Peanut Butter Cup Dip

Nothing like having dessert first!

This dip is truly a treat in itself and a fun appetizer. It is a great for a big crowd as you can mix and match your dipping foods.

Peanut Butter Cup Dip

8 ounce cream cheese or Neufchâtel cheese, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
2.5 ounces bag of Reese's Minis (the already unwrapped bites)
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

In a stand mixer, beat together cream cheese and peanut butter until smooth. Add in the brown sugar. Add cocoa powder, flour, vanilla, salt and milk. Mix until smooth. Add the powdered sugar slowly. Mix until smooth again.
Mix in the Reese's Minis and the chocolate chips.

Serve with Nilla wafers and / or pretzels.

Refrigerate any leftovers (if there are any)!

Footsteps

Footprints is one of my favorite poems. When life just seems to be too much to handle, I often think about God "carrying me" through whatever problem is heavy on my heart. With each of us safely in the arms of Christ, he will always deliver us on safe side of our problems.

One night I dreamed a dream...

As I was walking along the beach with my Lord.

Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.

For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,

One belonging to me and one to my Lord. 

After the last scene of my life flashed before me, 

I looked back at the footprints in the sand. 

I noticed that at many times along the path of my life,

especially at the very lowest and saddest times,

there was only one set of footprints. 

This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it.

"Lord, you said once I decided to follow you,

You'd walk with me all the way.

But I noticed that during the saddest and 

most troublesome times of my life,

there was only one set of footprints.

I don't understand why, when I needed you the most, 

You would leave me." 

He whispered, 

"My precious child, I love you and will never leave you

Never, ever, during your trials and testings.

When you saw only one set of footprints,

It was then that I carried you."

- Author Unknown

Below is a link to Josh Wilson's song "Carry Me". He did not write this song based on the poem but my mind always leads me to the chorus of the song when I am in need of being carried.

Chicken Dumpling Soup

Need a easy comfort soup for that really cold winter day? Try chicken dumpling soup that you can make in your crock pot! Don't let the dumplings intimate you, they are very simple to make.

Chicken Dumpling Soup

1 1/2 pounds chicken, diced, boneless and skinless (any cut will do)
6 cups chicken broth
1 cup carrot, diced
1 cup onion, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
1 Tablespoons garlic powder
1 Tablespoon parsley, dried
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

dumplings:
2 eggs
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Combine chicken, broth, carrots, onion and celery in your crock pot. Stir in garlic powder, parsley, salt and pepper. Turn crock pot on to the high setting for 6 hours.

About 30 minutes before the crock pot is done, start mixing up the dumplings. Combine eggs and water in a mixer on the low setting. Start adding flour in small amounts until combined. Add in salt and baking powder. Mix well. Using a teaspoon, drop spoonfuls of batter into the hot soup. Allow soup to cook for another 10-15 minutes before serving.

Serve with crackers. Enjoy!