Blend the Ingredients – In a food processor, combine feta, cream cheese, garlic, olive oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Blend for 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed, until smooth and creamy.
Serve & Garnish – Transfer to a bowl and drizzle with honey. Sprinkle with fresh mint for added flavor.
Enjoy! – Serve with warm pita or your favorite dippers.
This creamy, tangy whipped feta is the perfect blend of savory and sweet! 🧄🍯
Cook the Quinoa – In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, toast the quinoa for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and let simmer for 12-15 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool slightly.
Prepare the Dressing – In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, parsley, mint, and salt.
Assemble the Salad – Add cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, bell pepper, and red onion to the quinoa. Drizzle with the dressing and toss to combine.
Chill & Serve – Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Enjoy cold or at room temperature!
This refreshing, citrusy quinoa salad is perfect as a light meal or a side dish! 🍋🌿
Prepare the Chicken – In a shallow dish, mix flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Coat both sides of the chicken breasts evenly.
Sear the Chicken – Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown and fully cooked. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Make the Sauce – In the same skillet, add minced garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Pour in chicken broth and heavy cream, scraping up any bits from the pan. Stir in Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, oregano, and thyme.
Incorporate the Tomatoes – Add chopped sun-dried tomatoes and stir everything together. Let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens.
Finish Cooking – Return the chicken to the skillet and spoon the sauce over the top. Simmer for 10 minutes, allowing the chicken to absorb the flavors.
Serve & Garnish – Sprinkle with fresh basil and extra Parmesan. Serve warm over pasta, rice, or potatoes.
Enjoy this rich and creamy Tuscan-inspired dish! 🍽️✨
3 tbsp sliced green onions, plus extra for garnish
20 wonton wrappers
1 egg, beaten
Oil for frying
Dipping sauce of choice
Photo by Getty Images
Directions
Prepare the Filling – In a mixing bowl, combine crab meat, cream cheese, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and green onions. Stir until smooth and well blended.
Fill the Wontons – Lay a wonton wrapper flat and place 2 teaspoons of the filling in the center. Brush the edges lightly with beaten egg.
Shape the Wontons – Bring two opposite corners together at the center and pinch. Repeat with the other two corners to form a small pouch. Press the edges to seal. Repeat with remaining wrappers.
Fry to Perfection – Heat 4 inches of oil in a deep pan to 350°F (175°C). Fry in small batches (5-6 wontons at a time), turning occasionally, until golden brown (about 3-5 minutes).
Drain & Serve – Transfer cooked wontons to a paper towel-lined plate. Garnish with additional sliced green onions and serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce.
¾ cup + 2 tbsp (170g) neutral oil (safflower or sunflower)
¾ cup (170g) unsweetened tart cherry juice
Cherry Whipped Cream Ingredients:
1 cup (55g) freeze-dried cherries, plus extra for garnish
½ cup (100g) sugar
3 cups (680g) heavy cream
⅛ tsp almond extract (optional)
Photo by Getty Images
Directions
Making the Cake:
Prepare the Oven & Pans – Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease two 8-inch cake pans and line with parchment.
Mix Dry Ingredients – Sift together flour and cocoa powder in a bowl.
Whip Wet Ingredients – In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, combine sugar, vanilla, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, almond extract, and eggs. Beat on medium-high until light and foamy (about 5 minutes).
Incorporate Oils & Liquids – Slowly drizzle in the oil while mixing. Lower the speed and add cherry juice, followed by the sifted dry ingredients. Mix until smooth.
Bake – Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans (about 505g per pan). Bake for about 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs. Let cakes cool completely in the pans.
Making the Cherry Whipped Cream:
Process the Cherries & Sugar – Use a food processor to grind freeze-dried cherries and sugar into a fine powder.
Whip the Cream – Add heavy cream and almond extract (if using). Stir to distribute the dry mixture, then pulse until thick and creamy. Watch closely to avoid over-whipping. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Assembling the Cake:
Level the Cakes – Trim the domed tops so they stack evenly.
Layer & Frost – Place one cake layer cut side up. Spread 1 cup of cherry whipped cream evenly on top. Place the second layer cut side down.
Frost & Decorate – Cover the top and sides with the remaining whipped cream, smoothing with an offset spatula. Swirl with the back of a spoon for texture. Garnish with extra freeze-dried cherries before serving.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — NASCAR filed a 68-page appeal Wednesday night — roughly one hour before the start of Daytona 500 qualifying — arguing a federal judge erred in recognizing 23XI Motorsports and Front Row Motorsports as chartered teams for 2025 as the two organizations sue over antitrust claims.
U.S. District Judge Kenneth Bell of the Western District of North Carolina in December issued a preliminary injunction that allowed 23XI and Front Row to receive the same rewards as a chartered team while the lawsuit wades through the court system.
23XI Racing is co-owned by NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, while Front Row Motorsports is owned by entrepreneur Bob Jenkins.
Last month, Bell denied NASCAR’s motion to dismiss the suit, and also denied NASCAR’s request that the two organizations post a bond to cover any monies they are paid as chartered teams that would have to be returned should 23XI and Front Row lose the lawsuit.
“The district court’s injunction orders flout federal antitrust law; misapply the established rules governing the use of preliminary injunctions; ignore unrebutted, legally significant evidence; and have sweeping implications for NASCAR’s 2025 Cup Series season,” NASCAR wrote. “These injunctions misuse the judicial power to force NASCAR to treat its litigation adversaries as its business partners and confidants, undermining the mutual trust that has fueled NASCAR’s growth and success.”
The timing of the appeal — despite it hitting just one hour before time trials begin for Sunday’s season-opening Daytona 500 — was a coincidence in that Wednesday was a court-ordered deadline. NASCAR does not publicly comment on the lawsuit.
NASCAR has maintained that it will defend itself against antitrust claims and believes that 23XI and Front Row have a misguided case; the teams don’t like the terms of the charter agreement so were the only two out of 15 organizations that refused to sign the forms when NASCAR presented its take-it-or-leave it offer 48 hours before last season’s playoffs began.
Not liking the terms of a contract does not qualify as an antitrust case, NASCAR believes, and is willing to see the case through to trial. Should 23XI and Front Row prevail, it is believed NASCAR will eliminate the charter system outright rather than renegotiate new charters.
“While every other team owner that was offered a new Charter with these better terms accepted it, these two held out — raising concerns about several provisions but not the mutual releases,” NASCAR wrote. “NASCAR eventually withdrew its offers to Plaintiffs and moved forward with planning its 2025 Cup Series season without them as chartered teams. So 23XI and Front Row turned to the courts, attempting to transform the Charter’s standard release provision into a trump card to belatedly secure, outside of negotiations, the Charters they regretted rejecting — even though neither team owner ever raised that provision as an issue in two years of Charter negotiations.
“With neither the facts nor the law on their side, 23XI and Front Row argue it violates the Sherman Act for sports enterprises to include such standard releases in their agreements. The district court took the bait.”
At issue are the agreements that teams asked for and were granted in 2016. A charter guarantees each car that holds one a spot in the field each week, as well as guaranteed prize money and other financial incentives.
There are 36 guaranteed spots in each race, with four “open” spots for cars that do not hold charters. NASCAR believes 23XI and Front Row should be open cars since they did not sign the charter agreements.
NASCAR also did not want to approve the sale of charters from now-defunct Stewart-Haas Racing to the two teams, which each purchased one charter to expand their organizations from two cars to three. Had Bell not granted the injunction to recognize the two teams as chartered for 2025, a combined six cars between the two organizations would not have received an automatic berth into the Daytona 500.
23XI fields Toyotas for newcomer Riley Herbst, as well as Tyler Reddick, last year’s regular-season champion, and Bubba Wallace. Front Row field Fords for Noah Gragson, Todd Gilliland and newcomer Zane Smith.
“At this point, NASCAR would prefer to extend the perks of the 2025 Charter to owners committed to enhancing NASCAR’s competitiveness with other sports for fans, sponsors, and media dollars – rather than owners that undermine NASCAR’s brand,” the sanctioning body wrote in the appeal.
NEW YORK (AP) — This time, the giant schnauzer went the full Monty.
After coming close in the last two years, Monty the giant schnauzer won the top prize at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show Tuesday night, leaving handler and co-owner Katie Bernardin almost too emotional to speak.
“He always tries so hard, and we’re just proud of him,” she told the crowd at Madison Square Garden.
The spirited schnauzer bested six other finalists to become the first of his breed tapped as Westminster’s best in show, the most prestigious prize in the U.S. dog show world. The dog won the huge American Kennel Club championship in December, and he’d been a Westminster twice before.
A giant schnauzer named Monty has won the top prize at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show. Monty bested six other finalists to take best in show Tuesday night at New York’s Madison Square Garden. (AP Video)
A standout because of “everything from his attitude to his structure,” Monty is bold, cocky and fun, according to co-owner Sandy Nordstrom.
“He’s just a really cool dog,” she said in an interview before his win, which will be his last. The 5-year-old is retiring from showing.
The runner-up was, for the third time, a whippet known as Bourbon. Other finalists included a bichon frisé called Neal, a Skye terrier named Archer, and a shih tzu called Comet who’s been a finalist before.
Also in the mix were a German shepherd named Mercedes, who came in second last year, and an English springer spaniel called Freddie.
During a break between semifinal rounds, security personnel surrounded and ousted someone along the sidelines of the ring. The group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, which has protested the dog show for years, said on X that a supporter was removed after holding a sign.
Westminster says it celebrates all dogs. The show champions that compete also are household pets, and some do therapy work, search-and-rescue or other canine jobs.
“A good German shepherd is an all-purpose dog,” said Mercedes’ co-breeder and co-owner Sheree Moses Combs of Wardensville, West Virginia. Some of her pups have become service dogs for wounded veterans, she said.
“Dog shows are fun, but that is what our breed is all about,” she said.
While Monty got this year’s trophy, other hopefuls also scored points with spectators.
During two nights of semifinals, spectators shouted out breeds and names of canine competitors as if they played for one of the pro teams that call the Garden home, the NBA’s New York Knicks and NHL’s New York Rangers.
“Love you, Lumpy!” someone yelled to a Pekingese named Lumpy, who earned laughs for his ambling gait.
The arena erupted with cheers for Penny the Doberman pinscher and for a golden retriever named Tuffy, a representative of a popular breed that has never won. She also got some recognition from the judge, as did another crowd favorite, Calaco the Xoloitzcuintli. His breed (pronounced shoh-loh-eets-KWEEN’-tlees) are hairless dogs with deep roots in Mexico.
A trip to Westminster is a reminder of dogs’ variety, even just among purebreds. While big, “working” dogs had their day at Westminster on Tuesday, so did terriers.
First-round competitor Brina, for instance, is a 158-pound (71.6 kilogram) Neapolitan mastiff. The jowly breed was developed to be an imposing guard dog, but Brina’s owner, Yves Belmont, Ph.D., said he also is impressed by its intelligence. He keeps several of the dogs at his Atlanta-area home.
“I’ve been struck by this breed since I was 12. … They’re so unique,” Belmont said as Brina napped in her crate, equipped with a two-gallon (7.5-liter) water bucket.
Meanwhile, Tyra the miniature bull terrier also strutted her stuff in a first-round ring. Formally called GCH CH Rnr’s Top Model, she’s named after fashion model Tyra Banks.
Westminster Kennel Club show dogs have elaborate registered names that signify their lineage, achievements, and breeding program. While these formal names follow structured conventions, their everyday “call names” are often simpler, playful, or pun-based. (AP Video: John Minchillo)
The hardy terrier breed is “a big dog in a small package, but they always keep you smiling,” said owner and co-breeder Jessica Harrison of Austin, Texas. Asked where the 2-year-old Tyra falls on the mischief meter, Harrison smiled, “like a nine, for sure.”
“You can’t be upset with them because they’re just so cute,” she said as Tyra rolled on her back to get a belly rub from a passerby at the Javits Center, the convention venue that hosted the first-round judging of each breed.
Westminster also featured agility and obedience championships, held Saturday. The agility prize went to a border collie named Vanish, and an Australian shepherd called Willie triumphed in obedience.
