Christmas King Cake

Christmas King Cakes are familiar to lots of families, especially if you are from Louisiana and other southern areas, since this cake tradition arrived in the United States, in New Orleans, in 1870.
These cakes are often enjoyed on January 6, on Epiphany, to celebrate the coming of the wise men to visit the baby Jesus.
A King Cake is baked with a bean, or a plastic or ceramic baby figurine, symbolizing the baby Jesus, in it. Tradition says that whoever gets the piece of cake with the bean or baby in it is King or Queen for that day, and is obliged to host the next Christmas King Cake party. In Louisiana it is common for schools to have the party on a Friday, with the person who finds the trinket bringing the cake for the next school day.
The cakes have icing in three colors: purple for justice, green for faith, and gold for power. This tradition is celebrated world wide, with each country having its own twist. Mexico celebrates “La Rosca de Reys” on January sixth, with a bean inside an oval shaped cake decorated with dried and candied figs, cherries, quinces, etc.
You can buy King Cake Mix, and I located two online stores that sell Mam Papaul’s Famous King Cake Mix, which includes praline filling, icing, a baby figure, and serves twelve. These stores are in Louisiana, which is appropriate.

Asparagus about to be baked

Asparagus about to be baked
Originally uploaded by trenttsd

Ssshhh, don't tell my dh but I am on an asparagus mission.
I aim to buy asparagus tomorrow (Monday), and for the first time, bake it on a cookie sheet with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper.
Have you done this? If so, I appreciate tips.
I am guessing 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.
Anyway, people tell me this is a delicious way to prepare asparagus. The way I cook it so far is to steam it on the stove top.
Now a friend told me that she bakes portabello mushrooms and Japanese eggplant in the same manner, slicing the long eggplant lengthwise before cooking and placing the cut side down on the cookie sheet so that it carmelizes a bit.
Does this sound as delicious to you as it does to me?

Comments from a kind reader in Devon, England

I have received many kind comments from readers of our book "Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts: Stories to Warm Your Heart and Tips to Simplify Your Holiday" and each of these comments is very precious to me.
One woman whose comments about our book warmed my heart is Monix who lives in Devon, England.
I love Devon, England, by the way, and have not met Monix in person, though I find her blog charming.
Here is what she wrote on September 27, 2009 on her blog at http://randomdistractions.blogspot.com/
"I recently bought a copy of Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts and I recommend it to anyone who wants to recapture the real spirit of Christmas."
I love to see our book being read and enjoyed around the world and I understand it is being sold to readers in India and South Africa in addition to the United Kingdom. It is fun to imagine a reader far away holding my book and enjoying it.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!
Originally uploaded by lordog
"Give thanks to God. Call out his name.
Ask him anything ... spread the news of his great reputation." Is 12:3-4

Happy Thanksgiving to all my bloggy friends around the world, as family and friends gather here in the USA. Joy to all of you.

Wordless Wednesday Thanksgiving Cornucopia

Thanksgiving Cornucopia
Originally uploaded by Lawrence OP

Winners of the two books are ...

Insert trumpet flare here, please
Ta da!
Kat at Heart2Heart won the copy of Thirsty and Jennifer won the copy of Touched by a vampire.
Congratulations, and my next book giveaway will feature a Christmas book for children, among others.

Nutcracker Collection at Our House

The nutcracker collection on our fireplace mantle last year. The lion nutcracker on the left symbolizes Aslan, for me. What is your favorite Christmas decoration?