Dear Readers: Is it safe to take a medication after its expiration date? According to the experts from the Food and Drug Administration (www.FDA.gov), consumers need to be aware of the potential harm of taking an expired medication or one that may have degraded due to not being stored according to instructions on the label. An expired drug may have lost potency, lessening its effectiveness. If a drug has been improperly stored, it may degenerate and yield toxic compounds that could lead to unintended Talk to your doctor and pharmacist and read the labels for over-the-counter medications and the handouts that come with your prescription. — Heloise

Dear Heloise: I had just finished my morning glass of orange juice and was about to rinse the container out prior to putting it in the recycling bin. When I took another look at it, a light bulb went off in my head. So, instead of rinsing it out, I just put some tea bags in it, then filled up the jug with water and put it out on the deck to brew my tea. The result was a delicious drink of iced tea (once I cooled it down with ice cubes) with a yummy orange flavor.

Then, I was about to rinse out a jar of orange marmalade that I had just finished, when the same light came on in my head. I had some more orange-flavored sun tea.

Since then, I’ve used all sorts of jam jars to make sun tea, always with excellent results. The jars will go to recycling eventually, just not immediately.

And now a complaint: Why is it that every recipe in women’s magazines makes at least 4 to 6 servings?

Surely I’m not the only widow with an empty nest who still cooks for herself and doesn’t want to make something that will fill the freezer.There are many of us who could use more recipes to serve just one or two. Thanks for letting me bend your ear. — Ann in Virginia

Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001, or you can fax it to 1-210-HELOISE or email it to Heloise@Heloise.com.