Here I have topics on cooking, the family and food in general together with posts on mortgages, pets and home decor.

Hope you like them, and thanks for visiting..

Hostage captain arrives to cheers in Vt. small town welcome, thanks - Minneapolis Star Tribune
I have met a few and the statement is always ‘I’m not the hero. I was just doing what was expected of me.’ This gentleman put his life … read more on the line for his crew not knowing what the outcome would be because, as the person in charge

King family sets high price for words, image - Baltimore Sun
WASHINGTON - The family of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. has charged the foundation building a monument to the civil rights leader on the National Mall about $800,000 for the use of his words and image - an arrangement one scholar says King would

TheStar.com | Crime | Tori’s family clinging to hope - Toronto Star
WOODSTOCK, Ont. A t two modest houses, a five-minute drive apart, desperate hopefulness is shared equally. But in the crucial how and why of 8-year-old Victoria Stafford’s abduction, those who love the child most fiercely diverge significantly. Mom

Walk for vision research hits home for this family - Florida Times-Union
Brendon Cavainolo has always dreamed of becoming a rocket scientist when he grows up. There’s only one problem - a degenerative retinal disorder has left him legally blind. The 10-year-old Mandarin Oaks Elementary student will never drive a car, has

Mumtaz Bhutto accuses Zardari of causing rifts in Bhutto family - Newstrack India
Karachi, Apr. 18 (ANI): Sindh National Front chief and late Benazir Bhutto’s uncle Mumtaz Ali Bhutto has claimed that Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari is causing rift in the Bhutto clan. He advised Benazir Bhutto’s younger sister Sanam Bhutto to

King family draws fees from DC memorial project - Post-Star
FILE - This undated file image originally provided by the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation, Inc., shows a 3-foot maquette created by sculptor Lei Yixin, depicting the final version of the Stone of Hope. It is the

SUNshine Girl - Toronto Sun
SUNshine Girl Chantal is a 19-year-old university student. Chantal does not have any pets, in fact, she says she doesn’t like pets that’s harsh. In her time off, she likes to sleep and go to the gym, but not at the same time. (Todd Gillis Photo

Protect your pets from potentially deadly heartworm - Springfield News Sun
The caller wanted to know, since I had written a column about natural treatments for a number of medical ailments that afflict animals, if there was one for her dog. The dog had just been diagnosed with heartworm. No, I told her. The ailments I was

Miami Residents Urged To Take Measures To Prevent Tick-Borne Illnesses - eMaxHealth.com
As Floridians spend more time outside this spring and summer, remember to protect yourself, your family and pets against tick-borne diseases. Most tick exposures occur when people and animals venture outdoors into tick habitats, including wooded

$7 rabies vaccines available in Henderson County - Asheville Citizen-Times
Henderson County Animal Services (HCAS) has arranged that $7 rabies shots will be available through many county veterinarians May 4 through May 9. HCAS is also co-hosting a Rabies Clinic with Community Partnership for Pets (CPPI) on May 16 at the

Veterinarians must deal with reality of euthanasia - Miami Herald
Q: I’ve always wanted to be a veterinarian but I couldn’t get past the whole euthanasia thing. How can veterinarians euthanize pets and still maintain their sanity? Doesn’t it make your job just horrible when you have to do it? I especially wonder

Pennsylvania Governor’s Food Safety Council to Hold First Meeting on - Earthtimes
HARRISBURG, Pa. , April 17 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff and Health Secretary Everette James will host the first meeting of the Governor’s Food Safety Council on April 22 to proactively address food safety and security

Book Review: Ingredients offers savory bites but leaves some asking - U-Wire.com
Food is famous for its ability to bring people together. It is central to family gatherings, holidays and celebrations. First, second, and third dates usually revolve around food; there is romance in a well-laid table and the accompanying well-chosen

Florida food stamp calls won’t go to India - Herald Tribune
Food stamp recipients in Florida who have questions about a debit-like card will no longer have their questions answered by phone center workers in India. Department of Children and Families Secretary George Sheldon said Friday he has assurances from

Domino’s workers fired, facing charges after cheese-in-nose video - WHAS 11
CONOVER, N.C. – Two Domino’s Pizza employees were each charged with a felony on Wednesday after a video posted on YouTube showed one of them putting cheese in his nostril and waving meat under his rear end while assembling a sandwich. Police in

Ocean’s Flavor All Natural Sea Salt Can Be Used In FDA Standardized - Earthtimes
ASHEVILLE, N.C. - (Business Wire) Ocean’s Flavor, the world’s leader in the sale and distribution of natural less sodium sea salts, announced today that sea salt can be used in FDA standardized Food Products since it meets the Standard of Identity

How to: Cut food portions - Hampton Roads Daily Press
Go with half. Eating half the usual amount of your favorite foods, while substituting vegetables and fruit for the rest, is a good way to start. Avoid big snack bags. Buy chips and cookies in pre-portioned bags or, if that’s too pricey, get the

Some of the Best Mexican Food in Town - The Epoch Times
Camarones Rellenos are sit in front of a small feast. Served with guacamole, sour cream, and salsa, the fried shrimp are breaded and stuffed with cheese and peppers. (Joshua Phillip/The Epoch Times) NEW YORK—Gabriela’s Restaurant offers a

Cattaraugus County Declares Ban on Outdoor Burning - WGRZ TV
Dry conditions and a lack of rain in the region have significantly increased the risk for brush fires and one county is taking action. The Cattaraugus County Legislature Friday called a State of Emergency banning all outdoor burning and recreational

Yes we bring in our grub - The Sun
STAFF at Gordon Ramsay’s eateries held their hands up yesterday — admitting their food IS brought in. The telly chef prides himself in serving fresh produce cooked on the spot. Our man at Chiswick One employee at bistro Foxtrot Oscar in

Happy Hour Deals: Aunt Chilada’s - Valley Fever
Happy hour is odd at Aunt Chilada’s , but this isn’t a mark against the establishment. From 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, they offer a complimentary buffet that includes chips and salsa, a fruit and vegetable platter, as well as an

Who cooks in your family - Vanguard
I met this young lady over the weekend, and she said she was rushing home. I jokingly said to her that she ought to rush off, so that oga’s dinner would be ready on time. What she said next shocked me. She said “ Aunty, I don’t cook”. I

Bacon Blowtorch Cuts Through Steel - FOX News
Theodore Gray’s ‘Flaming Bacon Lance of Death’ in a YouTube still. Here’s how to fry your own bacon — and the pan it’s cooking in too. Popular Science columnist and author of “Mad Science” Theodore Gray has built what he calls the “Bacon Lance

Cookin’ up food & fun at the ‘Home Again 2009 Cooking Show’ - Daily Jeffersonian
Photo By Ryan Pavlov/The Daily Jeffersonian A soldout crowd of more than 650 people begins to line up before the start of Thursday’s Home Again Cooking Show at the Pritchard Laughlin Civic Center. A capacity crowd filled the Pritchard Laughlin

Support for singing sensation Susan - Halifax Today
The juggernaut of public support behind Britain’s latest and possibly most unlikely singing sensation, Susan Boyle, is continuing to gather momentum. Ms Boyle, a 47-year old spinster from Scotland, wowed the British public and Hollywood stars alike

Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Founda - Fauquier Times-Democrat
Chantilly – Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation (LDCRF), a non-profit organization that helps homeless and abandoned animals find permanent, loving homes and reduces pet overpopulation by spaying or neutering every pet in their care, will host a

Let’s get quizzical - Guardian Unlimited
7. Punk-rocker-with-flowers-in-her-hair, Sandi Thom, made headlines this week after she received “devastating” news about the whereabouts of her missing cat, Toots. What did the hired pet detective tell Sandi had happened to the pet? The cat was

WVa city devises ‘covert’ solution to cat woes - Charleston Daily Mail
WEIRTON, W.Va. (AP) - Overrun with dozens of feral and stray cats, Weirton has hatched a plan to get the animals into shelters - the details, though, are secret. The Northern Panhandle city plans to launch its trapping operation on Saturday. The

WV City’s Covert Way to Fix Feral Cat Problem Save Email Print - WHSV
Overrun with dozens of feral and stray cats, Weirton has hatched a plan to get the animals into shelters. However, the details are secret. The Northern Panhandle city plans to launch its trapping operation on Saturday. The Hancock County Animal

Weirton devises ‘covert’ solution to cat woes - Charleston Gazette
WEIRTON, W.Va. — Overrun with dozens of feral and stray cats, Weirton has hatched a plan to get the animals into shelters. But the details are secret. The Northern Panhandle city plans to launch its trapping operation on Saturday. The Hancock County

Maple Grove man charged in brutal beating of girlfriend’s cat - Minneapolis Star Tribune
A Maple Grove man has been charged in the brutal beating of his girlfriend’s cat, which had to be euthanized, as well as the disappearance of three other cats she owned. One was a kitten that he allegedly hurt by dabbing pepper spray in its eyes

Kids bid for karting facility from Government cash - Grimsby Telegraph
A GROUP of Grimsby youngsters are hoping to get in pole position in their race to secure a new karting facility for the area. Users of the Respect Fun House, on the Nunsthorpe Estate, are hoping to secure cash for the track from the Myplace Capital

Kids books come alive at Upper Darby Performing Arts Center tonight - Delaware County Daily Times
UPPER DARBY — The professional touring troupe, TheatreworksUSA, performs a revue of mini-musicals based on favorite children’s books at Upper Darby Performing Arts Center on this Friday evening at 7:30. The multi-talented cast brings to life

Parents saying “no’ more - The Chronicle Herald
Aja Silver, 9, shops for birthday cake designs with her mother Shawn Silver, of Silver Spring, Md., at a Giant grocery store in Silver Spring, Md. In the deepening recession, parents are spending less on extras for the kids. They’re nixing fancy

Eco-games help kids to do good - Asbury Park Press
www.MeetTheGreens.com . Produced by PBS content-creator WGBH and funded in part by the National Geographic Educational Foundation, the site offers 11 webisodes - short video stories - that cover a wide variety of issues about living “green

Weather First Kids - KTNV
Here is your chance to have a weather forecaster from the Action News Weather First team visit your school or classroom, and teach a fun class in basic weather. As a bonus, the entire class will be seen on Channel 13 Action News! Be sure to watch

Dilemma: How to let kids take risks, be safe from negligence? - Orlando Sentinel
Guests who want to cruise the lakes and lagoons at Walt Disney World can rent everything from two-person Sea Raycers to leisurely pontoon boats — as long as they sign a waiver protecting Disney from lawsuits should anything go wrong on the water

Amy Winehouse to write kids’ book - Monsters and Critics
Amy Winehouse wants to write a children’s book. The troubled singer has been writing poems about her life after being inspired by her friend, Babyshambles rocker Pete Doherty, and hopes to inspire youngsters with her literary offerings. A source said

PETA Wants Newark to Ban New Fast-Food Restaurants - 1010Wins
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — A prominent animal rights group is calling on the mayor of New Jersey’s largest city to ban construction of new fast-food restaurants in his community. Noting a 2007 study that showed Newark’s obesity rate was higher than the

More homeless seeking food and shelter in Berkeley - Inside Bay Area
The number of first-time homeless people looking for free food and a place to sleep is way up this year. And as more people lose their jobs, run through their savings and max out unemployment benefits, those numbers will continue to grow, Berkeley

THE INFLUENCE GAME: After salmonella, peanut industry seeks gov’t help - Minneapolis Star Tribune
I did not stop my peanut use, just made sure the companies’ products I used never made any recall list. So Jif and Skippy–thanks. WASHINGTON - The battered peanut industry has a new message: Peanuts are safe to eat, and there’s a law in the works to

Sweep rids San Mateo County of Asian spices carrying salmonella - Inside Bay Area
SAN MATEO — More than 86 restaurants and markets across San Mateo County have destroyed several types of Asian spices found to be carrying a strain of salmonella bacteria that is making people sick, according to county officials. County food

Sen. Klobuchar to introduce nutrition standards for schools - Minnesota Public Radio
Minneapolis — DFL Senator Amy Klobuchar was in Minneapolis Thursday discussing her plans to introduce federal legislation that would set nutrition standards for all food sold in schools. Klobuchar said she plans to co-sponsor the bill with Iowa Sen

Fast-food workers file class-action suit in Monterey County - Monterey County Herald
Four former workers at McDonald’s restaurants in Monterey County claim in a class-action suit that they were underpaid, given inadequate time for meals and rest, and were victims of other violations of state labor law. The suit was filed Monday in

TAKEAWAY WHERE THEY SNEEZE INTO YOUR FOOD - Daily Star
THIS sick pizza worker has been sacked for putting cheese up his nose and serving it to Domino’s customers. The fast food worker was also filmed breaking wind on salami before apparently sending the food out of the shop. The video of the incident

McDonald’s Hong Kong boss guilty of taking kickbacks - Hindustan Times
The former Hong Kong managing director of fast food giant McDonald’s was convicted of taking $320,000 in kickbacks from a supplier, the city’s anti-corruption body said. Lau Si-sing was found guilty of taking 2.5 million Hong Kong dollars in bribes

Zeer Announces Food Reviews iPhone App - Market Wire
CAMBRIDGE, MA–(Marketwire - April 16, 2009) - Zeer ( www.zeer.com ), the leading consumer grocery information resource, announced today the launch of the Food Reviews iPhone application. Beginning today, with a few touches of the iPhone, consumers

Sector: Food and Beverage - CNBC
When two Domino’s Pizza employees filmed a prank in the restaurant’s kitchen, they decided to post it online. In a few days, thanks to the power of social media, they ended up with felony charges, more than a million disgusted viewers, and a

Food ambassador job title criticism ‘fair’ - Leicester Mercury
The search for a “food ambassador” for a market – costing up to £30,000 of taxpayers’ money a year – has been defended by council chiefs. Leicester City Council has admitted its choice of title for the post deserved criticism as it was a

Spice Recall Expanded Because of Salmonella Threat - FOX News
Union International Food Co. is expanding a spice recall to include all Lian How brand and Uncle Chen brand sauces, oil and oil blends in various size packages because the products may be contaminated with salmonella, an organism that can cause

Slow-cooking gets good press in budget crunch - Sioux City Journal
The slow-cooker is gaining renewed appreciation as a big help during these difficult economic times when every dollar counts. The likes of Crock-Pot and other versions of the cook-all-day small appliance are attracting attention as food products are

Cooking Class starting May 14 at Extension - Quad Cities Onlines
What”s for Dinner? Cooking Demo & Economical Meal Deal, Thursdays, May 14—June 18, 5:30—6:30 pm, Rock Island County Extension Rock Island County Extension is offering a series of classes on Thursdays, May 14 – June 18 from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m

Planking adds flavor to fish - Raleigh News & Observer
What’s the difference in grilling fish directly on the grill top versus on a plank? For starters, your grill won’t usually catch fire if you leave the grill-top fish unattended. A wooden plank on the grill will. I know from experience. Luckily, the

Casseroles for quick cooking - Emporia gazette.com
Casseroles are so useful. You can feed a whole bunch of people. You can use up bits and pieces from the pantry. You can make them light or heavy, spicy or regular. “Casserole” actually refers to the dish you use to make one in — a large, deep

A gift from my grandmother - University Daily Kansan
I can’t hear the banging of pots and pans or smell the aroma of roasting pork without thinking of my grandmother, Gigi. Gigi and I cooked our last meal together seven years ago, but as I sauté olive oil and garlic in my small kitchen in Lawrence

Great Dinners Start on the Grill - Newton Daily News
(ARA) - Dinnertime is a lot more fun as the grilling season gets under way and aromas of sizzling food fill the air. In fact, there’s a good case to make for cooking the whole dinner on the grill. This time of year, supersweet corn from Florida ranks

Dining Out - Fairfax Times
Free cone day: There will be a free ice-cream cone day Tuesday, April 21, 12-8 p.m. at Ben & Jerry’s in Reston Town Center. All donations benefit ChildHelp.org. Log on to benandjerrys.com/reston. Wine dinner, tasting and cooking class: Il Fornaio in

Griddle and microwave-cooking maintains highest levels of antioxidants - News-Medical.Net
Some vegetable cooking methods may be better than others when it comes to maintaining beneficial antioxidant levels, according to a new study in the Journal of Food Science , published by the Institute of Food Technologists. Results showed that