Hello again. Time for our next meeting, on May 17th at the Argonne branch. 7 PM as usual. The theme is Cinco de Mayo again because we love our Mexican food! I haven't heard what anyone is planning to bring yet, but anything is welcome. I will make limeade or horchata, not sure which.
Now that the warmer weather seems to have (suddenly) hit maybe we could have our next meeting in outside. Maybe a barbeque if the lovely weather lasts into June? I know the closer we get to the summer the busier everyone becomes. Thank you to everyone for attending, whenever you can. Hopefully even if we can't all get together over the next few months we will still all have relaxing, craftful vacations.
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Monday, May 6, 2013
April Meeting
We had a lovely, cosy tea party at our April meeting on the 19th at the Argonne Library. Thank you Dee, Gwen, Jennifer, Kandy, Michael, Salena, and Susan (me) for coming. We missed everyone who was unable to make it, but maybe that was for the best. The group got a bit over zealous heating up all those electric kettles, and we blew a few fuses! Thank you Gwen for letting us use your laptop for our musical entertainment.
Luckily we already had enough hot water to supply plenty of hot drinks for the evening. Maybe we will have to try the tea party theme again later this year, or even next January in honor of Lewis Carroll's birthday. And next time we will pace our kettle usage.
The menu included cucumber watercress sandwiches, egg salad and chicken salad sandwiches, lasagna cups, lemon and raspberry cake, and some delicious cakes topped with lemon pudding and berries that Kandy brought. We tried many yummy teas: pumpkin spice, pear, a tropical one with coconut, chai,... delicious. Maybe we should consider changing our name to the Crafty Gourmet Club, with all the yummies we enjoy.
Speaking of which, here is my recipe for cucumber sandwich spread. I use soda bread and slice it as thinly as possible, but try any bread you like. I think rye is traditional.
Cucumber Sandwiches
Luckily we already had enough hot water to supply plenty of hot drinks for the evening. Maybe we will have to try the tea party theme again later this year, or even next January in honor of Lewis Carroll's birthday. And next time we will pace our kettle usage.
The menu included cucumber watercress sandwiches, egg salad and chicken salad sandwiches, lasagna cups, lemon and raspberry cake, and some delicious cakes topped with lemon pudding and berries that Kandy brought. We tried many yummy teas: pumpkin spice, pear, a tropical one with coconut, chai,... delicious. Maybe we should consider changing our name to the Crafty Gourmet Club, with all the yummies we enjoy.
Speaking of which, here is my recipe for cucumber sandwich spread. I use soda bread and slice it as thinly as possible, but try any bread you like. I think rye is traditional.
Cucumber Sandwiches
Ingredients:
Mix the cream cheese, mayo, chives, and spice mix. Spread the mix liberally on the bread. Layer the cucumber slices on the bread. Layer the watercress on the cucumber or leave it on the side for guests to add themselves.
I like to let people make the sandwiches themselves so I don't have worry about the cucumbers turning the sandwiches soggy. If you want to assemble everything ahead try using paper towels to squeeze excess moisture out of the cucumbers before assembling the sandwiches. Sprinkling salt on the cucs also helps.
Enjoy!
1/2 seedless
cucumber, peeled and very thinly sliced (about 32 slices, seeded work too)
1/4 cup mint or watercress rinsed, spun dry, and chopped fine
1 package cream cheese, room temperature
1/4-1/2 cup mayo
1/4 cup mint or watercress rinsed, spun dry, and chopped fine
1 package cream cheese, room temperature
1/4-1/2 cup mayo
1-2 T chives (optional)
1 tsp-1 T Penzey's Country French Vinagrette spice mix (or whatever spices you like)
16 thin slices soda bread (or your favorite bread)
Salt and pepper to taste
Mix the cream cheese, mayo, chives, and spice mix. Spread the mix liberally on the bread. Layer the cucumber slices on the bread. Layer the watercress on the cucumber or leave it on the side for guests to add themselves.
I like to let people make the sandwiches themselves so I don't have worry about the cucumbers turning the sandwiches soggy. If you want to assemble everything ahead try using paper towels to squeeze excess moisture out of the cucumbers before assembling the sandwiches. Sprinkling salt on the cucs also helps.
Enjoy!
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Crafty Club June Meeting
It's that time again! Our June meeting is on the 29th at Argonne at 7 pm. The food theme is red foods. So far we will be having pizza, spanish rice, pasta salad with tomatoes, cherries and strawberries, raspberry secret agent bars, and something red and yummy to drink. Hope to see you there.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
May Crafty Club
It's that time already! Crafty Club is this Friday, the 25th, at Moran Prairie. Our food theme is Mexican in belated honor of Cinco de Mayo. I know people have been looking forward to Mexican food :) Kandy is bringing a Mexican salad with crab, I think Cindy is bringing chicken enchiladas, and I am bringing horchata. If you plan on coming email whatever delicious dish you are bringing to prevent repeats.
Trivia: Did you know Cinco de Mayo isn't Mexican Independence Day (which is September 16th)? Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Battle of Puebla, which was a surprise victory for the Mexicans over French troops.
Hope to see you Friday!
Trivia: Did you know Cinco de Mayo isn't Mexican Independence Day (which is September 16th)? Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Battle of Puebla, which was a surprise victory for the Mexicans over French troops.
Hope to see you Friday!
Friday, March 30, 2012
March Meeting Already!
I am playing Blog catch-up today! Our March meeting is tonight at 7 pm at Argonne. The theme is Green Food, or Irish cuisine. I hope the rain doesn't wash you away. See you tonight.
February Meeting
Our February meeting was at Wilma's lovely home. In honor of everyone's favorite February holiday (President's Day, of course!) our food theme for February was Favorite Food Pairings. No red hearts at this meeting, but we did get to listen to Twilight Breaking Dawn while we ate. Wilma had some lovely snow-themed music for us to listen to while crafting. Luckily the weather cooperated. There was snow in the lyrics but not much on the roads.
For dinner we had baked potato soup, green salad with raspberries and candied walnuts, asian fruit salad, green onion tofu cakes, apple slices with caramel sauce, brownies, and chocolate malt milkshakes. Everything was delicious, as usual!
I hope to see you at the March meeting, and I hope the rain lets up for a bit so our crafts don't get wet!
For dinner we had baked potato soup, green salad with raspberries and candied walnuts, asian fruit salad, green onion tofu cakes, apple slices with caramel sauce, brownies, and chocolate malt milkshakes. Everything was delicious, as usual!
I hope to see you at the March meeting, and I hope the rain lets up for a bit so our crafts don't get wet!
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Mango Sticky Rice Recipe
Here is the recipe for the Thai dessert I made. It sounds daunting, but as long as you have your cheese cloth it is easy. You can use regular rice, but the texture is more like pudding if you use sticky rice.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups glutinous (sticky) rice
1 1/3 cups well-stirred canned unsweetened coconut milk
3 tablespoons
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large ripe mangoes (chilled whole in refrigerator)
Zest of one lime
Preparation:
To prepare the sticky
rice:
Working in the sink, put the rice into a large bowl with plenty of water;
stir well by hand. When the rice has settled to the bottom, pour off most of the cloudy
water, refill and repeat until the water runs fairly clear. Soak the rice in
plenty of water for 6 to 8 hours, preferably overnight (the grains will absorb
water and grow in size). When ready to cook, drain rice well. Line your steamer
with a cheese cloth and pour in the soaked rice. (Susan uses her rice cooker.
Fill the rice pan with water and turn it to high. When the water boils but the rice
filled steamer on the cooker). Cover and steam the rice approximately 30 to 40
minutes, or until tender (check water level in pan occasionally, adding more
hot water if necessary). When rice is translucent and somewhat tender, it's
done. While rice is steaming, in a small saucepan bring coconut milk to a slow
simmer, stirring constantly (hard boiled coconut milk will curdle). Add sugar
and salt; stirring until sugar is dissolved; remove from heat. Keep mixture
warm. Reserve approximately 1/3 to 1/2 cup coconut-milk sauce; refrigerate
until cool and thicken slightly.
Transfer hot cooked rice to a bowl
and stir in coconut-milk mixture. Stir well with a spoon to make sure all the
grains are well coated. Let rice stand, covered, approximately 20 to 30
minutes, or until coconut-milk mixture is absorbed (the rice should be a little
mushy). NOTE: Rice may be prepared up to this point
2 hours ahead and kept covered at room temperature.
Just before serving, peel mangoes
and then thinly slice by cutting lengthwise through flesh to the stone; discard
the stone. Sprinkle with lime zest and pile the mangoes on top. Serve at room
temperature. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups glutinous (sticky) rice
1 1/3 cups well-stirred canned unsweetened coconut milk
3 tablespoons
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large ripe mangoes (chilled whole in refrigerator)
Zest of one lime
Preparation:
To prepare the sticky
rice:
Working in the sink, put the rice into a large bowl with plenty of water;
stir well by hand. When the rice has settled to the bottom, pour off most of the cloudy
water, refill and repeat until the water runs fairly clear. Soak the rice in
plenty of water for 6 to 8 hours, preferably overnight (the grains will absorb
water and grow in size). When ready to cook, drain rice well. Line your steamer
with a cheese cloth and pour in the soaked rice. (Susan uses her rice cooker.
Fill the rice pan with water and turn it to high. When the water boils but the rice
filled steamer on the cooker). Cover and steam the rice approximately 30 to 40
minutes, or until tender (check water level in pan occasionally, adding more
hot water if necessary). When rice is translucent and somewhat tender, it's
done. While rice is steaming, in a small saucepan bring coconut milk to a slow
simmer, stirring constantly (hard boiled coconut milk will curdle). Add sugar
and salt; stirring until sugar is dissolved; remove from heat. Keep mixture
warm. Reserve approximately 1/3 to 1/2 cup coconut-milk sauce; refrigerate
until cool and thicken slightly.
Transfer hot cooked rice to a bowl
and stir in coconut-milk mixture. Stir well with a spoon to make sure all the
grains are well coated. Let rice stand, covered, approximately 20 to 30
minutes, or until coconut-milk mixture is absorbed (the rice should be a little
mushy). NOTE: Rice may be prepared up to this point
2 hours ahead and kept covered at room temperature.
Just before serving, peel mangoes
and then thinly slice by cutting lengthwise through flesh to the stone; discard
the stone. Sprinkle with lime zest and pile the mangoes on top. Serve at room
temperature. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
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