Category Archives: last minute meals

Resurrection Eggs; Teach Your Children the Meaning of Easter

23 Saturday Mar 2013

Posted by in Crafts, Easter, Fun and Easy ways to Celebrate, Holiday, Holy Bible, last minute meals, Recipes

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Yes, I’ll admit it. I am together putting these eggs at the last minute because Easter caught me by surprise. I just wasn’t paying attention to the calendar….but, isn’t the motto of every mother,”Better late than never?”

After talking to my seven year old several days ago, I realized that he really doesn’t know the Easter story so these eggs may remedy that a bit. I am shamelessly taking advantage of our eleven year old and using her natural “take charge” attitude to put these together. As she collects the items, copies the verses and stuffs the eggs, she’ll be reviewing the Easter story at the same time.

We’ll be doubling up on the eggs and doing two per day (instead of one per day) because I’m starting five days before Easter. Although my goal is to get through them all by Sunday, it’s not the end of the world if we are still hiding and finding Resurrection eggs a week or two from now. When I remember that my goal is to talk about Jesus and His victory on the cross, I feel less pressure to complete them in within a certain time frame. If these take a while, we’re just extending the blessing!

I’m also just using items around the house and substituting as necessary.

Young children just love these eggs! I have found Dollar stores to be the best place to get them.

First Egg (which I will skip since we just had Palm Sunday and reviewed what it was all about)
Message: Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. The people waved palm branches.
Passage: Matthew 21:1-11
Item:piece of palm branch or anything that resembles a small palm branch leaf

Second Egg:
Message: Mary poured expensive perfume on Jesus’ feet.
Passage: John 12:2-8
Item: small perfume sample, cloth with perfume, or a piece of cotton with cologne on it

Third Egg:
Message: Jesus shared the Last Supper with His disciples.
Passage: Matthew 26:17-19
Item: piece of Chex cereal; or take clay and make a small bread-like shape

Fourth Egg:
Message: Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.
Passage: Matthew 27:3
Item: 3 dimes or plastic “silver” money

Fifth Egg:
Message: Jesus carried His own cross.
Passage: John 19:17
Item: small plastic cross or use toothpicks/popsicle sticks cut and glued in a cross form

Sixth Egg:
Message: Soldiers placed a crown of thorns on Jesus’ head.
Passage: John 19:2
Item: small thorny branch or a large thorn all by itself

Seventh Egg:
Message: Soldiers parted Jesus’ garments and cast lots for His coat.
Passage: John 19:23
Item: swatch of burlap and a nail (or miniature dice)
Item: 7 or 8 whole cloves, or other whole spices

Eighth Egg:
Message: Jesus was nailed to a cross and pierced in His side.
Passage: John 19:18,37 & John 20:25-29
Item: a nail

Nineth Egg:
Message: They gave Jesus vinegar mixed with gall on a sponge to drink.
Passage: Matthew 27:34
Item: a small sponge

Tenth Egg:
Message: Spices to prepare Jesus for burial.
Passage: John 19:40

Eleventh Egg:
Message: The stone covering Jesus’ tomb was rolled away.
Passage: John 20:1
Item: a small rock

Twelveth Egg:
Message: The napkin around Jesus’ head was lying separately from His linen cloths. He was not there. He has
risen!
Passage: John 20:6-7
Item: a scrap of linen-type fabric

Celebrate Easter with these simple ideas as well!

Do you do anything to make Easter special? Please share your ideas with us!

Hannah Jane’s Fresh Apple Salsa

27 Sunday Jan 2013

Posted by in healthy and quick recipes, Homemaking, last minute meals, Practical Help, Recipes

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I can remember when salsa meant a tomato-based, chili enriched, onion and cilantro-adorned accompaniment to a Mexican meal. My husband and I are from the great state of New Mexico (and, yes, it is a state…check the map) and he actually hails from the chili capital of the world; the Hatch valley. So there!

Given our background, you may understand our aversion to the plagiarism of the word “salsa” for any kind of chopped, mixed fresh fruit or vegetable. This is a California-chefy trend and out in the wilds of New Mexico we used to shoot people for that sort of thing.

Time, however, marches on and I have resigned myself to the fact that foodies have misappropriated the term salsa and that we are never going to be able to restore it to its rightful place amidst the chili and bean fields of the Southwest.P1010883

The other night, our nineteen year old created an enchilada casserole with some leftover chili and beans from our recent speech and debate tournament. The casserole was good but the simple apple salsa that she created to go with it was fabulous. Hannah is someone who craves fresh fruits and vegetables and this particular dish added a wonderful light flair to a heavy dish.

Hannah Jane’s Fresh Apple Salsa

1 red apple ( all diced)
1/2 red onion
1/2 cucumber
1/2 red bell pepper
1/2 yellow bell pepper
1 carrot

1/2 orange
1/2 lime
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper

cilantro (optional)
(this served seven)

As I reached for the dish for a second time I heard my own voice asking for the apple salsa and (I’ll admit) I didn’t even have a twinge of conscience….it’s that good.

The picture is a bit dim so don’t be fooled. This salsa is the perfect cheerer-upper on a gray January evening.

Last Minute Meal Ideas

13 Thursday Dec 2012

Posted by in healthy and quick recipes, Humor, last minute meals, Practical Help, Recipes

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Time is short, the days are dark (for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere) and our energy is often low.

I’m reposting my ideas for some quick and, mostly, nutritious meal ideas. I think they’re way better than driving to a fast food place which can take longer than making a simple meal and may involve maneuvering small children in and out of car seats which always wears me out.

We all have those days, where we look at the clock and realize we have nothing planned for dinner and the family is hungry. Here are a few ideas that may help you fill some tummies without running out for budget-busting fast food.

Oatmeal (if your children will eat it with some nutbutter and honey stirred in, it counts as a health food!)
Baked Potato Bar (microwave the potatoes for part of the time to speed up the process-serve with grated cheese, chopped hot dogs and other toppings)
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches (with or without Tomato Soup)
Quesadillas (buttered tortillas with cheese and spices, grilled)
Rice with any type of leftover meat and diced veggies stirred in.
Scrambled eggs and toast
Tuna Salad on toast or lettuce leaves
Refried Beans and chips or tortillas with cheese (salsa makes everything better).

If I really have my act together, I have my ingredients for several last minute meals purchased ahead of time. I like to keep cans of refried beans and jars of salsa along with tortilla chips in the pantry for emergencies because I know that my family loves that combination.

My freezer also holds several containers of homemade soup but, to make them convenient, I freeze them in small containers so they can thaw quickly.

There’s nothing wrong with having a few bags of frozen fish sticks or a couple of pizzas stashed in the oven but a family will not be well-nourished when we moms rely on those types of meals. If we want calm, healthy children and husbands who aren’t cranky and out-of-sorts, we need to make an effort to plan regular, well-balanced meals made from whole foods.

If you don’t like my list of last minute meals, sit down and write up a few of your own or consider using my list of 31 Days of Healthy Snacks that also double as quick meals. Buy the ingredients for several of the meals on your next grocery shopping trip.

Do you have a favorite “emergency meal”? Share it with us in the comment section!

 

Easy Peasy Crockpot Beef

12 Monday Nov 2012

Posted by in becoming a stay at home mom, Changing the next generation, Easy, healthy and quick recipes, last minute meals, Practical Help, Recipes

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I’m a great believer in family meal times. They are often the only family time our busy family gets during the week.
Studies done in the 1990′s on National Merit Scholarship Finalists revealed that all of these high achieving high school students came from families who ate meals together regularly! Other studies reveal the importance of meal times in developing secure, family-oriented (as opposed to peer-oriented) teens.

It takes a huge commitment to carve out time to eat together as a family, especially if you have children who have enough independence to be out of the home and involved in activities elsewhere.

It doesn’t take much to actually make basic good food ahead of time (although the studies say that it didn’t matter if you ordered out and ate in, what mattered was the time spent together). We strive to eat together often and, although we do it imperfectly, we keep on striving!

Here is a favorite way to prepare a beef roast and it works best with a cheap cut of meat!
Take a frozen beef roast and place it in the crockpot 12 hours before you plan to eat it. Pour a half cup of white wine over it (cheap wine is fine). Put the lid on the crock pot and turn on low.

When done, sprinkle with salt and pepper and enjoy. Beef done this way especially lends itself to beef burritos so pull out tortillas, sour cream, salsa and cheddar cheese and enjoy!

Starting a New Year of Homeschooling…for the Twenty-Third Time!

21 Tuesday Aug 2012

Posted by in Changing the next generation, Cleaning, Decluttering, healthy and quick recipes, Home Education, Homemaking, Humor, Inspirational Mama, last minute meals, Practical Help, Recipes

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Yes, we are starting our twenty-third year of home education and no, I don’t know it all nor am I an organizational expert! I’ve gotten more relaxed as the years have flown by, partly because I’ve realized that my children learn in spite of me and, partly, because life keeps getting fuller!

When we lived in the South where the summers kept us near the air conditioning, we schooled year ’round with frequent breaks.

We still take frequent breaks but don’t school year ’round! Somehow, my children are very literate, love to learn and, eventually, find their niche in the world. I stand in awe of God for His goodness to our family. He will be just as faithful to keep His promises for you.

Our family motto for homeschooling is “Keep the Home in Homeschooling.”
We want our children to grow up and have happy memories of their home; good meals and conversation around the dinner table, special birthday and holiday celebrations and lots of home-centered joy.

We don’t particularly care if they grow up and rave to us about their memories of their school curriculum!

I love it when my grown children call me to urge me to read a book they have discovered! Our eldest son will go so far as to mail me the books just to make sure I read them. I rejoice that we have raised life-long learners who enthusiastically keep reading and learning and seeking both knowledge and wisdom. All glory goes to God.

So, besides pulling out our curriculum (we use Sonlight for a core curriculum) and realizing for the umpteenth time that I waited a bit late to order additional books(it’s my tradition; ordering late!), a great deal of my fall prep work is organizational in nature.

Since meals and laundry continue to be my biggest challenges in my home, I try to plan ahead. I love to riffle through the freezer and make sure I have the fixin’s for a bunch of meals! Nothing makes me feel more like a failure than to have a good day of studying with the kids only to look at the clock and realize it is almost dinner time and I have no earthly idea what we have to eat. I hate to spend the time to grocery shop because I want our day to end with some family time.

The same goes for waking up in the morning and having to make a healthy breakfast from scratch and then, starting the day with a messy kitchen. Our entire schedule seems to be thrown off for the day.

So, here are some ideas for you in the area of meal prep.

One of our absolute favorite ways to cook meat is to buy a cheap roast, put it in the crock pot frozen, pour a half cup of white wine over it, turn it on low and let it cook for 12 hours. It will be falling-apart tender by dinner time! Yes, this means if you want to eat at six p.m. you’d better remember to get that thing into the pot by 6 a.m! Add a quick salad and you’ve got a great meal.

Another trick I love is using the rice cooker for oatmeal in the morning. I presoak the oatmeal(to get the enzymes going), pour the oats and water into the rice cooker in the morning(and perhaps some cinnamon and a dash of salt), turn it on and walk away! It doesn’t burn and it’s a healthy breakfast!

I also make a lot of breakfast parfaits for the freezer. Actually, on the days we eat oatmeal, we get hungry mid-morning and a parfait is the perfect treat!

Homeschool Prep 101:

1. I declutter; ruthlessly. Thrift store drop-off bins are my friends!

2. I make ten to fifteen casseroles for the freezer. Because my husband is not really a casserole lover, I spread these out over two to three months. They’re nice to have on busy days. I make five lasagnas, five chicken enchiladas and five macaroni and cheese casseroles.

4. For breakfast I make muffins to freeze, morning tortilla wraps (scrambled eggs, salsa and grated cheddar cheese wrapped in a flour tortilla and frozen in a ziploc bag) and parfaits…as many as possible. I alternate these with oatmeal, fried eggs,yogurt and, yes, the inevitable cold cereal.

5. I stock up on healthy snacks (see my 31 days of healthy snacks). If I lose control of the day at least I’ll know that my children snacked on nutritious foods.

6.I pray. God has a plan for your family and mine and His plan is good. Our days will be filled with the ordinary which leads to our sanctification as we give it all to Him.

7. Finally, I strive very hard to keep a sense of humor. It really is funny when I have laboriously explained to my three year old how God created the ant only to see her solemnly stomp on it at the end of my dissertation. A home where the family can chuckle together over ridiculous things is a home where memories are made…even if you forget to get that frozen roast in the crock pot on time!

Last Minute Meal Ideas

23 Friday Mar 2012

Posted by in Easy, Homemaking, last minute meals

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We all have those days, where we look at the clock and realize we have nothing planned for dinner and the family is hungry. Here are a few ideas that may help you fill some tummies without running out for budget-busting fast food.

Oatmeal (if your children will eat it with some nutbutter and honey stirred in, it counts as a health food!)
Baked Potato Bar (microwave the potatoes for part of the time to speed up the process-serve with grated cheese, chopped hot dogs and other toppings)
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches (with or without Tomato Soup)
Quesadillas (buttered tortillas with cheese and spices, grilled)
Rice with any type of leftover meat and diced veggies stirred in.
Scrambled eggs and toast
Tuna Salad on toast or lettuce leaves
Refried Beans and chips or tortillas with cheese (salsa makes everything better).

If I really have my act together, I have my ingredients for several last minute meals purchased ahead of time. I like to keep cans of refried beans and jars of salsa along with tortilla chips in the pantry for emergencies because I know that my family loves that combination.

My freezer also holds several containers of homemade soup but, to make them convenient, I freeze them in small containers so they can thaw quickly.

There’s nothing wrong with having a few bags of frozen fish sticks or a couple of pizzas stashed in the oven but a family will not be well-nourished when we moms rely on those types of meals. If we want calm, healthy children and husbands who aren’t cranky and out-of-sorts, we need to make an effort to plan regular, well-balanced meals made from whole foods.

If you don’t like my list of last minute meals, sit down and write up a few of your own or consider using my list of 31 Days of Healthy Snacks that also double as quick meals. Buy the ingredients for several of the meals on your next grocery shopping trip.

Do you have a favorite “emergency meal”? Share it with us in the comment section!