Groundhog Day ~ Errands ~ French Onion Soup Dip ~ John & Trish Bowler ~ Tater Tot Day

Good 39º foggy Ground Hog Day morning..........

Groundhog Day is celebrated in the U.S. each year on February 2. On this day in mid-winter, the groundhog awakens from a long winter's nap, and goes outside of his den to see if he sees his shadow. This tradition is big, on an otherwise cold and dreary mid-winter's day.

According to legend, if the groundhog sees his shadow (a sunny morning), there will be six more weeks of winter. He then returns to his den and goes back to sleep. If however, he does not see his shadow (cloudy days), he plays around outside of his hole for a while. If he does not see his shadow, spring is just around the corner.

The Groundhog's Day tradition traveled long ways. It comes from German roots.  In the early 1800's, German immigrants to America, brought the tradition of predicting winter weather on February 2. In their native Germany, they used Hedgehogs to predict weather. As they settled in the hills of Pennsylvania, they began the tradition, using the Groundhog to predict the arrival of Spring. The tradition is based upon Candlemas, the day that is the midpoint between Winter and Spring. A famous Candlemas poems goes:

If Candlemas be fair and bright,
Winter has another flight.
If Candlemas brings clouds and rain,
Winter will not come again.

Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania is the site of the annual Groundhog event. Our little rodent friend (yes, Groundhogs are classified as rodents) is called Punxsutawney Phil. He has been making this annual winter prediction since 1887. There are a few other "predictors" around the country, but they all pale in comparison to Phil's ability to predict the remainder of winter.

For the Record Phil sees his shadow about 9 out of 10 times

Yesterday Dude and I went into town to get some cracked corn at ACE for the bird feeders...

and some flea tick meds and dental kibble at the vets for Dude.....

 

This dental kibble is large and works at cleaning the dog's teeth as they chew it. Has worked really well.

Another idea for your Super Bowl Sunday snacks .....

French Onion Soup Dip

A creamy dip with sweet caramelized onions inspired by French onion soup that goes perfectly with melted gruyere covered crostini.

1 tablespoon oil

2 pounds onions, sliced

1/2 cup dry white wine or water

1/2 cup beef stock or water

1 clove garlic, chopped

1/2 teaspoon thyme, chopped

3/4 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup gruyere, grated

salt, pepper and cayenne to taste

Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat, add the onions and cook until deep brown and caramelized, about 45-60 minutes, stirring as needed and deglazing the pan as needed with 2 tablespoons of wine and stock.

Add the garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about a minute.

Mix in the remaining ingredients and enjoy with with crostini topped with melted gruyere or crackers or chips, etc.

Tip: Make this dip a day or two ahead of time and let the flavors come out as it sits in the fridge.

Special anniversary today.. my pals John (LASD ret) and Trish Bowler are celebrating their 55th!! HAPPY ANNIVERSARY KIDS! xo

Historically this date.......
1653 – New Amsterdam (later renamed The City of New York) is incorporated. 

1848 – California Gold Rush: The first ship with Chinese immigrants arrives in San Francisco, California. 

1887 – In Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania the first Groundhog Day is observed. 

1976 – The Groundhog Day gale hits the north-eastern United States and south-eastern Canada. 

1987 – After the 1986 People Power Revolution, the Philippines enacts a newconstitution.

And births this date include...

1937 – Tom Smothers, American musician and comedian

1947 – Farrah Fawcett, American actress (d. 2009)

Here is a picture I took of her in Acapulco when I was working for Fabergé and we represented her line of hair products...

Speaking of Fabergé and Acapulco, a bunch of were down at the swimming pool at the hotel, some were sitting on the bar stools in the water

when this woman steps out on a balcony up and across from the pool and yells, "I just fu**ed Joe Namath!" LOL. The New York based Barry family owned the company and were friends with Namath, and he traveled to the sales meeting with them.

1948 – Ina Garten, American author and TV personality

1954 – Christie Brinkley, American model
.... still a rare beauty! She looks like a teenager! and she's 64!!!!!

Dinner was an Omaha Steaks marinated salmon filet cooked in the air fryer and some steamed vegetables mixed with the leftover Schwans fried rice...

The sunset was pretty....

All I know. Nuff said. Happy TGIF. Ciao.

xo Sue Mom Bobo

February 2nd is National Tater Tot Day!

Here are today’s five food finds about tater tots: 

Tater Tots literally mean “baby potatoes”; tatter for potato & tots “meaning little one.”

Americans consume over 70 million pounds or Tots per year.

Tater Tots were first invented in 1953 at the Ore-Ida Labs

Tater is slang for potato (origin: 1750–60; America; by Apheresis, tato, and substitution of -er for final -o, tater).

In Australia, tater tots are known as “potato gems.”