Rocco DiSpirito Salmon Recipe

If you are interested in healthy recipes, you may want to check out Rocco's book, Now Eat This!: 150 of America's Favorite Comfort Foods, All Under 350 Calories. This cookbook has LOTS of healthy recipes! Rocco has created lower-calorie and lower-fat versions of comfort foods such as nachos, deep-dish pizza and macaroni and cheese!

Euchre Tournament

One EASY recipe from this cookbook that my family LOVES is ...


Salmon with Mustard Crust

Euchre Tournament

1 small red onion, sliced very thin
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
1 small navel orange, peeled and cut into segments
4 salmon fillets (4 ounces each)

Nonstick cooking spray
Salt and pepper

1. Preheat the broiler on low.  Line a baking sheet with foil; spray it with cooking spray and set aside.

2. In a small bowl, mix the onion with the mustard.  Add the orange segments and toss to combine thoroughly.

3. Lay the salmon on the prepared baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Divide the onion mixture among the 4 fillets, spreading it out to cover the surface of the fish completely.

4.  Broil the salmon until the onion mixture is almost charred and the salmon is just cooked through, about 8 minutes.

NOTE: I prefer to have the onion mixture less charred, so I bake the fish for about 5 minutes first and broil for less time.


Image from http://www.amazon.com
Recipe from Now Eat This! by Rocco DiSpirito

History of Euchre

Euchre Tournament
Euchre is a classic card game that is currently enjoying a revival. Its simplicity and speed make it attractive to card players who have limited time, and its balance of luck and skill gives both novices and experienced players reason to think they can win.

During the 18th- and 19th-centuries, versions of euchre that differ slightly from the modern game were very popular in Europe. John McLeod of London, England, says euchre probably originated from the Alsatian game Jucker. Other card historians argue that euchre evolved from the French game écarté. 


Euchre was modernized and brought to America during the Napoleonic era.  Some claim that the game was popularized by the Pennsylvania Dutch. One piece of evidence supporting this theory is that the euchre term "bower" sounds the same as the German word Bauer, meaning "farmer" (as well as "pawn" in chess). It is believed that euchre was introduced by the French in Louisiana, and later traveled up the Mississippi River to the northern states.

Around 1850, jokers were first added to playing-card decks in the U.S. for specific use in the game of euchre. Today, a joker is no longer used in the form of euchre practiced by most U.S. players, but it still serves as the highest trump in the British version of euchre.

A little over 100 years ago, when the popularity of whist was fading and poker was somewhat limited to riverboats and the Old West, euchre was the most popular card game in the United States. A few decades later, it was eclipsed by bridge. During the 1930s and '40s, contract bridge was all the rage. Some pioneers promoted tournaments which caused the American Contract Bridge League to grow rapidly in membership. Other games, meanwhile, also began to gain fans at euchre's expense. These included Spades Canasta (a huge craze from 1948 to 1955) and Bid whist. 


Nonetheless, euchre retained a core following: the Midwest, Pennsylvania, Florida (retirees) and much of Ontario, Canada. These regions are still bastions for tournaments and clubs, and euchre is also popular in the U.S. Navy. Recently, the Internet has helped to rekindle interest in euchre. Websites offer tournaments, ratings and competitive play for enthusiasts of all skill levels. Today, euchre still has legions of devotees around the country and thousands of recent converts.

You may also be interested in:
What is Euchre?

How to Play Euchre Card Game
General Euchre Rules


Image from http://imgc.allpostersimages.com 
Text from http://blog.games.com/2012/12/04/euchre-card-game-history/

6/25 Euchre ... Tuesday Tip

I thought it would be FUN to have Tuesday Tips to share some interesting Euchre tips ... of course on Tuesdays!


Count On Your Partner - 


Euchre Tournament As a rule of thumb, you should count on your partner to take one trick. That means, if you're deciding to make trump or not and you're sure you can win two tricks out of the minimal three, go ahead and call trump. Chances are, unless your partner has a really crummy hand, that he or she can win the third trick and you’ve gained a point!


Source of text: http://voices.yahoo.com/tips-play-euchre-like-pro-16270.html?cat=7

Five Favorites ... Some Simple Things (vol 1)

 
Sometimes it's the simple things
in life that are the best ...

1.
A good night's rest
Good Nights Rest
Recently I had a sinus infection and was very congested for quite a few days.  This made breathing difficult especially at night, which made sleeping also difficult. I tried some cold remedies, but they didn't help or made me "jittery". I realized how much I appreciated a good night's rest. Sometimes we don't realize how grateful we are for things until we don't have them! That helped me reflect on other things in my life that I am also grateful for!!

2.
Sateen Sheets
Sheets
Something that helps make #1-a good night's rest possible is good sheets! Quite a few years ago, I discovered a set of sateen (not satin) sheets in the clearance section of the bedding area of a store. Since they were marked down quite a bit from the original price, I thought I would give them a try. Well, they were WONDERFUL!!  So since then, this is all I buy. They are soft and smooth and feel luxurious! A simple thing of life, but definitely worth the extra money.
3.
Paul Mitchell
Fast Dry Sculpting Spray
Paul Mitchell
I have been using this for at least 10 years and LOVE it ... no muss, no fuss ... I wouldn't think of using anything else!! It is a soft hold that holds your hair very well without feeling "sticky". It also adds great volume.  I bought an 8 oz spray bottle and then a 33 oz larger bottle for refills. Ahhh simple products like this make my life easier!!

6/11 Euchre ... Tuesday Tip

I thought it would be FUN to have Tuesday Tips to share some interesting Euchre tips ... of course on Tuesdays!


Don't Lead Trump for Your Opponent - 


Euchre Tournament When your opponent calls the suit for trump, and it's your turn to lead, it's best not to lead trump. You might want to lead an off-suit ace instead. This way, you're not pulling trump from your partner's hand. The only exception to this rule is if you think you have enough trump in your hand to euchre the other team.


Source of text: http://voices.yahoo.com/tips-play-euchre-like-pro-16270.html?cat=7

Dessert - No-bake Cheesecake

Euchre Tournament
I had to find foods that I could use with the card suit cookie cutters for my card suit theme. I found some yummmy desserts.

The clubs and spades were easy .... I baked some boxed brownies, cut them out using the club and spade cookie cutter shapes and then frosted them with chocolate frosting.

The hearts and diamonds were a bit more complicated.  One of my favorite recipes growing up was my Mom's no-bake cheesecake (see recipe below).  It's very easy to make in a 9 X 13 baking dish and then she would put some kind of fruit on top. 

June Euchre Party Theme

Euchre Tournament
What better theme to go with Euchre than a card suit theme!! I had lots of fun doing this theme using heart, diamond, spade and club card suits to made some great desserts. I got the idea originally when I saw cute card suit plates and napkins at a party supply store. Then a friend loaned me some cookie cutters that she had to make the shaped food items.

To make the black clubs and spades, I made brownies, used the cutters to cut them out and then frosted them with chocolate frosting. The red hearts and diamonds were a little more challenging. First I made a no-bake cheesecake recipe, which is one of my favorites. Then I used the cutters to cut them out and topped with raspberries and strawberries to add the red. They were a hit at the Euchre Tournament!

Euchre Tournament
If you would like a card suit cookie cutter set to do your own dessert ideas, check out this one. Then you can have a FUN card suit theme Euchre party of your own!!

"Cold Butt" Euchre

I know, what a HOOT!!  When I read this, I just had to share it with you.  I don't know how much FUN this is, but it sure is FUNNY!!

Euchre Tournament MI

There was actually a "Cold Butt" Euchre Tournament as part of the Frost Fest in February, 2013 in Lansing, MI and in August, 2012 in Milford, MI. All players 

6/4 Euchre ... Tuesday Tip

I thought it would be FUN to have Tuesday Tips to share some interesting Euchre tips ... of course on Tuesdays!


Lead Trump and Disarm Your Opponent - 


Euchre Tournament
If you have called trump and have strong trump cards, then you should lead with the highest ranking trump card you have. This will effectively pull trump out of your opponents' hands. Follow through with the next highest trump you have and so on.




Source of text: http://voices.yahoo.com/tips-play-euchre-like-pro-16270.html?cat=7

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