MOMS Club of East Nashville, TN

2012-02-04T08:42:00.000-08:00

Friday, February 10th at 3:30. Email for more info and we'll look forward to seeing you there.

MOMS Club of East Nashville to divide into three chapters

2011-03-30T15:02:00.000-07:00

This summer, the MOMS Club of East Nashville will divide into three distinct chapters. Executive Boards for each new chapter are being elected during our June business meeting and nominations are currently being sought. Please refer to the map below for the new chapter boundaries and we hope you find many ways to give and receive support through this wonderful organization as it continues to grow and change.

Red = Eastwood/West

Blue = Lockeland

Green = Inglewood/ Fortland Farms/ Rosebank

Looking forward to Valentines Day...

2011-01-31T08:40:00.000-08:00

Last year the MOMS Club of East Nashville helped put together a Valentines Dance that was open to East Nashville parents, giving both moms and dads a chance to share some holiday fun and love with their kids. As we approach February again, and work on planning this year's dance, several moms in our club sent emails around to everyone reflecting on how much fun they had at last year's dance. I've asked their permission to share their experiences on our website.

Last year's Valentine's Dance was such a sweet and special event! Reagan and I enjoyed creating a special valentine card for Dad! We giggled at each other after our faces were painted with red hearts! I admit, although I let Reagan have WAY too many baked treats, I justified it with all the dancing we did on the dance floor with his friends and other parents! It was a blast! Reagan and I made a memory together that afternoon that I will never forget. Oh, and as a side note, this was my first exposure to MOMS Club. I had no idea such an organization existed in the neighborhood!
--Kelly, MOMS Club Member

I can also speak to the memories made at the dance last year. My personal favorites are dancing with my then 9 month old. And, having my three year old come up to me saying the DJ was going to play Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers. I was sure he was just being hopeful but, sure enough, Free Fallin' was the next song played. Apparently, that was the day my son learned how to make a request!
--Alice, MOMS Club Member

Pizza Club

2010-04-23T20:22:00.000-07:00

Pizza club became a fast favorite of mine soon after joining MOMS Club. And I know it is the favorite event of most of the husbands, who enjoy eating the pizzas we Mamas make and bring home. The host brings the crust, and all the mamas collaborate pot-luck style to provide a huge array of pizza making supplies from cheese to sauce to tasty toppings. Toppings usually include classics like sausage, pepperoni and mushrooms, to more innovative fare, like roasted broccoli, kale, or pineapple. It is just a lot of fun to shoot the breeze with all the mamas, watch the kiddos play together, and manage to throw together a quick, inexpensive, and tasty dinner. Take your masterpiece home, bake it, and presto! dinner.

MOMS Club Elections coming up soon!

2010-04-07T08:46:00.000-07:00

All board positions are opening up this year as those who have served our club in this way move on to serving in new ways. To help all our members understand the official roles of the Executive Board officers, following are “job descriptions” for each position as written in our by-laws:

PRESIDENT
The duties of the President shall be:
a) To preside at meetings;
b) To act as liaison with other organizations and the community;
c) To organize the local group’s activities with the help of the Administrative Vice President and the Executive Board;
d) To act as liaison between the local support group and the MOMS Club corporation and to be responsible for preparing and presenting any reports on the local group’s activities as may be required by the corporation.

ADMINISTRATIVE VICE PRESIDENT
The duties of the Administrative Vice
President shall be:
a) To assist the President in fulfilling her duties of office;
b) To assume the duties of President when she is not available;
c) To coordinate the service project [as specified in the by-laws].

MEMBERSHIP VICE PRESIDENT
The duties of the Membership
Vice President shall be:
a) To promote membership in the group;
b) To publicize the group in the community, and to coordinate such publicity with the President who is the group’s liaison with the community;
c) To assist the Treasurer in the collecting of dues;
d) To coordinate hospitality at the meetings.

SECRETARY
The duties of the Secretary shall be:
a) To compile a roster of all members to be distributed at least once a year;
b) To coordinate or prepare any correspondence necessary for the support group in cooperation with the President;
c) To take minutes of business, special and Executive Board meetings, and to keep these minutes in a notebook available for review by members and the Executive Board.

TREASURER
The duties of the Treasurer shall be:
a) To be responsible for all funds of the group, and to deposit all such funds in the name of the group in such banks, trust companies, or other depositories as shall be selected by the Executive Board;
b) To maintain financial records of the group and to keep those records available for review by the President, the Executive Board, the local group members and the MOMS Club corporation;
c) To receive and legally disperse any funds as directed by the Executive Board, and to give proper vouchers and receipts for any transactions;
d) To prepare and present a financial report to the Executive Board and members of the group at least once a year, and to prepare any other financial reports as may be required by the Executive Board or the MOMS Club corporation.

Do you think you'd be great at one of these positions? Contact a member of our Nominating Committee to let us know by April 21st. (Please see the member roster for committee member's contact information.) The ballots will be finalized after our May meeting, with Elections held in June.

Easter Egg Hunt - a service project for Renewal House

2010-03-27T12:09:00.000-07:00

Sunday, March 28th MOMS Club of East Nashville, TN will host an Easter Egg hunt for the children and families staying at Renewal house. This should be a relatively low key and fun event to bring some smiles to the kids staying at Renewal House while their moms complete substance abuse treatment. Egg hunting, crafts, face painting, and egg races are scheduled. We'll be there rain or shine! All members welcome!

Valentine's Dance Fundraiser a sucess!

2010-03-27T12:03:00.000-07:00

(a note from our current MOMS Club President)

Congratulations on a fun and successful Valentine's Dance! Aside from lots of positive feedback, here are some awesome numbers for you:

* 32 Members attended, bringing with them 40 children, and 13 other family members

* 78 Guests from our community were counted at the event, for

* A total attendance of 163

* Over 85 hours were volunteered by members the day of the event, plus countless more beforehand in planning, preparations, errands, and in our sweet-smelling kitchens

* DJ services by DJ Jazzy Jesse, 50 helium balloons from Trader Joe's, and $20 in paper products from Kroger, were all provided free of charge

* $305.00 was raised at the door in admissions and donations for Rejoice Ministries

* $173.65 was raised through the Bake Sale for Rejoice Ministries, for a

* Total donation to provide free dance costumes for Rejoice students of $478.65!

It completely warms my heart that our mommas came together to pull off a fantastic event, stepping up to fill all of the volunteer positions we requested, and working together admirably, drawing on our different strengths, to create a fun and festive event celebrating the day of love with our dear children.

Chocolate Tofu Cream Pie

2009-06-01T18:48:00.000-07:00

from the Kitchen of Jennifer ~ Mother of Kai
Ingredients:
3 cups Silken Tofu (firm)
1 cup melted margarine
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
>1/2 cup liquid (as needed)
1 pre-baked pie shell

Instructions:
Blend all ingredients (except pieshell) in blender until mixture becomes very smooth and thick (add liquid as needed). Pour pie filling into pre-baked pie shell and chill in refrigerator for a couple of hours.
Slice and serve, excellent topped with whipped cream.

Easy Hashbrown Casserole

2009-06-01T18:47:00.000-07:00

from the Kitchen of Bonnie ~ Mother of Matthew

2 lbs frozen cubed hashbrowns
1 can cream of mushroom soup (reduced fat)
1 onion, chopped
1/2 stick butter, melted
1/2 tsp salt
8 oz softened cream cheese
8 oz sour cream
8 oz cheddar cheese (plus extra for garnishing)

1. Combine all the soft ingredients (everything but the potatoes).
2. Mix in the potatoes by hand.
3. Put in a two quart lightly greased casserole dish. Garnish with cheddar cheese, or anything else you like on top of a casserole!
4. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for an hour. Serves 12

(Originally published in the June '09 Newsletter)

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-06-01T18:40:00.000-07:00

from the Kitchen of Wendy ~Mother of Declan
Ingredients:
2 cups All purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup water
1/4 – 1/2 bag semi sweet
chocolate chips (add as little or as many as you like)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. In a separate med/large bowl mix sugar, oil, vanilla, and water. Gradually add flour mixture into wet mixture. Once combined add chocolate chips. Drop spoonfuls of dough onto a greased or parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for 10-14 minutes.

After 10 minutes keep checking every 2 mins, cookies will not turn golden until they are overdone and crispy. For softer cookies keep checking until they are not doughy and the bottoms are slightly golden. Makes approx. 2 dozen

(Originally published in the June '09 Newsletter)

Indian Spinach Avocado Dip

2009-06-01T18:35:00.000-07:00

from the Kitchen of Sam ~ Mother of Desmond
Ingredients:
2 avocados
3 cups raw spinach
1 TBSP. lemon juice
Garam Masala
Salt & Pepper

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in food processor until smooth. Season to taste.

(Originally published in the June '09 Newsletter)

Vegan Pumpkin-Carrot Muffins

2009-05-01T18:33:00.000-07:00

From the Kitchen of Jessi ~ Mother of Elliot
1 cup pureed pumpkin
1/2 cup grated carrot
2 Tbsp flax with 3 Tbsp water
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 Tbsp canola oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup almond milk
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice

Mix first 6 ingredients (from pumpkin puree through brown sugar) and set aside. Combine almond milk with apple cider vinegar (to form ‘buttermilk substitute’) then add this mixture to the first 6 ingredients. In separate bowl, mix remaining ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices).

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix together until everything is combined. Taste the batter and see if you want to add any additional seasoning (the amount used is entirely up to you). These muffins are also good with chunks of apples, nuts or raisins added to them. Pour mix into lightly oiled muffin tins and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.

(Originally published in the May '09 Newsletter)

Kitchen-Aid Crusty 5 Minute Pizza Dough

2009-05-01T18:24:00.000-07:00

from the Kitchen of Sam (April’s Pizza Club Host) & Mother of Des
Ingredients:
1 pkg active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp olive oil
2 1/2 -3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp cornmeal

Warm mixer bowl and dissolve yeast in warm water. Add salt, olive oil and 2 1/2 cups flour. Set your timer for five minutes. Mix on speed 2 with a dough hook for one minute, if you have one. Otherwise mix by hand and knead by hand. Keep on speed 2 and add remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time until dough clings to hook and cleans sides of bowl, about two minutes. Knead for two more minutes.

Place dough in a greased bowl and turn it to grease top. Cover with saran wrap and towel and let rise in a warm place for about one hour or until doubled in bulk. Punch dough down. Either spray your pizza pan with oil or sprinkle with cornmeal so that it won’t stick.

Press dough down and add toppings. For a little extra flavor I usually sprinkle crushed red pepper, garlic salt and/or parmesan cheese on the edge of the crust. Bake at 450 for 15-20 minutes.

(Originally published in the May '09 Newsletter)

Powerballs

2009-04-01T18:22:00.000-07:00

from the Kitchen of Kelly - Mother of Julia and Campbell
Ingredients:
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup honey
• 3 cups old fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup ground flaxseed
• 1 cup sesame seeds
• 1 cup dried fruit

Instructions:
1. Mix together peanut butter and honey until smooth. Gradually add oats and ground flaxseed. Add sesame seeds and any combination soft dried fruit (chopped apricots and plums are our favorites) and mix gently in your stand mixer or smush together by hand.
2. Roll into Ping-Pong-size balls and, for maximum presentation value, put in paper mini muffin cups. You can eat them right away, but they’ll be less sticky after a night in the fridge. They freeze well too, layered on wax paper.

(Originally published in the April '09 Newsletter)

Vanilla Bean Buttercream Icing

2009-03-01T18:12:00.000-08:00

From the Kitchen of Samantha ~ mother of Desmond
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar (add a bit at a time until it reaches your preferred consistency)
1/2 cups butter (room temperature)
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (add more to taste if desired)
1 tablespoon milk

Preparation
1. Mix together sugar and butter until they are blended and creamy.
2. Add vanilla bean paste and milk and continue to beat for another minute. If desired, add more vanilla bean paste to taste, or more confectioners’ sugar to make it stiffer.

For a great cupcake to go with this icing see Root Beer Float Cupcake
(Originally published in the March '09 Newsletter)

Root Beer Float Cupcakes

2009-03-01T13:37:00.000-08:00

From the Kitchen of Samantha ~ mother of Desmond
Ingredients:
1 cup root beer soda
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp root beer extract
1 1/3 cups flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt

Preparation:
1. Combine the soda and vinegar and let stand for a few minutes until slightly frothy.
2. Add in the sugar and oil, whisking vigorously
3. Integrate your extracts, and gently introduce the flour, along with the baking powder / soda, and salt, being careful not to over mix.
4. Fill cupcake liners approximately 3/4 of the way to the top.
5. Bake at 350 F for about 18 - 22 minutes.

For a great icing, see Vanilla Bean Buttercream Icing (not vegan)
(Originally published in the March '09 Newsletter)

Veggie Jambalaya

2009-01-01T13:29:00.000-08:00

From the Kitchen of Britny - mother of Owen

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. oil
8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/8 tsp. fennel seeds, crushed (optional)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
2 cups water
15 oz. can butter beans, rinsed and drained
14 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
15 oz. can red beans, rinsed and drained

Preparation:
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Cook onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic in hot oil until tender, about 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add water, tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and fennel seed. Bring to a boil and add rice. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes until rice is tender, stirring frequently. Add beans and cover. Simmer 5-10 minutes longer or until well heated, stirring frequently.
I like things spicy, so we always add some Tabasco to ours. We also serve it with crusty bread. Enjoy!

(Originally published in the February 2009 Newsletter)