MOPSTalk Zone 22 ~ Eastern PA and NJ: Take & Bake Creative Activity

CONVENTION UPDATE

Ta da! A Convention announcement!
We just signed the papers and we thank you for your prayers as we worked on moving, well, a whole lotta details in just a few days.

Drum roll #1: The Gaylord Palms in Kissimmee, FL (Orlando area) was able to welcome us (in the midst of many conventions needing to move).

Drum roll #2: We're able to keep the registration fees the same, so some of you might decide to come early or stay late, and enjoy the Orlando amenities with your friends (or family).

And thanks for all the great ideas of cities! You helped our future dreaming. 'Twould be fun!
And again, it will be great because of Who we'll be with: "Where(ver) two or three (thousand) are gathered in my name, there am I with them." (Mt. 18:20, our year's theme verse with my additions).

Naomi Cramer Overton

Convention Details:
The MOPS International Convention will be at the Gaylord Palms, Kissimmee, FL (Orlando area). Dates will be the same, August 5-7, 2010. Speakers and artists will be the same great lineup — Julie Barnhill, Margaret Feinberg, Donald Miller, Naomi Cramer Overton, Shelly Radic, Go Fish, Mandisa, The Katinas and Richie McDonald.

Convention registration will re-open on Monday, May 17.
The early bird registration deadline will be extended to June 7.
We are working with the Gaylord Opryland for an official letter we can provide to anyone who has already purchased airline tickets to use with airlines to avoid rebooking fees. This letter should assist you in rebooking airline tickets — it will be posted online at www.MOPS.org/convention.
We continue to pray for families and businesses affected by the flooding and we have sent MOPS materials to local MOPS leaders who are distributing supplies in the Nashville area.

MOPS International Convention 2010

August 5-7, 2010
Gaylord Palms, Orlando FL

Check back often for more information!

Your MOPS International Convention Checklist:

Register for Convention (re-opens May 17)
Reserve a room at the hotel (register first!)
Schedule shuttle transportation

Sunday, February 11, 2007

Take & Bake Creative Activity

A very popular creative activity is a meal which the moms will assemble at MOPS and be able to bake it for supper. Here are two recipes that worked really well.

Baked Ziti

1/2 box ziti or penne pasta
1/2 lb ground beef or turkey (ground turkey is cheaper than beef)
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup green pepper,
chopped OR small can mushrooms
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 cup mozzerella cheese,
grated olive oil

Prep work before meeting:
Cook pasta until just barely tender, drain thoroughly and rinse with cold water. Toss with small amount of olive oil to prevent noodles from sticking together. Brown grd. beef and onion, drain.

At the meeting:
In a gallon size ziploc bag- mix pasta, ground beef, pepper (OR mushrooms), sauce and cheese. Toss gently.
At this point you can send them home with it in the baggie or you can pour it into a well sprayed disposable 9x9 tin.

At home directions:
Spread into well sprayed 9x9 pan (if it's sent home in baggie). Cover and bake for 30 minutes at 350F, or until bubbly on the edges and hot in the middle. Remove foil and bake five more minutes.

This can also be frozen in either the baggie or disposable tin.
Thaw in fridge 24 hours before baking it.

************************************ Calzones
Frozen bread dough (one loaf makes 5 calzones)
Pizza or spaghetti sauce
Pizza toppings
Cornmeal

Prep work before meeting:
Thaw dough and let rise according to directions on package. Cut up any pizza toppings.

At the meeting:
Divide each loaf into five sections. Flatten into about 8"rounds. Put filling on to one half of a round and fold in half. Pinch edges to seal. Prick tops several times with fork.

You would need to send them home on cardboard covered with foil or buy disposable tins.
Send each mom with a small baggie of cornmeal for home.

At home directions:
Sprinkle corn meal on baking sheet, bake calzones at 425F for 18-20 minutes.

These may also be cooled, wrapped indivually and frozen.
Thaw in fridge and microwave or reheat in oven.

These are taken (and modified) from the book Frozen Assets: how to cook for a day and eat for a month by Deborah Taylor-Hough