Smoke (still) ~ Moon Walkers ~ Picture of the Day ~ Cheesy Mac & Chicken Casserole ~ National Avocado Day

Good 57º smokey morning. 

The smoke yesterday was awful again. My mountain was barely visible ....

And in Grants Pass you couldn't see the mountains either...

I went into town to the pharmacy, post office, and grocery store. Not many people out. Everyone hating this smoke.

Interesting.....

In total twelve people have walked on the Moon. Besides Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin – who were the first two astronauts to leave their boot prints on the Moon — there were also Pete Conrad, Alan Bean, Alan Shepard, Edgar Mitchell, David Scott, James Irwin, John Young, Charles Duke, Eugene Cernan, and Harrison Schmitt. Only four of the 12 Apollo moonwalkers still alive today. Still living are Apollo 17's Harrison "Jack" Schmitt; Apollo 11's Buzz Aldrin; Apollo 15's David Scott; and Apollo 16's Charles Duke. All of the men are now in their 80s.

Picture of the Day

Cheesy Baked Chicken Macaroni & Cheese

This twist on traditional baked macaroni and cheese gets its main dish appeal from the addition of chopped cooked rotisserie chicken. It's a great all-in-one weeknight meal. Pick up a rotisserie cooked chicken from the store.... makes this so easy!

 

• 1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 (10-3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
• 1 (2-ounce) jar diced pimiento, undrained
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 cups chopped cooked rotisserie chicken
• 1/2 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs

1. Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions; drain.
    
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Stir together pasta, cheese, and next 7 ingredients in a large bowl. Spoon into a lightly greased 7- x 11-inch baking dish.
    
3. Bake 15 minutes. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs; bake an additional 10 minutes or until golden.

Historically this date........

1498 – On his third voyage to the Western Hemisphere, Christopher Columbus becomes the first European to discover the island of Trinidad.

1790 – The first U.S. patent is issued, to inventor Samuel Hopkins for a potash process.

1941 – Holocaust: under instructions from Adolf Hitler, Nazi official Hermann Göring, orders SS General Reinhard Heydrich to "submit to me as soon as possible a general plan of the administrative material and financial measures necessary for carrying out the desired final solution of the Jewish question."

1964 – Ranger program: Ranger 7 sends back the first close-up photographs of the moon, with images 1,000 times clearer than anything ever seen from earth-bound telescopes.

2007 – Operation Banner, the presence of the British Army in Northern Ireland, and the longest-running British Army operation ever, comes to an end.

2012 – Michael Phelps breaks the record set in 1964 by Larisa Latynina for the most medals won at the Olympics.

And births this date include....

1929 – Don Murray, American actor

1932 – Ted Cassidy, American actor (d. 1979)

1939 – France Nuyen, French actress

1965 – J. K. Rowling, British writer

Later it was 

           

   and    

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

xo Sue Mom Bobo 

Ripe for the picking, add this delicious superfruit to your menu to join in National Avocado Day on July 31!

Guacamole is grand, but don’t settle for just the chips and dip on this food holiday.  Clear the table for everything from the appetizer and main dish all the way to dessert.  On National Avocado Day, this tree grown fruit has them all covered!

Avocados have become more than a staple food in the American diet; they have proven to be a key ingredient in recipes for both inside the body and on the body! According to the Hass Avocado Board, as of 2015, avocado consumption in the United States doubled since 2005 and quadrupled since 2000. In fact, a whopping 4.25 billion avocados were sold in the U.S. in 2015. That’s four point two five billion of this amazingly beautiful food.

Super Food

There are many reasons to celebrate National Avocado Day. Targeting insulin resistance with heart-healthy fats and fighting Alzheimer’s with its Omega 3 fatty acids, the avocado also prevents and repairs damage due to its source of Vitamins C, E and K.

One of the secret weapons in an avocado is the high oleic acid content. This moisturizing fatty acid helps keep skin soft and hydrated but also supports regeneration of damaged skin cells reducing redness and irritation. Eat more of this superfruit or cook with avocado oil if you have this type of skin issue.

Beauty

Ancient Aztecs used the avocado to beautify their skin topically with masks, and in the early 20th century the cosmetic industry discovered the benefits of its oil in creams, lotions, facial cleansers and other products that required a smooth application. The practice continues today.

Avocados have found their way into every meal of the day and even into dessert.  The creamy texture replaces calorie-laden oils with healthful fats so we can indulge without the guilt.  What better way to celebrate National Avocado Day than to indulge a little?

HOW TO OBSERVE

Enjoy an avocado and try a new recipe. 

Avocado Cupcakes from Will Cook for Smiles
Avocado Brownies from Jody Duits on Buzzfeed

Smoke ~ Taylor Creek Fire in Grants Pass ~ Picture of the Day ~ McCaughey Septuplets ~ Crispy Baked Asparagus Fries ~ Funny Business Signs ~ National Cheesecake Day ~ Schwans Cheesecake and my Philly Jalapeño Cheesecake

Good 57º dark super smokey gloomy morning. We topped at 101º yesterday afternoon.

 

 

Yesterday the smoke was horrid. It still looks like this.....

 

This photo was taken in downtown Grants Pass at Williams Hwy and Union Ave looking southwest at the Taylor Creek fire.

 

 

The wildfire burning west of Grants Pass and Merlin has grown to 16,500 acres as of Friday. That is an increase of almost 3,000 acres since Friday and the fire is still burning out of control.

 

 

 

 

Picture of the Day

 

Interesting.....

 

The McCaughey septuplets (born November 19, 1997), are septuplets (seven offspring) born to Kenny and Bobbi McCaughey in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. They are the world's first set of surviving septuplets.

Bobbi and Kenny McCaughey (pronounced "McCoy") had one daughter, Mikayla Marie, born January 3, 1996. While under treatment with ovulation-stimulating Metrodin for infertility, Bobbi became pregnant with seven babies. The McCaugheys, residents of the town of Carlisle, declined selective reduction to reduce the number of infants, saying that they would "put it in God's hands". The obstetricians primarily responsible for the medical care of the babies were Karen Drake and Paula Mahone.

The septuplets, four boys and three girls, were born nine weeks prematurely in Des Moines on November 19, 1997. They were born by Caesarean section, all within six minutes. They were the world's first set of surviving septuplets.

Baby order	Sex	Birth weight	Name
1	Boy	3 lb 4 oz (1.5 kg)	Kenneth (Kenny) Robert
2	Girl	2 lb 11 oz (1.2 kg)	Alexis May
3	Girl	2 lb 10 oz (1.2 kg)	Natalie Sue
4	Girl	2 lb 5 oz (1.0 kg)	Kelsey Ann
5	Boy	3 lb 3 oz (1.4 kg)	Nathan Roy
6	Boy	2 lb 14 oz (1.3 kg)	Brandon James
7	Boy	2 lb 15 oz (1.3 kg)	Joel Steven

Two of the septuplets, Alexis and Nathan, have cerebral palsy. Both used walkers to get around, and in November 2005 Nathan had spinal surgery in order to improve his walking abilities

 

Crispy Baked Asparagus Fries

Prep Time:10 minutes Cook Time:10 minutesTotal Time:20 minutes Servings: 4

Asparagus coated in Panko bread crumbs and Parmesan and baked until golden brown and crispy.

• 1 1/2 pounds asparagus, trimmed
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano (parmesan), grated
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Dredge the asparagus in the flour, dip in the egg and then into a mixture of the Panko, Parmesan, salt and pepper.
2. Place the asparagus in a single layer on a wire rack on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated 425º oven until golden brown, about 7-13 minutes.

 

 

 

Historically this date.....

1866 – New Oreleans, Louisiana's Democratic government orders police to raid an integrated Republican Party meeting, killing 40 people and injuring 150.

1945 – World War II: Japanese submarine I-58 sinks the USS Indianapolis, killing 883 seamen.

       RIP ..... God Bless you all.

1971 – Apollo program: Apollo 15 Mission – David Scott and James Irwin on the Apollo Lunar Module module Falcon land on the Moon with the first Lunar Rover.

1975 – Jimmy Hoffa disappears from the parking lot of the Machus Red Fox restaurant in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit, at about 2:30 p.m. He is never seen or heard from again, and will be declared legally dead on this date in 1982.

1990 – George Steinbrenner is forced by Commissioner Fay Vincent to resign as principal partner of New York Yankees for hiring Howie Spira to "get dirt" on Dave Winfield.

2003 – In Mexico, the last 'old style' Volkswagen Beetle rolls off the assembly line.

 

And births this date include...

1863 – Henry Ford, American businessman, founded the Ford Motor Company (d. 1947)

1933 – Edd Byrnes, American actor

 

 

1941 – Paul Anka, Canadian singer-songwriter and actor

 

 

1947 – Arnold Schwarzenegger, Austrian-American bodybuilder, actor, and politician, 38th Governor of California

...........if you don't use it, you lose it!

 

 

 

1954 – Ken Olin, American actor

 .........ewwwww.................... whoppen? Ya think he ever looks in the mirror??

 

 

1956 – Delta Burke, American actress

.............OMG!

 

 

1963 – Lisa Kudrow, American actress, writer, and producer

 

1974 – Hilary Swank, American actress

 

Some laughs shared by my pal Karen "Sugar Bear"....

SIGN IN A SHOE REPAIR STORE:

"We will heel you, We will save your sole, We will even dye for you."

 

A SIGN ON A BLINDS AND CURTAIN TRUCK:

"Blind man driving."

 

Sign over a Gynecologist’s Office:

"Dr. Jones, at your cervix."

 

In a Podiatrist's office:

"Time wounds all heels."

 

 

 

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

xo Sue Mom Bobo

National Cheesecake Day is observed annually on July 30th.  Cheesecake is a delicious dessert that is loved by millions around the country.  It is a sweet dessert that is a mixture of soft fresh cheese, cream cheese or cottage cheese, eggs and sugar on a crust made from crushed graham crackers, crushed cookies, pastry or sponge cake.

Cheesecakes can be prepared baked or unbaked, can be flavored and are often served topped with fruit, fruit sauce, chocolate or whipped cream.  There are many flavors in which cheesecakes can be prepared, some of which are blueberry, strawberry, pumpkin, chocolate, key lime, lemon, orange, raspberry or toffee.

It is possible that an ancient form of cheesecake may have been a popular dish in ancient Greece.  It has been found that the earliest attested mention of a cheesecake is by Greek physician Aegimus, who wrote a book on the art of making cheesecakes.

James Kraft developed a form of pasteurized cream cheese in 1912.  In 1928, Kraft acquired the Philadelphia trademark and marketed pasteurized Philadelphia Cream Cheese which is now the most commonly used cheese for cheesecake.

North America has several different styles of cheesecakes:

• New York-style cheesecake
• Pennsylvania Dutch-style cheesecake
• Philadelphia-style
• Farmer cheese cheesecake
• Country-style cheesecake
• Lactose-free cheesecake
• Cheesecake Kludys
• Chicago Style cheesecake
• Savory cheesecake

HOW TO OBSERVE

Enjoy this New York Cheesecake.  

If you order from Schwans, their cheesecake is good. It comes frozen, but it's cut into individual pieces that are separated with paper dividers so you can take a couple pieces out, put them in the fridge, and keep the rest of the pie frozen until you want more.

 

Here is a super tasty cheesecake I made some time back.

 

 

Click here: Amazon.com: Norpro Nonstick Small Cheesecake Pan: Kitchen & Dining

And.... instead of the traditional cheesecake I made it with the new Philly Jalapeño Cream Cheese...

 

 

This recipe for 6 mini cheesecakes:

Make the crust with graham cracker crumbs, 1 cup + 3 T sugar + 3 T melted butter. Mix well and press into bottom of pan. Bake 10 minutes at 325º. (You will have leftover crumbs.)

 

Then in electric mixer put 2 tubs of the Jalapeño cream cheese with

1 t. lemon extract (instead of vanilla), and 1/2 cup sugar...mix well. Then add 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (instead of sour cream), mixing well.... and then add 2 eggs, mixing well. Spoon into crusts and bake for 45 minutes at 325º.

 

OMGOOD!!!! Spicy, so for those of you with delicate palates, don't make it for you...but make if for the person in the house who likes SPICE!

 

These are sooooooooooooo good they should be illegal!!!