Showing posts with label many guest bloggers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label many guest bloggers. Show all posts

Sunday, November 26, 2023

Did you know there is a National Green bean Day?? Why didn't anyone tell me??????


Firstly, I didn't know that  just anyone can create a Holiday... and secondly I wonder why it took so long to create one for Green bean casserole! Thirdly and most importantly, they didn't include the original recipe!!!  OH MY!  But I did.

 

 

 

 

Even before. 1955,  I remember the lavish Holiday  dinners our family had.   I don't remember  anything even close to a green bean casserole, not until 2002-2003 when I first tasted it, and was immediately HOOKED...yummy yum yum yum.

 

 

nationaltoday.com

National Green Bean Casserole Day

Tamkeen Kiani

National Green Bean Casserole Day on December 3 celebrates the dish and its interesting origins. The holidays are going to be knocking on our doors soon, and there’s no harm in getting our preparations underway from today onwards. Green bean casserole is enjoyed by many all over America for its few ingredients and simplistic recipe that does not require too much time and effort. Two of the main ingredients include cream of mushroom soup and, of course, green beans. The two are either mixed together or layered on top of each other. The smooth and creamy texture is complemented with the extra crunchiness of french fried onions sprinkled over the top and voila, you have a filling and nutritious dish. The recipe was such a gamechanger on the American food scene that its inventor, Dorcas Lillian Bates Reilly, features in the Hall of Fame alongside the likes of Thomas Edison and Muhammad Ali.

National Green Bean Casserole Day was created as a holiday by Jace Shoemaker-Galloway. She is credited with covering many unique and wacky holidays in her writing career that spans from Yahoo, to Planet Save, to Energy Boom and many more. Having researched all such holidays, Shoemaker-Galloway started realizing the fun and merriment that unique holidays tend to bring. Out of the many holiday ventures the writer brought to life, one of the most prominent and celebrated was National Green Bean Casserole Day. This day pays homage to the classic holiday dish that is enjoyed by around 20 million Americans worldwide. Reports state that around 50% of all green bean casserole recipes are made between the period of November to January, which is when the holidays are in full swing.

So, how did this dish come into being? It was created back in 1955 in the Home Economics Department of Campbell Soup Company. At the time, Dorcas Reilly, the main inventor of the dish, was working as a manager and recipe creator for the company. The goal was to create something using ingredients that would be readily available in an average American kitchen. Reilly and her team selected five ingredients and created something in 10 minutes. The world was still reeling from the effects of WW2, and easy-to-make dishes were all the rage. Initially, the dish was named the ‘Green Bean Bake’. While the recipe was a great way to satisfy those hunger pangs in a few minutes, it did not take off until the 1960s when the Campbell Soup Company started putting the recipe on their soup cans. From then on, green bean casserole became a staple in Thanksgiving spreads. Reilly also became known as the “grandmother of the green bean casserole.”

National Green Bean Casserole Day timeline

1955

Green Bean Casserole is Created

Dorcas Reilly, the recipe manager at Campbell Soup Company, creates the green bean casserole using only five ingredients.

1960s

Recipe Put on Soup Cans

The company puts the green bean casserole recipe on soup cans to market it to the masses.

21st Century

National Green Bean Casserole Day

Jace Shoemaker-Galloway creates and celebrates the first National Green Bean Casserole Day.

2002

Hall of Fame

Reilly presents her original recipe card to be displayed in the National Inventors Hall of Fame in Ohio.

National Green Bean Casserole Day FAQs

What is the history of green bean casserole?

Green bean casserole was created by Dorcas Reilly in 1955 at the Campbell Soup Company. It was made using the ingredients that an average American household will likely have at all times, including green beans, cream of mushroom soup, and some french fried onions. 

Is there a National Green Bean Day?

While there is no National Green Bean Day, there is a National Bean Day on January 6, and it celebrates beans of all colors, shapes, and sizes. 

Where is the green bean casserole the most popular?

The dish is the most popular in Kentucky, where nearly 80% of the people either “really like” the food or “absolutely love” it. 

How To Celebrate National Green Bean Casserole Day

  1. Make a green bean casserole

    This is the perfect dish to make on those days when you are feeling lazy, but want something nice and comforting to eat. Now, you may be thinking this is a holiday food, but let us also tell you that this dish was intended to be made as an everyday dish, especially for those days when you just cannot be bothered. So, what are you waiting for?

  2. Customize it to your taste

    The great thing about a green bean casserole dish is how versatile it is. You can make the dish your own by adding your choice of ingredients to the main ones. When the recipe was still being developed, it had celery salt, Worcestershire sauce, and ham in it, but these were scratched off the list and the ingredients were kept as simple as possible. Nonetheless, they would still make for a good, filling casserole.

  3. Have a green bean casserole potluck party

    Invite your family and friends for some green bean casserole potluck fun. Everyone can bring a green bean casserole dish but with their own added twists. It would make for a great day of deliciousness and enjoyment.

5 Facts About Green Beans That Will Blow Your Mind

  1. Green beans in white-pink-purple

    Green bean flowers can come in the shades of purple, white, and pink.

  2. Edible pods

    Unlike the crazy internet trend that saw teens eating inedible tide pods, the pods that are actually edible are green bean pods.

  3. Very nutritious

    Green beans are extremely nutritious as they are packed with protein, fiber, iron, vitamins, and minerals.

  4. A bit toxic when raw

    If you eat raw green beans, you will most likely be consuming toxins that are concentrated and stored in the plant.

  5. Popular and easy

    After tomatoes and peppers, green beans are the most popular plant grown in people’s gardens as it is easy to grow.

Why We Love National Green Bean Casserole Day

  1. It’s a celebration of the green bean casserole

    Green bean casserole is a delicious dish through and through. If you are in the mood for something classic, you can try the original recipe, but if you wish to spice things up, you can do that too by bringing either your own flavors to the table or adding new ingredients to make something new. The canvas is just waiting to be painted.

  2. It’s a celebration of classic holiday food

    Some things are an absolute staple at every celebration because, without them, the celebration feels incomplete. Green bean casserole is one such dish. If you are in the mood for some nostalgia, a green bean casserole is the answer.

  3. It’s a celebration of fuss-free living

    The main aim of creating green bean casserole was to allow people to have a filling dish without them having to put in too much time and effort. With our busy 21st century lives, there’s nothing more comforting than preparing fuss-free food and simply enjoying the little relaxation time we may have available.

National Green Bean Casserole Day dates

YearDateDay
2023December 3Sunday
2024December 3Tuesday
2025December 3Wednesday
2026December 3Thursday
2027December 3 Friday                                                                                             

Friday, October 27, 2023

National Chocolate day, Oct 28, with many guest bloggers

Let it be known that  today

is National Chocolate

Day

 

 

 

 









Need I say more? 

I think not!

     


 It's actually a boozy chocolate shake!
The Drunken Girl Scout is a mix of chocolate and vanilla ice cream, Thin Mints cookies, whiskey, creme de menthe, Fernet Branca-Menta and chocolate sauce! Find the full recipe below. Cheers to National Chocolate Day!
Total time: 10 minutes
Servings: 1 cocktail
Note: Adapted from Julian Cox of Short Order. Thin Mints can be substituted with a similar type of chocolate-mint cookie.
2 scoops chocolate ice cream
2 scoops vanilla ice cream
1 ounce Irish whiskey, preferably Powers
1/2 ounce creme de menthe, preferably Tempus Fugit
1/2 ounce Fernet Branca-Menta
1 ounce crushed Thin Mints
Chocolate sauce, for garnish
Mint spring, for garnish
Single Thin Mints cookie, for garnish
In a blender, blend the chocolate ice cream, vanilla ice cream, Irish whiskey, creme de menthe, Fernet Branca-Menta and crushed Thin Mints. Swirl chocolate sauce around the inside of a Mason jar and pour in the shake. Garnish with a mint sprig and the single Thin Mint



vv

History of National Chocolate Day

The history of chocolate goes back 2,500 years. Aztecs loved their newly discovered liquid chocolate to the extent that they believed Quetzalcoatl, the god of wisdom, literally bestowed it upon them. Cacao seeds acted as a form of currency. And this was back in the “bitter” chocolate days — before they added sugar! Once chocolate turned sweet — in 16th-century Europe — the masses caught on and turned chocolate into a powerhouse treat.

Several present-day chocolate companies began operations in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Cadbury started in England by 1868. Milton S. Hershey, 25 years later, purchased chocolate processing equipment at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago He started the company by producing chocolate-coated caramels. Nestlé, dating back to the 1860s, has grown into one of the largest food conglomerates in the world.

Did you know that chocolate is a fermented food? That’s right, once the cacao pods are picked, cleaned of pithy white material from the fruit and dried, the cacao beans are fermented. The papery shell is removed and cacao nibs are revealed. Chocolatiers then grind them into cocoa mass, separate them into cocoa solids and cocoa butter, and combine them with milk and sugar, or in the case of white chocolate, just the chocolate butter with milk and sugar.
 
Today there’s a move toward dark chocolate since it contains far less sugar. Ghana, Ecuador, and the Ivory Coast,all near the equator, have ideal climates for cacao trees and produce some of the world’s best chocolate. It’s best to look for dark chocolate from those regions.

But there’s a dark side. Child labor has become a serious issue. When you purchase “fair trade chocolate,” you’re working to help make cocoa farming more sustainable. Keep this in mind and choose your chocolate wisely.

National Chocolate Day timeline

1828
New inventions. New chocolate creations.

Dutch chemist Coenraad Van Houten invented a hydraulic press that could separate the cocoa butter from the cacao, thereby producing a powder. This led to the first chocolate confections

1875
Chocolate Gets Milky

Swiss chocolatier Daniel Peter joins forces with M. Henri Nestlé, then a baby-food manufacturer who had invented a milk-condensation process. Together they found a way to bring milk chocolate onto the market. They would go on to form the Nestlé company.

1907
Hershey Park Opens

Milton Hershey builds a park to create a more pleasant environment for workers and residents — striving to rise above typical factory towns of the time. The original main buildings, including a rustic bandstand and pavilion, serve as a stage for vaudeville and theatre productions.

1938
The Cookbook Recipe

Wakefield's cookbook includes the recipe for the ‘Toll House Chocolate Crunch Cookie.’

National Chocolate Day - Survey Results

Data gathered by a top Minneapolis Marketing Agency

By The Numbers

 

$10,000 — the price of Swarovski-studded chocolates.

$260 — the price of a 1.76-ounce To’ak chocolate bar.

400 — the number of cacao beans it takes to make one pound of chocolate.

8 — the number of years it took to perfect the recipe for milk chocolate. 

90 million — the number of chocolate Easter bunnies manufactured every year. 

36 million — the number of heart-shaped chocolate boxes sold every Valentine’s Day.

1847 — the year when British confectioners invented the first chocolate bar. 

20% — the percentage of all dark chocolate consumed in the U.S. 

1700s — the decade when chocolate milk was created in Jamaica. 

22 pounds — the amount of chocolate that would need to be eaten to kill a person.

National Chocolate Day FAQs

Is January 27 a Chocolate Cake Day?

National Chocolate Cake Day is celebrated on January 27 each year. 

Why do we celebrate National Chocolate Day?

National Chocolate Day celebrates one of life’s greatest indulgences — chocolate. 

Who invented chocolate?

The first modern chocolate was created by Joseph Fry in 1847 after he discovered that he can create a moldable chocolate paste. 

National Chocolate Day Activities

  1. Try making your own truffles!

    It may seem hard, but it’s actually easier than you think! Follow this recipe for 4 easy and fun ways to experiment with making your own truffle from scratch. All you'll need is some cream, some chocolate chips and a tiny bit of time.

  2. Tour a local chocolatier

    Get an up-close look at the process that chocolate goes through from bean to bar at a local chocolate factory or chocolatier. Most places have tours available to the public and are more than happy to share their knowledge, experience, and love of the chocolate profession and trade.

  3. Share a bar with your friends

    Chocolate is amazing, friends are amazing, and human connection over chocolate is one of the most beautiful things! Most people like chocolate, and really, even if they don't, you know they'll appreciate the offer to spend a moment with them and chat.

5 Dreamy Creamy Facts About Chocolate

  1. Chocolate is technically a vegetable

    Chocolate comes from the cacao bean, which grows on the cacao tree.

  2. White chocolate is not chocolate

    As it contains no cocoa solids, white chocolate isn’t chocolate.

  3. The first chocolate beverage

    Hot chocolate was brewed in Aztec culture, and tasted really bitter.

  4. Cacao beans as currency

    The Aztecs valued cacao beans so much that it was used as currency.

  5. Unique melting point

Why We Love National Chocolate Day

  1. Chocolate can lower stress

    One study showed that people who ate chocolate compounds had better cognitive performance and reported less mental fatigue than the control group. This may have something to do with how the chemicals in chocolate interact with our brain: releasing serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins and giving us a good dose of antioxidants.

  2. It can help us lose weight

    Another study revealed that ingestion of dark chocolate prior to eating at an all-you-can-eat buffet triggered a 17% lower calorie intake for participants! It’s all about the sugar.

  3. Chocolate might help your heart

    Per the American Heart Association: “Combining raw almonds, dark chocolate and cocoa significantly reduced the number of low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, particles in the blood of overweight and obese people. LDL is often called “bad cholesterol” because of the role it plays in clogging arteries.

*************************************************************








holidays-and-observances.com

2023 Chocolate Holidays Information from Holidays and Observances


There are many Chocolate Holidays throughout the year to satisfy all the Chocolate Lovers! Chocolate does make the world go round, but is it healthy?

Chocolate Holidays - Information from Holidays and Observances: http://www.holidays-and-observances.com/chocolate-holidays.html

Chocolate! What do you feel when you think of this beloved candy? If you are like most of us, you feel comfort! It's your go to friend, when life is tough! There are those in the diet industry that will advise you to get rid of all of the foods that you love. This is called deprivation, and it often leads to overeating. Life is short and there is no room for deprivation!

Here are the Chocolate Holidays that we have found so far!  Eventually, we will have a devoted page for each day:

January 2023 Chocolate Holidays

Month: (Sorted Alphabetically)

  • National Candy Month

2023 Days: (Sorted by Date)

February 2023 Chocolate Holidays

Month: (Sorted Alphabetically)

  • Celebration of Chocolate Month

2023 Weeks: (Sorted Alphabetically)

  • Make Mine Chocolate - February 15 - April 9, 2023 (Campaign kicks off annually on Feb 15th, and ends on Easter)

2023 Days: (Sorted by Date)

March 2023 Chocolate Holidays

2023 Weeks: (Sorted Alphabetically)

  • American Chocolate Week - March 19-25, 2023 (Third Full Week of March)
  • Chocolate Chip Cookie Week - Second Week of March
  • Make Mine Chocolate - February 15 - April 9, 2023 (Campaign kicks off annually on Feb 15th, and ends on Easter)

2023 Days: (Sorted by Date)

  • National Oreo Cookie Day - March 6
  • National White Chocolate Cheesecake Day - March 6
  • National Chocolate Caramel Day - March 19
  • National Chocolate Covered Raisin Day - March 24
  • Eat an Eskimo Pie Day - March 28
  • National Black Forest Cake Day - March 28

Chocolate Holidays - Information from Holidays and Observances: http://www.holidays-and-observances.com/chocolate-holidays.html

April 2023 Chocolate Holidays

2023 Weeks: (Sorted Alphabetically)

  • Make Mine Chocolate - February 15 - April 9, 2023 (Campaign kicks off annually on Feb 15th, and ends on Easter)

2023 Days: (Sorted by Date)

  • National Chocolate Mousse Day - April 3
  • National Chocolate Covered Cashews Truffle Day - April 21
  • National Devil Dog Cakes Day - April 27

May 2023 Chocolate Holidays

Month: (Sorted Alphabetically)

  • National Chocolate Custard Month

2023 Days: (Sorted by Date)

  • National Chocolate Parfait Day - May 1
  • National Truffles Day - May 2
  • National Chocolate Custard Day - May 3
  • Hostess Cupcake Day - May 11
  • National Nutty Fudge Day - May 12
  • National Chocolate Chip Day - May 15
  • I Love Reese's Day - May 18
  • National Devil's Food Cake Day - May 19

June 2023 Chocolate Holidays

Month: (Sorted Alphabetically)

  • National Candy Month

2023 Days: (Sorted by Date)

  • National Rocky Road Ice Cream Day - June 2
  • National Chocolate Macaroon Day - June 3
  • National Chocolate Ice Cream Day - June 7
  • National German Chocolate Cake Day - June 11
  • National Fudge Day - June 16
  • National Eat an Oreo Day - June 19
  • National Chocolate Eclair Day - June 22
  • National Pralines Day - June 24
  • National Chocolate Pudding Day - June 26
  • National Almond Buttercrunch Day - June 29

Chocolate Holidays - Information from Holidays and Observances: http://www.holidays-and-observances.com/chocolate-holidays.html

July 2023 Chocolate Holidays

2023 Days: (Sorted by Date)

  • National Chocolate Wafer Day - July 3
  • Chocolate Day - July 7
  • National Milk Chocolate with Almonds Day - July 8
  • Peanut Butter and Chocolate Day - July 23
  • National Hot Fudge Sundae Day - July 25
  • National Milk Chocolate Day - July 28

August 2023 Chocolate Holidays

Month: (Sorted Alphabetically)

  • National Brownies at Brunch Month

2023 Days: (Sorted by Date)

September 2023 Chocolate Holidays

2023 Days: (Sorted by Date)

Chocolate Holidays - Information from Holidays and Observances: http://www.holidays-and-observances.com/chocolate-holidays.html

October 2023 Chocolate Holidays

2023 Days: (Sorted by Date)

November 2023 Chocolate Holidays

2023 Days: (Sorted by Date)

  • National Bittersweet Chocolate with Almonds Day - November 7
  • Chocolates Day - November 29
  • National Mousse Day - November 30

December 2023 Chocolate Holidays

2023 Days: (Sorted by Date)

Chocolate Holidays - Information from Holidays and Observances:

Is Chocolate a Healthy Diet Habit?

The information below is taken from Kerry's Healthy Diet Habits website:

Some healthy diet habits that will help you to keep chocolate in your life and not cause you to gain weight are:

Determine if it is a serious trigger food for you, and if it is you have two choices:

  1. You can box it out. To box it out, you intentionally decide that you will not eat this food because it does not work for you. I have met people who can’t eat candy. It leads to extreme binging and weight gain. People can tie an extreme period of weight gain to that first bite of it. That one bite caused 50 pounds of weight gain! If this is you, choose other foods that do not lead to binging. You are not depriving yourself; you are just caring for yourself in a wise way.

  2. Your second choice is to box it in. This means that although it's a trigger food, you can safely plan it into your life. You have a plan that allows you to eat it at planned times, rather than mindlessly eating a large amount of it. Maybe you purchase a small candy bar on the weekend, or split a dessert with a friend at set times. You might buy a single serving dessert from the market, but not the entire dessert. You know you might eat the entire thing, and you are practicing kindness to yourself in a mature way!
  • Develop a taste for quality candy and really taste it. Some types are amazing and some, not so great. I am always amazed that there are people who swoon over Hershey’s Kisses. If you really savor and taste them, they taste on the rancid side. I hear all of the cries from the Hersey’s lovers! If you are going to eat calories, eat amazing ones, and savor them. Eat them slowly and enjoy every bite.
  • Chocolates are caloric, so plan a small serving. Check the food label. Remember that your treats and snacks must fit into your daily menu planning guide. If you plan on eating a 200 calorie candy bar on a given day, plan it in. Totally doable!
  • Stick with candy bars that are not caramel or nougat filled. They will be less caloric and contain less sugar and fat. Nuts and fruit are great flavor additions.
  • Chocolate is a food that can end up causing serious cravings. Eat it with your meal or with a small handful of nuts. This will stop your blood sugar from spiking due to the sugar content, and keep cravings under control. If you crave it and think of nothing else, you may need to reevaluate and box it out! Tears for you!
  • Choose dark varieties, because they are loaded with flavonoids that act as antioxidants. Great news, your candy fix contains more antioxidants than your fruit choice, possibly! Healthy dark varieties contain at least a 65% or higher cocoa content. White or milk varieties ARE NOT included in the healthy category! Learn to love Dark!

Chocolate has been proven to increase happiness and therefore a great Lifestyle Solution. It actually increases your endorphins in your brain, which make you happy. Endorphins work to lessen pain and decrease stress.

It also contains tryptophan which causes serotonin to be released. Serotonin is an anti-depressant! This daily fix might just be the key to happiness, stress and pain relief, and less depression! Definitely a healthy diet habit! 

Chocolate Holidays Pinterest Board

Please Follow our Holidays and Observances Chocolate Holidays - Holiday Board on Pinterest - below you will see our 30 most recent pins to this photo board!

Holidays and ObservancesChocolate HolidaysFollow On

Click on the SEE ON PINTEREST bar right above, (link will take you to our Pinterest Boards) to see all the rest of our photo's on this board, and to Follow the board. New photos will be constantly added!

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