Food Celebrates Friendships

Sometimes food shared with friends doesn't have recipes to share. Sometimes it doesn't even come from a home kitchen! But the celebrations can be just as special. Last week I enjoyed two special gatherings of friends and the food was delicious (purchased from local vendors and delis) and beautifully presented. These will be events to remember with the special feelings of friendship that was shared with the foods.


The first event celebrated a friend moving to another city after 25 years of teaching and being a part of the community. We are sorry to see her leave, but wish her well in her move to live closer to her daughter. The end of summer reception echoed the colors of summer with bright pink, lime green, and purple. The beautifully presented rack of cupcakes were from a local young chef who returned to her home community after pastry school. Cinnamon rolls were from the local restaurant that is known for the tasty treats. And a bountiful fruit platter was the center of the table. Candies and napkins in the summer colors accented the colorful refreshments. About 40 women, many of them teachers or fellow members of local civic organizations, gathered to visit and enjoy the morning.

The next day I traveled to Winfield for the annual gathering of retired Extension Family and Consumer Sciences agents. Only 15 of us were able to make the day, so the hostess chose to have us at her home instead of a church basement. Our treat indeed! Her home is decorated like Country Sampler with delights in every space. She used patrotic  colors to highlight the red and blue Fiesta dinnerware. And, the food was good - chicken salad from the deli of the grocery and frozen pies from the grocery also that would rival any homemade! She completed the menu with relishes, chips and jello salads. We had a great day visiting and planning for next year's trip to Salina for our gathering.

Fiesta dinner ware always looks festive! 

Friends visit and catch up

               I've been friends with each of these special
               ladies for over 40 years!

When Quilters Cook

When women who like to share recipes and ideas gathered last weekend for Quilt Retreat, it was three days of fun, food, and fabric. Quilters who frequent Needle in a Haystack came from all over Kansas and at least 3 other states to sew and share. Everyone brought dishes of food and projects and filled the lodge with the hum of sewing machines and laughter.

Here are a couple of the recipes from that weekend.

Cherry Clafoutis

A Clafoutis is an easy French dessert that can use fresh summer cherries and be served warm or cool, or even for breakfast. Traditionally the pits are left in the cherries to release an almond flavor, but I think this version with pitted cherries and almond extract is a better choice. Other fruits besides cherries can be used, and the dish is called a flagrance. Clafoutis means 'to fill' (implied: "the batter with cherries")

We had fun at Quilt Retreat saying the name - the correct pronunciation is ka-foo-TEE. 

 Ingredients:

20 oz. fresh sweet cherries, stemmed and pitted

2 tablespoons butter, melted

4 eggs

1 cup milk

¾ cup flour

¾ teaspoon salt

½ cup sugar

½ teaspoon almond extract

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1.     Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a round 10-inch baking dish with butter. Dust with about 2 tablespoons sugar.

2.     Arrange the cherries in a single layer, set aside until you prepare the batter.

3.     Mix eggs with remaining sugar and salt. Stir in flour. Add milk, vanilla extract, almond extract and mix well until well blended. Add melted butter and stir to combine. The result is similar to crepes mixture.

4.     Pour mixture over the cherries.

5.     Bake for about 40-45 minutes until puffed and golden brown. Cool on a rack for a few minutes while it deflates. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving. Serve warm or chilled.

This cake was a hit! Simple and light tasting, but with lots of flavor.

Pineapple Orange Cake                          

1 box yellow cake mix

4 large eggs

¾ cup oil

1 – 11oz. can mandarin oranges with juice

• Mix these ingredients together. 
• Bake at 350 ° for 25 minutes

Frosting:

1 box instant vanilla pudding mix

20 oz can crushed pineapple, drained (save juice)

1 small whipped toppiong

• Mix juice with pudding mix. Add drained pineapple. 
• Fold in cool whip. Refrigerate.

A 'deconstructed' Peach Melba
Fresh Colorado peaches, raspberries,
sponge cake and whipped cream.

A morning walk at the retreat center before a day of sewing.