The Nineteenth Amendment stated that no state can deny the right to vote based on gender. Controversy came up about the 14th amendment and whether or not it should apply to women as well. The time in which women fought for their rights was called Women's Suffrage. On January 9, 1918, the president at the time, Woodrow Wilson, announced his support of the amendment. It was proposed on June 4, 1919 and ratified on August 18, 1920.
But my fave piece of educational material is the School House Rock video from their America Rock series. Check out Sufferin' 'til Suffrage at the end of this blog.
“A relationship, I think, is like a shark, you know? It has to constantly move forward or it dies. And I think what we got on our hands is a dead shark.”
Soooo....some folks might be saying to themselves, "what is a Panini? "
A panini is basically a grilled sandwich made on Italian bread.
A traditional panini is made with two slices of dense bread filled with meat, cheese and vegetables. The outsides of the bread are usually brushed with extra virgin olive oil to give it a crispier texture and then the sandwich is grilled on a two sided panini/sandwich grill. Paninis are usually made with a Panini Press but if you don't have one, you can get around it.
You can place the sandwich in a pan and cook it like you would any "grilled" cheese sandwich, using a spatula to press down on the sandwich , of course you won't get those lovely grilled lines, but the sandwich will still be good.
Both How to Make a Panini without a Panini Press from eHow and, PaniniHappy.com have good suggestions on making paninis without a press.
Types of bread that work well for paninis: foccacia, ciabatta, sourdough also thick cut italian or french
All types of meats are good on a panini but they have to be cooked before you put them in the sandwich.
Feel free to experiment with your cheeses...try mozzarella, asiago, provolone, brie, goat cheese, cheddar, etc.
And don't forget the veggies! Roasted peppers, tomatoes, basil, spinach, red onions, eggplant....whatever comes to mind. Oh, you can also try fruit...some sliced apples, pears or strawberries might be delicious.
Oooooo.....I almost forgot the absolutely fabulous dessert panini. A Chocolate Strawberry Panini made with pound cake for bread and using nutella as the chocolate....yummy! The video on how to make this treat is at the end of the blog.
For some interesting ideas for paninis, check out this Page A Day Recipe Calendar that Sargento cheese put out in 2009 to honor August as Panini Month. It's packed with 31 yummy recipes.
Okay, I am soooooo hungry! I guess I'll go make something to eat.......hmmm I wonder what??
This is a fab video from Food Network. Giada makes a couple of delicious looking Paninis.
And here is Giada's yummy Chocolate Strawberry Panini.
July 25th is National Drive Thru Day.
I have absolutely no idea who proclaimed this to be a holiday but who cares?! Let's admit it.....we love drive thrus. You can find drive thru liquor stores, coffee shops and even a drive thru wedding chapel (Las Vegas, of course).
According to Wiki:
A drive-through, or drive-thru, is a type of service provided by a business that allows customers to purchase products without leaving their cars. The format was first pioneered in the United States in the 1930s but has since spread to other countries.
Drive-throughs have generally replaced drive-ins in popular culture, and are now found in the vast majority of modern American fast-foodchains.
I just found this great vid about National Drive Thru Day......
Did you know that there are two holidays celebrating the chicken wing?
Yep, there's International Chicken Wing Day which is July 2nd and National Chicken Wing Day which is July 25th. I figure since both days are celebrated in July, it doesn't matter which day you celebrate.
Anyhoo, what really matters it that these holidays are the perfect excuse for cooking and eating a whole mess of chicken wings!! (as if we really need an excuse)
To help some of y'all come with a few new recipes I've found 6 really fun ones. Enjoy!!!
Caramelized Baked Chicken Wings
* 3 pounds chicken wings
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1/2 cup soy sauce
* 2 tablespoons ketchup
* 1 cup honey
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Place chicken in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Mix together the oil, soy sauce, ketchup, honey, garlic, salt and pepper. Pour over the chicken.
3. Bake in preheated oven for one hour, or until sauce is caramelized.
Preparation:
1. Place chicken wings in casserole dish or medium mixing bowl
2. In medium saucepan, combine cranberry sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard.
3. Stirring constantly, heat over low, until smooth. Allow sauce to cool.
4. Pour over chicken wings.
5. Cover and refrigerate several hours.
6. Remove chicken from marinade and grill directly over medium heat, until chicken is cooked through.
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In medium mixing bowl, combine flour and taco seasoning.
3. Toss wings in seasoning mixture to coat.
4. In shallow bowl, place crushed corn chips. Toss wings in corn chips to coat.
5. Melt butter in large non-stick baking dish or casserole dish.
6. Spread wings evenly in dish.
7. Bake 45 minutes.
Does anyone remember taffy pulls? No? Actually I don't remember having any either. But I do remember reading about them and thinking how fun they sounded. My most vivid memory is the Taffy Pulling story from a Raggedy Ann and Andy story book. Boy did that sound like fun!
Well, here's your chance to make a few fun taffy pulling memories of your own.. May 23 is National Taffy day.
What is taffy? According to Wikipedia:
"Taffy is a type of chewy candy. Taffy is made by stretching or pulling a sticky mass of boiled sugar, butter or vegetable oil, flavorings, and coloring until fluffy. When this process is complete, the taffy is rolled, cut into small pastel-colored pieces and wrapped in wax paper to keep it soft."
An interesting video about taffy making and pulling.
Try this old-fashioned taffy recipe from the 1920's
Two cups granulated sugar
one-half cup water
two tablespoonfuls vinegar
one tablespoonful butter
one teaspoonful vanilla
one-half teaspoonful cream of tartar
Cup of cold water for testing the candy
Well buttered cookie sheet or platter
Wax paper
Scissors
Directions:
In a medium sized saucepan with a heavy bottom, cook the first 5 ingredients.
Stir with a wooden spoon over a low heat until the sugar dissolves.
Increase the heat, and cook without stirring until the mixture begins to boil.
Watch carefully so that it does not burn.
Test readiness by dropping a few drops of the mixture in cold water.
If the drops crack then the mixture is ready.
Take the taffy off the heat add the cream of tartar and pour onto the buttered cookie sheet.
Let the mixture cool before you start pulling.
When the taffy is cool enough, grease the your hands with butter.
Give each child a lump of taffy to pull or they can pull a piece between them.
Pull and stretch the taffy until it is light and slightly firm.
Using scissors, cut stretched candy into bite-size pieces.
When completely cool, wrap each piece in waxed paper.
Okay is there anyone who didn't loooooove playing Pacman when it came out?
Of course not!! I mean it was sooo cool and so much fun! I'm not into computer games but I really liked pacman. I don't know about you guys but I used to get so angry with those darn ghosts!
Oooo, I wonder what the birthday is of my other fave game.....Pong. Now that was a fun game.
Be sure to check out Googles homepage today. They have a really cool playable pacman game in the shape of the words Google. You can also find the google pacman game at this link.
I'll bet you didn't know this.....May 14th is National Chicken Dance Day!
That's right! It's the day officially, well maybe unofficially, put aside to do that ever popular at weddings dance... The Chicken Dance.
You say you've never done or seen the chicken dance??? Wow! Well, it's obvious that your dance education is sorely lacking. Never fear, I am here (ooo that rhymes) to help you! Well, okay, not just me. I have found a fabulous video made ages ago by , surprise, surprise....Lawrence Welks!
Yep, Lawrence and the gang show you how to do this marvelous dance so that you'll be ready for that next wedding or any other classy occasion!
Happy Dancing....cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck!
I hope everyone has a Happy Mother's Day!!
And, no, I did not make up the Lost Sock Memorial Day....it was probably made up by a group of Mother;s who were annoyed by all of the socks that get lost in the washer and the dryer. I'm not sure which machine actually eats them.
Anyway, y'all have a good day!!
Whoopee!!
Wednesday, May 12 is National Nutty Fudge Day.
Truthfully, I'm kinda so-so about fudge but still any day with a sugary dessert as the star is a good day.
I really don't know the mechanics of fudge nor the history of it. Thank goodness for Wiki!
If you want that kind of info here's the link: Fudge .
Okay, now that the educational stuff is out of the way, here are 3 delicious and varied fudge recipes......
Chocolate Pistachio Fudge(recipe is from Nigella Express/Food Network)
12 ounces 70 percent dark chocolate, chopped or 12 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 (14-ounce) can condensed milk
Pinch salt
1 cup shelled pistachios
Directions
Melt the chopped chocolate, condensed milk and salt in a heavy based pan on a low heat.
Put the nuts into a freezer bag and bash them with a rolling pin, until broken up into both big and little pieces.
Add the nuts to the melted chocolate and condensed milk and stir well to mix.
Pour this mixture into a 9-inch square foil tray, smoothing the top.
Let the fudge cool and then refrigerate until set.
Cut the fudge into squares.
Mocha Nut Fudge
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup evaporated milk
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
1 cup chopped walnuts
Directions:
In a heavy saucepan, combine the brown sugar, milk and corn syrup.
Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved and mixture comes to a boil; boil for 2 minutes.
Remove from the heat; stir in chocolate chips, vanilla and coffee granules with a wooden spoon.
Continue stirring until mixture is smooth and thick, about 5 minutes.
Stir in walnuts.
Shape into two 9-in. logs; wrap each in plastic wrap.
Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
Unwrap and cut into slices.
Maple Nut Fudge
4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup genuine maple syrup
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 1/2 cups chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans or hazelnuts)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions:
Butter a 9-inch square baking dish.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, butter, maple syrup, milk, and miniature marshmallows; cook, stirring occasionally, until the candy or digital thermometer reaches 235 degrees F. or until it forms a soft ball when a little of the mixture is dropped in cold water.
Remove from heat.
Let cool to 115 degrees F; add nuts and vanilla extract.
With an electric mixer at medium speed, beat until mixture loses its gloss and starts to harden around edge of saucepan.
Beltane or Beltaine (pronounced /ˈbÉ›ltÉ™n/, origin Old Irish) is the anglicised spelling of Bealtaine (Irish pronunciation: [ˈbʲal̪Ë t̪Ë É™nʲə]) or Bealltainn ([ˈbʲal̪Ë t̪Ë É™nʲ]), the Gaelic names for either the month of May or the festival that takes place on the first day of May.
As an ancient Gaelic festival, Bealtaine was celebrated in Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man, though there were similar festivals held at the same time in the other Celtic countries of Wales, Cornovii areas of England, Brittany and Cornwall. Bealtaine and Samhain were the leading terminal dates of the civil year in Ireland though the latter festival was the more important. The festival survives in folkloric practices in the Celtic Nations and the Irish diaspora, and has experienced a degree of revival in recent decades.
