Making Dinner with Mix & Match Mama

What’s for dinner? Whether it is your children asking you, you are planning on what to serve a group of guests or figuring out what to bring to a potluck, the struggle is all too familiar for everyone. We want to make something that tastes delicious, doesn’t take a lot of time to prepare and is a dish that everyone will enjoy. Between work, activities and school, it can be hard to find time to make a meal but meal times are one of those few opportunities to sit down together as a family, group of friends or small group and catch up on life together.

After struggling with infertility,  Shay  and  her husband were blessed the miracle of childbirth twice, as well as the joy of adopting two children. She and her husband and their four children live near Dallas, Texas.

Shay Shull understands what it’s like to be a busy mom and can appreciate the time it takes to get dinner done after you’ve been away from home all day. Shull is a wife, mom, author and entrepreneur. On her Mix and Match Mama blog she writes about motherhood, adoption, world travel, and, of course, yummy food. After struggling with infertility, Shay and her husband were blessed the miracle of childbirth twice, as well as the joy of adopting two children. In her latest release, Mix & Match Mama Simmers: Slow Cooker Creations Your Family Will Love, Shay shows readers how this versatile tool can be used to cook a wide variety of amazing meals.

Learn to create simple and tasty recipes with a variety of “Delicious Dips,” “Brown and Go Favorites,” “Perfect Pulled Pork,” “Slow-Cooker Staples,” and “Delectable Desserts.” These great recipes and many more will help you turn your slow cooker into a time-saving, meal making, must-keep-on-the-kitchen-counter kind of appliance. Get outstanding results with these simple recipes that are “slow” good, your family will always look forward to seeing what you’ve got simmering next.”

Shay shares about why she created this recipe book.

“Other than my coffeepot, there is no kitchen appliance I use, love, and enjoy more than my slow cooker. It keeps my sanity on busy days, keeps my family’s tummies fed when I’m just too tired and/or busy to cook, and it’s my sidekick when I want to slow roast my favorite recipes. I call it the Super Mom effect.”     

How good and pleasant it iswhen God’s people live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head,running down on the beard,running down on Aaron’s beard,down on the collar of his robe. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion.
For there the Lord bestows his blessing,even life forevermore.Psalm 133:1-3

Risen Reflections

Host a meal. It doesn’t have to be something big or extravagant. Instead see it as a chance to sit down and catch up with the people in your life. Pray and ask God to show you who to invite. It could be a family in your neighborhood that you would like to get to know better. It could be your small group or people you serve with in your ministry. Take one of the recipes from the Mix & Match Mama Simmerscookbook or another one of your favorites and try it out with the group. Don’t feel like you have to cook everything either. Consider making it a potluck style where guests bring their favorite dish to share.

Bring someone dinner. Pray and ask God to show you someone in your life that you could bless by bringing a meal to them. It could be someone at your work that is has medical struggles. It could be someone at your church or in your small group that has some financial challenges or it could be a friend that is going through a difficult ordeal and needs support. When making the meal, ask them if they have any food allergies or preferences. Sometimes it can be helpful to make a meal that can be put in the freezer too. When you drop off the meal be aware if they would just like you to drop it off or if they are open to having visitors. Either way, let them know that you are praying for them and if they are willing pray for them as you drop off the meal. It can even be a nice touch to write them an encouraging note and a verse that encourages you when you are going through a difficult situation and put it with the meal.

Share a meal. Sharing the love of Christ with co-workers or classmates can be difficult. Lunch breaks are often short and people are often in a rush once class or work is done. This week, consider making extra food at dinner and bringing it to share with a friend. Bringing a meal saves you time and money from going out to eat and you can have more time to talk. Pray and ask
God to show you who to reach out to and to guide your conversation.