Posts by Kerry Weisser
Pumpkin Ginger Scones
The sights, sounds and smells of Fall are in the air and the mornings are cooler. School has been in session for weeks now and hopefully the kids have settled into a routine that allows for a healthy breakfast.
But if you still find yourself running around in the morning with many days that they need a grab-n-go breakfast or a pick-me-up-snack midmorning, these Pumpkin Ginger Spice Scones are packed full of nutritious deliciousness. Make up a batch and they will be gobbled up in a day or two. You can easily double the batch and freeze some.
Ingredients
1 cup whole wheat flour (plus additional ½ cup flour when kneading dough)
1 cup old fashioned oats
¼ cup hemp seed
¼ cup oat bran
2 Tablespoons chia seeds
2 Tablespoons ground flax meal (I leave this out because Flax seed bothers my stomach)
1 Tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup crystallized ginger chopped fine
½ cup cold butter
¼ cup undenatured whey pumpkin protein powder (you can substitute vanilla)
5 Tablespoons honey
½ cup pumpkin puree
1 cup plain greek yogurt
Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add chopped crystallized ginger to dry ingredients. Cut cold butter into the dry ingredients with ginger until resembles small meal. In a small bowl, mix honey, pumpkin puree and yogurt. Fold wet ingredients into dry in the large bowl. Only stir until dry ingredients are moist so scones stay light and fluffy. Roll dough out into a large rectangle 1 inch thick on a floured board and cut into scone sized squares, triangles or circles. Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake in a 425 degree oven for 20 minutes. Yields 25 small scones or 12 large …
Pumpkin Harvest Hummus
This Pumpkin Harvest Hummus is absolutely the perfect snack to have on hand to take to a “Fall Festival-Harvest Party” or to have on hand when friends stop by. Serve with carrots, cucumber slices or any other of your favorite raw vegetables. We also love to steam broccoli and cauliflower for dipping. Put out a bowlful and serve with pita chips when friends come by. I made some for a party last week and it received rave reviews so I thought I would share it with you.
Ingredients
1 (15 oz) can garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed)
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
2 Tablespoons Tahini
2-3 cloves garlic
2 Tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
⅓ teaspoon cayenne (ground red pepper)
1 ½ teaspoon cumin
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
2-3 Tablespoons water (if needed to thin as you blend)
Put all ingredients into a Vitamix or blender and mix until pureed to the consistency of hummus. Use a bit of water to thin it out if you think it is too thick. Pour into an airtight container and chill until ready to use. Serve with carrots, cucumbers, pita chips or pita bread. It also makes a great spread for your pita pocket veggie or turkey sandwich (with a bit of cranberry sauce, lettuce and tomato).
- 1 (15 oz) can garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
- 2 Tablespoons Tahini
- 2-3 cloves garlic
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ⅓ teaspoon cayenne (ground
Change…….
Change is in the air…
The weather has been changing…Indian Summer, hurricanes, heat waves 
Schedules are changing…..School has begun
Our home has been changing….the remodel is almost completely done and I am ready to get my life back. One last refinishing job in the kitchen-floors will look like new.
Over the past many months, I have had time to reflect on my life and what I want it to look like moving forward. I want to be a person who is flexible and always willing to change, to grow and to become a healthier person-emotionally, physically and spiritually. A few weeks ago, my mind was captivated by a teaching we heard at church about “hurried sickness”. How many times am I in too much of a hurry to take a bit more time to really listen to that friend? Do I ask questions that help open up that lonely heart, to connect deeper, to offer kindness and compassion. I do not ever want to miss an opportunity to help a person in need. Part of the change that I want to see happen in my own life is to SLOW DOWN and take more time to really appreciate all the blessings I have in my life. I want to finish strong, leave a lasting impression and really make an impact on others. So for me that change is going to require me to discipline my time and leave more room for margin….room for the unexpected. I actually want to plan for the unexpected so that I can be fully available for the cool opportunities God opens up for me in my life. One of the blessings of hanging out with my grandkids is watching them enjoy every second of life with awe and wonder.
Starting today, I have an opportunity …
Greek Style Chicken and Vegetable Kebabs
As summer comes to a close and families are back into the school routine…the weather shifts to Indian Summer…just in time for Labor Day. The best thing to do on Labor Day weekend is….have a BBQ! So that’s what we did. In honor of the end of summer and to initiate our new kitchen, we had three of our most favorite couples over for an evening of love, laughter and delicious food.
GREEK CHICKEN VEGETABLE KEBABS
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
¼ cup olive oil for marinade plus 2 TBS for veggies
4 TBS fresh lemon juice
1 TBS red wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic pressed
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
½ tsp dried thyme
½ tsp coriander
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
3 medium sized zucchini
2 peppers (green, red or orange)
1 large red onion
Tzadziki
1 medium cucumber
1 tsp salt
1 cup Greek plain yogurt
1 clove garlic pressed
2 TBS lemon juice
12 TBS chopped parsley
4 TBS chopped fresh dill or more if desired
For the Kebabs
In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice and spices.
Cut chicken into 1-1 ½ inch cubes.
In a gallon ziplock bag, place the chicken cubes and pour the marinade over it and seal and shake until all the chicken is coated. Leave in refrigerator between 45 minutes and 2 hours but NO LONGER or the chicken will start to change texture because of the acidic nature of the marinade.
Cut the zucchini into ¾ inch slices,, cut the peppers into 1 ¼ inch cubes and cut the onions into 1 ¼ inch wedges. Place in another ziplock bag and add olive oil. Season lightly with salt.
When ready to skewer the meat (if using …
Connecting Hearts
Our family had the privilege of hosting a dear new friend, Mary Phiri, visiting from Malawi, Africa. She is on staff with Gogo Grandmothers-a ministry that supports vulnerable children and their gogos (grandparents). We had so much fun introducing her to family and friends in our community. We took her to the Farmers Market, drove to Tilden Park to see the view of San Francisco (fog prevented the perfect view) and had an event where she was able to share her heart and passion for her ministry in Africa. Bethany and Garrett were able to be with us this weekend as well and that added to the excitement since Garrett is at such a fun age-curiosity and JOY fills every waking moment. 
I have a forever friend who has captured my heart. Her life story is amazing. Her joy for the Lord is her strength and she is a person who definitely has dedicated her life to put her love in action. She supervises all the community based childcare centers that the Gogo Grandmothers ministry supports. I can’t wait to go see first hand how she monitors and teaches all her volunteers.
Garrett loved showing Mary all his favorite things…He loves the outdoors so we went to the Farmer’s Market and we enjoyed tasting all the fresh fruits.
My mom, Gramie Rozie, joined us for the day and she was enchanted by Mary as well. Rick took them to Chick-fil-A for Saturday lunch and they had a blast.
Mary was captivated by Garrett. I think Garrett has a #1 fan!!!! She is one classy lady.
Each month the US director, Leslie Lewis writes updates about the great work going on in Malawi. Here is an except from the April update……”After 2 years of drought and hunger in Malawi, the …
Read MoreCarrot Cake Breakfast Cookies
We are rejoicing today because after a 9 month and 1 week wait….our KITCHEN IS FINALLY FINISHED!!! I spent the entire afternoon baking in preparation for a baby shower for our 10th grandchild. My heart is bursting with joy to be the blessed Gammie that I am. Children are a gift from the Lord and grandchildren are a double blessing. Watching my girls be moms to their children is one of the most amazing aspects of my life. I am so proud of the job they are doing. Motherhood is the hardest job in the world but it has the biggest payback when you see your own children passionately focusing on passing on many of the intentional things you taught them about love and servant leadership. We love to celebrate new birth and this weekend we will be celebrating Baby Boy Banihashemi due to arrive at the end of October. His mom and big sister Sophie will be here for the weekend along with cousin Garrett and his mommy.
Here is the finished kitchen……
So today I tried out my new ovens by baking a new recipe called Carrot Cake Breakfast Cookies.
Ingredients
2 ½ cups old fashioned oats (gluten free if necessary)
¾ cups flour (gluten free if necessary)
¼ cup coconut sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
⅓ teaspoon cloves
12 teaspoon ginger
⅛ teaspoon salt
½ cup almond milk
¼ cup maple syrup
1 egg (make flax egg out of 1 TBS flax meal and 2 ½ TBS water, mix well and let sit a few min)
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup grated carrots
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix all dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Mix all wet ingredients in a small bowl. Combine wet …
Hatch Green Chili Enchilada Casserole
As summer winds down and you find yourself a bit stressed about getting back into the routine of school schedules, regular commitments starting up again or just a busier life ahead…this is a great recipe to have on hand. It is easy and nutritious. You can make it ahead of time and bake it later. It serves a large family and is great for parties. I made this a few weeks ago when we had a crowd of people stay for dinner after Garrett’s first birthday. If you can’t find Hatch Green Chili Salsa you can use salsa verde.
10-12 medium sized flour tortillas (I used the homemade style ones from Trader Joe’s)
4 large chicken breast cooked and chopped into chunks (cook in 2 cups chicken broth for 4-6 hours in crockpot)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1-2 cups yellow onions chopped fine
3 garlic cloves minced
1 Tablespoon cumin
2 cups greek plain yogurt
2 bottles Hatch Green Chili Salsa (Trader Joe’s brand)
2-3 cups Colby Jack cheese grated (you can use Monterey Jack cheese and Cheddar mixed)
- 10-12 medium sized flour tortillas (I used the homemade style ones from Trader Joe's)
- 4 large chicken breast cooked and chopped into chunks (cook in 2 cups chicken broth for 4-6 hours in crockpot)
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1-2 cups yellow onions chopped fine
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 Tablespoon cumin
- 2 cups greek plain yogurt
- 2 bottles Hatch Green Chili Salsa (Trader Joe's brand)
Family Camp Re-Invented…..When your Summer Family Camp Vacation Doesn’t turn out like you had Hoped
Many of you have read about our Summer Family Camp over the years, so you know it is one of our MOST ANTICIPATED FUN FAMILY ACTIVITIES every summer. WELL….this summer we had a hiccup in our plans when our Kitchen/Living Room/Dining Room remodel was not finished in time for Family Camp. The actual target date to finish was two weeks before the family was to arrive for the July 4th weekend and suffice it to say…it is August 10th and we are still in process. We are really close to the finish line but this summer our Family Camp had to be re-invented. We told the kids that we were going to host the annual event here and they agreed that we would all pitch in to make it work. We had 13 of us here for most of the week spread out in the 4 bedrooms and play room for sleeping and for meals we ate breakfast lunch and dinner outside by the pool. We made every meal in my make-shift kitchen in the laundry room and the food was delicious and nutritious. We also hosted our entire extended family for a 4th of July afternoon of swimming and a BBQ (25 total) and everyone agreed it was one of the most fun times together ever.
We modified our daily schedule to accommodate the workers that were in our house from 9-5 each day so that meant creative excursions. Since a picture says 1,000 words, I will share about our adventures with pictures.
We spent many hours in the backyard playing games and swimming.
Water spirt guns were a hit as well as fun noodles and lots of rounds of Corn Hole.
All the girls loved practicing their swimming skills and Garrett absolutely loves water.
The Danville 4th of …
Fresh Harvest Vegetable Marinara Sauce
This is the FIRST OFFICIAL recipe I have cooked in my new kitchen!!!!
We still have a few little repairs that need to be finished before it is completely done, but I can start creating new recipes and get back into my love of cooking now that I don’t have to cook in my laundry room anymore. It has been a LONG 8 months.
One of my distractions while waiting on the kitchen to be finished has been tending my vegetable garden…..Having a vegetable garden is fun and rewarding. The challenge is to use up the produce as it fills up the kitchen. So I decided to be creative and see how many of the vegetables from our garden I could use up in one recipe. I combined our garden veggies with a few things added from our local farmer’s market and cooked up a batch of vegetarian pasta sauce.
Ingredients
2 Tbs olive oil
2 onions
5 cloves garlic
6 carrots
5 stalks celery
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup fresh basil
1 cup fresh parsley
3 cups spinach
10 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
2 tsp sea salt
1 Tbs sugar
2 (28 oz) cans organic crushed tomatoes
I washed all the vegetables and starting with the onions, I cut them each into chunks and used my Cuisinart to finely chop each vegetable one type at a time. I put a large pot on medium heat and added 2-3 tablespoons olive oil. Add the onions, garlic, celery, carrots and saute until vegetables are soft, 5-10 minutes. Stir regularly so vegetables do not stick. Chop the basil, parsley and spinach and add to the large pot and stir another 5 minutes. Add 2 cans of organic crushed tomatoes and fresh tomatoes that have been chopped into chunks in the cuisinart. …
Read MoreWE ARE BACK!!!!!!
If you have been wondering where we have been for the past few weeks……we decided to take a break to fully immerse ourselves in our families for the month of July.
Starting tomorrow you can read about some of the fun experiences we have had this summer…..BUT as we all know, life is full of joys and sorrows so we will be posting about the difficult aspects of life as well. I will include a few pictures from the past month to entice you to come back and read about how we have been doing life together although we live far apart.
Rick and Kerry visit a full scale replica of Noah’s Ark-AMAZING!!!
Hiking Bishop’s Peak-INCREDIBLE!
Celebrating Garrett’s first birthday-how has the year gone by so fast!
Celebrating Ashkon’s birthday-such JOY!
Visiting Tilden Park-feeding animals, hiking and riding the train-such FUN!
Enjoying extended family time celebrating July 4th!
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