The holidays are my favorite time of year. And sure, I love to give and receive presents, but my favorite thing about the holidays is simply spending time with my family over great food. I love the smell of a turkey roasting, apple cider brewing, and holiday cookies baking in the oven.

There’s really no better place to gather the family together than in the kitchen. Kids especially love to help out with the holiday cooking, and there’s nothing kids like more than a cookie (or two or three!). So get your kids in the kitchen with some of these great holiday cookie recipes.

Mini Peanut Butter Cup Tarts

These great and easy-to-make cookies are a terrific way to use up some leftover Halloween candy. They use mini Reese’s peanut butter cups together with a peanut butter cookie dough to shape pretty (and tasty) mini peanut butter chocolate tarts. You can also use prepackaged dough to make these even easier.

Ingredients:

36 miniature Reese’s cups, unwrapped

1/2 C. creamy peanut butter

1/2 C. butter, softened

1/2 C. sugar

1/2 C. brown sugar, packed

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 1/4 C. all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

+A set of miniature muffin pans

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, beat together the peanut butter, butter, and both sugars with electric mixer until fluffy. Add in the vanilla, egg, flour, salt, and baking soda. Mix well with a wooden spoon.

Shape dough into balls about one inch in diameter. Place one ball in each miniature muffin tin. (No muffin papers needed.)

Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes. After removing from oven, immediately press one of the unwrapped peanut butter cups into middle of each peanut butter cookie.

After placing the Reeses cups in all of the cookies, place the muffin pan back into the oven for approximately 30 seconds to one minute to melt the chocolate slightly and soften the hard edges of the peanut butter cups. This helps them to appear more like a real chocolate tart.

Allow the cookies to cool completely before removing them from the pan. Recipe makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Cake Mix Cookies: Easier than Pie

These are easy Christmas cookies that are a lot of fun to make. The finished cookie is soft and wonderful, and there’s no end to the combinations of flavors you can make. They’re simple enough to allow the kids to help. Simply buy the cake mix of your choice and any add-ins you want to use. This is a great way to let your kids get creative– they can make up their favorite flavor combinations and see how they turn out. Ever tried Strawberry with Jelly Bean cookies??

Ingredients:

1 (18 oz.) package of your choice of cake mix (not with pudding)

2 lg. eggs

1/2 C. shortening

1 tbsp. water

1/2 C. chopped nuts, dried fruit, or chocolate chips (or other ad-ins of your choice)

powdered sugar (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Using a wooden spoon or an electric mixer, combine all the ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Chill the dough in the refrigerator 30 minutes.

Shape dough into 1″ balls. If desired, roll in powdered sugar at this time. Bake cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for about 10-12 minutes, til set.

Recipe makes about 3 to 4 dozen cookies.

I’m sure that you remember Dr. Behnaz Yazdanfar, the Toronto cosmetic surgeon who it turned out was not a board certified surgeon. She is a family physician with no hospital admitting privileges. But she does own and operate a fancy cosmetic surgery clinic in Yorkville, where she performed liposuction on a 32 year old Toronto woman who died tragically in September. Not only is Dr. Yazdanfar still operating in her clinic, she is now suing a doctor who she believes is responsible for her drop in business.

Dr. Yazdanfar has got to win some sort of a prize for arrogance and sheer gall. The fact that a patient that she operated on died after a liposuction procedure and that this story was picked up by every newspaper, television station, radio station, and Internet site who also reported that she was not a board certified surgeon was the obvious cause for her drop in business. But this seems to be a small detail that has escaped Dr. Yazdanfar. The fact that she has even one client willing to have her operate on them positively astonishes me! But she has chosen to blame Dr. Sean Rice, a plastic surgeon who is certified by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, with hospital privileges at North York General, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, and Women’s College Hospital, for her woes. Dr. Rice also happens to be one of the physicians who tried unsuccessfully to revive Krista Stryland when she was brought into North York General Hospital after Dr. Yazdanfar performed liposuction surgery on Ms Stryland at her cosmetic surgery clinic. Dr. Yazdanfar has launched a $300,000 slander suit against Dr. Rice.

When her business dropped after the tragic death of Krista Stryland, Dr. Yazdanfar looked for someone to blame instead of herself. She hired a private investigator to pose as a patient and spy on other doctors. The private investigator pretended to be interested in liposuction and a breast enlargement. She visited Dr. Rice and recorded the conversation that she had with Dr. Rice, without his knowledge. Dr. Yazdanfar claims that some of the things that Dr. Rice said were slanderous and designed to hurt her business which has seen a number of patients cancel their upcoming surgeries. Big surprise!

None of Dr. Yazdanfar’s allegations against Dr. Rice have been proven and Dr. Rice has plans to defend himself in court. Can someone please explain to me why Dr. Yazdanfar is still performing cosmetic surgery procedures? That seems to me to be the only crime here.

In Toronto we love to boast about our multicultural city. Currently there are over 145 languages spoken in Toronto. And, over 40% of our immigrants speak very little English or no English at all. This has created an enormous problem for our legal system given that Section 14 of the Charter guarantees everyone the assistance of an interpreter. But with over 145 languages now spoken in Toronto, and this does not take into account all of the dialects, are we really able to guarantee this guarantee?

In order to be an interpreter in a courthouse one must pass the Attorney-General’s accreditation test. The courthouse facing the greatest linguistic challenges in the GTA is in Brampton, which requires the services of more interpreters than any other area in all of Canada. It is estimated that well over 5,000 cases each year require interpreters with skills in Punjabi, Urdu, Tamil, Cantonese, Somali, Kurdish, Spanish, and Polish. It is a well-known fact that the Brampton courthouse regularly uses unqualified interpreters – some have failed the course or not taken it all together. Even those who do become accredited don’t meet the basic standards of court interpreting and would not be able to pass any test in legal terminology.

In 1994 a Supreme Court decision declared that legal interpreters must be competent and impartial. The other issue is the difference between being accredited and certified. In Ontario there are 1,000 accredited court interpreters but only 20 who are certified. Ottawa is still placing the onus on our immigrants, believing that it is their responsibility to speak either English or French proficiently. What does this say about how we are treating our immigrants? What kind of justice are we meting out to new Canadians? Has multiculturalism created a 2 class system of justice?

The holidays make us conscious of those less fortunate then ourselves. What we sometimes lose sight of is that there are Torontonians who are in need 12 months a year. Toronto food banks serve approximately 60,000 people every month and there are over 200 emergency food programs in Toronto. When we think of the homeless and the hungry we rarely envision children, yet our food banks help to feed many hungry and impoverished children every day.

When you think of making donations to your local food bank, please make your donations essential items. Many supermarkets have special tags beside food items that are in need. Here is a wish list from the food banks:
• Powdered milk
• Canned fruits & vegetables
• Canned soups & stews
• Baby food & formula
• Diapers
• Fruit juices
• Peanut butter
• Rice, beans & lentils
• Flour
• Macaroni & cheese
• Pasta & pasta sauce
• Toiletries - soaps, shampoo, toothpaste
• Paper products
• Cleaning supplies

Many grocery stores have food bank collection bins on premises. Consider making a monetary donation to your local food bank. It allows them to buy the items that they specifically need in bulk. Think of collecting for a food bank in your workplace. Please remember that people are in need all year ‘round. Please be generous not only during the holiday season but throughout the year.

Below are a few food banks who would welcome your generous contributions.
Daily Bread Food Bank, North York Harvest Food Bank, Kosher food bank donations, Halal food bank donations

Do you dream of Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Burberry, or Prada? Do you wonder how it’s possible that so many women are walking around the streets of downtown Toronto bedecked in designer originals? Wonder no more. Many are sporting cheap knock-offs, and they didn’t have to go to Canal Street in New York to pick them up.

The Toronto Police have blown the cover off an enormous counterfeit ring in Toronto that would have put approximately 10 million dollars of shoes, handbags, jewelry, and sunglasses on the streets of Toronto. So far 8 people have been arrested (there is still 1 at large) and they are facing a total of 36 charges including theft, possession of stolen property, fraud, forging a trademark, possession of fraudulent wares, and possession of the proceeds of crime. Of those arrested, 3 were working at a store on Spadina, where the fake designer merchandise was being manufactured right in the basement. The suspects, from Toronto and Markham, are between the ages of 22 and 50. Project Chameleon has resulted in the seizure of counterfeit merchandise after raids on 8 retail stores, homes, and warehouses uncovered the illegal goods.

If something is too good to be true it generally is. Here are some ways to spot a fake:

• The price should be a dead give-away. There is no such thing as a Gucci bag for $100.00.
• Check the spelling. Counterfeiters often change one letter in the name. For example they may change Louis Vuitton to Louis Vitton.
• The logo may be missing or altered.
• Have a good look at the materials. They are not the same quality as the real thing.
• Designer goods are sold in specialty stores or from reputable dealers, not on street corners or in flea markets.

Now you will actually be able to tell someone. All of you road warriors out there, doing battle daily with congestion, poor road conditions, parking problems, and an antiquated and inadequate transit system will have a forum where you can air your grievances and make suggestions as to how we can improve Toronto’s transportation system.

The Greater Toronto Transportation Authority (GTTA) is due to come out with a new regional transportation plan this spring. In order to encourage and facilitate public consultation they have launched a new website where you can access information and give your opinions. At first blush the site appears to be user friendly, comprehensive, and current. News is updated daily. Follow the link below to see for yourself. http://www.metrolinx.com/NonTabPages/1/default.aspx

The Metrolinx plan is ambitious and complicated. Recognizing that our transportation system is simply not meeting the needs of the users that it was intended to serve, its mandate is to improve the coordination and integration of all modes of transportation in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and the Hamilton Area - roads, highways, buses, streetcars, and subways. The result should be a plan that will create a truly integrated transportation network from York and Durham, through Toronto, Peel, Halton, and to Hamilton. Obviously the focus will be on public transportation which at present is anything but seamless and integrated. Instead it is fractured and almost adversarial from city to city and region to region, making it very difficult and expensive for commuters. Well people, you now have a forum where you can express your opinions and hopefully submit some great solutions. Log on the Metrolinx website and start expressing yourself.

Has the Toronto City council gone completely mad? According to all accounts the City of Toronto is bankrupt. Essential services are being cut as a result. But somewhere, somehow these same people that are enforcing the city-wide cut backs have found a million dollars to test whether we could harvest rainwater to flush toilets. They want to literally flush Toronto’s tax dollars down the toilet.

This pilot project, which could be approved by city council next month, will potentially take place in the Automotive Building at Exhibition Place, currently being renovated. Rainwater would be collected from the roof of the Automotive Building and piped into a cistern in the basement. From there it would be piped into 8 bathrooms and used to flush the toilets in the building. Untreated lake water would be used in the event that there was not enough rainwater collected. Ironically the plumbing in the building apparently works just fine.

Although the city works committee who is pushing city council members to approve this pilot project saying that it would conserve drinking water, save energy, and delay the need for new water filtration plants, I agree with the nay-sayers. Considering that 1 million dollars could be put to much better use than showing the world that Toronto is environmentally conscious and eager to adopt green technology, I would like to question the motives of the people misusing Toronto’s tax dollars. I think that it is a hideous way to flush 1 million dollars down the toilet.

During the holiday season we Torontonians are really generous in our support of many worthy causes. Unfortunately that also makes us easy marks for scam artists who are counting on our good natures in order to take advantage of our generosity.

When a scam artist takes advantage of you, he not only robs you, but robs money from legitimate charities that really need your help. Here are 2 of the most popular and effective holiday scams and how to avoid falling victim to them.

Fake Canvassers: Scam artists use names of charities that are similar to legitimate organizations or pretend to be canvassing for the real organization. But, they are really only ripping you off.

How not to fall victim:

• Ask for identification. All legitimate canvassers carry proper identification cards with a name and photo to prove they are working for the charity they claim to represent.
• Ask questions. Legitimate charities are happy to talk about their organization and give you all of the information that you need in order to make an informed decision.
• Never allow yourself to be pressured. Pressure tactics are sure sign that this is a scam.
• Ask for written information. Legitimate charities have plenty of literature about the organization and how and where the money will be spent.
• Request a receipt.

If you think that you may have been approached by a scammer, contact the organization that the canvasser says that he represents and verify that they have canvassers in the area. Contact Consumer Protection at
1-866-351-5655 or follow the link below to their website.
www.ontario.ca/consumerprotection

For more information on bogus charities and scams call the Ministry of Government Services at 416-326-8800 in Toronto or toll-free at
1-800-889-9768 or follow the link below to their website.
www.mgs.gov.on.ca

Internet Scams: The old adage holds true. If something appears to be too good to be true, it usually is. It is very easy to become a victim of an e-mail scam if you respond to unsolicited e-mail offers from unknown sources.

How not to fall victim:

• Don’t respond to e-mail from unknown senders.
• Don’t respond to e-mail with typos and misspellings in the subject line.
• Don’t respond to e-mails offering prices that couldn’t possibly be legitimate.
• Always use spam filters.
• Never reply to these e-mails – not even to unsubscribe. All that you will accomplish is to confirm that your e-mail address is active.
• Don’t post your e-mail address on public websites. This only invites spammers.
• Buying from unknown sources is a crapshoot. Make sure that you do your research and ensure that you are doing business with a legitimate enterprise.

If you are a victim of any type of fraud, contact Reporting Economic Crime On-Line at 1-888-495-8501 or follow the link below.
https://www.recol.ca/intro.aspx

Do you think that you are savvy enough not to be a victim of fraud? Follow the link below and take the Fraud Quiz. You may be surprised at the results.
http://www.abcfraud.ca/

Transportation Services had the option of cutting back on summer maintenance or winter maintenance. And the big loser was winter maintenance. Pothole repair was deemed more of an essential service than snow removal.

When the Toronto weather starts to wreak havoc with a vengeance I’d like someone to justify that to the residents of Toronto. But, the greater question is why should we have to choose between pothole repair and snow removal? Lack of either of these necessary services is a safety hazard.

In order to save approximately 5 million dollars from a 65 million dollar operations budget, Toronto weather prognostication is now going to play a major role in when snow removal will begin after a storm. Until now snow removal begins on major streets as soon as 8 centimetres of snow are on the ground and the snow has stopped. Sidewalks are scheduled for plowing within 48 hours. Snow removal doesn’t take place on side streets until 15 – 25 hours after the storm. If you ask most people in Toronto how they feel about it, they will tell you that snow in any significant quantity absolutely paralyzes the city and that the current snow removal system is hardly adequate.

Now the strategic thinkers at Transportation Services have come up with this brilliant plan. They will alter their snow removal plans if the Toronto weather forecast is for warmer, sunny weather which should in theory take care of snow removal naturally by melting it. Let’s all get out our crystal balls in order to find out when our streets and sidewalks will become navigable after a snow fall. And what of the insurance rates which will sky rocket as the number of accidents, both pedestrian and vehicle, increases as a result of the lack of timely snow removal? What is this very minor cost saving scheme actually going to cost the residents of Toronto?

The holiday season is a difficult time for many. There is a constant barrage of advertising in all media encouraging you to spend money on gifts. But what if you have no money for food, let alone for gifts? For many Torontonians just staying alive is an arduous task. There are many worthwhile organizations that do great works helping people all over the world in their time of need. But, I think that sometimes we are so moved by seeing the photo of a poor, starving African baby that we forget that we have babies right here in Toronto that are starving too. So I’ve put together a little list of places in Toronto that do great work locally and could use your help. This list is by no means complete. I know that they are many great organizations in Toronto that are worthy. I would appreciate you sending in any other local organizations that you’d like us to write about. Please remember how lucky you are and give generously.

Happy 41th Anniversary to the CHUMCity Christmas Wish! Last year, with your donations and the help of RBC Royal Bank, and in conjunction with the City of Toronto Community and Neighbourhood Social Services, CHUMCity Christmas wish helped over 300,000 children and families in need of assistance. Follow the link below to learn how you can help.
http://www.thewish.ca/wishCore.cfm

The Toronto Paramedic Association and Toronto EMS are collecting donations of non-perishable food items at EMS stations and offices which they will deliver to the Daily Bread Food Bank on Friday, December 15th. Please donate generously. For more information about the Toronto Paramedic Association, follow the link below. http://www.torontoparamedicassociation.com

For more information on the Daily Bread Food Bank call
416-203-0050 or follow the link below.
http://www.dailybread.ca

The Children’s Aid Society of Toronto has a Holiday Season Program that organizes the TOY ROOM to distribute toys, clothing, and gift certificates to children and families in need. Please try to make the holiday season a little brighter for children in need. Follow the link below to learn how.
http://www.torontocas.ca/2007/02/12/donations/

A little money can go a long way. Perhaps this year consider that in lieu of a gift to a relative, friend, or colleague that you make a donation in their honour to the Toronto Canadian Mental Health Association’s Holiday Gift Program instead. Did you know that for a mere $22 a man or women who is living with a mental illness will receive a gift package containing a warm item like socks, gloves or a fleece blanket and a variety of personal care products like chapstick, hand lotion and shampoo? Your honoree will receive a gift card letting them know that a gift has been given on their behalf and you will receive an income tax charitable donation receipt. What a great way to share the true meaning of the holiday season! Follow the link below and give a truly meaningful gift this year.
http://www.toronto.cmha.ca/c_join_us_donate/ju_donate_in_honour.asp

Since 1906, the Toronto Star’s Santa Claus Fund has raised money and delivered gift boxes to children in need throughout the GTA. Follow the link below to find out how to contribute to this worthy cause.
http://www.thestar.com/santaclausfund

Many of you already know about the wonderful work done by the dedicated members of the Salvation Army. I’m sure that you are used to seeing them all over Toronto with their Christmas Kettles trying to raise money for those less fortunate. Did you know that you can donate to the Salvation Army Christmas Kettle online?