I had to memorize some Shakespearean excerpts for HS sophomore English (my mom was my teacher), and I had to memorize the Gettysburg address in another class, and in college I had to be able to write and recite the Sura al-Fateha in Arabic (it is very similar to The Lord's Prayer in content and meaning), and I had to be able to write and recite the first paragraph of Plato's Republic in Greek. I don't remember a lot of memorization for grade school or junior high. Except for prayers, of which there were many in my childhood. I think I've told the story about my uncle in grade school. He was charged to learn and recite a nursery rhyme in the first grade. He was one of 11 kids and his older siblings offered to "help" him learn one. He went to school and recited what they'd taught: "Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow? With silver bells and cockle shells and one dam* weed." Needless to say, a note went home on that one...

No experience using a food processor for bread, but here are some recipes from Better Homes and Gardens Food Processor Cook Book. Be sure to check the User's Manual that came with your Food Processor for recipes. -Grainlady ...When making yeast breads remember that most processors can't handle more than 3 cups of flour. You may need to cut your recipe in half and prepare consecutive batches to bake the desired number of loaves. Both conventional and easy-mix recipes can be used. Do not process the dough for more than 60 seconds; if it hasn't formed a ball, shape by hand. If the motor begins to slow down, quickly add a little more flour. This should free the dough from the blade so the motor can return to normal speed. WHOLE WHEAT BREAD 1 pkg. active dry yeast 1 c. warm water (115F) 2 T. brown sugar 1-1/2 c. all-purpose flour 1-1/2 c. whole wheat flour 2 T. shortening 1 t. salt Conventional Method: Dissolve yeast in water; add sugar. Combine flours. Insert steel blade; add 2 cups flour mixture, the shortening, and the salt. Process with on/off switch till resembles cornmeal. Add 1/2 c. yeast mixture; process with 4 on/off turns. Let machine run 15 seconds or till ball of dough forms. If dough seems sticky, add 1 to 2 T. all-purpose flour. Do not process more than 60 seconds. Place dough in greased bowl; turn once to grease surface. Cover; let rise in warm place till double (45-60 minutes). Punch down. Shape into loaf; place in greased 8x4x2-inch pan. Cover; let rise till double (30-45 minutes). Bake in 375°F oven about 20-minutes. Cool on wire-rack. Makes 1. Easy-Mix Method: Using ingredients as above. Place steel blade in workbowl; add 2 cups flour mixture, dry yeast, sugar, shortening, and salt. Process with 4 on/off turns till resembles cornmeal. Add 1/2 c. water; process with 4 on/off turns. Add remaining 1/2 c. water; process with 4 on/off turns. Add rest of mixture; continue as above. ------------------------------------ SWISS RYE BREAD 3 oz. Swiss cheese 1 c. milk 1 T. sugar 3/4 t. salt 1 pkg. active dry yeast 3/4 c. rye flour Insert shredding disk in work bowl; shred cheese. Remove and set aside. In saucepan heat milk, sugar and salt over medium-low heat just till mixture is lukewarm (110°F), stirring constantly. Stir in yeast; let stand 5 minutes. Place steel blade in work bowl; add the all-purpose and rye flours, shredded cheese, and half of the milk-yeast mixture. Process with 4 on/off turns. Add remaining milk-yeast mixture; process with 4 on/off turns. Turn machine on again and process about 15 seconds or till ball of dough forms. Do not process more than 60 seconds. (If dough seems sticky to the touch, add 1-2 T. additional all-purpose flour; process with 1 or 2 on/off turns.) Place ball of dough in lightly greased bowl; turn once to grease surface. Cover; let rise in warm place till double (45-60 minutes). Punch down. Cover; let rest 10 minutes. Shape into a loaf. Place in greased 8x4x2-inch loaf pan. Cover and let rise till nearly double (30-45 minutes). Bake in 375°F oven for 35-40 minutes or till done. It top of bread browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil the last 15-20 minutes. Makes 1 loaf. ----------------------------------------------- WHITE BREAD 1 pkg. active dry yeast 1 c. warm milk (110°-115°F) 3 c. all-purpose flour 1 T. sugar 1 t. salt 1 T. cooking oil Soften yeast in warm milk; set aside. Place steel blade in work bowl; add 2 cups of flour, sugar, salt. Add half of the milk-yeast mixture; process with 4 on/off turns. Add remaining milk-yeast mixture and oil; process with 4 on/off turns. Add remaining 1 cup flour; process with 4 on/off turns. Turn machine on again and process about 15 seconds or till ball of dough forms. Do not process more than 60 seconds. (If dough seems sticky to the touch, add 2-3 T. additional flour; process with 1 or 2 on/off turns.) Place ball of dough in lightly greased bowl; turn once to grease surface. Cover; let rise in warm place till double (1 to 1-1/4 hours). Punch down. Cover; let rest 10 minutes. Shape into a loaf. Place in greased 8x4x2-inch loaf pan. Cover and let rise in warm place till double (about 45 minutes). Bake in 375°F oven 40-45 minutes. Remove from pan; cool on wire rack. Makes 1 loaf. Easy-Mix Method: Use ingredients as above. Place steel blade in work bowl; add 2 cups of the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Process with 4 on/off turns. Add half of the milk; process with 4 on/off turns. Add remaining milk and oil; process with 4 on/off turns. Add remaining 1 cup flour; continue as above ------------------------------------------ CHEESE BATTER BREAD 1/4 c. lightly packed parsley (stems removed) 2 oz. Parmesan cheese, cut up (1/2 c. grated) 2-1/4 c. all-purpose flour 1 package active dry yeast 3/4 c. cream-style cottage cheese 1/2 c. water 2 T. butter or margarine 1 egg Place steel blade in work bowl. Add parsley; process till chopped. Add Parmesan; process till parsley and Parmesan are finely chopped. Add 1-1/4 c. of the flour and the yeast. Process with on/off turns till combined. In saucepan heat together the cottage cheese, water, and butter or margarine just till warm (115° to 120°F) and butter is almost melted, stirring constantly. With machine running pour heated mixture through feed tube, add egg. Stop machine; add remaining 1 cup flour. Process with 4 on/off turns, continue processing for 5-10 seconds or till well mixed (dough does NOT form a ball). Turn dough into greased bowl. Cover, let rise till double (45-60 minutes). Stir down. Spread evenly in a greased 1-1/2 quart casserole. Cover, let rise till nearly double (about 45-minutes). Bake in 350°F oven for 45-55-minutes. If top of bread browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil the last 15 minutes. Remove from casserole; cool. Makes 1 round loaf. ------------------------------------------ BRIOCHE LOAF Brushing the egg yolk and milk mixture gives the loaf a golden color. Use either a standard loaf pan or a special brioche mold -- 1 pkg. active dry yeast 1/4 c. warm water (110°-115°F) 2-1/4 c. all-purpose flour 6 T. cold butter, cut into pieces 4 t. sugar 1/2 t. salt 2 eggs 1 egg yolk 1 T. milk Soften yeast in the warm water. Place steel blade in work bowl; add flour, butter, sugar, and salt. Process till butter is very finely cut into flour mixture. Add yeast-water mixture and eggs; process about 20 seconds or till mixture forms a dough. Do not process more than 60 seconds. (If dough seems sticky, add about 1 T. additional flour, process with 1 or 2 on/off turns.) Place in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface. Cover and let rise in warm place till double (about 1-1/2 hours). Punch down; cover and let rest 10 minutes. Shape into a loaf and place in a greased 8x4x2-inch loaf pan. OR, shape into a ball and place in a greased 6-cup brioche mold. Cover; let rise till double (about 1-hour). If desired, combine the egg yolk and milk; brush over loaf. Bake in 350°F oven about 30 minutes or till done. Remove from pan; cool on rack. Makes 1 loaf.

Holly - from the KDs I talked with, all of them were figuring the Rev-a-shelf, so I wouldn't be surprised if yours is too. Most of them didn't even seem aware that K&V made one, let alone that it had the gas cylinder. I haven't used the Knape & Vogt one, so I honestly don't know how much of a difference there is between the two...I'm just going by other things that I've had the gas assist cylinder available for in life and those worked more smoothly. I'd hate to steer you toward something that I have no first hand experience with...so, definitely look into it more. I didn't find a lot of info out there on the K&V. I did wind up buying mine online through Home Depot, but I didn't see it at the stores (when it arrived, it was shipped directly from K&V, I think) - it seemed that they had the best price that I was finding on it overall. Still more expensive than the R-a-S one though. Here's the HD link: http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/203303465?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=knape+vogt+appliance&storeId=10051&N=5yc1v&R=203303465#.UWGPBVejslU And here it is from Kitchensource: http://www.kitchensource.com/cau/kv-hal-1.htm#body_page_header As near as I can tell, the R-a-S one has a pull-bar type mechanism that runs under the board where the mixer rests and the K&V one has the "buttons" to release built in along the sides of the mechanism - they are the two darker grey things you see at the bottom front of the mechanism. Mine's sitting in my basement just waiting...I wish that there was an easy way to test it.

Carolyn, I've been looking up every title mentioned so far, but just got to Absent Friends this morning. I haven't read any of the novels about 9/11 yet -- I think I'm still a bit squeamish to relinquish that horrendous episode to fiction. However, I will come to that point and Rozan's story certainly sounds interesting. The synopsis confused me, though: is this fiction based on actual people and incidents? disputantum, mysteries or crime or suspense, those noir novels in the anthologies are definitely outstanding in my mind. I think I've read most of them and have seen most of the films, too. In some cases, I think the films improved on the novels, or at least added another dimension of interpretation -- from Nicholas Ray to Truffaut to Robert Altman and many others. I often have a profound distaste for screenwriters and directors who tamper with books, but somehow crime/mystery novels can be tinkered with and played more loosely. Cece, looking at that list of Christie's non-series mysteries: I never realized that she wrote so many non-Poirot and Marple. The thing I love about Christie -- and this may sound contradictory -- is I promptly forget the plots and whodunnit, so every few years I can reread and enjoy them just as much. The only one I remember well is The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, and I guess that makes it outstanding. But, in a way, that's a shame 'cause I can never be shocked and riled up by it again! Thanks, Cece. The Coffee Trader and Drowning Ruth do look right up my alley. I probably overlooked the latter because it was an Oprah pick -- sometimes my reasoning for dismissing something is initially faulty.