Atonement Quote 3

Trust and confidence in Christ and a ready reliance on His merits, mercy, and grace lead to hope, through His Atonement, in the Resurrection and eternal life. Such faith and hope invite into our lives the sweet peace of conscience for which we all yearn. The power of the Atonement makes repentance possible and quells despair caused by sin; it also strengthens us to see, do, and become good in ways that we never could recognize or accomplish with our limited mortal capacity.

Elder David A. Bednar, Therefore They Hushed Their Fears, April 2015 General Conference

Atonement Quote 2

Salvation cannot be bought with the currency of obedience; it is purchased by the blood of the Son of God.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, The Gift of Grace, April 2015 General Conference

Atonement Quote 1

"The Savior's Atonement cannot become commonplace in our teaching, in our conversation, or in our hearts. It is sacred and holy, for it was through this "great and last sacrifice" that Jesus the Christ brought salvation to all those who believe on his name."

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, The Gift of Grace, April 2015 General Conference

Baked Garlic Mashed Potatoes

5 pounds russet, red or yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
8 ounces light or regular cream cheese
3-4 green onions, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup whipping cream

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 9X9-inch baking dish and set aside.

Place the cut potatoes in a large pot and cover with water by one inch. Add 1 teaspoon salt and boil the potatoes for about 10 minutes or until they are tender.

Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Mash them a few times and add the rest of the ingredients. Mash and mix well to desired consistency. Scoop the potatoes into the prepared baking pan. Dot with 1-2 tablespoons butter. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the potatoes are lightly browned on top and heated through.

Delicious! Also from melskitchencafe.com

Creamy 5 Cup Fruit Salad

1 (10-ounce) can pineapple chunks (about 1 cup), drained
1 (11-ounce) can mandarin oranges (about 1 cup), drained
1 medium apple, cored and chopped (about 1 cup)
1 cup grapes, halved
1/2 cup sour cream, light or regular
1/2 cup sweetened, shredded coconut

Combine the fruit in a large bowl, tossing well so the apple (and other fruit that likes to brown) can get coated in the pineapple and orange juice to prevent browning. Stir in the sour cream and coconut, gently tossing to coat. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours prior to serving to allow the flavors to meld together. Serve chilled. You might notice that after a day or so of sitting in the fridge, quite a bit of liquid from the fruit pools at the bottom. If eating the leftovers, I like to gently pour some of this off before eating.

from melskitchencafe.com

Spaghetti Sauce

1/2 t red pepper flakes

1/2 pepper

1 t salt

1 can (12 oz) tomato paste

1 can (29 oz) tomato sauce

2 cans (14 oz) diced tomatoes, drained

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups chopped mushrooms

3 medium onion, diced

2 lbs Italian sausage or ground beef (some combination of the two)

2 T dried basil

1 T dried oregano

1 T sugar

Hawaiian Chicken Salad

1 can chicken chunks, drained (or cooked, cooled, and cubed chicken)

1 cup pineapple bits

1 apple, cut into bite sized pieces

1/4 c raisins

1 stalk celery, diced

1/2 t curry powder

mayo to taste (about 1/2 cup)

Mix this all together. Let chill in fridge for an hour (or longer) before serving so that flavors have time to mingle. Serve on croissants.