"Dinner with the Pros" Charity Event

This March, a unique charity dinner where guests were served by current and former NFL football players was held at the La Costa Resort and Spa. This event, organized by former Charger's kicker John Carney, featured great food, a live auction, and lots of dancing! This great event benefitted four different charities: All for God, Blessed Sacrament Catholic School, Mary’s Mercy Center and Veronica’s Home of Mercy. This event raised money for great causes, as well as raise excitement for an exciting year of sports!

pictured: Four former and current NFL players, along with singer/actress Lauren Mayhew.

And don't forget to check out Katie's Rancho Santa Fe Real Estate Website!

Recipe of the week- Garlic Parmesan Wings

This weekend while you're watching the masters, or some baseball, impress your guests and your taste buds with some baked garlic parmesan chicken wings!

Ingredients:


1/2 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
24 chicken wings, nude, baked (or fried per your desire)

Directions:


1. In a small glass bowl, melt butter in microwave.
2. Whisk into butter the garlic powder, onion salt and pepper.
3. Arrange hot, fresh-baked nude wings on a serving platter and drizzle with butter mixture.
4. Top with parmesan cheese and serve immediately.
5. Enjoy!

Steal a Peek: The Downton Abbey Garden

With Season 3 bringing heart-wrenching new twists and turns to Downton Abbey lovers, one question cannot help but present itself: why don't they shoot more scenes in the garden?  Check out this article for a look at the plants, flowers, and other elements that make Downton's garden such a magical place: http://www.realtor.com/home-garden/garden-trends/landscaping/steal-this-look-downton-abbey-garden.aspx.  You might feel the sudden urge to inject a little Downton-ian elegance into your own garden!

Of course, in our opinion, the gardens of Rancho Santa Fe could certainly give Downton a run for its money. If you're interested in learning what gives Rancho Santa Fe its gorgeous floral charm, give Katie a call, or check out her Rancho Santa Fe Real Estate Website!

Throwback- Phil Mickelson at Torrey Pines

For those of you who have made the trip down to Torrey Pines for the Farmers insurance open (formerly known as the Buick open), you know the excitement that comes from watching the worlds best play a course that has become a San Diego icon. Highlighted in this video is Rancho Santa Fe’s own Phil Mickelson in some of his greatest moments on tour.

Also, It’s Masters week! Do you have any plans to watch the tournament with friends? Family? Pick a winner and give us your feedback in the comments section!

And don't forget to check out Katie's Rancho Santa Fe Real Estate Website!

Household items that double as cleaners!

Ever have an annoying stain or scuff mark that you don’t have the cleaning supplies for? Check out this list of great household items that can help you out! Who knew coffee filters were great window cleaners, or that beer could freshen up your wooden furniture?!? With the good weather on its way, get your house looking new again in time for a great spring!

http://shine.yahoo.com/photos/surprising-household-items-double-cleaners-slideshow/tennis-ball-remove-scuff-marks-floor-photo-2590186-195800210.html

And don’t forget to check out Katie's Rancho Santa Fe Real Estate Website! 

Great spring break destinations for the whole family!

http://www.travelchannel.com/interests/family/articles/top-10-family-spring-break-vacations

Looking to get away this spring break? Here’s a list of great destinations for the family! It includes exotic getaways, as well as locations within driving distance from Rancho Santa Fe! Whether you would rather learn to surf under the Hawaiian sun, or do some skiing in Colorado, this spring, get away for some rest and relaxation!

 Dont forget to check out Katie's Rancho Santa Fe Real Estate Website!

Great turnout at the 4th annual Puppy Love 5k!

This past week, the Helen Woodward Animal Center hosted the 4^th annual Puppy Love 5k. This event raised critical funds to assist orphaned animals. The 5k was a great place to show off your pride and joy (sorry kids), and have a grand old time going for a little jog with your dog! This year's event featured Grand Marshal Raoul Martinez from San Diego's Fox 5, and the future is looking bright for this great fundraiser! The best of luck to the Animal Center, and we hope to see you there in the future!

Also, don't forget to check out Katie's Rancho Santa Fe Real Estate Website!

Recipe of the Week: Stuffed Strawberries

 

Although valentines day has come and past, its never ill timing to whip up some tasty treats!

 

 Ingredients:

24 Large strawberries, hulls removed

12 ounces cream cheese at room temperature

1-teaspoon vanilla (can use orange or almond instead)

3 tablespoons confectioners sugar

1/2lb dark chocolate flakes

 

Preparation:

 

Place cream cheese in a bowl, microwave for 30 seconds so that it is soft.

 

Whip together the cream cheese, vanilla, and sugar.

 

In the center of each strawberry, using a sharp knife, make a hole in each one, as deep as you can without going out the bottom.

 

Spoon or pipe the filling into each hole

 

Dip cheesecake end of strawberry into chocolate flakes making sure you completely cover the cheesecake filling with chocolate (you can also dip in melted chocolate and nuts)

 

Chill and serve

 

Enjoy!

 

Other options:

 

Instead of cheesecake filling, use a vanilla cream filling by mixing:

 

2 (3.5 ounce) packets of instant vanilla pudding mix

2 cups of heavy cream

1 cup of milk

 

Mix ingredients together in bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate to set.

 

Also, don't forget to check out Katie's Rancho Santa Fe Real Estate Website!

Great New Apps for the iPhone!

Did you get a new iPhone over the winter holidays? Still trying to maximize its potential? Check out these great iPhone apps to simplify your life, from great recipes, to a free traffic-avoiding app!

http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/best-iphone-apps/

Also, don't forget to check out Katie's Rancho Santa Fe Real Estate Website!

Recipe of the Week: Presidents Day Pie

 

Since our first president was an avid cherry lover, this week, we will give y’all the recipe for one of George’s favorites!

 

Ingredients:

 

4 Cups cherries pitted

1 Cup sugar (1 ¼ cups for sour cherries)

¼ Cup Flour

½ Teaspoon Cinnamon

Pastry for a double-crust 9-inch pie

 

Preparation:

 

-Mix ingredients for filling.

-Place in pastry-lined pie pan

-Put top crust on. Cut vent slits in top crust, and flute edges.

-Brush top with milk and sprinkle with sugar.

-Bake at 425’F for 25 minutes, reduce heat to 350’F and bake for 25-30 mins more.

TIP: Put sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a large Ziploc bag. Add the cherries and toss to coat. This coats them more even then doing it in a bowl and the filling is firmer.

Resolutions For a New Home!

Is one of your goals this year to buy a home?  Well, here are some resolutions that will help you!  This list will help you figure out which parts of the process come before others, and how to get your ducks in a row before buying a home.  Get your planning process started now, and make your 2013 dreams come true!

And if you're looking in the Rancho Santa Fe area, give Katie a call when you get to the "Find a Realtor" stage! Check out her Rancho Santa Fe Real Estate Website for details.

Debt Relief Extended!

After a lot of worry over whether certain measures would be extended in 2013 to help those struggling financially, one important measure has definitely come through! A law giving financially strained home-sellers tax relief on forgiven mortgage debt has been extended through 2013.  Read the whole article for details! http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/jan/02/mortgage-debt-relief-extended-homeowners/

If you have more questions about mortgages or home financing, give Katie a call, or check out her Rancho Santa Fe Real Estate Website!

What's In Store For 2013

Happy New Year Everyone!

Now that it's 2013, we all have a clean slate.  And the prognosis for the San Diego housing market in the new year is looking good! According to the San Diego Union Tribune, "As reported [in December 2012], housing prices rose 13.7 percent over the past year in the county, and sales jumped an impressive 22.4 percent, the best performance in seven years. It is our hope that this rebound will continue and that it will lead an economy that exceeds all expectations in 2013."  Here in Rancho Santa Fe, we also saw a great rebound in numbers compared to previous years.

Let's hope this upward trend continues!  For a look at that article and a more in-depth review of San Diego in 2012, see http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/dec/30/hopes-for-the-new-year/ .

If you're curious about recent selling prices of other homes in your neighborhood, Katie would be happy to provide you a list!  For more information, check out Katie's Rancho Santa Fe Real Estate Website!