I am a retired Web Developer, Blackboard & Canvas Administrator at Fayetteville State University, which is a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina.
Bill’s Flax–Mexican-Hot Chocolate Drink (accurate version)
Flax flour
Water
Ceylon cinnamon
Instant coffee
Sugar-free chocolate syrup
Monkfruit sweetener (tried liquid Stevia first)
Cayenne pepper(confirmed by the spicy “pepper warm” feeling)
Turmeric(most likely — you were thinking about it for absorption and flavor)
Avocado oil (turmeric has oil soluble elements)
Ground black pepper (enhances Turmeric benefits greatly)
I was looking for a way to improve the flavors of drinking a flax flour & water mixture. This thickens well, but the flavor isn’t there. But adding the coffee & chocolate flavorings did work. And hopefully I can slip the turmeric boost in without affecting the other flavors negatively.
I pulled out a frozen Thick Cut Pork Chop that came from Lee’s Fresh Market a few weeks ago. This is my first attempt at thawing meat quickly using my new Instant Pot, and then finishing it under Broil in the oven. *I’ve got a generous “helping” of the seasoned black eyed peas that was my first attempt in my Instant Pot a few days ago. They cooked perfectly and now that they’ve had a couple of day’s in the fridge, are awesomely flavored. And I had a small amount of shredded green cabbage that I plan to make a Duke’s Mayo coleslaw, with some sweet onion, and sweetened with some Monkfruit sweetener. Just bought the Monkfruit sweetener at the Apple Crate Naturals Store yesterday and haven’t sweetened anything with it yet. It does taste sweet to the tongue. *And, I’m going to try the Cajun Rub suggested by my AI of Choice (ChatGPT), on my pork chop.
First Instant Pot Food
Blackened Blend Rub (Strong Cajun Flavor, No Sugar)
This tastes like restaurant blackening seasoning but isn’t sweetened.
Mix:
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
½ tsp dried thyme
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp black pepper
¼–½ tsp cayenne
½ tsp salt
Use on: pork chops, shrimp, chicken — or your sausage/bean dishes.
“Steam” to Thaw (Not Pressure Cook)
1. Add 1 cup of water + trivet
2. Place frozen pork chop on the trivet
3. Use “Steam” — 3–5 minutes
This gently thaws without cooking.
4. Quick Release
Chop is thawed but still raw.
5. Broil in oven to finish
4–6 minutes per side → target internal temp 145°F.
Nigella sativa, also known as black seed or black cumin, is a small black spice with a warm, peppery, slightly onion-like flavor used in Middle Eastern and South Asian cooking. Its seeds and oil are traditionally valued for anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and potential blood-sugar-lowering benefits. Research is ongoing, but it’s widely used both as a culinary spice and a natural remedy.
Source: Should be able to buy at Walmart 2 oz. @ $6.99.
Zingiber officinale
Zingiber officinale, commonly known as ginger, is a flowering plant whose aromatic rhizome is widely used as a spice and herbal remedy. It has a sharp, warming flavor and is often used to ease nausea, aid digestion, and reduce inflammation. Ginger is consumed fresh, dried, powdered, candied, or as a tea in cuisines and traditional medicines around the world.
Freeze unpeeled ginger. Remove and grate with microplane, brushing off the peel. Drink in a tea with lemon.
GLP-1 stands for Glucagon-Like Peptide-1. It is a naturally occurring hormone produced in your small intestine (gut) in response to eating food. It’s often referred to as an “incretin” hormone.
🔬 The Role of Natural GLP-1
When you eat, GLP-1 is released into your bloodstream and acts on multiple organs with three main effects:
Stimulates Insulin Release: It signals the pancreas to release more insulin, but only when blood sugar levels are high (glucose-dependent). This helps prevent blood sugar from spiking too high after a meal.
Inhibits Glucagon Release: It blocks the release of glucagon, another hormone that raises blood sugar.
Promotes Satiety and Slows Digestion: It acts on the brain to increase feelings of fullness (satiety) and slows down the rate at which your stomach empties (gastric emptying). This causes you to feel full for longer and naturally reduces your appetite and food intake.
💊 GLP-1 Receptor Agonists (The Medications)
The term “GLP-1” is also commonly used to refer to a class of medications called GLP-1 receptor agonists (or GLP-1 RAs). These drugs are synthetic compounds that mimic the effects of the natural GLP-1 hormone, but they are designed to last much longer in the body.
Primary Uses
GLP-1 RAs are highly effective treatments for:
Type 2 Diabetes: By improving blood sugar control through increased insulin and decreased glucagon.
Obesity/Weight Management: By significantly reducing appetite and slowing digestion, leading to decreased calorie intake and substantial weight loss.
Well-Known Examples
You may recognize some of the brand names for these medications:
Semaglutide (e.g., Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus)
Liraglutide (e.g., Victoza, Saxenda)
Tirzepatide (e.g., Mounjaro, Zepbound) – This is a dual agonist, mimicking both GLP-1 and GIP (Glucose-dependent Insulinotropic Polypeptide).
Emerging Benefits
Research also shows that GLP-1 RAs have benefits beyond blood sugar and weight, including reducing the risk of major cardiovascular events (like heart attack and stroke) in people with heart disease and T2D. They are also being studied for potential use in treating non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and even addictions.
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM:
Stomach
Small Intestine
Large Intestine
I’m guessing the stomach would actually be lower, because most human hearts are where this stomach is shown as located.
Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Mini Electric Pressure Cooker, Slow Rice Cooker, Steamer, Sauté, Yogurt Maker, Warmer & Sterilizer, Includes Free App with over 1900 Recipes, Stainless Steel, 3 Quart
Instant Pot Duo Mini — Black-Eyed Peas with Onion & Seasoning Meat
(Serves 3–4)
Ingredients
1 cup dried black-eyed peas (no soaking required)
1 cup seasoning meat, choose one:
smoked ham hock
smoked turkey wing/drum
fatback or streak-o-lean
diced country ham
AND you can combine two if you want a stronger flavor
½ medium onion, chopped
2 cups water or broth (enough to barely cover the peas)
½ tsp salt (add more later — seasoning meat is salty)
½ tsp black pepper
Optional:
1–2 cloves garlic, minced
pinch of cayenne
1 bay leaf
a splash of apple cider vinegar at the end for brightness
Instructions
1. Sauté the Onion (Optional but better flavor)
Press Sauté on the Instant Pot.
Add a teaspoon of oil or a little rendered fat from the seasoning meat.
Cook the chopped onions for 2–3 minutes until soft.
2. Add Seasoning Meat
Add your hock/turkey/ham/etc.
Stir briefly to warm it.
3. Add Black-Eyed Peas & Water
Add 1 cup dried peas.
Pour in 2 cups water or broth—just enough to cover.
Add pepper and any optional spices.
Don’t add much salt yet because the meat may be salty.
4. Pressure Cook
Close the lid.
Turn valve to Sealing.
Select Pressure Cook (High).
Set to 22 minutes.
5. Natural Release
Let the pot naturally release for 10 minutes, then quick-release the rest.
6. Final Adjustments
Remove the seasoning meat and pull off any tender pieces to mix back in.
Taste and add salt, more pepper, or a splash of vinegar.
If you want the liquid thicker, turn on Sauté for 3–5 minutes to reduce.
END— Black-Eyed Peas with Onion & Seasoning Meat
[11/22/25]:This was the first thing I cooked in my new Instant Pot and it turned out great. It may not be the best flavored black eyed peas I’ve ever made but it is as good of a flavor when first out of the pot. Recall that my “trick” to fantastic black eyed peas is to refrigerate them and reheat the next day. That allows the flavors to meld and usually makes the peas much, much better.
⭐ ALL-IN-ONE Instant Pot Borlotti Beans, Chard & Sausage Over Polenta
(Put everything in → pressure cook → finish)
🫘 Ingredients
For the Instant Pot
1 cup dried borlotti (cranberry) beans
1 small bunch red chard, stems & leaves chopped (keep stems separate)
½ medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2–3 oz hot pork sausage, crumbled
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
2 cups water or broth
Salt & pepper, to taste
Optional: pinch of red pepper flakes
For serving
1 cup cooked polenta
½ small avocado, mashed
Optional: lemon juice or red wine vinegar
🍲 Instructions (ALL-IN-ONE METHOD)
1. Sauté inside the Instant Pot
Press Sauté
Add 1 tbsp olive oil
Add:
Sausage (break it up)
Onion
Garlic
Cook 2–4 minutes until sausage starts browning
Add chard stems and sauté 1 minute
Press Cancel
2. Add beans & liquid
Add to the pot:
1 cup dried borlotti beans
2 cups water or broth
Salt (just a little, maybe ¼ tsp — more later)
Pepper
(Optional) Red pepper flakes
Stir lightly.
3. Add chard leaves on top
Do NOT stir them in — just lay them on top.
This prevents food from sticking to the bottom and avoids a Food Burn warning.
4. Pressure Cook
Close the lid
Set valve to Sealing
Press Pressure Cook
Set: 35 minutes (High)
Let the Instant Pot run
5. Natural Release
When the timer ends:
Let the pot sit for 10 minutes (LO:10)
Then do a Quick Release of remaining pressure
Open the lid when the float valve drops.
6. Finish the dish
Stir everything together
Taste and add:
Salt
Pepper
Extra olive oil (1 tbsp)
Optional: 1–2 tsp lemon juice or vinegar
If the liquid is thin:
Press Sauté
Simmer 3–5 minutes until thickened
7. Assemble
Serve over hot polenta:
Spoon polenta onto the plate
Ladle the beans/chard/sausage mixture on top
Add mashed avocado
Add a finishing splash of vinegar or lemon juice for brightness
END— ALL-IN-ONE Instant Pot Borlotti Beans, Chard & Sausage Over Polenta
USER MANUAL
Great! Here are three excellent YouTube videos that cover your Instant Pot Duo Mini (or very similar models) — one for setup/basics, one for “pot-in-pot” cooking with the trivet, and one general beginner tutorial.
Getting started / model-specific (Duo Mini) — “Instant Pot Duo Mini Review & Demo Recipes”
Specifically reviews the 3-quart Duo Mini model so it’s directly relevant. youtube.com
Good for seeing the size, controls, model-differences.
I recommend watching the first half for setup and basic functions.
Pot-in-pot + trivet usage — “How to Do Pot in Pot Cooking in the Instant Pot”
Shows how to use the trivet (wire rack) and cook something above the water rather than immersed. youtube.com
Very useful since you asked about the rack/trivet — helps visualize how it works.
General beginner tutorial (for Duo series) — “How to Get Started with Your Instant Pot Duo”
Even though it may show a larger model, most functions apply to the Duo Mini too.
[NOTE 11/25/25]: I am just finishing up my second INSTANT POT of Borlotti Beans, Rainbow Chard and Hot Pork Sausage. I am making this to take to Mary Ann’s tomorrow for Thanksgiving. I think I made something a couple of Thanksgivings ago, but no one ate it. If someone doesn’t at least try this, it will be their loss. *I did the Pressure Cook routine for 35 minutes but the beans were not soft after that so I added 15 more minutes of Pressure Cook, and I added a small amount of Baking Soda. I know that the Baking Soda causes a chemical change and will help soften the beans. Add too much and it changes the flavor. This meal was the second thing I cooked in my INSTANT POT. The first being a mess of black eyed peas which turned out great. They did not need extra time. The first time for the Borlotti beans, they also needed extra cooking time.
Funny but I’m comfortable with using this machine. I’ve mentioned it to several people. A couple of techs at Cape Fear Eye the other day. But one admitted that she was afraid of using hers. I can understand that, and with other dangerous tools, I’m the same way, but not this. It almost feels natural to use it. Work the process. Maybe using Saute at first to brown meat, or make onion translucent. Then switch to Pressure Cook for a time to tenderize beans. One surprise was that Quinoa only took 1 minute to cook. That’s slightly deceptive because it takes about 10 minutes to build up steam, then it cooks for 1 minute on Pressure Cook, and then it has a cool down time of about 10 minutes and then you can “Quick Release.” So far no problem. Once most of the steam exits, the pot lid comes off easily.
[end NOTE]
STEAMER BASKET
I’ve used this steamer basket to make my Frogmore Stew several times. Works great, but the cleanup afterwards is a problem. Bit of food cling to the fine mesh.
Anthony Quinn DancingThe Bradbury Building Downtown Los AngelesAngels Flight Downtown Los AngelesStatue of Charlie Chaplin as the Little Tramp in the Bradbury Building, LADemon with a Glass Hand, Robert Culp, the Outer Limits – Bradbury Building LA
the 1969 film The Illustrated Man includes only three of Bradbury’s stories, plus the overarching frame narrative about the Illustrated Man (Rod Steiger) and the narrator (Robert Drivas).
✔ Stories Included in the Movie
The Veldt
The Long Rain
The Last Night of the World
✔ Frame Story
The Illustrated Man / Carl’s search for the woman who tattooed him
The VeldtThe Long RainThe Last Night of the World
🎬 Structure
The film uses the Illustrated Man’s “living tattoos” as transitions into each of the three stories, but it does not adapt the other 15 stories from the book. It also rewrites several elements, especially blending the frame characters into the stories—something not done in the book.
ONLY for the stories that appeared in the 1969 Rod Steiger movie (The Veldt, The Long Rain, and The Last Night of the World). All other titles are left unchanged.
Framing Sections
Prologue: The Illustrated Man
Stories
The Veldt Two children become obsessed with a virtual reality nursery that simulates a lethal African veldt. Their parents slowly realize the room is no longer just imagination—but something the children have weaponized. The parents are torn apart by the wild beasts.
Kaleidoscope
The Other Foot
The Highway
The Man
The Long Rain A group of astronauts on Venus struggle to survive constant, brutal rainfall as they search for a Sun Dome. The unending storm drives some of them to madness as hope fades.
The Rocket Man
The Fire Balloons
The Last Night of the World A married couple calmly accepts a shared dream that the world will end that night. Instead of panic, they choose to spend their final hours in quiet, ordinary peace. After killing their children, the new day dawns calmly.
The Bill Belichick Football Era at the University of North Carolina. Yeah, oh well that isn’t going like any UNC supporter might have liked. Currently a 4-6 season with two regular season games left, one against Duke and the other N.C. State. That means that more than likely Bill will have an opening season of 4-8. “Lackluster” yeah, that was the word that immediately came to mind.
Now Bill is 73 years old, which makes him the oldest college football coach at this time. The next nearest is 70 years old. I mention his age because with a beginning losing season, is Bill Belichick going to coach more than three more years? He’s making $12 Million dollars a year, and his son, which he brought into the program, Steve, is making $1.3 Million this year and slated to make $1.4 Million next year.
Currently about 25% of the football players were recruited by Belichick. I may be wrong, but it appears that one of the major problems with this year’s team, is that Belichick doesn’t know how to meld a team into a cohesive force, a community, a family.
But then years ago Dean Smith had a similar problem that he never solved either. On Smith’s 1993-94 basketball team, he had some very talented seniors, Montross, Phelps, & Reese. But he also had brought in some very talented new players, Jerry Stackhouse and Rasheed Wallace. They had a 28-7 record in regular season, and they lost in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to Boston College that year. The problem with all that talent was that it never melded into a single unit. The young bucks didn’t respect their elders, and their elders were talented enough to not put up with any crap by the young whipper snappers. So they ended up fighting each other, and losing when they should have easily won.
My solution for that problem would have been simple, but it would have totally gone against Dean Smith’s “Old School” way of doing things. He wanted the whole team to be a unit, not two competing groups within the same team. Dean Smith had a “Blue” and a “White” team of players. He used these two groups in practice and when substituting players during an actual game. He should have put Stackhouse & Wallace on the same group. Then put the senior stars in for a time, and then the other group. Which ever color scored the most points would get to play an additional 5 minutes. That might have run up the game scores because neither group wanted to lose between themselves, let alone against an opposing team. But with the talent he had, they should have won another NCAA Tournament that year.
Okay, so with a losing season his starting year, and a good recruiting season next year. And do you know how difficult it will be to recruit good players to Carolina for next year when everyone knows what has gone on this year? Yeah, this isn’t Belichick pulling new players into a winning New England Patriots franchise. So maybe, hopefully an 8-4 season next year. What would that percentage be for his first two seasons? Oh, yeah 50%. Hmmm… $24 Million for the head coach, and about $2.7 for the defensive coordinator-son, yeah about $27 Million for a 50-50 record. Inspiring, NOT!!!
Even with a major turnaround next season, who would Carolina be able to beat in the ACC Playoff games? And by the third, or fourth years, do you really think they will be able to compete for a national title? From where they are now, once again, NOT!!!
And then after three seasons, and maybe a 66% w/l record, Belichick will leave the Carolina football program in about the same condition as he found it this year. But, hopefully the “high hopefuls” will be about $40 Million wiser as to who might or might not be able to pull off a miracle, even if they were a GOAT in another field of play.
So, Mack Brown got $5 Million his last season at Carolina, and they had a 6-6 season. Still that’s two more games than they currently have, and at less than half the coaching salary.
Bill Gibson, II 