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What a great time all 42 of the ladies had this past week starting our new Bible study, the Frazzled Female! The prayer journal craft project, was an activity that was designed to encourage interaction of the ladies involved in each Bible study. That is exactly what happened!Some of the ladies picked up friendships right where they had left off the last time they were together, and then it also helped to spark some new friendships! I was so blessed, to see two groups of ladies this week, the Wednesday night group and one of the Thursday afternoon groups. I think I love Women's Ministry, every bit as much as I do Children's Ministry!!
"To everything there is a season." Ecc. 3:1
I was the cook this week at our Bible study. You see, these two groups that get together on Thursday afternoons, may be doing the Frazzled Female by Cindi Wood, but we are still fashioning our time together, as we did last summer, using Betty Huizenga's idea presented in the Apple's of Gold mentoring program. (See website listed under my favorite websites, to the right.)
The idea behind this is: Titus 2:3-5, "Likewise teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God."
This program is about women of all ages getting together outside the church walls, in someones home, to fellowship, by watching a food demonstration, then setting down to eat a meal together, then having a time of Bible study and prayer. There are six leaders that coordinate cooking, leading the Bible lesson, greeting the ladies as they arrive, and a clean-up team. The other ladies are totally pampered for 2 1/2 hours! Those with children are blessed doubly with FREE childcare. A fellow church member, and some of the Youth from the church watch the children, while their mom's are at Bible study. These two locations are close to one another, but not at the same house. In this way the mom's can really feel like they are getting away for the afternoon! To be encouraged and rejuvenated, when they get back together. Prayerfully not to Frazzled any longer!
Anyway, this was my week to cook, so, like I had said in an earlier post, I was going to use my roaster oven to cook pizza! I made two veggie pizzas that we actually cooked in the oven. Then I demonstrated a smaller pizza to put into the roaster oven. It worked! It cooked the dough evenly, and even browned the sides and tops of the pizza. The only drawback with cooking a pizza in the roaster oven, is that it can only be either a pizza that is 9" in diameter, or one that is baked in a 9x13 pan or cookie sheet. I used a Pampered Chef medium bar pan. I also tried my hand at carving a watermelon into a peacock! Yes, I'm a little weird. But really it was fun, and it didn't take any time at all. It took more time to scoop the watermelon out than to actually carve it! I found a "how to" video on the web and just followed the directions! Below you will find the recipes for making the veggie pizza, and the website for creating your very own watermelon peacock. Bon-Appetit!
Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
1 t. white sugar 1 T. olive oil
1 1/2 c warm water (110 degrees) 1 t. salt
1 T. active dry yeast 2 c whole wheat flour
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
In a large bowl, dissolve sugar in warm water. Sprinkle yeast over the top, and let stand for about 10 minutes, until foamy. (I did this step in the pan of my bread machine.)
Stir the olive oil and salt into the yeast mixture, then mix in the whole wheat flour and 1 cup of the all-purpose flour, until dough starts to come together. Tip dough out onto a surface floured with the remaining all-purpose flour, and knead until all of the flour has been absorbed, and the ball of dough becomes smooth, about 10 minutes. Place dough in an oiled bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover loosely with a towel, and let stand in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. (I do all of this in the bread machine, letting the bread machine do all the work for me, I know, I'm lazy. I just set the bread machine on dough setting, rather than bake.)
When the dough is doubled, tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and divide into 2 pieces for 2 thin crusts, or leave whole to make one thick crust. (I can get 3 - 12" pizza's out of this recipe. However, it is thin crust, but the sides are a little thick.) Form into a tight ball. Let rise for about 45 minutes, until doubled.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Roll a ball of dough with a rolling pin until it will not stretch any further. Then, drape it over both of your fists, and gently pull the edges outward, while rotating the crust. When the circle has reached the desired size, place on a well oiled pizza pan or I use a baking stone. (I just roll my pizza dough out onto a baking stone, then let it rise for 20-30 minutes, it becomes a little thicker). Top pizza with your favorite toppings, such as my homemade sauce from the recipe that follows this one, cheese, meats, or vegetables. (When I made this for the Bible study group, I used sauce, feta cheese with tomato and basil, fresh spinach torn in pieces, fresh mushrooms, whole canned tomatoes that I cut to the thickness I wanted - Romas have been contaminated with salmonella lately- then mozzarella cheese.)
Bake for 16-20 minutes (depending on thickness) in the preheated oven, until the crust is crisp and golden at the edges, and cheese is melted on the top. (Same temp. but may need to cook just a tad bit longer in a roaster oven. Awesome! You can make gourmet pizza while camping now!!!)
Pizza Sauce
1T. olive oil
1/2 a small, finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 - 8oz. can tomato sauce
1 - 6oz. can tomato paste
1 1/2 t. basil
1 1/2 t. parsley
1 t. oregano
1/4 t. black pepper
Saute onions and garlic in olive oil, until tender. Add remaining ingredients, stir well. Simmer 10 minutes. (Side note: If using fresh herbs, you will need to triple the amount of herbs you are using. Check out this website to find out more: http://lancaster.unl.edu/food/ftapr03.htm )
You have to try this pizza, even if you are not a feta lover, or spinach lover. You really will enjoy this pizza! After all fresh herbs are natural antioxidants - especially when home grown and no pesticides are used, and leafy greens life the spinach are high in fiber.
Nutritional Facts/Spinach
I read this...good stuff