1998, Home Tips, Nov. 12, No. 1

MICROWAVE TIP - I would like to pass along the best way to cook ground beef in the microwave. Not only is it healthier, it is quicker and cleaner for the kitchen.

I take the meat and put it in a cheap plastic colander with big holes. I put that in a glass pie plate (a 10-inch works best). Then I put a glass lid on top. I start out at 5 minutes on High then break up the meat. Another couple of minutes usually does it if it’s only a pound. all the fat drips down into the pie plate and you have some very healthy “loose” meat.

If I’m making tacos, I season the meat first and add the onions and it is ready to go into the shell.

-Candice Bensalem, Pa.

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MAKE IT YOURSELF - Recently I ran out of Parmesan cheese-flavored salad dressing. I looked in the fridge and saw the usual bottle of ranch we always keep and decided to mix up some of my own with Parmesan cheese I had on hand.

I measured about 1 cup dressing and 1 tablespoon cheese. I mixed and let it sit about 15 minutes in the fridge to mix the flavors.

It was almost identical to the store bought version. For fewer calories you could experiment with reduced fat versions of both.

-Olivia D., Baltimore, Md.