Monday at family home evening we had a great lesson given by Elder Ho and Sister Lee. They arrived in our mission from Taiwan about 6 weeks ago. He talked about the Plan of Salvation and then showed us some Chinese characters that he had used in a lesson. Then we began to ask about other characters and how you write things in Chinese. This led to a discussion about simplified and traditional Chinese characters and the great debate that rages about this subject. Some traditional characters have as many as 20 plus strokes in one character. (I believe I remember Elder Ho's words.) Many people feel that it takes too much time and want to simplify. If you would like to read about it, click HERE.
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| Sisters Williams, Conger, Adams, Shapiro, Elders Shapiro, Williams, Adams, Conger, Ho, Sister Lee |
For dessert that night I made blueberry crumb bars. David and Brianna had left two containers of blueberries and I knew I wouldn't be able to eat all of them before they spoiled so I looked for a recipe that would be quick and easy. I am including a picture of the bars and the recipe. Everyone liked it and wanted the recipe so I thought I would share with you too. It can be made with any berries. I used strawberries later in the week for another occasion. It was good but the blue berries were better I think. I didn't have shortening so I used butter.
Blueberry Crumb Bars
Recipe By:A. Beavers
"Cheap and easy to make. Kids love them. Any berry can be used."
Ingredients:
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon (optional)
- 1 cup shortening
- 1 egg
- 4 cups fresh blueberries
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 3 teaspoons cornstarch
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch pan.
- In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup sugar, 3 cups flour, and baking powder. Mix in salt and cinnamon, if desired. Use a fork or pastry cutter to blend in the shortening and egg. Dough will be crumbly. Pat half of dough into the prepared pan.
- In another bowl, stir together the sugar and cornstarch. Gently mix in the blueberries. Sprinkle the blueberry mixture evenly over the crust. Crumble remaining dough over the berry layer.
- Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until top is slightly brown. Cool completely before cutting into squares.
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| Sisters Allen and Albanese |
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| Fried yucca (top left), rice beans and chicken plate and my salad and chicken, tostones (fried plantains), and Inca cola |
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| Pio Pio wall |
Wednesday, I went into Manhattan again to meet a missionary and go back with them to Brooklyn. The train ride from Brooklyn to Queens is over an hour so I spent a good portion of the day on the subway.
Thursday I went to Patchogue, a little over an hour drive out on Long Island, to take some medication to a missionary. While there I grabbed a burger with a couple of elders that I thought looked a little hungry.
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| Elders Rogers and James |
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| Santa Fe burger at the Burger Shack. It was so big I couldn't get it into my mouth. Had to eat it cut up with a fork. Yum!! |
On the way home I got a call from a missionary in Brentwood. I happened to be passing close by so I dropped on over to have a chat there.
When I got home I went grocery shopping. I have decided that the best time to go shopping with the fewest number of people and the shortest lines at checkout is 8 to 9 o'clock in the evening on Wednesday or Thursday evenings. I can get in and out in no time at all!
It was Sister Panoussi's birthday this last week so on Friday we went to dinner at Namaste, an Indian restaurant in Astoria. It was a delicious meal and great company.
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| Sisters Hilliard and Panoussi |
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| Vegetable samosas with mango chutney, garlic and cheese naan, coconut chicken, coconut lamb, and lamb vindaloo |
Saturday early morning Jim, Christian, and Asher flew in on a day layover on their way to Switzerland. We had pizza at Nick's in Forest Hills and then on to the French Workshop Bakery.
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| Asher, Jim, Christian at Nick's Pizzaria |
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| Silliness |
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Caprese salad: mozzarella, tomato, basil, olive oil, pepper, and balsamic reduction.
Red and white pizza. |
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| Chef at French Workshop Bakery |
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| You've heard of Gold Finger. Well this is Gold Lips! |
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| Melody is a close second to a duke. |
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Top left: Melody
Top right: cheese cake brownie
Middle: lemon tart
Bottom: duke
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I think when I get home I will try to make a duke. I took a picture of the description so I know what is in it. I looked up a recipe for chocolate cremeux. Sounds a little touchy getting the temperature of the mixture just right but I'm willing to give it a try. Want to see the recipe? Click HERE.
I dropped off the guys at JFK at 3:00 for their 6:00 flight. Fun, FUN day!! Love having family here even if only for a few hours.
Sunday dinner is always a treat. Having the missionaries in my home is the best!! They are like family.
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| Elders Sutherland, Atoa, Snell, Johnson. Sisters Grimsman, Persinger, Voss, McDowell |
This next week is mega-zone conference week so I have been thinking about what I will present to the missionaries. We have had quite a few mental health issues over the past month. I am thinking about talking about mental health. Stay tuned. I'll let you know next week what I finally settled on as a topic.
I want you all to know how much I love you and appreciate the love and support I feel from you through your notes, texts, emails and pictures. Phone calls and FaceTime are gifts I value. How did we survive when we depended upon snail mail to communicate??? I am so spoiled with the "instant" ways we can talk to one another.
What a great time to be alive and to live on this earth! The Gospel has been restored. We have computers that help us with family history search. We can listen to and see our prophet and apostles even though we are separated by miles. We can read and listen to the scriptures and get Gospel messages at the touch of a finger. The Savior loves us. We are children of a loving Father in Heaven.
I love you my family and friends.
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| African violets blooming like crazy! I've never had a poinsettia last into June!! |
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| I noticed this man down under a freeway bridge fishing. That water doesn't look great. Wonder what he is catching?? |
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| Cute granddaughter Rory |
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| Cute grandson Reed with dad, David |
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| Take time to smell the roses Love the color. |
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