Kids in the Kitchen

St. Patrick’s Day Treats BY KRISTI JOHNSON MARION & EMILY DODSON Strawberry

Bounty

BY KRISTI J. MARION

Our strawberry hankerings grow strong with the first bloom of spring. We are lucky to have several wonderful strawberry farms in our region. Pick your own or just pick them up straight from the farm or farmers’ markets! Chop ‘em, freeze ‘em, blend ‘em, bake with them or eat them fresh; there are so many options. Enjoy making these dishes with your kids this strawberry season!

STRAWBERRY LEMONADE BLONDIES

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature ¾ cup sugar 1 large egg ¼ cup lemon juice, fresh 1¼ cups all-purpose flour ½ tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. salt 1 cup fresh strawberries, diced (can also substitute blueberries or add rhubarb) GLAZE: 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted 2 large strawberries puréed 1 Tbsp. lemon juice, fresh

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, with edges extended for lifting out of pan later. 2. In a medium mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg. When mixed well, beat in the lemon juice (may not mix well, but that’s fine). 3. In separate small mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the wet ingredients and mix well. 4. Gently fold in the diced strawberries and spread evenly into pan. 5. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until slightly golden on the edges and center is set. A toothpick inserted in center should be moist but not wet.

Do not over-bake or they will be dry. Cool on cooling rack. 6. For the glaze, purée the strawberries in food processor. Strain with a small strainer to get roughly 1 Tbsp. of purée. Whisk together with powdered sugar and lemon juice until no lumps remain. If the glaze is too thick, add a little more lemon juice. If too thin, add a little more powdered sugar. 7. Spread the glaze over the cooled blondies and let set before slicing.

STRAWBERRY PRETZEL “SALAD”

INGREDIENTS:

CRUST: 2 cups pretzels, crushed ¾ cup butter, melted 3 Tbsp. sugar FILLING: 8 oz. cream cheese, softened 8 oz. whipped topping 1 cup sugar TOPPING: 3 oz. strawberry flavor Jell-o 2 cups boiling water 10 oz. fresh strawberries

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 2. In a medium bowl, combine crushed pretzels, sugar and melted butter.

Using fingers, press the pretzel mixture into the bottom of a 9x13” pan (glass if your have it!). 3. Bake for 10 minutes, or until pretzel layer is lightly toasted. Set aside to cool completely. 4.In a medium bowl, beat the sugar and cream cheese until smooth. Fold in whipped topping and mix well.

Spread evenly over pretzel base. 5. Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes. 6. In a medium bowl, whisk together gelatin mixture and boiling water.

Once gelatin is dissolved, add strawberries. Refrigerate 5 minutes. 7. Pour gelatin mixture over the chilled cream cheese layer. Refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 1 hour. 8. Optional—decorate each sliced square with a swirl or dollop of whipped topping, with a strawberry on top.

EASY STRAWBERRY FREEZER JAM

INGREDIENTS:

1 (1.75 oz. box) Sure-Jell Fruit Pectin 2 cups fresh strawberries, crushed 4 cups white sugar TOOLS: Large bowl with pour spout OR funnel 6 (8 oz.) jelly jars, or 12 (4-oz.) jelly jars, or plastic freezer jam jars Blender

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place the clean, capped strawberries into the blender and blend to your desired jam consistency (chunky or smooth). 2. Pour the blended 2 cups (exactly) of strawberries into the mixing bowl with pour spout and stir in (exactly) 4 cups sugar. Let sit 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 3. Once strawberry mixture has sat 5 minutes, in a saucepan, add ¾ cup water, stir in pectin and stir until it boils. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. After 1 minute of boiling, remove from stove and immediately pour into strawberry mixture. Stir continually until the jam begins to thicken, about 3 minutes. 4. Carefully fill the jelly jars, using the pour spout on the mixing bowl or a funnel. Leave ½-inch space at the top for expansion.

Place lid on jars. 5. Let the filled jars sit at room temperature 24 hours and then place in freezer. Jam lasts 1 year in freezer. Before serving, place jam in refrigerator. Jam lasts 3 weeks in refrigerator.

“Great art picks up where nature ends.”

-Marc Chagall

1 2

Maddie Bombay 5th Grade Morgan Elementary Riley Luper, Art Teacher

Karae Shuler 12th Grade Career Center Andrea Raines, Art Teacher

3 4

Abigail McCarthy 10th Grade Reynolds High School Ashley Hurst, Art Teacher

Stephanie Medina Garcia 8th Grade Winston Salem Preparatory Academy Kimberly Watkins, Art Teacher

The View from My Section – A Father’s Perspective

Atlanta, July 27, 1996

BY A. KEITH TILLEY

With the absence of the XXXII Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, this month (postponed to begin July 23rd, 2021, due to the coronavirus), I was reflecting on the time my wife and I attended the Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta, in July of 1996. I kept copious notes after that experience, occurred nearby. We were unaware at this point that officials

so I’d remember it all. The following is a portion of information from those notes.

It’s Thursday, July 25th, 1996, and my wife and I are headed down to Hotlanta for what should be an incredible experience. When we arrive at Peachtree Street in the heart of Atlanta, the crowds are the largest we’ve ever seen in a setting like this. We make our way on foot downtown to Centennial Park and the Global Olympic Village, the centerpiece of the Olympic experience for fans. A place where citizens of the world mingle together, children play in the Olympic rings water show and fountain, and popular musical guests perform on the main stage each day. There are also plenty of food and drink choices, and fans enjoy the games on huge screens.

When we arrived it was awesome! Though crowded, everyone was in a festive mood. People traded Olympic pins; yes, I got in on the action, obtaining some nice souvenirs from around the globe and a chance to meet lots of different people. We also visited Coca-Cola Olympic City, Nike World, the CNN building, and more.

The next day, Friday, was even more exciting, visiting the Olympic Stadium for the track and field events and taking pictures in front of the torch. Transportation wasn’t bad; we took a cab from our hotel to the Marta (subway) which would take us everywhere. After the event, we made our way back to Centennial Park for dinner before heading to the Georgia Dome to see the Dream Team II play China in men’s basketball news and looked sad for her city. She even apologized to us.

action. The U.S. won 133-70.

After the game, we had a choice to make. Do we go back to Centennial Park and listen to the band—Jack Black and the Heart Attacks—or do we go to Atlanta’s Underground for the evening’s entertainment? This would become the monumental decision we made. After a long day in the heat, we chose Kenny’s Alley in the Underground, so we could sit back, relax in large wooden rocking chairs, listen to the bands play, and people-watch from going perfectly. Friday soon turned into early Saturday morning, July 27th. We were heading back home Saturday, so we stayed late to enjoy the party. Little did we know things were about to change abruptly.

At approximately 2:15 a.m., an announcement was made for everyone to clear the area. The first sign for us of what had were concerned for the safety of those in the Underground. Police officers calmly but firmly informed us to leave immediately. Thinking they were just closing down for the night, we left.

As we walked the sidewalk, we passed an outdoor stage when I overheard a stage-hand describing what had taken place just a small distance away at Global Olympic Village a short time earlier. He mentioned seeing a flash of light and hearing an explosion. When I stopped suddenly and asked about it, he responded, “There’s been a bomb explosion in Centennial Park.” I turned to my wife, our eyes met and nothing was said, we just made our way towards the Marta quickly. I was afraid the Marta would be next, but it was our only option to get out of the city.

The subway car we entered was empty except for two young men from Indiana. They had worked security at Centennial Park that evening and left just before the explosion. They described what it was like, saying the mood late was strange, with FBI Agents walking around and watching from the rooftops. He said he hadn’t been told anything before they had finished their shift, so they didn’t know there had been a threat made. We reached our stop and exited, taking a cab back to the hotel. We couldn’t get one near the Park area because the roads were blocked for emergency vehicles. Along the way, our driver listened to Tom Brokaw report the tragic news on the radio.

When we arrived back at the hotel, the desk clerk had seen the the balcony of the restaurant we dined in. The evening was

We left early Saturday, knowing everything would shut down immediately around the Olympics. Our most memorable trip had an equally memorable ending. I felt very fortunate we had been elsewhere during the explosion, but I also felt sad. What was once a festive place had now become a place of fear. However, it wouldn’t take away the happy memories we shared. It was still the best party I’ve ever been a part of, because the world was invited.

Congratulations to Timothy & Carol Brittain who said their “I do’s” in Key Largo, FL 12.21.19

DONNA BRITTAIN/JBK WEDDINGS

Congratulations to Abby who graduated Salutatorian, from Parkland Magnet High School. She will attend UNC in the fall.

As you venture out on your own, here are some words of wisdom.

1. Be true to yourself. 2. Be kind. 3. Go to class, even when you don’t feel like it. 4. Have fun, but make good choices. 5. If you need help, ask for it. 6. Work hard and focus. 7. Have a backbone. 8. Eat healthy foods sometimes. 9. Participate. 10. Be careful when driving. 11. Remember why you are there. 12. Call your mom!

Thank you for being our future. Thank you for your years of effort that have gotten you where you are now. Embrace the opportunities and challenges of college life and know your parents are just a phone call away!

Christina’s

Cakes, from simply elegant to luxuriously extravagant!