Washington County Weekend Post

Humans have broken bread together since ancient times. National Geographic says that a circular loaf of bread with scoring marks — baked to be divided with oth- ers — was retrieved from the ashes of Vesuvius. Biblical references to "breaking bread" are as old as time, and today the phrase still represents sharing a meal together. Food provides nourish- ment necessary to sustain life, but dining also can be an act of socialization, commu- nity and love. Psychology Today says that, since food is essential for survival, it gives people an ideal oppor- tunity to express love through sharing sustenance with others. Sharing a love of food with others is a great gift that can be given in various ways. Family meals Countless studies under- score the importance of sit- ting down to eat meals together as a family. A family meal can help with every- thing from maintaining healthy weights (as reported in The Journal of Pediatrics) to improving performance at school to solidifying person- al relationships among fami- ly members. Family meals encourage conversation and a step back from digital dis- tractions and other tasks that tend to pull families in opposite directions. The din- ing table is a safe place where everyone can talk about their lives and enjoy a delicious meal at the same time. Food gifts Food can be a comfort. Just think about how Mom's warm soup and grilled cheese made you feel after a chilly day spent playing in the snow. Chocolate can help mend a broken heart, and friends may commiserate over an ice cream sundae. Bringing food to mourners is a traditional practice and is even mentioned in scrip- ture. According to Jewish law, the first meal that mourners eat after return- ing from a burial should be brought to them by friends and neighbors. Taking a casserole over to a friend or family member who has suf- fered a loss, is recovering from an illness or needs a dose of encouragement is a great way to share a love of food. Cooking customs Preparing a family recipe together is a great way to learn about food and one's personal history. Recipes that are passed on from one generation to another keep traditions alive and can be an easy way for youngsters to learn about their ances- tral history. Living longer Sharing a meal or cook- ing with someone you love may help improve your men- tal health. Data from a 2014 study from the Mental Health Organization found eating well and together is associated with good mental health, while a poor diet can contribute to overall poor physical and mental health. 2 • WASHINGTON COUNTY POST • SUNDAY, JANUARY 16, 2022 GMTODAY.COM Kitchen gadgets come and go, but one mainstay continues to deliver tasty meals with ease. The Crock-Pot ® , dubbed the original slow cooker, was invented in 1940 by Irving Nachumsohn. This slow cooker was created to cook a traditional stew eaten on the Jewish sabbath. Because faithful Jews are forbidden from cooking on the sabbath, Nachumsohn found the stew could easily be prepared prior and allowed to cook unattended, then carried to dinner, meeting the sabbath requirements. It was another 30 years before the slow cooker garnered widespread acclaim. That newfound popularity developed when more women entered the workforce and needed conve- nient ways to prepare meals at home without affecting their work schedules. While slow cookers can make for successful meals, knowing how to use them to their fullest potential can increase the propensity for delicious, easy dishes. Here are some tips and tricks. • Prepare ingredients the night before. By han- dling the mise en place for recipes the evening prior, you'll have everything you need ready to put in the slow cooker and set to cook for the day. • Preheat the cooker. Add ingredients to a slow cooker that is already warmed up for best results. • Arrange for easy cleanup. Specially designed slow cooker liners can cut washing time dramatically and help prolong the surface of the internal crock. • Don't add dairy until the meal is almost fin- ished cooking. Cooking dairy products for long peri- ods of time can cause them to curdle. Save them for the last steps when using a slow cooker. • Exercise caution with tender veggies. The same wait-until-later approach should also apply to vegeta- bles, beans and pastas, which can lose their integri- ty and become mushy if cooked for hours. Leave them for last. • Inexpensive cuts of meat are fine. Inexpensive cuts are often high in fat or connective tissue, which will break down during long, moist cooking. Consider browning meat before putting it in the cooker for even more flavor. • Layer ingredients appropriately. Place hard ingredients like potatoes, carrots and other root veg- etables at the bottom of the cooker where they will cook more readily. • Stick to the low set- ting. As much as possible, cook using the low setting to allow for slow, gentle heat to bring out the flavors. Ginny Thomas, a training manager for Crock-Pot ® , says she has been sticking with this advice for over a decade as a key tip. Many traditionally pre- pared meals can be convert- ed to slow cooker recipes. Utilize cookbooks and online resources to make delicious, slow-cooked meals. Tips and tricks for savory slow-cooked meals How to share a love of food with others Every home chef should have a rich and filling soup recipe in his or her reper- toire. These hearty meals are perfect for cold days spent shoveling snow or after coasting downhill on a sled. Baked potato soup is a creamy soup that is reminis- cent of a loaded baked pota- to. For those who are avoid- ing inflammatory foods, such as those in the night- shade variety, of which white potatoes are included, a potato soup may be harder to come by. This version of "Loaded Baked Potato Soup" from "Eat What You Love" (Ten Speed Press) by Danielle Walker is a deli- cious alternative that can satisfy potato soup cravings. Hearty soup makes the meal Loaded Baked Potato Soup Serves 6 6 slices thick bacon, coarsely chopped 1 yellow onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, chopped 2 pounds Hannah sweet potatoes, peeled and diced 10 ounces cauliflower, cut into florets 4 1⁄2 cups chicken bone broth 1 cup cashew milk 3 1⁄2 teaspoons fine sea salt 1⁄2 teaspoon smoked paprika 1⁄2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar 1⁄2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice Chopped fresh chives, for serving (optional) Dairy-free sour cream (optional) Line a plate with paper towels. In a stockpot, cook the bacon over medium heat until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon from the pot and set it on the prepared plate to drain. Pour off most of the grease, reserving about 2 tablespoons in the pot. Return the pot to medium-high heat, add the onion and garlic, and sauté for 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add half of the sweet potatoes and all of the cauliflower and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the bone broth, bring it to a gentle boil, and cook for 10 minutes, until the potatoes and cauliflower are tender. Using an immersion blender, or working in batches in a blender, blend the soup until smooth. (If using a blender, remove the cap in the blender top and place a kitchen towel over the top to allow steam from the hot liquid to release while you blend.) Return the purée to the stockpot. Add the remaining sweet potatoes, the cashew milk, salt, paprika, vinegar, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then turn the heat to low and simmer for 12 to 15 min- utes, stirring frequently, until the sweet potatoes are tender and the cashew milk has thickened the soup. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the reserved bacon, chives, and dollop of sour cream. Serve immediately. Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrig- erator for 5 days, or in the freezer for 6 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. If you would like to take part in this listing, call (262) 306-5008 for more details. 272396046 Jackson Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church N168 W20152 Main Street 262-677-3143 Sunday Worship: 9:00 AM Pastor Duane A Swenson Still Waters United Methodist Church 3617 Scenic Rd., www.stillwaterschurch.com; 262-677-1311; Contemporary Worship Sun Worship: 9 & 10:30am Sat. Worship: 5:00pm (Labor Day - Memorial Day) Staffed Nursery at all services for birth-3 yrs Sunday School - all services 3yrs-5 th gr Kewaskum Kewaskum House of Prayer 100 Clinton St. • 262-626-8337 • Pastor Joseph Brath • Worship Sun.10am and 6pm • Thurs. 7pm Monthly Creation-Evolution Meeting (2nd Mon.) 6:30pm Quest Youth Group, Warm Friendly Atmosphere Visitors Welcome! www.kehop.com Mequon Alliance Bible Church Sunday Worship Services are in-person & online: 9 & 10:45 AM; Kingdom Kidz (infant-5th gr) & Student Ministries (6th-12th) during both services. Brian Dainsberg, Lead Pastor, 13939 N. Cedarburg Rd, Mequon. 262-375-2400. Find us on FB, Instagram, Twitter, & YouTube. For more information: www.myabc.church Neosho Faith Bible Alliance Church W2477 Lehman Rd (on Highway 60) 920-625-3538, www.faithbiblealliance.com Sunday Worship at 10:00am (in-person & online) Discover Land-Sundays & Sunday School 9:00am Ignition Youth: Sundays 4:00pm (grade 7-12) Discovery Land-Mondays 6:00pm (grade 4K-8) Journey 2 Jesus Wed. 6:30pm (Ages 3yrs-6th Grade) West Bend Calvary Church 1110 E Decorah Rd • 262.338.1171 Sunday Worship 10:00am Kids Church & Nursery Available www.calvarywb.org Community Church 2005 S. Main St., 262-338-0725 Sunday 8:30am & 10am; Nursery at both services Children's Ministry K-6th grade 10am Live-stream at 8:30am on our website: www.westbendchurch.org Eagle's Wings Nazarene Fellowship 609 Sandy Acre Drive, 262-334-7124; Pastor Glenn Butts; Sunday School 9:30am; Sunday Worship 10:45am; Ladies Bible Study Mondays 9:00am; Bible Study/Prayer Mtg Wednesdays 6:30pm www.wbnaz.com Fifth Avenue United Methodist 323 South 5th Ave, 262-334-2059, faumc.org Pastor Clarissa Martinelli A Welcoming Christian Community; Sunday Worship 9:30am Good Shepherd Lutheran (WELS) 777 Indiana Ave., West Bend, 262-334-7881 Saturday 5pm; Sunday 8am & 10:30am Sunday School & Bible Study 9:15am Christian Elementary School, Pre-K thru 8th Grade Little Lambs Child Care Center www.goodshepherdwels.org St. Andrew Lutheran Church (LCMS) & Early Childhood Campus 7750 State Rd. 144 North, 262-335-4200 Worship Sunday 9am Sunday Bible Study 7:45am www.standrew-westbend.org St. Paul's & St. Peter's Lutheran (WELS) St. Paul's - Hwy. Z & German Village Rd. Thurs. 6:30pm; Sunday 9:30am St. Peter's - Beaver Dam & Town Line Rd Sunday 8am, Pastor John Cook, 231-290-3311 *Important!* Due to the COVID-19 Virus, please check with your church for changes or cancellations.

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