Aprilanddecember.com on COB July 2012

2

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

3

Table of Contents:

In every issue:

What you said 3

Tools for living 5

Words 6

Around the Web 11

Focus on Living 13

Page of Power 15

Features:

Now You’re Cooking 2 Must have kitchen gadgets

Fam To Function Recipes 8 Go from diner to gathering Did you know? 12 Food companies founded on Christian Values

Tasty Travels 14

Travel with your tongue!

Cover and Topic introduction page pics: Fotosearch.com

What you said images from yahoo.com search

Tools for living “Pink Mixing bowl” Hardblogcafe.com

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

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

4

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

I was eager to test out

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

ended up with was a

floppy cake with

runny pineapple

glaze. At least the

dog enjoyed it!

-Amber Middleton

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

5

To

ols

fo

r li

vin

g

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”.

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

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.

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.

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

6

Wo

rds

“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.”

-G.K. Chesterton

“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

7

A New Take on

Familiar Dishes

and Favorite

Scriptures

8

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.

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!

Your Family Menu:

Seasonal Tossed Salad

Chicken Fresco Soft Taco’s

Strawberry shortcake Cups

Lemon Berry Tea

Your function-a-tized menu:

Seasonal tossed salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

Chicken fresco lasagna

Strawberry diner party sheet cake

Lemon berry tea

Lettuce Cups with Lemon Vinaigrette

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 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

9

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.

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) 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 ½ cup of rice or black beans to

stretch the meal! This now will feed 6!

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 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

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

10

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.

Strawberry Shortcake cups

(Yields 6)

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

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 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

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

almost ready to serve, cover with the berries and apply whipped

topping ‘dots’ across the cake.

Lemon berry tea

(Two liters; 64oz)

Two liters of made or prepared sweet tea

4 oz of Frozen mixed berries

2oz. of Lemon juice

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.

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 is meant to serve 12-15 people

Cooking

Committee

Approved!

11

Recipes and

conversation

starters courtesy of:

Divine Manna

Need ways to get the

family to the table?

Yahoo.com/voices

Stress free recipes for

entertaining can be

found at:

Foodandwine.com

Looking for a way to transport

you food to your function?

Check out:

Shopping.com

12

Whole Foods

Sweet Frog

Tyson Foods

In-N-Out Burger

Chic-fil-a Find more companies founded on Christian principles by checking

out an article by Dan Gilgoff for religionblogs.cnn

Man shall not eat by bread alone, but even Jesus had to eat!

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.

13

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!

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

For recipe and faith based conversation

starters click the picture to view our

cookbooks!

*Information found at Mothertalkers.com

14

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.

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!

15

Pa

ge

of

Po

we

r- F

ee

din

g t

he

so

ul

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

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.

16

A New Take on Familiar

Dishes and Favorite

Scriptures

17

Divine Manna: Fresh Favorites

“Behold, I stand at the door, and

knock; if any man hear my voice and

open the door, I will come in to him

and will sup with him and he with

me.”

Revelations 3:20

This verse speaks volumes to

the importance of food. Not

physical food, but spiritual food.

There are many times in the

Bible where Christ ‘dinned’ with

sinners. He took those

opportunities to teach and guide.

He used the time not just to

nourish his body with a prepared

meal, but to nourish the souls of

those around him.

As you go through this

cookbook, you will notice the

common ingredient is more

probing, thought provoking and

conversationally inviting. There

are many topic starters that have

multiple questions. The goal of

“Fresh favorites” is to get you to

think about things that are

common to your faith walk in new

ways.

We hope that as you enjoy

these wonderful meals submitted by

our readers, that you will find not

only a new favorite recipe but a

new passion for your faith walk.

Enjoy!

-Ann

18

Thank you to all that submitted recipes!

You all made it very hard to choose and

I am sure I am going to have to diet

after all of this!!! Keep on cooking and

having family devotion at the table.

There will be more books to come and

who knows; you just might find your

recipe in one of them!

Divine Manna “Fresh Favorites” © 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

Photo Credits

Photos shown may not be

the actual photo by the

recipe source cited in this

book. Here are the credits for

the photos.

Cover: 123rf.com “400wm”

Intro page:123rf.com

This page: i170.photobucket.com

Fried zucchini: halfhourmeals.com

Taco Soup: Hoosierhomade.com

Braised Pattypan:

michellemarievoss.com

Shepherd’s Pie: Delish.com

Ro-tel chicken:

rotel.wideumbrella.com

Sausage boil:

Oaklandgardenkitchen.wordpress

Spicy Asian stir fry: 123rf.com

Zucchini casserole: skinnytaste.com

Pizza Casserole: yummly.com

Watermelon gazpacho:

everyfoodfits.com

Cucumber melon soup: not pictured

Sasso: Submitters photo actual

product is shown

19

Starters and Sides

Main Dishes

Sweet Endings

Table of Contents

Fried Zucchini 5 Taco Soup 6 Sweet Braised Pattypan 7 Summer Shepherd’s Pie 8 Ro-tel Chicken 9 Sausage Boil 10 Spicy Asian Stir fry 11 Zucchini Casserole 12 Pizza Casserole 13 Watermelon Gazpacho 14

Cucumber melon soup 14 Sasso 15

Fried Zucchini

–Lakieda

Montgomery, Laurel

MT

The hardware:

“Therefore if any man be in Christ,

he is a new creature. Old things are

passed away; behold all things are

become new.” 2Corthians 5:17

The common ingredient:

Root vegetables are amazing foods.

They can grow to unexpected sizes.

This is especially true for zucchini.

They can get up to the size of a

small baseball bat and still be

edible! Take a moment to reflect as

you prepare and enjoy this dish.

How much have you grown

spiritually? Can you tell the

difference between the person you

are in Christ now, and the person

you were five years ago? In what

ways hove you changed for the

better?

Prep time: 5 min

Cook time: 6 min about three mins

on each side.

Serves: 4-6

Notes:

20

One large skillet, cast iron works best!

One medium bowl

One large deep dish to put flour in for dredging

The ingredients:

2 cups of flour

¼ cup of corn meal

2 medium or one really large zucchini squash

Salt, pepper, garlic powder and chili powder to taste

Oil of your choice to fry in (vegetable or olive oil

work best but you could also use peanut or canola)

¼ cup of buttermilk. You can also use half and half

with a cap full of white vinegar in it.

Preparation:

Put your flour and cornmeal in the dish and set

aside. Pour your buttermilk or milk mixture in the

bowl and set that aside as well. Now, for the

zucchini, if you are using English zucchini you can

leave all the skin on. If not, remove the skin on

only two sides. Cut strips down the length of the

zucchini so that each slice has peel on each side of

the slice. If you choose to do penny rounds, leave

all the skin on. The skin just helps keep the

zucchini from falling apart. Next put your seasoning

on the zucchini. Be sure to add just a little salt and

pepper to the flour mixture. Now you are ready to

dredge. Run your zucchini the flour coating the

entire slice. Then dip your slice in the milk and

back into the flour dredge. Bring your oil up to

medium high heat and fry until golden on both

sides.

21

Taco

Soup

Submitted by Wylea Miller, Ringgold GA

The Hardware:

One large skillet

One 5 qt. Crock, Stock or Dutch oven

The ingredients:

1 pkg taco seasoning

1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch powder seasoning

1 can pinto beans

1 can black beans

2 cans kidney beans

2 cans whole kernel corn

2 cans diced tomatoes

1 pkg ground beef

Preparation:

In a skillet brown ground beef, drain, and then

return back to pan and cook with taco seasoning as

directed on package. In a crock pot or large pot,

combine ground beef, canned vegetables/beans,

and ranch packet. Let it warm and summer until

ready to serve. You can eat this like a soup or you

can also use it to dip tortilla chips in.

“Jesus saith unto him, Thomas

because thou hast seen me, thou

hast believed. Blessed are they that

have not seen, and yet have

believed.” John 20:29

The Common ingredient:

The great thing about a taco is that

it is easy to eat on the run. You

can pick it up with your fingers

and eat it. The thought that this

recipe is a soup challenges the

essence of what a taco really is.

Soup isn’t easy to eat on the run.

Think about the verse above and

then look around for ‘tangible’ or

touchable, evidence of God’s word

in your life. What are the things

you see that make you believe the

word of God? Has God had to

show you something in order for

you to truly believe something he

promised you?

Prep Time: 15

Cook time: 20

Serves: Depending on whether you

use it as a soup or a dip, about 6-

12.

Notes

22

Sweet

Braised

Pattypan

Squash -Ann Christopher, Rossville GA

The Hardware:

One large sauce pan

The ingredients:

2 large or 3 small Pattypan squash, peeled

¼ cup of sugar

¼ cup of brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

A pinch of nutmeg

½ tablespoon of vanilla extract or flavoring

½ stick of sweet cream margarine or butter

¼ cup water

Preparation:

Peel the Pattypan squash after rinsing and cut in

half. Remove the seeds from the middle. Some

seeds will remain but it is okay to eat them. Once

you have removed most of the seeds, take off the top

stalk (the little green nub on top) and cut into slices.

In the sauce pan, bring the water, both sugars and

spices up to boil. Add the Pattypan and the butter

and cover with a lid. Stir a little and let cook on

medium high heat for

10 mins. Reduce

heat to low and let

simmer for 15-20

mins or until liquid

has reduced to your

liking and the squash

is fork tender.

“And he said unto them, But whom

say ye that I am? And Peter

answering said, the Christ of God.”

Luke 9:20

When people hear the word

‘squash’ they often don’t know

what to think about it. Is it

savory or sweet? The truth is

squash is versatile. You can make

it savory one moment and sweet the

next. You never have to fix it the

same way twice. God’s word is like

that. Not that you can make it

what you want it to be, but in the

sense that as you walk through life,

God takes you through various

experiences. When you read a bible

verse during one experience, and

then again during a different one,

it may not mean the same to you as

it did the first time you read it.

What scriptures have you found to

be “situational”?

Prep time: 5 min

Cook Time: 15 mins

Serves: 4

Notes

23

Summer

Shepherd’s

pie –Raquel Dempsey,

Blowing Rock NC

The Hardware:

One Large pot to boil noodles

One pot to boil potatoes

One deep cast iron skillet

The Ingredients:

1 pound of ground Hamburger

8 oz of wide egg noodles

1 15oz can of sweet yams

1 15 oz can of sliced white potatoes

1 cup of shredded cheese

1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes

1 15 oz can of whole kernel corn

Salt, pepper, garlic powder, parsley flake to taste

½ package of onion soup mix

Preparation:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a large pot, put both

the white and sweet potatoes together with ¼ cup of water

and boil on medium high heat for about 10 mins. While the

potatoes are going, brown your hamburger and put the egg

noodles on to boil. Everything should come together at the

same time. Once your hamburger has browned, drain and

add the onion soup mix. Add the tomatoes and corn to the

mixture and the seasonings to taste. Add the egg noodles

and combine. While

the potatoes are still

in the hot water,

mash them up

together. Spread the

potatoes mixture over

the hamburger and

top with cheese.

Place in the oven to

bake until the cheese

is melted and golden.

“Then said Jesus unto them again,

Verily, Verily I say unto you, I am the

door of the sheep.” John 10:7

The Common Ingredients:

This dish was originally prepared

by Irish shepherds with lamb.

Even though this version uses

hamburger, it is still called a

Shepherd’s pie. When you hear the

words “lamb” and “shepherd” do

you think of Jesus? In what ways

has he led you in the last few

months? Share with those who are

eating this meal with you your

victory through Christ.

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 40 from start to finish

Serves: 4

Notes:

24

Ro-tel™

Chicken

Submitted by Wylea Miller, Ringgold GA

The Hardware:

One oblong baking dish

The Ingredients:

2lbs chicken, cooked

1 bag Doritos

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup milk

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes

Velveeta cheese, cut up

Nacho garnishes of your choice

Preparation:

Spray oblong baking dish with Pam. Cover bottom of pan

with Doritos. Shred chicken and place on top of Doritos. In a

bowl mix onion, milk, both soups and tomatoes together.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Top with cheese and

bake for 5 to 10 minutes longer, until cheese is melted and

bubbly. Top with your favorite nacho toppings and enjoy!

Sausage

boil

Submitted by

Kaitlyn Schrader,

Maynard MA

The hardware:

One Stock pot

The ingredients:

1 ½ pound smoked

sausage or 8

Italian Sausages

1 pound of medium

shrimp, peeled and

deveined

2 cups of Chicken

or veggie broth

1 bag of Kroger

Caldo Blend

Vegetables (or any

similar brand of

bagged veggies

consisting of small

ears (not baby!) of

“Behold, I give you the authority to

trample on serpents and scorpions,

and over all the power of the enemy,

and nothing shall by any means hurt

you.” Luke 10:19

The common ingredient:

Some people don’t have enough

courage to tackle really spicy foods.

It is not that their digestive system

can’t handle the heat they just hate

the uncomfortable feeling of the

burning sensation in their mouth.

Discuss how God has made you

uncomfortable in order to help you

conquer a fear.

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 40 mins

Serves: 4

Notes:

“You have granted me life and favor,

and your care has preserved my

spirit.” -Job 10:12

The Common Ingredient:

Just as this recipe is a take on a

New England seafood boil, each

of us has our own view of how

God works. As you and your

family enjoy this dish, discuss

how you view God and what he

has done in your life that you

didn’t think possible.

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook time: 30 min (20 is for the

rice)

Serves: 6

Notes:

25

corn on the cob; whole new potatoes; pearl onions; sliced carrots

and celery)

1 ½ cups of water

1tblsp of each salt; pepper; garlic powder; onion powder; Italian

seasoning blend; coriander; yellow curry powder; paprika.

½ tsp of sage

1 half bell pepper cut in to two large pieces and the seeds taken

out

Preparation:

In the stock pot, put 1 tablespoon of butter over medium high heat

and let melt. If you are not using the Italian Sausage, cut your

smoked sausage into 3 inch pieces. You should end up with 6

pieces, about 2 pieces per person. If you are using Italian

sausages just place them in the butter. Add the bell pepper

pieces.

Once the sausage has browned, take out the sausages and place

aside. Leaving the bell pepper in, pour in the chicken broth and

water and bring to a boil. Add the spices and bring to a second

boil. Once your stock has come up to the second boil, add the

veggie blend. Boil for 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are just

fork tender, but not quite done. Remove the bell pepper and

discard.

Note: (If you could not find the veggie blend and you chose to

add the ingredients separately, after a good clean, drop the

veggies in and boil until the potatoes are almost done if you

are using fresh potatoes. If you are using canned potatoes,

don’t put them in until you add the sausage back in! In that

case you will boil until the Corn is almost done, about 20 min.)

Once the veggies have boiled for almost 20-25 min, add the

sausage back in, add the shrimp and boil for another 10. Now is

the time to test for salt. Add more if needed.

26

Spicy

Asian Stir

Fry Submitted by Rodney Carrolton, Hollywood FL

The Hardware:

One deep wok

A pot to boil rice and broccoli in

The Ingredients:

2 8oz. Chuck round sliced

1 cup of rice (uncooked)

1 cup of broccoli

¼ to ½ cup of prepared Kung Poa sauce (found in Asian

section at your local supermarket)

1 cup of cole slaw mix

2 tablespoons of soy sauce

Salt, pepper and Garlic powder to taste

Preparation:

Boil the rice until it is almost done, about 5 min shy. Move

off the heat and add the broccoli and put a lid on the rice. It

will continue to cook and steam the broccoli. In the wok heat

three tablespoons of oil on high heat and toss in the sliced

chuck round. Cook until just shy of your desired likeness.

Add the rice and broccoli mixture, seasonings and sauce.

For the sauce taste it with your finger to decided whether or

not you want to add the lesser amount of sauce or the

higher amount of sauce indicated. Add the cole slaw mix and

let it all come together for about 3 mins. Remove from heat

and enjoy!

Zucchin

i

Cassero

le

From Gina's Weight

Watcher Recipes;

submitted by

Lauren Rogers,

Chickamauga GA

The Hardware:

One large mixing

bowl

One 9x13 baking

dish

“No one, when he lights a lamp, puts

it in a secret place or under a basket,

but on a lampstand, that those who

come in may see the light.”

Luke 11:33

The common ingredient:

There are a lot of people who stay

away from certain vegetables, like

Zucchini because they swear they don’t

like them simply because they had them

prepared by someone who did it badly.

Have you ever encountered someone

who had fallen away from the faith

because of a bad experience with

Christians or believers? How did you

respond? Have you ever left a bad taste

in someone’s life when your actions

contradicted your admission faith?

Prep Time:

Cook time:

Serves 12

The Submitter of this recipe has cited this

as belonging to or obtained from Gina’s

Weight Watchers™ Recipes. The following

information has been provided for those

who are on the Weight Watchers ™

program.

Weight Watchers™ Information:

Old points: 2.5

New Points+: 3

Notes:

“He said unto him; what is written in

the law? How readest thou? And he

answering said, “Thou shall love the

Lord thy God with all thy heart, and

with all thy soul and with all thy

strength and with all they mind and

thy neighbor as thyself”.”

Luke 10:26-27

The common ingredient:

Americans love take out food. It’s

fast and convenient. Maybe that is

why so many get a joy out of being

able to prepare their favorite take

out dish at home. Have you

thought about the convenience of

God’s word? How often do you

recall his word to your heart or his

words through the written

scriptures throughout the day?

Prep time: 10mins

Cook Time: 50 min start to finish

including the rice cook time

Serves: 4-6

Notes:

27

The Ingredients:

4 cups grated zucchini

1 cup bisquick (using heart smart)

1 small onion, grated

3 egg whites, 1 whole egg

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 tsp salt

1 tsp parsley

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°. Mix everything together in a bowl. Spray a

pie dish or a casserole with Pam and pour mixture. Bake

approximately 45 minutes, until golden brown. Put a toothpick in

the center to test if it is done. If it comes out clean, it is ready.

Divide into 12 equal parts

PIZZA

CASSEROLE

Submitted by Lauren Rogers, Chickamauga Ga The Hardware:

One skillet to brown hamburger A 9x13 casserole dish Ingredients: 1 bag of Egg Noodles 1 extra large can of Ragu sauce {or any tomato sauce you prefer} 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 1 1/2 lbs hamburger meat 1 package pepperonis Preparation: Brown the meat, & drain. Boil noodles until soft, drain and set aside. Next, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Now the layering starts! Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce on the bottom then add half of the noodles. Next you will add half of the meat and

“The fruit of the righteous is the tree

of life, and he who wins souls is

wise.” Proverbs 11:30

The common Ingredient:

Pizza is something almost everyone

can eat. Whether vegan or meat

eater, on a diet or not, there is form

of pizza for everyone and every

diet. Think and discuss ways that

Christianity benefits everyone. Talk

about different ways you and your

family can witness to people.

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 45-50 mins (including

pasta time)

Serves: 6

Notes

28

top with half of the sauce. Start your second layer with the rest of the noodles followed by half the cheese, and then add the rest of the ingredients in layers as before ending with the cheese. Finally top the casserole with the pepperonis. Cover with foil, and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the foil & bake for another 15 minutes. Once it's done baking, take it out & let it sit for 10 or 15 minutes. {This IS A MUST! If you don’t allow it to cool, it will not settle together and it will just fall apart on your fork!}

Watermelon gazpacho

Curtis Hosier, Monroe LA

The Hardware:

Either a standard blender or an emersion blender and a bowl

The Ingredients:

1 smaller size watermelon about 5 to 7 lbs

½ cup of half and half ½ cup of coconut or pineapple juice

Salt to taste

Preparation:

Peel your

watermelon, remove seeds and cut into

small cubes. You

may need to do this in batches

depending on how much your blender

can hold. If you need to do batches

just puree all the

watermelon pouring a little of the half

and half in at a time. Then pour

everything into a

bowl and add the other liquids at the

end. Otherwise, put everything in a

blender and mix. You could also but

everything in a bowl

and use an emersion blender.

Once the mixture is blended well, chill in

the fridge for at

least an hour before serving. Garnish

with a twist of lemon peel.

Chilled Cucumbe

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there

is neither slave nor free, there is

neither male nor female, for you are all

one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28

The common ingredient:

In the south there is much debate

about whether you are to eat melon

with salt or more sugar. People

have been known to get into heated

arguments over this! Think back to

a time when you disagreed with

another believer on God’s word.

What was the debate over? Did

you or the other person change your

view afterwards? What could you

have done differently to keep the

debate from escalating?

For both recipes:

Prep time: 8 mins

Cook Time: none

Serves: 6 (1/2 cup servings)

Notes

29

r and Melon Soup Curtis Hosier, Monroe LA

The Hardware:

Either a standard blender or an emersion blender and a bowl

The Ingredients:

1 English cucumber peeled and coarsely chopped

1 Honeydew melon with skins and seeds removed and chopped 3 tbsp of cream of coconut

½ cup of pineapple juice ½ tsp of salt

Preparation:

Blend all the ingredients together as you did for the watermelon

gazpacho. Allow mixture to chill overnight or at least an hour. Garnish with more melon or fresh berries.

30

Sasso Rose Christopher, Rossville

GA

The Hardware: Two mixing bowls Two cookie sheets one lined with parchment paper A melon scoop or a teaspoon A wooden spoon A teaspoon (if you are not using a melon scoop, this will be your second spoon!) The ingredients: ¾ cup of peanut butter, softened ½ cup of Chocolate morsels ¼ cup of confectioners’ sugar 1 tsp of cinnamon A pinch of nutmeg A pinch of salt ¼ cup of half and half 1 tsp of vanilla flavoring 1 tsp of butter 1 cup of coconut Preparation: In one of the bowls, mix the peanut butter and spices together. Cover and let chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours but overnight is best. In the second bowl melt the chocolate morsels into the cream using a double boiler over low heat. You can also do this in the microwave by heating it for one minute, stirring and continuing to heat for a minute and stir until it is melted and incorporated. While the mixture is still warm, add the vanilla and the butter. In a 350 degree oven toast the coconut until golden by putting it on one of the cookie sheets. Once the coconut is toasted and the chocolate has cooled you can now take out the peanut butter. Setup a station by placing the ingredients in order from left to right place the peanut butter, the chocolate with a wooden spoon in the bowl, the coconut and the other cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Scoop out the peanut butter with either a small melon scoop or a tsp. The tsp would make the stone shape as you will not be rolling these in your hand. Put some of the chocolate in

the wooden spoon and place the scoop of peanut butter on the wooden spoon. Roll it around. Now deposit the covered peanut butter into the coconut and use another spoon to roll it around. Place on your final cookie sheet and continue the process until you have used all the peanut butter. Chill the sasso for at least 3 hours before serving.

“And I say also unto thee, that thou art

Peter, and upon this rock I will build

my church and the very gates of hell

shall not prevail against it.”

Matthew 16”18

The common ingredient:

The word ‘Sasso’ means rock in

Italian. The creator used the shape

of the dessert to give it a name.

Isn’t it wonderful that God has

given us a name! A name that no

other could name that we will

receive when we reach home. But

as for now, among the many titles

he gave us as he walked on earth,

the church is one of them. Thing of

the ways you have needed God to

be a cornerstone for your

foundation of life. Take a moment

to thank him for being your rock.

Prep time: 8 mins

Cook Time: none

Serves: 6 (1/2 cup servings)

Notes

31

Want to share your recipes? Send them

our way!!! Just e-mail them to

rose.studio6@yahoo.com using the

subject heading “Recipe”. You might

just see one your recipe’s in our

cookbook!