Blessed feast! Today we remember that Christ is King as the Church year ends. It is another Western, relatively new, feast that we love. Even the older liturgical calendars emphasize His kingship on this day, so it is really a celebration of what was already remembered. It turns out this is the day to make your Christmas cake or pudding, too. Because the collect begins with "Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord," and continues with "that they plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may of thee be plenteously rewarded," it serves both as a spiritual reminder and a fun one for Christmas preparations. They are plenteously rewarded when Christmas Day comes and their cake or pudding is ready. So, I have three pounds of dried fruit and candied orange peel soaking in brandy to make our cake Tuesday.

This past week we realized that we needed to do more garbage management, to clear our fridge and use what we had to make room for all the Thanksgiving dishes. So, some meals planned last week were moved to after Advent, and we made other things to eat. We did make the pasta Trapanese, and it was so delicious! It will definitely be making its way into our Advent menus; probably more than once.

Jerome is almost to trying gluten and wheat, and we are excited that by the first week of January, it looks like he will have almost all the foods back that he has been without for nearly two years. Our list of no-nos is short: Lima beans and bananas. We are praying that gluten/wheat goes well, because he misses real bread and pastries.

Our Thanksgiving includes Amelia, Alexander and Autumn's neighbor, a couple from our church, and a family we love who are traveling to visit us. This means 22 pies this year, but I think I will make some of them on the mini-scale in ramekins. The hors-d'ouevres and bread stuffing are coming with guests, as well as Martinelli's. I'm not sure what else will be coming. The recipes from last week and this week will probably be shared next week. We are a bit more lax about the Advent fast over Thanksgiving, both as a special dispensation here in the US, and as an accommodation to our friends and family who are not keeping the fast with us. So next week will start with a non-fasting day, then move into the fast. Have a blessed Thanksgiving!

• Sunday - Feast of Christ the King
  Breakfast: Sausage, Egg and Cheese Croissants (Gluten-free Wraps for Jerome) with Avocado and Tomato, Coffee and Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Chili, Baked Potatoes, Sour Cream, Salsa, Chopped Jalapeños and Onions, Corn Chips, Fruit Plate
• Monday - Feast of the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple
  Breakfast: Labneh on Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome), Sliced Tomatoes, Sliced Apples, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Chicken with Sundried Tomatoes and Cream Sauce, Rice, Salad, Grapes
• Tuesday
  Breakfast: Cereal and Milk, Pineapple Chunks, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Hobbit Dinner (Smoked Sausage, Potato, Carrot, Sauerkraut and Onion Skillet), Roasted Squash, Sliced Pears
• Wednesday - Saint Clement of Rome
  Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome) with Peach Butter, Sliced Apples, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Super Quick Tomato Basil Creamy Pasta (Gluten-free for Jerome), Marinated Cucumbers and Spring Onions, Pineapple Chunks
• Thursday
  Breakfast: Farmer Casserole, Blintz Casserole with Raspberry Preserves and Sour Cream, Mandarin Oranges, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Deviled Eggs, Relish Tray, Herb Roasted Turkey, Bourbon Gravy (Some Gluten-free), Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Cranberry Horseradish Relish, Sweet Potato Rolls (1 batch Gluten-free), Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Pecans, Wild Rice Dressing, Bread Stuffing with Chestnuts, Fried Peppers and Corn, Pumpkin Pies (1 Gluten-Free), Cranberry Cherry Pies (1 Gluten-free), Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pies, Apple Pies, Pear Pie, Maple Custard Pies (1 Gluten-free), Nantucket Cranberry Pies, Prosecco, Red Wine, Martinelli's Sparkling Cider, Mexican Coca-Colas
• Friday - Saint Catherine the Great (of Alexandria)
  Breakfast: Pies, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Turkey Sandwiches with Chipotle Mayonnaise and Celery Seed Dressing, Fruit Plate
• Saturday
  Breakfast: Potluck after Liturgy
  Dinner: King Ranch Turkey (Gluten-free for Jerome), Salad, Leftover Desserts

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: Christ the King, Church Year, Family, Governor Inslee Needs a Frozen Fish to the Forehead, Homemaking, Homesteading, Keeping the Feast, Menu Plans, Name Day, Tales from the Kitchen, Thanksgiving