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Saturday, April 13, 2019

Day of the Mushroom Review

Basket of Picked Mushrooms (Wikipedia)

Mushroom Day, or Day of the Mushroom, is celebrated each year on April 16. No one appears to know who created Mushroom Day (or why), but it has become quite popular on cooking and recipe websites,

What is a Mushroom?

Definition per Wikipedia: A mushroom, or toadstool, is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or on its food source.

Many kinds of mushrooms are poisonous. The mushrooms most of us care about are the 'edible mushrooms'. The most common of these are the white mushrooms or button mushrooms many of us use in cooking. A couple other popular edible mushrooms are the Portobello and the shiitake mushrooms.

We have always been told that the mushroom is a fungi, but to further classify it, the Department of Agriculture considers mushrooms to be vegetables because they provide many of the same nutritional attributes of vegetables. For a complete history of the edible mushroom, click here.

Celebrating Mushroom Day

There are numerous ways to eat mushrooms and dozens of dishes which use mushrooms as an ingredient. To celebrate Day-of-the-Mushroom you probably should fix a favorite mushroom recipe.

I never ate mushrooms as a child, being a very fussy eater who wouldn't 'try' new things. So it wasn't until I was grown, married and a parent that I was introduced to a mushroom treat that changed the way I thought about mushrooms forever more!

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms by Small Town Woman

We had moved to the Central Coast of California near San Luis Obispo and a new neighbor invited us over. There were several appetizers prior to the meal, one of which was a plate of Atascadero Stuffed Mushrooms. Now, Atascadero Mushrooms are well known in the central coast area of California. This was our first introduction to these mushrooms. They look like button mushrooms, but are very large.

Our host had fixed them by cutting off the stems, chopping them and mixing them with crabmeat, bread crumbs & seasonings then stuffing them back into the base of the mushroom cap, sprinkling Parmesan cheese on top and popping them in the oven. The taste ~ unbelievably good. I became a mushroom fan immediately.

If you want to try your own crab-stuffed mushrooms, this recipe on a blog by Small Town Woman for Quick and Creamy Crab Stuffed Mushrooms sounds fabulous and close to the stuffed mushrooms which won me over to being a mushroom lover.

Mushroom Decor and More…

The mushroom has become so popular over the years, that it is enjoyed in more ways than just as food. Many home décor items are decorated with scenes of mushrooms and mushrooms appear on wearable items such as T-shirts.

The mushroom has even become a fun toy item.

Mushroom Garden Interactive Toy

I love this colorful Mushroom Garden educational interactive toddler toy. It lights up, has music and fun sounds, and teaches colors and numbers. It also has a memory game. Tots have fun and learn at the same time.

So enjoy the DAY-OF-THE-MUSHROOM on April 16.

Related Mushroom Dates:

Stuffed Mushroom Day – February 4
National Mushroom Day – October 14

For more holiday reviews, check out:

ReviewThisReviews: Holidays

Holiday Review written by Wednesday Elf

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Saturday, March 30, 2019

Review of Stouffer's Escalloped Chicken and Noodles

Collage of Stouffer's Escalloped Chicken and Noodles

I remember being introduced to Stouffer's Frozen Foods as a teenager in the 1950s when my Uncle Pete went to work for them in Cleveland (the home base of the company). Frozen foods were fairly new to us at the time and my parents found them to be very handy for quick dinners after working all day.

I found the Stouffer's meals delicious and, as a result, I have been a fan of them ever since. I have tried a large variety of frozen dinners over the years, but none as good as Stouffer's.

My very favorite is Stouffer's Escalloped Chicken and Noodles, a hearty combination of white meat chicken, egg noodles, mushrooms, celery, carrots and peas in a creamy sauce

Old-Fashioned Home-Cooked Escalloped Chicken Recipe

An old-fashioned 'from-scratch' recipe for Escalloped Chicken comes from the Garden City Cookbook (Centennial Edition) published in 1979 by The Community Church

My in-laws lived in Garden City, Kansas and this cookbook was compiled by church members to celebrate the 100 year anniversary of the first church in Garden City and dedicated to all of the brave pioneers who in 1879 organized the First Congregational Church in town. First published in 1908 and revised and re-published in 1930, this cookbook is the 1979 edition.

The recipes contained in this Garden City Cookbook were favorites of current church members, many of which were passed down from generation to generation.

Aunt Alta's Escalloped Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

1 can mushrooms
1 (4-5 lb.) stewing hen or large fryer
Salt
Celery Salt
Paprika
2 c. fine cracker crumbs
1 recipe of white sauce

WHITE SAUCE:

4 T. chicken fat or butter or oleo
3 heaping T. flour
Broth from chicken and juice from mushrooms
1 c. milk or cream

INSTRUCTIONS:

Boil and then simmer hen until tender and done. Take meat from the bone and cut in small pieces about ¾-inch long.

Make medium white sauce. Put layer of cracker crumbs in flat pan and then a layer of chicken and mushrooms. Season to taste with salt, red pepper and celery salt. Pour almost half the sauce over this and make another layer of each. Pour remaining sauce over this and sprinkle cracker crumbs on top and a little paprika. Bake 450◦ for 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the depth of the pan.

*Author's Note: This 'from-scratch' Escalloped Chicken recipe does not call for noodles, but I imagine noodles could be added or even served on the side or spoon the dish over cooked noodles. If you choose to use cream instead of milk, you will find that the dish is very rich. Yum.

Additional Notes:

Source: Pixabay

This long-ago 'from-scratch recipe is a bit amusing to read, especially the parts about the 'chicken fat' and referring to the chicken as a 'stewing hen'. These are terms we don't use much today. Garden City, Kansas, back in the day, was primarily a farm-based small town in western Kansas, so I can imagine many of the 'stewing hens' were raised by the farmers for their own use. If you were to ask today's 'kids' about where chickens come from, they'd no doubt say “the grocery store” (unless they are farm kids).

Summary

If you want to make your own homemade escalloped chicken, try the old-fashioned recipe I've featured in this article.

Or try the one I found online on the Go, Go, Go Gourmet blog for a homemade recipe that duplicates the Stouffer's dish called Stouffers Copycat Escalloped Chicken and Noodles.

When you want the same as a quick, and delicious, dish, use Stouffer's Escalloped Chicken and Noodles.

For quick, yet tasty, dishes with a wide variety of choices, give Stouffer's Frozen Meals a try.

Happy Eating

For more food recipes, check out:

ReviewThisRecipes.com

Review & Recipe by (c) Wednesday Elf 3/23/2019

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Saturday, March 16, 2019

Review of Spring Training in Baseball

Baseball, baseball glove and bat lying on grass

Source: Pixabay

Spring Training is a period of training and exhibition play beginning in late February and lasting up to Opening Day of Major League Baseball.

For about four weeks, experienced players and rookies alike train and play at small parks in Arizona or Florida, getting ready for the beginning of the baseball season. It is a unique baseball experience for fans, giving them up-close access to favorite players and a chance to see blossoming prospects who could go on to be the next big star.

For me, the Baseball Contributor here on Review This and a huge baseball fan, Spring Training is a sign that the long, cold winter is nearing an end and warm weather and the joys of baseball season are about to begin. I believe in the quote:

Collage of baseball and crossed bats with a winter scene depicting favorite baseball quote

Spring Training

Baseball Spring Training Postcard

by tjssportsmania

Spring Training is nearly as old as baseball itself, although it was not the big business it is today with designated parks just for Spring Training games and winter excursion packages to games in Arizona and Florida for snow-weary fans.

In bygone days, training games were held locally to save money, training indoors in inclement weather. Later, teams began training in the south, but there were no organized training leagues until after 1910. Today it is as much a marketable enterprise as the regular baseball season with two distinct leagues, one in Florida and one in Arizona.

Cactus League in Arizona

Source: Pixabay

The Cactus League holds spring training in the desert for teams from both leagues (American and National). These teams are generally located around Phoenix and include:

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Arizona Diamondbacks
Chicago Cubs
Cincinnati Reds
Cleveland Indians
Colorado Rockies
Chicago White Sox
Kansas City Royals

Grapefruit League in Florida

Scene of a Florida beach with palm trees

Source: Pixabay

The Grapefruit League holds spring training in various parts of Florida, both the Gulf coast and the Atlantic coast. This league includes the following teams:

Atlanta Braves
Baltimore Orioles
Boston Red Sox
Houston Astros
Miami Marlins
Minnesota Twins
New York Mets
New York Yankees
Philadelphia Phillies
Pittsburgh Pirates
St. Louis Cardinals
Tampa Bay Rays
Toronto Blue Jays
Washington Nationals

Following is a famous quote by Roger Hornsby, the well-known second baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals (1915-1919), that definitely says how I feel when there is no baseball.

Summary

Will you be attending any Spring Training games this year, or have you done so in the past? Leave me a comment telling me where you went and what team you got to see.

Mary Beth Granger at the St. Louis Cardinals Spring Training site in Jupiter, Florida

*Blog Note: Mary Beth Granger, our own MbgPhoto here on Review This, travels with her husband to Jupiter, Florida each February to attend their beloved St. Louis Cardinals Spring Training games.

For the rest of us, join me in welcoming the beginning of the Major League Baseball season and the fact that this represents an end to winter and the return of the 'Boys of Summer'.

For More Baseball Reviews, Check Out ReviewThisReviews: Baseball

Lets Play Ball!

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Saturday, March 2, 2019

Review of Sherpa Theme Slipper Socks

Sherpa Theme Socks

Having lived in the South for many years, I recently returned to the Midwest, resulting in something I had been pretty much able to avoid in Georgia ~ Winter! Knowing my intense dislike of cold weather, my darling daughter gifted me with a very welcome item – fleece lined slipper socks.

The slipper socks she sent me are the Sherpa Theme Socks, which are fleece lined knit socks that are non-slip, very warm and cozy. They are perfect for lounging on the couch with a book on these cold winter days here in Iowa. Especially after an hour or two of shoveling the snow out of my driveway! Off with the boots ~ on with the fleecy warm Sherpa socks.

Sherpa Slipper Socks

These Sherpa slipper socks are made of polyester and a bit of Spandex. The fleece lining is super thick, making them very warm and comfortable.

They have a non-slip bottom with Silicon rubber grips on the soles of the socks. Keeps one safe walking around at home on smooth floors.

These unique socks come in different colors and patterns. Some have cartoon animal designs. Mine are gray with a cute bear holding a coffee cup on one sock and a steaming cup of coffee on the other with snowflakes falling. The fleecy lining is white. There are also Christmas and other winter designs. These socks are sized for women in one size that fits most sock sizes. They also are available for men and for children in a variety of designs and colors.

Alexa Rose Fuzzy Socks

In addition to my Sherpa slipper socks, darling daughter also sent a pack of 3 Alexa Rose fuzzy socks to wear in my boots while outside on winter days. They also feel wonderful on those really cold winter nights to wear to bed. These were really needed during the Polar Vortex that hit Iowa earlier this month bringing record-breaking below zero wind chill temperatures (-49 degrees). What a treat to be able to get out of bed and have one's feet warm while walking to the kitchen to make that needed cup of morning coffee!

The Alexa Rose fuzzy socks are made of polyester and Spandex and are very soft and warm.

Summary

So, with these Sherpa slipper socks and the Alexa Rose fuzzy socks, I think I shall now be able to last through my first Iowa winter until Spring finally arrives. I have a very thoughtful and sweet daughter to think of the very thing I needed for my return to 'Wintertime' in the Midwest.

More Sock Reviews on Review This Reviews:

Carhartt Socks for Women Review by Dawn Rae
Review of the World's Softest Socks, Classic Collection by BarbRad
Sock Daddy Sock Review by Wednesday Elf
Crochet Slipper Socks Review by Dawn Rae

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Saturday, February 16, 2019

National Gumdrop Day Review

Image Source: Wikipedia (and Fotojet)

There are over 1500 'unofficial' National Holidays throughout the year that enjoy recognition for one reason or another. This one for February 15 ~ National Gumdrop Day ~ was begun to recognize this colorful, chewy, fruity or spicy, gelatin candy coated with sugar we call the Gumdrop.

Who Invented the Gumdrop?

The gumdrop was invented by a chemist and candy maker named Percy S. Truesdell. In 1915 he changed the texture of this sugar concoction. By adding starch in a formula he developed at Ohio State University, he changed a hard candy into a smooth, chewy delight. He later became known as the “Gumdrop King”.

Uses for Gumdrops

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons

Besides being a tasty candy, gumdrops are a popular addition to cookie recipes and as decoration for cakes and cupcakes. No doubt the most well-known way gumdrops are used as decorations is on Gingerbread Houses. Savannah, Georgia holds an annual Gingerbread House Festival each year during the Christmas holiday celebrations where gumdrops on the gingerbread houses are plentiful.

Crafty Gumdrops

Gumdrop Penguins

Gumdrops are also often used in crafts, such as these adorable gumdrop penguins by Linda on her fun and fascinating crafty blog called “Crafts a la mode”. The blog is filled with her sweet and simple delights in both crafts and recipes.

DIY Gumdrops

Image Source: Mkreal on Flickr

You can also make gumdrops yourself. You'll need powdered fruit pectin and fruit juice, along with vegetable oil, sugar, corn syrup and food coloring. Several recipes can be found at a selection of sites throughout the internet. Click here.

Other Gumdrop Tidbits

Hasbro Gaming Candy Land Kingdom Of Sweet Adventures Board Game, Easter Basket Stuffers or Gifts for Kids, Ages 3+ (Amazon Exclusive)

An interesting sidelight is the fact that the classic board game Candy Land features both a Gumdrop Pass and a Gumdrop Mountain.

Then there is the song by Barney called "If All The Raindrops" (The Raindrop Song) with the line:

If all the raindrops were lemon drops and gumdrops, oh what a life I would lead.

The Nutty Fruit House Sugar Free Gummy Bear (1 Pound (Pack of 1))

A more modern offshoot of the original gumdrop are today's popular 'gummies' in the form of gummy bears and gummy worms. Kids seem to love these gelatin-based chewable sweets.

Summary

So, enjoy a gumdrop, or two or three, on National Gumdrop Day, February 15, or any day of the year this chewy treat appeals to you.

Happy Gumdrop Day!

Check out more Holiday Reviews on ReviewThisReviews

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Saturday, February 2, 2019

Review of Cafe Du Monde in New Orleans

Cafe Du Monde in New Orleans. (Source: Wikipedia)

Cafe Du Monde is a famous coffee shop in the French Quarter of New Orleans. It was opened in 1862 and is famous for it's chicory-blend coffee and Beignets. It is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except for Christmas Day (and the occasional hurricane). Luckily, this famous cafe suffered only minor damage during Hurricane Katrina.

I've visited Cafe Du Monde twice on visits to New Orleans. It has a charming atmosphere and the Beignets are the most delectable pastry you will ever taste. I do have to admit, though, that I personally find the famous chicory coffee 'undrinkable'. I do not like the taste of chicory and I dislike strong coffee. But if you love chicory coffee or Vietnamese-style iced coffee, you will love the Cafe Du Monde coffee, particularly their Cafe au lait.

Cafe au Lait

Cafe au Lait (Image Source)

Cafe au lait is coffee with hot milk added. This is different from coffee known as 'white coffee', which has cold milk or other whitener added. Cafe au Lait simply means “coffee with milk”.

Beignet

Beignets (Image Source)

Beignet is a French pastry that is deep fried and served topped with powdered sugar. It is so light and flaky and is downright irresistible!

The allrecipes site has a recipe for you to make your own Beignets at home if you are not able to visit Cafe du Monde in New Orleans.

The ingredients in the Beignets recipe include dry yeast, white sugar, salt and 2 eggs, plus evaporated milk, flour and shortening. You will also need vegetable oil for fying and confectioners' sugar to shake on top of the hot beignets. Serve warm.

There are also box mixes of Beignets available if you do not care to go to the (delicious) trouble of starting from scratch.

Sylvestermouse has an interesting article about the Café Du Monde Coffee & Chicory and Beignet mix available for home use. Check it out here: Cafe Du Monde Coffee & Chicory Reviewed.

The word Beignet, of course, means donut.

Visit Cafe Du Monde

Cafe du Monde New Orleans restaurant, and map collage

The original Café Du Monde Coffee Stand is located at 800 Decatur Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans. In 1985 a second café was opened and today there are 8 Café Du Monde locations in the New Orleans Metropolitan area.

The Café Du Monde coffee stand is a 'must-see' and very tasty attraction for any New Orleans Visit. The literal translation of Café Du Monde means “Coffee of the World”.