Martha & Mary Cook Book Club - June 2010 Meeting

LBC's Cook Book Club met on Tuesday June 15, 2010 to make jelly. Our facilitator, Chris Yates, demonstrated several techniques for jelly making, a simple syrup and discussed the differences between jellies, jams and preserves.

Simple Syrup Recipe:

1 part water, 1 part sugar, pureed fruit juice of choice.

Raspberry Simple Syrup:

1 cup water, 1 cup sugar and the fruit juice of 1/2 pint of pureed, double strained raspberries.
Bring sugar and water mixture to a boil until dissolved (at least one minute). Stir constantly and do not let sugar burn. Remove from burner and add fruit juice.

Peach Melba Summer Cooler:

2 ltr Ginger Ale chilled
1 can peach nectar (Kern's was the brand we used) chilled
2 tbsp Raspberry simple syrup (you may add more to your taste preference)

Makes a perfect summer drink for you and your guests!

Jelly recipes prepared were:

Pineapple Pepper Jelly Recipe

2 Hungarian chilies
1 jalapeno
1 medium red pepper
1/2 pineapple - pureed juice
3/4 cup white vinegar
3/4 cup apple cider
5 cups sugar

Follow the liquid Certo recipe to cook this jelly.

BlackRazz Jelly Recipe

3 cups raspberry/blackberry juice (pureed and double strained)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
5 cups sugar

Follow liquid Certo recipe to cook this jelly.

Blackberry Jelly Recipe

Follow ingredients/cooking directions on Certo package.

Jelly Tips:

Always use a deepest pot available, allowing sufficient room for ingredients to boil.

Prep your pot by rubbing 1 tbsp of butter half-way up the sides of the pan. This will prevent the mixture from foaming.

Integrate ingredients before putting on burner. Butter pan, put juice in, and load sugar in last. Stir constantly until the ingredients come to a full rolling boil, then add your liquid Certo (prep the container ahead of time). Boil for one full minute - stirring constantly.

Make sure your jars/lids are sterilized and ready for ingredients prior to cooking your jelly. Ensure rim of jar has no liquid or ingredients on it - otherwise your jar will not properly seal.

Once jars are filled and lid is clean - place lid on top. Use hot pad to hold jars as jelly will be very hot. Close jar and turn over. Place back in hot water bath with 2" coverage and boil for 5 minutes. Put pan on top of jars to ensure they remain immersed in hot water bath.

Once jars have cooled - you can determine if the jar properly sealed by the lack of bubble in the center of the lid. If the jar didn't seal, there will be a bubble in the lid. If the jar is vacuum tight - the lid will be perfectly smooth. If you don't get a good seal, you will need to refrigerate and eat the jelly right away.

There were 7 members in attendance. Chris used the Pineapple Pepper jelly with the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and bacon appetizer recipe. LBC Cook Book Members each took home one jar of jelly.

Yum!

Martha & Mary Cook Book Club - April 2010 Meeting

LBC's Mary and Martha Cookbook Club met on Tuesday April 16, 2010. Chris Yates demonstrated how to make Crème Brulee’ with group discussion on meal planning. Lucy Heart to Home dishes shared included: Pink lady salad and Strawberry cake. Favorite dish was Creme Brulee.

6 participants attended this meeting.

Southern Living Creme Brulee recipe

2 cups whipping cream
5 egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablesoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons light brown sugar

* Combine first 4 ingredients, stirring with a wire whisk until sugar dissolves and mixture is smooth. Pour mixture evenly into ramekins/baking dishes; place dishes in a large roasting pan or a 15- x 10- x 1-inch jellyroll pan. Prepare 2-inch water bath.

* Bake at 275 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until almost set. Cool custards in water in pan on a wire rack. Remove from pan; cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

* Sprinkle 1 tablespoon brown sugar over each custard, place custards in pan.

*Broil 5 1/2 inches from heat until sugar melts. Let stand 5 minutes to allow sugar to harden.

6 servings

Martha & Mary Cook Book Club - March 2010 Meeting

LBC's Mary and Martha Cook Book Club met Tuesday, March 16, 2010. Chris Yates facilitated and provided a Hot Ham Sandwich demonstration. Discussion topic was going to market and the group sampled fresh bread with a balsamic vinegar and oil. Chris also shared a Jezebel sauce recipe that is great served with chicken . Lucy Heart to Home Cook Book dishes shared were: Green bean bundles, Black Bean and Corn Ranch Salad, Texas Hash, and Coconut Macaroons. Favorite dish was green bean bundles.

10 participants attended the meeting.

Jezebel Sauce Recipe:

1 cup pineapple preserves
1 heaping tbsp horseradish
1 tbsp mustard

Martha & Mary Cook Book Club - February 2010 Meeting

The LBC Mary and Martha Cookbook Club met on Tuesday, Feb 16, 2010. Chris Yates provided a 15 Minute meal recipe and made a homemade salad dressing. Discussion topic included having the right tools for the right job. Lucy Heart to Home dishes shared: Hummingbird cake, Parmesan Pasta, Chicken Enchiladas, and Italian Zucchini.

Favorties were Italian Zucchini and Hummingbird Cake.

11 participants attended the meeting.

15 minute meal

Gorton's Shrimp Scampi added to Bertolli's Chiken Florentine Farfalle.

Cook as directed.

Salad Dressing:

Orange Juice
Garlic
Balsmamic vinegar
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt/Pepper

Salad:

Feta Cheese
Halved Grape Tomatoes
Chopped Onions
Black Olives

Pour dressing over salad and enjoy!

Martha & Mary Cook Book Club - January 2010 Meeting

LBC kicked-off our Mary & Martha Cook Book Club on Tuesday, January 12, 2010. Chris Yates demonstrated a quick Appetizer and the group disussed meal planning. Lucy Baptist Heart to Home Recipes were shared. Dishes included Mexican Chicken, Zucchini Fries, Easy Bake Chicken, and Poppy Seed chicken.

Favorites were the Zucchini Fries and Poppy Seed Chicken.

Twelve participants attended the initial meeting.


Cream Cheese/Jelly Appetizer Recipe:

Cream Cheese
Finely shredded Aged Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Pepper Jelly
Green Onions
Peppered bacon bits

Fry peppered bacon (available at Kroger), remove grease, and cut up into bacon bits
Press softened creamed cheese into the bottom of your serving dish
Cover cheese with shredded cheddar cheese
Cover cheese with finely chopped green onions
Cover with slightly warmed pepper jelly
Cover with crumbled bacon

Serve with your choice of crackers and enjoy!

Martha & Mary Cook Book Club Charter

The LBC Martha and Mary Cook Book Club is designed and created to use a point of common interest to honor God through fellowship and be an outreach within and outside of Lucy Baptist Church. We will meet once on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:30pm in the Activities Building Kitchen. Our schedule includes Devotional, Prayer, Demonstration (15-20 min.), Monthly Topic Open Discussion (15-20 min.), Drawing for "Martha & Mary Surprise of the Month," Sharing of Bread (what anyone has brought that month to share, not a requirement to attend).

The Lucy Baptist Heart to Home Cook Book will be our first book to examine and explore. Purchase is not required, but encouraged ($10, available in the LBC Library/Media Center). For this first year all of our "Sharing of Bread" will be from the Heart to Home. Facilitated by Christine Yates.