Turkey Stuffed Shells

INGREDIENTSNutrition

SERVINGS 6UNITS US

• 20jumbo pasta shells
• 1(6 ounce) box prepared stuffing
• 2cups chicken or 2 cups turkey, cooked and shredded
• 1cup Miracle Whip light
• 1⁄4teaspoon seasoning salt
• 1⁄4teaspoon pepper
• 1teaspoon Mrs. Dash seasoning mix
• 2(10 ounce) cans reduced-fat cream of chicken soup
• 1(10 ounce) can skim milk
• 2cups shredded low-fat monterey jack and colby cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook shells according to package directions.
3. Prepare stuffing mix according to directions.
4. Combine stuffing, chicken, mayo, seasoned salt, pepper, and Mrs. Dash in large bowl.
5. Combine cream of chicken soup, milk, and cheese in seperate bowl.
6. Stuff shells with the stuffing filling and place in a greased 9x13 pan.
7. Pour soup mixture over shells.
8. Bake covered for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Panera Copycat Broccoli Cheese Soup

INGREDIENTSNutrition

SERVINGS 4UNITS US

• 1tablespoon melted butter
• 1⁄2medium chopped onion
• 1⁄4cup melted butter
• 1⁄4cup flour
• 2cups half-and-half cream
• 2cups chicken stock
• 1⁄2lb fresh broccoli (chopped into bite size pieces)
• 1cup carrot, julienned
• 1⁄4teaspoon nutmeg
• 8ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese
• salt and pepper

• DIRECTIONS

  1. Sauté onion in butter. Set aside.
  2. Cook melted butter and flour using a whisk over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Stir constantly and add the half & half.
  3. Add the chicken stock. Simmer for 20 minutes.
  4. Add the broccoli, carrots and onions. Cook over low heat 20-25 minutes.
  5. Add salt and pepper. Can be puréed in a blender but I don't. Return to heat and add cheese. Stir in nutmeg.
  6. Serve with crusty bread and Enjoy :).

Understanding The Sabbath is a Delight

It's amazing how the older I get, the more I understand!  I'm sure that what the Apostles and Prophet tell us has become more meaningful, rather than I am finally listening.  It has been a big focus as of late to observe and understand the purpose of the Sabbath.  As a young mother, I hated Sundays, or the biggest fight day of the week.  Getting 5 kids up and ready for Church, especially by 9 am, was the worst.  I had learned all the words of the Children's Hymn, "Saturday", but I did not live them.  Saturday is a special day, it's the day we get ready for Sunday.  So, finding the clothes that the Sandvik 5 would wear would begin on Sunday Morning.  I'd do my best to do my 4 girls hair, but get to church to see I missed Shannon.  Of course, Shannon and Kim Lewis were the same age.  Bonnie would have Kim in her perfect dress with not a hair out of place.  I would have to fight with my stubborn Jared on why we needed to hurry.  Totally frustrated and exhausted, we'd find our sacred bench and plop down.  My voice hoarse from yelling and my dress on backwards or inside out we'd begin worship.  Now, being able to sit in silence and remember the Savior during the sacrament was a non existent event on the Sandvik Bench.  I would explain each week to Carree, we don't do our activities packed in my bag until after the sacrament was over.  Now to honest, Darcy didn't come into the picture until much later, so I usually had 4 kids to wrestle.  I just thought 5 would give me more credit for trying.  But my expectations were out of whack.  I was thinking that the Sabbath would give to me what I needed, rather than what can I do to make the Sabbath a Delight.

As the world gets more and more confusing, I am truly finding that Sunday's mean I don't have to worry about the challenges that I face every other day.  If I have a of suggestion to help you, plan and prepare on "Saturday".  Know ahead what your going to wear, eat and most important, pray for help to be prepared physically and spiritually.  I'm grateful for Russell M. Nelson's recent talks on the Sabbath, they have really helped me to look at the Sabbath in a new perspective.  Now my Sundays are quiet and lonely.  Aaron leaves early in the morning and is in and out throughout the day.  He doesn't return home until the evening.  As I rattle around the house in my comfy nightgown, I reflect on how much I wish I had my children at home again to teach them to love the Sabbath.

I send my love to all of my sweet Sisters, and wish you a Delightful Sabbath!

Some days are just hard.

I guess I'm feeling a little blue today.  I have so much to be grateful for, but when I see people I care for suffer, it brings me down.  I have spent the past two days checking on friends and waiting for my Grandsons surgery to be over at the hospital.  As I walked down the halls, I was passing people who's lives have been disrupted by illness or injury.  Life stops for those who enter the hospital, it's hard to imagine the world goes on as you lay there in bed wondering if this will be your last day on earth.  I'm grateful for the opportunity to tell one of my dear friends how much I love her.  At the same time, my heart ached as I left her room wondering if it would be our last encounter here on earth.

My quilting friends life abruptly changed a few months ago, by one fall.  She was scurrying out the door to make it to church on time, when she caught her shoe on a crack in the cement.  Down she went with nothing to break her fall, but her forehead.  She slammed her head on the corner of the concrete step, whipping her head back in a violent snap.  There she lay, not being able to move.  "This is it", she thought, before calling out for help.  Luckily her Grandson was at her home, because her deaf husband wouldn't have been able to answer her desperate call for help.  "Call 911", she told him, "I'm paralyzed!"  By the time the ambulance got there, she was able to wiggle her toes and her left fingers.  She was diagnosed as suffering a zinger, similar to an injury bull riders often get, being jerked back and forth on a raging bull.  Needless to say, she has spent several weeks in rehab, and is in a confining neck brace.  Gradually, her mobility is returning, but it has been a slow process.  She was readmitted into the hospital yesterday, with a blood clot in her lung.  I was devastated by this news!  She has perfect health, yet a fall can disrupt her life like this.  I immediately fell to my knees to pray for her.  She certainly was blessed with a home health nurse, that was not going to ignore the signs she was showing.  They were able to put her on blood thinner, and she should be able to go home tomorrow.  Of course, she is still in the throws of physical therapy, still working on regaining her fine motor skills and being able to keep her balance.  I hate wake up calls, literally, but this was one for me.

I appreciated all the help that was offered on helping Linda get her garage cleaned out.  But this too, was difficult for me.  I have loved and adored the Stout family.  Seeing Linda struggling to take care of her home and the affairs of her family on her own is hard for me.  Lynn served as our home teacher for years.  He has been such a hard worker.  If we had a ward party, he was there to help do anything he could to help.  He was my angel to lift heavy things, set up tables or whatever I needed help with.  I will always think of the Ward Pine Valley Party as Lynn Stouts.  He would be up there before anyone, setting up, warming coals and preparing to make it easier for everyone.  Linda would always slave over a huge pan of baked beans that everyone looked forward to having.  Now I think of Lynn at the VA House in Ivins, and it breaks my heart.  He served diligently for the United States in Vietnam, and is now paying the price of being exposed to agent orange.

I guess I shouldn't feel blue, I should feel blessed to have known the many people who have touched my life.  If you don't know it, I cherish my friendship with every person in our ward.  We have connections in different ways, but my love for each of you is real.

Thank you for being my friend and my strength!

Video From the General Women's Broadcast

Easter Brunch

Ham biscuit strata is the Italian version of a breakfast casserole.  Chopped ham is combined with leftover biscuits and eggs and baked in the oven.  You can add other ingredients to your strata including olives, roasted red peppers, cheese and fresh herbs.  This is also a great recipe to make with Easter leftovers.

Ham and Biscuit Strata

2 already baked Pillsbury® Grands!® biscuits
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup diced cooked ham
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (2 oz)

Heat oven to 350°F.

Cut each biscuit into 1-inch pieces. In medium bowl, beat eggs, milk and pepper with whisk until blended. Stir in ham, cheese and biscuit pieces. Let stand 5 minutes. Spoon mixture into greased or sprayed 8x4- or 9x5-inch (1 1/2-quart) glass loaf dish.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until edges are light golden brown and center is set. Let stand 5 minutes before serving

Strawberry Shortcake No-Bake Icebox Cake

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! -

RS Birthday Celebration

A great big thank you goes out to all of those who helped us pull off the best attended Relief Society Meeting ever!!!  Bonnie Lewis, Jayne Hoyt, Genine Rowley and the Relief Society Presidency made this event a beautiful night.

We started off the evening with a wonderful meal of Cafe Rio Style Salads.  All enjoyed their meal, while visiting with each other.  The highlight of the meal was topping it off with Zeppes, Green Apple Italian ice topped with creamy custard.  My favorite, I have to say.

Jayne Hoyt, gave a beautiful talk on friendship.  She related her own personal story of friendship, touching the hearts of all there.  Thank you, Jayne, for sharing such a tender story.

We then had a fun game of friendship, speed style.  It was so fun to watch how awkward everyone was at first, and how they tried to rush through the questions.  Then you had some of the Sisters change seats, and the laughing began.  With each switch, the room got louder and the laughter increased.  At the end of the game, new friends were found and they found out a lot about each other that they didn't know.

Thank you to all that support us on our Wednesday Meetings.  We certainly try to do something to benefit the Women in our Ward, we can never find an idea that interests everyone, but we appreciate your support.  Please watch for our next activity.  It will be from our Self Reliance Committee, and these are alway fun.

I love all of you silly girls.  Have a fabulous week!!

A Yummy Recipe

Coconut Crunch Chicken Strips with Creamy Honey-Mango Dipping Sauce (Makes 16 strips, serves 2-4) Ingredients: • Vegetable oil for frying 2 chicken breasts (skinless and boneless), sliced length-wise into 4 strips, then those strips sliced length-wise in half, making a total of 8 strips per breast • Pinch curry powder • Salt • Pepper • Pinch cayenne pepper ½ cup flour 2 eggs 2 cups sweetened, shredded coconut 1 tablespoon chives, finely minced • Creamy, Honey-Mango Dipping Sauce (recipe below) Preparation: -Begin by filling a medium-sized pot about half-way with the vegetable oil (roughly 6-8 cups), and bring the temperature of the oil slowly up to 350° while you prepare the strips. -Place the chicken strips into a bowl, and add the pinch of curry powder, a couple of pinches of salt and pepper, and a pinch or two of cayenne pepper, to the strips; toss the strips to coat them in the seasoning, and set them aside for a moment. -Set up your “coating” station by putting the flour, along with another couple of pinches of salt, pepper and cayenne pepper, into a medium-sized bowl and blending to combine; put the eggs into another medium-sized bowl and beat them, and put the sweetened shredded coconut into another medium-sized bowl; to coat the chicken strips, dredge one strip at a time into the seasoned flour and coat it well; next, dip it into the beaten eggs, and then into the shredded coconut; press the strips into the coconut very well to coat them thoroughly, and place the coated strips onto a plate to hold until all strips have been coated. -To fry the strips, work in batches by adding about 4-5 strips into the hot oil, and allow them to fry for about 1 ½ – 2 minutes, moving them very gently with tongs every now and then, until they are a deep, golden color; remove from oil and place onto a paper towel-lined platter to drain, and sprinkle each batch with a pinch of salt and pepper while they're still hot; repeat the process until all strips have been fried. -Serve the strips hot, garnished with a sprinkle of the minced chives and a side of the Creamy, Honey-Mango Dipping Sauce. Creamy Honey-Mango Dipping Sauce ingredients: ½ cup mayonnaise ½ cup frozen mango chunks, thawed 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves 1 tablespoon honey • Pinch (small) curry powder 3-4 drops Sriracha sauce (add more if you like it a bit more spicy) ½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice Preparation: -Add all ingredients into the bowl of a food processor, and process until completely combined and well-blended; serve immediately, or cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for a couple of days.

These are sweet treats!  Check out these easy heart shaped mini cherry pies. They are a great treat for dessert, a gift for the teacher, or something sweet as an afternoon snack. This recipe is SIMPLE using a refrigerated pie crust! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 box Refrigerated Pie Crust
• 11 oz Cherry Pie Filling
• 1 Egg
• 1 tbsp Milk
• White Sparkling Sugar
• Heart Shaped Cookie Cutter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Using a 3 to 4″ heart shaped cookie cutter, you should get 8-10 pies from 1 box of crusts.
3. Cut as many shapes as you can get re-rolling scraps as needed.
4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
5. Mix together egg and milk to make an egg wash.
6. Place half of the hearts on prepared pan(s).
7. Use egg wash to wet the edges of the hearts.
8. Place a small amount of the pie filling in the center of each.
9. Make a small x cut in the center of the remaining half of the hearts.
10. Place an x heart on top of each filled heart and press and crimp edges.
11. Brush sealed pie with egg wash and dust with sparkling sugar.
12. Bake for 14-16 minutes until crust is browned.
13. Allow to cool.

Upcoming RS Event

After I did my lesson, I had a few of the Sister's ask about the frame I used.  Many of you seemed interested in making a frame of your own, so guess what?  After you have so generously donate your collected pocket change for the Switchpoint shelves, you will have that opportunity. Our February RS meeting will be your chance to paint your very own.  I have researched the cost, and it will $15.00, this will cover everything.  We will have the talents of Carol Burgess on how to paint them and make them have the rustic charm you want.  Please let me know asap if you are interested.  We will need to assemble these, so we need some lead time.  Don't fret though, if you aren't interested in doing a frame, you can come and work on a humanitarian quilt.  Our monthly activities have certainly turned into quite a social event.  We always allow plenty of time for visiting and sisterhood.  Be sure to spread the word.  This event will be on February 17th at 6:30.  I'm sure we will have a good and possibly prizes!!!  I can't even express my gratitude to all of the support we receive, if you haven't been to one of our meetings, you really need to check it out.  We have so much fun!!!  Love you and be sure to let me know if you want to do a frame.

Here's to a Year of Miracles!

Sister's, I am excited to share the upcoming year with each of you.  We will be welcoming new Sister's to our little flock and, hopefully, not saying goodbye to any.  We are finally experiencing winter storms to replenish our water supply.  So our gardens should prosper this summer.  Don't forget our activity on Wednesday, January 20th, on garden boxes and how to do your own starts.  This will be a hands on class, taught by Ada Cox from 6th Ward.  She is an amazing lady, that make everything pertaining to self reliance seem fascinating!  A real sweetheart.  There will be a delicious garden dessert, and of course prizes for the gardner.  It will be at 6:30 in the Young Women's Room.  Bring someone that hasn't been in a while, I'm sure they will love this class.
In keeping with a year of miracles, I wanted to share a recipe, that is sure to amaze you!

COME HOME TO A FABULOUS MEAL - SUPER SIMPLE!!!!!

heart emoticon MIRACLE CROCKPOT MEATLOAF heart emoticon 

INGREDIENTS

2lbs extra lean ground beef
1lbs pork sausage
2 eggs
1/2 cup of milk
1 cup cracker crumbs
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp dried parsley
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 medium onion diced

DIRECTIONS

Add all ingredients in large bowl and mix until well combined. Spray the inside of your crockpot with pam spray. Place meat mixture in crocpot forming a "loaf". Wrap potatoes in foil and place around meatloaf, as pictured.

Set your crockpot to low for 8-10 hours.



Enjoy!  Love you, Connee