Got Your Holiday On?

BBQ Tri-tip on the Grill

2012-05-24T02:04:00.005-07:00

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross

With Memorial around the corner I wanted everyone to know about tri-tip, as promised in an early post.

Tri-tip is the best cut of meat to BBQ on the grill. It's the most popular cut in the Central Coast of California and Central Valley regions of California to BBQ.

Tri-tip is a cut of meat from the bottom sirloin. It's a small triangle muscle and there are only one per side of beef. Weight can be 1.5 lbs to 2.5 lbs each.

It's best not to over season a tri-tip. Salt, pepper, garlic salt and granulated garlic is all you need to season this flavorful cut of meat. BBQ correctly, indirectly over medium heat, on the grill and the flavor is amazing. I prefer to BBQ as a roast (also known as a triangle roast), but you can also cut into one inch thick steaks and BBQ on the grill. Always allow the meat to rest for at least 10 minutes before carving or serving.

Tri-tip roast (triangle roast) is a lean cut of meat and should not be overcooked. A tri-tip roast should be cooked to medium. A thermometer can be used to check for doneness. To some people this roast at medium may seem underdone. My advice would be to grill to medium, let rest and slice then grill slices to preferred doneness.

This cut of meat has become very popular for its full flavor, lower fat content, and comparatively lower cost. Some Costco's and Sam Club's around the country have started to carry it.

If you are unable to find it in any of your local stores ask a butcher for the cut. Make sure they are a member of the "North American Meat Processors Association" (NAMP).

Ask them for cut IMPS/NAMP 185C (with fat) or IMPS/NAMP 185D (without fat - This is the preferred cut).

All in all this is the best cut of meat for the grill. Find it, enjoy it and let me know what you thought.

May 18 - Daily Motivation – Quotes About Life - Inspirational Quotes

2012-05-18T00:04:00.001-07:00

Live Your Own Life

You are special, so act like it. You are unique, so make the most of that uniqueness.

There’s something you can contribute to this moment that no one else has to offer. There is a perspective from which you can experience this day that is unlike any other.

Don’t settle for merely doing the same thing as anyone else, or mimicking the opinions, desires and dreams of others. Live your own life, and explore the unique beauty of your very own dreams, thoughts, opinions and interests.

Your greatest value comes from being who you truly are. Let your beautiful, unique, fascinating and authentic self come fully to life.

Instead of spinning your wheels and striving to be someone you’re not, enjoy the sweet fulfillment of being who you really want to be. Instead of trying in vain to please others with who you think they think you should be, impress them with who you really are.

Know the true joy of being your true self. Honor and appreciate all of life by fully and authentically living the one very special life that is yours.

— Ralph Marston

Source:
Live Your Own Life (greatday.com)

May 18 - National Cheese Souffle Day

2012-05-18T00:03:00.000-07:00

Today is National Cheese Souffle Day.

Display your culinary skills today and create a fluffy delicious gourmet dish. You should not be afraid to celebrate this day, souffles are not hard to make.

Souffles and meringues are related. Not only do both use a lot of eggs, they both rely on the cook to whip the right amount of air into the eggs. Souffles can be sweet dishes for dessert or more savory, like the cheese souffle. The cheese souffle is usually flavored with a distinct cheese like Swiss or Parmesan. It's common to use earthy spices like nutmeg and paprika in cheese souffle.

The Souffle Cookbook

May 18 - Visit Your Relatives Day

2012-05-18T00:02:00.004-07:00

Today is Visit Your Relatives Day!

Today it's easy to lose touch with our relatives. A lot of us only get to see our relatives around the holidays or maybe not at all if you live far away.

Either way, we need our families and they need us. They are our support system through hard times. They are there for celebrations and to create family memories during the important milestones.

Celebrate this day by sending a relative a free ecard, calling a relative who lives far away or stop by and visit a relative you haven't seen for a while.

May 18 - NASCAR Day - Get your pin and Pin It Forward℠!

2012-05-18T00:01:00.004-07:00

NASCAR Day
Logo Courtesy of NASCAR

NASCAR Day is an annual celebration in honor of the spirit, charities and fans of NASCAR.

Since 2004, this day has been celebrated annually on the third Friday in May to coincide with the annual NASCAR All-Star weekend.

NASCAR fans are encouraged to purchase a collectible Limited Edition Lapel Pin for yourself and a friend. Head over to the NASCAR Foundation's facebook page to Get your pin and Pin It Forward℠! Follow the Pin It Forward℠ challenge instructions and upload your photo.

The proceeds from NASCAR Day, which has raised over $1 million each year since 2005, benefits dozens of charities, some of which are:

Victory Junction Gang Camp
Speedway Children's Charities
The Ward Burton Wildlife Foundation
Hendrick Marrow Program

Enjoy NASCAR Day everyone!

National Salsa Month - Recipe #12 - Simple Salsa

2012-05-18T00:00:00.003-07:00

Please enjoy the twelfth recipe of the month for National Salsa Month: Simple Salsa

Salsa Recipe Book

May 17th - National Cherry Cobbler Day

2012-05-17T00:02:00.005-07:00

Cherry Cobbler is my idea of a summertime dessert.

The first cobblers weren’t desserts at all. The early American settlers were forced to improvise their recipes from home and “cobbled” together other dishes with whatever ingredients they could find.

Cherries were plentiful in the summer months. Cherries soon became an ingredient which found their way into cobblers. Later, cherry cobbler became the perfect name for a bungled cherry pie. Try the cobbler recipe below.

Cobbler Recipe:
Cheery Cherry-Peach Cobbler

Try this additional cobbler recipe.
Vegan Cherry Cobbler

Ascension Day

2012-05-17T00:01:00.004-07:00

Ascension Day is celebrated in the U.S. on the 40th day of Easter. The New Testament states during the 40 days after his resurrection Jesus Christ met with his disciples instructing them how to carry on his teachings.

It is believed that on the 40th day he took them to the Mount of Olives, where they watched as he ascended to heaven. [1]

Ascension Day marks the end of the Easter season and occurs ten days before Pentecost. Penecost is a prominent feast in the calendar of Ancient Israel celebrating the giving of the Law on Sinai, and also later in the Christian liturgical year commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the remaining eleven Apostles of Christ (Judas had hanged himself), included in the 12 Disciples in the Upper Room, after the Resurrection of Jesus. [2]

Depending upon the phases of the moon in a particular year, Ascension Day is celebrated on a Thursday. However, some churches, particularly in the United States, celebrate it on the following Sunday. [3]

Sources:
[1] [3]Ascension Day in United States

[2] Pentecost

Top five coupons on CouponNetwork.com

2012-05-16T03:11:00.000-07:00

Coupon Newtwork has amazing coupons.

There are two ways to save with Coupon Network:

Printable Grocery Coupons, featured in blue, are manufacturers grocery coupons that you can print right away and use at any of your neighborhood stores.

YourBucks® Offers, featured in green, are dollars-off rewards on future purchase. Register to view and print all the YourBucks® Reminders. Click on Add to print button to print YourBucks memos so you remember what to buy when you go to a store. Claim YourBucks® Vouchers after you purchase promoted products at the store. They will print automatically at checkout. Spend them like cash on your next visit!

Remember to bring all your offers with you on your next shopping trip. Present your Print-at-Home grocery coupons at checkout. If you bought the products presented on YourBucks® Offers, you will receive more exclusive coupons just for you at the checkout.

YourBucks® Vouchers are then available for you to use like in-store cash on any item, unless in your favorite store.

****If you start saving now you can have a nice Christmas fund****

Printable Grocery Coupons:

Like Rewards: $1.10 off when you buy THREE LEAN CUISINE® varieties

50¢ off when you buy ONE BOX Original Cheerios® cereal

Use this link for the General Mills Coupon

$1.00 off any ONE Tyson® Any'tizers® Snacks

Like Rewards: $1.75 off when you buy any ONE Barbara's® Cereal

May 16 - National Coquilles Saint Jacques Day

2012-05-16T03:02:00.000-07:00

Coquilles Saint-Jacques is translated as Saint James’s scallops, a rich mixture of butter, cream, mushrooms and Parmesan cheese, baked in a scallop shell.

The scallop shell is the emblem of Saint James the Greater. The saint’s association with the scallop shell is based on a legend that he once rescued a knight covered in scallops; a variation on the tale is that, while his remains were being transported to Spain from Jerusalem, the horse of a knight fell into the water and emerged covered in scallop shells. As a result, Medieval Christians making the pilgrimage to the shrine of Saint James in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, often wore a scallop shell symbol on their clothing.

And so, this delicious dish in a wine-flavored cream sauce is served in a scallop shell and named after Saint Jacques. Consider serving it on March 12, National Baked Scallops Day; and on May 16th, National Coquilles Saint Jacques Day.

You can buy the scallop shells in any cookware store (including chain stores), and they’re useful for serving other foods, from hors d’oeuvres (olives, for example) to desserts. And of course, you can serve the recipe on any plate—scallop shells are not required!

Also try Crabe En Coquille, crab in a cream sauce with Cognac, also served in coquille shells.

Source:
Coquilles Saint Jacques History

May 16 - Wear Purple for Peace Day

2012-05-16T02:01:00.000-07:00

Every year Wear Purple for Peace Day falls on May 16th.

My research found no evidence of this holiday being originated as a protest to war or any kind of conflict.

Rather, I found this day to be a stellar event. It seems some of you out there fear that aliens from outer space consider earthlings to be too hostile. As a result, they have yet to visit or make contact with us. So, some of you decided to promote world peace by establishing Wear Purple for Peace Day, wearing purple apparently encourages aliens to contact us.

I'm not sure if it’s because purple is a peaceful color or a favorite color among extraterrestrials. Whichever way you interpret the holiday, there’s no harm in promoting peace with the color purple.

May 13 - National Apple Pie Day & Mother's Day

2012-05-13T01:42:00.019-07:00

Today is National Apple Pie Day and Mother's Day.

National Apple Pie Day is celebrated by making homemade apple pie.

This apple pie recipe is easy to make.

Make it an extra special family event and make the pie together and present to mom for Mother's Day.

If you don't have the time to bake a pie they are generally easy to find in the grocery store.

There should be plenty of restaurants featuring apple pie on their menu today.

Apple pie is also a great pie for diabetics, apple pie recipes are easily formulated with diabetics in mind.

Enjoy both holidays today. Happy Mother's Day to all mom's out there.

May 11 - Last Minute Mother's Day Gifts

2012-05-11T20:39:00.000-07:00

I'm sure there are those who have run out of time to get a Mother's Day gift. With Mother's Day only a couple days away, May 13. I'm here to rescue you. The following are some suggestions for last-minute ideas that will take very little time.

Last Minute Mother’s Day gift ideas:

1. Gift Coupon Book
Nothing melts a mom's heart like a handmade/homemade gift. This Gift Coupon Book is an easy and imaginative way to appreciate mom. No less then 10 coupons is recommended, 20 is better. Double or triple on the really GOOD coupons (ie: cleaning the whole house, breakfast in bed, a mani-pedi done by you, etc.)

2. Gift Basket
Again, nothing melts a mom's heart like a homemade gift basket. What does mom like to do? Watch movies? Take long baths? Do her own manicures? Drink wine? Start by looking at drugstores, supermarket or big box retailers. Buy thing she wouldn't normally buy for herself but wants to. Place everything in a basket, cello wrap it and add a bow and you have a personalized gift ready to go. You can also use a gift box or gift bag.

3. Virtual Family Reunion
Set up a Google+ hangout with all the far away family members, but shhhh keep it a secret. She'll love it.

4. Bouquet of Flowers (25% OFF Site-Wide Code: Deliver4mom)
Hurry expires 05/13/12
Ahhh, the good old stand by. Every mom loves flowers. Make sure you choose a bouquet that can be delivered the same day as ordered.

5. Fill Up Mom's Gas Tank
You can't argue that gas prices are through the roof these days. Just think how much mom would love it if you took the time to make sure her gas tank was full.

6. Your Time!
The one thing your mom always appreciates is you: being with you, having you think about her, and communicating with her. Make Mom a promise that you'll be there for a Saturday afternoon for lunch or on a Friday night dinner.

Happy Mother’s Day to all mom's!!

Calling all Couponers

2012-05-11T20:35:00.000-07:00

This is a great site to print coupons.

I have decided to make this a regular post with a video and links to the top 5 coupons printed from Coupon Network.

Coupon Newtwork has amazing coupons.

There are two ways to save with Coupon Network:

Printable Coupons, featured in blue, are grocery manufacturer coupons that you can print right away and use at any of your neighborhood stores.

YourBucks® Offers, featured in green, are dollars-off rewards on future purchase. Register to view and print all the YourBucks® Reminders. Click on Add to print button to print YourBucks memos so you remember what to buy when you go to a store. Claim YourBucks® Vouchers after you purchase promoted products at the store. They will print automatically at checkout. Spend them like cash on your next visit!

Remember to bring all your offers with you on your next shopping trip. Present your Print-at-Home coupons at checkout. If you bought the products presented on YourBucks® Offers, you will receive more exclusive coupons just for you at the checkout.

YourBucks® Vouchers are then available for you to use like in-store cash on any item, unless in your favorite store.

****If you start saving now you can have a nice Christmas fund****

Like Rewards: $1.10 off when you buy THREE LEAN CUISINE® varieties

$1.00 off any ONE Tyson® Any'tizers® Snacks

$1.50 off when you buy any ONE AVENT Pacifier Pack

Like Rewards: $1.75 off when you buy any ONE Barbara's® Cereal

50¢ off when you buy ONE BOX Original Cheerios® cereal

May 11 - Eat What You Want Day

2012-05-11T11:45:00.000-07:00

Today is Eat What You Want Day.

My research doesn't show who created this day or who came up with it. I can only assume that there are so many people dieting that they need just one day of guilt free eating.

It's not detrimental to cheat once in a while, you shouldn't deprive yourself. Deprivation is the death of a diet. Making healthy choices while you're on your diet. There is an abundance of information online that can help anyone who is willing to look.

Eating whatever you want one day out of the year isn't going to make a big difference in your diet. Actually, if your plateauing it might be good to trick your body into thinking you're not on your diet.

My new favorite indulgence snack is baked rutabaga chips. I'm not going to lie, they kind of taste like potato chips, but I season them to make up for the real potato chip flavor. The trick is to make sure they are sliced thin enough and they are baked on a sheet with airflow. I use a cooling rack over the top of a baking sheet, works great.

Enjoy today. Go overboard if you feel the need, but remember to get back on track tomorrow.

Working for fun

2012-05-11T00:11:00.000-07:00

What if hard work was actually fun? Just imagine how much more of it you would choose to do, and how much additional value you would create.

Just think of how many more great things you could accomplish.

Imagine that some person or some group wanted to hold you back, to keep you from being your very best. What would be a good way of doing that?

One extremely effective way to hold millions of people back would be to spread the assumption that difficult, challenging work is to be avoided. That being the case, is it really an assumption you want to willingly hold on to?

What’s fun, and satisfying, and fulfilling for you, is whatever you decide is fun, satisfying and fulfilling. If you so choose, that can include intense, difficult, challenging and even tedious work that creates great value.

Are you being held back by your assumptions about what is enjoyable and fulfilling, and what is not? You’re free to change those assumptions any time you choose.

— Ralph Marston

Have fun at work!!!!

Source:
Working for fun (greatday.com)

National Salsa Month - Recipe #11 - Creamy Salsa Dip

2012-05-10T23:18:00.000-07:00

Please enjoy the eleventh recipe of the month for National Salsa Month: Creamy Salsa Dip

Salsas of the World

May 11, 2012 - Military Spouse Appreciation Day

2012-05-10T22:34:00.000-07:00

Today is Military Spouse Appreciation Day!

Military Spouse Appreciation Day is celebrated yearly on the Friday before Mother's Day. The first celebration of the day was in 1984 by proclamation from President Reagan proclaiming the day as an observance to honor the contributions of military spouses.

In appreciation to all our service men and women send a heart felt thanks for all they have done and continue to do.

Presidential Proclamation--Military Spouse Appreciation Day

National Salsa Month - Recipe #10 - Minty Green Olive-Celery Salsa

2012-05-10T19:29:00.000-07:00

Please enjoy the tenth recipe of the month for National Salsa Month: Minty Green Olive-Celery Salsa

300 Best Taco Recipes: From Tantalizing Tacos to Authentic Tortillas, Sauces, Cocktails and Salsas

National Salsa Month - Recipe #9 - Charred Tomato Salsa

2012-05-10T13:35:00.000-07:00

Please enjoy the ninth recipe of the month for National Salsa Month: Charred Tomato Salsa

Salsa's and Dips

National Salsa Month - Recipe #8- Four-Citrus Salsa

2012-05-10T13:10:00.000-07:00

Please enjoy the eighth recipe of the month for National Salsa Month: Four-Citrus Salsa

Truly Mexican: Essential Recipes and Techniques for Authentic Mexican Cooking

National Salsa Month - Recipe #7 - Mango Salsa

2012-05-10T12:38:00.000-07:00

Please enjoy the seventh recipe of the month for National Salsa Month: Mango Salsa

The World's Best Salsa Recipe Book

Taking the Day Off

2012-05-07T02:13:00.000-07:00

I will be taking today (05/07) off everyone.

Look for today's (05/07) daily motivational quote and salsa recipe on Tuesday (05/08).

Today is the beginning of Nurses Week. Support your nurses!!!

Have a great Monday everyone. Talk to you Tuesday.

May 6 – Daily Motivation – Quotes About Life – Inspirational Quotes

2012-05-06T15:14:00.000-07:00

Always a way

Changing conditions may change the path to fulfillment of your dreams, or even the nature of that fulfillment. Yet the essence of your underlying purpose remains the same.

What could have been, can still be. At its deepest level, no dream is ever rendered impossible.

There is always a way to live the life you choose. There is always a way to express your own beautiful, most authentic vision.

Dare to dream, and dare to live with the confidence that your dream will come true. When it means enough to you, there is a way for it to come about.

Plan and execute your approach. And if the plan happens to fall short, know that there is most certainly another way.

Don’t hold yourself back with limiting thoughts about how it might or might not happen. Push yourself forward with enthusiastic, positive expectations and actions, and bring the dream to life.

— Ralph Marston

National Salsa Month - Recipe #6 - Salsa De Tomatillo

2012-05-06T14:32:00.000-07:00

P.Smith

Please enjoy the sixth recipe of the month for National Salsa Month: Salsa De Tomatillo