Today, as in most ordinary Tuesdays, I’m spending some time in the kitchen. Being that this is December and I have some friends over, I’m spending most of my day in the kitchen. So here is a look at some of the fun we’ve had today! Don’t you wish you could join us?
How do you spend time with friends during the holidays? What do you give as gifts as the holidays? What foodie gifts are your favorites?
This morning, a cold, still below freezing morning, I’ve already been up three times. 2:30, 4:30, and 5:30.
Then I just decided to stay up and try out Kristen’s Happiness Time – which I’m calling Lala time. Saying Lala – destresses me.
I don’t know what I’ll do with this time each morning, but I know it will include reading, looking at blogs, and writing cards – and who knows what else.
Wow – the holidays are upon us and there is much activity in my kitchen. I’m glad the oven and stove will be on more because that means I can stand where its warm most of the time but not crank up my heat in our home.
Here is what’s planned for this week:
Chicken Noodle Soup: via Tyler Florence
Smoky Grill Rub: via Southern Living for a gift
Peppermint Divinity Bars – via Southern Living (which I’m so excited to have a subscription for)
Nutella Sea Salt Truffles – via On Sugar Mountain
Chai Truffles – via Southern Living
Chicken Spaghetti – for lunch during our marshmallow making
Salted Caramel Swirled Marshmallows – via Bake or Break
Salted Caramel Sauce – via Brown Eyed Baker
Strawberry Margherita Mini Cupcakes – via A Helicopter Mom (virgin, don’t worry)
Homemade Herbed Salt – via 5$ Dinners
Refried Beans for Taco Tuesday: via Simply Recipes and Camille Styles
Curried Hummus: via Heather’s Dish
Chocolate Pistachio Thumb Print Cookies – via How Sweet It Is for the ARWB Cookie Swap on Friday
Here we go. What are you cooking this week, for the holidays, for gifts, for your family? What recipe are you most excited about?
All most people want when it is cold outside and when they are sick is something warm, served in a bowl, eaten with a spoon. Preferably with some type of broth involved.
Well, it is both cold outside and we are sick inside. So, all I wanted was a soup. Since I couldn’t get out to go the store – I had to use what I had. So, when my husband said, “that’s a keeper!” I was excited! So, no matter if you are sick, or if it is cold outside, make this soup to warm your hands as you hold a mug or bowl of it (I had mine in one of my husband’s grandmother’s mugs that we have).
Creamy Wild Rice Soup
evoo
1 T unsalted butter
3 carrots, pennied (cut into rounds)
2 celery stalks, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 box beef broth (or chicken, or vegetable)
1 1/2 cups wild rice blend
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 tsp each of sage, rosemary, and oregano
pepper to taste
Heat old and butter in a pan – sauté vegetables. Pour in broth and bring to a boil. Add rice and cook according to directions. (I used slightly less rice to broth ratio that the directions called for because I wanted more liquid in my soup.) When rice is done, whisk in creamed soup and spices.
If you want – add in diced, cooked chicken as well.
Enjoy!
Service.
How do you find ways to serve others around you?
We’ve both been sick in our home – and have two kids ages 15m and under. So, its been a little crazy. And we’re iced in – literally our driveway is a sheet of ice.
I don’t drink coffee. My husband does. Usually he settles for Keurig. Today, he got Airship French Press.
Serving will never be a bad thing…if done with a right spirit.
Elyse Fitzpatrick has a new book entitled Found in Him. I love the introduction where she talks about feelings of isolation and aloneness and self-condemnation. No matter how surrounded we are by friends and family, especially at the holiday, I think most of us feel that way at some point. Know that no matter how much you make a mess of things or feel like you aren’t loved, or no matter how you spend the holidays, God loves and welcomes you through Jesus.
I grew up totally loving the Berenstain Bears and all their lovely adventures. And now that I’m a parent I would love to share these tales with my boys and have them love them too!
Grownups do have money worries – with insurance, mortgages, health coverage, gifts, food, diapers, etc. But, how do we teach our children about money and possessions and what God has to say about them?
In this children’s book Papa and Mama bear notice that their cubs didn’t make good choices when it came to the money that they had and how they used it. They spent it on frivolous items at the mall. Fleeting joys. They teach about saving for a rainy day – but that isn’t exactly what the Bible teaches us. The cubs don’t keep the money for themselves, they instead give it to Papa Bear so he won’t have to worry. Generosity is a loving characteristic.
Here are some teaching points about money when reading this book to your children:
1. God is more concerned with our eternity than our financial status. Ecc 5.10
2. We are not to be OVERLY concerned and worried with the cares of this world. Matthew 6.24, 31-33, Hebrews 13.5
3. Our money is not meant to be hoarded, but spent wisely and given generously. Deut 15.10, Deut 16.17, Luke 6.38, 2 Cor 9.6-8
4. God gets the first of everything. Prov 3.9-10
5. The gospel is more than money because you can’t take money with you into eternity. 1 Tim 6-7-10
6. God owns everything. Our lives are about stewardship. 1 Chron 29.14-17
Favorite author. Great gospel topic. 10 weeks. Women studying, growing, and learning together.
Starting January 6, we will begin the second installment of Women and Books Together. A weekly blog post where we discuss a chapter of a book together. Doesn’t matter where you live, how fast you read, or what church you go to. Thankful for blogs to do this – and the book!
Elyse Fitzpatrick’s latest book (came out in October) is Found in Him. All about learning and celebrating our belonging to Christ. This is a marvelous aspect of the Gospel. One that as women we should know and celebrate.
So, we will start on January 6 with discussing chapter 1. I will post my thoughts and some discussion or thought-provoking questions.
If you don’t have the book yet, put it on the Christmas list or buy it with gift card money!
As I sit and look out my double windows at my home in Little Rock AR, and watch the wintry mix cover the road and driveway in white, I look at these photos with color and the truth of the Season and smile.
I smile because they are pretty.
I smile because they are true.
I smile because I love getting the Gospel into others’ homes.
I smile because I know the artists and they love Jesus and are creative.
I smile because I like giveaways! (and so should you!)
Ice. Yes, people in the south flip out about winter weather. I like it. S, you have to be prepared, so be prepared! Stay calm. God created the weather! 🙂
I took this picture on Christmas day 2012 – our first Christmas in Little Rock. Gorgeous!
