My 12 Stockings of Christmas 2019!

Sleigh bells in the air… Beauty everywhere… Yuletide by the fireside…
And joyful memories there… Christmas time is HERE!

And so is my 12 Stockings of Christmas Sweepstakes !!! Yes, it’s that time again, when I pull my 12 giant stockings out of storage, shake out the moth balls, and start stuffing them with incredible products and prizes I’ve gathered the year-through!

Remember how this works? From November 29th through December 19th, you should be listening to my evening radio program (go HERE to find out where to listen!) because on specific days, I’ll mention an item or product I’ve fallen in love with and want to share with you!

When you hear the on-air mention, you’ll either text the keyword to 48484 or you’ll go to my ENTRY PAGE and enter to win one of the 12 stuffed stocking’s up for grabs! There will be 12 days of entry opportunities and I’ll give away 12 packages!

Enter as often as you wish! Text 48484, or,
go to my 12 Stockings of Christmas ENTRY PAGE!

To make it super easy on you, I’m even giving you a comprehensive list of the items and the day each will be featured on my radio show, check out all these amazing items!

November 29th
BALSAM HILL - $100 Gift Voucher
Keyword: HILL or STOCKING

12 Stockings Entry Page

Balsam Hill has been the leading retailer of highly realistic artificial Christmas trees and my GO TO holiday décor for over a decade, and do I LOVE their products! They’re one of my favorite 12 Stockings participants and I’m bringing them back to the sweepstakes this year!

You will find their beautiful décor all over the Hallmark Channel sets, as well as all over my radio production studios; signature Christmas trees, elegant ornament sets, flickering flameless candles, fantastic fall displays, and a gorgeous spring floral line. My studio always looks amazing with Balsam Hill décor!

Balsam Hill have been consistent supporters of my foundation, Point Hope, and I’m so very grateful. For beautiful holiday décor and gifts, you owe it to yourself to visit Balsamhill.com. Shopping for the perfect Christmas and seasonal décor is just a click away! 

BALSAM HILL

December 2nd
LITTLE PASSPORTS - 12-MONTH MEMBERSHIP
Keyword: LITTLE or STOCKING

12 Stockings Entry Page

If you have an adventurous child with a curious mind, they'll love Little Passports; a fun, award-winning monthly subscription service for kids. I got one for Delilah Jr., and she loved it, so I decided to add it to my 12 Stockings of Christmas Sweepstakes.

Every month a new kit is delivered to your door, addressed to your child - they LOVE getting their own package in the mail! It’s filled with hands-on projects and souvenirs -- all designed to spark your child's curiosity in geography, natural sciences, different cultures, and the world around them. Solve a real-world mystery with DNA, build a 3D model of Big Ben, and explore many more fun and immersive activities! 

Little Passports is the perfect holiday gift for that curious kid on your list! Find special holiday offers and order today.

 LITTLE PASSPORTS

December 3rd
for KING & COUNTRY - Burn the Ships & Christmas | Live from Phoenix, CD’s
Keyword: KING or STOCKING

12 Stockings Entry Page

Maybe you’ve heard for KING & COUNTRY played on my radio program? You’ve told me how much you love their music and how breathtaking they are to experience in concert. Lucky you, because I’m adding autographed copies of their updated Christmas album, Christmas | Live from Phoenix, to my 12 Stockings of Christmas Sweepstakes.

for KING & COUNTRY have been on tour all year long to sold out arenas, and recently performed their cross-over hit, God Only Knows at the CMA’s with Ms. Dolly Parton! This live album is truly a wonderful Christmas gift.

Their music is both uplifting and spiritual, singing about the reason for the season. They have the MOST amazing version of The Little Drummer Boy and I am so excited to share them with you. This music will touch your heart and put joy into your holiday season. Check out their music and tour schedule at the link below.

for KING & COUNTRY

December 4th
PEACHSKINSHEETS - One Sheet Set
Keyword: PEACH or STOCKING

12 Stockings Entry Page

I discovered this soft-as-silk product last year and gifted them to just about everyone I know. Want the PERFECT holiday gift? Give them The Original PeachSkinSheets®. I wanted to share them with you and add them to my 12 Stocking of Christmas Sweepstakes. They are wonderful and keep you comfortable all night long. They won't change body chemistry of course, but they will help keep hot sleeper’s cooler, drier, and more comfortable during the night (Heaven sent for women in a certain stage of life!) They start as low as $65 for a complete sheet set, even king size!   

Made from a breathable, athletic grade, performance SMART fabric that wicks away moisture and dries super-fast. PeachskinSheets are ultra-soft, pill-resistant bed sheets that also have a luxurious 1,500 Thread Count level. I just love mine; they come in every color you can imagine. Purchase with confidence under the 30-day, risk-free, money-back guarantee! You don’t have to leave home and you just might even want to order a pair for yourself.  Put the give of luxury under the tree this Christmas.  

PEACHSKINSHEETS

December 6th
PENTATONIX - The Best of Pentatonix Christmas CD
Keyword: BESTOF or STOCKING

12 Stockings Entry Page

I’m welcoming back one of my all-time FAVORITE groups to my 12 Stockings of Christmas, the Grammy® Award-winning and multi-platinum selling Pentatonix. Their new holiday-themed best-of album, The Best Of Pentatonix Christmas features four new songs in addition to 15 of the quintet's biggest and best-selling hits from their amazing Christmas catalogue. It also includes a special version of Do You Hear What I Hear with the magic of Whitney Houston. Other guests include Jazmine Sullivan, Tori Kelly, Kelly Clarkson, Maren Morris and Jennifer Hudson. Alongside the album, Pentatonix also revealed the stunning music video for the Beach Boy’s standard, God Only Knows, a must watch!

This holiday season, Pentatonix will be on tour with 16 new dates, kicking off with two shows in New York City on November 30th, and December 1st. If they’re coming to your town, I promise it is a show not to be missed. For more information and to purchase tickets for any of Pentatonix shows go HERE.

You’ll want to get a few copies of The Best of Pentatonix Christmas to share with family and friends.

BEST OF PENTATONIX CHRISTMAS

December 9th
PEDIPOCKET - Plush throw with foot pocket
Keyword: PEDI, PETI, or STOCKING

12 Stockings Entry Page

Ho! Ho! Ho! It’s not your average throw! I am talking about the PEDIPOCKET THROW. Finally, a throw blanket that does it all! PediPocket is a six foot length of plush fleece with a deep foot pocket that is conically shaped to mirror your body's natural form and keep your feet cozy all year round. It’s just the thing for cuddling on the couch or traveling (as a passenger!), and the perfect accessory for every dorm room.

Machine washable and dryer friendly, they’re super easy to care for and a wonderful, affordable Christmas gift for everyone on your list because they come in three different sizes! You’ll find all kinds of prints and colors on their web site. Keep your family warm and cozy this holiday season and all year round, and don’t forget to order one for yourself!

PEDIPOCKET THROW

December 10th
ALEX and ALI JEWLREY
Keyword: ALEX, ALIX or STOCKING

12 Stockings Entry Page

I’m welcoming a fun new sponsor to my 12 Stockings of Christmas Sweepstakes this year, Alex and Ani . If you’ve never been to their website, STOP everything you’re doing and click HERE to see all the wonderful gift ideas they have this holiday season. My daughters and I love their jewelry because they have something for everyone.

Alex and Ani are a jewelry company with a unique mission; founded in 2004, they’re a humanitarian company that designs meaningful, eco-conscious jewelry. Their vision is to connect the wearers to a greater purpose. In just six years, the company has donated more than $46 million to non-profits worldwide.

Their symbolic designs include charm bangle bracelets, earrings, necklaces, and an abundance of all things shiny and bright as well as deeply meaningful. Disney, The Wizard of Oz, and Harry Potter are also represented in their collection, making Alex and Ani jewelry perfect for stuffing every stocking. Give someone a gift with special meaning this Christmas.

ALEX and ALI

December 11th
GRAVITY BLANKET - You personal Gravity Blanket
Keyword: BLANKET or STOCKING

12 Stockings Entry Page

Let me introduce you to something I’ve just discovered, the Gravity Blanket. Are you hosting relatives, cooking over-the-top meals, spending hours shopping for gifts, and feeling that holiday stress? You need a Gravity Blanket! It’s a weighted blanket that’s designed to help improve sleep and decrease stress and anxiety.

I gave one to my daughter, Shaylah - baby Rosalie’s mama - and she loves it. A Gravity Blanket is the best gift you can give someone who deserves some rest and relaxation this holiday season and all year through.

Buy yours today and use the promo code ‘DELILAH’ for 15% savings. 

GRAVITY BLANKETS

December 12th 
KACEY MUSGRAVE: A Very Kacey Christmas, autographed CD
Keyword: CHRISTMAS or STOCKING

12 Stockings Entry Page

I love welcoming new artists to my 12 Stockings, especially artists with as much style and uniqueness as Kacey Musgraves and her A Very Kacey Christmas CD! It’s a mixture of many musical styles including, jazz, blues, country and a bit of 40’s and 50’s nostalgia. Kacey says she was, ”inspired by the iconic Bing Crosby and the wonderful Andrews Sisters,” aren’t we lucky?!

The album features Kacey originals, including, Present Without a Bow, and some old Christmas favorites like the silly I Want A Hippopotamus for Christmas, as well as the melodious Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. Kacey brings her Grammy award winning versatile style to A Very Kacey Christmas filled with songs everyone on your Christmas list will LOVE.

Get an inside peek by watching the video of What Are You Doing New Year's Eve? . Everyone should have a little Kacey under the tree their Christmas this year!

A VERY KACEY CHRISTMAS

December 16th
SALONTECH SPINSTYLE
Keyword: PERFECT or STOCKING

12 Stockings Entry Page

I fell in love with the Spinstyle  a few years ago and it’s still my favorite styling tool! SalonTech’s patented Technology Curl Dial works like an extra set of hands to pick up, separate, and guide hair around the barrel, creating fast, easy, and tangle free curls with one hand. (Make sure the hair isn’t tangled before beginning!) Create tight bouncy curls to loose, voluptuous, beachy waves at the touch of a button, in half the time of a regular curling iron!

I do my hair in the morning and I am set until late in the evening! I have one for home and one for travel and all my daughters have one too.  It’s the perfect holiday gift for the stylista on your list.  My listeners will receive an exclusive, special offer when ordering; just be sure and use promo code PERFECT.   . 

SPINSTYLE

December 17th
MY BOOK: ONE HEART AT A TIME, autographed copy
Keyword: HEART or STOCKING

12 Stockings Entry Page

If you’ve tuned in to the show lately, you know I’ve written a book, One Heart At A Time. It was a true labor of love, and became even more so after the loss of my beloved son, Zachariah. The world is facing some trying times and many feel disconnected and lonelier than ever before. How do we change it? One. Heart. At. A. Time.

I’ve included an autographed copy in each of my 12 Stockings this year with the hope that you will enjoy it and it will inspire you to reach out and help me change the world. All we need is love and a heart that is willing to serve.

ONE HEART AT A TIME

December 19th
ALMOND ROCA
Keyword: ROCA, ROKA or STOCKING

12 Stockings Entry Page

My 12 Stockings of Christmas just aren’t complete until I’ve added my favorite candy, Almond ROCA. This delicious treat brings back the fondest childhood memories of Christmas’ past, and I love giving, and getting into, those pink tins all year long!

Brown and Haley make every batch of ROCA with rich creamy butter, California almonds, and the best quality chocolate! Choose from Almond, Cashew, Dark Chocolate, Sea Salt Caramel, Peppermint, and Mocha ROCA. SO YUMMY!! They have something for EVERYONE (Even nut-free options for those with allergies like my daughter!)

This holiday season, whether looking for gifts for your office party, your child’s favorite teacher, or sweet treat for yourself, remember, every stocking should be filled with Almond ROCA on Christmas morning. Visit them online or find them at local retailers. 

ALMOND ROCA

Good luck everyone!

Christmas Music is Here!

Oh my word, how I LOVE Christmas!

The Delilah show has been Your Christmas Station for several decades now, and along with the tried and true (and able to sing-along-to) carols we all know and love, I’m like a kid opening their stocking when I gleefully unwrap all the newer holiday tunes of the season.

Sometimes, through the beautiful instruments, harmonious melodies, or humorous lyrics, I become so entranced and drawn into the spirit of the music, my ears almost pick up what I think to be the prancing and pawing of each little reindeer hoof, gently alighting upon my rooftop. Do you hear what I hear?

Here’s a run-down of some of the best newer Christmas music - I recommend you add them all to your Christmas play list!

Kacey Musgraves: A Very Kacey Christmas

Some thought it early in the game for country sweetheart, Kacey Musgraves, to release a holiday album in 2016, but the collection has proven to be anything but premature! In fact, it seems like it could have been something we all grew up with, alongside the silvery tinsel and chunky Christmas tree lights with half the paint missing from each bulb.

Kacey blends classy with kitsch on this already beloved and very nostalgic holiday endeavor. If you’re anything like me, you’ll love Christmas Don't Be Late, A Willie Nice Christmas (featuring Willie Nelson and Trigger) and Ribbons & Bows.

But don’t take my word for it. Read more about A Very Kacey Christmas HERE then purchase it for your own collection!

Get A Very Kacey Christmas!
And watch a fantastic video HERE

for KING & COUNTRY: Christmas / Live from Phoenix

I’ve been singing from the rooftops about the fabulous group, for King & Country for several years now. If you have yet to jump on the bandwagon, I bet you will now that they’ve had a mega cross-over hit with God Only Knows!

For the last few Christmas seasons, I’ve been recommending the Burn the Ships album, and this year, I am encouraging you to take a listen to their collection Christmas / Live from Phoenix. You’ll find their music to be uplifting, spiritual, and alive with incredible harmony!

Get Live from Phoenix
And watch the video HERE

Pentatonix: Best of Pentatonix Christmas 

Oh Pentatonix, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways… I love thee for your smashing harmonies, for your dramatic deliveries, for your quirkiness and quality… I love thee a myriad of ways and am so so so happy you came into our lives, especially at Christmastime!

Now a perennial favorite, Pentatonix has a new collection of their Christmas best, and you’ll be counting the ways you love them too, once you’ve picked it up for yourself!

Get Best of Pentatonix Christmas
Watch a Pentatonix video HERE

Timi Dakolo: Merry Christmas, Darling

Timi is a Nigerian sensation since winning the country’s first ever televised talent competition. His soulful, r&b debut album followed as did a series of stirring, emotional singles including Great Nation which has been adopted as the nations second national anthem. - listen here.

Recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London, Timi presents a simply gorgeous, heartfelt collection of soulful Christmas ballads backed by the London Symphony Orchestra. Merry Christmas, Darling combines his unique voice with some of the greatest classical standards ever written.

Merry Christmas Darling is Timi’s first Christmas album and also features Eric Benet on White Christmas, Kenny G. and The Eben Voices of Gabon Choir on Hallelujah.

What an amazing gift this album is!

Get Merry Christmas, Darling

Idina Menzel: A Season of Love

You may be familiar with Idina Menzel because of her iconic role in Frozen and that ONE song that’s been in our head since it’s release, Let It Go… But here’s another reason to get to know this super talented actress and songstress, she’s released a Christmas album with a whopping 18 tracks to it, including several duets with folks such as Ariana Grande, Billy Porter, Josh Gad, and her talented hubby, Aaron Lohr.

The duet with Ariana, A Hand for Mrs. Claus, is an original, written by the composers of the Frozen soundtrack, Kristen Anderson-Lopes and Robert Lopez. It puts me in a cookie-baking mood for sure! I’m equally impressed with the new song by Idina, At This Table, that she wrote with Jonas Myrin. It’s all about celebrating diversity and embracing those different from us during the holiday season!

A Season of Love also includes classics like, The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, Ave Maria, and I’ll Be Home For Christmas, as well as many new numbers that will wrap you in the spirit of love all season long. This is a must have for your collection!

Get A Season of Love

Matt Nathanson: Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) & River

Bay Area singer songwriter Matt Nathanson is a delightful and insightful guy that’s a BIG favorite of a family member who introduced me to his music. He’s just released a couple of singles that deserve our attention: Christmas (Baby Please Come Home,) and River. I love both, and am sharing HIS thoughts about these songs and what they mean to him, because it so perfectly captures his spirit and provides a compelling reason to give them a listen!

“The first time I heard Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home) was U2’s cover of it for the A Very Special Christmas charity album. I loved how the song felt like a celebration, but had this thread of sadness and longing running through it. For me, the holidays have always felt like that. Friends and family coming together at the end of the year, the beauty and starkness of winter contrasted with all the warmth of togetherness, joy and longing… This song is magical like that. It captures it all.”

and…

”Joni Mitchell is one of the greatest songwriters we have. A treasure. And this (RIver) isn’t a holiday song, per se, but it's become one over the years. Whenever I hear it, I’m immediately transported to the time and place she is singing about; Los Angeles in the 70s, bouncing off the superficial and the never-changing seasons… longing for a move back home, to the place she grew up and the ease and simplicity of youth.”

Get to know Matt, you’ll be glad you did!

Get Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) & River

Natalie Grant & Danny Gokey: The Prayer

Grammy nominated vocalists Natalie Grant and Danny Gokey released their version of the contemporary classic, The Prayer, last Christmas season; it’s now available to purchase as a single and if you don’t have any other music by this power duo, make sure you have The Prayer!

2019 is the fourth year the two have conducted a branded tour, Celebrate Christmas, and The Prayer has been a highlight of each and every performance, at each and every venue. You will be moved, this I promise.

Get The Prayer

Jonas Brothers: Like It’s Christmas

You could be in the Grinchiest state of mind, but when Grammy nominated funsters Jonas Brothers are heard, your heart is sure to grow at least three sizes!

Their new holiday single Like It’s Christmas. is comprised of wistful guitar, sweeping piano, handclaps, and, of course… sleigh bells! The wonderfully warm hook rings out over boisterous horns as the boys sing, “You make every day feel like it’s Christmas.” Yep, they DO have that affect on me!

Get Like It’s Christmas

Jonas Brothers resume the second leg of their “Happiness Begins Tour,” which you can catch in several venues throughout the country, now until December 14th.

More info on “Happiness Begins Tour” HERE

John Legend: A Legendary Christmas

Swoon-worthy and critically acclaimed, multi-platinum singer-songwriter, John Legend, released his first Christmas album, A Legendary Christmas last year so it’s still “new” to me and probably many of you as well.

Some of my favorite tracks are What Christmas Means to Me, with the legendary Stevie Wonder playing along on his harmonica! The magical, Christmas Time is Here, and the fun, Purple Snow Flakes, which became Delilah Jr’s favorite the second she heard it! (Can you guess her favorite color?!)

Go ahead, let John Legend croon as you swoon…

Get A Legendary Christmas

Music moves us, soothes us, uplifts, comforts, and excites us… and it’s almost a necessary ingredient to a well-rounded Christmas celebration.
I hope you enjoy these picks, which are definitely some of my favorite things, and that you all have a merry, and musical Christmas!

Be A Star - With Star Fruit!

Be the star of the show this holiday season with Star Fruit!

Here’s a tip for dressing up your holiday dishes; Star Fruit!

You've seen it in on your grocery aisles, maybe even purchased it to satisfy your kid's’ curiosity, but if you lead your holiday meals with this bright gold star, you'll be considered a true wiseman!

Carambola, or Star Fruit, is native to Indonesia but is now cultivated in many tropical areas. It's about 2-6" long and when ripe it's a deep yellow color. Most of the fruits have 5 ridges, giving it a classic star shape, but some can have more or less. The skin is thin and waxy and may be eaten, just like that of an apple or plum.

There's no special preparation to eating - just wash, then slice it up as thick or thin as you desire, and remove the seeds.

Use it on your salads - like the spinach, red onion, pomegranate, and star fruit example here. Or in your traditional fruit salad. On your cheese platters, to dress your ham alongside the pineapple, and in your jello-treats.

It's mild flavor, both sweet and a tart, make it a complementary companion to just about every thing on your holiday buffet!*

So go ahead, be the star of the show with star fruit!

* Star fruit should not be consumed by people with kidney disease or on dialysis and can interact with prescription medications much like grapefruit. Do your research if you have any questions!

Tomato Basil Bisque

Fall marks the beginning of soup season in my house (for just about everyone else I know too!) and I’m always looking for new recipes to try.

This week, our studio engineer, Jessica, brought a delicious looking bowl of soup into work with her for lunch… It smelled so good as she was reheating it, I had to know what was in it! (I also might have begged a taste…)

Turns out, not only is Jess super bright when it comes to audio engineering… she’s a great cook too! This is a yummy example of a simple, but absolutely fabulous tomato basil bisque that she makes often through the chilly months. I had her forward the recipe to me so I could share it with all of you.

Jessica roasts her own Roma tomatoes, because it’s a fairly easy process. But if you want to whip (blend?) this together quickly, you can pick up a few cans of fire-roasted tomatoes in your grocery aisle.

Jessica’s Tomato Basil Bisque

Ingredients:

• 1/2 onion - chopped

• 1/4 cup plus 2-3 tbsp olive oil

• 4 garlic cloves - minced

• 20-22 Roma tomatoes, roasted (or 2 cans fire roasted tomatoes)

• 1/2 package (4oz) cream cheese

• 2 cups chopped fresh basil leaves

• 1 cup of half ‘n half

Directions:

1. Roast tomatoes with olive oil ahead of time using method described below soup instructions.

2. Cover bottom of stock pot with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil. Place over medium heat.

3. Add chopped onion and cook until translucent. Add minced garlic and cook about 5 minutes, stirring constantly until garlic begins to brown.

4. Add the roasted tomatoes*, basil, and cream cheese at this time, and bring to a low boil. If it is looking dry, add about 1/4 cup of water so that the mixture does not scorch.

5. When the cream cheese has fully melded with the other ingredients remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

6. Using an immersion blender, blend in the pot until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Bring up heat once again, and add half ‘n half (or reduced fat milk.) Let sit for about five minutes stirring occasionally then serve.

7. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream and a fresh basil leaf.

* To roast tomatoes: Cut off stem, slice tomatoes in half lengthwise. Arrange cut side down on baking tray and drizzle with olive oil. Place under broiler for about 15 minutes; remove tomatoes once charred spots start appearing. Let cool, chop coarsely, retaining as much of the juice as possible.

Thanks for sharing your recipe with us, Jessica!

"Waffle" Cake - Fun to Make!

Recently, Producer Leisa ordered a “waffle cake” from a local maker for a special celebration in her home and showed off photos of this special creation. All of us in the studio were intrigued. What in the world is a waffle cake?!

Turns out, it’s exactly what it sounds like; waffles made from cake batter, stacked and iced, to make a cake! A new food trend we could definitely all get behind. Who doesn’t love waffles? Who wouldn’t want a reason to eat them mid-day or in the evening, smothered in icing?!

So we did a little research (i.e. we “Googled it”) and discovered that you can put almost any kind of batter in a waffle iron… think waffle, banana bread, chocolate cake… yep, it all works! Why did it take so long to think this up?

Leisa had ordered a strawberry cake with raspberry icing, it came gorgeously decorated with natural flowers and dusted with powdered sugar. The studio folks decided to take matters into their own hands this week and celebrate fall - any excuse for cake, especially if it’s a waffle cake!

They decided on carrot cake with cream cheese icing. Here’s the result recipe and the directions. It turned out OH SO GOOD and OH SO PRETTY!

Carrot Waffle Cake with Cream Cheese Icing:

Ingredients:

For the Carrot Cake:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 3/4 cup or vegetable oil

• 4 large eggs room temperature

• 1 and 1/2 cups light brown sugar

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 3 cups grated carrots, lightly packed

For the Cream Cheese Icing:

• 1 (8-ounce) package brick style cream cheese, softened to room temperature

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

• 2 cups powdered sugar

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions:

For the Carrot Cake:

• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt until well combined. Set aside.

• In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, applesauce, and vanilla extract until fully combined. Add the grated carrots into the wet ingredients and mix until well combined.

• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a whisk or rubber spatula until just combined, making sure not to over mix the batter.

• Coat the two sides of a waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray, and heat. Working one-by-one, pour enough batter into your iron to make a waffle. Cook until done through but not overly browned. Transfer onto a wire rack to cool. Repeat until you have 4-5 waffles to stack.

For the Icing:

• Place cream cheese in a medium bowl and using a hand or stand mixer, beat until smooth. Add the butter and mix until well combined. Add the vanilla extract and the powdered sugar a little at a time, until fully combined and creamy.

Assembly:

• Choose your serving plate and place the first waffle in the center. Add a generous amount of icing to the top of the waffle and spread to the edges, place another waffle on top, and spread more icing on it. Repeat until you have the desired number of waffles, and height of cake.

• Do not ice the top waffle - instead, place a dollop of icing in the center and garnish the stack with flowers (or whatever your creative spirit directs you to do) and sprinkle with powdered sugar!

It was recommended to us that the cake be allowed to absorb the moisture from the icing for at least 24 hours (or longer) before eating. This one was baked on a Friday, then garnished with edible Nasturtium blossoms, and enjoyed on Monday. It was DELICIOUS!!!

What flavor combinations might you try? I’m thinking banana or zucchini bread would also be good with the cream cheese icing, or maybe lemon cake with butter cream? Let me know if you try this and share your ideas of different flavors with me!

"Autumn"

I recently ran across this beautiful essay, published by the UK’s The Manchester Guardian Newspaper in the year 1840. It was written by a contributing editor identified only as “Alison.”

I found it to be overwhelmingly emotive and befitting of the meloncholic mood I’m now in, with the changing of the summer season into fall, and as I approach the anniversary of the date my son, Zachariah, changed his address to “heaven.”

For as many seasons as I have left on the earth before our heavenly reunion, autumn time will fill me with mixed feelings of such sadness in the missing of my boy and such joy knowing that he is in the arms of Our Father.

I wanted to share it with you all, in the hope that you might find some solace in Alison’s words, just as I have.

Autumn

There is an "even-tide" in the year - a season when the sun withdraws his propitious light - when the winds arise, and the leaves fall, and nature around us seems to sink into decay. It is said to be the season of melancholy; and if by this word be meant that it is the time of solemn and serious thought, it is undoubtedly the season of melancholy; yet it is a melancholy so soothing, so gentle in its approach, and so prophetic in its influence, that they who have known it feel, as if instinctively, that it is the doing of God, and that the heart of man is not thus finely touched but to fine issues.

It is a season which tends to wean us from the passions of the world. Every passion, however base or unworthy, is yet eloquent. It speaks to us of present enjoyment; it tells us of what men have done, and what men may do, and it supports us everywhere by the example of many around us. When we go out into the fields in the evening of the year, a different voice approaches us. We regard, even in spite of our selves, the still but steady advances of time.

A few days ago, and the summer of the year was grateful, and every element was filled with life, and the sun of heaven seemed to glory in his ascendant. He is now enfeebled in his power; the desert no more "blossoms like the rose;" the song of joy is no more heard among the branches; and the earth is strewed with that foliage which once bespoke the magnificence of summer. Whatever may be the passions which society has awakened, we pause amid this apparent desolation of nature. We sit down in the lodge "of the wayfaring man in the wilderness," and we feel that all we witness is the emblem of our own fate. Such, in a few years, will be our own condition. The blossoms of our spring, the pride of our summer, will fade into decay; and the pulse that now beats high, with virtuous or with vicious desire, will gradually sink, and then must stop for ever.

We rise from our meditations with hearts softened and subdued, and we return into life as into a shadowy scene, where we have “disquieted ourselves in vain.” Such is the first impression which the present scene of nature is fitted to make upon us. It is this first impression which intimidates the thoughtless and the gay; and indeed, if there were no other reflection that followed, I know not that it would be the business of wisdom to recommend such meditations. It is the consequences, however, of such precious thought which are chiefly valuable; and among these there are two which may well deserve our consideration.

It is the particular character of the melancholy which such seasons excite, that it is general. It is not an individual remonstrance; it is not the harsh language of human wisdom, which too often insults while it instructs us. When the winds of autumn sigh around us, their voice speaks not to us only, but to our kind; and the lesson they teach us is not that we alone decay, but that such also is the fate of all the generations of man. “They are the green leaves of the tree of the desert, which perish and are renewed.”

In such a sentiment there is a kind of sublimity mingled with its melancholy; our tears fall, but they fall not for ourselves; and, although the train of our thoughts may have begun with the selfishness of our own concerns, we feel that, by the ministry of some mysterious power, they end in awakening our concern for every being that lives. Yet a few years, and all that now bless, or all that now convulse humanity, will also have perished. The mightiest pageantry of life will pass, the loudest notes of triumph or of conquest will be silent in the grave; the wicked, wherever active, "will cease from troubling," and the weary, wherever suffering, "will be at rest."

Under an impression so profound, we feel our own hearts better. The cares, the animosities, the hatreds, which society may have engendered, sink unperceived from our bosoms. In the general desolation of nature, we feel the littleness of our own passions; we look forward to that kindred evening which time must bring to all; we anticipate the graves of those we hate, as of those we love. Every unkind passion falls with the leaves that fall around us; and we return slowly to our homes and to the society which surrounds us, with the wish only to enlighten or to bless them.

If there were no other effects of such appearances of nature upon our minds, they would still be valuable, - they would teach us humility, - and with it they would teach us charity. In the same hour in which they taught us our own fragility, they would teach us commiserations for the whole family of man. But there is a further sentiment which such scenes inspire, more valuable than all; and we know little the designs of Providence when we do not yield ourselves in such hours to the beneficent instincts of our imagination.

It is the unvarying character of nature, amid all its scenes, to lead us at last to its Author; and it is for this final end that all its varieties have such dominion upon our minds. We are led by the appearances of spring to see His bounty and we are lead by the splendours of summer to see His greatness. In the present hours we are led to a higher sentiment; and, what is most remarkable, the very circumstances of melancholy are those which guide us most securely to put our trust in Him.

We are witnessing the decay of the year; we go back in imagination, and find that such, in every generation, has been the fate of man; we look forward, and we see that to such ends all must come at last; we lift our desponding eyes in search of comfort, and we see above us One “who is ever the same, and to whose years there is not end.’ Amidst the vicissitudes of nature we discover that central Majesty, “in whom there is not variableness nor shadow of turning.” We feel that there is a God; and from the tempestuous sea of life we hail that polar star of nature, to which a sacred instinct had directed our eyes, and which burns with undecaying ray to lighten us among all the darkness of the deep.

From this great conviction there is another sentiment which succeeds. Nature, indeed, yearly perishes; but it is yearly renewed. Amid all it’s changes, the immortal spirit of Him that made it remains; and the same sun, which now marks with his receding ray the autumn of the year will again rise in his brightness and bring along with it the promise of he spring, and all the magnificence of summer.

Under such convictions, hope dawns upon the sadness of the heart. The melancholy of decay becomes the very herald of renewal; the magnificent circle of nature opens up our view. We anticipate the analogous resurrection of our being; we see beyond the grave a greater spring, and people it with those who have given you to that which is passed. With such final impressions, we submit ourselves gladly to the dusting of our being. While the sun of mortality sinks, we hail the rising Sun of Righteousness, and in hours when all the honours of nature are perishing around us, we prostrate ourselves in adoration before Him who “sitteth upon it’s throne.”

Let, then, the young go out, under the descending sun of the year, into the fields of nature. Their hearts are now ardent with hope - with the hopes of fame, of honour, or of happiness; and in the long perspective which is before them, their imagination creates a world where all may be enjoyed. Let the scene which they now may witness moderate, but not extinguish, their ambition. While they see the yearly desolation of nature, let them see it as the emblem of mortal hope; while they feel the disproportion between the powers they possess, and the time they are to be employed, let them carry their ambitious eye beyond the world; and while, in these sacred solitudes, a voice in their own bosom correspond to the voice of decaying nature, let them take that high decision which becomes those who feel themselves tho inhabitants of a greater world, and who look to a Being incapable of decay.

~ Alison

For original article, click HERE

Dried Hydrangeas Two Ways

Fall is (almost) here and even though I love the warm summer days, there’s something so heart warming about the changing of the seasons. One of the ways I transition myself and my family into the autumn spirit is by incorporating dried flowers into my home decor.

Creating dried bouquets using the flowers you already have growing in your garden is an inexpensive way to decorate your home while also getting the most use out of your flowers. If you keep up with my social accounts you would have seen an ARRAY of garden and flower photos, and all the ways and places I use them around the farm.

Tending to my flowers makes my heart sing and putting together these bouquets helps keep my creativity muscles in good shape.

I’m going to walk you through my favorite tips and tricks for getting the perfect dried hydrangea arrangement.

• My first tip for making the perfect dried flower arrangement starts with picking your flowers at the right time. I suggest harvesting your hydrangea blossoms after they have bloomed fully, when their color is beginning to turn, and they take on a slightly papery feel and vintage look; this is typically toward the end of summer/early fall.

• Dried hydrangeas can be quite delicate and tend to break easily. If you can create your arrangement or wreath before they get too brittle, it’s often best to do so.

• Once you’ve picked your flowers, trim the stems so they fit in whichever vase you are planning on using for your arrangement and remove the leafs, leaving a few for decorative purposes while they are drying (you’ll want to eventually remove ALL leaves.)

Now this next step is entirely up to you. When it comes to drying out your flowers there are two ways I like to do it.

The 1st way…

• Fill your vase with fresh water so at least half of the stem is covered, arrange your bouquet and simply wait until the water evaporates naturally.

• Allow a few weeks for the flowers to dry completely.

• Lightly spray the flowers with unscented hairspray to help them retain their shape

The 2nd way…

• Begin with arranging your flowers, and then bind them together using twine or unflavored dental floss.

• Secure them to a clothes line or an unused hanger so that they hang upside down.

• Store them in a dry, dark area that gets good circulation like an attic or closet.

• Let them dry for 2-3 weeks

• Place in desired vase

• Lightly spray the flowers with unscented hairspray to help them retain their shape

I hope you enjoy these super easy tips for creating beautiful dried flower arrangements, and then use them for your own home or as gifts to others.

Get creative with your vases and any additional decorations! Place these stunning bouquets in all the different corners of your house like your mantel, dining table or kitchen counter to bring those muted Autumn tones to your decor!

And, write to me HERE and send me pictures of your dried hydrangea arrangements!

Overnight Oats - Just In Time For The New School Year

The seasons are changing and that means a new school year is on the horizon.

During the school year, my sweet kiddos will be out of bed before the sun comes up and their bellies need to be nice and full when they head out the door. Rolled oats soak up milk overnight in your refrigerator, giving them a plump, tender texture much like their boiled counterparts, without all the cooking!

It’s been my saving grace on busy mornings and I want to share it with all of you! The best part about it? Well, there are several, but my favorite is that it’s fun, tasty, and full of healthy nutrients to keep kids fueled until lunch time!

This recipe makes 4 - 1/2 cup servings. Increase or decrease as you like, just remember it’s equal parts oatmeal to liquid and 1/4 part Chia seed.



Ingredients:

• 2 cups Old Fashioned Oats

• 2 cups Milk (Cows, Almond, Coconut, Cashew, etc.)

• 1/2 cups Chia seeds for a puddling like texture! - Optional

• Your favorite oatmeal toppings
  This recipe is very basic, but the topping combos are limitless; use the ones you and your family LOVE. Some of our favorites are:

• Bananas

• Berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, etc.)

• Nuts (walnuts, pecans, sliced or chopped almonds, etc.)

• Peanut Butter (or Almond butter, etc.)

• Raisins, craisins or currents

• Chocolate Chips (carob, vanilla, etc.)

• Honey

Directions:

1. In a medium sized bowl, add 2 cups oats to 2 cups milk or milk substitute and 1/2 cup Chia seeds (if desired). Combine well. (Chia seeds can also be added to the mix for their nutritional benefit and to create a more “pudding like” consistency.}

2. Transfer mixture into 4 individual serving-sized glasses or jars. Leave plenty of room at the top for the toppings!

3. Cover and place in the refrigerator overnight.

The Next Morning… You can be as creative as your cravings! Fruit, nuts, chocolate, you name it! Put out the toppings, hand each child their oats, and let the delicious, creative process take place! In Casa Delilah, we love these combos:

Strawberries, Bananas, & Honey
Mixed Berry
Peanut Butter, Banana & Chocolate Chips
S’mores!: Peanut Butter, Mini-Marshmallows (just a few!) & Chocolate Chips!

My kids love helping me to make this in the evening and are excited to see the transformation from dry boring oats the night before to delicious and creamy oatmeal the next morning. By giving them topping options, everyone gets exactly what they want! It’s fun, nutritious, and a great alternative to sugary cereals, with fiber, protein, healthy fats, and just a touch of yum to satisfy that sweet tooth!

I hope you and your family enjoy this easy and healthful breakfast treat as much as we do!

My Campus Comforts Sweepstakes

We’ve reached the dog days of summer, that lazy, indolent time when the sun seems to never set, the A/C never shuts off, and school is but a distant memory… But guess what? The aisles are already stocked with dread Back to School supplies because in a blink of a puppy’s eye, September will be upon us.

Do you have a recent high school grad packing up their childhood room and nervously but excitedly readying themselves for campus life? Although I can do nothing for your heart, dear parent, grandparent, adoring aunt or uncle, I CAN help you send your newly minted college student off with a few creature comforts.

Write me a note (D@Delilah.com) and tell me all about this special person that will soon be navigating a strange town, meeting new friends, doing their own laundry, (except for those times they bring home a semester’s worth as a gift to you) and rising to the challenge of college curricula.

I’ll choose one entry at random, and send back my College Comfort Sweepstakes bundle that will include:

• A set of the softest sheets available! PeachSkinSheets are made with a 21st century SMART fabric, they are high performance textiles designed to wick away moisture, keeping even the hottest sleepers comfortable all night long.

  PeachSkinSheets come in XL Twin Dorm, the size of most dorm mattresses, but you can order whatever size needed!

• A $100 Gift Card from The Company Store! Use it on bedding or bath needs, pj’s or robe, a backpack or tote… smart and stylish storage solutions, a desk lamp or other accessories.

  If it’s needed, chances are The Company Store will have it!

• How ‘bout a cozy, comfy, footed throw from my friends at PediPockets?

  Late nights, chilly afternoons, or early morning study sessions will be so much more comfortable with toes tucked to the perfect study or lounging companion, the PediPocket!

• Music while studying? Maybe to unwind after an exam or in the evenings? I’m including three great CD’s too:

  • Lewis Capaldi’s first album, Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent. Capaldi, a Scottish singer-songwriter, reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart with "Someone You Loved" and it looks as though he may soon boast of the same success in the US! This kid is ON FIRE!

  • P!nk’s new album, Hurts 2B Human found itself in the No. 1 spot on Billboards top 200 list in March. Walk Me Home is a great sing-along and the album is packed with fab new favorites!

  • Lover, one of the most anticipated albums of the year from Taylor Swift. It comes out on August 24 and features the fab singles, ME and, You Need To Calm Down. Calm down? No way, this is a fabulous new album!!!

• And, even though there will be more textbooks than the new student knows what to do with, having some lighter and some inspirational reading on hand isn’t a bad idea. I’m tucking in three books:

  • Northern Lights - My August Book Club pick, This autobiography by Kathy Parker is just in time for football season! Want to know what a woman from Jacksonville, FL has to do with a struggling football team in Barrow, AK??? Read Northern Lights, a beautiful reminder of how we’re sometimes called to the most unlikely of causes—and how, when we believe in something bigger than ourselves, we can change our own lives and the lives of others for the better!
    

  • Dare to Matter, by Dr. Jordan Kassalow & Rabbi Jennifer Krause. Have you ever had the feeling that the world was conspiring to tell you that you did not matter? Before Jordan had a “Dr.” in front of his name, he did. But he pushed back against that notion and has helped to restore vision and livelihoods to millions across the globe since. Rabbi Jen joins him in telling his story and inspires all of us to confront these feelings and Dare To Matter!
    
    * Jordan & Jen recently joined me on an episode of my podcast series, LOVE SOMEONE with Delilah. Want to be inspired??? Listen in!
    

  • One Heart At A Time, my book. When you’re busy living your life, it doesn’t really occur to you that much about it is remarkable… but I was so often approached and asked to tell my story, that I finally did. One Heart At A Time, is my attempt to fulfill the request of many that I share my secret to a full and blessed life. My hope is that it will somehow inspire you to follow whatever that little whisper in YOUR heart is, and you will step forward in faith and change the world, One. Heart. At. A. Time.
    

• What’s missing? Snacks and beverages of course! But not to worry! One of my favorite treats - rich, buttery, Almond ROCA candy will satisfy any sweet-tooth craving! Brown & Haley also make some of the most delicious hot chocolate perfect for sipping on those fall days when the temperature is dipping and the test prep is heating up! And if that’s not enough, Jolly Time Popcorn is just the ticket after the cafeteria has closed. No one is going hungry or thirsty!

My mama’s heart is touched each year at this time as I watch parents, full of pride and apprehension, send their babies out into the world to follow their own paths.

Hopefully my Campus Comfort Sweepstakes bundle will help in some small, but comforting, way!

Enter before August 23, 2019, by writing to me at D@Delilah.com.

Include your name, mailing address, and a note about
your favorite new college student.

Thank You Farm to Feast Sponsors!

There is so much that must go in to preparing and presenting my annual garden gala, Farm to Feast, an event benefitting Point Hope, a voice for forgotten children.

I am so very grateful to the many many people who in small or large ways helped to make the day a success! Special thanks go to the following 4, who have underwritten a great deal of the expenses necessary for hosting over 100 guests, preparing the gardens and grounds, serving a sumptuous meal, and entertaining the masses.

Without their help, it would be very difficult to come together in this way, to support the work of Point Hope, which I am so passionately committed to. My deepest thanks to:

Thomas Nelson/Harper Collins

Representing the works of over 2,000 authors and the world's largest Bible translations, HCCP is the most award-winning inspirational publisher in the industry, publishing bestselling content in every format, connecting words and people together wherever they live, work, or play.

Books like Fighting for My Life: How to Thrive in the Shadow of Alzheimer’s by Jamie TenNapel Tyrone, is her story of accidentally finding out she will most likely develop the disease at some point in her life. She founded B.A.B.E.S (Beating Alzheimer’s By Embracing Science) and through the group, and her book, gives those affected by Alzheimer’s courage and hope. If you or someone you know is living in the shadow of this disease, pick up a copy!

Many of the books I highlight as part of Delilah’s Book Club are published by this group. A Brave Face, by Barbara Marlowe and Teeba Furat Marlowe, was one of the recent ones. I also had these two brave, beautiful, and inspiring women join me on an episode of LOVE SOMEONE with Delilah, my podcast series. Listen in!

And, the autobiography, Grateful American - A Journey from Self To Service, by Gary Sinise is published by Thomas Nelson. It’s about honoring, celebrating, and serving our Freedom Providers and calls upon all Americans to to what they can for those who have done all they can! Gary joined me on LOVE SOMEONE recently as well! Take a listen.

Visit Thomas Nelson/Harper Collins HERE

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Balsam Hill

We welcome long-time sponsor Balsam Hill back to be part of our Farm to Feast event. They have everything you need not only for holiday decorating but all year round for every season.

I’ve been using Balsam Hill decor for all my decorating needs for several years now. Whether I need some really incredible Fall or Halloween decorations, one of the most realistic faux Christmas trees available, along with wreaths, swags, garland, and ornaments for the winter season, Easter and Spring Florals, or to welcome Summer with vivid faux florals and lush lifelike greenery that won’t wilt, turn brown, or shrivel when the temperatures soar and water becomes scarce….

Find it at Balsam Hill, all season long, all year long!

Click HERE to shop

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Sony/AFFIRM Films

I’m so honored to again have the support of Sony/AFFIRM Films year. AFFIRM Films, a division of Sony Pictures, is the industry leader in faith-based films including the upcoming “Overcomer” in theaters August 23rd.

Make sure you enter to win my Flyaway Sweepstakes to attend the movie premiere in Dallas, Texas on August 13!

Life changes overnight for coach John Harrison when his high school basketball team’s state championship dreams are crushed under the weight of unexpected news. When the largest manufacturing plant in town suddenly shuts down and hundreds of families begin moving away, John must come to grips with the challenges facing his family and his team. Urged by the school’s principal to fill-in and coach a sport he doesn’t know or like, John is frustrated and questioning his worth… until he crosses paths with a student struggling with her own journey.

Filled with a powerful mix of faith, a twist of humor, and a ton of heart, the Kendrick Brothers return to theaters with OVERCOMER, their newest feature following FACING THE GIANTS,  FIREPROOF,  COURAGEOUS, and the #1 box-office hit, WAR ROOM. The inspiring family film stars Alex Kendrick, Priscilla Shirer, Shari Rigby, Cameron Arnett, and introduces Aryn Wright-Thompson.

Opening nationwide on August 23, OVERCOMER dares to leave you filled with hope, inspired to dream, and asks the question: What do you allow to define you?

Learn more about OVERCOMER

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Back2Back Ministries

We welcomed a new sponsor this year, Back2Back Ministries , an international Christian non-profit organization dedicated to being a global voice for orphans. They exist to love and care for orphans and vulnerable children by meeting their spiritual, physical, educational, emotional, and social needs, so that they might overcome their life circumstances and break free from the cycle of generational poverty.

Back2Back Ministries and Point Hope are perfect allies in the fight for children, helping them to RISE UP from the circumstances they were born into, leaving poverty, malnutrition, and abuse behind. I am so grateful they decided to partner with us!

Learn more about Back2Back HERE

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We are in our 5th season of Farm to Feast, and each year it becomes larger, better organized, and enjoyed by more attendees. This was our biggest year yet and we were met with blessing after blessing; a beautiful day, delicious food, a phenomenal performance, and the generous contributions of attendees to further our goal of building a health and wellness center in Point Hope Village, Ghana, West Africa that will benefit thousands of under-served deserving people.

We couldn’t have done it without our sponsors. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you!

Veterans: Make The Connection!

May is Mental Health Month, and before we turn a page on the calendar, I wanted to take the opportunity to spread the word about an organization that helps our military heroes called Make The Connection.

By nature, military service exposes our brave men and women to traumatic events. While trained to act and react in the moment for the best possible outcome, the emotional imprints can last long after service has ended. Most of us could never comprehend the situations they find themselves in…

There are millions of Veterans and family members who have needed support during tough times. Their lives got better. And so can yours, or that person you’re concerned for, because there’s a place to turn to: MakeTheConnection.net 

Make The Connection is an online resource designed to connect Veterans, their family members, friends, and other supporters, with information, resources, and solutions to issues affecting their lives. There, you can hear personal stories of recovery from Veterans that have served during many different time periods such as: Post-9/11 Era (2001 - Present), Desert Era (1990 - 2000), Post-Vietnam War Era (1976 - 1989), Vietnam War Era (1960 - 1975), Post Korean War Era (1954 - 1959), and, WW II through Korean War Era (1941 - 1953).

They've worn the uniform, shared similar experiences, and found a supportive path to recovery by reaching out for help. If you, or someone you know could use some support, this is the place to come.

I simply can’t begin to express how much gratitude I have for our active military members and the Veteran’s who have served! I want to think that anyone needing support can find it, because they are owed that. For everything our freedom providers do for us, kindness, caring, and tangible support is that least that they should receive in return. That’s why I’m honored to share the services of Make The Connection.

Need some help? Get it here! Make The Connection.

Thank you for your service and for the safety and freedom it provides for all of us! I am so very humbled and grateful!

Dad's Day Gift Box Sweepstakes

My Dad’s Day Gift Box

I’ve recently given away a basket of good things for Easter, and a bushel of blessings for Mother’s Day… It wouldn’t be fair to skip over the very very important men in our lives, so I’ve pulled together a box brimming with gifts for a special dad on his day!

How does books, music, relaxation, candy, and a shopping spree sound to you?

I’ve chosen three books I think he’ll enjoy; an inspiring autobiography, and two action-packed novels my hubby gives the thumbs-up!

GRATEFUL AMERICAN, by Gary Sinise: You know him from his stage, film, and television roles, and perhaps for his musical act, The Lieutenant Dan Band… and now you’ll know him for his book, Grateful American. After 9/11, honoring America’s defenders with the respect and gratitude their sacrifices deserve became Gary’s focus. He now works tirelessly on behalf of those who serve this country through the Gary Sinise Foundation with a mission to serve and honor veterans, first responders, their families, and those in need.

Grateful American is the moving, entertaining, profoundly gripping story of how one man found his calling: to see that those who defend this country and its freedoms are never forgotten and to inspire others to a life of service and gratitude.

OPEN CARRY, by Marc Cameron:  Open Carry is the first in a new series featuring U.S. Marshal Arliss Cutter. He’s on a case in the icy wastelands of southeast Alaska, where someone’s declared open season on humans, including a young native girl. Cutter’s job is to find the bodies, examine the crew’s footage for clues, and track down the men who killed them. Easier said than done. Especially when the whole town is hiding secrets, the trail leads to a dead end—and the hunter becomes the prey . . . 

Cameron took over for Tom Clancy, and is the bestselling author of the latest Jack Ryan novels.  His nearly 30 years in law enforcement serving as a police officer, SWAT member, detective, and Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal helps to explain his mastery of his action novels.

CUTTHROATS by William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone: After a lifetime of robbing banks and holding up trains, Jimmy “Slash” Braddock and Melvin “Pecos Kid” Baker are ready to call it quits—though not completely by choice. Sold out by their old gang, Slash and Pecos have to bust out of jail and pull one last job to finance their early retirement . . .

Not every Western hero wears a white hat or a tin star. The Greatest Western Writers of the 20th Century kick off a new series featuring two wanted outlaws - with one heck of a story…

I’ve tossed in some great music too!

Damn Country Music, by my good friend, Tim McGraw: This cd features the hit single, Humble and Kind, one of my favorite songs ever! I’ve not met anybody (that enjoys Country music even a little bit) that didn’t sing the praises of this song. I’ve had sons and daughters dedicated it to dads, dad’s dedicated it to sons and son-in-laws, wives dedicating it to husbands. Humble and Kind, the ideal we all reach for and that we wish upon our loved ones.

Brave Enough, Lindsey Stirling: Another great friend, Lindsey, is an incredible violinist and dancer who has managed to merge these two talents, and in combination with her gypsy spirit, unique style, incredible inner and outer beauty, created an entirely new genre of entertainment that appeals to a huge variety of music lovers. Did I say “unique?” We are so fortunate to be able to experience life through Lindsey’s music, that’s why I’m including Brave Enough in the box of gifts for Dad!

 Everyone loves to shop - for things THEY want!

So I’m also including a $50 Gift Card for The Home Depot. Whether it’s a new tool or two, some gardening equipment or plant starts, garage organizers, or an interesting gadget, The Home Depot has it all. The winner of my gift box will have $50 to spend any ole’ way he wants!

How ‘bout some R&R after all that shopping?

Gravity Blanket: Last year I stumbled upon a product that has an unbelievable soothing, calming effect - by design! The Gravity Blanket, a weighted throw, uses the power of "deep touch pressure stimulation" shown to increase serotonin and melatonin, the hormones responsible for calming relaxation, while decreasing cortisol, the hormone responsible for stress.

What dad couldn’t benefit from that?! Enter to win one in the box or could pick one up for him, and one for yourself at Gravity Blanket.

• Designed with the same therapeutic benefits as the original Gravity Blanket, the new Cooling Blanket will keep you cool and comfortable all summer long during use. Use code DELILAH to get 20% off your purchase at gravityblankets.com!

Almond Roca, from Brown & Haley: I’m so fortunate to have confectioners Brown & Haley as long-time sponsors, and even luckier still to have them in my back yard! Almond Roca was delivered on festive occasions to my childhood home by my grandmother, and now that I have grandchildren of my own, I love to spoil them with this special treat. Spoil your dad with the unmistakable taste of Almond Roca!

My Dad’s Day Gift Box Sweepstakes is not a contest; the winner will be picked at random from all entrants.

All you must do is send me an email and let me know you’d like to win it. You DO know of course, that I’d absolutely LOVE it if you included a little story about a special dad in your life!

Write to me HERE by midnight on Sunday, June 9.

Yukgaejang (Korean Beef Stew with Fiddleheads)

Gosari is the Korean term for dried fernbrake - or fiddleheads - the tightly curled new fronds of the common Bracken Fern.

Fiddleheads have been prepared and eaten on several continents for hundreds, or perhaps thousands, of years. But there are some precautions you should take with it.

Within bracken fern lurks a substance called ptalquiloside. It’s a known carcinogen, and therefore, NOT our friend, but because it is 1) water-soluable, and 2) breaks down in warmer temperatures, steps can be taken to greatly reduce the levels of this harmful stuff in your hard-earned harvest.

First, you should soak the fiddleheads in cold water for several hours, changing the water often. Second, at some point in the preparation process you should boil bracken fern in salted water for 30 minutes or longer, making it both tender and safer for consumption.

That said, I encourage you to do your research and decide yourself what your comfort level with this is. I’m told that different fern varieties, such as the Lady Fern, contain less or even no ptalquiloside, so perhaps you could educate yourself and use only those types if there is lingering concern.

Kimmy and I harvest the traditional Bracken Fern, soak it, dehydrate it, store it in air-tight baggies and for months following, boil to reconstitute and then use and enjoy it in dishes like Bibimbap (Rice Topped with Vegetables) and Yukgaejang (Beef Stew with Vegetables.)

I’m going to share her recipe for Yukgaejang with you. We enjoy it so much and I think you will find it an enjoyable way to celebrate your adventurous experience!

Korean Yukgaejang

Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons sesame oil

• 2 Tablespoons gochugaru (red chili pepper flakes)

• 1/2 large yellow onion

• 2 Tablespoons minced garlic

• 1 cup rehydrated gosari

• 8-10 cups beef broth 

• 8 ounces Korean radish,  cut into chunks

• 3 shiitake mushrooms, sliced (other mushroom varieties may also be used.)

• 1 teaspoon (or more) gochujang ( chili pepper paste)

• 1 teaspoon doenjang (fermented soybean paste)

• 2 tablespoons guk ganjang  (soup soy sauce)

• 2 bunches scallions, sliced

• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Place dried gosari into a small pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and boil for 30 minutes or longer.

2. Rinse in cold water, drain and cut into 3-4 inch lengths. Set Aside.

3. Put 2 tablespoons of sesame oil on the bottom of a large stock pot, heat and add the gochugaru chili pepper flakes. Cook over medium-high heat until the oil begins to turn red from the pepper flakes, turn down to medium then add the onion and garlic; saute until the onion is translucent. Do not burn the chili flakes.

4. Add the gochujang chili pepper paste, and doenjang soybean paste to mixture. (More or less chili paste can be used to create desired level of spice.)

5. Add beef broth, shredded beef, radish, mushrooms, gosari (fiddleheads,) and guk ganjang soup soy sauce. Stir to combine.

6. Boil over medium heat, covered, for 20 minutes.

7. Add scallions and boil for another 10 minutes.

8. Season with 1 teaspoon salt (or more) and pepper to taste.

9. Serve with rice.

Dried and packaged gosari is readily available at Korean markets and since you’ll probably be making a trip to one for several of the ingredients, you could elect to skip the harvesting expedition and go right to making and enjoying this dish!

Strawberry "Poke" Cake

I posted this picture of the strawberry poke-cake I made and served on Easter, to my Facebook page… and received many requests for the recipe after doing so. I wish I could take credit for coming up with the idea, but it’s been around for some time and is already pretty well known.

For those who have never been introduced, here’s the basic gist. A light, moist, refreshing desert with fresh strawberries as a bonus! I am always one to improvise based on what I have on hand, or if I think I might like to change things up a bit, and I encourage you to do the same.

Cream cheese frosting is a departure I made from the recipe when it was given to me. I think whipping cream is what’s traditional. Do what you think you’ll like best!

CAKE

Ingredients:

• 1 box white, yellow (butter,) or even strawberry flavored box cake mix

• eggs, oil and water as called for on the box

• 1 (3 oz.) box Strawberry Jello

• 1 cup boiling water

• cream cheese frosting

• sliced strawberries, for garnish

Directions:

1. Prepare cake batter according to the packaging directions:

2. Pour into greased 9x13 inch baking pan and bake, again, according to box directions.

3. Remove from oven. Let cool 30 minutes.

4. Using the handle of a large wooden spoon, poke holes all over the cake.

5. In a medium bowl, stir together jello mix and boiling water until jello dissolves completely.

6. Carefully pour mixture evenly over the top of cake. Cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge to chill for 2 hours or until Jello is firm and set.

7. Remove from refrigerator and ice with cream cheese frosting (recipe below,) garnish with sliced strawberries.

8. Serve immediately, or return to refrigerator until served.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened

• 8oz cream cheese

• 4 cups powdered sugar

• 2 tsps vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Combine softened butter and cream cheese in medium bowl: beat on medium speed until well blended.

2. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until creamy.

Zucchini Fritters

I recently hosted a cooking demonstration on a big boat in a bigger sea.

It was a cruise ship actually, and I was in the middle of the Caribbean, chatting away to a group of Delilah enthusiasts about my kids, my life, my farm, and my love of cooking!

I shared my Zucchini Fritter recipe with everyone, and then we taste-tested the result! Mmmmm.

Perhaps it was the excitement, the sea air, the energetic participants… but oh my, they were delicious if I do say so myself!

It will soon be zucchini season, so here’s the (easy!) recipe if you feel like giving them a try:

Ingredients:

• 2-3 medium zucchini, grated

• 1 small to medium onion, finely diced

• 1/3 cup all purpose flour

• 2/3 cup Panko bread crumbs

• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• 2 large eggs, beaten

• 3 cloves garlic, minced (or 2 tsp garlic powder)

• salt, freshly ground black pepper, and paprika to taste (or use about 2 teaspoons of seasoning salt)

• 4 tblsp olive oil

Directions:

1. Place grated zucchini and diced onion in middle of a square of cheesecloth, or a clean kitchen towel, and squeeze to drain as much moisture from the vegetables as you can. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour, Panko, Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, pepper, paprika (or garlic powder and seasoning salt,) then add the zucchini and onion and stir well.  

3. Add the 2 beaten eggs to the batter just before frying, and mix until evenly combined.

4. Working in batches, heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Gently drop mounds of the zucchini batter into the skillet, about 2 heaping tablespoons at a time; flatten slightly with the back of a spatula.

5. Fry until cooked through and golden brown; approximately 2-3 minutes per side. Remove to paper towels, then to serving dish.

6. Serve warm as an appetizer, side, or light lunch/brunch. Use your favorite aioli sauce or plain yogurt for dressing.

My Easter Basket of Good Things

Enter by writing to me HERE

So very soon my friends, Ole’ Peter Cotton Tail will be hoppin’ down the bunny trail (hippity hoppity, Easter’s on it’s waaaaaay) and we’ll be celebrating the day in a myriad of ways.

For many it will begin with sunrise church service, celebrating the highest of Christian holy days (I’m in!), for others it may mean a walk on a spring day, or time spent in prayer or meditation.

Certainly, no one will be immune to the gladness, and goodness, and joy of spring! This time of rebirth, of sights and scents that fill our senses, and creep into our bodies, our bones, our cellular structure… promising hope and renewal.

There will be Easter dresses, Easter bonnets, Easter bow-ties, Easter eggs, Easter baskets, and Easter dinners. There will be an abundance of Easter blessings.

I want to help: I’m going to be give away a basket of Easter goodness to one lucky listener. All you must do to enter is to send me a note. Tell me what you’ll be up to on Easter. Maybe you’ll share your beliefs, your traditions, your hopes… I love hearing from you and getting peeks into who you are and what your lives are like.

In my Easter Basket of Good Things you’ll find:

MUSIC!

Burn The Ships, the latest from
for KING & COUNTRY

From Christian singer/songwriter brothers Joel and Luke Smallbone, comes a compilation honoring the many extraordinary changes and transitions the brothers have experienced since their last album.

A marriage for one, a new baby for the other, celebrations, struggles, and all the magical mundane moments in between. Burn the Ships is their personal soundtrack to the seasons of life. 11 songs capturing all the hope, perseverance, and love that a life well-lived involves.

It’s a perfect soundtrack for the Easter season, and calls to all of us to Rise.

Be sure and watch their heartwarming video of how one recent “Make a Wish” projected touched their lives. 

AND, Bridges, Josh Groban’s Newest

A very full album with 12 singles - 9 of them co-written by the man himself! It’s an album of gratitude, opening with the single Granted, and following with many personal and touching songs. There is an impressive guest line-up on Bridges as well, such as Sarah McLachlan, on Run, Andrea Bocelli on We Will Meet Again, and Jennifer Nettles on 99 Years. But I think my favorite is his collaboration with Flamenco musician Vicente Amigo on Musica del Corazon! Wow. Just wow.

I recently caught up with Josh in New York City; a kind, lovely, man who remains grounded and true to his authentic self - he’s matured for sure, but still the 19 year old I met for the first time many years ago. We recorded our time together for my LOVE SOMEONE podcast! Give it a listen, and pay close attention to the information shared on his Find Your Light Foundation!

BOOKS!

The Beloved Christian Daily Devotional,
Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young.

With it’s beautiful new on-trend foil and fabric botanical cover, this recently released edition of Jesus Calling has a rich, elegant feel, along with large text and written-out scripture verses.

This devotional is a much used, much enjoyed, important member of my personal library, and I want you to have it too. Experience a deeper relationship with Jesus as you savor the presence of the One who understands you perfectly and loves you forever.

MY book, One Heart At A Time!

A memoire of big and small moments in my life, that led me down the path to the place I’m at today. Granted, the path looks a bit like one of those Family Circus cartoons… it’s not a very strait passage from Point A to Point B, but as the kid in that comic knew, there are so many more interesting things to see and do when you take the road less traveled! I hope you will find One Heart At A Time to be a blessing and an inspiration to change the world, One. Heart. At. A. Time.

CANDY and FLOWERS!

Delicious Brown & Haley’s Almond ROCA

No Easter basket is complete without candy, and I’m including the BEST!

A perennial favorite of my families my entire life! No holiday was without Almond ROCA

, and no basket should be either! Brown & Haley are still operating from their large brick building in downtown Tacoma, Washington, making delicious confections from fresh ingredients since 1912!

A Lovely Balsam Hill
Provencal Lavender Swag

Speaking of perennials - ‘tis the season for gorgeous blooms and blossoms! None more so than the everlasting offerings from my friends at Balsam Hill! , the sway is part of a larger collection of lavender blooms which takes inspiration from the sunlit French countryside.

The incredibly realistic artificial foliage features long lavender stalks in shades of purple and pink, accented by silver-gray leaves for added depth. Let it grace an entry door, a table top or wherever you’d like a sprig of spring in your home or office.

*****

It makes my heart so happy to be able to bless one of you with this gift basket of very very good things, and to be able to share the news of all the products included so that you may try one or all at your convenience.

This is a sweepstakes, which means the winner will be chosen at random.
All you must do to enter is write to me HERE.

Entries must be received by midnight, Monday, April 15th,
(Thank you for understanding that I can only ship to address located within the United States)  

Of course, when you write, I’d love it if you share something of yourself with me.
What’s your story? I want to know!

HAPPY EASTER!

My February Big Apple Experience

In the middle of February, when Seattle was experiencing a once-in-a-decade snow event, I did what everyone does when it snows and headed to a colder climate… (Uh, what?!) The irony wasn’t lost on me.

I’d planned a trip to New York City, and had appearances and interviews lined up with The Jenny McCarthy Show, TODAY with Kathie Lee and Hoda, Build Series NYC, and People TV.

I’d made arrangements to meet with Tim Tebow, Josh Groban, and Trisha Yearwood to spend a little one-on-one time with these phenomenal people and record a chat session for my podcast series, LOVE SOMEONE with Delilah.

And then Mother Nature threw a little hiccup into my plan and a foot of snow and ice onto my driveway!

The kids, of course, were elated! No school!!!!!!

The animals, of course, were shocked. So coooooold!

The husband, of course, was busy. Go shovel!

And I, of course, was nervous. No school! So cold! Go shovel! And, how in the world am I going to get to NYC?!

Flights were cancelled or delayed. Roads were closed. I didn’t have child-care lined up… This is one of those moments that I need to learn to take my own advice, but instead I worried, and I fretted, and I got a edgy, and a more than a little grumpy.

It’s true. I do this too!

I was scheduled to fly out on a Tuesday afternoon, and Paul was going with me. We were going to spend Valentines Day, and our birthday, which happens to fall on the same day, February 15th, together. The evening before, the weather warmed a bit, and things started to melt - yay! But then overnight, the temps dropped again and when we got up in the morning, all was frozen - boo!

The entire 1/2 mile long driveway, uphill from the farm to the main road… frozen. Pauls truck, a 4x4 with big knobby tires? No way. The tractor? Ha! What to do, what to do?

Finally, at some point, I DID take my own advice; I gave up control and gave it to God.

And a few hours later, the truck made it up the hill. And a few hours after that, and Paul carefully navigating the piled up snow, ice, and abandoned vehicles on the treacherous drive, we made it to the airport.

And we made it to NYC, and all the appointments, appearances, interviews, fabulous Valentine’s dinner and special performance of number off her new CD “Let’s be Frank” by Trisha Yearwood atop 30 Rockefeller Center in the iconic Rainbow Room. I made it to Junior’s restaurant in Times Square and their delicious Reuben sandwich, and potato pancakes! I made it to a few funky shops and an incredible Broadway performance. I made it to a little birthday celebration at the iHeartRadio studios, and a full day with NO appointments at all, just strolling hand in hand with my hubby in one of the most exciting and beautiful cities in the world.

And everything was bigger, and brighter, and better than it would have ever been, had the entire experience not been in doubt. And funnily enough, the weather was warm and mild and the sun was shining our entire trip. (And the snow was still on the ground at home when we returned.)

So grateful!

Click the links in the first paragraph to watch my interviews and subscribe to my podcast series!