Aprilanddecember.com on COB
July 2012
Essential cookware items that every new (and not so new) cooks need to have
A Slow Cooker is a busy parent’s friend! Perfect for set it and go recipe, look for one that has easy to read dials and safe settings like a light for on and off. Sensio Bella Cucina 4 qt. $29.67 At Amazon.com A Sauce pan is for more than just sauce! Simple side dishes such as beans and rice can be made quickly. The tall sides help move heat all around the food. Calphalon 1qt. Non-stick $49.99 Amazon.com
This cooking vessel holds a lot of heat and is perfect for frying or moving food from the stove top directly to the oven. Look for a ‘seasoned’ Cast Iron Skillet to help reduce sticking. Coleman 12” Cast Iron Skillet $23.19 Target.com
You can sear on a high heat or hold a gentle heat for sautee’s in a Sautee pan. The stainless steel variety lets you go from stove top to oven and the non stick comes in a variety of colors and patterns. Wearever 9” Sautee Pan $23.99 at Wayfair.com
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Table of Contents:
In every issue: What you said
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Tools for living
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Words
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Around the Web
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Focus on Living
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Page of Power
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Cover and Topic introduction page pics: Fotosearch.com What you said images from yahoo.com search Tools for living “Pink Mixing bowl” Hardblogcafe.com
Features:
Words image: Profilbrands.com Tasty travels: Background image: Pixmax.com; Thai food from blogspot.com; Indian food from Vestarestaurant.com; Mediterranean food from Cookinggage.com
Now You’re Cooking 2 Must have kitchen gadgets
Fam To Function Recipes
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Go from diner to gathering AprilandDecember.com © July 2012. Created at From the Desk Creations™; Wallaceville Road Chickamauga, Ga. Direct all inquires to rose.studio6@yahoo.com. All the information herein has been checked for accuracy. No responsibility is accepted for deletions, omissions, errors and/or inaccuracies. Publisher reserves the right o place any ad on first come first serve basis. No materials contained herein may be reproduced without the exclusive written permission of the original creator of the material. All information, images or references contained has been acquired by permission or general search and is cited, noted or referenced as required by source. Copyright 2011 by From the Desk Creations ™. Created in the U.S.A
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Did you know?
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Food companies founded on Christian Values
Tasty Travels
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Travel with your tongue!
I was eager to test out What started out as a baked potato au gratin turned into a burned potato not forgotten! I had been trying to come up with something to cook for my parent’s 30th wedding celebration. My test runs had me convinced I needed my own cooking show. That is why I decided to fix the dish at my parent’s home with and audience. Well, I was so nervous to show off my skills that I turned the oven on broil instead of bake. 10 minutes later I was standing over a scorched ceramic dish with burnt potatoes in it! -Robbie Turnpine
my grandmother’s pineapple upside down cake. I received my prize copy of the cake recipe and headed straight home to make it. I was out of baking powder as the cake called for so I left it out. What I
It had been passed down for generations and it was my turn to make it. I was so sure I had messed up my grandmother’s Garam Marsala by adding my own twist…sage. It was such a hit, that my grandmother started making it that way herself! -Anjahli Delhi
ended up with was a floppy cake with runny pineapple glaze. At least the dog enjoyed it! -Amber Middleton
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Get the most out of Sunday Service
We know that week’s for most families are chaotic and that is an understatement. We often look to Sunday as a day off of work (unless you’re in the retail or service industry), or at least a slower paced day. Yet many dread the details that go into dragging the family to the sanctuary and the lengthy service that commences upon arrival. Here are some tips and suggestions to reignite that hunger and thirst that Christ so affectionately compels us to have throughout his word. Prayerfully, they will help you better partake of the “Bread of Heaven”.
Prepare: Unless your Pastor is doing a seminar or a series, you may not know what the topic of the sermon will be. But you do know what your Sunday school lesson is! Study before hand. Most classes use published material or get following week scriptures from the teacher. Read the text in your Bible and use the cross reference scriptures that accompany them so that you can understand the text completely. Jot down questions and write down points to discuss or share as you read. When you contribute to the discussion you get more out of it.
Don’t live by bread alone: I know this sounds funny, but I am sure you have stopped to get food on your short lunch break only to not be fulfilled because it wasn’t what you wanted. This more than likely happened because you had little time, little money, not enough choices or all of the above. God’s word is not fast food! Go with the mind to get something out of service. Whether you want to pray for a particular individual, receive prayer yourself or take notes so that you can take some scriptures to work with you. Go with the mind to “take something away” from the service. Put more in than money: Many of us hold offices or positions in the church and thus we view our duties as jobs. If this is the case, your work there is more important than your job that earns you keep. This job has a far better pay off…eternal life. Don’t bring your emotions with you and try to hold on to them through service. Leave them there! When you should cry, smile, When you want to scream, shout. When you
Take your mind: I always tell my congregation you won’t get anything out of what I’m going to say if your body is here and your mind is somewhere else. Focus on what God wants you to do. You are here to worship and learn…come prepared to do both. -Rev. George Christopher
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Tools for living
don’t feel like singing, sing. Don’t let your emotions get in the way of you experiencing the power of praise. Praising God is a sure fire way to leave your burdens at the altar.
“A man can eat his dinner without understanding exactly how food nourishes him.” -C.S. Lewis
“Music with dinner is an insult to both the cook and the violinist.”
“All great change in America begins at the dinner table.” -President Ronald Reagan
“Learn to do common things uncommonly well; we must always keep in mind that anything that helps fill the dinner pail is valuable.” -George Washington Carver
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Words
-G.K. Chesterton
A New Take on Familiar Dishes and Favorite Scriptures
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Your function-a-tized menu:
You have just been asked “what’s for dinner?” by your loving yet picky family. As soon as you get through the daunting task of picking something to prepare that doesn’t consist of raw onions, asparagus or ‘anything orange’, you think you can relax…then the phone rings. It’s the president of the cooking committee wanting to know what your contribution will be to the Homecoming Celebration Dinner…this Sunday.
Chicken Fresco Soft Taco’s
Strawberry shortcake Cups
Lemon Berry Tea
Chicken fresco lasagna
Strawberry diner party sheet cake
Lemon berry tea
on the side (Feeds 6)
Lemon Vinaigrette *make this in a squeeze bottle or a small mason jar!* Zest and Juice from 1 lemon and zest (zest before juicing!) 1tble spoon of champagne vinegar ¼ cup of olive oil A pinch of salt and pepper to taste
Lettuce cups
Your Family Menu: Seasonal Tossed Salad
Seasonal tossed salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
Lettuce Cups with Lemon Vinaigrette
Don’t panic! We have a meal from start to finish (including a beverage) that you can make for your family and using the same ingredients (with some new additions or adjustments) you can* “Function-a-tize” them for Church potlucks, small family gatherings or even dinner parties. So pick up your jaw, grab an apron and let’s get cooking! Be sure to look for the Super Stretch Logo too so you can get more out of a meal!
Leaves from a head of iceberg lettuce or endive One large tomato diced ½ cup of baby spinach (shredded) 1 tablespoon each of salt, pepper, rosemary and thyme 1 ½ cup of any seasonal vegetable you choose (in season right now: yellow squash, field peas, corn, bell pepper and watermelon…yes watermelon in a salad!) 1 cup of shredded cheese of your choice
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Omitting the lettuce, combine other veggies in a bowl. Pull the lettuce leaves off whole so they become little boats or cups. Spoon veggie mixture into the leaves and drizzle with the vinaigrette.
Boil your chicken breast (don’t bake please!) in water and add the onion soup mix and a little salt. You can strain it afterwards and still get a tasty broth to freeze. Boil for about 20 mins or until the chicken is done. Once the chicken has boiled and cooled enough to be handled, shred and set aside. In a skillet over medium heat, add one tablespoon of butter and oil to the pan. Add the veggies and let cook for about 5 minutes. Add the chicken, sauce and seasonings to the skillet and allow the flavors to develop for about 10 minutes. Serve in flour tortillas and top with the crisp coleslaw for a fresher crunch than lettuce and the cheese. Serve four people each having three apiece.
Function-a-tize your Lettuce cups!
Seasonal Tossed Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette 4 cups of roughly chopped Romaine lettuce One large tomato diced 2 cups of baby spinach (whole leaves please) 1 tablespoon each of salt, pepper, rosemary and thyme 1 ½ cup of any seasonal vegetable you choose (in season right now: yellow squash, field peas, corn, bell pepper and watermelon…yes watermelon in a salad!) 1 cup of shredded cheese of your choice (Note: if you use watermelon, use feta cheese)
Function-a-tize your soft Taco! Chicken fresco lasagna (Feeds 12) 5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1 ½ packet of onion soup mix 2 12oz. cans of diced tomatoes with chilies 1 cup of pitted and sliced olives black or green 2 14oz. cans of whole kernel corn 1 cup of taco or enchilada sauce whatever brand you like 1 ½ cup each of coleslaw mix (without the mayo!) and shredded cheese. 1 cup of onion and bell pepper mix (you can omit this all together if you are unsure if the crowd you are feeding doesn’t like onions or bell peppers) 2 tsp. each of: Salt, pepper, garlic powder, parsley flake and cumin. (If you do not have cumin, still use a pinch, and only a pinch, of cinnamon and sage.) 36-40 soft taco shells
Make sure everything is cut roughly bite size. Toss together and drizzle vinaigrette on top or you could put your vinaigrette in the squeeze bottle or jar like you did for your family: This recipe feeds 12. Chicken Fresco Soft Taco 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1 packet of onion soup mix 1 12oz. can diced tomatoes with chilies ¼ cup of pitted and sliced olives black or green 1 14oz. can of whole kernel corn ½ cup of taco or enchilada sauce whatever brand you like ½ cup each of coleslaw mix (without the mayo!) and shredded cheese. ¼ cup of onion and bell pepper mix (found in your grocery store freezer section!) 1 tsp. each of: Salt, pepper, garlic powder, parsley flake and cumin. If you do not have cumin, you can use a pinch, and only a pinch, of cinnamon and sage. 12 flour tortillas
Add 2 cups of rice or black beans to stretch the meal! This now will feed 15! Boil your chicken as before and prepare your veggies the same as well. Combine in the skillet but WITHOUTH the sauce. In your baking pan (a 13 ½ in x 9 x 2 ¾ pan is recommended), spray the bottom of the pan and line with a layer of non stick cooking spray and place an overlapping layer of shells. Spoon on a layer of the
Add ½ cup of rice or black beans to stretch the meal! This now will feed 6!
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chicken and veggie mixture and top with sauce. Add a layer of cheese and repeat with the shells, mix, sauce and cheese layering. Finish with a layer of cheese. You should get about 2 to 3 layers a pan. Bake until cheese is melted and golden, about 20 to 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven.
almost ready to serve, cover with the berries and apply whipped topping ‘dots’ across the cake.
Strawberry Shortcake cups (Yields 6)
Two liters of made or prepared sweet tea 4 oz of Frozen mixed berries 2oz. of Lemon juice
Lemon berry tea (Two liters; 64oz)
8oz. of frozen strawberries (or sliced fresh ones) ½ cup of softened Cream Cheese frosting 1 Piping bag with a number 5 tip 1 can of whipped topping 1 package of sponge cake cups (these are usually found in your bakery section or the produce section near the berries at your local super market
This is easy and fun! In an ice tray add a few of the still frozen berries to each cube. Fill with water and freeze. Allow the rest of the berries to thaw. Make or buy 2 liters of sweet iced tea. In the pitcher of your choice pour the juice of the thawed berries in the tea. Leave the berries on the side as a fresh garnish. Using the ice cubes with the berries in them, fill glasses and garnish with the left over fruit.
In a bowl, thaw your strawberries. We don’t recommend adding sugar to the frozen berries because it will draw out too much moister and it will make the cake cups too sweet, but if you want to add a few tablespoons to the fresh berries you can. Place the softened cream cheese frosting (room temp is best) in your piping bag and cover the top of your cake cups. Put berries on top and cover with whipped cream.
Function-a-tize your tea (1 gallon) One gallon of made or prepared sweet tea 6 oz of Frozen mixed berries 4 oz. of Lemon juice In a gallon pitcher, prepare of pour already prepared tea and the juice of thawed berries. Leave berries on the side as a garnish for guests to help themselves to. Put the berry cubes in the pitcher to make it pretty!
Function-a-tize your cups Dinner Party Sheet Cake (Feeds 12-15) 1 box white cake mix prepared (or you can buy a 9x13 sheet cake at the bakery of your grocery store) 12 oz. of frozen or fresh sliced strawberries 1 can of Cream Cheese Frosting 1 can of whipped topping
*Function-a-tize is meant to serve 12-15 people
Cooking
Thaw the berries and reserve the juice. Once the cake has been prepared and cooled (or made it home from the store!) Spoon juice over cake, Spread the frosting over top. Once you are
Committee Approved!
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Looking for a way to transport you food to your function? Check out:
Stress free recipes for entertaining can be found at:
Shopping.com
Foodandwine.com
Recipes and conversation starters courtesy of:
Need ways to get the family to the table?
Divine Manna
Yahoo.com/voices
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Man shall not eat by bread alone, but even Jesus had to eat!
Whole Foods Sweet Frog Tyson Foods In-N-Out Burger Chic-fil-a
Did you know that the following food based companies and restaurants were founded and ran on Christian principles? Click eat link to go to the chains site.
Find more companies founded on Christian principles by checking out an article by Dan Gilgoff for religionblogs.cnn
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Focus on Living: Come to the table -Rose Christopher
When you read the word of God, it’s no mistaking that Jesus loved food. While dining with sinners after calling the disciples, he taught about who should be saved (Matthew 9:9-13). While eating in a field he taught about work and the Sabbath day (Matthew 12). He used food items as parables such as mustard seeds and leavened bread. He also used food to perform miracles such as the five fish and two loaves of bread. And who can forget the last supper. No wonder Christ is considered the bread of Heaven!
children of God in the presence of other people. At the table, they learn how to respect each other and they see respect of the adults’ one to another at the table. Dinner time is a great time to see if your children understand the bible and how people perceive God. They feel more comfortable asking questions about God and are more accepting of hearing and discussing faith when they are among their family. They are more comfortable with voicing their own views on faith. As parents we owe it to them to talk straight about what God has commanded us to do.
In 2009 only a *reported 57 percent of Christian families ate dinner together on regular biases. Of those 57 percent, only about 17 percent relied on biblical text to rear their children. What is wrong with that picture? The numbers have not changed that much. Only an additional 3 percent of families in general sit to eat meals together and only an additional 2 percent rely on Biblical Text for child rearing.
It’s not all about the 18 and under crowd. We as adults’ are God’s children too! Even if you don’t have children or they have their own schedule’s you and your spouse or other adults who live in your household should use the dinner table as an opportunity to connect as well. There is no better time to talk about how you feel about God than over a steaming plate of fettuccini. Feelings of how God is treating you or how close, or even absent you feel he is, are more likely to come out at the table.
We can talk all day about the benefits of eating together as a family. Children are less likely to use drugs or alcohol. It helps families communicate better and builds self esteem. It also causes families to make healthier food choices. While all these things are wonderful and needed, I believe that as Christian families we should look a little deeper into what meal time provides.
As Christians, called by the name of Christ, it is our duty to be more Christ like. And if that means that I get to put food in my mouth, I’m all for it! But on a serious level, we need to look at the table, and what happens there, the way God did. He saw the table as a tool for teaching. He used it as an instrument for witnessing, and the food; he used it to symbolize the true nourishment of a believer…the word of God. Let’s get back to the table and set a place for Christ.
We take our children to service on Sunday and make sure that get to the right Sunday school class, but do we talk candidly and honestly about how they are to apply what they learn in service to school, sports and life!? Meal time is a great time to ask the kids to talk about their day and offer practical, Biblical solutions and ideas on how to deal with life issues. It is ten maybe even twenty times harder to be a preteen and teen in 2012 than it was when I was in school. With toddlers having viral pushing videos on YouTube now, I can see that even pre-school is rough. We also teach our children to pray at the table. Not the God is good; God is great prayer, but real deep meaningful prayer. We show our children how to ‘talk’ to the God that seems so much larger than life. We get them comfortable with being
For recipe and faith based conversation starters click the picture to view our cookbooks!
*Information found at Mothertalkers.com
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Sometimes we get stuck in a food rut. We are often afraid to try different cuisines because we are unfamiliar with the flavors, or we don’t feel as though we will like them because we have a generalized profile in mind. Here are some cuisine profiles that will help you get comfortable enough to travel the world…with your tongue!
Thai food is known for being spicy. But, the cuisine itself places great detail on aromatics. Like most Asian cuisines, balance is key. Sweet, salty, sour and bitter must all be present in each dish. Cilantro, Thai Basil, lemongrass and mint are usually present in most dishes. Try Tom Yum Soup or Beef Satay as an introduction to this cuisine.
Indian food has been influenced by different religious cultures.
As it varies
across India common ingredients are selected for aromatic as well as deep, saturated flavor. You will find various curry powders, saffron, cumin, coriander and ginger in most dishes. Coconut is also used a lot across the region. Try palak paneer as a starter to this cuisine.
Mediterranean food is often thought to consist of primarily citrus.
While Citrus has it’s
place, Mediterranean food includes Italian, French, Moroccan, Grecian and Lebanese food. Olive oil, yogurt, parsley, mint and fresh vegetables are staples of this profile. Try humus or a dish that consists of whole grains and fresh fish or ratatouille, as an stepping stone to this cuisine.
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As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the world, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. 1 Peter 2:2-3
“It is a sad thing to be a Christian at a dinner table [with] heathens in our shops and devils in our closets. -Stephen Charlock
“The purpose of the Lord’s supper is to receive from Christ the nourishment and strength and hope and joy that comes from feasting our souls on all that he purchased for us on the cross, especially his own fellowship.” -John Piper
Lord God, help us to take nourishment to a deeper level. Allow us to draw near to you so that we may live out the words of your darling Son Jesus when he spoke to the devil in the wilderness, saying that man shall not live by bread alone but by your every word. Help us to seek that word, absorb it and feast upon it so that we can bring nourishment to a hungry world. In the mighty name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
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Page of Power- Feeding the soul
Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord, and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and forever. Amen. -2 Peter 3:18