Other Duties as Assigned

As a minister’s wife I sometimes get asked to do some odd things. I call these things “other duties as assigned”. My husband gets asked to do even stranger things, but he’ll have to post those on his own blog. Because I have been a caterer and church cook, I am often asked for recipes and cooking and entertaining advice. Once for a women’s ministry day at church I was asked to do a cooking demonstration.
My friend Diane and I did this together. This was a blast. I gathered some of my favorite recipes and advice and put this all in my handout. I decided to demonstrate how to roast a whole chicken. I started out by explaining which end of the chicken was “up”. My friend Betty West still hoots every time she thinks about this. She calls it the day I made the “chicken dance.” I oiled up the chicken with olive oil and seasoned it with herbs and spices, I put everything in a foil roasting pan and this became one of the door prizes. I personally thought this was a great idea because the recipient had a free dinner that just needed to be roasted; however, the lady that won this was so disgusted by the raw chicken that she wouldn’t touch it and ended up giving it to her friend! So much for my great idea!

Here’s part of my presentation:

The Hospitable Woman of God
How to Minister and Encourage Others with Food

As women we are expected to prepare the meals for not only our own families, but other families in times of trials and celebrations. The first indication that a milestone has taken place is the appearance of a covered dish. This tradition of sharing ourselves through food began long before Jesus took the loaves of fishes from a small boy to feed thousands. Many bible stories include the sharing of a meal. You may more resemble Lucy in the chocolate factory than Martha Stewart, but nonetheless, part of your role as a woman of God is to reach out in love with food to your brothers.

Many times we must respond quickly to the food needs of a family in bereavement. The key to answering this call is being prepared by having a source of quick and easy recipes, having meats in the freezer and other ingredients in the pantry. In other words, a plan. Rosemary Lemon Roasted Chicken is a delicious meal in one dish, and makes a lovely addition to an “after funeral” meal. Many of you are probably intimidated by cooking a whole chicken, but once you see how easy and inexpensive this is, what I like to call the “holy bird”, will be one of your favorites.

How to roast a chicken in 3 easy steps:
1. Wash the chicken carefully removing any quills or hairs. Also, snip the tail with a pair of kitchen shears and remove the insides (sometimes in a plastic or paper bag).
2. Rub the skin with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Fill the inside cavity with herbs, lemons, garlic, onions, etc. (this depends on the recipe)
3. Place the chicken in a roasting pan, breast side up (think about how to chicken looks standing up, the wings are her arms, so the wings are in front of the breast), bake at indicated temperature (usually 350 degrees) and baste every 20 to 30 minutes. The chicken should be done in about 1 ½ hours, or when a thermometer reads 180 degrees when placed in the thigh area of the chicken. Allow the chicken to rest 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

I like to add red potatoes and fresh green beans to the pan. You can also add several cloves of peeled garlic if you like.

Another recipe that I will share that everyone loves was given to me by my friend Sherese Ivey. She got it from someone in her church in Jacksonville, Florida. I passed it around like the collection plate at a tent meeting. We all had a good laugh when we realized this recipe was printed on the label of Jimmy Dean sausage! Nevertheless, it is a crowd pleaser:

Sausage Croissants
1 pound sausage, fried, drained, and crumbled
1 8 ounce package cream cheese
2 tubes of crescent rolls

Mix cooked sausage and cream cheese. Unroll crescent rolls and fill each one with about a tablespoon of sausage mixture. Roll into triangle and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. If you like you can brush the rolls with an eggwash and spinkle with poppy seeds. Bake at 450 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes or until bread is golden brown. Makes 16 croissants. You can make the sausage mixture ahead and store it in a Tupperware container for a couple of days.

Stay tuned for more cooking advice and recipes.