Christmas Gift Idea

Melissa Hatch in the ward has this great power jumperstarter that we have had to utilize multiple times! Carl and I are buying these for our parents. These portable jumpstarters are meant to jump your car battery without needing a second car, plus they include an air compressor, light, and many have ac/dc outlets so they can be used as a portable generator for emergency or just camping convenience! Costco has one in the store that is $70, but you can get them on ebay for anywhere between 30 and 70. If you search under Ebay motors, there are some there that no one is bidding on since ebay motors isn't widely used and doesn't come up under the basic search. There are also some Xantrex brand ones that have pretty good ratings. Anyway, I hope that this helps you guys out with an idea!

Items for Sale

I am clearing out some things that we don't use anymore. Since we live in an apartment we can't do a yard sale. So I thought I would offer them here before I craigslist them.

Double Jogging Stroller - a little dusty - $20 OBO


Oster Breadmaker - $10 OBO



Double Stroller - almost new - navy blue/white check - can turn the seats so they face each other or are in tandem - $50 OBO


Disney Collectibles - $10 OBO

Call me if your interested.
Kristen

Thanksgiving Leftover Shepherds Pie

Need something new to do with those Thanksgiving leftovers? This shepherds pie is super easy and super good. Make it as big or as small as you want!

Combine in casserole dish:

Leftover turkey, shredded

Leftover stuffing
Leftover veggies (or frozen mixed, heated)
Leftover gravy

Top with:
Leftover mashed potatoes

Cheddar cheese, shredded

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until heated through. If desired, put it under the broiler for 30 seconds to give the cheese a brown, crispy crust. Serve with salad and/or leftover cranberry sauce.

Barley, Black Bean and Corn Burritos

This is a nice easy crock-pot recipe. We love it because it tastes good and it's a healthy meal in one.

Place all of the following in the crock pot:
1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 10 oz can diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained
1 c uncooked pearl barley
2 c vegetable broth (Better Than Bullion is my favorite!)
3/4 c frozen corn-kernel corn
1/4 c chopped green onions
1 T fresh lime juice
1 T ground chili powder (I have never added this because I'm not a spice lover)
1/2 t ground red pepper (this either:))
1 garlic clove (But I make up for it with this! I love garlic!)
1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro (add this last)

Cook on low for 4-5 hours

Put a 1/4 c or so of the above mixture in each tortilla and add the following:
flour or wheat tortillas
cheddar cheese
lettuce
sour cream

Yummy stir-fry sauce

Prepare whatever veggies and meat you want, saute them in oil then add this sauce to them when they are done:

1 cup pineapple juice (I usually just add whatever juice in left over from the big can of pineapple- I think it's 1 lb. 4 oz and then I use the pineapple in the stir fry)
3 T brown sugar
3/4 c tamari or soy sauce (be sure to use low sodium!)
1/8 t ginger
1 clove garlic-crushed/minced (add this very last)
2 T cornstarch in 1/4 c water (be sure to add the cornstarch to the water before adding the mixture to above of else you will have to start over!)

Heat over med/low until thick.

Roasted Vegetables

Mix any and all of the following:
beats (which I usually add extra)
sweet potatoes
zucchini
red pepper
red onion
yellow pepper
carrots
mushrooms
anise

After chopping vegetables (potatoes and carrots smaller than others), mix all together with olive oil. Bake uncovered at 425 for 30-45 minutes.

I usually make a lot of vegetables so that I can eat them for lunch for the next week. They are good even reheated in the microwave.

Christmas Idea

My mother-in-law unknowingly gave us a great idea for Christmas gifts. And then two days later I was talking to my dad and he mentioned, completely unaware of my mother-in-laws comment, that he had to get prepared for emergency.

For Christmas we are making emergency preparedness kits for two of our sets of parents. I've been looking for a long time as I have created our own family preparedness kit. The other day, I came across a great site. It has really good prices and a lot of variety. I figured out that if I order what I want from their loose stuff and assemble my kit on my own, I could get a lot more stuff for the price of their prepared emergency kits.

And we got all of our siblings involved to make it a group gift which kept the cost down. And our siblings loved that they didn't have to come up with something on their own.

Anyway, I just thought it was an unconventional but practical gift for loved ones.

The site that I like is www.preparednessproducts.net.

Great Children's Books

So, I am always on the look out for great children's books, both visually and contextually. Below are a couple of our favorites, what are yours?

Alberta, are you out there?

Does anyone have the Youngs' contact info? I've misplaced their e-mail addresses...Anyone have an e-mail address or phone number? Apart from wondering how they're doing, I need to talk to Brad about choir stuff. Specifically, I need the old choir e-mail list. Thanks!

chicken divan

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups chicken broth
2 teaspoons soy sauce
3 cups grated cheddar cheese
2 cups sour cream
2 cups cooked chicken pieces
2 pkgs frozen broccoli or cooked fresh broccoli

Melt butter, add flour. Add chicken broth, 2 cups cheese, and soy sauce. Slowly add to sour cream, NOT IN HOT PAN! Layer chicken, broccoli and sauce. Cover with remaining cheese. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve over rice or noodles.

Free Night of Theater is back!!

Free Night of Theater is back this year! Some of us did this last year and it was lots of fun. Free theater tickets if you go on or around Oct. 18 (sorry, the big Broadway shows usually don't participate). All you have to do is go to www.freenightoftheater.net starting at noon on Monday the 8th to reserve tickets. You can reserve two at a time. Tickets go quickly, so get right in there!

The shows are listed by title and location. Two close ones that sounded interesting to me were Jekyll and Hyde (the musical, playing in Fullerton) and Doubt, a parable (non-musical "cat-and-mouse" drama, playing in Costa Mesa). There are plenty of interesting ones playing in the LA area too.

Tomato Pork Chops and Potatoes in a Crock Pot

Disclaimer....don't make this recipe if you don't like Tomato Soup!

2-4 Pork chops
4 medium potatoes-chopped into chunks to match cooking time with the meat.
1-2 cans Campbells Tomato Soup
3T brown sugar
1 1/2 T vinegar

Throw it in and cook till done. (If I ever make this on the stove top, then I usually coat the meat in a flour/salt/pepper/garlic mix and cook for a few min. on each side with butter. Then I add the rest.) For me, I love tomato soup, so this is a great winter meal that takes no effort at all. I usually serve with biscuits and veggies.

After you finish all your projects....

Need some extra motivaton for visiting teaching?

Here it is!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSRs1K8Hl54

'Baked' Potatoes

A super easy way to bake potatoes. Great for Sunday dinner (they cook while you are gone) or if it's too hot to turn on the oven. (Though why you would want hot potatoes when it's that hot out I don't know.) Anyway, here it is.

6 medium potatoes, scrubbed clean and left whole

Wrap each potato in aluminum foil. Stack the wrapped potatoes in the crock pot. Do not add any liquid. Put the lid on and cook on high for 6 hours, or low for 10 hours. Fewer potatoes = less time.

Cooking Beans the easy way (in the Crock Pot)

Here's a recipe for cooking beans in the crock pot. I love it because there is no soaking, you can pretty much ignore them while they are cooking, and they are so much cheaper than canned beans! Did I mention it's really easy?

1 (16-oz.) package of dried beans, rinsed and picked over
5 cups very hot tap water

1. In a 3-1/2 quart crock pot, combine the beans and hot water.
2. Cover and cook on the high heat setting 3 to 4 hours (or on low heat for 5 to 7 hours), until the beans are tender but not falling apart.
3. Drain the beans into a colander and rinse with cold water. Drain well before using.

The cooking time can vary depending on the size and age of the beans.

If you don't want to use the cooked beans all at once, you can put them in ziploc bags and store them in the freezer. Then just pull them out and toss them in your soups, salads, whatever!

Calling all Crock Pot Recipes!!!!

Ladies,

If you get a moment, would you please post your favorite crock pot recipe. (or as many as you like) :)

Beatta, I have had a request for your homemade syrup recipe. Could you post that?

Thanks

Health Study

Hey Ladies-

As some of you may remember I had a condition called Hyperemesis Gravidarum during my pregnancy. I am trying to participate in a study to look at genetic factors related to this condition in the hope that some useful information might be gleaned to help women with this condition in the future.

I am looking for a volunteer to be my control. This person needs to have at least 2 pregnancies that went beyond 27 weeks, little or no nausea with the pregnancies, and no weight loss due to nausea.

If you volunteer to be my control, you will be asked to contribute genetic material, via a swab of the mouth and fill out some health questionnaires. They will mail the cotton swabs to you so you don't have to do any travel.

If anyone is willing and able to do this, please let me know.

Thanks,
Kristen

Joy School Tips

So, I am thinking about starting a Joy School for Tommy and I am wondering if the girls who have done this (or just have any ideas) could give me some tips/advice. Does anyone have any experience in this? I would like it to be just about once a week and pretty simple. Thanks.

Help! We're moving!

We're moving on Aug. 1st (that's a Wed.) and we could sure use some help! If any of your husbands are available, the truck will be at our place by noon and we'll start loading it then. Sorry it's lunchtime, but we will have snacks and lots of water. We got rid of much of our bulky furniture and we're having professionals pack the piano, so it should be easy! And if any of you are available later that afternoon, we could use help cleaning as well. We'll also be getting rid of any extra food then, so stop by and get your share! Of course if you'd rather switch and have your husbands help clean and you help pack the truck, that would be fine too. (grin)

Thanks in advance, you guys are all awesome!
Alberta

Roasted Potato Side-dish

Here it is Rena, finally! This dish is fabulously easy. Enjoy!

1 bag mixed potatoes, washed and cubed (red, white, and purple; you can get them at TJ's or the farmers market)
1 bag cubed sweet potatoes (available at TJ's already cut up for you!)
1 each red and yellow onions, cubed (optional)
baby carrots, cut up (optional)

(note: the measurements for the next ingredients are not exact. I usually just throw stuff in until it looks good. You can really add anything here you think might taste good. For example, I've been wanting to try curry powder in place of the chili powder and the cumin. Or maybe cardamom and mint would be good. Be adventurous!)

2 Tbsp. EVOO
1/2 Tbsp. Garlic oil (optional, available at TJ's)
1 heaping Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. cumin
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tsp. dried Italian herbs (or fresh!)
1 tsp. salt, to taste (more is better than less)
Pepper (freshly ground), to taste

Mix everything together in a large bowl until the potatoes are well coated. Spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees, stirring once, until the potatoes are tender and brown on the edges, about 30-35 minutes. Enjoy!

Need A Haircut?

If any of you are looking to get your hair cut, I highly recommend Rachel Waite in our ward. She washes, cuts, and styles your hair for $30--which is a steal here in Orange County. Her schedule is flexible and she cuts it at her home (she lives with her in-laws, Bill and Donna Waite). She is very experienced and SO nice. She cut my hair this week and I love it (it's nothing drastic, but I think she did a great job). Her phone number is (949) 721-9222. She also does highlights for $60.

Free Stuff! (updated 7/20)

I have some stuff I want to 'unload' and I wanted you gals to have the first shot at it. Call me or email me if you are interested. Whatever hasn't been claimed by July 20th will be listed on Freecycle. (7/20 update: the items have been listed on freecycle. If you still want something, let me know and I'll give you priority if it hasn't already been taken.)

2 brown recliners
2 burgundy six-shelf bookcases
1 wood Ikea step stool
1 plastic Ikea bar stool
1 large dresser with 6+ drawers

Click the links to see pictures. (Please excuse my messy house. I'm packing after all!)

I might have some more stuff to add, so check back later.

Thanks!
Alberta

PS We also have a propane grill and a small boys bike we are selling, if anyone is interested.

Happy Birthday Emma Taylor!

Who...

...shares her famous Pumpkin Pilgrim Pies?

...has an open door to any child in dire need of babysitting?

...can perform back handsprings, front flips, and all manner of other unnameable acrobatics, even after having two kids?

...has a porch full of beautiful flowers and a sandbox?

...always gets what she wants, or at least what her family and friends need?

...in spite of the sandbox and the two kids, has an unusually clean house?

...speaks her mind, but in a nice way?

...is always there to help?

...is responsible (together with S.) for saving everybody in our complex hundreds of dollars in rent this year?

...is responsible for setting up this blog?

...can sew?

...fed my husband dinner often when we were new here and I was still in Arizona?

...magically runs her household on a tiny stipend and still manages to save?

...is way more loyal, kind, brave, trustworthy, thrifty, clean, friendly, cheerful, and helpful etc. etc. etc. than any cub scout I've met? (not that cub scouts have anything to do with anything...)

...is my hero(ine)?

Our friend Nancy! (sorry you probably won't see this until later, but we love you!)

Happy Birthday!

Megan's gushing yet precise post alerted me to the fact that it's Nancy's birthday today. Nancy, I would've said this earlier today if I'd known: Hope you have a fantastic day, girl! You rock!

{CA poppy photo for you}

Lemon Bars

These lemon bars come from Ina Garten's "Barefoot Contessa Parties!" cookbook. They are the best lemon bars I've ever had. The recipe calls for 1 cup of fresh-squeezed lemon juice, but I've found that the bottled kind works great too.

For the Crust:

2 sticks butter at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 t. kosher salt


For the Filling:

6 extra-large eggs
3 cups granulated sugar
2 T. lemon zest (1 large lemon)
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (4-6 lemons)
1 cup all-purpose flour
Confectioner's sugar for dusting


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and pressit into a 9x13x2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill.

Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.

For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.

Cut into squares and dust with confectioner's sugar.

Lenna's Luscious Rolls

I originally got this recipe from Kristen Anselmo, who finagled it out of Brandon Loveridge, her home teacher. Brandon often brings these rolls when he home teaches them, but the recipe actually comes from Lenna's family. The recipe Brandon gave to Kristen wasn't too explicit in terms of directions, but after much practice I think I've mastered the recipe. I guess you could use your kitchenaid mixer with the dough hook attachment, but I just mix it by hand. I've also scaled it down to a more reasonable-sized batch. It makes 24 rolls.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups warm water
2 T. yeast
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 t. salt
5-6 cups flour

In a large bowl, sprinkle the yeast into the water. Add the sugar. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until frothy. Add the oil and mix. Add 2 cups of flour and then the salt. Mix. Add the remaining 3 cups of flour, stirring after every addition. If you need more flour to make the dough more smooth, add it a little at a time. Dump the dough out onto a floured surface and knead a few times. Wash the bowl and then grease it (I use about 1 T. of oil and spread it around the bowl with a bunched-up paper towel). Place the dough back into the bowl, cover it with a dish towel, and let it rise for 30 minutes.

While the dough is rising, grease a large cookie sheet or jelly-roll pan. When the dough is done rising, dump it back onto the floured surface and knead a few times. Form into 24 balls (the size should be about half-way between the size of a tennis ball and golf ball). Cover them with a dish towel. Turn on your oven to 350 degrees. When your oven is preheated (it should take about 10-15 minutes), remove the dish towel and bake the rolls for 25 minutes. Brush the rolls with melted butter to keep them soft. Yummy!

Hot Dips

Before Dave and I moved to SoCal, I was a substitute teacher in Utah. One of my favorite days of teaching was when I got to sub for a cooking class. Oh, my amazing day of food. I liked some of the recipes so much that I copied them and brought them home. This is one of those recipes. I'm also including Rena Thayer's Artichoke Dip recipe, because it is very similar and super yummy. (I hope that's ok Rena.) I'm pretty sure you can exchange the jack or mozarella depending on which you have. I know you can omit the garlic if you don't like garlic. And I bet, with a little finagling, you could combine these into a spinach artichoke dip.

Hot Spinach dip from Orem High School cooking class

8 oz. cream cheese
1/4 C. mayo
1C. fresh spinach, finely chopped
2 t. green onion, chopped
1 clove minced garlic or 1 t. garlic powder (I actually didn't include any garlic last night)
1/2 C. fresh grated parmesan cheese
1 C. monterey jack, grated

Mix thoroughly. Spread into glass baking dish and bake for 20 min. at 375 degrees or until bubbly throughout. Serve warm with crackers or tortilla chips.


Rena's Hot Artichoke dip
(Rena usually halves this and puts it in an 8x8 baking dish)

2 small cans artichoke hearts, drained
16 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 C. mozerella, grated
1C. mayo
1C. parmesan
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. lemon juice

Mix thoroughly and bake in a 9x13 pan for 15 min. at 350 degrees. Serve warm with crackers or tortilla chips.

Need a place to celebrate?

For an awesome celebration dinner, visit "The Melting Pot", a fondue restaurant. It is a dining experience! It's quite expensive, so save it for a celebration. (or let visiting family pay!) There's one in Irvine, just past Campus on Jamboree.
Here's their website: http://www.meltingpot.com/Irvineca/home.html
On Tuesdays Irvine residents get 25% off!

So Brooke, when do we get to see the whole list? ;)

Best,
Alberta

More recipes from Emma

Seasoned and Seared Chicken

Seasoning: 1 tsp. Salt

¼ tsp. Cayenne pepper

1 tsp. Garlic powder

½ tsp. Thyme

1 tsp. Pepper

¼ tsp. Paprika

½ tsp. Onion powder

Put these spices in a tiny Tupperware container and keep. Sprinkle as much as you want (save the rest for another time) on both sides of chicken breasts and cook with a tiny bit of margarine or olive oil in a skillet on medium heat. Do not cover. Cook until golden brown on both sides and cooked through. Only turn chicken over once.

Garlic Lime Chicken

Seasoning: 1 tsp. Salt

¼ tsp. Cayenne pepper

1 tsp. Garlic powder

½ tsp. Thyme

1 tsp. Pepper

¼ tsp. Paprika

½ tsp. Onion powder

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 Tbsp. Olive oil

2 Tbsp. Butter

½ c. chicken broth (or ½ c. water mixed with ½ tsp. chicken bullion)

4 Tbsp. Lime juice

In a bowl, mix together seasoning. Sprinkle mixture on both sides of chicken breasts. In a skillet heat butter and olive oil together over medium heat. Saute chicken until golden brown on each side, about 5 minutes on either side or until no longer pink in the center. Remove chicken and add lime juice and chicken broth to the pan, whisking up the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Keep cooking until sauce has reduced slightly. Add chicken back to the pan to thoroughly coat and serve.

Recipes from Emma

These were posted on the other group website. I am going to eventually move them all over here.

*Crockpot Chicken Parmigiana*

*Emma*

3 Chicken breasts
1 Egg
1 t Salt
1/4 ts Pepper
1 c Dry bread crumbs
1 1/4 c Butter
1 cn Pizza sauce -- 10 1/2 oz
6 slices Mozarella cheese
Parmesan cheese

If using whole chicken breasts, cut in to halves. In bowl beat egg salt and
pepper dip chicken into egg. Then coat with crumbs. In large skillet saute
chicken in butter. Arrange chicken in pot. Pour pizza sauce over chicken.
Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours. Add mozzarella cheese, sprinkle parmesan
cheese on top. Cover and cook 15 minutes. Makes 6 servings.

I of course altered it a little. I used boneless, skinless breasts and I
used six. Instead of plain bread crumbs, I used Italian. I cut the amount of
butter in half. For the mozzarella cheese, I used Healthy choice garlic
lover's blend. I used fresh grated parmesan and I used a jar of pizza sauce
(14 oz).

* *

*Crockpot Lasagna*

*Emma*

12 lasagna noodles

1 pound ground beef, browned and drained

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 jar (28 ounces) spaghetti sauce

1/4 cup water

1 carton (16 ounces) cottage cheese

2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated

Break noodles in half. Place half of the noodles in bottom of greased
4-quart slow cooker. Sir Italian seasoning into meat and spread half over
the noodles already in slow cooker. Then layer half of the sauce and water,
half of cottage cheese, and half of mozzarella cheese over beef. Repeat
layers. Cover and cook on low heat 4-5 hours. Do not cook more than 5
hours. Makes 6-7 servings.

(Given to me from Ruth Donaldson, from 101 Things to do with a slow cooker
by Stephanie Ashcraft and Janet Eyring)

In need of an Enchilada Recipe?

Enchiladas

1 pkg corn tortillas
1 large (29 oz) can red enchilada sauce
shredded chicken or beef
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 small can sliced olives
1 small can green chiles
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded
garlic salt

In a large bowl combine meat, jack cheese, green onions, olives, sour cream and a sprinkle of garlic salt. Mix well and set aside. In a sauce pan, heat sauce. Dip tortillas, completely covering both sides of the tortilla until the tortilla becomes soft. Take the tortilla out and place filling down the center of the tortilla. Roll up the tortilla and place in a sprayed baking dish, the seam facing down. Top tortillas with cheddar cheese. Bake 350 for 30 minutes or until cheese on top is bubbly.


Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

Filling:
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 cup diced chicken
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 small can diced green chiles

1 dozen flour tortillas

Sauce:
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1 small can diced green chiles
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated

Combine filling and combine sauce ingredients in separate bowls. Soften tortillas by putting them individually in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds. Place mixture down the center of each tortilla and roll up. Pour sauce over the top of the tortillas. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Last 5 minutes add cheese on top.

A little help

Could I get some help next wed. am at 9 to clean my house? We should also give Hisako a hand. She'll be cleaning sometime Sat. Thanks in advance, Bekah

girls nite out

We're heading to Disneyland tomorrow, 4pm. So far we have Alberta, Bekah, and Nancy, with Lenna making an appearance between feedings. Any other takers?

We Didn't have Depends, so...

We had a baby shower for our neighbor, Rebecca, last weekend so we decided to play some new baby shower games. This one was contructing the best diaper! Can you figure out who won? Brooke had the boxer/brief diaper going on and the other lady, Becca's mom, had the sumo diaper. Nancy won, apparantly her diaper looked most like, well, a diaper. Sorry, Nancy and Brooke that I had to post this of you guys, but it was too funny to pass up!

Baby sling question!

Hey girls! So, I am looking for a good baby sling for Lucy. Does anyone have any suggestions? She is definitely a cuddly baby. I have a fleece sling that she loves, but it is WAY too hot for me.

Things to do in OC

Hey girls, I wanted to compile a list of everyone's favorite things to do in our area. It will be nice to have lists to share with visiting relatives, new move-ins, and for ourselves (I know I haven't done nearly enough of the things I should before we end up moving away from here). So, leave your best ideas in the comments of this post, or email me, and I'll compile a complete list and post it. Also, see if you can indicate whether or not the activity costs $ and if so, how much. Thanks in advance everyone. This is going to be so awesome!

Examples:

• Disneyland $124/person for cheapest annual pass (not counting parking)

• Aquarium of the Pacific $125/family annual membership, daily admission--Adult: $20.95, Child (3-11): $11.95, Senior (62+): $17.95

• Science Discovery Center $89/family annual membership, daily admission--Child (3-17) and Senior (55+): $9.95, Adult (18-54): $12.95
  

Meal Planning

I saw a really neat way to plan meals in "Family Fun" last year. You assign each day of the week a food nationality or leftovers. Then for each of those days you have 4+ meals you rotate though the month. If you don't have leftovers, you can always make hot breakfast or something easy.

My example:

Monday: American
Tuesday: Leftovers
Wednesday: International
Thursday: Pasta (Anything that has pasta in it)
Friday: Fiesta
Saturday: Leftovers
Sunday: Missionary (Large Sunday Meal fit for missionaries)

This way the entire family knows what to expect which days, so there is no more "Whats for dinner?"

Super Easy Chili Recipe

Alberta said I should post the recipe for some chili I brought to Emma's party. So, here it is:

2 cans 16oz. diced tomatoes (don't drain!)
2 cans 16 oz. red or dark red kidney beans, drained
1/2 lb. - 1lb. browned hamburger (or whatever meat you want, really)
2 tsp. sugar (cuts down the tomatoes acidity)
1+ Tbs. curry
1 tsp. cumin
1+ T. chili powder
salt to taste
pepper (optional)
taco toppings (optional)

Basically, just throw it all (except the toppings) in a big pot or crock pot, stir and cook it until it gets warm and bubbly. If you like to freeze your cooked hamburger, you can throw it in frozen and just cook until the meat is thawed and warm.

Dave and I like shredded cheese, cilantro, sour cream and crumbled tortilla chips on our chili, but that's just us. Hope you all enjoy a super easy meal idea!

Birthday take 2 (or three)

Jeremy is turning two tomorrow so we are going to be copycats and do what the Lemans did. Cake outside the Commons around 6.

Ina Garten's flag cake

Here's the recipe for Ina Garten's (the barefoot contessa)4th of July flag cake. My sister in law Amy is to be thanked for introducing me to this incredibly yummy cake. I would suggest using half of the butter in the frosting, because a pound of butter seems excessive. I make it using remainder of the butter from the cake, so about 2 sticks. Maybe it pipes better if there's more butter. Enjoy!

Happy Birthday, Bekah!

Hope you had a great day. Just wanted to send out a thanks to you for being so awesome. We'll miss you terribly next year!

{Bekah had this flower on her table the other day when I stopped by. It was a simple & surprising spot of beauty in my day.}

"Amish" Cinnamon Rolls

I'm not usually a big cinnamon roll fan, but I just can't seem to get enough of these! It does require some "Amish Friendship Bread" starter, and I have two bags available if you want some. One condition, give some starter back to me with you finish with it!

Enjoy!
Alberta

========================

"Amish" Cinnamon Rolls

In a bowl, combine:
2 cups flour (I like whole wheat flour)
1 cup milk
1 cup "Amish" starter batter

Let sit at room temperature overnight or 10-12 hours. Stir down.

In separate bowl, combine:
3 Tbsp. sugar (I think honey would work as well)
1 egg
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder

Stir into dough mixture all at once. Stir in about 2 more cups of flour (whole wheat), then pour dough out onto a well-floured surface. Knead in more flour (white this time) until no longer sticky. Roll out to 1/2" thickness in a rectangle shape.

Sprinkle evenly over dough:
1/2 cup butter, cut up
lots of brown sugar
lots of cinnamon, more than you think
lots of nuts, crushed (pecans are my favorite)

Beginning at wide side, roll up and seal seam. Use string to cut 1" to 1 1/2" slices. Spray a large casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray and place rolls inside. Let rise 30 minutes or more. (I've had good success letting them rise overnight!) Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. You can frost them if you want, but they really don't need it!

Sherbet Dessert

Yummy!

This is one of my favorite dessert recipes this time of year. I love it because it is not heavy and it is cold.

Raspberry Sherbet Dessert
Crumble 1 box of macaroon cookies. To do this I put them all in a large plastic zip lock bag and then use a rolling pin to mash them up. You could also use a blender.

Put almost all of the crumbs in the bottom of a 9X12 pan. The remainder will be used for the top and so you just need a little left over.

Combine together:
1/2 gallon of raspberry sherbet (or any other kind you want)
8 0z. container of cool whip (I use the light kind because it doesn't make a difference in the taste)

Spread the sherbet mixture on top of crumbs and then sprinkle the remaining crumbs on top and freeze.

Enjoy!

Calzones of Love

Hello all, I've had a few requests for this recipe so here it is. Warning! Each recipe makes four large calzones! Don't make two full recipes unless you want a lot of food!

Spinach artichoke calzones

FILLING
2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
A few pinches nutmeg
A few pinches pepper
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
1 (15 oz) can artichoke hearts in water, drained and chopped (or 1/2 bag frozen trader joes artichokes)
2 finely chopped cloves garlic

OTHER STUFF
2 10-oz tubes refrigerated pizza dough (or use 2-lb dough setting on breadmaker)
2 cups shredded mozz. cheese
Pizza sauce, warmed

Combine filling ingredients. Roll out each tube of dough, and cut each one in half (you'll have four pieces of dough). Put 1/4 of the filling on HALF of each piece of dough (leave an border--if the dough gets wet with filling it won't seal), and top with 1/2 cup cheese each. Don't put the pizza sauce inside! Fold the dough over and pinch the edges to seal. Bake 12-15 minutes at 425 degrees. Serve with the pizza sauce for dunking. (Because there's no sauce in the actual calzones, they don't get soggy. That was always my problem before).

Sausage calzones

WARNING: these are good, but a bit heavy on the stomach! These are made the same as above, but here are the filling ingredients:

FILLING

1 1/3 lbs bulk Italian sausage, browned in a little olive oil and crumbled
2 cups ricotta cheese
Some parsley (handful fresh chopped--less if using dried)
2 cloves finely chopped garlic
Few pinches ground nutmeg
Few pinches pepper
2 tbsp chopped pimiento (don't know how crucial this is)

Same amount of dough, same amount of cheese, dip in pizza sauce, etc.

Birthday party

Hi all,

Caleb's birthday is on Saturday so we'll be having cake and bubbles/kites?/beach balls on the Commons lawn this Saturday at about 6:00 pm. We decided to forego a barbeque since there seem to be quite a few coming up, so it will just be a simple cake/running around affair.
Hope to see you there!

Christi L.

Preschool

I am looking into preschool for Alexander, who is turning three this month. I am interested to see if anyone wants to do group preschool for their three year olds with me. I was thinking of one or two days a week with a set curriculum - with a couple of kids and us moms would take turns teaching. Anyone with the right aged children interested? Let me know. I was thinking of starting in the fall.

Diaper tote and "Hooter Hider"

Some people asked me for dimensions on the diaper tote and instructions for the "hooter hider" knockoff. I also included instructions below the dimensions for each.

Diaper tote:
fabric 1 - 8"x10", 8"x 15" or 16"
fabric 2 - same as above

The diaper tote is made of two fabrics and two sizes. Each size in each fabric, if that makes sense. The smaller one is 8"x10" and the larger is 8"x15-16". I use a waterproof material for one of the fabrics (called polyurethane laminate or PUL). You sew the two smaller pieces together along an 8" edge with right sides together at 1/4". Then flip it so the right sides are facing out. Place the larger pieces on top of the smaller pieces so that: 1. right sides of the same fabric are facing each other and 2. the unsewn 8" sides of the smaller pieces line up with an 8" edge of both larger pieces (this will be the bottom of the tote). Pin it if you need to. Sew both 16" sides and the bottom 8" side at a 3/8" seam. Trim the edges so they're even, but not less than 1/4". Through the top, turn the tote inside out. Turn in the raw edges at the top and sew at 1/8". The tote can flip back and forth, so just turn whatever fabric you like to the outside and you're done! (Unless you want to press it.)

Hooter Hider:
outer fabric - 36"x22"(main outer), 4"x6", 4"x20"
inner fabric - 36"x22"(main inner), 3"x14", 3"x 10"
metal bendy part - I cut a wedding circlet (the kind you make a veil out of) into 9"-10" segments and bend the sharp edges in with pliers. Then I make a cloth cover out of scrap material. This part should not be washed!

The hooter hider is two pieces of cloth 36"x22". If you want the metal bendy part, you have to put the insert material on the inside cloth before you sew the two main peices together. The insert material: Cut 3"x14" and 3"x10" pieces. Sew 1/2" hem around all edges of both pieces. Pin the longer piece 2" down from the top of the inner main piece so that the 13" side is parallel to the top, and the 2" sides are folded in toward the middle to create 1" tabs on both sides. Add the 2"x9" part on top so that the 2" edges almost meet the longer peice's 2" edge. Sew 1/4" around the outside. That is the hardest part.

Then sew the two main pieces (right sides together) along the sides and bottom and on the top 5" from the edges toward the top middle. That should leave you 11" open in the middle. Turn the inside out. Using whichever fabric you want, make the neck straps, probably about 4"x 6" and 4"x20". I'm just estimating because I usually just eyeball it. Fold both pieces lengthwise so right sides are together and the longest edges are flush. Sew 1/4" from the edge along the longest side, and also along one short side for the 20" piece. Turn both little tubes inside out. The shorter one fold in half and insert two D-rings at the crease. Place the raw edges in the 11" opening so it will be over the right collar bone. Place the raw edge of the 20" piece on the other side. Fold in the raw edges of the 11" hole. You can press them, pin them or both. Sew at 1/8" to close the hole and secure the neck strap.

I hope this all made sense!

Pilgrim Pies

I don't have the Lenna's roll recipe, but I am trying to see how this blog works by starting our interest list. Here is one of my favorite cookie recipe.






Description:
pumpkin cookies

Ingredients:
cookies

2 eggs
2 cups light brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
3 cups flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Filling/cream cheese frosting

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4-5 cups confectioners sugar

Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat the eggs, brown sugar, oil, and
vanilla in mixing bowl until smooth. Stir in the pumpkin. In a
seperate bowl, combine the flour, pumpkin spice, baking powder, baking
soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture a half
cup at a time, blending each time until smooth.

Drop a heaping tablespoon of batter onto a ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake for 12 minutes. Put on wire rack and let cool completely.

Meanwhile , make the frosting. Beat together the cream cheese,
butter and vanilla in a bowl until light and fluffy. Mix in powdered
sugar half cup at a time, until frosting is spreadable.

To assembe the pies, turn half of the cookies bottom side up and
spread a generous amount of cream cheese frosting on each one. Top
them witht the rest of the cookies (turned right side up) Makes 10
to 14 pilgrim pies.

Team Blog

Okay, I have set this up as a team blog, so we all will have admin rights.

post away!

Welcome...

Everytime we have a baby shower or Relief Society event, we all want the recipe of this or the pattern for that, etc.... Now we have a place where we can post those recipes, instructions or name of book that we all want to share. I started off with inviting those who I thought would be interested. If there are others who I forgot, please let me know.

I really hope this works and as some of us move on, we can always have something that still connects us as friends and sisters.

So, lets start with Lenna's Roll Recipe... anyone want to share?