Most small business owners who have managed to survive the proverbial
first 2 years in business probably started out thinking mail order was an
easy business to get into.
Chances are the experience would have been a fun-filled nightmare they may
not want to experience again. Sure, it was full of fantasy and hope. But
it also means a lot of hard work and long hours.

Start your advertising  in your local Newspapers and online local searchengines
and pay-per clicks. Set and know your advertising budget, it can be very
tempting to place ads in other media, including TV, Radio and National Magazines.
Staying with your start-up plans will keep you on target..

Trying to figure out where you want to take your business financially,
it is common for entrepreneurs to extrapolate numbers based on their
advertising budget. This style is perennial among mail order people who equate
advertising as the foundation of their operations.

This approach sounds very logical and statistical, but it doesn’t happen
like that in the “real world” of mail order! Well, maybe once in a blue
moon, but most of the time – it just don’t happen. It’s not always because
your offer is bad or the price is too high. And it’s not always because
your mailing list was bad. Often times, the reason lies in the fact that
you and your company are unknown.

But one of the most important reasons this statistical data only works well
on paper is that most beginners are not skilled in the area of TARGET
MARKETING. Yes – that word is vital to the money your business will make.

Target marketing is the process of focusing on a select and specific group
of people you are advertising to. And it has everything to do with the
product you are selling.

For example, if you are marketing infant products, it would be very unwise
to stage a direct mail campaign on a random list.

How many times have you got a mailing that went in the trash just because
it was selling a product or service you have no interest in? See what I mean.
If the company mailing these catalogs and advertisements would have
pre-qualified you or I and target-marketed their items correctly – we would
have never received them. It is wasted money for the company!

But how can you pre-quality or target market your audience before placing
an ad? If you are a beginner, it will take some time before you are
experienced enough to do so. However, you can always get a sample copy
of the publication first and see what items other people are advertising.
Then, test your ads in the smaller mail order publication that offer
low-cost advertising until you refine your ad and hit the right market.
As soon as you begin generating responses to your ads, keep in contact
with these customers and grow from there. They will bring you more customers
like themselves because “birds of a feather flock together.”

Therefore – SLOW DOWN a little – but if you don’t slow down, you could easily get ripped-off
and lose a lot of money. Just like attending college – you won’t get a
Master’s Degree the same day you begin classes. It takes 3-4 years!

Take your time to get to know some of the pros and read what they have to
say. Survey and study the market. Read and educate yourself by investing
time into study. Start out in mail order like you would start working for
any company – at the bottom. Learn the tricks of the trade. Make friends
and associates with “good” dealers and stick with them. Honor your word and
work dealerships to the advantage of yourself as well as others.

Mail order is only a process by which products are advertised and delivered
to consumers. It works for any product and works for anybody. You don’t have
to be rich, educated or a certain age, color or heritage. You don’t have to
wear certain kinds of clothes or have your hair styled in the latest craze.
The only limitations are your own abilities and confidence in yourself.
I know because I started out really poor and brought my business up to
a thriving, self-supporting home business!
a lot of money. Just like attending college – you won’t get a
Master’s Degree the same day you begin classes.

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(NAPSI)-One of the latest developments in the computer field is already benefiting many students and teachers. Tablet computers seem to be finding a home in both the traditional and the electronic classroom.

Students say that by using tablets they can collaborate easily with their peers. Teachers find they can use tablets to monitor students’ grasp of the material that has been covered.

For example, with software such as DyKnow Vision, teachers can send a “status request” during a lesson to gauge each student’s level of understanding, without the embarrassing raise of hands. “I’m not using canned examples from a textbook any-more. I’m using real examples immediately pulled from the student’s tablet,” says computer science professor Roy Pargas at Clemson University.

Like many smartphones, tab-lets have touch capabilities built into the screen. Students can touch the screen on tablets to manipulate, interact and share content with one another inside and outside the classroom, which can foster an interactive environment.

With pen-based tablets, such as the HP EliteBook 2740p, students can take digital notes in their own handwriting as well as download and annotate slide presentations during lectures. Once outside the classroom, students can revisit their notes to study alone or share their notes with classmates.

Professor Dave Berque of DePauw University and his students use HP tablets with Intel Core Duo processors and DyKnow Vision software to take notes, solve problems and share solutions in his computer science class. They can also replay notes after class. As a result, he saw failure rates drop from 14 percent to 1 percent. Said Berque, “Tablet PCs make the classroom an interactive environment, and that tends to give a lot of feedback to everyone involved.”

Tablets are more than an interactive tool; they can also save time. Instead of spending hours after class grading papers, teachers can mark papers electronically and then transfer the scores into an electronic grade-tracking system.

Many believe that with tablet PCs, the classroom can become a more interactive environment. Teachers and students alike can find success in all the touch capabilities that tablets have to offer.

To learn more, visit www.hp.com/go/hied or call (800) 888-0262.

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NewsUSA) – Buying a new computer’s always a thrill — but sooner or later, your fast new machine will start to act like a clunker. Or will it?

With a few simple tips, you can keep your computer running smoothly. Sammsoft (www.sammsoft.com), a company that develops and publishes quality software products designed to secure, protect, maintain and enhance computer users’ experience, provides the following tips:

1. Clean out your computer registry. Every Windows Operating System uses a registry, or a central database that contains all of the settings for low-level operating system components, as well as any applications running on the platform. Every time you save something, run a new application or install or uninstall a program, new information is organized into your registry. But occasionally, the registry records something incorrectly. Over time, registry errors pile up and can start slowing down your computer. But running a registry cleaner, such as Advanced Registry Optimizer 2010 by Sammsoft, will fix registry errors and remove faulty files, helping your computer run quickly and smoothly.

2. Keep viruses under wraps. Run a virus checker regularly. If you have a high-speed wireless connection, don’t use the Internet without a firewall. No antivirus strategy is perfect, so stay away from suspicious-looking Web sites and don’t click on strange links in e-mails.

3. Get rid of unnecessary files. If you haven’t used a program in months or years, delete it to reclaim valuable memory. But always back-up applications in case you want to reinstall them later, and don’t delete applications that you don’t recognize, as Windows might need them to run. Never remove WINDOWS or HOT FIX applications. Also delete cookies and clear your Internet cache before you sign-off your computer.

4. Never turn off your computer before Windows has shut down. Doing so so could harm the hard drive or result in lost data or Windows files.

5. Back up Your Computer. Hardware problems occur more that you might think, and you don’t want to deal with the frustration of losing valuable data. Back up photos, Excel spreadsheets, Word documents — anything that you do not want to lose — on external hard drives or CDs.

For more information, visit www.sammsoft.com.

Local North Carolina Free Business Directory

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(NAPSI)-When thinking about ways to reduce your environmental footprint, a great place to start being “green” may be the office, whether at home or at work. From paper and printers to lights and furniture, there are many ways to make a difference. Going green can be easy and it can become part of your daily routine. There is a wide selection of products that incorporate environmental features, such as recycled content, environmental certifications and environmentally friendly designs to help you go green. Here are 10 easy and affordable ways to reduce your environmental impact at the office:

Eco-Friendly Tips for Any Office

1. Whether it’s reusing old stationery as scratch paper, setting up a recycle bin for cans and water bottles or separating boxes and newspapers, make sure materials in the office are properly sorted to be recycled.

2. Take your old computers, monitors, laptops, printers, faxes and all-in-ones to any Staples U.S. store and drop them off at the customer service desk to be recycled. All brands are accepted for recycling regardless of where they were purchased. Staples also provides ink and toner cartridge recycling.

3. Set up computers and other energy-draining equipment (copiers, fax machines) to go on standby to reduce energy consumption. Consider ENERGY STAR?certified products, which are 50 percent more energy efficient than standard units.

4. Save materials and important documents digitally on your computer instead of in file cabinets. Consider a printer from the Staples HP EcoEasy line of printers, which use up to 50 percent less paper with double-sided printing.

5. Turn off equipment at the end of the day or before the weekend starts and unplug equipment until it is needed, since many machines consume energy even in the “off” position.

6. Replace any incandescent lightbulbs with compact fluorescent lightbulbs that last up to 10 times longer.

7. Make over your desk with eco-conscious products. In addition to recycled paper, Staples offers a wide selection of eco-conscious products such as bamboo flash drives and remanufactured toner cartridges.

8. Use eco-conscious cleaning products when tidying up the office. Staples’ Sustainable Earth® cleaning products provide powerful cleaning action and minimize impacts to the environment.

9. Look into furniture and cubicles that are Greenguard certified (www.greenguard.org). The materials in these products have been tested for toxic emissions. Products that are under the allowable limits of toxins are defined by the U.S. Green Building Council as Greenguard products.

10. Carpool to work; if you and a co-worker live by each other, riding to work together will reduce polluting car emissions. If you live close to work, think about walking or riding a bike.

For more information on going green, visit www.staples.com/ecoeasy.<br><br>

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(NAPSI)-If you’ve ever thought about becoming an author or professional illustrator, a new contest could be good news for you.

More than 600 novels have been published by the winners and over $30,000 in prizes awarded annually through the Writers of the Future contest. The most successful contest for aspiring writers to have a chance for their creative efforts to be seen and acknowledged, it has the highest success rate in launching careers of any writing competition.

The contest was started by L. Ron Hubbard, himself one of the most successful writers of the Golden Age, and other famous science fiction authors have praised it.

What Authors Say

For example, Neil Gaiman, author of dozens of books, including “Coraline,” said, “Writers of the Future has a record of nurturing and discovering writers who have gone on to make their mark in the science fiction field. Long may it continue.” While Orson Scott Card, who pens the “Enders” series, among many others, said of the contest, “It’s what keeps sci-fi alive.”

What Winners Get

Winners receive trophies and cash prizes. They also get to attend a weeklong workshop taught by contest judges-including New York Times best-selling authors Kevin J. Anderson (“Dune” series) and Sean Williams (“The Resurrected Man”) and internationally acclaimed artist Stephen Hickman, each one an experienced professional in the field-providing sound advice based on hard-won experience.

About Writing

As for how to write the story, here’s some advice that Hubbard himself gave an interviewer at the time of the first contest:

“There are some activities that are simply so much fun that one can’t give them up. Writing is that for me. I love every opportunity to write.

“Many young writers are told to write in order to learn how to write. That is good advice. I used to find any excuse to write because I loved to do it. If I didn’t have a typewriter, I wrote in longhand.

“I chose science fiction because there is great versatility in this genre. A writer must pick his medium as carefully as a painter must pick his brush and colors.”

According to Joni Labaqui, contest director, there are no entry fees. All the judges see is a number assigned to a submission.

Where To Learn More

To enjoy fine sci-fi and to get an idea of the type of work that wins, you can read previous collections, available online and at bookstores. For more information, go to www.writersofthefuture.com or call (323) 466-3310.<br><br>

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(NewsUSA) – Facing cancer on a daily basis takes an extraordinary amount of courage and support on the part of cancer patients, healthcare professionals, family and friends. Battling cancer itself is extraordinary, as are the unwavering support and tireless energy of the oncology nurses who support patients and their loved ones throughout their cancer treatment journeys.

Oncology nurses routinely go above and beyond the call of duty to help, heal, support and care for their patients. For the fourth consecutive year, CURE magazine announced the winner of the 2010 Extraordinary Healer Award for Oncology Nursing during a special awards ceremony at the Oncology Nursing Society’s (ONS) 35th Annual Congress. Nearly 200 cancer patients, survivors, caregivers and peers submitted essays to this year’s contest, nominating their oncology nurses who have demonstrated exceptional compassion, expertise and commitment in their patients’ fight against cancer.

This year’s winner, Dorothy Wahrman, RN, OCN, of Nebraska Cancer Specialists, Omaha, Neb., was awarded the Extraordinary Healer Award in front of hundreds of her peers. Nominated by Valerie Bosselman, Wahrman cared for Valerie’s daughter, Megan, who lost her battle with adrenal cortical carcinoma, a cancer originating in the outer layer of tissue of the adrenal gland, in 2008. Wahrman was described in the winning essay as “the most remarkable woman” whose “ability to sense the every need of patient and family was the most beautiful and natural part of her character.”

“Valerie’s essay immediately rose to the top of the essays presented for judging in this year’s contest, as it was obvious that there was an intense emotional relationship created between nurse and family,” said Susan McClure, Publisher, CURE magazine. “While we know each and every oncology nurse is a healer and an asset to those on the cancer journey, when choosing a winner for this event, we look for those who go above and beyond the call of duty, and it is obvious Dorothy did just that.”

Additional finalists Annette Graham, NP, AOCNP, Virginia Cancer Institute, Richmond, Va., and Jackie Broadway, MSN, FNP-BC, MD, of Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, were also recognized at the reception.

“Since 2007, more than 600 nurses have been nominated for this award,” said Kathy LaTour, Editor-at-Large, CURE magazine. “It is a way to recognize the commitment of oncology nurses and the life-changing impact they make on their patients.”

For the third consecutive year, Centocor Ortho Biotech Inc. has sponsored the contest and award reception as part of an effort to recognize the professionals at the very heart of oncology care — oncology nurses.

“Centocor Ortho Biotech is proud to once again sponsor this award,” said Robert Bazemore, President, Centocor Ortho Biotech Inc. “The winner’s and finalists’ essays provide just a small window into the remarkable work that oncology nurses do every day to support cancer patients and their families, from helping to guide their medical treatment journey to providing unique educational and emotional support during a tremendously challenging time.”

The winning essay will be featured in the summer 2010 issue of CURE, a free, quarterly magazine for cancer patients, survivors and caregivers. A podcast of all three essayists reading their nominations will be available on www.curetoday.com beginning June 16th, 2010. Additionally, the essays, photos from the event, and a Q&A with winner Dorothy Wahrman will be displayed on CURE’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/curemagazine.

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Tips for a healthier you at middle age

(ARA) – With the popularity of movies like Sex and the City and the revival of the 50-year-old fashionista, the 42.9 million baby boomer women in America are approaching aging with confidence and style. While talking about many sensitive topics is no longer off-limits to this vocal group, there still remain several embarrassing health topics that many women will not even discuss with their doctors, let alone with their girlfriends. As a result, they suffer through these manageable health issues in silence rather than finding the solutions they need.

It is important for women to be direct with their doctors when talking about all health issues, even those that may embarrass them. Anne Abernathy, a six-time Olympic luger who now serves as an advocate for women’s health, shares tips for being tenacious when it comes to your health:

Talk to your doctor: You may be embarrassed by a change in your body, but when you talk about it with a friend, family member or doctor, you can find helpful ways to deal with it. You may even be able to provide helpful advice to others experiencing the same thing. Facing your health condition head-on and learning how to manage it will help you to move on and live your best life.

Educate yourself: Learn about the kinds of changes you can expect as you age and take some preventative measures to help you avoid or lessen the symptoms of some of them. There are a lot of great sources online where you can learn from experts, as well as others who have first-hand knowledge of the issues. Information is the best tool you can have as your own health advocate.

Navigate your options and solutions: There are a lot of options available to help you manage and prevent certain conditions and ailments. For instance, vitamins to help prevent bone loss or discreet thin pads or underwear for women who have bladder control issues. Talk with your doctor to find out what supplements or products might be right for you.

Achieve a healthy life:  In the end, you just want to get on with living your life and achieving your goals. No health issue should keep you from doing that. When you follow these tips and learn how to manage your condition, you will find yourself with more options, less limitations and more confidence to do what you love most.

Many of these health problems are extremely common, like bladder-control issues, which affect more than 25 percent of women older than 40.  According to a survey conducted by Harris Interactive and SCA, makers of TENA, the number one brand of bladder protection products worldwide, nearly 40 percent of women with bladder-control issues have never discussed the condition with anyone. As a result, nearly a third of all women who experience leaks do not know how to deal with the problem.

“Throughout my life, I have not been afraid to tackle the many obstacles that have stood in my way,” says Anne Abernathy. “Having  experienced embarrassing health conditions such as bladder-control issues first hand, I know that for many women, the thought of admitting to the condition can be more stressful than racing down a luge track at 90 mph. That’s why I teamed with TENA and Healthy Women to launch the ‘Be TENAcious’ program to help women start the conversation, beginning online at www.betenacious.net. Many women experience the same issues in their lifetime, but we cannot benefit from each other’s experiences if no one is talking about them.”

Registered nurse Beth Battaglino Cahill, executive director of HealthyWomen  agrees. “As a nurse, I often have to coax information out of patients about health issues they find embarrassing. When women are candid about their health, they often find the problem they have is very common and managing the issue becomes a lot easier.”

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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RALEIGH, N.C. – With suspicious fires, chemical spills and plant explosions a more frequent part of our local landscape, Wake Technical Community College is launching a new program to ensure that our area has the most highly-qualified responders. Wake Tech’s associate’s degree program in Fire Protection Technology offers the latest in response technologies and techniques, providing firefighters, arson investigators and hazmat specialists with the skills and credentials to address critical and risky situations. The program, which starts this fall, is offered to high school graduates who want to enter the field and to professionals who want to improve their career advancement opportunities by earning their degree.

The two-year program, to be held at Wake Tech’s Public Safety Education Campus in Raleigh, includes coursework in hazardous materials, firefighting strategies, and fire investigations, as well as supervision and leadership. Wake Tech’s “flip-flop” schedule will give students the option of attending classes on alternating days each week to accommodate work schedules.

“Employers are looking for a degree now, in fire safety as in other first-responder fields, as a basic job qualification,” says Janie Slaughter, department head for Fire Protection Technology at Wake Tech. “They’re also basing promotions on education and credentials, making them much more competitive. This is the trend.”

Graduates will find opportunities for employment in insurance organizations and industry as well as municipal fire departments. The degree will also provide a foundation for continued education at a four-year college or university. Wake Tech already provides in-service continuing education training for more than 4,000 area firefighters each year

Read More:CarolinaNewsWire

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Lead-safe renovation – what homeowners need to know

(ARA) – Renovating your home can be daunting. The last thing you want to worry about is the possible lead-related health risk of some common renovation tasks. Sanding, demolition and siding and window replacement can all disturb lead-based paint, placing you and your family at risk of lead poisoning.

Because of these risks, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed the Lead-Based Paint Renovation, Repair and Painting Program to help protect homeowners. As of April 22, the legislation requires that workers, including contractors, painters and maintenance personnel, be trained to use lead-safe work practices. Additionally, renovation firms must be EPA-certified.

Because these common remodeling practices can be dangerous to a family’s health, it’s important for you to learn about a contractor’s lead-safe practices before delving into such projects.

“While this legislation does not directly apply to product manufacturers, it has proved to be a challenge for the industry as a whole,” says Rich Black, a replacement channel specialist with Ply Gem, a leading manufacturer of home remodeling and building products. “So manufacturers like Ply Gem have taken a lead on this initiative and are working with customers to organize EPA certification-training programs so that they, in turn, can provide clarification and peace of mind to homeowners.”

What does the legislation entail?

Under the EPA, the legislation:
* Applies to all remodeling/renovation projects on homes, childcare facilities and schools built before 1978 that contain lead paint.
* Is related to on-site work practices.
* Renovation workers must take an eight-hour training course to become certified on lead-safe practices.

Exemptions include:
* Housing built in 1978 or after. If you are not sure what year your home was built and whether or not it contains lead-based paint, it is the contractor’s responsibility to confirm that information.
* Housing for the elderly or disabled, unless a child under the age of 6 lives or is planning to live in the home.
* Homes with no bedrooms, including studio apartments and dormitories.
* Homes declared lead-free by a certified inspector or risk assessor.
* Minor repair work using 6 square feet or less of paint per room inside, or 20 square feet or less of exterior space.

Questions all homeowners should ask

When meeting with a home improvement company or renovation firm, the representative should bring up the issue and provide a government-issued certificate from the EPA showing that their firm has installers who are certified in lead-safe renovation practices. If they do not provide this documentation, homeowners should question if the company is certified.

Also, beware that this legislation may increase the cost of some renovation projects, so homeowners should be careful not to fall for a lower bid from a non-certified contractor.

What the EPA-certification entails

“Before hiring a contractor or renovation firm, it’s important to understand the basics of the legislation and what you should expect from your home improvement company,” says Keith Pigues, chief marketing officer of Ply Gem.

By law, at least one certified installer needs to be on the job site, with a valid certificate, if it was built before 1978 and contains lead-based paint. To become certified, the contractor must attend an eight-hour course that includes education on the dangers of lead-based paint, hands-on learning of safe demolition, installation and disposal of the debris, as well as a final examination. Those who have taken the course can then provide on-the-job training to his or her helpers, who must also be able to provide a certificate to the homeowner.

For more information on the Lead-Based Paint Renovation, Repair and Painting Program, visit www.epa.gov/lead. For more information on renovating your home with Ply Gem products, visit www.plygem.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Sweet or savory? With apples, you can do both

(ARA) – You’ve heard the phrase, “As American as apple pie.” While apples provide the fabric for some of our most basic, familiar and comfortable foods, they can be used in more versatile ways than you might have imagined. While you can’t go wrong with staples like apple pie, caramel apples and apple fritters, there’s plenty more to explore in the world of cooking with apples.

Apples are most often used in sweet desserts, but there are plenty of opportunities to use apples in savory dishes. Apples – not to mention apple juice or apple sauce – can add a sweet and sour touch that can be the perfect complement to typically savory dishes, like a pork roast, garden salad or even something as simple as chicken salad.

If you’re still craving something sweet, apples can also provide that extra needed flavor to a variety of desserts.  Since calories tend to add up rather quickly in sweet dishes, apple products can often add a unique sweetness, as well as a healthy dose of antioxidants known for whole body goodness. Apples and apple sauce make for simple and delicious additions to cookies, cakes, bars and sweet dessert breads.

Recognizing the versatility offered by apples, Tree Top, a grower-owned co-op and producer of a wide variety of 100 percent U.S. juices and apple sauce, is offering home chefs the chance to cook creatively with apples and showcase their recipes as part of the fruit-processing cooperative’s 50th anniversary celebration and recipe contest. “America’s Secret Ingredient” recipes will be judged on originality, perceived appetite appeal and perceived ease of preparation, with a winner in both the sweet and savory categories receiving a hotel and travel package to New York City to attend the Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival in October.

“It is very important for my family to keep a nutritious diet. I incorporate apples into my everyday routine by sautéing vegetables in apple juice or even making fruit smoothies,” says actress and producer Melissa Joan Hart, who is also a spokesperson for Tree Top.

“The whole family enjoys the applesauce and the snack cups make a convenient treat in the boy’s lunchbox.  My kids especially like to dip whole wheat toast into Tree Top’s cinnamon applesauce,” says Hart.

Entering the recipe contest is easy. Now until July 26, you can submit your recipes at americas-secret-ingredient.com. You can enter one recipe per e-mail address per day for the duration of the contest. You must be 21, an amateur cook and a resident of the United States to enter. Recipes must include at least one of the following Tree Top products: 1/2 cup (4 ounces) of apple sauce or 1/2 cup (4 ounces) of apple juice or 1/8 cup (2 oz.) of apple juice frozen concentrate.

If you need some inspiration for using apple products in your cooking, a wide variety of recipes can be found at treetop.com. The following are two examples of delicious apple dishes, one sweet and one savory.

Apple Bread Braid (sweet)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Tree Top Apple Juice
1 1/3 cups apples, sliced (approximately 2 small apples, or 1/2 lb apples)
1 tablespoon dry yeast
2 ounces lukewarm water
2 ounces lukewarm milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg (room temperature)
1/4 cup butter (room temperature)
1/4 teaspoon lime juice
2 teaspoons sugar
2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Directions:

Combine yeast and water in a large bowl. Let it set for 15 minutes. Stir in milk, sugar, salt, egg and butter. Gradually add the flour until a soft dough is formed. Knead dough on a floured surface until dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.

Butter a clean bowl; put dough in bowl and turn to coat with butter. Cover and leave in a warm place until dough doubles in size, about 1 1/2 hours. While dough is rising, combine apples, apple juice, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cornstarch and lime juice in a medium saucepan. Stir together and place over medium heat. Cook and stir occasionally until apples are semi-cooked and sauce has thickened. Remove from stove and let cool.

Grease a large cookie sheet. Punch down the dough; knead briefly on a floured surface. Roll dough into a 10-by-15-inch rectangle. Carefully move dough to a cookie sheet. Spread cooled filling down middle of dough rectangle.

With a sharp knife, cut 1-inch strips at an angle on both sides of filling. Fold up end, and then fold over the strips, alternating from side to side until all strips are folded over. Tuck excess dough underneath at the end. Cover loosely with a dish towel and let rise in a warm place until almost doubled.

Bake in a 375 F oven for 30 minutes, or until nicely browned. Transfer to a rack to cool. Brush with a sugar glaze when partially cooled.

Yakima Valley Green Salad (savory)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Tree Top Frozen Concentrate Apple Juice, thawed
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon minced onion, if desired
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 teaspoon poppy seeds
1 large bag of Italian blend salad mix or hearts of romaine
1 Bartlett pear; cored and cubed
1 cup fresh apple slices
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/4 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup chopped cashews

Directions:

Mix the first eight ingredients in a bowl or jar and store in refrigerator. In a large salad bowl, add the remaining ingredients. Shake dressing well, pour desired amount over salad just before serving. Toss and enjoy.

Courtesy of ARAcontent