Fair Trade Shopping Event for SERRV

THE DINNER PROJECT’S NEXT EVENT

Fair Trade Shopping Event ~ Friday, August 26th for 7-9pm @ Le Peep’s Grill Flower Mound

1121 Flower Mound Rd. Suite 590 Flower Mound, TX 75028 ~ 281.300.2633

CASH OR CHECK ONLY!

THE CAUSE

The Dinner Project is partnering this Friday with SERRV to eradicate poverty through Fair Trade Shopping. SERRV is a nonprofit organization that provides opportunity and support to artisans and farmers worldwide.  For more than 60 years, SERRV has worked through their direct connections with low-income artisans and farmers. This empowers those producers to develop their own business and to foster sustainable development.  This event is a great way to do something wonderful for you, others, and the world we share.  Here are two stories about women artisans, and please visit SERRV.org to find out more about the organization and the products and artisans we will be supporting.

 

Below are a selection of the items for sale

Floral Baking Dish

A lovely bake-and-serve dish that is oven and microwave safe. Hand wash. 9 1/4 in. dia. x 2 in. h

 Shades of Gold Earrings 
SERRV designed these statement makers for the woman who loves gold! Lightweight stacked capiz earrings on silver-plated hooks. 2 1/2 in. l x 1 in. w

Ocean Wave Scarf 
Soft silk scarf is screen printed and hand painted in the brilliant color and rolling pattern of an ocean wave. Hand wash cold, line dry. 71 in. l x 12 in. w

Rainbow Remnants Gloves 
Fingertip-less gloves convert to mittens with clever fold-over flap. Knit with soft 100% wool yarn remnants, so colors will vary. Fits M-L women's hands. Hand wash, dry flat. 9 1/2 in. l

Peruvian Nativity Set  
Simple, rounded ceramic figures are hand painted by Manos Amigas, the "friendly hands" of artisans in Peru. tallest figure: 4 1/4 in. h

Santa Claus Candle Holder 

Terracotta is carved and whitewashed by rural women artisans to create this holiday candle holder. Perforations allow welcoming glow of the candle to shine through; insert candle in back. Candle not included. 9 in. h x 6 1/2 in. w x 5 1/2 in. d

Developments in Literacy

Friday marked the night for our Developments in Literacy event.  We had another fun filled evening and this time, the Dinner Project board members decided to give everyone a night off from cooking and just supply the food ourselves.  We served wine and cheese, a few desserts, and some other goodies while talking about another important charity.

Developments in Literacy defines themselves as "a US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit launched in 1997 by Pakistani-Americans with a desire to improve the dismal state of education in Pakistan's underdeveloped areas. DIL currently operates and manages 150 schools with an enrollment of nearly 15,000 students. Developments in Literacy (DIL) is dedicated to providing quality education to disadvantaged children, especially girls, by establishing and operating schools in the underdeveloped regions of Pakistan, with a strong focus on gender equality and community participation.

DIL establishes, adopts and manages primary and secondary schools for underprivileged children in partnership with non-governmental organizations in all four provinces of Pakistan. In addition, DIL directly operates community." 

We found this charity after a little hiccup in the plans to read and discuss the charity written about in Three Cups of Tea.  This was a great charity to sponsor and at the end of the night we raised almost $300 to send to DIL.  Next month will benefit the CCA Food Bank of Lewisville.   

Project Night Night

We had an great turnout for the Project Night Night event.  The food started the night off deliciously with an assortment of tea foods that would have made the Queen jealous.  Everything from strawberry shortcake, bruchetta, shrimp and even those little sausages on toothpicks.  Not to mention that Stephanie was gracious enough not only to host but to make Sangria.

The event benefited a charity that supplies homeless children with something to call their own and it was the goal of The Dinner Project to complete 60 bags containing a book, a blanket and a stuffed animal.  While some of our events are mainly focused on money, these in kind donations were a much more interactive affair.  After dinner, all of the guests and board members met in the living room where a small scale assembly line was in place.  Bags were filled with blankets while other stations matched age appropriate toys with books.  We even had a little helper with us as Jessica brought her daughter to the event.

All in all we achieved the 60 bags and even had some extra books to take to the Denton County Friends and Family facility.  With this donation we will have given 60 children a small bit of comfort during a stressful time.  Being a father, I can't imagine what it would be like to have to take my child into that kind of situation, but I can imagine the level of relief I would have to see that bag sitting there ready for her.

In total we estimate that with the bags valued at $20 a piece as well as the donations and other in kind items, we raised over $1400 for the Project Night Night charity.  What an amazing total for a single night.

Project Night Night

Thunderstorms rolled through North Texas last night. When I woke to feed my little guy I began to watch the show, saying a quick prayer that my nearly four year-old daughter wouldn’t wake up from the thunder. As I sat in the mostly dark nursery, illuminated from the lightening, I began to think how grateful I am that my biggest worry was she would not get ONE good night’s sleep due to the storm. How grateful I am that we have a roof over our heads to keep us warm and dry. How we aren’t one of the (estimated) nearly 600 homeless living right here in Denton County.


This month, The Dinner Project will help 60 local homeless children have sweeter dreams. We will be partnering with Project Night Night to fill 60 Night Night Packages. Night Night Packages are tote bags provided to children at shelters that contain an age-appropriate book, stuffed animal and blanket. For many of these homeless children, these are the only belongings they have to call their own. Every child who receives one of our Night Night Packages leaves the shelter owning a book which encourages reading and family bonding, a security blanket which can be cuddled, and a stuffed animal which can become a cherished friend.

All Night Night Packages will be donated to Denton County Friends of the Family. This local emergency shelter for survivors of relationship violence and sexual assault estimates they serve approximately 20 children every month. Twenty kids each month! Please join us to help make their dreams a bit sweeter and let them know their community cares about them. They are not just statistics - they are our neighbors and these children need to know they are important and not forgotten due to circumstances beyond their control.

A night with Water is Basic

We had a first on Friday night. A guest speaker from the charity Water is Basic joined our little group to discuss how the charity was formed and how they are helping people get clean water.  I can honestly say that this was one of my favorite events.  In a big push we doubled our attendance from last months event and donation came to $545 raised for the Water is Basic charity.  That money will help provide clean drinking water to the Sudan.

We held our event at a lovely little space called the Main Social, right in the heart of downtown Lewisville.  The owner was gracious enough to donate the space for our event so we want to send a big "Thank You" out to Amy Ferguson. The space itself really added to the overall tone of the night.  Check out our Facebook page to see the pictures from the event.

Next month we are featuring Project Night Night.  Their Mission Statement is below, as well as a video from their site.

To provide Night Night Packages, free of charge, to homeless children from birth to pre-teen who need our childhood essentials to feel secure, cozy, ready to learn, and significant.  Each Night Night Package contains a new security blanket, an age-appropriate children's book, and a stuffed animal -- all nestled inside of a new canvas tote bag.  Project Night Night establishes a foundation for lasting change through the hands-on volunteer opportunities that we provide to tens of thousands of individuals each year.



The Dinner Project is planning on supplying the blankets and bags for the event and are setting the goal to provide this awesome charity with 60 bags containing the required blanket, book and stuffed animal.  More to come on that but we hope you can join us on April 8th.  Please put it in your calendar.

Water is Basic

Water…It's something most of us take for granted. How many times have you driven by someone's house and seen a sprinkler head spewing water in the street or have witnessed your children leave the water running while they brush their teeth? Water is a basic human need and when you have it in abundance it can easily be taken for granted. I know I rarely think about it.

But what if it took you hours each day to bring just the very minimal amount of water to your family? Every single day of the year. And what if the journey to get this basic resource took you through dangerous territory where you might be attacked, raped or robbed? Hard to imagine? It happens every day to people in Sudan. Where the struggle for basic human needs must seem insurmountable.

The good news….you can help make clean available water to Sudan a reality by joining us Friday, March 11 at the Water is Basic Dinner Project event. We will have a representative from Water is Basic to speak to us about this amazing charity and the work they are doing to provide water to the Sudanese people. Learn about what clean water means and how little it takes to make this a reality.

Did you know….through Water is Basic, it only takes $1.50 to change someone's life for the next 20 years.

How many people's lives are you going to change today, this month, this year? Bring your monetary donation and help The Dinner Project and Water is Basic provide clean water to many people, March 11, 7pm.

Clean water….it's basic. 

Friday, March 11 at 07:00 PM 

The Main Social (enter through Nest Floral Studio) 

135 W. Main Street Lewisville, TX 75067 

If you would like to join us, please rsvp to dananealdesigns@gmail.com

Dress For Success Dinner

We are about a week out from our last event benefiting Dress for Success and it was a big "Success" all it's own.  Over the course of the night we raised about $150 in monetary donations and followed that up with an estimated $300 in clothing.  The donations are being taken to the facility tomorrow and will go to help a great cause. 

The fare for the Dress for Success was Mediterranean and brought quite a few interesting dishes.  We have started to post the recipes from our events on the blog and you can now copy a dish to make at home. 

Our next event will be held on March 11th and will benefit Water is Basic.  Here is a little bit of info on the charity.

Water is Basic is a Sudanese run project that provides clean, fresh water in Sudan. Their goal is simple . . . as a Sudanese run project they will be the most relevant, lowest cost, fastest drilling organization anywhere in Sudan. This year they plan to purchase a rig for Darfur. With your help they will drill a new bore hole every day until dirty water no longer kills.

The organization was founded 5 years ago by Steve Roese. Today, Water is Basic remains the fastest, cheapest, freshest water-drilling project in Sudan. Water continues to be an urgent need and fresh water there is a catalyst for life and community transformation.
We want to really push attendance to help such a great charity so please spread the word and everybody strive to bring a friend.  Water is Basic but it is also necessary so lets strive to get everyone we can involved.

Tabbouleh

Ingredients

• 2 cups vegetable stock (for vegetarian option), chicken stock or water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups bulgur wheat
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• Zest and juice from 2 lemons
• 5-6 Roma or plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 2 scallions, chopped, including the greens
• 2-3 cups parsley, chopped
• 1 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped

Method

1 Place the bulgur in a medium sized bowl. Bring the stock or water and the teaspoon of salt to a boil, pour it over the bulgur. Let sit for 30 minutes to an hour.

2 In a large bowl, add the olive oil, lemon juice, bulgur and mix well. Add in all the other ingredients and mix to combine.

3 Taste the tabbouleh, and add more salt, olive oil or more lemon juice to taste. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes before serving. Will keep chilled for several days.

Serves 6-8.

Recipe courtesy of simplyrecipes.com.

Mediterranean Chicken Toss

4 Tbls. Olive oil
4 Tbls. White cooking wine
2 Tbls. Lemon juice
1 lb. diced chicken (I used frozen but raw chicken is fine)
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
½ cup red onion, chopped, (white is fine just changes the flavor slightly
1 box (10 oz.) grape tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise (regular tomatoes okay but tend to get soft)
1 jar of Kalamata olives, sliced in half lengthwise
1 can Artichoke bottoms (meaty)
1 can Artichoke hearts (leafy) some people prefer just the bottoms
¼ cup chopped fresh parsely
2 tsp. fresh oregano (or dry)
2 tsp. fresh basil (or dry)
2 tsp. fresh thyme (or dry)
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Saute chopped onion and garlic in first 2 Tbls. of lemon juice, olive oil and white wine for about 1-2 minutes, add diced chicken and cook through.
2. Add remaining seasonings and 2 more Tbls. of olive oil and white wine.
3. Add sliced tomatoes and olives and chopped artichoke heat through (about 2 minutes) or after chicken is cooked, add all ingredients to a warm crock pot.
4. Sprinkle feta cheese on top when serving.

(Can be served over rice or pasta or with garlic bread)

Almost any vegetable can be added – green beans, mushrooms, bamboo shoots.  All ingredients are easily substituted with “almost” without compromising the recipe.

Sweet Potato Bruschetta

From Smitten Kitchen

2 pounds sweet potato, scrubbed, unpeeled, in 3/4- to 1-inch coins
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/4 cup toasted and cooled pecan halves
1 small shallot
2 stalks celery
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley
1 heaping tablespoon dried cranberries
2 ounces firmish goat cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon smooth Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Coat a large baking sheet generously with olive oil, about 1 to 2 tablespoons. Lay sweet potatoes in one layer on the oiled sheet. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast, without disturbing, for 15 to 20 minutes. Carefully flip each piece: the undersides should be blistery, dark and a bit puffy and should release from the pan with no effort. If they’re not, let it cook longer. Sprinkle them with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper and return the pan to the oven for another 10 minutes or so, until the undersides match the tops.

Meanwhile, prepare your salad. Chop your pecans well, mince your shallot, chop your celery and parsley, mince cranberries, crumble your goat cheese. If you, like me, got too soft of a goat cheese for mixing, set it aside and sprinkle it on top. In a small dish, whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon dijon. Pour half over salad.

When the sweet potatoes are done, place on a serving platter. Scoop a spoonful of the salsa over each round. Pour remaining salad dressing over top, to taste. Eat immediately.

For more on the event this dish was featured at, go to the Dinner Project Website.

Caramel Apple Goodness

Have you ever wondered about a specific recipe that was served at a Dinner Project Function? Well, one of the most asked about was Sonja's Caramel Apple dessert that was served at the Ronald McDonald House event. We will be putting up more recipes as we get them and hopefully not only can we help a worth charity, but we can also expand our recipe collections.

12 oz. or larger whipped cream cheese
16 oz. container of Caramel Dip (not topping, sauce, or syrup) this can be found in the produce section by the apples
6 - 8 green apples - do not peel
bag of Heath English Toffee Bits (found on the baking aisle by the chocolate chips)

Smear the cream cheese into the bottom of a serving dish to about 1/2 inch deep.
Pour the caramel dip over this and spread around to about 1/4 inch deep.
Sprinkle the Heath bits over the top of the caramel to cover nicely.
Cut the apples into 1/4 inch or smaller slices and serve aside the caramel dip.

Enjoy!

For more on the event this dish was featured at, go to the Dinner Project Website.

Ronald McDonald, Fashion, and Mediterranean Food

Ronald McDonald, Fashion and Mediterranean food--what do these three things have in common? Well, the Dinner Project of course!!

First, let me start with Ronald McDonald House of Dallas. What an amazing night of appetizers, donations and good friends to start 2011. We raised over $550 of cash, gift cards, and in-kind donations for this wonderful cause. Ronald McDonald House of Dallas is the ONLY location in the entire United States that serves 3 full meals to families who have loved ones going through medical emergencies and procedures. Like all of us that night, we all went home, squeezed our children a little tighter,gave extra good night kisses and felt truly blessed for all that we have in our lives.

Secondly, let's talk about fashion. I LOVE FASHION!! Ever since I was a little girl I would stage runway shows with my Barbie dolls, my friends, and even my cats!! So when I interviewed for my first "real" job after college I remember exactly what I wore: a black crepe bebe suit, nude hose and a pair of Nine West pumps. (think Ally McBeal in the late 90's) I felt confident and yes, I got the job. All of us have had interviews throughout our careers and agonized over what to wear--something conservative, yet distinctive to show us as unique individuals. So that brings us to TDP's charity of February, Dress for Success. Since 1997, this non-profit organization has helped to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. Just thinking about my old bebe suit helping another woman to land her dream job instead of collecting dust in my closet makes me happy. So come on--clean out your closet of old suits (please dry clean them), work appropriate handbags/briefcases, and accessories and help women get a fresh start in life. Or...cash will do just fine!!

Last but not least, Mediterranean food. Yummmmm...okay so not only was the Bebe suit collecting dust but there is no way after 2 kids, and a whole lot of wonderful TDP event dinners that the suit was going to ever fit again (I mean--come on I did say the late 90s!!) February 11th's food theme is Mediterranean which includes Greek and Italian--my two favorites! Feta, olives, pasta, desserts...well suffice it to say it will be another fabulous meal at the Dinner Project! So please join us to eat, think and give!

Ronald McDonald House

Happy New Year everyone! Thanks to everyone who made the Dinner Project's inaugural year so wonderful in 2010. In just a few short months, we were able to raise $4,805 for 5 amazing organizations. Thank you!

This month, we will be supporting the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas, which is a temporary home for families who live too far away to commute back and forth while they seek medical care for their children in a Dallas-area hospital. I first heard about the Ronald McDonald House when fellow Dinner Project members, Dana, Stephanie, Sonya and Ginger mentioned they volunteer once a month at the House to prepare lunch for the families. I made an appointment to tour the House and immediately signed up to be part of this amazing organization.

The new House opened its doors just last year and can host 52 families, including 6 special rooms for children receiving bone marrow and organ transplants. The have playrooms, libraries, outdoor play area, laundry facilities, chapel and respite rooms among other services at the House. If you get a chance to ever stop by and take a tour of the facility, you will be amazed! I was awestruck at how it truly felt like a home, the perfect place for families to find peace after a long, stressful day of medical appointments, procedures, meetings with doctors, and worrying about the health of their children.

From firsthand experience, having a sick child is one of the worst, if not the worst feelings a parent can experience. While we count our blessings our daughter, Carly, has been relatively healthy, our little boy, Noah has experienced his share of illness. From several bouts of pneumonia, recurrent asthmatic episodes, a broken leg and two trips to the emergency room due to his peanut allergy, my husband and I are quite familiar with stress during a child's illness. I admire the courage of both the parents and children everywhere who are experiencing higher levels of medical care, illness and treatment, and am so thankful a place like the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas is a local source of support, respite and peace for them.

Please take a moment to visit their website to learn more about them, what they do and how you can help. I warmly invite you, your family and friends to my home at 7 pm on January 14, 2011 to learn about the Dinner Project and support our designated January 2011, the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas.