HOSTING A CHRISTMAS CRAFT PARTY

Four generations of creative women!

This past weekend, I hosted my female in-laws for our annual Christmas Craft Party.  I thought it would be fun to share with you my preparations, menu, and craft ideas in case you would like to start a tradition like this as well.

The beauty behind this craft party idea is that it really doesn’t matter how crafty or creative you are.  With Pinterest, there are craft ideas for any level of ability, time, or money.  What is really fun is seeing all the different crafts being made.  At my party, each person brought their own crafting supplies but I did have a couple of extra glue guns, scissors, glitter, ribbon, etc. available if needed.

Here is how I organized our get together:

1.      Invite:  Using Messenger on my computer I sent out a note to my sisters-in-law, nieces, and great nieces with the invitation to come craft at my house and a couple of dates that would work about 6 weeks before the party.  We were able to decide on Sunday, November 6^th.

2.      Pick a Craft:  Several of us posted on Messenger pictures of what we planned on making from Pinterest.  This gets everyone’s creative juices flowing and time to get to the craft store to purchase supplies.

Two pans of delicious lasagna

3.      Set Your Menu:  I enjoy cooking for company so at this time I began to think about our lunch menu.  At last year’s craft party, I made a creamy chicken soup.  This year after some consideration to serving a brunch themed menu, I decided on lasagna, salad, and garlic bread.  I have a simple lasagna recipe that I have shared before, but I wanted a new recipe, something more substantial.  So I tried out the new recipe from The Pioneer Woman on my husband first.  When he loved it, I knew I had a good lasagna recipe to use.

Desserts provided by our thoughtful guests

4.      Ask For Help:  All the ladies wanted to help out with our lunch menu, so some brought desserts, one appetizer, two brought salads, so the workload on me was really reduced!  I’m so lucky to have thoughtful relatives!

5.      Clean & Organize:  Beginning the week before the party, I give myself a cleaning job each day so I’m not spending a whole day cleaning the whole house.  Just remember when you are planning out your cleaning chores to do them in the proper order.  Cleaning the floors (mopping or vacuuming) is always done last.

The dining room table covered in brown craft paper makes for an easy cleanup.

6.      Set Up:  The day before the party, my husband and I set up our great room/dining room to accommodate our guests.  As you can see from the pictures I posted, our dining room table was covered in heavy, brown craft paper so that paint, glue, glitter, etc. does not ruin the wood table.  It makes clean up so easy, just roll up the craft paper and throw it away after we are finished.  We needed two tables to accommodate all our crafters.  Leftover brown craft paper can be used to wrap Christmas gifts.

Second table had a plastic top, so no need to cover with craft paper.

7.      Prep Ahead:  I always make as much of my menu ahead as I can.  I like to be “present” when my guests arrive.  Like many families, these ladies all live very active lives, so it is a real treat to spend time with them.  I don’t want to hide in the kitchen, if I can help it.  So the night before the party, I made my lasagna so all I had to do the day of the party is heat up the pans of lasagna and warm up the garlic bread.

Lots of friendly help and advice available.

So much creativity in this family!

An Idea for Next Year:  Although it was too late to do at this year’s party, I had a thought for next year.  This would be the perfect timing for all of us to work on our Christmas cards.  Like so many families are doing now, instead of traditional Christmas cards, many are sending out photographic cards, which I just LOVE!  In January, I throw out the regular Christmas cards we receive but I have kept every single photographic Christmas card I have ever received.  I love going back and looking at them, seeing how the kids have grown and families have enlarged over the years.  How fun it would be to look over each other’s photos and help each other select the perfect picture/pictures for the annual Christmas card.  It is so easy to upload and personalize.

I hope I have given you some simple ideas to host your own fun and easy Christmas Craft Party for friends or family.

A BOOK REVIEW OF CHRISTMAS AT PROMISE LODGE BY CHARLOTTE HUBBARD

Are you looking for something to put you in the mood for Christmas?  I have just what you are looking for, Christmas at Promise Lodge (Zebra Books) by Charlotte Hubbard.  Nothing is more cozy than spending several hours curled up with a Charlotte Hubbard Amish novel and this one takes place during the Christmas season.  Charlotte’s writing is spot on, so warmhearted and uplifting, filled with the right amount of romance, spirituality, friendship, food, and fun.

In Christmas at Promise Lodge, we have several different romantic couples working through some difficulties and the best part is they are not all teenagers.  We have several couples in their 40’s/50s.  Is love better the second time around?  Having more mature romantic relationships featured makes the book more relatable to folks of a certain age like me.

Also of interest is the tension in the community due to Bishop Floyd’s strict adherence to the most conservative interpretation of Old Order Amish rules.  The Promise Lodge community was originally founded by a group of Amish wanting to get away from a different Bishop they had lost respect for; the last thing they had wanted was this new Bishop with his stubborn and iron will ways.

Christmas at Promise Lodge is book two in the Promise Lodge series.  This is my favorite series written by Charlotte Hubbard.  There is something just so comforting, warm, and loving about Promise Lodge.  You almost could see yourself staying there for a good long while, soaking in the friendship and fellowship of all the residents.  And I can’t forget to mention the delicious meals described within the pages of this book.  I can almost smell those sugar cookies baking right now!  Happily, Charlotte includes several recipes mentioned in the book.

Christmas at Promise Lodge will be published September 27, 2016.  I highly recommend you get a copy and carve out some alone time to read it during those crazy stressful holiday times.  I promise it will refresh your mind and put you right back in the Christmas spirit, for sure and for certain!

WE HAVE A WINNER OF OUR AUTOGRAPHED JUST PLAIN SADIE

I'm excited to announce the winner of our autographed copy of Just Plain Sadie by Amy Lillard.

KAREN G.

Congratulations Karen!  I will be sending you an email asking for your address and will be shipping the book to you immediately.

Thank you to all who entered our giveaway.  Special thanks to Amy Lillard for giving me the book to giveaway.  And thanks Amy for the wonderful writing you supplied me for yesterday's blog.

Readers, Amy Lillard has written other genres of books.  I have only read her Amish novels and each is interesting and well written.

Here is a list of her Amish novels:

Caroline's Secret

Courting Emily

Lorie's Heart

Just Plain Sadie

Marrying Jonah (available March 2017)

Titus Returns (available December 2016)

More Than a Promise (available November 2016)

Gabriel's Bride

Katie's Choice
The Amish Christmas Sleigh

SPECIAL GUEST POST FROM AMY LILLARD!

Amish and Mennonite:

more alike and more different than you may think

by Amy Lillard

A writer’s life is filled with “What Ifs?” What if an Amish woman discovers her father has a tattoo? (Lorie’s Heart) What if the bishop’s daughter’s long-standing love interest decides he wants to experience the English world? (Courting Emily) What if a wealthy heiress hides out on an Amish farm? (Saving Gideon) This is exactly how my latest novel Just Plain Sadie came about. What if an Amish woman falls in love with a Mennonite man?

               Just Plain Sadie is my seventh Amish book and though research into such a complex group of people is never-ending, I have to admit that I don’t know nearly as much about the Mennonites. Mostly the basics: that the Mennonites broke from the Amish over shunning way back when, now some drive cars and have electricity. But upon delving further I discovered that the Mennonites are more varied than even the Amish.

               Last year on my trip to Pennsylvania I met a Mennonite man at Roots Market. After talking with him a bit, I realized that he and his church were much more conservative than even my Old Order Lancaster friends. See, he had loaned me a cart to haul my books and things from the car and when it was time to go, I offered him a book as a thank you. He wouldn’t even touch it because he said it looked like a romance novel. Their church didn’t allow their members to read romance novels. My Lancaster Amish friends not only read my books, they help me get the details correct! Intriguing…

               The Mennonites run the gamut between ultraconservative, driving a horse and buggy, wearing prayer kapps and homemade clothes, to very modern, you might not even know the person sitting next to you in the dentist office waiting area is a Mennonite. I have a Mennonite friend whose profile pic on Facebook (yes, he has a Facebook) is of him and his wife wearing NFL jerseys. More than the issue of shunning separates the Mennonites from the Amish.

               Interestingly enough, though the Mennonites in general are considered less conservative than the Amish (though you can see from my Roots encounter that this is not necessarily the case), they are adamant when it comes to following rules.  It’s as if the leadership believes, “we have given you this. Be thankful and don’t push the boundaries.”

               I’ve heard countless stories of how the Amish ‘get around’ certain aspects of their Ordnung.  Can’t have a windshield on your buggy? Wrap it in visqueen. Can’t have rubber tires? Replace the wheels with another, acceptable kind. Can only have a phone in the barn? Move the second receiver into the house (plugged into solar power, of course).

               These differences in attitudes toward the rules and how best to follow them became a source of conflict between Sadie and her Mennonite interest, Ezra Hein. Add in a longtime boyfriend who wants to travel and a mother who can’t quite let go and that’s Just Plain Sadie.

               As with the Amish, research into the Mennonite culture could last a lifetime. And maybe I’ll take the reader back to Taylor Creek and the Mennonites of Oklahoma one day.

               What about you? Have you had any experience with the Mennonite culture? Were they conservative? Modern? Or somewhere in between? Feel free to leave a comment. I’d love to hear your stories!
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Thank you so much to Amy Lillard for guest posting today!  Also, thank you to Amy for giving me an autographed copy of her Amish novel, Just Plain Sadie to giveaway to one lucky reader.  Just make sure you comment on this blog before midnight, Thursday July 7th to enter.  Be sure to include your email address or name to identify yourself in your comment.  Good luck to all and I will post the winner's name tomorrow.

GIVEAWAY, JUST COMMENT TO ENTER

_-_ GIVEAWAY_-_ Signed Amy Lillard book! Enter Here!

Comment below with your Email and we'll choose a name Friday :) Good luck to all and I know you will enjoy Just Plain Sadie!

Come back Thursday to read Amy Lillard's own words on writing Just Plain Sadie.

A BOOK REVIEW OF JUST PLAIN SADIE BY AMY LILLARD

Just Plain Sadie (Zebra Books) is the newest, and quite possibly, the best Amish romance novel by Amy Lillard in the Wells Landing series.  This book is so touching and heart felt that the ending will leave readers with tears of joy.  At the same time, valuable lessons are apparent within the pages of Just Plain Sadie.

The tension in this book comes from Sadie feeling she needs to choose between Chris, a “steady, strong, and true” Amish man who has been Sadie’s best friend for forever and Ezra, a Mennonite man who makes her heart beat faster when she sees him.  Sadie craves the romance that she feels with Ezra but their interfaith relationship upsets both families.  Neither Sadie’s momma nor Ezra’s momma can see past the religious differences to see the person they are in their heart.  Quoting Sadie in the book, “Why were people so narrow minded?  Why couldn’t they see past all the little things on the surface to the person underneath?”  Quite a message for all of us!

Ezra is totally smitten with Sadie.  Here is a quote from the book that sums it up quite nicely, “He really couldn’t say why, but she pulled him in like a magnet, like a moth, like a hundred other things that couldn’t resist something more powerful than them.  And there was no fighting it.  Not that he wanted to.”  This is terrific swoon worthy writing!

Conversely, Chris has been in Sadie’s life always.  They grew up together and were coupled up in their buddy group.  Everyone expected them to get married and Sadie wants that too.  Her whole goal in life is to marry Chris, start a family, and happily live in their Wells Landing Amish community.  Sadie feels that their relationship may not be romantic, but they would have a good life together.

Just Plain Sadie requires readers to ask themselves which is more important, your partner’s heart or their religious affiliation?  Should a person forego romance for family harmony?

Amy Lillard’s brilliant writing, character growth, and captivating romantic scenes clearly set the reader up for a delightful reading experience.   As noted before, Amy is talented in maintaining the romantic tension as well as interjecting humor between the characters in her books.  Readers of the Amish genre will treasure every page of Just Plain Sadie which was published March 29, 2016.

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Please make sure to come back tomorrow to this blog.  I have a super surprise blog entry from Amy Lillard herself!  Her blog entry will be all about her experience in writing Just Plain Sadie.  I loved what she wrote and think you all will love it too.  Also, don't forget to enter the giveaway of an autographed copy of Just Plain Sadie by commenting below.  Be sure to leave your email address or your name in the comment so I can identify the winner.

ENTER TO WIN JUST PLAIN SADIE BY AMY LILLARD

Hopefully you all are enjoying a happy Fourth of July with your family and friends.  No outdoor picnics for me today - my town is experiencing rain all day.  So all our fun activities will take place indoors.

As you may have read yesterday, this is the week of Just Plain Sadie on my blog.  On Friday I will give away an autographed copy of Amy Lillard's new Amish novel, Just Plain Sadie.  To enter you just need to comment on any of this week's blog messages, prior to Friday, July 8th.

I have noticed that several people have comments already on yesterday's post BUT there is no way to identify them because they are using "Anonymous" as their name.  When I pick the name out of a hat, how could I identify you if 20 people all use the name "Anonymous"?  Please leave a way to identify your comment from everyone else, like your email address, or your first name and middle initial.  Thanks so much and please feel free to ask any questions you have!

Come back on Wednesday to read my review of this fine book, Just Plain Sadie.  And thank you again to Amy Lillard for donating and autographing this lovely Amish novel.

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY AND ENTER MY GIVEAWAY

Happy 4th of July to one and all in the USA!  And I wish my overseas visitors a happy and productive week as well.  Let me tell you readers how surprising it is that this little blog has readers all over the world.  With the internet, our world has become smaller and we are able to learn so much about each other's cultures.  I still believe we have a lot more in common than differences among us.

Now here is my good news - this week I will be running a giveaway of an autographed copy of Amy Lillard's new Amish novel, Just Plain Sadie.  On Wednesday, July 6th I will post my review of Just Plain Sadie and on Friday, July 8th I will announce the winner of the book that Amy Lillard generously donated to our giveaway.

To enter into the giveaway, I ask that you write a comment about anything in the comment section below.  The giveaway begins now and ends at midnight on Thursday, July 7th.  I will need you to include your email address in the comment so I can notify the winner or you will need to come back to the blog to see if you are the winner and private message me at that time with your address.

Let's call this the week of Just Plain Sadie!  And special thanks again to Amy Lillard for making this possible!

A BOOK REVIEW OF A SIMPLE VOW BY CHARLOTTE HUBBARD

Charlotte Hubbard has started a new Amish romance series, Simple Gifts, with a barn burner of a book, A Simple Vow (Zebra).  The many, many fans of Charlotte Hubbard's books will be well entertained with this newest offering.  A Simple Vow includes some of Willow Ridge's favorite residents and introduces some new neighbors.  I was enchanted by the story.

I don't want to give away any of the great romance or suspense, but there are twists and turns that made me all the more eager to keep reading!  I'm telling you there is a certain point where all readers will be shocked - no one will see this plot twist ahead of time!  It is that kind of writing that keeps Charlotte Hubbard's fans coming back for more.  And I love the rich variety of characters within the storyline.  Charlotte does not deliver cookie-cutter Amish characters, we get to see the good and the bad, warts and all.

For inspiration, you need to look no further than A Simple Vow.  Reading this book truly makes you want to be a more giving, better person to your family, friends, and neighbors.  Additionally, the romance and suspense are top notch.  A Simple Vow was published May 31, 2016.

WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING AND WHAT'S NEW

The picture on the left was taken June 14, 2014 and the picture on the right was taken in the autumn of 2015.

There is a 50 pound difference between those two pictures.  And there is a world of difference in how I feel and what I can do since I lost that weight.  I have managed to keep the weight off for one year so far.  As anyone can tell you, losing the weight is only half the battle, it is just as hard to keep the weight off.  I have changed the way I eat, keep a food diary to track my calories, exercise more, and weigh myself daily.  I am determined to keep this weight off this time.

I will try to begin posting more recipes in the near future.  Most of these recipes will have more healthy ingredients and lower calorie counts to reflect how I am eating now.

Additionally I have also begun reading again and posting my reviews.  This time I am writing the reviews from my point of view instead of using third person point of view.  I hope you like the more personal reflections as I feel I am more directly talking to you, the reader.

You will find updates to my Recipe and Book Review pages.  I promise to keep those updated and to better organize them in the near future so you can more easily find what you are looking for.

Please give me any feedback, good or bad, on what you would like to see in my AmishReader.blogspot.com.  You can comment below or send a message to my email at AmishReads@outlook.com.

A BOOK REVIEW OF THE AMISH FIREFIGHTER BY LAURA V. HILTON

This book, The Amish Firefighter (Whitaker House) by Laura V. Hilton, is a real barn burner of a novel.  Was that too corny of a joke?  Sorry but hear me out - this novel has all the clean but steamy heat that a good romance should have.  And I loved every page of it!  You will enjoy getting to know Sam and Abigail as well.  

Sam and Abigail are flawed individuals with secrets and a strong attraction between them.  Laura V. Hilton writes romance beautifully and intertwines the most inspirational messages and scriptures.  Putting young love and God's good word together makes The Amish Firefighter an irresistable read.  The Amish Firefighter was published May 3, 2016.

I found Laura V. Hilton's biography interesting so I copied it below for her readers to see as well.  As you can see, Laura has written many Amish novels and has Amish grandparents.  No wonder her books are so authentic!

AUTHOR BIO - Laura V. Hilton
Amish fiction lovers responded positively and immediately to Laura V. Hilton’s debut novel, Patchwork Dreams, when she burst on the scene in 2009 with her unique series, The Amish of Seymour, set in the tiny town of Seymour, in Webster County, Missouri. Fans of the genre immediately recognized Hilton’s insider knowledge, not only of the Webster County community, but Amish culture in general. Her natural speech and writing patterns, she says, are uniquely “Amish,” acquired from her Amish maternal grandparents. Her first series with Whitaker House, The Amish of Seymour, includes Patchwork Dreams, A Harvest of Hearts, and Promised to Another. A Harvest of Hearts was the 2012 Laurel Award winner, placing first in the Amish Genre Clash, then winning the top award from the pool of winners in other genres that year. Her second series, The Amish of Webster County, is comprised of Healing Love, Surrendered Love, and Awakened Love. A stand-alone title, A White Christmas in Webster County, was released in September 2014. The Birdhouse concluded Laura’s 2015 series, The Amish of Jamesport, which also included The Snow Globe and The Postcard. She is co-author, with Cindy Loven, of Swept Away, one of Abingdon Press’ Quilts of Love series. Previously, she published two novels with Treble Heart Books, Hot Chocolate and Shadows of the Past, as well as several devotionals. Laura is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and a professional book reviewer. Laura and her husband, Steve, have five children, whom Laura homeschools. The family makes their home in Arkansas.

For more about Laura, her latest book, the books she’s written and those she’s reviewed:
Laura Hilton’s Website: lauravhilton.blogspot.com

Laura’s Book Review site:  http://lighthouse-academy.blogspot.com/

The Amish Firefighter: whpub.me/amishfirefighter

A BOOK REVIEW OF PROMISE LODGE BY CHARLOTTE HUBBARD

Charlotte Hubbard has begun a new Amish series with Promise Lodge (Kensington Publishing).  It is a shame that the book and place is fictional as I would love to visit Promise Lodge.  What a wonderful place Charlotte has created and the inhabitants of Promise Lodge are priceless!  These are the characters that I would want to be my neighbors - so caring, loving, and, well, perfectly neighborly.

But don't misunderstand, there are plenty of conflicts and trouble within the pages of this novel. The love, warmth, and potential romantic matches jump off the pages and before you know it, the conflicts are settled and God's perfect path is fulfilled.

Another interesting aspect of Promise Lodge are the delicious meal descriptions that the ladies cook up for themselves and guests.  Author Hubbard must know her way around the kitchen because she gives her readers eleven recipes at the end of the book of Amish dishes served at Promise Lodge.  What a great bonus in addition to the story!

Promise Lodge was published February 23, 2016.  I sincerely look forward to future books in this series.  Try it and I think you will fall in love with Promise Lodge too (and let's get a group together to visit these lovely people this summer!).

A BOOK REVIEW OF AMISH SWEETHEARTS BY LESLIE GOULD

What a wonderful Amish novel I just finished reading!  Amish Sweethearts (Bethany House) by Leslie Gould spoke to my heart and soul.  This is a beautifully written tale of star crossed friends set in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

The cast of characters are real and lovable.  Not everyone is perfect, mistakes are made that have real consequences.  But isn't that like real life?  Life can be messy and we have to work with the dumb choices we make at times.

Amish Sweethearts is a book I feel confident in recommending.  It's appeal is broad and is far from the typical Amish novel.  Fair warning, there are scenes from the war in Afganistan that could be troubling to some sensitive people.  However, to me, they provided clear insight into what goes on in a war zone and really added to the realism of this book.  Leslie Gould does not sugar coat the horror of war.

I look forward to the next installment of this series, Neighbors of Lancaster County.  I've come to love this cast of characters!  Amish Sweethearts was published February 2, 2016.

A BOOK REVIEW OF SIMPLE PLEASURES BY MARIANNE JANTZI

Are you curious about the Amish lifestyle?  Have you ever wondered what it really was like in an Amish household?  Here is the book for you, Simple Pleasures (Herald Press) written by Marianne Jantzi, a Canadian Amish wife and mother.  Marianne gives us a glimpse into her home with her husband Allan and their four children.

Marianne has a lovely writing style, very enjoyable to read, and very easy to get lost in their world.  And the best part is that this is not fiction, this is their real life!

The book is divided into eight different stories which have been developed from the author's journals.  The book ends with the telling of a full day in the life of Marianne and her family, her chores, their meals and everything they do in a typical day.  After that, as an extra bonus, Marianne includes six delicious recipes.  I definitely will try a few of those as they seem simple to make and don't include any ingredients that are hard to find.

This book was a pleasure to read and increased my knowledge of how real Amish families live and work within their communities.  I heartily recommend Simple Pleasures for all of us captivated by the Amish lifestyle.  Simple Pleasures was published on March 29, 2016.

LOVINA'S AMISH KITCHEN

Whenever I come across genuine Amish writing, I get excited.  Don't get me wrong, I still love those Amish novels!  But if you love learning more about the Amish/Mennonite people, nothing is better than getting the information first hand.  

Lovina is an Amish wife and mother, who has been writing about her family for many years and several smaller newspapers had picked up her column.  She now writes a blog post about her family's daily life and usually includes a recipe at the end.

The blog is called Lovina's Amish Kitchen and here is the link:  Lovina's Amish Kitchen

I recommend readers check out this website, which is handled by MennoMedia staff since Lovina is an Old Order Amish.  They do have a way for interested parties to send a question to Lovina, so if you have ever wondered about something in the Amish faith or lifestyle, here is your opportunity to find the answer.  Just check out the "Contact Lovina" column on the right hand side of the home page.

RECAP OF A LOVELY EASTER BRUNCH

Yesterday's Easter Brunch was a wonderful time, filled with lovely company and delicious food.  I also found out something about my family - they prefer pie over cake!  I vowed that by next year I will have perfected a pie recipe.  So to do that, I'm going to comb through my Amish recipes because we all know they make the best pies!

If anyone knows a great pie recipe, please pass it on to me and I will give it my best shot to do it justice and feature it on this blog.

The Raisin Puff cookies got rave reviews with my family.  First off, no one believed that I made the cookies myself from scratch.  After tasting them, everyone fell in love with taste, no matter if they were raisin lovers or not.  Those cookies really are so delicious plus they are different, not your run of the mill chocolate chip or oatmeal raisin, which we all have had a million times.

It was so good to see some of my nieces and nephews yesterday plus their children.  I love them so much and with their busy lives, I'm lucky to get to see them 3 or 4 times a year.

This is the pretty Easter floral arrangement that my daughter brought over.  Those are pink silk day lillies, green Easter grass, yellow rabbit Peep's, and jelly beans at the bottom.  She is so creative and clever and I love her to pieces!

I hope your Easter was peaceful, fun, and spiritually uplifting.

RELEASE DAY FOR JUST PLAIN SADIE BY AMY LILLARD

It's release day for Just Plain Sadie!!! Here's a little more about Just Plain Sadie: The Amish of Wells Landing, Oklahoma, treasure their close-knit community, and the promise of their growing families. But one young woman is struggling to choose a future that is true to both her heart and her faith… Everyone in Wells Landing has long expected Sadie Kauffman and Chris Flaud to marry--despite Sadie's telling them differently. While she loves Chris, it is more as a friend than a husband. Yet at twenty-two, the plainest girl in her group, Sadie is also the only one who is still single. Perhaps it's time to be practical and marry Chris--though he still has not asked. But when Sadie meets a kind, handsome Mennonite, it seems her prayers have been answered…  With Ezra Hein, Sadie at last feels the joy she nearly gave up on. Unfortunately, others only feel shock that she would consider marrying an outsider. To complicate matters, Chris has finally begun talking to Sadie about their future. Distressed, Sadie will have to search her heart to recognize God's marvelous gifts to her--and find the courage to accept them, challenges and all…

Copyright © 2016 Amy Lillard Author, All rights reserved.

EASTER BRUNCH RECIPES

Happy Holy Week!  Are you too also planning a big meal for your family and friends for Easter Sunday?  My family has some traditional favorites we love every Easter.  Today I will give you a few recipes that we will be making:

HASH BROWN CASSEROLE

32 ounce bag of shredded hash browns
1 cup fresh diced onions (or use frozen diced onions, thawed)
1 pint sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 stick of butter, melted
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
salt & pepper to taste
2 cups crushed potato chips

Thaw hash browns in package for 45 minutes.  Combine in a large bowl all ingredients EXCEPT the potato chips.  Pour into a 9" x 13" ungreased glass pan. Top with the crushed potato chips.  Bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour.

This recipe is courtesy of my sister Janet.  She gave me this recipe probably 30 years ago and it has been a staple for our family get togethers.

Clink on the links below to find more recipes!

SAUSAGE, CHEESE & EGG CASSEROLE - Feel free to substitute a cheese other than Swiss.


RAISIN PUFF COOKIES - These cookies are not super sweet and therefore perfect on Easter when so much candy and sweets are around.

Blessings to you all, my friends, all over the world who read my simple blog. 

IT'S TIME FOR AN EASTER BRUNCH!

Well friends, the sacred occasion of Easter is almost here.  Today is Palm Sunday, we have collected our palms and listened to the Passion of Christ.  Now the most holy of weeks is upon us - and a most busy of weeks for me as I prepare to host an Easter Sunday brunch for part of my large family.

This year we will have 17 around the table, eating at noon.  Here is my menu:

Honey Baked Ham
Turkey Sausage Links
Creamy Potato Casserole
Sausage Cheese Egg Casserole
Fruit Salad
Strawberry Pretzel Jello Salad
2 Coffee Cakes
Mini Muffins
Butter Lettuce and Ranch Green Salad
Deviled Eggs
Raisin Puff Cookies
Yellow Bundt Cake with Fluffy White Icing
Coffee, Mimosas, OJ, Milk, and Chocolate Milk

Fortunately for me, several of my nieces, my daughter, and my sister are bringing some of the above dishes so I don't have to cook it all!

I will give you links to some of the recipes tomorrow.  Good luck with your planning for this week and Easter Sunday.