INVESTING? IT'S CHRISTMAS! - Mom's Blueberry Christmas Pudding

Seasons Greetings

(IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT) SIMPLIFYING (YOUR INVESTMENT STRATEGY AND FOCUSING ON YOUR GOALS) IS THE SECRET TO SUCCESS.

Now talking about 'simplifying' I gotta tell you that the following recipe is so simple that our son Connor (aka Rocky) made up several batches a few years ago (he was 14) for us to hand out for Christmas.

Okay, that's pretty much it for the investment theme for this entry (It's Christmas!) as I'm delighted to tell you that I did in fact manage to coer ... convince Mom to share this incredible
Blueberry Christmas Pudding recipe with us. This recipe has been a Christmas delight
for many years. The traditional Christmas pudding has those black currents and fruit
rinds and candied cherries in it (yeeuck!) and I just found myself passing on the pudding
and then doubling up on the ... butter cream sauce. (teeheeeheehee)

So, the following recipe is recited verbatim from Mom's kitchen (still working on the
butter tart recipe) and you might want to print this off because this is truly a 'keeper'.

Mom's Blueberry Christmas Pudding
(complete with butter cream sauce)
Here it goes ...
1/ PLACE IN BOWL - 11 ounces of frozen blueberries
2/ SIFT TOGETHER
- 2 cups of all purpose flour
- 1 tsp soda / 2 tsp cinnamon/ 1/2 tsp salt

Okay, okay everything seems pretty quick and easy so far mom ...
3/ COMBINE IN A LARGE MEASURING CUP (or large bowl)
- 1 cup of boiling water
- 1 cup of molasses - "NOT BLACKSTRAP!" (use 'fancy' ie. Crosby or Grandma)
- 1/4 cup of canola oil
- 1/2 tsp of vanilla
DIRECTIONS:
Separate the blueberries in the bowl if frozen together
SIFT dry ingredients over the berries and toss lightly
Make a 'well' in the centre of the the berries and pour in the wet ingredients

We're almost done!
Spoon the mixture into a 2 quart mould (or soup tins) that has been greased, leaving about 1"-2" at the top for expansion
Cover the mould (tins) with foil and set on a rack in a large kettle/baking pan (must have a lid)
Add boiling water 1/2 way up the outside of the mould (tins)
Pop the lid on the kettle and steam at SIMMER for up to 3 hours, depending on the size.

THAT'S IT!
OR IS IT?

Everbody knows that Christmas pudding just isn't Christmas pudding if it doesn't have the buttery cream sauce poured over the top of it, eh? So here is the recipe for ...

THE BUTTERY CREAM SAUCE
1/2 cup of ... butter
1/2 cup of ... cre ... crea ... cream!
1 full cup of ... brown sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla
I am sure that at this point you all realize that the only goodness in this recipe (aside from the vanilla?) is certainly in the flavour. But ... if you're not planning on making this a staple in your everyday diet, why not indulge?

Heat the butter and cream to a simmer
Stir in the sugar
Simmer and stir occassionally for about 10 minutes
Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla.

Pour over individual serving of hot pudding.

WOW! Now if you want to try a Christmas dessert that is sure to be a winner, why not give this a whirl? You can make it up well ahead of time and toss in the freezer. In fact, I find that if it has had some time to set that it tastes even better. (the anticipation might be an influencing factor)

A big huge thanks to my mom (Elaine) for submitting this recipe for all to enjoy. "Thanks Mom".

Only nine days 'til Christmas so if you haven't started your shopping yet ... chances are I'll see you at the mall!

All the best!

Jeff

INVESTING? IT'S CHRISTMAS! - Christmas Wreath Cookies and SnOwball Cookies

(IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT) SIMPLIFYING (YOUR INVESTMENT STRATEGY AND FOCUSING ON YOUR GOALS) IS THE SECRET TO SUCCESS.

Okay, okay ... it has been suggested to me that rather than talk about all of this investment stuff and reminding everyone to plan for tomorrow, but don't forget about today, diversify, simplify and so on, and so on, and so on ... that I should take a brief furlough and just focus on a few of my favourite Christmas recipes.

Though I do not have it here today, I did put in a plea to my mom to share her Blueberry Christmas Pudding recipe with us ... and I think she just might.


But in the meantime I am going to throw out a couple of Christmas cookie recipes for you to try. They're easy, quick to make and pretty tasty.
Did I mention that they are quick to make?


CHRISTMAS WREATH COOKIES
You can never make enough of these.
This was one of my favourites (actually, it still is) and continues to be a big hit with all the kids.

I've doubled up on this recipe to make 45-50 (depends how many get snatched off the counter before the final tally). If you think this might be a little much ... just cut the ingredients in half.

1 cup of butter
60 marshmellows
1 teaspoon of vanilla
3 teaspoons of green food colouring
7 cups of (kinda) crushed corn flakes
2-3 red licorice sticks

Melt the butter and marshmellows in a saucepan, be sure to mix 'em up periodically and when they're all melted and blended together, pour in the vanilla and the food colouring and blend a bit more. Pour in the (kinda) crushed corn flakes, stir them around with a wooden spoon until they're all coated with the green marshmellow mix. (Yep I know, this recipe sounds a lot like rice crispy squares)
Scoop up a tablespoon of this mixture, drop it on a piece of waxed paper, and with greased (buttered) fingers, shape into a wreath. (should look like a little doughnut)

Take out your paring knife and slice up the red licorice into small thin strips and push them gently into the front of the cookies to give the appearance of red ribbons.
Let these stand for a few hours to cool and set and then store them in a real, real secret place (kids love frozen cookies so suggest that the freezer is out)

SNOWBALL Cookies
1/2 cup of powdered sugar
1/4 tspn of salt
1 cup of softened butter
1 tspn of vanilla
2 1/4 cups of flour
1/2 cup of chopped pecans
Cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla
Add the salt to the flour, mix it up and then blend into the buttery creamy mixture.
Add the nuts and mix it up real well. Let the mixture set for about an hour.
Turn on that oven and set it at 375 degrees.
Shape into 1" balls and bake for about 10 minutes.
Roll these balls around in powdered sugar after removing from the oven.

Alright, so I'm getting off pretty lightly here with very little (none!) investment advice for all of you savvy investors who have an appetite for knowledge, not more food.
Well, it is Christmas and I think we'll just kick back and have a little fun over the next couple of weeks. STAY TUNED for Mom's Blueberry Christmas Pudding recipe.

Merry Christmas
Jeff & Beverley

THE FEELING IS MUTUAL - Terrific Turkey Jambalaya

Mutual funds are frequently the preferred investment of choice for many novice investors. But don't be fooled. The financial benefits of mutual funds are also enjoyed by many seasoned investment veterans.

Why are they so popular? Mutual funds provide investors with a professionally managed basket of securities and may hold stocks, bonds, cash or a combination of all three. It is also important to note that these managed investments come in many shapes, sizes and flavours. Equity funds, bond funds, gold funds, real estate funds, t-bill funds, hedge funds, resource funds ... conservative, aggressive, VERY aggressive, middle of the road ... you can find a fund that invests in just about anything. So it's not a bad idea to spend a bit of time getting acquainted with your options and aligning those with your needs and your risk tolerance.

By investing in a global mutual fund, you can make a single investment that will hold a variety of securities in a number of different industries and asset classes in several different countries. This may also expose you to global currency risks. Hmmmm. Currency risks, eh?

Mutual funds are professionally managed and the investments held within the fund are regularly readjusted to suit current conditions. But if you are not comfortable with where the fund is situated, the industries, asset classes or countries that they're investing in, then don't go there.

Additionally, many investors assume that going this route means that they don't have to pay attention or learn about the markets. As such, these types of investors are really only concerned about their investments at tax time. Yikes! Wrong again.

I'm sure that I don't need to tell you - as a seasoned follower of DIG IN - that it just doesn't work like that! You still have to choose who you are going to trust to take care of your hard earned dough AND it is prudent to regularly monitor your progress.

Remember, if you want to avoid those (avoidable) financial pitfalls you should do your homework, and be aware of how mutual funds and their respective managers differ from each other. Furthermore, do your homework BEFORE you hand over your money. Mutual funds can prove to be very wise and profitable long term investments but you have to remember that there are also a lot of 'turkeys' out there.

Talking about "turkeys", here is one turkey recipe that you've just got to try. It's sure to bring you immense satisfaction through it's diversity of flavours and will be a big hit with everyone at your dinner table. Beverley whipped this up in about 45 minutes of which most of that time was waiting for the rice to cook.

We'll talk more about the world of mutual funds in the coming posts but in the meantime, let's DIG IN! and get started on this Terrific Turkey Jambalaya.

TERRIFIC TURKEY JAMBALYA

serves 4 (3 if you have a son like Connor who eats for 2)

4 tbsp butter

1 cup uncooked (brown) rice

1 stalk celery - chopped

1 med. onion - chopped

1/2 red (green) pepper - chopped

1 28 oz can of stewed tomatoes

2 cups of cooked cubed turkey

1 1/4 cups of chicken broth

Pinch of salt, pepper and a good hit of cayenne (to your liking)

1/4 tsp of sage

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

Add onion, red pepper, rice and celery.

Cook uncovered until the vegetables are tender (10 mins) stirring occassionally.

Stir in the turkey, tomatoes, broth and spices.

Cover and let simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occassionally.

Now THAT is a Terrific Turkey Jambalya!

Thanks for stopping by and remember, if you have any questions about the content of this blog be sure to forward your questions to info@digestinginvesting.com.

DIG IN!

Jeff and Beverley

THIS ADVICE SOUNDS FISHY - Lemon Sole & Carrot Bundles

Do you ever just trust your investment decisions to the 'pros'?
Well let me start by saying that there are many, many good financial advisors out there that take their careers seriously and strive to provide a great service. Most of them in fact. And this blog does not attempt to smear this profession, but rather make you aware of why YOU should pay attention to this financial stuff.

Last weekend I took our sixteen year old daughter - Haley Estelle - to the local bank to discuss the bank account that they had set up for her. We went in to review the chequing account that was recommended as well as a more reasonable alternative to the same.

You see, Haley is the epitome of frugal (not cheap) with her hard earned money that she earns from her part-time job. She always seeks out a deal and only purchases those items that she deems 'must have' vs. 'wanna have'. I often wish that I had instilled her frugalness into my own spending habits.

The two issues of concern with the bank setting her up with a chequing account is that the interest that she receives is virtually nothing (.05%) but the bigger issue is that she has a chequing account. Because Haley is 16, she is not legally allowed to write a cheque. DUHHH!

So we go to the bank to meet with the personal banker (also a mutual fund specialist) to discuss a t-bill fund or a money market fund which will protect her capital, get her a slightly higher yield and teach her about the benefits of investing. Well you could imagine my surprise when the 'mutual fund specialist' advised that a t-bill account was a mutual fund, mutual funds fluctuate in value and due to the short time horizon (Haley is saving for university) that a t-bill account would not be recommended. WHAT? Furthermore, it was recommended that a global equity fund be taken into consideration as this fund had a 20%+ return over the last six months. WHAT? And to put the icing on the cake, I was reminded that because Haley is only sixteen ... she could only be the co-owner of the account which would have to be set up, 'in-trust-for'. To which I asked, "so why does Haley have a chequing account ... which she can not write cheques on until she is eighteen?"

Most of us know that investors/savers who wish to remove their money from the inherent - and sometimes crippling - risks of the global equity markets seek comfort in t-bills and/or money market instruments. 'Capital Preservation' is the underlying theme of these types of funds ... NOT 'Capital Appreciation' (which is achieved through equities) or potential capital losses.

So, if you're like Haley and you wish to park your hard earned money in an account that will give you higher yield then your chequing/savings account, ask your advisor about a t-bill or money market account. And if your (professional) advisor suggests an equity fund due to the higher potential return, do what we did. Walk out the door and find a new advisor.

Remember, before making a mutual fund investment you should read the prospectus, have a clear understanding of the investment objectives of the fund, and more importantly, of yourself.

Now, if you liked hearing about this 'fishy' experience, you're gonna love this recipe for Lemon Sole With Carrot Sticks. The key difference is, this is not fishy.

LEMON SOLE AND CARROT STICKS
This feeds 4 and takes about 40 minutes from start to finish.

4 medium sized carrots each cut into thin strips
1 1/2 cups of crumbly style seasoned stuffing (stove top works)
1/2 cup of melted butter
2 tbsp of lemon
A 'hit' of salt of pepper
1 lb (4 pieces) sole fillets -thawed and drained

Crank on the oven to 375 degrees and let it warm up while you place the carrots in a saucepan
with enough H20 to cover. Bring to a full boil and let them cook for about 8 minutes. While the ovens warming up and the carrots are cooking, combine all other ingredients (less the fish) in a bowl and set aside.
Now, take those fillets and lay them out separately, and wrap the fillets with equal portions of the carrots. Place the wrapped fillets, seam side down, in a baking dish, sprinkle with the stuffing mixture, cover and bake for 10 minutes. Uncover, and bake for another 8 minutes.

Now if you're going to try this recipe, why not mix it up with Meagan's Great ...Baked Tomates and/or Rocky's Broccoli? A great combination! (both Superfoods!)

And remember, it doesn't hurt to do your homework when it comes to investing your money. There is loads of information out there to help you wade through your options. It's free, it's easy and it could save you from making some really bad decisions with your hard earned dough.

Thanks for stopping by, and until next time, have fun DIGestingINvesting!

All the best!

Jeff

THANKSGIVING - Incredible Cranberry Pie

With the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend being just days away I find myself day dreaming about turkey, cranberries, sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie. Hmmm, everybody loves pie. So what if we were to take cranberries (superfood) and ... make a pie? Cranberry Pie.

Thanksgiving is a good time to take a pause and reflect on all that we have to be thankful for.

Sadly, with the global financial crisis lingering on and many of us wondering when, or if, this financial anxiety will ever end, it might be tough for many of us to bring ourselves to be thankful for anything.

During my lifetime (and I am not that old!) I recall the economic chaos and the crippling energy crisis of the seventies. Double digit inflation, crashing home values, bankruptcies and record unemployment in the early eighties, followed by the stock market crash on Monday October 19, 1987 and the beginning of yet another recession in October 1989. The economic turmoil of the early '90s was a prelude to yet another meltdown in real estate, soaring bankruptcies and financial pain that took us almost three years to recover from. The foreign debt crisis of 1996 , the 0.63 'Canadian Peso', the Bre-X scandal, the 'Asian Contagian' of 1998, the ' Millenium Bug', the 'Tech Bubble' burst of 2000, Worldcom, Enron, September 11 ... and so on, and so on, and so on ... wow! In fact, looking back at these times of uncertainty I recall asking myself the same question over and over again; "Is this time different?" The answer to this question was, and still is, "no".

By the way, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 1198 in January 1985 and closed just shy of 9600 points today (Oct 5, 2009) for a net point gain - with all of this bad news over the last 25 years - of pretty close to 700%. Not bad, eh?

So for those of you out there that are experiencing difficult times right now just remember that this time will pass. It always does. In the meantime, invest time with your family and friends and make the most of it. Get back to basics with your investments. Learn to be frugal. Appreciate what you have. Look for opportunites, because they are out there.

It may be timely to recall the words of encouragement from Dr. Robert Schueller,

"Tough Times Never Last, But Tough People ... Do".

Putting this quick history lesson aside it is fair to note that today the UN's annual Human Development Index ranked Canada's quality of life as the fourth best (country) in the world. Now there is sure something to be thankful for.

Happy Thanksgiving Canada!

Now here might be that helpful hint you were looking for this weekend.

A 14-18 lb frozen turkey takes 6-7 hours to thaw in cold water (change water frequently) and 2-3 days to thaw in your fridge.

A 14-18 lb turkey will take about 5 hrs to cook at 325 degrees if stuffed and tented with foil.

Skill Testing Question:

What does Turkey, Broccoli, Cranberries, Tomatoes and Pumpkin have in common?

Answer: These are ALL Superfoods. (check out 'Meagan's Great! Baked Tomates' recipe from a few posts ago. These stuffed tomatoes are really, really good. 'Rocky's Broccoli' is worth checking out too)

So here is that Incredible Cranberry Pie recipe

Here is what you'll need;

2 cups of fresh/frozen cranberries

1 cup of blueberries (optional, but a nice touch)

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups of sugar

1 cup of flour

1/2 cup of milk

1/4 cup of melted butter

1/2 cup of chopped walnuts

Grease a 10" pie plate (use a 10" spring form pan if you have it) and spread the cranberries (and blueberries if you're adding them)over the bottom of the plate. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of sugar (reserve 1 cup) and chopped walnuts over cranberries. Beat the eggs and blend in remaining sugar, continue to beat until smooth. Add milk, flour and melted butter. Beat well. Pour the batter over the cranberries, bake at 325 degrees for 55-60 minutes, until golden on top. Let stand. Serve with whipped cream/ice cream.

But wait ... there's more!!!

Ever made your own homemade Cranberry - Orange Relish?

I found this recipe on the Ocean Spray bag.

12 ounce bag of Ocean Spray (fresh or frozen) cranberries.

Half of an unpeeled orange cut into six wedges.

3/4 cup of sugar

Toss half of the cranberries and half of the orange wedges into your food processor and process until mixture is evenly chopped. Place mixture in a bowl and repeat this process with the second half of cranberries and oranges. When processing is complete, fold in sugar and mix well. Place bowl in your fridge for 1-2 hours.

Now this sounds so much better then opening a can of cranberry jelly.

Thanks again for stopping by.

DIG IN!

Jeff

INFLATION EATS BUYING POWER - But you should eat...Pineapple Chicken

Everybody talks about it. Everybody hears about it. Everybody is effected by it. Yet I get the feeling that not everybody understands it. So what is 'inflation?'

I am sure that we have all been in the grocery store and have felt the pinch of higher prices on food items. These relentless increases in our grocery bill are blamed on inflation. Even when inflation is hovering at 1%, it always seems that the prices escalate by more than the rate of inflation.

Think about it. How much did a loaf of bread cost tens years ago? A tank of gasoline? A pound of butter? Ten years ago a pound of butter was still a pound. The ingredients remain the same, the weight remains the same, yet the cost has gone up over 60%. The butter hasn't changed: the value of your dollar has.

It seems inevitable that the value of money will shrink over time. The question is, by how much or at what rate? We regularly hear references to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) which is the measure that we use to track inflation. The CPI is a measure of the cost of a basket of goods and services compared to the cost of the same goods and services last year, and is reported monthly. The CPI is also 'seasonally adjusted' as some household goods are naturally more expensive at different times of the year. And all of those annual increases add up over time, constantly eroding the buying power of your dollar.

So when investing your hard earned money it is important to consider those asset classes that historically have outperformed inflation in the long run. Equities are the asset class to which I refer to. But remember, equities are a long term investment, and it is not wise to hold ALL of your investments in this one asset class. Don't forget about cash and fixed income investments.

Wow, all of this talk about how Inflation Eats Buying Power has got me hungry! Before getting started on today's recipe we have to mention that a good friend of ours has this fabulous business that specializes in preparing a wide selection of Party Favours. Corrie has put a lot of effort into her business, takes great pride in her work and strives to 'over promise'. Visit Corrie's website http://www.simplethankyous.com/ and she has assured me that she can ship your orders ... anywhere.


Pineapple Chicken

Before I get started I have to refer you to the picture to the right. This week I had a conversation (which should been a bet) about pineapples. It seems that my good friend (not mentioning any names Albert) has been under the impression that pineapples grow... on pineapple trees, much like coconuts.


But wait, I was equally surprised to find that he was not alone. So, for the record pineapples do not grow in the treetops but rather out of the ground as depicted to the right. For the record, chickens don't grow on trees either.

So if you take 6 chicken breasts
1 cup of flour
1 cup of grated cheddar
1 - 14 oz can of pineapple tidbits
salt, pepper and a pinch of poultry seasoning
2 tablespoons of shredded coconut

Put the dry ingredients in a bag, add the chicken and shake until the chicken is well coated.
Brown the chicken in your frying pan for a few minutes then put it in a casserole dish. Put the cheese and pineapple over the top of each chicken breast and bake for 45 minutes at 350, taking the lid off for the last 10 minutes.

It's quick, it's easy, and most of all it's pretty darn tasty!

So, we covered off the basics of inflation.
We encouraged you to check out Corrie's http://www.simplethankyous.com/
We cleared up the pineapple tree issue, and gave you a great chicken recipe.

That's a wrap!

Thanks for stopping by. Look forward to your comments and feedback

From all of us at DIGestingINvesting ...
Ciao!


Jeff

TEACH YOUR CHILDREN WELL - Meagan's... Great! Baked Tomates

Crosbie, Stills and Nash pretty much nailed this one with this nostalgic yet time tested advice for all of us parents.

It has been said that the best way to teach our children about the value of money ... is not to have any money. They learn to appreciate it real quick.

As I was taking a few minutes to understand what this meant I remembered my friend who had purchased the newest PlayStation unit for his kids (nothing against Sony). I then remembered that this was the third PlayStation unit that he has purchased, along with GameCube, XBox and Nintendo, SuperNintendo and Nintendo 64. Of course the cost of purchasing all of these (soon to be obsolete units) are puny when compared to the hundreds spent on the games to go with them. In total it is safe to say that thousands had been spent in an attempt to keep the kids entertained and up-to-date. So much for Monopoly.

Though the earlier example is a little extreme it is safe to say that video games, televisions, computers, running shoes, clothes, food or whatever ... it seems that our 'must be current, throw away society' of today has completely disengaged itself from the value of money (forget about cleaning up this environment). As we recklessly fill up yet another landfill sight - that we don't want in our backyard - I often wonder if we ever consider the amount of money that has been wasted needlessly ... on yet more useless, but current, stuff? Do they, or we, really need it? If so, at what cost?

I am sure that most of you reading this are frugal with your money and are constantly looking for ways to stretch your dollar a little further. But do you strive to send this message out to your children? "Money doesn't grow on trees" (it really doesn't!)

Recently there have been many articles written that address the decline in North America's standard of living. It has been stated over and over again that the children of today will not enjoy the same standard of living that we (babyboomers) enjoyed and that this paradox and financial shift will have an enormous negative impact on our children as they will not have the financial resources to provide all of the ... stuff ... for their kids, that they had enjoyed when they were young. Just think for a moment. Do your children have more stuff, new lunch boxes, bikes, restaurant meals, gum, ice caps, cell phones ... 'stuff', then you ever had? I'm betting they do. For now. But unless your kids are planning on staying with you after graduation, there is a very good chance that they are in for a big letdown. But you can help.

DO YOU TEACH YOUR CHILDREN about the value of dollar? Do you ever say, "Sorry kids but ... you don't need that/we can't afford that/that's not a wise use of our money?"

It's never too early to teach your kids about the ABCs of money. The sooner they get started the earlier they can make plans to take over the world, buy a house or just an iPod. And with the beginning of a new school year it is a perfect time for parents to establish a few financial lessons. Talk about allowance, and advise the importance of saving a portion of that allowance. Establish financial goals and encourage them to achieve those goals. SAVE is the operative word. Not SPEND. Your kids will thank you down the road.

In my previous blog I explained the importance of TIME and the benefit of compounding growth. Show your children the value of $20 / month compounded annually at 8% from age 10 to age 60. The total deposits are about $12,000 and the total value is just over $140,000.

Imagine if the deposits were increased, the timeline extended by 3-5 years or the annual return exceeds 8%? (at 9% the end value exceeds $200,000) WOW!

So take this time to sit down with your children and teach them about the value of money. The time is right. The time is critical. And for your kids, time is on their side, but they just don't know it. Yet.

Talking about 'time', what a perfect time to entertain the following recipe. Tomatoes are in season, taste great, and are loaded with goodness.

Jeff

THE FOLLOWING RECIPE IS A 'MUST TRY'

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The following recipe was submitted to me from our eldest daughter Meagan who has been waiting patiently for her name to appear on this big silver screen. Today, Meg started her third year in university and has been inspirational and creative with this DIGestingINvesting blog.(and she is pretty aggressive at correcting my grammar) AND, the recipe is in fact Meagan's own creation therefore I can take no credit, however if wasn't for me ... she wouldn't be here. HA! Meagan turned 20 this year and I have to admit that when I was 20, I was not making baked tomatoes. And I was reminded a few times over to be sure to mention that tomatoes are a superfood!

Meagan's ... Great! Baked Tomates (superfood)

Serves 4 and takes about 10-15 to prep and another 10 mins. to bake

Here's what you need:

4 medium sized ripe tomatoes (if they're not completely ripe put them in a brown bag overnight)

4 servings of brown rice (I use the microwave rice which is ready in a few mins)

2 eggs

Salt/pepper to taste

1 tbsp Oregano

2 tspn of fresh coriander

8-12 thin slices (1x3) of cheddar

Cut the tops off of those ripe tomatoes (after you've washed them) and using spoon and a sharp paring knife, hollow out the tomatoes, setting the tomato flesh aside for later.

Gently cut off a small slice of the bottom of each tomato so they sit flatly on the cutting board.

Separately cook up four (4) servings of brown rice and two scrambled eggs.

Mix together the rice, eggs and the flesh from those tomatoes, one clove of garlic (minced) along with a little salt and pepper to taste, oregano and coriander.

Fill each of the tomato shells with the rice/egg mixture and top each with a two or three of slices of cheddar cheese. (or your favourite kind)

Place the stuffed tomatoes on a small cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees.

Okay, if I can do this, anybody can do it.

These are incredibly easy and pretty quick to make, taste delicious and make an awesome impression as not too many people make these. If you don't try them, you'll never know what you're missing! And if you serve these up with salmon, bean salad and a bowl of blueberries (with real maple syrup) you will have served up a feast of superfoods! And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.

Enjoy, have fun, and be sure to live!

Meg

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WILL MONEY BUY HAPPINESS? - Haley's 'Hasty Chicken Broccoli Casserole' Sure Will!

MONEY will not buy you happiness. However ... it can buy you the kind of misery that you prefer.

MONEY. No matter how hard you hug it ... it will never hug you back.

MONEY. You can't die with it ... and you can't live without it.

Ironically, when it comes to life, time is our foe. However, when it comes to money, time is our friend. That's right, time is our friend, if we use it wisely. And if we combine the wise use of time with a wise investment strategy, we can capitalize on the Magic of Compounding.

Did you know that in 2006, 21% of Americans were relying on lottery winnings to fund their retirement? Would it surprise you that 31% of Canadians between 35 and 54 do not have a registered retirement plan?

$200 /month ($2400/yr) saved from age 25 to age 65 (40 yrs) and yielding a long term return of 8% would net you $648,561.

If you waited until you were 35 and started putting away $200. /month for 30 years yielding the same 8%, you would net $283,723. (ten years cost you 340,000 [365,000-24,000])

Wait until you are 45, put away $200./month @ 8% for 20 years, you net $114,732. (20 years cost you $486,000[534,000-48,000])

Time clearly is ... money.

Is money important to you? If you said "yes" then we will assume that you have sat down with pen in hand and written down your short, mid and long term goals and developed a plan. A 'plan' that will capitalize on ... time.

Talking about 'time', how about this recipe? It was not too long ago that I posted Rocky's Broccoli Bake and here I am posting Haley's Hasty Chicken Broccoli Casserole (we'll call it HHCBC for short ... just kidding!)

For those of you that don't know, Connor (aka Rocky) is our 17 year old son and Haley (aka Haley) is our 16 year old daughter. Now if they can understand all of this cooking and investing stuff then anyone can.

______________________________________________________________________

Haley's Hasty Chicken Broccoli Casserole

Super easy and pretty quick to put together. Prep time is 5 minutes, cooking time is 30 minutes.

2 cups - cooked cubed chicken

2 - 10 oz packages of frozen broccoli

1 cup - shredded cheddar cheese

1 can - condensed cream of mushroom soup (sorry Sue)

1/2 cup of milk

1 1/2 cups of bread crumbs

3 tbsp of melted butter

Heat the oven to 350.

Cover the bottom of a 9x12 (?) glass casserole dish with chicken

Layer with broccoli, then more chicken and then broccoli.

Sprinkle 1/2 of the cheese over the top.

Mix up the soup with the milk and pour over the top.

Add the rest of the cheese and then sprinkle bread crumbs over the top of cheese.

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

That's it! Easy as pie!

______________________________________________________________________

Remember, you can gamble your money with the hopes that you might be the one in 14,000,000 who wins the lottery, or the 1 in 10,000 chance of hitting it big at on the slots.

And maybe if you happen to be one of those lucky winners, your retirement dreams just might pan out after all. Maybe.

However, if you develop a time-proven strategy that capitalizes on compounding growth, use common sense and never lose sight of your 'plan' ... you will always come out a winner.

Thanks for stopping by, and thanks to Haley for making this recipe so darn easy.

Jeff

LIVE LONG AND PROSPER - Grilled 'Jet' Burgers

LIVE LONG AND PROSPER - Spock, Wrath of Khan - 1982

Did Beverley say that I was presenting a goulash recipe on this post? Well with this fabulous sunshine and the Labour Day weekend just hours away,

it really seemed like a great time to fire up the grill, enjoy the patio and cook up some real tasty burgers. So that goulash recipe is gonna have to wait. And remember, all of you people heading out of town for this long weekend just take your time and get to your destination safe-and-sound.

Talking about taking your time and getting there safely ... did you know that 90% of the married women will outlive their husbands? Yep, that's right. In fact, you may have already figured this out and started making plans for your future but in case you haven't you might want to pay close attention because this also means that at least 90% of married women will end up handling there own finances in retirement. And for women who retire in their early sixties, statistics show that they will enjoy another twenty years or longer with only 30% of retirement income coming from government pensions and old age security.

There are a lot of reasons why women should pay attention to finances and all of this ho-hum investment stuff. Sure there are women who will never get married and they will always rely on themselves to get the job done. But if they do get married there is a 50/50 probability they have to deal with divorce. And if they don't deal with divorce, there is a 90% chance they will find themselves as widows. Add to all of this the motherhood ... handicap(?) ... which often results (or did) in women leaving the workforce for ten or twenty years to raise the children. Or the income gap handicap which is slowly being overcome. Clearly women have many hurdles to overcome to maintain their quality of life in retirement.

And yet, even in today's world, men typically handle the household financial/investment details, though I haven't quite figured out why. Whether due to nature or nurture women tend to have very different investment habits than men, and tend to be more conservative and careful. And yet many/most women don't get involved in investing and the primary reason is that they, do not understand.

So, DIGestingINvesting strives to simplify all of this investment jargon and present common sense investment material that makes the world of finance less intimidating and a lot easier to work with. And I might be so bold as to suggest that if you don't understand what a mutual fund is, or the difference between a common stock and a treasury bill, or you still don't see the benefit of a tax-free savings account, well you should be taking an exceptionally keen interest in this blog because there may be some huge financial benefits to you down the road.

Of course I like to think that the biggest payoff to you is trying some of these great recipes. Most of them are easy and quick and in many of them I/we have tried to incorporate at least one 'superfood' thereby making it a little more nutritious. If you are going to follow at least some of the financial advice offered on this blog, then you had better be eating right so that you'll live longer ... to enjoy your financial success! Or visa-versa.

Live Long And Prosper.

Grilled 'Jet' Burgers

This makes eight patties, prep time is 12-15 mins, start to finish is 1 hour (incl fridge time)

1 lb (450g) lean/extra lean ground beef

1 lb (450g) lean ground turkey (superfood)

1 cup bread crumbs

1/2 cup medium salsa sauce

1/2 cup chopped onions

2 eggs

2 tbsp parsley

2 tbsp minced garlic

Toss the beef and turkey into a bowl and mix it up real good.

Add the bread crumbs, eggs ... what the heck ... toss everything in and keep mixing.

Cover the bowl and put in the fridge for 30-40 minutes.

Shape the meat into 8 big meatballs in the palm of your hand and squeeze down the centre to form a patty. This should be about 1" thick from side to side.

Put these patties (should be eight) on a plate and set aside while your grill is heating up on high heat.

Turn the heat from high to medium when you put these on the grill and cook to well. (remember, there is turkey)

I would serve these burgers up with fried onions and green peppers, a slice of old cheddar, and a thick slice of a fresh, ripe, juicy, hand picked tomato, (superfood) a good shot of ketchup and a couple of pickles.

And there's nothing better than a bbq'd sweet potato to go with this. I toss them in the microwave for a few minutes to prep them before they go on the grill.

And for dessert ...?

Grapes 'n Cream 'n Grapes

3 cups of green seedless grapes

1/2 cup of sour cream

1/3 cup of brown sugar

1 tbsp of lemon zest

pinch of cinnamon

2 oz of Grand Marnier (okay, this is optional)

If you toss everthing into a bowl, mix it up and set in the fridge for 1 - 2 hours, you're good to go.

Alright there you have it. A bit of an eye opener for the women to encourage them to get more involved in the household finance and investment stuff because one day ... ? And, a great burger recipe for the grill this weekend along with a pretty cool grape dessert that will keep you coming back for more (you have to try it with the Grand Marnier)

Remember, if you have any questions about the recipes or any of the other financial stuff posted here or have ideas for future posts, be sure to post in the 'comments' section below or send me an email directly jeffdouglas@digestinginvesting.com and I'll be sure to get back to you as quick as I can.

Thanks for stopping by. Have a great weekend. See you next time!

DIG IN!

Jeff

BACK TO SCHOOL - Beverley's Skillet Pizza and Diversification

Hey everybody, it's me Beverley and I would like to welcome you back to another addition of DIGestingINvesting.

With 'back to school' just a week away I felt it timely to divulge one of my favourite 'quick meals' for all of you parents out there. It won't be long before we're scrambling to create those quick after school/work meals that our kids will enjoy and are healthy... before we dive back into the homework routine. aghhhhhh!

Before we get into my feature recipe I would like to touch on the 'back to school' issue and talk a little about 'diversification'. I have suggested to Jeff that we should really focus on the basics in some of these blogs and that is what we're going to do today. It's time to go 'back to school'.

Remember when you were young and you were advised, "don't put all of your eggs in one basket"? Did you ever wonder what the heck was meant by that? In short, this tidbit of advice refered to (in financial terms) 'diversification', and this suggests that we don't put all of our money in one bank, don't put it all in guaranteed investment certificates (GICs), bonds, stocks, real estate, gold coins and so on. But rather we hold varying degrees of all of these assets and investments. Diversifying our assets ensures that we don't have all of our eggs in one basket.

Websters Dictionary defines di-ver-si-fy like this;

1/to give variety to: vary: to diversify a meal

2/to distribute investments among different companies or securities to limit losses in the event of a fall in a particular market or industry.

Coincidentally, we often diversify our meals without even realizing it. Have you ever sat down and just had roast beef for Sunday dinner? Or did you have a variety of vegetables, pickles, bread, salad, yorkshire pudding, to complement the meal? By having a variety of food on your plate you ensure that you have all of the necessary protein, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins in your diet. This same principal applies to investing. By having a variety of asset classes spread over different industries, countries and currencies, you maintain a balance of investments that hopefully don't over-expose you to any one asset, industry, country or currency.

My recipe today provides a balance of nutrients to provide enough energy for optimal growth and development, which especially important for our kids.

Beverley's Skillet Pizza
Ingredients:

2 tbsps olive oil

5-6 thinly sliced medium (unpeeled) potatoes (mix it up with sweet potatoes?)

1 onion - sliced or diced

3 eggs - beaten

1 cup of cheese - grated

1 sliced tomato (optional)

Meat topping - I use pepperoni, sometimes cooked chicken, sliced ham ... whatever the kids prefer, or whatever you have in the fridge.

1 tbsp of oregano (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Take out a 10" frying pan..make sure that it is deep enough to hold the potatoes and other ingredients.

Coat the bottom of the pan with the olive oil. Heat on Medium

Put the first layer of thinly sliced potatoes in the bottom of the pan, then put on a few onions... continue layering the potatoes and onions. You should end up with three layers.

Put a lid on the pan to let the steam cook the potatoes and the onions for a bit (8-10 mins)

When the potatoes are soft ... add the tomatoes if you're using them, then add the meat in a pin wheel shape.

Pour the beaten eggs over the top of the potatoes and onions, replace the lid for a couple of minutes.

Now add that grated cheese. Put the lid back on and let the cheese melt... and you're done.

Ensure you have a nice spinach salad, or a great superfood like broccoli to complement (diversify) this meal. A great hit with the kids and because the recipe is flexible you can change the meat, add tomotoes or tomato sauce, change the cheese, add more eggs etc ... and it only takes about 15-20 minutes to make... which frees up more time for doing that homework.

So there you have it. A simple definition of 'diversification' along with a quick and easy recipe that everyone will enjoy. By the way, Jeff is posting this absolutely fabulous dessert along with a great goulash recipe in his next post, that you won't want to miss.

Thanks for stopping by and remember, if you like what you see here in this blog tell a friend. If not, be sure to tell us.

Bye for now,

Beverley

DOLLAR COST AVERAGING - Rocky's Broccoli Bake

Hi there and welcome to another addition of DIGestingINvesting.

Yesterday I was at the supermarket and saw a great deal on broccoli (superfood) and was happy to see that it was on sale for .89 a bunch. I was delighted to see this delectable vegetable was less then what I had paid for it a few days earlier ($1.29) So I loaded up my grocery cart with 3 bunches of broccoli for a total cost of $2.67

Now this is where the real value comes into play. When I purchased 3 bunches of broccoli for $2.67 and add to that the one bunch purchased earlier for $1.29 my total average cost for the four bunches was $0.99 (.89x3 + 1.29 / 4)

This is an example of (short term) Dollar-Cost-Averaging.

Now here is something to think about. How many times have we been out at the supermarket and found a 'deal' on a food item and purchased it because it was on sale? Then take the item(s) home and toss it in the freezer for some future meal, knowing that it will keep for weeks, months ... years!? yuck!

In the investment world, Dollar-Cost-Averaging can be applied to good quality investments that offer good value in the long run ... very much the same principle as our shopping purchases. In the investment world, Dollar-Cost-Averaging requires a long term systematic discipline that requires regular purchases (monthly/quarterly/semi-ann/annually)

If I purchase $500. worth of a good quality investment that is priced at $10.00 / share I will purchase 50 shares of that investment. If the share price drops to $8.00 / share and I invest another $500. in that same investment, I will purchase 62.5 shares of that same investment, thereby bringing my total number of shares to 112.5 with an average cost of $8.89 ($1,000/112.5 shares) If I invest another $500. when the share price rises to $9.00 I will acquire another 55.55 shares ($500/$9.00) thereby bringing the total share balance to 167.5.

With $1500 invested and a total share balance of 167.5 shares the average cost is now $8.95.

When the share price rises back to the original $10.00/share the investment value is now $1675. ($10.00x167.5 shares)

Dollar-Cost-Averaging works well with mutual funds (index funds) and can be set up for automatic deposits. With a long term horizon and a good quality investment, Dollar-Cost-Averaging is an effective investment strategy.

'Hey Jeff, I get it! Now what about that broccoli recipe'?

If you are looking for a quick and easy broccoli casserole, something that the kids will enjoy, then you're going to love this.

Rocky's Broccoli Bake (named after our son Connor who loves his broccoli)

Here's what you need;

3 eggs

2 cups cottage cheese

1 onion (chopped )

1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cup of flour

1 bunch of cooked, drained, chopped broccoli

I like to add a 1/2 cup of mushrooms but the kids would prefer that I don't.

salt and pepper to taste.

MIX everything together and pour into a buttered baking dish.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes and you're good to go.

Quick.Easy. Nutritious. Tasty.

Now, if you head off to the supermarket once a week and purchase a bunch of broccoli every time you go, you will not always pay top dollar for your purchase, but you may not always get the best deal of the week. In the long run, you will have paid the long term average price.

For more details on Dollar-Cost-Averaging you can use 'Google', or you can post your questions at the end of this blog.

In the meantime, if you try this broccoli recipe with the Cinnamon Salmon and Blueberry Shazzam from our earlier posts you will be enjoying 3 amazing Superfoods all in one sitting.

Shazzam!

Thanks for stopping by feel free to provide us with your feedback for future posts.

DIG IN!

Jeff & Beverley

NO BEAR. NO BULL - A Fabulous (meatless) Frittata

Hi again and welcome to DIGestingINvesting.



Recently I was asked the difference between a Bull Market and a Bear Market and realized that this would make a great topic on this blog. So today we will simultaneously mix this up with my fabulous frittata while learning more about these bear and bull markets.

We often hear the business world referring to the beginning of another 'bull market' or the end of a 'bear market', or visa-versa. Surprisingly, many of us go about our day-to-day lives paying little or no attention to these common phrases.

worldnetweb.com describes a bull market as a market characterized by rising security (stock) prices while moneymanager.com describes a bull market as an advancing market, the opposite to a bear market.

Quite simply, a 'bull market' is period in which the stock market(s) are trending upwards and a 'bear market' is quite the opposite. One is good and the other is ... not-so-good.


Naturally, the next question would be, "okay Jeff, so is it actually bulls that make the stock market trend up"? Good question. The stock market is driven by supply and demand, in much the same way that the real estate market, the commodity markets (food incl) are. The more buyers we have the higher the price that can be demanded. When nobody wants to buy, sellers outweigh buyers, values drop and a bear market takes over.


So if you are a long term investor with a lot of your current investment dollars in cash or short bonds, and you suddenly feel compelled to convert those assets into equities(stocks) then you are 'bullish' on the stock market as you feel confident that the market will be trending upwards over the next several months/years. Hence, bulls do in fact drive the stock markets higher.


So what about that Fabulous Frittata?

There are times that I just don't feel like firing up the oven or the barbeque while trying to figure out if I'll be making chicken, beef ... ? I just want something that is light, quick and easy, won't make a big mess in the kitchen, and chances are I will have all of the ingredients in my fridge.


This frittata goes great with a garden salad and french bread (w garlic butter) and the kids love it. Now pay close attention because this goes together so fast... you might miss it.

Here is what you'll need;

3 cups/750 ml(total) chopped fresh veggies (red pepper, onion, aspragus, drained sun-dried tomatoes/diced seedless tomatoes
8 eggs
1 cup/250 ml grated mozzarella
1/4 cup/ 60 ml milk
1 tbsp butter
Pinch of basil, salt and pepper


1/ In a 10 inch non-stick frypan - at medium heat -stir your 3 cups of fresh veggies in a little melted butter for about about five minutes.

2/ Beat together the 8 eggs, add 3/4 cup of the grated mozzarella (save the rest for later) and the 1/4 cup of milk. Add the basil, salt and pepper, and pour everything into the pan over the veggies. Cover and cook at medium-low heat until the bottom is set. ( approx. 3-4 mins)

3/ Take the pan off the burner, sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and pop in the oven at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes (egg is set and cheese melted)

Easy as 1 - 2 - 3 !

As I said earlier, serve this up with a garden salad and french bread (any of your favourites will do) and you'll have a quick, nutritious meal ready in no time.

And don't forget this. It was once said and has since been quoted that, "Bulls make money. Bears make money. But pigs get slaughtered." anonymous

Have fun with the frittata and look out for those bears!

Thanks for stopping by.

Jeff

GREEN SHOOTS - Carrot Tofu Taste Sensation!(Salad)

Hi everybody,

I'm Beverley and I would like to welcome you back to DIGestingINvesting.

Over the last several months I have been working with Jeff to get 'DIG IN' up and running and admittedly, I have always believed that this was a fabulous idea. Why? Because to a '40 something' career professional single mom, quick and easy recipes with ingredients that I will always find in my cupboard makes perfect sense. Combine this with brief, easy to understand explanations of financial stuff that I probably should be familiar with and DIGestingINvesting truly is a winning combination.

Before I met Jeff I had very little interest in being in the kitchen and even less interest in my financial stuff and retirement plans. Cooking was a chore, recipes had too many ingredients and I found all of this investment stuff boring and confusing.

Shortly after we met, Jeff cooked me a steak dinner one evening which remains one of the most memorable meals that I have ever enjoyed. Up until that moment I thought the only thing I would ever want on my steak was ... steak sauce. Jeff changed all of that when he plated an orange-cranberry sauce under the steak, placed a slice of Gorgonzola cheese on top of the steak and finished with caramelized onions and mushrooms on top of the cheese. And he made it look so easy ... and fun. Wow!

Furthermore, with a background in the financial industry Jeff helped me to understand a lot of the industry jargon - like 'Green Shoots' - and explained to me the difference between an equity and a stock (there is no difference).

So, Jeff has been busy putting together the last several posts and I suggested that he take a 'blog off' and let me put this post together, introduce myself and introduce you to one of my favourite salads.

But what about these 'Green Shoots'? Up until recently the only green shoots that I understood were those that were growing in my veggie tray in the fridge. Then a few months ago the headlines on the news networks and business pages were all referring to ... 'Green Shoots'? I asked Jeff why don't they just say that there are signs of economic hope? Jeff went on to explain that when an economist or a politician uses the term 'Green Shoots' it immediately conjures up an image of tulips popping up through the ground, -after another long, cold winter -and everyone understands that those 'shoots' will eventually yield a wonderful end result, but it will take time.

Thinking that this explanation was a little too simple, I checked out Wikipedia for a definition and this what was stated;

"Green Shoots is a term used colloquially to indicate signs of economic recovery during an economic downturn."

Hmmmm, problem solved. Right? Not quite!

What does 'Green Shoots' have to do with this salad recipe? Well absolutely nothing! But now that I have satisfied your appetite for knowledge, let me share with you an incredible salad recipe from Jeff's 'Book of Jeff', that I absolutely love! (the salad that is)

Shortly after meeting Jeff I was introduced to the wonderful world of tofu. Up until that time I had believed that tofu was a tasteless gooey substance that you only found in soup at a Chinese restaurant, or the vegetable section of at your grocery store. And I sure had no idea how good it could taste or how good it is for us. But that was to change.

I have since discovered that tofu is high in protein and minerals, low in sodium and fat (no fat?), is deemed a Superfood and can take on whatever taste you want it to. Furthermore, there has been much written about the health benefits of tofu in a woman's diet and the positive effects that this soy product has on menopause. So what do you have to lose?

For an incredibly tasty and healthy meal try this with the Cinnamon Salmon from the earlier post. Also goes great with any stir fry or complement that sushi that you picked up on the way home.

CARROT TOFU TASTE SENSATION! (SALAD)

Here is what you will need:

1 package of medium texture tofu (drain well)

1 medium sized carrot (I prefer grated but shredded works too)

1/2 cup of finely chopped green onion

1/2 cup of low sodium soy sauce

2 tbsp of sesame seed oil

2 tbsp of minced (or finely chopped) ginger

2 tbsp of toasted sesame seeds

Tofu is like a sponge and will absorb the flavours that you introduce it to. So be sure to drain your tofu well.

Cut the block of tofu into four even pieces.

Using your kitchen grater, grate the carrot and set aside.

Using scissors, finely cut the green onions.

Pour the soy sauce evenly into four bowls, then place a section of tofu into each bowl.

Spread 1/2 tbsp of the minced ginger over each piece of tofu

Spread 1/2 tbsp of the sesame oil over each piece of tofu.

Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes to cool and allow absorption of flavours.

Spread the grated carrot evenly over each piece, do the same with the green onion.

Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over the top. (Sometimes I double up on these. Wow, they taste good!)

Easy. Quick. Healthy. Tasty. I strongly recommend you to try this.

So there you have it. A fairly simple explanation of 'Green Shoots' (not the one's in my fridge) along with a refreshing salad idea that will be a hit with everyone. Hope you enjoyed this as much as I did and encourage you to comment on this post and don't forget to subscribe as a 'DIG IN Follower' in that little area at the bottom right of this post.

By the way, if you haven't already done so you should refer to Jeff's rub recipe from his last post, whip up a batch and try it on back ribs. I know he suggested that you try it on his chicken dish but is it ever good on ribs. Just a thought.

Thanks for stopping by.

Beverley

DON'T GET BURNED! - Grilled Rosemary Chicken

Hey there, and welcome to another addition of DIGestingINvesting.

This weekend has proven to be the sunniest weekend of the summer by far! As I'm sitting here in the comfort of the a/c I am wondering to myself, "self ... do you really feel like heading back out into that sweltering heat today"? Oh ya baby! You bet! Loads of heat, heaps of sunshine, ice cold coolies and the backyard barbeque. Perfect!

Talking about 'sunshine', I met up with a pal of mine a couple of weeks ago and he had a pretty good tan considering the absence of sunshine we've had this summer. I asked him where he had found the sun. Gone down south? Or been to the electric beach? (tanning bed) He replied jokingly, " I got burned in the global stock markets." Naturally I asked him how he had let this happen, to which I received a reply that I have heard hundreds of times before ... "I don't know, guess I didn't ask enough questions."

Before we went any further I reminded my pal that the global stock markets and the bond markets have gone through a pretty tough cycle over the last couple of years and we would be hard pressed to find any investments in these arenas that had done well. This is where that old adage, 'misery loves company' comes into play as even I have had a gut wrenching ride over the last two years. Furthermore, I have read about former five star mutual funds that now post negative returns over the last five years. Egads!

Retirement plans being down 25-40-60%, or more. Retirees having to rejoin the workforce to subsidize their lost retirement income and so on, and so on.

But before I could really DIG IN to the painful underperformance of these once stellar investments I just had to throw out a few backyard barbeque ideas for him to try this weekend to help ease his anxiety. (food always makes us feel a little better)

REMINDER: any questions regarding the content here? Post your questions at the end of this blog and I will do my best to get you the answer.

Figuring that everyone would want to be cranking on the 'q' this weekend I decided to go with ;

Summertime Grilled Rosemary Chicken

(includes recipe for Jed's secret rub)

BBQ'd Ginger Taters

Now I'm going to toss out this idea to you. If you haven't already tried that 'Blueberry Shazzam' (two posts back) then you gotta think that THIS is a perfect time to try this dessert. I just made this on Friday night. It took me about six minutes to make (an hour to set) and it was a huge hit!

Summertime Grilled Rosemary Chicken

Quick, easy, tasty.

Here's what you need;

6 boneless/skinless chicken breasts

3 tbsp of your favourite seasoned rub (try making my recipe at the end of this blog)

2-3 tbsp of olive oil

1 tbsp of dried rosemary (1 1/2 tbsp of chopped fresh if you have it)

Wash and pat dry the chicken breasts and then apply the rub.

Pre-heat the grill on high heat

Be sure to coat all of the chicken with rub and then drizzle with olive oil.

Place chicken on the grill and turn heat down to medium. Rotate chicken 90 degrees after five minutes (to make the grill marks) and then turn over five minutes later. Repeat the rotation process again and total grilling time should be about twenty minutes.

Remove from grill, sprinkle with rosemary, cover with foil, let it rest for 3-4 minutes.

NOTE: I would prep these potatoes and get them on the grill BEFORE putting on the chicken. This way, the taters and the chicken will be done at about the same time.

BBQ'd Ginger Taters

6 medium red potatoes

1/2 cup sliced onions

1/2 tbsp finely chopped ginger (that's right...ginger!)

1 tbsp butter

Toss the potatoes in the microwave for 2-3 minutes to pre-cook before going in the grill.

Once done, place the taters on a large piece of aluminum foil (you're going to wrap 'em up later)

Slice potatoes in half, add onion evenly to each tater.

Sprinkle ginger evenly over each tater.

Add butter, salt and pepper to taste.

Fold over the foil, wrap these up tight and put them on the top shelf of your grill.

Jed's Dynamite Rub Recipe: (this is a secret recipe, so do not tell anyone!)

This is simple to make and is a blend of common household spices. Make up this batch, put in an airtight container away from heat and light and it will last ... until you have to make it again.

Great on chicken,ribs, seafood and beef.

1/2 cup of paprika

1/4 cup of chili powder

1/3 cup of salt (sea salt if you have it)

4 tbsp white sugar

3 tbsp garlic powder

2 tbsp of onion flakes (powder if you don't have flakes)

2 tbsp of cumin

2 tbsp of mustard

1 tbsp of thyme / 1 tbsp of basil / 1 tbsp of oregano

1 tbsp of coriander / 1 tbsp of ground pepper

Alrighty then, dinner is well underway, everybody's happy ... well, everybody except my pal who watched his investment portfolio decline with the meltdown of the global economy. I suggested to my friend that he and his wife sit down and re-visit their investment and retirement objectives with their investment advisor and ask a ton of questions. Maybe re-assess their risk tolerance and get down to basics. I mentioned the 'RULE OF 72' in my earlier blog and I believe that everybody who invests their money should be aware of this simple and effective tool. Google 'Rule of 72' for a crystal clear definition.

Remember. If your investment has declined in value by 50% that means that you have to achieve a 100% return on your investment to get back to your original investment. If your investment yields an 8% Rate of Return it will take 9 yrs to get back to where you were. If you are getting a 3% Rate of Return it will take (72 divided by 3) 24 years to get back to where you once were.

Wow! Warren Buffett once said, "Be fearful when others are greedy. Be greedy when others are fearful." I think it is safe to say that there are a lot of fearful investors out there. What do you think?

Remember, 3% = 24 years. 8% = 9 years. "Be greedy when others are fearful".

Re-visit your goals. Re-visit realistic returns. Re-visit your risk tolerance. Make all of the necessary adjustments to ensure a good nights sleep. Don't get burned. And don't overcook that Summertime Grilled Rosemary Chicken 'cause it sure is good.

Don't forget that Blueberry Shazzam!

All the best, enjoy the sun, but for Heaven's sake ... don't forget the sunblock!

DIG IN!

Jeff

ps. a little footnote to my friends Cora and Joe who are the biggest fans of DIG IN and the coolest friends that anyone could ask for. Thanks you two ... hope you have a great time this weekend in Deerhurst.

RED HERRING - Cinnamon Salmon!

Hello again and welcome to DIGestingINvesting.

In keeping with the objective of DIGestingINvesting I will make every attempt to combine an investment theme that is related to the attached recipe. This explains the connection in my previous blog, Get Rich Quick, to a dessert theme (get it?) and today's connection between a Red Herring (investment theme) and a salmon recipe. Not that a red herring is a salmon, but they are both fish ... in most cases.

A few of the future headings include;

'NO BULL.NO BEAR' - A Vegetarians Delight

'GREENSHEETS' - A Salad Lovers Dream

'ROLLIN' IN DOUGH!' - Quick and Easy Bread Recipes

Let's get on with today's blog.

RED HERRING - CINNAMON SALMON!

The following definitions of RED HERRING are found in Wikipedia;

1/ a smoked herring having a reddish colour.

2/ a deliberate attempt to draw attention away from the central issue.

3/ 'red herring prospectus' means a preliminary registration statement that must be filed with the appropriate exchange describing a new issue of stock and the prospects of the issuing company. The red herring (preliminary prospectus) is updated frequently before being called the final prospectus. The red herring does not have complete particulars on the price of the securities offered and quantum of securities offered and contains passages in red that states that the company is not attempting to sell its shares before the registration is approved by the exchange

Which of these three definitions is the one that applies to today's topic?
You are correct! #3 is the definition that applies to today's blog, and the only fish that we care about that has a reddish colour is the salmon in the following recipe. #2 is definitely out.

Before I go on I just had to mention that 'small' herring (red or otherwise) are also referred to as ... 'sardines'. I am sure that many of you know that the sardines are named after that Mediterannean Island of Sardinia, and refers to various small fish that are all members of the sardine family. And you have to know that these little fish are absolutely LOADED! with heart-healthy OMEGA-3s, in fact, they harbour the highest levels of OMEGA-3s of all fish. That said ... I still don't care for them myself.

I'll bet that more than one of you has just asked yourself ... "self, is it me, or is Jeff deliberately attempting to draw attention away from the central issue"? (definition #2) Good point. Let's get on with this salmon recipe.

Talking about OMEGA-3s ... how about that salmon recipe? Salmon is also loaded with those OMEGA-3s and is also deemed a SuperFood (like those blueberries in the last post)

If you're searching for that (almost) perfect recipe that is easy to make, loaded with goodness, and tastes incredible I am sure that you're going to really enjoy this.

There has been a lot written about the health benefits of salmon in your diet and there has been even more written about the Atlantic salmon versus Pacific 'Wild' salmon. Almost all Atlantic salmon is raised on commercial fish farms whereas almost all Pacific salmon is caught in the wild. There are notable differences in the diets of these fish which explains why we should limit ourselves to one portion of farm raised salmon per month versus eight portions of wild salmon per month. (so most experts claim) Personally, I prefer to use wild salmon in all of my recipes.

CINNAMON SALMON

4 (wild) salmon fillets

1 tbsp. maple syrup

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp course Dijon mustard

1 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon (secret ingredient)

1 tbsp ground cracked pepper

2 tbsp of chopped fresh dill

Place fillets in a shallow (greased) baking dish. Mix together the olive oil, Dijon, cinnamon and cracked pepper and then pour evenly over fillets. Bake uncovered in pre-heated oven at 425 degrees for 14 minutes. (not 12 minutes, not 16 minutes) Remove from oven, sprinkle fresh dill over fillets ... and you're good to go.

If you enjoy the flavour of cedar plank salmon, well this can be done with this recipe with a few modifications to the cooking time which depends on use of your oven, or your bbq. Serve this up with a hearty wild rice or bean salad and this is a winner every time!

So with today's blog you have a little better understanding of what a red herring is. The next time you're at a dinner party and someone starts talking about red herrings, you can step right in with confidence and tell eveyone that you much prefer the CINNAMON SALMON!

Thanks all for stopping by, and thanks for your feedback on previous posts.

DIG IN!

Jeff