Meathead: Chestnuts Roasted On An Open Fire, In The Oven, In The Microwave, Steamed Or Boiled

Warm fresh chestnuts are soft, fleshy, sensuous, creamy and sweet. They are best served with a glass of port or a mug of hot gl?gg and, on the bearskin rug, in front of the fireplace, with Nat King Cole in the background.

For a sinful treat, dip them in melted butter and sprinkle a little salt on them. Chestnuts also make great soups, stews, stuffings, candies and desserts.

Chestnuts are grown on trees, harvested in September and October, and they keep a few months if refrigerated. Problem is, most grocers do not refrigerate them. So they get moldy, especially in December and beyond. Problem is you usually cannot see the mold until you peel them. If you buy chestnuts in late December or January, you run the risk of 1/3 or more being inedible. If you can, toss them in a bucket of water before you buy. Good nuts will usually sink, and moldy ones will usually float. Problem is you can't very well do this in a store. One thing you can do is select those that are not cracked. Cracked nuts won't get moldy, but they will get hard as rocks.

If the nuts are very fresh, you need to only prepare exactly what you need. If they are getting a bit old, or if your grocer has not kept them chilled, prepare about 50% more knowing that several will be moldy. Do not eat moldy nuts.

The solution is to buy chestnuts early in the season and refrigerate them. Otherwise, buy them frozen or dried. If you buy them dried you need to rehydrate them by soaking in water.

Do this first

There are several ways to prepare chestnuts. All methods start by rinsing and scoring them. Rinsing gets off any dirt and residue that can get on your hands when you peel and eat. It also will moisten and soften the shell slightly. Then sit them on a counter flat side down, and make a long cut or an X in the shell on the round side by placing a serrated knife on the shell and drawing it towards you. This is necessary so they don't explode from steam buildup. You can then choose your cooking method from those below. I prefer roasting, grilling or broiling for the best flavor. Microwaving is fastest. Boil them if they are old and hard.

Cooking

Roasting chestnuts over an open fire. Rinse and score the shells, then put the nuts in a cast iron frying pan flat side down. If you have a fireplace or campfire going, move things around so there is a bed of glowing coals upon which the pan can rest. Place the pan on the coals for about 5 minutes. With a potholder remove the pan, roll the nuts over, and back they go for another 5 minutes or so. The exact time will depend on how hot things are.

Grilling chestnuts. Rinse and score the shells. Fire up your grill to medium-high. Put the nuts on the grates cut side down and close the lid. Roast until the shell peels back and begins to scorch and the meat starts to turn golden, perhaps 10 minutes.

Broiling chestnuts in an oven. This is the indoor method I use most often. Rinse and score the shells. Turn the oven on broil and put a rack on the highest level. Put the nuts in a pan cut side up on the top rack. Cook for about 10 minutes, depending on how close they are to the heat, until the shell curls and scorches and the meat begins to turn golden. Don't let the meat burn.

Roasting chestnuts in the oven. Rinse and score the shells. Preheat the oven to 300?F. Roast on a center shelf until the meats are tender and easily pierced by a knife or toothpick, about 25-30 minutes.

Boiling chestnuts. Rinse and score the shells. Start a pot of water boiling. Drop in the nuts and boil for about 15 minutes. Boiled chestnuts can be hard to peel.

Steaming chestnuts. Rinse and score the shells. Start the steamer, and after the water is boiling put the nuts in the steamer compartment. Steam for 15 minutes. They come out nice and soft and moist but they they are a bit harder to peel, and the flavor is not as rich as the dry heat methods.

Microwaving chestnuts. Rinse and score the shells. Set your microwave on 100 percent power, place them on a plate and nuke them for a measly 1 minute or until tender. The exact time may vary from microwave to microwave and depending on how many nuts you are cooking.

Peeling and serving

Chestnuts are easiest to peel when they are warm. As soon as you can handle them, peel off the shell and the papery cuticle that is underneath. Some of this skin may get wedged into the cracks, and if necessary you may have to break the nutmeat in half to pull it out. A toothpick helps. Discard any if there are black spots after you peel them. The black is likely mold.

I like serving warm chestnuts with a hot drink, especially gl?gg, hot buttered rum or herb tea. They also go well with port, sherry and other fortified wines as well as a good brandy such as Cognac. How do you serve chestnuts?

All text and photos are Copyright (c) 2011 By Meathead, and all rights are reserved

For more of Meathead's writing, photos, recipes, and barbecue info please visit his website AmazingRibs.com and subscribe to his email newsletter, Smoke Signals.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/craig-goldwyn/homemade-roasted-chestnuts_b_1128545.html

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European regulators set sights on Carrier IQ, rootkit scandal goes international

Most of the bruhaha over Carrier IQ and its activity-tracking rootkit has been contained to the US so far. That's about to change though, and the software company could find itself at the center of an international privacy scandal. The British Information Commissioner's Office and the European Consumers' Organization have both started looking into the diagnostics software, while the Bavarian State Office for Data Protection has specifically engaged with Apple over its inclusion of parts of Carrier IQ's suite in iOS. This, of course, comes only days after US lawmakers requested their own government open an investigation. So far, all of the major British providers have denied using the tool on their handsets but, the drama is still unfolding and there's plenty of time for others to get caught up in this mess.

European regulators set sights on Carrier IQ, rootkit scandal goes international originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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4 aboard small plane that crashed in Colorado

SILVERTON, Colo. (AP) ? Authorities say four people were aboard a single-engine plane that crashed this weekend in the southwest Colorado mountains.

More than 18 hours after the crash there was still no word on whether anyone survived. San Juan County officials say a search team was headed to the site Sunday morning.

The plane crashed at about 3 p.m. Saturday about 1? miles north of Silverton.

The search was suspended later Saturday because of bad weather. Temperatures in Silverton dipped to 4 degrees overnight and more than 3 inches of snow has fallen this weekend.

The names of the people on board haven't been released. Authorities say the plane was flying from Durango to Aspen.

Debris from the plane is scattered over a wide area up to 11,000 feet above sea level.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2011-12-04-Colorado%20Plane%20Crash/id-f69d08f21e7e4839a8f376c0be755c3e

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Wills, Trusts & Estates Prof Blog: Investing in a Ranch

? Update on 2011 Federal Tax | Main | Charming Obituary Written by Son ?

December 3, 2011

Investing in a Ranch

Some people view owning a ranch as an investment. The returns are positive, but they are only part of the story. Ranch land can be hard to sell or value. Also, ranches cost a lot of money to keep up, so even if the land is gaining value, owners still have high costs for upkeep. Ranch land still holds a spot in many wealthy investors? portfolios though. Some of the return is the enjoyment of actually being at the ranch or working the land.

See Paul Sullivan, Wealth Matters; Owning a Ranch Offers Returns Beyond the Financial, New York Times, July 30, 2011.

Special thanks to?Jim Hillhouse (WealthCounsel) for bringing this article to my attention.

December 3, 2011 in Estate Planning - Generally | Permalink

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Apple request to halt U.S. sales of Samsung Galaxy products denied

U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh in San Jose refused to grant Apple?s request to stop U.S. sales of Samsung Galaxy products. Specifically, the Cupertino based company was asking for a halt on sales of the Samsung Droid Charge, Samsung Galaxy S 4G, Samsung Infuse 4G and the Samsung GALAXY Tab 10.1 tablet. The latter has been banned from sales in Germany and in Australia although that might be changing. A court in Australia reversed the ban, which has been extended until December 9th to determine if Apple can appeal the reversal. In Germany, Samsung redesigned the tablet to make it appear less similar to the Apple iPad. The Samsung GALAXY Tab 10.1N is the name of the redesigned device in Germany, which Apple is also trying to have banned.

In her ruling, Judge Koh said that it was not clear that Apple would not be harmed even if she awarded the preliminary injunction against Samsung and the four products named in the suit. The Judge added that the case is not over and as she previously noted, Apple will probably be able to prove that Samsung infringed on at least one Apple patent with the Korean manufacturer?s tablet. She did add that Apple still needs to prove the validity of the patent, which it has yet to do.

An Apple spokeswoman, Kristin Huguet, reiterated that Samsung?s ?blatant copying is wrong? while Samsung issued no comment after the ruling. The legal battle between the two tech titans is now situated in 10 countries, spanning 20 separate cases. The whole legal battle started in April when Apple sued Samsung claiming that the Galaxy line of mobile devices copied the look and feel of the Apple iPhone and Apple iPad.

source: Reuters via AppleInsider

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Source: http://ohhitech.com/2011/12/03/apple-request-to-halt-u-s-sales-of-samsung-galaxy-products-denied/

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Close not enough anymore for No. 3 OkSt vs Sooners (AP)

STILLWATER, Okla. ? On his left wrist, Jamie Blatnick wears a reminder of just how close Oklahoma State came to finally breaking through against rival Oklahoma.

Inscribed in orange on a wide, black wristband are a series of numbers that refer to what he and his teammates view as a missed opportunity. With 2:51 left in last year's game, the Cowboys trailed 40-38 when Oklahoma got the ball back.

Instead of getting a stop, Oklahoma State gave up Landry Jones' 76-yard touchdown pass to James Hanna that put the game away.

"That close, man," Blatnick said.

For a program that's been overmatched by Oklahoma in most of their 105 meetings, close doesn't cut it anymore for No. 3 Oklahoma State (10-1, 7-1 Big 12).

The 13th-ranked Sooners (9-2, 6-2) are the last ones standing between the Cowboys and their first-ever BCS bowl berth and first Big 12 championship. The school hasn't won an outright conference title since 1948, when it only needed wins against Wichita State and Tulsa to win the Missouri Valley title.

With a convincing win, Oklahoma State might even be able to wiggle its way into the national championship game.

"It's not like big OU's coming to town and they're way better," Blatnick said. "I think we have the better team and I think we're going to prepare extremely hard for them and I think that this game's going to be a great game."

Blatnick has worn the special wristband, which says "DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS" on the other side, since safety Markelle Martin got them for the team. He had been wearing it on the same wrist as one that reads "One Heart One Family" in memory of linebackers coach Glenn Spencer's wife, who died during the season.

In the run-up to Saturday night's Bedlam game, he switched it to the opposite side to serve as a more frequent reminder of what happened last season.

"That was just a rough game for us. Being so close and not getting it, it just hurts," Blatnick said. "It just leaves a bad taste in your mouth and it's been there all year long. I'm just excited for this. This is my last one, and we've got to get them. Absolutely have to."

The Cowboys will be the higher-ranked team in the rivalry for the third straight year, but the last two have ended in disappointment. Oklahoma ended 11th-ranked OSU's bid for an at-large BCS berth two years ago with a 27-0 shutout in Norman.

Last year, the Sooners won 47-41 in Stillwater to earn a share of the Big 12 South title. By virtue of a tiebreaker, Oklahoma went to the Big 12 championship game ? and won it ? instead of the Cowboys.

"I'm still upset about that one," Blatnick said. "But this year, I feel like we're practicing better. We're more prepared than we were last year."

The injury situation has flipped in the Cowboys' favor this season after they had to play with quarterback Brandon Weeden and All-American receiver Justin Blackmon both at less than 100 percent last season.

The Sooners have lost their own All-American receiver, Ryan Broyles, and leading rusher Dominique Whaley to season-ending injuries. Starting defensive end Ronnell Lewis also isn't expected to play because of a sprained ligament in his left knee.

Yet Oklahoma still has won eight straight in the series, and 82 of 105 overall, including one victory that was forfeited later.

Oklahoma State still has to get over the hump.

"I think they've had a great season this year and I think they're completely confident going into this game knowing that they're going to win. We're just as confident, too," Sooners center Ben Habern said. "And so, overall, I think it's going to be a close game, it's going to be a good game and I think whatever team plays the hardest and holds onto the ball will probably win."

Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops doesn't buy into the talk that his team should have a psychological edge because of the dominance recently. Of course, the Sooners also just lost to Baylor after winning all 20 of the previous games in that series.

"I've always been a firm believer and even in some other series where we might have had a run going that each and every year is its own unique body of work and you've got to earn it every single time and you've got to have a great week of practice and you've got to do what's necessary in the moment, and in crunch time to make the plays that make the difference," Stoops said.

"Does it give you confidence or an attitude that we're ready for this? A lot of these guys were just here a year ago and have been in that moment that know what has to be done and how you've got to do it and be ready for it. So I think it gives them a sense of confidence that we can do it again."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111201/ap_on_sp_co_ne/fbc_t25_bedlam_close_call

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Unemployment rate drops to lowest since 2009 (AP)

WASHINGTON ? The unemployment rate, which has refused to budge from the 9 percent neighborhood for two and a half frustrating years, fell sharply in November, driven in part by small businesses that finally see reason to hope and hire.

Economists say there is a long way to go, but they liked what they saw.

The rate fell to 8.6 percent, the lowest since March 2009, two months after President Barack Obama took office. Unemployment passed 9 percent that spring and had stayed there or higher for all but two months since then.

The country added 120,000 jobs in November, the Labor Department said Friday. Private employers added 140,000 jobs, while governments cut 20,000.

The economy has generated 100,000 or more jobs five months in a row ? the first time that has happened since April 2006, well before the Great Recession.

"Something good is stirring in the U.S. economy," Ian Shepherdson, an economist at High Frequency Economics, said in a note to clients.

The stock market rallied at the opening bell, after the report came out, but finished flat for the day. It was still up 787 points for the week. The only bigger point gain in a week was in October 2008, when stocks lurched higher and lower during the financial crisis.

The report showed that September and October were stronger months for the job market than first estimated. For four months in a row, the government has revised job growth figures higher for previous months.

September was revised up by 52,000 jobs, for a gain of 210,000. October was revised up by 20,000, for a gain of 100,000.

Unemployment peaked at 10.1 percent in October 2009, four months after the Great Recession ended. It dipped to 8.9 percent last February and 8.8 percent last March but otherwise was at or above 9 percent.

The rate fell not just because people found jobs. About 300,000 people simply gave up looking for work, and were no longer counted as unemployed. People routinely enter and leave the work force, though 300,000 is more than usual.

Obama, who faces a re-election vote in less than a year and a presidential campaign that will turn on the economy, seized on the decline to argue for expanding a cut in the tax that workers pay toward Social Security.

The tax cut affects 160 million Americans. It lowers a worker's Social Security tax by up to $2,136 a year. Someone earning $50,000 a year saves $1,000 with the tax cut. It will expire Dec. 31 unless Congress acts.

Republicans and Democrats have supported an extension but differ on how to pay for it. The Senate on Thursday defeated plans from both parties. Republicans had proposed paying for the cut by freezing the pay of federal workers through 2015. Democrats wanted to raise taxes on people making $1 million or more a year.

"Now is not the time to slam the brakes on the recovery. Right now it's time to step on the gas," Obama said Friday.

Inside the unemployment report, one of the most closely watched indicators of the economy's health, were signs of improvement for small businesses, which employ 500 or fewer people and account for half the jobs in the private sector.

The government uses a survey of mostly large companies and government agencies to determine how many jobs were added or lost each month. It uses a separate survey of households to determine the unemployment rate.

The household survey picks up hiring by companies of all sizes, including small businesses and companies just getting off the ground. It also includes farm workers and the self-employed, who aren't included in the survey of companies.

The household survey has shown an average of 321,000 jobs created per month since July, compared with an average of 13,000 the first seven months of the year.

When the economy is either improving or slipping into recession, many economists say, the household survey does the better job of picking up the shift because it detects small business hiring.

"We might finally be seeing new business creation expand again, which is critical to the sustainability of the recovery," said Diane Swonk, chief economist at Mesirow Financial, a financial services company.

The National Federation of Independent Business, a small business group, said Friday that its own survey of small companies in November found that more of them are planning to add workers than at any time since September 2008, when the financial crisis struck.

LogicBoost, a Washington, D.C., software consulting firm with 19 employees, has hired a sales worker and a marketing worker in the past three months and planned to post an opening for a software engineer Friday.

"Business is going gangbusters," CEO Jonathan Cogley said. "It would be great if the economy were stronger. I think we'd be growing even faster."

Outside Detroit, Grace Dersa opened the Frank Street Bakery this week with her husband. They took the $60,000 gamble after seeing signs that the local economy is improving. They, too, plan to add a worker soon.

"When we go to a restaurant here, there's a 30-minute to two-hour wait. Homes are selling in this area," Dersa said. "People are spending."

Indeed, Americans dropped a record $52.4 billion over the Thanksgiving weekend, according to the National Retail Federation, a trade group. A separate report from MasterCard found spending was up almost 9 percent from last year.

The unemployment report was the latest encouraging indicator for the economy. Other reports this week have shown that factories are producing more, construction is growing, and people are buying more cars.

The accelerating debt crisis in Europe has loomed over the economy for months. An economic collapse there would hammer sales of American exports. And if the crisis caused banks to stop lending money, the world economy would suffer.

But there are signs that Europe is moving toward a solution. Earlier this week, six central banks around the world made it easier for commercial banks overseas to borrow American dollars to do business. The coordinated action calmed financial markets and bought time for politicians to work something out.

The leaders of Germany and France appear to be pushing for stronger rules to make sure European governments are responsible with their budgets, the first step in a strategy to save the euro currency from collapse.

European leaders meet next Friday for a crucial summit on the matter.

In the United States, about 13.3 million people are counted as unemployed.

More than half the jobs added last month were by retailers, restaurants and bars. But professional and business services rose by 33,000, and those tend to be higher-paying jobs, such as engineers and accountants. The category also includes temporary jobs, which increased.

The household survey found that the number of unemployed fell by nearly 600,000 last month. About half found jobs, while the other half stopped looking for work. The decline of 600,000 is the biggest since January.

The so-called underemployment rate fell to 15.6 percent from 16.2 percent. That includes three groups: people who are unemployed and looking for work, people who are unemployed and have stopped looking, and people who are working part-time but would rather be working full-time.

But even with the recent gains, the economy isn't close to replacing the jobs lost in the recession. Employers began shedding workers in February 2008 and cut nearly 8.7 million jobs over the next 25 months. The economy has regained about 2.5 million.

And many people aren't getting raises. Average hourly pay slipped 2 cents last month to $23.18. In the past year, wages have risen 1.8 percent, but inflation has risen twice as fast, eroding buying power.

Obama may face voters next fall with the highest unemployment of a sitting president seeking election since World War II. Gerald Ford faced 7.8 percent unemployment when he lost to Jimmy Carter in 1976. Ronald Reagan faced 7.2 percent unemployment in 1984 and trounced Walter Mondale. Unemployment was 7.8 percent when Obama took office in January 2009.

The economy grew at a 2 percent annual rate in July, August and September. Paul Ashworth, an economist at Capital Economics, estimates growth will speed up to 2.5 percent in the last three months of the year, but slow to 1.5 percent in 2012. Ashworth's estimate assumes a recession in Europe, but not a nightmarish collapse of the euro.

___

AP Economics Writer Paul Wiseman contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111202/ap_on_re_us/us_economy

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