Star of Wonder, Star of Night…

O, Star of wonder, star of night
Star of royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect light.

The birth of Jesus is an incredible story. To ponder what Mary (and Joseph!) was thinking when she was told by an angel that she would be with child and that her son would be called Emmanuel and be the King of Kings, is just overwhelming. She must have felt such fear, only to be comforted by the fact that her son would be Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. And then to travel, heavily pregnant, and give birth in a stable – with only the peace from God to comfort her. Such courage. And that baby, that precious baby, who took his first breath, surrounded by animals and his two loving parents – that baby would would change the course of the world, as it was known, and forevermore. Mary and Joseph must have felt such pride, holding this wonderful gift from God. I can only relate on a worldly level, being a Mother myself. I cannot even imagine knowing that my child would have such an important destiny in His life.

I just love reading the story of Jesus’ birth. I love imagining Him as a sweet baby, an energetic child, a dedicated teen, a leader, a teacher, a Savior, all the while knowing His own purpose on this Earth.

I LOVE celebrating Jesus’ birth this Season. He is my Father, my Wonderful Counselor, my Mighty God, my Everlasting Father, my Prince of Peace. He is our reason for this season. CHRISTmas.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this. – Isaiah 9:6-7

In thinking of how the Stars over Bethlehem showed the Wise Men their way to greet the new born King, I was inspired to make a Star lunch for my Bigs.

I made a gold star shaped PB&J (I used gold food-safe spray and used my yellow Food Writer to outline it). I packed goldfish crackers, yogurt raisins, red, green, and white chocolate covered sunflower seeds (dessert), grapes, apple slices, seasoned corn, and a cranberry oatmeal bar.

Blessings,

Kristin

“Grinch” VPK School Lunch

You know when you try, not your hardest, but close to it, and something doesn’t work out? And you just keep it crappy and serve it? I’m referring to meals here. And in particular, lunches. Kid lunches. Christmas kid lunches.

This Christmas kid lunch:

Oops. It looks like the Grinch left his mark on that left side of the sandwich. He left his heart there, as well as a green smudge from his Grinchy hand. Yup. That’s what this lunch is. It was supposed to be a holly leaf with three, distinct, little red berries. You can see that, right? RIGHT? While I’d never label [good] bread as a “mistake”, I think in this case, the hearty French loaf, filled with yummy bubbles and indents lent itself to the sad end result. Whatever. I’m already over it. It’s still good bread. Just with a Grinch hand on it. The other side is a candy cane. It’s PB&J. I put some colby jack cheese in there, as well as a mandarin orange, some red and green grapes, another TJ’s cranberry bar, and some red, green, and white chocolate covered sunflower seeds.

I wonder if my Bigs will even notice?

Blessings!

Kristin

Christmas, Christmas Tiiiime is here!

We’re baaaaack. Did you miss me? Say yes. I need to know you missed me and my little food.

I hope you all had a beautiful Thanksgiving. My family did. We ran a 5K early in the morning and the weather was just gorgeous. We ate dinner with my husband’s family this year. It was just wonderful. And now we’re back in the school groove, with the first of only eight school days left in the year. I can’t even. It’s all going by so quickly. I can’t wait for winter break, where I get to have both my babies home with me!

Here is the lunch I packed for my Bigs for tomorrow:

I know what you’re thinking…that this Santa looks a little dead behind the eyes. I’d like to adjust your thoughts on him. Think of him as more Avant Garde Santa. He don’t need no lips, nose, or beard. He rocks just the hat and eyes. That’s art.

Boom.

Anywho. In addition to Dead Behind the Eyes Santa PB&J, I also packed assorted raisins, assorted grapes, a few cheddar rice cakes, applesauce, a Trader Joe’s cranberry bar (cut up), and a few red, white, and green chocolate covered sunflower seeds for dessert.

Here’s to my “art” and Bigs’ lunches looking less freaky deaky in the next few days,

Kristin

Ho Ho Ho Boy!

It’s not even Thanksgiving, and I’m already doing Christmas lunches! It’s so exciting. And my Bigs is beyond excited for Christmas! We normally wait until the week of Thanksgiving to decorate and put up our tree, but he’s been so excited that we bumped it up a week. We’ll be doing it at the end of this week. He can’t wait. I can’t either. Tomorrow is going to be the coldest day we’ve had this season, so far. It feels more like the holidays!

So, to celebrate ALL of that, I made Bigs a fun Christmas lunch.

I made a ham, cheese, and mayo sandwich, which I cut into two tiny Christmas trees (Bigs ate the crusts for a pre-karate snack today). I “decorated” the trees with food-safe green spray and used my Food Writers for extra detailing. I also packed raisins, plantain chips (not the sweet kind), a mandarin orange, a banana (also decorated like a tree), goldfish cookies and red, white, and green chocolate covered sunflower seeds for dessert.

Ho ho ho!

Blessings!

Kristin

Tinsel’s in a Tangle

My body is in a coma…the food sort. My fridge looks like it’s in a coma too. Not an inch to spare (it IS a rather small fridge, though) with all the leftovers.

Let’s rewind a few days. We took our boys to visit Santa. We stood in line for over an hour to see a really wonderful looking Santa.

Smalls was delightful the whole time waiting (as was Bigs), but the second he was plopped on Ol’ St. Nick’s lap, he screamed like he was being pinched. Poor thing. Not a fan. So Bigs was smiling really sweetly (and told Santa he wanted a bouncy carrot) and Smalls was screaming with tears pouring out of his eyes…50%, not bad. We also went to Christmas Eve service at church, which was beautiful.

We set out some cookies (some GF and LF) and almond milk for Santa (to accommodate Mr. Claus’ Crohn’s diet!). We also left a carrot for the reindeer.

We actually had to wake the boys up on Christmas morning. They NEVER sleep in. Ever. They are usually up way before 7:00a. They were very excited about everything and Bigs was shocked Santa brought him a bouncy carrot.

Since they slept in so late, I was able to finish prep on their special breakfast. I reheated the gluten and lactose free pancakes I’d made earlier in the week. I cut up some fruit and finished the Grinch kebabs, and put together the pancake toppings bar (bananas, strawberries, Christmas sprinkles, chocolate chips, and marshmallows). We sang Happy Birthday to Jesus and began eating.

Bigs gobbled it all up. Smalls ate next to nothing, which is typical. I also made hot chocolate (my Mom made the mix from scratch) with whipped cream Christmas trees (that I made with a silicon mold the day before). I wasn’t sure the molds would work, but they did! They were so fun. I gave Bigs another hot chocolate today with another whipped cream tree…all of which he accidentally knocked on the floor. Sigh.

While they were basking in the glow of new toys, I put together two casseroles.

A Cranberry White Chocolate Bread Pudding and a Cracker Barrel-inspired Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole. They were both DELICIOUS.

While cheesy potatoes are always a good dish to me, the bread pud was TO DIE FOR. Geesh, that’s morbid. Let’s say it was a must try. It was divine. Seriously. I will be making this again and again and again.

Hash Brown recipe:

Easy 1-Bowl Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole

Bread Pudding recipe:

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2013/11/cranberry-white-chocolate-bread-pudding-recipe.html

We ate those two dishes with some others that came with my Husband’s side of the family (some vegan and GF dishes, bagels with cream cheese and lox, fruit salad).

And then after naps, we went to my parents’ house, where we enjoyed another meal! We had roast beef with au jus and horseradish sauce, roasted vegetables, rolls, fruit salad, and a lovely cheese platter.

And my Mom made a fruitcake…a FRUITCAKE! I love fruitcake. I might be one of two people (My Dad and I) that eat it. My husband jokes that there is only one fruitcake in the whole world. I think that’s the only fruitcake joke. Whatever. More for me (and Dad).

I hope that you had a lovely holiday.

As for me, I’m ready to cleanse my home, take down the decorations, prepare for the new year, and make my resolutions. And eat less (maybe).

Kristin

*Sorry for all the collages versus whole pictures – it was just much easier and less time-consuming with so many!

Merry Christmas 2013!

Wishing you and yours a very lovely, happy, blessed Christmas Day! May the true meaning of CHRISTmas find your heart.

God Bless,

Kristin

‘Twas the Night Before Christmas…

It’s here, it’s finally here! The night to start or finish wrapping gifts, the night to put together all the toys and bikes, the night to play Santa, the night to set out milk and cookies for yourself to enjoy later. It’s here!

My husband and I have so many plans!

Then…

I just don’t know if we’ll have enough time!

We’ll OBVIOUSLY be turning on A Christmas Story just as soon as it starts tonight. It’s a family tradition that I grew up with that I am imposing upon my own family. Best movie ever.

And so is Elf. But they haven’t played it on the channels we have, yet.

We really do have so much to do today. I’ll be making some casseroles for tomorrow’s brunch (Cracker Barrel inspired cheesy hash brown, and a white chocolate and cranberry bread pudding – all of which you’ll see here soon!). We’ll be cleaning the house for guests, we’ll be doing special traditions with our sons and we’ll be going to Christmas service. It’s going to be lovely.

Our elf Duncan was here again. And today is his last day with us.

Yesterday, he set out a birthday party for Jesus!

And today he packed his bags up and left a good-bye note for the boys. We’ll miss you, Duncan!

Also, I made a turkey dinner last night.

I got this HUGE (almost 10 pounds) turkey from Publix for $7.80. I couldn’t believe it. It’s actually the first whole turkey I’ve made. I think it came out great. Was it a leeeetle bit dry? Sure. Whatevs. It’s my first. The prep was easy (olive oil, Kosher salt and poultry seasoning), but I don’t care how strong your stomach is, pulling out a half-thawed, leaking bag of innards will make you queasy. Well, me, anyways. Blech. And that neck. I am southern, but that neck. *Shudder!* I cooked it (the turkey, not the neck – dat nasty went right in the bin, although I am sure someone somewhere has a great recipe for it, lolz) according to directions and the whole time it was cooking, I was drooling. Whenever there is a cooked turkey around, I am like The Old Man Parker (the dad on A Christmas Story). I cannot resist sneaking (which…as an adult who made the turkey, do I really have to sneak bites? I guess I sort of do, with kids around, if I want peace while eating.) crispy skin or breast meat pieces. Oh just yum! I made a quick gravy from the drippings and corn starch and pepper. Gravy is one of those foods that, and my parents will back me up on this, I got really sick on after eating too much in one sitting as a child and came back for more AFTER…um…disposing of it. Know what I mean? I love gravy. I’m gross.

Anyways. Enough about my grossness.

I served the turkey with steamed fresh green beans and sweet potato casserole (basically the same meal as the other night, but subbing turkey for ham). It was SO good. And yeah, I’ve served my family sweet potato casserole with marshmallows three weeks in a row.

I tried to show my older son how to make a wish using the wishbone, but for some reason, it didn’t work. Neither of us got our wish. That dang thing was as slippery as an eel. We sure did try to break it. He even tried to break it with all his three year old might! It wouldn’t budge. Whatever. He still thought it was cool.

Enjoy this last night before Christmas!

Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Kristin

Christmas Bible Study

It’s so easy to get caught up in the baking, shopping, wrapping and unwrapping of gifts this time of year. But if we take a minute to really think about why this is all even happening, it changes things. Matthew 1:18 tells us of how the birth of Jesus came to be. It explains that Mary, a young woman, was pledged to be married to Joseph. She was found to be with child and since they had not been together, Joseph decided to discreetly send her away (because he was a righteous man). An angel appeared to him and told him not to be afraid of this and that the child born to them would be from the Holy Spirit and would save everyone from their sins. Joseph faithfully followed through with what God put on him.

Mothers – can you imagine how Mary felt through all of this? A young virgin, given the task of carrying the Savior, the man who would wash away the world’s sins for the rest of time. Although scared, Mary was also faithful to God’s will. He sent angels with comforting words and guided her and Joseph to the place where Jesus would be born.

Mary, heavy with child, rode on a donkey to Bethlehem. Can you feel how deep her ‘burden’ was? She gave birth to Jesus in a stable, surrounded by animals and her Joseph, a far cry from how most births happen now.

What a humble beginning for the baby who grew into the man who would go through such pain for us.

Christmas is the celebration of Jesus’ birth, how He came into this world, how He has saved us. I am eternally grateful for what that couple went through on that night in Bethlehem. I am so grateful to know Jesus in my heart. He has changed my life.

And all we have to do to be saved is to ask Jesus to live in our hearts and to live by His word. We can be free in Him. He can heal your pain, heal your heart.

If you want to know Jesus in your heart and are not sure how to start this, you can say a simple prayer with me. Or you can use your own words.

Dear Jesus,

I admit that I am a sinner. I have done many things that don’t please you. I have lived my life for myself. I am sorry and I repent I ask you to forgive me. I believe that you died on the cross for me, to save me. You did what I could not do for myself. I come to you now and ask you to take control of my life, I give it to you. Help me to live every day in a way that pleases you. I love you, Lord, and I thank you that I will spend all eternity with you.

Amen.

Salvation Prayer from:

http://christianity.about.com/od/prayersforspecificneeds/a/salvationprayer.htm

   In Christ,

Kristin

‘Tis the Season!

‘Tis also the season to be super busy! Which we have been. Non-stop. It’s been mostly good stuff too.

My sweet dog, who I am convinced has severe anxiety (and who also does not react well to anti-anxiety canine meds – story for another time!) had to go to her yearly allergy appointment. And the next day, she went under anesthesia to have her denties cleaned. She looks like a million bucks, but is still adjusting to the weird week she had (LAST week). She’s so weird.

But isn’t she so cute (if not a little wide-eyed lol)?

Our elf Duncan came a few times since I last wrote.

He TP’d our tree. Bigs got a kick out of it. Actually, so did Smalls. He’s been super into finding the elf each morning.

He rode on a dinosaur (and took a dino friend!) to Bethlehem to see Baby Jesus.

And he got into some more sweets (a la Buddy the Elf). He was drinking real maple syrup through a straw, got out the Hershey’s syrup and some marshmallows. He’s going to need to go see Hermey the Dentist Elf if he keeps this up.

And my husband and I went on a date to a Christmas party with our friends. The food was out of this world.

We had so much to eat! It was definitely a foodie type party (that turned into a dance party once my DJ husband started with the music and our host husband brought out the party lights!).

There were all kinds of desserts (truffles, cake balls, cake dip, melted snow man mix) and savories for days. My absolute favorite thing bordered on dessert, but was with the savory foods – brie with walnuts and cranberries in phyllo cups. I probably ate my weight in them. As I typed that, I realized I also say that a lot. But I don’t have a problem. 😉

No decorative or food stone was left unturned. We had a fabulous time!

Same time, next year??

We had a gift exchange (which is always a hoot) and there were these gourmet marshmallows as one of the gifts. I convinced my friend who won them to let me try them. I’ve been wanting to for forever. These particular ones were s’mores flavor. Um, you know how I feel about that particular flavor profile.

Look how cute they come in their adorable package!! And, boy, were they good! If you need a gift for anyone…or yourself (especially for yourself!!!)…get them. They have tons of other flavors and are made by hand in small batches. A must try!

Here’s the website:

http://wondermade.com/

I guess it is also a ’tis the season for desserts…look at this beauty I had some [most] of while dining out. Ice cream in a cinnamon-sugar dusted won ton, crème brûlée, and a whipped cream covered brownie a la mode. It was redonkulous.

Starting then, I am now on a crème brûlée kick. I have never made it, but will very soon. And probably make it turn out like scrambled eggs. I’m sure you’ll see that here.

And, also this happened. My sweet friend gave this to me for Christmas. I have been wanting to try this for AGES. We don’t have a Trader Joe’s around us (although one should be coming some day) and she traveled recently and picked up this little gem. GINGERBREAD cookie butter. One of my favorite things.

Food gifts are so great.

I hope this post finds you ready for Christmas, feeling peace and a full tummy.

I’ll leave you with two funny things Bigs said to me recently (which prove, as if his face isn’t already exactly like the little boy version of mine) that he is mine:

After our Publix grocery trip, I tell him it is time for lunch. He says, “I’m not hungry. I had a cookie and a tick tock [tic tac].”

-and-

“My body feels like it wants a dessert.”

Seriously, he is all me!

(Listen, I realize this picture is a bit awkward. But that’s me. I was hunchy because as I was standing there, it occurred to me that I was pretty much as tall as the tree. # tall people problems)

Cheers!

Big blessings,

Kristin

Oh my Darlin’, Oh my Darlin’!

I made you a dessert. One that’s good for you! It practically screams “health”! And plus it’s easy, which is a good, important thing in my book. So go make them. And eat them. Blogger’s orders!

Chocolate Dipped Clementines with Sea Salt!

I started with my mise en place (again). Always important in cooking and baking. It saves a ton of time.

This recipe calls for three simple ingredients: semi-sweet chocolate chips, clementines, and sea salt.

Now you’ll have to use your imagination on how the double boiler of chocolate looked. And then it was melted. And it was glossy and smooth and beautiful.

I became a genius half-way in the middle of my process and wanted to “clean up” my SD card on my phone to make more room for pictures. I then proceeded to delete all the pictures I’d taken of this process.

Smooth move, ex-lax. (Remember saying that as a kid? Gross.)

Anywho. Once the chocolate was melted and smooth, I dipped the clementine segments into it and placed it on a plate. I then sprinkled some pink Himalayan sea salt (what I had by way of sea salt) on the melted chocolate.

I placed all the trays in the fridge for about 15 minutes to firm up the chocolate.

I had a good feeling about these.

Aren’t they festive?

Once they were set, I TRIED to transfer the segments to a presentation plate. I say “try” because my genius self didn’t use parchment paper on top of the trays.

This is the result:

I will, undoubtedly and pathetically, pick these sad little pieces of underside chocolates off the plates and eat them during my boys’ nap.

This recipe was great.

If you are looking for something easy, but wonderful, to make with a Christmas Eve or Christmas Day meal, this is your answer.

They are not only easy to make, but VERY easy to pick up and pop in your mouth. They’d make a beautiful addition to any holiday table.

 And have I said how delicious they are? That sea salt really makes the chocolate pop and the oils and juices from the clementines infuse the chocolate.

Here’s the recipe I loosely (used my own [non]measurements) followed:

Chocolate Dipped Clementines with Sea Salt

Lovely. Just lovely.

Also. Yes. Duncan. He came again. This time, he sat his tired self right in the cookie jar. Either he really likes sweets a lot or he’s just too tired to keep coming up with naughty things to do. Either or. 😉

Have a wonderfully blessed day,

Kristin

Countdown to Christmas: 6 Days!