You can receive Featurettes by e-mail daily, weekly or monthly by request. We can e-mail by your choice of topic or all stories as you may prefer. To make it even more convenient for editors to use our stories, NAPS has added an RSS syndication feed to our Web site. Simply hit the RSS button on our site for automated updates on available content. Please contact us to arrange to receive Featurettes in the format that works best for you at (800) 222-5551 or e-mail your request to us at printmedia@napsnet.com. We can provide Featurettes on CD-ROM or you can download it online at www.napsnet.com. Gary Lipton Media Relations Manager Phone: 1-(800)-222-5551 Fax: 1-(800)-990-4329 Web site: www. napsnet .com e-mail: printmedia@napsnet.com #2659 North American Precis Syndicate, Inc., 415 Madison Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10017 Cherry Pecan Chews To Share (NAPSA)—When you’re looking to make a treat to share with family and friends or give as a gift, having a fantastic “go-to” recipe in your arsenal can be sweet. Here’s one that fits the bill on ease of preparation and taste and that you’ll be happy to share with those you love. Created by Louanne Bertrand, a popular food blogger at Louanne’s Kitchen, it’s a cookie that’s great anytime of the year. Cherry Pecan Chews Yield: 5 dozen 21⁄2 11⁄2 1 ⁄2 1 11⁄2 1 ⁄2 1 ⁄2 1 1 ⁄3 1 cups flour teaspoons baking powder teaspoon salt cup unsalted butter, softened cups sugar teaspoon vanilla extract teaspoon almond extract large egg cup finely chopped maraschino cherries cup toasted and finely chopped pecans Note: The dough must chill before baking; preheat oven to 350˚ F when ready to bake. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together; set aside. Cream together butter, sugar, vanilla and almond until fluffy. Beat in egg. Mix in cherries and pecans. Add flour mixture, mixing until well incorporated. Pat dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap or wax paper, and chill for at least 1 hour, although overnight is best. Preheat oven to 350˚ F. Line a baking sheet with parchment From fruit to nuts, it’s all there in this one delicious cherr y pecan cookie. paper or spray with nonstick spray. Using a small cookie scoop, portion dough onto prepared baking sheet, spacing cookies 2” apart. Bake for 11–12 minutes or until lightly brown around the edges. Allow cookies to cool for at least 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack. A librarian by day and wannabe chef at home, Louanne says, “This recipe, like many others I share on my blog, is my own, based on culinary memories from my childhood.” She recommends you keep a jar or two of maraschino cherries on hand to add color and flavor to your favorite baked goods. The cherries are so versatile that they can be used in appetizers, beverages and entres, as well as desserts. Learn More For more tips and recipes, visit Louanne’s Kitchen at www. louanneskitchen.com and the National Cherry Foundation at www.nationalcherries.com. Share Your Smarts (NAPSA)—An estimated 10,000 baby boomers are retiring every day. Many are looking to volunteer at organizations that can benefit from their work experiences and expertise. Perhaps surprisingly, that’s not always easy. “One out of three recent retirees leave their volunteer posts within months because organizations are not properly prepared to utilize the volunteers’ professional experiences and knowledge,” a recent study released by the Corporation for National and Community Service revealed. Retirees can find fulfillment doing appropriate volunteer work. Fortunately, there’s a new website that can help organizations tap into the professional expertise that recent retirees can offer. The Aging Network’s Volunteer Collaborative is designed to help agencies prepare for the influx of boomers and to take full advantage of the volunteers they have. The Collaborative is a full-service support center designed to help the agencies of the Aging Network engage older adults in meaningful service. Its website provides tools and resources to build a strong volunteer program. To learn more, visit www. agingnetworkvolunteercollabora tive.org. An Anti-Aging Regimen For Your House Your home can keep its good looks longer if you provide prompt and proper maintenance and materials. (NAPSA)—Maintaining a “youthful” home through preventative maintenance can save you money in costly repairs and preserve its overall value. So where’s the best place to start? Here are some ideas: •Regular checkups are key. Get out your binoculars and look for shingles that are buckled, curled, blistered or missing an excessive amount of granules. If left unrepaired, these damaged shingles could result in leaks into your attic and further into your house, resulting in mold and rot. Get a roofing contractor to check that your roof is in good condition. •Protect against fading and stains. New exterior building materials used in siding, fence and decking products can help maintain a long-lasting, vibrant appearance. Available in many outstanding, vibrant colors, EverNew cellular PVC and composite decking from CertainTeed is backed by a 25-year Stain-andFade Resistance warranty, ensuring a dynamic outdoor oasis for many years to come. •Use impact-resistant shingles for a healthy roof. They help provide a more durable, stronger roof to protect your home from hail, falling debris and high winds. For example, Landmark Solaris IR meets the industry’s highest standards for impact resistance. In addition, it repels the sun’s rays and lowers the surface temperature of a roof by up to 20 degrees during warm months. •Choose durable siding materials. One, Cedar Impressions siding, is molded from real cedar shingles and designed and tested to withstand hurricaneforce winds. The siding is also virtually maintenance free, never needs painting and is backed with a lifetime-limited warranty. •Address problem spots. If not properly insulated, an attic can be a huge drain on your monthly energy bill and compromise the overall comfort of your home. Online tools, such as www.certainteed.com/itools, can help guide you through the process of ensuring your home has proper insulation. Keep these tips in mind and you may find that your home can provide you and your family more comfort at less cost.
