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Kitchen Encounters
Sharing over 30 years of culinary expertise, foodie opinion, experiences and entertaining commentary with avid followers of the sport of cooking!
01) Hors D'Oeuvres, Appetizers & Starters
02) Soups, Salads, Sandwiches & Snacks
03) Entrees & Main-Dish Casseroles
04) Accompaniments & Side-Servings
05) Baking Bread, Quick Breads & Muffins
06) Cakes, Desserts, Fruit Desserts & Pies
07) Cookies, Brownies, Bars, Fudge & Brittle
08) Condiments, Sauces, Gravy & Marinades
09) Breakfasts, Brunches & Buffets
10) Picnics, Barbecues & Grills
11) Parties, Holidays & Celebrations
12) My Eastern European & Italian Heritages
13) Tex/Mex,Thai/Asian, Indian, Greek & More
14) Fish/Seafood, Pasta & Vegetarian Too
15) With Love from Melanie's Kitchen: Techniques, Basic Recipes, My Soup Stocks & an Occasional Oration
16) Bitchin' from Melanie's Kitchen: Commentaries, Opinions, Rantings, Stories & an Occasional Beverage or Cocktail
17) Just Penn State Tailgate
18) Just Thanksgiving
19) Just Kid-Friendly & Family-Style Food
20) Just Plain Easy, Comfort Food & Crockpot
21) Just Elegant, Extraordinary & Exquisite
22) Alert!!! Can be Made Ahead and Frozen
23) Culinary Q&A & Kitchen Therapy Too
24) Around Town, Road Trips & Encounters
25) What would Don Draper do? Retro recipes from my past to your present!
David Schlow on ~ Happy Valley PA's Pop's Mexi-Hots Hot Dog Sauce ~
KitchenEncounters on ~ How to: Velvet (Tenderize) Protein the Chinese Way ~
Len on ~ How to: Velvet (Tenderize) Protein the Chinese Way ~
KitchenEncounters on ~ Steaming & Separating Cabbage in the Microwave ~
Jeanette on ~ Steaming & Separating Cabbage in the Microwave ~
KitchenEncounters on ~ About Pillsbury Hot Roll Mix & My Copycat Recipe ~
Tami on ~ About Pillsbury Hot Roll Mix & My Copycat Recipe ~
KitchenEncounters on ~ Welcome to my cooking blog: Kitchen Encounters ~
Robert Lundeen on ~ Welcome to my cooking blog: Kitchen Encounters ~
145 posts categorized "21) Just Elegant, Extraordinary & Exquisite"
~Meatless & Marvelous Creamy Pasta & Mushrooms~
A bowl of exquisite creamy-dreamy pasta. When the craving for it hits, it's one that can't be staved off. In terms of work, while I consider this a rather uncomplicated dish to make, requiring just two or three relatively-easy steps, I relax and take my time to make it right. As a mushroom lover, they're on-hand in my refrigerator 90%-95% of the time (which is why this is one of my favorite go-to pasta dishes) and they get seasoned and sautéed in a skillet first. Next I take five-ten minutes to make a Parmesan-cream sauce using always-on-hand ingredients. I cook...... View full recipe for "~Meatless & Marvelous Creamy Pasta & Mushrooms~"
~ Six Recipes for Fabulously-Flavored Holiday Fudge ~
Fudge is especially popular on the the boardwalks of the East coast in the Summertime. That said, it is also perfect for gift-giving during the holidays. Because it can be made several weeks in advance and stored (covered) in the the refrigerator, I like to make several flavors, then, assemble gift-boxes containing assorted flavors to share with family and friends. It's a fun, relaxing way to ease into the holiday spirit, and it's a great addition to a tray of assorted cookies too. This all-American confection dates back to the late 1880s. Fudge originated in America in the latter 19th...... View full recipe for "~ Six Recipes for Fabulously-Flavored Holiday Fudge ~"
~The Ultimate-Best Peanut-Butter Killer Fudge Recipe~
If it's full-throttle roasted-peanut flavor and crunch you crave, there's no need to look elsewhere for a peanut butter fudge recipe. Lightly-roasted peanuts, crunchy peanut butter, peanut-butter morsels, and, peanut butter flavoring team up in my version, and, trust me, nobody can eat just one piece of this peanutty fudge. There's more. This recipe (which has been tested, tasted and approved by many experienced cooking friends) is super-easy to make, not to mention foolproof, so, for those who've never tried making fudge before, or novice cooks, this recipe is ideal. Everyone remembers their first bite of fudge -- that creamy,...... View full recipe for "~The Ultimate-Best Peanut-Butter Killer Fudge Recipe~"
~Double-Cherry & Double-Vanilla Lover's Killer Fudge~
Cherry-vanilla is one of my favorite flavor combinations. Cherry-vanilla or black-cherry-vanilla cream soda, cherry-vanilla ice-cream, cherry-vanilla milkshakes, cherry-vanilla yogurt and cherry-vanilla biscotti are amongst my favorite things. While I didn't invent the idea for cherry-vanilla fudge, once I got my hands on a great base recipe for making fudge, cherry-vanilla was the first spin-off I made (for myself), and, after tasting it, I think you'll agree it's perhaps the best rendition in print or on internet, as, it uses a combination of dehydrated tart "sour" pie cherries and pure cherry extract, instead of neon-colored candied maraschinos (which taste nothing like...... View full recipe for "~Double-Cherry & Double-Vanilla Lover's Killer Fudge~"
~Cinnamon-Apple Maple-Walnut Lover's Killer Fudge~
Maple-walnut ice cream and maple-walnut fudge. While they're my only two encounters with this sublime combination, meaning I've not tasted a maple-walnut pie or a maple-walnut cake, I was driven to re-create both of them in my home kitchen. My experience with the first was in Vermont, and it was a slow-churned unforgettable experience. My experience with the second was on the boardwalks of New Jersey, and, it was a creamy-dreamy unforgettable experience. Everyone remembers their first bite of fudge -- that creamy, semi-soft confection made with corn syrup and/or sugar, butter, cream and flavoring. Hands-down, the most popular flavor...... View full recipe for "~Cinnamon-Apple Maple-Walnut Lover's Killer Fudge~"
~ Butterscotch & Bits-O-Toffee Brickle Lover's Fudge ~
Butterscotch, caramel, English toffee and American buttercrunch. These rich butter-and-sugar-based candies are all related, and, I have an affinity for them all. As a little kid, my hand gravitated to the bag of those little chewy squares of Kraft Caramels, and, when I got a little older, I always kept a few cellophane-wrapped Brach's Butterscotch hard-candies in my purse -- they were a way to enjoy an otherwise long and boring class at school or sermon at church. Everyone remembers their first bite of fudge -- that creamy, semi-soft confection made with corn syrup and/or sugar, butter, cream and flavoring....... View full recipe for "~ Butterscotch & Bits-O-Toffee Brickle Lover's Fudge ~"
~Milk-Chocolate and Toasted-Coconut Lover's Fudge~
As one who in all seriousness does not crave chocolate, when I do eat it it, my taste leans toward milk chocolate, with Swiss Lindt being my chocolate of choice. Even as a kid, I pretty much turned my prissy little nose up at chocolate, with one exception. Every year for Christmas, mom would put a few Russel Stover milk-chocolate toasted-coconut wreaths in my stocking. For Easter, milk-chocolate toasted-coconut bird's nests went in my basket. I love them to this day. While I didn't invent the idea for milk-chocolate toasted-coconut fudge, once I had a great base recipe for fudge,...... View full recipe for "~Milk-Chocolate and Toasted-Coconut Lover's Fudge~"
~Dark Chocolate Lover's Killer Dark-Chocolate Fudge~
Everyone remembers their first bite of fudge -- that creamy, semi-soft confection made with corn syrup and/or sugar, butter, cream and flavoring. Hands-down, the most popular flavor is dark chocolate, with milk chocolate in second. Peanut butter, butterscotch, maple and vanilla are all contenders for the third spot. When I was growing up, Agnes was our next-door neighbor. She loved to bake, and throughout the years her sweet treats made their way to our table often. Every year, on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Eve, Agnes joined our family for dinner and graced our dessert table with a plate of fudge...... View full recipe for "~Dark Chocolate Lover's Killer Dark-Chocolate Fudge~ "
~ Hungarian Gulyás: Beef, Vegetable & Paprika Soup ~
American-style goulash is made with ground beef and macaroni. It's tasty, it's filling, it's easy to prepare, and, has the added bonus of being kid-friendly. It's a stewy take on Hungarian goulash, but, aside from containing meat (originally ground beef, but nowadays chicken or turkey are sometimes substituted), a few vegetables (typically green bell pepper, onion and tomato sauce) and pasta (usually elbow-type macaroni or corkscrews), it all-too-often tastes resemblant of Italian-American spaghetti with meat sauce -- the flavor profile is hardly Hungarian. A not-so-short but informative bit about Hungarian Gulyás: Hungarian gulyás (pronounced goulēus and meaning herdsmen) is the...... View full recipe for "~ Hungarian Gulyás: Beef, Vegetable & Paprika Soup ~"
~ Sweet, Succulent & Snowy-White King Crab Subs ~
When I was growing up, in addition to the deli-meat and cheese, on any given trip to the grocery store, my mom would purchase a container of creamy krab (not a typo) salad. At home, she'd scoop it onto cottony-soft 'burger rolls, open a bag of Wise potato chips, and lunch was served. As far as childhood memories for preprepared at the deli-counter salads or side-dishes go*, this store-bought mixture of imitation krab meat, mayo, lemon and paprika, was the singular mayo-based item that ever made it into our grocery cart. Why? Neither my mother or father cared one bit...... View full recipe for "~ Sweet, Succulent & Snowy-White King Crab Subs ~"
~Grilled Shrimp and Asparagus Cocktail w/Lemon Dip~
How much would you pay for this in an upscale restaurant? About $8.00 as an appetizer? Perhaps $12.00 as a lunch entrée? Both sound fare to me, but, truth told, this small plate of happiness is so good I'd happily pay more. 'Tis true, rake my shrimp cocktail over some hot coals and I'll follow you anywhere -- and pay a tidy sum for it too. Add a few slices of grilled bread, uncork a bottle of white wine, and invite a few guests to join you too -- it's that impressive. For the pucker-up lemon sauce for seafood or...... View full recipe for "~Grilled Shrimp and Asparagus Cocktail w/Lemon Dip~"
~ Spaghetti w/Crab, Asparagus, Tomato & Prosciutto ~
Light, bright and amazingly lemony, this lusciously-decadent, not to mention rich, restaurant-quality pasta dish is easy to prepare -- and it's pitch-perfect Summer fare. While the prosciutto-wrapped asparagus and grape tomatoes roast for ten minutes and cool for five, the pasta gets cooked and seasoned. Toss the two together with high-quality crab claw meat, and lunch or dinner is served. No, just say NO, walk away from hard, grated or shaved, Italian cheese, soft fresh mozzarella or creamy ricotta, and please, don't roll your eyes. Once you savor the delicate flavors in the first forkful of crab and asparagus intermingled...... View full recipe for "~ Spaghetti w/Crab, Asparagus, Tomato & Prosciutto ~"
~ Amazingly-Lemony & Perfectly-Roasted Asparagus ~
When I was growing up, fresh asparagus was a delicacy, meaning, my family only ate it in the Spring, mostly for holidays and special occasions, or, when we reserved a table at a fancy restaurant -- restaurants had more access to it than the average American family during that era. That said, even in the restaurants back in the 1960's and '70's, it was always of the pencil-thin type, and, it was served either lightly steamed or briefly blanched. Thinking back, I suppose it was because these methods enhanced its color, which made for a prettier presentation. Indeed it tasted...... View full recipe for "~ Amazingly-Lemony & Perfectly-Roasted Asparagus ~"
~ Perfectly-Prepared Chicken and Mushroom Risotto ~
Risotto is traditional Italian cooking at its best. Risotto is more of a method than a recipe, and it requires respect. There are no two ways to make risotto. Make it right or it's not risotto. Don't deviate from the method, don't take shortcuts and don't make substitutions. Risotto cannot be rushed -- it requires patience. It cannot be made in advance, it needs to be carefully watched, methodically stirred, and served immediately. Risotto is done when it is done, and only the cook knows when it is done, but, when it is done right, it's a meal fit for...... View full recipe for "~ Perfectly-Prepared Chicken and Mushroom Risotto ~"
~ No two ways about it: Make it right or it's not Risotto ~
Risotto is traditional Italian cooking at its best. Risotto is more of a method than a recipe, and it requires respect. There are no two ways to make risotto. Make it right or it's not risotto. Don't deviate from the method, don't take shortcuts and don't make substitutions. Risotto cannot be rushed -- it requires patience. It cannot be made in advance, it needs to be carefully watched, methodically stirred, and served immediately. Risotto is done when it is done, and only the cook knows when it is done, but, when it is done right, it's a meal fit for...... View full recipe for "~ No two ways about it: Make it right or it's not Risotto ~"
~ Effortlessly-Regal No-Brainer Blackberry Clafoutis ~
I'm continually astonished by how many cooks have no idea what clafoutis is, or, assume from its name that it's hard to make. If I were to write The Big Book of No-Brainer Desserts, clafoutis would be on the cover. Whisk up a simple batter (eggs, cream or milk, sugar, salt, flour, melted butter and brandy or extract), pour it over some fresh fruit and bake. Cherries are the classic addition, with any type of berries, combination of berries, or tender stone fruit like apricots, plums and peaches being common substitutions. Currently, I'm secretly addicted to the one-pound boxes of...... View full recipe for "~ Effortlessly-Regal No-Brainer Blackberry Clafoutis ~"
~Jamaican-Style Butter-Poached Lobsta Rasta Pasta~
Generally speaking, I am not a big fan of serving cheese or cheese sauces with fish or seafood, but, there are exceptions to every rule, so, for those who, like myself, do appreciate the divine goodness of dishes like lobster macaroni and cheese, you've gotta try my creamy-dreamy Island-Style Jamaican-Italian-American Rasta Pasta with succulent, butter-poached lobster meat added to it. In the event you've never heard of rasta pasta, take a moment and read on: Rasta Pasta is a restaurant located in Colorado Springs, CO. The owners, the Taraborelli family, specialize in fusing two of the unlikeliest of culinary bedfellows:...... View full recipe for "~Jamaican-Style Butter-Poached Lobsta Rasta Pasta~"
~ Sweet Potato, Apple & Sausage Bundt-Pan Stuffing ~
Stuffing baked in a bundt pan makes for a picture-perfect presentation that brings a smile to everyone. From a practical standpoint, it feeds a crowd (or a small gathering of stuffing lovers) and it's very user-friendly: it easy to portion, slice and serve at the table or on the buffet line, and, slices are especially convenient on closed or open-faced turkey sandwiches. Stuffing slices can be wrapped, stacked and frozen too -- for those times when one has to have a slice of stuffing. Nicely-sliced stuffing is not new-to-me -- it's old-school brilliance. My grandmother always baked her stuffing in...... View full recipe for "~ Sweet Potato, Apple & Sausage Bundt-Pan Stuffing ~"
~ Nicely-Sliced: Stuffing in a Bundt Pan Stuffing Ring ~
Nicely-sliced stuffing is not new-to-me -- it's old-school brilliance. My grandmother always baked her stuffing in two loaf pans because it was an efficient use of oven space. As a savvy cook, she figured out that two, high, narrow loaf pans took up less oven space than a low, shallow casserole while yielding about the same amount. Her stuffing loaves baked on either side of the roasting turkey with miscellaneous other casseroles strategically placed on the remaining upper rack. Some fun facts about making stuffing in a bundt pan: Making Thanksgiving stuffing in a 12-cup bundt pan does not take...... View full recipe for "~ Nicely-Sliced: Stuffing in a Bundt Pan Stuffing Ring ~"
~ Time for Tapas: Spanish-Style Garlic-Lovers Shrimp ~
A small portion of any hot or cold, savory edible that can be eaten in just a few bites, forkfuls or slurps. Here in America, we call them "snacks". In Spain they're called "tapas". Like the American snack, anything can be a tapas if eaten in a small enough portion. In Spain, tapas is a style of eating, and going out for tapas is one of their most popular activities. When going out for tapas, you're not going out for dinner (although, if you eat enough tapas, they can be the equivalent of a meal). You start out eating tapas...... View full recipe for "~ Time for Tapas: Spanish-Style Garlic-Lovers Shrimp ~"
~Crunchy Crabmeat Crostini w/Secret Seafood Sauce~
There's nothing like driving back from a trip to the Maryland shore with a few pounds of sweet blue crabmeat in a cooler in the back seat. The mind races with all the mouthwatering options to enjoy after you pull in the driveway. While fresh crab is best, happily, high-quality pasteurized crabmeat is available to us all all-year long, which makes my food world a kinder, gentler place. Beer-steaming live crabs and hand-cracking them to pick their meat, is, not a sport I partake in. Ugh. I don't even enjoy sitting at a crab shack in front of a newspaper-covered...... View full recipe for "~Crunchy Crabmeat Crostini w/Secret Seafood Sauce~"
~ The Perfect 12-13-Minute, 2"-Thick, Grill-Pan Filet ~
Feel free to take your filet mignon into the great outdoors to cook it on the grill, but, I don't recommend it. Why? The filet, cut from the tenderloin and leanest, tenderest cut of beef, is the least likely to succeed over the dry, open flame of any seething-hot charcoal or gas grill grids. That said, indoors, on a grill pan, where it has a solid, steamy surface to sear itself above its own bubbling juices, the filet graduates at the head of its class -- with perfect, 4.0 grill marks too. 4, 8-9-ounce, 2"-thick USDA Choice Angus filet-mignon steaks....... View full recipe for "~ The Perfect 12-13-Minute, 2"-Thick, Grill-Pan Filet ~"
~ Have a Blackberry-Cobbler Ice-Cream Kind of Day ~
Newsflash. Blue Bell, the Texas-based ice cream company, announced on Twitter, that its Southern Blackberry-Cobbler Ice Cream will be available in stores, for a limited time only, starting Monday, June 4th. This popular seasonal flavor consists of a creamy, blackberry-flavored vanilla ice cream with flaky pie crust pieces and blackberry sauce swirled throughout. Being a worshiper of the blackberry, under normal circumstances, this news would have caused me to race around town in an attempt to hoard as much of it as I could stuff into my freezer. It didn't. Why? Homemade blackberry-cobbler frozen custard + tips on adding fruit...... View full recipe for "~ Have a Blackberry-Cobbler Ice-Cream Kind of Day ~"
~ Chinese-Style Tomato-Eggs: For Any Time of Day ~
The incredible, edible egg. For centuries, the Chinese recognized how good the protein-packed egg is. So much so, eggs are their symbol of the principals-of-life: "yin" being the white, "yang" being the yolk.* Eggs, colored or marbled, celebrate birth, restoration of good health, continued good-luck and/or future prosperity. Dating back to ancient times, eggs of any kind (chicken, duck quail and pigeon) were incorporated into meals all day long (fluffy scrambled tomato eggs, flan-like steamed eggs, omelette-esque egg fu young, wispy egg drop soup, vinegary pickled eggs, tea-flavored smoked eggs, etc.), with mushrooms and/or seafood being common additions. *Note: Yin...... View full recipe for "~ Chinese-Style Tomato-Eggs: For Any Time of Day ~"
~ Spring Chicken w/Garlic-Butter Pasta & Asparagus ~
This winner of a weeknight chicken dinner is taken straight from pages of my working parents' playbook. Before heading out the door in the morning, my mom would put four chicken breasts, doused with store-bought Italian dressing, in a bowl, and, at the end of the work day, dad would dredge the breasts in bread crumbs and sauté them in a skillet, while mom cooked a box of kid-friendly pasta and readied some fresh green beans. It was simple and straightforward, nothing fancy, but, it was a dinner we all liked, right down to the vegetable. If we four could...... View full recipe for "~ Spring Chicken w/Garlic-Butter Pasta & Asparagus ~"
~ Sausage, Apple & Herbed-Brie Breakfast Burgers ~
This morning I decided to go eggless -- it's a woman's perogative. I skipped the skillet and got out the grill pan. On this frigid January morning, I made what I affectionately refer to as: breakfast 'burgers. Six-ounce sausage patties topped with lightly-grilled apple slices and melty herbed Brie, served on toasted English muffins. I conjured up these ladylike, burger-esque breakfast sandwiches years ago. They're culinary proof that necessity is the mother of invention. Read on: We were enjoying an AM tailgate at Beaver Stadium. When I reached into the Igloo cooler to retrieve the eggs, I realized they hadn't...... View full recipe for "~ Sausage, Apple & Herbed-Brie Breakfast Burgers ~"
~ Filling, Braiding & Baking Store-Bought Puff Pastry ~
Everyone loves a home-baked sweet or savory pie or quiche, but, for those times when you are out of time, or, just don't want to take the time, from appetizers to entrées to desserts, making a puff pastry braid using store-bought puff pastry is a valuable skill to have. As long as you play by the rules, they bake up perfectly 100% of the time. What are the rules? I'm glad you asked. My three basic rules/guidelines for filling a pastry braid: 1) With the exception of the obvious (any liquid or liquid concoction that pours or flows), any solid...... View full recipe for "~ Filling, Braiding & Baking Store-Bought Puff Pastry ~"
~Swiss Chocolate, Cherry & Almond Puff Pastry Braid~
Imagine eating a freshly-baked, still-warm chocolate croissant at your favorite coffee shop. Just thinking about one of those divinely decadent indulgences makes me happy. Now imagine it super-sized, more than enough to feed four, with sweet cherries and crunchy almonds added to it too. Need I say more? Valentine's Day will be here before we know it, and, if you're looking to surprise the chocolate lover in your life with something truly sweet, stash the ingredients on this list in your pantry and freezer, then, start counting the days to February 14th. Tick, tock. From appetizers to entrées to desserts......... View full recipe for "~Swiss Chocolate, Cherry & Almond Puff Pastry Braid~"
~ Sweet Sausage, Apple & Cheddar Puff Pastry Braid ~
We all have our favorite breakfast and brunch casserole recipes -- I'd be lost without mine. They taste great, they're easy to prepare, and, some can even be made ahead, but, let's face it: casseroles aren't elegant. They're low-key, family-style, comfort food -- the blue jeans of the food world. Newsflash: Occasionally, it's necessary to dress up -- and that extends to the food. If I told you I have a small repertoire of AM meals that make a stunning presentation, taste as good as they look, and, are relatively easy to prepare, would you want the recipes? I thought...... View full recipe for "~ Sweet Sausage, Apple & Cheddar Puff Pastry Braid ~"
~ Cloudberry Jam, Brie, Almond & Puff Pastry Braid ~
Circa 1980-1985 -- better known as the cloudberry jam period of my life. One of Joe's business associates (a man from Norway temporarily working here in Happy Valley) introduced us to a Norwegian specialty: small squares of grilled bread cheese topped with cloudberry jam. It was served as an appetizer at a cocktail hosted by Rolf and his Swedish wife. I fell in love with this cheesy treat immediately -- and said so. When I reciprocated the invitation, I was gifted a jar of the jam, a small brick of bread cheese and a package of stroopwaffes as a hostess...... View full recipe for "~ Cloudberry Jam, Brie, Almond & Puff Pastry Braid ~"
~ Rich, Toasted Indian Basmati Rice Pudding (Kheer) ~
When it comes to worldly or exotic recipes, I always do my research and my best to keep them as close to authentic as I can. When it comes to Indian food, I always reply upon the advice of my four Indian girlfriends, and the woman who owns Krishan, Happy Valley's Indian grocery store, because you're all such good cooks. That said, when it comes to kheer, a delicately-spiced addictively-rich rice pudding dessert, if you're one of my Indian girlfriends, you might find yourself wincing in one or two spots while reading my recipe. Why? While the flavors in my...... View full recipe for "~ Rich, Toasted Indian Basmati Rice Pudding (Kheer) ~"
~ Luxurious: Cod Bathed in EVOO w/Fresh Tomatoes ~
As a kid, I adored frozen fish sticks and canned stewed tomatoes -- I still do. That said, as a grownup, I much prefer the taste of a sweet, fresh, white fish fillet paired with a few acidic, fresh tomatoes. Sometimes I bake them together in parchment with thyme and some white wine, and sometimes I broil them drizzled with melted butter and a bit of lemon and pepper. Tonight I'm using a method similar to shallow poaching, except: extra-virgin olive oil is used in place of the traditional liquid. Today's recipe is simple enough to serve for a weeknight...... View full recipe for "~ Luxurious: Cod Bathed in EVOO w/Fresh Tomatoes ~"
~ Classier Classic Clams (on the Halfshell) Casino ~
I've never gone to a casino for the sole purpose of gambling -- I've never even had the urge to. That said, thanks to more than a few of Joe's business trips I've been to Las Vegas, Reno and Atlantic City several times for days-at-a-time -- complete with gorgeous hotel rooms, tickets to live shows and dinners in fabulous restaurants. That said, casinos are indeed a glitzy, glamorous full-of-fun place to visit. They're akin to amusement parks for adults, and, just like the latter, "the bloom comes off the rose" rather quickly -- fun facades that suck up your bucks....... View full recipe for "~ Classier Classic Clams (on the Halfshell) Casino ~"
~Time Out: Tomahawk Steak (Long Bone-In Ribeye)~
The tomahawk ribeye steak, also known as a "cowboy" or a "long bone-in" ribeye is a specialty cut that you assuredly won't find at your local supermarket. Without jest (no joke), I literally found one on my kitchen doorstep, leaning up against the kitchen/laundry room door, this very morning. I have a friend, Scott. He owns a few well-known Happy Valley restaurants (you locals all know who he is, and, he is one reason I get to call myself a cooking consultant). He likes to surprise me unexpectedly with unique ingredients occasionally. Today, while driving to and from his eateries,...... View full recipe for "~Time Out: Tomahawk Steak (Long Bone-In Ribeye)~"
~ Easy Rosemary-Kissed Butternut Squash Bisque ~
This sinfully-simple, creamy-rich butternut squash bisque is one of my favorite go-to Turkey Day specialties. I don't serve it every year, but on years when my husband has harvested a bumper crop, it starts off our traditional feast. It looks pretty and tastes divine. There's more: It is indeed easy to prepare, and, it can be made two-three days in advance too. All it needs is a gentle reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave and it's ready to take to the table and serve. A bit about butternut squash: Butternut squash is one of our healthy super-foods. That's...... View full recipe for "~ Easy Rosemary-Kissed Butternut Squash Bisque ~"
~ Eggs a la Goldenrod or Creamed Eggs on Toast ~
Once upon a time, this vintage egg recipe was reserved for Easter breakfast or brunch. Why? It was a tasty way to make use of a dozen or so of those hard-cooked, pastel-colored eggs that got dyed by the children to celebrate the holiday. In my kitchen, eggs a la goldenrod is simply a delicious way to enjoy hard-cooked eggs, which I always keep on hand. Besides liking eggs a lot, as a busy food blogger and host of a TV segment, I hard-cook several eggs at the beginning of each week -- it's ten minutes well spent. I consider...... View full recipe for "~ Eggs a la Goldenrod or Creamed Eggs on Toast ~"
~ Simply Divine: Chocolate Tart (Tarte au Chocolat) ~
Don't look now but the season of holiday entertaining and festive gatherings is quickly approaching. If you're like me, you're always "in the market" for another elegant yet easy-to-make dessert to serve at your own get-together or take to someone else's. A chocolate tart is a perfect ending to any occasion, and, in the case of this recipe, it doesn't require the skills of a trained pastry chef -- feel free to keep that a secret and let 'em think you slaved all day over it. "Tarte au Chocolate" -- No special skills required. A chocolate tart, or as they...... View full recipe for "~ Simply Divine: Chocolate Tart (Tarte au Chocolat) ~"
~ Pucker up for French Lemon Tart (Tarte au Citron) ~
One thing I love about the late Fall and Winter is the vibrant-colored citrus fruit. Because it's available all year long, a lot of folks don't realize that citrus fruit (lemons, limes, grapefruit and oranges) are in fact "winter fruit". This year, for some reason, the citrus fruit I've been purchasing, is extra-over-the-top, plump, tart 'n sweet and juicy. I've been eating grapefruit every morning, putting orange segments in our salads, lime slices in my gin and tonics, and, today I'm baking a lemon tart for dessert. Tarte au citron is a classic French dessert and every patisserie (bakery) in...... View full recipe for "~ Pucker up for French Lemon Tart (Tarte au Citron) ~"
~ Classic Pommes Anna: The Ultimate Potato Cake ~
This just might be the most impressive potato dish ever placed on a fancy-schmancy dining room table. It's a gorgeous golden cake constructed of layers of ultra-thin-sliced potatoes that have been baked in the oven (just like a cake layer) and turned out onto a serving plate. When sliced into wedges, each person gets a pretty, pie-sized wedge of potato heaven: buttery-rich, nicely-and-lightly seasoned potatoes, with a crispy golden crust and a soft tender center. Impressive to look at & surprisingly simple to make. While pommes Anna does take a bit of time to make, for a French dish, it...... View full recipe for "~ Classic Pommes Anna: The Ultimate Potato Cake ~"
~ Duchess Potatoes (Pommes de Terre Duchesse) ~
Mashed potatoes are the quintessential American side-dish for the Sunday roast or pot roast and the gravy that comes with it. While there are a lot of ways to prepare potatoes, the ethereal smell of a chicken roasting in the oven or a pot roast simmering on the stovetop compels me to peel potatoes and bring a pot of water to a boil. To us Americans, mashed potatoes are the ultimate comfort food, and duchess potatoes, a fancy French-named mashed potato dish made of piped egg-laced mashed potatoes which are baked to a beautiful golden brown, is an impressive-to-look at,...... View full recipe for "~ Duchess Potatoes (Pommes de Terre Duchesse) ~"
~ Joe's Steak Joseph: Filet of Beef-Steak Sandwich ~
The French have several ways to generically say "steak". My personal favorite is "biftek", meaning "boneless beef-steak". If there is a bone in it, they call it a "côte de boeuf", meaning "beef-chop". Past that, just like us Americans, they have a list of words each denoting the specific cut (the place on the steer the meat came from). That said, when you order any type of beef-steak or beef-chop in a French restaurant, whether it's plain, seasoned, served with a sauce or served with sliced vegetables that act as a sauce, it is customary to serve it with some...... View full recipe for "~ Joe's Steak Joseph: Filet of Beef-Steak Sandwich ~ "
~ The Old-Fashioned & Classic Banana Cream Pie ~
Put down that box of graham crackers. No you can't use those vanilla wafers either. Thou shall not use a graham cracker or any cookie crust to make my banana cream pie recipe. These two easier-to-make (or worse, easier to purchase) alternatives simply screw up the taste and texture of this iconic pie. A classically made banana cream pie deserves a scratch-made pie pastry, a traditionally-prepared pastry cream, lots of bananas, and, copious amounts of freshly-whipped cream. Save the cookie crusts for recipes that use instant pudding mixes. Got it? Good. Nothing about a banana cream pie should be understated...... View full recipe for "~ The Old-Fashioned & Classic Banana Cream Pie ~"
~ The Old-Fashioned Classic Coconut Custard Pie ~
When I was growing up, two trucks pulled into my family's driveway twice a week (and they weren't FedEx or UPS which didn't even exist then). They were: The milk man and the baker. The milk man delivered milk, butter, eggs, sour cream and some cheeses. The baker delivered bread, sandwich rolls, cakes, pies and cookies. In the case of both, via a paper checklist, you ordered on a Tuesday what you wanted delivered on Saturday, and you ordered on Saturday what you wanted delivered on Tuesday. When mom said it was my turn to pick a dessert, it was...... View full recipe for "~ The Old-Fashioned Classic Coconut Custard Pie ~"
~ Lobster Rolls: The Official Summertime Sandwich ~
For a bib-wearing lobster-lover like me, past steaming-hot with drawn butter and lemon, when I am looking to quell a craving for my favorite crustacean, I indulge in a lobster roll -- a sandwich with big chunks of tender, sweet-white-meat and tiny bits of celery or scallions, lightly-coated with creamy mayonnaise and piled into a buttery, toasted 'hot dog' roll. It's heaven. On bread. Yes, from bisque to thermidore, you will find a lengthy list of recipes paying homage to the preparation of this beloved cold-water creature, but, none result in the comfort and complete satisfaction that comes over me...... View full recipe for "~ Lobster Rolls: The Official Summertime Sandwich ~"
~ Skillet-Roasted Baby Carrots & Potato Medallions ~
Twelve minutes. Yes, in a skillet, in twelve short minutes, you can roast elegant-looking sweet-tasting fork-tender baby carrots and potato medallions. I roast all sorts of vegetables in the oven when I'm cooking for a crowd (if one is serving roasted meat, poultry and gravy, one can never roast too many vegetables), but, when I'm only cooking for Joe and myself, I turn to my skillet on my stovetop instead of my oven. It's a super-speedy method with a super-delicious outcome. While you can successfully roast all sorts of vegetables in a skillet on the stovetop, you can only combine...... View full recipe for "~ Skillet-Roasted Baby Carrots & Potato Medallions ~"
~ Oh My Goddess of the Hunt: Divine Steak Diane ~
One upon a time, Joe and I used to go up to the top of Mt. Washington in Pittsburgh (the point overlooking the city and the location where the three rivers meet (the Monongahela, the Allegheny and the Ohio), to eat in an upscale French restaurant named Christopher's (currently The Monterey Bay Fish Grotto). During that period of time, Joe did enough of business in Pittsburgh that we got to eat there a few times a year. He in a suit and tie, I in a dress and heels, through the doors we walked. Their food was divine, the view...... View full recipe for "~ Oh My Goddess of the Hunt: Divine Steak Diane ~"
~ Rich & Creamy Celery Soup (Isn't Ho-Hum at All) ~
Celery. It's the swizzle stick in my Bloody Mary, a must have in my egg, tuna and potato salad, and, send back those Buffalo wings if they don't come with a crudité of celery and some blue cheese dip. That said, in my food world, celery is not considered an exciting vegetable. No one ever gleefully remarks, "my Bloody Mary had the best stalk of celery in it", "the celery in her tuna salad was divine", or, "the celery that came with his chicken wings was outstanding". Celery, however, is one of the world's most used vegetables, coming from the...... View full recipe for "~ Rich & Creamy Celery Soup (Isn't Ho-Hum at All) ~"
~ Chocolate-Glazed Chocolate-Raspberry Tart Bars ~
The purchase of a few rectangular- and square-shaped tart pans were some of the best baking investments I've ever made. When it comes to serving crumbly cookie-type crusted tarts with custardy-textured centers, I find portioning and slicing a tart into bars or squares, instead of wedges from a round-shaped pan, more "user friendly" -- it's a kind of unique presentation too. There's more: When I'm making tarts that require refrigeration, I find these shapes to be a more efficient use of refrigerator space -- which, in my kitchen, is valuable real estate. "Tarte au chocolat" -- no special skills required!...... View full recipe for "~ Chocolate-Glazed Chocolate-Raspberry Tart Bars ~"
~ Tender Steak Scallops w/Herbed Mustard Sauce ~
"This is Steak Diane". That's what I said to our "twenty-something" waiter in a steakhouse not long ago. I was generically expressing my pleasure at seeing a blast-from-my-past, famous-and-favorite steak dish on a millennial restaurant menu. My comment didn't require a response. That said, it did prompt a polite, ever-so-slight nod-of-agreement, accompanied by a "if you say so lady, but I have no idea what you are talking about" look. This lead me to conclude: Steak Diane has skipped a generation or two of Americans. A bit about Steak Diane: Prepared using common French techniques, the dish isn't French --...... View full recipe for "~ Tender Steak Scallops w/Herbed Mustard Sauce ~"
~ 'Ye Olde' Diner-Style Creamed-Spinach Omelette ~
The French omelette is iconic, but, miracle of miracles, we Americans actually improved it. By allowing our omelette to get a little golden on the outside, which gives it a bit of extra flavor and texture, and, by generously filling it with a heavenly host of filling combos, egg lovers like me have turned the omelette into the hot pocket of beloved egg dishes. While I make quite a few omelettes during the course of any year, classic recipes with a clear history, popular breakfast-joint favorites, and, recipes with eggs-traordinary stories are the only ones I share. For example. My...... View full recipe for "~ 'Ye Olde' Diner-Style Creamed-Spinach Omelette ~"


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text:
April, april (« Avril, avril ») est une chanson interprétée par la chanteuse suédoise Lill-Babs, sortie en 45 tours en 1961.

C'est la chanson représentant la Suède au Concours Eurovision de la chanson 1961.

À l'Eurovision

Sélection
Le , ayant remporté la Eurovisionsschlagern svensk final de 1961, prédécesseur du Melodifestivalen, la chanson April, april est sélectionnée pour représenter le Suède au Concours Eurovision de la chanson 1961 le  à Cannes, en France.

À Cannes
La chanson est intégralement interprétée en suédois, langue officielle de la Suède, comme le veut la coutume avant 1965. L'orchestre est dirigé par William Lind.

April, april est la septième chanson interprétée lors de la soirée du concours, suivant Wat een dag de Greetje Kauffeld pour les Pays-Bas et précédant Einmal sehen wir uns wieder de Lale Andersen pour l'Allemagne.

À l'issue du vote, elle obtient  et se classe  sur 16 chansons.

Liste des titres

Historique de sortie

Notes et références

Chanson de l'Eurovision de 1961
Chanson représentant la Suède au Concours Eurovision de la chanson
Chanson en suédois
Single musical sorti en 1961

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Anxiety, the Amygdala, and Autism
Diabetes-Autism Connection
Methylation, Genes, and Environment
Superheroes for Autism Brain Research
Unraveling DNA: What Does This Mean for ASD?
A Hint of Autism?
Why Research Matters
Autism Caused by [Fill in the Blank]
Brain Tissue Research
Importance of long-term studies
It Takes Brains to Solve Autism
Twins Study Points to Genes
Being a Savvy Consumer
Genetics Discovery
Understanding the Science Model
How to Evaluate Research
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Gold Standard of Evidence
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Home / About Research / Understanding Research / Careful Counting: How Many People Have an ASD?
Careful Counting: How Many People Have an ASD?
Connie Anderson, Ph.D.
IAN Community Scientific Liaison
Kennedy Krieger Institute
ian@kennedykrieger.org
Date Last Revised:
Over the past several years, the media has widely reported on the number of people who have an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). That number is high, and keeps going up, causing both interest and alarm. The latest figure of 1 in 68, released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in March of 2014, again showed an increase, even over figures from just a few years ago.
Where are these numbers coming from, and how were they calculated? How are we defining autism spectrum disorder, and how many people have one according to that definition? Do more and more people truly have an ASD, or are we getting better at identifying the condition? Are we counting everybody, or are some people being missed? We look to the latest studies on autism rates to find out.
Counting and Comparing: Harder Than it Sounds
You would think that counting the number of people with a condition would not be that difficult, but it is actually very tricky.
Researchers focused on this task are trying to calculate what they call "prevalence." According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine online medical dictionary, prevalence means "the percentage of a population that is affected with a particular disease at a given time." For example, there might be interest in the percentage of Latino men in California who were diagnosed with lung cancer in a certain year, or the percentage of school children in Minnesota who had swine flu in the fall of 2009.
When it comes to ASD, or to any condition, the difficult part is how to count. How do you define a "case"? Do you count only people who were diagnosed by a doctor? How about those who believe they have the condition but haven't received a formal diagnosis? (Will they be evaluated, and included, if it turns out they have it?) What about those who used to have what is supposedly a lifetime condition, but have improved so much they no longer qualify as having it? (Were they misdiagnosed in the first place? Or have they recovered?) Do you base your count on medical or school records of those already diagnosed, or do you try to identify cases from scratch using interviews, surveys, or in-clinic assessments? You don't want to include people who don't have the condition, and you don't want to leave out people who do.
Since your rate equals the number of cases divided by the total number of people in a group, a careful count of the noncases is necessary, too. If you went door-to-door, then this is all the people you talked to; if it's a telephone survey, it's all the people you called. But what do you do about people who didn't answer the door or the phone? If you're using census data, what about people who avoided the census due to immigration concerns or political beliefs? It gets pretty complex.
Figuring out whether the percentage of people with a disease or disorder is increasing, decreasing, or staying the same is also complicated. To compare, you have to keep the definition of what a "case" is the same, and count the same way at least two different times. You also have to take into account the precision of your count. (Just like polls reported on TV news programs, there's always "sampling error" -- that is, numbers aren't exact but only accurate "plus or minus some percent.")
Finally, you have to be aware of all the other factors that could influence your count. Suppose there's an area with some kind of chemical contamination in the groundwater, but it's also the area with the best public school autism program in the state. A new count of children with ASDs in the area shows an increase since the last count was taken. Is this because the chemical contamination is causing autism, or because people with children on the autism spectrum are moving to the county to get access to the excellent school program? Could it be a little of both, or a third factor not yet considered? It takes very careful science to address such questions.
Numbers on the Rise
Over the past few years the rate for ASD has kept going up, and often words like explosion 2 or epidemic 3 have been used. Comparing past and current autism cases has been a challenge, however. Until recently, nobody had ever counted people in the same place, the same way, twice. At the same time, definitions kept changing. To count "autism" cases was one thing, but what about counting the conditions falling under the broader autism spectrum? These would include pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), which only became an official diagnosis in 1987, and Asperger syndrome, which became an official diagnosis in 1994.4 Once you include such conditions, you cannot compare your count to those taken in previous years for autism alone.
In a review of many prevalence studies conducted over the past four decades, researchers did find rates were increasing. The median prevalence rate for autism in studies conducted between 1966 and 1993 was 1 in 2,128, while the median prevalence rate for autism in studies conducted between 1994 and 2004 was 1 in 787.5 They also found that recent efforts to measure the combined prevalence of autism, Asperger syndrome, and PDD-NOS were converging around a single number. Four separate studies using "improved methods," and which had been "conducted in different regions and countries by different teams," had arrived at a figure of about 1 in 166.6
Had rates of ASD increased, and were they still increasing? It was difficult to tell for two reasons. First, ASD was still diagnosed based on a person's behavior. It was not based on a blood test, brain scan, or other biological measure. This made deciding who "had" autism challenging. Even experts might not always agree that a person did or did not have an ASD. Second, just counting people who were already diagnosed could mean missing a great many people. Researchers stressed that they needed to find ways to make sure "undiagnosed individuals with significant autism symptoms" were counted, too.7
Although there is still no biological test for autism, recent studies have tried to overcome some of the problems of the past when counting and comparing ASD cases, including counting people who may have never received a formal diagnosis.
A Careful Tally
In 2000, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) created a program to measure the rate of ASD in the United States: the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network (ADDM). They set up a number of sites around the country, counting all children who were 8 years old in any study year. They planned to identify children who had an ASD or who might have one based on their behaviors.8 At all sites, they screened medical records. At many sites they also looked at special education evaluations made by community professionals, such as developmental pediatricians, child psychiatrists, or speech pathologists.
The first counts, taken in 2000 and 2002, resulted in an autism rate of 1 in 150, that is, one out of every 150 children had an ASD. 9,10 The next, taken in 2006, yielded an even higher autism rate of 1 in 110. 11 The count taken in 2008 was 1 in 88.1
The Latest Count(s)
As of early 2014, a number of studies, including a follow-up to the CDC's "1 in 88" study, have provided a count of autism cases. Here, we will review how each study was carried out and what it showed.
The CDC repeats its count in 2010: 1 in 68 (U.S.)
In 2010, matching its methods to those it used in 2000, 2002, 2006, and 2008, the CDC's Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network once again counted 8-year-old children with ASD in selected sites across the U.S. Again, both medical and educational records were used to decide whether a child had an ASD. This time the researchers came up with an overall rate for ASDs of 1 in 68. That means the estimated U.S. prevalence of ASD has increased about 29% since 2008, 64% since 2006, and 123% since 2002.47 The 2010 rate was released by the CDC in March 2014. It does not reflect changes to the diagnostic criteria for autism that were adopted in 2013.
Counting based on parent-report by telephone survey: 1 in 91 (U.S.)
One group of researchers used data collected for the 2007 U.S. National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH) to calculate autism prevalence. 12 The NSCH was a telephone survey that gathered information from parents about the health of their children. For this autism study, researchers relied on parent-reported information about 78,037 children aged 3 to 17. In the survey, parents were asked if they had ever been told by a doctor or other health care provider that their child had autism, Asperger disorder, pervasive developmental disorder, or autism spectrum disorder. If a parent said "yes" to the ASD question, they were also asked whether their child currently had the condition, and to rate the severity of any current ASD. If a parent said "yes" to the "ever told by a doctor" question and to the "current ASD" question, the child was counted as having ASD. Based on these parent reports, the researchers found that 1 in 91 children had a current ASD.
One interesting finding was that 38.2% of children who had "ever" received an ASD diagnosis no longer had one. These 453 children were not counted as having ASD for the purposes of the study, but their existence raises the question: Did they move off the autism spectrum because of early intervention? Did they mature or grow out of autism? Were they initially given the diagnosis so they could get services even though the diagnosis was not certain, and it was later changed? Or did they still have the condition but were recategorized by bureaucrats so that services would not have to be provided?
The study could not determine this, but did find that children whose parents had not finished high school had twice the chance of losing their diagnosis as children whose parents had more education. Race also played a role, with black children more likely than white children to lose an ASD diagnosis. Could this indicate that children hadn't really lost their ASD, only their official label and right to services? A parent with less education, or in a racial group suffering more social disadvantage compared with others, might not be able to advocate for the child as effectively. They might be more vulnerable in a situation where a school declared a label and special services withdrawn. Another possibility is that the quality of the diagnosis a disadvantaged child receives is not as high or dependable as one a child with access to better health care receives.
As has been found in many other studies, children who had ever been diagnosed with ASD, whether they had "lost" this diagnosis later or not, were more likely than never diagnosed children to have had other issues like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, or conduct problems.
Counting diagnosed and suspected cases via the "special needs register" of the Child Health Services: 1 in 86 (U.K.)
Researchers in the United Kingdom set out to calculate the rate of ASD in children living in South Thames. 13 They focused on children born between July 1, 1990 and December 31, 1991. These children were 9 or 10 years old at the time of the study. Like U.S. researchers who used the age of 8 as a good time to count, the British researchers believed most ASD cases would have been identified by this point. They screened all children with a current ASD diagnosis and those they thought might be an undetected case. Any child who had a "statement of special educational needs" in their record was considered a possibly undetected case. A sub-sample of 255 children received in depth clinical assessments that included two gold standard tools for identifying autism: the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) 14 and the Autism Diagnostic Interview -- Revised (ADI-R). 15 The researchers calculated an ASD prevalence rate of 1 in 86.
They reported that they had found many undiagnosed cases, and that they would have gotten a figure of 1 in 227 if they counted only the children formally diagnosed with ASD before the study assessed them. "We have shown how population screening of children already recognized to have special education needs specifically for ASD identifies many more cases," they said. 16
It was the children of less educated parents who were least likely to have been diagnosed beforehand. In the U.S. telephone survey study, children of less educated parents were most likely to "lose" their diagnosis; in this British study, children of less educated parents were less likely to have had an ASD diagnosis before the study team gave them one.
A school-based population study: 1 in 64 (U.K.)
To test whether the rate of ASDs found in the South Thames study applied to other parts of the United Kingdom, researchers used different methods to estimate the rate of ASD in Cambridgeshire. 17 Rather than using the special needs register to screen for children considered at risk of having an ASD, they focused on screening the entire primary school population. Their goal was to detect all cases of ASD, diagnosed or not. First, they did count children known to have an ASD according to the special needs register. Next, they asked parents to complete mail-in surveys, which included questions about whether a child had been diagnosed with an ASD, as well as questions that screened for undiagnosed ASD. They then brought many they suspected of having an ASD to their clinic for an assessment that once again included the ADOS and ADI-R.
For the children with ASD in the special needs register who had already received a diagnosis, the researchers got a prevalence rate of 1 in 106. For the surveyed parents who said their child already had an ASD diagnosis, the prevalence rate was 1 in 101. However, the researchers also found that for every three diagnosed cases of ASD in the primary school population, there were two undiagnosed cases. Once these cases were accounted for in the numbers, the prevalence rate became 1 in 64.
"The data converge on the conclusion that, despite differences in methodology, the prevalence of known cases of autism spectrum conditions is slightly above 1%," the researchers stated. 18 "Our results…highlight the reality that there are children with autism spectrum conditions, notably children with high-functioning autism, who remain undetected in primary schools." 19
Adults with ASD identified by door-to-door interview: 1 in 100 (U.K.)
In 2007, when it was time to repeat a national survey on psychiatric conditions in England, Scotland, and Wales, ASD was added as a topic of interest for the first time. A stated goal of the survey was "to estimate the prevalence of ASD among adults, using diagnostic criteria, and to identify the nature and extent of social disadvantage associated with ASD." 20
The survey's first phase involved interviews with over 7,000 eligible participants. Part of this interview involved screening for mental illness, ASD, or substance abuse. To identify possible ASD, the researchers used a 20-item questionnaire called the Autism Quotient (AQ-20). The ADOS was completed with 618 individuals suspected of having ASD by clinically trained interviewers.
The researchers found a rate of ASD in adults living in private households in the U.K. of 1 in 100. This figure, the researchers noted, "means that the data provide no support for there being an increase in prevalence in recent decades." 21
Numbers Converging: 1% or more?
It is fascinating that recent attempts to measure the prevalence of ASD seem to be getting nearly the same result: about 1 in 100 individuals, or 1% of the population, or slightly more. Many researchers do admit, however, that they still may be missing some higher functioning or disadvantaged individuals. Table 1, which follows, summarizes the findings of recent prevalence studies.
Table 1. Recent Autism Prevalence Studies
Prevalence Rate
CDC 2014 46
Surveillance of ASD cases among 363,749 8-year-old children residing in 11 U.S. sites in 2010
Based on health and, in some cases, education records where a community professional documented behaviors consistent with autism, PDD-NOS, or an Asperger disorder diagnosis.
1 in 68 or 1.47%
CDC 2012 1
1 in 88 or 1.1%
1 in 110 or 0.9%
Maternal and Child Health Bureau 2009 12
U.S. nationally representative survey conducted by telephone with parents of 78,037 children aged 3 to 17 in 2007
Parent report of a child's ASD.
Baird et al 2006 13
U.K. study of 56,946 9- to 10-year-old children in South Thames region
Used special needs register and medical or speech and language therapy records to identify confirmed and suspected cases of ASD; 1,066 were screened for ASD and, of these, 255 received in-clinic assessments.
Baron-Cohen et al 2009 17
U.K. study of total population of 5- to 9-year-old children in Cambridgeshire
Surveyed schools and parents regarding children with ASD to generate prevalence estimate. Also screened children in mainstream primary schools for ASD to identify previously unrecognized cases and used the factor thus derived to adjust the prevalence rate. (There were 2 unknown cases for every 3 known cases.)
Brugha et al 2009 20
U.K. nationally representative sample of adults; 7,461 general interviews conducted in person, with 618 autism-specific interviews to follow up.
Phase 1 screened for possibility of ASD; Phase 2 conducted further interviews focused on ASD specifically.
Are ASDs increasing, better recognized, or both?
There have been many debates about the prevalence of ASD, if it is increasing, and why it might be increasing.
To many, it seems that there has to have been a major increase in ASD. How else can you explain a condition going from rare to common? Many ideas about why the rate of ASD is increasing have been discussed. These range from the idea that autism is caused by vaccines , 23 pollution, 24 or pesticides 25 to the idea that ASD occurs more often when people have children at older ages. 26,27 Others are firmly convinced that genetics play the largest role in ASDs. 28,29
There are also many who say ASD is not increasing in any significant way. They point to differences in the way studies were carried out, and to a broadening of the way we define autism, especially the inclusion of PDD-NOS and Asperger disorder as part of a larger spectrum of conditions. They also say that members of the community are becoming more and more able to identify ASD, even in its milder forms. As pediatricians, teachers, and even parents become more attuned to what ASD looks like, more children are being identified at younger ages, making the count go up. 12,17.30,31,32
If more mild cases of ASD are being identified, it would certainly make the number of ASD cases rise. Still, it is important to note that tallies by the CDC/ADDM did not find that there are just more mild cases of ASD. They actually found an increase in all types of ASD, with no clear pattern across different study sites that would make it easy to say only the count of "mild" cases was increasing. Looking at measures of intelligence, the largest increase didn't even occur in the group of children with the highest IQs, but those with "borderline" functioning. (Between 2006 and 2008, the number of children with ASD and intellectual disability increased by 12%; the number of children with ASD and "borderline" intellectual functioning increased by 22%; and the number of children with ASD and average to above-average intelligence increased 13%.) 1
Another factor that has been discussed is diagnostic substitution. This is the idea that the use of the "autism" label has become more common in special education records, replacing other labels like "mentally retarded" or "learning disabled." In the past, those labels may have been used for children with the same symptoms or behaviors that are now called "ASD." Researchers have indeed found the number of children called "mentally retarded" went down just as the number of children called "autistic" went up. Because labeling practices have changed over time, it is even harder to compare the number of children who had ASD in the past and now. 33,34
A related factor is a growing acceptance that ASDs occur together with many other conditions, such as ADHD or anxiety. 35,36,37 As mental health professionals come to accept this, they may be more comfortable making multiple diagnoses, which can also impact the overall number of ASD cases. For example, although the psychiatric handbook known as the DSM-IV states you cannot diagnose both ADHD and ASD,38 it is becoming clear that experts are doing so. 39
One interesting fact is that including educational records as a source of information about ASD seems to lead to the identification of many more cases. For example, when conducting its 2008 count, the CDC covered seven Colorado counties. One county provided access to both health and education records, while six provided health records only. The autism rate in the one county with education records was almost twice as high as for the six counties unable to provide these. 1 This is likely because many common ASD treatments, such as speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, applied behavior analysis, or social skills training, do not usually take place in a medical setting. 40 After an initial evaluation, a family may not have much autism-focused contact with a medical professional. Furthermore, studies have shown that children with autism are more likely to have more problems getting access to medical care compared even with children who have special health care needs other than autism. 41 Could a reliance on medical records have led to an underestimation of ASD cases in the past?
It is also important to consider issues of social disadvantage, including race and class. Children whose families have less power in society by any measure may not receive an ASD diagnosis as often as more privileged children, or receive it very late. Think of the British study that found many children of parents with less education had gone undiagnosed, 13 and the U.S. study that found black children and children of less educated parents were more likely to "lose" their diagnosis. 12 Are disadvantaged children with ASD missing from the count of children on the autism spectrum? Any parent who has had to fight to get a school to evaluate a child, or to acknowledge a child's ASD diagnosis, will know that a parent who is not well equipped to "fight the system" will find the battle very difficult, if not impossible. It is all too easy to imagine disadvantaged children with ASD being treated by schools as children with conduct problems or willfully oppositional behavior and never getting help.
A study looking at autism clusters in California provides some support for this idea. An "autism cluster" is a collection of autism cases much larger than you would expect to find in a certain time and place. Researchers examined areas where there was an especially high concentration of autism cases, looking to see if demographic factors explained this. If not, they hoped to identify an environmental factor like a chemical exposure or pollutant that might be to blame. The one thing they found that was really different about the locations of these clusters was the education level of the parents there. Children of college graduates had a much higher chance of being diagnosed with ASD than children of parents who had not finished high school. Upper class neighborhoods with more college educated parents had more children with ASD. The researchers said this was probably because the California state agency that keeps records on individuals with ASD does not go out and look for cases, trying to identify children who were missed. They noted, "Parents with lower education are, for various reasons, less likely to successfully seek services." 42
There is some additional evidence in support of this idea. First, a study in Denmark, where everyone has access to free health care, did not find any link between a parent's wealth or education and more ASD cases. 43 Second, a study looking at children with ASD in Atlanta found no link between ASD and social class when they only counted children who were identified through the schools. When they used school and nonschool records to decide if a child had ASD, it did look like higher social class was linked with ASD. 44 In brief, using a source that most people have access to when you are identifying and counting ASD cases will result in a better count. Where there is unequal access, only the more privileged people will get counted.
Are we approaching a "real" ASD prevalence figure? It does appear we are making progress in that direction. After all, a count of adults with ASD in Great Britain and a count of 8-year-olds with ASD in the U.S. both resulted in a figure close to 1%. This may demonstrate we are getting closer to the actual number of ASD cases.
Still, there are many reasons not to be overconfident. For one thing, we do not even have a final, biologically based definition of what autism is. The team drafting the new edition of the psychiatric handbook, the DSM-5, acknowledges this lack. They are planning to replace old categories, like autism, Asperger's, and PDD-NOS, with just ASD until researchers can identify types of autism based on something other than outward behavior. 45 Any redefinition of autism will impact the results of studies trying to count cases. In fact, the CDC has already shared plans to make and compare estimates based on both old and new definitions of ASD during their next count. That way, they will be able to measure the effect of the change.1
In addition, we are learning how faulty our counts can be. To identify any true increase in autism cases over time, or any external factors that might be causing such an increase, we need to make sure we are defining ASD in a consistent way, and counting every person with ASD regardless of race, class, or access to care, every time. Based on the studies described earlier, it appears we are getting better and better at this, but we still have a way to go.
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Diagnosis and autism

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Physics teacher required for an exceptional School in West London. Key Stages 4 and 5, after Easter start.
Salary in the 30,000 to 40,000 euros range.
We are seeking to recruit an outstanding and highly motivated candidate, to teach physics to GCSE and advanced level, and science in Key Stage 3.


Welcome to 2018! It is with much relief to most of us to bid farewell to 2017 and welcome a new year and a new opportunities to manifest more happiness and joy in our lives.
2017 was a year full of change, difficult conversations, decisions, and a wide array of intense emotions for me personally. Through all of this, I've decided I need to embrace more truth and transparency in ALL areas of my life. So, over the holidays when my aunt innocently asked me what my new years resolutions are, I took this as a divine moment to share authentically from my heart. I started off with sharing that I no longer set resolutions as I'm intending to step more into the flow with the universe rather than control any particular outcome…blank stare from my aunt but a look of curiosity, so I continued. I went on to explain that this year I'm focusing more on emotions I intend to manifest more of in my life rather than fixating on outcomes. Because does it really matter if you have what you think you want if you don't have the underlying feeling associated with it? I was on a roll at that point so I just kept talking and the more I shared the more engaged and fascinated she became with my perspective on emotions and their importance in our lives. Hmmm…..maybe authentic communication does manifest deeper and more authentic connections within our lives.
So whats the deal with emotions anyways? Why are they so important in our lives…besides the obvious reasons of course?
Now stay with me as I dive into this…does it really matter if you achieve any particular outcome if you don't manifest the underlying feeling you are craving or needing more of in your life? For example, if you achieve that promotion but still are feeling inadequate in your job and life is the promotion really adding more lasting happiness and joy or is it just a temporary band aide for a deeper wound? Or what if you make new friendships and relationships but still carry a sense of abandonment with you in your life. Will these new friendships really manifest a deeper level of happiness and joy in your life? My guess is probably not. Old patterns will most likely manifest and continue to attract more abandonment in your life. Big sigh!
So, rather than trying to control any particular outcome in your life, try to simply pay attention to how you feel. Sounds easy enough right?!? Your feelings are like a mirror reflecting back to you how aligned you are with your higher self in any given moment. Okay, that's much deeper but stay with me. For our friend who is carrying the vibration of abandonment, rather than attracting more abandonment in your life, think about how you want to feel. Hmmm…perhaps more secure with yourself. Perhaps more connected in all of your relationships. Perhaps you want deeper levels of love in your life. So notice when you feel this way. Notice when you feel secure with yourself. Observe when you feel connected in a relationship. Notice when you feel a deep sense of love and take note. Journal it. Bring more awareness to these moments as they are tiny but profound messages from your higher self.
Lets use me as an example! For a long time I've carried with me a desire to "fit in." Growing up I felt different from others. I didn't like football although everyone around me obsessed over it. I've always had deep, soulful questions like what is my purpose in life and why am I here, although I never really had an avenue to explore these questions. I wanted to "fit in" but in order to do so decided I needed to try and be someone who I'm not. Sound familiar? The story I told myself was I needed to hide a part of who I was in order to be accepted and loved. I needed to please others to receive the love I was deeply craving.
Fast forward 39 years and I'm now recognizing how these seeds that were planted so long ago are not serving me in my life. Rather than masking a part of my being, I feel happier when I express just for the sake of expression. I feel joy when I take an intuitive course and tap into the healing capacities within me. I feel alive when I practice yoga and meditate. These feelings are like invisible teachers within my life guiding me on my path and helping me manifest more love and joy within my life. I'm beginning to notice when I feel happy and empowered and when I step into a place of fear or self doubt or any lower vibration.
The moral of the story here is to just notice how you feel. Notice what you are doing when you feel happy and alive and take note. Notice what you are doing when you feel sad and lethargic and take note. No need to judge yourself, just notice. Now do more of what invokes feelings of love and joy within your life.
Make a list of things you do everyday.
To more lasting love, joy, authentic connection, and happiness within your life!
I love this Sara. I can't wait to read more of your blog. Maybe I can "get it" and next time I won't have a blank stare 🤓. I love you for you and so happy you are brave enough to find your authentic self in this wild world we live in. I love you. Your Aunt.


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Ajam Podcast #19: A Cinematic History of Iranian Cosmopolitanism
Rustin Zarkar
Rustin is an Editor of Ajam Media Collective. He is also the Middle East and Islamic Studies Librarian at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His doctoral research focuses on social history and cultural production in and around the Caspian Sea.
To download the episode, subscribe to us in the iTunes store, Spotify Podcasts, and Google Play.
In this episode, Rustin interviews Golbarg Rekabtalaei, an Assistant Professor of History at Seton Hall University. She is the author of Iranian Cosmopolitanism: A Cinematic History, published by Cambridge University Press in 2019.
Dr. Rekabtalaei traces how the diverse ethnic, linguistic, and religious backgrounds of cinematographers, cinema owners, and cinema goers shaped Iran's urban culture and its citizenry's understanding of modernity. The interview opens with a discussion of the first films produced in Iran: what they looked like, where they were shown, and who was watching them. Then, Dr. Rekabtalaei explains how this cosmopolitanism fed into Iranian national identity and notions of sovereignty in the 1920s and 1930s. The conversation ends with the emergence of both popular cinema (derogatorily labelled "Film Farsi") and alternative cinema (sinema-ye motevavet) in the 1950s and 60s.
Golbarg Rekabtalaei
Golbarg Rekabtalaei is a cultural and social historian of modern Iran and modern Middle East at large. Her research focuses on the relationships between culture and cultural production, modernity, cosmopolitanism, urbanisation, nationalism, and revolutions.
Ajam Editor
Rustin (@RustinZ) on Twitter
Episode No. 19
Release Date: 20 July 2020
Recording Location: New York City, NY.
Produced by Rustin Zarkar and Ali Karjoo-Ravary
Audio editing: Nicholas Gunty
Music: Yavaran (Intro: "404 day in heaven" Outro: "Har Chi")
Image: Scene from the 1933 film Hajji Aqa, the Cinema Actor
cinematic history
Cosmopolitanism
Iranian Cinema
When did Afghan Cinema Begin? A History of Kabul's Filmic Pasts
Racializing Craftsmen: How British martial race theory erased Pathan artisanship
Ajam Podcast #32: Chinese Muslims and Imperial Japan
Posted on January 25, 2021 August 2, 2021
From Sindh to Andalusia: The Life and Times of Sufi-Flamenco Star Aziz Balouch
Ajam Podcast #30: Histories of Migration and Exchange between Iran and the Deccan


What's left is a voice that may once have told its story as a weeper but now knows, ineluctably, it is threaded with comedy.
Yes! When I was in grad school (2001) and read a particular excerpt aloud to an audience, a passage that to me had been heart-wrenching, tragic even – they roared with laughter! I couldn't believe it! Why were they laughing at my pain… Well, that was then and this is now… And only time could bring me to the point where, if I couldn't laugh at myself, I could at least see why others thought it funny.
This entry was posted in ART, Memoir and tagged alchemy of memoir, autobiography, Close to the Bone, Laurie Stone, memoir, memoir writers, Nancy Wait, on writing, self-knowledge, self-scrutiny, the nancy who drew. Bookmark the permalink.
Absolutely! Timing changes perspective. I had the same experience before when reading part of my memoir to a group of women. They laughed and then I laughed louder and deeper at my own folly. Thanks for sharing the insights from Close to the Bone.


Team UK – Junior Miss Galaxy UK – May Parry, Miss Teen Galaxy England – Harriotte Lane, Miss Teen Galaxy Scotland – Jazmine Nichol, Miss Teen Galaxy Wales – Mia-Rose Lewis, Miss Galaxy England – Kelsey Poulton, Miss Galaxy North England/Galaxy No.10 – Joanna Johnson, Miss Galaxy Scotland – Chloe Lake, Miss Galaxy Wales – Emma Davies, Ms Galaxy UK – Beth Greenham, and Mrs Galaxy UK – had the most incredible time at the international Galaxy Pageants in Orlando!
They also brought THREE international crowns home with them! May Parry won the Junior Miss Galaxy crown, Joanna Johnson was crowned Miss Galaxy and the new Ms Galaxy is Beth Greenham!
Here are the official photos from their time in Orlando where they had their orientation, pyjama party, white party, photoshoots and interviews!
Huge thanks to Daniel Gagnon Photography for capturing these special moments!
← What Ms Galaxy, Beth Greenham, thought about her time at Galaxy internationals!


text:
What Bad Leaders Consistently Get Wrong About Motivation
John Eades 04/03/2021 6
One of your team members is disengaged at work. What do you do as a leader?
Do you let it slide because of the Pandemic? Do you say something immediately, or do you wait a few weeks? Do you give them time off in hopes they rekindle the fire?
The answer to these questions all relates to truly understanding motivation, but probably not in the way you're thinking.
Most leaders think of motivation as something people should have all the time. In reality, motivation is someone's willingness to do something that fluctuates over time. Researchers define motivation as a reason for actions, willingness, and goals. The word is derived from the word motive or a need that requires satisfaction.
As simple as this definition is, the layers of complexity behind being and staying motivated are more complicated than most people realize. Organizational leaders need to be aware of this because part of their job is related to helping others be and stay motivated. Dwight D. Eisenhower said it well: "Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done, because he wants to do it." Leadership requires getting to someone's heart, while management only requires leveraging authority.
Even though there are sentiments of coercion in Eisenhower's definition, the statement holds truth. Because leadership requires getting to someone's heart, while management only requires leveraging authority.
What Bad Leaders Get Wrong About Motivation
One of the surprising things about motivation is that each person can be motivated by different things. Those motivations can also shift as needs are met, or as situations change. James Clear provides some great ideas about the Science of Motivation.
However, bad leaders fail to recognize this. Bad leaders move forward under the assumption that their team is motivated by the same goals, failing to recognize their differences. Bad leaders assume that others are motivated by the same things they are motivated by.
In the for-profit business world, this often manifests itself in the carrot that is money. Now before you go thinking I will bash financial returns as a lousy motivator, stop yourself. Finances are one of the common motivators for professionals, and there is nothing wrong with that. However, money is not the only one. Part of your job as a leader is to understand what I call a "Prime Motivation" for each team member. Some of the other "Prime Motivators" outside of financial rewards include: Praise from Others, Being Challenged or Solving Tough Problems, Being Heard or Known, Helping Others' Have Success.
How to Properly Help Motivate Team Members
As a leader, you are responsible for energizing your team and helping them become motivated to be at their best. The good news is that boosting your employees' enthusiasm isn't necessarily as hard -- or time-consuming -- as you might expect.
1. Connect Them to a Deeper Cause
What I have found in my work helping leaders from different industries is we are most inspired by our impact on other people. We will work harder and longer and better—and feel happier about the work we are doing—when we know that someone else is benefiting from our efforts.
So the fastest and most effective path to helping motivate people on a daily basis is by connecting them to the deeper cause behind their work. Even the most repetitive jobs and tasks, when tied to a deeper cause, can be incredibly motivating and rewarding.
If you have never done this exercise before or if your primary target has solely been a revenue number at the end of the year, I would ask yourself this simple question:
How do you help improve the lives of others who are positively impacted by your team's effort?
The answer to this question gets to the root of the deeper cause behind your team's work.
2. Provide a Maximizing Mantra
Mantras may only be a few words long, but they can have a powerful motivating impact. After studying great leaders in different industries, it's clear they tap into their power to help motivate their team. I refer to these in Building the Best: 8 Proven Leadership Principles to Elevate Others to Success as "Maximizing Mantras." A maximizing mantra provides energy to the team even before you achieve the results. With just a few words, you create the inspirational drive that helps inspire future successes.
One of the most recent (and well-known) maximizing mantras was college football coach P.J. Fleck's "Row the Boat," which helped bring the previously overlooked Western Michigan football team into the limelight with a winning record and a spot in the 2017 Cotton Bowl. The mantra has come to define the coach and his teams, even after moving to a new job at the University of Minnesota.
In an interview with MLive, Fleck explained that the mantra referred to three parts: the oar, which provided the energy, the boat, which represented the sacrifices that team members, administration, and fans were willing to make for the program, and finally, the compass, which symbolized the direction the team wanted to go. Combining all these ideas into a single phrase served as a powerful motivator for the team.
When you find short, simple phrases that encapsulate big ideas, you can quickly inspire your team to work harder and with more intensity than they've ever had before.
3. Encourage Them to Pursue Things Outside of the Workplace
The most controversial way to motivate a team member is to encourage them to pursue ambitions and goals outside of work that is in alignment with their prime motivator. We are in a brand new era of work, where in most industries outside of the manufacturing space, work can be completed anywhere and anytime.
Instead of acting like the job someone is doing as a part of your team or organization is the only thing on the planet, take the opposite mindset. Encourage them to pursue fitness goals, side hustles, or family passions. Things like running a marathon, starting an eCommerce business, or coaching a kids soccer team.
Not only will your people appreciate the fact that you are with the times, but they will also develop confidence and skills by pursuing passions outside of work that will help them do their job more efficiently and effectively.
These ideas and strategies are just the tip of the iceberg as it relates to motivation. The fact you are thinking about and are concerned about adequately motivating yourself and others in ways beyond cracking the whip or just throwing more money at the problem places you far ahead of the competition.
Energizing and motivating your team isn't something that consistently happens in strategy meetings or a brief virtual encounter on Zoom or Slack. It's best done in arranged one-on-one coaching sessions dedicated to understanding each person and their goals on a deeper level. By taking a little time out of your schedule to use these unique motivational tactics, you can give your team the drive they need to succeed.
About the Author: John Eades is the CEO of LearnLoft, a leadership development company helping executives and managers to lead their best. He was named one of LinkedIn's Top Voices in Management & Workplace. John is also the author of Building the Best: 8 Proven Leadership Principles to Elevate Others to Success. You can follow him on Instagram @johngeades.
Alice Waterfield
There is a big difference between a bad leader and a good leader. Thanks for the explanation.
Sophie Gordon
My boss acts like he is the owner of the company playing favouritism with his other underlings.
Matt Stroud
The best leaders just tend to get stuff done with no hard feelings and drama.
Kumar Mohit
Liam Clarke
A true leader has reasonable expectations, favours open conversation, respects engagement & teamwork and give honest feedback, leading by example.
Scott Duffy
This was very helpful.
John Eades
Leadership Expert
John is the CEO of LearnLoft, author of, F.M.L. Standing Out & Being a Leader and host of the 'Follow My Lead' Podcast. He writes or has been featured on Inc.com, LinkedIn Pulse, TrainingIndustry.com, eLearningIndustry.com, CNBC Money, and more. John completed his education at the University of Maryland College.


Emma and Max are so happy with the arrival of their son in their lives and dream of a happy life together but everything falls apart when Max is killed. Shattered Dreams is the first book by Brenda Kennedy that I have read and I am happy to say, enjoyed.
The first time I laid eyes on the book, I was instantly intrigued by the cover and then the blurb further attracted me to pick up the book.
The story is well planned and executed in a meticulous way so that the author succeeds in maintaining and heightening the readers' interest in the book. The story is written from the POV of several characters and chapters are dedicated to their perspectives. While this made the story more interesting, I was sometimes confused also. I had to go back and check who was telling the story in that particular chapter.
The life and trials faced by Army men and their families is so beautifully brought to life in the book that it made me misty eyed and also more appreciative of their efforts in giving us, civilians, a more protected and safe living.
The dialogues are well balanced and captivate the readers in the story. I was so involved in the happenings in Emma's life that I could not keep the book down until the very end and then too, I stewed a little because I was left hanging in a cliffhanger with a major suspense and because I could not buy the next book as it is still not out!
The characterization is well played out and will connect the readers instantly with everyone and make you feel as if you have known them from a long time. There are so many lovable characters that you will miss them as soon as you have finished reading the book. The budding romance will also steal your heart and make you root for a HEA for our beloved protagonists and the cute baby, James.
All in all, Shattered Dreams is a book that will interest you and captivate you. A promising start to a new series, it reads like an episode from a successful serial and will leave you anticipatory of the next installment. 4 out of 5 to it and recommended to all romance lovers.