Crossroads MOPS

April 04

# # Kolcraft Contours Options 3 Wheeler Stroller Giveaway
Enter to win at http://momsbestbets.blogspot.com/2010/03/kolcraft-contours-options-3-wheeler.html



6:23 PM GMT  |  Read comments(0)

February 08

Spiral Soup in a Jar Mix Craft instructions
Although this soup is great as it comes from the jar mix, you can add additional vegetables along with the canned tomatoes. Leftover peas and carrots, frozen french-style green beans or frozen corn would blend in beautifully. Serve this soup piping hot, with rounds of melba toast, crackers, or toasted garlic bread. Garnish with grated parmesan, if desired.

10:06 PM GMT  |  Read comments(0)

February 07

Healthy Dinners In No Time by Debbie Lyerly
Many of you asked for the recipes shared by our speaker at this meeting. Here they are!

Easy Beef Stroganoff

1. Prepare and freeze - To one portion of Make-Ahead Ground Beef, add:

8oz sliced mushrooms
1 can (10 3/4) condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup water
1 tsp ground paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 coarsely ground black pepper

Combine in large resealable plastic bags. Freeze for up to three months.

2. Defrost - Microwave packet on DEFROST (30% power) 8-10 minutes or until softened. Pour into (10-in.) skillet and bring to a simmer over medium heat. (if cooking immediately, combine ingredients in skillet and bring to a simmer over medium heat.)

3. Finish and serve!

• Stir 8 oz sour cream into beef mixture
• Cook 1lb egg noodles; drain. Toss with 1/4 cup snipped fresh parsley and 2 tbsp melted butter.
  
• Spoon stroganoff over noodles and sprinkle with additional paprika and parsley, if desired.

Yield: 6 servings

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Italian Beef Hoagies

1. Prepare and freeze - To one portion of Make-Ahead Ground Beef, add:

1 each green and red bell pepper, sliced
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 pkt (1 oz) onion soup mix
1 tbsp Italian Seasoning mix

Combine in large resealable plastic bag. Freeze for up to three months.

2. Defrost - Microwave packet on DEFROST (30% power) 8-10 minutes or until softened. Pour into skillet and bring to a simmer over medium heat. (if cooking immediately, combine ingredients in skillet and bring to a simmer over medium heat.)

3. Finish and serve!

• Sprinkle 1 cup (4oz) shredded Provolone cheese over beef mixture.
• Cover with lid and simmer 1-2 minutes or until cheese is melted
• Spoon into 6 warm hoagie rolls.

Yield: 6 servings

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Barbecue Beef Sloppy Joes

1. Prepare and freeze - To one portion of Make-Ahead Ground Beef, add:

1 cup ketchup
2 tbsp Smoky Barbecue Rub
2 tsp cider vinegar

Combine in large resealable plastic bag. Freeze for up to three months.

2. Defrost - Microwave packet on DEFROST (30% power) 8-10 minutes or until softened. Pour into skillet and bring to a simmer over medium heat. (if cooking immediately, combine ingredients in skillet and bring to a simmer over medium heat.)

3. Finish and serve!

• Divide beef mixture among 6 hamburger buns
• Top with coleslaw, shredded cheese, shredded lettuce or sliced green onions, if desired.

Yield: 6 servings



8:44 PM GMT  |  Read comments(0)

Nutritious Snacks and Monthly Meal Planning

Meal Planning Made Easy

In the house of the wise are stores of choice foods and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has... Proverbs 21:20

*Weekly Meal Plan

-Breakfast: Have a daily schedule. Fruit and/or yogurt with:
Monday...............Muffins
Tuesday............ Toast, Bagels, English Muffins
Wednesday........Waffles
Thursday............Cereal
Friday.................Pop-Tarts

- Dinner: Plan out the dinner menu for the week on Sunday. Pick up all ingredients at the beginning of the week.

*Once a Month Cooking: Planning and preparing a month's worth of dinners. Can be done individually or in a Cooking Club. (do a search online for 'freezer recipes' for more sites).

Websites for Once a Month Cooking Tips:
http://www.frugalmom.net/once_a_month_cooking.htm
http://busycooks.about.com/od/makeaheadrecipes/a/cookOAMC.htm
http://www.momsbudget.com/freezerrecipes/index.html
http://www.realfood4realpeople.com/oamc.html

*Nutritious Snacks

• food pyramid
• appetizers: fruits and vegetables
• snack mixes (whole grain cereal, nuts, dried fruit)
• frozen peas
• grapes and cheese on toothpicks
• grilled fruit
• pudding (sugar-free/fat-free)

8:28 PM GMT  |  Read comments(0)

How to really love your husband

"The Tunnel of Love"
How to really love your husband 

First, strive to live in a state of fellowship (conflicts resolved) with your husband.

Phase 1: Everything is good between the two of you
Phase 2: One of you feels hurt by the other
Phase 3: The one who feels hurt gets angry & the other gets defensive
Phase 4: Distancing & coldness (the sun goes down on your anger - Eph 4:26)

A. BE HIS HELPER - Gen 2:18 (Husband is the head - Eph 5:23)
     (if men feel respected they feel loved)

1. To "help" means assist him
2. To "help" means encourage him
3. To "help" means to support him

B. BE SUBMISSIVE TO HIM - Eph. 5:34 (Husband is to love Eph 5:25-29; Col 3:19); Col 3:18; 1 Peter 3:1-2

1. To "submit" means arrange under (activities, plans, schedules, means - express your thoughts, bring all your thoughts to him on everything)
2. To "submit" means respect
3. To "submit" means obey (we trust God when we obey; the rare times when you just can't agree; Example - Sarah continued to obey even though Abraham was out of God's will. God protected and blessed Sarah)

C. BE QUICK TO RESOLVE CONFLICTS - Eph 4:26

Phase 2 is inevitable; phase 3 & 4 are not! The goal is to STOP the degeneration of the bond between husband and wife before you get to Phase 3.

Talk the following exercise over with your husband at a time when neither of you is upset with the other (during a Phase 1):

CONFLICT RESOLUTION EXERCISE

First, agree that you will both follow these steps when one of you feels hurt by the other:

THE OFFENDED PARTY SHOULD BEGIN THIS EXERCISE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER HE/SHE REALIZES THEY ARE FEELING HURT

1. Go to your spouse adn cover the left side of your head (to let him know you are functioning temporarily from the right side of your brain, the "feelings" side.

2. Camly say, "I felt ________ when you did/said, __________." (do NOT say, "You made me upset..." or "You make me so mad when you..." Own your own feelings while also acknowledging that something he did triggered those feelings.)

3. Ask him to take a minute in silence & try to imagine he is you and empathize with your feelings (if necessary, cover the left side of your head again to remind him it is hard for you to think logically at that moment  ); then he should say something like: "I can understand how my doing/saying, ____________ could have made you feel _________. I am sorry. Would you forgive me?"

4. Actually forgive him! Tell him you forgive him and actually do it! Don't hol da grudge. Let it go!

5. THEN he can cover the RIGHT side of his head and ask you to try to think logically for a moment; he can then explain himself and it sometimes will actually help you understand that his motive was not as rotten as you had "felt" it was!*

*However, this step may have to wait a few minutes..., or an hour..., or more before you can put the hurt behind you, forgive him and think with both sides of your brain again.

8:27 PM GMT  |  Read comments(0)