Marie's Sunday Six

Welcome to my Sunday Six Smilemakers post for Sunday, the 14th of November, 2010. It's hard to believe that it is Sunday again. The weeks just seem to be whizzing past. I love Sundays and doing my smile makers post. I actually wake up on Sunday mornings thinking about everything in the past week that's brought a smile to my face and a song to my heart! I had ever so much to smile about this week so let's get started!



Having the Missionaries over for supper. I just love having the missionaries over and feeding them. They are always such nice young people. Most of the time they are young men, and sometimes they are young women. We were sad to say goodbye to Elder Llaguno from Spain this week, but we got a new elder from Canada, Elder Craig. This is his second time serving in the Chester area. He was serving here when we first moved back to Chester He helped to fold up all our empty packing boxes, so it was exciting to see him again! That made me smile!



Helping the missionaries to teach investigators. We have been able to help the missionaries quite a few times over the past month. When the missionaries are teaching a single woman on her own, they are not allowed to go into their homes unless they have someone else with them. This is for their own protection. I just love being able to go over as a couple along with the missionaries and help them out. It takes me back to the days when I was first learning about the church and the special feelings I had when that was taking place. It's quite exciting actually and even more so to be able to share feelings and what you believe to be true with people who are like minded! Being able to help the missionaries in their work makes me smile.



Our Ward Panto made me smile! It was so much fun and they all did such a wonderful job. You would have thought they were professionals really, they were so very good! We laughed and smiled our way all the way through it! Lots of good clean fun. There was no bad language. There was no sex. There was no violence. Just loads of laughter and frivolity! It made everyone smile! I love this church and the people in it. It doesn't matter where you go in the world, every Ward is pretty much the same, and feels like one big happy family. It's pretty special. The church is filled with loving, kind and sweet people, and that is the same the world over. I love my church, I really do. From the very first time I walked through an LDS Chapel door, I felt as if I had come home. Even though I have walked through many LDS Chapel doors since, and in many different places, that is a feeling that has never changed for me. I always feel as if I am coming home.



Getting my voice back made me smile. It is no fun having laryngitis. I like being able to talk and express myself! I am actually beginning to feel a lot better! I am so relieved. I was beginning to think that having a cold would be my permanent state! I am glad that it is not! That makes me smile. I could not call my mom on the phone last Sunday because I couldn't talk, so it will be really nice to talk to her this week!



Writing the Children's Nativity play made me smile this week. As I wrote, I was reminded of all the Nativity Plays that I have been to, and been in throughout the years. Jesus is the whole reason for the season, and I just love the traditional Christmas Story, and the hymns and traditions that go along with it. It is a blessing to be able to think on the scriptures and music that make it up, to feast on the word of God, and to be able to bring God's Christmas message to life with the help of the children. I loved Santa Claus when I was growing up, but I always loved the story of the Saviour coming to earth even more. Without that we wouldn't really have Christmas. It would just be another day. The Saviour's birth makes it Holy and special . . . and that makes me smile.



Our anniversary made me smile. It is hard to believe that we have been together ten years and yet at the same time it is hard to believe that there was ever a time when we did not know and love each other. The greatest blessing in my life has been having someone to share it with that understands me and my faith and who loves me for exactly who I am, warts and all. To have a partner in every sense of the word, someone to share all of my life with, the good times and the bad times, and everything in between. I am so blessed and that makes me smile big time!

And so there they are my Sunday Six Smilemakers for this week. I hope that you had plenty to smile about as well. In closing I'd like to leave you with a thought to carry with you, and that might bring a smile to your face as well!

"God does not shield us from life's storms, He shelters us in life's storms!"

One thing that can be really hard to eat in the company of others is pizza . . . I mean do you cut it into slices, and then eat it with your fingers? or do you use a knife and fork? I say, when in the company of hours, use a knife and fork . . . when by yourself who cares! Just eat!! In any case, this one is delicious!



*Puttanesca Pizza*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

This wonderful pizza is delicious in it’s simplicity. It combines all the ingredients I love….basil, olives, tomatoes, capers….mmmm…..it’s the best!

CRUST:
6 ounces plain flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp easy blend dried yeast
½ tsp caster sugar
1 TBS olive oil
Cornmeal for dusting the baking sheet

SAUCE:
1 TBS olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
½ red chili, seeded and minced
1 tsp chopped fresh basil
2 cups chopped tomatoes in tomato juice
½ tsp anchovy essence, or a couple of anchovies minced
3 ounces black olives, pitted and chopped
1 TBS capers, rinsed and drained
Fresh ground black pepper

TOPPING:
5 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into 1 inch cubes
Fresh basil leaves
olive oil

Sift the flour, salt, yeast and sugar into a bowl and make a well in the centre of the mixture, then add the olive oil and pour in 4 fl oz (120 ml) hand-hot water. Mix to a dough, starting off with a wooden spoon and using your hands in the final stages of mixing. Wipe the bowl clean with the dough, adding a spot more water if there are any dry bits left, and transfer it to a flat work surface (there shouldn't be any need to flour this). Knead the dough for 3 minutes or until it develops a sheen and blisters under the surface (it should also be springy and elastic). You can now either leave the dough on the surface covered by the upturned bowl or transfer the dough to a clean bowl and cover it with clingfilm that has been lightly oiled on the side that is facing the dough. Leave it to double in bulk, about an hour or so.

Meanwhile make the sauce by heating the oil in a medium saucepan, then add the garlic and chili and cook briefly until the garlic is pale gold. Then add all the other sauce ingredients, stir and season with a little pepper. You won’t need any salt because of the anchovies. Turn the heat to low and let simmer, uncovered for about 40 minutes. At the end of that time, it should have reduced to a lovely thick mass with very little liquid left.

Pre-heat the oven to 230*C/450*F. Heat your baking sheet in the oven at the same time. (IF you have a baking stone that is great!)

Tip the dough out onto a work surface that you have sprinkled with polenta. Knock all the air out of the dough, then roll your dough out with a polenta dusted rolling pin to a circle that is approximately 10 inches in diameter. You may use your fingers to press and stretch it out even more in the centre until you get it the thickness that you want, always remembering that it will rise once it hit’s the heat of the oven.

Take your baking sheet out of the oven and dust with more polenta and carefully transfer the dough to the sheet. Spoon the sauce over the top of the dough, then scatter the cheese and torn basil leaves on top. Don’t overdo the basil, you’ll only need 3 or 4 leaves. Drizzle with a little olive oil.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes on the highest shelf in your oven until well risen and the crust is golden brown and crusty. Remove from the oven and garnish with more basil if desired. Let cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy!

*You can add other toppings if desired. I like to add pepperoni slices and more sliced olives and those little hot cherry peppers. Of course then, it's not strictly a puttanesca pizza, but it's still good!



Baking in The English Kitchen today, Christmas Stollen in the breadmaker!