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Sunday, January 30, 2011
Chocolate Cheesecake Squares
From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I'm going to begin the chocolate extravaganza with one of the easiest recipes I'll be featuring this week. It's not a flashy or rich dessert, but I decided to include it for those of you who will be baking for Valentines who are, or should be, dieting. This is by no means diet food, but the squares are definitely lighter than their full-fat cousins. The recipe was developed by Martha Stewart and it uses reduced fat dairy products and unsweetened cocoa powder to make these light, but rich tasting, squares that taste far more like cheesecake than brownies. While they won't set your world on fire, the brownies are a nice alternative for those of you who are counting fat grams and calories. I've played ever so slightly with the original recipe. The first few times I made these brownies, I used sour cream, but found its tang to be off-putting. I solved that problem by using a low fat creme fraiche in its place. In order to get a richer chocolate flavor I also upgraded the cocoa powder I was using. I switched to Guittard products because that was what was available to me. I'm not touting this brand, but I do want you to know that this is a recipe where it pays to use the best chocolate you can get your hands on. If your ingredients are at room temperature, you can have the brownies in the oven in about 15 minutes. I found mine took a few minutes longer to cook than the recipe had indicated, but they were out of the oven in 45 minutes. I let them cool at room temperature for about an hour and then let them chill for an hour longer before cutting them. I think you'll like these. They are certainly worth a try. Here's the recipe.
Chocolate Cheesecake Squares...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Martha Stewart
Nonstick cooking spray
8 chocolate wafer cookies
1 brick (8-ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese
1 cup reduced fat creme fraiche
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons corn starch
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 large whole egg plus 1 egg white
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray. Line with two crisscrossed pieces of parchment or wax paper, spraying between the sheets. Spray lined pan and set aside.
2) Process cookies in food processor until finely ground. Gently press crumbs into bottom of prepared pan (it is not necessary to rinse the processor bowl).
3) Blend cream cheese and creme fraiche until smooth, scraping down sides of the bowl as needed. Add cocoa, cornstarch, sugar, almond extract, egg and egg white and process until smooth. Pour into pan and sprinkle with chocolate chips.
4) Bake until just set, 35 to 40 minutes (mine took 45 minutes). Cool completely in pan. Refrigerate at least 1 hour. Invert onto tray, peel off paper and reinvert crust side down. Cut into 9 squares. Yield: 9 servings.
You might also enjoy these recipes:
Bon Appetit Brownies - Cookie Madness
Double Chocolate Walnut Brownies -- Elana's Pantry
Deep, Dark Chocolate Espresso Brownies - Confessions of a Kitchen Witch
The Healthy Brownie - Squirrel Bakes
Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc Brownies - Lawyer Loves Lunch
Hazelnut Brownies - Baking and Boys
The Best Cocoa Brownies - The Sophisticated Gourmet
Nutella Fudge Brownies - Life's a Feast
Nutella Crunchie Brownies - Chow and Chatter
74 comments :
- Umm Mymoonah said...
Scrumptious looking cake and thank you so much for voting. That's so kind of you :)
- January 30, 2011 at 3:09 AM
Scrumptious looking squares!! Double C... both are my favourite!
- January 30, 2011 at 3:16 AM
- Banana Wonder said...
oh wow yum. Female situation in full effect. tap in this chocolate cheesecake goodness. Just need to find creme fraiche...
- January 30, 2011 at 3:46 AM
- Three-Cookies said...
Nice and simple recipe - chocolate topped with chocolate, whats not to like:)
- January 30, 2011 at 4:04 AM
- Alessandra said...
Ciao Mary,
back from my trip, missed blogging :-), good to be back and find chocolate cheesecake squares!
Alessandra - January 30, 2011 at 4:17 AM
- mara said...
My dear Mary looks so delicious !
Have a nice Sunday! - January 30, 2011 at 4:29 AM
- muppy said...
i read chocolate extravaganza and thought i'd better stop reading - i am trying to eat healthy, but then i read on, thanks for sharing a great looking slice that is not as bad for you!
- January 30, 2011 at 4:48 AM
- GLENDA CHILDERS said...
I always enjoy some lower fat treats along with other favorite desserts.
Happy chocolate week, Mary.
Glenda - January 30, 2011 at 5:14 AM
- penny aka jeroxie said...
yay to chocolate!
- January 30, 2011 at 5:22 AM
- Jeannie said...
Oh wow! I love this! Chocolates and cheese, what a combination!
- January 30, 2011 at 5:35 AM
- fuat gencal said...
Merhabalar, ellerinize, emeğinize sağlık. Çok leziz ve iştah açıcı görünüyor.
Saygılarımla. - January 30, 2011 at 6:03 AM
- cocoa and coconut said...
These look incredible! I love the studs of chocolate in them too.
- January 30, 2011 at 6:43 AM
- Carrie said...
Mary, this was perfectly timed! I logged onto facebook this morning to see that a friend requested a chocolate cheesecake recipe, and then logged into blogger to see that you'd just posted one! Talk about luck. ;)
- January 30, 2011 at 6:47 AM
- Angie's Recipes said...
wow Mary, those look decadent and I wish I could just grab a few from the screen :-))
- January 30, 2011 at 6:48 AM
- Lizaboo said...
Omg again another deliciouc post that almost made me dribble!
- January 30, 2011 at 7:32 AM
- Clint said...
This is very powerful, addictive stuff. Can I be your Texas distributor? :)
- January 30, 2011 at 7:37 AM
- Joanne said...
I am always in the market for delicious lower fat desserts...and if they have chocolate in them - bonus! These sound great!
- January 30, 2011 at 7:48 AM
- Jennifer said...
OH MY...these look amazingly delicious! Chocolate & cheesecake...I'm in!
- January 30, 2011 at 8:19 AM
- Kim said...
These diet brownies looks good. I did'nt know that low fat creme fraiche was even existing... Not here yet! When I will want a sweet thing without all the calories, I'll think of this recipe. Have a good day Mary!
- January 30, 2011 at 8:36 AM
- Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...
Lighter is definietly good even on Valentines Day for those we love!
- January 30, 2011 at 8:38 AM
- Linda... said...
Hi Mary. Thanks for stopping by to view Lindaloves and for your nice comment. I've checked out your blog and you have some GREAT recipes. I'm now following you.
- January 30, 2011 at 8:40 AM
- Lori said...
Oh my Mary those squares just beckon!
- January 30, 2011 at 8:58 AM
- Chiara said...
Oh Mary what a wonderful squares you made!I like this kind of trick..
- January 30, 2011 at 9:07 AM
- C&G said...
wow wow wow what a wonderful looking cheesecake!
- January 30, 2011 at 9:18 AM
- CaSaundraLeigh said...
You can never go wrong with chocolate and cheesecake. I like the switches you made to the recipe as well--sounds like a good treat to make to satisfy chocolate cravings :-)
- January 30, 2011 at 9:44 AM
- T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types said...
Looks pretty decadent to me! Chocolate and cream cheese - one of those perfect matches!
- January 30, 2011 at 9:50 AM
- Leslie said...
Even though they are "lower fat" they still look divine. I would never turn my nose up to chocolate anything.
- January 30, 2011 at 10:02 AM
- mike @ made by mike said...
Those look like a little slice of chocolate heaven!
- January 30, 2011 at 10:30 AM
- Brandie@thecountrycook said...
Mary - another wonderful recipe. I really do enjoy all of your recipes. Here's a little something for you (no obligation to repost :)
http://the-country-cook.blogspot.com/2011/01/blogger-awards-and-big-thanks-to-you.html - January 30, 2011 at 10:33 AM
- Julie said...
Chocolate and cheesecake, delicious!!! Another beautiful dessert.
- January 30, 2011 at 11:02 AM
- Jersey Girl Cooks said...
These look decadent!
- January 30, 2011 at 11:09 AM
- Pushpa said...
- January 30, 2011 at 11:12 AM
- Wendy said...
Hi Mary, Thanks for visiting my blog at www.wendysfavoriteplace.blogspot.com This cheesecake recipe caught my eye. Love it! I'm a new follower of your blog.
- January 30, 2011 at 11:12 AM
- Chele said...
Oh my goodeness!!! I think I've put weight on just looking at that photo. YUM!
- January 30, 2011 at 11:14 AM
- Lucie said...
Diet or no diet, these sound great, Mary! I wouldn't mind a little tang with the chocolate!
- January 30, 2011 at 12:18 PM
- sally said...
Yum! These certainly look decadent!
- January 30, 2011 at 12:21 PM
- aipi said...
What perfect squares. The chocolate chips make them look fabulous :)
US Masala - January 30, 2011 at 12:27 PM
- Unknown said...
I like this recipe Mary, thanks for sharing a rich looking but lighter brownie recipe. I can think of dozens of places to share a batch of brownies like this. Hope you're having a nice weekend;-)
- January 30, 2011 at 12:43 PM
- Ann Minard said...
Wow, those look divine and I will be making these! Thank you for your kind comment on my blog!
- January 30, 2011 at 12:44 PM
- Ginny Hartzler said...
Did you say chocolate extravaganza!!!?? I'm there! Can't wait! These look so good! I think I can almost taste them through the computer!
- January 30, 2011 at 12:49 PM
- The Words Crafter said...
These look delicious!!!
- January 30, 2011 at 1:03 PM
- Eliana said...
This dessert looks perfect Mary! Wish I had one big 'ol square right now.
- January 30, 2011 at 1:04 PM
- Priyanka said...
Wow Mary.....its heaven on a plate....yummy..
- January 30, 2011 at 1:11 PM
- Flavia Galasso said...
My dear MAry...this cheesecake is faboulus...but today we had a great Sunday thanks to your Maine shrimps chowder.....it's delicious ....very very gooood...thanks MAry...hugs, Flavia
- January 30, 2011 at 1:53 PM
- Hester Casey - Alchemy said...
Hi Mary, thanks for visiting my page and for your lovely comment. I am delighted to return the visit. Your sense of humour comes across in your writing and to quote your family ... your food is 'killer' indeed.
- January 30, 2011 at 2:01 PM
- Faith said...
You read my mind, Mary! I've been really dying for cheesecake and these look perfect! I'm adding creme fraiche to my grocery list now! :)
- January 30, 2011 at 2:36 PM
- That Girl said...
It's nice when easy can also be delicious!
- January 30, 2011 at 2:47 PM
- Jen_from_NJ said...
These would make a great Valentine treat! Cheese and chocolate = delicious!
- January 30, 2011 at 3:56 PM
- Victor said...
Such a great looking and decadent cheesecake. I wish I can grab one right now.
- January 30, 2011 at 4:55 PM
- deb said...
OMG those look amazingly delicious!
I alos love your header pic! So colorful and yummy ♥
Thank you so much for stopping by for a visit. I appreciate your kind and encouraging words, they mean a lot to me.
Wishing you a great Superbowl Sunday...with all those outstanding yummies your making I can see why you should have a houseful!
*hugs*deb - January 30, 2011 at 4:57 PM
- Julie said...
Now that's my kind of diet food! Yum :)
- January 30, 2011 at 5:00 PM
- Claudia said...
HI! I've just discovered your Blog and it looks so nice! And these bars are delicious...This is my kind of diet! ;-)
- January 30, 2011 at 5:03 PM
- teresa said...
oh my goodness, so yummy! i love the chocolate chips on top!
- January 30, 2011 at 5:03 PM
- pigpigscorner said...
I like how they are lighter and relatively calorie-friendly =) Looks so moist and fudgy!
- January 30, 2011 at 5:42 PM
- xinex said...
Uhm, yum! Thanks for stopping by Mary. Actually it was my hubby who found out and took me to the Polish pottery store and after walking around with me, he sat down patiently with my purse while waiting for me to finish shopping....Christine
- January 30, 2011 at 5:47 PM
- briarrose said...
Want them! And I won't have to feel too guilty about eating them. ;)
- January 30, 2011 at 6:09 PM
- Karina said...
I am so honored you stopped by my blog - thank you! I have been following you for a while and love your recipes. These chocolate cheesecake squares, they look incredible and I may have just switched up my superbowl lineup! (it's between these and the mexican chocolate brownies, decisions decisions!!)
- January 30, 2011 at 6:53 PM
- -Arielle- said...
This looks absolutely delicious! I'm really enjoying scrolling through all your recipes!
- January 30, 2011 at 6:57 PM
- A Canadian Foodie said...
Mary - Your family is so fortunate to have you... tell us (me) more about them... when I see your incredible "perfect bites" I wonder how delighted they must be and how you do all that you do so perfectly - truly, so perfectly. A lighter chocolate cheesecake brownie is JUST what the doctor ordered - so I can have TWO pieces!
valerie - January 30, 2011 at 8:03 PM
- ~~louise~~ said...
Oh Mary, they look heavenly. I just baked a cheesecake the other day and hemmed and hawed about adding chocolate. Now I wish I had, although, it really did hit the spot.
I was contemplated using reduced fat cream cheese. Perhaps, next time. But, I must admit, not any time soon. I think I'll freeze the rest. I'm afraid I'll eat the whole thing, lol...
Thank you so much for sharing. I'm keeping this for sure!!! - January 30, 2011 at 8:24 PM
- Unknown said...
OMG they were good!
thanks for coming by my blog to say hi!
kathleen xx - January 30, 2011 at 9:05 PM
- Kankana said...
Yumm yumm yumm Mary! So love all your dishes. Please visit my blog and grab your Stylish Blogger Award:)
- January 30, 2011 at 9:42 PM
- Melinda said...
I was just telling Mr. Ken that I'd
love to have something chocolate!!
Oh Heavens!!!
Melinda - January 30, 2011 at 10:22 PM
- scrambledhenfruit said...
So nice to have a scrumptious treat that's a little bit lighter- perfect for a not-so-guilty treat! :)
- January 30, 2011 at 10:54 PM
- Tasha said...
I am way more a fan of cheesecake than brownies, and I'm always for a good-tasting lightened up dessert, so these seem just perfect.
- January 30, 2011 at 10:54 PM
- Unknown said...
Woah! those look wickedly good!!!first time on your blog and loving it!
- January 30, 2011 at 11:09 PM
- Elin Chia said...
Mary, these looks chocolatey cheesy rich and I would love to have a bite :) Love them so meanwhile virtual feasting first until I gather the ingredients together :) Thanks Mary for another winner :)
Have a nice day and blessings thru the year ,
Elin - January 30, 2011 at 11:28 PM
- The Red Umbrella said...
You know I'm all for this!
- January 30, 2011 at 11:41 PM
- A little bit of everything said...
your chocolate cheesecake squares look and sound amazingly delicious.
thanks for sharing Mary, hope you'll have a wonderful week - January 30, 2011 at 11:55 PM
- Rhonda said...
Absolutely decadent!
- January 31, 2011 at 12:45 AM
- My Little Space said...
Oh my, another irresistible dessert! Hmm...mmm... Thanks again.
Kriaty - January 31, 2011 at 7:53 AM
- Unknown said...
Wow..those looks delicious!!
- January 31, 2011 at 8:08 AM
- FOODESSA said...
These will definitely hold a place in my 'To make soon list'...Hubby will be thrilled with this treat...and of course...I'm not too far behind. LOL
Ciao for now,
Claudia - February 1, 2011 at 10:13 AM
- Elaine said...
Oh, my...! I really do think I could get lost here.
- February 5, 2011 at 12:35 AM

subset: commoncrawl


text:
It's happening again.
It's not even close to the summer driving season -- in fact, it's not even springtime -- but as surely as February gives way to March, gas prices have begun their annual ascent.
The average price for a gallon of regular is now $3.53 a gallon, according to AAA. That's 17 cents higher than it was just a week ago, and 23 cents higher than last month.
In parts of Los Angeles, drivers are already paying more than $5 a gallon.
"I'm shocked. I don't know what happened," Diana Griffitts, a motorist filling up at a downtown LA station, told CNN. "Just a week ago I paid under $4 a gallon. I'd like an explanation."
Well Diana, we'll try.
Analysts say gas prices are going up for two basic reasons: oil prices are rising, and refineries are shutting down.
CNNMoney map: Check gas prices in your state
Oil prices have jumped 10% over the last two months. The price of crude accounts for 68% of the cost of a gallon of gas, according to the Energy Information Administration. Other costs include refining (8%), marketing and distribution (11%), and taxes (13%).
Energy analysts say oil prices are rising partly because the economy is improving. The U.S. housing market had its best year in the last five, U.S. job growth is steady, and the Chinese economy is showing an uptick.
OPEC production cuts are also causing oil prices to rise. The cartel is believed to have cut production by about 1 million barrels a day over the last few months, partly as a response to rising oil production elsewhere, notably the United Sates.
Related: Cheapest cars to fuel
On the refining front, several refineries have either shut down or are about to for maintenance before the switch to summer gasoline, which often has to be formulated to prevent smog buildup in the warmer weather. That comes on top of the closure of a Hess refinery in New Jersey last month, which was reportedly losing money.
"There's no shortage," said Andrew Lebow, an energy broker at Jefferies Bache in New York. "But there's anticipation that as refineries go down, stockpiles will draw."
Investors are moving their cash into energy futures, attracted by the improving economy and potentially lower gasoline supplies.
In early December, 11.7% of the most commonly traded U.S. oil futures contracts were held by investment funds betting the price would go higher, according to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. As of last week, that number jumped to 15%.
That money-movement ritual happens every spring, according to Tom Kloza, chief oil analyst at the Oil Price Information Service. Each year, though, it seems to be happening earlier and earlier, he said.
Fortunately for motorists, prices this year are not expected to be as high as last year.
Thanks to an oil and gas production boom in this country, peak gasoline prices are expected to top out somewhere between $3.50 a gallon and $3.90 a gallon this year, Kloza said. Last year's top price was $3.94 a gallon, set in early April.
Average prices for the whole year are expected to be lower, too. Kloza is predicting an average of $3.25 to $3.50 a gallon. That's nice break from last year's average of $3.60 -- which caused U.S. motorists to spend a record $479 billion at the pump.
--CNN's Paul Vercammen contributed to this report


text:
LYON, France ‒ The conviction in the US of an Afghan national wanted internationally for a series of rapes after a DNA match made by INTERPOL led to the suspect's arrest in Austria in 2010 has been hailed by INTERPOL Secretary General Ronald K. Noble as an example of what can be achieved through international police cooperation.
Ali Achekzai, aged 33, who fled to Austria from the US after he was accused of rape in 2004, was convicted Thursday in a court in Santa Ana, California, of sexually assaulting two women and attempting to sexually assault a third. He was extradited to the US from Austria in 2010 after detectives from the Tustin Police Department in California, working with the Orange County Crime Lab, sent a DNA profile linked to the US attacks to INTERPOL's General Secretariat headquarters in Lyon in December 2009.
INTERPOL's global DNA database matched the profile with another one submitted by Austria as part of an investigation into a rape in Salzburg in April 2009. Immediately after confirming the hit, INTERPOL's DNA unit alerted authorities in the US and Austria which then exchanged further investigative information, including fingerprints and photographs which confirmed the man's identity as Achekzai, who was at that time living under an assumed name in Salzburg.
"This case highlights the importance for law enforcement of consulting global databases when in possession of unknown DNA specimens taken from serious crime scenes. An international rapist has been brought to justice and local crimes have been solved through international law enforcement tools and collaboration," said INTERPOL Secretary General Ronald K. Noble.
"Ali Achekzai's identity, arrest and conviction were secured because investigators in California sent the suspect's DNA profile to INTERPOL, because Austria shared information on its own crime case, and because of the coordination between INTERPOL's National Central Bureaus in Vienna, Washington and its DNA unit in Lyon.
"If they had not done so, it is very likely this convicted and brutal serial rapist would still be at large.
"INTERPOL's global DNA database played a crucial role in Achekzai's arrest. This conviction shows the added value INTERPOL can bring to investigations worldwide by making connections between what appear to be unrelated cases," concluded Mr Noble.
INTERPOL's DNA database – the only global database of its kind – was created in 2003 and currently contains approximately 115,000 profiles submitted by 59 member countries resulting in 351 international matches flagged to the affected countries.
All DNA profiles submitted to INTERPOL are anonymous, with member countries retaining ownership of the profile data and controlling its inclusion, access and destruction in accordance with their national laws. Delegates at INTERPOL's 2009 General Assembly in Singapore endorsed a resolution for the expansion and increased use of INTERPOL's DNA and fingerprint databases by frontline officers in its member countries to help solve crimes and identify fugitives through data comparison.


text:
Women In Prayer Shawls Detained At Judaism's Holiest Site
Police in Jerusalem on Monday detained 10 women for wearing the tallit, a Jewish prayer shawl traditionally worn by men, while praying at the Western Wall.
The Women of the Wall have been fighting for years for permission to worship in the manner that men do at the Western Wall, the holiest site in Judaism for prayer. The stone structure is part of the retaining wall that surrounded the Second Jewish Temple, which was destroyed by the Romans in A.D. 70.
Men and women both pray at the wall, but in separate sections and under rules set by the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, a body appointed and funded by the government. It is headed by an ultra-Orthodox rabbi, Shmuel Rabinowitz.
Frequent Protests
Many of the women at the wall Monday gather regularly on the first day of the Jewish calendar month to pray — and just as regularly, police detain them.
Women are not supposed to wear religious items such as prayer shawls at the Western Wall — or at least that's how the rabbi in charge interprets it, and police enforce his decision.
But Anat Hoffman, the leader of Women of the Wall, disagrees.
"Secular Israel, the democratic, Jewish state of Israel, has taken the keys to the holiest site of the Jewish people, and given it to one rabbi, who belongs to less than 8 percent of Israel's population," she says, referring to the country's ultra-Orthodox Jews.
Hoffman had a male friend sneak in the prayer shawls. In the past, police have confiscated them. Then she and her supporters entered the women's section, donned their shawls, and began to pray.
The security force for the site moved in quietly and told some of the women to come with them. But the women refused, and sat on the ground.
Police have arrested women for donning prayer shawls at the wall in the past, but left them alone for the time being.
On the men's side of a mesh barrier, some male supporters chanted along with the women. But one man began yelling at them, saying Reform Jews don't belong at the wall — Israel's ultra-Orthodox do not recognize more liberal strains of Judaism.
Prominent Male Supporters
The women continued praying for a solid hour, glad to have gotten so far. The group believes the police held back because six former Israeli paratroopers showed up in support.
They included men like Yitzhak Yifat, who helped take back the wall, which was under the control of Jordan for nearly two decades before Israel took it in the 1967 Six-Day War.
But once the crowd of supporters and media dispersed, police stepped in and grabbed 10 women, including Susan Silverman, the sister of American comedian Sarah Silverman, and Lior Nevo, a rabbinical student.
"I don't know, apparently I'm not being arrested," Nevo said, as she was being led away. "I don't know, they haven't told me anything."
Police said the women were being "detained" for disturbing the peace by wearing the tallit at the wall. One concern is protecting the sensitivities of the many ultra-Orthodox who pray at the Western Wall — including many women. One woman, who would not identify herself, says devout Jews follow the teaching of their rabbis.
"This according to the Torah is not correct," she says. "Just because a few women decide to do it because it makes them feel better, because it makes them feel more important?"
After a circuitous court battle, the Women of the Wall have been offered an alternative site for worship away from the wall proper, something they refer to as "the back of the bus with new upholstery."
The rabbi in charge of the wall hasn't budged, although police did refrain on Monday from carting women away during prayer. The Israeli Parliament has basically punted on the issue.
Meanwhile, the Women of the Wall say they'll be back next month to try again.


text:
One of my favourite things about cooking a large ham dinner is all of the leftovers. I think that I look forward to the leftover even more than the initial dinner and I always have fun trying new dishes using the ham. I recently came across the this recipe for a ham and leek tart on Picante Cooking and I immediately knew what I would be doing with some of the leftover ham in my freezer.
This ham and leek tart is pretty simple and dead easy to make! It starts out with an all butter pie crust which you can easily make yourself or you could save some time by using a store bought one. Next up the ham and leeks are sauted, and mixed up with an egg, some cream, cheese and a touch of grainy mustard. After just 20 minutes in the oven the cheese is all melted and bubbling and golden brown and good. The ham and leek tart is amazingly tasty and all of the flavours work well together. I have to say that my tart disappeared way too quickly. 🙂 I served the ham and leek tart with a simple arugula salad along with a glass of white wine.
Ham and Leek Tart
- 1 butter pie crust
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 cup ham (diced)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 leeks (trimmed, cleaned and white and light green parts sliced)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup heavy/whipping cream (or sour cream)
- 1 teaspoon whole grain mustard
- 1 1/2 cup swiss cheese (grated)
- Roll the pie dough out, fit it into the tart pan and trim the edges.
- Heat the oil in a pan over medium.
- Add the ham and saute until it starts to turn lightly golden brown, about 7-10 minutes and set aside.
- Melt the butter in the same pan over medium heat.
- Add the leeks and saute until tender, about 7-10 minutes.
- Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about a minute and remove from heat.
- Mix the egg, cream and mustard.
- Mix the ham, leeks, the egg mixture and 1 cup of the cheese and pour it into the tart shell.
- Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
- Bake in a preheated 350F/180C oven until the cheese has melted an the pie shell is a light golden brown, about 20 minutes.


text:
Silicon Valley Bank Partners on Coding Competitions
Santa Clara, Calif.-basedSilicon Valley Bank has partnered with several institutions to help teach school-age children how to code and to increase their proficiency in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).
The bank has joined with the Level Playing Field Institute to create a competition where more than 250 6-12th graders in the San Francisco Bay Area from low income and minority groups will compete to win cash prizes for the best app, judged by a panel of investors, technologists and educators. Each participating student will also receive a free Datawind Ubislate 3G Tablet, courtesy of Silicon Valley Bank and three months of a 1 GB Wireless Data Plan, courtesy of AT&T.
Further, Silicon Valley Bank has joined up with several foundations and businesses throughout Virginia to introduce middle and high school students to computer coding. Students will be given access to computer application development software and challenged to build a working computer app, and those who are successful within the time frame of a school semester will be recognized in January 2014 for their success, earn a digital badge for their career portfolio, and given a Datawind Ubislate 3G Tablet, the bank said.
According to Silicon Valley, initiatives such as these are integral to creating the next generation of tech-savvy skilled workers. "With a continued emphasis on STEM skills we can put people to work, stay competitive globally and keep developing the technologies, medicines, devices and innovations that are solving human problems and improving the quality of people's lives," added Greg Becker, president and CEO of Silicon Valley Bank, in a statement.
[See Also: Silicon Valley Bank Deploys First U.S. Chip and PIN Corporate Cards]
Bryan Yurcan is associate editor for Bank Systems and Technology. He has worked in various editorial capacities for newspapers and magazines for the past 8 years. After beginning his career as a municipal and courts reporter for daily newspapers in upstate New York, Bryan has ... View Full Bio


text:
Massive Ice Melt In Greenland Worries Scientists
A pair of NASA satellite images taken just four days apart tells a potentially worrying story of melting ice in the polar summer.
The first, snapped from orbit on July 8, shows about 40 percent of the Greenland ice sheet shaded in pink or red to illustrate probable or confirmed surface melting. The second photo, taken on July 12, shows nearly the entire land mass — 97 percent — blotched in a red hue.
In a typical year, only about half of the Greenland ice sheet undergoes this kind of melting before it later refreezes. But the rapidity and extent of the July change is what has caught scientists off guard, said Thomas Mote, a professor at the University of Georgia, who helped confirm the data from three satellites.
"Several of us were looking at the data with multiple different instruments and we began talking to each other when we realized we were seeing something quite unusual," he says.
Scientists note that besides covering a large area, the melting is happening at the top of the ice cap, where temperatures are coldest. They blame a massive heat dome parked over the island that has set up perfect conditions for melting high-altitude snow and ice.
Alarming? "I wouldn't use that word," say Mote. "We know from looking at ice cores that melt at the highest levels of elevation in Greenland has occurred in the past — not in our lifetimes, and not since the era of satellites, but it certainly has occurred."
The last time it happened was about 150 years ago, in 1889, according to ice core records.
But the Greenland melt roughly coincides with a giant chunk of ice described as "twice the size of Manhattan," breaking off the Petermann Glacier in northern Greenland.
It's all part of a bad year for the Arctic, helped along by North America's record-breaking heat wave, says Mark Serreze, a senior research scientist at the National Snow and Ice Data Center at the University of Colorado Boulder.
The heat has shrunk and thinned ice not just in Greenland but across the region. "The Greenland ice sheet is part of a larger picture," he says.
"We've always known that it is the Arctic where we're going to be seeing the effects of climate change first and it is the Arctic where these changes are going to be most pronounced," Serreze says.
"The events unfolding over the past 30 years, of which 2012 is really just an exclamation point, are telling us that we've got it figured out."


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For more than a century, Yamaha has been building a legacy of superior craftsmanship and innovation exemplified in all of our products, from an unrivalled catalog of world-class musical instruments to touring-grade professional audio. Now in its third incarnation, the MG Series embodies this pursuit of design excellence, and incorporates some of the same technologies developed for use in high-end professional consoles, including studio-quality preamps, powerful digital processing, and a rugged, reliable construction. With an intuitive, easy-to-use interface, the MG Series boasts an extensive lineup of compact mixing consoles with models ranging from six to twenty channels, suitable for a diverse range of users and applications. For installed, recording, or live music settings, the solid construction and flexible design of these consoles lets you shape your sound with confidence, continually delivering peak performance and a level of sound quality and reliability unrivalled in its class.
For a more precise control and enhancement of your sound, XU models of the MG Series come equipped with a suite of Yamaha's renowned SPX effects. Featuring high-resolution Chorus, Flanger, Distortions, Reverb and Delay, all with editable parameters, these are the same multieffects processors used on Yamaha's high-end mixing consoles, giving you the tools you need to elevate your mixes to a higher plane.
- 20-Channel Mixing Console
- Max. 16 Mic / 20 Line Inputs (12 mono + 4 stereo)
- 4 GROUP Buses + 1 Stereo Bus
- 4 AUX (incl. FX)
- "D-PRE" mic preamps with an inverted Darlington circuit
- 1-Knob compressors
- High-grade effects: SPX with 24 programs
- 24-bit/192kHz 2in/2out USB Audio functions
- Works with the iPad (2 or later) through the Apple iPad Camera Connection Kit / Lightning to USB Camera Adapter
- Includes Cubase AI DAW software download version
- Cubasis LE for iPad available at App Store
- PAD switch on mono inputs
- +48V phantom power
- XLR balanced outputs
- Internal universal power supply for world-wide use
- Rack Mount Kit Included
- Metal chassis


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Tegra Android Development Pack Refreshed to Support SHIELD OTA Update 63
In conjunction with the latest NVIDIA® SHIELD™ update, Tegra Android Development Pack 2.0r6 provides same-day support for the powerful SHIELD game development tools, including Tegra Profiler, Nsight Tegra and PerfHUD ES.
Tegra Android Development Pack (TADP) is a suite of SDKs, developer tools, drivers and OS images bundled in a single package to help simplify setting up and managing an Android development environment. In addition to support for the latest Tegra SOC in mobile computing, NVIDIA Tegra® 4 which powers the NVIDIA® SHIELD™, TADP 2.0r6 adds the following updates.
- Support for SHIELD OTA Update 63
- Bug fixes and general improvements to Tegra Profiler and Nsight Tegra
- Updated OS images for Tegra Development Kit Platforms (Dalmore, Pluto, Ceres).
To get started developing for NVIDIA SHIELD, head over to HOW TO: Getting Started on SHIELD development for detailed instructions on setting up your development environment and installing the tools necessary to develop apps for NVIDIA SHIELD.
Learn more about and download Tegra Android Development Pack at NVIDIA Developer Zone.
-- NVIDIA Developer Tools Team


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Versailles, OH Sunday, September 1 at 9:30pm
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McKees Rocks, PA
Concert #273
Date: Thursday, July 22, 1999
Time: 7:00pm (please plan to arrive 15-30 minutes prior)
Location: The ROCK (McKees Rocks Assembly of God) McKees Rocks, PA


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5 large egg whites
1 cup sugar
¼ tsp cream of tartar
½ tsp vanilla
Some red and green coloring
1. Prepare 2 large baking sheet pans, line it with parchment paper. Pre-heat the oven to 200 degree F.
2. In an electric mixer beat egg white and cream of tartar for 30 second over high speed. Gradually add in the sugar and vanilla. Beat until meringue holds stiff, glossy peaks.
3. Using a small spatula paint a red and green stripes inside the pastry bag fitted with star shapes piping tip. Fill the bag with meringue. Pipe small star shapes onto the baking sheet.
4. Refill bag as necessary, adding food coloring each time. Bake cookies rotating halfway through until crisp but not brown about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes.
5. Let it cool completely on wire rack before storing it in an air tight container.


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I've been quietly working away on my next book, Gertie Sews Vintage Casual (due out fall 2014). I've completed the text and now it's time for the fun part: sewing the designs! There will be 10 patterns in the book with variations on each, for a total of 35 garments.
A few fun facts: 1) the patterns for the book will be printed on pattern tissue so you won't have to trace them, hurrah! and 2) I'll be modeling some of the garments, but we'll also cast a couple actual models for some diversity, and 3) genius illustrator Sun Young Park is doing the drawings again. I am SO excited about these developments.
Illustration by Sun Young Park from Gertie's New Book for Better Sewing |
Anyway, with the sewing comes the other fun part: picking out fabric. Mood Fabrics (of Project Runway fame) is the generous sponsor of the fabric for the book. And now I can't resist saying "Thank you, Mood!" in my best Tim Gunn voice, of course.
Yesterday I spent a couple hours on my first swatching trip. This is, in a word, overwhelming. Mood has three floors and countless bolts of fabric. (The photo above is just the eyelet section.) And then there's the matter of the book design: everything needs to coordinate to a set palette so it's pleasing to the eye. Where does one start?
I decided to wander and cut swatches of things that I loved and then bring home the spoils and sort things out, hoping that a pattern would appear. Here's the result:
The cool thing is that, if I squint, I can see the palette revealing itself.
Picking out fabric for a second book is easier than a first book in some ways. This time, at least I know which fabrics are a nightmare to photograph (I'm looking at you, duchess satin).
Henry knew exactly what to do with the swatches:
Get fur all over them, of course!


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It's appropriate that Darwin, the tropical capital of Australia's Northern Territory, is named for the English naturalist.
The massive, powerful and deadly saltwater crocodile — the world's largest living reptile — is the evolutionary triumph of 50 million years of natural selection. And in Darwin, the crocodile is equally dreaded and beloved.
Crocodylus porosus was hunted to near extinction in the last century. But in 1974, the Australian government put the species, known affectionately as the "Australian salty," under federal protection.
Today, the salty's population has rebounded to near pre-colonial numbers. An estimated 100,000 are thriving in the sluggish estuaries and billabongs, or backwaters, of the Northern Territory — also known as Australia's "Top End."
A Big Comeback
"Our main thing we do now is full-time crocodile management in the Top End," says Tom Nichols, a wildlife ranger with the Northern Territory government parks and wildlife service. The job has its occupational hazards. An irate crocodile took a chomp out of Nichols' left hand nine years ago. His hand was sewn up and he went back to work.
The Northern Territory's crocodile rangers capture between 250 and 300 saltys a year. The rangers nab them in floating traps in Darwin Harbour and wrestle them out of populated areas. The rangers then zip-tie and duct-tape their jaws and sell the animals to crocodile farms.
We are finding crocs in areas we never found 'em before, such as right in the town of Darwin itself. We find 'em in swimming pools and in backyards. We have a 24-hour callout number and we're forever getting calls at this time of year during the wet season.
"We are finding crocs in areas we never found 'em before, such as right in the town of Darwin itself," Nichols says. "We find 'em in swimming pools and in backyards. We have a 24-hour callout number and we're forever getting calls at this time of year during the wet season," when saltwater crocodiles like to move into fresh water.
Dwyn Delaney, an outdoorsman and gun fancier, owns a Western wear store in Darwin. Like some others in the Northern Territory, he's concerned the salty population may have come back too strong.
"They're everywhere. You fall in the drink, in rivers, you wanna get outta there real quick," Delaney says.
He feels it's time to start culling the crocodiles to reduce their numbers. And Delaney, whose shop is full of dead animal heads, would be happy to volunteer. "I am armed to the teeth here," he says.
There have been five confirmed fatal croc attacks since 2005 in the Nothern Territory, and two unconfirmed deaths in which the bodies were never recovered. In the most recent confirmed case, in April 2010, an 11-year-old girl was swimming in Lambells Lagoon when she was — in local parlance – "taken" by a crocodile.
That was the last straw for the territory. Alarmed wildlife managers initiated a safety and awareness program called Crocwise, complete with public service announcements and stern signs warning which water holes are unsafe for swimming.
A Fraught, But Symbiotic, Relationship
Darwin residents fear the crocodile, but they also admire it — and some depend on it for their livelihoods. Australian crocodile farms exported 52,000 skins in 2010, and the region boasts a dozen river tours, known as "croc cruises," where boatloads of tourists can watch a behemoth salty leap from the river for meat on a stick from only a few feet away. It's a riveting sight — the largest adult males can reach 20 feet in length and weigh more than a ton.
And crocodiles sell newspapers.
Matt Cunningham, editor of the NT News, puts a croc photo on the front page several times a week. The newspaper is famous throughout Australia for its carnivorous journalism.
"As far the NT News goes, there's no such thing as too many crocodile stories," Cunningham says. "Crocodiles are amazing beasts. Darwin is one of the few places in the world where man and crocodile live, sort of, side by side."
Would-be crocodile hunter Delaney is all too familiar with the local abundance of crocodile stories.
"The only thing that'll get a croc off the front page of that paper is a dingo story or a cyclone," he says.
Or, adds Cunningham, the first sting of the season from another deadly aquatic neighbor: the box jellyfish.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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UPDATE: Michael Vick indicted locally in Virginia. Given that the prosecutor plans on using Vick's own sworn statement of facts from the Feds' conviction against him here, Vick is SO screwed. (The key detail: Up to 5 years for every dead dog, which the statement of facts already affirms he was involved in. Yikes.)
Plus: How did I miss the Devil Rays' name change to just "Rays," along with new logos and uniforms. I'm late on this, and I'm bummed by their choice. The team -- which has one of the best ownership groups in sports -- totally blew a chance to do something interesting that could help the team gain traction. Did they really think there was so much brand value in "Rays" that they were compelled to keep it? Really? Verdict: Swing and a miss.
MNF: If there's a single most disappointing team (or even storyline) in the NFL this season, it's that the Saints are terrible. Not just a hard-luck 0-3, but their offense – which was so exciting last year – is anemic this season.
Meanwhile, what's the deal with Reggie Bush? Sure, Reggie Bush scored 2 TDs, but he accounted for only 35 total yards, including a mere 15 rushing (on 7 carries). At what point do we get to say that Bush isn't (or hasn't) fulfilled his "game-changing" potential?
(Now: Will things get better or worse for Bush with Deuce apparently out for the season? On the one hand, Bush gets tons more carries; on the other hand, is he really an every-down RB? If you had a two-player draft today to start your franchise, and the choices were either Reggie Bush or Adrian Peterson, who would you take? Consider: Bush is a Swiss Army knife of a threat; Peterson can actually be a franchise-carrying every-down RB.)
As for the Titans, once again, Vince Young gets the best of Reggie Bush. It was a solid – if not spectacular –- line for VY. But the Titans got a much-needed win.
Vick Watch: Looks like the local county prosecutor is going to the grand jury, which means that charges can't be too far away either. Anticipate the media craziness, even if you really don't care (or never cared) that much anymore.
NFL Injury Watch: Steven Jackson, one of the most disappointing fantasy players of the season so far, will miss at least one week with a groin injury. Can you think of a year recently when the consensus No. 1 (LT), 2 (SJ) and 3 (LJ) fantasy players have gotten off to such sorry starts?
MLB Playoff Races: The Mets' lead in the NL East is down to 2 after losing to the Nats (who deserve credit for easily surpassing the doomsday projections that they would be the Top 5 worst teams in baseball history. Hell, they're on the verge of not even being one of the Top 5 worst teams in baseball this season.)
NL Wild Card: The Padres lost and are now tied with the Phillies, a mere one game ahead of the surging
AL Wild Card: The Yankees clinched a tie for the WC and can clinch a spot in the playoffs with a win Tuesday or a Tigers loss.
MLB Dud: Milton Bradley, whose season is over after he tore his ACL during his latest Bradley freak-out.
PED Scandal: Wow, that was a massive DEA steroid-ring bust. It's not just that it probably reaches into all levels of sports (and let's get those names going!), but that it reaches into EVERYWHERE. You think it's just a pro-athlete thing? Ha!
Tyson pleads guilty to drug and DUI charges: And one of the sorriest tales in modern sports history gets even sorrier.
CFB: If you didn't see it yesterday, here's my latest Deadspin CFB guest-post. Yes, I lead with Tebow, but there's a lot more than that packed in there this week.
More: Everyone in the Comments is talking about the Mike Gundy press conference freak-out. Here's the video.
More CFB: Heisman Watch. I realize I didn't update my weekly Heisman Top 5 yesterday: (1) Tim Tebow, (2) Ray Rice, (3) Darren McFadden, (4 – tie) Pat White and Steve Slaton, (5) Andre Woodson.
Why 1-AA rules, Part Nth: While the "F.B.S." (1-A) can't get its act together to set up a playoff, the "F.C.S." (1-AA) is thinking about expanding its playoff system to 18 teams, which I heartily endorse.
NASCAR: Coors Light is becoming the official beer of NASCAR. I can't think of anything clever to say about that. Is there even auto racing in the Mountain time zone?
A-Rod getting an ownership stake as part of his next deal? Huge kudos to Deadspin's Will Leitch for not only writing a phenomenal story for New York magazine about A-Rod, but breaking the most intriguing off-field baseball story of the week: That after opting out, A-Rod could be courted with an ownership stake in the Chicago Cubs as part of his compensation.
First of all, this would be amazing, simply because it's unprecedented in baseball. Second, if any player deserves $30M a year (or $300M for 10), it's A-Rod (even if he'll be 42 when it's up). Let's be clear: NO player deserves $30M a year (though the market will bear what it will bear).
By the way, I think Will just gave Angels owner Arte Moreno a new idea of how to land A-Rod. I could see
UPDATE: As Commenters are pointing out, this theory has been (mostly) debunked. It's still a fun read, as it is only minimally about the Cubs/ownership thing, and mostly about A-Rod's future.
CFB Coach of the Year: Here's a fun side project I've been working on – this football season, I'm blogging at CoachOfTheYear.com, the site of the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award. (Rutger's Greg Schiano won last year.) The fans get a vote (in fact, there's a ballot updated a couple times a day), and I'm writing three blog posts a week. Feel free to head over there, check it out, vote and comment on the blog posts about the topic at hand (or anything related to analyzing college football coaches this season). And since you know the guest-blogger, you've got an "in." Check it out!
Fall TV: It's no secret that I'm a bit of a TV junkie. While the "Fall Premieres" aren't what they used to be (with networks putting shows out all year round), it's still a big week, particularly for returning shows.
Last night, I watched one returning show (Heroes) and one new one (Chuck). Heroes had a lot of balls to keep juggling in the air; it felt like the beginning of another long season.
Chuck was more self-contained. I'm always intrigued by series premieres, because they have to explain the main plot and the characters in a very short amount of time. Chuck's premise is simple. Its main character is very likeable. I think there's promise there.


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Hi there, and welcome to the fall edition of the Pinterest Challenge & link party!
I am thrilled to be hosting this party with some of my favorite DIY divas: Katie from Bower Power, Sherry from Young House Love, & Carmel from Our Fifth House. The idea is fairly simple: to stop pinning those lovely "someday" projects you're keeping tucked away on one of your Pinterest boards, & go ahead & complete it! I am really excited to see what you've all been up to (and maybe get a few new projects to pin in this vicious cycle). You ready?
Of course, as a host, I couldn't go without picking a project for myself. Last week when we announced the challenge, I mentioned that I wanted to use a few ideas I'd been pinning and create an outdoor storage bench for my newly repainted front porch makeover. I was so excited to get back into my garage and start woodworking again (I'd been on a little hiatus since building my craft desk thanks to working on my guest bath renovation). I went to the store, bought the wood, started cutting pieces…
… and then my drill's battery crapped out on me. As in, the battery wouldn't charge – or so I think. The gears were outta juice and there was no way to power it back up. Frick.
And I realized that because my drill was a cheap-o non-name brand, I'd have a tough time finding the proper replacements at the local hardware store (& thank you, by the way, for all of your comments on Facebook about which brand I should choose for a new drill). But this unexpected expense was not quite in the cards & my budget wasn't ready for the drill o' my dreams. Double frick. Or as Sherry & John would say: wop, wop.
I was super bummed. I had all of my pieces cut & ready to screw together. What was I going to show for my projects? I was going to be a terrible Pinterest Challenge co-host. Nothing to show for myself but a pile of scrap wood.
But when the going get's tough, tough girls get creative. And I had a thought about my Build/Make board. I was constantly pinning things that I could do with scrap wood; why not take a second glance & see if I could create a scrap wood project (which usually involves nails or wood glue rather than power tools). It would certainly put the challenge in Pinterest Challenge – even if the project itself has to wait on a new drill!
Find these projects here
UPDATE: I later did the couch arm rest sleeve. See here for the full photos. |
The original ampersand sculpture I pinned (first spotted on Design*Sponge earlier this month) was made with 2x4s, but since I had a bunch of 1×3 scraps from cutting the pieces for my storage bench, I thought a slim version might look nice in my newly reno'd bath (more on that coming later this week too). I didn't take many measurements & just began eyeballing the size of each piece. It took more than a few cuts to get it to all fit together, but since I was using only 45- and 90-degree angles, I knew the geek in me would eventually succeed. I would make a cut here, try it out, & cut again if it was too long (of course, it's always best to err on the long side!). Eventually, I had what looked like an ampersand on the sawdusty floor of the garage:
Using a little wood glue, stain (Rustoleum: American Walnut) & poly, I assembled everything upstairs. And yes – that's a sock I used to rub off the stain application. Old socks (especially those belonging to ex-boyfriends, husbands, and children) are great for applying stain; they have been through the wash so many times, they are virtually lint-free.
I also had my helper monitoring my progress along the way.
Best of all, I got a chance to try out a few firsts with this project: I'd never cut 45-degree angles on a compound miter saw before; I'd also never done a project where precision wasn't top priority (by the way, have you noticed by now the ridiculous overuse of ampersands in this post? hehe). After a little dry time, my ampersand sculpture found its way into the guest bath as the first official piece of art in the room:
Yep – my new bathroom renovation now includes toilet art. Just how I roll. |
Cute, right? I love it. I also realized during the making of both projects (well, the cutting of one project and the finishing of the ampersand sculpture) that there is one very important piece of furniture missing in the house: a sturdy work bench (or two). I have been using plastic folding tables to work on since first moving into the house, & after several attempts now to make do, there is simply no substitute for a table that a) has storage, b) has a flat top that works well with clamps (a plastic top that bows if your clamp is too tight? not so much) & c) can support the weight of a circular saw & a girl with an affinity for hitting things with a hammer. Guess that's a new challenge for a different date, since I've already pinned these plans to make two of them myself.
And now, it's time for you to share your own lovely projects. Did you answer the challenge? Were you successful? It's okay if things didn't work out as you planned. I would still love to see what you tried (since the whole point of the challenge is to make your pins a reality, even if you were met with a few obstacles). And even if you don't have a blog, you can still share by uploading your picture to an online album & sharing the link. If you share in the link party below, please do me a favor & include a mention of the challenge (with a link) in your post. And be sure to stop by Bower Power, Young House Love, & Our Fifth House to share on their link parties & check out their challenge projects, too!
(Oh, & just a quick reminder: Pinterest is not sponsoring this. Katie & Sherry just thought it would be a fun way to get our butts off the blog & share what inspires us to get 'er done.)
Ready? Set? Link! I can't wait to see what you've been working on! (If you have this in a reader, you will likely need to click over to the blog to share your project.)
Some of you have asked for an idea of how I cut the pieces and what sizes each piece is. Hopefully this little color-coded graphic will help:
Also, several of you suggested that I use it for extra toilet paper rolls (since this is a guest bathroom and I want my guests to find the toilet paper, after all). So here you go, folks. The money shot:
(Also sharing this with One Project Closerr)


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I have been seeing cute lasagna roll-ups around the internet for a while now and I have been wanting to try making some. The lasagna roll-ups are basically just lasagna where instead of layering everything you place the filling on top of the noodles and then roll the noodles up, top them with the sauce and cheese and bake them. I knew exactly what I wanted to do for my lasagna roll-ups, a mushroom and kale lasagna with creamy white sauce.
For the filling I went with some easy sauteed mushrooms and kale along with some parmesan mixed into ricotta cheese and some of the creamy white sauce. I wanted to try something new for the white sauce, I wanted to try a cauliflower based sauce rather than a more traditional, calorie filled, bechamel sauce made with flour, butter and milk or cream. The cauliflower sauce is simply pureed cauliflower and cheese along with enough liquid to smooth it out into a sauce. For the cheese in the cauliflower sauce I went with gorgonzola, a blue cheese, but it would also work well with parmesan, romano or asiago among others. Since this is a lasagna I was bound to top the whole thing off with even more cheese, this time in the form of mozzarella. (For those of you keeping track, yes, there are no less than 4 kinds of cheese in this lasagna!)
I knew that this lasagna was going to be amazing just thinking about all of the ingredients and it easily lived up to my expectations and then some! The mushroom and kale lasagna in creamy gorgonzola cauliflower sauce was amazing! I have to say that the cauliflower sauce was no less than spectacular and it went so well on the lasagna! I will definitely be using this cauliflower sauce again! Luckily this recipe makes a lot so I will be able to enjoy the leftovers for lunch this week.
Mushroom Lasagna Roll Ups in Creamy Gorgonzola Cauliflower Sauce
Mushrooms, kale and cheese all rolled up in lasagna noodles, smothered in a creamy gorgonzola cauliflower sauce and cheese and baked until all melty, golden brown and good.
- 2 tablespoons butter or oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 teaspoon thyme, chopped
- 1/4 cup white wine or broth
- 1 bunch kale, chopped
- 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 6 cups cauliflower (1 small head or 1 12 ounce bag)
- 2 cups vegetable broth or water
- 1/2 cup gorgonzola or other blue cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup milk
- 9 lasagne noodles, cooked (gluten free for gluten free)
- 2 cups ricotta
- 1/2 cup parmigiano-reggiano (parmesan), grated
- 1 cup mozzarella, shredded
For the mushroom mixture:
For the cauliflower sauce:
For the lasagne roll ups:
- Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat, add the onions and mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms start to caramelize, about 15-20 minutes.
- Add the garlic and thyme to the mushrooms and cook until fragrant, about a minute.
- Add the wine and deglaze the pan.
- Add the kale and cook until tender, about 10 minutes
- Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat, add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about a minute.
- Add the cauliflower and broth, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until fork tender, about 8-10 minutes.
- Puree in a blender or food processor until smooth.
- Return to heat, mix in the cheese, season with salt and pepper to taste, add enough milk to bring sauce to a saucy consistency and cook until the cheese has melted.
- Lay the lasagne noodles out, spread a thin layer of the ricotta mixed with the parmesan onto each lasagna noodle, top with the mushroom mixture and a tablespoon of the cauliflower sauce and roll up the noodles.
- Spread 1/2 cup of the cauliflower sauce around the bottom of a 9×9 inch baking dish, place the lasagne roll-ups in, top with 1 1/2 cups of the cauliflower sauce and the mozzarella.
- Bake in a preheated 350F/180C oven until golden brown on top and bubbling on the sides, about 25-30 minutes.
For the mushroom mixture:
For the cauliflower sauce:
For the lasagne roll ups:
Option: Replace the kale with swiss chard, spinach (either fresh of frozen), or other green leaf vegetable.
Option: For vegan use vegan cheeses or replace the gorgonzola and parmesan with nutritional yeast and omit the mozzarella.
Creamy Mushroom and Roasted Cauliflower Soup
Roasted Cauliflower and Mushroom Quinoa Salad in Balsamic Vinaigrette
Roasted Cauliflower and Aged White Cheddar Gratin
Roasted Butternut Squash Lasagna
Chicken, Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Lasagna
Mushroom Lasagna
Roasted Butternut Squash, Shiitake Mushroom and Kale, Kimchi Bibimsoba
Asiago Roasted Mushroom Mashed Cauliflower
Light and Creamy Cauliflower Alfredo Linguine
Zucchini Alfredo Sauce


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Iowa City artist Laurel Farrin mixes elements of hard edge painting with references to pop culture in her humorous paintings, drawings and videos. By pulling inspiration and techniques from various sources, Farrin explores how viewers relate to abstract forms. Farrin's paintings confound the viewer with visual riddles, contradictions, and comic juxtapositions, while convincing the viewer to feel sympathy for abstract shapes.
In Farrin's work geometric forms take on a humanlike presence while performing Sisyphean tasks. Some of these struggles are documented in videos which show the assemblages being thrust into motion by the wind. The same breeze which allowed these figures to move inevitably thwarts their struggle by blowing them over, leading to an endless cycle of fruitless gestures.
Similar abstract figures inhabit seemingly empty frames in Farrin's paintings. When these frames are combined they seem to form a comic strip which the viewer must piece together. Viewers are led to believe that if the frames are assembled correctly the punchline to the joke will be revealed, if there is one. Laurel Farrin is an Associate Professor of Painting and Drawing at the School of Art and Art History at the University of Iowa. She splits her time between Iowa City and New York City.
On view July 14-September 9, 2018
image: Laurel Farrin, Bi-Polar Spin, 2002, oil and acrylic on canvas, Courtesy of the Arti


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Our Financial Advisors strive to earn the trust and help achieve the goals of many individuals, families and institutions in Pennsylvania. With a full suite of services, we look to deliver the resources that can best accomplish each client's unique goals. Getting started? If you need guidance about how to prepare for your financial needs, we invite you to visit our office to meet with a Financial Advisor. Interested in a second opinion? If you would like an evaluation of financial and investment strategies already in place, please arrange a meeting with one of the Financial Advisors in our branch. Interested in joining our team of Financial Advisors? If you are an experienced Financial Advisor looking to move in a new direction, please contact us to arrange a meeting. Want to learn more about careers at Morgan Stanley? If you are interested in learning more about careers at our company, please contact us. We look forward to working with you.
If your business isn't here, contact us today to get listed!


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Syrian rebels are taking a pounding in Aleppo, Syria's largest city but they continue to hold some neighborhoods where they've taken control. VOA reports the Syrian government is warning of " the mother of all battles" in the commercial hub, home to millions of people. Russia says a tragedy is "imminent."
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a group based in Britain, also reports fighting in several Aleppo neighborhoods; the group concurs that this will become " a decisive battle." Rebels claim to hold sectors of the city, which explains why the government dispatched more Syrian troops there this week, supported by helicopter gunships and fighter planes.
Although the rebels have gained much ground, it's unclear if they'll be able to hold any of it. The BBC's Ian Pannell is there and writes, "Both sides are determined to control this place, but the overwhelming firepower belongs to President Assad's men, and they are prepared to use it to retake Aleppo."
They don't have too go far to find each other. The Guardian's Luke Harding is in Aleppo, too. and tweets, "North of the city rebels and army base just 1.5km apart". So far, according to Reuters, " neither side has managed to gain the upper hand."
Update at 4:41 p.m. ET: Russia Criticizes West For Supporting Rebels:
Reporting from Moscow, Peter van Dyk tells our Newscast unit that Russia says international support for the rebels is paving the way for more bloodshed.
"Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says a tragedy is looming in the Syrian city of Aleppo, the current focus of the fighting. He says it is unrealistic to expect Bashar al-Assad to roll over for the opposition, and accuses the West of working with some regional countries to support and direct the armed fight against the Assad regime. That, Lavrov says, leads to more bloodshed.
"Russia and China have blocked three U.S.-backed resolutions on Syria in the U.N. Security Council, and Washington says it will now pursue other methods to resolve the crisis. The EU stepped up its sanctions this week, but Russia says it will ignore the measures and will not allow inspections of any Russian-flagged ships."
Activists told The Associated Press that after a day of fighting in Syria's largest city, the rebels remained in control of their neighborhoods. The AP reports:
"The rebels are estimated to control between a third and a half of the neighborhoods in this sprawling city, especially a cluster in the northeast around Sakhour neighborhood and in the southwest.
"They began their attempt to wrest this key city from the government's control a week ago. About 162 people have been killed, mostly civilians, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which does not include soldiers in its toll. Some 19,000 people have been killed since the uprising began in March 2011, estimated the group."
Activists told the AP that at least two dozen people had died in the fighting Saturday.
Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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Like many bike dorks, I have too many bikes. Nevertheless, I can think of about a gazillion situations in which I'd find myself in Manhattan (or, Lob forbid, Brooklyn) without a bike and be grateful to be able to access one with the swipe of a card. That's why I like this whole bike share thing. Plus, I've used it in both Washington, DC and London and found that it works well, so I'm very pleased that we're getting it.
Unfortunately, people who don't know anything about how bike share works are leaving incredibly stupid comments on bike share articles all over the Internet. Basically, it's the same few objections raised over and over, none of which have any basis in reality. Just read the comments on this article--half of the commenters are too dumb to live. Sure, there's an FAQ on the Citi Bike website, but nobody's going to read that. Plus, FAQs are too polite for today's brand of Internet idiots. What we really need is an FMC (or "Frequent Moronic Comment") page that lists them all and knocks them down one by one. Here is an FMC for the bike share system:
This is New York City, the bikes will get stolen right away.
No they won't. Why would anybody steal a klunky, ugly, worthless bike share bike with nonstandard parts when it's laughably easy to separate hipsters from their stupid $3,000 Chinelly X MUSH collabo bikes and then part them out on eBay?
Criminals are stupid, but they're not that stupid. Stealing a bike share bike instead of a real bike would be like stealing a payphone instead of an iPhone.
To put it another way, I can go outside right now and steal a $500 wheel or a $200 saddle and seatpost from a locked bike in about 30 seconds, and all I need is a multitool. Meanwhile, it takes about twice the upper body strength possessed by a typical cyclist to remove a bike share bike from a kiosk, even after you've legitimately paid for it.
People who want to ride bikes should just buy their own.
Yeah, OK. And people who want to ride buses should also just buy their own. And what the fuck is up with Netflix? Anyway, it's useful even if you still own a bike. I already own a toilet too, but it's still more convenient for me to use a different one when I'm not at home. Plus, I don't even have to clean it!
Won't people ride around without helmets?
Yes. Stop being such a fucking wussbag.
They only give you a half hour with the bike before hitting you with overcharges, that's stupid.
No, you're stupid. That's the whole point, short trips for people who have jobs and lives. You're supposed to ride the bike from one station and the other, not futz around on it all day.
You must be one of those people who spends 45 minutes in the Starbucks bathroom.
The tourists will run rampant all over the city.
Firstly, tourists already run rampant all over the city. Secondly, the bikes are for people who live here. The system is designed for short trips made by people who know where they are going. Did you read the last part, idiot? Tourists will still rent the goofy "Bike And Roll" bikes.
Noisy bike share stations with their corporate advertising will ruin the character of my landmarked neighborhood.
No, you're ruining the character of your landmarked neighborhood by being a douchebag. Your landmarked neighborhood had character exactly until you moved there. London and Paris both have bike share and they fart more beauty and history in their sleep than any Brooklyn neighborhood. The average Tesco is more interesting than your stupid brownstone.
And yeah, bike share stations are so noisy, what with their loud motors and slamming doors and alarms going off all night long.
I think that about covers it.
By the way, as a reader points out, people in Brooklyn don't want Citibank logos on their precious streets, but they are fine with babies "making" all over the place:
Ms. Shapiro, who is a doula, a birth and child-rearing coach, says it is practically now a job qualification to at least be able to offer diaper-free training as an option to clients. Caribou Baby, an "eco-friendly maternity, baby and lifestyle store" on the border of artsy Greenpoint and Williamsburg, has been drawing capacity crowds to its diaper-free "Meetups," where parents exchange tips like how to get a baby to urinate on the street between parked cars.
Expect to find a Brooklyn parent holding a baby with a last name for a first name over your Rivendell and leaving a nice big surprise on your Brooks sometime this summer.
Meanwhile, we're all supposed to be really impressed that someone won a race without taking drugs:
Also, something about a boat:
"He started out with us. I remember being out fishing in 2006 and I got his phone number and I was out on this boat, and I'd been chasing him around. I actually tried to convince him to turn pro in 2007 but he said no and wanted to stay amateur for another year," Vaughters told Cyclingnews.
Wait, what? Vaughters was chasing Martin around in a boat? Or was the whole point of the story that he got a phone call on a boat? This sounds like a story Grandpa Simpson would tell.
In any case, everyone in cycling is giving each other handjobs because somehow this is supposed to mean that the system is suddenly and miraculously working--except for Greg LeMond, who continues to receive handjobs for complaining about how the system isn't working:
"I want to see cycling get to where I can say I can see a real winner."
Do you mean "winning" in the crossing-the-line-first sense, or in the Charlie Sheen sense? Because I can show you the latter:
He also makes that face every time "The Boys Are Back In Town" comes on the radio.
Anyway, Lance Armstrong didn't come to the anti-doping party, even though it was in Austin:
Armstrong was invited to attend the discussion in his home town but declined the offer.
Evidently he was too busy hastening the transition from "icon" to "novelty" by playing drums at a reggae festival:
Which LeMond also attended by way of showing that there were no hard feelings:
Jonathan Vaughters would have come too, but you see, he was out on this boat.
Police walked with the car as it slowly made its way the other side of the bridge. Police said the driver was not impaired. She was not cited.
Isn't stupidity a form of impairment?


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Custom Acrylic Spotify Code Music Plaque Night Light With Wooden Base Anniversary Gift for Him
- Description
Plaque Size: 120mm*160mm*2.5mm;
Keychain Size: 54mm*86mm*2.5mm;
Lamp Holder Size:150mm*45mm*30mmBox Size: 23*18*7cm
Material: Acrylic
You can engrave the Spotify code of your husband's favorite songs on the acrylic music plaque, so that he can scan the Spotify code to listen to his favorite songs anytime, anywhere.
You can also fill in the name of the song and the name of the artist. And It is the best decoration in your room during the day, and will gently accompany you to sleep at night.
It will be a perfect anniversary gift for your husband.
- Please note that these plaques are made with a clear acrylic sheet that ensures safety during transit and is much more durable than glass, they are NOT made from glass.
- The plaque itself does NOT play music, you have to scan the code on your Spotify app.
- Please allow 3-5 business days for your order to be made!
by world's top designers
over $49.00
Precious Metals


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Paprika, Capsicum annuum, Domestic Powder ~ Sacred Herbs and Spices from Schmerbals Herbals®
Also Check Out:
Paprika, Capsicum annuum, Hungarian Powder
Wishing you well in all of your creative herbing adventures!
~ Schmerbals Herbals
*These products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and therefore we cannot claim to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. All information on our site is provided for historical background and educational purposes only.
Please consult your physician about any medical concern you may have; and educate yourself thoroughly about any herbs and their potential contraindications before any type of use.
International Buyers – Please visit our eBay store:
Import duties, taxes, and charges are not included in the item price or shipping cost. These charges are the buyer's responsibility.Please check with your country's customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to bidding or buying and as to whether or not this product is prohibited. We can not be held responsible for damage during shipping. Nor are we liable for any damage or seizure by customs officials.


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Are all of your items in-stock? The vast majority of our items are in-stock. We strive to keep our website as up-to-date as possible. However, we do not guarantee that any of your items are in-stock at the time you place your Order. We will notify you via e-mail by the next business day of any items that are on backorder and/or sold out. This may delay processing your order until we receive your response. Even without your response, we normally begin processing your items that are in-stock unless part of an ensemble/set is on backorder or sold out (for example, we would not automatically ship your bikini bottom if your bikini top is on backorder).
Why did I not receive a confirmation e-mail? This will happen for two reasons: 1) the e-mail entered is incorrect or 2) the e-mail was treated as SPAM by your internet service provider. The first thing to do is to check to see if the e-mail was treated as SPAM. Usually, your SPAM software moves these e-mails to a SPAM folder. We suggest checking this folder for the e-mail. If your SPAM sofware deletes these e-mails or you can't locate the e-mail, then please contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com and provide us with your e-mail address. We will compare it to the one we have on file and make any necessary changes. We will then send another e-mail to confirm that you can receive our communications.
Do you ship internationally?
Yes! We ship to over 60 countries and regions listed below. Plus, we offer free international shipping for orders of $200 or more! Please visit our Shipping Policy page for more details.
Antigua and Barbuda / Argentina / Aruba / Australia / Austria / Bahamas / Barbados / Belgium / Belize / Bermuda / Bolivia / Brazil / Canada / Cayman Islands / Chile / Colombia / Costa Rica / Cuba / Curaçao / Denmark / Dominica / Dominican Republic / Ecuador / El Salvador / Fiji / Finland / France / Germany / Greece / Greenland / Guatemala / Holy See / Iceland / Ireland / Isle of Man / Israel / Italy / Jamaica / Japan / Liechtenstein / Luxembourg / Martinique / Mexico / Monaco / Montserrat / Netherlands / Netherlands Antilles / New Zealand / Nicaragua / Norway / Poland / Portugal / Saint Kitts And Nevis / Saint Lucia / Saint Martin / Sint Maarten / Spain / St. Vincent / Sweden / Switzerland / Trinidad and Tobago / Turks and Caicos Islands / United Kingdom / United States / Virgin Islands, British
How fast will I get my order?
Depending on the shipping method you chose, domestic orders within the U.S. typically arrive within 2 –7 business days. International orders arrive anywhere between 7 – 15 business days.
When will my order ship?
Orders placed before 2PM PST Monday-Friday will be shipped same day. Orders placed after 2PM PST will be shipped the following business day.
Where will my order ship from?
Orders are shipped from Florida and Brazil.
Can I return my order?
If you are unsatisfied with your purchase, you may return the item for a refund within 30 days of receiving of your purchase should it meet the requirements on our RETURNS page
Please contact our customer service team.
Hours: Monday – Friday 10AM – 5:00 PM Eastern Time
Email: email@example.com
Chat Available on whatsapp +16262449508
Can I exchange my order?
Yes you could choose per a new product and as soon we got your return we will ship the new one for you.
How do I create a return?
Please follow the instructions on our RETURNS page
When will I get my refund?
Please allow up to 10 business days from the receipt of your return to be processed and your refund issued. We will notify you once your return has been processed and your refund has been issued.
Where do I send the items I wish to return?
Before you ship your return, please make sure you have followed the return instructions on our RETURNS page. Please send all return packages to:
Lybethras RETURNS
5688 W Crenshaw St. Suite 100
Tampa, FL 33634 - USA
I noticed my Order is incorrect. How do I change it? Once an order is placed, there is no way for you to change it without our assistance. Please contact us ASAP at with your name, Order #, and specific changes. We will try modify your Order and generate an update e-mail with an Order Status link that you can click to see the changes. PLEASE SEND US AN EMAIL TO firstname.lastname@example.com
Why am I getting an e-mail stating items are sold out and/or on backorder? If I can add an item to my shopping cart, then it should be in-stock. We strive to keep our website as up-to-date as possible. However, we do not have real-time inventory and therefore can not guarantee that any item is in-stock at the time you place your Order. During the busy spring and summer seasons, items can go on backorder or sell out within hours. Naturally, this occurs most often with our most popular items. We will notify you by the next business day if this is the case.
How do I cancel my Order? Please contact us at with your name and Order # TO firstname.lastname@example.com You can cancel your Order as long as it has not shipped. If your Order already shipped, then you can request a return authorization subject to our return policy.
How can I check my Order status? If you registered during checkout, then you can login to see your Order details. You can determine the approximate time that your Order will ship by taking the item with the longest availability time and adding that to your Order date. You can also e-mail us at firstname.lastname@example.com with your name and Order #.
How do I know if a bikini top is padded? Check the item description. It should say if there are removeable or non-removeable pads.
How do know if a swimsuit is lined? All of our swimwear is lined except Hannah Fergusson and Samantha Sports illustrated Swimsuit thats is completely see through. But if you want lined we could do it for you. Just ask us.
We are manufacturer. if you want any change on your bikini, you could ask for us by email. we could change colors, details and anything you want to your bikini be more personal. Send us an email to firstname.lastname@example.com
How do I take care of my bikini?
Hand wash after every day of use, with neutral soap (without alkaline agents) better hand wash and let it dry in the shade.
Do not iron your bikini nor dry clean.
Hand wash only if have any hand made work like sequined , crochet and embroidery.
Don't leave it wet with other clothes.
Don't use bleach.


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Class 1
A two-part payment by both the employee and employer, the contributions are based on a percentage of earnings including most benefits. The employees' contributions are deducted from wages and salaries together with PAYE deductions, but are not allowable against income tax. The employer's contribution is eligible for tax relief.
The principal difference between 'earnings' for national insurance contribution purposes and 'pay' for income tax purposes is that for NI there is no deduction in respect of contributions to a registered pension scheme. Earnings include:
- Commissions
- Salaries
- Bonuses
- Certain benefits in kind
The following items are specifically excluded:
- Reimbursed business expenses actually incurred by the employee, and for which a proper receipt is available
- Redundancy payments
- Use of employer-owned or leased assets, e.g. houses
- Medical insurance (e.g. BUPA) arranged by the employer
Class 1 national insurance contributions are payable as follows:
Payment period | Weekly | Monthly | Yearly |
Employees | |||
Nil on first | £118 | £511 | £6,136 |
0% on next | £48 | £208 | £2,496 |
12% on next | £796 | £3,449 | £41,392 |
2% over £962 | £3,863 | £50,023 | |
Employers | |||
Nil on first | £166 | £719 | £8,632 |
13.8% on balance | (no upper limit) |
Earnings between the lower earnings limit and the earnings threshold protect and entitlement to basic state pension and other contributory benefits without incurring any actual national insurance liability. Details of such earnings must be reported to HMRC under the RTI reporting system, even though no tax or NIC might be payable. The RTI returns must be filed on or before the payments of earnings are made.
Class 1A
Special rules, and a special class of NICs, apply to benefits in kind. Class 1A contributions are payable by employers only. These contributions apply to those taxable benefits which do not attract Class 1 contributions in respect of all employees (including directors).
The charge is worked out on an annual basis using the cash equivalent of the benefit (as for income tax). The amount of Class 1A contributions is calculated by using information on recorded of Forms P11D and applying the Class 1 employers' contribution rate for the relevant year (13.8% for 2019/20).
Once the amount of Class 1A contributions has been calculated it must be declared using form P11D(b). This form, and the related payment, must be received by HMRC by 19 July following the end of the tax year to which it relates. In most cases a special Class 1A payslip will be sent to relevant employers in the first week of April.
Dividends instead of salary
You may wish to consider paying dividends rather than taking all your income as salary. Where directors are in receipt of a salary from a company, the NIC cost may be such that part of the payment could be more cost effectively made as a dividend. There are special rules for some companies providing personal services.
The decision on whether to pay a dividend or not is complex because the payment of a dividend may influence the value of the company's shares and therefore increase the liability to capital gains tax and inheritance tax. There is also a maximum amount that may be paid, based on the company's results.
Further strategies for minimising national insurance
Clearly there is more need than ever to mitigate NICs. Strategies are limited, but we can help you with ideas for saving employer and / or employee NICs including;
To save NICs:
- Increasing the amount the employer contracts to contribute to company pension schemes
- Share incentive plans (shares bought out of pre-tax and pre-NIC income)
- For small companies, disincorporation and instead operating as a sole trader or partnership
- Paying less by the way of salary, more as a bonus to reduce employee (not director) contributions
- Paying dividends (the first £2,000 in 2019/20 is tax-free) instead of bonuses to owner-directors
- Provision of childcare (but childcare voucher schemes are no longer available)
Actions unlikely to save NICs:
- Giving employees benefits in kind
- Round sum allowances – any profit element will attract NIC
- Employees contributions to pension schemes
Contact us if you would like further help or information on this subject.


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Push Mower Safety Tips
Lawn Mower Safety
Learn How to Safely Use a Push Lawn Mower from Cub Cadet.
When using power equipment to keep your lawn healthy and beautiful, safety should be your first priority. Cub Cadet believes that using a push lawn mower is no different. It's important to learn how to use a push lawn mower safely before operating it. With a few simple lawn mower safety tips, your yard will look amazing and you and your family will remain safe.
Preparing to use a push lawn mower:
- When using a push lawn mower, always wear safety glasses or safety goggles. This lawn mower safety tip should be followed even while performing an adjustment or repair. Objects thrown from a push lawn mower can ricochet and cause serious injury to the eyes.
- When using a push lawn mower, wear sturdy, rough-soled work shoes (preferably steel-toed) and close-fitting slacks and shirts that cover the arms and legs. Never operate a push lawn mower with bare feet, sandals, slippery or light-weight shoes.
Before you power up your push lawn mower:
- Take a short walk around your lawn and thoroughly inspect the area where the push lawn mower will be used. Keeping lawn mower safety in mind, remove all stones, sticks, wire, bones, toys and other debris from the lawn that could be tripped over or picked up and thrown by the blade.
- Plan your mowing pattern. Be aware that your push lawn mower can discard materials as you move. For lawn mower safety, avoid roads, sidewalks and bystanders, as well as walls or obstructions, which may cause discharged material to ricochet back toward you.
- Be sure to inspect the push lawn mower that you plan to use. Keep an eye out for damaged or missing parts and make any adjustments or repairs before you begin. Missing or damaged parts can cause blade contact or thrown object injuries.
When your push lawn mower is in motion, use these safety tips:
- If lawn mower safety is your priority, remember that many injuries occur as a result of the push lawn mower being pulled over the foot during a fall. Do not hold on to the push lawn mower if you are falling; Release the handle immediately.
- When walking with a push lawn mower, never pull the mower back toward you while moving. If you must back the push lawn mower away, remember these lawn mower safety tips:
- First, look down and behind you to avoid tripping.
- Step back from the push lawn mower to fully extend your arms.
- Be sure you are well balanced with sure footing.
- Pull the lawn mower back slowly, no more than half way toward you.