Recipes from M.O.M.

April 22, 2012 By

Pizza Made Healthy

Pizza is an all-time favorite for kids and adults, but it doesn’t have to be an artery-clogger to be good. Just change your ingredients a bit and you’ll enjoy the flavor without all the fat.

INGREDIENTS: (Add your favorite veggies – here’s what we like)

2 Whole wheat pre-made crust

1 Jar Pizza Sauce (16 oz.)

2 Tablespoons Pesto Sauce

1 Medium Size Tomato – Sliced

1 Medium Onion

1 Can Large Olives

1/2 Cup Sliced Mushrooms (The taste better if you cut them yourself instead of buying them already sliced)

1 Cup Spinach (Rinsed & Dried)

2 Cups Low Fat Mozzarella Cheese

1/2 Cup Low Fat Parmesan Cheese (Optional)

1/2 Cup Feta Cheese (Optional)

2 Teaspoons Garlic (Optional)

Preheat oven to 350°. Spread 1 tablespoon of Pesto Sauce on each of the Whole Wheat pre-baked crusts. Bake in oven for 10 minutes. Remove crust from oven and spread Pizza Sauce evenly. Add vegetables to the top of pizza and then cover with Low Fat Mozzarella Cheese and 1/4 cup Low Fat Parmesan Cheese. Sprinkle top with a teaspoon of Garlic. Bake at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes or until cheese melts.

Makes 2 Pizzas

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Recipes from M.O.M.

April 15, 2012 By

A domestic diva, I’m not… so quick and easy is my favorite way to cook. Healthy is important too, but even healthy tastes better when it’s quick and easy.

I’m all about Rachel Ray’s 30 Minute Meals but when cooking isn’t you’re thing and recipes don’t come easy, the term “concoction” seems to be what best describes the food situated on your plate.

Today, I’m going to share with you a concoction that may be thrown together to make a one-dish meal but is definitely quick – definitely easy – and almost definitely healthy. You will notice by the flexibility of the recipe that there are no ‘exact’ measurements in this ‘recipe-challenged’ girls meals. :-)

Baked Chicken and the Works

Chicken (4-6 breasts and/or chicken leg quarters – or a whole chicken cut up or a whole chicken with a deep enough baking dish to put a lid on it)

Potatoes (dice enough to feed your family)

Celery (1-2 stalks depending on how much chicken you are cooking and how much you like celery)

Onion (1/2 a large onion… unless you don’t really like onion)

Baby Carrots (use 1/2 to a whole 16 oz bag… unless you don’t like carrots)

2 Can Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup (best to use Campbell’s Healthy Request because it doesn’t have MSG, can also use Cream of Chicken soup instead)

1 Soup Can of Water (as you empty your soup cans, add about 1/2 a can of water and clean out the remaining contents of each can)

8 oz Your Favorite Cheese (mild cheddar is good but so is a light white cheese)

Salt, Pepper & Garlic (quantity depends on personal taste… my husband salts his salt, so we tent to use more salt than others)

Preheat oven to 375°.  Place chicken in baking dish and other ingredients in baking dish. Cover with lid or with aluminum foil. Bake for 50 minutes to an hour. Check to make sure chicken is completely cooked. Remove from oven and let cool for about 10 minutes and eat up.

Add a salad and you’ve got a meal.

Sausage and Kale Soup

This was originally a recipe given to me by my friend Carmela. Poor thing… every time she gives me a recipe I reinvent it. Her version is definitely better but I can’t seem to follow instructions. Occasionally, she even likes my version of her recipe. :-)

16 oz Package of Polska Turkey Sausage (cut into bite-size pieces – I slice mine)

2 – 15 oz or 1 – 30 oz Can Cannellini Beans (drained and rinsed)

1 – 15 oz Can of Corn (drained and rinsed)

1 – 15 oz Can of Diced Tomatoes (do not drain)

2 – 32 oz Chicken Broth (without MSG)

5 – 7 Red Potatoes (diced)

1 Onion (diced small)

1 Clove Garlic (minced or use 1 teaspoon powdered garlic)

3 Tbsp Olive Oil

1/2 Package Fresh Kale (rinsed)

1 Tbsp Salt (depending on your taste buds, you may want more or less salt)

Sautee sausage and onion in olive oil until done. Boil potatoes in chicken broth. Add all ingredients (except for kale) in the broth. Slowly add kale, cover and simmer for 20 – 25 minutes (until kale is done).

Makes plenty of soup to feed 4 – 6 people.

There you have it. Two sort-of detailed recipes from a girl who doesn’t do well reading them. How about you? Are you recipe challenged? Or do you feel like you need a recipe when you cook?

By Stephanie Shott

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A Mother’s Heart…An Intimate Moment with Mary

March 28, 2012 By

She stands at a distance. The sight before her pierces her heart as if thrust in by a javelin.

Her puffy eyes sting with tears, blurring her vision.

Deep sobs heave her chest as her heart pounds in agony.

The crowd jostles her, oblivious to her obvious pain, a pain so deep that no mother on earth will ever feel again.

What brings her to this gruesome sight? A mother’s love.

My son, she cries. Her name is Mary and her son is being crucified. Naked, exposed. Blood trickles down His face from the open wounds in His head when soldiers twisted a crown of thorns upon Him and out of every flesh-exposing lash He received earlier.

Each clang of the soldier’s hammer upon the metal spikes driven into her son’s body jars her whole being. She shakes with empathetic pain as they raise Him up and hang Him in place on the upright beam.

Memories rush through her mind of the child she once carried, of the One Who sat upon her lap and nestled against her. But another memory crowds those out; one she tried to lock away in a secret corner of her heart. Those prophetic words spoken to her after His birth, which now come back to haunt her, “And a sword will pierce your own soul, too.” (Luke 2:35 NIV)

And that moment finally arrived.

Now, greedy soldiers toss out dice to see who gets the bragging rights of owning the traditional garment she lovingly created for her son when he left home. The garment saturated with the perfumed oil of spikenard from the broken alabaster passion box.

She is exhausted from all that has happened to her precious Baby Jesus, the Son of God. Her body reacts to the dreadful stress causing her knees to buckle. But John, the disciple who had leaned upon this Divine Man so many times, stands close to Mary and shores her up.

Seeing His mother beside John, Jesus speaks in a weak whisper to her, “Dear woman, here is your son,” (John 19:26b NLT) as He nods to John. And to John, He says, “Here is your mother.” (John 19:27a NLT)

Moments later, all is over. It is finished, He sighs and gives up His last breath.

Mary wonders: what will it be like without Him, never again to embrace Him, to hear His infectious laugh, to see His ready smile?

Oh, what agony must have filled Mary’s mother-heart that day, probably never realizing the impact of that scene for the thousands of generations yet to come.

A mother’s heart…of love…broken. The greatest pain a mother will ever know, losing her child.

And the rest of the story?

Up from the grave He arose,
With a mighty triumph o’er His foes,
He arose a Victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever, with His saints to reign.
He arose! He arose!
Hallelujah! Christ arose!

“Amazing LOVE how can it be, that You, my King, would die for me!”

May your heart live daily within the rest of the story.

By Lynn Mosher

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Five Ways to Impact Your Children & Grandchildren with the Message of Easter

March 27, 2012 By

By Featured Guest: Kathy Howard

 

Rich memories of childhood Easters keep popping up in my mind. I can still feel the cold metal of the folding chair as I sat with my family in the church parking lot waiting for the first rays of the sun to make their appearance. And with the sun, the somber notes of “low in the grave He lay…” became the joyous thunder of “up from the grave He arose (He arose), with a mighty triumph o’er His foes.” After prayer and singing, everyone escaped the chilly air and enjoyed pancakes and sausage in the church fellowship hall.

Recently, I’ve been thinking about the impact Easter had on me as a child. I also have wonderful memories of Christmas, but Easter took root in my soul from an early age. Even then, I must have sensed the eternal significance of Christ’s death and resurrection. As parents and grandparents, we have a great opportunity – and God-given responsibility – to make sure our children understand the great truth and power of Easter.

Below are five easy, but memorable, ways to help your children understand the Easter story. Make sure you check out the links for details and more information:

  • Make a set of Resurrection Eggs – This is a fun way to “concretely” share the Easter story with your kids. You can purchase a ready-made set, but putting them together with your kids is part of the fun. Here are the instructions for making your own Resurrection Eggs. http://www.kathyhoward.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Resurrection-Eggs.pdf
  • Watch a movie together – One great way to start a conversation with your children about the Easter is by watching a movie that portrays the Easter story or illustrates its truths. Several great ones are available. Just choose one that is age-appropriate for the kids in your life. Here are a few suggestions:

Passion of the Christ (teenagers and older)

Jesus of Nazareth – You can rent it on Netflix!

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe – Here’s some helpful notes to spiritual truths in the movie  http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/lion/themes.html

Veggie Tales’ An Easter Carol – http://store.veggietales.com/an-easter-carol-veggietales-dvd.html

Veggie Tales’ Twas the Night Before Easter – http://store.veggietales.com/twas-the-night-before-easter-veggietales-dvd.html

  1. Attend a Good Friday service or event – Many churches have services on Good Friday to help us remember Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf. This is a great opportunity to talk about Jesus’ death and what it accomplished for us. Cochrane, the small town where we lived in Canada, had a “Cross Walk.” Members from all areas of the community met downtown and prayerfully followed the cross as a volunteer carried it through the streets.
  2. Make Resurrection Cookies – Use this tasty object lesson to teach your kids about the empty tomb. Make them on Saturday night and enjoy them first thing Sunday. Here’s the recipe and how-to’s for Resurrection Cookies. http://www.kathyhoward.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Resurrection-Cookies.pdf
  3. Experience the Easter Sunrise – Like the women who went to the tomb, be up and ready to greet the first light of Sunday morning. You can do this at an official sunrise service or in your own backyard. Friday was somber. Sunday is a celebration! (And don’t forget the pancake breakfast!)

I’d love to hear about your childhood Easter memories! Also, please share ways you celebrate Easter with your kids and grandkids. 

To find out more about Kathy Howard, please visit her website at www.kathyhoward.org  and you can also find her on our Featured Guests page.

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Stop. Breathe.

March 15, 2012 By

pink clouds sunsetA misty drizzle spritzes the window while I relax in the recliner and listen to my children’s laughter. When what to my wandering eye should appear, but a miniature sleigh and…Oops! I guess I got too relaxed for a moment.

It’s a rare occurrence these days to have time to daydream. I’m a freelance writer and editor, but I also homeschool my children. School’s in full session, as is all the busy-ness that accompanies this season of life. We have classes, gymnastics, Taekwondo, baseball games, church events and sleepovers. Not to mention deadlines, doctor appointments, Bible studies and holidays. Complicate matters with each family member’s unique frustration level and nerves can quickly fry.

My daughter tends to be overly dramatic. Why, just today she threw a fit at Academy Sports & Outdoors because she did not get a soccer ball like the one her brother has. Even with Mom and Dad’s assurance of, “Maybe you’ll get one for your birthday,” she insisted she never gets anything she wants and whined and moaned all the way home.

My husband was tempted to react. He sternly reprimanded her a couple times, but then remembered to stop and breathe. Acknowledging her tantrum rewarded her and encouraged her to continue, whereas stopping to breathe allowed Daddy to maintain self-control and assert his authority more effectively.

First Peter 5:8 (NIV) advises, “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” The enemy prides himself on the inevitable disasters that loom over the most carefully organized schedules and the conflicts that lurk on every page of the calendar.

And so each day, when you set to task and havoc threatens peaceful productivity: Stop. Breathe. Such restraint improves discipline, both the discipline of our labor and the discipline of daily structure. It curbs anxiety and allows God to order our days. By practicing self-control, we resist our enemy the devil and he flees from us, freeing us to go about our busy-ness in a civilized manner.

The clouds have given way to the setting sun, weaving hues of lavender and azure amid soft pink billows…A Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night! Sorry, I’m getting ahead of myself.

By Jodi Whisenhunt

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Happy Valentine’s Day Mom

February 14, 2012 By

Oftentimes, on a day when love is in the air, moms sometimes are so busy loving on others that they don’t necessarily ‘feel’ as loved as they are. So, here’s a reminder of just how much you are loved and a sweet little poem to reflect on all you do!

“The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.’” Jeremiah 33:3

“Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:35-39

MY MOTHER

Who gave me love and held my hand
And caught me when I fell
Who never slept to comfort me
When I was scared or ill
Who praised me when I did my best
And wept when I did wrong
Who smiled at silly things I did
And taught me to be strong
Who gave and shared and cheered and cared
With her heart and hands
Who will always be a part of me
My mother, my best friend

You matter, sweet mom! You matter more than words can say and more than you’ll ever know! And you are loved just as much!

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY

FROM THE M.O.M. INITIATIVE!

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10 Valentine’s Day Ideas for the Kiddos

February 9, 2012 By

Do you remember what Valentine’s Day was like when you were a child? Handmade heart-shaped cards, Sweathearts conversation candies with phrases like, “Be Mine” and “LOVE” impressed on the front, and a hollow chocolate heart Momma placed on the dining room table that day.

As moms, we love to make holidays fun and even educational for our children. So with Valentine’s Day looming largely over us, The M.O.M. Initiative is sharing 10 Valentine’s Day Ideas for the Kiddos.

1. Go old-school. Have them cut out heart-shaped cards from red construction paper and write a sweet note to their friends and family listing at least one thing they love about that person.

2. Throw a party. Decorate your home, blow up balloons, bake cupcakes and play games – all in the name of love. Let them help with everything. Use red and white cardstock paper to cut out homemade invitations and send them out at least two weeks ahead of time. Not only will that give their friends time to make plans with their parents, but it will help your little one experience the anticipation of the day.

3. Make it educational. Explore the myth’s and the facts behind Valentine’s Day with your children. Tell them the stories. If they’re old enough let them read it, if not let them draw and color pictures of one of the legends of Valentine. You may even be surprised at the various stories that surround our February 14th holiday of love!

4. Valentine’s Day Games. Create your own Bingo Valentine’s Day Style. Make your own cards, use a heart stamp to mark the numbers called and let your prizes be Valentine’s Day candy.

5. Make it missional. The cross reminds us that love is demonstrated by sacrifice. In Operation Christmas Child style, wrap and decorate some old shoe boxes and fill them with Valentine’s Day goodies and all things ‘hearts’ as a project of love to local children in need, to a school in a low income area of town or to the local homeless shelter or women’s center.

6. Eat red. Let your children help you bake a red velvet cake, or cupcakes with red frosting (you’ll love what it does for your teeth!), eat spaghetti, pizza or lasagna, drink pink lemonade or red punch.

7. Teach them to love well. Help them make a special Valentine’s Day gift for Dad or for their sister, brother, grandma or grandpa. Stir their hearts with thoughts about what love is by thinking about what the recipient would want and not just giving a gift for the sake of giving. Allow them to earn some money to buy those special socks for dad or a beautiful barrette for you or their sister.

8. Act it out. Write a play about how to love others. Make it fun and let your children become actors and actresses who demonstrate what it means to love, to be kind, to be giving and to be respectful.

9. Create a family tradition. If you have special Valentine’s Day memories from your childhood, begin to make them traditions for your own family. Each year implement something you did the year before to establish a family tradition and then build on that with new ideas.

10. Explore you options. The internet is chock full of sites that offer great ideas for Valentine’s Day fun. Here are a few I found just taking a quick glance in cyberspace:

http://familyfun.go.com/valentines-day/

http://holidays.kaboose.com/valentines-day/

http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/valentines_day.htm

http://www.childrensministry.com/articles/more-valentines-day-ideas

Each holiday is a special opportunity to establish family traditions your children will grow to hold dear, express love to others in tangible ways and have  blast with family and friends.

What do you do with your children for Valentines Day?

By Stephanie Shott

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What’s For Supper? Don’t Panic Mom, We’ve Got It Covered!

February 7, 2012 By

It’s 3:00 in the afternoon….do you know what you’re having for dinner? If fast food restaurants are currently flashing in your mind, let me introduce to you a new way of cooking. Freeze ahead meals. The Betty Crocker or June Clever era is over, gone are the days of spending hours over cook books, planning meals, and creating gourmet suppers that you have on your nicely dressed table, with neatly dressed and quiet little kids. Instead my days are filled with the frenzy of shuffling kids from one appointment, to the next activity, while stuffing laundry into some convenient closet, and policing fights between my loud, boisterous kids!

So when 3:00 p.m. rolls around, I already know the answer to the question of “What’s for dinner”? I have a couple of recipes that I make frequently to help keep my sanity and be a good mom! They’re freezer meals which I love because the evening I make it for dinner, I can multiply the ingredients and through the extra portions into the freezer!  The next time your schedule throws you for a loop, just grab a bag and de-thaw my friends.

Freezer meals

     So here is our current favorite recipe. Colorado White Chili. It’s super easy to make and my kids LOVE it. You can find this recipe in the cookbook titled, Don’t Panic, Dinner is In The Freezer.
Colorado White Chili
1 T. cooking oil
1 medium onion, chopped fine or use 2 green onions, diced
4 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 4.5 oz can of diced green chilies (mild or hot)
1 T . cumin (powdered works best)
1/2 t. ground red pepper
2 t. of oregano
1/2 t. ground cloves
1 15.5 oz can great white northern beans (do not drain)
1. 15.5 oz sweet corn or frozen (here in Nebraska, we just shave it off the cobb)
1  15.5 oz can of black beans (this can be added or not added to it, we love our black beans)
2 cups of cooked chicken  chopped or two cans of canned chicken
5 cups of chicken broth

On Serving Day 

Serve with shredded Monterrey jack cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips. To make it more kid friendly, skip the chili and onion, subsitite a mild can of Rotel!

Cooking Day Instructions

In a large pan combine oil, onion, garlic, and chilies. Saute until tender. Stir in the spices, beans, corn, chicken and chicken broth. Cook and stir until heated through. Adjust seasonings to your family’s tastebuds, then allow it to cool before storing the soup in a freezer bag or freezer container.

Serving Day Instructions

Thaw completely, simmer until heated through. Serve with cheese, sour cream and chips; or add biscuts and let your kiddos dip the biscuts into the broth.

To Multiply This Recipe

This recipe serves 6 to 8 hungry people! If you would like to create another batch, simply double or triple the amount of each ingredient and dish out into your freezer containers!

By: Heather Riggleman

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25 Ways to Keep Christ in Christmas

November 25, 2011 By

Do you want your family to enjoy the true meaning of Christmas but need some ideas on how you can focus on Christ this Christmas?

Family holiday traditions are an important part of our lives but during this most wonderful time of the year, it’s so easy to get caught up in the busyness of it all that we forget to leave precious imprints of this special time together on their hearts.

Below are 25 creative and fun ways to keep Christ in Christmas while you create treasured traditions with your family. You may not be able to do all of them but you may see a few things you and your children can do to start some new Christmas traditions.

1. Place a large manger scene in your living room instead of a tree. Place your gifts in front of the manger.

2. Ornaments with the various names and titles of Jesus on them. (You can create your own & make it a family time craft event.)

3. Throughout the month of December, read the Bible with your family at dinnertime and focus on passages that teach who Jesus is and what He has done for us.

4. Teach your children of Jesus’ sacrificial love by taking them shopping for those who are unable to give anything in return.

5. Determine to give a tangible gift to Jesus. Put it in a box, wrap it and put it under the tree. On Christmas day, explain why you are giving that particular gift to Jesus.

6. Give the gift of time to a particular ministry to show the love of Jesus. (A homeless shelter, a children’s home, a hospital, ect…)

7. Hold a birthday party for Jesus. (To avoid possible confusion later, you may want to be sure to tell your children it’s not the actual “day” of His birth, but a time we celebrate Him.)

8. Invite a widow or someone who is alone to spend Christmas with your family.

9. Create a family Christmas play. Practice throughout November & December. Put out flyers in your neighborhood and do the
play in your front lawn on Christmas eve.

10. Play “Jesus” Christmas music all month long.

11. Organize a group to go caroling during Christmas.

12. Do random acts of giving in Jesus name. (Pay for the person’s meal behind you, rake the neighbor’s lawn, ect…)

13. Take food to a family in need.

14. Buy some gifts and take to the hospital to give to those who are in long term or critical care.

15. Put a play on or sing Christmas carols at a local nursing home.

16. Help your children earn money to buy gifts for Operation Christmas Child or a local children’s home.

17. Help your children earn money to give to a missionary.

18. Help your children earn money to buy gifts for a missionary child on the field.

19. Organize a coat round-up for a homeless shelter near you.

20. Make or purchase gifts to give to your neighbors. Especially the ones you are trying to reach for Christ.

21. Bake goodies for your neighbors, family and friends.

22. Make your indoor and outdoor decorations reflect that Jesus really is the reason for the season.

23. Help your church collect gifts for a family in need.

24. Send Christmas gifts and cards to the families of prisoners.

25. Share Jesus with as many people as you can between now and Christmas.

Christmas is such a wonderful time of year. It’s the time the world is reminded that God loves us so much that He sent His only begotten Son so we could spend eternity with Him. It’s the time we reflect on the earthly life of Christ…from the cradle to the cross. It’s the time we celebrate Jesus and all that He is and all He has done.

What are some of your traditions? How do you keep Jesus the focus of your family’s Christmas? We’d love to hear from you.

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