Melissa Kulikoff

It's time for soup, stew and comfort foods.....mmmm. Tonight I'm making a classic Russian staple (soup), It is called Lapsha. This soup is not hearty, it is light. You can make it with chicken, turkey, lamb or even beef stock. My favorite is turkey. Do not throw out those turkey bones, make Lapsha.

Russian Lapsha- made from turkey

1 package turkey necks in a stock pot covered with water

1 stalk of celery & 4 cloves of garlic pealed

Simmer for a few hours, you home will smell wonderful, I promise. At this point you can add a pinch of herb, thyme works well, but I usually keep it simple.

Strain broth, salt to taste and put it back on the stove, add a few egg noodles. I use Russian Lapsha noodles that are thin like angel hair pasta but flat and made from egg rather than semolina. You can substitute your choice of noodle. I order my noodles from ladies in LA that make them by hand.

Cook at a low simmer. They will expand and soak up the broth so don't add too much at first.

I serve this soup Russian style with sliced crusty bread & fresh butter, cucumbers and tomato sliced and tossed in fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper. This is usually a first course followed by a roast.

Enjoy and please share your favorite fall comfort food recipe with me :)

I called AR today for info, still waiting for a call back. Hope to hear from them soon.

Is there a better number for me to contact AR?

I'm paying $30 per month, would like to speak with someone soon.

When the guy from AR wanted me to become a Rain Maker he called me all the time, now I cannot get him to return my call the same day.

It's chilly, but not cold. When I first purchased this home, we decided on a fire pit for the yard. It is a few feet deep, surrounded by native rock and I love it.

My nails finally recovered from pulling all the huge watermelon size rocks out of the dirt to construct this thing! Every Fall and Winter, we enjoy it.

I also have a HUGE cedar tree, about 30 feet high and wide, one little cedar branch makes the whole yard smell like Christmas. Note: The cedar tree is VERY far away from my fire pit. We are smart like that :)

This is just another one of the joys of home ownership. I hope to help many others make their dreams come true in the coming years. You certainly cannot do this in an apartment!

Why not quote a rate & get everyone excited about my low rates? Why not say I'm at 4.5%? Just to get the business? I do not agree with quoting rates on a blog because they change faster than the weather in TX. The rate is based on many factors, not just the latest DOW numbers.

Folks,

If you ever see me quote a rate on a blog, you are welcome to come and egg my home!

I just will not do it. I may state a range, but to say a 30yr fixed FHA loan is at 4.875% today is irresponsible. To publish a rate online, knowing full well that the rates can change in a matter of minutes is ludicrous.

There are websites that list national averages for the week. I'm fine with that.

What I can say is my rates are usually better than the big box bank.

My clients also enjoy moving in to their homes on time, experiencing excellent service during the loan process and less worry. They know I'm taking care of them personally.

With the Dow going over 10k today, we already started to see tiny pricing changes in the mortgage market. Ask your buyers if their rate is locked in. Request a letter from the big box bank signed by a manager to evidence the rate and program is locked and when it expires. These are just a few ways you can protect your buyers in this tumultuous market.

Mortgage rates are still very low. Even last year they were very low. If you are afraid of losing business when rates go back to 6%, then do your home work now.

6% is still a fantastic rate. Look back at the 80's, they would have given their first born for a 6% rate.

Right now we are still in hovering in the high 4's and low 5's depending upon credit score, loan program, the state you live in and whether you are paying extra points for a lower rate. I hate to quote rates on a blog, so I give an average range.

If you have a very low credit score, you could be in the high 5's right now. So do not believe everything you see on TV. Usually mortgage companies and banks marketing rates offer the best rate, under the best circumstances for folks with 20% down and perfect credit.

As long as you are working with someone you trust, you should not be fooled.

However, BEWARE.........rates are starting to tip toe up a bit.