Posts by Kerry Weisser
Moshu Chicken
When I was growing up, my mom loved to have theme dinners. One of our favorite international themed dinners was Chinese food and we LOVED it when she made Moshu Chicken. I continued the tradition of theme dinners with our girls and they have enjoyed learning how to cook foods from all different cultures as well. Here is a healthy rendition of Moshu chicken and tonight we recharged the classic recipe by using firm tofu in place of the chicken and whole wheat low carb tortillas for the wrap.
Ingredients
2 cups shredded Chinese napa cabbage
1 cup gated carrots
6 green onions sliced thin ( I used red onion)
1 cup bean sprouts
1 can bamboo shoots sliced thin
1 zucchini sliced in thin matchsticks
1 can water chestnuts sliced in thin matchsticks
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
3 Tablespoons sesame oil
1 Tablespoon sugar or honey
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 Tablespoons oil
2 cloves garlic
6 eggs beaten
1 package rice pancakes (enroll wrappers) or flour tortillas
1 jar Hoisin sauce
Slice chicken into thin strips. Stir fry chicken in 2 Tablespoons oil with 2 cloves garlic crushed until chicken pieces are cooked through. Remove chicken from wok or pan and put into medium sized bowl. Add 2 Tablespoons Hoisin sauce to the chicken and stir and set aside. Stir fry vegetables in sesame oil, soy, and sugar until crisp tender. Add the chicken and stir together. Scramble the 6 eggs and cook until soft. Add to the chicken and vegetable mixture. To serve, warm the egg pancakes or tortillas and place one spoonful of Hoisin sauce down the center. Spoon a generous portion of the chicken, vegetable, egg mixture down the center, sprinkle with some sliced green onion and roll up like a burrito. when our …
Read MoreTabooleh
Mediterranean cuisine is our newest family favorite. This summer, our Footsteps of Paul journey was memorable and incredibly satisfying except for one tiny thing…….we were very surprised to have a hard time finding restaurants that served Tabooleh. The very last night that we spent in Capadoccia, Turkey we found a restaurant that served it and WOW what a treat. Here is our family’s rendition of Tabooleh.
Ingredients
2 cups bulgur wheat (medium grind #2)
3 cups boiling water
112 cups chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped green onions (about 4-5)
1/4 cup chopped mint (fresh is best, but if only dry is available use 2 Tablespoons)
2-3 large tomatoes chopped into small 1/4 inch pieces
1 large cucumber chopped
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil
1-2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 head romaine lettuce
Pour the boiling water over the bulgur wheat and let it sit until the wheat kernels are soft and cooled completely. Add all chopped vegetables except romaine lettuce and stir. Mix the oil, lemon juice and spices and pour over wheat vegetable mixture and stir until thoroughly combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Place a bed of chopped romain on a serving platter and pile Tabooleh on top. Place on your table and enjoy. Tabooleh makes a great side dish for any BBQ especially Shish kebabs or grilled meat or fish.…
Read MoreNYC Releases Synergy
Sights, sounds, smells, synergy…. the incredible energy of Manhattan…..to spend a week strolling the streets, exploring the districts, the subway, the waterways, the incredible diversity in the architecture, seeing skyscrapers, museums, memorials……absorbing all that the city offers would take a lifetime. Each day as the people of New York City awake and begin their crazy complicated city lives, there is a powerful release of synergism-the interaction of elements that when combined, produce a total effect that is greater than the sum of the individual elements.
I loved every second of my time in New York and can not wait to go back. I had forgotten how much of American history and rich culture has its roots in NYC and the surrounding area. Discovering how the new traditions have grown up around the historic buildings and districts was fascinating. I was captivated by the architecture of the buildings and the museums that held mass quantities of incredible art and artifacts from cultures around the world. I loved the sense that the people of Manhattan are working together to make their city a safer and more ecologically friendly place. I stayed with my sister and nephew near Central Park and began each day walking by the beautiful park where locals and tourists go to spend leisure time walking, running and biking. It is incredible to comprehend that 12 million people are hustling and bustling about in Manhattan each day. They work hard, exercise hard, play hard and although the sense is that people that live in NYC are driven and always on-the -go, we met genuinely nice and extremely helpful people wherever we went. I loved hearing the stories about young passionate people using their talents and entrepreneurial skills to pursue their dreams. We met bakery shop owners who had learned how …
A Tribute for Fathers
Father’s Day was on Sunday and it was the first Father’s Day that my precious husband spent the day without any of his daughters, son-in-laws and now 7 grandchildren around him. But we had a joy filled day because …….we hold them all in our hearts. My husband is faithful and devoted to his family. He is a hard worker and dedicated to his profession. He is well respected and a blessing to his patients and their families.”Grandchildren are the crowning glory of the aged, and the glory of children are their fathers.”
Proverbs 17:6
“The father of a righteous child has great joy; a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.” Proverbs 23:24
“I have written to you, fathers because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you…” 1 John 2:14
A friend wrote a beautiful tribute to her father and had the compassionate and insightful quote….”We are born into families with either a dad who heads his family with breathtaking responsibility or with dads who struggle their entire lives to ‘get it right’……..in spite of the confusing examples of some less-than-perfect Dads, we all have access to a Perfect Father. We really do! And this is what gets me so excited: We are invited into a relationship with this Father. We are warmly invited to be the son or daughter of the Father who loves us without restraint…….He loves us intimately and gently and well-as a Father should.”
Take a moment to think on this concept and share it with a friend who might struggle on or around Fathers Day.
…
Peach Cobbler Sensation-Revealing a new trend in healthy desserts
U-Pick fruit stands are plentiful in the town of Brentwood which is about a 45 minute drive from my home. Almost every June for the past 20 years, I plan a berry, peach or apricot picking adventure with friends. Never in all the years I have been planning and participating in this event have I experienced what happened this year. Some girlfriends and i decided it was a perfect week for picking Olallieberries (similar to Blackberries but it is actually a cross between a loganberry and a youngberry and is cultivated in California and Oregon). The anticipated day arrived and it was sprinkling in my home town, but the forecast for Brentwood was morning sprinkles until about 9 am. We had all been praying for rain so we were glad to have a light shower in the wee hours of the morning but as we drove the 45 minutes towards Brentwood we realized the sprinkling was not letting up as forecasted. But on we went….nothing would deter us from our berry picking. We arrived at our destination only to find that the berry picking ranch was closed. We surmised that they were just waiting for the light shower to let up and then they would open up and we would pick for an hour or two and return home with our beautiful stash of berries. So we drove around looking for other U-Pick places that might be open already. We did find one place that seemed to be opening up but when we approached the farm entrance the owners told us it was too muddy and they were going to close for the day. We were so disappointed but on we drove. We finally decided to stop at the Farmer’s Daughter farm and although we knew they did not have …
Read MorePassion Perspective Giveaway Winner and Bethany’s Birthday Tribute
Thank you for participating in our Passion Perspective celebrating the launching of Bekah’s Etsy shop A Line & A Lighthouse. We hope you have all taken the time to visit her Etsy shop and are considering who you would love to bless with a gift of a Bani Banner.
We are happy to announce the winner of the Giveaway…………Kelly Hyder-Hanlon….and what a fantastic winner she is!!!! Congratulations…..Bekah will correspond with you to give you the details of how to redeem your coupon!
Today we have another important event to celebrate…..today is Bethany’s 29th birthday! We want to honor her this day. She is such a precious part of our family and we all owe so much to her for how she encourages each one of us to be the BEST we can be in our life as we celebrate each day.
Rachel’s birthday message: “Happy Birthday, Bethany. I am continually amazed, inspired, and challenged by you. Your posts are filled with love and a deep understanding of God’s word and his will for our lives. You are such a blessing to me!”
Jessica’s birthday message: “Happy birthday Bethany! Your joy and enthusiasm for life makes everyone around you want to live life to the fullest. Thank you for encouraging me and pointing us to Jesus. I hope you have a wonderful, much deserved birthday! I love you!”
Bekah’s birthday message: “Happy birthday Bethany! I hope this is the start to your best year yet! I’m so glad that we’ve been only a few hours away instead of countries between us for the last few months! I admire your faith and your courage and how much you care for others…and I love that we still match by accident all the time! Love you “twin”! Happy birthday!”…
Read MoreHow to Order Your Bani Banners! Passion Perspective Day 3
Welcome back to Day 3 of our Passion Perspective, sharing Bekah’s journey of developing Bani Banners for her new Etsy shop called A Line & A Lighthouse.
For those of you who did not have the privilege of reading about Bekah’s new Etsy shop in the first 2 days of our Passion Perspective week, you can access both post by clicking these links.
Day 1
Day 2
Bekah’s BANI BANNERS are handmade decor pieces to accent a baby or child’s room! Bani Banners are completely customized – You choose the fabric and felt colors for the letters of the name or word(s)!
This unique gift originated as a name banner but can also be hand-crafted for room or home decor or a party decoration (Baby Shower, Bridal Shower, Wedding, Holiday, or Special Event with words like …“Home”, “Love”, “Play”, “Sisters”…)
Today we will walk you step by step through the ordering process for your Bani Banner!
Go to Bekah’s Etsy shop, www.etsy.com/shop/ALineAndALighthouse
TO ORDER YOUR BANI BANNER:
1. Choose the Quantity of Banners
Choose the Quantity of Banners needed from the drop down menu on the Right.
Need new decor for your child’s room?
Gammie Kerry thinks this is the BEST gift idea for Grandmothers to buy for their grandchildren or to celebrate the birth of your friend’s grandchild.
Have some baby showers coming up?
This is a perfect gift that is unique for Mommies and fun for children to have as they grow up!
Need that crafty touch for your party?
Have a theme for your party?
Order a Bani Banner!
2. Choose the Number of Hearts needed (1 HEART PER LETTER IN NAME)
Choose the Number of Hearts needed from the drop down menu on the Right located under the Quantity of Banners drop down menu.
If …
Read MoreBekah’s Journey of Developing “Bani Banners”
Join us today as we follow Bekah’s journey of creating her first product, Bani Banners in her Etsy shop, A Line and a Lighthouse…….
Bekah’s story begins…
“My original passion that inspired Bani Banners, aside from loving to create anything and everything, was becoming an Auntie! I wanted to combine my oldest passion of creative crafting with my newest passion of being an Auntie to make something special for my nieces and nephews – Bani Banners emerged! The name, Bani Banners, came later (actually inspired by my husband) once I got my new last name, BANIhashemi! 🙂 The name, A Line & A Lighthouse, was recently inspired by the two symbols that represent the two most important things in my life – God and my husband.”
She continued her story of how she came up with her idea and what steps she took to make it a reality…
“I thought of the idea and created the idea for Bani Banners on the second round of babies in our family- when two new nieces and a new nephew arrived all within 2 ½ months! I really just had the idea and used my nieces and nephews as guinea pigs 🙂 I loved how the baby name banners turned out so when my friends started having babies, I began making Bani Banners for them too! I made so many Christmas gift Bani Banners that I decided it was time to open my own Etsy shop, something that I have considered for years now with various ideas, but finally decided that Bani Banners would be my product.
What sets A Line and a Lighthouse apart from other DIY craft ideas?
Kerry says, “I am an avid crafter and have been sewing for almost 50 years….and although I always love anything my girls create, …
A Line and A Lighthouse-Passion Perspective
Our Passion Perspective for this month is featuring our very own Bekah Banihashemi and her journey of developing her ETSY shop, A Line and A Lighthouse and creating her first product, BANI BANNERS.
Today we will be getting to know a little bit more about Bekah…..
Bekah has always loved doing all types of crafts. She became an expert scrapbooker (her reason-“my mom jokes that I got tired of waiting for her to do my photo album scrapbooks. Since she was so busy by the time she had me- the 4th child- I just decided to make my own”) but with the expensive cost of supplies and the increase in technology, she now loves making photo books! Since becoming a wife, she has really begun to enjoy cooking and finding healthy recipes! Bekah’s love for gift giving combined with her passion for creating, designing and her creative flair inspired her first product, Bani Banners.
Bekah’s 3 sisters are the charter members of her fan club, here are their words of encouragement:
Rachel: “Bekah’s creativity comes straight from her heart and is evident in all she does. I love the way she can make an idea come to life and puts her own unique style into a finished project.”
Jess: “I am inspired by Bekahs thoughtfulness and genuine care for others. Her sweet spirit is evident to everyone around her. I admire her gifts and talents and how she is using them to bless others.”
Bethany: “Bekah is an all around rock star. Not only is she creative and crafty, but she is loving, compassionate, and giving. Mix those things and you get someone who is always thinking of others, making people feel loved, and really cherishing who people are on the inside. She pays attention to the details and …
Released to SHINE
I was challenged yesterday to think about what areas in my life need to be illuminated. Am I hiding in the darkness or am I living in the light? How can I release my fears, my unspoken expectations, my unhealthy habits? If I am willing to release aspects of my life that keep me in darkness, who will be changed when I choose to SHINE?
“You were once in darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of the light…for the fruit of light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth.” Ephesians 5:8-9
The apostle Paul wrote a letter to the people who lived in Ephesus. The themes of his letter were the redemptive work of God in Christ and unity in the church. The ancient city of Ephesus was a perfect background for the themes of Paul’s letter. Ephesus was an important port city on the west coast of Asia. The great Temple of Artemis (one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world) was located near the port. The Ephesians worshipped Artemis as their fertility goddess. The people who lived in Ephesus during Paul’s day were fascinated with magic and the occult. Ruins of the temples of the Divine Caesar and the goddess Roma were also discovered near the Agora. The city was a bustling economic center with a huge theater that held 20,000 people. The wealthy members of the city lived in lavish terrace houses that overlooked the agora (marketplace) and the famous Library of Celsus, the Harbor stadium and the baths.
Two weeks ago, we walked through the excavated ruins of Ephesus. I thought about how Paul came into this thriving metropolis in 60 AD and shared with the residents of Ephesus about the saving light of Christ and the mystery of …
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