October 1 Homemade Cookies Day

First Welcome October 
Today day is October 1 Homemade Cookies Day… 
Homemade cookies are many people's favorite dessert. Most cookie recipes have butter or a fat component. Cookies originated from extra cake batter that Dutch bakers experimented with cooking at varying oven temperatures. 

joyofbaking.com

Don't forget to share the cookies you've made with your family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. Share on social media using #October1HomemadeCookiesDay

September 30 Mud Pack Day

Today day is September 30 Mud Pack Day, on that day people apply Mud packs are mixtures of therapeutic clays when applied to the skin increase circulation, ease muscle tension, release toxins and boost immunity.

Masks are removed by either rinsing the face with water, wiping if off with a damp cloth, or peeling off of the face by hand. Duration for wearing a mask varies with the type of mask, and manufacturer's usage instructions. The time can range from a few minutes to overnight. Those with sensitive skin are advised to first test out the mask on a small portion of the skin, in order to check for any irritations. (With material from: Wikipedia)
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September 29 Coffee Day

Today day is September 29 Coffee Day, Coffee Day in the United States on September 29 each year. The first official celebration of International Coffee Day on 1 October was held in 2015, as agreed by the International Coffee Organization. Before 2015 the day used to be celebrated on different dates in different countries.

Coffee is a brewed beverage prepared from the roasted seeds of several species of an evergreen shrub of the genus Coffea. Coffee is slightly acidic and can have a stimulating effect on humans because of its caffeine content. It is one of the most consumed drinks in the world.
Many studies have examined the health effects of coffee, and whether the overall effects of coffee consumption are positive or negative has been widely disputed. The majority of recent research suggests that moderate coffee consumption is benign or mildly beneficial in healthy adults. However, coffee can worsen the symptoms of some conditions, such as anxiety. (With material from: Wikipedia)
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September 28 Drink Beer Day

Today day is September 28 Drink Beer Day

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September 28 Strawberry Cream Pie Day

 Today day is September 28 Strawberry Cream Pie Day

INGREDIENTS
2/3 cup boiling water
1 (0.3 oz.) package sugar free strawberry-flavor gelatin
1 cup ice cubes (5 medium size)
1 (12.75 oz.) jar Smucker's® Sugar Free Seedless Strawberry Jam
1 (8 oz.) container sugar free frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (9-inch) prepared reduced fat graham cracker pie crust
DIRECTIONS
POUR boiling water over gelatin in medium bowl. Stir 2 minutes. Add ice cubes. Stir constantly 1 minute or until gelatin begins to thicken. Remove any unmelted ice cubes.
STIR in 3/4 cup preserves and 1 1/2 cups whipped topping until blended. Spoon evenly into pie crust. Chill 30 to 40 minutes or until firm. Stir remaining jam until smooth. Spread over pie filling. Top with remaining whipped topping, spreading to within 1-inch of outer edge.

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September 27 Corned Beef Hash Day

Today day is September 27 Corned Beef Hash Day
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September 27 Chocolate Milk Day

Today day is September 27 Chocolate Milk Day.
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September 26 Dumpling Day

Today day is September 26 Dumpling Day, an appetizer. It is dedicated to pastry which is believed to have originated in northeastern United States. Apple dumplings are a very popular food among the Amish. This pastry can be served for breakfast or as a dessert after meals. Apple dumplings can be topped with vanilla ice cream or sweet sauce before serving. 

How to Make Chinese Dumplings from Scratch

Prep time
4 hours
Cook time
20 mins
Total time
4 hours 20 mins

Author: Maggie Zhu
Recipe type: Main, Snack
Cuisine: Chinese
Serves: 70 - 80 dumplings
Ingredients
• 500 grams (4 cups / 18 ounces) all-purpose flour (*see footnote 1)
• 265 milliliter (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons / 9 ounces) water (room temperature)
• About 4 cups preferable dumpling filling (refer to lamb with vegetables,kimchi pork, or pork, shrimp and mushrooms)
Instructions
To prepare the dough
1. Add flour into a large bowl. Slowly pour the water into the bowl, mixing them together with a pair of chopsticks.
2. When the water is mixed with the flour, dust both hands with flour and start kneading to form dough. The dough will be quite tough and should easily be able to be lifted from the bowl without sticking to the bottom.
3. When dough has formed, dust the working surface with flour and dust hands again. Transfer the dough to the working surface and continue to knead it until its surface becomes smooth, about 10 minutes.
4. Rinse a clean dish towel with water. Dust the bottom of a large bowl with flour and transfer the dough into it. Cover bowl with the damp dish towel and a lid (or plastic wrap). Let the dough rest for 2 hours. You can let the dough rest longer, 4 to 5 hours.
5. After resting, the dough will be softened and have a smooth texture. Dust the working surface and your hands with extra flour and transfer the dough onto the surface. Knead the dough repeatedly for another 3 to 5 minutes, until the dough hardens again. Let the dough rest for about 30 minutes (or longer).
6. During this time, you can prepare the dumpling filling(s).
To make dumplings
1. Dust the working surface again and transfer the dough onto it. Slice 1/6 of the dough off and place the rest back to the big bowl. Cover it with the damp dish towel.
2. Roll the dough into a long stick, 2.5 to 3 centimeters (1 inch) in diameter. Use a knife to cut the dough stick into about 12 small doughs, each weighing 12 to 14 grams (0.4 to 0.5 oz) (*see footnote 2).
3. Slightly dust both sides of each small dough with flour. Work on them one at a time.
4. Dust the working surface again. Take one dough and press it to a round disc. Roll it with a rolling pin into a round sheet (refer to the video to see how). Try to roll it so that that the edge is thinner than the center. The wrapper should be about 1 millimeter thick (i.e. almost same as the thickness of a CD), and the diameter should be about 7 centimeters. It is ok if the wrapper is not perfectly round.
5. Starting here, you should work as quickly as you can, because the wrappers will dry out quickly. And if they do, you will find it very difficult to seal the dumplings later. If the wrappers dry out when you start to fold the dumplings, brush a bit of water over the edge so you can still seal the dough.
6. Scoop about 1 tablespoon (or less, so you can easily fold the dumpling) of dumpling filling and place it in the center of the wrapper. Hold the dumpling with one hand and start sealing the edges with the other hand (refer to thevideo to see how to fold a dumpling). Be careful, when you press the edges together to seal the dumpling, do not let filling touch the sealing area (the dumpling will fall apart if you do). After folding, press edge again to seal well. You don’t need to fold beautiful dumplings here; our goal is to make the dumplings hold their shape during boiling.
7. Place the dumplings on the working surface and work on the rest of the doughs in the same manner. 8. Try to wrap and cook dumplings in small batches (20 to 25 dumplings at a time). If you won't cook dumplings soon after wrapping (within 30 minutes), freeze them first (refer to the session "to store dumpling" below). If you want to know the reason, read the session of "Things you should take note of" above.
To cook boiled dumplings
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
2. Carefully add dumplings one at a time into the water. Use a big ladle to stir the water gently and continuously, until the water starts to boil again, so the dumplings won’t stick to the bottom, for about 1 minute. Adjust the heat so the water is at boiling point, but isn’t bubbling too fiercely.
3. When the dumplings float to the surface, continue boiling until the dumplings are filled with air and swollen, and the dough starts to become transparent, about 1 minute (*see footnote 3). Immediately transfer all the dumplings to a plate.
4. (*) Be careful, the dumplings cook quickly and you should always stand beside the pot throughout the boiling process. When the dumplings are cooked, they will start to fall apart within seconds, so transfer them as soon as possible.
To cook potstickers
1. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. When oil is hot, place potstickers in the skillet, pleat side up. 2. Swirl 2 tablespoons water in the skillet, cover immediately, and turn the heat to medium. Cook covered until the water is evaporated and potstickers are cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Remove the cover and flip one potsticker to see whether the bottom side is charred. If not, turn to medium high heat and cook until the bottom side turns golden brown.
4. Transfer the potstickers to a plate.
To serve dumplings
1. Option 1: Serve with Chinese black vinegar and a few ginger slices.
2. Option 2: Serve with 1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar + 1 teaspoon light soy sauce + 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil.
3. Option 3: Serve with Chinese black vinegar and a few drops fresh Chili oil.
To freeze raw dumplings
1. If you plan to store dumplings or won't serve them immediately, always freeze them uncooked. It won’t affect the texture or flavor of the dumplings.
2. Dust the bottom of a big airtight box with a thin layer of flour. Place the dumplings, one finger’s width apart. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
To cook frozen dumplings
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add dumplings into the water. Use a big ladle to stir a few times. Cover and cook until the water starts to boil again. Adjust the heat so the water will keep boiling without spilling. Cover and cook for 3 minutes (up to 5 minutes for bigger dumplings). Uncover pot. Continue to cook for about 1 minute (up to 2 minutes for bigger dumplings), until cooked through. Transfer to a plate immediately.
To store and reheat cooked dumplings
1. Store leftover boiled dumplings in airtight container in the fridge and consume as soon as possible, within 1 to 2 days.
2. To reheat in microwave - Add dumplings into a bowl and sprinkle with a few drops of water. Cover and heat until warm.
3. To reheat by steaming - Place dumplings in a bowl. Place a tall-rimmed plate upside down in a pot and add water to cover. Place the bowl of dumplings on top. Heat over high heat until water is boiling. Continue cooking for 5 minutes.
4. To pan fry - Grease a nonstick skillet with a thin layer of oil and heat over medium heat. When skillet is hot, add dumplings. Swirl in a tablespoon of water, cover immediately, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
Notes
(1) Make sure you sift the flour into the cup and level it with a chopstick. If you scoop the flour with the cup directly, you will end up with 1/3 too much flour.
(2) This recipe makes relatively small dumplings. They are easier to wrap and work better for fillings that contain more moisture. Depend on the filling you use, you can also make slightly bigger dumplings.
(3) The cooking time here is just for reference. Actual cooking time will depend on the heat, the type of stove you use, the size of the dumplings, and the type of filling.
(With material from: omnivorescookbook)

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September 25 World Rivers Day

Today day is September 25 World Rivers Day, World Rivers Day is a global celebration of the world's waterways, observed every last Sunday in September.

It’s goal is to highlight how valuable rivers are to our world, and to increase the public’s awareness about how they can help. The United Nations launched the “Water for Life Decade” in 2005 to increase awareness of the need for better care of our limited water sources. The first World Rivers Day was established after this, in response to an environmental proposal by internationally respected river advocate, Mark Angelo.
Events include riverside cleanups, habitat restoration, nature walks, paddle trips, school projects, art displays, music festivals, and parades. Citizens are encouraged to join an event in their area, or start one of their own. World Rivers Day has been endorsed by various agencies of the United Nations and is intended to complement the broader efforts of the United Nations Water For Life Decade. (With material from: Wikipedia)
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September 25 Comic Book Day

Today day is September 25 Comic Book Day, comic books are also called comic magazines. In 1933, a comic book, Famous Funnies, appeared in the US and is said to be the first real comic book.

American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publication of Action Comics, which included the debut of the superhero Superman. This was followed by a superhero boom that lasted until the end of World War II. After the war, the comic book industry rapidly expanded, and genres such as funny animals, westerns, romance and humor became popular.
Since the later 20th century, comic books have gained note as collectable items. Comic shops cater to fans, and particularly valuable issues have fetched in excess of a million dollars. Systems of grading comic books have emerged, and plastic bags and backing boards are available to maintain the comic books' condition. (With material from: Wikipedia)
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September 24 Cherries Jubilee Day

Today day is September 24 Cherries Jubilee Day, Cherries jubilee is a dessert dish made with cherries and liqueur (typically Kirschwasser), which is subsequently flambéed, and commonly served as a sauce over vanilla ice cream.

Cheery Cherries Jubilee

1 pound frozen sweet cherries
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon grated orange rind
½ cup orange juice
½ cup water
¼ cup brandy
vanilla ice cream

Thaw cherries and set aside. In a medium-sized saucepan, combine 3 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and ½ teaspoon orange rind. Add ½ cup orange juice and ½ cup water and stir well. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Add thawed cherries, reduce heat to low, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Pour ¼ cup brandy over the entire surface of the hot cherry sauce. Ignite with a butane lighter or long fireplace match. Stir until flames die down. Serve immediately over scoops of vanilla ice cream. YUM! I hope you enjoy the Cheery Cherries Jubilee.
There have been many variations on the idea of flambéed fruit since Escoffier's time, the most famous being Bananas Foster. Other variations include Mangos Diablo (mangos flambéed in tequila) and Pêches Louis (peaches flamed in whiskey). (With material from: Wikipedia) Share on social media using #September24CherriesJubileeDay

September 24 Punctuation Day

Today day is September 24 Punctuation Day honors, a period, a comma, a semicolon, a question mark and an exclamation point are examples of some of the punctuation, these and all punctuation annually. Founded by Jeff Rubin in 2004
. Punctuation Day was highlight those lessons we learned in elementary school, and to reinforce their use and to show just how important they can be to ensure that what you write is properly interpreted as what you mean.

See Punctuation Video for increases your knowledge. Punctuation Day shares this wisdom with the world, as well as the wisdom of all the other forms of punctuation.
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September 23 Great American Pot Pie Day

Today day is September 23 Great American Pot Pie Day, food related holiday was created in 2002 by Marie Callender's, the pot pie and Frozen Food Company.

Chicken Pot Pie Recipe (or a best guessed approximation, remember I don't actually measure) (this makes 2 pies easy)

What you need:

2 cans of Campbells Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can (after it's empty of the soup) can of Milk (I used whole milk)
12oz package of frozen peas and carrots
JB Abrams Chicken Soup base
6 small russet potatoes (cubes small and uncooked)
2lbs of chicken tenders (you could also substitute your left over turkey from Thanksgiving dinner and just not fry it up ;)
1 package of Pillsbury (or your favorite brand) pre-made pie crust
3 limes and 4 lemons (NO I'M JUST KIDDING BAHAHA)

What you do:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

Put one of the pie shells into a deep dish pie pan (or regular if you prefer...I make it deep dish) and fork the bottom and sides of the dough.

Cut up the chicken into cubes and sauté that in a pan with enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Season how you like. I use salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder. (or just get out your turkey if you already have that cooked)

In a bowl mix the 2 cans of soup, 1 can of milk, and all the veggies and a large kitchen spoon of the Abrams soup mix. I don't measure that but if you watch in my video that probably equals about 2 "actual" measured tablespoons. Stir all that together in a the bowl and season with salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder to your taste.
When the chicken is white on all sides (not browned) drain and add to the mixture in the bowl and give it a good stir. Pour that mixture into the shell lined crust in the pie pan and cover with the top crust. Fold the top crust under the bottom and pinch closed and then either flute the edges or use a fork to crimp them down. Cute 4 slits in the top of the top crust to allow the pie to steam.
Bake for 1 hour (make sure you put foil under the pie in the oven as it will spew over)

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