THE CHRISTMAS ROSE-A POEM I WROTE

 

I wrote this several years ago

but thought I would share it 

again in case you didn't see it before.

THE CHRISTMAS ROSE

There is a legend old as time 
about the Christmas Rose,
If you've not heard it e'er before~
this is how it goes.

The night sky glowed quite splendidly,
and the girl could see a Star.
It brightly shone upon the land 
and beckoned from afar.

She left her door step quietly 
without a backward glance,
She knew that she must follow it
and take the risk-the chance.

She had heard the shepherds talking 
about the child so near,
That would change the world forever-
that could comfort every fear.

She watched behind a hillock 
as the Magi took their place, 
With their gifts of myrrh & frankincense
& gold in a fine case.

She wanted such a special gift 
for this baby oh-so-dear,
But she was poor, had nothing, 
and she cried a silent tear.

She quickly searched the countryside~ 
a flower was her thought,
But the winter was cold 
& damp & mean-
no flower to be sought.

She earnestly began to weep 
and softly shed each tear,
While an angel watched & marveled 
at the love she held so dear.

"Why are you crying, my child?" she asked 
as she met her on the ground 
"I long to give something to this child
- but nothing have I found."

The angel touched her tears 
where they lay upon the earth,
And a Rose sprung up beneath them-
a green & silent birth.

Now go and give your roses, child,
your gift of heart & tear,
And the Savior child will bless you 
& comfort you, my dear.

She gently picked the roses 
and took them to the place,
Where the baby lay in splendor
in His lowly birthing space.

She stared upon his countenance-
this ragged, humble child,
And He turned his little face up 
and looked at her & smiled.

Yes! That's the story of the Christmas Rose-
it's been heard by many ears,
But the Blessing it brings at Christmas time 
will carry us through the years.
~©Diana Kosmoski~

God bless each and every one of you 

this Christmas Eve, Christmas Day

and all through the holidays

and upcoming year.

Thank you ALL for being such

a beautiful part of my life.

I have made so many friends in blogland

and feel like I know so many of you 

on a deeply personal level.

I have laughed and cried for you

and your families and feel as 

connected to  you as I do to

"real people".

My kids are 

ALL WRONG

when they say 

BLOG FRIENDS

 are not the same as

REAL FRIENDS!

Using an old phrase

coined by SweetCheeks I say

PFFFTTTT!

Merry Christmas my friends! 

NEVER FAIL MICROWAVE CARAMELS....QUICK AND EASY!

  Every couple of years I post

this recipe because people

LOVE IT!

AND- you can't screw it up.

 When I was a kid,

 my mother

often whipped up a batch 

of fudge from scratch

after the chores were done

on a snowy Pennsylvania night.

I make caramels instead.

As you can tell, I love to bake

and make candy.

I don't know how many 

caramel recipes I have tried

over the years.

Some of them called for

stirring for what seemed hours

and then...

they might or might not

"turn out".

These are quick!

Less than 10 minutes from

start to finish AND they

NEVER FAIL 

to set up properly.

I am not sure how these would 

turn out if you have an old

low wattage microwave.

I think most of them are at least

1000 watts now.

I have made them in 1000W,

1200W & 1500W mics

and the timing is the same.

(if you want to double check use

a candy thermometer and it should

read between 240˚-245˚ when done)

Ready?

Get yourself a nice big 

microwave measuring cup.

I use an 8 cup one.

Make sure it is microwave safe.

Before I start-

One warning-

You CANNOT double this recipe.

You would have to make two batches

if you want more.

Everything that is measured out

is in 1/2 cup increments.

Melt 1/2 cup butter.

Remove from microwave.

Add 1/2 cup Karo syrup (I use white Karo),

1/2 cup light brown sugar,

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup sweetened CONDENSED MILK

(not evaporated milk)

Stir until mixed and dissolved.

Microwave on high 3-1/2 minutes.

Stir down.

Microwave on high 3-1/2 more minutes.

Remove from mic.  Add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Add 1/2 cup chopped nuts-if desired- I don't.

Stir until few air bubbles remain.

Pour into 8x8 HEAVILY buttered dish.

Refrigerate just until set.

Cut into squares.

(Sometimes I pull the whole works

out of the pan and cut the squares

using kitchen scissors).

NOTE:  Cut before these are completely

cold and hard.  If they are too hard,

let them warm up for a while

then you will be able to cut them.

You can wrap these if they last long enough.

Ours never seem to make it to the

wrapped stage!

If you do have some left to wrap

they make a perfect little 

take-along gift in a pretty 'card box',

like the post before this with the fudge in it!

I hope you have a most

wonderful, blessed

SUNDAY!!!!

CARAMEL RECIPE:

1/2 Cup real butter

1/2 Cup KARO syrup

1/2 Cup light brown sugar

1/2 Cup graulated white sugar (not confecionery sugar)

1/2 Cup Sweetened Condensed Milk (Not Evaporated Milk)

        (I use the Eagle Brand-It's better than other kinds for this particular recipe)

DIRECTIONS:

Use a LARGE Pyrex (or other) Measuring cup (mine is 8 cups)

WARNING- MAKE SURE IT IS MICROWAVE PROOF!

Melt 1/2 cup of butter in microwave.

Remove from microwave.

Stir in:

KARO syrup, light brown sugar, white sugar, Sweented condensed milk.

Stir until well blended and sugars are dissolved.

Microwave on high for 3-1/2 minutes.

Remove from microwave.

Stir down.

Put back in microwave.

Microwave on high for 3-1/2 minutes.

Remove from Microwave.

Add 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla.

Add nuts at this point if so desired.

Stir well until air bubbles are just about all gone.

Pour into HEAVILY BUTTERED 8x8 pan and put in fridge.

Let them set but not get super hard. If they get too hard they will be too hard to cut.  If that happens put them in a warm oven for a few minutes until they soften slightly.

Cut into squares while still soft.  

Sometimes I pull the whole thing out of the pan and use

kitchen shears to cut into strips and then squares from the strips. 

Wrap squares in wax paper squares and twist ends shut.

If you use DARK KARO SYRUP you get a darker caramel but we prefer the lighter ones.

PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE-MY CHRISTMAS REMINDER FOR YOU~

Do you have 

someone you need to pop in

and visit over the Holidays?

Do you need just a sweet little

something to give them?

This is 

THE EASIEST HOMEMADE

PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE

ever.

I wish I could tell you where

I got the recipe but I can't remember.

So...

You know those boxes that

Christmas cards come in?

Here's how to take the box below
and turn it into a special
gift.

Don't you hate to throw them away

because they have such pretty

"faces"?

They make wonderful little

Candy Boxes.

Open the box and line it with tin foil.

Butter the tin foil.

Then make this:

In pan over medium heat melt

2 sticks of butter

When melted stir in 

1 cup peanut butter, creamy or crunchy.

Like this.

Stir in one teaspoon REAL vanilla.

Add 2-3/4 cups CONFECTIONERY SUGAR

(not granulated)

(That old tin scoop belonged to my Mom-Good Housekeeping 1954)

I beat it quickly with a hand mixer

(it sets up fast) 

and then pour it into the 

buttered foil lined box.

Put it in the fridge to harden

and as soon as it sets up

lift it out, toss the tinfoil away,

 and wrap it in 

parchment paper.

Then wrap it with a piece

of ribbon and place it

back in the box.

 

I pick up knives all year here and there
and include one in each box.

The fudge stays fresh 
until they cut it.

Put the lid on and it presents

like this when opened.

Recipe:

SMOOTH AND EASY

PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE

2 sticks butter

1 cup peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

2-3/4 cups confectionery sugar

In saucepan:

Melt butter

Stir in peanut butter and vanilla.

Use hand mixer and quickly

mix sugar in. It sets up fast.

Place in tinfoil lined box and

set in fridge until hard.

This is the smoothest peanut

butter candy I have ever made.

This recipe makes two card boxes 

full OR 1 8x8 buttered pan.

It's quick, easy and just

a sweet little surprise.

Save a few pieces for your friends.