It's A Wrap! Celebrating our final Neighbourhood Table's cooking lunch session, and we made it FuN, FuN, FuN with FIESTA foods. Not only did we have a menu full of party-worthy, crowd-pleasing multicultural foods that excite the senses, but our engaging activities had the same fervour and charm... like apple-bobbing and a little thing called piñata 😃. It was a busy day but somehow, time seemed to stand still so moments were savoured. A day where people had fun, discovered new things, new tastes and new friends. It's certainly one I will treasure for a long time.
What an AmaZing opportunity St.Philip's Church and ACCT has given their community this summer for kids and families to learn to cook, meet their neighbours and eat together! Thank you again team, and especially to David, our professional photographer and videographer for the day, for sharing your photos with me to use here. But first, starting our last day together with a deserving group photo of our fabulous ladies- members and volunteers at the church.
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| From left to right: Raija, Michelle, Yvonne, Pastor Tuula, Anne, Me, Eunice and Stephanie in the back. |
Pretty pops of colour with tissue-paper flowers that adds to the festivities.
Fresh produce that highlight the goods from the Church's partner with the Good Food Market.
Cooking and Conversations underway...
Guacamole is always a hit with kids and adults. Fresh cilantro and lime makes this dip come to life.
Makes 1-1/4 cups
2 large ripe avocados
1 garlic clove, minced
a handful cilantro, leaves plucked and chopped
1/2 tomato, seeded and chopped
1 green onion, sliced
splash of lime juice
salt and ground black pepper to taste
hot sauce or jalapeno pepper, diced (optional)
Slice the avocado in half. Remove the seed. Scoop out the avocado halves with a spoon. Dice the avocados. Take 2/3rds and mash in a bowl. Add the diced avocado. Customize the guacamole by adding your favourite chopped ingredients. Mix well. Serve with your favourite dippers—tortilla chips, Triscuit Thins, crackers, pita chips.
This Caribbean-inspired black bean salad is a vibrant colourful medley of fresh sweet and fruity flavours, with crunchy textures and piquant bite! In here, we've got mangoes, bell peppers, raisins, lime juice and spicy jalapeno. Sometimes I add papaya and slivered toasted almonds to give extra dimension and flavours. For more see my recipe Post.
Caribbean Black Bean Salad with Mangoes
Makes 8 servings
1 can (540 mL) or 2 cups black beans, drained, rinsed and drained well
2 cups mango, peeled, seeded and diced
1/2 coloured bell pepper, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced
2 limes, juice of
1/4 cup canola oil
2 Tbsp. raisins
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp. chopped toasted almonds (optional)
Kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 jalapeno or hot red chili pepper, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
Mix all ingredients together. Let chill in fridge if possible for one hour before serving.
Southwest BBQ Shredded Chicken Fajitas
Makes 6 to 8 servings
4 Tbsp. canola oil, divided
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. seasoned salt or 1/2 tsp. each salt, garlic & onion powders and paprika
1/2 tsp. chili powder and crushed red pepper flakes, optional
1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into thin strips
1/2 medium sweet red pepper, julienned
1/2 medium green pepper, julienned
1 onion, sliced
BBQ Sauce, bottled (Stubbs Original)- I like Stubbs cause it uses real ingredients and no sugar fructose
flour tortillas (8 inches), warmed
Serve with condiments: salsa, guacamole and sour cream
Other Toppings: shredded cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and corn niblets
In a large bowl, combine 2 Tbsp. oil, lemon juice and seasonings; coat the chicken. Cover and refrigerate 1-4 hours.
In a large skillet, sauté peppers and onions in remaining oil until crisp-tender. Remove and keep warm.
Discard chicken marinade. In the same skillet, cook chicken over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes or until no longer pink. Toss one minute with BBQ sauce. Remove to platter. Serve with warmed tortilla wraps, toppings and condiments.
1 can (540 mL) or 2 cups black beans, drained, rinsed and drained well
2 cups mango, peeled, seeded and diced
1/2 coloured bell pepper, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced
2 limes, juice of
1/4 cup canola oil
2 Tbsp. raisins
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp. chopped toasted almonds (optional)
Kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 jalapeno or hot red chili pepper, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
Mix all ingredients together. Let chill in fridge if possible for one hour before serving.
Meanwhile, what a beautiful day for some fresh air coupled with outdoor fun...
Like suspension apple bobbing...
And blind-folded piñata batting...
Going Ga Ga for the explosion of contents...
Back in the kitchen, I am all ready to do my last demo for our cooking program...
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| Oh what colour! |
Southwest BBQ Shredded Chicken Fajitas
Makes 6 to 8 servings
4 Tbsp. canola oil, divided
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. seasoned salt or 1/2 tsp. each salt, garlic & onion powders and paprika
1/2 tsp. chili powder and crushed red pepper flakes, optional
1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into thin strips
1/2 medium sweet red pepper, julienned
1/2 medium green pepper, julienned
1 onion, sliced
BBQ Sauce, bottled (Stubbs Original)- I like Stubbs cause it uses real ingredients and no sugar fructose
flour tortillas (8 inches), warmed
Serve with condiments: salsa, guacamole and sour cream
Other Toppings: shredded cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and corn niblets
In a large bowl, combine 2 Tbsp. oil, lemon juice and seasonings; coat the chicken. Cover and refrigerate 1-4 hours.
In a large skillet, sauté peppers and onions in remaining oil until crisp-tender. Remove and keep warm.
Discard chicken marinade. In the same skillet, cook chicken over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes or until no longer pink. Toss one minute with BBQ sauce. Remove to platter. Serve with warmed tortilla wraps, toppings and condiments.
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| Mother and daughter cooking up chicken and peppers for fajitas! |
New faces at this session. Shy at first, but they quickly got into action and sliced and diced just right!
Korean Watermelon and Strawberry Milk Dessert Soup (Hwachae)
1 watermelon
strawberries, quartered (If not sweet, toss with some sugar and let sit for 1/2 hour)
strawberry milk
carbonated soda with lime flavour (Perrier)
ice if desired
Take a whole watermelon, slice a piece off both ends to create a flat bottom (not too deep to puncture the flesh or it will leak), and cut fruit in half. With a large spoon, scoop out all the fruit and place into a container and pour out all it juice into a large bowl; use immediately or freeze for several hours (the pieces should be chunky with some small pieces).
Take a small knife, cut triangles or alternating squares working your way around the melon rim (don`t worry about being perfect-- no one will notice or care). Remove the melon pieces from the freezer-- it should be slushy and icy but not frozen hard; if it is give an hour or so to thaw a bit.
To serve, place the strawberries in the hollowed watermelon halves. Add the watermelon pieces and pour in the milk in one half and carbonated soda in the other or combine both to fill. Add ice if desired upon serving.
Some of the kids have been with me from the very first session, and I have to say starting off with little knife experience, they were cutting, slicing and dicing with comfort by the last session. It just goes to show, with more practice and patience, honing knife skills is certainly within reach. And before you know it, your kids will be helping you out, cooking in the kitchen, creating delicious meals for the family-- an essential life skill that empowers them to be independent. A way cool feeling to have.
Our Fiesta FuN Day was sunshine, electricity and fabulous flavours! When your guests are happy, and you are happy, then it's a success. The reciprocated smiles say it all 😊. So long everyone, I hope to cross paths and cook with you again... Enjoy the rest of Summer! 🌞
To catch up on our previous program classes, please read Session One: Fresh Herbs (also to learn the backstory on how The Neighbourhood Table came to be), Session Two: Under The Mediterranean Sun and Session Three: Breakfast For Lunch.
Take a small knife, cut triangles or alternating squares working your way around the melon rim (don`t worry about being perfect-- no one will notice or care). Remove the melon pieces from the freezer-- it should be slushy and icy but not frozen hard; if it is give an hour or so to thaw a bit.
To serve, place the strawberries in the hollowed watermelon halves. Add the watermelon pieces and pour in the milk in one half and carbonated soda in the other or combine both to fill. Add ice if desired upon serving.
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| Fantastic artful carving boys! |
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| We even made a decorative watermelon boat with lid. |
Some of the kids have been with me from the very first session, and I have to say starting off with little knife experience, they were cutting, slicing and dicing with comfort by the last session. It just goes to show, with more practice and patience, honing knife skills is certainly within reach. And before you know it, your kids will be helping you out, cooking in the kitchen, creating delicious meals for the family-- an essential life skill that empowers them to be independent. A way cool feeling to have.
The magic of combining frozen watermelon pieces, strawberry and strawberry milk together!
In the hot summer heat, that's cold heaven in a bowl right there! Refreshing and delicious!
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| In the fall we carve pumpkins, in the summer we carve watermelons :D |
And so the DIY customizable fajita feasting begins....
How much do I love this shot? Anne serving our awesome ACCT Arabic translator Ghadeer.
Yes, the cool beverage station was certainly a popular one.
Our full house Neighbourhood Table...
I was surprised with this ga-gorgeous bouquet of flowers presented to me before we had our lunch. Caught off guard and welled with emotion, I didn't get to express everything I wanted to say, so I'll do it here. Thank you Eunice for finding me, Pastor Tuula and St.Philip's Church from the bottom of my heart for the pleasure and honour to work with you. Such wonderful members of the church with the same heart for building the community and encouraging neighbourhood fellowship, and what better way than doing so through food as the connector. I feel so blessed to help bring your impassioned vision to fruition! We did it! YAY!
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| Flowers from Oleander |
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| From left to right: Raija, Michelle, Yvonne, Pastor Tuula, Anne, Me, Eunice and Stephanie in the back. |
Our Fiesta FuN Day was sunshine, electricity and fabulous flavours! When your guests are happy, and you are happy, then it's a success. The reciprocated smiles say it all 😊. So long everyone, I hope to cross paths and cook with you again... Enjoy the rest of Summer! 🌞
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