In the depth of winter, whether it is snowy or icy, it is always a bit of slow-going getting our household underway in the mornings. Always a first step is to start the water kettle for coffee, often doing this in the glow of headlamps in a dark kitchen if the generator isn’t turned on yet. Even after thirty years of marriage and with many modern conveniences creeping into our backcountry lives, my husband insists on coffee being made the old-fashioned way by grinding beans at last minute and pouring hot water over the grounds through a filter.

Waffles benefit from a gentle hand. Just fold the ingredients together without over-stirring. In our recipe below, the eggs and buttermilk work best together if they are at room temperature. If you have the time, whip the egg whites and fold them in to create a lighter, fluffy version. Of course, there are many flavors that can be added to waffle batter and lots of toppings to try, but in our version this week, we added bacon, Cheddar and sharp green apple to the batter. We topped our waffles with simple sautéed apple compote.

Come February, a federal fisheries council will continue to discuss catch-sharing programs in Alaska trawl fisheries — this time with a bigger voice from Southwest fishermen.

This winter the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council (NPFMC) has heard from concerned parties in the state’s Southcentral ground fisheries, regarding a change over to catch sharing.

When the history of US politics in the early 21st century is written, two figures will stand out: Barack Obama and Sarah Palin.

The election of Mr. Obama to the highest elective office -- the first African-American to win the presidency -- did not necessarily signal a new era of post-racial politics. But coming just a generation after federal troops in the South (and a federal judge in Boston) were necessary to desegregate public schools, it was a huge milestone.

Alaska’s favorite wearable art runway show, Object Runway, was a total hit. Local models strutted down a white catwalk specially constructed inside Anchorage’s Bear Tooth Theater to a packed house of family, fans and curious onlookers on Thursday night.

NEW YORK -- Let's get this out there: I love New York. It's a great city with lots to do and lots of interesting people. 

But visiting the New York Times Travel Show this weekend gave me plenty of ideas of where else to go. The show, in its 10th year, took up a good portion of the Jacob Javits Convention Center near Penn Station in Manhattan. I bumped into about a dozen Alaskans who were attending to coax travelers north this summer! 

NEW YORK -- Let's get this out there: I love New York. It's a great city with lots to do and lots of interesting people. 

But visiting the New York Times Travel Show this weekend gave me plenty of ideas of where else to go. The show, in its 10th year, took up a good portion of the Jacob Javits Convention Center near Penn Station in Manhattan. I bumped into about a dozen Alaskans who were attending to coax travelers north this summer! 

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is out of a job at Fox News, freeing the host of "On the Record with Greta Van Susteren" to begin rehab from the long and exhaustive task of lobbing softballs.

So the question is, as Van Susteren recovers, what will Mrs. Palin do?

The possibilities are endless. Which of these do you think she'll pick?