I love making a trip to the hair salon. It is like a new beginning and a cheap form of therapy, a short break from life.
You go in with straggly locks and a need for a long chat. You leave feeling refreshed, beautified and ready to face life’s dilemmas.
Yes, all of this in just an hour or two. Suddenly, the mountains are changed back to mole hills.
I always feel like going out on the town when someone has done my hair, but at this stage in my life the treat is just getting out to the salon all alone for awhile. The rink, the school and the grocery store are where I will enjoy my new look for now.
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Speaking of the rink, the food is changing down at the booth. A positive trend is gaining momentum. In almost every rink that I have frequented, fresh vegetable trays, fruit cups, homemade soup and taco salad have been offered as alternatives to the grease that we associate with rink food.
If I had a dollar for every time that I have heard “can we eat at the rink,” I would be in Maui right now.
Kids can be so picky, so sometimes I try to make rink food in my own kitchen. Our favourite is taco salad.
Here is our rendition.
Taco salad
1 pound lean ground beef 500 g
1/2 cup catalina salad dressing 125 mL
1 head of chopped or torn
romaine lettuce
2 cups chopped tomato 500 mL
2 tablespoons chopped green 30 mL
onion
1 cup shredded marble cheese 250 mL
2 cups crushed tortilla chips 500 mL
catalina dressing to top salad
Cook beef in 1/2 cup (125 mL) of salad dressing until thoroughly cooked and no pink remains. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, toss lettuce with the tomato and onion. Place lettuce mixture onto serving plates or bowls.
Top with a layer of cooked ground beef, a layer of shredded cheese and a layer of crushed
chips.
Drizzle with catalina dressing.
Another facet of a good rink kitchen is home baking. These days the treats in many places must be classified as nut free. Here are two recipes from Company’s Coming School Days Lunches (nut free recipes) that we enjoy.
New age banana cake
1/2 cup butter, softened 125 mL
2/3 cup sugar 150 mL
2 large eggs
3 mashed, medium bananas
2 tablespoons milk 30 mL
11/2 cups flour 375 mL
1 tablespoon baking powder 15 mL
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 5 mL
Icing:
4 oz. cream cheese, softened 125 g
2 tablespoons butter, softened 30 mL
11/2 cups icing sugar 375 mL
1 teaspoon grated orange zest 5 mL
Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana and milk. Beat well. Combine flour, baking powder and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Add to banana mixture. Stir until moistened. Spread evenly in greased eight inch (20 cm) spring form pan. Bake in 350 F (180 C) oven for about 45 minutes until wooden pick comes out clean. Let stand in pan for five minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.
Beat cream cheese and butter in a bowl until smooth. Add icing sugar and zest. Beat well. Spread over top of cake.
School day brownies
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed 175 mL
3/4 cup sugar 175 mL
2/3 cup hard butter 150 mL
3 large eggs, fork beaten
3/4 cup flour 175 mL
1/3 cup cocoa 75 mL
1/2 teaspoon baking powder 2 mL
icing sugar for dusting
Combine first three ingredients in a saucepan. Heat and stir on medium until butter is melted. Remove from heat. Let stand for 10 minutes. Add eggs and stir well.
Add flour, cocoa and baking powder. Stir well. Spread into a greased nine x nine inch (22 x 22 cm) pan. Bake in 350 F (180 C) oven for 30 minutes. Cover with foil and bake for another 20 minutes until wooden pick comes out clean. Let stand until cooled. Dust with icing sugar.
Debit card fraud
I have been asked recently to look into consumer protection when using debit cards. Here are some answers.
Q: Is it safe to use my debit card?
A: Yes, it is. The banking industry has sophisticated security systems and teams of security experts.
Q: What is my bank doing to protect me when I use my debit card?
A: Banks have a zero tolerance for fraud. Security measures are constantly being enhanced, technology is being upgraded and the banking industry assists police in investigations to help catch the criminals.
When using your debit card, you are protected by the Canadian Code of Practice for Consumer Debit Card Services, a code that guarantees that, if you are a victim of debit card fraud, you will get your money back.
Q: How long will it take me to get my money back if I am a victim?
A: Sometimes the bank will detect the fraud, notify you and reimburse the money before you know you’ve been a victim. There are a few cases that take a bit more time to investigate but generally, you should get your money back in five to seven days.
Q: I’ve heard that “smart cards,” or debit cards with a microchip on them, are safer. Why do I not have a chip on my debit card?
A: Your current debit card is safe. Canadian banks and other debit card issuers are moving to chip cards, where a small microcomputer contains information needed to complete transactions. This is an added level of security because the chip is extremely difficult to
duplicate.
This is a huge undertaking because all cards, merchant terminals and cash and bank
machines need to be replaced. It is expected that the first chip transactions will take place in early 2007.
Q: What should I do if I become the victim of debit card fraud?
A: You should contact your bank immediately. It will block your card to prevent losses and start looking into the situation right away. Depending on the circumstances, the bank may ask you to sign an affidavit and either
issue you a new debit card or ask you to change your PIN.
Source: Canadian Bankers Association.
Jodie Mirosovsky is a home economist from Rosetown, Sask., and one of four columnists comprising Team Resources. Send correspondence in care of this newspaper, Box 2500, Saskatoon, Sask., S7K 2C4 or contact them at team@producer.com
