Recipe of the Month: December 2010

Here is a yummy recipe for homemade banana cake. It is perfect with some cream cheese frosting (super easy to make).

Banana Cake 

Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
3 bananas, sliced
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 10 inch Bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Beat in the sliced bananas, sour cream and baking soda. Beat in the flour. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

Let me know what you think! : )

- Ashley

Recent Feedback from One of my Sellers

I just wanted to share with you all some recent feedback from one of my sellers:

"The experience was professional, impressive, and you were very helpful throughout the entire process. Your IT background really shined in your use of various media's to advertise our condo."

-- Sean C., Oak Lawn, IL

Need help selling your home? Give me a call at 708-307-9616 or email me at sales@ashleywydra.com!

- Ashley

3 Reasons to Sell a Home Soon

3 Reasons to Sell a Home Soon

What do you tell a client who asks whether to sell a house now or wait? Steve McLinden, real estate adviser with Bankrate.com, offers these three good reasons not to wait, even though the holidays are approaching:

1. The market is improving. Most markets have either turned or are close to turning.

2. All real estate is local. Homes in great locations are always in demand.

3. Spring is coming soon. Many potential buyers are starting their online searches right after the holidays, making mid- to late February a great time to start marketing.

Ready to get your home on the market? I also think that since a lot of buyers have time off work during the holiday season, now is the ideal time to put your home on the market! Contact me at sales@ashleywydra.com or 708-307-9616.

- Ashley

Recipe of the Month: November 2010

Overnight French Toast


This is a very easy breakfast/brunch dish that you prepare the night before and just pop in the oven in the morning! Of course, it's from my favorite recipe website, allrecipes.com! (http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Overnight-French-Toast-II/Detail.aspx)

 

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons corn syrup
1/2 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 (1 pound) loaf French bread, sliced
5 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Combine the corn syrup , butter, and brown sugar in a small saucepan and simmer until the sugar has melted. Pour this mixture over the bottom of a greased 9x13 inch casserole dish.
2. Place the bread slices over the sugar-butter mixture in the dish. In a bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, vanilla, and salt; pour this mixture over the bread. Cover the dish and let it stand in the refrigerator overnight.
3. The next morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
4. Uncover the pan and bake for 45 minutes. Serve while hot or warm or the French toast will harden in the pan. It can be reheated.

This is such a great recipe and it's so perfect for having out-of-town guests this Holiday season and providing them with a gourmet breakfast! Let me know if you give it a try!

- Ashley

Just listed: 19436 S Foxford Lane, Mokena, IL 60448 for $349,900

Check out this listing: 19436 S Foxford Lane, Mokena, IL 60448 for $349,900

Recipe of the Month: September 2010

These awesome pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting are always a hit! There is pudding in the cake mix so they are very moist and delicious! The cream cheese frosting is a snap to make. I hope you will try them out and let me know what you think!


Pumpkin Cookies
Ingredients:
- 1 cup butter flavored shortening
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
- Cream Cheese Frosting
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter flavored shortening and sugar. Beat in the egg and vanilla, and then stir in the pumpkin puree. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and vanilla instant pudding mix; gradually mix into the pumpkin mixture. Roll into walnut sized balls and place them 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until lightly browned at the edges. Allow to cool completely before frosting with cream cheese frosting.


Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
- 2 (8oz) packages cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar. Store in the refrigerator after use.

Let me know if you try this recipe!

- Ashley

Garden Update: August 2010 - MUMS!!!

Hi there everyone,

I'm so excited that I've already gotten some Mums for my garden! I really love fall and am looking forward to also getting my mini pumpkin and hay bale for my porch! Anyways, here are some current pictures of my garden in August:

Here are two of the Mum plants on my porch.

Here are the other two Mum plants.

My sweet potato vine on my front porch has gotten HUGE!

I'm really excited about my new Venus Fly Trap! These plants are awesome and live in your house year-round.

All of the flowers in my garden have gotten huge and basically taken over!

My red bell peppers are looking good! Yum!

This plant has grown as large as a bush! It started as only a tiny plant in the spring when I bought it because I thought it looked cool.

My pretty purple flowers!

Well, that's my update for now. I can't wait until my Mums start blooming and I can get the rest of my fall decorations!

- Ashley

Recipe of the Month: Cookie-Brownie Bars

These cookie-brownie bars as I so cleverly call them are absolutely delicious and amazing! I made them once for a concert at the Ravinia and they were devoured. They have just the right amount of richness.

Cookie-Brownie Bars

Ingredients:
• 1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, cubed

Directions:
1. In a bowl, combine the dry cake mix, eggs and oil. With floured hands, press two-thirds of the mixture into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan. Set remaining cake mixture aside.
2. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the milk, chocolate chips and butter. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 45 seconds; stir. Microwave 45-60 seconds longer or until chips and butter are melted; stir until smooth. Pour over crust.
3. Drop by teaspoonfuls of remaining cake mixture over top. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool before cutting.

Next time you need a great snack for any event, you should seriously try this recipe. I'd love to hear your comments when you make them!!!

- Ashley

Build-to-Suit in New Lenox! Great location and lot!

Build-to-Suit in New Lenox! Great location and lot!

Just listed: 19436 S Foxford Lane, Mokena, IL 60448 for $369,900

Just listed: 19436 S Foxford Lane, Mokena, IL 60448 for $369,900

Article in the Wall Street Journal Online

Hey Everyone, So I was perusing through the Internet and reading stories about real estate when this one in particular caught my attention. The headline read "Redfin: Less Than Half of All Home-Sale Attempts Successful in ‘09". That's less than a 50% success rate! No wonder sellers are so hesitant to list their home in this economy! "A survey of seven major housing markets found that less than half of all attempts to sell a home in 2009 had, as of last Wednesday, resulted in a sale." (http://blogs.wsj.com/developments/2010/08/16/redfin-less-than-half-of-all-home-sale-attempts-successful-in-09/). When buyers see all these properties sitting on the market for so long without selling, they definitely should see opportunities for great deals. Not that they should take advantage of these desperate sellers, but many sellers are settling for lower offers just to get rid of their houses so they can move on. The good news for these distraught sellers is that they will luckily make up for some of that loss in their next purchase! Interest rates are so low right now so not only will they get a low interest rate on their mortgage, but they will also get a good deal on their purchase of a home. It really does all even out in the end. Here is data from Cook County: County Name Listings Activated in 2009 # 2009 Listings Sold % 2009 Listings Sold # Still Active % Still Active Cook County, IL 134,710 44,789 33.3% 7,893 5.9% Here's the link to the entire article: http://blogs.wsj.com/developments/2010/08/16/redfin-less-than-half-of-all-home-sale-attempts-successful-in-09/ - Ashley

Just listed: 11915 Holly Court, Plainfield, IL 60585 for $224,500

Just listed: 11915 Holly Court, Plainfield, IL 60585 for $224,500

Ashley's Garden Update: July 2010

Hey there everyone! I bet you've been wondering what's the latest update with my garden? You haven't...well, I'm going to tell you anyways! LOL!

Most of my plants are doing very well although I'm sad to say that my cilantro plant died due to all the heavy rains that we had. It drowned from too much water in the pot. I wish I could plant things in the ground, where they do so much better!

Here are some pictures from my garden:

These are some yummy veggies that I picked: grape tomatoes, yellow banana peppers, sugar snap peas, and green beans!

These are my green beans that I made for dinner after just being picked! They were soooo good with some butter and breadcrumbs!

This is my lantana plant that has gotten huge! It's doing so well in the ground!

This is my garden in the back, which also does very well every year. The in-ground sprinklers hit it just right and when it rains, it really saturates the area back there!

This plant has grown into a huge bush!

Here's a jalapeno from my plant. I plan on making this jalapeno cheddar potato soup that my parents had on a cruise and the waiter gave them the recipe for...yum! (recipe to come soon I'm sure!! lol)

Here are some yellow banana peppers on my plant. I want to make a relish with these for Italian sub sandwiches.

Here are some green peppers from my plant. I also have red peppers, which start out looking exactly like this.

Well, I hope you like looking at my progress! Sorry I couldn't figure out how to flip my pictures I'm starting to look forward to mums in the fall and mini pumpkins! But mostly pumpkin spice lattes!

- Ashley

Recipe of the Month: Heavenly Chocolate Mousse

Hey there! You absolutely have to try my favorite recipe for chocolate mousse...it's so delicious! It takes a little work, but it's definitely worth it in the end! It's from my Betty Crocker Cookbook!

Ingredients:
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 cup (heavy) whipping cream
- 1 package (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips (1 cup)
- 1 1/2 cups whipping (heavy) cream

Directions:
1. Beat egg yolks in small bowl with electric mixer on high speed about 3 minutes or until thick and lemon colored. Gradually beat in sugar.
2. Heat 1 cup whipping cream in 2-quart saucepan over medium heat just until hot.
3. Gradually stir at least half of the hot cream into egg yolk mixture, then stir back into hot cream in saucepan. Cook over low heat about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens (do not boil).
4. Stir in chocolate chips until melted. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours, stirring occasionally, just until chilled.
5. Beat 1 1/2 cups whipping cream in chilled medium bowl on high speed until stiff. Fold chocolate mixture into whipped cream. Pipe or spoon mixture into dessert dishes. Refrigerate until serving. Store covered in refrigerator.

Be ready to indulge yourself! Let me know if you make it...I'd love to know what you think!

- Ashley

New Affiliate Staging Company: Elle M Staging

Hey There!

I'm super excited to announce my new partnership with a local staging company servicing the Chicagoland area. They are called Elle M Staging and here is a word from them:

In today’s real estate market home staging is critical. A house on the market for too long not only loses dollar value but loses buyer interest. Don’t neglect the opportunity to get the most out of your largest investment!

Elle M Staging will set your house apart from comparable homes in your area and help avoid costly price reductions. 

In our initial consultation, we tour your house and present ideas and solutions to your most challenging spaces.

Through furniture placement, wall color, accessorizing, and more we will neutralize and bring alive your house.

Create that winning first impression so buyers can envision themselves living there!

Elle M Staging is now offering professional home staging in the Chicago land area.

Take advantage of our affordable services by contacting us today at:

708.805.6886 or ellemstaging@gmail.com

View us on the web at ellemstaging.com

I hope you'll take a minute to visit their website!

- Ashley