Object Talks for Christmas by Verna Kokmeyer

I love this book for children!

The author has taken many of the common items associated with Christmas and created an easy, fun lesson for preschool children through elementary.

The author uses items such as ornaments, candles, candy canes, cranberries, cookie cutters, holly, pine cones, and many more as interesting object lessons.

With each object is a scripture reference, discussion, prayer, and activity. The discussions are appropriate and useful for parents and teachers.

Included are Christmas crafts or activities that children can do with parents. Some crafts will be easy for an elementary-aged child to create without much adult assistance.

I definitely recommend buying this book for your children and grandchildren. Packed with great ideas!

-Sandra Merville Hart

Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas    – Use coupon code SandraMHart for a 20% discount on Lighthouse Publishing books!

Holiday Peas & Rice Recipe

I thought I’d share a few family recipes around the Christmas holidays. This is a dish that my grandmother on my dad’s side used to make.

Ingredients

½ cup long grain rice—not minute rice (I used organic brown rice)

1/8 teaspoon sage

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 can chicken broth

1 cup frozen peas

2 tablespoons diced pimentos

Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Stir in sage. Add rice and sauté in the melted butter for about a minute or until it begins to brown.

Stir chicken broth into the rice mixture and bring to a boil. Then reduce to low heat. Cover and simmer.

After simmering for 15 minutes, add peas and cook about 10 minutes longer or until done, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let it set, covered, for five minutes to allow the rice to soak up any remaining broth.

Stir in pimentos. This recipe makes 6 ½ cup servings. Double it to serve a larger crowd.

This dish has just a hint of sage that I found to be a refreshing change. If you like a bit more, increase this seasoning to a ¼ teaspoon when adding to the melted butter in the beginning, but remember that sage has a strong flavor. A little goes a long way.

This vegetable dish has festive green and red colors that will complement holiday meals. Thanks for the recipe, Grandma!

I’d love to hear if you try this. Enjoy!

-Sandra Merville Hart