Absolute Living

Absolute Living AUGUST 2019

A SOULFUL ARTISTRY JEN ADHLAKHA AND J.NICOLE JEWELRY

MAKE SENSE OF YOUR TRAVEL PREFERENCES

GET YOUR GLOW BACK

GETTING BACK INTO EXERCISE AFTER SUMMER BREAK

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CONTENTS

20

Photography By Eduardo Peña

A SOULFUL ARTISTRY Jen Adhlakha and j.nicole jewelry

10

GET YOUR GLOW BACK

14

GETTING BACK INTO EXERCISE AFTER SUMMER BREAK

The best treatments to revive and repair summer-ravaged skin.

Get firing at all cylinders again with these 10 helpful tips.

28

MAKE SENSE OF YOUR TRAVEL PREFERENCES Personality and age are just two of the many

factors affecting your choice of ideal escape.

32

LONG LIVE THE APPETIZER!

So many delicious ways to launch a meal.

Volume 12. Issue 08. (#141

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15

Absolute Living

Publisher / Co-Founder JUSTYNA PEÑA

Editor-in-Chief / Co-Founder EDUARDO PEÑA

Account Executive JUSTYNA PEÑA

Senior Writer MATTHEW HUME

Business Development NANCY PORTO

Contributing Writers JUSTIN GUILD

Photography EDUARDO PEÑA

Art ROGER PEÑA

Marketing Director ISMAEL PEÑA

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Get Your Glow Back The Best Treatments to Revive and Repair Summer-Ravaged Skin

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T

hose blissful weeks between Memorial Day and the Fourth of July seem to fly by, especially with days spent at the pool and vacation-hopping with your family. But while the sweat, sand, salt and the vibe of summer are pretty much unparalleled to any season, it does have a major impact on your skin.

Not only do the hot temperatures and humidity dry out your pores, but sweat can also clog them, and constant sun exposure can cause early signs of aging, posing potential UV dangers. Luckily, experts say a checkup visit with your dermatologist, a professional in-office treatment and some at-home remedies can give your skin the post-summer detox it craves and needs.

Here are some ideas for cleansing and repairing your skin, just in time for the leaves to fall and the air to cool.

For Sun-Damaged Skin: Chemical Peel and Microdermabrasion During the summertime, dermatologists shy away from performing chemical peels. Why? Because this in-office procedure exfoliates your skin, revealing a fresh layer that can be vulnerable to sun exposure. But in the fall season, experts say chemical peels and microdermabrasion are an ideal course of action right after summer before fall activities start booking up your calendar. Because you’ll need at least a few days up to a week to recover at home, you want to make sure you block out healing time. If you do decide to do this treatment at home, experts recommend

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selecting a mild chemical peel and a device with a diamond tip to remove the top layer of sundamaged skin.

For Skin Discoloration: Fraxel Laser Treatments For a more intensive post-summer treatment, experts suggest trying a fraxel laser treatment to truly exfoliate, cleanse and improve your skin. Oftentimes, high levels of sun exposure can cause excess pigmentation and damage to skin cells themselves. Lasers, like fraxel, are ideal to use as part of your post-summer skin rehab routine. Fraxels punch tiny holes in your skin, and the laser creates a controlled wound, allowing the skin to heal itself in a more “cosmetically acceptable manner.” The laser improves skin tone and texture and even helps undo precancerous changes to skin cells themselves.

For Fine Lines and Wrinkles: Retinol Creams For most who are starting to consider antiaging measures, finding a retinol product is key. Retinol products have been used for decades, working to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. However, due to their photoreactive nature, they can make your skin more susceptible to sun damage, so they’re usually not recommended in the summertime. In the fall, though, they can be used more frequently, as long as you don’t experience redness or pain. These creams work to gradually shed a layer of skin, not only cleansing your skin from summer’s impact but making it look younger, too. Skin-brightening serums—both with vitamin C and without it— can improve the condition of your pores, without being as intense as retinol varieties.

For Sun Spots on Face, Chest and Arms: Photofacial Laser Treatment While you might have been hyperfocused on reapplying sunscreen to your face, it’s not just your cheeks and forehead that battled through summer. Your neck, chest and hands also received a big brunt of UV exposure and they

deserve some autumn TLC, too. To repair other parts of your body, experts suggest opting for a photofacial laser treatment, which is a more extensive rejuvenation treatment that improves the overall look of the skin by diminishing brown spots and blotchiness while improving collagen and elastic fibers throughout your skin’s several layers. How does it work? Pulses of light are used to penetrate deep into your skin, which causes your blood vessels to constrict. It’s not painful, but it requires a little downtime posttreatment.

For Replenishing Moisture: At-Home Hydration Treatments For a more low-key approach to fall treatments, remember just one to-do-list item after you get home from work: moisturize! Rejuvenating the skin after the summer’s damage is important for the overall appearance and health of our skin and ultimately prepares us for the winter season, which can be as damaging to our skin as the summer season. While you’re cooking dinner (or tuning in to the return of your favorite primetime shows), apply a moisturizing facemask that will seep into your pores, helping them to replenish after weeks of dry heat. Your morning routine should still consist of applying a moisturizer with an SPF, but you can opt for a thicker formula now that summer is coming to a close. And if you do nothing else, drink plenty of water! Good old-fashioned H2O is always a smart choice for your skin, as it keeps it fresh, hydrated and healthy.

For Your Feet: Lactic Acid Moisturizers Consider everything your feet have been through for the past few months: trekking down stony or sandy beaches, squeezing into damp water shoes, trailblazing through rocky paths in thick hiking boots, fighting sweat, ahem, in athletic shoes and much more. You need to give them more attention as you approach the fall season, especially if they’re feeling rough or cracked. To their rescue are lactic acid moisturizers. The lactic acid exfoliates to reveal fresher and softer skin beneath it.

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GETTING BACK INTO EXERCISE AFTER SUMMER BREAK. We all love to reminisce on a lovely summertime, don’t we? Those are the days, with the children having tons of laughs and us moms and dads just kicking back and enjoying the benefits of an all-inclusive break. Rest and relaxation are the order of the day.

But what happened to our health and fitness regime? Like many of us, your best intentions may have drowned in the pool, whilst you were

sipping on that third margarita. But let’s face it, who really exercises on their vacation, anyway?

Well, maybe, your personal trainer does, but let’s move on to you.

Fall is the best time to dig out and dust off your workout gear and get back on track with some much-needed self-care. And while this season is undoubtedly all about the kids, especially with Halloween, Thanksgiving, and, dare I say

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it…Christmas fast approaching, there is almost an urgency to think about yourself and claim back that “me time.”

Don’t know where to start? Here are some tips on how you can get back onto the exercise bandwagon, even if you have little ones hanging round your ankles.

1. First and foremost, those of

you with young children might need a babysitter. Grandparents would normally be your first port of call, but for one reason or another, it might not always be

possible to enlist them. Moms and dads with young children will have lots of friends in the same boat, so how about doing babysitting swaps? That way you can both work out, and it’s a win-win for everyone.

2. Schedule in your first

workout. Don’t ask why, just do it. Right now. Where there is a will there really is a way, so grab your diary and block out at least one hour per week if this is all you can manage at first.

Consider two half-hour slots instead if this makes it easier.

3. Now that you’ve allotted

yourself workout time, think about what you enjoyed doing before and ask yourself why you enjoyed it. It’s a well-known fact that getting back into a routine is difficult initially, both physically and mentally. This has a lot to do with your self-talk. Make a commitment. If you need to book yourself into a group class, then do it before you change your mind.

4. Working out in the morning is

best. No hard evidence exists, and there are conflicting studies, but most would agree that if you exercise in the morning, you’re revving up your metabolism early and you will continue to burn calories throughout the day.

5. On the evening before your

first workout, have your ensemble ready so that when you get up you will have no choice but to dress in that outfit. You are more likely to stick to the plan if you are appropriately dressed, and I can almost guarantee that you that you’ll feel the endorphins the instant you don the Lycra.

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6. Making yourself accountable to others will

mean that you’re more likely to be consistent with your routine. Make the commitment by telling others, especially family and friends, and then talk about your progress frequently.

Support and encouragement from others close to you can be extremely helpful especially when feeling less motivated.

7. Now that you’re in the swing of things it’s

time to get serious and set some SMART goals: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely. This is a really important step as it’s going to get you from A to B. Goals give you a sense of purpose and keep you focused.

Without one, you will more than likely get distracted, and worse yet you may give up on your hard work. Start with small goals if necessary, and ensure you monitor and record your progress.

8. You are doing just great and should be

proud of how far you’ve already come. Ok, so you might not have formed a routine just yet, but you should already be in a good place and are hopefully well on your way to forming a long-term sustainable habit. By now exercising should have become a little more enjoyable

and less of a tedious chore. Your self-belief and self-motivation should have increased considerably, so don’t falter; and continue crushing your demons by making effective daily affirmations. Write these onto sticky notes, place them strategically around the house, and say them out loud for maximum effect.

9. This is going to sound completely ridiculous

and wacky, but wearing your workout clothes whenever possible, keeping your workout mat visibly handy, and leaving your Fitbit or Garmin by your bedside are all easy-peasy things you can do to keep your mind on the matter.

It will be like wearing a uniform or a different hat with the idea of stepping into a role. The props and equipment will also act as triggers or reminders.

10. Everyone has a to-do list, either in their mind or on paper. Keep your workouts at the top of your list and make them a priority. Life will continue to throw curve balls at you, and if you’re a tired, sleep-deprived parent, life can be especially taxing. Even when the going gets tough, being healthy and remaining active can be your savior. Persistence and consistency are key.

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A Soulful Artistry Jen Adhlakha and j.nicole jewelry

By Matthew Hume | Photography By Eduardo Peña | Artwork By Ismael Peña I arrived at the house to find the front door open, Jen standing barefoot in a flowing, calf-length, muted gold dress, chatting with our staff photographer over whether the rain would hold off long enough to shoot outside. We exchanged introductory greetings, during which Jen introduced me to her husband, Vipin. Since the photo shoot would take some time, Vipin invited me into the kitchen to talk, where I learned the couple’s origin story—they’ve been married just over two years—over two late afternoon Manhattans that he kindly stirred up. Our conversation was interrupted when Jen called upon him to help pick out a pair of sneakers to match the dress she was wearing. To her dismay, barefoot wasn’t going to cut it for the photo shoot.

Fast forward to the bottom of my Manhattan, where two plump Luxardo maraschino cherries awaited, leaving me struggling to retrieve them just as Jen joined me after the shoot. She’d escaped for a minute to relax into camouflaged pajamas adorned with layered necklaces of crystal-embellished pearl shells. “Just use your fingers, I always do,” she laughs. In retrospect, I shouldn’t have given using my fingers to dig down into my drink a second thought. After all, I was talking to a self-professed free spirit who had just posed for the camera all glammed up with gym shoes. “I’m not the person that walks around in heels if I can avoid it—I just like to be different.”

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Born and raised in Baltimore—and a die-hard Ravens fan to this day—Jen’s always been “different.”

“In school, I struggled with math and all that repetition, but when I found myself in arts classes and could let my mind run wild and create things, that’s where I thrived,” she says.

Springing from this instinct to think freely and creatively, Jen Adhlakha, founder of j.nicole jewelry, first began experimenting with beads and baubles, etc., as a hobby 18 years ago after moving to Dallas, away from Baltimore, away from the city and circle of friends and family she’d spent her whole life with. “I didn’t know anyone in Dallas except my husband at the time and my six-month old daughter, and I needed to do something for me,” she says. “I took a jewelry-making class, and I just kind of fell in love with it.” At the time, she says, the women at every event she attended were wearing the same corporately mass-produced jewelry, and friends started to notice the one-of-a-kind necklaces and bracelets Jen donned. “They’d say, where’d you get that? I want to buy that!” Jen tells me. Filling that need through a series of home parties and trunk shows, Jen slowly introduced her work to the Dallas market, and j.nicole jewelry was born.

THE J.NICOLE SPIN Through j.nicole jewelry, Jen offers her clients an array of bracelets, earrings and necklaces for the “every day” woman—and man—that appeals to a diverse range of styles and spans across the generational divide. “Every piece of jewelry I create is unique, and even in the same line, there’s going to be subtle differences,” she explains. And while her work follows the season and trending styles to some extent, she follows where inspiration leads. “I’m never going to sit and be a machine,” she says. Thank goodness. Jen imbues in every piece she creates an element of her soul. The endless parade of mass-produced jewelry she encountered in those early days, and which still can

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The Inner Sanctum When I asked Jen to see her workspace, she tensed up visibly and I knew in that moment she was sizing me up—could I be trusted? “It’s not glamorous—it’s a mess,” she warned me. “Really, organized chaos.” I told her I could appreciate that, and that an artist’s space should never be second-guessed—and that I promised not to take any photos. In a basement space about 12’ x 12’ were beads and affiliated tools of the trade of every shape, color and size, arranged in small bins, not only on the U-shaped worktable, but laid out in neat rows on the surrounding floor. I dared not take a step—I knew that one wrong foot fall could send everything flying. Surprisingly, Jen only leaves herself a square foot or two to actively work. Still, this is her creative inner sanctum. “When I need to escape from stress, I come down here to work. I can let my mind run wild, and I can make anything I want—it’s so freeing and soothing to me.”

be seen in today’s market, inspires Jen to produce pieces infused with personality that can be mixed and matched and reimagined by the wearer. “This summer has been all about beach themes and vibrant colors,” she says, as evidenced by the “tie dye” summer bracelet collection with its boldly colored bundles of beads and glass, and her line of seashell- and pearl-adorned necklaces. Fall 2019 will see the incorporation of leather into Jen’s palette—think snakeskin and cheetah spots with the j.nicole spin. And keep an eye out for the coming luxe of Jen’s first diamond line—J by j.nicole. “The test markets have loved them so far… It’s going to be really, really cool,” Jen says. See it all at www.shopjnicolejewelry.com.

OPENING TO THE CREATIVE SPACE With her three teenagers and two elderly parents under the same roof, Jen seeks inspiration in escape. “It’s 100 miles an hour around here,” she jokes. “The beach is my sanctuary, where I can really relax and let my mind wander.” It’s when she’s most relaxed that Jen feels most open to creativity and new ideas, whether it’s the colors and textures of the beach, or the plethora of supplies at the Tucson Gem Show, an annual event Jen attends.

“The inspiration there is unbelievable—they have football fields’ worth of beads.” She admits to being completely overwhelmed at her first show. “Every night I would go back to my room and sketch out renderings with the different shapes and colors and textures I’d seen that day.

I had a whole notepad of sketches to keep me going when I got home.”

Jen believes that it’s important for her hard-working teenage students to find room for escape, too. “My kids are under a heavy burden in their core classes,” she says.

“I urge them to take a class in something creative—art, or mixed media, or ceramics—to let their minds drift and relax. I tell them this sets you up to do even better in your academic subjects.”

“IT’S WHO I AM” As a lifelong artistic pursuit, Jen can’t imagine a time in her life where she won’t be creating. For her, it’s not so much about the business—it’s about a life calling. “Jewelry is who I am,” she says. Granted, she couldn’t be happier about the success of j.nicole, she tells me, because it has allowed her to be there for the other loves of her life, her three teenagers. “With three young kids, I was a stay-athome mom, and making a business of my passion gave me the best of both worlds,” Jen says. “Now that they’re getting ready to go off to college, I’m going to have even

more time to grow—they have their own thing going on, and I have mine!”

Not that having two teenage daughters has been a detriment to the business at all—in fact, it’s been sort of a built-in marketing campaign. “All my daughters’ friends were wearing this summer’s tie-dye line, those really thin, colorful, delicate glass bead bracelets, on their spring break,” she says. “Every time they come to visit, they ask if I have any new colors—they’re like a walking advertisement!” For the men of Jen’s family, though, it’s been a tougher sell. “I started my men’s line, and then I gifted my dad,” she tells me. “Then I gave my brother, who also lives here in town, one of my men’s pieces. His son, my nephew, is a huge fan! He wears my bracelets when they go fishing!” It’s been slow at home, admittedly, but Jen beams when she shares how her 73-year-old dad wears his j.nicole bling out to dinner with the fam.

Art may provide nourishment for Jen’s soul, but it’s her family that grounds her heart. “We took our kids out to an awesome dinner last night,” she says, “and we felt bad that we hadn’t done that kind of family outing in a really long time.” But her children don’t have a problem with that. “They said we don’t need to go out because we have a great time making really good food at home!”

Jen and Vipin recently had their kitchen remodeled into what is essentially a functional gathering space, with two islands for ample counter space and seating. “The kids bring their friends over, and we all laugh and talk while we chop veggies and cook. That’s fun for us. You rarely get those moments with your teenagers, so I cherish that time together.”

Considering that her oldest daughter plans to major in business and fashion merchandising, Jen sees the potential for a family partnership in their future. “I told her I have the creative side, so you get the business and we can be a women-owned business powerhouse!” she says with excitement. “Really, though, I’m hoping she can inspire me to grow even more.” As it turns out, Jen’s been inspired by her children all along. “When my youngest daughter was in second grade, she designed a stamp with three hearts touching in the middle,” she says. Liking its look, she sent an image of it to her graphic designer.

She went on to name her children’s line “3 Hearts,” and she uses that three-hearts logo to this day. “It’s like a second-grade memory, frozen in time.”

By now, Vipin had burgers on the grill, and though the Manhattans and Luxardo cherries were a distant memory, Jen invited me to take a seat in the kitchen and join the family for dinner. How could I possibly say no?

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Head to Clay Terrace to check out Jen’s latest creations at these upcoming pop-up shops: September 27-29 November 29 -December 1 December 20-22

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Make Sense of Your Travel Preferences

S

easoned travelers know that no two trips are exactly the same, even when revisiting the same location. The weather changes, your personal life and perspective evolve and any combination of factors makes each experience unique. However, if you’re like most travelers, your preferences guide your journeys no matter how far you venture from home.

According to a survey of American travelers from vacation rental app and website Vrbo, people are united by a common desire to travel with friends and family. In fact, 52% of respondents said a family vacation is their reason for travel in 2019, and more people said they will travel with a group of four or more this year than last year. That’s where the generational similarities end, however.

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Determining where to go and what you’ll do depends quite a bit on your age. Your stage of life significantly impacts the places you dream about visiting, the reasons you travel and what you look for when you get there, according to the survey.

What to look for in a destination Your definition of a dream vacation is likely to shift along with variables like your life stage, income and available free time. Limitations in any of those areas may make a certain destination a far-off dream during one stage of life but an attainable retreat during another.

The disparity between dream and reality signals that barriers of time and money are the deciding factors for whether Americans will take that dream vacation.

This holds true for every age group, although millennials (37%) are more likely to go into debt for travel than Generation Xers (27%) and baby boomers (15%).

Reasons for traveling Relaxation is a primary reason for traveling, which can help you disconnect from the stress of daily life and reconnect with family and friends. Whether it’s curiosity or a much-anticipated trip to celebrate a special occasion with a family member, many trips have a specific purpose. Understanding why you want to travel can make it much easier to plan.

Although younger travelers are most likely to make exploration a priority on their journeys, the

Vrbo survey revealed that travel isn’t always about adventure, as 20% of travelers ages 35-54 are likely to travel for a special occasion like a birthday or anniversary. In addition, only 6% of baby boomers said they would travel for a hobby or activity like skiing, surfing or hiking, compared with 23% of millennial respondents.

Amenities that matter The amenities you can access during your getaway may vary greatly depending on where you go and the

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type of trip you plan. From electronics and fully stocked kitchens to swimming pools and petfriendly features, plenty of options are available to help ensure your perfect vacation lodging includes all the amenities you require.

If you’re like most travelers, keeping connected is a major requirement. In fact, 75% of respondents listed access to the internet via WiFi as an important amenity when traveling, outranking traditional must-haves like TV and air-conditioning, according to the survey.

Amenities like WiFi aside, accommodation preferences reflect the starkest generational differences among American travelers. Millennials (71%) are most likely to consider unique lodging options such as boats or treehouses. They also represent the age group most likely to take into account design and architecture when choosing a place to stay. Generation Xers voiced the strongest preference for having ample space for everyone in the party. For baby boomers, more than other age groups, noise level is important when selecting lodging.

Find getaway accommodations perfect for every stage of life at vrbo.com.

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Long Live the Appetizer!

Ahhh, appetizers. Maybe you call them antipasti where you’re from. Maybe it’s hors d’oeuvres.

Or maybe it’s tapas, mezze, aperitif, maybe even plain old snacks? But really, no matter what you want to call them, can we all just take a moment to just pause and appreciate whoever the genius was who invented eating something before you eat something?

Nevertheless, this passion seems to be something we all share.

Everyone loves to eat, and therefore, everyone loves eating before we eat. It doesn’t matter if it’s recipes for family reunion, getting together with friends, or just for Tuesday appetizers. But just what makes an appetizer recipe an appetizer recipe? Because despite the concept’s ubiquity, the humble hors d’oeuvre takes many different appearances indeed. It all depends on where in the world you’re ordering them. But one thing is certain: everyone can find a use for some easy appetizer ideas.

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Garrotxa is a semi-firm Catalan goat cheese that’s delicately flavored and perfect for grating over crunchy, garlicky, tomatorubbed toast.

Pan con Tomate with Garrotxa Cheese Ingredients

Make It

• Eight 1/2-inch-thick slices of ciabatta • Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing and drizzling • 2 garlic cloves, halved crosswise • 4 tomatoes, halved crosswise • Kosher salt • Pepper • Shaved Garrotxa cheese, for topping

1.Preheat the oven to 375°. Brush one side of each bread slice with oil and arrange oiled side up on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, until golden. Rub the toasts with the garlic cloves, then rub with the tomato halves until all of the flesh is gone; discard the tomato skins. Season the toasts with salt and pepper.

Top with cheese, drizzle with olive oil and serve.

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Mini Smoked-Salmon Croque-Monsieur

Make It 1. In a medium saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter. Stir in the flour until completely blended, then cook over moderately high heat, stirring constantly, until the roux is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Bring the sauce to a boil, whisking constantly.

Reduce the heat to moderately low and simmer, whisking often, until no floury taste remains, about 5 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the sauce cool, stirring, until very warm. Stir in the smoked salmon, Gruyère, chives and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper and let the sauce cool completely.

2. Spread half of the rye slices with a rounded tablespoon of the salmon mixture and close the sandwiches. Repeat with the pumpernickel slices and the remaining salmon mixture.

3. Preheat the oven to 400°. In a large, shallow bowl, beat the eggs thoroughly. Stack 2 or 3 large rimmed baking sheets on one side of the stove.

Ingredients • 1 stick unsalted butter • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour • 2 cups milk • 10 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon, coarsely chopped • 1 1/2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese (6 ounces) • 1 cup minced chives • 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg • Salt and freshly ground pepper • 40 slices of cocktail rye bread

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4. In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over moderate heat. Dip 8 of the sandwiches in the beaten eggs to coat completely; cook the egg-dipped sandwiches over moderately high heat, turning once, until browned, about 1 minute per side. Transfer the sandwiches to one of the baking sheets, leaving a little space between each one. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches and beaten eggs, using 1 tablespoon of butter per batch.

5. Reheat the sandwiches for about 8 minutes, until piping hot. Cut the sandwiches in half on the diagonal, skewer with small wooden forks and serve hot.

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bodysculptRx.com 317-804-2960

5641Pebble Village Lane • Noblesville, IN 46062

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1691 West Cuuy Road | 317.881.0500

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4905 82nd Street Indianapolis, IN 46250 317.578.7000 Mon-Fri10AM–7PM Sat 10AM-6PM Sun12AM-5PM houseworks.biz