Recipes from our Brunch

Joni Geissinger was nice enough to share two recipes from the delicious brunch she served on December 8.

Quiche and Batter
Quiche:
½ cup diced cooked ham or 6 strips browned and crumbled bacon
1-2 Tbsp. minced onions
1 cup cheese of your choice
Batter: 1 ½ cup milk
3 eggs
½ cup bisquick
¼ tsp. salt
½ tsp. dry mustard
Mix your quiche ingredients and place on the bottom of a greased DEEP 9” pie plate.
Process batter ingredients in a blender until there are no lumps. Pour your batter on top of the quiche and do not mix. Drizzle ¼ cup melted butter over the top. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Serves 6.

Quiche Options (that Joni used).
- Bacon, tomato, and swiss cheese
- Spinach, red pepper, mushrooms (all fried together), and provolone cheese
- Broccoli, ham, and sharp cheddar cheese
Quanity and baking details found in the Pampered Chef Stoneware Inspirations Cookbook.


Brunch Lasagna
8 lasagna noodles, cooked
8 eggs (Joni added more)
½ cup milk
2 (16 oz.) jars of alfredo sauce
3 cups diced ham
½ cup chopped green peppers
¼ cup chopped green onions
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
¼ cup parmesan cheese

Cook eggs and milk over medium-low heat until set but moist. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat. In the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan, spread ½ cup alfredo sauce. Cover with 4 noodles, trim if necessary. Put ½ of the remaining sauce over the noodles. Sprinkle half of the pepper and onions on top. Layer remaining noodles, eggs, cheddar cheese, and sauce. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top. Bake at 375 for 45-50 minutes until heated through and bubbly. Remove and let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serves 10-12.

Christmas Brunch

Are you ready for Christmas? We all confessed to not being ready on December 8th, but to loving this time of year. Twenty three ladies came out to enjoy a relaxing and fun brunch at LIFT. Lori shared a great visual devotional and Joni made a delicious brunch! We did a lot of chatting and then exchanged gifts to the nativity version of the “left, right game”.

Thanks to everyone who brought wrapped gifts for the Christmas Angel project. Two little kids in Juniata County will be extra happy this Christmas. Continue to think of more ways to "Give Back".

Joni Geissinger shared several recipes from the Stoneware Inspirations Cookbook that Pampered Chef carries. www.pamperedchef.biz/jonigeissinger. We will also be listing her recipe for the delicious Brunch Lasagna casserole she made.

Here is the Party Punch recipe we had:
1 quart milk
3 cups pineapple juice
3 tsp. lemon juice
1 quart orange sherbet or any other flavor (I used raspberry today)
1 quart vanilla ice cream
2 cups orange juice
Soften ice cream and sherbet. Combine all ingredients in a large punch bowl. Serve immediately. An ice ring made of equal parts of pineapple juice, orange juice, and water may be used if desired. Flavor of sherbet determines punch color. Serves 20.

Think about a Green Tree and the Ornaments on it.
By: Lori
* A tree in winter time looks dead. But, if you break a branch you can clearly see that it has life. If we are saved Christians, there is life in us too.
* Food Ornament: We are blessed to have food and know where our food is coming from.
* Clothing Ornament: We are blessed to have several pieces of clothing to choose from.
* Snowflake Ornament: Isaiah 1:18 says, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson” Jesus washes away our sins
* Dove Ornament: Jesus is the Prince of Peace. Some 700-800 years before Jesus Christ was born, he birth was prophesied, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6
* Drum Ornament: This was made by Lori’s grandma. Think about our lost loved ones. 2 Timothy 1:5 says, “I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.”
* Angel Ornament: We are blessed to have angels protect us as Christians. “For he will command his angels concerning you to gaurd you in all your ways” Psalm 91:11
* Ship Ornament: Just like Jesus calmed the stormy sea (Luke 8:22-25), he guides our lives and calms the storms we face.
* Nativity Ornament: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
God gave his son Jesus knowing he would die so our sins could be washed as white as snow. Merry Christmas!

See you next month! Invite a friend now.

Christmas Brunch, December 8

**Our Gift To You**

We want to give a gift to you! Come savor a free Christmas Brunch catered by Joni Geissinger, local Pampered Chef consultant on Wednesday December 8, 9:15am - 11:00am. This is our gift to you. The room will be decorated, music will be playing, and best of all ladies will be together having a good time. Invite a friend to a Christmas Brunch. Free childcare always provided. Come as you are, you need a break!

On the Menu: Appetizers, Punch, Breakfast Lasagna, Quiche, Fruit Salad, Muffins, and Coffee Cake. www.pamperedchef.biz/jonigeissinger


**Give A Gift**

BRING: A $5 wrapped gift for a gift exchange (optional) and your Christmas Angel gift (if you had signed up)

Invite a friend to our Christmas Brunch. See you then!

Christmas Angel Project

As you shop for the local child you chose from our Christmas Angel tree, remember to pray for the child as well. Then:
• wrap your gift,
• attach the ornament tag,
• and bring to our December 8 brunch.

If you can not bring your item, please let someone from the committee know as soon as possible since the gifts will be delivered to the organization that day.

November 17: GIVE A Meal and Meal Ideas

Strong wind and no electricity did not stop us from getting together to chat, share recipes and helpful hints, hear God’s word, and eat good food! Praise the Lord, the lights did come on just in time for our Wednesday November 17 event. We assembled seven boxes full of yummy meals to share with home-bound individuals in need.

Recipe Swap

One of the many favorites recipes:
Thanksgiving in a Pan
From Heather
1 pkg (6 oz) stuffing mix
2 ½ c cubed cooked turkey
2 c frozen cut green beans, thawed or one can (14.5 oz) of green beans
1 jar (12 oz) turkey gravy
Pepper to taste
Prepare stuffing according to package directions. Transfer to a greased 11 x 7 x 2 in. baking dish. Top with turkey, beans, gravy and pepper. Cover and bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes until heated. Serves 6.

Open the link to see all the recipes that were shared: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/62978120/LIFT-Recipe-Swap



Helpful Hints &
Money Saving Tips
Open the link to see over 20 helpful hints in the kitchen. http://www.docstoc.com/docs/62980719/Helpful-Kitchen-Tips

We had great discussions and even learned how to save hundreds of dollars at the Giant Stores in State College! Some hints included:
Food tips: 1. Rock-hard brown sugar- add a slice of soft bread to the container of brown sugar and close tightly. In a few hours the sugar will be soft again. 5. To melt crystallized honey, heat uncovered jar in the microwave on high for 30-45 seconds. May need to repeat for large jar.
Money Saving Ideas: 9. Buy in bulk and split into smaller portions and freeze. (meat, cheese, etc) 10. Coupon shopping- Weis in Mifflintown doubles coupons up to $0.50. Giant in State College will double coupons up to $1.
Cooking & Baking Tips: 11. Always heat the frying pan before adding oil or butter. This will keep things from sticking to the pan. 16. To slice meat into thin strips, as for stir-fry dishes, partially freeze it so it will slice more easily.
Clean Ups: 20. Dishwasher soap film- run a cup of white vinegar through the entire cycle in an empty dishwasher to remove all soap film. 22. Clean refrigerator- wash inside and out with a mixture of 3 tablespoons of baking soda in a quart of warm water.

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Lori encouraged us to compare our personalities to Simon Peter. She showed us Luke 5: 1-11. Peter wasn’t perfect, had a quick temper, was courageous, was low in faith, and even denied Jesus. Just like Peter, our lives are in God’s hands. There are “God-Things” in our lives. God does not make any mistakes. Sometime obedience to God does not make sense. But, Peter did not keep the good things to himself. He spread the good news of Jesus as our Savior. Peter did awesome things for Jesus, so can you.

Give A Meal and Meal Ideas

“Freely you have received, freely give.” Matthew 10:8b.

We are going to continue our year of giving back by giving a meal and meal ideas. If you can, bring your favorite crock pot dish or oven baked dish to share. Don’t worry, if you decide to come last minute, it’s ok if you can’t bring any food. I’m sure we will have plenty.

Also bring the recipe for your meal

and any other favorite recipes

or money saving ideas you can share with the group.

We always need money saving ideas!!

We will then be dividing up the extra food everyone brought in order to give nice meals to shut-ins. These individuals will be primary from those in need at the Lost Creek Mennonite Church. However, if you know of someone in need, please contact Wanda at: thelauvers@embarqmail.com.

See Christmas Angel Project post below.

Christmas Angel Project

Consider if you're able to contribute to the Christmas Angel Project.
Pick an ornament off the tree, purchase, and wrap the item(s) listed.
Here is a listing of what is needed for the children we are assisting within Juniata County:


10 Year Old Boy:
-Pants, Sweat Shirt, Shirt, Sweater, Coat, PJ's, Socks, Underwear, and Toy/Game or/Book
1 Year Old Girl:
-Pants, Sweat Shirt, Shirt, Sweater, Coat, PJ's, Socks, Diapers, and Toy/Game or/Book

Then attach your ornament to your package and bring to the December 8 LIFT Brunch. - On Behalf of the kids: Thanks!