WEEK EIGHT: FORGIVENESS

We had such a great meeting this week. My husband "judges" the leftovers and he said that this was the best food week yet. And p.s. he said the Mississippi Mud was the best! Here are a few pics from our fabulous fellowship time.

Here's the group when I thought Rachael couldn't come...even Buddy got in the picture!!!

Left to Right (below): Melissa, Buddy & Laura, Julie, Misty, and Jessica

Then Rachael made it (YAY!) and brought the twins (DOUBLE YAY!)

So we had to take another group picture...

And of course a few pictures with the twins...

Left to right (below): Laura, Camdyn, Me & Caleb

Left to right (below): Caleb, Misty, Jessica & Camdyn

Caleb getting cozy with Julie during our fellowship (below)

And, of course, all of the yummy food we had!!!

Our discussion time this week was on chapters 6 & 7: forgiveness. The summary on the blog will be short because most of our discussion time involved personal testimonies that are obviously confidential. I will say that I found it very comforting to see how our relationships have evolved in our life group such that when one person is open about their struggles, the other ladies are always so encouraging and uplifting. I can really see the purpose of our life group flourishing: to build long-lasting relationships with sisters in Christ. And for that, I am thankful.

There were a few running themes throughout our conversations that I will share:

• Forgiveness is easier said that done, but it is possible. We see that it is possible through Christ's example. 
• Jesus lived a perfect, sinless life here on Earth. Yet He willingly got up on a cross and took the punishment for the world's sins - past present and future - for you and me. He was the ultimate sacrifice so that we may have eternal life not apart from God. If He can get on a cross and in His last dying breaths say "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do", then surely we can forgive our neighbor when we ourselves have been shown such forgiveness. (Again, please refer to point above about easier said that done; I'm not claiming that it's easy, but it's doable.)
• Forgiving others who have hurt you does not mean that you are saying what they did wasn't wrong, or that they are good people. It also does not mean that things will go back to normal or that you are allowing yourself to trust that person again. No, forgiveness is not for the person that hurt you. Forgiveness is for you. It is allowing yourself to let go of the hurt, let go of the grudge, let go of the bitterness. It's about placing the wrongs against us, not back in the hands of our enemies, but in the hands of God.

I know I teased you with talk of Mississippi Mud in the beginning, so here's what you've been waiting for...the recipes of the week! Prepare to drool...

MISSISSIPPI MUD

Contributed by: Laura McInish

1 box brownie mix (don't forget the ingredients that the mix calls for...look at the box)

1 - 10 oz pkg marshmallows

1/2 cup butter

1/3 cup cocoa

1/2 cup evaporated milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 box confectioners sugar

Bake brownie mix in a 9x13 dish according to box. With about 5 minutes to go, remove from the oven and pour the marshmallows on top. Place back in the oven for no longer than 2 mins - marshmallows don't need to be melted, just heated. Bring butter, cocoa, and milk just to the boiling point, then beat in the confectioners sugar. Pour icing over marshmallows. Works best if made the day before serving.

Approx. 45 mins; Serves 8-10

ITALIAN PASTA SALAD

Contributed by: Melissa Loats

2 tomatoes, cubed

1 cucumber, peeled and cubed

1 green pepper, cubed

1 small can black olives, drained and sliced

1 pkg dry Italian dressing mix (next to the Ranch packets in the salad dressing aisle)

1 cup Italian dressing

1 box pasta

Mix veggies in a bowl with dry dressing packet and let marinate over night. Cook and drain pasta, let cool. Mix all together and gradually add Italian salad dressing. Serve chilled.

Approx. 45 mins (plus marinate overnight); Serves 8-10


RED BEANS AND RICE
Contribted by: Rachael Nichols

1 pkg Knorr (formerly Lipton) Cajun Sides Red Beans & Rice
1 pkg Eckrich Polska Kielbasa
Your favorite spices (Rachael uses Tony Chachere's, garlic salt, cajun seasoning, onion salt, black pepper, and red pepper)

Slice Kielbasa sausage into desired size and place into pot. Add spices and add Knorr package. Stir and cook as directed on the Knorr package. The sausage will cook with the rice. Enjoy! If you need more, just add one package of sausage for every package of Knorr.
Approx. 30 mins; Serves 8-10

LOADED "NOT-BAKED" POTATO SALAD

Contributed by: Julie Conn

2 bags frozen hash browns

Ranch dressing*

Bacon*

Green onions*

Shredded cheese*

*Measure to taste preference

Cook hash browns with onions in a large skillet according to package. Allow potatoes to cool (Julie put them in the freezer for 30 mins). Put potatoes in large bowl and add ranch dressing, bacon, green onions, shredded cheese. Serve warm or cold - it's good either way!

Approx. 30 mins; Serves 10-12

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS WITH LEMON FROSTING
Contributed by: Jessica Everett

COMPOTE:
1 small produce container of blueberries
3 tbsp sugar

Wash & drain blueberries, add to pot, add sugar, and a little bit of water to make it all blend together. Let it sit on medium heat and the blueberries will start to burst. Stir and let cool.

CAKE:
2 3/4 cup flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter or shortening
1 2/3 cup sugar
5 egg whites
2 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cup milk

Combine butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Mix well then add the milk. Take 1/2 of the compote and reserve the rest. Put the batter in cupcake cups about 2/3 full and then spoon reserved compote on top (approx. 1 tsp each). Bake at 350 for approx. 15 mins or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool.

FROSTING:
2 sticks butter, room temperature
1 lb powdered sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
1/2 zest of an orange
Juice of the same whole lemon and half orange

Mix well. Top on cooled cupcakes and enjoy!

PIMENTO CHEESE

Contributed by: Mallory Bradley

16 oz reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese

3/4 cup reduced-fat cottage cheese (small curd)

2 tbsp reduced-fat milk

1 jalapeno, minced

2 tbsp onion, minced

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1 - 4 oz jar diced pimentos, drained

1 - 2 oz jar diced pimentos, drained

Blend cottage cheese and milk in a food processor until smooth. Mix with shredded cheddar. Stir in remainder of ingredients and cover. Refrigerate for at least an hour, overnight preferred.

Approx. 45 mins; Serves 12-15

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I leave you tonight with two things:

1. A picture of Buddy. This is his "serious look"

2. The word of God. "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18
Thank you for your word, Lord. Help me to dwell on it this week and give thanks in all circumstances. Amen.

WEEK TWO: AWESOME

Awesome. That's the word that I would use to describe the second week of our 'Tis So Sweet life group. Not in the valley girl "Oh-em-gee! That was like totally awesome!" sense, but in the true sense of the word: remarkable, outstanding, worthy of awe or reverence. Here's why:

First, the food.

We tasted so many great recipes that I am very excited to share with you! My husband would like to take a moment to thank each of your for your contributions to our dinner menu :) Just thinking about all the awesome food we had is making me hungry...

*PAUSE FOR A SNACK BREAK*

...okay I'm back. Next, the fellowship. We had a great time getting to know each other better, including several new faces that joined us this week! Talking about food and family with these awesome ladies - I can't think of a better way to spend a Sunday night.

Lastly, and most importantly, the Holy Spirit. I was so blessed by our discussion and prayer time. One lady shared a prayer request for a family member with cancer, and without hesitation, one of our new members shared her powerful testimony where [the short version] she was 3 months pregnant, literally died/flat-lined, and came back to life, went through only a month of physical rehab (after the 3rd visit with the PT she was told she didn't need any more!), and now she and her 3 year old daughter are perfectly fine and walking testimonies of how good our God is. She reminded us that He still performs miracles, and she encouraged us all not to ever lose faith or hope in our Lord. Awesome.

Now, let's get back to that good food I was talking about! Here are the recipes you've all been waiting for! And this time, I actually remembered to take pictures of each dish before we devoured them. However, some of the pictures did not do the food justice, because it was just with my cell phone, so I stole some of the pics off Google or Pinterest again :)

CHICKEN & RANCH CHEESEBALL
Contributed by: Misty Dawn

2 - 8 oz blocks of cream cheese (she used 1/3 reduced fat)
1 - 12.5 oz can of chicken
1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch Dip
Small pack chopped pecans

Place cream cheese into a large mixing bowl. Open, drain, and shred can of chicken; add to cream cheese. Add ranch packet. Mix WELL with hands and form into a ball. Dump pecans into a medium bowl and roll cheeseball around in it until well coated. Serve with wheat thins.
Approx. 15 mins; Serves 10-12


CHICKEN CASSEROLE
Contributed by: Janet Posey

3 boneless chicken breast cooked (Janet boils the chicken with salt, pepper & chicken bullion cube)

1 can cream of chicken or mushroom soup
8 oz sour cream
1 sleeve ritz crackers or club crackers
1 stick butter

Cut cooked chicken into bite size pieces & put in the bottom of casserole dish. Mix can of soup with sour cream & pour over chicken. Melt 1 stick of butter & mix with crumbled crackers then put cracker mixture on top of sour cream mixture. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
Approx. 1 hour; Serves 10-12


LEMON BLUEBERRY MUFFINS
Contributed by: Jessica Everett

BREAD-
1-1/2 cups + 1 tbsp all purpose flour, divided
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup plain yogurt
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1-1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
LEMON SYRUP-
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup sugar
LEMON GLAZE-
1 cup powdered sugar
3-4 tbsp fresh lemon juice

**NOTE: the following recipe calls for a loaf, but Jessica used a muffin tin and only baked for 15-20 minutes until golden brown on top.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9×5″ loaf pan, dust with flour, and tap out excess.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sugar, eggs, lemon zest, vanilla, and oil.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet. In a separate bowl mix the blueberries with the 1 tbsp of flour and then gently fold them into the mixed batter.
- Pour the batter into the pan and bake 50-55 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean.
- Let bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the loaf is cooling, combine the lemon juice and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir continuously until sugar is dissolved, and then continue cooking for another 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Use a toothpick to poke holes in the tops and sides of the warm loaf and brush with the lemon syrup. Continue to brush the loaf until all of the syrup is added.
- To make the lemon glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice and pour over the top of the loaf. Let the lemon glaze harden before serving.
Approx. 45 mins; Makes 24 muffins


BUFFALO CHICKEN PASTA SALAD
Contributed by: Sharon Evans

Cook 1 (16 oz.) box of Rotini noodles (or your favorite type noodle) as directed on box then place in colander and flash with cold water.

Mix together until creamy:
1 Jar Blue Cheese Salad Dressing
½ - ¾ Bottle Texas Pete Hot Sauce

Chop 1 red onion and 5 celery stalks
Mix with noodles and 2 cans of chicken breast meat- drained (or you can cook your own).
Mix in dressing mixture and salt and pepper to taste.
Chill and serve.
Approx. 45 mins; Serves 12-15


SLOW-COOKER JAMBALAYA
Contributed by: Meghan Handley
 
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut up into small pieces
1 lb andouille sausage, sliced
1- 28oz can diced tomatoes with juice
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 cup chicken broth
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried parsley
2 tsp Cajun seasoning
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 cup instant rice

1. Place all ingredients except rice in slow cooker. Cook on low for 7-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours.
2. Cook rice according to package instructions. Add rice, as desired, into each individual serving of jambalaya. Store rice separately from rest of stew.
Approx. 7-8 hours; Serves 10-12


MINI CHICKEN N' BROCCOLI PIES
Contributed by: Melissa Loats

CHICKEN-BROCCOLI MIXTURE-
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 cup Green Giant® frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)

BAKING MIXTURE-
1/2 cup Original Bisquick® mix
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 12 regular-size muffin cups with cooking spray.
2. In 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in oil 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink in center. Add onion; cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add broccoli, salt and pepper, stirring occasionally, until mixture is heated through. Cool 5 minutes; stir in cheese.
3. In medium bowl, stir baking mixture ingredients with whisk or fork until blended. Spoon 1 scant tablespoon baking mixture into each muffin cup. Top with about 1/4 cup chicken-broccoli mixture. Spoon 1 tablespoon baking mixture onto chicken-broccoli mixture in each muffin cup.
4. Bake about 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and tops are golden brown. Cool 5 minutes. With thin knife, loosen sides of pies from pan; remove from pan and place top sides up on cooling rack. Cool 10 minutes longer, and serve.
Approx. 1 hour; Serves 8-10


DENISE'S MEXICAN CASSEROLE
Contributed by: Mallory Bradley/Danielle Carter

1-5 oz bag Mahatma yellow rice
1 lb ground beef
1 package McCormick chili seasoning
1-15 oz can tomato sauce
1 can cheddar cheese soup
1/2 cup milk

Cook yellow rice according to package. Brown hamburger meat. Add in tomato sauce and chili seasoning to meat. Pour cooked rice into bottom of greased 8x8 casserole dish, then add meat mixture on top. Mix together cheese soup & milk and pour on top. Bake for approx. 20-25 mins at 350 until cheese is melted.
Approx. 45 mins; Serves 8-10


PUMPKIN CAKE/BREAD
Contributed by: Julie Conn

1 can pumpkin puree
1 box yellow cake mix (Julie used Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe)
*NOTE cake mix also calls for:

1 Cup Water

1/3 Cup Vegetable Oil

3 Large Eggs

Mix ingredients and bake according to directions on cake mix box.
Approx. 30 mins; Serves 8-10
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I leave you today with two things:

1. A picture of my dog, Buddy. This is what he looks like when I'm cooking in the kitchen (when he's not busy trying to eat everything I drop!)

2. The word of God. Jeremiah 29:11 says "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" Lord, I thank you for the plans you have for my life, although I may not fully understand them all the time. I thank you for the divine plan you have for our friend's life in that you kept her here on this Earth and brought her to our group to share her encouraging story. Please be with each and every one of these special ladies and their families this week. I thank you for putting each of them in my life. I life up this song and prayer to you: "You are amazing. More than amazing. Forever our God, you're more than enough. You are amazing."