Gracious Hospitality: September 2021

Friday, September 24, 2021

TableScapes 2021

One of my favorite classes is when the ladies prepare their TableScapes.

In ministry we often have little or not budget to decorate for events.

The rule in creating the their TableScape is they cannot spend any money.

They create from what they already have or can borrow.

This year's creations exceptional.

Rut presents

"Flower Dream"

Salia presents

"Glamping"

Kimberly presents

"Wedding Elegance"

Dani Presents

Boho Style Vibe

Aasta presents

"Picnic by the Lake"

Being prepared for Hospitality

Today we were planning meals so dinner can be an easily prepared in a few minutes. One way is by making several freezer prepared meals. We used the chicken to quickly make a few chicken dishes.

Chicken Brocoli AuGratin

Apricot Chicken Curry

Chicken a la King

Chicken Packets

Sharing our experiences in preparing our chicken dishes

before we enjoy the new flavors.

Friday, September 17, 2021

Preserving Food with Waterbath Canning of Jam and Jelly.

Today' class worked on one way preserving food to make it shelf stable.

The jams today were absolutely beautiful.

Red Hot Apple Jam

Amaretto Peach Jam

Thank you to Debby for helping the ladies with

their project today.

Friday, September 3, 2021

Finding ways to incorporate beans and grains into our daily meals helps to stretch our food budget and still have wonderfully tasty foods. Today we worked with different textures of beans and grains to make our dishes.

Black Bean Wraps

White Bean Hummus

Traditional Chickpea Hummers

Cajun Quinoa

Campfire Beans

Hoppin' John

Our class cooks share how the different dishes are prepared and how easy many of them are.

Then the best part. Tasting all of these wonderful creations.

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