away? I know this rice won’t get eaten as leftovers as it is, and the stir-fry was all gobbled up. Any ideas? — Tracey, Tennessee

DEAR TRACEY: You can add it to meatloaf, meatballs or soup. You could make fried rice, too. If you don’t have any leftover meat, just fry the rice in a pan, scramble in an egg and add some vegetables and soy sauce. Try rice pudding as a treat. It won’t seem as if you’re eating leftover rice because it’s a dessert instead of a meal. It can be served warm or cold.

Rice Pudding

2 cups cooked brown rice
3 cups milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup raisins
cinnamon to taste
chopped walnuts or chopped nuts of choice

In a saucepan, add all the ingredients to the cooked rice except the cinnamon and nuts, and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until most of the milk is absorbed. Add cinnamon and chopped nuts. Serve hot or cold.

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