Weather ~ Picture of the Day ~ Mike Ditka ~ Macaroni & Cheese Soup ~ Alyssa Santisteven ~ National Cupcake Day

  

Good 30º foggy morning. 

 

 

Yesterday we had dark clouds all day and we topped at 52º.

 

 

Picture of the Day 😀

 

 

Interesting about Mike Ditka.........

 

Michael Keller Ditka (born Michael Dyczko; October 18, 1939) is an American former football player, coach, and television commentator. During his playing career, he was UPI NFL Rookie of Year in 1961, a five-time Pro Bowl selection, and a six-time All-Pro tight end with the Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles, and Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League (NFL); he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988. Ditka was the first tight end in NFL history to reach 1,000 yards receiving.

 

He was an NFL champion with the 1963 Bears and is a three-time Super Bowl champion, playing on the Cowboys' Super Bowl VI team, winning as an assistant coach for the Cowboys in Super Bowl XII, and coaching the Bears to victory in Super Bowl XX. He was named to the NFL's 75th- and 100th-Anniversary All-Time Teams.

 

As a head coach for the Bears from 1982 to 1992, he was twice both the AP and UPI NFL Coach of Year (1985 and 1988). He also was the head coach of the New Orleans Saints from 1997 to 1999.

 

Ditka and Tom Flores are the only people to win an NFL title as a player, an assistant coach, and a head coach. Ditka, Flores, Gary Kubiak, and Doug Pederson are also the only people in modern NFL history to win a championship as head coach of a team for which they played previously. Ditka is the only person to participate in both of the last two Chicago Bears' league championships, as a player in 1963 and as head coach in 1985.

 

In 2020, Ditka became the owner of the X League, a women's tackle football league that was originally the Lingerie Football League.

 

He is known by the nickname "Iron Mike", which he has said comes from his being born and raised in a steel town in Pennsylvania.

 

Early years

Ditka was born as Michael Dyczko in the Pittsburgh-area town of Carnegie, Pennsylvania on October 18, 1939. The oldest child of Charlotte (Keller) and Mike Ditka Sr.^[4] he grew up in nearby Aliquippa with siblings Ashton, David, and Mary Ann. His father, a welder, was one of three brothers of a Polish and Ukrainian family in the coal-mining and steel-manufacturing area in Western Pennsylvania. His ancestry on his mother's side is Irish and German. The Ukrainian surname "Dyczko" was difficult to pronounce in his hometown, so the family name was changed to "Ditka". Ditka attended St. Titus School.

 

Under head coach Press Maravich, Ditka was a three-sport star at Aliquippa High School. The team doctor, John L. Miller, took Mike and other players to Pitt games and encouraged them to play for Pitt. Ditka is quoted as saying, "Doc Miller patched me up many times". Ditka hoped to escape his hometown's manufacturing jobs by attending college with a football scholarship. Planning to become a dentist, he was recruited by Notre Dame, Penn State, and the University of Pittsburgh.

 

Ditka was selected by the Chicago Bears fifth overall in the 1961 NFL Draft, while the Houston Oilers drafted him eighth overall in the first round of the 1961 AFL Draft. He signed with the Bears and his presence was immediately felt. In his first season, Ditka had 58 receptions, introducing a new dimension to a tight end position that had previously been dedicated to blocking. He also scored 12 receiving touchdowns, which was the most by a Bears rookie. His success earned him Rookie of the Year honors. He continued to play for the Bears for the next five years, earning a Pro Bowl trip each.

 

Coaching career

Retiring after the 1972 season, Ditka was immediately hired as an assistant coach by Landry. Ditka spent nine seasons as an assistant coach with the Cowboys. During his tenure, the Cowboys made the playoffs eight times, won six division titles, three NFC championships, and a Super Bowl victory in 1977.

 

While working with the Cowboys, Ditka sent a letter to George Halas, his former head coach, who was still owner of the Bears. In the letter, Ditka expressed regret for the acrimonious manner in which his time with the Bears had come to an end and said that he would like to come back to Chicago and be the head coach of the Bears "when he was ready". Meanwhile, the Cowboys continued to win games, although they did not win another Super Bowl while Ditka was there. His last game with the Cowboys was the 1981 NFC Championship Game, where the team fell to the San Francisco 49ers.

If you want to read a whole lot more, go here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Ditka

 

 

 

From Mr. Food

 

When the weather gets chilly, we're thinking one thing: comfort. Luckily for you, we've got something that combines the comfort of seasonal soup with, always divine, mac 'n' cheese. That's right, our Macaroni & Cheese Soup is sure to be the seasons biggest hit. When you're feeling cold and hungry, there's nothing better than doubling down on fall time comfort.

 

• 2 1/2 cups water
• 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
• 1 (7.25-ounce) package macaroni & cheese mix
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 cups milk
• 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

 

1. In a soup pot over medium-high heat, bring water to a boil. Stir in mixed vegetables, macaroni from package (reserving cheese packet), salt, and pepper. Return to a boil and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add remaining ingredients, including reserved cheese packet. Reduce heat to low and simmer 8 to 10 minutes, or until slightly thickened and creamy, stirring occasionally.

 

***If the soup sits for a while, the pasta will absorb the liquid. If that happens, an additional cup of milk and you should be good to go.

 

 

Special birthday today... 

Phil & Suzanne Santisteven (both LASD ret) are celebrating their daughter, Alyssa's birthday today. HAPPY 25th  BIRTHDAY ALYSSA!

 

Historically this date.........

1791 – The United States Bill of Rights becomes law when ratified by the Virginia General Assembly.

 

 

1939 – Gone with the Wind receives its premiere at Loew's Grand Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia, United States.

 

 

 

1973 – John Paul Getty III, grandson of American billionaire J. Paul Getty, is found alive near Naples, Italy, after being kidnapped by an Italian gang on July 10, 1973.

 

 

 

After the trauma of his ear being cut off, he suffered emotionally and was in a self induced drug coma and later suffered paralysis. He died in 2011.

 

 

 

1973 – The American Psychiatric Association votes 13–0 to remove homosexuality from its official list of psychiatric disorders, the DSM-II.

 

 

 

1978 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter announces that the United States will recognize the People's Republic of China and cut off all relations with Taiwan

 

2001 – The Leaning Tower of Pisa reopens after 11 years and $27,000,000 to fortify it, without fixing its famous lean.

 

 

 

And births this date include

 

1892 – J. Paul Getty, American oil tycoon (d. 1976)

... amazing his grandson was found on his birthday!

 

 

 

1918 – Jeff Chandler, American actor (d. 1961)

 

 

 

1949 – Don Johnson, American actor

Man oh man, his "marriages" are something else!

 

 

 

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

xo Sue Mom Bobo

Each year, December 15th also recognizes National Cupcake Day.  The cupcake was originally known as the 1-2-3-4 cake because the recipe called for 1 cup of butter, 2 cups of sugar, 3 cups of flour, 4 eggs and also 1 cup of milk and 1 spoonful of baking soda.

Even the word cupcake sounds like a miniature celebration. They’ve been known by other phrases that make us put our hands together in glee, too! For example:

• Fairy Cakes
• Patty Cakes
• Cup Cakes (different from Cupcakes (one-word)

Someone must have wanted to surprise a loved one with a sweet, single-serving treat when they invented the cupcake. One of the first recipes for a cupcake can be traced back to 1796. A recipe notation for a cake to be baked in small cups was written in American Cookery (by Amelia Simmons). Don’t you wonder if she made them for her children or grandchildren?

The earliest known documentation of the term cupcake shows up in 1828 in Seventy-five Receipts for Pastry, Cakes, and Sweetmeats. The cookbook was by Eliza Leslie. Maybe she just liked individual servings.

Cupcakes were originally baked in heavy pottery cups. Today, some bakers still use individual ramekins, small coffee mugs, larger teacups, or other small ovenproof pottery-type dishes for baking their cupcakes. They do make a beautiful presentation for these miniature cakes.

Today, cupcakes are an art form. Bakers create elaborate decorations and displays utilizing a variety of ingredients. Whether they’re the centerpiece of a wedding, birthday, or anniversary cupcakes satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth. Colorful and fun, these single-serving delights offer a pleasing option when planning any celebration.

The single-serve cake makes it convenient for serving and sharing. Today there are a variety of recipes and just as many flavors to choose from.

HOW TO OBSERVE

Bake a batch of cupcakes and share them with a friend or two.  We even offer a couple of unique recipes for you to try.

Margarita Cupcakes

Red Velvet Cupcakes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weather ~ Picture of the Day ~ Robert Redford ~ Fancy Fast Chicken ~ Led and Annalee (Carlin) Fortini ~ Kristen ~ Yesterday's Grants Pass Fog ~ National Alabama Day

  

Good 38º morning. 

 

 

Yesterday we started off frozen, 31º....with ice on the barn roof...

 

At 10:45 we were at 45º. There were light clouds and we had lots of  contrails. We topped at 64º.

 

Picture of the Day...comfy kitten! 

 

 

Interesting about Robert Redford...........

 

 

 

 

Charles Robert Redford Jr. (born August 18, 1936) is an American actor and filmmaker. He has received numerous accolades such as an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and two Golden Globe Awards, as well as the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 1994, the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 1996, the Academy Honorary Award in 2002, the Kennedy Center Honors in 2005, the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016, and the Honorary César in 2019. He was named by Time as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2014.

 

Appearing onstage in the late 1950s, Redford's television career began in 1960, including an appearance on Alfred Hitchcock Presents in 1961 and The Twilight Zone in 1962. His greatest Broadway success was as the stuffy newlywed husband in Neil Simon's Barefoot in the Park (1963). Redford made his film debut in War Hunt (1962). He gained success as a leading man in films such as Barefoot in the Park (1967), Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), Jeremiah Johnson (1972), and The Candidate (1972). He received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in the crime caper The Sting (1973). He continued to star in such films as The Way We Were (1973), All the President's Men (1976), and The Electric Horseman (1979).

 

                                    ^1967

Redford made his directorial film debut with Ordinary People (1980), winning four Academy Awards, including Best Picture and the Best Director. During this time, he starred in films such as Brubaker (1980), The Natural (1984), and Out of Africa (1985). He released his third film as a director, A River Runs Through It, in 1992. He went on to receive Best Director and Best Picture nominations in 1995 for Quiz Show. In 1981 Redford cofounded the Sundance Resort and Film Institute. His later film roles include All Is Lost (2013), Truth (2015), Our Souls at Night (2017), and The Old Man & the Gun (2018). Redford portrayed Alexander Pierce in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014).

 

Early life and education

Redford was born on August 18, 1936, in Santa Monica, California, to Martha Woodruff Redford (née Hart; 1914–1955) and Charles Robert Redford Sr. (1914–1991), an accountant. He has a paternal half-brother, William. Redford is of English, Scottish, and Irish ancestry. His patrilineal great-great-grandfather, a Protestant Englishman named Elisha Redford, married Mary Ann McCreery, of Irish Catholic descent, in Manchester. They emigrated to New York City in 1849, immediately settling in Stonington, Connecticut. They had a son named Charles, the first in line to have been given the name. Regarding Redford's maternal lineage, the Harts were Irish from Galway and the Greens were Scots-Irish who settled in the United States in the 18th century. Redford's family lived in Van Nuys while his father worked in El Segundo.

 

Robert attended Van Nuys High School, where he was classmates with baseball pitcher Don Drysdale. He has described himself as having been a "bad" student, finding inspiration outside the classroom in art and sports. He hit tennis balls with Pancho Gonzales at the Los Angeles Tennis Club to help Gonzales warm up for matches.

 

After graduating from high school in 1954, he attended the University of Colorado in Boulder for a year and a half, where he was a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity. While there, he worked at a restaurant/bar called The Sink, where a painting of his likeness still figures prominently among the bar's murals. While at Colorado, Redford began drinking heavily and, as a result, lost his half-scholarship and was kicked out of school. He went on to travel in Europe, living in France, Spain, and Italy. He later studied painting at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn and took classes at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts (Class of 1959) in New York City.

 

1967–1979: Career stardom

Fonda and Redford were paired again in the popular big-screen version of Barefoot in the Park (1967) and were again co-stars many years later in Pollack's The Electric Horseman (1979), followed 38 years later with a Netflix feature, Our Souls at Night. After this initial success, Redford became concerned about his blond male stereotype image and refused roles in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and The Graduate. Redford found the niche he was seeking in George Roy Hill's Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), scripted by William Goldman, in which he was paired for the first time with Paul Newman. The film was a huge success and made him a major bankable star, cementing his screen image as an intelligent, reliable, sometimes sardonic good guy.

 

                               ^1969

While Redford did not receive an Academy Award or Golden Globe nomination for playing the Sundance Kid, he won a British Academy of Film and Television Award (BAFTA) for that role and his parts in Downhill Racer (1969) and Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here (1969). The latter two films and the subsequent Little Fauss and Big Halsy (1970), and The Hot Rock (1972) were not commercially successful. Redford had long harbored ambitions to work on both sides of the camera. As early as 1969, Redford had served as the executive producer for Downhill Racer. The political satire The Candidate (1972) was a moderate box office and critical success.

 

Personal life

On August 9, 1958, Redford married Lola Van Wagenen in Las Vegas. A second reception was held at Lola's grandmother's home on September 12. They had four children: Scott Anthony Redford (September 1, 1959 – November 17, 1959), Shauna Jean Redford (b. November 15, 1960), David James Redford (May 5, 1962 – October 16, 2020), and Amy Hart Redford (b. October 22, 1970).

 

Redford and Van Wagenen never publicly announced a separation or divorce, but in 1982, entertainment columnist Shirley Eder reported that the pair "have been very much apart for a number of years." In 1991, Parade magazine stated "it is unclear whether the divorce has been finalized." Many websites say they were divorced in 1985.

 

Scott Redford died of sudden infant death syndrome at the age of 2+1⁄2 months and is buried at Provo City Cemetery in Provo, Utah. Shauna Redford is a painter and married to journalist Eric Schlosser. James Redford was a writer and producer, while Amy Redford is an actress, director, and producer. Redford has seven grandchildren.

 

On July 11, 2009, Redford married his longtime girlfriend, Sibylle Szaggars, at the Louis C. Jacob Hotel in Hamburg, Germany. She had moved in with Redford in 1996 and shared his home in Sundance, Utah.

 

In May 2011, Robert Redford: The Biography was published by Alfred A. Knopf, written by Michael Feeney Callan over fifteen years with Redford's input and drawn from his personal papers and diaries.

 

If you want to read a lot more, go here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Redford

 

 

From Mr. Food

 

Want to impress your company with something fancy and fast? Here's a way to do it without a lot of extra work! Our Fancy Fast Chicken will get you rave reviews and you won't even break a sweat. When asked if it's your favorite recipe, don't be afraid to say it's at the top of your list!

 

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 6 slices Swiss cheese (1 ounce each)
• 1/4 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced (optional)
• 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2 cups herb-seasoned classic stuffing mix
• 8 tablespoons butter, melted

 

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Coat a 9- x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Place chicken in prepared baking dish. Top each piece with a slice of Swiss cheese. Arrange sliced mushrooms over cheese, if desired.
3. In a small bowl, mix together soup and wine; pour over chicken. Sprinkle stuffing mix over top, and drizzle on melted butter.
4. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and no pink remains.

 

 

Special anniversary today, high school pal Annalee (Carlin) and her hubby Led Fortini are celebrating 55 years. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY KIDS!!

 

 

Historically this date..........

1819 – Alabama becomes the 22nd U.S. state.

 

1903 – The Wright brothers make their first attempt to fly with the Wright Flyer at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

 

1963 – Baldwin Hills Reservoir wall bursts, killing five people and damaging hundreds of homes in Los Angeles.

1972 – Apollo program: Eugene Cernan is the last person to walk on the moon, after he and Harrison Schmitt complete the third and final Extra-vehicular activity (EVA) of the Apollo 17 mission. This is the last manned mission to the moon of the 20th century.

 

And births this date include....

1503 – Nostradamus, French astrologer (d. 1566)

 

 

1935 – Lee Remick, American actress (d. 1991)

1946 – Patty Duke, American actress (d.2016)

Four husbands under her belt!

 

 

 

 

Three years ago today I lost my daughter Kristen to cancer. She is so very missed. Love you Tootie!!! xoxo

 

 

 The fog yesterday in downtown Grants Pass.....

 

 

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

xo Sue Mom Bobo

On December 14th, National Alabama Day recognizes the Heart of Dixie.

The 22nd state to join the union, Alabama has played pivotal roles in U.S. history, scientific advancements and its magnificent landscapes attract visitors from far and wide.

Alabama enjoys 60 miles of shoreline along the Gulf Coast. While the coastal region is dotted with swamps and bayous, it also includes beautiful sandy beaches. Move northward from the coast, and the lowlands provide the fertile soils of the Black Belt, land that long yielded productive cotton crops. The Northern half of the state is dominated by the forested hills and valleys of the Appalachians.

As the original capital of the Confederacy until May of 1861 during the American Civil War, the small town of Montgomery set the stage for the secessionist government. Nearly 100 years later, the Civil Rights Movement would find a home and erupt across the state marching its vision to the rest of the country.

Agriculture, Military and Meat & Three

Bringing diversity to agriculture at a time when the boll weevil was wreaking havoc on cotton crops, George Washington Carver provided the opportunity for successful planting and harvesting of a legume that continues to be popular not only in the south but across the United States. The peanut brought new farming methods and agricultural stability to a suffering southern industry.

Home of the 332nd Fighter Group, the first African American military aviators, the science team that helped put man on the moon, and the first African American woman in space, Alabama is another state that keeps looking to the sky.

In Alabama, and all across Southern states, the meat and three will fill you up with more satisfying comfort food than you can find anywhere other than your mother’s kitchen. The restaurant style includes a mouth-watering homemade meat of your choosing – crispy fried chicken, juicy sweet ham or tender roast beef – and then a selection of three sides. A roll and dessert are usually included as well. All this is served in a relaxed, down home atmosphere.