Newsletter

February 2011 Newsletter

Serve Up Some Love In February by Linda Sweeney

Are you like me...always looking for a reason to celebrate, entertain? I know everyone isn't all that excited about the prospect of having folks over, BUT it really isn't that difficult AND most of the time, your guests are very grateful! I find there's no better way to make new friends and strengthen relationships with long-time ones. February is known as "the love month" since we celebrate Valentines Day on the 14th.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 22:37 and 39 that the greatest two commandments are to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind" and to "love your neighbor as yourself." Inviting people into your home is a great way to show His love, to introduce your friends to Him and to be a great "ambassador" for Him.

He also told us that He came to serve and not be served. If we want to be like Him, we could try putting on our hostess apron and serving others. Make it simple enough to copy! We want what we do to become contagious so that everyone we entertain will catch "the hostess bug" and then want to do the same for their friends and neighbors. We're going for an epidemic, not perfection! Remember, choose easy recipes that don't take all day, make your table pretty with things you already have around the house/garden and prepare to be appreciated!

Choose an evening in the middle of the week (an ordinary day that's not a holiday) and then decide on a simple menu...maybe one of your favorite comfort foods, and invite over someone new in your church or neighborhood, a single mom who would appreciate not having to cook for once, or just people you want to know better. Cook something that doesn't take your whole day and plan to end the evening with a good desert. Maybe you'd like to try my Lemon Pound Cake. The recipe was given to me by a special Bible study friend years ago, and it's what I take to everyone who needs a bit of TLC! I'm including the recipe below and am hoping you will use February to spread a little love! Will YOU be my valentine?

Lemon Pound Cake

• 3 cups of sugar, sifted
• 3 cups of all-purpose flour, sifted
• 5 eggs at room temperature
• 1 cup sweet milk
• 2 sticks of salted butter at room temp
• 1 cup Crisco
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 2 Tsps. lemon flavoring
• juice of 1 lemon

Cream butter, Crisco & sugar. Add 1 egg at a time and beat well in between additions. Add flour, salt and baking powder. Alternate dry ingredients and milk, beginning with the flour mixture. Add the lemon flavoring and lemon juice separately just before adding the final measurement of flour. Mix well and then pour into a prepared Bundt or tube pan (coat with shortening and flour). Bake for 1 ½ hours at 325º. Leave in the pan for 10 minutes and then remove. For extra yummy taste, mix the juice of 1 lemon with 1 cup of confectioner's sugar and pour over the warm cake. This addition not only tastes good but is pretty too! To make this a really fancy desert, serve with strawberries and whipped cream! Ummmmmmmm! This cake freezes well too.