If you're thinking about remodeling your Chicago kitchen

If you're thinking about remodeling your Chicago kitchen, you may as well start focusing on some of the trends for 2014, but before we plunge in, some words of caution: trends come and go. They tend to move particularly quickly for bathrooms and kitchens, and they can get very, very spendy. If you commit to a perfectly on-trend space, it's quickly going to appear dated, and you may find yourself remodeling again in the near future. So remember: trends are great,Lawrence O. Kitchen, Steady Hand for Lockheed, Dies at 90 but at the same time, try to think timeless and classic...and consider how current trends can be integrated into classic themes and how your space can be made easily changeable to take advantage of trends as they shift without having to tear it apart every time.

One of the top predicted trends for 2014 is, unsurprisingly, going green -- not exactly a new fad! Going green is one of the few trends we can endorse whole-heartedly, because it's not just keeping you on-point with the latest style. It's also going to save you money in the long term, and it helps out the planet, so it's pretty much a win for everyone.How do you know which green gadgets are right for you? Talk to your remodeling team about the options available, their costs, and their net savings. Be wary of new products that might not be fully tested, and remember that sometimes going green is about reducing usage in the first place, rather than buying a specialty item do you really need a wine chiller. Some things to think about: high efficiency dishwashers, which are better than handwashing by far; recycled countertops; certified sustainable wood flooring; and reclaimed tile for backsplashes.

In kitchens, chef's stoves are big right now, and have been for a few years. The "gourmet kitchen" is taking over magazine spreads and it sure looks appealing when you walk into a home with a lavish kitchen. But be realistic about how much you use your kitchen and your expectations. Is a large stove designed for a restaurant right for you? Probably not. Most of the firms that make such stoves also produce models specifically intended for home use, which are a marginally better choice, but they still take more time to learn, require special cleaning, and can be more stove than you really need.

Lawrence O. Kitchen, Steady Hand for Lockheed, Dies at 90

Lawrence O. Kitchen, a former Marine who never finished college but successfully led the Lockheed Corporation, the aerospace company, through turbulent times, died on Dec. 15 in Woodland Hills, Calif. He was 90.Mr. Kitchen, who was named president of Lockheed in 1975, helped rebuild the company in the aftermath of a bribery scandal involving payoffs to Japanese officials. Working with Roy A. Anderson, the chairman and chief executive, Mr. Kitchen helped stabilize the company, allowing it to prosper.He also defused criticism that the company had overcharged the government for toilet seats, billing the Navy for more than $600 for each. After realizing that the company had made an error in its calculations, Mr. Kitchen agreed to lower the price and refund the government $29,165 and absorb some of the actual costs.

Colleagues said Mr. Kitchen's persistence helped Lockheed secure a critical multibillion-dollar contract in the early 1980s from Congress to build C-5B cargo planes. "He worked nearly around the clock, talking to congressmen, staff people and others," W. Paul Frech, a Lockheed executive, recalled in 1986.As the defense industry headed into leaner times in the 1980s, Mr. Kitchen was named chairman and chief executive. He served from 1986 to 1988.  Under his leadership the company bought Sanders Associates, a military electronics company, and made strategic investments in stealth capabilities that would lead to the manufacture of aircraft like the F-117 Nighthawk.

Lawrence Oscar Kitchen was born on June 8, 1923, in Fort Mill, S.C., the oldest of six children. Both of his parents worked at a cotton mill. "He was raised in Appalachian poverty," his wife said.He enlisted in the Marines during World War II. Afterward he was a typist for the Navy Bureau of Aeronautics. By taking night courses and passing Civil Service exams, he became an aeronautical engineer for the Navy. He joined Lockheed in 1958, and though he lacked an engineering or a business degree, he mastered the aerospace business."He is as smart a person as I've met, with incredible raw intelligence," H. David Crowther, a Lockheed executive who knew Mr. Kitchen well, told The New York Times in 1986. "If he had an M.B.A. from Harvard," Mr. Crowther added, "he might be more relaxed — and then he wouldn't be nearly as effective."

Broken dishwasher discourages holiday cooking

A central achievement in Mr. Kitchen's rise was his turnaround of Lockheed's Georgia subsidiary, which made cargo aircraft. The Georgia plant's sales had fallen sharply, and the company's chief executive considered closing the operation. In 1971, Mr. Kitchen was named president and credited with reversing the decline in part through layoffs and winning new business.Mr. Kitchen eschewed many of the trappings of corporate status. At the Georgia plant, his wife said, he would eat lunch with the mechanics. He refused to build an executive dining room when the company moved its headquarters to a suburb of Los Angeles. Mr. Kitchen lived in Westlake Village, Calif. In addition to his wife of 35 years, he is survived by a son, Alan; two daughters, Janet Long and Brenda Burgar; two sisters, Shirley Blanton and Joyce Ratliff; six grandchildren;Toowoomba Robin's Kitchen staff face anxious wait and two great-grandsons. 

The Busy Kitchen is a Monday column written by two area chefs - Tiffany Poe and Valarie Carter - who also happen to be mothers of young children. They explore nutrition, cooking for kids and more.My Busy Kitchen hasn't been as busy as usual. Actually, it's still been quite busy just not with as much cooking as washing dishes by hand. You see, my dishwasher is on the blink.Note that there will be no homemade foodie holiday gifts coming from this kitchen until it is repaired. My mother pointed out that all of our fun and productive cooking in the kitchen gets toned down a bit without our handy wash-o-matics. Nevertheless, the show must go on. There's Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Christmas night and the dreaded-by-some day after Christmas followed by New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

And all the days in between. Frankly, the lack of this all too essential machine has left me with a bit of food writer's block. Even though I usually try to provide simple recipes for the Busy Kitchen, I don't usually give much thought to how many dishes I use. Maybe those "one pot meal" fans are on to something.Though one of my Christmas wishes is that my dishwasher is repaired long before New Year's Day, it's not too early to start planning for the first meal of 2014. Eating black-eyed peas on New Year's Day is a tradition in the southeastern United States, but the custom may date back to A.D. 500 and is actually of Jewish origin. Black-eyed peas were eaten on Rosh Hashana to bring prosperity to the new year.

Toowoomba Robin's Kitchen staff face anxious wait

When all of the culinary action is complete, keep the kitchen looking its best and your appliances and cookware functioning at their best with the EnviroMate Pronto P7 portable steam cleaner. With the power of steam, 15 attachments, and a heat-up time of just two minutes, the handheld Pronto is a quick, eco-friendly and uber-effective alternative to cleaning the kitchen. Only requiring water, this powerful cleaning machine can help you tackle the sink, countertops, backsplashes, stovetop, microwave and refrigerator with ease. Not damaging to stainless steel, the steam from this machine can kill common bacteria and germs found in the kitchen. It is a great solution for sanitizing sealed surfaces, such as wood cutting boards.

It can eliminate food splatters, remove stubborn stains, and clean discolored tile grout. Its compact size means that can be stored easily under the kitchen sink for easy access.This offer is only valid from 26th December to 31st January, exclusively at our High Street store. Other offers do not apply, but you can still use any gift vouchers.Visit us today and quote 'New Year offers' for your special offer. Why not bring a friend and they can benefit too. We have been in business for over 20 years and cater for all your needs. We pride ourselves in the offers we can give you everyday.Why not pop down to our High Street store and speak to one of our friendly advisors. We are always happy to help.

Robin's Kitchen's 55 stores nation-wide could close their doors and place up to 300 employees out of work as soon as Christmas eve as administrators assess the future of the business.Customers with lay-bys and vouchers will also be affected by the liquidation, as they are now considered unsecured creditors, according to an FAQ sheet posted on the Robin's Kitchen website.A 70% liquidation sale had customers swarming the Robin's Kitchen Toowoomba store with one shopper disappointed one of her favourite stores could be closing."I have always shopped at Robins here at Clifford Gardens and the staff has always been incredibly helpful and generally really nice people," Harlaxton's Helen Melville said."It is terrible these people could be losing their job only days before Christmas.

The kitchen empress' new prose

Save for all those Emmy awards, best-selling cookbooks and million-dollar paycheck, Rachael Ray and I could be twins.We both sing the praises of extra-virgin olive oil, are fans of Primanti's cap-and-egg sandwiches and love preparing simple comfort foods for our families. In fact, we both think cooking is the best way to relax and unwind after a long day at the office.Huh? America's favorite sweetheart chef actually spends time in front of the stove for fun?"When I cook at work, it's about storytelling and getting others excited in the kitchen GE's Ingenious Idea for Simplifying Every Gadget in Your Kitchen-- it's not about the joy of cooking," the celebrity chef explained on a recent phone call from Austin, Texas, where she was preparing to speak at the 14th annual Texas Conference for Women. Her voice was raspy from exhaustion. "But when I do it at home, it's an emotional thing for me. It's very calming and makes me feel centered. ...

I don't have to be talking and can just be quiet and enjoy cooking."While she'll go out after a lengthy day of filming her TV show if she has to for an event, she'd much rather be in her socks and pajamas, listening to music and sipping a glass of wine while she rustles up some dinner for her husband. Even on those days when she makes 10 meals for multiple episodes in front of the camera."Then I go home and make number 11," she said.Then again, she's Rachael Ray -- the woman who taught America how to make tasty home-cooked meals in 30 minutes or less. What about the rest of us non-professionals?Her latest cookbook aims to take the stress out of answering the perennial question, "What's for dinner?"

"Week in a Day" culls more than 200 of her favorite recipes from her popular cooking show of the same name. But as the title suggests, she takes a different tack in ordering them.You can cook any or all of the many soups, stews, casseroles and pasta sauces any day of the week, of course. But what she suggests in 43 chapters is taking a day or afternoon she mega-cooks on Sundays and preparing enough food for as many as five nights and storing it in the freezer or fridge.As she writes in the intro, "When the day is especially long or you're feeling extra exhausted, imagine how comforting it is to know that dinner -- your own homemade delicious food -- is waiting for you as soon as you walk in."

GE's Ingenious Idea for Simplifying Every Gadget in Your Kitchen

Use your broom as a barbell. While your broom isn't as heavy as a barbell, it can help your form. Rest the broom across your shoulders and grasp the ends at a comfortable distance away from your shoulders while you do squats or walking lunges. The broom will help keep you from dropping your chest during these exercises, a common form mistake, and will also help stretch those notoriously tight pectoral muscles.Use kitchen towels for a good stretch. Towels are great aides to help with your post-workout stretching. Wrap a towel around your feet and pull backward lightly when stretching your hamstrings. Get a good chest stretch by sitting with your legs straight in front of you with good posture. Place a hand towel in both hands and raise your arms above your head, keeping your elbows by your ears.

Slowly and gently, move the towel from directly overhead backward so your elbows move slightly behind your ears, until you feel a stretch across the front of your chest.Use what you have before buying new, expensive equipment you don't actually need.Don't be afraid to get creative — if you can get a full workout using only objects from your kitchen, imagine what a gold mine you have in the rest of your house.We can all save a fair amount of energy by changing our lightbulbs, and making sure our appliances aren't sucking power when they're turned off. But what could we do if we fundamentally remade how our kitchen gadgets work? GE turned to Frog to figure it out. "We could have done anything from trying to design a better lightbulb to imagining a nuclear-powered consumer product," says Jonas Damon, creative director at Frog.

Ultimately, Frog bypassed the opportunity to design a countertop Chernobyl in favor a kitchen gadget called EcoSwitch that combines the functionality of a tea kettle, slow cooker, hot plate, and blender into a single, energy-efficient package.An all-in-one kitchen gadget might sound more like a tacky SkyMall tchotchke than an eco-innovation, but unlike other solutions that bodge together half a dozen different devices, EcoSwitch is all about streamlining. Damon's team noticed that blenders, hot pots, and coffee makers each had their own plastic housings and power supplies, but at their core they either heated a vessel or rotated it.

Queens Galley starts shutting down Uptown kitchen

The 31-year-old city resident is using the kitchen during the week of Christmas to make 30 dozen cookies."It would take me days to bake all those at my house, but I'll be out of the kitchen in four hours," Ensminger said.She's planning to make six different recipes and give out the final product to family and friends."It's about speed and efficiency. When I go to the kitchen, I got all the pans there and everything I need. It's such a great asset to the city," Ensminger said.Laura Guthery's experience with a kitchen remodeler last summer was so "nightmarish" that she felt it went beyond a contract dispute. So she reported it to both the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry and the Bloomington Police Department.

Now the botched kitchen project in Guthery's home has turned into a criminal charge against the remodeler, Mark M. Kotek. The department told Bloomington police that a little-known and rarely used Minnesota statute makes it a crime for someone to do contracting work without a license.In a summons filed Nov. 21 and made public Monday, Kotek, 37, of Minneapolis, was charged with a misdemeanor after an investigation by Bloomington police detective Cory Cardenas."I've been a detective for 10 years and I had never heard of this," Cardenas said. "A lot of these people don't think they're going to fall into the criminal realm."

In August, the Department of Labor and Industry issued a cease-and-desist order to Kotek, fined him $10,000 and his company, Kotek Construction, $20,000,Prepare simple holiday gifts in your kitchen penalties that remained unpaid as of Monday. But the department's director of contractor licensing and enforcement, Charlie Durenberger, welcomes the criminal case and hopes other cities will take similar action."Our experience has been, historically, cities are not interested in charging contractors, and it's long been a frustration for us and homeowners," Durenberger said.In the past five years, the department has issued 596 cease-and-desist orders to unlicensed residential building contractors, but only a very small percentage have faced criminal charges, Durenberger said.

Prepare simple holiday gifts in your kitchen

Mechel McKinley, manager of Main Street Macon, said the store is another sign of the health of downtown.Robinson Home brings a different type of retail to downtown and will "draw a number of different people to the area," McKinley said in an email. "The plans for the store are exciting and I look forward to seeing the Robinsons grow their business."The Robinsons expect to offer cooking classes in early 2014, and plans are underway for a teaching kitchen in the back of the store, he said."Right now I have one or two instructors lined up, and I'm putting together some class lists," he said.The owners plan to bring in local and regional chefs for cooking demonstrations to help inspire everyone from experienced bakers and grillers to everyday cooks.

"It fits in well with our overall goal of not only providing Macon with more product but providing them with a service of a learning experience -- growing the foodie scene in Macon, if you will," he said.The store will be open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday."Careful planning is the key to starting a new business and the Robinsons have done that," McKinley said. "I am proud to welcome them to downtown.The Robinsons recently renovated a historic downtown home."We eat down here, we play down here, we go to church down here, we do everything," he said.Cooking and wrapping gifts at home sans the shopping-mall purgatory?

For decades my humble attempt at making edible presents has included everything from mason jars of creamy caramel sauce to decorative boxes filled with herds of gingerbread, moose-shaped cookies.Rosemary jelly, coconut granola, hot chocolate mix and watermelon pickles? Yep, my friends and family have received them as "gifts of love," too.While I lived in Jacksonville, we had a pecan tree loaded with nuts so what the busy little squirrels didn't get, I captured for spiced pecans to give away.And when my friend Larry Brooks confided months ago that while traveling he had sampled an irresistible dipping sauce of chocolate and reduced balsamic vinegar, I rubbed my hands together with gifting glee.The sauce sounded interesting and uniquely giftable.

Durenberger said he was "gratified but surprised"

Durenberger said he was "gratified but surprised" that Bloomington decided to press charges."The whole issue of unlicensed activity is a real sore spot in the industry," Durenberger said. "We'll support anything that discouraged unlicensed activity, especially against those that are taking money or harming consumers in other ways."Like everyone, I like a good kitchen gadget that works, though I've never been suckered in by any of those sold by informercials on TV, when, "if you call now, you get two extra thigamajigs and a whole set of steak knives for just $29.95 in three easy payments, plus shipping!"I'll never be convinced of the importance of owning a can opener shaped like a toucan or a wheat grass juicer, and the microwave oven someone gave me years ago has never come out of its box.

So when I come across three items that really impress me for their utility and as-promised dependability, I want to tell all my friends who spend any serious time in the kitchen.About 15 years ago, the great French master chef Alain Ducasse proudly showed off his ridiculously expensive new induction range installed in his New York restaurant. He put a pot of water on the circle, turned it on and within 30 seconds the water was boiling furiously. He then told me to touch the cooking surface with the palm of my hand. Hesitating but dutiful, I did so and found it cool as glass. Now, this was a really amazing piece of machinery, but wholly out of the question --A with Firefly Tapas Kitchen & Bar co-owner John Simmons at thousands of dollars -- for a home kitchen.

Then, this summer, I was sent a demo model of the Waring Pro Double? Induction Cooktop, which looks more or less like a simple hot plate but is actually every bit as impressive as what I saw in Ducasse's kitchen. Weighing only seven pounds, it's easy enough to put on your kitchen counter, and its various settings allow you to instantly modify the cooking temperature, has a 150-minute timer and shuts off automatically 30 seconds after a pot is removed. And it uses 70 percent less energy than conventional cooktops.

A with Firefly Tapas Kitchen & Bar co-owner John Simmons

Firefly Tapas Kitchen & Bar had to close its Paradise Road doors in April because of an outbreak of salmonella. The outbreak, which public-health officials traced to contaminated chorizo, sickened nearly 300 people from 27 states and forced changes in how the company ran its kitchen. It hired a dedicated food-safety expert, signed up chefs and managers for food-handling certification classes and added a program to monitor food safety at potential contamination points. The goal? To become an "industry leader" in food safety, co-owner John Simmons said.Simmons has spent the past seven months winning back regulars and attracting new customers. A month after it closed, Firefly opened a new Paradise Road location down the street, a deal that had been in the works before the salmonella outbreak.

The incident didn't affect its Sahara Avenue location. As business ticks back up, Simmons talks about recapturing customers' trust, his next business move and how he unwinds from stress.What's the biggest thing you've done to get your customers back?It's been more of a process. I liken it to a brush fire. When it flames, there's not a lot you can really do about it. You have to wait for it to burn out. All of the negative information and misinformation out there — there was not a lot you could do about it. Now, we've turned to getting the word out about who we are. We're a great company, a homegrown company.

We started it from the ground up 10 years ago, and we have built it into a company that hired over 200 people. We're not some guy from out of town who's mining the Strip for tourist dollars and shipping profits back to New York. We live here, we're good people, we started a business and a bad thing happened.How's business? Are people returning?Every month, business has increased. The great thing is, most people never stopped coming. We have such a great fan base, and so many people have been to our restaurant so many times. Not a lot of businesses would still be around. It's a testament to the strength of our reputation and the people who work for us that we were able to survive such an awful occurrence. We also see a lot of new faces, so it's good.

Highlights at Westcity Kitchen: snazzy starters, juicy chicken

Of course, sardines are on the menu, which tilts Mediterranean yet still seems thoroughly American.Those little fish — two grilled beauties with a salad of shaved fennel and arugula and a salty, fiery relish of coarsely chopped capers and Calabrian chilies —The past few years have been, to put it lightly make a great shareable starter. So do warm olives sharp kalamatas and rich Castelvetranos baked with cherry tomatoes, mustard seed and garlic, served with crostini. Squid stuffed with sweet sausage, paired with pickled fennel and sweetly piquant Peppadew aioli, pleased as well.Consider kicking off the evening with one of Freeman's creative house cocktails. An absinthe wash lent a bracing anise note to the rye-based Westcity Whiskey Cocktail. The "Baked Apple Manhattan," served up with a cinnamon swizzle stick, combines spice-infused bourbon with cardamaro and Calvados in a comforting concoction just right for the rainy season.

With your drink, snack on fried chickpeas sprinkled with sumac and lime, or nibble long, skinny truffle-scented fries dusted with pecorino. Better yet, order both.The menu is a collection of good ideas executed with varying success. Salads are an example. Whole leaves of baby romaine with smoked walnuts, poached fig and ricotta salata needed more lubrication to help bind the red-wine gastrique to the lettuce. Spinach salad, with roasted beets, pistachios, goat cheese and mustard vinaigrette, was much better integrated.Pan-roasted chicken was delightful. The mostly boneless half bird was moist, tender and aggressively seasoned with salt and pepper. If the acorn squash risotto on the side wasn't quite risotto, it was satisfying nonetheless.

The terrific burger is fashioned from a half pound of well-seared, incredibly juicy American Kobe beef. Stacked with arugula, smoked Gouda and lots of house-made sweet-and-sour pickles, it comes on a Grand Central potato bun thickly smeared with garlic aioli. I only wish the bun had been toasted.The burger rightly attends those aforementioned fries, but I asked to substitute a side of oven-roasted seasonal vegetables. I received a colorful array of fingerling potatoes, beets and turnips, all just tender and nicely caramelized but needing salt and pepper, which are on every table in a set of tiny, adorable square bowls.

The past few years have been, to put it lightly

"This is the beginning of the holiday season; we hope things will pick up, but compared to last year, we're scared," because business is slow, Yilmaz said.Hickory Farms has been a holiday mainstay at the mall for many years, and the company has been meeting its sales goals, said Taylor Gigeous, a cashier."People have been telling me they're waiting until the first week in December before they start buying," Gigeous said. "That's when it gets super busy, and I love it."Individual shops usually hire extra staff, but the mall doesn't hire extra security or maintenance folks for the holidays, according to said Heather Ernst, marketing director at FSK Mall, where Santa arrived Friday.There are many charitable programs over the holidays, including in the stores. At Kmart, customers can participate in Share Our Strength's No Kid Hungry program, where shoppers can donate toys from a "Fab 15" list of toys to children in need.

The past few years have been, to put it lightly, tumultuous. Uprisings against dictatorship, financial crises, and discontent with old ways of governing have given people plenty of reasons to take to the streets. But it turns out the world's protesters have more in common than indignation and a desire for change. They also share a surprisingly widespread weapon of choice: pots and pans. In just this past year, protesters across the globe have taken to the streets to pound kitchenware with wooden spoons in a show of civic solidarity.

The pots-and-pans protest tactic was first employed decades ago by dissidents in Chile. They were demonstrating against then-President Salvador Allende's economic policies, which had yielded shortages in essential products and hyperinflation. In what they dubbed "the march of the empty pans," Chileans banged on pots empty of the food that government policies had, it was said, failed to provide. Later, Pinochet's opposition used the same tactic so protesters could voice their dissent from the relative safety of their own homes. That was important, since Pinochet's security service did not exactly tolerate dissent.

Tim Smith, Mr. Tim's Country Kitchen

After successful heart bypass surgery on June 11, Smith opened Mr. Tim's Country Kitchen in La Vernia on Sept. 15.Mr. Tim's' famous home-cooked meals had returned to South Texas.When not serving and cooking huge portions of chicken-fried steak, liver and onions or homemade cinnamon rolls big enough to feed a Third World country, Smith found time to talk about his restaurant-owner-to-retirement-back-to-restaurant-owner transformation.What I made in a month here, I made in three months at the South San Antonio restaurant. I was like, "Wow. I didn't expect that at all." It caught me off guard.As soon as I put up my "now open" sign in the morning, I filled up within an hour. And I stayed that way until a week ago. You couldn't get into this place.

My biggest problem was my employees saying I was too busy. I had employees walk out. They were saying they weren't used to working this much. Our waitresses were making a fortune; they still are.Can you pinpoint why you've had such success with your restaurant?You've got to have something people can afford —Kitchenware by Ole Jensen for Room Copenhagen and still make money, of course. And people still want home cooking — they want the vegetables.I tried to change my menu in La Vernia and go with just potatoes — french fries and baked potatoes — because I wanted to make it easier. They threw a fit. I just figured people in the country, that's all they wanted to eat. Wow, was I wrong. They want those vegetables, those fresh vegetables. Three days was all it took to get a variety of fresh vegetables back on the menu.

Describe the whole heart-surgery ordeal and how quickly you returned to your normal routine.When I had the heart attack in April, I knew it was time to give up the restaurant business. Business-wise I was fine; I was doing very well. But when I had the heart attack, I knew it was time to walk away. I didn't want to die; I wasn't ready to die. That's what I was afraid of.After the surgery, doctors said you're fine but told me it would take a year to get back to normal. I couldn't walk fast, couldn't lift anything big. ... But now I feel better than I have in years.

Kitchenware by Ole Jensen for Room Copenhagen

Emphasizing overall excellence, gia honors both specialty and multiple-location retailers for superior innovation and creativity in housewares merchandising. This international competition will include participants from the United States and countries throughout the world. Again for 2013-2014, The Gourmet Retailer will sponsor the U.S. gia winner in the independent kitchenware retailer category for the International Housewares Association's award program. Anything Oprah can do, the Kardashians can or will try to do better, including throwing a yard sale for charity.North West's mom and her relatives had everything from kitchenware and photo frames, to art pieces and children's scooters up for grabs. Kardashian was so happy about doing charity work that she tweeted about it.

According to the New York Daily News and the tweet below by Kim herself, the Kardashian clan took to a parking lot in Woodland Hills, Ca. on Sunday to sell off unwanted wares -- from kitchenware and picture frames to large art pieces and children's toys -- with proceeds benefiting No Kid Hungry and Greater Los Angeles Fisher House Foundation. There was no word Monday on how much the sale brought in.The Kardashians' charitable act follows a day of yard sale revelry by Oprah Winfrey on November 2, which raked in some $600,000 for her leadership school in South Africa.Check out photos from the Kardashians' family day which was also captured by their reality show camera's, of course over at the Daily Mail.

Have something to say? Check out HuffPost Home on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Tumblr and Instagram.Kim Kardashian went makeup free and fell at a charity yard sale in Woodland Hills, Calif. recently. The "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" star and Kanye West's fiance, 33, joined her mother, Kris Jenner's and the rest of her famous family at the outdoor event.According to New York Daily News, the Kardashians clan sold a lot of their family items while taping for their hit E! reality TV show on Sunday."We are having a yard sale today for charity!" tweeted Kardashian before the event, which benefitted the No Kid Hungry, and the Greater Los Angeles Fisher House Foundations.

Boulder's Relief Exchange provides needed assistance for flood victims

Farmer, a Jamestown resident whose home was torn into pieces by the floods, said the Exchange helped her slowly rebuild after losing all her belongings."The experience of losing everything you have surrounded yourself with over the course of time is very disorienting," Farmer said. "You're sleeping in a different bed in someone else's home or a hotel, wearing the few clothes that you were given at the Red Cross center after getting off the helicopter, visiting the Disaster Assistance Center and talking to all the "alphabet soup" of agencies that were there to help, eating box lunches and pizza..."It's just totally overwhelming,Michael Anthony's 8 Kitchen Essentials and to be able to come into the Relief Exchange and just select a few things I needed and know that I could come back when I was ready for more was so very helpful."

While the Relief Exchange receives donations daily and has helped over 2,000 individuals so far, Lynn Fetterman, director of the 4Mile Store and manager of volunteer efforts with the Exchange, said they are just beginning to scratch the surface of helping those affected, still needing more volunteers and donations."We're starting with really basic needs as people try to start over," Fetterman said. "It may seem like it's just stuff if you haven't been affected, but the trauma of being uprooted from your home, your community, your livelihood. It's so hard. Anything helps."Farmer, who now volunteers with the Exchange, said it's the volunteer grassroots structure, the unique and welcoming setup and the sense of community that really sets the Relief Exchange apart from other flood relief organizations.

"There is just a little sign-in sheet when you come in the door, and then you are allowed to take anything and everything you need," said Farmer. "Nobody shepherds you through or gives you a quota like they do at some of the other relief agencies. People come in and shop for overwhelmed friends and stay or come back to help out.""It has been an amazing place to connect with people, both members of the Jamestown community and strangers from Boulder, Lyons, and Longmont, who all have different flood stories and experiences," Farmer said."But we're all in the same boat as far as needing to rebuild our lives. Sure, stuff is only stuff, but community is the lifeblood of my little town."

Michael Anthony's 8 Kitchen Essentials

Common symptoms of foodborne illnesses caused by pathogens, such as salmonella and listeria, include nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and diarrhea. Serious cases can lead to hospitalization and major complications, such as kidney failure and miscarriages, depending on the culprit.Annually, about 1 in 6 Americans get sick; 128,000 are hospitalized; and 3,000 die of foodborne diseases, according to the CDC.University of Kentucky meat scientist Gregg Rentfrow said people should take practical steps to keep themselves safe, such as thoroughly washing fruits and vegetables before eating them, thoroughly cooking meats, and cleaning up drippings from chicken and other meats."Just use common sense," said Rentfrow, an associate extension professor and meat specialist in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. "If you handle everything like you know it's contaminated, you'll be OK."

Rentfrow said the NSF's findings weren't surprising, though "it is kind of concerning when folks don't realize that they need to clean out your vegetable container and your meat container and stuff like that, especially if you're thawing out meat inside that meat container, and the purge gets onto the actual refrigerator itself."Twenty-one percent of U.S. outbreaks of foodborne illness with a known single setting resulted from food consumed in a private home, compared with 48 percent that stemmed from food eaten in a restaurant or deli, according to CDC stats for 2009-10.

At home, it's important to pay attention to manufacturers' instructions for cleaning products that come in contact with food and to get on a regular cleaning schedule, Yakas said.Tools, such as blenders, can openers, rubber spatulas and food-storage containers, should be cleaned "after every use," Yakas said."It's not big, but it performs," says chef Michael Anthony of the galley-sized kitchen in his Midtown Manhattan apartment as he digs through drawers, praising everything from a bag of wild rice to slabs of marbled Allan Benton ham. His energy comes as no surprise: In the past two years, he's rebounded from open-heart surgery by landing a James Beard award for Best Chef in New York City and publishing his first book, The Gramercy Tavern Cookbook.

7 Awesome Add-Ons For Kitchen Cabinets

The measure is one of 14 suggested in the report, which if all implemented by 2030 could slow warming in the Arctic by more than a full degree by 2050, according to the authors. Halving open-field and forest burning could also have a dual effect and decrease deaths to air pollution by 190,000 annually, according to the findings."Human activity causes almost all open-field and forest fires, either intentionally or by accident," according to the study.How much should a complete kitchen remodel cost? "Effective no-burn alternatives exist for most agricultural sector use of fire, and results in this report indicate that up to 90 percent reductions may be possible in some regions."Methane is often emitted during during the fossil fuel mining process, especially for coal, according to the study, which recommends capturing the gas to use it, for instance, as energy source.

I remember when having a microwave or an electric can opener mounted under your wall cabinets was considered state of the art. Now you can attach your smart phone and tablet, and even hide the necessary outlets out of sight. Curious what today's cabinet additions can do for you? Check out a few of the latest and most useful offerings in cabinet-mounted gadgets and accessories to see what will work in your kitchen.Even if you're a minimalist who prefers to keep the area under your wall cabinets clear, consider installing some lighting. Undercabinet lights provides crucial illumination for food prep and, if dimmable, work well as a nightlight once the kitchen is closed for the evening. My current preference for undercabinet lighting is low-profile LED light-emitting diode strip lights.

LED lighting technology is continually advancing, so check with your local lighting retailer or electrical contractor to see what is the best option for your kitchen. Prices vary depending on size and quality, but you can currently get 12-inch strips starting around $20.You've spent time and money selecting and installing the perfect backsplash tile, so don't mar the beautiful surface with outlets. An undercabinet outlet strip gives you a plethora of plugs — and always one right where you need it — without a line of receptacles all across your lovely backsplash. If, however, you tend to keep your countertop appliances plugged in, you may not enjoy seeing the cords dangle down from underneath your cabinets.

How much should a complete kitchen remodel cost?

As for how much a particular kitchen upgrade will cost, that will depend on the size of your kitchen and the specifics of the appliances, cabinets, countertop and other elements of the project.Highly rated remodelers tell our team that a full kitchen remodel can range from $10,000 to $100,000. Designer fees, custom cabinetry and high-end appliances will move the project to the higher end of the continuum.Here's a simple recipe for getting started when you're ready to move from the imagination phase to preparing to talk to contractors:Set a buffer. Set aside 20 percent of your budget, or an additional 20 percent, for contingency expenses. It's smart to give yourself wiggle room, since major remodeling projects often uncover or lead to issues that take extra money and time to address.

Set realistic expectations. Make sure that as you consider your plans, you keep in mind how you really use the room and what you can really afford. Also, don't forget the hassle factor, since your home will be in a state of chaos for some time.Before you start talking to contractors, consider who'll be in charge. You may want to act as your own general contractor and hire each kitchen remodeling specialist on your own. While this may save you money, it will cost you time and energy.An experienced and reputable general contractor will know how to manage a kitchen remodeling's multiple phases, and aspects of a project that may challenge you should be easy for a general contractor.

Plan to get at least three estimates before hiring a contractor. Ask for recommendations from friends, family and neighbors. Confirm consumer experiences and company reputation from a trusted online source.Ask for proof of insurance and bonding, and any required licensing. Get all aspects of the job in writing, and put down no more than a third of the cost as a down payment or deposit.Forget the big box stores – bargains are right around the corner at The Kitchen Shop, a full-service remodeler, where customers benefit not only from substantial savings, but from 20-plus years of experience offered by a family-owned business.

Top 10 kitchen remodeling trends

Bryker said her organization first reached out out to the Spartanburg Soup Kitchen in December. They haven't spoken with Landrum since then, but she says, "It is our hope that she now has a clearer picture of what we are all about.""We want her to know that the most important thing we have in common with her is that we want the people who are hungry to be fed."Need a bigger desk? You don't have to go out and buy something expensive. Often times you can just hack a dining table to work just as well if not better for less money.That's what Instructables user carloratm did. She took an IKEA Ingo—their cheap but sturdy wooden kitchen table—The SimplyRaw Kitchen cookbook and added a few extra features.

With a little simple woodwork to make the top shelf and the addition of a headphone peg also from IKEA, an awesome kitchen table desk was born.Kitchens have gone from small rooms relegated to the back of the home to the focal point of family life. They connect to our largest living spaces and speak loudly from the center of the home, offering a central gathering point for family and guests.So it's no wonder that Americans invest a lot of time and money into remodeling, updating and modernizing these spaces to their exact specifications. Houzz commissioned a survey of its members, most of whom turn to the site looking for inspiration while building or renovating their homes, and found a few trends along the way.

Countertops are the biggest change homeowners will make in their kitchens -- 94 percent of survey respondents planned to change them -- and more than half want to upgrade their appliances.Those kind of more minor remodels can recoup as much as 75 percent of the cost when the owners resell -- one of the best ways to add value to your home, according to Remodeling Magazine's 2013 Cost V. Value report. Even a gut rehab will fetch up to 70 percent of the cost in added value.The key to remodeling in a way that adds value is to make choices that will appeal to a broad number of buyers, so these kind of on-trend remodels will go a long way when reselling. If you know that nearly two-thirds of homeowners want stainless steel appliances, it's easy to assume that buyers will have very similar desires.

The SimplyRaw Kitchen cookbook

I opted to make a few of the soups and a vegetable curry dish. I must say that my expectations were not very high for the soups. I make a lot of soups and stews and I always use my homemade broth and I figured any soup that uses water instead of broth especially MY broth can't be all that flavorful. I'm also not a huge fan of cold soups and the simplicity of the recipes meant that they couldn't possibly be any good. Luckily, as always, I was proved wrong.The first soup was the Popeye Soup, and as the name suggests, it was heavy on the spinach. Combined with some apple, miso, tamari and a few other ingredients it was quite tasty. When I paired it up with some bread and a sweet potato it made for a solid weekday dinner. The ease of the preparation made it almost feel like I was cheating. Chop a few things up and throw it in a blender and dinner is ready.

The second soup was the Sweet Corn Chowder. Other than the corn, the bulk of the flavor came from walnuts, tamari, lime juice, cilantro and some avocado on top. While the Popeye Soup was good the corn chowder was even better. I loved being able to taste all of the main ingredients, and the avocado, cilantro and bell pepper topping really brought the soup to another level.My third dish was the vegetable curry and the sauce raw of course was wonderful. I make many varieties of curries and this particular sauce had it's own distinct flavor. I'm guessing it was the sizable amount of soaked cashews that gave it such a rich and creamy taste. I wasn't a big fan of the uncooked vegetables though, and when eating leftovers the following night I cooked them up and enjoyed my non-raw dish.

In the end the cookbook was a success, and I plan on adding these three dishes to my cooking rotation. You really can't beat the ease of many of the recipes, and I plan on finding more raw options to not cook in the future.He'd just moved from Lafayette to take the helm of the kitchen at Restaurant IPO, a hip new eatery on Third Street in downtown Baton Rouge. The staff was ready to serve, but there still was no one to wash the dishes."I only had five people in the kitchen. I couldn't take the risk of having someone in there if he wasn't going to pull the load," Wadsworth said.He rifled through various applications and settled on one that stood out. Wadsworth hired a man in his late 50s or early 60s, a guy who the chef remembers as having handed in a fudged application.

Shickshinny woman cooks up success after kitchen mishap

"I finally thought, I have this down pat," Taylor said. "It looked pretty, but it didn't taste pretty."Her friends dared her to enter the contest, and "if I'm dared, I usually do it," Taylor said, adding she had almost forgotten about the contest when she got the call that she had won. "It was a nice surprise."During the Cooking Redemption episode, Saad showed Taylor how to reclaim her sausage gravy and biscuits. Taylor and her daughter, Bailey, traveled to Louisville for the filming."My daughter went with me. She's the test subject of my cooking,Amateur foodies take note so this was almost like a payback," Taylor laughed, adding it was a wonderful experience. "Saad was very nice and personable. I was able to ask him questions - like, I don't like cooking with salt, but he showed me how to use salt to bring out certain flavors."

Since then, Taylor has conquered the recipe and her family definitely appreciated the results."I had to show off, and it turned out great," Taylor said.Tim Matis, director of advertising for GE Appliances, said it was the first time the company held the contest, and they were very pleased with the results. The campaign gives them more insight into how customers use their appliances at home.Taylor will get her new appliances next month; she and the husband took the opportunity to remodel the kitchen. She's especially excited for the dishwasher, adding she hasn't had one since the early 1980s."When I find out I had been one of the finalists, it was right around my mother's birthday," Taylor said. "So I look at it this way: it's my mom's way of reaching out to me, by letting me win."Chop bacon into ?-inch pieces. In a large skillet over medium heat, add the bacon. Stir occasionally and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes.

Lift bacon out and set aside in a bowl leaving bacon fat in pan.Add sausage to pan in 1-inch clumps. Spread out evenly. Using a metal spatula, move the sausage around so that it gets golden brown on all sides.Once evenly golden brown, add the chopped garlic and stir. Cook for 30 seconds. Drain the excess fat and discard. Add sausage to same bowl as bacon.Turn heat down slightly and add butter to pan. Stir using the spatula to scrape bits from bottom of pan and incorporate into butter as it melts. Once completely melted, whisk flour into butter until evenly dissolved. Whisk in chicken broth. Turn heat up to high.

Amateur foodies take note

Amateur foodies take note: If you want an apartment with an awesome kitchen, you'll pretty much have to live in a city. That's what Apartment Guide found when it looked at listing data to find the areas with the best kitchen amenities. Chicago topped the list, with San Antonio coming in at a surprising second place. New York City, which we assumed would claim the number one spot judging solely by the number of food bloggers we know, was in the middle of the pack in fifth place. Guess most NYC dwellers are fine with takeout.Check out the infographic below for the rest of the top 10, then let us know if you agree or disagree with the findings. One of my mother's favorite Yiddish proverbs was, "You can't sit on two horses with one behind." A fine observation, but growing up in Brooklyn, sitting on even one was unlikely.

My own steed was the lid of a sewing machine, a rounded wooden case shaped like a covered bridge with curved corners. Heigh-ho, Singer.As for places to sit, I mostly perched on the kitchen chairs in our two-family home on 58th Street. The landlords, my grandparents, lived upstairs and never raised the rent. The deal was that my mother would be nearby and available as her parents grew older.There were four sturdy chairs in our kitchen, and four slightly different ones in my grandparents' kitchen. On one of those chairs, my grandmother bent over that Singer, narrowing the legs of my dungarees and sewing aprons to be presented to my teachers as Christmas gifts, or practicing her signature on torn-off scraps of paper grocery bags.She could neither read nor write.This was the '50s.

Families making the upwardly mobile leap from Brooklyn to Long Island were furnishing the kitchens in their split-levels with Formica and chrome, shiny mid-century splendor.We stayed put and stuck with wood. "You couldn't buy chairs like that today," adults in my family said, at exactly the time when other people were throwing chairs like that away.I was in elementary school when my mother brought up the notion of refurbishing the kitchen furniture. The response was certainly cool. My grandfather said that whatever was to be replaced was "good enough," his typical rejoinder to any such proposal.But my mother, the executive in charge of 58th Street home improvements, had clout.

Verde Kitchen menu is a map of ringers and zingers

Mr. Bulman acknowledges his shift in priorities from fine dining to this more popular fare. "With my background, I thought I'd be expanding the entrees," he said, "but it turns out more people order tacos and I'm enjoying that."But those on the a la carte menu need some tweaking. For now, calabaza tacos ($13) taste like pumpkin pie in a tortilla, not really a plus no matter how local the squash or how piquant the pepita slaw. An order of pork in the pastor tacos had the texture of crispy bits layered with pineapple, red onion and lime. But dry, room-temperature pork tastes like burnt sand, no matter the condiments. And fishy mahi-mahi announced its arrival on the pescado tacos,Taps, a Boozy Social House and Kitchen more pungent than fragrant and the least popular of a night's dishes.

My friends thought the fish was a fluke, but the coctel de camarones appetizer was also afflicted, served like a Victorian shrimp cocktail from the '50s, where shrimp spiraled around a demi-bowl of sauce. I craved a lustier presentation in which smaller shrimp swim in a sea of roasted tomatoes and jalapeno peppers, cucumber, celery and cilantro.The menu could use some big, brawny meats, such as carnitas or lengua tongue tacos, both of which have made an appearance when Mr. Bulman first arrived and will return soon, he said.For the time being, diners are better served by the smoked fingerling appetizer, the papas ahumadas with a chipotle vinaigrette and an egg garnish -- the beginnings of a Mexican breakfast. Fried brussels sprouts are a delight, caramelized and dressed with crushed almonds and queso fresco.

Mr. Bulman makes an interesting choice by swapping brisket for duck confit in the tamales de pato -- steamed in corn husks and served with roasted carrots, apple salsa and a cider reduction. What makes sense here is that the masa isn't made with lard as is traditional, but the duck fat from the confit complements it.And of course, there are salsas, a counterbalance snack for a couple of rounds of tequila. The smoked chipotle salsa is probably the hottest, made with roasted peppers from Conover Farm.The thing is, if a diner starts a meal with chips and salsa, then he less likely will order a tasting menu. This is unfortunate, since it ends up a better value at $35 for five courses and $55 for eight courses. On the tasting menus, a liberal use of seasonal vegetables and bold seasonings make for a more compelling experience and a better display of Mr. Bulman's skill.

Taps, a Boozy Social House and Kitchen

Dawn Morf, who co-owns the spot along with Giovanni Toracca, says that the revamped 6,000-square-foot space was designed to evoke a cozy and comfortable "old San Francisco" vibe, combined with some industrial and equine touches the address used to be the site of an old livery, and two horseshoes were excavated during the renovation. Two giant televisions hang over the bar for any sports-watching needs, and a large mural featuring a collage of city landmarks graces one wall, while a Victorian lady sipping a pint is painted on the other. The front bar area alone seats close to 100, but Taps has a secret: another room in back that will feature a raw bar serving oysters and clams on the half shell.

Lamina's interest in butchery and charcuterie is evident from the menu, which features appetizers like poutine with smoked pork-jowl gravy, duck confit scrapple, and a terrine board with headcheese, paté and liver mousse. Vegetarians will be able to subsist on pea soup, arugula with endive and dates, and wild mushroom gnudi, but the entrees are carnivore central, with rotisserie suckling pig, lamb shepherd's pie and wood-grilled bavette steak. Bar snacks include housemade pretzel braids with IPA cheese sauce and kennebec fries with malt-vinegar aioli.

As for drinks, the bar has 30 beers on tap, ranging from $5-7. The brew list features local beers like Anchor's California Lager, Speakeasy Prohibition Ale and 21st Amendment's Back in Black, as well as farther-flung brews like Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA, Ommegang Witte and Ninkasi Believer. Bigfoot Lodge alum Jesse Ostroski is managing the bar program, which will feature six to eight seasonally inspired classic cocktails to start, plus four white and four red wines on tap, which range from $9-$13 a glass.Taps is hoping to be known as not only a great spot to watch football games, but as a comfortable gathering place where families and neighbors are welcome. Initial hours are 4-11pm on weekdays, with later weekend hours until midnight or 1am. They'll be opening at 10am on Sundays for the neighborhood's NFL-watching needs, and hope to roll out brunch and lunch in the near future.

Cafe Max in Denver delights, The Second Kitchen co-op opens in Boulder

Yonder, a cafeteria-style offshoot of the Southern staple Wishbone, opened earlier in the week at 5 S. Wabash. Staff is serving breakfast from 8-11 a.m. and lunch from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.The team behind Mystic Celt on Southport quietly opened Monty Gaels, a "gastro sports pub," last month in the former Bowman's space at 4356 N. Leavitt. Dishes include Scotch egg, fried oysters, and Amish chicken wings; they have 20 beers on tap plus eight TVs.There's another new kiosk in the French Market, as Bebe's Kosher Deli opened up shop on Monday. Nosh on Kosher favorites including pastrami and corned beef sandwiches, hot dogs, knishes, matzah ball soup, and bagels and lox.

Ever had a manmosa? It's about time you did. Head to Cafe Max and place your order. If you are lucky, co-owner Maxwell Hopewell-Arizmendi will be the one who pours the Belgian beer —Orla Kiely nesting tins Blanche De Bruxelles — into the glass with the orange juice. It doesn't sound great, but it is. While you sip, you should chat with Hopewell-Arizmendi, who is a born raconteur. The New York native and his partner, Yukihiko Koyama, opened the charming, Euro-style cafe about six months ago, on a stretch of Colfax across from East High School that needs more places like Cafe Max. You can get fantastic coffee drinks — including lattes made with goat milk, if you want — or a glass of burgundy or a beer, along with pleasing little plates. I had a prosciutto panini with a fig spread. It came with a little tin of cornichons. How nice.

"I didn't want to open just a coffee shop," said Hopewell-Arizmendi on a recent afternoon. "I wanted a place where you could order a cappuccino, your friend could get a glass of wine, you could eat and read and talk."I found it awfully refreshing, a perfect little spot to just step away from the day and unwind without it being just a bar, or just a place packed with people glued to their Apple products and inquiring about the availability of almond milk. Hopewell-Arizmendi wants to hold music, film and other events at the spot, especially in the atmospheric, brick-walled basement.

Orla Kiely nesting tins

The store has a cooking school and will offer demonstration, participation and skill-building classes beginning in October. Upcoming classes include Festive Entertaining Made Simple, Knife Skills, the Art of Jam and A Taste of Spain.According to reports, the couple decided to move to Cary from St. Louis after researching best towns to live in the United States. On the store's website, the Saklads state "We created Whisk because we had a vision of building a local cooking store where you our customers could:

find everything for the cook, all in one place; interact with a staff who has a deep knowledge and enthusiasm for cooking; find innovative, reliable cookware and kitchen supplies from skilled artisans and exceptional brands; gain valuable knowledge through cooking classes; be inspired to cook!"Kiely, who is based in London, is known for her floral and stem prints on cotton laminated tote bags. Her retro-ish prints also appear on wallets, bedding and kitchenware. What makes them so wonderful is that they're uplifting and whimsical without being cutesy.

During their many travels, Dan and Diana Saklad of Cary would inevitably find themselves in the local kitchenware shop.Now the new owners of Whisk hope their specialty store becomes a destination for Triangle shoppers and a go-to place for culinary inspiration."When you need something for the kitchen and wonder where to find it, we will be the answer," Dan Saklad said. "We have more Le Creuset than anyone in the Triangle."Whisk opened Sept. 19 on the upper level of Cary's Waverly Place shopping center. The store offers 8,000 products and features an 80-foot wall with nothing but gadgets.

The expenses scandal of that year

We're all in this together. Just remember that as you read the front pages and see that  Members of Parliament are now claiming more than they did before the scandal in 2009.We're obviously all tightening our belts but somehow the total cost of travel, accommodation  and running the offices of MPs rose by 10 per cent in 12 months – a record for claims by our  representatives in parliament in a single year.Figures from the expenses watchdog show the overall bill for 2012-13 was ￡98.1m, taking it  above the previous high of ￡95.6m claimed in 2008-09.

The expenses scandal of that year rightly sparked public outrage with the claims for moat  cleaning, duck houses, posh pillows and designer crockery. Many had played the system to get  taxpayer cash for furnishing two homes.After the scandal broke, MPs' claims fell to ￡90.7m as parliament brought in an independent  watchdog to keep down the costs.There was a suggestion that MPs' wives, children and even parents shouldn't be on the public  payroll –ARIA Restaurant's Matt Moran shows why simple madeleines can truly take the cake  yet some are still enjoying salaries as high as ￡50,000 for office duties.

We all want to do our best to help our families, but in these straightened times I can't see how  they can even try to justify this.I'm all for paying people properly, but this seems like a lot of money going into one family's  coffers.With unemployment rising in so many parts of the country, wouldn't it be better to open up these  taxpayer funded jobs to everyone, and not give them within the family?I'm not saying that MPs shouldn't be paid for what they do and recompensed when their  jobs  leave them out of pocket.

ARIA Restaurant's Matt Moran shows why simple madeleines can truly take the cake

Madeleine trays are available at specialist kitchenware shops in two sizes - the smallest is the perfect bite-size while the larger size are easily polished off in two or three bites.An electric mixer is also helpful, making short work of whisking the eggs and sugar until very light and fluffy an otherwise labour-intensive task.But before you even get to the whisking stage, get your butter melted and cooled - if you add the butter to the batter while it's hot, you'll end up with tough madeleines.

Resting the batter overnight also helps to achieve the most delicate and tender of little cakes - you can even make it a few days ahead.The key is to serve them warm. Pipe or spoon the batter into the well-greased tins. I use a pastry brush to get right into the corners of the shell shapes.Bake until dark golden on the edges, with the signature little peak in the centre, then turn them out while they're still hot, dust with icing sugar if you wish, and serve straight away. Heaven.

In the past two decades, the pop culture prestige of chefs has risen dramatically, making them the rock stars of the modern era. Many have built vast empires that include hit TV shows, far-flung restaurants, kitchenware collections and more. The biggest of them are practically identifiable by their first names alone: think Emeril (Lagasse). And their take-home pay reflects their celebrity status, with several chefs earning more than $10 million a year, according to a 2012 Forbes survey.

Cambridge Silversmiths Acquires Thirstystone Resources

Trophy Birds, on the Hell Staircase, is a collection of hanging silk print plumes based on pheasant and woodcock feathers. It represents Burghley's former courtyard aviary and the opulence of its hunting history.An artists' talks evening is on September 26 and includes a tour of the house. Tickets at ￡12.50 must be pre-booked. Workshops will be held on October 26 and November 2."I am extremely enthusiastic about the acquisition, because Cambridge represents five generations of skill, expertise and devotion to the craft,New Report Publishes on Global and Thirtystone is a proven, innovative industry leader," said Roger Freeman, founder and owner, Cambridge, in a statement.

"This means great potential for both companies to expand and benefit from the success we have built independently. I have been looking for the right acquisition for a long time, and Thirstystone is a perfect fit for our long term goals. I am confident that it will be a most exciting adventure to build both brands."The Freeman family has been in the tabletop business since 1956 when Charles Freeman founded the kitchenware company, Stanley Roberts Inc. in the 1990s. The family sold the business to partners, and Roger

Freeman, along with  son Harold Freeman, later launched Cambridge. Headquartered in Pine Brook, NJ, Cambridge's entire line of products are produced in more than 35 different factories with some of the same personnel for the past 30 years. The company also operates offices in Hong Kong and Tianjin, China and additional warehouse and distribution facilities in Los Angeles.

New Report Publishes on Global

In 2010, the governments of all countries launched stimulus policies successively, an engine for demand growth, and which helped China's export volume of stainless steel tableware and kitchenware be up 25.4% year-on-year.Since 2011, the governments of all countries has rolled out stricter regulations on food safety and put forward higher safety norms for stainless steel tableware and kitchenware; and the driving force of economic stimulation has faded away, which caused China's export volume of stainless steel tableware and kitchenware products to fall again in 2011 and 2012.

The high-end stainless steel tableware and kitchenware market in China is almost dominated by well-known transnational brands such as SEB, ZWILLING and WMF at present, while local brands hold small market shares. The medium-end market is held by a few domestic brands like Supor and ASD, and they enjoy certain market scale; while the low-end market is full of less known and inferior brands whose sales channels come to supermarkets and low-end retail shops.French SEB Group is the famous company in the world's kitchenware and small home appliance field, and it continuously expands its market coverage through mergers and acquisitions worldwide.

From its acquisition on Tefal in 1968 to the share holding of Supor in 2011, SEB's revenue has shown steady growth. In H1 2013, its revenue reached EUR1.835 billion, a rise of 2.5% from the same period of last year, and it performed prominently in the sluggish European market.Supor is one of the well-known producers of stainless steel tableware and kitchenware domestically in China, and it became the holding subsidiary of France-based SEB Group. In 2012, affected by depressed economies in China and beyond, Supor's revenue dropped by 3.31% year-on-year, and its net income fell 1.92% year-on-year.

Kitchen gadgets you wish you'd never bought: share your photos

From its acquisition on Tefal in 1968 to the share holding of Supor in 2011, SEB's revenue has shown steady growth. In H1 2013, its revenue reached EUR1.835 billion, a rise of 2.5% from the same period of last year, and it performed prominently in the sluggish European market.China has been the leading production base and exporter of stainless steel tableware and kitchenware in the world. During 2006-2009, China-made low-end stainless steel tableware and kitchenware products were gradually eliminated in the market, with its export volume showing a downward tendency.

This pan comes with a recipe booklet, the governments of all countries launched stimulus policies successively, an engine for demand growth, and which helped China's export volume of stainless steel tableware and kitchenware be up 25.4% year-on-year.Supor is one of the well-known producers of stainless steel tableware and kitchenware domestically in China, and it became the holding subsidiary of France-based SEB Group. In 2012, affected by depressed economies in China and beyond, Supor's revenue dropped by 3.31% year-on-year, and its net income fell 1.92% year-on-year.

In 2010, the governments of all countries launched stimulus policies successively, an engine for demand growth, and which helped China's export volume of stainless steel tableware and kitchenware be up 25.4% year-on-year.Since 2011, the governments of all countries has rolled out stricter regulations on food safety and put forward higher safety norms for stainless steel tableware and kitchenware; and the driving force of economic stimulation has faded away, which caused China's export volume of stainless steel tableware and kitchenware products to fall again in 2011 and 2012.

This pan comes with a recipe booklet

This pan comes with a recipe booklet, so I mixed a batch of batter for the basic fluffy pancakes. After a few minutes I checked the pancake and the top looked bubbly and ready to turn, so I closed the lid and gave the pan a flip. I didn't hear or feel the pancake fall into the bottom pan, so I flipped it back and checked.Sure enough, it required a gentle nudge to loosen the pancake. Then I closed the lid and gave it a flip, and the pancake dropped to the other side. After a few more minutes, the pancake was perfect and ready to eat.

While it's fun to use this pancake maker, it would take much more time to fix a big batch of pancakes than using a griddle that allows you to make more than one at a time. The recipe called for 1/4 cup batter per pancake, which I added the first time. For the second pancake, I added 1/2 cup of the batter, which made a pancake that filled the maker perfectly and was more suited to my personal preference.The final product I tested, the Perfect Tortilla, was the easiest of the three in terms of getting it ready to use. Simply wash it in hot, soapy water, then give it a good rinse and a thorough drying. The Perfect Tortilla also gave the best results.

The Perfect Tortilla can use three different tortilla sizes. It turns the tortilla into a crispy bowl that's perfect for salads or desserts. The shells can be stored for up to a week in an airtight container and reheated in just a few minutes. With four pans in the box, you can make more than one at a time, which gives the Perfect Tortilla an edge on the pancake maker.I will use all of these products again, and I will season the skillet and pancake maker to see if it was operator error that caused them not to automatically release the food. The skillet is the perfect size for a quick egg or grilled cheese, and the pancake maker has recipes for sandwiches, crepes and potato pancakes, making it versatile, too.

Know more about the knives used by killers in India

"People who don't have experience in a working kitchen may not know how special knives are to chefs," said website manager Linda Bachman, "Each chef has their own set of knives. Those knives are the tools that chefs work with. They take great care of them. They clean them and sharpen them and know where they are at all times."The video discusses the makeup of the knife, including the edge, the spine, the fingerguard, the rivets and the tang. It also talks about the different types of knives, such as the carving knife, the bread knife and the all-around chef's knife.

Bachman asserted that opinions about which knives are the best are fairly subjective and each chef will have his or her own opinion. "A perfect companion for the Reidel Whisky Glasses" Bachman continued, "And not every knife is built for every person.Each manufacturer produces a slightly different style, and it is up to you to find out which one you like best.""The only way you can really decide which knife is the right fit for you is to actually pick it up and try it," Bachman concluded.The CulinarySchoolsOnline.com website assists culinary students with education and career training options.

The web site and the video are provided for free for anyone to try.There are many weapons which criminals or killers use for committing murders, but the most common and silent weapon is a knife.India is known for diverse cultures, religions, races and it is also known for its diversity in knives.We are not going to discuss here about kitchen knives. We will have a look at different types of knives/swords/machetes which criminals use for committing heinous crimes.

A perfect companion for the Reidel Whisky Glasses

Sold individually, they're the perfect gift that you can build upon each year.Instead of having to see your father rock around in budgie smugglers, do yourself a favour and get him a pair of the ultra cool Orlebar Brown Bulldog swim shorts. They're neither too short nor too long, are well made and will be perfect on the beach this summer.A timeless classic. The Johnnie Walker Blue Label Voyager Commemorative Release Scotch Whisky is a limited edition that has been designed to commemorate the epic journey of traditional 19th century whiskies, the first of which were exported to Australia in the 1860s.

A perfect companion for the Reidel Whisky Glasses.LaTywana Swan said she saved her late husband's hair clippers, walking stick and photographs."They were too hard to get rid of," she said, after he died.But when a fire ripped through her home Tuesday morning at Ashley Lane Apartments in south Wichita, the 39-year-old said she had to leave the mementos behind."All I have is a ring now," Swan said, glancing down at a wedding band on her hand."I hate to have to start all over again."A fire department official said Wednesday that it will be difficult to confirm what caused a fire that heavily damaged Ashley Lane Apartments early Tuesday morning and displaced dozens of tenants from their homes.

The fire caused an estimated $1.75 million in damage to the apartment building, 2250 S. Oliver, fire Capt. Stuart Bevis has said. Five people were injured, and about 70 tenants lost their homes and belongings in the fire.Investigators think the fire started on the upper floor in an apartment on the west side of the structure in a sector named Building 8, Bevis said. But the damage is so severe – and so challenging for inspectors to safely reach – that determining the cause won't be easy.

She loves the artful style

"It's fascinating not only with the objects and what they could do but what was going on in people's lives as they used them," Hill said. "The cultural part is what interests me."Hill wonders about the social standards of the day when a well-coiffed and "airbrushed" housewife smiled from the package of a vintage cooking thermometer set from Westinghouse."Summer tea features affordable clothing, accessories," Hill said. "It's the hunt for the stuff and the hunt for the information."Hill did detective work using her research skills, finding histories on most everything in her collection. She wrote the catalogue for the upcoming museum exhibit, with photography by her son, G. Mack Hill.

"I discovered I have the first pop-up toaster ever made," she said. "And I discovered newer isn't necessarily better. None of this stuff is falling apart in 100 or 200 years."Hill's collection includes everything with a kitchen use, and obscure items with little purpose."I'm looking for the thing I don't have. I don't look for the value," she said.Hill has spending limits, which she rarely exceeds. At first it was $3, raised to $8 nearly a decade ago. She's perfected the art of negotiation but spends more for something especially extraordinary, but that's a hard call with Hill. To her, most every kitchen item is rich with beauty and intrigue.

She loves the artful style, design and function of many items, particularly cheese graters. A standing model from the late 1800s topped with a French fry cutter is Hill's very favorite piece.She also points to the potato mashers of long ago, each one with a different design: curves, lines and circular styles introduced before electric mixers and instant mashed potatoes hit the grocery shelves."They're of various cool designs in my view," she said. "I kind of have a memory of which I have so I don't buy duplicates."Even her egg beaters are intriguing."I have egg beaters and egg beaters and egg beaters, all different," she said of the more than 80 in her collection.

Summer tea features affordable clothing, accessories

For most Southern Californians, shopping for designer clothing and accessories, vintage and celebrity-owned jewelry, or unique collectibles and furniture would entail a heavily cash-or-credit-card-fortified trip to the Golden Triangle of Beverly Hills or the eclectic mix of shops that pepper L.A.'s West Side shopping districts on Beverly Boulevard and Melrose Avenue.For Burbankers along with in-the-know visitors, a West Side trek for the aforementioned treasures at jet-set prices can be avoided by simply visiting the La Providencia Guild of Children's Hospital Los Angeles Thrift Shop on the corner of W. Burbank Boulevard and N. California Street.

Showcasing the quality and diversity they offer, guild members presented their summer tea as a fashion show with models outfitted from head-to-toe with hats, designer sunglasses, jewelry, clothing and shoes available at the shop for a fraction of the original cost. Billed as "Take Tea and See — Our Thrift Shop Fashions," the gathering of the guild took place at Lakeside Golf Club on Saturday.Welcomed by the organization's president, Rosemarie Witten, and the event's chairwoman, Sue Ann Gordon, members and guests of the guild enjoyed the day while showing their continued support for the pediatric hospital they have been raising funds for since 1946.

Among the guild members who served as the day's fashion models were Deborah Spang, Donna Salant, DeeDee Rowlands, Doris Palmer, Lurdes Munoz, Linda Muldoon, Jeanne Margolin, Sandra Kelley, Tanya Karn, Glenda Jones, Joni Herron, Marsha Floyd, Beth Bowls, Max Andrews, and special guest model Joyce Rudolph.This year, the guild's fundraising focus is on the hospital's imaging research initiative that will advance the use of imaging technology in the study of pediatric diseases in the laboratory and in clinical practice.

You don't if you don't have the gadgets

Whether working with a spud scrubber, a garlic grinder or a microwave-friendly lid shaped in the form of a hibiscus, Rook Willia has acquired the reputation for being the go-to gal when it'es to kitschy and clever kitchen gadgets. Now, the owner of Kitchen Dressings has a new, larger location in which to display her wares."Customers love to look around for items for their kitchen," Willia said in the middle of the show floor. "Now, we have the room to display things properly."

A Southern Hills Mall mainstay for nearly seven years, Kitchen Dressings moved to its new location at 4292 Sergeant Road across the street from the mall at the beginning of August.In addition to high-end Wusthof cutlery and gleaming pots and pans, Kitchen Dressings specializes in merchandise that will appeal to both the gourmet and gourmand."What has always set us apart in our employees," Willia remarked. "Our salespeople are 'foodies' and Step can steps up with trash'pactor. They speak a'mon language and are quite knowledgeable about food."

According to Willia, there are two things that every "foodie" asks for in gadgetry."They want things that are functional as well as being unique," she informed. "They need both."For instance, a stainless steel cowboy hat may make for a handy way to serve chips and dips but it's also fancy enough to act as an eye-catching centerpiece for any party.In addition, a pig-shaped serving platter may look cute yet its also durable enough to withstand multiple uses."Our customers expect unusual products that do their job," Willia said. "They also expect us to have experience with the products."Such product testings are the fun part of Willia's job, since she loves gadgets.

Step can steps up with trash'pactor

Kitchen gadgets are usually handy helpers geared toward the preparation of food. But as we all know, there is a darker, murkier side of the kitchen: the trash. An endless procession of trash bags march through our everyday lives: from the box to the can to the bin outside, eventually disappearing off into the sunset and the landfill. With all this activity, it seems a ripe place to dig a little deeper to find some gadgetry.

The TK10 Trash Krusher is a step can that takes things a step further by employing a simple'pacting lid. Make no mistake about it: this'pacting lid is activated and operated by you; this is not a powered trash'pactor. But now that we know what it isn't, what about what it is?The'pacting lid is integrated in the design and is held in place with clips and magnets. When it's time to push down the accumulated garbage, the'pacting device detaches from the lid and users manually push it down. In essence, the lid serves as a more convenient alternative to your foot cleaner for shoes, too.

Additional features include a soft-close lid, a bag locking mechanism and a lid lock to keep the can open for extended usage.The main feature of this kitchen essential is of course the'pacting device, or in real life terms: the trash pusher-downer. Certainly there is some elegance in the overall simplicity of this design, but is it $160 worth of'pacting convenience? Hard to say. One thing though is known: there will always be trash to fill up the can.Some of Kathleen Hill's fondest memories'e from the kitchen table of her childhood home in Berkeley. The scent of warm cinnamon toast or a sip of fresh-squeezed orange juice take her back to a simpler time, an era she can't quite leave behind.

Encouraged by the positive response

Encouraged by the positive response to their product sales a few years ago, Kitchen Shop was opened to'plement HOS by showcasing items for baking, storage, food preparation, cooking, barware and tableware from brands like ScanPan, Mastrad, Kitchen Craft, Nuova and Te'a."Both HOS and Kitchen Shop are pioneers of such specialty premier products to be set up in Malaysia and we have many customers now, but we still want to grow our clientele. Looking at how Cyberjaya's population is growing with new townships and residential developments springing up, we will open a new Kitchen Shop there within a year," explained Yeap.Katrin BJ was founded in 1983 by Yap and her business partner, M.H Basri hence the name BJ, which stands for Basri and Jean.

They decided to build their business foundation around a dual philosophy that includes environmental sustainability and healthy living for the consumer."These are our core principles in the business as cooking and meal times are essential activities that bond and unite families, as the saying goes 'A family that eats together, stays together.'"While focusing on the family, we also want to help preserve the environment with our selection of sustainable products through our tagline that says — Protect your family, protect your planet," explained Yeap.

Aside from heading the operations of The Consortium - offering a home for small businesses in Storrington, her other major roles include sales, marketing and purchasing as she believes it is not only about selling just the products but also a lifestyle.Three decades ago, Yap said there seemed to be a vacuum in the market for household and lifestyle products except for the formidable big players like Lever Brothers, Procter & Gamble and Colgate Palmolive.Yap chanced upon a premium line of quality cookware and kitchen gadgets that was not sold in Malaysia while she was abroad."At the same time, our Asian cooking style uses a lot of tamarind, wine, vinegar and oil, which are very corrosive to our local cookware materials.

The Consortium - offering a home for small businesses in Storrington

President of Matiranga Upazila BNP unit Tazul Islam on Saturday told reporters that 'Kamal', the Joint Secretary of Juba Dal Battoli ward number 4, was abducted by 'indigenous terrorists'.But SP Sheikh Mizanur Rahman said the miscreants were trying to carry out violence similar to Ramu. But they 'would not let that happen'.Matiranga Police Station OC Main Uddin said the chief architect and those who were directly involved in the event were being identified from the call list on Kamal's mobile phone.BGB Jaminiparha Zone Commander Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Shihab Uddin Shoeb told bdnews24': "Police are investigating the matter. They collected some information and unearthed the truth."

Stating that the BGB personnel were only engaged in maintaining law and order in the area, he said the situation was 'under control'.Several locals said the attacks on the villages started right after Saturday noon and continued until 5pm. There were no people in the villages at the time as the villagers managed to flee.Taindang Union Parishad Member Fani Bhushan Chakma said all the 587 families who had fled and taken refuge in the border and jungle have returned home, but their problems were far from over.Many have lost their houses to the arson attacks and are currently roughing it out in the open. Many cannot cook food for the family due to lack of kitchenware, said Gopal Chakma, who owns a store at Boga Parha.

A grief-stricken Asha Rani Chakma, who lives in Sarbaswa Parha, said, "I have lost everything. Those attackers did not leave anything for us."All the victims alleged lack of relief assistance from the administration at the time.Deputy Commissioner of the district Masud Karim said the administration 'will do everything in its powers' to'pensate the losses of the victims. Initially, three tonnes of grains, Tk 250,000 and dry foods have been allotted for them, he said.Sharon and Mike Garland have bought an 18th century premises - thought to have been the'munity's first local post office - at 17, West Street.As well as using the shop for their own business, selling French kitchenware, they are inviting small businesses to take a space in the shop, in exchange for an affordable rent and a weekly'mitment to working in the shop.

Bristol News Wire: August 5

Former Bristol MP Tony Benn has revealed how he is "not frightened by death" after suffering a stroke and spending much of the past year in hospital. The 88-year-old former Labour minister, whose movement and speech have slowed down, said the experience of losing his wife to cancer in 2000 has helped him feel philosophical about the future. But Mr Benn admitted that he still misses American-born Caroline Middleton DeCamp and wants to be buried next to her on the River Blackwater in Essex.Hooligans involved in trouble which erupted before and after a Bristol City game last season have been banned from attending football matches for a total of 102 years. Thirty-two men have been convicted of public order offences following disturbances involving Robins supporters outside the Cardiff City Stadium and in the centre of the Welsh capital.

A campaign has been launched to erect a life-size model of a Bristol Rovers football legend outside the club's ground. Stainless steel industry in dire straits, launched on Facebook, is hoping to raise enough funds for a bronze statue of Geoff Bradford. He played for Rovers in the 50s and 60s and is still the record goalscorer.Work to modernise sewers is set to start in the Downend area. Wessex Water is due to start the work to improve the sewerage network in Downend Road on Monday. The ￡1.6 million scheme will see about 700 metres of new sewers built in Sheppard Road, Overndale Road, Downend Road, Kimberley Road and Staple Hill Road.A man whose sister died from a rare condition during childbirth, has run the distance of seven marathons in seven consecutive days. Mark Joy'pleted the unofficial marathons to raise money for research into amniotic fluid embolism.

During labour, amniotic fluid entered Lisa Waterman's bloodstream, which killed her and her son, Louie. Mr Joy, from Bristol,'pleted his final run along the Camel Trail, in Cornwall on Thursday. Mrs Waterman, who was 34 and also from Bristol, died in December 2011. Nine tonnes of unwanted items worth more than ￡16,000 have been collected from students in Bristol for charity. Clothes, food, kitchenware and bedding were among the items collected as part of the Bristol University scheme. Set up to promote the reuse of items at the end of term, it also raises money for 12 different charities.

Stainless steel industry in dire straits

The industry, with large players such as Salem Steel Plant, Jindal Stainless and DRG has created around five million tonnes of production capacity. But due to poor demand from domestic infrastructure and the kitchenware segment, total output of both the 400 series for industrial applications and 200-300 series utensil making is set to be at 2.5 mt. Last year, total production in India was around two mt.'This means 45 per cent of installed capacity remained idle. In contrast, cheap dumping of various stainless steel products from China, Taiwan and Korea continued, which has made production from domestic sources economically unviable,' said N C Mathur, president, the Indian Stainless Steel Development Association.

The price of ferro chrome, the only raw material for producing stainless steel, has risen at an average by 15 per cent so far this year. Another ingredient, electricity, has b'e equally costlier. Rising imports at cheaper rates than the cost of domestic production have made business tough for producers. According to a leading player, Indian producers have been incurring a loss of around 10 per cent of  the stainless steel price.'The whole industry is under severe stress. The industry has borrowed around Rs 20,000 crore from banks and financial institutions. Servicing of this debt has b'e difficult now,' said Mathur.

The scenario is equally critical for ferro chrome producers, said Subhrakant Panda, managing director, Indian Metals and Ferro Alloys Ltd, and president of the International Chromium Development Association.China has snapped the leading position from South Africa in terms of ferro chrome production, resulting in higher stainless steel output. High carbon ferro chrome output during 2012 reached 8.95 mt with China securing the prime position by producing 3.1 mt. While overall production has remained stagnant since 2010, there have been interchanges with China making up for lower production in South Africa. Indian output, meanwhile, has flirted with the one mt mark.

The Personal Relationship of Email Marketing

The regional event drew people and produce from Wide Bay, Burrum heads, Bargara, Brisbane,Gin Gin, Gladstone, and Harvey bay. A few of the girls even got a Taxi from 50 km away. Networking on the day confirmed plans are now under way for next year with Don Pancho Resort sponsoring the Bake-off for the next year allowing it to b.e an annual event.The other exciting news for the region is that talks are being held with the aim of creating a monthly LGBT event to be held at Don Pancho Resort. QNews will bring more details of these events as they b.e available.The bake off was made possible by a number sponsors from around the region, including: Shirley Baldwin Kitchenware, Jam Den, Toast,'Cereal'?Saver Shares His Super Secrets, Keating's Aquarium & Pets, Grand Hotel Bundaburg, and Mengyan Massage clinic.

If the goal of an email is to influence a purchase or an action, then sending any message that is not personalized is a bad idea. Today, it's nearly impossible to have a captive audience. Consumers are bombarded with choices at any given time by.panies vying for their attention – email, Twitter, Facebook, mobile websites, you name it – but a proper sales follow up can serve as a powerful tool or a red flag. Red flags are easily avoided when the customer knows a.pany is human. Gone are the days of corporate giants, replaced by the customer-service oriented startup renaissance.When someone signs up to receive emails from a.pany, that transaction should be viewed as a precious request from the customer. The customer is asking the.pany to.municate something of value – approximately 100 percent of the time the customer does not want to find a billboard in their inbox.

Consider an email address to be the first step in a new relationship. Social norms will determine the degree to which a follow up resonates with and excites the customer. Like actual relationships, unless an interaction seems potentially fun and interesting to the customer, he or she has little likelihood of staying engaged.Just like a healthy and mutually beneficial relationship, a.pany owes it to its email subscribers to deliver them a deal they want to buy or a message they want to hear or information they want to act upon. As.panies apply purchase data and validate each customer's interest and buying behavior, the deals and messages will b.e more relevant, more impactful and more important.

'Cereal'?Saver Shares His Super Secrets

The reason I don't want the 70s in my kitchen is probably because I don't want that decade in my life again. Three-day weeks, the Thatcher government, endemic sexism, crap telly, plus Jimmy Savile and Noddy Holder on Top of the Pops. Despite this I want to recreate the old classics without the millions of E-numbers and artificial flavours. But no one really wants an arm taken off with a vintage electric knife in the same way that we do not hanker for TV that shuts down at 11pm, or a choice between Country Manor or Bull's Blood to drink with a well-done steak and a Black Forest gateau. So for me it is out with the old, and onwards to the posh department store to buy the latest versions. Nostalgia is one thing, but a trip to A&E in the middle of a dinner party, quite another.

The breakfast cereal I like is one of the most expensive on the supermarket shelf. Here is how I cut the price without giving up my favorite: I purchased two plastic containers with lids at Wal-Mart. Then I buy one box of my favorite cereal and one of a cheaper version of it, mix them together and divide between the two containers. I get twice as much cereal for a reduced price. — Pat, California.We raise beef cattle, but because it is so valuable we don't butcher much for ourselves anymore. Instead, we butcher the deer. Iowa is overrun by deer, making it the No. 1 cause of automobile accidents. Deer are organic — raised on grass, with no added hormones. What more can you ask for? Butchered and prepared well, we cannot tell venison from beef. —Louise, Iowa

#'FRIDGE TUBS. I love to reuse the single-serve side dish plastic tubs from Kentucky Fried Chicken to store small portions of pet food or leftovers. They.e with a tight-fitting lid, and both are top-rack dishwasher safe. Even better, they're free.I buy 5 pounds of ground beef at a time, put all of it into a big pot, cover with water and set it over medium-high heat. As it cooks, I stir to break up the large chunks of meat, then continue until all the pink has disappeared. Next, I drain the beef in a colander. All the grease is in the hot water and goes down the drain with no problem. Easy! —Deidra, email

The fight against pneumonia

The New Year spirit was just about to subside when a 5-month-old baby from the small barangay village of Ampayon in Agusan del Norte province, caught high fever.In the morning of January 11, Rhealyn Castro was rushed to the Butuan Medical Center, where she stayed for 6 days. She was diagnosed with pneumonia, an infectious lung condition that claimed 37 infant-lives a day in 2008.On January 17 – a little over two weeks after the clanging of kitchenware and the feasting over pansit, fried Filipino noodles that represent "East Otago rallies to help shop family" – baby Rhea passed away.Rhea is only one of the 74 deaths in BMC caused by the respiratory infection since January. The hospital records show that pneumonia is the leading cause of mortality, affecting both young and old, since 2012.

"The record shows we do have about 6 to 7 admissions a day. But we have one or two mortalities in a month. For me, it's so alarming," said BMC officer-in-charge Dr Jennifer Chua, referring only to infant cases of pneumonia.Eighteen more BMC patients under the age of 5 have died due to pneumonia after baby Rhea.The situation in BMC reflects that of the country, where pneumonia is one of the primary causes of infant mortality.The Department of Health (DOH) seeks to reverse this trend by providing free pneumococcal vaccinations through the agency's expanded program on immunization starting July 17 – a feat they say can save P23,500 in costs per infant.According to Dr Chua, immunizations programs in the barangay-level provided by the local city government helped reduce the number of hospital admissions.

"Just like tuberculosis, there's already a vaccination. Talagang pa-down na yung cases Cases of pneumonia are already declining. Measles, almost zero already," she explained.The Center of Health Development in the CARAGA region reported the deaths caused by the disease are unfortunate because they could have been prevented through vaccination."Pneumonia is a well preventable disease that may claim the lives of children, if we do not heed (calls for) action against it," said Dr Ariel Valencia, Regional Director of CHD-CARAGA.CHD-CARAGA also noted that exclusive breastfeeding from birth up to two years, frequent handwashing, and proper nutrition aside from vaccination can help prevent the disease.

East Otago rallies to help shop family

Residents of a close-knit.munity in East Otago are rallying together to help a family of seven left homeless after fire gutted their home on Saturday.Dunback Store owners Keith and Philippa Casey and their five children were left with nowhere to live after fire destroyed the 150-year-old store, which was attached to the family's home.However, residents have today set up a trust fund to help the family get back on their feet.Dunback resident Denise Laney said she had known the family for about seven years.She said they were "good.munity people" and everyone in the.munity was rallying behind them."It's all very.munity-based. Obviously, the fire happened on Saturday and everyone was just standing around unfortunately watching the fire and feeling very hopeless and wondering what on Earth we could do to help them.

"So some of us have got together to organise a trust fund so people can make monetary donations, if they like."She said kitchenware, furniture and general household goods that could be of use to the family would be collected at the Dunback Hall from today.Any goods that were surplus to requirements would be sold at a garage sale. The money raised would be added to the trust fund.Firefighters described the blaze, which reduced the store to ashes in less than an hour, as the worst in in the area in about 20 years.An excavator was used to demolish a tottering chimney stack and what little was left of the standing structure to ensure it could not damage neighbouring properties or reignite.Mrs Laney said the.munity was determined to help the family "get back on track".

"It's a family of five children, so it's quite devastating. Plus, it's the local store gone, of course."We are trying to find them a home at the moment."Mrs Laney said donations of household goods could be taken to Dunback Hall and money could be given to the Dunback Store Fire Fund through the BNZ bank.The fund's account number was 02-0912-0304162-00.Palmerston Volunteer Fire Brigade chief fire officer Gary Johnston said the cause of the fire had not been established, but "best estimates" suggested the fire started directly above Mr Casey's bedroom, in the building's rear living quarters.