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What Fruits and Vegetables are Freshest Now?

Find out peak times for popular produce at the link below:

What's in season?

Bread Recipes (from our midweek activity)

We want to thank Betty Jo Lewis and Jill Decker for teaching a bread class at a recent enrichment activity. Following are recipes used in that class. Betty Jo was also kind enough to include her whole wheat pancake and waffle recipe for us :-)

Betty Jo’s Wheat Bread

5 C. very warm water
1 C. instant dry powdered milk
1/3 C. honey
1/3 C. oil
2 T.+ 1 tsp. SAF brand yeast
1 T. salt
3 C. white flour
9 -11 C. whole wheat flour

Pour water into a heavy duty mixer (like a *Bosch or a K-Tec) for the mixing and kneading. Add in milk, honey, and oil then mix for about 30 seconds. Mix in 5 cups of the whole wheat flour, until the mixture looks pasty. Then add in the dry yeast (no need to proof it), mix well. Mix in the salt and the rest of flour. I first add the white flour, then the rest of the wheat flour. Add enough flour that it binds together and is not too sticky. When ready to put the lid on your mixer, add an extra 1/2 cup of flour to knead with the bread. Let knead for 6 minutes. When kneaded, take the dough out of the mixing bowl and separate into four even pieces. Oil your hands and shape into rounded loaves; place into four greased bread pans. Let the dough rise for about 30 minutes or until it looks like it has risen above the tops of the pans. Bake in a 350° oven for 32 minutes. Baking time will depend on the size of your loaves as well as your oven’s temperature. Take bread out of the oven and turn onto a cooling rack. While bread is hot, I rub butter on it to give it a buttery taste.

NOTE: Betty uses four medium-large bread pans and never washes the pans after using. Professional bakers say that not washing helps season pans for future use. She says her bread never sticks because she has done this.

* Most mixers, including the Kitchen Aid, are not strong enough to make 3-4 loaves of bread at a time. As the motor gets hot, lesser mixers will shut down or burn out if you are not careful. Using a heavy duty mixer eliminates kneading by hand.

Jill's Amish Bread

2 1/4 tsp. dry rapid yeast
1/2 tsp. granulated sugar
1/4 C. lukewarm water
1 T. salt
4 T. granulated sugar
3 T. shortening
2 C. lukewarm water
6-7 C. flour

Mix yeast, 1/2 tsp. sugar, and 1/4 cup of lukewarm water together in a measuring cup and set aside for about 5 minutes. In a Kitchenaid mixer (or equivalent), combine the salt, 4 tablespoons of sugar, shortening, and 2 cups of lukewarm water and mix well. With a dough hook, knead in the flour until dough is smooth. Let dough rest in the mixing bowl for 15-20 minutes. Cover the mixing bowl with a cloth and let dough rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until dough has doubled in size (you may turn your oven onto its lowest setting, and then TURN IT OFF and may place the covered mixing bowl into the oven). Knead dough again and separate into two halves. Place both halves into greased bread pans. Let rise a third time for 1 hour or until doubled. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Rub with butter when hot out of the oven.

Betty Jo's Wheat Pancakes or Waffles

2 C. whole wheat flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 T. sugar
2/3 C. powdered milk
2 C. water
2 eggs
3 T. oil (8 T. for waffles)

In a mixer, combine wheat flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar together. Add dry milk, water, eggs, and oil. Continue mixing until blended.

For fluffy waffles: Before adding the eggs, separate the whites into a separate mixing bowl and whip until stiff. Put the yolks in the batter unless you want to have less fat in your waffles. If this is the case, don't use them at all. After the batter is combined, fold in the beaten egg whites.

"Twas the Month Before Christmas"

The following poem was created and read by our very own Lori Snyder at our holiday Home, Family, and Personal Enrichment Meeting (we love Lori and her talents!)...

Twas the month before Christmas
And all through the ward
Every sister was stirring
And no one was bored.

Gingerbread houses were crafted with care
While the scent of tamales hung in the air.
The cookies were baking all snug in the ovens,
To be given to friends, neighbors, and cousins.

And the Paynes in new PJs and Thomasons in theirs,
Had just driven off – luminarias to share.
Then out in the kitchen there arose such a clatter
Jill Decker’s Dutch pancakes had started to spatter.

When what to my wondering ears should I hear,
But the Lenbergs’ sweet music bringing good cheer.
And there with her wassail and Yule log in tow,
I saw Katie Bergstrom with new husband, Joe.

More rapid than eagles the sisters did fly
And I whistled and shouted as they scurried by,
Hi Brandy, Hi Christi, Hi Tami, and Chelsie,
Bye Anna, Bye J’mi, Bye Glenna, and Kari!

To the school, to the grocery, to the church, to the mall,
Now drive away, drive away, drive away all!

As Cheryl J. and family were strolling in Old Town
Pam’s family was writing their next year’s goal down.
Then up to the attic the sisters they flew
Bringing down ornaments – some old and some new.

And then in a twinkling I saw Sister Moses
Check all the stockings for notes in the toeses.
As I looked out the window, the Sigmonds drove by,
On their way to the temple, the manger to spy.

And there are the Humphries and others, I see,
Listening to music and the First Presidency.
The choir is singing of that “Silent Night”
While President Monson, sits bathed in the light.

His eyes – how they twinkled! His dimples how merry!
His cheeks are like roses, his nose like a cherry.
As he weaves a story of Christmases past
We all pray that this feeling of pure love will last.

Oh, the sisters were busy, each a jolly fun elf
And I smiled as I watched them in spite of myself.
Sister Reed was preparing her rich oyster stew,
While Jessi Allen concocted her dessert fondue.

Christmas Eve soon arrived with all of its work.
The sisters were ready, not one was beserk.
Dinners were served, Chinese take-out was eaten
Carols were sung, games played and no one was cheatin’.

Well-loved nativities were arranged under the tree
Luke’s story was read, then prayers on bended knee.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care
In hopes that St. Nicklaus soon would be there.

The month now was over, the scurrying was done.
The sisters were tired but happy, each single one.
And I heard them exclaim as they turned out the light,
“Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!”

Food Storage Online Info

Here is a bit of information from Shauna Kemsley's lesson last night on freshening up your food storage. I'm also adding a link to an online store that sells freeze dried food storage items, that my sister in law's ward has purchased from, in case you are interested.

1. To view church guidelines and receive other valuable information, go to Family Home Storage
   
   
2. You may purchase the book, Marlene's Magic with Food Storage, that Shauna Kemsley used for her Freshening Up Your Food Storage Meals at the following link: Marlene's Magic web site--Book is $16.99 + $4.99 shipping
   
   
3. Cookie Extravaganza recipes to download from Everyday Food Storage Blog: http://www.yousendit.com/download/Q01Ia3NTSWVFd2Z2Wmc9PQ
   
   
4. Great additions to your food storage may be found at: Freeze Dried Food for Food Storage--online

If you haven't been to the cannery and want to know where it is...

Cannery in Albuquerque
4400 Presidential Ave. NE
Albuquerque, NM 87109
Phone: (505) 343-1905

Hours: Thursdays from 10 AM - 3 PM
and Saturdays from 9 AM - 3 PM

NOTE: There are MANY other resources out there to help you figure out what you need for your family's 3 month supply of food and emergency items. Ask your family or friends what they do. You may also contact Jackie Walker who is the Emergency Preparedness Specialist for our ward :-)

Craft Saturday--October 18, 2008

Taylor Ranch Ward Craft Saturday

Saturday, October 18
9 AM - 12 PM (classes)
12 PM - 1 PM (lunch)

Relief Society and Young Women are invited to participate
(and any friends too!)

There will not be a nursery that day
so make plans for your children if necessary :-)

The deadline for signing up for our Craft Saturday classes is this Wednesday evening at our Home, Family, and Personal Enrichment Meeting (Wednesday, September 12). Below are close-up pictures and prices for this year's projects:

Magnetic Message Boards--Small is $10; Large is $15

"The Living Christ" framed picture--$17

Family Home Evening Board--$11

Quiet Books (5 to choose from)--$1.50 each

Scrabble Tile Necklaces (2 to choose from)--$5 each

Sandy Spohn will also be demonstrating making her famous Pretzel Rods. The cost for the class is $2. Each participant will get four caramel and chocolate covered pretzel rods to take home.

Jessie Allen is organizing a service project for this day also. There are sign up sheets to bring components for meals that will be frozen and used for compassionate service purposes. You may call her for more information if you desire.

Any other questions about Craft Saturday may be directed to Jenny Childers. E-mail is the best way to reach her (you should be able to click the link to e-mail her): jennifer.childers@gmail.com

Upcoming Enrichment Meeting--September 17, 2008

Need new ideas to

Freshen Up


...Your Family Home Evenings?
...Your Scripture Study?
...Your Food Storage Meals?

Taylor Ranch Ward Relief Society
Home, Family, and Personal Enrichment Meeting

Wednesday, September 17, 2008
7:00 - 8:30 PM
Kachina Building

Childcare will be provided