Day-After Apple Pie

As if we didn't have enough sweet and savory to feast on yesterday, Jennifer decided we should bake a skillet apple pie to finish off our Christmas celebrations.

Ingredients:

2 lbs Granny Smith apples 

1 1/2 lbs Braeburn apples

1 tsp ground cinnamon 

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup butter 

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 package Pillsbury refrigerated piecrusts (2 to a pack)

1 egg white 

2 TBSP granulated sugar

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350º. 

• Peel apples, and cut into 1/2-inch wedges. Toss apples with cinnamon and granulated sugar.

• Melt butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat; add brown sugar, and cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. 

• Remove from heat, and place 1 piecrust in skillet over brown sugar mixture. Spoon apple mixture over piecrust, and top with remaining piecrust. 

• Whisk egg white until foamy. Brush top of piecrust with egg white; sprinkle with 2 TBSP granulated and brown sugar. Cut 4 or 5 slits in top for steam to escape.

• Bake at 350º for 1 hour or until golden brown and bubbly, shielding with aluminum foil during last 10 minutes to prevent burning. 

• Cool on a wire rack 30 minutes before serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Recipe adapted from Southern Living.

Christmas Countdown: One Day 'Til Christmas

"When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 

'Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.' 

And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger."

~Luke 2: 15

Merry Christmas Eve!

Christmas Countdown: Two Days 'Til Christmas

"'And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.' And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased.'"
~Luke 2:12-14

One of my biggest struggles is living in the now. I'm constantly thinking about what I should have done in the past or what my future will look like. Jim Elliot said "Let not our longing slay the appetite of our living." These are good words for busy bodies like me. When I think about the moments where I was fully present and fully engaged in what was happening right then, whether good or bad, I recall moments of genuine rest. There's peace in knowing that the God of my past and the Sovereign Lord of my future desires for me to be right where he has me in this season. He wants us to learn today's lessons and not for us  to be hindered by worries of the future. 

Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts, A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are provides a good illustration of this truth. She welcomes her readers to find the joy(s) in the present, even if that landscape happens to be one of great loneliness and pain. She writes:

"Without trust in the good news of Jesus, without trust in the good news of God's saving work even in this moment, without an active, moment-by-moment trust in the good news of an all-sovereign, all-good God, how can we claim to fully believe? This is the trust I lack: to know that if disaster strikes, He carries me even there. Trust in the wholeness of the gospel -- including this moment, good news too -- and be saved. Choose stress, worry, anxiety, reject what God has given now, which is good news too -- refuse to trust -- and be condemned."

And what better time to start trusting Him with our now than at Christmastime -- the time in which Christ left perfection, unencumbered by the bounds of time or sin to live out 33 years of human moments and then horrible death so that we could know eternity.  

As I seek to live in the moments of life this Christmas and throughout this new year upon us, I invite you to do the same. May you live fully, as one who is wide awake.

Christmas Countdown: Three Days 'Til Christmas

"And the angel said to them, 'Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.' "

~Luke 2:10 & 11

 

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This Christmas, I'm particularly mindful of my missionary friends, Sarah and Kate who are serving in Uganda and Honduras. While the rest of us will be able to enjoy time with our family and loved ones in the comfort of our own homes, Sarah and Kate have chosen to follow the Lord's calling thousands of miles away. My prayer for them this Christmas is that they will know they are deeply loved and that Christ will give them a joy that passes all understanding as they serve His people in foreign lands.

To learn more about Sarah and Kate or to donate to their ministries, please visit their blogs:

http://dunnsar.wordpress.com/

http://avoiceinthestreets.wordpress.com/

Christmas Countdown: Four Days 'Til Christmas

"And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear."

~Luke 2:8 & 9 

With so few days until Christmas, I'm feeling especially crafty. 

Popcorn Balls for Co-Workers

On.a.Whim Heating Sachets for Friends

A Bag Full of Paper White Bulbs = Gifts to Be

Oh how I love to create for others.

Christmas Countdown: Five Days 'Til Christmas

"And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn." 

~Luke 2:6&7

Andrew Peterson and Jill Phillips' Labor of Love set to scenes from the movie Nativity.

It was not a silent night

There was blood on the ground

You could hear a woman cry

In the alleyways that night

On the streets of David's town

And the stable was not clean

And the cobblestones were cold

And little Mary full of grace

With the tears upon her face

Had no mother's hand to hold

It was a labor of pain

It was a cold sky above

But for the girl on the ground in the dark

With every beat of her beautiful heart

It was a labor of love

Noble Joseph at her side

Callused hands and weary eyes

There were no midwives to be found

In the streets of David's town

In the middle of the night

So he held her and he prayed

Shafts of moonlight on his face

But the baby in her womb

He was the maker of the moon

He was the Author of the faith

That could make the mountains move

It was a labor of pain

It was a cold sky above

But for the girl on the ground in the dark

With every beat of her beautiful heart

It was a labor of love

For little Mary full of grace

With the tears upon her face

It was a labor of love

Christmas Countdown: Six Days 'Til Christmas

Join me for the next six days as I count down to Christmas. 

Each day I'll post a picture, recipe or short tale along with the Gospel Luke's account of the Christmas Story. Praying blessings over you and your loved ones this Christmas season!

My friend Rebecca and I recently made a day trip down Highway 280 to Harpersville, Alabama. Every year Old Baker Farm welcomes folks from all over to scour their fields in search of the perfect Christmas tree. 

Among other varieties, they boast Virginia Pines, Leyland Cypress and the enchanting Carolina Sapphire - my new favorite. We enjoyed sipping hot apple cider, taking in the sweet aroma of the trees and holding a 4-day-old goat. 

If you're still looking for your tree or want to plan ahead for next year, the farm is open until dark on Christmas Eve. For more information, click here.

"In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child."

~Luke 2:1-5

Remembering Grandpa

This morning my family said goodbye (for now) to our darling grandfather, father, husband, retired serviceman and friend Richard Hickey. He was admitted to the ICU two weeks ago with double pneumonia and almost immediately put on a respirator. I am so thankful I was able to make the trip to Mobile two Wednesdays ago to hold his hand. I told him how much I love him, how proud I am to be his granddaughter and how much of a blessing it has been to experience life with him. 

The below column was written two months ago with no foreknowledge of what would be. It came out at the first of this month. I don't believe in accidents or luck, but I do believe in God's sovereignty, and having a little piece of my grandfather's story published is amazing grace indeed.

Cooking Class

One of the reasons I'm thankful to be living in my new home is that it's only a few miles from a residential shelter for families in crisis. My church volunteers every Tuesday night, providing meals and building relationships with the residents who are living there. 

I've come to find that food is a great equalizer. Somehow a dinner table is able to break down demographic and racial walls resulting in instant community. Preparing food together provides an even easier space to build relationships. This weekend we had our second cooking class with a surprisingly robust attendance. Who knew that high school-age boys love to cook? 

Our menu: Chicken Chili and Popcorn Balls.

I had such a blast making these Popcorn Balls for the December issue of Shelbyco Magazine that I decided to try it again in a group setting. From these pictures you'll find everyone enjoyed getting their hands a little sticky for this salty-sweet treat.

Popcorn Balls

• 12 cups Kettle Corn Popcorn, popped

• 1 3/4 cups sugar

• 1 3/4 cups light corn syrup

• 2 tsp. vinegar

• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

• 5 TBSP unsalted butter

• Nonstick butter-flavored cooking spray

Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Pour popped popcorn into a large, wide rimmed bowl. Combine sugar, corn syrup, and vinegar in a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until sugar dissolves then continue to cook for about 10 more minutes or until candy thermometer reaches 250 degrees. Stir in butter and vanilla until butter is completely melted. Pour over popcorn and stir with a wooden spoon, coating popcorn as evenly as possible. Spray hands with cooking spray then form balls with mixture. Be careful not to burn your hands as the mixture may still be very hot.

Place formed balls on to the baking sheet and add Christmas decor as desired. 
Recipe yields 12 popcorn balls.

*For more Christmastime Confections, click here or pick up a copy of the December Shelbyco Magazine.

A special thanks to Candace Mothershead for providing her photographic genius!

Drawing Near at Advent

"We are a people of promise. For centuries, God prepared people for the coming of his Son, our only hope for life. At Christmas we celebrate the fulfillment of the promises God made —that he would give a way to draw near to him." ~John Piper

Today we welcomed in the first of the Advent season. On the Christian calendar, Advent is the season leading up to Christmas. It begins four Sundays before December 25th and is a time of waiting, praying and preparing for the celebratory birth of Christ. 

Though I've surely heard of advent since childhood, this year I plan to honor it with more intentionality. My prayer is that this December will not be yet another busy holiday month full of parties, food and consuming, but that it will instead be a time of waiting, watching and praying. A time of remembrance and longing for the coming King. A time for self-forgetfulness and goodwill to my fellow man (and woman). A time of peace. And most of all, a time of worship. Oh how very much my life needs Advent.

On.a.Whim Breakfast Casserole

This recipe has been prepared for brinner, enjoyed at Christmas breakfast and quadrupled for our local homeless shelter. It's tasty, easy and can be made ahead and refrigerated overnight before baking. Serve with a piping hot cup of coffee and  fresh biscuits. 

Ingredients:

4 slices of wheat or whole grain bread

1 lb bulk pork sausage (I prefer Jimmy Dean Maple Sausage.)

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

6 eggs

2 cups milk

2 tsp mustard

Salt & pepper to taste

• Heat oven to 350 degrees.

• In a skillet, brown sausage over medium heat until all the pink is gone. Drain grease by 

   placing cooked meat in a colander.

• While sausage is cooking, cut bread into 1-inch cubes. I stack the slices together and chop

   them into cubes all at one time. If your knife is sharp enough, this is a fairly simple task.

• Place bread in an 8-inch baking dish. I also like to use this earthenware (featured in

   picture).

• In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, mustard, salt & pepper.

• Pour sausage evenly over bread cubes then gently pour egg mixture over sausage. 

• Sprinkle cheese on top and bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until cooked all the way through.

In non-food related news, I have two new roommates and a new home. Due to a mold invasion in my former abode, I was forced to relocate (almost) immediately. Thanks to two very sweet and helpful ladies (that would be you Ashley + Blake) in my church, I was connected with Candace and Brady (the golden doodle) who just so happened to be looking for a new tenant. It is such a blessing to live in a beautiful home (with a very well-equipped kitchen) and to have found two already dear, new friends. We have bonded quite nicely over cooking, entertaining guests and running. This is just one of the many blessings for which I am truly thankful for this Thanksgiving.