November 24, 2024

At Home w/ GCH: Going “Green” with Cleaning Products

March 13, 2013 by

For several years, I owned and operated a home cleaning business.  Some of my customers were very adamant about using all-natural, non-toxic, cleaning products in their homes, so I had to do some major research to find the perfect cleaning products for their homes.  I’m glad I found these customers because they introduced me to a whole new way of cleaning, AND a healthier way of cleaning!

One thing I cannot stand to see is someone using bleach to clean their kitchen countertops where they prepare the foods they will then serve to their family!  Bleach….  Do you know what is in bleach? Harsh Chemicals!  A product that they advise you to use rubber gloves when you use it.  A product that can blind you if it gets in your eyes.  A product that will literally burn your throat if you accidentally swallow it.  But yet, we use it to clean an area where food is prepped for our families.  I’ve never understood that!

One ingredient that I found that is safe to use, and works rather well is white vinegar.  It can be used in your laundry, on windows, countertops, toilets, floors, and more!  When used on windows, it leaves no streaks!  When I use it, I mix it at a ratio of 3:1…3 parts water to 1 part vinegar.

Another ingredient that works really well is baking soda.  This little beauty is not just for baking/cooking!  It can be used as a scrub for your tub, or made into a soft-scrub for stainless steel sinks, and more!

I also use Shaklee cleaning products in my home.  These products are amazing when it comes to cleaning AND saving you money!!  For my window cleaner, I use 1/4 tsp of Shaklee Basic H, to 16 ounces of water!  The old saying “if a little works good, a lot ought to work a whole lot better” doesn’t apply to Shaklee products! When they say use 1/4 tsp, they mean it!   A 16 ounce bottle of Basic H will last you a LONG, LONG time!  It is well worth the price!!

Shaklee Basic H is an awesome concentrate. It’s non-toxic, all-natural, and doubly concentrated.  By using it to mix your cleaners it costs less than $.01 cent to make a 16 ounce bottle of window cleaner, only $.03 to make a 16 ounce bottle of all-purpose cleaner, and only $.17 to make a 16 ounce bottle of degreaser.  It will definitely save you money on cleaning products!  Normally each of those products would cost me $3.00+ at my retail store!

I’m not a representative of Shaklee; I am only a customer!  A happy customer!  So if you are interested in using Shaklee products, you will need to find a representative in your area OR you can use MY rep, Jenny Utrie.  Click HERE to be taken to her website.  Tell her Christi Wilson sent you!

Shaklee

Going Green in your home with cleaning products means you will have a healthier and cleaner atmosphere for your loved ones!  Isn’t that what we all want anyway?

Join me next week, as I continue this series on “All Things Green“!

Be Blessed,

Christi

If you would like to send Christi a personal email in regards to this blog, please email her at: Christi@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com.

 

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Crazy Love: Our Final Week – “Is This What I Want to Be Doing When Christ Comes Back?”

March 12, 2013 by

What Will YOU Be Doing

I’m filling in for Martha this week, as she is out of town with family.

I’ve been praying about what I want to share on this blog this week, since last week.  When you think about it, this is one very important question that we all need to ask ourselves.  Are we doing what we want to be doing when Christ comes back?  Are we doing what Christ wants us to be doing when He returns?  Or are we just floundering through life doing whatever, whenever, with whomever?

The words that I want to hear when I see Him face to face, either in heaven or here on earth, is “Well done thy good and faithful servant.”  I think we all want to hear those words.  I want to know that everything I have done here on earth brings glory to Him, honors Him, and reflects Him as the loving, redeeming, forgiving, gracious Lord that He is.

I want to be reaching out to women all across the world, fulfilling the word that He has given me time and time again, to spread the gospel across all nations!  On several occasions, the Lord told me that He wants me to spread the gospel worldwide; three different Scriptures, on three different occasions, confirmed this for me.

Today, almost one year since I started Girlfriends Coffee Hour, I do feel as if I am doing what He wants me to be doing, and I pray that I am still ministering to women all across the world through GCH, when Christ returns!  This ministry has been such a huge blessing to see how God is working in so many lives, marriages, families, etc.  It has been such an honor to be used by Him to minister to women in need, who need to see Jesus in their circumstances, and in their lives.  It’s been such a blessing to pray with women all over the world; to encourage them; to study the Word with them, and so on.

I also have another side to my life that some of you may not know about.  I am a foster mom to kids whose families are in crisis, or just need help.  I am brand new at this, having had only one placement so far.  My husband, Gary, and I both know that this is something God called us to.  We both have hearts for kids who have bad homes, or need to be shown the love of God.  Our first placement ended this last weekend.  My heart is sad because the two precious little ones that we had for a period of time were the most adorable little boys ever!!  To wake up each morning and see their smiling little faces, Wow!  I can’t even begin to tell you what that does to your heart!  I pray God will continue to use us in this manner, and make us even better at parenting future kids that will come into our home.

So, in answer to the question “Is this what I want to be doing when Christ comes back?” I would say that no matter what I am doing, all I want to hear is Him say to me, “Well done thy good and faithful servant.”  I want to do all that I can to the glory of Him who has called and chosen me.

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Let’s Pray:

Lord, I pray for each person that is reading this blog today.  I pray, Lord, that they would truly search their hearts to make sure that they are doing what You have called them to do. May they begin to seek You in all that they do, Lord.  May they do all that they do to bring You glory and honor!  May Your plans for their lives be exactly what YOU have called them to do! Our only goal, Lord, should be to bring glory and honor to YOU, Lord, in ALL that we do.  We love You so very much!  In Your precious Name, AMEN!

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GWS

Our next Women’s Online Bible/Book study begins March 24th!

To join us, click on the picture above and complete the registration form.  

You may also purchase your book from that sign-up page, too!

We hope you join us!

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At Home with GCH: “All Things Green” Month!! — Green Smoothies

March 6, 2013 by

Just for the month of March, every Wednesday here on At Home with GCH, I will be blogging about “All Things Green.”  I hope you enjoy it!

Today, I want to share my all-time favorite Green Smoothie recipe.  If you’ve never had a Green Smoothie before, don’t let the color scare you off!  Green Smoothies are not only healthy for you, they taste delicious, and are a GREAT way to get your fruits and veggies in for the day!  God gave us these awesome fruits and vegetables, so why not put them to good use!

Let’s start by talking about Green Smoothies and why they are so good for you!  My dear friend Sandra Castillo turned me onto these deliciously healthy smoothies.  She is the Green Smoothie guru that I go to if I have any questions about them!  She has been drinking Green Smoothies for nearly 4 years and has not been sick one time during this time.  When everyone else is suffering from the flu, colds, sinus infections, and more…Sandra is like the Energizer battery and just keeps going, and going, and going!  She has taught me so much about these delicious drinks, and I can’t wait to share some of what I have learned from her!

ToYourHealth

The benefits of Green Smoothies:

  • Promotes blood purification
  • Cancer prevention
  • Improves circulation
  • Strengthens immune system
  • Promotes healthy intestinal flora
  • Promotes extra energy
  • Lifts spirits and reduces/eliminates depression
  • Improves liver, gall bladder and kidney functions
  • Clears congestion, especially in lungs by reducing mucus

This is what you will find in each Green Smoothie:

  • protein
  • calcium
  • folate
  • iron, magnesium, manganese, zinc, copper
  • vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin A
  • vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin B5, vitamin B6
  • vitamin E
  • omega 3 fatty acids
  • potassium
  • tryptophan
  • dietary fiber
  • and much more!

My favorite Green Smoothie recipe:

  • 1 large frozen banana
  • 1/2 cup frozen strawberries
  • 1 tbsp ground flax seed
  • 16 oz of purified water
  • 2 handfuls of fresh kale
  • 6 ice cubes

Blend until smooth and enjoy.

I always use kale in my smoothies.  I’m not much of a fan of spinach, but I can tolerate it if I have to.  But my favorite for my Green Smoothies is kale.  Kale has a ton of health benefits, too! 

Here are just a few of the health benefits of kale:

  • very versatile and nutritious green leafy vegetable
  • low calories
  • high in fiber
  • zero fat
  • high in iron
  • high in vitamins A, C, and K
  • filled with powerful antioxidants
  • anti-inflammatory
  • great for cardiovascular support
  • high in calcium
  • great detox food
  • strengthens immune system
  • binds bile acids and helps lower blood cholesterol levels and reduces the risk of heart disease
  • can reduce the overall risk of developing or dying from cancer, according to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
  • notably good in many B-complex groups of vitamins such as niacin, vitamin B-6(pyridoxine), thiamin, pantothenic acid, etc., that are essential for substrate metabolism in the body
  • believed to protect from cardiovascular diseases, and colon and prostate cancers

One warning that I have found on kale:

  • Because of its high vitamin K content, patients taking anti-coagulants such as Warfarin are encouraged to avoid kale since it increases the vitamin K concentration in the blood, which is what the drugs are attempting to lower. This effectively raises the dose of the drug and causes toxicity.

For more information on the benefits of Green Smoothies, check out GreenSmoothieGirl.com.  You can also read more information from my friend Sandra on her Facebook page.  Pinterest also has a ton of great Green Smoothie recipes!  I have gotten many of the ones I use today from Pinterest!

I hope this blog will entice you to give Green Smoothies a try!  They truly are delicious, and oh so healthy for you!!

Come back next week, when I cover another topic that includes “All Things Green“!!  🙂

 

Go Green!!

Christi

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If you would like to email Christi in regards to this blog, you may send it to:

Christi@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com

 

 

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At Home with GCH: Freezer/Pantry Challenge – Final Week Update

February 28, 2013 by

Challenge

 

We made it to Week 4!  Yay!! Are you still with me?  If so, I’d love to hear what your biggest challenge was?  How did you deal with it?

I have to be truthful and say that I blew this last week, and purchased snacks for our foster boys, instead of making them myself.  My only excuse is that I was so absolutely exhausted, I just wanted convenience!  Convenience spoke LOUDLY to my ears, and to my wallet!  But even with this, we still only spent an additional $13.75 for snacks and milk this last week!  Not too bad!

TOTAL SPENT ON GROCERIES FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY: $204.02. Again, this was without meat purchases.  BUT, I will say this…that may seem like a lot to spend for groceries if we are not including meat, but if you could see how much food I have left over not only in my freezer, but in my pantry, you would see that I still have a few weeks worth of groceries left over!  So seriously, I think we did pretty good!! 🙂

I still have 2-1/2 cases of canned vegetables left over.  We still have tons of potatoes, rice, and pasta left over.  We have at least a couple of weeks of cereal left over.  I will need to purchase tomato paste, spaghetti sauce, and things like that…but overall, I still have a ton of groceries left over!  So the total of $204.02 will carry over into March and save us money during March as well! 🙂

The other thing I would like to add to this is that on the 13th of this month, we added two more mouths to feed!  We have the pleasure of having two of the most adorable little foster boys in our home, who will be staying with us for a while.  So our meals went from 1-2 meals a day for my husband and I, to three meals a day for all four of us, and two snacks a day for the boys!  So not only did we spend less, but we fed more!

So, in conclusion, this is what we found during this challenge:

  • Less money spent / more money in our pockets
  • Better planning
  • Less splurging
  • Less stress in what to make for dinner
  • Healthier meals
  • We were happier with more meatless meals
  • Fun to experiment w/more recipes
  • Didn’t eat out as much because our meals were planned ahead of time
  • Convenience foods don’t have to happen often but, when they do, they don’t have to cost a fortune!

I’m glad I did this challenge this month.  I learned a lot!  I will definitely do this again in the future.

Visit me again next week on Wednesday, when we start a new series titled “All Things Green“!

 

His Blessings,

Christi

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If you would like to send Christi an email in regards to this blog, you may send it to:

Christi@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com

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At Home with GCH: Freezer/Pantry Challenge – Week 3

February 21, 2013 by

Freezer Pantry Challenge Header

 

Are you excited that we only have ONE more week left of this challenge?? 🙂  How have you done, so far?  What has been your biggest challenge?

For us, this past week, we still only needed to purchase milk and fresh produce.  We’ve been doing pretty good actually.  My trip to Aldi’s at the end of last month to stock up on canned goods and such, really helped!  I’m actually enjoying finding out just how little we can spend on groceries, and still eat good!

This last week we spent $$24.78 on groceries.  So altogether we have spent less than $200 for a family of four for this month.  I still have enough canned goods, rice, pasta, and such, to make it clearly two weeks into March.  Again, we’ll continue to buy our dairy products and produce, but other than that, we really won’t need anything else.  The boys are almost out of snacks, but I have all the ingredients to make Chocolate Chip Cookies…so no problem.  We’re almost out of juice, so I’ll have to figure out what to do there.  Hoping I can make what we have last through the end of next week! We’ll see!  Plan Your Work…Work Your Plan!!  Right?!?!

Instead of sharing our meals for the last week with you this week, I want to share a recipe with you that I made this week.  It was very good!  The first thing I thought when I took the first bite was, “I should have taken a picture, so I could have posted it on the blog!!!”   But that’s okay.  It’s good either way, with or without, a picture!  So here you go!

Creamy Vegetable Soup

5 medium sized potatoes, peeled and diced

1 dozen baby carrots, sliced

1 can whole kernel corn

1 small green pepper, diced

1 small yellow onion, diced

1 box Low-Sodium Chicken Stock

2 tsp minced garlic

1 small can of Cream of Chicken Soup

1 small can of Cream of Mushroom Soup

salt and pepper to taste

 

DIRECTIONS:

Mix all ingredients, with the exception of the cream soups, into a large dutch oven and cook on medium-high until vegetables are tender.  Add in cream soups and stir until smooth and creamy.  Heat through.  Top with shredded cheddar cheese and bacon bits, and serve!  This soup goes great with a large green salad made with all the trimmings, and some good ‘ole homemade bread!  It’s perfect for a cold Wisconsin winter night! 🙂

So, please add your comments below about how you are doing on the challenge. I really do want to read them!! 🙂

 

Blessings on Your Day,

Christi

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If you would like to send Christi a private message in regards to this blog, please email her at: Christi@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com

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At Home with GCH: Freezer/Pantry Challenge Update – Week 2

February 14, 2013 by

Freezer Pantry Challenge Header

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Happy Valentine’s Day!

I hope you have planned something special for you and your Sweetie!  My husband surprised me early this year and gave me a card, a HUGE mug filled with the cutest little bear and chocolates, and a live miniature rose bush!  Totally took me by surprise!  He’s usually the one who forgets holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries!  When I saw his gift, he looked at me with much excitement in his eyes and said, “LOOK!! I remembered!!”  Boy did he score some major brownie points!! 🙂

With Valentine’s Day in mind, did you all remember to plan for this special occasion while planning your meals for the month?  My husband works that night, so our Valentine’s dinner (Yes, candlelight and all) will be tonight!  He doesn’t know it yet, so it will be a surprise to him!

How have you done this week with the Freezer/Pantry Challenge?  Have you been able to stick with it, or has it become a real challenge?  So far, this week, the only thing I’ve needed to purchase is milk and fresh produce!  I’m pretty happy about that!  I haven’t had the desire to go out and purchase more because I truly want to stick to this challenge to the best that I can. I really want to see if this can be done!

In talking to others about this challenge, they are telling me how EASY I am making it for all of you.  They’ve been through some challenges that doesn’t allow you to purchase anything throughout the month.  They are required to use exactly what they have on hand, and nothing more!  Now THAT would be challenging!  Maybe one day I’ll be ready for that kind of challenge.  🙂

One thing I am learning about this challenge is that I am also seeing it pour into other areas of my life.  I am becoming very aware of how we are spending our money.  It’s making me think before I give in and say “Yeah, let’s just go out and eat tonight.  I don’t feel like cooking!”  I’ve even told my husband that Papa Murphy’s Pizza will have to wait until next month, OR hey, here’s an idea….how about we make our own pizza!!!  What a concept, huh?  LOL  It’s been awesome seeing how we are working together in this now.

Here is my Menu for this week

Thursday: Soup / Salad

Friday: Scalloped Potatoes w/Ham

Saturday: Date Night

Sunday: Soup / Salad

Monday: Pancakes, Sausage Links, Scrambled Eggs

Tuesday: Grilled Chicken, Baked Potatoes, Green Beans, Salad

Wednesday: LEFTOVERS

Here’s my total grocery bill for the last week:  $21.70

How is this challenge working for you?  Are you feeling challenged?  Are you working through it?  What are you doing to try and stick with the challenge?  I would love to see your comments below!!

Have a GREAT day, ladies!  See you next week!

Christi

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At Home with GCH: Pantry/Freezer Challenge UPDATE – Week 1

February 7, 2013 by

Nine women signed up to do the Pantry/Freezer Challenge with me during the month of February.  It’s not too late to join us, if you are interested!  Just email me below and I will add you to our Facebook group, where we share recipes, menus, encouragement, shopping tips, and more!

WEEK 1:

This first week was all about making an inventory list of everything that was in our pantry and freezer; making a menu for the month; creating a shopping list.  It was all about preparing for the month of creating great meals with just what is in your freezer or pantry!  It was all about finding great shopping discounts and buying the groceries needed at a deeper discount than we have before.  So, how did you do?

Receipt_Feb2012Last week, after I made my grocery list, I went shopping.  I went to Aldi which is one of my favorite discount grocery outlets.  I actually should have taken a picture of all the groceries I left with just to show you how much I got!  Our cart was overflowing! When we checked out, I told the cashier that if we had purchased the same goods at any other store, we would have spent an easy $200!!  But, I walked out of the store with spending only $143.79!!  I was thrilled to say the least!

The trip to Aldi didn’t include just food.  We also purchased Shampoo, Toiletries, Toilet Paper, and Paper Towels.  We stocked up on canned goods, cereal, and things like that.  I didn’t buy any meat, as our freezer is FULL of meat!  So there was no need to waste money on meat.  We did stock up on fresh produce, and we will replace that as needed during the month.  Milk and dairy products are also something that we will restock during the month.  Anything else that fits into our Pantry or Freezer…well, we won’t shop for those items.  We’ll eat just the meat and frozen meals that I cooked ahead and stored in our freezer, or what is in our pantry!

I’m off to a pretty good start!  I hope you are, too!  I’d love for you to share your journey with me in the comments section below!  Good or bad!  Let’s talk and see if you are off to a great start, or need a little bit of help.  Either way, I am here to help!

Some ask why I am doing this challenge.  The best reason I can give is because I want to be the best steward of God’s provisions as I can be!  I don’t want to be wasteful of anything He provides!  2 Peter 1:3a“God is very powerful because He is God. So He has given to us everything that we need to live always. ….”  If God truly has given me everything that I have, and I believe that He has, then it is my duty and responsibility to be wise with what He has given me.  Right?

I look forward to hearing how your first week went!  We will continue to check in with each other through the month of February.  Below you will find a list of the meals that were created during my first week.  I am only including the dinner meals, as I usually do not have lunch, and my breakfast is always a Green Smoothie! 🙂

February:

1st: Sausage Pizza

2nd: Roast Beef / Gravy / Potatoes / Corn / Bread

3rd: Spaghetti / Garlic Bread / Tossed Salad

4th: Baked Ham / Potatoes / Carrots

5th: Dinner out with friends

6th: Leftovers

 

Be sure to leave your comments below!  If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email me at Christi@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com.

 

Be Blessed!

Christi

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Crazy Love: Chapter 5 – Serving Leftovers to a Holy God (Reading Assignment)

February 3, 2013 by

Welcome to Chapter 5 of Crazy Love, by Francis Chan.  What an amazing book, right?  If your relationship with God isn’t changing, or hasn’t begun to change, because of this book, Wow; something must be wrong!  I can’t even tell you how much this book has impacted my life, so far, and we’ve only covered FOUR chapters!  Praising God for this amazing book and how it’s changing so many lives…for the better!!

I have the honor of giving you your Reading Assignment for this week.  If you have any questions or concerns about this study, please be sure to email the Leaders:  Jennifer Mleczynski or Megan Smidt (email addresses below).  They are both available to answer any questions that you may have.

Here we go:

Monday:

Chapter 5 “Serving Leftovers to a Holy God” pgs. 83-88/ Kindle LOC 1018-1088 (Megan)

Tuesday:

Chapter 5 “Serving Leftovers to a Holy God” pgs. 88-90/ Kindle LOC 1088-1121 (Poor Rich People) (Martha)

Wednesday:

Chapter 5 “Serving Leftovers to a Holy God” pgs. 90-94/ Kindle LOC 1121-1193 (Donna)

Thursday:

Chapter 5 “Serving Leftovers to a Holy God” pgs. 95-98/ Kindle LOC 1193-1247 (Jennifer)

Friday:

Chapter 5 “Serving Leftovers to a Holy God” Weekly Review and Chapter 5 Study Video from YouTube (Megan)

Have a BLESSED week everyone!

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If you are interested in joining this amazing online Bible study, and joining our private Facebook discussion group, click HERE.

Once we receive your registration, we will email you further details.

Jennifer Mleczynski: Jennifer@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com

Megan Smidt: Megan@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com

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At Home with GCH: Meal Planning 101 – Pantry / Freezer Challenge

January 28, 2013 by

This week, I am blogging TODAY, only because I would like to challenge you to something. Then I will be back on this blog again on Thursday, February 7th, to see how you are doing! Some of you may not like this challenge, but let’s take a serious look at this, and see what we can do.  If you have followed along with me for the past month, you should have freezer meals on hand, and your Pantry/Freezer lists updated.  Right?  So this challenge shouldn’t be too difficult for most of you.  I know some of you may be a bit behind, but now would be a great time to get caught up with this series.

I would like to challenge you to a Pantry/Freezer Challenge, for the entire month of February (just 28 days).  You will be limited to just what is in your pantry and freezer!  So you will have to be creative!  The Pantry/Freezer Challenge is a great way to trim the budget, keep close accounts on what you have, and rotate your current stock to avoid waste.

Each Thursday, I will come back here to update you on how the Challenge is going on my end, and I would love to hear how it’s going on your end as well.

 

What this Pantry/Freezer Challenge is NOT:

  • It’s not about NOT buying ANY groceries for the month of February.  You will need things, such as milk, eggs, bread, fresh fruits/veggies, etc.  This challenge is only for the bigger items, like meat, canned vegetables, staples, etc.
  • It is not about living on beans and weenies for the entire month.  It’s about going through what is in your pantry and freezer and making meals with those ingredients until you run out, and it becomes time to go grocery shopping again for the big stuff.
  • This Challenge does NOT include times you go out to eat.  It’s only about what is eaten at home.

We want to see how long we can go before we have to go buy the main grocery items that we typically would.  We also want to see how much money we can save this month!! 

 

What this Pantry/Freezer Challenge Is:

  • It’s about saving money!!  I read today that the average family of four spends $151 a week on groceries; that’s over $600 a month on groceries; almost $7,500 a year!  Wow!  Think of the savings that we would accumulate each month if we could do a Pantry/Freezer Challenge in our homes, at least one week a month! Think about it, one week without groceries equals a yearly savings of $1,812 (based on the above average).
  • It’s about being focused on what you have on hand already!
  • It’s about using what we already have on hand, so we don’t let food go to waste!
  • It’s about being good stewards!

 

How this Challenge works:

  • If you haven’t already done so, you will need to make a list of every single thing that is in your pantry and your freezer.
  • Plan your meals for each week according to what is on your Pantry/Freezer lists.
  • ONLY go to the grocery store when you need things such as milk, eggs, cheese, fresh fruits/veggies, paper goods, cleaning products, etc.
  • Keep track of what you are spending on the minimal amount of groceries that you will purchase.
  • Check in on our blog each Thursday to let us know how you are doing.  In checking in, I also want to hear how much you have spent for groceries, in the prior week.
  • Plan leftovers into your menu planning!
  • If you eat it, write it down.  Keep a food journal to go back to at the end of the month to see what kind of meals you actually did eat for the month!  You may be surprised!
  • EMAIL ME IF YOU NEED MORE RECIPE IDEAS!

 

CARE TO JOIN ME?

I’m looking to find a few people who are willing to take on this Challenge, with me!  Are you up for it?  If so, comment below and let me know you’re all in!  Then send me an email (listed below), so I can have a way of contacting you through the week to see how you are doing.

Now, since I typically blog on Thursday’s for At Home with GCH, I switched days with another blogger for just this week, so I could get this message out to you in time to accept this challenge, if you so choose.  With that said, that means that I will not be back again, until Thursday, February 7th.  Thursday is my normal blogging day.  I will check up on you then to see how you are doing, AND give you an update of how I am doing with the challenge, too!  Are You Ready?  Here we go….

 

Let’s do this together!

 

Have a GREAT week, Ladies!

Christi

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To contact Christi in regards to this blog, please email her at: 

Christi@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com

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At Home with GCH: Freezer Meals (BONUS: Taco Egg Rolls Recipe)

January 24, 2013 by

 

I don’t know about you, but there are plenty of days that I wish I had a private chef…someone who would do all of the meal planning, grocery shopping, food prep, and cooking!  It would make my life a whole lot easier!  But, believe it or not, I like doing these things for my household!  I like planning, prepping, and cooking!  So I’m always looking for fun ways to do these things that will keep me interested in wanting to do more!

This week I want to cover something that some of you may not have heard of; though some of you have, I’m sure.  Freezer Meals! I’m going to make your life a whole lot easier this week, and not only will you love the time this blog is going to save you, but you are going to love the money it will save, as well!

So, are you ready?  Grab a cup of coffee and settle in, and let’s talk about Freezer Meals!

I want to preface this by saying that I am not an expert in this field.  I’m just an ordinary housewife from Southeast Wisconsin, who reads blogs all over the Internet, and scans through tons and tons of recipes on Pinterest.  Put these two worlds together, and viola! … you come up with Freezer Meals!

The first thing I will tell you about Freezer Meals is that it does take some planning and time in the beginning.  But once these meals have gone through preparation stage, and actually become “freezer meals,” you are going to be so glad that you took the time to learn how to do this!

Freezer Meals are meals that you prepare ahead of time…a lot of them…all in one day.  I make 15 to 20 Main Dish meals in one day; put them all in Ziploc® bags, and then put them in the freezer.  They are perfect for the Crock Pot, oven, or stove top.  All I have to do is pull a bag out of the freezer, put it in the crock pot in the morning and let it cook all day long.  When it’s time for dinner, all I have to do is add a vegetable, salad, baked potato, rice or pasta, and dinner is served!  So now, dinner time is done in half the time that it would normally take; leaving me more time to spend with what is most important to me.

*Tip:  Always use crock-pot liners for easy and quick clean-up!  (You’re welcome!)

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So, let’s talk about Freezer Meals by starting with food preparation first.  The following are steps that I take when preparing Freezer Meals in my own home:

  1. Begin always by washing your hands first!
  2. Take all your raw meat (chicken thighs or breasts, pork chops, pork tenderloin, turkey), as well as cooked shredded chicken and hamburger, etc), divide the meat up into the amount of servings that you will need for your family, and put the total servings into a gallon-sized Ziploc® Freezer Bags.  Before closing the bag, always push out all the air from the inside of the bag.  (I always use Ziploc® Freezer bags, because they don’t allow the meat or veggies to get freezer burnt.)   Regular zip-lock style bags that are not labeled “freezer” may not prevent this from happening.)  Be sure to wash your hands once again, and to thoroughly clean the surface the meat was prepared on.  PS: whatever you do, please don’t clean this surface with bleach!!  You are going to be preparing more food on this surface, and the last thing you want is for the food to come into contact with a bleach-cleaned surface!  For a more natural alternative, use vinegar to clean all surfaces.
  3. Your next step is to cut up all your raw veggies and, once again, divide into how many servings you will need for your family, and place in Ziploc® bags.
  4. For meats and veggies that can be cooked together, just add them all into the same Ziploc® bag, and freeze.
  5. Marinades and some sauces freeze very well.  Sauces that I have found to freeze well are Spaghetti Sauce, Enchilada Sauce, and Alfredo Sauce.  These are the sauces that I use.  You can try others, as well, at your preference.  Salsa is another one that freezes well.  Throw the marinade or sauce of your choice in with the meat, push the air out, and zip the freezer bag shut.  Toss into the freezer!
  6. Breakfast, Bean, and Meat Burritos are great freezer meal candidates!  You can make up two or three dozen ahead of time, put them all in freezer bags, and then cook what you need for a family meal, or you can take out one or two at a time, and cook!  They are perfect for freezer meals!  Beef and Bean Burritos are something I like to make a lot of!  My husband loves to take them to work in his lunch, and they are also just a great thing to heat up for a quick lunch at home, too!
  7. Chili is another favorite of ours.  We always cook up a big batch of Chili, and freeze it in several gallon-sized Ziploc® bags.  Then when it’s time, we have Chili ready for Chili Cheeseburgers, Chili Dogs, Chili-topped Baked Potatoes, and more!  We love Chili in this home!  So many uses for Chili!  It’s also very easy to just throw in a crock pot (in the bag) and let it heat up throughout the day.  Cook up some cornbread and serve with the Chili!  This meal may take you around 30 minutes, at the most, to prepare!  Plus, your Chili is cooked right inside the Ziploc® bag, so there is no messy crock pot to clean! 
  8. BE SURE TO LABEL ALL OF THE BAGS WITH THE CONTENTS BEFORE PUTTING IN FREEZER!

There are just so many different kinds of meals that can be frozen.  They can be cooked in a crock pot, oven, or the stove top.  Personally, freezer cooking has been a huge hit for me. Knowing that dinner is already half-done makes my life so much easier!!  I hope if you have not given this a try yet, that you will take the time to try it.  It truly is a time-saver!

Before I close I would like to share one of my favorite Freezer Meals.  These are so easy to make, and are great when you are in a pinch for something quick for lunch for the kids!

Taco Egg Rolls

2 lbs lean ground beef

2 Tbsp minced onions

1-1/2 pkg of Taco Seasoning

1 pkg of Egg Roll wraps

1-1/2 cups of shredded Fiesta Cheese blend

DIRECTIONS:

Brown ground beef and minced onions in a medium-high skillet; drain.  Add in taco seasoning and stir until blended.  Set aside and allow to cool for about 10 to 15 minutes.

After meat has cooled down, fill each eggroll wrap with 1-2 tbsp of meat mixture.  Sprinkle shredded cheese over mixture, and close wrap beginning with bottom corner; fold in corners. Brush top of eggroll with water, roll wrap up tightly to enclose filling—sealing with top flap.

In the meantime, heat canola oil in a skillet.  Place wraps—fold side down—a few at a time, stirring occasionally, until golden brown (2-3 minutes).  Drain on paper towel.

Wraps can be topped with salsa, lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, black olives, and sour cream; serve with Refried Beans.  Or you can choose to dip them in Ranch Dressing for a snack.

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Here are some other favorite Freezer Meal websites / recipes:

http://www.momontimeout.com/2011/08/breakfast-burrito-bonanza/

http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/09/slow-cooker-freezer-meals-make-8-meals.html

http://onceamonthmom.com/101-fall-freezer-meals/

http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/recipe-collections-favorites/quick-easy/freezer-meals-00100000085408/index.html

http://freezermealsforus.blogspot.com/

http://themarathonmom.com/preparing-for-birth-freezer-cooking.htm

http://www.annies-eats.com/2011/03/28/stocking-the-freezer-make-ahead-meals/

http://thehumbledhomemaker.com/2012/09/bless-a-friend-with-freezer-meals.html

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/recipe_slideshows/make_ahead_casserole_recipes

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Cooking-Style/Freezer-Meal-Recipes

 

See you next week!

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If you have any questions about Freezer Meals, or Freezer Meal preparation, please email me at Christi@girlfriendscoffeehour.com.  I’ll be happy to answer your question, or find the answer for you! 

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