cranberries

We are not huge cranberry sauce fans around here, but discovered an amazing recipe this year. If you use cranberries for Christmas cooking...here are two delicious recipes:

    

Cranberry Sauce:      

1/2 cup  agave nectar

1 cup orange juice

1 cinnamon stick

12 oz. fresh cranberries

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, mix agave nectar and orange juice. Add the cinnamon stick. Stir in the cranberries, reduce heat to low and cover pan. Simmer until they start to pop (about 8-10 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes. The sauce will thicken as it cools. Transfer to bowl and remove cinnamon stick. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Christmas Cobbler (with pear and cranberries)

1/4-1/3 cup Agave nectar

1/3 cup sugar

1 T. cornstarch

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

2 medium pears, unpeeled and sliced

3/4 cup flour 

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup butter

1 cup uncooked oatmeal

1 egg, slightly beaten

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 9 inch square or round baking pan. In medium saucepan, combine first 3 ingredients. Stir in cranberries. Heat to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes or until cranberries pop open. Stir in pears. Pour into baking pan. Combine flour and 1/2 cup sugar. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in oats; mix well. Add egg, mixing until just moistened. Crumble evenly over fruit. Bake 30-35 minutes until top is golden brown. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream (we devoured this!).

aesthetic moments

The last few weeks have been a blur. So glad for some space to breathe again. This past weekend I finished Comprehensive Exams for my Masters--just have oral defense and a couple of elective credits left (my sister calls it the never-ending Masters!).

Our family is all together for Thanksgiving for the first time in a long time. I am thankful to crawl out of the philosophical cave I've been in to breathe, to cook, to laugh, to spend time loving with family and friends.

One of the authors I've been reading writes of the "aesthetic moment," those timeless, ephemeral instances when true connection occurs, when because of, rather than in spite of, all our differences we see  the Other and respect and create something new and beautiful. My wish for all of us  during this often stressful time of year is a season enchanted by aesthetic moments.

playing for change

I love this idea!! Have you seen?


(thanks to experimental theology for the introduction.)

Happy 21 Laura!