Supervisors, please print and post a copy for those with limited access.
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- Holiday Luncheon
- Event Recap
- Dallas LIFE Info
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- The Acorn
- Chili Recipe Exchange
- Paige's Palate
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Employee Holiday Luncheon
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Park Cities Baptist Church (3933 Northwest Pkwy)
Friday, December 9 at noon
Catered lunch from Baker's Ribs
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The parking garage entrance for the luncheon is located off of Villanova.
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This year's Employee Holiday Luncheon will be held on Friday, December 9 at noon. This year, toys and clothing items will be collected for Dallas LIFE Homeless Recovery Center. For each item ($10 minimum value) brought to the event, you will receive a raffle ticket for a chance at winning an 8-hour comp-day.
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Toy/Clothing Donation
- Toys and clothes should be new and unwrapped
- Earn 1 raffle ticket per item!
- Benefitting Dallas LIFE Homeless Recovery Center
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Do you have a family favorite holiday dessert? Bring it to the luncheon! If you bring a dessert, you will receive an extra raffle ticket for the comp-day drawing. We can't wait to see what yummy creations are on the table this year.
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During the luncheon, the Department displaying the most holiday spirit will receive the highly sought-after Candy Cane award. This traveling award currently resides in the Library. Can your department top their holiday light necklace ensemble?!
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Back by popular demand, the photo booth will be available during the luncheon, so grab a prop and strike a pose!
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Last month's Chili Cook-off was a hit! Thank you to everyone who took the time to make a pot of chili and those who dropped by for a taste. We had 13 entries, and they were all delicious. Special thanks to the Employee Committee for planning another fun event for our staff!
Chili Winners
1st place - Lita Snellgrove (PD)
2nd place - Darrin Carter (Infrastructure Maintenance)
People's Choice - Marty Corn (Fire)
This was a great way to kick off our 2023 charity campaign - the event raised $397.50 for Dallas LIFE Homeless Recovery Center! Read more about Dallas LIFE below.
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For our 2023 charity campaign, we are once again partnering with Dallas LIFE Homeless Recovery Center. If you have not yet submitted a donation form, please send it to Tonya in Finance by December 9 or bring it to the Holiday Luncheon. Remember - everyone who submits a form and donates at least $10 will be entered into a drawing for an 8-hour comp day! Forms can be downloaded by clicking the green button below.
About Dallas LIFE
Dallas LIFE is a place where homeless men, women and children can receive help and hope during their time of need. It is a path to recovery and self-sufficient living. Dallas LIFE is a promise that there is a way to begin again.
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This month, Ann interviewed Sergeant Gloria Banderet in the Police Department.
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Where did you grow up?
I was born into a military family so my family moved every three years. I grew up in El Paso, Texas, Charlotte, North Carolina, and spent a total of nine years in three-year stints in Stuttgart, Germany. I have lived in numerous states and have visited several countries and islands on the Atlantic side.
Where did you attend High School? College?
As a teenager I lived in Paradise Valley, Arizona and went to school at South Mountain High. I spent eight years active duty Navy working on the USS Enterprise flight deck as an F-14 Mechanic/Quality Assurance Tech and left the Navy as a frocked E-6. When I got out of the Navy, I moved to New London, Connecticut where a retired Navy Captain apprenticed me to locksmith and then run the locksmith shop of six and do all the ordering. While doing that, I put myself through night school at a community college. I applied for and landed a job as a locksmith for SMU and worked five years doing that while I put myself through part-time night academy at Collin College LEA. I got a job as a police officer at SMU and worked there five years before applying at University Park.
Tell us about your family and any hobbies you may have.
I am single with only four-legged children. My family is spread all over the U.S. in Washington, Arizona, Louisiana, Missouri, South Carolina, and all over Texas. My Dalmatian is 16 and loves to go for rides in the truck, so I take her adventuring. I have a Harley Softail Slim that I like riding with friends. I have a HooDoo paddle kayak that I love to take to Rockport fishing for red drum. I also enjoy playing with my scroll saw and tinkering with anything puzzle-like.
How long have you been with the City and in what departments have you worked?
I have been working for University Park Police Department since 2014. I was promoted to Sergeant in 2021. I love my job, our employees are great to work with, and I enjoy interacting with citizens.
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Francisco Arevalo (Infrastructure Maintenance) and his wife welcomed their first child, baby girl Emery, on November 28 at 1:34 p.m. Congratulations to the new parents!
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Our Chili Cook-off winners graciously shared their award-winning recipes with us!
Lita Snellgrove's First Place Chili
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 Taco seasoning mix
- 1 Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
- 1 16 oz pinto beans
- 1 16 oz kernel corn drained
- 1 16 oz Rotel
- 1 16 oz tomato sauce
Brown ground beef and sauté onions. Mix all ingredients together in crock pot and cook on low for six hours.
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Darrin Carter's Second Place Chili
Ingredients
- 3-4 pounds stew beef roughly chopped chuck roast
- generous salt
- generous pepper
- oil for browning meat
- 2 large onions chopped*
- 2 cups celery about 4 stalks, chopped well
- 6 cloves of garlic smashed and minced
- 2 jalapenos seeded and chopped
- 1/4 cup chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- 2 tablespoons cumin seed**
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 4 cups beef broth***
- 1/4 cup masa harina****
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 (15-oz) cans kidney beans
- 3 bay leaves
Instructions
- Begin by browning the meat. Dry off the beef with paper towels if it is very wet. Sprinkle all over with a generous amount of salt and pepper.
- Heat a large, high-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add about 1 tablespoon oil and swirl to coat.
- Brown the meat in batches. Place each piece in the skillet with about an inch of space around it. Do not crowd the meat or they will steam each other, which will not give you that sear you are going for. Sear = flavor! After 1-2 minutes, when it is nice and brown on the bottom, use tongs to flip each piece of beef. Sear the other side for another 1 minute or so, until brown.
- Remove the beef to a large crock pot. Continue searing the rest of the beef, adding more oil to the pan as necessary. Adjust the heat lower if the pan starts to get black on the bottom, but keep it above medium.
- Once all the beef is seared, add more oil to the pan if there is not enough (you need about a tablespoon). Add the chopped onion and celery. (Turn the heat off and remove the pan from the heat if your veggies are not chopped yet.)
- Saute the onions and celery over medium high heat for about 5 minutes, until they start to soften. They should be all brown and delicious looking, picking up all that beef flavor.
- Add 6 cloves of minced garlic and 2 chopped jalapenos.
- Add chili powder, cayenne pepper, cumin seed (or powder), oregano, garlic powder, and brown sugar.
- Stir it all together and let the spices toast into the veggies for a couple minutes.
- Add the beef broth and scrape up the bottom of the pan.
- Slowly pour in 1/4 cup of masa harina, stirring constantly. Break up any lumps right away.
- Pour the mixture into the crock pot.
- Add 2 tablespoons tomato paste, the can of crushed tomatoes, 2 cans of drained kidney beans, and 3 bay leaves to the crock pot. Stir it all together.
- Put the lid on the crock pot and cook on high for 6 hours, or low for 8-10 hours. The longer you leave it in, the better, because the beef will just get more tender and delicious.
- When it's time to eat, use a wooden spoon to break up the chunks of beef. Or you could remove it to a plate and shred with a fork, then return to the pot.
- Serve with sour cream, cheddar cheese, finely chopped onions, and cilantro.
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Marty Corn's People's Choice Chili
3 lbs – Hamburger
2 Cans Hot habanero Rotel
2 Cans Stewed Tomatoes 28 ounce
3 Jalapenos Diced
2 Habanero peppers diced
1 each bell pepper red/yellow/orange
2 purple onions
To Taste
Chili powder
Garlic powder
Cumin
Oregano
Salt
Black Pepper
Cayenne pepper
Better on the second day!
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Mendocino Farms is one of the latest California-based restaurants to make their way to DFW, and I am not mad about it. This fast casual chain continues to grow rapidly, and for good reason! Their sandwiches, salads and bowls with fresh and unique ingredients set them apart from your typical sandwich/salad shop. They are now have five locations in the DFW area, so you have some options if you're wanting to get your Mendocino fix! The closest locations to UP are conveniently in West Village and Preston Hollow, giving you plenty of time to stop by during your lunch break!
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My favorite sandwich at Mendocino Farms is by far the "Not So Fried" Chicken. This delicious sandwich comes with shaved, roasted chicken breast topped with Mendo’s krispies, herb aioli, mustard pickle slaw, tomatoes, pickled red onions on toasted ciabatta with a side of tangy mustard barbeque sauce or mustard pickle remoulade. Yum!
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Mendocino Farms is very accommodating of all dietary needs and has a variety of Vegan, Vegetarian and Gluten-Free options on their menu. One of my favorite Gluten-Free items is the Pink Lady Beets & Goat Cheese Salad. This salad contains shaved, roasted chicken breast, honey and herb marinated goat cheese, pink lady beets, green apples, dried cranberries, crushed honey roasted almonds, red onions, mixed greens and chopped romaine with citrus vinaigrette.
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One of my favorite things to order when I stop by Mendocino is a 1/2 Sandwich Combo with a cup of this soup as a side. It is called the Greek Lemon Chicken & Farro Soup, which is a hearty chicken soup with whole-grain farro, carrot, celery, onion, baby spinach, and lemon. It is the perfect side on a cold day, and if you are ever feeling under the weather, this would be a perfect pick-me-up! This soup is only on the menu for a limited time, so get it while you can!
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Mendocino Farms is the perfect place to grab lunch or dinner if you're looking for something a little lighter after eating all of that Thanksgiving food! I hope you will give it a try and let me know what you think. :)
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