Peaky Striders Newsletter April 2015

__________________________________________________ HEADLINES – CLUB IN TURMOIL

GARCIA HAS BEEN SEEN LIVING IT UP NOW THAT SHE HAS RETIRED FROM THE COMMITTEE!

…. . O.K. Well that seems a bit dramatic but never the less Sue has left big shoes to fill and I hope I can do as good a job. I know I have done it before but that was 15 years ago and I might take a few months to get back my mojo back (love that word!!). Be patient folks, I will do my best to bring you the news as it happens and all the goss! Thanks again Sue for your huge contribution and enjoy club committee retirement. GASTRONOMIC POWER COUPLE EXIT “VIA THE PUB”… After 6 years of guiding Peakies through a myriad of pubs, cafes, restaurants and wineries Patsy and Glenn have handed over the role of Social Secretary to Gail and Barbara. It seems to me that if Patsy and Glenn decided to quit the corporate world they would do very well running their own food and wine establishment. Great fun guys, thanks for the kilos!!

A warm welcome to the front bench to Barbara and Gail. I have a feeling these two good time girls are going to have us saying “STOP, WE CAN’T TAKE ANYMORE”. Put on your parachutes Peakies, we are in for a wild ride.

BARBARA SEAGER

GAIL BROWN

THE QUARTER PAST.. AGM, March 19 2015 Once again a great roll up to this annual event held at Peaky Central (the room behind reception at Masos for those who don’t know). The reports from each of the committee members were read and accepted and it seems as a club we just go from strength to strength. The meeting was followed by gourmet sangers and homemade cakes. Thanks to those who contributed, you DONE GOOD. The Elected Committee for 2015 is: Terrie Spence – President Diane Craven – Secretary Maureen Connelly – Treasurer Robyn Sullivan- Publicity Officer/Walk co-ordinator Barbara Seager & Gail Brow – Social Secretary(s) Anne Wilson & Jan Coghlan – Uniform Coordinators Cheryl Lucas – Saturday Refreshments Coordinator

The New committee take their seats

FREE WALKS FOR APRIL Elizabeth Whitcombe has won the free walks for April. O.K. Liz, that’s one glass of Sangria in Spain taken care of!!

CANBERRA WEEKEND MARCH 27 - 29

Report on Canberra Weekend from Anne W, Jen, Lynne and Jan. A wild and woolly group of Peakies headed off to Canberra for the annual walking weekend - Anne W, Annetta, Brian, Di, Glenn, Jan, Janene, Jen, Jenny, Lynne, Maureen, Patsy. Everyone enjoyed their various walks on two beautiful Canberra autumn mornings. We started the weekend with drinks and nibbles at the Craven/Williams apartment before heading to Tongue and Groove pub where good food, wine and company were enjoyed along with the odd laugh, of course. We finished off at Cream for more wine and/or coffee and cake to ensure we had sufficient carbs

to sustain us for the walk next morning. Our bodies sizzled in the heated hotel pool after Saturday's walk. A lot of us looked like we belonged at the Marigold Hotel! Saturday evening was enjoyed with more wine, nibbles and pizza again in C/W apartment where liquids and carbs were replenished. The bodies were very weary and all had a seniors' early night. The Medina Apartments got the tick of approval for the weekend. Quote of the Weekend: "Can you just wait until I tuck all my fat in". Congratulations to the following for their well earned 5 year pin Plus a late award to Jean Facey

Gail Brown Shirley Carr

Tom Carr Jennie Davie

Kate Horn Jennie Howard

Michael Korfias Barbara Seager

Tom Jean

COMING UP................

Easter Saturday 4th April – KYLE BAY After our Saturday morning walk, we’ll have new hiding spots for our Easter egg hunt followed by hot x buns and a cuppa. PLEASE NOTE: the cost of morning tea will be $2 instead of the normal $1. I know this will mean cutting back on meals for the rest of the week but the hot cross buns and easter eggs will be worth it. A WORD FROM OUR REFRESHMENTS COORDINATOR…… Cheryl would like to reinforce to members that are on the morning tea roster not to spend any more than $15 to $20 on morning tea, any more than that they will have to bear the cost to themselves. Here are some suggestions: Scones, bread, pikelets anything savoury or tea cake. Try and do a mix of sweet and savoury as there are those that do not have a sweet tooth. For those who have not done morning tea before the above information may help. Easter Social Walk – Monday April 6 Walk-Eat-Ride. Town Hall to Lavender Bay Lunch at Kirrabilli Club – 12 noon This is a 5km walk including Harbour Bridge and Wendy Whitely’s Secret Garden. Meet Mortdale Station for 7.56am train. Bring morning tea. (Try the recipes attached) Please RSVP to Gail Brown or Barbara Seager by 2nd April. See email/flyer for full details

MOTHER'S DAY CLASSIC –Sunday May 10 Where: The Domain, Art Gallery Road, Sydney For Details go to: www.mothersdayclassic.com.au Mother’s Day Classic 8km Fun Run starting at the Domain 7.50am. This event raises money for breast cancer research and we will enter the 8km run, as we are as fast as some of the runners and it deters the strollers being amongst the runners etc. For those who want to enter the Walk section this year it is a 7km walk (not 8km) because of road works and start time is 8.50am. Enter online at www.mothersdayclassic.org and enter Peaky Striders as the team name on entry form. Early bird entry fee for RUNNERS is $50 for adults & $30 concession. For WALKERS in the 7km walk, entry fee is $45 for early bird & $25 concession We meet at Mortdale Station and go into the city by train - more details available soon. MS WALK- Sunday May 31 Where: Cathy Freeman Park (The Overflow) Sydney Olympic Park For details go to: www.mswalk.org.au/nsw QUEENS BIRTHDAY WEEKEND – Monday 8 June TBA. Please mark in your diaries. BERRY WEEKEND 13 – JUNE 2015 Lots of excitement looming for this weekend with the organizers keeping all under their hats of what to expect. Carol Hamilton has a sinister chuckle everytime the weekend is mentioned. I think I will be glad to be out of the country!!! Please contact the organizers i.e. Carol Hamilton or Denise Bloomfield if You are interested in going. SUTHERLAND TO SURF – 19 July 2015 More information as it comes to hand but please diarise as this is a great day. CITY TO SURF – August 9 2015 *You can only enter online. *If you enter before March 25 your bib will be posted otherwise pick up from Expo at Royal Hall of Industries, Moore Park. Entre Fees: *Up till April 10 - $65 *April 11 till May 27 - $75 *May 28 till July 29 - $80 *Late entry - $85 visit www.city2surf.com.au. Details of our

arrangements for the day will be available later.

Melbourne Weekend 16th to 19th October 2015 Once again we are planning on entering the 10k fun run as part of the Melbourne Marathon on Sunday 18th October 2015. We plan to fly to Melbourne on Friday 16th October stay 3 nights in apartments in the Melbourne CBD, last year Quest on Dorcas. Explore city Saturday, walk 10kms Sunday and a full day outing on Monday 19th before flying home Sunday evening. Early bird entry fees $60 now open to 30th June 2015 after reverts to $80. More details will be available shortly, however please show “expression of interest” to Barb or Gail by Easter which will assist us with planning. LIGHTS & TORCHES As the nights are getting dark, would all members please wear a flashing band or light and carry a torch so we are clearly visible to the traffic and to help on uneven footpaths and road surfaces. Where possible, please walk on the footpath and be mindful that the footpath is for all to share so please step to the side if others are wanting to get past.

PKR – (Peaky Kitchen Rules) Due to popular request, here’s Jen Howard’s delicious Zuccini & Walnut Loaf she made for one of our Saturday walks! ZUCCHINI & WALNUT LOAF

TOTAL TIME 1hr 20mins PREP 20 mins COOK 1 hr This is the best Zucchini Nut Bread I have ever had and the only one I will make. It's from "Country Fair Cookbook" All recipes in this book are Blue Ribbon winners from fairs around America prior to it's publication in 1975. Wrap and refrigerate overnight to allow the flavor to mellow. I have also made this as muffins. Just lower the temperature. Now that I live in Australia I make this using the Aussie measuring cups and spoons and it turns out fine. I've also made it with half carrot and half zucchini. And other times I've used half wholewheat flour and half plain, just for a change and it works well too. INGREDIENTS Nutrition Servings 16 Yields 2 loaves

• 3 cups sifted plain flour • 1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground cinnamon • 1 teaspoon baking soda • 1 teaspoon salt • 1⁄4 teaspoon baking powder • 3 eggs • 2 cups sugar • 1 cup cooking oil • 1 tablespoon vanilla (this is correct) • 2 cups grated unpared zucchini • 1⁄2 cup chopped walnuts • 1 teaspoon flour

DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). 2. Sift together plain flour, cinnamon, baking

soda, salt and baking powder. 3. Beat eggs well. 4. Gradually add sugar and oil, beat together

well.

5. Add vanilla and dry ingredients from above blend well.

6. Stir in the zucchini. 7. Combine walnuts and 1 tsp of flour, stir this

into the batter. 8. Pour batter between two 2 greased (I use

baking paper) 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" x 2 1/2" loaf tins.

9. Bake for 1 hour or till tests done (skewer poked in the middle comes out clean).

10. Cool in tins on racks for 10 minutes before removing from tins, cool on racks.

SOMETHING FOR ANZAC DAY.... CHEWY ANZACS WITH FRUIT AND NUTS Ingredients Serves makes approx 24

• 1 cup (160g) organic whole meal or plain flour, sifted

• 1 cup (90g) rolled oats • Generous pinch of salt • 1 cup (75g) shredded or desiccated coconut • 1 ½ cups (225g) chopped dried apricots or

dried Turkish style figs • ¾ cup (120g) chopped pecans or almonds • ¾ cup (165g) brown sugar • 135g unsalted butter • 2 tablespoons golden syrup • 2 ½ tablespoons water • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1. Preheat oven to 160ºC (150ºC fan-forced). 2. In a medium to large mixing bowl combine

flour, oats, salt, coconut, apricots, nuts and sugar together. Give them a quick mix with a wooden spoon and set aside.

3. In a small saucepan, melt butter, golden syrup and water and stir mixture until nicely combined. Remove from stove and add the bicarbonate of soda. This will fizz a little - don’t be worried. Add this to the dry mixture and with a wooden spoon mix until all the ingredients are well incorporated.

4. Roll heaped teaspoons of mixture into balls and then press gently with a fork to flatten the biscuits slightly. Space them about 4cm apart on baking trays lined with parchment and bake for about 10 minutes or until golden.

5. Allow to rest for 5 minutes on the tray before transferring onto a cooling rack.

6. These are a chewy style of biscuit so they will be quite soft when just out of the oven and will fall apart if you try to pick them up immediately but if you are a piggy you will do it anyway!

7. They will keep up to 2 weeks in an airtight container and freeze very well.

SOMETHING TO LEAVE YOU LAUGHING!!!

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!!! Visit us at: www. peakystriders.org.au