Deviled eggs with a bit of history

 

One of my all time favorite dishes in the summer time are deviled eggs. You   can find them every where from family picnics and reunions to church gatherings and town wide picnics. There seems to be as many variations and recipes for deviled eggs as there are places to serve them. It was the ancient Romans that first served eggs seasoned with broth and wine that introduced the idea of dressing eggs up. However it would be the Europeans that would take the eggs one more step and stuff the eggs with cheese, sweet spices, and other sauces. 

The variation of these eggs would find its way to England. The term "deviled" would be used as a descriptive word in many cookbooks around the late 1700s. The term was used to describe the spicy dishes or dishes that were broiled or fried. 

• 6 hard boiled eggs, peeled *
• 3 Tbsp mayonnaise (sour cream or plain yogurt can also be used for a lighter variation)
• 1 ½ tsp mustard (choose your favorite)
• 1 ½ tsp white vinegar
• ½ tsp sugar
• 1/8 tsp salt (more to taste)
• dash ground white pepper
• Paprika (to garnish)

Instructions

• Cut the hard boiled eggs in half and place the yolks in a medium bowl. Set the whites aside.
• Add remaining ingredients (except paprika) to the yolks and mash together until smooth. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if desired.
• Using a pastry bag fitted with a wide tip, or a ziploc bag with a corner snipped off, fill each egg white with roughly 1 tsp of mashed yolk.
• Sprinkle paprika over top as a garnish.

Notes

*To Hard Boil Eggs: Place the eggs into a pot or saucepan that they fit nicely in a single layer. Add 1 Tbsp of salt. Cover the eggs with 1 inch of cold water. Cover the eggs and heat them over medium heat until they come to a rolling boil (10-15 minutes). Remove the pan from the heat and let the eggs stand for 3 minutes. Drain the eggs and fill the pot with changes of cold water, until the eggs are cooled. Remove the eggs from the water and let them dry. Store deviled eggs in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. 

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Do you have the correct exercise partner

So how has your summer been so far??? Did you make exercise goals for yourself?? Are you keeping up with them thus far?? If not don't blame yourself as it may not be your fault but  the partner you picked to exercise with. Perhaps you were not aware when you started your diet or exercise routine but individuals get bored and stop participating in the routine as much.

The good thing though is that one of the best exercise / diet / life partners has 4 legs. That's right it is a dog and the reason is that a dog can offer you that extra little bit when they get into routine and you simply want to stop. Your dog can offer a bit of extra happiness to get healthier. Perhaps besides getting you up and moving your dog can also help you get out there meeting others as well.

We have all seen one of those movies or heard a story where two dog lovers fall in love. While we may not be looking for love it is a great time to meet others that appreciate taking care of and exercising with their dog. Your dog will love getting out and about and the best thing is if you can meet others that have the same likes as you then you will enjoy it more as well. 

Under normal conditions your dog will normally always be prepared and ready to go out. This is not always true of our human friends who may find excuses or have emergencies arise. By taking our dog with us we can continue to keep regular exercise opportunities and it is seldom heard of being bored with our  legged best friends. 

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YUmmy strawberry dessert

 

Graham Cracker Crust:

1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
⅓ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
⅓ cup butter, melted

Strawberry Pie Filing:

1 (3 oz.) package strawberry jello
⅔ cup boiling water
½ cup cold water
½ cup ice cubes
1 (8 oz.) container Cool Whip topping
4 cups fresh strawberries, sliced

Using a food processor, pulse graham crackers until crumbly. Mix in sugar, ground cinnamon and melted butter until crust forms.
Press graham cracker crust into a 9-inch pie dish. Place pie crust in refrigerator.
In a large bowl, add boiling water and gelatin powder. Stir gelatin powder until completely dissolved.Then, add ½ cup cold water and ½ cup ice cubes, stir until gelatin is slightly thickened. 

TIP: Let the gelatin mixture sit for a few minutes to thicken slightly before you add the cool whip otherwise it won’t set up.
Add cool whip topping to gelatin mixture and whisk together until light and fluffy. Stir in sliced strawberries. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until mixture has thickened.
Add strawberry pie filling to pie crust. Refrigerate for up to 6 hours or until firm. Top with cool whip and a slice strawberry.

recipe source here

Parade Day to Celebrate

 For many this weekend is so much more than a regular weekend. Today is the third of  July. Tomorrow is the 4th of July. Thus for many Americans it is a great  day of celebration.

One of the earliest parades occurs in Washington D.C. My favorite parade is the one in my home town Whitehall Illinois. At 7pm the hometown parade will be stepping off. With sirens roaring, bands playing, floats and hometown celebrities' waving and enough candy to hold the kids off til Halloween. In addition the excitement is only increased as the parade is scheduled to arrive by Cannon explosion every hour

What do you do in your area for this special red, white and blue  patriotic holiday

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Beware of the Heat

 This summer in many. Areas including the one that I live in will be extremely hot. One of the most important things you can do to take care of your self is to drink plenty of water. Heat will increase feelings  of fatigue, weakness and thirst. However to combat against heat exhaustion water is the answer.

So how much water does one need in their diet ? This can be a hard question to answer. The reason is because it all depends on the individual. Young children and the elderly are most suspect for problems from dehydration Perhaps you are like me and are not fond of water but are well aware of what could happen. My personal story is one that I learned from  by ending up in the ER with a heat stroke

Some ideas to help you get your share of recommend water

• Carry a water bottle with you and refill it throughout the day.
• Freeze some freezer safe water bottles. Take one with you for ice-cold water all day long.
• Choose water over sugary drinks.
• Opt for water when eating out. You’ll save money and reduce calories.
• Serve water during meals.
• Add a wedge of lime or lemon to your water. This can help improve the taste and help you drink more water than you usually do.

 

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Taco Spaghetti

 

some crave tacos and that is what you think you will make but wait the kids want tacos what will you do?? This taco spaghetti recipe will please you both 

• A pound of ground beef
• 5 oz. spaghetti noodles broken in smaller pieces
• 1/2 chopped onion I used dried minced onion.
• 3/4 cup of water
• 2 Tablespoons of taco seasoning
• 11 oz. can of corn if you like the corn with sweet peppers, you can use that, drained
• 1 cup of cheddar cheese shredded
• 3/4 cup of salsa
• 4 cups of lettuce shredded
• 1 large or 2 small tomatoes
• A cup of broken up tortilla chips
• Options: 1 cup of pitted sliced olives 4 oz. of green chili peppers (drained and diced), sour cream

• Make your pasta, rinse and drain.
• In a large pan brown your ground beef and cook the onion also.
• Drain out any fat, and then add the taco seasoning and water.
• Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat, simmer for a couple of minutes, stirring a few times so it won’t stick to the pan.
• Add the pasta, corn, salsa, half a cup of cheddar cheese, and if you like, the olives and chili peppers.
• Lightly mix and then pour into a greased 2 quart casserole dish.
• Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Top with the other 1/2 cup of cheese, and you are ready to serve with the lettuce, tomato and sour cream.

recipe source here

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Keep Safe When Grilling or picnicking this summer

 World Food Safety Day was June 7. The United Nations has declared this day to draw global attention to the health consequences of contaminated food and water.

Join FDA on World Food Safety Day as we spread the word about ways to reduce the risk of food poisoning.

Tips to keep safe in summer time after all we all want to have a bit of fun without being ill or getting hurt. One of the most important tips is to use a food thermomter for both hot and cold foods. Many times we try to guess at the doneness of the food but the truth is that many times we are wrong and eating or feeding others food that is undercooked is dangerous. Likewise foods that are raw, cooked or salads should never be left out at room temp more than 2 hours. This time cuts n 1/2 when the temp reaches 90 degrees or above. 

I know many of us are trying to save money but the truth is food that is left out longer than it should have been needs to be tossed. Other foods such as marinades should never be reused.  Any leftover marinade should be tossed If the marinade is doing double duty and you plan to also it as sauce it should be separated before any cooking begins 

When grilling raw food should be kept away from the cooked food. Tongs and other serving utensils should not be shared between raw and cooked food as well.  The individual cooking the food should also practice good hand washing to help from contaminating food.  In addition if you are not cooking at home be sure to put the raw meat in a separate iced down cooler. 

Hopefully the tips I shared today will help you to keep yourself and your loved one safe and away from food borne illness. 

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Moment in History

 Over 50 years ago June 6 was a day of great warfare. June 6, 1944 more than 160,000 troops landed on the coast of France. They were there to battle Nazi Germany and it would take place first on the beaches of Normandy. The leader for the allies was the General from the United States General Dwight D. Eisenhower. While the allies would win victor there would be more than 9,000 soldiers to pay the sacrifice. 

Cookbook Giveaway

 

Do you enjoy cooking?? Do you shop at Aldi's?? Here is a great giveaway that ties the two together. 

Terra Heck is currently running a giveaway over on her blog where the winner will receive a copy of this book The first question to enter is do you shop at Aldi's and how many cookbooks do you have. If you answer either of these you know you want to enter this giveaway so head over there now 

French Fries, we all love them but where did they come from

 I am sure that we have all had them one time or another or at least seen them. I do have a friend that does not like them and there are many ways to prepare them. The item I speak of is french fries. 

Were you aware that there is a rivalry between 2 countries concerning where french fries come from. France and its close neighbor Belgian have long fought over the debate of who first debuted the french fry. Check out these delicious belgian fries 

Citizens of Belgian claim that the it was in the late 1700s that members of the community of Wallonie first fried up the potato. The menu of choice was often small fried fish but during the cold winter this was often difficult to accomplish. Thus chefs turned to using potatoes sliced in small fish shapes  

Citizens in France where the French Fry gained its name say that they were the first country to introduce this now international food. It was during the french revolution that it is claimed that the fried potato was invented by cooks that would be found under the bridges around the Seine river. 

This debate may continue on with no definite answers I am simply thankful that french fries were introduced to the world. 

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Babe Ruth Day

Today, April 27th is known in the sports world as "Babe Ruth" day. The legendary ball player was honored with his own national day on April 27th, 1947. Babe Ruth joined the New York Yankees in the year 1920. During the season he would set a new record for most home runs hit in a season. The record was nearly doubled when Ruth would hit 54 home runs destroying the old lead of 27 hit in a homerun. However, Babe Ruth had aan attitude of getting it done and also led the league in number of strike outs as well.

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Did You Know: 

George herman "Babe " Ruth Jr. was born on February 6, 1896. Babe Ruth would become a professional baseball player and enjoy the ride for 22 seasons. Ruth was given a few nicknames because of his ability to hit the ball. Nicknames such as "The Bambino" and "The Sultan of Swat". Starting as a relief pitcher he quickly move to the position of outfielder. Regarded as one of the greatest sport heroes in America. Babe would be one of the first 5 individuals to be allowed into the baseball hall of fame. 

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sending Messages the Old Fashioned Way

 Have you ever wondered what the world was like before text messaging?? How would one send messages to others that were not in the same place?? One of these answers would be Morse Code, a telecommunication way that was born from encoding text characters via a series of dots and dashes. The code was designed by the inventor Samuel Morse. 

Morse code is based on a set of encodes that are derived from signals of punctuation, arabic numerals, english alphabet and some non english letters. 

 

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Dont Let Stress Get You Down

 We have all experienced some stress in our lives. Some of us may have had lots of stress that we may need to get help from a professional with. Others may just have daily time to time stress. The way we deal with stress is often the depending matter on if we can deal with it or not. Thus the idea is to find help if needed but if possible finding a way to release ourselves from the power of stress. 

Here are some ways to deal with stress that appears in a moment and a great way to make it go away if possible: The idea is to take a time out from life

• if the weather is good enough to take a walk get outside and see something besides the 4 walls
• need a quick pick me up find a good book to offer inspiration and when needed read a quick chapter
• call up your friend, confident or someone that will understand your situation it only takes a short amount of time to get your mind on something more happier
• sing a song... this is me I always keep a song on my mind and it often helps the time pass and a smile on my face
• have a pencil why not doodle some smily faces or something else that makes you happy
• many of us bloggers like to write so why not write up a short piece that puts a smile on ones face

These are my ideas to help conquer stress do you have any

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Shopping with Little One

Shopping with a baby or toddler is not always the easiest things to do but keeping a few things in mind can help you get the job done. 

Make sure it is a good time not only for you but your child as well. It should be at a time when your child is not hungry or tired. Perhaps it is the same time of day as your child has quiet time. This may not be possible I am aware that some children are active most the day and do not necessarily have "quiet time" of day. However, if your child is not hungry or tired for the most part the shopping trip should go easier. 

Shopping when the store is at a slower pace should help as well. We all have been there when the store is jammed, the lines are long and the frustration grows. If at all possible it is a much better time to go when your child is happy and the store is less busy. Another thing to keep in mind is to be prepared yourself.

Shopping for a few hours browsing the aisles is not something many children are ready to do. Children have a less attention span than most and would often do better to  go if you were more prepared and know ahead what you are getting. Likewise keep in mind that shopping trip with a young child should not truly be accomplished when you have a set limit of time. 

These top three tips are ones that I strictly shop by you can read more ideas at these sources

• life with gremlins.com 
• what to expect

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Be Kind To Spiders Week

 Do you love or loathe spiders?? In any case this is "Be Kind To Spiders" week. Spiders can be anything from fascinating to terrifying , from creepy to annoying and everything in between. Spiders are an important member in the gardening world. They help to control other pest that invade homes and gardens. Rather than spiders being insects as some think they actually belong to the arachnid family.

Spiders belong to the same arachnids family as scorpions, ticks and mites. Arachnids are found all over the world with more than 35,000 species found around the world and around 3,000 species in North America. Spiders are valuable helpers that can help keep other insects that may carry diseases or damage garden plants at bay. However, with all the help that spiders offer they are met with invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles eating them and many humans killing them as well. In fact, around the world spiders are eaten by humans and thought as a delicacy. 

This week try your best to be kind to spiders. If they cross your path then consider taking them and placing them out of your view and nearer to the food source. Perhaps if you knew that spiders may be indeed a key to better health it may help you in your kindness. Indeed spiders are being researched to see if their venom would treat memory loss after a stroke, arthritis, and some heart diseases

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Two Youngest Grandbabies

Don't they look precious all dressed up?? These are my two youngest grand-babies I love them much

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National Autism Awareness

April 2nd of each year is also the day to observe World Autism Awareness. This health crisis is growing not only in the United States but world wide. The Autism Association suggests that an average of one in every 59 are affected. Autism is  a bio-neurological developmental disability that normally presents itself with in the first 3 years of life. Boys are more affected than girls are as well. Perhaps one does not realize how hard children with autism face in life.

Many obstacles occur because autistic children do not speak or use social cues as their peers do. This often leads to others bullying autistic children Due to individuals with autism not being able to communicate they are also unable to tell someone their name or where they live so they may also become lost and wander into areas they should not be. Thus this issue does not change with adults leading to problems of unemployment and other issues as adults. 

The National Autism Association website offers resources, guides and tips for families and schools.

Ways to help children with autism:

• include children in autism with the activities that are on going. If other children are invited invite the autistic child as well
• if in the position to offer an autistic child a job and they qualify do so do not let the disorder stand in the way
• Allow individuals with autism to be involved no matter the activity if they have the capabilities and you have the time then allow them to learn from you, being involved helps all 

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Good Friday and Hot Cross Buns

 Today, the Friday before Easter, is a special day known as Good Friday. To many it is a dark day , the day that our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified and died on the cross. All Christians know that while this is Friday and the day of the crucifixion Sunday is coming. Other names for this special day include Holy Friday, Black Friday, and Great Friday. However, while Easter has become a traditional celebration that all including the secular world observe Good Friday has remained primarily a holy and spiritual observance.

Many churches across the country will hold Good Friday church services. Each religion seems to have their own traditions when it comes to the Good Friday and Easter celebration. Some church members will fast and many sects will sing specific hymns for the services. Perhaps one tradition that is sweet is the making of Easter bread 

There are many stories behind the reasoning of baking and eating hot cross buns and other sweet breads. One story is about a monk in the 12th century who at the end of lent season prepared and baked yeast sweet buns and marked them with a cross on Good Friday. In addition, this type of sweet buns and rolls could not have been prepared before the end of lent as they contain dairy products that were / are traditionally forbidden during the Christian lent season of fasting

1/2 cup raisins, currants, or craisins + 1 cup boiling hot water
3/4 cup very warm milk, divided into 1/2 cup and 1/4 cup (I used whole milk, 2% is fine)
1/2 cup white sugar + 1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 cup (4 Tbsp) unsalted butter, softened 15 seconds in microwave
1/2 tsp salt
1 envelope active dry yeast (about 3/4 Tbsp or 2 1/4 tsp) – I used Red Star Yeast
2 large eggs, well beaten
3 1/2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour 
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp (a large pinch) ground nutmeg

For the Egg Wash:

1 egg, well beaten with 1 tsp water

For the Glaze:

1/2 cup Powdered sugar mixed with 2 1/2 tsp Milk

 In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup raisins/craisins with 1 cup boiling hot water. Let sit 10 min then drain well and set aside.

In a large measuring cup, combine 1/4 cup warm milk with 1/2 tsp sugar and sprinkle 3/4 Tbsp yeast over the top. Stir and let sit at room temp until bubbly and doubled in volume (10 min).

In a large mixing bowl combine 1/2 cup very warm milk with 1/2 cup sugar, 4 Tbsp softened butter and 1/2 tsp salt. Stir until butter is melted. Add 2 well beaten eggs and proofed yeast mixture. Stir in 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon and pinch of ground nutmeg.

Using the dough hook attachment mix in 3 1/2 cups flour, 1 cup at a time until soft dough forms. Knead 8-12 min on speed 2 or until smooth and elastic. Dough will still stick a little to the bowl but not to your fingers.

If kneading by hand, use a wooden spoon to stir, then turn out onto a well-floured surface and knead 8-12 min using just enough flour to prevent sticking to your hands.

Add drained raisins/craisins (pat them dry with paper towels if they still seem too wet) and transfer dough to a large buttered bowl, turning it to bring the buttered side-up. Cover with a tea towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free room 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in volume (you can also proof in a warm 100˚F oven).

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and cut in half then continue cutting dough until you have 12 equal sized pieces. Roll dough into balls and transfer to a buttered 9×13″ baking pan. Cover with a tea towel and let them sit in a warm, draft-free room 30 min until puffed

 Now you should preheat your oven to 375˚F. Generously brush the tops with egg wash and bake for 15-17 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan.

Once buns are just warm (not hot), stir together the 1/2 cup powdered sugar and about 2 1/2 tsp milk. You can add more powdered sugar to thicken it up if needed. Transfer glaze to a ziploc bag, cut off the tip of the bag and pipe a cross shape over each of the buns. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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Tater Day and a Potato Recipe

Are you a fan of potatoes?? Well, then today is for you. Tater day occurs each year on the last day of March. There is good reason to love potatoes with so many great ways to prepare and cook the potato. In addition to the grand variety of ways to prepare them there are a great variety of taters as well. 

The potato is the number one consumed vegetable in the United States. One of the main reasons once again is because of the great variety that is available. Whether you bake them and who does not like a baked potato with once again so many ways to make them different than the last. Another way to prepare them is to Boil the potato. Boiled potatoes can end up in soups, salads, or any number of delicious ways. Perhaps one of the most loved ways to fix potatoes is to mash them. 

Twice Baked Potato Casserole 

8 potatoes about 4 lbs

8 oz cream cheese softened

1/2 c butter (1 stick)

2 c sharp cheddar cheese shredded

1 pint sour cream

2 cloves garlic minced

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 c chives fresh

6 slices bacon cooked crisp, drained and crumbled for top

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash, oil, salt and pierce the potatoes and place on a baking pan (or straight on oven rack). Bake the potatoes for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until very soft. Peel and mash the potatoes in a large bowl with a potato masher. Add the cream cheese, butter, 1 cup of the cheddar cheese and the sour cream. Stir well. Add the garlic, salt and pepper and stir again. Spray 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Place the mashed potatoes in the dish.

Note: The casserole can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated until ready to bake.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove the plastic wrap and bake the casserole for 30-35 minutes, until hot. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese over the top of the casserole and return to the oven for about 5 minutes, until the cheese melts.

Garnish with the chopped chives and crumbled bacon before serving.

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