Recipe plus

My advent devotional reading reminded me that Bethlehem means "house of bread". Interesting that Jesus said, "I am the living bread which came down from heaven....and whoever eats this bread will live forever." John 6:51 On a gluten free diet? Jesus and the following recipe can be consumed.

Oatmeal Pancakes
1 cup milk, heated
¾ Ingredient quick cooking oats and ¾ of oat flour
2 T. Sugar
2 t baking powder
½ t. of salt
2 beaten egg yolks
1 T of cooking oil
2 egg whites beaten until stiff
Stir oats into heated milk and let stand for 5 minutes. Combine remaining dry ingredients in mixing bowl then add milk/oat mixture. Stir in egg yolks and oil. Fold beaten egg whites into batter. Cooked on hot, oiled griddle.
Substitutes: applesauce for half of the milk. Add when you add the egg yolks and oil.

Mimi D

Anticipation begins

It's arrived. Finally, it's come—Advent! Today is the first Sunday in Advent, a time of anticipation. There's a lot to anticipate: a busy month, eating too much and exercising too little, overspending, visits from family and the change of pace that goes with it(acceleration of pace is in direct comparison to the number of bathrooms available in your home!), and being around a lot of people who are sneezing, coughing, etc. but are bent on not missing the party. Then why even think about Advent? If you don't, you will 'skip Christmas.'The real Christmas that is. Advent books and devotions abound. Use one of them to keep your focus on the gift of God given to all people, the babe in the manger. Bake your cookies, sing carols, decorate your house and tree, enjoy all of your family traditions. But remember the one who came to redeem us will come again to receive us to Himself. Please don't take my word for it—take God's. John 14 is one good place to start. Advent is a gift from God to be treasured. Open His gift to you everyday and the light of Christmas will shine brighter through you.
Take my Advent challenge for today: Be a seeker. Some folks were looking for the Messiah due to God's promise given to us through the prophets. Read Isaiah 9:6-7 and let its words focus your heart on the only Gift of the season which really matters. Rejoice in our Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God! He's coming our way!
Mimi D

Learning to like Sweet Potatoes

Thanksgiving is over. well, more accurately, the sun has set on the day set aside for everyone to give thanks. Chalk up another one for the Cowboys!
Before I share my sweet potato recipe with you I must confess that they are not on my weekly or even monthly shopping list. Sweet potatoes should make the monthly one but I just forget about them....oh, well, let's not go down or explore that mental aisle any further...I have matured quite a bit over the years when it comes to sweet potatoes. The first huge monumental step was discovering that they do not come from a can! I was shocked as I experienced a fresh one instead of the sticky-icky let's cover up the taste kind with marshmellowskind that I had to get to before the pumpkin pie was served.. No orange s'mores for me. Many a Thanksgiving paper napkin stuffed with the gooey variety accompanied me to the kitchen to "get more water" when I was a kid. Another real big help in getting over the sweet potato hurdle was eating at my mother-in-law's table as a newly wed who didn't want to offend her. No one else at the table was still holding on to the common childhood dietary requirement made by many parents, that is, "You've got to try at least three bites of everything being served."
The recipe is very tasty, not too sweet, and a zinch to do. I think I'll make it again .....in a couple of months.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Apples
4 large sweet potatoes

1 cup cinnamon flavoured
Applesauce

¼ tsp salt

½ cup of dried crispy apple
chips, broken tn large
pieces
Scrub, dry and pierce the sweet potatoes in several places with a fork. Arrange on paper towels in microwave and cook on high 15 to 20 minutes, turning halfway, until soft when pierced with a fork. (Oven 400 for 45 min.)
Halve, then scoop potatoes from skins. Mash in large bowl, then stir in applesauce and salt. Heat in microwave 5 minutes until hot. Spoon into serving dish and top with crushed apple chips.
Dish made be made one day ahead, just reheat and serve.
This is my favourite way to serve sweet potatoes.
Mimi D

The perfect side dish for your Thanksgiving Feast

Our memorable Thanksgivings are centered around family and the traditions which we have adopted. Ours include turkey, dressing, and fruit salad as part of the menu,a gathering of family at our house or theirs, the Dallas game, and leftovers. A few feasts stand out from the others: eating outdoors in Phoenix and having a hard time relating to the Pilgrims who survived the harsh New England winter; gatherings in Las Vegas, NM, at my husband's Bob childhood home where groups of 20 were typical; and a feast where we enjoyed a 4 year old nephew's expressive rendition of a turkey's progression from the barnyard to the kitchen table and on to his tummy that was way too full (the best part of the song). Now he's nearing 30 and playing in a band.
Of course, there was the trip to the home of my husband's Aunt in Los Alamos where our son eyed a cheese ball served on a platter surrounded by assorted crackers. Meant to be an apetizer it had been placed on a coffee table. Our 19 month-old son picked the cheese ball up and started eating it like an apple. As a first time visitor to their home and a "new mother", I was at a loss as to what to do and very grateful when Uncle Otis, having raised three boys himself, just chuckled and placed it back, nibbled side down.Then there's the Thanksgiving that our nephew who had driven from Tennessee to New Mexico with his wife and 18 month old daughter asked after eyeing the spread, "Aunt Michelle, where are the rolls you always make? I've been thinking about them all the way across Texas!" Oops! You've got to watch the childhood traditions that you start. Maybe I'll serve up some more helpings of Thanksgivings..... after the Cowboys game and before leftovers. Mimi D