Fall is nearly here and like many other Naperville residents, Donna Shaw is planting mums, considering pumpkin purchases and pulling out hearty soup recipes.
Fall is also the time Shaw thinks about adding a few warts to her nose, trying on her pointy hat and practicing her cackle to get ready for the annual Witches Night Out on Oct. 10 sponsored by the Naperville Woman’s Club, a nonprofit service group. Last year, more than 700 women got their witch on for this evening of food, fun, frivolity and fundraising.
As president of the club, Shaw is busy working on the event.
“The idea for the evening is for women to have fun while raising money for good causes,” she said.
Witches brew, plenty of treats and a full meal are part of the evening, but Shaw’s favorite part is the witches’ line dance.
“It’s a real dance from Hungary in the tradition of a gypsy dance,” she said. “We learned the steps from instructions on the internet.”
The music is very upbeat and the movements a delightful mix of top taps, hip shakes and cha-cha-type steps performed while waving a broom up and around, she said. “Some people watch and others dance. The dance floor was full last year,” she said.
Shaw and two club members, Naperville residents Sandy McKeon and Carol Vargos, recently met to work on the event at Shaw’s home.
“My favorite part,” said McKeon, “is the costume contest.” Event-goers are not required to dress in costume, but almost everyone at least sports a traditional pointed witch’s hat.
“Some costumes are very elaborate,” McKeon said. There was a group of friends who had on costumes that were weather-related. There was a hurricane witch, a tornado witch … some costumes are really wonderful.”
Other features of the evening include music, dancing, ghost stories, a witches’ bazaar, photo booth, raffles, psychic readings and henna painting. Some activities are included with the admission pricewhile others require additional donations.
Last year’s event raised more than $44,000 for area charities.
This year, the main charity they’ll be raising money for is Mutual Ground, a safe haven in Aurora for women experiencing domestic violence and abuse.
No matter what the event — the club also hosts other annual events, including a spring art fair and a young adult art contest — members always makes sure no one is hungry.
“We like building everything around eating,” McKeon said with a laugh.
The club has two monthly meetings at its building at 14 S. Washington, both of which include lunch.
“A different group of five club members supplies the lunch at each meeting and we have all kinds of things,” Vargas said. “Salads, Italian dishes, soups, breakfast for lunch. It is always good.”
Shaw notes that sometimes she will be meeting with club members in her home and suddenly, it’s time for lunch.
“That is why I always keep the ingredients for my black bean soup in the pantry. I can just open the cans of bean and pour them with a few ingredients into the blender. Then I heat it through and it is ready to serve.”
She likes to serve the soup in the fall with a salad that features seasonal fruit and sunflower or pepita seeds.
“I can add cooked chicken or salmon to the salad and it becomes a meal,” she said. “If I make the soup with vegetable broth, it makes a great vegan meal. Both things are really quick and easy.”
The soup is served with several garnishes, including sour cream, cheddar cheese, guacamole and chives. “I also serve it with corn tortilla chips that are really good dipped in the soup.”
Witches Night Out is open to all women, not just club members. Details and ticket information are available at www.WitchesNighOutNaperville.org. Tickets must be purchased in advance.
“Every year, we get a few calls asking, ‘Are these real witches or what?’ Shaw said. “We tell them this is women helping women. No spells or potions. Just fun.”
Donna, Sandy and Carol’s culinary cue
Wrap lettuce loosely in dry paper towels before putting in plastic bags to store in the refrigerator. If lettuce is in a plastic clam shell, line it with dry paper towels. The paper towels absorb extra moisture and allow lettuce to stay fresh in the refrigerator longer.
Fall salad with champagne vinaigrette dressing
1 head romaine lettuce
1 red pear or apple
1/4 cup roasted sunflower or pepita seeds
1/4 cup feta, goat or Gorgonzola cheese
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
Dressing
1/2 cup champagne vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4 tablespoons olive oil
Wash lettuce and tear into bite-sized pieces. Thinly slice pear or apple and arrange in clusters on the lettuce. Sprinkle cheese around the fruit slices. Top with sunflower or pepita seeds. Mix together salad dressing ingredients and blend well. Pour dressing over salad. There will be more dressing than needed so what’s left can be refrigerated for later use. Sprinkle freshly cracked pepper over salad and serve. Makes four to six servings.
Black bean soup
2 15-ounce cans black beans
10-ounce can Ro-tel original diced tomatoes and chilis
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
Optional garnishes of sour cream, cheddar cheese, guacamole, chopped chives
Corn tortilla chips
Pour one can of black beans and the can of tomatoes into a blender. Puree until smooth. Pour mixture into a saucepan. Add remaining can of black beans and chicken or vegetable stock. Heat until mixture comes to a simmer. Pour into bowls and serve with garnishes and tortilla chips on the side.
If you go:
Who: Naperville Woman’s Club
What: Witches Night Out, with proceeds to Mutual Ground, a women’s shelter, and other area charities.
When: 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. Oct. 10
Where: Naper Settlement, 523 S. Webster St., Naperville
More information: Open to all women. Tickets must be purchased in advance and are $60. Information can be found at www.WitchesNightOutNaperville.org.
Judy Buchenot is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.
