December 25th

Merry Christmas.

I think this is one of the most beautiful

portrayals of Jesus and Mary that I've seen.

There's a song entitled

"Mary Did You Know?",

that pretty much sums up

what those of us would ask of Her

while He was a baby.

Except,

it leaves out the incomprehensible

way He died.

I'd like to think She had no idea

of that.

No mother, even the Holy Mother,

could have envisioned that.

This bond, is ubiquitous in art,

song and scripture.

There are Madonna and Child icons

all over the world.

This is a stained glass conception

by a native Iniut artist

This is Chinese, a Hong Kong artist.

and this one from Cameroon.

We see the Mother and Child in our own

likeness, and that's they way it 

should be.

This image transcends time and place.

***************************

Joy,

Peace,

Love, Family,

Memories, Laughter,

Boiled crawfish, Pralines,

King Cake, Jambalaya, Gumbo,

Saints football, LSU, Boudin, Red Beans,

Beignets, Shotgun houses, Levees, Bonfires,

Tabasco, Café Du Monde, Etouffe, Ya mama & dem,

Hurricanes, Who Dats, Andouille sausage, City Park.

Mardi Gras, Jazz Funerals, Riverboats, Gators,

Lagniappe......

ain't nothin'

like 

Louisiana

Holidays!

***************************

and...

a totally, super easy

New Orleans

recipe,

Stuffed Artichoke Dip

Ingredients:

2 jars of artichoke hearts

1 can of white beans

2 cups of Italian seasoned bread crumbs

1 cup of parmesan

1 tablespoon minced garlic

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 tsp of onion powder

3 tsp lemon juice

preheat oven to 350 degrees

Assemble:

1)Drain the beans and artichoke hearts in a colander.

2)Then, blend them, or use a food processor until smooth.

3)Transfer to a bowl and add all other ingredients.

4)Grease or "PAM" a 9x13 baking dish.

5) Pour the mixture into the baking dish.

6) sprinkle the top with bread crumbs and parmesan

and drizzle the top with olive oil.

7)Bake approximately 15 min.

Serve with toasted French bread rounds.

Delish!