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Dear Heloise: For over seven years, I worked as a cook for a small hotel in Miami, and I've been cooking for my family of six for many years as well. I have a few hints of my own that I can share with a younger generation:

First, always read the instructions or recipe twice. Then, get out all the ingredients you'll need and check to make sure you have enough of each ingredient.

Use a nonstick spray for cooking and place the pan or casserole dish in the sink when spraying, or on the dishwasher door. This way, you can contain the spray and don't overdo it when spraying.

Cook a little more than you'll need. You never know if someone is going to be really hungry, and if you have leftovers, you can reheat them for lunch or dinner the next day.

Place all items such as flour, cornstarch, oatmeal, sugar, open boxes of cereal, etc., in either glass or plastic containers with tight-fitting lids. This will cut down on weevils or ants getting into your pantry.

Finally, you don't need a hundred new kitchen gadgets or expensive pots and pans to cook a good meal. All you actually need is a little imagination and practice. -- Magdalena G., Ogden, Utah

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Dear Heloise: I like to pick wild mushrooms for dinner, and my friends love it when I bring some fresh mushrooms to them. However, I find a lot of people store and clean them incorrectly. You should never store fresh mushrooms in plastic. They'll get mushy very quickly. Instead, store them in a paper bag. Don't clean them until you're ready to use them, and never soak them in water. Mushrooms are very porous and will absorb the water, which will affect how they taste. -- Henry A., Hamden, Connecticut

Dear Heloise: My boyfriend comes from a South-American country where coffee is naturally grown, and his family is also in that type of business. Sadly, I'm baffled by the terminology and know nothing about coffee. What are the differences between types of coffee? -- Carolyn T., Yorktown, New York

Carolyn, here are some terms you might like to know:

-- Espresso: Water is forced through a machine, then through a tightly packed bed of coffee grounds and into a small cup (about 1 1/2 ounces).

-- Basic espresso: A single shot of espresso.

-- Doppio espresso: A double shot of espresso.

-- American espresso: To one shot of espresso, add enough hot water to make a 6-ounce cup. This beverage is usually consumed with milk and/or sugar.

-- Basic cappuccino: A recipe for a 6-ounce cappuccino is 1/3 cup espresso, 1/3 cup steamed milk and 1/3 cup frothed milk.

Would you like to learn more about coffee and tea or find some new ways to serve them? You'll find all that and more in my pamphlet "Heloise's Flavored Coffees and Teas." To receive a copy, just go to www.Heloise.com or send $3, along with a stamped (84 cents), self-addressed, long envelope to: Heloise/Coffee, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. You'll love these original flavors! -- Heloise