Chrystina Tovani

One of the things I love about the "Fall" season is a good soup simmering on the stove. It really makes a house feel like a home.

My son, who is 19, is living two hours away while he's in school and now calls me to ask for recipes. It made me think about documenting some of them to pass along to him.

So tonight for dinner we had something I'm calling "Almost Chicken and Dumplings." I made soup but didn't want to stand there rolling dough for dumplings so I added a little bit of potato and rice and it gave a really nice texture and flavor. The first time I made this recipe I put in a little too much rice and it turned into a rice dish so I tried it again tonight with less rice. I used 1/4 cup of rice and it was just on the verge of being too thick so next time maybe 1/3 cup of rice will make it just right.

This is a very basic recipe: It's simple and can be modified - instead of rice, make dumplings if you're up to it. The rice absorbs the broth, expands and softens. My husband didn't realize it WAS rice. LOL!

Cook time is going to be two sets of 45 minutes and one set of 20 minutes before it is ready to eat so plan accordingly. It smells wonderful while it's cooking. Makes you feel all warm and cozy. Great for those cold winter days.

Ingredients:

• One bunch of green onions (about 8)

Leeks are better but seem to be rather expensive these days so I have been using green onions for my soups and they seem to give it the sweetness and taste similar to leeks.

• 2-3 good sized stalks of celery. I also like to use the inside stalks with the leaves as it gives great celery flavor.

Chop fine. I don't like to bite into celery so the finer the better.

• Fresh garlic. I like a lot of garlic so I use about 4 or 5 cloves crushed in a garlic press.

• One 32 oz container of Chicken broth. I use Trader Joe's Organic Free Range broth because it has a strong flavor and isn't clear and watery like some brands.

• One teaspoon sea salt

• One teaspoon Poultry seasoning
  
  
• One bay leaf
  

• One teaspoon fresh ground pepper corns

• 3 tablespoons butter (you can also use olive oil)
  

Put chopped onions, celery and garlic in pan with butter and saute (stir constantly) just until it starts getting glossy and you can see it is cooked but not browned. Paula Deen says, "Everything tastes better with a stick of butter." So if you are cooking healthy use the olive oil. If you want the rich sweetness use butter.

Add broth and one cup of water. (if I have extra broth on hand I substitute by adding an extra cup of broth in place of the water, makes the soup have more flavor.)

Add a handful of chopped parsley, poultry seasoning, salt, pepper and bay leaf.

Bring to boil and add:

• Chicken

I use the boneless chicken breast that I buy at Trader Joe's in the frozen section.

• Baby Carrots

Small bag or about 2 cups worth

• Potatoes

3-4 small potatoes. Don't want to cut them too small because they will fall apart. I cut them in half or leave them whole (depends on how small.)

Directions:

Stir and bring to a nice soft boil and then set the stove temperature to low. On my electric stove, I set it to "3'. Cover pot with lid and set timer to 45 minutes. Let the soup simmer with a light boil. Return after 45 minutes to check on soup and stir. Cover again and set the timer for another 45 minutes.

After the second 45 minutes are up, check on the soup. Stir a little then add about 1/3 cup of uncooked long grain rice. You don't want to add too much rice because it will expand and absorb some of the liquid and adding too much rice will turn your soup into a rice pilaf. So unless you are looking to make rice pilaf, don't add too much rice. I learned the hard way.

After you add the rice, stir the soup and bring to a boil again. Not a raging boil but a soft boil. Stir once more and then set the burner temperature back to low. #2 or 3 on my stove. Cover pot and set timer to 20 minutes. Check and stir to see how the rice is cooking after time is up. You don't want it stuck to the bottom of the pot. It should be cooked after 20 minutes so once it looks done you can add 1 cup of half and half to the soup. You can also use cream but I rarely have it handy. I use half and half for coffee so we usually have it on hand. Milk will work also but be extra careful not to curdle it.

*IMPORTANT: Cream can take boiling, but milk will break. Don't let the soup come to a boil once the milk is added. Add the milk at the end and just heat it. If it does curdle it will still taste good but will look yucky.

You should have a flavorful, lightly rich chicken soup. The rice gets really soft as it absorbs the juice and will offer the thickness and satisfaction of noodles or dumplings without actually making dumplings. If you are up for it, then make dumplings instead of adding rice. Wild rice would be good too. I'm thinking of adding mushrooms and wild rice. There are many ways to experiment with this basic soup recipe.

The above photo had 1/4 cup of rice added and is thicker.

This time, I used only 1/3 cup of rice and liked it much better. I also cut up the chicken into bite sized pieces after it was cooked.

Bon Appetit!

*One way to save a soup or sauce if you accidentally curdle the milk is to add a binder such as a roux (made from flour and butter) or a slurry (made from cornstarch and water). Add a little as a thickening agent and it should bind the milk so you don't have the curdles.

I'm not endorsing or getting paid to talk about any products, just mentioning the ones I use because I like them best. Hey, I'm a huge Trader Joe's fan. They are right in my neighborhood; the employees are always friendly and helpful. I love the familiar, family, local merchant feel. Plus they have great prices! If you go into my kitchen you will see Trader Joe's brand on just about every food product. I like them. What can I say? You find a product or service you like and you stick with it. That's how I roll.

Many homeowners are finding themselves in financial distress these days as a result of bad loans and unemployment. They are asking, "How do I refinance when I owe more than my property is worth?" or "How can I get a loan modification?" With property values in decline many homeowners owe much more on their homes than the property is worth which makes refinancing impossible. Selling the home seems out of the question because the sales price would not pay off the loans that they owe on the home. Foreclosure may seem the only action which will cause catastrophic effects on the home-owner's credit.

Homeowners are in a query of what to do to save their homes from foreclosure and are reaching out grasping straws to find ANY solution that will save them from this awful situation. Sadly, many become victims of rescue foreclosure scams in a desperate effort to save their homes.

There are some alternatives. Don't ignore phone calls or letters from your lender. Contact your lender to see if you can get a loan modification. If you find you are getting nowhere with your lender, contact a HUD approved counseling agency. You can find on at www.hud.gov. You should not have to pay for a legitimate housing counselor.

Beware of loan modification companies popping up everywhere. Contact an attorney if you can afford one or contact a local law school. In Sacramento there is the McGeorge Law School.

Another alternative to foreclosure is a short sale. In a short sale, the owner/debtor sells the property for less than the outstanding balance owed on the loan. A short sale will remain on a person's credit report for seven years but has less of an impact and is less costly as a foreclosure. Usually the a person can still purchase another home within 1 to 3 years after a short sale. The lender must approve the short sale based on their own criteria and the debtor must prove a financial hardship. Lenders often have loss mitigation departments that evaluate potential short sale transactions. The majority have a pre-determined criteria for such transactions, but they may be open to offers, and their willingness varies. A bank will typically determine the amount of equity (or lack thereof), by determining the probable selling price from an appraisal or Broker Price OpinionBPO or BOV). (abbreviated

Don't let the name fool you. A short sale is not a "quick sale." It does sound like it should be quick but it's far from it. I wonder whose bright idea it was to call it a short sale. =) I was pre-qualifying a buyer the other day and she mentioned that she would like to buy a "Quick short sale" property. It made me realize that not everyone understands or knows about terms that are used in the real estate and loan industry. I read the mortgage and real estate news daily because it is my job but the majority of the public only reads this stuff when it has to do with them personally. It is my job to educate and protect the best interest of those who come to me for help. Though I do get a little chuckle out of how the terms are comprehended at times. Shows how important it is to explain.

Photos courtesy of bigstockphoto.com

Renting vs owning. Renting works fine for some people. In some areas rent prices have begun to come down. How does that effect the difference between the cost of home ownership over the cost of renting? I don't think there is one right or wrong answer when it comes to the question, "Is it better to rent or own a home?" There are pros and cons to both sides.

Owning a home is no longer a get rich quick type of investment. Home ownership allows a set price for a house payment. While the interest rates are lower than they have been in years, taking advantage of getting in on a fixed 30 rate allows the home owner to live in the home without the price adjusting upwards in the coming years. Renting gives no guarantees to the amount of rent you'll be paying ten years from now for the same size home. Home ownership does build equity, over time. If you plan to live in the home for awhile, chances are good that when you sell it you will get back what you put into it and then some.

Home ownership is very emotional for the homeowner. Home owners have the advantage of upgrades and renovations. How many people tune in to HGTV? You won't get this with a rental. If I were renting I might paint a room (with the landlord's permission, of course) but there's no way I would invest in upgrading somebody else' property.

Home ownership has tax advantages. Renting has no tax advantages.

Real estate is a fickle industry. Housing prices have dropped but how low will they go? Are we at the bottom yet? And what happens when we do bottom out and prices begin to rise again? Nobody will know that until the time comes. By the time we know, it will be too late for those who didn't take advantage when the time was right. That is how real estate seems to flow. All anyone can do is educate themselves and make the choice that works out best for their own situation.

I was looking at a townhouse the other day. It is a three bedroom two bath 1300 sqaure feet with a two car garage. It was listed at $77,000. I did a quick mortgage calculation based on a VA loan with no downpayment and including taxes and insurance the mortgage payment was less than $600/month. In Sacramento the average rental on a one bedroom apartment is around $695/month.

Does it make more sense to rent or to buy? What do you think?

Unfortunately there are “Slick Willies” in this world. But not all sales people are “Slick Willies.”

Some sales people need an attitude adjustment. Slick Willies abound!

I was shopping for a new cell phone service. I do not like the forced contracts that most cell phone carriers impose on customers. They rope you in with the new phones but you must agree to a contract with a hefty fine if you change your service. Service? They call THAT service?

I went online and looked at several of the major companies who offer no contracts. I did my research on each company and what they had to offer. Service prices, prices on phones, etc. I did my comparison shopping. I did not want a company with a contract, however, if you don’t get a contract, you have to pay full retail for the phone. I could have ordered my phone and gotten my service online but instead I chose to go to several of the local stores in my area and see what they offered.

The first store I visited had a young guy working at the counter and when I walked in he had an arrogant attitude. As if I were taking up his precious time and he casually pointed over to the phones on the wall and blurted out prices and what phones came with it. When I looked at the phones they were way more expensive than the ones I had seen online. I told him that I had seen the phone offered online for a lot less that what his company was offering. He told me that the service that I saw online was no longer available with that company and that I had to buy one of those phones and I would get one month free of the “higher” service price. He acted like he was bored and didn’t want to spend any time waiting on me if I wasn’t going to buy one of the more expensive brands. It was bad enough that I was looking for an affordable priced phone. He just wanted to get rid of me. Wow, now I'll remember that guy everytime I pass by that store.

Well stick a fork in me, I'm done. LOL!

I felt lower than a toad stool. Like I was nothing and the only way to redeem my self was to BUY, buy, buy... the more expensive phone. Then maybe this guy would stop being such an a**. Thankfully, I got myself out of that store promptly. That’s what I call intimidation. Feeling judged. So what if I’m trying to save money and we ARE on a budget. And no, I don’t have an IPhone. So what? Actually, I would love an expensive toy to play with and surf the net with. Man that would be handy. I realize that for some folks this is a priority or needed for their business. As a loan officer, I don't need all of that right now. I refuse to be pushed into something I don't need. My ego can do without the fancy phone for now. I,m not the only person concerned about being more frugle with our economy in the state it is in. Sorry, Mr. Slick! I ain't buying what you're selling.

There is still hope! Great sales people DO exist!

I didn’t let the first sales guy's rudeness discourage me and I went yet to another store. This time when I walked in I told the new sales guy (his name is Allen) exactly what I needed and what I wanted to pay. He walked right over to the phone he thought would work for me, showed it to me and explained why it would be the best fit for my needs. He was not judgmental or rude and he was not treating me like I was wasting his time. He really understood what my needs were and listened with an open heart. I didn’t feel ashamed because I wasn’t buying a fancy phone with all the bells and whistles. Which is what the guy at the first store I went to made me feel like. I remembered this guy's name and was so greatful for his help.

Also, there were the same phones that I saw at the first store that the sales guy (now referred to as Slick Willy) was pushing on me with the higher prices and telling me that the service I had seen online didn’t exist. Guess what? Slick Willy was lying. The second store had them with the lower price and the service I had been looking at WAS available.

Moral of the story. Don’t feel ashamed if you have to live on a budget. Most people do. Shop around for services and if you run into a “Slick Willy” who makes you feel bad, move on. Keep looking. You will find a decent sales person, like Allen, who will listen to your needs and help you find a suitable product for your individual situation.

Attitude shows and the customer feels it. A good sales person accommodates the needs of the customer. It isn't all about what you can get but what you can give that brings back referrals. Many people now days are learning to live within their means and there is absolutely nothing shameful about being careful how you spend your hard earned money.

Just keep on saying no!

Another recent occurance is a company who keeps calling me because I purchased a domain name. They want to sell me a service that I don't want or need. I get a canned speech where the same sales guy (I recognize him but he has called too many people to realize he has called me before) inserts my name all over the place which is annoying in itself and then proceeds to ask me if I intend on being found on the internet or if I am not interested in being found. Yeah, insult me and then I'm going to want to buy from you.

Ah, the Slick Willies are out there! Beware!

Photos courtesy of BigStockPhoto.com

H.R. 2801: Home Ownership Moves the Economy (HOME) Act of 2009 is a bill set to go before congress to extend the Home Buyer Tax Credit to U.S. citizens. The current home buyer tax credit allows first time home buyers (buyers who have not owned a home in the last three years) to receive a credit of 10% of the purchase price up to $8000.

There are some restrictions.

• Income must be under $75,000 or $150,000 filing jointly. There is a reduced credit for individuals earning up to $95,000 or $170,000 jointly.
  
• The home must be a first time purchase.
  
• The home may not be sold within three years of purchase or the credit will need to be paid back.

The tax credit allows the buyer to claim the credit either on their 2008 or 2009 tax return and if they do not owe enough taxes after the credit has been applied, the credit balance will be refunded to them in cash.

The tax credit is set to expire on December 1, 2009. Real estate agents and lenders are preparing for the rush to get escrows closed in time for buyers to qualify before the tax credit expires. There are still many buyers who have procrastinated or have not found a home yet and as we are heading to the final stretch of time available to close an escrow, those buyers who are just getting into contract in October may be putting themselves at risk not to close in time. With stricter lending policies and changes that have occurred in the last year, it may take longer to get an escrow processed. Many lenders these days are operating with a skeleton crew.

Home builders and Realtors are lobbying for the extension which if passed will extend the tax credit for one year and will remove the income restriction and requirement that the home be a first time purchase. Let's hope they are successful in accomplishing this goal since it will increase home sales and create jobs.

If the H.R. 2801 bill is passed to extend the the tax credit beyond the December 1, 2009 deadline there would be:

• No income limits.
• Tax credit for all home buyers, not just first time buyers.

From the article I read, it stated that it is estimated to increase home sales by 383,000 and create nearly 350,000 jobs. Something much needed for our economy.