Week 15, Day 5

*But the noble man makes noble plans,

and by noble deeds he stands."

Isa.32:8

This is your Scripture memory verse this week.

Being prepared is a noble character quality.

Making foods ahead of time

allows us to show stress-free, worry-free hospitality at a moment's notice.

Gather your supplies and ingredients.

(Note:  Not all ingredients are shown. Read your book for a complete list.)

 Grind your almonds if you purchased whole almonds.

This is a little coffee bean mill that I found on clearance at the grocery store.

It works great for chopping nuts, too.

You can also use a powerful blender or a food processor.

Grind the whole grain to make the flour.

Combine your dry ingredients together.

Blend the wet ingredients together.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and blend.

Scrape the sides as necessary.

 Stir in the almonds.

Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon,

drop balls of dough onto a greased cookie sheet

or a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake as directed.

Making extra cookies,

freezing them on a cookie sheet,

then transferring to a zippered bag for freezing

allows for a quick healthful snack or dessert if guests drop over.

Remember to label the bag.

See you in the next lesson, my friend!

Week 15, Day 4

*Serving others should be a joy, not a chore;
a delight, not a duty.

"Christians serve a God who values celebration,
so rejoicing should always be on the menu."
~In Touch, by Charles Stanley
(November 2013 issue of "In Touch")

We're talking this week about "Planning Ahead:
Foods You Can Prepare Ahead of Time."
A little planning and organization can go a long way
in making our lives more stress-free,
and freeing us to be hospitable to others.

Gather your supplies and ingredients for today's Baked Ziti.

Dice the vegetables.

Saute the vegetables until soft.

Add the tomatoes and seasonings.

In another saucepan or bowl,

separate the egg yolks from the egg whites

by transferring the egg yolk back and forth 

from one half of the shell to the other.

Let the egg whites drain into the bowl.

Discard the egg yolks

or use in another recipe.

Whisk together the ricotta cheese, egg whites, and extra Italian seasoning.

Blend until smooth and creamy.

Cook the ziti according to package directions,

then drain and rinse.

Allow all the water to drain off.

Transfer back to the large saucepan.

Add the vegetable mixture to the pasta.

Stir to combine.

Add the ricotta mixture as directed in the Healthy Home Ec book.

Blend together.

Transfer to a baking dish or aluminum dish,

one that you won't miss for a couple of months if you freeze this for later use.

Cover tightly with aluminum foil if you're planning on freezing this.

Label with a permanent marker as directed in Step 10 on page 208.

Include date and baking directions.

When ready to eat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Once thawed, top with shredded mozzarella cheese and freshly grated parmesan cheese,

then bake as directed.

Serve and enjoy.

"Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers,
for thereby some have entertained angels unawares."
(Hebrews 13:2)

One day believers will be united with the Lord in perfect communion,
and it will involve the banquet of all banquets!
Revelation 19:9 refers to it as the "wedding feast of the Lamb."

All of our cravings will be fully satisfied
when  God and mankind dwell together for eternity.
That day is coming!
Be prepared.
Make sure you are a part of His family so that you will be invited to the banquet,
the "family" celebration of all celebrations.

"If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord
and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead,
you will be saved."
(Romans 10:9)
He will "bestow His riches upon all who call on Him.
For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord
will be saved."
(Romans 10:12-13)

Week 15 - Day 3

*We discussed in today's lesson

about our ancestry and our heritage.

Pay close attention to tonight's dinner discussion questions.

Gather your supplies and ingredients.

Saute carrots in oil in the large stockpot.

I prefer starting with organic whole carrots,

but I had some of these baby carrots in the refrigerator that I wanted to use up,

so for today I used these instead.

Grate the orange rind.

Just grate the orange part,

not the lighter, deeper part

as that is more bitter.

Juice the oranges.

Add all the ingredients to the stockpot.

Cook as directed in the Healthy Home Ec book (page 206 steps 6-7).

Once cooked, remove the bay leaves.

The recipe calls for one, but if you remember,

I grow my own bay leaf;

and fresh bay leaf is so amazing, I always use more.

Using a hand blender to puree soup saves a lot of time and clean up

if you have one.

If not, maybe that's something you'd like to add to a Christmas wish list

if you plan on making a lot of soups.

I use mine often.  

It also has a whisk and a froth / foam attachment for lattes or hot chocolate.

If you don't have a hand blender, transfer the soup to a blender to puree,

then return to the stockpot.  (see step 8)

Puree most of the soup (step 8).

Serve with or without fresh plain yogurt or cream.

We've been learning about foods that you can prepare ahead of time 

with a little planning and organization.

Soup is an excellent healthful food that you prepare ahead of time, freeze,

and thaw on the day you need it, then heat it up for a quick meal.

(See paragraph about freezing soup after step 12 on page 206 in the Healthy Home Ec book.)

You could also take some to a friend or family member who isn't feeling well,

as this soup contains ingredients good for healing;

or you could put some in a covered mug or thermos to take with you if you won't be home

over the dinner hour.

It's a lot healthier and less expensive than fast food!

"The heart of a man plans his way,

but the Lord establishes his steps."

Proverbs 16:9

"The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance..."

Proverbs 21:5a

Talk with your family tonight about your heritage

using the dinner discussion questions as a guide.

Have a blessed evening!