This is for folks who live in Allen and surrounding communities. Pack a picnic and join us for a FREE family adventure celebrating the great outdoors and a healthy community. Saturday, April 1 10 am - 2 pm Unplug on a nature walk, dig for dinosaur bones, explore the creek and learn gardening tips at the beautiful Dayspring Nature Preserve adjacent to Boon Elementary, 1050 Comanche Dr., Allen 75013. Parking is available at Boon Elementary. This event is sponsored by Keep Allen Beautiful, Foundation for Allen Schools and the City of Allen.

Local (and Lars) - I made small mushroom tarts from this recipe. this one by Michael Chiarello and they were excellent! I will definitely make them again. SueB, Love the pasta salad. I made it the night before (left some ingred out so they would not get soggy). I think if I were to do it in advance again, id make extra vinaigrette ... the pasta always soaks it up. Great dish. And i loved the fruit salad with cake croutons! Just the right degree of sinful. Not from this lunch, but thought id post it here...I had this dish at a restaurant recently and it was excellent. They used more blue cheese (just crumbled), cand ut the asparagus into bite size pieces. But, yum. CALIFORNIA ASPARAGUS WITH BLUE CHEESE AND PINE NUTS 15MINDURATION 10MINCOOK TIME 5MINPREP TIME 6 SERVINGSSERVINGS INGREDIENTS 1-1/2 tablespoon red or white wine vinegar 1-1/2 teaspoon finely chopped shallot salt as needed 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil 1-1/2 lb. California asparagus, trimmed 3 oz. firm blue cheese, chilled 3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted PREPARATION PREPARATION 1 To make vinaigrette, mix vinegar, shallot, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Whisk in oil; reserve. 2 Blanch asparagus in a frying pan large enough to hold asparagus in one layer. 3 Bring approximately 3 inches of water to a boil. Stir in 1 tablespoon salt. Add asparagus. Cook at a medium boil until fork tender, about 3 minutes, depending on thickness. Drain on paper towel; cool. 4 Recipe can be made ahead to this point. Refrigerate vinaigrette and cooled asparagus, tightly sealed, if serving more than 2 hours later. Return to room temperature before continuing. 5 To assemble, arrange asparagus on a platter; drizzle with vinaigrette. Roll spears to coat with vinaigrette. Shred cheese onto a piece of wax paper, using the small holes of a shredder. 6 Evenly sprinkle shredded cheese over asparagus; scatter pine nuts over cheese.

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I am having a small get together next weekend on the Sunday at lunchtime, hopefully outside. It’s sort of an early family Christmas because others in the family will be going away. There will be 12-14 adults with two small children and a baby. I’ve been thinking and planning what to do and have changed my mind a couple of times. At the moment I’m thinking for a starter I will make a tray of hors d’ oeuvres consisting of smoked salmon on cucumber, rare roast beef on pumpernickel labneh balls rolled in dill and sesame seeds My stepdaughter will take the tray around to serve the others while all having a drink and chatting. For the main course I was thinking of making a cold meat platter with rolled ham slices, prosciutto, salami and mortadella A large turned out Russian salad A tomato, red pimento and green split olive salad Small dinner rolls Some flat bread (I’ll buy these both) DH will cook some sausages on the BarBQ… perhaps this isn’t necessary. A small plate of organic chicken nuggets for the children. For Dessert I will buy a couple cakes from the bakery and decorate them with raspberries. Have a bowl of whipped cream available. I thought I’d have tables for sitting and eating in the garden but the food at a self serve buffet inside.Bread, cutlery and condiments out on the table(s) What do you think??? What have I missed.???