"fundraiser" news and stories

Where do pro linebackers and pro chefs on the line meet? At the Taste of the NFL event, which this year celebrates its 20th anniversary of cooking up a dinner of regional specialties, talking football, and raising funds for hunger-relief organizations. (So far, "Taste" has given local and national food banks more than $10 million.) This year's bash, to be held on February 5th, at the Forth Worth Convention Center, features chefs and players who have been with Taste of the NFL from the very beginning: "Top Chef" judge Tom Colicchio (above left), Olives' Todd English (above right) and "father of southwestern cuisine" and James Beard Award winner Stephan Pyles, among them.

Players like Hall of Famers Floyd Little (Denver Broncos), Bobby Mitchell (Cleveland Browns) and Jan Stenerud (Kansas City Chiefs, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings) have also been with Taste of the NFL since its first dinner in 1992, and will join the inaugural chefs to kick off the party.

Plus, there will be 32 more chefs at the event, one from each of the NFL cities, along with a player rep. Each chef will cook up signature dishes, and the players will chip in. Let's hope Chef Tom doesn't make this into a Quickfire event. Would you want to run up against the former Eagles' offensive tackle Jerry Sisemore in the walk-in, and fight over the last rib?

For ticket information and more details, visit TasteoftheNFL.com.

Arizona scouts looking to attend the 100th Anniversary National Scout Jamboree next summer will be getting a hand from Del Taco, QSRMagazine.com reports.

The restaurant chain announced its Phoenix-area Del Taco restaurants will raise money to help more than 430 local scouts attend the jamboree next July in Fort A.P. Hill, Va., by donating 20 percent of sale proceeds from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Oct. 21 and 29 and Nov. 4 and 11. Customers need to present fundraiser flyers available here when ordering.

"Next year's centennial Jamboree marks a historic and important milestone for the Boy Scouts of America," Jamboree scoutmaster Keith Woods told the magazine. "This will be an exciting opportunity for our local scouts to be part of a huge celebration. We appreciate everything Del Taco is doing to make this trip happen."

[Via QSRMagazine.com.]

My great-grandfather was a musician who immigrated to the United States from the Ukraine sometime in the early days of the 20th century. He made his way to Philadelphia, established himself as a music teacher and eventually won a seat in the violin section of the Philadelphia Orchestra. He played with them until his death in 1919, at the tail-end of the flu pandemic. This might be far more information than is necessary for a Cookbook of the Day post, but it gives you some valuable information as to why I have a copy of the Philadelphia Orchestra Cookbook.

This book doesn't date back to my great-grandfather's days, but because of the connection, my grandmother supported the Orchestra during her later years, attending concerts, galas and always participating in fundraisers. I'm assuming that her inability to say no to anything having to do with the Orchestra is why this particular cookbook has been on the living room shelves since I was a year old.

You're probably thinking, "Enough already, Marisa. Tell us if this cookbook is actually useful when it comes to cooking and time in the kitchen." Shockingly enough, this is actually one of the more helpful community cookbooks I've come across in my travels (and I've seen more than my fair share of community cookbooks). It always offers guidance on whether the recipe is one that can be prepped ahead of time, whether it can be frozen and if the level of skill required is basic, medium or advanced. It does have its share of scary Jell-O "salads" but also contains recipes for Spinach Tarts, a delicious-sounded Dilled Pea Salad and a helpful guide that advises on how much meat and fish to buy per person for your dinner parties.

Source