Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Review: His Food Ministry

I've noticed something recently. 

Every time I head to the store, it seems either the prices are just a wee bit higher or the amounts have gotten a little bit smaller.  Anyone else notice this? 

Just like most people these days, I'm looking for a way to stretch my dollars. 

I used to order from Angel Food, but quit as their quality went down. Apparently, I wasn't the only one since they went out of business.

This Saturday, I picked up my first order of HIS Food.  I have to say, I was impressed. 

HIS Food runs very similar to Angel Food.  No income requirements, the only requirement is that you have to purchase at least one main box, then you can purchase as many additional boxes as you like.

This month, I ordered the Value Manna Meal, the Mini Manna Meal, and the 10# Popcorn Chicken.    




I think the Value Manna Meal is a great deal for $32.  I like that there was a variety of food.  I don't know that I'll buy the Mini Manna Meal ($29) again.  Not that it wasn't worth the price, but we try not to eat that much processed food.  The Popcorn Chicken is a definite reorder for $29.  I can get three meals out of each bag and they are more chicken than filler. 

So if your looking to stretch your budget or if you know of someone having a hard time that you want to help out, try HIS food.  There are several places in the area to order.  I pick up my order at Fairmont First Nazarene church.  You can place your order in person at their outreach center, or you can pay online with Paypal at www.hisfoodministry.net. 

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Stuffed Potatoes

Here's another great recipe from the Woven Favorites cookbook.

It was submitted by Marjorie Kuretza.

Here's what you need:

4 large Russet potatoes, scrubbed
4 Tbsp. butter
3/4 cup cottage cheese or 1/2 cup sour cream
6 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cup cooked, chopped broccoli
8 strips cooked crisp bacon, crumbled
Salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 400.  Prick potatoes with a knife and bake on a foil lined baking sheet until tender, about 1 hour.
Remove potatoes, but leave oven on.  Cut off top quarter of each potato.  Scoop out flesh and mash it with butter, cottage cheese or sour cream.  Add cheddar, then stir in bacon and broccoli.  Pile stuffing back into potato skins.  Bake 20-30 minutes or until browned and piping hot.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Is Christ enough?


Is Christ enough?

Until He is your portion, no portion will ever be adequate.

Until He is your desire, your desires will never be quenched.

Until He is your satisfaction, you will never find satisfaction.

Until He is your hope, hope will be elusive.

Until God is enough, you will never have enough.


Good news:  Christ is enough!



-Joshua Harris

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Zucchini Cobbler

It's zucchini time!

I love zucchini.  Toss out a pack of seeds and you'll have zucchini coming out your ears.  What other vegetable does that so well? 

Even if you don't have a garden, chances are someone will come in to work with a box of extra zucchini.  And when they do, grab some and make this:

 
Zucchini cobber from Emma Malcomb!

Here's what you need:

Crust:
4 cups all purpose flour
2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups cold butter or margarine
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Combine flour and sugar in bowl.  Cut in butter until the mixture resembles course crumbs.  Stir 1/2 cup into the zucchini mixture.  Press half of the remaining crust into a greased 15 x 10 x 1 baking pan.  Spread zucchini mixture on top.

Cobbler:
8 cups zucchini, chopped, seeded and peeled.
2/3 cup lemon juice
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

In a large saucepan, over medium heat, cook and stir zucchini and lemon juice for 15-20 minutes or until zucchini is tender.  Add sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Simmer two minutes longer.  Remove from heat and set aside.  Spread zucchini mixture over crust.

Crumble remaining crust mixture over zucchini.  Sprinkle with cinnamon.
Bake at 375 for 35-40 minutes or until golden and bubbly. 

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Pepper jelly

Anyone else getting the itch to can yet?

Every year, about mid September, I say something along the lines of "I don't ever want to see another canning jar again!". 

Yet, here I am.  Ready to do it all over again.  

I do love it.  Just remind me of that in a couple of months.

This is one of my favorite recipes. 

I follow it exactly - well, maybe not exactly.   I don't add the food coloring.  I didn't have any the first year I made it and I kind of like the light green color it naturally has.

Here's what you need:

1 cup ground bell peppers
1/4 cup chili peppers (I use Hungarian wax)
6 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups vinegar
1 bottle Certo
Food coloring

Mix all except Certo.  Boil for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Let stand 20 minutes.  Strain.  Heat to boil and stir for two more minutes.  Remove from heat and add food coloring and Certo.  Stir.  Put in jars and seal. 

You can process these for 5 minutes in a boiling water canner. 

My biggest pet peeve with canning recipes is that they never tell you how to use what you've canned.

This is the best and easiest thing to grab off the shelf when you need to take a little something to a get together.

Just put down a brick of cream cheese, pour the pepper jelly over it and serve with crackers. 

Delish!

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Our Prayer Pail.

Ronnie & I have been teaching the boys this Summer about prayer. 

That it's not just a little rhyme that we say before meals or bed. 

We want them to know that they can approach God with their needs and to thank Him for his goodness.  To know that they can talk to Him at any time and He hears them. 

I found this idea on Pinterest and it's working out great for our family:
This is our Prayer Pail:

A mason jar with our different prayer requests on popscicle sticks.


We sit down as a family and write out the needs that we are going to pray for. 
We choose our leaders, pastors, the missionaries from our church, some family needs and of course, last week - for the electric to come on.

Each night before bed we choose a popscicle stick and in addition to our bedtime prayers, we pray for our need. 

This has worked out so well for our family.  I love that when the boys hear of a need, the first thing they now think of is to add it to our prayer pail so we can pray for it.

It's also great to see their excitement when they pull a stick out and that prayer has been answered. 

Tuesday, July 3, 2012