Burlington Township, NJ

Also the perfect comfort food for the coming snowstorm in Burlington County! This awesome recipe is from my friend Christine in Texas. Perfect for the Super Bowl-- or any party for that matter, this chili is sure to please your family and guests! Enjoy!

Christine's Award Winning Chili

Meats:
3 pounds chuck pot roast
2 pounds boneless pork ribs
2 pounds bulk Italian sausage

Veggies and liquid spices:
6 (15 ounce) cans chili beans, drained
2 (15 ounce) cans chili beans in spicy sauce
4 (28 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with juice
2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
2 large yellow onion, chopped
6 stalks celery, chopped
2 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
4 green chile peppers, seeded and chopped (I used serranno)
2 tablespoons bacon bits
8 cubes beef bouillon
1 cup beer (Budweiser)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (use the thick one)
2 tablespoons minced garlic (from the jar with the "juice")
1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (e.g. Tabasco^TM)

Dry spice mix:
1/2 cup chili powder
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons white sugar

First, you're gonna need something like a big huge cast iron cauldron - use cast iron if you can.

Sear the pot roast and ribs in a little oil in a cast iron pan to seal the exterior. Then put the meat into a foil wrap and roast it in the oven until the meat can be pulled apart (the time differs depending on the amount of fat, so you have to just check every 30 minutes or so after the first hour).

In a dry cast iron pan, mix all the spices in the "Dry spice mix" list and roast the spices - mixing with a whisk. I put it on low heat and stir it every now and again for about 15 or 20 minutes.

Take the sausage (we just use mild country sausage that comes in the 1 lb. plastic tubes) and brown it in the bottom of the cast iron cauldron. Once the sausage is fully browned, mix in everything in the "veggies and liquid spices" list. Make sure to keep stirring. Then add the roasted spices and meat. Just keep stirring every now and again - I let it simmer for about 3 hours and it was actually better the next day.

It's not too spicy, has great flavor and a little kick. Of course, you can make it hotter by adding in more spices.

Hope you enjoy it-- it was a blast to make and made the whole house smell fantastic!

Michele Rose is a Realtor and Professional Home Stager in Burlington County, NJ. She has been assisting both buyers and sellers with their real estate needs for the last 5 years. In 2007, she formed Rose-Colored Staging to help sellers market their homes with professional home staging.

Sweet Potato Soufle Recipe by Dexter Weaver

A number of years ago, I attended the Navy Supply Corps School in Athens, GA. I had heard about a soul food restaurant that I decided to check out. The name of the restaurant was lovingly called Weaver D's. Three car loads of my shipmates ascended on the restaurant. To our dismay, they were closing for the day. Weaver came out of the kitchen and said since we were from the Navy, he would see what he could find to cook. As we patiently waited, we heard pots and pans starting to rattle in the kitchen. You see, Weaver D's was a small simple restaurant and you could see the kitchen from your table. In a short while, Weaver began to come out of the kitchen with platter after platter of piping hot delicious food. We ate and ate and ate until we had our fill. We went back and told everyone else in our class. For the next two weeks, Weaver D's was filled with Navy uniforms at lunch time.

Now here is the story behind the story. I didn't know who Weaver D was. I found that he had a very kind spirit and his attitude was infectious. Since I love to cook (and eat), I had to have his book titled (Automatic Y'all: Weaver D's Guide to the Soul). You see Weaver doesn't say can I help you....he just says "Automatic". "Automatic - keeping on with the

keep-on

in good times and bad and knowing that life, like food is always better with a few generous shots of hot sauce - is really Weaver D's down to earth recipe for business success and personal happiness." I had also never heard the album Automatic for the People by R.E.M. As I read the forward from the book, I found out that R.E.M. was from Athens and they had eaten many of Weavers meals and decided to name the album in his honor. The book is filled with philosophy, recipes and good feelings. Pick up the book here today.

Here is the recipe I promised. This dish is always a hit when I make it. I have adjusted it by putting in brown sugar instead of white and I added cinnamon and less nutmeg (not my favorite spice). I also add a handful of Craisins. Bon Appétit

Sweet Potato Souffle (serves 6 to 8)

6 small sweet potatoes (about 3 pounds), peeled and cut into small chunks

3/4 cup sugar

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

½ cup unsalted butter or margarine, melted

3 tablespoons of whole milk

2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

¾ teaspoons lemon extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Cook sweet potatoes in boiling water to cover 15 to 20 minutes or until tender

Drain and mash

Combine with remaining ingredients and stir until smooth (I use mixer)

Spoon mixture into lightly greased 11x7x3 baking dish

Bake in over for 1 hour or until firm.

Have a Great Day

Make This YOUR Best Year Ever

Leander McClain, Burlington /Camden County, NJ Realtor & Real Estate Consultant, Keller Williams Realty, 1814 Route 70 E Cherry Hill, NJ 08003 856-685-1677 Direct

Search NJ & PA Home Listings @ www.NJSouthRealEstate.com

Leander McClain's Profile

Recent Posts

How To Buy A Home Part 1

Economic Stimulus $8,000 Tax Credit

Twitter Revolution

Always Have A Dream

Books I Am Currently Reading

Search Houses For Sale

Follow Me on Twitter @leemack912

Yes, a simple can or two of paint can totally transform your home! Paint is, hands-down, the least expensive change to your home you can make, adding the biggest impact. If you are not sure how much "bang for your buck" you can get just from picking up a roller, just take a look:

This bathroom from a home in Mt. Holly was indeed hard on the eyes! With outdated foil-like wallpaper, pink tile and flooring, everything about this bath would surely frighten most buyers away! Since the very limited budget did not allow for updating anything else, we simply painted the walls white and replaced the blind. We then used white accessories to calm down the pink that remained.

This kitchen from a home in Willingboro has outdated metal cabinets, and a very dated counter. And the green floral wallpaper was not doing it any favors! Even the lovely little built-in hutch in the hall was lost in the chaos. Renovating was not an option so we enhanced what we could by removing the wallpaper and painting the walls a beige color that actually made the cabinets look warmer and nicer. We used the same beige color to make the hutch "pop" and with a bit of de-cluttering and red accents, this kitchen was ready to show!

This last little gem was truly designed for the homeowner's taste-not the buyer's! This bath would have been right at home at a bed & breakfast in Cape May, but in Eastampton, NJ, buyers were saying, "No Way!" We removed the gold ceiling wallpaper, black floral wallpaper, and lace so we now have a clean, light and fresh bath, sure to appeal to the buyers!

When getting your home ready to place on the market, it is not always necessary to completely update everything! The goal is not to have a perfect house, but to have a house that allows buyers to imagine the possibilities-- to see themselves living there.

If you are considering placing your home on the market, call Rose-Colored Staging for a consultation! We can tell you what changes you should make to your home that will give you the most "bang for your buck" and will help get your house sold!

Michele Rose is a Realtor and Professional Home Stager in Burlington County, NJ. She has been assisting both buyers and sellers with their real estate needs for the last 5 years. In 2007, she formed Rose-Colored Staging to help sellers market their homes with professional home staging.

Recent Home Sales (August 2009)

Burlington Township, NJ

by Leander McClain, Realtor

 

I am asked all the time...How's business.  My answer for the past 3 years has been GREAT!!.  There is a misconception that real estate has tanked and nothing is selling.  Or that both buyers and sellers are getting screwed.  The bottom line is that there are great bargains available for both buyers and sellers.  If you are interested in how I can help you make your dreams ome true, feel free to call my office and set up and appointment with me.  We will discuss your dreams and I will tell you my plan to make them come true.

Below are recent Burlington Township home sales for August 2009. 

Have a great day

 

Address	Subdivision	Bedrooms	Bathrooms	Sold Price	Seller Assistance
10 Fall Dr, Burlington, NJ	Bridle Club	3	2.5	$260,000
914 Lindsley Ct, Burlington, NJ	Bridle Club	2	1	$59,511
24 Greentree Dr, Burlington, NJ	Classic Woods	4	2.5	$219,000
113 Leas Ln, Burlington, NJ	Forest Park	4	2.5	$352,000	7,000
14 Tattersall Dr, Burlington, NJ	Hancock Hollow	3	2.5	$241,000
14 Larchmont Dr, Burlington, NJ	Lagorce Square	3	1.5	$106,000
2109 Beverly Rd, Burlington, NJ	None Available	3	1.5	$185,000	7,000
6 Cindy Ct, Burlington, NJ	None Available	3	2.5	$309,000	2,500
1503 Oxmead Rd, Burlington, NJ	None Available	3	2	$290,000
2 Illinois Ave, Burlington, NJ	None Available	3	2.5	$254,000
2014 Rancocas Rd, Burlington, NJ	None Available	2	1	$73,000
5 Cindy Ct, Burlington, NJ	None Available	3	3.5	$329,000
7 London Rd, Burlington, NJ	Oxford Place	3	2.5	$305,000
22 Vincent Dr, Burlington, NJ	Park South	4	2.5	$320,000
14 Jerrys Dr, Burlington, NJ	Pinewald Meadows	3	2.5	$291,000
301 Garnet Dr, Burlington, NJ	Rosewood	1	1	$93,000	4,800
25 Cherokee Trl, Burlington, NJ	Santa Fe	4	2.5	$335,000	5,000
34 Shawnee Trl, Burlington, NJ	Santa Fe	3	2.5	$305,000
1423 Kennys Cv, Burlington, NJ	Shannon Estates	2	2	$152,500	900
1304 Springside Pl, Burlington, NJ	Springside	4	2	$167,500
40 Equestrian Dr, Burlington, NJ	Steeplechase	4	2.2	$370,000
24 Canidae St, Burlington, NJ	Steeplechase	4	2.5	$340,000
25 Philly Way, Burlington, NJ	Steeplechase	4	2.5	$344,000	11,000
2 Spur Ct, Burlington, NJ	Steeplechase	4	2.5	$365,000	10,000
25 Peachtree Ln, Burlington, NJ	Stone Bridge	3	1.5	$235,000	5,000
14 Harvest Ln, Burlington, NJ	Stonebridge	3	2.5	$260,000
3 Hartsdale Ct, Burlington, NJ	Sunset Ridge	3	2.5	$346,000
608 Cornell Rd, Burlington, NJ	Sunset Village	3	1.5	$195,000
4 19th St, Burlington, NJ	Sylvan Lakes	3	1	$155,000	5,000
240 Mill Rd, Burlington, NJ	Wentworth	4	2.5	$370,000	10,000

Make This YOUR Best Year Ever

Leander McClain, Burlington /Camden County, NJ Realtor & Real Estate Consultant, Keller Williams Realty, 1814 Route 70 E Cherry Hill, NJ 08003 856-685-1677 Direct

Search NJ & PA Home Listings @ www.NJSouthRealEstate.com

Leander McClain's Profile

Recent Posts

How To Buy A Home Part 1

Economic Stimulus $8,000 Tax Credit

Twitter Revolution

Always Have A Dream

Search Houses For Sale

Once my house was beautifully staged and had put on its "best face," the next step was making sure people saw it! These are the steps I took to ensure that my home had many visitors and that I made the most of each visit:

• What I did: I determined that every time someone was going to see the house, whether it be other realtors or buyers, they would have yummy treats and made to feel welcome. Whether it be cookies, muffins, juice, soda-- whatever can be put out on a pretty plate with matching paper cups and napkins makes buyers want to stay and enjoy your home.

• Buyers' response: They were thrilled and so were their agents. After touring many homes on a hot, sunny day, they loved those refreshments! And later found out I was the only one to have snacks for them!

• What I did: The two dogs and the cat were packed up and taken for a ride during every showing. Most people do not have pets, therefore I cannot expect them to feel at home with mine. All evidence of them (bowls, bedding, etc.) was hidden away.

• Buyers' response: They were shocked when they realized we did have pets. All they saw was a clean, well-kept home.

• What I did: I created a feeling of a serene, comfortable, home. Soft music played in the living room and master bedroom. Everything was in place. The buyers had no idea of the mad scramble to catch the cat, or that the nervous dog with the bladder problem had an accident, there was a large party the day before, the laundry that didn't get done, or the coffee that spilled!

• Buyers' response: The feedback was, "I feel such a sense of peace in this house!" and "Phenomenal!" Overwhelmingly, the buyers loved it.

• What I did: I never, ever turned down a showing! Never! Even if it was last minute, I made it work by asking them to give me one hour. On the weekends, the house was always ready-- just in case, since that is the time when most people are out looking. And open houses? YES! Did them too!

• Buyers' response: They were able to see the house on their schedule. In fact, the buyers who ended up buying the house, also visited the open house the next day. The house's availability to them was most important in their final decision!

The Results:

Of the last four showings, we had four offers; the accepted offer was just over asking price! In a local market that is riddled with short sales and foreclosures, and houses that are just languishing, this house easily sold! Was it worth all the craziness and work to get it ready? Absolutely! In fact, I have watched our competition continue to sit on the market . Why didn't they stage? I don't know-- but I'm glad they didn't!

Kitchen Before (from previous owners) Kitchen After Staging

Part One: The Preparation

Part Two: The Staging

Michele Rose is a Realtor and Professional Home Stager in Burlington County, NJ. She has been assisting both buyers and sellers with their real estate needs for the last 5 years. In 2007, she formed Rose-Colored Staging to help sellers market their homes with professional home staging.