Self Discipline

I have been contemplating self-discipline lately, and especially this morning. Maybe it's in light of my upcoming birthday. I have been thinking about the fact that in only a few years I will be 40, and I set a goal of being at my ideal weight by then. Maybe 3 years from now is too far away. I don't know. What I do know is that I have believed for years that I could never again be as thin as I was when I got married, but now I believe I can do it. I would only have to lose 2 pounds a month. I just have to figure out how to implement it in my life in a way that I don't resent the exercise and change in eating. And I may even reach my goal early! ;) I was afraid to share this with anyone because I still have that nagging voice in the back of my head that I can't do it, and I am afraid to let you watch me fail, but I decided to share so that I might have some feeling of accountability.

Anyway, that's just where my thoughts began, and I decided that I really would like to do a bit of study in God's Word on self-discipline. This led me to 1 Corinthians 9:25-27, "And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate (self-controlled) in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." These are going to be my memory verses this week.

There are many areas in my life that I need to learn self-discipline, I am ashamed to admit, but I am going to do something about it. Maybe as I get more comfortable with making myself vulnerable, I will share with you what some of those areas are and what I'm doing about them. For now, know that I'm not going to be content with where I am, but am going to push ahead with the help of the Holy Spirit to become an imitator of the Lord.

Slow Cooker Pizza Casserole

Rating:	★★★★
Category:	Other

Cooking Time: 4 hours
Source: Rival Crock Pot

Ingredients
56 oz. Pizza Sauce
1 ½ lbs. ground beef; cooked and drained
1 lb. sausage; cooked and drained
1 lb. corkscrew pasta; cooked and drained
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
8 oz. mushroom stems and pieces
6 oz. sliced pepperoni
½ cup finely chopped onion
½ cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1 clove garlic; minced

Instructions
Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.
Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or High for 2 hours.

Strawberry Shortcake

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Other

(from the old Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook)

6 C chopped strawberries
1/2 C sugar
2 C flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 C marg or butter
1 egg
2/3 C milk

Stir together berries and 1/4 C of the sugar. Set aside. Stir together remaining sugar, flour and baking powder. Cut in margarine till mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Combine egg and milk; add all at once to dry ingredients. Stir just to moisten. Spread into a greased 8x1 1/2 in. round baking pan, building up edge slightly. Bake in a 450 F (220 C) oven for 15-18 minutes or till toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes and remove from pan. Cut into 8 servings and top with berries.

We like to serve ours with milk and brown sugar.

Taco Casserole

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Other

from the kitchen of Mary Hawkins!

1 lb. (500 g) ground (minced) beef
1 packet taco seasoning
water
1 C frozen corn
6 flour tortillas
1 C grated Cheddar Cheese
toppings your family likes - sour cream, tomatoes, lettuce, avocado, salsa, etc.

Brown beef and add taco seasoning, following directions on taco seasoning packet. Add corn. Put 2 tortillas in the bottom of a pie pan, top with 1/3 of beef and 1/3 of cheese. Repeat twice, ending with meat and reserving last portion of cheese. Bake covered at 375 F (190 C) for 20-25 min. Remove cover and bake 2 min more, or until the cheese is melted. Cut into wedges to serve.

Crock Pot Autumn Sausage Casserole

Rating:	★★★★
Category:	Other

I used Chicken Sausage (actually Chicken Wors from Jumbo Meats in Roodepoort) and chicken stock powder w/the water instead of broth, and a mix of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg & pepper as a substitute for allspice, as I had none.

Baked Scrambled Eggs

Rating:	★★★★
Category:	Other

EASY to make - perfect for Sunday mornings! :)

1/4 C butter, melted
5 eggs, beaten
1/2 C milk or water
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 F. Add melted butter to square baking dish. Mix eggs, milk (for a Trim Healthy Mama version, use water) and salt. Pour into pan with butter. Bake 10 minutes. Stir. Bake 10 to 15 minutes longer, until eggs are cooked.

You can add anything to it that you like cooked in scrambled eggs!

This serves 5. To make for more people, just increase recipe and use a bigger pan. 1 egg per person.

*Note* Use a glass pan if you don't want green eggs. ;)

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Other

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/recipe.php?recipeId=1882

I thought it was amazing! Family not so much, but they're not really soup people....

Chili

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Other

1 lb. Ground Beef (Mince), browned and drained
3 cans Red Kidney Beans, undrained
1 can tomato puree
1 sm can tomato paste
1/4 C chili powder (recipe for homemade chili powder or substitute with 1-3 tsp crushed chilis) more or less to taste
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp basil
1 tsp cumin
Frozen Corn

Add all to slow cooker and cook till hot - as little as 4 hours, or all day on low! If you need it quick, throw it all in a soup pot and warm on the stove.

Top with shredded cheddar cheese.

Adapted for THM E - used lean Ground Turkey, browned, drained and rinsed; Nature's Promise Kidney Beans; no cheese.