Gracious Hospitality: August 2018

Friday, August 31, 2018

PLANNING AHEAD with Easy Pre-Prepped Meals

Our hospitality starts at home so our goal today was to learn how to plan and prepare ahead so meal preparation can be quick, easy and much less stressful. This also prepares us have a meal easily ready to share with others. We worked on chicken and beef mixes that can be prepared and frozen ahead of time to cut meal prep time to a minimum.

Chicken Packets

Sloppy Joes

Apricot Chicken

Chicken Broccoli AuGratin

Mexican Stromboli

Chicken a la King

Mexican Rice

A great example of how we can use leftovers

to create a tasty dinner.

Sharing how to prepare one of our recipes

Friday, August 24, 2018

BEANS AND GRAINS

Our desire to have a servant's heart and share what we have with others can sometimes inadequate and unprepared. One of my favorite meals when we were in school in Louisiana was made simply beans and rice shared with classmates in a small mobile home. Incorporating beans and grains into our meals helps us to eat well and economically. We have endeavored to be creative today using

combinations of the grains and beans to create easy and tasty dishes.

Black Bean Wraps

Cowboy Chili

Cajun Quinoa

Hoppin' John

Hummus Two Ways

Rice Pudding

Tasting Time

Friday, August 17, 2018

GRACIOUS HOSPITALITY FALL CLASS OF 2018

As we begin our 2018 fall term I'm continually amazed how many herbs and spices God created for us to flavor and season our foods. Our herb garden has grown very well this year and today our class has been able to use many of the fresh herbs to create flavorful and interesting vegetable dishes.

Sautéed Yellow Summer Squash with Thyme

Baked Spaghetti Squash with Basil

Sautéed Zucchini with Thyme

Cream Cheese Dill Corn

Red Curry Baked Butternut Squash

Roasted Butternut Squash with Sage and Cranberries

Walnut and Dill Green Peas

Fresh Herb Marinara Sauce

Kitchen Time - Preparation and Sharing

It is a privilege to watch the ladies work together in the kitchen.

This is when we have the most fun.

Each Team explains their cooking experience and process of preparation the recipes
they have chosen with the other students before we share in the
tasting the flavorful dishes they have prepared.

Preparing the Roasted Butternut Squash

Marinara Sauce with fresh herbs.

Gracious Hospitality Overview

90 Minute Cinnamon Rolls

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 envelope yeast
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup margarine
1 egg
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 cup margarine, softened

*Set aside 1 cup all purpose flour from total amount. Mix remaining flour, yeast ,sugar, and salt in large bowl.
**Heat milk, water, and 1/4 cup margarine until hot to the touch, about 115F. Stir hot liquid into dry ingredients. Mix in egg. Mix in enough reserved flour to make a soft dough, so that it does not stick to the bowl. Turn out onto floured board and knead 5 minutes. Cover dough and let rest 10 minutes.
***Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, and margarine together. Roll dough into 12 x 9-inch rectangle. Spread with cinnamon mixture. Roll from long side, jelly-roll style; pinch to seal the seam.
****Cut into 12 equal slices with a sharp knife. Place cut side up into large greased muffin cups; place on baking sheet over a shallow pan half-filled with boiling water. Cover dough and let rise 20 mins. Bake at 375 F for 20 mins or until browned. Remove from muffin cups to cool.

Frosting

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In a mixing bowl, beat frosting ingredients until well mixed. Frost warm rolls.

Perfect Pie Crust

2 Cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp Sugar
3/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 egg lightly beaten
1 tsp vinegar
3 - 4 Tbsp cold water

*Combine flour, salt and sugar in a 2 qt. bowl. Evenly cut shortening into flour mixture with a pastry blender or fork. *Combine egg and vinegar in a small bowl and add to flour mixture.
*Add water a tablespoon at a time until dough is moist enough to form ball.
*Shape dough into 2 balls. Flatten one ball to 1/2 inch thickness, rounding and smoothing edges.
*On lightly floured surface roll into 11 inch circle.
*Transfer dough to a 9" pie plate.
*Unfold gently and press in bottom and up sides of plate.
*Roll out remaining pastry; set aside. Continue as directed in pie recipe.

HOMEMADE WHITE BREAD

1 pkg. active dry yeast
1/4 c. lukewarm water
2 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. butter
or solid shortening
3/4 c. water
1 c. hot milk
5 to 6 c. flour

Proof yeast in 1/4 cup of the lukewarm water for 5 minutes. Measure sugar, salt and butter into mixing bowl, pour hot milk over them and stir allowing the butter to melt. Add remaining water and cool to lukewarm. Stir in 1 cup flour. Add yeast mixture and 2 more cups flour and beat with a wooden spoon until batter is smooth and elastic. Stir in 1 1/2 to 2 cups more flour, then, with floured fingers, work in enough additional flour to make a soft dough that does not stick to your fingers.

Turn dough onto lightly floured board and knead for 2-5 minutes, about 100 kneading strokes. Shape dough into a ball and put it in an oiled or buttered bowl. Roll the dough in the oil until coated on all sides, cover with a towel and let dough rise until double in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours. Punch dough down and turn onto floured surface. Divide dough in half and shape each half into a smooth ball. Shape each ball into a loaf and put into a greased loaf pan. Cover pans with a towel and let bread rise until the sides of the raised bread reach the top of the pans and the center is nicely rounded above it, about 1 hour.

To bake: Bake loaves at 375 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes, or until golden brown and sound hollow when lightly tapped.

When baked: Turn loaves from pans immediately onto a cooling rack to keep crust crisp. For a soft, tender crust: Brush loaves with butter as soon as they come from oven.

Peel and remove pit, finely Chop
4 cups prepared peaches
5 1/2 cups sugar
1 package powdered pectin

*Measure sugar and keep ready.
*Mix pectin with fruit and using high heat to bring to a boil.
*At once add sugar.
*Bring to a full boil (a boil that cannot be stirred down).
*Boil hard for one minute.
*Remove from heat and skim foam for 5 minutes. This prevents floating fruit.
*Put quickly into jars leaving 1/4-inch head space.
*Clean rim and seal with rings.
*Water bath in boiling water for 10 minutes for pints and quarts.
*It should set in 24 hours.
*Makes about 4 pints jam