A Sweet Celebration

The holiday season can be full of so much excitement, joy, and…food! Growing up my fondest Christmas memories were spent gathered in the kitchen with whisks in hand, the smell of fresh-baked cookies overflowing into every room of the house, and cousins catching up with one another over a cup of hot chocolate at my grandma’s house. No matter what happened from one year to the next, my cousins and I could always count on this tradition.

You see, the act of baking the cookies brought us all together, but it was much more than that. It was the laughs in between; it was the sharing of the baked goods with friends and neighbors; it was the passing of recipes between generations to generation, and it was the overall feeling of being united and at home no matter the distance that separated us throughout the year.

Being a baker and reflecting on Christmas I have always found it interesting that Jesus used bread, a simple and straightforward baked good, to describe Himself. He could have used anything, yet he used bread?!

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” – John 6:35

It makes sense that Jesus would use something as simple as bread to describe Himself. You see, bread is full of leavening agents - ingredients used to make things rise. As Christ was raised, so are those that believe in Christ. Baked goods have a way of uplifting people’s spirits; they have a way of bringing people together; they have a way of making you feel full and at home. Jesus said, “I am the bread of life…” In Him we are raised to life, in Him we feel that joy, in Him we are complete, and in Him we find our home. THIS is WHO and WHY we celebrate Christmas. 

So whether you are a grade A baker or the best taste-tester, I encourage you to gather with your friends and family, invite your coworkers or neighbors, reach out to someone who may have difficulty finding the joy in the holidays, and partake in the sweet celebration of the birth of our Savior this Christmas! 

Here are some ideas this Christmas season as you gather at the table…

Host a Christmas Cookie Bake!

Invite your friends and family over and bake/decorate Christmas cookies. Even if people do not like to bake, I am sure they love to eat cookies! Plus if you have any extras, Crossroads Church will be collecting baked goods during the Christmas Eve Services.

Deliver Baked Goods!

You may not be too comfortable baking in the kitchen, but did you know Crossroads Church needs volunteers to deliver baked goods to Coweta’s First Responders during Christmas Eve. Who knew that a simple act could be so sweet?! (pun totally intended!)

Share Your Favorite Recipes!

I love seeing people share family recipes and traditions. Between personal preferences, cultural practices/techniques, to simple delights, we can learn so much just through the sharing of food.

From my kitchen to your table, Merry Christmas, my friends!

8 Summer Recipes

One of the best ways to foster community is enjoying a meal together. What better time to come together than summer? Summer nights have a way of bringing people around the table for relaxed conversation and fun. We'd like to help you build community by providing some delicious recipes for your summertime menu.

Whether you're inviting people over, headed to a potluck dinner, or gathering with your small group, we've got some great summer recipes to share!

8 Summer Recipes

1. Pasta Salad

Ingredients: 1 lb. tri-colored spiral pasta, 6TBSP salad seasoning mix, 1 (16 oz) bottle Italian-style salad dressing, 2 cups cherry tomatoes (diced), 1 green bell pepper, 1 red bell pepper, 1/2 yellow bell pepper (all bell peppers diced), 1 (2.5 oz) can black olives (chopped)

"In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta until al dente, rinse under cold water and drain. Whisk together the salad spice mix and Italian dressing. In a salad bowl, combine the pasta, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers and olives. Pour dressing over salad; toss and refrigerate overnight."

2. Chicken Soup

Ingredients: Rotisserie Chicken (take off the bone and chop small), Jar of salsa verde, 2 cans Cannelloni beans drained, 1.5 cups tomatoes cut into bite-sized pieces, 8 cups fat free chicken stock

Put all ingredients into a crockpot and turn on low in the morning. Soup will be ready to serve for dinner. For a quicker option, cook on the stove top for 30 minutes. Squeeze one lime into the soup as it is cooking and slice lime to squeeze into each bowl. Season to taste.

(You may also add chopped avocado, chopped cilantro, and a dollop of sour cream to each bowl when served.)

3. Shrimp Salad Sandwich

Ingredients: 1 pound cooked shrimp (peeled and de-veined), 3 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped, 3 celery stalks, minced, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, Dash onion salt, salt and pepper, seasoning salt, celery salt, 8 slices your choice bread, toasted, lettuce and tomato slices (optional)

Place shrimp in a food processor and pulse until finely minced. Transfer shrimp to a bowl and add eggs, celery, and mayonnaise; mix well. Add seasonings to taste and stir to combine. Spread additional mayonnaise on both sides of bread. Heap shrimp salad onto bread and then cut sandwiches in half. Serve with lettuce and tomato, if desired.

4. Bacon Pineapple Chicken Kabobs

Ingredients: 2 large chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2″ – 2″ chunks, salted lightly, 1 1/2 cups of your favorite BBQ sauce, 1 lb bacon, cut into 1″- 1 1/2″ segments, fresh pineapple cut into 2″ chunks

"Combine chicken pieces with 1 cup of the BBQ sauce and marinate for 2-3 hours. (This step can be omitted if you’re pressed for time!) Microwave bacon for 2-5 minutes, depending on the thickness of your bacon and preferred crispiness. Let bacon cool slightly. Using kabob skewers, thread chicken, bacon pieces and pineapple in a pattern. The larger pieces of pineapple are easier to skewer. Fold thin bacon pieces over in half and arrange next to the chicken, being careful to not put the bacon pieces too close to anything else, so that they have space to heat up properly to cook. Grill kabobs until chicken reaches 155-160 degrees F. Slather remaining 1/2 cup of BBQ sauce on kabobs when they’re nearly cooked. Cover loosely with foil and let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.

5. Grilled Hawaiian Chicken

Ingredients: 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to even thickness, 1 cup BBQ sauce (use your favorite!), 1 15-ounce can pineapple slices (including juice), 2 teaspoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon garlic, ¼ cup oil, fresh cilantro, chopped

"In a bowl, whisk together BBQ sauce, juice from the can of pineapple slices, soy sauce, and garlic. Pour half of the mixture into a large resealable bag. Add oil and chicken. Seal bag and chill for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight. Reserve remaining sauce mixture and chill until ready to use.

Grease and preheat grill to medium heat. Remove chicken from bag, discard bag and marinade, and grill chicken for 6-8 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Grill pineapple slices along with the chicken, 2-3 minutes on each side til heated through and just beginning to char.

When chicken is finished cooking, brush with reserved sauce, top with chopped cilantro and serve with grilled pineapple slices."

6. Low Country Boil

Ingredients: 1/2 cup concentrated Louisiana-style shrimp and crab boil seasoning (such as Zatarain's), 4 pounds medium red potatoes, 2 to 3 medium sweet onions, such as Vidalia, peeled and quartered if large, 2 1/2 pounds cured, smoked pork sausage links, cut into 3-inch pieces, 8 ears of corn, cut in half, 4 pounds medium shrimp

"Fill a 7-gallon stockpot halfway with water (or use 2 large pots and divide the ingredients between them). Add the seasoning and bring to a rolling boil. Add the whole potatoes to the pot. Allow the water to return to a boil and cook 5 minutes. Add the onions and sausage. Bring the water back to a boil and cook 15 minutes. Add the corn, bring the water back to a boil and cook 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are done.

Add the shrimp, bring the water back to a boil and cook until the shrimp turn pink, about 3 minutes. Drain through a colander; discard the liquid. Serve on newspaper or a platter."

7. Burgers & Brats

Ingredients: ground beef, salt and pepper, Tony Chacherie's seasoning, Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce, brats (flavor of your choice), Hawaiian roll buns, veggies of your choice

Mix ground beef with Tony Chacherie's seasoning and salt and pepper. Form hamburger patties and put on the grill. Put the brats on the grill as well. When the burgers are almost done, put some BBQ sauce on the patties. While those are grilling, either grill veggies in foil or bake veggies in the oven at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.

8. Orange Jello Salad

Ingredients: 20 oz crushed pineapple, 9 oz cool whip, 1 large orange jello (or any flavor), 1 cup of nuts, 2 cups of buttermilk

Mix pineapple with jello on stove until hot (don't boil). Let it cool, add in other ingredients, and place in fridge.

 

What are some of YOUR favorite summer recipes? Comment below!

Take advantage of the times that you have to join in community. Don't miss out on the opportunity for time with family, lifelong friendships, and connections. We hope you enjoy your summer!