SEASON TWO: WEEK TWO

We had another great week with our 'Tis So Sweet group. I quickly figured out that I am definitely going to need to kick it up a notch with my personal recipes. We had some serious cooking going on. Everything was SO delicious!!

Look at all these beautiful ladies!

Left to right (bottom row): Meghan, Sharon, Jennifer, Mallory

Top row: Belinda (holding Owen, but he's hiding), Katie, Lindsey, Holly, Alison, Marian & Caroline

Since you couldn't see Owen Bear in the first picture, here he is front and center!!!

L to R: Alison, Holly, Katie & Owen, Lindsey, and Belinda

More pretty ladies!! Here are Jennifer, Caroline, Holly, Alison, Lindsey & Belinda

Side note: We are very proud of Jennifer for getting baptized this Sunday! She also gets the "Dunked in Freezing Cold Water" and "Make Bruce Say Brrrr" awards of 2013  :)

This is (right to left) me, my mommy, my best friend Meghan, and her mommy from this Sunday...

...And here is a "throwback" from last year in our first season of 'Tis So Sweet!!

Oh yeah, look at all that delicious food!

Yum - I'm getting hungry just looking at it!

Time to DIG IN!!

So this week as we gathered around the living room and sampled all the delicious recipes, I introduced the group to a devotional book I myself was recently introduced to (thanks Lauren & Breezy). It's called Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence by Sarah Young. She writes each daily devotion from the perspective as if Christ Himself is speaking directly to the reader, which makes for an easy read. Plus she packs a big punch with the words she writes and supports each devotion with scripture passages.

I read aloud my favorite devotion from that particular week which talked about the importance of quietness and trust in Christ and resting in Him. One of my favorite lines says "Spending time alone with Me can be a difficult discipline, because it goes against the activity addiction of this age. You may appear to be doing nothing, but actually you are participating in battles going on within spiritual realms."

One of the supporting scripture passages says "This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: 'In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.'" Isaiah 30:15

We also discussed some practical ways that we can spend alone time with the Lord during busy times in our lives. Then we prayed, and of course, went back for some dessert!

Without further adieu...the recipes of the week:

NO BAKE CHOCOLATE OATMEAL COOKIES

Contributed by: Meghan Handley

1/2 cup milk

2 cups sugar

1/4 cup cocoa

1/4 tbsp butter

3 cups oats

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 tsp vanilla

Wax paper

Cook milk, sugar, cocoa, and butter in a pot over medium heat until butter is melted. Boil for 1 minute. While stirring, add in oats, peanut butter, & vanilla. Quickly drop spoon fulls onto wax paper and cool until hardened.

JALAPENO POPPER DIP

Contributed by: Sharon Evans

2 - 8 oz pkgs cream cheese, softened

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1/4 cup chopped green chilies

1/4 cup canned diced jalapeno peppers

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup panko (Japanese) bread crumbs

Sweet red and yellow pepper pieces and corn chips

Preheat oven to 400F. In a large bowl, beat the first five ingredients until blended; spread into an ungreased 9 in. pie plate. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese; top with bread crumbs. Bake at 400F for 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve with peppers and chips.

BRIE BITES

Contributed by: Mallory Bradley

2 - 15 shell pack of Athens Mini Fillo Shells (found in freezer section)

1 block brie cheese (I bought Publix brand)

Chopped pecans

Brown sugar

Honey

Preheat oven to 350F. Place phyllo shells in a mini cupcake pan (mine holds 24 so I had 6 cups leftover). Cut a cube or slice of brie and place in bottom of each cup. Top with a few chopped pecans. Sprinkle with a pinch of brown sugar. Top with honey and bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is melty. Serve warm.

KEY LIME PIE

Contributed by: Belinda Prosser

1 - 9 inch (6 oz) graham cracker crust

1 - 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup (approx. 3 medium limes) fresh lime juice

1 tsp grated lime peel

2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed

8 thin lime slices (optional)

Beat sweetened condensed milk and lime juice in small mixer bowl until combined; stir in lime peel. Pour into crust; spread with whipped topping. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until set. Garnish with lime slices.

CROCKPOT HONEY BOURBON CHICKEN

Contributed by: Katie Davis

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 5)

Salt & pepper

1 cup honey

1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup ketchup

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup diced onion (optional)

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Cornstarch

Sesame seeds

Place chicken thighs in crockpot and sprinkle with salt & pepper on both sides. In a medium size bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, ketchup, oil, garlic, onion & red pepper flakes. Stir to combine well & pour over chicken in the crockpot. Cook on low for 3-4 hours or high for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours. When done, remove and cut into chunks. Before putting chicken back in the pot, combine some cornstarch in water and whisk into the crockpot to thicken up the sauce a bit. Throw chicken back in and stir to recoat with the sauce. Serve over a hot bed of white rice (optional) and sprinkle some sesame seeds on top.

SAUSAGE SQUARES

Contributed by: Lindsey Humphries

1 lb mild or hot sausage

1 - 8 oz pkg cream cheese

2 cans crescent rolls

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350F. Cook sausage, drain and mix with cream cheese. Unroll 1 can of crescent rolls and line your baking dish. Layer in the sausage mixture. Top with cheddar cheese. Unroll the second can of crescent rolls and place on top. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes or until brown. Let cool then cut into squares.

CHEESY CHICKEN RANCH DIP

Contributed by: Holly Glover

2 cans white chicken

1 packet of ranch powder

1 - 16 oz container of light sour cream

1 - 8 oz pkg cream cheese

Stacy's pita chips

Drain the chicken then mix in the remaining ingredients. Chill in refrigerator before serving. Serve with pita chips.

APPLE DUMPLINGS

Contributed by: Alison Smith

2 whole Granny Smith apples

2 - 8 oz cans crescent rolls

2 sticks butter

1 1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Cinnamon to taste

1 - 12 oz can Mountain Dew

Preheat 350F. Peel and core apples. Cut each apple into 8 slices each. Roll each apple slice in a crescent roll. Place in a 9x13 buttered pan. Melt butter, then add sugar and barely stir. Add vanilla, stir, and pour entire mixture over apples. Pour Mtn. Dew around the edges of the plan. Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake at 350F for 40 minutes. Serve with ice cream, and spoon some of the sweet sauces from the pan over the top.

TACO SLIDERS

Contributed by: Marian Dodson

1/2 onion, grated

1 packet taco seasoning mix

1 1/2 lb ground chuck

12 dinner rolls (sliced for buns)

Mild cheese and salsa sauce

1 tomato & 1 avocado (optional)

Grate onion into medium bowl. Add taco seasoning and ground chuck. Mix to blend. Shape into 12 patties. Grill or pan fry 3-4 minutes on each side. Place sauce on buns, add meat. Top with tomato & avocado if desired.

BACON WRAPPED COCKTAIL WEENIES

Contributed by: Caroline Cockrell

1 pkg cocktail weenies

1 pkg bacon

Brown sugar

Toothpicks

Cut bacon slices into thirds short ways and wrap 1 small piece of the bacon around the weenie. Secure with a toothpick. Place the weenies in the crockpot and pour brown sugar on top so that all you see is the toothpick. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours.

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Tonight, I leave you with two things:

1. A pic of my sweet Buddy man (he's wagging his tail so fast, it's blurry!)

2. The Word of God

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." John 14:27

Lord, thank you for your peace that is given to me and thank you for being a resting place for me in times of trouble. Help me to turn off the distractions of this world and sit quietly in your presence. In this time of quiet, I pray that I receive your presence and that my heart will listen. Amen.