Ladies' Night Out Recap

A couple of pictures from our last Ladies' Night Out...

Poppy Smith
One of the beautifully decorated tables.

If you were at Ladies' Night Out a couple of weeks ago, then you were lucky enough to hear what Poppy Smith shared with us! We had a wonderful evening singing praise songs, eating a delicious dessert, and hearing from Poppy. Isn't it so easy to get wrapped up in the daily grind of being a mom, a wife, or a working woman, and all who have lots of duties?! And when we're busy, what so easily gets pushed to the side? Spending time with God and in His Word. Poppy shared if you want more time in your life to spend with God, you need to have an attitude of that and make it a priority. She says to pray the Holy Spirit would help you to have the desire in your heart. Pray about it and live it out in obedience. Poppy says, "Until we have a hunger for what God wants to do in us, we have to do the work-not God. A passion for God is what causes us to read and make the time to spend with Him. Until you seek Him with all your heart, you won't experience His power in your life." Matthew 4:4 says, "But He answered and said, "It is written, 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.'" Are you "eating" the Bible and digesting it? Are you taking the time to let God's Word nourish and feed you?

If you're interested in making the dessert we had at Ladies' Night Out, here is the recipe:

Butterscotch Delight - January 2011 LNO
From the Kitchen of Amanda Acker
Crust
1/2 cup + 2 TBS butter
1 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
Dash of salt
Spray 9X13 pan with cooking spray. Mix crust ingredients and press into the bottom of prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees until lightly browned.

Cream Cheese Filling
8 ounce cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup cool whip
Mix cream cheese and sugar, beat well. Fold in cool whip. Spread on cooled crust.

Butterscotch Layer
2 pkgs instant butterscotch pudding
3 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla
Beat well and pour over cream cheese layer.

Topping
2 cups cool whip spread over top. Refrigerate. Prepare this dessert the day ahead of serving.

Mark your calendars for our next Ladies' Night Out: Febrary 21, 2011 at 6:45pm!

Ladies' Night Out-Poppy Smith Returns!!

Time?! What's that?! Now that a new year has arrived, we are already in the process of filling our schedules with school activities, sports, carpool dates, cleaning, and many more things! With so many responsibilities and activities screaming for our attention, we believe that we can't possibly have enough time for everything. Special Speaker Poppy Smith will share with us the truth from God's Word about prioritizing our activities so that we can accomplish what God has called us to!

Please join us for Ladies' Night Out this coming Monday, January 17th, at 6:45pm. Invite a friend, enjoy a delicious dessert, and come be encouraged with what Poppy will share from God's Word!

Women's Retreat 2011

Salem Heights Church Women's Retreat is coming up on March 4th-6th at Agate Beach Inn in Newport! Sign-ups begin January 30th. Questions? Call Barbara Acker at 503-399-0616. Mark your calendars! More information to come.

Ladies' Night Out Date Change

Enjoying music from the ladies of In Accord.
Singing Christmas carols together!

We had such a special time at our December Ladies' Night Out hearing a few women share of what God means to them in their life. We also enjoyed singing some Christmas carols and being encouraged through God's Word!

Our next Ladies' Night Out was originally scheduled for January 10th, but it is being moved out 1 more week and will be held on January 17th at 6:45pm. Just wanted to give you all a heads up to make that date change in your calendars so you can be sure to attend this event! More details to come later!

And in case you'd like the recipes for the desserts we enjoyed last month, here they are:

Rocky Road Fudge
From the Kitchen of Melanie Lindquist

1 12oz pkg butterscotch chips
1 12oz pkg semi sweet chocolate chips
1 18oz jar creamy peanut butter
half cup butter, softened
1 to 2 cups mini marshmallows

In microwaveable bowl, combine peanut butter, chocolate and butter scotch chips. Fold in soft butter and put in microwave for 2 to 3 minutes. Add marshmallows and transfer to a 9 by 13 dish. Let chill overnight and serve.

Payday Bars
From the Kitchen of Lori Connelly

Base:
1 box yellow cake mix
1 egg
2/3 cup butter
2 cups mini marshmallows

Mix cake mix, egg and butter together. Press into a 9x13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle the marshmallows over the base and bake for 5 more minutes.

Topping:
10 ounce package of peanut butter chips
2 TBS butter
2/3 cup corn syrup
2 cups crispy rice cereal
2 cups salted peanuts

Melt chips, butter and syrup in saucepan. Add cereal and peanuts. Pour over the base. (If thick, drop evenly and spread gently.) Cool.

Dark Chocolate Apricot Bar Cookies
From the Kitchen of Jenn Elliott

2 pouches Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs
½ tsp orange extract
2 cups chopped, dried apricots
½ cup dark chocolate pieces

In a large bowl, stir cookie mix, butter, orange extract and egg until soft. Stir in apricots until well blended. Press into a 9 X 13 pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes, until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for about 15 minutes. Melt ½ cup dark chocolate pieces in 30 second intervals until pourable. Pour a THIN layer over cookies, like frosting a cake. Cool completely in fridge until set.

Happy New Year!