There are so many businesses out there that are creating wonderful products for kitchens with new technology and a wide variety of colors. We no longer have to choose from white, red, green or black. You can have a beautifully decorated kitchen with your appliances matching the interior decor with nearly any color of your choice!

Stainless steel is a great metal that can be added to your kitchen in many forms, and it matches whatever color scheme you choose for your kitchen. Stainless steel is nice, easy to clean and looks magnificent.

Something as easy as reorganizing your kitchen can really make you feel better and make your kitchen look 100% better with minimal changes. Get some good storage boxes, a bread box, place to store vegetables and fruit, and storage for anything else that is out or does not seem to have a place of its own. When everything has its own place and the storage is highly organized in your kitchen it is easier to decorate and more convenient to clean. You will also enjoy your kitchen more just from adding some modern decorative organization tools.

A lot of people are choosing to add an island to their kitchen, which is a separate place for storage (usually in the middle of the kitchen) and has a matching countertop. Some people even use them for extra appliances such as a dishwasher, small oven, sink, and more. Most people have one side as a bar where people can eat and drink on stylish bar stools. Adding an island to your kitchen might be a great choice for you while adding more storage space, and eating space.

Another thing is adding a touch of your very own style to your kitchen’s decoration. When you are focusing on decorating your kitchen, organizing your items and choosing a color scheme you can sometimes forget to add a little something. A few vases, interesting knick knacks, wall decor, or some intriguing lighting can add that little touch that pulls it all together. Choose items that you love at first sight and know that you will love having them in your kitchen for a long time.

You can also choose to decorate your kitchen from your favorite decorative item, such as a vase or particular wall decor. By using an item you already love you can build a color scheme from that one item, choose appliances that seem to fit with that item, and even find intriguing organizers that fit the look of your favorite item. Some interior designers only work this way, and swear by it.

About the Author: Hunter Pyle wrote this article to talk about ways to decorate your kitchen so it’s more than just a place to cook. Check out Kitchen and Much More for some great ideas to help get you started.

Recent changes in Immigration policies make mandatory detention
much more likely for Visa holders and Lawful Permanent Residents.

If you have been recently arrested or have been released from prison after October 8, 1998, you may be a candidate for mandatory detention. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) may arrest and hold you in an Immigration Detention Facility based on the criminal charge. This may happen even if you served a minimal amount of time in jail. The key element is that the criminal charge, arrest, or release from custody have occurred after October 8, 1998.

On March 21, 2007, in Matter of KOTLIAR-, 24 I&N Dec. 124 (BIA 2007), the Board of Immigration Appeals ruled on the topic of mandatory detention during a bond re-determination hearing. The Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) is the governmental body having jurisdiction over appeals submitted by detainees and respondents who have been ordered deported by an Immigration Judge during removal proceedings.

According to the BIA, its ruling is consistent with the concern from Congress that criminal aliens will continue to commit crimes and not appear at the removal hearings. It is important to note that the alien is able to request release and bond in front of an Immigration Judge where the grounds for detention are not included in the charging document from the Department of Homeland Security.

Based on the BIA’s recent ruling, an alien who has been apprehended from home while on probation for a criminal conviction is subject to mandatory detention. The individual is to be mandatorily detained by ICE regardless of the reason for the criminal custody or arrest. He or she can be subject to mandatory detention as long as the arrest or the release occurred after October 8, 1998. This recent ruling came about as a result of an appeal from an individual who entered the United States as a visitor and stayed for longer than authorized, who had been convicted of several crimes. According to the BIA’s ruling, individuals having served time in jail or on probation are subject to mandatory detention. Even an individual who has been arrested before a conviction is given may be subject to mandatory detention for immigration purposes. It is important to note that even if the arrest was based on a crime that is not the grounds for your charges of deportation, you may still be subject to mandatory detention.

An individual can appeal a final order of deportation by the Immigration Judge to the BIA. In some cases, the individual can even appeal to the Circuit Court having jurisdiction over the case. In general, the BIA is the last governmental body to review the individual’s case. Hence, the decision by the BIA is the final say on whether the individual appealing is able to stay in the United States or is to be deported.

If you have been arrested or released from probation, parole, or incarceration recently, you might be subject to mandatory detention. Feel free to contact an attorney at Immigration Legal Experts, Inc. at 1-866-482-VISA (8472) to find out more information. Initial Legal Consultation is FREE. Also visit Immigration Legal Experts, Inc. on the web.

Authored by Sonia M. Munoz, Esq. Attorney and President of Immigration Legal Experts, Inc. For her CV and more information about her previous experience, seminars, and other published articles visit http://www.immigrationlegalexperts.com

Possibly the saddest comment anyone can make about our modern way of life concerns our obsession over how we look. The diet and weight loss industry markets almost entirely on the basis of how we think we look, rather than how healthy we are or how we feel. As important as looks are, when we base our weight loss goals on looks, we set ourselves up for serious disease and ultimate failure in the looks department, too. This article will help you set realistic goals that will drive you, not to go on another crash diet, but to take the right actions for a permanent lifestyle change that will give you the good looks and much more.

Lose Weight For Health: You’ll look better! Yes, looking good is more than fitting into the latest fashions. By far, the best looking people, regardless of age, have made good health a priority in their lives. We’ve all seen the pictures of smokers, alcoholics, drug addicts and the morbidly obese. These pictures all have one thing in common…the people look old well beyond their years and as sick as a living person can be. Healthy people not only avoid harmful, addictive things, but they pursue healthy activities as a lifestyle. Healthy people don’t need to “go on a diet” because they manage their regular diet and exercise so they never need to lose more than 10 pounds. I envy them! I’m just learning to do this in my 50’s. Considering where my health choices have left me, I would have felt a lot better most of my life, had I just made health my priority. Fortunately, there’s still time for both of us to feel better.

Lose Weight To Feel Better: Instead of looks, we need to manage our weight to feel better. There’s no question that people who feel better look better. Half the time, I look terrible because of the asthma and diabetes caused by my previous bi-polar health habits. Tired, crabby and out of breath aren’t pretty. Now that I’m down 50 pounds from my high, six years ago, It isn’t as bad as it was. Feeling better is a great reason to lose the weight we need to lose. Of course, no one who is on a diet feels good. Their bodies don’t have enough nutrients (that’s why you lose weight) and their minds are fighting them at every turn. Oh, why can’t I have that pie, hamburger, French fry, Ice Cream? We go from feeling sick and tired from carrying around the extra weight to feeling sick and tired because of our drastic diets. If we want to lose weight to feel better, we’ll find a smarter way…with a permanent lifestyle change, including eating and regular exercise.

Lose Weight To Be Smarter: While developing a healthy lifestyle is smarter, it makes you smarter, too. Weight loss diets deprive us of nutrients necessary for optimum brain function. We lose concentration and become more sluggish and irritable. It really doesn’t matter whether you’re cutting carbs or proteins, your body is teetering on the edge of starvation, and that makes thinking far more difficult. When you lose weight using a low fat, balanced diet and exercise, the opposite is true. You get mentally sharper, feel happier and think better. That’s because a balanced diet provides all the nutrients your brain needs and less fat to clog up the blood supply, while the exercise pumps the blood more thoroughly through the brain and produces endorphins that elevate mood and relaxation. Though you lose the weight more slowly, you’re happier, more energetic and mentally sharper than before the lifestyle change…in short…you start getting healthier immediately.

Lose Weight To Avoid Disease: Speaking of being healthier, avoiding disease is right on the top of that list. In addition to the diseases I mentioned above, being fat causes or contributes to cancer, high blood pressure, stroke, heart attack, kidney failure, depression, anxiety, phobia, rapid aging, allergies, and a host of other diseases. If your weight loss goal is to be healthy and avoid disease, the last thing you would want to do is stress your body further with a weight-loss diet. In fact, too few nutrients during a diet can cause many of the same diseases as being overweight. Based on my symptoms and blood tests at the time, I contracted diabetes when I was thin (170 pounds), after losing over 55 pounds in 6 months on a high carb/low protein diet program. My doctor never mentioned the high blood sugar, apparently because my weight wasn’t out of control. Our bodies don’t react well to the bi-polar practice of eating way too much and correcting it by eating way too little. It’s a recipe for a health disaster.

Lose Weight by Healthy Living: Over the last 6 months, I’ve lost 20 pounds by eating the right balance of healthy, fresh foods and by getting lots of exercise, mostly aerobic exercise. Diabetes makes weight loss far more difficult because eating too few nutrients can cause a coma. This disease has forced me to use the very weight loss method I recommend in my articles and on my web-site. I expect to lose another 20 pounds over the next 6 months, then, to take about 9 months for the final 17 pounds, to reach my goal of 180. It’s taking so long, because I’m replacing body fat with muscle, rather than just starving both on a traditional weight-loss diet. When you do this, you lose inches quickly, but weight slowly. So, I look lighter than I weigh. In my opinion, two things make this weight loss method superior to any other I’ve tried. The first is the fact that I haven’t given up any kind of food. All I’ve done is eat the good tasting “bad” stuff less often. Pizza once every couple months, for instance. The second thing is, when I reach my goal I won’t need to change a thing. The same eating and exercise that got me there will keep me there.

When you’re deciding on a weight loss program, make sure you have the right motives for losing weight. If you lose weight to be healthy…to feel better, think better, live longer and avoid disease…you’ll make the right choices for a healthy lifestyle. If your looks are the primary motive, you could lose your health…and your good looks.

Glen Williams is Webmaster for http://www.e-health-fitness.com, founder and CEO of EHF, Inc. He has done extensive research on personal and family health and fitness issues and has been helping and advising people on health since 1987. You can comment on his articles at Health And
Fitness Forums.

Rent to Own is a creative selling strategy that allows you
to rent and sell an item or property quickly and receive
three income streams. Rent to Own has many names: “Lease
Option”, “Lease Purchase”, and “Lease with Option to Buy”,
to name a few.

The use of the Rent To Own strategy has been around for a
long time. Have you ever heard of RAC (Rent A Center)?
It’s a business that allows customers with bad or no credit,
to rent New Brand Name electronics or furniture with the
option to own it in a year or two as long as they make their
payments on time and take care of it.

We’ll use a Big Screen TV as an Example: The customer puts
down a small payment, pays a monthly payment, and at the end
of a year or two they have the option to pay off the Big
Screen TV or return it back to store. Most people that have
had that Big Screen TV in their house for the last year want
to keep it. The best part is that the buyer will pay more
than what the equipment or furniture is worth because RAC is
taking a chance on them. RAC is trusting they will take care
of the Big Screen TV and either buy it or return it in good condition.

Apply it to Real Estate,the buyers are for Rent To Own Properties.
They are people with less then perfect credit, people who are
self employed or maybe just people who want to try owning a
house before they actually buy it. These people may not be able to
qualify for a mortgage now, but over the next year or two
you help them clean up their credit in order to become
homeowners.

They are called Tenant Buyers (T/B). The reason they are
called Tenant Buyers is because you have them sign a rental
contract as a tenant and a separate Option to Purchase
contract that will make them a buyer in the next 12 to 24
months. (An Option gives the Tenant Buyer the Exclusive
Right to Purchase but not the Obligation). The real benefit
is that you create three income streams for the property.
Let me explain:

1.-Market your Property “Rent To Own.” When you find a
Tenant Buyer, you collect 3% to 5% “up-front money” called a
Non-Refundable Option Payment, which you record on your
“Option to Purchase Contract.”

2.-They sign a Standard Rental Agreement for 1 to 2 years,
giving you a monthly cash flow, typically around $125 to
$250 or more. However, it can be much more. It could be
several hundred dollars depending on what the Market Rents
are and what you can negotiate with the Tenant Buyer.

3.-When the Tenant Buyer exercises their Option to purchase
the house, at the price you had agreed on when the original
contract was signed, you can make anywhere from $10,000 to
$30,000.

Profits Explanation: Let’s say you’re doing a 60-Month
sandwich lease option from a Motivated Seller for a $10 Non-
Refundable Option Payment. The Motivated Seller owes $75,000
with a Monthly Payment of $750. (P.I.T.I.) Note: You do
not need to do a sandwich lease - you can use the Rent To
Own Strategy to sell any property you own or control.

You collect from the Tenant Buyer a $3,500 up front Non-
Refundable Option Payment (You subtract it from the purchase
price) plus $200 a month, monthly cash flow (No Rent
Credits) and a $95,000 selling price.

You make the following from the spreads over two years:
1. Rent: -$200 x 24 = -$4,800
2. Price:—$20,000 (minus closing costs)
3. Up front:–$3,500
—————————————————————–
Total Profits:–$28,300

Note: If you negotiate 4 deals a year, you’ll make over
$110,000 from your investments in the next 12 to 24 months
without all the maintenance headaches of being a landlord.

About The Author:
Charles W. Moore, Columbia, SC, USA
Charles is a U.S. Army Combat Veteran that began investing
in Real Estate in 2001. He has served as the Vice President of
the Capitol City Real Estate Investors club of Columbia, SC
and formed his first Real Estate Investment Co. in 2003. He
owns several Real Estate Investment Co websites and is
now a successful, Full Time Real Estate Investor, Webmaster,
Speaker, and Author. For more detailed information on Rent
To Own Real Estate go to: http://www.Rent2OwnExposed.com

We’ve all heard the popular Christian lament, “Why can’t we be more like the early churches?” It seems the further we get from the ascension of Christ, the more we look like the Scribes and Pharisees He criticized, with our rules, rituals, pomp, ceremony and upper class of privileged and educated rulers who cannot be questioned. This isn’t meant as a hit-piece on modern churches and denominations, but as a cry for the Body of Christ to choose the spiritual reality over the worldly counterfeit. While commercial buildings and professional speakers, counselors, teachers and musicians are valuable, they can never replace the genuine fellowship of true Christians, serving God in each other’s homes and lives. I pray this article helps each reader find true Christian fellowship and each church to give true fellowship a priority over canned services.

Spirit-Led Fellowship-vs-Human-Led Fellowship: As churches get bigger, the need for order in the services takes a higher priority. Gone is the loving shepherd who knows the name of every person in the church. Now, we have executives who command a staff of professionals who deliver 5 completely choreographed services each Sunday and mid-week, as well. While these services are very entertaining and often educational, they bear no resemblance to the regular gathering of Christians encouraged in the New Testament. Even a smaller church of, say, 150 can’t generate the intimate fellowship of the early Christians. The size, preferences and schedules of such a large group demand a canned speaking and music program, along with top-down organization of all church functions. The early Church was not this way. They didn’t need church buildings or professional speakers and musicians. They met, ate, prayed and studied in each other’s homes. Paul writes that “each person” has a prayer, song, prophecy, etc. and that these things “must be done” to build up the church. The Holy Spirit is fully capable of using every Christian if we would let Him. This would strengthen the whole group and the individuals being used by the Lord. Unfortunately, it can’t happen in any real and meaningful way in a large group.

Real Fellowship-vs-Artificial Fellowship: Instead of real fellowship among genuine Christians, the large weekly meetings at most churches tends to create an artificial atmosphere, where it’s important to look like you have it all together for the hour or two you’re in front of the church people. Over the course of 10 years as a pastor at two churches (1 medium, 1 large), I counseled hundreds of people. I can’t express just how dishonest Christians can be when they think someone at church might discover the truth about them. I can count on one hand the people I know were telling the truth and I don’t need all the fingers of that hand. Most of them counseled with me so they could tattle on someone else. I praise God for giving me a web ministry where people find us by searching for help with their problems. The anonymity of the Internet allows people to be real with God in a risk-free environment. They don’t know me, so I can’t gossip about them. Several people have written us for help with their problems, claiming they can’t discuss them in their churches because people would judge them. How can you be real in such an environment? Speaking as a church staff insider, the amount of artificiality in church fellowship is disgusting. I don’t know how people can claim life in the Truth and show up every week with a fake smile, fake love, fake spirituality to visit with fake friends, and call it fellowship. Genuine Christian fellowship is…genuine. It has real problems and real pain with real friends showing real love with real prayer and real help. Genuine Christian fellowship can’t happen a couple hours a week…it’s a full-time commitment.

Voluntary Fellowship-vs-Compulsory Fellowship: Genuine fellowship is voluntary in every respect. It amazes me how much pressure and manipulation are used to make large crowds do unnatural things, like welcome strangers, stand to pray, sing, donate money, etc. I’m happy to see a lot of churches, out of faith in God, are going from the compulsory offering plate to the offering box by the door. A genuine offering to God doesn’t have to be squeezed out of you. A minister who has faith in God doesn’t have to do any squeezing. If fellowship were natural in a large group, there would not have to be a greeting time, ushers, greeters, guest cards, fellowship services, pot luck dinners, social events, or any of the other things churches do to try to make a large group seem close and friendly. These things would be happening spontaneously and guests would be able to feel the love without it being on the “order of worship.” One thing these efforts at manipulation prove beyond doubt is that churches know of this weakness in their design and are willing to make changes to overcome it. This is where I have to take my hat off to church leaders world-wide. You see the problem and you’re trying to find solutions.

Fellowship Solutions For Modern Churches: Unfortunately, you can’t make a large group be intimate any more than you can make a tomato vine produce cars. It isn’t in their nature. The fellowship solutions for modern churches all involve small, intimate groups of Christians, meeting in each other’s homes. I’m not talking about a top-down “small group ministry” with approved curriculum and schedule, etc. I’m not talking about breaking into small groups at the church campus, or worse, during the service. This is just more manipulation. If genuine Christian Fellowship is your aim, the small home group must be where the church meets for, fellowship, worship, prayer and food. The larger meetings (for celebration) would be secondary…not even necessary on a weekly basis. This could free up over 50% of the average church budget for actual ministry efforts, rather than real estate development and facility maintenance.

Despite the weaknesses in the modern church ministry model, many Christians are finding genuine fellowship with other Christians in homes and coffee shops and other places where they meet. Many churches are embracing small groups, even to the point of shutting down large corporate worship meetings in favor of home groups. They are to be admired! They understand that, whether we attend a Mega-Church or watch church on T.V. alone, we need small groups for true, intimate Christian fellowship so we can to do the “one-anothers” in the Bible and grow in the Body Of Christ.

Glen Williams is Webmaster for http://www.web-church.com, an Ordained Minister, Founder and CEO of E-Home Fellowship (EHF), Inc. He has been active in ministry since 1989. You can comment on his articles at Web-Church
Christian Forums.

An FHA loan is perhaps one of the easiest mortgages to obtain because the requirements are extremely flexible, and the down payment is very low. Following are some of the major qualification criteria for an FHA loan:

Credit - FHA will often overlook minor credit problems or issues in the past, provided there is a “reasonable explanation” for the problems. The past two years of the applicant’s credit profile will be examined with the most scrutiny, so it’s important that the borrower make an effort to maintain good credit history. Any collection accounts or judgments will need to be satisfied before a loan can be approved.

Income - FHA is more flexible than most other lenders with regard to income criteria. Provided that the proposed loan payments are not more than 35% of the applicant’s monthly gross income, there should be no problems. This percentage is higher than most other lenders, who usually want the number to be under 29%.

Employment - FHA will verify the employment history of applicants and will go back two years. Previous employers will be contacted and asked to fill out a simple verification form to prove that the mortgage applicant actually worked. Although most lenders require a consistent employment with the same company for the preceding two years, FHA simply requires that the applicant has had gainful employment.

Assets - FHA will contact the applicant’s banks and other depository institutions to request verification of average account balances for the preceding two or three months. As with any lender, FHA requires that the applicant have at least three to six months worth of available funds as a security reserve.

Debt-To-Income Ratio - FHA is more lenient than many other lenders in this respect also, requiring that the new mortgage payment result in a total debt-to-income ratio of not more than 40%. This means that no more than 40% of the applicant’s total monthly income should be used toward paying bills.

Recommended FHA Lenders Online - We maintain a list of recommended mortgage companies online and update the list regularly.

Creative Financing Tips- Read this article to learn some creative financing tips for your mortgage loan.

There is no doubt that spring is known for its beautiful flowers and outdoor weather. This is why everyone needs to take advantage of this and invite some friends over for an outdoor barbeque experience that no one will forget. So fire up that grill of yours and follow these simple tips and fabulous recipes to help make your outdoor party a breeze.

! ! ! Things to think about before your guests arrive:

1. First things first, make sure you scrub down the patio furniture. No one wants to sit on dirty furniture. Make sure you also have enough patio furniture for everyone so once the food is ready to be eaten everyone has a seat. If you don’t have enough, simple folding chairs are a quick fix.

2. If you decide to have a party during the afternoon as opposed to night, have umbrellas covering your tables or at least make sure you have some shaded area for you guests. Also add some pretty potted plants and flowers on the tables to make it feel more like springtime.

3. Nighttime parties don’t need to have umbrellas (obviously) but you do need extra lighting. Candles are always a great addition and set a mood for a party. If you are thinking about candles then you should buy citronella candles to keep those pesky insects away. You could also put up white Christmas lights or fun and bright patio lights.

4. As far as silverware and plating ideas, use plastic or paper plates. Find some festive and springtime themed paper or plastic plates along with cups. If you are having margaritas then buy some fun colored plastic margarita cups.

5. Most importantly, remember that timing means everything for this party. Make sure whoever is the “griller” knows what he or she is doing and knows exactly how to time all the meats, seafood and veggies just right.

When it comes to food choices for a barbeque party, people have all different tastes and preferences. You can decide on serving the most simple and most predictable foods such as hamburgers, brats and hotdogs or you can be creative and grill up some fancier barbequed dishes. Below is a whole menu/meal planner for a fancier type of barbeque.

For starters you need a couple of appetizers for your guests to snack on since grilling could take a while. Here are some recipes I think would work out fantastically:

** Avocado Dip with Chili’s **
Ingredients

2 large ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
1 ripe tomato, diced
1 small sweet onion, diced
15 oz. can green chilies, drained and diced
1 Tbs. fresh lime juice
2 Tbs. fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tsp. salt

Directions

Mash avocados in a bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Serve with tortilla chips.

** Spinach Dip **
Ingredients

1 frozen pkg. chopped spinach
1 loaf sheepherder’s bread
1 C. sour cream
1 C. mayonnaise
1 envelope dry vegetable soup mix
3 green onions, chopped (optional)
1 small can water chestnuts, chopped (optional)

Directions

Put the frozen spinach in a colander and run water over it until it is thawed out (or put it in the refrigerator ahead of time to thaw it out). While you are doing this, cut the top of the bread off to make a bowl. Chop up the top of the bread and save it to use for the dip. Scoop out the bottom part of the bread to make a place for the dip. Wring out the spinach with your hands to get out all the water. Mix all the ingredients together (except the bread) and put in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. Fill the bread bowl with the dip and serve with the bread, crackers or vegetables.

Every barbeque has to have some side dishes to go along with your grilled meat or seafood. Here are some recipes I have found for you:

** American Classic Potato Salad **
Ingredients

6 C. quartered unpeeled small red potatoes
3/4 C. Kraft Mayo Real Mayonnaise
1 Tbs. Grey Poupon Dijon mustard
8 slices Oscar Mayer bacon, crisply cooked, crumbled
1/4 C. chopped fresh chives

Directions

Add potatoes to boiling water; cook 15 minutes or until tender. Drain. Mix mayo and mustard in large bowl. Add potatoes, bacon and chives; mix lightly. Refrigerate.

** Baked Beans **

Ingredients
1 (28 oz.) can baked beans
1/2 lb. bacon, cut into small pieces
1 small onion, diced
8 oz. brown sugar
1 Tbs. spicy brown mustard
Few dashes Worcestershire sauce

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.. Pour beans into a 2 qt. casserole dish. Place bacon in a 9 inch skillet, completely covering bottom of pan. Spread brown sugar over bacon and cook on medium heat. When bacon grease starts to bubble up through the sugar, transfer to the casserole dish and mix with beans, onion, and mustard

** Best Ever Corn on the Cob **
Ingredients

Corn in husks
2 tsp. butter

Directions

Pull down the husks and remove the silk. Brush each ear with about 2 tsp. of butter and pull the husks back up around the ears. If they don’t completely cover the corn, that’s okay. The exposed kernels will char and take on that great smoky flavor. Place the corn on a gas grill over medium heat or on a charcoal grill 4 to 6 inches from medium coals. Grill for 10 minutes, turning the ears halfway through the cooking time. Season with salt and pepper.

Now for the main course! I have found a great chicken, steak and seafood grilling recipe for you:

** Grilled Spice Rib Eyed Steaks **
Ingredients

8 1-inch thick bone-in rib-eye steaks (1 lb. each)
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. ground cumin
2 Tbs. kosher salt

Directions

Prepare grill for cooking. Let steaks stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Stir together allspice, cumin, and salt. Pat steaks dry and sprinkle spice mixture onto both sides of steaks to lightly coat, pressing to adhere.

Grill steaks in 2 batches on an oiled rack set 5-6 inches over glowing coals 4-5 minutes on each side, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally 2 inches into thickest part of meat registers 130 degrees for medium-rare. Transfer steaks to a platter and let stand 10 minutes.

** Quick Baby Back Ribs **
1 C. mesquite chips, soaked
1 2 lb. slab baby back pork ribs
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 tsp. Hungarian paprika
1 tsp. ancho chile powder
1/2 tsp. ground thyme
1 C. barbeque sauce

Directions

Prepare an outdoor grill for indirect heat - a pile of charcoal on one side, nothing under the food. Once it is going, throw some soaked mesquite woodchips on it. Remove the membrane from the ribs if the butcher has not already. Combine the salt, pepper, paprika, chile powder and thyme; rub onto the ribs. Cut the slab of ribs in half. Place the ribs over indirect heat, and close the lid. Cook for 20 minutes, then brush with barbeque sauce. Cover, and continue cooking for an additional 30 minutes.

** Mesquite Grilled Chicken **

Sauce:
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
2 tsp. olive oil or canola oil
1 Tbs. chili powder
1 tsp. paprika
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 tsp. prepared mustard
3 Tbs. finely minced onion

1 lb. chicken breasts, skinned and boned

Directions

In a jar with cover, combine all sauce ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to use. Sauce may be used at once, but the best flavors are achieved if made early in the day. Prepare mesquite coals and cover the grill with foil. Grill chicken over hot coals about 6 minutes. Turn and grill 6 minutes more. Turn again, baste with sauce and cook 4-5 minutes. Turn, baste, and grill 4-5 minutes or until chicken is done. Baste generously with sauce during last few minutes of cooking.

** Grilled Tuna Steaks**
Ingredients

4 tuna steaks, about 1 1/2 lb.
1 C. teriyaki sauce
1/2 tsp. garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. fresh ginger, peeled and minced

Directions

Mix the teriyaki sauce, ginger and garlic. Add the tuna and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, turning 2 or 3 times. Pre-heat the grill. Place the steaks on grill and cook until just done, basting with the marinade.

For anyone who isn’t actually full from this feast of food here are a couple of dessert recipes for you:

** Fresh Fruit Pizza **
Ingredients

18 oz. package refrigerated sliceable sugar cookie dough
8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
2 Tbs. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 C. assorted fresh juicy fruits
1/2 C. orange marmalade

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Grease or spray a 12-inch diameter pizza pan. Slice cookie dough into 1/3-inch rounds. Arrange the cookie slices in a single layer on the pan and press together to form a crust. (Use a little water on your fingertips if necessary.) Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Cool completely. Transfer to a serving plate or keep on pizza pan. Beat softened cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract together in a medium bowl until smooth. Use a spatula to spread the cream cheese over crust, covering to the edges. Arrange fruits in a decorative circular pattern around the filling (like a bulls-eye). Mix marmalade and water and warm slightly. Lightly brush over fruit to glaze. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes 8-10 Servings.

** No Guilt Watermelon Cake **
Ingredients

1 watermelon
1/2 8 oz. container fat-free frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 8 oz. container nonfat light lemon yogurt
Fresh fruit to decorate cake (strawberries, kiwi fruit, grapes, blueberries)

Directions

Select a symmetrical watermelon approximately 7- to 9- inches in diameter. Cut a 3-inch thick cross-section from the watermelon. Cut 4 slits through rind without cutting flesh. Cut between white rind portion and red flesh to remove rind. Fold together whipped topping and yogurt. Pat watermelon cake dry with paper towel.

Place watermelon cake on flat serving plate. Frost top and sides with whipped topping mixture. Decorate as desired with fresh fruit. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Can be stored several hours or overnight. Cut in wedges to serve.

Yield: 10 servings

When it comes to beverages, they are just as important as the food. Depending on the temperature outside drinks might be more important since your guests have to keep hydrated.

Have some non-alcoholic beverages available such as lemonade, ice tea, soda and water. As for alcoholic drinks, beer, wine, margaritas or some sort of fruity punch would be perfect. Just make sure you keep an eye on your supply of ice.

Take advantage of the beautiful weather. With time flying by these days, winter could be just around the corner.

© 2007 Ampere Media LLC, All Rights Reserved Recipe4Living.com features more than 11,000 user submitted recipes, ideas and recipes from Wolfgang Puck, reference guides, healthy living advice, tips for kids, and much more. All of the recipes mentioned in this article can be found at http://www.recipe4living.com

Do you get tongue-tied when you meet a person of the opposite sex? Or when you’re meeting people for the first time?

I did. Being shy gave me a reputation for being a snob, being “hard to reach,” and worst of all, “having a superior attitude.” Whether you’re a man or a woman, it’s hardly the image you hope to project when you want to make a love match or even a new friend.

I met a woman who taught me a thing or two about looking approachable. One was to use my eyes when the right words locked up in my mouth. “It’s all in the eyes,” this master flirt said, and she’d never suffered a shortage of suitors, despite the fact that she was no Marilyn Monroe. Her boyish figure and the gap between her teeth discouraged nobody, though-people were drawn to her because of what she was saying with her eyes!

So I learned to convey interest in a guy with my eyes, even if I couldn’t think of a pertinent response. I also learned to smile with my eyes, instead of just my mouth (smiling is so important; why oh why do people neglect to do it?).

If shyness isn’t your problem, speaking with your eyes is also the antidote to speaking too much with your mouth. I’ve heard it said that God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason, and face it, good listeners often come off as brilliant conversationalists. Bonus: By listening carefully, you get to really know the person you’re interested in and figure out whether he or she’s worth your time.

Another thing the flirt taught me was to nix turtlenecks in favor of V-neck blouses. Turtlenecks can make your neck look short, and they make you look uptight. If you’re a woman, wear a blouse in a flattering shade and keep the top two buttons open. If you’re a guy, go with a v-neck. The goal is to give that neck of yours a little exposure. It suggests vulnerability, which is attractive. It’s also sexy.

The tip to show neck may sound elementary if you’re a woman and already wearing down-to-there necklines, but displaying too much skin is even worse than showing too little: You’ll attract the very men you want to avoid. Oh, and if you’re a guy, remove the baseball cap, please! Who cares if you’re bald? Get rid of it. A bare head is so much more attractive than a baseball cap (or, worse, a cap with your mechanic’s logo on it).

Now that you know how to make yourself approachable, it’s time for the next step: To get out and meet somebody. Turn off your computer and go for it!

Terry MacDonald is the happily married author of “How to Attract and Marry the Man of Your Dreams.” Check out her blog at http://happygirlmusing.blogspot.com for information on a singles’ cruise she’s organizing for August 2007.

It’s true that you can’t take it with you, but many are becoming more concerned about what happens to what they leave behind. Thanks to some recent changes in estate laws, strategies that were once only doable by the extremely wealthy are now more accessible by those of more modest means. Read on to see if you can take advantage of these estate planning tools and create a living legacy for your family.

Wealthy families have long used various trusts to increase their fortunes and help shield their assets from excessive taxes. States limited how long these trusts could last, making the managing of these fortunes costly and difficult. But thanks to the actions taken by several states to remove time limitations, now you can create a dynasty trust that can last forever.

Dynasty trusts have several main advantages. Primarily, they keep your hard-earned nest egg from being eroded by estate taxes. Normally, wealth transferred from generation to generation is subject to estate taxes. Over time, large portions can be lost to taxes. This money is preserved in a dynasty trust.

They also protect your assets from creditors, bankruptcy and divorce proceedings. For instance, let’s say your son is a doctor and you leave him a large inheritance. Should he be sued by a patient, those assets couldn’t be touched by the plaintiff if those assets were in a dynasty trust. The same would be true if that son got a divorce. His ex-wife wouldn’t be able to demand a share of the assets in the trust.

We’ve all heard of the problems with trust-fund kids, where the vast wealth left to them takes away their incentive to achieve their own success. That is easily prevented using incentives to encourage your heirs in ways that match your morals and values. For instance, you can withhold funds until a grandchild has earned a college degree.

Dynasty trusts are best suited for those who have at least $500,000 to $1,000,000 in excess of what they need to continue living comfortably. They cost between $5,000 and $10,000 to create and professional trustees usually charge about 1% a year to mange them.

You don’t have to have a million bucks in cash lying around. Real estate, such as rental property, personal residences or vacation homes can be put into these trusts. When planned in advance, they can be set up at your death which allows the use of life insurance to fund the trust. The use of life insurance places these trusts within the reach of many people.

These trusts can last for hundreds of years, so it’s important to write them as carefully as possible. These trusts cannot be changed so they need to be carefully planned. Provisions to change trustees and end or split the trust should be included to allow future generations flexibility to deal with changing laws and situations.

The income from the trust can be paid to beneficiaries each year. In that case, the income is taxed based on each beneficiary’s tax bracket. Any income not distributed from the trust each year is taxed at the trust level where tax rates could be higher.

Dynasty trusts can benefit heirs in many ways. For instance, the trust could own personal residences or vacation homes for the heirs. This provides them a financial benefit, but since the properties are owned by the trust they are beyond the reach of the heirs creditors. This protects those assets for future generations.

If your own children don’t have a need for your assets and you want to pass them on to your grandkids and beyond, dynasty trusts allow you to do that without being subject to generation skipping taxes. If you don’t want to see your hard-earned wealth eaten away by Uncle Sam, a dynasty trust could be just the ticket. So even though you can’t take it with you, you can help provide for generations to come and even pass on some of your values as well.

An Estate Planning Attorney who has experience designing Dynasty Trusts should be consulted. He or she will be able to answer specific questions and help you decide if a Dynasty Trust is right for you.

Mr. Voudrie is a Certified Financial Planner and the President of Legacy Planning Group, Inc., a Private Wealth Management firm in Johnson City, TN. For more information call 1-877-827-1463 or email jeff@guardingyourwealth.com.

Nationally-syndicated financial columnist and Certified Financial Planner® Jeffrey Voudrie provides personal, in-depth money management services and advice to select private clients throughout the USA. He’ll answer your financial question - FREE at http://www.guardingyourwealth.com

Many of my clients over 40 tell me that they want to look younger, but not too young. They fear that if they follow the advice of their daughters and the fashion magazines that they will end up looking like they are trying to be 16. And no woman who has been through puberty once wants to go through that again. By following these simple tips you will be sure to stay youthful yet age appropriate.

Check your do
It’s important to have an up to date hair style. If you are over 35 your hair should not be much longer than your shoulders. The typical style of long hair to your mid back that is all one length screams to everyone that you are trying to look like you are still in high school. This isn’t the look you should be going for. Trim your hair, keep it healthy, and get a modern cut that suits your lifestyle and hair type.

Update your make up
Although we’d all love to walk out of the house without a stitch of make up, most of us can’t. As we age, we lose some of the color in our skin. It’s important to start out with a great sunscreen and foundation that smoothes the skin to create an even surface. Eyeliner, mascara, and a touch of blush are sometimes all that is needed. Visit the make up counter at a good department store to learn how to expertly apply your make up. Avoid any fashion colors that are in at a particular moment. Your make up should not change depending on what color you are wearing. Matching your eye shadow to your outfit should be erased from your memory.

Update your jeans
Nothing makes you look older and more out of date than high waisted jeans with a tapered leg. Now I’m not saying that you need to buy super low rise jeans that expose your rear end. But you should definitely find a pair of jeans that sits below your navel and has a slight boot cut. When the leg of the jean flares slightly at the ankle it balances out the thigh and makes your leg look leaner.

Accessorize with trends
Don’t ignore the latest trends, just don’t over do it. Just because something is “in” doesn’t mean that it is right for you. If a certain color is in this season, or a theme like the nautical look is in, you can easily incorporate these into your look through accessories. You don’t need to be dressed from head to toe in the cobalt blue of last season. Instead you could find a great pair of cobalt blue shoes or a fantastic bracelet in that color to make you look up to date without going over the top. Think of trends like you do junk food…all in moderation. Less is more.

Stay out of velour sweat suits and Ugg boots
Velour sweat suits and Ugg boots are great for lounging around the house, but that is where the line should be drawn. Once you leave your house wearing this, even to just run to the supermarket, you have made a huge fashion felony. This outfit simply creates added bulk where you need it least. It’s hard to find a 16 year old that looks good in this ensemble, let alone anyone over 40.

Once you start introducing these tips into your look you will be sure to be fashionably fabulous every year. Remember, style is not about what’s “in”, it’s about creating a look that is current and right for you and your body. It is possible to look younger without looking too young.

Erin Stafford is an expert on color, style, and image consulting in LA and Orange County. Contact her today via email, erin@erinstafford.com, or via her website, http://www.erinstafford.com. While you’re there, don’t forget to sign up for her weekly fashion tips newsletter filled with the latest fashion advice and her blog at http://erinstafford.wordpress.com/ for even more fun fashion tips!