The Quiet Week

It's that quiet week between Christmas and New Years.

Advent is complete, and we have celebrated the birth of our Lord with joy, but since it is still the Christmas season, I thought I would follow our December theme for today's post.

My favorite recipe is very much on my mind as I just made it for Christmas dinner. If you'd asked me this question ten years ago, I undoubtedly would have shared a Christmas cookie recipe, but this dish has taken over.

My daughter found the recipe several years ago on this website - Keepin' It Kind.
I wouldn't want to steal credit for her recipe, so I'll just show you two quick photos of our batch in progress and then refer you  back to her for the glorious finished photos.

Ingredients:
 three large sweet potatoes cut into medallions, pomegranate arils, orange juice, maple syrup, sea salt, chopped pecans, coconut sugar or brown sugar, and ground cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg.

You may notice in the picture that my daughter chose an assortment of colored sweet potatoes. Who knew there were purple ones?

 

Sprinkle with pomegranate arils and chopped pecans.

Bake and enjoy!

But do go and visit the website for this recipe.

Pomegranate Orange Sweet Potato Bake.   Kristy tells a lovely story too about getting recipes from her grandma. I love family stories like this, so I was sold even before I tasted the deliciousness.

 

 

I have new favorite song this year. It's not technically a Christmas song, but the message it carries is so in keeping with the season. I heard a snippet of it in a Hallmark Christmas movie and woke up with the refrain playing in my head. It nagged at me so much that I had to do some research to find the song. 

Earlier this year, when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke at the Grammy Awards, he described the devastation to his country and the horrible silence the bombs leave - "the dead silence." He then urged people to "Fill the silence with your music!"

That message inspired this song.

I hope you enjoy.

 

Choosing a favorite Christmas movie is a lot harder. I've enjoyed so many over the years. I have fond memories of watching Muppet Family Christmas and an animated musical version of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas (featuring the mouse subplot)  with my daughters. (We watched them again this year!)

 

 

For years I played Elf at my students' request, but I never really paid attention. This year, after hearing so many adults say it was their favorite Christmas movie, I watched carefully. I get it. I actually cried at the end.

I'd love to hear your thoughts. 

What are your favorites and how do you spend this week between holidays?

 

Belated Merry Christmas and early Happy New Year wishes from me to you!