Courtesy of Susan Horon

EASY CHICKEN MARSALA

INGREDIENTS:

• ⅓ cup Marsala wine • salt and pepper to taste • ⅓ cup heavy cream • ⅓ cup milk

• 3 tablespoons olive oil • 4 (6 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves • 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms • ¼ cup chopped green onion

DIRECTIONS: 1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute chicken in hot oil until cooked through and juices run clear, about 15 to 20 minutes. 2. Add mushrooms and green onions to the pan and saute until soft, then add Marsala wine and bring to a boil. 3. Continue to boil for 2 to 4 minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in cream and milk and simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes.

FALL JOKES

You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.”

What’s the best thing to put into a pumpkin pie? Your teeth. Why do birds fly south in the fall? It’s too far to walk. What’s an elephant’s favourite vegetable? Squash. What do you call a small pepper in late fall? A little chili. Why did the tree giggle? It heard acorn-y joke.

— ZIG ZIGLAR

SAY GOODBYE TO THAT COUGH

Whether you’ve caught a cold or flu virus, have asthma or are affected by dust or air pollution, a persistent cough can be uncomfortable and annoying. If after seeing your doctor to confirm it’s nothing serious, you’re looking for a few home remedies to soothe your cough, you can try the following: • Use a humidifier – warm and cool mist can help temporarily ease a cough and congestion. If you don’t have a humidifier, a warm shower will provide a similar, though more temporary, effect. • Stay hydrated – drinking water, juice, broth or tea can help keep you hydrated, thin mucus and soothe a scratchy throat and lingering cough. • Gargle with saltwater – this remedy is more effective for relieving a sore throat than a cough, but since a sore throat may trigger or worsen a cough, it can still be helpful. • Try a cough drop – cough drops containing mint or honey can provide temporary relief from coughing. • Consider cough medicine – over-the-counter cough medicine can help by thinning and expelling mucus or by suppressing the cough reflex to offer relief. If your cough worsens or persists for more than eight weeks, consult with your doctor.