Devotional Soup Recipes

The RS Christmas Devotional was amazing! Thanks to all who participated or helped in any way! What a success!!

Fresh Pea Soup
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 c. Chopped leeks, white and green parts (2 leeks)
1 c. Chopped yellow onion
4 c. Chicken stock/broth
5 c. Fresh or frozen peas (2- 10 oz. Packages frozen peas)
2/3 c. Chopped fresh mint
2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Pepper
1/2 c. Sour cream
1/2 c. Chopped chives
Heat butter in large pot, add leeks and onion, cook over medium heat for 5-10 min. Until onion is tender. Add chicken stock, increase heat to high and bring to boil. Add peas and cook for 3-5 min. Until peas are tender. Off the heat add mint, salt and pepper. Puree soup in batches. Whisk in sour cream and chives for seasoning.

Butternut Squash Soup
5 tbsp. Butter
6 c. Cubed butternut squash (about one butternut squash)
1 c. Dark brown sugar
2 granny smith apples peeled, cored and chopped (2 c.)
5 c. Water
1 c. Apple cider
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Dried sage leaves
1/4 tsp. Ground cloves
2/3 c. Heavy cream
2/3 c. Sour cream
1/8 tsp. Nutmeg for garnish
Melt butter in large pot over medium-high heat. Sauté squash and brown sugar, until slightly softened, 15 min. Add apples, water, cider, salt, cinnamon, sage and cloves and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until apples are tender. 30 min. Cool slightly. Working in batches, puree soup in blender. Return soup to pot and stir in heavy cream. When ready to serve top each bowl with 1 tbsp. Sour cream. Dust with nutmeg.


Turnip Soup
2 oz. Unsalted butter
1 1/4 lbs. Yellow onions, thinly sliced (4 c.)
3 ribs celery, chopped (1 c.)
Salt
Pepper
1 bay leaf
3 tbsp. Chopped garlic
10 c. Chicken stock/broth
2 lbs. Turnips, peeled and diced
1/4 c. Heavy cream
4 oz. Diced ham or bacon
Melt the butter in 6qt. Stock pot over medium-heat. Add onions and celery. Season with salt and pepper, stirring until vegetables are soft and lightly golden, about 8 min. Add bay leaf and garlic, stirring for 2 min. Add the stock and turnips and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium simmer, uncovered until turnips are very soft and mixture is thick and creamy, about 1 hour. Remove soup from heat. Discard bay leaf. Puree soup in batches, slowly add cream. Reason the soup. In a small sauté pan, over medium heat, render the ham until crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels and set aside. Garnish soup with ham when served.

Food Storage Night

Recipes shared at the activity:
Whole wheat pancakes, No yeast wheat bread, Sweet rice
Cherry Crisp
Hopping John black eyed peas and rice

Tips/substitution ideas shared: page one and page two.
Safety in cooking beans websites recommended by Sister Kearns: click here and here.

For more info see:
http://www.providentliving.org
from the church.

RS Food Storage Activity

Our RS Food Storage Activity will be held on

Thursday October 14, 2010 at 7pm

Come join us as we learn more about food storage.

Our classes that night will be:

Food Storage 101

what to store and how much to store by Sis. Anne Borgholthaus

I have it, now what???

how to store, how to rotate

An open forum sharing by sisters at various stages of life

Using your food storage

cooking from food storage and recipe sharing by Sis Colleen Martines

Look for the sign up sheets at church. Please let us know if you will need to bring young children so we can prepare the children's class.

If you have ideas to share, please post a comment.

New Interest Group

Amy Henderson is starting a new interest group- a temple group. This group of sisters will attend the temple together monthly. If you would like to hear more about this group or join in sometime, please contact Amy Henderson. The first temple day will be Tuesday, September 28. Anyone is welcome to be involved in this interest group, regularly or on occasion.

Visitng teaching

What is visiting teaching?
This is a great video please watch the following:

http://lds.org/pa/rs/home/rsvideo.html?xml=rsvideo_8776c.xml


what is reporting your visiting teaching?

A visit in the home--- A phone call--- A letter in the mail--- or None. These are all ways I receive reports but it doesn't tell me how each sister is really doing or what the needs are for each individual sister so we can know and pray for ways to help them.

We need you to report. We appreciate you seeking out your sisters that you are assigned to and fulfilling your assignments. We care about your efforts and what you find out about each sister. I myself or the presidency or the visiting teaching coordinator can not do all the visits by our selves. We need you. What you do is so vital to the program of Relief Society. It is such a great privilege to have a great obligation given to us by the lord to take care of one another. It is also very important to report back on how they are doing. It should be a detailed report of what is going on in there lives, what issues they may be having, sickness, loss, loneliness, also celebrations or announcements. It is just as important letting me know what you and your companion have prayed to know what or how to help or fix the situation. It is not to just report and forward on the issue but let us know what you have done to be involved.

Lately I was told of how one companionship heard of a sister's bad health which they are assigned. They went right over and express sincere worry and interest gave of there own personal health experience and gave great comfort and an interest in her well being. What a great example of care and help to that sister. And then to let me know of the situation and what they did to help. That is visiting teaching.

I know you are so capable of doing your callings and assignments. I know you take care of your sweet sisters. We need to hear about it. We need to know what is going on in our ward so we can pray specifically for you and your visiting teachees and to forward this on to the bishop-- for he is the father of our ward and has great power to help us.

Sisters I love each of you! YOU make our ward great! YOU are blessing us everyday with your fulfilling your duties! I love you very much!!! You special daughters of our Heavenly Father here in Paxtuent ward!!!!

Book Group

The next book for our Book Group is The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Check out our Slightly Bookish blog for the latest book club information. We will be meeting at Sister Trudy Bainter's home for our September book group discussion. Hope to see you there. Feel free to check out the book group blog and comment even if you can't attend the discussion.

Emergency Preparedness

Organize yourselves and prepare every needful thing. D&C 109:8

Our next Relief Society Additional Meeting will be Thursday September 9 at 7pm at the ward meeting house.

Sister Misa Nickerson will be teaching a class on 72 hour kits

Sister Amy Henderson will be presenting a class on storing and sanitizing water for emergencies.

Sister Celestia Erickson will be teaching a class on preparing children for emergencies.

Please bring a salad or dessert to share and join with us as we learn how to be better prepared for emergencies that may occur.

If ye are prepared ye shall not fear. D&C 38:30

This Little Piggy Went to Market - Coupon Clipping/Smart Shopping

Our two wonderful sisters, Michelle Ray and Becky Elicio, are doing a presentation about Coupon Clipping/ Smart Shopping at our activity this evening. They were kind enough to provide us with a ton of great information to post here for us all to access! Thank you Michelle and Becky!

WARNING: As with any other “hobby”… 

Couponing can be addicting and time consuming, 

but LOTS of FUN!!! 

COUPONING 101

Where do I begin? 
FAVORITE SITES
http://www.weusecoupons.com Email registration required: FREE!!! (Make yourself ANONYMOUS giving as little personal information as you can).
http://www.hotcouponworld.com Email registration required: FREE!!! (Make yourself ANONYMOUS giving as little personal information as you can).
http://www.afullcup.com/forums Email registration required: FREE!!! (Make yourself ANONYMOUS giving as little personal information as you can).
http://www.thegrocerygame.com Membership FEE: Requires credit card for registration: 4-week Trial for $1, thereafter pay $10 (1 store) - $15 (2 stores). When you sign up you receive a list of up to two stores in your area every 8 weeks (Las Cruces stores are Albertsons and Walgreen’s). You can cancel anytime.
http://thekrazycouponlady.com/
http://www.totallytarget.com/
http://frugalcouponmom.com/
http://www.couponmom.com/
http://www.myfoodstoragedeals.blogspot.com/
http://www.myfoodstoragedeals.blogspot.com/

Find blogs w/in blogs!!!

PREVIEW COUPONS (SUNDAY INSERTS: Smart Source, Red Plum, and Proctor & Gamble)
http://www.taylortownpreview.com
http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/insert-coupons
http://www.thecouponclippers.com
http://www.couponsthingsbydede.com/
http://www.couponsthingsbydede.com

Where can I get coupon inserts?
SUBSCRIBE TO LOCAL SUNDAY PAPER
Family, Friends, Neighbors, Co-workers
ONLINE PRINTABLE COUPON SITES (most require email registration)
http://www.coupons.com
http://www.thecouponbug.com
http://www.eversave.com
http://www.ppgazette.com
http://www.couponsurfer.com
http://www.boodle.com

MAGAZINES
“All You” found exclusively at Wal-Mart

ONLINE CLIPPING SERVICES
http://www.thecouponclippers.com
http://www.couponsthingsbydede.com
Email or call favorite Manufacturers (compliment a product request a coupon)

Couponing TIPS
-Check expiration dates and limitations!!!
-Keep eye out for double/triple coupons (Albertson’s, Lowe’s Foods, and occasionally Kmart)
-Gather multiples of coupons; keep in folders by Sunday date
-Don’t always use coupons fast, you may find a better deal a few weeks/months later!
-You can always get paid (MAIL IN REBATES!!!) Rite Aid.
-Find offers in weekly coupon inserts, on “peelies”, and tear pads in stores or other online offers noted by others in blogs or coupon forum websites listed above).
-Stock up when sales are HOT!!! You determine how much you will pay per item!
-Get a rain check if items are out of stock from that weeks sales!!!
-Trade with others; Have a coupon party/group!!!
-Subscribe to store websites for additional in-store coupon savings (Food Lion, Giant).
-Combine these coupons with manufacturer coupons! Target, BJ’s, Rite Aid, and Walgreens also allow you to combine savings!!!

This Little Piggy Relief Society August Activity

This month's Relief Society Activity will be on Thursday August 5, 2010 6:30 pm.  We are doing a "This Little Piggy" theme.  There will be 3 different classes plus a delicious ham dinner!! 

Here is a list of our little piggy activites:

This Little Piggy Went to Market - Coupon clipping/smart shopping – Michelle Ray & Becky Elicio

This Little Piggy Stayed Home - How to Bring the Spirit into Your Home (Preach My Gospel) – Joann Henrichsen

This Little Piggy Ate Roast Beef – Ham Dinner – please bring a side dish to share

This Little Piggy Cried, "Wee, wee, wee!" - How to Find Happiness in Adversity – Debby Mitchell

We will provide the ham and dessert for the dinner. We would like sisters to bring a side dish. Nursery will be provided, please sign up if you will be bringing children for the nursery.

Please join us for a fun evening!!

Book Club News

Fun Book Club News

We have our own blog: Slightly Bookish

The blog will be a place we can talk about books together. Check it out!

If you would like to join the book club, contact Sis Liz Kissel or just join us for our next book discussion. The blog is open to anyone who would like to read along with us even if you can't make it out to the book discussions.

Also we will be reading Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery next. Our book discussion will be Tuesday August 17 @ 7pm at Debby Mitchell's home.

Book Club

The book club will meet on Tuesday July 20 at Liz Kissel's home. The book this month is Princess Academy by Shannon Hale. Copies are available at the library and Target.

High on the slopes of Mount Eskel, Miri's family has lived forever, pounding a meager living from the stone of the mountain itself. Miri dreams of working alongside the others in the quarry, but she has never been allowed to work there - perhaps, she thinks, because she is so small.

Then word comes from the lowlands: the king's priests have divined that the prince's bride-to-be - the next princess - will come from Mount Eskel. The prince himself will travel to the village to choose his bride, but first all eligible girls must attend a makeshift academy to prepare for royal lowlander life.

Miri knows the lowlanders would never allow a crown to sit on a mountain girl's head. But what if she were chosen? She could have a better life for herself and her family in the rich, green valleys of the lowlands. That would be any girl's wish - wouldn't it?

Service Project (Cleaning Our Chapel) July 27

Click on the flier to enlarge!

Dinning Divas

What a fun time this was. It was our biggest turn out in years! We had a great time and so much exciting chatter was going on :) I see this as a growing group. It was a hit!!!

Emergency Preparedness Activity Cancelled

Hi Sisters,
Unfortunately we are going to cancel the emergency preparedness activity that was scheduled for Thursday July 8.
Fortunately, the activity will be rescheduled for a later date. :-)

Book Club

The book club met tonight at Sister Shelly Myers home to discuss the book "Al Capone Does My Shirts" by Gennifer Choldenko. We had a lively discussion and then made some delicious chocolate cake in a mug. Sister Sudha Gupta brought mango smoothies to share too. Yummy!

Our next book is 'Princess Academy' by Shannon Hale. Sister Liz Kissel will be hosting the book discussion.

Emergency Preparedness

Hi Sisters!

On Thursday July 8 we will have an Emergency Preparedness information night. On Sunday, be sure to look for the survey sheet to let us know what you are most interested in. Click here to take a preparedness quiz to see if you are a Disaster Diva, a 72 hour Kit Queen, or a Hopeful Homemaker.

Check out the Church's Provident Living preparedness information here

FEMA has a site (click here) that lists helpful information.

Another site (click here) shows how to make a 72 hour kit in a can

Other sites offer kits for sale (click here)

Our goal is to help all sisters feel prepared to handle emergencies if and when they arise. Let us know the topics you are interested in so that we can tailor our activity to benefit you. If you have any great ideas, suggestions, or tips, please share them with us.

Remember to look for the survey sheets and then mark your calendar for our July 8 Emergency Preparedness night.

Dining Divas

Dining Divas will be Thursday, June 24 at 7pm at Panera. Come and enjoy our sisterhood and yummy food too!

Craft Night

On June 10 a small group of sisters gathered to work on some crafts.

Sister Gupta worked on baby blankets. We now have 11 blankets to donate to a local hospital.


Sister Mattingly and Sister Battaglia worked on birthday cards to be sent to sisters in our ward.

Sis Evensen and Sis Kissel are ready to begin etching their casserole dishes.

Sister Kissel has her name stencil in place.

Sister Evensen placing her stencil carefully on her dish

Ready to etch

Sister Martines begins work on her casserole dish.

Time for the etching cream.

We had a fun night crafting together. Thanks to Sister Kissel for the chips and salsa and to Sister Logan for the yummy yogurt phyllo cups with fresh raspberries.

Next month our RS activity will focus on Emergency Preparedness. More information will be coming soon.

June 10th RS Activity

Hi Sisters!

Our Super Saturday was a success! Many sisters didn't get to do all of the projects they had planned so, on Thursday June 10 at 7pm we will have a craft night. We will have the supplies for etching glass casserole dishes, making birthday cards (these cards are sent to sisters in the ward), and I Spy bags.

The cards are free to make :-)

Kyrstal made this cute card. I love all the little fall leaves!

The cost for the name stencil and etching supplies is $4.oo, just bring your glass casserole dish.

For the I Spy bags, bring 2 pieces of felt or some fleece material, scissors, 20-30 "treasures" (buttons, erasers, letters, etc) and Poly Pellets (we have poly pellets available for $4.00/bag).

If none of these crafts are of interest to you at this time, bring a project you are working on or just come and visit with the sisters. This should be a fun night to get together and enjoy our sisterhood. We will have some yummy refreshments too. See you there!

Book Club

This month's book is a Newberry Honor Award winner called:

Al Capone Does My Shirts
by Gennifer Choldenko

Book Club will be held on
Tuesday, June 29
At Shelly Myers' house at 7

Super Saturday

Our Super Saturday is one week away. On Saturday May 29 from 9:00 until 1:00 we will have our Super Saturday. Please bring a casserole (breakfast or lunch casserole) and your recipe to share. Our mini classes this time are:


Creative Casseroles taught by Sis Whipple


Glass Casserole Etching taught by Sis Kearns
Bring your own casserole dish
$4.00 for your name stencil and etching cream


Wood Photo Blocks taught by Sis Henrichsen
Bring your own photos
$4.00


Mitered Edge Baby Blankets taught by Sis McGlynn
These blankets will be donated to a local hospital



I Spy Bags taught by Sis Evensen
Bring your own felt or fleece, treasures to go inside, and poly pellets (We will have some available for purchase)

Crochet Edging for baby blankets and burp cloths taught by Sis Young

We will also have a table set up for creating birthday cards that will be sent to sisters in our ward.

We hope to see everyone there. Check out the sign up sheets on Sunday.

Sister Assignment

From the stake 2010 guidance: (look for the orange)

Stake Temple Day of Service and Sacrifice. We will continue to build upon the incredible successes of the last three years in this year-long effort.

• Our stake goals for the temple day are:
• Increase by 5% the number of current recommend holders in each unit.
• Increase to 90% the number of MPH leaders set apart as veil workers in each unit.
• Increase to 10% of current recommend holders the number of members set apart as ordinance workers in each unit.
• Participation in the temple day by at least 800 endowed stake members.
• Completion of at least 2000 family file endowments.
• Increase to 75% the number of current recommend holders attending the 7^th floor Priesthood Assembly Room session.
• Our stake goals for endowed members are:
• Prepare at least one family file name and complete the baptism, confirmation and PH ordinations prior to the temple day.
• Complete the endowment for that person during the temple day.
• Complete two additional endowments during the temple day (one personal family file and two others for a minimum of three endowment sessions per person).
• Attend the 7^th floor Priesthood Assembly Room session.
• High Priest Group Leaders (HPGL) are responsible for leading this effort year around.
• HPGLs provide regular oversight of family history centers located in their buildings.
• Family history work to support our stake temple day should be underway year around.
• HPGLs should work closely with unit family history consultants and unit mission leaders to ensure all new converts and reactivated members prepare at least a few family names and then personally complete baptisms for the dead during the stake excursion and capitalize on unit FHC workshops and temple baptism trips.
• Collect and report temple metrics as directed to the assistant stake clerk.
• Apply the commitment pattern to every adult member in every unit as follows:
• Prepare them for the temple day experience through instruction and personal witness
• Invite them to prepare themselves to serve in the temple this year

• During October-May, focus on the following:
• Divide up, among the five organizations listed above, all unendowed males and females, and endowed members without current recommends and invite them as follows: “On behalf of the stake president, we invite you to prepare yourself to serve in the House of the Lord in August by attending a temple preparation class…”
• Ensure every adult referenced above is personally invited by the end of May to prepare and participate in the temple excursion
• Personally invite all endowed members with a current recommend from May through July
• Commit all worthy members to prepare at least one family name to take to the temple; complete their baptism, confirmation and ordination in advance; complete their endowment during the temple day; complete two other endowments that day; attend the 7^th floor meeting
• Provide them a “dance card” with their specific assignments
• Remind them of their assignments a day or two before the temple day
• Follow-up afterward to assess performance as a unit

Ann Borgolthaus' Tater Tot Casserole

Ann Borgolthaus made a delicious breakfast casserole which many wanted the recipe for so here it is:

1 lb. ground pork breakfast sausage

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

2 cups milk

2 eggs

2 pounds tater tots

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Place sausage in large skillet. Cook over medium heat until evenly brown. Drain and spread evenly on the bottom of 9 x 13 baking dish. Spread cheese over sausage.

3. In a large bowl, beat together milk and eggs. Pour over cheese. Top with tater tots

4. Bake in oven for 35 to 45 min.

Happy Birthday Relief Society

On Thursday March 11, 2010 we gathered to celebrate the Relief Society's birthday.


We had a progressive dinner.


Brother Borgholthaus was our priesthood holder in attendance. Thanks for supporting us Bro. Borgholthaus!

The first course was salads served in the Primary room.

Sisters had to find the table that had their birthday month. It was fun to get to chat with sisters born in the same month.

Their were lots of yummy salads to eat and we played a RS Trivia quiz.


Next, we moved to the cultural hall.

Our second course was pasta dishes.

In this room, sisters had to find the table that had the last digit of the year of their birth.

There were baskets of random objects on each table and as we ate, we picked an object and then would have to figure out how that object related to Relief Society. For example, a highlighter: Relief Society is like a highlighter because it helps me see the important things in my life.

A few sisters shared their testimony of Relief Society. What a wonderful sisterhood we all share!

Then we moved to the Relief Society room for dessert. Sisters had brought in baby pictures and they were on display. We had fun trying to figure out which baby picture belonged to each sister.

Sis Colleen Martines, our Relief Society president, bore her testimony of Relief Society and shared her love for the sisters in our ward. We had a great time just being together.

Of course, we like to be silly together too! Happy Birthday Relief Society!

Relief Society Birthday

We will be having our ward Relief Society birthday celebration on Thursday March 11, 2010. We are having a progressive dinner at the church. Meet in the Primary room at 7pm for salad.

We will move to the cultural hall for our entree - pasta dishes.

Dessert will be served in the Relief Society room. Please bring a baby picture for an activity during dessert. We hope to see you all there