The Chase Family Foundation was formed in 2008, out of tragedy and upbringing a determination to help the hungry, elderly and abused women throughout Northwest Arkansas was fostered and strengthened.
During the first year alone, The Chase Family Foundation provided over 21,000 meals through the Ozark Food Bank and Meals on Wheels program, and they have also been responsible for providing Christmas cheer to over 500 people – taking bags full of gifts to home bound seniors, who otherwise would not have received anything. The first Christmas this was offered, not one of 120 men and women asked for a frivolous item – every single request was for a necessity, and if they had a cat or dog, a case of pet food was also delivered.
This past Christmas when my dear friend was describing this caring, compassionate and time consuming project, I offered at the very least, to deliver refreshments for the hard working folk sorting the donations and putting the bags together, and was excited and thankful to be able to contribute and help out in a small way.
In order to maintain all of this wonderful work, and to continue to provide for others, a Mardi Gras themed Fundraising event will be held Tuesday, March 4th, from 6 to 10pm, at the Springdale Country Club, with all proceeds going directly to the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank –
for more information please visit chasefamilyfoundation.com/‎

TRIPLE ONION DIP

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
1/2 to 1 red onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese
1 cup greek yogurt

Heat oven to 350F.
Heat skillet over high heat. Add olive oil, shallots, green onions, red onion and thyme. Lower heat to medium, cook, stirring occasionally until shallots are golden, about 5 minutes.
Add cream cheese and yogurt, stir until well mixed. Transfer mixture to a baking dish, bake until heated through and bubbling.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Every Day with Rachael Ray
www.rachaelray.com/‎

ENDIVE WITH SMOKED TROUT AND HERBED CREAM CHEESE

1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese, room temperature
8 ounces smoked trout fillets, chopped
1/2 cup fresh dill, finely chopped
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
4 heads of Belgian endive
fresh dill sprigs

Mix cream cheese, smoked trout, dill, green onions and lemon peel in a bowl. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Separate endive into leaves. Place a spoonful of cream cheese mixture on the base end of each leaf. Garnish with a dill sprig. Arrange filled leaves on a plate.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit, November 2003
www.bonappetit.com/recipes‎

SAUSAGE BALLS WITH APRICOT BALSAMIC DIPPING SAUCE

1 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup apricot preserves
1/2 cup spicy brown mustard
1 1/4 pounds bulk Italian sweet sausage meat
6 ounces pork sausage
1 tablespoon dried sage
1 cup Italian bread crumbs

Heat oven to 425F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add vinegar and cook until vinegar is reduced to 2 tablespoons. Remove from heat and stir in apricot preserves and mustard and mix well. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine sausage and chopped sage. Add 2 tablespoons of the apricot-vinegar mixture to the sausage mixture. Form sausage into balls, then roll in bread crumbs.
Arrange sausage balls on prepared baking sheet. Bake, 15 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally, until sausage balls are cooked through. Transfer to paper towels to drain, then serve with apricot dipping sauce.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Arkansas Democrat Gazette, April 2010
www.arkansasonline.com/news/features/food/‎

CHICKEN SALAD, WATERCRESS AND BACON SANDWICHES

4 slices of applewood smoked bacon1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 celery rib, finely chopped
1/2 shallot, finely chopped
2 teaspoons parsley, finely chopped
juice from 1/2 lemon
1 to 1 1/2 pounds of chicken tenders, cooked, cut into small dice
salt and freshly ground black pepper
16 bread cases (roll pieces of white bread flat, cut out circles and press into a greased mini-muffin tin, bake in a 350F oven until lightly browned and crisp)
2 small plum tomatoes, cut into 1/4 inch slices
16 watercress leaves

In a large skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat until browned and crisp all over, about 5 minutes. Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain, then cut each slice into 4 pieces.
In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, celery, shallot, minced parsley and lemon juice. Stir in the diced chicken and season the salad with salt and pepper.
Spoon 1 tablespoon of the chicken salad into each bread case, garnish with the bacon pieces, sliced tomato and watercress.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Food and Wine, September 2008
www.foodandwine.com/recipes‎

BOURBON BROWNIES

1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons bourbon
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 to 3 teaspoons milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Heat oven to 350F.
Grease an 8 by 8 inch baking pan, set aside.
In a medium saucepan, combine 1/3 cup butter, sugar and water. Cook and stir over medium heat just until boiling. Remove from the heat. Add 1 cup of the chocolate chips, stir until chocolate is melted. Stir in eggs and vanilla, beating lightly with a spoon just until combined. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Spread batter into prepared pan.
Bake for about 20 minutes or until edges are set and begin to pull away from the sides of the pan.
Using a fork, prick the warm brownies all over. Drizzle bourbon evenly over brownies, cool in pan on a wire rack.
For the Frosting: in a small mixing bowl, beat the 3 tablespoons of butter with an elector mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating well. Slowly beat in 2 teaspoons of the milk and vanilla. If necessary, beat in the remaining milk to reach spreading consistency.
Spread over brownies.
Enjoy!

LEMON DREAM PIE

1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar, divided use
3 eggs, divided use
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust
3/4 cup light corn syrup
2 teaspoons finely grated meyer lemon peel
1/3 cup meyer lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Heat oven to 350F.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat at medium speed, the cream cheese, 1/4 cup of the sugar and 1 of the eggs until smooth. Arrange the pie crust in a 9-inch pie pan. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over the bottom of the pie crust.
In the same bowl, beat 1/4 cup of the sugar, the remaining 2 eggs, corn syrup, lemon peel, lemon juice, butter and cornstarch, until well blended.
Pour over cream cheese layer. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup sugar evenly over lemon mixture. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until filling is puffed and set. Cool on a wire rack.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Arkansas Democrat Gazette, December 2002
www.arkansasonline.com/news/features/food/‎