It's a potluck party!

Centenary United Methodist Church, where my family has our church membership, has a new pastor. Pastor Jennifer Long and her family have recently moved to Cape Girardeau as a part of their journey with us in this community and at Centenary Church.

Methodists love pot luck dinners and generations of Methodist families have shared recipes in church cookbooks, often sold as fundraisers through Methodist church cookbooks across America. I especially enjoy the Methodist church cookbooks I have.

This first recipe is a vintage recipe to try from an 1898 cookbook published by Methodist Episcopal Church in Ware, Massachusetts, known as the oldest known Methodist cookbook. The recipe has been updated using modern cooking methods and ingredients.

All of the recipes I'm sharing today come from the Pinterest page, Our UM Table, at this link, www.pinterest.com/umchurch/our-um-table.

Potato Puffs

• 2 cups mashed potatoes
• 2 eggs, yolks and whites divided
• 3 tablespoons cream
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Cook 2 large russet potatoes, cool. Split potato, scrape out the inside. Mash with a potato masher. Place the mashed potatoes into a saucepan.

Add the egg yolks, cream, butter, salt and pepper. Stir constantly until the potatoes are hot and light. Remove from the heat.

Beat the egg whites until stiff. Carefully stir in the well-beaten egg whites.

Spoon mixture into small nonstick mini muffin pans, sprayed. Bake the potatoes until brown.

Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese, bacon bits and scallion tops, sliced.

Cranberry Carrots

• 4 cups thinly sliced carrots
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup raw, washed cranberries
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon grated orange rind
• 1 tablespoon pancake syrup

Place carrots and butter in microwave-safe casserole dish. Cover and microwave at 100% power for 7 minutes, stirring once. Add cranberries, sugar, orange rind and syrup. Microwave covered at 100% for 5 minutes, stirring once, until carrots are tender. Let stand covered 3 minutes.

Breakfast Casserole

• 12 slices of bread, buttered with crust removed
• 1/2 pounds sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 pound pork sausage, fried and drained
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 3 cups milk

In buttered 13-by-9-inch pan, place 6 slices of bread with buttered side up. Place 1/2 of the cheese and sausage on top of the bread. Repeat layer of bread, then the rest of the cheese and sausage. Beat eggs and milk; pour over and press down with spoon so milk is absorbed. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, remove from refrigerator about 30 minutes before ready to place in the oven. Remove covering. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour.

Christmas Meat Pie

• 2-1/2 pounds hamburger (lean)
• 3 pounds pork (fresh shoulder or 1 pound pork sausage)
• 1 small onion
• 5 large potatoes

Crust:

• 5 cups flour
• 1 cup shortening
• 1 teaspoon salt

Cook hamburger and pork (or sausage) together, add just enough water to prevent sticking. Season with salt and pepper (if using sausage, very little seasoning is needed). A small onion may be added if desired. Cook 5 large potatoes, mash and add to meat. If using sausage, skim off the fat while cooking.

For crust: Water enough to hold ingredients together after shortening has been cut into flour. Divide pastry into 10 balls and roll out one at a time. Line five 9-inch pie pans, then pour meat mixture into them. Cover with top crust. Prick generously and bake in 425 degree oven until crust is nicely browned.

This is a favorite New England dish, particularly around the Christmas holidays. These pies can be made anytime and frozen or given as gifts at Christmas or anytime during the year.

Pork Chop and Potato Casserole

This recipe is a very old recipe that has appeared in hundreds of Methodist cookbooks through the years. To modernize this recipe a bit, microwave potatoes until almost cooked. Cool, then slice and continue with recipe and then only bake about 30 minutes, instead of 60 minutes.

• 8 thick pork chops
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 4 to 6 potatoes, sliced
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 soup can of milk
• Pepper, to taste

Brown pork chops in oil and place them in a baking dish. Add a layer of onions and potatoes. Mix soup with milk and pour over the layers. Add pepper. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Serve this dish with a green salad and cornbread,

Lemon Shortbread Cookies

For the shortbread:

• 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons salted butter (softened)
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered / icing sugar
• Zest 1 lemon
• 1-1/4 cups plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 pinch salt

Lemon Glaze:

• 1-1/4 cups powdered / icing sugar
• 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon whole / whipping cream or milk

Sift together the flour and salt.

In a large bowl, with a wooden spoon, mix together the butter, sugar and zest. Add the sifted flour mixture a little at a time, stirring between additions. Once the dough starts to come together (even if you haven't add all the flour), move to a flat surface and knead into a compact ball. (If you need extra flour add one tablespoon at a time, if the dough is too crumbly add more butter, a little at a time).

Shape the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic and refrigerate 2 hours. You can also shape the dough into a log or two, refrigerate then slice and bake.

On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough to about 1/4-inch thickness and cut out cookies. Place cookies on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and refrigerate for about 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake cookies for approximately 12 minutes. Let cool completely before drizzling with glaze.

Lemon Glaze

In a small bowl combine powdered sugar, lemon juice and cream, if too thin add more sugar too thick add either more lemon juice or cream.

Notes: If the dough is too hard out of the fridge, then you can either let it warm up a bit on the counter or cut the dough into two parts and warm it a bit by gently kneading, to make it easier to roll.

Cinnamon Rolls

This cinnamon roll recipe will have you making cinnamon rolls at home on a regular basis. Not only are they delicious, you can tell everyone you made them and nothing beats homemade cinnamon rolls.

Dough ingredients:

• 1 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm milk
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup softened butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 4 cups flour

Filling ingredients:

• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1/3 cup butter, softened

Icing Ingredients (You can double this recipe is you want more icing!)

• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup cream cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

To start the rolls, dissolve the yeast in the warm milk in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, add sugar, butter, salt, eggs, and flour, mix well. Pour the milk/yeast mixture in the bowl and mix. If using a stand mixer you will want to use the dough hook. Mix well until well incorporated.

Place dough into an oiled bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place about 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.

Roll the dough out on a silicon mat or lightly floured surface, until it is approximately 16-18 inches long by 12 inches wide. It should be approximately 1/4-inch thick.

To make the cinnamon filling, combine the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.

Spread the mixture evenly over the surface of the dough. If you prefer, you can spread the butter first on the dough and then the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture.

Back To Making The Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls: Carefully starting from the long edge, roll the dough down to the bottom edge. The roll should be about 18-inches in length. Cut the roll into 1 1/2-inch slices.

Place the cut rolls into an oiled 13×9 inch pan Cover them with a damp towel. Let them rise again for another 30 minutes until they double in size.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

While the rolls are baking, mix all icing ingredients and beat well with an electric mixer until fluffy.

Remove baked rolls from the oven and allow to set for a few minutes before icing them or the icing will melt and urn right through the hot rolls.

Notes: We know that making homemade cinnamon rolls can be time-consuming and that you may not want to rise at the crack of dawn so you can have them ready for breakfast. You can make these the night before instead, and just let them rise for the 2nd time in the morning and bake.

Simply make this recipe up to the point where you cut your rolls and put them in the pan. Once they're cut and in the pan, instead of letting them rise, cover them and put them in the fridge.

Take them out in the morning, let them rise for the second time, and then bake as instructed. Please note that it will take a little longer for them to rise as they will be cold from being in the refrigerator. Allow for 15-30 minutes longer for rising.

Instant Pot Award Winning Chili

• 1-1/2 pounds ground beef
• 6 strips of bacon good quality, chopped
• 1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, drained
• 1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, drained
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained
• 1 can (15 ounces) Fire Roasted diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 can (6 ounce) tomato paste
• 1 large red onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced, optional
• 2 cups beef stock
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic

For Garnish:

• Sour Cream
• Cilantro
• Cheese, shredded

Turn your Instant Pot to saute and add the bacon. Cook until crisp, stirring often to cook evenly. Remove the bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Add the onions and peppers and cook until tender. Add the meat and cook until browned. Drain off any excess grease, we just tilt the pot and use a large spoon. Add all of the remaining ingredients and 3/4 of the bacon and stir to combine.

Turn the Instant Pot to chili (if you don't have a "chili" setting, use the "manual" setting) and cook for 18-20 minutes. Allow pressure to release for 10-15 minutes or quick release with the vent.

Serve with limes, sour cream, cheese, and a little bacon!

Notes: For the stove, cook everything in the pot just like you do for the Instant Pot and then allow to simmer on low heat for 3 hours. For the slow cooker, cook the bacon and set aside on a plate. Cook the onion and peppers and set aside on another plate. Drain any excess grease and add the meat, cooking until browned. Add everything into the pot, leaving out a little bacon for garnish and cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 3 hours.

Most batches will be done after 18 minutes, however we've had a few times when the flavor just wasn't there yet, so feel free to pressure cook a little longer for more flavor or if your beans are not as tender as you'd like.

To freeze, cool the chili completely. Place in a large Ziploc bag or FoodSaver, removing all air and freeze by laying flat for up to 2 months.

Have a great week, and until next time, happy cooking.