2014 - Happy New Year and Remember . . .

Cheese Crisp Crackers & Pork Party Snack

An easy recipe to go with the drinks for New Year's.

Cheese Crisp Crackers
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup finely grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
Pinch of cayenne to taste

Cream the butter until smooth. Add the cheese and cayenne and mix until well-combined. Stir in the flour and mix until it comes together in a ball. Chill for two hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or use vegetable oil spray.

Form dough into approximately one-inch balls. A cookie scoop comes in handy here! Place on prepared baking sheet about an inch apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.

Pork Party Snacks
1 pound spicy/hot pork sausage
2 cups Bisquick or biscuit mix
1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment or use vegetable oil spray.

Mix all the ingredients together to thoroughly combine. Form into approximately one-inch balls and bake for about 30 minutes.

A Recipe for Friendship (found on the Internet)

A Recipe for Friendship

 

Two cups of understanding

A tablespoon of wit,

A dash of real compassion,

A inch or two of grit,

A jigger full of loyalty

On which you can depend.

Mix them all together

Party Fruit Punch Time!

New Year's Eve and the best place to be on a busy night is home by the fire with friends and family. No need to deal with the drunken drivers and rowdy crowds. A nice way to welcome in the New Year and remember the milestones of 2013 is conversation over a tangy drink.

Party Fruit Punch
1 quart apple cider
1 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cinnamon stick
6 whole cloves
A tiny pinch of allspice

Simmer all the ingredients together until hot and fragrant. Busy day? Put them all in a crock pot four hours ahead of your party. The nice thing about this recipe is that you can add a nip or two of your favorite 'stronger' beverage and turn it into an adult drink.

Hot Spicy Cider
1 gallon apple cider (apple juice is okay, too)
6 cinnamon sticks
Generous pinch of whole allspice
10 whole cloves
Three strips of Lemon zest
Three strips of Orange zest
1/2 cup brown sugar (granulated sugar is fine, too)

Place the whole spices in a tied piece of cheesecloth. This makes it easier to retrieve them before serving. Add the rest of the ingredients to a large pot and simmer for approximately 30 minutes.

Happy New Year! A Blessed 2014 to Everyone!

The Santa Issue isn't what is hurting the unborn . . .

This Christmas season there was an ongoing argument on the race of Santa Claus and Jesus. Suddenly, it was very important to settle this because minority children, specifically black children, were being adversely affected by this. A favorite columnist of mine, suggested that instead of worrying about Santa and where he came from, perhaps we should focus on the tragic problem at hand . . . that many of these children will never see the light of day or have a Christmas to worry about the ethnic portrayal of Santa.

http://mychal-massie.com/premium/black-children-safer-with-white-santa-than-their-mothers/

Many of the African-American people at my church voted twice for a president who wanted to perpetuate the murder of babies in the womb. Even being Catholic, they put aside the values and morals of their Faith and voted for a political party rather than for Godly reasons.

The link to the article was very sad. King Herod wanted to kill the Baby Jesus and in his desire to do so, murdered many innocent children. The murder of the preborn is practically an industry today yet
'King Herods' still allow these deaths to happen.

No Room at the Inn?

It was a cold winter's day that Sunday...
The parking lot to the church was filling up quickly. I noticed as I got out of my car that fellow church members were whispering among themselves as they walked to the church. As I got closer, I saw a man leaned up against the wall outside the church. He was almost lying down as if he was asleep.

He had on a long trench coat that was almost in shreds, and a hat topped his head, pulled down so you could not see his face. He wore shoes that looked 30 years old, too small for his feet, with holes all over them. His toes stuck out.

I assumed this man was homeless and asleep, so I walked on by through the doors of the church. We all gathered for fellowship for a few minutes, and someone brought up the man lying outside. People snickered and gossiped, but no one bothered to ask him to come in, including me.

A few moments later, church began. We all waited for the preacher to take his place and to give us the Word, when the doors to the church opened. In came the homeless man walking down the aisle with his head down.

People gasped and whispered and made faces. He made his way down the aisle and up onto the pulpit. He took off his hat and coat.

My heart sank.

There stood our preacher... he was the "homeless man."

No one said a word.

The preacher took his Bible and laid it on the stand...

"Folks, I don't think I have to tell you what I am preaching about today."

– Author Unknown and Greatly Appreciated!