My friend Nancy brought about 20 of these over on Sunday - individually wrapped squares of baklava, a heavenly treat for our IPG gathering. 
We hosted another IPG weekend in our home, with about 25 Baha'is attending. Some of our little friends slept...like Mindy here. Shadie is on the left, and Krissie. She and I spent part of Sunday afternoon visiting families on M Street.
The others, like Lillian here, were busy receiving assignments from Jeff, so they could street-teach. It was a perfect afternoon, sunny and warm, and families were out in their yards or on the front porch. Chris and I did a home visit with a new mother of twins, her sister Pi (a Baha'i), and Kim, the grandmother. It was so enjoyable visiting at their kitchen table. Pi and Kim will be attending our Ruhi Study Circle on Friday.
Both days were filled with the intensity and joy of teaching the Faith, meeting wonderful new people in the neighborhood, and working together to accomplish important goals. Although I went out both days with the friends, I spent most of my time in the kitchen. I figure we provided about 90 servings for the four meals, with my friend Claire bringing the main courses for dinner. She made a heafty beef stew for Saturday night and two trays of enchiladas for Sunday. I could not have pulled off the meals over the weekend without her! We worked as a team to get everything done.Some of the friends brought desserts and treats, fruit and nuts.
Pictured here: cornbread, coconut-coffee cake; zucchini bread.I provided soup and salads, much of it using produce from my garden - tomatoes, squash, zucchini, leeks, celery and onions, potatoes, carrots, kale, broccolini, arugula and fresh herbs. On Saturday I made a 'Carrot-Squash Soup'with fresh ground ginger, a dash of curry and tumeric, coconut milk, and all kinds of chopped veggies.
I counted 10 different vegetables in this soup, much of it pulled at the end of the growing season, so I called it my 'Gleanings Soup'. I served Brushetta toasts with it. These are slices of bread that are brushed with olive oil and fresh garlic, broiled, then a layer of brushetta and cheese is added. Broil again. 
This salad had a wild huckleberry dressing. I mixed balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar and olive oil together with pepper and garlic, then added a little huckleberry juice. It was so wonderfully light, with just a hint of sweetness. Finely chopped oregano seed-heads and flowers added additional flavor to the salad. I experimented with a 'Kale-Leek Soup' for Sunday lunch. (no photo available, but this photo is similar; a rustic potato soup by Fishlamp).Hearty with a bit of sliced pork, flavored with collard greens, carrots and onions, yellow zucchini, white beans and lentils. Rather than add milk or cream to thicken it I blenderized some boiled potatoes.
Tomatoes in red wine vinegar, olive oil, and huckleberry juice. 
Leeks and other veggies in a Tuscan Italian dressing. 
My finely shredded arugula, which was the base for all the vegetable toppings. Arugula is an 'acquired taste', strong, almost bitter. It is so nutritious! 
And, least I forget, this was the pizza I served at Taraz's party Friday night. Shredded phyllo dough on top, then sprayed with olive oil and baked. Only a little cheese topping is necessary with this phyllo topping. 
And, my huckleberry pie.In my comments on the last post Jen wanted to know how to start up a zest for cooking, and I really had to admit that I just 'play', then take a photo! Of course there is a lot of work involved, and taking time to study a few cookbooks. But to attain a level of consecration that is necessary in serious undertakings I recommended that she rent the movie "Babette's Feast", a favorite of mine.
When my weekend was over and the friends were gone, I looked around my kitchen.
It had been such a hub of activity, savory smells, and so much fun. Now it was dark and quiet, and I had only a few potatoes left that didn't get used. I lit this little candle, grateful that everything went well, that people were nourished and enriched in so many ways.
