The Gifts of Christmas Morningside

This year's theme was taken from a talk by Thomas S. Monson, seen in the Dec 1993 Ensign.

Our opportunities to give of ourselves are indeed limitless, but they are also perishable. There are hearts to gladden. There are kind words to say. There are gifts to be given. There are deeds to be done. There are souls to be saved. “Go, gladden the lonely, the dreary; Go, comfort the weeping, the weary; Go, scatter kind deeds on your way; Oh, make the world brighter today!”


There is no better time than now, this very Christmas season, for all of us to rededicate ourselves to the principles taught by Jesus the Christ. It is the time to love the Lord our God with all our heart—and our neighbors as ourselves. It is well to remember that he who gives money gives much, he who gives time gives more, but he who gives of himself gives all. Let this be a description of our Christmas gifts.

 The pre-planing - wrapping presents to be used for decorations. 

RS room set up and ready.

Guest speaker and soloist, Ashley Hoyal. 

Bethany Gibbons 

Heather McSpadden 

Lisa Morris 

Guest guitar duet - Madeline Cleveland and Lexie Pickett. 

 Men's Quartet

Terri Chatterton 

Young Women

Relief Society Morningside

Halloween Party

Some cute costumes from some cute girls...

Reminder: Sept 24th

General Relief Society Broadcast & Dinner


Date:  Saturday, Sept 24th
Time:  5:00 pm Dinner, 6:00 pm Broadcast
Place:  Stake Center


We encourage you to invite your neighbors, the sisters you visit teach, sisters in your auxiliary, etc.

Photos From Wallsburg

Wallsburg and the Clark home provided a most amazing backdrop for the Relief Society late-night event.  Thank you to Kim Miller and her parents for hosting our sisters.  Also, a big thanks to our wonderful and inspired faith walk speakers who invited us to "Reflect".  Last, but certainly not least, we thank the wonderful Relief Society Committee members for their hard work and planning efforts on this and all our weekday activities.

Our theme for the evening, Reflect, was taken from a talk given by President Uchtdorf to the youth.  We are all young at heart, and Uchtdorf gives a powerful message for sisters of all ages.  View the video clip below.

And, here are a few photos taken in Wallsburg:

A Few Recipes From the Wallsburg Retreat

Won Ton Chicken Salad

1 head lettuce

2-4 green onions chopped

2 T roasted sesame seeds (350 for 10 minutes)

2 T Sunflower seeds

1-2 Chicken Breasts (I like using a rotisserie chicken)

1 Can sliced water chestnuts

Sliced or slivered almonds

1/2 package of wonton skins, fried

Dressing:

2 T Sugar

2 t. salt

2 t. accent

3/4 t. pepper

1/2 C. salad oil

1/4 c. vinegar (I use rice vinegar)

1 t. sesame oil (do not leave out

Macaroni Grape Pasta Salad

1 package pasta (mini bowtie or saladroni are favorites)

1 lg can pineapples (save the juice)

1 can mandarin oranges

2 cups red grapes sliced in half

2 cups chicken (cooked and cubed or shredded)

Boil noodles, rinse off in cold water.  Add in fruit and chicken.

Stir together:

1/3 cup oil

1/2 cup mayo

2 tbsp vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Pineapple juice

Whisk together and pour over noodle mixture.  Tastes better if sits in fridge overnight.

Tri-color Pasta Salad

1 can tuna

1 pkg colored rotini noodles

1 green pepper chopped

1/2 red onion chopped or sliced very fine

1-2 tomatoes chopped

1 small can sliced olives

1 small bottle Kraft Catalina Dressing

2-3 tbsp any balsamic vinegar salad dressing (optional)

Boil the noodles, rinse off in cold water.  Chop up the rest, throw it all together, pour the dressing and stir.  It tastes better if you make it the night before. Taste it again the next morning and add more salad dressing if it needs more flavor.

Layered Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle

3 cups sliced strawberries, 5 whole strawberries for garnish

3 Tbsp. sugar

2 pkg. (8 oz. each) Cream Cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups cold milk

1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) Vanilla instant pudding

3 cups thawed cool whip, divided

2 + cups pound cake cubes (one inch)

4 squares semi-sweet chocolate

Combine strawberries and sugar.  Beat cream cheese with mixer until

creamy.  Gradually beat in milk.  Add pudding mix; mix well.  Blend in

2 cups cool whip.  Spoon half of the cream cheese mixture into a 2 1/2

quart trifle bowl.  Top with cake squares, strawberries and remaining

cream cheese mixture.  Refrigerate 4 hours.  Melt chocolate.  Drizzle

half over dessert.  Dip 5 whole strawberries in remaining melted

chocolate (refrigerate for 30 min).  Garnish dessert with cool whip

and dipped strawberries.

Chocolate Skor Trifle

1 chocolate cake mix

1 large chocolate instant pudding mix

1/2 bag skor or toffee bits

1 sm or med cool whip, thawed

1 tsp almond extract

Bake chocolate cake as directed on box; allow to cool.  Mix pudding according to package directions.  Add almond extract to cool whip.  Then cut cake into cubes. Layer ingredients in trifle bowl as follows: chocolate cake, pudding, cool whip, sprinkle toffee bits.  Repeat as needed.

Strawberry-Banana Trifle

Cake:

2 bananas, peeled

3 egg whites

2 Tbsp. oil

1 box white cake mix.

Filling and Fruit:

2 boxes (3oz.each) cook-and-serve vanilla or banana pudding mix. (I used cheesecake, instant, made according to pkg directions)

2 bananas, peeled and sliced

2 cups sliced strawberries, plus more for garnish

1 cup heavy cream, whipped with

1 Tbsp.sugar.

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 13 x 9 baking pan with non-stick foil. Set aside.

2. Cake:  In a blender, combine 1 1/3 cups water, the bananas, egg whites and oil.  Blend

until smooth, about 1 minute.  Place cake mix in a large bowl and add mixture from blender. With an electric mixture, beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase speed to high and beat 2 minutes.  Pour into prepared pan and bake at 350 for 33 - 35 minutes.

3. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack for 15 min., then using foil, lift cake from pan and cool

completely.

4. Filling and Fruit: Meanwhile, cook pudding mix with milk for 15 to 20 min. over medium heat, until thickened and bubbly.  Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate 30 minutes.

5. Trim edges from cooled cake.  Cut in half, then cut one half into cubes (about 20).  Place in a Trifle dish or bowl and press slightly to compress.  Spoon 2 cups pudding over cake.  Top with sliced banana and 1 cup of the sliced strawberries.  Cut second cake half into cubes and continue layering cake, pudding, banana, and strawberries.  Top with heavy cream.  Refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight.  

Red Velvet Trifle

1 recipe of your favorite red velvet cake, baked and cooled

1 large carton heavy whipping cream

Powdered sugar

Coconut extract

Toasted coconut

After red velvet cake has completely cooled, slice off edges and disgard.  Then cut cake into 1-inch cubes.  Layer 1/3 of cake in bottom of trifle dish.  Beat whipping cream, about 2 tsp coconut extract, and ½ cup powdered sugar until creamy.  Layer 1/3 over cake cubes. Sprinkle with toasted coconut.  Repeat 2 more times for a 3-layer trifle.

Planning Meeting

The RS Committee took an overnight getaway to plan our upcoming Wallsburg retreat.  We stopped at the Clark home in Wallsburg to get a good visual of the area and talk with sweet Sister Clark (Kim Miller's mother).  We then headed to a condo in Park City to eat dinner, plan, visit, and just enjoy spending time together.  This ward is so lucky to have such great sisters on the planning committee!

Front porch of the Clark home.

Lots of open space to work with.  

Having a late dinner at the condo. 

 Sarah and Janice thinking hard.

Calling it a night!

UP Breakfast

Our Relief Society President, Gainell Rogers, always has fun and creative themes and ideas for our activities, if you haven't caught on to that already :-)  For the summer visiting teaching conference, our ward had an UP breakfast, using the theme from the famous Disney movie.  It was complete with balloons, replicas of the UP house, charms, and yummy food.  Sister Sue Walker, our great Visiting Teaching Coordinator, prepared a wonderful lesson encouraging us to lift UP as a Relief Society sister and as a visiting teacher.  Thanks to Gainell for hosting the breakfast in her party-perfect backyard, thanks to Sue Walker and her committee for their preparation, and thanks to the RS committee for planning and coordinating.


Here is the recipe for the blueberry stuffed french toast that was served for breakfast:

Blueberry French Toast

12 slices day old bread, crusts removed

1 - 8 oz. pkg cream cheese

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

12 eggs

2 cups milk

1/3 cup maple syrup or honey

Sauce:

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

2 tbsp cornstarch

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

2 tbsp butter or margarine

Cut bread into 1-inch cubes and place half in a greased 13x9x2 baking dish.  Cut cream cheese into 1-inch cubes, place over bread. Top with blueberries and remaining bread.

In a large bowl beat eggs. Add milk and syrup and mix well. Pour over bread mixture.  Cover and chill 9 hours or overnight.

Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.  Cover and bake for 30 minutes.  Uncover and bake an additional 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown and the center is set.  In a saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch and add water. Bring to a boil over medium heat.  Boil 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in blueberries, reduce heat.  Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes or until berries burst. Stir in butter until melted. Serve over French toast.

Staycations

stay.ca.tion  /sta-ka-shun/

Gas prices are high.  Air travel is less affordable by the hour.  This summer try a Staycation with your family - a vacation spent at home that can involve day trips to local attractions.  Just like a traveling vacation, a staycation is about relaxation and enjoyment.  It’s about family “us” time.

President Corbridge has encouraged us to have regular family vacations or outings.  That doesn’t mean each vacation or outing needs to cost a fortune.  Family togetherness doen’t need to be bought.  Your kids will remember the laughter and silliness you had together longer than any ride at any amusement park.

•  Go unplugged for a week.  No cell phone, ipad, laptop, etc.

•   Schedule a house-cleaning service for your staycation week.  After all, when on vacation you have maid service.

•   Create your own spa at home with homemade facial masks, nails, skin exfoliation, heat therapy.  Dad and the boys will even have fun with this and realize it really does benefit. 
• 
  
•   Mexican Patio Party

o   Menu:  margaritas, guacamole soup, bbq quesadillas with uncooked tortillas (cook them at home), tostada salad, fish tacos with mango salsa

o   Colorful decorations and tea lights

o   Mexican fiesta music on your ipod (ok, you can plug back in here…)

•   Family read-a-thon for an afternoon/evening

o   Have pre-purchased prized for person who reads the most pages, person who tells the best story about their book, best book recommendation, etc.

•   Family Field Day.  Outdoor games aren’t just for elementary children.  The whole family, even teens, will rediscover the joys of being a kid.

o   Freeze tag, red rover, kick the can, dodge ball, bocci ball

•   Camp in the Great Indoors

o   Sleeping bags in the family room, no electricity past sundown, use flashlights, smore pie 

High Tea Recipes

Spring Chicken Sandwich

3 cups shredded chicken breast (we used the canned chicken breast from Costco)

2 cups celery – diced fine

2 cups grated carrots

¼ cup green onion – finely diced

2 cups pineapple tidbits –well drained

½-1 cup cashews (for this event they might need to be chopped a little bit)

1 scant cup miracle whip combined with

¾ cup cool whip

You can prepare it all ahead keeping each ingredient in a separate bag.  Cut off crust on bread.  Butter the bread on both sides to avoid a soggy sandwich and then fill just before serving.

Open Face Cucumber Sandwich

4 cucmbers – sliced about a ¼ inch thick (set aside, these will go on the top of the spread)

1 cup sour cream

1 cup mayo

6 Tbsp. dried minced onions ( add a few drops of water to soften them up)

4 tsp. dillweed

2 tsp. Lawry’s seasoning salt

Mix it all together!!!  Cut crust off bread, cut diagonally.  Just before serving spread with sauce and top with cucumber.

Cream Cheese Honey Ham Sandwich

Plain cream cheese spread

Smoked honey ham (Kirkland brand from Costco, comes in 3-pack)

Cut crusts off, and cut bread into four squares.  Spread with cream cheese.  Fold one slice of ham in half, then in half again.  Place between two squares.

Open Face Tomato & Feta

Baguettes – sliced thin on diagonal

12-14 roma tomatoes

Feta cheese

Onion and chive cream cheese spread

Spread baguette with cream cheese spread.  Top with tomato and sprinkle with a little feta.

Bacon Deviled Eggs

12 eggs

½ cup mayo

1 tbsp mustard

4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Parsley, finely chopped

Place eggs in sauce and cover with cold water.  Bring water to a boil, boil for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and let stand another 5 minutes. Drain hot water and let eggs sit under cold running water for a minute or so.  Let eggs cool completely.

Peel eggs, and cut in half lengthwise.  Remove yolks to a small bowl.  Mash egg yolks with mayo and mustard.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Fill egg white halves with the yolk mixture.  Top with bacon and parsley.  Refrigerate until serving.

Red Velvet Cake Balls

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup cocoa

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 sticks butter, softened

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup milk

1 oz. bottle red food coloring

2 tsp. vanilla

Frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

4 tbsp. butter, softened

2 tbsp. sour cream

2 tsp. vanilla

1 lb. powdered sugar

Coating:

1.5 lb. dipping chocolate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; set aside. Cream butter and sugar 5 to 7 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in sour cream, milk, food color and vanilla. Gradually blend in flour mixture. Do not overmix. Pour into greased 9x13 baking dish (or can use larger jelly roll pan). Bake 35-45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.

For frosting: Beat cream cheese, butter, and sour cream. Add remaining ingredients and mix until smooth.

Crumble cake in large bowl. Stir in frosting until resembles thick paste (or mash with your hands). Roll into balls and lay on cookie sheet. Put in freezer for about 45 minutes or until chilled and firm.

Melt dipping chocolate, roll each ball in chocolate, and lay on parchment paper. Melt chocolate in small amounts, say 1/3 pound each time, so that it's easier to work with. If you melt the whole pound all at once it will cool and thicken.

Ten Basic Practices to Make Families Strong

From President Corbridge Stake Conference Talk

February 6, 2011


1 – Family Prayer

2 – Scripture Study (personal & family)

3 – Daily Family Meals

4 – Family Talking & Hugging

5 – Weekly FHE

6 – Weekly Date w/ Spouse

7 – Regular Father’s Interviews (at least monthly)

8 – Regular Temple Attendance

9 – Regular Family Outings & Vacations

10 – Share Testimony