Sister Spotlight: Amanda Hutchings

This is Amanda Moline Hutchings. She has been in the ward since March 2008. Before settling her ein Orem she has lived in Little Rock, Arkansas; Sherwood, Arkansas; Stow, Ohio; Cumming, Georgia. Rexburg, Idaho; Sacramento, California; and Roseville, Californis. Amanda is the youngest of 5 children(3 brothers and 1 sister) and is a mother to 3 beautiful girls: Abbey 5, Mariah 3, and Cali 4 months. Amanda currently is unemployed outside the home, but works OVERTIME at home. She is also a volunteer for Meals on Wheels. Amanda is not going to school but whould like to go back and finish. When she was in school she studied Sports Medicine. Amanda enjoys playing the piano solely for her own pleasure.

She says that she is not the craftiest person but does enjoy scrap booking, sewing, floral arrangements, etc. She especiall LOVES organizing and doing home improvents such as painting, staging homes and de-cluttering. Amanda is really into excerise, but LOVES her food and LOVES to cook and create her own recipes. She LOVES Italian and Mexican foods along with home -cooked salmon & steak. She also LOVES sweets and makes them often,pprobably too often. She also loves the combination of chocolate with peanut butter.

Amanda says she doesn’t have a favorite book because she doesn’t have a ton of time to read, but during her last pregnancy when she was horribly sick and was really good friends with the couch, and her mother-in-law bought her the twilight series and read them all in 5-weeks and really enjoyed them.

Amanda also says she honestly can't pick a favorite scripture. As a gospel doctrine teacher right now each time she teaches she finds, or is reminded of great scripture passages, and they temporarily become her favorite until she finds another one she loves. Her favorite vacation she went on was a trip she got to take with her husband to take all by their selves when Abbey was 1. They went to Florida and Amanda got to go to Disney World for the 1st time in her life. They were also able to going swimming with manatee's and go to Fort Lauderdale and enjoy some time at the beach. She says it was so fun to have 1 on 1 time with her husband and get to be spontaneous again!

Here is an interesting fact about Amanda: She says that one day she would love to move down to the South and buy a big beautiful southern mansion and turn it into a bed and breakfast and have her own bakery!

Here is a recipe Amanda wanted to share for an Oatmeal Cake that she made for the August Lunch Bunch

Oatmeal Cake
Cake:
1 1/2 c boiling water
1 c quick oatmeal
1/2 c margarine

Bring water to a boil in a 4 cup glass measuring cup, glass bowl, or pan. Add oatmeal and margarine. Stir. Cover. Let stand for 20 minutes.

While oatmeal is standing, grease and flour a 9x13 pan.

Mix together in a large bowl:
1 c white sugar
1 c brown sugar
1 1/3 c flour
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

Stir 2 eggs into oatmeal mixture (after the 20 min. standing time)

Combine oatmeal mixture and dry ingredients and pour into the pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes
(While cake is baking, make topping)
When cake is done, remove from oven and turn oven temp to broil.

Topping:
6Tbsp. Margarine or butter
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 c milk
1 c coconut flakes
1 c chopped pecans
While cake is baking, mix topping ingredients together in pan and bring to a boil. When cake is done baking (and while waiting for oven to reach broil temperature) spread topping on the cake. Broil in oven until golden brown (approximately 2 minutes) watch carefully because all of a sudden it's golden brown.