Let’s have some fun this month of November in preparation for Christmas!

Potluck Dinner

I love potluck dinners. The food is full of variety, and it is so delicious! Plan a potluck lunch or dinner at the church. Invite your ladies to come and bring a dish. Ask your participants to be ready to share one thing that makes them joyful and one thing that makes them sad around the holidays. Be sure to encourage one another to bring Great Joy for All. The holidays bring back memories, and not everyone has someone to spend the holidays with. Your potluck meal will provide a time of fellowship and encouragement. Make the clean-up quick and easy by using disposable plates, cups, and flatware. If you desire to make this a church wide event, inquire with your pastor for his ideas and input. Including the whole church in this time of gathering can be great fun! 

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Decorate the Church for Christmas

For additional joy, ask the ladies of the church to come prepared to decorate the church for Christmas after your meal. Before your time together, ask the men of the church to assemble the Christmas Tree(s) for your time of decorating. If the potluck meal was for the whole church, this is all the better. Ask all your congregation to help in the fun of decorating the church together. Be sure to include the youth and children in the fun, and ask their pastors to help plan special activities as well. Play Christmas music in the background as you decorate. This provides a quick way to decorate the church for Christmas and offers holiday fellowship for your women’s group or church family. 

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Recipes:
 
Chicken and Dressing
Prep Time: 15 min.
Cook Time: 4 hrs. Crock Pot begin on high and reduce to low
Total Time: 4 hrs. 15 min.
Servings 6
 

• 6 large chicken breasts
• 1 Chicken Bouillon Cube or granulated
• 2 cans crème of chicken soup
• 2 boxes Stove Top Stuffing
• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

(For large gatherings use a roaster pan and double the ingredients)
Spray the bottom of the crock pot with cooking spray. Place the frozen chicken on the bottom of the crock pot; mix the stuffing according the box directions, and pour over the frozen chicken. Next empty the crème of chicken soup over the top of the stuffing. Slice up a stick of butter laying over the top of the ingredients. Cook on low 4 – 4 ½ hours. I usually do not add water to the crock pot for this recipe. If you feel you want to, I suggest ½ to 1 cup of water.

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Adventures of a Nurse

Million Dollar Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
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 Prep Time: 15 min.
 Cook Time: 4 min.
 Total Time: 19 min.
 Servings 6
 

• 1.5 cups cheddar cheese
• 1 cup asiago cheese
• 6 slices provolone
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1 cup heavy cream or milk
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1 tsp spicy mustard
• 4 tbs butter
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tbs better than bouillon chicken flavor
• 1-pound Cellentani pasta
• 3 cups water

Place the Instant pot on sauté.  Melt butter and add all seasonings. Add water and pasta. Place on manual high pressure for 4 minutes. While pasta is cooking, melt 2 tbs butter in a frying pan with 1 cup panko breadcrumb just till breadcrumbs are brown.  Do a quick release. Place pot back on sauté. 
Stir in evaporated milk and heavy cream. When the mixture gets bubbly, stir in cheddar cheese and asiago cheese.  Pour half the mixture into the bottom of a baking dish. Spread 6 slices of provolone cheese over the top.  Spread 1 cup of sour cream over the cheese. Layer with remaining pasta.  Top with panko breadcrumbs and bake in the oven on 350 for 5 minutes.

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Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cakes
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Prep: 30 min
Cook: 50 min.
Total: 1 hr. 20 min.
Serves 6 to 8 servings
 
Cake:

• 1 (18 1/4-ounce) package yellow cake mix
• 1 egg
• 8 tablespoons butter melted

Filling:

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 8 tablespoons butter melted
• 1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan.
To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well. Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to overbake as the center should be a little gooey.
Serve with fresh whipped cream.

Variations:

• For a Pineapple Gooey Cake: Instead of the pumpkin, add a drained 20-ounce can of crushed pineapple to the cream cheese filling. Proceed as directed above.
• For a Banana Gooey Cake: Prepare cream cheese filling as directed, beating in 2 ripe bananas instead of the pumpkin. Proceed as directed above.
• For a Peanut Butter Gooey Cake: Use a chocolate cake mix. Add 1 cup creamy peanut butter to the cream cheese filling instead of the pumpkin. Proceed as directed above.

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