Weird Stories

After her 11-year-old son was suspended for twice bringing a loaded handgun to school, Linnea C. Holdren, 43, said the matter was pretty much beyond her control. "I can't lock up his guns," she told police. "They belong to him, and he has a right to use them whenever he wants to use them." (The boy was expelled in January, and Holdren, who is a teacher at her son's Shickshinny, Pa., elementary school, has been charged with felony endangerment.) [San Jose Mercury News-AP, 12-18-05; WYOU-TV (Scranton), 1-18-06] (Lucy's note: Who in Heavens name would allow an 11 year old child to own his own hand guns? Is she crazy?)

Least Competent Criminals
Not Cut Out for a Life of Crime:
(1) Three men who police say stole a car in San Jose, Calif., in October and drove it to Chico, Calif., were arrested in Chico when police caught them trying to break into that same car because they had locked the keys inside (or thought they had, since Chico Officer Jose Lara said he found the keys in one of the men's pockets, after all).
(2) Adam Ruiz, 29, was arrested in Buffalo, N.Y., in January after he showed up at work as a trainee at the same Burger King he had allegedly robbed the week before (strengthening the conclusion that crime certainly does not pay if it pays less well than burger-flipping.) [Chico Enterprise-Record, 11-4-05] [The Buffalo News, 1-13-06]

Note from Lucy: Found this recipe for Instant Eggs Florentine in the Womens World magazine March 14th issue. Can't wait to try it.

Instant Eggs Florentine: Whip these up in minutes, freeze, then just pop in the microwave for 90 seconds when you're ready to eat!

10 oz. frozen, chopped spinach, thawed, drained
1 egg white + 4 eggs
Salt, pepper
1/2 cup reduced-fat cheese
2 slices cooked turkey bacon, crumbled

Mix spinach leaves with egg white, salt and pepper. Coat a muffin tin with cooking spray; press spinach mixture up the sides of six cups. Combine remaining eggs, cheese and bacon; pour evenly over spinach. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until cooked through.

Another recipe that sounds really good to me (I plan to try it tonight) is Roasted Tomatoes.
I got this recipe from the Parade magazine dated Feb. 26, 2006

Roasted Tomatoes:

(Fresh bread crumbs are a key in this dish.)
1 large slice peasant bread (3/4 inch thick), lightly toasted
1 large clove of garlic, chopped
4 TBL. chopped parsley
8 tomatoes, halved crosswise, seeded, pulp removed and reserved.
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 TBL. extra-virgin olive oil

Chop the bread, garlic, parsley and tomato pulp. Mix with thyme, salt, pepper and oil; spoon into tomato halves. Bake in a 350 degree F. oven for 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Serves 8. Per serving: 110 calories, 10 g. carbohydrate, 2 g. protein, 7 g. fat, no cholesterol.

One more recipe from the same magazine:
Green Bean, Walnut & Blue Cheese Salad

1 1/2 pounds tender green beans, stem ends snapped
1 TBL. Dijon-style mustard
2 TBL red-wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 TBL extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup walnut halves
8 ounces Danish blue or Roquefort cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes.
2 TBS chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

1) Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook until just tender, about 4 minutes. Drain, run under cold water to refresh, then drain again. Pat dry with paper towels.
2) Meanwhile, in a large bowl, prepare the vinaigrette: Whisk together the mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and continue whisking until slightly thickened.
3) Before serving, add the green beans and the walnuts; toss with the vinaigrette. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with the blue cheese and parsley.

Serves 8. Per serving: 210 calories, 7 g carbohydrate, 8 g protein, 17 g fat, 20 mg cholesterol.