Christmas in The Carolinas

in the

Carolinas HOLIDAY RECIPE EDITION

the SECRET to PEACE Find greater

PASSION at work HEALTH in the NEWS Stay Safe in the Gym

Evalute your WFH habits

Spotlight

Jody Munn Realtor

Realtor in the Spotlight Wishing you and your family a wonderful holiday season with many laughs, smiles and cherished time with loved ones, I hope this issue finds you well and maybe a great desert or idea to make the next few months, a little more special.

JODY MUNN

Real Estate Advisor Engel & Vรถlkers South Charlotte 11220 Elm Lane #207 Charlotte, NC, 28277 +1 704 724 8622 Cell +1 704 500 2266 Office jody@jodymunn.com jodymunn.evrealestate.com

HOLIDAY HIGHLIGHTS The best dishes for holiday gatherings

-Your Realtor for life

Table of Contents The Secret to Peace ................................................................... 4 Annual Check-Up Can Save You Thousands............................ 6 Health in the News....................................................................... 8

Thanksgiving Turkey Soup ..............3 Chocolate Sea Salt Regelach.......5

Finding Greater Passion............................................................. 10 Work for Home Habits................................................................ 12

Holiday Biscotti................................7 Christmas Tree Cheese Ball............9 Gingerbread Sundaes..................11 Cranberry Brie Bites........................13 Christmas Mocktail........................14 Pull-Apart Christmas Tree..............15

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Recipe:

Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Pie Soup A hearty and flavorful slow cooker turkey soup, packed full of Thanksgiving leftovers! A comforting dish the entire family will love!

Ingredients • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

3 Cup cooked turkey shredded or chopped 3/4 Cup yellow onion 1/2 Cup celery 3/4 Cup carrots 1/2 Cup peas 1/2 Cup corn 1/2 Cup green beans 3 1/2 Cup potatoes 3 cloves garlic minced 2 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp ground black pepper 1 tsp dried thyme 3 3/4 Cup chicken broth 1 1/2 Cup heavy cream 1/3 Cup all-purpose flour Stuffing for topping

Recipe courtesy of Baked by Rachel. www.bakedbyrachel.com

Directions

Shred turkey meat. Chop onion, celery and carrots into small pieces. Peel and chop potatoes into small bite sized pieces. Measure out 1/2 cup each of corn, peas and green beans. Mince garlic.

To your slow cooker, add prepared turkey and vegetables, along with salt, pepper, thyme and chicken broth. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and heavy cream until smooth. Pour into slow cooker, stirring to combine well. Replace cover and continue cooking for an additional 30-45 minutes.

Serve warm, topped off with optional stuffing.

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The SECRET to PEACE A teacher and his student were talking. The student asked: “Why are most people’s minds restless, and only few possess a calm mind?”

“Then why aren’t you bothered by my buzz?”

The teacher smiled and told his student a story: On day, an elephant was eating leaves. A fly landed on the elephant’s ear.

The elephant stayed calm and continued to eat.

The fly replied, “Everything I see, hear and feel attracts my attention, and all noises and movements around me affect my behavior.

What is your secret? How can you stay calm and still?”

The fly flew around the elephant’s ear, buzzing noisily, but the elephant was unaffected. This bewildered the fly, and it asked, “Are you deaf?”

The elephant stopped eating and said, “My senses do not disturb my peace. They do not rule my attention. I am in control of my mind and my thoughts. I can direct my attention where I want, and ignore disturbances, including your buzz.

“No,” the elephant answered.

“Why can’t you stay still just for a few moments?”

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Therefore, I can stay peaceful.”

At the end of the story, the student’s eyes opened wide. “Now I understand! My mind will always be in constant unrest if my senses, and whatever is happening in the world around me, are in control. On the other hand, if I am in command, able to disregard sense impressions, and control my thoughts, my mind will become calm, and I will disregard its restlessness.”

“That’s right,” answered the teacher. “The mind goes wherever the attention goes. Control your attention, and you control your mind.”

Recipe:

Chocolate Sea Salt Rugelach Directions

Combine the flour, granulated sugar and salt in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the cubed butter, distributing it all over the top of the dry ingredients, then dollop in the cream cheese (1-inch dollops should do it, but it doesn’t need to be perfect). Turn the mixer on low speed and mix until the mixture is mostly mealy and there are still some larger clumps of butter and cream cheese intact. With the mixer still running, add the egg yolks, vanilla and almond extract, if using, then continue mixing until the dough comes together. Divide the dough in half and shape into 2 discs. Wrap each tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.

Ingredients

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, stirring constantly, or in a microwaveable bowl in 30-second increments, stirring after each. Set aside to cool briefly while you roll out the dough.

• 2 1/2 cups (325 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting • 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt • 1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter, cubed and cold • 8 ounces (226 grams) cream cheese, straight from the fridge • 2 large egg yolks plus 1 large whole egg • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract, optional • 1 1/2 cups (260 grams) chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (I prefer milk but any type will do!)

• Flaky salt, for sprinkling • Sprinkles, sanding sugar or turbinado sugar, for sprinkling Recipe courtesy of Molly Yeh ©Television Food Network

Beat the remaining whole egg with a splash of water for an egg wash. Roll out a dough disc on a lightly floured surface, dusting with flour as needed to prevent it from sticking, until it is a wide rectangle, 18-by-9-inches. Use an offset spatula to spread half of the chocolate over the dough in a thin even layer, leaving a 1-inch border along the long edge that’s farthest from you. (Try to work kind of quickly so the chocolate doesn’t harden.) Brush the border with a thin layer of egg wash. Starting on the long end closest to you, roll the dough into a long, tight log, then place it seam-side down on a cutting board or baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough and chocolate. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days (depending on fridge space, you might want to cut the log in half so you’re dealing with four shorter logs instead of two really long ones; wrap in plastic if refrigerating for longer than 1 hour).

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Brush the logs with a thin layer of egg wash, then sprinkle with a few pinches of flaky salt and a ton of sprinkles or sanding sugar. Cut into 1 1/2-inch slices and transfer to the baking sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart. Bake until golden brown on top, about 24 minutes. (You might notice that the cookies seem to sweat and leak out some fat while in the oven; this is completely normal.) Let cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, or enjoy them warm! Fully cooled cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for several days.

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A check up can save you thousands…

Annual Check Up

Most homeowners miss the benefit of the lender who doesn’t provide a yearly service called an Annual Review. Let me explain, we visit the dentist every 6 months for a cleaning and a checkup. We take our car in for an oil change every 4-6 months….why wouldn’t our biggest investment have a similar check up? Well, that is simple!

Most lenders are focused on the purchase and only that. While we have learned things change, expenses change, and goals change for most homeowners.

So, at Element Funding we have designed a program that not only takes care of you on the purchase of a home but manages the debt on your home year after year.

Each year, on the mortgage anniversary we want to review the mortgage and goals. Our clients simply provide our team the most recent mortgage statement on the home. It also doesn’t matter where you are making your payment (they are called the servicer) we are still your Lender for Life. Once we receive the mortgage statement we have a quick checklist to complete. We discuss any monthly cash flow changes, upcoming expenses, investments into the home since the last review and some other factors. We then review the potential equity position you were at a year ago and what you are at today. Next, we look to better the terms of the financing.

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save in other areas like home insurance or PMI (private mortgage insurance). These and other factors such as the loan to value ratio (CLTV) and credit score ratings. If all is good, we roll on and check back again next year…but if we can save or assist in additional services we complete a comparison for your review before and after. Please also be aware that some loans when you return for your purchase can be obtained with no closing costs. If you would like your review completed ahead of schedule please just let us know, we would be happy to assist. Furthermore, because most lenders don’t offer this important checkup, we would be happy to extend the service to any friend or family member.

Recipe:

Holiday Biscotti We love the color of these cookies that are great for the holidays or any time of year.

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Ingredients • • • • • • • • • • •

2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 large eggs 3/4 cup pistachios, coarsely chopped 2/3 cup dried cranberries 12 ounces good-quality white chocolate, chopped Red and green sugar crystals, for garnish

Line a heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar, butter, lemon zest, and salt in a large bowl to blend. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time. Add the flour mixture and beat just until blended. Stir in the pistachios and cranberries.

Form the dough into a 13-inch long, 3-inch wide log on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until light golden, about 40 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes.

Place the log on the cutting board. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the log on a diagonal into 1/2 to 3/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange the biscotti, cut side down, on the baking sheet. Bake the biscotti until they are pale golden, about 15 minutes.

Transfer the biscotti to a rack and cool completely.

Stir the chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until the chocolate melts. Dip half of the biscotti into the melted chocolate. Gently shake off the excess chocolate. Place the biscotti on the baking sheet for the chocolate to set. Sprinkle with the sugar crystals. Refrigerate until the chocolate is firm, about 35 minutes.

The biscotti can be made ahead. Store them in an airtight container up to 4 days, or wrap them in foil and freeze in resealable plastic bags up to 3 weeks.

Photo and Recipe courtesy of Giada de Laurentis ©2012 Television Food Network

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Health in the News Stay safe at the gym As some gyms and health clubs are starting to slowly reopen, and many people are eager to start exercising again after being confined to their homes. Is it safe to go to the gym, though? The Indiana Daily Student offers this advice for getting back in shape: • Exercise outside if possible. Riding a bike or taking a brisk walk is generally safer than going to any enclosed space. Some gyms are setting up outdoor exercise spaces to accommodate their members.

• Check the spacing. If you choose to go back to your gym, make sure that bikes, treadmills, and other exercise machines are spaced out adequately. If not, you should go back home.

• Wipe down the equipment. Even if staffers clean stuff off, bring your own disinfectant towels and sprays so you can wipe down everything you use before and after you touch it. Clean your hands often as well.

• Wear your mask. Find a mask that fits well and lets you breathe while you’re exerting yourself. If exercising with a mask causes difficulty breathing, either slow down or avoid the gym altogether.

• Start off slow. If you haven’t worked out in a while, don’t jump right back into it. Begin with a lower weight, speed, intensity, or mileage to avoid injury.

• Be careful with team sports. If you play basketball or some other sport at the gym, make sure balls and other gear are being cleaned frequently. Maintain social distancing and wear a mask. Clean your hands

often and don’t touch your face while you’re playing.

• Bring hand sanitizer. Don’t rely on the gym’s procedures alone. Bring your own sanitizer so you can clean your hands frequently.

Take control of your mental health during tough times We live in stressful times. You don’t have to let it get you down, though.

The TED Conferences website offers these tips for taking control of your mental health: • Be proactive. Plan for how you’ll respond to stressful situations, like a panic attack or a bout of depression.

Try deep breathing, meditation, reading something inspirational, soothing music, or exercise. With a clear strategy, you’ll be better equipped to fight back.

• Focus on goals. Start your day with a clear list of tasks to achieve, even if they’re modest. Assign each a priority so you know what to tackle first. Feel free to cross off nonessential items. Zeroing in on goals can keep your mind focused on what’s important, so you’ll be less distracted by fears and worries.

• Rate tasks by difficulty. This helps you manage and budget your energy. An easy task can be a one, harder tasks two, challenges three. If you’re feeling stressed, start with the ones first. Accomplishing those will give you a sense of achievement that you can use to move on to the twos and threes. Don’t push too hard. Some days will be better than others, and it’s important not to wear yourself out on impossible goals.

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The core of Addiction It’s a common experiment: Put a rat in a cage with two bottles of water to drink. One is regular water, but the other one has water laced with cocaine or heroin. The rat quickly gets addicted to the drug-infused water and stops drinking from the other bottle. This explains the power of addiction.

But it may not be that simple, as Johann Hari suggests in Does Capitalism Cause Addiction? One scientist created a “rat park.” Instead of just two water bottles, the park held everything a rat could want—food, colored balls to play with, and other rats for company. In the rat park, none of the rats grew addicted to the drugged water.

What does this show? That addiction is partly a response to one’s environment. With enough resources to distract and entertain us, most people won’t prefer the drugged water (or whatever). What we need is connection.

Recipe:

Christmas Tree Cheese Ball Wondering how a tasty cheese ball becomes a festive Christmas tree? A coating of fresh green herbs and pomegranate seed ‘ornaments’ will do the trick!

Ingredients • • • • • • • •

8 ounces cream cheese 8 ounces sharp Cheddar 1/4 teaspoon cayenne 2 to 3 dashes Worcestershire sauce 3 scallions, sliced Juice of 1/2 lemon Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup very finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley • 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill • 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds • Buttery crackers, such as Ritz, for serving

Recipe courtesy of Ree Drummond ©Television Food Network

Directions

Add the cream cheese, Cheddar, cayenne, Worcestershire, scallions, lemon juice and some salt and pepper to the bowl of a food processor.

Pulse until the mixture is almost smooth; you still want a few bits of cheese in there. Remove with a rubber spatula to a piece of plastic wrap and wrap up the cheese mixture. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Shape the cheese mixture with your hands into a Christmas tree/cone using the plastic wrap to keep it together. Mix the chopped parsley and dill together on a plate or work surface. Coat the shaped cheese in the chopped herbs.

Transfer the cheese tree to the center of a platter. Decorate with the pomegranate seeds as ornaments. Serve with buttery crackers.

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Find greater passion at work

and in Life

What can you do to be more productive and passionate about your work and your life? Good question. The answer can be found in asking these questions at the beginning of every day: • Why is it vital for me to involve myself in my work fully and passionately today?

• How can my attitude affect the way I respond to stressful situations?

• With whom do I need to spend time in order to do my best work?

• When do I feel most passionate: When I’m working with a customer, solving a problem for a family member, working on a project for myself, or some other time?

• How can I effectively align my interests and passion with what I have to do today?

• Where can I best put my passion to work? With colleagues?

Customers? My family?

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• What kind of person am I called upon to be today to best express my passion for life and work?

Recipe:

Gingerbread Sundaes Whip up a quick gingerbread-inspired sauce for sundaes and you’ve got the perfect holiday dessert!

Ingredients • • • • • • • • • • •

2/3 cup dark brown sugar 1/3 cup molasses 4 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons water 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon allspice 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon chocolate chip ice cream whipped cream crushed gingersnaps toasted sliced almonds

Directions

Heat 2/3 cup dark brown sugar, 1/3 cup molasses, 4 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons water and 1/2 teaspoon each ground ginger, allspice and cinnamon in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring, until smooth, about 3 minutes. Let cool slightly. Serve over chocolate chip ice cream with whipped cream, crushed gingersnaps and toasted sliced almonds.

Photograph by Ralph Smith Recipe courtesy of ©Food Network Kitchen

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Evaluate your Work From Home habits How effective are you at working remotely? With more and more people working from home, it’s important to maintain your productivity. Gauge your efforts with these questions from The Enterprisers Project website: • Are you communicating expectations? You should be able to clearly tell people what you want. If you need a response by 3pm, let the other person know.

This will make work easier for everyone.

• Are you summarizing your work? You should be able to offer progress reports and explain your results so managers and co-workers know where you’re at and what you’ve accomplished. Don’t make people wait, or guess what you’re working on.

• Are you taking breaks? Even when you’re physically at work, you’re probably not chained to your desk eight hours straight. You eat lunch, chat with co-workers, take a short walk, etc. At home you may be tempted to work longer

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hours without a break, but that can have a negative effect on your long-term effectiveness—not to mention your morale. Be sure to take breaks during the day so you can focus without exhausting yourself.

Recipe:

Cranberry Brie Bites Tangy cranberry, creamy brie, and crunchy walnuts come together in a buttery shell for an appetizer that will wow your guests.

Directions Ingredients • • • • • •

Place Brie cheese in the freezer for 20 minutes. Oil a mini muffin pan with cooking spray.

1 (8 ounce) round Brie cheese, rind removed cooking spray 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed ½ cup cranberry sauce cup finely chopped walnuts sea salt to taste

Roll 1 puff pastry sheet out into a 10x14-inch rectangle. Cut the sheet lengthwise into 4 even strips and crosswise into 6 even strips; there should be 24 squares. Separate and press them gently into the muffin cups.

Cut chilled Brie cheese into 24 pieces approximately 3/4-inch in size. Add 1 teaspoon cranberry sauce to each pastry-lined muffin cup; press in 1 piece of Brie and top with 1 teaspoon of chopped walnuts. Sprinkle bites with sea salt. Chill for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Recipe courtesy of Julie Hubert ©allrecipes.com

Bake bites in the preheated oven until golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes.

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Recipe:

Christmas mocktail orange and rosemary fizz If you don’t want to miss out on festive drinks, try our non-alcoholic orange and rosemary fizz. It’s a Christmasy mocktail that kids and designated drivers can enjoy

Ingredients • • • • •

oranges 2 large wedges rosemary a sprig soda water pomegranate 1 tsp seeds cinnamon 1 stick, to serve

Directions

Put the orange and half the rosemary into a highball glass. Muddle well, then fill with ice. Top with soda water, stir to mix, and garnish with pomegranate and cinnamon and the remaining rosemary.

Recipe courtesy of www.olivemagazine.com

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Recipe:

Pull-Apart Christmas Tree Oh cheesy tree, oh cheesy tree!

Directions

Preheat oven to 450°. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut mozzarella sticks into 1” pieces and set aside.

On a floured surface, divide pizza dough into two pieces. Stretch and roll each piece of dough into a long rectangle, then cut dough into 2” squares (you’ll need 33 total).

Ingredients • • • • • • • • •

1 lb. refrigerated pizza dough Egg wash (1 egg whisked with 1 tbsp water) 7 mozzarella sticks 1/4 c. melted butter 1/2 c. finely grated Parmesan 1 tbsp. Thinly sliced basil 1 tbsp. chopped parsley 1 tbsp. chopped rosemary Marinara, warmed (for serving)

Wrap a dough square around each piece of mozzarella, forming a tightly sealed ball. Place balls seam-side down on the baking sheet in the shape of a Christmas tree (they should be touching). Brush egg wash on dough balls and bake until golden, 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together melted butter, Parmesan and herbs. Brush on baked pizza balls.

Serve warm with marinara for dipping.

Photo by Ethan Calabrese. Recipe courtesy of Lauren Miyashiro, www.delish.com

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A HIGH POWERED MORTGAGE COMPANY

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PURCHASE / REFINANCE Brad Roche

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Element Funding | Regional Manager PRMI | Chairman’s Club NMLS# 135191 400 N. Harbor Place, Suite G Davidson, NC 28036 Office 704-728-0191

A DIVISION OF PRIMARY RESIDENTIAL MORTGAGE INC

www.TheMortgagePlanner.net | 855-4-THE PLAN OR 704-728-0191 Element Funding is a Division of Primary Residential Mortgage, Inc. NMLS 3094. PRMI is an Equal Housing Lender. Some products and services may not be available in all states. Credit and collateral are subject to approval. Terms and conditions apply.

Programs, rates, terms and conditions are subject to change and are subject to borrower(s) qualification. This is not a commitment to lend. North Carolina Commissioner of Banks L-112833. South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs MLS3094, As Element Funding MLS-3094 OTN#1.