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The MACC Minute for December 10, 2020.  We hope it will inspire you to get involved.

News from our Food Pantry  

As we approach the holidays in December, with school schedules happening in various forms, we would like to be able to provide food that children of all ages will like. Some popular foods include macaroni and cheese, canned Pasta, soups, chicken nuggets, individual snacks, and breakfast items such as pop tarts, granola bars, breakfast bars, and fresh fruit.

Beth Stafford

Executive Director/CEO

Practice gratitude every day! The girls in our Church Youth Group made each family unit a small jar full of notes, each rolled like a tiny scroll with the instruction to read one prompt a day from Thanksgiving to New Years. I challenge you to prompt your “COVID POD” with a gratitude statement/question each day. Make #Gratitude a daily habit.

 

Shannon Baldassario

Director of Services

As the year comes to a close, I reflect back over the last 11 months and all that has been accomplished through your support and generosity. Capturing every moment of kindness outweighs the negativity with the current pandemic. We continue to push forward and prevail through every obstacle. Wishing you the happiest of holiday seasons and safest New Year!

 

Chef Ferdinand Cruz

MACC’s Community Kitchen

Going through a collection of holiday recipes, I came across this gem, “Frosted Ginger Peppermint Bars”. You may think the combo sounds a little strange, but as they say, don’t knock it until you try it. My kids are not a fan, which in this case is fine by me. I do not like to share these delicious treats anyway!
 
 

Recipe: Frosted Peppermint Gingerbread Bars

Serves Makes 12-16 bars
Ingredients
 2/3 cup butter (1 stick plus 2 and 2/3 tablespoons)
 1 and 3/4 cup brown sugar
 1/4 cup molasses
 2 eggs
 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
 1 teaspoon baking powder
 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
 1 teaspoon salt
 1 teaspoon nutmeg
 1 teaspoon cinnamon
 4 teaspoons Lightly Dried Ginger (or powdered ginger–see note)
 2/3 cup crushed candy canes (about 8)
 
Frosting
 3/4 cup butter
 2 and 1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
 1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
 2-3 tablespoons milk
 1/4 teaspoon salt
 3-4 crushed candy canes
 
Instructions
 
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×13 inch glass pan with parchment paper or foil. Spray with nonstick spray if you use foil.
In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat butter for 1-3 minutes, scraping sides, until light and fluffy.
 
Add the brown sugar and beat again.
 
Add molasses, eggs, and vanilla. Beat well, scraping sides.
 
In a separate bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Crush 8 candy canes in a food processor. (I like to add the Lightly Dried Ginger to let it get a little more chopped up, but you don’t have to.) If you don’t have a food processor put them in a ziplock and use a rolling pin. Add the candy cane and the Lightly Dried Ginger to the flour mixture and whisk in.
 
Stir the dry ingredients into the butter mixture until just combined.
Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake at 350 for 27-28 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Err on the side of under baking, just as you would with brownies.
 
Remove from the oven and let cool completely. When cool, lift the bars from the pan.
Meanwhile make the frosting. Beat 3/4 cup butter until smooth, 1-3 minutes (depending on how cold your butter is).
 
Add 1 cup powdered sugar and the vanilla.
 
Add the remaining powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Beat well. Add more milk or powdered sugar to reach desired consistency. Beat well, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl.
 
Spread the frosting over the bars. Sprinkle with 3-4 crushed candy canes right away. You could also stir them straight into the frosting. Then stuff your face.

Patti Thurlow

Operations Manager

Ever had a feeling that you need to do more for others?  Why not volunteer with us here at MACC? Do you like being in the retail environment? We have the Community Threads Thrift Shoppe. Good in the kitchen?  We have the Community Kitchen. Like working with computers or helping to organize? Our food pantry is the place for you!
 

 

 

Mark Nadeau

Outreach Case Worker

Manchester Police Department’s motto is to Protect and Serve and the PAR Unit lives up to the statement. PAR Officers are a valuable asset to the MACC outreach program. They work tirelessly to not only locate and assist people who are homeless in our community, but they also go the extra mile to show kindness and concern about their circumstances.

 

 
 

Luke Greika

Bistro On Main

Customers come first. It was near closing time when a man came into the restaurant the night before Thanksgiving to purchase the holiday sides, stating how he would be alone for the holiday. Rather than tell him we had just sold out, our server, Miranda, quickly sold him the package she had set aside to buy earlier in the shift.
 
Last week Chef Luke was interviewed on WSDK Life Changing Radio Podcast.

www.Bistro-on-Main.com

Thank you to Paul Ofria for our new photos

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