Come... Enjoy a Treat With Us!

We hope the sisters of the stake did not feel the least bit shortchanged without the dinner we have always held in years past...

We simplified in order to be able to have time & funds to offer service as a stake.

However, there was a little something for everyone's sweet (or savory) tooth after the Chapel Meeting.

Semi-circles of chairs were set up so we could "sit together"...

Pam McCarty - our food chairman - worked with representatives
from each ward to come up with 8 different "treat-in-a-cup"offerings.
Each ward arrived with a work of art ready-to-serve!  

Thank you to the food committee: 

Holly Johnson, Aleene Alder, Vicky Cushing, Sally Bennett, Val Doria, Kelli Noorda, 
Holly Holmes, Mandy Oras, Christine Farnsworth, Betty Morrison 

The committee addressed almost every possible need (gluten & dairy intolerance, 

sugar-free, nut allergies, etc...)  There was something for everyone.  

For the recipes, keep scrolling - or click HERE.

The cups were easy to hold - and there was ample time to visit, sit down and chat, or take a treat home on the run!  

Again - as always - we could not do it without our wonderful Priesthood brethren.  Thanks to Mike Wilson - our High Council representative to the Relief Society, and all the wonderful members of the High Council and Stake Presidency who set the food out, helped with parking, and assisted us in so many ways!  We love you!

We love you sisters, and hope you went home with a spring in your step!

Women's Conference Dinner & Recipes

Pat Wilkins was the chairman of the food committee.  These women who cheerfully served (for hours) in the kitchen gave us a feast for the eyes!  (You'll find the recipes at the bottom of this post)

Strawberry Salad with Pecans & Feta Cheese  

Dressing: 

6 Tbs white wine vinegar

4 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil

2 Tbs sugar

Kosher salt and pepper

Salad:  

2 quarts strawberries, hulled and halved

12 cups spring mix salad greens  (This is equivalent to the large spring mix in the plastic container at Costco) 

1 C. pecans, toasted and chopped  (*recipe for pecans follows)

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

2 Tbs chopped fresh dill  (or 1 tsp dried)

Whisk together vinegar, oil, & sugar.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Toss strawberries, greens, pecans, feta and dill with dressing.  Toss all salad ingredients, then add the dressing at the last minute before serving.

Toasted Sugared Pecans

1 lb pecans

2 egg whites

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup sugar

Whisk together egg whites and salt until frothy.  Coat pecans with egg white mixture, then coat with the sugar.  Spread thinly on a cookie sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Bake at 250° for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.  Chop if desired before adding to salad.

Mustard Potatoes AuGratin 

Ingredients:

32 oz bag *southern style frozen hash browns (don’t use shredded)  
onion salt - a generous amount (don’t be timid)

salt & pepper to taste

1/4 cup dijon mustard

1 pint whipping cream (do not whip)

1 pint half & half cream

3 cups grated cheddar cheese (or cheddar jack)

2 to 3 fresh green onions - thinly sliced with some of the tender green tops

Directions:

In a deep 9" x 13" pan - layer half of the potatoes, salt/pepper/onion salt, sliced green onion, and cheese.  Repeat layers.  Now combine the half & half with the whipping cream, blending in the dijon mustard till smooth.  Pour over the top - it should cover the potatoes entirely.  Do not cover during baking.  Bake at 325 degrees for about two hours.  It will not look milky any longer - it will resemble cottage cheese in texture.   *Do not stir! They will have a browned “crust” on top, (and you may think you’ve ruined them) - but they are delicious. 

Death by Chocolate Dessert  

Ingredients:

1 box Devils Food Cake Mix

1 small box of Chocolate Fudge Instant Pudding mix

1 C. dairy sour cream (not low calorie or fat-free)

1 C. milk chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Mix cake mix as directed on box, then (at this point) add pudding and sour cream; mix well.  Gently stir in chocolate chips.

Spray 9” bundt pan GENEROUSLY with non-stick cooking spray.   Pour mixed cake into pan.  Bake 50 minutes.  Cool 5 minutes and then remove cake onto a cooling rack.  

Serve slices of cooled cake drizzled with hot fudge, caramel, and a dollop of whipped cream.



Food Committee:

Chairman: Pat Wilkins   Committee members: Kathy DeMille, Wendy Lambert, Darolyn Bankhead, Tiffiny Burton, Joanna Wood, Julie Evans, Sheril Bowers, Jeanette Meisenbacher, Beth Spitzer, Tiffany Rawlings.  Additional sisters who offered their assistance:  Helen Montano, Ligia Galhardo, Susan Burton

General Women's Meeting Broadcast & Dinner

We were happy to have so many sisters attend the General Women's Meeting Broadcast & Dinner this past Saturday evening.   We estimate there were over 300 of our dear sisters of the River Stake in attendance.  It was delightful to hear the 'buzz' of happy voices enjoying a nice meal and the opportunity to visit with each other.


It's a little taste of heaven to enjoy something lovingly prepared by someone else, and many of you commented on the delicious variety they were able to choose from.  There were several requests for the recipes, and we have contacted each sister who generously donated their time and talents to see if they would be willing to have their recipes posted here.


We are beginning to see recipes coming in, so we will post them in groups as they arrive.  Here is the first group we have received:




Olive Garden Pasta E Fagioli  (serves 6-8)

1 lb super-lean ground beef
1 15oz can tomato sauce
1 sm onion, diced (1 cup)
1 12oz can V-8 juice
1 lrg carrot, julienned (1 cup)
1 Tbl white vinegar
3 stalks celery, chopped (1 cup)
1 ½ tsp salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes
1 tsp dried basil
1 15oz can red kidney beans (with liquid)
½ tsp pepper
1 15oz can great northern beans (with liquid)
½ tsp dried thyme

1/2 lb (1/2 package) ditali pasta (salad-roni)

Brown the ground beef in a very large saucepan or soup pit over medium heat.  Drain off the fat.  Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic and simmer for 10 minutes.  Add the remaining ingredients, except the pasta, and simmer for 1 hour.  About 50 minutes into the simmer time, cook pasta until al dente.  Add the pasta to the large pot of soup.  Simmer for 5 minutes and serve.  (We add the pasta in the individual bowls.  This keeps it separate so the noodles don’t get soggy if there are leftovers)

--Cindy Weeks, 5th ward

Taco Soup 

(The amazing soup that somehow was put on the stove and left unattended, which then burned.  Will you forgive us Mary?)

taken from Taste of Home Best of Country Cooking 2005 Book

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1 large onion, chopped

1 can(15 ounces) pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) stewed tomatoes

1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes and green chilies

1 can (10 ounces) chili without beans

1 pound process cheese (Velveeta), cubed

Salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste

2 cups (16 ounces) sour cream, divided

In a Dutch oven or soup kettle, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.  Add the beans, tomatoes, chili, cheese and seasonings.  Reduce heat to low; cook and stir until cheese is melted.  Stir in 1 cup sour cream; heat through (do not boil).  Garnish with remaining sour cream.  Yield:3-1/4 quarts.

River 2nd Ward - Mary Ballard

Tomato Gorgonzola Soup

Serves 8  (I doubled this to fill the large crock pot)

• 
  
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 large red onion, diced
• 1 cup red bell pepper, diced
• 4 cloves cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 pound cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
• 3 cups tomato juice
• 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 2 teaspoons white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, pepper, and garlic; cook and stir 4 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
2. Add the cheeses, cream, and milk; heat mixture until cheeses melt and the mixture is simmering.  
3. Stir in the tomatoes (including their liquid), tomato juice, basil, sugar, and pepper. Continue to simmer mixture for 15 to 20 minutes while stirring constantly. Do not boil.  If you want to make it smooth, process in batches in a food processor, blender, or try a hand blender directly in the cooking pot.  

Laurel Giles - 3rd Ward

Taco Soup
1 lb ground beef
1 can (16 oz) corn
1 can (28 oz) stewed tomatoes
1 can kidney beans (can add 2)
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 onion, chopped
1 pkg. dry taco seasoning mix

Cook ground beef and onions, then drain grease.  Stir the taco seasoning into the meat.  Mix in remaining ingredients.  Bring the soup to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 15-30 minutes to blend flavors.  Serve with grated cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips. 

Barbara Sweat - 9th Ward

Apple Crisp

16 apples , peeled and sliced

1/2 C sugar

1 C boiling water

Place apple slices in a 9x13" pan.  sprinkle sugar over top, and pour boiling water over the apples.

In another bowl, mix:

1 C flour

1 1/2 C sugar

1/2 t salt

1/2 t cinnamon

1 C pecans, chopped

2 C graham cackers, crushed 'til coarse (but not fine)

1 C butter, melted

Add melted butter to top of mixture.  Mix 'til all is moistened with butter.  sprinkle mixture over apples.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Let set for 25 minutes.

Enjoy! 

Suzanne Eddington - 8th Ward

Women's Conference 2010 Recipes...

We've had many requests for recipes for the meal served at this year's Women's Conference. Thanks to Diane Kenison (our Food Chair) for sharing these with us...

Enjoy!

Brown & Wild Rice

1 pkg Brown & Wild Rice  

2 medium onions, diced

1 cup Minute Rice  

1 cup carrots, grated

1/2 cup butter, melted  

1/4 cup parsley, chopped

2 cups celery, finely diced

In separate pans, prepare both kinds of rice according to their package directions. Set aside. In a large skillet, melt butter and add all the prepared vegetables. Saute' until tender. Combine all ingredients and put in a baking dish. Cover and place in 350 degree oven to heat through, if necessary.

Salad with Fruit

2 10-oz bags romaine lettuce

1 15-oz can mandarin oranges, well drained

1/4 red onion, thinly sliced and quartered

1 cup red or green grapes, cut in half if large

2 cups berries (i.e. - raspberries, sliced strawberries, blackberries)

Separate onion layers.  Gently toss all ingredients.  Refrigerate.

Additional ingredient ideas:  sliced avocado, chopped nuts, cheese.  

* Optional - fresh oranges peeled, sliced, and sectioned.

(The yummy chicken was catered commercially, so we do not have that recipe...)

Hello Dolly Squares

3/4 cup butter, melted  

1-1/2 cups flaked coconut

2-1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs  

1 cup chopped walnuts, optional

1 12-oz pkg semi-sweet chocolate chips  

1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk

Lightly spray 9" x 13" baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, combine butter and graham cracker crumbs. Press crumb mixture evenly into bottom of prepared baking dish. Spread chocolate chips, coconut, and nuts evenly over crumbs. Drizzle sweetened condensed milk on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Allow to cool for 25 minutes, then cut into squares. Cool completely and serve.

From the 8th Ward - "Grandmother's Apron"

I felt like I literally had "Christmas" today when I found a folder from Myrl Breinholt (8th Ward) on my porch. In it is a CD entitled "Cooking From My Pantry" that has a wealth of information to answer literally any question you may have about living on what we store (or SHOULD be storing!)

There were also two copies of their "Cooking From Your Pantry" newsletter - what great information!

I have seen their fun displays as I've been at my meetings in the red building for the past several months - but now I know what their theme really entails. Here is just a snippet of what they are doing:

Back to Basics is our goal this year using Grandmother's Apron as the vehicle. We will be teaching cooking things from scratch, repairing, and reusing.

Each month we will be having all of our enrichment activities on the same night in the same place - the second Tuesday at the Church. We hope this will give sisters consistency and greater fellowship.

Our kickoff was on Jan 13 with a reader's theater including memories about our grandmothers, poems and a song written by Julie Dibble. Suzanne Roberts demonstrated her delicious dinner rolls.

Each month we will be having a short game of "Are you smarter than your grandmother?" including fun facts from days gone by that introduce our activity for the evening. February will be another cooking class featuring frosting recipes and cookie and cake decorating.

March is our service auction. Each sister has received a list of ways to earn currency for the auction. Some of them include things like arriving at Sacrament Meeting on time and getting Visiting Teaching done by the 15th of the month. Each sister will tally up her score and use the points as currency to "buy" service from another sister.

There is a dress form on the RS table with an apron containing weekly challenges and Grandmother sayings. All of these things are to focus on the wisdom and skills of the past that we need to use to be more self sufficient.

There will continue to be a Cooking From Your Pantry newsletter every month available on the RS table featuring suggestions and information for emergency preparedness.

If you would like a copy of Myrl's CD - I am happy to make one for you. Please email me at appetersen@comcast.net and I'll get that to you.

Coming next from the 8th Ward - their monthly humanitarian project at Enrichment Meeting for the sisters to participate in or to take home. (I'll be contacting her to get information, or she is welcome to post it here also)