~★~♥~♥~★~ El Morno! ♥~★~★~♥ ~
February 5, 2013

★~ Today’s Quote: 

Each morning sees some task begin,
Each evening sees it close;
Something attempted, something done,
Has earned a night’s repose
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

★~National Weathercaster Day:

Created for eighteenth century weather observer John Jeffries, Weathercasters’ Day honors “men and women who collectively provide Americans with the best weather, water, and climate forecasts and warning services of any nation,” the National Weather Service advises us.

It may also help to raise the suffering self-esteem of weathercasters after Groundhog Day. Think about it, Punxsutawney Phi didn’t even spend all those years in college learning to become a meteorologist, and he is right about as often as the weathercasters.

★~ World Nutella Day:

In 2007, two American expat writers living in Italy, Sara Rosso and Michelle Fabio, had a dream that Nutella lovers worldwide would unite and eat Nutella for just one day. And so they made it official, declaring their love for the chocolate-hazelnut spread and the day a holiday.

Antoinette, El Morno’s saucy Aussie and Nutella lover (pictured above), would explain to you (in her gently precise teacher voice) that Nutella is more than just a “chocolaty hazelnut spread,” it is a way of life . . . a jar filled with the goodness of childhood memories.

Her eyes would glaze over as shared childhood memories of Nutella oozing over hot crepes, and spooning Nutella from the jar directly into her mouth.

Celebrate Nutella day by making some memories of your own.  Scroll down for some of the best Nutella recipes…

★~ Chocolate Fondue Day: 

The word “fondue” is derived from the French word “fondre,” which means to melt. The dish originated in 19th century Switzerland as a way to use up hardened cheese. It became popular for dinner parties in the 1950s, but the chocolate dessert version did not emerge until the 1960s.

Traditional dippers include fresh fruits such as bananas, strawberries, and tangerines; small pieces of cookie or cake; and miscellaneous goodies like marshmallows and pretzels.  Chocolatier Dark Chocolate Orange Fondue

★~ Today in History:

♥~ 1861 – Samuel Goodale of Cincinnati, OH patented the moving picture peep show machine. One put in a coin and turned a crank on the side of the ornately decorated box and voila, a flickering movie appeared!

♥~1919 – Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks Sr. and director D.W. Griffith announced the founding of the United Artists movie studio. United Artists had big hits with the Beatles’ first two movies, “Gilligan’s Island” and the James Bond franchise.

♥~ 1952 – New York adopted the first Walk/Don’t Walk automatic traffic signs.

♥~ 1961 – The Shirelles were winding up their first week at #1 on the music charts with Will You Love Me Tomorrow. The song was at the top for two weeks. It was the group’s first #1 tune and the first #1 tune from the pen of a New York Brill Building songwriter who worked right down the hall from Neil Sedaka. She became a huge star in her own right with several #1 singles and albums in the 1970s. Her name: Carole King.

♥~ 1971 – Apollo 14, the third U.S. manned Moon expedition, landed near Fra Mauro. Alan Shepard & Edward Mitchell walked on the Moon for four hours while Stuart A. Roosa took care of biz in the command module.

♥~ 2010 – New Zealand explorers reported finding  five crates of whisky and brandy belonging to polar explorer Ernest Shackleton. The crates had been buried for more than 100 years under the Antarctic ice.

★~ Trending Right Now:

♥~ After 500 years, Richard III’s bones yield their secret

♥~ Tactics for Getting the I.R.S. on the Phone (note, as of posting New York times link can “hang” for a bit–you may to click more than once)

♥~ Fall Out Boy reunites after four years to tour and release their fifth studio album

★~Born Today:

[youtube]http://youtu.be/OxWSOuNsN20[/youtube]

♥~ 1744 – John Jeffries physician and one of America’s first weather forecasters: kept detailed records of weather conditions [1774-1816]; died Sep 16, 1819

♥~ 1944 – Al Kooper songwriter, singer, musician: guitar, keyboards: groups: The Royal Teens: Short Shorts; Blood, Sweat and Tears: You’ve Made Me So Very Happy, Spinning Wheel, And When I Die

♥~ 1948 – Barbara Hershey (Herzstein) actress: Hannah and Her Sisters, With Six You Get Eggroll, Beaches, The Right Stuff, The Natural, From Here to Eternity, The Monroes

♥~ 1961 – Tim Meadows actor: Saturday Night Live, The Cookout, Mean Girls, The Ladies Man, It’s Pat, Wayne’s World 2, Coneheads

♥~ 1967 – Chris Parnell, Actor-comedian (“Saturday Night Live”)

★~ Did You Know:  You could just spoon Nutella out of the jar and into your mouth but in case you desire something a little more….

♥~ Peanut butter–Nutella swirl chocolate chip cookies.

♥~ Bake some Nutella Crunch brownies.. SO GOOD.

♥~ Fry up  Nutella wontons (and dip them in Nutella)

♥~ Nutella French Toast with Strawberries. 

♥~ Nutella milkshake:

Ingredients:
1/3 cup nutella
1 cup skim milk
3 big scoops of low fat vanilla frozen yogurt
Directions:
Add all ingredients into a blender and blend. Serve immediately. Makes 2 10 ounce milkshakes.

♥~ Nutella and caramelized banana sandwich: Makes one sandwich

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 banana (peeled and sliced)
1 or 2 slices of bread
2 tablespoons nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread)

Directions:
1. Melt the butter and sugar in a pan.
2. Add the bananas and cook until golden brown and caramelized on both sides, about 3-5 minutes per side.
3. Assemble sandwich.

♥~ Nutella Fondue

Ingredients:
1 cup nutella
1 cup heavy cream
biscotti or fruit

Directions:
Spoon the Nutella into a heatproof bowl. In a microwave-safe glass measuring cup, heat the cream at high power for 45 seconds or until very hot. Slowly whisk the cream into the Nutella until smooth and silky. Transfer to 8 small espresso cups and serve with biscotti or fruit.

#

Well, snow much for the on-line snow day calculator that I found –big fail! We had an 87% chance of a snow day in Chicago with about   4-6 inclues of snow, I think we had 4-6 flakes.

FYI, I have tried most of those Nutella recipes and they are very good…as you might imagine. I have not tried the fried wonton, but I will. I will!

Hope you have a terrific Tuesday!