Saturday, May 25, 2013
Eat some good stuff on Monday and remember to honor those who have died for our country.
Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer. It is a day for spending time with family and friends, eating lots of food and (most importantly) to honor those who have died fighting for the United States of America and our freedom. While hot dogs and hamburgers are the most popular items to eat on Memorial Day, there are other things you can make. Here is the guide to creating a full meal for the big day, courtesy of Attleboro resident Laurie Brasil. Ingredients Directions Combine all ingredients except for soda, mix well. Just before serving, slowly add soda. Serve over crushed or cubed ice. Ingredients Directions Heat oven to 375 degrees. Separate dough into four long rectangles. Place rectangles on cookie sheet, firmly press …
Saturday, May 18, 2013
May 20 and 21 are national days in honor of the strawberry.
There are two days this week to celebrate strawberries. Monday (May 20) is Pick Strawberries Day and Tuesday (May 21) is National Strawberries and Cream Day. It's a little early for the traditional strawberry season in Massachusetts, but with the miracles of modern technology, we are able to find strawberries throughout the year. So, you can try these strawberry-themed recipes whenever you want. (from Windsor Patch) Ingredients Biscuits Filling Real whipped cream Directions In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Add the butter and pulse/process until the butter is completely incorporated into the flour mixture. Transfer the flour mixture from the food processor to a …
Saturday, May 11, 2013
May 15 is National Chocolate Chip Day. The cookie with which it is often paired is part of Massachusetts history.
In this modern age, often even the best relationships sour after some time. But one relationship that has remained strong through the years is the one between the cookie and chocolate chips—creating a baked good that is satisfying to just about every person alive. Chocolate chip cookies were invented (supposedly by accident) in the 1930s by Ruth Graves Wakefield at she and her husband Kenneth's Toll House Inn in Whitman, Mass. Rights to the recipe that had become popular throughout New England were eventually acquired by Nestle in an agreement that included Wakefield receiving a lifetime supply of chocolate. The chocolate chip, which is included in many other tasty recipes aside from its usual partner, will be honored May 15 on National …
Saturday, April 27, 2013
This drink is not for the weak.
Our nation's oldest uninterrupted annual sporting event will take place next Saturday for the 139th time in Louisville, Ky. It is an event filled with traditions, including one strong alcoholic beverage. The actual Kentucky Derby (often just called the "Derby") only lasts about two minutes , but the buildup to the big race is a day-long event of other races, parties and at least a little bit of gambling. More than 150,000 people will be at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May to watch the nation's (and sometimes the world's) top 3-year-old horses run around the track for a mile and a quarter. Millions more will watch the race on television. Thoroughbred horse racing has not been a popular sport in this country for several …
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Here are some garlic-themed recipes you can try at home.
Unless you're a vampire, you probably like at least a little garlic in your food. The powerful cousin of the onion can give even the blandest meal that extra kick it needs. It is also a great way to mask terrible cooking. This coming Friday is National Garlic Day. The website for the big day says, "While we're not sure who proclaimed this day of observance or why, we're just glad someone did." We couldn't agree more. Here are some recipes to celebrate National Garlic Day. Feel free to add your own in the comments section below or post links to websites with recipes you think others should try. (from Darien Patch) Ingredients Directions Combine butter and garlic in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook until the garlic is fragrant and …
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Few foods go better with a good game than this big, twisty treat.
April is a big month for sports. The first week marked the beginning of the Major League Baseball season. The month also includes college basketball's Final Four, college hockey's Frozen Four and the start of the NBA and NHL playoffs. So, it should come as no surprise that April is also National Soft Pretzel Month. The big soft pretzel is a staple at American sports venues—coming in a variety of flavors with various fillings and dipping sauces. But for many people, just regular old salt is good enough to make the pretzel tasty. Here's a recipe to make your own old-school soft pretzel from my grandfather Albert Friedman. Enjoy the food and enjoy the games! Big Soft Pretzel (makes 12 to 15) Ingredients Directions In a large bowl, dissolve …
Saturday, March 30, 2013
The whole family, even the children, can participate in making these holiday treats.
This Sunday is Easter, a Christian holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. But it is also a family day with egg hunts, nice outfits, chocolate bunnies and good food. Here are some Easter recipes that are not too complicated and/or fun, so everybody can contribute—even the children. Enjoy! Bunny Cake (Lawrenceville Patch) Ingredients Directions Heat oven to 350 degrees (325 for dark pans). Bake and cool cake as directed on the box for two 9-inch round pans. Using one of the cake layers, cut in half down center of cake. Put the halves together with frosting, flat side down, to form the body of the bunny. Cut out a notch about a third of the way up one end of the body in the front to form a small head. Use one half of the …
Sunday, March 24, 2013
One can eat only so much matzah for eight days.
Monday night marks the start of one of the most important Jewish holidays—Passover. It is a celebration of the ancient Israelites' exodus from Egypt and slavery. Passover lasts seven to eight days and a special meal called a Seder takes place on the first two nights (first night only in Israel). It is a time for family and friends to gather around the dinner table and read the story of Passover, observe certain traditions and sing songs, while also enjoying good food and each other's company. During Passover, observant Jews avoid eating any leavened bread-based products. This is because in the Passover story, the Israelites were in such a rush to get out of Egypt, they did not have time to let their bread rise. The substitute for bread is …
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Beat the system and make your own.
Thursday is National Potato Chip Day. Rather than celebrating the important day by buying a bunch of bags that are more air than chips, why not make your own? Before we get to the recipe, let's talk about the hotly disputed history of the potato chip. Plenty of people insist the inventor was Saratoga Springs chef George Crum, who in 1853 was so upset a customer complained his "french fried potatoes" were too thick, he made a new batch that was super thin, cooked to a crisp and loaded with salt. Although it was supposed to be a culinary middle finger, the customer actually liked what Crum produced, and history was written. Others say the story is either not true, or even if it is, the potato chip already existed by 1853 under different …
Sunday, March 3, 2013
This is a simple recipe for a cake you can make quickly.
Did you know Monday is National Pound Cake Day? If not, don't worry. I also did not know this fun fact until recently, and by recently I mean this morning. Pound cake can be a simple item. There are various versions of it, and it is usually the twist the baker makes to it that determines whether something special is being produced. How did this cake get its name? Although it sounds like something with violent origins, pound cake is actually a reference to the original, simple ingredients. "The name Pound Cake comes from the fact that the original pound cake contained one pound each of butter, sugar, eggs and flour," states the ultimate authority on pound cake, poundcake.net. "No other ingredients were used other than the air whipped into …
Roseanne
8:19 pm on Sunday, May 12, 2013
Delicious-sounding recipes. Long live chocolate, and National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day! more ›