I have found another awesome cookbook!
I love this one already even thought I've only prepared one meal out of it. Here's the scenario of my life these days: Get rolling in the morning -- kids up, dressed, fed. Dog up, pottied, fed, pottied again, walked if possible. Make coffee, pack lunches, write notes. Get self dressed -- either brush teeth or hair, not time for both. Get kids to bus stop. Walk dog. Prepare self for day. BTW -- by this time it's 0900. Depending on the day of the week, I might be volunteering at the kids' school, rehearsing with my praise team friend for PWOC, attending PWOC, or taking the dog to obedience. 1530 marks the afternoon trek to the bus stop. Then get kids home, potty dog again, feed kids snack, work on homework. Feed and potty dog (again). Then comes "extracurriculars" -- violin and tae kwon do. Somewhere in there we have to squeeze in 20 minutes of reading for the kids, home cooked meal where we are all seated around the dinner table for some face time, then it's off to take showers and hit the hay. I am just now, two months into the schoolyear, able to feel as though we have a regular routine, but I hate it when we eat late on school nights, and we eat out enough on weekends as it is. We do not do fast food, so it's either me cooking meals or us going to a restaurant for dinner. While I really love to eat out, it's significantly more practical and economical to cook at home, plus I really enjoy cooking and feel as though I have served my family properly when I put a home cooked meal on the table. WHY, then, is it so blessed hard to cough up yummy, amazing meals in a timely fashion on a schoolnight?!? Enter the need for crock pot magic.
I don't always like what comes out of crockpot cooking. It can be singed and have that icky-wet-burnt taste all too often. I have a couple of slow cooker cookbooks, but I only have a handful of recipes in there that I like, much less have ever cooked. But this cook book has so many sticky notes in it already of stuff I want to try that I should've just dogeared the pages I didn't want to try -- looks.that.good.
There are two more cool things about this book:
1) Stephanie O'Dea has a blog as well. Go check it out here!
2) Due to someone in their family having this dietary need, all of her recipes are or can be made gluten free. She also has great vegetarian dishes in there that I, a strict carnivore, would be honored to eat.
So tonight we made the pizza soup -- delish! It was a great way to clean out the fridge and make something cozy and warm on a cold fall afternoon that we could eat prior to extracurricular activities and still stand a chance of getting to bed on time. Basically think of your favorite pizza toppings in a soup that is tomato-based. I served it with shredded mozzarella and crusty bread. Not only did we wolf it down, I was also able to freeze leftovers. SCORE! Or, as His Girl says, POW!
Lastly, the whole reason why I have opted to try this out is my earnest attempt at striving to be more like a Proverbs 31 woman, serving my husband honorably, raising my children to be Godly and healthy, keeping my home prepared and hospitable. So many days it can be a daunting, if not overwhelming task. I want so badly to "get it right" and pray every day that God will help me to spend my time wisely and efficiently. I think often of one of my heroines from the Old Testament, Abigail, wife of Laban. When Abigail saw David and his men approaching to collect their payment from her husband, she told her helpers to bring out food and prepared lambs to welcome these unexpected guests, trying to intercept a potentially problematic situation. David acknowledged her wisdom (and eventually married her). Also, Abigail's husband and my husband have nothing in common, praise God, but what I love about Abigail is that she is an example of a woman who prepared her household for anything to come up. When things arose, she was ready to spring into action and have the appropriate response. She managed her time and her household well. Lord, help me to be more like Abigail!
I know I can't be perfect, but I know that, with God's help, I can strive to be better than I was yesterday. There is always room for improvement, and it is the joy of my life to serve and nurture my family. I hope this cookbook can be a blessing for my family and other families as well!
"10 [b]A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. 11 Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. 12 She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. 13 She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. 14 She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. 15 She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants. 16 She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. 17 She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. 18 She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. 19 In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers. 20 She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. 21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet. 22 She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple. 23 Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land. 24 She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes. 25 She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. 26 She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. 27 She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. 28 Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: 29 “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” 30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. 31 Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate." -- Proverbs 31:10(b)-31 (NIV)
1 comment:
I have recently been re-motivated to honor God through honoring my family & my husband with more care- better meals is one of the things I've been trying to be consistent to do. I will totally try this cookbook!
POW! indeed!
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