WEEK ONE: INTRODUCTIONS

Whew! Week one is behind us. I have to admit that I was a little nervous about our first week, you know, with the element of the "unknown" and all. But overall, I thought it was a success!!

We had a great group of ladies and some FANTASTIC food.

LEFT TO RIGHT:
Melissa "Rousing Ranch Dip" Loats
Meghan "Superb Sour Cream Pound Cake" Handley
Julie "Can't-put-it-down Crab Dip" Conn
Rachael "Slap-yo-grandma Chicken Salad" Nichols
Marian "Blazin' Blueberry Yum Yum" Dodson
and Janet "Savory Cinnamon Bites" Posey

I'm going to apologize in advance for the fact that I completely forgot to take pictures of each of the dishes before we started digging in! So, with each recipe, I'm just going to find random pictures on Google or Pinterest.

Once I did remember to take a picture of the food, here's the damage we had already done:

 Drumroll please....here are the recipes you've been waiting for!

HIDDEN VALLEY RANCH DIP
Contributed by: Melissa Loats

1 - 16 oz can refried beans
1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch salad dressing mix
1 cup diced tomatoes (Melissa used a fresh tomato, not canned, and it was yum!)
1 - 4 oz can green chiles, drained
3/4 cup shredded cheese
1 - cup sour cream

Spread beans in 9x13 dish. Blend sour cream and dressing mix; spread over beans. Layer remaining ingredients.
Approx. 15 mins; Serves 8-10


SOUR CREAM POUND CAKE
Contributed by: Meghan Handley

3 cups sifted flour

6 eggs (room temperature)

3 cups sugar
1 cup butter (room temperature)

1 cup sour cream

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla
OPTIONAL: Caramel sauce & cool whip (**highly recommended!!)

Cream butter and sugar til light and fluffy. Add 1 egg at a time, mix well. Mix flour, baking soda, and salt. Add dry mix to egg mixture a little at a time until blended, don't over beat. Next add sour cream and vanilla, mix well. Pour mixture into a oiled/floured bundt pan. Place pan in a cold oven and heat to 325 degrees. Bake approximately 1 hour and 45 min., be careful to not over-bake. OPTIONAL: Top with caramel sauce and cool whip.
Approx. 2 hours; Serves 8-10

CRAB RANCH DIP

Contributed by: Julie Conn

 

1 - 8 oz pkg cream cheese

1 pkg dry ranch dip

1 pkg crab meat

Mix all ingredients together and serve with cracked pepper triscuits.

Approx. 10 mins. Serves 8-10

CHICKEN SALAD PITAS

Contributed by: Rachael Nichols

3 Tbsp lemon juice

4 cups chicken

1 cup celery

1/3 cup onion

1 cup red grapes

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 cup pecans or almonds

1/2 cup mayonnaise

Mix all ingredients together then cover and chill. Serve in pita pockets.

Approx. 15-20 mins. Serves 8-10

BLUEBERRY YUM YUM

Contributed by: Marian Dodson

 

Crust:

3 egg whites - beaten

1 cup sugar

1 tsp baking powder

20 saltine crackers - crushed

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350. Slowly add sugar to beaten egg whites & beat until stiff. Stir in next 3 ingredients. Pour in greased 9x13 dish & bake for 15 minutes. Let cool.

Mix 2 packages of Dream Whip according to directions (**NOTE: Dream Whip calls for 1 cup cold milk & 1 tsp vanilla extract). Add 8 oz cream cheese - softened & 1/2 cup confectioners sugar until smooth. Pour over cooled crust. Refrigerate. Before serving, spread 1 can blueberry pie filling over mixture.

Approx. 1 hour; serves 10-12.

CINNAMON BITES
Contributed by: Janet Posey

Roll white sandwich bread as flat as possible (leave crust on)

Spread lightly with mixture of cream cheese, sugar & cinnamon

Roll as tight as possible then cut into bite sizes

Dip into melted butter

Then dip into cinnamon & sugar mixture

Put on baking sheet & bake at 350 for 12-15 min until heated through

There are no measurements to this recipe just mix cinnamon & sugar to your personal preference.

**Janet's tip: This is a kid-friendly recipe. Her kids love to help her make these.

CROCKPOT CHICKEN TACO CHILI
Contributed by: Mallory Bradley

1 onion - chopped
1 - 16 oz can black beans - drained
1 - 16 oz can chili beans
1 - 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 - 16 oz can Mexicorn
2 - 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes w/ chilies
1 packet taco seasoning
1 Tbsp chili powder
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
OPTIONAL: shredded cheese, sour cream, Fritos

Combine all ingredients in the crockpot (**NOTE: I use crockpot liners and they are life-savers...no mess cleanup), placing chicken on top, and cover. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 6 hours (**NOTE: I usually do low for 10 hrs and it's fine). Approx. 15 minutes before serving, remove chicken breasts, shred, return to crockpot and stir in. My husband and I like to eat with sour cream, cheese and fritos.
Prep time: 15 mins; Total time: 6-8 hours; Serves 10-12

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Not only did we sample these FABULOUS dishes, but we also spent some time getting to know one another, learning what has been going on in our lives lately, and had some good prayer time. We missed a couple of ladies who couldn't make it this time and are looking forward to having them with us next week!

Ladies, a quick reminder that we will be diving into Chapter 1 of "The Fitting Room" by Kelly Minter next week. Again, it's not a requirement, but I do encourage you to read it if you can. Also, bring a friend!

Also, a general reminder that all are welcome! If you are free next Sunday at 6:00, please feel free to join us! We will be meeting every week for the next 13 weeks. Email me for directions.

I leave you tonight with two things:

1. A picture of my sleepy puppy, Buddy!

2. The Word of God. "This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." 1 John 4:9-12
This song comes to mind; let it be your prayer: Thank you for the cross, Lord. Thank you for the price you paid. Bearing all my sin and shame, in love you came, and gave amazing grace. Thank you for this love, Lord. Thank you for the nail-pierced hands. Wash me in your cleansing flow. Now all I know, your forgiveness and embrace. WORTHY IS THE LAMB! Seated on the throne! Crown you now with many crowns! You reign victorious! High and lifted up, Jesus Son of God! The darling of Heaven, crucified....WORTHY IS THE LAMB!