The Revolving Diet

January Bizarre Food Holidays

HAPPY NEW YEARS!!!!

Whatever you celebrate.......ENJOY!!!

 

·         Prune Breakfast Month--January 1-31

·         National Hot Tea Month--January 1-31

·         National Soup Month--January 1-30

·         Bean Day--January 6

·         Hot & Spicy Food International Day--January 16

·         National Popcorn Day--January 19

·         National Butter Crunch Day--January 20

·         National Blonde Brownie Day--January 22

·         National Pie Day--January 23

·         National Corn Chip Day--January 29

·         National Popcorn Day--January 31 (so popular....it's celebrated twice)

 

Starting the New Year off right with a recipe that is a dessert and healthy!!!

No-Cholesterol, Low-Fat Pie Crust

An awesome pie starts with the crust. Fat free pie crusts just don't cut it, but this low-fat, zero-cholesterol recipe is delicious, and healthy !!

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cup white flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 3 Tbsp skim milk

Instructions

Mix flour and salt in one bowl, oil and milk in another. Combine dry and wet ingredients. Beat with a fork until clumps form. Use lightly-floured hands to press into a ball, and flatten out into a 5-6 inch diameter pancake. Roll out between sheets of wax paper, to desired thickness (at least 12-inch diameter). Peel off top sheet of paper, flip into 9-inch pie plate, peel off second sheet. Press dough into pie plate, trim edges, and pinch or flute.

If making a double-crust pie, double the recipe and set aside half the dough before rolling. Brush egg whites over top crust to give it a nice glowing flaky texture.

Easy No Sugar (Splenda) Apple Pie Filling

Ingredients

• 5 apples, sliced
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 3/4 cup Splenda
• 1 Tbsp flour
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 F. Toss ingredients together, layer in pie crust. Roll out top crust, place over filling, trim and flute. Poke top of pie with fork or slice with sharp knife. Bake 10 minutes, reduce heat to 350 F, continue baking 30 minutes or until crust turns golden and apples are soft and tender.

December BIZARRE Food Holidays

It's that time of year when most people you run into have a little extra warmth in their smiles and a little more cheer in their attitude.  We are no longer the little kids that can't wait for that special toy, we are now adults that look forward to spending time with our family, friends and loved ones.  I am not saying you are not hoping for a little extra something this holiday season - - but overall the happiness of the season let's us be more patient and forgiving - - I am pretty sure that's why you hear people say "why can't everyday be like Christmas" - - not for the gifts but for the calmness the season brings.   

• Eat a Red Apple Day--December 1
• National Fritters Day—December 2
• Repeal Day—December 5
• National Cotton Candy Day—December 7
• National Brownie Day—December 8
• National Pastry Day—December 9
• National Ice Cream Day—December 13
• National Lemon Cupcake Day—December 15
• National Chocolate Covered Anything Day—December 16
• National Maple Syrup Day—December  17
• Bake Cookies Day—December 18
• National Roast Suckling Pig Day—December 18
• Oatmeal Muffin Day—December 19
• FESTIVUS (the holiday for the rest of us –Seinfeld)—December  23
• National Chocolate Day—December  24
• National Egg Nog Day—December 24
• National Pumpkin Pie Day—December 25
• National Fruitcake Day—December 27
• National Date Nut Bread Day—December  22


In keeping with the season, a gluton free dessert that is easy to make - I am planning on making this for Christmas Eve using Southern Comfort Eggnog - which in my opinion is the best, flavorful Eggnog out this time of year (there is no alcohol in it)

Eggnog Flan Recipe

 

2/3 cup sugar

4 cups Eggnog

5 large eggs

 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  In a medium pan stir sugar and 2 tablespoons water, bring to boil over medium-high heat and cook making sure not to stir but lightly swirl around pan until a nice deep amber color (about 5-7 minutes).

 

Pour caramel  into a 10 inch round cake pan, evenly coating the bottom, set aside.

 

Boil a kettle or medium pot of water.

 

Whisk eggs and eggnog together in a large bowl until smooth - DO NOT whip in a frenzy until air bubbles appear (if so, you have gone too far).  Pour the eggnog mixture into the caramel coated cake pan.  Place cake pan in a shallow roasting pan - pour boiling water into roasting pan so that it comes half way up side of cake pan. 

 

Loosely cover roasting pan with foil and bake for 1 hour. After an hour remove foil and bake another 40 minutes to an hour (bake until custard is set but still quivers).

 

Remove cake pan from roasting pan and let cool to room temperature - then place in refrigerator until cold and set (about 2 hours).

 

To serve - run a thin knife around edges of cake pan, place an inverted plate on top of cake pan and flip to un- mold the flan.

No matter what you celebrate this month - Enjoy it to your hearts content!!

November Bizzare Food Holidays

Not much going on as far as Food Holidays for November.  Maybe someone thought that having too many celebrations would take away from the GORGE FEST that is Thanksgiving???

• National Peanut Butter Lover's Month--November 1-30
• National Deviled Egg Day--November 2
• Sandwich Day--November 3
• National Bittersweet Chocolate with Almonds Day--November 7
• National Pizza with the Works Except Anchovies Day--November 12
• National Indian Pudding Day--November 13
• National Clean out your Fridge Day - November 15
• National Cashew Day--November 23
•  National Parfait Day--November 25

Not sure what Indian Pudding was so I thought I’d research and find a recipe to include here….looked good, I made it……I might make again for Thanksgiving!!

 

Not many desserts look so nappetizing yet taste so amazingly good. From the first bite of this brown lumpy mush with an added scoop of vanilla bean ice cream….I nearly scraped the design off the bottom of the bowl trying to get every last morsel.  (Just a quick FYI… that I do not like raisins, or any cooked fruit, so I made a small pan without for myself).  Indian Pudding is a traditional New England Thanksgiving classic, why it isn’t more widely served or known, I have no clue.   Indian pudding is baked custard with milk, butter, molasses, eggs, spices, and cornmeal.  

Here is a recipe, I found on internet for Indian Pudding from an out of print book from the Concord Museum in Concord, Ma.  Why not go with something that pays homage to traditional simplier times?

Indian Pudding Recipe

Ingredients

· 6 cups of milk

· 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

· 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

· 1/4 cup flour

· 1 teaspoon salt

· 1/2 cup molasses

· 3 eggs, beaten

· 1/3 cup of granulated sugar

· 1 teaspoon of cinnamon

· 1 teaspoon of nutmeg

· 1 cup golden raisins (optional)

  Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

·

1 Scald the milk and butter in a large double boiler. Or heat the milk and butter for 5 or 6 minutes on high heat in the microwave, until it is boiling, then transfer it to a pot on the stove. Keep hot on medium heat.

2 Preheat oven to 250°F.

3 In a separate bowl, mix cornmeal, flour, and salt; stir in molasses. Thin the mixture with about 1/2 cup of scalded milk, a few tablespoons at a time, then gradually add the mixture back to the large pot of scalded milk. Cook, stirring until thickened.

4 Temper the eggs by slowly adding a half cup of the hot milk cornmeal mixture to the beaten eggs, whisking constantly. Add the egg mixture back in with the hot milk cornmeal mixture, stir to combine. Stir in the sugar and spices, until smooth. At this point, if the mixture is clumpy, you can run it through a blender to smooth it out. Stir in the raisins (optional). Pour into a 2 1/2 quart shallow casserole dish. Bake for 2 hours at 250°F.

5 Allow the pudding to cool about an hour to be at its best. It should be reheated to warm temperature if it has been chilled. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Serves 8-10.

 

 

  

October Bizarre Food Holidays

I am not a big fall person, I love the Spring & Summer...but October brings HALLOWEEN (one of my favorite holidays) and thoughts of baking ...Being it is National Dessert Month, I thought why not have cake!  Below I included an AWESOME looking dessert that looks super easy to make.

National Pizza Month - October 1-31

National Applejack Month--October 1-31

National Seafood Month--October 1-31

Vegetarian Awareness Month--October 1-31

National Pickled Peppers Month--October 1-31

National Pretzel Month--October 1-31

National Dessert Month--October 1-31

National Popcorn Poppin' Month--October 1-31

World Vegetarian Day--October 1

National Frappe Day--October 7

 Moldy Cheese Day--October 9

National Angel Food Cake Day--October 10

National Peanut Festival--October 13

National Dessert Day--October 14

National Nut Day--October 22

National Bologna Day--October 24

National Chocolate Day--October 28

 National Candy Corn Day--October 30

I found recipe on Kraft Foods site: http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/luscious-four-layer-pumpkin-cake-65930.aspx

Luscious Four-Layer Pumpkin Cake

 What You Need

1 pkg. (2-layer size) yellow cake mix

1 can  (15 oz.) pumpkin, divided

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup  oil

4 eggs

1-1/2 tsp.  pumpkin pie spice, divided

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1 cup  powdered sugar

1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed

1/4 cup  caramel ice cream topping

1/4 cup chopped PLANTERS Pecans

Make It

HEAT oven to 350°F.

BEAT cake mix, 1 cup pumpkin, milk, oil, eggs and 1 tsp. spice in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-inch round pans.

BAKE 28 to 30 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min. Remove from pans to wire racks; cool completely.

BEAT cream cheese in medium bowl with mixer until creamy. Add sugar, remaining pumpkin and spice; mix well. Gently stir in COOL WHIP. Cut each cake layer horizontally in half with serrated knife; stack on serving plate, spreading cream cheese filling between layers. (Do not frost top layer.) Drizzle with caramel topping just before serving; top with nuts. Refrigerate leftovers.

Kraft Kitchens Tips

Size-Wise

Celebrate and enjoy a serving of this indulgent cake on a special occasion.

How to Slice and Stack Cake Layers

Place 1 of the cooled cake layers on serving plate. Make 2-inch horizontal cut around side of cake, using long serrated knife. Cut all the way through cake layer to make 2 layers. Remove top layer by sliding it onto 9-inch round cardboard circle. Frost cake layer on plate with 1/3 of the COOL WHIP mixture. Slide top half of split cake layer from cardboard circle onto frosted layer on plate. Place the remaining unsplit cake layer on a cutting board. Cut into 2 layers as done for the first layer. Repeat process of transferring cake layers to stacked cake layers on plate using the cardboard circle.

Substitute

Omit caramel sauce. Microwave 10 KRAFT Caramels and 1 Tbsp. milk in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until caramels begin to melt. Stir until caramels are completely melted. Drizzle over cake just before serving; top with nuts.

WHATEVER YOU CELEBRATE ~ ENJOY IT TO THE FULLEST!!!

September Bizzare Food Holidays

Whatever you CELEBRATE.....Make it GRAND!!!

• All American Breakfast Month--September 1-30
• Better Breakfast Month--September 1-30
• National Chicken Month--September 1-30
• National Papaya Month--September 1-30
•  National Honey Month--September 1-30
• National Date-Nut Bread Day--September 8
•  National Chocolate Milkshake Day--September 12
•  National Cream-filled Donut Day--September 14
• National Apple Dumpling Day--September 17
• National Butterscotch Pudding Day--September 19
• International Banana Festival--September 21
• National Pancake Day--September 26
• Poisoned Blackberries Day--September 29

Poisoned Blackberries Day, the event is registered on many websites and blogging spaces, but most mentions come from confused readers wondering what the day actually involves.

A contributor on the forum Cotolo Chronicles did shed light on the event, stating the historical heritage it payed tribute to.

"In the 1700s blackberries were the cause of more deaths than any other form of fruit from a vine or patch," was written on the site.

"Since then, tens, if not pairs of people take this day to hunt for blackberries that can kill someone instantly when consumed," continued the blogger, hinting at the comic un-recognition of the festival day.

Because while typing this Chicken, Papaya and Honey sounded like it would be great in a recipe….I went searching and found this one, looks good, will need to try in near future:

BAKED CHICKEN WITH PAPAYA

□   4 boneless chicken breasts, cut in halves
□   1/2 c. freshly squeezed lime juice
□   1 papaya, peeled & seeded
□   3/4 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
4  □   4444   Tbsp. butter
□   Raspberries
□   3/4 c. honey
□   1 tbsp. oil (sesame or walnut optional)
□   Fresh rosemary (optional)
□   Fresh parsley (optional)

Combine honey, lime juice, butter and nutmeg in saucepan. Cook over medium heat until thickened, stirring occasionally to blend.

Dice 3/4 of papaya and slice remaining into thin wedges. Heat remaining tablespoon butter and oil in skillet. Sear chicken breasts, skin side down, until golden brown.

Place in large baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Cover with honey glaze and diced papaya. Continue baking until chicken is tender (adding rosemary), about 10 minutes longer. Serve hot with glaze and diced papaya. Garnish with sliced papaya and raspberries (and parsley).

August Bizarre Food Holidays

• Peach Month--August 1-31
• National Catfish Month--August 1-31
• National Raspberry Cream Pie Day--August 1
• National Ice Cream Soda Day--August 2  
• National Ice Cream Sandwich Day--August 2
• National Watermelon Day--August 3
• National Mustard Day--August 5
• Sneak Some Zucchini on Your Neighbor's Porch Night--August 8
• National Creamsicle Day--August 14
• Bratwurst Festival--August 16
• Potato Day--August 19
• National Spumoni Day--August 21
• National Spongecake Day--August 23
• National Cherry Popsicle Day--August 26
• More Herbs Less Salt Day--August 29
• National Toasted Marshmallow Day--August 30
• National Trail Mix Day-- August 31

WHATEVER YOU ENJOY - CELEBRATE WITH GUSTO!!

July Bizzare Food Holidays

 I am a little late in getting July's Bizarre Food Holidays up (and I apologize if you missed a day you might have been looking forward to...but come to think about it, if you knew about it then I am not so late!!)

• National Baked Bean Month--July 1-31
• National July Belongs to Blueberries Month--July 1-31
• National Ice Cream Month--July 1-31
• Creative Ice Cream Flavor Day--July 1
• National Fried Chicken Day--July 6
• National Strawberry Sundae Day--July 7
•  National Sugar Cookie Day--July 9
• National Pecan Pie Day--July 12
•  National Tapioca Pudding Day--July 15
• Ice Cream Day--July 17
•  National Peach National Ice Cream Day--July 18
• National Caviar Day--July 18
•  National Vanilla Ice Cream Day--July 23
• National Milk Chocolate Day--July 28
• Cheese Sacrifice Purchase Day--July 29
• National Cheesecake Day--July 30

WHATEVER YOU CELEBRATE - - - ENJOY IT!!!

June ~ Bizarre Food Holidays

Donut Day – 1^st Weekend of June

National Dairy Month – June 1 -30

National Ice Tea Month – June 1-30

Turkey Lover’s Month -  June 1-30

National Fresh Fruit & Veggies Month -  June 1-30

National Papaya Month – June 1-30

National Rocky Road Day – June 2

National Applesauce Cake Day – June 6

National Chocolate Ice Cream Day – June 7

Kitchen Klutzes of America Day – June 13

Eat Your Veggies Day – June 17

National Ice Cream Soda Day – June 20

National Éclair Day – June 22

National Chocolate Pudding day – June 26

 

Celebrate in FULL FORCE ~ Whatever you celebrate!!

MAY ~ Bizarre Food Holidays

In reviewing the food holidays for May, there seems to be a very normal connection between the beginning of summer and a couple of the Bizarre Food Holidays (BBQ, Hamburger & Salad's) - -

  

Funny how that works out!!

  

National Egg Month – May 1-31

National Barbecue Month – May 1-31

National Chocolate Custard Month – May 1-31

National Hamburger Month – May 1-31

National Salad Month – May 1-31

National Raisin Week – May 1-7

National Candied Orange Peel Day – May 4

National Hoagie Day – May 5

Beverage Day – May 6

National Roast Leg of Lamb Day – May 7

Have a Coke Day – May 8

Eat Whatever You Want Day - May 11

National Chocolate Chip Day – May 15

National Escargot Day – May 24

National Macaroon Day – May 31

  

ENJOY WHATEVER HOLIDAY YOU CELEBRATE THIS MONTH!!!

April Bizarre Food Holidays...

Easter is April 4th this year.  I have no idea why National Jelly Bean day would be April 22...but an extra day for Jelly Beans, who's complaining?!?!

 

National Peanut Butter & Jelly Day - April 2

National Egg Salad Week - April 12-18

National Pecan Day - April 14

National Eggs Benedict Day - April 16

National Cheeseball Day - April 17

Garlic Day - April 19

National Jelly Bean Day - April 22

National Pigs in a Blanket Day - April 24

National Zucchini Bread Day - April 25

National Pretzel Day - April 26

National Shrimp Scampi Day - April 29

 

Whatever you celebrate........ENJOY!!!