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Prairie Fare: Are pets good for your health?

Jake and Lilly were sitting next to me on the couch one evening. I patted them on their warm backs. They looked at me approvingly with their big brown eyes. When I reached for the remote control to change the TV channel, they wiggled closer and wagged their tails. I found an old movie and I settled in to watch with my two warm, furry dachshund companions. The other four dogs were in another room snoozing in a pile of blankets. They were tired after the youngest, Abby, had been tackling Chester and Toby. I chuckled at the furry mass of playful dachshunds rolling around the ...

Let’s Cook: The Hue of Handwriting

What is something that we do daily that can engage our intellect, emotion and style? What daily activity with creative moments engage both our mind, heart and good cup of coffee? What daily activity can we improve upon without sacrificing a thing? What daily activity can convey power and ...

THINKING ABOUT HEALTH: Congress leaves promising health care cost reforms in limbo

Health care as an issue landed with a thud in late December as members of Congress packed up and went home for the holidays. Two important pieces of legislation for patients didn't make it to the finish line. Passage of either measure next year is a crapshoot since it's an election year. One of my journalistic colleagues from the online site Axios summed up the Congressional end-of-the year stalemate this way: "There are lots of goodies for the industry, while patients will get the worst kind of holiday surprise-more medical bills" after Congress failed to enact two promising pieces ...

The food isn’t ready til you add `the finishing touch’

If you’ve ever wondered why food made by your favorite restaurant chef tastes better than the food you make at home, chances are you are missing the crucial “finishing touch.” That’s the final seasoning that chefs sprinkle or drizzle on the food once it is cooked. You can add the ...

Local Tastes: Cabbage Rolls

1 medium head cabbage 1 to 1-1/4 pounds ground beef 1 cup cooked rice 1 small onion, chopped 2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1 can (16 ounces) tomato sauce 1/4 cup water Hot sauce to taste Remove core from cabbage. Steam 12 large outer leaves until limp. ...