Hanging Rock Hoppin' John

Happy New Year!!! Is it not amazing that we are now in 2012? I don’t write as many checks as I used to, but we will see how long it takes me to automatically write 2012. I am sure it will take a few tries. It has been a wonderful Christmas and it will end this week for us with a Twelfth Night Luncheon and Epiphany staff party. The Christmas decorations will all be packed back up in boxes and the house will seem naked. I love having all the "fluff" out, but there is something about stripping away all of the Christmas clutter and having the bareness back that is calming. At first, it seems rather stark, but then it feels REALLY good. New Year’s is like that too for me. It is a fresh start. A chance to clear out all the "fluff" and decide what you want to have in your life…even if the resolution is short-lived…it is an attempt to do better and to set some new goals. This year on New Year’s Eve day…we went hiking. We packed a yummy picnic and headed for Hanging Rock State Park. The weather was spectacular and the perfect temperature for our hike. It was a moderate hike. Certainly a lot of “stair climbing” and our quads were burning by the time we reached the top.

It is great to look out from that height. AWESOME is really the word that comes to mind. I feel this way out in nature. It puts life into a perspective that I can lose sight of in our “town” life. Looking down from that height…looking across that horizon…I truly felt like a puzzle piece. 

(Probably because we are working a jigsaw…heheee)

Looking down further on the rocks at all the people looking out across the view…it seemed we all probably share this same feeling. We all are trying to FIT into this puzzle of life. We all want to see how OUR piece fits into the big picture.

A new year, causes us to look back over time and reflect. I love the year in review pieces they do on TV, but it also marks how fleeting time really is…it causes one to pause. That is why our hike this year, just seemed to be the perfect activity for the day. It may become a new family tradition. In my mind, the hike was such a metaphor of life as we made our way up the face of this enormous rock.

Staying on the path…looking for the small markers that we were going the right way…getting tired, but continuing one step at a time…not looking ahead too far and definitely not looking back…helping each other when the going got tough…sharing water…encouraging others on the path…breathing hard and knowing it would be worth it at the top…the glorious view…feeling small yet part of something bigger…not wanting to leave the mountaintop experience…thinking the path going back down would be easier and it was just as demanding…getting back down below tree line and looking back up and feeling the accomplishment for having climbed to that height…

YES…just like life.

So my recipe for this New Year’s meal combined all of my day’s experience from this day of hiking and thinking. It takes all of the Southern tradition that MUST BE EATEN on New Year’s Day and uses a bit of my puzzle piece and rock climbing experiences to add a new twist to the dish. In the South, black-eyed peas, greens, and cornbread must be the staple menu for ringing in the New Year. The peas represent prosperity as they swell when cooking and also are symbols for coins. The greens represent money, more especially paper money, the cornbread is the color of gold, and tomatoes good health. This tradition has been going on, to my knowledge, since before the Civil War and hey…we all could use a little good luck and good health!!!

I am calling this recipe…Hanging Rock Hoppin’ John. Hoppin’ John, is a traditional Southern recipe combining rice and black-eyed peas and the perfect meal for us. My version has three puzzle pieces and builds a hanging rock and the view to prosperity and health on a New Year's plate.

Hanging Rock Hoppin’ John Recipe:

4 plus servings

(Begin with the grit cakes as they need some chill time before cutting)

Grit Cakes:

4 cups water

1 tsp. of salt

2 T. of Earth Balance

1 cup stone ground grits - NOT INSTANT 

(I use stone ground yellow grits…if not available where you live…use a medium to course grind of cornmeal…yes all you grit haters it’s just a Southern polenta….)

Bring water, salt, and earth balance to a rolling boil. Slowly stream in the grits and whisk vigorously to prevent lumps.

Lower heat and simmer the grits for 25 minutes. Stir occasionally to keep grits from sticking to the bottom of your pan. 

When the grits are cooked (thick and softened) remove from heat.

Add:

½ tsp. garlic powder

1/8 tsp. cayenne or red pepper

½ cup veggie shreds mozzarella flavor (I used Galaxy)

¼ cup vegan cream cheese (I used Follow Your Heart)

Stir in the flavorings until the “cheese” is melted and all is thoroughly combined. Lightly spray or oil a 9X9 pan. Pour the grit mixture into the pan and shake the pan to smooth and level the surface.

Cool this for 20 minutes at room temp and then cover pan with film and chill in the refrigerator. I like to give it at least an hour or more to chill firmly for a clean edge when cutting it into cakes.

Hoppin’John:

(You can certainly cook dried black-eyed peas, but I just used canned for this as we were busy napping and doing the jigsaw puzzle :-).)

2 T. olive oil

¾ cup chopped onion

½ cup chopped celery

½ cup chopped green pepper

2 cloves chopped garlic

Sauté the veggies over medium high heat until they are soft and translucent.

Add:

1 cup of a wild rice mix

(I used a store brand that is a blend of: basmati, brown, red, and wild rice and it is a quicker cooking time…15 to 20 minutes versus 50 to 60 minutes. Adjust the cooking time depending on the blend you use)

Coat the rice in the oil and veggies and cook for a couple of minutes.

Add:

2 cups water

1 cup chunky rotel (tomato, pepper combo)

1 veggie boullion cube

¼ tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. dried basil leaves (fresh is gone for the year…boo…hooo)

1 T. fresh thyme OR 1 tsp. of dried thyme leaves

(My thyme in the garden is flourishing so I used fresh, but dry is fine too. To use fresh, simply strip leaves from woody stem and chop. Measure 1 T.)

Bring all of this to a boil. Lower heat and cover.

Simmer for time suggested on your rice blend package…mine was 15 minutes. Check after timer rings and rice should be tender. There should be some liquid remaining and this will help to incorporate the rest of the ingredients.

Now add:

2 cups cooked black-eyed peas 

(or a 15.5 oz can of black-eyed peas)

Drain and Rinse the beans if using canned

Add Seasoning:

¼ cup nutritional yeast

¼ tsp. onion salt

½ cup fresh chopped parsley

Stir to combine with rice and put lid back on pan. Keep pan off the heat covered until ready to serve. Rice will get fluffier and peas continue to heat up.

(While the rice is cooking for the Hoppin’ John, start the greens)

Good Luck Greens:

(I used Red Kale, but Green is great too! I used kale because it is QUICK.)

¼ cup olive oil

1 medium onion chopped (3/4 cup approximately)

1 large clove (or 2 small) garlic minced

½ to 1 tsp. red pepper flakes depending on how spicy you like your greens.

2 bunches red kale (approximately 16 cups chopped)

½ to 1 tsp. of onion salt…your preference on saltiness

2 T. brown sugar

3 T. red wine vinegar

Wash the Kale. Strip the tough stem out of the leaves.

Chop leaves roughly.

Heat olive oil in LARGE pan or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Sauté chopped onion, garlic until soft…add red pepper flakes to release oils. Add washed kale…leave water on leaves to assist in cooking. It looks like a lot, but it will cook down to nothing very quickly. Stir to coat leaves in the oil and onions. Put lid on pot. Dissolve sugar and onion salt into the red wine vinegar. Once the leaves have begun wilting and there is more room to stir the kale…add the vinegar mixture. The acid will further break down the leaves. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Keep stirring. Kale leaves will be tender and yet still a dark green. Don’t cook the kale until it turns brown…just not as appetizing.

Finishing Grit Cakes:

Remove the pan of grits from the refrigerator and slice into four squares. Then cut square into a triangle by cutting from corner to corner of the square. Take the grit cake and dust with all purpose unbleached flour and season with salt and pepper.

In a non-stick skillet, heat 3 T. of olive oil. Once the oil is hot fry the grit cakes until a nice brown crust forms. Flip and brown the second side of the grit cake. Do this over medium high heat, so that the cake is heated through in middle.

(While grit cakes are browning…do a quick re-heat of the hoppin’ john if necessary, so all layers are hot when plating this Hanging Rock Hoppin’ John!)

Plating:

Place 1/3 cup of kale on the plate and make a bed…

The bedrock and tree line of the hike.

The grit cakes should be nicely browned on both sides

Now place the browned grit cake triangle(s) on top of the kale.

See the inspiration?????

Now take the Hoppin’ John rice and pea mixture and pile it over the grit cake.

Loose rocks on top of the formation....oooooo!

Finish the dish with some chopped fresh thyme and a drizzle of cold pressed extra-virgin olive oil. 

Happy, Prosperous, Healthy New Year on a plate!!!

 “Puzzle” pieces that fit together.

There is a saying in the South that goes something like this: “Eat poor on New Year’s Day, and you’ll eat rich the rest of the year.” I feel very rich eating this meal, but my hope is that these simple “poor” ingredients bring riches and peace to your year! May 2012, be a year that brings all that you need. Sometimes…all we see are separate pieces…but by placing one foot in front of the other, we climb to a place where we get a glimpse of the larger picture. May this year bring that to all of us! We each fit in a place where no else can fit…it is OUR place, OUR purpose. Trust that place. Be renewed to be where you ARE…IT IS YOUR PLACE TO BE…at least for now. 

The picture is being revealed….

….and don’t forget to enjoy the hike!!!

Thoughtful living moment today: The picture of our life is being revealed through the separate pieces of our individual experiences. Trust…

and enjoy the JOURNEY of the hike!!!

Christmas Wellingtons and Light...

Happy third day of Christmas!  It’s the day of three French hens…you do know the song don’t you?? The “Twelve Days of Christmas”, is a fun song, but perhaps you didn’t realize that the twelve days of Christmas happen AFTER Christmas…Not before like so many retail stores have been advertising. The twelve days of Christmas start with Christmas day (1^st day) and go through the 5^th of January (the twelfth night). You see, Christmas does not end on the 25^th of December…it BEGINS on December 25^th!!! We have just started celebrating at our house. Tradition has it that the, “Twelve Days of Christmas”, song was written as a way for young Catholic children to learn and or remember the tenets of the faith in the 16^th century when it was against English law to even BE Catholic. The symbolism is fun to think about and it makes me love the song even more thinking about it as a mnemonic device. So here’s to Faith, Hope, and Love…the meaning of the third day of Christmas.

Awww...bet you’ll now be humming…..;-)

I hope all of you had a Merry Christmas day. I love Christmas day, but even more, I LOVE Christmas Eve!!! It is always a full day, but the culminating moment comes at the 9:00 o’clock candlelight service at church. This year was very special for me. The service always begins with the White Christ Candle being brought down the main sanctuary aisle. This year, a Down Syndrome teen of our church was the acolyte chosen for this honor. Having this young man in his long, white robe walking down the dimly lit aisle so reverently, brought such emotion within me, I momentarily lost my breath. It wouldn’t have been a problem, but I was to help start a chant from the back balcony of the sanctuary during this procession. This particular moment was MY present for Christmas…truly…Christmas made visible to me.

“The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

Light…it is a wondrous thing.

So when thinking about my recipe this week, I decided to share with you a “Light “ version of “No Beef” Wellington that we had for our Christmas celebration meal. It is soooo yummy and a real celebration entrée.

Christmas Wellington Recipe:

(4 to 5 servings)

Prep:

The day BEFORE making Christmas Wellingtons…place one 17.3 oz package of sheet puff pastry in the refrigerator to thaw. (1 package makes 4 to 5 servings) Thaw the 10 oz. box of spinach in the refrigerator as well.

Day of…

(So you only have to clean the bowl of food processor once…prep the dry ingredients needed for the filling first)

Grind in processor walnuts…you will need 2/3 cup finely ground

Set aside nuts.

Grind fresh breadcrumbs from a firm bread…we had a heel of a whole grain left. Go figure…use stale bread to make fresh bread crumbs….heheee.

You will need 2/3 cup finely ground breadcrumbs.

Set aside breadcrumbs.

Wellington Pate`

2 T. of oil

(I used walnut oil because it was Christmas and walnuts were being used in the pate` filling)

8 oz. of sliced mushrooms

(Your choice…I used baby bellas because they were on sale;-))

Heat the oil on medium high heat and sauté the mushrooms until they are golden and caramelized. Place mushrooms in bowl of food processor.

1 T. of oil

1 chopped medium onion

2 sliced cloves of garlic

In the same skillet used for mushrooms, sauté onions and garlic until both are soft and translucent.

1 10 oz. box of frozen spinach

Thoroughly squeeze the thawed spinach dry. Wrap spinach in toweling and really wring it dry.

Place onions, garlic, dry spinach all in the bowl of the processor with the mushrooms. Process the veggies until they are finely chopped and paste-like.

Transfer filling to a large bowl and add:

1 tsp. Herbes de Provence

(An herb blend that usually contains: savory, fennel, basil, thyme,

and lavender)

½ tsp. onion salt

½ tsp. of kosher salt

¼ tsp. of black pepper

¼ cup vegan cream cheese

2/3 cup finely ground walnuts

2/3 cup finely ground breadcrumbs

Chill filling for 1 hour

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees

Veggie Burger Prep:

¼ canola oil

4 to 5 Frozen Veggie Patties - servings of this recipe

(Amy’s Quarter Pound Veggie Burgers)

Onion salt

Black pepper

Garlic powder

Heat a non-stick skillet with the canola oil on medium high heat.

Brown patties (no need to thaw)

Flip after browning first side and season with a sprinkling of onion salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Continue until all patties are browned on both sides. Set aside while preparing the puff pastry.

Two sheets of puff pastry are in the box. The pastry will be well thawed if you defrosted it the day before in the refrigerator. You can defrost on the counter the day of, but the pastry can become soggy when defrosting at room temperature. When the puff pastry warms too much, it can become difficult to work with...soooo...plan to do this defrost in the refrigerator and thus less difficulty opening the folds of the pastry.

Dust counter with unbleached all purpose flour. Open the folded two sheets of pastry and line up the two sheets of pastry together to make one long sheet of pastry. Slice from short edge to short edge of pastry to make 4 or 5 equally wide strips across the length of the pastry. Working with one strip at a time… Roll with rolling pin to lengthen and widen each strip to enclose the veggie patty and filling…use one of the veggie patties to measure the first strip to see how much rolling you need to do. When the strip of pastry is longer and wider….place 1/3 (heaping) cup of the mushroom/spinach pate` on the center of the pastry. Top pate` filling with a browned veggie patty.

There should be an overlap of the pastry dough and this extra dough can be trimmed and used for a decorative add on to the top…just wait…you will see!!!

Using a bit of water on your finger, seal the seams of the dough to completely enclose the filling and patty.

Flip the package over so the seam is on the bottom. Fold the rectangular ends under too, so that the package is now round.

Gather the scraps from trimming the pastry package. Roll out enough to accommodate a small cutout. I used a small snowflake cookie cutter, but you can use whatever shape you might have for decorating the top.

Wet the back of the cutout and place on the top of the smooth pastry package.

Continue the process until all packages are formed. Place the pastry packages on a parchment lined baking sheet. Gently and lightly, brush each package top with soy creamer…this will help to develop a golden color.

Bake Christmas Wellingtons for 45 minutes in a 400 degree oven. This allows the pastry to become golden and the patty and pate` to be hot inside the yummy package.

Remove Wellingtons from oven and serve.

Wonderfully delicious….Really!!!! 

I served these with steamed asparagus with a warm, cranberry,

 balsamic vinaigrette, and roasted butternut squash. 

Can we just say…CELEBRATION!!!

A fire was going in the fireplace, candles lit on the table…

...the room felt special.

My eyes during our meal were drawn to the glass stars on either side of our advent wreath…flickering almost like real stars. It was mesmerizing….

I thought about how we naturally are drawn to light… sunshine, firelight, candles, tree lights…I even have this glass cube that is full of lights that sits on my kitchen counter during Christmas. I stare at it while I cook….

Light is a word that we use as a noun…an object that brings visibility.

Light is also used as a verb…an action of making light…like to light a fire

Light is also used as an adjective...a light room or in describing a color.

Light is also used as an adverb…how one travels…

(I wish I could travel light – I am a big suitcase kind of girl)

Light can be used in all parts of our speech, yes, but light filters into all areas of how we communicate and how we live. Light IS special!!! Light illumines our lives and something draws us to that light. All of us are drawn to light. We just feel safer in the light. 

Even my little pugs follow the sunlight around the room to bask in its warmth.

Yes, my word for this week of Christmastide is Light. May the Light of Christmas bring warmth and illumination to each of you. It has been a difficult week for many, but today is the third day of Christmas and so, I remind each of you that Three French Hens tell us of: Faith, Hope, and Love…and the greatest of these is LOVE. As our Will sat in the sun and the light bathed him in December Light…his eyes said it all. Love leads us to the LIGHT!!

Light...it IS wondrous!!

Thoughtful living moment today: Even the smallest glimmer of light dispels darkness and rids the heart of fear. Whatever YOUR darkness...Fear not...

The Light Has Come!

Christstollen Calzone and LOVE

Wow…it is the week of Christmas 2011!!! It is a busy week for sure, but SO fun. For several weeks we have been having practices with the young elementary children for the church Christmas pageant. It is always so fun and it is always a "made for TV moment" on Christmas Eve. I always sit with the “animals”. This includes sheep and cows. They are mostly Kindergarten and 1^st grade boys. (Can I just whisper…type casting!!) They cannot sit still and they definitely make smells. They are in a constant state of wriggling, punching, poking and bumping, but they can sure baaaaa and mooooo on cue! I have always had a tender spot in my heart for little boys and sheep…Baaaaa!!!!

I guess because I have been sitting on the floor in front of the stage, I have been seeing a wonderful view looking up to the stable where the manger of hay is center stage. I love the words swaddling clothes...(without all of the theological foreshadowing stuff). I just love the idea of a newborn baby all wrapped in cloth as a way of providing warmth, comfort and security. It represents an act of love. I don’t have an actual picture of my little animals making their Saturday night appearance....wish I did, but I would have needed too many mama permission slips. Yikes!! Here, though, is one of my Nativities.  I made it twenty some years ago. As I placed the figures, I thought about a baby all wrapped in white cloth in the midst of hay and lots of sheep. I thought about a new scared mother, totally in love with her newborn child. I sighed.....such love!

In thinking…as I do… the question came to my mind…what food most represents love to me???? Answer...BREAD! We have all heard “bread is life”. So...Life is given by God…God is love… Especially shown in the gift of His Son that first Christmas…This tiny babe we now celebrate... AND…bread from early in our human history has had a sacred connection...Holy Communion, Passover Matzah…So…on this special week of Christmas, I made a Christmas bread. Sorry, how my mind works.... All my little animals helped inspire this recipe. I created a Christstollen Calzone. Most Christmas stollen are flavored sweetly. They usually contain dried fruits and marzipan. My recipe is a savory stollen...more sheep and cow like...I thought more like a calzone, but with the shape of a classic stollen and using the inspiration of the season of Christmas. I have made the dough “red” in color and with the green gooey filling….ummmm….can we just say CHRISTMAS!! Don’t be afraid of yeast dough! This is not a finicky dough…easily put together and sooo worth the extra effort. I mean, what is better than the smell of baking bread…NOTHING!! A gift of Christmas!!! You can make this before or after Christmas. Make this when everyone is ready for pizza, but hey…it’s a special time...so make a Christmas Stollen Calzone instead! Special!!!

Christstollen Calzone Recipe:

1 cup water…should be warm to touch

(I usually use an instant read thermometer and like it to be about 110 degrees)

Add to water:

1 package of dry rapid rise yeast

2 tsp. of natural sugar

Stir to mix and allow to “Just be” for 5 minutes or so…

 Look at how good the yeast is...lots of foam!

In a large bowl whisk together the dry ingredients:

1 ½ cups all purpose unbleached flour

¾ cup whole-wheat flour

¼ cup vital wheat gluten

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. of kosher salt

2 tsp. of dried basil (or oregano if you prefer)

¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper

Add ½ cup of your favorite marinara sauce to the water and yeast…stir well.

Make a well in the center of the flour and add:

2 T. of extra virgin olive oil

all of the yeast, and marinara liquid.

Stir well. The dough will be soft and ready to turn out onto the counter to knead.

Dust the counter with all purpose flour and begin kneading the dough, pushing and turning with the heels of your palms. Add more flour as needed (could be up to ½ to ¾ cup more of flour). The dough will become shiny and elastic. This takes about 10 minutes. You can also do this in a stand mixer with a dough hook, but I just love to knead dough by hand!! Form the dough into a ball. Put 1 T. of olive oil in a bowl and place the kneaded ball of dough in the oil. Roll the ball over so that the oiled bottom is now up and on top.

Cover dough and place in a warm place to rise. It will need to double in size. The time it takes depends on the temp where the dough is rising. At least an hour or two will be needed.

While dough is rising make the filling:

1 (8 oz.) package of frozen spinach - thawed

(chopped) – I could only get leaf…the store was all out for all the spinach dip being made I guess hehe!!  Just chop after thawing and it works just as well. To quick thaw from a frozen state – open paper box and place on a plate. Place opened box in the microwave and cook on high for 2 minutes. Leave it in the microwave until the spinach is cool to the touch. Squeeze out the water and place in several layers of toweling. Allow this to absorb any additional moisture)

While the spinach is drying out... take...

7 oz. of extra firm tofu – ½ of the standard 14 oz. package

(Wrap tofu in toweling. Place on plate and cover with another plate or I used a small cutting board. Weight the plate with a heavy can…I used some beans. This pressing takes out some of the moisture in the water packed tofu)

Chop up an 8 oz. package of baby bella mushrooms. Place in a hot skillet with 2 T. of extra virgin olive oil. Sauté until golden and then add 1 T. of fresh thyme leaves. Add 2 green onions chopped and 1 clove of garlic chopped. The pan will become dry… keep moving around the veggies. Then, deglaze with 2 T. of white wine, or veggie broth. Allow all of this to cook until the liquid is again evaporated. Add a bit of salt and pepper at this point. Wait to season...until the mushrooms have browned. Salting before the mushrooms are seared, causes the mushrooms to release too much liquid and they will stew, rather than brown.

(This is all about building layers of flavor)

Place all in a large bowl:

Dry chopped spinach

Pressed tofu (crumble with your hands)

Mushroom mixture...cooled a bit

2 T. chopped roasted red pepper (jarred is fine)

2/3 cup mozzarella flavored veggie shred “cheese”

¼ cup nutritional yeast

2/3 cup vegan cream cheese

½ tsp. red pepper flakes

¼ tsp. onion salt

½ tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. dried basil or oregano

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

Mix thoroughly with large spoon, or better yet your hands. Chill the filling until the dough has risen.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Take risen dough and cut in half. Cut in half again, so there are now 4 equal pieces of dough. Roll into balls.

Roll each ball of dough into an 8 or 9 inch circle. Take filling out of the refrigerator. Divide the filling into 4 equal portions. Roll the filling into a 6 inch log and place along the far end of the dough circle.

Now to form into a stollen shape….Take far end of circle (away from the filling) and fold over across the filling (baby).

Press dough around the filling. Then flip up the “tail” of the circle back across the stollen. 

Crimp the edges of the stollen to seal in and tuck the ends underneath.
The "babe wrapped in swaddling clothes" is now formed.

 Place all four of the stollen calzones on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake the stollen calzones for 30 minutes in 350 degree oven.

Take out and brush stollen with earth balance vegan spread. Dust with some nutritional yeast, almond flour (finely ground almonds), oregano, kosher salt, and pepper.

Put stollen calzones back in the oven for 20 minutes more.

While the Christmas stollen calzones are finishing baking, prepare the marinara. Place the remainder of the jarred marinara into a pan to heat.

I always season up jarred sauce. If you make your own, disregard this portion.

If using jarred sauce ( use approximately 3 cups of sauce)

Add:

1 ½ tsp. of basil

1 ½ tsp. of oregano

2/3 cup wine

½ tsp. of red pepper flakes

¼ cup of natural sugar

Drizzle of olive oil

Allow to simmer on low while the stollen calzones are finishing.

When the stollen calzones are done remove from oven.

Gorgeous!!

Here is what the stollen calzones look like cut open!

Christmas colors for sure!

Serve with the spiced up marinara.

Eat this with a crisp salad and you will have a filling yummy meal!!!

All of this bread baking for Christmas??? Yes! Nothing says love like the smell of baking bread. The word yesterday was…LOVE. We lit the fourth advent candle and love was remembered in sooo many ways. 

We sang carols and lullabies in choir and I then remembered singing to my own babies....“You Are My Sunshine”. It’s easy to love our little babes, but the challenge comes loving those outside, or even inside our families that are not little babes. We speak of love, but how challenging it becomes to  DO LOVE when we don’t get our way. When things don’t go “according to OUR plans and expectations”…let’s face it…each of us gets in the way of real love happening. My wish for all of us this Christmas is that the sweet aroma of baking bread will remind us of the sweetness of LOVE. It truly is the answer for all of our life’s challenges. The word rolls off the tongue so easily, but we all know how difficult it really is to DO…right??? We all KNOW better than we DO! My prayer is that each of you this week will recognize and become aware of the ways that your selfless ways of showing love will influence the people and situations in YOUR LIFE and bring about a real Christmas in each of your celebrations. Really, being aware of this and DOING IT will be better than any wrapped gift under your tree. As you swaddle someone in love, I know love will rise within you...just like rising bread. As quoted from a sappy Christmas movie this week…"LOVE is the secret ingredient!" Add love to your recipes this week. There is always hope...always love....even when we cannot see it.

It’s been cold, but my knock out rose is the bush that never quits…little buds of hope! A little Christmas rose!

“Lo, how a rose e’er blooming from tender stem hath sprung,

Of Jesse’s lineage coming, by faithful prophets sung.

It came a floweret bright, amid the cold of winter,

When half spent was the night.”

Thoughtful living moment today: Love IS the miracle of Christmas, the sweet aroma when all respond…ahhhhhh, how sweet! Yes..bake some bread ...or swaddle a pug! 

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!! And I LOVE YOU...Leslie :-)