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January 10, 2015

Bittersweet Chocolate Day
"Bittersweet chocolate" is chocolate liquor (or unsweetened chocolate) to which some sugar (less than a third), more cocoa butter, vanilla, and sometimes lecithin has been added. It has less sugar and more liquor than semisweet chocolate, but the two are interchangeable when baking. Bittersweet and semisweet chocolates are sometimes referred to as 'couverture'. Many brands now print on the package the percentage of cocoa in the chocolate (as chocolate liquor and added cocoa butter). The higher the percentage of cocoa, the less sweet the chocolate is. (Source)

I am a dark chocolate person myself, when I choose chocolate at all. But I do bake with bittersweet.
Recipes Using Bittersweet Chocolate

Houseplant Appreciation Day
Oh dear.  I do appreciate houseplants but I should never, never, never be a caretaker of them. EVER.


I unintentionally kill houseplants.  I have even managed to kill off the "unkillable" bamboo plant - twice!
Here are some recommendations I found but I still feel rather reluctant to put anything else through the torture of my "care."  8 Plants That Will Turn Your Black Thumb to a Green Thumb
If you like houseplants, have a thumb that can keep things alive, and have been considering purchasing some then here are 24 of the Easiest Houseplants You Can Grow.
Do house plants really have any benefits?  
Types of Houseplants That Clean Indoor Air

Cut Your Energy Costs Day
How to Reduce Your Energy Bill with No Cost or Sacrifice
10 Easiest Ways to Cut Your Energy Use in Half
More than 100 ways to save on your energy bill
Every little change adds up to big differences. Some of these ideas I practice already, not to cut energy costs but more because of preference! But others are a great idea and I'll be talking to the hub about implementing more energy cost saving measures in our home from today on.

Peculiar People Day (additional information)
Generally culture is negative about peculiarity.  However, I prefer to see peculiarity as a positive. Here's the definition of the word peculiar. Why would I choose to think of it as a positive?  Well, because years ago I committed to my memory a particular verse from the Bible, in the Amplified Version, in which God refers to his people as his peculiar possession. It struck me and has stuck with me since.  And when God uses the word peculiar he means it in a positive way, so I follow suit. Wondering about those verses I am referring to?  Here they are: Exodus 19:5Deuteronomy 14:2Deuteronomy 26:18Psalm 135:4Malachi 3:17Mark 4:34Titus 2:14, 1 Peter 2:9 (KJV)



Dwight from The Office is definitely peculiar.
Kramer from Seinfield was.
How about Phoebe from Friends?
Who else has been a peculiar character?

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