Cold ~ 10-28 ~ Picture of the Day ~ Angora Rabbits ~ Ratatouille ~ National Chocolate Day

Good 23º omgosh it's cold morning!!! 

That 26º yesterday finally warmed up. Sunshiny day. Topped at 68º.

10-28 radio code for 'vehicle registration and wants (complete registration information)'

 

Picture of the Day

Interesting about Angora Rabbits.......

The Angora rabbit (Turkish: Ankara tavşanı), which is one of the oldest types of domestic rabbit, is bred for the long fibers of its coat, known as Angora wool, that are gathered by shearing, combing, or plucking. Because rabbits do not possess the same allergy-causing qualities as many other animals, their wool is an important alternative.

Angoras are bred mainly for their wool, which is silky and soft. At only 14-16 microns** in diameter, it is similar to cashmere (top quality Cashmere is 14 microns) in fineness and softness to touch. which must be lower than 14 microns. A healthy adult Angora's wool will grow approximately 1.2 inch per month. Regular grooming is necessary to prevent the fiber from matting and felting on the rabbit, which causes discomfort that can lead to pain and even infection. Angora wool is harvested (plucked or shorn) every three to four months throughout the year.

Angora wool may be gathered periodically by hand-plucking the hairs within the coat that are being naturally shed. A full harvesting is done by shearing the coat with clippers or small scissors, often while the rabbit sits atop a groomer's turntable. Typically starting with top & sides of head. Moving across shoulders to tail. Then flipped for underside, tail (carefully) to chin, watch for nipples! 12 ounces —and up to 18 ounces —of wool may be harvested from a Giant Angora.

**1 micron = 0.00003937 inch

A Kraft recipe.... Ratatouille

1 eggplant , cut into bite-size pieces
1 onion , cut into 1 / 2-inch-thick slices
1 red pepper , cut into 1 / 2-inch-thick slices
1 zucchini , cut into 1 / 2-inch-thick slices
1/4 cup KRAFT Sun Dried Tomato Vinaigrette Dressing
1 can (14.5 oz.) no-salt-added diced tomatoes , undrained
2 Tbsp. KRAFT Reduced Fat Parmesan Style Grated Topping
1/2 cup KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Heat oven to 350°.

Cook and stir first 5 ingredients in large skillet on medium-high heat 6 to 8 min. or until vegetables are crisp-tender and lightly browned.

Add tomatoes; cook 15 min., stirring occasionally. Spoon into casserole; top with grated topping and mozzarella.

Bake 15 min. or until mozzarella is melted and vegetable mixture is heated through.

Historically this date......

1886 – In New York Harbor, President Grover Cleveland dedicates the Statue of Liberty.

1929 – Black Monday, a day in the Wall Street Crash of 1929, which also saw major stock market upheaval.

1936 – U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt rededicates the Statue of Liberty on its 50th anniversary.

1962 – Cuban Missile Crisis: Soviet Union leader Nikita Khrushchev announces that he had ordered the removal of Soviet missile bases in Cuba.

 

And births this date include...

1793 – Eliphalet Remington, American firearms manufacturer (d. 1861)

1897 – Edith Head, American costume designer (d. 1981)

1902 – Elsa Lanchester, British-born actress (d. 1986)

1914 – Jonas Salk, American biologist and physician (d. 1995)

1917 – Jack Soo, American actor (d. 1979)

1932 – Suzy Parker, American actress (d. 2003)

1936 – Charlie Daniels, American musician

1944 – Dennis Franz, American actor

1949 – Bruce Jenner, American athlete

  

1955 – Bill Gates, American software executive

1963 – Lauren Holly, American actress

1967 – Julia Roberts, American actress

1972 – Brad Paisley, American musician

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

xo Sue Mom Bobo

National Chocolate Day, on October 28th, recognizes one of the world’s favorite tastes. While many specific chocolate related holidays exist throughout the year, National Chocolate Day celebrates all things chocolate.  

As America’s favorite flavor, chocolate is well-deserving of its own day of honor. (Some sources designate July 7 or December 28 as Chocolate Day or International Chocolate Day.)

How is chocolate made?

Chocolate comes from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia and grows in Mexico, Central America, and Northern South America. The earliest known documentation of using cacao seeds is from around 1100 BC.

Since cacao tree seeds have a very intense, bitter taste, they must be fermented to develop the flavor.

Research has found that chocolate, when eaten in moderation, can lower blood pressure.

Once fermented, the beans are dried, cleaned, and roasted.  After roasting, the shell is removed to produce cacao nibs. The cacao nibs are then ground into cocoa mass, which is pure chocolate in rough form. The cocoa mass is usually liquefied then molded with or without other ingredients. At this point in the process, it is called chocolate liquor. The chocolate liquor may then be processed into two components: cocoa solids and cocoa butter.

• Unsweetened baking chocolate –  cocoa solids and cocoa butter in varying proportions.
• Sweet chocolate –  cocoa solids, cocoa butter or other fat and sugar.
• Milk chocolate – sweet chocolate with milk powder or condensed milk.
• White chocolate – cocoa butter, sugar, and milk but no cocoa solids.

Here are a few recipes to try.

Chocolate LasagnaFudgeNo-Bake Chocolate Oat Bars

NATIONAL CHOCOLATE DAY HISTORY

National Confectioners Association created National Chocolate Day