Be A Blessing with Project7

This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group™ and Project 7 but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #chewforchange  http://cmp.ly/3/8vNxcO

Hey there friends!

How often do you have the chance to be a blessing to someone else? I feel like it's something that I don't get to do often enough, even in small ways. It's certainly something I don't work hard enough at in the major ways. That's why I love it when I have the chance to bless someone else. It brings them joy, which brings me joy.

Growing up, one of the most common ways I saw people blessing others was through giving meals. There is just something about bringing someone else a meal that speaks love. I've seen meals shared in times of grief and crisis, and I've seen them shared in times of joy. In both situations the meals, and the people who lovingly prepared them were a tremendous blessing. Just this week I got the chance to be one of those blessings!

Just this past weekend I was a leader of the team that puts on our annual women's overnight retreat at my church. My friend, Hilary, was also part of the team, and was 37 weeks pregnant. Yes, she's a saint! We had this crazy, meticulous, minute-by-minute schedule and would joke about the fact that somewhere in there we should tuck in "Hilary leaves to have a baby."

Well guess what? That's just what she did!

At about 9pm Hilary decided that she wasn't feeling well and was going home to get a good night's sleep. By 9am sweet Cora was here! 3 weeks early, but healthy and beautiful. Such a miracle!

Of course, my brain went into meal mode. This is their first baby, and I know how overwhelming that can be. I wanted to bring them something that was simple, but didn't need to be eaten right away. Something that could go in the freezer until after the wave of new baby meals subsides if they wanted it to. I immediately went to my all time favorite meal to share, Baked Ziti. A quick trip to Meijer and I had all that I needed!

I love this meal because it's easy, affordable, quick to throw together and freezes beautifully. It's even something you could make a few batches of and keep in the freezer just in case a crisis pops up (like they tend to do) in your neighborhood or family. Add a salad mix and some garlic bread and you are good to go!

Recipe:
1 lb ground meat
1 bag shredded cheese
1 box pasta
1 jar pasta sauce

Here's how it comes together:

1. Brown your meat. Once it is cooked, simmer it with your pasta sauce. Cook your pasta about half way, as this will eventually go into the oven and no one likes soggy pasta! I like to use whole wheat pasta for this recipe since it tends to hold up better.

2. Add your pasta, sauce, meat, and about half the cheese into a tray. I like foil for sharing meals. No worries about getting pans back to where they belong!

3. Mix it all up and top with the rest of the cheese.

4. Write reheating instructions on some foil and wrap everything up tight.

See? I told you it was easy!

I wasn't able to get this meal to their house, but I was able to bring it to church on Sunday. It went into the fridge in the kitchen and Hilary's Mother-In-Law was able to grab it and take it over. That's what I love about being in community! When one person can only make it so far, another person is there to finish the job. Amazing!

Being a blessing doesn't have to be complicated. Changing the world starts one small action at a time. What if that action could be as easy as buying a different pack of gum?

Project 7 makes it that easy! Their vision is simple. Use products that people are already buying to make a difference around the world. Here is what they have to say about it. I don't think I could say it better!

“If people are going to buy things. Lots of things. Then let’s use those things they purchase to help change the world around us. Let’s make everyday products for everyday people to solve everyday problems around the globe.”

Easy, right? I grabbed these packs at Meijer while I was grabbing the ingredients for dinner. I often feel like because our budget is so tight that I can't contribute in any significant way. But you know what? I can buy a pack of gum. Lots of people doing little things can be just as effective, if not more, than a few people doing big things. Do we need the big things? Of course! But don't discredit the little things you can do every day!

Take a moment to learn a bit more about Project 7 and their mission:

Keep up with Project 7 here:

Facebook, Twitter

Be blessed, and be a blessing!

Heather

Picky Eaters & Family Fun Pizza Night

I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for Collective Bias and its advertiser.

Hi friends!

Do any of you do family pizza night? We do, every week! It is a great way to spend time as a family and reconnect after a long week. Even now that most of us have moved out of the house, we still do our best to get together at my mom's house every week. Sometimes we order delivery, and sometimes we pop something in the oven. Pizza is a great way to feed a large group, but it can get expensive! I'm so glad that there are yummy choices like #DiGiorno in the freezer section!

Who here has a "cheese only" kid? Everyone, right? Aren't we always hearing that getting kids involved in making their food will help with picky eating? Well, DiGiorno nailed it! These #designapizza kits will get your kids excited to put all sorts of things on their pizza. Pepperoni? Yep. Chicken? Yep. Veggies? Bring 'em on!

So, we headed off to Walmart and grabbed a couple pizzas from the freezer section.

I think she's a little excited, what do you think? Excited about peppers? That's a start! 

Here's what we ended up with. Two pizza kits, and a plain cheese (just in case!)

All of the toppings come in these little trays. No dishes! Woot!

Then you get to decorate. Is there anything a newly 5 year old girl likes to do better than decorate things? She started out wanting to make flowers...

Then Noni jumped in to help make a smiley face, complete with hair and cheeks!

Now, pop that artwork into the oven. While you wait, cut up some fruit and veggies. Pizza night should be easy! We love having fresh choices to pair with our pizza.

Ding! Pizza's done!

Now, the moment of truth...

She looks happy with her pizza, but this wouldn't be the first time that she changes her mind at the last minute...
Side note: Do you see Owen eyeballing that pizza? This kid.

:deep breath:

Success!! She ate the entire piece, complete with pepperoni, sausage and peppers! I call it a win!

Thanks, DiGiorno and #collectivebias!

How do you encourage your kids to try new foods?

Be blessed,

Heather

Menu Plannning 101

Hey there friends!

If you know anything about me, you know that I am NOT a natural planner. It's just not my natural setting. However, I am a HUGE fan of menu planning. There is something about knowing what I'm making for dinner that makes my whole day easier.

I know that menu planning isn't a new concept. Everyone and their mother has written a post about it, but I thought I would share my process, and some tools I use to make it all easier. I plan a month at a time, but you can absolutely tweak this to fit the way you plan!

Step 1: Grab your recipes. Some of my favorite source 

- Magazines (Taste of Home is my favorite!)

- Recipe card books: You know, those $5 ones in the check out line. I may have a mild obsession                             with them

- Recipe Box: Old family recipes, things clipped from magazines, all those cards are gold!

- Pinterest

I usually start by flipping through all of these things and seeing what jumps out at me. 

Step 2: Start with your "days off"

      Everyone has days built into their week or month. It may be date night, or pizza night, or whatever. Here are mine:

-Fridays: Pizza night at my parent's

-Saturdays: Leftovers 

-Sundays: "Snicky Snack" dinner: cheese, crackers, fruit, whatever is on hand

     Yep, you read that right, I only cook 4 days a week. It's pretty much amazing. I like it a lot. : )

Step 3: Fill in your staples. 

     Everyone has their go-to recipes. The ones that their family loves, are easy to make, and don't take much thought. Fill those in first. My go-tos are:

- Chili

- Tacos

- Spaghetti

- Baked Pork Chops

- Breakfast for Dinner

Step 4: Fill in the gaps.

     Now, take all those recipes you picked out earlier and fill them in where you still have gaps. Think about your family's schedule, lifestyle and needs as you do this. For us, dinners become lunches. Matt is OK with sandwiches, but gets pretty cranky if he has to take one for lunch every day. I try to make sure that there are at least 2 meals a week that will have leftovers. We also go to yoga on Wednesday nights, so I don't want something too heavy on those night. Do what works for you!

Step 5: Organize your recipes. 

     Make sure you know where the recipe for each night is, if there is one. On Pinterest I start a board for the month with any online recipes. Cook books get noted on my recipe calendar, and recipe cards get stored in a plastic sleeve behind my recipe calendar in a binder.

That's it! You should have a month's worth of recipes ready to go. I have loved this way of menu planning. I used to plan weekly, but this is my new way of doing things, for sure! I love that I can look at the month ahead and know exactly what groceries I need. I can get most of my shopping done at the beginning of the month, only taking trips later to restock on produce. It's been great for our budget, too. I only buy what we need for the month. Although, I will watch out for great sales and stock up on meat then. Then I can just shop from my freezer.

At the beginning of each week I transfer the week's recipes to the menu planner on my fridge. Then everything is at a glance, I can fill in anything I need from the store.

As we try new recipes, we find new favorites. Those get added to my "favorites" page. This is a great page to check when I'm short on ideas!

You know what else keeps me motivated to plan? My super cute menu planning printables! Did you notice them? They're from Clean Mama Printables, and I am in LOVE with them! I reached out to Becky a couple months ago, and not only was she generous enough to share one of her Starter Kits with me, but she wants to share with you guys as well! All week long I will be sharing about other pieces of the starter kit, ending with a giveaway on Friday! Make sure you stick around!

For now, you can use the code 20LONGSTORY for 20% off anything in her shop!

Be blessed!

Heather

Chipotle Chicken and Bean Enchiladas with La Morena

This shop has been compensated by #collectivebias, Inc. and its advertiser. 

All opinions are mine alone.

Hi friends!

I grew up, and currently live, in the Midwest. Not exactly the hub of authentic Latin food. Tacos were always a staple in our family dinner rotation, but "authentic" isn't quite the word I would use to describe them (unless taco seasoning packets are authentic, but somehow I doubt!). However, my husband and I moved to Phoenix just after we got married, and were introduced to real Latin food. Man, oh man! We had been missing SO MUCH GOOD FOOD! Now I love to get as much authenticity into my recipes as I can, and having products like La Morena available is a huge help! These enchiladas are delicious, and can be personalized to your taste. They also freeze beautifully, and are a great meal to give away!

Berry Cultured Butter with Lifeway Kefir

This shop has been compensated by #collectivebias, Inc. and its advertiser. 
All opinions are mine alone.

Hi friends!

I am usually all about simple recipes. I love quality food that doesn't take a long time. However, some things are worth waiting for.

Cultured butter is one of those things.

The creaminess of butter with the tanginess of yogurt. Yes, please! It gets even better when you use something delicious like the flavors that Lifeway Kefir offers. Throw in some fresh berries and now you really have something amazing!