Church Ladies in the Kitchen

The title says it all - as the minister admitted yesterday during our church's UMW (United Methodist Women) recognition Sunday - this is where much work of the church gets done. Even though our church's men meet for coffee on Wednesday mornings, and claim to solve many of the world's problems, I'm think the discussions in the kitchen may bring about more change!
Besides being recognized for  mission work which happens around the world as well as out the kitchen serving window, our UMW was busy last week with a funeral lunch, planning a dinner meeting for 100 local cattlemen and cattle women, collecting for the World Thankoffering, and reading selected books which encourage members to think about critical issues.
So it seemed appropriate to see the stage production of the musical "Church Basement Ladies: A Mighty Fortress is Our Basement" with several other women from our church yesterday. This musical comedy is based on a book "Growing Up Lutheran", but seemed very Methodist (as well as Christian, Baptist, Catholic, etc) in many of it's story lines. As three women plus the daughter of one struggle with the changes happening in their church and community in a 1966 world, they find that friendship and food make it all seem better. My friends and I laughed through the show as we recognized ourselves and others in the characters. I remembered going to the church basement of my childhood hometown with my mom and seeing the same pyrex dishes come with jello salads and chicken noodle casseroles.
Here's one of my Mom's church salad recipes, it makes a lot - she noted "dessert - big" on the card! I'm not sure you can still buy Dream Whip, but Cool Whip is available and quicker.
Orange Supreme Salad
ingredients:
2 packages orange jello
1 1/2 cup boiling water
1 can (15 oz) crushed pineapple (drain & save juice)
8-oz. can mandarin oranges (drain & save juice)
1 can frozen orange juice (undiluted, thawed)
3-oz package lemon pie filling (can use instant or cooked)
1 cup Cool Whip or package Dream Whip
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
Directions:
Dissolve jello in water and cool. Add 1 1/2 cup juice from the pineapple and mandarin oranges and 1 can thawed orange juice. Chill until partly set.
Fold in pineapple and mandarine oranges. Put into a 9-in x 13-in pan  chill until firm. Prepare pie filling as directed on package, then fold the Cool Whip into it. Spread this mixture over the jello layer. Sprinkle with grated cheese.

Whatever the year,  whatever the church or community - I believe that friendship and food does make it all seem better.

Happy Birthday, George

Whether or not George Washington really cut down a cherry tree as a child is a debated story. Many of us learned it as elementary students, a lesson to teach the moral value of honesty demonstrated by our first President. Since the early reading books by McGuffy made the story common legend, cherries have been associated with George Washington.

So, as co-hostess for this month's church circle meeting, I had a yummy French Toast casserole for the brunch planned. Instead of the original recipe's apple pie filling, the February choice is Cherry Pie Filling. A snowy day cancellation kept me from church circle, but didn't keep us from enjoying the casserole for supper at home.
The recipe calls for slices of French bread, it makes 10 large or 20 small (if slices are halved when serving) servings. I think that when I do make this for a group I will cube the bread for the bottom and top layers so it can be cut into 15 servings per pan.

Baked Apple/Cherry French Toast
Ingredients:
20 slices French bread (about 3/4-inch thick)
1 can (21 oz) apple or cherry pie filling
8 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Topping:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons corn syrup

Directions:
Arrange 10 slices (or half the cubes) in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Spread with pie filling; top with the remaining bread. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour over bread.

Ready for the fridge overnight

Cherry Pie filling is colorful

Cover and refrigerate overnight.

top with brown sugar & nut mixture

Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Meanwhile, place brown sugar in a small bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in pecans and corn syrup. Sprinkle over French toast.
Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 35-40 minute or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

Into the oven

Can serve with whipped topping, maple syrup, and additional nuts. (I didn't think it needed any of those 'extras'. It would be good with a side dish of yogurt)

Pancake Day

Pancakes have been a popular food for breakfast or supper at our house for years. When our kids were in 4-H, preparing for foods demonstrations at   4-H day occupied much of the weekends and evenings in January and February. It was important to find a food for the demonstration that would show the      4-H'ers skill, be easy to demonstrate, be unique in some way - and because there were lots of practices - be tasty. We often ate the demonstrated food several times a week! One year Clint chose "Good Morning Pancake Mix" for his demonstration, and we still like it - 20+ years later.
Pancakes are traditionally a mixture of flour, milk, and eggs, and cooked on a griddle of a hot skillet. They may be called flapjacks, crepes, silver dollars, poffertjes (see blog Pancakes and Petals April 20, 2011) or blini, depending on your culture and country.
Often pancakes are eaten on Shrove Tuesday (also called Fat Tuesday), the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. Pancakes were a traditional food to use the rich ingredients of eggs, milk and sugar before the fasting of Lent begin.
Aunt Jemima made the first pancake ready mix in 1889 in Missouri, but we think this one with cinnamon, oatmeal and whole wheat flour is as good and even more nutritious.

Cinnamon Oat Pancake Mix
4 cups quick-cooking oats
4 cups whole wheat blend flour
(or 2 cups whole wheat flour + 2 cups white all-purpose flour)
1 cup nonfat dry milk
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
4 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, stir well. Yield is about 8 cups of mix, enough for 4
 batches of pancakes. Store in an airtight container. A bag of the mix also makes a nice gift with a special syrup and a pretty kitchen towel.


To make the pancakes: In a mixing bowl, beat 2 eggs. Gradually beat in 1/3 cup vegetable oil. Alternately beat in 2 cups of pancake mix and 1 cup of water. Heat a lightly greased skillet over medium-high heat. Pour a heaping spoonful of batter onto the hot skillet. Cook pancakes until bubbles appear on the surface and begin to break (about 2 - 3 minutes). Turn and cook 2 - 3 minutes more or until golden brown. Makes about twelve 5-inch pancakes.

Shrove Tuesday (or Fat Tuesday) is next week, February 12, a good time to try these light but satisfying pancakes.