WE'RE BACK!

Get excited people...yes, fall is in the air, and football season has kicked off, but something even more exciting is happening...WE ARE STARTING OUR NEW SEASON OF 'TIS SO SWEET!

I can't even put into words how excited I am to start back. I have missed my girls so much! Yes, we still see each other each Sunday and Wednesday at church, and will text throughout the week or catch up on Facebook every now and then, but I NEED to see them each week! I need to hear about what is going in their lives. And I am even more excited to see new faces this semester, and to announce that we will be doing "theme nights"!

Our first theme night was FOOTBALL FOOD!!!

Look at all those Alabama fans! Good thing they are pretty :)  WAAAAARRRR EAGLE!!!

L to R: Julie, Caroline, Holly, Alison, Lindsey, Brandi, Shelly, Laura, Melissa
(special guest appearance by Buddy...well, sort of....)

It was so good seeing everyone again, and meeting new people! We caught up on each others' lives and talked about some new things we can add to our ministry efforts this semester. I'm not gonna lie - I'm pretty pumped about what God has in store for this group, so be sure and stay tuned! In the meantime, here are the recipes of the week:

TERIYAKI CHICKEN WINGS

Contributed by: Alison 

3.5 lb chicken wings

1 tbsp olive oil (or enough to coat all the wings completely)

1 tsp seasoned salt

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp black pepper

TERIYAKI SAUCE:

1 1/2 cups cold water

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup soy sauce

1 tsp garlic powder

3 tbsp cornstarch

2 tbsp sriracha sauce

1 tsp red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 400F. Place wings in a large bowl and add olive oil, toss to coat all wings completely adding all olive oil if necessary. Add seasoned salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper to wings. Toss to coat. Spread wings evenly on a baking sheet. Cook in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, flipping halfway through. When wings are finished transfer them to a Tupperware container. Add sauce to the Tupperware, close the top tightly and shake to coat the wings. 

For teriyaki sauce, whisk together water, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic powder, corn starch, sriracha sauce, and red pepper flakes in a medium sauce pan. Turn heat to medium high heat. Watch your sauce and whisk frequently, as soon as it starts to boil, whisk continually until it thickens and remove from heat. Mix together with wings and enjoy! 

TOUCHDOWN TACO DIP

Contributed by: Shelly

1 can refried beans

1 - 16 oz tub sour cream

1 pkg taco seasoning

Guacamole (either make your own or pre-purchase)

1 block colby jack cheese (or 1 pkg of the 2 cups mexican cheese blend)

1 can black olives either pre-sliced or slice them yourself

1 bunch green onions (typically will use 2 out of the bunch)

Bite-sized tomatoes cut into halves

Mix together sour cream and taco seasoning. In a 9x13" dish, layer the ingredients by spreading refried beans into the bottom, top with layer of guacamole, then sour cream mixture. Finally, top with cheese, sliced black olives, chopped green onions, and tomatoes. Enjoy and WAR EAGLE!

PUMP-FAKE POPPERS

Contributed by: Holly

1 - 8 oz block cream cheese

1/4 cup jalapenos (1/2 can, drained)

1 tub regular crescent rolls

Preheat oven to 375F and grease a cookie sheet. In a small bowl, combine cream cheese and jalapenos - mix well and set aside. Open your crescent rolls (do not separate them) and lay them on the counter (after sanitizing...). Separate long ways on the perforation, so you have two long sheets of crescent rolls with 4 rolls each in them. Pinch the remaining perforations together on each of the two sheets (use a rolling pin if necessary) to make two continuous crescent roll sheets. Divide the cream cheese mixture and spread evenly over both crescent sheets. Roll them up hot-dog-style (or from the short end), to make a long cream cheese/crescent roll - do this for both crescents. Cut each cream cheese/crescent roll into 12/16 pieces, depending on how big you want your resulting poppers to be. Place each one, standing up, on your cookie sheet and bake in the oven for 11-13 minutes. Enjoy!

"MOVE THOSE CHAINS" CHINESE COLE SLAW
Contributed by: Laura

2 bags Angel Hair Slaw

3 green onions, chopped

2-3 Ramen noodles, crushed (do not add flavor packet that comes in package)

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1/2 cup sliced almonds

SAUCE:

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup oil

1/4 cup vinegar

2 tsp soy sauce

Butter pan and bake noodles and almonds for approx. 10 mins on 350F (note; they burn easy). Put in a bowl and add sesame seeds. Mix together ingredients for sauce and mix well. Enjoy!

WINNING WONTONS

Contributed by: Lindsey

32 wonton wrappers

1/4 cup melted butter

1 - 4 oz can jalapenos, well drained OR 4-6 fresh jalapenos, roasted and diced (include seeds if you want it really spicy)

1 - 8 oz package cream cheese, softened

1 cup sour cream

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (+ 1/4 cup for topping)

Preheat oven to 350F. Brush each wonton wrapper with melted butter and place into a mini muffin tin, bake 5 minutes, remove and cool. Mix remaining ingredients (except 1/4 cup cheddar cheese) in a small bowl. Fill each wonton wrapper with the cream cheese mixture and top with the remaining cheddar cheese. Bake 8-10 minutes or until cheese is melted and wonton is browned. Cool for approx. 3 minutes and serve warm. 

COMEBACK COOKIES

Contributed by: Caroline

Go to the store and pick some up!! :)

CHAMPIONSHIP CHEX MIX

Contributed by: Brandi

8 cups Oatmeal Squares cereal (Quaker, 1 whole box)

2 cups pecans, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup brown sugar (firmly packed)

1/2 cup light corn syrup

4 tbsp butter or margarine

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt (optional)

Preheat oven to 250F. Spray 9/13" baking pan with cooking spray. Combine cereal and pecans in pan; mix well. In a large microwaveable bowl, combine sugar, corn syrup and margarine. Microwave on high 1 minute 30 seconds, then stir. Microwave an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute 30 seconds or until boiling. Stir vanilla and baking soda and optional salt into sugar mixture. Pour over cereal mixture; stir to coat evenly. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Transfer to baking sheet, spreading mixture into even layer. Cool completely; break into pieces. Store tightly at room temperature.

MINI-CHICKEN-AND-WDE-WAFFLES

Contributed by: Mallory

1 package Tyson Anytizers frozen chicken bites

1 package Eggo Mini's (homestyle, frozen)

Syrup

Cupcake liners, optional

Lollipop sticks, optional

Decorative team flags, optional (looked up printables on Pinterest...)

Cook frozen chicken and waffles according to packages, assemble, and enjoy!

GAMETIME GARLIC CHEESE DIP

Contributed by: Melissa

1 1/2 lb fontina, rind removed and cubed into 1-inch pieces

6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped

1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp Kosher salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Adjust top rack of oven so that it sits about 5 inches under the broiler unit. Preheat broiler. Spread cheese out in the bottom of a 12 inch cast iron pan. Drizzle olive oil over the cheese. Mix together the garlic and herbs in a small bowl and sprinkle the mixture evenly over the cheese. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the top of the cheese. Bake for 6 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and melted through. Carefully remove the pan from the oven and set it on a heatproof surface - the pan will be hot! Serve immediately.

BLITZING BACON-WRAPPED ASPARAGUS

Contributed by: Julie

1 package turkey bacon

1 bunch asparagus

Olive oil, optional

Kosher salt, optional

Preheat oven to 400F. Divide asparagus into bundles and wrap with turkey bacon. Lay in low-sided casserole dish. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt (optional). Roast approximately 15-20 minutes. Serve immediately and enjoy!

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Tonight, I leave you with two things:

1. A picture of my sweet, sweet Buddy with his new toy...

2. The Word of God.

"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

Thank you, Lord for this day. For the gift of life and the air that I breathe each morning when I wake up. For these ladies and their families. For the freedom and opportunity to worship you. God, I pray that your Spirit will be evident in our gatherings, and that the sacrifice that you made by sending Jesus to die on the cross for us...undeserved sinners...will be on the forefront of our hearts and minds throughout each day. In Your name, Amen.