Need a break from finals?

Come visit some free local events going on in the Provo Valley.  They make great date ideas, family home evenings, or just a way to relax during the Holiday rush.

Ice Carving!
Thanksgiving Point: Water Tower Plaza
Tomorrow! (Dec 17th) 6:30pm-7:30pm

Springville's Museum of Art
Museum Hours: Tues-Sat 10am-5pm, Wed 10am-9pm & Sun 3pm-6pm. Closed Monday and Holidays

Provo City Library Ballroom "A Christmas Carol"
Dec 22nd at 7PM
Drama Teacher Dane Allred performs a one-man telling of the classic Christmas Carol story!

Relief Society Lesson

This weeks lesson comes from the Teaching of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Fielding Smith. Chapter 20: Love and Concern for All Our Father’s Children.

Follow the link to read the Lesson: https://www.lds.org/manual/teachings-of-presidents-of-the-church-joseph-fielding-smith/chapter-20-love-and-concern-for-all-our-fathers-children?lang=eng

Allie Hales began her lesson by sharing an article written by a non-LDS writer who came to visit BYU, The article is called “The Trick to Being More Virtuous” and can be found at http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/28/opinion/the-trick-to-being-more-virtuous.html?_r=0 The writer talks about how a BYU briefcase had a major effect on his behavior. “I found that I was acting more cheerfully and courteously than I ordinarily would… I was unconsciously trying to live up to the high standards of Mormon kindness, or at least not besmirch that well earned reputation.” The writer continues to talk about moral elevation and the trick to being more virtuous.

So thinking about this experience the non-member had trying to represent Mormon kindness, why do you think Mormons are so kind and so helpful?

Some answers from comments in class:

• To love others is the second great commandment. and we try to live our commandments
• We have our Prophet Thomas S. Monson’s example and counsel which centers around service and love for others
• We have Christ as our Ultimate example, and He is the greatest example of service
• Members have a unique perspective. We believe we use to all live together before, and we are all brothers and sisters.

Following the story and discussion we went on to talk about the following from teachings of Joseph Fielding Smith.

1. With the Knowledge that God is the Father of all People, we Desire to Love and Bless others
1. “I think if all men knew and understood who they are, and were aware of the divine source from whence they came, and of the infinite potential that is part of their inheritance, they would have feelings of kindness and kinship for each other that would change their whole way of living and bring peace on earth.”
2. How has this knowledge changed you and how you act?
2. As we Love and Support One Another in the Church, We Become a Power in the World for Good
1. Matt 5:16 “Let your Light so Shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your father which is in heaven”
2. “We have not reached a condition of perfection yet, it is hardly to be expected that we will in this life, and yet, through the aid of the Holy Ghost, it is possible for us to stand united together seeing eye to eye and overcoming our sins and imperfections. If we will do this, respecting all the commandments of the Lord, we shall be a power in the world for good”
3. How can we become a power for good in the world?
3. We Express Love for our Fellowmen by Serving Them
1. “Our mission is to all the world—for the peace, and hope, and happiness, and temporal and eternal salvation of all of our Father’s children. … With all my powers of persuasion I urge this people to continue to reach out and bless the lives of all our Father’s children everywhere.”
2. How can we serve others?
4. We Need to Appreciate and Love People for Themselves
1. Junie The Horse. Junie was stubborn and would out-smart Joseph Fielding by letting herself out of her stall. However the horse was reliable and dependable and took Joseph Fielding’s mother where she needed to go every time.
2. “She was a wonderful horse with only a couple of bad habits. People are a lot the same way. None of us is perfect; yet each of us is trying to become perfect, even as our Father in heaven. We need to appreciate and love people for themselves.”
3. Can you remember the time you felt unconditional love? How did you feel?
5. When we Love The Lord With all our Hearts and our Neighbors as Ourselves, we are in Harmony with all Sacred Law
1. Matthew 22: 37-40
2. “ If we love the Lord with all the heart, with all the soul, and with all the mind, and our neighbors as ourselves, then there is nothing more to be desired. Then we will be in harmony with the total of sacred law.”

Mini Chicken Pot Pies

 I love simple recipes! Mini Chicken Pot pies are easy to make, they are delicious, and they are super cute! This is a great idea for an appetizer, finger food at a party, Include at your next Christmas gathering. The Video is great and will step you through how to make the mini Pot Pies, and below I have included the recipe.

Ingredients:

Chicken Mixture

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup frozen peas and carrots
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground thyme
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)

Baking Mixture

1/2 cup Bisquick Mix
1/2 cup Milk
2 eggs

Directions

1) Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 12 regular-size muffin cups with cooking spray.

2) 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in oil 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink in center. Add onion and chicken broth; heat to simmering. Add frozen vegetables and seasonings. Heat until hot, stirring occasionally until almost all liquid is absorbed. Cool 5 minutes; stir in cheese.

3)In medium bowl, stir baking mixture ingredients with whisk or fork until blended. Spoon 1 scant tablespoon baking mixture into each muffin cup. Top with about 1/4 cup chicken mixture. Spoon 1 tablespoon baking mixture onto chicken mixture in each muffin cup.

4)Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. With thin knife, loosen sides of pies from pan; remove from pan and place top sides up on cooling rack. Cool 10 minutes longer, and serve.

Recipe and video can be found at http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/impossibly-easy-mini-chicken-pot-pies/9a1006cf-5b40-4c87-acd8-9c3436210129

Meet Sydney Bruce!!

Meet Sydney Bruce!

Sydney has been in our ward since August of this year. She is currently working at KT Tape in Lindon and is studying Pre-Management at BYU. She is planning on applying to the Recreation Management program in the Fall of this next year. 

Aside from work and school, Sydney of course has a wonderful husband who she met when her best friend became friends with her husband during her Freshman year at BYU. On her first day in Utah before Summer term began, she saw him riding his long board through the Riviera parking lot. He stopped to say hi to her friend and ended up giving Sydney a hug, and we all know what happened after that! They were married in the Nauvoo Temple shortly after :)

Sydney loves to craft and decorate, and she and her husband love outdoor activities like hiking!

Her favorite food is sweet potatoes or spaghetti, or basically anything with carbs or cottage cheese :)

Two of her favorite movies are, 500 Days of Summer, and Tangled.

Her favorite book is, The Promise

and Her favorite TV Shows are, The Bachelor and Bachelorette, Modern Family, Shark Tank and Ellen.

One of her and her husbands favorite things to do is visit the temple each week, and they love company!

We're so glad to have Sydney in our ward and hopefully you all learned something fun you didn't know!

Look for more spotlights about our sisters every week on Thursday!

Relief Society Lesson

This Sunday's Relief Society Lesson was about Visiting Teaching and what we can do to help make it a greater priority in our lives.

A Few weeks ago Elder Packer gave a talk in Regional Conference about taking the time to conduct a personal interview with ourselves.  His thoughts were in harmony with a previous speaker as we were encouraged to examine the intentions of our hearts.

What do you want for yourself and for your family?
What are you doing so that you can reach those goals?

As our amazing Relief Society President (Kristina) taught the lesson she put 3 question on the board and asked each of us to ponder them:

  1 - Where am I Spiritually?
  2 - Where are my areas that need improvement?
  3 - What will I do this week to improve one of these areas?

Many of the quotes used in class came from President Uchtdorf's Talk "Lord, is it I?" This amazing talk portrays the Apostles introspection during the last supper when the Savior said that He would be betrayed by one of them. Instead of pointing fingers at the men around them, these ordained Apostles looked at themselves and asked "Lord, is it I?"

When we find it difficult to do something the Lord asks of us we should not look for someone to blame or external factors to excuse our behavior.

The last bit of relief society was spent discussing how we can balance doing all we are asked to do without overloading ourselves. Some of the wonderful advice given include:

•   Don't feel Overwhelmed
•   Know that your priorities may change overtime, especially after you have a baby
•   Don't focus on what you're NOT doing. Focus on what you ARE doing
•   Give yourself credit for the little things you do each day
•   The Adversary is trying to get you to doubt yourself
•   Write down a list of what is most important to do that day, and then do it in that order.

The Reason Behind Christmas

I wanted to share this video to remind us about the true meaning of Christmas and this time of year. This time of year can be very stressful because of school, work, and sometimes our families.

It's easy to forget about Christmas and Christ's Gift of the Atonement when we are busy with finals, caring for our families, concerned with getting that perfect gift for our spouse, family, and friends, or concerned with the difficulties we face everyday.

Our lives are stressful and full of difficulties. BUT whatever our situation, whatever our difficulty, we have a Savior who knows us and can help us through what ever trial we may face. He loves us and is ready to give us comfort and strength in our times of need. We need Him, and we need His love, and we need Him to carry us through this stressful time, and I know He will continue to carry us when ever we need for the rest of our lives.

It is my hope that through this season we will remember to look to Him and remember that He is The Greatest Gift.

Video from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugV6QGcafEE

Mom's Famous Pumpkin Pie

This is the best pumpkin pie recipe you'll ever make!  It's a recipe my mother had passed down to her and has been in my family forever.  But since this relief society is so amazing, I'd love to share the secret with you!

Mom's Famous Pumpkin Pie:
   - 2 Eggs
   - 16 oz Pumpkin
   - 3/4 Cup Sugar
   - 1/2 tsp Salt
   - 1 tsp Cinnamon
   - 1/2 tsp Nutmeg
   - 1/4 tsp Cloves
   - 1 Can Sweetened Condensed Milk

Mix all ingredients together until smooth and pour into pie pans.  Bake at 350 for 40-50 Minutes, or until you can stab it with a knife and it comes out clean.

Tip: If you're really into the holiday spirit you can try baking pumpkin in the oven and blending up the cooked mash instead of using canned pumpkin.  It makes the pie taste even better!

Tip: For Pumpkin Custard make the exact same recipe and just pour it into a greased pan instead of a pie crust.  This is great if you don't want to worry about making or buying crust and tastes just as good with cool whip on top.

Easiest DIY Christmas Wreath!

This is literally the easiest and possibly least expensive DIY wreath you will ever make. All you need are some ornaments from the dollar store, a wire hanger, and some ribbon. THAT'S IT! Just click on the link below for easy step by step instructions. Great gift idea too!

Beautiful Made Easy Blogspot

Be Prepared 11/30

Preparedness:

The  head of the Preparedness Committee gave us some great advice:

• Prepare now while things are peaceful.In Alma 15, Moroni instructed the Nephites to build fortifications against the Lamanites BEFORE they were attacked.

• Get out of debt. One for the Money, published by the Church, is a helpful guide to money management.

• Store food and clothing and save money so you won't be destitute in hard times.

• Prepare spiritually as well: pay tithing, repent, and try to follow the commandments.

Family History Work:

Zack and Callie Smith talked about their committee, Temple and Family History Work. Here is a summary of what they told us:

• Family history is for everyone, not just "old people." We're the ones who have grown up with the Internet.

• Get kids involved by telling family history stories at bedtime

• When we redeem our ancestors we are redeeming ourselves at the same time. Not enough to just go to the temple and do work for people who are not our ancestors.

• Our ward goal is for every ward member to take a family name to the temple

• We also have great stake goals as well--ask the bishop if you'd like a copy.

• Committee members can come to your home to do help you do family history work if you would like!

The work is easy now because of familysearch.org, ancestry.com. findmypast.com, myheritage.com, and puzzilla.org (all of these sites are now free with your LDS login!)

Bishopric Message:

• Use the LDS Tools app for the ward directory, info about callings, and events, birthdays, etc. 

• If you don't a have a smart phone, use lds.org for the same features.

• Also, the Gospel Library app is really great to have because it gives you access to the scriptures, manuals, Church magazines, etc. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Dear sisters,

 

Roast turkey, scrumptious pies, freshly brewed cider, vegetables and fruits galore, and golden baked goodies align the table. As the toast to Thanksgiving is raised, let's take a moment to reflect and be thankful to the Lord for blessing us with so much and making us able.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

"Roast Turkey, scrumptious pies, freshly brewed cider, vegetables and fruits galore and golden baked goodies align the table...
as the toast to Thanksgiving is raised..let's take a moment to reflect and
be thankful to the Lord for blessing us with so much and for making us able." - See more at: http://www.dgreetings.com/thanksgiving/thanksgiving-messages.html#sthash.cbJkHwx1.dpuf

"Roast Turkey, scrumptious pies, freshly brewed cider, vegetables and fruits galore and golden baked goodies align the table...
as the toast to Thanksgiving is raised..let's take a moment to reflect and
be thankful to the Lord for blessing us with so much and for making us able." - See more at: http://www.dgreetings.com/thanksgiving/thanksgiving-messages.html#sthash.cbJkHwx1.dpuf

"Roast Turkey, scrumptious pies, freshly brewed cider, vegetables and fruits galore and golden baked goodies align the table...
as the toast to Thanksgiving is raised..let's take a moment to reflect and
be thankful to the Lord for blessing us with so much and for making us able." - See more at: http://www.dgreetings.com/thanksgiving/thanksgiving-messages.html#sthash.cbJkHwx1.dpuf

"Roast Turkey, scrumptious pies, freshly brewed cider, vegetables and fruits galore and golden baked goodies align the table...
as the toast to Thanksgiving is raised..let's take a moment to reflect and
be thankful to the Lord for blessing us with so much and for making us able." - See more at: http://www.dgreetings.com/thanksgiving/thanksgiving-messages.html#sthash.cbJkHwx1.dpuf

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Ooey Gooey Butter Cake

For all of you chocolate and peanut butter lovers out there here's a recipe to add to your collection!

Ingredients

Cake
• 1 German Chocolate Cake Mix
• 1/2 cup butter - melted
• 1 egg
2nd Layer
• 8 Peanut Butter Cups - large one
• 3 small Butterfinger Candy Bars
Cream Cheese Layer
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 4 cups confectionery sugar
Chocolate topping
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, 325 degrees if using a glass pan.

Combine the cake mix, egg and butter together. Beat until it is combined. Spray a 9 x 12 pan with cooking spray and then put the cake mix layer over the bottom. Pat it down.

Cut the large peanut butter cups into 4 pieces. Roughly chop the Butterfingers. Spread evenly over the cake layer.

Combine the cream cheese, vanilla and peanut butter together until combined. Add the eggs one at a time and mix them in. Add the butter. When this is all combined together add the confectionery sugar. Spread evenly over the candy bar layer.

Bake for about 50 minutes. I used a glass pan and it took just over an hour. The mixture will be puffed up in the center when done. It will jiggly just slightly. Remove from oven and let cool.

Melt the chocolate for 1 minute in the microwave. Add the oil. Stir until combined. Spread over the top of the cream cheese layer.

Recipe by Mary Ellen - http://recipesfoodandcooking.com/2014/10/21/chocolate-peanut-butter-ooey-gooey-butter-cake/

Free Performing Art Concerts at BYU this month!

Want to go to a fancy concert without paying anything?  Check out BYUart's homepage for tons of free Student Recitals and concerts. They have a calendar of all concerts, some of which cost but many are free! Some upcoming FREE concerts include:

Nov 22nd 7:30pm: 169 Richards Building - Senior Dance Project Showcase

Nov 25th 7:30pm: Madsen Recital Hall - Student Recital Yeri Kim performs a String Recital

Dec 6th 7:00pm: Madsen Recital Hall - Harp Solo & Ensemble

Check it out at: http://arts.byu.edu/calendar/

Relief Society Lesson 11/16

In the World but Not of It

Hello, ladies! 

We had a great Relief Society lesson by Allie Hales yesterday about being a part of the world and interacting with others without becoming worldly ourselves. 

Love Others and Live with Differences

One sister made a comment that reminded me of Elder Oaks's last conference talk, "Loving Others and Living with Differences," in which he said,

 "We are to live in the world but not be of the world. We must live in the world because, as Jesus taught in a parable, His kingdom is 'like leaven,' whose function is to raise the whole mass by its influence. His followers cannot do that if they associate only with those who share their beliefs and practices. But the Savior also taught that if we love Him, we will keep His commandments."

"Don't Retreat Behind Your White Picket Fence"

How can we live our standards and follow the Lord without closeting ourselves away from the world? One sister said it's tempting to shelter in our homes with our families behind our white picket fences. It's easier and less scary that way. But the Lord wants us to serve and lift others and bring them to Him, and we can't do that by hiding.

Instead of getting confrontational and contentious with others who disagree with us, we must always be loving and kind toward them. Instead of getting caught up over points of doctrine, we should simply say that we know the Church is true and invite people to find out more about us. 

Distinct and Different in Happy Ways

Allie quoted from the lesson part of a talk from President Kimball:

"Much of the major growth that is coming to the Church in the last days will come because many of the good women of the world (in whom there is often such an inner sense of spirituality) will be drawn to the Church in large numbers. This will happen to the degree that the women of the Church reflect righteousness and articulateness in their lives and to the degree that the women of the Church are seen as distinct and different—in happy ways—from the women of the world."

Let's all keep working on strengthening others and being an example of the Lord to others this week!
 

2014 Pumpkin Parade!!

Its the annual Pumpkin Parade at The Shops at the Riverwoods!

Saturday October 25 from 4-9PM 

Local artists will be turning pumpkins and squash into creative, cute and captivating displays! Join them for hayrides, face painting, and trick-or-treating throughout the shops. 

Enjoy the shops and then head on over to the ward Halloween party at 6:30!

Best Ever Pumpkin Pancakes

I can't tell you how excited I've been to share this recipe with you all. I'm one of those pumpkin crazies that as soon as the autumn chill sets in, everything I make has some sort or pumpkin in it. These pancakes are the perfect light fluffy concoctions to add to your Saturday morning as you snuggle with your hunny!

Ingredients

HOT CIDER SYRUP
3/4 cup apple juice
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

PANCAKES
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs separated
1 cup milk
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons canola oil

Directions
SYRUP
In a large saucepan, combine the syrup ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until slightly thickened. Let stand for a few minutes before serving

PANCAKES
In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients. In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks, milk, pumpkin and oil until smooth. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. In a small bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form; fold into batter.

Pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a hot greased pan or griddle. Flip when bubbles form on top of pancakes. Cook until golden. Serve with syrup

Yields
15 pancakes
Recipe from Taste of Home Cooking

Be patient when these are cooking, they cook slower than regular pancakes and if you flip them to soon you'll be eating pumpkin mush which nobody likes :) I used to half recipes this large because it's to much for my husband and I but I recently discovered that if you let the leftover pancakes cool completely and then freeze them in a zip loc bag, they make a perfect quick breakfast, just pop them in the toaster and you're all set! (I do the same thing with waffles)

The Bridge Builder

This is one of President Monson's favorite poems. It is such a good reminder to constantly be thinking about and helping others. We never know who we will influence, but let us be influences for good and watch out for each other. Like Elder Holland said, "I may not be my brother's keeper, but I am my brother's brother". (October 2014 General Conference, Are We Not All Beggars?)

Free Baby Expo This Saturday

This Saturday (Oct 18th)  the Utah Valley Convention Center is holding a free baby expo! It's a short walk away, located at 220 West Center Street.

This is a great place to find out about many of the services (many of them free) Provo has to offer to pregnant mothers, moms who already have kids, or even if you're just thinking about having a baby.

On top of all the good information you can also get a bunch of free stuff at the expo!  Come check it out!

Creamy Blueberry Pie

This is the best blueberry pie I have ever had! It literally took me 10 minutes to put together, but tastes like I spent hours on it. This is a winner! Click on the link to get the recipe!

Creamy Blueberry Pie

All My Life - Gardiner Sisters (Official Music Video)

Hey girls! It's time for an inspirational post and I thought this music video was perfect. These are LDS sisters that started singing as little girls and now they write their own music and do covers as well. I listen to them on you tube while I'm cleaning the house because all of there music is clean and uplifting! Anyway, this song is based on the true story of an older couple and it made me cry. Music like this makes me want to try harder to make my marriage a lasting and loving one like this. Enjoy!

General Conference Is Coming!

General Conference is coming this weekend.  This is a wonderful time to be spiritually filled by the Lord's Anointed Prophet and Apostles.  You can make Conference even more meaningful by writing down some question you have in your life and listening for the answers during the sessions.  I still remember the talk Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin gave back in 2008 that has answered many of my personal questions! Below are some of the highlights of that talk:

How do you prepare for General Conference?

Women's Self Defense Workshop (Free)

What: Tigress Women's Self Defense offers free classes every Saturday!

When: Saturday October 4th 7-8 PM

Where: Provo ATA Martial Arts - 1136 East 930 South #9 Provo, UT 84606

Cost: FREE!!

Who: All women 16 years and older - these classes are also appropriate for pregnant women!

Read more about it and register for the class by clicking on the link below:

Tigress Women's Self Defense

Take your friends and family members!

Old-fashioned Chicken N' Biscuits

Happy Friday! I don't know about everyone else, but by Friday, I'm tired and the last thing I want to do is cook, not to mention it's the end of the month and lets just say meals get a little interesting on the last week. This recipe is quick easy, has plenty of veggies and doesn't use many ingredients (assuming you have spices, chicken and veggies on hand). There are so many ways to make this super easy and change it up. I tend to cook a lot of chicken and then shred and freeze it which made this a breeze, I also wasn't in the mood to make the homemade biscuits and I had some Bisquick on hand which made this a 30 minute meal and who doesn't love that :)  Hope you enjoy! My pic wouldn't post, I know it's always better with a photo sorry!

Old-fashioned Chicken N' Biscuits

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped

2 T canola oil

1/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp pepper

2 and 1/2 cups milk

1 T Worcestershire sauce

1 package (16 oz) frozen mixed vegetables

2 cups cubed cooked chicken

2 T grated Parmesan cheese (I don't always have this because it's pricey, you can use whatever you have and it will be just as good)

(I don't think this makes enough biscuit for the sauce so I usually 1 and a half or double it but thats just preference)

Biscuits

1 cup flour

1 T sugar

1 and 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup milk

3 T canola oil

1 T minced parsley (I never have that on hand so I always use dried)

Directions

In a large saucepan, saute onion in oil until tender. Stir in the flour, basil, thyme and pepper until blended. Gradually stir in milk and Worcestershire sauce until smooth,. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the vegetables, chicken and cheese; reduce heat to low.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, combine the milk, oil and parsley; stir into dry ingredients just until combined.

Transfer hot chicken mixture to a greased 2 and 1/2 quart baking dish. Drop biscuit batter by rounded tablespoonfuls onto chicken mixture. 

Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until biscuits are lightly browned.

Yield 8 servings ( I like leftovers but you can half everything if you don't)

Free Rooftop Concert Oct 3rd

Love music? Love going to concerts? Love doing really cool things for free? This is the event for you!

Next Friday (Oct 3rd) will be Provo's last rooftop concert of the year! They're doing a special 5-year Anniversary Concert and all of it is within walking distance of our ward boundaries.  And guess what? It's Free!

If you're interested, check out their home page at: http://www.rooftopconcertseries.com/2014-rooftop-concert-lineup/

"You never know how much good you do"

For those of you having a hard time, I encourage each of you to watch this Mormon Message. Even if you aren't having a hard time, think of someone who could use this and pass it on. It is absolutely fantastic!

You Never Know

Kraft Nutter Butter Frozen Peanut Butter Pie

For all you peanut butter lovers out there, this one is for you!

Prep: 15 min.
Ready in: 4 hr. 45 min.

Ingredients:

24 Nutter Butter Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies, crushed
5 tablespoons butter, melted
1 (8 ounce) package Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 (8 ounce) tub Cool Whip Whipped Topping, thawed, divided in half

Directions:

1. Mix cookie crumbs and butter. Press onto bottom and up side of 9-inch pie plate.
2. Beat cream cheese, peanut butter, sugar, and vanilla with mixer until blended. Stir in 1-1/2 cups Cool Whip; spoon into crust
3. Freeze 4 hours or until firm. Remove from freezer 30 min. before serving. Let stand at room temperature to soften slightly. Top with remaining Cool Whip.
4. All done! Drizzle some chocolate on it for a real treat!

Local Clean Comedy Open Mic!

Hey! Are you looking for something to do  with your honey that's cheap? Every Thursday from now till March they have an open mic for comedians at 7. Admission is 3 dollars, and the acts are all clean. The event is located at the Covey Center for the Arts. If you find yourself board on a Thursday night this is the place to be.

Enjoy!

Click on the link for more details.http://www.utahvalley.com/events/details.aspx?ID=4605

Stake Conference This Sunday!

This Sunday we had a wonderful Stake Conference with some amazing speakers! Elder Richard G Scott spoke again on the three ways we can receive answers from heaven:

    1. God can say yes or give us peace about our decision.
    2. God can say no
    3. God can withhold any answer so that we can we can exercise our agency and choose for ourselves.

This is a topic he has spoken about before and it's a pretty incredible talk! If you missed conference, here's a link to the talk he originally gave back in 1989.  It's not exactly the same from this Sunday, but it's such an important message, no wonder he speaks of it often!

"Learning to Recognize Answers to Prayer" by Elder Richard G. Scott :

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1989/10/learning-to-recognize-answers-to-prayer?lang=eng

Inspirational

Fun Stuff

Spotlights

Relief Society Lessons

Recipes

Luscious Blueberry Muffins

We've been in the process of getting the Relief Society blog up and running and I thought what better way to start than with a fun recipe! For those of you that were at the activity a few weeks back, these muffins were part of the refreshments we had after. Quite a few people asked for the recipe so here it is! This recipe is pretty versatile, I prefer to make it with whole wheat flour instead of white, but you can do all white or half and half and I've found them all to be just as good. Also, you can omit the step of cooking half the blueberries and just put them all in if you're short on time. I've baked these with fresh and frozen and both were great. Enjoy!

Luscious Blueberry Muffins

INGREDIENTS

Lemon-Sugar Topping:
• 1/3 cup sugar
• zest from one lemon
Muffins:
• 2 cups frozen blueberries (or 2 cups fresh)
• 1 1/8 cups (8 ounces) plus 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 1/4 cup oil (vegetable or canola)
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. For the topping, stir together sugar and lemon zest in a small bowl and set aside.
2. For the muffins, adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a standard muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Rinse one cup frozen berries under cold water and spread on a double layer of paper towels to dry well. Bring remaining one cup berries and 1 teaspoon sugar to simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, mashing berries with a spoon several times and stirring frequently, until the berries have broken down and the mixture is thickened and reduced to about 1/3 cup, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and cool to room temperature, about 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Toss the berries that have dried on the paper towels in with the flour mixture. Whisk remaining 1 1/8 cups sugar and eggs together in a medium bowl until thick, about 45 seconds. Slowly whisk in the butter and oil until combined. Whisk in the buttermilk and vanilla until combined. Using a rubber spatula, fold egg mixture into flour mixture until just moistened. The batter will be lumpy with a few dry spots of flour – don’t overmix. This is the key to moist and tender muffins.
4. Using ice cream scoop or large spoon, fill the muffin cups until they are about 3/4 full. Spoon a teaspoon of cooked berry mixture into the center of each mound of batter. Using a skewer (or a chopstick), gently swirl the berry filling into the batter using a figure eight motion. Sprinkle lemon sugar evenly over the muffins.
5. Bake until the top of the muffins are golden and just firm, 17-18 minutes. Cool muffins in the muffin tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool 5 minutes before serving.

Yield 12-16 Muffins

Recipe and Picture taken from Melskitchencafe.com

Lani Baker