Love this....

"As you create a home, don't get distracted with a lot of things that have no meaning for you or your family. Don't dwell on your failures, but think about your successes. Have joy in your home. Have joy in your children. Have joy in your husband. Be grateful for the journey."

-Marjorie Pay Hinkley

FHE Quartely Enrichment

Our Home Family Personal Enrichment for June we will be closing out the FHE quarter. We will learn several ways to make FHE easier and we will make a FHE Lesson. Husbands are invited, Child care provided.
PLEASE save any and all plastics containers that are mayo sized. I need them for Junes Enrichment! Thanks

FHE Lesson Exchange

Well we didn't have a very good turn-out for this activity but I want this sisters that were there to know I appreciate the effort they made. We exchanged what lesson were there and also learned of several websites that you can get prepared lessons from. I've put all the links for these sites below:
www.sugardoodle.net
www.ldssplash.com
www.lds.org
www.theideadoor.com

Also, one of the sisters received a 'FHE Book', it has lessons for every week of 2009 to correlate with the topics being taught in primary each week. Thought it was a great resource to email out to the sisters in the ward to use at home if they are interested. What a nice time saver! If you are interested let me know and I can email it to you. It is 121 pages but, I think it'd be well worth it for anyone with Primary age children!!

April HFPE Activity

Our theme for the next 3 months will be 'LOVE AT HOME' and during this time we want to focus on Family Home Evening. Our activity in April will be a FHE Lesson Swap. Please bring copies of your favorite lesson to share. Depending on how many participate you could go home with several 'favorite' home evening lessons!

"Family home evening is for everyone. It is for families with parents and children, for families with just one parent, and for parents who have no children at home. It is for home evening groups of single adults and for those who live alone or with roommates. . . . Regular participation in family home evening will develop increased personal worth, family unity, love for our fellow men, and trust in our Father in heaven."(Family Home Evening, 1976 — Spencer W. Kimball, N. Eldon Tanner, and Marion G. Romney)

Relief Society B-day

For the Relief Society bday we decided to use Pres. Uchtdorf's talk 'Happiness is your Heritage' and celebrate the talented sisters in our ward. We invited each sister to share something they had created. We set up 3 long tables and 3 round tables for the sisters to display their creations. We had such a good turn out ALL of the tables were full so we had to put some of the displays on the stage! It was fun seeing what each of you created, thanks for sharing :)

January HFPE Activity

We had several people wanting to learn how to give their kids and hubby's haircuts. So I asked Kathryn if she would teach us 'Basic Haircuts'. So we each brought our guinea pigs to practice on and all of the cuts turned out great! All the information and instruction Kathryn & her twin sister gave us was very helpful. Thanks:)

P.F Changs Lettuce Wraps

Special Sauce:
¼ cup sugar
½ cup water
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/8 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp Chinese hot mustard
2 tsp water
1-3 tsp garlic and red chile paste(depending on how hot you want it)


Stir fry sauce:
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp dark brown sugar
½ tsp rice vinegar
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
3 chicken breast filets
1 cup minced water chestnuts
2/3 cup canned straw mushrooms
3 Tbsp chopped green onions
1 tsp minced garlic (1clove)

4-5 sliced iceberg lettuce cups
1 package rice noodles(orange package-maifun)

Special Sauce:
Dissolve cup sugar in 1/2 cup water in a small bowl.
Add remaining ingredients
Mix well and refrigerate this sauce until you're ready to serve the lettuce wraps.

Filling for Lettuce Wraps:
Bring 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to high heat in a wok or large frying pan.
Sauté the chicken breasts for 4 to 5 minutes per side or until done.
Remove chicken from the pan to cool.
Keep the oil in the pan and keep the pan hot.
Mince chicken, water chestnuts, and mushrooms to size of small peas.
Prepare the stir fry sauce by mixing the soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar together in a small bowl.
With the wok or pan still on high heat, add an additional tablespoon of vegetable oil.
Add the chicken, garlic, water chestnuts, onions, and black mushrooms to the pan.
Add the stir fry sauce to the pan and sauté the mixture for a couple minutes then serve it onto into a dish lined with a bed of fried rice noodles (maifun).
Assembly:
Serve chicken with a side of lettuce cups.
Make these lettuce cups by slicing the top off of a head of iceberg lettuce right through the middle of the head.(puchase a loose head)
Pull your lettuce cups off of the outside of this slice.
Assemble lettuce wraps by adding noodles, spooning filling into a lettuce cup, adding special sauce over the top, folding it up like a taco.

*Tidbits:Follow the directions on the package for frying the maifun (rice sticks)-- usually by pouring 2 inches of vegetable oil into a pan and heating to around 400 degrees. Add maifun, a little at a time, and when it floats to the top remove it to a paper towel

**I like stronger flavors so I changed the recipe a bit:
I use atleast 6 chicken breast(me and my big family)
I also triple the Stir Fry Sauce and I dice the chicken, chestnuts, green onions and marinade a couple hours. Then cook the mixture till chicken is done and all liquids are gone.

Wendy Brimhall

Taco Soup

1 pound hamburger
1 onion, diced
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 pkg ranch dressing mix
1 can undrained of each of the following:
navy beans
pinto beans
kidney beans
black-eyed peas (with jalapenos if desired)
corn
chopped or diced tomatoes

Brown meat with onions, add seasonings--stir, then add beans. Cook until heated through. Serve with corn chips, cheese and sour cream.Usually I cook this in a big pot on the stove, but last time I cooked the meat on the stove and then added it all to the crockpot on high for a few hours and it worked great.

~Wendy Brimhall
Michele Butler

Tortilla Soup

3 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2 lg ripe tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped

6 c chicken stock or broth

1 Tbs chopped Cilantro

2 whole chicken breasts, skinned, boned, cooked and cut into bite-sized peices

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

1 jalapeno, seeded and diced

2 c coarsely crumbled corn tortilla chips

6 tbs grated Monterey Jack cheese

1 c sliced black olives



Saute' the garlic and onions in the olive oil until the onion is soft. Spoon the onion and garlic into blender with the tomatoes, 1 cup chicken stock and cilantro blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into sauce pan, stir in rest of stock, cooked chicken, salt, black pepper, and jalapeno. Cook over med heat until heated through.



Place the coarsely crumbled corn tortilla chips into bottom of individual soup bowls, pour the soup over the chips, sprinkle the cheese, olives, more chips, if desired on top and serve at once.

Serves 6-8



~Shirley Dunne

Aunt Gwen Dunne

Carmel Pecan Sticky Rolls

1 1/2 tbs yeast

1 1/2 c water

1/4 c sugar

1/4 c shortening

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

1/2 c powdered milk

5-6 c flour



Add all ingredients in order given. The amount of flour depends on how it pulls away from bowl as you mix it. Knead, let rise, punch dow, and roll out on counter to a 9 x 13 rectangle. Bruch with melted butter, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Roll up and cut with thread 2" rolls.



In pan, have ready== double and put in two pans

3/4 brown sugar

1/2 c pecans

1/2 c butter

2 tbs light corn syrup



Let rolls rise on top of this mixture. Bake at 375 for 20-30 mins. Watch to see when light brown. Remove from oven and turn immediately onto foil.



~Shirley Dunne

Alice(Littlejohn) Alexander

Peanut Butter Treats

Bring to boil:

1 c sugar
1 c Karo Syrup - light

Add:

1 1/2 c Peanut Butter
5 c Corn Flakes

Stir to mix
Use 1 tablespoon to scoop and put on wax paper to cool.

~Shirley Dunne
Jan Wolff

Banana Split Dessert

2 c Graham Cracker Crumbs

1/2 c butter melted

1/2 c butter, not melted

1/2 c sifted powder sugar

2 eggs

5 bananas

1 15 1/2 oz can crushed pinapple, well drained

1 8 oz container Cool Whip, thawed

1/3 c chopped pecans - optional

semi-sweet chocolate, shredded

Maraschino Cherries

In mixing bowl toss cracker crumbs and melted butter. Press crumb mixture onto bottom of 9x13 dish. In small mixer bowl beat the remaining butter about 30 seconds till softened. Add powdered sugar; beat till fluffy. Beat in eggs. Spread egg mixture over crumb mixture. Spoon pinapple over bananas. Spread with Cool Whip. Sprinkle with chocolate and nuts, if desired. Cover and refridgerate atleast 4 hrs before serving. Cut into squares to serve. Top each with a cherry.

Serves 15



~Shirley Dunne

Avon Cookbook

Pretty Good Jello Salad

1 lg box Cherry Jello - to increase add 1 sm box


2 c boiling water - to increase add 1 more cup


1 can Crushed Pineapple


1 can Pie Cherries


Mix and set inrefridgeraator several hours


-----------------------


1 sm package instant Vanilla Pudding


1 c milk


mix/whip until thick then fold in


1 sm carton Cool Whip


Top the jello with this mixture and serve



~Shirley Dunne

(Aunt Sheri)

Eggs Fantastic

1 lb sausage, crumbled

1/4 lb. chopped mushrooms

1 med onion, diced

6 eggs

3 Tbls sour cream

6 Tbls hot sauce

8 oz shredded cheddar cheese

8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese

8oz velveeta cheese, grated



Preheat oven 350 and grease 9 x 13 baking dish

Combine sausage, mushrooms and onions in a large skillet. Saute over medium high heat until sausage is completely cooked.

Drain

Combine eggs and sour cream in blender and whip for 1 minute. turn into baking dish and bake till eggs are softly done(4-7 mins). Add sausage mixture and top with grated cheeses and hot sauce.

Bake 30 mins



~Shirley Dunne

Mexican Deviled Eggs

8 hard boiled eggs

1/2 c shredded cheese(cheddar)

1/4 c mayo

1/4 c salsa; mild and not too chunky(try chili sauce)

2 Tbls sliced green onions

1 Tbls sour cream

salt to taste



Shell and slice eggs in half. Remove yolk and put in bowl. Mash hard yolks, mix in all ingredients stir till well blended. Fill mixture into egg white centers. Chill



~Shirley Dunne

Stove Top Easy Chicken Bake

1 pkg Stove Top Stuffing for Chicken

1 c. hot water

1 1/2 boneless, skinless chicken breast- cut into 1" peices

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/3 c sour cream

1 bag frozen mixed vegetables, thawed, drained



PREHEAT oven 400

Sprinkle half the dry stuffing mix evenly on bottom of 9 x 13 pan; set aside. Add hot water to remaining stuffing mix; stir just until moistened. Set aside

Place chicken over dry stuffing mix.

Mix soup, sour cream & vegs; spoon over chicken

Top with prepared stuffin



Bake 30 mins

makes 6 servings

~Sandra Wilson

Harty tuna Caserole

2 cans tuna
6 oz (3 cups) uncooked egg noodles
1/2 c. chopped celery
1/3 c. sliced green onion
1/2-2/3 c. sour cream
2 tsp mustard
1/2 c. mayo
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/4-1/2 tsp salt
1 sm zucchini sliced
1 c shredded monterey jack cheese
1 med tomato, chopped

1. drain & flake tuna, set aside

2. cook noodles, drain and rinse

3. combine noodles with tuna, celery, green onions

4. blend in sour cream, mustard, mayo, thyme & salt

5. spoon half the mixture into buttered 2 quart casserole dish. Top with zucchini, repeat layers.

6. top with cheese

Bake 350 30 mins or bubbly

Sprinkle on tomatoes



~Sandra Wilson

Crock Pot Stew

3 carrots

3 ribs celery

2 lg potatoes

1 lg onion

1 clove garlic(minced)

1 1/2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce

1/4 tsp thyme

1/4 tsp basil black pepper to taste

2 lbs lean stew meat

1 can dices tomatoes undrained

14 oz beef broth

bay leaf



1. Dredge meat in flour and cook in 2 Tb oil till browned

2. Chop vegs to 1" pieces

3. Layer ingredients as follows; carrots, celery potatoes, garlic, bay leaf, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, basil, pepper, beef, diced tomatoes w/ juice and beef broth.

4. cook on high 4 1/2 hours or until done

~Sandra Wilson

Chili Corn Bread

Mix:



2 pkg. corn muffin mix



2 eggs lightly beaten



2/3 c milk



1 can mexican corn(drained)



Toppings:



1 can chili



1 c shredded cheese



1/2 c chopped black olives



1/2 c diced green onions



diced tomatoes



sour cream







Lighlty spray pan(s) add the above corn mixture and bake on 350 for 20 mins



Heat chili till hot then pour on top of bread, add additional toppings







Sandra Wilson

Banana Nut Bread

Cream: 1 1/4 c sugar

1/2 c melted butter

2 eggs whipped

1/2 c sour milk (add 1 tsp vinegar)

3 mashed ripe bananas

Combine:

1 tsp baking soda

3 c sifted flour

1 tsp salt

Add:

1 c nuts and/or raisins



Bake 350 40-45 mins

Makes 2 loaves



Sandra Wilson

Hi Sisters
I thought it might be helpful to have a ward blog that I will keep updated with any up coming activies. I will also have a section of pictures from activies and one with recipes that are submitted.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

2 chicken breast
1 can diced green chilis
12 corn tortillas
1 can cream of chicken
1 cup sour cream
1 cup cheese