Lots of Christmas Cheer

Savor the Season

It's the week of Christmas! The tree is decorated, the groceries are bought, and the presents are wrapped. How are things at your house? Is the tea kettle on? Do you have a moment to sit and savor the season with a nice hot cup of Candy Cane Lane tea? 

I'm sitting down with a hot cup of tea to watch The Sound of Music movie on television. After all these years, it still takes first place as my favorite movie. Take a few moments to enjoy each element of the season!

There's More to Christmas

There’s More to Christmas…

There’s more, much more to Christmas

Than just candle-lights and cheer;

it’s the spirit of sweet friendship

that brightens all the years;

It is thoughtfulness and kindness,

It is hope that is reborn again,

For peace, for understanding

And for goodwill to humans.

Author unknown

Opening Shut-up Hearts Freely

I have always thought of Christmas time as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; the only time of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely.

Charles Dickens

A Child Again at Christmas

Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time. 

~Laura Ingalls Wilder ~

Mother's Steamed Christmas Pudding

During my teen years, mother decided that she wanted to start a Christmas tradition that was unique to her heritage. After much time spent going through food magazines and cookbooks, she used her skills in recipe adaptation to create a recipe for steamed Christmas pudding that the entire family could eat. Dairy-free, egg-free, and gluten-free; it met everyone's dietary needs. Not only that, but it was delicious! As grandchildren joined her family they enjoyed helping her make the pudding and prepare it on the stovetop, as it was steamed instead of baked. At serving time, sugar cubes were soaked in almond extract and brought to the dinner table in high flame. The children loved watching the flames slowly die as the extract was burned off. And how fun it was to eat something that had been presented with so much charm! Here is mother's recipe for you to enjoy as well.

Steamed Christmas Pudding

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup amaranth flour*

1/4 cup sweet rice flour*

1/4 cup garbanzo flour*

1/4 cup tapioca starch*

3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 cup grated raw carrots
1 cup grated raw potatoes

1/4 cup raw grated apple
1 cup raisins
1 cup nuts, walnuts

1/2 tsp. fresh lemon zest

1/2 tsp. black walnut extract

Mix all ingredients together until moist. Place mixture in a prepared Pyrex bowl and cover with foil until secured. Put in a kettle of gently boiling water and cover with lid. Water should be 3/4 of the way up the side of the bowl. Steam for four hours, adding more water as necessary. Additional steaming is okay, but will result in an even darker pudding.

Serve with apple gravy (thickened apple juice concentrate with cinnamon added). To flame: soak sugar or sugar cubes in pure almond extract. Working quickly, place on top of pudding and light with a match. Take to table while flaming for a beautiful presentation.

*All-purpose flour may be substituted for the gluten-free flours given.

Gingerbread Cookies

Gingerbread boys and girls are a traditional Christmas 

cookie and bring much delight to those who eat them. 

Can you remember biting of a foot, arm, or the head 

first, and then laughing as you share in the experience 

with someone you love? What shall be the second bite? 

Today I'm sharing a gingerbread cookie recipe for those 

who are gluten-free. I don't want them to miss out on 

the experience! 

Gingerbread Cookies

2 cups brown rice flour
1 1/2 cups arrowroot, plus extra for rolling out cookies
1 1/2 cups amaranth flour
2 Tbsp (6 tsp) baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 1/2 cups Sucanat
1/2 cup applesauce
1/3 cup safflower oil
1/3 cup molasses
2 Tbsp (6 tsp) vanilla
oil, for oiling cookie sheets

Decorations:

dried currants
dried cranberries
sunflower seeds
Decorator's Frosting

1. In a small bowl, stir together the brown rice flour, arrowroot, amaranth
flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt, nutmeg, and
cloves, and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, place the remaining ingredients, and stir to combine. Add
the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir well to combine. Cover
the bowl, place it in the refrigerator, and chill the dough for 1 hour or
more. Using a little safflower oil, lightly oil (or mist with oil) two
non-stick cookie sheets and set aside.

3. Sprinkle a little arrowroot over a work surface. Divide the chilled dough
into quarters, work with only one quarter of the dough at a time, and keep
the remaining dough covered and chilled until needed. Working in batches,
roll out the quarter of dough to 1/4" (6 mm) thickness, and cut into desired
shapes with cookie cutters.

4. Carefully transfer the cut cookies to the prepared cookie sheet. Bake them at
350 F (175 C) for 6 minutes (the cookies will feel slightly soft to the
touch). Allow them to cool on the cookie sheets for 3 minutes before
transferring them to a rack to cool completely. Repeat the rolling and
cutting-out procedure for the remaining cookie dough. Store the cookies in an
airtight container.

To make Gingerbread People:

1. Cut the dough using a person-shaped cookie cutter. Carefully transfer the cut
cookies to the prepared cookie sheets.

2. To decorate them: use two dried currants for eyes, pressing them slightly
into the dough; squeeze one dried cranberry with your fingers to form it into
a mouth, pressing it slightly into the dough; and then use 8 sunflower seeds
to make the outline of a vest, or 10 sunflower seeds to make the outline of a
dress, pressing them slightly into the dough.

3. Bake as directed above.

TIP: The dried currants, dried cranberries, and sunflower seeds can also be used
to decorate other cut shapes of cookies.

To make Glazed Gingerbread Cookies:

1. Cut cookies as desired and bake as directed above.

2. Prepare the Decorator's Frosting and use it to decorate the completely cooled
cookies, as desired.

3. Allow the frosting to set completely before transferring the cookies to an
airtight container.

Yield: 3 - 4 Dozen.

A Christmas Tea Poem

Christmas Tea Poem 

On Christmas Day, at half past three, 

brew yourself a cup of tea. 

I'll think of you and you'll think of me,  

While sitting around your Christmas Tree. 

'Twas the Night Before Christmas...

Moments. Precious time with family. Exchanging gifts. Appreciating the little things in life. Blessings.

Snow Flakes

Snow Flakes

by Emily Dickenson

I counted till they danced so

Their slippers leaped the town,

And then I took a pencil

To note the rebels down.

And then they grew so jolly

I did resign the prig,

And ten of my once stately toes

Are marshalled for a jig!

A Lot Like Christmas

 It's beginning to smell a lot like Christmas!

And a curious nose is peeking over the counter top.

Countdown to Christmas

I hope your countdown to Christmas is going well. It was a slow start around here, so I've been scrambling to get caught up. Recipes and menu ideas are whirling around in my head. Presents are bought and are waiting to be wrapped. The tree needs trimmed, but since it is a fresh-cut tree, I suppose the delay will simply keep it fragrant and green for Christmas day. At least that is what we are telling ourselves. I hope your Christmas preparations are happily busy and merry! More soon.

Steamed Christmas Pudding

More than 30 years ago my mother decided to start a new Christmas tradition that reflected her English roots. After much research, she found a recipe for steamed pudding that she loved. Each Christmas season, she would serve this pudding in a beautiful presentation of flaming pudding on a holly decorated plate. The grandchildren especially enjoyed the flames and fire as grandma carried this festive dessert to the table. This is her recipe, which she converted to gluten-free and vegan.

Steamed Christmas Pudding

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup amaranth flour*
1/4 cup sweet rice flour*
1/4 cup garbanzo flour*
1/4 cup tapioca starch*
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 cup grated raw carrots
1 cup grated raw potatoes
1/4 cup raw grated apple
1 cup raisins
1 cup nuts, walnuts
1/2 tsp. fresh lemon zest
1/2 tsp. black walnut extract

Mix all ingredients together until moist. Place mixture in a prepared Pyrex bowl and cover with foil until secured. Put in a kettle of gently boiling water and cover with lid. Water should be 3/4 of the way up the side of the bowl. Steam for four hours, adding more water as necessary. Additional steaming is okay, but will result in an even darker pudding.

Serve with apple gravy (thickened apple juice concentrate with cinnamon added). To flame: soak sugar or sugar cubes in pure almond extract. Working quickly, place on top of pudding and light with a match. Take to table while flaming for a beautiful presentation.

*All-purpose flour may be substituted for the gluten-free flours given.

The Season of JOY

This is such a busy time of year! I admire my friends who are ready for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving. They are the ones who plan ahead and seem to always be organized. I tend to live in the moment, savoring the last of Thanksgiving before heading into a family birthday and then eventually Christmas. Every year I purpose to change, but I never do. I suppose that deep down I enjoy the preparation involved in the Christmas festivities. This week, the tree has been bought and is waiting for lights and decorations. Menu ideas are being written on lists for Christmas day. Plans are being made for out of town guests. And last minute Christmas presents wait to be bought. Candy Cane Lane tea is being enjoyed by cupsful! This really is the season of JOY! 

Merry Christmas

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold,
everything is softer and more beautiful.

~Norman Vincent Peale~

Merry Christmas!

Home for Christmas

Home for Christmas

There is an empty chair in the parlor
An empty bed in the guest room
There is an empty plate on the table
An empty place in the heart.

Still can be heard the sound
Of childish laughter
Still the unmistakable muffled sound
Of childish tears.

There was love in this house
Love in every pore
And God was in this house
Morning, noon, and night.

The house is quiet now
The children grown and far away
The letters, oh, the letters are so few
And the telephone's so still.*

But listen, Father;
Could that be a car in the driveway?
Voice, such familiar voices. . .

The children! Oh, Mother!
The children --- all the children --- have come home.

Joseph Leininger Wheeler

*But thankfully, at our house the text messages, instant messages, and emails abound!

* * *

Blessed Christmas Eve to you and yours! Happy Birthday to Jesus!

It's Going to Be. . .

. . .a White Christmas!

It's beautiful and fluffy, but oh, how it hampers normal life. It's a good thing it's the holiday season. Family life is busy with home projects galore; crafts, baking, stitching, gaming, creating movies, and relaxing together.

I hope your holiday's are wonderful!
Merry Christmas!

Snowbound

We've had another snowstorm with blizzard conditions. It's a white world out there! Normal life comes to a near halt during times like this. Reports of both Greyhound and Amtrak canceling routes, Snoqualmie Pass over the Cascades closed due to rapidly falling snow, and people staying closer to home because of bad roads have been heard. It's been a good day to stay home.


The pets are cozy and warm inside, establishing territory on the comfy chairs as theirs. The dogs coats are long, as it's been too cold to clip them when we have 9 degree weather outside. They would be so cold with their usual Schnauzer cuts. They are now the Shaggy Schnauzers and loving it!


With the family all together, it was a relaxing day to catch up with events in the boys lives and to visit with Sally. University life keeps them busy. It's good for them to kick back awhile and recharge. Arriving from school with them are their computers and wires and gadgets galore. The family room has been turned into a computer lab with a Christmas flair!


In addition to surfing the net and chatting with friends, snow days are great days for working on a craft project. It was time for something new that I'd never done before. I thought maybe Sally would enjoy beading, so bought all sorts of wires, hooks, and beads at the craft store last evening. I felt like a fish out of water, but with the assistance of a helpful clerk and a beginners book, I made my selections. Beads of red, pink, blue, gold, pearl, and more were matched to gold wires and hoops.


Pliers and cutters were put to work as we threaded and bent and clipped. Beads were grouped in designs we liked and we strung to our hearts content.


Some of those beads were so tiny! Even with the ever helpful bi-focals, they were sometimes hard to manage. It was really fun to see how Sally and I each had a different 'vision' and used the supplies in completely different ways to create pieces that were unique and interesting. Even Brandon was pulled into the creation process, giving his spin to creative jewelry making.


It's hard to see them well on this plate, but we ended up with seventeen pairs of earrings! We put a snowy day to creative use! Some are Sally's. . .and some are mine. Since I don't have pierced ears, I've been counting up all my friends who do have them. . .and am thinking of being Mrs. Santa for them! I hope they are good enough for them to wear. Some of the bends and twists of mine could use some improvement!

It was a lovely day --- and I enjoyed having the family together again for the holidays.

Christmas Prayer

"Loving Father, Help us remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the song of angels, the gladness of the shepherds, and the worship of the wise men. Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world. Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting.

Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings, and teach us to be merry with clean hearts. May the Christmas morning make us happy to be Thy children, and the Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus' sake, Amen!"

by Robert Louis Stevenson

Christmas Stories

Christmas stories can evoke such an emotional response. As they express the meaning and the gift of Jesus, they can touch all our senses. The sights, smells, textures, tastes, and sounds of Christmas can be expressed so well with words, given from the pen of gifted writers and those who express from their hearts. My personal library contains volumes of books dedicated to just Christmas stories. Notebooks of Christmas stories collected over the years and stacks of children's Christmas books grace the shelves. But of all the stories, my favorite is the one I have posted below. I first read it as a teen-ager who's task it was to read and analyze it for a literature class. It's meaning touched my heart. It became my favorite and continues to be so to this day. I hope you enjoy it and are blessed by it as I was.