More Recipes & Visiting Teaching

This recipe for Candy Cane Kiss Cookies comes from Our Best Bites, go here to get the recipe. You can use the same recipe around Easter...just add Cadbury Mini Eggs! They are super delicious.

Gingerbread Bars

1/2 C butter or margarine, softened
1/2 C packed brown sugar
1/2 C Molasses
1 egg
1 1/2 C all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 C water

In mixing bowl cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the remaining wet ingredients and beat well.
Sift together dry ingredients and mix into wet ingredients alternately with water; mix well.
Pour into 13x9 pan, bake at 350* for 20-25 minutes. Cool thoroughly. Frost with Lemon cream cheese frosting.


Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1 stick of butter, softened
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
4 C powdered sugar

Cream butter and cream cheese, add salt, zest and juice, mix in well. Add powdered sugar,
mix in.

Cookie Dough Truffles

1/2 c. butter, softened

3/4 c. packed brown sugar

2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour

1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 c. miniature semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional, I didn't add them)

1 1/2 pounds semisweet chocolate candy coating, chopped (or I just melted chocolate chips)

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the flour, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla; mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts, if using. Shape into 1-inch balls; place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Loosely cover and freeze for 1-2 hours or until firm. (The dough softens quickly at room temperature so it works best if they are frozen, not just chilled in the refrigerator).In a microwave safe bowl, melt candy coating (or chocolate chips), stirring often until smooth. Dip balls in coating (or drizzle on top); place on waxed paper-lined backing sheets. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.

Apple Walnut Cookies
1 c canned applesauce

3 c quick rolled oats
1 1/2 c sugar

1 c chopped nuts
1/2 cu margarine

1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 c cocoa

1/2 tsp almond extract
1/4 tsp salt powdered sugar

Simmer applesauce gently 5 minutes. Add sugar, margarine, cocoa and salt. Boil 1 minute. Remove from heat immediately. Add oats, walnuts, vanilla and almond extract. Mix well. Drop by teaspoon onto waxed paper. When cool. roll in powdered sugar makes 50 - 55 cookies.

Visiting Teaching: The end of the month is coming quickly. Just a reminder to get your visiting teaching done. I found this site that has fun ideas for visiting teaching, go here to see it. They have a lot of free printables and ideas that go along with the message for the month.

Holiday Recipes & Kids and Christmas

We would like to thank everyone who came to our activity last night. We know how busy your lives are right now! I don't know about you, but it was just what I needed! There was such an incredible spirit as we listened to the perspectives of the women who surrounded Christ. It was the Innkeeper's wife who touched me the most....she wanted so badly to help Mary & Joseph and knew how special the Christ child was. We had some beautiful musical numbers: Sisters Murphy, Olpin, & Eyre played a Violin/Piano musical number, Sisters Carbine & Kearhl sang solos. We also had a chance to sing some songs as a group. Afterwards we had some delicious treats! Sister Adamson made delicious Hot Chocolate and homemade caramel marshmellows. We also had a variety of other treats to choose from. We will be posting the recipes for these treats over the next couple of days. Here are the first few:

Basic Hot Chocolate
4 cups of whole milk
8 ounces of chocolate
3 tsp powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon of salt
Finely chop the chocolate into small pieces. The pieces have to be able to dissolve easily in the liquid.
Place the milk into a small, thick-bottomed pot on low heat and bring to a low simmer. Whisk once in a while to ensure that the milk doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.
Add the vanilla, powdered sugar, salt, and chocolate and whisk vigorously until the chocolate has melted.
Heat for another 4 minutes, constantly stirring.
Serve. Add a dollop of whipped cream if you want.
Serves 4.

White Hot Chocolate
8 cups of whole milk
12 ounces white chocolate , finely chopped
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions
Using a vegetable peeler, shave chocolate into curls; set aside.Place white chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl; set aside. Place milk and cream in a medium saucepan set over medium heat until bubbles begin to form around edges of pan (about 4 minutes). Do not boil.Remove mixture from the flame. Immediately pour over white chocolate. When chocolate begins to melt, gently stir to combine.Whisk in vanilla. Continue whisking until light foam forms.Serve immediately. Garnish with chocolate shavings.


Martha Stewarts Homemade Marshmallows

4 packages unflavored gelatin
3/4 C cold water
3 1/4 C granulated sugar
1 1/4 C light corn syrup
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 C water
2 tsp pure vanilla extract (peppermint extract if desired...great for hot cocoa!)

Spray 9x13 pan w/cooking spray.
Cut a piece of parchment or waxed paper large enough to cover the bottom of the dish and to overhang
the longer sides. Place the parchment in the dish and brush with oil, set aside.

Pour 3/4 C cold water in the bowl of an electric mixer, and sprinkle gelatin on top. Let stand 5 minutes.

Place sugar, corn syrup, salt and water in a medium saucepan. Set over high heat, and bring
to a boil. Insert a candy thermometer, and cook until it reaches soft-ball stage (238*), about 9 minutes.

Using the whisk attachment, beat hot syrup into the gelatin on low speed, gradually increase speed to
high, beat until mixture is very stiff, about 12 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Pour mixture into the prepared
baking dish, and smooth the surface with as offset spatula. Set aside, uncovered until marshmallow
becomes firm, at least 3 hours or overnight.

Cut into squares with a pizza cutter, and toss in powdered sugar.

Here is a cute Mormon Messages video. Enjoy!

Christmas Activity- Tuesday, December 21

Please come join us Tuesday night at 7:00 p.m. for our special Christmas Activity: "The Women Surrounding Christ's Birth". It will be a great night to focus on the true meaning of Christmas and find time to relax for a bit. Hope to see you there.

Sunday Happenings

Lesson: Chapter 24- The Sabbath Day
Instructor: Sister Bell

What is the Sabbath Day?

"The word Sabbath comes from a Hebrew word meaning rest." The Sabbath day is every seventh day. It is a holy day ordained by God for us to rest from our daily labors and worship Him."

How would you explain the purpose of the Sabbath day to someone who does not know about the Sabbath?

• A day spent in worship and reverence
• Time to ponder spiritual matters
• A day to renew our covenants
• Feed our souls on the things of the Spirit

What does it mean to keep the Sabbath Day holy?

• What can we do? Church, Scriptures, Church Magazines, Visit Sick, Visit Family, Uplifting music, Hymns, Family History, Journals, Service
• What do you do in your families to keep the Sabbath Day Holy?
• One idea given was to watch family videos, this helps you relive fun times in the past and appreciate family.

Family Home Evening

• Sharing Time: Keep the Commandments
• Ensign Article: Teaching Children to Keep the Sabbath
• Sharing Time: I Will Always Choose the Right
• LDS Living: Sabbath Day

*Don't forget about our special Christmas activity this Tuesday, Dec. 21 at 7:00 p.m.

Sunday Happenings

Lesson: Chapter 23- The Sacrament
Instructor: Sister Ashby

Object Lesson: Sister Ashby had us close our eyes, then dropped three items on the table.
First: a medium sized bouncy ball. We determined that it was fairly loud and could be heard easily. This could be compared to the world. It is usually noisy....makes sure it is heard.
Second: a quarter sized round chip. It had a softer sound. We were able to hear it because it was quiet in the room. If it had been noisier we may not have heard it. This could be compared to those in authority. They can be heard, but we need to make sure we are listening...make sure our lives aren't filled with too much noise.
Third: a needle. It was the softest sounding of the three. If there had been noise we definitely would not have been able to hear it. This could be compared to the whisperings of the spirit. If there is noise in our life we will not be able to hear its quiet guidance.

The teachings on the sacrament can be found in todays lesson. Just click on the link above.

Questions to think about:
-Why do the sacrament prayers need to be said perfectly?
-What covenants do we renew during the sacrament? What blessings does the Lord promise us as we keep those covenants?
-How can we prepare ourselves to partake of the sacrament? What can we think about during the sacrament to help us remember the Savior's Atonement?

• Create "quiet" books using pictures from the Ensign, Friend, or New Era. These books would be used just during the sacrament as a way to help children think about the Savior, the sacrament, etc.. As soon as the sacrament is finished they would be put away.
• Prepare: Be on time to Sacrament Meeting, Sit in the front section of the chapel, Young men arrive early to help with sacrament preparation
• Setting the Example: Sit quietly listening to prelude music, children will follow your example
• Speak About Reverence: Remind children before you get to church, Make sure you are showing reverence
• Soliciting Support: Have children come up with ways to be reverent, on time, etc...
• Within the Family: Teach during Family Home Evening, Prepare Saturday Night
• Taking Responsibility: Means Everyone: "Reverence Begins With Me!"

Family Home Evening Ideas:

• Sharing Time: Reverence in Holy Places
• Sharing Time: Primary Manners (Could be used to teach reverence)
• Sharing Time: Be Grateful for the Sacrament
• LDS Living: Reverence
• LDS Living: Sacrament