Holiday Recipe Swap

This Thursday at 7 in the Relief Society Room we will be having a Holiday Recipe/Tradition Swap. We did this last year and it was so much fun! We had caramels, divinity, cheese dips, and a bunch of other yummy foods that people love to have during the holidays. If you could make your favorite holiday food and bring the recipe we would all love to try it! The whole family is invited.
To get you even more excited, I’ll share what I’m planning on bringing – Monkey bread and a Holly Wreath. My family always had Monkey bread on Christmas morning and we would make these Holly Wreaths (like rice krispy treats but better) and deliver them secretly in the night to our friends and people in the ward every year. One year I decided to wear a scruchie made out of a bunch of bells on our delivery night. Everything went fine until it was my turn to drop off a wreath, ring the door bell and run. As soon as I started running, the bells started jingling like crazy. (Not so good for our covert operation.) My partner in crime had to hold my ponytail as we ran so that the bells wouldn’t ring and we wouldn’t be caught.

I look forward to trying all your holiday tradition foods and hearing about your traditions! See you on Thursday!
Mary H

December Activity

 

We will be having a Relief Society activity on December 1st at 7. We are going to make these super cute felt Christmas trees. The tree will be great for children, future children or a present for another family. We need an accurate count of who wants one so that we can get the right amount of materials. Please email the RS email or comment on this post if you are able to come and make one.

Getting to Know Angelina W

 

My name is: Angelina W

My favorite dinner is: Chicken fettuccini alfredo, Caesar Salad, and a hot roll

My favorite dessert is: Lemon cake

My favorite flower is: Bleeding Heart

My favorite hobby is: Photography

My Favorite game to play is: five crowns and hand & foot

My favorite restaurant is: The Cheesecake Factory

The music I listen to most is: I listen to about everything, it just depends on my mood

My favorite thing to buy is: Decorations :)

A book I highly recommend is: I love reading so that's a hard one...one of my all time favorites is The Hobbit

A movie I watch over and over is: The Quiet Man. I love old movies

The city I would most like to visit is:  Dunedin, New Zealand

My favorite thing to do on a date is: I love going out to eat with my husband and being able to have some time to just talk

The best vacation I ever had was: When my husband came back from Iraq for his two week leave and we went to Disney World for my birthday.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you choose? someone from Harry Potter I've always wanted to be able to do magic

What chore do you absolutely hate doing? Folding laundry, I can wash it but I hate folding it

When you have 30 minutes of free-time, how do you pass the time? Working on my photos and scrap booking them

What do you think is your very best feature or characteristic? I'm a very forgiving person

What is the "thing" you are most grateful for? My family

What is your dream vacation? A romantic cottage in Ireland

How did you meet your husband? How did he propose? I have known my husband since I was 7 and he proposed at night at the DC Temple. It was closed for construction inside so we were the only ones there, which made it just that much more romantic.

The best thing about being married is: being with the one person I can't live without, my best friend.

What do you and your husband like to do together? We like to go fishing, watch movies, go out to eat, cook desserts together and spend time with family and friends.

What would be your perfect day? A day with my hubby doing whatever we want

What was the best advice you got/would give on marriage? If you really love someone you learn to love everything about them even the things you can't stand

What story does your family always tell about you? How I caught a duck with my fishing pole on a fishing trip.

Getting to Know Sally D

My name is:  Sally D
My favorite dinner is:  Pork loin and mashed potatoes with butternut squash and a yummy fresh salad
My favorite dessert is: Key lime cheesecake or cookie cake :D
My favorite flower is: Hydrangea
My favorite hobby is: Creating! I love to sew and craft... all the above. Oh and I am a ballroom dancer as well.
My favorite restaurant is:  I love Zupas.
A game I like to play is:  Dominos! Mexican train or chicken foot. 
The music I listen to most is:  Showtunes, country, and other genres I'm not sure what they are called. haha.
My favorite thing to buy is:  new clothes! I just feel fresh and clean and perky.
A book I highly recommend is:  The Gallagher Girl series, anything by Gerald Lund, or Janette Rallison books.
A movie I watch over and over is: Baby Mama...
A smell that makes me pause is:  yummy food. FALL! clean laundry
The city I would most like to visit is:  London... or anywhere in Brazil. oh and China. (ok so those weren't cities necessarily...)
My favorite thing to do on a date is:  Talk and play games.
The best vacation I ever had was:  On a cruise to the Caribbean
If you could be any fictional character, who would you choose?  Hermione Granger. Definitely. except I would choose Harry over Ron.
If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?  I would love to be able to draw or paint. I can't do that worth beans right now...
What chore do you absolutely hate doing?  mopping the floors!
When you have 30 minutes of free-time, how do you pass the time? Pinterest. or sewing. or reading. haha
What do you think is your very best feature or characteristic?  my eyes or smile?
What is the "thing" you are most grateful for?  definitely the gospel.  I would not be me without it.
What's the coolest thing you've ever done?  I got to take my grandparents to conference once.  My Grandpa is an emeritus General Authority so we went in the tunnel with all of the apostles and met lots of neat people. I also ate lunch with Sister Hinkley once. :D
How did you meet your husband? I was on a date with his roommate when we first met. 
How did he propose?  He was selling for the summer in Chicago, but his parents flew me out to California to go on a vacation with them.   I had no idea he was coming too.  His flight got in about an hour after mine.  So his family tried to stall.  It was really late at night but they went to some fast food restaurants and then his mom pretended that she left her purse at the airport! (She was very convincing by the way...) When we got back, his dad went in to "get her purse" and then called and said that she needed to come in so they could identify her.  Well his WHOLE family got out of the car, and I didn't want to seem rude, so I got out too.  We went to the lost and found and all the lights were out with candles on the counter.  The Southwest lady said, "Are you Sally?" and I was like... "Ya...?"  She said, "someone left this for you" and it was a Jared's Bag.  Then he came out and proposed! We hadn't seen each other in months so it was really awesome.   (Sorry that was a super long story)
The best thing about being married is:  Having a best friend to think the best of you all the time.
What do you and your husband like to do together?  Play with Bennett
What story does your family always tell about you? Can't think right now... haha

More Soup Please

Here are the recipes from October 27th Soup Group Meeting:

Butternut Squash Soup
Aimee C

1 butternut squash
1 onion
3 cloves garlic
3TBS. butter
3TBS. Whole wheat flour
2C Milk
pinch of nutmeg
1/2 C extra Sharp cheddar cheese (or whatever kind you like)

Peel and cut butternut squash into cubes.  Roast in 375 degree oven for 35-40 minutes. (ROAST: put on sheet pan. Drizzle with Olive oil, salt, pepper, pinch of nutmeg) After roasting,  mash with potato masher.  Saute onion and garlic. Melt butter in  different pan, add in flour, mix. Add milk and pinch of nutmeg.  Add salt and pepper to taste( I like a lot of pepper) After sauce thickens a  bit-add mashed up butternut squash.  Let simmer for a few minutes.  Put in blender or use emulsion blender to mix.  Enjoy!

Southwest Chicken Soup
Emily S

Preheat oven to 400.
3-4 Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cubed
3-4 yams, peeled and cubed
5 Tbsp red wine vinegar
3 Tbsp dried oregano
2 Tbsp chili powder
2 Tbsp cayenne pepper (I usually do 2 tsp. because people don't like spicy at my house)
2 cans (small) Salsa Casera, Ranchero or Picante sauce
1 can tomato sauce
4 cartons chicken broth

Bring these ingredients to a boil while you prepare the rest of the ingredients
4 chicken breasts, season with lemon juice and a lot of Johnny's Seasoning salt (3-4 Tbsp). Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes on a baking stone. If don't have a stone, you can saute in a pan before the next step. Cut into bite-sized pieces.

1 large onion, peeled and chopped fine
2 red bell peppers, diced
Saute in 2 Tbsp olive oil on high heat until they are flecked with a little bit of black.

Add chicken, sauteed onions and bell peppers to soup.

1 large bunch of cilantro, chopped fin
1 Large can of Mexican hominy

Add to soup and simmer for 30-45 minutes.

Serve with cheese on the bottom, then soup, sour cream, squeezed lime, and tortilla chips.

 

Bread Recipe
Marla

INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 cups of lukewarm water
5 tbsp oil
3 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp salt
2 tbsp yeast
6 cups flour

DIRECTIONS:

Dissolve sugar, salt, oil and water in a big bowl. Once it's completely dissolved add the yeast and stir. Add 3 cups of flour and keep stirring until is completely incorporated. Stir in the remaining flour and beat for about 5 minutes. Cover the dough and leave it rise in a warm place. After 10-15 minutes take a knife and insert it into the dough 3 or 4 times. Cover the dough once again and let it rise other 10-15 minutes and insert the knife 3 to 4 times. Cover the dough one more time and let it rise 10-15 minutes more. Take half of the dough and make a loaf with it and put it on greased cookie sheet, make small cuts on top to make it look pretty :D make the same with the other half and cover them and let them rise for 15 minutes more. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 375F. Finally bake for about 22 minutes or until golden brown.

You may need more flour, the dough is supposed to be smooth and not sticky.

Enjoy!

Getting to Know Constance R

My name is: Constance R
My favorite dinner is: Beef Stroganoff
My favorite dessert is:  Ice Cream
My favorite flower is:  Daisy
My favorite hobby is:  Softball
My favorite restaurant is:  Cafe Rio
A game I like to play is:  Monopoly, Uno, Dominion
The music I listen to most is: Oldies and Country
My favorite thing to buy is: clothes and shoes
A book I highly recommend is: Secret Journal of Brett Colton
A movie I watch over and over is: Pride and Prejudice and Emma (the long version for both of them)
A smell that makes me pause is: fresh baked bread and the rain
The city I would most like to visit is: Honolulu, Hawaii and London, England
My favorite thing to do on a date is: Anything, as long as I am away from my kids (sounds rude but maybe when you have kids you'll understand)
If you could be any fictional character, who would you choose? Elizabeth Bennet
If you could learn to do anything, what would it be? Crotchet and to sew better
What chore do you absolutely hate doing? taking out the garbage.  Also laundry, until I get my own machines
When you have 30 minutes of free-time, how do you pass the time? read, nap, or tv
What is your dream vacation? Visiting Church History sites
The best thing about being married is: Never being alone
What do you and your husband like to do together? go out to dinner, talk, and play games
What would be your perfect day? Sleeping in, going out for breakfast, lunch, and dinner ( that way there are NO dishes) no whining from either of the kids, going to a park to play, and David is home.
What was the best advice you got/would give on marriage?  A good marriage is hard work. Work hard!

Getting to Know Nichole E

My name is: Nichole E
My favorite dinner is: Chicken Parmiagana
My favorite dessert is: cheesecake
My favorite flower is: lily and daisy
My favorite hobby is: volleyball and reading
My favorite restaurant is: Olive Garden
A game I like to play is: phase 10, ultimate frisbee, mariokart
The music I listen to most is: acoustic and alternative rock
My favorite thing to buy is: chapstick/lipgloss
A book I highly recommend is: The Sword of Truth
A movie I watch over and over is: Lord of the Rings (all three)
A smell that makes me pause is: yummy food!
The city I would most like to visit is: Washington DC
My favorite thing to do on a date is: eat good food and snuggle
The best vacation I ever had was: the beaches of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
If you could be any fictional character, who would you choose? Hermione Granger
If you could learn to do anything, what would it be? learn another language
What chore do you absolutely hate doing? laundry
When you have 30 minutes of free-time, how do you pass the time? read a good book
What is the "thing" you are most grateful for? My husband and family & knowledge of eternal families!
What is your dream vacation?  Traveling anywhere with my husband.. maybe Paris, or Australia!!
What's the coolest thing you've ever done? I traveled to Russia and went to the ballet Swan Lake. I also went snorkeling off the shores of Mexico and came face to face with a blow-fish.
How did you meet your husband? My husband (Jake) had a roommate also named Jake who was dating my little sister. She introduced us and we saw each other every day since we met for about 3 months straight.
The best thing about being married is: Everything! Late night conversations, Mariokart competitions, laughing at and with each other, making traditions together... I could go on and on.
What do you and your husband like to do together? Sports (golf, basketball, volleyball), read, watch movies
What would be your perfect day? Spending time with my husband.
What was the best advice you got/would give on marriage? Set aside time each week for each other to go on a date or just spend quality time together.
What story does your family always tell about you? Haha, too many to tell... Too embarrassing to tell!