For National Coffee Ice Cream Day enjoy your ice cream as it is or with some extra coffee beans or chocolate chips.
Or mix some into a mudslide… along with some vodka, coffee liqueur, Bailey’s Irish Cream, heavy cream, and some ice. Hello Brainfreeze!
You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And you are the one who’ll decide where to go.
— Dr. Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel) (1904 – 1991)
American author & cartoonist
(Adopted the name “Dr. Seuss” while an undergraduate at Dartmouth College)
For National Macadamia Nut Day, enjoy them raw, roasted, or chocolate-covered.
Or try them cooked into a favorite bread, muffin, square, or fudge. They’re also great on chicken, fish, and pork, or tossed on a salad. Or try a little decadence, like my Hawaiian Macadamia Nut Bread.
Hawaiian Macadamia Nut Bread
Here’s a great way to enjoy the Polynesian flavors of Hawaii any time!
1 c flour
½ tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
½ c butter, softened to room temperature
½ c sugar (not a substitute)
¼ c brown sugar
2 lg eggs
2-3 T sour cream (full fat)
1 c mashed ripe banana
¼ c milk
1 T grated fresh orange peel
1 T pure vanilla extract
½ tsp almond extract
1 c flaked, unsweetened coconut
1 c crushed pineapple, drained
1 c chopped macadamia nuts
Topping:
¾ c coarsely chopped roasted macadamia nuts
¼ c finely chopped macadamia nuts
¼ c flaked, unsweetened coconut
2 T brown sugar
Combine flour, salt & baking soda in a small bowl; set aside. Cream butter and sugar together in a large bowl. Then beat in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the sour cream, banana, milk, orange peel, and extracts. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture just till combined. Then fold in coconut, pineapple, and nuts. Spoon batter into well-buttered (or parchment paper lined) 9×5” loaf pan. Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle on top, pressing down into the batter slightly. Bake in center of oven at 350°F for 1 hour. Test doneness by inserting a wooden toothpick into center. If it comes out clean, it’s done. (If not, let cook another 10 min. Test again.) Let cool 1 hour on wire rack; then remove from pan and let cool on the rack to room temperature. Store in refrigerator, wrapped airtight.
KISS Tip: I prefer roasted, salted macadamia nuts, but you can use raw, if you prefer.
“Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is relax.”
— Mark Black
Canadian author
For World Coconut Day enjoy coconut fresh or in a favorite dish. Try adding shredded coconut (or coconut milk or water) to rice, a favorite cookie or cake, in breading for fish, chicken, or shrimp, or in a soup, especially one with a little curry.
Or enjoy a coconut beverage, its own water or a fave concoction.
Today, we share Super Simple Apricot Macaroons!
Super Simple Apricot Macaroons
This is a tasty twist on the traditional all-coconut macaroon.
2/3 c sugar (not monkfruit or other substitute)
½ c finely chopped dried apricots
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
½ tsp fine sea salt
2 lg egg whites, lightly beaten
1 T finely grated lemon zest (about 1 lemon)
3 c (about 8 oz) finely shredded unsweetened coconut
Whisk together sugar, apricots, extract, salt, egg whites, and lemon zest in a large bowl. Add coconut, tossing till completely combined. Spoon into 12 mounds on 2 parchment lined baking sheets. Bake in upper & lower thirds of 350°F oven for 6-8 min. Rotate pans and bake for another 5-6 minutes, till the edges are lightly browned. Transfer to wire racks to cool.
KISS Tips: These can be stored airtight at room temperature for up to a week. You can also substitute another dried fruit, like peaches, pineapple, or mango for the dried apricots. A fun variation is dipping the bottoms of the baked cookies in some melted dark chocolate chips! Simply grease a small microwavable bowl with about 1 tsp solid coconut oil; microwave 1 c chocolate chips for 2-3 20-second intervals, stirring to complete the melting. After dipping cookies, let them cool in the fridge upside down for 15-20 min.
For more recipes, check out my other posts or find my cookbooks, in print and digital formats, online at sites like Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
While we celebrate Labor Day weekend, lots of burgers will hit the grills. Perfect, as we start Le Burger Week in our neighboring Canada. Enjoy!
For National Eat Outside Day,
we all know what to do!
Enjoy your picnic!
Hmmm… let’s see. How should we celebrate National Beach Day? Hah! Let’s go to the beach… or at least daydream about beaching it. Enjoy!
Success.
“I didn’t get there by wishing for it or hoping for it, but by working for it.”
— Estée Lauder (1908 – 2004)
American businesswoman
“Healing takes courage, and we all have courage, even if we have to dig a little to find it.”
— Tori Amos (1963 – )
American singer & songwriter
Image by Gerd Altmann
“All of our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.”
— Walt Disney (1901 – 1966)
American film producer, entrepreneur, and animation pioneer
“The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The leader adjusts the sails.”
— John Maxwell (1947 – 1969)
American author
“The ones who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.”
— Steve Jobs (1955 – 2011)
American businessman & inventor
Make them waffles; make them chaffles (cheesy, but no flour). Make them for breakfast; make them for dessert.
But this is the day to make ‘em!
Various days throughout the year have been established to recognize the blight on mankind’s history that slavery has been. Today is one of them… International Slavery Remembrance Day. Most of us are well aware that for hundreds of years, millions of Africans were captured, sold, and transported across lands and oceans to serve as slaves. In truth, humans have been enslaving each other since long before recorded history. Lauding power over other people in such an inhuman fashion is just one despicable part of our earthly existence. There are likely no people on this planet whose heritage does not include suffering at the evil hands of others. And this slice of man’s inhumanity to man continues today… worldwide. Yes, even in America. As I find myself saying far too often, we humans are very slow to evolve. Yet, we must keep trying. Never give up the fight for equal dignity for all people and a world without racism, discrimination, bigotry, and hatred.
“Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom.”
— Lao Tzu (aka Laozi) (6th Century BC – 5th Century BC )
Ancient Chinese philosopher
My actions and words have told you who I am for years. (Love me or hate me, but you know me.) Now… If you were paying attention and saw that I suddenly advocated in opposition to what I have already done and said, you would rightly wonder what on earth was going on with me. Just saying, though it’s not happening.
Let us keep our eyes, ears, and minds open to actuality.
“It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.”
— E.E. Cummings (aka ee cummings) (1894 – 1962)
American poet and playwright
“Learn from yesterday. Live for today. Hope for tomorrow. The important thing is to not stop questioning.”
— Albert Einstein (1879-1955)
German-born theoretical physicist
“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.”
— Pablo Picasso (1881 – 1973)
Spanish painter & sculptor
“Definitions belong to the definer, not the defined.”
— Toni Morrison (1931 – 2019)
American novelist and editor
Celebrate National Rum Day with a favorite rum cocktail. Great for summer is an icy cold punch.
Orange Pineapple Rum Punch.
Ice
1 ½ oz coconut or spiced rum, as you prefer
2 oz orange juice
1 ½ oz pineapple juice
Orange slice, for garnish
Fill a glass with ice. Add the rum and juices, stirring with a bar spoon. Garnish and serve.
KISS Tip: A festive and colorful twist comes from following the ice with ½ oz grenadine.
Photo by Chris Thompson
Celebrate National Relaxation Day by simply chilling out. Set all the stress aside… skip the political rhetoric… turn the page on the naysayers… cancel the chaos… embrace serenity and inner peace. Chill, Baby!
“Relaxation is not laziness. It’s about finding balance and taking care of yourself.”
— Elizabeth Scott (1972 – )
American author
“You are never too old to set another goal or dream a new dream.”
— C. S. Lewis (1898 – 1963)
British writer & theologian
“Hope is a waking dream.”
— Aristotle (384BC-322BC)
Ancient Greek philosopher & polymath
August 12th is an annual day to celebrate the shoestring fried potatoes. A French favorite since the early 1700s, julienne cut fries are cut in thin, uniform matchsticks. These are the opposite of the thick, meaty steak-cut fries, so on National Julienne Fries Day, give your salty, crispy side a taste. My fave are Truffle Fries, which I always choose when I spy them on a menu. Enjoy my Super Simple way to make them at home.
Super Simple Truffle Fries
If making your fries from scratch, remember to soak your raw potatoes in cold, salted (and/or sugared) water for 20-30 min. AND fry them twice, as it’s the second frying that gives them crispness.
Favorite frozen French fries (shoestring style, of course, but any cuts work fine)
Truffle oil
Parmesan cheese, finely grated (or shredded)
Sea salt (& pepper, if you like)
Finely minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
Bake the fries per pkg directions. Drizzle with a little truffle oil and toss to distribute. Sprinkle with cheese and seasonings. Garnish with parsley and serve hot.
KISS Notes: Truffles are a type of mushroom. Truffle oil is a neutral oil, infused with peelings of white truffles. Truffles are exotic. For example, black truffles can sell for anywhere between $300 – 1,000 per pound, and white truffles can fetch $4,000 a pound. Because white truffles have a stronger flavor, their peelings are used to infuse oil. Truffle oil is also great on risotto and in creamy sauces like alfredo.
Photo by Antonino Visali
“A day without laughter is a day wasted.”
— Charlie Chaplin (1889-1977)
English comic actor
Let us never let even the darkest day be totally wasted.
“Do not begrudge the pain you’ve endured. It’s the hells we survive that make us both strong and gentle.”
— Cathy Burnham Martin (1954 – )
American author, voiceover artist, and dedicated foodie
For more encouraging tips check out 2019’s “Encouragement: How to Be and Find the Best” in paperback, digital, and audiobook formats.
For “Hold Hands Day” take a moment to spread love and show kindness. We all know that there is never quite enough of either in this world.
“If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.”
— Dolly Parton (1946 – )
American singer, songwriter, and actress
On August 7th each year, National Sea Serpent Day commemorates the sightings of sea serpents, sea dragons, and sea monsters. Sea serpent lore may have been inspired by oarfish which can grow to be 50 feet long, but they are rarely seen because they live thousands of feet below the ocean’s surface. But, who knows!?!
“Let your hopes, not your hurts, shape your future.”
— Robert H. Schuller (1926-2015)
American Christian pastor & author
“Keep your face always toward the sunshine, and shadows will fall behind you.”
— Walt Whitman (1819 – 1892)
American poet
For National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day, serve them up fresh and warm, so those luscious chocolate bits melt in your mouth! Doctor these cookies up any way you’d like… from adding various nuts seeds, dried cranberries, or shredded coconut. With coconut in mind, enjoy my Almond Joyous Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe.
Almond Joyous Chocolate Chip Cookies
A Super Simple twist to the traditional chocolate chip cookies of our youth.
3 c almond flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp fine sea salt
¼ c liquid coconut oil (not the solid version)
¼ c 100% pure maple syrup
1 large whole egg
2 whole egg whites
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 c dark chocolate chips
½ c sliced almonds
½ c shredded coconut
Combine flour, baking soda and sea salt; set aside. Mix coconut oil & maple syrup till creamy, but not fully incorporated. Add egg, egg whites, and vanilla and continue mixing. Slowly add flour mixture to egg mixture. Stir in chocolate chips, almonds, and coconut till well combined. Place large rounded tablespoonfuls onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets, about 1” apart. Flatten slightly to 1” thickness. Bake at 375°F 12-15 minutes, just till set and golden. Makes 2 dozen.
Originated by the Mount Horeb Mustard Museum in Middleton, Wisconsin, the first Saturday of August is National Mustard Day, when we celebrate one of America’s favorite condiments.
Serve it up on your hot dogs or with pretzels… or with a pretzel-wrapped hotdog. Choose from yellow, Dijon, stone ground country style, or honey to horseradish, sweet onion, Chinese, bacon, cranberry, maple or more.
Got mustard?
Enjoy your ice cream any way you may want, but today is the day to glob it between a couple of favorite cookies! Celebrate National Ice Cream Sandwich Day!
“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.”
— T.S. Eliot (1888 – 1965)
American poet, essayist, and playwright
“If you want to fly, give up everything that weighs you down.”
— Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama)
(5th or 6th Century BC)
Indian religious teacher
Friends always have our backs, whether we know it or not. On the International Day of Friendship and every other day, I am thankful for a wealth of dear friends. Thank you dearly. I am grateful for all relationships worldwide that promote and encourage compassion and friendship.
For National Chicken Wing Day, serve ‘em up any way you like ‘em! Baked, fried, grilled, or roasted all work fabulously.
The same goes for seasonings. Make ‘em cheesy or BBQ sauced, sweet or savory.
If you are grilling and like Buffalo-style, enjoy my “Moon Over Buffalo Chicken Wings” from 2015’s Dockside Dining: Back for Thirds.
Moon Over Buffalo Chicken Wings
Cook wings directly on the grill for some yummy extra flavor!
24 chicken wings, separated (tips discarded)
½ c butter, melted
1 c Frank’s Red Hot original sauce
2 T celery seeds
Bake the wings on foil pans in single layer over indirect heat in med-hot (350°F) closed grill for 15-20 min, turning once. (Preheat entire grill, but put pan to one side of grill. After closing the cover, shut the heat off directly under the pan.) Meanwhile, combine butter, sauce & seeds. Dip the wings in the sauce, coating well and return to the indirect heat side of the grill, closing the cover and reducing heat to low (250-275°F), letting cook for another 10-15 min, turning once. Serve hot with blue cheese or ranch dressing on the side, along with celery sticks, carrot sticks, or thin slices of sweet bell pepper. Makes 4 dozen pieces.
KISS Tip: For Blazin’ Buffalo Wings, follow the above recipe, but after dipping the cooked wings in the sauce, place them all on your foil tray and sprinkle with a combination of 2 T chili powder and 1 T cayenne pepper. Return to the grill as directed.