Clouds/Wind ~ Picture of the Day ~ John Wayne ~ Strawberry Banana Cake ~ National Macaroni Day

Good 52º dark cloudy morning. 

Yesterday we actually had a few clouds we haven't had for a number of days, that lasted for about 10 minutes....

Then it got real windy and more clouds moved in. 

Dude was happy laying in the grass when the clouds left .....

This went on and off all day. Clouds. No clouds. Clouds ..... etc. 





Picture of the Day .... hmmmmm

Interesting about John Wayne.........

Marion Michael Morrison, known professionally as John Wayne and nicknamed Duke, was an American actor, director, producer and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient. He was among the top box office draws for three decades, famous for his roles in Western films.

Wayne was born in Winterset, Iowa, but grew up in Southern California. He lost a football scholarship to the University of Southern California as a result of a bodysurfing accident, and began working for the Fox Film Corporation.

• Born: May 26, 1907, Winterset, Iowa
• Died: June 11, 1979, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
• Cause of Death: Respiratory arrest and gastric cancer
• Net worth: $50 million
• Height: 6'4"

Stalin Had a KGB Hit Out on Wayne...Stalin Had a KGB Hit Out on Wayne.Outraged by the anti-Communist messages Wayne gave in his films, Stalin reportedly enlisted the KGB to assassinate John Wayne. Though the FBI intercepted the two hitmen before they could reach Wayne, it would not be his last assassination attempt. Another plot was foiled when a sniper tried to take out Wayne while he was visiting Vietnam in 1966. The Soviet hit was eventually called off by Stalin's successor, who apologized for the event when he met Wayne in 1958. 

It Might Have Been His Film The Conquerors That Killed Him.....In 1956, Wayne starred in The Conqueror, a movie about Genghis Khan that co-starred Agnes Moorhead, Dick Powell, Susan Hayward and Pedro Armendáriz. The movie was shot in southeast Utah, just downwind from where the U.S. government was conducting nuclear weapon tests at the height of the Cold War.  91 out of 220 members of the cast and crew came down with cancer, including Wayne himself, who lost a lung and ribs to pulmonary cancer. Though the radioactivity certainly may have played a part, Wayne's six-pack-a-day smoking habit certainly didn't help anything either

Wayne Was Never in the Military.....Many of John Wayne’s major roles showed him as a war hero, but he never actually served in the military. He wanted to enlist during World War II, but Republic Studios was against it because he was the only A-list actor they had during this period. His studio successfully applied for him to receive a 3-A deferment (“hardship to dependents”) because he had a family. Given his fame, Wayne would likely have been granted a ceremonial role if he had enlisted. Yet he likely he did more for the war effort by appearing in films that glamorized the military. He also applied to work for the OSS during the war, and he spent months doing USO appearances for the troops.

From Mr. Food

This fantastic Strawberry Banana Cake is our favorite part of spring! The winning combination of juicy strawberries and sweet bananas comes together in a picturesque, and totally easy, cake recipe we can't get enough of. Whether it's at that first warm weather potluck, a backyard picnic, or just around your kitchen table after dinner, this spring dessert recipe is sure to impress.

 

• 1 (15-ounce) package strawberry cake mix
• 1 cup mashed bananas (2-3 very ripe bananas)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup milk
• 1 (4 serving size) package instant banana cream pudding and pie filling

 

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Coat a 9- x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, prepare cake mix according to package directions. Stir in bananas until thoroughly combined. Pour batter into baking dish. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in cake comes out clean. Let cool.
3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat heavy cream, milk, and pudding mix until thickened. Frost cake, then refrigerate until ready to serve.

 

***When ready to serve, garnish with strawberries and sliced bananas that have been drizzled with lemon juice to keep from turning brown.

Historically this date......

1846 – Mexican-American War: American troops occupy Monterey and Yerba Buena, thus beginning the U.S. acquisition of California.

1865 – American Civil War: four conspirators in the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln are hanged.

1911 – The United States, Great Britain, Japan, and Russia sign the North Pacific Fur Seal Convention of 1911 banning open-water seal hunting, the first international treaty to address wildlife preservation issues.

1928 – Sliced bread is sold for the first time by the Chillicothe Baking Company of Chillicothe, Missouri.

1946 – Howard Hughes nearly dies when his XF-11 spy plane prototype crashes in a Beverly Hills neighborhood.

1981 – U.S. President Ronald Reagan appoints Sandra Day O'Connor to become the first female member of the Supreme Court of the United States.

1985 – Boris Becker becomes the youngest player ever to win Wimbledon at age 17

And births this date include...

1927 – Doc Severinsen, American composer and jazz trumpeter

1940 – Ringo Starr, English drummer and singer (The Beatles)

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

xo Sue Mom Bobo

Each year on July 7th, pasta lovers across the nation dig into one of their favorite noodles on National Macaroni Day.

Made with durum wheat, macaroni is a large variety of dry pasta, which typically does not contain eggs. While many people think the shape gives macaroni its name, the kind of dough used to make the noodles give it the name. The noodle is formed into shells, spirals, straight and many other shapes, too. And in the U.S., we like our macaroni! In fact, elbow macaroni is the most common form found in the United States.

We use macaroni many different dishes from casseroles and hot dishes to soups and salads. This versatile noodle makes prepping meals a cinch, too. Many dishes made with macaroni can be made ahead, making mealtime a lot less stressful. Using macaroni in dishes is also an excellent way to stretch a recipe to feed more people. 

These convenient noodles serve as a base for cheese dishes as well as meat dishes. So, whether you’re a vegetarian or a meat lover, you can celebrate the day. 

HOW TO OBSERVE

Make your favorite dish using macaroni noodles! Whether it’s hot or cold, it won’t matter as long as it’s delicious. And when you’re using macaroni, you really can’t go wrong. We even have several recipes for you to try. 

• Hamburger and Macaroni Hotdish
• Ham and Macaroni Picnic Salad
• Homemade Mac and Cheese
• Beef Macaroni Soup