Sunday, October 31, 2010

Cream of Mushroom Soup

This is the recipe for the soup Daurie Larimer made at Fabulous Friday!


Cream of Mushroom Soup


Ingredients
1-1/2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms, or other dried mushrooms
7 cups chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 cloves garlic, minced
10 ounces button mushrooms, chopped
2 leeks (white part only), thinly sliced
2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
7 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 parsley sprigs
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Place the dried mushrooms in a large bowl. Bring the broth to a boil and pour over the dried mushrooms. Set aside to rehydrate for about 20 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the mushrooms and reserve the broth. Roughly chop the mushrooms.

Heat the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the button and rehydrated mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and somewhat dry, about 6 minutes. Add the leek and shallot and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes more.

Pour in the reserved mushroom broth, taking care not to add any grit or dirt that may have fallen to the bottom of the boil, and bring to a boil while whisking constantly. Tie the parsley sprigs, fresh thyme, and bay leaf together with a piece of kitchen twine and add to the soup. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Remove and discard the herb bundle. Working in batches, transfer the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Using a sieve over a large bowl, strain the mushroom puree. Return the puree to the pot and reheat over medium heat.
Whisk the heavy cream, and salt into the soup and season with pepper to taste. Divide among warm soup bowls and serve immediately.

Family note: our fam loves this to have a bit “richer base” by adding 1 lg can of (your fav brand) Cream of Mush soup to this mix & 1 to 2 C cheese (of your choice--except Mozzarella) . To make into Chicken/rice Cream of M soup: add 1 ½- 2 C cooked /diced Chicken & 1 C cooked wild rice mix (your choice)

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Organization Talk (from Ashton Thelin)

For those of you who missed Ashton's great talk about organization at our RS activity, here are her notes:



Organization

D&C 88:119

Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God


Disclaimer… You must commit to a lifestyle change

One of the best things (and the hardest thing) I can tell you is to change your habits! Once you get organized, just don’t fall back into the pattern of clutter. It builds up and organization becomes too arduous of a task, and then you’re back where you started, and you lose all your motivation to be organized. Just put things away right the first time, and you will save yourself so much stress.


Where to start?

* One of the hardest parts of organizing for some people is just figuring out where and how to start.

* Rule #1… You can’t organize clutter!

* Get rid of all your junk. If something is making your life hectic or chaotic, it is not adding value to your life and it is not worth having. Donate or trash it.

* When having trouble deciding where to start, just go slowly. It doesn’t need to be done all in one day, one week or even one month. Remember; it probably took a long time to become so cluttered, so it will take a while to get organized.

* Start small: one cupboard or closet at a time, and one room at a time!

* Clean and organize from one end of your house to the other.


The Pleasure of Purging

1 month challenge

* Start with 3 baskets. Label one ‘sell’, one ‘give’ and one ‘trash’

* Every day for a month, find at least one thing (or 10 things, depending on how much clutter you have) to put in each basket. If a basket becomes full before the end of the month, take care of it immediately, then start again.

* Your ‘sell’ basket would be large items that you don’t necessarily want to donate or trash (for example a brand new pair of skis that you know you’ll never use). You could sell your items on eBay or Craigslist or at a garage sale. It can also contain items you wish to consign. This is an optional basket, as we might not all have items of this nature.

* The ‘give’ box will have things you want to donate to DI (books that you bought that you don’t care to reread) or things you want to pass down (like kids clothes to your siblings)

* The ‘trash’ box is the hardest, but also the most important. Some stuff just needs to be gotten rid of!

Closets

* When purging your closets, try this trick: place all your hangers facing away from the wall (the “wrong” way). After you wear an item, when you hang it up, place its hanger facing the right way. At the end of 6 months, anything you have not worn can be donated. Chances are, if you don’t wear something at least once

every 6 months, it’s probably just wasting space. (Special occasion clothes- snow suits, tuxedos, etc- are an exception)

* When you buy something new, get rid of something old.

* One of the easiest ways to make your closet look better is to standardize your hangers. Make them all one type and color. Throw away wire dry cleaning hangers and cheap plastic ones from clothing stores. You can even assign a specific color of laundry basket and hangers to each person in the family to help make laundry easier to put away.

* In shared closets, keep separate spaces.

* Organize clothes into ‘like’ groups: tops and bottoms, sleeve/hem lengths, color, etc.


Kids stuff

*
Kids stuff

* Instead of saving every single one of your kids’ art projects, take a digital picture of each, then make a photo book out of them! It makes a great keepsake for the kids, and it’s so much easier than keeping 4,000 paintings. (Photo books are readily available through Costco, Target, Walgreens, etc.)

* Rotate kids’ toys. Take ½ of their toys that they don’t play with every day (not including their favorites) and put them in the garage, out of sight. Every month or so, rotate the toys.


Kitchen

* Pantry: Use the system that grocery stores use: when you buy new items, put them behind similar older items, that way you use the older stuff first.

* Over the door organizers are great for cake/cookie decorating items, spices, and bottles of vinegar/oil/etc.

* Group items into categories with similar items- canned goods, breakfast items, kids’ lunch items, snacks, etc.

* Get rid of all your souvenir dishware. You don’t really want 7 plastic Olive Garden cups, anyway! Get rid of your broken dishes or utensils that are missing parts or pieces. They are not worth holding on to. How many extra tupperware lids do you have?

* No chef needs 25 spatulas or wooden spoons. If you find that your drawers are overflowing with excess kitchen utensils, put everything in a box. Once you use something, put it away in its drawer. At the end of 6 months, everything left in the box can be donated.

* When you get home from the store, immediately wash and prepare your food. Separate big bags of snacks into baggies and put them in a basket or box in the pantry to grab on the go.


Bathrooms

* Reserve ‘prime real estate’ (your drawers, under the sink cabinet, and medicine cabinet) for things you use every day. Everything else can go in the closet.

* Medicine: separate into different baskets- first aid, prescription medication, over the counter medicine. KEEP IT ALL IN 1 SPOT

* Makeup: can be stored in makeup bags and brought out every time you need it, or you can store it in flat drawer organizers and stack them. It’s easier to see what you have when things are laid out flat.

Cars
Cars

* Put a bin/basket in your car, and each time you get out of the car, empty out the things that don’t need to be in there. Put it all in the basket to easily be able to take it all inside.

* When you are inside, fill the basket with things that you need to bring to the car (ex: mail, things you need to return, things you need to drop off for your kids, etc.)

* Keep a box or bag in the trunk of your car for your DI donations. If your trunk isn’t big enough, keep it in your garage. When you come across something you need to donate, put it in the box right away- don’t let it just sit around your house.


Craft area/home office/desk/gift wrapping area

* Desk organizers, paper organizers, accordion folders are great for your bills, mail and paperwork

* Wrapping paper can be stored in tall laundry baskets

* Spools of ribbon can be put on dowels

* Gift bags can be stored inside a large gift bag

* Sort supplies into ‘like’ groups and put them in storage boxes or even gift boxes

* Get a detailed calendar and ONE to-do list and use them!! Put birthdays and special occasions on the calendar at the beginning of the year and you’ll always remember when you need to send out a card or gift.


Helpful Hints

* To organize any closet or cupboard, bins/baskets/plastic tubs/boxes/etc are all GREAT organization tools! You can use things you may already have (shoeboxes or Tupperware) or buy new stuff- it doesn’t matter. Just get a variety of sizes for each space and start sorting.

* Drawer organizers are great- you can even stack them and use them on shelves

* Unless you are between homes, it is a waste to have a storage unit! (140x12x6= $10,080)

* Keep all important information in one place. Use a document on the computer or a 3 ring binder to keep all the information you regularly use and need in one place. (emergency info, insurance info, finances, gift ideas, a master birthday/special occasion list, etc)

* Keep all important documents together in an accordion folder- each person has their own section- car titles, birth certificates, social security cards, passports, government ID’s, etc.

* Copy every card you have in your wallet, front and back side, and store it safely in your house. Then if you lose your wallet, you will know exactly what was in there!

Wasted Space

* Ceiling of garage- install overhead shelving (available at Home Depot)

* Under beds- flat plastic tubs meant to slide easily under beds.

Cleaning Calendar

ONCE A WEEK CHORES

Monday

* Do laundry, including sheets & bedding

Tuesday

* Sweep/mop all hard flooring surfaces (excluding bathrooms & kitchen) and vacuum all carpeting & rugs

Wednesday

* Clean bathrooms

Thursday

* Wipe down all window sills, stair railings and spot clean walls, empty all trash cans

Friday

* Using a microfiber cloth, duster or dryer sheet (reader tip!) dust all table tops, shelving, bed frames, etc.

Saturday

* Clean Kitchen- a) Sanitize counter tops b) Sweep/mop kitchen floor & shake out and/or vacuum area rugs/mats c) Clean the inside of the microwave d) Wipe down and polish (if you have stainless) appliances e) Toss expired/spoiled refrigerator items f) Clean stove top and range hood

Sunday
* Rest (obviously)


DAILY DUTIES

* make beds

* wipe down kitchen counters

* sweep kitchen floor

ONCE A MONTH CHORES

* Throughout House - Wash windows and glass doors * Dust blinds * Clean and/or replace air filter of heating/cooling unit * Dust light fixtures & wall vents * Wipe down walls & baseboards * remove cushions from sofa and chairs and vacuum crumbs & debris Kitchen – Clean cabinet surfaces * Thoroughly clean interior and top of refrigerator * Clean oven interior or run self-clean cycle if available

ANNUAL/QUARTERLY DUTIES

* Bedrooms – Flip Mattresses according to tag instructions * Rid closets and drawers of items that have been outgrown or not worn in 6 months. Donate.

* Living Room, Hallway, Staircase - Shampoo carpets and rugs * Clean dryer vent * Clean out and re-organize hall closets, kitchen pantry, built-ins, etc


10 ways to make your home life more simple/enjoyable

* Resign from a commitment you’re not passionate about.

* Clean out your purse or wallet. (Do it while you’re waiting at the doctor’s office)

* Design a filing system that you can stick to.

*
* Record your good “bed” ideas and then implement them. (Don’t we all get our best inspirations when we’re trying to fall asleep?)

* Write to a friend on actual paper.

* Set limits on your bad habits, and reward yourself when you stick with them.

* Avoid watching commercials and reading advertisements.

* Rediscover the pleasure of reading purely for enjoyment.

* Plan two weeks of delicious meals ahead of time and skip the nightly grocery run.

* Learn to ask for help.


Weekly Meal Plans

* This plan takes a little bit of preparation, but saves lots of time!

* Find a week’s worth meals your family loves- a main dish and side dishes and even desserts if you usually serve dessert.

* Make a master list of all the ingredients you would need to make each meal for the week

* Keep the shopping list and a copy of each of the recipes together in a folder.

* Do this one week at a time- eventually you will have enough for a month or two.


“30 Meals” Plan
* Step 1: Find 30 meals your family loves. You might already have 30 “standard recipes” or you might need to experiment with all the recipes you’ve ‘been meaning to try’.

* Step 2: Copy the recipes onto individual cards. They can be cute and crafty or just index cards.

* Punch a hole in each of the cards and tie them together

* Make a master list of the non-perishable ingredients you need for those recipes, and keep your pantry stocked. At the beginning of the week, choose your meals for the week, buy the fresh ingredients you’ll need, and then you’ll be ready to go.

* No more wondering “what on earth am I going to make for dinner tonight?”


Great resources

* OrganizedLiving.com

* The Container Store

* Bed, Bath and Beyond

* Even Target!

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Primary Program Treat (from Rebecca Davis)

Primary Treat (Travel Snack Mix) from Gina Calderwood/Rebecca Davis

10 cups popcorn
5 cups bugles
5 cups Fritos
8 cups Crispix
1 cup mixed nuts
1 cups pretzels
1 pound M&M's

Carmel Mixture:
2 1/4 C brown sugar
2/3 C corn syrup
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda

Place the first 6 ingredients (popcorn thru pretzels) in large oven roaster.
Gently mix. Combine carmel mixture ingredients except the baking soda in a
heavy saucepan and bring to a slow boil. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring
occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in soda. Pour over dry mixture and
mix until well coated. Bake in a 200 degree oven for 2 hour, stirring every
15 min. Pour mixture out onto 2 jellyroll pans lined with waxed paper or
parchment paper. Sprinkle mix with M&M's. Let cool. Store in an airtight
container. Enjoy~.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Recipes from Fabulous Friday Part 2

My Favorite Bread Recipe (Holly Beth Smiley, adapted from Kathy Summers)

Mix:
4 ½ cups warm water
1 ½ T. brown sugar
4 ½ T. yeast (I use SAF Instant; others may take longer to rise)

When the yeast is “foamy” stir in:
1 cup honey
1 cup light olive oil
1 ½ T. salt
3 1/3 cups raw oats (This is optional. I always add it for moistness and flavor, but—strangely—all quantities remain the same if you leave this out.)

Knead in the flour:
12 cups freshly ground white wheat flour
(If you don’t have white wheat, you can use 10 cups of hard red wheat flour with two cups of bread flour. Or you can use 13 cups of bread flour for truly marvelous white bread.)

Knead ten minutes to develop the gluten. The dough should be elastic, but it is a soft and somewhat sticky dough. Grease five bread pans with PAM spray (or cookie sheets for rolls or long, skinny loaves). Shape the loaves (or rolls) with a little flour and place in pans. Let rise until almost doubled in size—about 20-40 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for about 24 minutes for wheat loaves, 27 minutes for white loaves, 11-14 minutes for small rolls, etc. Cook whole wheat bread until just before it looks done; cook white bread a couple of minutes beyond looking done. Cool on racks and store in bread bags. Freeze what you won’t use within 24 hours.


Basic Yogurt (Holly Beth Smiley, adapted from Harold McGee)

Heat milk (I use whole milk because I enjoy the mild flavor) to 180 degrees F. over medium heat.

Let milk cool to 120 degrees F.

Dilute yogurt starter with warm milk. Use two tablespoons of yogurt for each quart of milk (1/2 cup yogurt for a gallon of milk).

Stir yogurt thoroughly into milk and ladle into pint or quart jars (always use glass). Cover with lids and bands and place in a cool oven with the light bulb on for 4-7 hours. Do not disturb during this incubation! When yogurt is set to your satisfaction (less time will be runnier and milder, longer will be thicker and tangier), move to the refrigerator to chill. Don’t forget to save the last of your yogurt to make your next batch.

Notes:
Yogurt keeps well for two weeks or more in the fridge. The lactic acid prevents the growth of other bacteria, but you do need to watch out for mold. The cleaner your jars and materials are, the longer your yogurt will remain fresh.

Lactic acid bacteria are a group of microbes that convert sugars into lactic acid, which suppresses the growth of their competitors. The lactic acid also causes the fat and proteins in milk to cluster into a solid network, with the milk’s water trapped inside. The protein-fat network is fragile—it’s holding 25 times its weight in liquid—so the watery whey gradually leaks from it. That is why whey pools up in the yogurt container after you scoop the first spoonful, and why manufacturers add stabilizers. Your yogurt has no additives, but if you don’t stir or shake it and spoon it out gently, it will hold its shape nicely. Just pour out the whey on top of the yogurt before serving.

Many types of reduced-fat milks replace fat with milk solids, including lactose. The yogurt bacteria will convert this extra milk sugar into more lactic acid, producing a harsher and bitter-tasting yogurt. If you learn how to make yummy low-fat yogurt, please let me know...

If you want to make thick Greek-style yogurt, spoon it into a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth or dishcloth, and let the whey and its lactic acid drain into a bowl for several hours.

If somebody eats your last serving of yogurt (which has happened several times at my house) or you go on vacation and come back to moldy yogurt, you can always get some from me or use a package of Yoplait. The stabilizers and sweeteners will be diluted out in your final product.

This yogurt is delicious with fresh fruit (especially berries or nectarines) and nuts (especially toasted pecans), with a drizzle of honey, with muesli or granola, or in smoothies. I also use it in baking (pancakes and waffles), making fruit dip, vegetable dip, or diluting whipping cream for desserts. I love to substitute it for some or all of the sour cream--and especially mayonnaise (which I dislike)--in recipes. Try it in tuna salad or chicken salad, or to make frozen yogurt or experiment with Middle Eastern or Indian recipes. My kids enjoy it plain in their lunches (with an ice pack). Try to fold it—rather than stir or whip it—so that it will not become too runny.

Plain yogurt has been a kitchen staple in many parts of the world for over 5,400 years. I love seeing the miracle of fermentation in my own kitchen and producing mild, healthy yogurt for just six cents per half-cup serving. Enjoy!

Book Group Schedules (from Ellen Dorrough)

Hi Gals,
Well Friday was very fun and I am very excited for this year's line-up. Drumroll Please...
Falconridge LPPS
2010-2011 Schedule
Date Book Author Host
Oct 20th Anahitas Woven Riddle Meghan Nuttal Sayres Alyssa Eucker
Nov 17th The Color of Water James McBride Emily Schild @ Kay Bleak's house
Dec 15th Movie/Book - The Scarlet Pimpermel Baroness Orczy Daurie Larimer
Jan 19th The Book Thief Markus Zusak Janea Nuff
Feb 16th The Thirteenth Tale Diane Setterfield Ellen Dorrough
Mar 16th The Lemon Tree Sandy Tolan Daurie Larimer
Apr 20th My Name is Mary Sutter Robin Oliveira Kay Bleak
May 18th Glass Castle Jeannette Walls Kristy Welsh
Jun 15th Angle of Repose Wallace Stegner TBD
A few things to note:
• I am making a exectutive decision and based on some really great feedback I am naming our group the Falconridge Literary and Pumpkin Pie Society. The name can be vetoed at any time! : )
• We are meeting at 7:30 pm on the third Wed of every month. Dates are listed above.
• We will have the meeting at the Host's house (unless otherwise specified).
• Everyone is welcome.
• December is a Movie month. We will watch the Scarlet Pimpernel, feel free to read the book in advance but most of the evening will be focused on watching the adaptation.
• I will send out a reminder a couple times during the month to remind people. Please send me an email if you would like to be on the distribution list.
• For Your reference, I have also attached the Beechtree reading list below. You will see that all but one book is different (The Book Thief was very popular). There is a lot of great variety in books to read and both clubs are open to participation. Enjoy!
Beechtree
Oct Mockingjay Suzanne Collins
Nov Lemon Tart: A Culinary Mystery Josi Kilpack
Dec The Book Thief Marcus Zusak
Jan Poetry Exchange
Feb My Name is Asher Lev Chaim Potok
Mar The Warrior Heir Cinda Williams Chima
Apr No Graves Yet Anne Perry
May The Count of Monte Cristo Alexandre Dumas
Jun The Winter Dance Gary Paulsen
Let me know if you have any questions! I look forward to a fun year of reading, talking, and of course eating! : )
Ellen

Recipes from Fabulous Friday Part 1 (from Rebecca Davis)

Chocolate-Almond Popcorn (from Amber Connell)

(From www.marthastewart.com)

Makes about 30 cups



25 cups popped popcorn (from about 1 cup kernels)

3 cups unsalted whole skin-on almonds, toasted (about 1 pound)

1 cup sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons coarse salt





Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Put popcorn in a large bowl. Add the nuts; set
aside. Put sugar, corn syrup, butter, cocoa, and salt in a medium saucepan.
Cook over medium heat, stirring, until mixture comes to a gentle simmer,
about 5 minutes.



Pour sugar mixture over popcorn and nuts; toss to coat. Transfer to rimmed
baking sheets; bake, stirring every 20 minutes, until almost dry, about 1
hour. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.



BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP



Kent Anderson, chef at Chef's Table Restaurant, Provo, Utah



3 T Vegetable Oil

2 T Vegetable Oil

2 Medium onions, small dice

3 medium-sized Butternut Squash, cut in half and seeded

3 C. Chicken Stock

1.5 C Heavy Whipping Cream

1 T Salt

1 T Pepper

2 T nutmeg

2 T fresh ground mace



Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil butternut squash with 2 T. oil and
place on baking sheet.

Roast the squash uncovered until tender, approximately 30 minutes. Remove
from heat and allow to cool slightly. Using a spoon, remove the flesh from
the squash and set aside in utility bowl.



Heat oil in a large soup pot

Add onions and cook over moderately low heat until completely translucent

Add cooked squash to onions

Add chicken Stock

Bring to a simmer and allow to cook for 15 minutes to allow for interchange
of flavors.

Add whipping cream and blend to desired consistency in a blender. The
smoother the better!

Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, nutmeg and mace.



BRATTEN'S CLAM CHOWDER



2 Cans (6 1/2 oz.) minced clams

1/2 C. chopped onions

1 C. chopped celery

2 C. diced, peeled potatoes

3/4 C. butter

3/4 C. flour

1 quart Half and Half

1 1/2 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

dash of pepper



Drain liquid from clams and pour over vegetables in a saucepan. Add enough
water to barely cover and simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender
(approximately 20 minutes). Meanwhile, melt butter and add flour. Cook 2
minutes. Add half and half using whisk. Cook as a white sauce until thick
and smooth. Use a wire whisk to stir. Add unstrained veggies and clams
until heated through. Season and serve.



CINNAMON POPCORN



8 qts. air popped corn

1 cup butter

½ cup light corn syrup

1 10 oz. package of redhots



Combine butter, corn syrup and candies. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
Boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour over popcorn and mix evenly.
Put in a flat pan and bake at 250 for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Pour out and cool on waxed paper. (Makes 2 pans)



Chocolate Covered Popcorn from Ashley Thelin

(salty sweet and we can't get enough!)

2 Bags microwave popcorn

1 cup M&M's

¾ cup Peanuts (optional)


1 ½ cups stick pretzels

1 cup mini marshmallows

1 bag white chocolate chips

Milk or dark chocolate to drizzle

(Can use chocolate specifically made to melt

like a dipping chocolate rather than normal

Chocolate chips and it will set up faster. Regular

chocolate chips taste just as good but longer


to harden)

Pop popcorn and remove unpopped kernels. Put popcorn, M&M's, peanuts,
pretzels and marshmallows in a BIG bowl (or split in two bowls.) Melt white
chocolate chips on half power in microwave, stirring every 30 seconds or so.
Pour over popcorn mixture and mix until evenly coated (using hands may work
well). Spread on two cookie sheets. Melt dipping chocolate (I use one
whole bag of regular chocolate chips) and drizzle all over popcorn. Let
sit until chocolate sets. May place in the fridge to speed it up.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Fabulous Friday class schedule

Greetings Sisters-
We're just a week a way from our Fabulous Friday fall event. We look forward to seeing you on Friday October 22nd at 6pm for an evening full of craft projects and informational classes. In an effort to help you prepare and arrange your evening, we would like to provide you with the schedule of classes. The evening will go as follows:

6pm- Welcome and start of all craft projects and dinner
6:15pm- "Knitting" with Karen Monson
6:45pm- "Organization" with Ashton Thelin
7:15pm- "Hair Cutting" with Shannon Neal
7:45pm- "Fun with Grandma" with Claudia Leppert
8:15pm- "Bread & Yogurt Making" with Holly Smiley
8:45pm- "Blogs/Facebook" with Cristy Welsh
9:30pm- Wrap Up and Closing Prayer

As a reminder, the crafts will be taking place throughout the evening and can be at your leisure between classes or instead of classes.
If you have any questions, please contact Rachael McCauley- mccauleyrach@gmail.com or Bethany Sebra- bethanysebra@gmail.com.

We look forward to seeing you!
Relief Society Activities Committee

Monday, October 11, 2010

October 29 Ward Halloween Activity

Hi Sisters-


I’m so excited about our upcoming Ward Halloween Party and Trunk or Treat. This year we will be having a Soup or Pie Dinner as well as some activities in addition to our annual trunk or treat. If you would be so kind as to sign up to bring either a pot of soup that feeds 10-12 or a pie (it doesn’t have to be homemade) that would be greatly appreciated. You can sign up by sending an e-mail to jolynsg@aol.com and let me know which works best for you. Please feel free to decorate your car for the trunk or treat and to come dressed up that night. There will be a costume contest so be forwarned. We are hoping it will be a lot of fun and that all of you will plan on joining us. So save the date: October 29th 6:30-8:30 and plan on having a spooktacular time!! See you there.


Jolyn Guthrie and the Activities committee

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

FREE Building Strong LDS Families Conference

Holly,
Please consider making this workshop information available to your RS members.


The Oregon Association of Mormon Counselors and Psychotherapists (AMCAP) will be holding its first annual conference, entitled “Building Strong Latter-day Saint Families.” The conference will make available a variety of educational topics including, strengthening marriages, teaching children healthy sexuality, parenting teens, motherhood, resolving marital conflict and understanding moods and emotions. There is no charge for attendance. The conference will be held next month, Saturday, October 23rd, 2010 from 9 am to 12 pm at the Tualatin Stake Center (2284 SW Grahams Ferry Road, Tualatin, OR 97062). President Lloyd Campbell of the Tualatin Stake and a member of AMCAP will be our keynote speaker.




Elaine J. Davis, LPC
Marriage and Family Therapist
503-402-8654
elainejdavis.com

Beachtree Book Club (Contributed by Marah Cluff)

Come to the Beechtree Book Club! We are members and former members of the Skyline Relief Society, and we would love for you to join us. We read from a variety of genres, and we meet on the first Thursday of every month (except during the summer) at 8 p.m. Holly is sending this beginning-of-the-school-year email for me to all the members of our Relief Society, and if you would like follow-up Beechtree emails, please let Marah Cluff know.

Our current reading schedule:

Oct. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. This is the third and final book in the Hunger Game series, which we started in March. If you haven't read the first two books, there's still time--it's quick reading. Or just come to see if you would like to read these books! We will meet this Thursday, Oct. 7, at 8 p.m. at Ruthann Eucker's home. Alyssa Eucker will lead our discussion.

Nov. Lemon Tart: A Culinary Mystery by Josi Kilpack. It includes recipes, so we'll have to see if anyone wants to make one for our discussion. Only one copy at the library with a list of 12 holds, so I'll try to help get a copy around to interested readers. It is also available at Deseret Book (Josi is LDS). If you have a copy you can share, let us know! Here is the product review from Amazon.com:

Award- winning author Josi S. Kilpack introduces a new series of culinary cozies that is sure to tantalize mystery lovers. In this debut volume, cooking aficionado turned amateur detective Sadie Hoffmiller tries to solve the murder of her beautiful young neighbor a single mother who was mysteriously lured from her home while a lemon tart was baking in her oven. At the heart of Sadie s search is the woman s missing two year-old child. Whoever took the child must be the murderer, but Sadie is certain that the police are looking at all the wrong suspects including her! For an added treat, original mouth- watering recipes for Sadie s Lemon Tart, Homemade Alfredo Sauce, Carrot Cookies, Brownies, and Granny s Gingerbread Bundt Cake are sprinkled throughout the book.

Dec. The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak. Many in our group have read it, so it should be easy for us to discuss it around the busy holidays.

Jan. Poetry Exchange. Bring several copies of a poem you would like to discuss.

Feb. My Name is Asher Lev, by Chaim Potok. This classic is the 4th most popular pick by our book club (after Vanity Fair, Rebecca, and The Count of Monte Cristo). I liked this customer review that I found on Amazon.com:


I am not an artist. Nor am I a gifted person in any respect. But, for a few moments, I had a notion of what it could be like to be blessed and cursed with a talent so rare, and so special. This feeling occured when I read and delved into the world of Asher Lev.
"My Name is Asher Lev" is Chaim Potok's best novel. It is complete, subtle and passionate; devastating to its core. It tells the poignant and difficult story of Asher Lev, a New York-born religious Jew who finds the gift of painting within him early on, yet is isolated from his community due to the philosophy that Judaism, modern art, and Christianity are distinctly seperate worlds.

In my favorite scene from the book, detailing the power of Potok's imagination, Asher Lev is a young boy, who looks at his mother one day and creates a rendition of her on paper. Because she is depressed at the time, and smoking, Potok has Lev use the leftover ash from her finished cigarettes as the drawing object; his mother is created in shades of gray. A story this original, this creative, and this imaginary deserves to be read.

Potok, a rabbi, has done an excellent job in detailing a Jewish community in the United States, as well as conveying the relationship it holds with the Christian majority. Besides being a good read on art, the novel offers a fascinating glimpse into the tensions that separate two religious worlds.

"My Name Is Asher Lev" is a wonderful read and I recommended it to all.

Mar. The Warrior Heir, by Cinda Williams Chima. This is the first of a fantasy trilogy, and we are only planning on reading and discussing the first book. But I suspect there will be several of us who will read the whole thing. Here is a summary I found on Goodreads.com:

Before he knew about the Roses, sixteen-year-old Jack lived an unremarkable life in the small Ohio town of Trinity. Only the medicine he has to take daily and the thick scar above his heart set him apart from the other high-schoolers. Then one day Jack skips his medicine. Suddenly, he is stronger, fiercer, and more confident than ever before. And it feels great - until he loses control of his own strength and nearly kills another player during soccer team tryouts. Soon, Jack learns the startling truth about himself: he is Weirlind - part of an underground society of magical people who live among us. At the head of this magical society sit the feuding houses of the Red Rose and the White Rose, whose power is determined by playing The Game - a magical tournament in which each house sponsors a warrior to fight to the death. The winning house rules the Weir. As if his bizarre magical heritage isn't enough, Jack finds out that he's not just another member of Weirlind - he's one of the last of the warriors - at a time when both houses are scouting for a player. Jack's performance on the soccer field has alerted the entire magical community to the fact that he's in Trinity. And until one of the houses is declared Jack's official sponsor, there are no limits to what they'll do to get Jack to fight for them. . . .

Apr. No Graves as Yet, by Anne Perry. This Is a WWI historical fiction and the first in a series. The rating for this book on Amazon and Goodreads is good and for the sequels are great! Here is a review from Publishers Weekly:

This absorbing mystery/spy thriller, set in tranquil Cambridge just before the onset of the Great War, marks a powerful start to bestseller Perry's much anticipated new series. In a lush and deceptively peaceful opening scene, college professor and chaplain Joseph Reavley is interrupted while watching a cricket game by his intelligence officer brother, Matthew, who reports the sudden death of their parents in a car crash. This horrifying news sets off a long but compelling investigation by the brothers that takes them across verdant summertime England, looking for a secret document that their father was trying to deliver to Matthew at the time of his death. Against a backdrop of ominous news from the continent, Perry artfully weaves connections between pacifist students at Cambridge, one of whom is also murdered, and German agents who may be planning "a conspiracy to ruin England and everything we stand for." The intrigue is further complicated by jilted lovers and jealous spouses at the university, all with grudges against an alleged blackmailer in their midst who may also be privy to exam cribbing and other illicit goings-on. Perry's title, a quotation from G.K. Chesterton, is a portent of the carnage that soon awaits the youth of England, yet by the final resolution of this gripping case, many graves have regrettably already been filled in Cambridge's serene churchyards.

Sep. The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas. As noted earlier in this email, it's a top-five I-want-to-read classic in the poll I took last year. It's 1300 pages, so don't leave this until the last week in August!

Oct. A Winter Dance, by Gary Paulsen. This is the author's account of running the Iditarod without having any idea what he was doing. Here is a customer review I found on Amazon.com:

I made the grave mistake of trying to read this book while on a public bus. It wasn't long before I realized the folly in this, as I repeatedly had to stifle the wild guffaws that threatened to pour forth without my consent. The other passengers probably came to the conclusion that I was either very sick or slightly deranged as I rocked back and forth in my seat and tried to pretend that I was, in fact, merely coughing. Gary Paulsen has offered us one of the most hilarious accounts of running the Iditarod that I have ever come across.
Living in Minnesota, Paulsen had a small team of five dogs that he used to work his traplines. Over time he became more and more entranced with mushing, until he eventually realized that wanted to, needed to, run the Iditarod - the 1,100+ mile dogsled race stretching across the state of Alaska between Anchorage and Nome. The first half of the book deals with his preparation for the race - finding more dogs, training the dogs, getting the right equipment, etc. We soon see that he has quite a bit to learn. Over the course of this training period, Paulsen finds himself attacked by dogs, run away with by dogs, and often spending many miles being dragged along on the ground behind his sled by dogs. He manages to break his sled repeatedly, get separated from his team, and one night, get sprayed by five different skunks in rapid succession. He is, in short, one of the least qualified of all possible Iditarod candidates.

The second half of the book takes us through the race itself. In the beginning, he makes every possible rookie mistake. He gets lost before even leaving the city of Anchorage, after putting the wrong animal in the lead-dog position:

"We went through people's yards, ripped down fences, knocked over garbage cans. At one point I found myself going through a carport and across a backyard with fifteen dogs and a fully loaded Iditarod sled. A woman standing over the kitchen sink looked out with wide eyes as we passed through her yard and I snapped a wave at her before clawing the handlebar once again to hang on while we tore down her picket fence when Wilson [the lead dog] tried to thread through a hole not much bigger than a housecat. And there is a cocker spaniel who will never come into his backyard again. He heard us coming and turned to bark just as the entire team ran over him; I flipped one of the runners up to just miss his back and we were gone, leaving him standing facing the wrong way barking at whatever it was that had hit him" (pg. 145).

Much of the first half of the race is a series of such uproarious follies. Unbeknownst to him at the time, the other mushers had voted Paulsen the least likely competitor to get out of Anchorage. But he eventually did, and he ultimately manages to muddle his way through the entire race. As the journey goes on, the book becomes a little more serious as we see Paulsen undergo a transformation. He learns about himself, about the dogs, and about life. He feels himself become one with the frozen world of the north, eventually feeling more at home there that he had with his wife and family in Minnesota.

There are sad parts, too. We see a beloved dog trampled to death by a moose before the first day is over. Unfortunately, this is not an uncommon occurence. Moose do not yield the right-of-way to dog teams, and can be extremely dangerous when upset. We also see a maddened musher kill one of his own dogs in a fit of rage. Killing or abusing dogs during the race is strictly prohibited, and the man was duly disqualified, but I still found this the hardest part of the book to read.

'Winterdance' is a magnificent story of a man following his dream and gaining a wealth of knowledge about himself and the world. Paulsen's easy, self-deprecating humor and vivid verbal imagery bring the story to life. It is also a fast read - I finished the book in one day. I have rarely read anything that has made me laugh so hard, or that has moved me so much by the end. Growing up in Alaska, I always watched the Iditarod start in Anchorage. I've met some of the winning mushers. But Paulsen's story is entirely unique. He was not a race champion or mushing hero, but the rankest rookie out there. And yet he endears himself to our hearts. For any fan of dog mushing, wilderness survival stories, or both, I recommend this book without hesitation.


I look forward to seeing you at Beechtree Book Club!
--
Marah

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Fabulous Friday!

October 22nd 6:00pm

Orders Due Sunday Oct. 10th



The Sign-up Binder will be on the "sample" table outside the Relief Society Room.
There is no "sign-up sheet." You sign up by putting your payment in a provided envelope with your name and the project written on the outside of the envelope. Put the envelope in the pocket of the divider for the desired project.
Classes Offered
Bread and yogurt making - Holly Smiley
Creat your own Blog - Cristy Welsh
Haircutting - Shannon Neal
Knitting - Karen Monson
Fun with Grandma - Claudia Leppert
Organization - Ashton Thelin


There will be a light supper served!


Burlap Pumpkin $8 Rone Wool Pumpkins, lg.$5 sm.$3




Fabric Necklace $2



Flower Headband $2
Flower Magnets 30 cents



Flower Ribbon Flip Flops .30 (flower only) $2.80 (flower and flip flops)
Contact Lauri Myers for sizes and colors available





Chimes $8 Chimes Case $5




Standing Glass Frame $12





6x6 Books $3.50(prophets) $4(Gospel Standards-Mormonads) $5(temples)




leather bracelets $4.15(narrow) $4.50(wide)









Happy Birthday Platter $8










Thursday, April 29, 2010

Hats for Chile (contributed by Jeanne Hansen)

Hi Good Women!


A box was put in each of the buildings for collecting hats for Chile. The boxes will be at each of the buildings again this Sunday, and picked up after Stake Conference.


If needed, they can also be delivered to Sue Higgins, RC Ward. Please call Sue before dropping off.


Sue's phone # 503.358.1683
Address-- 2323 NW 188th Ave #2411


Thanks for helping in this effort, and can you pls pass the word along?


Jeanne

Making Your Own Rocket Stove (contributed by Wendy DeWitt)

I cannot post the pictures of these stoves to our blog. If you want to see them, please let me know and I will e-mail you a copy.

hollysmiley@msn.com




Rocket Stoves
info from Wendy DeWitt:

These are just a few of the many versions of a rocket stove and on the top left is a rocket oven. Rocket stoves, because of their design, allow you to use 75% less fuel (wood) than a normal fire and will be invaluable in your food storage. I was able to boil 2 cups of water for 20 minutes using just a handful of small sticks and a match. Rocket stoves come in all sizes but the idea is the same. You can buy them or make your own. Making your own will cost under $20. A version of the one pictured on the right can be made for almost nothing. (Notice the large flame being created with just a few sticks.)

You will need:
A number 10 can (#10 can)
4 (10 ounce) soup cans...like chicken noodle or tomato soup
Ashes or vermiculite for insulation A small grate or rack Tin snips and gloves
Using a can opener, open the #10 can and empty the contents, keeping the lid you cut off. Cut a hole the exact size of the soup can into the side of your #10 can near the bottom. (This is where the elbow will come out.) Make all of these holes as exact as you can.
To make the elbow, take a soup can and cut off the top. Take a 2nd soup can and cut off the top and bottom. Carefully cut a hole in the side of the 1st can (at the bottom) and slip the 2nd can into the hole. Put your elbow inside the #10 can and bring the end of the elbow (2nd can) out of the hole you have cut into the side.

To extend the elbow upwards, take a 3rd soup can, remove the top and bottom, cut it completely up the side and squeeze it together to fit it into the top of the 1st can. Adjust it so it comes to an inch from the top of the #10 can.
Fill the can around the elbow with your insulation to about 2 inches from the top.
Take the lid that you cut from the #10 can and cut a hole in the center just large enough for your soup can to come through. Push this lid over the soup can and onto the insulation.

To make the “shelf” for your wood, take your 4th soup can and cut off the top and the bottom. Cut it up the side, flatten it out and cut it into a 3” x 3 3/4” piece. Shape this piece into a small "T", making the top of the T 3” wide and the bottom 2 ¼” inch wide so it can just fit inside your 2nd soup can. Making it into a “T” keeps the shelf from going all the way into the soup can.
The small grate or rack goes on top of your #10 can to hold your pots or pans as you cook.
To start your fire, push a small amount of paper under the shelf and place twigs on top of the shelf. Light the paper with a match. When the twigs start to burn, put your larger sticks on top of the twigs. Push them through as they burn and add more wood as necessary. You may want to make a larger rocket stove or more than one so you can cook several things at once. Unlimited ideas can be found online if you Google rocket stove.


If you google rocket stove and go to the site that is 20 minutes in length, you'll see how to make the somewhat larger version. For the video, cut and paste:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=797446823830833401&hl=en

By having a rocket stove I've been able to add many more foods (like pancakes and fry bread!) to my food storage and I'm better prepared for rainy days without having to add a large amount of fuel to my storage.
3/10 I've had a lot of comments on this subject. Of course, you can buy a rocket stove, but it's going to cost you over $50 with s/h. I've made 3 of them and it takes about 1/2 an hour and is actually pretty fun!

T he first picture is a rocket oven (NOT a solar oven) It's made by Grover and runs about $95. It can bake bread or other foods and is used on top of a rocket stove. This would be great for those of you who don't have a lot of sun for the solar ovens. I'm pretty sure you can make your own but I haven't found instructions yet.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Are you prepared?
Community Emergency Preparedness Fair


In a major disaster, such as a severe earthquake, roads may become impassable, emergency services may be unavailable, and federal help could be delayed if airports and transportation networks are damaged. For this reason, it is important to prepare in advance, for whatever may come.







Saturday, May 15, 2010
11:00 am to 2:00 pm


Golden Road Church Building
5580 SE Golden Rd, Hillsboro, 97123


Featuring


- Fire safety demonstration including a fire truck and crew
- Booths with information on what you can do to prepare for earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, severe storms, flooding, landslides, and other disasters that can occur in and around Oregon
- On-hand experts to discuss food and water storage, 72 hour kits, ham radio networks, gardening, and other preparation-related topics
- Information about CERT and the Neighborhood Watch Program

Do you have a quilting frame or some time on June 2? (Contributed by Reenie Fisher)

On June 2nd the YW are tying quilts for our four graduating seniors and invite all of you to drop by and tie one on with us! We would love to have you come by and wish these wonderful young women well. More information will be coming later.


We will need four quilting frames to do this and are wondering if any of you have frames we could borrow? If so, please let me know. We would be so appreciative!


Thanks,
Reenie

Friday, April 23, 2010

Hats for Chile can be dropped off at our building (from Jeanne Hansen)

Sue Higgins, RC Ward, will be collecting the hats to send to Chile.


She will be bring a box to each building for the hats. Sisters may drop off the next 2 Sundays.


If you have any questions, pls call Sue at 503-358-1683.


Please pass on our thanks!
Jeanne

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Free Pea Gravel (contributed by Lisa Collins)

I have an unusual opportunity for anyone in the ward if they like. I have access to some FREE pea gravel. It is small rounded rocks used to decorate yards and such. If anyone is interested could you send them my way and I will try to connect the rocks...(pun intended) LOL



Just thought this is a good opportunity for someone to get some free gravel in time for yard work.



Thanks Lisa

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Fresh Berry Orders (contributed by Leigh Anne Wilkes)

BERRY TIME IS HERE!!!!! If you took advantage of the sale last summer you know this is a good thing. If this is all new to you, you are in for a real treat. Fresh Oregon berries that are washed and ready for freezing, jamming or eating. The berries come in buckets and are washed and stemmed. The strawberries are sliced and in a 30 lb bucket and an 18 lb box with 6 - 3lb plastic containers for easy freezer storage. The marionberries and raspberries come in 15 lb buckets and are whole. Because they are so big, the blueberries will come in 14 lb. buckets. All berries are unsweetened


S A M E P R I C E S A S L A S T Y E A R !!!!!


In the past members of the ward has participated in this great opportunity. They are awesome berries. All the berries come from the Silverton area.

All money and orders must be to Leigh Anne Wilkes by Monday May 17th.
This can be done by 1) mailing check and copy of the order to Leigh Anne Wilkes, 15331 NW Eugene Lane, Portland, OR 97229 or give it to me at church


Berries need to be picked up at either Harrington’s or Rowland’s both live on SE Daren St. Hillsboro 97123. Exact address to come later.

The last thing is the pick-up dates and times. These are non-negotiable. If it’s hot the longer they sit the more chance of spoilage. The strawberries will be delivered Thurs. June 3rd, marionberries and raspberries Thurs. July 1st, and blueberries Thurs. July 22nd. The delivery dates may change one week either way due to weather.

BERRIES LEFT AFTER 6 PM WILL BE CONSIDERED ABANDONED AND GIVEN AWAY!

BERRIES ARE COMING!!!!!!

These local berries are washed, hulled and unsweetened. The strawberries are sliced and others are whole. All are in food grade buckets. Strawberries are 30 lb. bucket or 18lb which consists of 6 - 3lb plastic containers for easy freezer storage. This is a great time to buy for your food storage needs.

Make checks out to Leigh Anne Wilkes

MONEY AND ORDERS DUE BY ________May 17th__________



Please have order and check to Leigh Anne Wilkes by May 17th\
Name Phone #

Strawberries Th 6/03
30 lb/$42


Strawberries Th 6/03
18 lb/$37
6/3lb containers


Marionberries Th 7/1
15 lb/$37



Raspberries Th 7/1
15 lb/$42



Blueberries Th 7/22
14 lb/$37

Total Pd

Monday, April 19, 2010

Canning Butter

Here is a great demonstration on how to easily preserve butter for three years.

http://teresatronierphotography.blogspot.com/2009/11/butter-in-your-food-storage.html

Thank you, Sister Goodfellow and the Oak Hills Relief Society.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Handout from Indexing Class (contributed by Stephanie Holladay)

The first principle is that our efforts to promote temple and family history work should be such as to accomplish the work of the Lord, not to impose guilt on his children. Members of this church have many individual circumstances—age, health, education, place of residence, family responsibilities, financial circumstances, accessibility to sources for individual or library research, and many others. If we encourage members in this work without taking these individual circumstances into account, we may do more to impose guilt than to further the work.
The second principle is that we should understand that in the work of redeeming the dead there are many tasks to be performed, and that all members should participate by prayerfully selecting those ways that fit their personal circumstances at a particular time. This should be done under the influence of the Spirit of the Lord and with the guidance of priesthood leaders who issue calls and direct the Church-administered portions of this work. Our effort is not to compel everyone to do everything, but to encourage everyone to do something. ~Elder Dallin H. Oaks “Family History: In Wisdom and Order” (Ensign, Jun 1989 pp. 6-8)



Here are some blessings that can come from indexing:

· Indexing gives you an opportunity to be involved in family history in your own home, working at your own pace

· Indexing helps you learn skills like reading old handwriting and locating information on standard documents that will help you do your own research

· Indexing increases the amount of available information on an ancestor in easy to access, digital form (who knows – that ancestor could belong to YOU!)

· Indexing provides a way for families to work together on a project that is gospel related

· Indexing helps you personally fulfill one objective of the three-fold mission of the Church – to Redeem the Dead

· Indexing will hasten the process of identifying ancestors who need temple ordinances performed in their behalf, creating a welding link between generations (D&C 128:17-18)



Ready to start indexing? You can sign up at any time:



· Go to www.familysearchindexing.org and follow the three steps:

· Download free software necessary for indexing

· Create an LDS (members) or FamilySearch (non-members) account

· Take the online tutorial and begin indexing!







Questions? Contact Stephanie Holladay , Cedar Mill stake Indexing Director at (503) 690-3603 or holladaytime@hotmail.com






Step 1: Church employees and missionaries travel around the world to take digital images of genealogical records (birth, marriage, death, census, church registers, etc.)



Step 2: These images are uploaded to the Church indexing website at www.familysearchindexing.org.



Step 3: Volunteers become trained to index records at the above website.



Step 4: Volunteers can request a “batch” of records to index, which they will have 7 days to complete. Each batch is indexed twice to ensure correctness by an A and B indexer.



Step 5: If there are discrepancies between the A and B indexers, the batch is sent to an arbitrator who has much experience with indexing and will choose the most correct information.



Step 6: The completed batch will disappear from the indexers computer after submission, but will become a permanent part of FamilySearch’s online database once that project is complete. This database is free and searchable by anyone interested in seeking out their ancestors.



Step 7: A person can go to www.familysearchindexing.org (or in our area to new.familysearchindexing.org) and type in whatever information they have about an ancestor. The computer searches the database for all exact and close matches. The person can navigate to that record and determine if this is someone in their family tree. If it is, and temple ordinances need to be performed, the person can request those ordinances to be done either by themselves or by other temple patrons.



Step 8: The process keeps on going! The more records missionaries are able to take digital images of, the more projects an indexer can choose from. The more indexers, the faster a project is completed. The sooner a project is completed, the sooner it appears on the FamilySearch database. The more individual records on the database, the greater the chance that YOU will find your ancestors and connect them to you through the sealing ordinances of the temple!

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Clothing and furniture for refugees here in Portland?

Wanted: Clothing and household item donations for refugee families
jsbloch1, 4/6/2010 3:14 pm THANK YOU to those of you who responded to my previous donation request! Your donations went directly to refugee families whose need is immediate as they've left so much behind.

Multicultural Community Services (MCS) is an agency contracted by the federal government to receive and resettle refugee families approved by the U.S. Department of State. Since its inception in 1975, MCS has resettled over 33,000 refugees. Most of these families have suffered unspeakable loss due to persecution, war, famine or displacement. Nevertheless they have an amazing resiliency. With MCS's help these families become integrated into the Portland community, achieve self-sufficiency and begin to make their own unique contributions to our society.

Donations of household items are needed to help these families get settled into their new homes. Furniture, kitchen utensils, bedding and toiletries are always welcome. In addition, we have a rather new, but urgent need for school clothing. Baby, toddler and elementary school sizes for both boys and girls would be greatly appreciated. If you are able to donate any of these items, please contact Stefani Bloch at sbloch@lcsnw.org to arrange pick-up.

Thank you for your generosity!

Hats for Chile--contributed by Jeanne Hansen

Denice Blatter, RS President in RC Ward, has a sister and her family in Chile (and they are OK).
>
> Denice has suggested a service opportunity to help those in Chile, making warm hats (any size, but especially kids and adults).
>
> While we are heading into summer, they will be heading into winter.
>
> Denice has a friend that will be going to Chile and can take these hats.
>
> She'll need any hats by May 1st.
>
> I've mentioned this idea to Melissa Despain, Stake YW President as well.
>
> I leave it to your good judgement to decide what's best for your individual wards about going forward with this service opportunity.
>
> Happy Easter!
> Jeanne

A note from Holly: If you are able to make or contribute some hats, I'll be happy to deliver them to the Rock Creek Relief Society President.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Portland Mormon Choir & Orchestra Performance (contributed by Susan Meyers)

The weekend following Easter is the time

for two evenings of concert by the



Portland Mormon Choir & Orchestra



150 performers will present several audience favorites

followed by John Rutter's “Requiem.”



April 9 (7:30 pm) at Tualatin High School in SW Tualatin

and

April 10 (7:30 pm) at Parkrose High School in NE Portland.



Tickets can be obtained online at tickets@portlandmormon.org

or through any performing member.



This is the perfect event in which to invite a neighbor or friend

to experience this inspirational performance.

Friday, March 19, 2010

A message from Rebecca Davis about a good housekeeper

I have a neighbor who called me to tell me about a wonderful cleaning lady she uses, who desperately needs work. Many of her clients have dropped her services in this economy, and she is wanting to help her find new clients. Here's her information:

Excellent Housekeeper/Sandra Pasqual (503) 352-9533. She pays attention to details; all house cleaning, catering, nannying, and even yardwork. Sandra would appreciate applying her services for any needs you may have in these areas. With Spring Cleaning Season upon us, her help may be desired. If you would like to call to get a reference, please contact Linda Payton (a present employer) in the Ironwood subdivision, at (503) 645-9134, who will highly recommend her.

Thank you so much!!

Love,
Becky

Monday, March 8, 2010

Washington County Emergency Preparedness Information

Here is a link to a great site with lots of Emergency Preparedness info from Washington County Office of Consolidated Emergency Management:

http://www.ocem.org/families_and_individuals.cfm

Thank you to the Oak Hills RS for this information.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Happy Birthday Relief Society!


Join us on March 18th to celebrate the 168th Birthday of the founding of the Relief Society! We will get up close and "purse"onal on how some of the women in our ward have been influenced by the Relief Society. There will be soup, salad and dessert! It will be a night of fun and inspiration. We hope you can make it!

March 18th 7:00pm

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Good Buys

Fred Meyer

Red/Green/Black Grapes $1.28/lb Feb 21 - 27
FM 15 oz Pasta w/ MeatBalls/Meat sauce 75c
Foster Farms Whole Chicken 69c/lb
w/ad coupon FM 1# Butter 3/$5 (3)
Private Selection Ice Cream 2/$5 (4)
18-pk FM Lg Eggs 2/$4 (4)
Country Oven/Vita*Bee Bread 4/$5 (8)

Safeway
w/store card 24oz Safeway Variety Breads 2/$3 Feb 24 - Mar 2
Jumbo Cantaloupe Melons 49c/lb
Pork Loin Half sliced Rib $1.29/lb
2 Ltr Pepsi/7 Up 99c
Safeway Softly 24 Dbl Roll Bath Tissue $9.99
Sat 27 - 28 sale Kraft Mac & Cheese 2/$1 (4)
14.25 - 32.7oz Safeway Select Pizza $2.99
5# Box Calif Clementine Tangerines $4.99
11.5 - 13 oz Doritos Tortilla Chips $1.79

Thriftway Asparagus $1.28/lb
Broccoli Crowns / Roma Tomatoes 68c/lb
Zucchini 99c/lb
Lg Lemon/Lime 3/$1
Fresh Dover Sole Fillets $3.99/lb
Angus Beef London Broil Buy 1 get 1 Free
Wed meal deal 8 pc Baked/Fried Chicken $5
w/ad coupon WF 16 oz Cottage Cheese 99c (2)
Tillamook 16oz Sour Cream $1.28 (2)
WF Med Cheddar Cheese $2.99 (1) w/$10 purchase
Thriftway/WF Gal Milk 99c (1) w/$10 purchase

Haggen Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breast Buy 1 get 1 free
Five Star Beef flank Steak Buy 1 get 1 free
Fresh Dover Sole Fillet $3.99/lb
Asparagus $1.28/lb
2 Ltr Pepsi 99c
Valu Time Milk $1.99
w/ad coupon 1# Haggen Pasta 77c (4)
16 oz Haggen Saltine Crackers 99c (2)
24 ct Top Care Pain Relief/Ibuprofen 99c (4)
68.75 oz Xtra Laundry Detergent 1.99 (2)

QFC W/store card Red Seedless Grapes/Lg Mango 10/$10
Dole Bananas 59c/lb
Private Selection Ice Cream $2.59
10 oz Assorted Varieties Donut Holes $1.99
19 - 31.65 oz Red Baron Pizza 3/$10
3 pc Cod Fish & Chips $3.99
Hot Fish Sandwich $1.99
Asian Value Meals/Rice Bowls $3.99

Albertsons w/store card Fresh Fryer Split Breast/Drumstick/Thigh 99c/lb
Albertsons 1# Butter $1.79
homelife 8 pk Awesome paper Towel /
Soft Choice 12 Dbl Roll Bath Tissue $3.99 (2)
12 Stem Rose Bunch $5.99

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Ward Choir Practice

Our ward choir is beginning to prepare beautiful Easter music. Consider joining the ward choir at 2:00 on Sunday afternoons at Hoffman Academy (3695 NW South Rd.).

Ward Temple Night

Ward Temple Night (a part of Ward Conference)will be this Saturday, February 27:

o Temple Chapel Time: 3:00pm

o Endowment Session: 3:30pm

We'd like to use this session as an opportunity to serve a lot of our family names. If you have ancestors' names that you'd like ward members to use in this temple session, please get them to Brother Eucker. On the office counter (before you go into the dressing room) we will have a collection of ward members' family names; if you don't have one of your own to use on Saturday, consider helping another member by using a name from the office counter. Thanks!

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Good Buys

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Good Buys This Week - Feb. 15-21

Posted: 19 Feb 2010 02:20 PM PST

Fred Meyer
Asparagus $1.28/lb Feb 15 - 20


Roma Tomatoes 98c/lb

Navel Oranges 58c/lb

Med Yellow Onions/Carrots 3lbs/$1

E-Z Peel White Shrimp 26-30 ct/lb $4.99/lb

Alaskan Sockeye Salmon PF $3.99/lb

Dover Sole Fillet $3.99/lb

Pork Loin/Asst Chops $1.39/lb

4" Potted Primroses 99c

w/ad coupon 2# Bandon Cheddar Cheese $3.99 (2)

FM 6 pk Bagels 2/$3 (4)

Corned Beef Brisket $1.79/lb (3 pkgs)

Altoids 88c (4)

Purex 50-55oz Powder/Liquid Detergent /Or

Fabric Softener $1.99 (2)

Ricola Cough Drops 10/$10 (10)

Kroger Ibuprofen100 tablet/caplets Buy 1 get 1 Free



Safeway w/store card
Zuccini 99c/lb

12 ct Fresh Donuts $3.99

24 oz Safeway variety Breads $1.69

5 oz Safeway Chunk Light Tuna 2/$1

Alaskan Cod Fillet PF $3.99/lb

18oz+Campbell"s Select Harvest Soups 10/$10

Sat 20 - 21 sale Nabisco Saltine Crackers $1.29 (4)



Thriftway

Navel Oranges 3lbs/99c

Hot House Tomatoes 99c/lb

Cabbage 49c/lb

w/store coupon WF Sour Cream 99c (2)

WF 6 oz Yogurt 4/$1 (8)

2 Ltr Pepsi Sft Drinks 88c (3)

Wed Only 8pc Fried/Baked Chicken $5



Haggen

Fuji Apples 57c/lb

Navel Oranges 59c/lb

Med Hass Avocado 69c

Iceberg Lettuce 79c

64oz HaggenHoneycrisp/Gala Apple Juice 2/$2.99

Fresh Fryer Slit Breast/Drumsticks 99c/lb

5 Stem Tulips 2/$5

Fri 19 - 21 sale 2# Haggen Med Cheddar Cheese $2.99 (1)

24-32 oz WF Asst Varieties Potatoes 99c (2)

Post Honey Bunches of Oats Cereal $1.49 (2)



QFC w/store card

Fresh Whole Fryer 69c/lb (3)

Farmland Pork Shoulder Roast 99c/lb

Fresh Whole Steelhead Salmon $2.99/lb

51-60ct/lb Cooked Shrimp $4.99

Broccoli Crowns 99c/lb

3# bag Clementine Tangerines $2.99

Dole Bananas 59c/lb

Assorted Donut Holes $1.99

Red Baron Frozen Pizza 3/$10

18oz Kroger Peanut Butter $$1.29

Private Selection Ice Cream $2.59

Kroger 32oz Mayonnaise $1.99

Selected Varieties 24 oz Oroweat Bread 3/$5 (must buy 3)

MD 12 Dbl/24 Sngl Roll Bath Tissue $4.99

Sat 20 - 22 sale Value pk Angus Beef Flank Steak 3.99/lb

Frozen Bone-in Turkey Breast 99c/lb (3)

Whole Roasted Chicken $4.99

10# Russet Potatoes 99c

Kroger Canned Vegetables 3/$1



Albertsons w/store card

Max pk Pork Shoulder Cntry Styl Ribs 99c/lb

Fresh FryerDrumsticks/Thighs 99c/lb

Roma Tomatoes 99c/lb

10 lb Russet Potatoes 99c

8 pc Dark Meat Fried chicken $4.99

w/ad coupon 6 oz Yoplait Yogurt 39c (12)

24oz Franz Bread $1.29 (6)

Asst Albrtsns Breakfast Cereal items $1.39 (6)

4 ct Fresh baked Cinnamon Rolls $1 (4)

Information from President Bair about Four Family History Conferences in One Week

From: FamilySearch [mailto:support@familysearch.org]
Sent: Thursday, February 18, 2010 7:33 AM
To: Family History Consultant
Subject: Family History Conference Week in Salt Lake City this spring





February 17, 2010

Information and tips

Four Family History Conferences in One Week in SLC

Dear Family History Consultant:

We want to make you aware that four major family history conferences will all happen in one week in Salt Lake City this spring:

· National Genealogical Society 2010 Family History Conference

· Brigham Young University 2010 Conference on Computerized Family History and Genealogy

· Brigham Young University 10th Annual Family History Technology Workshop

· FamilySearch’s 2010 Developers Conference

You may find information at these conferences beneficial in helping members find their ancestors—particularly the free classes for family history consultants and workers that will be offered just before the conferences begin.

The premier event of the week is the National Genealogical Society’s annual conference. The theme for this year's NGS Conference is “Follow Your Ancestral Trail.” It will be held at the Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, on April 28–May 1, 2010.

Many free events are planned in conjunction with this week; a complete schedule is below. Of particular note for family history consultants are classes and a fireside on Tuesday, April 27. Simply bring the Free Consultant Training Pass coupon below for access to the consultant classes. There is also no cost for attending the fireside or any of the other events listed below.

If you want to attend the NGS conference classes, price and registration information can be found at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/attendee_registration. There is an early-bird discount until March 8, 2010.

Over 200 classes will be presented by industry leaders and experts from the local and national genealogical community as well as staff from FamilySearch. Products and services from genealogy companies will be showcased in an exhibit hall. There you can also meet with specialists for free personal consultations on research questions or problems.

NGS Conference details and the class schedule are available online at: http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/conference_info.

The following free events and resources will be available for consultants in connection with this week of conferences:

Tuesday, April 27

· Consultant Training Seminar at the Conference Center Little Theater. There are two times to choose from: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. or 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

· Behind-the-scenes tour of the Family History Library (all day)

· Behind-the-scenes tour of the new Church History Library (4:00 to 6:00 p.m.)

· Consultant Fireside at the Salt Lake Tabernacle at 7:00 p.m. The speaker will be Elder Allan F. Packer of the First Quorum of the Seventy, who is one of the Executive Directors of the Family History Department.

Wednesday, April 28

· FamilySearch Open House at the FamilySearch Center in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Meet and greet product managers and designers for FamilySearch’s new programs and offerings.



Wednesday, April 28–Saturday, May 1



· GenTech Hall, an exhibit displaying the latest technological innovations for family history in the same venue as NGS, is open and free to the public.

· The NGS Conference Exhibit Hall is open to the public daily 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Thursday, April 29

· “A Celebration of Family History” event in the Conference Center at 7:00 p.m. This evening will feature the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square, along with wonderful guest speakers. Special reserved tickets for this event will be available for consultants. Instructions on how to request tickets will be e-mailed to you in the next few weeks.

Saturday, May 1

· Genealogy Kids Camp, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in the Salt Palace conference venue.

Additionally:

· Hours at the Family History Library have been extended until 11 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday during the conference. (Closed during the Thursday celebration.)

· The BYU 2010 Conference on Computerized Family History and Genealogy will be held in Salt Lake City at the same venue as the NGS Conference on Monday, April 26, and Tuesday, April 27. For more information, visit: http://ce.byu.edu/cw/cwcompu/.

· The BYU 10th Annual Family History Technology Workshop will be on Wednesday, April 28, also in the same venue.

· The FamilySearch Developers Conference will be on Tuesday, April 27, in the same venue.

This promises to be a full week of family history learning and activities that will help you better assist the members in your ward. We hope that you will come and enjoy the conference with us. For additional information, please visit: http://familysearch.org/ngs2010.

Sincerely,

FamilySearch support@familysearch.org Toll-free in U.S. and Canada: 1-866-406-1830

Please do not use “Reply All” to respond.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Rocket Stoves--an update from Jeanne Hansen

At our Food Storage event, we had a 'rocket stove' on display. It uses minimal fuel and is fairly inexpensive.


The group order for purchasing these rocket stoves is still open until Feb 26th. See the email below explaining more details.


For more information about these stoves, here's the website to check out: www.stovetec.net. They will be ordering the Wood-Charcoal Stove.


I'll also be posting the information on our blog at www.cedarmillsprepared.blogspot.com.


Jeanne Hansen

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Change in Lesson Plans

The lesson on February 14th has changed to Lesson #4 Freedom to Choose. The lesson on February 21st will be Lesson #3 Jesus Christ, Our Chosen Leader and Savior.

Friday, February 12, 2010

Weekly Good Buys

Weekly local sales at Fred Meyer, Albertsons, QFC, Haggen, Thriftway, and Safeway will be published on the stake blog (cedarmillsprepared.blogspot.com). If you want a weekly e-mail update with all of the local sales for the week, you can sign up for that at oakhillsprepared.blogspot.com.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Book Group Organized by Marah Cluff

Beechtree Book Club meets the first Thursday of every month at 8 p.m. We take turns hosting and leading the discussion. Here's our schedule for the next few months:

March: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Here's an Amazon review:

In a not-too-distant future, the United States of America has collapsed, weakened by drought, fire, famine, and war, to be replaced by Panem, a country divided into the Capitol and 12 districts. Each year, two young representatives from each district are selected by lottery to participate in The Hunger Games. Part entertainment, part brutal intimidation of the subjugated districts, the televised games are broadcasted throughout Panem as the 24 participants are forced to eliminate their competitors, literally, with all citizens required to watch. When 16-year-old KatnissÆs young sister, Prim, is selected as the mining districtÆs female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and her male counterpart, Peeta, the son of the town baker who seems to have all the fighting skills of a lump of bread dough, will be pitted against bigger, stronger representatives who have trained for this their whole lives. CollinsÆs characters are completely realistic and sympathetic as they form alliances and friendships in the face of overwhelming odds; the plot is tense, dramatic, and engrossing. This book will definitely resonate with the generation raised on reality shows like ôSurvivorö and ôAmerican Gladiator.ö Book one of a planned trilogy.

April: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. Another Amazon review:

The letters comprising this small charming novel begin in 1946, when single, 30-something author Juliet Ashton (nom de plume Izzy Bickerstaff) writes to her publisher to say she is tired of covering the sunny side of war and its aftermath. When Guernsey farmer Dawsey Adams finds Juliet's name in a used book and invites articulate—and not-so-articulate—neighbors to write Juliet with their stories, the book's epistolary circle widens, putting Juliet back in the path of war stories. The occasionally contrived letters jump from incident to incident—including the formation of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society while Guernsey was under German occupation—and person to person in a manner that feels disjointed. But Juliet's quips are so clever, the Guernsey inhabitants so enchanting and the small acts of heroism so vivid and moving that one forgives the authors (Shaffer died earlier this year) for not being able to settle on a single person or plot. Juliet finds in the letters not just inspiration for her next work, but also for her life—as will readers.

May: When You Reach Me, by Rebecca Stead. Another review I found on Amazon:

Sixth-grader Miranda lives in 1978 New York City with her mother, and her life compass is Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time. When she receives a series of enigmatic notes that claim to want to save her life, she comes to believe that they are from someone who knows the future. Miranda spends considerable time observing a raving vagrant who her mother calls the laughing man and trying to find the connection between the notes and her everyday life. Discerning readers will realize the ties between Miranda's mystery and L'Engle's plot, but will enjoy hints of fantasy and descriptions of middle school dynamics. Stead's novel is as much about character as story. Miranda's voice rings true with its faltering attempts at maturity and observation. The story builds slowly, emerging naturally from a sturdy premise. As Miranda reminisces, the time sequencing is somewhat challenging, but in an intriguing way. The setting is consistently strong. The stores and even the streets–in Miranda's neighborhood act as physical entities and impact the plot in tangible ways. This unusual, thought-provoking mystery will appeal to several types of readers.

September: Vanity Fair, by William Makepeace Thackeray. Part of another Amazon review:

“I think I could be a good woman, if I had five thousand a year,” observes beautiful and clever Becky Sharp, one of the wickedest—and most appealing—women in all of literature. Becky is just one of the many fascinating figures that populate William Makepeace Thackeray’s novel Vanity Fair, a wonderfully satirical panorama of upper-middle-class life and manners in London at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Scorned for her lack of money and breeding, Becky must use all her wit, charm and considerable sex appeal to escape her drab destiny as a governess.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

More Food Storage Favorites

These are a few more recipes from our Food Storage Favorites Night!

Herbed Lentils and Rice (I always double this recipe)
Holly Smiley

Combine the following in a crockpot:

2 ¾ cups chicken broth (I usually use water and refrigerated chicken base)
¾ cup water
¾ cup dry lentils, rinsed
¾ cup onions, chopped (can be frozen in baggies)
½ cup dry wild rice (unflavored; the quality of this ingredient makes a big difference, but you can also store a tub of the brown rice/wild rice mix from Costco to use)
½ teaspoon dried basil
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon (or more!) black pepper

Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until lentils and rice are tender. Do not remove the lid until it has cooked at least six hours.

Stir in ½-1 cup of grated medium or sharp cheddar cheese (I keep mine frozen in baggies so that it stores longer) five minutes before serving.




Lettuce Wraps
Becky Davis

2 T. oil (divided)
2 T. garlic, minced (divided)
1/4 lb. ground turkey or chicken
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/2 c. hoisin sauce
2 tsp. dark sesame oil
1 T. chili garlic sauce
1/2 c. chopped dry-roasted peanuts
1 head iceberg or butter lettuce

Heat 1 T. oil in medium saute pan. Add 1 T. minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add ground meat and brown 6 minutes. Drain and set aside. Heat remaining oil and garlic. Add chopped pepper, saute for 1 minute. Add green onions, saute for another minute. Add hoisin sauce, sesame oil, chili sauce. Add peanuts and stir. Spoon mixture into whole lettuce leaves. Wrap into packets and eat.

I replaced half of the meat with wheat berries (cooked wheat kernels).
I've included instructions on how to cook them below:

ADD WHOLE GRAINS: Use barley, wheat, groats, whatever you can buy in bulk.
For added nutrients and roughage, take any amt. of grain and add twice the
water-example: 1 cup grains, to 2 cups water. Bring this to a boil in a pan
over the stove, turn heat to "low" and cover with a lid. Check occasionally
and add more water if dry. In 20-30 minutes, grains should be cooked. When
the whole grains burst open, or are tender to chew, they are ready. Drain
off any excess water. Let grains cool, and store them in the refrigerator.
When you prepare food, toss some grains into your spaghetti sauce, taco
meat, put a layer of them in your favorite lasagna recipe, sprinkle them
over a salad or in a wrap. They go well in any soup, and add interest to
sandwiches. Grains are good in any recipe that calls for cooked, ground
beef. Just use less meat, and replace it with cooked grains. These are
also very good with a little salt, sugar and milk for a power breakfast in
the morning. They are really filling, TOTAL nutrition, and cost very
little. Besides, they are part of our FOOD STORAGE necessities, and we read
"all grain is good for the food of man." (See the Word of Wisdom for more
inspiration. D & C 89.)

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Check out www.cedarmillsprepared.blogspot.com

The Stake Relief Society Presidency has a new emergency preparedness blog:

www.cedarmillsprepared.blogspot.com

They have posted all of the recipes, conversion charts, and storage ideas from Wendy DeWitt's wonderful presentation last night. You can print them out for free!

There are also links to useful websites and directions for making a water jug storage rack.

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Cedar Mill Stake RS "Stockin Up" Event

CAN we tell you a FEW things more about our "Stockin-Up" Event?


Men are WELCOME to come!

Come as EARLY as 6:30 pm - to get a good seat - to MEET Wendy DeWitt
AND
to check-out our displays!

Three DISPLAYS on hand...
#1 Wooden storage rack holds two 55-gallon WATER barrels.
#2 Alternate COOKING source - Uses minimum fuel.
#3 How-To Demonstration - Using a Food Saver to store food in a jar.

Blog under construction: cedarmillsprepared.blogspot.com!
Check it out after Feb. 5th for Wendy's booklet on her system and other Food Storage & Emergency Preparedness info!

Event Details
Cedar Mill Stake Relief Society Conference
Cedar Mill Stake Center - Feb. 5th 7:00 p.m. in the Cultural Hall - Casual Dress

Putting the foods you love into food storage!

Hope we CAN see you there!
Cedar Mill Stake Relief Society Presidency
Jeanne Hansen Cecily Kiester Leigh Anne Wilkes Tricia Jensen

Friday, January 29, 2010

Food Storage Recipes

These are some of the recipes from our Food Storage Favorites night. Thank you to those who made it and shared their delicious meals! I know there were many other women at the activity with great recipes not on this page. If you don't see your recipe here please email it to me at mccauleyrach@gmail.com. Thanks, Rachael


White Chili

Lacie Banton


1 T olive oil
1 lb. cubed chicken
1/4 c. chopped onion
1 c. chicken broth
4 1/2 oz can green chilies
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. cumin
1/2 t. dried oregano
1/2 t. cilantro
1/8 t. red pepper
19 oz can or 2 1/2 c. white beans

*Garnish with shredded monterey jack cheese

Soak Beans in water overnight. In the morning cook on low for 4 hours. Heat oil in a large saucepan over high heat add chicken and cook 4-5 minutes, stirring often. Remove chicken with slotted spoon. Add onion to pan; saute 2 minutes. Stir in broth, green chilies and spices; simmer 2 minutes. Add chicken and beans; simmer 5 additional minutes. Garnish with cheese before serving.





Chocolate Revel Bars
Lacie Banton

1 c. butter
2 1/2 c. flour
2 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
4 t. vanilla
1 t. vanilla
1 t. soda
3 c. oats

Melt chocolate mixture together:
1 pkg. chocolate chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Mix dough ingredients, spread 2/3 dough on cake pan; pour warm chocolate mixture over dough; drop remaining dough on top. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.





Peach Cobbler

1 c. sugar
1 c. flour
3/4 c. milk
1 stick butter
1 can peaches (19 oz) undrained

Melt butter in 9x12 glass baking dish. Mix sugar, flour and milk. Pour mix over melted butter. Add peaches over mix. Do not stir. Bake at 375 for 40-45 minutes.



Grandma's Chicken Stew
Chelan Allen

2 cans (14 oz) chicken broth
1 can (14 oz) vegetable broth
1 can (10 oz) white meat chicken undrained
3/4 c shredded carrots
4 c. wide egg noodles
salt and pepper to taste

Bring broth to boiling in a large soup pot or saucepan. Add carrots, noodles, chicken, and juice; cover pot and bring back to a b oil. Uncover pot, season, and cook 6 minutes more. Serves 4.



Chicken and White Bean Chili
Ruthann Eucker

Saute in 2 T olive oil until tender:
1 small onion diced
1/2 t. garlic
1/2 orange pepper diced

Add;
1 can green chili peppers
1 T chili pepper
1 T cumin
1 T cilantro
1 pint canned chicken with juice

Stir together and add:
5-6 c. cooked white beans
2 c. water and 2 chicken boullion cubes
Salt to taste
Simmer 20 minutes or until flavors blend


Taco Soup
Darla Green

2 chicken breasts
1 t. chili powder
1 small onion, diced
?t. cumin
1 c. water
? t. crushed garlic
16 o can stewed tomatoes
dash of red pepper
14-16 oz can black beans
14-16 oz can corn
small can sliced olives
tortilla chips
grated cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Simmer chicken and onion in water until cooked. Dice chicken. Add (with all juices) the tomatoes, beans, corn, olives, chili powder, cumin, garlic, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Simmer 15 minutes. Spoon into soup bowls. Top with tortilla chips and grated cheese.


To make Taco Soup using only food storage items substitute

for the: substitute:
onion 1 tsp onion powder
garlic 1/4 t. garlic powder
tortilla chips 1T. coarsley ground cornmeal (simmered w other ingredients)
chicken breast Omit (as I did) or use canned chicken


Salsa Chicken
Rachael McCauley

1 jar salsa
4 chicken breasts or 2 cans chicken
1 can corn
1 can black beans
corn tortillas or tortilla chips
cheese (opt)
sour cream (opt)

Put chicken and salsa in crockpot, cook on low for 3-4 hours (1-2 hours if canned chicken). Add black beans and corn the last hour. Cook tortillas in a pan on stovetop with a little oil and salt to make into tacos, add cheese and sour cream OR serve with tortilla chips, cheese and sour cream.