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All photos by Dena Porter

Click here to see the Vineyard Gazette coverage of the art opening, or the December 30 print edition for

"Artistic Partnership Is a Dynamic Duo of Creativity" or online December 29.

 

News from Greg

    To VIP Members: To let you know, I had a wonderful Christmas with my two nieces Sarah and Emma, and my brother Rich and his wife Erin. I took them out for hot chocolate.

    I got a lot of nice things for Christmas including an electronic dartboard, video game, wallet, shirts, binoculars and candy.

    I watched the Times Square ball drop on New Year's eve. I stayed up til 2:00 am. It was a wonderful New Year's 2023. I did this painting at the day program.

Happy New Year!

Times Square, New York by Greg

McCaull’s Jerk Chicken

Ingredients:
1 Package of chicken thighs (bone in) or breasts (about 1 1⁄2 pounds)

 

Marinade:
Jerk seasoning (Ida bought this from LeRoux in Vineyard Haven) 3 scallions, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp cinnamon
1 onion, sliced
2 tsp salt
1 Scotch bonnet pepper, seeds removed and chopped
2 tsp nutmeg
1⁄3 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp allspice
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced

Preparation:

  1. Prepare the marinade


  2. Add chicken to a large bowl with the marinade. Mix together very well and then place in a large ziploc bag in the fridge for 9 - 20 hours.


  3. The next day, put 2-4 Tbsp of veg oil in a large pan and heat. Place the chicken in the pan, bone side down, for 2 minutes. Flip to skin side for another 1 - 1 1⁄2 minutes to caramelize the skin side.


  4. Add the marinade to your slow cooker, then lay the chicken, bone side down, on top of the marinade.


  5. Cook on high for 2 hours until chicken is at least 165° internal temperature (don't worry - you can’t overcook the chicken, it will become more tender the more you cook it)


 

Enjoy!!

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Updated: Mar 11, 2022


McCaull’s Tostada (It's like an open faced taco) - Thanks to Alexander for the suggestion!!

Ingredients: Flour or corn tortillas, 2 Vegetable oil, 4 Tb Ground Meat, 1⁄2 pound Shredded Mexican cheese blend, 1⁄2 bag Frontera Enchilada Sauce Onion, One large, chopped Salsa, 1 cup Sour cream, to taste

Guacamole: Avocado - 1 ripe, cilantro - 2 Tb chopped, red pepper - 1⁄2 chopped, juice of a lemon or lime, salt

(Alexanders adds lots of garlic to his) Preparation:

  1. Cook meat with chopped onions until done. Add Frontera sauce.

  2. Cook tortilla in oil until lightly browned on one side, flip and repeat on second side

  3. Make guacamole by mashing avocado. Add other ingredients and season to taste

  4. Build your tostada by placing one tortilla on bottom. Pile on meat, cheese, guacamole and salsa.

  5. Place second tortilla on top and repeat layering. Add sour cream to taste. Enjoy!!





Chicken:

2 chicken breasts, bone in

Dinosaur Bar-b-que sauce


To prepare:

Place chicken in a pan. Bake chicken at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes until 180 degrees.

Remove from the oven and slather on sauce and place back in the oven to warm.


Cole Slaw;:

½ Purple Cabbage

1 large Carrots

2 Tb Mustard, Stone Ground

¼ cup Mayonnaise


Julienne cabbage and place in a large bowl. Shred carrots and add to bowl. Add mustard and mayonnaise and mix.


Kraft Mac n Cheese

Follow directions on box.


Enjoy your yummy meal!!



  • VIP

Connie and Dan and family have lived on the island for the past 8 years. Due to their integration into the community, one might think they have been here for a longer period of time. Connie shared that their initial path to the island was through a professional opportunity and not a longstanding family or personal connection to the community. Connie continues as an arts & features editor at the MV Times, having previously worked at the Vineyard Gazette, the West Tisbury Library, and initially with her husband in their  upholstery business. The welcoming Vineyard environment has enabled Dan to quickly and easily feel at home here on the island and build a variety of important local connections.

Since Dan’s completion of the MVRHS transition program four years ago, Connie has worked to build a regular and consistent local routine for him. She accomplished this process in part through a program developed with Massachusetts Department of Disability Services, aiming to create a person-centered approach for the individual (Dan) to thrive in an environment that is familiar to them. Connie initially became familiar with the approach through her involvement in Massachusetts Families Organizing for Change, an organization described as “a statewide, grassroots coalition of individuals with disabilities and/or chronic illnesses and their families…actively organizing families and individuals to use the power of our numbers to effect positive change.”

Dan’s present-day island activities include regular visits to Thimble Farm, which he has enjoyed for many years. In the past, Dan has participated in life enrichment activities with additional organizations including Wheel Happy Bike Shop and Big Dipper Ice Cream. Dan can also often be seen at the YMCA at his cycling class or other activities. He enjoys involvement with one of the Cleaveland House writing groups in West Tisbury, sharing compositions he has typed on his iPad. Dan occasionally has enjoyed attending some of the VIP dances, which Connie notes served as an introduction to the group for them. He also participated in Virginia’s Drama Club for a period of time within the past couple of years.

Dan’s support plan includes the 1:1 services of a support person with regular hours from Monday through Friday. He has worked with several individuals serving in the PCA role and will participate in the initial interview with the candidates by typing questions to ask them. The goal of Dan’s activities has been creating consistent and enriching activities for him. In building his program and securing the personal connections over the last several years, Connie notes Dan has become more comfortable with the social environment of their island life. She especially values that Dan can “be himself” amongst the island community and be accepted and welcomed for it.

Don’t hesitate to say hello to Connie or Dan the next time you see them around the island – they both have valuable stories to tell and experiences to share.

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