Labor Day

What is Labor Day?

Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers. The people whose sweat build and maintain the hear of the United States.

In 19^th century America, the industrial revolution was in full bloom and people were needed en masse to feed the machines of mass production. Millions responded, coming from the farms by the promise of the American dream, a trust in the commonwealth. The people wanted a secure year round income in an environment sheltered from the ofter harsh elements. What they found was a life toiling twelve and fourteen hours a day in dingy and sometime dangerous conditions in factories or underground mines.

From the late 1700s into the mid 1800s working people increasingly joined together in trade unions that would bargain collectively for the benefit of all members.  A day to praise the efforts of the everyday people was first suggested around 1880 by Peter J. McGuire, found of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters. However, the first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday September 5, 1882 in New York City by the Knights of Labor.  It celebrated the working man and the idea of celebrating the everyday working man began to spread with the growth of labor organizations. By 1885, Labor Day was celebrated in many industrial centers of the country.

The holiday is often regarded as a day of rest and parties. Speeches or political demonstrations are more low-key than May 1 Labor Day celebrations in most countries, although events held by labor organizations often feature political themes and appearances by candidates for office, especially in election years.

 Forms of celebration include picnics, barbecues, fireworks displays, water sports, and public art events. Families with school-age children take it as the last chance to travel before the end of summer recess. Similarly, some teenagers and young adults view it as the last weekend for parties before returning to school, although school starting times now vary.

Traditionally, Labor Day is celebrated by most Americans as the symbolic end of the summer. In high society, Labor Day is (or was) considered the last day of the year when it is fashionable for women to wear white.

This Labor Day, turn on the sprinklers and sip some lemonade while remembering to give a toast to those who made it possible. Without them, there would be no standard of 8 hour workdays and minimum wage.

Happy Labor Day!

Creativity Bug ~ Sue

Featured Freebies for the Week of September 3rd

Hello and Happy Monday to Everyone!

Here are this week’s fabulous digital stamp and image freebies found on website and blogs or sent to us from friends and followers:

The Altered Scrap shares an adorable Happy Penguin,  Mr. Pork Chop,  Connor the Crocodile, and Pedro the Pelican digital images

Bits N Bobs is getting ready for the holidays by sharing a reindeer digital stamp freebie

It looks like Dove Art Studios is looking forward to the cold weather as she shares a snowman digital image

Digi’s With Attitudes presents Zoo-A-Tudes Gina Girrafe as this month’s freebie that goes along with the rest of the Zoo-A-Tudes collection

Sliekje Digital Stamps shares a few items from her winter digital image collection including an angel of love, singing Christmas caroles, little winter bird, and winter puppy

Also from Sliekje Digital Stamps are a few items from her cat digital image collection including raining love, catnapping, garden kitty, and love you mommy.

Foxycrafts has been busy creating new digital images and she shares with us a rocket, space alien, and golfing goodies  to download

That’s all for this week’s freebies. Happy Crafting!

Creativity Bug ~ Sue

Dad’s Chili – The crockpot version

Growing up, both of our parents worked outside of the house. My dad’s work schedule started at 5:30 in the morning, which brought him home at 3 just as my sister and I were coming home from school. Since my dad is a traditional family man, he believes dinner should be on the table and everyone eating together at 5:30, which meant he took over the daily cooking chores.

This of course also meant that dad would have to learn to cook more than just things on the barbecue. We grew up before FoodNetwork came on the air, so dad would count on PBS with Julia Childs, Graham Kerr, Jacques Pepin, and Jeff Smith to help him learn new skills and recipes.

One of the things that dad was able to master very quickly was his chili. Never a crockpot kind of guy, he would make his chili over the stove in a huge soup pot. It was started the day before and cooked on low heat for several hours before being refrigerated. The following day, he would take the pot out of the refrigerator and cook it on low for a few more hours before serving it to us for dinner.

Once his girls were grown and out of the house, he passed the recipe onto my sister and me along with the responsibilty to pass along a few containers to him and mom whenever we made a batch. I don’t have the time like he did to watch the food cooking on the stove, so I took his recipe and revised it into a crockpot version. Even dad agrees that my revised recipe tasted just like his stove top version.

Ingredients:

1 to 1 ½ lbs lean ground beef

2 (14.5 oz) or 1 (28 oz) can stewed tomatoes

1 (15.5 oz) can chili beans

1 (15.5 oz) can black beans, drained

2 (15.5 oz) can red kidney beans, drained

1 (15.5 oz) can cannellini (white kidney) beans, drained

1 package McCormick chili seasoning mix

1 (4 oz) can green mild green chilies

Directions:

Cook ground beef in saucepan over medium heat on stove; drain off excess grease.  Add to crockpot.

Dice up stewed tomatoes and add tomatoes along with all its liquids to crockpot.

Add chili seasoning mix to crockpot and stir.

Add chili beans, kidney beans, black beans, cannellini beans, and green chilies to crockpot.

Stir crockpot contents and set to low.

Cook on low for 6 – 8 hours.

Serve:

Serve chili in bowls with diced onions, 3 blend Mexican cheese, hot sauce, and oyster crackers on the side.

** Our family loves to eat the chili the next day instead of the first day it is cooked when all the flavors have a chance to blend together.

After the 6-8 hours of cooking, the chili is divided into freezer/microwave safe individual serving containers. A few containers are put in the refrigerator, reheated, and eaten within 2 days and the rest are put in the freezer. While chili can last at least 6 months in the freezer and then microwaved for quick meals, it usually doesn’t last past a month in our individual households because everyone loves chili.

Enjoy!

Creativity Bug ~ Sue

Recipe Friday: Southwestern Chicken Rollups

Lately I have been finding myself eating the same dishes over and over due to time and convenience, so I decided to pull out my recipe binder. Inside, I found this recipe from Cooking Light which is not only fast and easy to make but healthy and extremely tasty. I usually serve it with a side of broccoli or asparagus spears and a large dinner salad.

Ingredients

6 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

6 tablespoons (about 3 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese

6 tablespoons picante sauce

6 cilantro sprigs

6 tablespoons Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs

Cooking spray

Preparation:

• Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin.
• Top each breast half with 1 tablespoon cheese, 1 tablespoon picante sauce, and 1 cilantro sprig.
• Roll up jelly-roll fashion, beginning at narrow end.
• Dredge chicken rolls in breadcrumbs.
• Place rolls, seam sides down, on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; lightly coat rolls with cooking spray.
• Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until chicken is done.

Once you make this recipe, I am sure you will agree that this will become a part of your family's favorite dishes.

Happy Eating!

Creativity Bug - Sue

Featured Freebies for the Week of August 29th

Hello and Happy Monday to Everyone!

My original post has gotten lost in blogger space, so this is coming out to you late. There are only a small handful again this week, but here are this week’s fabulous digital stamp and image freebies found on website and blogs or sent to us from friends and followers:

Spyder’s Corner shares a birthday moon monster digital stamp

Broken Box Stock shares cats with cream digital image

Not Just Mom (aka Steady On!) shares a knot cross,  flower vine, shell, and a purse

Arty Crafty shares a snowman, alien, zig zag, and a spoon full of sugar

Happy Crafting!

Creativity Bug ~ Sue

Recipe Friday: Slow Cooker Sausage Breakfast Casserole

As soon as the cooler weather hits the Midwest, my crockpot comes out of the pantry and back into its familiar spot of my counter.  When I saw this recipe on the Jimmy Dean website, I knew it would be great for a large family gathering (such as Christmas morning), breakfast for a sleep over party, or a weekend scrapbooking retreat.

Slow Cooker Sausage Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients:

1 pkg. (26 ounces) frozen shredding hash brown potatoes
1 pkg. Jimmy Dean® Hearty Original Sausage Crumbles
1 cup (4 ounces) shredding mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredding parmesan cheese
1/2 cup julienne cut sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained
6 green onions, sliced
12 eggs
1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 ground black pepper  

Directions:

1. Spray a 6 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Layer 1/2 of the potatoes on the bottom of slow cooker. 

2. Top with half of the sausage, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, sun dried tomatoes and green onion. Repeat layering.

3. Beat eggs, milk and pepper in large bowl with a wire whisk until well blended. 

4. Pour evenly over potato-sausage mixture.

5. Cook on low setting for 6-8 hours or on high setting for 3-4 hours or until eggs are set. 

Yield:

12 servings (about 1 cup each)

Mmm.. now that is good eats!

Creativity Bug ~ Sue

Featured Freebies for the Week of August 22nd

Hello and Happy Monday to Everyone!

Only a small handful again this week, but here are this week’s fabulous digital stamp and image freebies found on website and blogs or sent to us from friends and followers:

Beccy’s Place shares a little hobo, a birdhouse with vines, and a bouquet of flannel flowers

Paper Makeup Stamps shares a fairy with heart and a monster with teddy bear

Whoopsi Daisy Designs shares a little girl with her poodle

Making Your Mark shares a circus elephant, smiling snail, and busy bee hive

Happy Crafting!

Creativity Bug ~ Sue