Schoolhouse Rocks!
A teacher affects eternity he can never tell, where his influence stops.
—Henry Brooks Adams
If you’re from Portland or surrounding areas, you’re probably familiar with one of my absolute favorite worthy causes: Schoolhouse Supplies. It’s a non-profit that maintains a volunteer-run Free Store for Teachers stocked with classroom supplies and educational tools—everything from glue sticks and colored pencils to Crayons and notebooks.
The Free Store is open to all 3,000-plus teachers in the Portland Public School System, and each school is assigned eight shopping weeks throughout the year. In its decade of service, Schoolhouse Supplies has distributed nearly 11 million dollars in supplies, logged in more than 50,000 volunteer hours, and on a truly graceful note, supplied more than two million classrooms with pencils. Schoolhouse Supplies also puts products directly in the hands of students through partnering programs and even collects corporate office supplies such as old letterhead and refurbishes the cast-offs into usable supplies, like sketchbooks.
Obviously, Schoolhouse Supplies depends on the kindness of strangers: they rely on cash and in-kind donations, and grassroots support efforts. Companies can volunteer to act as donation drop-off points, while volunteers groups or individuals can host school supplies drives. So in honor of the school year about to get underway, I’d like to issue a little challenge to all the Oregon Chai lovers out there.
Host a school supplies drive in your neck of the woods (in Oregon or out of state) for Schoolhouse Supplies or a similar agency and make a difference in your local schools—not to mention a child’s life! The person or group that raises the most supplies by November 1 will receive a deluxe Oregon Chai gift basket. What’s more, I’ll give every person or group a shout-out by name in OregonChai Café. Join me in making a difference!
Cheers,
OregonChaiMama
Tea Party In the Park
Every cup of tea represents an imaginary voyage.
—Catherine Douzel
It’s the most perfect summer day today here in my little corner of the world. There seems to be a beautiful view, a blooming flower, or a twittering songbird everywhere I look this morning, so I’ve decided to make the most of it! I’ve unearthed my favorite wicker picnic hamper—a great vintage “prop” left over from my magazine days—and the girls and I are going to spend the afternoon soaking up the sun and each other’s company. We’re going to have a tea party in the park—an all-girls afternoon!
I’m packing real dishes—mismatched vintage plates, linens, and flatware that I’ve collected over the years for just such occasions. I’m adding a teapot, of course, plus orphan teacups and saucers. For food, I think I’ll keep it simple: just a few crust-free, kid-friendly finger sandwiches, plus a trio of sweets I have on hand—cookies, macarons, and doughnut holes dusted with cinnamon-sugar. Extra teacups stacked between dessert-sized plates will make a wonderful three-tiered “tray” for proper serving, and a salt shaker sans screw-on lid or a glass tumbler will make a perfect, easily packable bud vase for a freshly picked flowers, and a too-easy special touch.
Rather than fussing with hot water, tea bags, cream, sugar, and lemon, I’m making a thermosful of Oregon Chai with lots of milk. It’s an all-in-one convenience, the girls love the taste, and I love the fact that they make a caffeine-free version that we can all enjoy! In honor of the occasion, I’m also making my super-duper pimiento cheese spread for our sandwiches. Here’s my secret recipe!
Cheers,
OregonChaiMama
Super-Duper Pimiento Cheese
Makes about 3 cups
1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened to room temperature
½ cup mayonnaise
2-3 drops hot sauce
Salt, pepper to taste
1 (4-ounce) jar pimientos, undrained
1 (8-ounce) block extra-sharp Cheddar, shredded
½ cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese
½ cup shredded white Cheddar
In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese, mayonnaise, hot sauce, salt, and pepper until smooth. Using a wooden spoon, stir in pimientos and shredded cheeses until well blended. Keep covered in fridge until ready to serve.
That’s Amore!
The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.
—St. Augustine
I have always dreamed of traveling through Italy, but sadly, I have never had the pleasure. With the economy more sluggish than any of us would like, my family’s money is prioritized and earmarked for college funds and dance classes, and five plane tickets to Tuscany just aren’t in the budget right now.
However, I am once more putting Alanna Kellogg’s words into practice. In the blog post I’ve been raving about all week, she suggests we travel vicariously to a place we’ve always dreamed of going by immersing ourselves in every aspect of the culture. Learn the language (at least a word or phrase every day), cook or sample local cuisine, study maps, and read travelogues. What a great idea—and your greatest investment is the time it takes you to become engaged.
Let me share what I’ve learned about Italy so far.
- Italian aristocrat Catherine de Medici introduced France to a then unheard-of world of delicacies when she married King Henry in the sixteenth century, including artichokes, pasta, and truffles. In her honor, I tried (and mastered) this delicious recipe from Food & Wine. It only requires one shaved truffle – a relatively inexpensive indulgence!
- I learned there are more than a dozen words to distinguish different types of water from Diana Hales, whose blog Becoming Italian Word by Word is now a new favorite.
- The Cypress tree is considered by Tuscans to be a symbol of the countryside, and there are both “male” and “female” trees.
Where would you to travel to by armchair? Tell your friends at OregonChaiCafe. We’re all ears!
Cheers,
OregonChaiMama
She-Scribes Unite!
One written word is worth a thousand pieces of gold.
—Japanese Proverb
As a writer who is no longer surrounded by a hub of colleagues, I miss not only the daily camaraderie of co-workers buzzing about me, but also having fellow editors to bounce ideas off of. That kind of back and forth is not only exhilarating—it’s imperative to the creative process! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve queried a fellow writer for his or her opinion about a word, a title, a paragraph—all in the name of sharpening my own skills and, hopefully, creating something beautiful for many to enjoy.
So, I’ve taken matters in hand. I’ve started a dinner club of fellow female writers and aestheates—an amazing group of six women who have something to say. Our pens are on fire with ideas and we have our first meeting tonight at my home. Our itinerary is loose—sit down for a little din-din, then share our work with each other with glasses of Chard all around. But our mutual goal is solid. The idea is to offer (constructive) criticism, feedback, and support to each other on a once-a-month basis. How wonderful does that sound?
Tonight’s dinner menu is exotic—a little spice to fuel our imaginations: Moroccan Chicken with Green Olives and Lemon, saffron rice, and salad. For dessert? More spice of course: Chocolate Chai Cobbler.
I found the chicken recipe, if you want to take a peek, and the cobbler recipe I’m testing is below. What do you think? Sound good?
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Chocolate Chai Cobbler
Makes 6 servings
6 tablespoons butter
1 cup self-rising flour
½ cup sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
3-4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup Oregon Chai The Original Chai Latte Mix (powdered)
1 ½ cups boiling water
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Melt butter in an 8x8-inch Pyrex dish as the oven preheats. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugars, and cocoa powder. Stir in milk and vanilla until smooth. Remove Pyrex dish from the oven. Spoon mixture over the melted butter. In a small bowl, stir together chai mix and 1/4 cup cocoa powder. Sprinkle over the batter. Slowly pour boiling water over the top of the mixture. Bake 30 minutes or until set. Serve warm with Vanilla Bean ice cream.
Cheers,
OregonChaiMama
A Cup Raised to a Great Lady
The right to play on any playing field? You have earned it.
—Eunice Kennedy Shriver.
I was so terribly saddened this morning to read the news of Eunice Kennedy Shriver’s passing. Sister to a President, an Attorney General, and a legendary state senator; aunt to a host of political hopefuls; and mother of California’s First Lady—these were her accomplishments by mere accident of birth. She could have stood on those things alone and still managed to stand out in the public pantheon.
But instead, Eunice Kennedy Shriver carved out her own niche, dedicating her life to public service, and serving as a tireless advocate for the mentally disabled. As the founder of the Special Olympics, she raised millions of dollars to fund initiatives that benefitted mentally disabled children and adults, and more importantly, she raised awareness. Through her work, she helped erase the stigmas and isolation that had long plagued the mentally challenged in this country.
The Special Olympics grew from a free summer day camp on Mrs. Kennedy-Shriver’s Maryland farm, Timberlawn. There—spurred on by the joy and growth her own mentally disabled sister Rosemary drew from athletics—she encouraged physical outlets as a means of promoting a sense of self worth with campers. The concept blossomed into the idea of a summer festival, which became the first summer games in Chicago in 1968. Four decades later, the Special Olympics draw attention and millions of participants from across the world—150 countries—and provide a global stage upon which dreams are realized and potential is plumbed.
So this morning, as I sit here in my favorite bay window seat, writing to you, my cup of Oregon Chai is raised in toast to a great lady. For more information on her, or to find out how you can pitch in as a Special Olympics volunteer, visit www.specialolympics.org.
Meantime, this great lady and her life’s work has me stopping to ponder other influential women who have opened doors for the rest of us. Some of them are familiar names—from Abigail Adams to Sojourner Truth to Sally Ride and Oprah Winfrey. Still others, like my late mother, are personal heroes whose triumphs were perhaps smaller in scale, but no less dear to our hearts. Who are those women for you? Share with all of us!
Cheers,
OregonChaiMama
Green Your Scene
You know, if I had a Bill Gates-sized bank account, one of the first things I would do is provide food and shelter for every child in need, and the second thing I would do is clean up the mess I sincerely hope we do not leave behind for my children to clean up on this planet. That includes your children too!
But since I don’t have a few gazillion dollars lying around collecting dust, I do what most of us do: As much as I can with the resources that I’ve got. Little things add up! Just like we teach our children to put their pennies in a piggy bank until they add up to dollars, I believe that even small contributions towards the betterment of our world will help achieve just that! Want to green your scene a little at a time? Get started with five painless changes:
- Use CFL (compact fluorescent) light bulbs—they save money and energy.
- Cut down on packaging costs by purchasing one spray bottle from a department store and making your own enviro-friendly cleaners as needed with vinegar and water or lemon-based soaps. You’ll be amazed how well they work, and the cost is pennies per use.
- Switch the washer dial from “hot” to “warm.” Huge energy savings and no difference in your laundry’s level of cleanliness.
- Make your chai at home at least a few times a week instead of always expending extra money, fuel, and excess packaging at a tea or coffee house. Bonus: Oregon Chai containers are already made with recycled materials!
- Considering a new look for your favorite room? Opt for bamboo rather than hardwood flooring. Bamboo is a highly sustainable, easily replenished resource that offers the natural beauty of wood without costing the Earth another valuable tree! Check out Duro-Design's options by following this link.
So tell me, how do you green your scene? The most original idea gets a free sample of Oregon Chai … can’t wait to hear your answers!
Cheers,
OregonChaiMama
Attention Kmart Shoppers
Labor Day is a glorious holiday because your child will be going back to school the next day. It would have been called Independence Day, but that name was already taken.
—Bill Dodds
Take a deep breath Chai Sisters—the Back-to-School countdown is on. It’s one of the most hectic times of the year for me, especially with three daughters. Do you have any idea what it’s like to spend a Saturday shopping for back-to-school clothes with three fashion-conscious, independent-minded girls who want to fit in and be “cool?” It’s a three-chai day at a minimum. In fact, I usually pack a take-along thermosful before heading out the door. “No honey, you cannot get a tattoo because Rihanna has one.” Sip. Breathe deeply. Sip. Ahhhh … calm.
This year is going to be different, thanks to the geniuses at Kmart. Along with taking advantage of free shipping and reader discount codes, online shoppers can also mix-and-match different ensembles to get the perfect look without ever leaving the house. It’s like a computer version of paper dolls—so my little angels can put together outfits and fill our virtual shopping cart right in our living room. Now that’s Nirvana.
As a bonus, spend at least $15 a week at Kmart between now and the end of August and receive free school supplies, which include theme books, pencils, and Sharpies. Want to know more? Click here. Meantime, if you know about other great back-to-school deals out there, share them with your Chai Sisters!
Cheers,
OregonChaiMama