Columns

Columns

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

KAREN CIMMS/TIMES NEWS Homemade muffins are perfect for a lazy Sunday morning breakfast. Serve them warm with butter or cream cheese and an assortment of jams and jellies.

Many years ago, while attempting to double a favorite muffin recipe, I was briefly called away from the kitchen. I can't remember why, but I'm going to assume some child was doing something to bother another child.

When I returned, I picked up where I thought I'd left off. It seems, however, I forgot where I was and ended up changing the amounts on some of the ingredients, but not others.

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Water pills and high blood pressure

Q. If you have high blood pressure, aren't you better off just taking old-fashion water pills instead of all these fancy drugs?

Water pills (aka diuretics) are the oldest and best studied of the drugs used to treat high blood pressure (aka hypertension). Diuretics help the kidneys flush extra water and salt from your body and decrease blood volume to lower pressure.

There are three types of diuretics: thiazide, loop and potassium-sparing. They work in different parts of your kidneys

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Say 'aloha' to your chicken

In addition to lots of bulky amplifiers, guitars and other stringed instruments, my husband brought a little bit of Hawaiiana into our marriage. Before we met, he lived on the island of Oahu for about 10 years. He embraced the lifestyle there, which celebrates not only the culture of the Hawaiian natives, but those of Japanese and Portuguese descent, as well as other Pacific islanders.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Low vision caused by diseases, disorders and eye injuries

Q. What kind of glasses should you get for low vision?

Low vision is a significant reduction in visual function that can't be corrected by regular glasses, contact lenses, medicine or surgery. Low vision can range from moderate impairment such as tunnel vision or blind spots to almost total blindness.

One out of every 20 people has low vision. About 135 million people around the world suffer from this impairment.

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Serve a stylish and yummy breakfast

Last week, in honor of Cinco de Mayo, we featured several recipes from Jim Thorpe innkeeper Sheila O'Neil, owner of The Gilded Cupid Bed & Breakfast.

Earlier, I had spent a fun afternoon with Sheila, who cooked a few different breakfasts for me to sample, and generously provided all of her recipes so that I can share them with our readers.

If you enjoyed last week's column, you're going to love this one!

Cake for Breakfast

Makes six cakes

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup baking powder

teaspoon baking soda

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

No Header!

Q. My wife insists on buying nothing but crunchy brown bread because she says it is good for us. I'm a bit skeptical about this and suspect we are victims of hype to sell this kind of bread. What do you think?

I'm presuming that your wife wants to get whole grain bread to put more fiber into your diet. Whole grains are cereal grains that include the bran, the germ, and the core of the kernel known as the endosperm. Bran is a tough, fibrous outer layer, which is a source of fiber.

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Celebrating Cinco de Mayo

Sheila O'Neil is a gracious, intuitive hostess and innkeeper with a flair for entertaining and a talent for creating delicious, beautifully presented dishes.

As the owner of The Gilded Cupid Bed & Breakfast in Jim Thorpe, naturally, the first meal of the day is one of her favorites to prepare.

Sheila recently invited me to spend some time with her in her large, well-appointed kitchen, where we cooked, chatted and ate.

For Sheila, food is a hobby, her business and much more.

"Food is love and an expression of yourself," says Sheila.

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Roast Chicken and Avocado Mashed Potatoes get an A+

I read recently that Julia Child once said, "You can always judge the quality of a cook or a restaurant by roast chicken."

She said a lot more about basting and hovering over that bird, but I'm going to ignore that. I don't do either. However, if you are going to judge my cooking, based on my roast chicken, then I am A-OK with that!

I have been roasting chickens for years. Sometimes they were dry, and other times they were juicy, but bland. I eventually hit upon what, for me, is perfection.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Speak with your doctor before taking St. John's wort

Q. I have friends in France who take St. John's wort for depression. Do you think this stuff works?

St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum or Klamathweed) is one of the most commonly purchased herbal products in the United States. However, do not take this product unless you have consulted your family physician.

The St. John's wort plant has been used as a medicine for many centuries. It was popular in ancient Greece. Today in Europe, it is used widely to treat mild-to-moderate depression.

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Mommom's meatballs and sauce

This tomato sauce recipe is a great go-to sauce for pasta or pizza and is a family favorite.

There's nothing better than a good meatball, and as far as I'm concerned, nothing harder to find.

My grandmother, Grace Lombardi, made a terrific meatball, and my Aunt Francie's were pretty darn good too. If I had to say those were my two favorites, then they only edged my mother out by the tiniest margin. (Sorry Mom!)

That being said, I've never met anyone who makes a meatball that comes even close to my mom's, my aunt's or my grandmother's. That is, until I met Emeril Lagasse.

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