Christmas Reflection

  Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas...

 Now that the festivities have slowed, at least for our family, and the children are off playing with their new toys and gadgets, I have a little quiet time to sit and reflect over the season and this past year as I begin to anticipate the coming New Year. I'm by myself down here, cozy on the couch with the fireplace crackling and a beautiful view of snow covered evergreens...watching one of my favorite Christmas movies, Nester, the Christmas Donkey.

 I really enjoy having time to think about our experiences, what we've learned, and ponder God's faithfulness through it all. Yes, His faithfulness and love. It was a hard year for our family, we experienced a lot of life, but now, reflecting back, He walked us through, sometimes carrying us. It's been quite a journey this year, but even through the hardships, we are living at a greater level of freedom and love, simplicity, hope, friendship, and unity than ever before. And I am truly thankful. 

It's taken us some time to establish our own family traditions. It has only been a couple Christmases that we haven't gone home, so we have been working on building our own traditions. We truly miss celebrating with family but it's been good for all of us to spend this time together, restful and relaxed. 

We've incorporated some of our families' traditions and added in some of our own. Christmas Eve is still my favorite night of the year. We traveled to Harrisburg for Christmas Eve service for the first time -- Markie sang in the Christmas choir which was beautiful....and we had snow all the way over and back! We then celebrated our traditional Christmas Eve smorgasbord meal with Swedish accents, and then borrowed from the German side as he children hunted for the pickle to determine who would open the family gift (usually a game we can all play together). 

Christmas morning begins with the stockings Santa has left at the end of their beds which buys Tony and I a few minutes to shower and ready the cheese, meat, and cracker tray to enjoy with eggnog and coffee while we open gifts. 

Following the exchanging of gifts it's pretty much rest and playtime, no running around, no place to be...only a Christmas brunch to prepare for which most of the work was done days ahead. So, for me, a day of catching up on resting and playing with the kids' new toys and gadgets. 

So, as far as our Christmas menus are concerned, I deviate a little from our usual healthy fare, though I try to keep things within reason. The cheesy hashbrown potatoes and green bean casserole are just not healthy at all....and the little hotdogs, shrimp, eggnog, and cookies... but the Korv, beef for Swedish meatballs, breads, fruits, salad, beef on wick, all come from farm fresh and organic ingredients, mostly local. 

Here is a recipe for Swedish meatballs. Serve with Lingonberries (we purchased ours in Jamestown, NY from Peterson Markets.

Swedish Meatballs
Combine the following ingredients together in a bowl. 
2 lbs ground meat
2 eggs
1 1/2 c bread crumbs
1/2 onion, pureed
1 t ginger
1 T cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
1 t allspice
1 t sea salt
1/2 t fresh ground pepper
2 cups beef broth

Mix well and form into small balls, 1 inch or smaller. Place balls in a sprayed casserole pan, pour in broth to cover bottom of pan. Bake at 350 til browned, turning once. 

Potato Korv:
2 lbs ground pork
2 lbs ground beef
6 medium potatoes, shredded
3 t sea salt
2 t allspice
1/2 t pepper
1 medium onion chopped

Whole Grain Gingerbread Pancakes, served with choice of lingonberries, warm gingered peaches, or honey

Old Fashioned Cranberry Citrus Walnut Bread

2 c sifted whole wheat, white flour organic
1 cup succanat
1 1/2 t baking powder
1 t sea salt
1/2 t baking soda
1/8 c organic butter, melted
1/8 c organic coconut oil, melted
1 pastured egg, beaten
3/4 c fresh squeezed orange juice
1 1/2 c cranberries, chopped
1 1/2 c golden raisins
1/4-1/2 cups chopped raw organic walnuts

Preheat oven to 350.
Mix dry ingredients together. Add wet ingredients and mix. Add fruit and nuts last, mix.
Pour into loaf pan and bake 45-60 minutes, checking frequently after 40 minutes. I put a bread pan over top to prevent too much browning and to cook through center quicker and then pull it off about 40 minutes into it.