DECK THE HOLIDAY'S

Vietnamese Coffee Ice Pops Recip A frozen-pop version of the classic iced coffee! Difficulty:  Easy |  Total Time:  15 mins, plus at least 8 hrs chilling and freezing time  |  Makes: About 6 (4-ounce) ice pops Like classic Vietnamese iced coffee, this frozen pop contains strong brewed coffee and sweetened condensed milk. It’s a caffeinated treat that’s not recommended for the kiddies! Special equipment:  You will need freezer pop molds for this recipe. We used these molds, but any kind will work. If yours don’t come with sticks that attach securely, you can buy wooden sticks and insert them about 1 1/2 hours into the freezing time. This recipe was featured as part of our 7 Ice Pops That Break the Mold. INGREDIENTS 3/4 cup  strong French roast  coffee  grounds, such as Café Du Monde, Cafe’de Paris, or Trung Nguyen 2 cups   water 1 (14-ounce) can   sweetened condensed milk 1 cup  heavy  cream ...

     The Carnaval de Oruro  (or  Carnival of Oruro ), is the biggest annual cultural event in Bolivia.     Celebrated in Oruro, the folklore capital of Bolivia, the carnival marks the  Ito festival  for the Uru people. Its ceremonies stem from Andean customs, the ancient invocations centering around  Pachamama  (Mother Earth, transformed into the Virgin Mary due to Christian syncretism) and  Tio Supay  (Uncle God of the Mountains, transformed into the Devil). The native Ito ceremonies were stopped in the 17th century by the Spanish, who were ruling the territory of upper Peru at the time. However, the Uru continued to observe the festival in the form of a Catholic ritual on  Candlemas,  in the first week of each February. Christian icons were used to conceal portrayals of Andean gods, and the Christian saints represented other Andean minor divinities. The ceremony begins 40 days before Easter...

    I know there are thousands, if not millions of chocolate lovers out there. I happen to be one of those people and have tried several different chocolate treats in my lifetime. So what do I consider to be the top chocolate treats? I find that there are several different chocolate treat categories and there are treats in each category that are better than the rest. This article will stick to foods you can buy in almost any grocery store. These chocolate treats are low in price but high in taste. Candy bars:  We've all tried several varieties of this chocolate treat, but which ones are the best? Throughout my life, my tastes have changed and I've had several different favorites. My favorites lean now to either the milky way bar , with it's chocolate and caramel, or a nice big snickers bar, with the chocolate and caramel and a little dose of peanuts to go with it. Ice Cream:  Let's face it, just plain old chocolate ic...

    While  Semana Santa  is a national tradition throughout Spain, the  "Andalucians"  arguably "feel" the week more than other regions of Spain. Throughout 7 days, Andalucia is surrounded by a spiritual halo. Semana   Santa  is a tradition which is repeated year after year, a time when the devout and curious joint together to participated in the procession and converge on the streets and squares which take on the ambiance and mystique of an open air temple.     The skill and expertise behind the parades rest with the religious fraternities and brotherhoods. They have the responsibility of maintaining the statues as well as coordinating the penitents and musicians. Sometimes up to two thousand members of a brotherhood take part, some carry candles, rods or banners depending on their level of seniority. The most senior is the president who carries a golden rod.    ...

  April Fool's Day is the one day of the year that serious minded people can go crazy without criticism.  Over the years there have been many great hoaxes that have occurred on or around this day of the year.  The  Museum of Hoaxes  put together a list of 100, this is a list of the top 15. In 1982, the  Daily Mail  reported that a local manufacturer had sold  10,000 "rogue bras"  that were causing a unique and unprecedented problem, not to the wearers but to the public at large.  Apparently the support wire in these bras had been made out of a kind of copper originally designed for use in fire alarms.  When this copper came into contact with nylon and body heat, it produced static electricity which, in turn, was interfering with local television and radio broadcasts.  The chief engineer of British Telecom, upon reading the article, immediately ordered that all his female laboratory employees disclose w...

  In this East Coast-style breakfast treat, a tender sour cream coffee cake is topped with a thick layer of cinnamon-scented streusel. Ingredients topping 1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar 1/2 cup sugar 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, warm 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour cake 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 3/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 large eggs 1 1/3 cups sour cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Preparation topping Mix both sugars, cinnamon, and salt in medium bowl and whisk to blend. Add warm melted butter and stir to blend. Add flour and toss with fork until moist clumps form (topping mixture will look slightly wet). Set aside. cake Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Sift flour, baking soda, baking p...

Over 40 Years of Guts & Glory     The Angola Rodeo , the longest running prison rodeo in the nation, got its start in 1965.  The first arena was small, built by a handful of dedicated inmates and personnel.  It wasn't much in those days, and the rodeo was stages just for the entertainment of prisoners and employees.  But it was fun.    The 1967 rodeo was opened to the general public on a limited basis.  There were no stands.  Spectators had to sit on apple crates and the hoods of their cars to watch the performance.    The success on the 1967 and 1968 rodeos prompted constructions of a 4,500 seat arena for the 1969 rodeo.  A near disaster occurred when the bleachers collapsed during one of the shows.  Spectators weren't alarmed, most didn't even get up.  They sat on the collapsed structure and continued to watch.  The 1971 rodeo was the wettest in history, but the show went on...