1/2 cantaloupe - small pieces 1 small can pineapple chunks - drained
1 bunch seedless grapes 1 large banana - sliced
Toss fruit together, except banana. Chill. Add banana before serving.
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10/15/08 Quick and Easy Meals, Make Ahead Recipes for Thanksgiving & Christmas
#1 · October 15, 2008, 9:29 am
Posted by: jhbreneman <jhbreneman@...>
HEART TO HEART NEWSLETTER
ENCOURAGEMENT TO WOMEN
Compiled especially for you with love by Lois Breneman
ENCOURAGEMENT TO WOMEN
Compiled especially for you with love by Lois Breneman
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10/15/08 Quick and Easy Meals, Make Ahead Recipes for Thanksgiving & Christmas
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IN THIS ISSUE:
WHEN YOU NEED A SPECIFIC RECIPE
COMPUTER RECIPE ORGANIZER
VEGGIE CALCULATOR
QUICK AND EASY MEALS
BREAKFAST ON THE RUN
MEALS IN MINUTES
SURVIVING AND SAVING WHEN YOU'RE SICK
ARE YOU A LIGHT IN GOD'S PUMPKIN PATCH?
HURRY UP AND BE STILL!!!
WHEN YOU NEED A SPECIFIC RECIPE
Robyn Armijo in Chile ~ I would like to share that http://www.allrecipes.com is my favorite place for recipes. It's a really neat website, not only for the delicious recipes, but they have several "extras." If you are making food for a large group, you put in how many and the recipe comes out automatically for that amount. If you only have certain ingredients in your frig or cupboard you put those in and recipes are given for these ingredients. Also, there is a way to print out all recipes in 3 different ways, 3x5,4x6, full page etc. There are also school recipes for lunches, snacks, quick recipes and a recipe search. If your great grandma made something but you don't have the recipe you can find it here. Its really is a great site.
COMPUTER RECIPE ORGANIZER
In doing a search for computer recipe organizers, this one appeared to be better than most: http://www.mountain-software.com/homecook.htm?source=cookingsoftware - $29.95 You may find this to be a good Christmas gift idea to give to someone or for you to suggest when asked.
QUICK AND EASY MEALS
Thanks to "Heart to Heart" subscribers for these quick and easy recipes!
Debbie Klinect in Florida: Here are some of our favorite meals that I serve my family:
OUR FAVORITE CHICKEN
6 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
6 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
1 jar of Classico Florentine Spinach and Cheese Sauce
8 ounces grated mozzarella cheese
8 ounces grated mozzarella cheese
Microwave the frozen chicken breasts for 6 minutes on high. Drain off the fluid. In a 9x13 baking pan, place chicken breasts on bottom of pan. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Spread the grated mozzarella cheese over top. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Serve with tossed salad and buttered rolls or bread.
BEAN BAKE
2 large cans of Spicy Chili Beans
2 small cans of Great Northern Beans, drained
1 package Polish Sausage, cubed
In a large pot, empty spicy beans with their sauce. Add water to each can, about half full and swish around to get the rest of the sauce and add this to the pot. Add the Great Northern beans and sausage. Cook over med/low. I start mine after lunch and let it simmer all afternoon. Sometimes I also add a bag of frozen corn, a chopped onion, and a chopped green pepper to give it extra color. Serve with cornbread.
2 large cans of Spicy Chili Beans
2 small cans of Great Northern Beans, drained
1 package Polish Sausage, cubed
In a large pot, empty spicy beans with their sauce. Add water to each can, about half full and swish around to get the rest of the sauce and add this to the pot. Add the Great Northern beans and sausage. Cook over med/low. I start mine after lunch and let it simmer all afternoon. Sometimes I also add a bag of frozen corn, a chopped onion, and a chopped green pepper to give it extra color. Serve with cornbread.
Make a double batch of the Bean Bake, or just use your leftovers to make this next dish.
TAMALE PIE - SORT OF
Leftover Bean Bake
1 box Cornbread Mix from Jiffy or some other brand
In a baking dish, pour in your leftover Bean Bake. Mix the box of cornbread according to the directions on the package. Pour this over the top of your Bean Bake. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, until corn bread is golden brown. Serve with tossed salad.
In a baking dish, pour in your leftover Bean Bake. Mix the box of cornbread according to the directions on the package. Pour this over the top of your Bean Bake. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, until corn bread is golden brown. Serve with tossed salad.
The following eight recipes came from a cookbook assembled by Sheila Dietels, which she put together as a fund raiser for missionaries, Alan and Rosemary Armstrong, serving in Ireland. Rosemary is also a "Heart to Heart" subscriber. Permission to include these recipes was given by Sheila, as well as each one whose recipe you will see. Thanks so much, ladies!
SWISS ROUND STEAK
From Danielle Altizer in Virginia
1 1/2 to 2 lb. round steak 1 (15 oz.) can sliced carrots
2 cups tomatoes, (stewed or juice) 1 (15 oz.) can peas
1 1/2 to 2 lb. round steak 1 (15 oz.) can sliced carrots
2 cups tomatoes, (stewed or juice) 1 (15 oz.) can peas
2 Tbs. sugar 1 tsp. chili powder
1 medium onion, diced
Cut steak into serving size. Brown in a skillet, then place in large casserole dish. Combine tomatoes, sugar, onion, carrots, peas, and chili powder in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour this mixture over the meat pieces, cover with foil. and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour, then uncover and bake 1/2 hour until tender. Taste deepens if allowed to set awhile.
MEXICAN ENCHILADA CASSEROLE
From Pamela Yost in Virginia
1 lb. hamburger 7 oz. can green chilies
1 can enchilada sauce 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 (15 oz.) can Ranch Style beans
Cook hamburger and drain, Add sauce, water, chili, and beans and cook 10 minutes on low, heating through. Grease 9x13 inch pan and layer tortillas, then meat sauce, tortillas, more meat, and top with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
LEMON HERBED ROASTED CHICKEN
(Crockpot recipe)
From Lisa Weddle in Virginia
1 whole chicken 1/2 tsp salt
1 small onion, peeled 1 Tbsp. fresh parsley or 1 tsp. dried parsley
2 Tbsp. butter 1/4 tsp. thyme
Juice of 1 lemon 1/4 tsp. paprika
Rinse chicken well and pat dry. Remove any excess fat. Put onion into cavity of chicken and rub skin with butter. Put chicken in crockpot. Squeeze lemon juice over chicken and sprinkle with remaining seasonings. Cover and cook on LOW 8 to 10 hours or on HIGH 4 to 5 hours. Do not add any liquid to crockpot.
CHICKEN OLE'
From Sheila Dietels in Virginia
1/2 cup medium salsa 2 Tbsp. butter
1/4 cup Dijon mustard Sour cream (optional)
2 Tbsp. lime juice
4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
Combine salsa, mustard, and lime juice in large bowl. Add chicken and coat well on both sides. Cover and let marinate in refrigerator at least 30 minutes. Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat until foamy. Remove chicken from marinade, but save the marinade. Cook chicken in skillet about 10 minutes; add marinade and cook until chicken is tender. Remove chicken; boil marinade on high heat 1 minute. Pour over chicken.
CHICKEN DIVAN
From Carolyn Rakes in Virginia
2 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen broccoli 1/2 cup milk
2 cans cream of chicken soup 1 tsp. lemon juice
1 cup mayonnaise 1 cup grated sharp American cheese
1/2 tsp. curry powder 2 Tbsp. melted butter
1 cup crushed corn flakes
6 chicken breasts (halves)
Cook chicken; cut into bite-size pieces. Cook and drain broccoli. Arrange in 9x13 inch buttered baking dish. Arrange chicken on top of broccoli. Combine soup, milk, lemon juice, mayonnaise, curry powder, and cheese. Pour over chicken and broccoli; be sure to cover broccoli and chicken. Combine cornflakes and butter, spreading on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Makes 8 to 10 servings.
SWISS CHICKEN CASSEROLE
(Crockpot recipe)
From Kristi Britts in Virginia
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1/4 cup milk
6 slices Swiss cheese 2 cups herb stuffing mix
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup 1/2 cup butter, melted
Spray crockpot with cooking spray. Arrange chicken breasts in the crockpot. Top with cheese, layering if necessary. Combine soup and milk and stir well. Spoon the soup and milk mixture over the cheese and sprinkle with the stuffing and butter mixture. Cover. Cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours or HIGH for 4 to 6 hours.
REFRIGERATOR MASHED POTATOES
From Helen Rutrough in Virginia
5 lb. potatoes, peeled 1 tsp. salt
2 (3 oz.) pkg. cream cheese 1/4 tsp. pepper
1 cup sour cream 2 Tbsp. butter
2 tsp. onion salt Milk (if needed)
Cook potatoes in boiling, salted water until tender; drain. Mash until smooth - no lumps. Add remaining ingredients and beat until light and fluffy. Add milk, if needed, to bring mixture to desired consistency. (Do not make too thin - when hot will be thinner consistency). Cool. Cover and put in refrigerator. May be used anytime within 2 weeks. Freezes well.
To use: Place desired amount of potatoes in greased baking dish. Dot with butter and sprinkle grated cheese on top if desired. Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes, thawed. Full recipe makes approximately 8 cups or 12 to 16 servings.
CRISPY BAKED POTATOES
From Sandy Palmieri in Virginia
4 (6 to 8 oz.) medium baking 3 Tbsp. melted butter
potatoes, cut in half 1/2 tsp. seasoned or garlic salt
lengthwise 1/8 tsp. pepper
In 9x13 inch baking dish, combine butter, salt, and pepper. Place potatoes, cut side down, in dish. Bake at 450 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.
YUMMY BANANA BREAD
From Maryann Bierer in Alabama
6 whole very ripe bananas (I use bananas that have been previously frozen)
4 organic eggs
1 cup canola oil 4 cups self rising flour or wheat flour
1 cup honey sucanat sugar 1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp pure vanilla extract ½ cup walnut pieces (optional)
Topping (optional)
2 Tbsp confection sugar 2 Tbsp. orange juice Preheat oven 350 degrees. Grease 2 loaf pans and dust with flour. Mix well in blender: eggs, oil and sucanat, add vanilla. Add mashed bananas, blend about 2 minutes until well blended. Add flour and baking powder slowly, continue to blend until all mixed well and looks like a cake batter. Pour batter into pre-done pans, bake 1 hour exactly. Set aside to cool. While cooling blend confection sugar and orange juice blend together and brush on top of warm banana bread. Serve it warm or cold. This can be pre-made and frozen for another time to use when company arrives. It is the easiest and best of breads.
From Maryann Bierer in Alabama
6 whole very ripe bananas (I use bananas that have been previously frozen)
4 organic eggs
1 cup canola oil 4 cups self rising flour or wheat flour
1 cup honey sucanat sugar 1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp pure vanilla extract ½ cup walnut pieces (optional)
Topping (optional)
2 Tbsp confection sugar 2 Tbsp. orange juice Preheat oven 350 degrees. Grease 2 loaf pans and dust with flour. Mix well in blender: eggs, oil and sucanat, add vanilla. Add mashed bananas, blend about 2 minutes until well blended. Add flour and baking powder slowly, continue to blend until all mixed well and looks like a cake batter. Pour batter into pre-done pans, bake 1 hour exactly. Set aside to cool. While cooling blend confection sugar and orange juice blend together and brush on top of warm banana bread. Serve it warm or cold. This can be pre-made and frozen for another time to use when company arrives. It is the easiest and best of breads.
The following five recipes are from Betty Robertson in Virginia:
TUNA NOODLE BAKE
1-8 ounce package noodles
3 eggs - beaten
12 ounce can evaporated milk
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon minced onion (optional)
1 small can tuna
8 ounces cheddar cheese - shredded.
Cook noodles according to package directions and drain. Mix all other ingredients with noodles. Bake in 8" x 8" or 9" x 9" square pan for 30-35 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
PITA MELT
Pita packets
Thinly sliced ham or turkey
Swiss, mozzarella or provolone cheese
Line pitas with cheese and stuff with meat. Put on microwave-safe plate and cover with Glad Wrap. Microwave 1 1/2 minutes. Cook each pita that you are making separately.
1/2 cantaloupe - small pieces 1 small can pineapple chunks - drained
1 bunch seedless grapes 1 large banana - sliced
Toss fruit together, except banana. Chill. Add banana before serving.
1 bunch seedless grapes 1 large banana - sliced
Toss fruit together, except banana. Chill. Add banana before serving.
MAKE-AHEAD MASHED SWEET POTATOES
Sweet potatoes can be cooked and mashed ahead of time, then frozen. We used to grow sweet potatoes in our garden and harvest several bushels at one time. That's when I learned to freeze them! Now when sweet potatoes are on sale, I like to stock up, because the prices fluctuate greatly. Autumn is when we find the best prices in the U.S. Bake scrubbed sweet potatoes in a Dutch oven or roaster pan with a small amount of water added for moisture. Bake at 350 F. for about an hour (check for tenderness). When cool enough to handle, peel, mash and freeze in freezer bags. It's as simple as that! I like to freeze sweet potatoes without salt or seasoning, so they can be used for sweet potato casseroles, bread, muffins and pies. Of course, freezing a casserole flavored with ingredients such as butter, salt, brown sugar (or sucanat), cinnamon or cranberries also works very well. It's wonderful to go to the freezer and take out a dish already prepared, except for thawing and heating! If you are able to freeze your casserole in the same dish you plan to set on the table, that saves even more time.
A last minute tip: Brown sugar (or sucanat, from the health food store), placed around the outside edge of the casserole not only looks and tastes good, but it allows those who prefer not to have sugar to reach into the center of the dish for a scoop. Color and texture give the dish more appeal, so why not add chopped walnuts and/or dried cranberries, sprinkled around the edge or only in the center?
MASHED POTATO CASSEROLE
Five or ten pound bags of white potatoes are often "Buy One -- Get One Free," so in order to take advantage of these special prices, without them spoiling, you can cook, mash and freeze them for multiple casseroles to use later. Sometimes I cook the potatoes and mash them, adding some of the cooking liquid, butter and salt - and freeze them in a casserole dish until needed. Before serving them, I thaw the potatoes, heat them in the microwave, add a little milk as I mix them up with a potato masher and they are ready to serve! They can also be held over in the oven, covered, until the rest of the meal is ready.
Or here is a delicious and convenient recipe from the More-With-Less Cookbook by Doris Janzen Longacre. If your family does not like spinach, try substituting grated carrots or other vegetables, although it is very good plain, with vegetables served on the side. If potatoes are the only vegetable your children will eat, try mashing a few cooked carrots or some sweet potato in with the white potatoes. When I've done this, my family thought I had added cheese. For extra nutrition and a natural golden tint, an egg can also be added as the potatoes are whipped. A sprinkle of dried dill weed mixed into the potatoes as well as over the cheese before (or after) baking adds extra flavor and color.
Cook and mash: 3-4 large potatoes.
Add: 1/3 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1 tsp. salt
dash of pepper
1/2 tsp. sugar (given in recipe, but certainly not necessary)
1/4 cup butter
Add just enough milk to bring to proper consistency and beat until fluffy.
Add: 1/8 tsp. dill seed
2 tsp. chives, chopped
1 cup cooked spinach, well drained, chopped (optional)
Place in greased casserole and top with 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese. May be made a day or two ahead and refrigerated, or make a double recipe and freeze half to add to a future oven meal. Or freeze now to use during the holidays!
FROZEN CRANBERRY SALAD
(How easy can it get?)
1 #2 can crushed pineapple in its own juice, drained
1 can whole cranberry sauce
1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt (Whipped cream could be substituted for all or half of the sour cream.)
Mix together and put in ice cube trays or in a 9x9 glass dish. Sprinkle chopped nuts on top. Freeze overnight. Cut into squares and serve as a salad with green lettuce beneath or serve as a dessert - maybe with a cookie on the side.
FROZEN INDIVIDUAL CRANBERRY MOLDS
1 can whole cranberry sauce 1/2 cup sugar (OR a small amount of Stevia)
8 oz. crushed pineapple in juice, drained 1 cup chopped pecans
8 oz. plain yogurt (Whipped cream could be substituted for all or half)
Mix together all ingredients and freeze in muffin cups.
1 can whole cranberry sauce 1/2 cup sugar (OR a small amount of Stevia)
8 oz. crushed pineapple in juice, drained 1 cup chopped pecans
8 oz. plain yogurt (Whipped cream could be substituted for all or half)
Mix together all ingredients and freeze in muffin cups.
*Note: Small pieces of banana mixed in is delicious too! Either cranberry recipe is a great make-ahead salad or dessert for Thanksgiving or Christmas! Of course, either recipe can be frozen in a large mold, glass dish, muffin cups, custard cups or individual molds.
(For more Cranberry Recipes go to http://www.allrecipes.com and run a search.)
PILGRIM HAT COOKIES FOR THANKSGIVING
Using the best rolled gingerbread cookie recipe I've ever found, cut with round cookie cutters and bake, following the directions below. A time-saving tip would be to make enough gingerbread cookies in all kinds of shapes right now and freeze them. Then have the children help to decorate them with frosting closer to Christmas. For Pilgrim hats, after the round circles have cooled, unwrap a small peanut butter cup and place one upside down in the center of each round cookie. Using store-bought frosting in a tube or your own frosting, pipe a ring around the base of the peanut butter cup, "gluing" it onto the cookie. This can be a thick or a thin line, and it will automatically form the band of the hat! Lastly, pipe a square buckle from that line, upward onto the peanut butter cup to form the buckle. These can be made ahead, as well! You may want to bake the round cut-out cookies and freeze way ahead of time to simplify things even more, then have family members join in this fun decorating project. That's what I did this year, thinking my daughter would enjoy this! When our children were young, my sister and two brothers got together for Thanksgiving and we moms organized fun art projects for the children. Those are priceless photographs, now that they are all grown! Well, enough reminiscing!
The Best Gingerbread Cookies Ever!
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cup or less brown sugar (Healthier option: Use sucanat from a health food store)
1 egg
3 Tbsp. orange juice
4 tsp. grated orange rind Beat butter and sugar (sucanat) together.
3 cups flour Mix all ingredients well and chill dough for 3 hours.
2 tsp. baking soda Roll 1/4" thick. Cut cookies in various shapes.
2 tsp. cinnamon Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes. Do not overbake.
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
a dash of salt
DRESSING or STUFFING
I like to make a large dishpan full of stuffing at Thanksgiving, so I can freeze the extra and completely skip the process for Christmas -- it's already done! I don't really use a recipe for this, but make it as my mother always did. Cube bread (whole wheat and white mixture) and let it dry out on a large tray for a day or so. Sometimes I dry it in a dishpan, stirring occasionally over a 2-3 day period. Melt butter, add chicken broth, beaten eggs, lots of cooked celery and onions (sometimes a small amount of grated carrots for color), salt, onion salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, and other dried herbs (parsley, Greek oregano, thyme, rosemary or tarragon, etc.). Stir well. Add enough bread crumbs for a slightly moist mixture. I bake it in greased dishes, (rather than in the bird) at 350º F. until golden brown on top. Don't overbake. The unbaked stuffing mixture will freeze great in containers or freezer bags to serve later. Note: Anytime before Thanksgiving is the time to make this recipe and freeze for both Thanksgiving and Christmas or any other time you want to enjoy stuffing throughout the year.
CONFETTI CORN
If you want to save last minute meal preparation, cut a couple pats of butter into a microwavable casserole dish. Add finely chopped fresh or frozen green pepper, a jar of chopped pimientos (drained), dill weed and a bag of frozen corn. Cover and put the dish in the freezer. To make things even easier for us, some supermarkets sell bags of frozen chopped onion, red, green and yellow bell peppers. On the day you are ready to serve the corn, take the dish from the freezer, thaw and microwave as you normally microwave corn. Add salt to taste just before serving. To cook on top of the stove, add a small amount of water first. This is a quick, tasty and colorful dish -- yellow with red and green!
LET'S TALK TURKEY!
If using a frozen turkey or turkey breast, be sure to give it a couple days in the refrigerator for safe thawing. For a juicy turkey or turkey breast, place a grapefruit, orange or lemon inside the cavity prior to roasting. Pierce the fruit to prevent it from bursting, and simply cook it as usual. You are "guaranteed" a juicy bird each time and there will be no citrus or orange flavor in the turkey. I don't know how this works, but it does. You simply take the fruit and dispose of it after roasting. Obviously, you don't stuff this bird, but it works great to have a separate casserole dish of stuffing as a side dish. Several "Heart to Heart" ladies and I have tried this and we all agree that it works great!
BREAKFAST ON THE RUN
From the Counting the Cost Newsletter, with Nancy Twigg as Editor - ww.countingthecost.com
Used by permission Note from Lois: I love the "banana dog" idea!
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but it can also be the most hectic when you are trying to get your family out the door.
In our last Creative Frugality topic, I wanted to hear your ideas for low-cost breakfasts. Of course things like oatmeal and generic cereal are generally low-cost, but I was thinking more along the lines of things that can be eaten on the run. The question asked, What are your familys favorite creatively frugal breakfast foods? What do your family members like to eat that can be prepared quickly, easily and inexpensively? Here are some of the answers we received:
My kids enjoy breakfast burritos. Scramble the eggs and cook the sausage the night before, then all you have to do in the morning is heat them up place a little sausage, egg and grated cheese in a flour tortilla and off you go. Sometimes they even like a little salsa on the burrito. Don't overstuff them though or you will have a mess. They are quick, easy, and if not overstuffed, not messy and can be eaten in the car, although my kids usually have them finished before they get to the car." ~ Saundra
"One of my sons' favorite on-the-road breakfasts is a 'banana dog'. I take whole wheat hot dog rolls, spread the inside with peanut butter, then put a small peeled banana in the roll just like you would a hot dog. You can add a little jelly, too, if you like. They also like small leftover pancakes spread with maple butter and wrapped around a link of breakfast sausage or a slice of fried Spam." ~ Kristin
"We are a family with gluten allergies so breakfast on the run is usually popcorn cakes spread with peanut butter topped with jelly or perhaps topped with a banana. We also like apple wedges with a small container of peanut butter on the side to dip the wedges into." ~ Janet
"Although I am a vegan, my husband still eats animal products and frequently needs to eat on the run. The day before (or in the morning), we make him an omelet with just a couple of eggs and various veggies: mushrooms, onions, red pepper, tomatoes -- whatever we have on hand. Don't flip the omelet in half -- just leave in a round circle in your smallest fry pan. Then cool it on a plate. When it's cold, we put it between two pieces of toast with a spread (mayo, cream cheese, hummus are all favorites) and a slice of cheese. You can put the cheese in the omelet, too, if you want, but he can taste it better when it's separate on the toast. It's healthy AND cheap. I usually give it to him at room temperature, but you can heat it in the microwave for 20 seconds, too. If I'm really pressed for time, I make an egg in the microwave (put 1-2 eggs in a small (greased) bowl with salt and pepper, beat it, and heat it for about a minute depending on the strength of the microwave). Then I make the sandwich with just spread and cheese and maybe a slice of tomato or onion. I think kids would like breakfast sandwiches, too!" ~ Connie
Nancy Twigg is a Christian author and speaker who loves inspiring women to K.I.S.S. -- Keep It Simpler, Sister! In addition to her two books, she is the editor of Counting the Cost newsletter and website. For more information on Nancy's speaking and writing ministry, visit http://www.countingthecost.com
MEALS IN MINUTES
By Rachel Paxton - Used by permission
No matter what your schedule, you're going to end up preparing a meal on the run every now and again. I try to keep the ingredients for several quick and easy meals on hand so I'm not in a bind when I'm rushed for time and have to throw a quick meal together. Here are some of my family's favorites:
Tomato Soup & Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
I always keep several cans of Campbell's condensed tomato soup and saltine crackers on hand. Just add a can of milk or water to one can of soup and you're in business. My husband prefers his grilled cheese sandwiches prepared with butter in the skillet, but I often leave out the butter completely by first toasting the bread in the toaster oven, adding the sliced cheese, and then microwaving until the cheese melts.
I always keep several cans of Campbell's condensed tomato soup and saltine crackers on hand. Just add a can of milk or water to one can of soup and you're in business. My husband prefers his grilled cheese sandwiches prepared with butter in the skillet, but I often leave out the butter completely by first toasting the bread in the toaster oven, adding the sliced cheese, and then microwaving until the cheese melts.
Stir Fry
There are a number of generic frozen stir fries on the market now that are very reasonably priced. I have to pick through them to find a vegetable combination my family likes, but there really are many to choose from. You just add your choice of beef, chicken, pork, or shrimp, and it only takes about 10 minutes to prepare in the skillet. I add a little soy sauce for extra flavor.
There are a number of generic frozen stir fries on the market now that are very reasonably priced. I have to pick through them to find a vegetable combination my family likes, but there really are many to choose from. You just add your choice of beef, chicken, pork, or shrimp, and it only takes about 10 minutes to prepare in the skillet. I add a little soy sauce for extra flavor.
Spaghetti
I always stock up on jars of spaghetti sauce when they're on sale. I prefer to make my own, but when I'm pressed for time these jars of sauce come in really handy. My family of three only eats about half of the sauce at one time, so I freeze the leftover sauce (the cooked hamburger added), and the next time it just needs to be thawed out and added to the cooked spaghetti noodles. We used to throw away a lot of leftover garlic bread, but I found that especially when we're not planning on having spaghetti ahead of time, toast with butter and garlic powder is a very acceptable substitute. We actually decided we liked the garlic toast better so I don't even bother with the garlic bread anymore. Just add a salad and you have a complete meal.
Chicken Burgers
I often run across frozen breaded chicken patties on sale. These make a great quick meal, any time of the day. They can be eaten alone or on a hamburger bun. Just add mayonnaise, lettuce, and maybe a slice of tomato. We like to eat these with frozen french fries and maybe a jello salad.
About the Author: Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom who publishes the Creative Homemaking Recipe of the Week Club, a weekly newsletter that contains quick, easy dinner ideas and money-saving household hints. To subscribe send a blank e-mail message to [email protected]. Visit Creative Homemaking at http://www.creativehomemaking.com and in the Home and Garden section of Suite 101 - http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/creative_homemaking
SURVIVING AND SAVING WHEN YOU'RE SICK
By Tawra Kellam - http://www.LivingOnADime.com/ - Used by permission
My husband and I paid off $20,000 in debt and medical bills in five years on $22,000 per year averaged income, and I am disabled with Fibromyalgia and ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
Here are some of the ways we lived frugally and made it work:
1. Keep meals simple.
Try any of these simple meals:
- Chicken with a bottle of hot and sour sauce dumped over the top and served with rice
- Taco salad made with bagged lettuce, hamburger browned with taco seasoning, sour cream, salsa and olives
- Baked chicken with freezer rolls and sliced cucumbers, peppers, carrots, tomatoes and ranch dressing
Most of our meals take under 20 minutes to prepare. Write down 10 quick meals that are family favorites. Keep the "quick favorites" list in a specific spot and always keep the ingredients for these favorite meals on hand. Then, when you are sick and can't spend a lot of time cooking, you can make something quick and easy.
Also, make as much of dinner as you can when you are feeling your best. Then if you aren't feeling well come dinnertime, it will be almost all done and you won't be tempted to send for take out.
2. Get the kids to help with daily clean-up. Kids can help pick up most of the house with proper
direction. Mine are 10, 9, and 5 and have been helping since they were 3. I ask each of them to pick up toys. Then I ask each of them to pick up four more things. Later, I might ask them to empty all the trashcans and the dishwasher. Let the kids help as much as possible. Mine spend about 10 minutes a day helping and it makes a world of difference!
3. Use paper plates. They are cheap, come from a renewable resource and can be composted. Use them! They cost about one cent each, so spending five cents for our family of five is much cheaper than the $40 take-out!
4. Give each person his own color of drinking glass. This way, you can prevent family members from getting confused about whose glass is whose and constantly getting out new glasses.
5. Try to do at least one load of laundry a day. That way you wont get overwhelmed or behind.
6. Let non-critical things go! Ignore the dust, the dirty windows, and other things like that. If you are lying sick on the couch where you look right out a dirty window, then ask your kids or hubby to clean it. Otherwise forget it until later! By doing just these few things, you can keep yourself from going insane and save some money even when your sick.
About the Author:
Tawra and her mother, Jill Cooper (who also has ME/CFS) are frugal living experts and the editors of Living on a Dime (http://www.LivingOnADime.com), a website filled with tips on how to save time, money, and energy -- all of which are often in short supply for most of us! They have helped thousands of people all over the world to save money and get out of debt.
ARE YOU A LIGHT IN GOD'S PUMPKIN PATCH?
FREE Downloadable Devotions in Motion
Click this link to find a great children's devotion to share with your children. http://www.maryricehopkins.com/devotions/DIMOCT2005.pdf
Included is a children's sermon, art, craft, Mary Rice Hopkins' Pumpkin Patch song, theme-based snack, and closing prayer. Your children will love it! http://www.maryricehopkins.com
FREE Downloadable Devotions in Motion
Click this link to find a great children's devotion to share with your children. http://www.maryricehopkins.com/devotions/DIMOCT2005.pdf
Included is a children's sermon, art, craft, Mary Rice Hopkins' Pumpkin Patch song, theme-based snack, and closing prayer. Your children will love it! http://www.maryricehopkins.com
Step Three: Deal with your selfishness
Frankly, many couples beginning marriage underestimate how selfishness can threaten a marriage. During courtship and engagement, we do everything we can to attract and please our loved ones. We make ourselves out to be the most kind, loving, compassionate, sensitive human beings on earth. Then, once we are married and the conquest is complete, our natural selfishness, independence, and pride begin to bubble to the surface.
Suddenly we are experiencing conflict, and we're shocked that this ideal love is not as pure as we imagined. Each of us wants our own way. As James 4:1-2 tells us:
What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. ...
Marriage offers a tremendous opportunity to do something about selfishness. Someone may say, "There is no hope; I can't get him to change," or "What's the use? She'll never be any different." Barbara and I know there is hope because we learned to apply a plan that is bigger than human self-centeredness. Through principles taught in Scripture, we have learned how to set aside our selfish interests for the good of each other as well as for the profit of our marriage.
The answer for ending selfishness is found in Jesus and His teachings. He showed us that instead of wanting to be first, we must be willing to be last. Instead of wanting to be served, we must serve. Instead of trying to save our lives, we must lose them. We must love our neighbors (our spouses) as much as we love ourselves.
A marriage is built when two individuals deny their selfishness and yield to Jesus Christ for the purpose of loving and serving their spouses. Jesus Christ will begin the process of building your home if you submit to Him.
HURRY UP AND BE STILL!!!
By Diane Fenlason in Montana - http://letshaveteaandtalk.blogspot.com/ - Used by permission
How interesting is it that wayyy back before the world had any of its modern conveniences, God thought it important to tell us to "Be still and know that I am God"! (Psalm 46:10) This is a chapter where the psalmist illustrates the power and might of God, and how He is worthy of our praise and our trust. We are exhorted to acknowledge that He is our refuge, our strength, even amid all the craziness of our lives.
Think of all the things that women had to do to get their clothes clean during the time this was written. And what they had to go through to get a meal on the table!! They had to have been so much more busy with the things that we now declare to be "mundane housework." We have a way of filling up our days though, with the stuff of life. Appointments, television, friends, telephone conversation, being a taxi-driver for our children's activities, church ministries....the list goes on.
I wonder....how much of this "stuff" (even the really good stuff) is putting our relationships with God at the back of our "to do" lists? Do we take time to "be still" and acknowledging that HE is the one we can trust to give us strength and HE is the one we can always run to for refuge from life's storms? Where are our priorities?
May the Lord bless you today, as you serve Him and remember who He is and what He has done! I encourage you to take time to build your relationship with Him!
We live in a hurried world, don't we? Everyone wants "instant" this, "immediate" that....and my DSL is never fast enough! I was reminded this week of how I would love to have a washing machine that would do laundry in 5 minutes (instead of 45) and a dryer that would process wet clothes in such a way that they would be dry and fluffy in no time at all and would have a built-in "no wrinkle" mechanism for those times when you remember (an hour AFTER the dryer stops) that you had all your husband's work-shirts in that load......... Oh - and I would definitely add the feature that keeps every sock paired with its partner!
How interesting is it that wayyy back before the world had any of its modern conveniences, God thought it important to tell us to "Be still and know that I am God"! (Psalm 46:10) This is a chapter where the psalmist illustrates the power and might of God, and how He is worthy of our praise and our trust. We are exhorted to acknowledge that He is our refuge, our strength, even amid all the craziness of our lives.
Think of all the things that women had to do to get their clothes clean during the time this was written. And what they had to go through to get a meal on the table!! They had to have been so much more busy with the things that we now declare to be "mundane housework." We have a way of filling up our days though, with the stuff of life. Appointments, television, friends, telephone conversation, being a taxi-driver for our children's activities, church ministries....the list goes on.
I wonder....how much of this "stuff" (even the really good stuff) is putting our relationships with God at the back of our "to do" lists? Do we take time to "be still" and acknowledging that HE is the one we can trust to give us strength and HE is the one we can always run to for refuge from life's storms? Where are our priorities?
May the Lord bless you today, as you serve Him and remember who He is and what He has done! I encourage you to take time to build your relationship with Him!
Please remember to pray for each dear Heart to Heart lady and her family as you receive your newsletter. Many ladies are going through very tough times and need our prayers!
Pray each day for the protection of our troops, as well as for their families left at home!
Pray each day for the protection of our troops, as well as for their families left at home!
(¨`·.·´¨) God bless you and your family and keep you in His loving care!
`·.¸(¨`·.·´¨) And remember, I love to hear from you dear ladies!
`·.¸.·´ Your Heart to Heart friend,
"Heart to Heart" Lois
Jer. 33:3 & Eph. 3:20
The purpose of the Heart to Heart Newsletter is to encourage women and build biblical values into daily living through practical creative ideas for the Christian family regarding marriage, children, homemaking, and much more. Receive this free bimonthly newsletter by listing your name, city, state, e-mail address, and name of your referral person and sending it to Lois at <a title=mailto:jhbreneman@... href="mailto:[email protected]" target=_blank>[email protected]. New subscribers will receive a Welcome, a "Start-Up Kit," and several recent newsletters.
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