Fun and Feasting in the Fellowship Hall

Sugar Grove United Methodist Church on Hwy. 183 near Bowling Green KY will host a
homemade ice cream supper from 5 pm to 7 pm July 11 at the church. The cost for a full meal,
which will include a hamburger or hot dog plate, cole slaw, baked beans, drink and
all-you-can-eat ice cream and cake, will be $5. All proceeds will go to mission projects in Butler
County and around the world..


A must at church suppers is iced tea. Try meadow tea or one of the many wonderful herbal teas on the market.





Ham/Bake Bean/Salad
Buffet Supper
Brandon Congregational Fellowship Hall
1 Carver St. Rt 7 Brandon, Vt. 05733
5-7 pm on Saturday, July 25
Feast on ham, beans, assorted salads, rolls, fruit breads, beverages and
fresh strawberry or chocolate ice cream sundaes with homemade cookies
Adults$10 -- 5-10 Youth $5 --Under 5 "our guests"
For more information call one of the chairpersons at
247-6121 or 247-6102



Green Beans a la Green Pastures
A green vegetable always perks up a potluck table. Canned green beans are among the most affordable vegetable you can serve. Liven them up with fresh or dried herbs.
#10 can cut green beans (not French style)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Large onion, finely diced
½ stick butter
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon dried or 3 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon dried or 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 teaspoon celery seed
Drain the can of green beans and set aside. In a large pot, skillet or stove-to-table pan, cook onion in hot oil until it’s soft. Stir in herbs , vinegar and butter, then gently fold in green beans. Heat through, stirring gently over low heat, and keep warm until serving time. Serves 12-15.

Cook’s note: an easy way to drain large cans is to open them almost completely using a can
opener. Hold lid in place and turn over to drain. Then use can opener to finish the cut, carefully remove lid and discard.

Budget Shopper's Tip: When planning a potluck dish, take a look at selections in the bulk foods section. You may not shop in warehouse stores but many ordinary supermarkets have at least a small selection of foods in #10 cans. They save time, trash and money.

Food for the Sick
You’ve heard jokes about the food called gruel but it really was a sickroom staple in
olden times. I’ve adapted this from an old cookbook that had four gruel recipes (farina, cornmeal
which was then called Indian meal, oatmeal and arrowroot). Think of this recipe as a starch
smoothie to take to a shut-in friend who can’t eat solid foods. The old recipe calls for white sugar
but try honey or raw sugar. Don’t over-do with the butter, salt and sugar. Keep it bland until the
patient feels better.
2 cups cold water
½ cup quick-cooking oatmeal
1 scant teaspoon butter
1 teaspoon (or more to taste) sugar
Pinch salt
½ cup milk
Stir oatmeal into boiling water and cook 3 minutes. Stir in butter, sugar, salt and milk.
Mixture will be thin. Cool, blend in blender or food processor until satin-smooth, and store in the refrigerator. To serve, stir and
pour out a small portion. Nuke until warm but not too hot. This can be sipped from a mug if
patient is able, or feed it by the loving’ spoonful. Makes 5 servings of ½ cup each.

How about a country weekend in Vermont?

At left: CouCou Casserole (see below)

Ham/Bake Bean/Salad
Buffet Supper
Brandon Congregational Fellowship Hall
1 Carver St. Rt 7 Brandon, Vt. 05733
5-7 pm on Saturday, July 25
Feast on ham, beans, assorted salads, rolls, fruit breads, beverages and
fresh strawberry or chocolate ice cream sundaes with homemade cookies
Adults$10 -- 5-10 Youth $5 --Under 5 "our guests"
For more information call one of the chairpersons at
247-6121 or 247-6102

Is your church hosting a supper, bake sale or other food related event? List it here free. E-mail janetgroene@yahoo.com

Here's a great recipe to take to the next potluck at your church.
CouCou Casserole
See photo above

In the Caribbean, things made with cornmeal often end up with a name like coucou or cuckoo. In the islands, callaloo would be used instead of spinach in this nourishing casserole. Bring it to a potluck or serve it as vegetarian main course.

1 cup yellow corn grits
4 cups boiling water
1 teaspoon garlic salt
10-ounce package chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 eggs, beaten
6-ounce package shredded Cheddar cheese
Stir grits into boiling water, add garlic salt and keep stirring as grits gradually thicken. Stir in spinach. When grits are as thick as oatmeal, remove from heat and stir in
beaten eggs and shredded cheese. Put in a sprayed 9 X 13-inch dish and baked now or cool and
chill for later baking.
To bake, put casserole in a 325-degree oven and bake 35 to 60 minutes. It will bake
quickly if hot and will take longer if it’s been refrigerated. Makes 12 potluck servings or 6 to 8 main dish servings.
Cook’s note: for extra garlicky CouCou use a 6-ounce package of garlic-herb soft white
cheese (e.g. Allouette) instead of Cheddar.

Did you know that Michael Jackson was a vegetarian who loved Indian food? In his memory, make a batch of trail mix rich in curry and vegetable goodness. See the new recipe at
http://www.CreateAGorp.blogspot.com

For more potluck recipes go to
http://www.CampAndRVCook.blogspot.com
and
http://www.BoatCook.blogspot.com

Take This to a Church Potluck

Check out the wonderful menus each month when Cayutaville United ME Church, Odessa, New York, holds its church suppers. .607-594-2494. Call ahead for details and directions.








Heaven-Sent Ham Loaf
If your supermarket does not carry ground ham, use two pounds sausage and a pound of ground turkey or chicken. Add 1/3 cup brown sugar to the mixture. Depending on how thin the slices, this serves at least 12 people. It’s always the first thing to disappear at a church potluck.

2 eggs
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
½ cup milk
½ cup dry bread crumbs
1 pound ground ham
1 pound ground turkey or chicken
1 pound pork sausage
In a large bowl whisk together eggs, milk and Worcestershire. Work in crumbs and meat until well blended. Pack mixture in one or two greased loaf pans and bake 1 hour, or until it tests done for poultry, at 350 degrees. Drain off any fat, cool and chill. Slice, arrange on a platter and serve cold drizzled with:
Sauce:
1 cup mayonnaise or plain yogurt
2 tablespoons horseradish

Cook's note: instead of bread crumbs use ginger snap crumbs.

Read Janet Groene's Winning Article

Go to http://www.perceptivetravel.com/issues/0308/groene.html

to see Janet's article about attending church in the Caribbean. It just took a 1st place in a writing contest open only to professional travelwriters. It was sponsored by the Society of American Travel Writers.

Your recipes, comments and announcements of upcoming public, food-related events at your church, mandir, mosque or synagogue are always welcome.

Potluck Success

Sign of the Cross Salad
Cabbage, kale and other cruciferous vegetables get their name from the Latin meaning “to
bear the cross” because there is usually a cross or X in their flowers. This big salad serves up to 16 as a side dish and it’s substantial enough to make a cold main dish for 6 to 8.
When you take it to a potluck supper you’re providing an exceptionally nutritious treat.
Even people who don’t like foods in the cabbage family love this salad.

2 medium heads cauliflower, cut in small bite size
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup golden raisins
1 ½ cups roasted, salted sunflower seeds
1/3 to ½ cup slivered almonds
Large sweet onion, e.g. Vidalia, finely diced
1 jar real bacon bits (about ½ cup)
Dressing:
8-ounce carton lime yogurt
1 cup mayonnaise
In a large bowl mix everything but the yogurt and mayo, reserving some sunflower seeds
or the almonds for a final garnish if you wish. Whisk together the yogurt and mayo and toss with
the salad. Chill, shower with seeds or nuts, and serve.
Cook’s note: to make this a vegetarian dish, omit the bacon bits and use all the sunflower
seeds and almonds in the salad. Then add vegetable “baco” bits as a garnish just before serving.

Do you plan an upcoming church supper that reaches out to the public? List it here free. E-mail janetgroene@yahoo.com