OK – my whole objective of my book THE WHAT’S FOR DINNER? PROJECT is to get dinner on the table and out of the fast food lane. But there are a couple of fast foods that are worth the price. Here are a few of my favorites:

Mirepoix:

 

Rotisserie Chicken:

Buying a rotisserie chicken for dinner has to be the easiest way to feed your family. There are so many options…

Need something quick? Just slice and add with veggies and fruit for a colorful, healthy meal.

Eating on the go? Stuff chicken in a wrap, pita pocket or taco and top with your favorite veggies and dressing.

Feeling Italian-ish? Cook some pasta and toss with olive oil and parmesan cheese.Need a lite meal? Add the chicken over your favorite salad.

Now, if your having the chicken every night, you may want to rethink your meal planning, but a good rotisserie chicken is a great plan for one night a week.

 

Egg White Eggbeaters:

Roger and I are trying to eat healthfully, and these Eggbeaters are a quick, easy way to have a healthy breakfast (just add chopped veggies and some turkey sausage,) or great for an omelet at night.

Sliced Mango:

My favorite fruit to eat.

It makes a great snack or side dish to any meal. Add it to your yougurt, smoothie, make a salsa with it. Add other fruits for a filling and fresh fruit salad, the possibilities are endless.

I hate chopping up mango, and I’m trying to eat more fruit, so this is a great healthy cheat.

Shredded Low-Fat Cheese:

Cheese is the easiest way to add a little extra flavor and protein to any dish. it is great on pasta, salads, sandwiches, wraps and any version of a taco. For cold weather months top on your favorite soups and chili.

I usually shred my own cheese to save money, but when I’m in a pinch, pre-shredded cheese is worth the price. (Plus, there is always a coupon in the paper to get a bit of a discount.)

For a chance to win THE WHAT’S FOR DINNER? SOLUTION tell me your favorite food prep cheap (a “faster” food that’s worth the price for the convenience,) in the comments below and we will pick a winner this Thursday!

First off, I wanted to tell you about a book I just finished that I loved. It’s called Saving CeeCee Honeycutt and it’s about a middle school girl from the north who is suddenly relocated to Savannah to live with an aunt she had only met as a baby.

It’s a bright, funny and witty story, told entirely from CeeCee’s vantage point. I love the look at life in the south and the strength of women in a young girl’s life.

My brilliant husband, Roger Lipp, has a great blog of tricks and tips for writers and speakers. However, today’s post can apply to us all: How to Organize Your To-Do’s featuring the book Getting Things Done.

Finally, stay tuned Monday through Friday for a Me Project Mini-Challenge. Everyday next week I will give you a project to start living out the plans God has for your life. Each day I will be giving away a great resource, and one lucky (and focused) blog reader will be awarded The Dory Award.

It’s going to be a great week. Stay tuned.

It’s pretty funny. When ever I recommend a book on the blog, I will have people tell me 4-6 months later that they read the book and LOVED it. I think that many of the reader here have some of the same book passions I do so let me recommend some of the tinges I’ve been reading (and loving) lately and ask you for some of your recommendations as well.

Physical Books (real ink and paper – both bought from The Tattered Cover in Denver, CO).

The Man Who Loved Books Too Much

Who knew that the theft of rare books is more common than art theft? Besides being a fascinating story about the buying and selling of rare books (if you love reading, I think you will find this as fascinating as I do,) as well as one of the most notorious thieves in recent history (who was based right here in Northern California.)

Oogy – A Dog Only a Family Could Love

When I first read the synopsis of this story – this young puppy being used as bait in a dog fighting ring because he refused to fight, I didn’t think I could handle hearing about any dog in pain. But Oogy’s spirit triumphs over his physical limitation and makes him someone you would love to bring into your own family.

WinThe Man Who Loved Books too Much

On Thursday and Friday I will be sharing a couple of my favorite books via iPod, iPad and Kindle. But I want to hear what you’re reading. Tell me in the comments on either today’s, Thursday’s or Friday’s post and I will enter your name in to win the copy of The Man Who Loved Books too Much – yes – it’s been read by me – but hey – it’s recycling – and it’s an AUTOGRAPHED copy. I will announce the winner next week when I’m back in CA and have internet access.

And our Winner of Kathy Howard’s book God’s Truth Revealed as determined by Random.org is…

Gina Kelley

True Random Number Generator Min:

Gina – email my assistant at sunnie at kathilipp.com and she will get you all set up!

I love a meal that is 95% shopping and 5% prep!

My Labor Day gift to you. Plus – if you have a great, easy no-cook meal you want to share, put it in the comments and I will enter you in a drawing for THE FROZEN GOURMET COOKBOOK. Post your recipe by Tuesday at midnight to be entered.

I’ll pick the winner with and announce it on Thursday.

And I hope it’s the hardest thing that you have to do on Labor Day.

Asian Chicken Wrap Ups

Prep 20 Minutes

Start to Finish 25 Minutes

Skill 1

Cost 3

Serves 4 as appetizers, 2 adults as a main course

Ingredients

2 cups chopped cooked skinless chicken breast (chop up strips from pre-packaged chicken breasts)

3 tablespoons rice vinegar

1-1/2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1-1/2 teaspoons sesame oil

1/4 cup chopped green onions

1/4 cup sliced almonds

1/4 cup crispy rice noodles

Seasoned salt and pepper

1 cup shredded carrots

1 cup shredded broccoli slaw

Four to six butter lettuce leaves

1/3 cup Peanut sauce (store-bought)

1/3 cup Asian salad dressing for dipping sauce (store-bought)

Directions

In a medium glass bowl, combine chicken, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, , green onions, and almonds. Mix well. Season to taste with seasoned salt and pepper. Cover and let set in the refrigerator for an hour.

Add small containers each of peanut sauce and Asian dipping sauce to platter.

On platter, arrange lettuce leaves. Divide up the chicken mixture and place a mound of it on each leaf. Top with crispy noodles, carrots and cabbage. Roll up the leaf and dip in one of the sauces.

If you are waiting to be inspired to get going on your dreams, you need to go read the comments from last week’s blog posts. You all have been such an inspiration to me – I have no words.

I wanted to do something for each of you. I have an article on how to Kick Start Your Steps - so if you tell me in the comments below the one thing you are carrying over from last week’s steps, I will send you the article.

And NOW – for the winners from last week: if your name is listed below be sure to email sunnie @ kathilipp.com and let her know your mailing address – we will get your prize in the mail this week.

Monday – Linda Jenkins

Tuesday – Kristina

Wednesday – Adelle @ ready…GO!…get set

Thursday Shannon Wheeler

Friday Regena

And our grand prize winner of of the Dory Award goes to ..

Judy Parker

And remember, I will send you the article if you tell me one thing in the comments that you are still doing to work towards your goal from last week.

I
get questions every single week from y’all about how to be a writer. My very first piece of advice is : Go to a writers conference. (I know that my very first piece of advice should be “Pray about it,” but after so many potential authors telling me, “God told me to write a book,” I’ve decided to skip that step.)

So here is one of my favorite conferneces, and bonus – I’m teaching at it, so you know we’ll have a good time.

Here is the official announcment (to make it official…):

CLASSEMINARS, Inc. announces a special conference book project for its annual CLASS Christian Writers Conference. The conference will be held in Abiquiu, New Mexico, November 10-14, 2010.

The unique opportunity for new and advanced writers to be published in a book is a first among Christian writers conferences. All attendees will work with a professional mentor to develop a story, article, or poem to be included in the book to be titled Out of the Overflow. WinePress Publishers, Enumclaw, Washington, will publish the book which will be available shortly after the conference.

Bruce Wilkinson, bestselling author of You Were Born for This and the fastest selling book of all time, The Prayer of Jabez, and one of America’s foremost Christian teachers, will be a featured keynoter at the conference which focuses on training writers in the craft of writing and connects writers with publishers and agents. The conference also features a spiritual formation emphasis to help attendees develop a deeper Christian walk and write more deeply.
For registration and other information, go to www.classeminars.org.

The conference will be held at the Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu, New Mexico, located near Santa Fe.

Isn’t it adorable?

It won’t be out until January 1st, 2011. Which makes me sad becuase I want to put it on my book shelf. (Something I love about my books? You can totally spot them from across a crowded CVS.)

I really, really love it.

I mean, I really do.

And how much do I LOVE her glasses that are just like mine?

Swoon.

OK – glory moment over.  Back to writing the next book.