Christmas Fun: Stained Glass Jello

I know it's not Tuesday, but I'm pretty sure everybody will be quite busy tomorrow  morning with Christmas {just a guess}.....
and I wanted to post this super easy and pretty addition to your Christmas feast just in case you were still looking for something like that!

I know jello isn't the healthiest thing in the world, but it is tasty, and it brings lots of fun memories with it!

This recipe is also a plus for those of us who live where it is impossible to get Cool Whip or cream cheese, because unlike most jello salads, it doesn't use either one!

This recipe does take a little time in the fridge, so if you want it for tomorrow, get right on it!

Another plus? You can customize this treat to whatever holiday you are celebrating.....
red and green jello in a bundt pan looks like a wreath!
all red jello for Valentines Day!
green and yellow jello for St. Patrick's Day!
red and blue and cut into star shapes for 4th of July!
Plus, you can use up those little packets of jello that always seem to come in care packages!
{Just don't use any older than 1995.....not that I've ever received anything like that!}

Stained Glass Jello

4 reg. boxes jello (colors of your choosing)
1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
water

Dissolve each box of jello with one cup hot water in separate containers (shallow is better).
Chill until firm.
Cut jello into small blocks (or use small cookie cutters) and arrange in 9x13 pan (or pan of your choice).
In separate bowl, dissolve plain gelatin in 1/4 cup cold water.
Add dissolved gelatin to 1 3/4 cup hot water and sweetened condensed milk.
Let cool.
Poor cooled milk mix over jello and chill overnight.

Have a lovely Christmas!

The Wonder of Wonders

It's Christmas!  The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!  I love to hear the Christmas music... I'll hear a certain Christmas song and it transports me back to my childhood,  where I can see the dimly lit living room with the bright Christmas tree in the corner, I can feel the shag carpet beneath my feet, and I can smell the wonderful foods my mother is baking in the kitchen...  So many wonderful memories of years gone by can be brought to the fore-front of my mind just by a familiar Christmas song.  

Another song that always brings back wonderful memories and never fails to bring  tears to my eyes is "The Wonder of Wonders."  My mother would sing this song in church every Christmas.  I can remember her explaining this song to us children and hear her voice as she told the Christmas story.  Her voice would catch and tears would fill her eyes as she told us how the Lord became a child and dwelt among men.  I can just imagine Mary gazing into the precious little face of her newborn son, and the awe that she felt in holding God's Son.  I am still amazed that God loved this world enough to send His son, and He sent his son in the most helpless, vulnerable state... as a newborn baby.  How humbling for the Creator of the Universe to humble himself and become a man, a baby, so he could become The Sacrifice for our sins.  

The Wonder of it all... is that Christ Jesus loved us, loved me enough to become a baby, to live among men, to die and rise again so that everyone has the chance at eternal life in Heaven. 

And you know... when I really think about it... spending Christmas overseas away from friends and family seems like such a small, small price to pay for what Christ has already done for us!  The least we can do is share the Gospel so that everyone has the chance to receive The Greatest Gift!

THE WONDER OF WONDERS

THE WONDER OF WONDERS AS SHE LOOKED ON HIS FACE, 

THAT THIS LITTLE BOY SPOKE THE WORLDS INTO PLACE. 

THE STARS AND THE MOON SHINING BRIGHTLY ON THEM, 

THE EARTH AND THE SUN WERE CREATED BY HIM. 

*CHORUS*

THE WONDER OF WONDERS ,OH HOW COULD IT BE, 

THAT GOD BECAME FLESH AND WAS GIVIN FOR ME. 

THE ALMIGHTY CAME DOWN AND WALKED AMOUNG MEN, 

THE WONDER OF WONDERS, HE DIED FOR MY SINS. 

THE WONDER OF WONDERS AS SHE LOOKED DOWN AND SMILED, 

THAT HE WAS HER MAKER AS WELL AS HER CHILD. 

HE CREATED THE WOMB THAT HAD GIVIN HIM BIRTH. 

HE WAS GOD INCARNATE CAME DOWN TO EARTH. 

THE WONDER OF WONDERS AS SHE HEARD HIS SMALL CRY, 

THAT THIS VOICE HAD THUNDERED ON MT. SINAI. 

THE SMALL HAND SHE HELD SO TENDERLY HAD 

MADE A DRY PATH THROUGH THE MIGHTY RED SEA.

Christmas Breakfast: Orange Streusel Coffee Cake

As Christmas is only a week away, you probably have Christmas breakfast all figured out, right?!?
Then again, maybe you are not a planner, and you are still looking for just the right dish....
If that's you, then I've got a recipe for you today!

This coffee cake is deliciously fruity.
It can be made the night before and eaten at room temperature on Christmas morning, or it can be whipped up first thing Christmas morning and be baking while the present-opening is going on!

Orange Streusel Coffee Cake

Cake:
2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. orange zest
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. orange juice
1/2 c. oil
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Topping:
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. flour
2 Tbsp. butter, cut into small pieces
confectioners'/icing sugar for dusting (optional)

Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Grease 9-inch cake pan.
Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
Stir in zest.
Make a well in flour mix.
Pour in milk, orange juice, oil, egg, and vanilla.
Stir until just combined and all dry ingredients are moistened.
Turn into prepared pan.
In small bowl, mix together sugar, flour, and butter until consistency of cornmeal.
Sprinkle evenly over batter.
Bake for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Allow to cool completely in pan. {If you can wait that long!!!}
Dust with confectioners'/icing sugar, if desired.

Enjoy!

Christ Centered Christmas - Fellowship Fridays

Christmas

'Tis the Season!  It's Christmas, the Most Wonderful time of the Year!  How do YOU celebrate Christmas?  "...and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." (Matthew 1:23)

I love this time of year.  I love seeing the joy on everyone's face, I love the excitement in the children's eyes... I love singing the Christmas songs, hearing the Christmas music throughout the house...  I love just about everything about Christmas!  "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." Luke 2:14)

I believe it's important to keep our thoughts centered on Christ at Christmas, it's so easy to get caught up in the flurry of shopping, the hustle and bustle that surrounds this day, but we need to stay focused on the CHRIST in Christmas!  What are some ways that you keep Christ the center of your Christmas?  "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:11)

I've listed a few ways to share the JOY of Christmas with those around us.  Please feel free to add to this list.  Also, please add ways that you share Christ during Christmas in your country! 

Find a family in need, take gifts of food, clothing or other needed items.  

Visit your neighbors, share Christmas goodies, etc... with them. 

Visit a Hospital to spread some Christmas Cheer!

Invite people over, many are alone and missing family this time of year. 

GIVE!  Do what you can to help those in need. 

"Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord the God which he hath given thee." (Deuteronomy 17:5) 

"And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21)

Christmas Fun: Buckeyes

Today's treat is another quickie, but, oh, so delicious!

I don't know if these are popular in all parts of the US, but growing up in Michigan, it was certainly not a party without them!

I would advise you to double the batch, because they will go fast!!!

Buckeyes

1 c. creamy peanut butter
1/2 c. butter, softened
2 c. confectioners'/icing sugar
2 c. chocolate bark or chocolate chips

Line baking sheets with waxed paper, set aside.
In a large bowl, beat peanut butter, butter, and sugar until well combined.
Roll into 1-inch balls and place on baking sheets.
If mixture is sticky, wet hands with cold water and continue rolling.
Place baking sheets in freezer for 30 minutes or until balls are firm.
Melt chocolate in microwave or on stove top.
Pierce balls with a toothpick and dip into chocolate 3/4 of the way deep, wiping excess chocolate
on rim of bowl.
Place on waxed paper; repeat with remaining balls.
Return undipped buckeyes to freezer for 10 minutes if they get too soft.
Chill in refrigerator for 45 minutes, until set.

Try not to eat them all in one sitting!!!

{Second Annual} Christmas Blog Hop!

 

It's that time again!

Last year we had a great response for our Christmas Blog Hop,

and I'm excited to do it again.

 

Not sure what to do? 
It's quite simple, just link up any or all of your Christmas posts here.  Show us your Christmas decorations, your tree, your traditions, family photos, holiday baking, anything Christmas related!

To encourage you to link up your posts, I'm hosting a giveaway!  For every (blog post link-up) you will get one entry to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card!!  So if you link up one post, you will get one entry, if you link up three posts, you get three entries!  So, get started!

 

Also, please share the button so others know where to find us so they can join in the fun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas Fun: Mints

Now I know that the title of this post doesn't sound too exciting......mints?
But trust me when I say that you have never had mints like these!
This is another one of my Nina's famous recipe.
Everyone who has ever had them has asked for the recipe.
In fact, I'm pretty sure that people invited my family to Christmas parties just so my mom would bring these delicious little confections.
Every year our pastor and his family would come for dinner at our house around Christmas time, and every time he came, his first statement was, "I'll sit next to the mints!"

Most Ghanians are not big sweet-eaters.
As a general rule, they don't like ANY of our Christmas goodies.
But these?
These they like!

Not only are these tasty, they are super-duper easy!
Leaves more time for enjoying them?
Right!

Mints

1/3 c. light corn syrup (can make your own, but they will not set up as well)
1/4 c. butter (NO SUBSTITUTES!)
1 tsp. peppermint extract
1/2 tsp. salt
1 lb. confectioners'/icing sugar
red and green food coloring

Blend corn syrup, butter, extract, and salt together.
Add sugar to mixture.
Divide into two parts and color one half red (which will really look pink!) and the other half green.
Roll into 1-inch balls and place on waxed paper.
Press with thumb (like making thumb print cookies).
Refrigerate until firm.

* If you wish, you could also dip in chocolate!

Christmas Blog Hop Button

 

Here is our button for our second annual Christmas Blog Hop!

 

Would you help spread the word?  Just copy the html code {there on the right} and add it to your blog.   We will be having a fun giveaway next week, and by adding the button you earn an extra entry.  Please plan to join in the fun!