Clouds/Heat ~ Throw Back Thursday ~ Picture of the Day ~ Pomegranates ~ Olive Garden Copycat Salad ~ National Chop Suey Day

 

Good 58º scattered clouds morning.

 

 

Yesterday morning some clouds rolled in... and the sun came and went behind the clouds.  

 

Then before noon the dark clouds moved in, looking like the predicted thunderstorm was possible...

 

By then we were at 82º and rising....2pm 90º, 3:30 97º, 4pm 91º, and 5pm 93º.  We never got the predicted thunderstorm, but a pal told me they got 30 drops of rain in Grants Pass. 

 

 

 

Throw Back Thursday ... Kristen (my flower girl) and I on my wedding day to Jerry 6-14-1975..

 

 

 

 

Picture of the Day...... sweet mom!

 

 

 

 

Interesting about pomegranates...

 

Pomegranate is a member of the berry family and belongs to the 'Punicaceas' family ( a small genus of fruit-bearing deciduous shrubs or small trees.The better known species is the pomegranate ) . It is one of the most popular fruits, which is cultivated for food, juice, flavor and color. The name pomegranate is derived from the French words 'pomme garnete', which means seeded apple. Pomegranate is believed to have originated in Iran over 4000 years ago.

Every pomegranate fruit is composed of exactly 840 seeds. The inner membranes and rind is not consumed due to the high acid content, but are often used by the cosmetic companies as an active ingredient in the skin care products. The pomegranate tree bears numerous bright red colored, spherical shaped fruits of different colors like red, orange, yellow and purple, depending upon the cultivar. The fruit has a thick, leathery, red skin, which protects the pinkish red arils and seeds. The inside is separated by thin, white spongy membranes. Each section is packed with tiny, edible, sweet and juicy pink arils. Not just the arils, but the leaf, fruit, rind, bark, seed and root are also edible and have potential medicinal benefits.

We had a pomegranate tree in Temple City. The kids loved eating them, but soooooo messy. I had them sit on the curb when they ate them so none of that seedy mess would be anywhere else but right there in the street!

 

Olive Garden Salad is so amazing you may eat the salad and skip the meal. Now you can make your own salad dressing copycat recipe at home. A crisp salad with a tart, sweet and cheesy dressing will keep you coming back for more!

 

• 3 romaine lettuce hearts, washed and chopped
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 2 Roma tomatoes, sliced
• 4 pickled Pepperoncini
• 10 large pitted olives
• 1/2 cup seasoned croutons
• 1/4 cup fresh shredded Parmesan cheese

Olive Garden House Dressing Copycat

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 tablespoons white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons extra light tasting olive oil (or other neutral oil)
• 2 tablespoon fresh grated Romano cheese
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar

1. In the bowl of a blender, combine dressing ingredients and blend until smooth.  Place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
2. In a large salad bowl, layer salad ingredients in order beginning with lettuce.  Pour salad dressing over salad and toss to combine.
3. Serve and enjoy!

 

 

Historically this date.........

 

1958 – United States Air Force Academy opens in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

 

 

1966 – The Beatles perform their last concert before paying fans at Candlestick Park in San Francisco.

 

 

1970 – Chicano Moratorium against the Vietnam War, East Los Angeles, California. Police riot kills three people, including journalist Ruben Salazar.

 

 

2005 – Hurricane Katrina devastates much of the U.S. Gulf Coast from Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle, killing more than 1,836 and causing over $80 billion in damage

 

 

2007 – 2007 United States Air Force nuclear weapons incident: six US cruise missiles armed with nuclear warheads are flown without proper authorization from Minot Air Force Base to Barksdale Air Force Base.

 

 

 

And births this date include...

1916 – George Montgomery, American actor (d. 2000)

Jerry and I met him once at the Pomona Fair. He was into woodworking and made some beautiful furniture. Nice man. Big/tall.

 

 

 

1923 – Richard Attenborough, English film director (d. 8-14)

 

 

 

 

 

1938 – Elliott Gould, American actor

... weird.....weird.....weird...

 

 

 

1940 – James Brady, American White House Press Secretary and gun control activist (d.8-14)

 

 

1958 – Michael Jackson, American pop singer (d. 2009)

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

xo Sue Mom Bobo

 

 

Get your chopsticks ready!  National Chop Suey Day recognizes this American Chinese culinary cuisine each year on August 29. 

Chop suey, which means assorted pieces, is a dish in American Chinese cuisine. The main ingredients include meat (chicken, fish, beef, prawns or pork) and eggs. As the meat cooks over high heat, add vegetables (usually bean sprouts, cabbage, and celery). The dish is bound in a starch-thickened sauce. Typically, rice accompanies the flavorful dish. 

According to food historian Alan Davidson, chop suey is “A prime example of culinary mythology.” These food myths happen with popular foods. Illustrated below, several colorful and conflicting stories tell of chop suey’s possible origin. 

Chop Suey Stories....

Some believe chop suey was invented in America by Chinese Americans. However, anthropologist E.N. Anderson finds another conclusion.  According to Anderson, the word tsap seui means miscellaneous leftovers and hails from Taishan, a district of Guangdong Province.  Many early Chinese immigrants traveled from their home in Taishan to the United States.

Another account claims Chinese American cooks who were working on the transcontinental railroad invented chop suey in the 19th century.

A prime example of culinary mythology. ~ Alan Davidson on the origin of chop suey.

One tale stemming from the Quing Dynasty connects to premier Li Hongzhang’s visit in 1896. According to the story, his chef wanted to create a meal suitable for both the Chinese and American palates. Another version of the story tells that Li wandered to a local Chinese restaurant after the hotel kitchen closed. Even though the chef was embarrassed because he had nothing prepared to offer, he made a dish for Li. Comprised of leftover scraps, the chef created the new “chop suey” dish. 

Still another myth tells of an 1860s Chinese restaurant cook in San Francisco. After hours, the chef was forced to serve something to the drunken miners. He had nothing fresh to offer. However, to avoid a beating, he threw leftovers in a wok, providing a makeshift meal to the miners. The miners loved the dish, asking him for the name of the dish.  To which the chef replied, “Chopped Sui.”  

Traveling to the United States in 1903, Liang Oichao, a Guangdong native, wrote that there existed a food item called chop suey. While regularly served by Chinese restaurateurs, the local Chinese people did not eat this dish.