An Iron Chef Charity Throwdown

 A challenge was offered.

 A  food basket supplied, the mystery food presented... beef tenderloin and organic chicken breasts.
The rules:Each group had to produce  appetizers, a salad, a main meal and dessert.
 A good time was promised.
The reward: we would all share in the meal.
The cause: was for an organization close to all our hearts. THE PALLIATIVE CARE OUTREACH PROGRAM.

It always amazes , but never surprise me how a beautiful group of  professional women that are grandmothers, mothers, daughters, sisters but mostly friends ...come together and are so generous of their time, energy and love for each other and their strong belief system that in life you must give back. Thank you to all that participated and donated so generously to this worthwhile program.


Meet our hostess Sandi Grant

and the lovely members of TEAM I

chopping, dicing, and whispering secret ingredients.

hum will that be a salsa, or dessert?



TEAM II also hard at work...The pooch was the official floater whose job it was to oversee the work ,comment and sweep the floor.

Hey Barb, you belong to Team II are you snooping (read spying)  on Team I??

Meet the GALS on the GRILL

Sandi and Dr. Margaret..... WOW these gals rocked big time on the EGG, Smoker and BBQ Grill.

BUSY BEES ALL HARD AT WORK

 It 's almost ready!!

 Set Up

 "What do you mean it's a mock Bellini????

'To love and be loved."

OH MY.. I'M SO EXCITED ..IT ALL LOOKS SO GOOD!

THE TEAM"S FINISHED PRODUCTS.

The rules to the competition were that all foods in our baskets had to be incorporated in the meal. We were allowed one secret ingredient, and could purchase items that did not total more that 5$ from our own pockets to enhance or help in our preparation 

 ( all other food provided by our host) 

OOPS downloaded pictures in an incorrect order.. sorry..

Recipes to follow in later blog entries.

 Beef tenderloin grilled with a balsamic reduction on a bed of roasted potatoes, mushrooms,and almond green beans.

 BBQ  garlic beef tenderloin in a coffee/chili rub, dill potatoes, grilled chicken stuffed with cheese and a pineapple salsa.

 Grilled vegetables marinated in a balsamic tomato basil dressing.

 Tangerine, fruit Romain salad served with a tangerine dressing (not Shown)

 Pancetta Cesar salad

 Baguette appetizers grilled with garlic butter and topped with pancetta & cantaloupe,Others topped with homemade tomato/olive salsa.

 Mock chilled Bellini

 Artichoke dip served in an eggplant boat and served with...

grilled baguette to accompany the dip.

PS. Apologies for the pictures that were missed such as the grilled asparagus and I'm sure a few other items. Dessert pictures never made it to the table as the brandied fruit, whipped cream and shortbread cakes would have literally resulted in the explosion of the already full and satisfied participants!

THE EVENING MEAL

A JOB WELL DONE, WE were all winners!

The end of all our hard work was the communal supper shared by all with tales of how we had spent the supper to date. We laughed, congratulated each other on a job well done, praised and drooled over the food and later dangled our feet in the warm water of the swimming pool. But we also talked and shed some tears for people missing from the evening and the reason for this fund raiser.

Our cause is a program that deals with events that has touched all of us in our life experiences... The Palliative Care Outreach Program.

Here in Ottawa Canada, Dr.Margaret Farncombe   started the program in 1997, when she realized the need for at home care for the terminally ill.
Most of us present have cared for a loved one during the dying process.

The Palliative Care  Outreach Program provides an all encompassing approach to the care and support of individual clients with terminal diseases and to their families in an out of hospital setting to ensure an environment of comfort,respect and dignity in accordance with the clients goals,needs and belief system.

 Please visit their website at www.palliativeoutreach.org

POST MORTEM,

There really was no competition, as we all had way too much fun , that the consensus was that the  winner was the FOOD and of course the MONEY raised for the Palliative Care Outreach Program. We have vowed to do another event in the fall so stay tuned .