…she provides food for her family…

I picked up an old fashioned photo album from the thrift store today. Remember when people used to have real photos? Now its like, “here look at my phone, here is my daughters dance recital.” In other words, the thrift store was full of photo albums.

Of course the album’s cover design was a delightful modern bouquet of faded 1990′s pastel glory. So, I had to get crafty with it. Isn’t that the point of getting a thrifty score?

It went a little something like this

Our Family Meals. 31 meals collected just for us. I am hoping this “family cookbook” will simplify my process in providing food for my family.

Love,

Jess

This post was linked up with Somewhat Simple

Proverbs 31:15

¹⁵ She gets up while it is still dark;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her servant girls.

Just checking in to say I’m busy working on verse 15.

I came up with a recipe file of 31 family meals.

I started feeding the babies baby mush cereal. Leah likes it the best.

I made a portion of {birthday} food for my worker.

I am giving myself a lot of homework for this verse so I’ll be writing on it for a while. (or until a different verse catches my attention more )

Coming Up: Menu planning, freezer inventory, shopping list, coupons, recipes

Love,

Jess

I love cookbooks. I really enjoy small church syndicated spiral bound cookbooks. I especially love old cookbooks that have been endlessly poured over by someone in the past. Recipes that have been passed down generation to generation are of course priceless.

History pops off the page with every dog-eared tab and stared recipe. I create the sights and smells of the dishes being prepared as I wrap up my imagination in the potential delivery of a meal made over 60 years ago. Birthday banquet?  Company cuisine?  Daily dinner? What was going on in the world during this “meal” prepared from the brand new 1947 Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book?

• Cost of a gallon of gas: 15 cents
  
• Average cost of new house: $6,600.00
  
• CIA established
• The United Nations General Assembly votes to partition Palestine between Arabs and Jews.
• Jackie Robinson took to the field for the Brooklyn Dodgers becoming the first negro to play in Major League Baseball.
• The start of the Cold War which endured over four decades, from circa 1947 until the decline and eventual collapse of East European and Soviet state communism in the late 1980s.
• The transistor is invented.
• The sound barrier broken (traveling faster than sound)
• British seize “Exodus 1947″ ship of Jewish immigrants to Palestine
• Gentleman’s Agreement, Miracle on 34th Street, Great Expectations, The Bishop’s Wife came out in theaters.
• WW II peace treaties signed
• WW II sugar rationing finally ended in U.S., began May 28, 1942
• 1st “Howdy Doody Show,” (Puppet Playhouse), telecast on NBC

Newspaper clipping recipe for Top Velvety Chocolate Cake with Fudge and Marshmallow

“Helpful” tips from this BHG Cook Book edition:

When presenting food left overs one must belie the origins completely.

Warm and cold meals can be served any time of the year. One will need more warm meals in the winter months to allow oneself to maintain proper body temperature.

Keeping ones strength up is important to endure long work days. Carbohydrates, proteins and fats all work to ensure energy in ones day. If you become very active it is best to include many fats in ones food.

May how things have changed. Although, some remains the same. Cake is good and War is hell.

Love,

Jess

Upon entering my kitchen [first to wash dishes, next to make dinner and finally to create dessert] I realized I am not living up to my full expectations. I expect to be imperfect, spontaneous and most of all fun! I tossed out my recipe for some much too uptight strawberry confection.

I had Ryan pull up his kitchen chair to the counter for some much needed time to be inventive and important. Together we made a simple layered parfait from our everyday snack cupboard.

The ingredient list was as follows: Banana pudding, milk, strawberries, chocolate chips and honey teddy grahams. We chilled the dessert as we ate supper and enjoyed them very much! Oh, I forgot to mention we added sprinkles to the top of each parfait right before we ate them.

It was the just right strawberry dish after all.