Pumpkin-apple Bisque In Jack-o’lantern Bowls

There are a lot of temptations for pastors, one of which, because of our public role, is to think of ourselves more highly than we should. And in so doing, we can develop a tendency to depreciate those who are under our leadership. This can be manifested in a number of ways. Our messages can be occasions where we talk down to people. We can berate people about particular sins, though our own sins are just as heinous. We can assume a know-it-all attitude. We can conduct meetings in such a way that we take advantage of people or make light of their thoughts or suggestions. We can make public, veiled references to people. And we can use humor about our members from the pulpit at their emotional expense.

Curtis Thomas

CATEGORY	CUISINE	TAG	YIELD
Dairy		Soups	8	Servings

INGREDIENTS

8		Pumpkins, about 1 pound
		each
1/3	c	Unsalted butter
2	T	Unsalted butter
1		Onion, 1/4 inch dice
1/4	c	All-purpose flour
6	c	Milk or half-and-half
		heated
1		Bay leaf
1		29 oz of pumpkin puree
		Salt
		Freshly ground pepper
1		Apple, peeled 1/8 inch dice
1	t	Fresh thyme
1	pn	Freshly grated or ground
		nutmeg
1/4	c	Dry sherry, optional
1	c	Heavy cream, whipped

INSTRUCTIONS

Cut off tops of the pumpkins and clean out the seeds and strings.
Scoop out part of the pulp to form a clean cavity. In a 4 quart heavy
saucepan or stockpot, melt 1/3 cup butter over medium heat and sautÃ©
onion until translucent, about 3 minutes.  Add the flour and stir to
form a paste. Cook and stir over low heat  for 2 minutes. Gradually
whisk the warm milk or half-and-half into  flour mixture. Add the bay
leaf. Bring to a simmer and cook gently  for 15 minutes. Add the
pumpkin puree and simmer an additional 15  minutes over low heat.
Strain through doubled cheesecloth or pass through a food mill.  Season
with salt and pepper to taste. In a medium saucepan, melt the
remaining 2 tablespoons butter and sautÃ© the apple for 2 minutes.  Add
the thyme and nutmeg and cook 2 to 3 minutes longer or until the  apple
is tender by not mushy.  Spoon a portion of apple into each carved
pumpkin bowl. Add the  sherry, if using, to the hot soup and pour into
the pumpkin bowls on  top of the apples.  Top with a dollop of whipped
cream and serve.  Recipe by: Cooking Secrets of the CIA from Las Vegas
Review Journal  Posted to recipelu-digest Volume 01 Number 178 by "Lynn
Ratcliffe"  <mcgrew@ntr.net> on Oct 29, 1997

A Message from our Provider:

“Jesus: Because with God only perfection will do”

Nutrition (calculated from recipe ingredients) ---------------------------------------------- Calories: 455 Calories From Fat: 151 Total Fat: 17.2g Cholesterol: 42.6mg Sodium: 307.2mg Potassium: 551.7mg Carbohydrates: 62.7g Fiber: 3.9g Sugar: 22g Protein: 12.2g

There's not one door in the world closed where you want to witness for Jesus...Show me a closed door and I will tell you how you can get in I won't however, promise you a way to get out...Jesus didn't say, "Go if the doors are open," because they weren't. He didn't say, "Go if you have an invitation or a red carpet treatment." He said, "Go," because people needed his Word...We need a new approach to missions - an aggressive, experimental, evangelical, no-holds-barred approach...A pioneering spirit... I'm afraid we'll have to go through a deep valley of need and threatening situations, blood baths; but we'll get there. God will take away what hinders us if we mean business. If we say, "Lord, at any cost" - and people should never pray that unless they truly want God to take them at their word - He will answer. Which is scary. But we have to go through the process. This is how it has worked in the Bible for the last two thousand years. So we face potentially hard times, and we have to go through that...We play church and we play Christianity. And we aren't even aware we are lukewarm...We should have to pay a price for our faith. Read 2 Timothy 3:12: "Indeed, all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." The church has been much purified in countries where there was lot of pressure...All I can say is to be ready.

Brother Andrew