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Food Recipes
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Look no further than your freezer for Dad's perfect gift
(BPT) - Bill Cosby once said, “Fatherhood is pretending the present you love the most is soap-on-a-rope.” As children all over the country prepare to honor their dads for Father’s Day or a special birthday, it might be time to say “no” to the soap and ties and give him what he really loves – a home-cooked meal. In a 20...
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The dinner diaries [Infographic]
Hosting a dinner party can be stressful – if your biggest fear of entertaining is burning a dish, you’re not alone. Extinguishing an entree is the primary concern of more than half (51 percent) of all hostesses. Need some help planning the perfect dinner party? Alexia Foods , a line of gourmet all-natural frozen potatoes, breads and side dishes recently surveyed 400 party hosts to find out what key ingredients are necessary to host a successful (and delicious) gathering.
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Home chefs use new technology to cook with ease
(BPT) - Home cooks are spending more time in their own kitchens and less time dining out, according to the January Monthly Measuring Cup Trend Report . Nearly half of surveyed consumers said they’re dining out less this year than they did in 2012 and are relying more on their cooking skills at home. Fortunately, techno...
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Add fresh grapes for great summer dishes
(BPT) - Grapes from California are in abundant supply throughout the summer, which is welcome news for those seeking a healthy, refreshing snack. They’re also a boon to the home cook: grapes provide bright color, a sweet-tart flavor and a refreshing burst of juice to warm-weather dishes. Grapes also complement, enhan...
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Get your full serving of pistachios [Infographic]
Fool yourself full without feeling deprived with the “Pistachio Principle.” Two preliminary, behavioral nutritional studies suggest that empty pistachio shells may serve as an important visual cue about the amount consumed, potentially encouraging “mindfulness” as one eats, which may help reduce calorie intake. At 160 calories and a good source of protein and fiber, 49 pistachios is one serving, compared to 23 almonds, 18 cashews or 14 walnut halves. Pistachios are an excellent course of vi...
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Fruits and veggies pack a potassium punch [Infographic]
Potassium is an essential nutrient in the American diet. It’s also a nutrient that most people don’t get enough of – so much so that it was identified as a nutrient of concern in the USDA’s 2010 Dietary Guidelines. In fact, concern has reached international levels as the World Health Organization recently released its first ever recommendation for potassium intake citing overwhelming evidence that increasing potassium intake (along with decreasing sodium intake) can lower blood pressure and ...
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Time-pressed in the kitchen? Rediscover pressure cooking
(BPT) - There’s nothing like the smell of a home-cooked meal wafting through the kitchen for hours and hours – that is, if you have time to prepare such a meal. Since most of us don’t have that sort of time on a daily basis, many time-pressed cooks are rediscovering pressure cooking: an age-old cooking method that makes...
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Anthony Bourdain talks last meal on earth, advice for restaurateurs; old-school cocktails
(BPT) - TV’s best-fed hedonist, Anthony Bourdain, is keeping busy these days with his hit travel series “Parts Unknown,” his publishing career and an upcoming appearance at this year’s National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show in Chicago. Love him or hate him, Bourdain is the biggest, baddest food d...
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Get the skinny on a simple switch [Infographic]
Did you know that apple juice and apple sauce can serve as convenient substitutes in your favorite recipes to reduce calories, fat and refined sugar? Apple juice can replace common ingredients such as milk or broth, making it an excellent option for vegetarians and those with lactose-free dietary needs. Apple sauce can replace refined sugar with natural fruit sugar and reduce fat and calories in baked goods. Check out the Tree Top conversion chart below and remember to keep apple juice and a...
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Simple ways to reduce excess sugar in your diet this summer
(BPT) - Warm weather offers many sweet delights, from trips to the beach and more free time, to seasonal foods and soirees with family and friends. Unfortunately, many of the foods we commonly associate with spring and summer are high in added sugars. Hidden sugar in summer foods can make it a challenge to regulate calo...
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Five tips for lighter, brighter summer eating
(BPT) - Simple, fresh and delicious – that’s summertime eating at its best. Less time in the kitchen means more time to enjoy the bright delicious flavors of just-picked berries, peaches, greens and other vegetables. “It makes sense to eat lighter in the summer,” says Chef William Tillinghast, culinary academic directo...
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Serve up an ideal space for summer outdoor entertaining
(BPT) - The arrival of milder temperatures means dining al fresco, hosting neighborhood cookouts and enjoying intimate cocktail parties under the stars. When creating a backyard oasis to entertain family and friends this summer, it’s important that it be both inviting and able to withstand the wear and tear that goes ha...
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national news

Outgoing acting IRS Commissioner Steven Miller is sworn-in during a House Ways and Means Committee hearing on the Internal Revenue Service targeting conservative groups on Capitol Hill in WashingtonBy Andy Sullivan and Kim Dixon WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The outgoing head of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service angered Republican lawmakers on Friday by resisting their demands that he identify who at the tax-collection agency had inappropriately targeted conservative groups for extra scrutiny. But during the first hearing into a growing IRS scandal that could preoccupy Washington for months, Republicans did learn that a top official in President Barack Obama's administration knew that the IRS was looking into targeting by the tax agency nearly a year ago. ...


Fri May 17 19:54:32 UTC 2013

Martos holds a marijuana leaf at the Canna Pi medical marijuana dispensary in SeattleBy Joanne von Alroth SPRINGFIELD, Illinois (Reuters) - The Illinois Senate on Friday voted to approve the use of marijuana for medical purposes, which if signed into law would make it the second-most-populous state in the nation after California to allow the drug's use for medical purposes. The bill, approved by the Illinois House in April, now moves to Governor Pat Quinn's desk to await his signature. Quinn has indicated he is sympathetic to the bill, especially as it would benefit injured veterans. "We fully expect Gov. ...


Fri May 17 15:12:51 UTC 2013

Passengers wait to be picked-up after two commuter trains collided in BridgeportBy Michelle McLoughlin FAIRFIELD, Connecticut (Reuters) - A commuter train traveling eastbound from New York City derailed near the Connecticut suburb of Fairfield during the evening rush hour on Friday and collided with a westbound commuter train, injuring up to 60 people, three critically, officials said. The collision of the two Metro North trains forced Amtrak to shut down service indefinitely between New York and Boston, the national railroad said. Three people were critically injured and 60 people were transported to area hospitals, police said. ...


Fri May 17 22:10:23 UTC 2013
A series of 16 violent tornadoes ransacked north Texas this week, killing six people and flattening entire neighborhoods. Seven people who were reported missing early Friday morning have now been accounted for, but the storms aren't over yet. Severe thunderstorms are expected late Friday in Alabama and Mississippi, and the Plains and the Midwest face [...]
Fri May 17 19:53:22 UTC 2013