Food & Faith in Our United Methodist Churches
I learned how to crack an egg at Kitty’s house. I was maybe 10 years old, staying overnight on a weekend. I said I wanted to learn to cook someday. Kitty’s mother decided we could all make brownies together. I was so nervous as Kitty’s mom stood beside me. She instructed me how to gently... Continue Reading →
Somehow, we got into the business of making old-fashioned salads for our free drive-thru meal ministry at a United Methodist church in Knoxville, Tennessee. That may have happened because we have limited oven and storage space, so we aim to have at least one cold dish to make ahead and stash in the refrigerator. At... Continue Reading →
It’s been years since I did a chocolate Easter egg story. So when I heard the Mt. Olivet United Methodist Women were prepping for a season of peanut butter-mixing and chocolate-dipping, I had to find out more. Mt. Olivet United Methodist Church is located in Galax, Virginia. Nancy Spicer, who the pastor called “the main... Continue Reading →
Martee Buchanan served this casserole to us during a recent visit to the Wesley Foundation at Radford University. I loved the colors in the dish along with the mixture of vegetables and of course, the taste! I like traditional green bean casserole – with the French fried onions and canned soup – but I like... Continue Reading →
We got some good news last week. The United Methodist Association of Communicators gave this blog a "Best in Class" award for internet communications. The Call to Cook edged out other blogs, social media content, and website nominees submitted by agencies, annual conferences, and local churches throughout the United Methodist denomination. It is a high... Continue Reading →
This spacious, well-lit, well-equipped kitchen has been the source of many, many meals over the last four decades – most often prepared for students participating in the United Methodist ministry located one block from Radford University. But on a recent chilly March afternoon, this kitchen is where a meal is being prepared for 11 homeless... Continue Reading →
About a year ago, we ended up with a last-minute mess of donated collard greens we wanted to serve at our takeout lunch ministry. We knew just who to call for guidance. JaNaé Swanson-Brown says she learned to cook her Southern-soul collards by first watching her mother and grandmother in Millen, Georgia, and then perfecting... Continue Reading →
“It’s not gourmet. It’s just simple.” That what Ann Low Reego said about the shrimp creole recipe she shared with us, along with a love story to make us smile. This dish really is easy to make, and the results are simply lovely – lovely enough to serve on Valentine’s Day for 47 years in... Continue Reading →
Remember community dinners before COVID-19? Those days will return, and I'll bet they'll be even more successful and appreciated. I saw this wonderful video from United Methodist Communications more than a year ago. A pastor in Toledo, Ohio, opened up his house to offer "LifeLine Toledo," a big dinner ministry reaching people well beyond the... Continue Reading →
A month ago, we went on a quest for a great broccoli salad to serve at our free community drive-thru lunch. Several tasty suggestions were shared, but we chose this recipe from the collection of a 102-year-old woman who lived in Kenbridge, Virginia. We didn’t expect all of our 90 guests to like it, but... Continue Reading →
The Call to Cook 