From Freezer to Slow-Cooker

Having ready made meals in your freezer is nothing new. However, it takes planning and usually involves precooking before freezing. More recently the idea of assembling meals to put in …

Chili for a Crowd

Chili is an easy meal …to toss into the slow cooker for dinner on a cold, dreary winter’s evening, and it can easily be customized to your family’s preference. This recipe makes …

A “Pectin” Review

Got an abundance of fruit? Try canning using this top-notch pectin.

Got Tomatoes?

Here’s a savory tried-n-true recipe for salsa!

Zucchini Chicken Enchiladas

During this time in the summer the zucchini are producing at a rapid rate, unfortunately, everyone is growing tired of eating it.

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::Slow Cooker:: Savory Pepper Steak

What a great way to utilize your freezer…and slow-cooker! This make-ahead-meal doesn’t need to be pre-cooked and is specifically made for the slow cooker. Simply add a side dish and you’re ready to go! Great for Sunday or busy summer days. Just remember to take it out the night before.

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Nivik (Chickpeas and Spinach)

You’re frazzled with holiday shopping, Christmas programs, family gatherings, or stuck in traffic on the way home from work and forgot to take something out of the freezer. Dinner is looming on the horizon and your brain is too exhausted to think of one more thing to do. Instead of picking up take out, try this recipe instead. It will be on the table in less than 30 minutes, and is inexpensive and filling! It would also be a great beginner recipe to teach your children how to cook. It’s a one pot wonder!

Cranberry Salsa

There is a crispness in the air and the leaves are starting to change color. Fall has begun and cranberries will soon make their appearance in the grocery store!

Chocolate Turtle Cheesecake

There are numerous ways and styles to make cheesecake. Thick crust, thin crust, rich and creamy or dense and firm. You can bake them dry or in a water bath…

Aunt Kristin’s Baked Beans

Summer is quickly approaching and with it, lots of opportunities to fellowship by having picnics and holiday barbecues.

Chicken in Coconut Milk (Ginataang Manok)

Recently, we had the privilege of having a Filipino pastor in our home. It was the first time he had been out of his country and I wanted to make something familiar to him. After looking up several recipes, I came upon this one. Not only were the ingredients readily available, but this dish was very easy to make.

Sit Still, My Daughter

Sit still, my daughter! Just sit calmly still!
Nor deem these days- these waiting days- as ill!
The One who loves thee best, who plans thy way,
Hath not forgotten thy great need today!

An Easy Way to a Healthy Holiday

The holidays are upon us! Thanksgiving is over and the rush of Christmas begins, followed close behind by New Years! Whether the holiday season brings joy or sadness, family gatherings or solitude, stress or excitement, one thing is to be sure; there will be food. Probably lots of it! Whether you are hosting a gathering or contributing to one, you want the food to be tasty and delicious. The easiest way to accomplish this is by using real ingredients. But what exactly does that mean?

What’s In Your Medicine Cabinet?

With the onset of school and cooler weather, my mind turned to stocking our medicines for the winter. Unfortunately, we were blessed with our first bout of colds before I could replenish our stock! I’ve never liked using over-the-counter medications. They usually contain fake sugars, food coloring, and often only mask the symptoms instead of dealing with the illness. Aside from that, most medications have little to no effect on me, so I usually consider it a waste of time to take them. Others are overly sensitive to medications and experience adverse side effects. When you’re sick, it doesn’t help to give yourself extra problems!

Dirty Dozen, Clean Fifteen

In several past articles, we’ve addressed the dangers of pesticides, how to read organic labels and the benefits of purchasing locally. Very few, if any of us, can afford to purchase everything organic, so you may be sitting back and wondering what are the most important areas to focus on.

Local Harvest

With the quickly passing signs of spring, we are headed full steam into summer. With summer comes lots of sun, and fresh air, and the opportunity for fresh fruits and vegetables. For some that means planting a large garden, for others it means visiting the local, pick-your-own farm for fresh strawberries and blueberries, and for others, it means visiting the local farmer’s market.

Scrumptious Seeds

Last month, I wrote about the many nutritional elements of tree nuts. This month I would like to touch upon seeds. Nuts are actually the seeds of trees with a hard shell, so many of the same benefits of tree nuts will be found in the similar nuts of plants. Pumpkin, sunflower and sesame seeds are all very well known. You may already be enjoying them as snack or as an ingredient of your baking or cooking.

Nutritious Nuts

Most people either love or hate tree nuts such as pecans, walnuts, cashews or almonds. We really enjoy them at our house and primarily eat them as a healthy, afternoon snack. There are many different kinds of nuts, and they all contain similar benefits to a person’s health. When most people think of nuts, the first thing that comes to mind is fat. While it is true tree nuts contain fats, they are primarily mono saturated fats, also known as good fat. Instead of causing you to gain weight, eating nuts will actually help you lose weight and keep it off!

Avocados

Avocados are a wonderful fruit that contain a powerhouse of health. Typically grown in the southern hemisphere, avocados are also grown in California and Florida. The two types of avocados are Haas avocados, which have dark, bumpy skin, and the Fuerte avocado, which is larger and has a smooth green skin. They have a pale, greenish-yellow fruit with a single stone, and a delicious buttery rich taste.