Anticipation by Brenda Nixon

This is Potpourri Week. As co-authors on A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts, we choose any Christmas related topic this week and blog on it.

Hmm, what do I love about the holidays? The anticipation! Yep. Waiting . . . in eager expectation for the BIG day.

As a child, I loved the heightened joy, plans, baking, chatter, and family-time leading up to the day. I'd revel in considering the longed-for two weeks vacation from school; spending time with my brother and sister, watching holiday-themed movies on TV, and visiting with fave relatives. The foretaste of opening packages, laughter, surprise, and greed (well, I was a kid), and the prediction of Mom and Dad's reaction to my gift to them entertained my thoughts.

Some people are irritated at having to wait. Not me.

Today, as a wife and mom, I enthusiastically give my family the good aromas and activities that I hope will bond them and create a positive state of mind. I want my family to learn that anticipation - hopefulness - is indeed a gift.

Now I'm humming Carly Simon's song, "Anticipation."

Brenda Nixon, www.BrendaNixon.com
Co-author, A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts

Holiday cooking tips to lessen the load

My approach to lessen the cooking load in December is to use tried and true recipes that my family likes. I often try one new recipe, usually a vegetable, for fun and variety, but staying with the family favorites, once you have a few years’ experience, is my recommendation.

I often make wild rice, and also popular at our family feasts is a vegetable marinated in salad dressing, like cooked asparagus. Here is my favorite wild rice recipe:

Wild Rice

1 cup wild rice
4 cups chicken broth (about 1 and ¾ cans)

Rinse rice with water and drain.
In large sauce pan bring rice and broth to boil.
Reduce heat to simmer; cover and cook, stir occasionally, until rice is cooked, about 45 minutes.
When cooked the rice kernels will be bursting open and tender.
Let cool and serve.
The chicken broth gives it a delicious flavor.
Some folks add soy sauce or butter.

Since my family likes waldorf salad, we enjoy a healthy version of that, with apples, pecans, grapes, celery and a combination of mayonnaise and yogurt.

Stick mainly with recipes that are easy to make and popular with your family for relaxing meals at Christmas time.

Don't forget to divide up the work; if someone offers to bring a dish, say yes. My husband is in charge of cooking the meat, whether it is lamb, roast beef, turkey, etc.