Light the World Advent

I’ve been on the Relief Society Committee for awhile.  Some sisters still like having Super Saturday, therefore we are having a Christmas in July Activity.   I got put in charge of making these...

http://todaysfabulousfinds.blogspot.com/2012/12/diy-printable-paint-stick-ornaments.html?m=1

My friend had found this craft, and then another committee member wanted an advent.  So, I combined the two.  

The ornaments are cute, but I wanted it to be something more too.   My kids have loved magnets, and the original post included the idea of making them into magnets, great idea!  Stepping it up one more, I thought how great would it be to have something relate to 'Light the World'?  I had printed off someone’s design of a 'Light the World' paper Christmas ornaments to add to a poster every day.  

https://www.thesmallseed.com/blog/2017/11/20/light-the-world-2017-christmas-download

It was fun for the kids, but doesn’t really last more than that year.  Nick didn’t love having it up either, got bent up and was a little bit of a mess. (Kids play with it, tape doesn't stick anymore, etc.) 

After thinking about it for a long while, I decided it would be great to have a sturdy advent that the kids could add to ever time they did their service for the 'Light the World'.  The service activities change each year, so I can’t put the service on the tile, but how about adding the name of Christ?  Just another reminder of who we are trying to be like.  

I enlisted Nick’s help.  He figured out that Lowe’s had a western Cedar that worked great instead of her recommended paint sticks(more sturdy).  Then, Nick found a metal sheet that he could cut in half to make my desired magnet board.  It took several attempts, but here you go..

 You could use a star on the top...or not.  Lots of options on how you can change it for your own design.  We made the design to look like a Christmas tree, if you couldn't tell.  Under each magnet I used a number stencil and a sharpie.  I'm excited about the way it came out, and looked forward to using it this Christmas.  I'm thinking it will become a present for a few on my list.  :)  I'm sure my inspiration came from so many people and the Spirit.  So fun.

Owl Cookies

From:  Megan Serra

Her mom would make these in the fall.  Super yummy and perfect for Adelaide’s love for owls too.  

Owl Cookies:

1 1/4 cups butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup powdered sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

3 cups flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup cocoa

The video uses chocolate chips for the eyes, but I like to uses M&Ms and just put them on after they bake while they are still hot.   We prefer pecans to cashews for the beak also.

http://allrecipes.com/video/5203/hoot-owl-cookies/?internalSource=picture_play&referringId=10047&referringContentType=recipe

WOW the best pie

Creamy Blueberry Pie

"This is one of my favorite pies-not too sweet, good hot or cold, with or without ice cream. Plus, it's easy to make."  Original recipe yield: 1 deep dish pie.

INGREDIENTS:

·         3 cups fresh blueberries

·         1 (9 inch) deep dish pie crust

·         1 cup white sugar

·         1/3 cup all-purpose flour

·         1/8 teaspoon salt

·         2 eggs, beaten

·         1/2 cup sour cream

·         1/2 cup white sugar

·         1/2 cup all-purpose flour

·         1/4 cup butter

---

DIRECTIONS:

1.     Combine 1 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, and salt. Add eggs and sour cream, stirring until blended.

2.     Place blueberries in pastry shell, and spoon sour cream mixture over berries.

3.     In another bowl, combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup flour. Cut in butter or margarine with pastry blender until mixture resembles course meal. Sprinkle this mixture over sour cream mixture and berries in the pie shell.

4.     Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 50 to 55 minutes, or until lightly browned. If desired, garnish with additional blueberries and mint leaves.

I don't know who to give credit...  Elise for finding the recipe, and her friend for sharing it, but I didn't want to share unless it was already on the internet and it is!!  But the line is from allrecipes, so I don't know who's recipe it was in the first place... But thanks for whoever shared it first, it was amazing, my hubs liked it a lot and he doesn't like blueberries... 

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/12155/creamy-blueberry-pie/

Cheese Ball

from my friend Darice B. (a favorite treat she made for friends and neighbors around Christmas, we love it!)

2 pkg cream cheese, soft

About 1/2 pkg. of dry ranch dressing, add more at the end if needed after taste test

2 green onions

 3/4 cup shredded cheese (sharp or cheddar)

1/2 cup chopped almonds (got the salted almonds)

Blend together, I use hand beaters

Taste...  Add more of any of the above if it still taste too cream cheesy...

Chopped almonds on the outside.  We've made it look like a turkey with peppers and crackers, or like a christmas tree.

Enjoy.

Layered Tortillas

from Brenda...from Pampered Chef, so yummy.

2 Chicken Breasts (or 4 to 5 tender loins)

1 bunch of cilantro

1 red bell pepper

1 can of refried beans

2 green onions

1 1/2 cups cheese

Tortillas about 6

1 tbsp southwest chipolte seasoning (I use mrs dash)

Cook and cut up 2 chicken breasts or 4 or 5 tender loins.

Dice cilantro, red bell pepper, and green onions and mix with chicken and add seasoning.

Spread refried beans on 4 of the tortilla shells, then spread chicken mixture on covering the beans and press till flat.  Put cheese on top of the chicken mixture.

Layer the tortilla shells as follows to make a stack

tortilla

beans

chicken mixture

cheese

tortilla

beans

chicken mixture

cheese

tortilla

Bake at 375 for um maybe like 25 min?  Till top is light brown.

If you have enough stuff you can make a third layer if you want.

Hymypojan Juklaakakko

From Johanna.. translation is something like my son's cake in google translate it is the smile of son of Juklaakakko...  it a very Finnish cake, a light, dense cake with yummy apricots, and delicious light cream topping.  Finns generally like the roll cakes which require lots of eggs as you can see in this recipe.

cake:
6 eggs
2 1/4 dl sugar (.95 cups)
1 1/2 dl potato flour (.63 cups)
3/4 dl cocoa powder (.32 cups)
Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees

Cut cake in half.  Moisturize the lower half of the cake with milk or juice (she used milk), put the apricots on the lower half.  Then, moisten the top half and place on top.

filling:
400 grams can of apricots (smashed) 14.1 oz

the topping:
1 dl cream (.42 cups)(3.38 oz)
170 grams dark chocolate (6 oz)
Melt

3 dl whipped cream (1.27 cups or 10.1 oz)

Mix 2/3 of the melted cream and chocolate with the whipped cream. Use the rest of the cream and chocolate to make stripes on the top of the cake.

Chocolate Cheese Cake

From my Finnish friend Johanna
Not a rich chocolate cheese cake, just a regular good one. ;)

Bottom
18 Domino Cookies  (like Oreo) crumbled
2 Tablespoons Melted Butter
Mix together.  Bake 10 min at 350 degrees.

Filling
600 grams (21.16 oz) cream cheese
1 1/2 dl  (.634 cups) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla (they use vanilla sugar)
200 grams (7.5 oz) dark chocolate melted
3 eggs

Mix together.  Put on top of the crust and bake another hour.  She uses a 9 in round pan.