Weather ~ Picture of the Day ~ Dolphins ~ Zucchini Pie ~ National Avocado Day

Good 56º clear sunny morning. 

Yesterday we topped at 104º.

Picture of the Day .... LOL

Interesting about Dolphins........

Dolphin is a common name of aquatic mammals within the infraorder Cetacea. The term dolphin usually refers to the extant families Delphinidae (the oceanic dolphins), Platanistidae (the Indian river dolphins), Iniidae (the New World river dolphins), and Pontoporiidae (the brackish dolphins), and the extinct Lipotidae (baiji or Chinese river dolphin). There are 40 extant species named as dolphins.

Dolphins range in size from the 5 ft 7 in long and 110-pound Maui's dolphin to the 31 ft 2 in and 11-short-ton killer whale. Several species exhibit sexual dimorphism, in that the males are larger than females. They have streamlined bodies and two limbs that are modified into flippers. Though not quite as flexible as seals, some dolphins can travel at speeds 18 mph for short distances. Dolphins use their conical shaped teeth to capture fast moving prey. They have well-developed hearing which is adapted for both air and water and is so well developed that some can survive even if they are blind. Some species are well adapted for diving to great depths. They have a layer of fat, or blubber, under the skin to keep warm in the cold water.

Scientists have found further evidence that dolphins call each other by "name".

Research has revealed that the marine mammals use a unique whistle to identify each other.

A team from the University of St Andrews in Scotland found that when the animals hear their own call played back to them, they respond. The study is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Dr Vincent Janik, from the university's Sea Mammal Research Unit, said: "(Dolphins) live in this three-dimensional environment, offshore without any kind of landmarks and they need to stay together as a group.

It had been-long suspected that dolphins use distinctive whistles in much the same way that humans use names.

To investigate, researchers recorded a group of wild bottlenose dolphins, capturing each animal's signature sound. They then played these calls back using underwater speakers.

"We played signature whistles of animals in the group, we also played other whistles in their repertoire and then signature whistles of different populations - animals they had never seen in their lives," explained Dr Janik.

The researchers found that individuals only responded to their own calls, by sounding their whistle back.

Zucchini pie is a savory zucchini recipe that baked in the oven. This zucchini pie recipe takes minutes to prep before you toss it into bake. 

• 3 Cups Zucchini, sliced on the thinner side
• 4 Eggs
• 1 Cup Bisquick*
• 1 Small Onion, diced
• 1/2 Cup Vegetable or Canola Oil
• 1 Cup Shredded Cheese**

1. Preheat oven to 350º
2. Add your eggs to a medium sized bowl. Beat them.
3. Add in the diced onion, Bisquick, oil & shredded cheese. Mix well making sure to break up any Bisquick lumps.
4. Add in the zucchini and fold it into the batter.

1. Pour into a 8.5 to 9 inch round cake pan.
2. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the top is a nice golden brown.

**If you like cheese you can increase this up to 2 Cups

If you don't have Bisquick, here is the homemade version:

https://www.food.com/recipe/homemade-bisquick-mix-69051

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

All I know. Nuff said. Happy Last Day of July. Ciao.

xo Sue Mom Bobo

Ripe for the picking, add this delicious super fruit 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

*** Growing up we had an avocado tree in the backyard. It was HUGE! Daddy had grafted about 4 different varieties of avocados onto the tree. Basically it had Hass and Fuerte. I don't remember the others, but we had avocados year round! And.... you didn't lay under the tree because those little beauties would sometimes fall off the tree!

Weather ~ Picture of the Day ~ Hottest Temperature in the World ~ Bacon and Cheddar Deviled Eggs ~ National Cheesecake Day

Good 60º clear sunny morning. 

Yesterday we topped at 105.6º ! 

Picture of the Day ... perfect timing

Interesting about the hottest temperature in the world...

The world record for the highest temperature ever officially recorded is 134.0°. According to Guinness World Records, Greenland Ranch (now Furnace Creek) in Death Valley, California holds this crown and achieved this global high on July 10, 1913. Death Valley was reinstated as the holder of this record in 2012, after the World Meteorological Organization disqualified the long-cited 136.4° mark claimed by El Azizia in Libya. The air temperature of the aptly named Furnace Creek in Death Valley reaches a staggering average daily high of 115°F making Death Valley one of the hottest places on Earth.

Badwater Basin is an endorheic basin in Death Valley National Park, Death Valley, Inyo County, California, noted as the lowest point in North America, with a depth of 282 ft  below sea level. Mount Whitney, the highest point in the contiguous 48 United States, is only 84.6 miles to the northwest.

The site itself consists of a small spring-fed pool of "bad water" next to the road in a sink; the accumulated salts of the surrounding basin make it undrinkable, thus giving it the name. The pool does have animal and plant life, including pickle weed, aquatic insects, and the Badwater snail.

Adjacent to the pool, where water is not always present at the surface, repeated freeze–thaw and evaporation cycles gradually push the thin salt crust into hexagonal honeycomb shapes.

The pool is not the lowest point of the basin: the lowest point (which is only slightly lower) is several miles to the west and varies in position, depending on rainfall and evaporation patterns. The salt flats are hazardous to traverse (in many cases being only a thin white crust over mud), and so the sign marking the low point is at the pool instead.

From Mr. Food

The big taste of bacon and robust flavor of Cheddar cheese add a zesty flair to these company-ready Bacon and Cheddar Deviled Eggs. There's never been a dish that's more appropriate for your summer get-togethers! Don't have a picnic, potluck, or party this summer without making this classic go-along. 

 

• 12 hard boiled eggs, peeled and cut in half lengthwise, with yolks removed
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/3 cup crumbled cooked bacon, plus extra for garnish
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) finely shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or scallions, plus extra for garnish

 

1. In a medium bowl, combine egg yolks, mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, and pepper; mix well. Stir in bacon, cheese, and chives.
2. Fill egg white halves with yolk mixture and place on serving platter. Garnish with reserved bacon and chives. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

 

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

1866 – New Orleans, 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.

     

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  (d.2020)

 

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

 

1956 – Delta Burke, American actress

.............OMGOSH!

 

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

1974 – Hilary Swank, American actress

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

xo Sue Mom Bobo

National Cheesecake Day on July 30th offers a slice of one of America’s favorite desserts. Order up a slice of cheesecake with your favorite topping. Get it delivered or make it at home.

This smooth dessert hits the spot when dessert time rolls around. While most cakes have a crumb, cheesecake’s texture is nothing like cake. Indeed, its creamy, thick pudding-like character comes from the soft cheese used as the main ingredient. Depending on the recipe, either cream cheese or cottage cheese is used. When the cheese is mixed with sugar, eggs, and other ingredients, the batter is added to a crust.

When making cheesecake, one of the most common crusts used is a graham cracker crust. Other options include a cookie crust, pastry or sponge cake. However, some cheesecakes are crustless. Depending on the recipe, cheesecakes may be prepared baked or unbaked.

When faced with choosing a cheesecake flavor, don’t panic. While the options may seem overwhelming, bakers solved this problem. They offer a variety of flavors in one cake. So, take one home and try each one. Since cheesecakes do come in a wide variety, consider your tastes. If you prefer summer fruits and berries, cheesecakes have you covered. Tropical options hit the spot, too. For coffee lovers, bakers provide a rich selection. And don’t forget delicious chocolate and nutty flavors. Each cheesecake may be served with fresh fruit, a sauce, whipped cream or plain. 

History of the Cheesecake

When it comes to searching for cheesecake’s history, we look to ancient Greece. A form of the dessert comes up as recipe served to athletes. 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. Today, cheesecake makers use this brand more than any other. 

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