The Make and Take gals gathered today at my house for the making of pumpkins. It did not take us long to find a rhythm in cutting, sewing, stuffing, and adorning our creations. Taking the idea that Jean found, Poh created patterns while I sourced the materials and hosted our lunch.Soon we had our own pumpkin patch taking over the kitchen.
For lunch I served a festive pomegranate quinoa salad with turkey panini. Dessert was pumpkin cheesecake in a jar and vanilla infused lemonade. A simple meal for a beautiful day of fun and friends around the sewing machine.
1 cup quinoa (soak and rinse per box instructions)
1 cup pomegranate juice
1 cup orange juice,
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup chopped and toasted pecans
1 cup pomegranate seeds
3/4 cup dried cranberries, 1/4 feta crumbles
3-5 basil leaves, minced
Drizzle EVOO
Salt and pepper to taste
In medium saucepan, combine quinoa, juices and water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15min until liquid is absorbed. Turn off heat, cover pot with lid and let set for 5 min. then fluff with fork. Cool completely.
Then add all remaining ingredients and mix well.
Vanilla Lemonade
Split one vanilla bean per gallon of lemonade. Scrape seeds into lemonade and put entire bean in as well. Let infuse overnight and serve chilled over ice.
The Make and Take Gals got together for an “underground” make and take this past week; no fuss, no frills, and no lunch – just a casual, quick session to check a project off the list. Our mission was college care boxes. Several young adults in our lives had just headed off to college. Knowing the first few weeks away from home can be rough, the timing was right to mail packages loaded with touches of home and lots of love. We gathered our supplies, met at my house, and started packing.
Mary Jo was sending to a nephew. Amongst the treats, she tucked in practical items like a muti use tool, toothbrushes, and playing cards. Miniature candy bars served as the “filler”.
Poh sent to a friend’s daughter and wowed her with a donut cake – frosting and candles included for decorating upon arrival. For girls, it’s all about the theme, and this one was for celebrating a September birthday. The box was rounded out with college survival items: bandaids and a stain removal pen.
Pam lovingly packed a care box for her daughter. Stationery (for letters home), coloring supplies (for study breaks), pasta (for apartment living), and homemade fruit leather (for sensible snacking!) filled the box perfectly.
The box I assembled for my nephew contained a Halloween wreath for his dorm door. Made of tootsie pops for easy grabbing, this wreath doubles as a great ice-breaker for new friends stopping by. Homemade granola bars, a CD of favorite songs, and microwave popcorn completed my box.
You know, whether it’s someone in college, in the military, or traveling abroad a care package is always well received. Even for someone that just needs their day brightened, these care packages will be cherished long after the goodies are gone. Some basic guidelines to follow:
·Use the US Post Office flat rate boxes. Regardless of weight, these boxes ship for a set rate.
Call, email, or Facebook to alert the recipient a package is coming.
Include a lot of extra treats for a great icebreaker. Food and friends go together.
For boys, it’s all about the food: granola bars, trail mix, jerky, baked goods.
With girls, think themes like Fall, Thanksgiving, birthday, Valentine’s Day. They love a few surprises like fingernail polish or magazines.
Decorate the inside of the box with pictures or funny phrases.
Send a box in February when homesickness is high. This month is cold, homework is endless, and there is no end in sight. Make this a cheerful package with a gift card to get them out of their dorm (Starbucks or self-serve yogurt).
·Be aware of vacation schedules to avoid the care package sitting in the mail room. Know test dates for final exams – this is a great time to send a little support from home.
·The main element should be what home means to the recipient. You’ll know best what to include that will mean the most.
Almond Apricot Granola Bars Recipe
½ cup almond butter or other nut butter
½ cup honey
1 cup crispy brown rice cereal
1 cup granola
½ cup almonds, chopped
½ cup dried apricots, chopped*
¼ tsp salt
Put almond butter and honey in a small saucepan over medium heat
for 2 – 3 minutes or until melted.Whisk
to combine.
Put the crispy cereal, granola, almonds, apricots and salt
in a bowl.Add the almond butter
mixture; stir well to combine.
Grease a 7 or 8 inch square baking pan and line it with
parchment or plastic wrap.Spread the
granola mixture evenly into the dish, pressing down gently.Cover with plastic wrap.Refrigerate until set, about one hour.
*substitute other dried fruit if you would like.Dried cranberries are very good!
Under the cool cloud cover of Portland today, the Make and Take Gals managed to fill their project table with blossoms of Sunflowers. That's right, Pam designed darling cupcake blooms and had us pot them up for gift giving. Look at these little masterpieces... enough to cheer anyone into a sunny disposition. The moist chocolate cake and rich frosting are what they call "icing on the cake" and hide the spoons from MJ! Really, how can these gals expect me to sit with so much chocolate and not sample?
The base of the blossoms are Oreo cookies and the darling ladybugs are M&Ms. For the leaves Pam provided several options of candied jellies to sculpt into leaves. The work was intricate but surprisingly easy.
The end result was a table of blossoms and making plans for our afternoon deliveries of these little cuties!
After working up an appetite, Pam crafted a beautiful lunch of Chicken Salad, Caramelized Peach Soup, colorful Caprese Salad, and a darling cupcake of our own with a gorgeous butterfly on top! Thinking ahead, Pam made a separate dessert so we could take our winged friend home to enjoy. The darling favors in a jar are Peach Bellini. Pam says to pour over ice cream or make a peach float with sparkling water, ice cream and some of the Peach Bellini.
Pam personalized our dessert plates making for a delicious indulgence! Thank you Pam for sprinkling sunshine into our gloomy Portland day with your sparkling table and darling blossoms!
~ Come Gather Around the Table! MJ
RECIPES
Mini Caprese Salad
1 small lemon juiced
1 small clove garlic grated or minced
20 fresh basil leaves and a few more for garnish
1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 pint cherry or small heirloom tomatoes
1 cup of fresh mozzarella cheese (small balls or cubed)
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Combine lemon juice, garlic, and basil leaves in food processor. Stream in olive oil ; process to smooth consistency.
In a bowl, combine cherry tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and dressing. Gently toss to coat. Place in a serving bowl and garnish with fresh basil leaves.
Makes 6 servings.
Caramelized Peach Soup
3 large fresh, ripe peaches, peeled and halved (or 6 small)
2 T. light brown sugar
1 ½ T. honey
Parchment paper
1 ½ cups fresh orange juice
½ t. ground cinnamon
¼ t. salt
Small container vanilla bean yogurt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss together first 3 ingredients. Place peaches, cut side down, on a parchment lined jelly roll pan. Bake 25 minutes or until juices begin to caramelize, turning after 15 minutes.
Transfer peaches and juices to a food processor or blender; cool completely (about 30 min). Add orange juice, cinnamon, and salt. Process until smooth. Stir in lemon juice. Cover and chill 4 hours.
Ladle soup into bowls. Dollop the top of each serving with vanilla bean yogurt. Sprinkle a bit of cinnamon on top for garnish.
Makes 4 servings.
Adapted from Southern Living July 2011
Honey Chicken Salad
4 cups chopped cooked chicken
3 celery ribs, diced (about 1 ½ cups)
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries (craisins)
½ cup (or more!) chopped pecans, toasted
1 ½ cups mayonnaise
1/3 cup honey
¼ t. salt
¼ t. pepper
Garnish: chopped toasted pecans
Combine first 4 ingredients.
Whisk together mayonnaise and next 3 ingredients. Add to chicken mixture, stirring gently until combined.
Garnish with chopped toasted pecans.
Makes 4 -6 servings
From Southern Living June 2006
Supply list for Sunflower cupcakes:
Baked cupcakes in paper liners
Chocolate frosting (store bought or homemade)
White frosting (store bought or buttercream)
Food coloring: yellow and orange
Oreo cookies
Mini Oreo cookies
Candy spearmint leaves /green fruit leather/or other green jellied candies
Swinging by to pick up Poh, we decided on a mid-day escape to the beach. Our leisurely drive to the stunning Oregon coast promised blue skies would eventually break through and by mid-day we were basking in the sun. We landed in Cannon Beach at our favorite eatery JP's. Known for the best Salmon Chowder anywhere. JP's will be closing their doors after 17 years. Co-owner Diana told us her and her hubby are heading to Greece for a month in October and will be celebrating on Sept. 24 by holding a closing party and raffle for their well guarded top secret recipes for their clam, salmon, and seafood chowders. Raffle tickets are $20 each. Poh and I shared an amazing Chicken Salad Tarragon Sandwich while catching up on all the news. It became obvious we needed the recipe when we were both moaning. Luckly we did not attract attention as all the other patrons were moaning over their plates as well. We coaxed the recipe from Diana who gladly shared... keep in mind, her version is made with their homemade bread... a must ingredient!
Diana's Chicken Salad Tarragon Sandwich
Roast chicken breasts with garlic herb seasoning, cool and then cube
Add Best Foods Mayo
1 dried sprig of Tarragon
Garlic and herb seasoning to taste
Add cashews right before serving so they don't get soggy
Spread on homemade white bread and enjoy!
Afterward we decided a quick run to Bruce's Candy Store was required to buy saltwater taffy for making the kids college care packages. Bruce's never disappoints...
Loaded up with all the goodies we headed to Ecola State Park. One of my favorite picnic and hiking spots. As we walked out to the bluffs we managed to pick up a stray companion. This beautiful little guy followed us on our journey.
We closed out our excursion with a drive through the Ecola Rainforest down to Indian Beach to see the surfers. Tide was up so we skipped the hike to the tide pools.
Hope you all are squeezing in the relaxing summer moments before school starts up again!
My fellow Make and Take Gal, Poh, gave me a lovely book by Cami Walker called 29 Gifts. This little gem explores the trials of Cami's adaption to having MS. Along her journey Cami meets a Spiritual Director who provides her with life changing insights on the power of giving. Cami embraces the suggestion and we journey with her as life takes on balance, mindfulness, and joy! The abundance focus changes everything! There is a whole month of summer left, I suggest this read as a wonderful catalyst to send us into to fall and the giving season.
Poh is practicing what she is reading as well. This past month my community lost a very special young man. His parents asked me to make a quilt from his t-shirts, an honor that still leaves me breathless. When the box arrived I simply could not open it. It was Poh who came over and sat next to me, and then grabbed the scissors and pushed me to begin the task of preparing the blocks before I had time to think. Knowing I could not do this alone, she camped out in my home for 3 1/2 straight days until we finished the quilt and passed it on to be sewn together by a long-arm quilter. Poh was my angel for this project and asked for nothing in return. The ripples will extend far beyond the 3 days of time Poh gave me, and Cami's book has been a wonderful inspiration to share in this practice of abundance and mindfulness! Checkout Cami's website for stories and ideas here.
