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National Brandied Fruit Day

October 20: National Brandied Fruit Day!

So. Brandied fruit day, hey? Apparently brandied fruit takes a few weeks to make, and I definitely did not start fermenting any fruit in any dark places a few weeks ago. So what to do?

Dump some brandy on some fruit and call it a day!

Just kidding! I classed it up a LITTLE bit. But it’s still basically some fruit with some brandy on it.

I felt like a loser buying an airplane bottle of brandy.

I baked a pear in butter and brown sugar, then made a brandy caramel to pour over it. And served with vanilla bean ice cream! How was it? It was good… but super boozy tasting. Like, I’d much rather have a baked pear with vanilla ice cream and plain caramel sauce instead. It’s like when a nice restaurant adds something fancy because they think it makes a dish better, but no one really wants lavender scented foam on their plate.

Tomorrow: Apple Day! Caramel Apple Day! International Day of the Nacho!

Oatmeal Muffin Day

October 19: Oatmeal Muffin Day!

I enjoy a good muffin. Who doesn’t, right? I don’t make them very often because I never really think about it, but it’s always nice to have a bunch of muffins around.

I found a basic oatmeal muffin recipe online and was happy that I had everything that I needed, with the exception of dried currants. But who has dried currants on hand? I used dried cranberries instead, and also added pecans (duh) and cinnamon (double duh).

They’re super yum and way delicious before a morning spin class. One of the better days so far, if I do say so myself.

Tomorrow: National Brandied Fruit Day.

National Chocolate Cupcake Day

October 18: National Chocolate Cupcake Day!

I know this is unbelievable, but I wasn’t too excited for this day. You’d think I’d be super pumped to eat a cupcake, right? But chocolate cupcakes are so boring! And chocolate frosting is gross!

Seriously. If I’m going to eat a cupcake, it better be good. It better have cream cheese frosting. It better be coconut or carrot or something. If it’s going to be chocolate, it better not also have chocolate frosting.

Ugh. Seriously, why? Who likes chocolate on chocolate? The answer is no one, except idiots. CHANGE THAT ISH UP, YO!

Everyone loves a photo of me eating. Especially when I’m taking one for the team, right??

Tomorrow: Oatmeal Muffin Day.

National Pasta Day

October 17: National Pasta Day!

So, we just celebrated National Noodle Day on October 6; I chose to eat egg noodles since they had the word “noodle” in their name. For National Pasta Day, I was really hoping I would have the time to make homemade pasta (I would have made cavatelli, my absolute FAVORITE), but alas, National Pasta Day fell on a Thursday, not conducive to spending at least an hour hand rolling pasta. It was much easier to re-heat the leftover pasta from National Chicken Cacciatore Day , whip up a quick parmesan white sauce and call it a night with my DVR.

She’s not the prettiest girl at the party, but she’ll treat you right.

Tomorrow: National Chocolate Cupcake Day!

World Food Day

October 16: World Food Day!

When I looked at what today’s holiday was, I couldn’t decide what to eat. Should I go get my favorite curry from our go-to Thai place? Should I eat a bowl of rice in honor of the 1.36 billion people living in China, the world’s most populated country? Should I forgo food all day (spoiler: no) to stand in solidarity with the many hungry people in our world? Or should I go to McDonald’s, since the Golden Arches are recognized all over the world?

Duh.

Let’s talk for a minute about two of my favorite things about McDonald’s. First, the perfect sauce: Hot Mustard. A few years ago or so they rolled out a bunch of new sauces and I got scared. Why scared? Because they often don’t include my beloved in their sauce lineup. IN FACT, there this stupid game (sorry, I mean SAUCY CHALLENGE) on the McDonald’s website and Hot Mustard is no where to be found! Ugh. So, I’m scared they’re slowly phasing out the hot ‘tard. It might already be a regional thing. I was once in Cape Girardeau, Missouri and attempted to order Hot Mustard at the dude looked at me like I was crazy. ANYWAY, I order Hot Mustard always, even when I’m not nugging it up. It’s quite excellent on fries. I really hope everyone continues and/or starts ordering Hot Mustard so that it stays on the menu. I’ve tried making it at home and while it’s close, it’s not the same. Long live Hot Mustard!!

Another one of my favorite things about McDonald’s are the teeny tiny onions on the cheeseburgers. I’ve always loved these teeny tiny onions. When I was a wee Anna, my mom would try to replicate the teeny tiny onions on burgers at home but it was so not the same. Do they cook them briefly? Are they from a big vat? The internet says dried chopped onion! Is this the secret??

Tomorrow: National Pasta Day!

National Chicken Cacciatore Day

October 15: National Chicken Cacciatore Day!

If anyone is following along at home, you might have noticed that October 15th is ALSO National Roasted Pheasant Day. But, this is my quest and my blog, so I chose to do Chicken Cacciatore. Phew.

Cacciatore means “hunter” in Italian (or so wikipedia tells me) so apparently chicken cacciatore is made by hunters? Somehow I doubt hunters sit around chopping peppers and herbs and simmering chicken in wine. I think the only thing that is truly “alla cacciatore” is a bag of beef jerky and trail mix.