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Shooting and Assembling a High Dynamic Range Image (HDRI)
In this tutorial, my goal is to give you a quick run down of why HDR Imaging is good and how it can be handy. Then I will present all the information you need to go out and shoot your own image sequence, and then take those images and assemble them into a high dynamic range image.
What is HDRI and What's so Great?
Let's begin by thinking about a photograph. If you take a photograph outside on a sunny day, some areas will be white and some areas will be black, while others, the parts the camera metered for, will be exposed properly. Here is a little example , or a particularly exagerated case, where a bright sky backlights the unlit sides of trees.
As you can see, in the above image, the sky is all white and there are areas that have gone or almost gone to total black (like the lower right corner). The camera has taken the light coming in through the lens, and recorded it in a way that only has a range from black to white. If we took black to be zero and white to be one, the camera is giving us an image that fits between 0-1. The catch here is that in reality, the world does not fit between 0-1. Also, on a more technical side, an 8-bit image file can only represent 16.7 million-ish colors, which, when compared with reality, is really very limited. This means that instead of seeing a very dark brown in the dark areas, you might just get black.
So, what if you took multiple pictures, with different exposures? Let's take an image with a longer exposure for the dark areas, one with the exposure that works for the mid tones and one with a fast exposure that works for the bright sky.
Now if only there were a way to get all that information into a single file....
Enter HDRI!
An HDR image is really just a fancy name for a 32-bit image. Generally the file format is .hdr, but you can get the same information into an .exr file, or a floating point .tiff, or a 32-bit Photoshop file. The trick here is that these files what is called floating-point numbers to remember the colors.
Quick bit-depth info break:
An 8-bit image (a standard .jpg file, for example) remembers each color channel value for each pixel using an integer value from 0 to 255. This means that there are 256 possible levels each of red, green and blue.
A 16-bit image can go two ways. The more common method is the integer one, where each channel uses an integer between 0 and 4095 to remember its color. This gives you something like 68 billion colors. The other, and far less common mode is to have a 16-bit half-float value for each channel. This means that each channel value is a floating point number (3.729 is floating point, for example, because of the stuff after the decimal point), making it have a good deal more precision in the dark and bright areas.
A 32-bit image is similar to the 16-bit half-float, in that is uses a floating point number to keep track of the color channel information, but's got a bit more precision than the 16-bit half-float format.
How does this relate to you taking a bunch of photos and putting them all together? Well the 32-bit image allows for a great deal more precision in the colors that are stored, so the darks in the image will actually contain all the subtle color changes. So when you exposed that image up in Photoshop, you could actually see all the stuff there, you wouldn't just get a few bands of color, like you would if you exposed up an 8-bit image. As you can see below, the 8-bit image, when exposed up a good ways, dissolves into digital noise, with many of the details being lost. It also begins to wash-out, with many of the darks becoming lighter. On the other hand, the 32-bit image, when exposed up, contains more then enough data, maintains the detail in the leaves, and you can see where there are still darks being preserved.
At the other end of the range, the 32-bit image allows you to store colors that are brighter then white. What this really amounts to is a sort of color value, and an intensity level, so that, when exposed down, the colors will come back. Below you can see the effect of exposing down an 8-bit image vs a 32-bit image. The 8-bit image, having nothing over white, just greys down, making it appear that it was a grey foggy day. The 32-bit image, having lots of information above white, exposes down, showing the clouds, the boats on the water, the bright reflections of the sun and one span of the San Francisco Bay Bridge.
So that shows us how the HDR image can contain a great deal more information then your standard jpg or tif file. So, how does that apply to your 3d scene in 3dsmax, Maya, XSI, etc?
Let's start with lighting. If you are using a fancy ray-tracing renderer, that has the ability to do image-based lighting, then you should be able to make use of an HDRI in that lighting. These renderers include Mental Ray, Renderman, Brazil, V-Ray, etc... Here is an example of a simple scene lit first with a low-dynamic-range 8-bit jpg and then the same scene lit with the high-dynamic-range .hdr file. Note how much more contrast there is in the HDRI-lit image, which much more closely approximates the actual lighting that was present when I shot the image sequence for the HDRI.
Alternatively, you can use an HDRI just for reflections. In the below example you can see how the overbrights (colors brighter then white) in the HDRI really bring the reflective shaders to life. In comparison the image where there is only an 8-bit jpg used in the reflection environment seems dull and hardly reflective at all.
Finally a comparison of HDRI being used for both lighting and reflections vs an 8-bit jpg.
Okay, Now Make Your Own!
Before you get started, here is a short list of equipment and software you will need to follow along:
- Camera with adjustable exposure. This can be a point-and-shoot camera or a full digital SLR, just so long as you can manually set the exposure.
- Tripod. To put the camera on. If you don't have a tripod, you'll just need to find a way to hold the camera very still while you adjust the exposure settings... or just go buy a cheap tripod.
- Chrome sphere. This can be a glass or steel lawn-ornament, found at many garden stores. You can also use those little chrome medicine balls, a large machine bearing, if you have one, or anything else that is chromey and spherical.
- Something to hold the chrome sphere still. This can be something simple (I've used a clear plastic cup a few times) or something complicated like a C-Stand with clamps and such. You can just use whatever you have laying around that can keep the sphere in place without covering it up too much.
- Photoshop (CS2, CS3 or CS3 Extended) This will be used to assemble our HDRI. Having CS3 Extended gives you a larger 32-bit toolset, but CS3 or CS2 will do the assembly as well.
- HDRShop 1.0 This is the only program that I know off the top of my head that does the nice chrome sphere to latitude-longitude apnoramic transformation. If you've got something else that does it and you like that better, then you can use that.
What I am using:
- Nikon D200 with a 50mm f1.4 lens, and a cable release - Bogen/Manfrotto Tripod - Steel lawn-ornament sphere sitting on a clear plastic cup
Some things to note:
During the course of shooting the image sequence, you will have to change the exposure for each photo. In most cases (get into this in a sec), this means that you will have to touch the camera. Therefore, it will make your life easier later if you can attach your camera to something fairly heavy. Before I got my big Manfrotto tripod, i had an inexpensive Sunpak tripod that had a little hook on the bottom of the center post. When shooting an HDRI or anything else with long exposures, I would find something heavy to hang from that hook (camera bag, small dumbell with a loop of wire on it, etc). This gave the tripod a bit more inertia and made it less susceptible to little bumps, wind, etc.
On some cameras, such as my Nikon D200, there is an auto-bracketing feature. This allows you to set the camera to automatically take a given number of photos (mine maxes out at nine, so that is what I use), each one being a certain exposure apart from the others. So on mine, I set it to take nine photos, each a stop apart, set the drive speed to fast and then use the cable release so I don't have to touch the camera body itself. That way, I just set my initial correct exposure, turn on the bracketing, and hold down the button on the cable release, taking all nine exposures just as fast as the camera can go. This doesn't make much of a difference if you are just doing the shooting for fun, but on a set of a film or commercial, where the line producer is yelling at everyone to get a move on and they all have to wait for you to run out there with your chrome sphere and camera, it can really be a lifesaver.
If none of the above makes any sense, then just hold tight, we'll get into the details in a bit and all of this should clear up.
Shooting the Photos: Find a good spot
First thing for you to do is to find a good spot to shoot your image sequence. This can be most anywhere, but note that in places that are surrounded by moving things, you will get some odd artifacts in your assembled HDRI. SO this means that if you set up your sphere and camera in the median of a freeway, or next to a moving train, you will get poor results. Also, remember that you will most likely be changing the camera settings by hand, resulting in a total shooting time of 2-3 minutes. So, if it is very windy outside, and the clouds overhead are moving quickly, they will also end up looking a bit odd in your final image. This also applies to sidewalks, hallways, busy rooms, etc. THe best places are those where you can set up your equipment undisturbed and be able to work there until you are satisfied with the images you have taken. In this tutorial, I am just using my back yard.
Shooting the Photos: Set up
Once you have picked a good spot out, get your camera mounted on the tripod and then do like this:
1) Clean off the chrome sphere and the camera lens. It can be hard to get a chrome sphere clean, especially the steel ones, which always seem to have micro scratches that don't come out, but if you do the best you can, then you'll ned up with a better image in the end.
2) Level everything. It will help later if you can get the camera itself level on the tripod and then also get the camera at the same height at the chrome sphere. Ideally, the center of the lens should be even with the center of the sphere, as seen from the side. If you don't have a level on your tripod, a small bubble levelfrom the hardware store will work just as well, just be sure to level the camera on both axes.
If you don't level the camera and don't shoot at the same level as the sphere, you will get a sine-wave horizon in your final image, instead of a nice straight one. That sine-wave horizon in the unwrapped image will translate into a crooked horizon when you put that HDRI onto a sphere or use it as an environment map. This isn't the end of the world, but it does take an extra step to correct later.
3) Frame your sphere up. It is always better to have some room around your sphere then to clip off an edge. If your camera has a zoom lens, you can use that to fit the sphere properly in the frame. If your camera has a digital zoom (most point-and-shoot cameras have this once they run out of optical zoom), DO NOT use that, as that will just give you a blurry, degraded photo, which is not much good to work from later. I recommend against using a wide angle lens to shoot with here, since you would need to be closer to the sphere in order to get it to fill the frame. This would result in you and your camera being reflected larger in the sphere, and therefore harder to paint out later. Also, be mindful of what is being reflected in the sphere. In the image below, I've left a bright green microfiber cloth on the table next to the sphere, which I'll have to paint out later.
Shooting the Photos: Shooting
4) Find your base exposure. During the shooting of the image sequence, you should be adjusting the shutter speed to change exposure rather then changing the aperture (f stop). This is because changing the aperture size also effects the cameras depth of field. Using a larger aperture size (small f-stop number) can result in the front of the sphere being in focus while the edges are out of focus, giving you a big fuzzy spot when you unwrap the sphere.
I've found that the best route is to pick an f-stop that should afford plenty of depth of field, such as f11, and then adjust the shutter speed until the cameras light meter says you have the correct exposure. Note this exposure.
5) Figure out your exposure range. In my shooting, I generally will shoot nine total images. I do this because that is the limit of my camera auto bracketing, and is therefore the fastest and easiest for me to do. If you are doing it by hand, then you can shoot a larger range, if you like. I have found that, in many cases, there isn't much info to be had beyond nine stops, as the long exposures are solid white, and the darker ones just end up being a tiny white dot where the sun in (when shooting outdoors). But use the information below to decide if you should shoot a wider range.
Figuring out what exposures to use: You will want to shoot images that are a stop apart. This means that, starting from the darkest image, each following image has twice the amount of light. Let's say that your camera tells you that at an f-stop of 11, the correct shutter speed is 1/30th of a second. If you wanted to shoot a series of nine images, you can see on the chart below what the range would be. You could then set the camera to the fastest shutter speed in your bracket, shoot an image, adjust the shutter speed, shoot another image, etc, until you have shot all nine.
6) Check your exposures. What you are looking for here is a bright exposure at one end of the range that is bright enough to not have any blacks left. That way you know you are seeing everything you can and you are not getting any dark areas clipped off into black. On the other end, you want a dark images that has some tiny bright spots wherever your light sources were. In theory, it's good to go all the way until there is nothing left in the dark frame, since that would mean that you managed to capture the entire dynamic range. In practice, though, I have found that this can be impossible, since camera shutters can only move so fast and apertures can only go so small. Getting an exposure that has the sun be anything except for a white dot can be nearly impossible, without the aid of some heavy-duty filters, which would, of course, make the rest of your image sequence quite dark. All that said, here is what I came up with:
7) Extra Credit: Shooting another image sequence from another position can allow you to easily paint out the photographer and the stretchy area on the unwrapped image quite easily. If you like, you can now move your camera around the sphere 90 degrees and shoot another sequence with the same exposure settings. I use 90 degrees here because if you go around to the opposite side of the sphere, you will find that when unwrapped, the photographer and the stretchy spot will have just swapped places in the two images, whereas with the 90 degree image, there will be clean areas on each that can be used for the other.
Also, the new camera position should be the same distance away from the sphere as the last, and if using a zoom lens, the focal distance should be the same. This will help ensure that there are no strange perspective mismatches in your final images. With that in mind, you can shoot two sequences here and do everything twice, but for the sake of simplicity, I'm just going to continue with a single sequence HDRI.
Putting It All Together
8) This is where modern software makes it all easy. Just fire up Photoshop and go to File > Automate > Merge to HDR. Then browse to your photos that you've gotten off your camera, select all nine (or however many you have in a single sequence) image, check the 'attempt to align' checkbox, which will let Photoshop try to align the images if they are off a little bit, and then hit the OK button. Photoshop should think on things for a while, and then bring up a dialog asking you how you want to see the HDRI. You can just slide the slider around until you like the way the image looks. This should only be changing the way Photoshop is showing you the image, not the actual values of the image itself. Since the image has a higher dynamic range then your monitor, Photoshop uses that little slider setting to determine which chunk of the dynamic range it shows to you.
Note: If, in the assembly process, Photoshop crashes a bunch (happens more with CS2 then CS3), and especially if you shot your image sequence on a nice solid tripod, you can choose to NOT check the 'align source images' checkbox. This will speed things up and reduce the RAM requirements.
9) Trim to the sphere. So now you should have a fully assembled HDRI. Just crop the image down to the edges of the sphere, resulting in a square image. If you are using Photoshop CS3, there should be a little exposure slider at the bottom of the image window that will let you see the rest of the dynamic range of the image. Now save that image out as an .hdr formatted file.
10) Use HDRShop to convert that to Latitude-Longitude formatting. Open up HDRShop, and open up the file you just saved. Now head to Image > Panorama > Panoramic Transformations... That should bring up a dialog with a few panorama settings. You should first choose 'Latitude/Longitude' from the format dropdown on the right side. Next set your width to 2048 (if you've got a super high res camera, you could go higher), and click OK. This should generate a new image in the Lat/Long format, which also happens to line up with the UV coordinates of a sphere, and can then be easily mapped on to one.
Now you should have an unwrapped HDRI that you can drop into a 3d scene to use for reflections or lighting.
Clean Up
So now that you've made your HDRI, you may have noticed in the complete image that there are reflections of the photographer and a wierd little puckery stretch at the edges. By doing an offset in Photoshop, you can get a better look at the stretching and it'll be easier to paint out this way. Also, in the image below, you can see some big ripples in the door and a few other areas. These are from the lumps in my steel sphere.
One might ask "Hey where did that stretching come from?" I also run across a number of people who are under the impression that the chrome sphere can really only capture half of the panorama, or 180 degrees worth. To both the question and the misconception, I offer this stunning diagram:
What I was hoping to show with the diagram is that really the only spot that the chrome sphere cannot reflect in our photos is the area directly behind itself. The panoramic transformation done by HDRShop assumes that the chrome sphere can see the whole 360 degrees, so it fills in that blind spot as best it can.
Note that you can minimize the blind spot by being further away from the sphere and using a longer lens. BUT, be careful to use a sturdy tripod if you go this route, and also use the cameras self-timer when shooting each image. This will help reduce the vibrations felt by the camera, which would then be magnified by the long lens.
Anyhow, back to cleanup. If you skipped the extra credit part above and have single HDRI, all you need to do is a bit of work with the clone tool, so cover up the stretching a bit and maybe get rid of your own reflection in there. Here's mine with the stretch cloned out, and with the bright green cloth clones out:
Then I offset it another 1024 pixels, back to it's original orientation, and cloned out my own reflection:
If you did the extra credit, shot another image sequence from a different point of view and have that one turned into an HDRI as well, then you can use that here instead of all the cloning. Note that in order to be able to use multiple layers in a 32-bit file in Photoshop, you will have to be running Photoshop CS3 Extended. If you've got all of the above, then just drop both images into the same file, offset one until the objects in each panorama are about lined up. You can then apply a layer mask to the top layer and alter the opacity of that mask until you've covered up the undesirable parts. This can be a much better wy to go if you've got a good chrome sphere and there is a great deal of detail in your environment, since the single-image clonging method could create some odd-looking areas.
All done, now use it!
So, now you should have a completed HDRI. Check out some of the other tutorials from the tutorial page on how to use your HDRI in various 3d packages and renderers.


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To add to the frenzy, a John Mayberry Jr. bobble head is the free giveaway to the first 3,000 ticket holders tonight. There are several listed on eBay as I write this for $39.99 buy it now. Watch how many are for sale by tomorrow morning.
Under Pennsylvania state law, every slot machine must pay out a minimum of 85 percent of the money wagered on it over the course of its life.
Casinos may set payout rates as they choose above that 85 percent legal minimum. Each slot machine in the state is hooked to a central computer system in Harrisburg that tallies every bet. The system can't toy with the payback rate.
Nice job, Tony. I was rustled out of a deep sleep at 5:20 a.m. by the sound of the first snow blower in action in my neighborhood. By the time I got out there at 6:30, I was one of five neighbors firing mine up.
Pirates = doormat of the Ruth Division.
Final measurement from Bethlehem Township, Pa.: 13.7228336 inches.
Action News 6 in Philadelphia is predicting the storm will end in the Lehigh Valley between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.
New measurement from Bethlehem Township as of 4:30 p.m.: 12 inches
I agree, Sheatracer, that the officiating has been mediocre at best. I blame that on the rule changes that seem to favor the high-powered, pass first, run as a compliment teams.
Good catch, Saxon079, that was a brain freeze on my part. Yes, that's right, Arizona is a lock for at least the fourth seed as a division winner.
Looks like 2 1/4 inches of snow here in Bethlehem Township, Pa. Was just outside shoveling, it is now 37 degrees and the snow is melting.
That was an impressive effort, no matter how you look at it. Steve Shiffert's postgame words to his team said it all. The man had tears in his eyes. He was awfully proud of them.
I will be in Pittsburgh on Dec. 5-6 for a two-day run of sporting events, starting with the Pitt-Cincinnati game, Penguins-Black Hawks hockey game at night at the Steelers-Raiders game on Sunday. Sports nirvana.
Valid points, bdl2009, however, none of the players you mention has torn apart a locker room as Johnson has or ripped his coach.
Always enjoy getting "intelligent" comments from people who resort to name-calling.
You're so right about the third-rate announcers. For someone who doesn't have a vested interest in either team, it's brutal. Craig Sager doing dugout interviews in paisley doesn't do it for me.
We appreciate the passion in regards to this story, however, please avoid name-calling and most of all, physical threats. Thanks----Scott Toole, lehighvalleylive.com Web staff.
Cabs in the Lehigh Valley? Call and expect to wait 45 minutes, sometimes more.
Heinz Field in Pittsburgh holds 65,000+ people, more if you shoehorn people in on the concourses, significantly more than half the capacity of Beaver Stadium and certainly more than the stadium at Rutgers holds.
More kids than ever from the Lehigh Valley and the Philadelphia area attend Pitt. The Pittsburgh Post Gazette recently did a survey of high school graduates in the seven-county area it covers. Penn State is the second-most attended college behind Pitt.
If you don't think there's a rivalry there, think again.
Growing up in the heart of the Steel City, our right side neighbor's three daughters all attended Penn State. Two of the left-side neighbor's three sons went to Pitt.
My daughter goes to Pitt. She constantly teases her Penn State friends. There's a T-shirt Pitt students wear that says something like "how many Penn State students does it take to run a McDonald's?"
The rivalry would heat up faster than you can say Johnny Majors if the two teams agreed to play again.
I would recommend that the Eagles draft a wide receiver, but you never know. Eventually, you've got to provide McNabb with some new weapons. How about the running back, Knowshon Moreno, of Georgia, if he's available. The trend in the NFL is to stockpile effective running backs. Would take some of the pressure off Westbrook and make him more effective, I would think.
Steelers are pegged for a center in the first round, either Alex Mack of Cal or Eric Wood of Louisville, whose stock has risen since the combine.
Steelers lean towards the "best athlete" pick. Who would have thought they would draft a running back (Rashard Mendenhall) in Round 1 last year.
Overall, I give the talent in this weekend's draft a "below average" rating. Several positions are shallow and weak.

subset: commoncrawl


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Fan of Basketball first , Heat Fan second ( I'm not a bandwagon , I actually know my stuff and I was born into it)
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Jersey Shore Communities Continue Recovery Efforts From Superstorm Sandy
This truck, along with many other vehicles and boats damaged by... NachrichtenfotoBeschädigt,Extremwetter,Horizontal,Hurrikan Sandy,Naturkatastrophe,New Jersey,Notfall und Katastrophe,Transportmittel,USA,WasserfahrzeugPhotographer Mark WilsonCollection: Getty Images News 2012 Getty ImagesORTLEY BEACH, NJ - NOVEMBER 24: This truck, along with many other vehicles and boats damaged by Superstorm Sandy, have not been touched since the storm hit, on November 24, 2012 in Ortley Beach, New Jersey. New Jersey Gov. Christie estimated that Superstorm Sandy cost New Jersey $29.4 billion in damage and economic losses. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)


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Jun 09 2008
Fresh Green Beans
PW's Fresh Green Beans Printable Recipe
Okay, I have to get something off my chest. YUM. YUM YUM YUM. YUM. *Groan* *Ugh* YUM.
I'm back now. Sorry. But I just had to release the sounds and emotions I felt when I first tasted these deliciously simple green beans. Yum. Did I say that already? I think I did.
It's green bean season, which means either your garden is bursting with them or your local grocery store has piles and piles of them for you to grab at will. I love fresh green beans—also known as "string beans" or "snap beans"—and while they're totally versatile, it's sometimes hard to know what to do with them beyond just cooking them in a pot of water. I love preparing the crisp little babies in a skillet with delicious ingredients, allowing them to cook down and become both colorful and slightly caramelized. To me, that brings out the natural culinary beauty of a green bean much more than allowing it to become soggy in a bunch of liquid.
My homegirl Hyacinth make these with me last week, so you'll be seeing her petite, lovely hands in the photos. I want her hands to be mine, and I'm trying to figure out how I can make that happen.
You'll need a bunch of fresh green beans. Just go to the store, grab a big, sweaty handful, and put them into a bag. For this recipe, I used about a pound.
When you're ready to cook 'em, just wash 'em and begin snapping off the ends, removing the tough string if one is present.
I used to wonder—and still do wonder somewhat—why you can't just grab a big handful of beans, line them up, and chop off the ends with a sharp knife? Why spend the time snapping them? Is it just to feel old fashioned and traditional? Or is there some practical benefit to snapping the end? I think it might be so that one can tear off the tough string if one is present…but I'd prefer to think of the whole thing as a conspiracy to cause homemakers to spend as much time as possible in the kitchen. It's all a conspiracy, I know it! The next thing they'll want us to do is tie a grosgrain ribbon in our hair and wear an eyelet apron. And bring our husbands his slippers when he walks in the door. And call him "dear."
Okay, so I already do that stuff. But only because I want to.
So anyway, snap off the end if you must. Hyacinth would like me to tell you that she does it that way because Granny did.
Hyacinth is such a follower.
Some people snap off both ends, but it isn't necessary.
And that's it! That's how I make my fresh green beans. Now go feed them to your family and ENJOY!
Oh, I just love doing that.
Okay, you're also going to want to chop up some red bell pepper and onion. We used about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of red pepper and 1 cup onion.
Begin by plopping about 2 tablespoons bacon grease in a skillet over medium low – medium heat. Yes, I said bacon grease. Yes, I said bacon grease. I'm sorry, but it tastes magical and there's just nothing like it. But if you'd prefer to stay away from its grasp, use 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. The butter will provide some nice color and flavor.
But I think you should use bacon grease. If for no other reason than none of your neighbors are. It's important to be different!
Next, chop or press 2 cloves of garlic and add it to the skillet. Note the tiny bits of bacon that were present in the bacon grease. Yikes. Is that even legal?
Then add in the onion, stirring around and cooking it for a moment.
Then add 1/2 teaspoons to 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Hyacinth used 1 teaspoon and it was plenty salty…but that was part of what made it so good. Also add in some black pepper to taste.
NOW—important: Turn the heat to low/medium low and cover with a lid, but CRACK THE LID so the steam escapes. Cook for 20-30 minutes until the liquid totally evaporates and the beans are fairly soft, but still have a bit of a bite to them. Don't be afraid to let the chicken broth cook away, because the onions and beans will begin to caramelize, which means flavor-flavor-flavor!
Here's what they looked like about 15 minutes into cooking. Notice the chicken broth has fled the scene.
And here's the finished product. Absolutely, positively delicious, and I ain't lyin'. The beans were definitely cooked but still slightly crisp, and the onions and red pepper were caramelized and beautiful. And the flavor of the bacon grease was definitely there.
Here was a surprising development: our kids—all seven of the little punk whippersnappers—loved them. They gathered around the platter one by one and soon it was a mass of kid fingers, grabbing individual green beans as if their lives depended on it. Marlboro Man even joined in the swarm.
Then I grabbed a wooden spoon and began rapping knuckles. Hey, I wouldn't have gotten my fair share otherwise. These green beans are good, folks! They're really that good.
Fresh Green Beans, One Way
1 lb green beans
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 tablespoons bacon grease (can substitute 1 T butter and 1 T olive oil)
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 to 1 teaspoon kosher salt (can substitute regular table salt; use 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon)
Ground black pepper
Snap the stem ends of green beans, or cut them off in a big bunch with a knife if you'd like. Just don't tell Granny. Melt bacon grease in a skillet over medium low heat. Add garlic and onions and cook for a minute. Then add green beans and cook for a minute until beans turn bright green. Add the chicken broth, chopped red pepper, salt, and black pepper. Turn heat to low and cover with a lid, leaving lid cracked to allow steam to escape. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes or until liquid evaporates and beans are fairly soft, yet still a bit crisp. You can add more chicken broth during the cooking process, but don't be afraid to let it all cook away so the onions and peppers can caramelize.
Have a wooden spoon handy to protect your fair share.
Pioneer Woman
PW's Fresh Green Beans Printable Recipe
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Fresh Green Beans, One Way
- Prep Time:
- Cook Time:
- Difficulty:
- Easy
- Servings:
- 6
- 1 pound Green Beans
- 2 Tablespoons Bacon Grease (can Substitute 1 Tablespoon Butter And 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil)
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 1 cup Chopped Onion
- 1 cup Chicken Broth
- 1/2 cup Chopped Red Bell Pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon (to 1 Teaspoon) Kosher Salt (can Substitute Regular Table Salt; Use 1/4 To 1/2 Teaspoon)
- Ground Black Pepper To Taste
Preparation Instructions
Snap the stem ends of the green beans, or cut them off in a big bunch with a knife if you'd like. Just don't tell Granny.
Melt bacon grease in a skillet over medium low heat. Add garlic and onions and cook for a minute. Then add green beans and cook for a minute until beans turn bright green.
Add the chicken broth, chopped red pepper, salt and black pepper. Turn heat to low and cover with a lid, leaving lid cracked to allow steam to escape. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes or until liquid evaporates and beans are fairly soft, yet still a bit crisp.
You can add more chicken broth during the cooking process, but don't be afraid to let it all cook away so the onions and peppers can caramelize.
Have a wooden spoon handy to protect your fair share.
325 Comments
jennscookin On Monday, June 9 at 9:21 am
The title could say "Fresh Green Beans – The Fabulous Way". I have never like green beans. That is until I discovered fresh green beans. I had only had canned for the
longest time, now I love….. green beans.
Weird isn't it.
Oh and I think I might just be your first poster to this message. I hope, I hope….
Kelly On Monday, June 9 at 9:21 am
Am I first? I just saw this post come up…. we LOVE fresh green beans. I usually cook them just until crisp tender, then butter, salt & pepper. Very simple, but sweet and good! I will try your recipe next time I make them.
nottryingforaboy On Monday, June 9 at 9:23 am
You know, I love most veggies, but I've never been a fan of green beans. These look great though, must be the bacon grease!
SueZ On Monday, June 9 at 9:23 am
Looks delightful! We love green beans, but I always seem to do them the same way…cook 'em forever with bacon, onion, garlic and red pepper flakes. Yummy that way too, but I'm going to try yours next.
jennscookin On Monday, June 9 at 9:23 am
Hi there Kelly, ha, I got the first one.
I have this site set as my home page and when I saw it come up, I wanted to post right quick just so I could be first. Looks like you missed it by less seconds. Sorry,
TheCottonWife On Monday, June 9 at 9:24 am
Mmmm… snaps (that's what we call 'em in our neck of the woods). To be honest though, I just cook them with a slab of fatback and lots of pepper and some salt.
One of my favorite things is to sit on my back porch with a 5 gallon bucket of snaps and snap the ends off.
You should come visit us – my father in law planted a whole mess of snaps this year in his garden! I guess you could take those home on a plane!
MAYBELLINE On Monday, June 9 at 9:26 am
What a coincidence. I made something similar last night. The only addition is quartered red potatoes.
PAM On Monday, June 9 at 9:26 am
Another to add to my collection. This looks delicious!! Can't wait to get to the store and get some green beans.
Denise On Monday, June 9 at 9:29 am
YUM!!!!!!!! Can't wait to try this one. Thanks, Ree and Hyacinth!
Joy On Monday, June 9 at 9:29 am
I make this recipe slightly different to speed up cooking time. I steam the green beans in a pot separately for about 10 minutes, and at the same time get my garlic green onion sauteeing in the skillet with some bacon. I then strain the green beans, and dump them in the skillet to finish up – about 5 minutes. Be sure to give them a good toss in there so they're coated with the butter and seasonings.
Elaine On Monday, June 9 at 9:29 am
Hey Ree,
If you would like , crisper, tender green beans, try parboiling the beans first for about a minute.Then stir fry for a few minutes and add about a fourth of cup of broth and steam for a few minutes. The beans will stay a brighter green and be crisp and tender. You could carmelize the onion and red pepper beforehand and then add to beans later. Just a different way of cooking veggies I picked up from my grandmother and mother.
Prudy On Monday, June 9 at 9:31 am
This is how we had them growing up-with little bits of crispy bacon or prosciutto.
Lisa from Kentucky On Monday, June 9 at 9:31 am
I love love love green beaners. We have some planted but not ready to harvest. But I am sure my local grocery has just what I need!!!!! I am a BIG believer in bacon grease for lots of things. Call me a sinner, but alas, it is what I am!
corrie On Monday, June 9 at 9:31 am
I will definitly try this, because I despise plain green beans.
However, I find it amazing one could cook beans for 20-30 minutes (even on low) and they'll have any bite left in 'em!
Tracy B. On Monday, June 9 at 9:31 am
Thanks for this recipe. I like green beans steamed, but my family isn't crazy about them. Maybe they'll like them fixed this way.
Holly On Monday, June 9 at 9:33 am
I make mine very similiar. cook up a little bacon (2 slices), remove bacon, and some of grease. Add onion and cook. Chop up bacon and add back to pan along with broth and green beans. Add a little bit of brown sugar, and continue cooking just like ya said. YUMMY! Bacon, onion, beans, and brown sugar! Almost heaven!
Leslie On Monday, June 9 at 9:33 am
Sounds yummy!
Liza Lee Miller On Monday, June 9 at 9:33 am
Yum. I'm going to try it but I'll be leaving out the red peppers. Just my thing. For the record, I cut the ends (both) off green beans with a knife. Works great and it's faster!
Patti On Monday, June 9 at 9:33 am
Crap. I thought I invented this recipe. I've been making these for over a year and my son loves them. I call them, "Scorched Green Beans." Whatever the name, they're deeeeee-lish!
Jen On Monday, June 9 at 9:34 am
My hubby was just saying yesterday that we needed more recipes for veggies because he doesn't love them, but knows he needs to eat them. And he had just made broccoli with a little bacon! I think this will be a winner!!
Elle On Monday, June 9 at 9:34 am
Thanks for the tip about only snapping off one end. Never gave it much thought, but it will save lots of time!
Sara, Ms. Adventures in Italy On Monday, June 9 at 9:35 am
I wish bacon were more readily available here in Italy, so I could build up that necessary little container of bacon grease! I throw in a few cloves of garlic at the beginning and they get nice and browned by the time the beans are done! Yum.
christey On Monday, June 9 at 9:38 am
oh that sounds soooo good! and easy! Peter makes a complicated recipe that i love (well may not be complicated, but I don't cook, so it is for me ) but I could actually do this myself for those days when he leaves me alone to fend for myself (okey, not that bad, he goes out of state for two days for work every now and then ). between this and michelle's mac and cheese, i am SET! oh and the bacon fat?! SWEET!
Jacquie On Monday, June 9 at 9:39 am
Yum, those look amazing – can't wait to try them. I'm curious to see how the texture holds up
Loving Annie On Monday, June 9 at 9:39 am
Oh yummm, Ree ! excellent idea ! I'm going to make those for dinner tonight ! I LOVE green beans, and this is going to make them fabulous
Lisaiz On Monday, June 9 at 9:40 am
Yum! And you're absolutely right – a little bacon grease is key. I always wondered why I couldn't make green beans like my grandmother did, and then a couple weeks ago I found a similar recipe that called for salt pork (basically bacon). They were ALMOST as good as my grandmother's – the only difference I think is that my grandmother's green beans were always picked fresh out of her garden that morning and mine came from the grocery store. Next year I'm adding beans to my garden!
Mary On Monday, June 9 at 9:40 am
Hey Ree. Yesterday my husband was asking if any of my recipes used bacon grease. I don't tell him how many do! I think I'll make these beans tonight- yum.
Tracy On Monday, June 9 at 9:40 am
How people eat 'em outta the can is beyond me! Those look fantastic, Ree…oooh and Hyacinth Ü
Nique On Monday, June 9 at 9:41 am
Wow. These sound so yummy! The kiddoes and I all love our veggies but dear hubby is a bit more stingy with his veggie likes – this one will definately perk up his interest! Thanks!
ralemap On Monday, June 9 at 9:42 am
Lauren in Bmore On Monday, June 9 at 9:42 am
YUM – sounds so good. Question – where do you store your bacon grease? in the fridge, after you pour it in a can?
farmnwife On Monday, June 9 at 9:43 am
I'll have to leave out the bell pepper. But the rest sounds great. We don't eat them out of a can. But we do do frozen sometimes.
Margaret On Monday, June 9 at 9:43 am
Oh yes. can't wait until my beans are ready to pick. Haven't tried the red bell peppers but it does look good.
Acher On Monday, June 9 at 9:44 am
Oh my goodness. THANK YOU for understanding the bacon grease thing. I have had people nearly fall off their chairs when they ask what I did to the green beans to make them so tasty, and I tell them its bacon grease!! My nana made her beans this way always- and it will always be my favorite way to eat them!
Katy On Monday, June 9 at 9:45 am
These look amazing. I'll have to give this a whirl sometime this week! :o) I'll need to half the recipe though, cooking for one is such a pain!
Rhonda from Minnesota On Monday, June 9 at 9:49 am
Oh Yum! Unfortunately, us poor saps here in Minnesota are still waiting for fresh beans…..the plants are just about two inches out of the ground. We have weeks to go still.
I can hardly wait to try this recipe! mmmmmm!
Alicia On Monday, June 9 at 9:50 am
Those look amazing! What a fantastic combination of ingredients. Thanks for all the great recipes.
Sarah On Monday, June 9 at 9:50 am
Ohh Yummmmmmmmmmm! You are the only person who could show me a picture of green bean first thing in the morning and get my saliva glands going!
Chelsea On Monday, June 9 at 9:52 am
This is pretty much how I usually cook my fresh green beans too. They always turn out great!
Tanya On Monday, June 9 at 9:52 am
I've always loved fresh green beans. I make them with garlic, bacon, and vinegar. Yours look great too!
kimmyk On Monday, June 9 at 9:52 am
they look really yummy!
Michelle On Monday, June 9 at 9:53 am
This is perfect – I have a bag full of green beans and bacon grease! Whew. Can't wait to make these.
~scrumtralescent~ On Monday, June 9 at 9:53 am
Yum! Paula Deen has a similiar recipe w/taters….and you cook them forever.
Am I the only person who likes her beaners soft???
As for canned beans, when I do make them, I plop two cans of blue lake Del Monte beans (juice and all), salt and pepper, 1 tsp or so of olive oil, and a 1/2 tsp-1 tsp of sugar. Cook this all down until the juice is gone and they are starting to burn. Not as good as fresh, but still tasty! Ohh…I cook over medium heat…takes about 30 minutes.
Abbie On Monday, June 9 at 9:53 am
That's similar to how I make mine! I do chopped onion, bacon grease and just a scant bit of sugar….oh it's pure heaven! Even my no-veggie-eating husband loves them!
Now, I wish I hadn't planted my garden so late…I'm dying for green beans!
Bethany On Monday, June 9 at 9:55 am
My name is Bethany, and I'm a picky eater. As enticing as you describe it, sauteed green beans with bacon, onions, and bell pepper is my LEAST favorite way to eat them. I go so far as to ask at restaurants how they cook their green beans – if a speck of bacon or onion is in them, I stay away. For me, just some salt, pepper, maybe some Nature's Seasonings, and butter is the way to go.
But even if I don't agree with the deliciousness of one recipe, I still love every inch of your site! You'll just have to pardon my picky eating habits. :o)
Syndee On Monday, June 9 at 9:56 am
Oooooooo, I'm gonna have to get me some bacon and beans. Yum!! And Ree, how's that next installment of Black Heels coming? No pressure… OK PRESSURE PRESSURE PRESSURE!!!!
Gennie On Monday, June 9 at 9:56 am
Oh man, I've just got to get married. And fast. Because right now, I've got to keep an eye on how large my hips are. That means even though I desperately want to use all the full-fat ingredients in your recipes, Ree, I just can't. Olive oil here I come. Snap beans, yum!
Southern Gal On Monday, June 9 at 9:57 am
Thanks for this fresh recipe! I've made green beans many ways, but was tired of them all. I hate passing up green beans in the store or at a local produce stand. So thanks for another way to fix them up. I can't wait to get these on the table. It's one of the few veggies everyone in my family will eat.
Rebecca On Monday, June 9 at 9:57 am
Another great recipe with green beans is to take a package of bacon and cut it in half. Then grab 4-5 green beans and wrap them in the half strip of bacon. Begin to lay these little packages of goodness in a 9×13 pyrex pan until full. Then take 1/2 a stick of butter and melt it. Add 1/4 cup of brown sugar and stir, then garlic salt to taste and then pour all over the top. Adjust if you make a smaller pan – or more if you like more sauce. Bake at 350 until bacon is cooked. When you take them out you are left with HEAVEN!! Very Yummy!!!
tj On Monday, June 9 at 10:00 am
…Wow do these ever look good! I am def' giving this one a try and am doing so this week… I've got Paula Deen's meat loaf on the menu this week and I think I'll make these to go with it. And one MUST use bacon grease – I can't imagine any other way 'round it!
…Thanks Hyacinth and Ree!
…Blessings… :o)
Laurel On Monday, June 9 at 10:00 am
I have a stupid question about bacon grease but I'm not going to ask it. I always love a new way to prepare a veg and I'll definitely do this one! Looks yummy!
ShannonK On Monday, June 9 at 10:03 am
Thanks, Ree, for this recipe. I love all of your recipes; however, my DH and I have gone back onto Phase 1 of the South Beach Diet, which doesn't allow for all the butter-drippin' goodness of a lot of your recipes. I've been looking through your site, and I'm going to try your spicy shrimp soon. I think these green beans will go great with them, but I'll have to use Smart Balance instead of bacon grease.
Thanks again for your step-by-step instructions and photos. Thanks to Hyacinth for demonstrating for us and for sticking by tradition. I remember sitting on the porch swing with my Nanny, snapping beans. I think it's a rite of passage!
Hope you have a great week,
aka bluebonnetmama
tj On Monday, June 9 at 10:03 am
…lol…I just noticed over here on the sidebar a "5,000 Readers Recipes" – how cool is that? Thanks for making that so handy to use Ree! Is there no end to your giving?… ;o)
…Blessings girl…
Julie On Monday, June 9 at 10:04 am
These look so good! I am making these asap. I grew up with only the soggy green beans so this is going to be a nice change!! Thanks!
Nancy in Nebraska On Monday, June 9 at 10:07 am
I've never been totally happy with the way I fix fresh green beans, so I am very anxious to try this recipe. It has all my favorite ingredients.
Thanks for having Hyacinth share her hands with us.
Dana On Monday, June 9 at 10:12 am
I canNOT wait until our garden starts producing these.
This recipe looks SCRUMDIDDLYUMPTIOUS Ree!
Barb On Monday, June 9 at 10:13 am
Girrrrrrrrrrrllllllll! It's hotter than blazes here so I think I'm going to make these for dinner tonight with a nice chunk of salmon.
Becky On Monday, June 9 at 10:13 am
Thanks! i was planning on steaming some gr. beans for dinner tonight, but i think i'll try this instead!
~Mad(elyn) On Monday, June 9 at 10:14 am
Me? I am in awe of the great cast iron skillet. I have my Grammy's passed down through the years – probably from the early 1900's.
One question – I so rarely fry bacon that I have no grease in a jar in the refrig – somebody send me some of their's? Okay, heading next door to my neighbor – must easier.
mynda On Monday, June 9 at 10:16 am
Nothin better than fresh string beans…now if we only had some sun right now in the NW so they would grow.
Happy Monday!
Deputy's Wife On Monday, June 9 at 10:16 am
Looks like a great recipe.
My grandma always told me that by snapping the ends off the ends won't turn brown. Evidently a knife will do that to green beans (and lettuce too). We pull them from the garden, then snap, then clean, then put in the fridge ready to use.
I make mine with bacon and onion. Barely cover green beans and chopped onion with water, let them cook down (water evaporating). While they are cooking down (25-30 minutes, like yours) take chopped bacon and fry. When green beans and onion are ready, add bacon with the grease and all.
You can't beat bacon grease!
Jennifer On Monday, June 9 at 10:22 am
My recipe is similar , but I actually chop up bits of bacon and then drain most of the fat before I cook the beans in the rest. I don't usually cook them in the pan, though. I like to toss the garlic, onion, peppers, beans, bacon and fat, and I add slivered almonds, and then I spread them on a baking sheet and roast them until the beans are done. I like mine a bit caramelized and crispy on the outside edges. My garden started late this year because of all the tornadic weather, but my beans are finally sprouting and I cannot wait for them to finish coming in!
Kandace On Monday, June 9 at 10:24 am
Fresh green beans are my favorite! This looks delicious.
dlyn On Monday, June 9 at 10:24 am
Oh yum – I never get tired of green beans and we have them every single night while they are coming on in the garden. I will add this recipe to the list of ones I use.
Donna On Monday, June 9 at 10:27 am
I love, love, love green beans – especially this time of year! I will be making these this week!! …and I have PLENTY of bacon grease…if anyone needs some!!!
Molly On Monday, June 9 at 10:27 am
I remember sitting on the the back porch growing up and snapping five gallon bucket of green beans from my mothers garden. Mom would get up at frist light and start picking and my brother and I would have to start snapping. My mom canned quarts and quarts of green beans while I was growing up. I couldn't and still cannot eat green beans from out of an metal can.
I discovered fresh green beans about a year ago and is the only way I cook them for my husband and two little girls. I make them very similiar to this recipe only no peppers. I'll try that next time.
And you have discovered the secret ingrediant to any good dish, bacon grease. It kinda like ketchup. One could eat cardboard with enough ketchup. It think I could eat cardboard if it tasted like bacon.
Kit On Monday, June 9 at 10:32 am
OK, I adore fresh green beans, and I am such a purist: I like them steamed and tossed with just a TOUCH of salt, MAYBE a drip of olive oil. I can be adamant about this. Don't screw up my fresh green beans!!
But you might just widen my green bean horizons. You might. Those look good.
Bridget On Monday, June 9 at 10:32 am
I have never thought to do anything but open a can of green beans and heat them. I learn something new (and old, with the snapping of the ends!) every single day!
Asthmagirl On Monday, June 9 at 10:33 am
There's something about the flavor of bacon and green bean!
Jilley On Monday, June 9 at 10:34 am
Your skillet and bacon grease looks just like MY skillet and bacon grease! Oh-yeah!
Fresh skillet-fried green beans, buttermilk cornbread, iced sweet tea with a slice of lemon…takes me back to my Great-Aunt Mary's kitchen in her little 3 1/2 room shotgun house. No air conditioner…just the window fan blowing, but my, what a spread on that table! Thanks for the stirring up the memories with this wonderful recipe. Keep'm comin'!
Maria On Monday, June 9 at 10:35 am
I love green beans. I make mine in a similar way, but without the bacon grease and the red bell pepper. The bacon grease probably gives it a nice flavor.
Cara On Monday, June 9 at 10:36 am
PW, this is how I make my green beans! We don't have any yet (maybe next week), but I did spend two hours on Saturday picking and shelling fresh peas. YUM!!
Noelle On Monday, June 9 at 10:37 am
I'm with #11 – Elaine. The coloring of these beans is surprisingly pale, not the beautiful vibrant green I associate with fresh green beans. Maybe that is because I tend to steam mine? Anyways, this post made me realize how sad I am that I didn't plant green beans this year
The other Julie On Monday, June 9 at 10:43 am
Those look so good. I hate the new fangled way of cooking them for about 1.5 seconds and then eating them. Too rustic for me. LOL.
My sister in law wanted to cut the ends off the green beans the first time she made them… my southern girl sensibilities were sooooooooo offended. Ya gotta snap them, darlin'!
lovemydrewbear On Monday, June 9 at 10:43 am
Yes these do look so yummy, but are you pregnant (tee, hee)?
trashalou On Monday, June 9 at 10:44 am
Maybe this will convince my childer that beans (other than baked) ARE good and yummy – oooo! I could even get them to cook the recipe (I'm a bad mother that way!)
Shilo On Monday, June 9 at 10:49 am
Mmmm, I love green beans. Thanks for this idea. I think I'll try it. (Minus the bacon grease. I can't eat bacon.)
Robin (the pensieve one) On Monday, June 9 at 10:53 am
I "cannot" make fresh green beans….it's phobic level, really :/.
But….my recipe for Sweet & Sour green beans, using (gasp) CANNED BEANS? People a) think they're Southern-cooked fresh, and b) get thirds of those BEFORE DESSERT! (Heathens!)
I'll have to post the recipe and share it with ya (for when you're back to the canned variety).
Maybe I'll get the nerve to try this??? Time will tell…I tried the Crashed Potatoes and found a new staple for our meat & threes :).
brandy On Monday, June 9 at 10:54 am
Mmmmm, they look so scrumptious! My hubbies would probably eat more vegatables if I cooked them in bacon grease.
brandy On Monday, June 9 at 10:55 am
Errr, I only have one hubby…that comment reads all wrong. Lord have mercy I can only deal with one!
Junebug On Monday, June 9 at 10:56 am
Mmmmmmmmmmmm…….so good. As Mr. Food would say.
Amanda E. On Monday, June 9 at 10:56 am
I never thought it was possible but I think you finally posted a recipe I won't like…I can't stand green beans, much to the confusion of everyone around me who can't figure out why I am so out of whack. Sorry. But keep the recipes coming! =)
NuJoi On Monday, June 9 at 10:58 am
Some of my favorite memories of my grandmother are her picking green beans in her garden. I'm of the Southern-cook-them-with-onion-and-smoked-meat-until-they-turn-to mush pursuasion. I can say I am breaking with tradition and eating green beans al dente these days.
The Homesteading Housewife On Monday, June 9 at 11:06 am
just picked a big old bushel full of beans… might have to try this recipe! thanks!
Ruth Ann in East Texas On Monday, June 9 at 11:06 am
i do believe that bacon grease and chicken broth would cure cancer! you can't beat the bacon grease to add flavor! never thought of doing the red pepper with it tho; will have to try that….and always, those green beans are good cooked with the red potatoes too. (skins on). Thanks Ree for sharing.
Lora On Monday, June 9 at 11:09 am
Oh my!! My grandma used to make a recipe almost just like this. She called them Fried Green Beans and they were delicious! Of course, being from the South, we fry almost everything, right? And I definitely think bacon grease is the way to go–I always keep a little jar in my fridge. Nothing like it for awesome flavor!
Dejoni On Monday, June 9 at 11:09 am
Bacon grease is FABULOUS to cook with. You should try frying fresh cut off the ear corn.in it. YUMMY!
Miz Booshay On Monday, June 9 at 11:10 am
These look wonderful.
Linda from Vegas On Monday, June 9 at 11:10 am
Take fresh green beans and sliced red onions, marinate in olive oil, kosher salt and cook them on the BBQ grill. Delicious! This also works with carrots,(slice them long and precook in micro) also works with asparagas(delicious) ,yellow squash and even chunks of potatoes if you micro them a bit before BBQing. Use everything I just mentioned and BBQ them all together and you have the perfect side dish for everything.
Luna On Monday, June 9 at 11:13 am
I like green beans too, but it totally freaks me out because they SQUEEK in my teeth when I chew them. Does that happen to you? Or do I just have squeek-easy teeth?
Julie On Monday, June 9 at 11:13 am
My grandmother used to just cook bacon and then add everything else you did without the extra salt (bacon is salty already) and added a little teryiaki (spelling)sauce at the end as well. YUMMMMMMMMY!
Sarah On Monday, June 9 at 11:17 am
They look very appetising. Though I must say, being a fan of the West Wing, I can't hear "green beans—also known as "string beans" or "snap beans"" in any voice other than CJ Cregg's.
Julie On Monday, June 9 at 11:19 am
I love green beans – can't wait to try this recipe!
Katy On Monday, June 9 at 11:23 am
Yum! Thanks!
ms ellie On Monday, June 9 at 11:25 am
Hello Hyacinth,
I've missed you.
StacyH in Texas On Monday, June 9 at 11:28 am
The only thing missing from your recipe is slivered almonds. Looks delicious.
Jolita Miller On Monday, June 9 at 11:30 am
Thanks for the recipe! It came just in time. I picked the last of my green beans this morning. I will definately try making it this way.
Jodie On Monday, June 9 at 11:36 am
Holy yowza, Ree. This is my EXACT recipe for green beans, but the last five minutes of cooking, I lay sliced tomatoes over the top and then sprinkle grated mozzerella and a tiny bit of basil and oregano over the top of the tomatoes. When the cheese metls – they're done! My hubby (who is a meat and potato eating like MM) says it's his single favorite vegetable dish.
Christy On Monday, June 9 at 11:39 am
Carolyn On Monday, June 9 at 11:43 am
Green beans are my absolute fav! Except for the time my Mom snapped the beans and I ended up with half a caterpillar inside one looking right at me. My Dad tried to smooth it over by saying it would give me more protein. Yuck! But I never gave up … still my favs to this day. xxoo


text:
Yarmouth survives Cape's upset bid
PORTLAND—The Yarmouth boys' basketball team has heard for a week that it would be hard to beat rival Cape Elizabeth a third time when the teams squared off Saturday afternoon in a Western Class B quarterfinal round playoff game at the Portland Exposition Building.
It turned out to be even more difficult than the Clippers could have imagined.
But they managed to find a way to survive and advance and make history in the process.
Oh yeah, and keep their championship dreams alive.
Fourth-seeded Yarmouth threatened to pull away early in the game, when it went up, 12-5, late in the first half, when it took a 24-16 lead, and late in the third period, when it grabbed a 37-30 advantage, but each time, the fifth-ranked Capers answered and refused to go away.
Then, in the fourth quarter, Cape Elizabeth completed a 10-2 run and took its first lead since the early moments of the game when sophomore Justin Guerette made a baseline jumper with 3:47 to play, making it 40-39.
The Clippers didn't buckle either and with 3:15 to go, senior standout David Murphy sank a 3 and Yarmouth was back on top.
The Capers answered again on a 3 from sophomore Jack O'Rourke with 1:53 remaining, but 46 seconds later, off an inbounds set, Clippers senior Nate Shields-Auble took a pass from classmate Ethan Gage and made a jumper in the lane to put his team ahead for good.
Junior Adam LaBrie added a free throw with 4.6 seconds to go and Yarmouth, which fended off some anxious moments down the stretch, was able to hold on, 45-43.
Murphy led all scorers with 16 points, Gage and LaBrie each had eight and Shields-Auble added seven as the Clippers improved to 15-4, ended Cape Elizabeth's season at 11-8 and advanced to face top-ranked Greely (18-1) in the semifinals Thursday at 9 p.m., at the Cumberland County Civic Center.
"Every tournament game is tough," Gage said. "Every team plays like it's do or die, so anytime you can beat a team like Cape it feels good, no matter how it's done."
A round too early
Yarmouth and Cape Elizabeth hoped to avoid one another until a later round, but the vagaries of the Heal Points decided otherwise.
The Capers were competitive all year, but had no answers for the top powers in the Western Maine Conference, losing twice apiece to defending Class B champion Falmouth, Greely and Yarmouth and once to Poland, but they still managed to qualify for the postseason for the 17th year in a row.
The Clippers weren't able to hold their own against Falmouth and Greely (losing twice apiece), but they beat everyone else to get back to the quarterfinals after falling in the preliminary round last season.
Yarmouth took the two regular season meetings: 66-52 at home and 67-55 at Cape Elizabeth.
The Capers had won the three prior playoff encounters, with a 61-47 triumph in the 2011 Western B Final the most recent.
Saturday, a game that was expected to be close did not disappoint.
While teams are often cold and tentative at the start of their first tournament games, that wasn't the case in this one.
Just 46 seconds in, sophomore Jack O'Rourke knocked down a 3 for Cape Elizabeth and we were off and running.
The Clippers' first basket came on a 3 as well, courtesy Gage. Shields-Auble then scored on a putback while being fouled and added the free throw for the old-fashioned three-point play.
After Guerette hit a jumper for the Capers, Gage made a 3 and Murphy did the same to make it 12-5.
After Cape Elizabeth got back within three on a layup after a steal from O'Rourke and two foul shots from junior Ethan Murphy, David Murphy set up junior Jordan Brown for a layup and Yarmouth had a 14-9 lead after one quarter.
In the second, the Clippers got a little breathing room, but it didn't last.
After a putback from junior Eddie Galvin and a 3 from O'Rourke allowed the Capers to tie the score, Gage hit a short baseline jumper. O'Rourke then set up Ethan Murphy for a layup to make it 16-16, but LaBrie took a shot from behind the NBA 3-point line and banked it in and the next time down the floor, LaBrie canned another long 3. With 2:20 left, after sophomore Cody Cook kept possession alive with an offensive rebound, sophomore Musseit M'Bareck hit a jumper in the lane for an eight-point advantage, 24-16.
Momentum then turned when Cook was called for a dubious charge and at the other end, Galvin somehow managed to covert an up-and-under scoop shot with his left hand. Galvin added two foul shots and the Capers were only down by four, 24-20, at halftime.
The third period saw more of the same, Yarmouth threatening to pull away and Cape Elizabeth answering.
After Ethan Murphy was credited for a tip-in 22 seconds in (Shields-Auble actually tipped it into the hoop by accident), David Murphy started heating up at the other end, making a jumper.
Guerette made a foul shot and Galvin tipped in a miss to cut the Clippers' lead to a mere point, 26-25, but after M'Bareck kept possession alive with an offensive rebound, he fed David Murphy for a jumper. Ethan Murphy countered with a 3-ball, but after Brown kept possession alive by tipping a missed shot to Shields-Auble before falling out of bounds, Shields-Auble found an open Murphy up top, who made another 3.
"My teammates did a great job setting picks and finding me," Murphy said. "My shot wasn't falling at first. It's fun shooting here. It's a fun atmosphere with the fans close to you."
O'Rourke finished a finger roll in the lane, but LaBrie sank a free throw and Brown took a pass on the break from LaBrie and made a layup for a 37-30 lead.
In the final minute, however, the Capers responded again, as senior John Hall hit a 3 from the wing and Yarmouth's lead was a mere four points with eight minutes to play.
That set up the palpitating finish.
Guerette pulled Cape Elizabeth within two with a jumper, but Shields-Auble made a fallaway jumper in the lane to push the lead back to four, 39-35.
Galvin then made a free throw and with 4:31 to play, Galvin drove for a layup and the Capers were within one, 39-38.
The comeback became complete with 3:47 to go, when Galvin set up Guerette for a baseline jumper, giving Cape Elizabeth its first lead since 3-0.
It only lasted 32 seconds, as Murphy somehow slipped free, got the ball and buried a 3 for a 42-40 lead.
Back roared the Capers, as Galvin set up O'Rourke for a 3 and the underdogs were on the brink of the upset, but they couldn't hold on.
After Murphy missed a 3, Brown got the rebound to keep possession alive. Brown then tried a 3 and missed, but grabbed his own rebound. Gage missed a shot, but Galvin was called for his fifth foul and Yarmouth kept possession.
Off the ensuing inbounds set, the Clippers scored their biggest field goal since the 2012 Class B state final.
Gage spotted Shields-Auble in the lane, fed him the ball and Shields-Auble went up for a leaner that was true, making it 44-43 Yarmouth with 1:07 to play.
"Nate did a great job finishing when he had to," Murphy said.
"It was just eye contact," said Gage. "We both saw the space. I just tried to put it in a place he could go and come up with it. It worked out."
"We talk about what we're going to do out of bounds last second, sidelines last second, so everybody knew their assignment," added Clippers coach Adam Smith. "That was the exact look we wanted to get. Cape was in a 2-3 (zone) at that point, which made the pass a little easier, but the shot a little more difficult because they had two or three guys right there, but Nate elevated well and had a nice look."
Ethan Murphy then had a good on the baseline at the other end, but missed and Gage got the rebound.
The Capers got the ball right back thanks to an O'Rourke steal, but Ethan Murphy missed a runner and David Murphy was fouled on the rebound.
With 21.6 seconds showing, Murphy missed the front end of a one-and-one and Cape Elizabeth still had life after Guerette got the rebound.
The Capers' hopes would come down to unheralded sophomore Marcus Donnelly, who had a good look at a 3 from the wing, but his shot was no good. Guerette managed to come down with the rebound, but LaBrie stole the ball away and with 4.6 seconds showing (an awful lot of time as it would prove), LaBrie went to the line for a one-and-one, looking to guarantee his team nothing worse than overtime.
LaBrie's first free throw was true.
"It was a little scary," LaBrie said. "I've been in that situation before. Knocking down one was good."
His second attempt, however, was not, but Yarmouth got a reprieve, as Gage tipped the rebound to LaBrie.
"It came off quickly off the front rim and I just reached for it and got it out to let my teammates make a play," Gage said. "That's what happened. Rebounding has to be a priority all the time. We can't give up rebounds. We have to get the ball and push it and get into our game."
"I wish I'd knocked down the second one, but Ethan had a nice tip, I got the rebound and got it out," LaBrie said.
In that split second, it looked like the win was in the bag.
Not so fast.
As time wound down, LaBrie passed to Murphy in the backcourt to run out the clock, but instead of cradling the ball until the buzzer sounded, Murphy tossed it up in the air underhanded.
Problem was, he didn't throw it high enough and it came down to Guerette near midcourt and as the buzzer sounded, Guerette sent a desperation heave toward the basket.
Had it gone in, the ending would have been Sportscenter-worthy, but the Capers would not prevail in fairy tale, buzzer beating fashion (as they did in upsetting top-ranked Falmouth in the 2004 quarterfinals or Greely in improbable fashion in the 2009 semifinals).
This time, the miracle bid was off target and at last, the Clippers were able to exhale.
"I thought (the throw in the air) would waste the rest of the game out, but I looked back and saw the ball heading toward the rim and it was pretty scary," said Murphy. "I need to throw it higher next time."
"We had just discussed that (scenario) in practice," Smith said. "He'll hold on to it next time. I told him if you're going to do that, throw it higher next time."
After dodging that enormous bullet, Yarmouth celebrated the victory.
"We're happy we got the win," LaBrie said. "We didn't play as well as we wanted to. Cape played an amazing game, but we did what we had to do. We've never beaten Cape three times (in one season) or in the playoffs. We finally did that and it's great."
"Cape's a great team," Murphy said. "We knew they'd come out and play great to the finish. This is huge. We've tried to establish ourselves as a team that's always in the playoffs."
"I knew it would be a very tough game," Smith added. "Cape came prepared. In the tournament, they have the perfect team to be patient, slow the game down, take their time and knock down shots. We did not escape. We won the game. We made shots down the stretch and played defense when we had to. The difference might have been our senior leadership. Defensively, I thought we played really well at the end. We didn't give them great looks and we rebounded well. The seniors really made a difference on the floor late in the game for us."
Yarmouth's winning effort was paced by Murphy, who had 16 points, including four 3-pointers. Murphy only had three points at the half, but came up huge in the second half.
"David played the whole game, 32 minutes, and he hit big shots for us," Smith said. "He defends well, he distributes well. I need his leadership on the floor. WMC teams defend him very well, so there's not any daylight. Any points he gets, he earns."
Gage added eight points, six rebounds and one huge assist.
LaBrie had eight points, four boards, three assists and a steal.
Shields-Auble had seven points and six rebounds.
Brown added four points and M'Bareck had two (to go with five assists).
The Clippers turned the ball over 13 times and made 3 of 6 free throws.
Tough to swallow
Cape Elizabeth was led by O'Rourke, who had 13 points, five rebounds, two steals and a pair of assists.
Galvin had 11 points, six boards, three assists, a steal and a block before fouling out.
Murphy, who also left early, had nine points, while Guerette added seven (to go with a game-high 10 rebounds) and Hall had three.
The Capers outrebounded the Clippers, 29-27, committed only 10 turnovers and made 6 of 11 foul shots, but it wasn't enough.
"We played tough," Cape Elizabeth coach Jim Ray said. "We just didn't have the necessary composure. We missed some foul shots throughout and missed contested layups. You have to make those. We gave them a couple looks they shouldn't have had. Just miscues defensively. It was better than the first two times we played them, but it's disappointing.
"It would have been nice to move on and play another game, but someone has to lose. We just tried to be better at what we do. We know them so well. They know us so well. We kept working, but it's tough to simulate what they do in practice. They keep coming. It was a good high school basketball game."
The Capers' record might not reflect it, but they came a long way over the course of the season.
"We struggled figuring out how to win games in the summer, but we figured out who had confidence," Ray said. "We were in a lot of close games this year. We won most of the games we were supposed to. We knew we'd struggle against Falmouth, Greely and Yarmouth. Hats off to every single one of the guys for coming and working hard. They showed a lot of commitment. Most of these guys will be back, but we have to work hard to get better. We won't just get better."
Yarmouth will be the decided underdog Thursday when the action moves across town. That's because the Clippers were swept this year by the Rangers (57-49 at Greely and 65-48 at home).
Yarmouth and Greely have played four previous times in the playoffs, with each team winning twice. The most recent meeting came in the 2011 semifinals, when the Clippers upset the top-ranked Rangers, 54-42.
Greely and Yarmouth have appeared to be the two best teams in the region most of the season, so it's fitting they square off, although once again, it can be argued it's a round too soon.
"(The Civic Center's) a great place to play basketball because the fans are far away, so it's just two teams playing basketball," Gage said. "It's fun. I appreciate that atmosphere."
The Clippers hope to find a way to survive and advance once more.
"We have to compete with (Greely) on the boards," said LaBrie. "If we can keep them off the boards and push the ball, we have a chance to beat them. We're looking forward to it."
"Greely's a great team," said Murphy. "They're very athletic and physical. We just need to come out and play our game."
"We have to make sure we limit the runs they get," Smith added. "I thought the two times we played them in the regular season, I allowed their runs to get too extensive. I have to make sure we play a smarter game. They're a very difficult matchup, but I think we can give ourselves an opportunity hopefully in the fourth quarter to knock on the door."


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Awesome Guac and Chips @ Maya
If you have a hankering for some TASTY guacamole and chips, try Maya on 2nd near Folsom in SF. One of the best restaurant renditions I've had in a long time. Nice big chunks of avocado with a good garlic kick. The tortilla chips were warm, fresh, and crispy. Their happy hour is from 5-7pm where you're treated to a creamy black bean dip and some fried appetizers.
Can't say much else about the rest of the food though. The entrees our table ordered (Chicken Mole, Pechuga Adobada, and Carnitas Maya) were only average at best.
I still say the best restaurant guac I have had in recent memory is Cafe Gratitude. They sell it in tubs to take home too (at least the Mission location does).
Maya's guac is truly good--and their tacos, served only from 11:30 to 2:00 on weekdays (in the bar area), are the best in the area.
When the avocados are good, guacamole should contain nothing else but lime juice and salt.


text: On Thu, May 16, 2002 at 11:01:36PM -0400, David Lebel wrote: > Quoting Marc Espie (espie_(_at_)_nerim_(_dot_)_net): > > FLAVORS=i386 i486 i586 i686 ... > > I don't think you can play, realistically enough, movie files under a > i386 or a i486 (mp3s strech a 486 to its limit). Thus, that would leave > only the 586 and 686. You are correct here. Though the i586 and i686 has a very different core, so they need to be distinguished. Yet, I don't think you can (software) decode movies on a i586. Which leaves us with a i686 and MMX/SSE2 and the like. > There are I think athlon flags in gcc, but are they really a reliable? There are no -mathlon flag (on 2.95.3 at least) mentioned in the gcc man page. Though, several configurations of -f parameters can probably do make up for that one. -- Jesper


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Mothers deserve recognition
Happy Mother's Day to all our local moms and grandmoms, we hope Sunday, May 8 will be a very special day for you. All your work nurturing children and coordinating household operations should be appreciated by people of all ages, not only on Mother's Day, but all year long.
Remember to give us a call with special news about family gatherings on Mother's Day or any other special day.
Happy Birthday wishes go out this week to Michael Connor and Dante Siletti celebrating on May 7, Josh Wilde and Jon Dimick on May 8, Cody Wood, Darin Baker, Jake Wilde and Mabel Wood on May 9, Debbie Penna and Nora Merkle on May 11, and Marc Merkle on May 13.
On April 19, Charlotte Wood of state Rte. 28 enjoyed her 98th birthday with many friends and family members stopping by to honor her and share a buffet meal topped off with a celebratory cake.
Happy Anniversary wishes go out to Pam and Paul Siletti on May 10.
Josh Hightower and family recently visited his great-grandmother Charlotte Wood, of Rte. 28, a few days before Easter.
Filomena Rivello of Garnet Lake Road and her two nephews, Joseph DeRosa of Astoria and Francesco Fortuna of Commack, L.I. recently returned from a delightful trip to London. While in England, they met with Joseph's sister Lauren who is pursuing graduate studies there and they enjoyed being shown places that Lauren was familiar with.
Get well wishes go out to Tom Wunchel, Joe Mosher, Earle Dibble, Richard Wormwood, Doreen Cooper and Barb Metzger.
Thurman Town Hall news
Town assessors will be at the Harris House available to show assessments to local residents in various sessions - from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 10, 12, and 17 and from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on May 21. All taxpayers can check assessments and get forms to fill out for assessment grievance day; which is on May 24 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Town Hall. Those with questions, call 623-4593.
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Senior Shatyra Hawkes finished with 16 points and seven assists.
Jan. 18, 2014
CINCINNATI - Seniors Shatyra Hawkes (Baltimore, Md./St. Frances Academy) and Ashley Wanninger (Cincinnati, Ohio/Colerain) combined for 31 points and 11 boards as the Xavier women's basketball team defeated Providence, 75-52, in BIG EAST Conference action Saturday afternoon at Cintas Center.
With the win the Musketeers improve to 8-10 overall and 3-3 in BIG EAST play, while the Friars fall to 6-11 on the season and 1-5 in conference.
The Blue and White, who entered the contest tied for second in the conference play in three-point field goals per game (7.4), knocked down 8-of-20 shots from behind the arc, highlighted by a trio of trifectas from Wanninger.
Hawkes shot 6-of-10 from the floor and 2-of-3 from long distance to finish with 16 points to go with seven boards and three assists, while Wanninger knocked down 5-of-12 from the field and 3-of-8 from behind the arc to record 15 points in 28 minutes. Sophomore Aliyah Zantt (Reynoldsburg, Ohio/Reynoldsburg HS) finished with 11 points, five boards, three assists and a steal, while classmate Briana Glover (Mason, Ohio/Mason) registered 10 points.
The Friars were led by Tori Rule and Alexis Harris. Rule finished with a game-high 18 points, while Harris recorded a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
Providence opened the game with a 13-5 run to jump on the Musketeers early in the opening half (14:35). Xavier responded in a big way, employing a 27-11 run, highlighted by seven points from both Wanninger and Hawkes, over the final 14 minutes of the period to take a 32-24 lead into the locker room at the intermission.
In the second half, PC's Tori Rule knocked in a three-pointer to cut XU's lead down to six points (37-31) with 18:14 left on the clock. Xavier responded by using a 17-6 run, capped by a fadeaway jumper from freshman Kayla Davis (Brampton, Ontario/St. Marguerite d'Youville), to take a commanding 54-37 lead (12:21).
The Musketeers continued to pour it on PC, outscoring the Friars 43-28 in the second half, before picking up the 75-52 victory.
Xavier finished the afternoon 27-of-59 (45.8 percent) from the field and 8-of-20 (40 percent) from long distance, while Providence made just 30.5 (18-of-59) percent of their attempts from the field and 28.6 (4-of-14) from three-point range. XU won the rebounding battle (41-38) and forced PC into 19 turnovers, which resulted in 24 points off of those miscues.
The Blue and White will be back in action at Cintas Center on Tuesday, Jan. 21 to host their final BIG EAST contest of January. XU will face Seton Hall in a conference matchup that is set to begin at 7 p.m. ET.
Fans can follow Xavier women's basketball on the program's Twitter (@Xavier_WBB) and Instagram (@Xavier_WBB) accounts and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Xavierwbb.


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ARAPAHO, Okla. – A man accused of killing a teenage girl was in court for his formal arraignment.
On Monday, 19-year-old Tucker Ryan McGee pleaded 'not guilty' to first-degree murder charges related to the disappearance and death of 16-year-old JaRay Wilson in 2012.
"Knowing that he's guilty, for him to be able to stand there and say 'not guilty', it still was a shock," Wilson's mother, Jara, said, "and it still just breaks your heart."
Wilson's body was discovered in a shallow grave near Weatherford in December, more than a year after she went missing in October of 2012.
"We'd still like to know why he did it," Jara said, "but we've thought of every scenario we could think of."
A 17-year-old witness will receive a plea deal in exchange for his cooperation with authorities.
The juvenile claimed he witnessed McGee shoot Wilson and bury her body in the woods.
An OSBI affidavit alleges McGee shot Wilson with a .22 caliber pistol, and autopsy reports confirmed she died from two gunshot wounds to her head.
JaRay's parents say they want McGee to receive the death penalty.
However, that's not an option, because McGee was a juvenile at the time of JaRay's death.
"What we pray for is life without parole," Jara said. "He doesn't deserve to be walking the streets and we hope he spends the rest of his life in prison."
McGee's tentative trial date was set for December 9th.


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IACE Hall of Fame
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Annually, adult and continuing education leaders from around the world are selected for induction into the International Adult and Continuing Education Hall of Fame (HOF).
These individuals reflect the great diversity of adult and continuing education practice and scholarship and the increasingly global leadership community that constitutes the IACE Hall of Fame.
Read article: Hall of fame for adult educators
The Special Collections Research Center (SCRC) at Syracuse University Library invites applicants to its Alexander N. Charters Adult Education Research Grants-in-Aid Program, now in its sixth year. Up to $4,000 of grants-in-aid will be awarded... Read more.
Charters Library of Resources for Educators of Adults


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Our research
Student Support Services are committed to conducting research that will help us understand how students experience University life, in order to develop programs and resources that will assist students in achieving their educational and personal goals.
Listed below are current research topics. As further data and results become available, they will be added to this page.
- Australian Journal of Psychology paper
- Mental Health Survey
- ACT & Mindfulness
- Track and Connect Program and paper
- Early Attrition Research Project
- Orientation Reports
- Indigenous Grant
Australian Journal of Psychology paper
Informed by the 2012 Mental Health Survey (see below), this study investigated the associations between demographic factors, binge drinking, psychological distress, psychological flexibility, and self-reported Days Out of Role (DOR) among 3950 university students. This study also aimed to determine whether psychological flexibility moderated the association between psychological distress and DOR.
The results indicated that among university students, greater DOR was significantly and independently associated with a Non-English Speaking Language (NESL) background, binge drinking, and economic hardship. Greater DOR was also associated with increased psychological distress and lower levels of psychological flexibility. Psychological flexibility was found to moderate the association between psychological distress and DOR: students with high distress were less likely to report DOR if they possessed greater psychological flexibility.
Overall, this study confirms that university students experiencing psychological distress are at a greater risk of experiencing DOR, which may be counteracted by improving psychological flexibility.
The paper can be accessed online http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ajpy.12077/full.
Citation: Renner, P.; O'Dea, B.; Sheehan, J. and Tebbutt, J. (2014). "Days out of role in university students: The association of demographics, binge drinking, and psychological risk factors". Australian Journal of Psychology, 12 October 2014. DOI: 10.1111/ajpy.12077
Mental Health Survey
The Mental Health Survey Report presents the results of the 2012 Mental Health Survey, conducted as a part of the Thrive Festival to raise awareness of mental health and psychological wellbeing on campus.
More than 4000 University of Sydney students participated in the survey, which looked at the mental health status and psychological wellbeing of undergraduate and postgraduate students at the University of Sydney.
The report recommends a variety of strategies to increase capacity to support students which include engaging the broad university community as well as enhancing natural supports such as family and friends.
ACT & Mindfulness
A series of 'Mindfulness Training' courses were advertised and provided for 246 students from Jan 2009- Dec 2010.
Courses were either a manualised Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) or a Mindful-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) program. Each course had 6 weekly sessions of 2 hour duration.
Sessions were provided by two therapists for up to 20 participants.
Outcomes of group treatment showed significant reduction on measures of stress, anxiety, depression and improvements on measures of mindfulness and acceptance. Qualitative results showed students enjoyed the course finding it to help them accept difficult feelings while motivating them to continue to engage in activities and values that were meaningful for them. They also enjoyed the group format - the companionship and support of participating in a shared activity while learning new skills. The results of the research have been presented in international conferences and will be the basis of a chapter in a New Harbinger publication on college mental health. The research has resulted in the modification of the original research manuals to provide shorter versions and/or spaced versions of the programs for both students and staff.
Track and Connect Program and paper
Track and Connect is an early identification, engagement and referral program for students studying in their first year at the University of Sydney. Informed by the Early Attrition Research Project (below), the program is an initiative of the Student Transition and Retention (STAR) Team within Student Support Services, with strong collaboration from three faculties - the Business School, Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Engineering & IT, together with Counselling and Psychological Services.
At risk students are contacted by trained peers who offer support, advice and referrals to available supports and services, both academic and personal.
The program was first run as pilot program in Semester 2, 2012 and with significant developments, the program has run in Semesters 1 & 2 in 2013. A paper describing the successful program outcomes was submitted to SEG (Education) in August.
As a result of this submission, SEG approved an broad expansion of the program across first year units of study with historically high attrition. In 2014, nine faculties participated in 2014 with the program continuing to achieve promising results and encouraging feedback from participating staff and students.
In 2014, Track and Connect was awarded prestigious Vice-Chancellor's Award for Support of the Student Experience.
In 2015, a practice report was published in the International Journal of the First Year in Higher Education and can be accessed online: https://fyhejournal.com/article/view/266
Citation: Barnes, S., Macalpine, G., & Munro, A. (2015). "Track and Connect: Enhancing student retention and success at the University of Sydney. A Practice Report". The International Journal of the First Year in Higher Education, 6(1), 195-202. doi: 10.5204/intjfyhe.v6i1.266
If you would like more information about this program or want to get involved, please contact , Student Retention Coordinator, STAR Team.
Early Attrition Research Project
Under the HEPPP funding allocated to the University, a research project into early attrition of commencing undergraduate students has been initiated. Student Support Services in conjunction with the Planning and Information Office (PIO) will be undertaking the project.
The project focuses on the students who are 'lost' to the University. It will look at students who leave at some point during the first six weeks of study, and those who leave during the first six months and those who leave in the first year, and analyse these students by certain demographic criteria to determine predictors of this early attrition.
The expected outcome is that this will allow the University to determine where it should focus future efforts to improve our retention of these students.
The Planning and Information Office undertook a quantitative analysis of all commencing undergraduate students, using enrolment data from 20092011.
Orientation Reports
Each year an Orientation Report is created an disseminated to faculties, stakeholders and members of the Orientation Project Group.
The report reviews the current year's Orientation program in terms of successes and developments from the previous year, and looks to improvements that can be instituted for the following year. The report is a valuable tool in tracking the progress of the Orientation program.
- 2014 Orientation Report
- 2013 Orientation Report and Orientation e-Survey
- 2012 Orientation Report and Orientation e-Survey
- 2011 Orientation Report and Orientation e-Survey
- 2010 Orientation Report
- 2009 Orientation (SWOT) Report and Survey Report
Indigenous Grant
The Indigenous Grant was a collaborative research project between Counselling and Psychological Services (CAPS) and the Koori Centre. It was funded by the 2009/10 initiative of the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Education) to "promote Indigenous education and encourage and support Indigenous students".
The research was conducted throughout 2010 with a total of four focus groups including 32 (11.5%) undergraduate and postgraduate ATSI students then enrolled at the University. In addition, five interviews were conducted with Academic and General Staff outside of the Koori Centre nominated because of their demonstrated interest in and involvement with Indigenous students.
Recommendations included: raising awareness of CAPS among Indigenous students, enhancing service delivery so it meets the needs of Indigenous students, improving access to financial assistance for Indigenous students and an increase in the communication and promotion of services between the Koori Centre and CAPS.
- Click here to read the executive summary.
- Click here to read the full final report.


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Romain De Marchi's Absinthe Films footage from 2010, recut. Filmed around the world .
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Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) audited the I-9 records of 2,400 employers in fiscal year 2011, double the number audited two years ago. The Wall Street Journal reported that in the past few weeks ICE has sent 500 Notices of Inspection to employers.
A recent case, US v. Alyn Industries, Inc., decided by the Department of Justice's Executive Office for Immigration Review Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer (OCAHO), provides some useful information for employers concerned about their I-9s. The timing of ICE's activities is also worth noting.
Please see full article below for more information.
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Legendary senior writer, Packers lead blogger & NFC North featured columnist jclombardi presents Packers vs 49ers winning game plan.
COMMENTARY: Eventually the Packers get tired of losing again, again, and again against a NFC powerful nemesis. For three straight games, the Packers lost to the 49ers: the 30-22 loss in the NFL 2012 season, the following 45-31 playoff loss & the opening 34-28 game defeat in the NFL 2013 season. Sunday, playing in Lambeau Field in their 1st playoff game against the 49ers, its time for the Packers to draw the battle line in the sand and develop a winning game plan. The game plan: use the successful Manning game plan to score, score & score with no-huddle offense with the defense coming up with big turnovers.
Fans can seriously consider these forecasts from insiders:
Two assistant coaches for teams that recently played the 49ers picked the Packers to win. "The 49ers' defensive line and linebackers are about as good as it gets," said one assistant. "But the weakness of their team is the secondary. "Aaron Rodgers will have a big day against that defense. If Matt Ryan was able to score 24 (Dec. 23), the Packers should score 31. So Green Bay, 31-21. If you give Aaron Rodgers time, he'll kill that secondary." The other assistant called it Green Bay, 24-20, partly because he said the forecast is 11 degrees, winds at 14 mph & 20% chance of snow favoring the home team.
Further the scouting report points out another weak link in the 49ers defense being the effectiveness of their four-man rush. Further their game plan will include to use exotic blitzes against the Packers to pour an open man to pressure QB Rodgers. Simply the Packers must plan their pass protection for predictable exotic blitzes and stunts to counter them giving Rodgers time to tear apart the 49ers weak secondary.
Finally, if the Seahawks can beat the 49ers, then of course the Packers can win!


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While I was in Denmark I bought the Wilton heart cutter...which splits down the middle. I think it's fab! I'm going to have a bit of fun with this and make some shortbread cookies to ice with different messages. I'm no cookie expert, so finding the right recipe is the most important for me. I choose shortbread because I like the melting in the mouth process, topped with royal icing that adds that little extra crunch...can't be beaten I reckon. I could cover some cookies with fondant too, but the royal icing has more fun factor in my opinion. But let's wait and see how they turn out before I make a final judgement...and let's see if I have any left to photograph once I've done them because I know I won't be able to resist! If the cookie recipe is a good one I'll post it along with the results and then you can go off and play and decide for yourself. Valentine's Day is all about the cookies...romance is so over rated! Lol!
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Tuesday, 12 February 2013
Valentine Cookies perhaps?
Posted by Lorraine McKay at 11:30
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