Feature Artice, December 3, 2010

Holiday Fun Ideas for Portland and Beyond!

The beginning of December and I am ready to celebrate every holiday this month!  I think it is time to stop; breathe; appreciate; and be grateful for my circle of amazing friends and family.  As I finish school this coming week and prepare for out of town guests, I am already looking forward to my social calendar and what fun things are going on around Portland and beyond...

First, head over to Frugal Luxuries, Its A Gift Wrapped Life, Eating as Art, Pie Wacket, and a few more surprises to find home made wrapping, baking, and gift giving ideas for your holiday delight!  Links are to the right.

My top 10 Portland Christmas list is:

1. Make our traditional hand blown glass ornament at Elements Glass on NW Vaughn $40 each and an hour of creative learning fun! (Call now to get a reservation: 503.228.0575) Followed by a trip to the food carts downtown.
2. Holiday Tea at the Heathman Hotel with friends...stunning!  Followed by a quiet evening snuggling in front of the fireplace to watch the trees twinkle lights.
3. Spaghetti Factory on the Willamette while watching the Christmas ships go by.
4. Lunch at the Hands on Cafe at the Oregon College of Arts and then up to Pittock Mansion for a tour through the Christmas display.  If that is not enough, tour Peacock lane and drive through your neighborhood for light viewing.
5. Serving meals at the Portland soup kitchen and then off to the Zoo Lights, followed by dessert at Papa Hayden.
6. Spend a day delivering gift baskets, checking in on elder neighbors to see if they are ready for winter, then pop into LIMO restaurant before the Michael Allen Harrison Concert at the Old Church.
7. Taking friends and family to the Grotto for the Christmas lights and walk the new labyrinth.
8. Parties with friends, simple, but lots of them!Cookie Exchange, wine tasting, carriage rides downtown, dinners in with Christmas or Hanukkah music, a movie night of old holiday flicks...White Christmas anyone?  Make sure you collect warm sweatshirts, gloves and hats from your guests for the P:ear kids down in the Pearl.
9. Gather family and friends to honor the reason for the season at Midnight Mass.  Come home to hot chocolate before sharing the dawn of Christmas day.Then over-the-hill-and-through-the-woods to Grama's house! Don't forget to call your loved ones who are far away (family, military, friends) or send a facebook greeting!
10. A huge potluck on the 26th with family and friends to celebrate being together and the anticipation of the new year! 

If you are looking to do some unique travel over the holidays, here are some ideas from Wholeliving to DO SOME GOOD!

1. Earthwatch - offers an opportunity to work along side a scientist on a sustainable project.  Available all over the world
2. Hands Up Holidays - A luxury tour company offering opportunities like helping Thai children orphaned by the Tsunami or working with Aboriginal rangers in Australia.
3. Pepy Tours - Bike trips through Cambodia and Laos where cyclists can participate in projects in villages to help improve quality of life for rural families.

If Movie going is your thing over the holidays, take these tips for securing the best deals on admittance:

1. Buy in bulk for a discount
2. Redeem credit-card perks
3. Join your favorite theaters Loyalty Club
4. Hit daytime screenings
5. Drive-ins are still around in Newburg and Beaverton...what a great gift certificate that would be in your stocking!
6. Check local theaters for specials - Tigard theaters is having $5 Tuesdays with $1 popcorn; all day; through the holidays.  Se you there!

Thanks to Pam and Jean for their contributions to my fun Christmas top 10 this year!

~ MJ
Copyright 2010 MJ's Table Talk

Make and Take, November 19, 2010

November 2010 Make and Take!

Make and Take was at my home this month and we managed to turn out some more holiday treats for the freezer...we are ready for the season to begin!

From Mary Jane's Farm we have Cheesy Dill Bread and Carrot Cake Bread with cream cheese frosting.  One sweet, one savory, yummers!

~ MJ
Copyright 2010 MJ's Table Talk

Make and Take, Novemeber 4, 2010

October 2010 Make and Take

Another wonderful event at Pam's!  She had us making mini-pumpkin cheesecakes with a ribbon of butter pecan crunch...yummers!  We took them home to freeze and use for our fall events!

For lunch, she made delicious pumpkin sauce pasta with hazelnuts on top.

Making butter pecan brittle to decorate the top of the cheese cakes. Another successful gathering!

~ MJ
Copyright 2010 MJ's Table Talk

Featured Craft, August 6, 2010

Hot, Hot, Hot! Try a Little Shade On Your Cooler!

Time to set out the sun tea or whip of a batch of my favorite Vanilla Lemonade, the temperatures are rising and show no relief in site!  Try a little shade on your cooler!

Make and Take, June 11, 2010

Make and Take ~ June 2010, Happy Chocolate Puddles!

What a fun Make and Take!  Jean provided a playground for us to express our inner chocolate fantasies.  Over 10 different toppings to combine in clever ways on top our chocolate puddles!  I suggest you DO try this at home!

 Happy Chocolate Puddles

We used the Trader Joe's large dark and milk chocolate bars.  Melted them in glass bowls in the microwave and then ladled them onto parchment paper.  Jean cut a disc to guide making the shape so that the puddle would fill the CD envelope window.  Once the puddles are formed decorate the tops to your liking.  Jean had many to choose from.

Candied Orange

From Food Network Kitchens

Makes approx. 2 cups of peel slices 

Ingredients

• 6 thick-skinned Valencia or navel oranges
• 4 1/2 cups sugar, plus extra for rolling
• 1 1/2 cups water

Directions

Cut tops and bottoms off of the orange and score the orange into quarters, cutting down only into the peel and not into the fruit. Peel the skin and pith of the orange in large pieces, use the orange for another recipe. Cut the peel into strips about 1/4-inch wide. Put the orange peel in a large saucepan with cold water to cover, bring to a boil over high heat. Then pour off the water. Repeat 1 or 2 more times depending up how assertive you want the orange peels to be. (Test kitchen liked the texture of a 3 time blanch best, it also mellowed the bitterness. But it is a matter of preference.) Remove the orange peels from the pan.

Whisk the sugar with 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 8 to 9 minutes (If you took the sugar's temperature with a candy thermometer it would be at the soft thread stage, 230 to 234 degrees F.) Add the peels and simmer gently, reducing heat to retain a simmer. Cook until the peels get translucent, about 45 minutes. Resist the urge to stir the peels or you may introduce sugar crystals into the syrup. If necessary, swirl the pan to move the peels around. Drain the peels, (save the syrup for ice tea.) Roll the peels in sugar and dry on a rack, for 4 to 5 hours. Return to the sugar to store.

Cook's Note: One way to use orange peels is to stuff a dried date with a piece of orange peel and almond, then dip the entire thing into dark chocolate.

Sugared Flowers

Paint petals with whipped egg whites.  Dust with extra fine sugar.

Lunch!

 

 Jean prepared an amazing pasta salad with a wide variety of veggies.  With that we enjoyed Rosemary skewers with mozzarella cheese and salami.  Delicioso!  Dessert, well let's just say SCHAMWOWZA!

 Chocolate Orange Cupcakes with Limoncello Frosting

By Giada

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

• 1 box chocolate cake mix
• Orange juice (instead of water in cake mix)
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
• 1 cup diced candied orange peel (about 8 ounces) 

Frosting

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 4 tablespoons butter, softened (1/2 stick)
• 2 tablespoons limoncello (you can substitute with 2 tablespoons lemon juice for minors)
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 orange, zested
• 1/4 cup finely diced candied orange peel, for garnish
• Special equipment: cupcake liners, 2 muffins pans

Directions

First make the cupcakes: mix the chocolate cake mix according to package instructions, substituting orange juice for the water. Toss the chocolate chips with the flour. Fold the chocolate chips and the candied orange peel into the chocolate mixture. Line the muffin pan with the cupcake liners. Fill and bake the cupcakes according to package instructions. Let the cupcakes cool for 1 hour on a wire rack before frosting.

To make the frosting: combine all the ingredients except the candied orange peel in a medium bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. Using a small spatula, place about 1 tablespoon of frosting on top of each cupcake. Top with a small sprinkle of candied orange peel.

Thank you Jean! 

~ MJ
Copyright 2010 MJ's Table Talk

Make and Take, May 6, 2010

Make and Take ~ May 2010, A Purse Full Of Chocolate!

April was skipped over for our meeting last month as our members were pulled in other directions, so when I saw today was finally another Make and Take, I was filled with joy!  We gathered at Poh's this morning and lingered over tea and carrot bread while we caught up on all the news.  Then Poh had a little something extra to share by roasting garlic.

Roasted garlic Recipe:

Cut tops off garlic, making sure all cloves have top cut off.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper, sprinkle with fresh Thyme, and then drizzle with olive oil.  Bake for one hour, or until golden on 400 degree oven.  Serve as a spread from the garlic head or remove roasted cloves and serve in your favorite recipe like mashed potatoes!

The house smelled divine as we worked on our main project.  Favors, and darling ones that we would be making for an event that Jean's mother was sponsoring.  Knowing we would be happy to produce the little satchels, Jean laid out a gorgeous array of pre-cut papers for us to get to work on.  Soon the table filled with one cuter than the next, purse favor filled with mini-chocolate bars!

 It wasn't long before the smell of the roasted garlic and Poh's cooking beckoned us to lunch.  Once again Poh created a delicious selection for us to enjoy...and we did!

Purse Favor How To:

To make your own chocolate purse favors, which I think would make cute place card holders as well, take a decorative strip of 1 1/2 in wide x 6" long.  Trim corners on one side and cut a solid complimentary color rectangle to glue behind the end where corners are trimmed.  Rectangle and be 1/2" long by 1 1/2 wide.  Then poke small holes 1 inch from layer end and 3/4" from the straight end.  Fold the bottom straight end up under the layer end and secure with a colorful brad through the 2 holes.  Insert 2 mini-chocolate bars that you double-side tape together and then again tape to bottom of purse.  Pinch the top to form the triangle shape of the purse and cut a complementing piece of ribbon as the handle.  We used double sided tape for all the securing.  That's it!  Enjoy as treats for Mother's day or your next party!

Thank you Poh and gals for another wonderful Make and Take!

~ MJ
Copyright 2010 MJ's Table Talk

Make and Take March 12, 2010

Make and Take ~ March 2010, Christmas goes to the Leprechauns!

This month MJ hosted our Make and Take meeting.  Usually, a bit of the green takes over in March, but this year She decided to keep the green on the table and Christmas in the craft!  We made Advent Calendar Garland and so can you!

For lunch I made Giada's Florentine Chicken and Pasta, home made bread, and dessert was a special pie that Pam made for Poh's birthday called, Crack Pie!  It was pretty amazing!

As requested...here is Momofuku's Crack Pie Recipe:

Total time: 1 1/2 hours, plus cooling and chilling times

Servings: Makes 2 pies (6 to 8 servings each)

Note: Adapted from Momofuku. This pie calls for 2 (10-inch) pie tins. You can substitute 9-inch pie tins, but note that the pies will require additional baking time, about 5 minutes, due to the increased thickness of the filling.

Cookie for crust

2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (3 ounces) flour

Scant 1/8 teaspoon baking powder

Scant 1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter

1/3 cup (2 1/2 ounces) light brown sugar

3 tablespoons (1 1/4 ounces) sugar

1 egg

Scant 1 cup (3 1/2 ounces) rolled oats

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar and sugar until light and fluffy.

4. Whisk the egg into the butter mixture until fully incorporated.

5. With the mixer running, beat in the flour mixture, a little at a time, until fully combined. Stir in the oats until incorporated.

6. Spread the mixture onto a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking sheet and bake until golden brown and set, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to the touch on a rack. Crumble the cooled cookie to use in the crust.

Crust

Crumbled cookie for crust

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

1 1/2 tablespoons (3/4 ounce) brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

Combine the crumbled cookie, butter, brown sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse until evenly combined and blended (a little of the mixture clumped between your fingers should hold together). Divide the crust between 2 (10-inch) pie tins. Press the crust into each shell to form a thin, even layer along the bottom and sides of the tins. Set the prepared crusts aside while you prepare the filling.

Filling

1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) sugar

3/4 cup plus a scant 3 tablespoons (7 ounces) light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon (3/4 ounce) milk powder

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted

3/4 cup plus a scant 2 tablespoons heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

8 egg yolks

2 prepared crusts

Powdered sugar, garnish

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, brown sugar, salt and milk powder. Whisk in the melted butter, then whisk in the heavy cream and vanilla.

3. Gently whisk in the egg yolks, being careful not to add too much air.

4. Divide the filling evenly between the 2 prepared pie shells.

5. Bake the pies, one at a time, for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 325 degrees and bake until the filling is slightly jiggly and golden brown (similar to a pecan pie), about 10 minutes. Remove the pies and cool on a rack.

6. Refrigerate the cooled pies until well chilled. The pies are meant to be served cold, and the filling will be gooey. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Each of 16 servings: 432 calories; 4 grams protein; 45 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 27 grams fat; 16 grams saturated fat; 187 mg. cholesterol; 36 grams sugar; 125 mg. sodium.

It was a good day and we are making plans to make a few more garland for next year.  Counting the days until our next Make and Take...

~ MJ
Copyright 2010 MJ's Table Talk