Chocolate Milk Wars

In some misguided attempt to stop childhood obesity, Florida could be the first state in the union to ban chocolate milk in public schools.



Are we crazy?



I can understand banning Classic Coke.

Here are the facts. Chocolate milk is good for you. Some studies show that when milk and chocolate are combined the nutritional benefits of each doubles.

It's rich in protein, calcium, vitamin-D and other good stuff. A glass of reduced fat chocolate milk (which is how it usually comes) has 160 calories.

Michael Phelps drinks chocolate milk to recover after a swim.

So drink up kids. I think I'll have a glass myself.

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Cookbook

Just before Christmas my church put out a cookbook. Most church cookbooks are good because folks want their best recipes included.

But this one's exceptional. For one thing we have well known chefs and caterers in the congregation. There's even a pro section call "Celebrity Chef." In it there's the recipe for Bacon, Date and Chorizo Tapas that's served at the Imperial Wine Bar. And it doesn't look hard to make.

I love seeing my friend's recipes. When my friend, Gil, retired a few years ago he spent the following couple of years making desserts for various groups. Some of his favorites are in there, including his Lemonade Cookies.

A few years ago I became acquainted with Coke Cola Cake. Oh my gosh, it's to die for. The recipe's in the book.

The one that intrigues me the most is for Perfect Prime Rib. I've never attempted prime rib. It's way too expensive to risk messing up. But Tom, the man who entered the recipe, says it's easy. It looks easy. But at one point you have to turn off the oven and "DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR" for two hours.

Don't know if I could be that brave. I might have to call Tom and have him talk me through it.

Polly has many Asian recipes in the book. She really knows her stuff. Her Kung Pao Chicken recipe looks totally yummy.

There are several recipes for Tortilla Soup and Taco Soup. It must be popular. I've never tried these soups.

John Rivers, owner and executive chef of 4R Smokehouse, a popular (by that I mean the line goes around the block) restaurant has been very generous to the church over the years. More than once he's prepared fantastic meals for over a thousand people for church celebrations.

His recipes are in the book.

Here's a menu suggestion for you:

Creamy Spring Asparagus Soup
Perfect Prime Rib and/or Miss Sally's Crawfish Pie
Potato Fennel Gratin
Radish and Cucumber Salad
Roasted Pears With Blue Cheese and Walnuts

As you must realize, I've read the book from cover to cover. Don't know if I'll actually make any of the recipes - but I certainly hope I get to eat some. Especially that Coke Cola cake.


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The Paradoxical Commandments

In our excellent Sunday school class this morning we discussed "The Paradoxical Commandments." Many people think these commandments were written by Mother Teresa because she had them on her wall but they were actually written in 1968 by Kent Keith when he was 19 years old and a student at Harvard.

Over the years he's done great work in leadership and "The Paradoxical Commandments" have become kind of a cottage industry for him.

These commandments coincide very well with the teachings of Jesus who was (and is) both paradoxical and revolutionary.

So here are the commandments to help you begin 2011.

THE PARADOXICAL COMMANDMENTS

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self- centered. Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds. Think big anyway.

People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.

People may really need help but may attack you if you do help them. Help them anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you have anyway.


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Maury Hurt's Early Work

Dave and I have colds but today we got ourselves off the couch and down to the Mennello Art Museum to see works by our hometown treasures, Maury Hurt and Grady Kimsey.

Their work is terrific so go see it. Two very different styles.

But I was a little disappointed as well. In the 1970s Maury Hurt's mother was a good friend. A kind and gracious lady, she lived in a large home in downtown Orlando. In the entrance way, just inside the front door was a painting by her son, Maury.

There is no way to adequately express how much I loved that painting. I made excuses to go to her house just to look at the painting. It always moved me.

He did many similar paintings through the years. Always of interiors, always with a crystal ball of some sort. I loved them as well. They always made me want to cry. I could always transport myself in the middle of those rooms.

Then he changed his style. His later works are wonderful - but to me, they're not magical.

If you go to the Mennello for this exhibit - and I hope you do - look a the painting just inside the door. (Just like at his mom's house in the 70s.) It's an example of the old work.

And I spied crystal balls in some of the others today as well.


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Travel Tips

We just returned from our annual Christmas trip up north. Dave was with his family in Chicago and I was with mine in Atlanta.

The round trip in the car to Atlanta is a long one. But we've learned to listen to books on tape from the library.

This time we had copies of the old radio show "Suspense."

Tales calculated to keep you in...Suspense!

We heard Agnes Moorehead in "Sorry, Wrong Number." She was so irritating and whinny that I could almost understand why her husband wanted to bump her off.

Also heard Cary Grant, Vincent Price, Joseph Cotton, Orson Welles, Robert Taylor and Lucille Ball as a "dime a dance" gal in trouble.

As a kid these episodes would terrify me but now they're just fun.


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What Interested You This Year?

All of the year end stats are coming out about what we cared about, worried about and thought was "hot" in 2010.


Remember, this was the year of foreclosures, bankruptcies and the oil spill. Not to mention our country's dismal education record.


In the world's most recognized standardized test for 15-year-olds, the Pisa, Shanghai ranked # One. The U. S. ranked 17th in reading comprehension and 37th in math.


But even though we didn't care much about reading and math - one of the people who interested us the most in in U.S. in 2010 was Lady GaGa. So here's a test for you. Do you know what kind of beef was used in Lady GaGa's famous raw meat dress?


Answer: Flank steak!


If only that had been one of the questions on the Pisa test.








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Two Attitudes

Yesterday when I was in the car I heard a snippet of conversation on one of those hateful talk shows. This one out of Atlanta. They were discussing being able to legally shoot people who inter your home and threaten your safety. I was "OK" with the discussion although I don't believe I would shoot a person for any reason whatsoever.

Then the host said that he thought it should be legal to shoot and kill robbers who are not a physical threat but just trying to get away with your stuff. I was a bit distressed by this.

Later in the afternoon, again in the car, I heard a snippet from NPR (my favorite station.) A man (the victim) was telling this story.

A robber accosted him on the sidewalk, in the snow, and took his wallet. As the robber was taking off the victim said, "Why don't you come into the restaurant and have supper with me. If you're going to be doing this all night you need to eat something."

Dumbfounded, the robber went with him. They talked. (I can't remember what they said but it was rich.) I do remember that the waiter, the owner and the busboy all came by the table to talk with the two men. The robber was impressed. When the bill came the victim told the robber that he didn't have any money since his wallet had been stolen.

So the robber paid the bill and then gave the victim back his wallet.

The victim thanked the robber, gave him $20, and they went their separate ways.

I don't know if I would, at my age, still have the courage to do the above - but I hope I would.


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