Prayer Flags

A part of our annual camping retreat is to work on a craft project to bring back to the church and share with the congregation.  This year we made prayer flags.

Prayer flags come from the Buddhist tradition.  They write their prayers on flags and hang them from high places like the tops of mountains.  They are not designed to call down their wishes on the land.  Rather they are hanging there to waft their prayers far and wide. 

We gathered this weekend at our retreat, mindful of the solemn remembrance of the day.  Making prayer flags was one way we marked its passing.  

Artichoke Dip

"For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."
Matthew 18:20

The time I spend at Bible Study is always precious.  The snacks we share are always yummy.  The conversations are rewarding.  My soul is warmed each time I am enfolded in the welcome of my church family. And tonight was no exception. 




1 8 oz pkg cream cheese softened
About 2/3 cup mayonaise

 Mix together until smooth.  (You can use the mixer when you forget to get the cream cheese out of the fridge early enough to soften.  Just be sure to start with the cream cheese alone and beat it until it is soft.  Then add the mayo.)


Stir in 1/4 to 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan (Use the best cheese you can afford but the shredded, not grated, stuff in the bottle works well.)

Drain one bottle of artichokes in oil.  (Use two bottles if you love artichokes or just buy the giant Costco jar and spoon out what you want.)  Use a small spoon to scoop the choke part out of the center of each artichoke section and throw it away.  Do the same with the toughest outer leaves.  Roughly chop the rest.  Stir into cheese mixture.

Spoon into a shallow baking dish (about at 2 cup size dish).  Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until it is bubbly around the edges and lightly browned on top.  Serve with crackers, sliced french bread, veggies, tortilla chips, whatever you prefer. 

Chocolate Cookies

Here is the cookie recipe I made for Bible Study last week.

 

This recipe is from the Martha Stewart "Cookies" cookbook.  A great cookbook to have on hand.  Everything I've made from this cookbook has turned out well.

 

Grammy's Chocolate Cookies

 

2 cups plus 2 T flour

3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, room temp.

2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla

 

sugar for rolling

 

1.  Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl.

2.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs and vanilla, beat to combine.  Reduce speed to low, and gradually add flour mixture, beat to combine.  Form dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and chill until firm, about 1 hour.

3.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Shape dough into balls. Roll each ball into sugar.  Place on baking sheets lined with parchment paper, about 1 1/2 inches apart.  Bake until set, 10 to 12 minutes.  Let cookies set on cookie sheet a couple of minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

 

Enjoy.  I rolled my cookies in coarse sugar.

Rhubarb Coffee Cake

Coffee Cake

1 1/2  cups  sugar
1/2  cup   butter
1  egg
1  cup  sour milk (1 tsp vinegar stirred into sweet milk)
2-3  cups rhubarb, finely chopped
2   cups  flour
1  tsp  baking soda

Cream the butter and sugar:  add egg and vanilla.  Add the milk, then add the flour and baking soda all at once.  Blend thoroughly.  Fold in the chopped rhubarb.

Topping

1/3  cup  sugar
1  tsp  cinnamon

Combine and sprinkle evenly over top of the cake batter before baking.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 40-50 minutes.

Stuffed Jalapenos

Always a big hit at potlucks and parties.

Ingredients:
12 to 15 jalapeno peppers
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup parmesan cheese
12-oz breakfast sausage (Jimmy Dean roll)
Garlic salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste

1. Wash jalapeno peppers, slice in half lenthwise, and remove ALL of the seeds.

2. Brown and drain the sausage.

3. Mix cream cheese and sausage in a mixing bowl. Add parmesan cheese. Add garlic salt, black pepper, and/or cayenne pepper to taste. Sausage-cheese mixture should be a little bland since the peppers will add heat.

4. Spoon mixture into pepper halves and place on a baking sheet.

5. Bake for 20 minutes at 400° F or until the top of the stuffed peppers is browned.

Sausage-cheese mixture can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator.

Black Bean & Vegetable Salsa

A simple and light side dish for summer picnics.

Ingredients:
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup cider vinegar
½ cup sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 (15.25 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz) can white hominy, drained
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 c chopped celery


1. In saucepan combine oil, vinegar, sugar, garlic, salt & pepper. Bring to boiling; cook and stir until sugar dissolves. Set aside.

2. In bowl combine beans, hominy, green onions, onions, tomatoes, green pepper and celery. Pour sugar mixture over beans; gently stir.

Cover & refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.
Serve with tortilla chips.
I have also added zuchinni, avocado, & cilantro to it.

Russian Apple Pancake

This is an adaptation of a recipe 'collected' by Connie A...

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup brown Sugar
6 eggs
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla
pinch salt
2 cups flour
6 tart apples (granny smith) peeled, cored and chopped
1 cup nuts (optional)


Mix eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla until light in color and fluffy.  stir in baking powder and flour until the batter is smooth.  Gently stir in apples.  Pour into greased and floured 9 x 13 inch baking pan.  Bake at 375 degrees F until a toothpick comes out clean, approximately 50 minutes. 

This comes out with a sweet crunchy crust and a cake-like interior filled with apples. --cmw