Planning & Peaches

Last Tuesday some of the MMU steering team met for prayer and planning. This group of young moms is eager to serve you this year. I am excited for the MOPS vision that Vanessa has shared with us! The MOPS program will start at Cornerstone on Thursday, October 11th. We already have some great speakers lined up & simple crafts for the moms to do. There will be tables with casual discussion and room for praying together and lots of laughter. Please consider bringing a friend. It is our prayer that this will be a real place of community as we plunge into relationship! We will post more MOPS details in a couple weeks...

The other thing we did at the meeting was devour Kimberlee's peach cobbler (shown alongside a cute cup of coffee). It was one of the best peach cobblers I've had! Kimberlee was happy to share her recipe with us. I plan to get out there and buy all the end-of-season peaches I can find to make this.

Easy Peach Cobbler

Ingredients:
8 large (or 12 small) peaches, pitted & sliced
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1 1/2 lemons
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
1 (18.25 oz) package yellow cake mix
12 oz. softened cream cheese
1/2 cup melted butter

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2) In a large bowl, combine peach slices, lemon zest, lemon juice, and sugar. Stir and allow peaches to sit a few minutes to macerate. Stir in cinnamon if using

3) In a separate bowl, with a fork or pastry cutter, cut the softened cream cheese into the cake mix until it is worked in well and clumps together

4) Butter or spray a 13'' x 9" casserole dish. Spread peaches into the dish. Cover with the cake mix & cream cheese. Drizzle melted butter over the top.

5) Bake in preheated oven 45-50 minutes, until golden brown. Serve with sweetened whipped cream, coffee, and friends

Granola Recipe

Courtesy: Tina Burke

Tina made this for Bible study yesterday & It was like heaven in a cup along with greek yogurt & a couple of fresh blueberries. I think it was to yogurt chips that won me over. Definitely will be making this! Will post a pic when I do : )

3 cups rolled oats

1 cup almonds, chopped 

1 cup pecans, chopped

3/4 cup sweet coconut, chopped fine

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup

1/4 cup vegetable oil

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup dried cranberries

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Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut, and brown sugar.

In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, oil, and salt. Combine both mixtures and pour onto 2 sheet pans. Cook for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes to achieve an even color.

Remove from oven and let cool. Transfer into a large bowl and add dried cranberries and mix until evenly distributed.

(I add about a cup of yogurt chips and/or chocolate mini chip)

September Soup

Every month You can find a family friendly & healthy recipe on our blog to try! This recipe comes from one of our own, Tina, who I've heard has a gift for food. Can't wait to try this one out. Enjoy!

Homemade Chicken Soup
By Tina Burke

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped 
1 parsnip, peeled and chopped 
1 medium onion, chopped 
2 ribs celery, chopped 
2 bay leaves, fresh or dried 
Salt and pepper 
8 cups good quality chicken stock 
1 pound chicken breast diced 
1/2 pound spaghetti noodles, broken up 
A handful fresh parsley, chopped (I sometimes use dried) 
A handful fresh dill, chopped 

Place a large pot over moderate heat and add olive oil. Work close to the stove and add vegetables to the pot as you chop, in the order they are listed. 

Add bay leaves and season vegetables with salt and pepper, to taste. Add stock to the pot and raise flame to bring liquid to a boil. Add diced chicken, return soup to a boil, and reduce heat back to moderate. Cook chicken 2 minutes and add noodles. Cook soup an additional 6 minutes or until noodles are tender and remove soup from the heat. 

Stir in parsley and dill, remove bay leaves and serve.