Serafina is a happy girl with a good family and a true love etc. She goes to collect a mysterious inheritance and ends up as the new Baby Yaga. She receives the power to answer every person's question truthfully, but only the first question. And there's a catch. With every answer she gives, she ages. Can she escape her fate before she dies? If you enjoy fairy tales, you'll enjoy A Question of Magic.
The Huron Carol by St. Jean de Brebeuf illustrated by Frances Tyrell
While a bringing the Faith to the Huron people, St. Jean de Brebeuf wrote a Christmas carol with beautiful native imagery, "wrapped in a rabbit pelt" "born in a house of bark" "three chieftains". (Am I supposed to capitalize Native?) The book is appropriate for all ages. Frances Tyrrell's illustrations are inspired by various tribes and serve the text well.
You can listen to it here, sung hauntingly in Huron, French, and English.
St. Jean de Brebeuf is one of the North American martyrs and was killed by the Iroquois in the 1600s. You can learn more about him and see where he lived and died in this video.
There are six more days of Christmas so I'm not remiss in wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Here's to more book reviews in 2015!
My nearly 12 year old is all about card tricks and magic sets. The Melissa and Doug set is nice but we got Jim Stott's Deluxe Magic Kit for our future Gob. The reviews are very good and it's a little more ma-tour.
Don't know who Gob is? Watch this 13 second video. C'mon. It's only 13 seconds and no ad time.
Edmund has several different makes and models of these on his wishlist. He circled them all in the JM Cremp's Boys Adventure catalog. Soon he'll be too grown-up for cap guns, so I'm on a mission to make sure he gets every one now.
Namely, Ranger Rick and High Five and Calliope. Calliope is a world history magazine recommended to me by a librarian friend who reads it herself. I brought home an issue for Patrick to review for bias and he found none.
Frugal Scrooge I am, I went to the library and took coupons from their magazines to use while ordering some gifts. It totally saved me money. That or using Subscription Addiction. It depends on the magazine.
iTunes music. Email entire playlists or albums. No wrapping, no post office. All goodness.
Experiences
Disney on Ice, Medieval Times, Theater or Concert Tickets. Mani/Pedis. Someone around here is going to the Premium Theater that has reclining seats and serves food on his birthday.
Photo Albums.
Print the pictures. Or order a book. I so badly want to do the Order a Book thing, but so many pictures to upload! How big are these books? What's the easiest program to use?
My college boy is getting a poker set. This could be a great idea, or a really bad idea. It's a better idea than the Horn of Ale, of that I am certain.
This year I'm giving lots of this handmade soap from RobinsOwn on Etsy. Robin is blogger Simcha Fischer's friend and she makes a damn fine soap from goat's milk. This soap is so good that I want to eat it. Well, I want to eat the Pumpkin Bier kind that I've got going right now. Smells like cinnamon and love.
Personalized stuff is big again. I remember my monogrammed crewneck circa 1982. It was probably from Lands' End. Lands' End can monogram just about anything. These patterned gloves might be coming to some teenage god-daughters near me.
My teen girls and I stumbled upon the newly opened Altar'd State store in a Missouri mall over Thanksgiving. They adored all the clothing and accessory items. I was moved by the Christian music, and Bible verse home decor. I wish they would open one by me, but until then, they have a webstore.
It says, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.
2 Corinthians 12:9
Jesus keeps whispering this to me on my longer, harder days. It's right up there with Phillipians 4:13 for my-top-best-speaks-to-me-Scripture-passages.
Lots of these links are Amazon Affiliate links which pad my purse if you click through, but lots of these links aren't. I actually try to shop Etsy as often as possible. I follow lots of Etsy artists on Instagram and you should too.
If I'm not shopping Etsy, I'm shopping through eBates. I've gotten several checks in the mail from them this year. Make your 2015 a little greener by using eBates. Also an affiliate link.
I'm asking for a peace-filled Advent for all of my readers this year.
For Christmas Eve pre-10 pm Mass feast, we gathered with friends who happen to live across the street from church. (easy parking)
This was our contribution to the meal.
These are Chambord Cream Cake Rolls. There is a small amount of Chambord in the whipped cream filling. Not shown in this photo is the vat of ruby red Chambord berry sauce that gets ladled on every piece.
They are very fabulous and delicious. Perfect for any holiday when you can get cranberries.
My mother has been making these for Christmas for years.
Wonderful Fact Number One: They are made ahead of time and served frozen!
Wonderful Fact Number Two: With so many components, you can assign different children a different task. For example, I did the cake and cake rolling. Susan was in charge of berry sauce and garnish. Lucy made the filling.
CAKE
4 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 c. granulated sugar
1 T. vegetable oil
1 t. vanilla extract
2/3 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
powdered sugar
Coat 10x15-inch jellyroll pan with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper; spray parchment paper and set aside.
In large mixer bowl beat eggs and granulated sugar at high speed 5 minutes (7 minutes with hand mixer) until very thick and pale. Stir in oil and vanilla.
In small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Sprinkle over egg mixture; fold in util well combined.
Spread evenly in prepared pan. Bake at 350 until lightly browned and sides begin to pull away from edges, about 10 minutes.
Sprinkle powdered sugar over cake and clean cloth towel. Place towel, sugared-side down, on top of cake. Place large cutting board on top and invert cake onto towel. Remove parchment.
Starting at one short side, gently roll up cake with towel. The towel will be all wrapped up in and around the warm cake at this point. Let cool 30 minutes.
FILLING
1 c. heavy whipping cream
1/4 c. powdered sugar
2 T. berry liqueur (Chambord)
In a large chilled mixer bowl, beat cream, the 1/4 c. powdered sugar, and liqueur at low speed until stiff
peaks form. Gently unroll cake. Spread filling evenly over cake, leaving 1 inch border on short ends.
Using towel as aid, gently roll cake with filling, lifting as you roll to keep filling in place. Place cake roll, seam-side down, on sheet of plastic wrap; completely enclose cake in wrap. Freeze at least 2 hours.
GARNISH
powdered sugar
Sugared Cranberries and Rosemary: In a small bowl, stir together 2 T. powdered sugar and 1 T. water. Dip cranberries and rosemary sprigs in mixture. Roll cranberries in granulated sugar until lightly coated; sprinkle granulated sugar over rosemary. Gently shake to remove excess sugar. Place on waxed paper until dried. Use as garnish.
Chambord: black raspberry liqueur in an adorable bottle.
CHAMBORD BERRY SAUCE
1 1/2 c. fresh or frozen cranberries (do not thaw)
1 12oz. bag frozen blackberries (which I could not find, so I froze fresh ones)
2/3 c. granulated sugar
2 T. berry liqueur (Chambord)
Place cranberries in microwave-safe bowl; cover and microwave (high) 2 minutes or until berries pop. In work bowl of food processor fitted with steel knife blade, combine cranberries, blackberries, and sugar; process until smooth. Use back of spoon to strain mixture through fine sieve; discard seeds. Stir in liqueur. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
Makes 2 cups.
To serve, slice cake into wheels as thick or as thin as you like. We've served it over a puddle of berry sauce, or with the sauce ladled on top. I need to get a squirt bottle, so we can be more artistical with the sauce, drizzles and dots and fancy things.
I made 2 of these for a party of 20. There were about 2 servings leftover, and some people had second helping so I'm going to guess that one of these serves 10-12 people.
This recipe is adapted from my mother's grocery store magazine, Everybody Cooks, put out by Dierbergs Markets, Inc.
4. I want to be in a flash mob, or even just present at a flash mob so badly.
Why didn't this happen when we were at the Smithsonian?
5. This exists. I am repulsed and delighted. And repulsed. But now I want Lil Smokies.
6. This:
7. became this:
Edmund gets lots of P.E. every day shoveling and skating. St. Jude's School for Kids Who Want to Read Good and Do Other Things Good Too is a lot like any school in Finland when it comes to recess.
Quickest Quick Takes I've Ever Done! Happy Feast of St. Lucy!
3. In getting ready for the Advent-ure, (I sure am punny today) I did an online search for a high-quality child-safe Advent wreath. I'm looking for something similar in quality to this Shabbat set.
Facebook friend, Angela bought two Shabbat sets from Barnes & Noble. She's re-painting her candles and re-purposing them for Advent.
I'm impressed, yet overwhelmed with that route. So I turned to Etsy Handmade instead.
ADHToys is making me a set like this, but it will include "lit" and "unlit" candles. Easy on my temporal budget, while financially supporting a crafter's home business, winning all around.
Message her! She'll probably do one for you too. If you ask nicely.
When I messaged her that it was a gift, she wrapped it, tied it with ribbon, and added a printed note from me, all at no extra charge. I love these Etsy folks!
5. I'm trying to do more Christmas/St. Nicholas shopping at Etsy and independent stores.
This year, I got The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojciechowski from the library. It pays to request Christmas books in November. Patrick read it to Jill, and he was spellbound. He immediately started looking to see if it had been made into a movie, and was disappointed to see that it has.
**Just by typing that, I have ensured that a major appliance will break down in the fourth week of Advent, or someone will vomit as soon as we begin our post-Christmas roadtrip to St. Louis.
Feel free to leave me a little present/comment below. You could share your favorite Etsy shop/item, your favorite Christmas/Advent book or cd, or your favorite cookie recipe. Or just say, "Hey!"
1. It's no secret that we are huge Duck Dynasty fans, so when Big Idea Productions asked me to review their new Christmas Veggie Tales DVD, and I found out Uncle Si is the voice of an Okra, I hopped on that media bus!
Merry Larry and the True Light of Christmas has everything you'd expect from Veggie Tales: humor, pathos, and a good solid Christian message blazing out in a world that tends to turn history's most humble event into a shopping spree.
Merry Larry is mall employee, an elf to be exact. When the mall's financial struggles cause the owner to hire an outside lighting company, the electric displays are crowding out the reason for the season.
When Merry Larry hears Little Christina's Christmas wish, he uses the light displays to direct attention to a neighbor in need.
Uncle Si is in there plenty, playing mall janitor, Silas. His humble folksy voice lends a quiet charm to this Christmas tale.
This is the only image I could find for the Veggie Tales turnips. I love those guys.
One of the best parts of Merry Larry is the turnip jokes! You have no idea how many puns can be created from the word "turnip." I'm chuckling just saying the word "turnip." Try it. C'mon! I think "turnip" is my word of the day.
2. I was underwhelmed by the Silly Song on this DVD, but pleasantly delighted with the Christian rock Christmas tune at the end credits.
TobyMac's "Light of Christmas" set my children, ages 2 to teen, rocking around the house. My sixteen year old fell in love with this song.
(I can only hope "Light of Christmas" gets more radio and mall airtime that some of those tired and meaningless, not to mention musically void, compositions like "Last Christmas" or "So This Is Christmas." Those songs depress me, and after a few times, my ears start to bleed.)
Listen to "Light of Christmas" here. It's sure to put a spring in your step and a smile on your face!
3. By the way, St. Nicholas' Feast is a'comin.
He usually brings books or movies with the standard chocolate coins to our shoes. Merry Larry and the True Meaning of Christmas would be perfect for a child of any age. To paraphrase Uncle Si, "Seriously, it's good stuff."
4. Hey Jack, it's Soup Weather!
When it comes to hearty and easy soups, I have several in my repertoire that I rotate through. One of the easiest and best soup recipes is Patrick's Aunt Mary's Italian Sausage and White Bean Soup.
Afraid of bean soups? Have no fear of soaking or rinsing or any of that ree-di-cuh-lus stuff. This recipe used CANNED beans. Easy, peasy. The recipe calls for cannellini, but I have used Great Northern too.
The recipe also calls for fresh spinach, but I have used frozen spinach, or baby spinach, or fresh kale, or fresh baby kale, or collard greens. I'm flexible like that.
5. Italian Sausage and White Bean Soup
Serves 8, but just go ahead and double it because the leftovers are so yummy.
1 lb. Italian sausage (hot or mild, whatever floats your boat)
10 large garlic cloves
1-2 tablespoons of olive oil
20 oz spinach (or kale or collard greens, see above.)
4 cans white beans (cannellini or Great Northern)
3 cans low sodium chicken broth (ALWAYS get low sodium broth. Unless you like to be puffy.)
2 plum tomatoes diced, or 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 c grated parmesan cheese, known as "parmis" in our home
salt and pepper to taste (You aren't going to need any salt. Between the sausage and the broth and the parmis, you can just leave that salt shaker in kitchen.)
red pepper flakes to taste (You will need the red pepper flakes. That's my favorite part!)
Brown sausage in bite size chunks, first removing casing if link-style. Drain on paper towel.
Wash and dry spinach, (or buy that pre-washed stuff), and chop into to 2 inch pieces if necessary.
In a large soup pot, saute garlic in olive oil until softened. Add spinach (or other greens) and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally until wilted.
Drain and rinse beans. Add to pot, along with chicken broth. Bring to a gentle boil. Add parmesan and sausage and heat through.
Add tomatoes, and serve immediately.
Please pass the red pepper flakes.
Serve with crusty bread and extra parmesan cheese.
6. Need book recommendations for a picky reader? Just email me. I'm like the sommelier of children's lit.
Seriously.
For example, someone I know has a kid who likes fiction set in the Middle Ages.
I told them to check out Matilda Bone by Karen Cushman, as well as her other titles, like The Midwife's Apprentice, Crispin by Avi (with a warning about how all the clerics are bad in this one), The Door in the Wall by Marguerite deAngeli, and because this is an older child, I recommended Ellis Peter's Brother Cadfael mysteries, also available on Amazon Instant Video in mini-series format.
Voila!
7. This happened yesterday with Lucy. Sometimes being a parent of teens is too much fun.
Jill and I have Artsy Toddlers today (don't ask), and Edmund's math curriculum arrived last night, so I can't just "phone it in" anymore. Lucy is starring in her school play tonight, which I means I have to buy some flowers for curtain call. I should probably get dressed and beat this day into submission.
Serafina is a happy girl with a good family and a true love etc. She goes to collect a mysterious inheritance and ends up as the new Baby Yaga. She receives the power to answer every person's question truthfully, but only the first question. And there's a catch. With every answer she gives, she ages. Can she escape her fate before she dies? If you enjoy fairy tales, you'll enjoy A Question of Magic.
The Huron Carol by St. Jean de Brebeuf illustrated by Frances Tyrell
While a bringing the Faith to the Huron people, St. Jean de Brebeuf wrote a Christmas carol with beautiful native imagery, "wrapped in a rabbit pelt" "born in a house of bark" "three chieftains". (Am I supposed to capitalize Native?) The book is appropriate for all ages. Frances Tyrrell's illustrations are inspired by various tribes and serve the text well.
You can listen to it here, sung hauntingly in Huron, French, and English.
St. Jean de Brebeuf is one of the North American martyrs and was killed by the Iroquois in the 1600s. You can learn more about him and see where he lived and died in this video.
There are six more days of Christmas so I'm not remiss in wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Here's to more book reviews in 2015!
My nearly 12 year old is all about card tricks and magic sets. The Melissa and Doug set is nice but we got Jim Stott's Deluxe Magic Kit for our future Gob. The reviews are very good and it's a little more ma-tour.
Don't know who Gob is? Watch this 13 second video. C'mon. It's only 13 seconds and no ad time.
Edmund has several different makes and models of these on his wishlist. He circled them all in the JM Cremp's Boys Adventure catalog. Soon he'll be too grown-up for cap guns, so I'm on a mission to make sure he gets every one now.
Namely, Ranger Rick and High Five and Calliope. Calliope is a world history magazine recommended to me by a librarian friend who reads it herself. I brought home an issue for Patrick to review for bias and he found none.
Frugal Scrooge I am, I went to the library and took coupons from their magazines to use while ordering some gifts. It totally saved me money. That or using Subscription Addiction. It depends on the magazine.
iTunes music. Email entire playlists or albums. No wrapping, no post office. All goodness.
Experiences
Disney on Ice, Medieval Times, Theater or Concert Tickets. Mani/Pedis. Someone around here is going to the Premium Theater that has reclining seats and serves food on his birthday.
Photo Albums.
Print the pictures. Or order a book. I so badly want to do the Order a Book thing, but so many pictures to upload! How big are these books? What's the easiest program to use?
My college boy is getting a poker set. This could be a great idea, or a really bad idea. It's a better idea than the Horn of Ale, of that I am certain.
This year I'm giving lots of this handmade soap from RobinsOwn on Etsy. Robin is blogger Simcha Fischer's friend and she makes a damn fine soap from goat's milk. This soap is so good that I want to eat it. Well, I want to eat the Pumpkin Bier kind that I've got going right now. Smells like cinnamon and love.
Personalized stuff is big again. I remember my monogrammed crewneck circa 1982. It was probably from Lands' End. Lands' End can monogram just about anything. These patterned gloves might be coming to some teenage god-daughters near me.
My teen girls and I stumbled upon the newly opened Altar'd State store in a Missouri mall over Thanksgiving. They adored all the clothing and accessory items. I was moved by the Christian music, and Bible verse home decor. I wish they would open one by me, but until then, they have a webstore.
It says, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.
2 Corinthians 12:9
Jesus keeps whispering this to me on my longer, harder days. It's right up there with Phillipians 4:13 for my-top-best-speaks-to-me-Scripture-passages.
Lots of these links are Amazon Affiliate links which pad my purse if you click through, but lots of these links aren't. I actually try to shop Etsy as often as possible. I follow lots of Etsy artists on Instagram and you should too.
If I'm not shopping Etsy, I'm shopping through eBates. I've gotten several checks in the mail from them this year. Make your 2015 a little greener by using eBates. Also an affiliate link.
I'm asking for a peace-filled Advent for all of my readers this year.
For Christmas Eve pre-10 pm Mass feast, we gathered with friends who happen to live across the street from church. (easy parking)
This was our contribution to the meal.
These are Chambord Cream Cake Rolls. There is a small amount of Chambord in the whipped cream filling. Not shown in this photo is the vat of ruby red Chambord berry sauce that gets ladled on every piece.
They are very fabulous and delicious. Perfect for any holiday when you can get cranberries.
My mother has been making these for Christmas for years.
Wonderful Fact Number One: They are made ahead of time and served frozen!
Wonderful Fact Number Two: With so many components, you can assign different children a different task. For example, I did the cake and cake rolling. Susan was in charge of berry sauce and garnish. Lucy made the filling.
CAKE
4 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 c. granulated sugar
1 T. vegetable oil
1 t. vanilla extract
2/3 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
powdered sugar
Coat 10x15-inch jellyroll pan with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper; spray parchment paper and set aside.
In large mixer bowl beat eggs and granulated sugar at high speed 5 minutes (7 minutes with hand mixer) until very thick and pale. Stir in oil and vanilla.
In small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Sprinkle over egg mixture; fold in util well combined.
Spread evenly in prepared pan. Bake at 350 until lightly browned and sides begin to pull away from edges, about 10 minutes.
Sprinkle powdered sugar over cake and clean cloth towel. Place towel, sugared-side down, on top of cake. Place large cutting board on top and invert cake onto towel. Remove parchment.
Starting at one short side, gently roll up cake with towel. The towel will be all wrapped up in and around the warm cake at this point. Let cool 30 minutes.
FILLING
1 c. heavy whipping cream
1/4 c. powdered sugar
2 T. berry liqueur (Chambord)
In a large chilled mixer bowl, beat cream, the 1/4 c. powdered sugar, and liqueur at low speed until stiff
peaks form. Gently unroll cake. Spread filling evenly over cake, leaving 1 inch border on short ends.
Using towel as aid, gently roll cake with filling, lifting as you roll to keep filling in place. Place cake roll, seam-side down, on sheet of plastic wrap; completely enclose cake in wrap. Freeze at least 2 hours.
GARNISH
powdered sugar
Sugared Cranberries and Rosemary: In a small bowl, stir together 2 T. powdered sugar and 1 T. water. Dip cranberries and rosemary sprigs in mixture. Roll cranberries in granulated sugar until lightly coated; sprinkle granulated sugar over rosemary. Gently shake to remove excess sugar. Place on waxed paper until dried. Use as garnish.
Chambord: black raspberry liqueur in an adorable bottle.
CHAMBORD BERRY SAUCE
1 1/2 c. fresh or frozen cranberries (do not thaw)
1 12oz. bag frozen blackberries (which I could not find, so I froze fresh ones)
2/3 c. granulated sugar
2 T. berry liqueur (Chambord)
Place cranberries in microwave-safe bowl; cover and microwave (high) 2 minutes or until berries pop. In work bowl of food processor fitted with steel knife blade, combine cranberries, blackberries, and sugar; process until smooth. Use back of spoon to strain mixture through fine sieve; discard seeds. Stir in liqueur. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
Makes 2 cups.
To serve, slice cake into wheels as thick or as thin as you like. We've served it over a puddle of berry sauce, or with the sauce ladled on top. I need to get a squirt bottle, so we can be more artistical with the sauce, drizzles and dots and fancy things.
I made 2 of these for a party of 20. There were about 2 servings leftover, and some people had second helping so I'm going to guess that one of these serves 10-12 people.
This recipe is adapted from my mother's grocery store magazine, Everybody Cooks, put out by Dierbergs Markets, Inc.
4. I want to be in a flash mob, or even just present at a flash mob so badly.
Why didn't this happen when we were at the Smithsonian?
5. This exists. I am repulsed and delighted. And repulsed. But now I want Lil Smokies.
6. This:
7. became this:
Edmund gets lots of P.E. every day shoveling and skating. St. Jude's School for Kids Who Want to Read Good and Do Other Things Good Too is a lot like any school in Finland when it comes to recess.
Quickest Quick Takes I've Ever Done! Happy Feast of St. Lucy!
3. In getting ready for the Advent-ure, (I sure am punny today) I did an online search for a high-quality child-safe Advent wreath. I'm looking for something similar in quality to this Shabbat set.
Facebook friend, Angela bought two Shabbat sets from Barnes & Noble. She's re-painting her candles and re-purposing them for Advent.
I'm impressed, yet overwhelmed with that route. So I turned to Etsy Handmade instead.
ADHToys is making me a set like this, but it will include "lit" and "unlit" candles. Easy on my temporal budget, while financially supporting a crafter's home business, winning all around.
Message her! She'll probably do one for you too. If you ask nicely.
When I messaged her that it was a gift, she wrapped it, tied it with ribbon, and added a printed note from me, all at no extra charge. I love these Etsy folks!
5. I'm trying to do more Christmas/St. Nicholas shopping at Etsy and independent stores.
This year, I got The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojciechowski from the library. It pays to request Christmas books in November. Patrick read it to Jill, and he was spellbound. He immediately started looking to see if it had been made into a movie, and was disappointed to see that it has.
**Just by typing that, I have ensured that a major appliance will break down in the fourth week of Advent, or someone will vomit as soon as we begin our post-Christmas roadtrip to St. Louis.
Feel free to leave me a little present/comment below. You could share your favorite Etsy shop/item, your favorite Christmas/Advent book or cd, or your favorite cookie recipe. Or just say, "Hey!"
1. It's no secret that we are huge Duck Dynasty fans, so when Big Idea Productions asked me to review their new Christmas Veggie Tales DVD, and I found out Uncle Si is the voice of an Okra, I hopped on that media bus!
Merry Larry and the True Light of Christmas has everything you'd expect from Veggie Tales: humor, pathos, and a good solid Christian message blazing out in a world that tends to turn history's most humble event into a shopping spree.
Merry Larry is mall employee, an elf to be exact. When the mall's financial struggles cause the owner to hire an outside lighting company, the electric displays are crowding out the reason for the season.
When Merry Larry hears Little Christina's Christmas wish, he uses the light displays to direct attention to a neighbor in need.
Uncle Si is in there plenty, playing mall janitor, Silas. His humble folksy voice lends a quiet charm to this Christmas tale.
This is the only image I could find for the Veggie Tales turnips. I love those guys.
One of the best parts of Merry Larry is the turnip jokes! You have no idea how many puns can be created from the word "turnip." I'm chuckling just saying the word "turnip." Try it. C'mon! I think "turnip" is my word of the day.
2. I was underwhelmed by the Silly Song on this DVD, but pleasantly delighted with the Christian rock Christmas tune at the end credits.
TobyMac's "Light of Christmas" set my children, ages 2 to teen, rocking around the house. My sixteen year old fell in love with this song.
(I can only hope "Light of Christmas" gets more radio and mall airtime that some of those tired and meaningless, not to mention musically void, compositions like "Last Christmas" or "So This Is Christmas." Those songs depress me, and after a few times, my ears start to bleed.)
Listen to "Light of Christmas" here. It's sure to put a spring in your step and a smile on your face!
3. By the way, St. Nicholas' Feast is a'comin.
He usually brings books or movies with the standard chocolate coins to our shoes. Merry Larry and the True Meaning of Christmas would be perfect for a child of any age. To paraphrase Uncle Si, "Seriously, it's good stuff."
4. Hey Jack, it's Soup Weather!
When it comes to hearty and easy soups, I have several in my repertoire that I rotate through. One of the easiest and best soup recipes is Patrick's Aunt Mary's Italian Sausage and White Bean Soup.
Afraid of bean soups? Have no fear of soaking or rinsing or any of that ree-di-cuh-lus stuff. This recipe used CANNED beans. Easy, peasy. The recipe calls for cannellini, but I have used Great Northern too.
The recipe also calls for fresh spinach, but I have used frozen spinach, or baby spinach, or fresh kale, or fresh baby kale, or collard greens. I'm flexible like that.
5. Italian Sausage and White Bean Soup
Serves 8, but just go ahead and double it because the leftovers are so yummy.
1 lb. Italian sausage (hot or mild, whatever floats your boat)
10 large garlic cloves
1-2 tablespoons of olive oil
20 oz spinach (or kale or collard greens, see above.)
4 cans white beans (cannellini or Great Northern)
3 cans low sodium chicken broth (ALWAYS get low sodium broth. Unless you like to be puffy.)
2 plum tomatoes diced, or 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 c grated parmesan cheese, known as "parmis" in our home
salt and pepper to taste (You aren't going to need any salt. Between the sausage and the broth and the parmis, you can just leave that salt shaker in kitchen.)
red pepper flakes to taste (You will need the red pepper flakes. That's my favorite part!)
Brown sausage in bite size chunks, first removing casing if link-style. Drain on paper towel.
Wash and dry spinach, (or buy that pre-washed stuff), and chop into to 2 inch pieces if necessary.
In a large soup pot, saute garlic in olive oil until softened. Add spinach (or other greens) and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally until wilted.
Drain and rinse beans. Add to pot, along with chicken broth. Bring to a gentle boil. Add parmesan and sausage and heat through.
Add tomatoes, and serve immediately.
Please pass the red pepper flakes.
Serve with crusty bread and extra parmesan cheese.
6. Need book recommendations for a picky reader? Just email me. I'm like the sommelier of children's lit.
Seriously.
For example, someone I know has a kid who likes fiction set in the Middle Ages.
I told them to check out Matilda Bone by Karen Cushman, as well as her other titles, like The Midwife's Apprentice, Crispin by Avi (with a warning about how all the clerics are bad in this one), The Door in the Wall by Marguerite deAngeli, and because this is an older child, I recommended Ellis Peter's Brother Cadfael mysteries, also available on Amazon Instant Video in mini-series format.
Voila!
7. This happened yesterday with Lucy. Sometimes being a parent of teens is too much fun.
Jill and I have Artsy Toddlers today (don't ask), and Edmund's math curriculum arrived last night, so I can't just "phone it in" anymore. Lucy is starring in her school play tonight, which I means I have to buy some flowers for curtain call. I should probably get dressed and beat this day into submission.
