My Formula for Living

Hot! Just enough of a rain shower to raise the humidity. Hot! Now I’ve lived in hotter temperatures. The hottest official temperature I lived in was 122 degrees F in Arizona. We were coming back from Sea World in San Diego where it was 65 degrees F. As we picked up radio reception fro Phoenix, we heard the weather report. Needless to say it was a record breaking day in Arizona. But…..if you take 96 degrees F with 50 percent humidity, it isn’t hot, it’s miserable. In fact, it’s hotter here in Northeast Oklahoma than it is in Mesa, Arizona just outside Phoenix. Even Cyclone George, my daughter’s kitten has slowed down. Did I say hot? So how does the grass grow like a mutant weed from Venus? It goes from green to brown and it still needs to be mowed. By now you’re probably thinking that the old guy has finally lost it. Heat stroke, maybe he’s senile, or maybe he’s raised too many children. Here’s the point I’m getting at.

Have you ever thought about working from home? You know, one of those home business opportunities. Now look, after more than three decades in law enforcement I can tell if an opportunity is a scam or not. So when a good thing comes along, why not take advantage. One of the best reasons is that on a hot day, I don’t have to go outside if I don’t want to. I can earn an income while staying at home. Now there are a lot of so called experts out there who will tell you that you can’t do this. If the Better Business Bureau (BBB) has accredited a company, and with decades of law enforcement experience I’ve checked it out and verified the BBB findings, I’m satisfied that I’m smart enough to make a decision. It’s really not hard to see the difference between a legitimate work from home opportunity and a scam. So being able to enjoy staying indoors and earn an income can be a great thing. I like this quote from Cary Grant; “I get up in the morning and I go to bed at night. In between, I occupy myself as best I can.”

The concept of working from home and earning some extra income is a great way to spend that “in between” time Cary mentioned. And making your own schedule is really what it’s all about. This allows you to gain that extra time you want so you no longer miss events the children or grandchildren are doing at school or church. With the right work from home concept, these things are possible. Just think for a moment. Is anyone really going to pay you a residual income for doing absolutely nothing? Probably not! This means that you will have to work your business to make it successful. So now I need to do one of those in between things which I’ll share.

Decadent Dark Chocolate Blueberry Brownies

Thanks to bakedinmaine.com for a delicious treat.

Ingredients:

5 ounces of dark chocolate chips, melted and cooled.

2 sticks of salted butter, softened

2 cups of sugar (or sweetner of choice)

4 whole large eggs

3 teaspoons of vanilla

½ cup whole wheat pastry flour (buy this at health food store)

¾ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup cocoa powder

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup nuts (optional)

1 cup blueberries (dry on a towel)

Instructions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F

Grease or spray a 9 X 13 pan

Melt 5 ounces of chocolate chips (use your glass measuring cup) in the microwave (30 second intervals) and cool the chocolate completely before using.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add vanilla.

Turn the mixer on low, and drizzle in the cooled, melted chocolate. Mix until combined. Add flour, cocoa, baking powder and mix until just combined, scrape the sides of the bowl and mix 5 seconds more.

Add the chocolate chips, blueberries and nuts (if using) mixing a few seconds more until just combined.

Bake for about 30 minutes. You’ll know when they’re done when your house fills with the aroma of fresh baked brownies and you just can’t stand waitin’ any longer!! People will start roaming around your kitchen asking “are they ready yet”?? Tease them a little and tell them they must cool first. Then carefully cut a corner brownie and hide somewhere to eat your treat.

www.evprofessionals.com/concept

 

 

Find a Way, or Make One

Sorry that I’ve been out of the loop since my mad road trip that ended as the heat wave began, and a trip to the dentist. A week after the tornado struck Joplin, MO the damage can still be seen. Cars in trees, cars twisted into lumps of metal, buildings shredded, trees stripped of branches and leaves. The devastation will take months to clean up, and now the heat becomes a factor. It’s too hot around here to even mow the grass, so the jungle grows taller. Even my crazy neighbors, one on either side, both have this mad mission in life. When they think my grass is too tall, they mow the two sides along the streets, (we’re on a corner lot). These two neighbors, I’ve seen both of them do it, blatantly mow my grass, but do you think either would show up with a tractor to plow snow out of the driveway in winter? No! These two make as much sense as an article I read.

Now as I’ve mentioned, I’m a retired police officer, and I’ve dealt with city and county courts and prosecutors. This article showed the extremes that can occur, that government officals and politicians can convince themselves are justified. I mean, crazy is as crazy does. Council Bluffs, IA has joined my neighbors in going crazy over grass. Not that kind! Grass as in the lawn around a sports complex they have. They have a major problem there, an infestation even, that has infuriated the city officals. People have been parking their cars on the grass. The city decided that $15 parking tickets were not able to solve the problem, and raised the fine to $750 plus $85 court fee for a parking ticket fine of $835. Say what? The city says it’s not about the money, yeah right! They say it’s about having signs, and wanting people to respect the signs. The city and state governments are so broke right now after years of politicians of all parties playing with the projected income numbers, that they are now creating insane income streams. I think some of these politicians, elected to represent the people of a community or state, have at one time or another read a quote from Hannibal, as in the Carthaginian general from BC 247-182: “We will either find a way, or make one”.

Now what I really like about this quote is not the crazy politicians, but what it can mean to individuals who work from home. The benefits of training and mentoring, makes a huge difference in being successful working from home. Many people are looking to supplement their income these days. And no, they don’t want the crazy politicians taking their hard to come by income. Jobs are scarce, money is hard to find, and feeding your family can be difficult. Even people living on pensions or social security are having trouble. The first clue about a work from home opportunity is to check with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Is this home business opportunity accredited by the BBB? If they’re not, that should raise a red flag. And for the people who see scams behind every home business concept or company, if a business is accredited, it is not a scam. The BBB is very good at investigating businesses and they know what is legal and what is not.
So, check the BBB, ask about training materials on their website or recorded phone calls, who’s going to mentor you, then start earning that income you want. Remember, if the concept or opportunity is legit, you will have to work to earn that income. No one is going to work for you. Together we will either find a way to be successful, or make one. And speaking of making something, here’s another recipe to try.

Cowboy Cookies:

Recipe from “For the Love of Cooking.net”

Original recipe from Martha Stewart

.       1 cup of flour

.       ½ tsp baking soda

.       ½ tsp salt

.       ¼ tsp baking powder

.       ½ cup butter, softened

.       ¼ cup + 2 tbsp brown sugar

.       ¼ cup + 2 tbsp white sugar

.       1 egg

.       ½ tsp vanilla

.       ¾ cup of oats

.       ½ cup semi sweet chocolate chips

.       ½ cup white chocolate chips

.       ½ cup of sweetened shredded coconut

.       ¼ cup of pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder until well mixed. In a separate bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar until creamy. Add the egg and vanilla and continue to beat until well combined.

Slowly add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture until well mixed. Add the oats, chocolate chips, white chocolate chip, coconut and pecans until just combined.

Spoon the dough onto a greased baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Place into the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before moving them to a wire rack to continue cooling. Enjoy.

Birthday Road Trip

Well, it's the time of year I really don't count anymore, but the wife and kids like to rub it in. You know another year older and another year wiser. Not sure about either. My birthday present, road trip! We drove through Joplin and saw the tornado damage. The path of destruction was at least a half mile wide. It really makes you wonder at why tornadoes hit like they do. It even shredded the leaves and branches off the trees. All that was left were the stumps.

So we we checked out Wentworth Military Academy for our son, and then headed for northern Missouri. Tomorrow we're going to do some geneology research on my side of the family. Never knew there were so many Baker cemeteries in one place.  Have a full day lined up, then home on Friday.

Chas and I just made a run to Wal-mart for something to eat. We're doing the microwave hotel special tonight. Not a recipe to recommend, but hey, when you're hungry, zap a TV dinner

Success a Matter of Hanging On

While trying to keep the little monster, ahem George the kitten, from climbing up my leg, I was reading about my favorite drink. Did you guess it correctly? Yep, coffee! Some Swedish scientists at the Karolinska Institute found that women over 50 who are regular coffee drinkers were 57 percent less likely to develop estrogen-receptor negative tumors, an aggressive form of breast cancer that is resistant to a wide range of drugs. They are still baffled and claim further study is needed. Wow, someone was actually saying that coffee is good for you? That’s like saying George is a mild mannered docile little kitty. Now don’t get me wrong, I think this is fabulous. A natural product that can help prevent a form of cancer. I just have trouble believing that it’s my beloved coffee.

Wow, this is like saying that the little destructo-monster, ahem, cute little George, is good for something. I know a lot of people are interested in healthier lifestyles and safer products, but coffee! This makes all the Memorial Day fanfare pale in comparison. And I and many in my family have served our country in all branches of the military. Myself, I was in the United States Marine Corps, so I’m proud of the military history of our country, and all the men and women who have served. I also am proud of the men and women who work in the public safety arena as I am also a retired police officer. Now research is a great thing for products. I work from home with a company that believes in research for its products also. And as a retired police officer you can bet that I researched this company.

The biggest obstacle for people working from home is success. American publisher and author William Feather said’ “Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go.” George figured that out and he’s only about three months old. He keeps attacking Elisha our 8 year old cat until Elisha runs off. So hanging on is a path to success, and to achieving your goals. I’m not talking about a scam or a job, but a real way to succeed at earning income from home. With a good mentor who doesn’t disappear on you, and with a dream of success that we refer to as your ‘Why’, success isn’t that hard. You just can’t give up. How badly do you want your ‘why’? Just remember that your ‘why’ can evolve as you hang on and find success.

Now I hope everyone has enjoyed Memorial Day, and if you want to try a treat, I’ll leave you with a recipe from The Pioneer Woman.

Cherry Cake Pudding

Prep Time: 15 Minutes  

Cook Time: 40 Minutes  

Difficulty: Easy  

Servings: 10

Ingredients

• Cake
• 1 cup Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Butter, Softened
• 1 whole Egg
• 1 cup All-purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• ⅛ teaspoons Salt
• ½ cups Whole Milk
• 1 can (15 Ounces) Cherries In Syrup (NOT Cherry Pie Filling) Drained, Juice Reserved (Oregon Bing cherries is what Pioneer Woman recommends)
• ½ cups Pecans, Finely Chopped
• Sauce:
• 1 cup Juice From Cherries (add Water To Make 1 Cup If Necessary)
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon All-purpose Flour
• 1 Tablespoon Butter
• ½ teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• Unsweetened Freshly Whipped Cream

Preparation Instructions

 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Generously butter a square 9 x 9-inch baking dish.

Cream the sugar and butter. Add egg and mix well. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt then add to mixing bowl alternatively with milk. Add cherries and chopped nuts and mix gently. Pour batter into buttered pan and smooth out the surface. Bake for 40 minutes, or until golden brown on the surface and no longer jiggly.

While cake is baking, make the sauce by combining cherry juice, sugar, and flour in a small saucepan. Boil for 8 to 10 minutes, or until thick. Turn off heat and stir in 1 tablespoon butter and vanilla extract.

Drizzle 1/3 of the sauce on the cake as soon as you remove it from the oven. Spread to distribute over the surface and wait ten minutes before serving so the sauce will seep into the top of the cake a bit.

Spoon out pieces of warm, sticky cake and top with unsweetened whipped cream.

www.evprofessionals.com/concept

Do Something

So the little creep, ahem, George the little kitty, sucker-punched the Chihuahua and sent her flying. I mean this kitten is a firm believer in the concept, “Do Something”. Actually, more people should take a hint from George and do something. Anything! Now George he likes to live dangerously. I mean he thrives on ambushing the big cat, Elisha and three chihuahuas. The funny thing is, he usually succeeds. Now really, what have George and a bunch of pets have to do with anything important? I mean, who has time to waste watching this silliness?

Well, after many years of working as a police officer, I now work from home and get to observe the things I used to miss by being gone. OMG! You say, it’s one of those work from home scams. Let me reassure you; I work with a company that specializes in helping people earn some extra income on their own schedule. A company that is accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and has been around and doing business for over twenty-five years. Some people have a bad taste in their mouth over work from home opportunities. And yes, that makes it harder for the legit work from home opportunities. Most people seem to have the umbrella drink syndrome. You know the commercial thing where they sit around on the beach with a drink that has a little umbrella stuck in it, and are supposed to be making money.

Residual income is a great thing. Its money you earn for work you do one time, without having to do the work over and over again. The key is, you must work to get it started. A four letter word that so many people are running from. A word that requires that you follow the words of the thirty-second President, Franklin D. Roosevelt: “Do Something. If it works, do more of it. If it doesn't, do something else.” The same applies to many things in life, including working from home. Just ‘do something’ is the concept of a work from home business. And if what you are doing works, keep on doing the same activities. And if it doesn’t get you the results you want, do something different.

Just remember that a work from home business is not a JOB. You become your own boss, and determine whether you succeed or not. Don’t expect someone else to do the work for you. So like little George, do something! And while you’re thinking of what to do, you might like a little treat. My friend Barbara Burditt shared a recipe with us that she found in the Tulsa World, and the wife said I should share it with you.

Watermelon Salsa

3 cups finely diced seedless watermelon (from a 5-pound watermelon)

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup minced red onion

Juice of 2 limes

1/4 teaspoon salt

Tortilla chips, to serve

1. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients except salt.

2. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, and serve chilled or at room temperature with tortilla chips.

www.evprofessionals.com/concept

And the Winner Is

Well…..George hasn’t learned to stay off the table yet. The other day when no one was looking, he attacked a stack of napkins. George one, napkins zero. Tonight he attacked Devin’s Mickey Mouse light that was on the table. George two, Mickey Mouse light zero. Yet in between all of this, it was business as usual. One of the easiest things to do is work our schedule around the chaos of children and pets. Yes, we’re one of those, we work from home.

Now let Better Business Bureau (BBB) reassure you. Our work from home opportunity is accredited by the BBB. We specialize in helping people earn some extra income. The concept is quite simple, and best of all it works. Now as a police officer for over thirty years, and while working as an investigator for a county attorney’s office, I checked out this work from home opportunity to make sure it was legit. The last thing anyone wants is to be taken by a scam. Now when a company has been in business for over twenty-five years, and is accredited by the BBB, this isn’t a scam. It’s a genuine work from home business.

The concept is quite simple, but it’s not one of those get rich quick and do nothing deals. If that what you’re looking for, I have to disappoint you. Are you single and on the go? Or a parent with children and all the scheduling that goes with them? It doesn’t matter who you are or what you do, this opportunity specializes in helping people make that extra income they want. This business does require you to work, but yes, you set your own hours. Thomas Edison said it quite well; “The successful person makes a habit of doing what the failing person doesn’t like to do.” Are you one of the successful people? If you are, we’d love to partner up with you and show you how this concept works. 

The great concept of working from home is to have time to do what you want…..like learning to play in the kitchen. Now for a tasty item I found on Rachel Ray’s website by Plan B Mom.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

This is a classic Banana bread, moist and full of chocolate chips! It’s a great way to use overripe bananas, and tightly wrapped in foil it freezes well for up to three months. (Now my kids aren’t crazy about bananas, but this sure disappears fast when I make it).

1 ½ cups flour

¼ cup vegetable oil

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

2 eggs lightly beaten

3 bananas, mashed (about 1 cup of bananas)

1 cup chocolate chips

Preparation

Pre-heat oven to 350 degree

Grease and flour a 8 ½ inch X 4 ½ inch loaf pan (or use baking spray).

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, sugar and baking soda. Mix in the oil, bananas and eggs. Stir in the chocolate chips and pour in the prepared pan. Bake until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 60 to 70 minutes. Cool the loaf pan for 10 minutes, then turn out and cool completely, right side up.

www.evprofessionals.com/concept

Here We Go Again

Here we go again, the little monster, ahem, I mean George the kitten, is terrorizing the household again. It’s like one of those animated movies with the talking pets getting into trouble. He destroyed the stack of paper napkins on the table, leaving claw marks in the table cloth. I’m afraid to look under the table cloth. So I no sooner sit down,  and the little creep, ahem, I mean George the kitty, claws his way up my pant leg into my lap. It’s a good thing I wasn’t wearing shorts. And George, he only wanted to get to another chair where Elisha the adult cat was cowering in the dark under the table. Of course, then three of the children, ages 18, 19, and 29 all get in the act. I think they act worse than George at times.

Now most people are probably wondering what is he talking about? For many years, I missed out on the stupid, yet funny things that go on in a household. You know, the nine to five problem called a J O B. Of course in my case it meant three in the afternoon until eleven at night or eleven at night to seven in the morning. Then while I was going to college after working all night, I really didn’t see anyone, because when I was home, I was sound asleep. Now I’ve found something I wish I had found twenty-some years ago. A real, legit, work from home business. As a police officer for over thirty years, I know a scam when I see one. The first things to look at are, what does the Better Business Bureau (BBB) say? Is this business accredited by the BBB? Ours is. Do they tell you to not quit your day job? This one tells you if you have a job, hang on to it until the money is secure. Yet if you’ve lost your job, this one can help with that too. The real key to success means you do have to work.

Aldous Huxley, and English writer and author stated, “All that happens means something; nothing you do is ever insignificant.” Which means you have to do it, don’t expect someone else to do the work for you. Now here is the best part; you don’t have to work all hours of the day or night. You can set your own hours, because you decide what’s important to you, family, church, school activities. Or just finding a good recipe to try out on the family.

Courtesy of the Pioneer Woman, here’s one I’m gonna try called Pig Cake. Even the Pioneer Woman doesn’t know why it’s called Pig Cake.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/01/pig-cake/

Pig Cake

Prep Time: 10 Minutes  

Cook Time: 30 Minutes

Difficulty: Easy  

Servings: 16

Ingredients

• FOR THE CAKE:
• 1 box (18.25 Oz. Box) Yellow Cake Mix
• 1 stick Margarine (softened)
• 1 can (14 Oz. Can) Mandarin Oranges, Drained, 1/2 Cup Juice Reserved
• 4 whole Eggs
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• _____
• FOR THE TOPPING:
• 1 package (4 Oz. Box) Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix
• 1 can (20 Oz. Can) Crushed Pineapple, Juice Reserved
• ½ cups Powdered Sugar
• 4 ounces, fluid Frozen Whipped Topping (such As Cool Whip)
• Extra Mandarin Orange Slices, For Garnish

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. For the cake, combine cake mix, margarine, 1/2 cup juice from the mandarin oranges, eggs, and vanilla. Beat for four minutes on medium-high. Add drained oranges and beat again until pieces are broken up and small. Pour batter into greased and floured 9 x 13 inch baking pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown and set. Remove from oven and cool completely. If desired, turn out cake onto a large platter.

Once cake is cool, blend juice from drained pineapples with the vanilla pudding mix. Add powdered sugar and mix, then mix in whipped topping. Stir in drained pineapple. Spread on cooled cake and refrigerate.

To serve, cut cake into squares and top each square with a mandarin orange slice.

You’ll need a yellow cake mix, a can of mandarin oranges, a stick of margarine, four eggs, vanilla extract, vanilla pudding mix, powdered sugar, Cool Whip, and crushed pineapple. Throw in a stick of softened margarine. Not butter…margarine. It brings out the flavor of the cake mix. Crack in four eggs and add some vanilla extract. Brings out the flavor of the cake mix. Totally drain the oranges, reserving 1/2 cup of the syrupy juice. Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with baking spray (or just grease and flour it the way our grandmothers always did it.)

Spread the batter evenly in the pan, then bake it for 25 to 30 minutes, or until nice and golden and firm. While the cake is cooling (or once it’s cooled) add the vanilla pudding mix to the (clean, because you made your daughter wash it) mixing bowl. Drain a can of crushed pineapple. Saving all of the juice. (You might need to squish your hands in there and force out some of the liquid. It doesn’t always go willingly.)

Add the pineapple juice to the pudding mix… Then throw in some powdered sugar. Then grab some (softened in the fridge) Cool Whip…And plop in about half the carton. Whip it all together until fluffy, then stir in the drained crushed pineapple. Plop it on top of the cake…

Then spread it all over the top and sides of the cake. You can refrigerate it at this point if you’d like! The cake is great after a few hours of refrigeration. Lay a mandarin orange slice on the top of each square.

www.evprofessionals.com/concept