Weather ~ Picture of the Day ~ Ravens ~ Greek Potatoes ~ National Cheesecake Day

  

Good 67º no sun cloudy morning. Possibly thunderstorms today.

 

Yesterday we topped at 117º.

 

 

Picture of the Day.... tree eating moon!

 

 

 

Interesting about Ravens

 

The Chihuahuan raven (Corvus cryptoleucus) is a species of crow in the family Corvidae that is native to the United States and Mexico.

 

The proportions resemble the common raven with a heavy bill, but is about the same size as a carrion crow, or slightly larger than the American crow 17–20 inches long. The plumage is all-black with a rich purple-blue gloss in good light. Like the forest raven, little raven, fan-tailed raven and Australian raven, it is one of the smaller raven species. The larger species of raven are the common raven, thick-billed raven, white-necked raven and brown-necked raven, with the common and thick-billed ravens being the world's largest raven species and the little and fan-tailed ravens being the smallest. The Chihuahuan raven is similar in appearance to the Australian raven, although with dark brown irises and whiter feather bases. The nasal bristles extend farther down the top of the bill than in any other Corvus species to about two-thirds the length. In addition, the Chihuahuan raven is similar in appearance to the white-necked raven of east Africa because the base of the neck has feathers that are white-ish (seen only when ruffled in strong wind). The bill, legs and feet are black.

 

The Chihuahuan raven occurs in the Southwestern and Midwestern United States and northern Mexico, including southeastern Arizona, southern New Mexico, southeastern Colorado, western Kansas, western Oklahoma, and southern and western Texas.

 

Diet

It feeds on cultivated cereal grains, insects and many other invertebrates, small reptiles, carrion, cactus fruits, eggs and nestlings.

Nesting

The nest is built in either trees, large shrubs or sometimes even in old buildings. There are usually 5–7 eggs laid relatively late in the year during May so as to take advantage of the insect food for their young in their more arid environment. Both the males and females incubate the eggs, feed the young, and remain territorial in protecting the nesting area. In rare cases, outsiders may be allowed into the territory to communally defend against potential predators.

Voice

The voice is similar to that of the common raven with "pruk-pruk" sounds and other croaks at slightly higher pitches. Like all corvids, the Chihuahuan raven is capable of vocal mimicry, however this behavior is mostly recorded in captivity and rarely in the wild.

Taxonomy

A 2005 molecular study reviewed segments of DNA of the common raven and found that Chihuahuan raven are genetically nested within common ravens based on mitochondrial DNA. That is, common ravens from the California clade are more similar in mtDNA to Chihuahuan ravens than they are to common ravens in the Holarctic Clade.

 

Here is the audubon site about the differences between a raven and crow....

 

https://www.audubon.org/news/how-tell-raven-crow

 

 

 

 

From Mr. Food

 

Take your taste buds on a Mediterranean vacation with our recipe for Greek Potatoes. This easy potato recipe gets its classic Greek flavors from some crumbled feta, olive oil, and other fresh herbs. A side dish this good deserves a big "Opa!"

 

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 (20-ounce) bag refrigerated potato slices
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

 

1. Preheat oven to 400º. Coat a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
    
2. In a large bowl, combine the oil, basil, oregano, garlic powder, and salt; mix well. Add potatoes and gently toss until evenly coated. Place in baking dish.
    
3. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until potatoes are golden. Drizzle with lemon juice, sprinkle with feta cheese, and serve immediately.

 

***For an extra special touch, grate a bit of lemon peel over the potatoes just before serving.

 

 

 

 

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. Have a good Saturday. 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