They have to be trained... the academy

The Best Secret Weapon Against Landmines and Tuberculosis Is a Rat
African giant pouched rats are better mine-sniffers than dogs and faster at TB diagnosis than human doctors.

By Elisabeth Waugaman



Thanks to HeroRAT teams, 270 square miles of Mozambique farmland are once again available to farmers dislocated since the 1980s. HeroRATS exposed 13,826 mines, 29,031 small arms and ammunitions, and 39,601 leftover unexploded munitions. Removing landmines not only saves lives but also and restores land for farming, development, and safe travel, including delivery of emergency aid.

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The rats are many times more efficient at this job than humans. In 30 minutes a rat can do what it takes a human a day to do—if a human could do it at all. Metal detectors not only fail to discern between metal rubbish and active ordinance, but also have difficulty finding landmines now made predominantly out of plastic.

HeroRATs are also a better demining solution than dogs, who have long been the go-to animal for mine detection. Rats have a working life span equivalent to that of dogs, and work similar hours—from about 5 a.m. to 9 a.m., before it gets too hot—and in almost every other way the rats are superior.

SLOW COOKER BEEF BOURGUIGNON

Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon


http://therecipecritic.com/2016/11/slow-cooker-beef-bourguignon/

Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon has crazy tender melt in your mouth beef and hearty veggies slow cooked to perfection in a rich sauce. This meal is comforting and perfect for the cold months ahead!
Author: Alyssa
Serves: 6

Ingredients
5 slices bacon, finely chopped
3 lbs. boneless beef chuck, cut to 1 inch cubes
1 cup red cooking wine
2 cups chicken broth
½ cup tomato sauce
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup flour
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 Tablespoons thyme, finely chopped
5 Medium Carrots, sliced
1 pound baby potatoes (I used tri color)
8 ounce fresh mushrooms, sliced
fresh chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

In a large skillet cook bacon over medium high heat until crisp. Put bacon in slow cooker.

Salt and pepper the beef and add to the skillet and sear on each side for 2-3 minutes. Transfer beef to the slow cooker.

Add the red wine to the skillet scraping down the brown bits on the side. Allow it to simmer and reduce and slowly add chicken broth, and tomato sauce, and soy sauce. Slowly whisk in the flour. Add the sauce to the slow cooker.

Add garlic, thyme, carrots, potatoes, and mushrooms to the slow cooker. Give it a good stir and cook on low until beef is tender for 8-10 hours or high for 6-8. Garnish with fresh parley and serve with mashed potatoes if desired.

Balsamic Glazed Chicken

Balsamic Glazed Chicken

http://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a49138/balsamic-glazed-chicken/
This sweet, tangy chicken is the perfect weeknight dinner.

TOTAL TIME: 0:40PREP: 0:15LEVEL: EASYSERVES: 4

INGREDIENTS
1/2 c. balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp. honey
1 1/2 tbsp. whole-grain mustard
3 cloves garlic, minced
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
2 c. baby red potatoes, halved (quartered if large)
1 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3-4 rosemary sprigs, for skillet

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine balsamic, honey, mustard, and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Whisk until combined.

Add chicken thighs and toss until fully coated, then transfer to the fridge to marinate at least 20 minutes and up to 1 hour.

Meanwhile, prep potatoes: In a medium bowl, add potatoes and rosemary and season with salt and pepper. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss until combined. Set aside.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat remaining tablespoon oil. Add chicken and marinade and sear, skin side down, 2 minutes, then flip and sear 2 minutes more. Add potatoes to skillet, nestling them between chicken, and rosemary sprigs.

Transfer to the oven and bake until potatoes are tender and chicken is cooked through, 20 minutes. (If potatoes need longer to cook, transfer chicken to a cutting board to rest and continue cooking until tender.)

Serve chicken and potatoes with pan drippings.

CINNAMON ROLL PECAN PIE

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https://www.tastemade.com/videos/cinnamon-roll-pecan-pie

CINNAMON ROLL PECAN PIE

Ingredients

For the crust
1 pie crust, store-bought or homemade
¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

For the filling
¾ cup light corn syrup
¼ cup dark corn syrup
1 cup of brown sugar
¾ tsp salt
1 ½ cups pecan pieces, toasted
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup pecan halves

Directions
Preheat oven to 350ºF.

In a small bowl, mix together butter, brown sugar and cinnamon.
On a floured work surface, roll out pie crust and slather on cinnamon roll filling.
Starting with the side closest to you, roll into a tight log. Trim about 1 or 2 inches off each end and discard.

Cut each log into ½-inch thick pieces (you should get about 18-20).
On a floured surface, roll out each piece to ¼-inch thick and press into a 9-inch pie pan.
Chill until firm while preparing filling.

In a bowl, whisk together light and dark corn syrup, brown sugar, salt, toasted pecan pieces (not halves), eggs and vanilla extract. Mix until incorporated.

Pour into prepared crust and top with pecan halves, arranging in a circle. Bake for about an hour until firm. Let cool fully before slicing.

Serve with Bourbon Vanilla Icing (recipe below).

BOURBON VANILLA ICING

½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp bourbon (or bourbon extract)
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

Whisk together ingredients until smooth. Set aside and decorate pie when cool.

Cowboy Cookies

Cowboy Cookies


http://cookyourfood1.blogspot.com/2016/07/cowboy-cookies.html
Ingredients and Directions:

1 Cup butter
1 Cup sugar*
1 Cup packed brown sugar

Cream together and add 2 eggs.

Add:
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 cups flour
2 Cups oatmeal.

After all is blended add
2 Cups of chocolate chips & walnuts to taste.

Drop by large spoon on cookie sheet.
Bake at 350* 12-15 minutes.

*substitute add a tablespoon Dark Molasses in place of a tablespoon of the sugar. also substitute m&m's for the chocolate chips.

No-Bake Coconut Pecan Praline Cookies

No-Bake Coconut Pecan Praline Cookies

http://12tomatoes.com/coconut-pecan-praline-cookies/?utm_source=glp-12t&utm_medium=social-fb&utm_term=20161128&utm_content=video&utm_campaign=coconut-pecan-praline-cookies&origin=glp_12t_social_fb_video_coconut-pecan-praline-cookies_20161128

20 minutes active; 1-2 hours inactive to prepare serves 18-24



INGREDIENTS
2 cups pecans
2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt


PREPARATION
In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, stir together sugars, evaporated milk, corn syrup and butter until melted and smooth.

Bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes, then remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract and salt. Fold in shredded coconut and pecans until incorporated, then continue stirring for 3-4 minutes, or until mixture begins to cool.

Once thick, use a tablespoon or small ice cream scoop to drop spoonfuls of cookie “dough” onto wax paper-lined baking sheets.

Let set completely (freezing if necessary), then enjoy!