Weather/Fog ~ 10-28 ~ Picture of the Day ~ Pecan Nut Information ~ Italian Layer Bake ~ National First Responders Day ~ National Chocolate Day

  

Good 52º foggy morning. 

 

Yesterday we started foggy....my mountain couldn't be seen....

 

 

Here is Grants Pass from their downtown camera...

Then later the sun came out.....

We topped at 72º.

 

 

10-28 radio code for 'vehicle registration and wants (complete registration information)'

 

 

 

 

Picture of the Day

 

 

 

Interesting about pecans

 

The pecan (Carya illinoinensis) is a species of hickory native to the southern United States and northern Mexico in the region of the Mississippi River. The tree is cultivated for its seed in the southern United States, primarily in Georgia, New Mexico, and Texas, and in Mexico, which produces nearly half of the world total. The seed is an edible nut used as a snack and in various recipes, such as praline candy and pecan pie. The pecan, in various aspects, is included in state symbols of Alabama, Arkansas, California, Oklahoma, and Texas.

The seeds can be eaten fresh or used in cooking, particularly in sweet desserts, such as pecan pie, a traditional Southern U.S. dish. Butter pecan is also a common flavor in cookies, cakes, and ice creams. Pecans are a major ingredient in American praline candy. Other applications of cooking with pecans include pecan oil and pecan butter.

Pecan wood is used in making furniture and wood flooring, 

as well as a flavoring fuel for smoking meats, giving grilled foods a sweet and nutty flavor stronger than many fruit woods.

"Pecan" is from an Algonquin word variously referring to pecans, walnuts, and hickory nuts. There are many variant pronunciations, some regional and others not. The most common American pronunciation is /pɪˈkɑːn/. There is little agreement in the United States, even regionally, as to the "correct" pronunciation.

 

The pecan tree is a large deciduous tree, growing to 66–131 ft in height, rarely to 144 ft. It typically has a spread of 39–75 ft with a trunk up to 6 ft 7 in diameter. A 10-year-old sapling grown in optimal conditions will stand about 16 ft tall. The leaves are alternate, 12–18 in long, and pinnate with 9–17 leaflets, each leaflet 2–4+1⁄2 in long and 1–2+1⁄2 inches broad.

 

Before European settlement, pecans were widely consumed and traded by Native Americans. As a wild forage, the fruit of the previous growing season is commonly still edible when found on the ground.

 

In 1919, the 36th Texas Legislature made the pecan tree the state tree of Texas; in 2001, the pecan was declared the state's official "health nut", and in 2013, pecan pie was made the state's official pie. The town of San Saba, Texas claims to be "The Pecan Capital of the World" and is the site of the "Mother Tree" ( c. 1850) considered to be the source of the state's production through its progeny. Alabama named the pecan the official state nut in 1982.  Arkansas adopted it as the official nut in 2009. California adopted it, along with the almond, pistachio, and walnut, as one of four state nuts in 2017. In 1988, Oklahoma enacted an official state meal which included pecan pie.

 

 

 

 

From Mr. Food

 

Our recipe for Italian Layer Bake is a Mediterranean delight. This recipe features layers of Italian meats, peppers, and bubbly cheese under a golden crust. When you bring this dish out for lunch, everyone will be asking for seconds!

 

• 1 (8-ounce) container refrigerated crescent rolls
• 8 slices deli turkey (about 1/2 pound)
• 8 slices deli ham (about 1/2 pound)
• 12 slices deli hard salami (about 1/2 pound)
• 8 slices Swiss cheese (about 1/2 pound)
• 1 (12-ounce) jar roasted peppers, drained
• 4 eggs, beaten

 

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Unroll crescent roll dough without separating triangles. Separate dough into 2 squares along center cut line.
2. Place 1 square of dough into an 8-inch square baking dish. Using your fingertips, press dough to fit bottom of dish.
3. Layer with half the turkey, ham, salami, Swiss cheese, and roasted peppers. Pour half the beaten eggs over the peppers and repeat  the layers with remaining meats, cheese, and peppers. Place remaining square of dough over peppers. Pour remaining beaten eggs over dough and cover lightly with foil.
4. Bake 20 minutes, remove foil, and bake an additional 20 to 22 minutes, or until golden and heated through. Let cool 5 minutes, then cut and serve.

 

***For even more flavor, you can add 1/2 teaspoon of Italian seasoning, along with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and pepper. Feel free to try another cheese too - like provolone!

 

 

 

Historically this date....

1886 – In New York Harbor, President Grover Cleveland dedicates the Statue of Liberty.

1929 – Black Monday, a day in the Wall Street Crash of 1929, which also saw major stock market upheaval.

1936 – U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt rededicates the Statue of Liberty on its 50th anniversary.

1962 – Cuban Missile Crisis: Soviet Union leader Nikita Khrushchev announces that he had ordered the removal of Soviet missile bases in Cuba.

 

And births this date include...

1793 – Eliphalet Remington, American firearms manufacturer (d. 1861)

1897 – Edith Head, American costume designer (d. 1981)

1902 – Elsa Lanchester, British-born actress (d. 1986)

1914 – Jonas Salk, American biologist and physician (d. 1995)

1917 – Jack Soo, American actor (d. 1979)

1932 – Suzy Parker, American actress (d. 2003)

1936 – Charlie Daniels, American musician (d.2020)

 

1944 – Dennis Franz, American actor

1949 – Bruce Jenner, American athlete

 

  

 

1955 – Bill Gates, American software executive

1963 – Lauren Holly, American actress

1967 – Julia Roberts, American actress

1972 – Brad Paisley, American musician

 

 

 

All I know. Nuff said. Have a good Thursday. Ciao.

xo Sue Mom Bobo

October 28th sets aside National First Responders Day to honor the men and women who act quickly when an emergency is at hand.

First responders dedicate their lives to save lives. They are the people who run toward a crisis while the rest of the world flees. According to the Department of Homeland Security, 4.6 million career and volunteer first responders support the communities where they live. They are firefighters, police, emergency medical technicians (EMT), and paramedics. In an emergency, they’re the first on the scene. These dedicated professionals answer the call when a crisis arises, often putting their own lives on the line.

Serving as a national day of gratitude, we pay tribute to their endless hours and around the clock service provided to their communities. As one of the most dangerous jobs in the country, the day also pays tribute to the fallen first responders. According to the CDC, 97 firefighters and 155 police officers die each year in the line of duty. Additionally, their rate of occupational injury is higher than the national average. Often, the very people saving lives are our neighbors, friends and family members. And their families know the price they pay for their dedication to the job. 

And even though they are an integral part of our communities, their sacrifices go beyond the hours they work. They face high stress, often daily. The trauma they see wears on them both mentally and physically. Many experience Post Traumatic Stress. Long periods away from family add stress to their relationships, too.

National First Responders Day is also a call for action. First responders deserve our support. Through resources and awareness, first responders can live healthier more productive lives and pass their knowledge and skills on to the next generation of first responders, too.

 

Today is also........

National Chocolate Day, on October 28th, recognizes one of the world’s favorite tastes. While many specific chocolate related holidays exist throughout the year, National Chocolate Day celebrates all things chocolate.

As America’s favorite flavor, chocolate is well-deserving of its own day of honor. (Some sources designate July 7 or December 28 as Chocolate Day or International Chocolate Day.)

 

How is chocolate made?

Chocolate comes from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia and grows in Mexico, Central America, and Northern South America. The earliest known documentation of using cacao seeds is from around 1100 BC.

Since cacao tree seeds have a very intense, bitter taste, they must be fermented to develop the flavor.Research has found that chocolate, when eaten in moderation, can lower blood pressure.

Once fermented, the beans are dried, cleaned, and roasted.  After roasting, the shell is removed to produce cacao nibs. The cacao nibs are then ground into cocoa mass, which is pure chocolate in rough form. The cocoa mass is usually liquefied then molded with or without other ingredients. At this point in the process, it is called chocolate liquor. The chocolate liquor may then be processed into two components: cocoa solids and cocoa butter.

• Unsweetened baking chocolate –  cocoa solids and cocoa butter in varying proportions.
• Sweet chocolate –  cocoa solids, cocoa butter or other fat and sugar.
• Milk chocolate – sweet chocolate with milk powder or condensed milk.
• White chocolate – cocoa butter, sugar, and milk but no cocoa solids.