Dogs Are the Best!!

Teachers vs. Educators

SOMETHING FUN!


According to a news report, a certain private school in Victoria, BC recently was faced with a unique problem.
A number of year 12 girls were beginning to use lipstick and would put it on in the bathroom. That was fine, but after they put on their lipstick they would press their lips to the mirror leaving dozens of little lip prints. Every night, the maintenance man would remove them and the next day the girls would put them back.
Finally the principal decided that something had to be done. She called all the girls to the bathroom and met them there with the maintenance man. She explained that all these lip prints were causing a major problem for the custodian who had to clean the mirrors every night.
To demonstrate how difficult it had been to clean the mirrors, she asked the maintenance man to show the girls how much effort was required. He took out a long handled squeegee, dipped it in the toilet, and cleaned the mirror with it. Since then, there have been no lip prints on the mirror.
There are teachers, and then there are educators.

A cake for those with egg allergies

No-egg chocolate cake

Servings: 12-15

Cake:
3 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups sugar 1/3 cup baking cocoa 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 2 cups water 3/4 cup vegetable oil 2 teaspoons vanilla 2 teaspoons vinegar

Frosting:
1 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup butter, softened 2 cups confectioners' sugar 1/3 cup baking cocoa Dash salt 3 tablespoons milk 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In a mixing bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Add water, oil, vanilla and vinegar; mix well (batter will be thin). Pour into a greased 13 x 9 x 2 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely.

To make frosting: In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter. Add the confectioners' sugar, cocoa, salt, milk and vanilla; mix well. Spread over the top of the cooled cake. Store in refrigerator.

Nutrition information:
Per slice (based on 15): 407 calories, 17 grams fat, 4 grams saturated fat, 4 grams protein, 63 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 15 milligrams cholesterol, 354 milligrams sodium.

Easy Pork Chop Saute with Cranberries

Cranberries can be momentary pleasures, just around for late autumn - that is, unless you think to stock ahead. Buy a packet or two for the freezer so you can make this quick supper all year long. (Or out of season, look for frozen whole cranberries in the freezer case of your local market.)

Ingredients

• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
• 4 boneless pork loin chops, (1-1 1/4 pounds), trimmed of fat
• 2/3 cup cranberry juice cocktail, or orange juice
• 2 1/2-3 tablespoons clover or other mild honey
• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup cranberries, fresh or frozen, thawed, coarsely chopped (see Tip)

• Preparation

• Mix thyme and 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of pork chops with the thyme mixture.
• Stir cranberry juice and 2 1/2 tablespoons honey in a 1-cup glass measure until well blended.
• Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the chops and cook until browned on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Push the chops to one side of the pan, add onion to the empty half and cook, stirring, until the onion is soft and beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour half the juice mixture into the pan. Add cranberries. Reduce heat to medium and cook, turning the chops occasionally, until cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer the chops to a serving plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Add the remaining juice mixture to the pan. Increase heat to high and cook until the mixtures reduces to form a syrupy sauce, about 2 minutes. Season with the remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt and pepper and up to an additional 1/2 tablespoon honey to taste. Spoon the sauce over the chops.

Tips & Notes

• Tip: To make quick work of chopping cranberries, place whole berries in a food processor and pulse a few times until the berries are coarsely chopped.

Nutrition

Per serving: 301 calories; 10 g fat (3 g sat, 5 g mono); 81 mg cholesterol; 21 g carbohydrates; 30 g protein; 1 g fiber; 207 mg sodium; 421 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Selenium (67% daily value), Vitamin C (30% dv), Zinc (16% dv).
Exchanges: 1 fruit, 1/2 other carb, 4 lean meat

Pear, Prosciutto & Hazelnut Stuffing

Crisping the prosciutto and toasting the nuts adds a powerful punch of flavor to the stuffing without going overboard on fat. Diamond Brand now makes packaged chopped hazelnuts, available in most major supermarkets.

ngredients

• 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 4 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced, cut into ribbons
• 2 cups onion, chopped
• 2 cups diced fennel bulb
• 1/4 cup minced shallot
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh sage
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
• 8 cups stale baguette, preferably multi-grain (not sourdough), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 Bosc pears, ripe but firm, chopped
• 1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/3 cup chopped hazelnuts, toasted
• 1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add prosciutto; cook, stirring, until crispy, about 5 minutes. Drain on a paper towel.
3. Wipe out the pan and heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, fennel and shallot and cook, stirring, until softened and beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add sage, thyme and rosemary and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more. Transfer everything to a large bowl and gently stir in bread, pears, parsley, hazelnuts and the prosciutto. Add broth; toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon the stuffing into the prepared baking dish; cover with foil.
4. Bake for 40 minutes; remove the foil and bake until the top is beginning to crisp, 25 to 30 minutes more.

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 3 and refrigerate for up to 1 day.

• Note: If you don't have stale bread ready to use, spread the baguette cubes on a baking sheet and toast at 250°F until crisped and dry, about 15 minutes.
• Tip: To toast chopped nuts & seeds: Cook in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.

Nutrition

Per serving: 176 calories; 5 g fat (1 g sat, 2 g mono); 8 mg cholesterol; 29 g carbohydrates; 9 g protein; 6 g fiber; 489 mg sodium; 283 mg potassium.
1 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1/2 fat