A Different Kind of Freedom

(Photo by Brent Fritzemeier)

I'm a little afraid of coming across as sacrilegious with my message this month. I definitely don't want to give you that impression. I am proud to be an American. I am thankful our country was founded on Christian principles. I am grateful to the men and women who have served and protected our country since it began. I add my prayers to those of many others for the military men and women who are still fighting that good fight today. I thank the families of those brave service people who have an empty place at their table this 4th of July because their son or daughter is serving our country somewhere far from home.

As I pondered this topic and how it might relate to food or the kitchen, I kept coming back around to freedom from heat. I know it may sound trite when compared to meditating on our country's freedom or our religious freedom.

But I also know it's 101 degrees outside as I write this. The south wind is blowing like a blast furnace.

It is hot.

So the last thing your kitchen needs is more heat.

Yet our families still think they need to have three meals a day, with a few snacks thrown into the mix. While there are plenty of summertime fresh fruits and vegetables to enjoy at mealtime, my husband still likes hearty main dishes.

Your slow cooker can come to the rescue! I know you have one. Maybe you use yours all the time. Maybe it's gathering dust in some upper cabinet. Dig it out, and try some of these tried-and-true recipes for your summertime meals.

GOOP

GOOP is a recipe from Cook of the Week days, a feature I did back when I worked at The Hutchinson News. I'd forgotten about this recipe, but I found it again in Recipes and Remembrances from the Pratt First United Methodist Church: 1884-2004.

You can cook the mixture on the top of the stove (which is also quick and easy). But on a summer day or on a day you're away from home, the slow cooker does the work. I serve the GOOP on baked potatoes, though the recipe has different options. During the summer, when I prefer not to heat up the kitchen, I often bake potatoes in a different Crock Pot.

I further streamline this meal by browning extra hamburger earlier in the week. Then I just have to dump everything into the Crock Pot.

I serve the GOOP with a romaine salad with lots of cut-up veggies. Enjoy!

GOOP

3/4 lb. ground beef, browned and drained (I always throw a little minced onion in when browning hamburger)
17 oz. white kernel corn, drained (I usually just use regular corn or fiesta corn)
14 oz. stewed tomatoes, cut up
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped (I don't always use this)
1 tbsp. chili powder
Baked potatoes (can also use rice or cooked noodles, if you prefer)

Garnishes:
Sour cream (I usually use fat free)
Shredded cheese
Green onion (if desired)

Brown the ground beef; drain. Add the corn, tomatoes, ketchup, green pepper and chili powder. Either heat through in the skillet or put in a Crock Pot.

Use about 1 cup on a baked potato (or alternative). Top with sour cream, cheese and onion to taste.

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Crock Pot Baked Potatoes

(From the Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook)

Prick desired number of potatoes with a fork, and wrap in foil. Cover. DO NOT add water. Cook on High for 2.5 to 4 hours or Low for 8-10 hours.

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Christy's Chicken Tortilla Soup

Maybe you don't think about soup being a summertime meal. But I like soup any time of the year. My son-in-law's mom, Christy, had this soup in a Crock Pot when we all helped Jill and Eric move from their apartment into their home earlier this year. Jill had told me about this super-easy soup before. Once I tasted the soup, it was a must-add to my recipe box.

If you can open cans, you can make this soup. Again, it is a recipe you can cook on top of the stove or put into a Crock Pot.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 can corn
1 can chicken broth
1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
3/4 cup salsa (anything from mild to hot - suit your taste!)
1 can refried beans (I used fat-free beans)
2 cups cooked, chopped chicken
Tortilla chips
Shredded cheese

Combine black beans, corn, chicken broth, salsa, refried beans and chicken. Heat until heated through, on the stove or in a Crock Pot. To serve, top with shredded cheese and slightly crushed tortilla chips (You can also use soft taco shells if you prefer). Jill & I just cook chicken breasts in the microwave and then chop them. You could also use a can of chicken meat, if you prefer.

I have also used hamburger with this soup since that's what we beef producers have in our freezer.

I served with a fruit salad, but you can also round it out with a green salad, baby carrots or another side dish. Christy served it with a homemade cheese ball that was also delicious.

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Easy Roast Beef

As I said last month, I like getting multiple meals out of one cooking effort. I just think it's smart to factor in "planned overs," a fancy name for leftovers.

We just completed harvest on our Kansas farm, so this plan of action came in handy on busy days when I might have to go to the field to drive the truck or when I was sent on an emergency run for parts.

But it's also great to have "planned overs" when you're part of a busy family with 4-H meetings to attend, ballgames to get to and summertime fun to have!

I never make pot roast in the oven anymore. I think it's so much easier and gives a more tender product to slow cook the meat in the Crock Pot.

To make planned overs, I usually use two small roasts (whatever you can fit in your Crock Pot). I have a fairly large Crock Pot that I use for these occasions. For the first meal, I serve the traditional pot roast with potatoes and carrots.

Then I can use the leftover meat to make beef and noodles over mashed potatoes for another meal. I use additional "planned over" meat to make BBQ sandwiches to take to the field.

If you don't want to use the beef all at once, you can package the leftovers in freezer bags and pop them in the freezer. Measure the amount you'll need for the recipe, label it well and then freeze. Then you're ready in a snap for a last-minute meal.

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

3 to 3.5 lb. beef pot roast (or what fits in your cooker)
4 carrots, chunked (I often use baby carrots these days)
4 medium potatoes, cut in large pieces
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
3/4 cup water

True confessions: I don't measure this stuff usually. But I found this recipe and it's a good guide to use. I purchase the dry onion soup mix at a bulk food store.

Since our larger meal is usually at noon, I usually cook my roasts overnight. Just before bedtime, I put the roasts, dry onion soup mix and water in the slow cooker and turn it on low. In the morning, I add the carrots and potatoes. The veggies are tender by lunchtime.

But if you're cooking it for your evening meal, here are the "proper" directions:

In slow cooker, arrange vegetables; top with roast. Combine soup mix with water and add to slow cooker. Cook, covered, on Low 8 to 10 hours or on High 4 to 6 hours. Remove roast and vegetables.

I always serve the broth "as is" to top the potatoes. But if you prefer a gravy, here's how: To thicken gravy, stir in 1/4 cup water blended with 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (make sure those are well blended before you add to the slower cooker.) Cook on High until thickened.

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I hope these recipes will give you "freedom" from kitchen heat. Use these as a jumping off point. There are lots of cookbooks especially designed for your slow cooker. Your Crock Pot probably came with a booklet with recipes. Or search for recipes online. One blog focusing on slow cooker recipes is: www.crockpot365.blogspot.com. In 2008, the author made a New Year's resolution to use her Crock Pot every day of the year. There are even recipes for spoon bread and cakes made in the slow cooker.

If you try one and like it, be sure to comment here, so others can try it, too.

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Blessings to you and yours as we approach the birthday of our great nation. I pray you are able to celebrate the great freedoms our country enjoys AND a little freedom from heat in your kitchen!

Time Well Spent

June's topic for the Vine Press made this Kansas farm wife chuckle. While I know many see summer as a time of rest and rejuvenation, June is just about the busiest month in the calendar year on a Kansas wheat farm.

Putting "June" and "vacation" in the same sentence simply does not compute! June brings harvest time. Combines make their way through fields laden with a crop nine months in the making. Harvest involves the inevitable breakdowns of machinery, slow truck rides to take the grain to the elevator, meals delivered to the field, a race against the weather and long hours. It means shortened tempers when the process hits inevitable snags.

And before we ever get to harvest, there's Vacation Bible School at our church earlier in the month. Rest and relaxation, bah humbug!

What could I possibly have to say about rest, relaxation and vacation during this month, I wondered?

But the answer soon appeared in my computer email in-box. A recent daily devotional used the following scripture from Luke 10: 38-42 (NRSV)

Now as they went on their way, He entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to what He was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to Him and asked, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me!" But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her."

Uh oh, I thought. There I was being Martha again. I was thinking about all the work and not realizing the importance of Sabbath. Even in the midst of this dizzying time of year, with all the things that must get done, I need to remember to take time for God.

So where does God fit in during this busy month? I know I need to find time for structured time spent in the Scriptures and in prayer. But I also know I can have an attitude of worship, even in the midst of a busy time. As I prepare snacks for active VBS students, I am called to feed their souls at the same time I offer a tasty tidbit. As I watch the grain pouring into the truck and wait to drive the filled truck to the elevator, and I can thank God for His providence and bounty.

I can really notice the beauty of God's creation around me. Driving a harvest truck forces me to slow down. We don't have fancy semi-trucks to haul the wheat to the elevator. I chug along to town at 30 miles per hour, and I see things I never see at 55 MPH or beyond. If the wind's not blowing too strongly, I can hear the birds and see the wildflowers blooming along the ditches and thank God for the beauty.

And I can be well prepared before the heaviest onslaught of activity appears. I don't know how Martha and Mary spent their time preparing for the Lord's visit. But maybe I will have more time "to sit at the Lord's feet" if I work ahead and am well prepared with a freezer stocked with extra meals.

Another way I can simplify meal-making is with "planned overs." We all know about "leftovers." Sometimes leftovers have a less-than-glamorous connotation. But planned overs? That is just good management, if you ask me.


For example, you can make several meals out of one day's work on the grill. One side benefit? If you are grilling, you're not heating up your kitchen either: All right! An electric bill bonus, too!

Here's an idea for "planned overs."

I marinated steaks and the chicken breasts before grilling (You can use a grill seasoning packet, use prepared Italian or balsamic vinegar dressing. Or you can make your own with oil, vinegar and seasonings. Because I am always concerned about calories, I usually don't use all the oil called for in a marinade - whether I'm using a packet or it's homemade. But if you do use oil, use olive or canola oil.)

On the day I grilled, I served my husband a steak and baked potato, along with a salad. (I made extra baked potatoes. I can also use those in a variety of ways: For example, I can use them for homemade potato salad or use them for pan-fried potatoes later in the week. You could also rewarm baked potatoes and make a main dish by topping with leftover steak or chicken and other toppings. If you are counting calories, use low-fat or no-fat sour cream, a light ranch salad dressing, salsa and lower fat cheeses for toppings.)

My husband also likes when I make him what some restaurants call a "skillet." I slice extra baked potatoes and fry them in a little olive oil in a skillet. You can also throw in some chopped onions, peppers and other veggies, if you'd like. When they are about done, add the cut-up "planned over" steak and top with cheese. Cook it until the meat is heated through and the cheese is melted.

Or you can use the leftover meat to make fajitas. Just slice it thinly. Use a non-stick skillet and cook together thinly sliced onion and green/red peppers until they are caramelized (I never use oil in this process. It works fine just to lightly spray the pan with cooking spray. If it begins to stick, simply add a small amount of water.) Then, just like a restaurant, serve the fajitas with tortillas, shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, sour cream, guacamole and similar toppings.

For myself the first day, I made a dinner salad with romaine lettuce and several different fruits. I then topped it with part of a grilled chicken breast. I used a prepared light raspberry vinaigrette dressing.

The next day, I made a recipe that my daughter, Jill, highly recommended: Southwest Chicken Salad. Then this mixture can be used in a myriad of ways.


Here's the recipe:

Southwest Chicken Salad

4 cups cubed chicken (since I used grilled, it's got a great flavor)
2 cups frozen corn, thawed
1 can black beans, drained
1 cup chopped red or green peppers
1 cup chopped red, sweet or green onion
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro

Dressing:
3 tbsp. lime juice
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. honey
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. black pepper

Optional: Fresh avocado

Combine all the chicken salad ingredients. Combine the dressing ingredients and whisk together until well blended. Pour over the chicken salad and mix well.

You can then use the prepared chicken salad in a bunch of different ways, too. Wow - MORE "planned overs!"

The first day, I used the chicken salad on top of a romaine and vegetable salad. I topped it with low-fat cottage cheese and light ranch dressing. I often use low-fat cottage cheese on my salads. It helps me get more calcium in my diet: Since I don't drink milk, I need to find ways to incorporate other milk products. Also, I find that I don't use nearly as much dressing when I have the moisture of the cottage cheese.

Another day, I used the mixture in low-fat tortillas and made sandwich wraps.


Spread a little low-fat ranch dressing or light salad dressing/mayonnaise on the tortilla and sprinkle with shredded cheese. (You can use a whole wheat tortilla for extra nutrition!)

Then top that with about 1/2 cup of the chicken salad. If desired, top with lettuce, tomato, thin avocado slices, etc. Then roll up and serve.


They really taste like a sandwich you would get for lunch at a fancy little cafe. Best of all, it's at a fraction of the cost! Serve it with some of the fresh fruits of the season. For crunch, you can also serve with fresh veggies or with whole-grain chips or rice cakes on the side.

Jill has also used the recipe in pita pockets:

In lettuce cups:


In a quesadilla:


She also developed Jill's Chicken Enchiladas:

Spray baking dish with cooking spray and lightly cover bottom of pan with your favorite canned enchilada sauce.

Warm up tortillas in the microwave for 30 seconds and dip each tortilla individually in warm enchilada sauce. Place 1/2 cup SW chicken salad and some shredded cheese in the tortilla, roll up and place, seam down, in baking dish.

Top with cheese, extra cilantro and green onions.



I realize you probably won't be able to use all these recipes in succession AND keep your family happy. But you can intersperse some of the meals you've tucked in the freezer in between the Southwest Chicken Salad variations or other ideas I've suggested.

The main idea is to look for ways to incorporate "planned overs" into your family meal planning.

Then, you WILL have time to sit at the feet of Jesus, just like Mary did.

Wishing you times of Sabbath - whether you are enjoying a leisurely vacation or in the midst of harvest!