Polish Food Playdate

Perogies. Kapusta. Keilbasa. Galumpkies. Oh my! This month we decided to try making authentic Polish food for our food playdate! Some of us entered excited to eat our favorite Polish dishes, while the rest of us were unsure what we'd think about trying new foods! Wioletta was a fabulous hostess in her beautiful home! We had a new face join us as well; Christina, Wioletta's Polish friend who came equipped with a traditional perogie making tray and the tips to make them perfectly! The menu included homemade perogies stuffed with potatoes or potatoes with cheese. Suzanne, Colleen, and Wendy got down and dirty with the filling, dough, and flour! They were so fresh and delicious topped with sauteed onions, sour cream or the kapusta! Amy made the kapusta which is a delicious sour kraut made with mushrooms, cabbage, and bacon. She also made a meat free version! Emily made hard boiled eggs stuffed with parsley, fresh horseradish, radish, and mayo. Christina made a veggie salad which had many fresh veggies tossed together in a mayo dressing. Wioletta and I made galumpkies which are traditional stuffed cabbage. They are stuffed with ground beef and pork, onions, and rice rolled into a cabbage leaf, topped with crushed tomato sauce. We were all so full by the time these came out, so many of us took these home for later! Amanda brought keilbasa from the Polish deli which everyone gobbled up! There was also some delicious Polish pastries and bread. In the end, everyone really enjoyed the staples of Polish food and I think these are recipes that we'll bring into our own kitchens!

This post was care of Britney with photos by Wioletta. Thanks to Wioletta for hosting what certainly sounded like a yummy good time and for Britney for getting it written down for the rest of us to enjoy!

Food Playdate: Let's go Vegan!

Wendy, a veteran vegan, hosted us to take a taste of foods with no animal origin.  The results were varied and delicious and we did not miss meat or dairy at all!  We munched on vegan mac & cheese, risotto stuffed mushrooms, black bean cilantro hummus, black bean & sweet potato kale chip nachos, chickpea wat and followed up with some amazing desserts: coconut cream pie and almond sunbutter cups.  I ate to my hearts content and basked in the camaraderie as everyone helped each other get things in and out of the oven, scooped up children, and chatted along the way.  It might have been cold outside but it was all warm and fuzzy inside! Thanks to Wendy for sharing her knowledge, kitchen, and totally kid friendly living space with all of us!

Van Saun Zoo and Park Meet up

Amanda TK anticipated a break in the winter weather just long enough for us to enjoy the zoo and playground at van saun park. We wandered at a toddlers pace enjoying the sights.  We saw sheep, a big horse, bobcats and mountain lions, llamas, rheas, owls and even some reptiles and fish inside.  It was refreshing to be outside with the little ones.  We ended our visit playing, climbing, swinging, and sliding at the playground.  Thanks to Amanda TK for her great idea!!

Kiddie Koffee Konnect at Cafe Suzanne

Suzanne set out to host a relaxing tea time play date for moms to chat and relax into the new year.  Little did she know we'd be braving a snow storm to get there but boy was it worth it!  Suzanne treated every lady as a guest at her coffee house making lovely mocha's chai's or whatever concoction we could think up served in style inside a glass mug.  There were treats galore from cookies, French toast, and fruit to croissants and baklava.  Those of us able to face the snow were certainly happy to cozy up to sweet treats, warm drinks, and the great company of other patrons at Cafe Suzanne. And oh yeah, the kids had a good time too. ;)  Alicia kept a watchful eye on the babes who traipsed from room to room playing, exploring, and being adorable.  Thanks Suzanne for hosting a fabulous event that certainly accomplished what it set out to do!

January Big Play: Music!

We decided to ring in the New Year, literally! There were xylophones, bells, drums, whistles, and all the jazz!  I was happy to bring along my ukelele for a few plunked out sing alongs and some impressive strumming from our little ones.  An interesting addition this time was the use of a side room for snacking that turned into another little gathering zone for chatting and mingling. Crash! Bang! Boom! I think we shook the whole room! We may have some prodigies on our hands. What a great start to 2014!

a musical circle

The snackroom gathering

Babies the Movie

I am a movie buff.  More specifically a movie lover and very picky movie watcher.  "Babies" is a documentary made about four children in their first year of life all around the world.  It's amazing to see how culture and environment differ and yet, so many milestones and experiences are the same.  I hope to host another showing of this film because I love it so much! 

All about trains playdate!

Long before I became a mommy, I knew I wanted to get an awesome wooden track set and the magnetic trains.  Dreams come true folks, I found an entire set at a yard sale with lots of track, trains, and accessories.  Of course the best way to celebrate is to invite over some pals to lay down some track.  Little did I know I was inviting some real experts!  We had a great time sending those locamotives round and round.  Another highlight for me was when I was asked for an impromptu ukelele concert and got to play for people for the first time.  Did "Old MacDonald" have a train?