Politics, pork and Paula In the spirit of the season, we pass along this quote from Paula Deen, who is featured in the October issue of Ladies' Home Journal, about how she almost met Hillary Clinton.

"I was going to meet her in North Carolina, where she was campaigning, and I was going to interview her on the foods she grew up on, and what she and her family like to eat now -- just very light and nonpolitical. But at the last minute, her people called and said they couldn't do it, I think because of my relationship with Smithfield. [Editor's note: Deen has an endorsement deal with Smithfield Foods, the world's largest pork producer.] Smithfield's largest plant is not unionized, so my guess is the union people called and said to Hillary's people, 'If you allow that woman to interview you, we're going to tell everybody you're not for the union.' So the interview was canceled, and my heart was broken. It was probably political, and that's not my agenda."

Yogurt for the cure For 10 years, the folks at Yoplait have been asking us to Save Lids to Save Lives by mailing in the special pink lids appearing on yogurt cups. For every lid received, Yoplait donates 10 cents to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, which has amounted to more than $19 million to raise awareness and funds to fight breast cancer. Last year, more than 11 million lids were mailed. As part of this year's efforts, Yoplait, a General Mills product, will host an anniversary concert featuring breast cancer survivor Sheryl Crow. For more info, go to www.yourlidmatters.com. You can mail rinsed lids through Dec. 31 to Save Lids to Save Lives, P.O. Box 420704, El Paso, TX 88542-0704.

A tuition sandwich OK, we're talking real money here. Jif Peanut Butter is offering a $25,000 scholarship to the student, aged 6 to 12, who invents the best new peanut butter sandwich. (Four runners-up will each get $2,500 scholarships.) Last year's winner was Samuel Sosa, 11, of Riverside, Calif., with his Crunchy Chinese Fortune Cookie Sandwich, in which he folded peanut butter, chopped apple and chopped celery into a cookie shape and served it with a dipping sauce. There's also a contest for moms to share how they make choices for their families. (It says moms, but you can be a dad writing about a mom; see contest details.) The winning writer wins a four-day trip to New York City with a companion and a seat at the judges' table for the sandwich contest finals. For rules, forms and Samuel Sosa's winning recipe, go to www.jif.com.

KIM ODE