Eat-All-You-Want Jello Salad

Serves 16

2-3 oz.  (6 oz.)  sugar free jello

2 ½ c. (20 oz. can) pineapple

24 oz. (3 c) low or no-fat cottage cheese

Dissolve jello in 2 c. boiling water.

Add 1 can pineapple with juice.

Add cottage cheese.  Stir and chill covered.

Crustless Low-Calorie PUMPKIN PIE

Serves 4

2 cups pumpkin (1 lb.)

8 oz. evaporated skim milk

1 T. lite syrup

1 t. pumpkin pie spice

1 T. liquid artificial sweetener (or other sweetener to equal ½ c. sugar)

Mix on low and pour into pie pan.  Bake at 350 for 45-60 min.

Done when knife inserted comes out clean.

Sheila's Granola

40 oz. oats

14 oz. coconut

1-2 lb. brown sugar

1-2 c. oil

Optional ingredients:  sunflower seeds, honey, nuts

Bake at 250 for 40 minutes until browned.

Recipe for: A Happy Marriage

From the Kitchen of:  Sheila Wolf
 Preparation time:  A lifetime
Serves:  Much happiness


Ingredients:

1.  Don't let things build up.  "Don't let the sun go down on your wrath."

2.  Have a regular date planned each week, especially when you have children.

3.  Have children.

4.  You will never realize how much your parents love you until you have children of your own.

5.  Neither of you should complain about the other to your own mother or father.  the problem can be fixed quickly, but a mother-in-law will remember always. : )

6.  Remember your in-laws loved their child for over 20 years before they met you.  Don't ever hold that against them.

7.  Remember, he looks at things through his own eyes - not yours!

8.  Develop a budget together.  debt can eat a marriage up. It's not worth it.  (Men have a God-given responsibility to provide and when they $$ is not there, they can get really tense!)

9.  DECIDE to stay married just like you decided to stay saved.  Divorce is not an option (even if they leave their dirty socks on the floor.)  If you decide to make your marriage work, guess what?  It will work.

10.  Be careful about the negative things you tell your husband.  You don't want bitterness to eat him up either.

11.  Pray together regularly.

A Little Steamroller Story

Once upon a time there was a steamroller that helped build dependable roads for the traffic of future generations to drive on.  The steam roller was heavy, strong, in good shape and capable of doing the job it was supposed to do:

To pack down the earth and fill dirt to make a foundation so the road wouldn't slip down the hill, or sink as the years go by.

To pack down a compact, sturdy, even under pavement of gravel so the topping could go on smoothly and last even under future heavy loads and the freezing and thawing of time.

To pack down, compact and smooth out the asphalt for a smooth easy ride.

But the steam roller chose top soil for the fill dirt and as he rolled over it, the top soil cried, "No! God meant for me to nourish the flowers,"  but the steam roller never heard him, "Dirt is dirt."  The dirt gave up trying ot do what the creator had meant for him.

He chose diamonds for the under-pavement.  "Wow, this will be good and last forever.  Nothing is stronger than this."  The diamonds wanted to be recognized for the beautiful glittering they produced, or even for their durability, but no, "that is what is expected of them - their job - why recognize something so insignificant as their glittering beauty when they will soon be covered over by the asphalt?'  So he continued on.

And then for the asphalt top.  As he starts his engine the steam roller says, "Hey, there is a marble monument that had stood nearby for many years.  Now that would make strong asphalt."  And before the statue could say, "I would like for you to notice what I am cut out to do,"  the steam roller ran over him, crushed him and forced him into the mold that seemed best to the steam roller.  Anything to reach the goal.  "Anyway, what use are statues?"

He never heard the cries of the soil, the diamonds or the statue.  He only saw the dependable road he had made.  He didn't see the crushed spirit of the top soil, the misplaced use of the diamonds strength or the importance of the statue.

Yes, he had accomplished his purpose.  But in doing so he had unknowingly hindered them from fulfilling their potential.  How much richer the world could have been.

Time Savers for the Kitchen

Make two weeks of menus at a time. 
     - Saves Time (shopping)
     - Saves energy (thinking & planning)
     - Saves money (less waste & you can buy bargains because you planned ahead)

Keep your menus more general, less specific.

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Beef	Mexican	Fish	Ground Meat	Chicken	Oriental	Italian
Potatoes	Rice	Potatoes	Potatoes	Potato	Rice	Pasta
Vegetable	Corn	Vegetable	Unusual	Broccoli	Vegetable	GreenBeans
Salad	Lettuce	Slaw	Carrot/pina	Pasta Salad	Soup	Green
Bread	Tortilla	Corn Bread	Rolls	Bread	*	*
Dessert	Fruit	Jello	Ice Cream	Crisp	Nutbread	Fruit

Every morning, lay out your main entree from the freezer, and make the salad or dessert or casserole.  There should probably be only one from scratch item per day. When you wash the breakfast dishes you also will have the 'big mess' cleaned up.  When you empty the dishwasher, set the table for supper.

It is easier to clean out your refrigerator when it is the most empty so clean it the day before you grocery shop.

While you have the mess, use your food processor for the whole week.  Chop the whole pound of walnuts; chop apples for apple cake; make cabbage slaw; shred the whole pound of carrots for the slaw, cooked carrots, carrot cake and a pineapple-carrot salad.  (carrots will turn brown if not cooked slightly); shred cheese for casserole or tacos, crush leftover ships, cereal, and cracker crumbs for casserole topping or chicken coating, cop peppers and slice mushrooms; and chop all 3 pounds of onions and freeze 1/2c. in each small zip-lock bag.  (If you plan it carefully you won't even have to wash the processor between foods!)

On Saturday while you are frying hamburger for pizza, fry ground beef for the Monday Mexican meal and the Wednesday cassserole.  Go ahead and add the chopped onions from teh baggy in the freezer, and basic seasonings.  Freeze in bread sacks, freezer containers, cool whip bowls, or ziplocks that you bought with a doubled 50 cent coupon. : )

When you bake, always double or triple the recipe.  Almost all cookie dough freezes well for your own slice and bake cookies.  Mix up and bake another item while you have th emess.  Mix up the yellow dessert or bread before the chocolate cake so you can use the same bowl, beaters, and measuring equipment without washing in between things (same ingredients - flour, sugar, salt...).

After frying bacon for the 7-layer salad, saute a lot of unions mushrooms and peppers in the fat.  Remove the vegetables and fry the meat you plan to top with a gourmet sauce.  Remove the meat and add 4 Tablespoons of flour to 4 Tablespoons of fat.  Stir until blended and add 2-3 cups of milk.  You have the base for any cream soup you can imagine (add onions for onion soup, mushrooms for mushroom soup, broccoli for broccoli, etc.)  Add 1/2 cup shredded cheese to one cup of sauce for cheese sauce to be used in macaroni and cheese, scalloped potatoes, on top of broccoli or in a casserole.

Save money with Mixes & Substitutions

BAKING mixes & substitutions

Biscuit Mix = 5 lbs of self-rising flour, 4 c. shortening, 1 c. sugar
Jello = Mix 1 pkg. gelatin in cold water and add sugar
Self-rising flour = 1 c. flour + 2 tsp. baking powder + 1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup cake flour = 7/8 c. sifted all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon cornstarch = 2 Tablespoons flour
1 pkg yeast = 2 tsp. dry yeast

CHOCOLATE
One square of unsweetened chocolate = 3 Tbsp. cocoa + 1 Tbsp. fat.  (Add cocoa with recipe's dry ingredients and fat with recipe's other fat.)

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate (melted) = 1/4 c. fat + 6 Tbsp. cocoa + 7 Tbsp. sugar

DAIRY
Ricotta Cheese = Cottage cheese is a less expensive substitution for lasagna recipes
Milk = 1 c. water + 1/3 c. dry milk
Sour milk = 1 c. milk + 1 Tbsp. vinegar (let set for 5 minutes to sour)
Buttermilk = substitute 1 c. milk or 1 c. yogurt
Sweetened condensed milk = (15 oz = 1 7/8 c.)  = substitute 1/2 c. boiling water + 1/4 c. margarine + 1 c. sugar + 1 c. dry milk.  Store in refrigerator to thicken.

MISCELLANEOUS
Barbeque sauce = catsup + brown sugar + vinegar
Italian seasoning = 1/4 tsp. each of oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary & pepper

An easy way to earn $1,000.00 !

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU HAD AN EXTRA $1,000.00 WITH NO STRINGS ATTACHED?

Go out to eat once a week for a year?
Put a down payment on a car?
Pay a house off in 15 years instead of 25?
Buy new carpet?
Go on vacation?
Give a large donation?

I came to give you $1,000.00

Probably the average amount spent on food per week by this group is at least $100.00  If I can help you save 20% a week on your food budget, you will save $1,000.00 this year.

A penny saved is more than a penny earned, because you don't have to pay 28-35% tax on it.  You don't have to pay interest on it.  You don't have to "spend more to make more."

Remember:  All you have to do is save $20 per week for 50 weeks and you have an extra $1,000 to spend on whatever you wish!  Take a look at your grocery cart next week, see if you can spend $20.00 less.




 


A FEW VERY SIMPLE WAYS TO SAVE:

 - You can save $20.00 per week on your grocery bill by saving a few cents on every item you buy, or by just putting some of the unnecessary things away.

- Shop with a shopping list (avoid buying things you don't need.)
 
- Don't go shopping when you're hungry  (you will always buy more!)

- Buy quantity when it is on sale (This won't over extend your food budget.  One week, cereal will be on sale, the next week, milk will be    on sale.  One week apples, the next week bananas.  One week hamburger, the next week roast.  Buy a month's worth of whatever is on sale.)

- Buy foods that are in season  (The prices on out-of-season produce are much higher)
              SEE THE "IN SEASON FOR YOUR STATE" GADGET AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS BLOG

- Use coupons   (But only if they save money and you needed the item anyway.)

- Go to the store as few times as possible. (Ever go to the store for a gallon and end up spending $20?)

- Keep an equivalent and substitution chart handy...and make some of your own mixes!  Don't run to the store every time you run out of something.  Each time you go you spend more than you planned!

Recipe For: Staying in God's Work

From the kitchen of:  a wife, a mother and a 35 year Bible school teacher.

1.  Don't let Bitterness eat you up.  The scripture says it can make you sick.

2.  Remember the grass Ain't Greener!  There are problems everywhere under the sun.

3.  Keep your GOAL in mind.  You're touching lives for Christ - LIves that will touch others.

4.  You may spend more time with and have more influence on some lives than even their pastor.

5.  Just "Fight the Battles" that count.  Don't waste your energy on non-essentials!  Keep yourself up for the important issues (like helping people to heaven.)

6.  How much should ou love your neighbor?  You don't touch others very well if you don't love yourself.

7.  Continue to "Seek First".  I promise His promises are ture.  The "perks" in God's employment are wonderful - even on this earth.

8.  Do your job and remember God doesn't need help doing His.
     * He will provide for you.
     * He doesn't need your help to move people who need moving.

9.  Stay away from Doomsdayers.

10.  Be careful about the negative things you tell your hlsband.  You don't want bitterness to eat him up either.

11.  Don't be Ordinary.  Be Special.  "Reach out and Touch someone."

When I Have Time

When I have time There's a poem to be written, A song to be sung.
When I have time There's a child to be led, a prayer to be said,
When I have time I'll tell you a story, I'll visit a friend.

Alas, time is gone.
The poem's unwritten, the song unsung,
The child is a man, grown up unled.
The prayer, ah the  prayer, it wen unsaid.
Teh story is ended, the friend is dead.
For what momentous affiar did I neglect
A poem, A song, A child, A friend

Was it a dirty dish?  An unmade bed?

Ida M. Walters

Sheila's Healthy Bran Muffins

 

3 T. baking soda
2 c. butter
2 c. oil
6 cups sugar
8 eggs
2 qt. buttermik
8 c. bran cereal
4 c. bran flakes
1 T. salt
10 c. flour
40 oz. oats
14 oz. coconut
1-2 lb. brown sugar
1-2 c. oil
1 c. rsisins (opt.)
1 c. nuts (opt.)


Dissolve the soda in 4 c. boiling water.
Add 1 cup raisins to water if desired.  Cool
Cream butter and sugar.  Beat in eggs.

Stir in flour and cereal, & nuts.  Add water.
Spray bottom fo muffin papers.  Bake in muffin pans 375 or 30 min or 400 for 20 min.  Keeps covered in fridge for up to 6 weeks

How can I tell if I'm really in Love?

1. Of all the people in the world I would still choose you.
2. Has it boiled down to just one person?
3. Does he/she really respect you?
4. Does he/she respect my ideas?  (friends, home, goals, etc.)
5. Does he/she look up to me?  (If they do neither will be a dictator)
6. Do you both encourage the full development of the other?
7. Are they loyal the Church of Jesus Christ?
8. Are they on the same cultural and intellectual level as you?
9. Do you love the individual as a person or do you like merely the feeling you have about them?  (In love with love)
10. Are you attracted to the individual for what they are or for what you read into them?  (Idealizing)
11. Is the person attractive to you -- more than the physical?  Meek and quiet spirit, tenderness.  Beauty is only skin deep.  Ugly is to the bone. Beauty will eventually fade away.  Ugly holds her own 
12. Does the person wear well with you and your friends?
13. Are you attracted to what they can give or do for you?
14. Over what matters and how frequently do you have conflict?  Is the conflict open or suppressed?  Is it superficial?
15. Are you willing to make concession or do you always expect the other person to do the pleasing, agreeing, and adjusting?  (Do you love the other person for themselves?)
16. Do you have doubts about your love? (It may prove that you're not really in love.  This is not necessarily so, for many people have doubts, especially at first.  A certain amount of doubt is preset sometimes when love is developing and when a decision for marriage is being made.  But don't overlook warning signs.  When your spirit is in doubt, slow down and get wise counsel)
17. How do you weather a crisis together? (Have you met illness or death in one family or the other?  Has unemployment, maladjustment at home, separation, disappointments, or similar crisis tend to drive you apart or closer together?)
18. Do you feel that you want to love the other person or fight against it?  Is there conflict between your emotion and your intelligence?
19. Are you sufficient stimulus for each other when you are together, or do you require outside stimuli to prevent boredom? (Does it take more than each others company to have an enjoyable time?)
20. Do you love the person in calmer moments or do you seem to be only in love when your temperature, blood pressure, and heart is palpitating?!!?
21. In your mind, how does the individual fare with the competition to others?  Does he/she always come out first?
22. Are you mature enough to tell whether or not you're in love?  Are you relatively mature and emotionally stable?
23. What is the relationship between your enthusiasm and the presence and absence of the other person?
24. Do you feel that your relationship hangs on a very slender thread and could be easily broken?
25. Do you forgive, tolerate, accept, overlook, or resent faults and shortcomings/  (Love individual with faults and all or do
26. Have you seen the individual in enough different types of situations and observed enough facets of their personality to tell?  What is he/she like with his/her family?  What at work?  Home town setting, take their calling into consideration?
27. When you are with other men or women without his or her company, do you think more or less of them as to both frequency and intensity?
28. Do you like to be int he company of the other person?  "Oh no!  Not him again!"  Three times a day seven days a week you hope for reform?)
29. If they have told you in no uncertain terms that they are sure they love you and will love you forever, what does this certaintly play in making you feel your love for them?  Are you under some pressure test of love?  (You do this or else!)
30. When other praise or blame this individual too you should?  How much do you share experiences?  Can you see him or her fitting into your pattern for life?  How much do they seem to be a stabilizing force for your emotions?
31. How much do you think of their welfare?
32. Do you have a desire to escape an unhappy home, school, or work situation?

Just Wondering

My best devotions aren’t usely the ones right before bedtime.   

They are those aha moments. Lately I have been reading so much about the rights of gays and so I got so emotional, the tear kind of emotional,  this afternoon when I saw two geese flying overhead.  

source

I know you don’t bet, but in case you would consider it, I WONDER what sex  you would bet those geese were.   I saw two red birds flitting along the edge of “our” forest among walnut and catalpa trees.  One was a muted red and one was a brilliant red.  I WONDER what sex might they have been.   

In the elm tree on the West a large beautiful bird was “yelling” at another bird of similar color and markings.  I WONDER if He was protecting his women or saving her for himself.  WONDER what sex he was chasing off.   I have heard of many male birds who help “sit the nest” while Mom is away.  Have you ever heard of a female bird offering her services to another mama bird?   
Doesn’t even nature teach the laws of God?  Aren’t His laws sensible?  Isn’t there an excitement to the laws of God that show He knows us, He loves us, he protects us, He made us.   

source

I say “When all else fails, read the instructions of the Maker.”  

But, if you don’t read His instructions I WONDER if you have ever looked and considered what nature might teach us. O, the WONDERS of creation.