Macaroni Day

Old Fashioned Baked Macaroni and Cheese

This classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese dish comes together quickly and is sure to be a family favorite thanks to its cheesy flavor.

Ingredients

8 oz. (1/2 pkg) Mueller’s Elbows

1/4 cup butter or margarine

3 tbsp all-purpose flour

1/8 tsp salt (optional)

1/8 tsp dry mustard

1/8 tsp black pepper

2 cups milk

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350˚F.

Cook pasta for 3 minutes and drain well.

In medium saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour, mustard, salt, and pepper.

Gradually add milk and cook until mixture is smooth and bubbly, stirring constantly.

Cook over medium heat until mixture boils, stirring constantly.

Turn heat to low and simmer 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Gradually mix in cheese and stir until cheese is melted.

Add pasta; mix lightly. Pour into 2-quart casserole.

Top with croutons. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165-175 degrees.

For more recipes visit https://www.muellerspasta.com/

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Drug Take Back Day

The National Prescription Drug Take Back Day addresses a crucial public safety and public health issue. According to the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 9.7 million people misused prescription pain relievers, 4.9 million people misused prescription stimulants, and 5.9 million people misused prescription tranquilizers or sedatives in 2019. The survey also showed that a majority of misused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet.

The DEA’s Take Back Day events provide an opportunity for Americans to prevent drug addiction and overdose deaths.

To find local drop off spots visit https://takebackday.dea.gov/

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Herb Day

A nutritious diet is a key component of a healthy lifestyle. When paired with regular physical activity, a nutritious diet can help people dramatically reduce their risk for various diseases, including heart disease.

According to the World Health Organization, ischaemic heart disease and stroke claim more lives each year than any other disease, annually accounting for roughly 15 percent of all deaths across the globe. Many deaths caused by heart disease can be prevented, and eating a healthy diet is a great preventive measure that anyone can take.

Though some people may associate healthy diets with bland foods that lack flavor, people can incorporate various heart-healthy herbs and spices into their favorite dishes to make them more nutritious and flavorful.

• Garlic: Garlic has long since earned its place on the kitchen spice rack. However, botanically, garlic is neither an herb or a spice but a vegetable. Regardless of how it’s classified, garlic is loaded with flavor and can be used to improve just about any recipe, all the while benefitting heart health. The United States-based health services provider Mercy Health notes that garlic can help lower blood pressure and reduce bad cholesterol levels.
• Cayenne pepper: Few ingredients may change a recipe as quickly as cayenne pepper. The addition of cayenne pepper can instantly make dishes more spicy. But cayenne pepper brings more than a little extra kick to the dinner table. Healthline notes that various studies have shown that capsaicin, the active ingredient in cayenne pepper, can provide a host of health benefits. One such study published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that adding capsaicin to a high-carbohydrate breakfast significantly reduced hunger and the desire to eat before lunch. Eating less can help people more effectively control their body weight, which in turn reduces their risk for heart disease.
• Turmeric: Garlic and even cayenne pepper may already be staples in many people’s kitchens, but that’s not necessarily so with turmeric. A yellow spice often used when preparing Indian foods, turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties thanks to curcumin, the part of turmeric responsible for giving it its yellow color. Experts acknowledge that turmeric needs to be studied more to definitively conclude its effects on heart health, but WebMD notes that one small study indicated that turmeric can help ward off heart attacks in people who have had bypass surgery.
• Coriander: A popular herb used across the globe, coriander is sometimes mistaken for cilantro. Though the two come from the same plant, cilantro refers to the leaves and stems of the coriander plant, while the coriander in recipes typically refers to the seeds of that plant. Mercy Health notes that coriander seeds may help reduce bad cholesterol and high blood pressure, both of which are significant risk factors for heart disease.

Heart-healthy herbs and spices can be added to various recipes, proving that nutritious meals need not be void of flavor.

‘Believe it or not”

Ayanna Williams of Houston, TX finally got a manicure. Big deal, you say? The Association of Mature American Citizens [AMAC] says it is indeed a very big deal when your nails haven’t been cut for three decades. Ayanna’s nails grew to a total length of 288.8 inches over those 30 years– more than 24 feet in total. It was enough to make news and to break the Guinness record for the world’s longest fingernails– a record, by the way, that Ms. Williams broke in 2017 when her nails were just a total of 226.9 inches long. But she didn’t cut them at that time. Her clippings are destined to become an attraction at Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Orlando Odditorium in Florida.

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A seriously expensive comic book

A comic book that cost a mere ten cents when it was first published sold at auction recently for a whopping $3.25 million, according to the Association of Mature American Citizens [AMAC]. It was the highest price ever paid for a comic book, but this was no ordinary comic book. It was a first edition 1938 issue of the Action Comics #1 book in which the character of Superman was introduced. “This is an 83-year-old comic book in near-pristine condition—and it’s a sight to behold.  Not to mention, this book launched the superhero genre that’s such a huge part of our culture,” according to Vincent Zurzolo, co-owner of the online auction house, ComicConnect, which handled the sale.

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The ‘ones’ have it

Who would be dumb enough [or smart enough] to pick the numbers 1-1-1 in a “Pick 3” lottery? The 6,523 winners who won $250 or $500, depending on the amount they paid for the ticket, says the North Carolina Education Lottery. The Association of Mature American Citizens [AMAC] reports that it’s not as rare as one might think. It was the third time in just two weeks that Pick 3 players who picked three ones and won.