Heavenly Homemakers

Encouraging women in homemaking, healthy eating and parenting

Let’s Do This! Join the Getting Ahead {Dinner} Challenge

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I loved reading about all that you did last week to get ahead for breakfast! When I extend a challenge, you all really do jump right in. Thanks for making this so much fun! I’m sure your family thanks you too. But who really benefits the most from getting ahead? You and I. Yes indeed. The pay off for our efforts is that we make our kitchen work so much easier. Sweet!

Feel free to continue getting ahead with breakfast foods. (Yes, you have my permission.)  Our Getting Ahead eCourse and eBook can help. Now we’re moving on to the evening meal, the Getting Ahead for Dinner Challenge. Feel free to call this a Supper Challenge if you prefer. I grew up calling it supper, but now I call it dinner, but that’s a post I already wrote a few years ago. :)

Who’s with me?! Let’s Do This!

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What’s involved in this challenge? Anything that will help you put a healthy meal on the table in the evening a little bit faster or with a little less effort.

Some Getting Ahead for Dinner ideas:

And those are just a few ideas. There are so many tasks you can do ahead of time to make your dinnertimes easier. (Lesson one and two – well all the lessons really – in the Let’s Do This! eCourse will give you more guidance.)

I’m planning to get a few casseroles made this weekend to help with busy days the next couple of weeks. It is SO nice to effortlessly grab a frozen casserole out of the freezer to heat up for dinner.

Let’s hear it!  What are you going to make to get ahead for dinner? (Or do you prefer to call it supper?)

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Breakfast Crock Pot Casserole

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Every once in a while I think to myself, “Surely someday I will run out of recipes and ideas to share on my website.” But after blogging for almost six years, I have decided that no – the ideas will never run out. Why? Because when food meets internet {splat} – recipes, tips, ideas, and suggestions are never ending. I learn something new, I share it with you. You learn something new, you share it with me. As we all ask questions, learn from others, see new ideas, remember timeless ideas, or come across an idea quite by accident – and we share it with each other via this awesome tool called the internet – our healthy eating journey together continues on a fun and delicious path.

Case in point:  On my own, I would never have thought to make a breakfast casserole in my crock pot. I freeze my Easy Breakfast Casserole and for an easy breakfast to bake in the morning. But this crock pot idea is even better, because we can roll right out of bed and eat a hot, hearty meal within minutes.

A big thanks goes to Karli who sent me this idea. We’re lovin’ it! (So much that I named this recipe after you, and included it in my free Healthy Breakfast Made Simple eBook.)

Karli’s Breakfast Crock Pot CasseroleYum

1 pound turkey sausage
6 cups hashbrowns
1 green pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup milk
12 eggs

Brown turkey sausage. Butter the inside of a slow cooker, then stir in cooked sausage, hashbrowns, pepper, onions, and cheese. Whisk together milk and eggs, then pour mixture over the top of the contents in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low overnight – about 10 or 12 hours. Serves 8-10.

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I thought it was funny that the sausage didn’t show up on the plate. It’s in there, I promise. :)

This recipe is very versatile – mix and match any veggies, meats, or cheeses that your family likes or that you have available.

How is the Getting Ahead for Breakfast Challenge coming for you?  I love that there are so many ways to get ahead for breakfast, and not all of them involve putting food in the freezer. This crock pot casserole is a great example. As is the Homemade Instant Oatmeal Packet recipe and the Dark Chocolate Almond Granola recipe. And the Homemade Grape Nuts Cereal. And the Freezing Muffin Batter idea. Oh wait. That one does involve the freezer. I guess I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to bring it up again.

I also wanted to mention that I’ve had great feedback from people taking the Let’s Do This! Getting Ahead in Your Real Food Kitchen eCourse. Families are finding new ways to get ahead in the kitchen, saving time, saving money, and becoming healthier. I LOVE it!

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Let’s Do This! Join the Getting Ahead {Breakfast} Challenge

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It’s a great time of year to get a little more organized in the kitchen so that you can stay ahead of your busy schedule. That’s why we created the Let’s Do This! Getting Ahead in Your Real Food Kitchen eCourse and the {Healthy} Make-Ahead Meals and Snacks eBook. Hopefully you’ve grabbed yours already and have started working your way through them. If not, you can do that here.

Whether you’re taking the course or not, I hope you’ll all join me in this Getting Ahead Challenge! We can all benefit from working ahead in our kitchens!

During the next four weeks, we’ll be offering four different challenges so that together, we can take steps to get ahead. I’ll be sharing more getting-ahead tips, new recipes, plus some freebies to help us all in our efforts. My goal with these challenges is to put you to work in the kitchen so that you can see how easy and beneficial it is to get food made ahead of time.

Who’s with me?! Let’s Do This!

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Our first challenge is all about Getting Ahead for Breakfast.

Why are we starting with a breakfast challenge? Because that’s the meal I struggle with most as I try to get ahead in my kitchen. Dinnertime casseroles in the freezer? No problem. Burritos in the freezer for a quick lunch? Done. But breakfast? I often forget that there are so many make-ahead breakfast options. Therefore I rarely remember to put these items on my make-ahead-to-do-list. (Except for freezing muffin batter. I’ve been obsessed with that recently, as you know. But man can not live by muffins alone.)

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As much as I appreciate being ahead and having dinner time foods prepped and ready, I think I need healthy breakfast foods prepared and accessible even more. We need to get our day started quickly and smoothly. We need a full, hearty breakfast. We need to not have to think straight the minute we roll out of bed with fuzzy brain, crazy hair, and a long to-do list for the day ahead – am I right?

Therefore, for the past few weeks, I’ve been focusing on creating new recipes and coming up with new ideas for ways to get ahead for breakfast. I am so excited to share all I’ve been learning! You’ll be glad to know that not all methods of getting ahead involve filling the freezer. And they definitely don’t involve spending a lot of extra time working in the kitchen. (The eCourse already taught you that though, right?!)

Now through next Thursday, make plans to join me in getting ahead with breakfast foods. What’s involved in this challenge? Simply pick one (or more!) breakfast foods that you can prepare ahead of time – and get it done! Here are some suggested ideas:

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There are lots of great ways to get ahead for breakfast! (Here are all of the Healthy Breakfast Recipes on this site.)  You aren’t limited to the suggestions above. Do whatever you can to make healthy breakfasts easier at your house. Be watching for more recipes and ideas in the coming days. I can’t wait to share!

Are you joining this challenge? Leave a comment on this post letting me know that you’re taking part.

So let’s hear it!  What are you going to make to get ahead for breakfast?

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Getting Ahead in the Kitchen When You Don’t Want To Heat Up the House

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I love seeing how many are grabbing the Let’s Do This! Getting Ahead in Your Real Food Kitchen eCourse and {Healthy} Make Ahead Meals and Snacks eBook. It is especially great to hear how some of you are already using the techniques described in the eCourse and the recipes in the eBook to get ahead. As one person commented this morning, “Because of your course, I now already have dinner made for tonight! That’s a first for me!” Awesome. :)  It’s so exciting to me to see how many of you are saving yourselves so much time and energy in your kitchen!

Today, I wanted to share an additional tip that has helped me to get ahead this week. It’s been hot at our house the past several days – too hot to bake. In fact, I’ve hardly even wanted to cook anything on the stovetop because even that heats up the kitchen on hot days. But I still found myself with about thirty minutes of time yesterday that I could work ahead in the kitchen.

So what did I do? I mixed up items that could be frozen raw and baked later. It was the perfect solution to getting ahead without heating up the kitchen!

Here’s what I made:

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough (a necessity, right?)

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To freeze cookie dough, simply mix up the batter and scoop it out onto a cookie sheet. Place the cookie sheet in the freezer until the cookie dough is frozen. Transfer the frozen dough to a well-labeled ziplock bag. Store in the freezer for up to two months. To bake the cookies, place the frozen balls of dough onto a baking sheet, two inches apart. Bake as directed, adding a few minutes extra baking time.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffin Batter

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Here are the details you’ll want to read to learn about freezing muffin batter. On a chilly morning someday soon, I can use these frozen muffin balls to make fresh muffins without any effort!

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Quick Mix Biscuits

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Don’t like the hassle of rolling out and cutting out biscuits at breakfast or dinner time? Me neither (even though it really isn’t hard). I mixed up a double batch of biscuits, rolled them, cut them, and froze them on a cookie sheet. Once they were frozen, I transferred them to a freezer bag. To bake frozen biscuits:  Place desired number of biscuits on a baking sheet to thaw for 30 minutes to one hour before baking.  Bake as directed.

Other ideas of ways to get ahead when it’s too hot to cook/bake:

What else have you done to get ahead in your kitchen that doesn’t require using a stove or oven?

How has it been going for you as you’ve been
working through the eCourse and trying new recipes from the eBook?
Haven’t started yet? We’d love to have you join us!

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How To Get Ahead With Real Food Make-Ahead Meals (eCourse and eBook Now Available!)

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Get out your mixing bowls, Pyrex, and freezer bags! The Let’s Do This! Getting Ahead in Your Real Food Kitchen eCourse and {Healthy} Make-Ahead Meals and Snacks eBook are now available for purchase! Join me as together we get ahead and save time (and money) while we feed our families healthy, delicious food!

The Let’s Do This! eCourse answers your questions about Getting Ahead in Your Real Food Kitchen:

  • I can’t even keep up – how am I supposed to get ahead?
  • I don’t have freezer space for freezer cooking, how I can I make this work?
  • Will this actually help me save money on food?
  • Will this really save me time and energy?
  • How can this work for me if I’m not an organized person?
  • My family is picky. Will this frozen food taste good?
  • I want to get ahead, but I don’t even know where to start…

Even if you already have a pretty good idea of how to work ahead in the kitchen to prepare meals and snacks ahead of time to make life easier – I still believe you will benefit from these resources. After all, you can never have too many healthy, make-ahead recipes!

Getting Ahead – is it possible?

If I can do it, you can do it. This eCourse shows you how!

The Let’s Do This! Getting Ahead in Your Real Food Kitchen eCourse includes five simple but detailed lessons:

  1. Getting Ahead for the Day
  2. Getting Ahead for the Week
  3. Getting Ahead With Snacks
  4. Getting Ahead During Spare Moments for Busy Moments
  5. Using Your Make-Ahead Meals and Snacks

Within each lesson, you will be given loads of practical tips and information, online links, downloadable worksheets and planners, and plenty of down-to-earth encouragement. Each lesson includes a brand new, exclusive recipe not found on my website or in any of my books. (Sweet and Sour Meatballs, Creamy Salsa Enchilada Casserole – plus three more delicious recipes you’ll love!)  In addition, I’ve recorded short videos for each lesson so that you can watch me in action – getting ahead in my real food kitchen.

This entire eCourse costs only $10! Your purchase will allow you unlimited, lifetime access to all of this information. These lessons are available to download onto your computer so you can view it forever and print pages as needed!

Work through the lessons at your own pace, on your own time, in the middle of the night, while your kids are napping, in the morning, in the evening –  whenever works for you!

Access this eCourse now!

Our Heavenly Homemaker’s Club Members have access to this amazing resource plus ALL of our eBooks, eCurriculum, printables, and so much more – for one very low price! Join us here!

Or purchase separately below:

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Ready to dig in?

Our Heavenly Homemaker’s Club Members have access to this amazing resource plus ALL of our eBooks, eCurriculum, printables, and so much more – for one very low price! Join us here!

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Trust me when I say that getting ahead in your real food kitchen and stocking your fridge and freezer with healthy, prepared food IS doable for you! What are you waiting for? Let’s do this!

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Purchasing Information: Once you purchase, you will receive an email with a download link for the eBook and specific instructions for how to access the eCourse. Instant gratification!

Want more, and want to save money too!? This great package is for you!

Our Heavenly Homemaker’s Club Members have access to this amazing resource plus ALL of our eBooks, eCurriculum, printables, and so much more – for one very low price! Join us here!

 

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My Weekend Baking/Cooking Marathon

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Some people soak in the tub. Some play a sport. Some read a book. Me? When I am worn out and need some refreshment, I find that cooking is just the pick-me-up I need.

Okay, yes – sometimes cooking is the last thing I want to do and passing out on my bed of pillows and quilty comfort is all I want. I’m not that tireless (or crazy). But over the weekend, travel weary though I was, I couldn’t stop myself from running into the kitchen to get some recipes made ahead for the coming weeks. I think it had something to do with the fact that I had suffered some kitchen withdrawal while being out of our home for eight days. And it may have had something to do with the fact that we’d eaten a few too many fast food french fries on our way home. Therefore I felt the need to grind flour, toss salads, and slice strawberries.

Anyway, I was magnetically pulled into the kitchen on Friday afternoon. I stood there for hours – cooking and baking and having a blast.  And then I passed out on my bed of pillows and quilty comfort long before my family went to bed. (They, of course, were playing a lively game of soccer in the living room with their Dad because they are all of the “some play a sport” variety of refreshment seekers. Yes, the ball was soft. Yes, one picture did get knocked off the wall. No, I don’t care. Yes, I slept through it all.)  But back to my kitchen time which happened before I passed out on the pillows.

I changed my plan just a little bit from the original list I shared on Friday. I was thrilled with what I accomplished in just a few hours and now have lots of healthy, prepared food ready to grab and serve. I hate that some of these pictures are ugly. Raw egg casseroles just don’t look pretty. They can’t help it. Bless their heart.

I started my marathon by getting several pounds of Turkey Sausage cooking in a pot. 

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While it was cooking, I started mixing up Giant Breakfast Cookies. I decided to make the Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookie variety since we loved those so much last time I made them.

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While the cookies were baking and while the turkey sausage was cooking, and while Justus chopped tomatoes for dinner (irrelevant to this post, but hey, there are tomatoes in the following picture) – I mixed up two Easy Breakfast Casseroles. As soon as the sausage was done, I stirred some into the casseroles. I put the casseroles into the freezer with a note to add cheese before baking. (I didn’t feel like grating any that night, what can I say?)

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Remember how Asa made a batch of no-bake cookies a few weeks ago, and it turned into Peanut Butter Chocolate Granola, so I posted the recipe? Well, this time, I made the granola and it threatened to turn into no-bake cookies. The nerve! I just smooshed it all into a platter and we’ve been breaking off pieces to eat all weekend. I think I should maybe bake it in the oven for a little while to crisp it up. Maybe I’ll do that later this week.

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Somewhere in there, the family came in to help me finish making dinner, I got out my Whole Wheat Quick Mix to make the crust for a Fruit Pizza (which we ate the following day), and I mixed up a double batch of Pancake Sausage Muffins. Shucks, I had the turkey sausage fresh and ready after all. And by the way, I referenced my Oh, For Real: Real Food, Real Family, Real Easy book about twenty times during this cooking session. Hope you’re loving your copy as much as I am enjoying and using mine!

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After dinner, I decided to go ahead and make a triple batch of Chicken Patty Sandwiches. I figured if I just got it done, I could then get the kitchen all clean and not worry about finishing my list the following day. We had fresh spinach from our garden, so I decided to grind some up and throw it into these sandwiches along with the carrots, onions, garlic, and chicken. 

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I ended up with 31 Chicken Patties for the freezer – full of all kinds of veggies and deliciousness. Unfortunately, I was on about sandwich number 27 before I remembered that I had not added one egg to the mixture. Ah well – the patties turned out great anyway. (And now you know that you can make this Chicken Patty Sandwich recipe without eggs and with spinach. Awesome.)

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Once all the food cooled, I bagged it, labeled it, stuck it in the freezer, loaded the dishwasher, started it, (took my vitamins, brushed my teeth, yada yada) and went to bed. My hair smelled a bit like a fried chicken patty sandwich – the kind with no eggs and fresh spinach.

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What Recharges Your Batteries?

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Hearty Chili and Whole Wheat Butterhorns for the freezer

We had been traveling for two weeks. We drove from Nebraska to California and back again. We saw friends and loved ones along the way. We waited in traffic, slowed down while car accidents were cleared away, crawled along to be careful of icy roads, and took detours. Our body clocks got messed up because of the time changes. Our digestive systems got messed up because of the fast food.

We got behind on our work. We came home to deadlines, expectations, loads and loads of laundry, and a Christmas tree that needed to be taken down and put away.

After spending an enjoyable holiday with family – I found myself being so tired upon arriving home that all I could think of was how miserable I was. I had so much catching up to do, I didn’t know where to start. I just wanted to sleep. But no matter how much I slept, I somehow couldn’t get caught up on rest. My body was exhausted. And ultimately, I didn’t have time for extra sleep. There was too much to do!

The point of this post is not to invite you to my pity party. I’ve prayed through it. I’ve caught up on sleep. I’m over it. :)

But we all have times like this don’t we? Times when we are so overwhelmed and exhausted we can hardly see straight? It’s not fun.

While I was in the “thick of the sludge” last week, at one point I groaned and wearily told Matt, “You know what I really want to do? I really just want to skip all the rest of the work I need to do and go into the kitchen and cook all day!”

Matt told me to go for it. But I whined that I “didn’t have time to take a break like that.”

Finally, once I realized that I wasn’t able to be productive anymore at the computer, I threw my hands in the air and went into the kitchen to start grinding flour. :) I then proceeded to spend the entire afternoon baking, cooking, and baking some more.

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Orange Pound Cake, following this Lemon Pound Cake recipe, subbing orange juice from our California fresh oranges!

By the time I was finished, my back was aching, my feet were tired, and my kitchen was a mess. But I felt completely refreshed, recharged, and ready to tackle my other projects once again.

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 Whole Wheat Calzones

 It’s amazing really. Sometimes when we have too much to do, we need to just step back and do something else. By doing so, we will be refreshed and ready to tackle our to-do list again.

Cooking refreshes me. I love it. And then I end up with great food to feed my family too. It’s a win-win!

What recharges your batteries? What activity do you love to do when you need a breath of fresh air? Making crafts, cleaning, cooking, something else? I can’t wait to hear!

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Freezer Cooking Time

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This post is about two weeks overdue. I started some freezer cooking before Christmas, took pictures of my progess, then never got around to posting about it. :)

During this particular freezer cooking session, I practiced the “Cook Once Eat Twice” method. If you have never tried this, you really must. It is a huge time saver!

The basic idea is this:  If you’re planning to make a recipe, if at all possible, at least double the recipe so that you can freeze the second batch for another time. I love doing this and find that it is the simplest way to get healthy foods into the freezer for quick, effortless meals in the future.

To start this freezer cooking session, I mixed up a triple batch of Whole Wheat Tortillas. In the meantime, Malachi finished the final page of first semester’s math book. He was so excited!

(Oops, I forgot to mention – before I started making the tortillas, I put several pounds of hamburger meat in a pot to brown. Okay…carry on.)

Once the tortillas and hamburger meat were finished cooking, I made two pans of Cheesy Salsa Enchiladas. Then I used the rest of the meat/salsa mixture and the remaining tortillas to make Meat and Cheese Burritos.

Once that was all finished, I made a double batch of Giant Breakfast Cookies. These are great to eat fresh, and great for freezing for future breakfasts and snacks. Even if I forget to thaw them the night before we plan to eat them, they defrost quickly in a toaster oven.

Now that our Christmas Break is coming to an end, I’m hoping to put a few more items in the freezer, such as:

I’ll update you as I get these projects tackled. :)

Have you been doing any extra cooking/freezing lately?

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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.

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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!

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