Heart Book Series

Book Review: Heart of the Holidays, by Sheryl Roush
 
This wonderful, one-of-a-kind book brims with all the magic and joy of the holiday season. The collection of cheerful sayings, warm memories of times gone by, and touching stories and poems make a lovely, festive package. You’ll delight in the tales of grace and revelation, and enjoy the good humor and faith throughout.
 
It’s the perfect gift for a sister, mom, or friend, or to show your appreciation for a busy hostess. 

And keep an extra copy for yourself so you can pack it away after reading it, and then next holiday season, unpack it to savor the same sparkle and warmth again!
 
— Suuzen Ty Anderson, Esq., RN

Sweet Potato Soup

2 Tbsp Olive Oil
6 cups peeled raw diced sweet potatoes (or any type yams)
1 large onion, diced
3 lg garlic cloves, minced
7 cups chicken broth (Kitchen Basics is very good in this recipe)
1 1/2 tsp fresh ground gingerroot
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
 
In large saucepan, heat the olive oil and cook the onions, without browning, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add sweet potatoes, ginger root and chicken broth.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are very tender.
Remove from heat and puree the soup in a blender or food processor (be careful as it’s very hot, puree a little at a time). 
Return to heat and adjust consistency with more broth if necessary.
Add seasonings and taste before adding salt/pepper.

Recipe by Mary Gay Roush, RN, CDE

All in One Chocolate Pie (Low Carb!)

RECIPE CREDIT: low-carb-motivation.com

This pie has no crust, requires no baking and is only 5 grams of Carbs per serving.
Number of servings: 8
Effort:  Easy
 
1 cup heavy cream, whipped
3-4 TBSP unsweetened cocoa (depending on how chocolaty you like it)
3/4 cup artificial sweetener
1 tsp vanilla
8 ounces of low fat cream cheese
 
Tip all the ingredients into a large bowl and mix well until velvety smooth.
Pour into a fluted quiche dish, or similar, and refrigerate to set.
Serve with some fresh strawberries and raspberries for a colorful finish!

Recipe submitted by Mary Gay Roush, RN, CDE

Apple Cranberry Crumble

This "pie" has no bottom crust and is very easy to make.
 
Top Crumble Crust:
1/2 cup brown sugar (or equivalent of Splenda)
1 cup rolled oats (not instrant)
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cube butter, softened or melted (do not use shortening or margarine)
Filling:
2 cups fresh cranberries (or frozen raspberries)
3 or more tart green apples, peeled, cored, and sliced (Fuji ok too)
1 cup sugar (or equivalent of Splenda)
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
 
Preheat Oven: 325 degrees
 
To prepare crust: Combine brown sugar, oats, flour and salt.
Mix in butter until mixture is crumbly, set aside.
 
To prepare filling: Combine cranberries, apples, sugar and lemon juice.
Spread in a 9 inch pie dish or square baking pan. Spoon crumb mixture over fruit.
 
Bake 50-60 minutes or until top is lightly browned and bubbly and apples are still tender-crisp when pierced with tip of knife.
 
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream. YUM!

Recipe submitted by Mary Gay Roush, from her best friend Gayle Halldin

BEVERLY STUBBS WEURDING writes:

Sheryl,
You are amazing.  I love your latest book, Heart of the Holidays. In fact this morning I opened it up to the Thanksgiving section to find an appropriate verse/blessing to begin our festive day and meal.  You have another masterpiece. You have a gift for putting words and thoughts into a small book that relates to every aspect of living and loving. You only have a few months before all of us will be waiting to hear about your next gem!!!
Love,
Bev

When you need to take a break from the doing-ness of your day, holiday shopping, or ANY time of the year… pause for a moment – take a couple of minutes for yourself – recenter yourself and rekindle your spirit. Turn up your speakers or plug in your earphones, and treat yourself to this visual therapy for the soul..

The first movie in the Cherished Blessings Series, by Kate Nowak and Live More Abundantly Productions, the therapeutic presentation immediately moves the viewer away from the petty concerns of the day to a place filled with hope and love and blessing. Soothing, meditative music combined with inspirational photographs and words that reach out to touch the soul, May You Be Blessed has been viewed over three million times and is at the core of the Blessing Experiment.

VIEW MAY YOU BE BLESSED.

Heart of the Holidays – Music

THIS IS MAGNIFICENT HOLIDAY MUSIC—-PIANO with HEART!!!

My Thanksgiving Diet
 
A tiny piece of turkey,
a touch of mashed potatoes,
one tablespoon of gravy,
two cherry red tomatoes.
Thirteen little peas,
a quarter cup of yams,
no butter for my roll.
I’m glad there was no ham.
 
Impressed you are, you say?
I cannot tell a lie.
The last thing that I ate
was the entire pumpkin pie!
 
~Sandy Holman McVey
Copyright 2005
 

Have you noticed that we appreciate things more when we lose them? I know I did before being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis at the age of 23 in 1986 when I went from a competitive athlete to being paralyzed from the neck down. Since that time, I have experienced numerous attacks of paralysis and blindness with varying degrees of recovery in between.

Now, I give thanks each night for the senses which I DO have, rather than the abilities I have lost. It’s amazing how beautiful a sunset is when you’ve lost your eyesight for a few weeks or how enjoyable a walk along the beach can be when you’ve been confined to a wheelchair, paralyzed for nearly a month. Since regaining my ability to walk, I truly appreciate playing a round of golf with my husband and traveling internationally as I’m no longer bedridden.Years ago when I was in a wheelchair during Canadian Thanksgiving, I decided to go to a Medical Healing retreat in Baja, California, Mexico. My recovery was so terrific that I was able to enjoy a “personal best” golf round one month later during the U.S. Thanksgiving weekend – I savored that turkey dinner in more ways than one! During times when I have lost my sense of touch and feeling to the degree that I could no longer appreciate the softness of my pet’s fur, I would take action with an “attitude of gratitude” and book an appointment at a spa – when my legs were numb, it was an ideal time to have them waxed!

Of all the holidays I celebrate each year, I enjoy Thanksgiving the most because it’s an opportunity to share with my loved ones the lessons I have learned about never taking things for granted and especially, to treat EVERY day like it’s Thanksgiving Day. I encourage them to practice Jack Canfield’s quote – “Each night when you go to sleep, try counting your blessings, instead of just counting sheep.”

~Jan Mills, Speaker, Health & Wellness Coach, www.janmills.net

Published in Heart of the Holidays

OUR DAILY BREAD

When my daughters were growing up we always bought wheat bread. Sandwiches, toast, French toast, you name it, it was wheat bread. When the girls were about three and five years old, we bought some white flour dinner rolls for our Thanksgiving dinner. Our guests were seated at the table, the turkey was being carved and I cut a roll in slices for the girls. I’m not sure what she thought we’d been eating all along, but when I put a slice on her plate, my three year old said, "Oh!  Clean bread!" 

-Joan Enguita, www.joanenguita.com

Published in  Heart of the Holidays

Butternut Squash Soup (serves 8)

Add heavy cream (optional).

Wisconsin Cranberry Relish

Cranberries are one of only three fruits native to North America–the other two are blueberries and Concord grapes. This tasty little berry was a staple in the diets of American Indians long before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock.

Annually, the first part of November finds me wandering down memory lane as I fumble through my untidy batch of recipes. You see, my recipes are not neatly filed away on my computer, nor are they alphabetized in a cute recipe box; they are an embarrassing hodgepodge of cards, scraps of paper, and even a few envelopes. Yet, finding my favorites for the holiday season is never difficult.

Some dishes are recognized by the handwriting of the person that jotted it down at my request. Others were scribbled on any notepad that was handy at the time; and I search for a certain color of paper. As I rummage through my jumbled collection of recipes, it causes me to recall people, places, and events from the past-and I like it that way. For me, my filing system is perfect!

Still, one recipe card stands out amongst all other. The handwriting has faded, the yellowed edges are bent, and it has amassed an array of smudges over the years. Oh, but it is far from being just another dog-eared recipe card; it’s a special keepsake from my Mother, who is now deceased. This year I realized just how faint her handwriting had become on the aging card and it was promptly placed in plastic for protection.

I’d not been gone from home long before asking Mother for her Pumpkin Bread recipe. It had been part of every holiday I could remember, not to mention being decadent and habit forming. The recipe originated with my Grandmother, who died before my birth, and was handed down to my Mother.

That ragged, old card has traveled with me from state to state, kitchen to kitchen, and has generated more loaves of pumpkin bread than I would dare to count. Many were devoured at family dinners, and countless others have been given as gifts after being embellished with holiday ribbons and bows.

I often feel my compilation of favorite recipes is akin to a roadmap of my adult life, beginning with the Pumpkin Bread recipe from my mother. Others were gathered along the way in different states and different cities; some were offered by old friends, some by new friends, and some by relatives. I find myself being grateful for each person that came into my life and shared a special dish, several of which are now part of my traditional holiday fare.

Most times the roadmap of my life has directed me down scenic boulevards or tranquil country roads, although I’ve had my share of bumps and detours along the way. Upon reflection, I’m more than thankful for the journey.and all those who touched my life along the way.

©2006 Kathleene S. Baker

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kathy and her husband, Jerry, reside in Plano, Texas with two fur kids named Shiloh and Hank. Their other children are grown and have given them 4 grands. Kathy, a freelancer, has contributed to newspapers, anthologies, magazines, and online ezines. Her first piece of work was inspired by Josey, a very special Miniature Schnauzer. She writes a weekly column for Frank Talk Magazine entitled "Heart of Texas." She is Editor for Starfish which is a daily inspirational column. www.txyellowrose.com

Thankfulness
is the beginning of gratitude.
Gratitude
is the completion of thankfulness.
Thankfulness
may consist merely of words.
Gratitude is shown in acts.
-Henri Frederic Amiel

Gratitude unlocks the fulness of llife.
It turns what we have into enough, and more.
Gratitude makes our sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.
-Melodie Beattie

If the only prayer you said your whole life was, "Thank You,"
that would suffice.
-Meister Eckhart

Gratitude is the memory of the heart.
-French Proverb

"Modeh Ani"
"I am grateful before you."
-Traditional Jewish morning graces

As we express our gratitude,
we must never forget
that the highest appreciation
is not to utter words,
but to live by them.
–John F. Kennedy

Giving gratitude–that spirit of thankfulness–expands our receptivity to receive, strengthens our abundance to share,
and deepens our heart’s desires to give even more.
-Sheryl Roush

The more you praise and celebrate your life,
the more there is in life to celebrate.
-Oprah Winfrey

Forever on Thanksgiving Day,
The heart will find the pathway home.
-Wilbur D. Nesbit

Not what we say about our blessings,
But how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.
-W.T. Purkiser

HERE IT IS!!!  Our Rank as #4 on Amazon.com in the Health, Body & Spirit Category…. HOLIDAY books….

Carol J. Grabowski, MD, Ob/Gyn, passionately endorses the "Heart of a Mother" book, and gifts an autographed copy to each new mother of babies she delivers at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center.

Dr. Grabowski is a board-certified Obstetrician/Gynecologist performs minimally invasive gynecologic surgery and was the first surgeon to use the DaVinci robot at LBMMC to perform a robot assisted laparoscopic hysterectomy. She still likes delivering babies and caring for women of all ages. She specializes in Menopausal Medicine and she is a member of the North American Menopause Society.

She has other interests which grow from her need to help others to know their bodies and maintain good health. She lectures to the public on women’s health topics such as Health Maintenance, Pap Tests and HPV, Osteoporosis, Menopause and Menopause Survival Skills for Women and Men.

Carol belongs to The Founders District Speakers Bureau and is available to speak by appointment. The feedback from her lectures always includes comments on how entertaining she is and how she makes it easy to understand difficult subjects.

Recently Dr. Grabowski has branched out and written some short stories about her life in a family of ten children and her experiences as an Obstetrician which were published in a book of collected works, the Heart of a Mother, and Heart of the Holidays, compiled by Sheryl Roush. Copies are available in her office, and at the Gift Shop at the Hospital.

In the November 12th interview on "Mornings with Lorri & Friends" Sheryl Roush was asked about the meaning of Winter Solstice, and referred to the Chapter on the topic by Reverend Uki MacIsaac. Hear Sheryl’s reply – click here.

Reverend Uki MacIsaac responded with:
Wow – thank you for mentioning my contribution! I am honored and grateful for your support. You are such a polished inspirational speaker; I admire how smoothly your interview flowed and how much meaning you conveyed.

Like you, I think it’s important that Christians feel comfortable to embrace the sacred ceremonies of other traditions, and you made that point eloquently. Isn’t it interesting that so many Christian holidays have roots in so-called pagan traditions – it’s all one God, one Love, one Light!

Blessings to you for the joy and inspiration you bring to the world,
Uki

"Heart of the Holidays" Book Radio Interview with Author Sheryl Roush

Listen on-line to a LIVE interview with Sheryl Roush on Christian radio, FamilyNetRadio.net with Lorri Allen on "Mornings with Lorri & Friends" on November 12, at 4:45am Pacific. Lorri is one of our beloved contributors, and has four stories published in the Heart of the Holidays.

CLICK HERE to purchase autographed copies of the Heart of the Holidays book.

By	P. Bertrand "Free Writer" (Alberta, Canada)

This book is an ideal gift for a friend or family member, or anyone who may need a little encouragement for the holidays. The stories and poems in Sheryl’s book are inspirational, positive and even a little humorous. It will make you want to believe in the Spirit of Christmas again.

Your Heart Will Be Opened

November 5, 2007

By	Darlene Fahl-Brittian ""The Tea Lady"" (El Cajon, CA)

I just ordered several of Sheryl’s new book. I have watched the gestation of this book, I have contributed to this book, and I recommend it highly because I know the gems it contains. If you are ready to have your heart opened, and then, to let it overflow with love, this is the book for you or the perfect gift to send to someone else just in time for the holidays. Let their hearts be opened, too. You just may have to change the sticker that says, "Do not open until Christmas" to now say, "Do not wait until Christmas." Enjoy.