Sunday, March 31, 2013

FOXNews.com: Billy Oliva's traditional Easter dinner ideas

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Billy Oliva's traditional Easter dinner ideas
Mar 31st 2013, 18:15

New York City's Delmonico's Restaurant cooks a traditional Easter dinner that you will want to replicate at home. Executive chef Billy Oliva has offered some of his traditional Easter dinner ideas. Delmonico's is opening a new location in Southampton, N.Y. in May.

RECIPE 1: STUFFED COLORADO RACK OF LAMB

Ingredients:

Marinade for Lamb
1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons of chopped rosemary
2 cloves chopped garlic
Sea salt and cracked pepper to taste

Lamb Racks
2 racks trimmed deboned and butterflied (prepared by your butcher)
Bones reserved for plating

Stuffing for Lamb
1 cup of ground lamb
4 tablespoons of olive oil
1 cup of diced leeks (white part only)
2 tablespoons of chopped garlic
1 cup of wild mushrooms sliced
2 tablespoons of chopped rosemary
1/2 cup of red wine
3 cups of baby spinach
1 cup of crumbled goat cheese
4 tablespoons of chopped black truffle
3 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of chopped Italian parsley           

Method:

For the marinade
Mix all ingredients together in small bowl. Generously coat trimmed racks with the herb marinate. Refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours.

For the stuffing
In large sauté pan add olive oil. When the oil is hot, add ground lamb and cook until brown. Add diced leeks, garlic and mushrooms. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until vegetables soften. Add 1/2 cup of red wine and chopped rosemary. Cook for 3-4 minutes until wine has reduced. Remove pan from heat and then fold in spinach, crumbled goat cheese, black truffles, parsley and butter. Season with salt and pepper. Remove mixture from pan and set aside to cool.

To prepare the lamb, lay butterflied lamb on work surface. Season with salt and pepper. In the center of rack, place a line of stuffing down the center. Fold over and roll until it is a cylinder shape. Repeat with the second rack. With butchers twine, tie the lamb and place in large sauté pan with 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil. Brown the lamb on all sides. Take the reserved bones and place them in pan and sauté with lamb. Put the lamb and bones in roasting pan and cook in oven for 20 minutes at 400 degrees for medium rare. Take out and let rest for five minute. Slice and serve.

RECIPE 2:  ENGLISH PEAS & RAINBOW CARROTS WITH TABASCO HONEY BUTTER

Ingredients:

2 Cups Shelled English Peas
1 Pound Rainbow Carrots Peeled
½ Cup chopped shallots
Tabasco Honey Butter
¼ Teaspoon of salt
2/3 Cup of Water
1 Tablespoon Butter
Salt and Pepper To Taste

Cook ½ cup finely chopped shallots with 1 tablespoon butter and ¼ teaspoon salt in large saucepan over medium heat, covered stirring occasionally until shallots are tender about 4-5 minutes. Add 2/3 cup of water, first and your rainbow carrots and simmer covered for 5 to 6 minutes.

When carrots begin to become tender and 2 cups peas and cook together for an additional 3 to 5 minutes.

Add your prepared Tabasco Honey Butter to peas and carrots and toss until well coated, and salt and pepper to taste.

Ingredients – Tabasco Honey Butter:
2 Cups white wine
¼ Cup minced shallots
6 Black peppercorns
1 Tablespoon chopped flat parsley
¼ Pound unsalted butter
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
4 Tablespoons honey
1 Tablespoon Tabasco pepper sauce
Salt to taste

Method – Tabasco Honey Butter:
Combine all ingredients in bowl and whisk until well blended, refrigerate overnight.

RECIPE 3:  ROASTED SWORDFISH LOIN

Ingredients – Roasted Swordfish Loin:
5-7 Pound Atlantic Swordfish Loin
1 Cup chopped basil
1 Cup chopped flat parsley
4 Cloves chopped spring garlic
2 Chopped spring onions
¼ Cup freshly squeezed blood orange
¼ Cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Original Tabasco sauce, to taste
½ Cup dry White Wine
¼ Cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and Pepper

Method – Roasted Swordfish Loin:
Add all ingredients to mixing bowl and mix to paste like consistency.

Coat swordfish loin with fresh herb mixture and refrigerate covered for 2-3 hours. Remove from refrigerator and place in greased baking dish and bake at 450 degrees
for 10 minutes for each inch of thickness of the fish ( measured at it's thickest part )

Remove from oven and let rest for about 15 minutes, slice swordfish in 1 inch thick slices and arrange on serving plate with lemon and blood orange slices.

RECIPE 4:  AUNT MARY'S STUFFED ARTICHOKE CASSEROLE

Ingredients:
2 Pounds Miniature Purple Artichokes, Blanched & Quartered
½ Cup Parmesan Cheese
¼ Cup Chopped Fresh Garlic
1 ½ Cups Crucolo Cheese
3 Tablespoons Capers (optional)
¼ Cup Chopped Fresh Basil
¼ Cup Fresh Italian Flat Parsley
1 Cup Panko Breadcrumbs
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive oil
4 Ground white anchovy fillets in oil
2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
1 Cup Dry White Wine
Salt & Pepper To Taste

Method:
Poach artichokes in a mixture of white wine, water, bay leaf, lemon juice, salt and cracked black pepper till tender drain & cool.

Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl and empty into casserole dish.

Bake covered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove cover and bake for additional 15 minutes till top begins to brown.

RECIPE 5:  RICE PUDDING CAKE

Ingredients:
½ cup Granulated sugar
¼ cup Water
4 cups Half and half
2/3 Cup Arborio rice
½ Cup Light Brown sugar
8 Slices lemon Zest
¾ Teaspoon Ground Coriander
¼ Teaspoon Salt
3 Large eggs
1 ¼ Teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Method:
Spray bottom and sides of round 8inch cake pan with oil. Stir together the sugar and water in high-sided small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar is dissolved, them raise heat and boil without stirring.  Occasionally brush down sides of pan with wet pastry brush until syrup takes on a deep caramel color.

Remove pan from heat right away pour caramel into prepared cake pan.
Quickly tilt the pan to cover bottom and set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Bring the half and half, rice, brown sugar, zest, coriander and salt to a simmer in medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, cook for 15 minutes or until most of liquid is absorbed. Remove pan from heat and let stand for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, discard all the zest from mixture.

In a small bowl whisk the eggs and the vanilla together then whisk into the rice mixture.

Pour the rice mixture into the cake pan, smooth the top. Bake the cake for about
35-40 minutes or till the top begins to brown but the center is still slightly jiggly.

Let cool completely on rack. Run knife around edges of pan. Invert the cake onto a plate and carefully remove pan.

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Saturday, March 30, 2013

FOXNews.com: Top 4 automotive hoaxes and scams

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Top 4 automotive hoaxes and scams
Mar 31st 2013, 04:00

By

Published March 31, 2013

Hagerty

  • dale-660.jpg
  1. The Dale: In the depths of the Energy Crisis, a very tall and very brash woman named Liz Carmichael emerged with the "prototype" of a three-wheeled car — the Dale — that would allegedly get more than 80 mpg and be as safe as a conventional car. Claiming to be the widow of the NASA engineer who designed the car, Carmichael solicited "investments" in 20th Century Motors, the parent company of the Dale. When investors inquired further, they found that Carmichael had disappeared, and that she was actually the former Jerry Dean Michael. Carmichael/Michael was arrested after an episode of "Unsolved Mysteries," discovered working at a flower shop. You can't make this stuff up.
  2. Portuguese Barn Find: In summer 2007, a series of photos showed up on the Internet depicting a virtual Aladdin's cave of classic European cars in all of their dusty glory. The story went that a couple from New York had purchased a vacation home in Portugal and found a locked metal building on the property. When they opened the lock and entered the building they were met by the horde of more than 100 dusty but complete cars. In reality, the building was simply overflow storage for a Portuguese classic car dealer.

    Click here to watch our latest video when Waybe Carini takes us into his attic.

  3. The 100-mpg Carburetor: This one seems to have been around since the dawn of the automobile. "A simple replacement carburetor that the oil companies are petrified of" is how most of the ads went — a $100 part that was supposed to be capable of increasing fuel economy by 500 percent. Claims for the carburetor violated nearly every known law of thermodynamics and the only thing it appeared to be capable of was making cars run poorly. 
  4. Lord Brockett Scam: Lord Charles Brockett was an English nobleman and as everyone who has ever watched "Downton Abbey" can attest, even British aristocracy can fall on hard times. Fortunately, the character Lord Grantham's plan for saving his ancestral home never involved cutting up valuable vintage Ferraris, burying them and collecting insurance money. Brockett was convicted of insurance fraud and served a prison sentence. He was last seen hosting a reality show in the UK.

More classic car news from Hagerty.

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Friday, March 29, 2013

FOXNews.com: FGCU Coach Andy Enfield's home on the market

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FGCU Coach Andy Enfield's home on the market
Mar 29th 2013, 10:00

  • Zillow_FGCU_Enfield Exterior660.jpg

    Exterior view of Andy Enfield's home.Zillow

There's only one thing hotter than a lowly No. 15 seed plowing into the Sweet 16 of the NCAA basketball tournament. That would be the head coach of a No. 15 seed that has upset two bigger college basketball teams in front of millions of bracket-wielding fans across the nation.

That hot coach is Florida Gulf Coast University's Andy Enfield, whose unsung Eagles stunned No. 2 Georgetown and No. 7 San Diego State in the NCAA tournament over the weekend to become the only 15th-seeded team in tournament history to make it past the first weekend of high-wire action.

Talk about March Madness. This is a college basketball program that did not exist 10 years ago because Florida Gulf Coast University only opened its doors to students in 1997.

And just as FGCU's ticket got punched for another round of action, when the Eagles face cross-state "rivals" Billy Donovan's Florida Gators, so has the profile of Enfield been raised -- to the roof.

How hot is Enfield?

Hot enough to cause major speculation about where he's going next, especially now that we've discovered via Gossip Extra that the 44-year-old Enfield has listed his Fort Myers home for sale.

Did someone say "Job offer?"

Well, no one knows … yet.

For anyone unfamiliar with the rabid nature of rumor-mongering during the Final Four regarding potential coaching moves and which Division I players will declare themselves eligible for the NBA draft, let's just say that Enfield's house being up for sale is like red meat before lions.

That's especially true since Enfield and his wife just purchased the 4-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom home at 9583 Via Lago Way, Fort Myers, FL 33912 in June 2011.

And that's especially true since the home has been listed for $675,000, which is 50 grand less than Enfield paid for the 3,400-square foot home that boasts all the amenities you'd expect in a gated community, including its own pool.

Of course, the timing of this real estate listing could all just be a huge coincidence. Enfield doesn't necessarily need the money from a bigger coaching position, since the former Johns Hopkins basketball star went on to train basketball players how to improve their shooting before forming two companies that both brought him big financial returns. The self-made millionaire and his former super model wife, Amanda Marcum, may just be shopping around for something bigger in Fort Myers to better suit the needs of their three children.

Or, it could be true that Enfield is at the top of every coaching vacancy list. Enfield's pedigree and quest for success probably has athletic directors across the country thinking up ways to lure this hot talent.

For instance, the University of Minnesota unceremoniously fired Tubby Smith immediately after the Gophers were ousted from the tournament.

UCLA needs a new coach.

Time will tell whether Enfield's looking to buy another home in Florida, or if he's shipping out -- and up the college basketball food chain. But the answer will only come after Enfield's upstart Eagles have danced their last dance for the season.

Related:

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FOXNews.com: Marja Vongerichten explores her roots through Korean cooking

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Marja Vongerichten explores her roots through Korean cooking
Mar 29th 2013, 12:00

By ,

Kitchen Superstars

Published March 29, 2013

FoxNews.com

Marja Vongerichten may be married to Jean-Georges Vongerichten --a Michelin-star winning chef -- but her cooking is a little more down home.

Vongerichten was born in South Korea, then adopted and raised in northern Virginia – so she has a penchant for cooking soul food, and Seoul food.

"I actually call Korean food the soul food of Asia," Vongerichten told FoxNews.com's Kitchen Superstars. "It's cheaper cuts of meat, it's hard vegetables that you need to cook a long time. It's very simple peasant food and ingredients, which is soul food for me."

Vongerichten was adopted at age 3 and spent many years tracking down her birth mother.  When the two were reunited, they bonded by cooking Korean food together.

"When I first met my birth mother, who lives in Brooklyn, the first thing she did was cook for me," Vongerichten told FoxNews.com's Kitchen Superstars. "I had this flood of memories come back to my taste buds."

Vongerichten also co-hosted PBS TV series "Kimchi Chronicles" with husband Jean-Georges,which followed Marja as she explored her Korean roots.  Part travelogue, part documentary she and Jean-Georges would travel to Asia where they would taste food of different regions and then come back to the U.S. and recreate them.  Her journeys was also chronicled in a cookbook to accompany the series.

"It kind of incorporates my story, being born in Korea, adopted and raised without Korean food for so long and then reconnecting with my birth mother," Vongerichten said.

But even with a cookbook and food show in the bag, Marja still doesn't see herself joining her husband running his global restaurant empire business, which includes Jean-Georges Steakhouse in Las Vegas, Portico in the new Le Meridien Atlanta and the Spice Market in London. 

"Anyone who's married to a chef knows the kind of hours that it takes and it's a really huge commitment," Vongerichten said. "That's the other woman in my life."

Regardless, her culinary skills have impressed her chef husband. Though she says she didn't cook for him for a "long time," when she finally did cook she earned his stamp of approval.  He even put her Mac and Cheese recipe on the menu at  Mercer Kitchen in New York.

Going forward, Marja says she wants to continue exploring her Korean roots through food.

"There are lots of recipes I haven't tackled yet and I'm still learning as I go, but I have a general understanding of Korean flavors and I know what things taste like."

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Thursday, March 28, 2013

FOXNews.com: Best wine buys of the Southern Hemisphere

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Best wine buys of the Southern Hemisphere
Mar 28th 2013, 19:16

Remember that old Reese's Peanut Butter Cups commercial: "Hey, your chocolate in my peanut butter!" Well that's what I thought of when I met Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen.

DeSimone, the journalist, gets together with Jenssen, the sommelier, and they become the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup of the wine world.

Instead of naming themselves after candy, they dub themselves the World Wine Guys.  They are entertaining, smart, simple and finish each other's sentences. These are the guys you want teaching your wine class. The duo regularly host wine tastings and educational seminars around the world and teach their best signature class, Window's On The World: Wines Of The Southern Hemisphere in New Yor City.

They are writers too and hit a nerve with their best-selling book Wines of the Southern Hemisphere: the Complete Guide, which won the Gourmand International Award for Best Wine Book 2012 in the USA.

The book is over 570 pages and highlights the best wineries in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, as well as New Zealand, South Africa and Uruguay.

There are some amazing wines coming from below our equator – and they're cheap!

For instance, the guys brought a 2012 Robery Oakley Southern Riesling, a dry Riesling from southwest coast of  Australia, available for $15, the 2011 Trivento Malbec Resevere from Mendoza, Argentia for a whopping $10 and the Quartz Reef Methode Traditionelle, a Champagne-style blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnary from New Zealand, that retails for around for $22. Yum!

I asked what the next hot area of the Southern Hemisphere was. Jenssen said New Zealand, DeSimone said Casablanca.

So exciting for adventurous wine lovers!

Have you found something you love from the southern portion of our globe?  Let me know!

Cent' Anni.

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FOXNews.com: Wonder Woman's new ride

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Wonder Woman's new ride
Mar 28th 2013, 18:07

Published March 28, 2013

FoxNews.com

  • wonder-woman-kia.jpg

Shouldn't it be invisible?

Kia has created a Wonder Woman-themed Sportage SUV, the latest in its collection of vehicles built in support of the "We Can Be Heroes" charity.

The paint scheme is modeled off of Wonder Woman's outfit, but doesn't show as much leg. The super heroine's WW logo is incorporated into the grille, while a gold trim line around the vehicle is inspired by her Lasso of Truth. Silver inserts are a hat tip to her usual mode of transport – the invisible jet.

Blue headlights represent the Amazon princess' eyes, and the star-filled motif continues on the inside where her tiara, bracelets and lasso are displayed behind a transparent panel in the cargo bay.

Kia says the Sportage was chosen for the custom job thanks to its Wonder Woman-like combination of power, agility and confidence. Since it's for charity, we'll let them get away with that.

The car is the seventh of eight being built to raise awareness and money for the fight against hunger in the horn of Africa. The final, yet to be revealed vehicle will be auctioned off to the highest bidder, while the others will be used to continue to promote the effort.

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FOXNews.com: Shelby builds a pickup truck

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Shelby builds a pickup truck
Mar 28th 2013, 18:36

Published March 28, 2013

FoxNews.com

  • shelby-raptor-660.jpg

This ain't no Cobra, but it can haul in more ways than one.

Noted Ford tuner Shelby American has unveiled a high performance pickup truck at the New York Auto Show.

The Shelby Raptor F-150 is a 575-hp supercharged take on Ford's high speed desert runner.

Along with the performance modifications, which include a Shelby-spec 2.9-liter Whipple blower strapped to the Raptor's 6.2-liter V8 and a Stinger exhaust system, the truck gets boost and fuel pressure gauges, a set of heat extractors in its front fenders, custom interior and a choice of graphics packages that run the gamut from classic to gaudy.

Only 100 trucks will be built each year at a price of $17,995 plus the cost of a donor truck, which goes for $44.625 new.

If trucks aren't your thing, don't worry, Shelby also introduced a 1,200 hp Ford Mustang at the show.

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FOXNews.com: Company releases new bacon-flavored condoms

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Company releases new bacon-flavored condoms
Mar 28th 2013, 14:05

Published March 28, 2013

FoxNews.com

  • BaconCondom_Box.jpg

    J&D's Bacon Condoms sell for $9.99 per 3-pack .J&D's Foods

  • BaconSunscreen_JD.jpg

    J&D's Bacon Sunscreen sells for $9.99 per bottle.J&D's Foods

I don't think this what Bill Gates had in mind when he offered $100,000 to someone to invent the next generation condom.

Just when you though the bacon fad was fizzling out, J&D's Foods --the same Seattle-based company that brought us the bacon coffin and bacon mayonnaise (all real products) -- now has introduced Bacon Condoms that claims to "make your meat look like meat."

As an added bonus, each condom is coated with its very own J&D's baconlube.

From it press release: "Truly the new standard of animal protein themed prophylactics Bacon Condoms are proudly Made in America of the highest quality latex and rigorously tested to help ensure the utmost reliability and safety for when you're makin' Bacon."

And just when you hoped America's bacon fad was dying out, the company is also releasing  Bacon Sunscreen. 

Why?  According to the release, "science has shown us that 10 out of 10 people prefer the smell of Bacon to coconut, which makes this the most anticipated new product of the summer."

Please, put a fork in it.

Which culinary trend is worth keeping on life support?

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FOXNews.com: 6 Tips for choosing the best windows

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6 Tips for choosing the best windows
Mar 28th 2013, 10:43

Published March 28, 2013

Networx

  • iStock_XSmall_SkyWindows660.jpg

Choosing windows, whether they are replacement windows or windows for new construction, take research. Window salespeople have great pitches, some of which can seem hard to refuse. How can you judge for yourself whether or not they are offering you the right windows for your house?

Go into the meeting with information "in your pocket". Know about R-values, grades of windows, window frames, and the true energy-saving potential of replacement windows.

What is builder grade?: Know the difference between builder grade windows and higher-end windows, so that you can get the best investment from your window purchase.

Translucent, but not transparent, glass: From glass block windows to frosted glass, some rooms can benefit from translucent, rather than transparent, windows.

Storm window guide: Why and how to buy storm windows. Get the most bang for your buck when you buy storm windows.

Comparing energy efficiency of windows: How can you know which R-value you need? A window expert dispels R-value myths.

Energy-efficient window frames: Did you know that window frames are as important, if not more important, for energy efficiency than window panes? Maybe it's not the panes, but the frames, of your windows that need replacement. Carpentry advice.

For energy-efficiency, replace your windows last: Understand the way that insulation relates to windows and window frames. A window salesperson might tell you that windows can cure all of your home energy issues. Not so fast. Written by an Atlanta contractor and green building expert.

Chaya Kurtz writes for Networx.com.

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FOXNews.com: 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 ready to tear up the track

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2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 ready to tear up the track
Mar 28th 2013, 13:53

It only has one speaker, but makes a whole lot of noise.

The 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 marks the return of one of the most legendary model names in American muscle car history.

The high performance coupe is powered by a 500 hp 7.0-liter V8 borrowed from the Chevy Corvette Z06, and features a host of bodywork and weight trimming modifications that help turn it into what Chevy says is the best track-performing Camaro ever built.

All 2014 Camaros get new front and rear ends featuring a slimmer grill, smaller headlights, one piece LED tail lights and an air extractor in the hood to improve aerodynamics. The Z/28 adds a splitter on its chin that looks deep enough to harvest wheat with, rocker panel extensions, flared wheel arches, a redesigned rear diffuser and prominent spoiler.

Sound deadening material has been removed from the cabin, along with the trunk carpet and tire inflation kit, while thinner glass is used for the rear window -- all to save precious pounds. Even the Camaro's signature, but heavy HID headlights have been replaced by more basic units and fog lights are not an option. Air conditioning is.

That one speaker? It's in the driver's door and only there as required by law to provide warning chimes and alerts. To take advantage of it, Chevy threw in a simple stereo instead of the complex touch-screen MyLink infotainment system available on other Camaros. The rear seats are still there, but have been reengineered with a lighter design.

The result of all this and more is a car that's 300 pounds lighter than the king of the hill 580 hp supercharged Camaro ZL1, and likely even a few pounds less than the standard Camaro SS.

To further bolster its performance credibility, the Z/28 only comes with a six-speed manual transmission. Fade-free carbon ceramic brakes are standard, and the suspension features stiffer springs and bushings than other Camaros, as well as racing-style spool-valve dampers.

The engine breathes through an exhaust fitted with muffler bypass valves that increase power and turn up the noise. For those planning to keep the gas pedal cranked to 11 often, all Z/28s come with a track-ready cooling system. A mechanical limited slip differential helps get the power down in concert with Chevy's multi-mode traction management system.

Chevy says the result of all this is a car that's three seconds a lap faster around its test track than the more powerful ZL1, a testament to both its weight and handling advantages.

Pricing has not been set and it'll be a while before it is. The Z/28 isn't expected to hit showrooms until early next year.

With the SS, ZL1, Z/28 and 1LE performance package, the fifth-generation Camaro lineup is chock full of heritage names. But will there be any more? A 21st Century IROC-Z perhaps?

General Motors North America President Mark Reuss says not anytime soon. According to him, the Z/28 is the last iteration of the current Camaro, and we'll have to wait until the sixth-generation car arrives.

Lucky for fans, rumor has it that could be as soon as 2015.

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FOXNews.com: 2014 Kia Soul gets a smooth new look

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2014 Kia Soul gets a smooth new look
Mar 28th 2013, 14:44

The hamsters are getting a new ride.

A new version of the Kia Soul urban SUV, which carries the brand's dancing rodent mascots in TV commercials, is due out in the summer. It was unveiled Wednesday at the New York International Auto Show.

Kia says it's bigger and has more room inside, its suspension is tuned for better handling and to reduce noise, and its two engines have more power at low speeds for city driving.

The new Soul looks a little less boxy than the current model, and it gets a bunch of interior upgrades.

Kia sold almost 116,000 Souls in the U.S. last year, up 13 percent from 2011. So it wants to keep the vehicle's funky style while improving it with the new model, said Michael Sprague, Kia's American marketing chief.

"The Soul moved the needle significantly from a sales and marketing perspective, becoming one of our top-selling cars," he said in a statement. "It was important that the all-new Soul remain true to the original iconic design while infusing it with improved driving dynamics and desirable features that add appeal, sophistication and value."

Here are some highlights of the new Soul:

UNDER THE HOOD: Base Soul has a 130-horsepower 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, the company says. Upper-level models, the Plus and Exclaim, get a more powerful 164-horsepower 2-liter engine updated with direct gasoline injection into the cylinders surrounding the pistons. Both engines get new tuning so they produce more power at lower speeds for improved in-town driving, the company says. Six-speed automatic and manual transmissions are available.

OUTSIDE: The Soul is more upright than the old one, yet more rounded. Its wheelbase, the distance between the front and rear wheels, is about an inch longer than the old car at just over 101 inches, and it's slightly wider at 71 inches. LED positioning lights in the front and rear make it look more like other Kias. There's also a wider hatch gate so that bigger items can fit into its cargo bay.

INSIDE: Kia wanted to go upscale on the interior, giving the Soul a more premium feel despite its relatively low price. There are more soft-touch materials on the dash instead of hard plastic. There are a lot of circles in the door panels and instrument cluster, plus red LED mood lighting and steering wheel controls for the audio system. Kia promises a quieter cabin with more front leg and hip room.

FUEL ECONOMY: Not released. Base model with 1.6-liter engine now gets 25 mpg in the city and 30 on the highway. Models with the 2-liter engine get an estimated 23 in the city and 28 on the freeway.

PRICE: Not revealed. Current model starts at $14,400.

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FOXNews.com: Subaru introduces off-road hybrid

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Subaru introduces off-road hybrid
Mar 28th 2013, 15:53

  • subaru-crosstrek-hybrid.jpg

Subaru is coming out with a gas-electric hybrid crossover SUV for the crunchy granola crowd that wants to save fuel but still haul kayaks to the river.

The Japanese brand, which specializes in all-wheel-drive vehicles, unveils the 2014 XV Crosstrek Hybrid on Thursday at the New York International Auto Show.

The company's first gas-electric hybrid gets somewhat better gas mileage than the conventional Crosstrek and has stop-start technology that shuts down the engine at red lights to save fuel. It has all-wheel-drive capability and the same 8.7-inch ground clearance so it can go on trails.

Test Drive: 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek

Subaru also will unveil a concept WRX high-horsepower compact car that strongly hints at what the next generation pocket-rocket will look like. The company says this WRX is lower, sleeker and wider with a bigger grille, while it keeps the classic hood scoop with clearance for a new turbocharged engine and air cooler. Subaru didn't say when the new WRX would hit showrooms or give further details.

Here are the highlights of the XV Crosstrek Hybrid:

UNDER THE HOOD: A 2-liter Boxer engine with 148 horsepower, plus a 13.4 horsepower electric motor and a continuously variable transmission that keeps the engine revving in an optimal range for gas mileage and power. The 13.5 kilowatt nickel-metal-hydride battery is under the rear floor, while the electric motor is under the hood just behind the transmission. The hybrid version weighs about 300 pounds more than the gas version. The electric motor starts the car under light acceleration and starts the gas engine once the car is moving. The car can run on electricity alone in low-speed situations.

OUTSIDE: The gas-electric model has hybrid badges on the front edges of the front doors and tailgate and different wheels and tail lamps. Also has a new green pearl exterior color exclusive to the hybrid. The front grille shutter system cuts wind drag at highway speeds.

INSIDE: Passenger cabin is slightly smaller (0.7 cubic feet), as is the cargo space of the hatchback. It's about 2 cubic feet less at just over 50 cubic feet. Hybrid instrument cluster with a blue color scheme, and blue-and-silver interior.

GAS MILEAGE: Subaru expects 28 miles per gallon in the city and 34 mpg on the highway. That's three miles per gallon better in the city than the gas version with an automatic transmission, but only one mpg better on the highway.

PRICE: Will be announced closer to the car's arrival at dealerships in the fall of this year.

CHEERS: Subaru has come up with a hybrid system that can still handle the rigors of going off the road.

JEERS: The hybrid system will come with an added price, but it doesn't get that much better mileage than the gasoline version.

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FOXNews.com: 2014 Toyota Highlander aims for higher ground

FOXNews.com
FOX News Network - We Report. You Decide. // via fulltextrssfeed.com
2014 Toyota Highlander aims for higher ground
Mar 28th 2013, 16:01

  • 2014 toyota highlander.jpg

Toyota's Highlander family hauler is getting quieter and more stylish, but with the look of an athlete who's not afraid to mix it up.

The automaker unveilied a new version of the SUV on Wednesday at the New York auto show. It's less boxy-looking on the outside and has richer materials on the inside. The Highlander can now fit an eighth passenger, it handles better and the ride gets quieter, the company says.

The changes should make the aging Highlander more attractive to buyers who've preferred the Ford Explorer and the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Toyota sold just over 121,000 Highlanders last year, up 20 percent from a year earlier. Jim Lentz, the company's top North American executive, said big family hauler sales should grow this year, but it will be difficult to take sales from other automakers because there are so many great vehicles in the market.

"Our sales will go up, but it's going to be difficult probably to grow share in that strong of a market," he said.

Lentz expects to sell about 135,000 Highlanders this year, but said Toyota might not be able to make many more of the SUVs at its factory in Indiana.

"All of our production is going to be from the U.S. now," he said. "We also are going to start exporting a significant amount of Highlander to other parts of the world."

Here are the highlights of the 2014 Highlander, which will go on sale early next year:

OUTSIDE: Toyota lowered the roof line and rounded the fenders and door panels, making the SUV look more modern. The outside is about three inches longer and a half-inch wider than the current Highlander, giving it a more athletic look. Toyota repositioned the front pillars and made the rear glass wider so that drivers can see more. There's a new rear lift gate with one-touch power opening and closing. Toyota says it also beefed up the suspension, tuning the springs and shock absorbers to improve handling.

INSIDE: Buyers can configure the second-row seats as a three-passenger bench or two captain's chairs. The bench boosts the seating capacity of the new Highlander to eight from seven. Toyota says it went to great lengths to cut vibrations and engine and wind noise by adding insulation in the floor and sound-deadening glass in the windshield. The interior gets softer materials instead of hard plastic as well as silver, satin and chrome-plated accents. The second row of seats also slides more to give people three more inches of room to get back to the third row.

UNDER THE HOOD: The engines remain the same, starting with a 2.7-liter, 187 horsepower, four-cylinder motor teamed with a six-speed automatic transmission. There's also a 3.5-liter, 270 horsepower V-6 with a transmission that gets upgraded from a five-speed automatic to six speeds. There's also a V-6 gas-electric hybrid version.

FUEL ECONOMY: Not released yet. Current four-cylinder models get an estimated 20 mpg in the city and 25 on the highway, while the six-cylinder models get 18 in the city and 24 on the highway. Hybrids get 28 in the city and on the freeway.

PRICE: Not released. The Highlander now starts at just over $29,000.

CHEERS: The new version brings the Highlander up to date and makes it more competitive with the Ford and Jeep.

JEERS: Since the engines don't change, don't expect a dramatic increase in fuel economy.

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Wednesday, March 27, 2013

FOXNews.com: Woman thanks Chili's for fixing 'broken' cheeseburger

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FOX News Network - We Report. You Decide. // via fulltextrssfeed.com
Woman thanks Chili's for fixing 'broken' cheeseburger
Mar 27th 2013, 17:53

  • chilis_cheeseburger.jpg

    A Chili's restaurant in Utah won praise for fixing a "broken cheeseburger" for an upset autistic girl.Chili's

A Utah woman took to Facebook to thank the employees at a Chili's for the kindness they showed to her autistic sister after the girl's sandwich had been cut in half, making the sandwich appear broken.

A photo posted on Chili's Grill and Bar's Facebook page by Anna Kaye MacLean shows 7-year-old Arianna kissing a cheeseburger after the staff fixed her "broken" burger, MyFoxBoston reported.  The posting, which has gone viral, has over 750,000 likes and has been shared nearly 180,000 times.

MacLean and her husband said that they had taken Arianna out to eat at Chili's in Midvale, Utah. The little girl reportedly ordered a cheeseburger with pickles, French fries, and a glass of chocolate milk. 

When the food arrived, Anna noticed her little sister would not touch her cheeseburger. Arianna said she wasn't eating because her burger, which was cut in half, was "broken" and that she needed one that was fixed. 

But instead of just taking the burger away, Lauren, the Chili's waitress apologized for making a broken burger, and told her she'd be right back with a fixed one, according to the posting which reads:

"'I brought you a broken cheeseburger?! You know what, I'll have them cook you a new one! [waitress said]' I loved this because rather than just taking it from the table, she actually told Arianna what she was doing. While this seems insignificant, by her telling Arianna what she was doing, we avoided a meltdown."

When the new, unbroken cheeseburger was delivered to the table, Arianna gave the juicy sandwich a kiss and said, "Oh I missed you." MacLean snapped a photo of the kiss, which she shared with the waitress and other staff --and now cyberspace.

The kindness didn't stop there. Manager Bradley Cottermole even came and knelt down to apologize for the broken burger, and added some extra fries to the order.

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FOXNews.com: Panera: 'Pay whatever you want'

FOXNews.com
FOX News Network - We Report. You Decide. // via fulltextrssfeed.com
Panera: 'Pay whatever you want'
Mar 27th 2013, 14:59

  • Panera Pay What You W.jpg

    Three years after launching its pioneering pay what you want cafe, the suburban St. Louis-based chain on Wednesday quietly began its latest charitable venture that takes the concept on a trial run to all 48 cafes in the St. Louis region.AP

Order a bowl of turkey chili at a St. Louis-area Panera Bread cafe and it'll cost you a penny. Or $5. Or $100. In other words, whatever you decide.

Three years after launching the first of five pay-what-you-want cafes, the suburban St. Louis-based chain on Wednesday quietly began its latest charitable venture that takes the concept on a trial run to all 48 cafes in the St. Louis region.

The new idea experiments with a single menu item, Turkey Chili in a Bread Bowl, available at each St. Louis-area store for whatever the customer chooses to pay. The new chili uses all-natural, antibiotic-free turkey mixed with vegetables and beans in a sourdough bread bowl. The suggested $5.89 price (tax included) is only a guideline. All other menu items are sold for the posted price.

Panera calls it the Meal of Shared Responsibility, and says the potential benefit is twofold: Above-the-cost proceeds go to cover meals for customers who cannot pay the full amount and to St. Louis-area hunger initiatives; and for those in need, the 850-calorie meal provides nearly a day's worth of nutrition at whatever price they can afford.

"We hope the suggested donations offset those who say they only have three bucks in their pocket or leave nothing," said Ron Shaich, founder, chairman and co-CEO of the chain and president of its charitable arm, Panera Bread Foundation.

If the experiment works in St. Louis, it could be expanded to some or all of the chain's 1,600 bakery-cafes across the country, though Shaich said there is no guarantee and no timetable for a decision.

Panera has long been involved in anti-hunger efforts, starting with its Operation Dough-Nation program that has donated tens of millions of dollars in unsold baked goods.

The first pay-what-you-want Panera Cares cafe opened in the St. Louis suburb of Clayton in 2010. Others followed in Dearborn, Mich., Portland, Ore., Chicago and Boston.

At those nonprofit cafes, every menu item is paid for by donations. Kate Antonacci of Panera Bread Foundation said roughly 60 percent of customers pay the suggested retail price. The rest are about evenly split between those who pay more and those who pay less.

The Panera Cares cafes generally bring in 70 to 80 percent of what the traditional format stores do, Antonacci said. That's still enough for a profit, and Panera uses proceeds for a job training program run through the cafes.

The new idea is fairly low-profile. Shaich said Panera is relying on media reports and word of mouth — no direct marketing, no advertising. Signs in the St. Louis cafes will tout the idea, and hosts and hostesses will explain it to customers.

"We don't want this to be self-serving," Shaich said. "We want to make this an intellectually honest program of integrity."

Panera isn't alone. A restaurant known as One World Everybody Eats in Salt Lake City adopted the pay-what-you-want idea a decade ago. Cafe Gratitude, a small vegan cafe chain in California, offers a single payment-by-donation menu item each day.

Software known as freeware is frequently distributed under this model. The rock band Radiohead released an album, "In Rainbows," in 2007 and let online buyers decide how much to pay. Humble Bundle releases video games as pay-what-you-want downloads, with a percentage of money going to charity.

It doesn't always work. Yogaview, which operates three yoga studios in Chicago, tried a donations-only format at its Wicker Park studio for nearly two years before turning to a traditional payment method. Co-owner Tom Quinn said that while many customers were generous, too many others were not.

"You'd get a class with six people and there would be 12 bucks in donations," Quinn said. "It got frustrating to see how some people weren't owning up to it."

A study published in Science magazine in 2010 found pay-what-you-want customers will pay substantially more if they know a portion goes to charity. But that same study, led by Leif Nelson of the University of California, Berkeley's Haas School of Business, found that inclusion of a charitable component made people less likely to buy — possibly, Nelson said, because they stressed over the appropriate amount of generosity.

"There is some concern that turkey chili will simply become a little less popular," Nelson said of the Panera experiment. "On the other hand, I think that those who choose to buy it will be reluctant to pay low prices."

Shaich is optimistic based on what he's seen firsthand. He worked at the opening of the Clayton store, making food and waiting on customers. He saw well-to-do frat boys leaving without paying a dime, but more often, he saw people being generous. Even those clearly in need dug into their pockets.

"A lot of cynics think Americans are just gaming the system," Shaich said. "Our experience is very different. People do the right thing and are willing to take care of each other."

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