This really isn’t a new recipe. Almost everyone knows how to make super ultra processed Queso. It is the note at the bottom that gets me. I should note that most Lutherans are of Scandinavian descent and a comment often heard around the table is, “oh, looks like a Scandinavian dinner,” when all of the food on the plate is white. Needless to say, Lutherans don’t like the spicy. If you would like to purchase world’s blandest cookbook let me know.
Chile Con Queso
1 Ib. Velveeta, cut in cubes
1 can (1 4 oz. ) Ortega diced green chiles
1 can (1 Ib.) whole tomatoes. drained then chopped fine
1 T. dried minced onionsHeat all ingredients together in chafing dish over a boiler pan until cheese is melted and it is hot. Serve with corn chips. This is a popular appetizer with people who enjoy HOT foods!
Watch out! With one 4 oz. can of green chilies it might add flavor.
In the classic Lutheran tradition the women who worked the luncheons and receptions were called “Church Basement Ladies.” You were either considered a Mary or a Martha (I would qualify as a Martha) and you had a wide array of aprons for every occasion. To get a better sense of Lutheran culture I suggest a little light historically accurate reading in the form of “Growing Up Lutheran.” Even if you didn’t grow up in a Lutheran church (which I did not) or become one “accidentally” you will find this read hilarious. As previously suggested I am going to start a “weekly” feature (we all know how my weekly features turn out… weakly) and bring you the best of the best in Basement Lady recipes.
This week’s feature is from the Widow Stensruud herself.
Easy Tomato Aspic
2 C. canned tomato juice, heated with bay leaf. Remo leaf after heating. Add 1 pkg. lemo jello. Pour over hopped onion and celery. (Add a can of crab meat, if desired). Pour into mold.
This is most certainly true.
Our church is putting together a cookbook “fundraiser.” It really isn’t a fundraiser per-se. It was more that the kitchen/custodial staff wanted a cookbook and I volunteered I said that we needed to give the old ladies something to spend their money on and tell them it was going to a good cause. At the time we were fundraising the heck out of the congregation for the China trip and I came up with the idea that we could spend the money on new “furnishings” for the kitchen since it is going to get remodeled this summer. The old ladies liked this idea, but like any Lutherans they don’t work quick. I wanted to send the cookbook stuff off at the beginning of March and here it is late Junuary (it has been a horribly cold June around here) and I’m still not finished with the book. Sometime around April I crapped out and decided to go with a publishing company because I just can’t type all of the recipes myself.
There is much more to this whole cookbook story (including me purchasing a new scanner because my old one died), but my point was Jell-O.
If you follow me on Twitter or are friends with me on Facebook you’ve seen a few random bits about Jell-O recipes. If you don’t know anything about Lutherans just know that Lutherans loves themselves some Jell-O molds. In fact, our church kitchen has a cupboard dedicated to nothing but Jell-O molds. Lutheran Jell-O molds nonetheless. They are the same as Catholic or Methodist Jell-O molds, we just use them more frequently.
When I mentioned that I was the one organizing the cookbook one of the quilters decided that we needed to include recipes from the old books too. Books no one has ever heard of or seen. But somehow the Widow Snustead (not her name, but it could be) had the last remaining copy and she marked it up for me with recipes that “should be included.” Knowing the Widow Stensruud I was not to argue and I went about my business photocopying parts of the old book. Then I began to scan the recipes.
Normally when I’m doing projects like this I put it all together and then go back and edit. That was my plan until I came across a recipe for Crab Salad. We’re from the Northwest, this might be good… if you are INSANE!
Crab Salad
2 small packages lime jello dissolved in 2 C. hot water
When partly set add:
1 C. cream, whipped
1 C. Mayonnaise
1 C. stuffed, green olives, sliced
6 hard cooked eggs, chopped
1 C. diced celeryAfter set put a crab louie dressing on the top and 1 C. flaked crab over the dressing.
Sounds delicious right? It doesn’t end there.
This morning I was going through a few more.
Chicken Gumbo Salad
1 pkg. lemon jello
1/2 C. boiling water
1 can condensed chicken gumbo soup
1 can tuna (or 1 C. diced chicken)
1/2 C. sour cream
1/2 C. mayonnaise
3 T. minced green pepper
1/2 C. diced celery
1 T. grated onionDissolve gelatin in boiling water, mix in remaining ingredients. Pour into a 5 C. mold or 6 – 8 individual molds. Chill until set. Serve on lettuce, good for luncheons.
And one more just for good measure…
Delicious Sunshine Salad
2 pkg. orange jello
2 1/2 C. boiling water
1 small can crushed. drained pineapple
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
1 small can frozen orange juiceMix and set in 9″ x l3″ pan.
Topping:
1 pkg. chiffon pie filling
1 C. whipping cream, whippedMake pie filling as directed on pkg. and add whipped cream. Spread over set jello. Sprinkle grated parmesan cheese on top.
That last one was good up until the parmesan cheese on top. I have half a mind to do a regular feature of some of the most whacked out Lutheran Cookbook recipes since I have no less than 5 books.
An interesting discussion popped up on Facebook the other day that I wasn’t expecting when I wrote the original tweet. It read:
Need to write a presentation on church marketing for a Thursday mtg. Does church marketing sucks cut it?
Little did I know that it would spark a discussion about churches and their market ideas. There is some speculation about wether or not churches should actually do “marketing.” One of my best friends mentioned something about if a church does marketing doesn’t it need to pay taxes? Also, the thought that churches actively market themselves leaves a bad taste in some parishioners mouths.
As a person who gets paid for church communications I am totally on the other side of the fence.
First let’s discuss the taxes issue. I’m not sure what Jake had in mind, but non-profits are allowed to market themselves. Libraries do it. Charities do it. Educational establishments do it. Why no churches? All of these organizations are 501(c)(3)s. The definition of a tax exempt corporation does not mean it cannot market.
As far as churches marketing… why not? If you are telling a friend about your church aren’t you marketing? Isn’t a church supposed to spread the word of God? I could be wrong. It could be a yay God social club, but in my experience it is a way for parishioners to come together to share the love of God and to “go and tell.”
As church communicators, or marketers, our job is to figure out a way to communicate the mission of the church in a way that is inviting. So why does church marketing suck? Because most churches portray themselves to the public as a yay God social club. Churches fail to see that there are visitors that attend on Sunday mornings. If a church is using acronyms, exclusive language and a whole lot of we’s and us’es that isn’t very inviting now is it? Call it evangelism, outreach or marketing… it is all the same thing.
What do you think? What turns you off about church or what makes you love the church you go to? We aren’t talking about just Lutherans here. I would love to hear from all denominations.
When I was growing up I attended a Pentecostal church. It wasn’t on a totally regular basis, but when I stayed with my Dad we would attend church with my grandparents and they happened to be Penecostal. From my experience in the Penecostal church holy week isn’t really celebrated. Easter yes, but things like Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday or Good Friday were unheard of. Most other religions also don’t celebrate an Easter vigil. These are all things my particular church celebrates (or rather observes).
I remember as a child growing up that I wanted to know what Good Friday was. No one in my family could explain it to me. I then remember learning about what it was and thinking, “well where’s the good in that?” For those unfamiliar Good Friday is the day Jesus was crucified (Maundy Thursday would be the feast of the last supper).
Good Friday happens to be one of my favorite services that our church puts together. I don’t know if we will attend this year, but in my own way I’ll reflect on the day and what it means. To me that is to think about the good.
I’ve had a pretty bad week. I bonked my head and got whiplash, then on Thursday morning I made a cake to take to the church for the Seder Meal and I accidentally left it on the counter at home. I turned around to get it and when I walked in the door the dog sprinted out of the kitchen (I had left the boy at home with a babysitter). I walk into the kitchen to find that the dog had eaten over 1/2 of the cake. Totally my fault for not remembering the cake.
So the week was pretty bad, but it ended on somewhat of a good note. Back in February I turned in my resume at a little local garden store in Tacoma. Cute joint. I hadn’t heard anything from the guys that owned it so I was planning to call them. My dear friend NEAL happened in there last weekend and mentioned something to them about it. On Monday they called to ask if I wanted to interview. Of course! Last night I interviewed with one of the owners and he really liked me. I’ll hear on Tuesday if I got the job or not, but it sounds pretty positive.
I’m totally freaking out about going back to work. It would only be part time, but I would have to work on the weekends and I hate that. The thought of not having a single day of the week where we can just be a family kills me. However, right now I’m thinking about my family and the ability to make ends meet. We will make it work.
There is the good. In all of the pain and suffering there is good. One small spark of the resurrection and it all melts away. That is why it is Good Friday.
