Friday, October 31, 2014

Angel Street Cafe Recipes


Please let L. Dolson or K. Reed know if you can help make the following Angel Street Cafe favorites. Karen adds, "The Italian Coconut Cream Cake is the most requested desert item that we carry and we can get 16 servings out of the 10” size, which is actually much easier to cut.   We sell at least 8 of these cakes every year.  If someone wants to bake this cake but doesn’t have the 10” pans, please contact me"


BEAN SOUP
2 c. or 1-pint. mixed dried beans like Hurst’s 20 oz. bag “15 Bean Soup” available at Shop n’ Save, Schnucks or Dierbergs (DO NOT use seasoning packet)
2 qt. water
1 c. chopped ham (kielbasa sausage may be substituted)
1 large onion, chopped
1 (28 oz.) can tomatoes, cut up and include juice
1 red hot pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
Wash beans, cover with water and soak overnight. Drain. Put beans in 2 quarts of water in 4-quart saucepan. Add ham or sausage and onion. Simmer 3 to 5 hours or until thick. Add remaining ingredients and simmer to desired degree of doneness.
CHICKEN SALAD
4 c. finely chopped cooked chicken
2 c. finely chopped celery
1 c. peeled and finely chopped Granny Smith apples
2 T. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. curry powder
1 c. mayonnaise
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Makes 10 to 12 servings. (Almonds are not included above in this recipe, because they are added by the kitchen staff during the boutique.)
CREAM OF BROCCOLI SOUP
5 c. chicken stock (or substitute 5 c. water and 5 bouillon cubes)
2 (10-oz.) pkgs. frozen broccoli or florets, chopped, unthawed
1 sm. onion, diced
1 bay leaf
1/4 c. butter
5 T. flour
2 c. evaporated skim milk
1 tsp. onion salt
1 tsp. salt
Combine broccoli, onion and bay leaf with stock in a large pot. Cover and cook at medium heat for 20 minutes. In a small saucepan, over low heat, melt butter, blend in flour. Gradually add evaporated skim milk, stirring constantly over low heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Do not brown. Add this mixture to the vegetable stock. Then add onion salt and salt. Heat until thicken. Do not boil.
RED VELVET CAKE (version 1)
1/2 c. Crisco shortening                           1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. sugar                                           1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs                                                      1 c. buttermilk
3 T. cocoa                                                2 1/2 c. sifted flour
2 oz. red food coloring (optional to use   1 1/2 tsp. vinegar
only 1 oz.)                                                1 tsp. baking soda
Cream shortening, sugar and eggs. Make paste with cocoa and food coloring and add to creamed mixture. Mix salt, vanilla and buttermilk and add alternately with flour to creamed mixture. Then add baking soda and vinegar. Mix. Bake in 2 9-inch greased and floured pans (or 9 x 13-inch) at 350° for 30 minutes.
Frosting:
5 T. flour                                                  1 c. butter, softened
1 c. milk                                                   1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. granulated sugar
Cook flour and milk until thick, stirring constantly. Cover surface with plastic wrap to help prevent crust from forming. Let cool; then refrigerate until cold. Cream together sugar, butter, and vanilla. Add cold flour mixture and beat until smooth like whipped cream. Frost cooled cake.
RED VELVET CAKE (version 2)
2 1/4 c. cake flour                                     2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda                                     2 tsp. to 1 oz. red food color
1/4 c. cocoa                                              1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. salt                                                  1 tsp. white vinegar
1 1/2 c. sugar                                           1 c. buttermilk
1 1/2 c. oil
Grease and flour 2 9-inch pans and line with wax paper or parchment. In a large bowl combine flour, baking soda, cocoa and salt. In a mixing bowl and with mixer on low speed beat sugar and oil until blended. Add eggs, one at a time and blend well. Blend in food color, vanilla and vinegar. Scrape bowl down with spatula. Alternately blend in flour mixture and buttermilk, using about 1/3 each time and scraping bowl down at least twice. Do not beat on high or cake will be tough. Pour into prepared pans and bake in a preheated 350° oven 20-25 minutes or until tested done with a toothpick. Cool on racks 10 minutes and remove from pan and cool completely. Frost layers with cream cheese frosting when cold.
Cream Cheese Frosting
1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened           1 tsp. vanilla
1 stick butter, slightly softened                       milk as needed
1 1-lb. box powdered sugar
Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add butter and continue to beat until softened and smooth. Beat in sugar a little at a time and then vanilla. If too thick blend in cold milk a tablespoon at a time until desired consistency.
CARROT CAKE
2 c. flour                                                       1 1/2 c. salad oil (Crisco or Wesson)
2 tsp. baking powder                                    4 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda                                        3 c. peeled and grated carrots
2 c. sugar                                                     1 c. pecans or walnuts, chopped
1/4 tsp. salt                                                   1/2 heaping c. raisins
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Mix together dry ingredients. Add oil and mix well. Add eggs one at a time. Stir in carrots. Bake in 2 9-inch greased and floured pans at 350° for 40 minutes. (I line my pans with wax paper, so I am sure that they come out of the pans nicely.) Cool completely before icing.
Icing
1/2 c. butter, softened                                  1 (16-oz.) box powdered sugar
1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened         1 tsp. vanilla
Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth. While beating on slow speed, slowly add powdered sugar, then vanilla.
ITALIAN COCONUT CREAM CAKE
1 stick oleo (margarine), softened               1 tsp. baking soda
2 c. sugar                                                    1/2 c. finely chopped pecans
1/2 c. oil                                                     1 c. buttermilk
5 egg yolks                                                 1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. cake flour or 1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour 2 c. flaked coconut
5 egg whites, beaten fluffy
Cream together oleo, sugar, oil, and egg yolks. Add flour, soda, pecans, buttermilk,
vanilla and coconut. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites. Fold the whites into the
rest of the cake mixture. Pour into 3 9-inch or 2 10-inch round greased cake pans. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool thoroughly. (Lining the bottom of the pans with wax paper helps in getting the cakes out cleanly.)
Frosting
1 stick oleo (margarine), softened                         1 tsp. vanilla
1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened                   flaked coconut
1 1-lb. box powdered sugar
Cream oleo and cream cheese with mixer. Add sugar slowly. Then add vanilla. Add a little milk, if frosting is too stiff. Frost cake and press coconut into frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Serves 12.

Thursday, October 30, 2014

To every thing a season . . .


Ecclesiastes 3 King James Version (KJV)

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

 As I was looking at the leaves on my trees turning, I became a little depressed realizing that with the turning of leaves comes winter--- and how I dreaded another winter like 2014.  I looked at my dogwood which I had always admired with its red leaves, wanting to appreciate the beauty of the present. I saw something I'd never seen before.  There beside the leaves turning red were the red berries to nourish my beloved birds, but what's that white knob?  A bud!

In His infinite wisdom God opened my eyes to what was before me all along:  the hope for Spring, the resurrection of life was already there.  On the dogwood tree was the beauty of Autumn, nourishment for winter and promise of Spring.  Thank you God!

If you have a photo which inspires you, please consider sharing it and your thoughts with the congregation at St. Mark. Presbyterian  This is a congregational blog for us all to share our thoughts, epiphanies, and inspirations

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Youth Events for November

Mound Ridge 2014

Our overall theme for St. Mark Presbyterian Youth is "Hospitality": 

Above all, maintain constant love for one another…Be hospitable to one another without complaining. Like good stewards of the manifold of grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received.” 
1 Peter 4:8a, 9-10.

UPCOMING EVENTS
  • November 2nd: Mound Ridge Registration Due!!
  • November 5th: Middle School Fellowship: Inviting the Other
  • November 9th: Dessert Auction Fundraiser
  • November 12th: Middle School Fellowship: Loving Your Enemies
  • November 14-16th: ALL YOUTH RETREAT at Mound Ridge
  • November 19th: Pajama & Movie Night
  • November 23rd: Youth Choir Practice 10:30 a.m        Thanksgiving Dinner 11:30 a.m.
  • November 30th: Youth Choir in Worship                    Hanging of the Greens

FLAMINGO FLOCKING:  Looking for a great way to prank your friends, family and neighbors? Have their yard “flocked!” For a nominal fee, St. Mark Youth will put the number of flamingos you decide on in the yard you want flocked. Did YOU get “flocked” and YOUR yard is covered in flamingos? Pay for flock removal & students will clear them from your yard. Think this fundraiser is for the birds? Protect yourself with Flocking Insurance and you will go on the “do not flock” list! Want to get in on the flocking fun? Contact Katie Sternhagen by email ksternhagen@discoverstmark.org or at the church office 636.394.2233 to choose from dates and times!

DESSERT AUCTION AND LUNCH: November 9th 11:30-1 p.m.
Come and see the delicious delicacies baked up for auction! Whether it is your favorite dessert from the Christmas Boutique, or one you’ve never tried, come and bid on pies, cakes, cookies, and more! Admission is a free will offering, taken at the door. We would love bakers to donate their goods as well! ALL ARE WELCOME! Please sign up in the Narthex with your reservation, and see Katie Sternhagen or Debbie Brown with additional questions!

PARENTS AFTERNOON OUT:  December 7th 1-4 p.m.
Ages 3 through 4th grade are welcome to spend the afternoon enjoying all sorts of fun! Cost is $20 for the first child, $10 for an additional child, or $40 for the family. We will provide activities for your children including “ice skating”, an Advent craft, snacks and Christmas classic movies! Take the afternoon to: get some shopping done, catch up on house work, or relax and take an afternoon for Sabbath.
This is a fundraiser for the St. Mark Youth. The proceeds will benefit their local and national missions.

Sunday, October 26, 2014

Worship Oct. 19


PRAYER IN PREPARATION FOR WORSHIP:  Bless us, O God, with a humble spirit and a reverent sense of your presence, that we may be at peace and may worship you with all our mind and soul.  Amen.
                                                                
CALL TO WORSHIP (adapted from Psalm 103:10-13)
Leader:      God does not treat us as our sins deserve;
People:      or repay us according to our iniquities.
Leader:      For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
People:      so great is His love for those that revere Him.
Leader:      As a father has compassion on his children,
People:      so the Lord has compassion on those who revere Him.             
Leader:      Let us worship the God who loves us like a father.
 
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Lord, we find you on the mountain tops and at the bottom of the pits in our lives.  But, when it comes to ordinary time, we get so caught up in the busy-ness that fills our days that we shove You aside, thinking that we will get to You later.  In so doing, we tell ourselves and others that You are not as important as all of the stuff we have to get done.  We take You for granted and rarely give You the place You deserve, at the center of our lives.  Forgive us for ignoring You and remind us that You are waiting for us to open the door of our lives to You.  As we do, Lord, please come in and take Your rightful place.  Amen.

For the sermon on Oct. 19, click here.

Thursday, October 23, 2014

#TBT Christmas Boutique 2004

 These are from the Christmas Boutique in 2004---come Nov. 11 10:30-7:30 and Nov. 12 10:00-2:00 to  see the wonderful crafts we have now!
 





 And be sure to visit the Angel Street Cafe where we have baked goods as well as lunch/dinner.  Same warmth, delicious food, but wonderful new treasures for Christmas gifts.


Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Youth Activities



October 26th: Youth are greeting before the 10:30 service. Please have your student here around 10:15 that
morning.
Our Six Flags trip is October 26th. We will leave worshipping at the 10:30 a.m. service. Please bring money for lunch and dinner. We will be returning to church at 9 p.m. We are still in need of *one more* driver! Please let me know if you are willing!

Flamingos are Flocking! The Senior Highs are beginning their first fundraiser! We have ordered 48 flamingos to be placed in participants’ yards! The cost is $3 per flamingo. Email Katie Sternhagen:
1.       how many you would like to purchase?
2.        who you would like us to “flock”?
3.       select the time and date!

Mound Ridge Youth Retreat is November 14-16th . Register your student by November 2nd at the LATEST!Cost is $80.

SAVE THE DATE! November 9th after 10:30 service, we will have a Dessert Auction with free-will offering lunch. This fundraiser is benefitting our mission projects both near and far and open to the congregation! We will need lots of help with this. Please let Katie Sternhagen, Debbie Brown, or Stacey Caplinger know if you are able and willing!

MARCH 7th, 2015 TRIVIA NIGHT: Trinity Lutheran Church 6-10 p.m. details to follow!