Slow Cooker Chili Wheat

Chili Wheat

4 cups water

1 onion, chopped

½ Tbsp molasses

½ tsp cumin

16 oz. tomato sauce

1 bay leaf

1 ½ whole wheat berries

1 tsp chili powder

½ tsp dried basil

Pinch of cayenne

Place ingredients in a slow cooker, stir, and cook on high 6-8 hours.

You can also add kidney beans to make it more chili-like.

Originally written 5/31/13

Dear Lima Bean,
     Your gums are on fire, and you have spears being driven through your gums. I shouldn't have any joy because of this, but I do. You see, for a little while there, I was afraid that you wanted to wean, that you didn't need me in that special way anymore. Because of your teething pain, you've wanted to nurse A LOT this week. The milk has analgesic properties, so it helps to soothe your pain, and our extended snuggles provide comfort, letting you know that I'm here for you. By being chained to the couch, your favorite nursing spot, I've been forced to take a much needed rest from my daily routine. As a bonus, your amazing big brother has taken to join us on the couch for cuddles. I get to spend my day watching Sesame Street and Thomas the Tank Engine while cuddling with my two favorite boys.
     At night, you want only me to help you get to sleep. Daddy just won't do. In spite of the medicine and nursing, you still hurt too much to fall into a peaceful sleep. So I rock you, and sing you every song I know, and pray over you. I pray with more sincerity than I have in a while. As I try to comfort you, I am comforted by my Father. I get a glimpse of what He feels when I hurt, and I know that He is here for me, just as I am here for you. I thank you for that.
     I promise, this pain won't last forever. It will end, and it is for a purpose. It is for your good. Once you have teeth, you can eat really awesome stuff like steak. You're just like your daddy, so I'm pretty sure you'll love steak. I wish I could say that this is the last time you'll feel pain like this, but I can't. Life has many times of great pain, but it doesn't last forever. Try to find the joyous moments in the pain, and remember that the Lord and I are watching over you.
Love,
Mommy

Saving Money Without Coupons Part II

Here's part 2 of my saving money without coupons post.

• Cook more from scratch/ Use the freezer
  
  I lump these two together because making use of my freezer allows me to cook from scratch, even when I don't have a lot of time. Often, I can throw made-from-scratch meals into the Crock Pot and cook some spinach or make a salad to have a complete meal. Other times, I'll have the most time-consuming part of a meal ready in the freezer. Let me preface this by saying that we do not have a chest freezer. This is all done with the regular freezer that's on top of our fridge.
  
  When I was couponing, we ate more convenience foods than I'd like to admit. Not as bad as many Americans, but still. The lack of amazing coupon deals combined with my resolve to get crud out of my family's diet, especially with 2 young kids, lead me to get back to real cooking. I can make homemade "helper" for pennies, surprisingly cheaper than I could buy it even with coupons.
  
  My big money saver is broth. It's FREE! When I cut up vegetables, I toss the scraps into a gallon-size freezer bag and store it in the freezer. When I get a couple of bags worth of peelings and ends, I throw the contents into a pot and cover with water. I add some salt and pepper, and let it cook down for a couple of hours to release all of the flavor and nutrients. Then I strain it, and freeze 2 cup portions in freezer bags.
  
  Like I said, I like to have the most time-consuming part of the meal done with and hanging out in the freezer. Taco meat and shredded chicken are prime examples of this. We buy our meat in bulk. (Thanks, Costco!) I take 1-2 hours to do my freezer cooking from start to finish. I brown ground beef with salt and pepper and freeze some of it as it is and add taco seasoning (homemade, not from a packet) to the rest. I bag it and freeze it. On the nights we're having tacos, I take the bag out of the freezer (because I never remember to defrost it) and put it in a pan to heat up while I cut up tomatoes and lettuce. A full taco dinner is on the table in under 20 minutes!
  
  I boil boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a pot with salt, pepper, a bay leaf, and onion powder. (While they're boiling, I'm browning the beef.) When the chicken is done, I put 3-4 breasts at a time into the bowl of my Kitchen Aid mixer and use the paddle attachment to break up the chicken. It takes about 30 seconds. After the shredded chicken cools, I bag it and freeze it in 2 cup portions. I use this chicken all the time! I use it in my Enchilada Zucchinis (recipe to come), and I add it to soups, pasta dishes, and quesadillas. I add some barbecue sauce to make sandwiches. The possibilities are endless.
  
  I don't have time to bake bread every day, so I make a few loaves and freeze them. When I get a great deal on produce, I bring it home, wash and prep it, and throw it in the freezer along with my pasta sauce, casseroles, crock-pot meals, homemade crustless PB&J (way cheaper than the name brand ones), and homemade meatballs.

A Child's Prayer

About a week ago, we were gathering for evening prayer like we do (almost) every night. My husband started to pray, but Banana Boy would have none of it, very unlike him. We asked him what was wrong.
He replied, "I do it."
"You want to say the prayer?"
"Yes"
"Okay."
"YAY!"
We all bowed our heads and folded our arms to listen to Banana Boy's prayer. "Deew Henlee Fadder. Tank oo fuh my famee. Bwess Daddy an Mommy an Mimi an mu bwudder. I wuv oo. Name o Jeesuhs Cwis. Ahmeh."
Translation: Dear Heavenly Father. Thank you for my family. Bless Daddy and Mommy and Mimi and my brother. I love you. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

How perfect is that? That came right from his heart. Both good and bad, children learn from the example of the adults around them. I'm so glad to know we're doing at least one thing right.

Applesauce Spice Cake

Applesauce Spice Cake
3 eggs
1/4 cup coconut oil oil
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 1/4 cup frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped dates

2 Macintosh apples - peeled, cored and finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour one 9 inch square baking pan.
Beat the eggs until they drop like ribbons from the beaters. Continue beating and add the oil in a thin stream. Beat in the 1 cup applesauce and the 1 cup unsweetened apple juice concentrate then mix in the flour gradually until well blended. Add the baking soda, ground ginger, ground almonds and apples. Fold together until well mixed.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees F about 40 minutes or until the cake tests clean with a knife or toothpick.

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken and Peppers

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken and Peppers

Ingredients:
1 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch strips
Flour for coating chicken, about 1/4 cup
2-3 bell peppers, cut into 1 inch strips (any colors will do but red and green are a very good combination)
One yellow onion, sliced into 1/2 inch slices (half moon style)
1 & 1/2 cups of tomato salsa (Type depends on your family's tastes. We use medium.)
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup cheddar cheese (optional)

1. Coat chicken strips in flour and place in bottom of slow cooker.
2. Cover with peppers and onion.
3. Stir together salsa and spices. Pour over chicken and peppers. Cover with lid.
4. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
5. Stir before serving and top with cheese, if using.

I usually serve this over brown rice, but it is also great in tortillas. Corn or black beans would be a great addition to this!

Cranberry Pork Roast

When we got married, Hubby had a book called 101 Things to do with a Slow Cooker. Almost every page has casseroles made with cream soups or packets full of MSG. I try to avoid using preservative laden ingredients whenever possible, so I considered throwing the book out. Then I read through it. I found two recipes that I use fairly often. Cranberry Pork Roast is one of them.

Medium pork roast (2.5-3 pounds)
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 can of natural whole berry cranberry sauce (NOT jellied)
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp grated orange peel
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

1) Place roast in greased cooker. Season with salt and pepper.
2) Combine other ingredients and pour over roast.
3) Cover and cook on low heat 6-8 hours or until pork is fully cooked
4) Let stand 10 minutes before slicing

This should work with chicken as well, but I've never tried it.