a mother's advent prayer.

Heavenly Father, we gather in this room, on this gray and cloudy Advent day, to proclaim that you are light, and that in you is no darkness at all. Even as clouds obscure the crystal blue of your heavens and as sin and doubt and confusion and anxiety obscure our vision of your face, we know that the true light, which gives light to everyone, has come into the world, and will come into the world again.

Lord, bring to our minds and to our hearts the deep, groaning longing for a Savior, felt by the nation of Israel two thousand years ago. In 400 years of silence, in a garden guarded by flaming sword, in a temple veiled against human eyes, let us perceive our own individual sins: jealousy, apathy, doubt, conceit, idolatry, anger, hate, and more.

In those bitter memories of your people, let us also perceive the sins of our whole world: countrymen battering each other with hateful words; brethren of different colors and beliefs and genders and races tearing at and destroying one another; refugees and the homeless and the widows and the orphans left to the wind and the waves; economies set up to exploit the disadvantaged; innocent children stolen from the womb; the dignity of elders cast aside—Lord, we see these and a thousand other sins, and we acknowledge that we all bear the stain of Eden’s apple on our lips. We desperately need light in this darkness.

We wait. Oh, Lord, how we wait, and as mothers, we know the feeling well, having waited for our children.

We have felt the unbelievable force of contractions, feeling that the intense pains of labor might never end. We have lain on the operating table, waiting breathlessly for the knife to drop—an instrument that could take a life being used to bring it forth—waiting to hear that desperately loveable first cry being pulled from within us. We have waited for the phone call, the text message, the beckoning wave from a social worker that the moment has come.

Lord, you know that we know what is to wait…how much more must you as our heavenly Father wait on the final coming of your kingdom! And yet in your glory and your power you already know what is and is to come. As sweet Mary waited in holy expectancy of Immanuel to be born, let us wait in this pregnant pause of the world to see the glorious kingdom that will come forth with your Second Coming. Lord, as we see our own children sparkling and overflowing with life now, let us proclaim that life has come forth in the person of your Son, who has overcome death so that all men may live.

Lord, we sit humbly at your feet, a waiting people.

As we wait, give us the fruits of your Spirit. Give us patience rather than hurriedness, peace rather than anxiety, and kindness rather than resentment and anger. Give us love rather than indifference. Give us hope rather than despair. Give us faith rather than doubt. Lord, teach us today through the words of our sisters in Christ, especially Janet. In this holy season of Advent, open our ears and our eyes and our hearts and our minds to the glories of your righteousness and the wonders of your love. Surprise us with sprigs of new life in these days, cutting through the darkness like a cardinal against the snow, an evergreen amongst dead branches, the cry of a healthy baby shattering a silent, holy night. Amen.

sweet potato & chorizo hash.

sweet potato & chorizo hash. 

Makes 12-14 servings.

4 medium sweet potatoes, diced

olive oil

kosher or coarse sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 lb. Mexican-style chorizo

1 large onion, diced

1 poblano pepper, diced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place diced sweet potatoes in 9x13 baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil, season to taste with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Roast until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. 

Meanwhile, brown chorizo in large non-stick pan on medium-high heat. Once browned, remove to plate lined with paper towels. Discard all but 1 Tbsp. of pan drippings and lower heat to medium.

Saute onion and pepper on medium heat until transparent, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. 

Add chorizo, onion, and pepper to dish with sweet potatoes, and toss to combine. Adjust seasoning as desired. Serve warm. 

Recipe shared by Kelsey Sandvall.

best homemade cinnamon rolls ever.

best homemade cinnamon rolls ever.

Makes 12 cinnamon rolls.
dough:
1 c. warm milk
1 Tbsp. instant dry yeast
2 Tbsp. white granulated sugar
1 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. salted butter, softened
1 large egg
3 c. all-purpose flour

filling:
1/2 c. salted butter, melted
1 c. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon

glaze:
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. salted butter, softened
1 c. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 to 2 Tbsp. milk

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine warm milk, yeast, sugar, salt, butter, and eggs. Add in flour. Using a dough hook, turn the mixer to low speed.

Once the flour starts to incorporate into the dough, increase mixer speed to medium. Add more flour as necessary so that the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. The dough mixture should be tacky, but not stick to your hands--it should be soft. Add more or less flour until the dough reaches desired consistency.

Transfer dough to a lightly greased mixing bowl. Cover with a towel and let rise until double in size, about 1 hour.

Lightly grease a baking sheet. Punch down the dough and rolls into a 12 inch by 18 inch rectangle.

Brush the dough with 1/2 c. melted butter. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle on top of the melted butter. Roll up tightly lengthwise to form one long roll. Use plain dental floss or a sharp knife to cut the dough into 12 one-inch slices.

Place slices onto a lightly greased 9x13 pan. Cover and let rise 30 to 45 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat over to 325 degrees.

Bake the rolls for 14 to 20 minutes, until just kissed with brown on the top.

While rolls are baking, make glaze by using a hand mixer to whip together cream cheese and butter in a bowl until light and fluffy. Whip in powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Add enough milk to achieve a drizzle-like consistency. Frost rolls while still warm.

Serve immediately or cool and store for 4 to 5 days.

Recipe shared by Lauren Greene. Original recipe from The Stay at Home Chef.

pumpkin chocolate chip muffins.

pumpkin chocolate chip muffins.

Makes 12 muffins.
3/4 c. white sugar
1/4 c. vegetable oil
2 eggs
3/4 c. canned pumpkin
1/4 c. water
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Grease and flour muffin pan or use paper liners.

Mix sugar, oil, and eggs. Add pumpkin and water. In separate bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt. Add wet mixture and stir in chocolate chips.

Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Recipe shared by Jennifer Davis. 

zucchini chocolate chip bread.

zucchini chocolate chip bread.

Makes 2 loaves or approximately 2 dozen muffins.
3 large eggs
1 c. olive oil, vegetable oil, or melted butter
1 1/3 to 1 3/4 c. granulated or turbinado sugar (depending on desired sweetness)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground of freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. fine sea or table salt
2 c. grated, packed zucchini (from about 10 oz. or 2 smallish zucchini)
3 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
1 to 2 c. chocolate chips (or other add-ins such as dried fruit)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Generously grease and flour (or coat with a nonstick spray) two loaf pans (8x4 or 9x5). Alternatively, you can grease 24 standard muffin cups or line them with paper liners.

Whisk eggs, oil or butter, sugar, and vanilla in the bottom of a large bowl. Sprinkle cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt over wet ingredients and whisk them in well. Stir in zucchini. Gently stir in flour, mixing only until flour disappears. Stir in chocolate, nuts, or other add-ins.

Divide between prepared pans and bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. (Muffins will bake much more quickly, approximately 20 to 25 minutes.) Allow to cool for 10 minutes in pan on a rack before inverting and removing from pans, or just allow to cool completely in pans. Store wrapped in foil at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Recipe shared by Molly Leverenz. Original recipe from Smitten Kitchen.

easy egg & sausage casserole.

easy egg & sausage casserole.

Makes one 9x13 casserole.
4 slices bread
1 lb. breakfast sausage
1 c. (4 oz.) grated cheddar
6 eggs
2 c. milk
1 tsp. ground mustard
1 tsp. salt
dash of pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Tear up bread and place in greased 9x13 pan. Brown and drain sausage, and spoon sausage over bread. Sprinkle with cheese. Beat eggs. Combine eggs with milk, ground mustard, salt, and pepper. Pour egg mixture into pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes.

recipe shared by Amelia Taylor.