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NATIONAL TV DINNER DAY

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National TV Dinner Day is observed annually on September 10th.  In 1953, C.A. Swanson & Sons changed the prepackaged meal business forever. Introducing the TV Dinner revolutionized frozen food.

In 1962, Swanson stopped using the name TV Dinner. However, in the United States, the term remains synonymous with any prepackaged dinner purchased frozen from a store and heated at home.

Amazon Basics Classic TV Dinner Folding Tray with Storage Rack, Natural - Set of 4 Trays
Amazon Basics Classic TV Dinner Folding Tray with Storage Rack, Natural – Set of 4 Trays
Casual Home 5 Piece Tray Table Set, Espresso
Casual Home 5 Piece Tray Table Set, Espresso
Maarch Folding TV Tray Table, Adjustable TV Dinner Table, Foldable Tray Table for Eating and Laptops, Wall Mountable, Black
Maarch Folding TV Tray Table, Adjustable TV Dinner Table, Foldable Tray Table for Eating and Laptops, Wall Mountable, Black
HUANUO Adjustable TV Trays - TV Tray Tables on Bed & Sofa, Adjustable Laptop Table as TV Food Tray, Work Tray with 6 Heights & 3 Tilt Angles Adjustable (2 Pack)
HUANUO Adjustable TV Trays – TV Tray Tables on Bed & Sofa, Adjustable Laptop Table as TV Food Tray, Work Tray with 6 Heights & 3 Tilt Angles Adjustable (2 Pack)

The first Swanson TV Dinner consisted of a Thanksgiving meal of turkey, cornbread dressing, peas, and sweet potatoes. Originally, Swansons made the tray of aluminum. They separated each food item into individual compartments, too. At home, the cook heated the dinner in the oven. The cooking time was usually 25 minutes. Today, nearly all frozen food trays can be cooked in the microwave or a conventional oven. 

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When Swanson’s first sold TV dinners, they priced them at 98 cents. In the first year, production estimates reached 5,000 dinners. To their surprise, Swanson far exceeded that amount. In the first year, they sold more than 10 million of them.

TV Dinner Facts
  • 1960 – Swanson added desserts to a new four-compartment tray.
  • 1964 – Night Hawk name originated from the Night Hawk steak houses that operated in Austin, Texas, from 1939 through 1994. The original diners were open all night, catering to the late-night crowd. The restaurants produced the first frozen Night Hawk TV dinner in 1964.
  • 1969 – The first TV breakfasts were marketed. Great Starts Breakfasts and breakfast sandwiches followed later.
  • 1973 – Swanson markets the first Hungry-Man dinners. The meals included larger portions of its regular dinner products.
  • 1986 – Microwave-oven safe trays debut on the market. 
  • 1986 – The Smithsonian Institute inducted the original Swanson TV Dinner tray into the Museum of American History.

Much has changed since the original TV Dinner. They also remain a popular choice for a fast and convenient meal, fun to eat in front of the TV!

Looking for something to watch?  Check out some of my favorites here.

HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalTVDinnerDay

Get out a TV dinner, pop it in the microwave or oven, and enjoy! Use #NationalTVDinnerDay to post on social media.

Paragon Microwave Food Storage Tray Containers - 3 Section/Compartment Divided Plates W/Vented Lid, Set of 6
Paragon Microwave Food Storage Tray Containers – 3 Section/Compartment Divided Plates W/Vented Lid, Set of 6
Ez Prepa [20 Pack] 32oz 3 Compartment Meal Prep Containers with Lids - Bento Box - Plastic - Stackable, Reusable, Microwaveable & Dishwasher Safe
Ez Prepa [20 Pack] 32oz 3 Compartment Meal Prep Containers with Lids – Bento Box – Plastic – Stackable, Reusable, Microwaveable & Dishwasher Safe
Meal Prep Containers - Reusable Plastic Containers with Lids - Disposable Food Containers Meal Prep Bowls - Lunch Containers by Prep Naturals, 30 Pack
Meal Prep Containers – Reusable Plastic Containers with Lids – Disposable Food Containers Meal Prep Bowls – Lunch Containers by Prep Naturals, 30 Pack
Able Life Able Tray Table, Adjustable Bamboo Swivel TV and Laptop Table with Ergonomic Stand Assist Safety Handle, Independent Living Aid
Able Life Able Tray Table, Adjustable Bamboo Swivel TV and Laptop Table

NATIONAL SPONGE CAKE DAY

Jensperspectiveblog 3 Comments

On August 23rd, enjoy National Sponge Cake Day with the quintessential classic of the cake world. This airy queen of teas is the guest of honor, but we get the pleasure of tasting! 

One of the trickiest cakes for bakers to master, a perfect sponge stands tall. Another balancing trick for bakers includes maintaining a fine crumb while keeping the cake moist. If you enjoy layering berries and whipped cream, the sponge handles this task beautifully. 

The sponge cake is believed to be one of the first non-yeasted cakes. 

The sponge cake is thought to have originated in the Caribbean. However, the earliest English printed recipe for sponge cake comes from an English poet and author, Gervase Markham. In 1615 he published a sponge cake recipe in the book The English Huswife, Containing the Inward and Outward Virtues Which Ought to Be in a Complete Woman.

I can’t knit or make plum jam, but I can bake a bloody Victoria sponge. ~ Helen Mirren as Chris in Calendar Girls (2003)

In 2003, the sponge cake played a tiny role in the movie Calendar Girls starring Helen Mirren. In the scene, Mirren’s character, Chris, enters a baking competition. However, she forgets she entered, and instead of entering a sponge cake of her own making, she submits a store-bought Victoria sponge cake.

Want More Cake…

HOW TO OBSERVE #SpongeCakeDay

Be sure to find more of your favorite cakes here.

Get some sponge cake and enjoy it. Or, if you are up to the challenge, try this Glorious Sponge Cake recipe. Serve it with berries or a preserve. Use #SpongeCakeDay to post on social media.

NATIONAL ICE CREAM CAKE DAY

Jensperspectiveblog 4 Comments

National Ice Cream Cake Day is observed annually on June 27. In the height of summer, an ice cream cake is the perfect dessert.

An ice cream cake consists of any flavor of ice cream in the shape of a cake.  It can include many different ingredients such as cake, cookie crumbs, sponge cake, fudge, fruit or caramel between the layers of ice cream.  It is then frosted with either whipped cream or a similar icing.  Ice cream cakes are kept frozen until served.  They are typically decorated and served at a wide variety of parties.

Although the origin of the ice cream cake remains somewhat of a mystery, this popular dessert combines the classic summer treat, ice cream, with the time-honored celebratory cake, which makes it one of the best culinary inventions to date.

HOW TO OBSERVE

Order an ice cream cake from your favorite bakery or make your own to share with friends.  Use #nationalicecreamcakeday to share your photos on social media.

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HIWARE 7 Inch Non-stick Springform Pan/Cheesecake Pan/Leakproof Cake Pan
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SOUJOY Springform Cake Pan, Non-stick Cheesecake Pan, 14 x 9 Inch Large Rectangle Cake Pan with Removable Bottom, Ice Cream Cake Bakeware

NATIONAL MOVIE NIGHT

Jensperspectiveblog 2 Comments

Pop some popcorn, grab a blanket and your favorite buddy, put away the cell phones and tablets, and then queue up a string of movies for a fun night of entertainment. National Movie Night on the second Friday in June encourages us to start (or restart) a tradition of movie nights with friends and family.

Movies have been bringing people together for over 100 years. The stars, the stories entertain us, connect us and help us create memories. As technology evolves, so does how we enjoy our movie nights. From the theater to reel-to-reel home movies, the VCR, DVD, and streaming, we’ve been enjoying movies on big and small screens. Drive-in movies invited us to enjoy films from the comfort of our cars. Today, our video library is as large as we want it to be thanks to streaming services. We can even enjoy movies in our own backyards projected onto screens under the stars.

Can you smell the popcorn popping? Start your tradition with friends and family on National Movie Night with new and classic movies at the theatre or in your homes.

Jennifer and Jayda Borget, a mother-daughter duo fluent in movie quotes and authors of the Family Movie Night Journal, founded National Movie Night to create an opportunity to bring new and old movie night traditions to life. Be prepared to laugh, cry or cringe, but most importantly, to make memories! Need a list of suggestions for National Movie Night? This list at movienightjournal.com will get you started.

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HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalMovieNight

What movie will you watch and who will you invite for National Movie Night? There are so many ways to start a movie tradition:

  • Make a movie night bucket list.
  • Share your favorite movie quotes.
  • Create a group with people who love movies. Plan to celebrate with a night out at the movie theatre.
  • Host a movie night in with the family. Pick a film the whole family will enjoy.
  • Invite friends and family for a movie night BBQ. Hang a sheet or screen to project the movie onto. Wait for it to get dark and then let the entertainment begin.
  • Load up the car and head to the nearest drive-in movie theatre.
  • Create a buffet of your favorite movie snacks and beverages for everyone to enjoy.
  • Ask everyone to write a review and deliver it in their best critic voice.
  • Invite everyone to dress in their red-carpet best for movie premieres and go to the movies in style.

Don’t forget to share your movie night traditions. Use #NationalMovieNight to share your celebration on social media and follow @movienightjournal. Sit back, hit play, and enjoy the show!

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Movie Night Basket Gift Set – with Redbox Gift Card, Movie Trays, Movie Candy Variety Pack, Movie Snacks & Popcorn Gift Set – Gift Baskets For Families by Cheshire Gifts
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Deluxe Movie Night Gift Includes Popcorn Buckets, Popcorn, Theater Size Snacks – Perfect for College Students, Teens, Men, Kids, Date Night, Birthday (Deluxe)
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Movie Night Gift Box – Popcorn, Candy, Snacks, Bingo and more – 33 Items – Father’s Day Gift Basket, College Students, Teens, Men, Kids, Date Night, Birthday
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INSIGNIA 65-inch Class F30 Series LED 4K UHD Smart Fire TV with Alexa Voice Remote

NATIONAL DEVIL’S FOOD CAKE DAY

Jensperspectiveblog 2 Comments

Observed annually on May 19, National Devil’s Food Cake Day is enjoyed by chocolate cake lovers throughout the country and around the world.

Devil’s Food cake is a heavenly chocolate cake.  It differs from a regular chocolate cake by its darker color and tends to be more moist and airy.  Devil’s Food cake recipes use hot or boiling water as the primary liquid. Cocoa is typically utilized in the batter, as opposed to chocolate, and coffee can be added for a distinctive flavor.  A delicious chocolate frosting usually accompanies the cake.

Recipes for Devil’s Food cakes often appeared alongside recipes for Angel Food cakes.  One of the earliest recipes appeared in the August 10, 1898, edition of the Hagerstown Exponent of Hagerstown, Indiana.

The once Queen of France said, “Let them eat cake“, I cant think of a better idea in today’s world.

HOW TO OBSERVE

Mix up this irresistible Devil’s Food Cake I recipe. Use #DevilsFoodCakeDay to post on social media.