This classic cooking technique calls for food to be browned in hot fat, then covered and slowly cooked in a small amount of liquid over low heat. Braising is ideal for preparing tough cuts of meat, such as beef short ribs and pork shoulder, and firm-textured vegetables, such as cabbage, leeks and turnips.

To braise vegetables evenly, cut the vegetables to a uniform size. And to brown meat faster, time could be saved by browning it on a  grill or under a broiler while you use the braising pot to sauté the vegetables. After browning, combine everything in the braising pot without skipping a beat. Another way to cut braising time is to use a pressure cooker, it could saves time by half without sacrificing flavor or tenderness. To convert a braised recipe for the pressure cooker, cut both the liquid and cooking time in half.

Time could also be saved by stir-braising. If you thinly slice tough cuts of meat, stir-frying techniques can be used to speed recipes for braising and stewing. Because the timing is shorter, flavors come from the addition of sauces, seasonings and stock rather than from long simmering.

Use stock or vegetable juice, or a combination, instead of water to add extra flavor to your dish. Fruit juices can also be used, and their sweetness may help balance the acidity of tomatoes or wine. Apple cider goes well with poultry or pork. Getting creative with braising is simple. Just combine ingredients such as carrots, celery and leeks and run through a juicing machine. If you don't have a juicer, a health food store can juice the ingredients for you. Bottled vegetable juices are also available in health food stores.

People might be against it, but Jericho has had a pretty good year...

- He defeated JBL via DQ at the Rumble and than proceeded to choke him out

- He beat Hardy for the IC Title

- He made it to the final two in "Money in the bank"

- He injected himself into the Batista / Shawn Michaels storyline

- He than damaged Shawn Michaels left eye

- He interrupted Michaels retirement speech and punched his wife out cold

- Even after he lost to Micheals at Unforgiven, he still got inserted into the "Scramble" and won the WHC

- Than, at No Mercy he did the unthinkable and defeated Shawn Michaels in a ladder match

- at Cyber Sunday he lost to Batista in a match with tons of interference, but won the title back just two weeks later to win the WHC for the fourth time and twice in the same year!

- Than at the Survivor Series he lost the WHC to Cena but the next night defeated Batista and Randy Orton to face Cena at Armageddon!

Everyone else listed has had a pretty steady year, and if Hardy *had* won the title he might have gotten the nod, but just because you've been to the dance five times doesn't make you the best, and this year Y2J deserves the win.   

And if you log onto www.kj103fm.com we have a chance for you to see her on the opening night of her tour.  So if you've been looking for all of the dates so far and couldn't find them.....here you go:

Tue, 03/03/09
7:30 PM
New Orleans Arena
New Orleans, LA

Thu, 03/05/09
08:00 PM
Philips Arena
Atlanta, GA

Sat, 03/07/09
07:30 PM
American Airlines Arena
Miami, FL

Sun, 03/08/09
07:30 PM
St Pete Times Forum
Tampa, FL

Wed, 03/11/09
08:00 PM
Nassau Coliseum
Uniondale, NY

Fri, 03/13/09
08:00 PM
Prudential Center
Newark, NJ

Mon, 03/16/09
08:00 PM
TD Banknorth Garden
Boston, MA

Tue, 03/24/09
08:00 PM
Verizon Center
Washington, DC

Thu, 03/26/09
07:30 PM
Mohegan Sun Arena
Uncasville, CT

Fri, 03/27/09
08:00 PM
Mellon Arena
Pittsburgh, PA

Tue, 03/31/09
08:00 PM
American Airlines Center
Dallas, TX

Fri, 04/03/09
08:30 PM
Target Center
Minneapolis, MN

Thu, 04/09/09
08:00 PM
Tacoma Dome
Tacoma, WA

Sat, 04/11/09
08:00 PM
ARCO Arena
Sacramento, CA

Sun, 04/12/09
07:00 PM
HP Pavilion At San Jose
San Jose, CA

Tue, 04/14/09
07:30 PM
EnergySolutions Arena
Salt Lake City, UT

Thu, 04/16/09
08:00 PM
STAPLES Center
Los Angeles, CA

Sun, 04/19/09
08:00 PM
Honda Center
Anaheim, CA

Fri, 04/24/09
08:00 PM
JOBING.COM ARENA
Glendale, AZ

Tue, 04/28/09
08:00 PM
Allstate Arena
Rosemont, IL

Wearing a wig? Star magazine says that  Oprah shaves

her head and dyes it blonde so when she goes out no

one regonizes her!

BRITNEY IS GOING ON TOUR - CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS! 

THE SECRET BEHIND TINA FEY'S SCAR:

 BARKER, AM REUNITE FOR NYE BASH:

GORDON RAMSAY WITH 5 OTHER WOMEN!?

RIHANNA SAYS SHE NEVER MAKES THE FIRST MOVE: Rihanna says she never goes in for a kiss on a date because she prefers her man to make the first move. She said: "You can feel that first kiss coming, you know when it's the right time. If a guy does not try to kiss me at the end of a date I don't think that something went wrong. Not at all. If you have s strong connection but he does not make a move to kiss you then maybe there's something wrong, but if you are just getting to know each other first then that's fine."

- JENNIFER HUDSON'S BROTHER-IN-LAW ARRESTED:

BRITNEY BREAKS 'X-FACTOR' RATINGS RECORDS: Britney's "X Factor" appearance on British TV pulled 12.8 million viewers-- meaning more than 53 percent of the entire viewing audience tuned into the UK show to see Britney's performance. That's the most watched "X Factor" of the whole series.

.:Spanks For Men
Like the things that make women seem skinnier...but for men

.:12 Days Of Christmas
I hope you didn't plan on buying these bc you might need a loan

.:Don't Take This Man's Spot
I understand parking is tough during this time, but come on now!!

.:New School Has Parents Volunteer Monthly
And you have to sign their homework daily...but they promise college

.:Dog Escapes Owls Clutches
This is a creepy story and darn good reason I have a big dog

.:Docs Worried About Stilettos
And you thought I was just being crazy last week....ha you're wrong!

.:Woman Threatened With Snake
Ummm..this is definitely taking road rage to the next level

.:Kid Returns $10,000
WHAT?!?!  I would've ran out of the store and never looked back

.:Man Misunderstands Cyber Monday
Somehow I could see Samy doing this as well

.:Parent Group Cites Video Games For Being Violent
Where the heck have these people been??  This is nothing new

.:Say Bye To Country Clubs
They say 3/5 of them will be closed in the next 5 years

.:Strippers Renting Out **** Space
I guess in these tough times, you've got to do something

.:Buying Gifts For A Party
People are asking for presents instead of that $20 bottle of wine

.:Free Porn-less Web
They are saying this could be a distinct possibilty for the future

.:When To Decorate For Christmas
Don't be Mr Tacky with your stuff up too early or too late...

.:Brits Love Casual Sex
This is why I'm moving the show to England...ohh wait I'm married, nevermind

.:Thanksgiving Fail
This is why I love the internet...watch it here

Recieved this email and two pics from friends of mine yesterday!  Congrats to Brian and John!!!  Well done!

Well, John and I had an incredible weekend in Lawton, OK. I dropped the hammer Saturday morning on a 10 pointer that grosses 150 1/8 inches. He field dressed at 148 lb. John dropped a 14 pointer in the fog on Sunday morning that grosses a little over 170 inches. He field dressed at 164 lb. Needless to say we were both pretty excited about our luck. Both bucks came in full steam to the rattling horns. It was a lot of fun and we never really rattled bucks in before because it didn't work but I guess the timing was just right this year and several nice bucks came charging in for a fight all week. They were so aggressive they even came in close when I had Luke with me making all kinds of racket, he still hasn't learned to whisper.. :-)

Above is Brian's buck!

This is John's buck!!

WOW!

So who would like to help me get to know this site. I am usually pretty good about figuring these things out but I am unsure what to do here. Little help please.

If anyone still needs the answer, it was Katy Perry.

Michael Jordan cheers on the Charlotte Bobcats against the Minnesota Timberwolves on December 01, 2008 at the Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2008 NBAE (Photo by Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images)

Getting Started
To produce really great players they have to play in great clubs and this cannot happen without .....excellent coaches!.
The road to coaching excellence is a long one and the coaches that make it to the top say the road is never ending; but everyone has to start somewhere and it is now easier than ever to become a qualified coach through England Basketball's Coach Education Programme.

The first step and often the best way to get into coaching is to go along to your local club session (after asking permission) and get involved with setting up the session, organising the players in the drills etc. After a few weeks you'll feel confident enough to making a commitment to becoming a coach.

The next step to becoming a fully qualified coach is to enrol on  which take place at various locations right across the country

Last week I was burgled. The (insert your own expletive here) took all of my jewellery, my laptop, a leather holdall and a pair of expensive jeans that I probably should never have paid that much for.

Aside from the feeling of violation that comes from crackheads (as the police reliably informed me they were) rifling through my drawers, my main concern was for the recovery of afore mentioned items. Alas, there seems is little chance of this. The CSI woman could lift no fingerprints from my Ikea surfaces, and I was told that the turn around from bedroom to market stall was normally only a couple of hours.

"What's the problem?" my friends and family asked, "You're a personal finance journalist, you must have insurance."

Well, I don't. As I currently live in rental property I saw no need for home insurance until burst pipes were my responsibility, not thinking about the possibility of being pillaged. As the phrases go, I learnt my lesson the hard way and I won't be making the same mistake again.

For those clever people who do have home insurance it is worth checking if there is an automatic increase in your contents allowance around this time of year to cover any Christmas presents you may have bought. Expensive items such as electronic gifts such as iPods and Xbox's, and jewellery may not be covered on your standard policy.

It's not just honest folk who are feeling the crunch - the police mentioned they had seen a definite increase in burglaries since the credit crisis began, and add to this the rise that is normally associated with this time of year and you'd be foolish not to have insurance.

As Andy Leadbetter, managing director of insurance at moneysupermarket.com said: "We're all feeling the financial pinch at the moment, but Christmas often brings out the generous streak in people. Insurance is probably the last thing on people's minds as festivities take over but with expensive gifts and gadgets aplenty this is a prime time for opportunistic thieves to strike.  Ensuring you have adequate contents cover is crucial - otherwise Brits might be in for a bout of the New Year blues."

December 2, 2008
BY FRANK MAIN AND KARA SPAK Staff Reporters

A South Side man arrested Monday in the killings of Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson's family members has admitted the shootings to someone else, law enforcement sources said.

William Balfour, 27, is suspected in the Oct. 24 killings of Hudson's mother, Darnell Donerson; Hudson's brother, Jason Hudson, and her 7-year-old nephew, Julian King.

Jennifer Hudson and her sister's husband, William Balfour, celebrate after she won her Oscar. Balfour was arrested on a warrant in the murders of Hudson's mother, brother and 7-year-old nephew.
(US Weekly)

Donerson, 57, and Jason Hudson, 29, were found shot to death in the Hudson home in the 7000 block of South Yale in Englewood. Julian's body was discovered in a sport-utility vehicle three days later on the West Side.

Sources said police have built a solid but circumstantial case against Balfour. Balfour allegedly told someone about the killings and a witness has linked him to the SUV, sources said.

Also, police found a .45-caliber pistol in bushes near the place where the SUV was parked, and the gun was linked to the murders through ballistics tests.

The gun is believed to have belonged to Jason Hudson. Hudson's two-toned Sig Sauer .45-caliber handgun was missing from his South Yale home for several months, sources said.

One of Balfour's girlfriends told authorities that he was carrying a gun that looked like the .45-caliber handgun used in the slayings, officials said.

Balfour was arrested Monday afternoon at Stateville Correctional Center, where he was being held on parole violations.

Although police have obtained a warrant for Balfour's arrest in the killings, the Cook County state's attorney's office must still formally approve murder charges.

Balfour is the estranged husband of Jennifer Hudson's sister, Julia -- who is Julian's mother.

The motive for the killings is unclear, but police believe Julia Hudson was in a quarrel beforehand with Balfour at the South Yale home. Julia was not there during the shootings.

Donerson's cousin Ruth Nichols said she and her family have been praying for an arrest, including special prayers over their Thanksgiving meal.

"It's not going to bring your loved ones back, but if they have the person that did it, it's some kind of relief," she said. "I was just hoping they would get whoever did it."

Balfour's mother, Michele Davis Balfour, said through tears that she believes prosecutors made a deal with Balfour's girlfriend. They would drop a pending drug case against the girlfriend in return for her testimony that she saw Balfour with the murder weapon, his mother alleged.

"All I have to say to Todd Stroger and the city of Chicago is that I'm going to be driving a Bentley," she said. "The city of Chicago is going to pay me for arresting my son."

Authorities denied they cut such a deal.

Police took Balfour into custody for questioning shortly after the murders, but he was released without charges.

Then he was taken into state custody for parole violations and has been held at the Stateville prison ever since.

State authorities said Balfour's main parole violation stemmed from his girlfriend telling authorities that he was carrying a gun.

Balfour had been on parole since his 2006 release from prison for a 1999 attempted murder conviction. A full hearing on Balfour's parole was scheduled for Wednesday.

On Monday night in a key early-season showdown against the Magic, the Celtics' role players were ready for the task.

Boston derailed Orlando's six-game road win streak with a 107-88 win that was as much about the Big Three as it was the bit players. Paul Pierce led the way (tormenting Hedo Turkoglu in perhaps some redemption for his blast season), KG played solid defense and Allen hit key 3-pointers.

"We were just taking advantage of the matchups," Pierce said. "We saw something that we could do and we just kept going to it. My teammates did a good job of setting me up."

But the play of Boston's other guys such as Rajon Rondo (16 points, 12 assists), Kendrick Perkins (13 rebounds) and Eddie House (11 points, 2-for-3 on 3-pointers) were what Orlando couldn't match. Sure, the Magic were short-handed, but even a full roster might not have been enough to offset Boston's play on Monday.

Just like last season, the Celtics' bit players are contributing when it matters. Thanks to that, the Celtics (just like last season) find themselves head and shoulders above the rest of the Eastern Conference

Does this post to group?

Doug Lesmerises, from The Plain Dealer,  has a great article on what bowl the Buckeyes could end up playing in.  There is even discussion about the possibility of a matchup with UC.  That would certainly be an interesting game.

fffffff

Does this work?

TUESDAY
-The Mike Brown interview.  It continues to amaze, even a day after I read it.

-Gate crashing based on this guy on Sunday.

-When you have an outgoing President, you hear about him handing out pardons.  Lawrence Tynes of the Giants is looking for one for his brother.  If we have one pardon to hand out to a local sports figure, what would it be?

-We know how UC fans feel about Brian Kelly to Notre Dame.  There's more than a few ND fans here.  What does Brian Kelly do for them?

-Here's how the Panegryi Festival guarantees a spot on next year's church festival tour:  bring in stunning Greek model Rio Antoniou, who's shoot in Esquire can be found here.

-Who was more poorly dressed on MNF last night, the Houston Texans in their awful all-Red unis, or Jack Del Rio who looked like he shops at the same Chess King in the 9th grade?

-Browns fans.  Classy.

-Your Baseball Hall of Fame candidates are out.  Anyone who doesn't vote for Rickey Henderson should have their vote taken away.  It's time for Jim Rice and Bert Blyleven to get the call as well.  Dan Plesac will likely come up short.

-This is just stupid.  The fun of youth sports continues to be taken away.

-Nick Cage's kid is kinda weird.

-NBA dance teams are busting out the Christmas costumes.

************************************

GOT ME ON MY KNEES
Way to go Layne Kiffin.  Not only did you get the job that everyone was so sure Brian Kelly was gonna get, but you get to go home to this.  Well played.

*****************************************

GOT SIX MINUTES, 53 SECONDS?
Check out Indiana senior Mark Shuller's video documenting his efforts to walk on the IU basketball team.  I should've made videos when I was in school detailing my efforts to drink around the world, get the ladies in the cafeteria to wear hair nets, and convince my parents that "Billiards" was a class worth ponying up for.