Many of us celebrate General Conference with a traditional food that our families have come to love.  Here is a sampling of General Conference food traditions from around the world. (Recipes and stories are taken from the book, Worldwide Ward Cookbook, Covenant Communications.)

Tortas Fritas

“I always make Tortas Fritas during the time between the Sunday sessions of general conference. (In Argentina, both sessions are broadcast during the afternoon, and we watch the last session at home by Internet.) Our family loves this tradition.”
Cecilia Goldar
General Urquiza Ward
Belgrano Stake
Buenos Aires, Argentina

Tortas Fritas:
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1 Tbsp. shortening
3/4 C. milk or water
2 C. flour
1 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. baking powder
Oil for frying (about 2 C.)
Dulce de Leche:
1 quart whole milk
1 1⁄3 C. sugar
1 vanilla bean
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Tortas Fritas:

Melt the butter or margarine and shortening together in a pan or in the microwave. Heat the milk (or water) until hot, but not boiling. Combine the melted fat with the milk (or water). In a bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix well. Make a hole in the mound and pour the liquid into the middle. Gradually incorporate the flour mixture. Once mixed thoroughly, turn the dough out onto a flat, clean surface and knead well. Separate into 12 equally sized balls. Roll out each ball into a circle. With your finger, poke four holes in each circle. In a large frying pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Fry each circle to a golden color.

You might need to lower the temperature to medium while frying the dough. Transfer tortas to a plate lined with paper towels or paper bags to absorb excess oil. While still warm, sprinkle with powdered sugar or serve with Dulce de Leche (caramel cream); eat immediately.

Dulce de Leche:

Combine all ingredients in a large, heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer the mixture briskly, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until thick, caramel-colored, and reduced by half, about 30–40 minutes. (You will need to adjust the heat to keep the mixture at a brisk simmer without letting it boil over.) The traditional test for doneness is to pour a spoonful of caramel cream on a plate. When it gathers in a thick puddle and no longer runs to the edges, the mixture is ready.) Remove the vanilla bean with tongs and discard it. Transfer the caramel cream to a serving bowl and cool to room temperature. You can eat it now or cover and refrigerate if you prefer to serve it chilled. Note: You must use whole milk for Dulce de Leche. Skim milk will burn during the reduction process.

Conference Popcorn

“When my brothers and sisters and I were growing up, our mother used to make caramel popcorn with nuts—as well as other goodies—for us to eat while we watched general conference on television. It helped make conference a special time and helped keep us interested and alert. We never wanted to miss a single session of conference, even when we were very young! We didn’t have this popcorn very often—usually just at conference time—so we began to call it “Conference Popcorn.”

When my brother got married and brought his new bride to watch general conference with our family, she remarked that watching conference with us was more fun than going to a movie! My siblings and I have continued the tradition of making Conference Popcorn with our own families. Now my mother’s children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren all enjoy Conference Popcorn every April and October.”

Marsha Dunn
Bluffdale 9th Ward
Bluffdale Utah Stake
Bluffdale, Utah

Ingredients:
1 slightly heaping C. popcorn, unpopped
11/2 C. granulated sugar
1 C. packed brown sugar
1/2 C. plus 2 Tbsp. light corn syrup
3/4 C. water
1 C. salted peanuts
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 C. margarine

Pop popcorn and pour into a very large bowl. In a heavy pan, mix sugars, corn syrup, and water; bring to a boil and cook to 240 degrees (use a candy thermometer). Stir in peanuts and boil for another minute or two. Remove from heat. Add baking soda, vanilla, and margarine, and stir. Pour over the popcorn and mix well. Pour out onto a large piece of waxed paper to cool.

Taiwanese Dumplings

 “My dad served his mission in Taiwan from 1959 to 1962. Having a house boy to cook and clean the apartment was a part of the culture there. He quickly learned that his house boys didn’t know how to cook American food and that having them cook native food was not only more delicious but safer! He loved the food so much that he decided to watch and learn their recipes and techniques. Making these dumplings has become a special tradition for our family. We make them as a family every general conference weekend. I have a lot of great memories of sitting in the kitchen with my family folding dumplings. They are now my favorite food, and my children are learning how to make them too.
Amy C. Greenway
Rochester 4th Ward
Rochester New York Stake
West Henrietta, New York

Ingredients:
1 head Chinese cabbage
1 bunch green onions
2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 tsp. sesame oil
1–11/2 lb. unseasoned ground pork (not sausage)
2–3 pkg. wonton wraps
1 C. soy sauce
1 C. seasoned rice vinegar
A few drops sesame oil

Finely chop the Chinese cabbage and green onions (if you use a food processor, be careful not to puree).
Place in a sieve and press out most of the liquid. Add grated ginger and sesame oil. Combine equal parts of pork and cabbage mixture in a bowl. Mix with your hands. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Lay out 20 wonton wraps on a clean, dry surface. Place a small spoonful of meat mixture in the center of each wrap. Using your finger, wet the edges of the wraps with water (about a finger-width wide) and fold in half, creating a triangle. Press edges firmly to seal. Place 20 dumplings into the boiling water, one at a time.
Slowly stir a few times to make sure that none of the dumplings are stuck to the bottom of the pot. Bring water back to a boil. Boil dumplings for 3 minutes. Remove with a sieve or slotted spoon and spread out on a cookie sheet so none of the dumplings stick together. Continue until all of the meat mixture is gone. In a medium bowl, combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, and a few drops of sesame oil; mix well. Pour in individual bowls for each person to dip dumplings in.

Crème Brulee French Toast
 
 “My sister got the recipe for this yummy breakfast dish at a bridal shower, and it has since become a tradition in our home for special occasions. It is a dish that our children look forward to on …. general conference Sundays. My daughter is married now, and this recipe has become one of her new traditions with her husband.”
Susie Powers
Eastlake Ward
Denver North Stake
Thornton, Colorado

Ingredients:
1/2 C. unsalted butter
1 C. packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp. corn syrup
Bread, sliced, to cover butter mixture
5 large eggs
11/2 C. half-and-half
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt

In a saucepan, melt butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup. Pour into a 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish. Arrange bread pieces on top. Beat together eggs, half-and-half, vanilla, and salt. Pour egg mixture over the top of the bread. Cover and chill overnight in the refrigerator. The next morning, bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 35–40 minutes