September 26

Hello.  I hope your week is going well. I have been thinking about making some felt Christmas ornaments to share with my grand kids. I hope to see them this weekend.

 

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Festive Ham and Cheese Wreath

 

From Betty's Soul Food Collection... Going in circles over a great holiday snack? This edible seasonal wreath-made with buttermilk biscuits, Swiss cheese and ham-is a gift for all to enjoy.

 

Prep Time: 45 min
Total Time: 1 hour 10 min
Makes: 1 wreath (40 appetizers)

 

2 cups finely shredded Swiss cheese (8 oz)
1 1/2 cups chopped cooked ham (about 8 oz)
4 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)
2 tablespoons honey mustard
2 cans (12 oz each) Pillsbury Golden Layers refrigerated buttermilk or flaky original biscuits
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon sesame seed or poppy seed
2 tablespoons diced red and green bell peppers, if desired
1 green-onion fan, if desired

 

Heat oven to 375F. Spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray. In large bowl, stir together cheese, ham, onions and mustard.

 

Separate 1 can of dough into 10 biscuits; leave second can in refrigerator. Separate each biscuit into 2 layers. Press each biscuit layer to form 3 1/2-inch round.

 

Place 1 rounded tablespoon cheese mixture on each dough round. Wrap dough around cheese mixture, pinching edges to seal. Repeat with remaining can of dough and cheese mixture.

 

Arrange 8 balls, seam side down and sides almost touching, to form ring on cookie sheet, leaving 3-inch hole in center. Arrange 14 balls, sides almost touching, around outside of first ring. Arrange remaining 18 balls around outside of second ring. Brush wreath with beaten egg. Sprinkle with sesame seed.

 

Bake 18 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Carefully slide wreath from cookie sheet onto 14-inch serving platter. Sprinkle with bell peppers. Place onion fan in center of wreath. Serve warm.

 

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): No change.

 

How-To
To make a green-onion fan, place the tip of a knife at the onion's middle and slit through the green ends. Place the onion in ice water, which will cause the "leaves" to curl; keep the green-onion fan in water until ready to use.

 

Make-Ahead
Assemble the wreath on a cookie sheet. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to two hours. Bake as directed in the recipe.

 

Make It Special
Place the baked wreath on a large decorative platter (found at your favorite party goods store) and surround it with rosemary sprigs.

 

Nutrition Information:
1 Appetizer: Calories 90 (Calories from Fat 40); Total Fat 4 1/2g (Saturated Fat 2g, Trans Fat 1g); Cholesterol 15mg; Sodium 280mg; Total Carbohydrate 7g (Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 1g); Protein 4g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 0%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 4%; Iron 2% Exchanges: 1/2 Starch; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 1 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 1/2
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

 

Source: Betty Crocker

 

 

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Festive Spiced Apple Rolls

 

 

Store-bought spiced apple rings dress up basic bread dough. The resulting
rolls are both pretty and delicious.

 

Makes 12 rolls

 

Rolls:
2 1/2
cups
Gold Medal all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons packed brown
sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package regular or quick active dry yeast
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup water
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 egg
1 jar (14 ounces) spiced apple rings, drained

 

Glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 to 3 teaspoons milk

 

1. In large bowl, mix 3/4 cup of the flour, the brown sugar, salt and yeast.
In small
saucepan,
heat 1/3 cup milk, the water and butter until warm, 105 degrees F to 115
degrees F. (Butter need not be melted.) Gradually stir into flour mixture.
Beat
with electric mixer on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.
Add egg and 1/4 cup of the flour. Beat on high speed 2 minutes, scraping
bowl
occasionally. Stir in remaining flour until stiff dough forms. Grease top of
dough. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours
but no longer than 3 days.

 

2. Grease 12 regular-size muffins cups. Punch down dough. On lightly floured
surface, roll dough into 15 x 10-inch rectangle.

 

3. Place apple rings in blender or food processor. Cover and blend on medium
speed until almost smooth. Spread apples over dough to within 1/4 inch of
edges. Roll up dough tightly, beginning at 15-inch side. Pinch edge of dough
firmly into roll to seal. Stretch and shape until even.

 

4. Cut roll into 12 equal slices. Place slices cut sides up in muffin cups.
Snip part way through each slice twice, cutting into fourths, using kitchen
scissors. Gently spread dough pieces open. Cover and let rise in warm place
about 25 minutes or until double. (Dough is ready if indentation remains
when
touched.)

 

5. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake about 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Immediately remove from pan to cooling rack. (At this point, rolls can be
frozen
in freezer-safe bags up to 1 month. To serve, remove rolls from bag and wrap
in foil. Reheat in 325 degree F oven about 15 minutes or until hot.)

 

6. In medium bowl, mix all glaze ingredients until smooth and thin enough to
drizzle. Drizzle glaze over warm rolls. Serve warm or cool. Enjoy.

 

 

 

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" Where's the Line to see Jesus".

Christmas time was approaching
Snow was starting to fall
Shoppers choosing their presents
People filling the mall
Children waiting for Santa
With excitement and glee
A Little boy tugged my sweater
Looked up and asked me,
[chorus:]
"Where's the line to see Jesus?
Is He here at the store?
If Christmas time is His birthday,
Why don't we see Him more?
Where's the line to see Jesus?
He was born for me.
Santa Clause brought me presents,
But Christ gave His life for Me."

As I stood in amazement
At this message profound
I looked down to thank him
He was no where around.
A little boy at he mall
Might as well had had wings
As the tears filled my eyes
I thought I heard him sing:
[chorus:]
"Where's the line to see Jesus?
Is He here at the store?
If Christmas time is His birthday,
Why don't we see Him more?
Where's the line to see Jesus?
He was born for me.
Santa Clause brought me presents,
But Christ gave His life for me."
In the blink of an eye,
At the sound of His trump't,
We'll all stand in line at His throne.
Every knee shall bow down.
Every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
[chorus:]
Where's the line to see Jesus?
Is He here at the store?
If Christmas time is His birthday,
Why don't we see Him more?
Where's the line to see Jesus?
He was born for me.
Santa Clause brought me presents,
But Christ gave His life for me.

 

 

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http://catholicicing.com/2010/11/emmanuel-craft-for-kids/

Emmanuel Craft for Kids

Craft: Emmanuel Craft

This craft is so cute and children of just about any age can make it! This Baby Jesus craft would obviously also work well for a Christmas craft.

Supplies Needed to Complete this Craft:

• Popsicle Sticks (we used jumbo popsicle sticks)
• Shredded crumple paper (you can get this by the bag full at the Dollar Tree)
• School Glue (not a glue stick)
• Manila File Folder
• White Felt (you could substitute white paper)
• Construction paper

Before you begin, trace around a milk cap on a manila file folder and cut it out. Draw on a face for Baby Jesus. Also, cut out a rectangle of white felt for his "swaddling clothes". If your kids are older, they will be able to cut out Baby Jesus on their own. Now you're ready to begin. Have your kids run a line of glue down each popsicle stick andglue them in the middle of their paper in the shape of an "X". This isthe manger. Then put lots and lots of glue on top of the X and stickthe crumpled paper on it. Lastly glue on Baby Jesus' blanket- then his head.

To make this your "E" craft for the Catholic ABC's, Use a foam "E" sticker for "Emmanuel" and also write "God With Us". (Emmanuel means God with us).

Grab Bag Ideas for the Letter Ee: (be sure to check out the Classroom Scriptfor directions on using the grab bag.) Envelope, toy Elephant, Eagle, Mr. Potato HeadEar, Egg Egg (I used several varieties including a play Egg, a plastic Easter Egg, and an Egg shaker)

For More Resources, check out the Catholic Toolbox lesson plans for the Letter Ee. (Her Ee lesson is on "Elijah")

Catholic ABC's runs here at Catholic Icing every Wednesday with the new letter of the week. You can get the details of this program by checking out the Classroom Script.

 

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Things to do at Christmas time, Plan a night of Candle light. Be it romantic or in memory of someone who has passed.

 

The Sunday before Christmas, I light all the candles I have out, saying the name of someone who has passed away in my past and say a little prayer for each one. I let the candles burn for about an hour and play Carols.  This way, I am bringing in my past family into my holiday memories.

 

 

 

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http://www.wf-f.org/Creche.html

 

To set up the crib at home can be a simple but effective way of presenting the faith and transmitting it to one's children. The manger helps us to contemplate the mystery of God's love who revealed himself in the poverty and simplicity of the Bethlehem cave

 

 

 

 

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Billie C.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/A_Melting_Pot/