x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x Our loving God gives us His Son....   Mark 1:1-3        1 The beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.      2 It is written in the prophet Isaiah:           Look!  I am sending My messenger ahead of You                to prepare the way for You.           A voice is calling out in the wilderness:                "Prepare the way for the Lord;                  make the paths straight for Him."   Luke 2:1-7        1 In those days Caesar Augustus ordered that a census be taken of the whole world.  2 (This was the first census while Quirinius was governing Syria.) 3 Everyone went to register, each to his own town.      4 Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to David's town in Judea, which is called Bethlehem, because he was one of the descendants of David, 5 to register with Mary, his fiancee, who was going to have a child.      6 Now while they were there, the time came for her to have her baby, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn son.  She wrapped Him in baby clothes and laid Him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn.   God's Word to the Nations New Testament Want to know more?  Go to:  The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod's website   The reason we see joy in sadness and a hope for tomorrow.  He is risen, Alleluia!!!!   Luke 24: 1-12   1 Very early on Sunday morning the women came to the tomb, bringing the spices which they had prepared.  2 They found the stone rolled back from the tomb.  3 but when they went in, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.  4 While they were troubled about this, suddenly two men stood beside them in clothes that were shining with the brightness of lightning.  5 The women were terrified, and they bowed their faces to the ground.      They asked the women, "Why do you look among the dead for Him who is alive?  6 He is not here; He has risen!  Remember what He told you while He was still in Galilee:  7 'The Son of Man must be handed over to sinful men, be cruicified, and rise on the third day.' "  8 They remembered what He had told them.      9 Having returned from the tomb, they reported all this to the Eleven and all the others.  10 It was Mary from Magdala, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told the apostles about these things.      11 The apostles thought that what the women said was nonsense, and they would not believe them.      12 But Peter started out and ran to the tomb.  He bent down and saw only the linen cloths.  Then he went away, amazed at what had happened.   God's Word to the Nations New Testament   Here are some of my favorite recipes: _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ Lasagna   1 lb. Italian sausage 1 clove fresh garlic, minced 1 tbsp. whole basil 1 ½ tsp. salt 1 1-lb. can tomatoes 2 6-oz. cans tomato paste 10 ounces lasagna noodles 2 eggs 3 c. fresh Ricotta cheese ½ c. Grated Parmesan or Romano cheese 2 tbsp. parsley flakes 1 tsp. salt ½ tsp. pepper 1 lb. Mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced Brown meat slowly; spoon off excess fat.  Add next 5 ingredients.  Simmer uncovered 30 min. stirring occasionally.  Cook noodles in large amount boiling salted water till tender; drain; rinse.  Beat eggs; add remaining ingredients, except mozzarella.             Layer half the noodles in 13x9x2 inch baking dish; spread with half the Ricotta filling; add half the Mozzarella cheese and half the meat sauce.  Repeat.  Bake at 375 degrees about 30 min. (or assemble early and refrigerate; bake 45 min.).  Let stand 10 min. before serving.  Serves 8 - 10.  (note:  can reduce the amount of salt if desired) _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ Broccoli Casserole   2 tbsp. butter 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour 1 3 oz. package cream cheese, softened ¼ c. Velveeta cheese 1 c. milk 2 10-oz. Pkgs. Broccoli spears, cooked and drained 1/3 c. Ritz crackers, crushed (about 10)             In a saucepan melt butter; blend in flour and cheeses.  Add milk; cook and stir till mixture boils.  Pour mixture over broccoli.  Place in a casserole dish, top with cracker crumbs.  Bake in moderate oven (350 degrees) for 30 min.  Serves 8 – 10.  _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ Carrot cake   1 ½ c. vegetable oil 1 ½ c. sugar 4 eggs, well beaten 3 c. grated carrots 2 c. unbleached flour ½ tsp. salt 2 tsp. soda 1 tsp. bkg. Powder 2. tsp. Ground cinnamon ¼ tsp. Nutmeg 2 tsp. Ground allspice 1 c. Chopped pecans 1 c. golden raisins 1 tsp. vanilla extract Frosting ½ c. margarine, softened 1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened 2 c. sifted, powdered sugar 1 tsp. vanilla extract             Cake:  Cream oil and sugar.  Add eggs and carrots, and mix well.  Mix dry ingredients.  Add flour mixture to carrot mixture, a small amount at a time, beating well.  When blended, add pecans, raisins and vanilla.  (This mixture will fit into Cuisinart processor.)  Pour into a 10x14 inch greased and sugared pan and bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.  (can also use 3 8 inch cake pans or 12 c. bundt pan) Cool slightly before frosting.             Frosting:  Combine margarine and cheese with sugar and beat well.  Add vanilla, mix well and spread on cooled cake.  Note:  Travels well.  _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ Mom’s Vanilla Ice Cream   Beat together:            5 eggs 1 ½ c. sugar 3 c. scalded milk Cook this mixture until it thickens and then cool. Add 1 tsp. vanilla and ½ tsp. lemon or almond extract.  Fold in 2 ½ c. heavy cream, whipped.  (In the electric ice cream freezer it isn’t necessary to whip it.)  Follow instructions for your electric ice cream freezer or crank the old fashioned way!     _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ Oven Easy Chicken   1 whole chicken, cut up Garlic salt ¼ c. flour 1 tsp salt ½ tsp. paprika ¼ tsp. pepper 1 c. chicken broth Rinse chicken and pat dry. (optional-remove skin)  Sprinkle garlic salt over both sides of chicken, combine the rest of dry ingredients and dip chicken in mixture.  In 9x13 pan pour ½ of the broth and place skin side down in broth.  Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.  Turn and add rest of broth.  Cook 30 minutes more and serve.   _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ Fruit salad   Drain: 1 can peaches 1 can tropical fruit or other favorite canned fruit 1 can fruit cocktail 1 can chunk pineapple 1 can mandarin oranges In a large bowl mix all the drained fruit and 2 bananas, 1 cup of your favorite nuts, 1 cup coconut if desired, and 1 can cherry or peach pie filling. Place in a clear glass bowl and top with additional coconut.   _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ Favorite entertainment   I enjoy going to antiques shows, museums that feature art, traveling to visit other cultures, reading books, live performances of musicals and plays, orchestra concerts, playing in large and small ensembles, and going to movies.   Here's a list of some of my favorite movies:   Sound of Music, Fiddler on the Roof, Fantasia, Out of Africa, Star Wars, James Bond (yes, all of them), My Left Foot, and many more. My interest in music is vast, but here are a few of my favorites: Classical from Baroque to Impressionists: Johann Sebastian Bach, Vivaldi,  Clementi, W A Mozart, Peter Tschaikovsky, Sergei Rachmanninoff, Maurice Ravel, and Claude Debussy      20th Century: Aaron Copland, Irving Berlin, George Gershwin music by the performing group Canadian Brass   1970's and later:  Chicago, Carpenters, Bette Middler, John Denver,  and many more.   I also enjoy good musical theatre and live concerts.  One of the most memorable concerts I got to see was in Denver when Aaron Copland directed.   I enjoy playing several different instruments.  My best and my favorite is the clarinet.  I also play the organ, piano, alto, soprano, tenor, sopranino, and bass recorders, French horn, trumpet, trombone, baritone, flute, oboe, and saxophone.  I also play a little guitar - though not very much.   I love to create things with my hands.  Crewel Embroidery, stained glass making, machine embroidery, quilting, and sewing are my favorite things to use my creative juices.  I have sold many of my stained glass pieces to people and have done sewing for the public, specifically wedding dresses and bridesmaid dresses.  I do longarm quilting for clients.  I also enjoy drawing with pastels.