A Cookbook With More Than Recipes!

Food blogger I may not be, but I do enjoy a good cookbook.

And besides, what could be better than scrumptious, easy-to-follow recipes and beautifully styled and photographed food?  
Stories!  
(Right up my alley.)

This book is full of them. The stories and recipes, lovingly collected by author, Erin Farha Kimmett (who also happens to be an Orthodox iconographer and priest's wife), are a tribute to Erin's grandmother, "Sitey" (My Grandmother, in Arabic).

"Favorite recipes and cherished memories 

inspired by a grandmother's kitchen, 

where her love of God was ever-present, 

traditions of hospitality and joy were handed down, 

and lessons of faith, life and love were learned." 

  

I absolutely love the format of this large, hardcover cookbook (and how it looks in my newly remodeled kitchen!!)  Martha Stewart could not have done better!  Erin had the expert help of her good friend, photographer Alexis El Massih.

The titles of each beautifully photographed section make you want to delve right in...

Slow Mornings

Coffee And...

After Noon

Always Room at My Table

Gather

Cozy Suppers

Sweet Traditions

Just Desserts

Delve in is exactly what my husband and I did after I returned from my visit to New York to help with my new granddaughter.  (I purchased Hospitality and Joy at the St. Vladimir's Seminary Bookstore while I was there.  It's also available on Erin's website.)

I sat and read this book cover to cover with a cup of coffee! Then my husband flipped through the pages, started drooling, and decided to tackle the Maple Oat Pecan Scones (he's quite a good cook, and makes a killer Eggs Benedict, passed down from his dad.)  The scones were dee-licious!

Each mouthwatering recipe in this cookbook is carefully explained, step by step, with an Ingredients List, Make Ahead Tips, "First Things First" Preparations, then Assembly and Cooking Directions (and did I mention, beautiful photography?)

At its heart, this unique cookbook is about the role we play in ministering to others when we cook for them... it's "about food and faith, cooking and ministering: two different but integrally connected kinds of nourishment."

As someone who grew up with a loving Grandma who baked her grandchildren the world's best chocolate chip cookies, I highly recommend this lovely cookbook.  

Give it to someone you love.  It would make a perfect wedding, birthday, anniversary, Pascha, or Mother's Day gift.

You can visit Erin and Alexis' website to read their blog, try their recipes, and to order Hospitality and Joy - here.

Happy Cooking! Make some memories...

Gratitude, Grace, Gobbling, and Strawberry Jello Salad

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

  

We can always make room for gratitude in our hearts!  We certainly find room for turkey in our tummies, eating lightly throughout the early part of the day in order to gobble up all the yummy foods from our Thanksgiving tables.

How can we help our kids maintain an "attitude of gratitude" throughout the year, and not just at Thanksgiving?  I think the best way is by remembering to constantly thank God for all we have. 

An easy way is to "say grace" every day at our tables before we eat our meals.

Let the Whole Earth Sing Praise by Tomie dePaola

"Grace" comes from the Greek word kharis.  And that leads me to another important meal of thanksgiving... many Christian families participate in the Eucharistic meal of Holy Communion. 

"Eucharist", in Greek eukharistia, literally means ‘thanksgiving’; it comes from the Greek word eukharistos ‘grateful’ - eu ‘well’ and kharizesthai ‘offer graciously’ (from kharis ‘grace’).

H is for Holy by Nika Boyd

B is for bread.  Jesus called Himself the "Bread of Life".  The Bread of Holy Communion is Christ's Body.  Jesus died and rose from the dead; His Resurrection gives us eternal life.

The Eucharist teaches us and helps us to have an unceasing remembrance of God.

Today as I prepared my contribution for our extended Braun family Thanksgiving meal, I remembered especially our Matriarch who passed away this summer.

We all love Grandma's Strawberry Sour Cream Jello Salad!  

Since my kitchen is being demo'd next week, most of my baking things, pots and pans and dishes have been packed up. So it was especially poignant that one of the last things I made in my pared down kitchen was her family recipe.  We miss her so!

Meals are important vehicles of love and grace!  May we all remember to give to those in need out of our abundance, and remember to give thanks to God not only for food, but for all things during this holi-(y)-day season.