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Lasagna: For perfect lasagna noodles, under cook slightly. Then drain thoroughly in a colander and toss with a drop of vegetable oil to keep them from sticking.
For easy slicing, place first layer of lasagna noodles lengthwise in dish. Cut noodles for second layer to fit diagonally in pan. Finish last layer lengthwise.

Fruit Purees, such as pear or applesauce, add sweetness and moistness to baked goods. Use one quarter of the oil called for and substitute puree for the rest.

Everyone has heard about the benefits of fiber. Oat bran can significantly lower blood cholesterol in addition to adding fiber. Experiment with your own recipes.

A perfectly ripe cantaloupe will have a sweet, fresh fragrance. It should feel heavy for its size and give slightly at both ends when gently pressed. If the cantaloupe is soft, yellowing or feels wet at the stem end, pass it by. To ripen a hard cantaloupe, store it in a warm place for several days, away from sunlight. Once it is ripe, refrigerate and use within a week. For a melon basket, use a nontoxic marker to draw zigzag pattern on melon. Cut deeply into fruit along pattern, separate halves, seed, and fill with fruit.

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• Cottage Cheese - Store carton upside down. It will keep twice as long.
•  Ice Cream - Sometimes ice cream that has been opened and returned to the freezer forms a waxlike film on the top. To prevent this, press a piece of waxed paper against the surface of the remaining ice cream and reseal the carton.
• To keep ice cream from leaking through the bottom of a cone, put a marshmallow in the bottom.
• To soften cream cheese in a microwave oven. Unwrap the cheese and place on plate. Microwave at 30% power for 2 to 2 1/2 minutes or until soft, turning cheese over once.

Ideas for Leftover Ham

The only thing better than baked ham for dinner is leftover baked ham for sandwiches and snacks. Surplus ham is also perfect soups, casseroles, hash, quiche, salads, and pasta dishes. Ham will keep refrigerated if tightly wrapped, for up to a week. During this time, a glistening, greenish rainbow may appear on the surface of your sliced ham. While it's probably your first instinct to avoid rainbow-colored meats, there is no need to worry - the nitrites and/or nitrates used to cure your ham undergo a chemical reaction when they are exposed to air, and it's this chemical reaction that causes the iridescent appearance. Of course, if the ham starts to become slimy or develops an unappealing odor, it is time to throw it away. If you are pretty certain that you will not use all of your leftovers before a week is up, then you should freeze them right away (frozen ham will retain its rosy hue and resilient texture for up to about two months, before you should toss it).