Ambitious cooks have one more week to submit their best recipes to Allyson’s Kitchen’s spring online recipe contest.

At stake are gift certificates to the Ashland gourmet emporium, new knives and cookware and, of course, local recognition. If you need a little inspiration, I can’t think of a better jumpstart than perusing Allyson’s kitchenware and specialty food sections, the extensive wine cellar and tempting deli case. However, a store purchase is not neccessary to compete.

All recipes must be original. Categories are: appetizers, soups and salads, entrees, desserts and a la carte. The contest is open to all registered visitors at www.allysonskitchen.com. Registered visitors also can vote for their favorite recipes.

The deadline for e-mail entries is April 6. Voting will run through April 23. Winners will be posted online by April 30.

Each category winner will receive a $50 gift certificate to Allyson’s. Best of show will receive a three-piece Global knife set. All winning recipes will be entered into the recipe of the year contest, which touts as grand prize a brand-new set of cookware.

View the entry form at Allyson’s Web site, listed above. Click on the “recipes” tab at the top of the page.

Go big or stay home
By Tim Trower

The previous rounds had their share of scrappy, small-lineup teams or mid-majors making noise, but the Final Four is heavy on the bigs, particularly Florida, Georgetown and Ohio State.

In the Georgetown-Ohio State matchup, it’s heralded freshman Greg Oden against 7-foot-2 Roy Hibbert. I expect Oden to follow form and get in early foul trouble. With him idle, the Buckeyes’ smaller, quicker lineup will again rally the team. Ohio State is the best foul-shooting team in the field and will lean on that down the stretch in a 67-65 win.

In the Florida-UCLA game, Florida’s big men and balanced attack will be too much for a UCLA team that has fewer offensive options and whose best player, Aaron Afflalo, has run hot-and-cold in the tournament. I’ll say Florida 77, UCLA 69.

In the championship, a rematch of the BCS title game, it’ll again come down to Florida and the Gators’ many options. The experience of having all five starters back in this situation and Oden’s inability to control the middle spells an 84-81 win for Florida.

Gators to the house
By Frank Silow

All five Florida starters returned from last year’s national championship squad to try to win another title. Just avoiding the upset to get back into the Final Four can be the biggest challenge. Now that the Gators are within two victories of achieving their goal, I don’t think they will be denied being the first team to repeat since Duke in 1991-92.

Florida has the best balanced all-around team in the Final Four. The Gators have demonstrated all the intangibles necessary to be successful on the largest stage. They have the experience. They play an unselfish brand of basketball. They don’t depend on any one or two players. Any of their starters can carry the team depending on the matchup and situation. That was demonstrated by Lee Humphrey’s seven 3-pointers in Florida’s victory over Oregon in the Elite Eight.

Florida hammered UCLA in the finals last year. This year’s semifinal matchup will be closer, but the Gators should be able to exploit a decided advantage inside. UCLA has not allowed an opponent in the tournament to score more than 55 points. Florida has averaged 84 points in its tournament games. UCLA does not have enough firepower to stay with the Gators.

The glamorous pairing in the finals would be a repeat of the football BCS national championship game with Florida meeting Ohio State. But I don’t think the Buckeyes will get past Georgetown in the other semifinal.

Ohio State has been skating on thin ice in the tournament. The Buckeyes’ run in the tournament will come to an end against the tough-minded Hoyas.

In the championship, Florida will beat Georgetown, 74-68.

Oh by the way, I’m somewhat biased, being a Florida graduate.

Gators too much, again
By Kevin Goff

Is Oregon still alive? Seriously though, this field is the strongest, seeding wise, since the 1993 season. So let’s get started.

Georgetown vs. Ohio State: I’ve never been that impressed with Georgetown, but the way the Hoyas rallied from 11 down to beat a good, but young North Carolina squad did catch my eye. And Jeff Green is a phenomenal talent, and if he starts well, he could wreak havoc against the Buckeyes. I see the centers (Georgetown’s Roy Hibbert and Ohio State’s Greg Oden, you may have heard of him) essentially being a wash. That leaves Green and the much more disciplined and experienced Hoyas to slowly pick apart the very young Buckeyes. Final score: Georgetown 72, Ohio State 64.

Florida vs. UCLA: If you like ugly but effective basketball, watch UCLA. Something about this group forces teams to miss the gimmies around the hoop (i.e., Kansas). Unfortunately for the Bruins, Florida can play and win ugly if need be. The Gators, as my once pristine bracket displayed, have all the pieces to race through the Final Four and win a second straight crown. And if Florida’s big guys in the middle (Joakim Noah and Al Horford are two of the best in the game) don’t get it done, then it’s the deadly outside shooting of Lee Humphrey or Taurean Green, or the slashing style of Corey Brewer that will do in the Kevin Love-less Bruins. Final score: Florida 83, UCLA 70.

Championship game: This will be all Florida. Georgetown’s bigs will get in foul trouble trying to keep up with Florida’s quicker counterparts and Humphrey will stay hot to hand coach Billy Donovan another title on his way out the door to coach at Kentucky.

Final score: Florida 81, Georgetown 62.

Hoyas ready to hoist the big trophy
By Don Hunt

Two weeks ago, I penciled in UCLA, Florida, Ohio State and Georgetown to advance to the Final Four. Hey, even a blind squirrel finds an occasional acorn. I also projected Florida and Georgetown moving on to the championship game, with Florida winning a second straight title.

I’ve got a sneaking suspicion now that UCLA will beat Florida. The Gators have been prone to turnovers in this tournament and the lockdown Bruin defense, which aggressively traps and double-teams, will make them pay. Final Score: UCLA 62, Florida 55.

In the other semifinal, I’ll stay with Georgetown. The Hoyas will neutralize Greg Oden with their own 7-footer, Roy Hibbert, in what could be the best big-man showdown in the tournament since Georgetown’s Patrick Ewing faced Houston’s Hakeem Olajuwon in the 1984 national championship game. I like Hibbert’s supporting cast more than Oden’s — Jeff Green was the Big East player of the year. And the Hoyas, led by classy John Thompson III, seem to be a team of destiny. Final Score: Georgetown 57, Ohio State 55.

Georgetown will then edged the Bruins 47-46 in the championship game. Hope y’all like defense.

Gators chomp UCLA, Ohio State
By Warren Blenkush

The Ohio State-Georgetown matchup may depend on which foul-prone big man gets in trouble first.

Although, if Greg Oden picks up two early ones, Ohio State may thrive in his absence as they did early in the season when the 7-footer was injured. Even at times in the tournament, the Buckeyes have played better without Oden, relying more on Mike Conley Jr., Ron Lewis and the rest of their stable of guards to step up.

I love Jeff Green’s game and his versatility for the Hoyas, but I expect Conley to distribute the ball and make good decisions while drilling 3-pointers alongside Lewis, whose been clutch for the Buckeyes all season.

Whichever way the calls swing, all I know is I can’t wait to see the Oden-Hibbert matchup … best big-man matchup in a longtime. THE Ohio State rolls, 72-64.

In the rematch of last season’s championship, I don’t expect the Bruins to get their vengeance. Florida has the same team as last season, but with more experience. There are simply too many weapons on both the outside and obviously on the inside with Joakim Noah and Al Horford controlling the paint.

Aaron Afflalo was exceptional for UCLA in the Elite 8 and I don’t expect anything less of an effort from him against the Gators, but Corey Brewer — one of the best perimeter defenders in the country — will do his best to lock down Afflalo while a smaller Bruin interior struggles with Noah and Horford.

And my wildcard, Lee Humphrey who played out of his mind against Oregon (23 points, including seven from downtown) will provide a perimeter threat what will stretch out Ben Howland’s superb defense, allowing Brewer to slash inside while taking away double teams that may swarm around Noah and Horford.

Not only can the Gators play in the half court, they can get out and run as well. Billy Donovan has Florida playing as a team once again and they have a great complement of players.

I know how tough it is for a college team to repeat in this tournament, but the Gators, led by three potential top 10 picks in the NBA draft, will breeze by the Bruins before repeating as national champs over Ohio State. Florida 76, UCLA 59.

Championship: Florida 81, Ohio State 74.

Just tune in late
By Kris Henry

Are you actually still reading this? The games could’ve been played in the time it’s taken to get down to this point.

Everyone else sounds pretty astute in their observations, so go with them because I really don’t have a feeling either way on the Final Four matchups or championship final. My guess is that all remaining games will be played at a dull, defensive tempo that will ensure every team has a chance to win in the final two minutes. Hibbert’s a stiff and Ohio State’s been playing a game of survival. Noah’s chest-pounding antics are wearing thin — as is Florida’s us-against-the-world mentality — and it’s physically not possible to stomach any more of CBS’ flashes in the crowd to former UCLA great Bill Walton.

Final Four, you mean Frozen Four
By Carl McCutchen

For me, it doesn’t even really matter. My bracket took a fatal hit when the Terps ate it pretty early. Throw in the fact the Fighting Irish never even saw a glimpse of the Elite Eight, and that was it. My attention will really be on the other Four taking place shortly — the Frozen Four. For that, I choose Michigan State to ice everybody else. There you have it.

The Fish Hack is back at The Fish Wrap, where life is good but it would be “very, very, very, very good” if this here rag paid by the word instead of by the hour.

Had my fill of Californication last week, particularly when a side trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium revealed that fish and advice are alike in one way: When they’re bad, they’re awful.

Nothing wrong with the aquarium. The Fish Hack has one major shark-jones, and their tanks are loaded with my fellow predators. But the aquarium’s pubbin’ of its “Seafood Watch — West Coast Seafood Guide 2007” made me gag.

The aquarium is telling people to ask questions about the seafood they eat, and make choices based on where the fish is from and how it is caught.
That’s all good. Except, their recommendations violate The Fish Hack’s credo of “Friends Don’t Let Friends Eat Farmed Fish.”

Their list of best seafood choices include farmed abalone, U.S.-farmed catfish, farmed sturgeon and farmed trout. Lingcod and Oregon salmon rank only as “Good Alternatives,” the same as dogfish and squid.

Dogfish? Farmed catfish? Farmed ANYTHING better than lingcod or Oregon troll-caught salmon?

Come on. Oregon troll-caught salmon are as good a resource as you’ll eat. Also, lingcod officially are a rebuilt marine stock, a real success story. Bagging on lingcod is soooo 2003.

I don’t care if it’s in a pen sunk off Argentina or some dirty pond in Billy Bob’s backyard. Farmed fish aren’t real fish. They don’t get fat on shrimp or bugs. They’re fed ground-up fish carcasses and drugs to make their flesh appear edible.

Remember the movie, “Soylent Green?” Charlton Heston was fed ground-up people cut into bite-sized squares. Is that healthy?

Aquariums shouldn’t be lending cred to farmed anything. What’s next? Sam Elliott on television saying, “Tofu. It’s What’s Fer Dinner.”

If you aquarium people want me to roll into a restaurant asking for farmed catfish, then you need to hit KFC and demand a bucket of factory-raised chicken whose feet never touched the ground.

That’s just bad form. And even though The Fish Hack isn’t paid by the word, I’ll give you 17 extra “reallys” to string in front of that “bad.” No charge.

Food-trend followers likely were intrigued with Wolfgang Puck’s recent announcement that his restaurant menus are changing to promote animal welfare.

One can only wonder whether Puck would have been so eager to ban foie gras while the fatty liver was still currying favor with foodies everywhere. Following a year or so of renewed popularity, foie gras, The Associated Press announced in late December, would be hopelessly passé in 2007.

Foie gras long has been foremost among “cruel” foods for producers’ practices of overfeeding ducks and geese. But you don’t have to ban it entirely to promote peace of mind. Chefs and consumers alike can choose products, whether they be vegetables, cheese or meat, from small operations that are more interested in quality and sustainability than quantity.

Yes, this can apply to foie gras. I’d probably be skeptical of this statement, too, if I hadn’t visited a small foie gras farm in rural France several years ago.

The ducks — indeed roaming free — were the first to greet our busload of students. Mobile and lively, they seemed to suffer no adverse effects from their enlarged livers, developed during daily gorgings on corn. The farmers frankly addressed their industry’s reputation for cruelty, stating that physical distress would prevent the ducks from developing the type of liver prized for foie gras. The flock, in fact, clamored for corn, they claimed.

An extensive tour revealed not one ailing duck. And I had absolutely no reservations about gorging myself on the best foie gras I’ve yet to taste anywhere.

Mind you, I’m not under the illusion that the experience represented all foie gras farms everywhere. But given this one’s practices and superior product, I would have no qualms about purchasing its foie gras. And since some foodies are not likely to forego these velvety morsels just because celebrity chefs are riding the next trend, education about a product’s origins could go a long way toward promoting peace of mind.

You may have read our Local Report item about former South Medford baseball player Logan Boyd in Wednesday’s Mail Tribune. He’s tearing up the California junior college ranks as an outfielder for the College of San Mateo, leading the state with eight home runs. He hit two, including a grand slam, Saturday, and the game before that he was 4-for-4 with a triple. If you missed that news item or want to read even more about Boyd, a sophomore who led the Bulldogs in homers last year despite batting at the bottom of the order, click here. 

It wasn’t in anticipation of Easter that rabbit made its debut in my home this weekend.

My mom, visiting from the coast, had located a small farm in rural Coos County that raises and butchers rabbits by special order. I confess to loving this poultry alternative, but I get the chance to enjoy rabbit only when it makes a rare appearance on restaurant menus. The meat is notoriously difficult to find in grocery stores. You might say we jumped at the chance to prepare it at home.

Although these cuts purported to come from a young rabbit, braising seemed the best way to render its meat tender and succulent. We started by browning a little pancetta in some olive oil and adding diced onion and garlic and then the rabbit. In addition to salt and pepper, smoked paprika really brought out the rabbit’s distinctive flavor.

We deglazed the pan with a couple cups of red wine, added some fresh bay leaves and sage sprigs and roasted the whole thing in a 350-degree oven for about 30 minutes. Quartered Yukon Gold potatoes, chunks of red onion and carrots and whole garlic gloves then went into the pan. Another 20 or so minutes later, we removed the meat and vegetables, thickened the pan sauce with a little potato starch, garnished the plates with some fresh, minced parsley and savored every bite.

I would welcome readers’ suggestions on where to find rabbit in the Rogue Valley. Respond to this blog, or e-mail slemon@mailtribune.com. Have a favorite rabbit recipe? Send that along, too.

Contrary to what you may have heard, there isn’t a lot of money in the newspaper biz.

I know, I’ll give you a moment to digest that while I clean out the moths in my wallet and make room for my Megabucks ticket — correction — my WINNING $5.8 million Megabucks ticket (you’ve got to think positive).

I’m sure many of you out there are like me in that you know you would make an excellent lottery winner. I’ve thought for years about how much I could do for my community if only I had the funds: safer schools, better sports fields, free ice cream days in the summer, etc.

But whereas those things are a fantasy for me and my modest lifestyle — until I win tonight, of course — giving back to this community is a reality for Sherm Olsrud and his wife Wanda. The local philanthropists have had a hand in just about everything that’s right with the Rogue Valley, and shy away from credit like a little leaguer facing their first fastball.

The Olsruds — unwillingly I’m sure — were at the center of attention Friday night during a net-cutting ceremony to celebrate the new gymnasium at Kids Unlimited in Medford tabbed “Olsrud Court.” A $250,000 donation by the Olsruds got the ball rolling on the 34,000-square-foot complex that provides activities for at-risk, low-income youth.

But if you think that’s the first good deed by the Olsruds, you must be new to town.

We’re covering some boxing championships tonight at the Olsrud Arena at the Jackson County Fairgrounds. A few months ago some of the 30,000 pounds of food donated to ACCESS’ Food for Hope drive by the Olsruds, who own Sherm’s Thunderbird markets in Medford, Klamath Falls and Roseburg and Food 4 Less in Medford, most likely went by that same venue.

The Olsruds have a history of benevolance that includes donations for field turf at Spiegelberg Stadium, funding for rooter busses during South Medford’s state-championship run in boys basketball, various participation in 4-H activities at the Jackson County Fair and so on and so on.

When a winning Powerball ticket was sold last year at Sherm’s Thunderbird, the company namesake donated all the funds the store received in its payout to Jackson and Washington elementary schools because “we felt those two schools could use it.” When McLoughlin Middle School was struggling to raise funds to erect a fence around the facility to offset safety concerns, Sherm went straight to his personal checking account and wrote out an $18,000 check to cover the expense.

So while my son Nick dreams of becoming the next Kyle Singler or Steve DeClerck, I’m holding out hope on being the next Sherm Olsrud — because the Rogue Valley won the lottery having the Olsruds as their neighbor.

So, you average 20 points and 4.5 assists per game for the state’s top-ranked (at least for most of the season) basketball team. You’re the point guard, the engine of the team. In your head-to-head matchups with the state’s other top guards, you either match or out-shine the opposition.

That’s why the exclusion of South Medford junior Michael Harthun on the Class 6A first-team all-state list is a major head-scratcher for me.

Harthun, fresh off a 24-point night in the Panthers’ state-championship victory, was a second-team member for the second straight year. I understand his second-team status last season. He was a sophomore on a team filled with experienced talent.

But this year, the offense revolved around what Kyle Singler and Harthun did. And, 27 wins and a state title later … well, you can see how that worked out.

I realize coaches vote before the state tournament (a three-day event where Harthun shot 69 percent from 3-point range and 61 percent overall) but wasn’t his body of work during the regular season enough?

Of course, earning a second-team nod is still quite an honor. I would have been thrilled with such accolades during my playing days. But apparently my 4.5 points per contest as a starting guard wasn’t enough. It wasn’t my fault I was a vertically challenged, sometimes turnover-prone hooper packed into a 130-pound frame. Right?

Maybe the third time will be the charm for Harthun. Maybe his senior season, coaches (especially those up north) will see the light. What else can the guy do?

I recently received an e-mail asking a question everyone in the media has heard repeatedly — Why don’t you publish more news about the good things going on in Iraq? This missive came with a group of photos of smiling U.S. soldiers with smiling kids.

I think there are three basic reasons there are not more good news stories in the local media:

1. There’s not that much good news to report. Yes, there are success stories and pockets of the country where things are going better, but the truth is that it remains a country torn apart. You hear that not just from journalists, but from the troops themselves. There have been some notable good news stories that ended poorly — new schools started and school kids later killed, water treatment plants built and then destroyed by insurgents. I’ve asked our wire editors to keep an eye out for “good news,” but they say they see little of it.

2. We have little control over the war coverage. The reporters on the ground in Iraq are primarily from wire services or major media outlets. They are often unable to get outside the U.S. protected Green Zone, because it’s too dangerous. So if a school or an electrical plant opens, there’s often little or no media there to witness it. Are the reporters on the ground biased against the war? I can’t judge that, but from what I read and hear, it seems they’re just trying to tell us what’s going on, the good and the bad.

3. The military makes it hard to tell the good stories. As strange as that seems, it’s true. We have twice had good stories set up with local soldiers, only to be told that they found out they could not speak to the media. So the stories we could tell from the people who are on the front lines are blocked by the very military that says the media are not telling the whole story. Seems like they’re shooting themselves in the foot.

As I mentioned, the e-mail I received came with photos. But they were pictures of soldiers with no IDs, so we have no idea if they’re from Medford or Oshkosh. If you know of any local people who are serving in Iraq or Afghanistan, please let us know, because we do want to tell their stories. We can’t send a reporter to Baghdad, but when the troops come home, we will meet them anytime, anywhere to let them tell their stories.

The Fish Hack won’t be adding his regular stain to The Fish Wrap for awhile, but that doesn’t mean you Blog Brothas and Mothas get a break from your daily cuppa Hack.

I’m in San Jose with ducats to the NCAA West Regional Finals. The Fish Hack’s parents, aka Sperm Donor and Host Organism, scored seats through a legit connection. Promised one to me if I didn’t sit with them or ever use their names online. In other words, obey the restraining order and I get seats for three games.

Today opens with the Kansas Jayhawks versus the Southern Illinois Salukis. Game 2 is Pitt Panthers versus UCLA Bruins. Let the other Hacks break down the match-ups hoops-wise. We’ll do it by the critters that represent their institutions.

JAYHAWKS v. SALUKIS

Hoopsters say it’s the Jayhawks in a laugher. Fish Hack says get real.
Hard to like the Jayhawks here because THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS A JAYHAWK. It’s a term used in Kansas territorial days for everyone from drunken raiders to abolitionists to drunken abolitionists.

A Saluki is a Persian hound that hunts by sight, not scent. That makes it hard here.
How can a Saluki sight-hunt a myth?

The only way to solve this is Fake Species v. Real Species. Fake species are unprotected under Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife rules. So take the Saluki’s, which already beat Bigfoot and Unicorns to get to the Sweet 16.

PANTHERS v. BRUINS

Another tough one because both species come in under gooey pseudonyms. “Panthers” brings back memories of the late 1990s when an ODFW spin-doctor actually tried to get The Fish Hack axed for making fun in The Fish Wrap of her insistence of changing “cougars” to “mountain lions” in official ODFW publications. Last heard, The Spin Doctor was peddling organic dog biscuits. Pretty obvious who won that one.

“Bruins” rhymes with “ruins,” which is what UCLA does to my bracket if they blow this one.
So, it’s bracket-munching Bear versus Cougar’s out-of-state cousin. Omnivore versus carnivore.

Take the Omnivore, by a nose.