Pinning Pizzazz #2

Pinterest is healthy, right? I mean, without Pinterest, how would I so efficiently manage how to freeze soup easily? How 101 uses for vinegar or baking soda? Or a dozen different ways to tie a scarf?

Or, how would I find any new ideas for breakfast? You see, I am not a fan of mornings and that includes breakfast. The sheer thought of eating breakfast is enough to turn my stomach on most days, and because of that, I have never been keen on forcing myself out of bed any earlier than necessary just to accommodate a meal I don’t want to eat anyway. Yet I know it’s healthiest to eat breakfast. And it’s just the right thing to do. Unfortunately, stopping by somewhere on the way to work is really not an option 99% of the time – do you realize how many calories are in those breakfast sandwiches, burritos, etc.?  Sigh.

Along comes Pinterest … and right now, it is making my breakfast life easy and tolerable.  (Admittedly, even yummy.)  I found a couple of breakfast recipe that looked delicious and, even better, can be frozen without dramatically changing the texture or taste! I was all over it! So I spent a little time making them and this past week, breakfast has been much less a nuisance and much more something I enjoyed eating.

I started with this recipe for Crock Pot Egg Brunch Casserole from A Latte’ with Ott, A‘s blog. Hallelujah!! Not only was it easy, but it was so good!  The only change that I made was that I used half the given amount of bacon and then replaced the other half with the Jimmy Dean precooked turkey sausage from the freezer section.  I saved out about 2 portions of this and then froze the rest in individual portions (it easily makes about 8-10 servings). I ate one of the frozen servings this morning and it tasted just like the first day’s helping. I would recommend that, if possible, you remove it from the freezer the night before and put it in the refrigerator so it has defrosted just a little bit. I just popped mine in the microwave to reheat – I’m sure that it’d be even better reheated in the oven. (But of course, that would have required an earlier wake up!) This is going to be perfect for mornings when I just need to grab something and carry it with me to warm up as soon as I get to the office.  I forgot to take a picture of this one, but I promise I will add it in here next time I make it!

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Second, I made these Breakfast Sandwiches from Macheesmo‘s blog. Oh. My. Goodness. Talk about easy to make, easy to freeze, and easy to eat.  I didn’t have any English muffins on hand, so I substituted bagel thins, which are one of my newest grocery store discoveries.  And I had some sliced cheese on hand, so I used it instead. (While that was good, I will probably try it with shredded cheese next time, just for a change.)  The eggs were super easy to cook and add to the rest of the ingredients to complete the sandwich.  Since I was making these in the middle of the day, I chose to flash freeze them all for a little over an hour in the freezer (shown here just after that).  Then I wrapped each one individually in aluminum foil. I put one in the refrigerator for the next morning, and threw the rest in a couple of gallon ziploc bags in the freezer.  I followed the recommendation here and reheated them in the oven instead of the microwave. It was a relatively pain-free addition to my morning routine: I turned on the oven just before hopping in the shower so it could preheat. Then after I had showered, dressed, and blow-dried my hair, I put the bagel in the oven.  I didn’t time it exactly, but assume it was between 20-25 minutes later that I was ready and able to grab my breakfast bagel and a glass of milk on my way out the door to work.  Perfection!!  Just don’t forget to turn off your oven. Just sayin’.  

 

All evidence reveals that Pinterest must be healthy! So, what’s next in my breakfast line-up?  I am thinking about trying these scrumptious-looking French Toast Muffins soon, or perhaps these Bacon & Egg Toast Cups.  I’ll keep you posted. In the meantime, what have YOU discovered on Pinterest lately?!

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Looking for more Pinterest posts?  Hop on over to Dutch Being Me for her 52 Weeks of Pinterest Challenge, to Ma Nouvelle Mode‘s Linkup or to Simple Organic‘s Monthly From Pinterest to Real Life linkup.

        

Consumed.

Consumed.

That is the word I’d use to describe my life lately. I have been consumed ….

By the endless “to do” list. By work. By fun and laughter. By responsibilities. By a calendar that seems to never give a break.

And consumed slowly begins to feeling like being smothered, which brings with it weariness and worry.

In the past week, I’ve been very convicted that I needed to slow down.

No, not because of any monumental event nor because the responsibility list gave any relief … but because it was right.

We’re not made to go that hard for that long without stopping. It’s not a healthy place to be physically, emotionally, or mentally.

Or spiritually.

Because you see my thought today as I went about some much-needed housework was this: When was the last time that I was consumed by God?

I mean it. When was the last time that my first thought upon awakening or my last thought of the day was focused on God?  When did His glory, His name, His will echo through every word and every breath?

You see, when you are consumed by God, He in turn consumes YOU. Yes, He envelopes you with His love and grace. He surrounds you with incredible peace of mind and wisdom for the moment.

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful,
and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.
~~~ Hebrews 12:28-29 ~~~

It’s in this complete consumption, that we find the strength to walk through the obligations that never seem to end, the worries that threaten to rob us of sleep, the conflicts or burdens weighing us down. And it’s in this total abandon that we experience inexplicable joy – one that reaches down to the very core of our soul and can’t help but overflow onto each and every moment.

What consumes you?

If  you’re like me, maybe you have found yourself slowly becoming consumed by life’s responsibilities instead of by God.

My friend, take care of yourself. Slow down. Look around at all the wonderful blessings that surround you. Being at your very best – which is what you can only be if you have been consumed by God – is where you will accomplish the most on every level. It’s this kind of surrender that will bring glory to God.

I would beg you to kneel alongside me and turn your eyes to our precious, loving Father and allow yourself to become consumed by Him.

Hey now, this is my desire
Consume me like a fire, ’cause I just want something beautiful
To touch me, I know that I’m in reach
‘Cause I am down on my knees.
I’m waiting for something beautiful
Oh, something beautiful

Chorus of “Something Beautiful” by Need to Breathe

God, please help me be more consumed with you than I am with anything else.
And please overwhelm me with your infinite love and beautiful grace.
Amen.