My Secret Recipe

I have been going to Girls Camp for years!  Anyone who has been to camp with me will testify that the one thing that is a must (besides extra underwear) is Candy Casserole.  Everyone loves, loves, loves my candy casserole and up until now the recipe has been a secret.  There are several variations but I shall share the most basic recipe.

Gather all the ingredients and a rather large sized bowl.  You will also need a wooden spoon.  I choose a wooden spoon because I feel that it is a little more gentle with the tender ingredients than a metal spoon,or heaven forbid, a wisk.

Ingredients:
Tootsie Rolls
Licorice Bites
Plain M&M’s
Starbursts (Skittles can easily be used as a substitute)
Peanut Butter M&M’s (THIS is the secret ingredient)  DO NOT substitute Peanut M&M’s as it will change the texture of the finished product.

You can also add other ingredients such as Teddy Grahams, Good N’ Plenty, or Hot Tamale’s.  I learned by sad experience to avoid any of the “gummy” type candy’s as they leave the finished product a sticky goopy mess.

Begin by pouring the Tootsie Rolls into the bowl.  Do NOT stir at this point.  You want the Tootsie Rolls to be able to rest for a minute.

Add all other ingredients except for the Peanut Butter M&M’s.  Gently stir the mixture together.

Now add the Peanut Butter M&M’s and gently fold them in.  I prefer folding the mixture to avoid bruising the delicate chocolate layer of the PBM&M and I suggest that you also use this method.

The casserole is now finished and ready to transfer in to you official “Candy Casserole” jar.  I prefer to sample the Candy Casserole at this stage to make sure the flavors are at their peak.  It would be appropriate to sample each flavor.

Transfer your casserole into an airtight plastic container.

You are now ready to enjoy girls camp!

Voted the Best . . .

Do you ever go to restaurants and see awards and articles framed saying things like “voted best egg breakfast”? There are even billboards in Utah showing the “best in Utah” awards.  I always wondered who it was that was voting it the “best” and you never know who the competition is to know if it truly was the best.  So I held my own contest where I vote what is the best.  Like those before me I won’t tell you who the competition is.  These are 7 things that I personally have voted BEST!

Best Lip Stain

Winner:  Outlast Lip Stain

Easy to apply applicator makes color go on smooth.  Natural looking and not gooey or too runny.  The makings of perfect lip stain.

Best Cake

Winner:  Mrs Backers Pastry Shop

Delightful fluffy cake with lucious buttercream frosting.  Best when eaten cold and slowly savored.  Yes I know there are a bajillion little cupcake places now but nothing beats a Mrs. Backers.

Best Healthy Place to Eat

Winner:  Au Naturale

Located at 880 East 2100 South in Salt Lake City.  How could anything be so yummy and so good for you?  The sweet potato fries are a must but don’t get them to go.  They are baked and should be eaten immediately  so they don’t go soggy.  But truth be told — I’d eat them soggy too.  Try the frozen yogurt.  This is what frozen yogurt is supposed to taste like.

Best Book I’ve Read in the Last Year

Winner:  The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The narrator of the story is “death” and he weaves an incredible tale of Germany during World War II.  Death is intrigued by 9-year old Liesel and her desire to learn to read.  Her family is also hiding a Jew.  It’s a tear-jerker but I didn’t feel manipulated in to crying like some “tear-jerking” stories do.  This is one that makes you think.

Best Online Time Waster

Winner:  Tie between Facebook and Slide Solitaire

Best Funny Thing I Did Lately

Winner:  Changing the mail notification sound on a co-workers computer to a burp.

Best Workout

Winner: My Sisters Wii AE Active

I totally kicked butt on this — and it totally kicked my butt.

A special thanks to all who attended the awards ceremony which was held at my residence tonight.  Ice water and Pumpkin Chocolate Chip muffins were served.  I also appreciate those who overlooked all the camp stuff collecting in the computer room where the ceremony was held.

Broken Things

Sometimes I feel like God gave me this wonderful life filled with wonderful opportunities.  Then “life happened” (at a very young age) and it seems that I somehow messed up those wonderful gifts he gave me.  Like He gave me a toy and as I played with – it got broken.  Worse is that I didn’t break it all myself.  Others took my toy and did damage too – but it was still mine and somehow I allowed it.  Ashamed that I allowed something so precious to be broken I then go about trying to fix it so that when God asks for it back He won’t be mad.  So I try all kinds of super-glues but it’s never put back together perfectly.  But I keep trying in vain.  What I forget is that He knew that life was a messy business and the toys are going to get broken and that if we bring it to Him, with a gentle smile He will fix it.  What is it that keeps me from just allowing the Savior to fix it to start with? Why do I keep taking it back saying like the willful child “I can do it myself”?

It’s not a new story – in fact it dawned on me that even in the Garden of Eden after Eve and then Adam took the fruit the first thing they did when God came was to hide.  I figured out that it was Satan who introduced shame into the world.  The kind of shame that makes you want to hide instead of sorrow that makes you want to go to your Father for healing.  We are funny human creatures – because instead of telling Adam and Eve to hide the scriptures tell us that God made coats of skins to cover them.  He didn’t say “I’m coming you better grab some leaves and hide from me because boy you are in trou-ble!”  That wasn’t God’s message at all – more like the message of someone who would rather have us stay broken (“hmmmm who could that be?  Could it be Satan?”) – The Lord explained the consequences of the human condition and then covered them in something that would be comforting and warm.

I think the scriptures tell us to “submit” to the will of God not just because it will teach us a good lesson about being humble, but also because the Savior has so much love, compassion, and healing for us if we will let Him in.

Broken clouds give rain; …

Broken storms yield light.
The break of day heals night.
Broken pride turns blindness into sight …

Could it be that God loves broken things? …

And yet, our broken faith, our broken promises
Sent love to the cross
And still, that broken flesh, that broken heart of His,
Offers us such grace and mercy,
Covers us with love undeserving.

This broken soul that cries for mending
This broken heart for offering
I’m convinced that God loves broken ME
Praise His name—my God loves broken things!

(Kenneth Cope)

Move Over Glass Grapes . . .

I am here to tell you that craftiness at Relief Society is alive and well.   This evening I went to the Mother & Daughter enrichment meeting.  With a few picnic items I was able to make some home decor that I doubt even Pier 1 could duplicate.

You will need a cheap-ola paper plate.  Do not use Chinette! You will also need some plastic forks – the heavy duty ones.

Add some ribbon and flowers and work the magic of the glue gun and you will end up with a fan that you can display in any home or office.

I also have even more respect for my friend Becky who has 5 daughter (1 1/2 years  to 11 years) and yes she brought all five with her and proceeded to make some cute little dolls with them.  And what do you do when they all need their dolls glued?  Send ‘em over to her friend with the glue gun.

Now these are just darling for little girls to make at Mother/Daughter night.

How cute are they?

This Meeting Will Now Come to Order!

Thank you for coming. I am sure you are all wondering why I have called you together for this meeting. You may be looking around the room and think that you have nothing in common to be brought together like this. You are different in so many ways but yet – you are still all food and in one way or another I have had a relationship with you.

I see that mostly you have chosen to sit on separate sides of the room and it’s true that I have mostly kept you separate. But I would like to thank those of you that have chosen to intermingle, such as Strawberry and Dark Chocolate. It does my heart good to see you sitting next to each other in such harmony. I hope I can see more of that.

I know these types of meetings generally make everyone a bit nervous. But let me start out by saying right up front that you all have had a place in my life and most likely, all or most of you, will continue to have a place in my life. As difficult as it is for all of us, myself included, we must face the reality that as times change so much relationships. This includes all of you here and why I have chosen to address you. Some of you I have spent a lot of time with over the years and thought of me a good friend from all the time we spent together. Perhaps you have even been confused as you felt me growing distant at times in the last couple of years only to then come rushing back to you for support and comfort. I apologize for using you. Cookie, Cake, Doughnuts, and Inexpensive Candy – this has been you. I hope we can be friends in the future and meet on an occasional basis and enjoy each others company but I can no longer meet any of you in secret anymore. It was unhealthy to keep our true relationship so secretive at times and I am sorry for using you so shamelessly. Cheap Chocolate and Ice Cream – you I have used more than any other here. First let me say thank you for trying to comfort and console me in some of my very dark hours. I know you tried to fill that broken little hole in my heart, but I was wrong to think you could do that to start with. Ice Cream, don’t worry I will continue to see you but you must know I have spent more time with your cousin Frozen Yogurt and Breyers Sugar Free as of late. What I am hoping for is that we can have a healthy relationship when we see each other. That we can enjoy being together on special occasions and then part amicably feeling the satisfaction of a happy brief interchange. Cheap Chocolate –I will be seeing even less of you. I have developed a friendship with Fine Chocolate and it has been a more pleasant and functional relationship.

Fried Foods and Beef – you may be wondering why I invited you at all as we really have spent so little time together since my unfortunately hospital stay to remove my gallbladder. You sometimes try to tempt me into having occasional flings but I always regret it. Simply – you make me sick. You are excused and are now welcome to leave the meeting.

Now to my friends sitting together in the back of the room, please come forward and take a seat in the front. Mostly I must thank you for being in my world. You are good and wholesome and when we are together I feel like a better person. Carrot, Broccoli, Salad, and all your other friends you are welcome to be even more a part of my life. You are bright and I feel happy and nourished after we get together. Whole Wheat and Oats – you have strength that sustains me. Apple, Orange, and all the Berry Family – thank you for your sweetness. And Mango – who knew I would grow to like you so much. Please feel free to introduce me to your other friends, I’m sure we will get along fine.

I know that this shift in our various relationships will be difficult for me at times but it really is for the best. Now a word to all of you – I plan on enjoying the times we will have together in the future.  But the truth is – all together I need to think and worry about all of you less and think more about my other relationships. I have wonderful friends and family. I hope to continue to add more to my circle. I also need to invest more time with someone else who has promised that when I hunger or thirst, what HE has to offer will always be enough.

Okay – that’s all for our meeting today. Thank you for attending today I look forward to these improvements and know they will be beneficial.