Strawberry Pretzel Jello Dessert - Sister Gilbert

Press: 2 cup crushed stick pretzels, 3 Tbl sugar, 1/2 cup melted butter in a 9x13 pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Mix together: 1 8oz package cream cheese, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 8oz carton cool whip

Spread on cooled crust. Seal to edges (this is important or the jello will seep through and turn the crust mushy - I seal and refrigerate for an hour to firm a bit)

Mix together: 6 oz package strawberry jello,2 cup boiling water, 2oz frozen strawberries (orfresh if in season)

Spread on top of cool whip mixture. Refrigerate overnight if possible

Half-hearted Valentine Cookies

Cookies: 3/4 cup sugar, 1 cup butter softened, 1 egg, 1 tsp peppermint extract, 3 cup all-purpose flour.
Glaze: 1 cup semi-sweetreal chocolate chips, 1/4 cup butter

Directions: In large bowl combine sugar, butter, cream cheese, egg and peppermint extract. Beat at medium speedm, scraping often until lightly fluffy. Add flour, beat until mixed. Divide dough into halves. Wrap in waxed paper. Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll out dough on floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out with floured heart shaped cutters. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 7-10 min or until edges are very lightly browned. Remove immediately and cool completely on racks. For glaze: In a small saucepan (or microwave) heat butter and chocolate. Dip 1/2 cookie into chocolate. Refrigerate on waxedpaper lined cookie sheet until chocolate is firm. Store covered, in refrigerator.

Magic Bars - Sara Smith

- smash 8 graham crackers
- melt 1 stick of butter
- mix together and spread on the bottom of a 9x13 pan
- Pour on top 1 can of sweetened condensed milk
- Layer 1 cup of chocolate chips
- Layer 1 cup of coconut
- Layer 1/2 cup of chopped nuts of your choice!

Directions:
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool and serve!

Babe Ruth Bars - Kyle Legones

1 cup sugar
1 cup karo syrup
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
6 cups rice krispies
6 ounces chocolate chips
6 ounces butterscotch chips

Directions:
Boil sugar and karo syrup. Remove from heat and mix in peanut butter. Mix with rice krispies in large bowl. Put in 9x13 pan. Flatten and melt chips. Pour in pan and smooth over. Put in fridge for 1 hour.

Oatmeal Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Cookies - Lisa Strebel

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. In mixing bowl beat butter for 30 seconds. Add brown sugarm, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Beat until combined. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Beat in as much of the flour as you can. Stir in remaining flour. Stir in oats. Stir in butterscotch and chocolate chips. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges are light brown.

Mint Chocolate cupcakes - Amy Clark

These are like those chocolate-covered mint patties that the kids love so much. You absolutely can't eat mint icing on its own, it needs the chocolate ganache to bring it all together. But once it is brough, it is heavenly.

Ingredients:
1 cup Soy Milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract, chocolate extract, or more vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder, Dutch-processed or regular
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pan with paper or foil liners
2. Whisk together the soy milk and vinegar in a large bowl, and set aside for a few minutes to curdle. Add the sugar, oil, and vanilla extract, and other extract, if using, to the soy milk mixture and beat till foamy. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add in two batches to wet ingredients andbeat till no large lumps remain (a few tiny lumps are okay).
3. Pour into liners, filling three-quarters of the way. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to cooling rack and let cool completely.

Icing:
1/4 cup nonhydrogenated shortening
3 cups confectioner's sugar (sifted if clumpy)
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbs soy creamer or soy milk
1 1/2 tsp mint extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Small drop green food coloring liquid or paste

Directions:
1. Cream the shortening for a few seconds to soften it. We found that it's easier to do this with a fork than with a handheld mixer.
2. Add 1 cup powdered sugar and a splash (Tbl or so) of soy creamer and mix to incorporate. Alternately add sugar and creamer, mixing after each addition, until all the ingredients are used and the icing is smooth and creamy. Add the mint and vanilla extracts and coloring; mix to incorporate.

Quick Melty Ganache:
3 Tbls soy creamer or soy milk
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Heat soy creamer in a small saucepan over medium heat till just about to simmer. Remove from heat; add chocolate chips and stir till chocolate is completely melted and creamer is incorporated. Set aside and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

To Assemble:
1. After frosting the cooled cupcakes, drizzle the cooled ganache mixture on top of the green mint icing.

Angels Among Us

We had a great night on Thursday February 12th, with Elder Jeffrey R. Holland's talk "Angels Among Us" as the theme. Emily Knudsen gave a beautiful lesson and encouraged us all to find ways to be angels to others. Jeni Baird and Brianna Walker shared their testimonies of angels in their lives and how they have been touched by Visiting Teachers and loved ones in their lives.

After a wonderful lesson, we decorated Valentine's Day cookies for our visiting teachees and had a great time conversing and thinking of ways to become angels to each other:)

Enrichment with the Seniors!

Thank you to all who participated in last week's enrichment - everyone had a great time and the Seniors we visited really appreciated our time and attention:) Comment on this post if you would like to share a special moment that you had that morning!

February Calendar

Thursday, February 5th - Stake Teacher Training Meeting 7pm (Stake Center)
Friday, February 6th - YSA Stake Dance 9-12pm (17th Street Building)
Monday, February 9th - Valentine's for the Elderly
Thursday, February 12th - QUARTERLY ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY - "Angel's Among Us" 7pm (Stake Center)
Saturday, February 14th - Adult Session Stake Conference 7pm (Stake Center)
Sunday, February 15th - Stake Conference 10am (Stake Center)
Saturday, February 21st - Academy Awards Activity with Goldenwest Ward 7-9pm (Stake Center)
Tuesday, February 24th - Tentative ENRICHMENT night 7pm (Stake Center)