From the Biweekly Newsletter
Fuel for Faith and Fellowship
Welcome to our recipe corner! Here you’ll find simple and delicious recipes that you can make at home or with friends. Each dish is chosen to bring people together—whether it’s for youth group, family dinners, or just a quick bite between activities. Cooking is one more way we can share God’s gifts, build community, and create moments of joy around the table. Check back every two weeks for a fresh recipe to inspire both your kitchen and your faith journey!
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Hot Cross Buns
In the September 7th Gospel, Jesus reminds us of the importance of carrying our own cross to be his disciples. Reflect on that as you make this dish. The cross on the top of the buns symbolizes Christ's crucifixion.
1 can refrigerated flaky biscuits
Raisins
2 Tbsp melted butter
Pumpkin pie spice
2 to 3 Tbsp orange juice
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 package white cookie icing
Preheat oven according to biscuit package instructions. Place parchment paper on 9 x 13 baking pan. Peel the top layer of a biscuit back about 2/3 of the way. Brush with melted butter and put 6 to 8 raisins in the middle. Place the biscuit in the pan, still slightly open. Repeat process until all the biscuits are in the pan.
Sprinkle a bit of pumpkin pie spice inside each biscuit and fold them closed. Bake according to the package directions.
While the biscuits bake, place the powdered sugar in the bowl and add just enough orange juice to make it into a glaze.
Take the buns out of the oven when they are golden brown. Brush the orange glaze on top of them.
Allow them to cool for a few minutes.
Take the icing and draw one line down each row of biscuits.
Then draw a line across the middle of each row, forming a cross on the top of each biscuit.
Mushroom Tartlets
Ingredients:
- Puff pastry sheets
- Wild mushrooms (cremini, shiitake, oyster) - Shallots and garlic
- Thyme and rosemary
- Goat cheese or herbed ricotta
Instructions:
Sauté mushrooms with shallots, garlic, and herbs. Cut puff pastry into small circles, fill with the mixture, top with cheese, and bake until golden. Serve warm, garnished with microgreens.
Soft Pretzel
Ingredients
2 and 1/4 teaspoons (7g) instant or active dry yeast (standard packet)
1 Tablespoon brown sugar or granulated sugar
1 and 1/2 cups (360ml) warm water (around 100°F/38°C)
1 Tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 teaspoon salt
3 and 3/4–4 cups (469–500g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
coarse salt, for topping
Baking Soda Bath - 1/2 cup (120g) baking soda - 9 cups (2.13L) water
Instructions
Whisk the yeast and sugar into warm water. Cover and allow to sit for 1 minute.
Whisk in the melted butter and salt. Add 3 cups (375g) of flour. Mix with a wooden spoon (or dough hook attachment if using a stand mixer) until combined. Add 3/4 cup (94g) more flour until the dough is slightly tacky and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If it is still sticky, add up to 1/4 cup more (31g) flour, 1 Tablespoon at a time, as needed. Poke the dough with your finger—if it bounces back, it is ready to knead.
Knead the dough: Keep the dough in the mixer and beat for an additional 3 to 5 full minutes, or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 3 to 5 minutes. If the dough becomes too sticky during the kneading process, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of flour at a time on the dough or on the work surface/in the bowl to make a soft, slightly tacky dough. Do not add more flour than you need because you do not want a dry dough. After kneading, the dough should still feel a little soft. Poke it with your finger—if it slowly bounces back, your dough is ready to rise.
Shape the kneaded dough into a ball. Cover lightly with a towel and allow to rest for 10 to 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Silicone baking mats are highly recommended over parchment paper. If using parchment paper, lightly spray with nonstick spray or grease with butter. Set aside.
With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut dough into 75g sections, which is about 1/3 cup of dough each.
Roll the dough into a 20–22-inch rope. Form a circle with the dough by bringing the 2 ends together at the top of the circle. Twist the ends together. Bring the twisted ends back down towards yourself and press them down to form a pretzel shape.
Bring baking soda and 9 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Drop 1–2 pretzels into the boiling water for 20–30 seconds. Using a slotted spatula, lift the pretzel out of the water and allow as much of the excess water to drip off. Place pretzel onto prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the top with coarse sea salt. Repeat with remaining pretzels. .
Bake for 12–15 minutes or until dark golden brown.
Remove from the oven.
Cover and store leftover pretzels at room temperature for up to 3 days. To reheat, microwave for a few seconds, or bake at 350°F (177°C) for 5 minutes.