Homemade Eggnog and Miracles

                                                           "Allow Miracles to Happen"



Happy New Year dearest friends and family. Today is a new day. Today is the beginning of a new year of endless possibilities. It's thrilling to contemplate, especially if one is of the mindset of feeling limitless. What is that quote by Goethe? "Whatever you do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now." That is the place I choose to reside and the perspective I choose to take in life.

If you are interested in the Homemade Eggnog portion of my blog, scroll down to the bottom, but if you are interested in reading about receiving miracles in life, read on. Of course, I believe each moment we are on earth is a miracle but we are living a human experience and that often gets in the way of viewing our life as a sacred journey. We get caught up in the world and listen far too much to our ego. Dr. Wayne Dyer used to say our ego is our "earth guide only," or our way to "edge God out." Day to day, it's easy to get sucked into what we think is reality and we forget the expansiveness the Universe provides. We just need to tap in.

Even though I live in a state of gratitude and have observed miracles happening all the time in my life, I still was amazed when another one happened on Christmas Eve. We have been having problems with our stove since our Canadian Thanksgiving in October. This is a big deal for our family, since we rely solely on homemade meals. It is a rarity that we bring in a pizza or go out to eat. So when an error code kept coming up and my oven was shutting down, or over heating whenever I would cook, it was a big concern. David googled the problem and thought he had solved the sensor detection issue and for at least the last 2 months, my oven has been working pretty well. Then I started to do my last minute Christmas baking. 


On the night before Christmas eve, with a fridge full of sugar cookie and gingerbread dough, and right in the middle of baking a batch, my oven started to emit that loud annoying beep, and on the stove top panel, a familiar error code was flashing in red again. I wasn't so concerned about my cookies, as we could live without them. What was a bigger issue, was early the next morning I would have to decide whether to take the turkey out of the freezer to thaw for our Christmas day dinner. I didn't want to be in the middle of cooking the bird and have my oven shut down, or worse over heat. 

Throughout the evening of the 23rd, Grace and I put batch after batch of cookies in the oven. Some came out under cooked and then as I continued to bake, the remainder came out well done. At the end, as I opened the oven, a flood of smoke filled the kitchen, setting off our piercing smoke alarm. Then the oven didn't cool down, even though I had turned it off. Our sweet daughter Grace, who is 13, told me later that she thought our house was going to burn down. She also told me that she was sending forth prayers for all to be well.

Our sweet daughter Grace, who is learning a lot about faith this year

                                                                   



David, who had been doing our last bit of grocery shopping, came home to the chaos and said the sensor panel would probably need to be replaced. Who in the world had that part and would be able to install it on Christmas eve? We went to bed with heavy hearts the night before Christmas eve. We had worked so hard getting ready for Christmas. David had gone out of town the month before on two separate occasions, which meant long days and no breaks, as both times he worked 10 day stints. The extra money was making Christmas possible for our family but there wasn't any extra.

We were almost there. In the last month, I had bought a few gifts and done some baking that would be sent with my sister J, who was going to the U.K. for Christmas and had generously agreed to take them to our oldest daughter in London. We had celebrated 3 of our children's December birthdays with thoughtful gifts and special dinners for each. The kids had participated in donations to the local food bank after raiding my lazy susan, and had also happily put together shoe boxes for children less fortunate in other countries. We had dropped money into our local Salvation Army kettle at our grocery store for local families. Finally, the children had participated in all the year end Christmas concerts, recitals and parties, of which there were many and of course, something was always brought as a contribution, usually my baking, and a small gift for each teacher.

A few nights before the stove incident, David and I had spent the whole evening wrapping and labeling the gifts we had squirreled away for our children. I had spent a lot of time looking at their wish lists, reading the flyers in the local paper and doing on line comparison shopping. David and I had battled the shopping crowds on several occasions to select  the perfect gift with equal fairness in mind for each child. Then there was the grocery shopping which seemed endless. I was done. But happily done. The only thing left to do was a bit more baking for our family and attend our church's candlelight service on Christmas eve. But what to do about our oven.

With my venture towards minimalism, a desire to live a more sustainable life, and move in the direction of eating mostly vegetarian meals, I thought it was interesting that a broken stove was in front of me. I felt blessed to have a working microwave, and although I personally try not to use it to heat food, much preferring the slower stove top method, it WAS in our kitchen. Also, if we filled our propane tank, we had a working barbecue, although David didn't think it would be an effective way to cook a turkey with our plummeting outside temperatures. Still, we had options and I wanted to focus on that. Also, maybe this holiday we could eat a plant based diet. All these thoughts and ideas swirled around as I went to sleep that night but my final thoughts were, I put it in your hands God. 

Now, some of you may have wondered why we didn't just go and buy a new stove, but with two children in University and others to care for, this isn't an easy option for us. Also, we haven't used our one credit card in years...I don't even have one in my wallet any longer. We save it for life emergencies only and a broken oven doesn't factor in that category. This is where the miracle comes into play though, because if we had been able to just go to the store and throw down our plastic or even had the cash, God/the Universe/, whatever feels comfortable to your ears, wouldn't have been able to show his hand.

The next morning, David got up early as he had a number of projects to complete at the office. I awoke to our younger ones, excited for Christmas voices. We had breakfast and then we got dressed. After that I decided to call David to see if he had come up with a solution. He told me to leave it with him a bit longer. A short time later, he called back and asked me to take the turkey out of the freezer and also if I could meet him at Parnell's Appliance store, which is a small appliance retail outlet in our little town. I hurriedly asked our older children to get up and get dressed so they could watch the little ones and I flew out of the house with expectation.

When I arrived David was already talking ovens with a salesman. He had a big smile on his face and as he greeted me, I sensed a lightness about his shoulders. We talked about the various benefits each stove featured and finally, I settled on the one that really excited me. It had a convection oven, which meant I could cook on all three racks at the same time and there was also a warming tray. Another bonus, was the moveable griddle that could cook pancakes, etc on the stove top. Our old electric griddle was ready to pack it in. Another bonus, was all the stoves were marked down with boxing day special prices. When Brad, the salesman, went to see if this stove was in stock, I whispered to David, "but how are we going to pay for it?" And that is when he smiled, telling me he had been given a bonus at the office that morning. It would cover the cost of the stove.

We weren't expecting any bonus since the company had just started a program which would reward  staff members with accumulated safety points and various products could be purchased with the redeemed points. Safety, is a big theme right now in all industries but especially the electrical industry where David works. In past Christmases, the company had thoughtfully given gift cards from Walmart, the Super Store, Boston Pizza, the Movie theatre, etc. but with the new safety bonus program, we thought that would be it for Christmas. What makes me believe in miracles is that this bonus was totally unexpected and it couldn't have been timed more perfectly. 

                                     Miracle!

What is an even bigger miracle, is Brad came out of the back room to say, they not only had the stove I wanted in stock....but they could deliver it a few hours later. Wow! 

                                     Merry Christmas!

We called home to tell the older boys to clear the drive way as we had had another snow fall throughout the night and flakes were still softly falling off and on. When I got home they had cleared the drive way and the steps going down to our house too.

The boys have shoveled a lot of snow this holiday season....Christmas eve was a big dump

I came into the house and everyone was so excited. A new stove would be arriving soon and we would be eating our turkey with huge gratitude.

Saying a sad goodbye to my old oven...all the memories of past Christmases, birthday cakes, soups, pizzas travel with it.

A few hours later, two delivery men wearing Santa hats arrived at our door. Nothing was sweeter than seeing our new stove.

The delivery mat was still in place and I had to capture the moment....joy filled

And while this oven is very much of this earth, it represents a tangible miracle this Christmas.


                         

 
I couldn't have been given a better gift this Christmas. It came first as a miracle wrapped in a much needed stove but continued after that with my eyes wide open. Later, when our family filled a whole church pew and I looked down to see them all singing,"Silent Night," with candles glowing in their hands, I was over whelmed with the miracle of the season. When the clocked struck midnight on Christmas eve and I was able to connect, via Skype, with our London based daughter, again the feeling flooded through me. Even though we are so far apart, I could wish her a Happy Christmas, see her beautiful face, listen to her voice. Someone had to dream BIG to be able to make it possible for us to connect in such a way.


As my pumpkin pie cooked on Christmas Eve, David read the book I have had since I was small, "Twas the Night Before Christmas," to our little ones but our big ones were listening too.

It's not Christmas without my classic pumpkin pie....I use the recipe on the "Libby's" Pumpkin pie can...and use the Tenderflake pastry recipe for the crust...the star is my personal touch...of HOPE

David with the book, "Twas the Night Before Christmas."....it was given to me on my 2nd Christmas.

Harrison and our Siamese cat Ryuuki listen to the classic Christmas Eve story.....this after hearing the one about baby Jesus at church an hour before

Then a few hours later, I was up early, preparing the dressing and stuffing the turkey. This year I was in a state of pure gratitude for the turkey and for the oven that would roast him. For everything that fell into place perfectly.

It's going to be a beautiful Christmas day!

Christmas morning....me up early getting the turkey in....I used all my dried baby's breath on the tree this year...simply beautiful and even though last spring I did a mass declutter in the name of minimalism,  I cut our holiday decorations in half....we really didn't miss anything....some greenery, some fairy lights, a few memorable tree decorations....oh and a poinsettia...the house was lovely

Then, holding the little ones back no further, they stopped for a picture and rushed to see what Santa had left them in their stockings and under the tree.

After my stove was delivered, everything was just as bonus and it got me thinking about life and how I walk my path. Over the holidays as time allowed, I was able to connect with some of my cyber friends, some whom, are still trying to have their first baby, or to complete their family. One of them said something really impressive to me, considering all she has endured on her path. She said, "One of my mantra's I hold close is " my life is none of my business" I try to remember to just show up and let life just take care."
 
I loved that because I think we get too caught up in what seems like the BIG things in life and we try to control too much. In doing so, we block the flow of miracles into our life. If we just remember to show up, that is all we really need to do.....and if we show up with gratitude, I think that is the key in living a miraculous life.



So we are at the beginning of a new year. A time when dreams are fresh and our heart is strong. If we listen to our heart, and trust it is life's rudder, we can't go wrong. I don't know about you but I have big dreams, and little dreams. My little ones are by becoming more sustainable and also environmentally conscious. I want to use less packaging and rely less on other people to make what I love. One thing I love at Christmas time is eggnog. I have always wanted to learn how and this year my dream came true. I didn't buy one eggnog latte while out shopping.....instead, I learned to make eggnog from scratch and made my own lattes. 

It was so easy and delicious. I don't know why I haven't made it before. I  learned to make eggnog latte's last year, which accompanied my cranberry bliss bars (inspired from a trip to Starbucks) but this year, I'm happy to say, that I made everything from scratch and while it is more expensive to make the homemade variety...the taste is well worth it. Absolutely no comparison, so if eggnog is your thing....maybe try making a batch.

Chances are you already have everything you need in your home.... all you may need to buy is some "whopped" (our little girl Kathryn calls it that) cream, and some sweetened condensed milk.

So grab a pot, an apron and come join me in the kitchen.......for

                                    Hope's Homestead Eggnog

"Eggnog may have originated in East Anglia, England; or it may have simply developed from posset, a medieval European beverage made with hot milk; eggs were added to some posset recipes. The "nog" part of its name may stem from the word noggin, a Middle English term for a small, carved wooden mug used to serve alcohol.|"

Here's what you need to make egg nog...behind my cinnamon is the "whopped cream"

Non-Alcoholic Eggnog

Ingredients

4 cups of milk

1/2 tsp of cloves

1 tsp ground cinnamon

 1/2 cup sweetened, condensed milk...I use the light one if I can

8 egg yolks...the fresher the better

1 cup of granulated sugar

2 cups of whipping cream....full strength, the heavy stuff

2  tsp of vanilla

1 tsp of nutmeg...plus more for garnish

Opt: 1 can of whipped cream...and a few cinnamon sticks for stirring....kind of old fashioned too

Instructions

1. In a large sauce pan heat milk, cloves, cinnamon, and the condensed milk over low heat. Slowly increase heat until mixture is just about to boil....be careful not to boil.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine the 8 eggs with the 2 cups of sugar, then using an electric mixer, combine mixture until it's light and fluff....it will have a lovely soft yellow colour.

3. Slowly add the hot milk mixture, 1 spoonful at a time to the sugar and eggs......(I ladled the last little bit)..once about 1/2 of the hot mixture is introduced and it has tempered, add it all back to the sauce pan and cook over medium heat for about 3 to 5 minutes. When the mixture thickens it is done.

3. At this point, slowly add the 2 cups of whipping cream, nutmeg and vanilla and heat through. do not bring this to a boil. You are getting close now to tasting a delicious, thick, nog...yummy! I really love being able to choose how much spice to add as well.

4. At this point, you can either use the mixture to make eggnog lattes, or you can find a jar with a sealed lid.....I put my eggnog into several mason jars with screwed lids and cool well before serving.

We made lattes when the eggnog was still hot. Use some canned whipping cream and sprinkle some nutmeg on top for a garnish...serve with a cinnamon stick.

This batch of eggnog made enough to make four eggnog lattes and 4 cups of plain nog for the kids

I don't mind if I do

  

When I called, "eggnog is ready," everyone came for a taste test

 

I was so engrossed with making my eggnog and then drinking it that I never noticed my Santa apron was inside out....as David said is doesn't matter, either way, it says, "the holidays are here."

As 2016 unfolds for you and your family, I hope you allow miracles to happen.

Until we meet again, may you be well, happy and peaceful.

Blessings from Hope