Deborah Vogts's Blog, page 110

New Year's Eve Recipe Ideas

Whether you entertain lots of friends or just a few loved ones, here are some recipe ideas for your New Year's Eve celebration. 
Cheese Ball and Crackers or Addicting Munchies
Artichoke Dip, Guacamole Dip, or Spinach Dip with Vegetables
Veggie Bars or Tortilla Pinwheels
Egg Rolls, Baked Mexican Egg Rolls, or Mexican Black Bean Flautas
Cottage Cheese Butterhorn Rolls, Savory Southwest Biscuits, or Soft Breadsticks
Shrimp Chowder, Spicy Chili, or Vegetable Beef Soup
Toffee Coated Pretzel Sticks or White Chocolate Popcorn Mix
Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Chocolate Sheet Cake or Mississippi Mud Bars
Pecan Tarts or Marshmallow Mint Sandwiches
Have a Happy New Year! May God bless you in 2013!

From Heaven Above to Earth I Come

Here is a precious song we sing each Christmas. May God bless you and your family this Christmas Eve.


From Heaven Above to Earth I Come(selected verses)
"From heav'n above to earth I comeTo bear good news to ev'ry home; Glad tidings of great joy I bring,Whereof I now will say and sing;
"To you this night is born a childOf Mary, chosen virgin mildThis little child of lowly birthShall be the joy of all the earth.
"This is the Christ, our God Most High,Who hears your sad and bitter cry;He will Himself your Savior beFrom all your sings to set you free.
"These are the signs that you shall mark;The swaddling clothes and manger dark.There you will find the infant laidBy whom the heav'ns and earth were made."
Ah, dearest Jesus, holy Child,Prepare a bed, soft, undefiled,A quite chamber set apartFor You to dwell within my heart.
My heart for very joy must leap;My lips no more can silense keep.I, too, must sing with joyful tongueThat sweetest ancient cradlesong;
Glory to God in highest heav'n,Who unto us His Son has giv'n!While angels sing with pious mirthA glad new year to all the earth.

Christmas Dinner Party Ideas

We always celebrate Christmas Eve with a special dinner. Here are a few ideas for a special dinner with your family.

Appetizers - Cheese Ball and Crackers, Addicting Munchies, or Cheesy Ranch Chex Mix

Candies - Chocolate Peanut Clusters, Snicker Fudge
Main Course - Creamy Vegetable Soup with Christmas Chicken Pie, Onion Crescent Rolls
Main Course - Slow Cooker Holiday Ham, Green Beans, Refrigerator Mashed Potatoes, Glorified Rice, Oat Rolls
Desserts - Chocolate Caramel Nut Bars, Irish Cream Cake, Cinnamon Coffee Cake, or Coconut Cream Pie

Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming

Here is another hymn we enjoy during the Advent/Christmas season. 

Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming
Lo, how a rose e'er blooming From tender stem hath sprung!Of Jesse's lineage coming As prophets long have sung,It came, a flow'ret bright, Amid the cold of winter,When half-spent was the night.
Isaiah 'twas foretold it, The rose I have in mind;With Mary we behold it, The virgin mother kind.To show God's love aright, She bore to us a Savior,When half-spent was the night.
This flow'r, whose fragrance tender With sweetness fills the air,Dispels with glorious splendor The darkness ev'rywhere.True man, yet very God, From sin and death He saves usAnd lightens ev'ry load.
O Savior, child of Mary, Who felt our human woe;O Savior King of glory, Who dost our weakness know;Bring us at length we pray To the bright courts of  heaven,And to the endless day.

Hark the Glad Sound

As we enter into the third week of Advent, here is another hymn to prepare your hearts for the celebration of Jesus' birth.


Hark the Glad Sound
Hark the glad sound! The Savior comes,The Savior promised long;Let ev'ry heart prepare a throneAnd ev'ry voice a song.
He comes the pris'ners to release.In Satan's bondage held.The gates of brass before Him burst,The iron fetters yield.
He comes the broken heart to bind,The bleeding soul to cure,And with the treasures of His graceTo enrich the humble poor.
Our glad hosannas, Prince of Peace,Thy welcome shall proclaim,And heav'n's eternal arches ringWith Thy beloved name.

Christmas Tea Party Ideas

One of my favorite traditions at Christmas is to have a tea party with our daughters and those who are special to us. Here are some recipe ideas for you to try. Enjoy the moments . . . 
Peppermint Meringues
 Strawberry Cream Puffs
 Tortilla Pinwheels
 Orange Cranberry Scones
 Christmas Stollen
 Poppy Seed Bread
Addicting Munchies
Pecan Tarts
Russian Tea Cakes
Toffee Coated Pretzel Sticks
CLICK HERE for more tea party recipe ideas. 

On Jordan's Bank the Baptist's Cry

Here is another favorite Advent song in preparation for the celebration of our Savior's birth.

On Jordan's Bank the Baptist's Cry
On Jordan's bank the Baptist's cry Announces that the Lord is nigh;Awake and hearken for he brings Glad tidings of the King of kings!
Then cleansed be ev'ry life from sin; Make straight the way for God within,And let us all our hearts prepare For Christ to come and enter there.
We hail Thee as our Savior, Lord, Our refuge and our great reward;Without Thy grace we waste away Like flow'rs that wither and decay.
Lay on the sick Thy healing hand And make the fallen strong to stand;Show us the glory of Thy face Till beauty springs in ev'ry place.
All praise, eternal Son, to Thee Whose advent sets Thy people free,Whom with the Father we adore And Holy Spirit evermore. 

Peggy of the Flint Hills

I am a huge fan of Zula Bennington Greene's writing, who once had a column in the Topeka Capitol-Journal called Peggy of the Flint Hills. I used Skimming the Cream, a compilation of her work as part of my research for the Seasons of the Tallgrass series. I'm eager to read the newly published memoir, Peggy of the Flint Hills. 

"Peggy of the Flint Hills" was a beloved Topeka newspaper columnist, dispensing common sense and uncommon insight six days a week for 55 years. But her true masterwork was this little memoir, now seeing publication for the first time - a breathtakingly rich recollection of her childhood in the Ozark foothills and her young adulthood in the Kansas Flint Hills. With a full heart and a matchless memory, Peggy writes of the people and places that shaped her, offering readers a crystalline window into a long-gone world. 

Peggy of the Flint Hills: A MemoirSaturday, December 153:00 PMEmma Chase Music Hall220 1/2 BroadwayCottonwood Falls, KS
On Saturday, December 15, the Chase County Historical Society will present "Peggy of the Flint Hills: A Memoir," a newly published book, written by Zula Bennington Greene before her death. Ms. Greene's daughter, Dotty Hanger and Professor Eric McHenry of Topeka, will present excerpts from the book. The Chase County Historical Museum will open a special exhibit on this same date honoring "Peggy of the Flint Hills." The exhibit will remain open for an extended period of time. Ms Greene wrote her first column for the Chase County Leader News on October 28, 1928. She lived in the Bazaar community at that time. 

Local Music Group, Tallgrass Express, will be in concert that evening at 7:30 PM at the Emma Chase Music Hall. Lead singer, Annie Wilson, will perform her song, "Clean Curve Hill Against Sky", a tune inspired by the writings of Zula Bennington Greene. For more information, please call 620-273-6020. Read more about the Memoir from this Topeka Capitol-Journal article HERE. Order the book HERE. 

Baking Christmas Cookies

Here are some yummy cookie recipes to get you into the Christmas Spirit. Turn on the oven and put on your favorite Christmas music. This is a great activity to spend time with your family. Enjoy the moments . . . 
No Bake Chocolate Cookies
Cracked Sugar Cookies
 Holiday Cookie Slices
 Peanut Butter Kisses
 Molasses Crinkles
M&M Cookies
 Almond Cherry Chip Cookies
Chocolate Caramel Nut Bars
Click HERE for more cookie ideas. 

Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates

The next few weeks, I'd like to share some of my favorite Advent songs in preparation for Christmas. Do you have a favorite song for the season? Please share with us in the comments below.


Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates
Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates! Behold, the King of glory waits. The King of kings is drawing near; The Savior of the world is here. Life and salvation He doth bring; Therefore rejoice and gladly sing. To God the Father raise Your joyful songs of praise. 
A righteous Helper comes to thee; His chariot is humility,His kingly crown is holiness, His scepter, pity in distress.The end of all our woe He brings; Therefore the earth is glad and sings.To Christ the Savior raise Your grateful hymns of praise. 
How blest the land, the city blest, Where Christ the ruler is confessed!O peaceful hearts and happy homes To whom this King in triumph comes!The cloudless sun of joy is He Who comes to set His people free.To God the Spirit raise Your happy shouts of praise.
Fling wide the portals of your heart; Make it a temple set apartFrom earthly use for heav'n's employ, Adorned with prayer and love and joy.So shall your Sov'reign enter in And new and nobler life begin.To God alone by praise For word and deed and grace!
Redeemer, come and open wide My heart to Thee; here Lord, abide!O enter with Thy grace divine; Thy face of mercy on me shine.Thy Holy Spirit guide us on Until our glorious goal is won.Eternal praise and fame We offer to Thy name.