Roots Tech Gem

Savor Your Family Recipes

https://familysearch.org/recipes?icid=bl-sps-5756

One Bowl Monster Cookies

One-Bowl Monster M&M Cookies

prep 15 mins

cook 20 mins

total 35 mins

author mel's kitchen cafe

yield 2-4 dozen cookies, depending on size

Keep in mind that if you want the cookies to be safely gluten-free, make sure your oats are certified gluten-free (it will say on the package if they are). Speaking of oats, several commenters have successfully used old-fashioned oats (the cookies may spread a bit more). Or you could take your old-fashioned oats and process them lightly in a blender before using (measure after they have been blended a bit). 

Also, lots of times when I make these, I sub in different kinds of chips. Peanut butter chips are dreamy (in addition to or in place of M&Ms or part of the chocolate chips). Finally, many of you commented you've gotten a lot more than 2-3 dozen cookies out of this batch and that's because you make your cookies small and I make mine not-small. Sometimes, I use my #40 medium cookie scoop which is about 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons but a lot of time, I grab the #20 scoop which is 3 tablespoons or more. I mean, we're going for monster cookie here, right?

Ingredients

• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups (9.25 ounces) packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup (7.5 ounces) granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) creamy peanut butter
• 1 stick butter (8 tablespoons, 4 ounces), softened
• 4 1/2 cups (18 ounces) quick cooking oats (double check oats are gluten-free if making gluten-free cookies)
• 1 cup (8 ounces) M&Ms
• 1 cup (6 ounces) milk chocolate, semisweet, or bittersweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper, silpat liners or lightly grease with cooking spray.
2. In a large mixing bowl with a handheld electric mixer (or in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), add the eggs, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Mix well.
3. Add the salt, baking soda, vanilla, peanut butter and butter. Mix until creamy and well combined, 1-2 minutes.
4. Stir in the oatmeal, M&Ms, and chocolate chips until combined. The dough will be sticky.
5. Scoop the dough into heaping tablespoon-sized balls (see note above) and place about 2 inches apart on the cookie sheets. If you want the cookies thinner, flatten them slightly with the palm of your hand.
6. Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes. Don't overbake - the cookies should just be set and very lightly golden around the edges.
7. Let the cookies sit for 1-2 minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store in a airtight container for 2 days (the baked cookies freeze well, also).

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