Creamy Turkey Soup Recipe

Just about now you are looking at the left over Turkey in the fridge and thinking maybe its to dry for sandwiches. Or if anyone else in the world is like me the thought of leftover poultry just makes me want to be sick. There is something about the taste of left over poultry, whether chicken, turkey, duck whatever which makes me a little sick. BUT..... This recipe is absolutely A-MAZE-ING!! No seriously. You don't get that weird leftover poultry taste with this and it doesn't matter if your turkey is a bit dry because when it is mixed into this creamy soup it moistens right up! I have adapted this recipe from a couple of different recipes and added a few of my own things so that now I think it is perfect. ENJOY!!

Ingredients:

1 large onion, chopped
3 celery ribs with leaves, chopped up, I used my Pampered Chef Food Chopped
6 tablespoons butter
7 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon each dried thyme, savory and parsley flakes
1-1/2 evaporated Milk plus extra semi skim milk to thin out a bit if necessary
4 cups cubed cooked turkey
5 medium carrots, cut into pieces (I use my Pampered Chef chopped to coarsely chop)
2 cups turkey or Chicken Broth
1 package (10 ounces) frozen peas


Directions:

In a large pot, saute onion and celery in butter until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in flour and seasonings; gradually add evaporated milk, because it is evaporated milk it will form a paste. Slowly add the broth all the while whisking next add milk until your soup meets the desired thickness.It will continue to thicken as it cooks don't be afraid to add more milk if necessary. Add turkey and carrots. Simmer for 15 minutes stirring often.

Add peas; Simmer for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender making sure to stir often so soup doesn't burn. Now enjoy!

Family Home Evening - Our Favorite Things....

First off Merry Christmas Everyone. I hope that you have had a Fantastic Holiday Season.

Tonights Fsmily Home Evening in our home is going to be very simple. We are all ill (I spent Christmas and yesterday in bed with a temp of 102, the baby was in the hospitsl twice last week and everyone else has sore throats, sniffles, you know the drill)

So I have decided that we will just have a family chat about the last year. I will ask the children what their favorite parts of the year were. What their least favorite parts of the year were and what they would like to change next year. It will be very casual.

For our activity we will watch a movie together with hot chocolate and popcorn. I hope that each of you have had a great year and that the upcoming year is the best one yet.

Thank you for all your support with my blog I look forward to sharing new ideas with you in the New Year!!

Alisha xx

Family Home Evening - Christmas Time

This week for Family Home Evening is kind of a traditional week in our home. So the lesson is simple as is the activity. See today the kids and I will do loads of baking, Christmas baking. Then Family Home Evening will go as follows.

Opening Song: A Christmas one

Opening Prayer:

Lesson: Mommy

We will tonight read the Christmas story from Luke 2 and discuss it with the children. We will ask them questions like.

Why is the birth of the Savior so important?

How does it make you feel knowing Heavenly Father sent Jesus Christ so that you can live with him again?

What sort of things can you do to show Heavenly Father and Jesus you love them?

And we will ask questions based on their answers too.

We will then explain how Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ gave us a great gift by Jesus coming to earth. Jesus Christ gave up his life for us.

What kind of gift can we give to Jesus this next year to show him how much we love him and all that he has done for us?

We then write down on a piece of paper a gift to the Savior, ie. say personal prayers every day, have personal scripture study. we then put them in a Christmas Stocking labeled Jesus. This is our gift to him for the next year.

After this we will watch the 1st Presidency Christmas Devotional which can be found here

Can I just take this time to wish each of you a Very Merry Christmas. May the Lord bless each of you and your families in the upcoming year. And may you find happiness and peace for many years to come.

Love,
Alisha xx

Christmas Gift Tags

I thought rather than buying gift tags this year I would just make some of my own. I wanted to share them with you all incase you didnt want to spend the money to buy gift tags this year, you can print these out and use them as well.

Family Home Evening - Jesus Christ is the Greatest Gift

Opening Song: Picture Christmas

Opening Prayer:

Lesson: Mommy

Before FHE wrap the following Picture up in a small box. Write John 3:16 on a gift tag and attach it to the top of the present.




Tell them there is something inside the package that represents a wonderful gift from someone who loves us very much. Pass the present around and let each child hold the gift and try to guess what is inside.

Tell the children that the tag is a clue and have a family member read the scripture aloud. Ask the children if they know what the gift is and who it is from?

Let one of them unwrap the present and hold up the picture so everyone can see it.

What is the gift?

Who is the gift from?

Why is the birth of Jesus Christ such a wonderful gift?

Explain in your own words that one reason the birth of Christ is such a great gift is that Jesus Christ came to teach us the right way to live. He taught us that loving and helping others will make us happy. By sending Jesus to earth, Heavenly Father gave us a gift that will help us find happiness not just at Christmastime but always.

Show a picture of the wise men.



Ask if anyone knows the story of the wise men. Maybe you can assign daddy to tell the story of the wise men.

Read Mathew 2:11

What gifts did the Wise Men bring to Jesus?

Explain that frankincense and myrrh were sweet-smelling perfumes used in religious ceremonies. All three gifts were valuable and difficult to get. The Wise Men wanted to bring Jesus the nicest gifts they could find. UAdd a Note

Why did the Wise Men bring these gifts to Jesus? (To show they loved and honored him.)

Why did the Wise Men bow down and worship Jesus when they saw him? (They knew he was the Savior, the Son of Heavenly Father.)

Explain that just as the Wise Men brought gifts to Jesus to show their love for him, we can give gifts to others to show our love for them.

Tell the following story about a young boy named S. Dilworth Young, who later became a General Authority:

The Christmas that S. Dilworth Young was five years old, he saw a jigsaw puzzle displayed in the window of a store. The puzzle had a picture of an old horse-drawn fire truck on it. Dilworth wanted that puzzle for Christmas more than he wanted anything else.

Elder Young later explained what happened with the puzzle on Christmas Day:

“When Christmas morning finally came, I found hung on my chair a stocking full of good things. But right off I spotted my puzzle. It was wrapped in bright paper, but I could tell by the shape what it was. I quickly opened the box and was soon lost in the pleasure of putting the puzzle together.

“Before long my father came into the room and explained to my younger brother, older sister, and me that the Jensen family down the street had recently come from Denmark. He said the father had no job and no money, and then he suggested that we take our Christmas dinner to them. He also asked each of us to select our most loved toy and give it to a child in the Jensen family. …


“Before we left for the Jensen’s, I spent three happy hours playing with and enjoying my puzzle. I thought about giving something else, but I knew deep down that there was only one gift to give.

“At eleven forty-five we all started out. Father carried the turkey on a platter. Mother and my sister Emily followed with potatoes, gravy, dressing, cranberries, and dessert. And under my arm, carefully rewrapped, was my fire engine puzzle.

“When we entered the Jensen home, Father placed the turkey on the small bare table in the corner, and the others followed.

“Each one of us in turn then gave his present. Emily gave her beautiful doll to the girl. I stepped forward and looked at the boy about my age. ‘Here,’ I said as I pushed the puzzle at him. He took it from me and smiled. Next my brother gave his offering to the smallest child. And then we returned home.

“It was strange, but somehow as I walked the block between our house and the Jensen’s, it seemed as if my feet didn’t touch the ground. I felt as though I were floating on clouds of good feeling, for I knew I had made someone else happy.


“Even our Christmas dinner of canned beans, bread, butter, and bottled fruit had a special and unforgettable meaning on that special Christmas Day!”

What did Dilworth do that made him happy?

Why was he happy after giving away his favorite toy?

Have you ever given something to someone else that made him or her happy?

Let the children talk about times when they have made others happy by giving them gifts

Explain that when we give gifts to others, we show that we love them. While it can make us happy to receive a gift, it can also make us happy to give gifts.

Bear your testimony that Jesus Christ is our Savior. Tell the children how you feel when you think about how much Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love each of us. Also tell the children how you feel when you give gifts to others

ACTIVITY: Give each child a piece of paper have them make a card for a family member on the inside have them write a service to one other family member. Help them write
I will at the top of the card and for you at the bottom of the card. If they cant write they can draw a picture of what they want to do for someone else in the family.

Very Merry Cookie Wreath

At one point early this morning whilst up with my sick 3 month old baby. I started thinking about how it is time to do our Christmas Caroling. See every year we make goodies for friends and go out Christmas Caroling. We always did this when I was growing up with my family. In fact we did it every year until I was married. So naturally I would want to carry this tradition on with my little family.

Well I got online to try and find something unique that we could hand out this year rather than the normal Handmade candies, Christmas Cookies, and Popcorn Balls. And I found this Very Merry Cookie Wreath on the Nestle verybestbaking.com website. Ding Dong we found a winner. So I am now going to make a trip to Costco this weekend to get frozen cookie dough and will be making these on Monday so that we can do some Carloing for FHE in the evening. Anyway here is the directions. If you make one I would love to know how yours turns out!

Ingredients
•1 package (16.5 oz.) NESTLÉ TOLL HOUSE Refrigerated Mini Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar Dough

•1 container (16 oz.) prepared vanilla frosting

•Green food coloring

•14- x 17-inch piece of cardboard for base, covered in foil or parchment paper or large flat platter

•NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Morsels (such as Semi-Sweet Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, Premier White)

•Assorted NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Holiday Candies (WONKA® Gobstoppers Snowballs, NERDS® OR SPREE®)

•Decorator sprinkles, candies and sugars

•20-inch strip of strawberry fruit-flavored snack in 3-foot rolls

Directions
PREPARE cookies following package directions. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes. Remove to wire rack to cool completely.

COMBINE frosting and food coloring in small bowl to shade of green desired.

SPREAD heaping teaspoons of frosting on flat sides of cookies.

ARRANGE 15 cookies on the base or platter in a 12-inch circle to form outer ring of wreath.

ARRANGE 12 cookies inside the outer ring of cookies, forming inside ring of wreath. Adhered cookies can be moved to create more space.

ARRANGE remaining 13 cookies on base ring for a second layer.

DECORATE with remaining frosting, morsels, candies, sprinkles and sugars as desired. Attach bow to top of wreath.

TO MAKE BOW:
CUT four 5-inch strips from fruit snack roll. Peel off paper baking. Cut a small “V” on end of two strips. Form loops with remaining two strips; pinch ends together. Place loops on top of strips. Pinch all together to make bow!

Family Home Evening - Jesus Once Was A Little Child

Yay for the Month a December. I thought as we talk so muh about Christ this month what a great time to teach the children that he was once a child too.

Opening Song: Jesus Once Was A Little Child

Opening Prayer:

Lesson: Mommy

Before the lesson try to get a hold of some baby items. If you cant get the items some pictures of baby items will work. Items such as Diapers, Bottles, Blankets, etc. Show these items to the children. Ask what they are used for. Then ask the children if they think that jesus would have ever used these items?

Show this picture:



Ask Children who they think this baby is. What is the difference between this baby and other babies?


Jesus Had a Home. Show the following picture:

Tell the children that this is the kind of home that the people of Nazareth lived in. Nazareth is the town where Jesus grew up (see Matthew 2:23), and Jesus may have lived in a home like this one.

To help your family understand this picture better as the following questions:

Where do you think the family slept? (Point out the mat the woman is putting away and the closet behind her that seems to hold other rolled mats. Explain that the roofs of the houses were flat, and steps on the outside of each house led up to the roof. Perhaps the children sometimes slept on the roof.)

Where did the baby in this home sleep? (Point out the cradle. Explain that Joseph was a carpenter and might have made a cradle like this one for the baby Jesus.)

What do you think the big jars were used for? (Some held water. All the water the family used was carried from the well in the village because there was no running water in the homes. A well is a deep hole in the ground with clean water in it.)

What is the woman who is sitting on the floor doing? (Grinding grain to make into bread.)

Since there was no electricity, how could they light this home? (They used oil lamps. Point out the lamp on the stool behind the woman grinding grain. Perhaps some of the jars held oil for the lamps.)

Show the next picture:



Who are the people in this picture? (Jesus and Joseph.)

What are they doing?

Explain that just like the children help you around the house Jesus helped his mommy and daddy. Just like your childrens daddy has to work so did Jesus daddy. Jesus daddy was a carpenter and his father probably taught him to be a carpenter too.

In Jesus home he was told stories about the prophets, like the stories we read in the Bible. He was also taught to pray and to choose to do the right just as we are taught by our parents. Mary and Joseph believed in Heavenly Father just as we do.

Ask the children these questions:

How do you think your childhood is different from Jesus’ childhood?

How do you think your childhood is similar to Jesus’ childhood?

Have the children discuss things they do that Jesus Christ may have done as a boy. For example, they may run errands, help their parents, go to school, take care of a baby, sing songs, play games, run races, or ride horses. Suggest that Jesus probably did these or similar things (for example, Jesus may never have ridden a horse, but he probably rode a donkey).

Bare your testimony of Jesus Christ. I will tell my children that Just like I want the best for them I know that Joseph and Mary wanted the best for Jesus.

Activity: Colour Picture of Baby Jesus:

PJ The Elf - One of our family traditions

In my family we have always had a Christmas Eve tradition one which probably most people have..... Opening one gift on Christmas Eve. And it never fails that the gift is always Pajamas. One of my sisters changed the tradition with her family a few years ago and has shared the idea with each of us. Every year there is a knock at her front door now and presents are left on the doorstep. (Her mother in law lives near and can do this for her) The gifts are pajamas left by PJ the Elf. You see PJ is one of Santa's helpers. He is the one responsible for making sure all children are in their pj's and tucked up in bed before Santa gets to the houses. So he leaves PJs for all the children to get into and then go straight to bed. I love this idea because it makes it seem as though Santa is really near. Last year two of my sisters co wrote a poem to attach to the Pj's and I love it so I thought I would share it with you all!

You have been good so Santa has said,

Now put on your pj's and go straight to bed.

Your jammies will keep you so nice and cozy,

from the tip of your toes to your cute little nosey.

So hop into bed, dream of reindeer in flight

For Jolly ole' Santa is coming tonight!

-Brittney Robles and Misty Kelly

The kids still get to open one gift from under the tree but now instead of it being Pj's they get slippers. I love traditions! We have loads!

Coconut Cream Pie

Firstly Im sorry there is no Family Home Evening this week. It is my 7yr olds School Christmas pagent this evening, early I know tell me about it. So that is what we are doing for our FHE tonight. So there wont be a lesson. But There will definitely be dessert! I made our favorite Coconut Cream Pie for dessert tonight and thought I would share the recipe with you.

Best Ever Coconut Cream Pie:

Ingedients:

3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/4 cup cornstarch
5 egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup flaked, unsweetened coconut
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon butter
1 (9-inch) baked pie shell, recipe follows
1/3 cup toasted coconut
Whipped Cream for Garnish

Directions:
In a nonstick 1-quart saucepan, combine 3/4 cup sugar, coconut milk, and 1 cup milk. Scald mixture.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk the remaining 1/2 cup milk and cornstarch together to make a slurry. Whisk egg yolks with salt in medium bowl. Temper yolks by adding 1/2 cup scaled milk mixture to yolks and whisk well. Add yolk mixture and slurry back into milk mixture and whisk vigorously over medium heat until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add coconut, vanilla, and butter. Whisk until uniformly incorporated.

Pour the filling into the prepared pie shell. Cover the pie with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. Chill the pie completely, about 2 hours.

To serve, top with toasted coconut and a dollop of whipped cream.

Family Home Evening - Thanking Others

I know another Thankful FHE. This week being Thanksgiving in the states I just wanted to do one last Thankful one on a topic we hadnt really talked about yet. Which is Thanking others. I would never want anyone to think my children were ungrateful for a kindness or service which was provided. I think that thanking others is so important which is the reason for this lesson. I hope it works well for you too!

Opening Song: Children all Over the World (pg 16 Childrens Song book)

Opening Prayer:

Lesson: Mommy (Or whom ever else is reading this :) )

Start by reading the story of the ten leppers Luke 17:12-19 or you can just paraphrase I like to have the kids read from the scriptures and then paraphrase so they understand better:

One day as Jesus was going to Jerusalem, He saw ten men standing outside a village. They could not go into the village because they were lepers. Leprosy is a disease that causes large sores on the body that spread and hurt. When the ten lepers saw the Savior, they asked Him to heal them of this terrible disease. Jesus told them to go and show themselves to the priests. When they did as the Savior told them, they were found to be healed.

When one of the men discovered that he was cured, he went back to the Savior, fell down at his feet, and thanked Him. Ten men had been healed, but only one went back to thank the Savior.

How do you think it made Jesus feel when the one lepper went back to him and said Thank you?

How do you feel when you do something nice for someone else and they say Thank you to you?

Does it make your heart happy to say Thank You to others or when others say Thank You to you?

Draw a Big Heart, Im going to tape together 4 pieces of paper and draw the heart on that so it is a BIG heart. Then tape this to a wall or somewhere the children can see it.

Ask the children to draw inside the heart kind things other have done for them which they would want to say thank you for. If they are a bit older and can spell or need practise with writing maybe have them draw and then write the words.

Read My Thank You Song (1986 November Friend):

I’m learning to say “thank you”
For so many, many things.
I tell my sister “thank you”
When she helps me on the swings.

And I say, “Thank you, Mother,”
When she helps me brush my hair
And “thank you” to my daddy
When he takes me to the fair.

I have a big, tall brother
Who can reach high on the shelf
To get my books and toys
That I cannot reach myself.

So when my brother helps me,
I say “thank you” right away,
Then take the books and toys he got
And run outside to play.

Soon I’ll be seeing Grandma,
And I’ll know just what to do.
She’ll say, “My, you’re looking pretty!”
And I’ll laugh and say, “Thank you.”

When she gets down her cookie jar,
Filled with goodies just for me,
I know that I’ll remember
To say “thank you” cheerfully.

I’ll practice saying “thank you”
Every time I think I should.
It makes me very happy
To be showing gratitude.

And when the day is over
And I kneel to say my prayer,
I’ll say, “Thank you, Heavenly Father,
For my family’s love and care.”

THANK YOU is sometimes called a "magic word". That's because it makes people feel good. When we say thank you to others we are acting like the Savior taught us. We make others want to continue to do good and our hearts become more thankful.

Bear your testimony about how good you feel when you are thanked for your efforts. Share how an attitudee of gratitude brings you closer to Heavenly Father.

Activity:

(1) Make Thank You Cards for someone who has done something nice, A Friend, A Teacher, A sibling, Grandparents and tell them how much you appreciated the kind thing they did.

(2)Leper Cross Word:



Closing Song: A Song of Thanks (Childrens Song Book Pg 20)