The Term Is Over, the Holidays Have Begun

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With that nod to C.S. Lewis, OneWord Journal has a couple of summer recipes for you to try, and some summer reading suggestions to enjoy as you sit on the back deck and savor the long days and lovely summer evenings.

Sweet Tea
 

  • 2 large family-size tea bags
  • 2 c boiling water
  • 1 ½ c sugar
  • 1 (6 oz) can frozen limeade concentrate, thawed
  • 1 (6 oz) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
  • Mint leaves

Steep tea bags in water for 10 minutes. Stir together sugar, limeade and lemonade in a gallon container. Add tea and fill with water, so as to measure one gallon of tea. Add springs of mint. Of course, a sweet tea recipe would be from Carolyn Litfin

Strawberry Angel Food Dessert

  • Boxed angel food cake mix
  • 2 C whipping cream
  • 2 8oz packages cream cheese
  • 1 ½ C powdered sugar
  • 2 large packages of frozen strawberries (and juice)
  • ¼ C cornstarch

Preheat oven to 350
For the Cake:
Grease large sheet pan or jelly roll pan.
Prepare boxed White Angel Food cake according to directions on box. Spread batter in pan about two inches deep (try to build up batter around the edges of the cake so topping will stay on cake better). Bake about 15 min or until golden brown

For cream cheese topping: 
Whip 2c whipping cream
Cream together two 8oz packages of cream cheese and 1 ½ c powdered sugar
Combine whipped cream and cream cheese
Spread on cooled cake

 For strawberry topping:
Thaw two large packages of frozen strawberries (the berries frozen with juice). Drain the juice into a pot and thicken with 1/4 c cornstarch, bring to a boil until thickens. Add strawberries and let cool. Spread on cream cheese topping. Chill. Can be made a day ahead.
Becky Garrett has made this dessert for church gatherings. It is delicious.

 Summer Reading from Our Church Leaders

These novels are on Board of Missions Chair Jeremy Taylor's summer reading list.

City on a Hill by Ted Neill

The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

Finders Keepers by Stephen King

Gutenberg’s Apprentice by Alix Christie

Diana Clem, board of deaconess, listed Becoming a Woman of Strength by Cynthia Heald, and Dan Haase, a member of the Christian Education Board, has Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry and Idiot Psalm: New Poems by Scott Cairns.

We will post more book titles for your summer reading throughout the month.

My Mother-in-law's Potato Salad

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by Lorraine Triggs

My mother’s slide into dementia was gradual. I noticed it more in what turned out to be her last extended visit with us. And it was around this time of year.

She really wasn’t comfortable coming to church, so that particular Sunday, we turned the radio to WETN, turned the volume way up and headed to church.

Before I left, I took out my recipe card for my mother-in-law’s potato salad and set it on the counter next to a bowl. I also put the potatoes in the pot on the stove.

“What can I do?” my mom asked anxiously. During this visit, I discovered that Mom was the happiest when she had simple tasks to do.

“Nothing yet. You can help me make the potato salad when we’re home from church,” I assured her.

“What can I do?” she asked again.

“Just wait till we’re home,” I repeated.

When we returned, I walked into the kitchen to start the water boiling for the potatoes—no pot on the stove. And the kitchen looked a lot cleaner than how I left it.

“Mom?” I called. “What did you do with the potatoes in the pot?”

“They’re in the refrigerator,” she replied calmly. “But I had to use a bigger bowl.”

Now I was getting scared and made Wil open the refrigerator. . . .

He pulled out a bowl of perfectly made potato salad. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

“Your mother-in-law knows how to make a good potato salad,” my mom pointed out.

We laughed.

Here’s my mother-in-law’s famous potato salad.

  • 5 lbs. boiling potatoes                                  
  • 1 dozen eggs                                                     
  • 8 stalks of celery (tops included)                              
  • 1-2 large onions
  • 6-8 dill pickles
  • 1 qt mayonnaise (or less depending on your preference)
  • 1-2 T mustard
  • a dash of pickle juice
  • salt and pepper to taste

Boil potatoes in jackets. Cool thoroughly. Peel and cut into bite-size pieces. Boil eggs 10-15 minutes; immediately immerse in ice cold water. Peel and chop and add to potatoes. Chop celery (including tops), onion and pickles. Add to eggs and potatoes. Add mayonnaise to taste. Add mustard, pickle juice salt and pepper. Stir mixture thoroughly—She always said to use your hands to mix it. Refrigerate until well chilled.