March 29th - Young Lemurs

Today I suggest you begin by buying the film "Madagascar" to watch tonight, since today is Memorial Day in that country. Lemurs everywhere are celebrating! It is also "Youth Day" in Taiwan, a day began to celebrate the death of 72 young revolutionaries in China in 1911. It has since taken on the feel of youth service and literacy.

Taiwanese Shrimp Balls
1 pound shrimp
4 water chestnuts finely minced
1 egg
4 scallions, minced
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons cornstarch
Shell and devein shrimp. Wash carefully, and dry on paper towels. Mince finely. Place half the minced shrimp at end of a large cutting board. Using flat side of a cleaver, draw shrimp across board to smooth into a paste. Repeat with second half of mixture. (If you are using a utensil other than a cleaver, repeat the action.)
Put shrimp in medium mixing bowl. Add water chestnuts and mix into a smooth paste. Make a well in the center. Put in egg and break up with a fork. Add minced scallions, ginger and salt. Stir to combine. Sprinkle in cornstarch and mix well.
Form shrimp into balls one rounded tablespoon at a time.
TO BOIL: Bring 2 quarts of water to the boil. Drop in shrimp balls one at a time. Remove when they float to the surface. Serve with hoisin sauce.
TO FRY: Heat 2 cups peanut oil in a 3 quart saucepan. Drop in shrimp balls, a few at a time. When they become golden and float to the surface, remove them to paper towels to drain. Garnish with scallions and grated lemon peel.
IN SOUP: Pre-cooked shrimp balls may be added to chicken soup with half a bunch of cleaned, chopped spinach or bok choy. Serves 4 - 6

March 28th - Cake on a Stick?

I hate days when I can't find a national holiday anywhere in the world that is truly celebrated! So today we have "National Black Forest Cake" day...and "Something on a Stick Day". In the world of Renaissance Faires, we always joke that if you "put it on a stick, it's period!" So, perhaps that's just the sort of day it is?? What can you think of to put on a stick? Cheese? (Yep, they serve it deep fried at Cedar Point!) Pickles? Egg rolls? There is always the standard Corn Dog! Whatever you choose to put on a stick today...enjoy it!

And, todays recipe I'll allow you to try putting on a stick.

Black Forest Cake
1 (18.25 ounce) package devil's food cake mix with pudding
3 eggs
1 tablespoon almond extract
1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Mix together: cake mix, beaten eggs, almond extract, cherry pie filling and 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips. Stir until just combined. Pour batter into a greased 9x13 inch pan.
Bake in a 350 degree F (175 degree C) oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove cake from oven and let cool.
To Make Glaze: Heat 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips, butter or margarine, and milk in a saucepan over medium high heat. Once semisweet chocolate chips are melted and mixture is combined stir in confectioners' sugar.
Spread glaze over cooled cake. Serve cake as is or with whipped cream and a cherry.

March 27th

to be posted

March 26th - Mothering Sunday UK

Mothering Sunday was also known as 'Refreshment Sunday' or 'Mid-Lent Sunday'. It was often called Refreshment Sunday because the fasting rules for Lent were relaxed, in honour of the Feeding of the Five Thousand, a story in the Christian Bible. No one is absolutely certain exactly how the idea of Mothering Sunday began, but we know that on this day, about four hundred years ago, people who lived in little villages made a point of going not to their local church but to the nearest big church. To what was called the Mother Church. And some would go to the nearest city to worship in the cathedral. For a long time, it has also been a day for giving thanks for all the things our mothers do for us. Years ago, it was common practice for servants and other people working away from home to visit their parents and give their mothers a present of money, a trinklet or something to eat. The most favoured food was - as it still is in some families - the 'simnel cake'.

The Simnel cake is a fruit cake. A flat layer of marzipan (sugar almond paste) is placed on top of and decorated with 11 marzipan balls representing the 12 apostles minus Judas, who betrayed Christ.

How is Mothering Sunday celebrated in England? Mothering Sunday is a time when children pay respect to their Mothers. Children often give their Mothers a gift and a card.
Many churches give the children in the congregation a little bunch of spring flowers during the Mothering Sunday service, to give to their mothers.

Simnel Cake

Cake:
1 1/4 sticks butter or margarine
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups plain flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3 eggs
3 cups mixed dried fruit
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1/2 cup cherries
1/2 cup mixed peel
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp mixed spice (pumpkin spice)

Almond Paste:
2 cups ground almonds
1 cup icing (confectioners) sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
2 drops almond essence (extract)
1 beaten egg
1. Cream the butter and sugar together.
2. Sieve the flour, baking powder and mixed spice together.
3. Beat the eggs and add, one at a time, with a spoonful of the flour, into the butter and sugar mixture.
4. Add all the other ingredients and fold in carefully.
5. Make the almond paste. Mix almonds, icing sugar and castor sugar together. Add lemon juice, almond essence and enough egg to form a fairly dry paste.
6. Cut the almond paste in two and roll out one half to the size of the 8 in./20 cm diameter cake tin.
7. Put half the cake mixture into the greased tin, then place the almond paste layer on top of that before adding the rest of the cake mixture.
8. Bake in oven at 300 degrees for 2-2 1/2 hours. This is difficult to test with a fork to see if the cake is cooked as the almond paste is sticky when hot. Press the cake with a finger; it should be firm.
9. Allow to cool in the tin for a short while before turning out.
10. When cool, decorate with the remaining almond paste. A traditional way is to put 11 balls around the top edge, to represent the Apostles, minus Judas who betrayed Jesus.

March 25th - Greek Independence Day

Celebration of Greece's independence.

March 24th - Magic Raisins?!

I hunted high and low, throughout my various resources, trying to find a national holiday somewhere in the world...only to be met with the same answer everywhere...in the USA it is "National Chocolate Covered Raisin Day" So today you get a little bit of history!

First the tasty treat: The first raisins were probably grapes that had dried naturally on the vine. More than 3000 years ago, people were making raisins by picking grapes and laying them out in the sun to dry. The Egyptians discovered the principle of sun-drying fruits. Today, raisins that are sun-dried still go through a very similar process. About 1000 years ago, travelers to the Middle East brought raisins back to Europe. They were a precious trade item in the Near East and also highly valued in ancient Rome. Did you know Queen Isabella of Spain, sent Spanish missionaries with raisins to Mexico and California? Thus the trend really took off here. In the San Joaquin Valley of California, the raisin industry began booming in the 1870's after a heat wave dried the grape crop on the vine. Farmers found the best spot for growing raisins near Fresno in there. Today, 95% of all raisins grown in the United States come from California, within 50 miles of Fresno. California supplies much of the world's raisin market. But why cover them in chocolate? Because everything is better in chocolate! The most commonly known type of chocolate covered raisin is Raisinets, which were introduced in the the United States in 1927 by the Blumenthal Chocolate company. Nestle' acquired the brand in 1984.

Since today is actually to celebrate the chocolate covered variety, I suggest a big bag or box at your local movie theatre...nothing better!
But in honour of Lent...a healthy meatless, chocolate-less recipe:
Grilled Tuna with California Raisin Chutney
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup white distilled vinegar
1-1/2 teaspoons ground red pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 piece (2-inch) cinnamon stick
12 or 14 black peppercorns
1 piece (1-inch) julienned fresh ginger root
1-1/2 cups California golden raisins
6 boneless, skinless tuna fillets (6 ounces each)
PROCEDURE
In 1-quart nonreactive saucepan, bring sugar, water and vinegar to boil over medium-high heat. Add red pepper, turmeric, cloves, cinnamon stick, peppercorns and ginger. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook 5 minutes to blend flavors. Add raisins and continue cooking on low 8 to 10 minutes or until most of the liquid evaporates. Remove from heat and set aside.
Preheat grill or broiler. Grill or broil tuna fillets for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Transfer tuna to serving platter; spoon about 2 tablespoons chutney over each fillet. Serve immediately.

March 23rd - Pakistan Day

Pakistan Day is observed today, a national holiday celebrating the formation and independence of that country in 1940. Several political and social organizations hold rallies, meetings, symposiums and debates on Pakistan Day; while schools organize quiz programmes on the independence movement. Meanwhile special prayers will be held at mosques today for stability and progress of the country.

I suggest cooking a great Pakistani dinner (or order a good Curry), and maybe curling up with a "Bollywood" inspired film such as "Bride & Prejudice" or even "Bend It Like Beckham"!

Tandoori Wrap
600g chopped cooked chicken
60g tandoori paste
4green onions
200ml yogurt
2tblsp chopped coriander
1tblsp lime juice
1/2teasp sugar
4pieces lavash bread(you can easily find itin a chinese foodstore or you can use a chapatti)
2tblsp mango chutney

Combine chicken, paste, onion and 60ml of the yogurt in heated oiled medium frying pan;cook, about 5 minutes. Combine remaining yogurt with coriander, juice and sugar in small bowl.Place one-quarter of chicken mixture along short side of one piece of lavash; drizzle with one-quarter of yogurt mixture and 2teasp of the chutney; roll to enclose filling. Enjoy!

Welcome to Spring!

Hi! And welcome to Everyday's a Holiday. It's the working space for a book I'm working on. For more info check out my website, A Turn of Events.

So, today is the Spring Equinox...more day light, the turning point of the weather, the day when young lovers are supposed to court one another, animals to mate, new birth. So it is appropriate for me to start my new website & blog today!

Everyday I will be updated with the holidays of the day, links, maybe even recipes. Because Everyday should be a reason to celebrate!