Seniors Monica Dudley and Anthony Willis Atkinson have been selected as the Rotary Students of the Month for Van Horn High School. Monica Dudley is the current president of the Van Horn student council and the president of the Van Horn Gay-Straight Alliance.
President Joe Biden had already generated considerable controversy with his hat-in-hand visit to Saudi Arabia during the summer to plead for more oil production to ease pressure on oil prices. The valid question at the time was whether Biden was doing it in a sincere effort to help American motorists or to deprive his Republican critics of a major point of attack heading into the fall election season.
Larry Pearce, Independence To the editor: My mother-in-law always said, “Paper lets anyone write on it.” This year the politicians have changed the word “paper” to the word “television.” For months now we’ve heard that “Television lets anyone say anything about anybody if it’s true or not.” In Missouri, a candidate was accused of being in cahoots with the communists because he OK’d the sale of some farmland. His opponent said she would never sell any farmland to China.
A secret treat at Whataburger is getting a spot on the restaurant’s official menu. The fast-food chain, based in Texas, recently announced that chili cheese fries are available on its regular menu alongside the usual cheeseburgers, patty melts and breakfast burgers.
Wendy’s is joining the holiday drink trend — and it’s not pumpkin spice latte. For a limited time, the fast food chain’s Frosty will be available in peppermint, replacing the strawberry offering from the summer.
In some areas of the country, especially the South, sweet potatoes make regular appearances at the end of the meal, yet for many of us elsewhere, it’s a surprise to encounter them in dessert form. But they are called sweet potatoes for a reason! This comforting, pretty and very simple pie is made easier if you take the shortcut of using a refrigerated crust — one of the best inventions ever, in this casual pie maker’s opinion.
• 1 cup pecans, roughly chopped • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted • 1/2 cup sugar • 1 box (1/2 cup) instant butterscotch pudding mix • 1/3 cup light brown sugar • 1 large egg • 1 egg yolk • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract • 1 1/2 cups flour • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda • 1/2 cup butterscotch chips • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray pan or line 2 half-sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
The holidays are soon upon us, and because there’s always room for a dazzling dessert or late-night snack, many of us will be looking for new cookie recipes that will wow guests with the perfect mix of crunch, chew and flavor.
Serves 8 • 3 medium sweet potatoes, about 1 1/2 pounds • 1 refrigerated pie crust for a 9-inch pie • 3 large eggs • Grated zest of 1 orange • 2/3 cup sugar • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1 cup heavy cream • Sweetened Whipped Cream to serve Preheat the oven to 350° F. Prick the sweet potatoes in several places with a fork, and bake them right on the rack for 1 1/2 hours, until very soft.
Who: Lee’s Summit North Broncos (12-1) vs. Christian Brothers College Cadets (12-1) When/Where: 4 p.m. Saturday, Faurot Field, Columbia What’s at stake: Lee’s Summit North is seeking its first state title in football, while CBC will try for its second straight and fifth overall title, all since 2014.