Cheez-It Brownies are Real and Celine Dion is the End All and Be All Icon
Bowing down to greatness can be a much welcomed thing.
Welcome, Substack friends to a small spot on the internet where only happy vibes are allowed.
Oh to be on an island paradise where the Jimmy Buffett motto is the way of life…
Seeing a plastic garbage is such a big issue, it’s good to know Aldi is doing their part to cut back on plastic waste. From The Kitchn:
“Aldi U.K. plans on cutting 234 tons of plastic packaging by swapping their banana plastic bags to paper bands, according to Packaging Gateway. This includes a variety or product packs including Nature’s Pick five-packs and organic six packs. As of right now, Aldi U.K. is piloting this program to see how things go before doing a larger push on this change in packaging.
This effort to reduce plastic waste from banana packaging is part of a larger effort Aldi has embarked on to reduce waste. Other plastic initiatives include using thinner bags for onions, recyclable paper for block butter, and recyclable plastic bottles for dish soap. These efforts alone have helped to eliminate 142 tons of plastic going to landfill.
“At Aldi, we know how important reducing plastic is to our customers, colleagues and the future of the planet,” said Aldi plastics and packaging director Luke Emery to Packaging Gateway. “We are constantly reviewing ways we can do this, and our latest trial on bananas is another great step on that journey.”
Speaking of more great environmental care news, some major restaurants and fast food chains are participating in the Reuseable Cup Project. From Good News Network:
“A consortium of small firms is creating a renewable revolution within the boundaries of a small city in Northern California, which will be the testbed for a use-and-return concept for fast food drinks.
Around 50 billion disposable drink cups are used every year in the US, but in the city of Petaluma, we will see if Americans have the discipline to reduce this footprint.
The city numbers around 60,000 people, and will participate in the Reuseable Cup Project. The aim is to furnish 30 local restaurants, from Starbucks to Taco Bell, with identical, durable, plastic drink cups, which customers and diners can use and then either leave on the table, or deposit in a network of dropoff bins around the city.
Along with reducing cup waste, it should also reduce the throwaway hot drink sleeves, since the cups themselves are more durable and less conductive to heat.
A three-month trial starting on August 5th and running into November will provide NextGen the data they need to understand if such a program can be used in larger cities.”
(Can you believe there is a recipe for Cheez-It Smore Brownies?)
Did you know Cheez-It is one brand that appears to be loved by all? I must be the exception because I am not a fan of the Cheez-It *shrugs* but based on Sherwod.News “…Cheez-It has been consistently coming up with fresh variations of its product.”
“Staying relevant is a challenge for a brand like Cheez-It, which is over 100 years old. Last year, its parent company, Kellogg, split into two independent publicly traded companies — WK Kellogg Co and Kellanova — with the former focused on the cereal business and the latter on the global snack brands Cheez-It, Pringles, Pop-Tarts, and Rice Krispies Treats. Staying relevant is a challenge for a brand like Cheez-It
Brands like Cheez-It have an aging audience that tend to respond to nostalgia marketing campaigns, but they also need to reach younger folks like Gen Z, an age group who has a strong interest in experiencing the periods they didn’t grow up in. “Gen Z does have a lost nostalgia especially for the ’90s because they didn't really grow up in the ’90s,” Eric Dahan, the founder and CEO of creator commerce agency Mighty Joy said. “It's the pre-internet age, pre-video, early-video-game world, right? Brands really benefit from understanding and tapping into that.”
Zucchini is a great vegetable to use for baking. So why not it with cake? How about this yummy Lemon Zucchini Cake recipe at The Kitchn? This recipe has a bit more ingredient than the other recipes I recommend but if you love to bake, you won’t mind (or even if you’re a baking newbie).
FOR THE CAKE:
Cooking spray
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 medium lemons
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pound zucchini (about 2 medium)
FOR THE GLAZE:
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice (from the lemons in the cake)
1 cup powdered sugar
There has been a lot of opinions about the Olympic opening ceremonies n France but I think everyone can all agree, having Celine Dion close the ceremony was an amazing, uplifting and over the top emotional viewing experience, especially after all Celine has gone through with her Stiff Person Syndrome illness. She said she would sing again and oh how she has. Her performance will go down in Olympic history if not performance history. A queen. An Icon. A true star for the ages.
You’re crying, I’m not. (Link to performance on You Tube)
This week’s book recommendation is from 2018- The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager.
Fifteen years ago, summer camper Emma Davis watched sleepily as her three cabin mates snuck out of their cabin in the dead of night. The last she--and anyone--saw of them was Vivian closing the cabin door behind her, hushing Emma with a finger pressed to her lips.
Now a rising star in the NYC art scene, Emma turns her past into paintings.. They catch the attention of Francesca Harris-White, the socialite and wealthy owner of the very same Camp Nightingale--and when Francesca implores Emma to return to the camp as a painting counselor, Emma sees an opportunity to find closure and move on.
Yet, it is immediately clear that all is not right at Camp Nightingale. Already haunted by surfacing memories, Emma is suddenly plagued by a security camera pointed directly at her cabin, mounting mistrust from Francesca, and, most disturbing of all, cryptic clues Vivian apparently left behind about the camp's twisted origins. And as history begins to repeat itself and three girls go missing again, Emma must face threats from both man and nature in order to uncover all the buried secrets--including what really happened all those years ago.
Why I’m recommending this book- This book embodies incredible mystery thriller and horror elements I haven't seen from another author in years. On the edge of your seat suspense, and atmospheric horror ala Friday the 13th and Picnic at Hanging Rock (which was the muse to write this book), Riley excels so with jump shots and scares that will have you holding your breath until the very last page.
The steps Riley takes here as he reveals what happened that summer when Emma was thirteen is so well done. Each layer is peeled away carefully leaving readers guessing what happened to the three girls, especially the ring leader Vivian, Emma admired so much. There are many twists and turns, including with Emma. Is she going slowly insane as she thinks she sees ghosts around her, especially of Vivian who is trying to get Emma to solve the mystery of her disappearance and the lies Emma told, or rather the lies Emma tricked herself into believing.
Choose your own direction..
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And you are the guy who'll decide where to go." – Dr. Seuss
