Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

This week we are celebrating and holing up a little. The temperatures are finally at and below zero in the mornings, and except for Rich and Dominic who have to work in it, the rest of us are staying home and resting and eating delicious things. Rich and I celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary on Friday, and he gave me a gorgeous silver and diamond wide band ring a little early (he is getting a silver framed monacle). We will have a special dinner at home and celebrate with our kids, but will take a night at a nearby resort after the New Year to ourselves. We had planned to have a bigger celebration for this 25th year, but between all the idiotic Covid restrictions and my month of illness, we decided to go a little smaller.

There is no fasting this week! We are enjoying that immensely. Even Jerome gets many treats, because of being able to eat egg and chocolate again. He was never a great milk drinker, but after eight months of no dairy at all, his small portion each day tastes delicious to him. May you have a blessed Nativity and New Year!

• Sunday - Feast of Saint Stephen, Deacon and First Martyr
  Breakfast: Egg and Croissant Sandwiches with Cheese (Gluten and Dairy-free for Jerome), Cara Cara Oranges, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Ham and Navy Beans, Herbed Bread (Gluten-free Bread for Jerome), Salad, Cashew Brutal (Dairy-free and made with Honey), Peppermint Fudge
• Monday - Feast of Saint John the Evangelist
  Breakfast: Southwestern Pile Up, Bacon, Apples, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Chicken Fried Hamburgers and Gravy, Biscuits, Brown Sugar Shortbread (some made Gluten and Dairy-free for Jerome), Orange Cranberry Cookies
• Tuesday - Feast of the Holy Innocents
  Breakfast: Shakshouka (Feta on the Side), Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome), Blood Oranges, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Grilled Steaks, Baked Potatoes, Steam Sautéed Carrots and Italian Beans, Chocolate Cranberry Walnut Cookies, Brown Butter Ginger Cookies
• Wednesday
  Breakfast: Cinnamon Rolls (Gluten-free with Coffee-Maple Glaze for Jerome), Sausages, Cara Cara Oranges, Tea and Honey
  Dinner: Lengua Tacos, Quick and Dirty Mexican Rice, Carrot Slaw with Cumin Lime Dressing, Vanilla and Chocolate Marshmallows*, Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies
• Thursday
  Breakfast: Egg Fried in Sausage Patties, Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome), Sliced Apples, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Ćevapi, Marinated Cucumbers, Đuveč Rice, Šape, Bobići
• Friday - New Year's Eve and Our Anniversary
  Breakfast: Biscuits and Sausage Gravy (Gluten and Dairy-free for Jerome), Blood Oranges, Tea and Honey
  Dinner: Herbed Rack of Lamb, Pan Seared Scallops, Three Hearts Salad, Orange Rum Cake
• Saturday - Feast of the Circumcision of Our Lord (or Holy Name, for those more squeamish)
  Breakfast: Pancakes with Raspberry Syrup, Fluffy Gluten and Dairy-Free Peanut Butter Pancakes, Bacon, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Ham, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Cardamom Orange and Dark Chocolate Cookies, Kroštule/Hrštule

What is on your menu this week? If you want a recipe, ask and I will provide it as soon as I can. If there are any starred recipes, I will follow up separately with a weekly recipe round up on Saturday.

Labels: Christmas, Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Homemaking, Menu Plans, Nativity, New Year's, Romance and Relationship, Special Diet, Tales from the Kitchen