text:
Serves 4 but doubles easily
This chicken is great warm or at room temperature. It works so well with the new Tofutti Pareve Ricotta Cheese. It is great accompanied by garlicky spinach or green beans.
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1-1/2 lb. total)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces pareve tofutti ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped pitted Kalamata olives
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest (from 1 large lemon), divided
1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
1/2 cup flour
6 tablespoons margarine, cut into 6 pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons minced shallots
1-1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons chicken broth
With a boning knife, cut a wide pocket into the thickest part of each chicken breast half, taking care not to cut all the way through. Season the chicken evenly on both sides with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
In a small bowl, mix the tofutti ricotta cheese, olives, and 1 teaspoon each lemon zest and rosemary. Stuff the pockets with the ricotta mixture and pin each shut with two toothpicks. Spread the flour in a shallow bowl and dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off the excess.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the margarine and the oil in a 12-inch heavy-duty skillet over medium-high heat until the foam from the butter subsides. Add the chicken and cook, flipping once and adding another 1 tablespoon margarine halfway through cooking, until golden-brown and cooked through (reduce the heat to medium if necessary), 14 to 16 minutes total. Transfer to plates and remove the toothpicks.
While the chicken cooks, melt 1 tablespoon margarine in an 8-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the vinegar and boil until syrupy, about 3 minutes. Add the broth and boil for 1 minute more. Off the heat, whisk in the remaining 3 tablespoons margarine, remaining 1 teaspoon lemon zest, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon rosemary. Serve the chicken drizzled with the sauce.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Two-point failure(s) doom Bears
CHICAGO — The Bears couldn't beat the Lions at Soldier Field on Sunday with two quarterbacks — and with both playing well — and now they could spend the rest of the regular season trying to track down Detroit.
Chicago's two two-point conversion tries with 40 seconds remaining fell short, and the Bears suffered a 21-19 loss to Detroit in the battle for the NFC North Division lead. Now Detroit (6-3) holds not only the advantage over the Bears (5-4) headed into the back stretch of the season, but they own two wins against their rivals, and the tiebreaker as well.
"This is tough; it's really tough. Now, well now we're going to need some help," said starting quarterback Jay Cutler, who played nearly the entire game on a sore groin, and almost half of it on an injured ankle. "The guys really fought hard. … They knew I was hurting and couldn't move around like I like. But those guys kept fighting for me."
Both Cutler, and later Josh McCown, failed to bring the Bears back enough to put them in the lead in the division. However, Cutler threw for 250 yards and a touchdown, and was sacked just once and threw one interception (on a tipped pass at the goal line) before being forced out for the game's final drive.
That's where McCown came in and picked up right where he left off the last two games. The 11-year veteran who nearly led Chicago to a comeback against Washington three weeks ago and then sparked the victory over Green Bay last Monday night charged the Bears right down the field for the possible tying touchdown late in the game.
He hit Brandon Marshall — who led all receivers (even Calvin Johnson) with seven catches for 139 yards and two touchdowns — for an 11-yard TD pass in the game's final minute, capping off the 10-play, 74-yard drive that started with 2:18 left on the clock.
But then, even though the two-point pass that fell incomplete was nullified because of a roughing-the-passer penalty, the run by Matt Forte on the retry had no shot either. Forte was dropped for a loss, and Detroit ran the rest of the clock out after securing the on-side kick attempt.
"It's just like every week — I never know when I'm going to come in. I just have to be ready," McCown (6-for-9 for 62 yards with the TD) said. "And we sure felt like we had them there on that second one. We felt like we had it. We just didn't get it executed."
And now they will be battling from behind to get to the playoffs. While Green Bay (5-4) suffered a defeat to Philadelphia to drop back into a tie with the Bears, the Lions — and their remaining soft schedule, with just one team with a winning record left — are all of the sudden the team to catch.
"It always hurts to lose," said safety Chris Conte, who missed a tackle on a key 39-yard Reggie Bush (105 yards rushing) run, but who also hauled in the fourth-quarter interception that set up a field goal to chop the Lions' lead to one. "And this one, this one could come back to get us, for sure."
Jay Taft: 815-987-1384; email@example.com; @jaytaft


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It focuses on the following application domains: industry-critical systems, e-learning systems, web-based distributed systems, enterprise architectures.
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AL (Liber Legis) The Book of the Law
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Wolf Blitzer delivers the most important breaking news and political, international, and national security stories of the day. Tune to The Situation Room weekdays 5-7pm ET on CNN.
Former NBA player Dennis Rodman could be facing charges for the lavish gifts he gave leader Kim Jong-Un that may have broken international sanctions on North Korea. CNN's Brian Todd reports.
LETSSEE ,Bengauzi,Fast and Furious,IRS,NSA to name a few and I ask along with the prople of the USA,Why aren't our government people in jail for this.Oh,I know they are prima donas,right?Jim Thomas Phx.Az.
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text: Labor's figure of 700,000 is based largely on a McKell Institute report. AAP Image/Sean Davey May 24, 2017 FactCheck: will 700,000 workers be 'ripped off' by penalty rate cuts, as Bill Shorten said? Josh Healy, The University of Melbourne In a recorded phone call to voters, Labor leader Bill Shorten said that "cuts to penalty rates will rip off 700,000 workers". Is that true?


text:
Most people start thinking about retirement when they turn 70, if they haven't already called it a career. Not Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, who passed that milestone Sunday.
"He sure doesn't appear to be ready to retire," said analyst Frank Scavo, managing partner of IT consulting firm Strativa. "I suppose technically he has to be drawing Social Security at this point. That has to be something, a check coming in the mail each month made out to Larry Ellison for $933," Scavo joked of Oracle's billionaire co-founder, who is one of the world's richest people.
Ellison looked hale, hearty and engaged in recent public appearances, such as the launch of Oracle's new in-memory option for its flagship database. If he were to have a sudden health crisis preventing him from working, there would likely be a short-term reaction from the stock market, Scavo said. However, "Oracle has an extremely deep bench in terms of talent," he added.
The CEO's top lieutenants include co-presidents Mark Hurd and Safra Catz, as well as product development chief Thomas Kurian. Speculation has swirled for years about whether Ellison has tapped a leader to succeed him, or has another type of plan in place.
An Oracle spokeswoman declined to comment on the topic or make Ellison available for an interview.
Of course, Ellison has plenty going on in his life apart from Oracle. Last year,his sailing team won the America's Cup and surely will defend the crown at some point. Ellison is also working on a variety of projects on Lanai, the Hawaiian island he bought in 2012 for reportedly more than US$500 million.
The presence of executives such as Hurd, Catz and Kurian means Ellison can leave the company's day-to-day operations to them while focusing on Oracle's big-picture strategy.
And indeed Ellison does. He chairs Oracle's three major weekly product meetings and is said to spend days working on his keynote presentations, closely watched affairs in which he typically unveils new products and lays out Oracle's future plans.
The next of these will come next month during Oracle's massive OpenWorld conference, where a big focus is expected to be on the vendor's move into all aspects of cloud computing, from IaaS (infrastructure as a service) to PaaS (platform as a service) to SaaS (software as a service) applications.
Oracle has made a number of acquisitions to build out its cloud portfolio and is also pushing its homegrown Fusion Applications, which can be run in SaaS form. While Oracle has declared itself the industry's second-largest cloud vendor after Salesforce.com, it remains largely in transition from its traditional on-premises software business.
Managing this shift appears to be the biggest task on Ellison's plate over the next several years.
"They certainly have been challenged by the migration to the cloud, and by all accounts were late to the party," Scavo said.
"The problem Oracle has with doing so many acquisitions is that these many solutions were not designed holistically, and are at best interfaced with one another and not tightly integrated," Scavo added. When Oracle competes for a cloud software suite deal, they must present a "hodge-podge of solutions cobbled together," he said.
To this end, it would be a major mistake for Ellison to make a major cloud vendor acquisition, such as of Salesforce.com or Workday, Scavo added.
Beyond applications, Oracle has to play major catch up in the cloud on PaaS and IaaS, in the view of Forrester Research analyst John Rymer.
"When we talk to folks using Java in the cloud they're using CloudBees or Amazon Web Services," Rymer said. "I'm sure there are people who are using [Oracle's Java-based PaaS service], but we just never see it. For me, if something's really catching on, I hear about it from clients."
Oracle also has to grapple with a shift away from its current sales model, Rymer said. Cloud services are typically sold by subscription, while the bulk of Oracle's revenue today is comprised of upfront software license fees and annual maintenance payments, the latter of which carry extremely high profit margins.
Unlike Scavo, Rymer expects Oracle to make more acquisitions to bolster its push into the cloud. Oracle, IBM, SAP and other large vendors "manage cash cow products, but they're really not very good at innovation," he said.
In any event, when Ellison does finally hand off the reins, "I think who he chooses as a replacement will drive what his legacy looks like," said analyst Ray Wang, chairman and founder of Constellation Research.
Someone like Oracle's long-time chief corporate architect Edward Screven would be a "formidable force" as CEO from a technology perspective, Wang said. Hurd, a former Hewlett-Packard CEO and close friend of Ellison's, has been eyed as a potential successor since coming aboard in 2010. Catz's name has come up frequently as well.
Whatever happens, Ellison "is not an easy person to replace," Wang said. "The job could be too big for one person."
Chris Kanaracus covers enterprise software and general technology breaking news for The IDG News Service. Chris' email address is firstname.lastname@example.com


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text:
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Guilt (and gluten) free oatmeal banana muffins
My dad is the healthiest person I know. Really. He's in his late 60's has almost no body fat and can outwork most men half his age. His cholesterol and blood pressure are great in spite of eating eggs, real butter, and some form of dessert at least once a day. If you ask him what his secret is he'll tell you; oatmeal. He has eaten a bowl of oatmeal and two eggs for breakfast nearly everyday of his entire life. I think he single handily has kept Quaker Oats in business!
He's hardcore with the oatmeal too. It's the old-fashioned oatmeal, no quick cooking, brown sugar and maple microwave variety for Dad. He claims that the quick cooking kind it's nearly as healthy( and apparently the American Cancer Society agrees). Oh and he doesn't put any sugar on his oatmeal either, sometimes some raisins or other fruit but never sugar.
Oatmeal is one of those super foods that has numerous health benefits, not the least of which is lowering cholesterol levels. I know I should get more in my diet and I do occasionally eat a bowl. I just can't seem to make myself eat it everyday. Oh and I do have to add a bit of brown sugar, sorry Dad, I'm not as tough as you! Hubs will also force down a bowl now and again, but definitely isn't going to eat it on a regular basis. So I been was looking for some other ways to incorporate more of this wonder food into our diet. I came across this recipe for oatmeal banana muffins. It's low fat and has an amazing 25 grams of oatmeal to each muffin! I didn't actually set out to make gluten free muffins, but this recipe uses no wheat flour. Instead it calls for oat flour. I didn't have any oat flour on hand, but its easy to make. I put my old fashioned rolled oats into the food processor and ground them until they had a flour like texture. Super simple! It takes about a cup and a half of oats to make one cup of oat flour.
The muffins were really moist. Hubs and I agreed they taste and texture of banana bread.
These muffins are like a portable bowl of oatmeal. The fruit is even included.
Banana Oatmeal Muffins
Yield: 12 large
Bake: in 400ºF oven for 20 minutes
1 1/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup yogurt, plain low fat
1/2 cup milk, low fat
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup oil, sunflower or vegetable oil
2 bananas, large, ripe, mashed
1 egg, large, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cup oat flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
In a bowl mix together rolled oats, yogurt and milk. Let soak for 10 minutes.
Mix oat flour, salt, spices, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl.
Add brown sugar, mashed banana, egg and oil to rolled oats mixture. Mix well.
Add dry ingredients to the rolled oats mixture. Mix well. Fill greased or paper lined muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake for approximately 20 minutes.
100 comments:
Always on the lookout for a good muffin recipe to try & love the ingredients in these -- especially the yogurt. The tang is nice!
- January 28, 2009 at 11:06 AM
- Eliana said...
I made some oatmeal banana muffins once that had coconut in them but weren't early as healthy as these, who will make an excellent quick breakfast for someone on the go.
- January 28, 2009 at 11:58 AM
- Lakshmik said...
Can I use quick cooking oats for this recipe?
- January 28, 2009 at 2:37 PM
- La Cuisine d'Helene said...
The healthiest 65 yrs old I've seen was my neighbor in Ontario. Every morning he was eating oatmeal. It must do something. I love your muffins.
- January 28, 2009 at 2:54 PM
- Ferdzy said...
They look like delicious, healthy muffins, but they aren't gluten free. Oats have gluten. A lot less than wheat has, but it is there.
- January 28, 2009 at 5:33 PM
- Half Baked said...
Ferdzy, Thanks for the info. Most research indicates that oats in their natural form are gluten free. It is widely believed that any contamination to oats occurs in the processing. Many company such as Bob's Red Mill offer gluten free options for oats. I would recommend using one of these products if you are sensitive to gluten.
- January 28, 2009 at 6:23 PM
- Sarah R said...
Re: Ferdzy... it's true that there is a lot of cross-contamination, but as Baked pointed out there are sources... I get mine from Lauras (I think that's the company name) and there are a couple other plants that are certified GF too.
Thanks for the recipe!!
- January 28, 2009 at 8:13 PM
- grace said...
i'm an oatmeal fan myself, and your muffins sound delightful. have you ever tossed oats into your pancakes? it makes a dense and delicious stack. :)
- January 29, 2009 at 6:32 AM
I'm an oatmeal fan too! But here's a little secret: if you get bored of porridge, make it savoury. Just fry a bit of onion, swap the sugar for salt and add in whatever spices you like. Serve with a pat of butter if you feel like indulging. Oatmeal is so versatile!
- January 29, 2009 at 10:36 AM
They sound delicious. Your dad does sound very healthy! I'm a big fan of oatmeal, hopefully I'll reap the benefits of a healthy life too :)!
- January 29, 2009 at 10:46 AM
Looks so good. I must try this!
- January 29, 2009 at 7:49 PM
This looks SUPREMELY healthy. I can't wait to try it!!!!
- January 30, 2009 at 7:19 AM
- PG said...
I keep thinking that I should eat more oatmeal. I guess it doesn't help that I like it with brown sugar.
I'm definitely going to give these muffins a try. Would it totally defeat the purpose if I add chocolate chips? Ok...I'll compromise and add raisins.
- January 31, 2009 at 3:40 PM
- Rosie said...
I am bookmarking this recipe!! I'm always looking for banana recipes in cakes/muffins/cookies and these sound delicious!!
Rosie x
- February 2, 2009 at 7:49 AM
- Donna-FFW said...
Love all types of muffin recipes, these sound terrific. Oatmeal and bananas, mmmmm/ Great, quic, healthy tasty breakfast!
- February 5, 2009 at 3:47 AM
- Sustainable Diet said...
made these last night and they were remarkable! i love them and their guiltlessness. :) better yet, the bf and the dog loved 'em too.
- February 10, 2009 at 8:41 AM
- Laura said...
I have always wanted to like plain, sugar-free oatmeal... but I just cannot. however, it is my favorite baking grain. I stick it in bread, muffins, scones, and cookies all the time. Oh and don't forget homemade, super sweet granola, which your dad would probably find an abomination. :)
- February 11, 2009 at 4:10 PM
- Amanda said...
Gorgeous! I'll be trying these soon.
- March 6, 2009 at 4:38 AM
Thanks for the recipe! has been looking for this type for a long time. i used to try crushed cereal instead of the oat flour but it didnt work and idk why..
- March 12, 2009 at 2:49 PM
- Jodi Crisp said...
I just made some today...they are amazing!!! Thanks so much for this recipe...I have it bookmarked!
- March 13, 2009 at 2:13 PM
I finally tried these today and WOW! Thanks for a perfect--and very adaptable--recipe! I used sugar replacer (because I'm diabetic), light sour cream instead of yogurt (that's what I had) and oat bran cereal instead of flour (works great and easier to find here). I left out the cinnamon & nutmeg and instead threw in a handful of sugar-free chocolate chips. Delicious! Made 1-1/2 dozen standard-sized muffins.
- March 19, 2009 at 6:22 AM
- Jennifer said...
Yum! The kids and I made these muffins yesterday and loved them so much that we made more today. The only change we made was to add chocolate chips. They were delicious! Thanks so much for the recipe!
- May 5, 2009 at 7:39 AM
Was looking for an easy & healthy recipe using oatmeal & bananas. Used canola oil and splenda brown sugar instead of what was called for in the recipe and they were GREAT! My entire family loved them. They are on my counter at all times. Great low fat and no flour snack. Gotta Try them!!
- May 18, 2009 at 7:32 AM
THESE WERE AWESOME! I made them yesterday and they were the best muffin ever. Thanks a lot!
- June 5, 2009 at 9:40 AM
Bookmarked!! These are good cold but excellent after 15 seconds in the microwave! And they're like a wholesome breakfast in a muffin!
- August 6, 2009 at 4:14 AM
To Ferdzy.
Oats do not contain gluten. This is the official word from the US & Canadian celiac societies.
Oats can become contaminated if they are stored near wheat, etc. But by themselves - they are free of gluten.
- August 11, 2009 at 11:01 PM
Since my kids are dairy free, I made these with applesauce and water instead of yogurt and milk. They still turned out fantastic. Thanks for the recipe!
- August 31, 2009 at 10:32 AM
- Shobu said...
can i make these lovely muffins in the microwave? what do you suggest?
- November 19, 2009 at 2:40 AM
- Half Baked said...
Hi Shobu, I've never tried to bake in the microwave so I don't know if it would work or not. I think it would be very hard to get them to bake correctly in a microwave, but if you do try it let me know how it turned out!
- November 21, 2009 at 10:18 AM
- rcakewalk said...
As I am in the habit of Googling now to find new recipes, and I had a surplus of blackening bananas on the counter this morning, I found you and this great recipe! They are in the oven now, and I know we won't be disappointed.
(I use a coffee grinder (the find-at-a-rummage-for-$5 type) to grind bulk whole oats into flour, and it works great... Also works for flax and even dried chile peppers. To clean it, I add a handful of rice and pulse a few times, then wipe with a damp towel.)
- December 23, 2009 at 6:27 AM
- Nicole said...
I had lots of bananas that were becoming too ripe so I decided to google healthy banana recipes and I came across your blog and I'm so glad I did! I've made them twice already! My whole family loves them! I added crushed rainsins and cranberries and some walnuts and a bit of honey. SOOOO GOOD!!!!!!!
- February 9, 2010 at 8:01 PM
These look amazing, im considering cooking them for a food tech lesson in school, we had to look for a low fat recipe and my teachers a coeliac so i wanted to do a gluten free treat so she could try them, but we need to have the nutritional value per cupcake i was wondering if anyone knows it.
- March 2, 2010 at 9:45 AM
- Kathleen T said...
These baked up wonderfully. I eat gluten free just to challenge myself to learn something new in the kitchen and provide a wide variety of healthy options for my family. These are my new favorite banana recipe! I used Sucanat (unprocessed sugar cane-available at health food stores or online)instead of brown sugar. I also added 1 TABLESPOON of pure vanilla, my favorite baking flavor. My mashed bananas equaled one cup. Yum! Yum! Yum!
- March 9, 2010 at 9:37 PM
- Unknown said...
I didn't expect these to taste as great as they tasted! They were perfectly sweet with about a tablespoon of honey added. They're very moist, so you may want to bake them 5 minutes longer, or you could just let them sit at room temperature for a couple of hours. I will be making these often!
- June 6, 2010 at 10:08 AM
Made these muffins yesterday! Delicious! Thanks for the recipe. Just wondering--- how many calories per muffin? (I made 18)
- June 13, 2010 at 7:47 AM
- Half Baked said...
Glad you liked the muffins! Sorry I have no idea how many calories are in them but they are healthful muffins.
- June 13, 2010 at 9:05 AM
I replaced the oil with applesauce, brown sugar with honey, used 3 bananas, and used vanilla instead of nutmeg. Turned out fluffy and tasty. Great recipe.
- September 12, 2010 at 7:45 AM
- Lawy said...
his is a very forgiving recipe. I accidentally put 1 1/2 cups yogurt instead of 1/2 cup(and I didn't have plain so I used banana/pineapple yogurt), saw my mistake, cut out the milk and used a glob of honey for just a bit more moisture, didn't have oat flour so used millet flour; and they turned out deliciously. This is a great recipe for experimenting with, I think.
- September 13, 2010 at 8:36 AM
- Lawy said...
I made a lot of mistakes and this is a very forgiving recipe. I thought the recipe said 1 1/2 yogurt so I put 1 cup yogurt and 1/2 a cup applesauce instead of 1/2 cup(and I didn't have plain so I used banana/pineapple yogurt), saw my mistake, cut out the milk and used a glob of honey for just a bit more moisture, didn't have oat flour so used millet flour; and they turned out deliciously. This is a great recipe for experimenting with, I think.
- September 13, 2010 at 8:41 AM
- baimeeker said...
I added flax seed meal to this recipe for just a bit more fiber (not that it needs it). I've been blown away. While I have had good gf muffins, I've never been able to get gf muffins with that kind of consistency before... they always turn out a bit more cake like, which is fine. But I like this better. Thanks for the recipe. I'm sure it's going to become one of my favorites!
- October 15, 2010 at 10:00 PM
These look amazing, but as others have said they are not gluten free. Gluten free means there is no wheat, rye, barley or oats!!!
While the jury is out in terms of if oats actually do have gluten, the Coeliac Society of Australia categorically advises those with a gluten allergy or Coeliac Disease to not eat any oats.
They are doing lots of research into this at the moment, and hope one day they might prove oats are gluten free. But until then, oats are off the agenda for me as a Coeliac.
- October 22, 2010 at 11:30 PM
Any idea how to substitute Stevia for the brown sugar? I looked up the conversion (1/2 tsp liquid stevia for 1/2 c. brown sugar), but it says that with some of the bulk of the sugar missing I need to add something else to add moisture. Suggestions? Applesauce? More yogurt? Looking forward to making these!
- October 31, 2010 at 5:09 PM
I use 1/3 cup xylitol or eythritol (sp?) and about a Tbl of molassas and about an eight of a tsp of stevia.
My whole family (husband and three year old daughter and I) are addicted to these things! I have to make two batches a week!
- November 7, 2010 at 5:51 PM
I used 3/4 cup rice milk because I can't have yogurt and added 2 tablespoons more oat flour. Diabetic's in the family so I put in 3 tablespoons Truvia, added an extra banana, and changed the rice milk measurement so it was 1/2 cup, and for the rest I used applesauce. Great. Yummmmmmy!
- November 16, 2010 at 4:11 PM
- MegSmith @ Cooking.In.College said...
Just have to let you know I am currently writing down ingredients to make these muffins! This is an awesome recipe :-) thanks for sharing.
- January 10, 2011 at 12:50 PM
- Adrienne said...
Just making these muffins for the 2nd time & thought I'd leave a comment to let you know that they were delicious & eaten very quickly by my non-gf boyfriend. I used vanilla yogurt, since I had it on hand and used my regular gluten free flour mixture in place of the oat flour and it turned out great. I also replaced the egg with a flax egg substitute since I can't eat eggs. Oats are safe to eat for celiacs as long as you are buying pure, uncontaminated oats. I use Only Oats brand flakes. Thanks so much for the healthy & delicious gluten free recipe!
- January 16, 2011 at 11:54 AM
hey 11/4 cup of oatmeal means 1/4 cup right? or how much is it 11/4? thanks
- February 2, 2011 at 2:38 PM
- Half Baked said...
It means 1 and 1/4 cups. Hope that helps.
- February 2, 2011 at 3:44 PM
- Mommy DKB said...
Half Baked - Several weeks ago I started eating steel cut oatmeal for breakfast each morning. I buy frozen organic raspberries. I pour some of them in the bottom of the bowl and then pour my hot oatmeal over the top. That thaws the raspberries. Then I cut up a half of a banana for the top. I personally love it.
- February 20, 2011 at 7:21 PM
These turned out to be quite tasty, but the consistency was rather strange.
- April 13, 2011 at 8:27 AM
- LorieN said...
Just made these AMAZING muffins! They're the best banana muffins I've eaten, and I've made them with different flours. So moist and dense and banana-y! Will make often!
- May 3, 2011 at 1:53 PM
- toulouse said...
Thoughts on substituting spelt flour for the ground oats?
- July 31, 2011 at 5:15 PM
- Half Baked said...
toulouse, I haven't tried spelt but is should work. The muffins may be a little denser but I think they should be tasty! If you try it, let me know how they turn out!
- July 31, 2011 at 5:33 PM
- toulouse said...
I will. I perfected a banana muffin recipe, changing little things over about 50 tries, but now I'm trying my son on gluten-free so I have to throw that one out. I'll report back. Thanks for the quick answer.
- August 1, 2011 at 7:27 AM
- toulouse said...
The muffins turned out great with the spelt flour. The only deviations from the recipe were this: spelt flour instead of oat flour, 4 bananas instead of 2, and added chopped walnuts. Surprisingly light! Thanks for the recipe.
- August 2, 2011 at 12:34 PM
Thanks a ton for posting this recipe. Like your father, I eat oatmeal daily and crave it if I go a few days without. However, I do add peanut butter, honey, cinnamon, or whatever healthy supplements I have on hand. What I found most fortunate about your recipe is the oat flour. I made some with the bullet and how simple it was. Everyone enjoyed the muffins. Thanks again!
- August 5, 2011 at 7:34 PM
Yes it's soooo good for you- I eat a massive bowl of oatmeal every morning and I feel so healthy and never get sick.
I made these muffins and they are perfect. I LOVE cakes so much and these will be great for my Healthy Breakfast Bakesale for my co-workers.
- August 21, 2011 at 12:26 PM
I eat a gluten free diet. One of our teachers made these as a welcomed treat for me (she is always so thoughtful). They were absolutely delicious!! Our children and I enjoy oatmeal and are looking forward to incorporating these into our weekly breakfast routine. YUM!
- October 3, 2011 at 2:05 PM
I have made this recipe several times and love it as a master recipe that is great as is, but can also be changed up a bit. My batch in the oven right now has an extra banana, applesauce sub for oil, a touch of vanilla and some walnuts. One of my all time fav grab and go breakfasts!
- October 9, 2011 at 2:40 PM
These are now a staple in my house. I by accident left out the salt, increased the soda, and substituted coconut milk. I have become convinced that coconut milk is the secret to baking with oat flour. Also, the goopier and browner the banana's the better.
I've also spiked them with flax seed meal - substituting out for some of the oatmeal. They are awesome.
- October 18, 2011 at 12:25 PM
Question - I have a question about the portion of this ingredient: "11/4 cup rolled oats" - is that supposed to be 1 1/4 cup, or 1/4 cup? Can't wait to try these.
- November 12, 2011 at 3:36 AM
- Half Baked said...
It's one and one quarter cups of oats. Hope that helps.
- November 12, 2011 at 6:32 AM
- pharmacy one said...
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- January 25, 2012 at 2:08 AM
- Granny Geek said...
These were great, but WAY too much nutmeg - I used only half of what it called for, and it was still the dominant flavor and fragrance. I'll definitely make them again - but with just a dash of nutmeg.
- January 26, 2012 at 5:13 PM
- Kiki Chaos said...
Thank you so much for this fabulous recipe. I googled 'gluten free banana muffins', because I'm trying to eat a cleaner diet. The way these turned out is such a surprise because I always assume healthy=bland, but these are awesome!
- February 12, 2012 at 2:39 AM
I love this recipe! So healthy and delicious! I make a batch on the weekends and eat the muffins through out the week. I added chocolate chips too! Pop em in the microwave for a few seconds and "boom" instant breakfast:) Thank you!
- February 12, 2012 at 9:10 AM
Do you know how many calories are in one muffin? I am GF and I calorie count, carbs are not something I eat alot of. Also do they freeze well, some GF baking doesn't? I cant wait to make them this wknd!
- March 1, 2012 at 7:47 AM
- Half Baked said...
Anonymous, Sorry, I'm not sure on the calorie count in these muffins but they should freeze just fine.
- March 3, 2012 at 5:56 AM
Used this recipe as a spingboard to make some high-protein gluten-free, sugar-free muffins. Made mine with 1/4 cup Peatein powder, 1-1/4 cup Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose Baking Flour, 2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 cup coconut sugar, 2 Tbsp. flax meal, 1 tsp chia seeds, pecans, and vanilla. Best gluten-free muffins I've made - light, tasty, and very moist!
- March 20, 2012 at 8:38 PM
I have made these muffins twice and they have come out awesome! the second time I did half oil half applesauce, added a tbsp of honey and dried cranberries. I wouldn't classify myself as a baker, but I will be baking these muffins many many times
- March 23, 2012 at 5:39 AM
I made these and used regular flour, only thing I had. And I used banana flavor yogurt. And added 1/2 cup shredded coconut. So good! Thank you for the recipe!
- April 23, 2012 at 7:37 PM
Absolutely delicious! I added dried apricots which worked well and next time I might try baking with coconut oil to make them even healthier and the coconut flavour should add a little extra pizzazz!
For those interested in the calorie content, I entered the ingredients into the recipe calculator on myfitnesspal.com and each muffin came out as 202 calories!
- April 25, 2012 at 8:30 AM
- Sheila said...
I'm always on the lookout for a good gluten-free recipe. I made these this morning for my family with a few substitutes (butter for oil, honey for brown sugar, coconut flour and almond meal for oat flour)... they turned out DELICIOUS!!! Thanks!
- April 28, 2012 at 8:36 AM
- ninalemon said...
These are quite possibly the best banana muffins I've ever had! We are work on desensitizing my son to his egg allergy and have to give him baked goods with a minimal amount of egg daily. I am always on the lookout for healthier recipes, since I don't want to feed him cake everyday! These were wonderful, I subbed coconut oil to add in some healthier fat, added an extra banana, reduced the sugar a bit and added a teaspoon of vanilla. I also used Greek yogurt (Fage 0%). The extra thickness worked just fine. I made 24 regular size and baked them for 12 minutes. So, so, so delicious! Thank you for sharing!
- May 3, 2012 at 5:51 AM
These are great! I love the texture and the fact that they are so healthy. I used Greek yogurt for added protein, stevia instead of sugar, and coconut oil instead of vegetable oil. They are the perfect breakfast muffin!! Thanks so much for this great recipe! I'm going to add a bit of flax to the next batch...
- May 23, 2012 at 8:31 PM
I made this recipe last night with 1 banana and 1 zucchini zapped in the food processor (because its what I had.) I added an extra egg and used coconut oil and a kids vanilla yougurt cup. It was so fabulous I am freezing and squirreling this batch for myself and I think I'll feed my family the other recipe I made with left over cooked oatmeal which was much heavier. I have been looking for more GF recipes with regular ingredients and this was a winner!!
- May 27, 2012 at 8:22 PM
- SDV said...
I made these and they came out perfect and tasted amazing and everyone loved them and it made me feel like a badass. So thank you.
- June 7, 2012 at 10:03 PM
Just made this recipe after reading all the great comments. They are in the oven and they smell great and look great. I used agavi nectar for sweetening. Only 1/4 cup since it is very sweet and I used Greek style vanilla yogert. Ground my own oats for the oat flour, added walnuts and chopped dried cranberries and the rest of the recipe was as written. I know they will be great!!
- June 11, 2012 at 9:08 AM
Great recipe! I used chobani Greek raspberry yoghurt as I didn't have plain. I cut the brown sugar in half because if the sweetness from the yoghurt. I made oat flour in the food processer (great tip). Delicious healthy breakfast!
- June 16, 2012 at 12:40 PM
Great Recipe! I had to sub and use Greek vanilla Yogurt, Coconut Oil and added some vanilla. Awesome!
- July 10, 2012 at 6:13 PM
If you use applesauce instead of vegetable oil, there's about 160 calories per muffin or 667kj. I really love these muffins!!
Sarah :-)
- July 11, 2012 at 9:45 PM
- Chef Veggie said...
These came out great and I made them vegan too.
I used soy yogurt, hemp milk and egg replacer for the dairy and egg. I used coconut oil for the fat and coconut sugar for the brown sugar. They are going to my child's class for snack tomorrow!
- September 9, 2012 at 6:32 PM
Omg, I just made these muffins last night, and they are all gone! Everyone absolutely loved them! Easy to make and healthy too! I loved the texture the oatmeal gives to them! Tip: add a little bit of semi-sweet chocolate chips for a special treat, that's what I did and they turned out great! :D I'm considering making them again tonight! Happy Baking!
- September 11, 2012 at 4:20 PM
Does anyOne know the calories if I use apple sauce instead of oil & honey instead of sugar?
Do I just add the same amount? Sorry I'm not much of a baker but looking for low fat ideas. They sound great :)
- October 8, 2012 at 4:53 AM
I used GF oats, vanilla yogurt and added pecans. Yummy!!!
- October 13, 2012 at 5:04 AM
I tried this recipe with coconut flour instead of oat flour. It did not work out at all. Wet-to-dry ingredients ratio made it more like cookie dough. :(
- October 13, 2012 at 5:59 PM
I made a bunch of changes and they still turned out great! Used regular flour instead of oat, subbed pumpkin applesauce for the oil, and omitted the eggs. Yum!!
- October 18, 2012 at 10:49 AM
Hi! The recipe works very well, but I did fiddle with it in order to use maple syrup instead of brown sugar, as I had none at home at the time. I also added an extra banana, twice the oatmeal, almond milk instead of cow's milk, and almond milk and two squeezed lemons intead of yogurt, in order to remain dairy free. I added vanilla to taste and an extra teaspoon of baking powder and an extra egg. I added extra cinnamon to taste due to nutmeg allergies in the family. I mixed the maple syrup with potato starch, again to taste, making a thick paste. I crossed my fingers and baked it in the oven in muffin tins, first at 400 degrees and then at 375. Both batches were done in 6-10 minutes which blew me away.. I also added walnuts and cranberries and would add coconut for sure if I have some on hand. The recipe made three dozen muffins of yummy deliciousness. Thanks for the idea. Pat Franczyk, Sharon, Ontario, Canada.
- November 6, 2012 at 1:55 PM
- Unknown said...
Oatmeal was my granny's answer to all ailments!
I used your recipe as a start-off point to make some really nice gluten-free, lactose-free, sugar-free muffins. :) Fantastic stuff. :)
- November 19, 2012 at 8:29 AM
- Unknown said...
My granny used oatmeal as a cure for everything!
I used your excellent recipe as a jumping-off point for some dairy-free, gluten-free, sugar-free muffins. I had never thought simply just to blitz the oats to make oat flour...
Many thanks!
- November 19, 2012 at 8:31 AM
- donnac said...
Added leftover halloween pumpkin instead of bananas, also dried cranberries, orange zest and juice. Very autumnal! Thanks!
- November 23, 2012 at 9:41 AM
- donnac said...
Added leftover halloween pumpkin instead of bananas, also dried cranberries, orange zest and juice. Very autumnal! Thanks!
- November 23, 2012 at 9:42 AM
Tried these out this morning to see if they kids liked for a grab and go breakfast throughout the week. They LOVED them, and so did I! Now to make them egg-free so I can use them as a snack for my in-home preschool kids. Thanks for a great recipe!
- December 9, 2012 at 9:27 AM
I ate two of these every morning for my breakfast (only about fairy cake size though) when i was losing weight, and I did! They are so healthy and did not make me put wight on even though i was eating about 4 a day sometimes!!!
I made tese with apple once and they turned out beautifully, I blended half an apple into a puree and chopped up another and added chopped nuts. Was yummy!! Thanks for this great recipe!
- January 10, 2013 at 7:08 AM
- Unknown said...
Just tried this with a few modifications (due to allergies mostly):
Coconut yogurt and coconut milk subbed.
Also included an extra banana.
Worked great without any other modifications at 6100ft altitude.
*for the oat flour, simply ground oats in food processor.
- February 18, 2013 at 6:56 PM
- Unknown said...
Just tried this with a few modifications (due to allergies mostly):
Coconut yogurt and coconut milk subbed.
Also included an extra banana.
Worked great without any other modifications at 6100ft altitude.
*for the oat flour, simply ground oats in food processor.
- February 18, 2013 at 6:56 PM
- Unknown said...
Definitely a great recipe! Oats are sooooo healthy! I subbed agave nectar in this and used greek nonfat yogurt. oh, and I added raisins. :) Definitely like oatmeal in a muffin! I need to eat gluten free, so I used only oats brand oats which are certified gluten free. Thanks for this recipe! I will be using it regularly!
- April 10, 2013 at 4:13 PM
- Heather said...
Just baked up a batch of these and they are honestly the most delicious thing I've ever eaten! Really and truly. Yay gluten free! (I wish oat flour didn't cost an arm and a leg, but what ya gonna do?) THANK YOU!
- June 1, 2013 at 5:38 PM
- Car T said...
I love this muffin recipes as it is easy to convert to gluten free and dairy free. Have you ever tried adding crushed pineapple to it? Often times I make this recipe with applesauce instead of yogurt to make it dairy free. I wonder if I could use crushed pineapple in place of the applesauce since they have similar consistency....Thoughts??
- July 3, 2013 at 4:59 PM
- Car T said...
I love this recipe because it's so easy to convert to gluten free/dairy free. Often times I use applesauce in place of the yogurt because dairy free yogurt is kinda hard to find around here. Have you ever tried using crushed pineapple instead of applesauce?? Thanks. Love this recipe and my kids do too. :)
- July 3, 2013 at 5:02 PM


text:
Deputies: One-time candidate for governor shot neighbor, horse
Tye 'Glenn' Champ shot neighbor, deputies say
A man who ran an unlikely campaign for governor of California earlier this year has been arrested on suspicion of shooting his neighbor in the stomach and killing a horse, officials said Friday.
Tye "Glenn" Champ, 48, was arrested without incident a day after Fresno County Sheriff's officials say he opened fire during a dispute with his neighbor in Prather, a community about 30 miles northeast of Fresno.
Lt. John Golden said Champ drew a pistol on his 40-year-old neighbor and the neighbor's 13-year-old son over work being done on a private road, and shot the man. He is also accused of killing a nearby horse that belonged to the injured man. It was not immediately clear whether Champ had an attorney.
Officials said he fled from the shooting in a blue Volkswagen sedan, and deputies in neighboring Tulare County arrested Champ on Friday morning during a traffic stop. He was wanted on suspicion of attempted murder, child endangerment and animal cruelty.
The shooting victim underwent surgery and is expected to survive, Golden said.
A registered sex offender, Champ campaigned as a Republican candidate for governor during this year's primary election, saying he had turned his life around since being in prison and finding God.
During a speech on the final day of the GOP convention, Champ said he represented "a whole new breed of Christian soldier" and that he spent the last 20 years cleaning up his life in God's name. He received 1.8 percent of the vote in the June 3 primary.
"A man of God cannot be bought by money, because we've already been bought by the blood of Jesus Christ," he said in the speech. "I do not want anybody else to be enslaved because of lack of knowledge, and that's what our government is trying to do."


text:
Hillary Clinton has jumped out to a nine-point lead over Donald Trump, according to a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal national poll.
The Democratic ticket of Clinton and running mate Tim Kaine receives the support of 47 percent of registered voters, while the Republican ticket with Trump and Mike Pence gets 38 percent, NBC News reported. Last month, Clinton led Trump by a margin of 46 to 41 percent.
Clinton is leading among women, African Americans, all non-white voters, young voters and white voters with a college degree. Trump is being boosted by white voters, seniors, independents and white voters without a college degree. Both candidates are running almost even among men.
With the Libertarian and Green Party candidates added to the mix, Clinton still holds a nine-point lead over Trump.


text:
One thing I will say about the owners of Austin's Gateway Guesthouse: they definitely know how to cook. I attended a Florentine dinner there back in September and it was very impressive. Which is why I would trust them to show me a thing or two about making a holiday dinner.
The owners are Blaise Bahara and Bess Giannakakis. In the first part of the "Fearless Feast" series, on November 27, Giannakakis will teach a hands-on class showing how to make a turkey with a Tex-Mex rub, cornbread and sausage dressing, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie with a homemade crust, and more.
On December 23 and 24, she will do a standing rib beef roast with horseradish cream gravy, side dishes, a salad of arugula and roasted beets, homemade bread buns, bourbon pecan tart with whipped cream, and more. The classes take place at Gateway Guesthouse; the cost of each class is $195, which includes instruction and two finished meals to take home. Additional meals may be made and purchased for $20 each.


text:
Actor Robert Wagner: Life And Romance
Robert Wagner has made movies with Spencer Tracy and played Number Two in the Austin Powers films. In the memoir Pieces of My Heart, Wagner details two winding paths: his career and his love life.
In the book, Wagner describes how he went from being a start-struck kid to a Hollywood actor — with a boost from a movie icon 23 years his senior — Barbara Stanwyck.
Web Resources
Pieces of My Heart
A Life
Hardcover, 326 pages |purchase
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Excerpt: 'Pieces Of My Heart' By Robert J. Wagner
Each of the major studios was like a royal court that was in competition with the other royal courts. Each studio had a social lion who maintained a prestigious individual salon, and it wasn't necessarily the studio head. Then there were the salons that owed no special allegiance to any studio, but cherry-picked from all the elites, such as the one maintained by Bill and Edie Goetz.
At Fox, the elite circle was presided over by Clifton Webb. I worked with Clifton on Stars and Stripes Forever, a biopic about John Philip Sousa, then Titanic, and I was invited into his group. Clifton's friends included people like Noel Coward and Charles Brackett, Billy Wilder's partner, who never got much credit from anyone, especially Billy. Charlie was a kind, well-educated, very bright gay man who was fairly deep in the closet.
Clifton lived with his mother Mabelle, who was a total character, and ruled the roost. The father had left very young, and was out of the picture, if he'd ever been in it. Mabelle had opened a dance school in Indianapolis, and she and Clifton gave dancing lessons together. He teamed up with Bonnie Glass and formed a very successful duo that followed in the footsteps of Vernon and Irene Castle. I never saw Clifton dance on the stage, but people who did told me he was a magnificent talent, the equivalent of Astaire but with a fey manner that he managed to get away with. Always high style: white tie and tails. Certainly, he had a major career, starring in shows like Sunny and Irving Berlin's As Thousands Cheer.
Clifton and Mabelle were completely devoted to each other; Clifton would dance with her at parties. She was outrageous, and would order Clifton around. "We are going to sit here," she would announce, "and then we are going to move over there." Mabelle was always at the head of the table, and Clifton was very respectful of her, although he had his eccentricities as well: he had an African grey parrot he would wrap in a napkin and put in a brandy snifter at the dinner table.
It was as if they were competing to see who could be the most like Auntie Mame. They both had a larger-than-life quality, and the bond between them was very thick. Sometimes too thick. One time Noel Coward called Clifton, and Clifton was going on and on about Mabelle, as he tended to do. And Noel said, "Dear boy, if you want to talk about her, do it on your nickel."
Clifton was gay, of course, but he never made a pass at me, not that he would have. I never saw Clifton with a man; I never knew of Clifton being with a man, or having a lover.
Clifton had a very rich deal at the studio, and his house reflected it. It was Victor Fleming's old place, and Clifton had done it in a bright, comfortable style, in the mode of Billy Haines - the go-to decorator in that era. I remember at one point Clifton did the bar in a Greek style, full of things he brought back from the location of Boy on a Dolphin. The word was that Clifton earned the same money that Darryl Zanuck earned. He didn't get the stock that Darryl got, but he earned the same money. Clifton had a string of enormous successes. There was Laura, and The Razor's Edge, then Mr. Belvedere and two sequels, Cheaper by the Dozen, The Stars and Stripes Forever, and Titanic – all big hits.
I was learning that this kind of moviemaking was typical of Darryl; he never had the money that MGM or Paramount did. He couldn't buy stars, he had to make them, and if he didn't have enough stars to make a movie, he had the extraordinary ability to make the movie itself the star. Darryl had the vision to see real possibilities in an effete stage star, and to build very effective vehicles around a personality centering on asperity and waspish intelligence – hardly the stuff of mass audience entertainment then or now, but somehow Darryl and Clifton made it work.
Clifton was very social; he gave wonderful parties, so he had a lot of leverage by dint of his position as well as his commercial cachet. It was Clifton who introduced me to Noel Coward. Noel was playing Las Vegas and Clifton threw a lunch for him. Eventually, everybody else left, and I was alone with Noel. And he said, "Come and sit over here." So I went over and sat down, and he put his hand on my leg.
"Are you by any chance homosexual?" he asked.
"No, I'm not."
And he said, "Ah, what a pity." His hand came off, and that was it. After that, he couldn't have been more of a gentleman, and I always adored him.
Living with Barbara, hanging around with a social set that was a generation older, I was very consciously styling myself after an earlier era and in a sense swimming against the tide, which in that era consisted of Marlon Brando and Monty Clift. But my interest in associating with people my age was no more than nominal. I wanted to see the great stars I had watched at the movies up close. I wanted to learn their secrets; I wanted to learn how they did what they did.
One day in New York, I walked into "21" with Gary Cooper and Clark Gable. The restaurant...stopped! It was like a freeze-frame in a movie. Diners froze in mid-bite, waiters froze in the midst of waiting. It was as potent a demonstration of the power of great stars as anything I've ever seen.
Clark Gable always liked me because I had caddied for him, and I had been shooting with Gary Cooper and knew his family quite well. I idolized Clark and watched every move he made; Gary I admired for being such a terrific actor, such a wonderful man.
In many ways, they were alike, in other ways they were different. Gable had been born poor, while Cooper was a judge's son from Montana who never dressed in anything but Brooks Brothers. But both of them had a way that suggested they came from the earth. Gable loved to hunt, loved to fish, loved automobiles and beautiful women. So did Coop, but offscreen he always gave the impression of being terribly chic.
Gable's personality was closer to what he played than Cooper's was, but they both read, were interested in what was going on and didn't hover around Hollywood. Neither of these men were sitting in their dressing rooms worrying about their next picture or who was up for what part. They got out of town. Coop would go to Sun Valley with Hemingway, while Clark liked his duck blinds and skeet shooting.
Beneath their likes and dislikes, they were alike in their tremendous craft. They had a way of taking the material that was written for them, much of which was very slight, and making something out of it because of the depth of their behavior. They took the material and filtered it through their own personalities. Because they were their own men, and they weren't trying to be someone else, the strength of their own characters was bestowed on the characters they played. They didn't have neuroses, or, if they did, they didn't inflict their neuroses on the audience.
That craft didn't come easily, and the self-confidence they projected was not something they were born with. I watched Coop work in a western he did for Fox called Garden of Evil. He put himself under tremendous stress when he worked; during a take his knuckles were white. But he concealed that stress magnificently; a lot of the time it looked like he wasn't really doing any acting at all. Now, here was an actor acting, and you couldn't see him acting. That is hard to do, the highest achievement in the business, and Coop never got enough credit for his ability.
Every actor's goal is to make it look like it's the first time he's ever done that scene - to make it look fresh. These men were masters of that. You were never aware of Gary Cooper acting, but he could move you to tears. As an actor, and as a man, I admired him without reservations.
Making friends with so many older actors gave me an invaluable tutorial in how to handle the paraphernalia of the business. Take, for instance, Hedda Hopper and Louella Parsons, the two women who invented and defined the trade of gossip columnists. They were both tricky, and you had to know how to play them. Moroever, although they had been around for years – Louella had started in the silent days! - they were still important because they were so widely syndicated: Louella through the Hearst syndicate, and Hedda through the Los Angeles Times syndicate.
You had to pay court to Hedda and Louella; if I had an interview with Hedda, for instance, I went to her house. I would go to the race track with Louella all the time, but you quickly learned that either of them could turn on you. One time, Hedda got upset at me over something, and it was thought necessary that I come back from Catalina and go directly to her house to get things straightened out.
Years later, when I went to Europe for four or five years and then came back, Louella was very pissed off and called me an expatriate, which was a dirty word in her vocabulary. It was as if by going to Europe I had been disloyal to Hollywood and, more importantly, her.
As my star continued to rise at Fox, I came to realize that the relationship between an actor and a studio was complex, and not always in the actor's best interests. After Titanic, I was making a movie for Robert D. Webb called Beneath the 12 Mile Reef, when my co-star Terry Moore suddenly realized she was pregnant. The father was Howard Hughes. She got very weepy and told me about the situation. Obviously, she told a few other people as well, because the studio blindsided both of us by releasing a story that we were engaged! They never called, they never told me they were going to do this, it just appeared in the papers.
I was livid; for one thing, I was very involved with Barbara and called her from Tarpon Springs every night, while Terry was calling Hughes every night. Terry was also a much younger woman, and Barbara was – how to put this delicately? - not pleased about that. Beyond that, the studio was trying to railroad Terry and me into a marriage for their convenience. They evidently thought I was terribly suggestible, I would succumb to the pressure, and the resulting marriage would be great for the movie, great for my career, and, not coincidentally, great for the studio.
It was at that point that I realized the true nature of the transaction between an actor and a movie studio. Fox was very interested in me in terms of generating publicity for a movie or a series of movies. They wanted to create momentum for me as an actor, as a personality, but they had a very limited interest in what was best for me as a human being. I was looking for a home, and they were looking for a saleable commodity. It was a difficult but necessary lesson, and I'm glad I learned it early.
So everybody was in the loop but Terry and me. She was not only in tears about being pregnant, she was in tears because she was being pressured to marry somebody she didn't love. And I started getting congratulatory telegrams from people about my impending marriage!
There was nothing to do but be blunt. I told Harry Brand there was no chance of my marrying Terry, not then, not ever. Fox never actually retracted the stories so much as they let them dry up.
Being part of events like this, as well as witnessing other things, made me realize that there is no more brutal, front-runner's business in the world. The pressures can be staggering. I remember being on the set of Love is a Many Splendored Thing, and watching Jennifer Jones work. I noticed the hem of her skirt vibrating. I looked down and saw that her knees were quivering like aspen leaves. She was absolutely terrified! Over on the side, behind the big lights, I could see a pair of shoes that belonged to her husband, the great producer David O. Selznick. He was hovering, making sure that his Jennifer was all right. But it was clear that Jennifer wasn't all right, and never would be. As experiences like these began to accumulate, I began to realize that it was mandatory to have some kind of meaningful life outside the movie business.
So the marriage to Terry Moore didn't happen. For that matter, neither did the baby.
Other than that, Beneath the Twelve Mile Reef was a very positive experience. I came to admire my co-star Gilbert Roland tremendously. He had come across the Mexican border when he was a boy, accompanied only by a friend named Polo. He began in the business as an extra for $2 a day and a box lunch. He told me that in the mid-20s, he and another young extra named Clark Gable used to stand outside Musso & Frank's restaurant on Hollywood Boulevard, watching the swells eat great food and dreaming of the day when they'd be able to do the same thing.
The dream came true for Gil, just as it was coming true for me, which explains why I felt such an affinity with him. The dream came true for his brother, too, who went by the name of Chico Day. Chico followed his brother to Hollywood and became probably the most respected unit manager and assistant director in the movies. He even worked for DeMille on the 1956 version of The Ten Commandments, one of the most demanding jobs ever for one of the most demanding directors ever.
Gil began his rise out of the extra ranks when he became the co-star and lover of Norma Talmadge and broke up her marriage to Joe Schenck. A few years after that, he married Constance Bennett. Gil was good in silent pictures as a dashing lover – he played Armand opposite Talmadge's Camille - but his accent limited him in talkies, although his performances in The Bullfighter and the Lady and The Bad and the Beautiful were quite good.
I admired the fact that he maintained, and for nearly 60 years – his last movie was Barbarosa, in 1982! As a man, he had immense dignity, and sustained great loyalty to his friends. He was close with Antonio Moreno practically all their lives. If Gilbert Roland was your friend, you had a man you could count on, in any situation.
Beneath the Twelve Mile Reef grossed $4 million - a very big hit. Harry Brand's publicity department claimed that I was getting more fan mail than Marilyn Monroe, although I'm not sure I believe that. I do know that during one month in 1953, I was on seven different magazine covers. My agent negotiated a new contract that bumped my salary from $350 a week to $1,250 a week.
I'm not going to pretend that there were an awful lot of negatives attached to being a young star in Hollywood. The perks are just what you might imagine them to be: every reporter wants to talk to you, and every girl wants you, not that I could indulge. Because of Barbara, I was off-limits to the girls. During the four years we were together, I had a couple of one-night stands on location, but was otherwise loyal.
When you're hot, the good times never really stop coming. Because of my friendship with Leo Durocher, I even got to work out with the New York Giants. Sal "The Barber" Maglie offered to pitch to me. Durocher took me aside and said, "Don't move; whatever you do, just don't move." It was a good thing he told me that, because Maglie's pitches were something else. Initially, the ball came right at your head, so the instinct was to duck down. The problem was that at the last second the pitch would dive down and away and catch the corner for a strike. If you ducked, the ball would nail you on the skull. I can assure you, standing in the box against him took courage, because he was authentically scary – the equivalent of Bob Gibson or Roger Clemens in a later era.
One of the negatives that occurs to every actor is miscasting, which finally came to roost on my doorstep when Darryl cast me in the title role of Prince Valiant, an adaptation of Hal Foster's beautifully drawn comic strip that I had loved as a child. During the production, I was happy to be working for Henry Hathaway; I thought the picture was good, and I loved the romance of the subject matter. I was working with James Mason, another one of my favorite actors, and I thought I was sensational. I had no idea it would become for me what "Yonda lies the castle of my fadduh" was for Tony Curtis.
If I'd been paying a little more attention, I would have known something was wrong. Mainly, it was the wig. One day Dean Martin visited the set and spent ten minutes talking to me before he realized I wasn't Jane Wyman. Then I sat in the screening with the guys in the studio doing impersonations of the Singing Sword, not to mention me as Prince Valiant. And then I had to listen to jokes about the wig, which I now think made me look more like Louise Brooks than Jane Wyman. And I got upset about the ridicule, so much so that I still have a block about that movie.
But life teaches you many things, and one of them is that something good can come out of the worst experiences. I got a couple of life-long friends out of Prince Valiant ( Janet Leigh and the great cameraman Lucien Ballard) and I also got to know Sterling Hayden, who was so much more interesting as a man than, with a couple of exceptions (The Asphalt Jungle, The Killing, Dr. Strangelove) he was on screen. Sterling was a purist about life, with an interesting political point of view that was very much on the left. He had originally wanted to be a carpenter, and he was one of those rare guys in the movie business who genuinely didn't give a shit about the movie business.
Sterling was exceedingly well-read - his tortured autobiography called Wanderer should be required reading - and he was without question one of the most accomplished sailors I've ever seen in my life. I saw him take his twin-masted schooner and land it single-handedly at a dock in Santa Monica. He had a feather-light touch at the helm. On a boat, he was the artist he always wanted to be.
Another person I got to know well and admire about this time was Claire Trevor. I had gone to school with her sons Peter and Donald, but I really got to know Claire and her husband Milton Bren through our mutual regard for boats. Milton had begun as an agent and become very successful in real estate and home building. Because of the fortune Milton made, Claire was able to back out of the movie business, and only worked when she wanted to.
Claire was very much her own woman, and I came to admire her honesty and directness. She was a straightforward, creative human being who became a very good painter. She was also terribly underrated as an actress, as anybody who has seen her in Ford's Stagecoach or Huston's Key Largo can attest. Neither part was original – a whore with a heart of gold and a well-meaning but weak alcoholic chanteuse - but she gave each of those women a soul. No actress alive, not even Barbara Stanwyck, could have played those parts any better than Claire did. And she was able to tend her career while having a very happy marriage to Milton, and also had the complete respect of everybody in show business.
My realization about what Fox actually wanted from me, as well as getting to know well-rounded people like Sterling and Claire showed me by example how important it was to have a life outside of show business. It was a concept that would take another decade or so to ripen in my head, but I was beginning to realize that the most important parts of life didn't take place on a sound stage.
Excerpted from Pieces Of My Heart: A Life by Robert Wagner. Reprinted by permission of the publisher HarperEntertainment, an imprint of HarperCollins.


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EL SEGUNDO, Calif. & ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Weather Channel will return to DIRECTV (channel 362) tomorrow as both companies have settled on a new agreement, the financial terms of which were not disclosed.
As part of the new pact, The Weather Channel agreed to reduce reality programming by half on weekdays; return instant local weather and allow authenticated DIRECTV customers to watch The Weather Channel's video programming on multiple devices inside and outside the home.
"Our apologies to DIRECTV and their customers for the disruption of our service and for initiating a public campaign," said David Kenny, CEO of the Weather Company, parent to The Weather Channel. "Our viewers deserve better than a public dispute and we pledge to reward their loyalty with exceptional programming and more weather focused news."
"It's a shame these disputes are played out on a public stage, but I'm pleased that we've been able to work together with The Weather Channel in a way that will benefit everyone," said Dan York, DIRECTV's chief content officer. "I know this was frustrating for many of our customers, but their patience was ultimately rewarded with a better deal and a better product."
About The Weather Company: Where the World Gets its Weather Through The Weather Channel, weather.com, Weather Underground, Intellicast.com, and third-party publishing partners, the company provides millions of people every day with the world's best weather forecasts, content and data, connecting with them through television, online, mobile and tablet screens. Through WSI and Weather Central, the company delivers superior professional weather services for the media, aviation, marine and energy sectors. The Weather Company is owned by a consortium made up of NBCUniversal and the private equity firms The Blackstone Group and Bain Capital. For more information, visit www.weather.com/press.
About DIRECTV: DIRECTV (NASDAQ: DTV) is one of the world's leading providers of digital television entertainment services delivering a premium video experience through state-of-the-art technology, unmatched programming and industry leading customer service to more than 37 million customers in the U.S. and Latin America. In the U.S., DIRECTV offers its 20 million customers access to more than 195 HD channels and Dolby-Digital® 5.1 theater-quality sound, access to exclusive sports programming such as NFL SUNDAY TICKET™, Emmy-award winning technology and higher customer satisfaction than the leading cable companies for 13 years running. DIRECTV Latin America, through its subsidiaries and affiliated companies in Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Venezuela, Colombia, and other Latin American countries, leads the pay TV category in technology, programming and service, delivering an unrivaled digital television experience to more than 17 million customers. DIRECTV sports and entertainment properties include two Regional Sports Networks (Rocky Mountain and Pittsburgh), and minority ownership interests in Root Sports Northwest and Game Show Network. For the most up-to-date information on DIRECTV, please visit www.directv.com.


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La Russa, Tony
La Russa, Tony (Anthony La Russa, Jr.)lə ro͞o´sə [key], 1944–, American baseball player and manager, b. Tampa, Fla. An infielder, he spent years in the minors but also played parts of six seasons (1963, 1968–71, 1973) with the Kansas City/Oakland Athletics, Atlanta Braves, and Chicago Cubs. In 1978 he graduated from Florida State Univ. law school and in 1980 passed the bar, but he stayed in baseball instead of practicing law. La Russa managed the Chicago White Sox from 1979 and the Oakland Athletics from 1986, and led the A's to three pennants (1988–90) and one World Series win (1989). In 1996 he moved to the St. Louis Cardinals, where he won three league championships (2004, 2006, 2011) and two Series (2006, 2011) before retiring (2011). He is the Cards winningest manager (1,408 wins) and third overall in baseball (2,728 wins), surpassed only by Connie Mack and John McGraw.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2023, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Sports: Biographies


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Discover the JoyLamp Shinsekai Shin through 16 colors and 4 automatic change modes
The JoyLamp Shinsekai Shin is composed of a black base, a remote controller, an acrylic plate, a micro usb cable and a user's manual
The remote controller offers you a multitude of possibilities:
Are you far from your remote controller ? A touch mode is available that allows you to control your JoyLamp by tapping on the base: Press the touch button once to change the color. If you tap 8 times, the colors will automatically change. Press and hold the button for at least 2 seconds to turn off the JoyLamp.


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There are numerous media players available for PCs, but none of them will work directly with an iTunes library. Given the popularity of the iPod and the huge appeal of Apple touch products like the iPad, iTunes is on a serious roll but it isn't hi-fi .
Pure Music calls it software, a high-resolution music server for Apple Macs, which makes it something of a rare breed. When we visited CES in Las Vegas, the majority of companies using Macs as their main source were using Pure Music as a player and controlling it with an iPad, so it was extremely rare to find a room without a Mac in it.
Back to FLAC
Pure Music appeals for a number of reasons: it retains the iTunes interface, which is an easy system for accessing music and making playlists; it automatically changes the sample rate to match the source material – something that you ordinarily have to go into Audio MIDI set up to do every time you play a hi-res file – and it can upsample to suit the DAC it's streaming to.
It will do this either in multiples of two, so that 44.1 becomes 88.2 or higher, or push sample rates up to the highest that the DAC can accept (384kHz). It's also very easy to switch upsampling for A/B comparisons. The resulting stream can be sent via USB, optical digital or a dedicated soundcard.
The user guide gives you comprehensive instructions on how to get the best sound quality from a Mac, often involving minimising CPU usage during playback and the Pure has a memory play mode which furthers the same cause.
As well as the iTunes native formats, like WAV, AIFF and Apple Lossless, it can also play FLAC files which iTunes does not support.
Finally, for the benefit of your iPad/ iPhone/Touch, Pure can be driven with the Apple Remote app.
One to beat
In market terms, Pure Music is almost in a field of its own and while there are numerous players available for the Mac they don't work with iTunes nor offer playback of hi-res files.
Sonic Studio's Amarra ($695) is its only real competitor on the Mac platform, but is currently limited to a maximum 192kHz sample rate.
Detail improved
We used Pure Audio on an iMac and a Macbook (both running OS 10.6), with the Resolution Audio Cantata Music Centre using Ethernet and USB connections. Comparing Pure with iTunes alone made the latter sound soft and woolly.
Pure increases focus, integrity of sound and image solidity. There is significantly greater definition and this improves timing as well as detail resolution, so bass lines are much more on the ball and transparency of better recordings is clearly enhanced.
This is further improved with the Less is More controller mode, which minimises practicality, but delivers an increase in solidity of sound (it means you can't use the Remote interface) for dedicated listening.
Upsampling by a multiple of two (44.1 to 88.2) also helps in detail terms and seems to make the music hang together more cohesively.
Effective tool
We also compared a Macbook's optical digital output to the Cantata with the optical output of a CD player into the same DAC. The original disc has the upper hand over a WAV rip in terms of focus and attack but the difference isn't huge, using a coaxial connection from the CDP widens the gap.
Pure Music clearly offers a lot for the iTunes/Mac user searching for better sound and the free 15-day trial makes it something that every Mac and DAC enthusiast should consider. This combined with excellent support from Channel D makes it more than worth the asking price.
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Brittan, Sir Leon
Brittan, Sir Leon brĭt´ən [key], 1939–, British politician. Educated at Cambridge, he was elected to Parliament as a Conservative in 1974. Under Margaret Thatcher he served as home secretary (1983–85) and secretary for trade and industry (1985–86). He resigned from the government in the aftermath of the Westland helicopter affair (1986), which involved the leak of confidential communication. An advocate of the closer integration of Britain with Europe, he served (1989–99) on the European Commission of the European Community and European Union. He was knighted in 1989.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2023, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: British and Irish History: Biographies


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Rainy Election Day predicted in the region
Showers will likely pour down on Election Day, but clear skies are expected starting Wednesday in the region this week.
A patchy fog is expected to roll in Monday morning, but will fade by the afternoon. Mostly sunny skies are expected for the rest of the day, with a 20 percent chance of showers around midnight. Temperatures will range from the high 70s to the low 50s in the Gainesville area. The air will be slightly warmer in Marion County with lows expected in the mid 50s.
A 70 percent chance of showers is expected on Tuesday. Rain will be led into the area by a low-pressure system coming from the Gulf of Mexico, according to meteorologist Phil Peterson of the National Weather Service.
A few isolated thunderstorms may arise on Tuesday, but meteorologists are expecting mostly showers, Peterson said.
Dry air is expected to follow the low pressure system after it moves through Gainesville and Ocala on Tuesday. Temperatures in Alachua County will range from high 60s to mid 40s. Marion County can expect temperatures in the low 70s to the high 40s. Wednesday's temperatures will be similar to Tuesday's.
Mostly clear skies will return on Wednesday and persist into Veterans Day. Temperatures will warm up slightly on Thursday. Highs will reach the mid 70s and lows are expected to stay in the mid 40s for both Ocala and Gainesville. Highs in the high 70s and lows in the low 50s are expected on Veterans Day in both areas.


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Blog: Assessed property values based on sales not investments
Staff Writer
Rockford Register Star
Property values usually track factors that affect housing supply and demand in a local community – good schools, low crime rate, moderate taxes and a highly skilled work force. This combination attracts business to the area initiating economic development, which in turn offers good jobs with low unemployment.
Consistent rankings in the top ten worst cities in the nation have placed Rockford on the opposite end of these successful attributes and as a result Rockford property values reflect the disparaging ratings.
By next year, Rockford property values will have decreased by over 25% in four years!
The city's political and ...


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Not a single smartphone out right now will be able to upgrade to Windows Phone 8. If you're a recent customer, you might be frustrated. Rightfully so. But if you care about the dazzling future of Windows Phone, get over it.
What Microsoft is doing with Windows Phone 8 is what it has to do: laying cement for an OS that will last deep into the future—or at least as long as you'll own your phone. Your Lumia is based on Windows CE, software that was first released during the Clinton administration. It's ancient, and it's holding the entire platform back. WP8, and its incompatibility with the phone you might own right now, is a much-needed fresh start.
More than that, it's a fundamental shift, uprooting everything; Microsoft's packing up the house, putting it on the back of a truck, and moving it out of the dead-end suburban cul-de-sac and onto a gorgeous country estate. WP8 will now share common code with the impending desktop and tablet versions of Windows 8. If this sounds complicated, it shouldn't: by next year, every new Windows computer, slate, and phone will have the same modern software DNA, which will give Microsoft-friendly handsets access to the best programming magic available.
This software sea change is coupled with a hardware triumph: multi-core processors (up to a staggering potential 64), 720p hi-res screens to show off WP's design crown, NFC for the wireless economy of the future, and other future-resistant treats. And it has to, because Microsoft screwed this up pretty grandly out of the gates: WP devices have always been underpowered compared to their iOS and Android peers, because of Microsoft's iron grip. Strictly dictated specs kept the platform out of the horrible hell swamp of Android fragmentation, but they stymied the hardware; even the shining prince Lumia 900 is out of date on the inside. You getting "screwed" is how that gets fixed.
And there's simply no way to do it without drawing a line in the silicon. From this point forward, things will be great. A radical cutoff mark means no dizzying fragmentation, but rather a clean break from WP's past and a running start into what's fast, bright, and next. This can only happen with some violence—the next wave simply requires more horsepower than anything out now. Support for old phones would cripple the new ones. Your Lumia would only hold back progress. Sorry. No hard feelings.
You can wax cranky over the fact that the phone you bought won't be swept up in the Win 8 euphoria, but it's hard to justify the saltiness. By the time WP8 and accompanying handsets are actually available, you'll probably be approaching upgrade eligibility. If you're not, it'll be worth the wait—and you'll be in good company with the legions of iPhone users screwed out of the latest, far less monumental software releases. This is just nature. And besides, current WP groupies will still get the 7.8 update with most of the best software stuff from 8—most of all, that smile-inducingly redesigned start screen—that's more of a compromise than most iPhone owners ever get. Likewise, Windows Phone 8 handsets are getting an 18 month pledge of firmware support. That simply doesn't exist with Apple or Android.
But all that's almost beside the point—that point being that Microsoft had to do this. You can pout about being excluded, you can claim you're being screwed, you can protest over being ripped off, but if you want Windows Phone to continue to not only exist but have a chance to flourish and dominate, you'll take this as the smart move of a recently genius company trying to save itself and sell you terrific things. So suck it up, and enjoy the good thing you already have.


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Well, it's inductive charging, not magic. But Canon's Cross Media dock looks like a particularly sweet implementation, letting you not only juice up to three cameras or camcorders sans wires, but suck down and share your pics and vids too.
As soon as your camera is placed on the prototype's surface—and don't expect it to be anything more than a prototype for at least a couple years—the box will pull over your content and send it to your TV via HDMI, where you can browse at your leisure. Sure beats having to mess with memory cards, no? Now just give us a universal version of this that works with any camera brand (and phones!). [CrunchGear]