The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

18 Independent & Free Press,Thursday, May 5, 2011 What's Cookin': Celebrating the Royal wedding with a champagne breakfast Happy Mother's Day! But before we get into that, did you watch the Royal wedding? At 3 a.m. I excitedly got out of bed (I was so excited, I had actually been out of bed since 2 a.m.), jumped in the car and drove over to my Mom's house-- in my pyjamas, but WITH my party hat on-- after all, this is an English wedding! As I approached the kitchen door I could see in the window that she was making fresh scones! There are very few people who are fun enough to not only get up at 3 a.m. AND make scones, but also to be cheerful about it. Mom also was adorned in pyjamas with a cool featherbedecked fascinator attached to her head! Aunt Doris was there too looking somewhat tired, but well into the spirit of things. Mom had set a beautiful table in the living room the night before with little glass plates, a three-tier stand for the goodies, fan- Carrot Fruit Salad Serves 10-15 Lori Gysel & Gerry Kentner cy china cups and saucers, lovely napkins-- the works! We started the early morning off with a few cups of tea. Then an hour or so later, we moved on to warm currant scones with butter, cream and homemade strawberry preserves. After the wedding was over and we were waiting for them to drive to Buckingham Palace for the kiss, we had some champagne and then a sausage, egg, cheese breakfast casserole that I had made with homemade relish. We topped the whole thing off with delicious cupcakes that Doris brought. By the time 9 a.m. rolled around, we were full and ready for a nap! The wedding was beautiful. I wish we could've seen inside the kitchens of Buckingham Palace to see what they were making and how it all worked, but alas, that remains a mystery. I did hear that they were making 10,000 canapes for the afternoon reception and all canapés must be no more than two bites. The recipe you've got today is the most unusual fruit salad recipe I've ever come across. It has a lot of grated carrot in it. It may sound a bit strange when you read it, but the carrot in combination with all those dried fruits and the crunchy fresh ones is fantastic-- it makes quite a bit. Give it a try but don't leave anything out, as it is the combo of ingredients that makes it work. This recipe would be a treat for Mother's Day! Have fun and keep cooking! Ingredients · 4 medium carrots, shredded · 3-4 cups fresh orange juice · 1/3 cup sugar · 1 cup sultana raisins · 3/4 cup diced dried figs · 3/4 cup diced and pitted dates · 1 firm pear, skin on, diced · 1 firm apple, skin on, diced · 1/3 cup shelled sunflower seeds · 1/3 cup shelled pumpkin seeds · 1 banana, sliced Method Mix all ingredients together. Tastes best if it sits for a couple of hours before serving-- if this is the case, add the banana right before serving. It keeps for a couple of days in the fridge. The Regional Municipality of Halton www.halton.ca Halton Small Business Centre Upcoming Business Seminars and Programs Starting a Small Business: A general overview of the things you will need to consider, along with resources to help you succeed. Covers structure, registrations, regulations, licences, taVes and Ínancing options. Thurs., May 12 Halton Regional Centre 6:30 ­ 8:30 p.m. $25/person First Steps in Exporting: The Ministry of Economic Development and Trade will share with you resources, programs and services available to potential exporters including export readiness, market research, export planning and practical issues. Wed., May 18 Burlington Central Library 6:30 ­ 8:30 p.m. No cost Consultant-on-Site Program: In partnership with the Halton Hills Public Library, a business consultant will be available to meet with small business clients at the Georgetown Branch Library on Thurs., May 19. Appointments must be booked in advance. No cost. Small Business Financing and Insurance: RBC Royal Bank will present an overview of Ínancing and insurance needs for small business. Wed., May 25 Halton Regional Centre 6:30 ­ 8:30 p.m. No cost Consultant-on-Site Program: In partnership with the Milton Public Library, a business consultant will be available to meet with small business clients at the Milton Public Library on Thurs., June 2. Appointments must be booked in advance. No cost. Starting a Small Business: A general overview of the things you will need to consider, along with resources to help you succeed. Covers structure, registrations, regulations, licences, taxes and Ínancing options. Wed., June 8 Milton Public Library 6:30 ­ 8:30 p.m. $25/person Marketing: Convert those prospects into paying customers by learning about targeting, branding, marketing plans and promotion. Wed., June 15 Halton Hills Public Library, Acton Branch 6:30 ­ 8:30 p.m. $25/person Rain 2011 $42 each (cash only) SALES Date Saturday, May 7, 2011 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Saturday, May 14, 2011 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Saturday, May 28, 2011 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Saturday, June 4, 2011 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Halton Region will be hosting four rain barrel sales events to promote wise outdoor water use. Halton residents can purchase a rain barrel for $42, cash only, at any of the four truckload sales. Diverting water from a downspout into a rain barrel allows you to capture rain water and store it for future use to water gardens, shrubs and potted plants. Location Mapleview Mall, 900 Maple Avenue, Burlington (lower parking lot) Oakville Place Mall, 240 Leighland Avenue, Oakville (lower parking lot) Milton GO Station Parking Lot 780 Main Street East (Main & Thompson), Milton Robert C. Austin Operations Centre, 11620 Trafalgar Road, Georgetown Registration and pre-payment for all seminars is required as seating is limited. k Limit of one per purchase, per household k Must provide proof of Halton Region residency (i.e. Driver's License) k 208 litre (55 gallon) capacity k Minor assembly required Contact us for more information and registration details for these events. Join our online community. Get connected at www.halton.ca/business! For more information visit www.halton.ca/waterconservation. Making Halton a better place to live, work and retire Gary Carr, Regional Chair 05/060511 Please let us know as soon as possible if you will have an accessibility or accommodation need at a Halton Region hosted event or meeting. 1151 Bronte Road, Oakville, Ontario L6M 3L1 k Dial 311 or 905Ì825Ì6000 k Toll Free 1Ì866Ì442Ì5866 k TT7 905Ì827Ì9833 k www.halton.ca