Christmas Then and Now...A Childhood Memory.

Everything is about memories with me, I revert back to another time daily to compare then and now, the difference, the whys, and the results in light of.

Christmas gets a lot of back tracking from me, it has always been and still serves as a great lesson in just how awesome the human race is .

Granted we hear a lot about shopping, spending big bucks on big items. The retail markets have a field day to see who can ring the register the loudest. Our mail boxes are over flowing daily with once in a lifetime deals, discounts that have never before been offered, and there is truely magic on every corner!

What I see is the same thing I saw as a child growing up in a farming family where needs and wants were considered very carefully. Our neighbors were a real part of our concern, and where family came first regardless.
I see total strangers who will take up a cause to feed or raise money to help a family or child in need.
I see people pooling small amounts of money to make big donations possible to send boxes to our troops overseas and in hospitals here at home.

So , where and how have we changed over the last 50, 60, 100 years.
I really don't think we have changed that much or in that many ways.

We may have bigger and better things to enjoy, we certainly have more access to everything.
To those ends much change has taken place.

But...all the things that really matter is still the same as I remember.

Home is a warm and safe place.
Family and friends will love you and you in turn will do the same.
Prayer, faith, politics, and our comfort zones are personal issues, we are free to share them or not.

Food will ease most any pain and help you to reflect in a much better way.

So, with that being said and understood...I will share my comfort food from my mothers kitchen when I was a little girl.

The best way to enjoy this is to make two and share with someone.

( RICE CUSTARD PUDDING)

1/4 cup long grain rice
2 cups hot milk
1/2 tsp salt
1 TBSP dried peppermint leaf
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1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp grated lemon rind
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1 TBSP real butter
1 large egg-beaten
2 large egg yolks-beaten
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Lemon Meringue
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Cook rice, salt, and milk in top of a double boiler for 20 minutes or until rice is almost tender.
In a small pot boil 1 cup of water and steep the peppermint leaf for about 5 to 7 minutes, strain and add the water to the rice water.

For chemical free peppermint leaf ......
http://www.sagehillfarmsandvintagestore.com

Combine the next 7 ingredients and gradually add to rice.
Mix well.

Turn into a buttered 1 quart casserole.
Bake in a pan of hot water, in a preheated 350* oven for 1 hour, just until softly firm and light brown.

Top with Lemon Meringue and bake in a slow oven (325*) for 15 minutes longer.

You can enjoy this curled up in a favorite place with a good book, or you can serve it to your dinner guest. Both ways will bring you great pleasure.

Make December all about then and now.....

Bea Kunz