Author Archives: Kristy Johnson

Silverton Mortgage

Finance & Insurance

At Silverton, we consider all the financial factors affecting your mortgage.  We don’t believe one size fits all – we help you strike the perfect balance between product & pricing, so you can finance your home with confidence knowing we’ve got this! This balance, along with superior personal service and communication throughout the entire process, is why branch manager, Holly Lott, and her team are one of the leading mortgage lenders in Augusta, Georgia.

3520 Walton Way Ext | Suite B
Augusta, GA 30909
706.250.5030

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Please visit us at www.silvertonmortgage.com

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As leaders in the legal real estate industry, dating back to the year 1916, Hull Barrett, PC has the knowledge and expertise to provide a variety of clients with the highest level of service. Our many years of experience, coupled with a team approach, cutting-edge technology, and personalized service, assure our clients of cost effective, comprehensive legal counsel in all matters pertaining to real property transactions including residential and commercial closings, financing, leasing, and development. Our lawyers are both experienced and highly qualified to handle all such transactions in both an expedient and cost competitive manner. Residential Real Estate: Hull Barrett specializes in residential real estate in both Georgia and South Carolina, including residential closings, leasing, development, 1031 tax free exchanges, and title insurance. Our real estate attorneys collectively concentrate the firm’s practice on all aspects of residential closings representing the interests of lenders, buyers, sellers, builders, and developers. Commercial Real Estate: At Hull Barrett we also concentrate on the various issues unique to the commercial real estate industry, to include all aspects of commercial transactions for lenders, purchasers, sellers, and developers from contract to closing. The firm’s attorneys are also certified and approved to handle Small Business Association (SBA) loans. In conjunction with many such commercial closings, we also handle all issues relating to commercial leasing from tenant or landlord representation, creation of commercial lease construction, negotiation of lease terms, as well as assignments and sublease agreements.

Please visit us at www.hullbarrett.com 

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Consolidated Planning, Inc.

Finance & Insurance

Build a lifelong relationship with a professional team that cares.

Insurance

A well-structured insurance strategy can help protect your loved ones from the financial consequences of unexpected events.

Investment

Create an investment strategy that’s designed to pursue your risk tolerance, time horizon, and goals.

Lifestyle

How to strike a balance between work and leisure is just one aspect of the wide-ranging Lifestyle matters.

Money

Managing your money involves more than simply making and following a budget.

Evans
601 North Bel Air SquareSuite 26
Evans, GA 30809
Office: (762) 224-2253
Mon-Fri: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sat-Sun: By Appointment
Consolidated-Planning

Visit our website at www.muellerfg.com

Lemon Cheesecake Crêpes

Desserts

DessertsCrêpes:

  • 1 large egg
  • 6 tablespoons milk
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • Melted butter for crêpe pan

 

Filling:

  • 2 cups sour cream
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • Juice of 2 lemons
  • 1 box (4-serving size) vanilla instant pudding mix
  • Powdered sugar for garnish
  • Lemon slices for garnish

Place crêpe ingredients (excluding melted butter for crêpe pan) in a blender and pulse about 10 seconds. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. (You can make batter ahead of time and refrigerate up to 48 hours.) Heat a nine-inch crêpe pan on medium-high heat and brush with melted butter. Pour about an ounce of batter into center of pan and immediately swirl batter so it covers bottom of pan in a thin layer. Cook about 30 seconds until bubbles appear and bottom of crêpe is golden brown. Flip and cook another 10 seconds until blonde but not as dark as the first side. Remove to a sheet of parchment paper and repeat with rest of batter. In small bowl, beat sour cream, milk, lemon zest, lemon juice and pudding mix with whisk or fork until blended. Spoon filling down middle of crêpes and roll up. Garnish with powdered sugar and lemon slices. Makes 10-12 crepes.

Frosty’s Brownie Peppermint Cake Pops

Food
  • Frosty's-Brownie-Peppermint-Pops1 box brownie mix
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 2 cups white chocolate chips
  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • Cake pop or lollipop sticks
  • Crushed peppermint pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare brownies according to directions for fudgy brownies; let cool completely. Remove brownies from pan and cut off edges. Mix brownies together with softened cream cheese. Using a cookie dough scoop, scoop into balls and roll with hands. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Combine chocolate chips and vegetable oil in a bowl. Microwave 45 seconds, then stir until smooth. (If not fully melted, microwave an additional 10 seconds.) Insert cake pop sticks and dip brownie balls into white chocolate. Sprinkle with crushed peppermint pieces. Let sit until chocolate is set.

No-Bake Caramel Apple Cheesecake

Desserts
  • No-Bake-Caramel-Apple-Cheesecake1 1/2 cups (1 1/2 sleeves) chocolate graham crackers
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 8 tablespoons melted butter, divided
  • 3 Braeburn or Honey Crisp apples
  • 2 packages cream cheese, softened at room temperature
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 2 cans apple pie filling, chopped into small pieces
  • 1 (8-ounce) carton Cool Whip
  • 1/2 cup caramel sauce
  • Ground cinnamon for garnish

Place graham crackers in a food processor and process until fine crumbs. Empty into a medium bowl; add sugar and 6 tablespoons melted butter. Mix well. Press crumb mixture onto bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan. Chill 5 to 10 minutes in the freezer until set. 

Peel, core and slice apples. Sauté in 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat 4-5 minutes until cooked through; set aside to cool. In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Gently stir in the apple pie filling and whipped topping. Spread over the prepared crust. Spoon caramel sauce evenly over top of cheesecake. Garnish with cooked apple slices in a pinwheel pattern. Refrigerate 4 hours or until set. Lightly garnish with cinnamon before serving.

Grilled Corn Salad

Salads
  • Food Salad6 ears sweet corn
  • Extra-virgin olive oil for brushing corn
  • 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
  • Slivered almonds 

Remove husks and silk from corn. Prepare grill to medium high heat. Brush corn lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill 6-7 minutes until charred in spots but still slightly crisp. Remove from grill and let cool slightly before cutting kernels from the cobs. Scrape kernels off, rows at a time, with a sharp kitchen knife and set on plates. Place tomatoes and onion in a bowl and set aside. In a separate small bowl, mix together the vinegar, mustard, olive oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper. Pour dressing over tomatoes and onion and toss to thoroughly coat. Spoon tomatoes and onions over corn. Garnish with almond slivers and serve. Makes 6 servings.

 

Shrimp & Grits with Andouille Sausage

Entrees
  • shrimp and grits1 cup grits
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup Cheddar cheese, grated
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1/2 pound andouille sausage, cut into small pieces
  • 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
  • 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 3 green onions, sliced 
  • Cook grits per package instructions until tender. Stir in butter and cheese; set aside. Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Cook sausage about 3 minutes and set aside. Toss shrimp in Cajun seasoning and add to pan. Cook about 2-3 minutes and set aside. Add broth and tomato paste and simmer 3-5 minutes. Add sausage and shrimp, season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix in cream and remove from heat. Place grits in individual bowls and top with shrimp and sausage mixture. Garnish with green onions and serve. Makes 4 servings.

Irish Wheaten Bread

Side Dishes
Photography by Gary McLaughlin

Photography by Gary McLaughlin

This brown soda bread is full of fiber, yeast-free and so simple to prepare. If you can find Irish imported brown whole wheat flour, you’ll get the best results. 

  • 3 cups coarse whole wheat flour
  • 1 1/4 cup flour
  • 1 1/4 cup oats
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 cup wheat germ
  • 3/8 cup sugar
  • 3 ounces butter or margarine
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 3 cups buttermilk
  • 1 tablespoon honey

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease and flour three 8-by-4-by-2-inch loaf pans. Measure all dry ingredients in large bowl. Rub in butter with your fingertips and create a well in center of mix. Beat egg in small bowl and mix with buttermilk and honey. Add to dry ingredients and mix well with large spoon. Transfer dough to floured surface and knead gently with floured hands. Divide dough into loaves and place each loaf into a pan. Using knife, cut line down center of each loaf. Bake for 40 minutes to deep golden brown color, or until base of loaf sounds hollow when lightly tapped. Makes 3 loaves.

Recipe by Judith McLaughlin

 

Fettuccini with Clams, Mussels & Shrimp

Soups
  • Clam-recipe1 (13.75-ounce) box fettuccine
  • Dash of olive oil
  • 2 chicken bouillon cubes
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 3 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 1/4 cup minced garlic
  • 1/4 cup chopped green onion
  • 1 pound clams, scrubbed
  • 1 pound mussels, scrubbed
  • 1 1/2 cups white wine
  • 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1/2 cup cream or half and half

 

Cook fettuccine according to package directions; drain and lightly toss with a dash of olive oil to prevent noodles from sticking together; set aside. Dissolve bouillon cubes in chicken broth and set aside. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add garlic and most of the green onion (save a little for garnish) and cook 3-5 minutes or until softened, stirring occasionally. Add clams and mussels; cover and cook for another 5 minutes. Add white wine and bouillon cubes with chicken broth. Bring to a boil then reduce to a rolling simmer. Add shrimp, cover and cook 3-5 more minutes or until the clams have opened and shrimp is cooked through, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Stir in remaining tablespoon of butter and the cream. Add cooked fettuccine and toss to combine. Remove to plates and garnish with remaining green onion.

Souper Bowls

Soups

????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Score points with these soup, stew and chowder recipes that aren’t too tough to tackle.

Sirloin Steak Soup

  • 2 pounds boneless beef sirloin steak
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped onions
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 pounds small red potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
  • 3 cups carrots, diced
  • 1 (1-pound) bag frozen peas or cut green beans
  • 2 tablespoons chopped dried basil leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 10 1/2 cups beef broth
  • 3 tablespoons steak sauce 

Cut beef into 1/4-inch strips; cut strips into 1-inch pieces. Heat oil in stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook beef in oil 4-5 minutes or until brown. Add onion and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until meat and vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Serves 6.