UPDATE

For some reason I can't access my e-mail but I can get on my blog so I will just spend my time posting there. Over the President's Day weekend we went up to the cabin in Island Park. Sara and Jay's family came too plus he invited all his brothers and sister's families, We opened up great-grandma's cabin next door and Emily and Chad's cabin behind us and had a good family time. Luckily there is ample snow in Island Park since we have hardly any in Rexburg. The kids enjoyed playing with cousins all day in the snow. They slept good at night. I'm glad my ears still work. Even though I was pretty much a lump on the couch I enjoyed hearing the family conversations. (At times there were 10 adults and 30 kids which made it a little difficult to hear.) All in all it was a great 3 days.
This week Kristen and I are making home made butter out of whipping cream like I used to in kindergarten. I won't include instructions as I have already done so awhile back. Last week we made 2 easy fudge sauces. With these you always have a simple dessert on hand for your family or for company. You can pour it over any flavor of ice cream, pound cake or whatever you want.

HOT FUDGE SAUCE

3 1/2 oz.baking chocolate or 3 heaping T. Cocoa (I use Hersheys baking Cocoa)
1/4 c. butter or margarine
1 c. sugar
2 tsp. cornstarch
dash salt
1/2 c. cream or evaporated milk ( I rarely have cream so always use evaporated milk.)
2 tsp. vanilla
In double boiler or heavy saucepan melt butter (and chocolate if using the chunk kind). Mix in sugar, cornstarch, salt, (and cocoa if using the powdered kind) that have been sifted together. Blend in cream. Cook over medium heat and stir 5 min. or until thick. Add vanilla.
Makes 1 1/2 cups.

The second easy chocolate sauce is made in the microwave. Put in a small bowl about 1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips, about 1 T. margarine and some evaporated milk ( I use just enough to come up to but not over the chocolate chips.) Heat in microwave on 50% and stir often until choc. chips are melted and other ingredients are incorporated.
Unfortunately, this is easy to do when you are home alone and you want something sweet and quick. You can cut it in half or more. Or you can make it for others too.

Exercises for the Soul - Joun Journal

In the last John Journal newsletter Uncle Hugo asked some questions and then mentioned several people by name to answer them. I was one of them. In the most recent edition of the John Journal I addressed them and I felt I needed to explain why I am a Mormon. This week, you can choose a variety of ways to use this as a springboard for your own family home evening, even if it is to have each family member write their own testimony.

Person of the week: Emily Manwaring - Recently her family and Chad and Emily's family visited us at the cabin. While we were there, Kennedy and a good friend had a disagreement. Kennedy could not be consoled. There were only the three of us in the cabin - Emily, Kennedy and grandma. (Blake and Josie had taken Jack to Rexburg to get his head stapled because he cut a big gash in it with a piece of metal.) Emily did wonderful things to try to help Kennedy and took care of her.




Last week Kristen and I made Porcupine meatballs. We heard lots of jokes about them being made out of porcupinne meat. (Actually their just made out of hamburger but are called Porcupine Meatballs because the rice in them sticks out like the quills on a porcupine. I think I have included this recipe before so I won't post it here. Call me if you need the recipe.-
This week we are making rolled sugar cookies for Valentine's Day. Any standard rolled sugar cookie recipe will work. You probably have your own favorites so I will not post this recipe either.