Christmas

Christmas has been and gone and in the rush of it all, the stress I have had this year, I have struggled with keeping in sight the true meaning of Christmas.
Christmas is what it says Christ Mass. We celebrate the love of God by sending Jesus to us as a baby, who would later die on the cross for us to save us from the penalty of our sins.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. - John 3:16 (New International Version)

I was trying so much to have the "perfect" Christmas for everyone I almost forgot the true meaning of why we celebrate. My daughters helped out each with baking and bringing food but I was still consumed with making it all perfect or I would have felt I had failed. I look now at all the left over food and mess and think 'why did I do that to myself'.

I receive a daily inspiration quote as an email from Inspire Your Day I don't always agree with what the quote says but I found today's one a gentle reminder or me.

"Open your eyes to the beauty around you,
Open your mind to the wonders of life,
Open your heart to those who love you,
And always be true to yourself." - Unknown

Christmas days one had been similar in that it ended with respecting myself and I realised that through all this I had not been doing so.

"Christmas gift suggestions:
To your enemy, forgiveness.
To an opponent, tolerance.
To a friend, your heart.
To a customer, service.
To all, charity.
To every child, a good example.
To yourself, respect." - Oren Arnold

I had been to the Christmas Eve service which is a time of stillness for me. Being surrounded by candles in the darkness and the hushed voices I am reminded of that very first Christmas. I always value this time for just me to refocus. But the following day seemed to hold its stresses for me of not performing as I thought I should.

Over the next few days I will remember to love myself and do unto me as I would to others. With all the hype of Christmas we can so easily loose the meaning of the season. I know this is so often 'preached' but it is not just to remember Christ in it all but to love yourself too. God does not want us to be a martyr but to take time to rest in His love and remember all He has for us.

The Time To Relax is When You Don't Have Time

My mother and Father have a poster with these words on it with a picture of a worn out looking toy like a muppet. My Mother bought it years ago for my Father as he never seemed to take time to relax. The phrase is one we have picked up over the years and my Husband often reminds me to keep it too.
Today I have felt a sense of panic as I realised all the things I need to and want to do before Christmas, the lack of funds and a desire to make the Christmas full of joy and our own unique traditions.
It seems like there is no time for "me" and the list of jobs in my brain is filled to capacity so I can't recall them all.
I was reminded that unless I look after myself - no-one else will - and I will be of no use to anyone else. I need to "take time to relax even though I don't have time".

I listed all the things I wanted to do and buy. I made it into tasks for the week and through to the beginning of next week. Then I set to get them done having a break between each thing I did to spend time with God. By the time evening came I felt I had accomplished quite a bit, but I had been refreshed by God as well to do the next thing. I felt strengthened with the quality time and the desire to be alone with God.
I was also aware that I push out the boundaries. When the list of things to be done today, looked like I was going to get all completed, I added some more. It was as if I didn't want to allow myself to finish.
I was robbing myself of reward for never allowing me to rest. I felt God say
²⁸"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."- Matthew 11:28-30 (New International Version)
As I rested in God's love I also recalled the verse
⁹ In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps. - Proverbs 16:9 (New International Version)

Don't push the goal post. It is only you who doesn't end up winning.

Fish and Chips

Sometimes all my family wants for tea is fish and chips, but that can be expensive in these hard times.
I have found that buying fish from the supermarket is often a lot cheaper than other meat. Fish is a very light meat and so you can buy a lot less in weight that you would, but more in volume, for the same price or even cheaper than other meat.

Then you can make an easy meal for less and a lot more nutritious. Because I had some ingredients in the fridge I was able to make this meal $5 less that if we had bought takeaways so almost half price!!!

I used terriki as it was on a good special. You need to see the size and work out what each member should eat, buying to suit that.

Scrub or peel potatoes (make more than you think as the family will want lots of these).
Slice into wedge shapes.
Shake in a plastic bag with a few tablespoons of flour seasoned with garlic salt.
Place in baking dish and sprinkle with some oil and bake in a hot preheated oven (2o0C) for about 20 minutes.
Toss two or three times so they are browned on all sides.
Briefly soak fish in milk then dip in seasoned bread crumbs. (Season the breadcrumbs with lemon pepper).
Fry in a little butter; butter and oil or oil, for about 3 minutes on both sides.

Serve with a fresh salad (mine had lettuce and parsley from the garden) tomatoes, cucumber and avocado but what ever is available at the time of year.

You will feel better for this meal not only in your stomaches but your purse too

Mumsey's Christmas Cake

This is my own recipe developed from one in an old Edmonds Cook book I got when I first got married. I have changed the fruit quantities and variety, the essences and the way the eggs are prepared and added.

Mumsey’s Christmas Cake

225 g Butter
225 g Brown Sugar
1 Tblsp Mixed Spice
1 dsp Cinnamon
¼ tsp Nutmeg
6 eggs, separated
pinch of salt
225 g Flour
½ tsp Baking Powder
1 kg of Mixed Fruit.
125 g Cherries
200 g Dates
1 Tblsp Brandy or brandy essence
1 dsp Almond essence
1 tsp Rum or rum essence

Preheat the oven to 120C to 140C.
Line a 19cm square (at least 6cm deep) cake tin with baking paper and then wrap the outside like a parcel with a double thickness of newspaper leaving the top open and tie with cotton string or cotton but not nylon. A synthetic material will melt in the oven. You could use a different size tin but your cooking time will vary so be aware of that.
Beat the egg whites until stiff and then the yokes in a separate bowl until well mixed.
Mix the fruit with most of the flour, baking powder and salt, saving about 1/3 cup of the flour.
Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
Beat in the spices and a tablespoon of the flour.
Beat in the yokes a little at a time with a tablespoon of flour with each addition.
Fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites a half at a time and the floured fruit. (and any left over flour from the 1/3 cup you had saved)
Lastly add the essences enough to mix and then fill the prepared cake tin. Smooth the top and then gently drop the cake on to the floor to release any bubbles of air.
Bake at 120 to 140C for 3 ½ to 4 hours. Place some folded newspaper on the top of the cake tin for the first hour to stop the top of the cake browning too much.
Allow to cool in the tin.

This cake may be stored for a couple of months before it needs eating wrapped in baking paper and newspaper. Don’t put it in plastic as it will sweat. It may also be frozen. Keeping it for awhile allows the flavours to develop.

Getting ready for Christmas

It’s just under a month until Christmas and I feel strangely unpaniced by the thought. I love Christmas and most of my cherubs have the same feeling. It is not so much the presents but the time of family being together and that it is one of the few times in the year that as Christians we can truly celebrate, in this case, the birth of Jesus Christ.
Our home is decorated, presents are bought (but not at great cost), food is prepared and the coming together of family means many memories are made.

I have baked my own Christmas cake and even bought some gifts already. Part of enjoying Christmas is to me, making the time of preparation part of the whole Christmas feel. As I go about baking, decorating, wrapping gifts, writing cards etc, I have carols playing in the background. I don't let the media or what is being said on the radio or television, or what is in the shops govern what I do. This is a time of building our own family traditions. Taking a part of both my husband’s family Christmas and my own we have developed or own unique ways of celebration and built on it.

Food seemed to be a big part of my mother’s family Christmas and I had over the years tried to repeat it in our home but I was exhausted from the efforts and the fridge would bulge with the leftovers we would have to eat for days. Now this can be great for the cook as she gets "time off"!! But, there is a limit as to how much recycled food one wants to eat. I did learn through this that my Grannie was a wonderful woman and really sacrificed her own Christmas days with all the work she did cooking the food that the tables seem to buckle under.

I came to realize that planning was the best way around making it all stress free. This allowed you to see what you needed, how much in size and variety, and so also eliminate the unnecessary extras, which you seemed to think, were important. I am a bit of a “lists” sort of person and have found the Notebook: magazine meal planners fun. Keeping it simple with the foods you like to prepare makes the whole “feeding the family” a joy not a chore. If there are lots of different foods you like, spread them over the three days rather than trying to have everything on Christmas Day. You will only be disappointed when the food you have lovingly prepared gets put back into the fridge or thrown out. It’s the fellowship and tradition that you want family to remember.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

When I have been busy or away and suddenly there is food lying around that needs using up I try to make something with it instead of throwing it out to the hens.
One thing that often happens in our house is that most of our family don't like over ripe bananas, so as soon as they turn colour or get brown specks on them no-body touches them.
I can make banana cake with them or even freeze them whole for a later time but the quick way to use them up is to make these muffins.


Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

2 cups self-raising four
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup chocolate chips (I used chunks)
1/4 tsp salt
100 grams butter
1 cup milk
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1 cup (2-3) mashed bananas (over ripe is best)

Grease 12 medium muffin tins with margarine or butter (I use a paper towel and wipe it on or you could spray with a non-stick spray)
Toss together with a fork in a bowl the first four ingredients.
In a jug melt the butter in a microwave. Add milk, the beaten egg, vanilla and mashed bananas.
Mix with a fork.
Pour the liquids into dry ingredients and gently fold them together about 14 times. It should be lumpy with bits of flour not fully wet.
Fill muffins tins to 3/4 fill.
Bake in preheated oven at 220oC for 12 - 15 minutes until muffins spring back when pressed in the centre.
Allow to stand in tins for 10 minutes then bang and tip out.

Best served while still warm.
But great for lunch boxes too.

A glimpse of what was special at Titoki for me

One of the many gardens in the large grounds. This one has a bird house where the three white doves rest if not wondering in the grounds.


A little bridge over a pond that will take you round to a quiet secluded patch.


This pond is one of a few and the fountain had just been fixed the weekend I was there.


This is the view from the deck outside my ranch slider from my room. The chapel is the building on the right which is open everyday for you to sit or listen to music.

This is the room I stayed in with an ensuite off to the right of the photo.