November gathering

The thirteenth Ragamuffin Cooking Club is hereby announced!

Theme: Cookie swap

Date & Time: Saturday, November 11th, 6:30pm

Place: Chad & Karen's

The Rules: Some of you enjoy making holiday cookies for gifts or Christmas parties, so a cookie swap will be a great way to get new recipe ideas! If everyone is able to come we will have 16 people.

So everyone can try TWO of each person's cookie (one to taste at the club gathering, one to bring home and ponder later), then each person/couple should bring 32 cookies (or about three dozen).

Also, this time it will be very important to bring 10 copies of your recipe to share!

And, to get your extra 10-16 cookies home, be sure to bring ziploc bags or containers.

We need signups for the following:

• 3 dozen cookies
• 3 dozen cookies
• 3 dozen cookies
• 3 dozen cookies
• 3 dozen cookies + drink (perhaps a holiday punch?)
• etc. etc. etc.

To prevent duplicates, post what kind of cookie you will be making, and hopefully we'll have a nice variety. (In other words, we shouldn't end up with six different kinds of sugar cookies, but one would be fine!) We want EVERYONE to be able to bring cookies this time, so if one of you can volunteer to also bring drinks of some sort (perhaps a holiday punch or apple cider?) that would be great.

Chili cook-off

After filling bellies with chili, some of the group relaxes and compares chili-preferences.

Chili cook-off

Delicious cornbread! (Also, not pictured: cinnamon rolls that went too fast.)

Chili cook-off

What's left of the Texas-style chili!

Chili cook-off

Non-traditional chili with spicy italian (pork) sausage and merlot

Chili cook-off

Cincinnati style chili

Willy-nilly chili

We had a great turnout for our Chili Cook-Off on Saturday! It was great to see everyone again, and as I said that evening, when else do I get the opportunity to get not only second helpings, but third and fourth?!

We enjoyed:

• Sweet Cincinnati-style chili with spaghetti from Chad, Karen, Jonathan & Jill
• Spicy Texas-style chili from Michael & Rebekah
• Creamy white chicken chili from Dave & Heather
• Non-traditional (italian pork sausage & merlot) chili from Chad & Karen
• Cornbread from Michelle
• Cinnamon rolls from Phil & Rose
• Beer from Jonathan & Jill
• Drinks from Rejane
• Bowls and eating utensils from Michael & Toni

All around the chili was fantastic, and most of us brave souls tried the cinnamon rolls with the chili, though it was a totally new concept to us! (It tasted better with the spicier chilis in my opinion.)

Also, since we've had an influx of new members AND celebrated a full year of fantastic cooking, I thought it appropriate to distribute "official" membership spoons. :) Because, after all, a wooden spoon is one of the most essential kitchen utensils!

Stay tuned for some pictures from the event, and signups for November 11th's COOKIE SWAP!