Posts by Kerry Weisser
Father’s Day Coupons
What better gift is there than coupons! Coupons for quality time, coupons for a special gift, coupons for a favor, or coupons for a special event… Coupons can cover almost any idea. And you can be as creative as you want! Making tangible and useable coupons makes sure that each specific coupon can be “cashed in” for the gift or service. Coupons make the special birthday or holiday last even longer! For this blog post we are going to talk all about Father’s Day and what we can do for dads! You can make a sheet of coupons, a jar of coupons, a book of coupons, an envelope filled with coupons… the options are endless. Coupons are always one of my favorite gifts to give, because coupons usually end up as TIME spent together, which we all love! But let’s make this Father’s day a special one by filling days and weeks with special things for dad! So here are some ideas…..I wonder what the Growing Weisser dads will be getting for their Father’s Day?
Things to think about when choosing your coupons for Father’s Day:
What are dad’s chores and duties?
What are dad’s favorite things?
Are they coupons from a daughter or a son?
What is the age of the child giving the coupons (for you moms that are helping with gifts)?
How can a child help their dad?
What will make a dad’s day?
What is something a dad may not expect?
Chores Category
Mow lawn
Wash car
Take trash out
Vacuum
Help in yard
Help clean garage
Food Category
Make him his favorite dessert
Breakfast in bed
Favorite snacks packed for work
Packed lunch
Pick favorite meat to grill
Special Date Category
Movie date
Ice cream date
Coffee date
Video game challenge
Do whatever dad chooses…
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
Memorial Day is a day of celebration our military heroes. I am so grateful for the men and women who have sacrificed to maintain our freedom and liberty throughout the ages. Memorial Day is usually the kick-off day for summer barbeques. I love to experiment with different side salads to accompany whatever comes off the BBQ. Here is a fun twist for a yummy side salad, combining quinoa and Mediterranean style flavors.
INGREDIENTS
2 cups of quinoa cooked as directed on package (makes about 4 cups of quinoa)
1 English cucumber chopped
20 baby tomatoes cut in half
1 red or orange bell pepper chopped
1 cup fresh basil leaves chopped
1 (15 oz ) can garbanzo beans drained and rinsed
1 4 oz container crumbled feta cheese
1-2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon seasoned pepper
3 lemons juiced (about 2/3 cup)
1/3 cup olive oil
Cook the quinoa according to package direction. (I used 2 cups quinoa in 4 cups of water. I brought it to a boil, turned to simmer and covered for 15 minutes.) Let quinoa cool and add chopped cucumber, peppers, tomatoes, garbanzo beans and basil. Season with salt and pepper and mix in feta cheese. Squeeze lemon juice and add olive oil. Mix dressing into quinoa salad and adjust seasonings. I love the fresh basil and probably used more than 1 cup. You can add kalamata olives if you want more of a Greek flair.
Enjoy with BBQ burgers, chicken, ribs or your favorite meat.
…
5 Directives to Develop Strong Character and Grow in Relationships
A very famous writer and well known orator was known for his commitment to helping encourage people in self development and interpersonal relationships. He was a brilliant man, known for his courage and passion for spreading good news. One of his letters was written to a group of people in Corinth that he had taught over the years. He had committed to helping them thrive in spite of hard times. Over the years, they had stolen his heart and he was passionate about seeing them conquer their enemies from within and from without. He wanted them to work on a few character development exercises before he arrived for his last visit. He reminded them about how they had become new in Christ. He challenged them to “not waste their sufferings”, because suffering connects us with others in a way that no other experience can. He encouraged them to take comfort by looking above the layer of clouds that overshadows people when they are suffering. He talked to them in this letter about how God equips each one of His followers to be free of the chains of their past. He taught them about a God who would be a father to them-a good an generous father. He explained to them about personal generosity-sharing their gifts and talents with others who have needs. And he addressed their comparison thinking which was a big factor in their strife and sufferings. He sent them this letter so they could work on a few things before he arrived so he would not have to make his visit a confrontational and discouraging visit. He ended his letter with 5 directives…..
- REJOICE
- BECOME MATURE
- BE ENCOURAGED AND COMFORTED
- BE LIKE MINDED
- BE AT PEACE
HOW WOULD YOUR LIFE BE DIFFERENT IF YOU FOLLOWED THESE DIRECTIVES?
How …
Read MoreGluten Free Berry Coffee Cake
We had our leadership celebration brunch today and this gluten free berry coffee cake was a hit!!! I adapted the recipe I found on mygluten-freekitchen website and added a little extra cinnamon for fun. Once again I used the “Mama’s Almond Blend” Gluten free flour2 cups good quality gluten-free flour blend*
1 tsp. xanthan gum (omit if your flour contains xanthan already)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup salted butter, softened
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk or yogurt
2 cups fresh or frozen berries
TOPPING
1/3 cup gluten-free flour
3 Tbsp. salted butter, softened
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
3 Tbsp finely chopped almonds
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375°. Spray a 9″ deep dish pie plate with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
COFFEE CAKE:
1. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, and salt until blended.
2. In the bowl of your electric mixer, cream together the sugar, butter, egg and vanilla.
3. Alternately add in the buttermilk and the flour mixture into the butter and sugar mixture. Mix only enough to blend together, don’t over-mix. Batter will be very thick.
4. Spread batter into a greased 9″ cake pan or pie plate.
5. Place the berries one at a time over the surface of the cake batter, gently pushing down into the batter.
TOPPING:
1. In a small bowl, whisk together gluten-free flour, and sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or two knives until mixture is crumbly and butter pieces are pea-sized or smaller. Stir in cinnamon and finely chopped almonds.
2. Sprinkle topping over the batter as evenly as possible.
3. Bake at 375° for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
4. Serve …
Gluten Free Apple Carrot Muffins
I love the spring because of the beautiful blossoms on the trees and all the flowers that are blooming. I love that our family has many birthdays to celebrate in the spring and early summer. I especially love to celebrate new life and this spring we are anticipating our 11th grandchild. We had a “Sprinkled with Love” baby shower this past weekend to celebrate Bethany’s baby girl due in July. I will post about the baby shower later in the week. So there has been lots of baking in my new kitchen over the past few weeks. Today I experimented with a few Gluten Free recipes.
Tomorrow I have a leadership team “end of the year” celebration of encouragement and thankfulness. A few of the gals on our team are gluten free so I thought I would have some fun and try a few new recipes. This recipe was fantastic. I researched Gluten Free mixes to save time instead of making my own blend like I usually do. I found an almond based blend called “Mama’s Almond Blend” on Amazon. I really liked the texture of this flour for these muffins. They do take a lot longer to bake than regular flour muffins. Give this recipe a try-you will love them!
Ingredients
1 egg
1/4 cup olive oil or coconut oil
1/3 cup mashed very ripe banana
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce or 1 sweet apple, finely grated
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1-2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/2 cup almond milk, unsweetened
1 heaping cup (packed) grated carrot
2/3 cup gluten-free rolled oats
1/2 cup almond meal
1 cup + 2 Tbsp Gluten Free Flour Mix (I used “Mama’s Almond Blend”)
1/4 cup raw walnuts (chopped) …
5 Star Chocolate Cake
This is by far the BEST chocolate cake I have ever made!!! It is rich and dense but moist and light in texture. The coffee intensifies the chocolate flavor without adding even a hint of coffee flavor. I always use decaf coffee so that my guests are not up all night after enjoying a piece of cake. I usually make this in my bundt pan because it looks so beautiful and is easier to serve but a double layer chocolate cake is always fun for birthdays.
Chocolate Cake Ingredients
1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
½ cup butter melted
1 ½ tablespoons vanilla
1 cup freshly brewed decaf espresso or dark roast coffee
Frosting
3 squares bittersweet or unsweetened chocolate
½ cup evaporated milk
1 box powdered sugar
¼ cup softened butter
1 teaspoon vanila
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brew 1 cup of decaf coffee. Grease 2 (9 inch round) cake pans or use a Bundt pan. Mix flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt in bowl of kitchenaid mixer. Add eggs, buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla and mix on medium until creamy, about 3 minutes. Remove bowl from mixer and pour hot coffee into bowl and stir with rubber spatula until smooth. the batter will be runny. Pour into pans and bake for 35 minutes (for 9 inch cake pans) or 50 minutes (for Bundt pans). Toothpick will come out clean or with tiny bit of moist crumb attached. Cool for 15 minutes and turn out onto cake plate or cooking rack. 
Friendships Provide New Growth
Memories are a precious possession. I have acquired my most precious memories by opening my heart and taking the risk of sharing myself with others. You can never understand the risk-benefit ratio in friendship until you abandon all fears and jump into friendship with reckless abandon. As a young extroverted girl who loved life and had a zest for learning and sharing my passions with others, I tended to jump right into friendships. I never counted the cost because I just loved people. You meet a friend, share some interests, and over time, soul connections develop into lasting friendships that allow you to pick up right where you left off….friendships that are never limited by time or distance. Deep enduring friendships are committed to working through difficulties and to sharing in one another’s joys and sorrows.
One of the best things I have received in my life is the gift of deep and abiding friendships.
A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of gathering with friends that I have known since grammar school. One of the gals and I have been friends since kindergarten and the rest of us met in 7th or 8th grade. So our friendships spanned 50-55 years. We brought photo albums and yearbooks and spent the afternoon and evening reminiscing and laughing and talking about old times. We prepared a meal together and took lots of pictures. We shared about our lives and many of our joys and some of our sorrows. The best part of our time together was there were no walls or pretenses…everyone was willing to be vulnerable and “real”. I am sure there were hidden things in each one of our lives that did not come up that night but in time, I hope that the foundation was set for …
Read MoreYosemite Bars
When I was young and our family used to go on road trip vacations, my mom would always make a batch of these yummy bars to take with us. They are filled with oats and nuts and some dark chocolate goodness. Yosemite was one of our favorite family vacation spots-thus the name of these family favorites.
Yosemite Bars
1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 ½ cups flour (you can use gluten free flour)
3 ½ cups oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Chocolate Filling
1 (12 oz) package chocolate chips
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons vanilla
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup chopped walnuts
Make chocolate filling by melting chocolate chips, 2 TBS butter and 2 TBS vanilla and the sweetened condensed milk in a double boiler. You can melt these ingredients in a large glass container in the microwave, but you have to watch it very carefully so it does not burn. When melted allow to cool a bit and then stir in chopped nuts.
Cream 1 cup butter and brown sugar. Add eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla and mix thoroughly. Add flour, soda, salt and oats and mix until blended. Pat 2/3 of dough into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Spread chocolate filling over uncooked dough and pat remaining 1/3 of dough on top. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until top is golden brown. Let cool and cut into squares. Makes at least 24 bars. These bars freeze well and travel well, so bake a batch for your next trip to Yosemite.
Oatmeal Cake-great for Easter brunch
Easter brunch is a fun family tradition and I love to have a few recipes on hand that can be made ahead of time. This Oatmeal Cake is easy to make and everyone just loves it. This cake is moist and has the hidden benefit of extra nutrition by adding in the oatmeal. The topping combines nuts and healthy coconut which adds a bit of sweetness to any brunch coffee cake. You can also serve the as a light dessert with fresh strawberries or raspberries. Another wonderful thing about this recipe is that it can be made ahead and frozen for a few days. Just take out of the freezer the night before and warm it up for a few minutes before serving. Hope your family likes it as much as ours and who knows it could become a new addition to your Easter brunch menu.
Oatmeal Cake
1 cup oats
1 ¼ boiling water
½ coconut oil
¾ cup white sugar
¾ cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/3 cup flour (I used whole wheat and white combined)
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
6 Tablespoons melted butter
¾ cup brown sugar
1 cup coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
Combine oats and boiling water and let sit for 20 minutes. Cream coconut oil (slightly softened) and ¾ cup brown and ¾ cup white sugar. Add eggs and mix until combined. Add oatmeal mixture and mix until combined. Add flour, salt, soda and cinnamon and mix until smooth batter is formed. Pour into a greased 9×13 pan and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 35 minutes. While baking the cake, make topping by mixing melted butter, coconut, nuts, vanilla and sweetened condensed milk and stir …
Read MoreSharing the Real Meaning of Easter with your Children and Grandchildren
Easter is the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The whole Christian faith is based on Easter
Easter is a season when we reflect on the suffering, sacrifice, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
It is impossible to reflect upon Easter and all of its hardships without letting it reflect in and through us. The beauty of the Lenten season is that it encourages the development of a humble heart. In Lent, we are invited to look deeply inside, identify what is impeding our ability to follow Christ along the path of humility, and ask God to help us begin to make changes.
Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life.
Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in
me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26)
We have always used the resurrection eggs help our children and grandchildren understand the true meaning of Easter. If you have never used Resurrection eggs to tell the Easter story to your kids, here is the link to purchase a set of eggs or you can make them yourselves. To buy them click here Resurrection Eggs. To make your own, click here DIY Resurrection Eggs.
Here are some other great resources for Moms young and old to use with their kids or grandkids to prepare them for Easter.
http://familylifetoday.com/program/making-preparations-for-easter/
http://familylifetoday.com/program/creative-ideas-for-easter/
This year I thought it would be fun to try something new. I found a wonderful resource called The Easter Story Egg, www.StoryEgg.com is the website. This year I purchased an Easter Story Egg for each of my daughters to use with their children.
Here is the creator’s explanation of this tool….
“The Easter Story Egg™ is a tradition that celebrates the true meaning of …
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