Ruth Soukup's Blog, page 86

Creamy Mushroom Pork Chops

Ready for another easy-to-make, crockpot friendly freezer recipe?

Pork chops in the crockpot can be slightly more challenging than chicken or beef, simply because it is easier to overcook them, which can make them dry and tough.  This delicious creamy mushroom sauce adds lots of flavor and moisture, but it is also important to cook them just enough.  For pork it can be helpful to have a meat thermometer on hand so that you can take them out of the crockpot once they hit 145 degrees.  If you don’t have one, don’t fret too much, just set the timer on the low end and check them regularly to prevent overcooking.

To make it as part of a freezer cooking day, just split the sauce & pork into multiple bags, then throw it right into the freezer–no cooking required!  Making it ahead of time is not necessary, though, as it is equally delicious thrown straight into the slow cooker.

 Here is what you need:

8 pork loin chops (regular or thick–not thin cut)
1 large sweet onion
2 cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
2 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons olive oil
8oz. package sliced mushrooms, rinsed well
1  teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
 

Step 1: Chop onion; set aside.

Step 2: Whisk together mushroom soup, olive oil, and chicken broth; stir in mushrooms, onions, and spices.

Step 3: Divide pork chops into 2 gallon size freezer bags ( be sure to label bags first.) Divide cream of mushroom mixture over pork chops.

Step 4: Thaw if frozen; cook in crockpot on low for 4-6 hours or high for 2-3 hours, until pork is fully cooked. Be careful not to overcook–this is not a recipe that should be left to cook all day!

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Recipe: Creamy Mushroom Pork Chops

Summary: This pork chop crockpot meal ensures a tender, flavorful meal each time.

Ingredients

8 pork loin chops (not thin cut)
1 large sweet onion
2 cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
2 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons olive oil
8oz. package sliced mushrooms, rinsed well
1  teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper



Instructions

Chop onion; set aside.
Whisk together mushroom soup, olive oil, and chicken broth; stir in mushrooms, onions, and spices.
Divide pork chops into 2 gallon size freezer bags ( be sure to label bags first.) Divide cream of mushroom mixture over pork chops.
Thaw if frozen; cook in crockpot on low for 4-6 hours or high for 2-3 hours, until pork is fully cooked. Be careful not to overcook!

Preparation time: 5-7 minutes

Cooking time: 4-6 hours on low or 2-3 hours on high in crockpot

Number of servings (yield): 8

 

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Bigger than Overwhelmtion (Secret 13 Essay Contest Finalist)

Living Well Spending Less: 12 Secrets of the Good Life shares 12 secrets for seeking—and finding—the Good Life in our day to day lives. From time management and goal-setting to managing our homes and finances, these practical and concrete strategies can help each of us discover a life rich with purpose. Even so, a life well lived is not so much about what we have as who we are, and ultimately each one of us holds the key to our own secrets. Secret 13 is the truth that YOU have uncovered as you discover your own Good Life. 

Each week for 12 weeks we will select one finalist’s essay to feature here at Living Well Spending Less. At the end of the 12 weeks, Living Well Spending Less readers will vote on their favorite #Secret13 story, and the essay with the most votes will win a 7 day cruise for 4 on the Carnival Sunshine! Today’s post is our eighth finalist in the Secret 13 Essay Contest. For more inspiring Secret 13 stories, be sure to check out our Blog Tour!

 

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Hi! My name is Missy Quittem. I reside in Sioux Falls, SD with my family – husband Pat and two kids Angel (7) and Caleb (6). I am also the proud step-mom to Holly (married to Timothy) and Cody. I blog at GraspTheLove, work full-time as a Communications Coordinator for the Good Samaritan Society, chase after my two kiddos, enjoy life with my husband, and daily learn that God is bigger than my overwhelmtion.

Overwhelmtion? That’s right. You may not have heard the word – probably because it’s not a real word, but I’m pretty sure you’ve experience it. The definition: being way more overwhelmed than just overwhelmed.

I first penned this word back in 2007. My husband and I were going on eight years of battling infertility and had experienced two failed adoption plans. We were up to our eyeballs in adoption paperwork for a third time and were exhausted from the struggle of longing to be parents. I was full of fear and anxiety that I would never be a mom, and as I reflected on the circumstances and the feelings that accompanied them, the only word I could think of to describe it, was overwhelmtion.

A few short months later we had finished our home study for a domestic adoption of an infant. We settled in as we knew the wait for a baby would be close to a year. Two weeks later we received an email that would change our lives forever and two weeks after that we welcomed home our 5-week old baby girl, aptly named Angel.

 

The overwhelmtion I had been experiencing was quickly replaced with great joy and excitement. Much to our surprise I found out three months later that I was pregnant. Our second miracle, this time a son, Caleb, was born when Angel was 14 months old. Now granted it was a dream come true to finally be a mom, not only to one baby, but two babies!

However while God heard my prayers to give me children, he missed the part about giving me compliant, calm children. It turned out we were blessed with two very strong willed, very hyperactive kiddos! I was about to discover what true overwhelmtion was really about.

In June 2012 I experienced overwhelmtion like I never had before. My parents lived two hours from us on the Missouri River and every year they took their houseboat on a weekend trip down the river. We hadn’t heard from them all weekend, but chalked it up to bad reception out on the river.

They were due back on a Monday night but by Tuesday morning, when we hadn’t heard from them, my siblings and I feared that something was wrong. That Tuesday morning I spent about three hours frantically calling their places of work, family, friends and finally the sheriff’s office. At that point my husband, siblings and I decided to drive the 2 ½ hours to the marina where our parent’s boat had been located. Upon arriving, we discovered that our parents had succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning on their boat, 3 days prior. The months that followed were filled with overwhelmtion like I had never experienced and probably never will. And honestly, there are many days even now, 2 ½ years later, when the overwhelmtion seems too much to bear.

I thought after having experienced the sudden death of my parents, my closest friends and encouragers, the amazing grandparents of my babies, that I would be done with overwhelmtion. It turned out God wasn’t finished teaching me what I needed to learn.

A year after my parents died we bought a farm. Sounds like a movie, right?! Well, it was a dream come true for me, having grown up on a farm. We quickly filled our little farm with chickens and goats and life was grand. Except of course that we couldn’t pay the bills.

A year later, we were faced with the gut-wrenching decision of having to give up our farm. It was like another death to me. The day after we moved back into town, my husband was laid off from his job of 25 years. I was working only part-time and the overwhelmtion of loss and financial struggle was suffocating.

I knew that contentment was a choice. I was reminded of this again as I read chapter two in Living Well Spending Less. I wanted to be content with losing my parents, losing our farm, my husband losing his job. I knew that God would provide. Especially after losing Mom and Dad, I knew what was important in life. However, all I felt was overwhelmtion. In the months that followed I fell into a deep, dark depression; so dark that I considered taking my life. I knew at that point that I needed help to once again find the contentment I desired and win the battle against this overwhelmtion.

I spent four weeks in an outpatient treatment program, immersing myself in writing, listening to Christian music and refocusing my heart on God and His Word. I began to remember what I already knew deep in my heart, that there was something even more overwhelming than my overwhelmtion: God’s love. This is my Secret 13.

I was gently reminded that to truly be content, to truly fight the battle against overwhelmtion, that I needed to keep my eyes on Jesus. Keeping my eyes on Jesus might not take away or the change the circumstances that have brought about my overwhelmtion, but keeping my eyes on Jesus will change me. It will help me focus on the one who will never abandon me. Psalm 61 is a great promise to an overwhelmed heart: when my heart is overwhelmed, he will lead me to the towering rock of safety, he is my safe refuge, I find sanctuary and safety beneath the shelter of his wings!

While the situations and circumstances of your overwhelmtion may be different, Jesus can and does provide respite for overwhelmed hearts. As we deal with challenges and struggles with family, friends, health, finances, etc., we will face overwhelmtion. But we can look to the promise of Psalm 61 and others. We can look to the encouragement that our family and friends bring. I encourage you today, regardless of what level of overwhelmtion you might be experiencing, to keep your eyes on the Jesus and be overwhelmed by His great love for you.

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Want to enter for a chance to win an all-expenses paid cruise for four on the Carnival Sunshine?  In 750-1200 words, please share your own Living Well Spending Less® story. It could be a challenge you faced in your own life and the lesson you learned as you overcame it, or a personal story about how something within one of the chapters of Living Well Spending Less: 12 Secrets of the Good Life personally affected or changed you.

Next, send a copy of your essay to secret13@livingwellspendingless.com. Be sure to also include your name and blog name (if you have a blog), as well as a photo of yourself and any other photos you’d like to include.  For more details about the contest and how to enter, please check out our Secret 13 Contest Page!

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Undone is Beautiful

I hate cancer.

Ten years ago, while I was in law school, a friend asked me to join her Relay for Life team. I had never heard of Relay for Life, had no idea what it was all about, but agreed to participate. That night my soon-to-be husband Chuck and I walked around the track, looking at all those candle-filled paper bags representing people who were fighting, who had fought, or who had lost their battle with this big scary thing called cancer.

 

And I remember thinking how lucky I had been up to that point, to have not been personally affected by this terrifying disease. Oh sure, I knew OF people who had cancer, but I had never seen it up close.

Five years later we got a call from my sister-in-law Linda with the news.

Ovarian cancer, stage 4.

The prognosis isn’t good, she said, almost no one makes it five years.

And then, just a year later, more bad news. This time about my brother.

Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

If you’re going to get cancer, this is the kind to get. It has a 95% cure rate after the first round of treatment. Unfortunately my brother was the unlucky five percent that didn’t respond to treatment, and his prognosis suddenly went from excellent to fair.

From far away, we watched both of them suffer countless treatments—radiation, chemotherapy, stem cell transplants. We read the Caring Bridge updates and checked in regularly and prayed daily.

But that was it.

What more could we do?

Thankfully my brother Mark made a full recovery and is now in remission. My sister-in-law Linda wasn’t so lucky. The cure for the ovarian cancer caused AML—Acute Myeloid Leukemia—and after fighting that secondary diagnosis valiantly for a year, she finally succumbed a year ago last October.

I met my friend Michele just a few weeks later, in November 2013. We were both in the middle of writing our first books, and it just so happened that we shared several common friends, plus an editor at the same publishing house, which meant that we instantly had common ground.

We began texting each other words of encouragement as we navigated the often gut-wrenching and soul-crushing process of pouring our hearts out onto paper. Just knowing that there was someone else out there who got it, and who was going through the same thing, somehow made it just a little easier.

We turned our manuscripts in and both breathed big sighs of relief.

But Michele’s relief was short lived.

Her cancer—the cancer she had just written about in her book—was back with a vengeance. She fought hard and appeared to beat it, but then it quickly came back again in the fall of 2014, just weeks after she lost her dad to—you guessed it—cancer.

And now, for the past four months, Michele has been fighting hard, harder than anyone I have ever known. Between surgeries and chemo and radiation and more surgery and more radiation, this treatment has ravaged her body in every way imaginable.

But her spirit is so strong.

While she is fighting for her life, she actively looks for ways to bless others. Every time she goes in for treatment, she finds someone else to pray for. She is, quite possibly, the most inspiring person I have ever met.

And now Michele’s amazing book, Undone: Making Peace With an Unexpected Life, comes out tomorrow, and because she is in the middle of treatment for tongue cancer and can’t speak for herself right now, I want to help speak for her.

I want to let you know that this is one book you can’t miss.

Of all the books I read last year, THIS was the one that stuck with me the most, the one that changed me, the one that touched my heart and the one that I couldn’t put down. Her story matters not because it is so impossibly unique or crazy and remarkable, but because it could be all of us. Life rarely turns out the way we expect it to, but Michele, in the most gorgeously written way, poignantly offers hope in a way that isn’t cheesy or trite. She shows us, simply, that undone can be beautiful.

I can’t state this strongly enough–if you read only one book this year, let it be this one!

Michele writes about the reality of receiving that cancer diagnosis with such raw clarity that you can’t help but feel what she feels, and it is only more touching when you realize that she is still fighting this battle. For someone like me, who has only experienced cancer from the outside looking in, this was something I needed to see and feel. But don’t just believe me–read a sample of the book here and see for yourself.

Undone arrives in bookstores tomorrow, March 10th, but if you preorder through today, you can get a free download of this beautiful painting by Mandy Thompson that was commissioned just for the release of this book.

Here is what to do to get your free gift:

Order the book HERE
Fill in the form HERE 

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Weekend Wandering

Happy Weekend!  Is anyone else ready for a few days of doing not much of anything?  My big plans include looking for a new bike, tending to my little garden, and–if I can work up the energy–moving into my new office.  What are you up to this weekend?

I especially loved all the fun & festive St. Patricks day ideas this week!  Here were my favorites:

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First of all, this  Guinness Soup from The Seasoned Homemaker is a twist to the all time classic French onion soup!

I loved how thesee Corned Beef & Cabbage rolls from Home. Made. Interest put a fresh modern spin on a St. Paddy’s day classic.

I’ve always wanted to try making Irish Soda Bread–this easy recipe from Nepa Mom looks like a great one to test out!

This Leprechaun Snack Mix from Three Kids and a Fish looks so good! The perfect pick for a party!

Moving onto the desserts…these Leprechaun Dessert Shooters from Kleinworth & Co. are so pretty & festive!

These Oreo Pot O’Gold cookies from Hooplapalooza are so clever!  What a fun idea to bring to your child’s class!

These Delicious Chocolate Cookie Bars from Smart Party Planning are the perfect way to use up any leftover candy.

This beautiful Lemon Sunshine Cake from The Simple Sweet Life is so pretty!  What a perfect way to welcome Spring!

Want a quick & easy way to decorate for St. Patrick’s day?  Print this free Irish Blessing Chalk Art from Made in a Day, put it in a frame and you’re done!

Are you getting away for Spring Break? Acorn Oak Forest shares 5 Travel Tips from Children that can help make your journey a pleasant one!

These 6 Steps to Start Saving Money from Creating My Happiness are super practical! Tip number 3 is a great reminder!

Live Like Your Rich shares 15 Ways to Easily Fit Organic Foods into Your Grocery Budget. This comprehensive list is a great resource!

Loving Littles shares the 3 Lessons Grandma Taught Me About Money. Tip number 1 is so true!

Finally, this Spring Cleaning Resource Guide from Laura Sue Shaw will help you get a jump start on your spring cleaning!

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What did you love this week?

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7 Lies People in Debt Tell Themselves

Today I am happy to welcome back my friend Cherie Lowe from the Queen of Free, who will be joining us here at LWSL as a regular monthly contributor.  Cherie is the author of the amazing book, Slaying the Debt Dragon, which she wrote after paying off more than $127,000 in debt!  I am so excited to have her bringing her wealth of knowledge & experience on this subject to LWSL–please join me in making her feel right at home!

xoxo, Ruth

This is a guest post from Cherie Lowe of Queen of Free

When she was just a toddler, my oldest daughter shoplifted from a local craft store. I didn’t discover her offense until we arrived home and I was taking off her coat. Inside her teeny fur lined pocket was a small “Kiss Me, I’m Irish” button with the price tag still on it. Immediately, my brain fast-forwarded to weekend visitations, orange jumpsuits, and phone conversations taking place between a plexiglass wall. This was surely the beginning of the end. A life of crime, just launching, for my sweet pig-tailed verbose redheaded darling, oh the agony!

In a brilliant flash of first-time parenting, I packed her back into the car and together we rehearsed what she would tell the clerk when she returned the button. I reminded her over and over again that she could not take items that were not her own. I walked hand-in-hand to the counter and bravely she repeated:

 “I’m sworry. I twook this and it was not mine. Will you please forgive me?”

 The caring employee began to gush over my daughter, reassuring her that it was OK. Then the middle aged woman turned to me and asked a question I will never forget.

 “She’s so adorable! Can I give her a sucker?”

 NO. She stole from you. You want to reinforce that behavior? Listen lady, this little Jesse James wannabe will bleed you dry if you give her candy for robbing you blind. This time it’s novelty flair, next time it’s one of those $80 fancy figurines.

 Maybe we both went a little overboard? But the sweet woman behind the counter and I bought into lies. I immediately assumed that a two-year-old could understand the weight of her transgression and that a small infraction would lead to a life of law breaking. After all, as a thirteen year old, she doesn’t even remember this experience. The much more graceful clerk dismissed the action and wanted to reward wrongdoing. Just like that, the lies we told ourselves led our extremes to different destinations, neither healthy.

During our journey of paying off over $127K – a story you can read in my book Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found An Inspired Happily Ever After – we encountered and battled many lies about debt. After dismantling each with simple truth, we were able to find a place of financial freedom.

 1. Everyone Has Debt

 This lie is often trotted out when we want to excuse a new purchase. Herd mentality is nothing new. I used this very defense more than once when I wanted my mom to buy something for me in high school. “But moooooommmm, everyone has one!” However, there are plenty of people who have no debt at all, not even a car payment or a mortgage. Debt does not have to be a constant reality from birth to death. Everyone does not have debt.

 2. We Won’t Ever Have Any Fun

 I’ll admit that this wasn’t my most noble lie during the process of paying off debt. However, I had a great fear of not being able to provide magical memories for our children, spend quality time with my husband, or invest in friendships because we did not have any extra cash. Of course, I discovered that all of the above does not require money. Relationships are built on intentionality, not entertainment. Along the way, I also learned that I truly value simple pleasures in life. Living to the fullest does not equate to dollars and cents. You can pay off debt and still have fun.

 3. I’m Not That Good With Money

Friends, if you know how to log onto the Internet and read an article, that mistruth isn’t working for you anymore. You are more than smart enough to handle your debt situation. Will it take time and a willingness to pay attention to detail? Of course. Will you have to be dedicated to the process? Certainly. I often quip, “Paying off debt is not complicated. It’s just not easy.” While there are many methods to tackle your money monster, the basic principle is to spend less than you make, potentially take on more work, and put the difference toward your debt. Stop lying to yourself. You ARE good with money.

4.  My Children Shouldn’t Have to Suffer for My Mistakes

Closely related to the “We won’t have any fun” myth, this lie often paralyzes us from making the choices necessary to get out of debt. Can I be straight with you? Your children probably will suffer as a result of your financial mistakes. Sure, you might be able to swing a trip to Disney on a credit card now; however, your kids will end up paying for your care in your old age when you haven’t saved for retirement or taking out massive loans themselves for college.

But here’s the good news–your sons and daughters will not have to wear potato sacks to school and if you budget carefully, you can still pay for lessons or sports leagues. But you can’t say yes to every trip, expense, or extra. After you pay off debt, you’ll be able to spend more on your children. But maybe, just maybe, the process will help you learn what is most necessary and what you can do without. Yes, your children might have to suffer for your money mistakes, but choosing not to manage your resources well could further increase that suffering.

5.  I Need to Build Good Credit

Building credit is only necessary if you plan on borrowing money again. If you have no need to borrow, you will have no need for credit. Even still, a reputable lender will work with you if you prove you are debt free, sharing your full financial picture. We have been out of debt for nearly three years and our credit scores are great. On top of that, no one has asked us what those scores even are. Credit is not as important as you’ve been taught or the lenders would like you to think.

 6. Credit Cards Are Necessary for Online Shopping & Traveling

The last time our family had a credit card, LOST was the most popular show on TV. Since then, we’ve traveled, purchased items online, and made our daily transactions with a debit card backed by MasterCard. That means we have the protections against fraud, but the money comes directly out of our checking account. You do not have to have a credit card to make major purchases.

 7. Paying Off Debt Is Impossible

My heart breaks each time someone shares a story of mammoth debt. Typically, no one in their childhood dreams of being stretched thin financially. No one longs to spend the bulk of their income on interest and payments. Many have tried unsuccessfully to pay off debt in the past. They feel overwhelmed, isolated, and hopeless. Lean in close and don’t miss this.

Paying off debt is not impossible.

I know you might be incredibly discouraged and not know where to begin. I know your heart is heavy. You’ve read the books, listened to the podcasts, and exasperated yourself to the point of exhaustion. All of the right thinking in the world, all of the best budget forms, all of the top notch strategies – none of these will do you any good unless you have Hope. You must begin to believe that your dragons can. be. beaten. before you embark on your epic quest. True, you might need a new approach. You may even need practical tools. But most of all, you need to stop believing the lie that it will never happen for you. Paying off debt is possible. I’m living proof.

Become deaf to the lies that you have told yourself. Quit listening to the lies that are marketed to you. Throw off the chains of debt. Be free.

 

Cherie Lowe is an author, speaker and hope bringer. Her book Slaying the Debt Dragon details her family’s quest to eliminate over $127K in debt in just under four years. As her alter ego the Queen of Free, Cherie provides offbeat money saving tips and debt slaying inspiration on a daily basis.

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Which of these lies have you told yourself about debt?

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Thrifty Thursday {Week 99}

Happy Thursday! Can you believe it’s already MARCH?  Where does the time go?  Our spring session of Elite Blog Academy  will be opening in just six weeks, on April 14th, but you can sign up now to be added to the waiting list.  (Our fall session completely sold out, so if you are interested in joining us this time around, you should definitely add the date to your calendar!)

In other news, our Secret 13 Essay Contest finalist this week was Christin. You can read her journey here.  Be sure to check it out–it is honest and heart-warming!  There is still a little time to submit your own entry for a chance to win an all expenses paid cruise for four on the Carnival Sunshine, so be sure to check out all the details HERE! (But don’t wait too long–the deadline for submissions is March 15th!)

Here are the most clicked links from last week:

1. Family Balance Sheet  { How I Found $370 Debt Snowball Money in January }
2. A Cultivated Nest { 14 Snacks You Can Make at Home Instead of Buying }

3. Frugal Debt Free Life { Five Things We Don’t Buy }

4. All in All {15 More Tips to Save Money Painlessly}

5. The Coupon High {7 Most Over Priced Items at the Grocery Store}

6. Taylor Made Homestead {The Truth Behind Perfect Facebook Posts}

7. Mums Make Lists {50 Fun Ways for Moms to Save Money}
8. Snail Pace Transformations { 10 Tools to Help You With Your Debt Free Journey }
9. Humble in a Heartbeat {Save Money With a Pantry Staples List}
10. Our Simple Homestead {Learning to Live on Less}
 
Never linked up before? Here’s how:

Scroll down, find the little blue “Add your Link” Button and click on that.
Follow the instructions on the next page – add a great image of your project and an interesting title. Make sure you link to the direct page of your budget friendly post – not the main page of your blog!
Try to visit at least a few other blogs at the party. Be sure to leave a comment to let them know you stopped by!
Please link back to this post somehow. There are badges available here; a simple text link is just fine too.

Feel free to tweet about Thrifty Thursday so others can join the fun, and don’t forget to check back here Sunday morning to see which posts have been featured this week at Weekend Wandering!

If this is your first time here I also invite you to check out my blogging guide, How to Blog for Profit (Without Selling Your Soul).  It is a fantastic resource if you are interested in building your blog, getting more traffic, or learning how to monetize!  Or, if you have read the book and are still looking to take your blog to the next level, I encourage you to check out Elite Blog Academy.

An InLinkz Link-up

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Kale & White Bean Soup with Sausage

This simple, delicious, freezer-friendly soup recipe was inspired by the fresh kale, carrots, and parsley I harvested a few weeks ago, and it is JAM-PACKED with flavor!  Both my kids and husband couldn’t get enough, and I know this is one I will be making all the time.

As an aside, I can’t even tell you how excited I am, after four years of unsuccessful attempts at gardening, to actually be growing things!  (You can follow our garden progress on Instagram or by following hashtag #SoukupGarden)

This soup comes together fast with just a few minutes of prep, then freezes beautifully for a hearty meal that’s ready when you are.  (You will need to presoak dried beans, but you can also use canned beans that require no additional prep.)  It is also crockpot friendly, and doesn’t even need to be thawed ahead of time, which makes it as easy as can be!  To make it as part of a freezer cooking day, just split the soup into multiple bags, then throw it right into the freezer–no cooking required!  To make it vegetarian, simply skip the sausage.

Here is what you need:

2 onions
6 cloves garlic
1 cup parsley
5-6 large carrots
6-8 cups raw kale
8-10 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth (if making vegetarian)
4 cans white beans or 1 pound dried white beans, presoaked
2 cans diced tomatoes, drained
1 1/2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1 cup shredded or grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
1 pound smoked sausage (optional)
 

Step 1: Chop onions, and parsley, mince garlic; set aside.

Step 2: Chop carrots; set aside.

Step 3: Rinse and remove stems, then coarsely chop kale.

Step 4: Slice sausage into bite size pieces; set aside.

Step 5: In large bowl, mix together onions, parsley, carrots, garlic, kale, beans, tomatoes, Italian seasoning, Parmesan cheese, smoked sausage, and broth.

Step 6: Divide mixture into 2 gallon size freezer bags. ( be sure to label bags first)

Step 7: Thaw; to cook in saucepan, bring soup to a boil then simmer for 30-45 minutes. Alternatively, cook in crockpot on low for 6-8 hours or an high for 3-5 hours.

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Recipe: Kale & White Bean Soup

Summary: This soup can be made vegetarian friendly or extra hearty with the addition of smoked sausage!

Ingredients

2 onions
6 cloves garlic
1 cup parsley
5-6 large carrots
6-8 cups raw kale
8-10 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
4 cans white beans or 1 pound dried white beans(pre-soaked)
2 cans diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup shredded or grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
1 1/2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1 pound smoked sausage( optional)



Instructions

Chop onions, and parsley, mince garlic; set aside.
Chop carrots; set aside.
Slice sausage into bite size pieces; set aside.
Rinse and remove stems, then coarsely chop kale.
In large bowl, mix together onions, parsley, carrots, garlic, kale, beans, tomatoes, Italian seasoning, Parmesan cheese, smoked sausage, and broth.
Divide mixture into 2 gallon size freezer bags. ( be sure to label bags first).
Thaw; to cook in saucepan, bring soup to a boil then simmer for 30-45 minutes. Alternatively, cook in crockpot on low for 6-8 hours or an high for 3-5 hours.

Preparation time: 7-10 minutes

Cooking time: 6-8 hours on low or 3-5 hours on high

Number of servings (yield): 16

 

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Turning a Burden into a Blessing (Secret 13 Essay Contest Finalist)

 Living Well Spending Less: 12 Secrets of the Good Life shares 12 secrets for seeking—and finding—the Good Life in our day to day lives. From time management and goal-setting to managing our homes and finances, these practical and concrete strategies can help each of us discover a life rich with purpose. Even so, a life well lived is not so much about what we have as who we are, and ultimately each one of us holds the key to our own secrets. Secret 13 is the truth that YOU have uncovered as you discover your own Good Life. 

Each week for 12 weeks we will select one finalist’s essay to feature here at Living Well Spending Less. At the end of the 12 weeks, Living Well Spending Less readers will vote on their favorite #Secret13 story, and the essay with the most votes will win a 7 day cruise for 4 on the Carnival Sunshine! Today’s post is our eighth finalist in the Secret 13 Essay Contest. For more inspiring Secret 13 stories, be sure to check out our Blog Tour!

 Hi everyone! I’m Christin from Annapolis, MD and I’m the gal behind the blog  Blue Crab Martini.
My world revolves around my husband, two sons, and trying not to set my kitchen on fire with all of my cooking experiments. When I’m not busy at home, you can find me finishing the last class of my Master’s Degree at Johns Hopkins University.When I heard about the Secret 13 Essay Contest I knew that I needed enter so that I could share how I found happiness despite my son’s diagnosis with developmental delays. No one wants to hear that their child is different or not achieving their milestones, but with a little love (and a whole lot of patience), I discovered that this journey can be a blessing, not a burden.

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At the beginning of 2012, my family could have been a poster-child for the American Dream. We were financially stable, had a roof over our heads, food on our table, and we were parents to a witty, smart, (albeit sassy) 3 year old son. The icing on the cake was the upcoming arrival of our second son later that summer. We were on the path to success and living the good life.

Or so I thought. I would soon learn that the “good life” meant much more than having money in the bank, and that the pathway to get there was full of twists and turns. The lessons in Ruth’s book, Living Well Spending Less: 12 Secrets of the Good Life resonate deeply with me because I’ve lived them first hand. I’ve learned that contentment and joy can be found where we least expect it. I’ve discovered my version of the good life, and this is my story.

In June of 2012, the nurses placed our new baby in my arms, all 10 lbs 4 oz of him. He was everything we had hoped for, and as we brought him home I felt like our lives were complete. We spent those first few months soaking up his sweet toothless grins and giggles. That summer I didn’t have a care in the world.

However, that carefree feeling slowly faded into concern when he wasn’t sitting up by 7 months. Concern turned to worry when he wasn’t crawling by 10 months, and downright panic set in when he didn’t babble by his 1st birthday. That’s when I felt it. That gut-wrenching, nagging feeling deep down in my heart that something wasn’t right. I think it’s an instinct that’s born with motherhood, and as everyone says, we should trust our instincts. Unfortunately, my instincts were correct and we were referred to seek help and a diagnosis from the Infants and Toddlers Early Intervention Program.

My world shattered around me after his first evaluation with the Early Intervention Program. Phrases like “developmental delay” and “cognitive impairment” were tossed around faster than I could process them. Though he didn’t fit into any specific diagnosis, we were told that the road ahead would be long and difficult. I left the evaluation sobbing, with a broken heart, and feeling overwhelmed.

How could my sweet little boy have such enormous challenges? Surely this is my fault somehow, but what did I do wrong? How can I help him overcome these challenges? Or will he even be able to catch up? These questions swirled around in my head leaving me in a complete fog for several weeks. Life as I knew it, seemed to be over forever and I wasn’t sure how to embark upon this new journey.

Slowly, I began to pick up the pieces of my wounded heart and set out on a mission to do everything in my power to help my son. I dedicated every waking minute to attending his therapy sessions, working with specialists, and planning our daily routines around his needs.

Before I knew it, I was a stay at home mom, leaving my career behind to focus on my son. This also meant transitioning to a single income household, buying our own health insurance and figuring out how to stay afloat during turbulent economic times. Gone were the days of guilt-free shopping sprees, planning for a bigger house, and dreaming of a new car- all things that used to be my definition of the good life.

I’ll be brutally honest and admit that there were some dark days. Days in which I struggled to see the silver lining of this new life of mine. But ever so slowly, I realized that not only was I smiling and laughing more, I was actually happy for the first time in years. I found a way to live my life more fully and with greater purpose even in the absence of material things.

Then one night when I was putting my son to sleep, he clapped for the very first time- a skill we had been working on for months. His two little hands came together and made the sweetest sound I’d ever heard. Clapping is a milestone most children reach in their first year, but one that he finally conquered at nearly two years of age. It wasn’t until I felt the sting of warm tears falling from my eyes that I fully realized the momentum of this journey I was on, or just how much I loved my new life.

In that tear-filled moment, sitting in our old rocking chair, it hit me like a ton of bricks- my son’s challenges were actually a gift. In all of the hours I’d spent tirelessly teaching him to walk and talk, he had actually been the teacher all along. He taught me to slow down and be patient, to enjoy even the smallest of victories, and to appreciate the the people in my life, not the things.

As he met new milestones, so had I, although I couldn’t see it at the time. Looking back, it’s clear to me now that this sweet boy, despite whatever challenges he has faced, has been my secret to finding happiness and contentment. He has come so far and so have I. What the future holds, we can never know for sure, but I do know one thing- our path in life may be full of twists and turns, but we should be thankful for even the darkest of days because they just might be a blessing in disguise. That is my Secret 13.

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Want to enter for a chance to win an all-expenses paid cruise for four on the Carnival Sunshine?  In 750-1200 words, please share your own Living Well Spending Less® story. It could be a challenge you faced in your own life and the lesson you learned as you overcame it, or a personal story about how something within one of the chapters of Living Well Spending Less: 12 Secrets of the Good Life personally affected or changed you.

Next, send a copy of your essay to secret13@livingwellspendingless.com. Be sure to also include your name and blog name (if you have a blog), as well as a photo of yourself and any other photos you’d like to include.  For more details about the contest and how to enter, please check out our Secret 13 Contest Page!

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Fresh Produce 101

There is something just intrinsically right about seasonal produce.  After all, there’s nothing quite like a ripe juicy peach or bright red tomato in the summertime. Likewise, in the winter, it’s a comfort to cozy up to a beautiful butternut squash soup or a caramel apple pie with warm cinnamon, or to sip a hot pumpkin spice latte.  Most of us don’t crave strawberries in December or pumpkins in May.

Even so, our modern, global society offers us year-round accessibility to produce, which can make it easy to lose sight of the real reason we associate certain foods with certain seasons.  We’re so accustomed to getting whatever we want whenever we want that we forget the intrinsic benefits of eating seasonally.

Save Money

Eating what’s in season has a big impact on your wallet. Grocery stores typically feature rock bottom prices on seasonal produce—root veggies, dark greens and squash in the fall and winter, leafy greens and sprouts in the spring, and of course, those tomatoes, peaches, eggplant and zucchini in the heart of summer. You can also find great deals if you shop farmers markets and local produce stands—and, of course, growing your own produce is a huge money-saver.

Protect the Environment

Eating local in-season produce drastically reduces the amount of gas and energy required to get things to your plate . One reason in-season produce prices are lower? There’s no need to ship it in from other states or countries—it’s grown right in your region. This farm-to-table approach makes a huge difference on the environmental impact of your food. There is less water, fuel and energy used to grow food in season. Not only is the “green” passed on to you in cash form, but you also get to save the environment.

Eat Healthier

Local food is also more nutritious. During the picking, packaging and shipping process, food can lose nutrients. Produce is often picked before it’s fully ripe because it’s firmer and easier to ship without risk of damage. Unfortunately, produce is quite often selected for aesthetics, rather than for nutrition and taste. Have you ever cut into a big, beautiful out-of-season strawberry only to find that it’s tasteless and watery? Or have you shied away from the “ugly” bumpy heirloom tomatoes in favor of a beautiful, perfectly-round and red one that barely offers any flavor? Farm-fresh produce may not always be quite as pretty, but it more than makes up for it in flavor and nutrients.

Also, be aware that purchasing frozen produce isn’t such a bad idea. Frozen food is often flash frozen right at the time of harvest, preserving the nutrients—a healthy choice, even out of season.

Organic or Not?

As a general rule, organic produce–even what’s in season–will be more expensive than its non-organic counterpart.  But is does paying more equate to better health benefits or safer food?  The answer is sometimes, but not always.  Whether or not to buy organic really depends on the food itself, as some fruits and vegetables get hit with a lot more pesticides than others.  This “Clean 15″ and “Dirty Dozen” list is a great place to start.

 Get the printable download for this “Clean Fifteen and Dirty Dozen” list HERE.

Dirty Dozen (try to buy organic):

Apples

Bell Peppers

Celery

Cherry Tomatoes

Cucumbers

Grapes

Hot Peppers

Nectarines

Peaches

Potatoes

Spinach

Strawberries

Clean Fifteen (okay to skip organic):

Asparagus

Avocados

Cabbage

Cantaloupe

Corn

Eggplant

Grapefruit

Kiwis

Mangos

Mushrooms

Onion

Papaya

Pineapple

Sweet Peas

Sweet Potatoes

Watch your farmers markets, produce stands and local grocer for great deals on organics or consider joining a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). Come harvest time, you can expect a bushel or so of fresh, local organic produce every week. It’s a great way to get your family to try new items, especially when they’re freshest and most flavorful!

Buy in Season

Each region and state has their own growing season, so what’s readily available here in Florida, such as oranges and avocado, may not be quite as accessible in Minnesota. Still, by following the basic seasons and knowing what’s at its peak, you can make smart choices at the store and offer your family produce that’s less expensive, more nutritious and easier to find.

 Get your printable complete guide to Seasonal Produce HERE

SPRING

Spring produce is often light, refreshing and crisp. There are a lot of “green” flavors in spring produce, so it’s a great time for salads and bright, fresh flavors. Just as the world awakens from a winter slumber, so should your palate!

Asparagus

Artichokes (baby)

Arugula

Cactus (prickly pear variety)

Celery

Cherimoya

Chives

Cilantro

Dill

Fava Beans

Field Greens

Fiddlehead Ferns

Garlic & Garlic Scapes

Green Beans

Lettuce

Kale

Morel Mushrooms

New Potatoes

Parsley

Peas & Pea Shoots

Pineapple

Radishes & Radish Sprouts

Rhubarb

Salad Turnips

Scallions

Sprouts

Strawberries

Swiss Chard

Watercress

SUMMER

Summer produce is full of color and vibrant flavors. It’s easy to eat a rainbow of foods in the summer, from purple eggplant to blueberries to beets to zucchini. Many summer fruits and veggies grill up well and make great warm-weather meals with salads, cold soups and simple flavors. These fruits and vegetables come flavor- and nutrition-packed, so there’s no need for a lot of embellishment. Depending on your region and area, you can find summer produce as early as May and through late September. Warmer areas may even enjoy some items nearly year round! Make the most of these delicious summer treats.

Apricots

Apples (late summer)

Artichokes

Basil

Beets

Bell Peppers

Blueberries

Cabbage

Carrots

Celery

Cherries

Chile Peppers

Cilantro

Corn

Cucumbers

Currants

Eggplant

Endive

Figs

Garlic

Green Beans

Kohlrabi

Marjoram

Musk Melons

Napa Cabbage

Nectarines

Okra

Peaches

Plums

Raspberries

Rhubarb

Shell Beans (Lima, Fava, Soy)

Strawberries

Swiss Chard

Summer Squash

Tomatoes

Tomatillos

Thyme

Watermelon

Wild Berries (Huckleberries, Blackberries, Juneberries, Boysenberries)

Zucchini

AUTUMN

The flavors of autumn are spicy, sweet and comforting. Think apples, pumpkins, squash and cinnamon. The greens are heartier—like kale and mustard greens, sweet from the first kiss of frost and cold weather. Many root vegetables are reaching their peak after growing all summer. We tend to think of the harvest as a fall event, along with back to school, crisp days and cooler weather, beautiful colors and comforting foods of the season. You will see some of the same players from summer, but as the season goes on we add thicker-skinned produce, citrus fruits and pears.

Apples

Beets

Bell Peppers

Brussels Sprouts

Cabbage

Carrots

Celery

Cranberries

Cucumbers

Currants

Dates

Eggplant

Endive

Garlic

Gourds

Kiwi

Leeks

Musk Melons

Onions

Pears

Peas (early autumn)

Pecans

Pistachios

Plums

Pomegranates

Potatoes

Pumpkins

Quince

Rutabaga

Shell Beans (Lima, Fava, Soy)

Summer Squash

Sweet Potatoes

Thyme

Tomatoes

Turnips

Walnuts

Watermelon

Winter squash (acorn, butternut, spaghetti)

Zucchini

WINTER

Yes, winter can be sparse in terms of produce options, but there’s still plenty of foods you can enjoy during the colder months. Brussels sprouts and cabbages are still available, plus carrots and hearty winter greens. Pumpkins, squash and potatoes are just begging to be made into a delicious hot bowl of soup. Winter is certainly not a time to give up on produce or to rely only on frozen items. Citrus fruits are in season and we all remember getting that Christmas orange in our stocking!

Apples

Arugula

Asian Pears

Blood Oranges

Brussels Sprouts

Cabbage

Carrots

Celery

Chayote Squash

Chestnuts

Citrons

Clementines

Collards

Escarole

Fennel

Guava

Jicama

Kale

Kumquats

Lettuce

Meyer Lemon

Mustard Greens

Olives

Parsnips

Persimmon

Pomelos

Potatoes

Pumpkins

Oranges

Radicchio

Radishes (second harvest)

Sage

Star Fruit (available throughout the year, but Jan/Feb is peak season)

Swiss Chard

Tangerines

Turnips

Winter Squash

YEAR ROUND

A few delicious options are available all year round due to the growing conditions and the regions where they’re available, or because they’re grown indoors (like mushrooms). Keep your eye on sales all year for avocados, bananas and mushrooms. Spinach is also widely available and culinary staples, including lemons, limes and onions can be found all the time.

Almonds

Avocado

Bananas

Bok Choy

Broccoli

Cauliflower

Coconut

Lemons

Limes

Mushrooms

Onions

Spinach

Whatever the time of year, incorporating an abundance of produce into your family’s diet assures that everyone gets a full range of nutrients. Stock up on items when they’re available, then look for creative recipes or try your hand at freezing, canning, dehydrating and other preservation methods.

Don’t be afraid of produce just because you haven’t had it before or because you didn’t like it as a kid. Many of us were raised on apples, oranges and over-cooked brownish-green vegetables. Try your hand at oven roasting to really bring out sweet flavors in almost any veggie. Fruits can become sweeter and more delicious on the grill—also a great option for most veggies as well.

Choosing seasonal produce and produce grown in your area can really help you feel in touch with the environment and the cycle of the year. Connect with farms and talk to local growers (or try your hand at a few backyard crops) to get a feel for the origins of food and our relationship with what we eat. Fruits and veggies are delicious and great for you—enjoy!

Want more info on how to afford a whole food diet on a tight budget?

Check out Tara Buss’ comprehensive e-book, Eat Well, Spend Less.  It will help you examine your current spending, create a realistic food budget for your family, stock your pantry with quality food, implement money saving techniques that will reduce your food costs, make simple low cost meals, swap expensive convenience food for inexpensive homemade alternatives, stretch your meat and protein to feed your family for more than one meal, and create a simple and frugal weekly meal plan.  You can find it HERE.

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Weekend Wandering

Happy Weekend!  Today I’m in Austin, Texas for the ReWrite conference!  I wish I could say I have seen more of what I’ve heard is a really cool city, but the truth is that I’ve been stuck in a hotel for two days and probably won’t have time to go anywhere before leaving again tomorrow.

Sigh. Maybe someday!

In any case, Weekend Wandering is always a highlight of my week. Here is what I loved this week:

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First of all, this Cinnamon Roll French Toast Bake from Raining Hot Coupons sounds like the perfect Sunday morning breakfast!

This Scarborough Fair Herb Compound Butter from Simple Plate sounds amazing too!

This Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe from Adventures in Coupons is the perfect meal for these cooler temps!

This Easy Peasy Mediterranean Fish Dinner from My Life Cookbook would be a great meal to try during Lent!

Onto the sweeter side…these Caramel Apple Cupcakes from Home Made Interest are made with real apples pieces and caramel marshmallow fluff! Yum!

You won’t believe the special ingredient in these Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes from Growing up Gabel that keep them super moist!

Moving onto some cute DIY projects. This 10 Minute Baby Receiving Blanket tutorial from Little House Living gives you detailed steps to complete this craft in no time! So cute!

Looking to update a light fixture without breaking the bank? This DIY Orb Chandelier from Wonderfully Made costs only $10 to create!

The Frugal Navy Wife shares her Homemade Foaming Soap Trick that can save you money!

This list of over 10 Smart Ways to Spend Your Tax Refund from Cents and Order can build the foundation needed toward financial freedom!

Frugal Debt Free Life shares the Five Things We Won’t Buy!  I totally agree with number 4!

These 5 Creative Ways to Build a Professional Wardrobe on a Budget from Retired by 40 are so clever!

Finally, A Cultivated Nest shares A Frugal Trick for Making Better Spending Decisions!

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What did you love this week?

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