Give and Bake

It's been quiet around here. I know.

I have to admit, I haven't been spending as much time as I usually do in the kitchen, lately. I'm happy to report that it's not because I've been too busy preparing for Christmas; I've been mostly ready for the holiday for weeks--it's easy to prepare when you aren't planning on buying any gifts. This year, I decided to use the money I'd spend on presents--measly as the gift fund may be--and donate it, in an attempt to truly grasp hold of the season of giving. Check this out!

I'm really excited about gifting something so important. And what I'm genuinely looking forward to this coming weekend is the time that I get to spend with my family. We're all over the place--like most families--and it's hard to find time to see each other, so this weekend should be a real treat.

The reason I haven't found myself cooking much is because I have a freezer full of leftovers I'm trying to take advantage of. One of the many perks of being single is that I follow these recipes and end up with enough food to feed a family of four; that leaves me with dinner for two or three (sometimes four our five!) nights plus that same amount stored away in the freezer for later. My last trip to the grocery store yielded a total bill about half the size as it normally is because I didn't have to purchase any ingredients to make dinner for two weeks--I had that covered. And, somehow, I'm going to be able to manage to do that, again, over the coming two weeks. My pocketbook and my tummy are both happy.

Not to mention, because I'm young and single and have a family full of amazing women (my grandmother in particular) who take pleasure in serving the Christmas meal--I haven't had to worry about putting that together, either! Although, I am thrilled to report that I'm making Christmas Eve dinner--the homemade enchiladas I put together a few weeks ago. But other than that, aside from some homemade crackers here, some fresh baked cookies there, an attempt at focaccia bread here (I promise to blog about that soon!), things have been pretty quiet.

But tonight--I'm baking!

I'm baking bread...

I think I've decided that bread is one of my favorite things to make. I can't really tell you why, other than I love bread and knowing that I can make it and that it's not always as difficult as the taste may lead you to believe; or, maybe it's because I'm so picky about the sort of homemade bread I'll eat and I like exploring different avenues of bread I've yet to experience made from scratch. Whatever it is, I'm going to cling to it--and tonight, the result of my fascination is going to be Rustic Rosemary Garlic Bread.

This is the second time that I've made this beautiful and delicious bread; I found the recipe here! It's definitely worth a try, in my opinion, and good enough to give as a gift--which is what I intend to do.

I hope you all have a wonderfully merry Christmas!
Rosalyn

Those without

My heart for food has changed substantially over the past few weeks. I've been taught for years that my body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, but I always associated that fact with my Christian walk--I thought it was more about what I wore, what I said, how I carried myself, and so on and so forth. Lately, I've realized that I should also take into consideration what I am eating. My body is a gift and I need to take care of it.

But, God has also shown me something more. My eyes have been opened to the reality that I'm not the only person who should be worried about what is going into my body; I am not the only person whose body is a gift. We are all made in his image.

With Thanksgiving upon us, I can't help but think about food. With this being my first vegetarian holiday, I'm approaching the day with a bit of caution. My body is still adjusting to the change and I don't want to freak it out with a bunch of rich foods I've done without for so long.

But--what about those who are simply going without? What about those who aren't worried about explaining, for the tenth time, why they aren't eating turkey because their answer is--they are without a turkey. What about those people who don't have a place to call home, who don't have a family to invite them in, who don't get to sit around a table full of food that smells of Thanksgiving and welcomes everyone into the holiday season? What about those people?

I think it's amazing that we have a holiday that people associate with eating. Ask the average American their plans for the holiday and they will tell you where they are going and what they will be eating when they get there. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm guilty of doing just that. And, while I don't plan on overeating--like so many enjoy doing on Turkey Day--I will be indulging in time with family and a home cooked meal. I'm really looking forward to the tradition that I have come to expect from my family, but I can't help but wonder--what about the homeless? What are they doing tomorrow? Who is feeding them?

These are questions I wouldn't have asked last year, or the year before. But now? Now, not only am I more aware of my calling to do right and seek justice, I'm also more aware of the importance of food. I can't imagine going without it, ever--but, more specifically, on a day where everyone I know plans on eating until they can't eat anymore.  So, I looked for the answer to my question: who is feeding the homeless on Thanksgiving?

I was, actually, really disappointed with the information I found. Trying to see where people are volunteering to serve, on Thanksgiving, in my town, was like trying to find a scholarly source that is reliable enough to reference in a research paper using Google as your primary search engine. (Google is good for a lot of things, but not research papers...or holiday volunteer opportunities in Colorado, either, apparently.) I'm not sure if it's because most of the local non-profit organizations weren't advertising via the internet or if there really are very few ways to reach out to the homeless tomorrow--but I found one in the city that I reside, and a couple others in our state's capital.

Common sense and faith in humanity tells me that there are more people supporting the hungry on Thanksgiving, but I wish there were even more!

From what I know about people in need all over the world--which isn't anything to boast about--I'm willing to bet that my town could do so much more, even just in our town. Maybe next year, with a little more effort on my part, I won't just find one or two organizations who are only publicizing that they don't need any more volunteers; maybe next year, with a little more effort on my part, I'll find a dozen more opportunities to serve in my community; and maybe--just maybe--I'll be one of those people asking for volunteers.

In any case, allow me to give a shout out to the people who are making a difference in the lives of many tomorrow. Every little bit helps, and I'm so glad that there are people who have the heart and the means to honor those less fortunate.

The Open Door Mission is hosting a big Thanksgiving dinner in town for anyone who wants to attend. They are hoping that it will be a time for people in various situations to come together and break bread--what I believe this holiday should be all about.
The Denver Rescue Mission is delivering boxed dinners and serving a banquet dinner. I read that they had thousands of turkeys donated to the cause, which is awesome.
My favorite event that is going on is being hosted by Rock Bottom Brewery. They are inviting over a thousand people (homeless and displaced children and their families) to a dinner at the restaurant. They will be treated as guests and they will be served on tables decked out with silverware and china and tablecloths. I imagine that it will be great for everyone involved.

I hope this Thanksgiving finds you well and that you get the chance to enjoy the day with friends and family, and maybe even a few strangers who need a warm meal served with love.

That's all for now--Rosalyn