Good morning, welcome to out series sharing Food Holidays: September 16th, 2021. Take a look at the Holidays being celebrated today and let me know which one you most want to celebrate and why. David says for him he would like to celebrate National Cinnamon-Raisin Bread while Charlie and I will skip both Holidays. How about you?
Guacamole isn’t just a side dish anymore and on National Guacamole Day which happens every September 16th, we elevate this tasty green blend into the spotlight. Guacamole (or “guac”) is made of Avocados, which are well-known for the health benefits related to their high vitamin content and lots of cholesterol-lowering healthy fats. Originally native to Mexico and Central America, Avocados grow on trees. Avocados are technically considered a fruit!
There are hundreds of ways to pepare Guacamole and people spice up their Guacamole with onion, garlic, cumin, tomato, cilantro, or even store-bought salsa. Guacamole is served with tortilla chips but it’s also good with corn chips, carrot sticks and celery. Guac is delicious on sandwiches and hamburgers or in salads. People even blend it into smoothies! So, Go Green with guacamole on September 16!
NATIONAL GUACAMOLE DAY ACTIVITIES
- You can really get into the celebratory spirit of National Guacamole Day by actually making it at home. Select some ripe avocados at the store by squeezing each one gently. Ripe avocados will yield to gentle pressure. At home, cut your avocados open, remove the stones and spoon the green flesh into a bowl. Smash with a fork or handheld mixer and stir in some onion or a splash of salsa for extra flavor.
- Ready for a guacamole extravaganza? Hook up with some friends and try to visit at least three restaurants on National Guacamole Day. Sample the guac at each place to decide which one you like best.
- Whether you made some fresh or brought home guacamole from the store, you can celebrate National Guacamole Day simply by eating some guac. But why stop there? Guacamole has been a source of inspiration for fusion cuisine the world over, and National Guacamole Day is your time to get creative. Whatever you were planning to make for dinner, find room to add a little guacamole to the meal. Dollop some guacamole onto your chicken or try something truly crazy! Who’s ready for guacamole mac-and-cheese?
WHY WE LOVE NATIONAL GUACAMOLE DAY
- Guacamole is healthy and delicious whether you like it plain or spicy, guacamole is one of those foods that’s easy to love. Avocado is rich in the good fats that help reduce cholesterol and when avocado is mashed, the texture is creamy, bringing out all the amazing flavor. Then, add onion, tomato, cumin and cilantro.
- Guacamole is not just for Mexican food. Guacamole originated as a Mexican side dish. Due to its health benefits and great flavor, guacamole has grown in popularity throughout the world, especially in the United States and Canada. Now there’s guacamole fusion. Look for it on salads, as sandwich spread and even on pizza!
- Guacamole gives you a reason to eat guacamole. Okay, so a lot of us probably don’t need a special reason to eat guacamole. But most of us still associate guacamole with Mexican cuisine. Despite a ton of innovative ways to incorporate guacamole into other types of food.. Whether you like classic guacamole or you’re obsessing over the turkey and guacamole croissant sandwich, National Guacamole Day is a great reason to include this vitamin food in your diet.
Five things to know about Guacamole:
Did you know Avocados are Native to Central and South America.
Avocados have been cultivated for over 10,000 years.
Another name for the avocado is the “alligator pear.”
The Aztec word for avocado was ahuacatl, which means “testicle tree”.
Spanish explorers could not pronounce ahuacatl, so they called the avocado, “aguacate.” This is the origin of the word guacamole.
Recipe
- 3 avocados – peeled, pitted, and mashed
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup diced onion
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 pinch ground cayenne pepper (Optional)
In a medium bowl, mash together the avocados, lime juice, and salt. Mix in onion, cilantro, tomatoes, and garlic. Stir in cayenne pepper. Refrigerate 1 hour for best flavor, or serve immediately.
National Cinnamon-Raisin Bread Day
Cinnamon-Raisin Bread has a long History in the making. Its predecessors include Stollen, a German Fruit Bread with spices and candied fruits, kulich, a tall Easter bread served in the Russian and Slavic regions, and panettone, a tall raisin-filled fruit cake made in Italy. All of these fruit bread is served during the Christmas season and since then it has spread to places such as England and helped the idea of a raisin-filled cinnamon bread grow in popularity. Soon it became a house staple in parts of England and the colonies, and as it spread, made its way into American homes as a staple part of people’s breakfast.
However, one big rumor has since changed the origins of this sweet and delightful bread, all thanks to Henry David Thoreau. It is believed that the rumor started by Concord housewives because they were delighted by Thoreau’s antics. This rumor was perpetuated by a 1943 article in the Ladies Home Journal, that deemed the culinary invention as Thoreau’s. This, however, was later disproved by Biographer Walter Harding, who corrected the rumor in the Thoreau Society Bulletin and stated that raisin bread, or plum cake at the time, occurred during the Elizabethan era.
Lets Celebrate Cinnamon-Raisin Bread Day
Here’s an awesome recipe you can follow to make your own Lets Celebrate Cinnamon-Raisin Bread to celebrate this awesome holiday. In a large bowl, dissolve two packets of Yeast in two cups of warm Water. Add 1/2 cup Sugar, 1/4 cup of Canola Oil, two teaspoons of Salt, two Eggs, and 4 cups Flour to the Water once the Yeast is activated. Beat until smooth and until it becomes dough.
Then knead the dough until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place or until doubled about 1 hour. Then punch the dough down. Split the dough in half and knead 1/2 cup raisins into each. Once you make a loaf out of the pieces of dough, combine Cinnamon and remaining Sugar and sprinkle the mixture on top of the dough.
If you want to try and get fancy with it, roll up the dough and pinch it at the seams. Place, seam side down, in two greased loaf pans. Cover and let rise one more time until doubled, about 30 minutes. When you’re ready, preheat oven to 375°. Brush with oil. Bake 45-50 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. If you like this recipe, then share this holiday on your favorite social media websites using the hashtag #cinnamonraisinbreadday
Cinnamon-Raisin Bread Recipe
- 1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
- 2 cups warm milk (110° to 115°)
- 1/3 cup plus 1/2 cup sugar, divided
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 5-3/4 to 6-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups raisins
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon water
- glaze:
- 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
- In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add milk, 1/3 cup sugar, oil, salt and 2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Add raisins and enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
- Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/4 hours.
- Punch dough down. On a lightly floured surface, divide in half. Roll each into a 15×7-in. rectangle. Combine cinnamon and remaining sugar; sprinkle over dough. Sprinkle with water. Starting with a short side, roll up tightly, jelly-roll style. Pinch seams and ends to seal. Place, seam side down, in two greased 9×5-in. loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
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