Food and Fun

It's more important than ever to go green in the kitchen. Why? Because it's St. Patrick's Day, of course. This time of year at justapinch.com we love to embrace new and traditional Irish recipes alike, but darn it if all of those dishes don't taste a wee bit better when they're served up green.

Kick off your dream green meal with a big bowl of Laura Davis's Jalapeno Dip. While this recipe's roots may lay a little further south than the Emerald Isle, it serves up a freshness of flavor that sets the perfect tone to any party.

Now I know times and customs have changed, but I’m at a loss to guess what today’s teenagers look forward to on the weekends as warm weather approaches.

Take the spring of my senior year of high school for example. Lancaster was a hopping place, despite downtown merchants closing at noon every Tuesday for the day.

We were making news for several reasons. My classmates in the textile and home economics classes had come together an sent the state superintendent of education a box of handkerchiefs they had made.

“Valentine’s Day is a sham created by card companies to reinforce and exploit gender stereotypes,” Liz Lemon, Tina Fey’s cynical character on NBC’s sitcom “30 Rock,” tells her co-worker, Pete.

Lemon’s view on the commercialization of Valentine’s Day has become one commonly shared by those who feel the holiday is just another way greeting card companies and retailers get customers to spend money and put a monetary value on love.

Bryce Blanton, a member of Boy Scout Troop No. 72, recently completed his Eagle project. Blanton’s project was to renovate the outdoor fish pond at North Elementary School and build a pergola to shade the pond. He also performed landscaping and general repairs to improve the school’s natural classroom area. Overall, 20 volunteers spent more than 120 hours to complete this project. As a scout, Branton has held leadership positions of scribe, quartermaster and librarian, and has earned 29 merit badges.