Event: MN Bloggers Volunteer

UPDATE: Wow. An incredibly powerful and motivating evening with some truly wonderful folks. 40 Minnesota Bloggers got together for a meet + greet on Tuesday night, so that we could meet face-to-face outside of cyber-space. We shared insights, laughs, beverages and a bit of nosh, then walked out to volunteer with our arms FULL. What? Red Gold Tomatoes and Annie's Organics had heard about our event, and generously sent us away with goodies (tomatoes and cheddar bunnies included). That was unexpected on an altruistic evening, but thank you!

We were one of a couple of groups volunteering that evening at Feed My Starving Children. I have to say, I was very impressed with their operation. They have it down to a science, making the most of your man hours. We spent an hour scooping nutritious components (dehydrated vegetables, soy nuggets, vitamins + minerals, and rice) into bags, labeling, and sealing. Ready to be shipped. They told us our food would most probably be shipped to Haiti.

In 1 hour we packaged about 13,824 meals. That's enough to feed 38 children for one year.

It's amazing how little effort it takes to make such a big difference. If you are interested in donating or volunteering please visit their website at Feed My Starving Children. They also have mobile units that can come to your work, church or community.

Thanks to TheMarketingMama.com for organizing, and to my fellow bloggers for making a difference!

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I am so happy to be a part of the local blogger community right now.

Tonight, 40 of us will gather for a quick meet & greet, then off to Feed My Starving Children to volunteer packaging meals. We had planned to do this before the crisis in Haiti, and now the urgency is even greater. FMSC sent four pallets of food to Haiti this past Friday, and you can help them do more by donating here.

Do what you can: volunteer, donate, spread the word.

Method: Virtual Potluck

When The Naptime Chef asked me to be a part of a virtual dinner party, re-creating recipes from the Park Avenue Potluck cookbook, I jumped at the chance. My first thought? What do those Park Ave ladies whip up for dinner parties? I was intrigued. The fact that a portion of the proceeds from the Park Avenue Potluck and the newly released Park Avenue Potluck Celebrations go to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York was icing on the cake.

My contribution to the virtual dinner party is Warm Mushroom Rolls. Before I give you the recipe....

Confession #1: I added some cayenne to the original recipe. Like any good Southern Girl, I like a kick with my cocktail. I paired the Warm Mushroom Rolls with a nice, buttery Chardonnay. It went well with the earthy mushrooms, and enhanced the buttery rolls.

Confession #2: I did not need to make all 60 rolls for my virtual dinner companions, so I stirred the remaining filling into some pasta for our dinner. Yum. The filling would also be dynamite tucked into a chicken breast or swirled into risotto. Versatile, indeed!

And now, for the recipe....


Warm Mushroom Rolls
from Park Avenue Potluck cookbook series
Makes 60 rolls

1 medium onion, chopped
1 shallot, chopped
3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
12 ounces white mushrooms
7 tablespoons unsalted butter
1½ tablespoons heavy cream
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1-pound loaf firm sandwich bread (about 15 slices)

Place the onion, shallot, and parsley in a food processor and pulse until finely minced. Remove from the processor, place the mushrooms in the food processor, and pulse until finely chopped. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, add the mushrooms, and sauté until lightly browned and no liquid remains in the pan. Transfer to a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter to the pan, then add the onion mixture and sauté until it starts to color. Add to the mushrooms in the bowl and mix with the cream and Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Remove the crusts from the bread. Use a rolling pin to roll each slice flat. Place a heaping tablespoon of the mushroom filling over one side of the bread, then tightly roll up the bread with the filling. Melt the remaining butter. Use some of the butter to brush a foil-lined baking sheet. Place the rolls seam-side down on the baking sheet. Use the remaining butter to brush on the mushroom rolls. Place in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes, until the bread is lightly toasted. Use a serrated knife to cut each roll in 4 pieces, arrange on a platter, and serve. The finished hors d’oeuvres can be made in advance and reheated for about 10 minutes at 325 degrees.

Thanks for the dinner party, Ladies!

Dine Out For Life

Today only! Dine out at participating locally owned restaurants and a portion of the proceeds goes to support The Aliveness Project.

List of Participating Restaurants

The Aliveness Project