Dessert at the "Greens" San Francisco

 Greens Restaurant is located in a converted warehouse at historic Fort Mason. Greens Restaurant serves creative vegetarian cuisine using the finest seasonal organic produce. The presentation is simple adapting the cuisines of the Mediterranean, Mexico and the American Southwest influence.

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Greens was an early adapter of the vegetarian movement in the United States. It was the 60's and 70's that vegetarian restaurants began springing up. A definite nod to the heath craze. Greens was the first high profile vegetarian restaurant in the United States. Now nearly every restaurant offers vegetarian cuisine on a level.

A view from our table of the bay

Tea and Dessert, Just perfect!

 A wonderful spot for a mother daughter tea, complete with dessert of berry and peach cobbler with soy sorbet.  YUM is not enough to describe the delicious dessert.  From the looks of the full menu I can see we will need to return here soon to try some of their other offerings.


Left here, this is the table I want to get next visit.  So the next time your in San Francisco and looking for an excellent restaurant to spend some quality time with your guest, check out Greens. www.greensrestaurant.com/

Color Me Happy

I love color!  As many people know, I am a big fan of fiesta ware with its carnival of color.  Well I also love  Madonna Inn's signature glass goblets.  Color has such a way to inspire a positive mood and fun atmosphere, especially when entertaining. 

What a wonderful conversation starter these unique glasses have been over the years.  Guests sometimes even trade glasses when they want a certain color green or the frosty pink.  These are great for a wedding, anniversary, birthday, or collector’s gift too.

Here is a link to all the colors: http://www.madonnainn.com/store/c-2-goblets.aspx
And don't even think about catching these on eBay.  I have been looking for years and they actually fetch a higher price on eBay than in the store.  They are dishwasher safe, and come in two sizes: a 9-ounce “water” goblet and a 5-ounce “wine” goblet.

I have been collecting the wine glass size of Madonna Inn goblets for years. I purchase one each time I visit and I am collecting one of each of the amazing colors.    They are wonderful to use when I entertain as each person can use and reuse their glass as they can easily recognize their color throughout the evening. A great way to be green and enjoy your party, not having to re-wash glasses during an event. 

I love that I can use a color scheme (blues and greens) on the table.  These are a great way to add some color and fun to any party!

Central Valley is the source for healthy fresh garden salads

Central Valley Year Around Salads

The Central Valley of California has a wonderful reputation as having the best and fresher fruits and vegetables. In fact this area of California has been known as "The Food Basket of the World"

In 1880 irrigation was introduced to central valley to be one of the future biggest AgriculturalValley in the World.  Today it is known for their great supply of vegetables. oranges, peaches, garlic, tangerines, tomatoes, kiwis, hay, alfalfa and numerous other crops that have been harvested with great success.

Why not try your hand at growing a few fresh seasonal salads:

If you're looking to celebrate the garden-fresh goodness of California’s Central Valley bounty, toss together a crisp and refreshing salad.

Whether enjoyed as a side dish or a light main course, just 1 cup of leafy greens counts as a daily serving of fruits and vegetables. Try and eat what’s fresh and in season. And for any salad....

Try these healthy and fresh Central Valley add in’s!

• Raisins

• Sunflower kernels

• Water-packed tuna

• Melon balls

• Diced apple

• Almonds

• Chickpeas (garbanzo beans)

• Mandarin oranges

• Water chestnuts

• Berries

• Sliced peaches or mango

• Chopped avocado

A few of my favorites!

Yuba Ranchers Salad

• 2 heads romaine lettuce (about 1 1/4 pounds total), torn into bite-size pieces

• 2 cucumbers (about 1 3/4 pounds total), peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into thin half-moon shapes

• 1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced

• 1 1/2 cups pitted Kalamata olives

• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

• 1/4 cup red-wine vinegar

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

1. In a large bowl, toss together lettuce, cucumbers, onion, and olives. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Drizzle with vinegar and oil; toss to combine. Serve immediately.

Stockton's Fresh Ranch Dressing

1 Cup Buttermilk

1/3 Cup Mayonnaise

2 Tablespoons chopped Fresh Parsley

1 Small Clove Garlic -- minced

1/2 Teaspoon Granulated sugar

1/2 Teaspoon dried dill weed

1/4 Teaspoon dry mustard

1 Pinch pepper

Preparation:

In small bowl, combine buttermilk, mayonnaise, parsley, garlic, sugar, dillweed, mustard and pepper. Cover and refrigerated for up to 4 days.

Clovis - Strawberry Summer Salad

Not all salad greens are created equal, however. In general, the darker the leaves, the more nutritious they are. Dark greens are usually loaded with beta-carotene and often supply far more vitamins and nutrients than iceberg lettuce. The addition of mixing in spinach will help your ___. Also seasonal fresh strawberries help boost your vitamin ___ White onions add are sweet onions and add to the sweetness of this salad.

Ingredients

• 1 head romaine lettuce - rinsed, dried, and chopped

• 2 bunches fresh spinach - chopped, washed and dried

• 1 pint fresh California strawberries, sliced

• 1 sweet white onion, sliced

Poppy seed Dressing

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

• 1/3 cup white sugar

• 1/4 cup milk

• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds

Add on’s

Slivered almonds or candied walnuts

Directions

1. In a large salad bowl, combine the romaine, spinach, strawberries and sliced onion.

2. In a jar with a tight fitting lid, combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, milk and poppy seeds. Shake well and pour the dressing over salad. Toss until evenly coated.

Davis Pear and Blue Cheese Fall Salad

Ingredients

• 1 bowl mixed field greens torn into small bite size pieces

• 1/8 cup sliced red onion (optional)

• 1 Bartlett pear, cored and sliced

• 1/4 cup chopped candied pecans

• 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

Sweet Salad Dressing

• 1/4 cup maple syrup

• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

• 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1/4 cup walnut oil

Directions

1. Place the salad greens in a large bowl. Add the red onion, pear, pecans, and blue cheese, and toss to mix evenly.

2. To make the dressing, place the maple syrup, vinegar, mayonnaise, brown sugar, salt, and pepper in a blender, and blend thoroughly. With the motor running, slowly pour in the walnut oil. Blend until mixture becomes creamy, about 1 minute. Pour 4-6 tablespoons at a time over salad mixture, and toss to coat greens evenly. Serve immediately.

3. To make candied pecans warm brown sugar over flame and stir in pecans, sugar turns to liquid then pull from heat (be careful not to burn sugar) and lay out pecans on wax paper separating them with wooden spoon.



Persimon and blood orange, both Placer County specialties

 Auburn’s Autumn Persimmon Green Salad

Dressing

3/4 cup fresh orange juice

1 tablespoon grated orange peel

3/4 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons walnut oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Salad

1 small bunch green leaf lettuce, torn into 2" pieces

1 large bunch watercress, stems removed

6 ounces mixed baby greens

2 medium persimmons, peeled, halved and thinly sliced

1 Blood red orange

Honey Walnuts

3/4 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

Directions:

1.In a small, heavy saucepan, boil orange juice and orange peel over medium high heat until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a medium mixing bowl. Whisk in vegetable oil, walnut oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and cinnamon.

Richards famouse Sugared Walnuts To make the honey walnuts:

In a small fry pan over medium heat, sauté walnuts until hot, about 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Drizzle with sugar, quickly stir, and remove from heat. . Transfer nuts to a plate to cool and separate as you go the nuts so they do not stick together.

Place all greens in a large salad bowl and toss together. Add dressing. Toss to coat. Top with persimmon slices. Sprinkle salad with walnuts

Hemet's Fresh Broccoli Salad

This is a broccoli salad with real California raisins and local sunflower seeds, and a dressing made with Miracle Whip Salad Dressing and sugar and vinegar. Sweet!

• 1 bunch broccoli, cut up

• 1/2 cup finely chopped red onions

• 1/2 lb. bacon cooked, crumbled

• 1 cup raisins (I didn't use quite so much)

• 1/2 cup diced celery

• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds

Dressing:

• 1 cup Miracle Whip salad dressing

• 4 teaspoons sugar

• 2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

PREPARATION:

In a large serving bowl, combine broccoli and other salad ingredients. Mix dressing ingredients together, pour over salad ingredients and toss gently.

 Year Around - Bakersfield Mexi-Cali Salad

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups chopped romaine lettuce

• 1 can (15.5 oz) black beans, rinsed and well drained

• 3/4 cup chopped seeded tomato

• 3/4 cup chopped peeled jicama

• 3/4 cup fresh corn kernels, uncooked (or frozen or canned)

• 3/4 cup thinly sliced radishes

• Half a ripe avocado, diced

• 1 red bell pepper, chopped

• 1/4 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese

Dressing

• 1 clove garlic

• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice

• 1/4 cup honey

• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

• Pinch of salt to taste

• 1/4 cup packed cilantro leaves

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

1. Toss all salad ingredients in a large bowl .In separate bowl, mix dressing ingredient

2. Place the garlic clove, and into a food processor or blender; pulse until the garlic is finely chopped. Pour in the lime juice, honey, balsamic vinegar, and salt, add the cilantro leaves; pulse a few times to blend. Turn the food processor or blender on, and slowly drizzle in the olive oil until incorporated into the dressing. Season to taste with salt before serving.

3. Pour dressing over mixture and toss again.

So Now try it, go on out and make yourself a garden fresh salad.. Then tell me your favorite recipee

Possibly My Favorite Place in Loomis...

Ok, so it's hard to pick a favorite, but High Hand Nursery -- with the company of good friends --  really may be my favorite place in Loomis.  

I know I've said this before, but if you haven't been to High Hand Nursery before GO!  Grab a bite to eat and walk around the amazing grounds!  Truly an amazing place to visit!

http://www.highhandgallery.com/

Buy Local

As I am becoming increasingly more interested in my health and about where our fresh food comes from, and how it was grown, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is becoming a more and more popular alternative for getting high quality food from a trusted local farm.

Currently many families in my area are participating in family farm's CSA, Farm Fresh To You. By joining a CSA program families are connecting directly to the farm getting organic, fresh fruits, nuts and vegtables. These boxes of in season locally grown foods contain regular deliveries of nutrient rich, mouth watering, organic produce delivered directly to farmers markets or central locations for pick up. We order the smallest box and I get a box every two weeks. I love the variety and quality and feel the produce lasts much longer than that I have bought in the past in the supermarket.

See how it works or why join Farm Fresh To You.

Casa Munrus - A Wonderful Hotel in the Heart of Monterey

Historic Casa Munras is located in the beautiful coastal town of Monterey, California – right in the heart of Old-Town. 

True to its Spanish heritage, this hacienda-inspired Monterey, CA hotel embraces its outdoor spaces while beckoning guests to gather in the charming social spaces and inviting them to retreat to the warm comforts of their living quarters.

The idea behind this lodging experience is to stay local, eat authentic. Immerse your appetite in flavorful history and enjoy local legacy dining at Estéban, adjacent to the hotel lobby.
Estéban offers a unique culinary experience where guests can "sip, savor and share" Mediterranean tapas and Spanish-inspired cuisine. Gaining its name from Don Estéban Munras, the last Spanish diplomat to California whom lived at Casa Munras, Estéban celebrates their family's tradition of culinary hospitality. Serving traditional dishes with a pinch of adventure.

We had a choice of outdoor dining with fire pits for warmth, or inside by the fireplace, we chose to stay close to the quaint fireplace and enjoy a sampling of dishes that we tasted and shared. (even ordered some dessert!)

We loved the hacienda décor and Central California accents, each guest room provides the perfect retreat from the hustle and bustle of more urban settings.

I was amazed at how they had a creative flair for decorating.  Each day the pillows on this couch were changed to show another way to place the pillows to accent the couches and chairs.  This quickly became a conversation started when we arrived for breakfast each morning.

Casa Munrus

700 Murus Ave

Monterey, CA 93940 US

Food for thought

Eating local foods is better for you, for the environment, and for your taste buds. Every summer I order a local CSA box to encourage me to eat local an eat smart


1. Local Foods Are Fresher (and Taste Better)


Local food is fresher and tastes better. Think you can't taste the difference between lettuce picked yesterday and lettuce picked last week, factory-washed, and sealed in plastic? You can.






And fresh food It lasts longer too.

 2. Local Foods Are Seasonal (and Taste Better)


It must be said: Deprivation leads to greater appreciation. When does a cozy room feel best? When you've come in from out of the freezing cold. Fresh corn in season tastes best when you haven't eaten any in 9 or 10 months--long enough for its taste to be a slightly blurred memory that is suddenly awakened with that first bite of the season. Eating locally means eating seasonally, with all the deprivation and resulting pleasure that accompanies it.


3. Local Foods Usually Have Less Environmental Impact


Those thousands of miles some food is shipped? That leads to a big carbon footprint for a little bunch of herbs. Look for farmers who follow organic and sustainable growing practices and energy use to minimize your food's environmental impact.


4. Local Foods Preserve Green Space & Farmland


The environmental question of where you food comes from is bigger than its "carbon footprint." By buying foods grown and raised closer to where you live, you help maintain farmland and green space in your area.


5. Local Foods Promote Food Safety


The fewer steps there are between your food's source and your table the less chance there is of contamination. Also, when you know where your food comes from and who grows it, you know a lot more about that food. During the e. coli outbreak in spinach in 2006 I knew the spinach in my refrigerator was safe because I knew it was grown in Yolo County by a farmer I knew, and, as importantly, that it didn't come from Salinas County where the outbreak was. (The knowledge would have worked in reverse too: if the outbreak had been in Yolo County instead, I would have known to throw that bunch of greens and scrub down the fridge!)


6. Local Foods Support Your Local Economy


Money spent with local farmers, growers, and artisans and locally-owned purveyors and restaurants all stays close to home, working to build your local economy instead of being handed over to a corporation in another city, state, or country. Since the food moves through fewer hands, more of the money you spend tends to get to the people growing it.






To make the biggest local economic impact with your food budget, seek out producers who pay their workers a fair wage and practice social justice in their business.






7. Local Foods Promote Variety


Local foods create greater variety of foods available. Farmers who run community-supported agriculture programs (CSAs), sell at farmers' markets, and provide local restaurants have the demand and the support for raising more types of produce and livestock. Think Brandywines, Early Girls, and Lemon Boys instead of "tomatoes."






8. Local Foods Create Community


Knowing where your food is from connects you to the people who raise and grow it. Instead of having a single relationship--to a big supermarket--you develop smaller connections to more food sources: vendors at the farmers' market, the local cheese shop, your favorite butcher, the co-op that sells local eggs, a local café that roasts coffee.

 http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/local-food-tips-47052805

Where to buy local:

From your local farms – Go to www.eatwell.com or www.localharvest.org to find local sources of everything from fruits and vegetables, to meat and dairy products. Your entire dollar goes to the farmer, and your get more value for your dollar.


From local supermarkets or co-ops that sell locally grown food – New Seasons, Market of Choice, and your neighborhood co-op prioritize selling locally grown food.

At your local Farmers’ Market – Get to know your local farmers and find out about the best deals every week from the people who know the best. A good tip is to look at what is most abundant – the simple laws of supply and demand mean that produce is usually the best deal when it’s at its peak.

At a local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm – Buy a share in a local CSA and get local produce delivered to you every week for less than you’d pay at the store! Go to www.localharvest.com for more information.

 At the end of every week, with the left over veggies I make a quiche or pot pie or soup or salad.  I try to use up eaverything and that saves me money!

Eating right make Richard and I Happy and Healthy!



An Apple a day!

Looking for a destination Inn in San Luis Obispo? Try the cute and quaint Apple Farm Inn and Restaurant. I enjoy shopping at the Apple Farm because they carry a large selection of local food items, apple butter, jelly and jams. On my last trip I was inspired to buy a wonderful bottle with creative decorative stopper that I plan to duplicate for some older bottles I have at home. I also found a classy sea-blue and apple-green pashmina scarf that I wore while on the trip because it was a little cooler than I thought it would be. One more thing, a local's secret, they have an outlet store on the same street a few blocks away towards downtown. www.applefarm.com

If your up for a nice walk head across the bridge to the campus of Cal Poly. A beautiful school and great agricultural land around it make for great form of travel exercise. www.calpoly.edu/

The downtown is wonderful any day of the week. The specialty shops, local BBQ restaurants like McClintocks and odd quick stops like a view of bubble gum alley are sure to put a smile on your face. But if you are only in San Luis Obispo 24 hours like I was I recommend that you visit on a Thursday night and take advantage of the world famous Farmers Market street faire. Everyone comes out for the fresh produce, lovely flowers, local crafts music and foods. www.downtownslo.com/farmers.html

Dessert at Madonna’s is another fun must-do while on the Central Coast. It is whole other experience to enjoy a treat at this fun destination. Be sure to take a look at the carnival type water goblets upstairs in the gift shop. Even if you can't stay for long, I would recommended just driving by this spectacular place! www.madonnainn.com/

Eat Healthy while traveling- Even if it's fast food

I get to travel a bit for work and find I am always rushing. So it is usually easier to stop at a Fast Food place and order something quick. In order to stay healthy and eat right I find myself studying the menu. And what do I find to eat?

Subway - Avoid the sodas and the chips, and stick to the fresh stuff Subway does best - choose healthy turkey wraps, make huge meat and cheese hogies out of the whole wheat rolls, and load up on the free veggies of your choice. Don't be afraid to ask for more tomatoes, bell peppers or olives - whatever floats your boat. This is actually nutritious food you are asking for more of, gratis. Don't forget to have the staff add salt and pepper, mustard, oil and vinegar, basil and a shake of grated Parmesan cheese.

Wendy's - Since they banned trans fats from their meats and fries, the Wendy's chain has shot up to the top of the list of healthy burger joints. Ask for the low carb burger option and you get a container to eat your bunless burger, along with extra lettuce and tomato, with a fork.

Arbys - This seems to be a somewhat macho food joint so I havn't eaten there yet. I'm told they have delicious chicken salad wraps with grapes and walnuts in them which I would love to try. Very good, even healthy. Also, Arbys has a wide selection of interesting salad choices.

McDonalds - The Golden Arches now offers some really decent salads, including the grilled Chicken Cobb Salad and fruit salads with walnuts. Drop the bacon from the Grilled Chicken BTL (wheat bun). You can get bunless burgers/chicken for low carbing. The fruit and yogurt granola parfait makes a great breakfast, snack or dessert -- I love it!

Taco Bell - Beans are loaded with fiber. Their "fresh salsa" - you have to ask for it - has Vitamin C. Beans mixed with rice actually make a complete protein. Get extra tomatoes (more Vitamin C) and lettuce (more fiber), add some chicken and rice to a tortilla and you're off with a healthy (and full) tummy for the day.

KFC - Get the chicken meals sans breading and skin, and add green beans with corn. Or try the Honey BBQ Chicken Sandwich. More good news - KFC has dropped the trans fats.

Pizza Hut - An okay salad bar completes this list of healthy food choices at typical American fast food joints. Since you only get one salad bar trip for your price, experiment with an engineering bent to get as much salad onto that small bowl as possible. This is an art form for many travelers.

Other Key Tips to Junk Food Joint Navigating:

•Avoid the Sauce
•Drink lots of water and avoid soda.
•Go for chicken and turkey choices instead of burgers as a rule for heart-healthy travel.
•Lean roast beef options are also better than burgers.
•Grilled anything is better than flame-broiled or fried.
•Avoid french fries, onions rings and any kind of "nugget".
•Ask for extra veggies.
•Have your meals in a bowl (without the buns) if you are low carbing or simply trimming extra starch from your diet. Ask for a fork, too.

'Placer County Real Food' recipes - Sacramento Living - Sacramento Food and Wine, Home, Health | Sacramento Bee

'Placer County Real Food' recipes - Sacramento Living - Sacramento Food and Wine, Home, Health | Sacramento Bee

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Mama Mia! I Found an Awesome Pizzaria!

Well, I must love food because I've had a lot of restaurant blogs lately. I found a yummy and very unique pizza place, Rosso Pizzaria, in Santa Rosa, CA. It had the largest wine selection I’ve seen at obscene low prices. Almost a college age group that made me feel hip and young.

The restaurant is set back in strip mall so a little tough to find in the dark. It meets all the requisite criteria for a hip joint in Sonoma County. Concrete slab floors, red accent paint job, expensive tables and chairs, long wine list, etc. They also had a capable and fun wait staff, food tasted fresh with local ingredients, chatty/friendly cooks in the open kitchen and to top it all off -- their pizza is to die for! You must try it!

Fantastic Food Find in Lodi!

Yesterday was Richard and I's anniversary and we were busy with family until almost 9:00pm. We decided to just pop into a restaurant for dinner unplanned in Lodi, CA on our way home to Loomis. What a great surprise to find an authentic Italian eatery.

Pietro's Italian Restaurant
317 E Kettleman Ln,
Lodi, CA 95240
(209) 368-0613

Their meat lasagna was great and so was their homemade bread. I loved the mushroom appetizer too. A great surprise to a very long day. Pietro's offers fantastic Italian food and a great wine selection in a very relaxing, romantic atmosphere, yet it's still a very family friendly place to dine.

Favorite California Restaurant!

My favorite restaurant..... the envelope please..... would be Korbel Blue in San Luis Obispo -- on the Central Coast of California.

I loved the atmosphere and it's great for people watching! It was classy, chic, and modern. It's always super busy and crowded in the evenings! Make sure you make reservations! The food was very good, definitely more upscale in its presentation and preparation.

What really made the meal for me was their lava cake... expensive and worth every penny. I think they should change the name to the best-you'll-ever-have lava cake! Perfect texture and a good portion. Warm gooey real chocolate inside. Fresh fruit tossed around on the plate. The owners are always willing to accommodate and I was simply impressed with the waitstaff handling our quizical group of 8.

Erik and his wife Patricia are just the perfect hosts. Imagine my surprise when Eric came out of the kitchen and greeted our group and talked about his thoughts behind the menu that evening...an amazing experience in itself!

Erik's secret -- he selects the freshest and finest ingredients available, many from local growers and producers.

If you are on the Central Coast, you should check out their website and make a reservation to this terrific restaurant!

http://www.epkoberl.com/

Koberl at Blue is located in the historic J.P. Andrews Building, circa 1894 at the corner of Monterey and Osos streets across from the Court St. Centre.
998 Monterey St.San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

While in San Luis Obispo don't miss Thursday nights Farmers Market (6-9PM). Many of the restaurants have stands outside so that you can try and taste. It’s a very entertaining evening with lots of live music and entertainment as well.

Keeping it Real! - Casino Night with friends

Casino night is a great way to share an entertaining evening with friends or co workers

A few weeks ago Richard and I joined friends and co workers for an elegant evening out in Old Sacramento. The event was held at the famous Firehouse Restaurant

Built in 1853, The Firehouse was the first building in Old Sacramento to be restored and is designated a historical landmark. History, food and wine menus and online reservations
http://www.firehouseoldsac.com/

After excellent starters and some fantastic roast beef the tables were warmed up and Richard and I began our luxury fun casino night entertainment. This Casino night action is a great way to break the ice and create interaction between our group. We were able to mix, mingle and enjoy the sophisticated surroundings of our authentic fun casino evening. The theme was very real as the professional dealers wore tuxedo vests and bow ties! The emphasis of the casino evening is to have fun, it's not about winning. The dealers will even teach you how to play and when to hold. Something real casino's would NEVER do. Casino Night fun would work for any party, birthday (regardless of age), anniversary, engagement party or special evening event. It's great that you can dress up and this provides a more formal atmosphere. And creating just the right atmosphere to mix and mingle is important when you have people at the party that do not know each other. Our party had many popular games to chose from: Texas Hold "em* Black Jack* Craps* Roulette* Poker* I think Richard is now hooked on Craps (see him at the craps table in photo.) After two hours of just-for-fun gambling, we all cashed in our chips for raffle tickets and had a prize drawing. You could have each guest couple bring a raffle prize to make for more prizes. We really did have a great time and hope to get out and do it again soon.