February 26, 2015 – NATIONAL CHILI DAY – NATIONAL TELL A FAIRY TALE DAY – NATIONAL PISTACHIO DAY

                                               NATIONAL CHILI DAY

The fourth Thursday in February celebrates one of America’s favorite winter dishes; chili, which is also known as chili con carne (“chili with meat”).
In Spanish, chili refers to “chili pepper”  and carne means “meat”.
Chili is most commonly made up of tomatoes, beans, chili peppers, meat, garlic, onions and cumin, however, there are many variations to the basic chili.
Chili is often a favorite dish in cook-offs.
American frontier settlers used a “chili” recipe of dried beef, suet, dried chili peppers and salt which was all pounded together, formed into bricks and dried.  The bricks could then be boiled in pots on the trails. 
At the Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893, the San Antonio Chili Stand helped people, from all over the United States, appreciate the taste of chili.  Because San Antonio was a significant tourist destination, it helped Texas-style chili con carne spread throughout the South and West.  In 1977, The House Concurrent Resolution Number 18 of the 65th Texas Legislature designated chili con carne as the official dish of the U.S. of Texas.
Prior to World War II, hundreds of small, family-run chili parlors (also known as “chili joints”) were found popping up throughout the state of Texas as well as other places in the United States.   Each new chili parlor usually had a claim to some kind of secret recipe.
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There are many ways that people enjoy the great taste of chili,
some of which include:
chili dogs, chili burgers, chili cheese fries, chili stuffed baked potatoes,
“Frito pie”, chili spaghetti, chili mac, chili rice
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Enjoy the following “tried and true” chili recipes:
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/three-bean-vegetarian-chili-10000001949760/
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/chili-corn-chip-pie-50400000115822/
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/spicy-slow-cooked-chili/
http://southernfood.about.com/od/chickenstews/r/bl30223x.htm
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/biscuit-bowl-chili

HAVE A GREAT NATIONAL CHILI DAY!

NATIONAL CHILI DAY HISTORY
Within our research, we were unable to find the creator of National Chili Day, an “unofficial” national holiday.

National Tell a Fairy Tale Day – February 26

NATIONAL TELL A FAIRY TALE DAY

National Tell A Fairy Tale Day, an “unofficial” National holiday is celebrated on February 26th.  Snuggle up in your corner chair or sofa with the children sitting near you or maybe all gather around a campfire as it is a day to celebrate by telling your favorite fairy tale or making up one of your own.
Originally, adults were the audience of a fairy tale just as often as children. Literary fairy tales appeared in works intended for adults, but in the 19th and 20th centuries the fairy tale became associated with children’s literature.
As stated in Wikipedia:  A fairy tale is a fictional story that may feature folkloric characters such as fairies, goblins, elves,  trolls, giants, mermaids or gnomes and usually magic or enchantments.  The term is also used to describe something blessed with unusual happiness, as in “fairy tale ending” (a happy ending) or “fairy tale romance” (though not all fairy tales end happily). A “fairy tale” or “fairy story” can also mean any far-fetched story or tall tale; it’s used especially of any story that not only isn’t true, but couldn’t possibly be true.
~~February 26th your story may begin with “Once upon a time” and it may end with “Happily ever after”  but whatever your fairy tale is, may it be a good one and may your day be a good one as well! ~~
NATIONAL TELL A FAIRY TALE DAY HISTORY
Within our research, we were unable to find the creator or the origin of National Tell A Fairy Tale Day, an “unofficial” national holiday.

National Pistachio Day – February 26

NATIONAL PISTACHIO DAY

February 26th is a day for all to celebrate National Pistachio Day.  It is a day that has been set aside for all pistachio lovers to eat their favorite nut all day long.  For those who do not eat pistachios, buy some and give them to someone who does.  Crack them open and eat them up or enjoy them in ice cream or your favorite pistachio dessert!
Pistachios arrived in the United States sometime in the 1880′s but they have been cultivated in the Middle East since the Biblical times.
The pistachio tree grows to about 20 feet tall needing little or no rain and must have high heat.  In Iran, they claim that they have pistachio trees still living that are 700 years old!  A new tree takes between 7 and 10 years to mature and bear fruit.
*  All pistachio shells are naturally beige in color.  Some companies dye nuts red or green if nuts are inferior or for consumer demand.
*  California produces about 300 million pounds of pistachios each year, accounting for 98 percent of America’s production.
*  Pistachio shells typically split naturally, when ripe, prior to harvest.
*  The kernels are often eaten whole, either fresh or roasted and either salted or unsalted.
*  In the Middle East people call the pistachio the “smiling nut”
*  In China people call the pistachio the “happy nut”
Health Benefits:
Pistachios are an excellent source of vitamin B6, copper and manganese and a good source of protein, fiber, thiamin, and phosphorus.  In July 2003, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first qualified health claim specific to nuts lowering the risk of heart disease: “Scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces (42.5g) per day of most nuts, such as pistachios, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease”

A great thing to do — Recycle the pistachio shells:

The empty pistachio shells are useful for recycling in several ways. If unsalted, the shells need not be washed and dried before reuse, but washing is simple if that is not the case. Practical uses include as a fire starter, just as kindling  would be used with crumpled paper; to line the bottom of pots containing houseplants, for drainage and retention of soil for up to two years; as a mulch  for shrubs and plants that require acid soils: as a medium for orchids; and as an addition to a compost pile designed for wood items that take longer to decompose than leafy materials, taking up to a year for pistachio shells to decompose unless soil is added to the mix. Shells from salted pistachios can also be placed around the base of plants to deter slugs and snails. Many craft uses for the shells include holiday tree ornaments, jewelry, mosaics, and rattles. Research indicates that pistachio shells may be helpful in cleaning up pollution created by mercury emissions.