Marie's Merry Christmas Smilemakers

As I didn't post yesterday I thought it would be fun today to post some of the things that made me smile over these past few days! There was ever so much! We truly had a very blessed Christmas!



The thing I loved most about this Christmas was having my Todd and Mitzie to share it with. I am so blessed to have this special man in my life and for us to be able to share our love with each other and this lovely little pup of ours is just the icing on the cake! Christmas is about Family and Todd and Mitzie are my family. I am so blessed to be able to have so much love in my life.



Being able to share special meals with friends made me smile. I love to have company for dinner anyways, but being able to share our Christmas Dinner and our Boxing Day Dinner with friends made those meals all the more special! Having raised 5 children I am used to a house that is filled to overflowing at Christmas, so I always like to have a bunch over for dinner if I can! It just makes what is a truly special occasion a blessing to me!



Traditions, both old and new. I love all the tradition that surround this special holiday . . . from the mince pies on Christmas Eve, right on down to the pulling of the Christmas Crackers around the dinner table! I love sitting at the table with a silly hat on my head, sharing a corney joke with the rest of the diners . . . listening to the Queen's message late in the afternoon, cuddled on the couch with a full tummy and the smell of Christmas candles and dinner still in the air . . . forgaging in the fridge early in the evening, looking for something else to eat and the inevitable Christmas Eve Turkey Sandwich . . . the lights, the food, the music, the smiles, the Two Ronnies. It's all good!



This is my eldest son Anthony, along with his wife Anne and their two boys. This picture really makes me smile. I just love it. They are such a treasure to me. I love them so very much. My son might not always agree with my ways at times, but he loves me anyways, despite my failings. He understands the concept of unconditional love, and I am grateful for that. He and his lovely little family are a joy to me. That is as it should be.



The Songs of Praise, Boxing Day Big Christmas Sing! I just love Songs of Praise anyways, and we generally watch it every Sunday evening, but yesterday it was their special Boxing Day program and I really enjoyed it. Russell Watson, Haley Westenra, Aled Jones . . . special choirs and an huge audience just filled with people singing their Christmas Praises to the Lord. How special is that? It just can't get any better!



All of the special Church traditions that go along with Christmas . . . the Nativity Service, the Carol Service, the lessons, the cards . . . the special feeling of family that belonging to a Church Community gives. It is sacred to be able to get together with a whole room filled with like minded people and raise our voices together in unison in gratitude for this most precious gift from above, to celebrate the birth of the Saviour and His love. To me this is the very core of my Christmas Celebrations and the most beautiful part.



The food, the music, the cards . . . family, friends, special phone calls, breaking bread, sharing, giving, celebrating the single most precious gift of love ever given . . . it's all pretty special to me . . . I am so grateful for a heart that knows and seeks and recognizes just how meaningful and precious all these things are . . . all the trimmings and presents, candies and candles, turkey and mince pies, hugs and cards . . . these are only the icing on what is the truly precious and underlying single most wonderful Christmas Smile maker of all . . . Love.

Love for family. Love for friends. Love for the Saviour . . . and I had it in abundance . . . God Bless you every one!

Here's a very tasty way to use up some of that leftover turkey. Over here they like to make Turkey Curry after Christmas, but myself, I prefer a good chili or pot pie!




*White Turkey Chili*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

A mighty tasty way to get rid of some of that Christmas Bird!

2 tsp butter
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped red pepper
2 tsp minced, seeded, jalapeno pepper
1 small garlic clove, peeled and minced
2 cups chopped cooked turkey
1 (19 ounce) tin of cooked cannellini beans, drained
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 of a (4.5 ounce) tin of chopped green chilies, undrained
1/2 cup frozen corn
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander

Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the onion, celery, red pepper, jalapeno and garlic. Cook and stir until they begin to soften. Add 3/4 of the tin of beans (reserve 1/4 for later), the chicken stock, tinned green chilies, corn, cumin, chili powder salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then reduce the temperature and cover. Simmer together for about 15 minutes. Remove the cover and add the turkey and milk. Mash the remaining beans and stir in. Cook for another 20 miinutes uncovered. Stir in the coriander. Taste and adjust seasoning as required. Serve ladled into heated bowls, along with some crusty rolls.



Over in The English Kitchen today, some delicious Pina Colada Cupcakes!