Honey, What's For Dinner?

In all honesty, I'm losing my mind a little. I feel like I need to go stand in a field and scream for awhile. Nothing wrong in particular, just a wee bit overwhelmed for the next few weeks. Then in November I'll sit down and write a novel in 30 days, which is the easy part.

I did manage to get a decent meal on the table for dinner last night with just a little planning ahead. I plan to troll my favorite freezer cooking website before the novel writing month begins to keep my family from subsisting on Little Caesar's and McD's. .

 Jackie of Mom On a Mission posts weekly freezer cooking menus with links to all the recipes she uses. I've shared her Five Minute Shoebox Bread Dough recipe with the Mom Time girls a couple years ago and often direct people to Jackie's website when they need to prepare meals for others.

Two things separate Jackie from other freezer cookers in my mind:

• She prepares meals from a list of frozen ingredients, so instead of having a freezer stuffed with ten pans of lasagna, you have the fixings for a huge combination of meals for the week. You'll get what I mean when you check out her site.
• Second, her heart. She has turned cooking for her family into a ministry opportunity. She always has a meal on hand for someone else when the need arises. She provides a meal for her local women's shelter each month, but more than just dropping off a few pans, she makes it into something fun that lets everyone be a part of meal prep. She calls it her Cook and Play ministry because the kids play while the moms cook. Jackie is then able to teach women how to feed their families economical nutritious meals.

I asked her to share a few words about how she got started and this is what she said:

 "I got started five years ago inviting six women to my home for a freezer cooking session to benefit our families. As I saw 144 servings spread across my dining room table I asked each lady to make a commitment to give away one meal to someone in need. I began serving at a local homeless shelter and made a monthly commitment after serving my kindergarten son's classmate. Each month I rally women together to provide a freezer item or make ahead meal and be the hands and feet of Jesus.
Ordinary moms can be a "Mom on a Mission" via simple freezer cooking by doubling and freezing a family favorite and giving the extra away to someone in need. There are always new moms, neighbors, co-workers, homeless, sick or other needy who need a meal.
I love helping people realize it doesn't take a large check or going across the country to be on mission for Christ. A simple frozen meal can provide a comfort during a needy time."

She also shared a link to her favorite ministry meal, No Boil Manicotti. I've made this and it is super easy and super yummy!

Jackie has been featured on the North Carolina morning shows and in the book I will be reviewing Friday, A Cup of Cold Water in His Name. She's found opportunities to serve her community and impact the world just by taking the gifts and resources she has and sharing them. Jackie just published her first e-book, Freezer Fairy's Guide to Freezer Cooking. 

She inspires me to see how caring for my family can easily translate into caring for my neighbors. Poke around on her site; in case you missed the link, it is www.momonamission.me. Happy trolling!