Today’s post is by fellow author, Patricia Meredith. We both have stories in Christmas Fiction off the Beaten Path, a collection of inspirational Christmas stories. Sandra’s nostalgic story is about a hard-working family  man in a difficult place called “Not This Year.” Patricia’s story was inspired by the song “Mary, Did You Know?” Welcome to Historical Nibbles, Patricia!

 by Patricia Meredith

Joseph was working late again, so it was just me and Jesus. I cut up his lamb into small pieces, praying that maybe this time he’d eat the meat without complaint.

Like most children I’d known, he hadn’t yet “acquired a taste” for meat, but it seemed to me the only thing he had acquired a taste for was bread. Bread for every meal. My hands were growing sore with all the kneading.

“You cannot live on bread alone!” I cried when he refused once again to touch anything else before him.

His lips puckered and his eyes widened, and then he shoved in another fistful of bread.

I shook my head. At least he was growing.

                                   — “Mary, Did You Know?” by Patricia Meredith

Like Mary, I love baking bread. One of my favorites is a simple Pita Bread recipe that makes a delicious, chewy bread perfect for wrapping around fresh vegetables and hummus. It’s cooked in a cast-iron skillet, which means if you cook it over an open fire, you get that nice outdoor smell and flavor added to the food, reminiscent of the way Mary might have cooked it in her home.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup warm water

1 packet (2 ¼ tsp) active dry yeast

2 ½- 3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp salt

1 tablespoon olive oil (+1-2 T olive oil for cooking)

DIRECTIONS:

Mix the water and yeast and let stand for about five minutes. Add salt, olive oil, and 2 ½ cups of flour. Mix until combined and then knead with more flour for about 5-7 minutes. The dough should be smooth and elastic. Try to be sparing with the extra flour—less is better.

Run a little olive oil into a clean bowl, roll the dough in the oil, and then let the dough rest in the bowl, covered, until it’s doubled (about 1 hour).

Turn the dough out and divide it into smaller pieces. Depending on how thick you like your pita, you can usually get about 12-16 out of the risen dough. Using a floured rolling pin, roll each piece into a flat circle.

Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Drizzle oil in the pan. Lay a pita on the skillet and bake 1-2 minutes, until the bubbles start to form, keeping an eye on it. It should get toasted spots on it. Flip again and cook another 1-2 minutes on the other side. It should puff up, forming small pockets.

Remove from heat and cover with a towel. Eat hot and fresh!

About Patricia:

Patricia Meredith is the author of historical and cozy mysteries. She currently lives just outside Spokane, Washington on a farm with peacocks, ducks, guinea fowl, chickens, and sheep. When she’s not writing, she’s playing board games with her husband, creating imaginary worlds with her two kids, or out in the garden reading a good book with a cup of tea. Check out her blog at Patricia-Meredith.com, or follow her on Instagram and Facebook at @pmeredithauthor.

“Mary, Did You Know?” is one of the stories included in the Christmas Fiction Off the Beaten Path anthology. Ask for it at your favorite bookstore.

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