Cathy Burnham Martin's Blog, page 85

National World Speech Day

“Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something.”

— Plato (428-348 BC)
Ancient Greek philosopher

Commonwealth Day in Canada

Annually, the 2nd of March commemorates the Commonwealth of Nations as a show of solidarity and a time to renew vows of international cooperation. Originally called Empire Day, as a nod to the British Empire, this is noted as a time to address global issues of the 2 billion-plus people who constitute the nations of former British colonies.

 

Though Canada celebrates this day, and the U.S. does not, I will take this day to celebrate all my Canadian friends.  En route to their winter escape in Florida, Beverly and Jeremy Moody, a couple of our dearest friends from the Toronto area joined us for a brief visit.

 

 

One highlight was touring the famed Biltmore in Asheville, NC. Such fun we had in our time together, sharing memories, catching up on family happenings, bemoaning our nations’ political meanderings, and celebrating being alive.

Enjoy Commonwealth Day!

Recognize National Good Samaritan Day

Image by John Hain

 

The term “Good Samaritan” is derived from the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37 of the Bible. Regardless of our circumstances, we all have the ability to choose to fill or not fill this day and all of our days with acts and words of kindness.

 

 

“How do we change the world? One random act of kindness at a time.”

– Morgan Freeman (1937 –  )
American actor

It Takes All Kinds

“Both optimists and pessimists contribute to our society. The optimist invents the airplane, and the pessimist the parachute.”

— Gil Stein (1928 – 2022)
American lawyer, law instructor, and 1st NHL president

Recognize Your Middle Name

Photo by Artem Sapegin

We celebrate Middle Name Pride Day on the first Friday of the first full week in March. In 2023 it takes place on March 10.

Great care is taken when parents and grandparents name a child. Sometimes a first and middle name have meanings both on their own and together. A middle name often commemorates a current or past relative or godparent. And, as with first names, middle names have meanings.

My middle name is Ann, which is a shortened version of the name Hannah. The meaning is “grace” and “favored by God.” (I must note that “grace” in my case does not reflect any tendency toward being graceful.) As with many original names, the meanings are derived from the Bible. So, take a moment to find the meaning of your middle name, if you have one… or the reason it was chosen for you.

Popcorn Is for Popcorn Lovers

While we salute National Popcorn Day on January 19th, March 10th is Popcorn Lovers Day. And I love popcorn, so count me in… whether it be buttered, caramelized, cheesy, kettle corn, or chocolate drizzled. Popcorn, a GMO and gluten-free treat, is also a high-fiber and antioxidant whole grain, which can reduce our risk of diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension. (Okay, for the best health benefits, we must forgo all the yummy toppings.)

Popcorn has been a staple food for over 5,000 years. In the 1800s popcorn was eaten as cereal, served with milk and sugar. Charles Cretors invented the first commercial popcorn machine in 1885. Pillsbury invented microwaveable popcorn in 1982.

Here are a couple of interesting popcorn tidbits: Popcorn’s 4% water content is what causes it to pop when heated. Nebraska grows the most popcorn in America… 250 million pounds per year! And the Cancel Culture was alive in 1949 when popcorn was banned (temporarily) from movie theatres, because the snack was too loud.

This is National Crab Day (orrrrr National Crabmeat Day)

Cathy’s Crabcakes with Horseradish Drizzle

I love crabmeat… in the shells or out! Serve it up, and I’ll chomp it down!

A long-time favorite of mine is the Crab Cake. However, I prefer to make them without tons of breading or other fillers. Crab and veggies, please. Give it a go!

Cathy’s Crab Cakes
Enjoy these gems between favorite sandwich buns, on roasted corn, or atop a salad. This recipe will make 6-8 large cakes or many mini, tapas-sized portions. They are great on their own, as a brunch Benedict, an appetizer, or entrée item.

3 T butter
1 c finely chopped sweet onion
1/3 c finely chopped celery
¼ c each: chopped sweet red pepper & minced fresh parsley
1/3 – ½ c mayonnaise
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 T Dijon mustard
1 tsp each: Worcestershire sauce & lemon juice
1-2 T Old Bay seasoning
1-2 dashes Mike’s Red Hot or tabasco (or cayenne pepper), optional
6-8 Ritz crackers, crumbled (or ½ c panko)
1 lb lump crab meat, picked clean of shells
1 lb claw crab meat, picked clean of shells
Sauté onion and celery in butter over med heat for 2 min; cool. Stir in remaining ingredients, except for crab. Then gently fold in crabmeat to keep the chunks. Form into patties, 2/3” thick. Place in single layer on platter, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Just before serving time, brown in butter 3-5 min per side over medium heat. Serve warm.

Cathy’s Crab Cake Drizzle
In 2002, I started making this sauce to top the crab cakes or serve on the side with appetizer-sized cakes.
2 heaping T each: Dijon mustard & prepared horseradish
1 heaping T each: mayonnaise & minced ginger
2 T white wine
3 T lemon juice
Mix together in small bowl. Drizzle generously in a crisscross pattern over hot grilled, baked, sauteed, or broiled crab cakes. Garnish with a sprinkle of freshly ground pepper.

Celebrate National Fresh Celery Month!

First discovered in Europe’s Mediterranean region, celery has plenty of health and healing benefits. High in fiber, vitamin K, folate, and potassium, celery is good for digestion and lowers blood pressure. It’s a dieter’s delight with a mere 14 calories per cup.

 

Celery is delicious both cooked or raw, and we can eat it all, from the roots to the leaves. It’s used in salads, casseroles, and soups.  In fact, along with onions and carrots, celery forms the famed Mirepoix, the French base that flavors soups and stews. Another favorite is celery stalks (& either ranch or bleu cheese dressing) alongside Buffalo-style chicken or cauliflower. And stuffing for a duck, chicken, or turkey would be foul without celery in the dressing mix. (Yes, pun intended.) Further, what’s a Bloody Mary cocktail without its celery stalk stir stick? Nada, Baby!

 

So, let’s get cooking!

Stuffed Celery
Try celery filled with peanut (or other nut) butter; as a dipper in place of (or in addition to) chips and crackers. Or stuff some celery sticks with a favorite hummus or softened cream cheese to which you’ve stirred your favorite herbs or some dry ranch dressing mix. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley, if you like. Or add a slice of turkey or ham to each stick.

 

Chicken Salad
Add finely diced celery and sweet onion to your diced cooked chicken, and mayonnaise to make chicken salad. You can also add favorite herbs, dried cranberries, halved seedless grapes, diced apples, pears, or peaches, various nuts, and sesame and poppy seeds to the mix. Let it all chill for at least one hour (& preferably overnight) before serving. Use in sandwiches or mounded atop a frilly lettuce leaf.

Creamy Celery Soup
2 T butter
12-16 large celery stalks, sliced crosswise in ½“ pieces (keep some leaves for garnish)
7-8 trimmed broccoli florets
1 lg sweet onion, chopped
1 medium baking potato, peeled and diced small
Kosher salt & ground white pepper
6 cups water
2 T fresh lemon or lime juice
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over med heat. Add sliced celery, broccoli, onion, and potato; season with salt & pepper. Let cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring a few times. Add the water; bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to medium. Let cook 15-20 more minutes. Process with an immersion blender till smooth, stir in citrus juice & season with additional salt to suit your taste. Serve, garnishing each bowl with celery or other leaves or a cooked broccoli floret with a dab of sour cream and a crispy bread stick.

Seafood Salad
To add a lovely crunchy texture, stir some finely diced celery into a favorite shrimp or lump crabmeat salad. And for color, try adding some finely diced or chopped sweet red or orange bell pepper, too. For seasonings, keep it simple. For example, a little lemon or lime juice and ground pepper work perfectly. For some extra zest, add some Old Bay seafood seasoning.

Flipping for National Flapjack Day!

You say pancake. I say flapjack! They’re both the same. This is also true for hotcakes and griddlecakes, which are types of pancakes.

Call it whatever you like. On this day we celebrate the mahhhvelous breakfast treat.

Of course, if we are in the United Kingdom, a flapjack is not a pancake at all. It’s an oat-based baked item, somewhat like a granola bar. And if we’re French, our pancakes will be more apt to be exceptionally thin and delicate. They are called crepes.  (Yummy!)

 

Because I am in the U.S., I’ll stick with pancakes on this day. Go for a traditional presentation with a pat of butter and some warmed, 100% pure maple syrup on top. Or try a sprinkle of confectioners’ sugar, a variety of fruits or berries, and whipped cream.  A favorite of mine is adding blueberries and/or freshly diced peaches in the batter. Oh, yeah! Chocolate chips are pretty remarkable, too… with or without sliced bananas and bacon bits. Various nuts and praline bits also blend beautifully.

Yummmmm…. I think my griddle is ready to cook some flapjacks. Bye for now!

Attitude Counts!

Mom always exudes a positive attitude. When, as a child, I was the most exasperating and driving her crazy, she could always manage to answer the ringing telephone with a distinct smile in her voice. When I questioned how she did that, she would remind me that the person calling was not the one misbehaving. Good point. Though I admit that I do not always succeed, she taught me well to claim the positive and put my best foot forward. Thanks, Mom!

 “You can make your bed with a smile, or you can make your bed with a frown, but you’re going to make your bed.”

— Glenna Burnham  (1930 –  )
My All-time Great American Mother
As quoted in 2005’s “A Healthier You!” and “Healthy Thinking Habits” in 2015