Slow cooking

My next survival tip - use the crockpot.  Often, I have more time around 9 AM than I do at 5 .  This suits crockpot meals perfectly.

Here are a few recipes that we love -

Taco Soup

1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained
1 onion chopped and cooked with the ground beef
28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 can corn, undrained
2 cans kidney beans, undrained
1 envelope dry Ranch dressing mix
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 can tomato sauce

Combine in slow cooker and cook on low 4-6 hours.
Serve with corn chips or tortilla chips, shredded cheese, and sour cream



Red beans and rice

2-3 slices bacon
1 small bell pepper, chopped (optional)
1 small onion, chopped
Cook the bacon and then add the pepper and onion, sauté 4-5 minutes
Add 1 TBS minced garlic
5 cups chicken broth or 5 cups water and 6-8 chicken bullion cubes
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1 small can green chiles, chopped
1 pound red or pinto beans (already soaked)

Combine in slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours.  Serve over rice.



Mac Dogs

8 oz pkg macaroni, cooked
2 TBS oil
1 small can evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups regular milk
3 cups cheese, any combination (velveeta, cheddar, American, whatever)
small onion, chopped (optional)
4 TBS butter
4 hot dogs, sliced

Toss the cooked macaroni in the oil.  Place in greased slow cooker and add all other ingredients.  Cover.  Cook on low 3-4  hours.

Chicken for fajitas, chicken salad, chicken casserole

4-6 chicken breasts - sprinkle liberally with Columbia House seasoning,
Bake all day.  Shred and use for all kinds of chicken dishes.  I keep several containers of cooked chicken in the freezer for quick meals such as chicken alfredo, chicken tacos, etc.

Time for cookies

The reference to cookie dough yesterday reminded me of one of my favorite survival tips.  I learned to do this one after being the beneficiary of it from my friend Hisayo, many years ago.

When making cookies, bake half and freeze the rest of the dough for later.  Shape it into a log, just like Pilsbury does, and wrap it in wax paper (or plastic wrap).  Then encase it in a Ziploc bag and stash it in the freezer.  We can get by with only half the recipe at a time - at least our waistlines can - and how fun it is to be able to make cookies at a moment's notice later!

Those are the times Proverbs mentioned, when your children "rise up and call you blessed".  Amen.

Pray...and what else?

Prayer is God’s chosen means of getting HIS will done on earth.  It is the way He keeps us connected to Him, aware of our need for Him, fostering intimacy with Him.  Surely it is beyond our ability to comprehend but prayer is the key that unlocks the door of His power.  Mysterious, but true.

It is always God who moves and acts to answer our petitions but sometimes He calls us to be part of His answer.  Let’s consider Nehemiah 4:9 – “But we prayed to our God, and because of them we set up a guard against them day and night.”  In this passage, we see God’s people rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem which had long been devastated by her enemies.  They are excited and hopeful about their future but threats by outsiders quickly discouraged them.  In verse 9, we see Nehemiah’s response.

They prayed.  Oh, yes, they prayed.  Many times before, they had witnessed God’s intervention in their lives.  They knew that He was their source, their refuge in times of trouble.  And it was to Him they turned. 

But we also see that Nehemiah understood that they were part of His answer.  They didn’t only pray; they stood guard against invaders, equipped with swords and spears and shields, ready to protect the wall from attack.  They stood on the truth of God’s provision – verse 20 says “Our God will fight for us” – but they also knew they had a part to play – verse 16 says  “From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail.”

 

So, as we pray, crying out to God for His deliverance from our problems, let’s consider if perhaps He would have us be part of the answer.  If our need is financial, maybe He wants us to take an extra job for a while.  If we are burdened by a relationship, it could be that He directs us to initiate reconciliation. Or fasting.  Or giving to meet someone else’s need.  Or stepping out of our comfort zone to serve.  Or….let’s just ask Him and see!

 

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SAS

This tip is a lifesaver for me.  I'll label it "SAS" - simple and sustainable. 


I keep a magnetic pad on the fridge and make my grocery list on it.  When I run out of an item, I write it down on this list. When I think about what I will need for a future meal, I jot it down here.  Even my kids figured out how this works and they put their own wishes on there, hoping that I might be fooled by their handwriting attempt and mistakenly believe that I myself wrote down chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream.....

I do confess to roaming the grocery aisles trying to decipher my own handwriting a few times......

Make time count

As you read my suggestions, please remind yourself that I never promised sophistication!  Instead, I warned you that these tips are simple, simply my way to survive my unorganized nature.

Just a disclaimer.                                                             


 I keep a notepad or book or note cards with me so that I can make good use of the time spent waiting on kids, for appointments, etc.  When I think of something that needs to be done, I can jot it down in my notebook instead of relying on my memory to add it to my list by the phone at home.

My kids use their phones for notes like these but I am still of the paper era.  Especially for thank you notes!  Although I have been known to send myself a text as a memory jog when I don't have paper  with me :)