Snow ~ Picture of the Day ~ Ranch Dressing ~ Chicken Pasta w/ Artichoke Hearts ~ Leslie Laney ~ Nancy Perry ~ National Panda Day

   

Good 32º dark cloudy morning. 

The predicted rain never showed up....... we had clouds...

Then at 10pm last night it started snowing! The snowflakes were the size of the palm of your hand. We didn't get much... 

Picture of the Day.........  ????? McDonalds!! 

Interesting about ranch dressing...

Ranch dressing was created in 1949 by a plumber in Alaska. Steve Henson started cooking for his coworkers and perfecting his buttermilk dressing recipe. Five years later he moved to California with his wife Gayle and bought a ranch. His famous buttermilk dressing soon became a staple at the dinner table of Hidden Valley Ranch and before long the Hensons started selling it to guests and local supermarkets. Over two decades later in 1972, the couple sold their name and recipe to Clorox for $8 million. Not bad for a little buttermilk, mayo, and herbs.

Chicken Pasta with Artichoke Hearts 

Serves 4 

2 cups penne pasta
1 6oz jar marinated artichoke hearts, coarsely chopped, reserve marinade

3 skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces 

3 cups fresh mushrooms

3/4 cup reduced-fat-low sodium chicken broth (or your favorite)

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 T. cornstarch

salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; add penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain.

Pour artichoke marinade into a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken; cook and stir until white, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms; cook and stir until chicken is no longer pink in the center, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in artichokes.

Mix chicken broth, white wine, and cornstarch together in a bowl until cornstarch is dissolved. Pour into the skillet slowly, stirring constantly until sauce comes to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes.

Toss chicken mixture with penne in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Today would have been my Dad's birthday. He was born on this date in 1901. He passed away in 1991.

^ Mom and Dad on their 50th wedding anniversary in 1976.

  Daddy being Irish and missing being born on St. Pat's Day by 1 day! Dang!

Special birthday today... my pal Nancy Perry is celebrating. HAPPY BIRTHDAY NANCY!! xo

^with her Dave

Historically this date.....

1916 – The 7th and 10th US cavalry regiments under John J. Pershing crossed the US-Mexico border to join the hunt for Pancho Villa.

1945 – World War II: The Battle of Iwo Jima ended, but small pockets of Japanese resistance persisted.

1958 – The Ford Motor Company produced its 50 millionth automobile, the Thunderbird, averaging almost a million cars a year since the company's founding.

1968 – General Motors produced its 100 millionth automobile, the Oldsmobile Toronado.

And births this date include....

1751 – James Madison, 4th President of the United States (d. 1836)

1912 – Pat Nixon, First Lady of the United States (d. 1993)

1926 – Jerry Lewis, American comedian (d.2017)

1990's .. 2003 ..... 2011:

1949 – Erik Estrada, American actor

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

xo Sue Mom Bobo

On March 16, National Panda Day draws attention to one of the world’s unique bears. Pandas are also one of the world’s most endangered and adored animals. Conservationists and animal lovers alike spread the word about increasing efforts of the international community dedicated to protecting and restoring habitat.

Native to China, giant pandas are members of the Bear (Ursidae) family. Their rapidly shrinking habitat is a major cause for concern.  As an endangered species, successful panda breeding programs are rare. In the wild, there are approximately only 1,864 (according to the World Wide Fund for Nature) and 100 living in zoos around the world.

With their white face and black eyes and body, Panda bears are easily identifiable. However, despite their sweet disposition, they tend to isolate themselves in the wild. They eat mostly plants and do not hibernate in the winter like many other bears.

HOW TO OBSERVE

Share your love for pandas! While you do, invite friends and family to donate to your local zoo or wildlife sanctuary. Support protecting their habitat. Make a visit to your local zoo and learn more about pandas, how they live and grow and their habitats. Watch a documentary about pandas while comparing their similarities and differences to other bears in the wild.