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Lifestyles

Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons hosted by Alliance Data next Monday!

by Sharon Adams

Mon, Apr 28, 2008, 11:52 AM

“Oh, What A Night” this will be for all of us!

Tickets are now on sale for the Monday, May 5^th Concert
Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons hosted by Alliance Data
benefiting Special Care & Career Services

(April 15, 2008) Make plans now with friends to join in the fun at the Monday, May 5^th concert, A Special Evening with Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons hosted by Alliance Data benefitting Special Care & Career Services! “Oh, What A Night” this will be for all of us!

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Curtain Call 2008 presented by Comerica Bank benefits Dallas Summer Musicals

by Sharon Adams

Wed, Feb 13, 2008, 04:35 PM

Michael Feinstein and Linda Eder featured Entertainers for the Dallas Summer Musicals Curtain Call 2008 presented by Comerica Bank

Sally and Forrest Hoglund, Honorary Chairs
Wendy Walker and Robert Witte, Co-chairs

Grammy-nominated performer, composer and arranger Michael Feinstein and Jekyll & Hyde Broadway star Linda Eder will provide the featured entertainment for Dallas Summer Musicals’ annual Curtain Call Gala on Saturday, February 16, 2008 in the Chantilly Ballroom at the Hilton Anatole Hotel.

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Huge Hit Chinese Opera Coming to Dallas: Farewell My Concubine

by Sharon Adams

Mon, Jan 28, 2008, 12:09 PM

Farewell My Concubine is on its USA Premiere tour, stopping in Dallas February 5 and 6 at the Eisemann Center in Richardson. This intimate venue thrusts the audience into the emotions and scenes of this classic tragic love story.

Dallas Community Partner Sponsorships and Beneficiaries:

Emily Kuo Vuong, producer, is pleased to announce two beneficiaries of the Dallas performances:
1. The Dallas County Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure has been designated as a beneficiary of the events. A portion of the ticket proceeds will be donated to help with the fight against breast cancer.

2. Special Care & Career Services has also been named as a beneficiary. A portion of the ticket proceeds will be donated to assist the agency in continuing its 45‑year mission to build independence for children and adults with developmental disabilities.

We also invite the community to participate in “Farewell My Concubine” through Community Partner sponsorships which benefit the CAICE Foundation. These Community Partner sponsorships are at two levels, $2,000 and $1,000. Benefits include Platinum VIP or Premiere seating for two, invitations and admission to the opening night VIP post performance party and more. A portion of the donations are tax deductible. Sponsorship information is here.

Purchase tickets: Use code SOWH

Google "Farewell My Concubine" and find all sorts of fabulous reviews from Washington DC, San Francisco and more.

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Mardi Gras Masquerade benefiting American Red Cross - Dallas Area Chapter

by Sharon Adams

Sun, Jan 20, 2008, 02:40 PM

The American Red Cross - Dallas Area Chapter needs your donations now. Read Kim Horner's article in The Dallas Morning News: North Texas Red Cross chapters face budget shortfall

This Saturday night is an absolutely fun party benefiting the ARC Dallas Area Chapter. Join in the fun and help keep the agency afloat. You never know when disaster strikes, any of us could be the one in need.

So, wear your masquerade mask and join in the excitement and glamour of Mardi Gras Masquerade Ball 2008!

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Spiced Cranberry-Pear Tart

by Sandra Lewis

Mon, Jan 7, 2008, 09:03 AM

Good things do come in small packages.

Especially the kind that is smaller than a marble, bounces when ripe, and matures to a brilliant ruby color.

It’s the cranberry and it’s packed with more flavonoids per fresh weight than 20 other common fruit.

This means that this tiny jewel of a fruit is an important source of anti-cancer fighting nutrients and antioxidants. Cranberries are also loaded with proanthocyanidins (PACs) that have an “anti-adhesion” effect on bacteria in the body which can help prevent urinary tract infections, periodontal disease, and some stomach ulcers.

Wow, all this without a visit to the doctor or health food store.

Interestingly, the cranberry along with the blueberry and Concord grape are the only commercially-important fruits native to North America. The grapefruit originated in Barbados (sorry, Texas) and the peach is native to China (that one hurts, Georgia).

Of course, Native Americans believed in the benefits of cranberries a long time ago and used them for a variety of medicinal and other purposes.

Glad we’re catching on.

Sadly, cranberry production in the United States still outstrips demand. Not surprising though given our American penchant for food pre-prepared, pre-packaged, or purchased in a drive through.

With a harvest season that begins in September, fresh cranberries don’t last much on the shelves past January so I take full advantage. New Year’s day I whipped up a cranberry-pear tart and fresh cranberry sauce as a part of my celebratory meal for family and friends. There wasn't enough left of either following our mid-day gathering to qualify as "leftovers."

Ocean Spray, the largest producer of canned and bottled juice drinks in North America, calls the cranberry the “Wonderberry” for all its nutritional and health benefits.

I simply call this little dynamo of a berry wonderful.

You still have time to grab a bag of fresh cranberries for this wonderful tart. Frozen cranberries will work as well.

Spiced Cranberry-Pear Tart

Pistachio Sugar
1/2 cup unsalted natural pistachios
1/3 cup sugar

Crust
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 tablespoons powered sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons (or more) ice water

Pear Filling
3 cups dry red wine
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon (packed) finely grated lemon peel
6 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick (broken in half)
4 large slightly underripe Bosc pears (about 2 1/2 pounds), peeled, halved, cored, each half cut into 3 long wedges
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries

1 tablespoon chopped unsalted natural pistachios

For Pistachio Sugar: Combine 1/2 cup pistachios and 1/3 cup sugar in processor and blend until pistachios are chopped.

For Crust: Blend flour sugar, salt in processor. Add butter, pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 2 tablespoons ice water; pulse until mixture begins to clump, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if dry. Gather into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill overnight.

Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 13-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Trim overhang to 3/4 inch. Fold in and press, forming double-thick sides. Pierce all over with fork. Chill 30 minutes, then freeze 15 minutes.

Position rack in center of voen and preheat to 400 degrees. Back crust until golden, piercing with fork if crust bubbles, about 30 minutes. Cool on rack.

For Pear Filling: Combine first 7 ingredients in large skillet; bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add pears; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer until pears are tender when pierced with knife, turning occasionally, 15 to 20 minutes depending on ripeness. Using slotted spoon, transfer pears to 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish in single layer. Add cranberries to liquid in skillet; simmer until berries begin to soften but remain intact, about 4 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer cranberries to plate in single layer. Cover, chill at least 3 hour. Boil poaching liquid in skillet until reduced to 1 1/4 cups, stirring often, about 10 minutes.

Drain pears on paper towels 10 minutes. Brush bottom of crust with 2 tablespoons poaching syrup; sprinkle pistachio sugar over. Starting at outer crust, arrange pears closely in starburst pattern with stem ends toward center. Arrange remaining pears in center. Brush pears lightly with some of the syrup. Toss cranberries with 1 tablespoon syrup; scatter over pears. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon chopped pistachios.

Sandra's Cooking Notes:
- I made this in a pie pan as my tart pan was already occupied by a dark chocolate tart with a gingersnap crust. It didn't affect the taste but I would have preferred to have had more room to fan out the pears purely for presentation.
- Several people commented about how good the crust was. This was the first crust that I've made with powdered sugar. Maybe this was the secret or I'm just particularly skillful at making crust late on New Year's Eve.

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