Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Pretzels and Maple Rolls








Maple Rolls


For Rolls
2 ½ cups milk- warmed up in microwave, 45-60 seconds
½ cup butter
½ cup sugar
2 tsp salt
2 eggs
4 TB yeast
7 cups flour, divided in half


Filling-
1 ½ sticks butter
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup nuts
1 tsp maple flavoring
1 ½ tsp cinnamon

Glaze-
 2 cup powdered sugar
2 TB milk
½ tsp maple or vanilla flavoring/extract



1.    Mix all ingredients for rolls except flour. Add in half of flour (3 ½ cups). Let set for 15 mins. Add 2nd set of flour. Mix until smooth and creamy, for a few minutes. Will be a sticky dough. Let rise for 30 mins to 1 hour, until doubled in size.

2.    Heat oven to 325 degrees

3.    Melt butter for filling, mix with sugar, nuts, maple and cinnamon. Simmer on stove and keep at lowest temperature, or heat in microwave in glass bowl, for 1 minute at a time, mixing in between, until bubbly.

4.    Divide dough into 4 equal parts and grease 2 large 16 inch pans (rectangle or circular pans).

5.    Roll one part dough to pan size and place on pan. Cover with 1/2 of filling, then another rolled out dough


6.    Using pizza cutter, cut about 15 lines from edges to center. Twist each piece twice around and set down. Let rise 15-30 minutes or until puffed up.

7.    Bake at 20 minutes, frost with maple flavored glaze.







Great British Baking Show Pretzels- Plain and Orange Poppy Seed
Makes 12 medium sized pretzels. Easily doubled


·         For the dough
·         4 cups white or bread flour
·         2 tsp salt
·         2 tsp fast-action yeast
·         3 TB butter, softened
·         1 tbsp malt extract or 2 tsp molasses or 2 tsp brown sugar
·         1 ¼ cup milk
·         2 oranges, zest only
·         1 TB poppy seeds
·         oil, for greasing
·         2 TB bicarbonate of soda
To finish
  • 3 TB rock salt
  • 2 TB sesame seeds
  • 3 oranges, juice of 3, zest of 1 cut into thin slithers
  • ¼ cup sugar


Directions
1.     Add the flour, salt, yeast and butter to a bowl. In a jug, add the malt extract to the milk and stir to dissolve. Add the milk mixture gradually to the flour and mix until a dough is formed.
2.     Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and knead. The dough should be stiff but not sticky, and shouldn’t need any extra flour to knead. Continue for 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and glossy.
3.     Divide the dough in half. To one half, add the zest of two oranges and the poppy seeds, and mix through, ensuring even distribution. Leave the other half plain. Place both doughs into separate oiled bowls, cover, and leave to prove until doubled in size (about 45 minutes- up to 2 hours).
4.     Preheat the oven to 400F.
5.     Once proved, turn both the doughs out and divide each one into six equal pieces. Using your hands, take each piece, and roll the dough into a long sausage shape, tapering the ends, and creating a slight bulge in the middle. Each piece should be about 40-50cm/16-20in in length. You may need to roll out each of the strands just part way at first, then rest them, allowing the glutens to relax, before continuing to roll them out to their full length. This can help to prevent the strands springing back and creating unevenly shaped pieces. As you roll out the ropes you should apply some pressure to the dough, working from the middle outwards, pushing out any air bubbles that may have formed in the dough.
6.     Shape into pretzels and press down lightly to seal, without misshaping the pretzel. Work quickly to shape all 12 pretzels.
7.     Add the bicarbonate of soda to a pan of boiling water, and gently drop each pretzel into the boiling water for approximately five seconds. Gently remove and place on a baking tray, keeping the different flavors separate. While the plain dough is still wet from the water, sprinkle over the salt and sesame seeds.
8.     Optional- With a sharp knife, make a deep slash into the thickest part of the dough.
9.     Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until they are a deep brown color.
10.   Meanwhile make the glaze for the sweet pretzels. Put the orange juice into a saucepan and add 100g/3½oz sugar. Add the zest, and bring up to the boil. Boil for one minute, then remove the zest using a slotted spoon and roll it in the remaining sugar. Continue to cook the syrup until reduced in volume and sticky. Pass through a fine sieve.
11.   Place the baked pretzels on a wire cooling rack, brush the sweet pretzels with the syrup glaze and sprinkle over the candied zest.


Thursday, August 13, 2015

Camp Space- Blank Space YW Camp Parody



At camp the oldest Youth Leaders and I did a camp skit where the leader spoke only in Taylor Swift lyric parodies. It was fun to write a character like that, and while doing that I came up with this song. The leaders sang it at the opening program and acted it out. It really set the tone for camp seeing leaders be ridiculous and crazy.

Don't these pics make you want to get out of your seat and yell the lyrics???









Camp Parody "Camp Space"    (Taylor Swift "Blank Space" tune)
Lyrics adapted by Jacki Daley, Indianapolis West Stake YW Camp


[Verse 1]
Nice to meet you
Where you from?
We planned an incredible camp
Music, laughter, heaven, friends
Saw you coming and I thought oh my gosh
Look at that face, you smell so good today
Camps so fun, wanna coooome?
Tents, canoes,   swim in our stream              
  You’ll need scriptures not magazines            
  Build a fire, make some crafts,
And I know you might be scared
So hey, you’ll make friends
We never want to see girls camp end
Grab your sunscreen and bug spray
I could make the prissy girls tough for a few days

[Pre-Chorus]
Camp's gonna be forever
And might be hot as flames
You can tell me when it's over
If the hike was worth the pain
Got a long list of ex-campers
They'll tell you it’s insane
Cause you know I love the campers
And you love GIRL’S CAMP

[Chorus] - LEADERS
Cause we're spiritual and we're funny
We'll take the theme too far
We’ll sing till you’re breathless
Go home with a nasty scar
Got a long list of ex-campers
They'll tell you it’s insane
But I got a blank form baby-
And I'll write your name

[Verse 2]
Beautiful trees
Starry skies
Gather round the campfire ring
No phones allowed, you’ll be fine
Do your chores baby and camp stays clean
Free time you’ll pick what you want
Lock up your treats super tight
Or you’ll have raccoons at night
Oh no!!!
Screaming, crying, be kindness shown
Leave the girl drama back at home
Rocks and woods filled with thorns
Wear your shoes so you keep your toes
What to wear to camp today?
Dress and act modestly
After lights out, don’t get up and leave
Cause then I’ll be a nightmare dressed as a daydream

Chorus again

 [Bridge]
Poison Ivy’s leaves of 3 is pure torture
Don't say I didn't say I didn't warn you
Poison Ivy’s leaves of 3 is pure torture
Don't say I didn't say I didn't warn you

Chorus


To Eternity and Beyond: Outer Space Young Women Camp


Our theme for Young Women camp this year was "To Eternity and Beyond!" We had lots of outer space, rockets, star wars, stars and galaxy print. 

Here's some shots of things related to the theme, or innovations this year. 




Our levels were- Estrela de Esperanca, Celestial 2nd Years, Cosmic Cuties, Supernovas, the Resistance to the Empire, and the stake leaders called themselves "Galactic Guides" 


When the Bishops visited they fought with light sabers while singing Primary songs, found martian rocks, wore martian headbands, and threw hula hoop rings on paper lantern Saturn.




Crafts made galaxy pillowcases. White pillowcases were sprayed with dye and flicked with white paint.  They also did some beaded bracelets with sun, moon,  and star charms.

Our PVC specialist made a misting station to sit outside Archery and the shooting range. 


Sister cope also made a photo booth, with pvc pipe, complete with trampoline to look like you're floating in space/




I ordered nylon backpacks for the young women, from Discountmugs.com, they came less than $1.00 a piece. We had a leader serge the inside side seams so they were more durable. Girls wrote on them in Metallic sharpie to label their name. We also have schedule books and the girls had the option of a lanyard or safety pin.



We had some existing billboards from the Scouts so we attached fabric signs and a huge wall of Christmas lights and draped fabric to wood to hang over. At night it looked awesome.


At the lake the aquatics director had built a pvc square with metal pit for a fire on the lake. We swam to get marshmallow skewers, roasted marshmallows, then had to swim back for s'mores. It was hilarious. The 4th years had their sharing meeting around the campfire in the water. 



Did I mention the stand up paddleboards? That's me trying not to fall on my face in the water. Or the shooting range and archery? Favorite things about the camp.

I was kind of excited about decorations this year. From the Christmas lights and fabric banners, to my directions signs. I was so excited to make this craft- maybe because it made sense with a journey theme, or because I love the Flock of Signs exhibit at the Indianapolis Museum of Art, and I just love having one more thing to make camp fun and witty. 







In the Mess Hall there was the photo booth, black banners with stars with every campers names, paper lanterns, and mini galaxys- weird mixture of goo in jars in green,purple, blue. Also, martian rocks. 










Roberta here hand painted galaxy shirts for her level leaders and youth leaders, and took a chipotle hat and made it into a galaxy hat. We also had a great youth leader artist who came up with our shirt, of a girl on Saturn watching a rocket go by. And the youth leaders get bandanas every year corresponding to the theme, star wars fabric made it really easy!






I tried to ramp up awards this year. Creepy clown came to your campsite if it was super messy.

 Songbirds were given the hat full of birds and flowers(all from dollar store), and Yoda came to clean or reverent groups, and the Torch went to a group that stood out in some way.





A big project for me this year was these necklaces. I originally wanted a ;map activity. Which morphed into a new prize every day. And that morphed into a scavenger hunt with space trivia. Then all the trivia answer cards flew away or fell off their spots. There were a lot of things I'd do differently next year if I want a similar activity. In the end, I spent $130 on some awesome necklaces for the young women to remember what they'd learned. I love the large charm "Love Beyond the Moon and Stars" 


I bought some metal stamps, sets of 100 planets, lots of split rings, arrows, blank discs, the large Love beyond...charm and lots of bead chain and connectors.





Besides all these fun things, we did a lot of spiritual stuff, as seen in my last post. I still pinch myself that I get to have such a fun calling. Hooray for camp! 










Wednesday, August 12, 2015

To Eternity and Beyond! Outer Space Young Women Camp



This year at Young Women Camp, we went to outer space. And it was SPECTACULAR!

I've got two blog posts in the works- this one that explains our spiritual things, and one that explains all the fun stuff.



Our theme was "To Eternity and Beyond!"  I based my daily themes on President Uchtdorf's talk, Your Wonderful Journey Home.  


Our theme scripture was John 14: 5-6

5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.




Tuesday-  Welcome Eternal Earthlings!
Doctrine- We existed with God, He knows us, we are literally His daughters and can be like him. We came to earth to gain a body, and are now separate from God, physically and spiritually. The earth and our bodies are amazing creations, and we should treat them with respect and love.

Genesis 1:26-27 And God said, Let us make man in our image , after our likeness : and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

Campwide Devotional- On this day I did a devotional about our bodies, how they were created in the image of God, and everyday implications of understanding and believing our bodies can be godlike. I 

Evening Activity- We did get to know you games (mafia, fruit basket, etc) and an astronomy lesson after sunset for our evening activities



Wednesday- Rocket Fuel

Doctrine- The Laws of God are eternal. As we learn about them, make covenants and follow eternal laws, we gain power and knowledge. The temple is a sacred place where we can feel God's presence and combine our forces with Heavenly Fathers through covenant. Obedience brings fuel to rise to our potential.

D&C 84:20-Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest

D&C 130:20-21-There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—and when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated”

Campwide Devotional- Jill did a devotional about the temple, talking about the power of covenants mixed with the power of obedience. She had a few young women share experiences with the temple open house that just happened in our area (Indianapolis). A young woman dropped mentos into a diet coke to talk about the explosion of power when you mix obedience and god's power. 

Evening Activity- The youth leaders set up a faith walk, with stations that correlated to parts of Nephi's vision of the Tree of Life. All the girls held onto a rope to represent the iron rod, and went from station to station- Iron Rod, great and spacious building, midsts of darkness, the tree. They were given little glittered pear cut outs with a scripture on the back. 


Thursday- Flight Plan
Doctrine- Heavenly Father and the scriptures are the eternal perspective that help us see the big picture and guide us in the right direction. Even though we are small among the universe, He is mindful of us.

John 14: 26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Campwide Devotional-A member of the stake YW presidency talked about President Uchtdorf's questions from his talk- Where are you going? Are you going the right way? etc. and talked about hard things in our life, and where we look for help. 

Evening Activity-The Bishops were visiting, so we had games for them. First, at dinner they had to act out different scenarios- girls putting on makeup, getting dressed, at dances, etc. Then for the activity we had skits and silly songs, and the bishops had some challenges. They fought with light sabers while singing Primary songs. They had to find 3 eyed martian rocks in the grass. They had to toss Saturn's rings hula hoops onto lanterns. And wear martian head bands. They give a mini devotional with the young women in their wards and have treats. 

Friday- Watch Out! Meteors and Black Holes

Doctrine- During our life we will experience pain and trials- some like meteors that are beyond our control, some things like black holes that we must avoid or steer clear and stay away. But the Atonement can repair damage and make you whole and give you additional power.

D&C 122:5-8 All these things shall give thee experience and shall be for thy good
Alma 13:28- Watch and pray continually, that you may not be tempted above that which you can bear
Isaiah 53:5 With his stripes we are healed

Evening Activity- Testimony meeting

Campwide Devotional- The Stake YW president talked about protecting ourselves in space- suit that protects and monitors our heart, gloves, helmet. And how we have to put on gloves of service not boxing gloves, to interact with others who think differently than we do. She spoke about same-sex attraction and the current counsel from church leaders, these girls may be experiencing it themselves or have close friends who they don't want to be unkind in their friendship. 


Saturday- To Eternity and Beyond!
Doctrine- We will be resurrected and reunited again. We can live with Heavenly Father and gain all that He has. Our bodies can be perfected through the resurrection. We can get feel a little bit of that glory and light in the temple.

D&C 93: 28 He that keepeth his commandments receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things.
Alma 11:43 The spirit and the body shall be reunited again in its perfect form; both limb and joint shall be restored to its proper frame, even as we now are at this time; and we shall be brought to stand before God, knowing even as we know now, and have a bright recollection of all our guilt.

Campwide devotional-    I reviewed the teachings of the week and talked about how Christ and his power are ETERNAL- and pointed to my poster (above) with the role of Christ in our lives, and spoke about how each of those things are without end. 


Especially for Camp-
Our stake YW presidency hold a workshop that the yw rotate through in levels. This year the leaders dressed up as secret agents with the CIA- Celestial Intelligence Agency, and talked about being intelligent in fighting evil. As always, we went over CAMP -how to bear your Testimony (to the tune of YMCA) - Christ centered, Attitude (Positive), Mind your Minutes, Prayer and Preparation. 






Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Wreck this Journal: Calendar Style



Have you seen those immensely popular Wreck this Journal series? It's basically a huge journal with prompts of all kinds of ways to draw, glue, manipulate, soak, change, the journal. Prompts are things like....Write 4 letter words here. Give to a friend and have them decorate this page. Fill with your dryer lint. Draw circles all over. Etc etc. It's a great idea for artistic creative teens. I'm kind of wishing I had one myself. 

So I needed a gift from my 7 year old to my 10 year old. They are both artistic and LOVE anything that involves glue and art supplies. The 10 year old is also super into calendars and planning every day of the week with something to do so she doesn't get bored (it's genetic this tendency, I do the same thing)!

So I thought of making her a coloring page calendar, but she's way past coloring, she loves to create the scene and collage away, so we came up with 12 months of artistic activities. Here they are in backwards order: 

Make the coolest Christmas tree ever! 
Draw the best birthday ever!
Leaf rubbings
Draw a cartoon of your day
Fruit Stickers!
Fill the page with Magazine words
Make a summer collage!
Glue pressed flowers here!
Water color these flowers (flowers drawn above)
Draw a march scene using one line
Things you love go here
Cover this page with snowflakes and a winter scene.





We made up a calendar in Microsoft Publisher's calendar wizard (I may be the only person on the planet to still use that program).

 I wanted it to be from her sister,  I had Natalie write the prompts on the backs of  each month. I kind of forgot about the allowance for binding, so it ended up being calendar on top, picture space on bottom. 

We bound it with my bind it all, but you could do it at an office supply store for a few bucks. 

I plan on picking out seasonal looking  an array of scrapbook papers with different textures and a glue stick  to include in the package, so it's more of a kit. 





Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Superhero Young Women Camp: Strong in the Lord


This year for Young Women camp we focused on Superheroes. Our title was "Strong in the Lord" and our scripture was Ephesians 6:12-17, commonly known as the armor of God scripture. Everyday we focused on a different aspect of being a superhero and battling good and evil.
screenprinting artwork by Katelyn Tillett

Our daily themes were :
1- The Battle is Real- History and Motives of God and Satan, training for battle.
2- Armor of God- Strength in Righteousness and Covenants
3- Know your Super Strengths- valuing your strengths and honoring your weaknesses
4- Saving Souls- Savior's power to save and your power to help others in turn
5- Go forth to Fight- Go and keep on fighting!

I took pictures all week, but compiled some that show unique things that I would have loved to see as a director planning a superhero camp. Here's our ideas for your viewing pleasure. Shoutout to all the leaders, youth leaders and campers that make camp so stinking awesome.

My big project that I loved was making these journals- 1 dollar (from walmart) 4 by 6 picture albums, with pages for notes at devotionals, journal pages for everyday, phone numbers, funny jokes from camp, etc. And extra slots for handouts from each level leaders. 



Decorations/Making the theme come alive

- Our decorations committee put masked balloons around the mess hall doors, superhero costumes hanging next to the support beams, banners of comic book fabric all over, and capes with each ward's name hanging in the windows. They were used later for Bishop's night visits. In later pictures you can see the YW values in bubbles and a backdrop for pictures with props.






Our youth leaders and leaders come to camp on Monday afternoon and campers don't arrive until Tuesday morning. During this time we have training. The Youth Leader had the girls think about battle maps for different temptations and they mapped them out in small groups. 


On the first day of camp, the campers had a workshop with the Stake YW presidency, titled "Sisterhood." They lip synced the "Sisters, Sisters" from White Christmas with funny outfits on, and talked about different aspects of sisterhood- supporting each other, respecting each other's differences, how we as women have power. 



Emily had the most hilarious rendition of different women- the overambitious mother of 15 and the hardcore ninja strict mother, it was so funny, knowing what she's like in real life. 




For Crafts, our amazing crafts and service team had a project everyday. They sported cute fabric capes the first day to stand out as the super teachers they are.


Day one we painted frames and put chalkboard paint on the glass. It has to cure for a few days before you use it, so we did it on day one. The craft leaders had vinyl with "Be Strong" precut before camp, to stick on the frames when they were dry.





On day two, the girls cut up donated tshirts and cute knit fabric to make braided bracelets and turban headbands and fabric flowers on wider headbands.





On day 3 the girls made bags with crayons ironing onto tote bags. (I'm gonna go searching for a picture...i'll update later)

Day 4 the girls made bows and hair clips for the children of a group home for families escaping domestic violence. They have a "store" at the home where kids can earn money from chores and buy school supplies, hair accessories, extras that they wouldn't usually get because their parents are starting over.


For Evening activities, on the first night we talked about Satan's Tactics. I did a mini devotional on agency and the battle in Heaven. Then we had 6 training activities to mimic Satan's tactics (Distract, Discourage, Decieve, from a devotional by Elaine S Dalton at BYU Idaho, Prophetic Priorities). The campers (levels 1-4) were divided up into 6 groups and rotated stations. 

At one station we had shooting stations- spin discs into holes in a tarp, hit the youth leader villains with silly string, shoot the ping pongs with water guns. 




The youth leaders had to pop up like whack a mole, it was hilarious. 

They honed their shooting skills with ping pong balls on golf tees, in foam blocks

They tried their discus skills through a holey tarp (used hoopla's circles)




The young women saved a ducky at the bottom of a large can using teamwork to fill up their sponges and fill up the can.
 
This station had the young women finding large plastic coins in the bottom of a shaving cream pool- using their xray vision. Once they found all the discs they had to match them together, each one had words from our theme scripture (sword and spirit, helmet and salvation, etc)



At the bomb station the young women had to decipher a coded message, the message said which color yarn to cut.

There was also a damsel in distress station, where the group had to find a young women in the woods and ignore other people telling them where to go.




On Wednesday Night, the youth leaders put on a spiritual night hike. Each station had three youth leaders- one dressed as a woman from the scriptures, and two young women to talk about her test of faith. The young women were sorted into these groups by asking them which woman from the scriptures they wanted to learn about- then divided up into even groups, they studied the scriptures about her and then wrote a 3 minute summary of her experience and what choices she made, why she was a "scripture hero." It was enlightening to me to see all the different ways the young women interpreted stories I knew well, and to see the different ways they identified with women in the scriptures. Plus, hearing their testimony of a specific principle, and watching the young women listen and take it in, was powerful.

Some of our scripture women...

  
Woman at the well, from the New Testament
Eve, the Mother of all living

Mary, the Mother of Jesus

Queen Esther

Emma Smith



On Thursday Night, the bishops visit. And we really show em some love, with skits and lots of silly challenges. They were greeted with their ward capes to wear all evening.





We recycled some activities for them to try.

And added in some preschool skills, like water balloon toss.
After the skits and games for the bishops, they hold devotional and discussions with their ward young women, the one time during the week the ward young women meet together.




Camp Wide  Devotionals


The first day, we have all the leaders introduce themselves with the old cheerleading cheer"
Jump in, jump out, introduce yourself! (clapping 4 times to a simple beat)
My name is _______ (yeah)
And I'm with ______  (yeah)
And I love ______________ (Yaaay!)
Jump in Jump out...

We have the girls learn the scripture of the week by having posters with the phrases 
and practicing at each gathering.



Every morning before Breakfast we have a devotional by one of the stake leaders- one day was the armor of God, with a great visual as seen above. 


One of the devotionals was about valuing your strengths and weaknesses, and we invited a former leader who is a certified yoga instructor to do a superhero themed yoga session and then a devotional right after. 





On the last day, before we go home, every level presents an award for every young woman in their group. It's fun to call out their strengths and funny things that happened that week. 



Other Things I love about my camp....
Tshirts

We order tshirts for the stake leaders, so we all wear the same color all week long. We have the theme of the day screenprinted on the front. It makes it super easy to find someone in charge! 








We also have camp pictures on the last full day, where the girls wear their shirts and we take pics by year and assignments (crafts together, cooks, etc).



Level leaders do some kind of headband or accessory for their level- like superhero bandannas below. 



We have a service box where girl can submit names of other campers doing good deeds to a raffle, and if they win they pick from dollar store/candy/extra tshirts/camp crafts stuff.

One of our levels baked bread as their service to the camp, to supplement the campfire dinner night. 



One of our leaders brought this medical tubing, added pen shafts to the end and clipped it with a binder clip, to make super high powered squirt guns. They were a big hit. 




Our kitchen staff gets extra help from levels every meal, so they make a big list of jobs to do on a whiteboard, then girls check them off as they are done. 


Whew! Camp was months ago and I'm finally done organizing my thoughts about it. I am so grateful to have such a fun calling that give opportunities for me and my young women to learn how to be leaders. I learned this year that anytime I feel lost or like I just don't have the knowledge to fulfill a task, I need to look around and observe the spiritual giants in my midst, and soak up their experience and examples. I had some powerful times this year where I was totally bewildered how to respond and act and other leaders showed me the way. 

Yaay for super leaders and yaay for camp! 




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