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Tidbits® of Salina NOT JUST FOR MOWING (continued): • All of our cereal grains belong to the grass family, including wheat, rice, wild rice, corn, oats, barley, millet and rye. • Some grasses can survive in very inhospitable places, from the tundra in the extreme north to the shifting sands in the harshest deserts and even where salt water is present. • Grasses were prevalent across the Great Plains of North America and proved instrumental in making the region a great cattle-grazing area. Since about 1880, much of the native grasslands have been dissected by agriculture. One of the last remnants of this vast grassland area untainted by agriculture is the Flint Hills region in eastern Kansas. Ecologists refer to this ecosystem as tallgrass prairie, and preservation of a piece of it is
1. CURRENCY: What is the image that appears opposite of Andrew Jackson on a $20 U.S. bill? 2. GEOGRAPHY: What is the name of India to local residents? 3. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: What disease is caused by the bacteria “Yersinia pestis”? 4. COMICS: What comic-book series featured Green Goblin as a villain? 5. BOARD GAMES: If you have to go directly to jail in “Monopoly,” what two things are you told NOT to do? 6. MUSIC: In what year did Elvis Presley make his first national television appearance in the U.S.? 7. LITERATURE: What was the title of Dr. Seuss’s last book? 8. FOOD & DRINK: What are the main ingredients of vichyssoise? 9. MOVIES: What town was the setting for the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life”? 10. ANATOMY: What is the function of the amygdala in the human body?
assured in the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve near Strong City, Kansas. • Grains are one of the four primary food groups identified in the nutritional guidelines posted by the U. S. Department of Agriculture. The recommended daily grain intake for adults is 5-8 ounces (141.7226.8 g) with at least half of this intake being whole and not refined grain. The USDA website, www. choosemyplate.gov, has good information on this subject. • The connection between grains, carbohydrates and obesity is a hot topic of discussion among nutrition experts in the United States. The Grains Food Foundation (GFF) notes that whole grains are important sources of iron, a nutrient critical to production and release of energy in the body. The GFF further notes that the three nutrients selenium, potassium and magnesium found in whole grain foods collectively may help boost immunity, lower blood pressure and prevent heart disease and some forms of cancer. •
Exotic grasses introduced into an area where
they are not native can sometimes set the stage for an ecological disaster. Cheatgrass that is native to the Mediterranean region of Europe was first observed in North America near Denver, Colorado, in the late 1800s. Allegedly, it entered
PHOTO: Timothy Hutton
Q: When will my favorite show, “Leverage,” be back with new episodes? -- Paul T., via e-mail A: The premiere of season five of the hit TNT show will be Sunday, July 15, at 8 p.m. ET/PT. This year brings 10 all-new episodes starring your favorite gang of thieves, grifters and con artists led by Academy Award-winner Timothy Hutton, along with Gina Bellman, Christian Kane, Beth Riesgraf and Aldis Hodge. This season promises to deliver high action and intrigue -- and maybe some more romance -- as well as bigname guest stars, such as Cary Elwes and Treat Williams. *** Q: Is it true that Matthew McConaughey finally tied the knot? -- Tina R., via e-mail A: Lustful ladies all over the world had to give up the dream of
becoming Mrs. M. in early June, when Matthew married longtime girlfriend -- and mother of son Levi, 3, and daughter Vida, 2 -- Camilla Alves in an intimate ceremony at the couple’s home in Austin, Texas. *** Q: What’s next for the beautiful Andie MacDowell? It seems I see her only on hair color/make-up commercials anymore, and I really miss seeing her in movies. -- Britta, Fairview, Mich. A: Andie just started production in mid-June on the new Hallmark Channel original series “Cedar Cove,” which is based on the best-selling book series of the same name by Debbie Macomber. Andie will star as Judge Olivia Lockhart, whose Cedar Cove Municipal Court is the professional milieu and social microcosm of issues the judge will face in her own day-to-day life with family and friends. The series kicks off with a two-hour pilot, scheduled to air at the end of the year, with a weekly onehour series to follow in early 2013. *** Readers: For your summertime reading pleasure, I want to give one lucky reader a copy of Rebecca Bloom’s “Eat, Drink and Be Married.” Simply e-mail me at letters@cindyelavsky.com or send a letter to Cindy Elavsky, King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475 by July 31, and tell me your favorite beach read. This contest isn’t just for the ladies, although many beach books are classified as “chick lit.” I asked Rebecca if it bothered her to have books pigeonholed as “chick lit.” She told me: “I was offended by it before, but because I thought, ‘Why does it have to be classified?’ But now I’m much more of a realist than when I started writing, and you have to do whatever you can to market your book. It’s a way to classify and sell, and ultimately, that’s what any writer should want. So, I’m not as against it. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with celebrating women with your writing. ‘The Help’ was awesome, and that was a chick flick and chick lit, so if my book is classified as chick lit, that’s fine with me.” Write to Cindy at King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475; or e-mail her at letters@ cindyelavsky.com. (c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.
Orange-Endive Ambrosia For a truly authentic ambrosia, don’t skimp on the coconut! It is an essential ingredient for this old-fashioned salad. 1/2 cup coarsely shredded unsweetened coconut 1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil Salt Freshly ground black pepper 4 navel oranges 4 heads Belgian endive 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, packed 1. In 12-inch skillet, toast coconut on medium 2 to 4 minutes or until golden, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and cool completely. (Coconut can be kept at room temperature in an airtight container up to 1 day.) 2. In small bowl, with fork, mix buttermilk, vinegar, mustard, oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper until well-mixed. (Dressing can be covered and refrigerated up to 1 day.) 3. With knife, cut peel and white pith from oranges and discard. Cut each orange crosswise into 1/4-inch rounds; cut each round in half and transfer to bowl, keeping some rounds whole if you like. (Oranges can be covered and refrigerated up to 1 day.) 4. When ready to serve, trim endive. Cut crosswise at an angle into 1-inch pieces; discard core. In large bowl, toss endive and parsley with dressing until coated. 5. On large serving platter, spread half of oranges decoratively in single layer. Top with salad and remaining oranges. Sprinkle with toasted coconut. Serves 8. Each serving: About 100 calories, 6g total fat (4g saturated), 0mg cholesterol, 100mg sodium, 12g total carbs, 3g dietary fiber, 2g protein. For thousands of triple-tested recipes, visit our website at www.goodhousekeeping.com/recipefinder/. (c) 2012 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved