February 28 Pinch Super1

FEBRUARY 28, 2024

If winter evenings have you stuck in a dinner rut, heat up the kitchen with family favorites everyone can look forward to. Shaking off the chill can start with a cozy blanket and comforting food that warms you from the inside out.

Soup is a wintertime staple thanks to its simplicity, and you can put a delicious spin on your next winter warmup with Mexican-inspired ingredients.

Giving soup night a twist starts with Cacique Foods, one of the country’s top authentic Mexican food brands, that invites friends and family to share real moments while savoring authentic flavors.

This Smoky Chorizo and Chicken Pozole relies on the bold, hearty, spicy taste of Cacique’s Pork Chorizo combined with handcrafted Homestyle Salsa. Queso Fresco’s crumbly, creamy texture and milky, fresh flavor adds the perfect finishing touch, making this soup a perfect way to warm up weeknights with just the right amount of heat.

For a flavorful side that complements a variety of main courses while adding Mexican flair, consider Mexican Loaded Mashed Potatoes. This recipe is a familiar favorite with the unique twist of bacon and Pork Chorizo for a meat-infused recipe that will become a menu mainstay.

Plus, for an extra creamy texture, it calls for Cacique Crema Mexicana – an everyday table cream with a neutral, freshtasting flavor ideal for balancing out spice – and Oaxaca, a semisoft cheese with a mellow, buttery flavor.

Find more comforting recipes at caciquefoods.com.

SMOKY CHORIZO AND CHICKEN POZOLE

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Servings: 6-8

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large white or yellow onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus additional, to taste (optional)

1 package (9 ounces)

Cacique Pork Chorizo

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano

1 container (16 ounces)

Cacique Medium Homestyle Salsa

1 quart chicken stock

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, trimmed of excess fat and diced

1 can (25 ounces) white hominy, drained and rinsed

1 lime, cut into wedges

3/4 cup crumbled Cacique

Ranchero Queso Fresco

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

In large, heavy pot over medium heat, heat oil. Reserve 1/4 cup onion for garnish; add remaining onion to pot and season with salt. Saute until translucent, about 5 minutes.

Increase heat to medium-high; add pork chorizo and break it apart with spoon. Cook chorizo undisturbed until deeply browned and cooked through, 3-5 minutes. Add smoked paprika and oregano; cook 30 seconds, or until fragrant.

Pour in salsa and scrape up browned bits from bottom of pan. Bring to simmer 1-2 minutes, allowing it to thicken slightly then add stock and bring to simmer.

Stir in diced chicken and hominy. Decrease heat to medium and cook 8-10 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Taste and season with more salt, if necessary. Remove from heat.

Serve bowls of pozole with reserved onion, lime wedges, crumbled queso fresco and chopped cilantro.

MEXICAN LOADED MASHED POTATOES

Prep time: 35 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Servings: 10

3 pounds russet potatoes (about 9 medium potatoes), peeled and cubed water

6 bacon strips, chopped

1 package Cacique Pork Chorizo

12 ounces Cacique Crema Mexicana

1/2 cup butter, cubed

1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 cup Cacique Oaxaca or Queso Quesadilla, shredded

1/2 cup Cacique Crema Mexicana Agria, for topping (optional)

3 green onions, chopped

In Dutch over, add potatoes and cover with water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; cook, uncovered, 10-15 minutes, or until tender.

In skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels, chop into small pieces and set aside. Remove bacon grease from skillet and cook chorizo over medium-high heat, 6-8 minutes.

Drain potatoes; add to pan. Mash potatoes, gradually adding crema Mexicana, butter, onion powder, salt, garlic powder and pepper. Transfer to greased 13-by-9-inch baking dish; sprinkle with cheese, chorizo and bacon. Refrigerate, covered, up to 1 day.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Remove potatoes from refrigerator and let stand while oven heats. Bake, covered, about 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 10 minutes, or until heated through.

Drizzle with crema Mexicana agria and chopped green onions.

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Stir Up Some Chicken and Dumplings

BY DONNA ERICKSON

It’s chicken-and-dumplings night at our house. This old-fashioned dish hits just right when it’s damp and chilly outside. While this recipe tastes like it’s been cooking all day, you can actually prepare it with your kids once they get home from school.

And when the yummy dumplings puff up over the thick chicken stew, they’ll know it’s the signal to gather the family ‘round for conversation and a satisfying, hearty meal.

CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

Serves 6-8

Chicken:

1 chicken (3 1/2 pounds), cut up into 6-8 pieces

Salt and pepper

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

1/3 cup flour

6 cups chicken broth

2 ribs celery, chopped

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 teaspoon thyme

Chopped parsley, for garnish

Dumplings: 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk

Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat and brown the chicken pieces until golden, about 4-5 minutes on each side. Transfer chicken to a large pot or Dutch oven.

Over medium to high heat, saute the onion in the skillet drippings until softened, about 5 minutes. Add additional butter if necessary. Stir in flour and continue to stir constantly, until slightly browned, about 1 minute.

Slowly add 1 cup of the chicken broth, stirring constantly and letting the mixture bubble between additions to make a gravy. Transfer to the pot of chicken. Add remaining broth, celery, carrots, mushrooms and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the dough for the dumplings. Let your child measure and, using a fork, mix the dry dumpling ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add milk and stir just until the mixture is moistened.

An adult should gently stir the stew mixture once, then drop the dough in spoonfuls on the simmering liquid. I like small dumplings, about 2 tablespoons each (which yields 18). Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes undisturbed, until dumplings are puffed and dry in the middle.

To serve, arrange chicken, vegetables and dumplings in wide, shallow bowls. Ladle gravy over each serving. Let your child sprinkle parsley on top as a fresh garnish.

Cook’s Note: If you prefer to serve boneless chicken, remove the chicken pieces from the cooking pot before dropping the dough in. Take the chicken off the bones, shred and return the meat to the pot.

you at www.donnaerickson.com.

Q:

is “Law

- Janet Y.,

email

A: Jeremy has a new show premiering this Federal Bureau

1. What action did TV talk show host Johnny Carson mimic after every monologue?

2. In September 2022, U.S. figure skater Ilia Malinin became the first to land what jump in competition?

3. Billed as “The War of the Worlds,” a 1976 fight in Tokyo featured Japanese pro wrestler Antonio Inoki vs. what American boxer?

4. What UMass Minutemen defensive standout was drafted No. 2 overall by the Toronto Raptors in the 1996 NBA Draft?

5. If you have tickets to see the Strathclyde Sirens vs. the Loughborough Lightning or the Adelaide Thunderbirds vs. the Melbourne Vixens, what sport are you watching?

6. Name the linebacker who played 219 regularseason NFL games from 1998-2012 but never appeared in the playoffs.

7. What sport did the duo of Randy Stoklos and Sinjin Smith dominate through the 1980s and ‘90s?

© 2024 King Features Syndicate, Inc.

Q: I remember when singer Usher used to be on the soap opera “The Bold and the Beautiful.” Has he done any acting since? -- S.L.

A: Born Usher Raymond IV, superstar Usher was born in Dallas and sang in the church choir that was directed by his mother. The family later moved to Atlanta and then Los Angeles, where Usher released his first album in 1994 at the age of 16 and also hit it big with his second album, “My Way,” in 1997. He flexed his talents even more by branching out into acting -- first in the sitcom “The Parent ‘Hood” on The WB network, then in recurring roles on “The Bold and the Beautiful” and “Moesha.”

More recently, he’s just played himself in several TV

Trivia Test

BY FIFI RODRIGUEZ

1. GEOGRAPHY: What is the capital of Canada?

2. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What was the first animal to be cloned?

3. LITERATURE: In the children’s book series “The Bobbsey Twins,” what are the names of the two sets of twins?

4. CHEMISTRY: What is the symbol for the chemical element platinum?

5. MUSIC: What is the title of Elvis Presley’s first commercial single?

6. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: What is the first U.S. national park?

7. MEDICAL: What is a common name for xerosis?

8. FOOD & DRINK: What is a sommelier?

9. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Who was the first president to visit all 50 states?

10. HISTORY: What were the principal powers of the Axis in WWII?

© 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.

BY LUCIE WINBOURNE

• On their urban forest data site, the city of Melbourne in Australia assigned email addresses to each of the city’s trees so it would be easier to catch and rehabilitate damaged ones. Instead, the trees received love letters.

• Wild female chimpanzees, much like humans, experience menopause.

• Giant lily pads in the Amazon River can grow up to 6 feet in diameter and even support up to 100 pounds without breaking.

• A man in the U.K. who became paralyzed after a cycling accident spent four years raising 22,000 pounds for an innovative treatment that might enable him to walk again. However, when he heard of a disabled boy who also needed surgery, that had better odds of success, he donated the entire amount to the child instead.

• On the moon, it would be possible for humans to walk on water.

• Eric Money is the only NBA player to officially score for both teams in the same game.

• A group calling themselves Sieged Security hacked into the Idaho National Laboratory with a most extraordinary ransom demand -- not cash, but for the lab to research the creation of felinehuman hybrids!

• In the small Japanese town of Kamikatsu, residents are required to sort their solid waste into 45 different recycling categories.

• “Yield the crow a pudding” is an old slang term for death.

• Morton’s toe is when your second toe is longer than your big toe. It’s widespread in art, with the Statue of Liberty being one of the more famous examples.

• Jenga blocks have subtle differences in dimensions to make their construction less stable. Each brick is a different size and weight, so no two games will be alike. ***

Thought for the Day: “Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.”

-- Vincent van Gogh

© 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.

shows like “Dave” and The Lonely Island movie “Popstar.” However, being selected to headline the Super Bowl halftime show is a high honor for any recording artist, so I doubt he has any regrets about not having a hit acting career. He also just released his ninth album, “Coming Home,” so perhaps he’ll be adding his ninth Grammy to his mantle during the next award season. ***

Q: When is “Young Sheldon” coming back with new episodes? Is it true that this will be the final season?

-- A.M.

A: By the time you’re reading this, you might have noticed that “Young Sheldon” returned to CBS with all new episodes on Feb. 15. Delayed by the writers’ and actors’ strikes, the seventh and final season will only consist of 14 episodes, with its hour-long series finale airing on May 16. It was inevitable that the show would end, since the title character was getting closer to the age of his future self in “The Big Bang Theory,” the hit sitcom that preceded “Young Sheldon.”

However, there is a bit of good news on the horizon. According to The Hollywood Reporter, CBS is “reteaming with exec producers Chuck Lorre, Steve Holland and Steve Molaro to develop a spinoff of their prequel series ‘Young Sheldon.’” Although

BY DANA JACKSON

nothing official has been announced, word is that the new show will focus on Sheldon’s brother, Georgie (Montana Jordan), and his fiancee, Mandy (Emily Osment). It will debut as early as the 2024-25 television season. Hopefully, Iain Armitage will pop in occasionally as Sheldon.

***

Q: Is it true that Jon Bon Jovi lost his voice? Will he still be able to sing? -- I.S.

A: Singer Jon Bon Jovi is recovering from surgery to mend a vocal cord injury, but his career is far from over. According to Entertainment Weekly, the lead singer of the popular rock band Bon Jovi had undergone surgery 19 months ago with a specialist in Philadelphia who used a plastic implant to fix an atrophied vocal cord.

While promoting “Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story,” an upcoming docuseries on Hulu about him and his bandmates, Bon Jovi said that their new record has been completed and that he recently performed live for the first time since his surgery. He’s also about to become Millie Bobby Brown’s (“Stranger Things”) father-in-law, as his son, Jake, proposed to the actress last year.

Send me your questions at NewCelebrityExtra@gmail.com, or write me at KFWS, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803.

(c) 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.

PAW’S CORNER

BY SAM MAZOTTA

BY FREDDY GROVES

STAND DOWNS ARE STARTING FOR 2024

The Stand Downs for 2024 are gearing up, with slightly warmer weather now upon us. They’ll run from now until the end of October in various places around the country.

Stand Downs, started in 1988, are one-, two- or three-day events meant to provide services to homeless veterans or those who are at risk of becoming homeless. The services provided can vary, depending on the location and the length of the event, but in most cases, veterans can get help with housing, mental health counseling, treatment for substance abuse, health care and screenings, help with VA claims, dental care, tax help and more.

You’ll likely find food, showers, clothing, haircuts and information about support for caregivers, suicide prevention and legal advice. Sometimes the events are held right on the grounds of a VA medical center or a fairground, city park or other community space.

The list of events for 2024

SENIOR NEWS LINE

By Matilda Charles

WHEN DOG WALKING IS A TUG

OF WAR DEAR PAW’S CORNER: My dog Trey is a 3-year-old mixed breed, mostly Lab, who pulls at his leash every time we go out for a walk. I don’t want to use a choke collar, because it seems painful and counterproductive to punish him every time he tries to pull ahead. How can I get Trey to walk next to me and not tug all the time? -- Bill in New Orleans DEAR BILL: Dogs love being outside and exploring. That’s a big reason why Trey is tugging at his leash -- he wants to run and explore everything in the world. But that’s not possible in the city. And for

The one I liked best is www.drugs.com (click “Interaction Checker”).

Read what the National Institutes of Health has to say about dietary supplements for seniors at www. nia.nih.gov/health/vitamins-andsupplements/dietary-supplementsolder-adults

Search their database of 178,111 supplements at dsld.od.nih.gov. © 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.

to control him. Send your tips, comments or questions to ask@pawscorner.com.

© 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.

THE HISTORY CHANNEL

Time

• On March 4, 1933, in the midst of the Great Depression, Franklin D. Roosevelt was inaugurated as the 32nd U.S. president. He would later notably lead the country out of the Depression and to victory in World War II.

• On March 5, 1963, beloved American country western singer Patsy Cline, whose rich, soulful voice made her one of the genre’s classic performers of such ballads as “I Fall to Pieces” and “Crazy,” died in an airplane crash at age 30.

• On March 6, 2018, the world’s oldest known message in a bottle was discovered by Tonya Illman in Western Australia as she walked on the beach with her husband, Kym. The bottle had been thrown overboard from the German sailing ship Paula in 1886 as it crossed the Indian Ocean, and said only, “Could the finder please plot the coordinates it was found, and the date it was found, and send it back?”

• On March 7, 1965, up to 600 nonviolent activists marched to help African American citizens obtain the right to vote. Despite the peacefulness of their actions, the protesters were brutally attacked, with one woman, Amelia Boynton, beaten to the point of unconsciousness.

• On March 8, 1986, 29-year-old tennis star Martina Navratilova became the first in her sport to earn more than $10 million in prize money when she won the U.S. Women’s Indoor Championships in New Jersey.

• On March 9, 1611, Dutch astronomer Johannes Fabricius and his father, David, first observed sunspots, which are areas of reduced surface temperature. Johannes wrote and published a 22-page pamphlet on their findings, “Account of Spots Observed on the Sun and of Their Apparent Rotation with the Sun,” though his father initially disagreed with his son’s conclusion.

• On March 10, 1949, Mildred Gillars, aka “Axis Sally,” became the first woman in American history to be convicted of treason. Gillars worked for Nazi Germany’s state radio program during World War II, and from 1942 to the end of the war broadcasted Nazi propaganda in an effort to convince U.S. soldiers to give up the fight. Records of the broadcasts eventually convicted her when she was later arrested and returned to the States.

© 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.

BY TONY RIZZO

HOLLYWOOD -- Former “Superman” Henry Cavill is not a fan of sex scenes. He admits, “I don’t understand them. ... There are circumstances where a sex scene actually is beneficial to a movie, rather than just the audience ... [but] I think sometimes they’re overused these days.” He says he often asks, “Is this really necessary, or is it just people with less clothing on?”

Cavill continued, “That’s when you start to get more uncomfortable, and you’re thinking, ‘There’s

Hollywood Savor the Spice: A Culinary Journey With Red Lentil Dal

(“Inglourious Basterds” and “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”), is in negotiations to star in the film, which will probably start shooting later on this year or in 2025.

***

not a performance here. There’s not a piece which is going to carry through the rest of the movie.’” While he believes that there are times when sex scenes can be great in a movie, Cavill thinks that “it can be a little bit of a cop-out if a TV show or a movie is just filled with gyrating bodies.” He challenges this by asking, “What is this doing for us apart from the idea of, ‘Oh, naked person, great’?”

This might explain why there were no sex scenes in his recent spy film “Argylle,” which might have done better at the box office if he showed his “Superman” body. The $200 million spy film barely made a dent in its cost, which has prompted Apple to reconsider giving the green light to the two proposed sequels for “Argylle.” Apple was already bleeding money from the anemic box-office disappointments of “Killers of the Flower Moon” and “Napoleon.” ***

Quentin Tarantino has chosen the title “The Movie Critic” for what he says is his 10th and final film. Brad Pitt, who appeared in two Tarantino films

James Cameron, who has three of the highest-grossing films of all time (No. 1: “Avatar,” No. 3: “Avatar: The Way of Water” and No. 4: “Titanic”), has reached the post-production stage for the third “Avatar” film. He has already shot half of the fourth “Avatar” film and has plans for three more films after that, for a grand total of seven films. “Avatar 6” is planned for 2035. ***

Jacob Elordi, the sexy star of “Priscilla,” “Saltburn” and “Euporia,” raised eyebrows in an interview with GQ when he admitted that he hated making Netflix’s film “The Kissing Booth,” which was so popular that it spawned two sequels. Fans were very upset, but not nearly as mad as the producer of an Australian morning radio show that Elordi was recently on.

The producer asked Elordi to fill a jar with some of his bathwater as a gift to the show’s host, Jackie O, for her birthday (a reference to the hot scene in “Saltburn” where Elordi’s male co-star, Barry Keoghan, drinks his bathwater). Elordi refused, and apparently, they got into a scuffle. The police were called, and the producer is now threatening to sue. The man needn’t have asked for Elordi’s bathwater; he could have just bought the Jacob Elordi bathwaterscented candle. Talk about going down under!

© 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.

4 to 6 cloves garlic, minced

1 heaping tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Are you ready to tantalize your taste buds with a culinary adventure? While we might not be jetting off to distant lands anytime soon, we can certainly embark on a delicious journey right from our own kitchens. So, let’s fasten our apron strings and take a flavorful trip to India with a classic dish: Red Lentil Dal.

Dal (also spelled “dahl,” “daal” or “dhal,” but I’m sticking with “dal”) is the Indian name for dried, split pulses (like lentils, peas and beans) that don’t require pre-soaking.

Dal, in its various forms, is a global nutritional powerhouse, transcending cultural boundaries and culinary preferences. Whether it’s the comforting Indian dal, hearty Middle Eastern mujadara or savory Ethiopian misir wat, these dishes showcase lentils’ versatility across diverse cuisines. Embraced by vegetarians, vegans and meat-eaters alike, dal stands as a testament to the universal appeal of plant-based foods, addressing food security challenges and promoting healthier diets globally. Here’s how to make something as simple as a cupful of lentils, some spices and aromatics into a hearty stew that’s both delicious and nutritious. The stew is earthy and satisfying; the curry, garlic and ginger flavors are warm and soothing. This is comfort food at its finest.

A few thoughts: If you can’t find red lentils, feel free to use any color of lentils you may have. If you don’t often cook with fresh ginger, I urge you to try it. You just need a little knob, enough to fill a tablespoon. Peel it with a spoon and mince as you would garlic. The difference is amazing for mere pennies. Also, this dish is very mild. If you enjoy your Indian food spicy, add some jalapeno.

EASY RED LENTIL DAL

Yield: 4 servings

Total Time: 45

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 cups onion, chopped

3 cups water or vegetable stock

1 1/2 cups red lentils

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 (14.5 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained

Cilantro and cooked rice, to serve

Optional add ins:

1 teaspoon jalapeno pepper, minced, or to taste

1 (10 ounce) box frozen spinach, thawed and drained

2 cups cauliflower, chopped

1 cup carrot, diced

In a medium-size pot over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the onion, and cook until soft, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and a bit of extra oil, if needed. Cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Add curry and cumin, stirring to coat the onions with spices, and cook for 1-2 minutes, until everything is spectacularly fragrant. Isn’t that wonderful? Add around 1 cup of water or stock, using a spatula to scrape any bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the rest of the water or stock, the lentils and any optional vegetables, if using, and stir. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a bare simmer, cooking covered for 30 minutes. Stir this occasionally to prevent anything from sticking to the bottom of the pan. After 30 minutes, add the diced tomatoes and salt, stir and heat through. Serve with rice, garnished with cilantro. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to four days or freeze for up to four months.

So, whether you spell it “dal,” “dahl,” “daal” or “dhal,” one thing’s for sure: This dish is a

to