Baking

Christmas and baking go hand in hand. It seems like they've been together since the beginning! For hundreds of years, breads and cakes, cookies and pies have graced dining room tables whenever Jesus' birth is celebrated.

Long ago, Christmas Eve was a day of fasting. As a way of preparing themselves for Christmas, people didn't eat anything the entire day, so they were extremely hungry when they woke up on Christmas Day. For breakfast, porridge-a hot, thick, bland cereal-was served.

As time went on, creative wives and mothers began adding dried fruits, spices and honey to the porridge to make it a special Christmas morning treat. With all these extras, the mixture was thick and stiff, so the cooks wrapped it in a cloth and dunked it in a big pot of boiling water.

Voila! Christmas pudding!

Sometime during the sixteenth century, wheat flour replace the porridge. Eggs were added to hold the ingredients together, and the resulting treat became known as boiled plum cake. The English used the word plum to mean any dried fruit, so what we actually have here is the advent of fruitcake. (And I have a feeling there may be a few of the original fruitcakes still kicking around in the back of someones pantry.)

When the terms "bread" and "cake" became interchangeable, they called it fruit bread. At one point, ginger was added in remembrance of the gifts of the Magi. (Does this make fruitcake and gingerbread cousins?)

The word Bethlehem, which is the birthplace of Jesus, literally means "house of bread". In that humble town in Judea, a baby boy was born who would come to be known as the Bread of Life (see John 6:51). He nourishes us with hope and healing, with forgiveness and love. When you're in the home of a family who loves Jesus, you can almost smell it in the air - just as you can smell bread baking in the oven!

So as you're baking pumpkin pie, star-shaped cookies, or banana bread this season - Whatever wonderful smell is coming out of the oven - let it remind you of the Bread of Life who gave "Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for the sweet-smelling aroma" (Ephesians 5:2, NKJV).

~Here is one of the Springer's most loved Christmas treats that we enjoy every year. Happy Baking

MAGIC COOKIE BARS

1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 (14 ounce) can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)

1 (12 ounce) package milk chocolate chips

1 1/3 cups flaked coconut

1 cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 for glass dish). In a 13x9 inch baking pan, melt butter in oven. Sprinkle crumbs over butter, pour condensed milk evenly over crumbs. Layer with remaining ingredients; press down firmly.

2. Bake 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Cut into bars. Store loosely covered.

ENJOY!

Why Jesus is Better Than Santa Claus!

Santa lives at the North Pole...
JESUS is everywhere.

Santa rides in a sleigh...
JESUS rides on the wind and walks on the water.

Santa comes but once a year...
JESUS is an ever present help.

Santa fills your stockings with goodies...
JESUS supplies all your needs.

Santa comes down your chimney uninvited...
JESUS stands at your door and knocks, and then enters your heart when invited.

You have to wait in line to see Santa...
JESUS is as close as the mention of His name.

Santa lets you sit on his lap...
JESUS lets you rest in His arms.

Santa doesn't know your name, all he can say is "Hi little boy or girl, what's your name?"...
JESUS knew our name before we were born. Not only does He know our name, He knows our address too. He knows our history and future and He even knows how many hairs are on our heads.

Santa has a belly like a bowl full of jelly...
JESUS has a heart full of love

All Santa can offer is HO HO HO...
JESUS offers health, help and hope.

Santa says "You better not cry"...
JESUS says "Cast all your cares on me for I care for you."

Santa's little helpers make toys...
JESUS makes new life, mends wounded hearts, repairs broken homes and builds mansions.

Santa may make you chuckle but...
JESUS gives you joy that is your strength.

While Santa puts gifts under your tree...
JESUS became our gift and died on a tree...the cross.

We need to put Christ back in CHRISTmas, Jesus is still the reason for the season.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).

Cold Winter Nights and Let-It-Snow Cocoa!!!

Well, I hate to admit it.......but the Weatherman (AKA my husband) says that we are about to be hit with the white stuff!!!!  Now, being from the south, I'm NOT a big fan of it at all.  In fact, I like to say that I'm allergic to snow.  I like how pretty it is before all the kids walk through it and all the cars make it that ugly shade of grey on the side of the road.  ICK!  Plus, being from the south.......I don't like to drive in it at all.  There is a running joke in Georgia that goes a little like this..........At the first sight of a single snow flake, all the grocery stores in the state will run out of milk, bread and toilet paper!  And they aren't kidding :)  Everything shuts down and no one will leave their houses until the white stuff is gone.

With all of that said, it's gonna get really cold.  There is nothing better on a cold winter's night than a nice warm mug of cocoa.  I made our first batch last night.  I don't want to toot my own horn (toot toot!!) but I think that I have the world's best recipe for hot chocolate.  Guaranteed to make your family think that you hung the moon!

I've had a request that I post my recipe online.  Now, I have to say this about my recipe, you can make regular chocolate hot chocolate or vanilla hot chocolate.  I personally like it either way.  Ryan on the other hand says that the regular chocolate hot chocolate rocks.  :)  He's not biased or anything!  So, here ya go.  Here is my recipe for "Let-It-Snow Cocoa".

Let-It-Snow Cocoa

2 c. whipping cream
6 c. milk
1 tsp.  vanilla extract
12-oz. pkg. white chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips (Very important to use Milk Chocolate not Semi-Sweet)

Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on low setting for 2 to 2-1/2 hours. Stir well to blend before serving. Makes 10 servings.

The Wonder Of Christmas!

This is the wonder of Christmas: that God chose to send our deliverer to earth in the form of a baby. The offspring who would crush the serpent's head, so long ago promised to Eve, is promised again in Isaiah as He who would be the light of the world, but He is given to us as a child! Against all the forces of evil arrayed against Him the Christ arrives among us as a newborn baby, and yet He is a King. He would grow and live His life as we do, with the same cares and concerns but overcoming all trials and defeating all attempts by the prince of darkness to pervert Him, to become our perfect sacrifice and ultimately our King in glory, so that you and I, as we celebrate our own Christmas, may look forward to the promised inheritance that awaits us in glory...all because of the birth of a Child.

~The picture above is of my little Jackson!  He was in awe of our Christmas tree :)  He is 17 months old.

The Legend of The Christmas Tree!

As the story goes, a professor named Martin Luther was walking alone through a forest one December night in the early 1500's. As he made his way home, the stars seemed to twinkle with an unusual brightness against the velvety blackness of the clear night sky. In fact, when he passed under the rustling branches of the evergreens, it seemed to him that miniature stars were dancing in the trees all around him.

It wasn't the sudden gust of cold wind that took the professor's breath away; it was the unexpected wave of worship that caused him to shiver. Luther was overwhelmed by the awesome beauty of God's creation.

The legend goes on to tell how Luther chopped down a small fir tree and set it up in his family's living area. He desperately wanted to somehow capture that moment in the starlit forest. Yet as he attempted to describe the beauty he had seen, words completely failed him.

Suddenly Luther had an idea. He went through his house and gathered up all the burning candles. One by one, he carefully placed them on the branches of the tree, and the little fir in the middle of the Luther home began to dance with twinkling lights. This wise papa's plan had worked! The Luther children's eyes were suddenly opened to the meaning of Psalm 19:1: " The heavens tell of the glory of God. The skies display his marvelous craftsmanship."



My Very Own Christmas Tree:

Purchase a small Christmas tree and place it in your child's room. Together string a strand of Christmas lights around the tree. This will not only be her/his special tree but it will also act as a night-light during the holiday season. Morgan has her own Christmas tree. :)

Shiny Tinsel.....AKA.....Your Stainless Steel Sink!

Okie dokie my fellow bloggers!  I'm going to now tell you one of my BIGGEST pet peeves in life......Water Spots on my stainless steel sink.  They drive me crazy!!!!!!  My second pet peeve is a dull yucky looking sink.  Lets face it, those of us that have stainless steel sinks fight both problems on a daily basis.  I struggled for years trying to figure out just how to get my sink looking nice and keeping it that way.  Well, I've found the solution and now I'm gonna pass it along to you.

First, I've got to say this......I drive my husband nuts with my obsessive battle with the inevitable water spotted sink.  When I'm done using the sink, I must admit that I take a clean kitchen towel and dry my sink out.  I know, I know.....it's a sink!  Like I told ya, the spots drive me crazy.  I need help!!!  LOL

Ok, so this is how to get your sink looking it's shiny best and how to keep it that way.

First, you must fill the sink up to the rim with very hot water.  I've even boiled water and added it to the already hot water in the sink.  Just for good measure ;)

Next you will need to add 1 cup of bleach to the water.  Be very careful!  You don't want to get the bleach on your clothes.  I don't think that I could help you with that little mishap :(   Let the bleach water sit in your sink for 1 hour.  After 1 hour, drain the water and rinse out your sink well with running water.

Next you'll want to use a little cleanser.  I use baking soda, but you can use Comet, Ajax or Soft Scrub.  Whatever you have on hand.  Don't forget to clean off your faucet as well!

The last step is to spray a little glass cleaner on your sink.  Wipe it out!  Your sink should shine like silver tinsel :)

Now, I maintain my shine at least twice a week.  After doing the dishes I will scrub the sink out with a little regular dish soap and rinse it well.  Then I will sprinkle about 1/2 a tbsp. of baking soda in the sink and scrub.  Rinse well and dry the sink out with a clean, dry kitchen towel.  Your sink will SHINE SHINE SHINE!!!!! 

I hope that is helpful all of you out there that obsess over your kitchen sinks as much as I do :)

Happy Scrubbing!

P.S.  See, I told ya that bought some of that good smelling Williams Sonoma cleaning products!!!  You can see them in the picture above.  My most favorite product so far is the countertop spray.  I LOVE IT!!!!  Smells sooooooooo good!  You gotta get ya some :)

And The Stockings Were Hung.....

"The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,  In hopes that Saint Nicholas soon would be there"

There was a kindly nobleman whose wife had died of an illness leaving the nobleman and his three daughters in despair. After losing all his money in useless and bad inventions the family had to move into a peasant's cottage, where the daughters did their own cooking, sewing and cleaning.

When it came time for the daughters to marry, the father became even more depressed as his daughters could not marry without dowries, money and property given to the new husband's family.

One night after the daughters had washed out their clothing they hung their stockings over the fireplace to dry. That night Saint Nicholas, knowing the despair of the father, stopped by the nobleman's house. Looking in the window Saint Nicholas saw that the family had gone to bed. He also noticed the daughters stockings. Inspiration struck Saint Nicholas and he took three small bags of gold from his pouch and threw them one by one down the chimney and they landed in the stockings.

The next morning when the daughters awoke they found their stockings contained enough gold for them to get married. The nobleman was able to see his three daughters marry and he lived a long and happy life.

Children all over the world continue the tradition of hanging Christmas stockings.

 In some countries children have similar customs, in France the children place their shoes by the fireplace, a tradition dating back to when children wore wooden peasant shoes.

In Holland the children fill their shoes with hay and a carrot for the horse of Sintirklass. In Hungary children shine their shoes before putting them near the door or a window sill.

Italian children leave their shoes out the night before Epiphany, January 5, for La Befana the good witch. And in Puerto Rico children put greens and flowers in small boxes and place them under their beds for the camels of the Three Kings.