National Read Across America Day is also called Dr. Seuss Day. Well, it does fall on the birthday of Theodor Seuss Geisel, who adopted the name “Dr. Seuss” while an undergraduate student at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. Read Across America Day emphasizes reading motivation and awareness, while celebrating a nation of diverse readers. If you want diverse characters, read any of the books by Dr. Seuss. “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!”
“Liberty is the breath of life to nations.”
— George Bernard Shaw (1856 – 1950)
Irish playwright, critic, & political activist
Photo by Anne Nygard
My goal, especially in politically/socially divisive times, is to be so positive that negative people don’t want to be around me. Ahhhh! (Calmness and sanity are deeply appreciated treasures.)
For National Kahlua Day, I share a “partner” recipe from yesterday. Kahlua combines the flavors of coffee liquor and rum.
Super Simple Tiramisu Cups
1 ½ c heavy/whipping cream
½ c powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 T spiced rum or coffee liqueur
8 oz mascarpone cheese, softened to room temperature
Cocoa powder, optional
Rolled cookies, such as tiramisu or hazelnut pirouettes or cream-filled wafer cookies and/or lady fingers
Fresh raspberries, for garnish
In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to whip the cream on medium speed. When it starts to thicken, sift in the sugar, followed by the vanilla and liqueur. When soft peaks form, add the cheese and beat to combine. Spoon into small serving bowls and dust with cocoa powder, if desired, or adorn with a raspberry. At serving time, insert a cookie (or 2) at the edge of each.
KISS Tips: I like to make half with rum and half with coffee liqueurs. (If making ahead of time, place a coffee bean at the edge of each one that has coffee liqueur.) At serving time, garnish the rum ones with chocolate hazelnut pirouette cookie pieces and the coffee ones with tiramisu rolled cookies or coffee-soaked ladyfingers, for differentiation. These are also great paired with Super Simple Cannoli Cups.
KISS Variation: Turn these into Tiramisu Pastry Bites by piping or spooning the filling into crispy mini phyllo pastry cups. Dust with cocoa powder before serving. Serve with or without a garnish of a bit of mandarin or tangerine section.
For National Pistachio Day, I share my Super Simple Cannoli Cups recipe.
Super Simple Cannoli Cups
The magic of cannoli pastries has as much to do with the Ricotta Impastata filling as it does with the delectable pastry rolls. However, we can also enjoy the yumminess without making the pastries.
2 c (16 oz) whole milk ricotta cheese
½ heaping cup powdered sugar (Confectioners’ sugar)
1/2 tsp 100% pure vanilla extract (or spiced rum or brandy)
¼ – ½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp dried orange peel (or 1 tsp fresh orange zest), optional
Garnishes: coarsely chopped pistachios and mini chocolate chips
Place drained ricotta in a large mixing bowl; stir in sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and orange peel thoroughly. Spoon (or pipe) into your individual serving dishes. Garnish and chill till serving time.
KISS Notes: Powdered, not granular sugar, is needed for this recipe, as regular sugar will leave an undesirable, slightly grainy texture. It’s best to let ricotta drain in a cheesecloth-lined fine-mesh sieve over a bowl in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight. While this is especially important when filling cannoli pastry tubes, it is an optional step for this recipe. (When making cannoli pastries, double this recipe for the filling.)
Photo by Miguel Angel Hernandez
“All the world’s a stage and most of us are desperately unrehearsed.“
— Sean O’Casey (1880 – 1964)
Irish playwright & memoirist
Photo by Jeppe H. Jensen
“A mind all logic is like a knife all blade. It makes the hand bleed that uses it.”
— Rabindranath Tagore (1861 – 1941)
Bengali polymath (poet, writer, philosopher, playwright, songwriter, painter, composer & social reformer)
1st Asian to win a Nobel Prize
“The essence of genius is knowing what to overlook.”
— William James (1842 – 1910)
American psychologist and philosopher
1st educator to offer a course in psychology in the U.S.A.
“And do as adversaries do in law, strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends.”
— William Shakespeare (1564 – 1616)
British playwright & poet
“There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.”
— Leonard Cohen (1934 – 2016)
Canadian songwriter, singer, poet & novelist
I know it’s been a very tough winter… everywhere. Have faith. Spring is coming. In that spirit, I share some daffodils. Along with the flowering trees, they started blooming a few days ago.
Welcome to National Margarita Weekend! (Many beverages get their own day, but Margaritas go above and beyond!) Stay warm and enjoy a Margarita.
Last Fall, I hosted a bachelorette party for a dear friend, and margaritas were her request. (Yay, Angie, Baby!) So, here are the recipes for both the hi-test and family-friendly versions I served:
Super Simple Margarita Punch
1 lg can frozen limeade
1 c water
¼ – 1/3 c fresh lime juice
½ c Grand Marnier
¾ c silver tequila
1 bottle champagne
Family Friendly Margarita Punch
1 lg can frozen limeade
1 can water
Peach nectar (or orange juice)
Sparkling white grape juice
Garnishes: skewers of purple grapes, strawberries, and a lime wedge
Combine all but the champagne/sparkling juice and keep chilled till serving time. At serving time, pour over ice into the punch bowl and add champagne. Garnish each glass.
KISS Tips: Try paper umbrellas with long stems as the garnish skewers. For other variations, blend in fresh or frozen strawberries or include berries in the ice cubes. You could also add muddled fresh jalapeno slices (no seeds) for a crazy bit of kick. This would also be delightful served in a carved-out watermelon.
Today we celebrate Sir Ronald on his 76th birthday!
In 2020, an advanced throat cancer diagnosis had him questioning whether his adventures on this earth were ending.
But… he has officially passed the 5-year cancer-free mark!!!
There is no greater gift than health in Life.
Thank you, Lord!
Sir Ronald, may your silliness & sassiness, laughter & loving nature, crassness & charisma sparkle for many healthy, happy years to come.
Happy Birthday, Babe!
Celebrate National Crab Stuffed Flounder Day with another Super Simple recipe. Rolled or served open-faced, this easy dish can look fancy, but it’s not complicated at all.
Super Simple Crabby Flounder
1 ½ – 2 lbs flounder fillets
2 T melted butter
5-6 T mayonnaise
2 T chopped parsley
½ tsp paprika, smoky or sweet
1 ½ – 2 c lump blue crab or other crabmeat, thawed, if frozen; drained; cartilage removed
2 T chopped sweet red pepper
2 T chopped sweet onion
3 T butter
1 T Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp Mrs. Dash garlic – herb seasoning (or other favorite)
¼ – ½ tsp salt or Old Bay seasoning
8-9 Ritz crackers, crumbled (or ¾ c panko)
Separate fillets into 4-6 servings; brush with the melted butter. In a medium bowl, combine mayo, parsley, and paprika thoroughly. Gently stir in crab, taking care not to break up the lumps too much. Spread evenly over the buttered fillets. Place red pepper, onion, and 3 T butter in microwave-safe bowl; microwave on high for 1 min. Stir in remaining ingredients and sprinkle atop the crab mixture. Bake 20 minutes at 350° F. Garnish with lemon slices and fresh flat-leaf parsley, if desired.
KISS Tips: You can also add ¼ c finely diced mushrooms and/or ½ c diced raw
shrimp and/or scallops to the seasoned onion-pepper mixture. ½ tsp dry mustard or 1 tsp to 1 T spicy mustard is also a yummy twist. Flounder is a sweet, white fish, so you could also consider using fillets of tilapia, sole, cod, haddock, or orange roughy. For a lovely presentation, prepare each filet in individual au gratin dishes.
Photo by Adam Nemeroff
Here’s a sweet thought… For National Random Acts of Kindness Day, let’s help make the world a brighter place by offering random acts of kindness on this day and every day.
Photo by Riccardo Annandale
“Sanity is a madness put to good use.”
— George Santayana (1863 – 1952)
Spanish philosopher, poet & novelist
“A committee is a cul-de-sac down which ideas are lured and then quietly strangled.”
— Sir Thomas George Barnett Cocks (1907 – 1989)
British clerk in the Parliament of the UK
Photo by Rod Long
“I used to think the worst thing in life was to end up all alone. It’s not. The worst thing in life is to end up with people who make you feel all alone.”
— Robin Williams (1951 – 2014)
American actor & comedian
My wish on this Valentine’s Day is that everyone feels loved. Dig deep. May no one feel alone, even if you are not. You are valued. You are worthy.
“I believe that the greatest gift you can give your family and the world is a healthy you.”
— Joyce Meyer (1943 – )
American Christian author and speaker
Photo by Zac Durant
“Freedom is not America’s gift to the world; it is Almighty God’s gift to every man and woman in this world.”
— George W. Bush (1946 – )
American politician, businessman, & former US Air Force officer
43rd President of the U.S. (1995 – 2000)
On National Peppermint Patty Day we celebrate the peppermint-filled chocolate goodies. The oldest is credited to the Quiggins family on the Isle of Man in the middle of the northern Irish Sea in 1840. Perhaps the best known, the York Peppermint Patties, joined us 100 years later. Treat yourself to your favorite peppermint patty today!
Photo by Brett Jordan
“Freedom is not worth having if it does not connote freedom to err.”
— Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)
Indian lawyer, spiritual & political leader, and nonviolent resistance advocate
“The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others.”
— Albert Schweitzer (1875 – 1965)
German-French polymath, philosopher, physician & Nobel laureate
I am confident our purpose does not include mocking, scorning, or judging those who believe differently than we do. We all have the same human rights to be both right and wrong. Compassion bridges differing perspectives. Regardless of hateful, divisive, distrustful, or misguided rhetoric, we all win when we exercise patience, especially with those who lack compassion.
“I predict that one of these two teams will win the Super Bowl.”
— Gilbert Gottfried (1955 – 2022)
American stand-up comedian & actor
May the best (Patriots) team (Patriots) win (Patriots)!
Go Pats!
Photo by Michal Navrat
“You must first be a believer if you would be an achiever.”
— Unknown
“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.”
J. R. R. (John Ronald Reuel) Tolkien (1892 – 1973)
English writer, poet & scholar
Photo by Brett Jordan
“It takes as much courage to have tried and failed as it does to have tried and succeeded.”
— Anne Morrow Lindbergh (1906 – 2001)
American writer & aviator
Photo by Marek Studzinski
“Be courteous to all, but intimate with few; and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence.”
— George Washington (1732-1799)
US statesman; 1st US President (1789-97)
General of the Revolutionary Army; surveyor, farmer
On National Feed the Birds Day, let’s remember to help our feathered friends a bit. Typically, I don’t suggest feeding the birds unless you can do it all through the winter season. But this has been a particularly harsh winter, so on this day of days, go for it! Sunflower seeds or a chunk of suet with lots of seeds attached helps give them the fat they need to make up for no insects to gobble up.
For National Groundhog Day, we all got the news we did not want…. Winter is not ending early. This past weekend, North Carolina set a record, getting snow in all 100 counties with 17” in much of the southeastern coast, including a whopping 19.5” in Peletier. (We got lucky…. Just 6 or 7”.) Mount Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi, has only gotten 11” of snow for this entire season. Crazy.
So, will Punxsutawney Phil be correct? Another 6 weeks of winter? We usually only get a total of 6 weeks of winter, so I think we emerge within the next 2. Friends up north AND in Florida repeatedly say they have had more than enough of this winter already. Happy Hour on the deck, anyone? Come on, Spring!
Photo by James Lee
“We have flown the air like birds and swum the sea like fishes, but we have yet to learn the simple act of walking the earth like brothers.”
— Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929 – 1968)
American Baptist minister & civil rights activist
“Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge.”
— Charles Darwin (1809 – 1882)
English naturalist, geologist, and biologist
Photo by Carolyn Christine
“Never interrupt someone doing something you said couldn’t be done.”
— Amelia Earhart (1897 – 1937 disappeared)
American aviation pioneer
Photo by Precheur Martinique
“As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy.”
— Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)
American statesman; 16th U.S. President: 1861-65;
assassinated following Civil War
“Growing old is no more than a bad habit which a busy man has no time to form.”
— Andre Maurois (1885 – 1967)
French author
A dear friend sent me the attached video. Lovely music and sweet sentiments about our birthday thinking. (Thank you, Bevy, dahhhhling!) Growing older is a blessing; growing up is optional.
Photo by Caleb Gregory
“I wanted a perfect ending. Now I’ve learned, the hard way, that some poems don’t rhyme, and some stories don’t have a clear beginning, middle, and end.”
— Gilda Radner (1946 – 1989)
American actress and comedian
Even if it didn’t happen yesterday… please, let’s be good to each other… today and every day going forward.
“Before you give up hope, turn back and read the attacks that were made on Lincoln.”
— Bruce Fairchild Barton (1886 – 1967)
American author, advertising executive;
NY politician, US House of Representatives (1937 – 41)
Don’t let chaos drive you crazy. Never give up. Never lose hope!
Photo by Adam Nemeroff
“Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear, and the blind can see.”
— Mark Twain (1835-1910)
19th Century American author and humorist;
pen name for Samuel Langhorne Clemens
We can choose to be rabid in our righteousness… or we can choose to be compassionate in our common humanity.
Photo by Katelyn Perry
Perfect for National Compliment Day:
“We’re not getting older, we’re getting BETTER!”
Okay… now you say it to me.
“‘History repeats itself’ and ‘History never repeats itself’ are about equally true… We never know enough about the infinitely complex circumstances of any past event to prophesy the future by analogy.”
— George Macaulary Trevelyan (1876 – 1962)
English historian
Celebrate National Southern Food Day. This is a cuisine smothered in YUM! Go for fried chicken, barbecue, catfish, grits, biscuits, gumbo, peach cobbler, jambalaya, fish dip, and soooo much more!
Today we offer Zesty Gumbo Kebabs, originally published in “Dockside Dining: A Second Helping” in 2014.
Zesty Gumbo Kebabs
We love grilling and often prep a variety of foods to serve as large or mini kebabs. With this recipe, use your favorites: kielbasa, sausage, chicken, shrimp, and/or meatballs, plus fruits and veggies.
24 slices (3/4 – 1” thick) kielbasa and/or spicy chicken, meatballs, or pork
6 links sausage, cooked
24 large or x-large raw shrimp, shelled & deveined
24 chunks pineapple or peach
2 sweet red bell peppers, cut in a total of 24 (1”) chunks
3 fresh, thin zucchini, not peeled, cut in a total of 24 slices
Other veggies, such as slices of fresh corn on the cob, mushroom caps, cherry tomatoes, or chunks of sweet onion
1 small can frozen limeade concentrate (about 1 cup)
¼ c virgin olive oil
¼ – 1/3 c your favorite hot sauce (such as Mike’s Red Hot)
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded & finely chopped
On 12 metal or warm water-soaked bamboo skewers, threat proteins, veggies, & fruit, alternating for color (or cooking each type all together, as you prefer). Mix remaining ingredients together and drizzle or brush over prepared kebabs in dish with sides. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour. Grill 5 min per side on cooking oil sprayed med-hot grill, basting with marinade. Serve over hot rice. Makes 6 entrée servings of 2 skewers or 12 tapas kebabs.
KISS Note: Do not marinate longer than 1 hour. The citrus in lime literally starts to “cook” the shrimp, as when making ceviche.