Dear Heloise: Every time I make homemade potato salad it gets watery if not eaten on the same day. Tell me, what am I doing wrong? — Maxi R., Waterloo, N.Y.

Maxi, potatoes hold a lot of water, so you’ll need to allow time for the water to drain by leaving them to cool in a strainer. If potato salad is made while the potatoes are warm, they will continue to release the water, making the salad watery. Good luck with your next batch. — Heloise

Dear Heloise: I have read Heloise’s Hints in the Omaha World Herald since the ’50s. Here is my hint for sausage or hamburger patties. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap on the counter and put a lump of ground meat on it. Fold the side of the wrap over the meat and press into shape.

If I want to freeze the patties, I put the raw meat into a plastic freezer bag and shape them. This way both counter and hands stay clean. — Elinor A., Red Oak, Iowa

Dear Heloise: I use fresh lemons all the time in various recipes and drinks. When lemons are the cheapest to buy, I buy a bag and squeeze out all the juice in each lemon, then pour the juice in ice cube trays. After the lemon ice cubes are frozen, I place them in plastic freezer bags and always have fresh lemon juice when I need it. — Tiffany in Florida

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.