Cheerful Christmas Music! Praline Yam Recipe, Some of Our Fur Angels, News Sources. a Hymn

Such a nice time of year for most, but a sobering and sad time for many.  We're puttering around getting things ready...Taking notices of the beautiful autumn light that filters through...

I can't tell you how many mornings or afternoons I see the most beautiful glow and am tempted to retrieve my phone but no.    I would have to leave the feel of things and it's not worth it to me...The electronic age can steal life from us if we let it.  

I'm making Thanksgiving dishes in the kitchen, our youngest, Grace is cleaning out the pantry for wandering pilgrims who end up in there hunting for something.

 Here's what we are listening to (so fun)  just cute Christmas music that reminds me of when I was a little girl:

Kmart Store Intercom Christmas Music

 

Kmart Christmas In Store Music

A Good Hour of Classic Christmas Songs

So whatcha cookin' for Thanksgiving?   I already baked my sweet potato casseroles.  

Don't you wanna know what kind I bake?   I have a special one that my Italian grandma always-always made!  Now you must know my Grandma was from Naples, Italy.  Her family landed in Boston and came down to New Orleans to the south.  I have New Orleans in my blood.

  Here is my traditional recipe, it's the old one from the can of sweet potatoes.  (I forgot the brand)  But never fear...Alas!  I saved the recipe and I make this dish every Thanksgiving!   (Black & White Photos by Robert Stock)

PRALINE YAMS

You will need to triple recipe for a 13 x 9 pan.  

29 oz. can cut yams

1/3 cup coconut

1/3 cups pecans chopped (I used walnuts)

1/3 cups brown sugar

3 T. Flour

3 T Butter or margarine

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Place drained yams in ungreased 1 1/2 quart casserole or baking dish.  (Save juice).  Combine remaining ingredients put on yams.  Add a little juice to keep from drying.  Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes until bubbly.

I made 2 pans, one traditional and one healthier; wheat free, very low sugar.  I doubled each and put them in foil pans for easy cleanup.  They are resting in my deep freeze, going night-night until the morning of Thanksgiving.  

MY HEALTHIER VERSION

I used unsweetened organic coconut.    I use almond or  brown rice flour.  Instead of brown sugar I use a tablespoon of maple extract and I used Whole Earth raw sugar and stevia baking blend.   with a little water. You could also use plain stevia.  I use 1/2 tsp. of the blend x 12.  (something like that).  I try to keep things under 3 grams of sugar per serving for myself .  Instead of using the juice I use water to moisten.

 So.  The pilgrims who want the sugary stuff will have theirs and those of us who want to limit sugar will have the other pan.  Voila.  Done.  Tried and true.  

I know it's not fresh yams, I know, I know but I don't care.  It's a busy time of year and when you have pilgrims and a couple of little indians showing up we homemakers gotta do what we gotta do.  K.I.S.S.  Keep it simple sweetie.  I always have tried to keep it simple on much of this so I don't drive myself crazy.  

Grace picked up a tofurky brand vegan stuffed turkey roll for a few of us.   Jem will handle the "other". (frown)   That is no longer in my job description. 

Did you know Fred Rogers was also a veggie guy?  He was a Christian, a Republican and a minister as well.  So I will add Mr. Rogers to my Tender Conscience  Hall of Fame. 

 

Here's some of my fur children pics for you.

Today:  Peanut the dauchsy

 

 He is such a little trip! His expressions are hilarious. Rescued from the road last Thanksgiving by my son in love.

Muffie, our sweet lil Schitzu, taken last week.  He's getting older and can't see very well.  The little guy gave us a scare the other week when we got home and he was nowhere to be found.  We found him on the back of our property laying in the grass just a-wagging his tail!  We've since built a little boarded yard area for him out the doggy door like we had for our little Guiseppe.  Way back when Huckabee was running for President my daughter, Joycie found the matted little guy in the middle of the street, his collar rusted shut. Doesn't he have such a sweet little face?

 

He follows me around the house here, he's a little heartbeat at my feet. ...So sweet.

 

 

One of our kitties...This little guy is a real cuddle bunny, his name is Howdy, he's very shy.  His mommy was a rescue kitty we rescued under a freeway overpass one dark night.

 

 He loves to come and sit on the arm  of my chair in the early morning when I'm praying and I pet his sweet little head..He loves it.  ...Howdy, my cuddle bunny.

 

 

Here, One Recent Morning...

 

 

I hope you all are doing well.  Many have cruel losses this year, I personally have a dear friend in middle age whose husband just died after falling from a ladder, being in a coma for weeks and months of rehab. 

And some of us are perhaps remembering losses from last year and years before that too.  I have many loved ones on my mind trust me.  Oh how I miss them...Only God knows how I miss them.  This time of year reminds me of when I would talk to my daddy on the phone...He telling me how his mother made bechamel sauce for turnips...Yes, Daddy, I'm getting a green thumb like you.  I have turnip greens growing in my garden, you would be so proud, Daddy. 

 

  The state of the country is in need of prayer, God is moved by our faith and we can use spiritual warfare, don't give up.   Please allow me to share two youtube sources that help us keep up with things from a Christian perspective, both post often, usually daily:

 

The Eric Metaxas Radio Show  

Ron Paul Liberty Report

 

 

 

Closing with a hymn...   Heralds of Christ   

I just heard this sung at an old, old, old historical church I once attended that is televised. I thought I had finally found a church that suited me, my parents were married there, my daughter Zuzu and son in love, Tommy were too. An old Wesleyan Cathedral whose walls shout Christ and His Holy Spirit....But it was taken over by liberal thinking, the Holy Ghost led pastor and most of the staff left almost like a coup.  (horrible)   It happened around four years ago.  It's a loss in my life.  But oh listening to this song....Oh did it hit some heartstrings...  

 

Have a wonderful evening, though many of us have things in our lives that have caused such pain, we can still march on with the Lord.  He's there for us all during these times.      We can be that quiet force in our families.  The painful times build wisdom and help us help others.

Be kind.   Be merciful.

God bless and be with you,    ~Amelia

Some Encouraging Thoughts

I love homemaking, I love my husband and family, I love Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior.

If you've followed my blog for any length of time you will know it's just my thoughts and my heart written here as I share life, whether it be an art project, an old black and white movie or a sermon.    It's a time of prayer.

 

(A shot from here in the forest above)

 

Be watchful, be in prayer....Be at Peace in the Lord.   There is a Peace that passes all understanding. 

We must keep our homes places of praise and peace as we keep our little governments so to speak a good place to live.  We homemakers can be that quiet force of grace, mercy and love in our homes.  I so thank God that my husband is also a force to be reckoned with when it comes to these things.  What a blessing that my husband shares sermons with our family, and our family sends sermons back and forth to each other.  My husband is not only a businessman but a minister in his own right, ordained when a pastor of ours recognized my husband's natural works, just living the Life.  He's shared on the streets of the city, drug rehabs, he's ministered in prisons sharing as well there, as our entire family visiting there in those places.

One of my fondest most precious memories was a Christmas party we were invited to in a prison.  Two of the inmates put my husband and I down as their family.  We brought our little girls and those prisoners  were like little children that day in the chapel.  They reminded me so much of what you see in the Boys Town movie with Mickey Rooney.  The prisoners were able to have their families with their children their too, what a privilege that was to be invited to that precious Christmas party.  I often wonder where they all are, and what the state of things is in their families at this time.  Just some thoughts...Just thankful memories and thankful for a husband who is a pastor in his own right.  So thankful our girls grew up seeing all of humanity and the beauty in it no matter what and where and what mistakes people had made, no matter what kind of money people had.  It's a beautiful thing.  Walking with God is a beautiful thing.   

We can walk with Him and talk with Him...We can all be ministers in our own right, whether it be at the store or wherever.  They will know us by our love.  There's nothing like flashing a big toothy grin at folks and just showing that love and peace to others in these trying times.

   

Photo by Robert Stock

 

Good night and may God be with you,   ~Amelia in the Forest