Craft Night - Pictures of the Crafts Included

RS & YW Service & Craft Holiday Activity

Tuesday, November 10 from 5-9 pm.
For additional info go to the 4th ward RS blog @
Come enjoy an evening together as we visit and usher in the holidays!

A light dinner will be served at 6:00 which will include lots of yummy recipes. Come any time during the evening to visit, eat, participate in service projects and/or make some fun inexpensive gifts (ranging from 50 cents-$12!) to take home.

Service Activities: “Give the gift of service”
*Quilts for Humanitarian*- Sis Crandall has lovingly prepared nine quilts to be tied on this night. They will then be donated to bless the lives of many. Thank you Linda!

*Happy Holiday “Hospital “ Kits* -
This year we are participating in a special service project; making packages to send to Primary Children’s Hospital. Each year many parents spend their holidays in hospitals with sick children. As a parent it is a tender time to be at a hospital rather than at home participating in the festivities. These little kits will warm their hearts and lighten their load. We, as a ward, would like to contribute 20 kits to donate before Thanksgiving.
These kits will be put together and decorated at this activity. We need 20 of each item listed below. If you would like to help by donating, please sign up in the kitchen or call Mindy Cutler or Tracey Smithee.
*See example in the kitchen display.

The list for donations includes:
-Chapstick
-travel size lotion
-toothbrush
-bottled water
-flavor packet for bottled water
-cozy socks
-small note book
-pencil or pen
-Christmas ornament (can be homemade, store bought, etc.)
-Holiday CD (as inexpensive as we can find)
-Holiday pillow case (donate a yard of Christmas fabric and/or volunteer to make the cases) *pattern will be provided*
-Chewing gum
-Life savers
-Other non perishable snacks (i.e. packaged cookies, cracker, candy, etc.)
-A special Christmas Story…. (copied on Christmas paper or stationary)

Crafts and Gifts:
Come and get a start on your holiday gift giving by making one or many of these economically friendly fun crafts.

Crafts Available-
-Shadow Box/Picture Frame Calendar

-Placemat Scripture Tote

-Spice Trivet

-Crayon Organizer/Lip Gloss holder

-“Be” Block


-Felt Flowers

-Swedish Weave


*Please sign up early so we can gather materials needed- Prices are listed on sign up sheets for each craft in the kitchen
*Please give money for your projects to Janelle Carlson or Tracey Smithee by Nov. 8th

“Holiday Recipe Share” (Coming in December)
 A sign up will be going around. Please get all those yummy recipes, with the reason why its your favorite, ready and put them in the basket in the kitchen or send/give them to Mindy Cutler @ We would like every sister in the ward to contribute at least one recipe if possible 

Out to Lunch Bunch Bunch at Art City Trolley

Reality V.T. - Visiting Teaching Conference

REALITY V.T.
Real Sisters. Real Experiences.
Real Visiting Teaching Solutions.
Really.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009 @ 7:00p
Tammy Stephan's Backyard
62 West 560 South

BONUS: The return of Speed Visiting Teaching. Come visit and be visited. What could be easier?

We needed to change the book for book club for July and we'll move that to Sept. So for July we're reading "Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. I understand you can pick up a copy at Costco.

For Sept we'll discuss - Preach My Gospel Chapter 3 Section #1 and Colleen Shurtz will lead that discussion.

August 18th – “John Adams” by David McCullough
September 22th – “Preach My Gospel”
October 20th – Brother Joseph –Seer of the New Dispensation Vol. 1 by Richard and Cleon Skousen
November 17th – “Preach My Gospel”
December 8th – Book Exchange

Others good Reads:
Why Popcorn Costs so much at the movies, and other pricing puzzles by Richard B. McKenzie

Ida B….and her plans to maximize fun, avoid disaster, and (possibly) save the world. By Katherine Hannigan

So Be It by Sara Weeks

Seedfolk by Paul Fleischman

Julie & Romeo by Jeannie Ray

The Book Thief by Zusak

Star Girl by Jerry Spinelli

Crossing to Safety by Wallace Earle Stegner

Brother Joseph Vol. 2 by Richard and Cleon Skousen

My Early Life: 1874-1904 by Winston Churchill

Hats in the Garden and other activities

"Hats in the Garden"
Home Family and Personal Enrichment Evening
June 10th - Wednesday
6:30 pm
Rhonda Burke's backyard
(41 West 530 South)

Relief Society and Young Women Fashion Show
Please wear a fun "garden party" hat!

We will have a fashion show with many of our young women modeling vintage dresses, wedding dresses and personal favorites.

We will serve a light dinner.

June 16th –Tuesday Bookclub at LaDawn Ludlow's at 12:30. Now that summer is here we hope for a wonderful turnout! It will be a pot luck lunch. We will be reviewing “Inkheart” by Cornelia Funke.
For July 21st we will be reviewing Chapter 3 lesson 1 of Preach My Gospel.
August 18th –Tuesday we will be reviewing “John Adams” by David McCullough

Out to Lunch Bunch
July 7th - Tuesday
Izzy's
By the new movie theaters
Orem

August 11th – Tuesday
Art City Trolley
256 No. Main
Springville
(801) 489-8585

Sept. 8th – Tuesday
Sparks Restaurant Lounge
86 N University AveProvo, UT 84601
(801) 701-6780
www.sparkrestaurantlounge.com

Humanitarian Quilts and Pot luck lunch
9 am at in the R.S. room –
Lunch will be about 11 am

June 22nd – Monday
August 24th – Monday
September 28th - Monday

We will also have our Thursday Temple day - call LaDawn Ludlow for details. We are planning a temple trip to the Manti temple in August. Watch for details.

Mom and Me will be the 1st and 3rd Fridays at 12:30 pm - Call Carly Stockel or Kim Hooper for place and details

My Sister's Kitchen recipes from Mary Kay

Summer Treats and Eats
(. . .And all things LEMON!) from Mary Kay
Lemon Curd
3 lemons, juiced
2 tsp. Grated lemon zest, or more to taste
1 stick butter, cut into pieces
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs, beaten

Strain the juice to measure ½ cup or more. Put the zest and juice, butter and sugar in a heavy bottomed saucepan or double boiler over medium heat. Heat until the butter is just melted and the sugar dissolved. Taste to see if you have enough sugar to balance the lemon juice. Remove from heat. Whisk the eggs in a slow, steady stream, beating all the while. Continue stirring until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, 10-12 minutes in the saucepan or 15-20 minutes in a double boiler. Don’t boil or cook too long or you’ll have scrambled eggs! Remove pan from heat. Stir to cool a bit. Strain through sieve into container with a tight lid. Cool and cover tightly. Keeps in fridge 3 weeks or so.

Lemon Cake
Sift together:
3 c. unsifted cake flour
1 ½ tsp. Baking powder
1 tsp. Baking soda
1/4 tsp. Salt
2 Tbl. Poppy seeds
3/4 c. butter, softened
2 c. sugar
4 egg yolks (add one at a time)
2 Tbl. Fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
1 tsp. Butter extract
1 1/3 buttermilk, mixed with
1/4 tsp. Cream of tartar

Filling
1 cup lemon curd (see recipe above)

Frosting
8 oz .cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup butter, softened
2 c. sifted powdered sugar
1/4 c. heavy cream
1-2 Tbl. Lemon curd

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease 2 9" cake pans.
2. Sift dry ingredients together.
3. Beat butter & sugar 2 minutes, medium speed, beat in egg yolks one at a time, then beat in juice and extracts.
4. At low speed, beat in flour, in fourths, and buttermilk, in thirds. Beat til just blended.
5. Beat egg whites til stiff, but not dry, fold into cake mixture. Pour into pans.
6. Bake 22-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out barely clean. Cool.





1. Spread between layers of cake. Chill while preparing frosting.

1. Beat ingredients for 2 minutes. Chill 20 minutes, then frost top and sides of cake
2. Garnish cake with red raspberries, blackberries and lemon curls.

Almond Tarts –Delicious filled w/lemon curd, topped w/whipped cream and berries
2/3 c. butter
½ c. sugar
1/4 tsp. Almond extract
½ c. blanched almonds, grated
1 egg yolk
1 ½ c. flour

Directions:
1. Cream butter and sugar
2. Stir in the rest of the ingredients
3. Mix and chill dough
4. Butter small tart molds and press about 1 Tbl. Dough in each mold. Press thinly.
5. Bake 325 for 10-15 min. Cool. Unmold.

Mini Fruit Pizzas
From: Laura Hale (my sister)

Cookies: Mix together1 pkg white cake mix2 eggs1/3 cup oil. Form balls into desired size (regular or mini)Bake 350 for 10-12 minutes. Note: You can use your favorite sugar cookie recipe instead...this is just the easiest way!

Frosting:Mix together1/2 of small carton cool whip 2 yoplait yogurts (I usually either do a berry or lemon/lime)(with whatever is left over, use it for a fruit salad or on top of pancakes/waffles!)

Decorate with:
sliced strawberriescanned mandarin orangesfresh blueberriessliced kiwi

Fruit Pizza
Mix ½ pkg white cake mix w/ 2 eggs
Add:
1/4 c. water
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. softened butter
Add the rest of the cake mix.
Pour batter into greased 16" pizza pan. Bake 350 for 10-15 minutes or until slightly golden.
Cool. Spread cool whip (can also use mixture of cool whip and cream cheese) and arrange fruit on top. (Fruits that work nicely: mandarin oranges, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, kiwi fruit, etc.)

Lemon Pudding Cake (Was my dad’s favorite dessert!)

4 egg whites---Beat until stiff in small bowl

Combine together in large bowl:
4 egg yolks
½ cup flour
1 ¼ cup sugar
¼ tsp salt
1 cup lemon juice
1 2/3 cup milk

1. Fold in egg whites and pour into 8 custard cups. Set in 8 x 10 pan with 1” water.
2. Bake at 325 to 350 F for 50 minutes.
3. Serve warm or cold with or without whipped cream.

Uncle Doug’s Lemon-Lime Icecream
Makes 4 quarts

2/3 cup lemon juice (4‑6 lemons)
2 cup lime juice (3‑4 limes)
2 tsp lemon extract
1 cup low fat cottage cheese
*Blend in a blender above until smooth

Add:
2 cups whipping cream (I use 1 cup plain yogurt and 1 cup whipping cream)
3 cup sugar (or to taste)
2 % milk
*Freeze

Hawaiian Punch Icecream
1, 12 oz can frozen Hawaiian Punch concentrate
1, 6 oz can frozen orange juice
3 oz frozen lemonade or 3 fresh lemons, juiced
1 ¾ cup sugar
1 cup vanilla yogurt
1 quart milk
1 pt whipping cream

*Freeze with ice cream maker

Crab Rangoons
(From www.kraftfoods.com with some alterations)
1 can (6 oz.) white crabmeat, drained, flaked
4. 4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) 1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese, softened
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup Mayo (Light or regular)
30-40 won ton wrappers

Heat oven to 350°F. Mix first 4 ingredients. Spray mini muffin cups with cooking spray. Place 1-2 tsp. of filling in center of won ton wrapper. Pinch sides together and place in muffin tins.
Bake 18 to 20 min. or until won tons are golden brown and filling is heated through. Serve w/ sweet and sour sauce for dipping.

Asparagus Gruyere Tart (from Great Food Fast, Everyday Living)

1 sheet frozen puff pastry (from 17.3 oz package), thawed according to package instructions
5 ½ oz. Gruyere cheese, shredded (2 cups) (Swiss cheese works for a cheaper substitution)
1 ½ lbs medium asparagus
1 TB olive oil
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400. On a lightly greased cookie sheet (or jelly roll pan) roll the puff pastry into a 16-by-10 inch rectangle. With a sharp knife, lightly score the dough 1 inch in from the edges to mark a rectangle. Using a fork, pierce the dough inside the markings at half-inch intervals. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.
2. Remove the pastry shell from the oven, and sprinkle with the cheese. Trim the bottoms of the asparagus spears to fit crosswise inside the tart shell; arrange in a single layer over the cheese, alternating ends and tips. Brush with the oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake at 400 until the spears are tender, 20-25 minutes.

Mushroom Tart (from Great Food Fast, Everyday Living)

1 sheet frozen puff pastry (from 17.3 oz package), thawed according to package instructions
1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 TB olive oil
salt and pepper
1-2 packages (10 oz. each) white mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 package (10 oz.) Fresh baby spinach
2 oz soft goat cheese (or feta cheese), crumbled

1. Preheat oven to 400. On a lightly greased cookie sheet (or jelly roll pan) roll the puff pastry into a 16-by-10 inch rectangle. With a sharp knife, lightly score the dough 1 inch in from the edges to mark a rectangle. Using a fork, pierce the dough inside the markings at half-inch intervals. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, toss the onion with 1 TB. Of the oil. Season with salt. Cover and cook over medium heat until the onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir. Continue cooking with the cover on for 15 minutes., stirring every 5 minutes. Set aside.
3. In a large saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the mushrooms; cover and cook until tender and all liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Fold in the spinach; season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until wilted, about 5 minute more. Drain any liquid.
4. Top the dough with the mushroom-spinach mixture. Scatter the onions and goat cheese on top. Bake at 400 until the cheese is lightly browned, about 15 minutes.

Chinese Chicken Salad
1 head of red/green leaf lettuce
1 can mandarin oranges (11 oz.)
2 chicken breasts, cooked and sliced
2 green onion stems, chopped
1 pkg Ramen Noodles, dry and crushed
(can also add slivered almonds, water chestnuts, fresh mushrooms)

Salad Dressing
1 tsp. dry mustard
4 tsp. sugar
4 tsp. soy sauce
2 TB sesame oil
½ c. olive oil (extra virgin)
6 TB rice vinegar

Favorite Taco Salad
Iceburg or Romaine lettuce
Red cabbage
1 lb. ground hamburger, cooked and drained, (can mix in some Taco seasoning)
corn (frozen or canned)
beans (black, kidney, pinto, whichever you like best, or use a combination)
sliced olives
diced tomatoes
shredded carrots
diced avocado
shredded cheddar cheese (or Mexican cheese mix)
crushed Nacho Cheese Doritos
Catalina Salad Dressing

Mix together. Add chips and dressing just before serving so salad and chips stay crisp. (I often make it w/o the hamburger and people still love it!)


Chicken Vegetable Pasta Salad
½ pkg tri-color pasta, cooked and cooled
½ pkg bowtie pasta, cooked and cooled
1 bunch of broccoli
½ red onion
1 cup peas
2-4 oz. Blue cheese, crumbled
1 can kidney beans
2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and sliced
3/4 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled
Salad Dressing
½ c. Canola oil
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
1/4 c. sugar
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. dry mustard
½ tsp. Poppy seeds

Azalea Chicken Pasta Salad (Maren Hardy)
16 oz. pasta (bowtie, spiral, whatever you like), cooked and drained
4 cups cooked and diced chicken
1 can sliced water chestnuts
2 cups celery, sliced
4 green onions, sliced
2 cups red grapes
1 c. slivered almonds

Salad Dressing
1 ½ c. mayonnaise
2 tsp. curry
3 tsp. soy sauce (or Braggs Amino Acid)
3 TB Major Grey’s Mango Chutney (can find at Day’s Market, in Edgemont, Provo)
½ c. milk
1 ½ tsp. salt
fresh ground pepper, to taste

BBQ Chicken Pizza

1 c. BBQ sauce (your favorite brand or recipe)
2 cups precooked chicken, diced
2 cups shredded mozzarella
½ c. Parmesan cheese
1 c. Alfredo sauce (I like Classico brand)
1 pizza crust

Mix chicken and BBQ sauce together in a bowl. Spread Alfredo sauce on pizza crust, then layer ½ cheese, chicken, ½ cheese and then other toppings as desired.
Additional toppings that are good: red onions, pineapple, fresh mushrooms, olives

Chicken Cashew Salad Sandwiches
2 cups cooked chicken, cubed
1 c. salted cashews (add at the last minute)
1 cup celery, chopped
1 c. mayonnaise
1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper
½ tsp. dry Ranch dressing mix
Sprouts
Favorite sandwich bread

Favorite Turkey Burger (taken from Great Food Fast)
1 ½ lbs ground turkey
½ cup finely grated Gruyere cheese (can substitute Swiss cheese or Provolone)
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup dried breadcrumbs
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Combine and form into four to six patties. Grill and enjoy on hamburger buns with favorite condiments.

Favorite Chicken Marinade for Grilling
2 ½ lbs. chicken (or flank steak or pork)
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup lemon juice
1/4 cup Canola oil
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. celery salt
½ tsp. pepper
½ tsp. thyme
½ tsp. oregano
½ tsp. rosemary
1-2 cloves garlic, minced

Combine all ingredients and marinate meat for 4-5 hours. Turn occasionally. Grill and baste while cooking. (Using fresh herbs from your garden makes the flavor even better. Use ½ - 1 TB of fresh instead of the ½ tsp. dried)

Lemon-Honey Chicken
Combine and coat chicken:
1/3 cup flour
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper

6-8 chicken breast halves
½ cup butter
½ cup honey
½ cup lemon juice
2 TB soy sauce

1. Place chicken in 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes.
2. Combine honey, lemon juice, and soy sauce, and butter in saucepan. Cook until thoroughly heated. Pour sauce over chicken.
3. Bake uncovered for 20-30 minutes more until chicken is done, basting frequently with honey mixture.

June 7th R.S. lesson handout

Our theme in Relief Society this year is a perfect brightness of hope – I would like to take this a step further – How can we create an attitude of faith and hope and peace in our home? There needs to be some place where we feel at peace and be able to relax. Do we have a place where our family and friends love to be – where they feel welcome? Where - if it’s been a really rough day- you can come and feel loved and at peace – where hope is instilled that tomorrow will be better. Think of your home -what are some of the physical things you do in your home to make it this kind of a place.

President Gordon B. Hinckley tells of his experience as of youth of ….spring cleaning. …“When all of it was done, and everything was back in place, the result was wonderful. The house was clean, our spirits renewed. The whole world looked better” (“Be Ye Clean,” Ensign, May 1996, 47).

“A place for everything…and everything in its place! There are great words of wisdom. It is easier to function in our hectic lives if we have created an organized home where each family member can feel at peace. ..” (Ramie Hayden, W.C. 2006 Sharing Station 15)

I’d like to encourage you to pick at least one place or room that needs some help in organization and cleaning and make it your project or a family project to be completed by the end of the summer – I guarantee when you are done when you go to that room or “spot” it will make you smile and it will inspire you. Have a fun summer and think “outside” the box with your project! Love Jan

Here are some web sites with some great ideas to help you get started!

http://ce.byu.edu/cw/womensconference/archive/handouts.cfm (look at the end of Friday May 1st for Sue William “Done in Order. (2009 session handouts for BYU Women’s Conference 2008) Great step by step ideas!!

http://ce.byu.edu/cw/womensconference/archive/2006/sharing_stations/15.htm
(2006 Virtual Sharing Stations (15) 10 Minutes a Day Keeps the Clutter Away) More wonderful ideas!

http://ce.byu.edu/cw/womensconference/archive/2008/sharing_stations/27.html
2008 Women’s conference sharing stations, (27) Everyday Heirlooms- Preserving and Teaching Homemaking Skills

http://ce.byu.edu/cw/womensconference/archive/2008/pdf/carolDyerCindiHarperFaunTurley.pdf (2008 session handouts for May 2nd, “She lookth well to the ways of her household.”)
http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=024644f8f206c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=adb485f10e6fb010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1 “Why does my room need to be clean? Does a messy room make me a bad person” – Q & A New Era. March 2005,
http://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/ A fun magazine with great ideas – try the section new uses for old things. This is just one magazine of many that have some wonderful ideas on how to organize and clean your space.

Our Community Baby Shower

held on March 24, 2009.

As a ward we had a baby shower as a community service project for Utah County's Baby Your Baby and for the Children's Justice Center in Provo.

We made about 45 quilts - some rag quilts and many many tied quilts from infant to queen size. Also donated were beautiful baby outfits, toys, books, and more baby blankets - plus many other things a new mother might need. Here are some pictures from our evening.

Quilts made by the activity day girls

quilt tied by the cub scouts

a view of some of the quilts

some of the donated items

some of the rag quilts

more baby items

On January 13th we had a Relief Society Activity on how to make rag quilts from scraps of material. After our class we tied a couple of quilts.

If anyone would like a pattern and instructions see Jan or Linda.

Gathering, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings

Egg In A Nest recipe:

2 TBL yeast
1 cup warm water
Set aside
Combine:
4 cup flour (wheat & white mixture)
1 TBL dough enhancer
1 TBL wheat gluten
½ cup sugar
½ cup melted butter
2 egg yolks and 1 whole egg
2 cup warm milk
Whip together
Add yeast water and let come up
10 minutes
Add:
2 tsp salt
4 cups flour or less
(You want a soft dough)
Knead. Let rise until double in size. Punch down and make a golf ball size rolla. Roll each into a snake and wrap around a raw egg, overlapping ends. Put on greased sheet. Rise. Brush with egg wash (1 egg, blended.) Bake 350 for 15-19 minutes.

For cinnamon rolls:
Roll dough into rectangle. Brush with melted butter and add brown sugar mixed with cinnamon. Roll long side and cut about ½" and set on cookie sheet to rise. Bake 350 for 12-15 min, or until golden brown. While still hot, frost with a cream cheese frosting or a glaze of powdered sugar and milk.

Ward RS Leadership Meeting

February Bookclub!!!

March 11th –6:30 pm
“Vessel of Light” – R.S. Birthday
It will be a combined Enrichment with 3rd, 4th and 5th wards. Dinner will be served followed by a skit entitled “Vessel of Light.” Invite your neighbors, friends and those you Visiting Teach. It will be an evening you won’t want to miss!!

Dressed up Valentine desserts and cookies

On Feb. 10th we had a My Sister's Kitchen at Tracey's home. She gave us many tips and recipes for Dressed up Valentine (or any time) Desserts and Cookies. If you have any questions please give Tracey a call.

Chocolate Ganache

12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate morsels
¾ cup heavy whipping cream
6 tb. Butter


In a small sauce pan, heat cream and butter until just before the boiling stage.

Pour over the chocolate morsels.

Let stand about 20 seconds and stir until smooth.

Pour over brownies and let set before cutting.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies (Betty Crocker)

You love the ice cream, now sink your teeth into gooey cookie dough brownies! Mixes for brownies and cookies make it extra easy.

Prep Time: 15 min
Total Time: 1 hour 55 min
Makes: 48 brownies

1 box Betty Crocker Original Supreme brownie mix (with chocolate syrup pouch)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
¼ cup water
2 eggs
1 pouch (1lb 1.5 oz.) Betty Crocker chocolate chip cookie mix
½ cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 container Berry Crocker Rich & Creamy chocolate frosting
1. Heat oven to 350F. Grease bottom only of 13x9-inch pan. Make brownie mix as directed on box, using oil, water and 2 eggs. Spread in pan.

2. Make cookie mix as directed on pouch, using butter and 1 egg. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons evenly onto brownie batter; press down lightly.

3. Bake 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out almost clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Frost with frosting. For brownies, cut into 8 rows by 6 rows.


Nutrition Information:
1 Brownie: Calories 170 (Calories from Fat 70); Total Fat 8g (Saturated Fat 3g, Trans Fat 1g); Cholesterol 20mg; Sodium 120mg; Total Carbohydrate 24g (Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 18g); Protein 1g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 0%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 0%; Iron 6% Exchanges: 1/2 Starch; 1 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 1 1/2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 1 1/2 *Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Pink Heart Tuiles (from Martha Stewart Living)
The batter for these cookies may be made and kept refrigerated for two days. To make a template for these cookies, cut a three-inch heart-shaped hole in the center of a piece of heavy plastic, such as a coffee-can lid. Trace a heart cookie cutter for the shape, if you like. Spread the batter thinly over the template; if the batter is too thick, the tuiles may bubble.

Ingredients Makes 4 dozen.
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large egg whites, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pink food coloring

Directions
1. In 2 separate bowls, sift flour and confectioners' sugar, and set aside.
2. In bowl of electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sifted confectioners' sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in egg whites, one at a time, until fully incorporated. Add sifted flour; mix well. Add vanilla. Stir in food coloring until desired shade is reached.
3. Heat oven with two racks centered to 375 degrees. Place two Silpats (French nonstick baking mats) on 2 baking sheets. Place template on corner of mat. With offset spatula, spread thin layer of batter over template, and lift template. Repeat to make 8 hearts, spaced equally, on each mat.
4. Bake cookies until cooked through but not brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Using a spatula, drape cookies over handle of a wooden spoon to curl slightly; let cool. If cookies cool before shaping, return pan to oven for 30 seconds. Bake remaining batter, making sure baking sheets are cool before spreading batter. Store in an airtight container, at room temperature, for up to 1 week.

Mini Heart-Shaped Cake (from Martha Stewart)
This recipe for mini heart-shaped cakes, courtesy of Matt Lewis from Baked, makes the perfect treat for your special someone on Valentine's Day.

Ingredients
Makes six 4-inch heart-shaped cakes.
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 tablespoons red food coloring
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable shortening, at room temperature
1 2/3 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup melted dark chocolate, for decorating
Speckled Cinnamon Frosting

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees with rack in the center of the oven. Butter an 18-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet, line with parchment paper, butter parchment, and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together cocoa powder, food coloring, and 1/4 cup boiling water. Set aside to cool.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and shortening on high speed until smooth. Add sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Stir buttermilk and vanilla into cocoa mixture. Into another medium bowl, sift together flour and salt. With the mixer on low, add flour mixture alternating with cocoa mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat until incorporated.

In a small bowl, mix together vinegar and baking soda until baking soda dissolves; mixture will fizz. Add to batter and mix until just combined.
Pour batter into prepared baking sheet, smoothing the top. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 20 to 30 minutes, rotating pan after 10 minutes.
Cook cake completely on a wire rack. Using a 4-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out 12 hearts.

Place 4 strips of parchment paper around perimeter of a serving plate or lazy susan. Place 1 layer on the cake plate. Spread a thin layer of frosting on the cake; top with another heart, bottom side up. Cover entire cake with a thin layer of frosting and transfer to refrigerator for 10 minutes. Repeat process with remaining ingredients.

Remove cakes from the refrigerator and cover each cake with a generous layer of frosting, smoothing as you go around to create a flat surface.

Place chocolate in a pastry bag fitted with a small plain round tip; decorate as desired.

Here are some other ideas Tracey had for us.

Classic Creme Brulee

Classic Crème Brulee

8 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla
¼ cup sugar (for caramelizing the tops)

Preheat oven to 300. Whisk yolks and sugar together until thick and pale yellow. Add cream and vanilla and mix until blended. Strain and skim, then divide among 6 ramekins and place in a baking dish/water bath (in a baking dish, make sure water is half way up the sides of the ramekins…this allows moisture to flow through the oven and keep the custards soft.) Bake for 40-50 minutes, until the outside edges are set and the center is still loose. Remove from oven and cool in water bath. Chill at least 2 hours or up to 2 days. When ready to serve, sprinkle sugar to cover the entire surface of each custard. Fire with a hand held torch until caramelized.

Additions for making brulee “3 ways”

Add 6-8 berries (we like raspberries best) to the custard before baking, while in the ramekins and bake as instructed above….And/OR: add 1-2 tsp. cinnamon sugar to the custard before baking, while in the ramekins and gently stir to mix…bake as instructed for classic brulee.

More dressed up desserts

Chocolate Bundles with Chocolate Ganache Recipe courtesy Paula Deen
Prep Time: 10 min
Level: Easy
Serves: 4 servings
Cook Time: 35 min
Ingredients
Bundles:
1 sheet puff pastry
2 eggs
1 teaspoon heavy cream
8 miniature chocolate kisses
8 miniature chocolate candy bars
Ganache:
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 ounces milk chocolate, broken into small pieces
2 tsp Karo syrup
Sweetened whipped cream,
optional Mint sprigs, for garnish

Can put ganache in a squeeze bottle so you can decorate your creations. It will keep in the fridge and you can heat up in the bottle in a hot water bath on the stove. (Also dipping choc you can also do the same)

Directions
Bundles: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Unfold puff pastry and cut the sheet into 2 (4 by 4-inch squares). Beat eggs and cream together to create an egg wash. Brush pastry squares with egg wash. Place 2 chocolate kisses and 1 mini candy bar in the center of each pastry square. Repeat with remaining kisses and mini-bars. Pull corners of the square up around the chocolate, brushing edges with more egg wash, if necessary, to create a secure bundle. Brush exteriors of chocolate bundles with more egg wash. Repeat with remaining bundles. Place bundles on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until golden brown.
Ganache: In a sauce pan bring the heavy cream to a boil. Place the chocolate pieces in a bowl and pour hot cream over top. Whisk until smooth. Puddle ganache onto a plate and place 1 bundle on top. Top with whipped cream and additional ganache, if desired.
Serve bundles garnished with strawberry slices and mint sprigs.
Other variations: put choc with tsp of cherry pie filling or apple pie filling with Carmel filling

Almond or Pecan Lace Cookies

Almond Lace Cookies

6 T. Unsalted Butter
4 T. Heavy cream
¾ C. Whole unblanched almonds, (ground med. Fine)
1 T. all-purpose flour
½ C. Sugar

Heat oven to 375. Line a baking shet with parchment. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine butter and cream. When butter has melted, stir in remaining ingredients with a wooden spoon. Cook until gently bubbleing 2-3 min. Remove from heat, and keep warm.

Place 5 teaspoons of batter 11/2 inches apart on baking sheet( this is as many asyou can mold while hot). Bake until lightly broned and crisp, 6-7 minutes
Remove from oven, and let sit for 1 minute. Working quickly, lay each cookie over a coneshaped obect, pressing edges together. Alternatively, roll cookies around the handle of a wooden spoon, pressing the edges together to form a cylinder. Continue baking and forming cookies until batter is used up. Place cookies on a wire rack to cool.

These cookies can be left flat or rolled into cones or cylinders. They can also be dipped in chocolate.
Make large size and mold into bowls and fill with ice cream, chocolate fudge sauce, berrys and cream for a fancy dessert.

Pecan Praline Lace Cookies, Cups, and Coronets
Recipe courtesy Peggy Cullen
Prep Time: 40 min
Cook Time: 12 min

Ingredients
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 ounces (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine the pecans and flour. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, sugar, and corn syrup. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir the dry ingredients into a pan. Transfer the batter to a bowl and stir occasionally until it thickens into a dough and is cool enough to handle, about 25 minutes.

With moistened hands, roll the dough into various size balls, depending on whether you're making cookies, cups or coronets (see below). Place on ungreased baking sheets, 3 to 7 inches apart, depending on size-they spread quite a bit. Bake about 12 minutes, or until the active bubbling subsides. Place the baking sheet on rack and let cool until the cookies are firm enough to lift with a flexible metal spatula but are still malleable, 3 to 5 minutes. Working quickly, mold each into shape and set on a wire rack to cool completely. If the cookies get too cool and brittle to mold, put the try back in the oven for a minute to soften.

To make 9 dessert bowls: With moistened hands, mold each ball using a rounded tablespoon of dough. Place only 2 balls on the ungreased baking sheet. Have 2 small soup bowls measuring 4 1/2 to 5-inches across the top ready by the oven. Follow the baking instruction above. When set but still malleable, lift the cookies, one at a time, and place each in a bowl, nutty, bumpy side up. Gently press the bottom to flatten. The sides will ruffle prettily. Wipe the excess butter off the baking sheet and continue with the remaining dough. If you have more than 1 baking sheet, stagger the baking so that you can mold 1 tray while the other is in the oven.

Fill with butterscotch ice cream, pumpkin mousse, bananas and cream, or anything that strikes your fancy and goes well with pecans.

To make 9 ice cream cones: Follow the baking instructions above for dessert bowls, but when you lift a cookie off the baking sheet, roll it into a cone with the nutty, bumpy side facing out, and hold it for a few seconds to set. Lay it on the cooling rack, seam side down, and place a cylindrical object, such as a pill bottle, in the opening to set until you roll the next cookie.
Fill with scoops of any flavor ice cream or sorbet that complements pecans.

To make 18 coronets: With moistened hands, mold rounded teaspoons of the dough into balls. Place about 9 balls on an ungreased baking sheet. Follow the baking instructions for ice-cream cones; you're making a smaller version of the same. Repeat with a second tray.
Fill with mousse, ice cream, or berries and cream. Place a little dab of cream on the plate to anchor the coronets, and place 1 or 2 coronets on each plate with fruit sauce, mousse or hot fudge spilling out of the opening.

To make 24 cookies: With moistened hands, mold level teaspoons of dough into balls. Place about 12 balls on an ungreased baking sheet. Follow the instructions above. When the cookies are set but still flexible, transfer to a cooling rack. Repeat with a second tray.
To make 24 cigarettes: Follow the baking instructions for cookies, but when you lift a cookie off the baking sheet, roll it around a chopstick or the handle of a wooden spoon. Lay it on the cooling rack, seam side down. If the cookies get too brittle to mold, put the baking sheet back in the oven for a minute to soften them. To dip the ends in melted chocolate, immerse 1 end of a cookie, then the other, shake off the excess chocolate, and dip the end into a small bowl of grated chocolate.

Lay it on a sheet pan lined with parchment or waxed paper. When all the cookies are dipped, place the tray in the refrigerator for 5 to 10 minutes, just until the chocolate sets.

Amish Cookies from the kitchen of Tracey Smithee
1 cup sugar 1 tsp. soda
1 cup powdered sugar ½ tsp. salt
1 cup butter 1 tsp. cream of tartar
1 cup oil 1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs 4 ½ cup flour
Mix. Form into balls and roll in sugar. Flatten with a glass; mark with a fork. Bake for 10 min. at 350

“Community” Baby Shower Open House

March 24th – Tuesday (date change)

at Jan Hornberger’s 7 pm
Refreshments will be served! Come and enjoy an evening with friends. This is a great way we can serve and support our community. Bring a gift for a family/ baby in need. (does not need to be wrapped) Can be anything a baby would need.

The agencies we will be serving:
Baby Your Baby –
Utah County Health Dept.
They requested anything for newborns (or older siblings)

Children's Justice Center in Provo
Their needs are just a little different.
They need quilts or blankets any size - with a special request for twin or lap size for teens. Any child coming into the Justice Center is given a blanket.

(We may also have 2 other agencies we would like to give things to also)

Out to lunch bunch at Marley's

Emma, Pam, Rhonda, Linda, LaDawn & Lois

February 10th –My Sister's Kitchen activity
“Dressed up Valentine desserts & cookies” –
Tracey's home at 7 pm

“Community” Baby Shower Open House
February 24th
at Jan Hornberger’s 7 pm

Refreshments will be served! Come and enjoy an evening with friends.
This is a great way we can serve and support our community. Bring a gift for a family/ baby in need. (does not need to be wrapped) Can be anything a baby would need.

The agencies we will be serving:
Baby Your Baby –
Utah County Health Dept.
They requested anything for newborns (or older siblings)

Children's Justice Center in Provo
Their needs are just a little different.
They need quilts or blankets any size - with a special request for twin or lap size for teens. Any child coming into the Justice Center is given a blanket.

(We may also have 2 other agencies we would like to give things to also)

Relief Society Activities
Out to Lunch Bunch: starting March 2nd Tuesday
Meet at Pam's at 11 am

2nd February - Marley's (555 S. Geneva Road, Lindon; www.marleys.com; 229-2469) Harley Davidson’s building

10th March - Paradise Bakery & Cafe (562 W. Main, American Fork; americanfork@paradisebakeryut.com; 216-8484)

14th April - Moto's Tahitian Noni Island Grill (333 River Park Dr., Provo; www.motusgrill.com; 234-CAFE)

12th May – Chef G’s (70 North Geneva Rd. 319-6874)

Book Club 3rd Tuesday at 12:30 – 1:45 at LaDawn Ludlow’s

February 17th – “Price we Paid“ by Andrew Olsen

March 17th – “Preach My Gospel”

April 21st – “Forgotten Man: A New History of the Great Depression” by Amity Shlaes & “Richest Man in Babylon” by George S. Clason

May 19th – “Preach My Gospel”

June 16th – “Inkheart” by Cornelia Funke

July 21st – “Preach My Gospel”

August 18th – “John Adams” by David McCullough

September 22th – “Preach My Gospel”

October 20th – Brother Joseph –Seer of the New Dispensation Vol. 1 by Richard and Cleon Skousen

November 17th – “Preach My Gospel”

December 8th – Book Exchange

Others good Reads
Why Popcorn Costs so much at the movies, and other pricing puzzles by Richard B. McKenzie

Ida B….and her plans to maximize fun, avoid disaster, and (possibly) save the world. By Katherine Hannigan

So Be It by Sara Weeks

Seedfolk by Paul Fleischman

Julie & Romeo by Jeannie Ray

The Book Thief by Zusak

Star Girl by Jerry Spinelli

Crossing to Safety by Wallace Earle Stegner

Brother Joseph Vol. 2 by Richard and Cleon Skousen

My Early Life: 1874-1904 by Winston Churchill

101 ways to stretch your food dollars
By Valerie Phillips
Food prices are going up. But here are lots of ways — 101 of them — to shave off pennies, dimes and dollars from your food costs.
Not every tip fits every situation. A vat-size container of salad dressing is cheaper per ounce, but not if it sits in a single person's fridge for months on end. Remember, the most expensive food you can buy is the food that goes to waste.

Before you go
1. For a week, track what your family actually spends on food. Don't forget to include work lunches, restaurant meals, vending-machine snacks and convenience store stops. These add up quickly. (Make sure you always have a little notebook on hand to note your expenses.)
2. Have a plan. Jot down simple dinner menus for the week, using the weekly grocery store ads so you can take advantage of what's on sale that week. Having a plan ends the 5 p.m. "what's for dinner?" plight.
3. Make a shopping list from your menu. Having the ingredients you need for the week eliminates extra trips to the supermarket, where more incidental items can end up in your grocery cart. (In this day and age, these little trips also cost a lot of expensive gas.)
4. To save time, compile a basic shopping list of things you usually buy on a weekly basis, such as milk, lettuce, etc. Organize the list by the store layout and make lots of copies. Then each week it's just a matter of penciling in the extra ingredients from your menu.5. Get out of the dinner rut. Check out cookbooks or magazines from the library or attend local cooking classes for new ideas. (The cooking classes are a great idea, if they are free. Start watching the Food Channel for great ideas.)
6. For low-cost, nutritious recipe ideas, check the Food Stamp Nutrition Connection at recipefinder.nal.usda.gov. The recipes have cost-per-serving and nutrition data.
7. Consider making from scratch many of the things you usually buy in prepared form, such as brownies or salad dressing.
8. Time is a valuable resource. It's usually not worth the time, or gasoline to hopscotch from store to store to save a few dollars.
9. Consider the advantages when you choose where to shop. Some stores offer credit cards with rebates, discounts on gasoline, special coupons and so on.
10. Club warehouses can save money, but be judicious. Can you use 18 cartons of yogurt at a time? Often you can find similar good buys and a better selection at a regular grocery store
11. Sometimes you're lured into buying things that lose their appeal and end up sitting on the shelf. To cure yourself of impulse shopping, every so often force yourself to make a meal out of those items in the cupboard.
12. Consider group strategies. A neighborhood group or extended family might save by buying in bulk directly from wholesalers and farmers.

Shopping
13. Try shopping with cash, taking only an allotted amount to the store.
14. Statistics indicate that people buy more when they are hungry or accompanied by others, especially children. However, grocery shopping can be a good learning experience for kids; let them find all the coupon foods and comparison shop with you.
15. Don't dawdle. The longer you're wandering through the store, the more chance of impulse buys. (Take advice from the husband, all he wants to do is get in and get out.)
16. Avoid convenience stores. They have higher prices and very few specials.
17. Guard against nonfood impulse buys that could end up in your cart, such as the latest DVD, perfumes or toiletries. Do you really need them?
18. Limit trips to the store. Multiple trips usually mean more incidental items added to the cart.
19. Try "catch-and-release" shopping with high-end items. Put that bottle of name-brand, extra-virgin olive oil in the cart, and while you finish the rest of your purchases, ask if it's something you can live without. Then before you check out, put it back on the shelf. After all, dreaming is free. (However, if you end up convincing yourself to buy these things, or you forget to put them back, this method isn't for you!)

Coupons
20. Use the coupon inserts in your Sunday newspaper ads.
21. To maximize coupon savings, use resources such as Pinchingyourpennies.com, the Grocery Guru at http://www.gurusdeals.com/, or Couponsense.com, which help you to coordinate coupons with sales at local grocery stores. By using the coupon with the sale price, you can get items for a fraction of the cost. (There is also a coupon site on Grandma.)
22. Multiply the savings. Some people take multiple Sunday newspaper subscriptions for the coupons, and you can also ask your neighbors or relatives for the coupons from their paper.
23. Check other sources for coupons: the "blinkies" in the red boxes on grocery store shelves, home mailers, "peelies" that are peeled off the product itself and printables off Web sites.
24. Be wise about coupons. Sometimes a brand name with a coupon is still more expensive than a generic brand. And resist buying things you may not use just because you have a coupon.
25. Some grocery stores match competitor coupons if you have the advertisement with you.
26. Organize your coupons so you can use them efficiently. Bonnie Childress of Ogden uses a three-ring binder with clear photo pages or baseball card pockets. Others use a filing box and take out the coupons they will be using and clip them to their shopping list on their way to the grocery store.
27. Send in rebates. Teri Radmall of Eden puts all the money she receives from rebates in a separate account, and she's now up to $200.

Cereals & baked goods
28. One reason people avoid buying cheaper bagged cereal is because they're hard to store and pour. Store them in a plastic pitcher with a pour spout. (Be careful with this tip, sometimes the cereal will go rancid if left too long.)
29. Consider how much you can save by cooking whole grains for breakfast instead of cold breakfast cereal. Homer Cook of Layton said as a welfare volunteer, he helped a single mother of three cut her breakfast costs from $1,000 per year to $58 peryear by cooking cracked wheat based on Honeyville Grain prices.
30. Buy whole-grain cereals and breads. They're more filling, so you are satisfied with less. And they're better for you.
31. Go '90s retro and pull out your old bread machine. Besides bread, it can be used for rolls and pizza dough.
32. Make croutons or bread crumbs from day-old bread or hotdog buns. The crumbs can be seasoned and used as a "shake-and-bake" chicken coating. (Leftover bread also makes wonderful Bread Pudding and is so easy.)
33. Seek out day-old bread "thrift" stores. But be wary of the temptation to overbuy empty calorie items such as cupcakes, potato chips and doughnuts. (Check the bread carefully, you don't want it to mold. If buying more than one loaf, you can freeze it until you are ready to use.)
34. Bake a batch of muffins from scratch for on-the-go breakfasts. Even if you use a mix, you'll still save over bakery prices.

Produce
35. Buy fruits and vegetables in season when they're cheaper and taste fresher. When compared to the price per pound of meat, cheese, chocolate, etc., they're a nutritional bargain.
36. If you're preparing a commercial meal kit e.g.: such as Hamburger Helper or a frozen pasta dinner, toss in a few more vegetables. Chopped bell peppers or celery, and frozen broccoli or peas add color, flavor and nutrition to what is usually a lot of starch, sauce and salt. They can also stretch the meal into more servings.
37. Ready-prepped veggies cost more but may be worth it if you actually use those peeled carrots or sliced mushrooms. A huge percentage of fresh produce goes to waste sitting in refrigerators.
38. A pound bag of chopped iceberg lettuce salad costs more; about $2, than a head of iceberg lettuce. Approximately $1 per pound, that you clean and chop yourself. But if bagged salad greens keep you from buying restaurant salads, there's still a savings.
39. If lettuce prices are up, vary your veggies. Consider cabbage, spinach, carrot or broccoli salads.
40. Grow your favorite herbs year-round in your kitchen window. It's convenient to be able to cut a few sprigs as needed, and packets of fresh herbs can cost $1.50-$2 in grocery stores.
41. If you're not up to planting a garden, add a few strawberry or tomato plants to your flower beds. You have to weed and water them anyway. Or add a fruit tree to your back yard.
42. Yellow onions are often 40 cents to 50 cents less per pound than red/purple onions.
43. When your favorite fresh vegetables are off-season, look for canned and frozen versions. Do the math and figure out which offers the best price per serving.
44. Beans are an inexpensive protein. Add them to tacos, casseroles, salads, etc., so you can use less meat.
45. Dried beans, per cooked serving, are often less than half the price of canned beans. But they take a lot of time to cook. Soak a batch overnight in your slow cooker on low heat, then portion and freeze for later use. (I don't put the slow cooker on low; I simply soak the beans in it and turn on in the morning after I have added the onion, etc.)
46. Vegetables frozen in butter sauce usually cost more than plain frozen vegetables, and they have more fat and calories.
47. Price fruits with an eye on the cost-per-edible serving. If you are buying by the pound, you are also paying for any inedible seeds and rinds.
48. When buying fresh greens by weight, be sure to shake off the excess water before you put them in your cart. Water hidden in between the leaves adds weight and raises the cost.
49. Serve a vegetable "medley" when you have small amounts of several different vegetables. Mix together and microwave, and top with a little cheese or a sprinkle of nuts. (The vegetable medley also works well if added to some cooked pasta. This will give you a meatless meal.)

Dairy
50. Unless you buy powdered milk in bulk for a price break, you won't save money over fresh milk. On a recent shopping trip, the Deseret News found that a box of generic-brand powdered milk that yields 31 cups of milk was $6.49. If you can buy fresh milk at $3 a gallon, you can get 32 cups for $6. (Buying powdered milk is a good idea, but for me the taste is not what I like. You can stretch your milk dollar by mixing about half and half with whole milk.)
51. Buy a large container of yogurt and divide it into portions yourself. A 32-ounce container, at $2.79, yields four 8-ounce portions at 34 cents a serving. The same brand in single-serve containers was 50 cents each.
52. Milk fat costs. You can often save about 10 cents to 20 cents per gallon by dropping from 2 percent to 1 percent or skim.
53. If you use margarine instead of butter to cut costs, don't use anything less than 100 percent margarine for baking. The lower-fat spreads have water and fillers that bake up poorly and when poured over popcorn turn it to mush. Real butter is approximately $4 per pound; 100 percent margarine, such as Nucoa, can be $1.50 to $2 per pound. Save the less-expensive spreads for your toast. (Some stores carry a generic brand of real margarine for little money.)
54. Consider home delivery of milk and bread. It costs more, but it might save on extra trips to the store.
55. There is no nutritional difference between brown and white eggs; it has more to do with the color of the hen. White eggs usually cost less.
56. Freeze butter to keep its fresh flavor. Grate it, frozen, over toast, baked potatoes, etc. for portion control. (To keep butter fresh and soft on your kitchen counter; consider investing in a "Butter Bell". Just be sure to change the water very often.)
57. Finely shred cheese when topping pizzas, grilled ham and cheese, etc. You'll use less.

Meat
58. Unless they're on special, breasts are the most expensive part of the chicken. Boneless, skinless thighs offer the same convenience for less, and dark meat is more moist and flavorful anyway.
59. Take a cue from restaurant chefs who can make a small portion of meat or chicken look plentiful. They slice it thinly and fan out the slices on top of a mound of rice or potatoes.
60. Tough cuts of meat are usually cheaper. Place a beef brisket in you slow cooker in the morning and by dinner time you'll have tender beef, and a tantalizing aroma in your kitchen.
61. Don't throw out your bacon drippings. Some suggestions from Every Day WithRachael Ray magazine: Stir it into grits, use in place of oil when popping popcorn, saute bread cubes in it for croutons, add to cornbread batter, add to barbecue sauce and brush on ribs or chicken while they're cooking.
62. Compare meat costs by servings, not pounds. Bony meats are cheaper per pound, but they yield less edible meat per pound.
63. Likewise, a large store-cooked rotisserie chicken at $6 is cheaper than buying a raw, 5-pound whole raw chicken at $1.30 per pound and cooking it at home. As a bonus, you can use the carcass and bits of meat on the bones to make chicken broth. (You can also boil the bones for a good soup base. Add vegetables, onion and seasonings. If adding pasta, pre-cook and rinse well.)
64. Although the price of eggs has nearly doubled in the past year, a $2 carton of eggs can still supply a protein-rich meal for a family of six. Scramble them with leftovers such as chopped ham, crumbled bacon, chopped peppers, onions and so on.
65. Buy ground beef in bulk quantities to get a better price. When you get home, divide meal-size portions in zip-lock bags and freeze. (If using this tip, be sure to double bag. You do not want freezer burn.)

Canned goods
66. Big cans are often cheaper, but not always. Check the price per unit guide on the grocery shelf, which shows the cost per ounce. Also, consider how you use the product. If you buy a big can of tomato sauce, use a little and end up wasting the rest, you're better off buying the small can in the first place.
67. What to do with the last of the jam or jelly jar: Pour in some milk, refrigerate for a little while to loosen the jam stuck to the jar sides, and shake into a flavored drink.
68. Generic brands can save money. But try one can first before you invest in a whole case to make sure it appeals to your family.
69. Stockpile pantry items you normally use, such as spaghetti sauce or pasta, when they're on sale. Keep a list of quick-fix possibilities on the inside of your cupboard door, such as spaghetti, meatball sub sandwiches, baked tortellini, etc.

Snacks
70. Invest in a popcorn popper. You can make 10 times as much popcorn for the same price as microwave popcorn. A three-pack box of microwave popcorn yields about 10 1/2 cups of popcorn for $2 to $3, depending on the brand. A $1.99 bag of regular popcorn yields 113 cups. You'll have to add you own butter and salt, but you have more control over the amounts.
71. When making s'mores, instead of buying chocolate bars and graham crackers, place the marshmallow between two chocolate-striped cookies. A package of Keebler Fudge Shoppe cookies is approximately $3 and makes 15 s'mores. You'd spend at least that much money on chocolate bars alone.
72. Break the soda pop habit. If you normally drink a can per day, at 50 cents per can, you could pocket more than $180 a year.
73. Every time you have a few leftover strawberries, peach slices, etc., store them in the same zip-lock bag in the freezer. Then every so often, whir them all together in the blender for a smoothie snack. (Also defrost them and serve as a fruit salad.)
74. If you like the look of designer bottled water, buy it once and keep refilling with tap water, which is free. Many bottled waters cost more per gallon than gasoline. (This tip is excellent!!)
75. Use food as a reward sparingly. Make treats more significant by using them only for special occasions. With obesity on the rise, most people don't need them on a regular basis.
76. Nip nighttime snacks. Go to bed a half-hour early and keep yourself from wanting a handful of chips while watching David Letterman. Your waistline will thank you.

Storage
77. Keep an eye on your pantry inventory so you use up all the pancake mix or corn syrup before buying more.
78. Oil goes rancid fairly quickly. Unless you use it often, buy in small quantities or refrigerate after using.
79. Post a "must use" list on the fridge to remind yourself of the half-empty can of pineapple, three hot dogs, etc. that will go bad quickly.
80. Label leftovers with date and contents before putting them in the freezer. You'll actually use these things instead of having mystery containers stuck in the back of the freezer.
81. Use and rotate your food storage. If you aren't using it, it is basically a waste of space and money. Rule of thumb: Store what you use and use what you store.

In the kitchen
82. Use smaller plates. Studies show that when people are served on larger plates, they take larger servings, whether they're really hungry or not.
83. One night a week have leftover night. Pull out all the leftovers from other meals — the half-cup of spaghetti sauce, the slices of ham or stray chicken breast, the chunk of cheese, the corn or peas. Bake some potatoes and let everyone pick the leftovers for toppings.
84. Pack a lunch for the next day from dinner leftovers instead of eating out.
85. Use meals to stretch your entertainment dollars. Go on a picnic in a park or get out the Dutch oven pots, have a hot dog roast or go fishing and then cook your catch.
86. When serving buffet-style, put the low-cost items, such as salad or rolls, at the beginning of the line and the most expensive item — meat — near the end.
87. Have meatless Monday meals.
88. Homemade soups are a good way to use leftover meat and vegetables. Their liquid content also makes them more satisfying.
89. Pasta or rice can also stretch small amounts of food into a meal. Throw in chopped pepper, ribbons of spinach or basil, chopped tomatoes or chicken or ham.
90. Instead of serving fruit punch or juice at meals, use a pitcher of ice water with a few lemon or lime slices floating on top.
91. Use small appliances, such as the microwave, slow-cooker and electric frying pan; they use less energy than a stovetop.
92. Use the dishwasher only when completely full. Washing dishes by hand can cost more than one load in the dishwasher. Let the dishes air-dry rather than using the "dry" cycle.
93. Don't open the oven door to preview baking food. Each time you open it, the temperature drops by 25-50 degrees. It takes longer to cook your food and adds to your energy bill.

Dining out
94. Use your gift certificates soon after getting them. Many have expiration dates.
95. Use frequent-diners' cards. Some restaurants offer punch cards — if you buy 10 meals, the next one is free. For a family of six, it takes only two visits to earn a free meal.
96. Go out to lunch when entree prices are often a dollar or two less than dinner.
97. If a full-course dinner comes with soup, salad, drink and dessert, it's only a great buy if you really want (or need) all that. You may be satisfied ordering an a la carte entree without the extras. Ditto combo meals in fast-food restaurants.
98. Guard against up-sell, when you're asked if you want guacamole with your taco or extra cheese for the fondue. If it costs extra, you might not want it that much.
99. At fast-food restaurants, order a kids' meal for yourself; if there's no age limit. Most of the time, you're getting a more appropriate portion of food, and a toy to boot!.
100. Watch beverage costs. Alcoholic drinks can double your tab, but even soft drinks can add $10 to $15 to the bill for a family of six. Water is a healthier choice anyway. Be sure to specify "tap" water, some restaurants may bring you bottled water at $3 or $4 per bottle.
101. If you feel you can't afford to tip, choose a fast-food or fast-casual eatery where tipping isn't expected. In sit-down restaurants, servers' salaries are less than minimum wage. Tips make up the difference.