Drop your entries off by 5pm Friday 20 March for judging. Come along on Saturday from 11am-2pm and check out the competition … and the winners. Shop, eat, listen to music … get creative, pet a baby animal or two … and enjoy our great local community!

Hi everyone,

It was nice to have some rain last week. Clare has been working on our front garden and it’s looking great! How lucky we are to have so many awesome community volunteers.

Footy starts on Thursday…. if you haven’t already, join our community tipping competition! You can sign up at this link.

And of course we are very excited to be preparing for the Alphington Show. Please contact us at info@alphington.org.au if you would like to be a participant in the arts and crafts competition. And read on for some tips on what our judges are looking for in each category.

Crunch is back this week from 12.30-2pm on Thursday. Don’t forget to book in online if you would like to attend. Wednesday and Thursday evening book clubs will also be running along with our normal weekly programs, including playgroups, line dancing, choir and more! Check out our bookings site here for more info about getting involved.

ALSO this weekend will be the labour day long weekend so please note we won’t be open next Monday the 9th of March.

Cheers,

Leanne

Hi everyone,

The day of action for neighbourhood houses last week was a big success! Click here to see the photos of follow the link below.

This week we will have the first Embracing Life and Death session on Thursday afternoon. Read on for more information about what it is all about and how to book in. We also have our second session of Garden to Plate on Thursday morning so book in online at this link if you haven’t already.

And our annual Alphington Show is officially less than a month away! On Saturday the 21st of March come along to enjoy community arts and crafts, our Makers Market, a CWA Devonshire tea and the Alphington Dog Show. We can’t wait!

Cheers Leanne

Garden to Plate is back again this Thursday from 11.30am-1pm! As always, we will be cooking and enjoying a meal made together with fresh seasonal vegetables. Book in online to attend here.

And in case you missed our first session two weeks ago, here’s just one of the great recipes we made that you can try for yourself at home whilst tomatoes are cheap and delicious.

Stuffed Tomatoes

Ingredients

• 8 medium-large ripe tomatoes

• 150g (3/4 cup) cooked rice (white or brown)

• 1 small onion, finely chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 small zucchini, finely chopped

• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped (or parsley)

• 50g (1/2 cup) grated Parmesan or mozzarella cheese

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 1 tablespoon breadcrumbs (optional, for extra crunch)

Instructions

1. Prepare the Tomatoes

Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Slice off the tops of the tomatoes and set them aside. Using a spoon, gently scoop out the insides of the tomatoes, leaving a thick shell. Set the tomato flesh aside in a bowl. Season the inside of the tomatoes with a little salt and pepper and place them upside down on a plate to drain any excess liquid.

2. Cook the Filling

Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, zucchini, and red bell pepper, and cook for another 5-6 minutes until the vegetables are tender.

Stir in the reserved tomato flesh, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. Add the oregano, basil, and cooked rice to the mixture. Cook for a few more minutes until everything is well combined and heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Stuff the Tomatoes

Turn the hollowed tomatoes upright and spoon the rice and vegetable filling into each tomato, packing it in gently. Sprinkle the tops with grated Parmesan or mozzarella and breadcrumbs (if using) for added texture. Put the lids back on top.

4. Bake the Tomatoes

Place the stuffed tomatoes in a baking dish and drizzle them lightly with olive oil. Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove the foil and continue baking for another 10-15 minutes, until the tomatoes are tender and the cheese is melted and golden. Alternatively cook on 200 in your air fyer for 20-25 minutes.

5. Serve

Once baked, remove the tomatoes from the oven and allow them to cool slightly before serving. Garnish with extra fresh basil or parsley for a burst of freshness.

Hi everyone,

It was great to see even more of our ACC community last week all back for another year. Book clubs starting, AAA Arts back on Friday afternoons and our Men’s Breakfast had at least 10 people booked in which is super! Thanks John for organising this.

This week the first sessions of Garden to Plate, AAA Bowls, and Sound Healing with Crystal Bowls will also be running. Feels like we are well and truly back in business…….

AND … it is also time to start getting ready for the Alphington Show! HOORAY!!!!! You should start thinking about what you’re planning to enter right now, because this year there’s going to be some tough competition!? In addition to the usual cooking categories (bread, jams, presrves, cakes etc.) we have a new one this year - covering everyone who makes kombucha and kimchi and the like …. (upon request). How fun! Also, don’t forget the Dog Show …. time to start training up those fur babies!

There’s a lot coming up and a lot of posts in our news this week - see all the links below. And in the meantime here is our very official program listed for the week:

• 2nd Monday of the Month Book Club, tonight!

• 2nd Tuesday of the Month Book Club (we’re still recruiting for this new Book Club - so please get in touch - we hope to start it up next month!).

• Toy Library open Tuesday, 1-3pm.

• AAA Bowls at Alphington Bowls Club (email us at info@alphington.org.au to join), Line Dancing at Alphington Scout Hall, and Alphington Playgroup here at the centre (book in online here) all on Wednesday morning from 10am-12pm.

• U3A Armchair Theatre, Wednesday 1-3pm.

• Our new Alphington Playgroup on Thursday morning 10am-12pm.

• Garden to Plate, Thursday 11.30am-1pm (more info and book in online here).

• Sound Healing with Crystal Bowls, Thursday 7-8pm (contact Keiko at her website here).

• Community Morning on Friday from 10am, and stick around for Community Lunch at 12-1pm.

• AAA Arts, Friday 1-2pm (email us at info@alphington.org.au).

Cheers,

Leanne