Heavenly Homemakers

Encouraging women in homemaking, healthy eating and parenting

Funky Fresh Kitchen Challenge #5: Try Something New

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This is your fifth and final challenge during our month of the Funky Fresh Kitchen. How about that? We’re almost to the end of the month already!

This week, our Funky Fresh Kitchen Challenge is to try something new. 

I suppose I should clarify by letting you know that my intention with this challenge is that perhaps we all try a new recipe or two. But if you really want to take the challenge beyond my original intent, you are welcome to try sky diving, or walking backwards everywhere you go, or learning to speak Swahili.

Me? I’m going to try my hand at Whole Wheat Pita Bread. (Besides, I already speak fluent Swahili and had a lovely time sky diving with my family yesterday.)

Oh, I am so stinkin’ hilarious.

And boring. 

It is a fact that the idea of trying to make Whole Wheat Pita Bread makes me get all excited and jittery inside. But you couldn’t pay me a million dollars to sky dive. And I think we already know how many languages I speak. (Owhay aboutay uoyay?)

So, just supposing you also have already mastered the art of speaking fluent Swahili, how would you like to join me in trying a new recipe this week? 

Awesome.

Is there something you’ve thought about trying but just haven’t had the motivation to get it done? Now’s the time. Maybe you’d like to try making a Homemade Salad Dressing? Or how about Homemade Donuts? Whole Wheat Bagels? 

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How about trying your hand at Homemade Yogurt, Buttermilk, or Kefir? Or Alfredo Sauce? Or Cheeseburger Macaroni?

Oh, the list can go on and on. Take a look at all of the recipes I have posted on Pinterest. Or simply look through my huge recipes lists on the drop down Recipes link at the top of my site.

Or, of course, you’re welcome to try a recipe from another Website or cookbook. Try anything new that you think your family would like which will take you another step in the direction of having a healthy and Funky Fresh Kitchen.

I’ll report back on Friday to let you know how my Whole Wheat Pita Bread turns out. I’ll provide you with a chance to link up to share your progress too!

Be sure to leave a comment on this post, sharing what you plan to try during this challenge! All comments will be entered in our giveway for two $25 and one $50 gift certificates to the Heavenly Homemakers Shop.

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Funky Fresh Kitchen Challenge #3 Check In ~ Serve Someone {Barbeque Brisket and Cake Boys Episode 4…But not at the same time.}

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I have loved reading all of your comments this week as you’ve been serving friends, family, church members, and neighbors this week. Thank you all for joining with me in this Funky Fresh Service Challenge. I know that many have been blessed this week because of you. God is glorified! If you haven’t yet had the chance to serve someone, join this challenge anytime!

Our family had several friends over on Sunday for a meal and to play games. We served Barbecue Brisket, Baked Potatoes, Green Beans, Cream Cheese Corn, Tossed Salad, and Death by Chocolate.

 It was a blessing to have so many friends here, especially during our busy season. Taking time to relax, play games, and visit was just what we needed.

Later in the week, our boys made cupcakes to hand out to our York College Ladies Soccer Team. They recorded another episode of Cake Boys during the process.

Serving others is always a blessing to our family, and I’m so thankful that our boys are learning to experience this joy as well.

I’d love to hear more about how you were able to serve someone this week! Leave a comment here to share. All comments will be entered in our giveway for two $25 and one $50 gift certificates to the Heavenly Homemakers Shop.

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Funky Fresh Freebie – Downloadable Fall Recipe Card Set (Free to all, no limit!)

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We’ve got another Funky Fresh Freebie for you! 

This time, I took some of my favorite fall recipes and had Char, my designer friend, create a Funky Fresh Recipe Card Package for all of you. I think she did a beautiful job with these!

This freebie comes at a perfect time, since you’ve been challenged to serve someone this week. I was kind of thinking that you might want to print off these cards, bake up one of the recipes, tie up the recipe cards, and deliver the cards along with your goodies. 

Why? Because these recipes are pretty and fun, and they are made to be shared. They are for each of you, but they are also free for you to print and give away to others as a gift. How fun would it be to bake some Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins and deliver them along with this card to the person you have chosen to serve?!

You certainly aren’t limited to this small package of recipe cards in your service challenge ideas, I just wanted to offer it as an additional suggestion. Regardless of how you use these cards, we hope you enjoy them and feel inspired by them as you create your Funky Fresh Kitchen!

Download Fall Recipe Cards Here

Details and instructions for downloading and printing these recipes cards:

Once you click this link, you will need to click “save as” to save them to your computer. Then, you can open the folder. These recipe cards are in a “zip file”. If you are unsure how to open this to access the recipe cards, here is a simple tutorial that will show you how to open a zip file.

These cards were designed at 300 DPI, and are 4×6 in size. You can print them on your home computer/printer, or take them to your favorite photo processing place for printing. (Walmart and Walgreens make excellent prints for less than 20 cents per card).

While you may NOT print these cards and resell them, there is no limit to how many cards you may print and give as gifts!

All comments will be entered in our giveway for two $25 and one $50 gift certificates to the Heavenly Homemakers Shop. Be sure to check out all of the posts in our Funky Fresh Kitchen series this month. You may want to subscribe to Heavenly Homemakers and/or join our Facebook page so you don’t miss out on any posts or giveaways!

 

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Menu Plan for the Week and Challenge #2 Check In – Have You Been Able To Get Ahead?

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First, let’s talk menu plan. Then, we’ll talk challenge. :) 

Here’s what we’re looking to eat this week:

Sunday, September 9
Oatmeal, fruit
Barbecue brisket, baked potatoes, green beans, tossed salad, death by chocolate
High school huddle (hosted by our friends, but we are going over to help)

Monday, September 10
Whole wheat pancakes, blueberries
Hamburger patties, steamed broccoli, corn on the cob
Creamy chicken and rice casserole, carrots, tossed salad

Tuesday, September 11
Scrambed eggs with cheese, peaches
Salmon patties, potato wedges, peas
Pizza casserole, tossed salad

Wednesday, September 12
Easy breakfast casserole, oranges
Potato soup, carrot sticks
Teriyaki chicken and vegetables

Thursday, September 13
Homemade poptarts (from the freezer!), bananas
Pizza pockets, fruit-kefir smoothies
Tuna casserole, peas

Friday, September 14
Flaky cream cheese pastry, kiwi
Taco corn fritters, apple slices, baby carrots
Shepherd’s pie, tossed salad

Saturday, September 15
Pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, applesauce
Leftovers
Grilled burgers, ranch potato wedges, tossed salad, watermelon

So how has the Funky Fresh Challenge #2 been going for you so far? Many of you shared your plans and ideas. Have you found some time to get ahead a little bit? If not, I encourage you to keep plugging away! Any time you can squeeze in to do something extra is great! You’ll appreciate it so much!

I didn’t finish everything on my to-do-list, but that’s okay. I am just thankful that I could find a few extra hours in the kitchen before chasing off to soccer games. Our mornings will go more smoothly now with these extra breakfast foods in our freezer. Or, for at least a few mornings, I’ll be ahead of the game, right? 

Giant Breakfast Cookies, 2 loaves of Cinnamon Swirl Bread, 2 loaves of Honey Whole Wheat Bread, Homemade Poptarts

As of now, we’ve already eaten one loaf of cinnamon swirl bread, both of the loaves of honey whole wheat, and several of the breakfast cookies. That’s okay though. I made them so we could eat them, and as we all know, I’m trying to do a better job of actually serving the foods I make for the freezer!! :)

Your turn! How has Challenge #2 gone for you so far? Leave a comment on this post to let us know what you’ve been able to accomplish, or what you might plan to do to get ahead in the coming days. If you have a blog, write a post about what you’ve done for the challenge, then come link up here so we can read about it. All comments and blog entries will be entered in our giveway for two $25 and one $50 gift certificates to the Heavenly Homemakers Shop.

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Funky Fresh Kitchen Challenge #2: Get Ahead ~ Do a Little Something Extra

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Well, how did our first challenge go? Did you Toss Something Out and Make a Switch? I was super impressed when I read all of your comments sharing what you were planning to do and what you actually accomplished. Way to go!

This weekend, I’d like to extend challenge #2. (If your weekend is full, that’s perfectly okay. Maybe you can find time early next week to do a little something extra?)

You all know how much I love making food ahead of time and putting it into the freezer for busier days. Not only do I love doing this…I have found that this practice has almost become a necessity for me. Having healthy, pre-made foods in the freezer makes putting nourishing meals on the table so much easier. It’s also a perfect way to save money and time.

Your new challenge is to simply do one extra little something in the kitchen. Maybe you are making a casserole, so you can just go ahead and make a second one for the freezer. Maybe you can prepare some vegetables to have on hand for snacking. Maybe you want to spend several hours making a few different types of healthy convenience foods for your freezer or to feed your family next week.

Me? I’m feeling desperate to have some easy breakfast foods in my freezer. With soccer practices and/or games most evenings and school work beginning first thing each morning – I just need some healthy breakfast items that can quickly be warmed up in the mornings. This weekend, I plan to squeeze the following in between soccer games and…life in general. :)

I know the challenge is just to do one thing, but I’m hoping to get on a roll and knock out a bunch of these so that I’ll be ahead for the days upcoming. Feel free to do more than one thing for this challenge if you would like. :)

So are you ready? Pick something – anything that will help you get just a little bit ahead in the kitchen. It likely won’t take you long. If you’re already making a mess in the kitchen, just go with it and get ahead!

Feel free to look through all of my Make Ahead Meals posts to see if you might can find a recipe or two that will inspire you.

Or maybe you just need to do a little extra cleaning in your kitchen to continue to make it more functional. Did you get your copy of Do the Funky Kitchen yet?

Whatever you choose, leave a comment here with your ideas. Each comment entered gives you another chance to win one of our Heavenly Homemakers Gift Certificates. If you have a blog, feel free to share with your readers about this challenge and about how you plan to participate, then come over and link up with us below. Or…want to share with us more about how Challenge #1 went for you? Please do!

I will be sharing an update on my “getting ahead” progress on Sunday, September 9, and will at that time give you an opportunity to share as well. Can’t wait to hear!

You all are so inspiring with all you are getting done in your kitchens to make them Funky and Fresh! Let Challenge #2 begin!

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Funky Fresh Kitchen Challenge #1: Toss it Out ~ Make a Switch!

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It’s time for our first challenge during the Month of the Funky Fresh Kitchen! Are you ready?

This challenge might just take a few minutes of your time — or it might take a few hours, depending on what you’d like to do. It’s all up to you – whatever you are ready for. No pressure, I promise. Small changes can be big changes, right? (That sounded so incredibly profound in my head…)

This week, your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to throw something out. Easy, right? Right. Although I’m not talking about your holey socks or your junk mail. (Although for Pete’s sake, please do something about your holey socks and your junk mail.)

I’m asking you to take a look around your kitchen. What needs to be thrown out? Is it a box of processed food you are trying to avoid eating as you are working your way toward eating more whole foods? Is it a plastic container that isn’t safe for serving or storing food? Is it a seasoning mix that has MSG in it?

Whatever it is…don’t look back. Just make the decision and throw it out. Pick just one thing – pick twenty things – pick whatever you’re up for.

Then replace what you’ve thrown out with a healthier choice. You can do it. 

Here are just a few ideas to inspire you to make a “Toss it Out ~ Make a Switch” plan (but don’t feel as though you are limited to just these few ideas):

~  Toss out your sugary cereal and replace it with Homemade Granola
~  Toss out your bottled salad dressings that have MSG and high fructose corn syrup and make a homemade salad dressing
~  Toss out something plastic and replace it with glass. (I LOVE jars!)
~  Toss out your Hamburger Helper and make homemade Cheeseburger Macaroni
~  Toss out your white rice and replace it with brown rice
~  Toss out your chemical filled cleaners and replace it with a non-toxic cleaner 
~  Toss out your boxed brownies and make homemade Fudgy Brownies. (Seriously, what an incredibly happy switch to make.) 
~  Toss out the chips and replace them with fruit for snacking.
~  Toss out your sugar filled beverages and replace them with…water. :)

The possibilities are endless. Just pick one thing. Make one small baby step on your healthy eating journey. Then, if that goes well, consider tossing out something else and making another switch.

You’ve got until Friday, September 7 to meet this challenge. If I were you, I’d get off the computer right now (um, after you finish reading this post…) and jump right in before you lose your motivation. We’re all in this together. Be brave! Chuck the junk lurking in your pantry! (I refuse to be responsible for angry husbands, so if it’s his favorite snack, do consult him first before you chuck it. You knew that, right?)

Leave a comment here letting us know you’re taking the challenge. Have a plan forming in your mind? Share it! Participants (who leave a comment here) are eligible for our $25 and $50 Heavenly Homemakers Shop gift certificate drawings.

Are you a blogger?  Share this challenge on your blog, tell your readers your Funky Fresh Kitchen plan to “Toss it Out ~ Make a Switch”, then come link up with us here so we can learn what you’re up to and be motivated!! Be sure to link back to this post so your readers will know how they can join the challenge too. 

Are you ready? The trash can (or local food pantry, if you wish to donate) awaits…

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Funky Fresh Menu Plan for the Week

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It’s September. At my house, that means canning tomato sauce, doing math lessons, and going to soccer games…all at the same time. I exaggerate. But just a little bit. I mean, I do usually remember to throw off my stained apron before I chase off to the soccer field. (But only if the boys remind me.)  I have to try and be super organized if I’m going to pull off this month gracefully. Trust me – it doesn’t always happen and I’m often tripping over myself as I try to get everything done. That’s why I’ve asked you to help me by joining in with our month of the Funky Fresh Kitchen! A girl can’t do it alone!

Ready to get your kitchen funky (functional) and healthy? The first Funky Fresh Challenge will be revealed tonight. Be ready!

In the meantime, here’s how our menu looks for this week:

Sunday, September 2
Oatmeal, fruit
Bison brats, baked beans, watermelon
Black bean salsa with organic corn chips, grapes

Monday, September 3
Pancake sausage muffins, cantaloupe
Chicken patty sandwiches, tomatoes, sweet peppers
Italian pasta bake, tossed salad, green beans

Tuesday, September 4
Pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, applesauce
Rice and veggie stir fry, apple slices
Cheesy salsa enchiladas, tossed salad

Wednesday, September 5
Scrambled eggs with cheese, creamy orange cooler
Tuna salad on tomatoes, sweet peppers, carrot sticks
Whole wheat calzones, apples, grape tomatoes

Thursday, September 6
Mini crustless quiches, grapes
Sloppy joes, ranch potato wedges, steamed broccoli
Chicken fried steak strips, mashed potatoes, gravy, peas

Friday, September 7
Peanut butter honey toast, smoothies
Taco salad
Homemade pizza, carrot sticks

Saturday, September 8
Giant breakfast cookies, applesauce
Leftovers
Grilled cheese sandwiches, tomato soup

What’s on your menu this week? Share some of your “fresh” meal ideas in the comments section of this post to be eligible for our Heavenly Homemakers Shop gift certificate giveway!

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

The Month of the Funky Fresh Kitchen! Join Us!

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Our Funky Fresh Kitchen series last fall was so enjoyable, we’ve decided to do it again. Only this time, we have so much planned that we’re going to “party together” the entire month of September!! (And by “party”, I sort of mean work hard…so get out your rubber gloves and a mixing bowl — not to be used at the same time, of course.)

First, what is the Month of the Funky Fresh Kitchen? As summer fades and our fall routines begin, our goal is to inspire you to have a wonderful, fresh start! We want to encourage you to create a kitchen that is healthy and funky (aka functional). It’s time to clean out, clean up, be encouraged, and learn to (or be reminded that you) love your job as a heavenly homemaker!

All throughout the month of September, you can expect to see:

  • Fresh, New Recipes (All are easy, all are healthy, and many utilize a crock pot.)
  • Funky Fresh Freebies! (Including some eBooks from my shop! Some will come and go quickly – so be on your toes!) (Sit back down – that was a figurative statement.)
  • Funky Fresh Challenges (We’re all in this together. Be ready to get your game on. If you have a blog, be ready to link up.)
  • Encouragement and Inspiration (Unless I’ve already overwhelmed you with the obvious “loud excitement” of this post. Really, please do come back…)  ;)
  • because there are GIVEAWAYS!!!

Seriously – the giveaways!! Sprinkled all throughout the many fun (and hopefully helpful) posts this month will be some downright incredible giveaways. Want a sneak peek?

You may remember seeing some of those great giveaways last year at this time, and I am so grateful that so many were willing to work with us again this year as we inspire you toward a Funky Fresh Kitchen!

(It’s possible that I’m using too many exclamation marks in this post, but in all my excitement, I’m not sure I’m capable of editing them out.)  !!!!!!!  (sheesh)

Well now, are you feeling the excitement? Do you feel the love? Do you wish you could give me a chill pill? 

I’m warning you now, there will be a lot of posts this month. Freebies, giveaways, recipes, challenges – they will all be posted at random times, sometimes up to three or four posts each day. Don’t worry – I will keep each post short and sweet. After all, how are you supposed to create a funky fresh kitchen if you’re spending all day reading about it?

If you haven’t already, you may want to Subsribe to Heavenly Homemakers, and/or Like Heavenly Homemakers on Facebook so you won’t miss any posts. Of course, scrolling down through the posts on my blog works too. ;)

Take note:  All throughout September, each time you leave a comment on a post which displays our Funky Fresh Kitchen button (as shown at the top of this post), you will be entered in a drawing for three gift certificates to our Heavenly Homemakers Shop, good for any downloadable items. We’ve got two $25 certificates and one $50 certificate to give away!

Shall we start practicing now? Leave a comment on this post for a chance to win. AND, if you share about this post about the month of the Funky Fresh Kitchen on Facebook, leave another comment on this post for a second entry!

Let the Month of the Funky Fresh Kitchen begin!

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!