It's the most wonderful time of the year - right!? Or, are you stressed out about the meal that you have to cook next week for the group of people that you are trying to impress?

Our Monday night bible study is wrapping up 1 Peter by Jen Wilkin next week at our annual Friendsgiving Feast. Last week, Jen taught 1 Peter Chapter 4 to us and her words could not have come at a more appropriate time.

Let me say, I love this dip but I do not love this weather! I have worn my summer clothes out and I'm ready for the transition to cool Fall weather.

This dip is super easy and doesn't require you to use a hot oven! It's just layers of refried beans, sour cream, lettuce, cheese and taco sauce. Told ya it was easy! Serve with tortilla chips and you're set.

Speaking of Fall, we have started our new Fall study! We are doing 1 Peter by Jen Wilkin and we are absolutely loving it. Jen's teaching style is new to all of us but it is stretching us and we are learning a ton with her.

You can have your cakes and cookies...I'll take the pie!

Especially this pie. 

I love desserts that you can make ahead and the longer this pie sits in the fridge, the more the lemon flavor develops. YUM! This pie is so creamy and the perfect dessert for summer.

I love that this recipes calls for a Nilla Wafer crust. It puts a little different spin on the pie and I like it even better than the traditional graham cracker crust. 

Nilla Wafer Crust

• 60 Nilla Wafers
• 1/3 C butter, melted
• ¼ C sugar

Lemon Cream Filling

• 1 ¼ C heavy cream
• ½ C powdered sugar
• 12 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
• ¼ C lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest

Whipped Cream Topping

• 1 C heavy cream
• ½ C powdered sugar

Instructions:

1. Vanilla Wafer Crust:
   1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
   2. Blend wafers in a food processor – or take out your frustrations with a Ziploc bag and a rolling pin. Your choice!
   3. In a small bowl, combine wafer crumbs, butter and sugar. Mix well.
   4. Press into a 9-inch pie pan.
   5. Bake at 375 degrees for 6-8 minutes or until edges turn slightly golden brown.
   6. Let cool on counter and then refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Lemon Cream Filling:
   1. In a small bowl, beat heavy cream for two minutes, and then add powdered sugar and beat until stiff. Set aside.
   2. In a large mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice and lemon zest. Beat on high until creamy and smooth. Add 4 drops of yellow food coloring if you desire.
   3. Fold in the set aside whipped cream until smooth and uniform in color.
   4. Pour into the crust and top with whipping cream.
3. Whipped Cream Topping:
   1. In a medium bowl combine whipping cream and powder sugar. Beat until firm.

Recipe from Chef in Training 

Hope you enjoy!
Sarah Kathryn Marlowe

Turns out – these are just as tasty as they are FUN! The first time I made these, I put sprinkles on top. The second time, I added a can of Funfetti frosting because, clearly, you just can’t go wrong with a tub of frosting and extra sprinkles! This definitely made them even more delicious.

​Not to mention, they are super simple to make. You don’t even need to get your mixer out! You can mix these up quickly and when you pop them in the oven, you’re only left with one bowl to clean.

Popcorn + Netflix Marathons

My Husband + The ESPN Channel

Pink + Valentine's Day

Coffee + Quiet Time

So...do you see where I'm going here? All of these combinations are great but there is one combination that just can't be beat...

Chocolate + Peanut Butter

If you're anything like me, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups were always on your Christmas Stocking list, your Easter Bunny list, your Valentine's Day list and any other list when appropriate.

You just can't beat this combination - especially when it comes in cake form. I was trying out some new recipes a few weeks ago and this one was the clear winner. The cake starts with a cake mix (you're welcome) and the icing comes together in under 5 minutes. I keep trying to think of other things to smear this icing on. Apples? Graham crackers? A spoon?

I think you'll love this combination and this cake!

One of my very favorite Christmas songs is “I Heard the Bells On Christmas Day.” This song was composed first as a poem on December 25, 1864 by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. A few years ago, our worship pastor told us the story behind the poem. Since I heard the backstory, this song quickly rose to the top of my Christmas playlist.

1861 was a year of personal and national tragedy for Longfellow and his family. On April 12, 1861 the opening shots of the American Civil War were fired. In July 1861 Henry’s wife, Fanny, was giving her daughter a haircut in the library of their home. After trimming some of her daughter’s hair, Fanny decided to preserve the clippings in sealing wax. She began to melt the bar of wax with a candle but a few drops fell onto her dress – immediately wrapping her in flames. Fanny tried to protect her daughter by running into Henry’s study in the next room where he tried to extinguish the flames with a rug. Failing to stop the fire with the rug, he tried to smother the flames by throwing his arms around Fanny - severely burning his face, arms, and hands.