The Flavor of Peace

The best peace folk gatherings have plenty of fellowship, food, and foolery. Following are recipes from affairs where all three were present. Please send us news of your special occasions, along with a recipe we can use to link us together.
Fine flavors to you!

2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 cups light brown sugar

4 eggs

1 tbsp. vanilla

4 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking soda

 

With thick Chinese meat cleaver, hack to pieces:

24 oz semi-sweet chocolate bar

12 oz white chocolate bar

14 oz macadamia nuts

Note: You may substitute chocolate and white chocolate chips for the bars if you are not feeling particularly angst-ridden.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, thrash butter and sugars until uniform. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add flour and baking soda; whip until smooth. Toss in chocolate chunks and nuts. To avoid the "chocolate chips cookie cooked under a steam roller" look, refrigerate the cookie dough for a couple of hours before baking.

Throw batter by tablespoons full onto an ungreased baking sheet - aim so that the cookies land 2 inches apart. Bake until golden, about 10 - 12 minutes. Using a spatula, pry the cookies loose from the baking sheet, and allow them to vent on wire racks.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

When Gene Stoltzfus, of Christian Peacemaker Teams, entertained the Peace and Justice Committee in his office, he served this dish up for us. We continue to all be fond of each other. "Well here is the recipe, but I always dress it up like on Saturday with curry."

Boil soybeans for four hours or bring to a boil and allow to soak for 12 hours, then boil again for two hours. Beans can be frozen or kept in fridge for a few days but not too long.

 

Sauté onions and garlic in a frying pan.

Add pepper, red or black, to taste.

Put two to four cups of boiled soybeans in the frying pan.

 

Add:

1/3 cup soy sauce

1 Tablespoon of lemon or vinegar

2-3 tablespoons of honey or molasses or sugar

 

Bring to boil and allow to simmer for 1/2 hour.

 

Serve over steamed rice.

This recipe can be changed to include curry, less soy sauce, or other spices according to taste. You can use soybeans directly from the field, of course, after cleaning.

When Seniors for Peace hosted Susan Mark Landis for an afternoon's discussion on how to keep peace and justice strong in the Mennonite Church, Evelyn Kreider served this tea. Susan left with a warmth spreading through her body and soul, both from the tea and from the kind affirmation of these folks who have pursued peace for many a generation.

Evelyn credits Norma Preheim with the recipe.

Boil 1 c. sugar (or more) in 1 quart of water.

Steep 3 teaspoons tea (3 tea bags) in 3 cups boiling water.

Strain and add enough water to make five cups.

 

Combine the above two liquids and add:

2/3 cup lemon juice

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

Heat to serve. Do not boil. The tea should be a rich, golden color.

When Michael Banks, Peace Evangelist, spoke at Oak Grove Mennonite Church, Smithville, OH on a blustery winter afternoon, the peace committee welcomed guests with this flavorful drink.

2 T whole cloves

2 quarts cranberry juice cocktail

1 T whole allspice

6 3" cinnamon sticks

1 gallon apple cider or juice

About 45 minutes before serving:

1. Wrap cloves & allspice in piece of double thickness cheese cloth to make spice bag; tie with string. (Or just strain juice later.)

 

2. In 8 quart saucepan over high heat, heat cider, cranberry juice, cinnamon sticks and spice bag to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 20 minutes. Discard spice bag.

 

3. Pour hot drink into 8 quart heat safe punch bowl. You may add whole apples or sliced oranges with cloves as garnish. (Cinnamon sticks may remain in drink as garnish or be removed.)

Makes 24 cups.

The first meeting of the ten new Peace Evangelists was held at Kern Road Mennonite Church, in South Bend, IN. To better facilitate fellowship and a balanced budget, the planning group prepared meals. This cake sweetened the conversation.

1 yellow cake mix

1/4 c. salad oil

4 eggs

1 pkg. lemon jello

3/4 c. water

 

Beat together for time given on the cake box. Bake in a greased 9x13 pan for 30 mins at 350 degrees.

 

Prick with a fork while still hot.

 

Mix 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons water (just a small amount at a time to keep the glaze from getting lumpy) and then stir in one-third cup lemon juice.

After a morning of phoning pastors to see how local peace and justice work was going, PJSN members were welcomed back to Susan Mark Landis' house with this crusty, no-fat bread.

4 Tablespoons yeast (not a misprint)

2 cups lukewarm water

1 Tablespoon salt

6 cups flour, approx.

2 Tablespoons sugar

 

Dissolve the yeast, salt and sugar in a coffee cup with some of the water.

 

With a wooden spoon, beat enough of the flour (about 2 cups) in to the rest of the water until you have a batter.

Stir in the contents of the coffee cup, and continue adding flour till you have a manageable dough.

Turn it out onto a board and knead well adding flour till you arrive at a fairly stiff dough. Then knead some more.

 

Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp towel, and let rise until doubled in bulk.

When risen, turn out on the board and cut it in two. Shape it (squeezing out the yeasty gases as you do) into 2 plump, round loaves.

 

Sprinkle some cornmeal on a greased baking sheet big enough for both loaves, place the loaves on the sheet, and let them rise for 5 (only 5) minutes.

 

Gently cut a generous cross in the top of each with a sharp knife, and place them in a cold oven.

Set the temperature control at 375 degrees, place a large pan of boiling water on the bottom of the oven, and turn on the heat. In 45 minutes or so, you will have the crustiest homemade bread of your career.

 

Unless I miss my guess, though, you won't have it for long.

 

(Because this doesn't keep well, I often make only one loaf.)

Fall of 1998, Arlene and Cliff Kindy hosted the Peacemaker Congress (sponsored by CPT and NCP). They fed the group of about 300 from their organic garden. We slept in tents, used portapots, ate in the barn on plates borrowed from area churches and schools and danced under the stars.

From Arlene:
There were no scars from Congress being here! Only thing left was wonderful footprints in our hearts! Everyone cleaned up after themselves and we had very few left over personal belongings, most of which have now been collected. It was a good time for us here.

Here are some recipes we used. I don't usually follow recipes to the letter, so these are just what we batted off from. We also made S`os Pwa, which is Haitian Beans, and the recipe is on page 170 in "Extending the Table."

Sweet Potato Biscuits
Makes 12 big biscuits

2 cups sweet potatoes--cooked and mashed and cooled

2/3 (two-thirds) cup melted fat (can be oil, butter, marg. etc.)

 

Mix together.

Add 1/2 (one-half) cup sugar

3 cups flour (some whole wheat is nice...)

4 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

 

Mix in, pat out to biscuit thickness, cut and bake for 10-12 min. at 400 degrees. (Or until as done as you like them...)

1/2 (one-half) cup sugar

1 tsp. salt

1/2 (one-half) cup mashed potatoes

3 egg yolks

Add to 2 cups heated milk

Soften 1 1/2 (one and one-half) packages yeast in 1/3 (one-third) cup water. Add to milk mixture when it is just warm.

 

Mix 1/2 (one-half) cup shortening into 6 1/2 (one-half) cups flour (measure carefully).

Add milk mixture and mix well.

Let rise about 1 hour.

 

Pat out and cut into donuts and let rise until doubled (or they look and feel light...) Fry in deep fat and drain on newspaper. Then when slightly cool, glaze or roll in cinnamon and sugar.

 

Here's one glaze:

1 # powdered sugar

4 T. milk

2 T. cornstarch

2 T. vanilla

 

Mix and add extra water if needed to make a thin paste, but not too thin.

Dip donuts and drain. (I use a wooden spoon handle suspended between two canning jars for the draining part. The handle fits nicely in the holes...)

5 medium cucumbers, peeled

3 cups chicken broth

2 bay leaves

Cook together 10 min.

 

Sauté 2/3 (two-thirds) cup chopped onion

2 T. margarine--until golden.

Add 1/4 (one-fourth) cup flour and stir.

Add 2 more cups broth (or water) and cook until thickened.

Remove bay leaves from cukes and broth and blend cukes and creamy onion sauce until smooth.

 

Return to sauce pan and add:

1/8 (one-eighth) tsp. salt

1/8 (one-eighth) tsp. white pepper

1 cup half and half

1 T. lemon juice

Heat slowly until hot, do not boil.

 

Optional to serve, add dollop of sour cream and a dash of dill weed to each bowl.

 

Serves 6-8 (depending on how hungry they are!)