Take a Flying Leap

(Published on surfKY News on February 23, 2012)

Thirty days hath September,
April, June and November;
All the rest have thirty-one
Save February, she alone
Hath eight days and a score
Til leap year gives her one day more.
 

Nearly 2000 years ago, Julius Caesar decided to reorganize the calendar and add an extra day every fourth year. Since the Earth takes 365 days, five hours, 48 minutes and 46 seconds to travel around the sun, if an extra day was not added, the calendar year would not synchronize with the solar year. Nearly 1600 years later, Pope Gregory XIII made the system even more accurate by ruling that centurial years (1700, 1800, 1900, etc.) should not be treated as leap years unless they were divisible by 400.


People who are born on February 29 have to decide whether to celebrate their birthday on February 28 or March 1. My paternal grandfather, who passed away before I was born, was born in February. My Little Daddy used to joke and say that his daddy was very young because he only had a birthday every four years.

A few famous people that were born on February 29 include bandleader Jimmy Dorsey and singer Dinah Shore, who was well known for her cooking and entertaining & wrote three cookbooks.

Enjoy these “green” leap year recipes.

PEANUT BUTTER & APPLE FROGS
 
Slice a green apple, use peanut butter to “glue” two slices together. Use more peanut butter glue to glue two green grape eyes and chocolate chip pupils onto the body. Add a small piece of red fruit roll-up for a tongue along with a tiny raisin “fly” on the end.
 

FRIED DILL PICKLES 

●1 c buttermilk
●1 large egg
●1 c all-purpose flour
●1 t baking powder
●1/2 t salt
●vegetable oil, for deep frying
●4 large, crisp dill pickles, cut into 3/4-inch chips

Whisk together the buttermilk and egg. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the buttermilk mixture until blended and smooth.

In a medium cast-iron skillet, heat about 2 inches of oil to 375 degrees F. A few at a time, dip the pickle chips into the batter and fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Set on paper towels to drain excess oil. Serve hot.
 

PARMESAN ROASTED BROCCOLI
 
●4-5 lbs fresh broccoli
●4 garlic cloves peeled and thinly sliced
●olive oil
●1 1/2 t kosher salt
●1/2 t freshly ground black pepper
●2 t grated lemon zest
●2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
●3 T pine nuts, toasted
●1/3 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese
●2 T julienned fresh basil leaves (about 12 leaves)

Cut the broccoli florets from the thick stalks, leaving an inch or two of stalk attached to the florets, discard stalks. Cut the larger pieces through the base of the head with a small knife, pulling the florets apart. Place the broccoli florets on a cookie sheet large enough to hold them in a single layer. Toss the garlic on the broccoli and drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned. Remove the broccoli from the oven and immediately toss with 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon zest and lemon juice, pine nuts, Parmesan and basil. Serve hot.


NEXT WEEK—Pigging Out
 
Remember......Life is short. Eat Dessert first!!