NATIONAL GUACAMOLE DAY

National Guacamole Day on September 16 brings fresh flavors together for the perfect celebration. What a great way to kick off Hispanic Heritage Month!

Avocados shine as the star of this dip! Lime juice, tomatoes, onion, and seasonings make guacamole a guilt-free addition to any snack or meal.

Since avocados fall under the superfood category, feel free to indulge. Packed full of good fats and nutrients, along with the fresh taste of lime and hint of spice, the dip is flavorful. It’s easy to make, too. Take it to work or use it for a party dish.

Guacamole is versatile, too. For example, add it as a topping on a quesadilla or even add it to a salad. Of course, the simplest way to enjoy is by dipping your favorite tortilla chip.

Originating with the Aztecs in Mexico, guacamole is an avocado-based sauce that has become popular in American cuisine as a dip, condiment, and salad ingredient. 

Using a mortar and pestle, mash ripe avocados and then mixing in sea salt.  Beyond the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and lemon juice, hot sauce, yogurt or other seasonings can be added.  If a celebration calls for spicier guacamole, add jalapenos, chilis, cumin, or red pepper. 

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HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalGuacamoleDay

Mix up your favorite recipe for guacamole. Go to your favorite restaurant and order some fresh guacamole. While there, give a shout out to the restaurants with the best guacamole around.  Be sure to invite friends. As we say around here, why #CelebrateEveryDay if you don’t do it with friends? Share your recipes and find the best combination. Use #NationalGuacamoleDay to share on social media.

NATIONAL CORN ON THE COB DAY

June 11 of each year is the day to celebrate National Corn on the Cob Day.  Fresh corn on the cob is a summertime treat that people from all corners of the United States look forward to as we start the picnic season.

Corn on the cob is also known in different regions as pole corn, cornstick, sweet pole, butter-pop or long maize.   It is a sweet corn that is picked when the kernels are still tender when it’s in its milk stage.

Boiling, steaming, roasting or grilling are the most common ways of preparing corn on the cob.   If it is grilled or oven roasted, the corn is usually left in its husk during the cooking process.

Proper dinner etiquette for eating corn says it is appropriate to hold the cob at each end with your fingers. 

HOW TO OBSERVE

Get the butter and the salt shaker ready, gather up some friends, start your grill and enjoy some corn on the cob! For those with hankering for corn off the cob, use #CornOnTheCobDay on social media and tell the world!

NATIONAL SALSA MONTH

National Salsa Month in May a vibrant way to add flavor and color to any recipe. For extra fun learn to dance a Salsa as well. Or just watch the pros do it. Dancing with the Stars usually features the dance.

Salsa means sauce in Spanish. While we may be most familiar with tomato, pepper and onion salsas, any fresh fruit or vegetable can be made into salsa.

We can make fresh salsa all year long with produce that is in season. When our gardens produce a bounty, canned salsa preserves the flavor for the winter months. We can also purchase in bulk when the timing is right to save money.

In some parts of Indiana, if someone asks you for a mango, they might be asking you for a bell pepper!

Salsas don’t have to be spicy, but even when they are the heat can be a subtle flavor that only lingers for a moment on the tongue. These sauces burst with aromatic spices and go well with a variety of meats, dips, and desserts. They pair well with wine and cheese, too.

Don’t hesitate to experiment, but be cautious when using hot peppers. The capsaicin can be harmful depending on where the pepper ranks on the Scoville scale.

After making your salsa, keep the colors bright by adding a squeeze of lemon or lime to the recipe. The acid prevents the fruits from turning brown.

Relevant Observances

HOW TO OBSERVE

Make several different salsas in May. Try some popular flavors like mango, peach, or pineapple. Throughout the month, try new or exotic fruits and flavors. Tell us what salsas inspire you! Use #NationalSalsaMonth to share on social media. Salsa is a great food to watch the dance too.

NATIONAL MAKE LUNCH COUNT DAY

On April 13th, we have an opportunity to break a trend that has been occurring around the country by joining National Make Lunch Count Day.

According to a recent study commissioned by TGI Fridays, the majority of U.S. workers suffer from “FOLO” – otherwise known as a “Fear of Lunching Out.” Many workers eat lunch at their desk at least twice a week (73%) while one-third have lunch at their desk every day of the week. Don’t fear lunching out any longer!

Taking a break from the workday improves productivity. That includes taking a lunch break. Leaving the office or even your desk for 20-30 minutes to refuel also reinvigorates your creative juices. Our brains and bodies need the daily break. When you return, you’ll be refreshed and ready for new ideas and approaches to whatever your job throws your way. 

Include fresh vegetables and lean proteins with your lunch. Restaurant portions tend to be oversized, so divide your plate in half and take the rest home for supper. Finally, drink water or tea instead of carbonated beverages.

NATIONAL MAKE LUNCH COUNT DAY HISTORY

TGI Fridays founded National Make Lunch Count Day in 2016 to remind American workers to get away from their desks for lunch.  

The observance is here to remedy FOLO and help American workers increase their creativity and productivity.

Getting to know your co-workers can be awkward sometimes. Great conversation starters include:

  • What was the best movie you watched last year?
  • What skill do you wish you had but don’t?
  • If you could travel anywhere in the world right this moment, where would it be?
  • Everyone has at least one talent. What’s yours?

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HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalMakeLunchCountDay

  • Break the cycle of FOLO. Get away from your desk.
  • Join your co-workers and enjoy a real lunch with stimulating conversation.
  • Share your favorite ways to make lunch count and promote them with your peers.
  • Don’t just do it today, do it every day! Use #NationalMakeLunchCount to share on social media.

NATIONAL EMPANADA DAY

Each year on April 8th, National Empanada Day recognizes a delicious pastry that comes in several different forms. The name empanada comes from the Galician, Portuguese and Spanish verb em pandar, meaning to wrap or coat in bread.

Empanadas are made by folding the dough or bread around a seasoned stuffing. The stuffed dough is then baked or fried. Very much like hand pies, these delicious pastries offer a variety of choices. You can make your empanadas with meat, cheese, vegetables or fruit fillings. However, they may be made with other ingredients, too.

A cookbook published in 1520 in Catalan, the Libre del Coch by Ruperto de Nola, mentions empanadas filled with seafood.

If you’ve never had an empanada, you might be surprised just how versatile they are. Different parts of the United States make them with their own style and flavors. Starting in the Southern and Southwestern United States where an empanada is called a Creole empanada, the dish becomes a savory meal. There, they fill the half-circle flaky crust with seasoned pork, beef or chicken, and cheese.

Head to the Southeastern part of the country and empanadas transform. A little more on the sweeter side, they fill these pastries with fresh or reconstituted dry fruit. Some choices include apples, apricots, peaches or sweet potatoes. Once fried, the pies have a crispy outer shell with piping hot fruit inside.

Further west in New Mexico, making empanadas for Christmas is a winter tradition. They make sweetmeats, similar to mincemeat, using ground pork, sugar, pinon nuts, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Everything is then sealed in a tortilla-like dough and deep-fried in lard.

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HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalEmpanadaDay

Make your favorite version of empanadas. You can choose from a variety of fillings and make one for everyone in the family. Have everyone try their hand at making the dough and filling them. Whether you prefer to make them into a meal or a dessert, the day will be celebration-worthy!

If you’re doubting your dough-making skills, try frozen or canned dough. While you’re cooking, be sure to share your recipes, too!

Use #NationalEmpanadaDay to post on social media.