NEW YORK — As a child growing up in Italy, Lidia Bastianich recalls seeing one particular cookbook in just about everyone’s kitchen. It was called “The Talisman of Happiness” and it was often given as a wedding present to couples starting new lives together. “It has all the basic ...

This is Verena writing. Mom is in the middle of frying chicken for supper. I peeled potatoes that are now cooking for mashed potatoes. I decided it would be a nice surprise for her if I wrote the column and she didn’t have to write it tonight. Daniel Ray and I slept the last few nights in ...

DEAR ANNIE: I have lost most of my family and many close friends, and I struggle with depression myself. There are days when the silence in my house feels almost too loud. Over time, I have learned how to be alone without completely falling apart. I have a pet who has been a lifeline for me. ...

DEAR READERS: We’ve received hundreds of letters concerning weddings where the bride and groom want to charge people to attend. Apparently, this is now a trend in America where the happy couple want to have the wedding of their dreams but can’t afford a lavish celebration. The reaction from ...

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 74-year-old woman who is in better-than-average shape for my age. I only take blood pressure meds, walk for exercise, and am only slightly overweight. I have had seven COVID vaccinations from February 2021 to September of this year. I asked my primary doctor if I should ...

In general, a slam should be bid whenever there appears to be a better-than-even chance of fulfillment. It is in this area that a partnership’s bidding skill is most severely tested. The main question to be resolved in bidding a slam is whether the combined hands will offer a good chance to ...