Camera Found!

Here are the photos of the potato soup thing (last post). A simple way to make light dinners for friends.

I made about 4 gallons soup. That took about 20 lbs of potatoes. About a gallon of milk, about 5 lbs onions, and about 5-6 stalks of celery. Two packages bullion and lots of spices. I hope people liked it!

Apple Cinnamon Mini Loaves

I bet the chickens like my cooking the best! They get the scraps!

BEST bullion EVER!

I leave part of the peel on the potatoes. Makes it more rustic and adds some nutritional value.



I make big sized pieces since they tend to fall apart when cooking and stiring.

New-to-me jars. Half Gallon, pint and a half..beside a regular sized pint jar.

Green Chilies and Tomato Rice. YUM!

Baggies of Cornbread Muffins

Food...Camera is missing...Trip...God's Awesomeness

So, I was taking pics yesterday and now it (the camera)  has apparently vanished. I am really hoping I laid it somewhere and that I do not have to rummage through the trash to find it.

Yesterday, I was making Potato Soup (with chives, bacon, and cheese to top it). I made several gallons (I think like 4 gallons) along with banana bread, corn muffins, & apple cinnamon bread.

Today I made something new!

Slightly Spicy Chicken with slightly spicy rice! I am meeting with the Seniors Group today and I was kind of lost as what to cook. I found chicken on sale, so I knew chicken something. This am I took my standard spices plus Mrs Dash spicy seasoning and boiled my chicken breasts (boneless..they were frozen despite the night in the fridge, so they got boiled!). I added the spices to the water while they were boiling.

Then I took a cup of the broth from the cooked chicken and used it in my rice (I used one part broth to 4 parts water). I added bullion, more seasonings, canned diced tomatoes and green chilies. Then I cooked the rice as "normal" (the directions on the bag).  YUMMY. I have corn and green beans as my side dishes cooking in my crock pots as I type.

Off to the day. Tomorrow we are planning to go to Virgina for a quick trip & a tour of a museum we missed last trip, followed by a "home improvement" work day. Even in a small home, there are always projects to do!!

And I have to share the awesomeness of God! My van was acting up. I just decided there was nothing I could do about it right now. We had to many other financial "commitments." So I drove my husbands car as needed and tried to not drive the van too much. Well, we needed the van for an upcoming Singles Sunday School race thing the guys are doing, so I decided to not panic over the money and just take it in. I was pretty sure it was the same thing as last year I had repaired. About $350 -700 ...depending if they needed to replace one or two of the thingies.

Well, I woke up the other day and decided to trust God on it. I really did too. I had a peace about it. I did not even stress in my tummy! I took it and and waited. {Note: my kids were FANTASTIC waiting!} Then the guy told me it was the same thing, and even though the warranty expired a few months back, the parts store was going to just give me a new one anyway!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yep, that was just the mercy of God. The total cost $77. For labor. Now, if the cost had been  $700, it still would have been the mercy of God. I had something priceless... The knowledge that the Lord would take care of our needs. And the reminder of the absolute truth...is not life worth more that what you eat, or what you drink, or the clothes you wear (or the car needing fixed).? Seek first the Kingdom of God and all these things will be added to you. Oh, how we get caught up in so many temporal things, but with Jesus, we can fully trust Him to provide if we seek Him first!

Crock Pot Cookery In Mass

So......before I had spoken of Dinner Delivered meals I was doing. They were fun, but on a month when I had VBS, I did a freezer slow cooker meal to deliver. It turned out wonderfully for the recipient (as far as I know!). Now that is what I have been doing for a few months. It is SO EASY and then the families have meals when they need them. And I only spend one day a month delivering. Last month I made about 18 meals. It took about 3ish hrs to prepare, 1ish hours to go to the store to get the supplies, and about 2 ish hours to deliver. (For those interested in cost to do this, below is a chart showing what a value this is). It was SPLENDID!  I LOVE doing this, it is such a blessing to me! I am so thankful others allow us to deliver these to them!

How I "Roll"

               Preparation

I buy the slow cooker disposable bags found in the plastic baggie/ foil section of the store. We have access to a commissary, so my cost is about $2 a box. If they were too much I would use the large zip locks instead. They would then have to wash the cooker afterwards. I love the idea of NO scrubbing! I then make a list on the computer of the meals so they will know what they are eating! I then assign a number or a color to each meal. This paper is printed out and included with the meals.

I make a list of the meals. Then I make a list of who gets what meal(s). I use a handy dandy chart like this:

                         Chicken       Roast        Ham        Soup
Mrs. A                    x                                                x
Mrs. B                    x               x              x              
Mrs. C                                     x                   
Mrs. D                   x                               x                x

Then I tally up needed baggies and ingredients. I use a similar method as above to figure out the food quantities I need. I let the ladies know a few days ahead I am doing it on such and such a day.

               Shopping

I am NOT a list person, but to do this effectively, it is needed. So I shop with my list. On these days, I try to NOT buy anything for myself. Only the things for the dinners. I bring it home and promptly fridge the meats and perishables. Then I either get to work or I do it the next day.

               Assembly/Delivery

I CLEAN my kitchen WELL before I start..even the parts I will not use. Obsessive? Yes, but this is for others, so we should do our best. Then I get out the veggies and cut them as they will be needed in the recipes. I do all this on my little kitchen table in my little kitchen. Then I get the meat needed out and a mixing bowl for each meal (for example...in the chart above three people will be chicken dishes...so three bowls I get out and put the liners into them so I can do it assembly line style). I assemble, then either tag it by color or by number and then pop into the freezer/fridge. I do this for each meal, then I place them in a cooler or a freezer tote and take them to the recipients. Clean up is Quick, just some bowls, knives, and two cutting boards!

                Cost

I think this slow cooker thing is a b-a-r-g-i-n!! My family of 6 costs about $50 to eat at a mid range eatery, $100+ at a nicer establishment. Fast Food is about $30 for us (and YUCK!). Look at this below:

Fast Food Meal $30 each x 18 meals = $540! For Fast Food! **No veggies, no leftovers, not usually healthy!
Mid-Range Eatery $50 each meal x 18 meals = 900!!!

The meals I prepare (usually one crock pot meal feeds my family of 6, with leftovers sometimes too!) On the 18 meals I spent about $160.  For 18 meals for $160 = 8.88 EACH! That is a savings of  $21.12 PER MEAL over fast food prices. And 41.12 over mid range eateries! So really if we give up 5 fast food meals a month, it pays for 18 meals to give. Not much of a sacrifice there!!  (And fyi...I include some rice and pastas and drink mixes with the meals (not all the meals, but some).


Easy, Fun, and Fantastic!

Get Well Giving Bags and Pink Hair!

So, you know when you are at church or in a group that you meet with and somebody says their spouse or so- and- so is under the weather? And you may have visions of making them soup and dropping it off, knowing that the likely hood of that actually happening is nill? Well, that happened to me, so I went to the grocery store and got the boxed Chicken Noodle soup (that you add water to, three servings per box) and a carton of saltine crackers. I took a box of the soup and a sleeve of the crackers and put them in brown lunch sacks. Now I will put them in my car so when so-and-so says that somebody is sick, or I see someone under the weather, I can have them on hand to give out. It is a very cheap and easy way to let someone know that you care. It is not about the items, it is about the thought. And when you are sick a little good cheer can go a long way! Here are pics...

And my girls have asked for PINK hair for a w-h-i-l-e. So yesterday they got it!

Church Food Pantry Ideas

So I have an opportunity to get my food pantry ideas in front of a pantry in it's baby stages for consideration. I am super excited. And of course, all my files I had previously made for such an occasion are on my currently crashed laptop so I have made a fast redo of what I can recall this morning. I am going to next test each batch I think...to make sure my servings are accurate. Then I have a paper that goes with the box with "Meal Ideas" on creative ways to make meals using the box contents. I LOVE this idea also because you can give a list to those who want to donate items, and the recipient gets a complete "kit" . It makes it super easy for the recipient, the staff, and the givers. Win, win, win!


Here is what I have in part already crafted:

Food Boxes for 1-2 People

(1) Pancake Mix

(1) Syrup

(1) Tuna Helper/Chicken

(1) Tuna/Chicken

(1) Sm Rice

(1) Pepperoni

(1) Cooked Cereal (Oatmeal, Grits)

(1) Box Pasta (Not Spaghetti)

(1) Spaghetti

(1) Spaghetti Sauce

(4) Canned Veggies

(4) Canned/ Dry  Fruits

(1) Box Cereal

(1) Canned Milk/Powdered Milk

(1) Bag Beans or (3) Canned Beans

(1) Portion Flour, Oil

Spice Packet

These Meals Can Be Made with the Above Items: (26 meals total)

Pancakes with Syrup (x4)	Rice and Beans (X3)	Cooked Cereal with Fruit (x3)
Veggie Soup with Fried Bread (X2)	Tuna Helper (x2)	Spaghetti with Marinara Sauce
Rice with Pepperoni; Veggie	Fruit and  Pancakes	Box Cereal; Fruit (3)
Easy Muffins; Beans	Rice Pudding; Fruit	Fried Bread with Beans
Pasta with Diced Pepperoni	Fry Bread Pizza	Pasta with Veggies

Food Savings

Today we went to Aldi. It is a drive for us, but worth it for the quality and savings. We got over 200 canned goods (fruits, veggies, beans, soups,tuna) , a case of breakfast cereals (not pictured), and other things for the price of about 5 meals out. I believe that there are enough staples here to feed a family of 4 for at least 6 weeks or so well. Maybe longer. {This was purchased for a project we are a part of locally}

 We were able to get all of  this...the pic does not do it justice!

So Excited

Ok, I am super excited. Today we found out we get the opportunity to....Make dinner next Wednesday Night at Church!!!!!!!!!!! I so enjoy being able to do for others and this is a way we can serve. My children can have fun helping with this project, so that is a big time blessing. I really want them to have hearts to serve the Lord by serving others. I am deciding on the menu still. I used to cook for a Church as a job, YEARS ago, on Wednesday  evenings, so I have an idea of what I have gotten myself into ;) .

We are also planning to join this new- to- us Church soon. We have been going there about 7 months, but wanted to be super sure before we joined it was the one for us to be at currently.

Things To Donate To A Food Pantry

I have been drawn to helping those who hunger for many years. I am not sure why really except the Lord has laid it on my heart. It is such a wonderful thing to help those who need it, when you are able to.

When I was 18-19 years of age  I volunteered at a shelter/food pantry/assistance ministry. It was so awesome. Homeless were housed, hungry were fed, people without the means to pay for heat were warmed. Now with a family with younger kids, I have not gone into shelters and worked. That season will hopefully come back around when my children are older and can go with me.

 But, I have had the honor and greatest privilege of helping with food in other ways over my mommy years. I have found that these are some of the better  things to give if you can to a food closet or pantry. (I am referring to small pantry's, with no or limited refrigeration)

1) Complete Pancake Mix (NOT Bisquick...it requires eggs and milk, something the recipient might not have)
2) Syrup
3) Powdered Milk
4)Tuna Helper (not hamburger helper. That's like giving them a $1.50 item and leaving the $3 of beef for them to buy! Not cool!)
5) Tuna
6) Dried Fruits like raisins
7)Oil
8) Canned Vegetables
9) Dried Pasta
10) Spaghetti Sauce
11) Canned or dried beans
12) Peanut butter
13) Jelly
14) Complete Meal Kits
15) Rice
16) Instant Oatmeal and Grits and Cereal
17) Pepperoni & precooked Baccon (because it does not have to be refrigerated)
18) Pizza Crust Mix
19) Applesauce
20)Dish Soap

In areas where they can accept refrigerated and frozen items, I urge you to buy milk & meats when you can. Cheeses are great also, as they last.