Freeze herbs in ice cube trays

photo by suavehouse113

DEAR SARA: I had to buy fresh parsley for a sauce I recently made. I have a bunch left over. Can I chop it and freeze it? — Lisa, Georgia

DEAR LISA: Yes, you can freeze parsley. Chop the parsley and place it into an ice cube tray. Top each ice cube tray cubbie with water. You want to use about 1/4 cup water for every cup of parsley. You can process this in a food processor, too. Once frozen, transfer herb cubes to storage bags.

DEAR SARA: I inherited a 31-pound bucket of Bavarian creme. I don’t particularly care for Bavarian creme, especially in donuts. Since we’re gluten-free, I can’t willingly give it to my son. I don’t even know what you can make with this stuff. What are some good ideas on what to make with Bavarian creme? — Tisha, Canada

DEAR TISHA: You might enjoy it in a trifle, as a cake filling or topped with fresh fruit. You can freeze it and share it with others, too.

DEAR SARA: I need help organizing toothbrushes that we are using day in and day out. We can’t attach things to the wall and have limited counter space. Traditional toothbrush holders don’t work, as the toothbrush handles on the kids’ toothbrushes are too thick to fit in the holes. We tried the cup method, but someone always seems to want to drink out of it, and that seemed unsanitary. We tried the kitchen-utensil holder — basically, a big cup that was made out of wire originally made to hold kitchen utensils. It rusted very fast. Any ideas? — J. Moffitt, forums

DEAR J. MOFFITT: There are toothbrush holders that cover the bristles and attach to the mirror by suction cup. 3M also makes a hook that adheres to the wall but won’t damage it. There’s a $2 coupon to try it on their Web site, www.commandstrips.com. There are magnetic toothbrush holders that can be hung on a medicine cabinet or a rectangle plastic storage container that can hold them all. There is a holder that is similar to your cup idea, but it would not be mistaken or used as a cup because it’s a container with a lid. Or when you replace the toothbrushes, buy some with smaller handles so they can fit into standard organizers. You can use over-the-door organizers and store toothbrushes in a pocket, or try a bathroom space-saving organizer such as an over-the-toilet etagere.

DEAR SARA: I used to go to a site where you input your recipes and then click the recipes you wanted to make that week, and a grocery list was created based on the calendar. Do you know of a Web site like this? — Janelle, Massachusetts

DEAR JANELLE: There are quite a few recipe Web sites that have these features. I like having the option to have my shopping list e-mailed to me or stored so I can update it and not completely re-create a list when I go shopping. Try www.tastyplanner.com or www.mealsmatter.org. They’re two great Web sites for meal planning.