garden photos

Many sisters in the Stake have been busy in their gardens this summer. These are just a few photos of some of them. We would love to share a picture of yours and hear about your gardening experiences this summer.

Linda Davis tried square foot gardening. One in the backyard with peas, lettuce, onions and tomatoes. The front yard box has beans, carrots, peppers and tomatoes. I was very pleased with the results and hope to enlarge my garden next summer.

Joan Larsen tried a square foot garden for the first time. She also has a large raspberry patch.

Ro and David Hein have had a large garden for many years. This year she built a square foot garden out of cinder blocks. She's hoping to compare the results of her square garden with her tradtional row garden. She planted a little late this year but once the days started getting hot her garden really started growing and catching up.

Norma and David Olson have a beautiful garden. They plant vegetables and flowers in both the back and front yard. When asked how she grew such beautiful onions she said, "I just watch them grow!" The Hollyhocks in the front yard are at least 8 feet tall!

Hearts and Hands

This is a message from Linda Loveland from the Billings Stake.

She is heading up Hearts and Hands this year:

"Dear Sisters

I just talked to Paul Chinberg with Family Services about the school kits that we provide for them each year. He was very grateful for what we have done in the past, but asked if we could include spiral notebooks (both wide ruled and narrow ruled) and three ring binders in the backpacks this year. Again, now is the time to acquire those items before school supplies are no longer on sale. Also, he would like to see us include a small bottle of hand sanitizer in each backpack.

Thank you for all that you do.

Linda Loveland"

Hearts and Hands

Backpacks are now on sale at many stores. For example, Walmart has them on sale for $9. Goodwill has new backpacks, donated by Target, at a very reasonable price. Hearts and Hands uses lots of backpacks for various kits. Backpacks are one of those items that are harder to find in the spring, especially at a good price. If you would like to donate a backpack or two, now is the time to look for them!

Chicken and Rice L'Orange

Are you looking for something to serve your family for dinner that is good for you, tastes good and can be made in less time than ordering delivery pizza or driving for fast food? This is one of my favorites.

Chicken and Rice L'Orange

Debbie Vanni of Libertyville, Illinois took top honors in Mr. Good's Rice Recipe Contest with this recipe for Chicken and Rice L'Orange. Her recipe was selected from more than 1400 entries. The recipe had to be made in 30 minutes or less with no more than 6 ingredients (excluding butter, margarine, cooking oil, water, walt and ground black pepper). As the grand prize winner, Vanni received $5,000, and a subscription to Mr. Food's Easycooking magazine.

1 cup uncooked rice

1 cup orange juice

1 cup water

1 tsp salt

3 Tbsp. butter, divided

1/4 cup sliced almonds

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves cut into bite sized pieces

1/4 cup orange marmalade

1/4 cup sliced green onions

Combine rice, orange juice, water and salt in a 2 - 3 qt. saucepan. Heat to boiling and stir once or twice. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. While rice is cooking, melt 1 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add almonds and cook and stir until golden, about 2 - 3 minutes. Remove almonds and set aside. Melt remaining 2 Tbsps butter in skillet. Add chicken pieces and cook until brown on both sides. Add orange marmalade to skillet and stir to coat chicken. To serve, spoon rice onto plate and top with chicken. Sprinkle with toasted almonds and green onions. Makes 4 servings. I found this recipe at GourmetSpot Recipe of the Week.

Open a can of pineapple slices or mandarin oranges, warm some frozen peas and you can sit down to a homecooked meal in less than 30 minutes.

Genealogy Websites

The internet is a great source of information for family history. This is a list of some of the websites available. Take a peak and see what is out there.



http://www.rootstelevision.com/

http://www.cyndislist.com/

http://www.worldvitalrecords.com/

www.byub.org/ancestors

http://www.ukgenealogy.co.uk/

http://www.newspaperarchive.com/

http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/

http://www.raogk.org/

http://www.chillingham-castle.com/

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/

http://www.ancestry.com/

http://www.higginsonbooks.com/

www.genealogyandfamilyhistory.com/

Hilltop Enrichment

These recipes come from Hilltop Ward's last Enrichment meeting. The Enrichment meeting included ideas to help us be thrifty.

The first recipe is from Rebecca Despain.

Rebecca's Seasoning Salt

large seasoning salt

large lemon pepper

large garlic salt

large celery salt

large onion powder

Each seasoning should be of the same size. You may need t0 use a couple of smaller bottles of the celery salt. Mix together. Rebecca and her sisters do this once a year when they get together and split it.


The next couple of recipes are from Chelsy Hooper. They are "bottom of the jar" recipes--they use your almost-gone jam or almost empty barbecue sauce bottles that might otherwise go to waste.

BBQ Glaze

Bottom of the jar BBQ sauce (1/4 cup, more or less)

1/4 cup orange juice

Combine ingredients in the BBQ jar and shake to combine. Pour into pan and cook mixture over med to med high heat to reduce mixture till syrupy. Pour over cooked meat or veggies.

Raspberry Vinaigrette

Bottom of the Raspberry jam jar (around 2-4 Tablespoons)

2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/3 cup olive oil

salt and pepper

If your jam has a high sugar content microwave for about 10 seconds (without lid on). Combine all ingredients in the jam jar and shake to combine. Pour over salad or use as a glaze for meat. You can also add poppy seeds as an options.

Recycling Jeans: Making a Rag Quilt

Jeans make great quilts. The fabric is durable, washable, and best of all, free! Begin by stockpiling old jeans. This quilt was made from quilts worn and outgrown by my daughter. The jeans are sizes 12, 14, 0, and 2. I used a total of 8 pair and had leftovers. You could also purchase jeans from secondhand stores for a low cost.

This is an easy-to-make project, requiring a minimal amount of sewing ability.

Cut the jean leg open along a seam.


You are going to cut the leg of the jean into squares. I decided on a 6 inch square, as this size could be cut from all the jean sizes I am using. Your squares can be larger or smaller. Remember that the smaller the square, the more you will need, and the more time it will take.


I used a rotary cutter and ruler, but you could also use a pattern cut from paper and pinned onto the fabric. Obviously, that would take a lot longer!


Now cut squares which are the same size from flannel. In my case that is 6". Cut one flannel square for each levi square you cut.

Place the wrong side of the jean square to the wrong side of a flannel square and sew an "X".
You may want to buy a machine needle specifically made for jean fabric.

Close-up of one side of the x:

After you've sewn all of the squares together, sew the squares to each other, placing flannel sides together like this:

I used a half inch seam. You can use up to a 7/8 inch seam, but don't go smaller then 1/2.
Sew a long strip of squares together. My strips were 15 squares long.

Next, sew the strips together, again with flannel sides together.

My finished quilt is 15 squares by 12 squares. You can make yours any size you want. Sew all the way around the outside of the quilt, making sure the seams are open when you sew over them. Sew a half inch from the edge, or whatever size of seam you used on the rest of the quilt. Now cut "fringes" in your seams to the stitching, taking care not to cut through the seam. Make your fringe about 1/4 to 1/2 apart. You will want to use your sharpest scissors.

This step takes the most work. Don't forget to cut a fringe all around the outside of your quilt.

Now all you need to do is wash and dry your quilt. This is want makes the fringe look ruffly. When you dry your quilt, you need to empty your dryer lint trap a few times. This step creates lots of lint!

This is the flannel side. You can make a random pattern like I did, or arrange your flannel to make a pattern--checkerboard, diagonal, or whatever you'd like.

Hilltop Enrichment

1935: Use it up; wear it out; make it do-or do without.

2009: Reduce, reuse, recycle.

A recent Enrichment Meeting in Hilltop Ward taught the sisters the principle of value. Several mini classes were present to encourage thrifty living.

Roxann Hokanson taught the sisters how to make their own cleaners

using three everyday ingredients:

Vinegar (deodorizes; dissolves mineral deposits and grease; removes soap traces, mildew and wax, polishes brass, chrome, copper, pewter and stainless steel; cleans brick and stone, removes decals and stickers; removes water spots on leather.)

baking soda (neutralizes acid; scrubs shiny materials without scratching; deodorizes refrigerators, carpets, upholstery, vinyl and drains; extinguishes grease fires; and cleans and polishes aluminum, chrome, jewelry, plastic porcelain, silver, stainless steel and tin.

and borax (removes dirt, soil and mold. Performs as well as commercial cleaners in cleaning dirt and soil and removing mold from walls. Works well on tough jobs that

baking soda may leave half-done.) Borax is sold in the laundry soap

section as a laundry booster.

Glass Cleaner

Mix 1/8 cup white vinegar and 1 cup water. Spray on glass and wipe off.

Tub and Tile Cleaner

Mix 1/3 cup baking soda, 1/3 cup Borax and 1 teaspoon liquid soap with enough water to make a paste. Scrub on and rinse well.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

Sprinkle toilet bowl with baking soda, drizzle with vinegar. Let soak for at least 30 minutes; then scrub with toilet brush.

OR

Put 1/4 cup borax in toilet bowl and let lit for at least 30 minutes. Swish with a toilet brush and then scrub.

Toilet Bowl Mineral Buildup

Turn off water intake to tank and flush to mostly empty toilet bowl. Pour in white vinegar and leave for a couple hours. Buildup should brush right off.

Scouring Powder

Mix 1 cup baking soda and 1/4 cup white vinegar. Scrub onto surface with a wet sponge. Let stand a few minutes. Rinse.

Mold and Mildew

Mix 1 teaspoon borax, 3 tablespoons white vinegar and 2 cups hot water in a spray bottle and shake well. Spray on, let sit, scrub then rinse.

Drain Opener

Pour 1/2 cup baking soda down the drain and follow with 1/2 cup vinegar. Cover and let sit at least 30 minutes. Flush with boiling water.

Thank you, Hilltop, for some interesting and cost-saving information!

Hearts and Hands

This is a second reminder to watch the back-to-school sales if you are interested in donating to

Hearts and Hands Spring 2010

Spiral notebooks have been added to

the school kit supply list this year.

Here is the updated list for school kits:

1 backpack
24 pack crayons
Markers
No. 2 pencil
Erasers
Scissors
Glue sticks
70 count spiral notebook (both college ruled and wide ruled are needed)

Backpacks are in great demand, used for both the school kit and the teen kits. They are on sale many places now, and are often discounted even further in September.

Skyview Enrichment

A recent Skyview Ward Enrichment focused on Gardens.

"Our 'Parade of Gardens' was a success. We toured 6 gardens and saw a lot of good ideas. We ended at the Snizek home for kid swimming and garden green smoothies for the adults. MMMMMmmmmm -- much to the surprise of some."
I wondered what is in a "Garden Green Smoothie". Here is what Skyview reported:

"We collected kale and lettuce from the gardens. We added some sunflower seed greens, bananas, frozen strawberries, a little ground flax seed, a few mixed sprouts and two cups of water."

Sounds like a great activity! Thanks, Skyview, for sharing!

Homemade egg noodles

One of my favorite childhood memories is watching my mother make homemade egg noodles. She would use her sewing scissors to cut them into thin, flour coated noodles and she would let me eat just a few of the raw noodles before she used them for chicken soup. I've finally found a recipe that tastes just like my mothers. They are more work than noodles from a bag but the homemade taste is worth the extra effort. Kids love them! Now my grandchildren are asking if they can eat the raw noodles.

1 cooked chicken, deboned
Broth from cooked chicken
2 eggs
2 egg shell halves full of milk
1/2 tsp salt
plain flour

Add enough plain flour to egg, milk, and salt mixture to make a stiff dough. Roll out dough and add flour continually until the dough is stretchy or very elastic. Roll out dough as thin as you can and let it set and dry for 1 1/2 hours. Cut dough into 4 x 8 inch squares. Lay squares on top of each other and cut into 1/4 inch strips. Sprinkle flour over them and let dry again, about 3 to 4 hours. Drop into hot broth and cook until tender, add chicken meat. Serves 5.

Hearts and Hands-School Supplies

Just a friendly reminder: Now may be the best time to buy school supplies for the Hearts and Hands school backbacks while you are already out getting school supplies for your family or if you happen upon some really good sales. Just bring in the items and drop them off with your Relief Society Presidency.

School Supplies Contents:

• Backpack
• 24 count crayons
• markers
• No. 2 pencils
• erasers
• scissors
• glue sticks

Teen Bags Contents:

• Backpack
• towel & wash cloth
• binders
• notebooks
• No. 2 pencils
• pens
• college ruled paper
• hat
• fleece blanket