Last night I made one of my signature dishes and it is a great WIC meal so I wanted to share. Please adjust however it will work best for you! This recipe made three pretty big meals, two itty bitty meals, and lots of leftovers!
I started by cutting up some steak, I have used chicken also in the past. This is an unnecessary addition, but my family loves it. I put just a little bit of oil in the pan and brown the steak, then I added onion slices, fresh mushrooms, zucchini, and yellow squash. Add whatever seasonings you prefer, I used seasoning salt and teriyaki glaze. We put everything over rice and it is delicious!
As always, with most of my recipes, you can add or remove whatever you like, most of the ingredients are from WIC coupons (fruits and vegetables) and if there aren't as many of you, you obviously don't need to make as much. The great thing about this dish is you can make it oriental like I have done, or you can switch it up and add Italian seasoning to make it an Italian dish over pasta, or you could have just the vegetables and steak on their own!
I love to cook and am always interested in trying new dishes, I hope someone out there is finding this helpful and maybe offering you new ideas for foods!
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Oh yeah, your summer sounds cool. Now let me tell you about mine!
A counselor and her camper, 2013
I have been working on this post for quite some time now, starting and stopping and finally just erased the whole thing to start over. A few years ago, Ben and I became involved in Royal Family Kids, an organization for foster kids that started in California and blossomed into something so amazing. It has become the highlight of our year and that thing that we make sure we save up all of our time and energy for. I will save you all of the details of how we became involved and focus on the heart of the ministry: kids.
I don't think we ever were prepared for what that week would mean to us. But my personal experience was with a little 9 year old girl who couldn't decide if she liked me or hated me, but at the end of the week, after I thought for sure I had done nothing in her life, tried to not leave my side to go back to her foster home. Please understand that as a foster parent myself, there could be absolutely nothing wrong with the way foster parents are providing care for these kids, but her being on her 4th foster home in the year, the only constant thing in their lives is change. When they are given a week with God's people who love them, focus on just them, and spend the entire time with only the goal of having fun and showing them Christ's love, it is a hard thing to separate themselves from.
We spend the week fishing, swimming, crafting, singing, playing, dancing, laughing, crying, holding hands, sharing meals together, and just being a part of each other's lives. Any counselor or staff member can tell you the experience is unexplainable. There is a movie available on Netflix, CAMP (this is the link to Royal Family's national page with the CAMP trailer,) that can give an inside view of what happens at RFK. However, to fully experience it, you have to participate!
I have spent a few years now fundraising for our local RFK and have found that the best way to raise funds is to just simply share my own experience and a few videos. My birthday was January 4th and I have decided to spend the month of January raising funds for camp in order to highlight "Everybody's Birthday," a celebration we share with all of our campers who may not have had a party for another year of life. This past summer at the birthday party, my mother-in-law and her church provided brand new book bags for all of the kids. While they received multiple amazing birthday presents, I watched in amazement as one little girl sat holding and hugging her brand new book bag. It was cute, but there was simply nothing special about it, except it was hers. No one else had used the book bag before, it wasn't a hand-me-down, it was just a pink checked book bag. I thought to all of my years of school when my mom bought me book bags, probably a new one every year but because it was such a given I don't really remember for sure.
God has truly blessed my family richly through this camp, my family IS my family because of this camp! Ben and I became foster parents because of our experience! This experience costs us about $600 per camper, and we take about 40 or so campers every year. Will you take some time to watch this video? My prayer is that you will watch the video and find a way to be involved. We can always use hands the week of camp or prior to with preparation, and of course we need to raise the money to bring the kids to camp! If you are interested in finding out more about how you can help or give, please contact me at elizabeth.moore4.30@gmail.com or go to this page to give a donation.
I am always interested and willing to give information or provide you with more reasons on why this camp is amazing! Please let me know if I can share with you or your organization!
Monday, January 13, 2014
Jesus and His Faithfulness: He Never Ceases to Amaze!
My little/big family made the decision recently to make the decision to upgrade our vehicle. I won't go into all of the nitty, gritty details, but I want to share and hopefully bring someone encouragement!
Last January, while providing respite our first time, I was driving a Jeep Liberty (loved that car by the way!) and picked up two little girls who had three other siblings. We were only watching them for the weekend, it was a great way to "get our feet wet" in the world of parenting. As soon as I picked them up, they told me my car was too small! They were 3 & 5! They explained to me that their foster parents had a van, and I should be driving a van too. I drove a van in high school and was not super eager to jump back into a minivan, but Ben and I realized over the weekend they were right! Kids come with a bunch of STUFF! We had received calls about picking up sibling groups of four and five, and being that I was super eager to be a mom, I didn't turn a single one down! I didn't really consider the transportation thing, but we decided that weekend to walk into a car dealership and trade in my first love.
Two weeks after, we received the call to pick up four kids, three of whom were in car seats. It's a great thing we made the switch to the minivan! The van served us well for almost an entire year, but as older cars with many miles do, it was reaching the end of what it could offer us. It decided a couple of times to not start, the dashboard looked like a Christmas tree of lights that could not be turned off because there was simply nothing wrong with what it told us was wrong. The key even broke in the ignition when Ben was driving it one night! Long story short, it was time to move on.
We began our car shopping journey. Let me tell you, this ordeal was way more complex than an "on the whim" van purchase like we had last year. First, there was the matter of what I thought was my terrible credit and then it is hard to verify your income when you are a foster parent. What we found out is that my credit was not as bad as I had feared, in fact, it was decent except for a few things and one glaring mark from CapitalOne that I had no idea existed. I contacted all of the right companies and CapitalOne assured me they would be closing the account and wiping it off my credit..in 60-90 days!
Then we found a car we loved, but was out of budget, a Ford Flex. To my surprise, my husband offered to trade in HIS first love, his truck, and see what we could do to make the Flex within reach.
After talking to the dealer, who didn't really know what to do with our income as foster parents, he recommended we talk to credit unions face to face and see what they could do. I went to my first credit union and was denied because of the CapitalOne account specifically. They told us that until that account was cleared from my credit report they could not approve me. I was so disappointed and thought for sure my new car was no longer in reach. Then my mom said something I will always remember,"If Jesus wants you to have that car, you will get that car."
We decided to take one more day and go talk to another credit union. After waiting all day for the phone call, we found out that not only were we approved, but we were approved for a whole interest percentage LOWER than what we were originally quoted by what the dealer thought we could get! I know that my Jesus loves me and cares for me, and even when I can't see His entire plan laid before me, He certainly has one and it is what's best for us.
Sure, this is a car. But how many times have we felt "declined" from what we wanted in life, only to find out that He has something else approved for us that is better than we thought of in the first place? I'm currently listening to my new Hillsong album and I love this line, "Your love is RELENTLESS!" Relentless means OPPRESSIVELY CONSTANT. God, the Father and Creator of the universe, everything you see, the whole world around you, there from the beginning and will be there through the end, loves you relentlessly. His love is constant, it is never ceasing, will always be with you and wants what is best for you. Sometimes we feel like we're in the middle of the decline, when He is preparing you for His good plan He promised you!
Last January, while providing respite our first time, I was driving a Jeep Liberty (loved that car by the way!) and picked up two little girls who had three other siblings. We were only watching them for the weekend, it was a great way to "get our feet wet" in the world of parenting. As soon as I picked them up, they told me my car was too small! They were 3 & 5! They explained to me that their foster parents had a van, and I should be driving a van too. I drove a van in high school and was not super eager to jump back into a minivan, but Ben and I realized over the weekend they were right! Kids come with a bunch of STUFF! We had received calls about picking up sibling groups of four and five, and being that I was super eager to be a mom, I didn't turn a single one down! I didn't really consider the transportation thing, but we decided that weekend to walk into a car dealership and trade in my first love.
Two weeks after, we received the call to pick up four kids, three of whom were in car seats. It's a great thing we made the switch to the minivan! The van served us well for almost an entire year, but as older cars with many miles do, it was reaching the end of what it could offer us. It decided a couple of times to not start, the dashboard looked like a Christmas tree of lights that could not be turned off because there was simply nothing wrong with what it told us was wrong. The key even broke in the ignition when Ben was driving it one night! Long story short, it was time to move on.
We began our car shopping journey. Let me tell you, this ordeal was way more complex than an "on the whim" van purchase like we had last year. First, there was the matter of what I thought was my terrible credit and then it is hard to verify your income when you are a foster parent. What we found out is that my credit was not as bad as I had feared, in fact, it was decent except for a few things and one glaring mark from CapitalOne that I had no idea existed. I contacted all of the right companies and CapitalOne assured me they would be closing the account and wiping it off my credit..in 60-90 days!
Then we found a car we loved, but was out of budget, a Ford Flex. To my surprise, my husband offered to trade in HIS first love, his truck, and see what we could do to make the Flex within reach.
After talking to the dealer, who didn't really know what to do with our income as foster parents, he recommended we talk to credit unions face to face and see what they could do. I went to my first credit union and was denied because of the CapitalOne account specifically. They told us that until that account was cleared from my credit report they could not approve me. I was so disappointed and thought for sure my new car was no longer in reach. Then my mom said something I will always remember,"If Jesus wants you to have that car, you will get that car."
We decided to take one more day and go talk to another credit union. After waiting all day for the phone call, we found out that not only were we approved, but we were approved for a whole interest percentage LOWER than what we were originally quoted by what the dealer thought we could get! I know that my Jesus loves me and cares for me, and even when I can't see His entire plan laid before me, He certainly has one and it is what's best for us.
Sure, this is a car. But how many times have we felt "declined" from what we wanted in life, only to find out that He has something else approved for us that is better than we thought of in the first place? I'm currently listening to my new Hillsong album and I love this line, "Your love is RELENTLESS!" Relentless means OPPRESSIVELY CONSTANT. God, the Father and Creator of the universe, everything you see, the whole world around you, there from the beginning and will be there through the end, loves you relentlessly. His love is constant, it is never ceasing, will always be with you and wants what is best for you. Sometimes we feel like we're in the middle of the decline, when He is preparing you for His good plan He promised you!
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
French Toast
Breakfast this morning consisted of one of my favorites, FRENCH TOAST! I love French Toast because it is so incredibly yummy and pretty simple to make. Plus, you can add whatever you want or don't!
Simple French Toast:
4 eggs
2/3 Cup milk
Bread
And really, that's all you HAVE to have! (All of these are WIC approved items too) I added a little vanilla and cinnamon as well, I enjoy the flavor of the additions, but if you are attempting to only use WIC items, the above three ingredients are your only necessities.
Everyone in the home was happy with breakfast, our 8 year old added butter and syrup, but the twins enjoyed it without. Happy cooking!
Simple French Toast:
4 eggs
2/3 Cup milk
Bread
And really, that's all you HAVE to have! (All of these are WIC approved items too) I added a little vanilla and cinnamon as well, I enjoy the flavor of the additions, but if you are attempting to only use WIC items, the above three ingredients are your only necessities.
Everyone in the home was happy with breakfast, our 8 year old added butter and syrup, but the twins enjoyed it without. Happy cooking!
Friday, January 3, 2014
Applesauce
One of my goals is to start posting recipes for WIC coupon users. My husband and I are foster parents to a beautiful set of one year old twin boys. They are super sweet and one of their favorite pastimes is eating! When they turned one, the WIC coupons went from laid out options of baby food, rice cereal and formula to what I consider a random grouping of foods that I literally looked at and said, "I have no idea what to do with this."
One of the coupons we receive is $6.00 worth of fruits and vegetables. The twins are totally not picky when it comes to food, they will self-feed broccoli and want more when they have finished what we give them. However, I know we are very fortunate to have kids that eat anything and am already anticipating the dreaded day that we may have completely different eaters! One food almost every kid loves though is applesauce! And the great thing is that it isn't very hard to make at all and you can put whatever you want in it, or don't.
Because I get more for the money, and the kids aren't trying to just eat them, I buy the apples prepackaged in the bags. My most recent purchase were Red Delicious apples, but I have made applesauce with almost every kind of apple and have not heard a single complaint from anyone! The first thing to do is wash your apples, I have read some great posts on Pinterest and other sites about soaking fruits in water and vinegar to clean them, but if you are in a hurry just make sure you wash them pretty well. I peel my apples when I make applesauce for the twins, leaving just a little bit of skin on but not a lot so they won't have any problems chewing their applesauce, but still offering some of the nutritional value found in the skin. I use an apple corer to slice my apples, it's just more convenient that way, but of course slice however you please :)
The next part shows the simplicity of making applesauce, put the apples in a sauce pan, add water. I use a medium sauce pan and fill it about 3/4 of the way with apple slices and then add about 1/3 of the way with water. If you want to add a little bit of sugar or cinnamon, now is the perfect time to do that. It isn't necessary though, and especially if you are feeding really little ones they will not mind the absence of the additional sugar!
I always enjoyed my grandma's applesauce warm and will usually give some to the twins after it's cooled down a bit but is still nice and warm. Make sure to refrigerate your leftovers, it should keep for a few days. I don't make a lot at once because I don't always know how quick we will get to it, but I also have two.
I hope this was at least helpful to one person! I will certainly be posting more, and more complex ones that will include more of the foods. I welcome any comments, suggestions, or requests :)
One of the coupons we receive is $6.00 worth of fruits and vegetables. The twins are totally not picky when it comes to food, they will self-feed broccoli and want more when they have finished what we give them. However, I know we are very fortunate to have kids that eat anything and am already anticipating the dreaded day that we may have completely different eaters! One food almost every kid loves though is applesauce! And the great thing is that it isn't very hard to make at all and you can put whatever you want in it, or don't.
Because I get more for the money, and the kids aren't trying to just eat them, I buy the apples prepackaged in the bags. My most recent purchase were Red Delicious apples, but I have made applesauce with almost every kind of apple and have not heard a single complaint from anyone! The first thing to do is wash your apples, I have read some great posts on Pinterest and other sites about soaking fruits in water and vinegar to clean them, but if you are in a hurry just make sure you wash them pretty well. I peel my apples when I make applesauce for the twins, leaving just a little bit of skin on but not a lot so they won't have any problems chewing their applesauce, but still offering some of the nutritional value found in the skin. I use an apple corer to slice my apples, it's just more convenient that way, but of course slice however you please :)
The next part shows the simplicity of making applesauce, put the apples in a sauce pan, add water. I use a medium sauce pan and fill it about 3/4 of the way with apple slices and then add about 1/3 of the way with water. If you want to add a little bit of sugar or cinnamon, now is the perfect time to do that. It isn't necessary though, and especially if you are feeding really little ones they will not mind the absence of the additional sugar!
I always enjoyed my grandma's applesauce warm and will usually give some to the twins after it's cooled down a bit but is still nice and warm. Make sure to refrigerate your leftovers, it should keep for a few days. I don't make a lot at once because I don't always know how quick we will get to it, but I also have two.
I hope this was at least helpful to one person! I will certainly be posting more, and more complex ones that will include more of the foods. I welcome any comments, suggestions, or requests :)
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Do They Know We Are Christians By Our LOVE?
I am not really a hymn person, however I have been thinking a lot about the old hymn "They'll Know We Are Christians." Here are the lyrics to the chorus:
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love,
Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.
I think I was thinking about this because I was thinking of the New Year and how many of us are resolving to seek the Lord more, to look more like Him and show Him to the world. Then I started contemplating what we DO look like to the world.
My husband has been a youth pastor for several years and I have been fortunate enough to meet many teens whom I have fallen in love with over the short course of our ministry. Kids like to tell you about all of the people they have been inviting to come to church, it's an easy way to reach out to friends and I like to think they have fun at youth group and hear God's Word in a way that really applies to them. One night at church, shortly after telling us they had invited friends from school to youth, two of the kids were arguing back and forth, calling each other names, and one of them stomped on the other's foot in the course of their debate. And perhaps it was a knee-jerk reaction, but the more I think of it, I believe it was what God wanted me to say at the time. I looked at both of the teens as said, "If this is how you treat people at school, it's no wonder no one wants to come to youth group with you."
What kind of message are we sending to others? Are we stomping on their feet, calling them names, and then inviting them to church with us? Or do they know we are Christians by our love?
1 Peter 2:9 says this: But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.
I am taking a challenge this year to declare His praises. After all, He called me into His wonderful light and I want others to know I am a Christian by my love.
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love,
Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.
I think I was thinking about this because I was thinking of the New Year and how many of us are resolving to seek the Lord more, to look more like Him and show Him to the world. Then I started contemplating what we DO look like to the world.
My husband has been a youth pastor for several years and I have been fortunate enough to meet many teens whom I have fallen in love with over the short course of our ministry. Kids like to tell you about all of the people they have been inviting to come to church, it's an easy way to reach out to friends and I like to think they have fun at youth group and hear God's Word in a way that really applies to them. One night at church, shortly after telling us they had invited friends from school to youth, two of the kids were arguing back and forth, calling each other names, and one of them stomped on the other's foot in the course of their debate. And perhaps it was a knee-jerk reaction, but the more I think of it, I believe it was what God wanted me to say at the time. I looked at both of the teens as said, "If this is how you treat people at school, it's no wonder no one wants to come to youth group with you."
What kind of message are we sending to others? Are we stomping on their feet, calling them names, and then inviting them to church with us? Or do they know we are Christians by our love?
1 Peter 2:9 says this: But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.
I am taking a challenge this year to declare His praises. After all, He called me into His wonderful light and I want others to know I am a Christian by my love.
The Start of Something New
I have a few things floating around my head so I thought I should get them out into the open. I feel like my head might explode because I'm afraid I'm going to forget these things! The first thing is that I will be using this for just thoughts of mine, and also I will be posting recipes and ideas of things to do with food we receive from WIC coupons. You see, my husband and I are foster parents to two beautiful twin boys who just turned one. Now that the menu is no longer laid out for us as it once was (pretty simple, baby food, formula, rice cereal) I have to get creative with the food we receive. The options are not what I expected, but I am excited to try new things with them and share for others who may have had similar issues.
Also, being a foster parent and a youth pastor's wife, I like to think that my life is pretty interesting. Maybe it isn't, but I think I will let others be the judge of that! This isn't a "New Year's Resolution" but just something I had been thinking about for quite sometime. Hopefully people can get something out of it :)
Also, being a foster parent and a youth pastor's wife, I like to think that my life is pretty interesting. Maybe it isn't, but I think I will let others be the judge of that! This isn't a "New Year's Resolution" but just something I had been thinking about for quite sometime. Hopefully people can get something out of it :)
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