Sleeping in is nice . . . but it makes my back hurt! Hahaha Just can’t win, right? I was up at 5:30, like usual, to take Moose out, but crawled back under the warm covers right away. There is definitely a chill in the air, and I read yesterday that we had snow not far from here on Hurricane Ridge! Already! I hope this means good things for the snow levels this year, since they were so low last year.
This week we had a new fast food restaurant open in our area, one that hasn’t been this close before. Sonic came to town. Every day people have been driving past it, watching the progress and finally, it opened up. Everyone had to check it out, to the point that there are police officers directing traffic, a series of cones set up to keep cars where they need to be, people in the parking lot to direct cars where they need to be, whether it is to the drive-thru, the car hop stations, or to park where they can go inside to eat. We decided to join the craziness of 1st week excitement, and get to-go food for dinner. I was expecting to wait a ridiculous amount of time, but was pleasantly surprised. First I was directed by the nice police officer to go down the road, around the cones and back up to the entrance to the parking lot. OK, done. I could see the stands along the front and back where people could pull their cars, order and have a car hop bring out the food, 18 stations in total. I didn’t want that, I wanted drive through. The lady at the entrance asked me where I needed to go, I told her and she pointed the way. OK, done. I pulled into the 2nd ordering line and almost immediately was at the speaker. An incredibly excited young man asked me if he could get me anything, but I was feeling a little ornery, so I told him “No, I just decided to spend some extra time pulling in to say hello and ask how it was all going so far.” Rather than take offense, he got a good chuckle out of it, which made me laugh, and he told me he’d been on duty for 11 hours and had enough caffeine in his system to make him rummy, and he needed the laugh. I placed my order and moved forward where the two ordering lines merged into one, and at this point I had the chance to look around and watch the activity. Car hops were racing back and forth to the building, one of them even on roller skates, delivering food to the cars, and at one point there were two people running food to the cars in the drive-thru line, which allowed them to pull out of line and leave the parking lot and move traffic forward more quickly. When I pulled up to the window to get my order the lady there thanked me for my patience. I had to tell her that patience hadn’t even been necessary! Everything was so efficient and the people so pleasant, that the time had flown. I think it took me about 15 minutes from start to finish. Heck, I’ve been through lots of other fast food lines that took at least that long, if not longer. As I pulled out of the parking lot and headed for home I had to laugh. There was a McDonald’s employee (McDonald’s has been the only fast food place on this street for many years) holding one of those spinning signs advertising 2/$5 Big Macs or Quarter Pounders with Cheese. It didn’t look like there were many takers at this point. The food was so-so, I didn’t love it, I didn’t hate it. Hubby had the foot-long chili dog, I had the cheese bacon dog on pretzel bun, we shared jalapeno peppers and mozzarella cheese sticks, and we both had a milk shake – one coconut cream pie milkshake and one peanut butter fudge milkshake. There was a TON of sodium in everything except the shakes, and I woke up with dry mouth this morning. We tried it though, and we may go back to try a burger sometime. I was still impressed though, by the overall experience. You know you live in a small town when a new experience is played out in a new fast food drive through. Nice, right? I thought so.
Moments With Moose –
I’ve told you that Moose is ALWAYS right nearby, right? THIS face is what I have to deal with, almost BEGGING for attention, every time I sit down to write anything. This expression has sound effects to go along with it, this morning it has been low growls and little whines. He also keeps reaching out to paw at my arm or leg. It is difficult to not stop what I am doing and shower him with hugs, but I’d never get anything done in that case!
Saturday – September 5 –
Bacon Day – Bacon is wildly popular, especially lately it seems. Don’t get me wrong, bacon has been a loved part of our breakfasts, sandwiches and as toppings for many, many years. The smoky, salty goodness of a great slice of bacon just can’t be beat. Lately though bacon is everywhere. It’s in our desserts, in alcoholic beverages, and even the scent is in body lotions and lip balms! (OK, now I love bacon, but that’s just gross). There are websites set up in honor of bacon, and entire cookbooks dedicated to the versatility and wonder that is bacon.
So what exactly IS bacon? I know most of us know it is usually from pigs, but let’s get a little more technical . . . Bacon is a meat product prepared from a pig, and usually cured. Large quantities of salt, either in brine or in dry packing, are used to cure it. The result of this curing is “fresh Bacon” (also called “green bacon”). It can be further dried for weeks or months in cold air, or perhaps boiled or smoked. Fresh and dried bacon is typically cooked before it is eaten. Boiled bacon is ready to eat, and so is some smoked bacon, but both can be cooked further before eating. I can honestly say boiled bacon sounds slimy, but to each his/her own! Bacon is prepared from several different cuts of meat. Usually it is made from the sides and back cuts of the pork, except in the United States, where it is almost always made from the pork belly. This is actually referred to as “American Style” bacon outside of the United States or Canada. The side cut has more meat and less fat than the belly. Bacon can also be made from two distinct back cuts: fatback – almost pure fat, and loin – very lean. Bacon-cured pork loin is also called back bacon! I’ve heard that term before, but had no clue what it really was! So now that we know WHAT bacon is, let’s look at some creative recipes and pictures of it.
Bacon for breakfast – most of us can identify with slices of fried bacon alongside our eggs and toast for breakfast, or with our pancakes/waffles! You get the salty/sweet contrast that just can’t be beat. But what about the other uses of bacon – maybe in with a quiche, or in a muffin, or scrambled in with eggs? There’s no end to what we can do with bacon at breakfast. Now, I don’t fry mine any more – unless we are camping of course. I actually put a cookie cooling rack into a jelly roll pan, and line bacon up on the cooling rack. The fat drips through to the pan, and the bacon stays flat during the cooking process. This works best with thick cut bacon, but in our house, there isn’t any other kind.
Bacon for lunch is also wonderful – bacon cheeseburgers, BLT’s, bacon crumbled onto salads, or in baked potatoes or on soups! It just contributes a wonderful flavor to all of them! Just be sure that no matter how you are having your bacon at lunch time, that you are GENEROUS with the portions! No wimpy slice or two on a sandwich. No, pile it on. Mmmm . . . delicious every single time.
Bacon translates to the dinner menu with ease, as the fats, salts and crispy goodness goes with everything. You can eat it on pizza, again on burgers and sandwiches, wrapped around steaks, or any other meat. I know that when my Dad makes meatloaf he always puts bacon over it, and as it bakes the bacon gets crispy, while dripping its juices into the burger and giving it a really smoky, wonderful flavor. It enhances everything it touches, every single time.
Now we can’t overlook the way that bacon can be included in our appetizers in many ways. One of my recent very favorites is bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers. YUM! My hubby bought me a popper stand to put onto the grill . . . we take jalapeno peppers and hollow them out, fill them with a spicy sweet cream cheese mixture, wrap them up tightly with bacon and put them on the grill. Oh my goodness, they are absolutely delicious. But don’t stop there! You can chop up crisp bacon and use them in a filling for stuffed mushrooms, put them on mini quiches, You can wrap just about anything in them . . . dates, scallops, shrimp, figs . . . the list goes on and on.
Bacon has found its way into many desserts – from chocolate chip cookies, sprinkled onto cupcakes and even dipped in chocolate! Have you seen the bacon topped maple bars??? OH MY GOSH! Yum! The salty and sweet combination has always been one that so many can identify with as being a favorite from the time they were old enough to start choosing their own food. It really isn’t so far fetched to combine bacon with our sweet endings to our meals . . . take a look!
Bacon has found its way into our beverages. My daughter is a bartender and makes Bloody Mary’s with bacon vodka and a bacon slice. I had no idea until she said something that they had bacon flavored vodka. We picked up a bottle of bacon flavored wine at a winery not long ago – but we’re saving it for a special day.
Last, but not least, bacon can be used in creative artistic food sculptures! Some of the pictures I’ve found are AMAZING!
Be Late For Something Day – Ah, finally a day for procrastinators. There are millions of people who never seem to be able to stay on schedule, and they need a day too! I admit, I am one of those people who isn’t necessarily late for everything, but I do sort of run at the edge of it most of the time. There’s always one last little detail to attend to before I race out the door. Being late once in awhile is a common occurrence. We all have something come up from time to time that keeps us from being right on time, and honestly, as long as it’s not perpetual, nor intentional, it’s forgivable. ONCE IN AWHILE. Enjoy today though – it’s sort of your pass. It doesn’t translate into days after today.
Franchise Appreciation Day – Being a business owner isn’t easy. These days it’s more difficult than ever before, as the entrepreneurial spirit is being squashed by an administration that leans so far to the socialistic left that making a living as a business owner is nearly impossible. If you can manage it without employees, that’s fine, but if you need a crew, after you pay for insurance, the over inflated wages that untrained individuals claim they deserve for doing entry level jobs, and all of the other expenses required to run a business, then the road you travel will be difficult. Today we honor the Franchise opportunity. Franchises allow business minded people who wish to run their own business with all of the support and buying power of an established brand. Customers will most often gravitate to that which they are familiar with, so this is a big boost to the new business owner. Today celebrate this business model and shop one of your local franchises today. You are helping a small business owner in your own community when you do. (Hey, I celebrated this one yesterday at Sonic and didn’t even know it!)
Jury Rights Day – Today we celebrate Jury Rights Day. So where did this day get its start? From what I found, on this day in 1670 Quaker William Penn of London was arrested, pled not guilty and subsequently argued against England’s Conventicle Acts, which outlawed the practice of religions other than the Church of England. The judge told the jurors to find Penn guilty, and their refusal to enforce a bad law led to the court jailing and withholding food and water from the jurors. Some of the jurors appealed their fines and imprisonment. The higher court confirmed the right of the jurors to base their verdict on their best judgment and conscience. Even though there was a law against freedom of religion, the high court said that juries could not be required to enforce any law that they thought was wrong. The higher court ruling also established that jurors cannot be punished for their verdict, which set a foundation for our rights of freedom of religion, freedom of speech and freedom of assembly. This ruling established protection for the jury, and firmly established the right of the jurors to refuse to accept bad government laws. This refusal of bad laws is called jury nullification or jury veto. Through jury nullification, people can control their government by refusing to allow bad laws to be enforced. Jurors are also not required to give a reason for the verdict they give. The fundamental right of jurors to render their verdict based on conscience is basic to the preservation of justice in a free society. And as for William Penn? He later came to Colonial America and founded Pennsylvania. Jurors continue to have the authority to nullify bad laws, which is our protection to stop corrupt government servants from violating our rights. (lately I don’t see this as working all that well as more and more of our rights are being stepped on – but that’s my personal opinion)
Pet Rock Day – Do you remember when pet rocks were all the rage in the 70s? I laugh when I think about it. The guy who came up with that was a genius! I cannot even imagine WHY it was such a big thing, but it definitely was, and made him quite a bit of money, if the popularity of the concept is anything to go by. The great thing about a Pet Rock is that anyone can have one. Think about it – you couldn’t get an easier pet to care for than a rock! I ran across a pretty funny article about how to give your pet rock the best life he/she could ever have. Here’s a condensed version of the instructions:
Go outside and choose a pet rock. Try to get one that is at least 1 inch wide so you don’t lose it in your pocket. Look for one that looks nice to you, one that you will want to keep.
Decide if your rock is a boy or a girl, and choose a unique name for it.
Paint your pet rock. Let your imagination be your guide! Use fun colors, glue on googly eyes if you want!
Your rock will need a travel bag. This is very useful so you can take it with you and make sure it isn’t lost in your pocket or purse. Make sure it’s a nice fit, but not too tight so you can get the rock out of the bag without a struggle.
Now your rock will need a house. We all deserve one of those, right? You could use a doll house, or make one of your own out of a shoebox.
It’s also fun to make sure your pet has a friend or two – find it some buddies to decorate and keep him/her company. You can come up with all sorts of fun things to do to be creative with your pet rock, take some pictures of it, and create little scenes. It’s also important to note that pet rocks don’t make a mess, they don’t need to be fed, and they don’t shed! Win win! Remember though, they aren’t big on conversation, and they have a tough time showing affection to you in return for yours to them. I guess nothing is perfect, right?
Sunday – September 6th –
National Grandparents Day – Today we honor our Grandparents, for their influential role in our families, for the love that they showed to us growing up. I would LOVE to be able to see my Grandma today, but we just went to see her 2 months ago and she lives a long drive away. I’d call her, but she wouldn’t be able to hear me screaming into the phone, which would just be frustrating for both of us. I was a bad Granddaughter and didn’t look ahead at the celebrations (I know, go figure!) to see what was coming up, or I would have sent a card. Of course she couldn’t READ it . . . but someone could read it to her. For anyone who still has Grandparents around, please give them a little extra love today. Give them a call, stop by for a visit of they are near. There is rarely a day that I don’t think of my Grandma who has already passed away, the rich memories and experiences I had with her flood over into my adult life and have given me a perspective I wouldn’t otherwise have had. As I smell breakfast cooking I recall the aromas in the kitchen at her house, the sounds of Grandpa puttering upstairs with his fishing stuff, Grandma’s laugh, the soothing sweetness of her voice . . . Gosh I miss them. So, when did this special day start? It was an initiative of Marian McQuade, a homemaker in Fayette County, WV. She started a campaign in 1973 to dedicate a special day for Grandparents, so people would spend time honoring them and promoting an intergenerational appreciation for them. Because of her efforts, in 1978 President Jimmy Carter proclaimed September 8 to be Grandparents day. Definitely a worthwhile day to celebrate! If you are fortunate enough to have Grandparents, give them some love today – after all, they’ve given their love to you all of your life.
Read A Book Day – We are getting into the perfect time of year for reading a good book – not QUITE yet – but we’re getting there. There’s nothing quite like having the house all clean, something that smells of yeast or cinnamon baking in the oven, and curl up in the corner of the couch, sip at a cup of tea and get lost in a good book. Reading takes us places we may never go in real life, into a world built in our imaginations. Doing it this time of year just makes it extra special because it is cozy. I have a struggle getting cozy in the summer, too hot and sticky. Today take some time out of your busy life, and curl up with a good book. If you happen to doze off while you’re reading, go with it. Nobody else needs to know.
Monday – September 7th
Grandma Moses Day – This is one that is going to be quite difficult to put into a short paragraph. Trying to figure out where to begin with telling you about this incredible American artist is difficult, and keeping it short will be even MORE difficult. Grandma Moses was born Anna May Robertson on September 7, 1860 in Greenwich, NY. She and her husband were farmers first in Virginia, then settled in Eagle Bridge, New York. She was the mother of ten children and did not begin her painting career until she was well into her 70s when arthritis was making it difficult for her to sew. Liking to keep busy, she began painting realistic country scenes, some of which she painted on dried tree mushrooms. She also made ceramic tiles and decorated them with patterns and landscapes. She was so absolutely remarkable in so many ways! At the age of 99 years old she began illustrating Clement C. Moore’s poem “The Night Before Christmas”. She continued working until the summer before her death, December 13, 1961. She was 101 years old. She never took an art class, but produced around 1600 pieces of art throughout her time as a folk artist. This date may mark the anniversary of her birth, and we may be celebrating her amazing accomplishments, but it is also an opportunity to follow in her example . . . “Painting’s not important,” she used to say. “The Important thing is keeping busy.” She always stressed how important hard work was, and respect for our surroundings. For more information about this incredible woman, check out Grandma Moses’ “My Life’s History”, published in 1952.
Labor Day (1st Monday of the month) – Today is a day in honor of the worker – and is also appropriately called “the working man’s holiday” – dedicated to the worker in appreciation for the work we do in or outside of the home, union or non-union, big company, small companies or government. As long as you work somewhere at something, this holiday is for you! Well, unless you work in retail, at a restaurant, an emergency service worker like a police officer, or on duty in the military. Those places are awfully busy today! That’s a lot of folks still working while the rest of us sit on our duffs! The first Labor Day was celebrated in New York City on September 5, 1882 and started by the Central Labor Union in New York City. In 1884 it was moved to the first Monday in September where it is celebrated today. Labor Day became popular very quickly, and one state after another voted it as a holiday. On June 28, 1894 the US Congress voted it a National holiday. Today we have come to view Labor Day as the official end of summer. Though the Fall Equinox is still a couple of weeks away, kids go back to school and summer vacations are over, so this is a good way to mark the end of the season. Many people celebrate this weekend with one last picnic or camping trip, then close up the pools and put away the boats. As for me? I feel like, especially in the Pacific Northwest, we still have a month of summer to go and often around here it’s the best weather of the year! Not too hot, not too cold and still time to camp without a lot of crowds out and about.
National Attention Deficit Disorder Awareness Day – I’m sure we all know someone, or more then one someone, with ADD. On July 6, 2004 the US Senate designated September 7, 2004 as the 1st National Attention Deficit Disorder Awareness Day”. This was, in great part, due to the efforts of ADDA (The Attention Deficit Disorder Association). I won’t copy and paste the entire resolution for you – as all such things, it is dry and slightly dull. The gist is that it acknowledges that ADD and AD/HD are chronic neurobiological disorders that affect both children and adults, and they can significantly interfere with an individual’s ability to regulate activity level, inhibit behavior and to perform tasks in developmentally appropriate ways. AD/HD can cause failure in school and workplace, antisocial behavior, trouble with the law, interpersonal difficulties and substance abuse. AD/HD is the most extensively studied mental disorder in children, affecting 3-7% (2,000,000) of young school-age children and an estimated 4% (8,000,000) adults. The resolution goes on to state that scientific studies clearly indicate that AD/HD runs in families and suggests that genetic inheritance is an important risk factor, with between 10 -35% of children with AD/HD having a first-degree relative with AD/HD, and about 50% of parents who had AD/HD having a child who also has the disorder. In spite of the serious consequences that can happen with family and life experiences of someone with AD/HD, studies show that less than 85% of adults with the disorder are diagnosed and less than half of children and adults with the disorder are receiving treatment. The resolution goes on to talk about how the lack of understanding and knowledge about the disorder plays a role in the numbers You would be shocked by how much good that can do!
Neither Rain Nor Snow Day – Today we celebrate the opening of the New York Post Office in 1914. This inscription is on the building: “Neither snow nor rain not heat nor gloom of night, stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.” There is a misconception that this inscription is the Post Office motto. That’s not correct though. This inscription is very close to the old Pony Express rider’s motto. That leads to another misconception . . . The Pony Express was not a government funded predecessor to today’s Post Office. It was a courier and message delivery service that was privately owned and funded. Now you have a bit of history and trivia you may not have known. This year this one lands on a Sunday, but tomorrow maybe you can show your postal delivery person – especially those who walk their routes – a little extra appreciation. They do work hard to bring us our mail.
Salami Day – Today we celebrate Salami . . . Salami is one large and important part of the family of sausages of Italy. The name, which is plural of the Italian word salame, applies to matured raw meat made into sausages with recipes of Italian origin. Within Italy there are many different types of salami, mostly medium to large in size, and those made in Italy are usually dried without smoking. Names indicate the style or place of origin. Salami made in south Italy and Sardinia are distinguished by their spiciness. These include: Napoletano, Cardo, Calabrese, Peperone . . . all of these belong to the class of salame crudo – raw salame. The list of types of salami based on these regions and styles are numerous and worth the taste test when time permits. Well, now I want to head out to the store and get one of each to give them a try! YUM! Sounds delicious!
This Day In History –
Sept. 5, 1698 – Russian Czar Peter the Great imposes a tax on beards.
Sept. 5, 1774 – The First Continental Congress assembled in Philadelphia.
Sept. 6, 1995 – Cal Ripken Jr. broke Lou Gehrig’s baseball iron man record by playing in his 2,131st game.
Sept. 7, 1921 – The first Miss America beauty Pageant is held in Atlantic City N.J.
Food Celebration of the Day –
Saturday – September 5th –
National Cheese Pizza Day – Well, I can honestly say, I love pizza. And I love pizza best when it has LOTS of ooey gooey cheese on it! Whether it’s Chicago-style deep dish, a crispy and thin-crusted pie or a classic doughy Neapolitan slice, cheese pizza is an undeniable favorite. In fact, 94% of Americans eat pizza on a regular basis! Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm . . . . (this is a picture of the last deep dish pizza I made – can you see Tibbi peeking up from the left side? She always hopes something will accidentally find its way into her bowl.)
Easy Cheese Pizza
Copycat California Pizza Kitchen Thai Chicken Pizza
Leek Tomato Goat Cheese Pizza
Sweet Pepper Pizza With Three Cheeses
Quattro Formaggi (Four Cheese) Pizza
Simple Sausage & Swiss Cheese Mini Pizzas
Taco Bell Copycat Mexican Pizza
Sunday – September 6th –
National Coffee Ice Cream Day – Can you think of a better way to get your caffeine fix than sweet and creamy ice cream? Here, our favorite ways to spoon it up.
Coffee Ice Cream
Coffee Ice Cream Pie
Vegan Coffee Ice Cream
Coffee Ice Cream Soda, Hold the Soda!
Coffee Shake
Cappuccino Ice Cream
Chocolate-Almond Coffee Frappe
Monday – September 7th –
National Acorn Squash Day – Mmmmm. . . . I love Acorn Squash. They make me think of fall, cinnamon and leaves falling off of the trees. I remember when I was little, Mom would take some and cut them in half, clean out the cavity and fill them up with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon, then bake them. Oh goodness, the house smelled so good! Like any winter squash you can do so much with one – as the recipes below show. Don’t forget, like pumpkin seeds, acorn squash seeds can be roasted and eaten. Yum!
Acorn Squash Stuffed With Sausage & Sour Cream
Acorn Squash Lasagna
Microwave Apple-Stuffed Acorn Squash
Cranberry-Stuffed Acorn Squash
Acorn Squash & Apple Soup
Cream of Acorn Squash Soup
Acorn Squash & Arugula Pizza
Sorry for how long this took. I was gone today for more hours than I’d originally anticipated, though for good reasons, and by the time I got home, found all of the pictures I wanted to use and got them posted . . . it was late! I hope everyone had a wonderful first day of the long weekend (for those of you who GET a long weekend) and that the rest of it is filled with fun and some relaxation. God Bless You and I’ll see you Tuesday!