Free Republic

I do apologize for the vanity but as it now appears to be the norm on FR, and it is Saturday, I'm going with it. We like watching Chopped on TV. Four chefs compete cooking dishes from a basket of "mystery" ingredients. So... if you were the producer of this show, what would you put in the basket for each of the candidates? Actually, let's do both Republican and Democrat candidates. Flame on, oven on, blender going.

Franciscan Sister Alicia Torres gathered about three dozen volunteers in the hall of Our Lady of the Angels Church in Chicago on Nov. 21, having them count off into groups to form teams to serve the roughly 600 guests who would be seated just an hour later. Sister Alicia, 30, spoke clearly and loudly enough to be heard without yelling. As she spoke, more volunteers were busy finishing the cooking for a Thanksgiving brunch that included baked frittata, roast pork, potatoes, fruit and pastries. Through it all, Sister Alicia maintained her good humor, greeting friends and volunteers with smiles...

The rise of the Food Network from an obscure channel to cultural phenomenon and the explosion of celebrity chefs changed people’s perceptions about the culinary industry. Today, cooking and the culinary arts have become hip and sexy. The explosion in popularity has reached beyond television. Today, more and more people are seeking careers in the culinary arts. “Over the past three or so years, the number of people enrolling in culinary training programs grown tremendously,” said Shelly Ford, director of communication for The International Culinary School at the Art Institute of Washington, located in Arlington, Va. The Art Institute launched...

An Iraqi looter who was caught stealing from a house in Basra has had both of his hands cut off by a vigilante mob. The injured thief, who has not been identified, was then apprehended by British soldiers, who took him to a hospital for treatment. UK military officials in the city are warning the backlash against the looters could mean more violence as thefts from schools, hospitals and family homes have created a well of anger. They say many civillians are irate about the degeneration of law and order in Iraq's capital and are administering their own brand of...