I hope Thanksgiving was wonderful at your house.

(These are cake pops from www.bakerella.blogspot.com)

I just conducted a classic pull-a-name-out-of-a-hat with Nigel's help (which worked out really well because he can't read so there was no chance of cheating and he decidedly chose one name, not the whole bunch).

Heidi won the surplus bag from the craft-a-thon! Congratulations and let me know when you'll be home so I can deliver it.

More recipes from the Emergency Preparedness Oats Class

Two fantastic recipes. One offers an idea of what to do with leftover oatmeal and the other sounds like it would make divine French toast!

Oatmeal Cake
Serves 16

1 1/4 cups water, boiling
1 cup oats, instant
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar, granulated
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour, stirred and measured
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1.2 tsp nutmeg
6 TBLS butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup evaporated milk
3/4 cup pecans, chopped
1 cup coconut flakes

Pour boiling water over rolled oats; set aside for 20 minutes. (Or 1 1/2 cups leftover oatmeal may be used.) In large mixing bowl, cream together butter or margarine and sugars; add eggs and vanilla and blend well. Stir in oatmeal, then mixed dry ingredients. Bake in greased 9x13 inch pan at 350 degrees F. for 40 to 45 minutes or until done.

Combine butter (or margarine), brown sugar, evaporated milk, chopped nuts, and coconut. Mix well. Spread over cake; broil until frosting bubbles and is slightly brown, taking care not to burn.

Raisin-Oatmeal Bread
Serves 16
Serving Size: 1 slice
Makes: 1 loaf, 16 slices
Use this bread for unforgettable slices of warm, golden French toast, kissed with cinnamon and sweet, plump raisins.

1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 TBL shortening
1 package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (1o5-115 degrees)
1/2 cup raisins
3 to 3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 egg white, slightly beaten
2 TBLS quick cooking oats

1. heat water and salt to boiling in 3-quart saucepan. Stir in 1 1/2 coups oats, the brown sugar and shortening; cool to lukewarm. Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water. Stir into oat mixture. Stir in raisins. Mix in flour with spoon (dough will be sticky). Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place in greased bowl; turn greased side up. Cover; let rise in warm place (85 degrees) until double, about 1 1/2 hours. (If kitchen is cool, place dough on a rack over a bowl of hot water and cover completely with a towel.)

2. Grease loag pan, 9x5x3 inches. Punch down dough; shape into rounded loag. Place in pan. Brush top with egg white; sprinkle with 2 TBL oats. Cover; let rise in warm place until double, about 1 hour.

3. Heat oven to 375. Bake until dark brown, 40-45 minutes. Rmeove from pan; cool on wire rack.

1 slice: Calories 155 (calories from fat 20); Fat 2g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 230 mg; Carbohydrates 32 g (Dietary Fiber 2 g); Protein 4g.

From "Betty Crocker's Best Loved Recipes" Text Copyright 199 General

Craft-a-thon Surplus Give-away!

I'm really excited about today's post. I have two of these shoulder bags that I made for displays for the Craft-a-thon sign up process that I'm just not using. I'd love to give this one away. The outside is kind of an Asian print with all different kinds of paper umbrellas. The lining is green with colored polka dots. It's reversible. The strap on this one is really long so you could either tie it to a length you like or cut and resew to a length you like or just have a really long strap.

To win this bag, just leave a comment here before this Friday - November, 28th at midnight.

Quote from yesterday's lesson

Yesterday's lesson in Relief Society came from the May 2008 Ensign. Here is a quote from Elder Dennis B. Neuenschwander found on page 101:

"Among the crowd was a woman. ...a humble woman...approaching the Savior from behind and then with embarrassment confessing that she had touched the hem of His garment. She was a woman exhausted and impoverished by her difficulties. She was desperate for help. Outwardly, there was little to distinguish her from any other person in the crowd. No on tried to stop her from moving toward Jesus. ...But there was something that set her apart from all others in the crowd that day. Though buried among the thronging mass, she resolutely and quietly pressed forward with a single purpose in mind: to come to the Savior, having faith that He had the power to heal her, that He cared about her and would respond to her need. In this one thing she set herself apart from the crowd. The crowd came to see, but the woman came to be healed."

Playgroup

Today's playgroup will be at Caroline's house (1680 Woodland Drive Bldg 7) at 10AM.
We will just chat and let the kids play.
Hope to see y'all there!

Recipes, Recipes!

Here are as many recipes as I can type while Nigel is still asleep from the Emergency Preparedness Oats class last night.

No Bake Cookies
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter/margarine
2-4 TBLS cocoa (depending on how chocolatey you want them to be)
1/2 cup water

Bring to a full rolling boil. Watch closely, stirring constantly so that the sugar is dissoled but isn't burning.

Add 3 cups oats directly after taking above mixture off the heat, add 1 tsp vanilla. Mix well. If desired, add 1/2 cup peanut butter, 1.2 cup coconut or nuts. Drop by spoon onto waxed paper and let cool.

Instant Oatmeal Packets
3/4 cups solled oats
1 1/2 cups quick oats
1/2 cup powdered milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp salt (scant)
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Blend dry rolled oats in a blender, pulsing until oats are powdery (not flour). In a mixing bowl, combine powdery oats and the remaining ingredients.

Put 1.2 up instant oatmeal into zipper lock bags. For variety you can add toppings to each bag (raisins, other dried fruits etc.) Makes 6 instant packets.

To use, combine 1/2 cup instant oatmeal and 2/3 cup water in microwavable bowl. Microwave for approximately 2 minutes. (A little less for an 1100 watt microwave, and more or fewer watts) Stir.

Cranberry Almond Granola
4 cups old fashioned oats
2/3 cup honey
4 TBLS butter or margarine, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup natural almonds, cjopped
1 cup sweetened flake coconut (optional)
1.2 cup wheat germ
1 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place oatns in 2- 15 1/2 by 10 1/2 jelly roll pans. Place pans on 2 oven racks, and bake oats 18 to 20 minutes or until lightly toasted, stirring oats and rotating pans between upper and lower racks halfway through baking.

In large bowl, stir noney, butter, vanilla and salt. Stir in oats, almonds, coconut (if using), and wheat germ to coat.

Spray same pans with nonstick spreay. Spread oat mixture evenly in pans; bake 12 to 14 minutes or until golden-brown, stirring once and rotating pans between racks halfway through baking. Cool granila in pans on wire racks about 15 minutes.

Transfer granola to large bowl. stirn in fruit. Store at room temperature in teightly sealed container up to 2 weeks. (To keep crisp, store oat mixture separately from fruit; mix before serving).

Makes 10 cups.

Breakfast Take Alongs
2/3 cup butter or margaring
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup oats (quick or old Fasioned, uncooked)
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup wheat germ
6 crispy coooked bacon slices, crumbled

Beat together butter, sugar, egg and vanilla uuntil well blended. Add combined flour, soda and slat; miz well. Stir in oats, cheese wheat germ and bacon. Derop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto greases cookie sheet; bake at 350 degrees 12 to 14 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookes sheet; remove to wire cooling rack. Store in loosely covered container in regergerator or at room temperature.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Oatmeal Cake
Serves 16

1 1 /4 cup....

The oatmeal cake and all the others will have to wait. I hear Nigel calling for me. Enjoy! It all sounds so yummy!

The book club is reading,,,

The Prize Winner by Terry Ryan. The Book Group will meet on Thursday, December 4th to discuss the book and have some refreshment by way of food. That means you have 3 weeks to read the book, or you could rent the movie, or do neither and just show up for the company.

The Book Group would appreciate anyone attending to bring a snack to share if possible.

"What to do with all those stored oats"

The Emergency Preparedness class is tonight at 7:00 PM in the Relief Society room. We will be learning about cooking with oats. There will be samples of yummy foods you can make with oats. The recipes will also be posted here later this week.

Let's enjoy the outdoors while we can!

This afternoon Caroline Shillig is hosting playgroup at Nielsen's Grove Park. It's not as green as this picture, but it should be sunny enough to enjoy letting the kids run around before it gets too cold.

Nielsen's Grove Park
2000 South Sandhill Road, Orem
@ 2:30pm

Everyone is welcome to come, whether you have children or just feel like playing with children. Bring friends and family and their children. It's always a blast.

mmm...

Margie Harward will be hosting an oatmeal class this coming week.

Tuesday, Nov 18th
7:30 PM
Relief Society Room

You may remember the wheat class that was a smashing success. I'm sure that oatmeal will be just as enjoyable, if not more!

You Won't Want to Miss This!

Come show off your cooking skills in our fabulous Enrichment Group –

Iron Chef: Grandview 1^st

Prepare one dish (appetizer, entrée, side, salad, dessert or drink) using our “theme” and then bring it and the recipe to share.

Let’s have fun, taste what others have created and swap recipes!

The theme for November is: Holiday Favorites!!!

Thursday, November 13^th

Willowbrook Clubhouse

6:30-7:30 PM

(a children’s class will be provided)