Power Salad

yield: 4 SERVINGS

 

prep time: 20 MIN

SPINACH SALAD WITH CHICKEN, AVOCADO AND GOAT CHEESE

INGREDIENTS:

SALAD:
8 cups chopped spinach (1 bag)
1 cup halved cherry or pear tomatoes
1/2 cup corn (frozen, canned, or cut off the cob)
1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 large avocado, sliced
1/3 cup crumbled goat or feta cheese
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

DRESSING:
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place spinach in a large salad bowl. add remaining salad ingredients.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Pour over the salad and toss (a little at a time... as much dressing as you desire).

Recipe of the Week

What You’ll Need:

• 2 Mangos, peeled and chopped
• 1/4 cup crushed Dole Pineapple (drain juice)
• 3 tbsp chopped Red Onion
• 1 finely cut and seeded Jalapeno
• 1/2 tbsp chopped Cilantro
• 1 Garlic Clove, finely minced
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 2 tbsp fresh squeezed Lime
• What You’ll Do:
  • Throw it all in a bowl, stir, and get ready to become an instant household celebrity!
  • Serve with tortilla chips, grilled halibut, chicken breasts or as a delicious topping for your Tacos!

If your Visiting Teaching Changes

I am amazed at all the work it is to keep Visiting Teaching running smoothly.  It couldn't, without the great service of Sister Shirley Land.  She helps me keep track of all the Sisters who need a visiting teacher and who could serve as one.  She works diligently behind the scenes, and a mere thank you is not enough for her.  I know many of us are creatures of habit.  We don't like change, but sometimes it is necessary.  After listening to Conference, it was clear to me, that if we remain complacent, we lose our stronghold in the Gospel.  I challenge any of you that have changes to accept them and give it the old college try!!!  But, most of all, if you no longer Visit Teach a Sister, you can still pop in and say hello.  To me, it is silly to build a friendship based only on being a Visiting Teacher.  So many times we remember the talents of those we have got to know, and can call upon them to help us in our lives and church assignments.  You can NEVER have too many friends.  Jump out of your comfort zone and do what doesn't come naturally to you!!!  I do that every day as I wake up and try to be a Relief Society President.  I totally rely on those talents of the Sisters I have come to know.  My favorite part of my calling is doing visits!!!  Thank you so much for your service!!!  I love all of you!!  Connee

Serve on Saturday

What is Days for Girls?

Every girl in the world deserves education, safety, and dignity. We help girls gain access to quality sustainable feminine hygiene and awareness, by direct distribution of sustainable feminine hygiene kits, by partnering with nonprofits, groups and organizations, by raising awareness, and by helping communities around the world start their own programs. Thanks to a global grassroots network of thousands of volunteers and supporters on 6 continents, we have reached women and girls in 76 countries on 6 continents.  It's working. You can help us reach the rest.

Imagine…

What if not having sanitary supplies meant DAYS without school, DAYS without income, DAYS without leaving the house? Girls use leaves, mattress stuffing, newspaper, corn husks, rocks, anything they can find...but still miss up to 2 months of school every year. It turns out this issue is a surprising but instrumental key to social change for women all over the world. The poverty cycle can be broken when girls stay in school.

How can you help?

Come and help make feminine hygiene kits and learn more about the Days for Girls International Program.  Sewing skills are helpful but not required.  There are many tasks at many skill levels and we invite all to help. 

Date:        Saturday, April 11^th                

Time:       10 am to 2 pm  

Place:      Bloomington Stake Center

                  200 West Brigham Road

Donations Needed: Washcloths (store bought—not knitted or crocheted)

                                                Soap (must be hotel or travel size)

                                                Panties (GIRL size 10-16 not ladies and not bikini.)

                                                Gallon size Ziploc Freezer bags (not slider bags)

                                                Fabric 100% woven cotton (quilter’s cotton)

Flannel 100% cotton or poly/cotton blend

PUL Polyurethane laminate fabric

100% polyester thread any color—but bright, cheery is best

Older (non plastic) sewing machines to donate

Financial donations of any size are always welcome

Fabric should be bright to dark in shades to be cheerful and disguise stains.  Floral and geometric prints are best.  Do not use prints with animals, reptiles, war, camouflage, glam, bugs, knives, or anything culturally specific, as they are forbidden in some cultures.  For more information, see www.daysforgirls.org or contact:

Connee Sandvik 435-673-1442

One of My Favorite Conference Quotes

Remember...

Sunday's Recipe

I hope you have enjoyed the recipes this week.  If you have any ham left over, here is a great recipe to use it up.  Enjoy!

Left Over Ham and Bean Soup

INGREDIENTS

• 1 leftover ham bone
• 2 cups leftover ham, chopped in cubes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 3 celery stalks, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 whole parsnip, peeled and cleaned
• 3 (15 oz) cans cannelini beans (white kidney beans), drained and rinsed
• 1 tbsp Vegeta or 8 cups low sodium vegetable broth
• 8 cups of water if using Vegeta
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp thyme
• salt and pepper to taste
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large soup pot, heat olive oil. Add onion, celery and carrot and cook for about 5 minutes until onion is tender. Add garlic, ham, ham bone, parsnip, bay leaves and either the broth or the water plus vegeta. If you don't have a ham bone, just skip it. Bring to a boil and lower heat to medium. Let cook for about 30 minutes.
2. Add rinsed beans, cumin, thyme and season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking for another 30 minutes.
3. Remove ham bone, bay leaves and parsnip. Garnish with parsley.

Saturday's Recipe

Strawberry Shortcake No-Bake Ice Box Cake

8-10 graham crackers
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 pound fresh strawberries, cut into ¼’s 
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1/4 teaspoon salt

Reserve a handful of strawberries for garnishing the top of the cake.  Place the remaining strawberries in a large bowl.  Sprinkle granulated sugar over top.  Stir to combine and allow to sit.

In a tall bowl whip heavy cream with an electric mixer until you can start to see a trail of the mixer through the cream.  Add vanilla and 1/4 cup powdered sugar. Whip until stiff peaks form.  (In other words when you turn off the blender and lift the beaters out of the cream, the cream stand up on the end of the beater).  Set aside.  

Line a 9 x 5-inch baking dish with plastic wrap.   Layer 1/3 of whipped cream into dish.  Spoon ½ of strawberries and half of juice on top of whipped cream, evenly.  Top with a layer of graham crackers, breaking them if necessary to make them fit.  

Then add another 1/3 of whipped cream, smoothing out evenly.  Add the remaining strawberries and juice evenly over the whipped cream.  Top with a layer of graham crackers, breaking them if necessary to make them fit.  Cover and freeze for 3-4 hours.

Meanwhile, add shortening, salt and remaining powdered sugar to remaining whipped cream.  Whip until it comes together.

Remove cake from freezer, invert pan onto a plate.  Frost with whipped cream and sprinkle remaining strawberries on top.  Freeze until ready to serve.  Run your knife under hot water to warm the knife.  Dry if necessary, cut cake.  The knife should slide through the cake more easily.  Repeat as necessary.

Serve and enjoy!

Friday's Recipe

Poppy Seeds Fruit Salad

Author: OMGChocolateDesserts.com

Recipe type: Dessert

Prep time:  10 mins

Total time:  10 mins

 

Quick and easy, refreshing sour cream and poppy seeds dressing, perfect for any fruit salat combo.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup sour cream
• 3 Tablespoon honey
• 2 Tablespoon orange juice
• 2 teaspoon poppy seeds
• 1 teaspon grated lemon zest (optional)
• 4-5 cups chopped fresh fruit (I use strawberries, orange, kiwi, apple, bannana and orange, but you can make any fruit combo you like)

Instructions

1. To make the dressing stir together sour cream, honey, orange juice and poppy seeds.
2. Pour over chopped fruits and mix really gently.

Thursday's Recipe posted on Friday!!!

Sister's I spent Wednesday afternoon and all day Thursday in Las Vegas with my quilting besties!!  I did not have my computer with me, so here is Thursday's Recipe a day late.

Vanilla Bean Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Prep time
15 mins
Author: Lyuba Brooke Serves: 9x19 pan
Ingredients

Cook time
47 mins

Total time
1 hour 2 mins

Cookie layer:
1⁄4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 1⁄2 cup sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1⁄2 vanilla bean
11⁄4 cup flour
1⁄4 tsp. baking soda
1⁄2 tsp. baking power
dash of salt
Zest from 1 lemon
Cheesecake layer:
2 8 oz packs of cream cheese, softened 1⁄2 cup Greek yogurt, plain
1 egg
2⁄3 cup white granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1⁄2 vanilla bean
1 Tbsp corn starch
Zest of 1 lemon
__
1 cup white chocolate chips, melted
Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 and grease 9x13 baking dish.
   
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugar for a couple of minutes.
   
3. Add egg and vanilla, and beat until mixed.
   
4. Bring the speed to low, and sift in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Scrape vanilla bean
   and zest the lemon into it. Mix all ingredients until just combined.
   
5. Spread cookie batter evenly in the baking dish, and press it down. Set aside.
   
6. Beat cream cheese in a bowl in an electric mixer, on medium-high speed, until smooth and fluffy, for a
   couple of minutes, Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl and beat for another minutes.
   
7. Add egg and sugar and beat until incorporated.
   
8. Add yogurt, vanilla extract, vanilla bean, corn starch and lemon zest. Beat until all incorporated. Scrape
   sides and bottom of the bowl and mix a little more.
   
9. Spread cheesecake batter evenly over the cookie layer.
   
10. Bake for 40 minutes. Turn off the oven and open oven door half way. Let cheesecake rest in the oven for 5-7 minutes.
    
11. Melt white chocolate and transfer into a piping bag. Cut off a small tip and drizzle over the top.
    
12. Cool completely before cutting.
    

Notes
Recipe from Lyuba @ willcookforsmiles.com All images and content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to share this recipe, please simply link back to this post for the recipe. Thank you.