Blessed Fast! Happy New Year! Advent is not too long this year, though we are approaching the longer times next year and the year after.

Because of our evening church situation, we are a bit more lax on the fast on Sundays than we otherwise might be. You may see dairy on weekends and major feasts, and on some weekdays in the first part of Advent. Also, the Advent fast is a little lighter, in general, as there are many fish days, and more wine and oil days. We try to fast within our strength and do the best we can, knowing that the point is the spiritual training and not the fast itself. The fast was given to us as an exercise and blessing. The only reason I share how we fast is so you know what to expect from meals and recipes during this time, if you are looking for ideas, or if you need to avoid some of the things we will be eating.

The West's fast is more lenient and shorter than the East's, anyway. Our family walks the line between those. Our general rule is close to the Orthodox, but we will relax more for Saints Barbara and Nicholas, and on Sundays, except for the final two weeks of Advent. We will be avoiding meat, fish (most days), eggs and dairy (with the exceptions I mentioned already), wine and olive oil on most weekdays. Shellfish is always permitted, so when we find that at a good price, we definitely eat it. I share this with you as an encouragement. We strive within our strength, and our family situation. We have discussed how to handle this with our priests and our local priests, and are considering also people we feed who don't generally follow the fast as much. Fasting and abstinence are such good tools that God gives us through the Church, and I encourage you to try to fast with the Church. It is not as useful to pick and choose, but rather to strive for your church's rule with such accomodations as necessary for health, age, and situation. Talk to your priest. If you don't have a priest, find one and talk to him.

This week has two major feast days in it, which makes the entrance into Advent a little easier. This is a blessing to us. Another blessing is that our tomatoes that were pulled from the garden and put in our honey room are still ripening and so we are still getting fresh tomatoes. That is a treat in December. Our home is well stocked and we will not have to buy a lot of groceries, except for some produce, dairy products, and cleaning and pet supplies. That will make our life simpler, as well. One of the ways the fast teaches us is by forcing us to pare down our lives a little.

Please pray for a holy Advent for us. I pray that your fast will be fruitful, and that you welcome the Christ Child in your heart and home, and prepare for His coming in glory!

• Sunday - First Sunday of Advent
  Breakfast: Cinnamon Nut Raisin Bread with Cream Cheese, Bacon, Fruit Plate, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Parish Providing Dinner
• Monday
  Breakfast: Cereal and Milk, Fruit, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Vegetable Frittata, Green Salad, Bread, Fruit Plate
• Tuesday
  Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Cheese, Toast, Fruit Plate, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Baked Cod in Cream, Baked Potatoes, Sliced Watermelon, Applesauce for Jerome
• Wednesday
  Breakfast: Oatmeal with Dried Fruit and Brown Sugar, Tea and Honey
  Dinner: Shorbat 'Addas, Bread, Fruit Plate
• Thursday - Feast of Saints Barbara and Clement of Alexandria
  Breakfast: Fried Eggs, Toast, Fruit Plate, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Winter Squash, Potatoes and Onions, Mount Athos Tomato Rice, Saffron Buns for St. Barbara's Day
• Friday
  Breakfast: Initial Cookies for St. Nicholas' Day, Chocolate, Fruit and Nuts, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Vegetarian Ranchero Beans, Rice, Fruit Plate
• Saturday - Feast of Saint Nicholas of Myra
  Breakfast: Initial Cookies, Chocolate, Nuts, Oranges, Pomegranates, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Tacos de Papa, Avocado Relish, Leftover Beans, Salsa Rice, Frozen Fruit Salad

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: Advent, Church Year, Family, Homemaking, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Tales from the Kitchen

Well, Prettyish Wilderness isn't finished yet, but I hope to have it finished in time to at least block in when I arrive. The bear paw mitts are finished now, and ready for our Old Calendar Christmas with Dominic and Shawn. I will be doing a lot of knitting on the plane, including that jaunty little scarfette I've started.

Also, we had our early Thanksgiving this past weekend and got to see Dominic, Shawn, and Winifred, who is smiling and laughing and has the best dimples ever! This didn't leave as much knitting time as I wanted, but holding Winnie was. way better. We had to say goodbye to them yesterday, but will see them again in January.

As we are all getting ready for holidays, I am offering 25 patterns for 25% off through November 26, 2025, at the end of the day (PST). I have a sale bundle both on Ravelry and on PayHip. Both use the same coupon code, ChristmasJoy, which can be used on any and all of the patterns in the bundle.

I am also holding a Small Business Saturday Sale between the beginning of the day on November 29 through the end of the day December 1, 2025, PST. The coupon code Gratitude will give you $5.00 off a one time purchase of $6.00 or more on Ravelry, and $4.00 off a purchase of $5.00 or more on PayHip.

Linking to Unraveled Wednesday

If you would like to receive updates and early notice of new patterns, beta knitting opportunities, and great discounts (plus pictures of new yarns, new tools, fun places, neat hints, book ideas, recipes and more) each month, please subscribe to 1,001 Knits. My best, and sometimes my only, discounts go to my subscribers.

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Any time you click on a book link, it gives me the opportunity to earn a few cents for our family.

Labels: Books, Design, Family, FOs, Homemaking, Knitting, WIP, Yarn Along

Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may of thee be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Blessed feast! Today we remember that Christ is King as the Church year ends. It is a Western, relatively new (instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1925), 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. In our world today, that is more important than ever.

This is what Pope Pius XI had to say about its importance:

“If to Christ our Lord is given all power in heaven and on earth; if all men, purchased by his precious blood, are by a new right subjected to his dominion; if this power embraces all men, it must be clear that not one of our faculties is exempt from his empire. He must reign in our minds, which should assent with perfect submission and firm belief to revealed truths and to the doctrines of Christ. He must reign in our wills, which should obey the laws and precepts of God. He must reign in our hearts, which should spurn natural desires and love God above all things, and cleave to him alone. He must reign in our bodies and in our members, which should serve as instruments for the interior sanctification of our souls, or to use the words of the Apostle Paul, as instruments of justice unto God.”

Pious tradition in the Catholic and Anglican worlds is to start preparations for 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. We are plenteously rewarded when Christmas Day comes and our cake or pudding is ready. As I am away, and am the fruitcake maker, there will be no stirring up or Christmas cake baking this week.

Advent in the West begins later than it does for the East. It is more a Saint Andrew's fast than a Saint Philip's fast. Again, it is a grace from God that it is shorter. We have had so many challenges, so beginning the fasting season more easily, and with a shorter fast is a blessing. The Advent fast is a little lighter until the last week and a half of it. We are still permitted fish, wine and oil on most days, and we, as a family will be having dairy and may be having fish on the weekends to accomodate others and permit some shared hospitality with a culture that doesn't really observe any spiritual preparation or penitence before the Nativity.

As for me, because of my travels and because of the people hosting me, I will be suspending my fast, and simply doing the best I can do. Missing Advent observances with the family is one of the hard parts of my trip, actually. They have said they will facetime me when they do the evening readings and prayers with the Advent wreath and candles. I am so grateful for our electronic and internet connections that keep us in touch.

Because of our situation with church, we do not keep the fast as completely on Sundays, and so there will not only be fish on those days, but possibly meat. The parish is being so gracious in taking over meals while I am gone. Even tonight, I am doing fairly minimal cooking while they do the bulk of it. Since we had our family Thanksgiving yesterday, we are eating all the lovely leftovers this week. So, even my dinner tonight is made up of foods we have already prepared.

Again, please pray for our family as we get ready for a short separation. I'm so happy to have another year with all of our kids around our Thanksgiving table. One day that will not be the case, and we are prepared for it, but I am happy to have them here now.

• Sunday - Feast of Saint Christ the King
  Breakfast: Pie and Coffee
  Dinner: Leftover Casserole, Salads and Sides brought by Parishioners, Leftover Pies
• Monday - Feast of Saint Clement, Pope
  Breakfast: Leftovers and Snack Tray, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Turkey Tetrazzini (Small Gluten-Free Pan for Jerome), Green Salad, Leftover Pie
• Tuesday - Feast of Saint Catherine of Alexandria
  Breakfast: Yogurt and Jam, Toast, Fruit, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: After Thanksgiving Soup, Leftover Sweet Potato Rolls, Leftover Pie
• Wednesday
  Breakfast: Vegetable Hash, Grapefruit Halves, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Pasta Trapanese (Gluten-Free for Jerome), Green Salad, Fruit Plate
• Thursday - Thanksgiving
  Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs and Cheese, Salsa, Oranges, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Beef Bissilla, Rice, Leftover Desserts
• Friday
  Breakfast: Potato Breakfast Burritos (Gluten-free Tortillas for Jerome), Salsa, Fruit Plate, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Creamy Avocado Pasta with Cashews, Green Salad, Fruit Plate
• Saturday
  Breakfast: Dirty Eggs, Toast, Bacon or Sausage, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Ham and Pinto Beans, Gluten-Free Cornbread, Last of the 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, Homemaking, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Tales from the Kitchen

Our early Thanksgiving is this weekend, and I am super excited, but also a bit stressed about it. I have made this meal every year except for one in 29 years, but somehow making it a few days earlier is throwing me off a bit. I'm even having our guests bring most of the side dishes. We will have it and enjoy it.

This week, Jerome gets to eat soft food with chewing! I am so excited. He still can't eat crunchy foods yet, but is looking forward to eating more normally. I'm giving up my control on the meal and all the salads and vegetable side dishes are being handled by our guests. They are bringing the hors-d'oeuvres and sparkling cider, too. Someone may be making a gluten-free dessert, as well. This year's new pie experiment is the maple sugar pie. We really loved the pear mincemeat pies last year, but I'm not sure if I can get decent pears right now. I will have to think ahead a bit next year so we can have it again.

We are all looking forward to seeing our family this weekend. Dominic and Shawn are coming with Winifred, Alexander and Autumn will be here with their girls, and we will have some family friends and church family over to share in our feast. Winnie just started smiling, and we are thrilled to see her do it in person!

Our church family is really taking care of so much for us Sunday evenings, and will be doing all of it while I am gone so Rich can only worry about the kids and the service. This trip is the longest I have ever been away from Rich since we've been married, and this is the longest I've ever been away from the kids. I'm super excited for the things I will see and experience, but a little sad that they will be missing out on my adventures. I will take plenty of photos, but they aren't exactly the same. Please pray for them while they try to manage everything without me - especially for Rich!

• Sunday - Feast of Saint Margaret of Scotland
  Breakfast: Saudi Masoub, Fruit, Tea and Coffee
  Dinner: Carne Guisada, Salsa Rice, Parish brings Sides/Salads/Fruit/Dessert
• Monday - Feast of Saint Hugh of Lincoln
  Breakfast: Oatmeal with Raisins and Brown Sugar, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Leftovers, Fruit Platter
• Tuesday
  Breakfast: Leftover Oatmeal Blueberry Muffins (Scrambled Eggs for Jerome), Bacon, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: H'ejazi Mqalqal, Rice, Duqqus, Pluots (Applesauce for Jerome)
• Wednesday - Feast of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary
  Breakfast: Vegetable Potato Hash Breakfast Burritos with Salsa, Pluots, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Vegetarian Ranchero Beans, Rice, Fruit Plate
• Thursday
  Breakfast: Fried Eggs, Sausage Patties, Home Fries, Fruit Plate, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Roast Racks of Lamb, Basmati Rice, Roasted Cauliflower, Basbousa
• Friday
  Breakfast: Ful, Duqqus, Toast, Fruit Plate, Mint Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Mejeddarah, Crisp Onions, Fruit Plate
• Saturday
  Breakfast: Blintz Casserole with Sour Cream and Raspberry Preserves, Farmer's Breakfast Casserole with Hot Sauce, Mandarin Oranges, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Devilled Eggs, Herb Roasted Turkey with Bourbon Gravy, Wild Rice Dressing, Sweet Potato Rolls, Cranberry Horseradish Relish, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Green Salad, Corn Dish, Green Vegetable Dish, Side Dish with Peppers, Apple Pies, Pumpkin Pies, Pumpkin Custard for Jerome, Maple Sugar Pies, Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pies, Key Lime Pies (one GF for Jerome), Marionberry Pie, Cranberry Cherry Pies, Nantucket Cranberry Pies, Wine, Sparkling Cider

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 try to follow up separately with a weekly recipe round up on Saturday.

Labels: Church Year, Family, Homemaking, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Tales from the Kitchen, Thanksgiving

Progress is being made on both Prettyish Wilderness and on Katrin. The ship has sailed on having the pattern ready for this year, there was just too much for me to do in preparation for my trip, but I hope to have it all written and edited, and ready for tech editing in the new year.

Nothing has moved on the bear paws, which I need to get on right away. I'd like to be able to put them to bed and have them set aside for Winnie's Christmas. Between the tedium and my aging eyes, I have to work on it in full light when I am not tired at all.

Speaking of gifts, I have decided that I suddenly have more time to knit than I ever have before, and that I am faster than I ever have been. So, I'm trying to make a ton of small gifts. I've made no promises, but we'll see how far I get. In my defense, there will be plenty of time in transit for me to knit. Against me, however, is that I'm trying to make most of them before I even leave. I also plan to make at least one crocheted snowflake with some little charms I have attached to them.

My copy of This Is Marketing was returned to the library before I finished it. I've been listening to the Harry Potter series with my husband at night while I wait for my book to return to me from its hold.

Linking to Unraveled Wednesday

If you would like to receive updates and early notice of new patterns, beta knitting opportunities, and great discounts (plus pictures of new yarns, new tools, fun places, neat hints, book ideas, recipes and more) each month, please subscribe to 1,001 Knits. My best, and sometimes my only, discounts go to my subscribers.

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Any time you click on a book link, it gives me the opportunity to earn a few cents for our family.

Labels: Books, Design, Family, Homemaking, Knitting, WIP, Yarn Along

We are quickly approaching Thanksgiving and we will get to have our whole family around the table, which is wonderful. We will have some friends, as well. Since we are having it earlier than the holiday, I feel a bit more pressure about it, but it will be delicious and good, no matter what.

There is so much for me to do as I prepare for leaving the family for my trip. I am menu planning meals that will be easy for them to make, making sure there are assignments ready, and trying to get everything finished for our church and co-op that need to be in place while I am gone and before I get back. Plus packing and getting things together for travel. It's a lot.

Our really good news is that Jerome will be able to eat our Thanksgiving meal with little difficulty. He will be able to chew, though still told not to eat crunchy foods. Our friends will be bringing the vegetable side dishes, as well as hors-d'oeuvres like devilled eggs, and sparkling cider.

Our church will be handling the meals after liturgy entirely while I am gone, so Rich can focus on the things he needs to do at home and with the services. Tonight, they are bringing all the sides and any dessert for us. We are so grateful for their love to us and our parish in their service.

• Sunday
  Breakfast: Leftovers, Pecan Streusel Coffee Cake, Milk, Coffee and Tea
  Dinner: Herb Roasted Pork Loin, Sides/Salads/Desserts brought by Parish
• Monday
  Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Cheese, Toast, Applesauce, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Leftovers, Fruit Platter
• Tuesday - Feast of Saint Martin of Tours
  Breakfast: Saint Martin's Day Almond Crescents (Eggs for Jerome), Bacon, Pluots, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Kofta bi Siniyeh, Basmati Rice, Fruit Plate
• Wednesday
  Breakfast: Vegetable Potato Hash Breakfast Burritos with Salsa, Fruit, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Mejeddarah, Crisp Onions, Fruit Plate
• Thursday
  Breakfast: Slow Cooker Rice Pudding with Dried Cherries and Coconut, Milk, Tea and Coffee
  Dinner: Chicken Ottoman with Rice, Fruit Plate
• Friday
  Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast and Honey, Sliced Apples/Applesauce for Jerome, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Vegetable Noodle Salad with Peanut Sauce, Mandarin Oranges
• Saturday
  Breakfast: Çilbir, Persian Barbari Bread, Fruit Plate, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Carne Guisada, Quick and Dirty Mexican Rice, Fruit Plate

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 try to follow up separately with a weekly recipe round up on Saturday.

Labels: Church Year, Family, Homemaking, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Tales from the Kitchen

I am not as far along on my projects as I wished to be, but I am making progress. There was a little backtracking on Prettyish Wilderness, but I am back on track now, and I want to have it finished before I leave on my trip late this fall (imagine it is another section larger than it is in this picture - that's where I was before I had to go back). I do love this shawl, and really hope its recipient will love it, too. There isn't a lot of time to work on my projects before my trip, so I am modifying my plans. I wanted so badly to have so many hand made gifts ready, and I'm not sure that will happen. So, instead, I am looking for other gifts and working on the priority ones now. No snowflakes have even been begun.

Al-Qidyssat Katrin min al-Iskandaria is well on her way. I really love the yarn, as well as the growing design. Enough people have asked me to regrade Saint Catherine of Alexandria for women, and it has been on my list forever, so now I am so glad to be making it. This cache-coeur, a hidden heart, with a heart on its back, a cross (your heart) between a shawl and a cardigan seems like the perfect knitting project for the blustery fall days.

Also, do you see that delightful bear paw mitt? It is the most tedious thing I've done in a while, but I am getting there. All the bits are knit. I need to attach all the rest of the paw pads on the other mitt still. I take it slowly, to relieve the tedium.

My reading consists of a book on marketing in the social media world. That sounds super boring, but I've actually found it really interesting. The author comes from a place of respect for clients and customers, and I really appreciate that. So, if you are interested in that kind of thing, pick up a copy of This Is Marketing.

Linking to Unraveled Wednesday

If you would like to receive updates and early notice of new patterns, beta knitting opportunities, and great discounts (plus pictures of new yarns, new tools, fun places, neat hints, book ideas, recipes and more) each month, please subscribe to 1,001 Knits. My best, and sometimes my only, discounts go to my subscribers.

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Any time you click on a book link, it gives me the opportunity to earn a few cents for our family.

Labels: Books, Design, Family, Homemaking, Knitting, WIP, Yarn Along

On this final day of the feasts and commemorations of Hallowtide, we pray for all our friends and family who have passed, whether we know them to be in faith or not. We ask for God's mercy and justice and that He bring them to His throne. We have no other major feasts this week, and only one big event during the week, which makes our quotidian life a little easier.

Tonight at church, the bishop will be there, along with a priest from the Sudanese church and some of his parishioners, and our deacon. We are having a feast and the parish is really stepping up to bring a lovely spread to celebrate with our clergy.

This is the final week of our homeschool co-op, and we have a lovely potluck planned for our end of session. Since I am still making too much food with another bird out of the nest, I have two days of leftovers planned this week. Lately, it's been once a week, but I know I will be tired after the potluck and just going to use the leftovers for our dinner, and we can supplement with fruit and so on.

Our meals this week are mostly Arabic and Indian in style, but this morning's breakfast was all American. Well, Rich says that by sautéeing peppers and onions and garlic, using hot peppers at all, and fresh tomatoes made it a little less American, but we did eat it with tortilla chips and Doritos, so that saved it. Even if we actually used crema instead of sour cream.

My trip is coming up soon, and I am busy trying to plan meals for the whole time I am gone, so it is simpler for the kids and Rich. I have told him that he will have to make the Initial Cookies for St. Nicholas' Day that I normally make. I am going to miss nearly all of Advent with the family, though they said they would facetime me for morning prayers and our evening Advent wreath lighting and prayers. Please pray for us all, for my safe travel, for the family at home, and that all goes well and smoothly.

• Sunday - Memorial of All Souls
  Breakfast: Nacho Breakfast, Milk, Coffee and Tea
  Dinner: Garlic Rib Roast, Scalloped Potatoes, Arabic Style Rice Pilaf, Three Green Salads, Macaroni Salad, Fried Chicken, Brie and Crackers, Vegetable Plates, Fruit Plates, Spice Cake, Leftover Halloween Chocolate
• Monday
  Breakfast: Steak and Eggs, Sliced Watermelon, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Leftovers, Fruit Platter
• Tuesday
  Breakfast: Rice Pudding with Dried Cherries and Coconut, Milk, Tea and Coffee
  Dinner: Saleeq, Steam Sautéed Carrots with Garlic and Dill, Pluots
• Wednesday
  Breakfast: Oatmeal with Raisins and Cinnamon, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Roasted Onion Curry, Basmati Rice, Sliced Watermelon
• Thursday
  Breakfast: Leftover Oatmeal Blueberry Muffins (Scrambled Eggs for Jerome), Bacon, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Mughlai Paneer Curry, Basmati Rice, Pluots
• Friday
  Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast and Honey, Sliced Apples, (Fruit Yogurt for Jerome), Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Leftovers from Co-Op Potluck
• Saturday
  Breakfast: Fried Eggs, Sausage Patties, Home Fries, Fruit Plate, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Lebanese Roasted Stuffed Onions, Basmati Rice, Duqqus, Mafrouka

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 try to follow up separately with a weekly recipe round up on Saturday.

Labels: All Saints, Church Year, Family, Homemaking, Homeschooling, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Tales from the Kitchen

This is a trio of dishes that can be made for a Lenten meal (some with modifications). The first one actually takes longer than the other two, but still doesn't take a whole lot of time and is easily made on a weekday. Abstinent meals are not required to taste bad! And, while focusing too much on the food is missing the point of the fasts, having simple to make recipes that will please your family does make those fasting times easier. I hope these help you on a Wednesday or Friday, or during the Nativity fast coming up sooner than you know. These are good meals. We like to say that sometimes foods "taste Lenten." These taste good, not just like they have been made fast friendly.

Zaalouk

This is a Moroccan eggplant salad. I know it doesn't seem like it is to the Western eye, perhaps, but as salad (like salsa, sausage, and so many other words we get from the Latin sal), simply means salted, that is what this is. In the Middle East, a salad can simply be something eaten with a meal. So, my laban bi chiyar is a salad, though it is quite wet from the yogurt. This dish is a warm salad or side dish, and it is delicious that way, but we often make a larger quantity of it, and serve with bread and rice and salad (they way you might think of a salad) and fruit for an amazing, and Lenten, meal.

2 1/4 pounds of eggplant
Olive oil for frying the eggplant and for finishing the salad
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons minced ginger (or replace both garlic and ginger with 3 tablespoons garlic ginger paste)
2 teaspoons cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes
2 cups peeled and chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon kosher flake salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 bay leaf
juice of half a lemon
1 bunch cilantro, finely minced

Peel the eggplant and cut into 3/4 inch cubes. Place in a strainer over a dish and toss with salt to drain excess liquid and remove bitterness. Heat a heavy based pot over medium high heat. Drizzle a generous amount of olive oil into the pot when it is hot and stir in the eggplant cubes, browning, in batches, if necessary. Remove all eggplant from pot.

Add a little more olive oil, the garlic and ginger, and cook for around 30 seconds. Add the paprika, cumin, and pepper flakes and bloom the spices in the hot oil for 10 seconds before quickly adding the chopped tomatoes, water, salt, black pepper, and bay leaf. Let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes.

Return eggplant to the pot, stirring to combine. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and let it simmer for another 5 minutes. The eggplant should now be fully cooked and tender but should not have disintegrated. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and chopped cilantro.

Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly. Serve hot, warm, or room temperature with a drizzle of olive oil and an extra squeeze of lemon.

Spanish Style Fish Stew

This is so lovely and simple to make. It is truly delicious, and it is wonderful for a weeknight dinner, or a fish meal during Lent. We rarely have any left over, but it can be gently heated on the stove for lunch the next day. You can adjust the fish and shellfish to what you like or have on hand, we often shift around the ratios based on what we have, as long as you end up with the same volume as the recipe states. This soup tastes remarkably fresh, even when you use previously frozen fish or shellfish (which we do on a regular basis). This recipe serves eight, but is good the next day. It can easily be cut in half, however, if necessary.

4 tablespoons olive oil
6 onions, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 carrots diced
4 celery stalks, diced
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon smoked hot paprika
28 ounces canned, diced tomatoes
4 russet potatoes peeled and cut into 2 inch cubes
2 pounds cod (or any other firm, white, sea fish) fillets, fresh (or frozen and defrosted)
2 pounds shrimp or scallops
2 bay leaves
juice and zest of 2 lemons plus another lemon or two cut into wedges, to serve
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
large bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped

In a large, heavy bottomed soup pot with a lid, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, carrots, celery, thyme, paprika, and smoked paprika. Cook stirring until onions are softened, and spices are fragrant about 5 minutes.

Add diced tomatoes, with their liquid to the pan along with the potatoes, and bay leaves. Turn heat to medium-high, cover pan and allow to cook until potatoes are tender about 15 minutes.

Add cod, cover and cook for 3 minutes more. Scatter shrimp or scallops over top, cook another 3 minutes, or until shrimp are pink and cod flakes with a fork.

Taste and season with salt and pepper. Stir in lemon juice and zest, and parsley. Serve hot with lemon wedges and crusty bread for sopping up the delicious broth.

Pasta with Clam Sauce

This is another quick meal. It uses canned clams, though fresh would be delightful. I make it either with butter (not during Lent/Advent) or with olive oil on weekends during the Lenten fasts. It is another easy to throw together meal that tastes wonderful, and is good enough for company. Add a salad, some bread, and fruit or dessert, and you are set.

16 ounces spaghetti (can use up to 1 1/2 pounds of pasta if needed)
Salt for pasta water
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
8 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes (or red pepper flakes)
4 (6-ounce)cans minced clams, including the liquid
1 cup dry white wine
2 teaspoons lemon zest
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more, to serve
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Bring a large pot of salted water to a full, rolling boil. While the water is heating, prepare the garlic, lemon zest, and parsley.

Add the spaghetti to the boiling water, stir to avoid pasta sticking, and set your timer for 1 minute less than the recommended time. Cook the spaghetti uncovered in vigorously boiling water. While the spaghetti cooks, prepare the clam sauce.

Heat olive oil in a sauté pan on medium heat. Add the minced garlic and the Aleppo pepper flakes. Cook for 30 seconds to a minute, until the garlic just is on the edge of browning. Add the white wine to the pan. Open the cans of clams and squeeze out the clam juice from the cans into the pan as well. Raise the temperature to high and let boil sauce the sauce reduces as the spaghetti cooks. (Put pan on largest burner on high heat to help the sauce reduce more quickly).

As the spaghetti is finishing its cooking, the sauce should be reduced by about two-thirds. Add the chopped clams, and return to a simmer. Then stir in the minced parsley and the lemon zest.

When the pasta is al dente, drain and place it in a serving bowl. Pour the sauce over the spaghetti and toss to combine. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Serve with a little more fresh parsley sprinkled over the top. Serve immediately.

Shawerma Spice Blend

This is a basic spice blend for shawerma. In general, I use a different one for lamb, but this is excellent for poultry. It works well on red meat, as well, and I use it to season ground meat as a sausage, or on vegetables for a little extra kick.

1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon smoked paprika (sweet or hot, depending on your tastes)
1 1/2 teaspoons onion granules
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic granules
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I prefer Ceylon)
3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground clove

Mix all spices together and store in a tightly sealed jar.

Labels: Fasting as a Family, Homemaking, Recipes, Tales from the Kitchen