Marys Community Corner

Success often depends on the ability to manage our time well. Whether scheduling meetings, doing the books, training new people or introducing a new product or service, successful business owners know that every day is a calculated race against the clock. But what about non-business time? That has a dollar value, too. How you use—or misuse—your free time is a determining factor in the quality of life you and your family enjoy. That’s why some people can work 70 or 80 hours a week, yet still manage to participate in a highly rewarding home life. Meanwhile, others see leisure time as an opportunity to channel surf the television and then fall asleep on the couch. Or they devote their down time to household chores and yard maintenance, even though they’d rather be out playing golf. We Spend Time…Just Like We Spend Money We can waste time…just like we can waste money. You may want to ask yourself, “how can you get the best value from your non-working time?” Evaluate how to best use time in...

4 to 8 oz. Mahi Mahi fillets Salt and pepper 1 clove garlic, pressed Juice of 1/2 lemon 1/2 c. oil 1/4 c. slivered almonds 2 tbsp. butter Minced parsley Lemon juice Rinse and wipe fillets dry. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix garlic second lemon juice with oil. Marinate fish for 30 minutes. Remove from marinade and place pieces on a greased, heated grill, arranging so the fillets do not touch each other. Brush fish frequently with the marinade. Grill 4or 5 minutes on each side. Cook until fish flakes easily. Top with almond topping. Saute 1/4 cup slivered almonds in 2 tablespoons butter until light, golden brown. Stir in minced parsley and a few drops of lemon juice. Spoon over grilled fish and serve immediately. I am serving this tonight with yams and steamed zucchini.

Since the onset of the Internet, there has been a tremendous increase in the number of people who opt to buy products online. This can be convenient when you know exactly what you want, but may not always be the best route when more information—or even advice—is needed. While many consumers frequently buy commodities like CDs, books and clothing on the Internet, some shoppers harbor concerns about purchasing financial products, such as life insurance, online. While the Internet can be a valuable resource for information and comparison shopping, it does not replace a face-to-face meeting with a trusted insurance professional. The Value of a Relationship In general, many people have mixed emotions when it comes to inputting personal information into the Web, especially information pertaining to insurance and financial products. Some people worry that their privacy will be violated once their information is entered into a Web site. An additional issue for people is accountability: In the ...

Ingredients 5 large shallots, peeled and halved 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh thyme 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 4 4-ounce filet mignon or sirloin steaks,1 1/4 inches thick, trimmed 3/4 cup Madeira 1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium beef broth 1 teaspoon butter, softened 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon tomato paste 1/4 cup pitted prunes, coarsely chopped Preparation 1. Preheat oven to 425°F. 2. Toss shallots with 1 teaspoon oil in a small baking pan. Roast until beginning to brown, about 25 minutes. 3. Meanwhile, combine thyme, salt and pepper in a small bowl; rub the mixture all over steaks. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the steaks and cook, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent burning, 4-6 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to a plate; tent with foil to keep warm. 4. Add Madeira to the pan and cook for 1 minute. Add broth and br...

2 sm. eggplants, split in half lengthwise 1 pound ground turkey 2 tbsp. cooking oil 6 tbsp. sweet butter or magarine 1 tbsp. chopped shallots 1/2 lb. mushrooms, chopped 1 tsp. minced garlic (more if desired) 1 tbsp. tomato sauce 1 tbsp. salt 1 tsp. white pepper 4 tbsp. bread crumbs 1 egg, beaten 1 tbsp. chopped parsley 1 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese Sprinkle cooking oil over eggplant halves; bake, uncovered in preheated 400 degree oven for 15 minutes. Melt butter in saucepan. Add shallots, saute 5 minutes (do not brown). Add mushrooms, saute 5 minutes, add garlic, saute 2 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, salt and pepper. Stir in ground turkey and sautee until done. Remove eggplant pulp and chop finely. Add mushroom mixture and blend over stove. Mix in bread crumbs, egg and parsley. Fill eggplant shells with mixture. Sprinkle with grated cheese and place in preheated 450 degree oven 10 minutes or until brown.

Recessions are an historical fact. In the United States the first recession to occur since the signing of the Declaration of Independence was the Panic of 1797. There was the Depression of 1807 and another again, the Panic of 1819. You get the idea. There have been a total of 22 recessions we have encountered since this country was founded. That is an average of one recession every 10.59 years since 1776. Have we been through this before? Yes. Unemployment, stock market declines or “crashes”, inflation, deflation, stagflation are all part of our vocabulary due to a rich history of experience, experimentation, and evolution of our current market system. Today we live in a society with the largest middle class historically. Much of this has to do with the evolution of economics from the very earliest of times. At any rate, WILL we recover from current market conditions? History tells us we will. WHEN will we recover from current market conditions? No one has a crystal ball although many ...

I am awake tonight, my spouse in bed, and I am contemplating Forgiveness. Why, some may ask. And it is no wonder. I met my spouse at the age of 40… and came to the relationship with more than a little baggage. She knows that deeply. Even after 10 years of sharing love, passion, and life, I still have some work to do. Not life changing work. More like life affirming work. I found a webpage and it speaks to me on this topic: http://www.bhaktilife.com/forgiveness.html “The spiritual path is a path of letting go of our false identities and learning to identify with our True Nature - the Self. Forgiveness is an essential element of letting go, a purification that clears away karma. Karma, both good and bad, binds us to our human existence. Karma is the unfinished business we have with the world. When Jesus hung on the cross he asked God to "forgive them, for they know not what they do." His Cosmic Compassion and Cosmic Wisdom allowed Him to forgive those who were torturing Him and...