NATIONAL CHOCOLATE PUDDING DAY

June 25, 2026June 6, 2026Jensperspectiveblog Leave a comment

This food holiday National Chocolate Pudding Day is observed each year on June 26th. Chocolate pudding has been loved by children and adults for many years. Usually eaten as a snack or dessert, chocolate pudding is also used as a filling for chocolate creme pie.

Historically, chocolate pudding is a variation of chocolate custard, using starch as a thickener instead of eggs. The 1903 edition of Mary Harris Frazer’s Kentucky Receipt Book and the 1918 edition of Fannie Farmer’s Boston Cooking School Cook Book both have recipes for the earlier version, using both eggs and flour.

In 1934, General Foods (Jello) introduced chocolate pudding mix as “Walter Baker’s Dessert.”
In 1936, it was renamed “Pickle’s Pudding.”

Chocolate pudding is usually made with milk and sugar, flavored with chocolate and vanilla then thickened with flour or cornstarch. Some recipes do use eggs when making the pudding.

Chocolate pudding can be purchased ready-made and sold in grocery stores, convenience stores and gas stations. The popular brands include Jell-O by the Kraft Foods Corporation and Snack Pack by Hunt’s.

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HOW TO OBSERVE

Enjoy some delicious Chocolate Pudding as a dessert or as a snack. Try this homemade Chocolate Cornstarch Pudding recipe. Use #NationalChocolatePuddingDay on social media.

Snack Pack Chocolate Pudding, 4 Count Pudding Cups#NationalChocolatePuddingDay — Snack Pack Chocolate Pudding, 4 Count Pudding Cups

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Jen’s Keto Quiche

May 18, 2026May 25, 2026Jensperspectiveblog 4 Comments

Breakfast, lunch, or dinner this low carb option is super good and loaded with enough meat, eggs vegetables, and cheeses, to satisfy for any meal. To keep it Keto friendly, I chose low carb vegetables and loaded it with cheeses too. I stayed crustless, but there are lots of options out there if you really want a crust.

Ingredients

12 eggs
16 Oz Sliced fresh mushrooms ( retain about 12 pretty slices for top of quiche
1 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced green pepper
1 lb cubed ham
10 Oz fresh spinach (using paper towel ring out as much water as you can)
16oz grape tomatoes cut in half
8 Oz sliced Colby Jack cheese
8 oz sliced Sharp Cheddar cheese
8oz slices Provolone cheese
1 cup heavy whipping Cream
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

Coat 13 x 9 glass baking dish in non stick spray. Really important for crustless quiche. Layers are about 1/3 of each ingredient except mushrooms. These are done about half in each layer, with retained ones going on top.
Layer in ingredients starting with onions, green pepper, ham, tomatoes, mushrooms and spinach.
Top with Colby/Jack cheese slices
Second layer onions green pepper, ham, mushrooms, tomatoes, and spinach.
Top with Provaline cheese slices
Layer last of onions, green pepper, ham, tomatoes and spinach.
Top with sliced cheddar cheese. Arrange remaining mushroom slices on top.
Whish eggs, heavy Cream, salt, black pepper, and minced garlic.
Slowly pour egg mixture over filled casserole dish. Cover with aluminum foil for oven.
Bake in pre-heated oven for 45 minutes at 350°.

I usually slice into 12 squares. Makes a wonderful dinner and we can have leftovers for breakfasts. Can be frozen in portions for breakfasts too. Simply freeze individually and separate with parchment paper in gallon zip lock bag.

There are a ton of options and variations to ingredients and sizes. For smaller individual servings assemble in a Muffin tin. Try your own vegetable choices. Asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, the choices are only really defined by your tastes. My family loves this version and we are trying out new varieties presently. So I hope your family love to dish this up too…

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NATIONAL JAZZ APPRECIATION MONTH

March 31, 2026March 5, 2026Jensperspectiveblog 6 Comments

All April long, National Jazz Month celebrates the heritage and history of jazz.

The roots of jazz can be found in the blues. The exciting history of jazz takes us through the deep south along back roads and into the big cities all across the United States and then the world. The thrum of the bass and sizzle of the snare make the nightclubs dazzle just a little more against the brass and lights.

Growing out of the deep south at the turn of the 20th century and working its way up the Mississipi Delta, jazz influenced musicians along the way. As it grew, it inspired more improvisation, and as a result, new methods formed and new styles of music, too. Music and jazz were developing and changing quickly. The impact of jazz on the country was profound.

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Kick back and listen to the sound of history as you listen to Miles Davis or any modern-day jazz musician. Let the music move you.

Here’s a great playlist of new and old for your listening delight.

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HOW TO OBSERVE

Celebrate National Jazz Month by listening to your favorite jazz artist, attending a concert or reading about the history of jazz. Use #JazzAppreciationMonth #JAM

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NATIONAL CHOPSTICKS DAY

February 5, 2026February 2, 2026Jensperspectiveblog Leave a comment

Each year on National Chopsticks Day, people worldwide celebrate the humble and ancient utensils on February 6th.

Around 1200 B.C., Chinese cooks began using chopsticks to prepare food. These tools were likely long enough to reach into hot cooking pots. Then about 400 B.C., when fuels for cooking became scarce, food was prepared in smaller pieces reducing the number of resources needed to cook it. At the same time, the need for sharp eating utensils faded, and shorter chopsticks entered the scene.

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The Chinese term for chopsticks is kuai-tzu.

Once these handy eating tools found their way to the dinner table, they spread around the world. Portable and elegant in their design, they also vary in style from region to region.

Today chopsticks may be made from wood such as bamboo or aspen. Elaborately carved chopsticks may be cut from jade, ivory, or wood, and artisans may ornately paint some chopsticks with miniature scenes.

HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalChopsticksDay

Use chopsticks to eat your meals. Practice using chopsticks or teach someone how to use them. Share your favorite set of chopsticks or your favorite meal to eat with chopsticks. Visit your favorite restaurant where chopsticks are provided. Make sure you give them a shoutout, too! Of course, you should invite someone to celebrate with you, also! Maybe ask them to join you in a chopstick competition to see who is the most proficient using them. Be sure to use #NationalChopsticksDay to share on social media.

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NATIONAL DARK CHOCOLATE DAY

January 31, 2026January 2, 2026Jensperspectiveblog 6 Comments

On February 1st, National Dark Chocolate Day reminds us to indulge a little. Many tout dark chocolate as the healthier chocolate. However, for some, it can be an acquired taste.

Also known as bittersweet chocolate, dark chocolate is different from milk chocolate. Candy makers add milk or butter to milk chocolate, giving it a creamier consistency. Dark chocolate includes no added milk or butter. Instead, the percentage of cocoa solids remaining in the chocolate determines how dark the chocolate is. The higher the ratio, the darker the chocolate. It may also have a slightly bitter taste.

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Chocolate comes from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. We have been cultivating cacao for at least three millennia, and the plant grows in Mexico, Central America, and Northern South America. Our earliest known documentation of using cacao seeds dates to around 1100 BC.

Fermentation helps develop the flavor of the cacao seeds. Otherwise, the seeds are too bitter to eat. Once fermented, the beans are dried, cleaned, and roasted. After roasting, the shell is removed to produce cacao nibs. Processors then ground the cocoa nips into cocoa mass, pure chocolate in rough form. Next, they usually liquefy the cocoa mass and mold it with or without other ingredients. At this point in the process, it is called chocolate liquor. The chocolate liquor may then be processed into two components: cocoa solids and cocoa butter.

Besides being lower in calories and fat, dark chocolate has many other health benefits. It also serves as a decadent ingredient in many desserts and sauces.

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HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL DARK CHOCOLATE DAY

Eat some dark chocolate. Bake with dark chocolate. Add dark chocolate to a savory dish. Share dark chocolate recipes. Host a dark chocolate tasting. Learn about the health benefits of dark chocolate. Use #NationalDarkChocolateDay on social media.