Yesterday began a week of revival meetings with Dr. Ron Comfort at Boones Creek Bible Church. What a wonderful day we had! We heard the Word preached without apology and with great power. I’m excited about a great week of meetings to come. Please join us, if you’re able!
Having meetings means the blessing of having the evangelist and his wife in our home for Sunday dinner. We loved having the Comforts here with us to enjoy a time of fellowship and food. Having guests over isn’t about having a huge, beautiful home, or having a perfect meal, it’s about extending to others the gift of hospitality; offering a cup of cold water in Jesus’ name.
No meal at my house is perfect – that’s for sure! I’m sure I scared my guests as they were waiting for me to finish the details of the meal – the smoke detector kept going off! I assured them nothing was burning (though I’ve had my share of burned food in the past!). My husband had put new batteries in the smoke alarm and then hung it very close to the stove. Every time I opened the oven door it sounded! =0 My husband took it off the wall after the third time the crazy thing went off!
Here’s what was cookin’ at my house yesterday:
The salad recipe is from a church member who’s a great cook. If you’re looking for a salad for Thanksgiving, this one doesn’t require lots of steps and is really good! It’s also especially pretty for Christmas dinner. I serve it on a salad plate with lettuce as a garnish beneath it.
The chicken casserole is a new one for me. A wonderful cook at church makes this and I always look for it at our church dinners. It was a great do-ahead dish for Sunday. I made the dish on Saturday and then on Sunday I added the cracker topping and put it in the oven on time bake.
The sweet potato casserole is from Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse and is one of the best I’ve tried. One night while we were having dinner there (the only time I’ve ever been there!) we commented to our server how much we loved the sweet potatoes and he brought out a copy of the recipe for us to take home! The fresh sweet potatoes make a huge difference, plus it’s not as heavy as most of the casseroles I’ve made in the past. I made the whole dish on Saturday and placed it in the oven on time bake with the chicken dish.
This cake recipe can be made ahead of time and frozen. The caramel sauce can also be made ahead and warmed up (gently) in the microwave. This is so yummy and simple.1 – 3oz. pkg. dark raspberry Jello
1 20oz. can crushed pineapple
1 can Cranberry sauce (whole berry)
¼ cup chopped (fine) celery
1 cup boiling water
Dissolve Jello in boiling water. Drain pineapple and add water to make 1 cup. Mix all together and pour into a 9 x 13” dish and refrigerate until set.
Prepare one pkg. Dream Whip according to directions. Add one 8-oz. pkg cream cheese. Add 3-4 tablespoons of granulated sugar. Beat until smooth. Spread on congealed salad.
3 cups fresh mashed sweet potatoes (I bake mine in the oven)
1 cup white granulated sugar
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs, well beaten
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
Crust Mixture
1 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 cup chopped pecans
1/3 stick butter, melted
Combine crust mixture in bowl and hold on the side.
Combine sweet potato mixture ingredients into a mixing bowl in the order listed. Combine thoroughly.
Pour mixture into a buttered baking dish.
Sprinkle the surface of the sweet potato mixture evenly with the crust mixture.
Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Allow to set 30 minutes before serving.
½ cup pecans
2 large Granny Smith apples
½ cup butter, softened
1 Cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ t. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 scant tsp. nutmeg
1 cup all-purpose flour
Caramel Sauce
½ Cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
½ cup evaporated milk
In large bowl, cream butter. Add sugar, beat ‘til fluffy. Add egg and beat, then mix in dry ingredients. Stir in apples and nuts. Pour into a greased 9” cake pan and bake approximately 30 minutes, or ‘til top springs back when touched.
In saucepan, melt butter, brown sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring with a whisk. Remove from heat and add vanilla and milk. Ladle 2-3 tablespoons of hot sauce on plate, place cake on sauce. Garnish with whipped cream and an apple slice.
RefreshHer 
at least the Comforts didn't pull a Dr. Williams and say “If it's all the same to you, I don't believe I'll have any!”
My favorite part of my Sunday lunch was my Steamfresh broccoli that I put in the microwave for 5 minutes! =)
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Denise, thank you for sharing you ideas and recipes. I have been looking for things I can cook ahead for Donna and David, since I will be a work most nights and they will have to heat something up in the microwave. Love in Christ, Melissa
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