Most alcohol gets burned off during the cooking process. But if you have some recipes that require a cooking wine or liqueur and don't want to risk it on children or less-than-healthy guests, give these simple substitutions a try.

Replace one tablespoon of bourbon or sherry with:

• one tablespoon of apple or orange juice

Replace one tablespoon of coffee liqueur or chocolate liqueur with:

• 1/2 teaspoon chocolate extract or
• 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee in 2.5 teaspoons of water

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Everyone has a theory on what it takes to cure a hangover. Some will suggest drinking Pedialyte or Gatorade to restore electrolytes and reduce dehydration. Others claim that the 'hair of the dog' method works best. And some believe that taking vitamins can offset the effects of alcohol.

Truth be told, there really is no such thing as a hangover cure. The Pedialyte/Gatorade approach is a good idea, as dehydration is part of what makes you feel so crummy. But, it's still not going to "cure" your hangover. The classic "Hair of the Dog" approach is not a good idea, for it requires you to keep drinking more alcohol. More or less, all you're doing with this method is prolonging the inevitable. As for popping vitamins, this won't really do much, either.

In pill form, vitamins are not absorbed very well by the body. And, since alcohol will only further hinder this absorption, your efforts at replenishment will likely fall far short.

The only "cure" for a hangover is to simply wait it out and be sure to stay hydrated. Oh yeah, or don't get drunk in the first place. That one works every time.

Here's an interesting take on the European approach to alcohol consumption entitled "Booze, Brits and Binge Drinking." In the piece, the author poses the question of why British youngsters seem to act irresponsibly with alcohol, as compared to the French, for example. I think this is a perfectly relevant question for my generation, especially over here across the pond.

I mean, it's no secret that the quintessential American college experience has more to do with football and booze than grades and learning. So why haven't we young people learned to drink responsibly yet? This is a polarizing question by design, of course, because there are many people my age who manage to drink in a sensible way. But the danger comes from those who haven't learned how, as it only takes one trip behind the wheel to ruin other people's lives too.

Is it a matter of setting bad examples? The article points a finger at people who teach that it's okay to binge drink your night away, blacking out only to wake up with the mother of all hangovers. Can't remember the night before? Then it must have been fun. Or maybe its the age at which we're exposed to it (or supposed to be)? The French seem to teach responsibility early on... very early on. Children as young as 4 could have watered-down variants. It's legally 18 for the British (and 21 over here). Some people think it should be lowered in the US! Is that the answer? It's a complicated question with many complicated elements to consider, but in the end its up to those boozing it up.

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So, you want to kill a few brain cells at the bar tonight? Before you answer, think about this: drinking lots of alcohol over long periods of time shrinks your brain! It sounds like a bad science fiction movie, but this bit of information comes from studying 1,800 people who were classified as non-drinkers, former drinkers, low, moderate and high drinkers.

Women and men react differently to booze, so it should come as no surprise to find out that our brains shrink differently too. For every jump in classification, there was a 0.29 percent shrinkage in women and 0.2 percent in men. How does this happen? Well, compare those brain-shrinking percentages to the natural reduction in brain size we all exhibit as we age, which is 0.19 percent per year.

It turns out that the more we drink alcohol, the more we accelerate this natural shrinking of the brain. But it's worth noting these shrinking trends aren't directly comparable to brain performance... yet.

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