# 20 Christmas Eve and Mary

There is not alot of planning to this day, really.

We get up and eat breakfast.

Then around 9:30, we go to Chuck E Cheese...because it's Jesus's birthday and He might have liked going there.

We play games for about an hour and a half and then eat pizza. Then we go to a store that carries Fontanini resin figurines. They are not cheap, but they are durable and beautiful. Children can play with them and they, for the most part, do not break or come apart. Here is a website that carries them if you are interested. Some gift stores also carry a limited supply.

(2011 addition-In a few years I think we will have all the Fontanini figures that we might want. And this year we actually ordered them online...they are here in the box waiting to be opened today. I was thinking, though, that if you didn't want to do this activity and were looking for something else, maybe making one of the Jesse Tree Ornaments every year would be good. Then when children grow up and move out, they would have their own set.)

This might be a good day to do some kind of service project. We haven't ever done that, but as the kids get older, everything does not take 3 hours to accomplish and there might be time for that. Maybe clean out a closet and donate some things?  Food bank?  Apparently, you can call Salvation Army and ring the bell for a period of time...

Also, there is some preparation involved for Christmas Day that could be done.

That evening, we spotlight Mary. She was a teen, so the food we eat that night is kind of teen food. I usually do

hamburgers

french fries...or nachos, maybe.

pickles

Some teen dessert.... or angel food cake, because God highly favored her..

     Divinity is also a good choice. 


(2011 addition...the hamburger thing didn't work out...so my teens suggested Subway. They love Subway. So we went there...and that may very well become the new Mary dinner. )



The ornament is a white lily artificial flower.

Here is the story of Mary or listen to it here...you'll need to listen through some earlier reading.

#19 Joseph

ALERT! The ribs for Christmas Day need to be put together this morning so that they can marinate for Christmas Day cooking.  They need 2 days to sit.  This will take about an hour to put together.

Quincy Jones Thriller Ribs

The ribs are marinated in a dry rub of spices and garlic and jalapeno peppers for 2 days (hence the 2 day Prep time) and slow roasted in a low oven for 8 hours."

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons Spike seasoning (usually I just use seasoning salt)
• 1 teaspoon Accent seasoning (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper(optional)
• 5 racks of baby-back pork ribs ( about 5 pounds)
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 large jalapeno peppers, minced (if we use these it is minimal.  MINIMAL)
• 2 large onions, halved and thinly sliced
• 2 green bell peppers, thinly sliced (we use all green)
• 2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced
• 2 yellow bell peppers, thinly sliced

Directions

1. In a cup, combine Spike and Ac'cent seasonings, and black pepper. (I just sprinkle seasoning salt on both sides)
2. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon seasoning mixture on each side of the rib racks.
3. In a small bowl, combine the minced garlic, jalapeno peppers and remaining seasoning mixture.
4. Rub the garlic mixture on the top and bottom of the ribs.
5. Line a large roasting pan (17 x 11 1/2 inches) with enough foil to wrap all the ribs.
6. Spread a layer of onions and bell peppers on top of the foil.
7. Place 2 rib racks, side by side, on the vegetables.
8. Continue to layer the onions and peppers and the ribs.
9. Tightly wrap the marinated ribs in the foil and refrigerate for 2 days.

Since we both have some German ancestry, I like to use this as an opportunity to have some German foods. Last year, we had this meal, and everyone liked it, so I think we will use it again.

• Schnitzel


• German Potato Salad (I am using this recipe this year and adding the bacon)



• Saurkraut


• Pumpernickel Bread



• Applesauce


• Cranberry Cake with Butter Sauce (I double this whole thing and bake in a 13x9 pan)

1/2 c butter or shortening
1 c sugar
1 egg (beaten)
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 t baking powder
1 c milk
1 1/2 c raw cranberries

Cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs.  Sift flour, salt and baking powder.  Mix alternately with milk.  Fold in washed cranberries.  Bake in a greased 8x8 or 9x9 pan 350 for about 40 minutes

Serve with butter sauce (recipe below)

1/2 c butter
1/2 c cream
1 c sugar

Heat all ingredients in a saucepan until melted and well blended.  Cut a piece of cake, put in a bowl and spoon some butter sauce over.  

The ornament we use for Joseph is a ruler, since he was a carpenter.
Here is the story of Joseph. Or listen to it here.

#18 Elizabeth

ALERT!  If you elect to start meal on this day, the meat has to be put in the marinade at least 8 hours before you grill/broil it.  So FIRST thing this morning.  

For Elizabeth, we eat things that take a long time or have a surprise in the middle, or have association with pregnancy.

So, we have

• Teriyakki Steak (I never can figure out how to spell this, so it is different every time;))

2 lbs sirloin (you can use round steak but it is not as tender) steak strips marinated at least 8 hours ina ziploc bag...maybe double bagged to prevent leakage

1 cup sugar,

1 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup water

1 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp garlic powder
skewers (that have been soaked in water for maybe an hour before skewering)

Thread on skewers and grill (better)  or broil (still good)

• baked potato with whatever you like in there


• peas in a pod...or just peas...or sugar snap peas


• rolls (bun in the oven)


• tootsie pop (surprise inside) or
• Fried Dough Balls (2011 addition....my mother in law, Dorothy, makes a fun fondue type dessert from time to time. She takes canned biscuits and cuts them, maybe in quarters...then puts a treat inside of each one...chocolate chip. banana piece, raisin, peanut, apple...anything...then she sets all these doughballs on a plate. She heats oil in a fondue pot and gives everyone a fondue fork. We spear a doughball with a fondue fork and put it into the hot oil (on the fork...do not remove). This is kind of fun and tastes good...just watch out for the oil...Anyway, we are going to have that for dessert this year.)

The story is here, here and here (partly a repeat of yesterday, but after all, they were married) Or hear the audio here.

If I get short on time because of Christmas programs, etc, I will combine days on Zacharias/ Elizabeth and Joseph/Mary...if that helps you. Just pick the foods from the days and combine to suit your needs.

The ornament is a grandma Polly Pocket-type with a baby Polly Pocket-type rubberbanded to her tummy. I know...some are better than others...:-)

#17 Zacharias

****************************************************************************
ALERT!   Tomorrow's meat needs time to marinade.  You can prepare this meat today, marinade tonight and cook tomorrow or you can prepare first FIRST thing in the morning, marinade all day and cook tomorrow night.  I don't know that the meat can sit in the marinade too long, but you will want it to be in the marinade at least 8 hours. 

Here is the recipe for the Terriyaki for tomorrow.

2 lbs sirloin (you can use round steak but it is not as tender) steak strips marinated at least 8 hours ina ziploc bag...maybe double bagged to prevent leakage

1 cup sugar,

1 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup water

1 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp garlic powder

TOMORROW this will be threaded onto skewers (that have been soaked in water for maybe an hour before skewering) and grilled or broiled
*****************************************************************************
 Zacharias

This is the first day of New Testament readings and characters that we do. This was, of course, following the 400 Years of Darkness, in which people had not been spoken to by God directly. Here is the meal that we eat to celebrate Zacharias and his part in the coming of the Messiah.

• Pigs in a blanket (to signify a baby) Little smokies wrapped in crescent roll dough and baked.


• Cheez Its in the scrabble version (to signify written letters since he was unable to speak).


• Some long thin pasta if you wanted, since they tied a rope around the priest's leg before he went into the Holy of Holies, in case he wasn't properly prepared to make the sacrifices and was killed. Optional...I have never done that, but just thought of it.


• Blue, Purple and Red Jello...or Jigglers (to signify the ephod, which was a fancy breastplace the priest wore).


• Laffy Taffy (to signify difficulty talking...also several colors) Or Now and Laters...or taffy

Here is the story...some of it will overlap with Elizabeth. Or listen to it here

#16 400 Years of Darkness & Hanukkah

This is the site where I got most of the information that we use to talk about the 400 years between the Old and New Testaments.

I am not a historical scholar or a Bible scholar or a scholar:-), but it is interesting.

We do Hannukah (a really simplified version, since it is just one night...more of a "These are the reasons that people celebrate Hanukkah" rather than "We are reinacting the celebration of Hanukkah".

So we eat

• latkes,

• a cheese plate (to celebrate the legend story of Judith, which is part of what is celebrated at this time), (2011 addition...this year, and I don't know why I didn't think of it before, we are going to have a cheese ball. I love this one...really easy and everyone likes it...)

Zippy Cheeseball (from Food Editors Favorites Cookbook)

• 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese


• 1 (8 oz) brick of neufatel cheese (easier to mix than cream cheese)


• 2 tablespoons mayonaise


• 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce


• 1 teaspoon onion powder...or 1 tablespoon recontstituted dehydrated onion


• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

Mix everything but the pecans and make a ball. Roll in the nuts. Wrap in plastic wrap until ready to serve. Serve with crackers or crudites.

• potato chips (because we have some who do not like potatoes in our family but are OK with chips...go figure)

• applesauce (usually eaten with latkes)

• donuts (donuts and latkes are to refer to the oil in the Hannukah story).

The ornament for us is a large piece of black tuille (am I spelling that right? That net stuff that is sold in the fabric stores) that can nearly cover the tree. And no lights from now until Christmas. This is for the 400 years of darkness.

This year I may put out eight of those flameless candles so that there is some light, but it won't be the ones actually on the tree. Just a thought.

Because there is gift giving during this time, I usually get everyone a pair of slippers. Maybe a little more fun than socks and underwear. :-) (2011 addition...got everyone fleece pajama pants this year...we'll see how that goes...) (2013 addition-This year I got us matching shirts for the Thunder.  We love matching shirts as a family, but sometimes they are hard to find when trying to get children's and adult sizes.  These were not the fanciest Thunder shirts but they do match:))

#15 Isaiah

We do Isaiah because he has so many prophecies about Jesus. The story we use for him is the one about him lamenting the fact that he is a man of unclean lips. That is where the food hints come from, anyway.

So we eat

• Sweet and Sour chicken...use frozen popcorn chicken pieces fried in the Fry Daddy (the sauce is orange...like the red hot coal.)

Sweet and Sour Sauce (2011 addition)

• 1 teaspoon soy sauce


• 1/2 cup sugar


• 1/3 cup pineapple juice drained from chunks


• 1/4 cup ketchup


• 1/2 cup vinegar


• 2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water


• 1 cup pineapple chunks


• 1 green pepper cut into 1/2 inch squares


• 1 carrot sliced in 1/4 inch rounds

In a 2 qt saucepan, combine soy sauce, sugar, pineapple juice, ketchup and vinegar. Bring to a boil Add cornstarch mixed with water gradually to boiling sauce. Lower temperature, and simmer 1 minute until sauce is clear. Add pineapple, green pepper and carrot. Simmer 3-5 minutes until heated through. (I put green pepper in at the last minute)

• Rice (for purity)
  


• Hot Fudge Cake...just a mix from the baking aisle. (hot...you know...like the coals)
  
  Here are some passages fortelling Jesus' birth (also here)
  
  Here are some passages fortelling his death
  
  Pretty amazing really...all that info about Jesus way back then.
  
  For the ornament, we use (wait for it...;-)) a piece of coal partially painted orange.

# 14 The Fiery Furnace

We love the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. But I have never had a great meal for the story. I am still thinking about it, but for now, I think what we are going to have this year is...TV Dinners

They are a surprise.

They come from the fiery furnace.

It makes complete sense to me.

Soooo...TV dinners for everyone.

And for dessert....

Apple dumplings with vanilla ice cream... or popcorn. That kind of comes from a fiery furnace.

(2013-going to have fudge pie for the dessert...recipe here. )

Here is the story (2011 addition audio Bible www.bible.is/ENGESV/Dan/3 Or you could watch Shad, Rack and Benny (the Veggietale movie). )

The ornament is a little film cannister with matches glued all around it vertically.