Some of the featured 2023 Nebraska Passport Program stops

Yes, Nebraskan Duane Hansen really did paddle an 846-pound pumpkin 38 miles down the Missouri River.

And as crazy, outlandish and just plain nuts as that may sound, he wants everyone to know it wasn’t easy. Far from it.

Caerhl Irey can’t exactly explain how a jolly, plus-sized woman with gray hair, a grandma-type who goes by the name “North Omaha Cat Lady,” has 2.5 million followers on TikTok. Her videos have 89 million “likes.”

Stronger enforcement of a Nebraska Humane Society policy to deter owner-surrendered pets except in emergency situations is creating huge problems for already strapped rescue groups in the Omaha area.

Something was missing as Christine Smith Collier walked down the aisle at Dietz United Methodist Church.

It was, she says, the glorious sounds of the pipe organ, the warm and rich tones of the beautiful instrument built by Philipp Wirsching in 1888.

Tiffany Preister apologized for crying.

Tears still come too easily for her and husband Dan when they think about those fraught months when both she and her newborn baby nearly died.

When she first donned a Creighton softball jersey, Mary Higgins felt like she was in the same company as Bluejay basketball legend Paul Silas.

I pull the plastic bin from the closet, pawing through old newspaper clippings and photographs to find the gold medal that lay hidden beneath a lifetime of memories.

At not much bigger than a quarter, it was much smaller than I remembered. Tiny figures play basketball on the front, and there it is on the back:

When Kim Armstrong told a contractor she wanted to spend around $35,000 to renovate the kitchen of her family’s Victorian home near Hanscom Park, he laughed.

Assistant coach Thom Sibbitt didn’t realize just how raw his Benson High School baseball team was until the question was floated from the back of the bus on the way to the season opener.

“What are innings?” a varsity player wanted to know.

Everyone agrees it was crazy.

A 23-year-old content creator from New Jersey decided to travel wherever a dart lands on a map of the United States. He ended up in Staplehurst, Nebraska, population 240.

For me there are few things better than a warm cookie that’s still a little gooey in the middle with melty chocolate chips.

On a visit to Lincoln this spring, while walking near campus we ventured into a cookie shop and a new obsession was born: white chocolate chip raspberry cookies. This cookie is thick and gooey and has melty white chocolate chips, plus the tartness added from the freeze-dried raspberries complements the sweetness so well.

Just in time for Father's Day, why not try cooking with the king of Irish beers — Guinness?

Wine is frequently used as an ingredient in recipes, and cooking or baking with a rich stout like Guinness isn’t much different. The roasted wheat flavor definitely adds a unique dimension to dishes. Just beware: While Guinness pairs well with other strong flavors, it can overwhelm subtle ones.

Homemade ice cream is a fun activity for a backyard campout or any hot summer day. There’s no need for a fancy ice cream maker; two zip-top bags work like a charm.

Ice Cream in a Bag

It’s amazing how fast time can disappear when you start watching food videos on social media. Recently, the one that caught my eye was for strawberry cream puffs. They looked light and airy, the perfect treat to take into work on a summer-like day.

Only one problem: they were made with choux pastry. I’ve witnessed enough choux pastry (pronounced shoe pastry) flops on “The Great British Baking Show” to be hesitant. But after reading a few blogs for helpful tips, I was ready to give it a whirl.

Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start to summer which means one thing: grilling season begins.

But keep in mind, the grill is not just for steaks and chicken. Every good barbecue needs a delicious side dish, and we’ve got you covered with a few recipes that can cook right alongside your protein — and we don’t mean a simple baked potato or plain grilled veggies (though those are tasty, too).

Have you wanted to try your hand a making risotto but balked because of the time spent constantly stirring the rice? That is what has kept me from experimenting with this rich and creamy dish.

Then I discovered this recipe for baked risotto. It still had the creamy texture I think of with risotto but it required much less effort.

By the luck of the Irish, I discovered this finger-licking, lip-puckering recipe. It has the perfect balance of buttery, flaky shortbread and creamy lime filling.

As much as I love chocolate desserts, the citrus flavor in this treat is my new favorite.

Mongolian Beef is a favorite when dining out. The tender beef, ample peppers and onions and a sauce that’s both sweet and savory are a mouthwatering combination.

But even better is making it at home in less than 30 minutes.

If you love pancakes but want a breakfast that will keep you feeling full longer, give syrniki a try. The main ingredient of these Ukrainian pancakes is farmer’s cheese which pumps up the protein on a traditionally carb-filled breakfast.

Syrniki is a classic Slavic treat with a sweet flavor and moist texture. They’re traditionally served with sour cream and fresh berries or preserves on top. If you prefer, you can serve them with a sprinkle of powdered sugar or a drizzle of maple syrup, chocolate sauce or honey instead. If you can’t find farmer’s cheese and don’t want to try making your own (it’s very simple), you can use ricotta cheese — just drain it in a colander overnight in the fridge to get the extra liquid out, otherwise your syrniki will fall apart when you form them..

Read Across America Week starts today. Celebrate with this sweet snack inspired by “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish.”

The snack is easy enough for the kids to help make, and yummy enough for the whole family to happily eat. So make a batch and enjoy it like a Yink with your favorite drink − pink ink (strawberry milk).

Many Americans are familiar with the Louisiana-style king cake, a tradition brought over from France nearly 150 years ago.

King cake is made from brioche bread dough, swirled with cinnamon, twisted into a ring, and decorated with icing and jewel-colored sprinkles — lots and lots of sprinkles. The colors aren’t random: green symbolizes faith; purple stands for power; and gold represents justice.

This carrot cake has become my go-to recipe when I need to make cupcakes. It comes together quickly and can be made in one bowl.

Applesauce replaces some of the oil which helps make this recipe incredibly moist (and cuts some of the fat and calories).

Hot chocolate on a stick is a block of rich chocolate topped with a fluffy homemade marshmallow and they are held together with a built-in stir stick.  Simply warm up a mug of milk (sorry, water doesn't work well) and then dip and stir the hot chocolate stick around in the milk, and it will soon be the most creamy, delicious hot chocolate.

If you're not up for making marshmallows, you can still make the chocolate part and add store-bought marshmallows or other fun toppings.

Americans are projected to devour 1.42 billion chicken wings during Super Bowl LVI, according to the National Chicken Council’s 2022 wing report.

With the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams set to face off next Sunday, I set out on a quest to find a tasty Buffalo wing that’s baked instead of fried. There are some that will say it’s sacrilegious to even consider making wings that aren’t deep-fried. But I hate the mess and excess calories and I don’t own an air fryer.

Food safety is rarely part of dinnertime conversation.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that each year, at least a million people get sick — some seriously — from improper cooking, handling or storage of meat and poultry.

A friend brought us a dozen of these white chocolate chip banana muffins while visiting after the birth of our first child.

I’d had chocolate chips in banana bread before but never white chocolate chips. I’ll admit I was a bit skeptical. Boy, I was wrong to be a doubter.

Curling up with a steaming mug of hot chocolate is the perfect way to warm up on a cold winter day.

And for the kiddos, it’s practically a rite of passage to see how many miniature marshmallows they can load into their cup of hot chocolate after an afternoon playing in the snow.

Over the holidays, I finished reading “The Lincoln Highway” by Amor Towles.

The book is set in 1954 and Emmett Watson has just finished a stint on a juvenile work farm in Salina, Kansas. He’s returning home to a fictitious Nebraska town not far from the Lincoln Highway.

Banana bread is a favorite at our house. The usual request is to add mini chocolate chips or white chocolate chips. Looking for a slightly healthier option for breakfast, I happened upon Blueberry Banana Bread.

A generous amount of fresh blueberries, along with yogurt for added moisture, make this a go-to quick bread recipe.

Pancakes are always a crowd-pleaser. 

The only problem is your family either has to eat in shifts or you have to keep the first pancakes warm while you cook up the whole batch.