Monday, September 28, 2009

Orange Juice ICE CUBES flavored with BOCCE BALL cOcktail for Ovarian cancer awareness

Greetings...

There is a contest Out - (O for Ovarian Cancer awareness) there, but more importantly, there is an awareness campaign going On - (O for Ovarian Cancer awareness). I just found Out - (O for Ovarian Cancer awareness) about this at midnight last night for GIRLICHEF's blog, which you can see by clicking HERE. The deadline for the contest is midnight tonight, but we are a long time (too long) away from the need for awareness deadline.

So, let's celebrate growing awareness with a cocktail...
In yesterday's blog, I discovered a new (to me) cocktail called the BOCCE BALL! Ingredient list and mixing instructions are very simple,

2 part Orange Juice - (O for Ovarian Cancer awareness)
1 part Amaretto

Shake with ice to chill, pour in rocks glass Over - (O for Ovarian Cancer awareness) ice, top with a splash Of - (O for Ovarian Cancer awareness)

Pineapple juice

Garnish with an Orange Slice. - (O for Ovarian Cancer awareness)

But as with all simple things, let's try to Original - (O for Ovarian Cancer awareness) this recipe up and make it better...

First, here's a little tip I got from watching Oprah - (O for Ovarian Cancer awareness). If you are going to have a party, rather than trying to stock a full bar (very expensive), try just offering One - (O for Ovarian Cancer awareness) specialty cocktail and wine. Saves money, and creates an illusion of subliminal unity when everyone shares the same thing. At my little party last night, I planned ahead and greeted each Of - (O for Ovarian Cancer awareness) my guests with a Bocce Ball cocktail. But since I knew I was going to do this, I made Orange Juice - (O for Ovarian Cancer awareness) ice cubes. Somehow Or - (O for Ovarian Cancer awareness) Other - (O for Ovarian Cancer awareness) , we all have those weird ice cube trays in Our - (O for Ovarian Cancer awareness) junk cabinet. I have no idea where this came from, who bought it Or - (O for Ovarian Cancer awareness) when, but I have moved this a hundred times while I rooted around trying to find something useful. Time to use that silicone ice tray that makes seashell pattern ice.

Can not possibly be easier... Fill the tray with Orange Juice - (O for Ovarian Cancer awareness) , freeze for about three hours, store the cubes in a bowl back in the freezer, repeat as Often - (O for Ovarian Cancer awareness) as possible to get a bunch Of - (O for Ovarian Cancer awareness) seashell shaped Orange Juice - (O for Ovarian Cancer awareness) ice cubes. I started early in the morning, and was able to get three batches.

At a convenient time before the party (I did these about an hour before guests arrived, that weird time when everything is cooking that should be cooking, and all the prep work is finished, and you find yourself thinking, "There should be something I need to be doing...".), I assembled my ingredients...

I was going to make a pitcher of these rather than make individual drinks, so easy to make in advance.

I measured,

I mixed,

I sampled,

I sampled,

I sampled,

I sampled,

I sampled, I added more Orange Juice - (O for Ovarian Cancer awareness) and Amaretto and pineapple juice because the samples drained the pitcher, and was satisfied that I hit the formula.

While waiting for the guests to arrive, I put the pitcher in my free standing freezer to keep as cold as possible...

When the first guest knocked on the door, my wife answered the bell, while I put the pitcher on the table...
I added some of the Orange Juice - (O for Ovarian Cancer awareness) ice to a glass...

Poured the drinks and waited for the OOOOOHS - (Lots of O's for Lots of Ovarian Cancer awareness) and AAAAAHS as they tasted this gift from the gods. One - (O for Ovarian Cancer awareness) Of - (O for Ovarian Cancer awareness) Our - (O for Ovarian Cancer awareness) guests is a beer drinker, but happily played along, drank about half Of - (O for Ovarian Cancer awareness) his drink before asking for a beer. The rest really enjoyed the effort, presentation and taste, and there was no shortage of volunteers happy to finish his leftovers.

Final note, by using frozen Orange Juice - (O for Ovarian Cancer awareness) in the drinks, I prevented melting ice diluting the drink and changing the taste. It is the best way to serve a drink, but can really Only - (O for Ovarian Cancer awareness) be done practically when serving pitchers Of - (O for Ovarian Cancer awareness) the same drink. Oprah - (O for Ovarian Cancer awareness) is a genius. A little extra effort, and your drinks stand Out - (O for Ovarian Cancer awareness).




Let me get personal for just a second...

Of all the diseases afflicting our world, this is the most ironically cruel. A woman's ovaries are the source of life, arguably, God's Divine plan begins and continues in the Ovaries. To have a woman's life end because the source of life is attacked is a horrible ironic joke.

As with most cancers, Ovarian cancer is treatable if discovered early...

Who will be able to tell those left behind who you were, and who you could have been...





Click that play button in the center of the TV screen... Ladies, on behalf of your men, please have your tests scheduled.





Alright, here's the details about the contest and awareness campaign, as copied from Girlichef's blog ---


O Foods Contest for Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month

September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, and for the second year in a row, Sara of Ms Adventures in Italy and Michelle of Bleeding Espresso are hosting the O Foods Contest to raise awareness of this important health issue.

There are TWO WAYS to take part in the O Foods Contest:

ONE: Post a recipe to your blog using a food that starts or ends with the letter O (e.g., oatmeal, orange, okra, octopus, olive, onion, potato, tomato); include this entire text box in the post; and send your post url along with a photo (100 x 100) to ofoods[at]gmail[dot]com by 11:59 pm (Italy time) on Monday, September 28, 2009.

PRIZES for recipe posts:


◦1st: Signed copy of Dolce Italiano: Desserts from the Babbo Kitchen by Gina DePalma, Executive Pastry Chef of Babbo Ristorante in NYC, who is currently battling ovarian cancer, inspired this event, and will be choosing her favorite recipe for this prize;
◦2nd: Signed copy of Molto Italiano: 327 Simple Italian Recipes to Cook at Home by Mario Batali (winner chosen by Sara);
◦3rd: Signed copy of Vino Italiano: The Regional Italian Wines of Italy by Joseph Bastianich (winner chosen by Michelle).
OR
TWO: If you’re not into the recipe thing, simply post this entire text box in a post on your blog to help spread the word and send your post url to ofoods[at]gmail[dot]com by 11:59 pm (Italy time) on Monday, September 28, 2009.

Awareness posts PRIZE:

◦One winner chosen at random will receive a Teal Toes tote bag filled with ovarian cancer awareness goodies that you can spread around amongst your friends and family.
———

From the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund:

◦Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death from gynecologic cancers in the United States and is the fifth leading cause of cancer death among U.S. women; a woman’s lifetime risk of ovarian cancer is 1 in 67.
◦The symptoms of ovarian cancer are often vague and subtle, making it difficult to diagnose, but include bloating, pelvic and/or abdominal pain, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly; and urinary symptoms (urgency or frequency).
◦There is no effective screening test for ovarian cancer but there are tests which can detect ovarian cancer when patients are at high risk or have early symptoms.
◦In spite of this, patients are usually diagnosed in advanced stages and only 45% survive longer than five years. Only 19% of cases are caught before the cancer has spread beyond the ovary to the pelvic region.
◦When ovarian cancer is detected and treated early on, the five-year survival rate is greater than 92%.
Please help spread the word about ovarian cancer.
Together we can make enough noise to kill this silent killer.

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11 comments:

  1. A very noble cause indeed. Even though it's not even lunchtime, yet I sure could go for your cocktail.

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  2. Interesting cocktail, and a good reminder to get to the DR for my girl thingie. Hey I had a smoked jalepeno filled with cream cheese and some sort of meat over the weekend, and I would like to try it at home, have you heard of this before?

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  3. No one will ever be able to accuse you of doing things half-way. This was a great post.

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  4. Well you did it up right! Good job. That drink sounds really good. Will save the recipe.

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  5. Great way to help promote awareness! Very philosophical too.

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  6. Amazing!!! And very inspiring. Way to raise awareness...and thanks for the reminder. Sometimes we forget just how short and precious life can be :) (did u email your entry over????)

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  7. Well done. Both the recipe and the narrative. Can't say you aren't committed, grins.

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  8. Wow, great post! And the drink sounds right up my alley too.

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  9. Cool - a great cause! I could totally use a cocktail right now...Orange juice & amaretto? Mmmmmmmm!!

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  10. I'd go for this anytime Dave. An excellent reminder for the O foods awareness campaugn.

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