Whipped Cinnamon Pumpkin Honey Butter & Homemade Rolls

For us Mormons,  conference weekend took place this past weekend. You may have noticed an increase in posts (or a flood of them depending on how many Mormons you follow) from LDS people with hashtags such as #LDSconf and quotes from #Elder or #Sister so and so. Basically, twice a year (in April and October to be exact) all of the leadership of the church--both male and female--gather in Salt Lake and select speakers address a live congregation and Mormons everywhere. Their talks are broadcast through various media outlets throughout the world, and many members are able to watch in the comfort of their own living rooms. Most notably, the Prophet and his Apostles address believers, giving talks on issues and topics relevant to our current day.

A major belief that sets Mormons apart from other Christians is the idea that, like in times of old, we have a prophet--Thomas S. Monson. He is designated as the head (or President) of the church, and receives direct, modern-day revelation from God. The same organization that Christ created during his mortal ministry--i.e. a prophet, apostles, seventies, etc.-- exists in the Mormon church, and we believe that the heavens are indeed open and that God does speak to his servants. And, General Conference is a specific time designated for us to hear the Lord's words through his chosen vessels.

So, hopefully that helps put things into perspective if you've seen all the Mormon bloggers posting pictures of themselves lounging in their pajamas and talking about how much they love #PresMonson.

If you're curious and interested in viewing any of it for yourself, you can go here to select talks or watch entire sessions.

Like many, we also stayed home and watched conference on our own comfy couch today. And, yesterday I finally bought a bread maker (a purchase I've been wanting to make for awhile now) so while we watched conference I threw some rolls together and literally whipped up some cinnamon pumpkin honey butter to accompany them. The rolls turned out perfectly, and the fall-inspired butter was a wonderful compliment to our cozy Saturday spent indoors.

Even my pickiest of little eaters, Miss Klair Marie, gobbled the rolls and butter up. I was elated to say the least.

So, here are my recipes. The Bread Machine significantly helped the process of making rolls, and the pumpkin butter literally came together in minutes. I felt like a rock star homemaker kind of mom, but my actual effort was pretty minimal--the best possible cooking scenario if you ask me.

Also, this pumpkin honey butter would make an excellent gift for the holidays! Just put it in a mason jar with some cute twine or ribbon and you'll look like a Martha Stewart protege, certainly bringing smiles to the faces of your recipients.

Okay, Recipes:

Perfect Bread Machine Rolls

http://www.food.com/recipe/buttery-bread-machine-rolls-65340

*Note: I live at a high altitude, and this recipe turned out wonderfully

Whipped Cinnamon Pumpkin Butter
(this recipe is adapted from The Kitchen McCabe)

Ingredients:

2 sticks of Butter (1 C. or 8 oz.), softened (to soften butter from the fridge microwave for 9-12 seconds)
3/4 teaspoon of Cinnamon (I decreased this to a 1/2 teaspoon, it simply depends on how strong you want the cinnamon flavor to be)
6 tablespoons Pumpkin Puree
4 tablespoons Honey
1 teaspoon Vanilla

Instructions:

1. Beat the softened butter with an electric mixer until smooth.
2. Add the cinnamon and 1 Tablespoon of the pumpkin puree. Beat until well combined. Continue beating, adding 1 Tablespoon of pumpkin puree every 30 seconds.
3. Add the honey and vanilla and beat until thick and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
4. Keep refrigerated in a sealed container.

If you're craving something that tastes like fall, this recipe is perfect. Enjoy on rolls, muffins, toast, croissants, bagels, etc.

...

What are some of your favorite recipes for fall? I've recently filled up my Pinterest board with recipes I want to try. Something about the colder weather demands cooking and baking. 

Basically, I'm feeling inspired. 

Expect lots of food posts in the weeks to come!

Conference Weekend | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

For some of my newer readers who may not know, I'm a Mormon. This past weekend we had General Conference (hence all the quotes you likely saw flooding Instagram and Pinterest from Mormon bloggers) and I received the boost that I needed. Nobody warned me about the spiritual lull that accompanies having a baby. I go to church, but I'm not really there. I'm focused on trying to keep a baby quiet, still, and happy. This might be an easier task with a less-active child, but Klair is the energizer bunny. She keeps going and going and going... We bring toys, books, treats-- and that usually gets us through the first half... of the first meeting (if we're lucky). After that we end up taking turns walking the halls and make about 8,000 trips to the drinking fountain. She loves that thing, and it's pretty impressive how much water she's capable of drinking from it. 

It used to be easier. Sam and I could trade off taking care of Klair and actually listening to the speakers and lessons. Then, right around the time that she  became mobile, things changed drastically. Sam got a calling to be a primary teacher, which means we can no longer trade off on Klair duty. This means that, if I stay the full 3 hours, I typically end up hanging out in the foyer/hall with an adventurous toddler for 2 of them. I know that we are teaching Klair valuable lessons and instilling within her the importance of church attendance. I've already even seen some of the fruits of our labors in her familiarity with church and how she loves to sing along with the hymns. Nevertheless, going to church is much less uplifting than it used to be.  Listening to the talks and lessons used to revitalize me. It gave me the motivation and direction for the coming week. Having a toddler simply isn't conducive to listening. I'm too busy chasing. I don't get much from the inspirational messages that I grew accustomed to--that I took for granted.

With my toddler-induced religious slump of sorts, General Conference was absolutely heaven-sent. I needed those messages prepared by the general officers and authorities of the church--prepared by the Lord's servants. I needed to hear the words of the Lord through my beloved Prophet, and I feel strengthened because I did. My soul is nourished. I am invigorated. 

Rather than focus on what I'm missing out on, I choose to be grateful now especially during the hard times. Although I might not be able to listen in church as much as I'd like, it's a small price to pay. I think this extends to all of my mommy woes. Is it exhausting at times to be the mother of a toddler? Sure. Is it difficult? Absolutely. But I wouldn't trade it for anything. Taking care of Klair is the hardest job I've ever had, but more importantly it's the best, most joyful experience of my life. Chasing after a toddler is a good "problem" to have. 

I also really liked Sister Linda K. Burton--the Relief Society General President's-- talk. She talked about how she and her husband felt overwhelmed as parents of 4 young children. After much prayer they recieved revelation that it's okay for some chores to be undone. It's even okay if there are times when the kids stay in their pajamas. The things that matter most are family prayer, family scripture study, and family home evening. Priorities. They put these first, and everything else fell into place. It's a formula for success, and it's one that Sam and I intend to follow. We aren't nearly as consistent with these things as we should be, so we're recommitting ourselves. Apparently the fact that I can't get as much from church means I need to take a more active role in compensating during my free time. My "attitude of gratitude" and attempts to refocus my attention on things that really matter has caused me to already feel better, stronger, more spiritually nourished.  

Below are few of my other favorite quotes from conference. This list is not all encompassing... there were so many brilliant things said! But here are a few. 

First of all, my always favorite speaker... Elder Jeffrey R. Holland. I love how straightforward he is. His talk this conference on the character of the Savior and the need to "defend your faith" did not disappoint.  

"...It is a characteristic of our age that if people want any gods at all, they want them to be gods who do not demand much, comfortable gods and smooth gods who not only don’t rock the boat but don’t even row it, gods who pat us on the head, make us giggle, then tell us to run along and pick marigolds. Talk about man creating God in his own image! Sometimes — and this seems the greatest irony of all — these folks invoke the name of Jesus as one who was this kind of ‘comfortable’ God. Really? Just as Christ understood and taught, individuals must remember — even though many in the modern culture seem to forget — that there is a crucial difference between the commandment to forgive sin, which Christ had an infinite capacity to do, and the warning against condoning it, which He never ever did even once ...pure Christlike love flowing in true righteousness can change the world."

And of course Uchtdorf's talk on gratitude. Brilliant. 

"How much of life do we miss by waiting to see the rainbow before thanking God that there is rain?"

&

"There are no true endings, only everlasting beginnings" President Dieter F. Uchtdorf 

And a few other favorites: 

"The Gospel is not weight. It is wings!" Sister Jean A. Stevens 

"Today's complexities demand greater simplicity" Edler L. Tom Perry

"The unique burdens in each of our lives helps us rely upon the merits, mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah." Elder David A. Bednar 

Then of course our beloved Prophet/president of the church. I really appreciated how, of all the topics he could have chosen, he spoke on our need to be kind and loving. Our world definitely needs more love and light, and he is such a great example of this. 

"As we arise each morning, let us determine to respond with more love and kindness to whatever might come our way" President Thomas S. Monson

Overall, I am grateful for the opportunity I had to listen to the words of the Lord through his chosen Prophet, apostles, and leaders. I feel that my testimony has been strengthened and my conviction renewed. The Gospel--the good news of Christ-- is true. It brings me joy and peace.

*The images in this post came from my friend and designer, Kaylie Marie
**I tried to provide links to some of the topics that people might not be familiar with. If I missed something and you're curious what in the world I'm talking about, feel free to ask either in comment or email.  

What are some of your favorite quotes from General Conference? 
Or, what are some good spiritual or otherwise uplifting words that have inspired you lately?