A Warm Kitchen

If there is no joyous way to give a festive gift, give love away.   --Unknown

Dear Christmas Cooks,

So much cooking has been going on in my kitchen that I have decided to share
my letter in one post and the recipes in a post following this one. I share
many of the recipes I try and love because it is such a gift to me when I hear
from someone and they bless me with a recipe dear to them! Isn't everything
better made when another shares an experience with it?!
If there is a season rich with such things it should have to be
Christmas --- as we celebrate the Christ child born on earth from heaven.

Christmas is the season for kindling the fire of hospitality in the hall,
the genial flame of charity in the heart.
--Washington Irving

As I write this, a sleeping toddler is breathing softly behind me and my 10-year old daughter is adding the last touches to the gingerbread house her Granna sent by her aunt for "something special"...

She tried putting the foundation together with her younger cousin but it kept
collapsing. What a blessing that her older brother took the time to fit everything together and make it sound so the girls could decorate! He did add some of his signature flames to one side of the house and my husband and I smiled at the sight.  Other cousins joined for icing lines, squiggles, gum drop shingles, peppermint rows, and candy dot doors and windows and we have a glorious table centerpiece!

Buying gifts wasn't an option this year and I just give these situations to God Who never fails or forsakes us. HE and only HE could make such precious gifts from what we thought was an empty box!   We have lots of pictures saved on the computer, zip discs, and on various cd's. Not long ago, Blake wanted all of these pictures organized so we could get some of them printed and preserved so he bought some software. God really guided us to some wonderful gifts using this software that makes  "Photo Stories".  I called my parents, Blake's parents, each of my sisters, and a friend and  set up back to back evenings for them to share meals and "something special"
with us.

On the morning of each evening, I put as much of the meal together as I could. During the day, I worked on the family's Photo Story (you just make it with the program and create a VCD when it is complete) and readied the house for their arrival. What a lovely time! We shared a lovely meal
together, had coffee with a dessert, and gathered in the living room to
watch the photos slowly move by with whatever background music I chose. Each
family was blessed with photos of themselves and their families from years
ago through now and it was a sweet time of reflection for all of us.

"It comes every year and will go on forever. And along with Christmas belong
the keepsakes and the customs. Those humble, everyday things a mother clings
to, and ponders, like Mary in the secret spaces of her heart."
--Marjorie Holmes

The beautiful thing about this was the gift everything was to our family and
home. The children helped prepare our home for each evening and looked
forward to seeing their loved ones. I thought about the families as I
chopped, fried, baked, tossed, whisked, stirred, spread, and stacked the
evening's meal.

I prayed as I worked in the kitchen when a fear, concern, or worry would push into my merriness. Situations belonging to each person would come to mind and weigh down my joy for but a moment here and there. Praise my Father in heaven for letting these times serve as nudges for me to remain in prayer! What peace He poured into my spirit.

The Christian life is not a constant high. I have my moments of deep discouragement. I have to go to God in prayer with tears in my eyes, and say, 'O God, forgive me,' or 'Help me.'
--Billy Graham

At one point when I was away from the kitchen and just happened upon my computer... an email came from a dear heart who ministered to me just by seeing her precious name. The beauty was that God knew I was seeking Him and His comfort and care came through a friend I hadn't corresponded with in some time. Sometimes our Lord loves us through friends and ministers to us as the angels did in biblical times.

And the angel said unto them, "Fear not! For, behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, Which shall be to all people. "For unto you is born this day in the city of David A Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, Lying in a manger.    --St. Luke ii. 10-12

Our "Gift Menus" have been:

Spaghetti with meat sauce
Fresh tossed salad with balsamic vinegar/olive oil dressing
Hot, buttered yeast rolls
Chess Cake
Brownies baked with a chocolate baking bar
Crushed ice water and cold milk
Hot coffee

Chicken Delicious (Crockpot)
Fresh tossed salad
Homemade whole grain bread
Cinnamon rolls (whole grain) with cream cheese frosting
Crushed ice water
Hot coffee with cream

Chicken Breasts Pierre
Fresh tossed salad
Green bean casserole
Cheddar green bean casserole
Hot, buttered yeast rolls
Crushed ice water and cold milk
Hot coffee and cocoa

Angel hair pasta with beef and chicken sauce
Hot buttered rolls
Fresh tossed salad
Leftover desserts

Homemade crunchy chicken fingers
Homemade honey mustard sauce
cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting
Two rum cakes


Angel Hair Pasta with Homemade Meat Sauce
Garlic Buttered Rolls
Fresh Salad with Romaine lettuce,
tomatoes, and balsamic vinegar and olive oil
One minute tried and true cake

Some of the food gifts I've put/am putting together are:

Snowman Soup
I just put enough hot cocoa mix and mini marshmallows in tiny zip seal bags
for one cup of cocoa. One year I did this and tucked a ribbon tied bag into
a new mug.
The little bags I found were left from a year I bought a bunch at a dollar
store!
I put a sticker label with a glittery snowman on one side with the person's (kids friends) name and on the back pressed a shiny sticker. The sticker sheets came from the dollar store a long time ago and I just found a cute piece of clip art (snow man, steaming cup, and so on) and a few words of directions. These turned out so cute and I didn't buy one thing to make them!

Deep chocolate truffles dipped in ground almonds, cocoa, and/or cinnamon and
orange chocolate truffles.
I don't have any wax or parchment paper, no aluminum foil, and no plastic
wrap so I might have to use some paper towels to place one layer of these on
per person.

I still have nine gifts to make so I will pray for God to equip me to get
them done and not run out of ingredients! In the quiet hours of tonight (I
have been writing this back
and forth from morning until night:) I realize that the most important gifts
I can give come from God and not from me at all. The needed and necessary
gifts are a humble and gentle spirit, a kind heart, and a sweet tone all the
way around. Whatever I give may it be done in love!

The cold world needs warm-hearted Christians.
--Unknown

Please know that I share all the cooking I've done not to show case my
efforts and certainly not to exalt my domestic skills for all is vain
without the Lord's leading. I share all of this to shout from the mountain
tops what God has done for me! I thought I had nothing to give anyone but
prayed and praised in His beautiful peace. I write of all the recipes I've
tried and share the fruit of the work to sing to you of all God will do for
us ... even from our cupboards, cabinets, and kitchen shelves! There were a
few items we didn't have and guess what? God provided funds out of the blue
with blessings to take care of the cost!

Darling ones, celebrate God's bounty from a cup of cold water to a table
laden down with full meals. If you aren't sure what to do with what you
have... consider praying to a Provider Who will give you more than you could
have thought to ask for.

In the morning, I plan to prepare another meal for my precious husband's
parents. In the evening... Christmas Eve... I hope to gather some sausage,
eggs, cheese, and other items to place in the fridge overnight. We enjoy
popping a breakfast casserole in the oven when we get up to have ready when
we are finished opening presents.

I'll start the day with a steaming cup of coffee with cream, a softly
tumbling dryer of clothes, a washer swishing another load, and an open Bible
rich with truth for the hours ahead. While I'm at it... I hope to say a
prayer for you ... for each dear and beloved blessing reading this. My
prayer is that you will have a peace that is more profound than you can
explain, a happiness from the inside out, and a kitchen as warm as your
heart:)

Love,
Sandy (smile529@charter.net)
*Look* for another letter with some of the recipes I've been blessed with in my kitchen!


©2004 Sandy Willoughby