NFB of Maine News Matters for December, 2012
Vol.2 Issue 12
SEASONS GREETINGS December 20, 2012
editor: Patricia E. C. Estes
First Vice President, NFB of Maine
PR & Information
Email: pece03@gmail.com
"The Voice of the Blind in Maine-Changing What it Means to be Blind"
President, Leon Proctor, Jr
www.nfb-me.org
THANK YOU to Lee Ann Nelson for calling and inviting parents to join in on the BETA meeting in November by conference call. And thank you to Jeremy Barnard for making the time to answer questions. We came away with good and interesting information. Jeremy told us that he is the "go to guy" for Fair Hearing information in the DBVI system since he has done so many and no one else in the state has done any. But, remember, there is a step (actually, several) before a Fair Hearing. We have a Consumer Advocacy Program to help and support us through this process and is a free service to us. Please note the following info-
*CARES- (Consumer Advocacy Research advocy and Evaluation Service) is available to students, parents and VR clients. You can call: 377-7055 or toll free 800-773-7055 with a question or ask if they will help with your case. I have invited Kathy Despres from CARES to be with us on a Chapter Call (possibly January) and she is glad to do it and if she cannot, one of her colleagues will. This office serves the entire state. As of yet, I do not have their web address.
*Get out those thinking caps! Fundraising Brainstorming coming right up! Plus we have members who are engaged, who are traveling to get their Guide Dog, traveling to NFB Centers for training, headed off to college...and on and on! We have several who would like to go to the National Convention in July and we would like to help as many as we can.
*"Words (should) Mean Things Project": Have you ever felt like that you have really paid attention, asked good questions and came away from a meeting you have just had with your case manager or one of their bosses only to find that the Jell-O you have worked so carefully to nail to the tree has just slid down the trunk all the way to the ground and you are back to square one with your goals? We can either continue to be frustrated by this ongoing problem that stalls people's lives or we can attempt to try to do something about it. We could have a committee to look at the RSA Regs and translate them into Common English, but they say a committee made the giraffe...or is it the camel? I am proposing an initial look at helping blind clients and parents more fluidly work with the system we have in Maine and save time and money. I foresee that this might include myself, Kathy Despres, John McMahan and possibly Joanne Wilson or Fred Schroeder. It would be nice to have at least a glossary of terms or a flow chart...never mind, a flow chart in Maine is nigh unto impossible. Stay tuned...
CALENDAR:
*Lighthouse At Large Meeting by Phone Conference, Thursday, December 20, 7:00 (number on website)
(hurry before the calendar ends!)
*(in case it doesn't)December 28, BETA planning meeting, TBA
*(board meeting first Thursday of January
RECIPE ISSUE!
Recipe submissions from Leon Proctor, Bobbie LaChance and Patricia Estes
Eggless Nut Bread
Patricia Estes
This is a bread we have given as gifts and serve as Christmas Brunch. When I have fresh ground whole wheat flour, I make it with using only that. But it makes up well with half wheat and half white or all white, also. I try to put in as many "decorations" as possible: brown and golden raisins, craisins and chunky walnuts. There isn't any oil in this, either.
preheat oven to 350, grease and lightly flour 1 large loaf pan, bake for fifty to sixty minutes
Mix dry ingredients: three cups flour, one-half to one cup brown sugar, half teaspoon salt, one teaspoon baking soda, one teaspoon baking powder, heaping teaspoon cinnamon
Add two cups butter milk (or two cups milk that has had two tablespoons vinegar added and has been sitting for ten minutes)
Mix in one each: chunky walnuts and raisins (or some combination of craisins, golden raisins, etc to equal a heaping two cups of "decorations")
Serve warm with cream cheese or this non-dairy topping:
Non-Dairy whipped topping: drain one can of unsweetened pears and put in blender. Add sliced almonds and blend until desired consistency and smooth. (may use cashews instead)
Traditional Franco-American Pork Pie
Tourtiere
Patricia Estes
Tourtiere is a tradition from France that continues to this day in Eastern Canada and the many Franco-American settlements in Maine. It is a meat pie, usually pork, served at the feast called "Reveillon" ," which is after Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. The St. Peter-Paul Basilica in Lewiston is a glorious setting to celebrate Midnight Mass. However, I grew up not waiting to feast and This is the recipe I have settled on over the years that is most like my Memere's, who would just giggle when I would as her for her recipe. (I guess, if you have to ask, you don't deserve one! But here it is anyway!).
One pound lean ground pork, half pound lean ground beef (can use all ground pork) one third cup finely chopped onion, one to one and one half teaspoon salt, one-eighth teaspoon pepper one cup water
Combine above ingredients in pot and cover and cook slowly for forty-five minutes to one hour.
Add one-quarter to one-half teaspoon cinnamon and one-eighth teaspoon clove. Cook for fifteen minutes.
Add one to two cups of mashed potatoes (without milk) to the meat mixture and simmer very slowly for two hours.
Let meat filling cool before filling pie shell. Cover with top crust and score. Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes
Remove from oven, brush crust with butter or milk. Serve hot with this simple side salad.
Side Salad: At each place, serve two or three bright green leaves of romaine lettuce on small plate, place one unsweetened peach half on lettuce bed, top with softened cream cheese or the non-dairy topping, above.
Stuffed Rigatoni
Leon Proctor,
This one is one I created about 8 months ago. Very tasty!
2 Pints of ricotta cheese
1 ½lbs to 2lbs of ground beef (Hamburger)
1 Lg bag of mozzarella cheese
1 Lb box of rigatoni
2 Lg jars of spaghetti sauce
Directions:
Brown ground beef in a 10in to 12in skillet on medium heat make sure you scramble hamburg well. Take browned beef off of heat and set aside. In large pot bring to boil water then empty in the rigatoni. Wile waiting for water to boil mix in large mixing bowl pint of regatta cheese, 2 cups of mozzarella cheese and brown beef. Mix till all ingredience is mixed together well. As your mixing the ingredience dump in the rigatoni into the boiling water. Cook rigatoni for 5 to 7 mins then take off heat drain water and empty rigatoni back into pot. Take the mixture of Hamburg and cheeses and use a pastry bag use for decorating cakes and fill the bag with the mixture and fill each rigatoni noodle by hand. (This takes some time so if you have a spouse or friend willing to help you feel free to ask them to do so). After filling rigatoni place the noodles in a lasagna pan till filled. Put spaghetti sauce at the bottom of pan. Half way of filling lasagna pan put in more sauce. Mix it up till pan is filled with rigatoni and sauce all mixed up together. Top the stuffed rigatoni with mozzarella cheese and bake in oven for 20 to 25 mins on 350 degrees till cheese is melted. Let sit for 15 to 20 mins then serve.
You can add more ricotta cheese and mozzarella cheese together to your preference all depending on what your tase for cheese is
Cheesecake Pie
Leon Proctor
1 8oz pack of cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup of sugar
1 8oz of sour cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 8oz carton of cool whip
1 9in gram cracker pie crust
carton of strawberries
Directions:
Beat cream cheese till smooth, gradually add the sugar. Blend in the sour cream and vanilla. Fold in the thawed whipped toping blending well. Spoon into crust. Chill until set (at least 4hrs). Garnish with fresh strawberries.
(and who knew Leon could "garnish? way to go, Prez!)
Italian Chicken
Leon Proctor
2 bags of frozen mix veggies (was bean, string beans, carrots)
2 16 oz bottles or 1 lg bottle of zesty Italian dressing
Family pack of boneless chicken breast
Directions:
Open and put into crock pot both bags of mixed frozen veggies, cube fresh checken and place into crock pot. Then pour over the top the whole bottle of Italian dressing, (May need both bottles use your judgement. Cover crock pot and cook on high for 4hrs. then serve over rice or potatoes your choice.
SPINACH DIP IN BREAD BOWL
Bobbie LaChance
one box of frozen spinach (squeeze dry)
one can of water chestnuts, drained
sixteen ounces sour cream
one Knox vegetable soup mix
one cup of mayonnaise
Mix above together and chill two hours. Serve in bread bowl with veggies and crackers for dipping.
QUICK PIZZA
Bobbie LaChance
one pkg of crescent rolls
one pkg of cream cheese
two tablespoons mayonnaise
one clove garlic, pressed
two table spoons dried dill weed
two cups of assorted vegetables for toppings (your choice)
Makes one thirteen inch pizza. Very lightly flour pan, place crescent dough with points to center, bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden. Let cool completely. Meanwhile, combine the cream cheese, mayo, garlic and dill. Chop the vegetables. When the crust is cool, spread cream cheese mixture over evenly. Sprinkle vegetables over top and refrigerate for twenty minutes. Enjoy!
...and last but not least!
PEANUT BUTTER PIE
Bobbie LaChance
4 ounces cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons of milk
8 ounces of Cool Whip
9 inch chocolate graham cracker crust pie shell
Beat all ingredients with mixer. Pour into pie shell. Chill for at least four hours. (really?We have to wait that long?)
WISHING ALL OF YOU A LOVELY AND BLESSED SEASON WITH YOUR LOVED ONES! THE NFB OF MAINE IS GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR READING OUR NEWS, SHARING IT AND FOR YOU AND YOUR SUPPORT. SEE YOU IN THE NEW YEAR TO CONTINUE THE CHANGE!
Patricia C. Estes
NFB of Maine
207 344 8292