The Lutheran Ladies' Lounge from KFUO Radio

In this edition of “Rachel’s Trivia Challenge,” Rachel guides Sarah, Erin, and Bri back through 4,000 years of New Year’s tradition as she quizzes them on the past and present of New Year’s resolutions.

Who made the first annual resolutions? What does Julius Caesar have to do with the New Year? Which Medieval party day made New Year’s Eve look tame by comparison? How have Lutherans (including Martin Luther himself) traditionally commemorated January 1? Which resolutions today are the most popular to make — and the least popular to keep? Test your New Year’s knowledge as you play along at home!

Resources referenced in this episode include the following:

• “The History of New Year’s Resolutions” (com)
• “Celebrating the New Year, Medieval Style” (net)
• Lutheran Service Book
• “10 Top New Year's Resolutions for Success and Happiness in 2019” (com)
• Martin Luther Sermons, ed. John Nicholas Lenker, vol. 1 (martinluther.us)

Connect with the Lutheran ladies on social media in The Lutheran Ladies’ Lounge Facebook discussion group (facebook.com/groups/LutheranLadiesLounge) and follow Sarah (@mrsbaseballpants), Rachel (@rachbomberger), Erin (@erin.alter), and Bri (@grrrzevske) on Instagram.

Tearing a page each from Amy Grant’s “Grown-Up Christmas List” and NPR’s Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me! Predictions segment, each of the Lutheran Ladies here offers five good wishes and one wacky prognostication to ring in the New Year.

Will 2021 be the year of the analog hobby? Will it go down in history as the year Lutherans on both sides of the northern border inaugurate a multinational seminary hockey game (replete with commemorative touk)? And however will we survive both the coming Kombucha Apocalypse and the almost inevitable Great Hug Epidemic? The answers to these and other big questions about 2021 may not be clear — but they sure are fun to think about.

Connect with the Lutheran ladies on social media in The Lutheran Ladies’ Lounge Facebook discussion group (facebook.com/groups/LutheranLadiesLounge) and follow Sarah (@mrsbaseballpants), Rachel (@rachbomberger), Erin (@erin.alter), and Bri (@grrrzevske) on Instagram.

Travelling back in time to a simpler, happier, less 2020-ish point in history, Sarah, Erin, Bri, and Rachel revisit their 2019 “poetry slam” holiday special, as each (re)shares an original Christmas poem.

From a Dr. Seuss-themed power ballad to a nativity “limerichard,” from a rhapsodic ode to Christmas hymns to a Hamilton-inspired angelic rap verse, these homespun poems will have you snapping their fingers (and maybe even grabbing pen and paper to craft your own Christmas poems) as you marvel anew at the miracle of Christmas.

Connect with the Lutheran ladies on social media in The Lutheran Ladies’ Lounge Facebook discussion group (facebook.com/groups/LutheranLadiesLounge) and follow Sarah (@mrsbaseballpants), Rachel (@rachbomberger), Erin (@erin.alter), and Bri (@grrrzevske) on Instagram.

In this “Erin’s Recipe Card” episode, the Lutheran Ladies take part in their first-ever Iron Ladle Challenge, as they each present a festive seasonal recipe showcasing an assigned ingredient — in this case: cranberries.

Which recipe will be your favorite? Will you favor Erin’s super simple sugared cranberry hors d’oeuvres? Rachel’s cranberry kale salad? Sarah’s cranberry thumbprint cookies? Bri’s cranberry ginger (AKA “cringer”) mocktail? Or will you avoid choosing a favorite and simply make them all in one crantastic feast? Whatever path you pick, there are no losers in this challenge.

Find Rachel’s article “Hot Dish Heaven” (in which her favorite kale salad is prominently featured) in the archives of The Lutheran Witness.

Sugared Cranberries

Coat raw cranberries in simple syrup, let dry so they're sticky, and then roll in sugar.

That's it. So easy.

Rachel’s Cranberry Kale Salad

Remove stems and tear one bunch of kale (about 5 good sized leaves) into a medium-to-large salad bowl. Massage the kale with 1 T olive oil and set aside.

In a jelly jar, combine:

• 1-2 T olive oil
• 2 T balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp. honey
• ½ tsp. stone ground mustard
• Dash salt + fresh cracked black pepper to taste

Shake in lidded jar to combine, drizzle over kale, and toss with tongs till evenly coated.

Top with dried cranberries, crumbled feta cheese, roasted salted sunflower kernels, and toasted almonds.

Cranberry Almond Flour Thumbprint Cookies

Adapted from The Simple Veganista simple-veganista.com/almond-flour-thumbprint-cookies

Ingredients

• 2 cups almond flour (Bob’s Red Mill Fine AF)
• pinch of salt
• ¼ cup honey (original recipe calls for pure maple syrup)
• ¼ cup light flavored olive oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup slivered almonds, crushed or chopped (optional)
• 3 tablespoons homemade cranberry jam, divided (original recipe calls for triple berry chia seed jam)
• Cranberry jam: 12oz fresh cranberries, 3/4 cup water, 3/4 cup honey. Mix water and cranberries over medium high heat until cranberries begin to pop. Stir in honey and reduce heat to medium low. Stir frequently until all cranberries are popped. Remove from heat and let cool. Jam will thicken as it cools. Refrigerate what you don't eat right away.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicon mat.
2. Make the dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together the honey/maple syrup, olive oil and vanilla. Add the almond flour and salt, mix well until the mixture forms a soft dough consistency.
3. Almonds: Place the crushed almonds in a small bowl, set aside.
4. Shape the cookies: Roll dough into 1 inch balls (I used a 1 tablespoon measuring scoop, scooping up rounded tablespoons full of dough). Roll the dough balls in the crushed almonds, and place on a rimmed baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.
5. Add the jam: Using your thumb or the back of ½ teaspoon measuring spoon, make an indent in the center of each cookie. Pinch together any large cracks around the sides of each cookie. Fill the indent with ½ teaspoon of jam.
6. Bake: Place in the oven and bake for 10 – 15 minutes, oven may vary (see notes). Once done, the cookies will be soft and harden as they cool.
7. Makes 16 – 18 cookies
8. Store: Store loosely covered on the counter for up to 3 – 4 days. You can also keep them in an airtight container, just note they will soften a bit but will still be chewy. Or keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for 7 – 10 days. To freeze, let cool and store in freezer safe containers with parchment paper between each layer, will keep for to 2 months.

Notes

• Oil: This would be great with a lemon flavored olive oil. Coconut oil would also be great, just be sure it’s softened, or in liquid state, before using.
• Nuts: Change up the nuts using your favorite or what you have on hand. Crushed pistachios, pecans, or walnuts would all work well.
• Flavors: Add ½ teaspoon of cinnamon for a nice layer of flavor. Or try adding ½ teaspoon dried rosemary that’s been finely chopped. As mentioned above, use lemon olive oil, plus a little lemon zest.
• Oven Time: Baking times may be vary since ovens are different. I baked all my batches for the full 15 minutes and they were perfect. Some may find 10 minutes is best, as noted in the comments. Use your best judgement.

The Very Merry Cran-Ginger Mocktail (a.k.a. THE CRINGER)

Adapted from The Speckled Palate: thespeckledpalate.com/sparkling-ginger-cranberry-mocktail

• 2 tbsp. turbinado sugar (“in the raw”)
• The juice of 1 orange + 1 tsp. of its zest (any variety)
• 4 oz. ginger beer
• 2 oz. unsweetened cranberry juice

Garnishes: pomegranate seeds, orange slices, starfruit slices, sugared cranberries

1. On a small plate or tea saucer, combine sugar and orange zest; incorporate the orange zest throughout.
2. Onto another small plate or tea saucer, pour *some* of the orange juice — just enough to cover the surface of the plate.
3. Place your serving glass in the plate of juice, rim side down.
4. Transfer your glass to the plate of sugar, again rim side down. Turn the glass and move it around the plate, evenly coating the rim.
5. In a separate container, combine ginger beer and cranberry juice and lightly stir. If you prefer a less intense drink, add some of the reserved orange juice to the mixture before stirring.
6. Serve in the sugar-rimmed glass over ice and garnish.
7. Enjoy! Congratulations, you are fancy!!

Connect with the Lutheran ladies on social media in The Lutheran Ladies’ Lounge Facebook discussion group (facebook.com/groups/LutheranLadiesLounge) and follow Sarah (@mrsbaseballpants), Rachel (@rachbomberger), Erin (@erin.alter), and Bri (@grrrzevske) on Instagram.

Advent hymns have taken on new resonance in 2020, as Christians pray “Come, Lord Jesus!” with ever more eagerness and urgency. In this “Hymn Sing with Sarah” episode, Sarah leads Erin, Bri, and Rachel in a discussion of Advent hymns, old and new. Drawing from the results of a Facebook group poll, the ladies identify which Advent hymns are most beloved and talk more generally about what makes an Advent hymn an Advent hymn.

Sarah then digs deeply into the history and meaning of several popular hymns, including “O Come, O Come Emanuel” and “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence.” She ends by sharing the heart-rending backstory to Jochen Klepper’s WWII-era hymn text “The Night Will Soon Be Ending.”

Sensitive content: This episode of The Lutheran Ladies’ Lounge podcast touches on the Holocaust and the topic of suicide, beginning around 42 minutes. You are a loved and redeemed child of God, and you are not alone. If you are struggling and need to speak with someone right away, call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 800-273-8255. Jesus loves you.

Connect with the Lutheran ladies on social media in The Lutheran Ladies’ Lounge Facebook discussion group (facebook.com/groups/LutheranLadiesLounge) and follow Sarah (@mrsbaseballpants), Rachel (@rachbomberger), Erin (@erin.alter), and Bri (@grrrzevske) on Instagram.

Last Christmas, in her “How to Lutheran” episode “The Lutheran Ladies’ Guide to Chrismons™,” Bri introduced Sarah, Erin and Rachel to the past and present of the handcrafted gold and white ornaments that adorn so many church Christmas trees to this day.

In this follow-up conversation, Bri looks forward to the future of these “fancy Jesus ornaments,” proposing five new Christological symbols that she feels should join the Chrismon collection: a pineapple, a roll of duct tape, a bar of soap, an umbrella, and a ladle. Find out why these items in particular made Bri’s list—and be inspired to imagine your own new set of Chrismons™, as you learn to see symbols of Christ’s love in the mundane objects all around you.

Listen to “The Lutheran Ladies’ Guide to Chrismons™” here, or click to hear a KFUO interview on Chrismons™ with Meghan Schultz, owner of Red Letter Art & Design.

Connect with the Lutheran ladies on social media in The Lutheran Ladies’ Lounge Facebook discussion group (facebook.com/groups/LutheranLadiesLounge) and follow Sarah (@mrsbaseballpants), Rachel (@rachbomberger), Erin (@erin.alter), and Bri (@grrrzevske) on Instagram.

In this episode, Rachel leads Sarah, Erin, and Bri in a recap discussion of the Lutheran Ladies’ Book Club Anniversary Read selection, I Don’t Want to Have the Prayer: A Messy Pastor’s Kid Does Her Memory Work.

The show opens with a special guest appearance by author Karen Kuhlmann Averitt, who answers reader questions about the book submitted via Facebook, then continues with a conversation covering key questions raised by the book.

How do the expectations placed on pastors’ families sometimes make their lives harder and more complicated than they need to be? How does God use the tough, lonely seasons in life to shape His children (including PKs) into compassionate, mature Christians? Just what is it about the Lutheran faith that keeps people coming back, even after a time of wandering?

At the end of the episode, Rachel announces plans for the next book club pick — a “Ladies’ Choice” selection to be chosen from among the following titles:

• The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin (submitted by Bri)
• The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver (submitted by Erin)
• Dangerous Alliance: An Austentacious Romance by Jennieke Cohen (submitted by Sarah)
• The Bird in the Tree by Elizabeth Goudge (submitted by Rachel)

Click to learn more about Karen Kuhlmann Averitt’s I Don’t Want to Have the Prayer or to browse a complete list of books by Lutheran Ladies’ Lounge authors.

Cast your vote for our next book club read in The Lutheran Ladies’ Lounge Facebook discussion group (facebook.com/groups/LutheranLadiesLounge) and follow Sarah (@mrsbaseballpants), Rachel (@rachbomberger), Erin (@erin.alter), and Bri (@grrrzevske) on Instagram.

Just in time for Thanksgiving, the Lutheran Ladies are taking on that flakiest and most finicky of festive desserts: pie.

In this special #PieFest installment of Erin’s Recipe Card, the Lutheran Ladies each try their hand at one or more different kinds of pie, from sweet to savory, lattice top to open-faced tart, all-butter to crumb. Pies featured include apple cranberry, Japanese sweet potato, chocolate pretzel, butternut squash, cookies and cream, broccoli chicken, and chicken pasty.

Filled with practical advice (keep that butter cold!), historical context, tips for dietary modifications, creative recipe tweaks, and friendly encouragement, this episode will give laughter and inspiration to Lutheran pie bakers everywhere as they roll up their sleeves for another season of holiday baking.

Rachel's Ice Cream Pie

Rachel's Pasties

Rachel's Pot Pie

Rachel's Butternut pies (and breads!)

Sarah's Japanese Sweet Potato Pie

Sarah's Japanese Sweet Potato Pie

Erin's Cran-Apple Pie

Erin's Cran-Apple Pie

Erin's Cran-Apple Pie

Bri's Milk Chocolate Pretzel Tart

Bri's Milk Chocolate Pretzel Tart

Connect with the Lutheran ladies on social media in The Lutheran Ladies’ Lounge Facebook discussion group (facebook.com/groups/LutheranLadiesLounge) and follow Sarah (@mrsbaseballpants), Rachel (@rachbomberger), Erin (@erin.alter), and Bri (@grrrzevske) on Instagram.

Rachel quizzes Sarah, Erin, and Bri on “All things All Saints’”—from the mundane to the miraculous—in this slightly belated edition of “Rachel’s Trivia Challenge.”

Beginning and ending with a Lutheran view of saints and a discussion of how the “holy ones” among us—living and dead—can best be honored, the Ladies take time to traverse two millennia of saints’ lives, drawing inspiration and sometimes amusement from these occasionally over-the-top accounts of religious superheroes from days gone by.

What does the Augsburg Confession have to say about the saints? Which saint did Luther once pray to on one memorable occasion—and why? What common thread ties together at least half a dozen female saints and martyrs? Which storied Lutheran church is named for the patron saint of chefs and comedians? And who are the saints Lutherans should most especially honor and remember, both on All Saints’ Day and always?

Resources referenced in this episode include the following:

• Celebrating the Saints by the Rev. William Weedon
• Festival Sermons of Martin Luther, translated by the Rev. Joel R. Baseley

Connect with the Lutheran ladies on social media in The Lutheran Ladies’ Lounge Facebook discussion group (facebook.com/groups/LutheranLadiesLounge) and follow Sarah (@mrsbaseballpants), Rachel (@rachbomberger), Erin (@erin.alter), and Bri (@grrrzevske) on Instagram.

In this week’s episode (recorded days before Election Day 2020), Bri asks a timely and relevant “Big Question”: How do I survive election season as a Lutheran woman?

In the honest and open conversation that follows, Sarah, Erin, Bri, and Rachel cover a range of topics and ideas at the intersection of Lutheran faith and politics: voting out of love for our neighbors, trusting “not in princes,” and finding our ultimate identity in Christ — not political party affiliations. They also touch on the place of social media in political discourse, the value of secret ballots, the way voting priorities change as you age, and whether or not this year’s election is actually the most contentious in American political history.

In the end, Bri reminds us that whether we vote red or blue (or something else entirely), we are sisters in Christ, and we are loved.

Learn more about the following resources mentioned or quoted in the episode:

• The August issue of The Lutheran Witness on theology and politics
• The Rev. Dr. Joel Biermann’s article “Beyond the Booth”
• Peter Slayton’s article “Social Media Politics”
• The Rev. Dr. Joel Lehenbauer’s 2012 sermon “Trust Not”
• The Lutheran Book of Prayer and Starck’s Prayer Book, both from CPH

Connect with the Lutheran ladies on social media in The Lutheran Ladies’ Lounge Facebook discussion group (facebook.com/groups/LutheranLadiesLounge) and follow Sarah (@mrsbaseballpants), Rachel (@rachbomberger), Erin (@erin.alter), and Bri (@grrrzevske) on Instagram.