Bead for Life: August 28, 2010

Greetings Diners!

Thank you to everyone who attended our second Dining for Women event this past Saturday!  We had 15 attendees (10 of which were new DFWers) and collectively raised nearly $1,000 to provide women in rural Uganda with improved economic opportunities.

Linda (with the help of Corinne) set up a beautiful shopping boutique in her front yard to feature Bead for Life jewelry sent all the way from Uganda.  Bead for Life beads are made out of recycled paper strips from various sources such as magazines, pamphlets, calendars and cereal boxes.  The paper is rolled, glued and varnished with an eco-friendly sealant.  The finished beads (along with colorful glass seed beads) are strung onto elastic and/or plastic lines and are completed with a silver-plated clasp and tag.

Beads are handmade by rural Ugandan women who receive training in jewelry making and business development with a goal to become financially independent within 18 months.  BFL introduces these entrepreneurs to Western markets who pay fair trade prices for the beautiful end products (check out their online store at http://www.beadforlifestore.org/servlet/StoreFront - the holidays are coming!).

BFL (in partnership with Dining for Women) is building upon this highly successful initiative by introducing a Shea butter project which will give Ugandan women the tools and training needed to process Shea nuts for soaps and lotions.  Our group raised $650 through BFL jewelry sales and $315 in support of the Shea Butter project for a total of $965!

Another successful meeting, and we would like to extend a very special thank you to everyone who attended and shared food, funds and compassion.  We will be scheduling the September dinner in the coming weeks and will be sure to keep you posted on the date/time – hope to see you there!

Warm regards,

Erika

PS - If you would like to be added or removed from our invitation list, please contact erikakeaveney@gmail.com.

Spinach Salad with Pecorino, Pine Nuts and Currants

Recipe courtesy of Dawn Ramsayer :)

Ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoons dried currants

1 1/2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted, coarsely chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons minced shallot

1/2 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons olive oil

6 cups (packed) baby spinach leaves

Shaved Pecorino Romano cheese

Preparation
Whisk first 5 ingredients in small bowl. Whisk in oil. Season with salt and pepper. Toss spinach with vinaigrette in large bowl. Add cheese and toss.

Curried Chicken Wraps Recipe

Alternatively, this recipe can be made with medium-firm tofu.  Simply cube the tofu, gently coat in oil and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, turning in between.  Chop cubes into desirable sized pieces and use in lieu of chicken.

Ingredients

3 split (1 1/2 whole) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on

Olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups good mayonnaise

1/3 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup chutney (recommended: Major Gray's)

3 tablespoons curry powder

1 cup medium-diced celery (2 large stalks)

1/4 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts (2 scallions)

1/4 cup raisins

1 cup whole roasted, salted cashews, chopped

6 large tortillas

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and rub the skin with olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove the meat from the bones, discard the skin, and shred the chicken in pieces.  For the dressing, combine the mayonnaise, wine, chutney, curry powder, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process until smooth.  Combine the chicken with enough dressing to moisten well. Add the celery, scallions, and raisins, and mix well. Refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend. Add the cashews to the chicken.  Fill the center of each tortilla with the chicken mixture. Fold the 2 sides of the tortilla over the filling so that the sides overlap. Roll the tortilla from bottom to top, and cut in half diagonally.

Bead for Life Uganda

Watch this short yet powerful video on August's feature charity, Bead for Life Uganda. This month's Dining for Women event will be held on August 28th @ 4:00 PM in Encinitas, CA. If you would like to be included in this and future events, please email erikakeaveney@gmail.com

Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe

As requested, here is the recipe for Chicken Tikka Masala that I brought at the DFW event on July 31st. This recipe serves 4. If you are a vegetarian, try using paneer instead. You can find it at Indian markets or make your own.



Ingredients
• 1 cup yogurt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• 4 long skewers

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 8 oz can diced tomatoes
• Fresh cilantro (optional)
• Basmati rice

Directions
1. In a large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons cumin, garam masala, cayenne, black pepper, ginger, and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir in chicken. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (overnight is best)
2. Preheat a grill for high heat.
3. Lightly oil the grill grate. Thread chicken onto skewers, and discard marinade. Grill until juices run clear, about 5 minutes on each side. Pan frying (w/out skewers) works well if you do not have a grill.
4. Melt butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and jalapeno for 1 minute. Season with 2 teaspoons cumin, paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and cream. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens/reduces, about 20 minutes. Add grilled chicken, and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve with basmati rice and garnish with fresh cilantro.

This was modified from the original recipe here on allrecipes.com.

Our Inaugural Event in San Diego

Greetings Diners!

Last night's meeting was quite a success -- our small group of 11 successfully raised $400 to provide women in West Bengal, India with improved health, education and economic opportunities.

Our group included moms, lawyers, techies, a scientist, a mathematician, a baby and even a ballerina.  We shared delicious food and impassioned discussion on the global epidemic of violence against women (VAW) and how we can be a part of the solution.

I think nearly everyone asked for Kristen's recipe for Chicken Tikka Masala and if I can manage to add her as a blog admin, we will have her share the recipe here :)

Helen Z. and ("Auntie") Linda will settle on a date/location for August's dinner which will most likely be held in Encinitas -- stay tuned!

Thank you again to everyone for coming and sharing!  We would like to use this blog as a forum for continued discussion, so please feel free to use the comments section for this purpose.

San Diego Kick-Off Event to Benefit MBBCDS in West Bengal, India!

Greetings Diners!

Welcome to the blog of the Dining for Women Chapter in San Diego, CA!  We will update you with the latest and greatest on upcoming events, featured charities, dinner debriefs and more.

This month, Dining for Women's featured charity is Mohammed Bazar Backward Classes Development Society (MBBCDS) in West Bengal, India.  Funds raised at our dinner will help provide tribal women in West Bengal with economic opportunities, vocational skills and basic education on things like nutrition and reproductive health.  Watch their video for more info:

Discover Simple, Private Sharing at Drop.io

To read the full project description, please visit http://aidindia.org/main/content/view/1139/1/.  To learn more about Dining for Women, visit http://www.diningforwomen.org/.  And if you are interested in becoming a member, please email erikakeaveney@gmail.com!