Cornbread and BBQ Ribs

Nothing beats a hunk of cornbread with rack of slow smoked BBQ ribs.

I got out my Griswold cast iron skillet that has been perfectly seasoned over the course of many years. Cornbread in a cast iron skillet is the only way to go. It gets a nice crispy crust on the bottom.

Cornbread Ingredients:

2 cups of cornmeal (yellow or white)

½ cup sifted flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 egg lightly beaten

2 cups buttermilk

2 tablespoons bacon drippings or vegetable oil

Method:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Put the drippings or oil in a cast iron skillet and place it in the oven for a few minutes until it’s sizzling. Mix together dry ingredients. Set aside. Whisk egg and buttermilk. Mix with dry ingredients Take cast iron skillet out of oven, and pour hot oil into batter, and mix. Pour batter into cast iron skillet, bake in oven for 20 minutes. Cornbread should be brown on top and pulling away from the sides of the skillet.

The basic cornbread recipe does not have any sugar or sweetening. I added one can of drained whole kernel corn and a couple of tablespoons of sugar in the raw. I also added a hand full of Bacos (imitation bacon bits)

Quick tip....

If a recipe calls for buttermilk but you don't have any on hand, simply measure one tablespoon of vinegar into a measuring cup. Add enough milk to bring it up to the one cup level. Wait 5 minuters and "Walla......." one cup of buttermilk.

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Costello Calls To Buy A Computer From Abbott....

I know EXACTLY how this feels

You have to be old enough to remember Abbott and Costello, and too old to REALLY understand computers, to fully appreciate this. For those of us who sometimes get flustered by our computers, please read on...If Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were alive today, their infamous sketch, 'Who's on First?' might have turned out something like this:


COSTELLO CALLS TO BUY A COMPUTER FROM ABBOTT

ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?
COSTELLO: Thanks. I'm! setting up an office in my den and I'm thinking about buying a computer.
ABBOTT: Mac?
COSTELLO: No, the name's Lou .
ABBOTT: Your computer?
COSTELLO: I don't own a computer. I want to buy one.
ABBOTT: Mac?
COSTELLO: I told you, my name's Lou.
ABBOTT: What about Windows?
COSTELLO: Why? Will it get stuffy in here?
ABBOTT: Do you want a computer with Windows?
COSTELLO: I don't know. What will I see when I look at the windows?
ABBOTT: Wallpaper.
COSTELLO: Never mind the windows. I need a computer and software.
ABBOTT: Software for Windows?
COSTELLO: No. On the computer! I need something I can use to write proposals, track expenses and run my business. What do you have?
ABBOTT: Office.
COSTELLO: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything?
ABBOTT: I just did.
COSTELLO: You just did what?
ABBOTT: Recommend something.
COSTELLO : You recommended something?
ABBOTT: Yes.
COSTELLO: For my office?
ABBOTT: Yes.
COSTELLO: OK, what did you recommend for my office?
ABBOTT: Office.
COSTELLO: Yes, for my office!
ABBOTT: I recommend Office with Windows.
COSTELLO: I already have an office with windows! OK, let's just say I'm sitting at my computer and I want to type a proposal. What do I need?
ABBOTT: Word.
COSTELLO: What word?
ABBOTT: Word in Office.
COSTELLO: The only word in office is office.
ABBOTT: The Word in Office for Windows.
COSTELLO: Which word in office for windows?
ABBOTT: The Word you get when you click the blue 'W'.
COSTELLO: I'm going to click your blue 'W' if you don't start with some straight answers. What about financial bookkeeping? You have anything I can track my money with?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: That's right. What do you have?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: I need money to track my money?
ABBOTT: It comes bundled with your computer.
COSTELLO: What's bundled with my computer?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: Money comes with my computer?
ABBOTT: Yes. No extra charge.
COSTELLO: I get a bundle of money with my computer? How much?
ABBOTT: One copy.
COSTELLO: Isn't it illegal to copy money?
ABBOTT: Microsoft gave us a license to copy Money.
COSTELLO: They can give you a license to copy money?
ABBOTT: Why not? THEY OWN IT!

(A few days later)

ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?
COSTELLO: How do I turn my computer off?
ABBOTT: Click on 'START'...............

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Snippets on the economy...... Very interesting

Here are three snippets on the economy that Dan O'Brien of Educated Mortgage Services sent out in his Real Estate Report. Very Interesting......

Some economic analysts say that the possibility that the economy will go into overdrive and inflation will skyrocket is a much more frightening possibility than the current recession. One inflation hedge nearly all of them point to is real estate. Owning it outright is the best scenario, but if that’s not possible, a low-rate, 30-year fixed home loan is the next best thing. As inflation drives up salaries, home loan payments will stay the same, analysts point out. Source: USA Today

It looks like sales of new homes have finally bottomed out. The Commerce Department reported last week that after hitting a record low in January, 74 percent lower than they were in July 2005, new home sales rose in February and were flat in March. "We believe that the bottom is at hand and that sales will begin turning in the second half of this year," writes IHS Global Insight economist Patrick Newport. "As previous recessions show, demand for new homes does not evaporate altogether, even in the hardest of times." Median sales prices are still falling, down 12 percent in March compared to the same month the previous year. Analysts say they are likely to remain low until inventory is sold off. Source: The Associated Press

Walk Score identifies San Francisco as the most walkable city in the United States, mainly due to the close proximity of amenities in its Chinatown, Financial District, and Downtown neighborhoods. New York’s Tribeca, Little Italy, and Soho neighborhoods helped it land a No. 2 ranking on the Web site’s list of the most walkable cities, with Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Seattle, the District of Columbia, Long Beach, Los Angeles, and Portland rounding out the top 10, in that order. Experts say more people are moving to urban areas as a way to spend less money on gas, though convenience and exercise also play a role. The Center for Neighborhood Technology–which insists a shift in transportation spending is necessary to make mass transit more efficient–says individuals reduce their annual gas expenses by as much as $2,100 when they live in urban areas versus outer-ring suburbs. Source: Seattle Times


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Online Seller Advantage....

Continued from "Selling our Home..."

The flowers are bloomingin the front flower bed. We already have bleeding hearts along with the daffodils and the rest of the spring flowers. The potted palms that we brought back from Florida are doing fine outside. The red pump and water bucket sure look nice. Although we have had several showings and are encouraged by the feedback from other Realtors, I realize that a lot of the activity is behind the scenes in cyberspace.

Studies show that up to 85% of home buyers have done extensive searches on the internet long before contacting a Realtor to help them.

Every day the Prudential “Online Seller Advantage” program sends us a report of internet activity on our home and other homes in the immediate area. This tells us what is going on behind the scenes in cyberspace on four of the most powerful interrelated websites.

From a recent report we learned:

On Prudential Real Estate (http://www.prudentialrealestate.com/) Your listing's Property Details page was viewed 5 times by Yahoo! visitors who entered your unique Pru ID in Yahoo! Search. Your property was returned in the results of 257 searches. Your property was viewed in Search Results 33 times. The Property Details page for your listing was viewed 65 times. Your property was saved in 7 customer portfolio.


On Tulia (http://www.tulia.com/) your property was clicked on 17 times to get more information on the Prudential Real Estate site.

On Yahoo! (http://www.yahoo.com/) You property was clicked on 19 times to get more information on the Prudential Real Estate site.


On Zillow (http://www.zillow.com/) Your property was clicked on 15 times to get more information on the Prudential Real Estate site.


On the latest "Online Seller Advantage" report we also learned that:

• 2 new properties came on the market in geographic area and price range.


• The Status of 3 properties in our geographic area and price range was changed to sold


• The Status of 1 property was changed to "Pending" - (accepted offer with all contingencies removed)


• The listing contract on one property (which had previously been taken off the market) expired.

With daily reports like this, I am able to monitor the market as it affects my own home. If market activity warrants a price adjustment, I have current market information to help me. What an advantage this is... I truly have an “Online Seller Advantage….”

In the box just below this post is a link to “Comments”. Climb aboard “Life in the Slow Lane……..” Click this link and share your life and thoughts with me, or just drop a note and say “Hi.”

Selling our Home and "Online Seller Advantage"....

For the last couple of years we have been looking for a place where we could keep the motor home right at the house.

In the course of 2 years we looked at well over 50 homes. What an adventure…… home hunting. The house would have to be just right and in the right location for us to act on it. We looked at many wonderful homes, but none of them fit all of our needs.

We finally found a perfect location, and decided to build a home to our exact needs. Our new home should be ready this fall, so it is time to sell our present home.

In my career I have talked with dozens of people about selling their homes. I carefully inspect the home and then give the Sellers advice on how to make their home more marketable. I point out that they do not have the only home on the market and they will be competing against every other listing in their price range and in their geographic area. I might suggest painting or repairs or lawn clean up and landscaping. After all, a Buyer’s first impression is the strongest.

Now comes the tough part, wearing two hats and following my own advice.

Irene and I have live here for 21 years and over the years we have updated the home and kept it in good repair. With a critical eye, I try to look at our home as a Buyer would. All of a sudden, the look of our home changes. I see little things that we have been overlooking but things that the critical eye of a new Buyer would likely see. We make a list of projects and headed for Menards. The finished basement gets a fresh coat of paint along with one of the bedrooms. The winter has taken a toll on the deck and front porch so they were pressure washed and painted. Here is the shaded deck - sure is great on a warm summer evening.

Gee….. by the time we got done with all the painting and organizing, it looks so nice we don’t want to move.

Last week Irene had a load of red mulch delivered and now the flower beds in front lawn are looking pretty fancy. She spread more fertilizer and it is starting to green up real good. It’s going to look great after a couple of weeks when all the flowers bloom.

Before I put our home on the Multiple Listing Service, I wanted to price it just right. To do this I used a Prudential Exclusive program called "Online Seller Advantage."

I was able to enter a description of our home and the address into the computer. When I entered a price, the "Online Seller Advantage" program generated a report showing how many people are presently searching online for a home like mine. By entering different prices, I got a different report, so I could easily see the best price to attract the greatest number of home buyers. This helps to take the guesswork out of listing a home, and is an exclusive to Prudential Real Estate.

"Online Seller Advantage" also generates a daily report and emails it to the home seller. This report shows the number of times the home has been viewed on line along with similar homes on the market in my area. It also shows any new homes that come on the market and any price changes in the homes that are presently on the market.

By using this technology, I am able to keep up to ever changing conditions in my very own neighborhood and react quickly to these changes.

Our home is now on the Multiple Listing Service. So now the adventure begins. Stay tuned for exciting updates. Click this link to see the listing.

http://scwmls.fnismls.com/publink/default.aspx?GUID=c6498d12-340b-44ee-8e7a-787b0882b29c&Report=Yes

In the box just below this post is a link to “Comments”. Climb aboard “Life in the Slow Lane……..” Click this link and share your life and thoughts with me, or just drop a note and say “Hi.”

Come on Endorphins.....

LIFE IN THE SLOW LANE is indeed very enjoyable. It is learning to live and enjoy life one day at a time.

I took a new look at life back in October of 2004 when I was diagnosed with cancer. I had surgery in October and started chemotherapy in Jan 2005. My oncologist told me that I would not feel good and would be quite weak during chemotherapy, so same my strength for something I liked.

In May of 2005 I was able to time my good days and bad days (chemotherapy) and drove to Kansas City to take a BBQ course that was sponsored by the Kansas City BBQ Society. That’s all it took – I was hooked.

“Doing the Q” is in itself very relaxing. Once everything is in the smoker, it is just a matter of watching the temperature and the smoke being produced. This watchful vigilance lends itself very well to a folding lounge chair, cold libation, and the company of friends and neighbors who stop by to talk smart and tell lies, and sample the BBQ. Why..... in the course of a couple of hours my neighbor and I can solve all the problems of the whole world.

One of the side effects of the cancer drug that I have to take for 5 years is weight gain. This, along with a more relaxed lifestyle and eating lots of good BBQ has done a number on me.

I started going to Weight Watchers with my older brother when I was in Florida. When I got back to Madison I continued going to the meetings and following the program. I am happy to say that it is working and I have already lost 22 lbs.

I am told that weight loss without exercise is possible, but an exercise routine sure helps to tone the muscles and take off the pounds. That being said, I am here to announce that I am not one to step foot inside a gym. Been there – done that – never again.

That leaves me to my own devices for exercise.

Take Gizmo for a walk every day. It is just short of a mile from our driveway, up to the corner, around the block, and back home. That would seem like a decent walk, except for Gizmo. Not only does she have to “stop to drop” but she has to sniff at every fire hydrant and every other canine community message board. And, of course, she has to leave a “Pee Mail” for all her buddies in the neighborhood.

A walk around the block with Gizmo does not get my heart pumping fast and give me any sort of work out.

I considered taking up jogging – but after wrapping my mind around the idea for less than a minute, I dismissed that as a bad idea. My knees would not take the pounding, AND…. I have never seen a jogger with a smile on his face. Sure says lots about the sport, doesn’t it?

Now it comes down to taking a walk – without Gizmo. That I can do.

Somewhere I heard about East Towne Early Morning Walkers and decided to check it out. East Towne Mall opens at 7 AM every day (8 AM on Sunday). From the time the mall opens till the time stores open, the public is welcome to walk the mall.

One full lap around the mall (including all the extensions) comes to about 3/4 mile. 2 laps equal about a 1 ½ miles, and 4 laps equal 3 miles.

I have been walking there for about 3 weeks now and have worked my way up to 4 “Go rounds.” On any particular morning I will find between 30 and 50 people making the rounds inside the mall. There are several people who walk with a cane, and one regular Early Morning Walker carries an oxygen tank. This is just a group of people who are using the mall to get their daily exercise.

McDonalds opens early in the food court, so the walkers can get coffee, juice, and breakfast. About 7:30 AM some of the tables fill up. People are finished with their walk and sit around visiting with their friends. There is even one table that has a cribbage game going almost every morning.

These people are enjoying “LIFE IN THE SLOW LANE…….”

Now, about the endorphins………

Endorphins 101 – your guide to natural euphoria. By: Melissa Walker and reviewed by: David Slotnick, M.D. is an entertaining read about endorphins. This explains the natural high from the release of endorphins.

http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com/endorphins-101-your-guide-natural-euphoria.html

I find that the first round at East Towne is a drag but after that it gets better. On the second “Go round” I start breathing a little faster and my heart rate increases. By the halfway mark of my third “Go round” I am starting to feel a little light headed. For my fourth “Go round” I try to pick up the pace and walk as fast as I can. By the end of the third mile, I am feeling more light headed and a little on the giddy side. Is this endorphins starting to kick in? Probably not, but I am still waiting for the euphoric high.

What is truly amazing to me is that something that I approached in fear and trepidation is now an enjoyable part of my day. It gets the blood flowing, the lungs working, and seems to clear the cobwebs to start the day off right.

The best part….. Unlike jogging, this is something I can do with a smile on my face. In fact most of the East Town Early Morning Walkers smile and greet each other with a cheery “good morning”. What a great way to start the day.

In the box just below this post is a link to “Comments”. Climb aboard “Life in the Slow Lane……..” Click this link and share your life and thoughts with me, or just drop a note and say “Hi.”

J.D. Power Award.....

What separates a GREAT company from just a good company?

Customer satisfaction......

This is clearly evident when we see reports in the national news about customer satisfaction and consumer complaints in the airline industry, the banking industry, and many other industries including the real estate industry.

It’s time to celebrate.

Prudential Real Estate received the J.D. Powers award for highest Customer Satisfaction for home sellers in 2008.

Prudential Real Estate has long been a leader in new technology, especially with “Online Seller Advantage.” This technology gives home sellers daily feedback reports, not only about their own property, but all other similar properties in their area. Home sellers know what is happening in that mysterious world of cyberspace and computer real estate searches. The seller can react quickly to any change in the local market giving him an “Online Seller Advantage.”

Of course technology is only as good as the professionals using it. GREAT professionals and GREAT technology = GREAT customer satisfaction.

Click on the Video for the story....

Congratulations, Prudential……