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Ask BETTY How can I keep hot foods hot at a potluck? Tillamook, Ore. Goldilocks may have liked her porridge "not too hot, not too cold," but hot food at a potluck needs to be "just right" — at least 140°F. Here’s how: • Tote the food in an insulated carrier, or wrap it in several layers of newspaper, then towels, to keep the heat in. • If possible, reheat the food until it’s steaming hot before serving. • Use a fondue pot, slow cooker, chafing dish or warming tray. Be wary of units warmed with candles — they may not keep food hot enough. • Toss any food that’s been at room temperature for more than two hours. Dear Betty,We’ve decided to host a family re-union picnic this summer. I’ve never organized a big picnic before. Help! West Bend, Ind. This is going to be fun! It’s a picnic, it’s the start of summer, and you’ll be spending a day playing with your family. Now, grab a notepad and pencil. • Think about the parts of the picnic — location, food, beverages, activities — and who you could recruit to help with each part. • Check out a location. Does it have a covered pavilion in case the weather changes? Are there outdoor grills? Elec-tric plug-ins? Any activities for the kids such as a playground, ball or soccer fields, a beach or pool? • Brainstorm food ideas. Does your picnic have a theme? It’s a natural to plan the menu around it. If you’re grill-ing, have enough grills — and grill meisters to oversee them! Check out my Web site for recipes, planning guides and food-for-a-crowd charts to help you determine how much to buy and prepare. Or for a special treat, hire someone who does pig roasts or barbecues and have them cater the entire meal. • Plan for thirsty picnickers. Have everyone bring-your-own or provide an assortment of beverages from bottled water to soft drinks. An easy, inexpensive option is to make up big insulated jugs of lemonade, iced tea or other drink mixes. Have at least one jug just for ice water. • Plan an activity or two. While the focus of the reunion is to chat and catch up, simple games such as wheelbarrow race, egg-and-spoon relay, shoe scramble or water-balloon toss are fun mixers for all ages. Have each family create t-shirts for their clan using fabric paints. And don’t forget the name-tags — or the camera! Betty Crocker Want more ideas? www.BettyCrocker.com Questions? 1-888-ASK BETTY Timely Tips MUFFIN MAGIC - I never throw away my old muffin tins. I use them as drawer dividers, storing nuts, bolts, nails, screws, etc., and other workshop material. I also use them near my computer to hold paper clips, tape, etc. Linda J. * * * CHICKEN WIRE - To hold up flowers with heavy stems, use chicken wire. Crumple it into a ball and place it in the vase. Then, insert the stems into the openings. Chris R. * * * NO MORE HOSING - I keep gallon-sized, plastic milk jugs near the back door of my house. This way, I can use them to water individual outdoor plants without having to drag out the hose. Tracey M. * * * SHOWER GIFT FOR HIM - At my sister-in-law’s baby shower, I thought I’d do something special for my brother. Since he knew the baby was going to be a girl, I asked all the female relatives in our family to make up a diary with memories of things they’d learned from their fathers, complete with special moments. He treasures this book and uses it as inspiration for his own fatherhood. Claire W. * * * PRSERVING FAMILY TREE DATA - The best way to get information is from your oldest living relative. Prepare him or her for the process by repeating the stories you know from their childhood. Try to get dates, such as births, deaths, and places of origin from him and record these, as well as level of education achieved, from any relatives he can remember. Piece by piece, you’ll be building your family tree. Share your special Timely Tip with our readers. Send it to Kate c/o DBR Media, Inc., P.O. Box 21, Hopewell Jct., NY 12533, or e-mail:deckert@dbrmedia. com.
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