What's For Dinner?

Try this delicious recipe I found on the Food Network:

Potato Pancakes (Latkes)
Recipe courtesy Linda Rohatiner
See this recipe on air Friday Dec. 14 at 11:00 AM ET/PT.
Show:
BBQ with Bobby Flay
Episode:
BBQ Holiday

5 large russet potatoes, peeled
1 medium onion
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup matzo meal (I used flour)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup canola oil, for frying

Grate potatoes and onion into a bowl or pulse in food processor. Drain any excess liquid, then add the eggs, matzo meal, salt and pepper.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Spoon the mixture into hot oil forming small pancakes. Cook until underside is golden, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip pancakes and cook until other side is golden and potatoes are cooked through, about 2 minutes more. Serve hot with sour cream or applesauce.

A viewer, who may not be a professional cook, provided this recipe. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe and therefore, we cannot make representation as to the results.

*I think traditionally these are served with a beef brisket, but since we aren't Jewish, I served them with an Apple-Bourbon Pork tenderloin (yikes) and dinner was great!

Marriage

In honor of a very special person on her wedding day I offer these words of advice:

1. Passion is good, but compassion is great.
2. Admit it when you are wrong.
3. Bite your tongue.
4. Be the first to say, "I'm sorry."
5. Be quick to forgive--even when you don't want to.
6. Don't put yourself first.
7. Appreciate your spouse.
8. Allow your differences to compliment each other.
9. Don't walk out on an argument--work it out.
10. Bite your tongue.
11. You are not always right--and that's ok.
12. Share control, don't dominate.
13. Don't use the words "you never," or "you always," when arguing.
14. Compromise, compromise, compromise.
15. Did I say, "Bite your tongue?"
16. Treat your spouse as the most important person in the world--even when they don't deserve it.
17. Spend time alone together.
18. Don't forget to date each other.
19. Forget about yesterday's arguement--start today new.
20. Believe your spouse is the one you were meant to be with even if you doubt it sometimes.
21. Respect your spouse's opinion.
22. Be your spouse's #1 fan.
23. Don't make a big deal out of anything.
24. Depend on and trust each other.
25. Remember your spouse isn't perfect and neither are you.

Love you and congratulations.

Rebekah's Story

"Issac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was barren." Genesis 25:21a NIV

What is so significant about Issac and the fact that his wife was barren? He himself was born to a barren woman! I wonder if he grew up knowing what a miracle he was. Did his mother, Sarah, fuss over him a little more? Was she over-protective? Was he allowed to participate in typical boy activities, or was he sheltered and kept close to home? However Issac's mother treated him I'm sure he had heard the stories of how she was barren and how she had to wait so long for the child that the Lord had promised to her and Abraham.

So after the wedding, then after the honeymoon, then after the first, second, third and even nineteenth anniversaries came and went without Rebekah getting pregnant, I imagine Issac was experiencing a little de ja vu at his wife's barrenness. I can also imagine Issac's attempts to comfort Rebekah, "Honey, don't worry about it...remember how old my mom was when she had me??? You've got plenty of time!"

Regardless of Rebekah's age, her heart's desire was to have a baby. I wonder how many times Issac held her while she cried her tears of frustration, resentment and sadness. And what an awesome husband he modeled by doing exactly what a Christian husband should do: he went to the Lord and prayed. How beautiful that prayer must have been. A husband on his knees, calling out to the Lord, asking him to give the gift of life to his beloved wife. Oh the power of a praying husband!! The Lord heard his prayer and Rebekah became pregnant with twins! Once again the Lord's timing was perfect and His blessings abundant.

Not all men (or women for that matter) understand the emotional devastation a woman feels when she can not get or stay pregnant. Sometimes it is a relief to them--not another person to take care of or worry about. But the men who know God's word, understand that children are a heritage and a blessing from the Lord. They also understand that if they believe, and ask in prayer they will receive whatever it is they ask for as long as it is in the Lord's will. Issac understood. He prayed and he believed. How blessed was Rebekah to have a God-fearing and understanding husband.

"The Lord answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant." Genesis 25:21b NIV

Note: To those who do not have Christian husbands 1 Peter 3:1 says, "Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words [but] by the behavior of their wives." NIV

Easy, Edible Christmas Gifts

Here are a few easy and delicious treats to make and hand out this Christmas:

1. Chocolate Dipped Pretzel Rods

*Melt milk chocolate chips in double boiler.
*Stir pretzel rods in melted chocolate then let excess drip off.
*Decorate with colored frosting and flavored sugars (cinnamon, peppermint)

*Melt white chocolate chips in double boiler.
*Stir pretzel rods in melted chocolate then let excess drip off.
*Decorate by sprinkling crushed peppermints over chocolate covered ends.

*Allow chocolate dipped pretzels to cool then package in airtight container or gift bags.

2. Chocolate Covered Popcorn

*Prepare popcorn according to directions (butter flavored recommended).
*Melt milk chocolate chips in double boiler.
*Place popped corn in a single layer on parchment paper lined cookie sheet then drizzle with melted chocolate.
*Allow chocolate to cool then package in airtight container or gift bags.

3. Sugar and Spiced Pecans

*2 egg whites
*1/4 cup sparkling white grape juice
*1 cup sugar
*1 teaspoon salt
*1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
*1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
*1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
*8 cups pecan halves
*nonstick cooking spray

*Preheat oven to 250 degrees (F).
*Whisk first seven ingredients until well blended and frothy.
*Add pecans and coat evenly.
*Spread pecans on lightly sprayed, foil lined, cookie sheet and bake for one hour (or until pecans look dry), stirring often.
*Separate pecans then cool completely and store in airtight container or gift bags.

4. Eggnog Glaze

*Mix four tablespoons of prepared eggnog with one cup of powdered sugar and a dash of cinnamon until smooth.
*Pour over prepared pound cake, fruit cake or any other dense cake or bread.

Remember presentation is part of the enjoyment! Be creative in the packaging. Mix stripes with polka dots and plaids with gingham.

Use simple gift bags with decorative bows or solid color metal pails with large colorful grosgrain ribbon.

Also remember to use smaller containers; Small containers crammed full with goodies are more appealing than large containers with the same amount of treats.

Enjoy and Merry Christmas!

Top Stories

It's that time of year again...

Here are some ideas to focus on Christmas being the celebration of Christ's birth:

1. Hang a stocking for baby Jesus and have your children fill it with toys they are willing to share with children, who like baby Jesus, have very little.

2. Have your children make birthday cards for Jesus instead of a writing a letter to Santa.

3. Bake a birthday cake for Jesus.

4. Set up a nativity scene before Christmas and add baby Jesus on Christmas morning.

5. Read the Christmas story on Christmas Eve.

And try to be more like Mary and relax in God's presence instead of like her sister, Martha, who rushed about trying to have the cleanest house, make the perfect meal and be the perfect hostess.

Sarai's Story

Now Sarai was barren; she had no children. Genesis 11:30

Sarah has the honor of being the first barren woman mentioned in the Bible. It was apparently a big deal that this woman, who was married to Abram, was barren because just about every time her name comes up, somewhere soon after follows the words, "barren," "childless," or "without children." How is that for salt in the wound? I can picture her walking toward her neighbor's tent and hearing someone say, "Hey girls, here comes Sarai, you know, the one without kids..."

In a time of history where people were 'begatting' people, Sarai sat around watching sister after sister, friend after friend, cousin after cousin and even niece after niece have babies. While others were joyfully expecting, she was sorrowfully wishing. I wonder if those around Sarai felt bad announcing to her they were pregnant again since it was widely known that it was the desire of Sarai's heart to have children and the Lord had even renamed her husband, Abraham because he was to be the "father of many nations." Here they were, getting up in age and not a single child to call their own.

In Genesis 15, Abram was expressing his fear of his estate being left to his servants since he had no children. The Lord told Abram not to worry because his offspring would be as the stars in the Heavens. Abram accepted this but apparently Sarai did not. Being the clever gal she was she set out to take matters in her own hands. In Genesis 16, Sarai makes plans to build a family through her maid Hagar. But what a mess she made for herself! Hagar got pregnant with Abram's son but both women began despising each other because of it. The son Hagar had was never considered Sarai's own and she was back where she started, childless and now with a heart full of jealousy and resentment.

Later on in Genesis 18, Abram, now Abraham, is visiting with some men (who he later realizes was the Lord) when they tell him that his wife would soon become pregnant. Sarai, now called Sarah, was eavesdropping and began to laugh when she heard the men's statement because she was old and well beyond child-bearing years. When confronted on why she laughed, she denied it. Perhaps she was embarrassed by her lack of faith.

Finally in Genesis 21, Sarah became pregnant and at the very time God had promised Abraham she would. The promise God gave Abraham was not a promise given to all of us, however, when the desire of Sarah's heart lined up with the will of God, her prayers were answered. Oh, if we could only see that the Lord's will and timing are perfect! We must be patient, have faith and be obedient to the Lord's will in our lives. He wants to give us the desires of our hearts, but only when they are in His will. Seek Him and pray the desires of your heart are the desires of His will.

My Story

At age 19 I was diagnosed with endometriosis, a non life-threatening disorder that sometimes causes infertility. The news didn't bother me. I didn't have to take medications, follow a strict diet or take up exercising. It wasn't until after my second surgery (at age 21) to remove ovarian cysts that I started to get concerned about the limitations of this disorder. I was then engaged to be married when my doctor said "I can't exactly write out a prescription for you to conceive, but you might want to try soon." She explained that sometimes a pregnancy would cause the endometriosis to lay dormant for nine months and sometimes cure itself. She also said that I had the reproductive organs of a 30-year-old and my best bet for having a baby would be now. After sharing this with my fiance, he said, "What better time to try than on our honeymoon."

Well the honeymoon came and went and nothing happened. Two years later I still wasn't pregnant. My doctor referred us to a specialist to take an "aggressive approach." I was put on a low dose of clomid and worked my way up to the highest dose possible, still without results. We got a second opinion only to be told to save our money since IVF was our only chance at conceiving. To a young couple struggling to meet needs, this was devastating. While still on clomid another cyst appeared and once again surgery was scheduled to remove it. I was put on other fertility drugs after the surgery and nothing happened. By this time the holidays were fast approaching and we were draining our bank accounts on doctor visits and medications not to mention draining our emotional accounts as well. We decided to take a break from all the "action" and regroup at the beginning of the new year. It was then that I got on my knees in the bedroom that was to become a nursery, looked out the window and cried out to the Lord. I asked for patience, understanding and peace. I also asked for a baby. I felt hopeless and I couldn't imagine myself as a mother or having a baby. That night I got out my Bible and looked up the word "barren" in the concordance. What I found gave me hope, courage and patience to wait on the Lord and His perfect will.