Hello all -
It's here! At Holden Village, and across the Christian Church the Advent season has begun. We're celebrating by holding Vespers by candlelight and reflecting upon this season of expectant hope - what does the coming of Christ, the ushering in of this birth to this world mean for us? To us? It's a beautiful time to be in Village as well. The snow continues to fall as the sun sinks lower and lower behind the mountains.
I've been reflecting more and more so upon the meaning of Christ coming. For now, we wait in darkness, we hold candles against the darkness, and learn to become more calm and at peace while we wait in anticipation. And it's a great feeling. But, when Christ comes, he brings hope, salvation, and peace into this broken world. And I'm excited to celebrate. :)
In other news...cooking is going well. I made lasagna the other night, accompanied by a caesar salad, and amazing breadsticks with a butter garlic dipping sauce. Other shifts have been the typical oatmeal and soup...but I made an amazing creamy potato soup! Here's the recipe, scaled down to normal numbers if anyone wants it! I think it might be too much, so scale down to what you need, but all the ingredients are there. It's a great soup. :)
I used:
Butter, probably 4 tablespoons, melted in a large soup pot
1/2 cup onions, diced
1/2 cup carrots, coined
1/2 cup celery, diced
1 head garlic, minced
Heavy cream, enough to cover all vegetables
4 cups cheese, mozzarella, cheddar, or other
4 cups cubed cooked potatoes
4 cups homemade vegetable stock
Basil, oregano, thyme, salt, pepper, and a dash of cloves for seasoning
1) In a large soup pot, melt the butter, and throw in the garlic. Saute 'til soft.
2) Throw in the onions, carrots, and celery, and let sweat until soft.
3) Add in the heavy cream. Use enough to at least cover all your vegetables. Stir well together.
4) Add in the cheese. Stir again to combine.
5) Mix in the potatoes, and stir again. Heat to a high temperature, but not boiling yet.
6) Add in the spices and herbs and stir.
7) Add your vegetable stock until the soup thins out. Now, bring to a boil, and stir all together for a few minutes. Reduce the heat and let thicken, until the vegetables are soft.
8) Serve hot, and garnish with a bit more cheese or fresh herbs. This is a great bread soup! :)
Oh, and in other other news, I finished my Luther Seminary Presidential Scholarship application, resume, essay, and recommendation. Now commences the waiting! We are, after all, in the season of expectant hope.
Things are great here. I hope this update finds all my readers well, too. I miss you all dearly - I'll be home in a little over two months!
Christ's deepest peace,
From the Village,
Dean
