DEAR HELOISE: I love your column, Heloise. I read it every day! It’s sometimes hard to get an accurate temperature of oil when using a thermometer, especially if there’s only a 1/2 inch of oil in a saute pan. My hint is to dip the end of a wooden spoon into the hot oil. When you see the oil sizzling around the end of the spoon, you’ve reached the desired temperature for frying.

When frying multiple items, just retest in between each addition to maintain the temperature. I’ve been doing this for years, and it never fails. I rarely have to use a thermometer unless I’m deep fat frying at a higher temperature or using a deep fat fryer.

• Mary Lou,

in Connecticut

DEAR HELOISE: I often turn to one of your books or your column for hints, and I have one special hint from the ’80s about aloe vera being good for sunburns. Does it protect our skin against UV rays?

• Odette G., in

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Odette, no, aloe vera doesn’t protect the skin from UV damage. For this, I highly recommend using a sunblock of 50 SPF or higher. However, aloe vera can sooth the skin, making recovery from the sun a little more comfortable. Aloe vera has a high water content that makes the sting of a sunburn feel a little better when combined with evaporation. But it’s not a cure for a sunburn.

• Heloise

DEAR HELOISE: My daughter’s getting married close to Christmas, and her father and I are shocked at the prices. We sincerely believe that we’re being taken advantage of by the wedding industry. Is it true that the average wedding costs are between $34,000 and $36,000? My husband wants to offer them $25,000 if they’ll agree to elope!

• Jessie R., in Laguna Beach, California

Jessie, there are so many factors to consider. One is the state where you live. New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts all have weddings that can cost as much as $50,000. But Oklahoma and South Dakota have an average cost of $20,000 to $35,000 for a wedding.

Experts say that you’ll probably spend a quarter of the budget on the venue. Catering averages between 12% to 15% of the budget, as does photography. There are the cake, flowers, invitations and officiate to consider. Set a budget and stick to it as closely as you can. After all, a wedding is only the beginning of a marriage, and a marriage isn’t about a diamond, a dress or the bridesmaids.

• Heloise