One Bag of Spuds: Four Meals

Potatoes

Here are four of my very favorite meals using potatoes as the staple ingredient. I often have a big bag of potatoes in the cellar. Ok, the pantry. I like the word cellar better. It makes me think old world life, living off of the land mountain woman style. I actually do have a cellar in my house, but currently it is where I am storing all of those tubs of stuff that I am not exactly sure what to do with as of yet. Two of those tubs are of little baby boy clothes. I have two wild and rowdy boys and a preciousdaughter on the way....but I can not yet part with those baby boy clothes...hmmm...

Anyway, back to potatoes. This year in my garden I grew potatoes. Correction, I tried to grow potatoes. No luck. I dug and dug and dug for those little red nuggets and not a single one was to be found. So, I buy em' in the bag on sale as much as possible and keep my fingers crossed for next season!
Potatoes can make some  frugal meals. Not only are the hearty, but they are mighty easy to fix up into something special. Below are my four favorite potato meals.

Number One: GNOCCHI
This is an incredibly easy dish that I like to prepare in the morning before the chaos begin, and boy does it ever begin....every morning...all day....chaos.....so it is good to have a warm Gnocchi to put on the table at dinner time with a little candlelight.

Number Two: Potato Taco's
The Heavenly Homemaker Blog, which this link will take you too, is one of my all time favorites. I first used this recipe while meal planning for a trip to Tennessee with my family this summer. We loved it and the best part is that you can spice it up and fix it any way that your family likes traditional taco type meals. Yum!
We have made this with beef, chicken, and often with just a bunch of black beans instead of meat. 

Number Three:Crock Pot Potato Soup 
I went back into the recipe index and found two potato soup recipes that I used to make. I am including the links, but will confess I no longer make my potato soup that way!
One Version of Crock Pot Potato Soup 
Another Version of Potato Soup
Here is how I make crock pot potato soup now:
1.Wake up and stretch, drink copious amounts of coffee while peeling potato and hoping the kids sleep an extra twenty minutes.
2. Toss enough cut up potatoes into the crock pot for my family, usually one spud per person.
3. Add chicken stock, a little salt and pepper.
4. Cook all day long making sure the potatoes stay covered in liquid, add a litlte water is needed.
5. Now~ sometimes I just add a bit of cream to this, mush up the potatoes, and serve. Other times, if I was able to get my hands on some local sausage I brown it up and add to the crock pot. This is my hubby's favorite and I agree it is delicious.
6. Serve in deep bowls with some corn bread.

Number Four:  Fish Cakes
These are made with potato and yet I often serve potato on the side too.....hey, it works!



And, for some very inspirational potato chopping techniques check this out! I did not even remember us posting this on MPM and I just came across it! It will make you crave a good batch of home made french fries!

A School for Ethiopian Children!

Hope Ethiopia from Lifesong for Orphans on Vimeo.

I am so excited about this opportunity from Lifesong for Orphans.
After watching the video this is what came to mind?
1. Is Lifesong hiring because I could dedicate my life to this work?
2. Can we move to Ethiopia and be a physical part of the amazing things that are happening there? Just watching that video made me miss my time in Ethiopia and it also made me eternally grateful for the connection that I have to that land through my son.
3. A small Christmas gift, will turn into something so big if we share it here. No one I know really needs another sweater, but these kids need what they are receiving through this school.

To help build 12 new class rooms, make is so that 420 less students have to be turned away, and make a huge impact on the lives of Ethiopian children that can change the world please visit the Lifesong blog. The video takes a little over two minutes. If nothing else, please watch it and pray!

Here is a little more~  A generous donor is matching up to $130,000!!!

Get your family involved, tell the kids! Eat beans for a week, I don't know! Be a part of this opportunity, be it little or big. Tell me  if you do, or even if you just blog about it. I am so excited to see this goal reached!

Corn, Avocado, and Tomato Salad

Here's a fun little recipe that a mom brought to my Mom to Mom meeting a couple of weeks ago. It is simple to make, healthy, and it was a big hit at our meeting. Hope you all enjoy it as well!!

Salad Ingredients:
2 cups cooked corn, fresh or frozen
1 avocado, cut into 1/2 -inch cubes
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup finely diced red onion

Dressing Ingredients:
2 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 tsp. grated lime zest
1 Tbs. fresh lime juice
1/4 chopped cilantro
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Directions:
Combine the corn, avocado, tomatoes, and onion in a large glass bowl. Mix together the dressing ingredients in another bowl and pour over the salad. Gently toss to mix.
*(picture complements of www.lifewithcake.com)

This salad goes great with tortilla chips!! :)

The most Delicious muffins on Earth!

Katie posted this awhile back, but since I am making them today I wanted to re-post them so you could all enjoy them too! If you have never made these muffins, you absolutely have to.... today.  They are sweet, moist and healthy! The combo of apples and carrots may sound strange to you (they did for me too!), but seriously, amazing!!!!  Perfect fall muffin!  Bake some, bake a lot- stick them in your freezer and pull them out for snack or breakfast time!  It's baking day for me!  
                                         
                                        

 Apple Carrot Muffins (a.k.a. the best muffins on earth!)

Do you ever have just a couple of carrots in your fridge, lingering, peering up at you wanting to be used, and you just keep ignoring them? I do!
So, if you happen to be like me then stop whatever you are doing and make these muffins now!

What you will need:

One apple
3-4 carrots (uncooked)
Pecans (about 1/2 cup) *optional
2 cups whole wheat flour (or white... whatever you have on hand!)
1 1/4 cup of sugar
3/4 Tsp baking soda
1 1/2 Tsp baking powder
1 cup of unsweetened coconut*optional
Pinch of salt
Couple shakes of cinnamon
3 Eggs
3/4 cup oil (i use yogurt or applesauce as as substitute)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup flax seed(optional)

What to do:


Step one: Peel your apple and carrots. Grate them. I used my great grandmothers grater. As I did this I wondered if she knew that someday it would be a staple in my kitchen and I would be using it to make muffins for her great-great grandsons. It made me think of her hands busy in her kitchen, which smelled permanently of pecan pie. It made me think of all the things that we don't need to buy new, but can use time and again for generations. But, if you don't have great-grannie's grater handy you can use a food processor. :)
Set aside when finished.



Step two: Place your pecans into a pan and cook them over the stove. Let them toast until a nice fresh aroma fills your kitchen. Cool and chop them up.



Step three: In a big bowl mix all your dry ingredients together. That would be your flour, baking powder, baking soda, coconut, sugar and toasted pecans.



Step four: In another bowl mix your oil, flax, egg, and vanilla together.



Step five: Add your apple/carrot shavings together with the wet ingredients. Stir. Now, add this to your dry ingredients. Stir.

TIP: Don't overmix your muffins. This will make them hard. Stir them just enough to have a decently blended batter.



Scoop the lumpy batter into muffin cups and bake at 350. I used the small muffin cups, cooked them for about 8 minutes (about 12 min. for regular size muffins) This recipe made 100 little muffins perfect for eating in the moment, sharing with friends, and freezing for later!



We found a special treat in putting a little dab of butter, followed by heap of peanut butter onto the piping hot muffin. MMMM, yummy!

Easy Baked Macaroni & Cheese

(straight from the Reggano Macaroni box) :)

8 oz. Reggano Elbow Macaroni
4 Tbs. butter
4 Tbs. flour
2 cups. milk
1/2 tsp. salt
fresh ground pepper, to taste
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (mild or sharp)
1/2 cup breadcrumbs

Prepare pasta as directed on package. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Melt butter in a large saucepan. Add flour mixed with salt and pepper, using a whisk to stir until well blended. Pour milk in gradually; stirring constantly. Bring to a boiling point and boil for 2 minutes (stirring constantly). Reduce heat and cook (stirring constantly) 10 minutes. Gradually add shredded cheddar cheese and simmer an additional 5 minutes or until cheese melts. Turn off flame. Add macaroni to the saucepan and toss to coat with the cheese sauce. Transfer macaroni to a buttered baking dish and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Bake 20 minutes until the top is golden brown. Makes 4 servings.

Every mom needs a place to be real and a place to ask for help and not feel bad for it.

When my first born was just two years old and my second born was just barely 2 months old, I was given an opportunity to break away from the chaos of my overly-stimulated house for what promised to be a relaxing, rejuvenating, and inspiring seminar hosted by our church. It was going to be filled with five things I LOVED:

1. Time away from my home in a casual, comfortable environment.
2. Time with other women from my church who I adored and respected.
3. BETH MOORE!
4. Beth Moore talking about loving well! I love talking about loving well! :)
5. EATIN' FOOD! I love eating FOOD!

HELLO. Can you say, "WINNING" over here? No? People stopped saying that months ago? Oh. Okay. Well, pretend they didn't and stick with me here. :)

THE SEMINAR
I was running a little behind, as usual, but nobody seemed to mind me coming in late. I found a seat and joined in the singing. I closed my eyes and soaked in the calmness of the moment, embracing the idea that no little people would be interrupting me any time soon. Ahhh....

I had my own personal notebook with me, knowing I would not want to miss any important tidbits I might glean from the ever wise Beth Moore. I tried to maintain my big bubbly handwriting as I scribbled down her words as fast as I could. She told us that there were four different kinds of people, and she backed that up with scripture. She said we all have people in our lives who fit into one of these four categories. She went on to explain the four categories as follows:

1. Joy (to love)
2. Testy (to love)
3. Foes (those you hate)
4. Far (Stranger- you don't even know they are there)

Beth said that those who are a joy to love are usually those people who naturally energize you, and immediately my heart felt light as my mind played a short slide show of sweet dear friend after sweet dear friend who make me a better person just by being in my life.

Then, Beth went on to describe what "testy to love" people are like. Beth said that "testy" people in your life are the ones who drain you. Hmmmm.... drains.... I racked my brain. Who is it that really drains me? I knew what the "right" answer was, but I didn't think anyone at my table would understand. I scanned the room trying to find someone to exchange glances with who "got me." I wanted someone to give me the "I KNOW!! YOU AND ME are the ONLY ones in the room who REALLY get what TESTY is!" look, but I couldn't find anyone. I was just about to give up when...ah HA!!! YES! She'll understand!!! My friend had a two year old too! There is no such thing as a two year old who wasn't TESTY, right? She wasn't looking at me, so I leaned back and resolved to wait to catch her until the next break.

INTERMISSION
As I filled up my plate with cute little snacky things, I caught her attention. I waited for the right timing then cracked my joke about my son, the "energy-zapper." My friend looked surprised, which made me really confused.

"You know, the 'testy' one?" I clarified. "Your two-year-old didn't come to mind when Beth Moore described the 'testy-to-love' person in your life?"

"NO!" She explained, "My two-year-old is my JOY to love! He's my energy GIVER! I can't wait to be with him!"

"OH...yeah...okay... (I could feel myself slinking back a little)... WOW! Well, that's GREAT!"

MY CONVERSATION WITH MYSELF
I felt like the WORST mom on the PLANET! That conversation totally rocked my world! What just happened!? REALLY!?! Wait!? Was she serious? She was. What's wrong with me? I had to ask myself. I needed time to process.

How is this possible? I mean, I get it if you are around a two year old for a half an hour, running around having a good time, ya know- eating ice cream everyday, but hour after hour, minute after minute, second after rip roaring, thunder-raising, house-destroying second!?

Then it dawned on me... she was a working mom, and I was a stay at home mom. It was not about either of us loving our children any less. We both cared IMMENSELY for our little ones, but we were coming from opposite worlds, so to speak. She was in a position where God was calling her to deal with difficult and immature, energy zapping adults all day, so when she looked into the eyes of her two-year-old, she saw innocence and vitality, perfectly combined with sweet, refreshing, boundless love. She looked forward to the moment when she could squeeze the soft cheeks of her two-year-old.

But, see, when I looked into the eyes of my two-year-old, I saw something different. My eyes were half open, because I was really tired, and my two-year-old's eyes seemed to scream at me, "YOU AIN'T SEEN NOTHING YET COWGIRL!!! SADDLE UP, CUZ I'M JUST GETTING STARTED AND YOU'RE NOT EVEN OUTTA BED YET!!!!!!! SO YEEEEEEEEEEEEEHAAWWWWWWWW!!!" :)

I mean, of course, I'm joking... kind of...

Perspective--it matters, doesn't it?
Don't we all struggle as moms? Each of us struggles in our own way.

• One mom who has to work full time feels the guilt of not being around her child(ren) enough.
• Another mom didn't see her child when he fell and got hurt, and she blames herself as she rushes him to the emergency room.
• Another mom yells and spits out words of disapproval like fireballs then weeps as she considers how her words could scar, or even worse, mold the little ones most precious to her.
• A mom cries at night as she replays the words her daughter's teacher sent home. Will her daughter be labeled as the bad kid? Is she a bad mom if that happens?
  

Right?

MY QUESTION TO YOU, AND THEN MY ADVICE TO YOU

FIRST MY QUESTION:

DO YOU HAVE YOUR SAFE PLACE? A place where you can be real about the struggles of parenting, and the joys? A place where you can admit when you need a break and let down the burden to be perfect for a short time? In a world where we are taught to view things through the news and cast our vote, we are almost brought up thinking it is good and acceptable to judge one another, but that is not how God would have it... and we're not helping ourselves out, or each other out, by doing that.

WHAT I WANT YOU TO CONSIDER

If you haven't found your safe place, find one. If there isn't one around you, create one. Let it start with YOU, if you have to! Make a place that is free of condemnation, belittlement, scrutiny, chastisement, and judgment, by being the person that sets the bar, and calls people to join you!

1. Get involved in a group with other moms if you aren't already.
My church is starting a Mom to Mom group on September 15. You are welcome to check out our facebook page here if you are interested in more information.
Many churches do MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) groups, and those are very easy to look up and locate by going to one easy location online. To find a MOPS group near you, you can click here.

2. As moms, it does not serve us well when we size ourselves up against one another. Instead, we should come together in support and love, choosing to learn from one another...This is also known as edification. Do not tear each other down!!! PLEASE!!! I BEG YOU! Don't do it to yourself, or to others. Give yourself a break, cut yourself some slack, and then offer the same grace to everyone else around you.

"Make allowance for each others faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others." ~Colossians 3:13

"Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, be as brothers (sisters), be compassionate, and humble." ~1 Peter 3:8

This post was written by Alisha Hughes. Alisha Hughes is one of the leaders of the Mom to Mom group that meets at Valparaiso Nazarene Church in Valparaiso, Indiana. Alisha has temporarily dropped off the Meal Planning Mommies blogosphere for a while to tend to her other blog @ BeComforted.com. Feel free to stop over there and check out some of her latest encouraging and uplifting messages when you get a chance.

Easy Apple Bake

The farmers market this morning had apples. I was shocked. This summer season is slipping away. Perhaps the sudden appearance of school buses in my neighborhood should have helped me bid farwell to summer, but alas it did not! Excitedly I bought several pounds of these darling looking green apples, with stems and leaves and all. Tonight for dinner I wanted to use them for something. We make apple sauce and we eat them raw....thats about it with my current apple creativity.

Get this~ if you dice up 3-4 apples, put them into a dish with a tad bit of water, 3/4 cups of honey, a handful of raisins, pinch of cinnamon, cover them and bake for...oh...about...twenty minutes...you will have the a real treat! 

Dice, mix, bake, serve...smile.....
 
I did not even think to take a picture! The entire dish is gone.
Perhaps the coming of autumn is a good thing!  MORE APPLES!!!