Weather ~ Picture of the Day ~ Olympia Washington ~ Broccoli Cheddar Casserole ~ Deer ~ National Nachos Day

 

 

Good 41º it rained some last night as the ground is wet morning. 

 

 

Yesterday we got to 80º and then the clouds came in and we dropped to 75º immediately. 

 

 

 

Picture of the Day .... LOL

 

 

 

 

Interesting about Olympia Washington...

 

 

Olympia is the capital city of the state of Washington, in the United States of America. It became a city on January 28, 1859. As of the 2010 census, it has 46,478 people living in it. The people of Olympia are called Olympians. Olympia is the county seat of Thurston County.

Olympia is located at 47°2'33" North, 122°53'35" West.

 

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total size of 18.5 mi². 16.7 mi² of it is land and 1.8 mi² of it is water. The total area is 9.77% water.

 

Olympia is on the water (Puget Sound) and close to dark green forests and high mountains (the Olympic Mountains and Mount Rainier). On most days of the year the sky is full of clouds and it rains, but sunny weather is more common in July, August, and September.

 

Many people in Olympia work for the government of the State of Washington. Every year, state representatives and state senators come to Olympia to make laws and to pass a budget for the state government.

Olympia is the home of the Olympia Farmers Market and The Evergreen State College.

 

Every April, the people of Olympia celebrate the "Procession of the Species,". It is a parade. Many Olympians, of all ages, dress up to look like animals, birds, fish, plants, and even insects, and walk in the parade. Some also play drums or dance the samba.

 

 

 

 

From Mr. Food

 

Sometimes the simplest things are the best, and this is one of them. Whether you serve this with burgers for a quick weeknight dinner or it’s part of your Thanksgiving Day line up, get ready for lots of ooh’s and aah’s. And since it starts with a few freezer and refrigerator shortcuts, all the better. This Broccoli Cheddar Casserole is going to be your favorite weeknight option for years to come!

 

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
• 1 (12-ounce) package frozen broccoli florets, thawed
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 2 cups cooked rice
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup coarsely crushed butter crackers

 

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 9- x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
• In a deep skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion and cook 3 minutes. Stir in flour and cook 2 minutes. Add broth and half-and-half and heat until mixture begins to thicken, stirring occasionally.
• Remove from heat, add 1-1/2 cups of cheese, and stir until melted. Stir in broccoli, mushrooms, rice, garlic powder, salt, and pepper; mix well. Spoon mixture into baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake 25 minutes.
• In a small bowl, mix crushed crackers and remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Uncover casserole, sprinkle cheese mixture on top, and continue to bake 10 to 15 more minutes or until golden and bubbly.

 

Mr. Food Test Kitchen Tips: This is a great way to use up leftover rice or you can buy packages of precooked rice, how easy is that?

 

This is a great way to use up leftover rice or you can buy packages of precooked rice, how easy is that?
 

 

 

 

 

 

Historically this date....

1860 – Abraham Lincoln, the former Illinois congressman defeated three other candidates for the U.S. presidency.

1935 – Parker Brothers acquires the forerunner patents for MONOPOLY from Elizabeth Magie.

..................as you can see I have a MONOPOLY board collection. My original was our family's with wooden 'hotels' and 'houses' and metal playing objects...

1944 – Plutonium is first produced at the Hanford Atomic Facility and subsequently used in the Fat Man atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki, Japan.

 

And births this date include....

1854 – John Philip Sousa, American composer (d. 1932)

1946 – Sally Field, American actress

 

 

 

 

Way out from the house, taking advantage of the shade were these deer.....

 

 

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

xo Sue Mom Bobo

 

On November 6th, National Nachos Day recognizes the snack favored at sporting events across the country. In their purest form, nachos are tortilla chips covered in nacho cheese or other melted cheese and served with salsa.

 

Where Nachos Began

First created sometime around 1943, the popular and loved nachos are of Mexican origin. 

History tells us that Ignacio “Nacho” Anaya created the original nachos in 1943. According to his son, his father was the maître d’ at the El Moderno Restaurant in Piedras Negras. One evening after the kitchen staff had left, a group of U.S. Army wives stationed at Fort Duncan in Eagle Pass came into the restaurant. After a long day of shopping, they were hungry and asked for a snack.

Anaya prepared some tostadas cut into triangles. After topping them with shredded cheese and sliced jalapenos, he heated the dish in the oven. They were such a hit with the Army wives that they named the snack “Nacho’s Special” before he could make another batch.

Word of the new creation quickly traveled. People from all over tried them, loved them, and over time, the name changed. Eventually, Nacho’s special became special nachos.

The original recipe is printed in the 1954 St. Anne’s Cookbook.

The popularity of the new dish spread swiftly throughout Texas and the Southwest and has since gained millions of fans across America.

 

Nachos Today

We call nachos with an abundance of toppings loaded nachos, super nachos, or nachos supreme. Serve them as a snack, an appetizer, or even prepared with extra ingredients as a full meal.

Since the time of the original nachos, the toppings have expanded. Today we add beef, chicken, and seafood along with a variety of seasonings. This snack even satisfies the pickiest eater. Whether you’re a vegan to full-on carnivores, there’s a nachos recipe for you.

In restaurants across the country, nachos find their way onto the menus of other cuisines, too. Some restaurants substitute the chip with a potato base. Another option is to replace the toppings with ingredients from the culture. For example, to make Italian nachos top the chips with mozzarella cheese and Alfredo sauce. Asian nachos may include wasabi or curry. Each version of nachos brings its own unique flavor to the table.