Make Mine a Cosmo

You probably had NO idea that today is National Spicy Hermit Cookie Day (what in the actual hell???), National Raisin Bran Cereal Day, National Philanthropy Day, National Clean out Your Refridgerator Day (one of my favorite days!  Seriously!  I love cleaning out my fridge and pantry.  So satisfying.).  It's also National Bundt Day and America Recycles Day.  

NATIONAL SPICY HERMIT COOKIE DAY

National Spicy Hermit Cookie Day celebrates a cookie flavor reminiscent of autumn spices. Recognized on November 15th, this time of year is ideal for baking up a batch of these delicious cookies. 

Considered an old-fashioned cookie, its spice comes from cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and sometimes nutmeg. And the added bonuses are the raisins, nuts, and dates.

Hermit cookies originated in the New England area. In 1880, the young ladies of the Trinity Church, Plattsburgh, New York published the cookbook Champlain Valley Book of Recipes with a Hermits recipe. This local cookbook was a 3rd edition suggesting its first printing was a year or two earlier. Soft and chewy, these cookies sure put a smile on the face of all who taste them.

Add hermit cookies to your holiday baking list. Host a baking party and invite friends to join you. Snuggle up with a plate of these delicious cookies and share them while drinking a cup of hot cocoa.  https://foodess.com/spiced-date-raisin-cookies-hermit-cookies  #SpicyHermitCookieDay

NATIONAL RAISIN BRAN CEREAL DAY

National Raisin Bran Cereal Day on November 15th pours a bowl of one of the country’s go-to cereals. Made from toasted oat or wheat flakes with plump raisins added, these cereals have been a staple in many American breakfasts for generations. 

Since 1925, a variety of companies have been producing raisin bran cereal. Those companies include Kellogg’s Raisin Bran, General Mills, Total Raisin Bran, U.S. Mills, and Ralcorp’s Post Raisin Bran. However, the first was U.S. Mills. In 1925, Skinner’s Manufacturing Company based out of Omaha, Nebraska, introduced the United States to Skinner’s Raisin Bran. While other bran cereals existed, Skinner’s debuted the first with raisins included. 

For several years, Skinner’s held the exclusive right to the name “raisin bran” but that didn’t stop others from making their own. Skinner’s Manufacturing Co. had been in business since 1918. And as the country’s largest producer of macaroni, they weren’t going to let that go without a fight. They took their trademark to court. Despite being first and trademarking the name, Skinner’s lost on the grounds that the words “raisin bran” are merely ingredients. 

Since raisin bran is the star of the day, enjoy it as a snack or for breakfast. Raisin bran is a good source of dietary fiber.  If you’re not a big fan of bran, you can always separate the raisins. Or maybe you’re not a raisin fan. Did you know you can make wine from raisins? It’s true. So, have your bran and wine, too! Celebrate and use #RaisinBranCerealDay to post on social media.

NATIONAL PHILANTHROPY DAY

On November 15th, National Philanthropy Day honors those who give back to their communities. 

The word philanthropy comes from Latin and Greek philanthropia which gives us kindliness, humanity, and love for mankind. From this, we take the philo (tending to, fond of) and join antropos meaning mankind or human beings.

Philanthropists give of their time and money in ways that provide a lasting impact: 

• Supports education through scholarships, grants, foundations, and more
• Foundations support scientific research
• Development of charities
• Funding grants to programs for local, national, and international needs
• Encourage art through grants and foundations
• Invest in advocacy platforms for the underprivileged

The day recognizes philanthropists for their many significant contributions, help, and good deeds and for the differences that they have made in our lives and our communities.

While philanthropy is giving and kind, it is a type of gift that strives to replace social ills with solutions. Philanthropists see issues and try to solve them. Charity often is a temporary solution for a temporary problem. When the issue persists, we seek a cure. There are instances of philanthropy that can overlap with instances of charity. The difference is that charity relieves the pains of social problems, whereas philanthropy attempts to solve those problems at their root causes.  #NationalPhilanthropyDay

NATIONAL CLEAN OUT YOUR REFRIGERATOR DAY

National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day on November 15th encourages us to prepare for the upcoming holidays. Get together a soap and hot water-filled bucket, disinfectant, a sponge, and a garbage bag. Then you will be ready for the day!

The home economists at Whirlpool Home Appliances created National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day in 1999 to encourage people to clean out their refrigerators in advance of the upcoming holidays. At that time, the company even had a toll-free hotline that people could call into for cleaning tips.

With family gathering and a large turkey waiting to be roasted, cleaning out the refrigerator makes sense. Not only will we need room before the meals, but we also need space for all of the upcoming leftovers. Many dread this job. However, it is an important task nonetheless.

Due to our hectic and busy lifestyles, the cleaning of the refrigerator gets neglected. Hence the creation of National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day. There may be a surprise or two found at the back of the shelves. Things are often pushed back as new food is put in the front and gets forgotten.

Sanitation Foundation (NSF) International found that the meat and vegetable drawers were the dirtiest spots in our kitchens – well with regards to causing disease.  However, those who clean their fridges more often tend to waste more food. There’s plenty of advice available on the frequency of fridge cleaning. Understanding food labels and the meanings behind “sell by” and “best by” dates are also important. These labels don’t necessarily mean a product has gone bad, but that the quality is best by the date on the label. However, “use by” leaves some of us wondering.

Some suggestions for your refrigeration cleaning are:

• Empty each shelf.
• Completely wipe down the inside of the refrigerator.
• Wash drawers and underneath the drawers.
• Throw away all expired food.
• Throw away any moldy food.
• Get rid of anything that you do not use.
• Vacuum condenser coils.
• Vacuum out under the refrigerator.
• Restock shelves and drawers with good food.
• Enjoy your nice, clean, organized refrigerator.

Use #CleanOutYourRefrigeratorDay to post on social media.

NATIONAL BUNDT DAY

National Bundt Day, also known as National Bundt Cake Day, is observed every year on November 15th. As people across the United States plan menus for the holidays, a bundt cake is sure to be on the list at least once.

A bundt cake can be any cake baked in a Bundt pan, forming it into a distinctive ring shape. The mold of the Bundt pan was initially inspired by the traditional European fruit cake known as Gugelhupf. It was in the 1950s and 1960s that the cookware company Nordic Ware popularized the style for the mold design and trademarked the name Bundt. Nordic Ware started producing Bundt pans made from cast aluminum. Similar pans are sold as “fluted tube pans” or other similar names.

Due to the difficulty of frosting a ring-shaped cake, bundt cakes are typically served undecorated, glazed, or dusted with powdered sugar.

In the beginning, the Bundt pan did not sell well, and Nordic Ware considered discontinuing the product. Then in the 1963 New Good Housekeeping Cookbook, the Bundt pan was mentioned, and sales increased. In 1966, sales increased dramatically when a Bundt cake called the “Tunnel of Fudge,” baked by Ella Helfrich, took second place at the annual Pillsbury Bake-Off and winning a $5,000.00 prize. The publicity from the Bake-Off resulted in more than 200,000 Bundt pan requests.

Nordic Ware has sold more than 60 million Bundt pans across North America.  To mark the 60th anniversary of the Bundt pan, Nordic Ware designated November 15 as National Bundt Day.

Get out your Bundt Pan and make a cake. There are so many different cakes to make using a bundt pan, and they come out beautiful too. You just can’t go wrong. Use #NationalBundtDay to post on social media.   #NationalBundtDay

AMERICA RECYCLES DAY

Each year on November 15, millions of people across the United States take part in America Recycles Day. The day raises awareness about recycling and the purchasing of recycled products.  The National Recycling Coalition created America Recycles Day was started in 1994. Each year, the President declares the day, encouraging Americans to commit to recycling. Since 2009, this day has been a program of Keep America Beautiful. Organizations host thousands of events across the United States to raise awareness about the importance of recycling and offer personal pledges that you can sign, committing to recycling and buying products made from recycled materials.

How we recycle and reuse products are important. For example, one-use water bottles flood America’s waterways and landfills at a rate of 60 million per day. Reducing this number can be achieved with water filtration devices and using portable re-usable drinking bottles and cups.

Reduce waste by repurposing and reusing old items. One of the bests ways to do this is by shopping at secondhand stores. Not only does it prevent items from ending up in the landfill, but it also saves you money. The old adage, “one person’s junk is another person’s treasure,” holds true. These stores offer more than you might imagine, from clothing and furnishings to kitchen items and replacement parts. If you’ve never shopped this way, consider it.

One area where we excel at recycling is aluminum. In fact, the U.S. recycles about 65% of its aluminum. That’s more than any other recycled item.

• In America, 105,800 cans are recycled every minute.
• Your television can run for 3 hours from the energy saved by recycling one can.
• In 2019, an aluminum can was worth about 1.7 cents.
• The industry pays more than $1 billion annually for recycled cans.

Your waste management professions are a wealth of information regarding recycling. They’ll give you the hard facts and steer you in the right direction, too. The role of waste management goes far beyond garbage collection. In each community, they provide various services and programs designed to protect and reduce the impact we have on our environment.

Recycle, buy recycled goods and help teach others the benefits of recycling and continue to do so each day! Use #AmericaRecyclesDay to post on social media.

The National Recycling Coalition created America Recycles Day was started in 1994. Each year, the President declares the day, encouraging Americans to commit to recycling. Since 2009, this day has been a program of Keep America Beautiful. Organizations host thousands of events across the United States to raise awareness about the importance of recycling and offer personal pledges that you can sign, committing to recycling and buying products made from recycled materials.