They have completed many projects in their home over the 29 years they have lived in it and are currently working on their bedroom, with plans to remodel the kitchen next. A large yard with an abundance of very tall trees surrounds the home. A porch overlooks the side yard.

“That porch is our favorite place to sit and relax,” she says.

In the summer months they invite their church family and friends to play baseball and beach ball volleyball and top it off with a campfire where marshmallows are roasted in order to make S’Mores.

“When the kids were younger, we used to play (baseball) every Friday,” said Kim.

This colorful Quinoa Salad is Kim's gluten-free version of a rice salad recipe. Photo by Beverly Kehe-Rowland

She started homeschooling her children when the oldest was in third grade and the middle child was in first. All three of the Burkhard’s children have graduated from homeschool.

“God really put on us, that we needed to do that. It was all God,” she states. “I really appreciated the flexible schedule of homeschool and that the kids were able to take the subjects that interested them besides the mandatory ones.”

The couple takes numerous trips to visit their daughter, Megan, who is a senior at Pensacola Christian College and their son, Dominic who lives in Michigan with his wife. Their oldest son, Lucas, resides in Jamestown with his wife and four-year-old daughter.

Mrs. Burkhard is a distributor for Young Living Essential Oils. She likes to read Christian biographies and do herb, flower and vegetable gardening. She likes to ski, “nothing serious, just recreational” and collect roosters and chickens. She also has a teapot collection which she has placed randomly throughout their home, including her grandmother’s Dutch girl teapot. She makes tea from the herbs grown in her garden.

A few old china pieces have been lovingly displayed on a shelf in her dining room. Her Grandmother Roth’s vase and plate and her Great-Grandmother Page’s pitcher are especially dear to her.

This Zucchini Casserole is gluten-free and is a great way to use summer's bounty of zucchini. Photo by Beverly Kehe-Rowland

She does not consider herself a quilter, but with the help of a friend, was able to make a quilt for her granddaughter and intends to make one for a grandson who is expected later this year.

They are members of Conewango Baptist Church where they run the Lighthouse Kids Club and where she teaches girls ministry.

“I don’t want to say I lead it because without everybody else, I can’t do it.”

She preserves food by canning. Cooking is another of the homemaker’s hobbies. She started cooking when she was 11 or 12 years old, when her mother would leave recipes for her to make while she was at work. She has recipes from her father’s Italian side of the family, as well as from her mother’s Polish relatives.

“My Grandma Roth made great cinnamon rolls and we don’t know where the recipe is.”

Kim Burkhard has many loves. Jesus, family, cooking, gardening, traveling and tea pots are among them. Photo by Beverly Kehe-Rowland

The granddaughter used to bake her family’s bread twice weekly.

“I’ll be honest, I love to bake but it has changed since Megan is gluten-free.”

She has altered many of her recipes, not only for her daughter, but for her little granddaughter who also cannot have gluten.

“I’m not a big measurer and actually had to figure out (the recipe measurements) before sending them to you.”

She has her grandmother’s homemade cookbook with handwritten recipes and magazine and newspaper clippings, with a few that may have been contributed by her great-grandmother. She uses a molasses cookie recipe from the book that is less sweet than most cookies and finds it interesting that the estimated cost to prepare the recipe is printed on the bottom of some of them. Another keepsake is her grandmother’s 1906 edition of Fanny Farmer Cookbook.

Great-Grandmother Page's pitcher has a place of honor on a shelf in the dining room. Photo by Beverly Kehe-Rowland

Her grandmothers weren’t her only cooking mentors. Both of her parents enjoy cooking. Her father has belonged to several clubs where he has helped prepare food for various events and fundraisers. He used the Barbecue Sauce recipe, which she says is similar to Chiavetta’s, for many years when he belonged to a fire department that held regular chicken barbecues.

She has had the recipe for Crazy Chocolate Cake since she took Home Economics in eighth grade. It was her family’s favorite recipe back then and it is her husband and children’s favorite recipe now. She made some substitutions so they could still enjoy it after her daughter started a gluten-free diet. Both Mrs. Burkhard and her Grandma Roth started making the Zucchini Casserole around the same time, even though they did not get it from the same source. Her grandmother made it several times each summer.

The Pancake recipe made with regular flour was the recipe her parents used, “so I brought that into our family.”

“The Quinoa Salad recipe started as a rice salad. I use my favorite vegetables and after quinoa became popular, I started replacing quinoa for the rice.”

Barbecue Sauce for Chicken

1/2 c vegetable oil

1 c vinegar

1 T salt

1 1/2 tsp poultry seasoning

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

Pinch of oregano

1 egg

Put all ingredients into a blender and blend until mixed and frothy. Marinate chicken on the bone. Cook chicken on a grill. Also works for boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

Quinoa Salad

1 c quinoa

2 c water

16 oz frozen peas, thawed

1 bell pepper any color, chopped

3 celery ribs, chopped

2 carrots, shredded

1 small package cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 to 1 c Italian dressing

Cook quinoa according to directions on package. Cool. Put in a bowl and stir in the remaining ingredients. Chill.

Variations:

1. Omit Italian dressing and add 1/2 to 3/4 c chopped cilantro, a few shakes sea salt, 1/2 c olive oil, 2 T balsamic vinegar. Adjust amount of oil and vinegar to taste.

2. Omit Italian dressing and peas. Use 1 can corn, drained, 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained, 1/2 c salsa, 1/2 c olive oil, 2 T vinegar, 1/2-2 tsp cumin, dash garlic powder and a dash of salt.

Gluten-free Zucchini Casserole

1 c gluten free baking/biscuit mix

3 c zucchini, sliced thin

1/2 c onion, chopped

1/2 cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

Dash garlic powder

Combine all ingredients and put into a 9-inch by 9-inch pan or a 10-inch pie plate. Bake at 350 degrees until knife comes out clean and golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Friendship Soup

1 small onion, chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

1 T olive oil

3 qt water

1 qt canned tomatoes

1/2 c lentils

1/2 c split peas

1/3 c rice

1 lb ground beef, cooked

3-4 carrots, chopped

2 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp salt

Dash black pepper

1 c rotini pasta (dry)

Saute onion and celery in oil until slightly soft, 4-5 minutes. Then add remaining ingredients. Bring to a simmer and cook 45 minutes or until lentils are soft. Add dry rotini. Cook about 15 minutes more. Adjust seasoning to taste. This makes a thick, hearty soup.

Gluten-Free Crazy Chocolate Cake

2 c all-purpose cup-for-cup gluten-free flour

1 c gluten-free oat flour*

2 c sugar

7 T cocoa

1 tsp salt

2 tsp soda

3/4 c vegetable oil

2 tsp vanilla

2 T vinegar

2 c water

1 egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch by 13-inch cake pan. Combine flours, sugar, cocoa, salt and soda. In a separate bowl combine oil, vanilla, vinegar, water and egg, mixing just enough that the egg is slightly beaten. Add dry ingredients to the wet and mix well. Pour all into prepared pan and bake about 30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and frost with favorite frosting. * To make oat flour, put gluten-free oatmeal in the blender and blend until of flour consistency. To make with regular flour, substitute 3 cups all-purpose flour for gluten-free and oat flours and omit egg.

Pancakes

2 c all-purpose flour or all-purpose gluten free flour*

1/4 c sugar

4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs

1/2 c butter, melted

Milk

*If your gluten-free flour does not have xantham gum in it, add 1/2 tsp xantham gum to flour.

Combine all ingredients except milk. Mix in enough milk to make the pancakes the consistency you desire. Gluten-free pancakes will be a thicker consistency than those made with wheat flour. Pour onto buttered griddle and cook until golden. Flip and cook until done.

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