Christmas Luncheon Pics

I hope you all are having a fabulous Holiday season! I had an absolutely wonderful day serving at the Salvation Army’s public Christmas meal. So, I wanted to share a few pics with you all. This was the first time I have participated on Christmas Day. I usually just help carve the turkeys a few days before the Holiday (a joint venture of the Jewish Federation and SA). I had no idea the extent of what goes into this day. There must have been at least 100 volunteers cooking, dishing out food, cutting pies, pouring beverages, serving the plates, etc. It was amazing to witness the love, time, and preparation involved. The church had seating inside and out, so thankfully it was a warm day. I was blessed to see several younger children volunteering. It’s great to have kids start helping others when they are young — it can help set a pattern for the rest of their lives.

When I arrived, I saw quite a few people standing in line with coolers and boxes. I thought perhaps they were waiting for food to go. The organizers told me they were waiting to deliver food to people in the community. I didn’t even realize that was a service they offered. What a blessing! It was also cool to see our newly-elected Congresswoman out serving meals with us. It’s nice when those in public offices put action to their words! I had such an amazing experience, and those served were so appreciative and kind. I hope I will be able to participate in the coming years.

Soup’s on! Stock for the gravy and dressing:

Turkey time!

Flowers going out to the community along with a hot meal:

Precious! Placemats by young artists:

Church hall before the crowd arrives:

And after:

Serving up the food:

Santa & Friends:

Santa’s Helper:

The entertainment! Love the ‘Rockette-type’ outfits:

Digging in!

Have a great weekend, and I’ll see you next week!

My Way, No. 4

*If you’re new to my blog, you may want to read this for info on what ‘My Way’ posts are all about. 🙂 *

— I missed posting it yesterday, but my deepest thanks and appreciation to all veterans.

— I have been reading Reader’s Digest Condensed Books from the 70’s and 80’s. A local thrift store supporting mental health decided to forego selling books…so, they were just giving their stock away to customers. I came home with a carload of all kinds of reads, most of them non-fiction. Though some material in the series of Condensed Books is outdated, the messages and themes have still touched me. That’s the power of the written word!

— Cool article on how the brain perceives the 5 taste categories — salty, bitter, sour, sweet and umami.

— As Thanksgiving is around the corner, (Hanukkah and Christmas not too far behind), I thought I would post a link for an inexpensive DIY Silver Polish Recipe. And, if you will be wearing your silver accessories to any festivities, here’s a recipe for a homemade No-Scrub Jewelry Cleaner.

— Isn’t this a good idea! A digital bake sale for Children in Need, BBC Good Food.

— For years, the thought of coffee ice cream sounded so unappealing to me. I never really enjoyed coffee, though, until I had the Blue Bottle coffee from my fave local shop.

Well, I enjoyed it if they loaded it with sugars and flavorings. And, I did have a cup black at a business function that was superb. It was at a hotel in Scottsdale, but the server informed me it was not a commercial brand. Anyway, I decided to see if coffee ice cream was indeed as yucky as I always thought it was (yucky is the only word that comes to mind, lol). I tested it out with my homemade non-fat yogurt, though. I took an actual pour-over brew from the coffee bar and reduced it with brown sugar (and a little vanilla). If I had thought about it when I was in the shop, I would have asked for an espresso. But, this was a spur-of-the-moment project. I wanted the brew from the shop instead of my own, as they are the experts. Next time, I can brew it myself, but I wanted to take that variable out of the equation. My ice cream machine does very small quantities, so I only tested a cup and a half or so. This is what I came away with: it’s not yucky! I am pretty sure espresso would have given me a stronger flavor that I would not have been opposed to. I also think I could have added a wee bit more vanilla. I am fasting from chocolate, but I really wanted to try a bit with this froyo. I coated just 2 roasted almonds (yes, only 2, haha!) with a bit of dark chocolate to test, and later tested maybe a teaspoon of chopped dark chocolate mixed in. I did enjoy it with the chocolate, and maybe a hint of cinnamon would be cool, I’m thinking. What I was really surprised about was how creamy the yogurt was (for being non-fat). I drained the whey from it, so it was more Greek-style. Usually, I have left it as is, or I’ve used a store-bought container.

— While at the coffee bar (Sparkroot, Tucson, AZ), I snapped a pic of this cool way to store your stirrers (utensils, pens, etc.).

— After posting my alt method for making tamales without corn husks, I thought some people reading may not have easy access to masa either. Here’s a link to purchase Non-GMO Masa Harina. I get so angry about these GMO products. As I’ve posted before, the high risk crops for GMO’s are: alfalfa, canola, corn, cotton, papaya, soy, sugar beets, zucchini and summer squash. Think about how many products have some form of canola, corn, cotton seed oil, soy, or beet sugar in them. Probably more than half the items on store shelves. Many people cannot afford to buy solely organic products, etc., so this is what they are stuck with. It’s no wonder that there are so many food allergies in this day.

— Onto something happier…Live Polar Bear Cam.

— I have been making salads, as I predicted last post. I’ve been doing broccoli salad, which I haven’t made in a very long time. I used my homemade non-fat yogurt to replace most of the mayo. I’ve also been making this simple & delish, low-cal delight: Egg, Artichoke, and Salmon Salad.

— I’ll leave you with a few more recipes for your consideration. They all look SO good: Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies, Mackerel on Toast with Salted Cukes and Horseradish, Loaded Baked Potato Salad, Coronation Chickpeas, and Mandarin-Quinoa Salad. Check out the food blogs on my blogroll for more inspired dishes.

‘Til we meet again!

The Haven, Tucson, AZ

Welcome to The Haven, Tucson Arizona.

Today, my charity spotlight is turned toward The Haven, located in Tucson, Arizona. You can find my other posts in the category of ‘Charity’ here. Charity is simply love manifesting itself.  And, that’s exactly what The Haven seeks to accomplish:

“The Haven’s Vision:

A safe, drug free, compassionate community that respects individuals, and does not stigmatize addiction and dependency.

The Haven’s Mission:

As an influential leader in the community, The Haven’s non-profit mission is to offer the highest quality prevention and treatment services for women who, but for our program, would be homeless and hopeless. The Haven offers women ‘Recovery with Respect’ while encouraging their spiritual, intellectual, emotional and physical development. The Haven values affordable, safe, state-of-the-art substance abuse therapy that puts the Client and their Family first. Our focus on women and the acceptance of their children into residence is unique in our community.”

I have worked with so many attendees and graduates from this program, and I can truly say that its value is tremendous. Having your hope restored is something I will never stop speaking on. Please take a moment to look at this wonderful organization’s FAQs page to learn more about them.

For newer readers of my blog, I will probably continue to reiterate that most of my posts in this category will be Arizona-based. But, I hope you will find other organizations and charitable works in your own community. I have a non-profit background and my heart is deeply connected to social service works. So, you may see many of my posts are from that arena. I have also been in the for-profit sector, though, so I will most definitely include those organizational highlights as I come across them.

Tucson Urban League | Empowering Communities Changing Lives

Tucson Urban League | Empowering Communities Changing Lives.

Continuing in my posts about charitable organizations, I wanted to highlight the Tucson Urban League:

“The Tucson Urban League is an empowerment center. Our programs identify people in need and connect them to services to eliminate opportunity disparities and increase economic and social outcomes. For over 43 years, our programs have been critical to making our region’s economy grow and meet today’s workforce needs. Our programs address the needs of Southern Arizonans of all ages and ethnicities and move people out of poverty and into a livable wage to support their families and community…

The mission of the Tucson Urban League is to advance economic and social prosperity for African Americans and other under served Tucson area residents by creating access to opportunity through advocacy, community partnerships, and programs and services.”

The Urban League here in Tucson, Arizona serves the community in areas such as affordable housing, childcare centers, employment and training help, K-8 tutoring and mentoring, breakfast and lunch programs for seniors, utility assistance, and weatherization services. If you reside in Tucson, you might consider giving your time or charitable donations to this worthy resource center. If you live elsewhere, I hope you will still check out the link and let it inspire you. These types of services are much needed in the area, and I am truly blessed by the dedication of this organization’s team.

Interfaith Community Services, Tucson, AZ & The Value of Volunteering

Interfaith Community Services – Tucson, AZ – Social Services

On my blog menu, I have a category for charities. I will include charities across the US in my posts, but they will probably predominantly be those located in Arizona. My hope is that even if you are not an Arizona resident, you may seek out similar charities in your area.

Some people may not be able to give much monetarily to charitable organizations, but don’t forget you can always give your time. Volunteer work is much needed for non-profit organizations and can be crucial to their success. Volunteering is one way to give to your community and may also be beneficial for your career. I read an article many moons ago about volunteering being a “Career Secret Weapon.” It could be an avenue to get your foot in the door of an organization that you may have never even been able to get a job interview for. If the management team sees that you are dedicated, willing to learn, show up on time, etc., you might be in the right place at the right time when they decide to hire new employees. And, even if you do not gain employment with an organization you are volunteering for, it can still go on your resume for future job searching.

Interfaith Community Services in Tucson, Arizona is such a stellar organization. They offer a broad range of help to those in need. With two locations in Southern Arizona, they house a food bank, provide emergency financial assistance, have a job resource center, provide support to seniors (including mobile meals), they host a “Back to School” supplies drive, and more. Check out their page for more info on their amazing community work.

Cheesecake Martini Recipe & Giving Food as a Gift

A Cocktail Life: Cheesecake Martini.

This looks SO Good! Cheesecake (NY-style, to be specific) is one of my favorite desserts. It’s also one of the only sweet treats I seem to have been able to master (perhaps because it doesn’t take as much skill or patience as pastry baking). I used to make them for others quite frequently. Giving food as a gift can be a fabulous option for a few reasons: 1) It can be very cost effective, especially if you have a large group to give gifts to. Even if you use top notch ingredients, baking cookies, making fudge, etc., for your co-workers or neighbors can save you a considerable amount vs. buying individual gifts for everyone. If you get really good at a particular recipe, you might become famous among your friends and relatives for it. Then, they might start to beg you for your “famous homemade _____________” instead of a store-bought gift anyway, haha. 2) Food is a great gift for those who have everything. Some people do not need one more paper weight for their desk, new pair of socks, new tie, and so on. 3) Food is also obviously a great gift for those who do not have anything. You can always give your homemade goodies to those in need on an individual basis, or you may be able to find an organization willing give out your donation for you. 4) Gifts of food are fab if you do not know a person very intimately, but still feel the need to give them a gift (for whatever reasons). Co-workers or business associates often fall into this category.

Most people will appreciate the fact that you took the time to create something with your own hands and give it to them. You should just be conscious of those who would prefer something a little healthier and any food allergies they might have. There are so many ways you can package homemade gifts, too, that can be so cute, yet affordable.

Anyway, as far as this cheesecake martini recipe goes…I think you could springboard a lot of ideas off of it. There are so many flavor combos you could use. I love white chocolate raspberry, chocolate chip, pumpkin…Well, I have a lot that I love. You could also upgrade it by making your own cream cheese (see this post). A nice treat when you are feeling a little more indulgent!

 

 

Mitzvah Magic – Giving for Good

Mitzvah Magic gives financial, spiritual boost to local families « AZ Jewish Post.

This is a great organization with people who are genuine in their giving.

Fed By Threads — Feeding the Hungry Clothing Line

 

Fed By Threads – Made-In-America Organic Vegan Clothing Line and Organic Custom Print Service That Feeds 12 Emergency Meals To Hungry Americans/Item Sold!.