General Meeting and Program

January 15, 2009

Landscape Design

Kristi Robinson

Kristi is a landscape designer with Martin & Associates in Vernon Hills. She will speak with us about general principles of landscape design.  She will be highlighting aspects to consider in the design of a property, steps to the design process and design elements.  Of course there will be lots of pictures!

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Time:  9:30 a.m. – Continental Breakfast

10:00 a.m. – Business Meeting

10:30 a.m. – Program

Place:  Vernon Area Public Library

Hospitality Committee:

Eve Jacobs

Joan Keyes

Hazel Weaver

Meg Zimmerman, Chairperson

From the President’s Desk

Jan Stefans, President

What a winter wonderland we have had this holiday season!  Now my yard thinks it's spring with 50 degree weather.  Hold on "Mother Nature" I haven't even taken down my Xmas tree yet!  It will be another wait and see what happens in the garden this spring...

I would like to take this opportunity the thank Jeanne Top for opening her home and also, her hospitality committee:  Dimitra Alexakos, Iris Cosnow, Rose-anne de Haan, Kathleen Hamilton, Janice Hand, Lois Hicks, Barbara La Piana, Lisa Lewis, Cheryl Mitchell, Adriana Reyneri, Rick Sanders, and Mary Spiewak for a fabulous December luncheon.  It was wonderful to see so many of our club members sipping cider and trying to find out just who was "Ferdie, the Falcon", the Gimbels Easter Bunny, or the newspaper delivery "girl."

BEEF BOURGUIGNONNE

By Jeanne Top

3 lbs. lean beef                                    1/2 t salt                                 

3 T. bacon drippings                           pepper

6 medium onions                                 1 c beef bouillon

3T. flour                                              2 c dry red wine (Pinot Noir works well)

1/2 t marioram                                     3/4 lb. Mushrooms (sliced if large)

1/2 t thyme

Peel and slice onions and saute them in bacon drippings until brown.  Remove to a separate dish.  Cut beef into 2-inch cubes and saute them in the same drippings, adding a bit more fat as needed. When the cubes of beef are browned on all sides, sprinkle them with the flour, rnarioram, thyme and salt, and a grind of pepper from a pepper mill.  Add beef bouillon and wine.  Stir mixture to blend, then let simmer, covered in a dutch oven (or in a casserole in a preheated 325 oven) for about 2 hours. When meat is tender and sauce thick and dark brown, add onions and mushrooms which have been sauted in a bit of butter or margarine.  Stir everything together and let simmer (or return to oven) for 30 minutes to heat mushroorns and onions, and to blend flavor

Serve over rice or cooked egg noodles.  Serves 6-8.

VEGETARIAN CHILI

By Cheryl Mitchell

Ingredients:

1  T canola oil

2  cups chopped onion

2  cups chopped carrot

4  garlic cloves, minced  (I cook with a whole clove and remove the clove before serving)

4  cups water

2  cups frozen whole-kernel corn

2  cups chopped red bell pepper

2  cups chopped zucchini

2  T chili powder

2  t dried oregano

2  t cumin

1  t salt

2      28oz cans crushed tomatoes

2      16oz cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained

2      16oz cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained

2      16oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained

1      6oz can tomato paste (can use no-salt)

1 ½ T rice vinegar

Preparation:

Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat.  Add onion, carrot, and garlic, sauté 5 minutes.  Stir in 4 cups water and next 12 ingredients (through tomato paste); bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes or until carrot is tender, stirring occasionally.  Stir in vinegar.

Finished chili can be topped with chopped cilantro, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, or plain yogurt.

The following businesses supported our October benefit.  Please consider returning the favor.

 The Flower Press

Jeanne Top, Editor

14532 River Oaks Drive

Lincolnshire, IL   60069