PHOTOS, RECIPES & THANK YOU - Staff Appreciation Luncheon

Deb, Mariko and Nicole want to thank Dickens parents & guardians with all their hearts for the wonderful spread provided at our annual Dickens Staff Appreciation Luncheon on Friday, May 13 at the Annex. 

The 65-plus staff attending from both schools thoroughly enjoyed the scrumptious appetizers, main course and desserts some of which can be seen in the photos below.

Your delectable homemade dishes, beverages, cash donations, and hands-on help on the day, made it once again a huge success. Thanks for helping to make our teachers & staff feel extremely appreciated. It could not have been done without your support! 

See two favourite recipes from Deb Copeland, at the end, after the photos :-) 

Click on the photos below to enlarge for viewing - 

Tents and table settings

Buffet style

Florals

Appetizers & main course dishes

Desserts

 

Beverages

Door prizes and thank you's 

On left: Sharon and Nicole sport our stylish aprons

On right: Deb hands outs the door prizes 

Root Beer Pulled-Pork
2.5-3kg pork loin (or preferred cut)
4 onions, diced
1/2 head of garlic cloves (whole or chopped)
1 355ml bottle of your favour of root beer
1 bottle of bbq sauce
Salt and pepper

Place the onions and garlic in the bottom of your slow cooker. Sit the pork loin on top of that and season with salt and pepper (alternately, you could use a spice rub! Mmmm!!!) cover with the root beer and cook on low for 8 hours. 

Drain the liquid, keeping the cooked onions and garlic. Remove the strings from the pork loin and begin to break it apart with 2 forks. Cover with as much or as little bbq sauce as you like. Heat it through and serve with yummy coleslaw on fresh buns!

Lemon Yoghurt Bundt Cake

3 cups (426 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 1/2 cups (490 grams) granulated sugar 
2/3 cup (174 grams) plain yogurt
1/3 cup (75 grams) whole milk
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces.
5 large eggs, at room temperature.

To make the cake:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Butter and flour a 10-cup (9-inch) Bundt pan or 2 loaf pans. 
• Whisk together the flour, soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
• In another medium bowl, rub the sugar and zest together. This helps to spread the lemon flavor throughout the cake.
• Whisk the yogurt, milk and lemon juice together.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter on high until smooth, about 1 minute. Slowly add the lemon sugar and continue beating until light in texture and color, about 5 minutes. Don’t skimp on this step, since it is crucial to the texture of your cake.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.
• Reduce the speed to low and add 1/3 of the flour. Add half the yogurt. Repeat with another 1/3 flour mixture, followed by the yogurt and finishing with the flour, scraping the bowl as you go.
• Put the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface.
• Bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until a tester comes out clean.
• Allow to rest in the pan for 10 minutes.

Not necessary but I (Deb) made an on the spot buttercream to fancy it up a bit! For the buttercream topping:

4Tbsp butter
2 Cups icing sugar
Juice of 2 lemons

Beat the sugar and butter together either by hand or in the bowl of your mixer with the paddle attachment adding the lemon juice until you reach your ideal lemony flavour. Spread over the top of your bundt and chill until firm.