Bilingualism, Lightening, Nano Science.

The progress of Alzheimer’s may well be impeded if you are bilingual – this according to an article published by Canadian researchers in the journal Cortex. This is quite an incredible discovery - particularly when there is no medication which can delay the onset of this pernicious disease. I obviously should brush up my French, Spanish and Greek, not that I speak a lot of the last two languages, but no doubt every bit helps. I keep reading reports of things Canadian medical researchers are finding, it seems we are doing very well in this field.

Some incredible pictures from South Africa showing lightening at the moment it strikes. The Mail Online title Daredevil Photographer Risks His Life, absolutely fantastic pictures and well worth a look to see the rest of them. This one is called Fire and Ice. The photographer’s name is Mitchell Krog and he has been fascinated by lightening as long as he can remember.

Last night I watched a fascinating programme on The Nature of Things with David Suzuki about nano technology called The Nano Revolution. They are progressing by leaps and bounds from the simple invention of a coating on windows which enables them to clean themselves to a replica of the human brain. This is a three part series and I really must remember to see the next two. This is an excellent example of science fiction becoming fact. With nano technology there doesn’t see to be much which cannot be achieved. Scientists in lots of different countries are working on nano inventions – they are talking medical science too, I think this will be covered next week, but in sci fi nano medical science is used a great deal, will it be used in fact in the future?

I have a bit of a cold and am feeling sorry for myself so anything which is indulgent is right up my alley and what is more indulgent than this recipe following:

Mile-High Peanut Butter Pie

Kraft Kitchens

12 servings

What You Need

35 NILLA Wafers, finely crushed (about 1 cup)

1/4 cup butter, melted1 pkg. (3.9 oz.) JELL-O Chocolate Instant Pudding

2 cups cold milk, divided

4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding

1/2 cup PLANTERS Creamy Peanut Butter, divided

2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, divided

1/2 square BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate

Make It

HEAT oven to 375ºF.

MIX wafer crumbs and butter until well blended; press onto bottom and up side of 9-inch pie plate. Bake 10 min.; cool.

BEAT chocolate pudding mix and 1 cup milk with whisk 2 min. (Pudding will be thick.) Spread onto bottom of crust. Gradually add remaining milk to cream cheese in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add dry vanilla pudding mix; beat 2 min. Reserve 1 Tbsp. peanut butter. Add remaining to vanilla pudding mixture; beat until well blended. Stir in 1 cup COOL WHIP. Spread over chocolate pudding layer to within 1 inch of edge. Spoon remaining COOL WHIP onto center of pie.

REFRIGERATE 3 hours. When ready to serve, microwave remaining peanut butter in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 15 sec. or until melted. Melt chocolate as directed on package. Drizzle peanut butter and chocolate over pie.

Kraft Kitchens Tips

Healthy Living

Good news! You'll save 80 calories and 6 g of total fat, including 2 g of saturated fat, per serving by preparing with Reduced Fat NILLA Wafers, JELL-O Fat Free Sugar Free Puddings, fat-free milk, PHILADELPHIA Neufchatel Cheese, reduced-fat peanut butter and COOL WHIP LITE Whipped Topping.

Substitute JELL-O White Chocolate Flavor Instant Pudding for the vanilla pudding.

Peanut Butter Trifle

Do not crush wafers. Place half the wafers in 1-1/2-qt. bowl. Prepare pudding mixtures as directed; spoon in layers over wafers. Top with remaining wafers and COOL WHIP; drizzle with peanut butter and melted chocolate.

Have a great day