WEEK FOUR: SWEET TREATS!

We ended our last week's meeting with ministering to the homeless. This week, our outreach focus is on the elders of our church. I mentioned in my last blog about my Paw Paw passing away recently. Later in life (I use that term loosely since I'm only 28...and I specifically mean college and beyond...), I had become very close with my grandparents and learned so much from them when they were alive. I'm continuing to learn from them in their death. As I was digging through boxes of old photos and the like, I came across various emails, letters, and other correspondence where my Grandmother was sharing what God was doing in her life.

Pauline Williford Dodson's Testimony

Anyway...I digress...my point is, we have a lot to learn from the elders in our church, so we should be more aware of the way we interact with them and treat them. Often times they may not physically be able to come to church every Sunday, or get the words out that they want to say. That is all the more reason that WE should be reaching out to THEM, and showing how much we love them!

Our Tis So Sweet group certainly has a heart for this sweet group of men and women. We decided to bake goodies for the Joy Club and deliver them to the Young at Heart Sunday School class. A big thank you to all the ladies who baked these yummy treats!

We had an assortment of: brownies, chocolate chip cookies, white chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies, and of course soft mints to finish it all off!!

We saran-wrapped the brownies and cookies separately, then packed them in individual Ziploc baggies...

Attached these cute little labels...

And packed them up for Sunday morning!

The Young at Heart class loved them! Check out these precious smiling faces :)

And here is the sweet "thank you" note we received:

Well, that sums up our Sunday morning...

Sunday night, we had a small crowd due to some out-of-towners and other conflicts. Nonetheless, we had an AWESOME time kicking back and enjoying some great food and even better company. I can't say enough how much I absolutely love and adore each one of these ladies (and their families) and I feel so blessed to get to hang out with these precious people every week! 

L to R: Lauren, Belinda & Alison. Btw - seriously - no filter...even my camera phone captures their glow ;)

Here are the yummy recipes this week!

BUBBLE PIZZA

Contributed by: Belinda

1 1/2 lb ground beef

1 can (15 oz) pizza sauce

2 tubes (12 oz each) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

1 1/2 cups (6 oz) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

1 cup (4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese

Additional toppings of choice, optional

Preheat oven to 400F. In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink and drain. Stir in pizza sauce. Cut each biscuit into quarters; place in a greased 9x13 in. baking dish. Top with beef mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 400F for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with cheeses. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

**NOTE: You can easily play around with this recipe by making the pizza of your choice. You can choose a different sauce base such as ranch, or different toppings like pepperoni, chicken, veggies...the possibilities are endless!

NO BAKE CHEWY COOKIES AND CREAM BARS

Contributed by: Lauren

1 - 16 oz pkg of Oreos

5 cups large marshmallows

4 tbsp butter

Place Oreos in food processor and pulse until ground. Melt marshmallows and butter in microwave until puffed, approx. 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Remove and pour in ground Oreos. Stir to combine then transfer to a foil lined 8x8 in. baking pan. Let set up for 10 minutes. Remove bars out of pan with edges of foil and cut into squares.

BBQ PORK SLIDERS (CROCKPOT)

Contributed by: Mallory

1 pkg Hormel onion garlic boneless pork roast (24 oz)

1 - 18 oz bottle Sweet Baby Ray's barbeque sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/2 vidalia onion, quartered

2 tsp onion powder

2 tsp garlic powder

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 - 12 pack King's Hawaiian sweet dinner rolls

Pickles, Wickles, or slaw for topping (optional)

In a crockpot, mix together BBQ sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Add onion slices to mixture. Place pork roast in the crockpot and, using a spoon, pour some of the sauce mixture over the roast. Cook on low 8 hours or high 4 hours. Remove roast and pull apart. Add shredded pork to sauce to coat. Bake rolls for approx. 5 minutes according to package in order to crisp them up. Take a bread knife and slice the whole sheet of rolls in half (top and bottom halves for sandwiches). Spoon the sauce mixture on the top and bottom layers. Add the shredded pork and (optional) top with slaw, pickles, or Wickles -- or you could serve these on the side. Spread a couple of spoonfuls of sauce mixture on top layer of rolls desired, then put the top layer back on and cut into individual sandwich servings using bread knife. Serve warm.

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I leave you tonight with two things:

1. A picture of my Buddy

2. The Word of God

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)

Heavenly Father, you knew me and my inner most being even before I was created. You gave me eternal life, power, love, and a sound mind when I asked you into my heart and you so graciously saved me from my sin. Thank you for your grace and mercy. In times of weakness and stress, help me to remember that your spirit lives inside me and through your power, I can overcome fear, worry, and anxiety. In your name, Amen.

WEEK THREE: HOMELESS OUTREACH

Week three already?!? I guess the saying is true...time flies when you're having fun! I feel so blessed to be a part of this group of ladies. They are so awesome and we have such a good time each week sharing our stories, thoughts, laughs, and delicious recipes!

So of course we started out with Brandi cracking us up with her stories  ;)

Then we dug in and sampled all of the delicious recipes of the week (which I will get to shortly...I promise!)

After we all ate (and may or may not have gone back for seconds...ahem...guilty!), and had nice time discussing what all was going on in our lives, prayer requests, etc. as we usually do, we created an assembly line for our homeless ministry project this week. We were so excited to get this project going!

L to R: Julie, Lauren, Lindsey, Brandi, Laura, Cynthia, and Alison

As you may remember from last week's post, these awesome ladies gathered up gallon ziploc bags, bottled water, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and food items (specifically, potted meat, vienna sausages, peanut butter crackers, and Slim Jim's). The church had run out of gospel tracts, so instead, we decided to create our own note to include in each packet. 

You may not be able to read the text in the picture, so here it is (bear with me...it's a little wordy...but we had a lot of good info to share!)

Hello friend!

I may not know your situation, but I do know that I love you and I want to help you. Each item in this bag was prayed over, but most importantly, I prayed for you as the recipient of this bag. I prayed for your heart that you may receive and accept what I’m about to tell you. Heaven and hell are real. God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit are real. I know this because I have accepted this and the Holy Spirit lives inside me. I talk with God and He speaks to my heart. The events outlined in the Bible are historically accurate and the details of Jesus Christ’s life on Earth was predicted thousands of years before it happened. God sent His only son, Jesus, down to Earth to take on the form of man. Jesus freely stepped off the throne of Heaven to do this for His father and for you and me because He loves us that much. Jesus performed many miracles and was 100% sinless, although He encountered the same temptations that you and I struggle with every day. Yet, some people did not agree with what He was doing and they punished Him, undeservedly, by beating, mocking, torturing, and finally crucifying Him to death. This was a death that He willingly endured for you and for me. You see, friend, God is so perfect, and so Holy, that He cannot be in the presence of sin. Our sins have been atoned for by the blood of Jesus. The Bible says that God so loved the world, that He gave His only son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but will have everlasting life! And Jesus said “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father except through me.” The Bible also says that by grace, we are saved through faith. This is a gift from God, not by works, so that no one can boast. I have accepted this gift from God, the gift of salvation, and now I would like to share that with you. My sins have been washed clean – past, present, and future – and when I die one day, I know that my eternity will be spent in Heaven with my Savior, Jesus. I hope to see you there, too, friend. Here is how you can receive this gift – just simply talk to God and say: “God, I know I am a sinner. I am sorry for my sins and the life I have lived, and I ask for your forgiveness. I believe in Jesus and what He did on the cross for me, and I am now willing to turn from my sin. Right now I confess Jesus as the Lord of my soul. Lord, save me. Thank you for your unlimited grace. Thank you for dying for me and giving me eternal life. Amen.”

Your friend at Flint Hill Baptist Church in Bessemer

Before we started packing, we each took a minute to pray over each specific item that we were packing, and started our assembly line!

And after assembling 24 packets, this was the result!

We then prayed over the assembled products, asking God to prepare the hearts of those who would be receiving them. We prayed for the Lord to guide our steps and put us in the path of those who need to hear His word and be ministered to this week. This project was so much fun and I hope that it will be effective. We plan to do another homeless outreach ministry in the weeks to come, so stay tuned!

And now I present...the recipes of the week!

GARLIC PARMESAN CHEESE DIP

Contributed by: Brandi

1 - 8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp garlic powder

Pita chips or Triscuits for serving

Mix cream cheese, parmesan cheese, and garlic powder thoroughly until well combined. Serve immediately or let chill for a few hours to let flavors set in. Serve with your favorite crackers.

APPLE CRUNCH

Contributed by: Lauren

1.5 - 2 sticks butter

Small can crushed pineapple (optional)

2 cans apple pie filling

1 box yellow cake mix

Chopped pecans for topping

Preheat oven to 350F. Rub bottom and sides of 9x13 in. casserole dish with butter. Spread small can of crushed pineapple in bottom of dish (optional). Spread 2 cans apple pie filling on top of pineapple. Sprinkle 1 box yellow cake mix on top of apple filling. Melt 1.5 to 2 sticks butter and pour melted butter over top of cake mix. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes, then top with chopped pecans and bake 30 more minutes, or until golden brown. NOTE: Great with blueberries as well.

MAPLE SAUSAGE PANCAKE MUFFINS

Contributed by: Lindsey

2 cups pancake mix

1 lb. Jimmy Dean maple flavored sausage

1/2 cup maple syrup

Preheat oven to 350F. Brown and drain sausage. Grease a muffin pan and mix batter, sausage, and syrup together. Pour into muffin tins and bake at 350F for approx. 12-18 minutes. NOTE: You can refrigerate or freeze for a quick "pop in the microwave" breakfast on the go!

SYMPHONY BROWNIES

Contributed by: Mallory

1 box Duncan Hines milk chocolate brownies

3 eggs

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 large Hershey's Symphony bars

Preheat oven to 350F for metal pan or 325F for dark or non-stick pan. Make brownie batter mix according to directions on the box (using the "cake like brownie" instructions). Grease a 9x13" dish and pour 1/2 batter into dish. Spread with a spoon to cover the entire bottom of the pan. Layer the two Symphony bars across the batter. Pour remaining batter over the bars and spread with a spoon. Bake according to package directions. Let cool completely and enjoy!

CHILI CHEESE DIP

Contributed by: Alison

1 - 8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened

15 oz can Hormel chili

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Fritos scoops for serving

Evenly spread the softened cream cheese into the bottom of an ungreased glass pie dish pan or other round baking dish. Spread chili over the cream cheese. Top with shredded cheddar cheese. Microwave for 4 minutes. Check to see if the cheese is melted and microwave another 1-2 minutes until the cheese is completely melted. Serve warm with Fritos.

COWBOY CRACK (a.k.a. HOT CORN DIP)

Contributed by: Cynthia

2 - 8 oz pkgs cream cheese, softened

1 can Rotel

1 can shoe peg corn

1 can Mexicorn or southwest corn

Fritos scoops

Drain Rotel and corn. Mix well with cream cheese. Microwave in 1 minute intervals until blended. Serve warm with Fritos.

SAUSAGE BALLS

Contributed by: Laura

3 1/2 cups Bisquick

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 lb. sausage

Preheat oven to 375F. Mix all ingredients together well and form into balls. Place sausage balls onto greased baking sheet and bake at 375F for approx. 20 minutes or until crispy on both sides.

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Tonight, I leave you with two things:

1. A picture of my adorable grandparents when they were young lovebirds. My precious Paw Paw passed away this past weekend. I miss him dearly, but I'm thankful that I have assured comfort that I will see him (and my sweet Grandmother) again one day.

2. The Word of God.

"...Many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in Heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body." Philippians 3:18-21

Lord, I thank you for the hearts of these ladies who have blessed me beyond measure with their kind words and actions. I pray that you will continue to guide us in our ministry efforts and prepare the hearts of those who will receive our assembled packets over the next weeks. I also thank you for the Christ-like example set by my grandparents in the life that they lived here on this earth. Thank you for the sacrifice made by your Son. It is because of this amazing sacrifice that I can say 'Where, O death, is your sting?' Thanks be to you, God, for you have given us the VICTORY over death through your son Jesus Christ! In your name, Amen.

BEACH TRIP & SECOND MEETING

So, we have lots to catch up on! The Tis So Sweet group had to skip a week (May 25th), because my husband and I were out of town for our 3rd anniversary/Memorial Day trip. We had a great time.

We had wonderful weather the whole time. Check out the beautiful view from our balcony (above)

Happy 3rd anniversary to the best husband a girl could wish for. I love you Chip!

The waves were a little rough on the last day -- but Chip was relentless in his fishing efforts!

The big news of the trip was that my new nephew was born!! Katelyn LOVES her new title of big sister :)

We had just gotten out to the beach when he was born, so I had to FaceTime with him in order to "meet" him! I'm such a proud aunt to all my sweet nieces and nephews. They are my life.

Overall, Chip and I had a great time and enjoyed the relaxing week. I definitely missed my Tis So Sweet ladies, though. I was really excited about our second meeting on June 1st. We had an awesome group! They brought some goodies for our first ministry project -- homeless outreach. The church had run out of gospel tracts, so we did not do the assembling this week, but we did have a great collections turnout and of course enjoyed great food and company. 

L to R: Lindsey, Belinda, Caroline (and Baby Brody!), Brandi, Lauren. Alison joined us too, but she had to leave early unexpectedly and missed the group pic.

Yummy food

Here are the recipes of the week!

CHOCOLATE CHIP DIP

Contributed by: Lauren

1 - 8 oz package cream cheese

1/2 cup butter

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 cup chocolate chips, miniature semisweet

3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 box graham crackers

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugars and vanilla; beat until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips. Serve with graham cracker sticks.

BANG BANG IN A PAN

Contributed by: Belinda

CRUST:

1 cup chopped pecans

3 tbsp white sugar

1/2 cup butter

1 cup flour

CREAM CHEESE LAYER:

1 - 8 oz package cream cheese

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup whipped cream or cool whip

VANILLA PUDDING LAYER:

1 package instant vanilla pudding (5.1 oz or 144 g)

3 cups milk

CHOCOLATE PUDDING LAYER:

1 package instant chocolate pudding (5.1 oz or 144 g)

3 cups milk

LAST LAYER:

2 cups whipped cream or cool whip

Shaved chocolate

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray 9x13 in. pan with cooking spray. In a mixer, mix all crust ingredients and press into prepared baking dish. Bake it for 20 mins. Prepare vanilla and chocolate puddings according to instructions on package. In a mixer, add the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and cup of whipped cream. Mix until light and fluffy. Let the crust cool and spread cream cheese mixture evenly over the crust. Spread the chocolate pudding mixture over the cream cheese mixture, then the vanilla over the chocolate. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with chocolate. Refrigerate for a couple of hours to let it set.

KEY LIME GOOEY BARS:

Contributed by: Alison

1 - 15.25 oz box Key Lime Cake Mix

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1 egg, room temperature

1 lime, zested and juiced

2/3 cup white chocolate chips

2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk

Lemon and lime zest for top of bars, optional

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9x9 in. baking pan with foil. Spray with cooking spray and set aside. Beat butter with a mixer until soft and fluffy. Add in cake mix, egg, lime juice and zest, and continue beating until combined. Press about 2/3rds of the cake mixture onto the bottom of the foil-lined baking pan. Sprinkle with white chocolate chips over the top. Drizzle the sweetened condensed milk over the top of the chocolate. Crumble the remaining cake mixture over the top of the sweetened condensed milk , trying to spread it out as much as possible. Press lightly. Bake for 29-32 minutes, or until edges start to brown. Let bars cool completely before cutting. Top with additional lemon and lime zest, if desired. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

CREAMY AVOCADO PASTA

Contributed by: Brandi

1 lb bucatini (the spaghetti that has the hole in the middle)

2 ripe avocados

3 garlic cloves

4 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

2 tsp garlic aioli (you can use nonfat Greek yogurt or leave it out if you must)

1 pkg cherry tomatoes

1 tbsp non-dairy milk (you can use milk or leave it out if you must)

Preheat oven to 375F. In a large bowl, mix together half of the olive oil, half of the salt, and all of the pepper with the tomatoes. Lay on a greased baking sheet and roast for about 30 minutes. Once they're cooked, set aside and let cool until pasta is ready. Boil a large pot of water and drop your bucatini (you can use any pasta, but this kind holds the sauce very well). While pasta is cooking, add the olive oil, remainder of salt, and garlic to food processor. Pulse until garlic is as fine as possible. Add the avocados, lemon juice, garlic aioli, and non-dairy creamer, and blend for about 2 minutes, until thick and creamy. Once pasta is finished, drain, and put back into the pot. Add the avocado sauce and toss to coat the pasta. Add the tomatoes and toss thoroughly. 

STRAWBERRY-BANANA CHEESECAKE SALAD

Contributed by: Caroline

1 bag miniature marshmallows

16 oz vanilla yogurt

1 regular size tub of Cool Whip

1 pkg no-bake cheesecake filling

1-2 containers of sliced strawberries

3-4 sliced up bananas

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl (NOTE: Stir in fruit last). Best served chilled and same day due to banana discoloration.Other fruits can be substituted or added as desired.

ROSEMARY OLIVE OIL CROCKPOT BREAD

Contributed by: Mallory

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 packet dry active yeast 

1 1/4 cups warm water

1/4 cup fresh rosemary, chopped

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp sea salt or kosher salt

In a large bowl, mix together the water, yeast, and sugar. Let sit 10 minutes. The mixture should become bubbly. Stir in 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 of the rosemary, the 3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil, and all of the flour. Mix until fully combined. Work it together with your hands, if necessary. Lightly grease a large bowl and place it in. Cover with a kitchen towel, and leave the dough in a warm, draft-free area. Let it sit and rise for 1 hour. Remove the dough from the bowl and gently roll it into a ball on a floured surface. Let it sit for another 20 minutes. Set the crockpot to high. Line the crockpot with two pieces of parchment paper, leaving at least 2 inches hanging out of each side of the crockpot. Place the dough in a crockpot and sprinkle it with the remaining salt and rosemary. Drape paper towels over the top of the crockpot and then place the lid on. This should capture any moisture that would sit on the lid and prevent it from dripping back onto your bread. Cook the bread for 2 hours, and remove from the crockpot. It will most likely still be a bit pale on the outside. It tastes great this way, but you can put it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and put it under the broiler for a quick 3-5 minutes to get a crunchier, darker crust. Let cool before slicing. Serve with extra virgin olive oil drizzled on top.

CARAMEL DIP

Contributed by: Lindsey

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

2 - 8 oz containers whipped cream cheese

1 tsp vanilla

Blend ingredients together with a hand mixer and serve with sliced apples.

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Tonight, I leave you with 2 things:

1. A picture of my sweet Buddy as he anxiously awaits for the ladies to arrive Sunday night:

2. The Word of God

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others." Philippians 2:3-4

Father, we look to you to guide us as we prepare to reach out to those in need that are among us every day. Guide our footsteps and prepare our hearts as well as theirs to receive your word. We love you and seek to honor you. In your name, Amen.