BY ANN CIPPERLY
Billowing smoke from hickory over a custom 50-foot grill drifts throughout the parking lot at Trinity Church in Opelika, as 2,000 chicken halves slowly simmer for hours. Prepared with a secret recipe, the specialty chicken will be served at the Barbecue, Bake Sale and Craft Fair on Saturday, April 26 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Trinity Church on Second Avenue. Homemade desserts are also available along with crafts and a raffle for a quilt made by the church’s sewing ministry. Proceeds from the event will benefit mission trips, camps and retreats for children and students.
“The barbecue has been a tradition of ours since 2005 except for two years during Covid,” said Steve Bass, the youth minister. “It is not only a fundraiser for our children and student ministries, but it also is a great event that brings our whole church together for one cause.”
A couple of days before the barbecue event, a group of men from Trinity will construct a 50-foot cement block pit in the parking lot across from the church.
Jim Jackson is the head grill cook. On Friday afternoon, the men will fire up the grill and start cooking 2,000 chicken halves that have been marinated in a vinegar base sauce. It will take all night to cook all of the chickens. As the chicken grills, it will be brushed every ten minutes with the sauce when the racks are turned.
Each chicken half is slowly grilled for three and a half hours. Then, the chicken is placed in coolers to steam to keep it tender and moist. Generally 40 to 50 men assist with grilling during the night.
The grilled chicken is served with coleslaw, chips and bread for dining in the fellowship hall or take-out. Tea and water are also provided to those enjoying their meal there. Desserts are also available.
A wide variety of desserts baked by church members will be offered, including cookies, pies, cakes and breads.
“It is a privilege to work alongside other women in our church every year to ensure the bake sale is a success,” said Jodi Wells, chairman of the bake sale. “Every item is donated by the person who made it, and 100 percent of the proceeds from the sale goes to our church missions fund that includes sending middle school and high school students on mission trips and to leaderships camps.
“Without the support of the missions team there would be many who would miss out on these life changing trips. We thank God that our sale has been so successful each year.”
Church member Julie Sosebee always takes between 50 to 75 loaves of bread and also fresh strawberry jam to the bake sale.
“I enjoy baking for the event,” said Julie. “My 5-year-old granddaughter is old enough to help me put the ingredients in the bread machine, roll out the bread and put the dough in the loaf pans. I love being able to teach her how to make bread and tell her why we are making so many loaves.
“I use bread machines to do all the mixing, but I bake that bread in loaf pans. I don’t like the square loaves that baking the bread in the machine gives.”
Julie is sharing two recipes she is asked to make often, Raisin Bread and Garlic Bread. “The Raisin Bread has been called ‘cookie bread’ by children,” she said. “I make loaves at Christmas for my husband to pass out to his soldiers, and one of them told my husband his son wanted more of that cookie bread.
“The Garlic Bread is a favorite for many people,” Julie added. “One day my grandson was over and wanted some ‘jelly bread,’ a slice of bread with my strawberry jam on it. The only bread I had was leftover garlic bread from a spaghetti dinner. I told him that was all I had, and he said that would be okay. I had my doubts but made it for him anyway. He had three slices of jelly bread with the Garlic Bread. It must have been delicious because he still eats it that way.
“It warms my heart and fills my soul to know that everyone enjoys my bread.”
Anne Davis leads the Trinity’s quilting ministry, “Prayers and Squares,” that meets every Friday morning. The expert seamstresses will be selling lap quilts, baby quilts and table runners. They will also have many other items for the home at the Crafts Fair. A highlight this year is a raffle to win a beautiful quilt. Tickets for the drawing are $5.
“All proceeds go to helping our children and students go on camps, retreats and mission trips,” said Steve. “Our children go to Student Life For Kids each summer and experience Jesus in an exciting, fun environment. Our students attend our winter retreat every year where they are challenged to dive deeper in their relationship with God, and each summer have an opportunity to serve locally, in the Southeast or in Mexico where we have built many homes over the years.
“Come enjoy a great meal, at a great price, pick up a delicious, sweet goody and a new handmade quilt or wooden bowl and make an eternal impact on the next generation at Trinity.”
Tickets for the barbecue are available in advance at the church office, from a church member and on the day of the barbecue for $15. Trinity Church is located at 800 Second Avenue in Opelika.
Check the recipes for a variety of desserts and breads that have been popular at the bake sale.
Bavarian Chocolate Torte
Lyndal Curry
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
2 sticks salted butter
1 cup Dr Pepper
3 Tbsp. cocoa
1/2 cup whole fat buttermilk
2 eggs, beaten
2 tsp. vanilla extract or vanilla paste (divided)
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped
2 Tbsp. grated semi-sweet chocolate
In medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda and mix well and set aside. Heat butter, Dr Pepper and cocoa and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir into flour mixture.
Add buttermilk, eggs and vanilla, mixing well. Prepare two round cake pans by coating with nonstick spray and putting a circle of parchment paper on the bottoms. Divide batter evenly between these two pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes at 350 or until testing with a toothpick for doneness.
Cool cakes completely, then remove from pans. Wrap each layer well and freeze for several hours. Later slice each cake horizontally making two layers of each cake.
For the filling, beat cream cheese, brown sugar, vanilla and salt in a large bowl. Whip heavy cream separately, then gently fold into cream cheese mixture.
Place bottom layer of cake on serving platter and spread 1/4 of filling to the edge so that there is a bit overhanging. Sprinkle 1/4 of grated chocolate on each layer and the top. Repeat with each layer ending with filling on the top. Refrigerate eight hours or overnight before serving.
*This cake keeps well for up to a week in the refrigerator.
Lemon Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Lisa Brown
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup Crisco shortening
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 Tbsp. lemon flavoring
Zest of 1 lemon
3 cups white sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
6 eggs, divided
Extra shortening and all-purpose flour for coating pan
Lemon Glaze:
Juice of 1 lemon
1 cup powdered sugar
For cake, add butter, shortening and cream cheese to mixer. Mix until smooth. Add lemon flavoring and lemon zest, mix until fully incorporated. Add one cup of flour and mix until smooth. Add three eggs and mix until smooth. Add another cup of flour; mix until smooth. Add remaining three eggs; mix until smooth. Add final cup of flour and mix until smooth.
Grease and coat bundt pan with flour. Shake excess flour from pan. Pour batter into the pan.. Lower oven rack to the second level from bottom. Place pan in a cold oven and bake at 325 for 1½ hours or until golden brown. The cake is done when a thin knife inserted in the center comes out clean (I use a wooden skewer). Cooking time can vary. Let cake cool in pan 10-15 minutes, then turn out to a wire rack and immediately invert it to an upright position using a second wire rack.
To make glaze, mix together lemon juice and powdered sugar until smooth. Drizzle over warm cake until top is fully coated. Let cool for 6-8 hours before storing in airtight container or cake plate.
Raisin Bread
Julie Sosebee
Put all ingredients in a 2 lb. bread machine in the order listed.
1 1/3 cups warm water
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
4 cups white bread flour
2 Tbsp. dry milk
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup raisins
3 tsp. yeast
Set machine to the dough setting and start. When finished, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Turn dough out onto a floured surface, divide in half, shape each half into a loaf. Place each half in a greased loaf pan.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown on top and the bread sounds hallow when tapped.
Garlic Bread
Julie Sosebee
Put all ingredients in a 2 lb. bread machine in the order listed.
1-3/8 cups warm water
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. minced garlic
4 cups white bread flour
3 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. sweet basil
1 tsp. garlic powder
¼ cup dried chopped chives
1 tsp. black pepper
3 tsp. yeast
Set machine to the dough setting and start. When finished, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Turn dough out onto floured surface, divide in half, shape each half into a loaf. Place each half in a greased loaf pan.
Bale for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown on top and the bread sounds hallow when tapped.
Special Strawberry Cake
The late Sharron Robinson Fuller would bake this cake every year for the bake sale. At times, she would bake 32 cakes. After her tragic loss, others at church have continued to bake this cake in her honor. The bridge on Second Avenue was named the Sharron Robinson Fuller Bridge as a legacy of her love and care for others.
18.25 oz. box white cake mix
3 oz. box strawberry flavored instant gelatin
10 oz. pkg. frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed
4 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
Preheat oven to 325.
Lightly grease 9 x 13-inch cake pan.
In a large bowl, combine cake mix and gelatin. Add strawberries, eggs, oil and water; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer.
Pour into prepared pan, and bake for about 40 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Let cool in pan before icing. Spread Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting on top. Garnish with sliced fresh strawberries, if desired.
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting:
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup frozen strawberries, thawed (try not to get any juice)
16 oz. box confectioners’ sugar
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and strawberries at medium speed with an electric mixer. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar, beating until smooth.
Note: You can substitute fresh strawberries. In the cake substitute about 1 cup fresh chopped strawberries and substitute 1/2 cup fresh chopped strawberries in the icing.
Monkey Bread
Jean Lenard
2 cups sugar, divided
2 tsp. cinnamon, divided
4 (10 count) cans buttermilk biscuits
2 cups chopped pecans, divided
1 stick margarine
Grease bundt pan. Mix in a plastic baggie: 1 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Cut one can of biscuits at a time into quarters and mix in baggie with sugar mixture.
Layer one can of sugared quarters and then sprinkle about 1/2 cup of nuts between each layer. Repeat for all four cans of biscuits.
Melt margarine, 1 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in saucepan. (I use the remaining sugar mixture from baggie and add more sugar to make the one cup.)
Pour melted mixture over layered biscuits. Bake at 350 for 35 to 40 minutes.
Chocolate Chip Blondies
Sabrina Poe
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips
½ cup chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Put flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl and stir. Add melted butter, egg and vanilla. Stir all ingredients together well. Then stir in in chocolate chips and walnuts.
Pour batter into a greased 9 by 9-inch baking pan. Bake for 29 to 25 minutes. Cool and cut into squares.
Gingered Carrot Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
Gail Swarthout
1½ cups vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 Tbsp. lemon zest
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
3 cups grated carrot
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
Garnish: chopped pecans, lemon slice
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray three 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick baking spray with flour.
In a large bowl, combine oil, sugar, and eggs; beat at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add lemon zest, beating until combined.
In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, ginger, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Gradually add to oil mixture, beating until combined. Stir in grated carrot.
Spoon batter evenly into prepared pans and bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on wire racks.
Spread Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting evenly between layers and on top and sides of cake. Garnish if desired.
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 cup butter, softened
8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, room temperature
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
6 cups confectioners’ sugar
In a large bowl, beat butter, cream cheese, lemon zest and lemon juice at medium speed with a mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until smooth.
Blueberry Loaf
Cindy Avery
1½ cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1½ cups blueberries
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour small loaf pan. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
Add milk, vegetable oil, egg and vanilla extract to dry ingredients just until blended. Fold blueberries into batter and pour into loaf pan.
Bake for 60-70 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 18-20 minutes and then invert on serving plate. Serve warm with butter. Individual slices can be warmed in microwave with butter.
Yellow Cake with Toasted Coconut or Caramel Icing
Vondalyn Hall
18 ½ oz. pkg. Duncan Hines butter golden cake mix
¼ cup sugar
8 oz. carton sour cream
¼ cup water
½ cup Crisco oil
4 eggs
In large bowl of electric mixer blend all ingredients at high speed for 2 minutes. Pour into three greased and floured 9-inch cake pans. and bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. (For 6-layer cake, use throw away aluminum pans and pour one cup in each pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.)
Cool and frost with either Toasted Coconut Icing or Caramel Icing.
Toasted Coconut Icing:
1 stick butter
1 can coconut
6 Tbsp. milk
1 box confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 tsp. vanilla
Melt butter in skillet; add coconut and brown until it is golden, stirring frequently. Remove browned butter and coconut from heat and add to confectioners’ sugar, along with milk and vanilla. Mix in mixer until desired consistency. Additional milk or confectioners’ sugar may be added to change thickness of the frosting, if desired.
Caramel Icing:
3 cups granulated sugar, divided
2 sticks butter (no substitute)
3/4 cup whipping cream
2 tsp. vanilla extract
In small heavy skillet, brown 1/2 cup sugar, stirring carefully to prevent scorching. Combine remaining sugar, butter and cream in large pan and bring to boil. Add browned sugar and continue cooking until mixture reaches softball stage. Remove from heat; add vanilla and cool.
Beat until frosting is spreading consistently; spread between layers and on top and sides of cake. This makes enough for 6 layers or to frost 3 layers with a thick frosting.
