Today is...

National Lemonade Day

Today is National Lemonade Day! Lemonade originated in the Mediterranean region in the 13th century and the recipe eventually made its way to Europe and then to America. The beverage was sold as an everyday refreshment and as a tonic, used to treat colds and other ailments. In France, you could purchase a glass from street vendors known as “lemoadiers.”

To celebrate National Lemonade Day, make your own homemade lemonade to share with friends and family. Dissolve 2 cups of sugar in 1 cup of hot water. Then stir in 2 cups of freshly squeezed lemon juice and 1 gallon of cold water. Pour into glasses filled with ice and garnish with a lemon slice and a sprig of mint. Enjoy!

 August is National Goat Cheese Month & National Peach Month & National Water Quality Month


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History for August 20   1741 - Danish navigator Vitus Jonas Bering discovered Alaska. 1866 - It was formally declared by U.S. President Andrew Johnson that the American Civil War was over. The fighting had stopped months earlier. 1882 - Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture" debuted in Moscow. 1940 - France fell to the Germans during World War II. 1945 - Tommy Brown of the Brooklyn Dodgers became the youngest player to hit a home run in a major-league ball game. Brown was 17 years, 8 months and 14 days old. 1953 - It was announced by the Soviet Union that they had detonated a hydrogen bomb. 1985 - The original Xerox 914 copier was presented to the Smithsonian Institute's Museum of American History. Chester Carlson was the man who invented the machine. _________________________________________________________ "The secret of success is constancy of purpose." --Benjamin Disraeli

Today is...

National Zucchini Day

It’s National Zucchini Day! Today we celebrate this versatile green vegetable and all the delicious dishes we can make with it.

The common zucchini is a close relative of the cucumber and the melon. It is a type of squash that comes from Italy. In fact, the name “zucchini” comes from the word “zucchino,” which means “small squash” in Italian. The largest zucchini on record was 69.5 inches long and weighed 65 pounds! It probably wouldn’t have tasted very good though. For the best flavor, always choose a small or medium sized zucchini.

To celebrate National Zucchini Day, plan a dinner menu full of this healthy vegetable! Grill it, bake it into bread, or add it to a salad. Bon appétit!

Today is also Happiness Happens Day

August is National Goat Cheese Month & National Peach Month & National Water Quality Month

 

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History for August 8   1588 - The Spanish Armada was defeated by the English fleet ending an invasion attempt. 1899 - The refrigerator was patented by A.T. Marshall. 1945 - During World War II, the Soviet Union declared war on Japan. 1999 - Wade Boggs got his 3,000th hit of his major league baseball career. 2000 - The submarine H.L. Hunley was raised from ocean bottom after 136 years. The sub had been lost during an attack on the U.S.S. Housatonic in 1864. The Hunley was the first submarine in history to sink a warship. _________________________________________________ "Life is made up of small pleasures. Happiness is made up of those tiny successes. The big ones come too infrequently. And if you don’t collect all these tiny successes the big ones don’t really mean anything." --Norman Lear

Today is...

National Fettuccine Alfredo Day

It’s National Fettuccine Alfredo Day! Fettuccine Alfredo is a delicious pasta dish made with fettuccine (a flat ribbon-cut noodle) tossed with butter, cream, and melted Parmesan cheese.

Did you know why there are so many different pasta shapes and textures? Each one holds sauce in a slightly different way. For example, wide noodles (like Fettuccine) are best suited to thick cream sauces while short or hollow shapes (like Rotini or Penne) work best with chunky tomato-based sauces.

A chef named Alfredo di Lelio served the first plate of Fettuccine Alfredo in 1914. His wife had just given birth to their first son and hadn’t regained her appetite. He invented the dish to entice her into eating again, and it worked! Soon after he began serving it at his restaurant in Rome.

Fettuccine Alfredo is delicious on its own, or with vegetables and seafood on top. To celebrate National Fettuccine Alfredo Day, cook this delicious pasta dish to serve to family and friends. Bon appétit!

This week is Boy Scout Anniversary Week & International Friendship Week

February is Black History Month & Potato Lover's Month & National Weddings Month

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History for February 7   1882 - The last bare knuckle fight for the heavyweight boxing championship took place in Mississippi City. 1893 - Elisha Gray patented a machine called the telautograph. It automatically signed autographs to documents. 1936 - The U.S. Vice President’s flag was established by executive order. 1941 - The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra and Frank Sinatra recorded "Everything Happens to Me." 1943 - The U.S. government announced that shoe rationing would go into effect in two days. 1984 - Space shuttle astronauts Bruce McCandless II and Robert L. Stewart made the first untethered space walk. 1985 - Sports Illustrated released its annual swimsuit edition. It was the largest regular edition in the magazine’s history at 218 pages. 1985 - "New York, New York" became the official anthem of the Big Apple.

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"Since the mind is a specific bio-computer, it needs specific instructions and directions. The reason most people never reach their goals is that they don’t define them, or ever consider them as believable or achievable."

--Denis Waitley

Daily Challenge

Share 1 easy way to add fruit to your breakfast.

How to do it:

What is one easy way you can add fruit to your breakfast? It can be any type of fruit you enjoy (fresh, frozen, dried, or canned), or prepared any way you like. For instance, you could blend a cup of frozen blueberries with a cup of low-fat yogurt and make a smoothie. Or pour a bowl of whole grain cereal and top it with a banana. No need to provide a step-by-step recipe - just share the idea and why you like it.

Why it matters:

Fruit is delicious, easy to eat, and rich in important vitamins. It also contains fiber, which helps keep you feeling full as you make your way through your busy morning. Fit in a serving of fruit first thing, and you'll be on your way to a healthier day.

Let us know if you tried it.

Fun Fact:
Carbonized remains of apples indicate that people have been munching on apples for about 750,000 years, ever since Paleolithic food gatherers discovered sour, wild crab apples growing in Central Asia.