Weather ~ Picture of the Day ~ Interesting About Nevada ~ Chicken Alfredo Biscuit Casserole ~ National Coffee Ice Cream Day

Good 51º morning. 

Yesterday we started off clear without any smoke. We topped at 103.8º.

Picture of the Day ... perfectly timed.

Interesting about Nevada....

In 1899 Charles Fey invented a slot machine named the Liberty Bell. 

The device became the model for all slots to follow.

There were 16,067 slots in Nevada in 1960. In 1999 Nevada had 205,726 slot machines, one for every 10 residents.

In 1931 the Pair-O-Dice Club was the first casino to open on Highway 91, the future Las Vegas Strip.

In March 1931 Governor Fred Balzar signed into law the bill legalizing gambling in the state.

Construction of the Nevada State Capitol located in Carson City was proposed on April 14, 1870. Carson City is one of the smallest state capitals in the country. Update: {With current growth, may now be 14th smallest.}

In Tonopah the young Jack Dempsey was once the bartender and the bouncer at the still popular Mispah Hotel and Casino. Famous lawman and folk hero Wyatt Earp once kept the peace in the town.

Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park is constructed around the fossilized remains of ancient, mysterious reptiles within a well-preserved turn-of-the-century Nevada mining camp.

The ichthyosaur is Nevada’s official state fossil.

Nevada takes its name from a Spanish word meaning snow-clad.

Nevada is the seventh largest state with 110,540 square miles, 85% of them federally owned including the secret Area 51 near the little town of Rachel.

Nevada has more mountain ranges than any other state, with its highest point at the 13,145 foot top of Boundary Peak near the west-central border.

Nevada is the largest gold-producing state in the nation. It is second in the world behind South Africa.

Hoover Dam, the largest single public works project in the history of the United States, contains 3.25 million cubic yards of concrete, which is enough to pave a two-lane highway from San Francisco to New York. The dam face was used in an amazing stunt for Roland Emerich’s “Universal Soldier” and has been seen in such films as “Viva Las Vegas” and “Fools Rush In.”

Las Vegas has more hotel rooms than any other place on earth.

Locals use terms like The Sagebrush State, The Silver State, and The Battle Born State as nicknames for Nevada.

Chicken Alfredo Biscuit Casserole by Pillsbury Biscuits

"Your family will run to the dinner table when you make this delicious casserole topped with Parmesan-crusted biscuits."

1 T. Butter

2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 16oz jar Alfredo pasta sauce

1/4 cup milk

2 cups chopped cooked chicken (you can easily use the rotisserie cooked chicken from the market)

2 cups Green Giant Select frozen broccoli florets, thawed

1/4 t. dried basil leaves

1 7.5oz can Pillsbury refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

1 T. butter, melted

1 T. grated Parmesan cheese

1. Heat oven to 375º. Spray 8-inch square (2-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray.
2. In 10-inch nonstick skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Cook mushrooms and onion in butter, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in Alfredo sauce, milk, chicken, broccoli and basil. Cook until mixture is thoroughly heated and bubbly, stirring constantly. Spoon into baking dish.
3. Separate dough into 10 biscuits. Cut each biscuit in half crosswise. Arrange around edge of baking dish, overlapping slightly. Drizzle biscuits with melted butter; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
4. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown.

Historically this date....

1492 – Christopher Columbus sails from La Gomera in the Canary Islands, his final port of call before crossing the Atlantic for the first time.

1522 – The Victoria, the only surviving ship of Ferdinand Magellan's expedition, returns to Sanlúcar de Barrameda in Spain, becoming the first ship to circumnavigate the world.

1949 – A former sharpshooter in World War II, Howard Unruh kills 13 neighbors in Camden, New Jersey, with a souvenir Luger to become the first U.S. single-episode mass murderer.

1972 – Munich Massacre: 9 Israel athletes taken hostage at the Munich Olympic Gamesby the Palestinian "Black September" terrorist group died (as did a German policeman) at the hands of the kidnappers during a failed rescue attempt. 2 other Israeli athletes are slain in the initial attack the previous day.

1997 – Funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales takes place in London. Over a million people lined the streets and 2.5 billion watched around the world on television.

And births this date include....

1937 – Jo Anne Worley, American actress

1944 – Swoosie Kurtz, American actress

..named after an aircraft by her father!

1947 – Jane Curtin, American actress

1958 – Jeff Foxworthy, American comedian

1983 – Pippa Middleton, Sister of Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge

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

xo Sue Mom Bobo

On September 6th National Coffee Ice Cream Day permits us to indulge in a caffeinated dessert. Coffee lovers will delight in the opportunity, especially if they also enjoy ice cream. 

The cool and creamy result of our morning java in a refreshing dessert magnifies the celebration. While not everyone drinks coffee, some like the flavor in desserts. So this day may interest even those who don’t wake up to the smell of freshly brewed coffee in the morning.

Besides, when caffeine finds its way into a frozen, creamy blend, it’s nearly irresistible. Coffee ice cream has been around for many years.  In 1869, coffee ice cream was used in a parfait. One recipe appeared in a 1919 cookbook for an Egg Coffee, consisting of cream, crushed ice and coffee syrup.

Howard Johnson’s serves coffee ice cream as one of their standard menu items. According to Foodtimeline.org, since at least the 1960′s coffee is listed right along with vanilla, chocolate, banana, macaroon and coconut.

One thing is for certain, coffee ice cream and chocolate will almost always go well together. Serve a scoop over a dark chocolate cake and the celebration will be complete.