Support Group Starting Feb 8, 2010

Below are views of the pamphlet that has been made up for the support group for Moms who have suffered infant loss. If you click on the images you can read the content in its original form.

about the group:
Who: Moms who have suffered infant loss
What: Infant loss support group
When: February 8th, 2010 and continuing Monday evenings from 7:00 to 9:00 pm
Where: Eterna Counselling & Consulting located at #203 – 2276 Clearbrook Rd. Abbotsford
Why: To learn, grow and help each other
Duration: 10 sessions
Cost: $1 per session

Recipes from the Greek Benefit Dinner

Many of you asked for recipes from the Greek dinner, so here they are!

Greek Moussaka
Ingredients
3 large eggplants
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 lemon, sliced in thin circles
1 handful fresh oregano leaves, chopped
1 handful fresh parsley, chopped
2lbs Veggie ground round (we used Yves) can also use ground beef or lamb
1 cinnamon stick
3 tbsp tomato paste
16 ounce whole canned tomatoes (we used home grown and home canned)
pinch nutmeg (our secret ingredient!)
8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1 cup freshly grated parmesan
Mozarella cheese and freshly grated parmesan for topping

Directions:
To prepare the eggplants, first cut off the stems and remove peel with a vegetable peeler, then cut into 1/4-1/2 inch slices. Brush both sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Layer on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and broil both sides until soft and slightly browned.

Add oil to a pan and then add onion, garlic, lemon slices, cinnamon stick, nutmeg, oregano and parsley. Cook until onions are softened. Add ground round or ground beef or lamb. Finally, stir in tomato paste and tomatoes and simmer until liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

To assemble, line 9 by 13 inch pan with 1/3 of the eggplant slices. Spread 1/2 of the sauce over the eggplant, then sprinkle with 1/2 of feta and parmesan. Repeat again and end with a layer of eggplant. After you place each layer of eggplant, press down firmly to create an even layer. Finally, sprinkle freshly grated parmesan and just enough mozarella to cover. Bake for 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees F. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Greek Style Roast Potatoes

8-10 potatoes, peeled and quartered
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup water
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tsp dried oregano (we used a small handful of fresh oregano)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1-2 tsp salt
3-6 cloves fresh garlic, minced or crushed

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together except potatoes. Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Place liquid mixture in glass baking dish and add potatoes.k Stir to coat potatoes. Baste frequently, every 10-15 minutes and turn 4 times during roasting time. Potatoes are not done until all the liquid is absorbed. Roast for approximately 2 hours.

Lemon Dill Rice

1 cup rice
1 1/2 - 2 cups stock (chicken style)
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp butter
1/2 tsp salt, if needed
1/2 carrot, grated
1/2 tsp lemon rind, grated
1/2 tsp dried dill weed

Directions
Cook rice in stock, butter and lemon juice. Boil and reduce heat and cook for 20 minutes. Stir in carrots, lemon zest and dill weed. Let stand 5 minutes. Note: We cooked it all in a rice cooker.

Greek Salad Dressing

1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp oregano (we used a small handful of fresh oregano)
5 cloves garlic
ground pepper to taste
salt to taste

Hummus

1 can garbanzo beans or chickpeas, drained (we used home cooked from dried chick peas)
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp mayonnaise (optional)
2-3 tbsp liquid reserved from garbanzo beans
3 cloves fresh garlic
onion powder to taste
salt and pepper to taste
several sprigs fresh parsley
olive oil to taste

Directions:
Whiz everything in a blender or chopper until smooth.

Spanikopita

1 cup chopped onion

4-6 fresh garlic cloves, crushed

2 tbsp butter

1 tsp parsley (we used a small handful of fresh parsley)

1 tbsp oregano (we used a small handful of fresh oregano)

2 pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained by pushing through a very fine sieve or squeezing out as much liquid as possible.

6 eggs

1 cup feta cheese crumbled or grated

1/2 tsp prepared mustard

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

Saute onions, garlic, parsley and oregano in butter. Set aside. Mix remaining ingredients together and add sauteed onions and garlic.

1 pkg of phyllo pastry, usually in the frozen foods section, but must be defrosted in the fridge for 4-6 hours before use. When working with phyllo, make sure you keep the reserve covered with a slightly damp towell, otherwise it will dry out very quickly. Place one sheet of phyllo on working surface then brush with melted butter or Pam spray and layer a second sheet directly on top. Cut into four equal strips. At the end of each strip palce about 1tbsp of filling. Then fold down the strip in a triangle shape back and forth, over and over. Place on a baking sheet and brush top with butter or Pam spray.

Bake at 375 for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and plump. Serve warm with tzatziki dip.

Pumpkin Cake

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cloves

1 cup oil

1 (16 oz) can pumpkin or 2 cups

4 eggs

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease baking pan. Combine dry ingredients, then add remaining ingredients and mix until moistened. Pour into greased pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Notes: We were generous with spice amounts. Also, we cut back on oil to about 1/2 cup, and reduced eggs to 3 and added homemade applesauce until consistency was right.

Frosting

Although this cake is excellent with a cream cheese frosting, we prefer this lowfat alternative for both its taste and reduced calories.

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 tbsp margarine or butter, softened

1/2 tsp vanilla

2-3 tbsp plain yogurt

Combine frosting ingredients adding enough yogurt for desired consistency for spreading over cake. Beat until smooth. Frost cooled cake. Sprinkle with nutmeg.

Thanks

We just want to thank everyone that attended our Greek Benefit dinner as well as those that were unable to attend but still contributed to our fund. We also want to thank everyone who helped with decorating, last minute cooking and preparations as well as our speakers Nicole and Rima.

Now, preparations are underway for our support group for Moms of Infant Loss. We will be meeting in January in Abbotsford on a weekly basis for 10 weeks. Part of our sessions will be to help Moms make memory books of their babies. This is something that we feel we all want, but it is also overwhelming for several reasons. Not all of us are creatively gifted. For some, the financial reasons might be constricting and for others, it's just too hard to sit down and go through all of the tangible memories of such a loss all alone.

If you, or someone you know is interested, please contact us for more information by commenting to a post or using the "contact us" form at the bottom of the blog page.

Gettings Ready

Well the preparations were well under way for the 2009 Bonk's Blessing Greek Benefit Dinner when I arrived at Kim's house on Saturday, November 1st. Kim and Jen had been cooking for weeks. There were 12 trays of Moussaka, lots of hummus, and 400 spanakopitas that had already been made. Still to be done was an amazing list of of remaining items to complete for the dinner:

1. Make 12 Pumpkin cakes
2. Make frosting
3. Make Apricot Almond Salad
4. Make Greek Salad
5. Make Greek Rice
6. Make Greek Potatoes
7. Make Tzatziki sauce
   
8. Make table centerpiece
   
9. Make flower arrangements
10. Set up and decorate the hall for the dinner

The dueling mixers.

There were many other finishing touches as well.... But as you can see there was a mountain of work still to be done.

Shawna working on Centerpiece.

Saturday night we worked on centerpieces until we were too tired to focus.

Sunday morning there was a mixer dual under way as Kim and Jen made and baked the 12 cakes. It was a big task and you can only imagine the wonderful aroma coming from the ovens.

Baking under way!

Finally when all these tings were done we sat back and and let the event take place. Chad started out the event with an wonderful warm welcome speaking about "connections" and Pastor Dave had the Blessing then dinner was served.

Table is set!

After dinner Nicole Giesbrecht took the stage and gave a great talk about grief and the stages of grieving, and what to do or say when you want help others who are grieving. Her talk was so informative that we will work on sharing some of her information on another post.

Dessert was served and Rima took the stage and talked about her role as a photographer with the "Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep" foundation. She had such a moving talk about why it is so important to be able to offer families photos to remember their babies that they love. These photos are lovingly retouched and edited for the families so that they have photos that they are comfortable sharing with others who want to know and remember their child. Amidst all the grief babies are precious and should be remembered in a beautiful and loving way and that is what these photographers provide families.

Beautiful quotes from the evening.

I felt such warmth and friendship amongst the crowd most of whom did not know each other except for their connection to Kim, Chad and baby Bonk. I am sure there were some apprehensions for some prior to attending an event for a cause as personal and tragic as infant loss. I feel that despite tears that were shed at the event, that everyone left with a better understanding of this loss and how to better support the families and remember their child in their time of grief.

2009 Greek Benefit Dinner

If you have received an invitation to the Greek Benefit Dinner and you are able to attend please remember to RSVP by Oct 23. RSVP to the number provided on the invitation or by email to by clicking on the Contact Us form at bottom or left hand side of this page.

Invitation Only Benefit Dinner: Monday, November 2, 2009 at 6:00 pm
Cost: $30 per person/ $15 per child.
Payment can be made by cash, cheque or credit card. Tax deductible receipts are available upon request.

Dinner will be held at:
Aldergrove Seventh-day Adventist Church, Fireside Room
26245 28th Avenue
Aldergrove, B.C

We are looking forward to seeing those of you who will be able to attend.

Bonk's Blessing

We chose to start a support Group for mothers Grieving the loss of an infant. This is something close to both of our hearts. "Bonk's Blessing" is the name we have given our project which will fund the support group and donate to the Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Foundation (nilmdts.org).

The Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Foundation is a volunteer service to grieving parents who have lost an infant. They provide professional photographers who attend the hospital at the time of loss to capture memories of their precious babies. The photographs are given to the families at no cost.


To learn more about our work with Bonk's Blessings please feel to leave comments here at our blog or share your stories with us by emailing us using the "Contact Us" button the left of the page .