Sign up posters have been given to every Relief Society, Young Women, and Primary in the stake. There are lines for women to sign up and note their contact if they are willing to teach OR willing to learn. Then it’s up to us to take the INITIATIVE. We’ve also been invited to contribute brief “nourishing moments” from our bread baking adventures during the Sunday opening exercises within Primary, Young Women, and Relief Society.

Last week, I was able to take the initiative during a little birthday celebration lunch for two of my visiting teaching sisters. Right before we left the restaurant, I quickly explained the details of the Big Bad Bread Initiative and offered to come to their homes, during the next month, to teach them, their daughters, and/or DIL how to bake bread. Turns out this crew wants to learn how to make the simple hubcaps using the NO-KNEAD BREAD recipe.

Also last week, I received a phone call from our new Primary President. Chris totally understands the principal of leading by example and wanted to…get herself LEARNED…ASAP. I decided to invite another sister from our ward to share in the fun and we had a speed lesson in the art of baking six loaves of whole wheat bread using my Seven Minute recipe. Too bad we had to start after 8:00 at night. Hey, we’re all busy and we do what we can. I sent them home with loaves ready to rise and bake so it didn’t feel like a hostage situation. Chris said that the hot bread tasted great at 10:00 p.m.

Today, Sunday, I was able to offer to help a couple more sisters plus  pressure my daughter, Lizzie, into experimenting with the no knead recipe. She’s a Relief Society sister in training and it really is true that even a child can successful make bread using this simple method.

Already, I love this activity! With the potential to accomplish what sister Julie Beck called, “…a valuable contribution to the Lord’s storehouse of time and talents,” our Stake is focused on building unity and sharing skills. I love that there are 30 days to accomplish the goal. The limitless flexibility means that both the teaching and learning can be tailored to suit individual schedules, or lack there of.

Lizzie just pulled herself out of a three hour Sunday nap to say with total exasperation, “Ahhh! Let’s get it done. I hate this stupid thing.”   

Quick. Someone call the New Era.

You believed that?

So here’s the whole truth.  My sisters served this fresh lemon ice cream at a family wedding shower a couple of weeks ago. EVERYONE agreed it was fantastic. And besides tasting amazing, it turns out that this recipe is easy to make.

Now, I’ve never made ice cream before but this turned out perfect, even for ME! I piled on sweetened raspberries but you totally don’t need to do that. Like really good creme brulee, this lemon ice cream is perfect all by itself.

Fresh Ingredients

1/2 cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed)

2 tablespoons lemon peel zest

1 quart half and half or whole milk

Storage Ingredients

2 cups sugar

rock salt

(These are the exact instructions I received from my sis.) (She thinks she’s soooooo smart.)

ah well… hmmm … didn’t come with any instructions. You just follow the instructions on the ice cream maker. (super helpful for someone like me) But basically, you combine all the ingredients in the ice cream can, (I mixed it in a separate bowl) stir for a minute so the sugar is mixed into the liquid. Then you put the paddle in the can, and the can in the ice cream maker. Layer ice and rock salt all the way up surrounding the can, and turn it on. I think you’re supposed to whistle the whole time it’s turning. (she’s killin’ me) When it gets thick enough to stop the turning, you just turn it off, and hard-freeze in the freezer.

Dear friends. Can you hear me? Look into my eyes.

YOU SHOULD TRY THIS RECIPE.

TONIGHT.

Notice the lead article in this issue? These people are trying to steal MYYYYYY ideas! (totally sarcastic but I AM jumping on the couch)

Page 166 reads, “With these 30 fast and fresh family meals, your only decision all month has to be: beef, pork, chicken, fish or pasta.”

While it’s not exactly my ;) system, because I don’t choose to focus on meat, I love that people at Woman’s Day have broken down 30 menus, a whole month’s worth of dinners, into 5 categories, each with 6 recipes. That’s what I’m talkin’ about!!! That’s what I teach in every presentation!!! That’s what I explain in my book!!! The only difference is that the 5 categories I suggest are based on 5 basic staples that can be stored for 30 years or longer! Meat can be added anywhere!

Yes, I’m really still this excited about it and it’s BECAUSE the system of designing 30 meals has made my life sooooo much better!

Knowing what to cook for dinner is a PAIN. At least it is to me. And knowing how to USE food storage, instead of just buying it, storing it, and eventually tossing it, is even a BIGGER PAIN. Please believe me when I tell you that a plan for “30 Fast & Fresh Dinners” is absolutely the secret to success! And it DOESN’T have to be about an emergency or some pending doom. And you don’t have to plan all 30 meals today.

Just try to think of one meal that uses wheat. This might be a tiny bit difficult so get it out of the way first. Lots of ideas of cooking with wheat berries are easy to find on line. I’ve got recipes you could consider posted in the recipe section of this web site. You can do it. Next, think of one meal that your family enjoys with rice. Easy. Now, think of one meal that uses beans. That’s easy too. Doesn’t everyone love Mexican food and Mexican food is only the tip of the bean iceberg. Pasta can be next. We all know simple ways to prepare pasta. So how do you like your pasta? That’s your first meal in the pasta category. Then it’s time to think about potatoes. Nothing could be more American. Happy 4th of July. Sorry I’m late. Think about things you serve your family with potatoes and then consider possibly switching to instant potatoes, even occasionally. That way you won’t be wasting the money you’ve invested in the long-term supply of these basic staples. Now you’re done! Well you’re done with the first round and look how easy it way! The next five groups of five recipes will even be easier to plan because you’ve been practicing!

I PROMISE that there are huge advantages to planning your meals in advance. Once you get organized, and buy all the dry, canned or bottled ingredients in groups of three, you’ll have a fully stocked pantry, a totally reasonable three-month supply, that will serve the specific preferences of your individual family AAAAAAAAND free you from the constant redesign and drudgery of planning and preparing your family’s meals!

Just start with ONE RECIPE and keep going until you have reached the goal of 30.

Anyone can do this.

I’m going to go lie down now. Amazing that all this gets me so excited. Probably need to be tested.

Well folks, she’s off and running! 

This Sister Card has completed week number one in 18 months of missionary service for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We’ve received one letter and one email and can already tell that she’s happy, learning, and growing in new ways. Evidently, the Mission Training Center experience has her ”whelmed but not overwhelmed”. And I was RIGHT about the no time to get ready in the mornings and how much she’d love the bottomless chocolate milk. Told ya!

Sometimes I actually feel a little embarrassed that I’m not in shambles with two daughters currently serving missions. I of course miss them both every day, but there honestly isn’t anything I would rather have them doing. Missions aren’t right for every Mormon young woman but when it fits it’s a completely remarkable experiences! In my mind, this (and marriage and family) is what all the years of hard work and family nights were for. We were trying to get them ready to do BIG things. I’m thrilled that two of our girls have been in a position to accept callings to serve the Lord through sharing His restored gospel in Missouri and Arizona.

And for the record, people are not joining The Church, the world over, solely or even primarily based on the individual testimonies of 19 year old boys and 21 year old women. I mean…really? These kids are great but they’re not that great. People choose to be baptized because they read The Book of Mormon and feel the power of the Holy Ghost testifying of its truthfulness in their hearts. The missionaries’ job is to share that opportunity.

Storage Ingredients

1/2 cup chocolate syrup

1 cup fat-free evaporated milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups ice cubes

Combine chocolate syrup, evaporated milk, vanilla and ice in a blender until smooth. If you want to be as fancy as the restaurant, garnish individual glasses with a dollop of whipped topping and/or sprinkles of chocolate shavings.

Variations: Mexican Hot Chocolate–Add 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Peppermint Hot Chocolate–Substitute 1/4 teaspoon mint extract for the vanilla extract.

Thanks to Joy Bauer, RD, TODAY show nutrition-diet expert, I have a last minute Visiting Teaching gift!

The summer months can be especially difficult to schedule appointments that work for you, your family, your companion’s schedule, work, and the sisters you’ve been called to serve. Believe me, I know. We tried all month long to set up something meaningful but just couldn’t seem to get it  pulled together. Refusing to give up, I copied the visiting teaching message, marking paragraphs that impressed me most, and left it with this recipe and bag of supplies. Clearly, drive-by visits are not ideal, but I think it’s better than nothing. At least my sisters know that they’re on my mind and in my heart. Our efforts don’t have to be perfect in order to be valuable. 

Yesterday was our big family dinner honoring Rosemary before she leaves on her mission and celebrating her 21st birthday. We had the shindig at a local park and it only took 5 crock pots to feed the crowd.

Here’s what we served to sixty: 1-Toasted tortillas, in crock pot #1, keeping them hot off the electric grill. 2-Cilantro Lime Rice 3. Black Beans 4. Durango Corn 5. Sweet Pork

Then there were the usual toppings and sides like chips, pico de gallo, fresh guacamole, grated cheese, chopped lettuce, creamy cilantro dressing, watermelon, cantaloupe, pineapple, strawberries, and lots and lots of desserts. Big big thank yous to everyone that helped!

Lucky for us, the pavilion had lots of electrical outlets, centrally located. Unlucky for us, the benches hadn’t been cleaned in 100 years. Nothing say’s Haaaappy 21st!!! Today is your special day!!! like having your mom roust you out, bright and early, so that you can help her SCRUB picnic table benches. So thoughtful. My friend, Jeanette, suggested that THAT would make an excellent service project for the Scouts. I want to personally suggest it to everyone. Rosie and I would have LOVED to have enjoyed the nervous energy of a few scouts helping us with the scrub brush action. Maybe she’ll get to sleep in next year. Probably not.

But the weather was great and the food was fine. When Mike was welcoming all the guests he made a joke about how I had been preparing the food for the past year. I was laughing but it sort of felt like that. With everything washed and put away, and having done it once, I can see that I only needed half as much food as what I had originally thought. The cooking/bottling/freezing-ahead-of-time warm-and-serve-in-multiple-crock-pots method worked like a dream! I didn’t have to rent one thing. I simply borrowed a few extra crock pots and the food stayed perfectly hot and ready for hours. No babysitting required.

I’m so glad that we had beautiful weather. (Our whole family was in Southern California last week but I guess some of our mountains had snow, again. That’s Utah.) I’m also glad that we hosted this “open house” on a Thursday night. Plenty of people were able to attend and share in the big family meal before Rosie leaves for her 18 months of service for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Mesa, Arizona. With the party behind us, now the biggest thing on my plate is helping her be ready to speak in sacrament meeting this Sunday. It’s a great feeling. And tomorrow (today) I’m going to shower and get dressed.

Provident living really works, especially when there’s lots of work.

NORMAL RECIPES!

Thank you.

My dear friend Martha is the coolest grandmother I know. Today we were at the temple at 5:30 in the morning and she was sporting lime green flats that said COACH on the toes. Then Martha was off to another full day of helping her daughter recover from knee surgery, driving grandchildren here there and everywhere, faithfully attending their every scholastic and sporting event, most likely doing a little gardening and community service for the Historical Society, Daughters of The Utah Pioneers, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and then she still has time to remember me and my endeavors. I wish you could know Martha. Cute as a BUTTON and remarkable in every way!

Martha found this recipe in the Deseret Morning News, thanks to Penny Ramey and Julia Maddox. I followed the careful instructions for an easy sweet and sour meal the whole family enjoyed.

Fresh Ingredients

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4-inch strips

1 medium onion, sliced

1 green pepper, chopped

Storage Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil

1 15-ounce can pineapple chunks

2 teaspoons, or two cubes of chicken bouillon granules

1 cup water

1/4 cup vinegar, any type

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 11-ounce can mandarin oranges, drained

In a large skillet, saute chicken in oil until chicken is lightly browned. If you prefer not to use oil, just spray some cooking spray on the skillet and use the chicken’s natural juices to cook. (These gals are pros.)

Add onion and green pepper. Stir fry until vegetables are tender.

Add 1/2 cup pineapple juice from the can of pineapple chunks, bouillon, water, vinegar and brown sugar to the skillet and stir.

In a small bowl, off to the side, combine soy sauce and cornstarch. Mix well to smooth out any clumps. Stir the cornstach mixture in to the chicken, vegetables and sauce in the skillet.

Simmer until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. This should take 5 to 10 minutes, and the mixture will turn more transparent as it thickens.

Add pineapple and mandarin oranges. Serve over rice. Serves 6-8.

Thanks again, Martha!

As I turned these little wheat-and-beaners, I topped the cooked side with grated cheese so that it was melted as they came hot off the griddle.

Then we topped them with the usual favorites of diced avocado, salsa, and sour cream…curds? Hmmm

Then we rolled them in half, taco style. Sorry about the picture. Here’s what the picky 12 year old had to say about them:

Yummy!

This is good!

It tastes like something gourmet…from a hippy…Mexican restaurant…in Arizona! (K, this one’s never even been to Arizona so…)

I thought the recipe was a really nice variation on the vegetarian theme. The bean pancake reminded me of a tamale, and a very happy, flavorful, tamale at that. We each gobbled down three. It’s an economical and fun way to enjoy pancakes for dinner without all the butter and syrup. (Nothin’ against butter and syrup.)

Fresh Ingredients

1 egg

1 tablespoon of chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

Storage Ingredients

1 15 oz. can of beans, rinsed, drained, and mashed (I used black beans that I had bottled myself. Woohooo!)

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour  (I just threw about 3/4 a cup of whole wheat kernels into the blender and ground them with the evaporated milk.)

1 12 oz. can evaporated milk

2 tablespoons of canola oil

couple shots of Tabasco

dash of lime pepper (Didn’t have it and didn’t miss it.)

Mix all ingredients and cook into pancakes. Top with grated cheese, diced avocado, salsa, and sour cream as desired.

It takes a village.

Fresh Ingredients

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

1 tablespoon butter, diced

1 lime, zest and juice

Storage Ingredients

3 cups rice

6 cups boiling water

3 chicken bouillon cubes, crushed if possible

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon dry sliced garlic pieces 

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Boil water. Spray or oil a 9 x 13 inch cake pan and pour in the 3 cups of dry rice. Sprinkle on the cilantro, butter, chicken bouillon, sugar, and dried garlic pieces. Add boiling water and cover tightly with foil. Bake at 350 for approximately 70 minutes. Fluff with a fork and stir in the lime zest and juice. This stuff is GOOD.

Trying to conserve both time and energy, I baked two pans at a time and increased the temperature to 375 degrees and then let them cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Each of the three batches turned out perfect, which is totally unusual for me. 

I still don’t know what happened that one time, about two years ago, when I was in charge of cooking the oven rice for a major dinner prior to Stake Conference . It seems like we were hosting not one, but TWO, visiting General Authorities, not to mention our wonderful Stake President, who just happened to be Gordon B. Hinckley’s son. Something went terribly wrong (surprise!) and my rice was not even close to being ready when it was time to serve this terrific group of leaders, and their lovely wives, an amazing salmon dinner. I DON’T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. There was either an evil hex on my kitchen that night OR I didn’t increase the oven temperature and add extra cooking time. Thankfully, the kind sisters I was serving with were gracious about my mess-up and insisted that the guests would just assume we were trying to go very “low carb”…or something.

Anyway, the rice for Rosie’s family dinner is D*O*N*E way way ahead of time.

My plan is to keep all the bags of rice frozen until the night before her farewell dinner and then microwave each as we’re ready to serve. Provident Living.

Repentance.

Meds.

Dear Ann gets all the credit for this idea. She wrote a comment on my recipe for carrot cake made from dehydrated carrots and wheat flour and told how she substituted an equal amount of mashed white beans for the oil and then used powdered eggs, and still achieved GREAT results.

The idea of using beans instead of oil or butter in baked goods seemed intriguing so I gave it a try. The recipe, Best Blueberry Buckle, was found on recipezaar.com and is an adaptation from Cook’s Illustrated. It’s supposedly almost identical to Einstein Bagel’s blueberry crumb cake and has 4 whole cups of blueberries suspended in the batter. (Are we good?)

So. First I cooked a pile of white beans until they were completely soft. 

Then I mashed them in my food-chopper-thing and measured out the amount to equal the butter that was originally called for in the recipe. This is what one and a quarter sticks of butter looks like, in beans.

Cream as usual and go.

I used real butter for the streusel topping and my daughter said this was the BEST blueberry muffin cake, EVER! She ate it for breakfast, took a piece to school in her lunch, enjoyed it as an after school snack, and chose it for a treat during dancing lessons. (She may not get enough baked goods.) (You know what that’s about.)

I didn’t tell anyone about the beans. It’s our little secret.

And there’s more where that came from!

I’m going to measure the leftover bean-goo and freeze it in half cup lumps so that it’s easy to add to other recipes. This trick saves money and helps our arteries stay happy. Thank you so much, Ann! As you can see, I tried it and your suggestion was a total hit!