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Grieving for Lane, family, friends

The Mirror and the local sports community mourned one of its pillars in the wake of former sports editor Jim Lane’s passing Monday at age 85 (see obituary here). Jim was long retired by the time I joined the sports desk as a part-timer nearly 10 years ago, but he was still a regular in the newsroom. I always appreciated our time together when we’d get to talk about sports, the times he helped me work on stories when I was still green and figuring out how I fit in a space that, at the time, was entirely foreign to me. He was a wealth of knowledge and a grandfather-like presence at ...

Growing skill-set: Finnish children learn media literacy

HELSINKI — The battle against fake news in Finland starts in preschool classrooms. For decades, the Nordic nation has woven media literacy, including the ability to analyze different kinds of media and recognize disinformation, into its national curriculum for students as young as 3 ...

Ukrainian soup’s big secret is sauerkraut

Adding fermented vegetables to the first course of a meal is common in Ukrainian cuisine, and one of the most popular pickled-vegetable dishes is sauerkraut soup. It might sound a little odd, but trust me — it’s breathtaking. This recipe is from my cookbook “The Authentic Ukrainian ...

Let’s have three cheers for cheesy lasagna

When it’s time for a little comfort, behold the lasagna. A bubbling deep-dish lasagna may not solve the world’s problems, but it’s guaranteed to bring soothing warmth to your dinner table. During the winter, the instinct is to layer up –– in clothing, in bedding, and, in this ...

Pillsbury opens fan voting for gameday baking contest

MINNEAPOLIS –– The Pillsbury Doughboy and America’s favorite football mom Donna Kelce have huddled to reveal the four final contenders in the 53rd Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest competing for $50,000 and bragging rights for their game day dishes. The beloved Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest is ...

Upcycling old furniture an art for DIY designers

Maybe it’s a scratched-up old sideboard found at a yard sale and turned into a snazzy media console. Or a couple of well-traveled vintage trunks given a new home as bedside tables. Designers and DIYers are breathing new life into old furniture, not just restoring but reimagining and ...