The last article I could imagine myself writing is one on cooking. Unlike some of my friends, it’s not a favorite thing to do. I don’t mind when I can take it at a leisurely pace.
There was a time I made yogurt, bread and tried new things often. Then I had a child with a disability and parents that needed assistance and there just wasn’t a lot of time for food preparation. But people still needed to eat, and I needed to feed my growing, large family frugally!
My method comes from martyred missionary Jim Elliot’s widow, Elisabeth Elliot. As far as I know, she does not have a lecture or an article on cooking, but one of the many things that helped me was her method of problem-solving, which was to ask
“What do I have in my hand”
This is how Mrs. Elliot handled most challenges that came into her life–that and prayer. There have been many times I’ve stood in my kitchen or been helping a child with schoolwork and the Father has given me an idea!
For breakfast, the children are somewhat on their own. We like baked oatmeal, especially with a few chocolate chips thrown in. Did you know that leftover oatmeal can be transformed into an oatmeal bread?
In my opinion, oatmeal or peanut butter cookies have to be more nutritious than most boxed cereal. If you have the time and ingredients, make a batch several times larger than you need for 2 days. Then form the dough into logs, wrap in wax paper, tinfoil and finally put in a zip lock bread. You have instant “slice and bake” cookies!
If you have extra time, and eggs are on sale, make a bunch of egg burritos (eggs, sausage, onion, green peppers etc). Assemble in a tortilla, being careful to fold the ends in neatly. Wrap each individually and freeze. When we make waffles, I often make enough to freeze for a future breakfast.
Since I endeavor to make Sundays a special, celebratory day, that is when we usually do our “meat and potatoes” meal. We usually also have our nicest dessert of the week. It is usually whatever meat has been on sale, and I figure about half again as much as we will eat. That means if I normally need 3 pounds of roast to feed us, I will try to buy a 4.5 or 5 pound roast. This also gives us a little leeway to have guests.
This is our normal progression for various meats:
Beef Roast– Beef and Noodles over Potatoes, The next day it’s transformed, with a few cans of veggies (or leftover veggies), an onion and can of tomato sauce into soup. I try to buy or make rolls or some type of bread to go with the soup. (What is wonderful is if you can make bread bowls!) The soup from last night, perhaps thinner and with a few more additions, usually feeds us again for lunch.
Pork Roast or Pork Chops- These usually become a stir fry or rice/veggie/meat casserole the next day. Then, with some creative additions, it too becomes soup or stew or I just add more veggies and rice plus cream of mushroom soup for a casserole variation.
Chicken- oh the possibilities! – Leftover chicken can of course be a stir fry, or a chicken and noodle casserole. One favorite lately is to mix in a large cream of mushroom, large cream of chicken and warm in the crockpot. They children like it served over mashed potatoes, noodles or bread. Then of course, that can become a casserole or a soup. We purposely cook more chicken breasts so my daughter can make chicken salad, which can be served on bread or lettuce.
Another supper or lunch is the old-fashioned stuffed potatoes. I often make extra potatoes with our meat meal. The extra potatoes can be reheated, hand mashed (you don’t want them whipped), placed in a cake pan and lathered with butter or margarine. Leftover veggies, meat, and cheese are then layered on and broiled. A current favorite is “pizza potatoes”. I sparingly add spaghetti sauce, possibly some pepperoni, sausage or hamburger, and a layer of cheese.
We do try to keep some chimichangas from Sam’s or some frozen pizzas in the deep freeze. This is for times when I don’t have time to cook, need a break, or we are super busy. Self-control must be used so you don’t raid those when you don’t need to. Remind yourself that your stash has to last for 2 weeks or a month-whatever your shopping style!
Popcorn, apples with peanut butter and fruit, or cheese tortillas are an easy lunch. We usually use popcorn instead of chips as it’s healthier and less expensive.
***************************************
Above all, seek God’s Kingdom and His Righteousness. Just as one can be a lover of money–whether they have any or not–so we can be so obsessed with every noodle we eat or asparagus we wish we had that that can become our god! We certainly don’t want to be counted along with those whose god is their stomach!
And when you don’t know what to make, stand in your kitchen, calm your heart, and ask the Father what you can make with what you have in your hand.
Monique Stam has been Terry’s helpmate for 24 years. Their ten children, 4 daughters followed by six sons, are ages 5-22. While Monique’s career has been her home and family, she has a degree in Sociology from Wheaton College, IL. As an only child, she has had many adventures learning the ins and outs of home educating a full house. The first of her booklets in the Learning Series is expected to be available in the fall. Join her at her sporadic blog www.journeyintojoy.blogspot.
Stephanie says
Wow, I loved this post! Thank you so much, Monique, for some great ideas! I always like to cook extra for later, but my family is not in love with leftovers. The ideas of transforming it into something else were wonderful. I have never been great at just creating meals without a recipe, but I think I will definitely start trying. And I never thought to make popcorn instead of chips, but that is so smart! My kids will be thrilled! Thank you for this post, it was just what I needed.
Tara says
I have even frozen smaller portions of meat that were leftover and combinded them for soups/stews/one-dish meals for later use. It works!
Kate @ Modern Alternative Mama says
Interesting ideas….
I think you might want to read this: http://www.modernalternativemama.com/blog/2012/05/11/god-vs-food/
Monique says
This morning my children asked for a forgotten breakfast creation…Circus Toast! I’m not sure where it would be on the glycemic index, but…
Toast (stage)
marg if desired
honey (for the bears!)
peanut butter (for the elephants!)
topped with
banana slices (for the monkeys!)
Stephanie says
My kids really like “bird’s nests” and it makes the eggs go farther. Cut a piece of bread in the middle with a biscuit or cookie cutter, being careful to leave the edges intact all around. Butter a skillet/griddle (depending on how many you are making). Lay the bread on the skillet/griddle, crack an egg into the middle and cook like a fried egg (flipping over after a few minutes). I discovered it’s fairly easy to scramble up an egg inside for my littlest one too. Serve with the toasted circle that was cut out and some fruit! Easy and they love it!
Willie Mitchell says
These are wonderful ideas! Especially the one about stopping, calming down and asking what you have on hand.
Emily Fay says
Thank you for this post! Wonderful ideas!!! Thank you for sharing!
melanie says
Wow, I have three kids and a few daycare kids, plus hopefully anouther baby someday!!! I need some instiration on feeding a larger family…
It is easy when they are little and can jsut eat off your plate at a restraunt or at home(sometimes as babies they want what I eat even if identical to what is on their tray).
We are trying a CSA share this summer! It will be a great way to introduce more veggies into their diet as if it is in the house I want it eaten! It is so expensive to but natural unprosseced foods. And I jsut don’t have time to make everything from scratch… Especially considering starting my homeschooling journy with my oldest in the fall. I am excited that it is a good oppertunity for her as she is not thriving in the school system(socially or acedemically it seems to be failing her and they won’t do anything till she is way behind)…
I like to limit shopping trips to twice a month… However lately I seem to be going more often and I need to put an end to that… But it is hard as it happend when I feel overwhelmed and like there is nothing to eat(there is food, just not what I want)…
Nicole @ faith in small things says
Thanks for this post! I always feel like a super mom when I can whip something up when I don’t have a meal planned! These are great tips to help me feel like super mom more often!
Lori says
Thank you, Monique for sharing your wisdom & Godly-insight!! I love your ideas for cooking once & serving twice. The freezer & the crock pot are two favorites for feeding a crew. I recently learned to bake potatoes in the crock pot which makes a baked potato bar an easier possibility & it works for sweet potatoes too. Thanks for sharing!
Andrea says
Thank you so much for this post. Not only is it helpful, but a true sense of humility comes through in your writing. Ah, humility. Something that seems to be slipping away in much of the homeschool community. Great ideas! Love the comment about the homemade cookies being healthier than cereal. There are times when we will stop a child from eating more fruit and say “eat your hot dog.” Then we stop, shudder, and say where is the logic in that????
Monique says
You know what I did with my first child? I told my toddler she had to eat another bite of pizza before she got more green beans! Boy, I laughed at myself when I realized…of course i was raised my someone who believed in alot of protein, but still! 🙂
Thank you for your kind encouragement, and I’m glad you thought it helpful.
Natalie says
My husband is the better chef in our family, and this is his style of cooking as well. Our pot roast leftovers always find their way into a stew/soup as well. We usually throw many random leftovers into our chili as well. I am often amazed at the creative creations my husband can make out of leftovers. We like to layer leftover fajita meat and veggies into cornbread batter, then add salsa and cheese. And a favorite dessert has become turning leftover over white rice into rice pudding (with vanilla, honey, and/or cinnamon). We turn dried out day old bagels into mini pizzas.