Clouds/Temps ~ Picture of the Day/Mallard Ducks ~ First Concrete Paved Road ~ Italian Herb Baked Meatballs ~ National Vanilla Ice Cream Day

 

Good 55º scattered clouds morning. 

 

 

Yesterday stayed clear and breezy and we topped at 98º. Supposed to be a tad cooler today. 

 

 

 

Picture of the Day.... posted on FB by my friend Lori Roe Bouquet (Roe Motors, Grants Pass). She lives on the shore of the Rogue River and has great critter shots!

 

 

When mention is made of ducks, many people first think of the mallard. Its ability to tolerate human disturbance and adapt to urban as well as rural habitats make it the Northern Hemisphere's most abundant and widespread waterfowl.

Females are mottled-brown, with dark brown stripe through the eye, orange bill with black splotching and have yellowish-orange legs. Immatures resemble adult females until males acquire nuptial plumage usually by mid-November. Males enter the eclipse molt in June and resemble hens until mid-September. Wings of both sexes have a violet-blue speculum ( a bright patch of plumage on the wings of certain birds, especially a strip of metallic sheen on the secondary flight feathers of many ducks.) bordered in front and behind by a pronounced white stripe.

They are a common transient and summer and winter resident throughout the state.

Hear the call of the mallard

 

 

Interesting about the first concrete paved street...

 

The year was 1909, and it was a big year in Detroit. Ty Cobb led the Detroit Tigers to a League Pennant at Bennett Park, Henry Ford introduced the Model T and J.L. Hudson was scouting out a location at Woodward and Farmer for his department store’s new location.

Also that year, the Wayne County Road Commission introduced the world to a new kind of road: Concrete. The only place it could be found that year was Woodward Avenue between Six and Seven Mile Roads in Greenfield Township, which is now northwest Detroit.

Roads up to that point – if they were paved at all – had been built with brick, cobblestone, or a material called macadam, which was not much more than stones sprayed with a tar to form some kind of wear resistant surface. Unfortunately, brick and cobblestone were uneven and labor intensive, while macadam didn’t last long.

 

 

Italian Herb Baked Meatballs....from The Slow Roasted Italian...

 

• 1 pound lean ground beef 
• 1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 small yellow onion, grated (or minced)
• 2 tablespoons marinara
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

1. Preheat oven to 375°.  Prepare a baking sheet by lining with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix well, do not over mix or you will have tough meatballs.
3. Using a 2 tablespoon scoop, portion out meat and place on baking sheet.  After all meatballs have been scooped onto tray, roll into balls and place back onto the baking sheet.
4. Bake for 20-22 minutes, until the meatballs are browned and cooked through.
5. Remove and transfer to sauce or serve immediately.

DONNA'S NOTES:

1. If you lightly coat your hands with olive oil before rolling the meatballs, they will form better and crack less.
2. You can substitute dried herbs and spices for a quicker recipe.
   1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning for the fresh herbs
   1 teaspoon garlic powder for the fresh garlic
   1 teaspoon onion powder for the fresh onion.

 

 

 

Historically this date....

1903 – The Ford Motor Company sells its first car.

1984 – Vanessa Williams becomes the first Miss America to resign when she surrenders her crown after nude photos of her appeared in Penthouse magazine.

1986 – In London, Prince Andrew, Duke of York marries Sarah Ferguson at Westminster Abbey.

 

and births this date include...

1918 – Pee Wee Reese, American baseball player (d. 1999)

 

 

1936 – Don Drysdale, American baseball player (d. 1993)

 

 

1938 – Charles Harrelson, American convicted murderer; father of Woody Harrelson (d. 2007) Interesting read....

 

 

1961 – Woody Harrelson, American actor (same birthday as his father)

............very strange man.

 

 

1973 – Monica Lewinsky, American White House intern

Click on her name.... interesting read.

 

 

 

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

xo Sue Mom Bobo

 

 

National Vanilla Ice Cream Day on July 23rd tips its hat at the second most popular flavor in America. Take a bow, vanilla. I scream, you scream, we all scream for…VANILLA ICE CREAM!! Of course, the day is part of  National Ice Cream Month and not too far behind National Ice Cream Day.

Since Americans love vanilla ice cream so much, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that vanilla is the most common flavoring in North America for ice cream. In fact, many people consider vanilla ice cream to be the default flavor. 

Many may be familiar with Thomas Jefferson’s vanilla ice cream recipe. The third president of the United States may have discovered vanilla flavor while visiting France. While he didn’t wouldn’t have been the first to savor the delicious taste of vanilla ice cream, Jefferson enjoyed jotting down recipes. The same applied to ice cream. He also produced a handwritten copy of a vanilla ice cream recipe in the 1780s. Only ten copies remain. In fact, the Library of Congress houses one copy that has a cookie recipe on the flip side. Today, the ice cream parlor at Mt. Rushmore in South Dakota serves the same recipe so that anyone can have a taste.

HOW TO OBSERVE

Make your own with this old fashioned homemade vanilla ice cream recipe for you to enjoy!  While you’re at it, invite some friends to enjoy it with you. Maybe, go out for some vanilla ice cream. Scoop up a dish full from the ice cream in your freezer. Will you add chocolate syrup or caramel? Oh, and don’t forget the sprinkles!