Recipes

[RespectLife]

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@ChiliPepper wrote:

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@RespectLife wrote:

Red Licorice Day...YAY!

Tax Day....BOOOO !!!

@ChiliPepper 

I don't think I am adventurous enuf to try to make my own licorice!!!

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@RespectLife 

Ya, me neither. I didn't even realize you COULD make licorice.

It doesn't look as hard as I thought. Maybe into the "When I Retire" pile!

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ha ha @ChiliPepper 

My retirement pile is almost to the ceiling!

[ChiliPepper]

[ChiliPepper]

Remember these boxes with the string??? Loved them though now I cringe at the thought of animals in cages!!!

I guess it's supposed to mimic a railroad train car.

[ChiliPepper]

What’s Trending: National Animal Crackers Day

We’re serving up a bit of nostalgia in this week’s What’s Trending, celebrating National Animal Crackers Day with some fun facts about the beloved snack.

Did you know…

• The crackers originated in England, where they were called animal biscuits.
• In 1902 they became known as “Barnum’s animals” named after the country’s greatest showman, P.T. Barnum. that’s when they adopted a circus theme.
• Also, in 1902 you could buy a box for only 5
• Today’s crackers come in 16 shapes: a tiger, cougar, camel, rhino, kangaroo, hippo, bison, hyena, zebra, elephant, sheep, bear, gorilla, monkey, seal and giraffe.
• The only animals to remain in the bag since 1902 are the bear, elephant, lion and tiger.

Now here’s an interesting bit of trivia…

In Shirley Temple’s 1935 song “animal crackers in my soup” she says “monkeys and rabbits loop the loop.”

But did you ever check for a rabbit?

You won’t find one.

There has never been a rabbit cracker.

More than 40 million packages of animal crackers are sold each year in 17 countries.

You can celebrate National Animal Cookie Day by reminiscing on a childhood snack.

Be sure to capture the moment and use the hashtag #NationalAnimalCrackersDay

[ChiliPepper]

Animal Cracker FAQ

Q. How many calories are in a serving of animal crackers?

A. A one-ounce serving of animal crackers contains approximately 120 calories.

Q. Why was there a string on some boxes of animal crackers?

A. That string that was once attached to a box of animal crackers used to allow parents to hang the box on the Christmas tree like an ornament.

Nabisco first introduced the stringed box in 1902. However, in 2018, a redesign of the packaging eliminated not only the string but the image of caged animals. The new artwork depicted wild animals on an African backdrop.

[ChiliPepper]

Homemade Animal Crackers

With this healthy and fun Homemade Animal Crackers Recipe you can easily make and indulge in favorite iconic treats at home with your family!

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Chill Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 2 minutes

Servings: 25 cookies

Ingredients:

• 9 tablespoons (4 ½ oz/129 g) butter, softened
• ¼ cup (2 oz/57 g) granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup (5 oz/142 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (5 oz/142 g) whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions:

1. In a medium mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and honey until well combined.

2. Add the egg and vanilla, and continue to whisk until smooth.

3. In a separate bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder and cinnamon, then mix this into your butter mixture. You might need to get in there with your hands and knead it just until it comes together.

4. Shape the dough into a flattened disc, wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. (You can use it straight away but it's a little easier to roll when it has chilled for a bit.)

5. Pre-heat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

6. On a lightly floured surface, roll half of the dough to a ¼-inch (6 mm) thickness. (Keep the remaining dough covered and in the refrigerator to stay cold until you are ready to roll it.)

7. Using Animal Cookie Cutters (or any cookie cutters of your choice) cut out the dough into shapes. Place the crackers 1-inch (3 cm) apart onto the prepared baking sheets.

8. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until lightly golden brown around the edges.

9. Let cool for at least 5 minutes on the baking sheets before enjoying. Stored cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 7 days.

Recipe Notes:

• Make Ahead Tip: make the dough, cut the shapes and freeze the cookies on a parchment-lined tray. Once frozen, transfer to an airtight container for up to 2 months. Then, you can bake off fresh crackers whenever you want them!
• I like the addition of whole wheat, but I don't recommend using 100% whole wheat and no white flour as it will make for heavy dough.
• Be sure that your butter is very soft or it may be difficult to cream.
• You can also mix this dough in a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, on medium speed.
• Instead of using cling wrap, you can chill this dough in a reusable airtight container.
• You can gather and reroll your dough scraps to get more cookies. If the dough gets too soft, refrigerate for 15 minutes before rerolling.
• If you enjoyed this recipe, try my Homemade Goldfish Crackers next!
• Here are the Animal Cookie Cutters that I used. 

[RespectLife]

@ChiliPepper 

I was looking a while back for those little circus boxes of animals crackers to put in my grands stockings!

I couldn't find them (locally)

I just bought DH a bag of Chocolate Animal Crackers...big kid!!!

[RespectLife]

@ChiliPepper 

That is so interesting on the Animal Cracker Facts!!!

One of my fav movies lately is The Greatest Showman which is a musical loosely based on PT Barnum!!!

Hugh Jackman is one heck of a singer and dancer.....don't mind me some Zac Effron either!  (his character was made up...but I didn't mind!  heee heeee)

If you haven't, watch it sometime....it is usually on.  The songs and dancing are great!

[ChiliPepper]

[ChiliPepper]

NATIONAL GARLIC DAY

Each year on April 19th, National Garlic Day celebrates a vegetable also known as the stinking rose. The fragrant and potent root has been seasoning dishes for thousands of years. 

 

This stinking rose is a member of the lily family. This family also includes the flavorful onions, leeks, and shallots we use in some of our favorite dishes.

Garlic originated in Asia over 7,000 years ago, so it's no surprise that cuisines worldwide incorporate it into favored recipes. 

Garlic is quite versatile as illustrated by its many medicinal purposes. The mighty bulb is considered an herbal remedy for colds and may reduce blood pressure and cholesterol. Modern science has also proven garlic's antibiotic properties.

Myth and superstition reek of garlic. The most familiar one suggests that garlic wards off vampires.

This same theory seemed to work on witches, werewolves, demons and other such evils one might cross. Folklore also tells us garlic grew from satan's left footprint when he left the Garden of Eden.

Greek midwives used garlic to keep evil spirits away, and courage filled Roman soldiers who consumed the bulb.

Consider our dreams and garlic too. Our dreams often have meaning and dreaming of garlic is no different. To dream about garlic in the house suggests good luck and if the dream includes eating garlic (perhaps in a pesto sauce), there might be hidden secrets.

Over 300 varieties of garlic grow around the world to dream about as well!