Anyone in New Hampshire in the mid-1980s may well remember local television exploding into a new era. New York television advertising executive, David Zamichow arrived as WMUR-TV’s new general manager in 1983. Smart, determined, and as visionary as they come, he then began orchestrating Channel 9’s transformation as skillfully as the finest symphony’s conductor. WMUR grew from a station that often had ABC wishing the network could disassociate completely into a station they touted as an example for all affiliates to follow.
David Zamichow launched many young careers into journalism and beyond, encouraged staff to be their best, and involved the station in many charitable and cultural endeavors. He sent teams to cover major events from Washington, DC to Los Angeles, CA, covering Presidents and Popes… and internationally, from the Panama Canal to the opening of the Berlin Wall and the Superpower Summit in Moscow. His tenacity and team leadership developed programming that lifted WMUR from 4th to 1st place in New Hampshire over the bigger Boston market stations.
Named 1988’s Broadcaster of the Year, David Zamichow led Channel 9 into a solid first-place NH viewership that soon topped all Boston stations’ combined viewership in the Granite State, and ultimately into 3rd place in Boston itself, previously unheard of from an “out-of-town” station. After a decade in New Hampshire, he then charged full steam ahead for the next 2 decades transforming Toledo, Ohio’s WTVG to similar success.
David Zamichow was both the toughest and finest boss I ever had. He made miracles out of a minuscule budget. He knew management, sales, production, engineering, and news. He could challenge us to the point of great exasperation, although I am certain that we caused him far more fathoms of infuriating frustration than we can imagine. But he believed in us, our team, and our potential. Unlike most managers, he could also lift us to be the very best we could be. Sure, he made us work CRAZY hard, but he also helped us sparkle and shine. He often shouldered the blame for big messes and gave us all the credit for super successes. David Zamichow has a heart of gold.
Few people positively touch so many lives so profoundly. We will never forget. Thank you. Bless you.
Happiest 80th Birthday wishes from us all to you, David Zamichow!
“Believe it is possible to solve your problem. Tremendous things happen to the believer. So, believe the answer will come. It will.”
For National Tortilla Chip Day, I decided to share my Super Simple way to make nachos. I love them to be extra cheesy, and I will gleefully eat them at any hour of the day or night. Yes, nachos for breakfast are superb!
Hubby is a huge fan of bananas. When he has a few bananas that did not get eaten before turning too soft, I turn them into banana bread for him. On this occasion, I made him 2 loaves… one plain and one with blueberries, which go very well with bananas.
KISS Tips: I always replace sugar now with granulated monkfruit or coconut sugar, which work beautifully in breads. For a yummy topping, crush a favorite streusel square or nut cluster, such as those with pecans, mangos, coconut, etc. Also, if you need more bananas, you can substitute applesauce, sour cream, or even yogurt for the moisture. Try spooning half the batter into one loaf pan and adding ½ c add-ins to the other half of the batter before spooning into a 2nd pan. If using blueberries, frozen ones work beautifully. Simply keep them in the freezer until you a ready to use them to prevent your batter from turning blue.
On this day in 1950, a remarkable man was born. He grew up as an only child, but never lost his childlike love of life. He loved sports, from tennis, golf, and baseball to hockey and football. Boats, particularly sailing, became a passion that lasted into his adulthood. Music became a powerful theme in his life, and he played in bands when he went to college. Then he settled down… as much as a man who lives in the moment possibly can. Sometimes deep and brooding, often crass and over-reactionary, this emotional soul has a heart of gold. The father of 4, I met him later in life. We were engaged to be married 5 months later. Being a step-Mom for his children became an immediate learning experience… and an utterly fulfilling portion of my life.
Unwind today, National Drink Wine Day, with a glass of your favorite vino… with or without alcohol… with or without bubbles.
Celebrate National Almond Day with the timeless Almond Joy candy bar. Or a snifter with some Amaretto. (Or perhaps both.)
On the 15th day of the first month in the lunisolar Chinese calendar, Lantern Festival is celebrated. Usually falling in February, it signifies the last day of the traditional Chinese New Year celebrations. Lanterns can be very simple or elegantly complex. But this would be a lovely day to light a lantern, even if we cannot see hundreds of them flying into the night sky together.
Because this is Superbowl Sunday, it’s also National Pork Rind Appreciation Day.
Okay, potato fans, let’s talk taters! Any style will do… one favorite crowd-pleaser is the basic Twice-Baked Potato. Trust me, they merely sound fancy, but they are Super Simple! And dinner guests always revel in the flavors.
These make ahead to this point beautifully and can be refrigerated or even frozen till you want to serve them. Before serving, bake (after thawing, if frozen) at 350°F for 20 minutes to warm through and to crisp up the cheese on top a bit. It’s also fun to add all sorts of other goodies inside… from some dried onion soup mix or thinly sliced green onions to cooked bacon bits.
Invented in 1908 by Italian restauranteur Alfredo di Lelio, this celebrated dish is simply noodles tossed in butter and parmesan cheese. Of course, we have a great many adaptations, many including adding a decadent alfredo sauce for more creaminess. We also toss in chicken or shrimp… or both. I also love alfredo with bacon, baby spinach, or mushrooms… or all of the above. However you choose to adorn your fettuccine alfredo, enjoy a hearty dish today!
“I’m not going to limit myself just because people won’t accept the fact that I can do something else.”
Stuffed mushrooms first appeared as a food item sometime between the mid-19th to early-20th Centuries. Culinary experts widely agree that they most likely originated with the Italians, as they are very much like the Italian stuffed zucchini, which has a much longer history. However, the French were the first to widely cultivate mushrooms for consumption. The brown cremini mushroom soared into popularity, followed by more gourmet varietals, such as shiitakes.
Cathy’s Mouth Watering Stuffed Mushrooms 2003
KISS Tips: Garnish the tops with bits of fresh parsley for a pretty finish. For great variations, consider additional protein additions, such as crabmeat or chopped chorizo sausage. Stuffed mushrooms also soar to a whole new level when you wrap them with pliable, but partially cooked strips of bacon before baking. Ohhhh, yeah!!!! I also like to pre-cook the mushroom caps to release some of their excess moisture. After removing stems, simply place them open-side down on a plate lined with a couple layers of paper toweling and microwave 2-3 minutes. Use paper towels to dab out extra water inside, which continues to emerge as they cool.
The famed Québécois dish called Poutine forms the center of a week of Food Festivals, especially in Canada, where the dish originated. French fries, topped with cheddar cheese curds and brown gravy started in the province of Québec, Canada, but the popularity of the interesting flavor and texture combinations has spread internationally. Some add fried chicken tenders; others add a generous sprinkle of crispy bacon crumbles.
This is our day to get super silly… leave someone a goofy message… a prank! Just be sure you tap in the correct phone number first! Just makeup something utterly senseless. “Mr. Ed may have had horse sense, but that doesn’t make Sponge Bob wear square pants.”
If you crinkled your mouth or furrowed your brown upon reading that word, you likely look like a curmudgeon! (Better to look like one than to behave like one.) Think of the stereotypical “grumpy old man.” A curmudgeon is a mean-spirited, nasty “buggah!”
This is National Chocolate Cake Day! So, let’s get right to it.
Whether you like to toss them on a salad or directly into your mouth, this is the official day to enjoy these little gems. According to the American Pistachio Growers Association, pistachios are compatible with everything from honey and chocolate (dark, milk, or white) to oranges, lemons, and dried fruits like raisins, dates, and apricots. Spices that work well with pistachios include saffron, cardamon, cloves, sea salt, and pink peppercorns.
In a salute to National Peanut Butter Day, let’s simply eat some straight out of the jar! I go for Super Chunk, personally. You should enjoy whatever version is your favorite… from homemade, all-natural to creamy extreme. Have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich… or pop some peanut butter between 2 Ritz crackers or a couple of pretzel flats… or melt it down and drizzle peanut butter over ice cream… or make a splendid Asian peanut sauce to toss with some rice noodles, veggies, and a fave protein.
“All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence, and then success is sure.” 