NEW YORK (Reuters) – Stock index futures pointed to a mixed open for equities on Wall Street on Wednesday, with futures for the S&P 500 down 0.2 percent, the Dow Jones futures down 0.1 percent and the Nasdaq 100 futures up 0.6 percent.

The U.S. Federal Reserve looks set to keep monetary policy on hold on Wednesday, even as it releases forecasts expected to show interest rates will be near zero for at least two more years.

Roche Holding AG (ROG.VX) is offering $ 5.7 billion in cash to buy U.S. gene sequencing company Illumina Inc (ILMN.O) in a hostile takeover bid that marks a major play by the Swiss drugmaker into the gene technology field.

Apple Inc’s (AAPL.O) quarterly results blew past Wall Street’s expectations after U.S. consumers snapped up near-unprecedented numbers of iPhones and iPads, sending its shares up 8 percent into record territory. Apple shares listed in Frankfurt (AAPL.F) rose 6.6 percent.

U.S. President Barack Obama used his last State of the Union speech before the November election to paint himself as the champion of the middle class, by demanding higher taxes for millionaires and tight reins on Wall Street.

The Mortgage Bankers Association releases at 7 a.m. ET Weekly Mortgage Market Index for the week ended January 20, versus the prior week. The mortgage market index read 816.1 and the refinancing index was 4,500.6 in the previous week.

National Association of Realtors issues at 10 a.m. ET Pending Home Sales for December. Economists expect a 1.0 percent fall compared with a 7.3 percent rise in the previous month.

Nordic budget carrier Norwegian Air Shuttle (NWC.OL) ordered 222 narrow-body aircraft worth a total of $ 21.5 billion at list prices on Wednesday. It split its order between Boeing Corp (BA.N) and Airbus, part of EADS (EAD.PA).

U.S. oil giant Exxon Mobil (XOM.N) resumed work on Wednesday at its $ 15.7 billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Papua New Guinea, a spokeswoman said, a day after a landslide swept through two nearby villages killing at least four people.

United Technologies (UTX.N) announces results, which Wall Street expects will show profit rose to $ 1.46 per share from $ 1.31 per share. Textron (TXT.L) , the world’s top maker of corporate aircraft, is expected to post a 3 percent rise in earnings, factoring out one-time items.

Boeing (BA.N), the world’s largest aerospace and defense company, is set to report a sharp decline in fourth-quarter profit. Other companies announcing results include Abbott Laboratories (ABT.N), Automatic Data Processing (ADP.O) and Xerox (XRX.N).

European shares (.FTEU3) fell 0.6 percent on Wednesday, weighed by the tech sector after a sharp post-results decline for mobile telecoms network gear maker Ericsson (ERICb.ST).

U.S. stocks edged lower on Tuesday, ending a five-day rally for the S&P 500 (.SPX), as talks to resolve Greece’s debt crisis hit a snag and earnings from a number of blue-chips disappointed investors.

The Dow Jones industrial average (.DJI) finished down 33.07 points, or 0.26 percent, at 12,675.75. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index was down 1.37 points, or 0.10 percent, at 1,314.63. The Nasdaq Composite Index (.IXIC) rose 2.47 points, or 0.09 percent, to 2,786.64.

(Reporting by Atul Prakash; Editing by Erica Billingham)

Everyone loves comfort food, especially in the cold and snowy months of winter. When it gets colder outside, we all crave something that will stick to our bones and keep us warm. When we think of comfort food, we often think of recipes that are expensive and difficult to make, which can lead us to want to order pizza every night, just for something gooey and warm. Next time you think you might want to hit the speed-dial for the pizza delivery guy, however, try these great recipes that will stick to your bones and that the whole family will love.

Alfredo Sauce with Bowtie Pasta and Veggies

Alfredo sauce is surprisingly easy to make, and won’t drain your wallet, either. Start by boiling water and making your favorite pasta according to the instructions. Bowtie pasta is great with this sauce because it holds the sauce well, and it’s bite-sized for the kids to eat easily, but you can use whatever pasta you want. While that is going, melt half of a stick of butter over medium heat, then add one cup of heavy cream. Simmer it together for a few minutes, and then add a cup and half of parmesan cheese and garlic to taste. Whisk it together, and then add some dried parsley to taste. Spoon it over the pasta and add whatever veggies you have available.

Baked Mac and Cheese “Cupcakes”

Baked mac and cheese is always a winter favorite. It fills you up and tastes really, really good. To make baked mac and cheese a little more kid friendly (and portion friendly!) just take your favorite recipe and, instead of baking it in a casserole dish, bake it in muffin tins. You can even go a step further and add a crust by crushing your favorite, cheesy crackers and mixing them with butter and cheddar cheese. Press the crust into the muffin tins, bake it for five minutes to get it crispy, then prepare your baked mac and cheese and spoon it on top of the crusts. Then, bake the mac and cheese and enjoy.

Beer Chicken

Beer chicken is delicious, and non-alcoholic, believe it or not. The alcohol cooks off while the chicken is cooking, and what’s left just serves to make the chicken really moist and tender. Take four chicken breasts, bones removed and skin on. Coat them in flour and brown them in a pan with a little olive oil. Then, put the pieces of chicken in the slow cooker and add half a cup of beer in it. Cook it on high for about three or four hours and, voila, you have delicious chicken. Serve it with asparagus or broccoli and wild rice for a true winter meal.

Ravioli Casserole

Ravioli casserole is truly like the lazy man’s lasagna. If you’ve ever tried to make lasagna before, you know it is very difficult and time-consuming. By using ravioli instead of layering cheese, meat, and noodles, you can take the prep time down to about half. Use whatever kind of ravioli you choose, and whatever kind of sauce you choose, as well as whatever kind of cheese goes with your ravioli. Make the ravioli according to the instructions on the package. Then, make your sauce. Spoon one-third of the sauce on the bottom of a 9-inch by 13-inch pan, then layer half of the ravioli on top of the sauce. Follow this with half of the remaining sauce and top that with cheese. Then, layer the remaining ravioli, sauce, and cheese – in that order – on the top. Bake it in the oven for 25-30 minutes at 375 degrees, or until the cheese on top is bubbly and golden brown.

Tomatillos or jamberry, whose binomial name is Physalis philadelphica, is a key ingredient in Latin American sauces and Mexican cuisine. Tomatillos are available year-round in most supermarkets. However, the main season is May through October. Used for a variety of salsa and sauces, the tomatillos, unlike tomatoes have a distinct aroma like lemon grass and a tangy tart taste. Known to be a rich source of vitamin A and C, and those of you who are calorie conscious, it’s good to know that they are relatively low on calories too. Not dwelling more on the detailed description of the fruits, let’s move on to how to store them.

Storing Tomatillos

It’s a known fact that storing and preserving fresh food and vegetables gives them a longer shelf-life. I bet there isn’t anyone who hasn’t heard of storing things for a rainy day. Whatever be the reason, storing food especially when it is purchased in bulk is a norm followed diligently. Here are a few ways to store tomatillos.

Storing the Plant
I might be sounding crazy but hey, if you grow your own tomatillos, then this might sound an easy option for you. You need not pluck the fruits from the plant, all you have to do is uproot the plant itself and hang it upside down in a cool and dark room. Keep away from moisture though or you might end up spoiling the fruit. All said and done, you can remove and use the fruits as and when required.

String Them Up
This may be a time-consuming task but well worth the effort; besides, you can always get your kids to do this stuff, if you have your hands full of chores. As you know, these fruits look like little lanterns with their husks and stocks still on, all that you need to do is, tie them up together and hang them in your kitchen. It will give a decorative look to your kitchen as well as make it relatively easier to use.

Use Wicker Baskets
Ever observed how your Gran used to store vegetables like onions and garlic in wicker baskets? Your Gran certainly knew how to store things and keep them ventilated. Purchase a wicker basket that can be hung in a corner and place the berries with their husks still on, in the baskets. By doing this, your tomatillos will last for about 2 months and you’re only needed to stretch out your hand into the basket.

Stuff them in the Crisper
Ain’t it nice to simply stuff things into the refrigerator and simply let it do the preserving? Your only task is to peel the tomatillos under running water to get rid of the sticky residue, dry and place them in a paper bag or a bowl lined with paper towel, and into the crisper section. This way, the tomatillos will last for a minimum period of two weeks to about a month, that is, if stored when they are still raw.

How about Freezing?
The best possible way to store food for a rainy day is to freeze it, and why not do it for the benefits of locking in vitamins as well as for that of a time-saving measure. Before stacking into the freezer though, ensure you wash and dry them, and place them on a flat tray or better still, in a cookie/muffin sheet. Once frozen, remove from the sheets and simply throw into a zip lock pouch for future use. You can store them for almost a year like that.

Blend and Store
One swirl in the food processor and you are done; your purée is ready to be stored in a jar in the refrigerator. Only remember to throw in some spices and salt to make it last for a longer time. Use as and when required as a sauce to give your dishes that extra zing. You can also fill your ice tray with the purée and once frozen, store them in pouches and use them to prepare an authentic Mexican salsa.

Why not Canned Tomatillos?
Although cooking tomatillos may result in a slight loss of flavor, you can pressure cook the tomatillos and preserve them for future use. For those with an insatiable appetite, you can also prepare jams and marmalade with tomatillos and stack them away in the fridge. And for those of you, who enjoy a late night snack, all you’ve got to do is, head to your refrigerator and help yourself to a serving of tortilla with a generous serving of tomatillo marmalade. Now that’s what I call bliss!

What if you are expecting guests and have planned to prepare Mexican cuisine but you suddenly find that the stored tomatillos have turned foul despite the efforts to store them? First and foremost, stop fretting, as you can use substitutes for tomatillos and prepare your dish. Besides, it is always good to stack and preserve food, like in the ant and the grasshopper story where, the ant wisely saves for a cold day.

By CARLOS VALDEZ

The Associated Press

LA PAZ, Bolivia — In just three years, Bolivia’s state airline has pushed aside private carriers, bucking an international trend toward privatization while becoming the leader in domestic flights for a poor Andean country where flying remains a luxury.

Boliviana de Aviacion has abolished first class and sells all seats for the same low prices, marketing the flights with a socialist stamp in keeping with President Evo Morales’ insistence that “all are equal.”

The story of how BoA has managed to fly high while governments elsewhere have been privatizing or bailing out their state-run carriers reflects shrewd timing in filling a void in the market, as well as cut-rate fares that have attracted a growing clientele.

BoA now controls about half of Bolivia’s domestic air travel market. As its routes and earnings have grown, it has announced plans to expand its fleet by buying as many as six new Embraer 190 planes from Brazil.

“BoA has been an interesting bet on the government’s part,” said Armando Mendez, an analyst and former president of Bolivia’s Central Bank. “Little by little, it has captured more acceptance and it competes with the private company AeroSur.”

Mendez said BoA seems to be bringing healthy competition to Bolivia, where five airlines battle in a market of about 1.5 million passengers a year. The airline has successfully filled a gap left by the 2007 failure of Lloyd Aereo Boliviano, a former state-run company that went bankrupt after failed attempts to privatize it.

The airline has also tried some creative marketing, including teaming up with a lingerie store last month to offer an in-flight fashion show featuring Colombian and Bolivian models parading down the aisles of a Boeing 737 in revealing underwear.

“Let yourself get carried away,” BoA urges potential customers.

BoA won over clients by offering two-for-one deals during its first year in 2009. Since then, it has kept fares low, and its main competitor AeroSur has accused BoA of unfair pricing tactics and subsidies.

While AeroSur charges about $ 245 for a round-trip adult ticket between the cities of La Paz and Santa Cruz this month, BoA charges about $ 190. It also offers discounts for the elderly and children.

The airline has been a rare success among various attempts by Morales’ government to administer state-owned enterprises.

Since taking office in 2006, Morales has increased government revenues by declaring Bolivia’s natural gas deposits national patrimony and securing a greater share of royalties for the state. While boosting Bolivia’s income, the tactic has also largely discouraged foreign investment.

Bolivia similarly has a wealth of minerals including tin and silver, but mining production has been declining and several small government-run companies haven’t managed to reverse the trend.

The country’s lithium riches have gone untapped, largely because of Morales’ insistence that any extraction partner also manufacture in Bolivia the lithium batteries expected to power the electronic cars of the future.

BoA is an exception in part because air travel is growing in the country as well as in Latin America overall.

Using a fleet of six leased Boeing 737s, the airline now offers international flights to Buenos Aires, Sao Paulo and Lima, and has plans to add Caracas and Havana.

The number of passengers flying in Bolivia has increased 35 percent in the past six years, authorities say.

Airlines’ operating profits grew to $ 518 million in Latin America during the third quarter of 2011, up from $ 513 million a year earlier, according to the International Air Transport Association. That contrasted with declining profits elsewhere.

“Right now Latin America is very, very hot in the sense that it’s very rapidly growing,” said Helane Becker, an airlines analyst at Dahlman Rose & Co. in New York. “You can’t get seats on flights, the pricing has gone through the roof and I think the government sees that.”

A new state-run airline launch is rare these days, with privatization far more common.

Italy’s national carrier Alitalia was privatized in 2008. Greece sold off debt-ridden state carrier Olympic Airlines in 2009.

“State-run airlines are becoming less common worldwide as governments try to get out of the taxpayer costs and union politics of running an airline,” said Ray Neidl, an analyst at Maxim Group LLC in New York.

But Latin America’s leftist governments have bucked that free-market trend.

Argentina’s government expropriated Aerolineas Argentinas in 2008 as it teetered on the edge of bankruptcy. It spent about $ 760 million on the company during 2011, much of it to cover losses from unprofitable routes and the burden of frequent strikes.

In Venezuela, President Hugo Chavez’s government has subsidized Conviasa since its 2004 launch and this month announced plans to buy six new planes.

In Bolivia, Morales’ government initially spent $ 25 million to launch BoA in 2009. Vice President Alvaro Garcia said last month that the airline lost $ 6 million in its first year, “but in 2010 it stabilized and achieved earnings of more than $ 4 million, aside from the payment of $ 34 million in taxes.”

Economy Minister Luis Arce said that between September 2010 and September 2011, the company’s earnings totaled about $ 90 million, while its operating costs were about $ 78 million.

BoA’s success has added to a bitter political feud with Morales opponent Humberto Roca, AeroSur’s majority owner.

Roca fled into exile in the United States in 2010 after Bolivian authorities accused him of illegal enrichment and began investigating his fortune. He denies wrongdoing.

“The government wants to take over the airline market, and that involves sinking AeroSur,” Roca said last year.

Bolivia’s state transport authority ruled against AeroSur SA in a 2009 complaint, saying there was no unfair competition.

Government officials defend BoA’s approach saying it’s aimed at creating a bigger state role in the sector. BoA manager Ronald Casso has said the carrier needed to aggressively price its fares to compete with AeroSur’s virtual monopoly.

BoA became the top domestic carrier in 2010, while AeroSur has compensated for domestic losses with its international flights. Two other private airlines, Aerocon and Amaszonas, fly in Bolivia, as well as the military-run airline Transporte Aereo Militar, or TAM.

For BoA, the upward trend looks set to continue. Its number of passengers grew 21 percent in the first 10 months of 2011 compared to the same period in 2010.

Morales last month proposed to buy six Embraer 190 jets during a meeting with Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff in Caracas. Two planes would be delivered yearly between 2013 and 2015.

But Mendez warns that investing so much could be misguided. Each jet costs an estimated $ 35 million.

“The recommendation we make to the government is that while BoA is clearly a company that’s growing, don’t buy planes,” Mendez said. “The business is in leasing them.”

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Associated Press writers Paola Flores in La Paz, Debora Rey in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Ian James in Caracas, Venezuela, and AP Airlines Writer Josh Freed in Minneapolis contributed to this report.

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January 20, 2012 03:01 PM EST

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