Recipe of the Day

Fill these fancy-schmancy cereal cups with your kid’s favorite pudding, ice cream or frozen yogurt for a birthday treat that takes the cake.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 package (10 oz., about 40) regular marshmallows
• –or–
• 4 cups miniature marshmallows
• 6 cups Kellogg’s® Rice Krispies® cereal
• –or–
• 6 cups Kellogg’s® Cocoa Krispies® cereal
• Pudding, ice cream or frozen yogurt
• Ice cream topping, whipped topping and/or chopped nuts

DIRECTIONS

1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

2. Add KELLOGG’S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated.

3. Divide warm mixture into sixteen 2 1/2-inch muffin-pan cups coated with cooking spray. Shape mixture into individual cups. Cool. Remove from pans.

4. Before serving fill with pudding, ice cream or frozen yogurt. Top with ice cream topping, whipped topping or nuts, if desired. Serve immediately.

MICROWAVE DIRECTIONS

In microwave-safe bowl heat butter and marshmallows on HIGH for 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Follow steps 2 thru 4 above. Microwave cooking times may vary.

Note

For best results, use fresh marshmallows.

1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow creme can be substituted for marshmallows.

Diet, reduced calorie or tub margarine is not recommended.

Store no more than two days at room temperature in airtight container. To freeze cups, place in single layer on wax paper in airtight container. Freeze for up to 6 weeks. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before filling.

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This year, join moms across the country as they share the joy of Easter with their children by stirring up a memorable twist on traditional Easter eggs with Kellogg’s^® Rice Krispies^® Hidden Surprise Easter Egg Treats™.

Sweet, crunchy and colorful, Rice Krispies Hidden Surprise Easter Egg Treats offer moms and children an opportunity to start a new tradition together – one that will be a family favorite for years to come. From pouring and stirring the ingredients to filling the house with that great Rice Krispies Treats^® aroma and stealing a taste of the finished product – they’re simple to make and everyone can be a part of the fun.

“As a mom, I’m always looking for new activities to do with my kids, and few recipes are as easy and enjoyable to make together as Rice Krispies Treats,” said AnneMarie Suarez-Davis, senior director of marketing at Kellogg. “The Hidden Surprise Easter Egg Treats are as fun to make as they are to eat, and I love how excited my two boys are on Easter when we eat these crispy, gooey, egg-shaped goodies.”

Easy to make and enjoy!
The Rice Krispies Hidden Surprise Easter Egg Treats recipe is a playful variation on the Original Treats™ – the main difference is the egg shape and hidden candies inside. There is also plenty of opportunity to be creative and unique with your children by using candies, frosting or decorating gel.

To ensure the tastiest and most festive snacks, here are some tips from moms across the country:

• Cool down: Let the Rice Krispies Treats cool for 10 minutes before molding them.
• Eggstra good idea: Pop the Rice Krispies Treats in the fridge for a few minutes to cool after shaping, which will allow them to set faster.
• Un-stick: Be sure to coat the inside of the plastic eggs with cooking spray, and spray a little on hands and spoons to keep the mixture from sticking.
• To dye for: Add food coloring in the marshmallow and butter mixture before you pour in the Rice Krispies cereal for a more festive look.
• Finishing touch: Dip the finished eggs in chocolate for an extra-sweet layer of flavor. Use white chocolate for a truer-to-life look.

Rice Krispies Hidden Surprise Easter Egg Treats are just one of several fun, holiday-inspired ideas from Rice Krispies. The Rice Krispies website has more great recipes, photos and decorating ideas for every season. Stay in touch with Rice Krispies on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/RiceKrispies.

Pasta Primavera Ingredients

• Kosher salt
• 12 ounces fusilli or other corkscrew pasta
• 1/2 pound sugar snap peas, halved lengthwise, or broccoli florets (or a combination)
• 2 carrots, shredded
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh mint
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

Pasta Primavera Directions

Sweet Potato Fries With Cajun Dipping Sauce Recipe

Ingredients:

Cajun Dipping Sauce

• 3/4 cup fat-free sour cream 175 mL
• 1 Tbsp Louisiana hot sauce 15 mL
• 1 medium garlic clove, minced

Instructions:

Yield: 6 servings. Serving size: ½ cup (125 mL) fries, 2 Tbsp (30 mL) sauce.

Recipe Donated By:  www.canolainfo.org

• Create and practice a fire escape plan.
• Plan two ways to escape from each room.
• Pick a place to meet after you escape so you can quickly check and make sure that everyone got out.
• Practice your escape plan every month.
• Plan for everyone in your home – including babies and others who need help to escape.
• Involve children in creating and practicing your escape plan.
• Teach children to never hide during a fire – they must get out quickly and stay out until an adult tells them it is ok to enter again.

Additional Tips for Seniors and People with Disabilities:

• Create an escape plan that meets your special needs.
• Ask local emergency providers to keep your special needs information on file.
• For people with hearing impairments, install smoke alarms with flashing lights or vibrating signals.
• The fire department can help you with your escape plan.  Contact them for more information.   Being prepared is key!

Other Links of Interest:

Listed below are a few resources that will help your children get excited about fire safety!

www.sparky.org

Interesting Facts About Hurricane Names

• In 1953, the United States abandoned a confusing two-year old plan to name storms by a phonetic alphabet (Able, Baker, Charlie) when a new, international phonetic alphabet was introduced. That year, the United States began using female names for storms.
• In 1978, the practice of naming hurricanes only after women came to an end.

•  In 1979, male and female names were included in lists for the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico.

• There are currently six hurricane name lists for Atlantic hurricanes.  After six years they start over with the same list of names unless a name was retired due to it being a major hurricane.

• A storm must begin as a Tropical Depression and increase in intensity to  a Tropical Storm level before it is given a name.

• If all of the 21 Hurricane Names for any given year are used up they begin using names from the Greek alphabet for the additional storms.

The Greek Alphabet of Names they use is as follows:

• Alpha
• Beta
• Gamma
• Delta
• Epsilon
• Zeta
• Eta
• Theta
• Iota
• Kappa
• Lambda
• Mu
• Nu
• Xi
• Omicron
• Pi
• Rho
• Sigma
• Tau
• Upsilon
• Phi
• Chi
• Psi
• Omega

Hurricane Names List for 2012

• Alberto
• Beryl
• Chris
• Debby
• Ernesto
• Florence
• Gordon
• Helene
• Isaac
• Joyce
• Kirk
• Leslie
• Michael
• Nadine
• Oscar
• Patty
• Rafael
• Sandy
• Tony
• Valerie
• William

Hurricane Names for 2013

• Andrea
• Barry
• Chantal
• Dorian
• Erin
• Fernand
• Gabrielle
• Humberto
• Ingrid
• Jerry
• Karen
• Lorenzo
• Melissa
• Nestor
• Olga
• Pablo
• Rebekah
• Sebastien
• Tanya
• Van
• Wendy

Hurricane Names List for 2014

• Arthur
• Bertha
• Cristobal
• Dolly
• Edouard
• Fay
• Gonzalo
• Hanna
• Isaias
• Josephine
• Kyle
• Laura
• Marco
• Nana
• Omar
• Paulette
• Rene
• Sally
• Teddy
• Vicky
• Wilfred

Hurricane Names List for 2015

• Ana
• Bill
• Claudette
• Danny
• Erika
• Fred
• Grace
• Henri
• Ida
• Joaquin
• Kate
• Larry
• Mindy
• Nicholas
• Odette
• Peter
• Rose
• Sam
• Teresa
• Victor
• Wanda

Hurricane Names List for 2016

• Alex
• Bonnie
• Colin
• Danielle
• Earl
• Fiona
• Gaston
• Hermine
• Ian
• Julia
• Karl
• Lisa
• Matthew
• Nicole
• Otto
• Paula
• Richard
• Shary
• Tobias
• Virginie
• Walter

Submit Your Hurricane Name Ideas

As I was putting this post together, it occurred to me that some of these names are rather blah for such a powerful storm.  In particular, I got a laugh out of the name Nana being on the 2014 List of Hurricane Names.   How can you call a hurricane Nana?  My Nana wouldn’t hurt a flea.  I vote we submit some new names for consideration to the WMO hurricane committee!

If you could submit a name for consideration to the WMO hurricane committee, what would your name suggestions be?  List them in the comments section below and I will combine them all into one list and send them in to the Official WMO hurricane committee. I can’t wait to see what some of you come up with!

 Free Blank Hurricane Tracking Chart – Download and Print!

Blank Hurricane Tracking Chart Atlantic

The Madison County Circuit Court has granted a request filed this morning by Attorney General Luther Strange for a temporary restraining order against a North Alabama storm shelter company, as well as the appointment of a receiver to protect consumers’ interests. Defendants in this case are Tornado Masters of Alabama Inc., located in Toney, Alabama; the company’s chief operating officer, Leslie A. Holt, and an employee, Grady Holt, also residents of Toney; and SafeSteel Inc., a company incorporated by the defendants in Tennessee which also does business as Factory Direct Tornado Shelters in Toney.

A hearing is set for March 16 for the Court to consider a preliminary injunction, based on a complaint also filed this morning by Attorney General Strange. The complaint alleges that the defendants “violated multiple provisions of Alabama’s Deceptive Trade Practices Act by soothing people’s fear of tornadoes with the false guarantee that their storm shelters will shield purchasers from the most powerful tornadoes.” Falsely representing that their shelters exceeded FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) specifications, the defendants instead provided structures that “sat on inadequate bases, were not properly anchored, began to rot and rust within a few months, held standing water whenever it rained, and had inadequate ventilation.”

Furthermore, the defendants falsely represented that the USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) approved the shelters and was awarding grants that would reduce the cost to consumers. Attorney General Strange stated in the complaint that “Defendants present themselves as reputable, earnest, and in the business of protecting Alabamians. But this facade belies the truth. Customers did not receive USDA grants or USDA-approved shelters; they were tricked into thinking their shelters met government standards by phony grants that defendants forged to discount an inflated price. And for their money consumers received, sometimes months after making down payments, shelters that were poorly constructed, untested and unsafe.”

The Attorney General’s complaint details evidence of numerous and severe deficiencies in the defendants’ shelters:

Many are inadequately anchored, built on concrete slabs that are a fraction of the required thickness, poorly welded, and built with materials meant for interior use. “These shelters are plagued with leaks, standing water, and defectively designed ventilation shafts that may allow flying debris to enter the shelter.” Far from just being unsafe for protection from storms, the Attorney General’s complaint describes such shelters as “a serious risk to occupants on fair weather days. Some of these shelters have inadequate ventilation, or, in some cases, no ventilation whatsoever. The limited static air in these shelters creates a substantial suffocation risk for occupants.” Defective door mechanisms present not only a hazard of occupants being trapped, but of heavy steel doors that could slam shut and cause “serious risk that children and adult occupants may lose fingers or break arms while trying to race into the shelter” and that “a heavy gust of wind may slam it onto someone’s hands or head.” A ladder that should lock into place for safety instead flies loosely in one shelter that is built on a foundation floating on water that has leaked inside.

According to the Attorney General’s complaint, the defendants’ shelters lack any manufacturer’s label, operating instructions, or warning information. Nor have defendants acquired required licenses such as city business licenses, Alabama Manufactured Housing licenses, and building permits. Although defendants advertise that they are authorized and able to build community-sized shelters, they are not licensed by the General Contractor’s Licensure Board as required for projects costing more than $50,000.

Perhaps one of the most egregious violations alleged in the Attorney General’s complaint is an $80,000 shelter constructed as an addition onto Huntsville Christian Academy in 2009, described as “an unsafe, unlicensed, and thoroughly inadequate shelter, which has no lights, flammable egg-foam crating along the walls, little or no ventilation, and dangerous in-swing doors that are hazardous in a panic situation.” The Attorney General’s motion for a temporary restraining order describes a situation at the school just three days ago, as severe weather struck again in Alabama on Friday. That afternoon, the State Fire Marshal declared the shelter to be an “imminent hazard.”

Attorney General Strange said he is relieved that the Court granted his request and took immediate action to protect Alabamians. “Our evidence indicates that these defendants callously exploited the anxiety of people who did their best to prepare and protect their loved ones from the devastation that has struck at our state through tornadoes and storms. Unbeknownst to these consumers, their loved ones are not safer but actually may be even more endangered by the shelters which many sacrificed to pay for. It was vital that these deceptive trade practices be halted, and steps taken to protect our citizens as we head into another season of tornadoes and unstable weather.”

The Attorney General commended Assistant Attorneys General Noel Barnes, Kyle Beckman and Matt Bledsoe, and Special Agents of the Attorney General’s Investigations Division. He thanked the Madison County District Attorney’s Office for its assistance.

Official Statement from Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange on BP Private Plaintiff’s Settlement

“The settlement announced last night between BP and private plaintiffs does not impact Alabama’s claims against BP and the other defendants for the damage done to our economy and environment. We are fully prepared to try our case, and we hope that the court sets a new trial date in the near future.  Alabama will continue to work closely with the United States Department of Justice and the other Gulf States to hold BP and the other defendants fully accountable for the disaster in the Gulf.”

Fire Weather Warning For Baldwin County

A Red Flag Warning remains in effect from Noon until 4pm CST Saturday for all of the Southwest Alabama for a long duration of critically low humidity less than 25 percent.

Affected Area – Fire Weather Zones

• 051
• 052
• 053
• 054
• 055
• 056
• 057
• 058
• 059
• 060
• 061
• 062
• 063
• 064

Wind …. North to Northeast at 10 to 15 mph.

Humidity…. around 20 percent.

Thunderstorms… None

IMPACTS… ANY FIRES THAT DEVELOP WILL LIKELY SPREAD RAPIDLY. OUTDOOR BURNING IS NOT RECOMMENDED.

Precautionary Preparedness Actions

A red flag warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or will shortly.   A combination of low relative humidity… and dry fuels will create rapid fire growth potential.

Terms You Should Know

Red flag warning: Conditions are favorable for the development and spread of wildfires.

Fire danger rating: An estimation of fire potential based on weather forecasts and other elements affecting fire potential, including wind speed, temperature and estimates of dead-fuel moisture in the local area.

Fire weather: Indicates a combination of weather conditions that favor the kindling and spread of forest or brush fires. Typically, this includes low humidity and a lack of recent precipitation.

1.  Choose the right day and time for your Open House.

Saturday and Sunday from 1pm to 4pm are your best options.  Most people prefer Sunday.

2.  Get the word out about your Open House.

Advertise your open house in the local paper, neighborhood newsletters, on Facebook and Twitter.  Ask your friends to share