Family Dinner Friday

It's Family Dinner Friday time...

Today we are meeting the Rush family.

photo by Betsey Walton Photography

Robert and Rayna are active in the Family Ministry at our church, Redding First.
Robert is a leader with the 1st-5th grade kids on Wednesday nights, and helps about once a month on Sunday mornings.  He was also the group leader for the 5th grade kids last year during our VBS program.
Rayna has served on the MOPS steering team at our church for the past 3 years, volunteers in our church nursery &/or Sunday School classrooms once a month (that was until their most recent baby boy was born 7 weeks ago!).  She also served as our VBS coordinator last year, 2011, and is helping with this years new VBS program.

sweet baby Carter at 5 days old...photo by Betsey Walton Photography

Question:  How many people are in your family and the ages of the kids?  

     There are 4 people in our family, us and our two boys, Lincoln age 4 1/2 and Carter 7 weeks


Q: How many times a week do you eat dinner as a family?

     Almost every night. It is rare that we don't eat as a family, even if that means taking shifts to eat while one of us is holding Carter.


Q: Do you have picky eaters in your family?

      No, we have always made food a non-issue, so Lincoln tries everything (within reason) at least 3 time and then if he doesn't like it then he doesn't have to eat it. We haven't found much food that he doesn't like even if it means fibbing a bit and telling him shrimp on his plate is just chicken.

Q:  Do you have any weekly activities that make dinner together hard?

     No, but I am sure that day is coming. 

Q:  Do you ever feel like NOT making dinner?
     Haha, YES I feel like this almost every night, well maybe not the making of the dinner, but the deciding what to have is the hard part for me. 

Q:  What is something you think is important about eating together?

     That if we make dinner together a priority now then when life gets really crazy with activities and school and friends family dinner will just be the norm for our family and will also help us stay connected with our boys.

Q:  Do you have any major dinner time rules?

     No electronics at the table and unless its an emergency we don't answer the phone. We have an answering machine and we can call people back. 

Q:  Where do you grocery shop?  And who does the grocery shopping in your family?

     We shop at Winco (have to contribute to our retirement) and I do most of the shopping, but since Robert works there, there are times that he brings food home.

Q:  It's summer time right now, do you change your menu/cooking habits based on the seasons?

        I would say we do more grilling and less baking. The less we can turn on the oven during the summer the better. 

Q: And what is one of your favorite throw-down meals (a meal that doesn't take much time to throw together/down)?

       I have a few, apple chicken salad (one of Roberts favorites), beef stroganoff, and taco salad. 

The meal/recipe that the Rush family is sharing with us today is actually one that our family shared with them earlier this week.

Grilled Pizza

*pre made dough of your choice (we used thin crust Boboli for the adults and then full pita bread rounds for the kids)

*sauce of your choice (kids had a red sauce and adults had a pre-made white sauce from WinCo deli)

*Grated Cheese of your choice (we used mozzarella)

*Toppings of your choice, we used the following

     'adult pizza': grilled chopped chicken, fresh spinach, sun dried tomatoes in oil & drained and chopped, canned artichoke hearts drained and chopped, and sliced mozzarella cheese to top

     'kids personal pizzas': cheese...that's all they wanted...

pre grill

Preheat your grill.

Cover your 'dough' with sauce, cheese & other toppings

For the 'adult' pizza we turned the grill to low, placed the pizza on and closed it up for about 5-7 minutes until the cheese was melted.

The 'kids' pizzas got a little over-grilled this way, so round 2 for them we turned the grill off and placed the pizzas onto the still hot grill, closed it up and about 5 minutes later the cheese was melted to perfection.

all pizza's on the grill

the 'adult' pizza, so very yummy!

Thanks Rayna for sharing your family's dinner time with us.  And thanks for the yummy easier summer meal!

On this journey with you,

Pastor Beau

Family Dinner Friday

It's time for a Friday Family Dinner...this week our 'cook' is Pastor Kirk the associate pastor at Redding First.

Pastor Kirk with his beautiful wife, Maria

Now some Q&A with Pastor Kirk

Question:  How many people are in your family and the ages of the kids?  
4 people in family Ben is 11 Carson is 9


Q: How many times a week do you eat dinner as a family?
4-5


Q: Do you have picky eaters in your family?
Not so much


Q:  Do you have any weekly activities that make dinner together hard?
Many - Exercise schedule, evening meetings and commitments as a result we don't always eat at the same time every night


Q:  Do you ever feel like NOT making dinner?
At least 4 times a week. So Maria and I share the responsibilty. That way no one get to burt out. 


Q:  What is something you think is important about eating together?
Family conection. It is priceless to have a regular event that everyone attends. We talk about the day and mostly simple stuff but it reinforces our connection. I can't image life without this time. 


Q:  Do you have any major dinner time rules?
No games or books at the table. No one can begin eating until everyone is at the table and we pray. Wash hands before dinner. Use good table manors. Eat what is in front of you until you are full, but you don't have to clear your plate. 


Q:  Where do you grocery shop?  And who does the grocery shopping in your family?
Winco. Safeway, TJ


Q: And what is one of your favorite throw-down meals (a meal that doesn't take much time to throw together/down)?
Actually many of our meals fall into this category. I do a lot of stir fry because it is fast and you can put any vegetable in it. I will often use up little bits and parts of stuff from the week, throw it in a walk and add sauce. We also like tacos and salads and spaghetti all of which can be made in around 30 minutes. 

And the meal/recipe that Pastor Kirk is sharing with us today is a great throw down meal and creative to boot...Tuesday Night Throw Down Dinner : 

Spaghetti with a twist

Ingredients (only 3!)

Whole Wheat Spaghetti Pasta

One Jar of Spaghetti Sauce (what ever brand is on sale that is not high in sugar or salt)

Sausage

Step one:  Cut Sausage into 1 inch pieces and insert dry spaghetti into the pieces (check out picture below)

Step two:  Cook spaghetti (w/ sausage pieces) according to directions on package.

 Step three:  Drain and serve with pasta sauce of your choosing!

Sides: Spinach Salad with croutons


Thanks Kirk!

Do you have regular meals as a family?

Do you have family meal traditions?

Do you  have a favorite family throw down meal that you'd like to share on Family Dinner Friday?  Just leave a message and I'll get in contact with you!

Family Dinner Friday

Here's the first of a new series of easy to make, throw down meals that anybody can make.  Throughout this series Kiera will be talking with different families who will be sharing their favorite throw down meals with us.  The idea here is to learn how other families do 'family dinner' while possibly learning some new favorite recipes.

First Family Dinner Friday Meal:  The Chambers Family :)
_________________________________________________________________

We all know it...sitting down at the dinner table eating dinner together as a family is important!
We know there are statistics about how eating diner together is good for our families...we've heard them numerous times

• gives our children better grades
• they're less likely to try drugs and alcohol
• less likely to have an eating disorder
• their more likely to abstain from sexual behaviors
• have lower cases of depression and ADD or ADHD
• higher levels of self esteem
• kids eat healthier foods
• families save money on grocery/food bills
• and countless other positives

If we know these facts then why do an overwhelming percent of American households still not eat dinner together?
And by together I mean TOGETHER...
in the same room,
at the same table,
no TV,
no cell phones,

An Amazing Recipe for an Amazing Story!

The following  recipe was taken word for word from my wife's blog chambersmade.blogspot.com.

 Even though our family does this every year, the visual impact and reinforcement of the Easter story always hits home with every single one of us!

Read the whole recipe before beginning...

and you have to do together Saturday night before Easter Sunday. Or a different day before Easter, sort of missing the point if you do it on Easter Sunday

Resurrection Cookies

Preheat oven to 300 degrees

Ingredients:                     You need:

1 cup whole pecans             Mixing bowl

3 egg whites                           Wooden spoon

1 cup sugar                             Bible

1 tsp. vinegar                        Zipper baggy

1 pinch of salt                       Wax paper

                                                    Cookie sheet

                                                    Tape

Place pecans in the baggy and let the children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces.

Explain that after Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by the Roman soldiers.
For younger children you may want to that the Roman soldiers were mean to him.

• Read - John 19:1-3

Let child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. into mixing bowl.

Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, He was given vinegar to drink.

• Read - John 19:28-30

Add egg whites to the vinegar.

Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life for our life.

• Read - John 10:10-11

Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand let them taste it then brush the rest into the bowl.

Explain that represents the salty tears shed by Jesus followers, and the bitterness of our own sin...

• Read - Luke 23:27

So far the ingredients are not very appetizing :)

Add 1 cup sugar.

Explain that the sweetest part of this story is that Jesus died because He loves us.

He wants us to know and belong to Him.

• Read - Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16

Beat with mixer on high speed for 11-15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed.

Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus.

• Read - Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3

Fold in broken nuts.

Drop by tsp. onto waxed paper-covered cookie sheet.

Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus body was laid. 

• Read - Matt. 27:65-66

Put cookies sheet in the oven.

Close door and turn oven OFF.

Give each child a piece of tape and seal the door.

Explain that Jesus tomb was sealed.

• Read - Matt. 27:65-66

Go to bed !

Jesus followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed.

Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight.

• Read - John 16:20 and 22

On Resurrection Morning open the oven and give everyone a cookie !

Notice the cracked surface and take a bite.

The cookies are hollow !

On the first Resurrection Day Jesus followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty.

• Read - Matt. 28:1-9

He Has Risen! Hallelujah! ! ! ! !

Enjoy!  I hope your Easter is full of great family traditions and maybe some new ones too!

On the journey with you,

Pastor Beau