Tom, Bamboo shoots, like many other tropical root vegetables, contain trace concentrations of hydrocyanic acid (a form of cyanide) that have to be leached out of the vegetable before it is used as a food. Here is what you need to do to fresh bamboo shoots: 1. Peel off outer rind of each root. Cut off the tip and score the surface of the shoot, making a long, shallow cut the length of the shoot. Take care not to cut into the shoot. 2. Put the bamboo shoots into a pressure cooker, just covering them with water to which you have added a handful of rice bran. Close the pressure cooker and steam for 10 minutes. (If you do not have a pressure cooker, boil in an open boil for 45 minutes.) 3. At the end of the cooking time, take the shoots out of the pot and rinse away the rice bran. Peel off the rind from the score on the surface, then cut the shoots into bite-sized pieces. The bamboo shoots are now ready for use in cooking other dishes. Excerpt taken from Robert Rister. He is the author or co-author of nine books on natural health. This reminds me of Poke Salad Annie. Seems like a lot of work to me, and if you die from the cyanide poisoning, cook it longer next time. Lou

I can just peel and eat a mandarin. But navel oranges I slice. I like to cut the orange in half top to bottom, then slice the half into 3-4 slices. So I've got half circle slices 1/3 inch or so thick. That way when I "stretch" the slice to the rind is straight, the little trianglar sections just pop out. That's how I like an orange. I slice one, put it back together in a ball, then in a baggie for lunches (mine and the kids). My 7 y/o loves oranges and is eating 2 a day lately. We bought some very good navels a few days ago. I love citrus season! Loved it when we lived in Floria, too. The trees look so pretty with all those bright orange balls on them, like the whole orchard is decorated for Christmas. ;o)

Don't want full kernels of corn in mine. And I don't like it gritty. If it's going to be eaten as a dessert, then put frosting on it and have it sweet like any other cake. If it's a meal accompaniment, then not sweet/cakey with just a light bit of real butter melted on it. I'm not big on cornbread and don't find much good stuff around anyway.

Sorry for the yellowed image, it's gloomy outside today, but this is the view from the eating area in our kitchen. Here is where we eat 95% of our meals during cool or super hot weather, if it's mild or warm, we eat out side at the table. Our dining room is for larger gatherings. I love it there too, but rarely would the two of us choose to eat there alone. I've cleaned up the table so that the bottles of vitamins, supplements and Kleenex box are on the island, normally they live at DH's place! The tv is on the counter, to the right of the table. DH hates it being on in the mornings because it disturbs his reading of the paper, however we are usually watching the news or Jeopardy during dinner. Rarely do we eat in the den. We just don't find it comfortable to hang over the low coffee table while sitting on the sofa. Although that said, DH takes a tray in there when I'm having a Mahjongg game at the kitchen table. DD moved to Georgia and has the above areas and a darling screened in porch. I think that would be the best of both worlds.