Recipes, Rants, and Raves

I think that is the title of a friend’s blog – or maybe her “tag line” – so technical. Sorry if it is!

So first up – recipes. My mom has asked for two recipes and I just do not know what to tell her…because, well, quite frankly I do what I want. As is my motto most of the time. I know it shouldn’t be, but anyways… here are two “recipes” for you:

Crockpot tortilla soup

Throw in a crockpot on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours:

The following cans of things:

-          Tomato sauce

-          Crushed tomatoes - 2

-          Diced tomatoes with green chilis

-          Enchilada sauce – 2

-          Corn - 2

Chop and/or sprinkle the following

-          Onion

-          Garlic

-          Taco seasoning – 1 packet

-          Red pepper flakes – uh make sure the container has the thing with the holes in it or you will be fishing out red pepper flakes like I was!!! Then adding milk, vinegar, and baking soda to calm down the HEAT!!!

-          Chili powder

-          Cumin

Throw in some frozen boneless, skinless, chicken breasts and a little bit of chicken broth and let it cook! (Shred the chicken with a fork when it’s done) so tasty and feeds a million people! (Not a million)

Next on the recipe list – stuffed bell peppers

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

Half a can of corn

Small onion chopped

Garlic – generous amount

Colby Jack or Chedder cheese – same as above

Little bit of water

I would guess I added the following…

2 teaspoons each of chili powder, paprika, and cumin

A shake of red pepper flakes (or less)

2 bell peppers for stuffing (I used green, but would use red next time)

Sauté onion and garlic in medium saucepan

Meanwhile add beans, corn, water, spices, flakes, and a few pinches of cheese

Add all that to the onion and garlic

Let simmer for 15 minutes

While that simmers put the bell peppers (after you cut them and cleaned out the insides) in the oven to cook at 400 degrees. I left mine in about 10 mins so they could have been in there for 15 minutes

Remove bell peppers and add the mixture to the insides, top with cheese and broil for 2-3 mins

All done.

Rant time….

I have nothing to rant about. Except I hate how clumsy I am. No need to call myself out – but the less accidents, the better…. As long as I’m not wrecking my car, we are good. Oh and this whole getting sick when eating certain things. Better not be gallstones or my grandma and mom will be saying “told you so”.

Oh – and people who are ignorant. Someone tried to say the Kony 2012 thing was a hoax. Get real. No one is asking for your money. Getting the word out is more than enough. I think its funny this person posts pictures of TOMS they have purchased. Those things AIN’T cheap. I love my TOMS and my niece will love her two pair too! We all choose to tithe and give back in different ways, to different organizations, and different ministries. So that brings me to my next point….

Rave time…

Kony 2012 – make the invisible, visible.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4MnpzG5Sqc&feature=youtube_gdata_player

EAT GOOD FOOD, SPREAD THE GOOD WORD

"Don't buy children for sex"

DID YOU KNOW....

12 Million children are kidnapped or sold into slavery each year.  200,000 children are smuggled into the United States of America each year.  Human trafficking of children is the 2nd largest growing crime in the world according to the United Nations.  In 2008, the Department of Justice released an alarming discovery: An estimated 300,000 children  between the ages of 11 and 18 are lured into trafficking are American Citizens. (Embassy of Hope Center website)

A few months ago I had the privilege of attending an event hosted by three beautiful (inside and out) girls C, C, & C (seriously). The event's purpose was to open the eyes and hearts of fellow friends to sex trafficking, promote knowledge of local sex trafficking, what all trafficking entails, and ways to help. There were snacks and items for sale from Eternal Threads, guest speakers, and incredible testimony by two sex trafficked, abused victims. Embassy of Hope Center's Elizabeth Crooks was one of the speakers who divuldged TONS of good-to-know information (along with a few other guest speakers).

To make a long story short, the title of this post is the ad campaign that Embassy of Hope Center and Shared Hope International have come up with to bring a provocative message to our city. In a message they write, "A cry for help. Reports are made. Investigation begins. The result? A child is rescued from the crime of human trafficking in San Antonio. A trafficker is prosecuted. Justice advances...San Antonio children are lured into a pimp culture that wants ownership of their spirit, soul, and bodies.  Manipulation is the game = capital gain. While drugs are sold once, a child is a precious commodity that is sold again and again."

The cost of the billboard is $4,000 per month per billboard. If 80 people donated $50, the board could get put up.

I encourage you, with everything in me, to host a gathering to sell eternal threads merchandise and get the word out about human trafficking in the USA and your community. It's just like hosting a Pampered Chef, Stella & Dot, or Scentsy party. It will be near-effortless, life changing, educational, eye-opening, and a huge blessing to so many victims.

If you would like to learn more about hosting a human trafficking awareness and Eternal Threads event, please contact me and I can help get it going! You don't have to sell anything, buy anything, give away anything, just open your home and invite your friends. If one person tells ten people, and each of those ten tell another ten, think of how quickly we can help promote, prevent, and eventually end trafficking in our local communities.

To donate to the ad campaign click here. To learn more about trafficking and what you can do, visit Embassy of Hope Center.  To purchase items from Eternal Threads, shop online. To contact me, click here.

[Eternal Threads establishes sustainable methods of helping women and their families, who live in poverty to increase their income enabling them to educate their children, buy nutritious food and medicine and other basic necessities. Increased livelihood will also help mitigate the risk of trafficking and exploitation that women and children in extreme poverty face.]

[Embassy of Hope Center is a 501(c)3, faith based, non-profit organization that specializes in professional training on issues of human trafficking, prevention education for at risk youth, and survivor care. Their services include advocacy for survivors and family reintegration assistance for exploited men, women, and children who are victims of crime such as forced prostitution, pronography, stripping, and other types of human trafficking.]