The best way to clean a leafy green like rabe is to give it a cold water bath. Fill a large bowl with cool water. You can also use a clean sink if you prefer. Dump the rabe in, separating the leaves as you go so dirt can shake loose. Alternatively, you can wash the greens under cold, running water. However, submerging them is a safer bet for getting out all the dirt and grit. Once you have the greens submerged, you need to agitate them, much like a washing machine does. Move them around in the water so that the dirt comes away form the leaves and into the water. Wash all the crevices in the rabe, including in and around the small buds. Once the you've agitated the rabe for a few minutes, walk away and let them soak. The greens should float to the top, while the dirt should sift to the bottom. Five to ten minutes is sufficient time for them to soak. If the greens are extra dirty, they may need another rinse. Scoop them out, and refill the water. In fact, the rule of thumb used to be three rinses. Modern day produce is generally not as dirty as in the past, but you may still need to rinse it more than once if you got it from the farmer's market.

Summary: Soak the broccoli rabe in cool water. Swish the greens around. Let them sit. Give them another rinse.


Over time, you likely will not want to continue to bend all the way down to the floor to get your dog into the down position with the hand signal. You can try to shrink the signal so it is a smaller movement and you do not need to bend down towards the floor. Make sure you progress to a smaller hand signal slowly, and only once your dog is comfortable with the “lie down” command and the normal hand signal.  Repeat the command and the hand signal, without a treat between your fingers. Instead of moving your hand all the way to the floor, move it down until it is an inch or two above the floor. Continue to practice the down command with this new, smaller hand signal for one to two days. Once your dog responds to the smaller hand signal, adjust your movement so your hand is three to four inches above the floor. After practicing for a couple more days, shrink the hand signal again so it is farther and farther away from the floor and you need to bend over less and less. Over time, you will not need to bend over at all and you should be able to say the “Lie down” command while standing up straight and pointing to the floor. Now that your pup has mastered the lie down command, it's time to practice the new skill in different settings and situations. This will teach him to always follow the command, regardless of any distractions around him.  Start by practicing the command in familiar places, like the rooms in your home, in your backyard, and in your front yard. Move on to slightly more distracting areas, like in your home when other family members are around. You can also practice the command during a daily walk and in friend's houses or yards. Once your dog masters lying down on command in these situations, add on more distractions. Practice the command while someone makes noise or plays with a ball nearby. You should also practice the command when you are playing with your dog at the park, when someone rings the doorbell, and when your dog is playing with other dogs. If you'd rather not carry pockets full of dog treats every time you ask your dog to lie down, you can start to reduce the number of treats he receives during the training sessions. Only do this once your dog is very comfortable with following the lie down command in different settings and situations.  Begin by giving him treats only when he lies down fast and with excitement. If he lies down slowly and with reluctance, give him praise and a head scratch but do not give him a treat. Withhold the treats for only the faster lie downs so he does not receive a treat every time he lies down. You can also use other rewards besides treats for when he follows the command. Ask your dog for a down position before you attach his leash for a walk, before you give him his dinner, before you throw his favorite toy and before he can greet someone. This way, he will see the lie down command as a positive cue that leads to rewards other than treats.

Summary: Work on reducing the hand signal. Use the command in different settings and situations. Practice the command with less treats.


The bowl should be heat proof. Add the two tablespoons of boiling water very carefully. Let it sit for a few minutes. Heat the 1/3 cup of olive oil in a pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot (it should shimmer), add the almonds. Let them cook for about 3 minutes. They should be golden brown when they are done. Stir them often so they don't burn. Move them to paper towels or paper bag layers using a slotted spoon; let them sit to get rid of the excess oil. Leave the rest of the oil in the pan. While the pan is still hot, put the 3 to 4 cups of chopped onions in. Let them cook until they are golden brown. It should take about 15 minutes. Make sure to stir them once in a while so they don't burn. Move half of them to another bowl. Pour the rice in with the onion, and let it cook. You'll only need to cook it about 2 minutes to let it get toasty before you boil it. Frying it creates more flavor. If you want to add the optional spices (the 4 green cardamom pods, 4 whole cloves, 1 1/2 inches of whole cassia bark, 1-2 bay leaves, and 1 star anise), now is the time to do it. Add it just before the rice, and let it cook for a few minutes before adding the rice in. Put in the 4 1/2 cups of water. Also, add in the saffron that's been sitting, as well as 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Don't add the extra onions, the currants, or the almonds yet. Turn the heat up high. Once the pot has boiled, turn it down to low. Put a lid on it, and let it simmer. It should cook for about 20 minutes. After it has sat for 5 minutes off the heat with the lid still on it, it's ready to serve. Mix the extra onions with the currants and the onions. Scoop out the rice, and serve it with some of the onion-almond-currant mixture on top.

Summary: Place the 3/4 teaspoon of saffron in a small bowl. Fry the almonds. Add the onions. Fry the rice. Add the the other ingredients. Bring it to a boil. Serve the rice.


A traumatic experience is one that terrifies or shocks the child and may have felt life-threatening (whether real or perceived) and caused the child to feel extremely vulnerable. Potentially traumatizing events include...  Natural disasters Vehicle accidents and other accidents Neglect Verbal, physical, emotional, or sexual abuse (including things like compliance therapy, restraint, or seclusion) Sexual assault or rape Wide-scale violence, like a mass shooting or terrorist attack War Violent/intense bullying or victimization Witnessing someone else's trauma (e.g. witnessing abuse) If two children go through the same experience, they may have different symptoms or different severity of trauma. What is traumatizing to one child may simply be upsetting to another. A parent suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder can also be a trigger for a child to develop a traumatized response. A child may even react more strongly to trauma because adults around them have done so, especially parents because they're so attuned to them.
Summary: Be aware of what can be considered a traumatic experience for a child. Recognize that different people respond to trauma differently. Consider signs of trauma in parents and other loved ones close to the child.