Alleluia! Christ is Risen! The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia! Happy Easter, everybody!

We have a terrible habit going on in my house right now. My youngest requests more apples whenever I am making my grocery list. I purchase said apples and then notice that they are not getting eaten, they are just piling up on the counter. I don’t like apples but I don’t like wasting food even more. So yesterday I decided to use all of those apples to make apple butter. I know I said I don’t like apples but I LOVE apple butter! Apple butter is this amazing spread that is made from apples that have been cooked down to a thick, smooth consistency. It is similar to apple sauce, but is cooked for a longer period of time and has a more intense apple flavor. Despite the name, it contains no actual butter; butter refers only to its butter-like consistency. It’s a delicious and versatile spread that can be enjoyed in so many different ways. We use it like jam and spread it on toast or biscuits, but you can also use it as a topping for pancakes or waffles. It can also be used as an ingredient in baking, such as in cakes, cookies, and pies, or as a glaze for meats, such as pork or chicken. The recipe I am sharing is so easy to make. All you have to do is chop up your apples (you can peel them but you really don’t need to since everything will be pureed), add in your spices and sugar, place in a slow cooker or Instant Pot, and cook. The mixture is then pureed in a blender and you’re done! It’s that easy! Apple butter is SO easy to make and so good! Plus, it’s such a great way to use up a surplus of apples. Easy Homemade Apple Butter 8 cups apples, cored and chopped 5 teaspoons cinnamon 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon salt 4 tablespoons water 3 cups sugar Combine all ingredients in your Instant Pot. Turn to no venting and set at manual high pressure for 40 minutes. If using a slow cooker, cover and cook on HIGH until hot, then turn to LOW and cook all day (7 to 10 hours). When the apples are done, pour the mixture into a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Pour up into mason jars or airtight containers and store in the fridge.

Tomorrow is the Feast of St. Matthew! Feasts in the church are celebrated sundown to sundown so the feasting begins tonight! The Feast of St. Matthew is the day that we celebrate Matthew, one of Jesus’ twelve disciples. In the gospels of Matthew and Mark we are given the story of the call of Matthew (also known as Levi). We are told that Matthew was a tax collector and was sitting by the customs house in Capernaum when Jesus walked by. The description is brief but powerful. Jesus simply says, “Follow me” and Matthew gets up, leaves everything and follows him! How amazing! Both gospels then say that Jesus ate at Matthew’s house with his disciples and that many publicans and sinners ate with them. When the religious leaders saw who Jesus was eating with they were furious. They asked the disciples how it was that Jesus was able to eat with such notorious sinners. Jesus overheard them and told them that it was not the healthy who needed a doctor, but the sick. Then he told them to go and learn what this means, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I have come not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” After Jesus rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, Matthew remained in Jerusalem with the rest of the disciples. He received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and became an apostle of the Lord or “one sent out” to proclaim the gospel of the Lord. Matthew wrote an account of the life of Jesus and it is known as The Gospel According to Matthew. It is the first gospel account in the New Testament and is believed to be written to prove to his Jewish readers that Jesus was the Messiah. Ways to Celebrate: Read the story of the call of Matthew with your family. Matthew 9:9-13 or Mark 2:13-17. Since St. Matthew dealt with money, we are making stacks of little pancakes to resemble coins. In Logrono, Spain, the celebration of St. Matthew’s Day falls during the time of their grape harvests so the whole week is called Las Fiestas de San Mateo (the festivals of St. Matthew). Eat grapes or anything related to grapes. Parents, enjoy a nice glass of wine! Listen to St. Matthew's Passion by Bach Easy Fluffy Pancakes for St. Matthew’s Day 1 egg 3 TBL butter, melted 1 cup flour 1 TBL sugar 1 tsp baking soda ½ salt 1 cup buttermilk Melt the butter. When cool, blend in the egg. In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Add the egg, butter and buttermilk to the dry ingredients. Whisk until smooth. Heat a griddle to medium low heat. Melt 1 tsp of butter in the griddle. Pour out batter making small circles. Flip when golden brown. Drizzle with honey or syrup. Makes 2-3 servings.

Here’s a perfect fall recipe for your family. It’s a family favorite of ours created by my husband’s spicy grandmother, Lilo. It’s so easy to make and it’s so good ! You won’t be able to stop eating it! It’s crispy, rich and buttery sweet but don’t you worry…it’s got pecans so it’s healthy! 😂 Lilo's Candy Popcorn 4 quarts popcorn 2 cups nuts (pecans or peanuts) 1 1/4 cups sugar 2/3 cup butter 2/3 cup Karo syrup 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 teaspoon baking soda Preheat oven 250 degrees. Pop popcorn and set aside. Mix sugar, butter and Karo syrup together and bring to a boil. Take off the heat and add vanilla and baking soda. Pour mixture over popcorn along with the nuts. Stir to coat. Pour onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

St. Antony was born in Egypt in 250 AD. He came from a very wealthy family and was deeply moved by Jesus’ teachings. He felt particularly challenged and called to embrace the words of Jesus, “Go and sell what you have and give it to the poor." He went to live alone in the Egyptian desert. He is considered by the church to be one of the first great Christian hermits. He lived on bread and water and tried to pray constantly. St. Antony died at the age of 105 in a cave near the Red Sea. He is considered to be the father of all monks. He is also known as a Desert Father of Egypt. He heavily influenced Christian monastic movements throughout the world and was made famous by the biography, “The Life of St. Anthony the Great” by Athanasius. Legend has it that St. Antony was tempted by Satan in the desert. Every time Satan tempted Antony, he would come in the form of a different animal and every time Antony would resist temptation. The legend says that the last form that Satan took was that of a pig and still St. Antony resisted. That is why many countries eat roast pig on this day and why St. Antony is usually depicted with a pig beside him. An easy way to celebrate this day is to eat pork! I am making a super easy recipe, Pesto Pork Chops. They are moist and flavorful and take no time to prepare. If you'd like an amazing homemade pesto recipe you can find it here. Pesto Pork Chops 8 boneless pork chops 3/4 to 1 cup of homemade pesto or jarred pesto 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with oil. Rub salt and pepper into both sides of your pork chops. In a small bowl, mix pesto and olive oil. Brush each side of the pork chops with pesto mixture and lay on baking sheet. Drizzle remaining pesto over pork chops. Roast for 6-8 minutes until pork chops are cooked through. Remove pork chops from pan and place on a plate or serving dish. Cover with foil and let rest for 5 minutes. Drizzle pork chops with any remaining juice and serve.

I am so late on my free January printable! With all of the hustle and bustle of Christmas, I totally forgot about my January printable until a sweet follower asked me about it. Oh, well! Better late than never! We have entered the season of Epiphany now so a lot of the feast days will center around revelations or epiphanies. Either print up the list and hang it by your calendar or gather as a family and add the dates yourselves. Then follow along as I share the history, traditions, and recipes that go along with these special days. I hope this helps you and your family in the celebration of the seasons of the church within your home! Here's the January calendar as well.

But we had hoped… Last week, our pastor gave a sermon on these words. These words, he said, were some of the most poignant in the Bible. They were spoken by two of Jesus’ disciples days after Jesus’ brutal crucifixion. They thought Jesus had come to defeat the Romans but He had been killed instead. They were shocked, they were confused, and they were filled with hopeless grief. But we had hoped… I heard those words and my heart burned. Like the disciples in their grief, I, too, had hoped. Very soon after our child’s birth, it became apparent that he was different from other children. There were meltdowns, anxieties, and idiosyncrasies but the hardest part for me were the milestones he missed. He could not catch a ball, he could not ride a bike, he could not write. So many milestones have continued to be missed. He was not able to get his learner’s permit at 15 or his driver’s license at 16. His senior year in high school will not lead to an exciting time in college and my husband and I realize now that he will probably live with us as an adult. I hoped for so many things for my son: adventures, friends, independence, and all of the “normal” things that kids get to experience. The disciples hoped that Jesus was the Messiah sent to save them from Roman oppression. But Jesus did not do what they expected Him to do, He did something much greater: He defeated death forever, He conquered hell and all of the forces of evil and He made a way for all of us to have everlasting life with Him. Now, in my grief, I wonder, am I just like the disciples? In my grieving over what I had hoped for, am I missing the risen Christ walking right beside me? Lord, as my hopes lay around my feet like tattered rags, help me to see you, walking right beside me in your resurrected glory. Help me to see that what you are offering is so much greater than what I had hoped for, so much greater than anything I could have ever asked for, hoped for, or imagined. ***The necklace pictured was given to me by my sweet sister. It is called “Christina’s Comfort” from Rustic Lace Creations and is dedicated to women who have a child struggling with special needs. It is one of the most precious gifts I have ever been given.

Tonight is Twelfth Night! The celebration of Twelfth Night and Epiphany is one of our oldest celebrations in the church. It is even older than the celebration of Christmas Day! Twelfth Night begins at sundown and is the beginning of the celebration of Epiphany. On Epiphany, we celebrate the arrival of the Wise Men to the child Jesus. The Wise Men were kings from the east who were led by a bright and unusual star in the sky. They knew that the star signified the birth of a mighty king. They brought gifts worthy of a king and traveled for quite some time until they were led to a humble home where Jesus lived with Mary and Joseph. The church recognizes this moment as an epiphany where Jesus is revealed to the world beyond the Jews (the Gentiles). Although Twelfth Night is not celebrated much in the United States, it is a major holiday in other countries around the world. There is feasting and parades through the streets. Men dressed as Wise Men can be seen parading down the streets and Wise Men figures are placed at town nativity scenes. This is the last great feast in the Christmas cycle and it is wonderfully celebrated. Have a Twelfth Night party tonight! Sing “We Three Kings of Orient Are”. As you sing, bring your nativity wise men and place them around baby Jesus lying in the manger. After the adoration of baby Jesus, go to your front door and write the initials C, M, and B in chalk along the top of your door. The initials are said to stand for the names of the wise men: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar, or “Christ, bless this house” in Latin (Christus mansionem benedicat). The initials are then surrounded by the current year and separated by crosses (20+C+M+B+22). Make a Twelfth Night Cake (also known as King Cake, Galette de Rois, or Rosca de Reyes). Depending on the country, it is a simple cake with a dried bean inside. Whoever finds the bean in their piece of cake is crowned king or queen for the night and might also have duties assigned to them at a later celebration.

We are celebrating a day late with a southern family tradition, collard greens, black-eyed peas, and cornbread. Eating collard greens, black-eyed peas, and cornbread on New Year's Day is a longstanding southern tradition. All three dishes are said to symbolize money or prosperity for the New Year. Collard greens represent folded bills, black-eyed peas represent coins and cornbread represents gold. Although the tradition is not Christian per se, I love the idea of acknowledging a new year in Christ and praying for God's blessings over it. This is my absolute favorite recipe for collard greens. It is hearty and so easy to make! Southern Collard Greens 12 slices of bacon, chopped 2 medium-size sweet onions, finely chopped ¾ pound smoked ham, chopped 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped 3 (32-oz.) containers chicken broth 3 (1-lb.) packages fresh collard greens, washed and trimmed ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon sugar 1 teaspoon table salt ¾ teaspoon pepper Directions Cook bacon over medium heat in a 10-qt. stockpot for 10 to 12 minutes or until almost crisp. Add onion to stockpot, and sauté 8 minutes. Add garlic and ham, and sauté 1 minute. Stir in broth, collard greens, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 2 hours or until desired degree of tenderness.

The week before Christmas is such an intense time! It seems like my "to-do" list is never-ending! One of my favorite things to do when things get super stressful is to bake, especially something easy and delicious. Today I am sharing my go-to recipe that is so simple and always a hit, THE best banana bread ever! This bread is quick to make and that little bit of sour cream really gives it an amazing depth! And if you don't want banana bread, make them as muffins! They are just as good! Best Banana Bread ½ cup butter 1 cup sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup mashed bananas ½ cup sour cream 1 ½ cups flour 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt Combine the butter and sugar in a mixer. Add eggs, vanilla, bananas and sour cream. Then add flour, baking soda and salt. Beat for one minute. Pour into greased muffin tin. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

We have no school for the entire Thanksgiving week! We’re celebrating by making THE best banana muffins ever! They are quick and easy and that little bit of sour cream really gives them an amazing depth! What’s a simple standard that you make in your home? Best Banana Muffins ½ cup butter 1 cup sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup mashed bananas ½ cup sour cream 1 ½ cups flour 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt Combine the butter and sugar in a mixer. Add eggs, vanilla, bananas and sour cream. Then add flour, baking soda and salt. Beat for one minute. Pour into greased muffin tin. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

Tonight (December 12) at sunset, the feast for St. Lucy's or St. Lucia's Day begins! The feast lasts from tonight at sunset until tomorrow night at sunset. Saint Lucy or Santa Lucia was a young girl who grew up in Italy in the 4th century. She is one of the earliest Christian martyrs. She was killed by the Romans in 304AD because of her religious beliefs. St.Lucy was born into a rich family but desired to dedicate her whole life to God and to give all of her worldly possessions to the poor. She brought food to persecuted Christians that were hiding in the Roman catacombs. The catacombs were dark and in order to find your way around, you needed to carry candles. St. Lucy wanted to bring as much food as possible to the people but needed to keep both of her hands free. She solved this problem by attaching candles to a wreath on her head. St. Lucy’s Day is celebrated in many countries. Every aspect of the day has special significance since it comes on one of the darkest days of winter. The name Lucy or Lucia means “light” and she is remembered wearing a crown of candles both of which bring light and hope to the darkest time of winter. St. Lucy is also depicted wearing a white dress which symbolizes her baptisimal robe and a red sash which symbolizes her martyrdom. A traditional way to celebrate is to make saffron buns. Saffron buns are a delicious sweet yeast bread curled into S shapes and baked. St. Lucy's Day Saffron Buns 3/4 cup milk 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads (optional) 1 teaspoon plus 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1 1/4-ounce packet active dry yeast 3 1/2 to 4 cups all purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt The seeds from 3 cardamom pods, ground (optional) 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened 1/4 cup of sour cream 2 large eggs Raisins Glaze 1 egg, beaten In a small pot, heat the milk, saffron, and 1 teaspoon of sugar together until the milk is steamy. Remove from heat and stir to dissolve the sugar. Let cool until about 115 degrees, or warm to the touch but not hot. Sprinkle the yeast over the warm saffron-infused milk and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy. In a mixer, whisk together 3 1/2 cups of the flour, remaining 1/4 cup of sugar, salt and ground cardamom (if using). Make a well in the center of the flour and add the yeast milk saffron mixture, the eggs, the butter, and the sour cream. Mix the ingredients until well incorporated. Switch to the dough hook of your mixer (if using, otherwise knead by hand). On low speed start to knead the dough. Slowly add additional flour, a tablespoon at a time, kneading to incorporate after each addition. Do this until the dough is still a little sticky to the touch, but does not completely stick to your hands when you handle it. Shape the dough into a ball and place in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. (Note at this point you can make ahead and refrigerate overnight if you wish.) Let sit in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours, until the dough has doubled in size. (One way to tell that the dough is ready is that you poke your finger in it and it takes quite a bit of time for the indentation left by your finger to go away.) When the dough has doubled in size, gently press it down and knead it a couple of times. Break off a piece and form it into a ball about 2 inches wide. Roll the ball out into a snake, about 14 inches long. Then curl the ends in opposite directions, forming an "S" with spirals at each end. Place on a lined baking sheet and repeat with the rest of the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until the dough shapes double in size, 30 minutes to an hour. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using a pastry brush, brush some beaten egg over the tops and sides of the uncooked buns. Place raisins in the centers of the "S" spirals. Place in the oven and bake at 400°F for about 10 to 11 minutes (turning halfway through cooking to ensure even browning), until the buns are golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before eating.