October Traditions: Autumn Days

"Pumpkins are fun to decorate, fun to cook, and fun to eat--and even vegetable-snubbing children agree.  Even adults who eat plenty of vegetables should consider eating more pumpkin, for it couldn't be more nutritious, and might even help curb your appetite."

Here is an excellent recipe for Relief Society Visiting Teaching this fall:

Really Good Pumpkin Bread (Gift-giving)

3 c. sugar

1 c. oil

4 eggs

1 (16-oz.) can pumpkin

1 t. baking powder

2 t. baking soda

2/3 c. water

3-1/2 c. flour

2 t. salt

1 t. cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice

1/2 c. chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts)

Cream together sugar and oil.  Add eggs and pumpkin.  Mix well.  Add dry ingredients along with water.  Pour into well-greased and floured loaf pans (or 4-5 mini loaf pans).  Sprinkle nuts along center top of batter.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour.  Let stand 10 min.  remove from pans and cool.  Yield:  4 mini loaves.

Tip for a craft that most people enjoy in October--CARVING PUMPKINS!  Rub a little petroleum jelly on the cuts to keep the carved pumpkin better preserved.

Advice from A Tree:

Stand tall.

Act naturally.

Enjoy the view.

Settle down.

Make your self useful.

Change your look for the season.  

Smell good.

Sink deep roots.

You never look stupid by staying quiet.

Learn to bend.

Take what comes and make the best of it.  

Drink plenty of water.

Recycle.

Be yourself.

Take the winter off.

Wind Gives Speech To Trees.  ~Helen Aoki Kaneko

Pillowcase face, 

Old straw hat

Worn-out jeans, 

Imagine that...

Flannel shirt, 

Stuffed with hay

Make a scarecrow, 

On an autumn day.

So Easy Granola

One of my favorite foods is granola.  There is so much you can do with granola--as a topping for yogurt parfaits, as a cereal, or as a trail mix, to name just a few.  For years, I have been testing dozens of granola recipes.  This one is called Easy Granola but I have renamed it So Easy Granola, because compared to other recipes, it truly is easy.  My 18 yr. old daughter tested this recipe for me and she's never made granola before.  It turned out wonderful!  The recipe made so many servings that I decided to give Easter bags of it to my husbands's home teaching families.  I have neighbors who actually sell their granola during the holidays and if you buy granola on the health food racks at Walmart, you'll see how much people will pay for good granola.  Why not make your own?  Let me know if you try this recipe and how it turned out for you!
So Easy Granola 7-3/4 c. regular oats, uncooked 1-1/4 c. flaked coconut 3/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar 1 c. wheat germ 1 c. chopped pecans 1/2 c. unsalted sunflower kernels 1/2 c. sesame seeds 1-1/2 t. salt 3/4 c. vegetable oil 1/3 c. water 1-1/2 t. vanilla extract 1/2 to 1 c. raisins 1/2 to 1 c. chopped dates Combine first 8 ingredients in a large mixing bowl; set aside.  Combine oil, water, and vanilla; stir well, and pour over oat mixture.  Toss gently to coat; place mixture in two 15 x 10 x 1 inch jelly roll pans.  Bake at 250 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes; cool.  Stir in raisins and dates.  Store granola in airtight containers.  Serve as a cereal with milk.  Yield:  about 14-1/2 cups.  

Church Newsletter Ideas

Simplest Newsletter

I once had a church assignment where I sent a list of seldom seen sisters a message in the mail each month.  I started writing a newsletter to them.  My goal was to keep these less-active sisters connected with our church.  I wanted it to be an easy transition for them when they returned by knowing what was going on.  As a church secretary, I expanded on the idea.

This example shows you the simplest form I've used, but most of the last year I had a spotlight where I took a picture of a sister and wrote a paragraph about her (including her church assignment).  Hopefully, this helped folks old and new, get to know people. This SugarDoodle link was my inspiration: http://www.sugardoodle.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6532:relief-society-newsletter-template&catid=2650:-sp-801&Itemid=200411

I have also included regular short "articles" entitled Pursuit of Excellence which encouraged goal setting, Provident Living a preparedness feature, as well as Today's Family and a 3-Month Clip & File Food Storage Recipes.  Interspersed were really good quotes.  I put in phone numbers for the church leaders and contact people. 

For better viewing of the newsletters, click on each picture to enlarge.  (Graphics are Dazzle Daze by D.J. Inkers at www.djinkers.com). 

Spotlight and Today's Family Example



July page 2 - Clip & File Recipe Example



July page 1 - Provident Living and Pursuit of Excellence Examples