Hello Blog Friends!
This week started off with, yet another windstorm, accompanied by power failures, but I will, grudgingly, admit that, despite 15ºC temperatures, there is now a slight feeling of spring in the air!
With a Board meeting tomorrow and our AGM only two weeks after that, there has been quite a lot of general secretarial work but, as the week winds down, I am happy to report that most of it has been completed. With just a couple more tweaks, the package of AGM documents is ready to be shared and that will be top of the list on Monday morning.
Of course, with the Alumni Mini Retreat happening NEXT SATURDAY (EEK!!) lots of my time has also been taken up with creating PowerPoints assembling creative supplies and general faffing around, including numerous badgering reminders to potential participants to SIGN UP!
Meanwhile, it looks as if Mae Anne now has enough musicians in place to record all of the 2026 Day Camp Songs – Hallelujah!! and most of the creative activity sample photos have been completed, although some badgering remains to be done with two people who have not yet submitted any pics.
This past Thursday, we received one more Day Camp Application, from a church that had promised to apply. At least 4 other churches should be applying, but it would be really great to actually see some actual forms, sigh. Lots of reminders have been sent out, but, over the next couple of weeks, there is not much use sending any more as most people in “Church Land” are currently focussing on Easter preparations.
Spare time, around here, is also focussed on preparing for the Great Festival. By Wednesday I had finished varnishing the last of my Pysanky and am now in the “wrapping phase” packaging up the very fragile eggs and making little recycled cellophane pouches in which to put chocolate cookies as part of some small Easter Baskets. Bunting is currently high on my list of funky crafting so I was also inspired to create several garlands, which will be tucked into some of the baskets.
One of my Godsons has his birthday in early April and I have recently received a list of the appliqué images he would like to have on it, so the plan is to make a start tomorrow, after the Board meeting., unless it turns out to be super long.
Right now, I need to get back to the Bake, so let’s end off with our recipe. During the week I made a yummy dish with some special udon noodles, do give it a try!
Spicy Hoisin Noodles and Veggies
- 8oz.(250g) fine, Sriracha Udon noodles
- 4oz. lean ground beef
- 4 oz sliced Cremini mushrooms
- 1 red pepper, cut into strips
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 3Tbsps. Hoisin Sauce
- 2Tbsps, each, ketchup & Tamari
- 1 tsp. honey
- 2 Tbsps. toasted sesame oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1Tbsp grated gingerroot
- Chopped fresh cilantro, to garnish
Cook the noodles, drain and set aside*. In a small bowl, whisk together the Hoisin sauce, Tamari, ketchup, honey, garlic and ginger. Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet and cook the mushroom, peppers and the white parts of the onion, over high heat, until just beginning to char. Move the veggies to one aside of the pan, reduce the heat to medium and brown the beef, breaking it up so there are no large lumps. When the meat is just cooked, pour on the sauce and add the cooked noodles, tossing, with tongs until well combined and heated through. Garnish with cilantro and the green parts of the onions. Serves 2.
*If you only have plain Udon, add 1 Tbsp Sriracha or Chili Oil to the sauce ingredients