4 ways to share the Gift this Christmas

For those of you who read my last post, I thought I would add to it a little bit. Because, now we know where our focus should be this Christmas, we may stop and scratch our heads and say, “Now what?”. 

And that’s what this post is about.

Like I said earlier, there is *so* much emphasis on the material things, and it’s part of our sinful nature to be greedy, especially at this time of year. To clarify, I am NOT thumbs-downing Christmas presents or hot chocolate or festivities or family gatherings. They are blessings from the Lord! And we should accept them. But I just want to point out the area where we often stumble, and what we can do to get back up again. Our souls suffocate with the busy-ness, and it’s then we realize that Christmas presents are great, but honestly, there’s something still missing. We can’t be content without Christ, without the Living Water, without the Breath of Life. He is the only One in whom we can be fully satisfied.

So when we look to Him Christmas Day, every day, every week, every moment…we can finally inhale that same breath that Christ exhaled in His Last. Because in His Death, we live.

And living is a gift from God.

 

1) Read a portion of the Christmas Story every day

One of the best ways to keep Christ in Christmas to to read and reread the Real Story every morning with your cup of coffee quietly to yourself, or, even better, you can do this with your family, after those long, hard days, come together and fall on your knees before the manger in awe and worship. When you surround your heart with the true Message of Christmas, you will more likely put it at the center, and your mind will be fresh with the memory of that night a Star led three men to the King of kings, and that ordinary girl who carried the Gift in her womb.

2) Encourage young children to give a “special gift” to Jesus for His birthday– one that only they and Christ know about

It could be spending more time talking to Him, showing love and kindness to a new friend at school, or trying harder to include another sibling. Or, you could even do this yourself. Pour your heart to Him, thank Him, love Him, and pray on anything that’s on your heart this December. Another mother carrying a baby? A person who’s sick? For someone to draw closer to God? Traveling mercies?

Really, it can be anything.

He would love to talk to you.

3) Respond to those sad, weary souls who work long hours before the cash register, with a smile and a “Merry Christmas”

One thing I’ve noticed more and more these days, is the lack of joy during Christmas. The cashier usually hands you your receipt, and mumbles a “Have a good day” or “Happy Holidays”.

But here’s where you step in.

You show them the same love that Jesus had when He died on the Cross. And don’t answer with “Happy Holidays”. Because, I think, if you wish someone a “Merry Christmas”, it’s another way to literally bring Christ into Christmas.

4) Start Christmas morning by thanking Him for relinquishing His Crown, and His Glory, to take on human flesh and die for our scarlet sins.
     
 Before you race down the stairs and take a flying leap into the presents under the tree, you should, again, pray to Him, because HE is what Christmas is about.
And He is the best Christmas gift you could ever have.


*** (excerpted from “Focus on the Family”, with my modifications and expansions)

The Gift

 

Christmas.

That time of year for stockings and ornaments and last-minute shopping and snuggling deep into soft couches and sipping warm things and the sound of Christmas music and laughter sweet. And then there’s that feeling of overwhelming joy and peace that you usually don’t feel any other time of the year. Even non-believers can’t deny that.

So we eagerly write lists of things we want for Christmas.

And even in the midst of all the decorating, and smell of fir, and gift-giving, and memories, my soul can’t breathe.

My soul just can’t breathe.

And I wonder at this. Why can’t I feel the fullness of joy and peace during the Christmas season?
Then I hear the gentle, quiet voice of my conscience, “Because you’ve wrapped Christmas in the suffocating bundle of your selfishness.”

I stand there, in shock. My selfishness?

The reality of this sets in.

And I am blown away by these words.

My blind eyes open wide, as I realize what I have been doing.

That I’ve been robbing Christ of the glory this Christmas, by taking Him out and not letting Him be the heart of it.

Oh, how my sin reeks. And I am so weak. And I really just feel so lost, groping in the dark for something to hold on to, as this massive wave of guilt floods around me and chokes me.

I realize that this is another sin that made Him hang heavier on the Cross.

And there’s nothing I can do about it. I have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and there is nothing I can do about it. I can’t be perfect.

Trust me, I’ve tried. But I can’t. All I can do is pray that, oh, God, will You forgive me, and why must you always shower me and overwhelm me with that amazing grace I just can’t seem to wrap my mind around?

My soul cries out to Him for help as I stumble through the dark. And I find His feet again and begin to cry. But what He does? He doesn’t beat me or hurt me or yell at me, but He reprimands me (Hebrews 12:5&6), then He cups my face in those nail-pierced hands, and says to this broken girl, “Go, and sin no more.”


Oh, how I love Him. And, oh, how undeserving am I of His unfailing grace and love!

I just want to encourage you, this Christmas, to focus on what really matters. Christmas isn’t about the presents, the family time, or even the act of giving itself. (Charlie Brown knew that much.)
But it is about The Gift. The One who came down from heaven and was born as a baby in a manger in order to be bruised, beaten, and crucified. This is the meaning of Christmas.

And my soul can breathe again. Because the truth sets me free.*

finding joy in the hard times

I sit beside my classmates, waiting for this guy to do our chapel service. I gaze out the window, and see only a glimpse of light trying to break through the morning darkness. I just want this over with. So we can go back to class, and I can finish that essay I turned in late and ask someone for help on that one Latin sentence that I just can’t figure out.

It was just a normal day. Until…it wasn’t.

He walks to the front of the classroom with a hint of a smile and a cheerful good morning. My mind begins to wander until he asked a question I wasn’t really expecting: Is there such thing as joy in the midst of trials?

My day-dreaming train of thought comes to a halt as I ponder this inwardly.

“Will you turn to James with me, as we consider this question?” he said to us all.

I flip through pages old and worn with time, not knowing what would stare back at me from them. Will it hurt?, I think. Is this going to be another one of those times that the Word of God cuts into my soul, and I bleed pain and repentance and that need for unfailing grace?

Then he reads, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience…” (James 1:2-3)

And then he raises another question, “So, when you guys fall into trials, and difficult times, do you truly consider all of it joy, as you are being tested for your faith?”

Ouch.

Knowing my answer, I wilt a little inside, but trying not to show it so nobody can see the deep lines of pain and confusion written on my forehead.

And I bleed. I bleed from the wound of the Holy Spirit, who engraved this question deep into my innermost being in order to awaken my sleeping heart-fire for God.

And then our eyes meet. His blue eyes burn into my psyche, and that question just won’t go away, and, oh, God, I really can’t take this anymore. I want to have joy no matter what happens but I just can’t do it…on my own.

But neither could Job. Or Esther. Or Ruth. Or David. Or Mary.

And I just want to fall at His feet and wash them with my tears and wipe them with my hair and anoint them in fragrant oil.

 

I’m not writing this post to complain about my troubles, my trials, or my problems.

No.

I’m writing you this post to say to you, that, yes, joy IS possible. But not on your own.

There is only One who can give us lasting, satisfying, unwavering joy, even in the testing of our faith.
And that’s Jesus Christ. In Him is the fullness of joy.

I think sometimes we think that happiness is the most important thing in life. But it’s not. You see, happiness…is just an emotion.

Joy is a state of being. Even in hard times.

awkward and awesome

via

awkward

~ holding onto your mug then hitting a bump in the road and spilling hot coffee all over your hand. ouch.
~ when the driver of the truck stops at a stoplight so you try to take a quick drink of coffee and then just as you have it close to your face the truck starts moving again and (even more) hot coffee splashes in your face and spills all down your nice grey sweatshirt. and you might’ve choked on it too, but luckily started to cough it up everywhere because it scorched your entire mouth. ouch. again.
~ trying to run while wearing oversized chinks (and you’ve never worn them before)
~ trying to do your hair in a crowded truck
~ taking an awkwardly large bite of messy pizza and everyone is watching you
~ offering to pay for a drink someone’s getting for you and then realizing you don’t have any money
~ trying to find things to talk about with someone you just met
~ trying to squat with big boots on. and they might’ve been pretty new, too.
~ trying to saddle your horse when your fingers are cold and extremely stiff
~ when you’re riding and your saddle is lopsided and crooked
awesome

~ when you go to idaho again *insert happy dance*
~ learning how to drive a tractor
~ getting to ride EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.
~ hugs
~ the above picture
~ hearing Rascal Flatts on the radio *insert another happy dance*
~ learning a ::wee:: bit of guitar
~ seeing some amazing sunrises
~ egg and bacon breakfast sandwiches and a cup of strong coffee. despite the two unlucky incidences above.
~ organizing ALL of the movies in your house
~ knowing how blessed you are with all the friends and family you have <3

What was awkward or awesome about your week?

a time for thanks-living

(the sunrise yesterday morning)

     Giving thanks isn’t just something we should save for a November craft. It should be the way we live.
   
      It’s been four months since I’ve been in Idaho, that time it changed my life (here). And I’m a different person because of it. I realize that even when our lives get so complicated and messy and it’s just too hard to breathe anymore, there’s always somewhere to go.
    
     And that’s when you saddle your horse and ride with the wind to a place where you can be alone with the Lord and His Creation. Could it get any better than that?
    
     So, for Thanksgiving, I went back to Idaho. To learn tons. To love more. To live simply.

     First, we filled our stomachs with savory turkey, and juicy ham, and casseroles, and fresh-as-a-daisy salads, and then we went and did some shooting.

 

(me shooting)

 

 (the card I shot three times (see I nipped it on the right side?)

 So what was your Thanksgiving like? What do you usually do?

a quick announcement...

     Guess what? I'm going to Idaho again! I'm sorry for the short notice, but I will be gone for six-ish days. If you haven't read my earlier post, I go there to my uncle's ranch to do cowgirl stuff. :)

     Wish me luck! And I will leave you with a Rascal Flatts song ::grin::

beautifully unashamed

     The only true beauty comes from Christ alone. But what does it mean to be beautifully unashamed?

     This is a video I found on one of my favorite blogs, Grace Full Mama. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! :)

    

Can’t see the video? Click here to watch.

“Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.” Colossians 4:6

“…always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.” 1 Peter 3:15

“So that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like starts in the universe.” Philippians 2:15

“Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.” Psalm 34:5


“What if the true motive of my life and my heart were to make God known for a few years on this earth?” -Jennie Allen, Anything

point of grace :)

     Point of Grace is my favorite Christian band. These songs have been playing on my ITunes ALL weekend!

      Who's your favorite band? Or what's your favorite song?

awkward and awesome

awkward:

~ when you’re sleeping and your arm falls asleep so you try to move your arm in a more comfortable position and your arm decides to wack you in the face instead

~ trying to dust when you’ve got a cold (*achoo!::cough::achoo!::cough::achoo!achoo!achoo!::cough,cough::achoo!*, etc)

~ when you’re drinking some water and the ice just suddenly attacks your face

~ going through a whole day without wearing your contacts

~ having to explain to people what courtship is in comparison to dating

~ when you’re a few minutes late for class and everyone’s staring at you like you just killed five people or something

~ when some guy at a store thinks you work there because you’re still in your school uniform and having to explain that you, in fact, DON’T work there but you can still help him anyway

~ when you have to clean some windows in your house, and you have to stand on the back of the couch to reach the top, because you’re so short. yup, that’s how we shorties rock and roll, people.

~ mouthwash-flavored nyquil. now that’s just awkward.

~ eating when your nose is stuffed up with a cold, so you can hardly taste anything

~ wearing jeans that are too big for you

awesome:

~ being sick with a cold but still being treated like a princess anyway

~ watching P&P for possibly the who-knows-what time

~ when you’re told that you should be Chuck Norris’s stunt double.

~ drinking coffee in the morning: coffee doesn’t ask silly questions. coffee understands.

~ learning how to edit pictures so they look nicer

~ realizing you’re going to Idaho again soon!

~ getting a three by five during deer season when you’ve only been hunting for three years. and you may have done a quiet little happy dance too

~ and when your awesome aunt comes to stay with you. and you may have done another happy dance too

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

What’s awkward or awesome about your week?

the whole dealio about the hunger games...is it okay?

via

     For the longest time, I refused to read the HG series, despite the fact that it was "catching fire". I had read a Christian review by an author that I normally agree with on these kinds of things, and was persuaded out of it.

      But then, as you could probably guess, things changed.

      No, I did not read them just because they were popular. No, I did not read them because I decided to rebel against this author for some strange reason. Actually, I read them because I read a different review, a review which caught my eye and mind compared to a lot of other flimsy reviews.

      And that review is what this post is about.

      Since then, I've read other reviews that struck me as well. But I have neither the time nor the energy to post them all :)

      So I'll just show you this one *grin*

     

Dear Christian Media.

First of all, a disclaimer-- the movie/books are disturbing, and never pretend to be otherwise. They are not feel-good, happy movies in a Disney sense. What they do portray is a gritty, life-like battle between good and evil, between freedom and oppression. I left with a heavy feeling in my heart, like many of you, not because the movie/books glorified evil, but because it simultaneously showed it so plainly and yet so subtly for what it was. The violence was not gratuitous or gory-- they sought to show the horror of the Games without turning us into those voyeurs called Capitol citizens. The action is not fun or entertaining but sickening (and still without being over-the-top) and the violence is very tastefully handled.

The best way to get a feel for the redemptive values of the story and appreciate it for the phenomenon that it is is to read the books-- but I understand if you choose not too. I, too, put off reading them for some time after hearing them described as "the next Twilight" and very dark. But they are absolutely amazing for many reasons, mainly the impacting and haunting stories and messages that they carry.

They are a story of a girl who is motivated by love for her family and not lust for a boy to step into her sister's place and thus enter a gruesome parade that can end only in death. But she plays the game by her own rules, trying to save the life of a girl who reminds her of the sister she volunteered for and also the life of a boy who gave her bread and hope so long ago...

It's this boy, Peeta Mellark, who also seeks to play by his own rules, challenging the sick adherence to the Capitol's mindset and desiring to "still be me" even in death. To show them that he's more than just "a piece in their games." Not only that-- he has a deep, abiding, selfless love for Katniss and the moment his name is reaped, he chooses to save her life at the cost of his own, teaming up with the Careers to lead them away, fighting others so she can escape, and ready to give his life so that she can go home. 

Both admirable main characters comprehend and appreciate life's value, a thing which has been forgotten in Panem. And they both repeatedly put their own lives on the line to save others. Consider the contrast between the "Career pack" and Katniss and Peeta-- the Careers whooped and hollered as they found yet another tribute to slaughter and laughed at their distress. But when Katniss ran into Foxface in the woods, both run away rather than kill each other-- not from cowardice, but from humanity. Peeta would rather die than have any harm come to Katniss, and takes a serious wound to the leg to prevent her death.

What makes these books, even more than the movies, sheer genius, is that no one is perfect. Right and wrong are not clear-cut and black and white and utterly unambiguous, and the Capitol has to muddied purity that it is a constant struggle for Katniss to know what she should do.  Catching Fire is Katniss's search for peace and rest where there is none, and Mockingjay contains more grey areas than any book I have ever read.

The characters make frequent mistakes, but their intentions are consistently honorable and their greatest virtue is their courage. Courage to stand up to this government when no one else would. It takes a brave, strong, and intelligent young girl and an equally brave and intelligent boy with a tender heart to challenge President Snow and say, "I will not adhere to your rules, and I will not play this Game. I will not betray morality."

This is a story of hope and humanity that survives in a voyeuristic, all-too-familiar world. Even in this corrupt world that is completely controlled by an even more corrupt government, the characters, after grappling with the very meanings of good and evil and truth and error, make upright, noble decisions. 

And this is a story that is incredibly relevant in a world where reality TV and increasingly violent movies are called "entertainment" and more and more people gravitate to video games featuring torture and bloody killings. Didn't the Gamemakers-- those guys in white suits controlling the virtual panels that controlled the Games-- look like teens playing video games? The Hunger Games carries a subtle yet poignant and decidedly un-'preachy message that is direly necessary.  I agree that to bring children and undiscerning teens to this movie would be unwise, but isn't that true for every movie? This is a message that has long been necessary and has been previously pushed to the shadows by stories about wizards and vampires. But now Collins' powerful writing and compelling story have thrust them into the limelight, and we must take notice. Haven't we already seen a civilization flocking to worship their heroes and then throw them into a arena to fight to the death?

 History repeats itself. 

{from Because He Loves Me by AnnaKate}

So what do YOU think about the Hunger Games? 

focusing on what really matters

{my apple tree with my boy ruger in the background <3}

    I go through the day, rehearsing the words in my head, what I'll say when I get home with a cup of tea in one hand and typing up a post in another. I come home, set the kettle on the stove, and sit down at my computer, hands poised, about ready to let them fly.

     Then my name is called from the other room.

     In other words, life happens. And that's okay.

      I have a pile of papers on the counter, waiting patiently to be finished, my dog is barking and annoying the neighbors, my mom is telling me to put some clothes away, please, and, really, things get chaotic, my whole evening not going as planned.

     Lately, I've been thinking about this time of year. It's busy. Full of school, cooking, fundraising, preparing, tests, rainy weather, driver's permits, and the like.

     It's life.

      In the busy-ness and the hustle-and-bustle of daily life, it's been a fight to remember to focus on the things that really matter.

      Family. Family matters. Even when I'm rushing out the door to go to meetings and schools and have to remember to bring that envelope to Mr. Turner and feed the cat before I leave, I tend to forget.

       But I'm going to stop. With God's help, I will remember to spend time with the people who need my attention. As of now, I am quickly writing this as my mom is taking a shower and my dad is about to leave and I still don't have my lunch packed yet.

      So, my question is, will you join me?Join me in focusing on what really matters?

sausage and potato soup

 

    I haven't made this yet, but I'll be making it on Wednesday and thought I would share it (since I haven't posted in a *little* while...)! I'm making this for Reformation Day at school :)

   I found it on Cooking for Seven. I take no credit for the picture or the recipe. 

     Happy cooking!

sausage and potato soup

Ingredients:

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 medium cloves garlic, minced or crushed
• 3 medium russet potatoes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 teaspoons parsley
• 2 1/2 teaspoons flour
• 4 cups whole milk
• 1/2 lb. bulk Italian sausage, cooked until no longer pink

Directions:
1) Melt the butter in a large stockpot over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until transparent. Add the garlic, potatoes, salt and pepper, and parsley and cook 3 more minutes. Stir in the sausage.
2) Add the flour and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Slowly add the milk. Bring to a boil and simmer just until the potatoes are tender. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Serves approximately 4-6 people

in pursuit of Mr. Righ--oops, I mean Mr. Darcy

                                                                                  *ahem*

      So, yes. The title says it all.

      Whether we're looking for the incredible Mr. D., or these dudes...

 

      ....or ANY other dude that I forgot to mention ;)...I just thought I would remind everybody (including myself) something.

      We all know that falling in love with a liar is pretty bad, but there's also another mistake we are prone to make, and that is falling in love with a lie.

       "Men are responding with groups and forums with titles like, 'Real Men Against Mr. Darcy.' Real men are tired of being duped or turned down because 'they're just not Mr. Darcy.' They're understandably disgusted that the standard of manly perfection is not a real man, but the figment of a 19th century spinster's imagination. 'Never marry a woman who expects a man to be Billy Graham, Mr. Darcy, John Piper, Mr. Darcy, Cary Grant, and Mr. Darcy all rolled into one,' one man wrote. The young men we know express a holy terror of women who look at men through fiction-colored glasses-- we've encountered several who crossed from their lists of prospects girls who navigate reality by ideas picked up from romance novels. This is partly because a woman like that promises to be a perpetually discontent and frustated wife. It is also, however, partly because real men don't like being compared to imaginary dreamboats any more than we women like being compared to artificially-enhanced images."

(an excerpt from "It's (not that) Complicated)

   Yes, every girl wants to be swept off her feet by some handsome guy who is romantic (who wouldn't?). But we need to remember that because we ourselves aren't perfect, to not expect boys to be perfect, because they're not.

     

   Except for One. (guess Who?) *grin*

       

awkward and awesome

 

awkward-

~ nearly slipping on the rubber part of your razor on your shower floor

~ trying to hold on to a wet bar of soap

~  when your hands are sticky from eating a juicy apple

~ walking with rocks in your shoes

~ receiving a text when you're half-asleep: it's like looking into the sun

~ the movie Napolean Dynomite 

~ sneezing really, really loud in a really, really quiet room

awesome-

~ deer season!

~ hunting

~ apple cider on a cold day

~camping

~ your friends

~ the above picture

~ getting stuff in the mail

~ realizing how blessed you really are

~ green smoothies (so you don't get any colds!)

~ going on walks with your dogs

~ finding new recipes to try

~ watching the rain on your window

~ going outside just after it rains when you smell earth and wet pine trees

~ the smell of homemade chicken noodle soup filling the kitchen

~ bread fresh from the oven

~ eggnog

~ smiling for no known reason

~ watching a grey squirrel scurry up a tree

{What's awkward or awesome about your week?}

the cowgirl's life...

"No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle."
                             ~ Winston Churchill

"Cowgirl is an attitude, really. A pioneer spirit, a special American brand of courage. The cowgirl faces life head on, lives by her own lights, and makes no excuses. They speak up. They defend the things they hold dear. A cowgirl might be a rancher, a barrel racer, or a bull rider, or an actress. But she's just as likely to be a checker at the Winn Dixie, a full time mother, a banker, an attorney, or an astronaut."
                              ~ Dale Evans 

"And though she be but little, she is fierce."
                               ~ Shakespeare

 "Southern girls are God's gift to the entire male population. There is no woman finer than one raise below the Mason Dixon line. And once you go Southern may the good Lord help you to never go back."
                                 ~ Kenny Chesney

"I work on our family ranch that was settled over one hundred years ago. Ranching is not an easy life; but it is intensely rewarding. It can be brutally difficult-- physically, emotionally, and financially-- but in the midst of it all is a powerful spirituality and a sense of being centered and anchored to the most basic and beautiful things in life....Ranching means having both roots and wings."
                                ~ Becky Prunty 

"We have hard work to do, and loads to lift; Shun not the struggle--face it; 'tis God's gift."
                                 ~ Malti Babcock

 "The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely, or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature, and God."
                               ~ Anne Frank 

"Well mounted on a strong, spirited horse--
with a wide country before her-- 
on a clear, cool day-- with love 
for all the beauty around her, 
of the noble animal beneath her and 
glowing with the life within her, 
a lady capable of enjoyment 
is certainly prepared for it then.... 
The close-clinging of the horse,
the slight reliance upon stirrup and bit,
and the generally light proportion
of the rider to steed give a feeling of
being possessed of the power of a new life,
of riding upon the whirlwind,
and yet controlling it with a word." 
              ~ Henry William Herbert

 

tune my heart to sing Thy grace...

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing;
                        ~*~
 Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
                        ~*~
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
                        ~*~
Call for songs of loudest praise.
                        ~*~
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
                        ~*~
Sung by flaming tongues above;
                        ~*~
Praise the mount--I'm fixed upon it--
                        ~*~
Mount of Thy redeeming love.

Here I raise mine Ebenezer; 
                  //*//
Hither by Thy help I'm come;
                 //*//
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
                 //*//
Safely to arrive at home.
                 //*//
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
                 //*//
Wandering from the fold of God;
                 //*//
He, to rescue me from danger,
                //*//
Interposed His precious blood. 


O to grace how great a debtor
                     {//*//}
Daily I'm constrained to be!
                     {//*//}
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
                     {//*//}
Bind my wandering heart to Thee:
                     {//*//}
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
                      {//*//}
Prone to leave the God I love;
                      {//*//}
 Here's my heart, O take and seal it;
                       {//*//}
Seal it for Thy courts above. Amen

Come Thou Font~ Nettleton 

what true love really is...

"The ultimate purpose of marriage is not to make us happy, but to glorify God."

~  Nancy Leigh DeMoss

       

peeta's stuffed cheese buns~ by Yammie's Noshery

   
      I just made these the other day.

      They tasted beautiful.

       Are you ready to make them yet? Me too. :)

       Basically, aaaaaaaaaaaaaalllll you have to do is make the dough, roll em' up, stuff a bunch of cheese in it, and pop them into the oven. Then voila! You've got stuffed cheese buns. Except I made one small itty bitty change: I halfed the sugar. And it still turned out great!

         But now you're probably wondering why they're called "Peeta's" stuffed cheese buns. Well, Yammie tried to copy the cheese buns the Peeta made in the Hunger Games book. How creative is that?! I'd say that's pretty awesome. In fact, before you make these, you should read about it on her website here. It's pretty funny :). 

Peeta's Stuffed Cheese Buns

1 cup warm water (probably somewhere between 105º and 115º. I just get it hot from the tap. Don't get it too hot or it will kill the yeast.)

2 tablespoons yeast

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1/4 cup melted butter

1/4 cup olive oil

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons salt

-At least 8 oz. of cheese, the more the merrier (I used chunks of mozzarella for the inside and a mixture of shredded colby and swiss for the top. I was just trying to use up all the forgotten chunks in the hidden corners of the fridge)

-Parmesan cheese

-A few tablespoons of melted butter mixed with a sprinkle of garlic powder and some fresh herbs if you want. 

Mix together the yeast and water and let it sit for a couple minutes. Add the sugar, garlic powder, melted butter, and oil. Add the flour a little and a time, mixing in your stand mixer with a dough hook. Add the salt. Knead for 10 minutes, in the stand mixer or by hand. Let the dough rise in a greased bowl (I used the same bowl) covered with a wet cloth for about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375º. Divide the dough into about 20 pieces or so (you can make them as big or small as you want).

Put about a 3/4 inch chunk of cheese in each one and make sure you pinch all the edges back up tightly. Put the pinched side down on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle the buns with more shredded cheese and some parmesan cheese. Bake at 375ºF for about 11-15 minutes until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly.

Brush with the melted butter and serve warm.

         Hope you enjoy them as much as I do! :)