Nothing warms a body up on a cold winter day better than a bowl of soup. Although some of Kitchen Angels' drivers moan and groan on "soup days" because of the spill factor, our clients love the delicious soup we make. Here's a collection of winter soups from chef Jamie Oliver to keep you inspired.
 

Short on time, but wish you could cook and eat soup every day  of the week? Here's a great trick where you make one pot of soup and finish it off 3 different ways. Each soup has a unique flavor even though it's made from the same base. Ingenious!

The kitchen has been serving up a new vegetarian soup that's delicious and fairly easy to make. At Kitchen Angels we make this " Best French Onion Soup" without the cheese and french bread on top, but don't hesitate to make your own additions. You really can't go wrong.

Many different New Year traditions around the world involve food and a number of them center around eating foods that help ensure financial prosperity (think of lentils, black-eyed peas,  grapes, and greens). If you're unfamiliar with these types of cooking traditions, here's a collection of 10 different recipes you can cook to conjure some good fortune of your own. Bon Appétit and Happy New Year!

In 2016, Kitchen Angels welcomed 285 Visiting Volunteers! We love having new people in the kitchen and helping out with meal delivery and special events. If any of you would like to volunteer throughout the year, please call Lauren at 471-7780. She can sign you up according to your job preference, time availability, and the skills you have to offer.

Here are our current volunteer opportunities:

• Monday Driver, Route 16 (Jaguar Drive)
• Tuesday Kitchen Volunteers - AM & PM
• Wednesday Driver, Route 3 (N. on Cerrillos Rd.)
• Friday Driver, Route 8 (Mid-Airport Rd.)
• Friday Driver, Route 17 (S. St. Francis Drive)
• Friday Driver, Route 18 (Agua Fria)
• Substitute Delivery Volunteers
• Substitute Kitchen Volunteers
• Substitute Kitchenality Volunteers

Upcoming Volunteer Orientations

 

Wednesday, January11th from 11:00 - 1:00

Wednesday, January 25th from 11:00 - 1:00

 

Please tell people who may be interested to call Lauren at 471-7780   

 

Special Volunteer Opportunity...

 

Brandi with some guests at a past Oscar event- dressed to impress!

We are looking for 10 people to volunteer for the upcoming Oscar Party Event on Sunday, February 26. We don't have many details yet, but they will be coming soon. This will be a fabulous, high ticket price event and dinner that will be free to you when you volunteer. Volunteer slots will go quickly, so now's your opportunity to get your foot in the door. RSVP to Lauren by email or phone (471-7780) to let her know if you're interested.  

 

 

Yet Another Special Volunteer Opportunity...

 

Everyday, Kitchen Angels meals are delivered in paper grocery bags. Over the years we've had a

	Jane with stacks of bags!

plethora of bags, but when the new 10 cent charge kicked in, our numbers dropped off dramatically. We are currently in the process of establishing relationships with the managers at all of the grocery stores in town. Many of them are willing to donate new grocery bags on a regular basis. Kitchen Angels is looking for a volunteer who will contact store managers, get them to agree to a regular donation schedule, and pick up the bags from various stores once a month. If we're able to coordinate this, it will save Kitchen Angels a lot of money and ensure we never run out. Please speak with Lauren if you're interested in helping our organization in this important way. Thanks!  

We've all heard that no two snowflakes are exactly alike, but what do we know about the science of snowflakes and whether this old adage is actually true? Wilson Bentley started taking pictures of snowflakes back on January 15, 1885, in Jericho, Vermont. The images show a wide variety of lovely, symmetrical designs - each one a tiny work of art.

The Science of Snowflakes

Flash forward to today and scientists at the University of Utah have developed a camera that takes photos of snowflakes as they're falling to earth.  The goal is to help better predict weather and road conditions. Click here to view the video and see some very different looking snow clusters. Let's hope this research gives us insight into potentially icy weather that could impact our delivery drivers.





By now in life, most of us are aware that certain foo d just isn't good for us. "Dead  food" is a significant contributor to diabetes, obesity and heart attacks. But do you know what "dead food" is, how best to avoid it, and how it makes you sick? Click here for an article from AARP on Why Eating Dead Food is Bad for your Health. There's just too much science behind this to ignore it. 

Santa Fe Mayor Javier Gonzales and Brad Furry hosted the Kitchen Angels Advisory Council and Board of Directors holiday party this past December.  Pictured (L-R) are Stephanie Gonzales, Mayor Gonzales, Carmon McCumbee, OJ Niswonger and Brad Furry.

	Mike W. delivering tropical poinsettias for the holidays

Newman's Nursery has been donating stunning poinsettias to Kitchen Angels for our clients for several years now. This year they were very busy and couldn't deliver them to our warehouse. One evening Lauren brought up the fact that we needed a truck to pick up the plants. The next day she received a call from one of our delivery drivers, Mike Warren. He knows people at Wilson Transfer (our Siler Road neighbors) who supplied a large box truck. They picked up all 100 poinsettias and delivered them to our warehouse in no time flat. We're always impressed by the helpfulness and good will of our volunteers. Not everyone is willing to go out of their way to help with things that need to get done. Mike is just one of those guys with a big heart. Many thanks!


Thanks to everyone who donated gift items for the Spirit of

Some of the Brave Girls assembling towel sets for Spirit of Giving

Giving Project, and for everyone who helped wrap gifts and prepared baskets.  It was quite possibly our best year ever! The gift bags were so full it seemed as if they were bursting at the seams. Several volunteer groups assisted in setting up the warehouse and gift bags. Santa Fe Indian School "Brave Girls" helped assemble towel sets and fill the gift bags. Students at Desert Academy filled punch cups with candy and wrapped small gift items. KIVA students wrapped up small toiletry items for each client. We also had quite a few visiting volunteers who assisted in setting up tables and chairs, and prepping the gift tables. All of this prep work ensured that the day of the event ran smoothly.

Our client service manager Jeanette, added a special touch by recommending gift ideas based on what she knows of our individual clients. Our clients noticed and appreciated this added consideration and told us that it made them feel special. One client said, "you really get my soul."

Turn out was the biggest yet, with 92 volunteers wrapping gifts and sharing in the fun. Thanks to everyone who participated and made the holidays brighter for our homebound clients! It means a lot to us, and to them.